Dark Before Dawn
by Stacy Juba
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Thriller
Word count: 51,000
When ESP Spells D-A-N-G-E-R…
Dawn Christian has been psychic since she was seven years old and has always considered herself an outcast. Even her own mother discourages her talent, so Dawn has kept her abilities quiet and feared a lifetime of loneliness. When she gets involved with a fortuneteller and two teenage girls who share her mysterious perception, Dawn finally belongs to a group.
As her intuition strengthens, so does Dawn’s self esteem. However, when she learns her new friends may be tied to two bizarre murders, she has an important choice to make – continue developing the talent that makes her special, or challenge the only people who have ever accepted her.
This book is available from Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble.
Stacy, how did you come up with the title for your book? Does it have any special meaning?
Dawn is the name of the teenage protagonist. The title refers to the choice she has to make between darkness and light. I like how the cover shows a blend of darkness and light against the shadow of a young girl.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I really enjoyed writing the character of Serina, the fortuneteller mentor in the book who leads secret classes for a small group of girls. Serina is an enigma as some of what she teaches the girls, like meditation, is positive, yet she also teaches darker skills such as mind control.
Does your book have any underlying theme, message, or moral?
The moral is finding the strength to be yourself and be proud of who you are. Dawn struggles with fitting in and hides her psychic talents as she doesn’t want to be different. Then she finds fellow psychics, however, they might not share her values. Her journey is about being comfortable with who she is.
What would/could a reader or reviewer say about this book that shows they “get” you as an author?
They would say that the book is a fun read and an empowering book for teenage girls. Even though the book is paranormal, they would say that Dawn and her friends have realistic problems and that kids will identify with her struggle to find where she fits in.
Give us an excerpted quote from your favorite review of this book:
“I’m officially, as of right now, Stacy Juba’s number one fan…The plot and writing style was riveting in Dark Before Dawn and I didn’t expect the outcome in the least.”
Where can readers find out more about you?
http://stacyjuba.com/blog/
