Lifeblood

Newly single, unemployed, and with her savings dwindling to an all-time low, Sara thinks things are finally looking up when she lands a job ghostwriting a popular politician’s biography, and rents the affordable island home of her favorite author, Seth Fortner, who mysteriously disappeared in 1925. Strange things begin to happen as objects break, go missing, and terrifying visions appear, making Sara wonder if Seth ever left, or if she is slowly losing her mind.

She gets no answers from his family who closely guards the secret of his disappearance. Through an old trunk of letters Sara discovers in the attic of her seaside cottage, Sara unravels the mystery and becomes caught up in a tale of greed, lost love, and the horrors of WWI. Will she be the one to break the “Fortner Curse” by helping Seth conquer his demons, and heal both of their hearts in the process?

After a terrible virus ravages the planet, Carly Daniels, one of the few survivors, hides in her apartment in Juneau trying to survive the best she can with occasional forays outside her apartment to gather food. With her is Sam, a wolf puppy she found starving on the streets, who becomes her companion and a reason to continue to struggle for survival when giving up sometimes seems like the more attractive option. Still dazed with shock and grief, she hopes for the world to go back to normal soon.

She is discovered by Justin, an ex-soldier who is intent on making his way to Florida before the winter sets in. Justin coaxes her out of her hiding place and convinces her to join him on his journey, as a warmer climate will be their best chance of survival against the extremes of Mother Nature.

Together they begin a perilous journey through a nation laid to waste by the disaster. Challenges abound along the way, presented by the weather, injury and shortages of supplies. They discover that they aren’t the only survivors. Some are friendly. Some have survived the virus, but with minds destroyed by the high fever. And there are those who simply take what they want, leaving Carly and Justin with no choice to defend what is theirs. They find they can only depend on each other.

But their journey is not without joy and love. Together they face every struggle, including an unplanned pregnancy. Despite the perils of bringing a child into this world, their baby is a new beginning for themselves and a symbol of hope for the other survivors they find along the way.

This is the story of their journey to finding a place to begin a new life, and a home in each other.