Icehaven
Sum
of All Tears Book 1
by
Kim Cresswell & M.K. Chester
Genre:
Post-Apocalyptic Dystopian, Paranormal
They
said it wouldn't happen.
Everything would be better.
They
were wrong.
After
a climate change experiment goes terribly wrong, August Madison,
finds herself resurrected in a frozen wasteland.
With
most of the world's population and food sources annihilated, depraved
nomadic gangs patrol the lawless landscape as outlasters claw for
survival.
Amid
the chaos, Graysen Marx, iron-fisted leader of the domed settlement
Liberty, emerges from the catastrophic event with his own
agenda.
When
August crosses his path, he sees an opportunity he must exploit.
She
sees an evil she must destroy.
Fans
of The Day after Tomorrow, The Handmaid's Tale, Mad Max, and The
Hunger Games are sure to enjoy this enthralling post apocalyptic
dystopian adventure with a paranormal twist.
Liberty
Sum
of All Tears Book 2
A
new enemy rises.
Surviving
the cold is only the beginning.
In
the second installment of the exciting Sum of all Tears series, a
core group of survivors from Liberty travel to Boston, endangering
themselves and those they left behind in a winner-takes-all showdown
that will leave readers breathless.
Fans
of The Day after Tomorrow, The Handmaid's Tale, Mad Max, and The
Hunger Games are sure to enjoy this enthralling post apocalyptic
dystopian adventure with a paranormal twist.
Kim
Cresswell resides in Ontario, Canada and is the bestselling and
award-winning author of the action-packed WHITNEY STEEL series.
Her
romantic thriller, Reflection (A Whitney Steel Novel –
Book One), has won numerous awards including RomCon®’s 2014
Readers’ Crown Finalist (Romantic Suspense), InD’tale Magazine
2014 Rone Award Finalist (Suspense/Thriller), UP Authors Fiction
Challenge Winner, Silicon Valley’s Romance Writers of America (RWA)
“Gotcha” contest. Kim also signed a 3-book German
translation deal with LUZIFER Verlag for the first three books in the
series: Reflection, Retribution and Resurrect. Lethal
Journey won RomCon®’s 2014 Readers’ Crown (Thriller).
The
Assassin Chronicles TV series was in development with Council Tree
Productions. The TV series is based on Kim’s upcoming 4-book
paranormal/supernatural thriller series: Deadly Shadow (May
2018), Invisible Truth, Assassin’s Prophecy, and Vision
of Fire.
M.K.
Chester is an RWA award-winning author of historical and
contemporary romance. Her first novel, Surrender to the Roman,
is currently published with Carina Press. Her three-book historical
series, Bryeton Books, focuses on love, loss and redemption in small
town America at the turn of the 20th century, while her latest
release, Crashed, is the first book in the contemporary New
South Series.
M.K.
is a native Buckeye who lives in Tennessee. She’s married to a
veteran, recently became a MoM (Mother of Marine), and will soon
become a grandmother. She adores her Scottish Terriers and is
fighting MS.
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GUEST POST
Kim: I’m presently working on Invisible Truth, the second book in the thrilling Assassin Chronicles series. M.K. Chester and I will be writing Liberty, the second book in the Sum of all Tears series beginning in July.
M.K: I’m working right now on polishing the second book in the New South series, titled Ten Days.
M.K.: I prefer to type. I have MS and it’s affected my hands, so it’s always easier to type. I have my desktop, laptop and iPad set up for typing.
Where were you born/grew up at?
Kim: I was born in
Etobicoke (Toronto), Ontario Canada. When I was two, my parents
divorced, and we moved to London, Ontario. I’ve been here ever
since.
M.K.: I was born and
raised in and around Columbus, Ohio, USA, with the brief excursion to
Phoenix, Arizona when I was little. I’m not sure it counts since I
barely remember it.
What do you do to
unwind and relax?
Kim: I enjoy
reading, taking long walks to clear my mind, and spending time with
my adult kids and friends.
M.K.: I like to
read, watch TV and movies, the usual. As a new homeowner, I’m also
finding new things to enjoy, like redecorating, gardening and
birdwatching.
Describe yourself
in 5 words or less!
Kim: Funny, kind,
crazy, caring, and a loyal friend.
M.K.: Sarcastic,
loyal, quiet, caring, and empathetic.
Which of your
novels can you imagine made into a movie?
Kim: I have always
envisioned my Whitney Steel series (Reflection, Retribution,
Resurrect) as movies. They are high-octane romantic thrillers and
would work well as movies.
M.K.: When I write,
I usually see the story unfolding in my mind as if it were a movie,
but I can honestly say that Icehaven would be the most
exciting to both create and view as a movie.
As a writer, what
would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Kim: My spirit
animal would be an Owl, emblematic of a deep connection with wisdom
and intuitive knowledge.
M.K.: My spirit
animal has always been a polar bear, which represents strength and
endurance as well as acceptance and surrender. I have a tattoo to
represent this connection.
What can we
expect from you in the future?
Kim: I’m presently working on Invisible Truth, the second book in the thrilling Assassin Chronicles series. M.K. Chester and I will be writing Liberty, the second book in the Sum of all Tears series beginning in July.
M.K: I’m working right now on polishing the second book in the New South series, titled Ten Days.
Can you tell us a
little bit about the characters in Icehaven?
M.K.: We wanted the
characters to be relatable—they could be someone you know—who are
thrown into this new world and have to find the strength to survive.
