Nightmares and Dreamscapes discussion

Synopsis of story:

What would you do if you could unleash a plague with just a thought?

Sarah Vinson seems like an average, well-mannered, high school student in Portland, Oregon with a perfectly ordinary life. She has two loving, supportive parents. She lives in a comfortable home. She’s a good student. Her boyfriend dotes on her.

But Sarah is not average and she is not ordinary.

Sarah never gets ill. She’s never missed a day from school. She has no idea what the flu feels like. No cold has ever made her sneeze. No spoiled food has ever upset her stomach. No germ can harm her.

Because locked within her are frighteningly potent powers over disease.

When dark corporate forces from the Seattle-based Penwall Corporation learn of her existence and her abilities, they utilize their formidable resources to unlock those secrets for their own gain.

Kidnapped and isolated, Sarah seemingly has no one to turn to for help or escape. It is all up to her to stop the Penwall scientists from continuing their mercilessly cruel testing — even if it means that she must harness her abilities and use them as a weapon.

Immunity is a thrilling, grotesque, medical horror novel for fans of classic King.

Goodreads Profile of author, Jeffrey Caston:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Amazon link to grab the book:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...

Also to let you all know, author, Jeffrey Caston will be making the ebook free for the following dates: May 29 - May 31st. For those of you that have Kindle Unlimited (KU) the book is on there as well.


Please welcome, Jeffrey Caston!

Spot.

Spot.

Welcome Jeffrey! It is so good to have you with us! Cannot wait to do some Q&A with you on this book. :)

Hi guys! Happy to be here. I hope you enjoy the read. Have a great day!

My June reading schedule is relatively light. I'll join in this group read! :)

Theresa (mysteries.and.mayhem) wrote: "My June reading schedule is relatively light. I'll join in this group read! :)"

Theresa! Hello! I'm thrilled you can join us. I hope you enjoy the read.

Marie wrote: "Welcome Jeffrey! It is so good to have you with us! Cannot wait to do some Q&A with you on this book. :)"

That greenish cloud looks really awesome by the way, Marie!

Hi, Jeffrey! Welcome! Thanks for joining us, I've been wanting to read Immunity for a LONG time!!!

My favorite Jeffrey, sooo glad to have you and your work here for June, wahoo. Big, warm welcome! :)

Jeffrey wrote: "Marie wrote: "Welcome Jeffrey! It is so good to have you with us! Cannot wait to do some Q&A with you on this book. :)"

That greenish cloud looks really awesome by the way, Marie!"

Thank you so much, Jeffrey! :)

Reserved my spot at the front above. 😁

I've cleared my reading decks for this read in June.

Welcome Jeffrey. Great to be reading one of your books here.

Graeme wrote: "Welcome Jeffrey. Great to be reading one of your books here."

Thanks. You are very kind, Graeme. I hope you all enjoy the read.

Kasia wrote: "My favorite Jeffrey, sooo glad to have you and your work here for June, wahoo. Big, warm welcome! :)"

Thank you so much, Kasia. I'm so honored to share this with some of my favorite people on GR. You all are the best.

Sally wrote: "Hi, Jeffrey! Welcome! Thanks for joining us, I've been wanting to read Immunity for a LONG time!!!"

You are awesome, Sally and I can't wait to hear what you think of it. Spoiler alert -- it's kinda gross. LOL!

Starting tonight.

Hope you won’t mind me joining in on the fun! Yes, I’ve already read Immunity but it’s an impressive debut novel and I’m excited to re-read it!

Hello! I would like to join too.😃

Welcome to the thread everyone! Yay!!! We are going to have a blast! :)

5% in. Ch 2 done.

I think that Claire, (view spoiler)[ is experiencing some sort of vision of the future while she's in labor with Sarah. (hide spoiler)]

I'm getting a Walter Peck vibe from Mitch Black, the vice principal of Sarah's school.

REF: (Ghostbusters) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STMgR...

