Today, I'm honored to be hosting the fabulous Catherine Stine and her YA futuristic thriller, Fireseed One, on their virtual tour around the web. In the link list at the bottom of this interview, there's a URL that will take you to a complete schedule of stops.
Here's a quick summary of the book:
What if only your very worst enemy could help you save the world?
Fireseed One, a YA thriller, is set on a near-future earth with soaring heat, toxic waters, tricked-out amphibious vehicles, ice-themed dance clubs and fish that grow up on vines. Varik Teitur inherits a vast sea farm after the mysterious drowning of his marine biologist father. When Marisa Baron, a beautiful and shrewd terrorist, who knows way too much about Varik's father's work, tries to steal seed disks from the world's food bank, Varik is forced to put his dreams of becoming a doctor on hold and venture with her, into a hot zone teeming with treacherous nomads and a Fireseed cult who worships his dead father, in order to search for Fireseed, a seemingly magical hybrid plant that may not even exist. Illustrated by the author. Fans of Divergent and Feed will likely enjoy this novel, as well as those who like a dash of romance with their page-turners.
One of the things that caught my attention in the synopsis is the hot and cold aspect of the setting. Catherine actually weaves the same aspects into her characterization, bringing to life a "fire and ice romance."
To give us a little teaser, Catherine brought along her two main characters, Marisa and Varik, who, in spite of falling for each other, don't exactly see eye to eye on much else (lucky for us, because that makes it so very fun ... heh).
So, without further adieu, I give you seventeen-year-old Marisa and eighteen-year-old Varick, duking it out.
Okay guys. Let's make this a clean fight. No biting, head-butting, or hitting below the belt. That means you, Marisa. ;)
Nationality? Birthplace?
Varik: I live in Ocean Dominion, which used to be called the Arctic Circle, but is now a series of floating islands and farms. Our sea farm is Teitur Farm.
Marisa: I grew up in Land Dominion, which used to be Canada and Greenland way back in the dark ages. Now, Land Dominion and Ocean Dominion are rivals. (Sends Varik a wicked grin).
Fave food?
Varik: Flyfish with sautéed sea apples. My friend, Audun cooks this. He’s a gourmet cook.
Marisa: Restavik boar with Landlock peas. All products of Land Dominion!
What are your occupations?
Marisa I was a member of the ZWC, an activist group, helping out the climate refugees in the Hotzone… or (looks over at Varik) a terrorist organization. Depends who you ask.
Varik: I was hoping to go to college to be a doctor. I wanted to specialize in making prosthetic limbs like the flippers I made for my dolphin after his got eaten by toxic waters. But now that my father (swallows hard) drowned, I manage our sea farm.
What makes life worthwhile?
Varik: Living on the ocean, sailing my old Sea Tern, playing ball with my dolphin, Juko; going to nightclubs on SnowAngel with my friend Audun, meeting girls (laughs when Marisa elbows him).
Marisa: Exposing hypocrisy, helping the refugees—
Varik interrupts: Though she goes about it in the worst way!
What are you each most fixated on?
Marisa: Feeding the Refs. Finding Fireseed.
Varik: Finding out if Fireseed exists, if what Marisa told me has any basis in fact.
Do you have a temper? How does it manifest?
(Both explode into uproarious laughter)
Marisa: Temper, me? Nooo! But Varik… he put a fish tracker in my neck for starters!
Varik: Um, because you broke into my father’s underwater vault, because you shot me with a stun gun. Because… (Exasperated sigh). Me? I’m pretty even-keeled.
Can you keep a secret?
Varik: (Reddening, dead silence. Thinking of all the secrets he’s kept from Marisa).
Marisa: (brushes her long, red hair back defiantly) Sometimes.
May we ask you each to describe how the other shows affection?
Varik: By breaking into my father’s secret underwater vault!
Marisa: By locking me up in his father’s airless meditation room.
Varik: It has one small porthole.
Marisa: Not even big enough for a water rat to squeeze through.
Varik: That was the point!
Who are your love interests?
Marisa: (Snorts) I have a fatal attraction to tall, blond guys, who own farms and have a horrid sense of politics!
Varik: I confess: I’ve developed a taste for stubborn, impulsive redheads, who join crazed cults simply to rebel against their megalomaniacal dads.
*ding-ding-ding*
Round's over. The opponents are being escorted out of the ring so they can kiss and makeup. If you want a peek at that ... well, you'll have to buy the book.
Here's what other authors are saying about Fireseed One:
“Fireseed One is so full of startling ideas that I couldn't stop reading! Recommended for fans of science fiction, thrillers, or for anyone looking for a story full of big surprises.” -- Amy Kathleen Ryan, author of Glow, the first novel in The Sky Chasers series
“Action, adventure, love, and loss, plus superb world building all adds up to an incredibly imaginative story – one that should not be missed.” --Carolyn MacCullough, author of Once a Witch and Always a Witch
Want to know more about Catherine and where to buy her book? Here's a treasure trove of linkage:
Fireseed One's
Facebook page
Goodreads author page
Also, be sure to visit the other tour stops for some fun interviews, contests, and swag:
Thank you Catherine, for letting me be a part of this. I loved meeting your wonderful characters! And thanks everyone else for stopping by. Have a fantastic weekend!
