About the Book

Book: Water’s Break

Author: Sophia Hansen

Genre: YA sci-fi

Release Date: January 9, 2024

What if fear itself is the deadliest undercurrent of all?

Nica would do anything to avoid the hassles of her sister’s bonding ceremony—the wrap fittings, hairstyles, and braided fire coral—but she never imagined that the waters covering her planet would be broken. As the heavens rained fire and stone, mountains erupted from the sea and dry ground was birthed on the Deep, dividing the water—and the Olomi people—for the first time in their history.

In the wake of her world’s violent re-formation, Nica’s family is shattered. When the rookie Guardian leaves the safety of the Deep to find her sister, she is abducted by strange landwalkers who possess strength and technology beyond her imagination. Nica realizes that the disaster from above was by their design—a calculated plan to terraform the water planet and conquer her people. All Nica wants to do is find her sister and swim home to safety, but with the landwalkers closing in, escape may not be possible. And if Nica can’t save herself, how can she hope to save her sister—or her people?

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About the Author

Sophia L. Hansen, raised in the melded cultures of Korea and America, understands not fitting into society’s boxes. Born on a tiny island in Alaska, then growing up in New York City and Boston, she now resides in the Southeast, writing and editing between fresh(ish) cups of coffee and slices of crisp bacon. She embraces life with her husband, their adulting children, and her new grandson, but her favorites are Jesus, family, coffee, and dark chocolate, mostly in that order.

More from Sophia

Once upon a time, there was a mom.
A mom with many children.
She was a very busy mom.
One day the pastor’s wife asked her to write something for the Christmas program.
“Why would you ask me?” she replied. “I’m just a mom.”
“Because you love words,” was the quiet answer.
When the mom heard this, she realized it was true. And so, she began to write.

The Beginning

Stories don’t grow in a vacuum. Neither do they flourish in a pressure cooker. Our ideas are like seeds; full of potential but needing time and space to germinate. My season of writing started after more than a decade of birthing, raising, and educating my children. We had five at the time and I was full up. There was little space in church activities for attached moms whose children didn’t nursery well, and I spent more of my Sunday mornings in the playground rather than the pews. Then, finally, a friend invited me to a study in her home, and all children were welcome.

As my soul feasted on the fellowship, Bible study, and sharing, I felt like a child sitting down to a holiday meal. I’d been so busy taking care of others that I didn’t remember what it was like to have an oxygen mask for myself. It had been far too long since my spiritual self had been nourished. Out of that beautiful season the seeds of my words, long dormant, began to sprout, including my what ifs about what would become the world of Water’s Break.

Water’s Break dives into Nica’s world, a water-covered planet inhabited by amphibian people. When disaster strikes, landmasses rise from the seabed, separating the water and its people for the first time in their history. Nica’s family is devastated: her father is gravely injured, her sister is missing, and her mother, grief-stricken. Nica, a rookie Guardian, is determined to find her sister and bring her home, even if it means she must venture out of the Deep. But no one knows what lies in wait abovewater.

I hope your hearts are encouraged as you join Nica’s fight to survive in a sea of oppression. And when survival is not enough, will she risk everything to choose life?

Author Interview

Can you share 5 random facts about you that we will not find in your bio?

All seven of my kids were born within one decade, but not all to me.
I hated coffee when I was a young adult, so I’d start my workday with a Tab.
I used to love being a waitress. Talking to strangers, exceeding their expectations—it appealed to the extrovert in me.
I used to ask my English teachers if I could substitute-write poetry instead of the stated assignment.
I love math, up to Algebra, and then I refuse to engage.

When did you first discover you had a passion for writing?

When my youngest was about two, our pastor’s wife asked me to write something for our Christmas program. At the time I was completely covered in child raising and home educating and had no clue as to why she would ask me to do this. When she told me, “You love words,” I realized it was true.

What drew you to your chosen genre? 

I’ve always loved sci-fi and fantasy; loving to discover new ways of seeing things. I was especially drawn to new worlds (and new civilizations). This may have been instilled by those early years of watching the original Star Trek series with my dad and listening to my mom’s Korean folktales.

What does your writing routine look like? 

I usually jump onto an early zoom write-in with the 540 Writing Community. Then, a couple of Writers Chat zooms mid-week. It’s like meeting author friends at a virtual coffee shop without having to get in my car. I also carry my laptop wherever I go, just in case I need to plant myself for any extended period of time.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

Mostly a panster. I don’t have the patience to plot ahead of time but usually have an idea of where my story is headed. So, I refer to myself as a plantster.

If you had to describe your main character(s) in just three words, what would they be?

Passionate, stubborn, hopeful

What was the most challenging part of bringing this story to life?

Learning how to share my world without dumping info on my readers. It’s a different setting (a water-covered planet,) and different people (amphibian and varied in colors like green, blue, and yellow.) However, I needed to describe these differences without breaking the story magic. 

What was the most rewarding?

When readers tell me what they liked about the story, especially about how felt at various plot points.

What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

A sense that they do not need to be defined by circumstances or others, but to remember who and where they were meant to be.

Where can readers follow along to see what’s coming next? 

https://watersbreak.com/ takes you directly to everything about my debut novel.

https://www.sophialhansen.com/ is the best place to dive into all my spaces.