Renee N. Meland's
When fifteen-year-old Riley Crane figures out her best
friend Olivia is being abused at home, she knows just who to turn to:
her mother Claire, writer and spokesperson of President Gray’'s Parental
Morality Law. Under this law, Taskforce Officers remove children from
their homes if their parents do not meet certain guidelines, taking them
to government-run boarding schools where supervisors rehabilitate them,
turning them into productive members of society. Or at least that is
how it was supposed to work... Now, after a government official
threatens to make Riley the law's latest victim, Riley and Claire must
rely on Cain Foley, a gifted killer with a tongue as sharp as the knives
he carries, to get them out of America alive. Though he slices through
men’'s necks as if they are warm butter, Riley can't seem to keep her
cheeks from flushing every time he speaks. But when they stumble upon a
deserted boarding school, Riley sees that escaping the country is only
part of their problem. Together, Riley and Cain figure out that a killer
can save a life, and a mother can damn a nation.
Q. Welcome. Tell us your name and age, please.
Riley Joyce Crane, 15
Q. Riley, what's it like where you live?
It
sucks. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the people I’m with are amazing
(especially this guy named Cain), but being a fugitive is hard work. I
used to say I only run when I’m being chased. I guess God has quite the
sense of humor. Good one, God, good one…
Q. Well, I could certainly use a good run, but I don't want anyone chasing me. What about special customs where you live?
Yeah…stay alive as best you can.
Q. Do you have family? If so, what are their names and relation?
My brother died, and my dad left, so it’s just my mom Claire and me.
Q. Oh, I'm sorry about your brother and your father. Who is your closest friend?
Her
name’s Olivia. Known her since first grade. Haven’t seen her in three
years though. The Taskforce took her and… I’m sorry can we talk about
something else?
Q. Of course. What about someone special? Are you attached or single?
Hadn’t known anybody worth my time. Until recently…
Q. Hmm, sounds promising. Whom do you get along with the best/worst in your family?
Mom
and I are a team, always have been even when my dad was around. He
couldn’t really be bothered with the whole “father” thing. Mom and I do
everything together. She’s the only person I have ever really been able
to depend on. Besides Olivia…
Q. You're very lucky to have a mom like that. Where did you meet your spouse/mate? Or What might your perfect mate look like?
Besides
those blue eyes, Cain isn’t perfect. But my perfect mate isn’t perfect.
In fact, he’d be the first one to say so. He’s got scars on the outside
but they’re nothing compared to the inside. He’s helping us leave the
country, and I know I should be worried about a million other things,
but I can’t help it. I blush every time he opens his mouth. Hopefully he
hasn’t caught me yet…
Q. He's a lucky guy. Do you have any enemies? If yes, who are they, and why are they your enemies?
The
Taskforce, and the (cusswords implied here…my mom could be reading
this) who took my Mom’s law and scrambled it up into the big mess that
got us into trouble in the first place.
Q. You're wise young lady to watch your words and be so respectful of your mother. What do you look like?
If
I could wear the same outfit every day, I’d be pretty excited. But in
normal circumstances you’d usually find me in tattered jeans,
flip-flops, and a t-shirt. My curly red hair tends to have a mind of its
own, so at least for school I stick it in a ponytail. But after, I just
let it fly.
Q. What is your favorite thing to wear to bed?
Wouldn’t you like to know? Perv.
Q. I see your respect has limits. Point taken. How would other people/beings describe how you look?
Mom and Olivia say I’m beautiful. But they have to say that.
Q. If you could have any power, what would you choose and why?
Cain
has power, and he’s teaching it to me. He’s not a super hero, but put
knives in his hands and he will hear you coming before your first step
lands on the ground.
Q. What is your moral code, if you have one?
Cain
is teaching me his life strategy, which I think is a pretty good one:
he calls it Back to Basics. Protect your own at all costs. How you do it
doesn’t matter if it keeps the people you love alive.
Q. Do you believe in true love?
Absolutely.
Q. Have you ever lost someone important to you?
Oh nobody. Besides, oh I don’t know, everyone in my life except my mom.
Q. And you've lost them at such a young age. That must be hard. What kind of home do you live in?
Home? Yeah…don’t have one of those anymore.
Q. What types of conflicts/wars are happening in your world?
People
are afraid they are going to lose their children any second because of
the Parental Morality Law. And given how full the boarding schools are,
they’re probably right.
Q. Do you believe in an all-powerful being that created life as we know it?
Never been very religious, but I do believe in God. I don’t believe you have to believe in one to believe in the other.
Q. Do you worship, if so, how, and if not, why not?
I’ve
been praying a lot lately, that’s for sure. We’ll need all the help we
can get if we’re going to make it out of America in one piece.
Q. Can you die? Where do you go when you die?
Absolutely. May die today actually.
Q. Your favorite thing to eat is...
anything cooked by my mom’s best friend Bo, NOT by my mom. She tries, but cooking’s not her strong suit, that’s for sure.
Q. My only regret is...
Olivia
getting taken by the Taskforce…that was my fault. I thought I was
helping her, but there’s a good chance all I helped her do was trade one
Hell for another.
Q. Anything you’d like to add?
Stay out of politics…seriously.
I'll take that into consideration, Riley. It was very
nice to meet you. I wish you the best and hope you make it out of
America safely.
The Extraction List
Book One
By Renee N. Meland
Price: $8.99 Print, $2.99 Kindle Edition
Website: http://reneenmeland.wordpress.com/
Twitter:@reneenmeland
Facebook: Renee N. Meland’s Books
