Monday, January 23, 2017

The Remnant Blog Tour



Religion is dangerous. On September 11, 2001, just under 3000 died in the US from an Al Qaeda attack (unless you believe in conspiracy theories, but that's for another blog.) The Spanish Inquisition destroyed over 3,000 lives. Yet, both of these death tolls are dwarfed by the Crusades in which 1.7 million perished. 



Image: Bob


Granted, these are examples of religious extremism, but would we be safer without religion in general? In William Michael Davidson’s The Remnant, religion isn’t merely absent, it’s forbidden. Anyone caught praying is captured by an extractor, like Colton Pierce, who works for the the Center for Theological Control or the CTC. If caught, the criminally religious "Aberrant" is hauled off to an island for the rest of their lives.

But keeping the theologically ill fed and housed in this manner is expensive, so why not save money by putting them out of their misery? This sounds like a swell idea to Colton until his son is caught praying.



Image: justifycole


I don’t want to ruin the twists and turns with spoilers, but the action fires up as Colton must choose between his position as top dog of the CTC and his child. The way the finale plays out has excellent tension. It’s also fun to watch the transformation of Colton from an egotistical, artless, emotionless robot into a caring, self-doubting, anguished mess who realizes strength is not always found in one’s muscles.

Now let’s go a little more in depth with some questions for the author, William Michael Davidson:

1. In the beginning, Colton is an overbearing blowhard—an unlikeable character whose treatment of people made me cringe. On one hand, kudos for creating someone so odiously behaved. On the other, do you think it’s a risk to start with an unlikeable character and have him your focus for the first part of the book? Do you think the general reader will stick with the story?



Image: kasiQ kmjw


Funny you ask, because before I was offered a deal with Dancing Lemur Press an agent I know wouldn’t accept the book because she hated Colton’s character.  Is it risky?  Maybe.  But that’s who Colton is, and I don’t feel that I should change who he is.  I think the reader is going to have to stick around for a little bit to see him change, but that’s okay.  To be honest, he was great fun to write.  The best characters are dynamic characters and I think a reader will find that with Colton.

2. The name of the organization that hunts and captures the theologically ill goes by the acronym CTC, which is pretty close to CDC. Coincidence or not?

No coincidence.  In a post-theological world, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if an organization like that was established.  Just like the CDC helps society stay safe from diseases, I’m sure that if we ever did enter the kind of world within the book, the CTC might exist.  In some ways, the future the book suggests seems very, very far off and unrealistic.  Yet, when I read the news, it doesn’t seem very far off at all.  I just read an article the other day about how quoting the Bible can be seen as Hate Speech.  So I think the world within the book is troubling and while it is science fiction and seems very imaginative, it is very close to some of the things that are going on in the world today.

3. In The Remnant, there seems to be a connection between creativity and the “theologically ill” or those who pray. For example, Marty, Colton’s son, is interested in fine arts. Selma, Colton’s love interest, goes to see a Shakespeare play. Colton had no understanding or appreciation of anything close to art. Yet as his character evolves, he does learn to acknowledge the value of creativity. What was your purpose for this connection in regards to this book?



Image: Thomas Hawk

To be honest, I don’t know if that occurred to me.  But I have certainly found that true in my life.  I didn’t become a Christian until I was in my early twenties and I was deathly terrified of being converted because it would change my writing.  Ironically, in the end, I think it gave my writing more purpose.  God loves creativity.  He created it!  So I think the novel does imply that by having your eyes spiritually opened, you can appreciate things for what they truly are and the full beauty they possess.

Thank you, William, for those fascinating answers! Now on to the details:

Release Date: February 7 by Dancing Lemur Press L.L.C.

The Fine Print:


◊THE REMNANT
◊by William Michael Davidson
◊Release date: February 7, 2017
◊$15.95, 6x9 Trade paperback, 242 pages
◊Science Fiction (FIC028000) / Christian Futuristic Fiction (FIC0402020)
◊Print ISBN 978-1-939844-29-3
◊eBook ISBN 978-1-939844-30-9
◊Order through Ingram, Follett, or from the publisher

◊$4.99 eBook available in all formats

The Blurb:

One nation, without God...

          Colton Pierce apprehends Abberants—those who display symptoms of faith—and quarantines them on a remote island to ensure public safety.  Years prior, the government released a genetically-engineered super flu that destroyed the genes believed to be the biological source of spiritual experience in an effort to rid the world of terrorism. As an extractor with the Center for Theological Control, Colton is dedicated to the cause.
          But Colton's steadfast commitment is challenged when he learns his own son has been targeted for extraction. An underground militia, the Remnant, agrees to help Colton save his son in exchange for his assistance with their plan to free the Aberrants on the island.
          Colton is faced with the most important decision of his life. Remain faithful to the CTC? Or give up everything to save his son?


