In a world far from normal, former West Virginia U.S. Representative Victoria Emerson, is the glue that holds Eden and broken people together. Following the cataclysmic events in Crimson Phoenix and Blue Fire, Emerson is tasked with keeping peace in a war town world following all out nuclear holocaust.
White Smoke is where Emerson and her rag tag group of survivors from Ortho, a small town in West Virginia, are minding their own business when a soldier from the Annex at the Government Relocation Center (GRC) rolls in with urgent news. Roger Parson and his crew of misfits running the hilltop manor at the GRC have taken it upon themselves to charge the remaining Senators and Representatives in the annex with treason. Treason is a serious charge, but coming from Parson’s boy band gives credence to the clown show that they are trying to uphold while kicking everyone while they’re down.
As Emerson receives news that now President Penn Glendale and fellow constituents are about to stand trial in a cockamamie court, run by a former entertainment wrestler, she is trying to maintain calm and order in her own community. As Glendale prepares for the gallows, Major Joseph McCrea helps lead the Emerson to Hilltop journey to help preside over what should be a ‘fair’ trial for the new President and Congress. While the horse and buggy armada makes their way, they are challenged tactically and mentally time and time again. The outlaws and hooligans that run the robbery and crime trails don’t make it easy on Victoria’s crew and this is when the blood begins to flow in this adventure.
Gilstrap champions Victoria Emerson through grace and grit. She defies post-apocalyptic America expectations by delivering hope and unity in uncertain times. On the outside she’s the epitome of what every person should look up to and garner their strength from, while on the inside things are probably not the same. She is the model citizen as she forces everyone to come to a realization that the old world is gone and it is up to them to make the best of the future. She is rock solid while leading from the front and you can tell the character development has been a pained one for her, but something that the people of Ortho have come to depend on.
Victoria Emerson is a leader for a reason, and she doesn’t sugarcoat the truth. The equity that she puts into Ortho and its people is just the same that she puts into her kids and their responsibilities. This is nothing short of what kind of people we hope come to lead our country in rough times, while the real world still has a say in things. White Smoke has action, emotion, and every bit of unease you could ask for.
Follow Chris on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase White Smoke
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
