Entheóphage
by Drema Deòraich
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GENRE: Medical Mystery/Ecofiction
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BLURB:
Dr. Isobel Fallon thinks she’s found a treatment that will help her son and others suffering from Milani Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. What she doesn’t realize is that harvesting the source of this treatment in the only accessible place on earth it grows, a coral reef in the Nlaan Islands, is going to have consequences far beyond the disruption of the fragile ecosystem on one small reef.
CDC researcher Nadine Parker and her team are baffled. Lukas Behn’s daughter Kyndra has contracted a bizarre new virus that leaves her screaming in pain. But they can’t identify any physical, biological source for that pain, not in Kyndra, nor in the dozens, then hundreds, and finally millions of children worldwide succumbing to the same virus. And no one seems to have made a connection between what’s happening with the infected children and the events on a small coral reef in the South Pacific.
Eventually, Nadine has to face the unlikely truth, and the enormous implications of it. The children aren’t sick. They’re changing. But will anyone else believe her?
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EXCERPT
T’nei translated for Isobel. “Why are you here?”
Isobel fought the urge to look at Travis. “To harvest a special coral from the reef.”
“No,” T’nei snapped. “Anyone could do that. Your men could do that. Why are you here?”
Isobel’s mind raced. What was Mtuji after? “I’m the lead scientist. I know which coral to harvest, and how it’s processed. Only I can do that.”
“Only you? Among all your people?”
Isobel pursed her lips. “No. But I’m the one who began this research in search of medicine for a very rare disease. I found what we needed in a special coral. I learned that coral grows here.” She paused. “I started this project. I came here to finish it.”
T’nei translated her words for Mtuji.
The other women murmured among themselves, staring at Isobel as if they could see through her, see the truth of the matter. The elders among them wavered. Some argued. The younger ones held their ground.
Isobel’s stomach knotted.
At length, the crone spoke aside to T’nei, who turned to Isobel.
“And if we say no, go home?”
Isobel’s jaw tightened. “Then we’ll go home, and I’ll start again. Find another way. But it took me years to find this coral. Thousands of children are born with this illness. None survive it.”
Mtuji absorbed her words in silence.
“What would you do,” Isobel went on, “if your children were born this way and I could save them? If you had to watch your children die because another nation’s leader denied me access to their reef?”
T’nei hesitated, then translated Isobel’s words.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Drema Deòraich is a writer of speculative fiction that asks big questions. Her short stories have been published in numerous online journals, as well as a few semi-professional zines. Her debut novel “Entheóphage,” a medical mystery/climate fiction novel released in October of 2022, has been nominated for the 2023 Ursula Le Guin prize. Drema is still hard at work on her science fantasy trilogy, “The Founder’s Seed,” with plans to release book one in late 2023.
When she isn’t writing, Drema helps her legal-eagle boss to save the world one case at a time, pets her husband’s cats, watches the starlings mob her birdfeeders, or spends time in Nature, surrounded by flora and fauna.
Buy Entheóphage here:
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Entheóphage-Drema-Deòraich/dp/1958461008
Or read free on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/Entheóphage-Drema-Deòraich-ebook/dp/B0BHH7SDQR
Visit Drema’s websites at:
Follow Drema on:
Twitter: @dremadeoraich
IG: dremadeoraich
FB: NiveymArtsLLC
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Drema Deòraich will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
I am excited to read this. I love medical mystery books.
Awesome! Hope you like it! 😀
Thank you for hosting!
Thank you for hosting Entheóphage! I’m lurking, and ready to answer questions and comments from your visitors!
I’ll be at work today, and will have intermittent opportunities to check in, but will be back on tonight and ready to answer questions and comments! 😀
What inspires the titles of your books?
This one is named for a “character” in the book, and is a word I constructed from Greek. (It’s meaning is explained in the story.) The trilogy I’m working on, “The Founder’s Seed,” is based on the main character in all three books, which are named “Fallen” (book 1), “Broken” (book 2), and “Driven” (book 3); those names are taken from the primary action in that book. Another one that is still on the drawing board is entitled “Birdy,” which comes from the elderly main character’s nickname (her real name is Bernadette). Many of my short stories are named for something that happens in the story, or for a character in it. Most of the time, I know the title before the story is completed…sometimes before it even starts. 🙂
Sounds like an interesting and unique read. Love the reef setting
Thanks, Cathy! The reef is essential to the plot, so it had to be in the cover design. 🙂
This sounds like a good book.
Thanks!
Thanks, Sherry!
Thank you for hosting me, Sybrina.
And thanks to those who stopped by to say hello. I’m signing off for the night, but I hope you’ll give Entheóphage a try–check out some of the reviews on GoodReads or Amazon. Like what you see? You can order a copy through your favorite bookstore. And don’t forget– if you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, you can read it for FREE! 😀
Peace, y’all,
Drema Deòraich
How did you decide on the book cover?
My cover designer, Duncan Eagleson, created that after he read the manuscript. He drew three potential covers that all blew me away, but this one was the obvious choice for me. When you read the story, you’ll see what I mean. 😉
Do you have a favorite snack or beverage you enjoy while writing?
If I’m deep in the writing trenches, I will probably eat whatever the Hubenstein puts in front of me without much noticing what it was or how it tasted. 😉 If I’m editing, I want something non-messy that I can pick up one bite at a time, though I do try to be healthy about my choices. Grapes, yogurt-craisins, or nuts would probably be my first choices.