VBT + Review + #Giveaway: The Heaviness of Knowing by Sharolyn G. Brown @SGBrownAuthor @GoddessFish

The Heaviness of Knowing

by Sharolyn G. Brown

GENRE: Science Fiction

BLURB:

Roxal has spent her life using her Dream Traveler ability in service to Trebor’s gods, The Keepers. Even after she learns they aren’t all powerful like she was taught, she dutifully continues to manipulate an Earth woman named Lauren to do their bidding. Roxal’s content pretending to be a loyal follower, until her mate’s activities with a rebel faction put both of their lives in jeopardy.

Meanwhile on Earth, Lauren is struggling to find balance at work and at home. To make matters worse, she develops an acute case of insomnia which disrupts her life. While trying to cure her condition, Lauren discovers that not only do aliens exist, but that she’s been in contact with one for most of her life. And that’s just for starters.

Now Lauren’s world is turned upside down. And Roxal has to figure out if she can harness the survival instincts which before told her to hide and use it to now fight for her survival.

Excerpt:

Now weightless, her body floated out of her makeshift bed into a dark shapeless place. Fog seemed to swirl around her as she drifted in a strange void. A chair would really be nice, she thought.

Then, when she looked to her left, she saw a purple and green chair surrounded by light from an unknown source. The next moment, she was sitting in this chair. Lauren looked around, trying to see where she was, but beyond the mysterious light circle, there was nothing but blackness and fog. As time passed in this place, she heard beeps and voices talking somewhere around her, but couldn’t see the source of either. Now she was afraid.

Should I speak and let them know I’m here? she questioned to herself.

Just as she was about to take her chances with “them,” another voice spoke.

“No, do not let them know you are here.” The voice spoke in a low whisper but was crystal clear.

The speaker sounded as if she was nearby. Lauren didn’t know why, but the voice seemed familiar and felt like she was someone Lauren could trust, so she kept quiet.

“We will both be in trouble if they find you here. It is time for you to go,” the whispering unseen speaker continued.

“What do you—?”

The sensation of being blown away by a strong wind cut Lauren off mid-sentence. She opened her eyes and found herself staring at her ceiling. Lauren sat up, repositioning herself on the sofa, and looked around the room. She remembered she had come to the den when she saw the bright white numbers on the satellite box’s digital display. A smile spread across her face as she read the time, 3:18 AM. She lay back on the sofa’s cushion, still smiling.

My Review:

Roxal lives on the planet Trebor where the rulers are gods and they must obey the gods or face death. Roxal is a Dream Traveler which means that she connects with a woman Lauren on Earth to aid her in making a chip that will help to save Earth. Roxal’s planet Trebor has been destroyed and now the people on Trebor want doing more than to help the people of Earth to save their planet.

On planet Trebor the people are divided into different classes by using what they call the caste system. You have the Dream Travelers, Helpers and Medics among others. The helpers are assigned to help the higher ups with whatever they may need. Roxal’s helper Edo has become more than a helper to her. Roxal and Edo have become mates. Edo is a part of a secret group of people called the resistors. The resistors believe that the Keepers or Gods are lying about their world being destroyed and are tired of living as slave to the Keepers.

Back on Earth Lauren has been having a rough time of it herself. She has started having problems sleeping to the point where she is missing work and has to seek help. While seeking help she has learned that she has been in contact with an alien from another planet for years. She has found out that when she dreams a woman by the name of Roxal comes to visit her in her dreams. But during her therapy sessions why Roxal come to visit her and what she must do to help save Earth.  

Lauren is afraid to tell anyone that Roxal and the aliens she is afraid that they will think she is crazy and lock her away for many, many years and she knows she is not crazy. So she keeps her mouth shut she has no intentions of being declared insane and locked up. But unfortunately I think someone already knows especially when someone comes to her door threatening her and then she is kidnapped by a totally different group of people. Lauren doesn’t know what to do or who to trust. How is she going to get out of this alive? One good thing she still has Roxal they can never take that from her and so maybe she can help her in some way.

