Congratulations to Glenda! She won an e-book of her choice from Barbara Winkes!

Hey everyone! Happy Sunday! I’m a little (okay a lot) late with the Sunday post, but it’s a good one! Barbara Winkes is back to tell us about her forthcoming book, RISE.

She’s also giving away an e-book to one lucky person (winner’s choice!). Drop a comment in the space below to enter!

Good luck!

---

RISE – A last resort
by Barbara Winkes

A few years ago I wrote a book called The Exodus Strategy, in which a lesbian couple and a straight couple set out to change the world by creating a new, kinder society from scratch. Between the four of them, they have the money, knowledge and logistics to get started—but not everyone is happy with their efforts. It’s set to be released sometime this year, or early next year depending on my publisher’s schedule.

Looking at the real world in those past few years, I became increasingly frustrated. If you study history and politics, you’ll find fervent backlash against every change to the better. Worse, there’s a lot of conflict going on between people who are on the same side regarding the bigger picture. Changes to the better happen. Every day. And yet, ignorance exists widely, against women and minorities. Last year, we learned from a UN report that there’s no country in the world where women are 100% equal. Not one.

It’s 2016 now. Doesn’t that make you sick?

It made me wonder if the utopian idea of The Exodus Strategy was reaching far enough—and what the alternative would be.

These musings led me to write a paranormal story, about beings who have watched humans for a long time, who have reasons to stay on the sidelines, but decide not to do so any longer. Truth be told, I wasn’t always a fan of the genre. I preferred the contemporary, because, I thought, that’s where things need to change, so why make the detour?

This is how the story of Rafi, Daphne, Madina, Cass and Skylar came to life.

If we look at the world today, and the achievments we’ve made in art, science, architecture, and so on—how is it possible that we weren’t able to solve this problem that doesn’t seem to be rocket science?

I love stories with women lead characters. Five are better than one—and they make it their mission to give humans the nudge that they need to wake up, for human women to RISE. Given the subject, there’s obviously lots of drama and action, but also moments of humor, and, of course, a tad of romance. The love story of Daphne, a vampire, and Madina, a witch, isn’t always easy, especially given the mission they and their friends have taken on.

Cass, a shifter, is married to a human man who doesn’t know about her second nature.

Can they reveal themselves to the world they want to save? Will it cause progress or chaos?

Writing a story that goes beyond the boundaries of the contemporary, I understood a lot more about the appeal of the genre.

These characters are archetypes that reflect back on our real lives, warriors, courageous but flawed, with an edge we sometimes wish we had—and the responsibility that comes with it.

No all questions that come up in the process are easily—or at all—answered: What can be done with those who don’t believe in equality and express that belief violently? Even if we start at the very beginning and teach the next generations much better, what can we do right now? The characters, human and paranormal, struggle with the answers, but they know that the progress matters. Conservation of stories, acknowledging history matters, because otherwise, we can easily slip back into what were “good old times” only for a handful. Unity matters, and the ability to overcome apathy and in-fighting.

Only then can we rise. It might not happen fast, and for sure it’s not going to happen with the help of paranormal species, but putting a vision out there definitely made me feel better.

And, I believe, it would make a good action movie—like the Avengers, but all-female.

Rise will be available early in October 2016. In the meantime, you can find my other books, romance and suspense, on Amazon. Thank you for checking them out, and thanks to Jove and the ladies at Women and Words for having me!