Investigating ZQ
“What is your book about?”
This is an excellent question.
My elevator pitch is that Zo’s Quest —Book One— is the first installment for my fantasy fiction series, which is a female-lead journey story, that doubles as a Christian allegory for family and interpersonal trauma, church hurt, and self-actualization. It’s written by a POC for anyone who has felt marginalized and yearns for self-actualization in spite of their sufferings, and craving redemption in the throes of their unjust circumstances.
I know that’s a lot.
And chances are that information may not provide you with the insight you were hoping for when considering your next read...
So with this post, I’m going to give you an investigative overview.
> Who?
Zo is a gritty young adult in her freshman year at college. She and older her brother, Quest, were orphaned early, and grew up in and out of residential facilities and foster placements. When the siblings were young adolescents, they met and were adopted by the Salvador’s, Abe, Alma, and their biological son, Broden.
>> What?
Zo and Quest are raptured into an alternate reality as they mourn the sudden and tragic loss of their adopted family. Separated in this new world, both want nothing more than to find each other again, but the decisions they each make along their separate paths change everything.
>>> Where?
Zo’s Quest —Book One— follow’s Zo as she discovers her temptations, her passions, her companions — her path, in the dogged determination to find her brother. Zo faces peculiar situations she never could have imagined, learns from unexpected friendships, endures betrayal, and pushes through crisis as she learns her limits and discovers herself through reflection and damnable determination.
>>>> When?
When at last she finds Quest, Zo is faced with the shock of how his own path has molded him, and a final defining ultimatum.
>>>>> Why?
(This is my favorite question!)
I began writing Zo’s Quest to provide context for a dream that left a resounding impression on me.
Creating the characters and backstory, and journeying with Zo through Zo’s Quest became an outlet for me to process my own experiences of family and interpersonal trauma, church hurt, and self-discovery.
I’ve always used images and analogies to describe life because defining feelings, embodying emotion is a struggle for me. Allegories have made incredible impacts on my life because they transcend the limitations of one’s own experience, providing concrete means to express and share conceptually.
This entire story began as a parallel world for me to reflect on and engage with my own path. Writing Zo’s Quest has helped me identify my own actualization, and awaken and fuel my desire to pursue health beyond my limitations.
Writing Zo’s Quest helped me grow and change.
And I don’t believe that should be limited to me.
Zo’s Quest is is a transformative parable.
My hope is that Zo’s Quest will help you the reader identify yourself within the text, and that this allegory will provide you with the hope, inspiration and confidence to pursue your own actualization.
>>>>>> How?
Zo’s Quest —Book One— is now available to pre-order on Amazon.