Strong heroines are a must, and August is a character who shows
remarkable growth through her trials. Her love interest likewise has
to be able to keep up with her, while handling his own
responsibilities at the same time. I always think villains are the
most fun to write, and we enjoyed making our antagonist both
relatable and a worthy opponent.
Where did you
come up with the names in the story?
Kim: I use a random
name generator and with M.K.’s input, we were able to find
interesting and unique names for our characters.
What did you
enjoy most about writing this book?
Kim: What I enjoyed
most about writing Icehaven is the story was very different
from my other books, a completely different genre.
M.K.: It’s
different than anything I’ve written and really enjoyed getting to
jump outside the romance genre.
If you had to do
it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Kim: Not at all.
Icehaven is exactly the way I envisioned the story.
M.K.: Nope. There is
nothing I would do differently, as the entire process built me up as
a writer.
Did you learn
anything during the writing of your recent book?
Kim: I learned how
how much I love writing dystopian fiction, and also how resilient
characters can be. Very much like life, we adapt and come out
stronger no matter what is thrown at us.
M.K.: I learned that
mixing genres can be awesome! I loved getting a little taste of
everything, from romance to post-apocalyptic fiction, very outside
the box I’d been working in.
Anything specific
you and M.K. Chester want to tell your readers?
We hope readers have
a chance to read Icehaven. At the story’s core, the book is
about duty, sacrifice, choices, and consequences. It’s an emotional
blend that asks the basic questions, “What would you do?”
And thank you to our
fans of the Sum of all Tears series. It’s because of you that we
will continue to write new books in the series. We appreciate your
support.
If your book had
a candle, what scent would it be?
The candle would
smell like citrus, green bamboo, patchouli, and musk. Of course, we’d
call it Icehaven.
How long have you
both been writing?
Kim: For many
decades. I knew I wanted to be a professional writer while working at
our public library at the age of seventeen. I remember reading
Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls and from that
moment I wanted to be an author. It seemed like a farfetched idea
back then. Life, marriage, and kids put my dream on hold until 2012
when I decided it was time to take my writing seriously. It really
was now or never. With my first book, Reflection, I landed
two literary agents. Since then, I’ve published over 20+ works:
novels, short stories, and anthologies.
M.K: I started writing stories for my own entertainment when I was ten but didn’t get serious about things until almost twenty years later. The Internet played a big role in my growth (and it’s how Kim and I met) and I know I’d be writing whether I ever published or not. As a history geek, historical romance was a natural fit and most of my published work fits that mold. After a layoff in 2017, I was also able to use my skills as a copywriter, a role I still enjoy.
M.K: I started writing stories for my own entertainment when I was ten but didn’t get serious about things until almost twenty years later. The Internet played a big role in my growth (and it’s how Kim and I met) and I know I’d be writing whether I ever published or not. As a history geek, historical romance was a natural fit and most of my published work fits that mold. After a layoff in 2017, I was also able to use my skills as a copywriter, a role I still enjoy.
Do you read
yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?
Kim: I love
reading! My favorite genres are dystopian, romantic and action
thrillers.
M.K.: I was a reader first and will always be a reader. I read a lot of romance, but also enjoy military fiction and historical fiction and biographies.
M.K.: I was a reader first and will always be a reader. I read a lot of romance, but also enjoy military fiction and historical fiction and biographies.
Do you write one
book at a time or do you have several going at a time?
Kim: I usually only
write one book at a time so I can focus on the characters and the
story.
M.K.: I have several projects at various stages of completion, but it’s best for me to focus on no more than two at any given time (one, if I’m being honest!).
M.K.: I have several projects at various stages of completion, but it’s best for me to focus on no more than two at any given time (one, if I’m being honest!).
Pen or type
writer or computer?
Kim: I write on a
laptop and use pen and paper if I’m stuck on a scene. I find moving
away from the computer always helps me get unstuck.
M.K.: I prefer to type. I have MS and it’s affected my hands, so it’s always easier to type. I have my desktop, laptop and iPad set up for typing.
Describe your
writing style.
Kim: I would
describe my writing style as cinematic. My books are like watching a
movie.
M.K.: My style reflects deep narratives with redemption themes, so it often seems like getting to peer over the character’s shoulder.
M.K.: My style reflects deep narratives with redemption themes, so it often seems like getting to peer over the character’s shoulder.
What makes a good
story?
Kim: What makes a
great story is a solid and interesting plot, lots of action, and
emotion…emotion…emotion. If I don’t feel a story, I walk away
from it.
MK: Definitely
emotion—but if the events don’t make sense to me, I can walk
away.
What is your
writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you do
the chapters first?
Kim: My writing
process has always been the same. First, I write the draft back cover
blurb. I can’t start a book unless I do. Then I select a title and
begin plotting out each chapter, so I have a map to work with. After
those are completed, I sit down and start writing the first chapter.
Of course, things can change but generally, I stick with my plot
outline quite closely.
M.K: The opposite of
Kim’s! I often begin with a character. I know who they are and then
find a situation in which they can learn and grow. I usually write
straight through but will occasionally write out of sequence. I use
Deb Dixon’s GMC to ensure conflict is working.
Do you try more
to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
Kim: I love coming
up with unique plots and characters which I do believe readers want
and expect.
M.K.: Both, if it’s
possible. I like to take characters who may be questionable in one
way or another and make readers love them.
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