BooksChatter: ℚ♫ State of Destruction: Collapse [7]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Summer Lane to talk about State of Destruction (25 January 2016, WB Publishing, 240 pages), a New Adult Dystopian novel, book seven of the Collapse series.

"Summer does a great job of developing her new set of characters...they leap off the paper and are real." - G. Allen Mercer, Author of Worst Case Scenario

"Lane is surely worth picking up and reading, whoever you may be." - Daniel M. Harrison, #1 Bestselling Author of Butterflies and Editor of MarxRand

Author Q&A | Synopsis | Teaser | The Series | About the Author | Giveaway

A very warm welcome to Summer Lane, thank you for joining us again on BooksChatter.

We love music; do you have a music playlist that you used in State of Destruction, or which inspired you whilst you were writing it?

"I write my books with classical music on. I stand by the belief that classical music stimulates your creativity. I’m currently listening through everything that Andre Rieu has conducted. I love Johann Sebastian Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Tchaikovsky. I enjoy listening to Thomas Bergersen, as well, when I’m writing.

I also love, love, love, certain artists and bands when it comes to representing the world of Collapse: Avicci, The Cab, One Republic, and DEFINITELY The Black Keys. The Kongos, Trapdoor Social (shout-out to my friend Miranda for introducing me to them!), AC/DC, the instrumental epic-ness of Really Slow Motion and occasionally a little ZZ Top or Neon Trees."

I have put together a little playlist with the theme songs for the main characters in Collapse, as well as a medley of pieces from the artists you have mentioned.

The Main Characters & Their Song

Cassidy Hart

Warriors – Imagine Dragon
It’s such a fitting song for what Cassidy has become through the course of the series

Chris Young

Taking Care of Business – Bachman Turner Overdrive
This just reminds me of Chris’s approach to every situation. He just takes care of business.

Elle

Renegades – X Ambassadors
Living like we’re renegades! The perfect song for Elle, for Collapse and her own trilogy.

Uriah True

Another One Bites the Dust – Queen
Read my books. You’ll see why this just works. * wink *

How does State of Destruction compare to the previous books in the Collapse series?

"This one is definitely darker, more intense. The novel previous to Destruction – Vengeance – was all about anger and revenge. It was about Cassidy finally reaching a tipping point in this apocalyptic war. This one is about the aftermath – the effects of nuclear destruction, the toll that war takes on your relationships, and the reality of death. It’s got lots of adventure and a little mystery, of course, but I really love the darker tones of this book."

State of Destruction brings in a whole new level of the apocalypse: a nuclear war zone. How does this change up the game in the series?

"It gives a whole new dimension of intensity to Cassidy Hart’s situation. Radiation fallout is deadly, and the nuclear war will, for the first time, make specific locations uninhabitable, destroying former safe havens. It makes the war even scarier – even worse.

I knew a long time ago that a nuclear was was on the horizon for Cassidy and her friends. It’s finally hitting them hard in this book – the beginning of the end."

How would you survive a nuclear war?

"It really depends on how close you are to the blast site and the rings of radiation emanating from it. I don’t want to give too much away for those who haven’t read the book yet, but in Cassidy’s story, she is able to survive the nuke because of her location. The Jetstream, and the kilotons of the nuclear warhead all come into play, too.

If I knew a nuclear weapon was headed toward my area, I would retreat to a place out of the Jetstream, with plenty of underground facilities. I would have my own fresh water and food sources, and I would never leave the house without being adequately covered (if I was on the closer side to the blast site)."

What is in YOUR theoretical bug-out-bag?

"The essentials to maintain life! Water purification tablets, dehydrated food packets, pain medication, a first-aid kit, socks, underwear (hey, you gotta think about these things!), dry shampoo, several knives (bowies, machetes, etc.,), maps, gloves, any weaponry and ammunition available (self-defense is essential during the apocalypse!), a good set of tweezers, spare sets of sunglasses and reading glasses, duck tape, and climbing rope with carabineers.

Those are just the basics, though. I would definitely fit a sleeping bag onto the pack, and I would most likely be wearing layers of clothing so I wouldn’t have to carry so many things – although I would have to ditch jackets and thermals if the weather was hot and humid."

Everyone seems to ship the romance of Cassidy Hart and Chris Young, but some underdogs are quietly rooting for Cassidy and Uriah to end up together. What team are you on?

"Personally, I feel like both men bring out qualities in Cassidy that are quite interesting. Who she will end up with will depend on the direction her character takes in the final three installments of the series. Everything depends on Cassidy. I know what the end game is, but I’m keeping that secret to myself for the time being.

I don’t believe in writing about love triangles where one man is vying for the attention of a helpless female. Cassidy Hart is a strong, kickass character who is struggling (like we all have, at some point) to sort out her feelings and her relationships amidst the backdrop of a brutal war."

Who is your favorite character (protagonist) of The Collapse Series?

"Other than Cassidy Hart, I think my favorite character to write about is Uriah True. I have so many surprises in store for the readers when it comes to Uriah, and I am amazed at his character development. He began as a flash-in-the-pan side character in State of Rebellion, and from there he just continued to grow. Now he’s an important main player. I like that he’s dark and mysterious. He’s got a chip on his shoulder, and he’s a deadly fighter. He’s simply fun to write. "

Who is your favorite villain in The Collapse Series?

"My favorite bad-guy is most definitely Veronica Klaus, who finally gets to emerge onto the scene in State of Destruction. I can’t reveal too much about her without giving things away, but I will say that she is a complex and unique villain who has challenged me in every way – and will continue to do so until the conclusion of the series."

What's next?

"Book 8 in the Collapse series, State of Fear will release in June 2016.

The first installment of a new series, The Bravo Saga, Apocalypse Mission, will come out on 11 March 2016. This series follows the adventures of the fierce and loyal Bravo, the German Shepherd companion of Elle Costas in the Zero Trilogy. He’s one of the most popular characters – if not THE most popular – that I have ever created for readers, so I’m excited to share his story next."