The Remnant giveaway: This is a tour-wide giveaway for two (2) print copies that are available to those living in the U.S. only and one (1) eBook copy available international. The giveaway will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Sunday, Feb. 26. You can enter to win at each stop of the tour.


Thanks for stopping by today. Be sure to visit the other blogs on the tour (see below) for more chances to win. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway



Buy Links: THE REMNANT is available to order in eBook form at the following sites:


The print format of the book is available at these sites:

Be sure to add THE REMNANT to your bookshelf on Goodreads.




About the Author: William Michael Davidson lives in Long Beach, California with his wife and two daughters. A believer that "good living produces good writing," Davidson writes early in the morning so he can get outside, exercise, spend time with people, and experience as much as possible.


A writer of speculative fiction, he enjoys stories that deal with humanity's inherent need for redemption.

For more on Davidson and his writing, connect with him on GoodreadsTwitterFacebook, and Amazon Author’s Page.


The Remnant Blog Tour:




Monday, January 23:


Tamara Narayan – Q&A and Review



Tuesday, January 24:

Emmy Mom – One Day At A Time – Excerpt and Review



Wednesday, January 25:

Book Dreaming – Excerpt and Review

The Five Year Project – Guest Post


Thursday, January 26:

Patricia Stoltey, Author – Review, Interview


Friday, January 27:

Inside the Inkwell – Feature

Mythical Books – Guest Post


Book Blog Tour Company:




Do you think the absence of religion could reduce the amount of fighting in the world? Why or why not?


28 comments:

  1. Fascinating interview, Tamara. Always interesting to learn more insight about the author and the book. Thanks for being a part of William's tour.

    Mason
    MC Book Tours

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  2. I think the world is becoming closer and closer to the one presented in the book. That is a terrifying thought. I think the lack of spiritual beliefs have only made this world even more violent.

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  3. I started off with a less than likeable character. He got better.
    Quoting the Bible is hate speech? No, we're not that far from your world.

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  4. Wonderful interview! I felt the same way about Colton at the beginning, but his growth and depth of character are fantastic. I'm glad you didn't change him.

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  5. Anit-heroes are hard to come by because they are so difficult to write.

    Only 3,000 kill during the Spanish Inquisition? Seem low, when anywhere from 100,000 to million were killed between 1200 and 1800 for being witches. And the numbers could be higher.

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    Replies
    1. I thought the same thing. Maybe I should venture beyond Wikipedia?

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  6. Hello Tamara, I agree the answers are indeed fascinating as is the story. This book has just found a place on my must-read list.

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  7. Religion seems to be the motivating factor behind so much violence and yet it is also the thing that should prevent violence. The Remnant does pose some interesting questions about our humanity and religion.

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  8. Fascinating interview, and compelling storyline. I believe religion lives inside us and as long as we nurture the spirit, it survives no matter what happens around us. It's not what we believe (e.g. the church we attend), it's how we believe, in other words, the way we move through this world.

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  9. Okay, I want to read this one. I'm entering and crossing my fingers that I win. If I don't, I'll buy it.

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  10. Very cool to read some of these discussions and comments. Hope all of you enjoy the book and I hope it gets people thinking and discussing. I had a great time writing it!

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  11. He's local to me! Small world.

    Interesting premise, but I don't think there's a chance that such a world will ever come to be.

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  12. Great cover. Intriguing concept.

    I think the devil is very active in religion. Always good to judge by the fruit and violence is bad fruit.

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  13. Wow, pretty intense stuff. And William sounds like a super-smart person who is also very passionate about the topic. That always makes for a great book.

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  14. Very, very interesting question this novel asks. Being passionate about a topic makes a book so much better!

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  15. What a great story concept! Yes, I've often felt that religion is more responsible for genocide than anything else. Terrible. I'm already sold on the story. I hope it lives up to this interview.

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  16. Congrats, William! Religion does seem to be behind some of the worst crimes in its most extreme forms, but I often think if it's not necessarily religion's fault. Those people would probably try to find something else to justify their crimes if they didn't have religion. Great interview!

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  17. Amen to that. God does love creativity, and he expects us to use ours. =) Honestly, there have been more battles over religion...but it's also the one thing that really holds societies together. When religion goes by the wayside, the society crashes because there's no longer a self regulating system to govern people's actions. Religion teaches people to value something besides themselves--usually family. Any good thing can be turned to evil.

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  18. I enjoy books about religion. It's interesting, but unbelievable.

    In an way I would prefer a world without religion, but I would also miss the entertainment it provides >:)

    Cold As Heaven

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  19. Amazing concept. And it would be great to read this.

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