A supernatural teen trilogy written by Karen Rivers
You know that line that teachers always give you about things changing when you’re a teen? Your body, your personality, your moods, blah blah blah? Sure, that’s all great, but how come they never tell you what to do when those changes are, well, a little on the supernatural side?
Karen Rivers’ haunting XYZ trilogy is an edgy and compelling series for fans of Supernatural, Heroes and Lost.
Xenos (“X” for short) will never be a normal kid. And it isn’t his looks or the way he carries himself. It isn’t because he hasn’t quite figured out how to deal with his crazy girlfriend or out-there mother. It’s because X doesn’t want to be normal. He wants to stand out.
So, quite by accident, X gets his wish. Now, he can fly.
But is he an angel of a superhero? What’s the purpose of his new power? There are no obvious answers, but X should know by now that very few things come easy. Even a brand new set of wings...
Y in the Shadows | Now Available in Bookstores
Yale knows she’s a freak - one of those weird loser kids that everyone ignores. She’s not pretty or popular. She doesn’t have nice hair or good friends. People tend to look right through her, like she were invisible. Yale’s not too happy about that.
But then Yale discovers something: if she tries hard enough, she can actually make herself disappear. And then she can move undetected among the people who made her feel like she didn’t exist. Only this time she’s listening. Watching. Planning what to do with her newly discovered power. The question is: will she use it to help ... or to hurt?
What Z Sees | Coming in June 2008
Zara’s always had a close bond with her twin brother—so close, she can actually see his thoughts. Which is a little weird, even for twins. But then Zara has a horrible accident. Suddenly, she can see what everyone’s thinking. Her mother. Her best friends. Even total strangers.
At first, it’s kind of cool. However, Zara can’t turn off her strange new power. Hanging out with her friends means drowning in a sea of their thoughts—and hearing stuff she’d really rather not. Now Zara is trapped between wanting to know her loved ones’ deepest secrets, and wanting to block it all out. She’s beginning to realize that maybe telepathy isn’t such a great power after all.
So now we know that super power you'd LIKE to have... but you don't always get the choice. Take the XYZ Super Power Quiz to find out which super power might be in your future... Click here to take the XYZ Super Powers Quiz!
What was your favourite book when you were young?
I don’t know! I was an avid reader, clocking approximately 1-2 books per day.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
When I was six, I wrote a “book”. I still have it! I’ve always written, though it took until I was 29 or so before I realized it was a viable profession for me.
If you had a super power what would your super power be and why?
Invisibility? I'’m a bit voyeuristic, I guess. Always fascinated by the minutiae of other people’s lives. Though being really really fast would be cool, too.
Any message for teens aspiring to be a writer?
Go for it! I can’t think of a better way to make a living. Plus it’s an excuse to read a lot of books. If you love it, do it.
Any messages for kids in general?
You’re OK. No matter what you may be going through, you are ultimately going to be OK. So much of being a kid is about worrying if you are, in fact, OK. If you’re accepted by your peers, if you’ll ever be able to get past the fog of adolescence. My message is that no matter how difficult and impossible it seems, you WILL be OK.
Do you have plans for your next book?
Yes! It’s a ghost story along similar lines.
What is your favourite thing about being an author?
Oh, lots of things. Being my own boss. Being free to write whatever I want. Being able to reach out to kids across the country. And honestly, seeing my own books in the bookstore never stops being thrilling.
What were you like as a kid?
Shy, funny, painfully embarrassed most of the time.
What was your first job (or alternatively your most unusual job?)
I worked at The Haunted House, which was a tourist attraction. (First job). I’ve had lots of jobs. I transcribed interviews with Alzheimer’s patients at the Alzheimer clinic - that was such an eye-opener. I loved being a recreational aide at retirement homes. I’ve had so many. I worked at the phone company for 11 years - not my favourite memory.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
Right now, I think I’d pick somewhere with lovely beaches and waiters bearing drinks. But in general, I feel a strong yearning to explore Europe. And I’ll admit I’m dying to go shopping in NYC.
If you could meet any celebrity who would it be and why?
I don’t know. I’m not much of a celebrity fan. Britney Spears so I could ask her what she was thinking, and to remind her to breathe. I’d tell her that she’s actually OK, all evidence to the contrary.
What is your favourite movie?
Run Lola Run
What is your most embarrassing moment?
Oh dear, there are so many. I can’t pick. I once threw up in a potted plant by the side of the road in the middle of the day. I embarrass myself regularly. When I worked at a hardware store, I once dropped a solid oak toilet seat on my foot and fainted in front of a crowd of customers. I suspect I embarrass myself at least once a day. I’m pretty embarrassed that it took me two months to answer this questionnaire.
“In its most basic form, X In Flight is a story of teen love and relationships: X loves Cat, X feels rejected by Cat, X turns to Ruby. However, in the hands of Karen Rivers, the narrative delves into the heart of these three characters, giving each a richness and depth that will resonate with most readers on some coming of age issue, such as self-esteem, first love, first sex, loss, jealousy, envy, or identity. The voices are authentic and engaging, and X, Cat and Ruby are given the opportunity to be honest both with themselves and the reader. [...] Rivers has honed her ability to create rich characters well, and teens will be waiting with anticipation for the next book in the XYZ Trilogy.”
- CM Magazine
“This gritty, angst-ridden novel is dark, full of alcohol and anger, but its rather surprising conclusion offers a measure of hope. For two characters, at least, there’s the promise of communication and understanding, and for all, hope of new beginnings.”
- Quill & Quire
KAREN RIVERS (Victoria) is the author of the bestselling Haley Andromeda trilogy, which includes The Healing Time of Hickeys, a Children’s Book Centre Our Choice selection, a featured title for Barnes & Noble and Amazon.ca and nominated for the Canadian Library Association’s Young Adult Book of the Year.
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X in Flight | Now Available in Bookstores
Y in the Shadows | Now Available in Bookstores
What Z Sees | Coming in June 2008
