A lot of planning went into creating the town of Atherton for my novel, STAR TOUCHED. I had to figure out how large of a population could be supported on the farmland available. The map also helped visualize several scenes.
Tour guide: Welcome to Yellowstone National Park. I hope you enjoy our visit. By the way, you are standing in the caldera of a geologically active supervolcano.
Me: Wait. What? Shouldn’t they have mentioned that before entering the park?
At least 48 super-eruptions have been discovered by geologist, but what does that mean?
The volcanic explosivity index goes to 8 and that’s where a supervolcano hangs. They can spew 240 cubic miles of material. Pressure builds up in these volcanoes until they blow big time.
So, what would happen if Yellowstone supervolcano had another VEI 8 eruption? It would probably blanket much of the United States under a blanket of ash. A friend of mine lived in Seattle around the time Mt. St. Helen erupted. One of the biggest problems was the ash. Even a thin coat can make roads slick and clog up filters. You don’t want to be breathing that stuff.
It would also cool things down a bit for a few years. Think mini ice age.
No need to worry. There have been no signs that any of the world’s supervolcanoes will erupt anytime soon. The last time one went was 26,500 years ago in New Zealand.
For more information check these site:
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-a-supervolcano?qt-news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products
https://www.vox.com/2014/9/5/6108169/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.
Did you know there were 169 potentially active volcanoes in the Continental United States? Surprise. https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/index.html has a cool interactive map of them. At least three of them have erupted since our country was formed.
Volcanic eruptions happen all the time, but not all volcanoes are the same. The four basic types are cinder cones, composite volcanoes, shield volcanoes, and lava domes.
Cinder Cones:
When congealed lava and other partials are blown out of a single vent, they fall back to the ground as cinders. Picture an anthill on the beach. I got to climb a cinder cone in Lassen Volcanic National Park in California. It’s like climbing a giant sand dune made up of pebbles. Very tiring.
Composite Volcanoes:
These steep-sided volcanoes are formed when alternating layers of ash, lava, and cinders build up. The lava flows over the ash and cinders holding it together like glue. All that layering makes for a strong structure. Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in Washington state are both composite volcanoes.
Sometimes the top of a volcano collapses in forming an indention called a caldera. Crater Lake in Oregon is a caldera that filled with water.
Shield Volcanoes:
Shield volcanoes are created almost entirely from flowing lava. The lava often come out of fissures in a slow steady stream. This is the kind of eruption you often see pictures of where people are standing nearby taking pictures. Kilauea, in Hawaii has been in the news a bunch lately.
Lava domes:
These are formed when thick goopy lava squishes up like a partially dried tube of glue. Lava domes have been known to explode dramatically. When the dome at Mont Pelée formed in 1902, an entire town on the coast was wiped out.
For more information check out these sites:
https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/volc/types.html
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/volcanoes/vlocation.html
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.
This is an excellent article.
Thinking of suicide?
Stop and get help now.
Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.
J. L. Smith lives in Odenton, Maryland. Her works have appeared in many literary journals and magazines, including Cirque, Alaska Women Speak, The Avatar Review, Five 2 One Magazine, Fourth & Sycamore, and more. She is an author of two poetry collections. Her book, Medusa, The Lost Daughter, is a narrative series of poems based on the Medusa myth. Her most recent collection is Weathered Fragments, Weathered Souls, which features previous published poems and a few new ones.
Wolf: What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?
J.L.: Easily, it was this Vietnamese soup I had while I was living in South Korea. I cannot remember the name of it, but I remember what was in it: full, head-on prawns, baby crabs cut in half, completely intact baby octopus the size of a thumb, and more, in a spicy lemongrass broth. I love hot foods, but this one did make me cry! It was so spicy. I actually got cuts on my hand from deshelling the seafood. I called it the “soup that fought back,” and yes, I ordered it again the next time!
Wolf: That sounds good. If you had to pick a weapon, what would it be and why?
J.L.: I would choose the bow and arrow. Not because it is practical–because I have no idea how to use one–but because it is quiet, quick, and graceful in its own way.
