Saturday Spotlight | Black & White By Nick Wilford

In addition to the usual blog posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday about our eccentric travel adventures and day-to-day life living aboard a sailboat, I also occasionally post on Saturdays, focusing on things related to writing such as cover reveals, book launches, reviews, interviews with authors etc. So if you're a bit of a book nerd like I am, check in on Saturdays - you never know what might pop up.

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Today, I'm featuring Black & White by Nick Wilford. Nick is one of my blogging buddies from the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Turns out Nick lives a few minutes away from where we used to live in Scotland. It sure is a small world. Shame we didn't meet before I left Scotland and headed off to New Zealand. 

Nick, over to you!

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Hi Ellen! Thanks for having me over as part of my blog tour. Today I’ve got something fun – the young heroine of my novel, Ezmerelda, is attending a careers interview. Let’s see if it goes well.

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Hello! It’s Ezmerelda Dontible here, a student at Magnificence High School. But everyone calls me Ez. To be honest, I just put up with the place. Bit too cliquey with the power structures… anyway, today we’ve got a careers adviser coming in to talk about our aspirations for the future. Wonder what’ll happen in my interview. Oh, looks like it’s my turn… just got to head to this little office here.

Framble: Hello… Ezmerelda. Nice to meet you. My name is Arthur Framble and I’d just like to have a little chat about your future.

Ez: Nice to meet you, Mr Framble. Call me Ez.

Framble: Okay, Ez. Now, according to my notes here you’re an extremely conscientious student, putting in a lot of extra study hours.

Ez: Well, I do enjoy learning as much as I can. Besides, the library is my favourite hangout during the lunch hour. My friends don’t really enjoy the same passion for learning, shall we say…

Framble: Oh, that’s a shame. Well, it seems that a smart young lady such as yourself could do anything she wants after graduation. What are your dreams?

Ez: I don’t really know. I mean, my dad works for the government as an adviser and keeps saying I could follow in his footsteps. But I wouldn’t mind being a teacher or something. I’d like to help people. I don’t think the current system is that fair… I mean, it’s meant to be fair, with everyone receiving a guaranteed pass in their grades, but it’s this study log thing. People forget you’ll get a better job if you put in more hours, so I’d like to do something that makes studying more… fun.

Framble: Do you have any particular ideas on that?

Ez: Quizzes, maybe. That could be done on an individual basis online, or even some sort of organised event – people could take part in teams and their friends would come along and cheer.

Framble: I think that would be very popular. What would the prizes be?

Ez: Just extra study points, because that’s what makes a difference to your chances.

Framble: I’m sure you’d be a fantastic teacher, but if that doesn’t work out, do you have a backup plan?

Ez: Erm, yeah, well, I mean the government thing… I’ve thought about it and I can’t say I haven’t wondered about what really goes on. It’s all a bit shrouded in secrecy. Maybe I could bring about some more transparency… oh no, I’ve probably said too much, haven’t I?

Framble: Don’t worry. Between you and me, I can say that once you join the government, things become a lot more clear.

Ez: But only on one side of the wall, right? That doesn’t seem very democratic.

Framble: Look, Ez, you’re young and very idealistic, which is admirable but…

Ez: But that’ll get beaten out of me once I sign up with the powers that be? (Stands up) Okay, Mr

Framble, this interview’s been very helpful. I am going to join the government, and then you’ll see some real changes around here.

(Walks out)

Framble: Oh, dear. What have I done?

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Title: Black & White

Author: Nick Wilford

Genre: YA dystopian Series #: 1 of 3

Release Date: 18th September 2017

Publisher: Superstar Peanut Publishing

Blurb:

What is the price paid for the creation of a perfect society?

In Whitopolis, a gleamingly white city of the future where illness has been eradicated, shock waves run through the populace when a bedraggled, dirt-stricken boy materialises in the main street. Led by government propaganda, most citizens shun him as a demon, except for Wellesbury Noon – a high school student the same age as the boy.

Upon befriending the boy, Wellesbury feels a connection that he can’t explain – as well as discovering that his new friend comes from a land that is stricken by disease and only has two weeks to live. Why do he and a girl named Ezmerelda Dontible appear to be the only ones who want to help?

As they dig deeper, everything they know is turned on its head – and a race to save one boy becomes a struggle to redeem humanity.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Smashwords / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

Add it on Goodreads

Meet The Author:

 
Nick Wilford is a writer and stay-at-home dad. Once a journalist, he now makes use of those early morning times when the house is quiet to explore the realms of fiction, with a little freelance editing and formatting thrown in. When not working he can usually be found spending time with his family or cleaning something. He has four short stories published in Writer’s Muse magazine. Nick is also the editor of Overcoming Adversity: An Anthology for Andrew. Visit him at his blog or connect with him on Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, or Amazon.

 
Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of my collection A Change of Mind and Other Stories or a $10 giftcard! a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks again to Nick for stopping by the blog and sharing Ezmerelda's careers interview!

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