Coming September 3 is my next YA novel, The Hive… which is one of those rare books that did not start out as my own idea. It was actually the brainchild of…Jennifer Beals! (Yeah, Flashdance, The L Word — that Jennifer Beals!)
Here’s the book in a nutshell:
Cassie McKinney has always believed in the Hive.
Social media used to be out of control, after all. People were torn apart by trolls and doxxers. Even hackers — like Cassie’s dad — were powerless against it.
But then the Hive came. A better way to sanction people for what they do online. Cause trouble, get too many “condemns,” and a crowd can come after you, teach you a lesson in real life. It’s safer, fairer and perfectly legal.
Entering her senior year of high school, filled with grief over an unexpected loss, Cassie is primed to lash out. Egged on by new friends, she makes an edgy joke online. Cassie doubts anyone will notice.
But the Hive notices everything. And as her viral comment whips an entire country into a frenzy, the Hive demands retribution.
One moment Cassie is anonymous; the next, she’s infamous. And running for her life.
With nowhere to turn, she must learn to rely on herself — and a group of Hive outcasts who may not be reliable — as she slowly uncovers the truth about the machine behind the Hive.
Sound good? Sound a little too close for comfort? Well, I hope you’ll enjoy it, especially because I cowrote this one with my wife, Morgan Baden! Which was an amazing experience, honestly. Other than our kids, we’d never collaborated on anything before, and working on this book brought us together in a whole new way.
You can read an excerpt of The Hive with this link or by clicking on the book cover above. It comes out on September 3, but I’d appreciate it if you could go ahead and preorder it with this link right here. It would mean a lot!
While you’re here… If you find yourself in New Jersey on September 7, why not join us for The Hive Launch Party? We’ll be at [words] Bookstore in Maplewood, NJ from 7-9pm, celebrating with food, friends, and a signing…as well as a discussion moderated by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Maclean. Stop by if you can!