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A War for Resources
The Long Haul follows a woman trying to stop a domineering corporation that is controlling essential resources such as food and water from the population. I think this original idea is intriguing. How did you come up with this idea and develop it into a story?
The worries about resources, including necessities like food and water aren’t new. As the population continues to increase, there will be more pressure to control food and water. Some of the mega-corporations that already exist could become like GreenCorps if the world/country was faced with the collapse of civilization and a war for resources. One of the stories I often read to my fifth-grade class is Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. The society in that book was changed by famines caused by the climate crisis and a government that took advantage of that fear to restrict people and access to food. At some point, I also read an article about the real-life seed vaults that exist to protect the genetic diversity of plant species…these ideas must have connected in my mind.
Were you able to relate to your characters while writing them?
As I write characters, I get to know them and relate to them more as the story goes on. As I relate to them more, I go backward and add details to hopefully flesh them out as individuals. As I write, the characters speak in my mind and hopefully, I do them justice on the pages.
I felt that there were a lot of great twists and turns throughout the novel. Did you plan this before writing the novel, or did the twists develop organically writing?
I make a bare-bones plan or outline before I write, but I change a lot as the story progresses. For example, I didn’t plan Mason being in love with Caitlyn. Learning that about him changed a lot of the story from the point of its discovery. Much of the plot development comes as I write and the characters become more real to me. While I write forward, I also write backward as inspiration strikes. I am constantly moving in both directions in my manuscript.
Can you tell us where the book goes and where we’ll see the characters in the next book?
The characters have not finished their fight and will return to GreenCorps-controlled lands in the third book in the trilogy, Rebels and Saints: Catching Freedom, which will be published on April 19th, 2025 by Black Rose Writing.
I am also in the planning stages for a potential spin-off story about Tatsuda and Ginger and what the future holds for them in the new world they help to create.
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Elsa has the key to the Doomsday seed bunkers and taking it north to Canada is the only way to ensure its safety.
The rebels send help, but her group is betrayed before their departure. Fleeing in the night, Elsa and her friends disappear into the mountains, only one step ahead of GtreenCorps soldiers.
In Denver, Ginger, the sheltered daughter of the GreenCorps leader, hops a train, escaping her lonely existence imprisoned in her father’s mansion. Encountering hardship and devastating thirst, Ginger experiences the disparity between the starving, oppressed populace, and her life of privilege.
Rescued by Elsa’s group, she vows to help break the corporation’s stranglehold.
As the GreenCorps henchmen close in, the race with the key becomes desperate. If caught, Elsa and her found family face life imprisonment, or worse, execution –their one chance to change their world, lost forever.
Continue the journey from Switching Tracks, a thrilling dystopian train-hopping adventure.
The Long Haul: Pursuit of Hope
In The Long Haul, the second installment of Lena Gibson’s Train Hoppers series, readers are transported into a gripping post-apocalyptic narrative set in the remnants of the United States. The story centers around Elsa, a pivotal character in the fight against GreenCorps, a domineering corporation controlling essential resources like food and water. Elsa’s mission to distribute hidden seeds and supplies marks her as a beacon of hope amidst corporate tyranny, a journey that commences with her recovery from a near-death encounter with a high-ranking GreenCorps official.
Gibson masterfully crafts a tale of suspense and rebellion, encapsulating a world where the key to liberation lies in Elsa’s hands. The narrative unfolds with a bounty on Elsa’s head, escalating tensions as GreenCorps relentlessly pursues her. The addition of a surprising ally to her team of rebels and friends injects further complexity and danger into their mission, enhancing the story’s sense of urgency and peril.
Set against a dystopian backdrop, The Long Haul is more than an adventure; it’s a reflection on the control of basic necessities and the struggle for freedom. Gibson’s writing style is fluid and immersive, drawing readers into a world vividly painted with descriptive prowess. The pacing of the story mimics a seamless, high-speed journey, allowing readers to lose themselves in the unfolding drama without interruption. Gibson displays a keen ability to balance overarching themes with intricate details, maintaining a narrative focus while indulging readers with thoughtfully crafted scenes. Her characters are not merely players in the story; they are intricately layered individuals, each distinct and memorable in their own right, contributing to the novel’s rich tapestry.
Lena Gibson’s The Long Haul is a remarkable addition to the post-apocalyptic fiction genre. With its immersive storytelling, engaging characters, and expertly crafted plot, this novel is a must-read for anyone looking for a captivating and thought-provoking read.
Pages: 352 | ASIN : B0CSF1FYHT
LITERARY TITAN 