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FLOWERS IN THE SNOW
MONSTERLAND
F
W
BY DANIELLE STEWART
lowers in the Snow is a tale of displaying love in the face of systemic hate. When hypocrisy and bigotry comes calling, young Beatrice must decide if she’s brave enough to love even those who look nothing like her. Raised the daughter of a Klan member, the map her life is meant to follow should have been clear. Yet, new friends challenge everything she’s been taught. Years later, surrounded by her family, a captive audience hanging onto her every word, she weaves the tale of how an unlikely and controversial friendship shaped her into the woman she is today. Exposing her own mistakes, fears, and soul deep heartbreak, Betty shares the hard truth about growing up in the South in the 1960’s. A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR
The research and creation of Flowers in the Snow was equal parts enlightening and daunting. Speakers who were gracious enough to engage audiences shaped this powerful story. They discussed their experiences integrating the schools of North Carolina and I was blessed to be invited to listen. People in my life who were directly shaped by Civil Rights and dug deep into their own past and shared freely the memories of their pain. History is not just made up of events, but the people who lived them. Telling their stories was an honor.
NOTABLE INDIE
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BY MICHAEL OKON
yatt Baldwin’s senior year is not going well. His parents divorce, then his dad mysteriously dies. An ongoing debate with his best friends Melvin and Howard Drucker over which monster is superior has gotten stale. He’d much rather spend his days with beautiful and popular Jade, but doesn’t think he has a chance. But everything changes when Wyatt and his friends are invited to attend the grand opening of Monsterland, a ground breaking theme park where guests can interact with vampires, be chased by werewolves, and walk among the dead. With real werewolves, vampires and zombies as the main attractions, what could possibly go wrong?
A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR
I was binge watching a classic movie marathon. You know, the good ones, The Goonies, Gremlins, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, etc. ...It was while watching all these movies, that I came up with the idea, why isn’t there a theme park with zombies? I called my brother immediately and told him my idea. He said, no — it has to be a theme park with werewolves, vampires AND zombies. I started beating out the story that night. I love writing in Young Adult Thriller & Suspense, which is the genre for Monsterland. It keeps me fenced in from being too gory for the tweens, but it allows me to write just a bit of gore for the teens and adults. UNBOUND
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