Praise & Interviews
The Late Bloomer & Contract City
" . . . [S]omething entirely new . . . A compelling tale with a dynamic, engaging protagonist." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
austin360
"What happens next is equally terrifying, in the most compulsively readable of ways; Falkin, the author of 2015′s “Contract City,” is also a gifted wordsmith who renders Kevin’s bleak new world with precision. Austin readers will find “Bloomer” particularly chilling"
"What happens next is equally terrifying, in the most compulsively readable of ways; Falkin, the author of 2015′s “Contract City,” is also a gifted wordsmith who renders Kevin’s bleak new world with precision. Austin readers will find “Bloomer” particularly chilling"
Falkin animates this dystopian YA novel with timeless depictions of what often feels like uncharted terrain bridging childhood and adulthood.
Contract City, Mark Falkin’s YA novel, set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, renamed “The City of the Future,” features a sharp female protagonist who is an aspiring filmmaker. Sara Paige Christie is a compelling narrator, driven to understand a world divided against its violent past.
Tulsa has become a “contract city,” meaning all aspects of its governance and operations are privatized. Motivated by lingering questions and persistent mysteries, Sara films the world around her in an effort to understand her reality and challenge those who refuse to face it head on. Censorship is presented as an acceptable action, fought by only a few. This does not escape Sara’s notice as she pushes the envelope with what she captures on film, wondering all the while if her work will ever reach the mainstream.
Although the story is set in the future, Falkin animates his story with timeless themes and honest illustrations of what often feels like uncharted terrain bridging childhood and adulthood. It is populated by memorable characters who drink, smoke, swear, and engage in, or at least posture knowledge of, sexual experiences. Falkin further deepens the story by connecting with the reader on family dynamics surrounding divorce, religion, sibling interaction, and teenage angst.
The strength in this narrative is Falkin’s ability to weave history and allusions into a story set in 2021. While most of these references are likely recognizable to the typical YA reader, if they are not, it is encouraging to think that Falkin’s work will inspire those readers unfamiliar with his references to do some research, uncover their meanings, and thereby gain greater insight into his narrative.
Contract City is an engaging, suspenseful portrayal of a world that, although imagined, feels all too familiar. The pursuit of truth and the courage required to right a wrong, especially when those in the wrong are the mightier majority, is a provocative notion that should be planted and nurtured in the minds of all readers, regardless of age, but especially of the YA genre.
―Foreword Reviews
“It's 2021 and Tulsa is a contract city, entirely privatized, one result of the assassination of the country’s first African American president and the riots that followed. Sara Paige Christie, the daughter of a contract policeman and a mother who works (and plays) with a powerful preacher, is doing a documentary on local graffiti, and one tag in particular: WH2RR?? Then she meets and falls for the tagger. He wants to find out the fate of a little boy who disappeared a year ago; expose the corruption he sees; and start riots in which the poor and minorities, living in tent cities, rise up against their corporate overlords. Falkin offers a timely and discussion-worthy look at where the U.S. might be headed, wrapped in nonstop (and profanity-laced) action . . . With twists turning until the end, it's hard to put this down.”
―Booklist
"In Contract City, Mark Falkin dreams up a near dystopian future that is already eerily upon us, where privatized services are becoming standard fare, where fear is now palpable and our sense of security comes with a price. I happened to come across this fine book in the fall of 2016, and in many ways it's been a sobering glimpse into the age of Trump."
―Oscar Cásares, Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Texas, NEA Fellow, and author of Brownsville and Amigoland
2015 Summer Reads Young Adult Pick. http://bit.ly/1Ci0TKq
―Lone Star Literary Life
"WH2RR?? That’s the graffiti tag all over town bedeviling teenage film student Sara Christie in Austin author Mark Falkin’s young-adult thriller “Contract City” (Bancroft Press, $22.95). Set in 2021, in a Tulsa now run by private businesses like security firm FreeForce Tulsa, “City” sends Sara on a journey that includes the megachurch Chosen Hill, a growing homeless camp just outside the city limits, and even her own father, who has his own reasons for trying to find the graffiti artist. Falkin focuses as much on wordcraft as plot twists, which elevates this believably futuristic tale, as do the universal teen concerns of Sara and her friends. (Ages 14 and older)"
―Austin American-Statesman (Summer Reads Pick)
"Local landmarks serve to make “Contract City,” set in 2021, more chilling."
―Tulsa World (Feature in Scene/Books) bit.ly/1LUd5Dw
"If you’re a not-so-young adult who appreciates this genre, Falkin’s book is a must, if only to pick up something to read at the pool this summer.”
―Dallas Observer
“A breathless ride of a novel. Seventeen-year-old Sara is a protagonist readers are unlikely to forget. Making a documentary film with the hopes of impressing college admission officers, she winds up at the center of a revolution, where no one―not the boy she falls in love with or even her own father―is who he first appears to be. A novel rife with engaging characters and rich with powerful ideas and implicit warnings about an all-too-believable future, Contract City is the very best kind of page-turner.”
―Suzanne Greenberg, author, Lesson Plans, and winner of the Drue Heinz Literature Prize for Speed-Walk and Other Stories
“Contract City is a firecracker of a story. Powerful, ambitious and compulsive, Mark Falkin’s futuristic setting left me nostalgic for a world where I still live. Sara is one of those characters—real, raw, vulnerable—who I would follow anywhere, even down paths as dark as this one.”
