Cheating Time by T.R. Graves

4.12.14

Series: Longevity #1
Release date: December 1st 2014

Synopsis via Goodreads
Carles "Carlie" Enoche's world is one that can barely be imagined. In it, babies have micropharmeceutical devices inserted in their hearts within hours of birth. The MicroPharm implant holds code that secretly counts down until the date of that baby's death (as determined by its genetic analysis) and contains drugs that are released in such a way that chemicals and hormones are in perfect balance at all times, making illness almost unheard of.
Theoretically, the known but unexposed date of the babies' deaths and the maintenance drugs geared toward giving the baby a long life have benign consequences. It is the unknown and unbelievable and unexpected way President John Barone gathers data about every child and the way he releases contraceptives from the device in order to control the population and terminate pregnancies when embryos are identified as weak or mutated that makes the device and its technology as dangerous as any malignancy.
For President Barone, seventeen-year-old Carlie isn’t just a MicroPharm first generation; she is the great-granddaughter of the man who discovered the ability to determine life expectancy down to the day and the daughter of the woman who invented the MicroPharm chip. Carlie and her family are important to President Barone's political career and the plans he has of creating a nation of strong, healthy, and superior people, who give more to their country than they take.
Jayden St. Romaine, one of the Facet's most loyal Surrogate Soldiers, is ordered by President Barone himself to find the Enoche family and kidnap Carlie. Through blackmail, he plans to leverage control over the Enoche's scientific research and the ability to develop even more tools that can be used to genetically engineer a superior race.
When President Barone sends Jayden on his mission, he never expected his perfect soldier to develop a conscience… betray his trust… fall in love with Carlie, but he's dispatched a backup Surrogate Soldier just in case. With the ticking of the clock and the second Surrogate chasing them, Jayden's chances at redemption and Carlie's chances of living a life where she is free to make choices about her life and her body are in jeopardy.

Author Interview
Hi. T.R! Can you tell us a little about your latest book? 
Cheating Time (Longevity, #1) is based in the future and tells the tale of a girl whose family is well known for their inventions. For example, her grandfather identified a technique that allows him to know - down to the day - how long a baby will live within minutes of their birth. Following his example, her mother invented an implant that can be inserted into your heart. The implant is especially important because it becomes the mechanism by which one's body can maintain a perfect stasis, one that prevents illness and/or emotional imbalances.

What inspired you to write it?
As a nurse, I'm always interested in what we could do better to maintain optimal health. The implant whereby our bodies are constantly/consistently getting exactly what it needs seems ideal... and it is until you think of all the ways disingenuous people could use it against you, turning something that has the power for good into something straight out of a nightmare.

How did you come up with the idea for the cover?
I was looking at clocks and watches, hoping something would hit me as perfect for the cover of this book. When I found this picture, I sent it to my beta-reader and asked if he liked it. He didn't message me back as I'd done him. Instead, he called and told me that the picture was perfect... that there would never be a better picture for the cover of this book. Because I respect his opinion and I agreed with him, I jumped into action and began the work needed to turn the simple picture into a book cover.

If it was made into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters?
Carles Enoche would be played by Sophie Turner who plays Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones. Jayden St. Romaine would be played by The Maze Runner's Dylan O'Brien.

What is it about this genre that appeals to you so much?

I'm committed to a world where the story drives the genre. This story felt young adult from the instant I began creating it. After finishing the book and never once feeling like there were parts that couldn't be told or conversations that felt off, I knew I'd been right. I go out of my way to make sure that a book's genre is one that allows me to stay true to the story. If there is no reason for sex or cursing, I try to make sure I don't throw it in just for the shock factor or to be gratuitous. It's more important that the world be true to the story and the words/actions be true to the characters.

What made you want to become an author?

I began writing so that I could preserve my father's and mother-in-law's personalities after they died. I wanted my children to know more about them than just anecdotal stories and to be able to conjure up their characteristics in a way that made them feel like they knew them as well as I did. I made sure to create characters that exemplified who they were, what they believed in, and embodied their tiniest quirks. To me, that was important because I didn't want to forget the oddities that made them special. I wanted to always remember the characteristics that made them unique, special, and lovable.

How do you come up with character names?
I love to look at baby name websites and pick names based on the definitions provided. Periodically, I'll have a character that can't have a normal name. In that case, I'll create the name myself.

Name one of your all-time favourite books?
I have so... so... so... many (including your series, Morgan Sisters) that it's almost impossible to answer this questions. I can tell you that I'm obsessed with Colleen Hoover right now. So much so that Ugly Love might be my favorite book I've read this year.
:) <3

Who, or what, inspires you?
The stories that spin like a tornado through my mind - searching for a way out - are what inspire me to write. I couldn't NOT tell these stories if I wanted to they are so determined to make their way out and onto my computer screen.

Where is your favourite place to write?

I find the ocean inspiring. Fortunately, I live close enough to the Gulf of Mexico that I can spend the day on the beach anytime I like.

What is your favourite movie that was based on a book?
I loved Ever After: A Cinderella Story starring Drew Barrymore.
I ADORE that movie took :)

Name two of your favourite authors.
Again, it is quite nearly impossible for me to answer this question. There are so many amazing authors in the world, and I love their books for different reasons. Here's what I know to be true. There are traditionally published, nameless/faceless authors who are writing earth-shattering books, and for every one of them I'm grateful. Then, there are amazing indie authors - like you - who are not only writing earth shattering books but making themselves available to their fans... giving them what they want (more of themselves)... and writing books based off the fans' feedback. The ones who humbly make themselves available to their fans are my favourite authors.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
I know this will sound all kinds of crazy, but I'd have a dinner party with J. D. Salinger. I'm kind of obsessed with the story of The Catcher in the Ryeright now. In fact, it's inspired me to write Chasing the Dragon (Lost Innocence, #1) for this month's NaNoWriMo.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
While I love to spin a good yarn, I am a nurse first and foremost, one committed to a world where people get the care they need without regard for their ability to pay.

Who would play you in the movie about your life?
I think that Julia Roberts could reprise her role as Erin Brokovich and do a good job at representing me. Please know that I am in no way suggesting that I look like Julia. I'm simply suggesting that I have a tendency to see a wrong that needs to be righted and dig my heels in. Since Julia's already proven she can be that person, I have every confidence that she could do the same with my life.

Tell us an interesting fact about where you live.
I live near Galveston Island and would spend every waking moment on its beaches if I could.

What are your (writing) plans for the future?
Right now, I'm focusing on NaNoWriMo 2014. Like I said earlier, I'm writing Chasing the Dragon (Lost Innocence, #1) for it. After that, I plan to finish Dark Angels of the Cross (Warrior, #4). Then, I'll begin There (Still Standing, #2).

Tell us one thing that's on your bucket list.
Like I said earlier, I want to live on the beach. I want to wake every morning, sit on my deck, and watch the sun as it makes it way up from the horizon. I can't imagine anything better than having that as my morning view.

Favourite myth / fairytale?
I love the story of Alice in Wonderland. There is just something amazing about the rabbit hole and the adventure down into it.

Who/What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I wanted to be either Wonder Woman (can't wait for the 2017 movie) or the Bionic Woman.


T. R. Graves is the author of several new adult series. She lives in Texas with her husband and two children. Besides being blessed with a supportive family, T.R. counts her career as an administrator and registered nurse in not-for-profit hospitals among her most fulfilling accomplishments.
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