Blog Tour: P.O.W.ER by Lisa A. Kramer
Title:
P.O.W.ER
Author:
Lisa A. KremerPublisher:
Word Hermit PressPages:
291Genre:
YA Speculative Feminist FictionFormat:
Paperback/Kindle
Purchase
at AMAZON
What
would happen if women and girls joined their unique abilities
together to change the world? In a world where access to the written
word is reserved to men, Andra BetScrivener has been able to read and
write ever since she was a little girl without anyone teaching her.
She must keep her abilities a secret in the country of New North, or
she could lose her hands, her eyes or her life. In fact, the only
paths offered to her–and all young women–are to either marry or
enter the government-run Women’s Training Program, where she’ll
be taught “feminine” arts like drawing, painting, and homemaking.
On
her seventeenth birthday, Andra discovers that her abilities extend
beyond reading. She can write events to life. As she begins to
explore her new ability, she must take care not to jeopardize her
father’s job as head scrivener at the Ministry. Despite her efforts
to keep her powers hidden, she comes to the attention of both the
government and a rebel group, who each desire to use Andra for their
own goals. At the same time, she begins to meet other gifted women
who have never dared use their unique powers. With the help of her
friends Brian and Lauren—who has the ability to read minds—Andra
must find a way to unite the power of women to create change.
When
one side manipulates Andra’s words into killing someone, and the
other threatens her father’s life and her own freedom, Andra
decides to use her writing to empower others to stop governmental
oppression. But in a society ruled by lies, cruelty, and inequality
her journey will not be easy or safe. For
each book sold, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to causes
that support women and children around the world.
Excerpt:
My
stomach dropped as soon as Dad entered the kitchen scowling at a
thick card embossed with the government seal. My hand started to
shake so much that I had to put down my mug of tea. I knew this day
was coming. After all, it was my seventeenth birthday, the first day
of the last year of my life.
“That’s
the letter, isn’t it?”
Dad
looked at me with one of his half smiles, the one that never reached
his eyes. I hadn’t seen him smile with genuine happiness for years,
not since Mother died. This smile made no effort to cover the sadness
and defeat in his face. “Pour me some cocoa, please.” He lowered
himself into his customary chair next to me, “I’ll do my civic
duty and read this to you.”
“I
could always read it myself,” I said. I waited for him to respond
the way he always did. I hoped that provoking him a little would
reawaken the Dad who let me believe I could do anything, while still
protecting me from the cruelty of our society. That Dad had
disappeared over recent years.
“Andra!”
he said, “You know I don’t like you to say that out loud. You
never know if someone might be listening. If I could let you read
everywhere, I would. We can’t let your secret get out.”
“I’m
sorry.” I handed Dad his cocoa and watched as he took several sips.
For a moment he closed his eyes and his face relaxed. The secret to
giving him those brief moments was in the cocoa. I make it just like
Mother used to. She left us too soon to teach me all her cooking
secrets, but she taught me a few. She was a woman who turned
everything she touched into something beautiful, warm and comforting.
She could make people calm even in the most terrifying circumstances.
Mother and Dad both made me believe that my future wasn’t set in
the same stone used to build the giant walls that separated New North
from the outside world. Mother believed that somehow they would find
a way to return to some of the freedoms of the past and make a better
future for all women. She never got the chance to do that. She died
and Dad grew afraid.
“Ah,
perfect as always. Now, to do my duty.” Dad put his mug down and
brought my attention back to the thick card, or the envelope of doom,
as I thought of it. The government seal—the Eye of the Lord—gleamed
with a hint of gold ink as it caught the light from the sun shining
through the window. It sent a shiver down my spine, as if the eye was
really watching me.
Lisa
A. Kramer has spent her life learning, creating, and exploring the
world through theatre, writing, traveling and collaborating as an
educator. She has lived in nine states and two countries (including
Japan). She holds a PhD in Theatre for Youth, an MFA in Theatre
Directing, and a BA in English Language & Literature and Theatre.
She has published non-fiction articles in journals specializing on
Theatre for Young Audiences, as well articles aimed at young people
for Listen Magazine.
In addition to young adult novels, she has ventured into the world of
short stories, and has stories for adults in several of the
Theme-Thology series
published by HDWPBooks.com and available on Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.
When not writing, Lisa shares her love of the arts and the power of
story as co-founder of heArtful Theatre Company and as adjunct
faculty at various colleges and universities. She also spends time
enjoying New England with her husband, daughter, and two dogs from
her home base in central Massachusetts.
For
More Information
- Contact Lisa.
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