Book Excerpt + Giveaway: Meet Me in the Strange by Leander Watts
Meet Me in the Strange
Author: Leander Watts
Publication date: March 27th 2018
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
From the author of Beautiful City of the Dead and Stonecutter comes a dreamy, atmospheric coming of age story that will appeal to readers of all ages.
Davi tries to help a new friend, Anna Z, escape a cruel and controlling brother, and the teens end up running away to follow the tour of their rock idol, the otherworldly Django Conn. The story is set in a weird and wonderful retro-futuristic city of glam-girls and glister-boys and a strange phenomenon that Anna Z calls the “Alien Drift.”
The Prinz Lorenz arena was much bigger than the Maxima. The ceiling was a vast dome, supported by iron arches. There were bleacher seats on three sides, facing the stage. And some kids were heading that way. We went with the real fans, down to the main floor. Slowly, still hand in hand, we wormed our way closer to the stage. Everyone on the floor wanted to be up front too, of course. Some worked their way toward the middle of the stage, where Django would appear. Others pushed toward the stacks of speakers, which stood like huge black monoliths on the right and left.
Music came from the PA system, something by Corelli I think, but amped-up and drum-driven. The sound wasn’t good, all that concrete above us making a boomy echo. I tried to say something to Anna Z. She just shrugged and shook her head. I pulled her closer, and yelled into her ear, “I’m happy!” Just a couple of words. She kissed me on the cheek and yelled back something that might’ve had the word “love” in it. But it got swept away in a hysterical shout from the crowd.
The stage lights started flashing squid-scarlet and reptile-green. The big Django logo above the stage came to life, a comet burning through the night sky. A blast of synthetic horns buried the Corelli. Adrenaline seethed in my veins and in the crowd too. I could feel it coming in sizzling waves. The logo started to spin, slow at first. Crimson became fiery brightness. Green flared into a blue-hot metallic sheen. An announcer was yelling about Django. The crowd was yelling a thousand times louder, sweeping him away. I think I heard the words “last time ever.” A girl next to me was already crying, hyped to hysteria. I looked at Anna Z and got a shimmering glimpse of the light on her glasses. And then the band was on stage, blasting into “That Alien Feel.”
An avid musician, Leander Watts has played and sung for decades in a wide variety of bands. His interests range from garage rock to skronky jazz, from baroque organ to Appalachian gospel. The first rock concert he attended was David Bowie on the Diamond Dogs tour in 1974. He teaches writing and literature at the State University of New York at Geneseo (his alma mater). Leander Watts is the author of Stonecutter, Wild Ride to Heaven, Ten Thousand Charms, and Beautiful City of the Dead.
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