Betrayal - An Interactive Novel

Mystery & Thrillers

By Norman Chance

Publisher : Outskirts Press

ABOUT Norman Chance

norman chance
The first inspiration for my creative life came from my high school English teacher who assured me that poor speling, poor grammer, and a highly experimental approach to writing would not necessarily limit my literary future. Later, as an anthropology graduate student at the University of  More...

Description

     Deep in a rugged section of Alaska, something is making people ill. It’s cancer—and it’s striking dozens of laborers and soldiers who worked there on a nuclear cleanup site. But when anti-nuclear activist Carrie Graham turns up evidence of the improper disposal of radioactive waste, it reveals something even more sinister. And the U.S. government will stop at nothing to prevent the information’s release, even if it means putting an end to Graham’s activities—permanently. 
     A multi-voiced science thriller with far-reaching implications, Betrayal follows the repercussions stemming from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons tests during the early days of the Cold War and beyond. From spirited protests at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Northern California, to treacherous intrigue waged inside the ivory towers of academia, Betrayal takes you inside the struggle to expose a massive nuclear cover-up where even those on the same side don’t dare trust each other.
     Truly an interactive novel, Betrayal is fully integrated with the Web site: www.betrayal-interactivenovel.com. The site is packed with supplemental information and primary sources to increase understanding, while empowering readers to share their thoughts on nuclear issues through an online community forum.

When you read the Prologue to the 'Betrayal,' you learn that Carrie Graham died in a tragic automobile accident shortly before finishing her novel on environmental contamination at a military base in Alaska. A major purpose of this Backstory is to assist in achieving her original goal. Shortly before her death, she shared several thoughts with me that she had been hesitant to express earlier. To what extent could she draw on the experiences of a real person in developing a character in her novel? Was there a line that should not be crossed? How dangerous is it to expose criminal malfeasance on the part of a specific individual or government agency? And finally, what steps could she take to protect herself from betrayal by others? Included in the novel's web site is an interactive database where readers can explore actual events referred to in the novel; along with unclassified government documents and a Search and Feedback section. Also available is a Forum enabling participants to share their own views on the environmental concerns raised by Carrie.