Please join me in welcoming author Bradley Caffee to the blog today to chat about his new YA dystopian novel, The Choice!
Bradley Caffee discovered his love for storytelling during his twelve years of speaking and teaching as a pastor. He graduated at the top of his class in 2000 from the Moody Bible Institute before going on to complete his M.A. at Dallas Theological Seminary, ultimately pastoring churches in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Orlando, Florida. When vocational ministry ended in pastoral burnout, writing became a critical outlet for Bradley during his recovery, which resulted in the birth of his debut novel series.
Bradley and his wife of 20 years now own and run multiple small businesses, including Alexander Homestead Weddings, a top-ranked wedding venue which ranks in the top 2% nationally on The Knot.com and was recently featured on Season 9 of Lifetime’s Married at First Sight.
When not managing his business, he enjoys losing himself in reading and writing fiction, especially YA dystopian, where he enjoys showing that hope can invade darkness. He is a stock-holding fan of the Green Bay Packers, a regular at the local gym, a complete Star Wars geek, and an avid board game player. He, his wife, their two teenagers, and Zoey and Gabby, the world’s most unmanly dogs, live in North Carolina.
You can connect with Bradley on his website, Facebook, and Instagram.
THE CHOICE by Bradley Caffee
SERIES: The Chase Runners #2
GENRE: Inspirational Teen & Young Adult Dystopian
PUBLISHER: Mountain Brook Ink
RELEASE DATE: February 15, 2022
PAGES: 275
The Chase is over. The world is freed. But the Law remains.
In the aftermath of the Chase, the world is divided. Struggling to maintain its chokehold on the population, the World Coalition broadcasts its persecution of the Liberated, those who celebrate life free from the Law-including Sheila Kemp, who is suffering the unbearable cost of telling the truth.
Forced from the safety of their hideout, Willis and Perryn embark on a mission to discover a new set of friends in a rebel group known as the Underground. With the help of an informant known only as the Watcher, the two join a daring rescue in the heart of the capital of the Western Alliance-one that reveals the truly sinister intentions of the Chairman.
The mission takes a turn when the group is forced to make an impossible choice with consequences that could prove invaluable or catastrophic. The fate of the Underground and the hope of the Liberated might hinge on their discovery-one that might not only threaten the world but also unravel the confidence in each other they’ve forged since the Chase.
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Hi Bradley! Welcome to the blog!
Bradley: Winter—As a naturally warm-natured person, hot summers are difficult for me. I much prefer the cold of winter when I don’t feel like I’m about to melt into a puddle of sweat at any moment.
Carrie: same!!
Bradley: Dogs—I’ve had both. Dogs appreciate the care you give them. Cats simply tolerate your presence.
Carrie: that has been my experience as well, though people still try to convince me that cats can be loving lol
Bradley: Over—Because I’m not a monster.
Carrie: haha I had no idea when I started asking this question that people felt so strongly about this!
Bradley: Mountains—Cool breezes and inspiring views? Or sand in places it doesn’t belong? You do the math.
Carrie: exactly!!
Q: Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?
Bradley: It’s definitely not reading. I don’t know anyone who reads slower than I do. Actually kind of embarrassing as a writer to be such a slow reader. My superpower is the ability to make order out of chaos. I have a gift for seeing patterns and organizing material that looks like a mess to everyone else.
Carrie: I don’t know – my husband could probably give you a run for your money in the ‘slow reader’ department lol.
Q: When you walk into a bookstore, where do you head first?
Bradley: The back. I don’t like to linger at the front of the store with displays that are telling me which book to purchase. I love to get into the shelves and sift through the books that aren’t getting the attention. I’m also a nerd for speculative fiction, so I’ll head there too.
Carrie: lots of hidden gems can be found like that 🙂
Q: Writing spaces are as diverse as authors and books. Where is your favorite space to write?
Bradley: Anywhere I can use my noise-cancelling headphones. My office, a coffee shop, or a corner of the library all work for me as long as I can get lost with my eyes on the text and music in my ears.
Carrie: I people-watch too much to be able to read or blog in a public place.
Q: Which of your main characters in The Chase Runners series is most like you?
Bradley: Willis unintentionally became me. All the expectations and loss and dealing with the weight of what he’s supposed to do is all part of my story.
Carrie: that’s intriguing & profound!
Q: Do you have the whole plot outlined before you start writing, or do you let the characters dictate what comes next?
Bradley: Both. I usually know the beginning and the end with maybe a plot point or two in the middle I want to hit, but the rest is free flowing. I love to discover what is happening to my characters at the same time as they do.
Carrie: I do not understand how that happens but i find it so fascinating
Q: What do you most want readers to take away from The Choice?
Bradley: I write dystopian fiction, which can often seem like a dark and hopeless genre. However, I believe this genre is actually about the spark of light that can be found in that darkness. Dystopian books are actually full of hope in my opinion, and I hope readers can take that away, especially as we live in this post-COVID world.
Carrie: i love that!
Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me! 🙂 Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.
Bradley: The Choice, book 2 of my dystopian series, releases February 15, 2022! The conclusion in book 3 will release in November 2022.
What about you? What makes you want to read The Choice by Bradley Caffee?
Thank you for sharing.