About the Book

Book: Water’s Break

Author: Sophia Hansen

Genre: YA sci-fi

Release Date: January 9, 2024

What if fear itself is the deadliest undercurrent of all?

Nica would do anything to avoid the hassles of her sister’s bonding ceremony—the wrap fittings, hairstyles, and braided fire coral—but she never imagined that the waters covering her planet would be broken. As the heavens rained fire and stone, mountains erupted from the sea and dry ground was birthed on the Deep, dividing the water—and the Olomi people—for the first time in their history.

In the wake of her world’s violent re-formation, Nica’s family is shattered. When the rookie Guardian leaves the safety of the Deep to find her sister, she is abducted by strange landwalkers who possess strength and technology beyond her imagination. Nica realizes that the disaster from above was by their design—a calculated plan to terraform the water planet and conquer her people. All Nica wants to do is find her sister and swim home to safety, but with the landwalkers closing in, escape may not be possible. And if Nica can’t save herself, how can she hope to save her sister—or her people?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Sophia L. Hansen, raised in the melded cultures of Korea and America, understands not fitting into society’s boxes. Born on a tiny island in Alaska, then growing up in New York City and Boston, she now resides in the Southeast, writing and editing between fresh(ish) cups of coffee and slices of crisp bacon. She embraces life with her husband, their adulting children, and her new grandson, but her favorites are Jesus, family, coffee, and dark chocolate, mostly in that order.

Author Interview with Sophia

Q: What was the inspiration behind this novel?

Sophia: My first what-if was “What if someone fell into a river, was too surprised to fight drowning, and discovered they could breathe?” That set off a quest to back-engineer the story – figuring out what would lead to this.

Q: How long did it take you to write this novel?

Sophia: I started this story as a NaNoWriMo project in 2016, and finished its first, full, self-edit in 2020.

Q: What was the most surprising thing you discovered while researching and writing this novel?

Sophia: Denticles! These epidermal teeth (think shark skin) were such a cool thing to discover that I had to write them into the story.

Q: Do any of the novel’s characters hold a special place in your heart?

Sophia: Ugh. Don’t all of them for any author? I’m pretty empathetic by nature, and a role-playing gamer if I have the chance, so I pour myself into each of my characters, imagining what brought them to that state and what I might do in the same situation.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this novel?

Sophia: This is one of my favorites:

“Should we be taking risks like that?”

“Not if we want to survive,” he shrugged. “But if we intend to live, we don’t have the luxury of playing it safe.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from this novel?

Sophia: That we should not allow ourselves to be defined by the opinions of others or our circumstances.

Q: If the novel was made into a movie, who would like you to see play the main characters?

Sophia: Wunmi Mosaku most closely resembles Nica. I based Nica’s best friend, Pescha, on Dichen Lachman. And Morris Chestnut most closely resembles Girac, Nica’s lovc interest.

Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know?

Sophia: Since this is my debut novel, not a lot of people know much about me. One cool fact is that I was born in Sitka, a tiny island in Alaska’s panhandle that had just 12 miles of highway.

Q: In what setting do you enjoy writing the most?

Sophia: I enjoy writing in my office – two big monitors and a good bit of desk space. But I love the fact that I can bring my laptop anywhere. So as long as I can sit and ignore the world around me, I can get some writing done.

Q: What are you reading now?

Sophia: I’m about to break into Lumen, JJ Fischer’s highly anticipated and newly released follow up to Calor.

Q: How many bookshelves are in your home?

Sophia: Not enough! We moved this summer, and all my books are still in boxes!!!

Q: Who is an author you would recommend to anyone and everyone?

Sophia: I love Enclave authors because they’ve made it past a pretty grueling submissions process. Sharon Hinck and Cathy McCrumb are beautiful writers, and I love Lindsay Franklin’s Story Peddler series. And Kerry Nietz is an amazing SciFi author.

Q: What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

Sophia: Read, cook, spend time with my adult kids and my grandson.

Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your novel?

Sophia: https://watersbreak.com/ is all about my debut novel, and https://www.sophialhansen.com/ points you to all my interests.

More from Sophia

Once upon a time, there was a mom.
A mom with many children.
She was a very busy mom.
One day the pastor’s wife asked her to write something for the Christmas program.
“Why would you ask me?” she replied. “I’m just a mom.”
“Because you love words,” was the quiet answer.
When the mom heard this, she realized it was true. And so, she began to write.

The Beginning

Stories don’t grow in a vacuum. Neither do they flourish in a pressure cooker. Our ideas are like seeds; full of potential but needing time and space to germinate. My season of writing started after more than a decade of birthing, raising, and educating my children. We had five at the time and I was full up. There was little space in church activities for attached moms whose children didn’t nursery well, and I spent more of my Sunday mornings in the playground rather than the pews. Then, finally, a friend invited me to a study in her home, and all children were welcome.

As my soul feasted on the fellowship, Bible study, and sharing, I felt like a child sitting down to a holiday meal. I’d been so busy taking care of others that I didn’t remember what it was like to have an oxygen mask for myself. It had been far too long since my spiritual self had been nourished. Out of that beautiful season the seeds of my words, long dormant, began to sprout, including my what ifs about what would become the world of Water’s Break.

Water’s Break dives into Nica’s world, a water-covered planet inhabited by amphibian people. When disaster strikes, landmasses rise from the seabed, separating the water and its people for the first time in their history. Nica’s family is devastated: her father is gravely injured, her sister is missing, and her mother, grief-stricken. Nica, a rookie Guardian, is determined to find her sister and bring her home, even if it means she must venture out of the Deep. But no one knows what lies in wait abovewater.

I hope your hearts are encouraged as you join Nica’s fight to survive in a sea of oppression. And when survival is not enough, will she risk everything to choose life?

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, January 30

Exploring the Written Word, January 31

Blogging With Carol, February 1

Artistic Nobody, February 2 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 4

Guild Master, February 5 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, February 5

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 6

Beauty in the Binding, February 7 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 8

Wishful Endings, February 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 10

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 11 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, February 11

Simple Harvest Reads, February 12 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sophia is giving away the grand prize package of a signed hardcover with swag (bookmark, stickers, character cards)!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Link for giveaway: https://promosimple.com/ps/29b05/water-s-break-celebration-tour-giveaway