Monday, January 14, 2008

Coming Soon....

Fifteen is hard enough.

Especially when your parents want to save the environment one hybrid car at a time.

Throw in a move from the exciting city of Portland, Oregon to a passive solar straw bale home ("the hellish house of hay") in the small mountain town of Flagstaff, Arizona and things suddenly get a lot harder for Amber Petersen.

Not only that, but while her parents are on a business trip in France, the young woman they hired to watch Amber and her brother, Jake, suddenly disappears. Now Amber has to figure out how to take care of her seven year-old brother with no real friends in her dinky new town, no driver’s license, and midterm exams.

Then things start getting complicated.

In a terrorist plot gone horribly wrong, much of the earth’s population is rapidly dying, taking the world’s infrastructure along with it. A mutated strain of the H5N1 virus has been unleashed on the world and no one can stop it in time.

Amber finds herself alone with her brother on their small farm with no way of communicating with the outside world, when Jake becomes very sick. Winter is fast approaching, and she has no idea if her parents are still alive.

Amber's parents have emerged from the global tragedy alive and find themselves in the south of France with a handful of other survivors. They travel from a village outside of Avignon to Biarritz, where they prepare for their ocean journey back to America.

Meanwhile, Amber and Jake struggle to stay alive and take care of their most basic needs, all the while figuring out what they future holds for them and for the rest of the people on earth.

Will Amber and Jake make it through the winter? Will their parents find a way to return home?

What happens when not everyone left on earth is a good person?

In less than one year, Amber finds her courage, love, and a new way of looking at life on this planet.


This is all part of Painted Maypole's Monday Mission. We had to write a movie trailer, so I took the young adult novel I've written and imagined that man with the deeeep voice doing the voiceover for mine.

27 comments:

Rima said...

I'm a thirtysomething, and I would totally read that novel. And then watch the movie.

MARY G said...

Wow! Got to read the novel, please!
Love it.
You make me look like an, um, birdbrain.

Memarie Lane said...

Sounds really interesting, I would definitely read it. I like that you're combining real world issues with standard teen issues. Very unique, in a good way.

Beck said...

You REALLY should write that - it sounds interesting!

imbeingheldhostage said...

Sign me up, I'm ready for a read about Flagstaff! Jen, I have sent an email, but don't know if you ever got my first one (I get filtered out a lot) (?)

Anna said...

can't wait till we can read it!
Will you be convening a Get in the Car advanced readers group? I'm a reading fiend, so would love to!

Jen said...

I'll check my spam folders, IBHH....and Beck, the book is written and done and waiting for a home!

Family Adventure said...

Wow! How intriguing. Will you be sharing an excerpt??

Heidi

B2G said...

OMG, for the first two paragraphs I thought maybe you were writing about one of your daughters, and I was all ready to comment with, "OMG YOU USED TO LIVE IN PORTLAND? I USED TO LIVE IN PORTLAND!" And then I realized it was all a sham.

Janet said...

The book sounds great! I hope you get published. I would definitely read it.

Mrs. G. said...

What a cool writing assignment. I'm stealing it for class. I would go see this movie in a second.

Audubon Ron said...

I was reading going “what in the world” she finally had a psychotic break. Those little girls can do that to ya.

painted maypole said...

COOL. i thought it was very detailed... love that you used your book! (sounds fascinating!)

Don Mills Diva said...

Wow - that was amazing. Are you having this novel published? You should - I'd buy it!

Kristi B said...

Love it, Jen! Can't wait for it to be published. I'll be able to say I knew you when....

Kat said...

Keep talking, I'm listening!
That sounds fab! I would definitely see that.
I got my books and tea today. Thank you so much! I was having such a crappy day, but felt like such a kid getting a package in the mail. Thank you!

Cynthia said...

First, wow...great novel, and I read it with deep announcer voice in my head!

Second, you left a question on my blog makeover contest about load time...A header shouldn't affect your load time. FWIW, you loaded fine for me...

Anonymous said...

You forgot to start it off with "In a world..."

It speaks to my nerdery that I was all excited by the straw bale home reference.

Anonymous said...

I'd see the movie and read the book!

Life As I Know It said...

oooh, I'd see that movie. AND read the book!

Jen said...

Ooh yeah - I forgot that he always starts with something like..."In a world..."

And Nap Warden - my old header pic was what was doing it. I will try and put it up again and see if the problem persists - if so I'll e-mail ya.

Thanks for all the positive feedback - it means a lot!

Anonymous said...

This should be an ABC After School Special. But first...a book.

the dragonfly said...

I want to read it too!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow! What a novel. Er, ah, I mean movie trailer.

dawn224 said...

wow, this is great :)

Anonymous said...

Holy unexpected plot twist, Batman! I couldn't have predicted this in a million years. Cheers to the onion-like qualities of your artistry. I can't wait to read it!
Joanie

Anonymous said...

I would totally read that