Book Extract: Altered Helix by Stephanie Hansen

I’m happy to be welcoming Stephanie Hansen to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel,  Altered Helix 

I didn’t want to take the traditional path. First, I wasn’t ready for college. Second, I was going to live with my best friend, Tiff, and work at the Haunted House. Third, did I mention the hot guy Josh that works there too?

The most exciting thing about Austria’s new job, at a local haunted house, was the fact that the toughest looking people screamed the loudest. But when she meets the boy without a home, Josh, Austria’s life takes intriguing and eventful turns. Up until now, Josh has managed to hang with his Street crowd, but they’re in danger, and so is Austria, the girl Josh recently fell for. The group finds themselves joining forces with previously considered enemies who also now find themselves in danger.

Deeply compassionate and full of twists, Altered Helix captures the struggle of polarized people that must work together for the greater good.

Stephanie has shared an extract from Altered Helix today. Enjoy. 

*****beginning of extract*****

The following extract is after our protagonist, Austria, has spent a night “homeless” and survived as scary incident. It’s begins with Ethan walking her away from danger and to safety.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Yeah, I just had to get out of there. The rage I felt was uncontrollable. What a jerk. I wanted to punch him again. Punch him over and over until no one would recognize his face.”

“Josh, it’s okay. We’re out here. Try to calm down.”

“Do you know what he would have done to you if I didn’t get there in time?”

“Um, yeah, but do we really have to talk about it?”

The dark black sky is turning to a navy blue.

“Want to see one of the beauties of being a street kid?”

“I don’t know how much more I can take, Josh. I guess I’m not built for living this way.”

“This will be safe.”

He holds my hand as we walk to the park on 31st Street. He takes me to a tree at the top of a hill. We climb it. He folds his hands and gives me a step up. We sit on a sturdy branch. He points to the east. The sky’s now be-coming lighter. There’s a harmonious mixture of blue, orange, and red. The sun peeks out above the horizon. It’s breathtaking. I curl into Josh’s lap. He strokes my hair.

“What do you think?”

“I think it’s gorgeous.”

“Not as gorgeous as you.”

I look up at him. He kisses me with a deep passion. I twist to face him more. Heat courses through my body as we kiss, erasing the hurt and fear. I feel like we’re the only two people in this world, and this sunrise is meant for just us. When we come up for air, his eyes are dilated al-most completely. They quickly change in the light, and I can see the blue again. He smiles and gives me a peck kiss.

“Happiest morning ever,” he says.

I smile and embrace him. I’m amazed by how his emotion has changed. Maybe that’s something you pick up when looking for a home on a daily basis.

How am I experiencing such polar opposites of emotion in such a short time?

“We should probably get back, so the others don’t worry.”

“Oh, they’ll be fine.” I hold onto him tighter.

“Austria.”

“Josh?”

He exhales and smiles.

“Okay.”

He helps me get down, and we walk back to the apartment. I hear a ruckus before entering. People are all yelling at one another as we walk in.

“You can’t just tie people up in my apartment,” Jenny’s yelling at Patrice.

“He deserved it,” Patrice answers.

Then I see what they’re talking about. Patrice has my attacker duct-taped to a support beam. I can’t hold back my smile. People have used markers to write on the duct tape that holds him up. All vile words and pictures. He’s still unconscious. Probably passed out drunk. Patrice notices me and Josh. She looks at me.

“I saw what he did to you, but you and Josh disappeared before I could talk to you. I taped him up so he couldn’t try anything like that on anyone else.”

“Yes, but I don’t want him stuck in my apartment.” Jenny pouts.

Ethan takes out a pocketknife and begins cutting the tape. Josh holds the guy up so he won’t fall and wake up. Just then, Jack strolls in with a shopping cart. They get the guy free and put him in the cart. Jack, Josh, and Ethan take him outside. I watch from the doorway.

“We should just push him down the hill on Main Street and let him roll,” Jack kids.

“If I could be certain it wouldn’t hurt an innocent by-stander, I’d be all for that,” Josh answers. I can see he’s struggling to keep his smile hidden.

Instead, they push him to the convenience store parking lot. They return, and we all take a bus to the haunted house. On our way, we pass by a blood donation center. In our epiphany of what a life on the streets is like, we all decide to donate blood. When the needle enters my skin, I have to suppress the angst that rises within. I automatically look for the vampire nurse who had taken Jack’s and my blood before. Afterward, Tiff and I walk home. Luke and Josh escort us. It’s comforting having them there. We all take showers. I attempt to cook everyone breakfast. Everyone’s polite as they slather jelly on my burnt toast and mix their scary looking eggs with sausage to make them taste better. They must not mind too much though, because all of the food is gone in five minutes. I smile. Maybe I can figure out this whole domestic thing.

*****end of extract*****

About Stephanie Hansen: 

Stephanie Hansen is a PenCraft and Global Book Award Winning Author. Her debut novella series, Altered Helix, released in 2020. It hit the #1 New Release, #1 Best Seller, and other top 100 lists on Amazon. It is now being adapted to an animated story for Tales.

Her debut novel, Replaced Parts, released in 2021 through Fire & Ice YA and Tantor Audio. It has been in a Forbes article, hit Amazon bestseller lists, and made the Apple young adult coming soon bestsellers list. The second book in the Transformed Nexus series, Omitted Pieces, released in 2022.

Her next novella, Ghostly Howls, releases 2/7/23. She is a member of the deaf and hard of hearing community so she tries to incorporate that into her fiction. 

Say hello to Stephanie on Bookbub, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest or via her website. 

Buy Altered Helix via Amazon UK and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.