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What if I could have her back?
Life is Inevitable follows two teens who commit suicide and accidentally switch bodies on their way back and are forced to fix their mistake. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The inspiration of this story spawned from the Death of a good friend of mine. She died by her own hand before my high school graduation and I always asked myself, “What if I could have her back?” That first question is what gave this story its idea of being given a second chance, and the body switch aspect came to mind when I kept wondering what life was like from her perspective.
Brennan and Olivia are interesting and well developed characters. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
For most of my characters I want to make sure that they represent a certain idea or philosophy. In fact, even the names Brennan and Olivia have their own meaning in different cultures. For example the name “Brennan” is a name of Gaelic decent meaning “sorrow”. I wanted him to be the embodiment of the quote “A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” He shows the idea that hurt children will grow to hurt others. On the other Olivia is a very different person and her name means “Peace”. This name is a perfect representation of her personality because even though she is hurt by the world, she shows compassion to everyone. I got the idea by giving her traits I wish I had, as well as traits I see many religious figures show.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The theme of nature versus nurture was one of the important things I wanted to explore in this book. While it’s not the only theme, it’s definitely one that fuels the other topics of suicide, death, and despair.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book I’m working on will complete the series Life is Inevitable and will be available at the beginning of 2023 at the earliest, or during the middle of 2023 at the latest.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
rage escalates until he can see only one escape route. – Independent Book Review
Olivia has spent her life tormented by those around her. She’s constantly trying to shrink
herself in the hopes that people will stop noticing her. When making herself smaller
doesn’t work, she realizes the only other option is to stop existing. – Independent Book Review
A story about trauma, abuse, and mental health, Life is Inevitable is about Eighteen-year-old boy Brennan, and seventeen-year-old girl Olivia, who have their entire lives and worldview changed when they commit suicide on the same day. In this world, the dead are brought to a train station where they receive tickets that send them to heaven or hell. However, Olivia and Brennan are given a second chance. An angel gives them train tickets that will send them back to their bodies, but a new problem emerges when they accidentally switch their tickets. In the world of the living, they wake up in each other’s bodies and are now forced to undo the mistake they just made while living the other person’s life.
Life is Inevitable
Life Is Inevitable by Daniel Santos is a story that begins at the end. Life is difficult for some people, and for Olivia and Brennan, two young people no longer able to face the challenges in their lives, decide to end them. It is only once they cross over to the other side, and wind up in purgatory, that things get interesting. As Olivia and Brennan are set to take separate trains out of purgatory to their next destination, there is a mix-up, and they wake up in a new place, with new challenges, in each other’s bodies.
Now facing what they must endure in their next existence and desperate to reunite and switch back into their bodies, they quickly learn that this plan will not go as smoothly as expected. The author tackles some relevant and difficult themes throughout the book, including suicide and the despair felt by young adults. He handles the challenging subject matter well and in a way that gives the reader a sense of hope that life will give you another chance, even following a big mistake or life-shattering experience.
This book is a thought-provoking and important read. The author does a good job of getting the message across so that the reader can imagine themselves in each character’s situation, how they would handle life’s unexpected challenges, and how to move on from the worst experiences. While the sensitive theme of this story may not be for everyone, it is a cleverly written story that provides an interesting perspective on a difficult topic.
There is a lot of imagination and creativity throughout the story, which is a brilliant way of handling such a powerful message. It’s also an interesting way to glimpse at more than one perspective on the matter, and how each character handles their situation. While not a light read, it is a great story that is worth sharing.
Pages: 234 | ASIN: B0B97GXP5M
LITERARY TITAN 