I have been working with my publisher and editor to get Book One ready for release. Christmas and New Years was a pleasant break, and now it’s time to get back to work. I am attaching a detailed synopsis of my book providing information about my characters, and their dangerous quest ahead of them.
LONG SYNOPSIS
The year is 2045, and Vancouver has been devastated by a huge earthquake and tsunami. Global warming is escalating; wildfires are rampant on the West Coast. Most of the people who survived have either moved north to the Interior or taken up residence at Little Mountain, which is the highest point in Vancouver.
Seventeen-year-old Carlie Fleming is barely surviving and she soon realizes she cannot do it on her own. She meets identical twins, Eddie and Rusty and they move into an old abandoned warehouse. She calls the boys the Rug Rats, which becomes the official name of their gang. Willie Arbuckle, who is a mean, lazy bully, and has a knack for finding food, joins their small group, and although Carlie is nervous about asking him, she knows that without him they would starve. Carlie and the twins meet Mae-Li Wong and her young ward Debbie, who has Downs Syndrome. Carlie invites them to live with them. Mae-Li protects Debbie fiercely using her Marshall Arts skills. She is sensitive and at times reveals insights to Carlie making her uneasy and tense. Mai-Li is very knowledgeable about the attributes of herbs, flowers and trees, and makes medicines from them and adds them to their food, which ability proves to be invaluable for the entire group in the future.
This motley crew of misfits gravitates together for protection and survival. Carlie realizes the twins have become her responsibility and she finds it difficult to show them affection as she struggles with intimacy issues. Willie becomes more belligerent, threatening to take control, although Carlie’s fabricated story of an absent Protector, keeps him in line.
One day, while foraging for food and not able to make it home before nightfall, Carlie is forced to spend the night in a sewer duct. She is awakened by tremors and thunder and a lightning storm. Not knowing the pipe is occupied, a young man takes cover from the elements. She defends herself and he reveals he does not intend on hurting her, but plans to spend the night in the duct. He tells her his name is Taylor West. Their meeting will start a catalyst that will prove both good and bad. He interjects an altercation between Willie and Carlie, and joins their group, not divulging he is the past leader of the Phantoms, the largest and most dangerous gang on Little Mountain. Taylor is always armed with his bow and arrow, in which he is proficient. He is very experienced in outdoor skills and is a born leader, providing security to the Rug Rats. Although Carlie senses there is a growing attraction between her and Taylor, she feels he is not revealing the whole truth, and she finds it difficult to trust him. Food and water are scarce. The weather gets worse; there are more violent storms and rising temperatures. The ash that falls from the wildfires increases each day, making it difficult to breathe. Realizing they have no choice, Taylor suggests they leave before they die of starvation or clash with one of the violent gan. He produces a map and shows them a route he has set out. They must leave Vancouver, cross the Fraser River, and walk to the Interior through mountains and wastelands. The trek will be very difficult for the younger kids, but if they stay on Little Mountain, none of them will survive. Mai- Li advises her family and people live in Blackfoot Flats, a mining town close to Princeton, and all of them would be welcome to live with them.
During their journey, Taylor reveals to Carlie he has feelings for her. She rejects him as she is not ready to be in a relationship with anyone. Willie is jealous of Taylor as he has sentiments for Carlie as well. Unfortunately, he does not treat her well, and Taylor often confronts Willie about his behavior, causing stress for the rest of the group.
The journey is long and strenuous and is taking its toll on everyone. They row across the Fraser River and almost lose Mai-Li and Debbie when they fall overboard. Willie abandons Carlie on the trail and she comes face to face with a cheetah, one of the escaped animals from the Vancouver Zoo. Taylor saves her life when he shoots the animal with an arrow.
The landscaping is unrecognizable, and rivers and streams are drying up. Walking through the Wastelands, they are forced to flee for their lives from an approaching wildfire. Taylor leads them to a deep ravine, where they find refuge in a large den. Taylor informs them it was not a wildfire; it was a firestorm. Continuing on their journey, they find an old train car and take refuge for the night. The Desert Rats, a roving gang that lives in an abandoned mining town nearby, attack them. Carlie kills one of the attackers who climbs through the train window, but not before he fires his gun. Rusty is hit by the stray bullet and dies in Carlie’s arms. They leave the Wastelands and find a peaceful meadow in the foothills where Rusty is buried under a Willow tree. Carlie has a difficult time accepting his death.
BOOK TWO
The small group realize they must find shelter as they will not reach the Interior in time. Will they be successful in finding protection from the brutal weather ahead? Will they find enough food to get them through the winter month.
