Shannon here: Angela D. Shelton shares the inspiration behind her Young Adult Dystopian title, The Rise of The Y. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing for a Kindle copy. Deadline: Nov 11th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Angela:
I live on a cattle farm in a quaint little town in Georgia, where our livestock and pets often find their way into the pages of my novels as colorful characters. Oddly enough, my inspiration for a dystopian world didn’t come from my day-to-day life. It came from a book my sister absolutely insisted I read. Written by Peter Zeihan—a geopolitical strategist who’s taught at places like Quantico—his book The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization was too tempting to pass up.
Zeihan’s work is a rollercoaster of facts and predictions that will leave you rethinking your entire life—if you enjoy the thrill of non-fiction horror, that is. My novel isn’t a horror story though, it’s a dystopian, young adult romance.
Enter Lexi, the protagonist of my series Rise of the Y. She’s a 17-year-old living in a tightly controlled dystopia known as the Imperium. Here, the government dictates everything: where you live, your education, your career, even your marital fate. They reward procreation, while those who can’t or won’t have children face ostracization. And older adults? They’re shipped off to mysterious “retirement cities,” never to be heard from again.
Arranged marriages have a long history across the world, but when the government steps in to select partners based on the best matches for population growth, it introduces a unique twist. Typically, arranged marriages tend to last longer than romantic ones, often attributed to strong family involvement and shared goals and values. However, when the selection process is solely based on genetics, the question arises: can genuine romance still blossom?
If you’re into “what if” scenarios that keep you up at night, and you’re a fan of series like Divergent or The Hunger Games, then Rise of the Y is a must-read for you.
based on the best genetic match for healthy children. Statistics show that arranged marriages last longer than those based on romance. How do you think you would have reacted if someone assigned your spouse to you when you were seventeen?About Angela: Angela D. Shelton, winner of the 2023 Christian Indie Awards in the young adult category, crafts spellbinding narratives in both young adult and romance genres. As a healthcare accountant, her life extends well beyond spreadsheets and ledgers. Alongside her husband, Tom, she passionately manages a thriving cattle ranch nestled within Georgia’s picturesque landscapes.
Tales of Courage, Love, and Faith from the Cattle Fields to the Battlefields.
About the book – The Rise of The Y:
In a world on the brink of revolution, where the iron fist of the Imperium orchestrates every destiny…
Seventeen-year-old Lexi refuses to bow to a future with an assigned spouse and a dictated profession. A fiery spirit of defiance burns within her, ready to ignite a revolt. But destiny has other plans.
When tragedy unveils a hidden diary—a legacy of secrets and rebellion—Lexi is thrust into the perilous shadows of the elusive rebel group Y. In a whirlpool of danger, deceit, and forbidden alliances, every revelation blurs the lines between friend and foe, making trust the ultimate weapon in a battle for truth.
Caught between duty and a yearning for freedom, Lexi navigates a treacherous path where love and loyalty are tested at every turn. Who can she trust in a world where betrayal lurks in the shadows? As the foundations of the Imperium tremble, Lexi battles not only for her world but for the person she is destined to become.
Can’t wait for the drawing? Worried you won’t win? Interested in Angela’s other titles?
Get your copy/copies now! The Rise of The Y Angela’s Books
Come back Nov 7th for Barbara M. Britton!
not sure
I have a winner! Natalya Lakhno won the drawing. I appreciate Angela for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.