We're so happy to host An Afternoon of Alternative Realities, when two good friends of Big Blue Marble - Jon McGoran and Fran Wilde - join us to help Julia Whicker launch her debut novel "Wonderblood."

"Wonderblood" is set in a barren United States, an apocalyptic wasteland where warring factions compete for control of the land in strange and dangerous carnivals. A mad cow-like disease called "Bent Head" has killed off millions. Those who remain worship the ruins of NASA's space shuttles, and Cape Canaveral is their Mecca. Medicine and science have been rejected in favor of magic, prophecy, and blood sacrifice.

“Whicker’s debut sets the stage for a possible series full of bloodlust, court intrigue, and unforgettable characters. For fans of Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven, N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth series, and George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire books.” —Library Journal