The International Writers Magazine: Fiction

THE HUNTING OF GENIE MAGEE - Available on Amazon Kindle everywhere
(Book Two in the series)
ISBN: 979-8798-980437 - Hammer & Tong
The intense action packed sequel to The Repossession of Genie Magee
The Fight for the right to Exist!

'Smart, dark and graceful, will send chills down your spine'
Evie Seo - Bookish Blog
Review by Lalaine - 'OMG. I need the second book NOW!'

The Hunting of Genie Magee download also available on Kindle App

Genie and Rian had miscalculated.  They had expected to return heroes. Unmask the evil Reverend Schneider, expose the Fortress experiments that had killed so many runaway kids.  Instead there’s a $10,000 reward on each of their heads.  Genie and Renee are being hunted for the secret that only their DNA can reveal. Roadblocks ahead.  Mosquitoes in the air that can shut down their brainwaves.  They must flee down the wild unforgiving river with armed hunters in pursuit.  Denis is waiting for Genie is a cold dark place as the other kids lay dying.  He urgently needs her help to resist The Fortress. They can’t run forever.  Soon they will have to turn and fight for their very right to exist.

“It’s them,” someone shouted.  “I know it is.  It’s them.”
Genie’s heart nearly stopped. 
“Jesus,” Rian exclaimed.  “Who the hell?”
“Will they shoot?” Renée asked.
“They don’t want us dead.”  Genie muttered tersely.  “They’ll want the reward money.”
The powerful searchlight was still seeking them.  Rian ducked down beside Genie.
“Start praying.”
“I am praying.”
“Good, ’cause I’m crapping myself here,” Renée said.  “Who the hell are they?”
“Bounty hunters.  I saw a pair go by earlier.”
Genie and Renée digested this set of facts.  Hunters.  Hunters meant guns.  Big guns.  Hunters liked shooting at things.
_______________________________________________________________________________

The second part of The Repossession of Genie Magee is now republished by Hammer & Tong.   The good news for anyone waiting to read The Hunting of Genie Magee - it begins exactly where it left off.  There’s no six months later kind of thing and only a very tiny couple of paragraphs are devoted to ‘catch up’, so if anyone accidentally starts here they won't get lost. But can you read it without reading the first one, sure, you'll catch up fast and work out who the good guys and who the bad guys are.

The Background: Genie, Rian and Renee are on the run from the Fortress who have put a $10,000 dollar price on their heads.  That’s useful money up there in the mountains in BC and there are hunters with guns tracking them.  They lack boating experience on the Fraser River which often looks sleepy but can be deadly treacherous.  The rest of the kids that Genie rescued from the Fortress have already been recaptured and are being tortured in the name of ‘science’.  The new boss of Fortransco (The Fortress) is Strindberg – rich, evil, immoral who doesn’t even regard them as human anymore – their DNA is his property now.

The secret of The Hunting is that whereas we all might embrace teleportation in the future but who owns your DNA once it has been digitised?   This is a real legal issue now as we are close to growing new limbs and replacement parts for humans. Will we still own ourselves if we are full of patented spare parts? Who will service them? Will you still be You?

Of course it is one thing to run for your life – but you can’t run forever – the odds are against them.  At some point Genie knows they will have to turn around and face the enemy.  That’s what The Hunting of Genie Magee is really about.  They are on their way downriver to Vancouver, but the big finale will be set in Whistler.  You might think it is a just a ski resort but there are hidden places buried under those mountains.  Genie reconnects with Denis and Cary and they discover an earlier and forgotten experiment. Could this be their way to hit back at The Fortress or another trap? I don’t really want to say more.

I enjoyed writing The Hunting of Genie Magee , it moves quickly and the involvment of Renee as Rian’s half-sister provides some light relief.  She’s fun and sassy – quite a contrast to serious Genie.  There’s something of a surprise in the last chapters too - a development in their lives that is quite unexpected.  I remember writing that section in France and feeling how different it was becoming as Genie begins to realise that she has to think more about herself and her own needs in life.

Needless to say Moucher the dog is along for the ride as well.  As any writer will tell you, adding a dog to kids in peril is all very well, but you have to keep remembering to feed the animal, make sure it has a pee.  I am always amazed when I read a YA book and you realise when you put it down that no one ever stopped to pee or eat or sleep.  Real life is full of moments when nothing happens and I believe you have to allow moments for the characters to breathe – just react a little to what has gone on before – just as real people do.  Sure there are big events to come – but sometimes sitting, holding a warm cup of tea or coffee in your hands as you contemplate what to wear for the upcoming battle is just as important as catching falling bullets before they kill you. Watch out for Reverend Schneider, he's out for revenge and badly wants to finish off Genie Magee for good.

I hope you will enjoy The Hunting of Genie Magee as much as I did writing it. By all means write to me and let me know if you enjoyed The Repossession of Genie Magee Winner of The Wirral 'Paperback of the Year' 2013
Read Evie Seo's review

Sam Hawksmoor



'An exciting, affectionate, slightly off-the-wall way to end the series. Definitely recommended.
Someone make a movie of this!' : Goodreads.com
Book Three - THE HEAVINESS of Genie Magee by Sam Hawksmoor
Hammer & Tong
ISBN 13: 978-1497508033
Published May 2014
224 pages Paperback + Kindle
Order from Amazon here

The Repercussions of Tomas D
Extract: Chapter Nine
The Imperial Culture Museum
The Making of a hero

Q & A with Sam Hawksmoor
D’Agneau interviews Sam Hawksmoor - - author of the exciting YA novel 'The Repossession' published by Hodder Childrens Books

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