A girl looking for a way out.
Being the daughter of New America’s leader, Mercury Masters has everything a girl could want. A glamorous life full of beautiful people, and the power to have anything she wants, except for one thing—to escape. Because Mercury’s perfect life comes with secrets to keep. Dangerous secrets that if made public would destroy her, her family, and her father’s reign. Then she meets Hawk.
A boy looking to be a hero.
Hawk, a handsome prep school dropout turned vigilante, has his own family secrets. Deadly secrets that have haunted him since he was fifteen. But instead of fighting the ghosts of his past, Hawk has assembled a group of misfit hackers and thieves to save the future from the corrupt government of New America and the mysterious virus that is killing off its citizens. But trying to do the right thing is tough when the person you really want to save is your enemy’s daughter.
A love that could kill them both.
Powerful forces keep them apart, but coming together could be the key to saving New America from destruction—even though it may cost both their lives.
A near-future YA biopunk retelling of Robin Hood.
I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on this book and if you can’t either than you can pre order it now from:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078QZPYG9
Amazon UK ( which I am now an affiliate of!):
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/mercury-rises
Without further ado here’s her post
Hello all, and thanks to Liv for letting me drop by the blog today! I’m ridiculously excited to announce that my book, Mercury Rises, a YA near-future retelling of Robin Hood, is coming February 13th, 2018 from Inkspell Publishing (pre-order already available on Amazon and Kobo). It a little bit dystopian, a little biopunk, and a decent chunk of romance, all rolled into a fun new take on an old legend. But instead of waiting until February for all of the feels, I can share a few vibes with you now. Often times, I have big chunks of time between writing sessions so I create playlists featuring theme songs for characters and certain scenes to transport me back into my story—fast. Below are some of the key songs on my playlist, and the novel aesthetic to let you have a sneak peek into Mercury and Hawk’s world.
- The Lightning Strike – Snow Patrol – Be the lightning in me that strikes relentless – This track is more of an experience then a song. It rolls and tumbles with growing intensity of a pending storm, then peaks and crashes back down to a state eerie calm. It first became a great song for this book because Mercury often refers to Hawk’s stare in terms of a storm, but as I listened to it more often I noticed how it mirrored both the outer conflict of the story and the relationship between Mercury and Hawk. It’s emotional, fierce, and beautiful all at the same time.
- Citizen/Soldier – 3 Doors Down – Right here underneath my wing, you can rest your head – This song is Mercury Rises’ unofficial theme song. The lyrics are spot on to the story, talking about heroes standing in the shadows to help the less fortunate, and the hopeful grittiness of the music ties well with the state of New America in this story. If you haven’t heard this track, one listen to the words and you will know why it’s a perfect fit for this book.
- Not a Bad Thing – Justin Timberlake – And if you fall, you’ll always land right in these arms – This is Christophe’s theme song. Christophe Royce, my Sheriff of Nottingham, has the clean cut suave of an ex-boy bander turned mogul like JT, and the unrequited pining that this song talks about. He’s fiercely loyal and leads with his heart, but sometimes he’s just a little too much for Mercury to handle.
- Fall Into Me – Brantley Gilbert – I’ll be your love song and I’ll love you right off your feet – I don’t have much country on this list, but this song was definitely on heavy repeat during the writing of Mercury. It’s chapter 28’s song, because of its simplicity and honesty and every time I think about a particular moment in that scene I can still hear it in my head. Hopefully, you’ll love that scene too!
- Hero / Heroine – Boys Like Girls – I feel like a hero, and you are my heroine – This one doesn’t need much explanation in a legend like Robin Hood. The lyrics are true to the story with a fun and uptempo beat.
- Wild Things – Alessia Cara – So gather all the rebels now, we’ll rebel-rouse and sing aloud – This song is for Hawk’s crew. Red, Tucker, and Ratchett were great characters to write, and this track reminds me of the camaraderie and the fun they have together as a unit. They’re all outsiders coming together to take on the world. What could be better than that?
- Hurricane – Parachute – Oh funny how it all comes back, when you’re trying to forget it – This is Hawk’s song. He’s got a closet full of skeletons, a past full of sorrow, and a reputation to uphold. He’s cautious in everything he does so he won’t slip up – until Mercury comes and messes with his whole world.
- Here Goes Everything – Petric – You’re all I need, so here goes everything – Okay, so maybe I’m a bit partial to this song because the band if from the Canadian city where I live, but it’s still a great track. A sweet upbeat song with heart. It’s the theme for the end of chapter 16 (in the alley) where we first realize that two of the characters are completely doomed.
- Let Me Be Myself – 3 Doors Down – Would you one time, just let me be myself – When I have a writing soundtrack, I have a tendency to use songs from the same bands often as they typically have a similar feel that matches with the work. Again, we see 3 Doors Down on this list because they’ve hit on exactly the right vibe that I needed. This is Mercury’s song. This novel has romance, betrayal, huge social issues and government problems, but at the heart of it all, this story is about a girl named Mercury. She’s caught in between a lot of differing forces trying to pull her in all directions, and through everything she encounters she’s still trying to figure out who she is and what she really wants.
- Ride – Cary Brothers – If I told you the reasons why, would you leave your life and ride? – This book is full of choices – right/wrong, stay/go, love/leave. Ride is a great song that showcases that feeling of indecision in a haunting, elegant way. Plus, I just love Cary Brothers voice.
- Too Much to Ask – Niall Horan – Tell me there are things that you regret, ‘Cause if I’m being honest I ain’t over you yet – This is a bit of a bonus track. I didn’t listen to it when I wrote Mercury, but I have been listening to it as I plot the next story from this world. But whose story could it be with lyrics like the one in this song? Guess you’ll have to wait and find out!
Scarlett would love for you to interact with her online:
Website: www.ScarlettKol.com
Twitter: @ScarlettKol
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14221782.Scarlett_Kol
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