Julian North will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Age of Order
by Julian North
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GENRE: Dystopian Young Adult/New Adult
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INTERVIEW:
How did you
come up with your idea for your novel?
I’ve
written since I was a kid, but I rarely finished a book. On the two previous
occasions where I did manage to complete a manuscript, I wasn’t satisfied with
the result. But Age of Order was different. It was inspired by my experiences
fighting to get my two young children into school in my adopted home of New
York City. You could say that the book was born out of anger and frustration,
then raised on glimmers of hope. What started as a way to blow off steam
evolved into a vessel to discuss the unfairness, inequality, and occasional
brilliance I saw around me through my favorite medium: dystopian science-fiction.
What expertise did you bring to your writing?
Well, I’m
not sure if its really “expertise,” but I studied history in college (even less
lucrative than writing), and in “real life” I write all the time for my job,
every day. Supposedly, none on it is
fiction. Supposedly.
As far as
your writing goes, what are your future plans?
Age of
Order has a real ending, not a cliff hanger. If I don’t write a sequel, I don’t
think anyone will hate me. I thought that it would be rather presumptuous for a
new author and first novel to leave everyone hanging. However, I left plenty of
room for the story to continue. Assuming reader want it, I’ll be thrilled to
write all of the story, which should be 3-4 books.
If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?
Kristolan.
I don’t want to give away spoilers, but she is not the narrator/lead, but
rather somewhat of a rival. Why? Well, I always wondered what it would be like
to be beautiful, privileged and ambitious. We read to experience a world
different than our own, right?
Can you give us a sneak peek into this book?
At its
best, Age of Order works on different levels and can speak to different
audiences (young adults and adults). It’s the story of a strong young woman,
Daniela Machado, who, like most people in her world, hasn’t had it easy: she’s
lost most of her family, has few material possessions and has a ton of
responsibilities. Yet focuses on the bright lights in her life: friendship and
being the best runner in Bronx City. She accepts an unusual opportunity to
attend school with the elite of Manhattan to help her brother, and maybe the
rest of her people. Of course, nothing is free in her world, and the people who
supposedly offered her this amazing chance want something from her. She goes in
with her eyes open, but even she is surprised at how deep the rabbit hole goes,
and how high the stakes turn out to be. Daniela ends up fighting not just for
what she believes in, but to stay true to herself.
Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?
I don’t
have a formal critique group, but I do rely on a core group of beta readers who
suffered through multiple drafts. One of them is a native Spanish speaker who
helps me with my use Spanish—although he’s rather disappointed in my efforts. I
recently read the Brief Wonderful Life of Oscar Wao at his insistence so that I
might gain a better understanding of how to use Spanish slang to communicate cultural
flavor. I’ve got some ideas for the next book, but mostly I’m still in awe of
Junot Diaz’s writing. I’ll never be able to do what he did in those pages. The
Pulitzer was well deserved.
When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?
Well, ahem…
I turned 40. I wanted to be a writer growing up. But that wasn’t in the cards,
at least not immediately. Like Daniela in Age of Order, I had responsibilities. So I took the
practical route, one that offered the prospect of a steady income. I promised
myself that I would come back to do the things I loved, one day. Age of Order is
a part of that.
Do you outline your books or just start writing?
I have an
idea of what I want to say and where I want my characters to end up before I
start writing. I usually have a clear outline extending 2-3 chapters ahead as I
write. Around the middle of the book, I’ve generally spent enough time thinking
about it that things start to click and I have a clear path to the finish. The
writing goes faster and easier at that point. I call it “writing downhill.”
How do you maintain your creativity?
I read, I
go to the movies, I talk to my friends and my wife about life. I walk to work
every morning, which gives me a solid 30 minutes to think about characters and
plot without the pressure of actually writing anything.
Who is your favorite character in the book. Can you tell us why?
I rather
like them all--I’ve spent so much time getting to know them, even the difficult
ones. But if I had to pick one, I’m rather partial to Nythan Royce. He gets the
best lines, and his interest in 20th Century science fiction books
and film mirrors my own (I wonder how that happened?). He’s the voice that
keeps people from taking themselves too seriously. He’s also one of the
characters who still has lot of story to tell. We’ve barely scratched the
surface of Nythan in Age of Order.
BLURB:
What if the people who thought they were
better than you… really were?
In this world,
inequality is a science. Giant machines maintain order. And all people are not
created equal.
Daniela Machado
is offered a chance to escape the deprivation of Bronx City through a coveted
slot at the elite Tuck School. There, among the highborn of Manhattan, she
discovers an unimaginable world of splendor and greed. But her opportunity is
part of a darker plan, and Daniela soon learns that those at society’s apex
will stop at nothing to keep power for themselves. She may have a chance to
change the world, if it doesn’t change her first.
Age of Order is
a novel that explores the meaning of merit and inequality. Fans of the Hunger
Games, Red Rising, and Divergent will enjoy this world of deception and
intrigue, where the downtrodden must fight for a better future.
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EXCERPT:
I
dashed towards the dilapidated collection of storefronts hugging the fringes of
the worn avenue, the rusted metal gates firmly closed, lean-to homes piled on
their concrete roofs. Makeshift cardboard dwellings crowded the sidewalk. I ran
for one of the lightless alleys between the buildings. Lurkers lived in those
narrow corridors as surely as rats lived in the sewer, but I’d rather face them
than the machines. I leaped towards the darkness.
A
finder beam latched onto me as I sailed through the air, the comparative safety
of the alley as tantalizingly close as candy in a shop window. I imagined the
tight little dot on my leg, hot and hungry. I could almost touch the alley
wall. But not quite. The hulking metal slave fired.
A
correction pellet sliced through the fabricated leather of my sneaker and bit
into my flesh. The force of the impact was enough to screw up my balance too. I
landed on one foot instead of two, falling forward. Chewed-up concrete surged
towards me. I sacrificed my right palm and left elbow to protect my head, and
the viser strapped to my left forearm.
I
scrambled to my feet and ran down the alley, my jaws clenched, but the pain
wasn’t what was bothering me. I told myself that my shoe had blocked a lot of
the pellet. That I probably hadn’t gotten hit with a full dose. That what was
coming wouldn’t be that bad.
Liar.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
I’ve been writing since I
could grab a pencil (remember those?). Then I had kids. Not much time for
writing anymore. Until they started school… in New York City. I’m not from
here, and the tumult of that experience inspired me. AGE OF ORDER grew from a
diary of injustice. Now I write what I’m feeling, and let the rest flow from
there. I hope you enjoy it.
Please visit my website at
www.juliannorth.com and join my book club to receive a free short story set in
the same world as AGE OF ORDER.
http:// www.juliannorth.com
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/539032.Julian_North
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Julian North
will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter
during the tour.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f2143
