by: Louise Cypress
Genre: YA Thriller
Release Date: September 6, 2021
Publisher: Owl Hollow Press
Amazon | Paperback | Goodreads
Three teens are caught in a bioterrorism plot to destroy Seattle involving a diet drink that kills.
After accidentally breaking up with her boyfriend, Marley is ready to do anything to get her life back on track. When a new health clinic called Quick Fix opens in Seattle offering probiotic elixirs that supposedly burn off extra weight, Marley becomes their willing victim. After her first treatment, she loses five pounds in one week—and becomes so sick that she faints at work. But Marley is thrilled with the results, especially knowing that her ex-boyfriend is mobbed by girls every day.
When Marley’s best friend Ellie finds out the truth about Marley’s sudden weight loss, Ellie is concerned for her friend’s safety. Ellie knows better than anyone that there’s no such thing as a quick fix, but Marley’s not so sure. For Marley, the risk seems worth it—until the elixir takes control. By the time Marley discovers the truth about Thin Shot, she’s almost dead, and the only person who can save her is the last person she thought she could trust.
Melt away unwanted pounds with a probiotic elixir.
Thin Shot—the diet drink that kills.
I’m doing great. Thanks so much for having me on your blog.
You’re welcome. Your latest release is Quick Fix. What can you tell me about it, that I’m not going to find in the blurb?
I wrote Quick Fix in 2019. It was supposed to come out in early 2020 but the publisher, my agent and I decided to hold it back due to the pandemic.
Tell me about how you came up with the idea for the book?
My number one goal in writing any book is to entertain readers. Hopefully people enjoy Quick Fix as a twisty-turny adventure with a bit of romance mixed in. My secondary goal was to write a book that embraced body positivity and critiqued the way the diet and wellness industry make people, women especially, feel bad about themselves in order to get their credit card number.
What can you tell me about Marley, your protagonist?
Marley is an eighteen-year-old high school graduate with college on the horizon. She works on her parent’s high-speed catamaran, The Royal Racer, which shuttles people back and forth from Canada. Marley’s ex-boyfriend is a Canadian pop star, and she’s been bullied by her weight and appearance by his fans. That’s what prompts her to try Quick Fix, a probiotic elixir that supposedly helps you safely lose weight.
There’s something about Marley’s best friend, Ellie. What can you tell me about her?
Ellie is on a journey of her own as she finds a way to become independent from her parents, after learning in Narcosis Room, that they are extremely untrustworthy. She goes from being a puppet that does everything they say to being her own person, capable of anything—even saving Marley’s life.
Can you please tell me about one of your favorite scenes from the book, and why it’s a favorite?
One of my favorite scenes from the book is the CPR scene. I’m a Girl Scout leader and had just renewed my Red Cross CPR first aid training when I wrote that scene. As a Girl Scout leader, I need to renew that training every two years in order to take my girls to camp. Writing the scene helped me imagine what would happen if I had to put my training to use.
What was the hardest scene for you to write and why?
The hardest scene for me to write was chapter one, when Marley and Dean accidentally break up over a misunderstanding. They both deeply care about one another, but their communication skills falter, in part due to Marley’s insecurity after being bullied by Dean’s fans. I worked with my editor a lot to get that first scene right because it’s so important to the rest of the book.
Quick Fix is actually a companion story to Narcosis Room. Do you plan on writing more associated books?
Right now there are no more books in the works for this series. But I hope readers love them and find a sense of completion after reading either one—or both!
Louise, thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions for me.
Thanks so much for interviewing me!
When Katie had died in the Korean spa, I was helpless. But now I wasn’t.
Push. Push. Push.
If Pansy died, it wasn’t because I didn’t try to save her.
Push. Push. Push.
I spent the last four years being helpless. Letting my parents do whatever they wanted to me.
Push. Push. Push.
But I was my own person now. I wasn’t the victim anymore. I was the person who took charge of her own life.
Push. Push. Push.
The door that led to my parents’ room burst open and Mom rushed in. Dad was behind her, pulling a crash cart. Sly held a camera and a boom mike.
“Ellie!” Mom cried. “We just got your text.”
“Keep going with the CPR,” Dad told me. “Don’t stop until we tell you too.” A minute later the pads were on Pansy’s chest and Dad yelled, “Clear!”
I sank back on my heels while the machine brought Pansy back to life. My arms felt like wet noodles. I looked up at the clock. I’d been doing chest compressions for over twenty minutes. No wonder I was exhausted.
“Well done, Ellie,” said Mom with pride in her voice. She pointed to the blinking lights on the monitor that showed Pansy’s vital signs flashing. “You saved Pansy’s life.”
I looked from Pansy, to the monitors, to the closed in walls of the Narcosis Room. The last time I was here I was a victim.
But now, I knew I was a hero.
Push. Push. Push.
If Pansy died, it wasn’t because I didn’t try to save her.
Push. Push. Push.
I spent the last four years being helpless. Letting my parents do whatever they wanted to me.
Push. Push. Push.
But I was my own person now. I wasn’t the victim anymore. I was the person who took charge of her own life.
Push. Push. Push.
The door that led to my parents’ room burst open and Mom rushed in. Dad was behind her, pulling a crash cart. Sly held a camera and a boom mike.
“Ellie!” Mom cried. “We just got your text.”
“Keep going with the CPR,” Dad told me. “Don’t stop until we tell you too.” A minute later the pads were on Pansy’s chest and Dad yelled, “Clear!”
I sank back on my heels while the machine brought Pansy back to life. My arms felt like wet noodles. I looked up at the clock. I’d been doing chest compressions for over twenty minutes. No wonder I was exhausted.
“Well done, Ellie,” said Mom with pride in her voice. She pointed to the blinking lights on the monitor that showed Pansy’s vital signs flashing. “You saved Pansy’s life.”
I looked from Pansy, to the monitors, to the closed in walls of the Narcosis Room. The last time I was here I was a victim.
But now, I knew I was a hero.
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During the tour, the book will be on sale for $0.99.
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Louise Cypress is the pen name of Jennifer Bardsley for her YA books.
Jennifer writes the column “I Brake for Moms” for The Everett Daily Herald and is the author of the young adult novels Genesis Girl, Damaged Goods, Narcosis Room, and the Fight or Flight and Puritan Coven series. She lives in a book-filled house near Seattle with her family, and poodle, Merlin.
An alumna of Stanford University, Jennifer puts her psychology degree to good use writing fiction. She has a lifelong fascination with mind control. That focus also comes in handy in Jennifer’s role as a mother—but so far her children haven’t noticed.
Places to find Louise Cypress:
You can follow the Quick Fix Blog Tour here.
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Thanks for hosting!
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DeleteThis book sounds great and it's got a unique story line which is interesting!
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