The Chasm by Branwen Oshea

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Branwen OShea will be awarding $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to Books in the Hall! Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it?

I work with teens and wanted to write books for them. My Finding Humanity Series was inspired by several conversations where a bunch of teens told me they couldn’t imagine a future where humans got their act together and stopped killing each other and the planet. I wanted to create a story where instead of a chosen one saving the day, it was a group of diverse people who didn’t trust each other that eventually convinced everyone else to change.

Pretend your protagonist is at school and opens his/her locker – what will we see inside?

There are five points of view in The Chasm:

Rana, a star being, would have toys and food for her cave digger pup, Digga. Star beings don’t use books, so maybe she’d also have her walking stick and fur cape.

Kahali, another star being, would have all musical instruments, but mostly percussion instruments.

Bleu Reinier, a human, would have his equipment for the hologames as well as a pictures of he and his best friend, Stamf, winning at various tournaments. He’d also have secret computer files of cold weather wilderness survival techniques.

Atsushi Collins, another human teen, would have his pass to the Records Room, where he researches ancient Earth. He’d also have his personal comm loaded with music from the old world wide web.

Commander Savas, the human expedition leader, would have his expedition clothing, cologne, and a comb.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

When I was a teen I mostly read adult sci-fi, fantasy, romance and spy books. But my favorite book, which will tell you what a nerd I was, was Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

Lindt Chocolate Peppermint White Chocolate Truffles

What did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

I always wanted to be a doctor that treated people regardless of their ability to pay. I’ve always been interested in health and healing, and wanted to help others. I did get a Bachelors in Biology Pre-Med, but then became a mental health therapist instead.

What would you write in a letter to your teen self?

I would tell myself that having perfect grades and the college I choose are not nearly as important as everyone makes you believe as a teen. But more importantly, I’d try to give myself hope, because my teen years were pretty awful.

What candy do you give out at Halloween?

All the candy bars, because that’s usually what the kids want. But I also have allergy-free alternatives.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

I’d love to be able to physically travel to book worlds. Then I could visit all my favorite characters and all the magical forests, and all the amazing planets.

What book is on your nightstand currently?

I don’t read in bed, so my own books, The Calling and The Chasm are on my nightstand. Seeing that I’ve actually brought stories from my imagination into physical form in this world is a dream come true.

Hunger Games or Twilight? Why?

Oh, this is hard. I definitely like Susan Collins’ writing better, but then…werewolves and vampires! I see this question, and my response is the meme from The Road El Dorado where the two guys look at each other and say “Both! Both is good.”

Favorite TV show from your childhood?

The old Battlestar Galactica. The newer one is also great, but the older one was out when I was a kid.

Favorite hot beverage. Why?

Coffee in all its wonderful forms. It tastes good, wake me up, fuels my writing, and has antioxidants. What’s not to love?

Ideal summer vacation.

I’m not a heat person, so I’d rather work through the summer and go to Iceland and see the Northern Lights in the winter.

Which of your characters would you most like to meet IRL? Why?

Another hard one. I’m not good at these choices, am I? I think I’d probably like to meet the Crowned Ones among the star beings, specifically Kalakanya, Luminary Vadin, and Bahujnana. The Crowned Ones are the star being version of enlightened beings, and I think we’d have great conversations. Kalakanya would be great to talk to about the nature of time and past and future lives. Luminary Vadin is really funny and kind, and Bahujnana is their healer and I’d love to talk to him about their healing techniques.

Alternatively, I’d love to meet two of the Ruined-Hakan and Mican- but if I say more about them it would be a spoiler. Also, if I were meeting them, I’d need a guarantee that they wouldn’t kill me, lol.

Favorite pizza toppings.

Hot Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, and hot peppers

Create an ice cream flavor. What’s it called?

Butterscotch Expresso. Coffee ice cream with chocolate covered expresso beans, and butterscotch syrup.

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on? A small farm with a guest house for any friends that need a place to stay as well.

Favorite class in high school.

I’m going to sort of cheat with this question. I spent my senior year of high school at college, and my favorite course there, and maybe ever, was a freshman interdisciplinary class that explored what would happen if extraterrestrial intelligent life was ever discovered. It looked at the science as well as effects on our society, political stability between nations, and how religious institutions would react. It was the perfect class for a budding science fiction author.

Thank you so much for taking an interest in me and my series.

They thought the biggest problem they faced was each other.

After Bleu, Rana, and their new friends narrowly prevent war between the star beings and humans, they hope the upcoming negotiation will secure the peace. Newly emerged from their subterranean haven, the Northern Haven humans are clearly not suited to Earth’s ice age, and require assistance from the enlightened star beings to survive long term on the Surface. But Commander Savas doesn’t trust the suspiciously kind star beings and their unexplainable abilities. When both sides reluctantly negotiate a joint mission to find the other Havens, Bleu must somehow cooperate with the manipulative commander to keep his friends safe.

