RUN Ragged

Would anything change if women ruled the world? In a devastated country, those in charge rule by fear, inequality, and oppression. Rhia, a strong and independent sea captain, just wants to keep her head down and do her job, until she finds herself trapped in a re-education facility designed to help people fit into the rules of the New Way Forward. The warden claims to be guiding those in her care, but Rhia quickly sees the cracks in the system. As she is faced with torture and brainwashing, those cracks become gaping holes that threaten to pull her down into the depths of despair. Can Rhia resist the slow subversion of re-education and become the reluctant hero the new world needs? RUN Ragged is the thrilling second story by the award-winning author of Women's Work. This brilliantly imagined novel is both a scathing satire and a profoundly poignant look at the price we are willing to pay for peace and what we are willing to ignore to keep our conscience clear. "Aguila's well crafted dystopian world serves as an upside-down mirror of today's political issues. Suspenseful, disturbing, yet hard to put down, RUN Ragged... points a spotlight at the pitfalls of our world today." -Maren Higbee, author of Lana Fray and the Grand Plan "...A harrowing examination of the swinging pendulum of gender oppression... poses (questions) that invite contemplation long after the book is over. A strong storyline, complex characters, and chilling exploration of the politics of power make this a gripping read." -Petula Parker, author of Kate's Escape from the Billable Hour "Heat rippled above the deck, bending the light into waves and distorting the docks and cranes that jutted out from the distant shore. Rhia squinted through the glare and gently tugged on the wheel, guiding the Elizabeth Maru, her thirty-two-foot gillnetter, toward the regional trade. She wiped a drip of sweat from her temple with the shoulder of her faded T-shirt and leaned forward in the patched leather captain's chair. The old springs groaned. Her left knee bounced up and down, a subconscious tell of the nervousness that accompanied each of her biweekly trips to Piper Point. She was close now. ... "I'm saying women and men should have worked together," William said. "I'm saying you can't rule this country and call it equality when half the people don't have a voice. And I'm saying you are just as guilty as the rest of them, because for the last thirteen months, people like you knew I was in here, and did nothing to stop it." "I want to stop it! That's what I'm trying to figure out! I want to help you, but I don't know how." William shook his head again. "No, you just want to get yourself out. You'll get out and you won't look back." "That's not true." "Everybody says that, but when you get out, you won't want to make waves and risk getting sent back here. You'll keep your head down and forget about us." ... Captain Banks leaned on the rail of her guard tower, high above the dozens of inmates making their way back to their cells and boxes. She'd been there most of the afternoon, keeping watch over the women and men below. She'd seen Rhia seek out William, hours before. She'd watched as they moved from box to box together throughout the afternoon. She'd noticed how close they stood, how they smiled and talked as they worked, the way they touched each other. She'd noticed. And she didn't like it."
About the Author: Kari Aguila was the recipient of an IndieReader Discovery Award for her first novel, Women's Work. She is also an avid gardener, outdoor enthusiast, geologist, and mother of three. Aguila lives in Seattle with her family, and loves to Skype with Book Clubs. Contact her via Facebook, Twitter, or her webpage. www.kariaguila.com www.facebook.com/KariAguilaAuthor https: //twitter.com/WomensWorkKA www.goodreads.com/author/show/7422555.Kari_Aguila Praise for Kari Aguila: "A fascinating study of the "othering" process and how dangerous it can be to mark a group as "not one of us." The beauty of this novel is that her critique of society and what could happen is subtle. The author pulls you into the story slowly and effortlessly, careful not to overplay her hand. Right from the start, the descriptions immerse the reader into a new world. ...Beautiful and terrifying all at once... Starts methodically and the tension builds with each page, with characters and a story that lingers. At times it's impossible to put the book down." -The S-P Review 5 Stars! Women's Work is empowering and exhilarating. (It) challenges gender as we know it: a truly ambitious and largely indicative text of past and present theory and preoccupations. A commendable book, a timely perspective and critique on the thriving human condition and state of gender affairs and women's rights world-wide. Kari Aguila is a pioneer for crafting such an overdue and particularly necessary contribution for readers everywhere. -The San Francisco Book Review Kari Aguila didn't even miss a beat. "Women's Work" is almost immediately engaging, with a story that moves at a clip. It's easily readable while at the same time raising questions and issues that are bound to linger with the reader well after the book's final period. -Beth Colvin, The Baton Rouge Advocate 5 Stars! Winner of the IndieReader Approval! The climactic ending involves a plot twist where the beliefs of the new order are questioned and the neighborhood comes to grips with the tenuous relationship between safety and violence. WOMEN'S WORK is a well-written book with a moving story inhabited by believable characters. The emotions are genuine and the reactions to the social upheaval around them, while sometimes surprising, add even more credence to the story line. If the purpose of WOMEN'S WORK is to make a reader think, Aguila has achieved this. -Ed Bennett, Indie Reader