Time of the Lioness:

Internet Apocalypse Book 1

by Steven Redstone

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09HSN44ZB
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ JGC Publishing (October 4, 2021)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 4, 2021
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 5500 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

• Best Sellers Rank: #792,854 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • #8,430 in Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction (Kindle Store)
  • #10,223 in Action Thriller Fiction
  • #11,287 in Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction (Books)

Synopsis

Annie Oakley Frye is a Cyber Warfare Specialist. She accepted cyberspace had become a cesspool of evil based on the multitude of daily cyberattacks. Annie does not live in a dystopian, fantasy world like Katniss Everdeen, Beatrice Prior, and Lara Croft—she lives among us. Once she discovers this invisible menace is lurking in a million networks, and it can’t be stopped from obliterating world economies, she sheds her mild-mannered personality and becomes the lioness of her youth to survive. Out of kindness, she warns her friends about this approaching cyber nightmare, but they scoff at her insider information and doomsday scenario, believing the government won't let it happen. Once the cyber nightmare launches a surprise arrives at her door!   

Blurb

You’re at work, in school, at home, out shopping, trapped in an elevator, or sky-high on an amusement park ride when the power and lights suddenly go out. For a moment, you’re just annoyed, expecting only a momentary problem. Doesn’t happen! Along with the power outage, all means of communication have been severed. The Internet is down, and a terrorist’s face on the screen gloats. Fear now creeps into your optimism. Hours later, with a world overly dependent on cyberspace, global economies begin to crumble from this irrevocable cyberattack. Totally freaked out, what will you do to survive the anarchy?

Biography

Like Shakespeare and Hemmingway, I am an eclectic writer. My stories develop from my imagination and passions, usually just before I fall asleep. Before I became an Indie author, I had two novels published by a respected independent publisher, which went out of business. Since books cannot be removed from Amazon, A Sinister Obsession is now Dead Can’t Haunt You, and Stardust Dreams will soon be Forrester’s Folly. During my clinical careers as a School Psychologist and Clinical Social Worker in private practice, I had a book on human nature published by a traditional publisher and when the editor passed away, it vanished. That book will be updated and launched next year. Happily, I am now an Indie author with the same quality of work but now under my control. My genres have been horror, suspense/thriller, senior romance, sci/fi, and now apocalyptic, based on my worries about the future of cyberspace and evil. Besides, writing, I am an avid golfer, bowler, and tennis player. I reside in Florida with my lovely wife and Mickey, our handsome Shih Tzu.

Book Readers Review

Right on Time

'Cyber Warfare' is the topic Steven Redstone has chosen for this timely action-packed novel. Due to the author's extensive research, this story is shown to be well-crafted and current. How would you cope if you lost all means of communication? Couldn't access your money? Not having access to transportation, groceries, basic necessities of life? This book captures the reader's imagination from the very beginning.

 

Through the characters' responses to this crisis in this well-crafted novel, especially Annie Oakley Frye, a military veteran and survivalist, the plot is woven into a compelling story. She leads a group of friends and coworkers through the chaos of a changed world. Self-preservation is essential to survival. The skills Annie has are indispensable. I believe it is essential that Annie is the protagonist.

 

It was well written, fast-paced, and captivating with engaging story telling. Steven has a gift. This is my first book by him and I am looking forward to reading more of his works. I received a copy in exchange for an unbiased review. It is highly recommended. Be prepared.

                                             Interview

Welcome to my blog Steven.  Please tell me and my readers about yourself and your latest works.

