FRACTURED LIGHTBy Rachel McClellan
Llona remembers what was said to her at her father’s funeral, “that the goal of all life is death.” Llona is determined to live a long productive life despite the fact that Aurans seem to attract death early in life. Llona determines to blend into to society and not attract attention to herself!
Two years have passed since the funeral of Llona’s father, two years and four moves around the country. Llona and Uncle Jack are now living in Bountiful, Utah and Llona is a high school senior. Llona has managed to live under the radar and no one except her sort of best friend May even know that she has any strange abilities. May and Llona bonded over a strange incident in the science lab that revealed hidden abilities in both girls. Though they have bonded over the incident they never speak of it.
The first day of senior high a fight breaks out during an assembly so Llona harnesses her power and shuts off the auditorium lights plunging the room into darkness and stopping the fight. That day at lunch Llona meets a new student Christian who seems interested in her though she tries to discourage his attention. But Christian is different than the other students and is not dissuaded though Llona manages to avoid answering any personal questions.
The quiet serenity of Bountiful is rocked by a string of murders and somehow Llona seems to be involved. First a shoe of a victim is found on her porch. A second victim is the mother of student who attacked Llona and Llona’s car is littered with evidence of the murder. But how Llona is involved is a mystery. The police think it is just a coincidence, but Llona and Christian are not so sure.
Christian remains an enigma in Llona’s life, he seems to almost be stalking her and yet he pushes her away. When Llona confronts him about it she finds out that Christian has been assigned as her Guardian to help protect her from the Vyken that is hunting her – the Vyken who murdered her mother and was responsible for her father’s death!
Everything comes to a head on the night of the Prom. Tracey and May are suppose to meet up with Llona, Christian, Matt, and Dave at the prom. But Tracey and May are late but when Matt gets a text from Tracey saying she’s at Llona’s house with Angel, Llona’s past comes rushing forward to meet her head-on. Christian and Llona rush back to Llona’s house, but it is too late Tracey has been murdered in Llona’s bedroom. As Christian talks to the police Llona gets a message saying that May is next!
Llona is determined that no one else will ever die because of who and what she is, so she rushed back to the school, to the empty auditorium to rescue May and to confront her lifelong tormentor! But when the Vyken reveals himself to Llona she is shocked to learn his identity, who would have suspected him! As Llona battles for the life of May, Christian and herself she does the improbable – she uses Light as a weapon channeling it through her body to battle her opponent! But when the battle is over who will be left and what costs?
FRACTURED LIGHT is a captivating and thrilling read. Rachel McClellan has added a new twist to the plight of the High School teen!
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Hi Rachel,
First of all I’d like to thank you for taking the time for this interview and tell you how much I enjoyed Fractured Light.
First I’d like to ask you about Llona. I have been unable to find her name in any names meaning and origin books. I’m fascinated by names and their meanings, so where did Llona’s name come from?
What a great question! I love names, too. It took me a long time to find Llona’s name. I searched all kinds of baby name websites. Finally I found it: Llona. It’s a Greek name that means Torch or bright light.
Why does Llona have white hair? I thought it might have been an Auran trait but the fact Aunt Sophie has brown hair, I was wondering if it a trait unique to Llona because of her heritage?
In some Aura’s, Light transforms the human DNA. Her hair is basically a birth defect. There are others at Lucent who also have strange things about them. This is one of the first things Llona addresses when she goes to school there.
What happened to Llona’s grandparents? Or is that a mystery that even you don’t know the answer to?
Llona’s heritage is actually talked about in the sequel. She comes from a long line of powerful Auran women. And their actions is actually what spurred some of what happened to Llona in FL.
Is there a character you empathize with more than another, and if so why?
It would have to be Llona. Throughout my own life I’ve had many challenges. Sometimes these challenges make me want to curl into a ball and roll under a rock, but as I’ve gotten older (and wiser, I hope) I’ve learned to develope iron ovaries. Very little gets me down now. My inner strength is my weapon.
Do you have a favorite scene or moment in Fractured Light?
I always laugh when I read the part where Llona’s in her car and the devil/angel duo “appear” on her shoulders. I love Llona’s inner dialogue with them, and then when the Rocky theme song plays in her head as she marches into the school.
Are any of your characters based (even loosely) on anyone in particular?
I’d say they all have a piece of me inside them. As an author, it’s hard not to do. Things I love are found in at least one of them: love of sports, duty, honor, friends, books.
Is Fractured Light allegorical? Or is it just what you read with no hidden meaning or underlying message?
Yes. Llona’s light is fractured. She has yet to develop it, and even when she does she uses it for a “forbidden” purpose.
Where did the idea for the Aurans, Vykens, and Furies come from? Aura deals with light and illumination and Furies were in Greek and Roman mythology (goddesses of vengeance), but Vykens sound Scandinavian.
Some of this is explained in the sequel. Thousands upon thousands of years ago, before Greek and Roman mythology, the world was a very different place. The earth’s elements, and those related to it (light and darkness), actually had a consciousness, but after a crazy huge war, some of them took refuge in humans who the knew would survive because of their ability to adapt—and conquer. Those who didn’t became nature as we know it now. The other rare few, became Furies (fire), Aura’s (light), Vykens (darkness), Enki’s (earth), and many more strange creatures, which will be introduced in the sequel.
Being part Guardian, part Auran and now some Vyken darkness thrown into the mix is Llona a walking time bomb waiting to explode? Will this be the focus of FRACTURED TRUTH, which I assume is a sequel?
Yes, Llona’s going to have some serious issues to deal with. Is it possible for darkness to exist with light? I’d say all of us have a little darkness inside just waiting to be entertained, but whether we let it exist all comes down to our choices and where they lead us. Llona’s going to battle against these choices on a daily basis. The darkness inside her will not be easily ignored.
Is there any chance of a movie?
Dare I hope? Not at this point in time.
And finally is there a question that you wish someone would ask you about your writing and what would your answer be to that unasked question?
What’s the greatest joy of being an author? At first it was knowing I was going to be published, but suprisingly I’ve discovered something greater. It’s seeing my children’s love for story-telling. They love to write stories and illustrate them themselves. Their works make me far prouder than anything I’ve ever done.
Thank you for your time Rachel, and I’m sure your readers appreciate this time you’ve given us with your perspective on Fractured Light.
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Author Blog: http://www.blackbirdinmywindow.blogspot.com/
Author Website: http://www.rachelmcclellan.com/
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