The Heaviness of Knowing is one those books that will pull you in and won’t let go until you have read the last page leaving you wanting to know more of Roxal, Edo, Lauren and the other characters lives. This chapter of their lives may have ended but I just know or hope that they have more to tell us about their new lives. If you have not read The Heaviness of Knowing then I would definitely suggest that you do that is if you like reading about aliens, a dystopian style of living with a little romance and suspense thrown in. The characters of The Heaviness of Knowing are going to stay with me for a long time to come. The Heaviness of Knowing is going to be a hard book to “lay” down.

Author Interview:

1. What inspired you to write The Heaviness of Knowing?

A conversation with a friend who told me she never dreams. It made me start thinking about why some people remember their dreams, and others don’t. My imagination took over and came up with an idea involving aliens who were using our dreams to invade the Earth.

2. When or at what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I was around thirty when I knew I wanted to be a writer. Up until that point in my life, I always told myself stories but never thought anyone else would be interested in hearing them.

3. What is the earliest age you remember reading your first book?

Books have just always been a part of my life. The earliest age I actually remember reading a book was first grade. I think it was for school. Or maybe I brought it home from school. But by the time I was third grade I was begging my parents to buy me books whenever we went to a store that sold them.

4. What genre of books do you enjoy reading?

I mainly read sci-fi and some fantasy. I love reading about other worlds, paranormal abilities, or interesting twists on our world. Occasionally I’ll read non-fiction books like Freakonomics by Levitt and Dubner or Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. I read books like these because they help me understand how people think. And knowing how people think helps me to write better characters.

5. What is your favorite book?

There is no way for me to answer this question. I agree with Neil Gaiman who said, “Picking five favorite books is like picking the five body parts you'd most like not to lose.” It’s much harder for me to choose just one.

6. You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?

One of my favorites is Octavia Butler. I love how her novels draw you in and make you lose hours reading them without realizing time has passed. I have a few other favorite authors, but she’s who comes to mind first.

7. If you could travel back in time here on earth to any place or time. Where would you go and why?

I would want to travel back to see the Egyptian pyramids being built and to find out the true purpose for Stonehenge. I know I cheated and listed two times and places, but for me, they are both mysteries about which we can only speculate today. I’d like to go back and see if any of the theories are right about how the pyramids were built or about what Stonehenge was used for.

8. When writing a book do you find that writing comes easy for you or is it a difficult task?

The Heaviness of Knowing came relatively easy because I’d been thinking about the idea for about ten years and had written two previous drafts. Now that I’m writing Books 2 and 3, it’s getting a little more difficult. Though I have been fortunate enough not to suffer writer’s block. The difficulty I’m trying to overcome with Book 2 is writing it so that it advances the story forward, while not contradicting anything from Book 1 and at the same time setting the stage for Book 3.

9. Do you have any little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or a cat? Or any pets?

No, unfortunately, I don’t have any pets. My non-writing job requires that I travel frequently. So I’ve never owned a pet. Though I did temporarily keep my sister’s dog, Peanut, while my sister lived in an apartment that did not allow pets. Peanut was a rescue dog. And even though she weighed about 45 pounds, she was the biggest baby. Whenever I sat on the sofa, she would climb up into my lap.

10. What is your "to die for", favorite food/foods to eat?

My favorite food would be anything chocolate. I traveled overseas on a project for work and was staying in a compound for about three months. I was there two months before I went home on my scheduled R&R (Rest and Relaxation). During that two months, I almost went crazy because there wasn’t a store or somewhere you could buy candy or snacks within the company compound. So I had to go two months without chocolate. When I returned from my R&R, I came back with a carry-on suitcase full of miniature chocolate bars and candies.

11. Do you have any advice for anyone that would like to be an author?

My advice to someone who wants to be an author is: Write. Because writers write. Even if it's bad, write. Keep writing until you get better. If you need help getting better, get the help you need. But, most importantly, keep writing.

AUTHOR BIO:

Sharolyn G. Brown is a lifelong science fiction and fantasy fan who decided the best way to deal with all of the characters in her head was to give them stories and put them in a book. She lives with her husband in Houston, Texas where she divides her time between working, writing, and spending time with him.

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Buy Link:

Amazon

Giveaway:

$15 Amazon/BN GC 
 

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