The Calling (Finding Humanity) by Branwen OShea And Meet the Author #Books #YA #SciFi

A very interesting start of a new series.

The Calling (Finding Humanity) by by Branwen OShea released in December in the YA Sci-fi genre.

Humanity’s wake-up call. Answer it or face extinction. When Bleu’s little sister shows symptoms of the deadly Sickness, a strange vision directs him to leave humanity’s subterranean haven and seek the cure on Earth’s glacial surface. Joining the expedition team, Bleu expects extreme temperatures, not a surface ruled by ingenious predators.

Rana and her fellow star beings have co-existed with Earth’s top carnivores since the humans disappeared. But when her peers transform into Crowned Ones, the final stage of star being development, she fears remaining Uncrowned like her parents. To prove her worth, she undertakes a dangerous mission—contacting the hostile and nearly extinct humans.

But Rana’s plan backfires, and Bleu’s team retaliates. As war with the more advanced star being civilization looms, both Rana and Bleu separately seek a way to save their people.

“All right, get out, men.” Savas had never experienced such peace on the last mission. This was truly pleasant. They climbed out of the rover, and he tripped on his own feet as if drunk.

Laughing at himself, he reminded the others, “Guns out. Stamf, take the lead. I’ll bring up the rear.”

He paused, swaying a bit, while the other two men passed him and then proceeded slowly down the left branch. Sparkling light from farther down the tunnel lit their way. With a quick glance back toward the entrance, he took up the rear.

Then a voice as ethereal as the wind sang, “Caaaaaahm heeeeeeeere…caaaaaaaaaahm heeeeeeeere…”

What the hell?

Savas shook his head, blinked, and tapped his ear communicator. Stamf and Abdul, farther ahead, had frozen and appeared confused, swaying in place.

Something was terribly wrong. Was this cave filled with noxious fumes? Had they all gotten cold sickness? The databases talked of arctic workers becoming weak and confused by the extreme temperatures.

Think! Think. Savas wanted to lie down and nap. What’s wrong with me? Images from his childhood tumbled through his head. Not now. Not again. I control my own mind.

“Caaaaaaaaahm heeeeeeeeere,” the voice lulled, endlessly peaceful.

They all mindlessly continued forward, as if in a dream. A small part of Savas’ brain screamed in warning. I. Control. My. Own. Mind. He grunted with the effort. Fighting the urge to relax, Savas forced his hands to raise his weapon.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

As a young girl, Branwen wanted to become an ambassador for aliens. Since the aliens never hired her, she now writes about them.

Branwen OShea has a Bachelors in Biology from Colgate University, a Bachelors in Psychology, and a Masters in Social Work. She lives in Connecticut with her family and a menagerie of pets, and enjoys hiking, meditating, and star-gazing. Her previously published works include contributing to a nonfiction yoga book, wellness magazines, and her published science fiction novella, Silence of the Song Trees.

The Origin of The Calling

by Branwen OShea

What’s the saying—be careful what you wish for? The origin of The Calling definitely fits this cautionary tale of getting more than you wished for (though in this case it turned out well).
I always wanted to write books, but never felt any of my ideas were worthy of the years of effort it would take to write them. I wrote poems for myself, and had pretty much decided that my childhood dream would never manifest. I had a job helping adolescents, and that would have to be enough. One day at work, teen after teen said they had no hope for their future due to the looming climate crisis, bad economy, and increasing violence. They listed all the popular dystopian and zombie movies and books as evidence that our species was doomed. None of them knew the others had told me nearly the same thing, all on the same day. I arrived home that night convinced that humanity needed new stories with brighter outlooks.
I had no ideas and no formal creative writing skills, but I asked the universe for an idea and promised that if I received one, I’d write it. That night, I had multiple dreams where a humanoid alien, Rana, shared a complicated story of humanity’s future. Every time I woke up and went back to sleep, Rana picked up the story where she’d left off. I have always had two types of dreams: regular nonsensical types, and then what I call Big Dreams, where they have a very different quality and contain messages. The Rana dream definitely had the feel of a Big Dream.
Having been gifted a story, I grabbed a notebook and started writing. Eight other characters introduced themselves, all players in this same story of interlocking adventures. It’s taken me ten years to gain the skills to write my multiple point of view sci-fi adventure novel, The Calling, but I’ve enjoyed every minute. (Okay, maybe not so much some of the editing.) And yes, Rana has a starring role.
It was super difficult to write such a complicated narrative as my first book. I don’t recommend starting your writing career that way, but I trusted the story, and it has changed my life in ways I never would have imagined. Not only did I achieve becoming an author of this and other books, but I’ve learned so much from my characters, and have a whole new, brighter outlook on humanity’s possibilities and future. My fervent wish is that it brings the same lightness and hope to the teens that read it.
Rana’s story has blossomed into an adventure series that explores humanity’s worthiness as a species, its role on the Earth, and its capabilities for change. While books two and three are already in edits, it has been ten years since the first dream and will probably take another five years to finish out the whole series. So, be clear about what you wish for—it may change your life for years to come.

Website: www.branwenoshea.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/branwenoshea

Instagram: www.instagram.com/branwenoshea

Facebook: www.facebook.com/branwenoshea

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This post is part of a Tour. The tour dates can be found here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2020/12/nbtm-tour-calling-by-branwen-oshea.html