Just the other night, Jackie (Literary Escapism) and I had the extreme pleasure of interviewing Jackie Morse Kessler, who will be releasing the third novel in her Riders of the Apocalypse series, Loss. This fabulous series not only tackles real life problems, but spins it through a supernatural tale that captivates the reader. If that doesn’t convince you to read this series, then how about the knowledge that proceeds from the sale of each novel goes to charity? Loss focuses on Billy Ballard, the most bullied kid in school, and how he is tricked into becoming the new Pestilence.
Fifteen-year-old Billy Ballard is the kid that everyone picks on, from the school bullies to the teachers. But things change drastically when Death tells Billy he must stand in as Pestilence, the White Rider of the Apocalypse. Now armed with a Bow that allows him to strike with disease from a distance, Billy lashes out at his tormentors…and accidentally causes an outbreak of meningitis. Horrified by his actions, Billy begs Death to take back the Bow. For that to happen, says Death, Billy must track down the real White Rider—who is lost in his memories.In his search, Billy travels through White Rider’s life: from ancient Phrygia, where the man called King Mita agrees to wear the White Rider’s Crown, to Sherwood Forest, where Pestilence figures out how to cheat Death; from the docks of Alexandria, where cartons of infested grain are being packed onto a ship that will carry the plague, to the Children’s Crusade in France—all the way to what may be the end of the world. When Billy finally finds the White Rider, the teen convinces the man to return to the real world.But now the insane White Rider plans to unleash something awful on humanity—something that could make the Black Death look like a summer cold. Billy has a choice: he can live his life and pretend he doesn’t know what’s coming, or he can challenge the White Rider for his Crown. Does one bullied teenager have the strength to stand his ground—and the courage to save the world?
Jackie and I talked to Jackie for a good hour about the Riders and even a little Jezzie (for those who are familiar with her Hell on Earth series). So be prepared to listen for a little bit. *grin*
Meet Jackie Morse Kessler!Jackie Morse Kessler grew up in Brooklyn, NY, with a cranky cat and overflowing shelves filled with dolls and books. Now she’s in Upstate NY with another cranky cat, a loving husband, two sons, and overflowing shelves filled with dragons and books (except when her sons steal her dragons). She has a bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature, and yet she’s never read any Jane Austen (with or without zombies). She also has a master’s degree in media ecology. (The living study of technology and culture. Which is cool, but she still can’t figure out how to use Tweetdeck.)Jackie spends a lot of time writing, reading, and getting distracted by bright and shiny new ideas. (She just came up with a new idea right now.) She has a weakness for chocolate and a tendency to let her cat take over her office chair.
Contact Info
Website: http://www.jackiemorsekessler.com
Blog: http://www.jackiemorsekessler.com/blog/
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter
Want to purchase Jackie’s novels?
Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Hunger at Amazon | Book Depository
Rage at Amazon | Book Depository
Loss at Amazon | Book Depository
Breathe (2013)
Hell On Earth (writing as Jackie Kessler)
Hell’s Belles at Amazon | Book Depository
The Road to Hell at Amazon | Book Depository
Hotter Than Hell at Amazon | Book Depository
Hell to Pay at Amazon
Icarus Project (writing as Jackie Kessler with Caitlin Kittredge)
Black and White at Amazon | Book Depository
Shades of Gray at Amazon | Book Depository
Eternal Lover at Amazon | Book Depository
A Red Hot Valentine’s Day at Amazon
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Thanks so much for tuning in and I’ll see you soon!
xoxo,
Gold. It’s the next story in the Granite Lake world, but a novel– so we’ll be meeting Shaun and Gem and the wolfies of the Takhini pack, along with cameos from the GL wolves. 