Wolf: I’ve always loved bows as well. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
J.L.: I gave a supporting character a lead role. A character in my work-in-progress novel, The Fleeting Lights, was originally written as the lead’s romantic interest, but had little else going on. It took me some time, but I went into his psyche (I know, weird, but writers understand!), found out more about him, and now he has been brought to life as a full character with his own backstory. What more can character ask for?
Wolf: Indeed. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?
J.L.: I made Phorena (Medusa, The Lost Daughter) responsible for setting up Medusa’s downfall. Having watched the whole attack, Phorena just led Medusa to her sentence. I had misgivings about that, because how can Phorena be redeemed after that? Yet, given Phorena’s and Medusa’s relationship, all actions led up to that very scene, making it seem natural for Phorena to be there at Medusa’s downfall.
Wolf: It’s still harsh, but I understand. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
J.L.: Cat person all the way. The little box is a wonderful thing.
Wolf: But that little box needs to be emptied. What five items would you want to have in a post-cataclysmic world?
J.L.: Abundance of clean water, a sustainable food source, shelter, soap, and a picture of my daughter.
Wolf: All good choices. What is your favorite body of water and why? (river, ocean, waterfall, puddle, bottle…)
J.L.: I always preferred the ocean. It is boundless and deep, begging to be explored.
Wolf: Don’t forget waves. Waves are fun. What story are you working on now?
J.L.: I am working on a follow up to the Medusa, The Lost Daughter. Medusa: War and Punishment (working title) will focus on Medusa’s exile, the war in Olympus, and the war on the mortal world.
Wolf: Sounds interesting. Want to learn more about J.L.? Check out the links below.
https://www.facebook.com/jennifersmithak/
Twitter: @jennifersmithak
Why post a review? Not only does it tell other readers that it is something they might enjoy, it’s also a way of saying thanks to the author.
You don’t have to write a three-page document to review a book and you don’t need a blog. It can be as simple as saying “I loved this book” on Facebook or Twitter. Amazon is a great place for reviews, even if you didn’t buy the book from them, as well as Goodreads.com. All it takes is a few minutes.
Here’s an example:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful story with intriguing characters.
So next time to finish reading a book, take a moment to let the world know what you thought.
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population. Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble. Will Tatiana flee or stay and fight for the new life she has built? Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Complex and Captivating
Tatiana wants more than anything to be normal. Instead, she has to deal with the loss of family, home, and belonging. Worse, her new abilities after the cataclysm frighten her more so than anyone she encounters. It will take a whole community to help Tatiana confront her fears, powers, and anger. It’s a story about accepting who you are and learning the importance of forgiving yourself.
5.0 out of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Star Touched
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Star Touched. It captured my interest right away and kept it throughout the story. Well developed characters and exciting plot kept me turning pages. I recommend this book to people of all ages.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great accomplishment for a new writer
A captivating novel. The character development was very complex and compelling; a great accomplishment for a new writer. Each time that I felt that I had figured out an angle, two more surprised me.
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population. Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble. Will Tatiana flee or stay and fight for the new life she has built? Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.
Here is what critics are saying about STAR TOUCHED
5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced and emotionally complex
Star-Touched is the fast-paced and emotional journey of a teen-age girl and those surrounding her in a post apocalyptic world. Tatiana is a sensitive, likable young woman who is left “star-touched” with various powers after a cosmic event transforms the Earth. The planet becomes a place where simple survival is a full time shore, and Kaplan draws this new version of her characters’ home expertly. Tatiana’s world is a reflection of what might be left, or what might emerge, as people reconstruct civilization. It’s complete with dangers, hunger and power struggle. As a heroine, Tatiana is complex, kind and deeply damaged. You can’t help rooting for her as she and her canine companion Fifi try to start a new life – again – with a variety of fresh and original characters such as Gareth, Brother William and Bobby Sue. As the story unfolds, Tatiana is forced to confront both her own past and her deepest fears, which leave will leave young readers on the edge of their seat. Quick read with a roller coaster of emotions.
–Rissa
5.0 out of 5 stars Complex and Captivating
Tatiana wants more than anything to be normal. Instead, she has to deal with the loss of family, home, and belonging. Worse, her new abilities after the cataclysm frighten her more so than anyone she encounters. It will take a whole community to help Tatiana confront her fears, powers, and anger. It’s a story about accepting who you are and learning the importance of forgiving yourself.
–Kindle Patron
