Author Interview & Giveaway: Botanicaust - A Dystopic Romance Novel

Original Title: Botanicaust
Author: Tam Linsey
Release Date: August 5th 2012
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopic Romance

The only crop left ... is human.

After genetically altered weeds devastate Earth's crop lands, much of humanity turns to cannibalism to survive. Dr. Tula Macoby believes photosynthetic skin can save the human race, and her people single-mindedly embark on a mission to convert the cannibals roaming what's left of Earth. But when Levi, a peaceful stranger, refuses alteration, Tula doesn't think the only options should be conversion or death.

Levi Kraybill, a devout member of the Old Order, left his Holdout farmland to seek a cure for his terminally ill son. Genetic manipulation is a sin, but Levi will do almost anything for the life of his child. When he's captured, he's sure he's damned, and his only escape will be death.

Tula's superiors schedule Levi's euthanization, and she risks everything to set the innocent man free. Now she and Levi are outlaws with her people, and she's an abomination with his. Can they find sanctuary in a cannibal wasteland?

INTERVIEW WITH TAM LINSEY

If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future? Tough one. While the past might be a safer way to go because we know what to expect, I think I’d take the plunge and see the future. Imagine what people who lived a mere forty or fifty years ago would think if they were able to travel forward to right now. Back then, calculators that could add were cutting-edge (not to mention bulky!) What would they think of our smartphones with GPS tracking? Totally sci-fi. I can only imagine what inventions might come along in another forty or fifty years. I’d love to see a holographic television. Or a matter transporter!

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you? I am all about survival. Self-sufficiency. I’d love it if my island was a lush oasis with a fresh-water lagoon and plenty of coconut trees. But I’d more likely end up on a stretch of barren sand periodically swamped by the tide.

Along that line of thinking, I’d make sure I had a multi-tool pocketknife, a large sheet of tough, clear plastic, and a spool of fishing line. Then I can set up a mini desalination station, fashion a pole or net with the fishing line, and the multi-tool – well, that’s self-explanatory. If nothing else, I can entertain myself carving coconut shells into adorable figurines I can talk to when I get lonely (i.e. go crazy.)

If you could have any superpower what would you choose? I believe any superpower will also have consequences. For instance, in Botanicaust, the Haldanians photosynthesize sunlight, therefore do not need to eat; but their chloroplasts also create toxins in ultraviolet radiation which are deadly to children before puberty. The Fosselites have the secret to eternal life, but their medicine only works on the body, not on nerve tissue – while they might live forever, they slowly succumb to diseases of the mind, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

So, to make a long story longer, I would very carefully choose my superpower. I think I would choose to be wise. My consequence would likely be that everyone in the world would seek my advice, and I would never get any peace. But I would be wise enough to handle it. J

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Hands down, chocolate peanut butter. But only if I can get to the carton before my kids steal all of the peanut butter swirl out of the middle. *grumble grumble* At least I like chocolate ice cream, too.

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? When I have time, I like a smoked salmon omelet with fresh chicken eggs and snipped green onions aside a slice of freshly baked, gluten free bread. The salmon, of course, we caught ourselves and smoked, the eggs were laid by my hens that very morning, and the green onions are growing on a windowsill if it is winter, in the garden in summer. The gluten free bread is homemade because store bought GF bread sucks.

One food you would never eat? I think saying never will lead one straight to a situation where one must face that choice. Take the cannibals in Botanicaust – they didn’t start out choosing to eat other people, but were forced to make that choice in order to survive. One could say they are the ultimate conservationists.

But if I had to say never, I’d never eat another human being. How’s that for an answer?

Pet Peeves? You know when people open a beer and leave the bottle cap right there on the counter-top? Right next to the garbage can? Not IN the garbage can. On the counter. Next to the garbage can. That drives me nuts.

Skittles or M&Ms? Pfft. What a question. Green M&M’s, of course. Hey – not what you’re thinking! Green is for photosynthesis. Get your mind out of the gutter.

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book. Food is a huge issue in the world right now, with genetic modification at the top of the controversial list, andBotanicaust will make readers think about the future of genetic engineering in a new way, not only for crops, but for humanity itself.

Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?  Botanicaust is the first book in a series, and I have also written a short story, Waste Not Want Not, set in the same future. I’m currently working on the second Botanicaust book (title undecided) where I’m exploring the culture of the cannibals from Eily’s perspective. Readers have also expressed an interest in a prequel, which will be the story of the apocalypse – the Botanicaust – itself.

After I get tired of Botanicaust, I have another, unrelated plot I’ve been kicking around which deals with the idea of eternal life and the costs of such a gift.

What inspired you to want to become a writer? When I was ten or so, my mom bought a new, electric typewriter and gave me her manual one. I loved that thing. I played reporter. I played college student. I played writer. Writer was my favorite – a very Hemminway-esque type of writer, with a glass of wine (grapejuice) and a cigarette (candy – remember those?) hanging off my lip. I thought I was so cool. And of course, if I was going to sit there with a blank page in front of me being cool, I figured I’d better write something. So the stories began.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published. A person’s face speaks better than words, and I was rewarded with many open-mouthed, wide-eyed expressions as my niece read Botanicaust. How often does an author actually get to see someone reading her work? Now I imagine all my readers making those faces as they enjoy reading my books.

What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?  I loved the Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis. I read the entire series four or five times. When the movies came out, they brought my vision to life so well, I cried. Mr. Beaver was exactly the way I pictured, and the White Witch was terrifying. Of course, Mr. Tumnus played his part perfectly, and Aslan was terrifyingly magnificent. His self-sacrifice shaped my definition of a hero, and you’ll often find characters in my writing who make the same type of choice for someone they love.

GIVEAWAY

The author is giving away e-copies of this novel to three winners of the Rafflecopter.

Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY and ends November 16th, 2012!

a Rafflecopter giveaway