As their team confronts unexpected dangers, Bleu and his teammates begin to suspect the star beings don’t know as much about the Surface as they claimed, while Rana is torn between remaining true to her nonviolent ways or becoming more human to survive. When an unnatural predator attacks, even the nearly all-knowing Kalakanya can’t explain it. Now the team must pull together or their new discovery will pull them apart, limb by limb.

Read an excerpt

Savas grinned. “Think of it as research. They’re a new species. You’re doing field observation.”

“I don’t think she eats at all.” Atsushi frowned. “None of the Crowned Ones seem to. They go to the gathering hall to socialize.”

“You do realize that’s impossible, right? They’re alive. They need an energy source.”

“Kalakanya said she eats air or something.”

Savas snorted. “Well, be curious. Ask Kahali when you’re alone. Later, ask the others. We’ll compare answers.”

Atsushi grimaced. “They’ll know what I’m thinking. I don’t want to upset them.”

“No, you don’t.” If he had another Medicci device to block mindreading, he’d offer it to him. There must be something the boy could do to stay safe. A tiny, guilty voice rose within him at exposing the boy to the dangers of mind-control. No kid should go through that.

“What if you keep that chant Kahali taught you running in your head? Maybe then they won’t catch on?”

“Maybe.” Atsushi was silent. “I’m supposed to be chanting that all the time, but I’m horrid at remembering.”

“Then work on that.”

Atsushi nodded and then glanced toward the fire, where the star beings suddenly sang more loudly. “You still don’t trust them, do you?”

“No, I don’t.”

“But why? They’re so nice.”

“There used to be a fish that lived in the depths of the ocean. It evolved a beautiful light that shone magnificently in the darkness. Other fish would swim close, mesmerized by the beauty, feeling completely safe. And then the light-bearing fish would tear them to pieces.”

About the Author:

As a young girl, Branwen wanted to become an ambassador for aliens. Since the aliens never hired her, she now writes about them.

Branwen OShea has a Bachelors in Biology from Colgate University, a Bachelors in Psychology, and a Masters in Social Work. She lives in Connecticut with her family and a menagerie of pets, and enjoys hiking, meditating, and star-gazing. Her published works include Silence of the Song Trees, The Calling, The Cords That Bind, and The Chasm.

Website: http://www.branwenoshea.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/branwenoshea
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/branwenoshea
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/branwenoshea
TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/branwenoshea
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/branwenoshea

The Chasm (Book 2) on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QFPHQVN
The Calling (Book 1) on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735915998
The Cords That Bind (Book 1.1) on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CSK4813

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Calling by Branwen OShea

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Branwen OShea will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

Raw cookie dough. My current favorite is homemade chocolate chip cookie dough, but instead of chocolate chips I add in a mix of butterscotch chips and white chocolate chips. Since my family usually eats it raw, I use egg substitute to avoid food poisoning concerns.

Ideal summer vacation. 

 I don’t like the heat, so I’d much rather do a winter vacation. I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland and stay in one of the shelters with glass ceilings so that you can watch the Northern Lights. During the day I’d hike glaciers, visit the hot springs, and see a volcano.

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why?

As I said before, I don’t like the heat, so I’d like to get off that island ASAP, even if its gorgeous. The most powerful character to save me would be Kalakanya, since she’s a Crowned One, and with her metamorphosis complete, she can now star beam to any location. She’d get us both somewhere cool with ice coffee in a flash, quite literally.

Favorite pizza toppings.

Extra cheese, hot Italian sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and jalapeños.

Create an ice cream flavor. What’s it called?

All Nighter: Coffee ice cream with chocolate-covered expresso beans & caramel swirl.

Playlist for The Calling

While I don’t usually listen to music while writing, I almost always listen before writing sessions to figure out the day’s scenes. My favorite music for planning The Calling is Two Steps From Hell’s album Invincible.

However, recently I began making playlists for all my characters that will eventually be on my website. I created a general playlist for The Calling that I’ve linked below. It’s on Spotify, and if you download the free Spotify app, you should be able to access the music. The following is my spoiler-free reasoning for adding each song.

The first song is Hearts of Courage by Two Steps From Hell. When I imagine The Calling as a movie, this is its theme song. It starts out with a base beat that reminds me of the humans living below ground. Its joined by another higher and contrasting theme including a chorus that reminds me of the ethereal star beings. The two themes interplay and then reach a somewhat settled conclusion at the end.

Human Characters:

The other songs are for the characters in order of appearance. For eighteen-year-old Bleu Reinier, who is constantly called by nature to leave his home and venture onto the Surface, I chose Into the Unknown by Idina Menzel. This song also fits chapter two where Bleu discovers he and his mother have an unusual connection to someone outside of Northern Haven.

For fifteen-year-old Ayanna Reinier, Bleu’s wild kid sister, I chose I’m Going Slightly Mad by Queen. Ayanna contracts the strange Sickness that is plaguing the teens and makes them lose their minds.

