Aberrant is the story of a young girl, Olivia, who lives in Cabal, where the government provides jobs, housing, food and clothing for everyone. The "perfect" system. In this futuristic society, children are no longer conceived through natural methods, as infertility has plagued the world, and made it impossible to reproduce. As such, the government chooses ones spouse at eighteen and offers a lottery to help repopulate the world, known as "The Day of the Chosen." The first child is considered a blessing, a gift to the family. The second child, and any thereafter are taken far from the city walls of Genesis and handed over to the government.
There is an alternative, though the choice isn't much of one. Accept the government's rules or leave the city of Genesis and live in the Gravelands, filled with outlaws that will pillage and rape, in a large expanse of nothingness.
On the night after her wedding, Olivia is arrested and thrown in prison, the only crime committed – her existence. With no other choice and fearing for her life, she manages to escape the only home she's ever known, in hope of finding the promised rebel city of Haven and a better life. What she finds instead is a world like one she's never seen. Unsure who she can trust, she has little choice but to try and adapt.
--
Aberrant was inspired from both novels that I loved reading, The Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale. It also is a culmination of ideas in society, personal experience, and of course creativity. In China, there is the one child rule. How far away is our world from saying, "you have one child, that's acceptable but anymore would take away from the resources we need for survival. You must hand over your second child, to take someplace else." One would hope that we'd speak out but if the government was oppressive. However, if there was no free speech, you might quickly fear for you and your family's life. It's easy to see how the world could quickly become Dystopian, especially when that government is giving you everything you need to survive and could just as quickly cut you off and throw you into the Gravelands, or worse – kill you.
I started writing Aberrant in early 2011 and finished it the summer of 2012. Within a few short months of searching for a publisher, LazyDay Publishing signed on. I look forward to continuing the Aberrant trilogy. The next installment, Moirai will be released in 2014.