Susan Larned Womble
AUTHOR
THE BIG WHEEL (TRILOGY)
After her mother and sister are captured and sold as indentured servants by mercenaries (Mercs), fifteen-year-old Paisley embarks on a quest to free them. A different world has been forged during the twelve years of isolation caused by a killer virus that forced a mandatory quarantine. While adapting to the nuances of the new world, she encounters friends and foes along the way. She discovers disturbing rules, customs, and the absence of laws and consequences of the newly formed culture. If she can free her family, she will have to make a choice to either escape back to her safe haven or join the fight. The battle for power heats up between the Mercs, only interested in profit, the powerful royals, who control the cure, the wealthy slave owners, and a small cluster attempting to reinstate democracy. Eradicating the virus is both a blessing and a curse as it sets in motion death struggles between the powerful factions. The group winning control will decide the direction of the new world. It’s a battle worth fighting. Division of the people is simple: there are the Counted, who matter and are taken care of, and the Uncounted, those throwaways who do not matter. People are the main commodity, bought, sold, and traded like cattle. Any flaw labels a person as an Undesirable and marks them for death. Paisley is an Uncounted and her companions are Undesirables. How can anything they do make a difference?
BOOK 2
Follow the adventures of Paisley and Colt as they travel from Bavaria, Germany to Orlando, Florida as castaways aboard an ocean liner on a mission to free their families and change the world. The ship is home to the royals, the mercenaries, droves of servants, and Paisley’s captive sister and mother. The virus that quarantined the world for twelve years has been eradicated, but now the real fight for survival begins. Their quest for democracy is resisted by mercenaries who kill for no reason and the powerful royals. Both want to keep their control. The Consortium of the World is meeting to decide the fate of humankind. The race is on to see which faction wins out. In this new world, decisions are made by those who do not cherish life and where human trafficking and unethical medical care are the norm. The Uncounteds, the unregistered populace sold by the mercenaries and the Undesirables, any flawed individual not considered worthy to live are used as pawns. Servants and owned people are afraid to wage war for their rights. Unlikely heroes emerge. Colt and Paisley are forced by circumstances to train untested legions of children for battle, but their hope is that it will not come to that. How can this group of misfits change anything?
Book 3 in Trilogy coming early 2015
Book 3
BATTLE FOR THE CURE chronicles the final battle for democracy of the world in this non-stop, action packed conclusion of the story of Paisley and Colt. After a virus quarantined the world for twelve years, the world struggles to regain communication. Paisley and Colt, once assigned to be living dolls or human slaves for the royal children, must now gather their army of children and fight the new emperor, determined to be the ruler of the world. Along the way, our young leaders must not only persuade the Consortium of the World to vote for democracy, they must also convince the world that they are not the ones who unleashed the deadly virus again. The Emperor controls the news and is a master at manipulating the truth. Through the distrust, Paisley and Colt attempt to win the war with their only allies, the Undesirables and Uncounteds, the people of the world with no power. Forced into a leadership role, they must grow up fast. A powerful mercenary, leader of the Mercs has married the queen and assumed the royal throne. He has one agenda, to rule the world. His lust for power has destroyed all of his humanity. Some of the people of the world have been deceived by his words, others fear his wrath. Either way, the world will lose unless the rag tag army of children, Uncounteds, and Undesirables can find a way to defeat the Mercs, a well-equipped and financed foe. The rebels have no wealth or weapons. How can this group of misfits win the war?