Liberty trilogy – A young woman named Liberty lives in a dystopian society where the earth has been elevated above man and the government controls everything. Moving from one trial to another—escapes, imprisonment, secret missions, rescues, 3D games—this action-packed trilogy follows Liberty to her final sacrifice as she learns that true freedom is within, cannot be taken away, and is worth fighting for.
Author bio:
Raised in a military family, Theresa Linden developed a strong patriotism and a sense of adventure. Love for faith, family, and freedom inspired her to write the dystopian Chasing Liberty trilogy. Her other published works include award-winning Roland West, Loner, first in a series of Catholic teen fiction, Life-Changing Love, and Battle for His Soul. A member of the Catholic Writers Guild, she balances her time between family, homeschooling, and writing.
Author Interview:
Where did you get the story ideas for your dystopian trilogy?
The ideas for this trilogy came from the news, from reports about scientists experimenting on human embryos, special interest groups insisting that tiny fish are more important than farming families, the government tracking us with our phones, and the moral decline our culture is experiencing. I love our country and don’t want to see her fall. Do we realize what we have and what we stand to lose?
Love of country prompted me to throw myself into research. I discovered actual special-interest groups that are influential in our country and the world. All the warped ideologies in my story come from this research. The more I learned, the more I realized I needed to write this dystopian story about a possible future for America. I only meant to write one book and return to my other stories. I wanted to end Chasing Liberty showing a seed of change being planted. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What exactly is this freedom we should be fighting for? And how can one person make a difference? The other two stories in this trilogy came to life very quickly.
How does the main character grow over the course of the trilogy?
The main character is a young woman named Liberty. She’s not satisfied with this government-controlled life. She wants to choose the direction of her own life. She longs for freedom. As the trilogy progresses, Liberty gains a deeper understanding of freedom. She begins to realize how truly important it is not only for herself but for the whole of society. And she wants to do everything she can to help bring it to others.
Is there a message for the reader?
I strive to make my stories entertaining with characters readers want to follow through the pages and action that has them riveted to the story. But I write because I want to convey truth and encourage virtue in one way or another through my writing. One message in this story is the importance of safeguarding the sanctity of human life and the role of the family in protecting and proclaiming it.
Another message is the importance of freedom. Granted, we often abuse this gift, but God has given us free will for a purpose. God desires that each of us turn to him freely and offer Him our love. Governments have the duty to protect individual freedom. Too often governments overstep their bounds and try to control too much for an alleged greater good. They often create immoral laws that force a person to violate their conscience. Parents are losing rights over how to raise their families. Ideologies are being taught in the schools, even at the expense of the basic material like reading, writing and arithmetic. The government is over-stepping its boundaries, trying to micromanage the individual. Are these new developments in keeping with human dignity or do they degrade our humanity?
Will there be more stories with these characters?
Story ideas come to mind all the time and if the characters are insistent enough, I write their story. I’ve written two short stories with characters from the trilogy. One is called “Bound to Find Freedom,” which takes place before the trilogy begins. It is told from a minor character’s point of view—the younger brother of Dedrick. It gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at this dystopian future and shows the impulsive nature of Dedrick’s younger brother, who causes a bit of trouble later in the trilogy. The second short story, “Made for Love,” is also from a minor character’s perspective. It takes place after the trilogy and has a strong “Theology of the Body” theme. This story is in the Image and Likeness: Literary Reflections on the Theology of the Body anthology.
I totally enjoyed writing Fight for Liberty, especially as the characters looked back at our American history through the 3D games. I can’t help but wonder if Liberty’s future children will have a fun dystopian story that explores early American history.
Author Interview:
Where did you get the story ideas for your dystopian trilogy?
The ideas for this trilogy came from the news, from reports about scientists experimenting on human embryos, special interest groups insisting that tiny fish are more important than farming families, the government tracking us with our phones, and the moral decline our culture is experiencing. I love our country and don’t want to see her fall. Do we realize what we have and what we stand to lose?
Love of country prompted me to throw myself into research. I discovered actual special-interest groups that are influential in our country and the world. All the warped ideologies in my story come from this research. The more I learned, the more I realized I needed to write this dystopian story about a possible future for America. I only meant to write one book and return to my other stories. I wanted to end Chasing Liberty showing a seed of change being planted. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What exactly is this freedom we should be fighting for? And how can one person make a difference? The other two stories in this trilogy came to life very quickly.
How does the main character grow over the course of the trilogy?
The main character is a young woman named Liberty. She’s not satisfied with this government-controlled life. She wants to choose the direction of her own life. She longs for freedom. As the trilogy progresses, Liberty gains a deeper understanding of freedom. She begins to realize how truly important it is not only for herself but for the whole of society. And she wants to do everything she can to help bring it to others.
Is there a message for the reader?
I strive to make my stories entertaining with characters readers want to follow through the pages and action that has them riveted to the story. But I write because I want to convey truth and encourage virtue in one way or another through my writing. One message in this story is the importance of safeguarding the sanctity of human life and the role of the family in protecting and proclaiming it.
Another message is the importance of freedom. Granted, we often abuse this gift, but God has given us free will for a purpose. God desires that each of us turn to him freely and offer Him our love. Governments have the duty to protect individual freedom. Too often governments overstep their bounds and try to control too much for an alleged greater good. They often create immoral laws that force a person to violate their conscience. Parents are losing rights over how to raise their families. Ideologies are being taught in the schools, even at the expense of the basic material like reading, writing and arithmetic. The government is over-stepping its boundaries, trying to micromanage the individual. Are these new developments in keeping with human dignity or do they degrade our humanity?
Will there be more stories with these characters?
Story ideas come to mind all the time and if the characters are insistent enough, I write their story. I’ve written two short stories with characters from the trilogy. One is called “Bound to Find Freedom,” which takes place before the trilogy begins. It is told from a minor character’s point of view—the younger brother of Dedrick. It gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at this dystopian future and shows the impulsive nature of Dedrick’s younger brother, who causes a bit of trouble later in the trilogy. The second short story, “Made for Love,” is also from a minor character’s perspective. It takes place after the trilogy and has a strong “Theology of the Body” theme. This story is in the Image and Likeness: Literary Reflections on the Theology of the Body anthology.
I totally enjoyed writing Fight for Liberty, especially as the characters looked back at our American history through the 3D games. I can’t help but wonder if Liberty’s future children will have a fun dystopian story that explores early American history.
Giveaway:
Enter the Chasing Liberty Trilogy Giveaway for a chance to win the complete trilogy!
Giveaway ends: 12:00AM July 9th
Winner will be announced at the end of Sabbath Rest Book Talk, 7:00PM July 9th and later posted on author website.
Fight for Liberty will be on Erin McCole Cupp’s Sabbath Rest Book Talk July 9th. The theme for the books discussed in July: revolution!
Books are available in paperback and as Kindle and Nook eBooks (other eBook options at Smashwords):
Chasing Liberty on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble
Testing Liberty on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble
Fight for Liberty on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble
Visit Theresa on Facebook, her blog Things Visible & Invisible, or on her website. Or follow her on Twitter.
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