about the book
The town is Monument, Colorado. The “14” is the number of kids who become trapped in deadly hailstorm and biochemical disaster and are forced to take refuge in a local superstore.
Dean wishes he had had a chance to say goodbye to his mother. He could have done it when he left that morning, trying hard not to miss the bus. She told him he would miss it. But if he had only slowed down, told her goodbye, told her he loved her. That would have been something worth missing the bus.
On the way to school the hailstorm starts, causing the bus to crash into another bus. Of the fourteen kids who survived and managed to get into the superstore, six were high schoolers, two were in eighth grade, and six were just little kids in grade school. Now it is up to Dean and the other older ones to build a shelter inside the store and try to look after everyone.
Unfortunately, as the days wear on without rescue, and with increasingly bad weather and disasters happening outside, the true personalities of some in the group come to light, and they are not at all good…
about the author
Emmy defines herself as a writer and “a recovering character actress.” She got her start in entertainment doing comedy. She’s acted alongside many big names—Will Ferrel, Albert Brooks, John Travolta, David Allen Greer, Amy Poehler, and Angela Kinsey. She has also been a part of famous comedy groups like Chicago City Limits, Upright Citizens Brigade, and the Improv Olympics.
Her first novel is Monument 14. Aside from writing, these days she can be found teaching master classes and lectures on creative writing, improv comedy, getting rid of writer’s block, and screenwriting. She also tries to make time for free video Face Time sessions with school classrooms.
Emmy lives in upstate New York with her husband, Greg Pudunovich, who is a web developer guru, their two “surprisingly well-mannered children,” and Goldie, the bearded dragon.
Sources:
Author website
Book trailer: Monument 14
Also by Emmy Laybourne:
Sweet. Feiwel and Friends. June 2015.
Savage Drift (Monument 14, Book 3). Feiwel and Friends. 2014.
Sky on Fire (Monument 14, Book 2). Feiwel and Friends. 2013.
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