Set in post-apocalyptic Savannah, after a world-wide phenomena, Rise Of The Chosen is an exciting and intriguing roller coaster ride. When the dead started rising, some wanted to call them zombie. However, the zombie of fiction mindlessly ate its kill. Know as The Woken, they are not zombies but just plain mindless super killers of the worst sort. The second type of undead, the Chosen, are rare. The Chosen have the super abilities of the Woken, but still have their humanity. To form a workable society and protect humans, society formed a group called the Watch. The Watch consist of teams containing 2 humans and 1 Chosen, given the responsible of protecting the living, and beheading the Woken. Closing off the cities, the Watch guards the humans and keeps peace. Meanwhile, not all are happy with this arrangement, and covert groups form to fight the Watch and the Chosen.
Watch team mates, human Julian and Chosen David, found themselves teamed with newbie Sam. Her father was a great fighter in the Watch until his heroic death. Sam will have decisions to make, some will effective not only her life, but the world. Secrets revealed, mysteries uncovered, and inhumane practiced will come to light. How will Sam handle what is coming? Is the world on the edge of total destruction? Can Sam and David save their world? Or is this the beginning of the end for humanity?
Grab your favorite beverage, relax, and enjoy this thrilling novel.
CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, AND DEVELOPMENT:
First, I must say, Rise Of The Chosen is riveting, fast paced, and will entertain the reader for hours. I found myself unable to put this book down and read it in one sitting. The plots keep coming as Ms. Kopp developes her story and includes several surprise revelations. The pace never slows as the author wove the many threads together to form an exciting and different book. Author Anna Kopp’s writing style is clear and easy to read, and the story-line unique.
Ms. Kopp created many layered and interesting characters. I found myself wanting to know more and more about Sam and David. With a unique story-line, Ms. Kopp created creatures that were very different from the standard zombie. Of course, she also included as hero’s the Chosen and Sam. Ms. Kopp left hints that Sam is different and I can’t wait for her to reveal the secrets in book two. Also, in this first book of series, we received hints of what the Chosen will become in future books. The Rise Of The Chosen does have a cliff hanger ending in some respects. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Kopp has in store for book two.
THE RISE OF THE CHOSEN, RECOMMENDATION:
STARS 4
In conclusion, I found The Rise Of The Chosen, a well-written solid book. With a fast pace and well- developed characters, I would not hesitate to buy this book for myself or a friend. Therefore, I gave The Rise Of The Chosen 4 well deserved stars. Ms. Kopp created a unique interesting story which will hold the attention of anyone who enjoys sci-fi, fantasy, or dystopian novels.
Anna Kopp was born in Russia and immigrated to the United States when she was 11. She joined
the US Army and lived in Georgia during her military career before settling down in the Cleveland, Ohio area. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in business but her true passion is writing. She is a wife and business partner to a software developer, and a mom to two rambunctious boys obsessed with Minecraft. Anna’s hobbies include reading, writing, and playing World of Warcraft. She is a true geek at heart and would love nothing more than to see her imagination become a part of something greater. Her debut novel, Rise of the Chosen, is the first installment of the “Lifeblood” series.
Contact Information
Blue Moon Publishers
adam@digiwriting.com
www.bluemoonpublishers.com
@BlueMoonPbh
facebook.com/BlueMoonPublishers
Anna Kopp
www.annakoppauthor.com/
@AnnaKoppAuthor
facebook.com/annakoppwrites/
Q&A with Anna Kopp
Q. Have you always wanted to be a writer?
A.
As a child, reading and writing for me was basically like breathing. My parents’
idea of ‘grounding’ me was kicking me outside to play. I wrote poetry because it was
big in Russia, and my mom would send it in to the local newspaper. When they never
posted it, she sent a letter asking why, and received one back from the editor saying
they ‘know when it’s the parent writing.’ I guess what I’m trying to say is I’ve
always been a writer – it’s who I am – just now, I’m a published one!
Q. What inspired you to begin writing your novel? Did you draw from personal
experiences?
A.
The idea for this novel came from
The Walking Dead
TV show. There was a scene in
the prison where curtains are used to divide the cells instead of the actual cell doors. It
completely boggled my mind. Why would you not protect yourself from the off-chance
someone dies, or protect others in case you do? Everyone becomes undead, so
monitoring the living is just as important. And thus
Rise of the Chosen
was born!
Q.
Which aspects of the writing process come most naturally to you?
A.
The most natural parts of the writing process for me are the ones that come before
actual writing. The ideas develop in my head like a movie and I see it, and feel what
my characters feel (to the point of laughter or tears), until I’m bursting with emotion to
where I have to write. My husband knows this as the ‘zombie Anna’ because I just
zone out throughout the day(s) until I finally get it out.
Q. Which aspects of the writing process present more of a challenge? How do you
overcome them?
A.
Pretty much everything that has to do with actual writing is a challenge. English
being my second language makes writing down the scenes in my head incredibly hard.
I just don’t feel like I have enough words, and I spend more time on Thesaurus.com
than I do actually writing. There are times it takes me an hour to find the word I know
exists but can’t remember. Even simple words and phrases get lost, and sometimes I
feel discouraged because of how long it takes for me to write such a minuscule amount
of words. It’s the feeling of accomplishment after re-reading my work that keeps me
motivated.
Q. Do you have a writing routine, and if so, what does it look like
A.
The first thing I do when starting a new work is the outline. I open a new Word
document and create each chapter with a small description. I’ve tried using several
special programs (Sigil, Calibre) but to me, the simpler seems the better. I set a goal –
1000 words a day. It might seem small, but to me it’s an entire day’s work. Then go
back the next day and edit the last day’s work. Then write. Rinse repeat.
Q. Do you have any quirky writing habits, such as a favourite snack or music
playlist?
A.
I can’t write and listen to music at all, actually. Music has a very emotional effect on
me, and the feelings that result interfere with my thought process. Also, it’s hard
enough to find the right words without being constantly bombarded with unrelated
ones. Now, there are many songs that fit perfectly with some characters and scenes
from my works, and I love reliving them, just not while I’m writing.
Q. From where do you draw your inspiration for your vivid characters?
A.
I like to think I don’t base my characters on anyone specifically, but more of a
mashup of different parts of myself as well as others. There are many issues I’m torn
on, and I like to make characters on both sides because there isn’t a true right or
wrong, making them more realistic.
Q. Can you describe your revision and/or editorial process?
A.
I edit a lot as I write, and since I’m already using the least amount of words I can, it
makes things easier. If I think of something that needs to be
revised, I add it as a note
on my phone so I can change it later.
Q. Have you had anything published in the past? Are you working on writing
anything currently?
A.
My other available published works include a series of Minecraft children’s early
reader books I made for my six-year-old. As most kids these days, he loves Minecraft,
and I haven’t been able to find any related books for his age group – so I made some!
There is a middle grade Minecraft series as well (so my oldest son doesn’t feel left out).
Currently, I am working on continuing the “Lifeblood” series, as well as some
unrelated young adult fantasy books.
Q. What have you learned through your writing?
A.
I think the most important thing I’ve learned is to never give up. It took me a long
time to finally be confident enough in my writing abilities to undertake a novel, and
now I’m here! It is truly a dream come true, and should give anyone and everyone
hope that no matter the challenges that stand in your way, you can overcome them if
