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Collide
Release Date: 07/07/14
What if psychic warfare is real???
Christine Fonseca's latest action-packed, heart-pounding
thriller COLLIDE, explores the world of psychic warfare with a new twist!
Summary from Goodreads:
The most dangerous
secrets are the ones that kill.
When a surprising mental breakdown draws too much attention from a secret
government group call the Order, 17-year-old Dakota discovers that her
so-called boring life isn’t so boring after all. Between the lies, secrets and
assassins out to kill her family, Dakota discovers there’s more to paranormal
activity than ghosts and cheap mind tricks. Now she must uncover the truth
before a new breed of terrorism takes everything away – including her life.
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Excerpt from Collide
Dakota’s
opening chapter.
Chapter One
February 5, 2016
Nothing ever happens in Cambria. Maybe that’s
why I can’t wait to get out of here, the sheer boredom of my life. One-hundred-and-fourteen days until I’m gone.
Mom won’t be able to stop me. Josh can’t play the school card anymore. I’ll be
a high school graduate, eighteen years old. There’s no way they can make me
stay.
I stare out of the window of the old Coffee
Café and watch the clouds swirl, their dark shades of grey broadcasting a
warning of the rain to come. February
storms, March storms, April storms; always the same.
One-hundred-and-fourteen days click down in my
thoughts, bringing me closer to freedom and a life with more meaning than the
tedium of this place. Brushing my blonde layers from my face, I take a sip of
my warm chai tea latte, so perfect on this dreary day. An involuntary shudder
passes over me as the time continues to beat on, ever slowly, in my head.
“Dakota, hey, you okay? You look lost in your
thoughts again.” Elaine’s voice pulls me to the present as she slips into the
chair across from me. “Dakota?”
“Yeah, sorry. I was thinking about
graduation.”
“And your escape, I’m guessing?” Ever since
first grade, she’s always been able to tell what’s really on my mind.
That’s the only nice thing about this small
town. Elaine.
“I guess so,” I say. She’s sick of my
complaining by now.
“Why do you hate it here so much?”
“What’s not to hate?” Elaine and I will never
agree on the let’s-live-in-Cambria-forever issue. “Why do you like it here so
much?”
An awkward distance fills the spaces left by
our words. The white noise of the crowded coffee bar with people sipping their
hot coffees and discussing their big day in Boresville surrounds our silence.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to criticize
everything. I just want something more than the same old, same old routine. I
what an adventure, something I can feel passionate about. I hate the monotony
of this place. Don’t you?”
“I like the predictability. But you need more.
You always have.” Her words come out too fast. “I just . . . I’ll miss you.”
I grab Elaine’s hands in mine and release a
heavy sigh. “I’m not leaving for one-hundred-and—”
“Fourteen days. I know.” A smile forms on her
lips. “I’m not the only one who’s going to miss you.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask as I push
back the uneven strands of hair that refuse to stay clipped, and finish my
latte.
“Gabe.”
“Whatever!” I choke on the words. “He made his
position quite clear, I think. Homecoming? Gracie? I doubt he’ll give two
thoughts to me after graduation.”
“Give him another chance. Yes, he was an
idiot. But he likes you.”
My thoughts wander to him, the time we spent
together. In a breath, my heart speeds up and the unwelcome feelings of longing
rush forward. “Way too late for that. Now, if David suddenly came back, that’d
be a different story.”
David.
My first real love. Or at least, that’s what I’d thought. We met after Gabe’s
drama at Homecoming. There was something so familiar about him, so perfect,
like we’d known each other all of our lives. We went to Winter Formal together,
he gave me a necklace and a promise of forever. And then he left. Seriously.
Moved away with no text, no email, no explanations.
Nothing.
“Tall, dark and mysterious? Oh yeah, he was
just secretive enough to make him interesting. Just your type.”
“Yeah,” I say as I get up. Just my type. “If
he’d stayed around long enough.”
“I guess some secrets aren’t supposed to be
known.”
“Guess not.” I chuckle as I walk to the
counter, drink in hand. “Can I get a refill?” I ask the barista.
Memories of David’s thick black hair,
cream-colored skin and soft green eyes that could see straight through me
eclipse my thoughts. My skin erupts in gooseflesh and for a moment, I can’t
breathe.
The barista takes my cup and turns away. My
face begins to flush. Get it together, I think, willing my body to
forget everything associated with David Jennings. My head pounds. The pain
increases the harder I work to push aside the thoughts of him, of us. White-hot
lightning streaks across my vision as bile churns up my throat. I grip the
counter. My hands cramp with the strain. My vision blurs and the images of
David’s lips on mine are replaced with a dark garage, the smell of exhaust and
excruciating pain.
“Miss? Are you okay?”
The voice, her words, they float around me,
meaningless. I grab my head and squeeze, desperate to keep it from splitting in
two. Panic seizes my lungs and a scream
escapes my lips.
“Dakota?”
“No!” I yell. “Leave me alone!” I take the
coffee cup and toss the scalding contents at the noises that won’t stop. “Get
away from me!” Too many voices surround
me, taunting, teasing. The room spins, spins, spins . . .
My world explodes.
- Brooke DelVecchio, the
Cover Contessa -
blogger/reviewer
About the Author
Critically acclaimed nonfiction and YA author Christine Fonseca is
dedicated to helping children of all ages find their voice in the world. In
fiction, she explores the darker aspects of humanity and delivers gothic
thrillers that take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
In addition to writing, Ms. Fonseca is a frequent presenter and trainer
on subjects ranging from writing to behavior and understanding the unique needs
of gifted children. She blogs regularly on many sites and participates in
events throughout the country. See the News/Events page for upcoming events.
When Christine isn’t crafting her next book and working with kids,
she can be found sipping too many skinny vanilla lattes at her favorite coffee
house or exploring the world with her family.
Author Links:
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