Read an Excerpt from Janet Kravetz’s Thrilling Sci-Fi Novel Series
Janet Kravetz (also writing under the pen name Topaz Ruby) is an award-winning author, poet and artist. She was born in Ukraine in 1983 and grew up in Israel, where she had a career in legal research, joining the Israel Bar in 2009. Soon thereafter she immigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada, and continued working in the field of legal research and public policy, while volunteering with various local committees for the promotion of diversity and inclusion. She speaks Russian, Hebrew and English.
In 2014 her book of poetry and art Reaching Beyond Ourselves – Leading a Spiritual, Peaceful and Diverse World won the international Beverly Hills Book Awards for both content and presentation (under the pen name Topaz Ruby, second edition 2020 on Amazon). In the following years, Janet turned to writing more poetry and also a few unpublished manuscripts dealing with topics of spirituality, human rights, mental health, diversity, and the environment.
Her upcoming sci-fi novel series Sky Curse tells the tale of Cecilia Miller, a coder of artificial dreams, who lives in the year 2045, when climate chaos has become the norm and the collective mental health of humanity has fallen to a grave state. It seems like only technology can help, and Cecilia is determined to be the one to bring that help.
Early Testimonials for Book 1 “Sky Curse: The Chosen Five:”
“This enticing novel warrants action against climate change by showing us a glimpse of a frightening society that has neglected our planet and is reaping the dangerous consequences. An excellent, thought-provoking read for youth and adults alike.”
N. K.-B.
“I love the premise, the amazing plot twists and that it reads like a realistic, probable and alarming near-future dystopian novel – I could be alive to see that future. The intricacies of new technology, human happiness and fulfilment, and even religion, are all complicated subjects that were blended together well for this story.”
G.M.
“Although it’s not my favorite genre, it was very thrilling to read. I was both entertained and worried for the main characters, while learning new things about issues that might come back to bite us in the future, if we don’t take care of them now.”
W.A.
Excerpt from the upcoming novel series “Sky Curse,” Book 1 “Sky Curse: The Chosen Five”
“We’ll get there eventually,” promised Cecilia, although she had her doubts.
“Doesn’t sound like you’re going anywhere anytime soon, this is alarming,” Malee stubbornly disagreed, and made Cecilia uncomfortable.
“I’m safe,” Cecilia insisted.
“No, you’re not. Earth is a dangerous place.”
“You’re obsessed with my safety and well-being, I’ll reformat you!” Cecilia laughed, unable to keep a straight face as Malee stared back at her, confident in her position.
Then Malee’s face and everything around them flashed bright yellow, brighter than the lights of the advertisements on the screens above their heads. More lightning strikes came, one by one, in fast succession. The thunder that followed ripped the air and Cecilia felt it rattle her bones. She looked up at the narrow strip of sky visible between the buildings and saw fast-moving, bright, pale clouds, their light reflected by the towers of glass above. A cold gust of wind picked up and Cecilia and Malee looked at each other, concerned.
Lightning occurrences around the world had doubled in frequency since Cecilia’s birth, due to climate change. And because of the increase in wireless communications, the electromagnetic spectrum had become polluted to the point where radar and other means of weather prediction were often inaccurate.
“Where did this come from? The weather forecast said—”
Cecilia gasped as a clump of several large hailstones smashed on the pavement between them. She felt a push from behind as the crowd began hustling faster.
“Malee!”
Cecilia could barely hear herself over the mounting cries of unease and the growing hiss of hail. Malee reached out to Cecilia and they took hold of each other to keep from being swept away under the masses of people. Cecilia had been caught in hailstorms a few times before, yet this was the first time she had experienced a storm so sudden and fierce with hailstones this large.
“Quick, run to the NEX-US Bar!” she yelled through the heavy noise of falling hailstones and screaming people.
Malee didn’t bother answering. She swiftly picked up Cecilia from the ground and placed her over her shoulder, then ran down the street alongside parked vehicles as fast as she could towards the bar, so fast that Cecilia got dizzy. Malee was fierce in clearing a path through the fleeing crowds, running red lights, and ignoring the cursing of cyclists and pedestrians alike.
Cecilia wouldn’t have any of that.
“What are you doing?” she protested, kicking and screaming.
“Seeking shelter,” answered Malee in a flat, matter-of-fact tone.
“Put me down!” Cecilia instructed like she meant it. She didn’t like the feeling of not being in control.
“Eventually I will,” replied Malee.
“Now, or I will reformat you!” commanded Cecilia.
“You’ll need to reformat me then.”
Cecilia screamed as a sharp pain pierced her entire left leg. The burning sensation stung her flesh and lingered.
“My leg! I got hit by a hailstone!” she cried.
“We’re almost there,” Malee reassured her.
Cecilia watched the world speed by upside down. Crowds of people were scattering everywhere, slipping and stumbling on quickly growing piles of hailstones and each other. Those directly hit cried out and those that fell were crushed by the fleeing masses. Cecilia smelled blood. She was horrified.
Glass shattered nearby and Cecilia screamed. Malee ran faster and Cecilia saw that a man had just smashed in a storefront and was waving people in to shelter. People flocked over, desperate for cover, among them a familiar family.
Cecilia’s eyes locked on the silhouette of Thunder. He was scared, holding his mother’s hand tightly, and looking straight into Cecilia’s eyes as she was carried further and further away. His dad pulled them through the crowd towards the store, but before they could reach it, hailstones shattered the windows high above and shards of glass rained down on them. The parents shielded their son instinctively with their bodies. Cecilia closed her eyes but heard their screams of pain from afar. She felt nauseous.
She opened her eyes. It was a disaster zone beyond her comprehension. She zoomed in on the family with her CAMS glasses. Thunder and his parents were down on the ground, bleeding severely.
“Help them,” Cecilia pleaded with Malee, but to no avail. Malee kept running until the boy and his parents disappeared from sight.
As abruptly as it had begun, the hail stopped. The masses were no longer panicking and the way was clear for an army of android paramedics, who came running onto the streets. They started evacuating the wounded and clearing away the dead. Hundreds of wounded and dead. A graveyard for the afflicted and for those, like Cecilia, who had to witness such horrors.
CONTACT
Website: www.authorjanetkravetz.com
E-mail: authorjanetkravetz@outlook.com
IG: @authorjanetkravetz
Ll: Janet Kravetz
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