Angel wrote: "Hope you won’t mind me joining in on the fun! Yes, I’ve already read Immunity but it’s an impressive debut novel and I’m excited to re-read it!"

Thank you very kindly, Angel. I'll be interested to hear what you think as you all go along.

MadameD wrote: "Hello! I would like to join too.😃"

MadameD! I'm thrilled to hear this. I hope you enjoy the read.

Graeme wrote: "5% in. Ch 2 done.

I think that Claire, [spoilers removed]"

Graeme: (view spoiler)[Very astute, good sir. (hide spoiler)]

Graeme wrote: "I'm getting a Walter Peck vibe from Mitch Black, the vice principal of Sarah's school.

REF: (Ghostbusters) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STMgR..."

HAHA! That's funny dude. Very interesting too. (view spoiler)[ A good comparison I think, too! I visualized him as a big brawny dude that likes to through his physical and authoritative weight around. (hide spoiler)]

Marie wrote: "Welcome to the thread everyone! Yay!!! We are going to have a blast! :)"

Thank you, Marie. It will be interesting to me to see impressions as it unfolds.

I’m certain I’ll enjoy it, Jeffrey!😃

I am starting this tonight! :)

“There’s no going back for either one of us now, Sarah....”
Right away there’s suspense and intrigue. Is Sarah safe? Where is she being taken? I am already fully immersed in the story!

I’m at chapter 7. The story is becoming very interesting.

I am in the middle of chapter 5.

Thoughts:

(view spoiler)[It is interesting how nothing affects Sarah at all - a lot of the school kids getting sick from the food poisoning which that is basically what that is happening at the school. (hide spoiler)]

I am going to throw the first question out there now that I get to grill you Jeffrey! lol Not like grill you over a hot campfire cookout as I think that would be for another one of your books - hahahaha!!!! 😂 🤣😂 🤣
But you know what I mean! :)

So how did this story come about, Jeffrey?

Marie wrote: "I am going to throw the first question out there now that I get to grill you Jeffrey! lol Not like grill you over a hot campfire cookout as I think that would be for another one of your books - hah..."

Hi there! Thank you so much for this question, Marie. Sorry for replying so late, but I had been tucking into a wonderful dinner. Grilled ham. Oh my goodness. One of my favorites (wink wink -- HAHA!).

Okay, well, here's the thing. I'm going to sort of answer this in two parts.

Like a lot of aspiring writers, when I was young(er), I had written the first version of Immunity probably like 25 years or so ago. It sat there on a hard drive after a few rejections from agents, etc. Every several years, I would re-discover it and then do a re-vamp. Either an editing or, as was more often the case, a MAJOR structural overhaul. It felt like reconstructing the Enterprise from that model in the original series to the one in the movies, etc. So to answer the initial question, I don't recall the exact spark of inspiration but I've always been fascinated from a storytelling standpoint about having special abilities, whether it is a super power or an x-men mutant like ability, there's all kinds of stuff to be told like that.

The current story came about after I discovered self publishing and I sort of re-imagined Immunity as the sort of jumping off point or a cornerstone of an entire "Horrific Northwest" world. I have more story ideas than I think I can possibly live long enough to tell. The current story came about as a way to try to integrate them all into a sort of literary universe. Sort of how the first Captain America movie sort of sets the stage for all the Marvel movies. So I spent a good 2 plus years restructuring it all AGAIN and updated it since a lot of stuff from the aughts no longer really applies. (I can tell you all more about that as the group gets further into it) I also LOADED this thing with easter eggs that you might see that apply later in this story, but touch on, hint at, and set up elements for other stories I've put out and plan to put out.

Hi all! I promise I'll be back and join the discussion before the end of the month. I'm really looking forward to this one! But I have another group read I feel incredibly obligated to read first this month - since I was the one who suggested the book! 😂 I'll be back!!

