Everton, PA is the fictional setting for my latest release, NIGHT OF THE FLOOD – a collaborative “novel in stories” featuring contributions from Rob Brunet, Gwen Florio, J.J. Hensley, Jennifer Hillier, Shannon Kirk, Sarah M. Chen, Wendy Tyson, E.A. Aymar, Jenny Milchman, Angel Colon, Mark Edwards, Alan Orloff, Hilary Davidson, and an introduction from Hank Phillippi Ryan. Here are a few reasons you might want to steer clear of Everton: The dam broke – and it wasn’t an accident: After Maggie Wilbourne became the first woman in modern times to be executed in Pennsylvania (for killing her rapists), a group of activists protested her execution by blowing up the dam. “The Daughters,” as they’re known, wanted to send a message – and they did, because now the whole town is going underwater. Things are scarier in the dark: As the water slowly submerges the town over a period of twenty-four hours (during which all the stories are set), the electricity is going out, too. The residents of the town have two choices: hunker down and try to wait it out, or make a break for it, in canoes or kayaks or even a big-rig truck. But without electricity, it’s harder…

One of the key elements when writing either suspense or comedy is the use of the reversal twist. It needs to be foreshadowed, so the reader will believe it when it happens, but it must also come as a surprise. Depending on the genre, this surprise will either cause laughter or fear/tension. This twist often comes when the main character discovers information he/she did not know before. Naturally, this makes amnesia or some form memory loss ideal if you want to raise the level of suspense. Here are a few examples of why amnesia is a great plot device. * Please note that since reversal twists often take place near the end of a story, some of these examples will include spoilers. Surprise Endings: One of my favorite examples of memory loss is seen in Grace in The Others (movie, 2001). She believes that the house she lives in is haunted, but she can’t convince anyone else. Creepy events ensue until you’re absolutely sure that Grace is right. There are ghosts in the house. In fact, you’re so convinced this is true that it’s hard to see the surprise twist coming—Grace and her children are actually the ghosts. They have…

Young adult authors are sometimes accused of writing unrealistic narratives—teens who save intergalactic worlds, start revolutions, or end The Hunger Games. Where are the parents? We’re asked. Where is the trademark teenage apathy? Where are the cops? Wouldn’t these characters wait for help? Well, maybe they’re tired of waiting. In the first book of the Anastasia Phoenix series, PROOF OF LIES, Anastasia dives into the criminal espionage world that her late parents thrust upon her. She searches for her missing and presumed dead sister on her own, after all the adults in her life tell her she’s wrong and she should give up. She doesn’t. It’s an adventure story, with a lot of action and romance, and I admit the plot can be viewed as unrealistic. A teen fighting spies? A teen who can speak four languages? A teen going after a corrupt organization? But as I look at the world today, as I watch the news, I think maybe us authors in the young adult community are getting it right. I’m not surprised one bit by the activism I’m seeing, by the articulation of a long-needed message, by the change that will undoubtedly be brought to our country by…