Everton, PA is the fictional setting for my latest release, NIGHT OF THE FLOOD – a
collaborative "novel in stories" featuring contributions from Rob Brunet, Gwen
Florio, J.J. Hensley, Jennifer Hillier, Shannon Kirk, Sarah M. Chen, Wendy
Tyson, E.A. Aymar, Jenny Milchman, Angel Colon, Mark Edwards, Alan Orloff,
Hilary Davidson, and an introduction from Hank Phillippi Ryan. Here are a few
reasons you might want to steer clear of Everton:
The dam broke – and it wasn't an accident: After Maggie
Wilbourne became the first woman in modern times to be executed in Pennsylvania
(for killing her rapists), a group of activists protested her execution by
blowing up the dam. "The Daughters," as they're known, wanted to send a message
– and they did, because now the whole town is going underwater.
Things are scarier in the dark: As the water slowly
submerges the town over a period of twenty-four hours (during which all the
stories are set), the electricity is going out, too. The residents of the town
have two choices: hunker down and try to wait it out, or make a break for it, in
canoes or kayaks or even a big-rig truck. But without electricity, it's harder
to tell that in some places, the water has crept up to the tops of street signs.
And it's harder to see who else might be out there.
It's a catastrophe for most – but an opportunity for some:
The Night of the Flood will introduce you to some characters just
trying to live through the flood – a mother desperate to protect her children, a
servant who saves a life. There are also characters who discover that the flood
is a threat for more reasons than the rising water – a store owner caught in a
standoff, a woman in town for a funeral who learns her relative wasn't quite who
she thought (and has dangerous enemies). And finally, there are those who see
the flood as cover for their own dark purposes – a thriller writer who kills to
get psychological insight into his villains, a son who plans to murder his
abusive, serial killer father (even knowing it will set loose the same impulses
in him).
There's no way out: Over the course of twenty-four hours,
the flood will continue to rise. Some will try to escape the town, but the
rapidly rising water makes that a desperate proposition. And many will discover
that the flood isn't the only thing they're running from – and some things in
life are harder to escape.
When the sun comes up, everything has changed: For one
reporter, the flood is the story of a lifetime. But as the sun rises over
Everton and the extent of the destruction and chaos becomes clear, she learns
that the flood was just the beginning…
You might want to steer clear of Everton, but I hope you'll visit vicariously
through the stories in NIGHT
OF THE FLOOD. Leave a comment telling me what most intrigues you about the
book for a chance to win a copy of NIGHT OF THE FLOOD!
It happened the night Maggie Wilbourne was to
be put to death, the first woman executed by the state of Pennsylvania in modern
times. That was when a group of women, known as the Daughters, who were
passionately protesting Maggie's imprisonment struck. They blew up a local dam,
flooding the town of Everton and indirectly inspiring a hellish night of crime
and chaos.
Fourteen of today's most exciting crime fiction writers will take you to the
fictional town of Everton, with stories from criminals, cops, and civilians that
explore the thin line between the innocent and the guilty, the rich and the
poor, the insider and the outsider. Whether it's a store owner grimly protecting
his property from looters, an opportunistic servant who sees her time to strike,
or two misguided youths taking their anger out against any available victim, THE
NIGHT OF THE FLOOD is an intricate and intimate examination of the moment when
chaos is released–in both society and the human spirit.
Mystery [Down & Out
Books, On Sale: March 5, 2018, Paperback /
e-Book, ISBN: 9781946502513]
Critically acclaimed and award-winning author ELIZABETH HEITER likes her
suspense to feature strong heroines, chilling villains, psychological twists,
and a little bit (or a lot!) of romance. Her research has taken her into the
minds of serial killers, through murder investigations, and onto the FBI
Academy's shooting range. Her novels have been published in more than a dozen
countries and translated into eight languages; they've also been shortlisted for
the HOLT Medallion, the Daphne Du Maurier award, the National Readers' Choice
award and the Booksellers' Best award and won the RT Reviewers' Choice award.
Learn more:
How did you all come up with the idea of setting all the stories in the same town? (Sara Reyes 8:31pm March 12, 2018)
Love disaster themed stories!!!! (Teresa Ward 9:32pm March 12, 2018)
Sounds like really varied stories within a strong overarching theme! (John Smith 10:52pm March 12, 2018)
This sounds fascinating and the history and stories are intriguing. (Sharon Berger 12:46pm March 13, 2018)
Hi Sara - The idea of setting all the stories in the same town, after a disaster strikes, somehow emerged from the group brainstorming. We knew we wanted to do an anthology that would stand out - a unique take on approach, and when this idea emerged, it seemed perfect! A way to blend standalone stories into a bigger, more complex novel. (Elizabeth Heiter 5:22pm March 13, 2018)
It appears to be an awesome book as it reminds me of the Jonestown, PA Flood. With the added stories of the Town's residents, it adds an additional factor to the act of just surviving the flood and getting to safety. It adds the survival of not only lives but, the covers up and destruction of lives, secrets, and the absolute watered burial and lost of a Town. (Wilma Salas 7:33am March 14, 2018)
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