forced to fulfill an impossible role... The Defender by Larissa Soehn

"Great read! The best sci-fi novels have strong characters and The Defender certainly delivers. [...] Mix that with some great battle scenes and descriptions of alien worlds that came alive in my imagination, The Defender will not disappoint!"Mona J., Goodreads

Description:

Published: November 2021

A woman battling depression and anxiety finds herself trapped in her own life, but when an alien device rips her away from Earth, she is forced to fulfill an impossible role and save the galaxies from destruction.

On Earth, Alexia Harmon is a mother and wife, but in a foreign galaxy, she is so much more. Torn away from her family, Alex is in an epic battle to escape from Gatlin and return to Earth. But little does Alex know, Gatlin is on the verge of destruction. The galaxy faces annihilation; a prophetic doom that was set in motion thousands of years ago.

Alex struggles to stay alive as she fights against an alien government that is trying to kill her, a species of genetically engineered creatures that are hell bent on her destruction, and the demons of her own mind that threaten to overthrow her. Join Alexia Harmon as she works to fulfill her role as THE DEFENDER.

GUEST POST

What Happened When Someone Called Me Creative… A Self Realization Story

Have you ever been told something about yourself that you think is just so strange, or something that you think doesn’t describe you at all? Well, that happened to me, and it may surprise you to know, that when someone called me creative, I thought they were crazy!

Ok, not entirely. I knew I liked to make crafts and build things with my hands, but to be called creative, that to me meant to be original. Everything I had done up until The Defender was about following a design or taking someone else’s idea and putting my own spin on it. I hadn’t done anything original before.

It wasn’t just about my history with arts and crafts, it was also who it came from. My best friend of 25 years dropped this ‘creative bomb’ on me. She said, “Larissa, you are the most creative person I know.” That’s in itself is not a big deal, but you guys, she is an ART MAJOR! How can little old me be the most creative person she knows? That’s not possible… is it?

The answer is ‘Heck Yes It Is’! The more I thought about it, the more I realized that she might be right, I might be a creative person. Once I realized that, I had to stop and laugh at how ridiculous it was that I had never thought to call myself this before.

This level of self realization unlocked a whole new view to my own soul that I had never acknowledged before. Coming out of a major depressive episode meant doing a lot of self discoveries, and this one just fell nicely onto the pile of stuff I hadn’t realized about myself.

Now that I can wear my “Creative” badge with pride, I look at myself just a little bit differently. I think about what makes me happy and how am I going to fill my joy bucket. I think about my day job and look for ways to build my creativity into it (which is no easy task). And finally, I look for ways to feed my creativity.

I want to unleash myself on the world, and that is a scary thing. Being a creative person means taking risks with your work and understanding that not everyone is going to like what you have done. This level of self exposure is almost harder than if I were to walk through a crowded room with no clothes on. Ok, I’m joking… kind of. But it is like bearing a piece of my soul for you all to read and judge. The Defender is a piece of my soul. It’s a view of a part of me that has always lain dormant, but now it is out there for you all to read and enjoy. Talk about scary!

So, this next part is important, be kind. Not just to me, but to all those that are bearing little piece of their soul to the world. We are putting our most treasured creations into your hands, so be gentle with them. If you don’t like them, then that’s ok, but don’t make someone cry. On the flip side, if you love it, tell them, for all that is good, TELL THEM! We need more positivity and kindness in this world. 

EXCERPT

His hands drip with thick green blood. His fingers slide around inside the creature’s body, pulling, pushing, prodding. Finally, he finds what he is looking for, and with a sharp pull, he takes out the small object. He stares down at the tiny orb and marvels at it.

This will be the thing that ends them, rendering them powerless. The thought is vicious, but he has no time for kindness. Not now.

Quickly he turns and gently places the soft ball under a microscope. Staring into the lens, and using advanced medical tools, he prods at the centre of the ball, peeling away the outer shell. Inside is a thick, hard stone-like substance. Carefully he pulls it out. Cold radiates from it as if it could snatch all of the heat out of the room.

Careful to not drop or touch the substance, he swivels around and walks past the dead creature while moving to the second table.

Strapped here is a creature of nightmares. A long, lean body that will tower over all that it meets. Pincers adorn each appendage that will cut through anything it desires, and a face to leave the beings of the societies wetting themselves in fear.

He laughs lightly, looking over his creation with manic fondness. Carefully, he inserts the rocky substance into the cavity that has been carved open to receive the powerful object. The creature’s chest rises and falls lightly, supported by the machines that whir next to the table.

Stitching up the creature, he flicks a switch that pumps adrenalin into its massive system. It takes a few seconds, but the creature’s eyes fly open and look around aggressively.

The eyes looking back are human, but everything else is alien. The strongest parts of many species, all stitched together into one beautiful destroyer.

With one wild whoop, the creature activates its newest power, sucking all the heat from the room. The creator shivers and lunges for the control button. As the room starts to frost over and the air freezes, he presses the button, his fingers creaking as they bend against the cold that suddenly engulfs him.

With a violent spasm, the creature jerks madly on the table and is rendered temporarily useless. He smiles grimly. This is it; this will kill them all.

TOUR SCHEDULE

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About the author:

Larissa Soehn is a budding new author from the cozy city of Red Deer, Alberta, where she lives with her husband, daughter, two cats and a dog. She started this journey as a recovery method for severe depression. She found that creative writing helped her process her emotions and work through the struggles of depression. As a child, Larissa enjoyed writing and telling stories, a passion that has recently reignited inside of her. Currently she is working to finalize the Gatlin Series, as well as publish a series of children's books to help families discuss the importance of mental health, amongst other social issues facing children today. Larissa is an advocate for mental health and uses her personal experiences to help others work through their struggles. She uses social media platforms to help spread her message and give people permission to speak up and speak out.

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