The Defender By Larissa Soehn – Goddess Fish Promotions

sybrinapublishing

2 years ago

The Defender

by Larissa Soehn

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GENRE: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

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BLURB:

A woman battling depression and anxiety finds herself trapped in her own life, but when an alien device rips her away from Earth, she is forced to fulfill an impossible role and save the galaxies from destruction.

On Earth, Alexia Harmon is a mother and wife, but in a foreign galaxy, she is so much more. Torn away from her family, Alex is in an epic battle to escape from Gatlin and return to Earth. But little does Alex know, Gatlin is on the verge of destruction. The galaxy faces annihilation; a prophetic doom that was set in motion thousands of years ago.

Alex struggles to stay alive as she fights against an alien government that is trying to kill her, a species of genetically engineered creatures that are hell bent on her destruction, and the demons of her own mind that threaten to overthrow her. Join Alexia Harmon as she works to fulfill her role as THE DEFENDER.

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EXCERPT

His hands drip with thick green blood. His fingers slide around inside the creature’s body, pulling, pushing, prodding. Finally, he finds what he is looking for, and with a sharp pull, he takes out the small object. He stares down at the tiny orb and marvels at it.

This will be the thing that ends them, rendering them powerless. The thought is vicious, but he has no time for kindness. Not now.

Quickly he turns and gently places the soft ball under a microscope. Staring into the lens, and using advanced medical tools, he prods at the centre of the ball, peeling away the outer shell. Inside is a thick, hard stone-like substance. Carefully he pulls it out. Cold radiates from it as if it could snatch all of the heat out of the room.

Careful to not drop or touch the substance, he swivels around and walks past the dead creature while moving to the second table.

Strapped here is a creature of nightmares. A long, lean body that will tower over all that it meets. Pincers adorn each appendage that will cut through anything it desires, and a face to leave the beings of the societies wetting themselves in fear.

He laughs lightly, looking over his creation with manic fondness. Carefully, he inserts the rocky substance into the cavity that has been carved open to receive the powerful object. The creature’s chest rises and falls lightly, supported by the machines that whir next to the table.

Stitching up the creature, he flicks a switch that pumps adrenalin into its massive system. It takes a few seconds, but the creature’s eyes fly open and look around aggressively.

The eyes looking back are human, but everything else is alien. The strongest parts of many species, all stitched together into one beautiful destroyer.

With one wild whoop, the creature activates its newest power, sucking all the heat from the room. The creator shivers and lunges for the control button. As the room starts to frost over and the air freezes, he presses the button, his fingers creaking as they bend against the cold that suddenly engulfs him.

With a violent spasm, the creature jerks madly on the table and is rendered temporarily useless. He smiles grimly. This is it; this will kill them all.

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My book is just like… Who the heck knows!

Guest Post By Larissa Soehn

One of the biggest tips I got when writing my query letter for Literary Agents was to liken your book to other books or movies. “Give them a sense of what they are getting into, set the stage,” they told me. Ok, well, here is the thing, I suck at comparisons. No, really, I’m terrible!

Sure I can compare myself to Kylie Jenner and wonder why my lips aren’t as puffy, or to Amy Schumer and wonder why I am not as funny, or to Alyssa Carson and wonder why I am not as bright (if you don’t know who she is, google her, she is fantastic). But when it comes to comparing my work to the works of others, that was not something I could do.

When writing my query letter for The Defender, I had to use the opinions of readers to build any sort of likeness to something else. They told me, “It’s like Blade Runner,” “It’s like Alien Covenant,” “It’s like The Hunger Games,” and each time I got feedback on what it reminded people of, I would respond with “REALLY?!”.

For starters, I hadn’t seen half of the things people linked the book to, and secondly, how could my book be similar to anything that is a significant masterpiece? Then it dawned on me; I’m just simply too close to it. To me, my book is 100% unique, but as we all know, every story has already been told, one way or another.

That’s not to say my book isn’t worth reading, because it certainly is, but instead of being shocked that people are comparing me to famous movies and books should be a huge compliment! If my book can remind them of something so successful, then that means my story must be worth telling.

I still can’t come up with a likeness for my book to this day. I still rely on readers like you to tell me what you think. Brace yourself. This is my shameless plug for readers!

*please read this next part in a fast-paced sales pitch voice*

Did you know that The Defender is available on Amazon and in an e-book?

This book has been widely pre-ordered throughout Canada and the United States.

Reviews for this book sing the author’s praises for building unique, desirable characters and fun new worlds.

*End shameless plug, please continue reading in a normal voice*

Ok, back to our regularly scheduled programming. While I would like to say that my inability to draw parallels between my book and other stories is limited to my book alone, it’s not. Truth be told, I struggle in this area. That is why I love Goodreads. This website has recommended books to me that are now on the top of my favorite list, like the Red Rising Series.

Think about some of your favorite books. Do they remind you of any movies or other books you have read? If so, you may just have the skill that I do not. No worries, it’s certainly not a life skill you need if you don’t. You won’t ever be given a test about comparing movies unless you take some bizarre classes.

In summary, if you are a budding author, or even an experienced one, it’s ok to reach out to new fans and ask them for their opinions of what your book compares to. If you are a reader, lend your support, offer to read the book, and then give constructive feedback and a few things that it reminds you of. Any good author is always looking for the support of their loyal fans.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Larissa Soehn is a budding new author from the cozy city of Red Deer, Alberta, where she lives with her husband, daughter, two cats and a dog. She started this journey as a recovery method for severe depression. She found that creative writing helped her process her emotions and work through the struggles of depression. As a child, Larissa enjoyed writing and telling stories, a passion that has recently reignited inside of her. Currently she is working to finalize the Gatlin Series, as well as publish a series of children’s books to help families discuss the importance of mental health, amongst other social issues facing children today. Larissa is an advocate for mental health and uses her personal experiences to help others work through their struggles. She uses social media platforms to help spread her message and give people permission to speak up and speak out.

CONNECT WITH LARISSA SOEHN

WEBSITE – Larissa Soehn – Author Website

FACEBOOK – Larissa Soehn | Facebook

INSTAGRAM – Larissa Soehn (@larissa_soehn) • Instagram photos and videos

PURCHASE LINKS THE DEFENDER

AMAZON.COM – https://www.amazon.com/dp/0228866030

AMAZON.CA – https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0228866030

BARNES & NOBLE – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-defender-larissa-soehn/1140523152?ean=2940165085475

SMASHWORDS – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1115119

APPLE IBOOKS – https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-defender/id1595487361

The book will be free.

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