Larkin's Book Bloggers

Do you like futuristic novels that take place on other planets, like Mars? How about books that have so much action packed in, you can’t put it down? Well if you answered yes, then The Pack is exactly the right book for you!

Shamira is a blind 16 year old who may seem innocent and quiet at first, but don’t underestimate her. She’s on a mission. When her brother, David, and more than half of the other kids on Mars mysteriously disappear, Shamira sets out to discover what is happening. Shamira soon meets up with a boy her age, named Valens, whose sister has also disappeared. When Shamira and her friends team up to go help the lost kids escape, their wild journey turns out to be not as easy as they had planned. But Shamira knows what she wants, and she won’t stop until she gets it.

Gabby – I thought that The Pack was a very good book. I liked how at the beginning of the book the author made Shamira seem shy and helpless. But then – out of nowhere – she whips out her action skills and uses them to the best of her ability! I don’t think that there was ever a time when I could put the book down! I was always reading… in the car, at dinner, before bed, and on the bus. The author described everything in the book so clearly that I could picture myself fighting with Shamira on Mars. Before I tell you too much, I will let you read for yourself. Praise for The Pack!

Tiffany – I loved this book! From the moment I opened it, and read the first page, I instantly knew that this book would be amazing! And it turns out it was. I liked how Shamira was able to meet a lot of other kids who have been/ are going through the same thing she was/is, which is losing their siblings, or someone they were really close to. The Pack is one of those books where you can be so shocked about what’s going on and then laughing so hard you’re crying. There’s just something about the way the author wrote this that makes you feel what Shamira felt and how she saw things. If I were to read this again, just because it had so much action and suspense, it would still amaze me and surprise me!

And now for our interview with author LM Preston…

1. How did you come up with the idea for your book, The Pack?

 LMP – Everytime I’d leave Walmart or work, I’d see missing kids posters around. I wanted to create a character that would save these kids. I decided to make her different, give her something that would make people assume that she wasn’t a threat. I also wanted to introduce my readers to my love of science and different worlds. As an engineer I worked on several projects with NASA and loved the exciting work I did there. I also thought of ways we could make Mars liveable for humans and my book was a way for me to explore those ideas.

 2. Do you think that you will come up with a second book?

 LMP – I’m working on The Pack – Retribution as we speak. My first draft is almost finished and I got to tell you, it’s going to be an awesome ride. There are new characters introduced, Shamira’s softer side is exposed and there’s someone that is stalking her. So stay tuned for it in the Spring of 2012.

 3.  What made you write Shamira as blind?

 LMP – I’m a karate flick fanatic, and I remember in one of my movies there was an old man that was blind who was a fierce competitor. I also worked with a blind lady who I’d modeled some of Shamira’s characteristics and experiences after.

4.  Do you know anyone who is blind? Or did you just write Shamira from how you think a blind person would be?

 LMP – My co-worker who was blind was a great inspiration. However, when I write my characters, I become them. I have to place my mind in a place where I feel and experience all that make them real. It’s the best thing ever about writing.

5.  Why is the story on Mars?

 LMP – Humans living on Mars has been an idea in the science world forever. In my experience, no one ever talks about how exactly it could happen. So I thought about what it would take to make Mars a planet humans could live on. I created underground heating systems, energy harvested from solar panels, and devices to manage the air quality. It was fun to create this world that served as a place where rehabilitated criminals and their families could live.

6.  When Shamira gets her sight back, what made you give her x- ray vision?

 LMP – I gave her enhanced sight simply by accident. I actually had my eyes closed while writing that hospital scene and without thinking I typed in that she had enhanced sight. After that, I was excited by all the things I could do with her new gift.

7.  When they found Valen’s sister, why did she have a sprained ankle?

 LMP – Mina’s ankle was sprained because she hurt it while she worked in the mines, and even though the mines were tight spaces it was common for kids to get hurt while in them.

8.  Why did Mitch have such a bad attitude towards Shamira?

 LMP – Mitch had major trust issues – especially against girls. He just didn’t think she had what it took to help him. Also, Shamira wasn’t exactly nice to him in the beginning either.

9.  Do you see yourself like any of the characters?

 LMP – I have similar experiences as many of my characters growing up. I wasn’t popular, and I wore thick glasses. I’d say I was most like Valens though. I got along with most people, but I wasn’t popular. Each one of my characters also have similar traits as many of my friends growing up. Also, growing up in the city made me a bit more aware of danger.

10.  If The Pack was happening right now, and you were Shamira, how would you react to the whole thing?

LMP – If I was Shamira, I’d probably be more like a Valens and try to recruit kids to help me. However, both Shamira and Valens together made an awesome team. Valens and the others were able to help Shamira journey from being a savior of one, to a hero of many.

A huge thanks to LM Preston for her interview – we can’t wait for the sequel!

Gabby S. and Tiffany L., EMS Bloggers

Check out LM Preston’s websites for more information about her and her novels!

WEBSITE: www.lmpreston.com
BLOG: http://lmpreston.blogspot.com/

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 at 12:29 pm and is filed under Fiction - Fantasy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.