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A fascinating and darkly funny novel giving readers front-row access to the world of EMS and other first responders — and the stink, sweat, and sex that accompanies long days caring for others at their most vulnerable.Following in the footsteps of their beloved Boston cop father, Alex Flynn trains as an EMT, and spends years chasing emergencies in an ambulance. But the person Alex becomes is a far cry from the hero they signed up to be.
Over four decades in public safety, Alex encounters a changing America, where veterans are left to rot on streets, women are welcome in dangerous fields but abusers still walk free, and service providers are subjected to intense public scrutiny while being denied the resources they need. After moving from bustling Boston to small town Vermont, Alex discovers an escalating feud between emergency operators and must decide which to protect: their community, or their legacy.
About the author
I.M. Aiken worked on ambulances off and on since the 1980s, starting in the Boston area where she was born and raised. She served one tour in Iraq as a civilian member of the US Army’s 4th Infantry Division, and now lives in Vermont.
Summary
A fascinating and darkly funny novel giving readers front-row access to the world of EMS and other first responders — and the stink, sweat, and sex that accompanies long days caring for others at their most vulnerable.
Following in the footsteps of their beloved Boston cop father, Alex Flynn trains as an EMT, and spends years chasing emergencies in an ambulance. But the person Alex becomes is a far cry from the hero they signed up to be.
Over four decades in public safety, Alex encounters a changing America, where veterans are left to rot on streets, women are welcome in dangerous fields but abusers still walk free, and service providers are subjected to intense public scrutiny while being denied the resources they need. After moving from bustling Boston to small town Vermont, Alex discovers an escalating feud between emergency operators and must decide which to protect: their community, or their legacy.
Foreword
- US regional book tour, Northeast (Boston, Burlington, NYC, Bangor)
- ARCs to relevant reviewers including Kirkus, Foreword, PW, NYT, ALA Booklist, Library Journal; available as an e-ARC on Edelweiss
- Blog tour with book giveaways
- Early blurbs from bestselling small-town, medical, and Northeast fiction authors including Chris Bohjalian, Kevin Hazzard, Joyce Maynard, Olivia Hawker, Heather Lende, Anthony Amojera, and Clare Frank
- Book club outreach + reading guide
- Targeted marketing towards medical, first responder, veteran and Vermont/Boston interest
- Promotion at book fairs and trade shows including ALA annual, mid-winter ALA, TLA, NCTE, NCSS, and African Studies Association annual conferences
- Submission for relevant awards
- Social media promotion
- Simultaneous e-book + audiobook release
- Promotion as debut