Jeffrey wrote: "So I spent a good 2 plus years restructuring it all AGAIN and updated it since a lot of stuff from the aughts no longer really applies. (I can tell you all more about that as the group gets further into it) I also LOADED this thing with easter eggs that you might see that apply later in this story, but touch on, hint at, and set up elements for other stories I've put out and plan to put out...."

Bravo, Jeffrey.

In my experience 'set ups,' are the hardest part to write, and I'm sure your attention and effort there will pay off handsomely.

Theresa (mysteries.and.mayhem) wrote: "Hi all! I promise I'll be back and join the discussion before the end of the month. I'm really looking forward to this one! But I have another group read I feel incredibly obligated to read first t..."

No worries, Theresa. Take your time. It's all meant to be fun so I'll be thrilled to see what you think whenever you are ready. Have a good one!

Graeme wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "So I spent a good 2 plus years restructuring it all AGAIN and updated it since a lot of stuff from the aughts no longer really applies. (I can tell you all more about that as the gr..."

Thanks, Graeme! Time will tell, but it was a fun exercise stretching all that creativity.

Jeffrey wrote: "The current story came about after I discovered self publishing and I sort of re-imagined Immunity as the sort of jumping off point or a cornerstone of an entire "Horrific Northwest" world. I have more story ideas than I think I can possibly live long enough to tell. The current story came about as a way to try to integrate them all into a sort of literary universe. ..."

You are going to have to live forever I am afraid so that we can read your stories! :) I loved your detailed answer! :)

I am curious though but what inspired you to actually write about someone that is immune to disease and illness? Was there something that you saw or read that made you pause and think, "what if"?

Marie wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "The current story came about after I discovered self publishing and I sort of re-imagined Immunity as the sort of jumping off point or a cornerstone of an entire "Horrific Northwest..."

Thanks Marie! My dietary proclivities may have something to say about living forever, but I'll see what I can do! LOL!

Marie wrote: "I am curious though but what inspired you to actually write about someone that is immune to disease and illness? Was there something that you saw or read that made you pause and think, "what if"?"

There wasn't anything I saw or read, but to me disease is one of those terrifying things that is sort of like an equalizer. Even before covid I always thought disease could be really scary. it can be relentless. It doesn't give a hoot who you are, whether you are important or think you are important. So the original concept was a sort of "what if" (view spoiler)[you could take it in, harness it, and then use it against others. To me, that would be a pretty awesome power. It gives you such a massive amount of control over pain and death. Scary stuff. (hide spoiler)]

10% in. Ch 9.

Has Mitch met his match? I'm sure we'll find out.

Graeme wrote: "10% in. Ch 9.

Has Mitch met his match? I'm sure we'll find out."

Maaaaybeeee.... HA!

Good morning! 16% chapter 16

MadameD wrote: "Good morning! 16% chapter 16"

Good morning to you too, MadameD! Hope you have a wonderful day.

I'm in chapter 11, and I'm down with the whole 'corp (or rogue govt dept) doing illegal research,' thing.

I'm sure that if we really knew just how much research was being done beyond the bounds of legality - we'd all be shocked.

Hi Jeffrey, I note you only have the paperback versions of this book on Goodreads. Could you please add the Kindle version so that I can add/publish notes with my review.

Thanks

Cheers Graeme

Graeme wrote: "Hi Jeffrey, I note you only have the paperback versions of this book on Goodreads. Could you please add the Kindle version so that I can add/publish notes with my review.

Thanks

Cheers Graeme"

I think I addressed it. I don't know exactly why GR back dated the paperback to the original ebook date. GR has had some wonky issues with the editions and types of versions. I did NOT add the "proof" edition, yet it is in there. No idea.

Graeme wrote: "I'm in chapter 11, and I'm down with the whole 'corp (or rogue govt dept) doing illegal research,' thing.

I'm sure that if we really knew just how much research was being done beyond the bounds of..."

Good observation, Graeme. That is one of the other things that seem scary to me. The machinations that organizations can create and the consequent power they can wield.