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Forced To Survive On Their Own
Periodic East follows a group of survivors of “the blast” who are trying to survive in the second ice age and keep humanity alive. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I was living in Los Angeles and I was devastatingly unhappy. I worked in a very hostile working environment at the time that I started writing the book. I was dealing with co-workers and customers who were (to put nicely) very unpleasant people. Despite their personalities being very volatile, I often imagined what would happen if they were forced to survive on their own or off the land. That’s kind of how “Periodic East” started.
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing or did it come out organically as you were writing?
When I write, I often get into a trance. Particularly when I write in first person and write from the perspective of a main character. They decide what happens. They tell me where they want to go. I try not to fight it. I just let the character guide me. I try to learn from them. I always knew I wanted to have lots of twists and turns in the story, but I wanted them all to make sense. To be possible in the world where “Periodic East” takes place.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
For me, forcing characters to see past and accept the differences of others was pivotal. If certain characters didn’t compromise or choose a more altruistic path, it led to their demise. The importance of being patient, which is something that I struggle with immensely, is also important for the survival and well-being of the characters. And also the fact that oftentimes, the most unlikely people can surprise you in the most amazing ways.
Can you tell us a little about where the story goes in book two and when the novel will be available?
Book two will be titled “Parallax.” It takes place immediately after the end of Book one. As I respond to this email, I’m four chapters in and I can already tell you, I intend to make it darker than the first. I want my characters to mature and to be more fearless within their environments and willing to take more risks for better or worse. “Parallax” should be available sometime first quarter 2024.
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Periodic East
Frigid and frozen, we find ourselves in a not-so-distant dystopian future on Earth. In Periodic East, a second ice age has arrived because of a calamity known only as The Blast. Nuclear winter is in full season, shortly after alien contact with the President of the United States. Tiberius is the leader of a group of survivors we follow in South America whose struggles against man, extraterrestrials, and the freezing tundra. At the same time as he struggles on Earth, we meet some more survivors on Icarus, the space station NASA spent its dying day building. Here we learn more about the days leading up to the end of days and how humanity will struggle against them.
Gabriel L Rodriguez gives us mystery and intrigue through his words. You will find yourself unable to set the book down and dying to know what happens next. Throughout this novel, suspense builds, and we are thrown into survival mode and left with more questions than answers. Through plot twists and mysteries, we fall in love with the characters Rodriguez has written into existence. It leaves you wanting to read chapter after chapter. The style in which we follow the story, with multiple threads and storylines, is wonderfully woven in a way that makes sense and gives us just enough from each storyline to successfully tell this story.
Periodic East is a riveting adventure, leading us into the cold and tragic future. It sets us up for more adventure and leaves you excited for the next book. I would say that sci-fi lovers and teachers of older students would be the best audience for this book. I can picture using this book to discuss alternate dystopian futures in class or to talk about the future possibilities of intelligent life coming here from elsewhere. I look forward to reading the rest of the series as it comes out!
Pages: 200 | ISBN : 9798986989129
LITERARY TITAN 