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Tuesday, August 7, 2018

the worst case scenario... The Gathering (The Uprising, #1) by Bernadette Giacomazzo

"This is the first book in a new series set in an a futuristic New York. I love it when an author has the courage to go the whole hog, no holds barred, and change everything not just tweak it, quite a gamble but one that is done to perfection!" - Susan, Goodreads

Description:

Published: March 31st, 2018

The Uprising Series tells the story of three freedom fighters and their friends in high — and low — places that come together to overthrow a vainglorious Emperor and his militaristic Cabal to restore the city, and the way of life, they once knew and loved.

In The Gathering, Jamie Ryan has defected from the Cabal and has joined his former brothers-in-arms — Basile Perrinault and Kanoa Shinomura — to form a collective known as The Uprising. When an explosion leads to him crossing paths with Evanora Cunningham — a product of Jamie’s past — he discovers that The Uprising is bigger, and more important, than he thought.

MB's INTERVIEW

1. How The Uprising series was born and do you have the whole story or is it in development?

The Uprising series was born out of a few things: my love for New York City – the “old” New York – and a yearning for it to come back, the current political climate (originally, I began writing it when the 2016 elections were still going on – I took the position that “this is the worst case scenario of what would happen if Trump won, and here we are 20 years after the fact” – little did I, or anyone else know…), and the love of camaraderie and family. 

It’s a six-book series, and while I have, of course, written the first book, and began the process of writing the second, I have the outlines for all six books. It doesn’t end the way you think it does – it doesn’t develop the way you think it does – and there are some characters that, I’m sure, you’ll be surprised to not only see, but develop. 

2. The story is about three freedom fighters and their friends; who and how are they? 
The three main characters are Jamie Ryan (who was once known as Ivan Sapphire, lead singer of the band Faust), Basile Perrinault, and Kanoa Shinomura. Later, Tommy Sherman and Evanora Cunningham are added to the fold. 

Who are they? 
They’re each so different that I could spend the whole interview just talking about them. Suffice it to say the following: like every other true New Yorker, they’re very, very different from one another, but they come together for a common goal. 

3. You have an impressive CV. In what measure your previous professional experience helped you to create The Uprising? 
It didn’t. Which – to be honest – surprised me, because I would have thought that it would have given me a running start. 

4. Fighters, at least one explosion, army controlled by an Emperor and the fact that usually, both dystopian and SF stories have action / fight scenes… Is the Gathering / The Uprising a book for girls or also for boys and how did you create the action scenes? 
The last thing I thought about was what gender/sex my potential readership was. I don’t think all girls like books about flowers and ponies and princesses – I certainly didn’t – any more than I think all boys like stories about explosions and war. 

5. Do you think that readers still want dystopian stories and what do you think is the reason for that? 
Yes, I do. It’s human nature to want to learn how to be prepared for the absolute worst-case scenario, and to feel like heroes. And given the times we’re living in… 

6. Can you share with us your secret ingredient for a good story? 
I would say that the secret ingredient for a good story is honesty. Whether good, bad, or indifferent, BE HONEST with both yourself and the reader. Come from a genuine place with each word you write. Make the reader care about what it is you have to say. And always – ALWAYS – interact with every single person who reads your book. 

About the author:
With an impressive list of credentials earned over the course of two decades, Bernadette R. Giacomazzo is a multi-hyphenate in the truest sense of the word: an editor, writer, photographer, publicist, and digital marketing specialist who has demonstrated an uncanny ability to thrive in each industry with equal aplomb. Her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and many, many more. She served as the news editor of Go! NYC Magazine for nearly a decade, the executive editor of LatinTRENDS Magazine for five years, the eye candy editor of XXL Magazine for two years, and the editor-at-large at iOne/Zona de Sabor for two years. As a publicist, she has worked with the likes of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his G-Unit record label, rapper Kool G. Rap, and various photographers, artists, and models. As a digital marketing specialist, Bernadette is Google Adwords certified, has an advanced knowledge of SEO, PPC, link-building, and other digital marketing techniques, and has worked for a variety of clients in the legal, medical, and real estate industries.

Based in New York City, Bernadette is the co-author of Swimming with Sharks: A Real World, How-To Guide to Success (and Failure) in the Business of Music (for the 21st Century), and the author of the forthcoming dystopian fiction series, The Uprising. She also contributed a story to the upcoming Beyonce Knowles tribute anthology, The King Bey Bible, which will be available in bookstores nationwide in the summer of 2018.

Author's Giveaway 
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