Commander Savas spends much of the book enjoying guns and mad at Educator Girak (Atsushi and Ayanna’s science teacher) for being a ‘traitor.” For Savas, I chose Traitor by Daughtry.

Bleu and his best friend Stamf (also 18) are the number one team in the holographic games arena. Stamf enjoys strutting his stuff in front of the women, so I chose Another One Bites the Dust by Queen, which I can imagine Stamf playing after a big match and trying to get Bleu to dance to.

Fifteen-year-old Atsushi has a sweet crush on Ayanna, but never knows how to quite make his move. I do Adore by Mindy Gledhill fits him well.

For Educator Girak and his wife Josefina Girak (both scientists), I chose The Science Love Song by ASAPScience. Their love is adorable and full of the humorous banter this song contains.

Star Being Characters:

The star beings have a vastly different culture and music based on their goal of Crowning, or metamorphosing into a near-enlightenment state of existence. For 16-year-old Rana, I chose Adi Shakti: Bhangra Mix by Sada Sat Kaur because of its danceable beat and mantra invoking the divine feminine. Rana wants to Crown more than anything, but fears she won’t because her parents were both rare failures at Crowning.

Rana’s best friend and possible love interest, Kahali plays the drums and is one of the best dancers around. For Kahali I chose Ceremony of Passage by Vas, because its one of the best songs I know that’s mainly drums and he’d love playing it.

Eka, another star being who also likes Rana, is more into wood carving. I struggled to find a song for him, but chose I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers because despite his anxiety, when he commits to something, he’s all in.

The final star being is Kalakanya, the only main character to have already Crowned. We Are Peace by Snatum Kaur is slightly dancey, a bit playful, but also has a strong message. It fits the way Kalakanya sees the world even when its falling apart around her.

The Calling is a multiple point of view sci-fi adventure novel that features the POV of Bleu, Atsushi, Commander Savas, Rana, and Kahali. Step into their world with their playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/403roJ5G7O7Gqt5G162Kdu?si=9CYv3zBITSWlj9yoDGRFFA

Humanity’s wake-up call. Answer it or face extinction.

When Bleu’s little sister shows symptoms of the deadly Sickness, a strange vision directs him to leave humanity’s subterranean haven and seek the cure on Earth’s glacial surface. Joining the expedition team, Bleu expects extreme temperatures, not a surface ruled by ingenious predators.

Rana and her fellow star beings have co-existed with Earth’s top carnivores since the humans disappeared. But when her peers transform into Crowned Ones, the final stage of star being development, she fears remaining Uncrowned like her parents. To prove her worth, she undertakes a dangerous mission—contacting the hostile and nearly extinct humans.

But Rana’s plan backfires, and Bleu’s team retaliates. As war with the more advanced star being civilization looms, both Rana and Bleu separately seek a way to save their people.

Read an Excerpt

“All right, get out, men.” Savas had never experienced such peace on the last mission. This was truly pleasant. They climbed out of the rover, and he tripped on his own feet as if drunk.

Laughing at himself, he reminded the others, “Guns out. Stamf, take the lead. I’ll bring up the rear.”

He paused, swaying a bit, while the other two men passed him and then proceeded slowly down the left branch. Sparkling light from farther down the tunnel lit their way. With a quick glance back toward the entrance, he took up the rear.

Then a voice as ethereal as the wind sang, “Caaaaaahm heeeeeeeere…caaaaaaaaaahm heeeeeeeere…”

What the hell?

Savas shook his head, blinked, and tapped his ear communicator. Stamf and Abdul, farther ahead, had frozen and appeared confused, swaying in place.

Something was terribly wrong. Was this cave filled with noxious fumes? Had they all gotten cold sickness? The databases talked of arctic workers becoming weak and confused by the extreme temperatures.

Think! Think. Savas wanted to lie down and nap. What’s wrong with me? Images from his childhood tumbled through his head. Not now. Not again. I control my own mind.

“Caaaaaaaaahm heeeeeeeeere,” the voice lulled, endlessly peaceful.

They all mindlessly continued forward, as if in a dream. A small part of Savas’ brain screamed in warning. I. Control. My. Own. Mind. He grunted with the effort. Fighting the urge to relax, Savas forced his hands to raise his weapon.

About the Author:

As a young girl, Branwen wanted to become an ambassador for aliens. Since the aliens never hired her, she now writes about them.

Branwen OShea has a Bachelors in Biology from Colgate University, a Bachelors in Psychology, and a Masters in Social Work. She lives in Connecticut with her family and a menagerie of pets, and enjoys hiking, meditating, and star-gazing. Her previously published works include contributing to a nonfiction yoga book, wellness magazines, and her published science fiction novella, Silence of the Song Trees.

Website: http://www.branwenoshea.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/branwenoshea
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/branwenoshea
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/branwenoshea

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735915998

a Rafflecopter giveaway