Books Are the Key to Freedom in Post-Apocalyptic America in Jacqui Castle’s “The Seclusion”

In this episode 210, we visit with Jacqui Castle, author of “The Seclusion,” a timely dystopian thriller which showcases the danger of totalitarianism in America in the year 2090.

When best friends Patricia “Patch” and Rexx discover an old van filled with dangerous contraband—books from before The Seclusion—the pair head on a journey to save Patricia’s father and truly understand how events happening now caused this uncertain future.

Atia Abawi, award winning foreign correspondent and author of “The Secret Sky” and “A Land of Permanent Goodbyes”, calls The Seclusion, “a terrifying glimpse into what could be at the end of the path America is on today. Castle does an amazing job transporting us in to the future—too great a job.”

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About the Author:

Jacqui Castle is a professional freelance writer and novelist. She lives and writes in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. She has been published in a variety of publications, both regional and national, including Mountain Xpress, WNC Woman, Asheville Grit, and Explore Asheville.

Jacqui was selected as the 2020 Indie Author of the Year by the Indie Author Project (in collaboration with Library Journal and Biblioboard). Her debut novel, The Seclusion, is a Foreword Indies Book of the Year Award winner in Science Fiction and the winner of the North Carolina Author Project. The sequel to The Seclusion is currently in production.

Additional Endorsements

“…a dystopian drama that shows the grim rise of totalitarianism with scenes that echo today’s headlines. The author has crafted an intricately detailed world. Intriguing and surprising supporting characters give depth to a somber story that begs for a sequel. VERDICT A must-have for all libraries and fans of sci-fi.”

  • School Library Journal

“Jacqui Castle’s new novel sets the hook in a wickedly-quick heartbeat. Not only does her eerily prescient story keep that hook in place throughout, it often leads to moments where you feel a chill that’s driven not only by her words, but also by the words we hear in the news and social media every day.”

  • Mike Rich, writer of Finding Forrester, Secretariat, The Rookie, and Cars 3

“If you love The Giver, you will love The Seclusion. Castle paints a well-developed world in a realistic possible future with a pair of unlikely heroes you want to cheer for. There are no easy victories in this dark, gritty dystopian that checks all the right boxes. Don’t miss this adventure, you’ll thank me later!”

  • David Estes, #1 Amazon bestselling author of The Dwellers Saga and The Fatemarked Epic

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