Q:	Tell us about your latest work—title, genre, etc. — and why you wrote it?
A:	Time Of The Lioness: Internet Apocalypse is a pre and post-apocalyptic story. This genre had been developing in my mind for many years but I couldn’t decide on the appropriate catalyst or the protagonist. Then, with all the Internet hacking by international terrorists, incapacitating businesses and government agencies occurring daily, I foresaw a major vulnerability of cyberspace. Economic Armageddon. How would I deal with that? How would people deal with the collapse of human societies? What makes this story really scary, the virus I thought was of my invention had already been created and used!
Q:	What draws you to your genre(s)? Why is this type of story compelling to you?
A:	I am an eclectic writer. All sorts of stories pop into my head, but I only write the ones that ignite my passions. I felt this story had to be told as a wake-up call to what can actually happen in this world. With global economies so dependent on cyberspace, and it being so poorly protected, I’m terrified one maniac could cause widespread devastation.
Q:	What is your writing process like? Do you map the whole thing out or do you just let it unfold?
A:	I write the whole story in my head first, as I need to know the beginning, middle, and end to ensure it will fuse together. I don’t write boring or soap operas. The storyline and language matter to me. Character relationships are of paramount importance. Once all the ingredients come together, I write. However, my fluid personality lets allows me to make necessary changes. My wife and kids know I have an obsessive/compulsive personality.
Q:	What kind of research was involved?
A:	Scary research! I spent many weeks learning about every computer virus and worm. The variations were staggering. The number of attacks a day, in the millions, caught me by surprise. The history of hacking and its new directions does not inspire my confidence in a happy future. The experts believe an Internet apocalypse is inevitable. Just think what would happen to an economy if businesses such as Amazon, Verizon, Google, and power companies in a milli-second disappeared!
Q:	How much of YOU makes it into your characters?
A:	I’m not a particular character; I’m pieces of some. Attitudes and opinions evolve from the character’s personality, not mine. As a School Psychologist and Clinical Social Worker, many characters are developed from patients, people I knew, or I know. No matter how evil or controversial I make a character, real humans excel in cruelty, narcissism, and an indifference to human tragedy.
Q:	How do you balance the need to have time to write with the needs of family, society, etc.?
A:	I am retired. Before this happy occasion, I had little time to write. I worked in a school during the day, had a private practice at night and Saturday mornings. With a love of home decorating, I built furniture, a new kitchen, outdoor stone work, and much more. I became an accomplished artist. My wife and two kids never saw Dad sit still or waste an hour. But we always had dinner together, hung out, played games, and chatted. My son watched me paint late at night and he took over. He became a prodigy artist and is an art director for film and television. My daughter plays the piano and dabbles in art. Both gave us fabulous grandchildren.
Q:	Have there been any authors in particular, that inspired your writing?
A:	No. It was watching television. Classic films of all genres. Television shows. I became the characters and made up my own stories. Stephen King was my inspiration to write horror short stories, which were all published. When I chose to write a novel, Stephen King was my inspiration. I loved his use of language, not his stories.
Q:	Is there a story you want to tell behind or about your work(s)?
A:	It has been a rough road to have my stories published, which has led me to become an indie author. My first work was a psychology book. It was accepted by a traditional publisher. It was a thrill. But, the owner died, and it suddenly disappeared. My work is trapped in Amazon and elsewhere. No matter what I wrote, the competition to attain a legitimate literary agent did not happen. I wasted far too much time trying to please them. Happily, I was accepted by an independent publisher, put out two novels, but it went out of business. Again, with my novels trapped in Amazon, I had no control. That’s why I became an indie author. I have control as the admin on the sites. Besides my own editing skills, I use three other editing programs.
Q:	What other projects are you currently working on or about to start?
A:	For a long time now, I have been drawn to senior stories and romance. I wish to be known for my senior stories. I will complete the Time Of The Lioness trilogy and in-between books, I will complete my three novels of that genre. As I explained, because of Amazon’s policy of not removing books, I had to change Stardust Dreams to Forrester’s Folly with the same cover, and it will soon be published. Stardust Dreams had many 5 and 4 star reviews.
Q:	Could you share some of your marketing strategies?  Which ones are the most effective in your opinion?
A:	Marketing begins with getting honest reviews. There are many reviewer lists. Due to heavy competition, we’ve overloaded reviewers who do a great service for us. Next, join Facebook, Goodreads, and Instagram. They offer many advertising opportunities. Not that effective. But you meet many indie writers and become friends. Next you can hire book selling sites such as Bookgorilla and blog tour companies, one I just chose, Reading Addiction Blog Tours. I’ve sold books with their help. The Indies View is a great resource.
Q:	What would be the top five, (or 3 or 1 or however many) things you would tell aspiring authors?
A:	Write the best book you can. Love what you write. If you hope to snag a literary agent, good luck. Because of competition they control what a traditional publisher accepts. You can’t send to a traditional them. If you are working full time and have family obligations, marketing is a second full time job. It is best to hire help, which could have you spend more than you earn. Best advice, if you wish to sell books, never give up. Find a bright ray of sunshine on your darkest days. Lastly, when you think your work is perfect, put it aside for a month. Look at it again. It won’t be!

Again, thanks Lawrence for taking the time to share your knowledge with us.  We appreciate your and your work. My pleasure

 

Contact Information:

Your Name	Steven B. Rosenstein (penname S. B. Redstone)
	Your contact info	E-mail:   Inkblot19@gmail.com                  Phone: (516) 578-1791
	Book Title	Time Of The Lioness: Internet Apocalypse Book 1
	Available at	Amazon https://amzn.to/3answX5
	Blog/website URL	https://www.sbredstonewriter.com