―Mary Helen Specht, Dobie-Paisano Creative Writing Fellow, professor at St. Edward’s University in Austin, and author of the novel, Migratory Animals
“Mark Falkin creates a masterful tale in Contract City. Suspense rolls like an ominous thunder cloud creeping across the landscape, threatening total destruction while simultaneously illuminating previously unseen forms with flashes of lightning. Through the resolute eyes of a strong and remarkable young woman who must struggle to decide whom to trust and what to do, Falkin presents a fateful story that may be as prophetic as it is exciting.”
―Ron Cooper, Author, Hume’s Fork and Purple Jesus (a ''literary event of the first magnitude'' (Washington Post))
“This is an interesting take on the popular dystopian style. The omniscient narrator’s language is elegant, almost out of place in such a gritty world, but the vernacular of the characters’ dialogue is realistic. Teens will identify with the protagonists here, who are concerned with the same issues: sex, alcohol, smoking, school angst, and friendship. VERDICT An additional purchase for any high school library.”
―School Library Journal
“Falkin creates a near-future world that is at once terrifying and uncomfortably familiar, one where corporations have consumed entire cities and history is scrubbed away, even as it happens. His feisty, film-making protagonist, torn between her pre-fabricated suburban life and the troubled world outside her comfort zone, trains her camera on this censored world, revealing its fissures and provoking a confrontation between perception and reality. From the first page, Contract City is an enthralling, white-knuckle read that is enriched by its heroine: an ordinary girl with extraordinary guts.”
―CF Yetmen, Author, The Roses Underneath
“Contract City is an intelligent YA dystopian novel set in the country's first fully privatized city, Tulsa, Oklahoma. I use the term ‘dystopian’ lightly because the world Falkin created is so realistic that the story balances right on the edge between sci-fi and reality. Set in the very near future, Tulsa has become the first city to become completely privatized, with services such as police, hospitals, and schools run by private corporations. But more is going on than meets the eye. Sara, a teenage documentary film-maker, begins investigating some graffiti that shows up everywhere--the tag WH2RR??. What starts as an interesting documentary subject to help her break into the film scene becomes a deeper and darker mystery, and soon she is hunted by the private police squad as they try to obtain her footage. Contract City strikes the perfect balance between intelligent and action-packed. The world, the characters, and the story are smart and timely, but that doesn't stop Falkin from creating a fast-paced and exciting story. I loved that he wasn't afraid to create a dystopian world that's both subtle and realistic―a believable glimpse into a real, near future. But my favorite thing about the story was Sara. She's a wonderful, strong YA protagonist. The young artist is brave, clever, curious, and cares about the world around her. At one and the same time, she is strong and vulnerable, which makes her relatable and easy to root for. Although tackling big, real issues, she also has to navigate the challenges of youth, such as finding her place in the world and experiencing a first love. I was on her side from page one. Teens and adults alike will appreciate the intelligence and reality behind this story, and will be rooting for Sara along with me. I enjoyed drinking in every page.”
―Sharon Bayliss, author, Destruction and Watch Me Burn
“A gripping, compelling look at a privatized dystopia by an exciting new writer . . . .. Falkin’s approach to the young female protagonist in dystopia is refreshing because Sara is not a superhero in awkward girl clothing (sorry Katniss and Tris). One of the novel’s most successful elements is how normal Sara is within the given context. Her speech patterns realistically shift depending on her company; Sara’s struggle to find her voice as a filmmaker and a young woman arches throughout, a satisfying way to drive the plot. And she is blessedly not one of those girls too wise for her years. That being said, her intelligence is evident even as her emotions sometimes cloud her ability to discern truth from fact. She is not immune to normal teenage misbehavior and rebellions which perhaps might not make her the tween heroine poster girl in the manner that has become so popular. What it does do is give the novel depth and complexity that facilitates the success of the other components, including characters both major and minor. Sara’s ex-police officer father in particular elevates the tension whenever he appears on the page. The Tulsa setting, fitting considering the premise, comes alive under Sara’s narration. Given that Oklahoma is one of the most red, conservative states in modern society, the choice to use it as a background to the privatized future makes Contract City an engagingly realistic slice of speculative fiction. Falkin’s style is clever, blending the lines between genre and literary without ever sacrificing the fundamental punch of good storytelling. For the reader, it is an enjoyable balance that few books accomplish.”
―Amber Kelly (Generation Cake) teaches composition, literature, creative writing, and history at Howard College, where she is also the dean of General Studies
“Through great writing and engaging characters, Falkin not only tells a complex and compelling story, but keeps readers on their toes right through the stunningly dramatic end.”
―Tim Sanders, NYT Bestselling author, Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends
“Kudos to Mark Falkin for crafting teenage characters who feel refreshingly genuine. Determined to unshroud the mystery surrounding ‘WH2RR??’, Sara and friends are intelligent while still possessing a certain reckless abandon that is tantamount to youth. Add to that a quickly thickening plot and you have Contract City—a gritty, unputdownable thrill ride that stands out from the YA pack.”
―Kristen Zimmer, Author, The Gravity Between Us
“Contract City is a thought-provoking corporatocracy thriller that extrapolates current trends to privatize government functions. The insightful storyline depicts what happens to services when bottom line efficiency, based on a flexible performance work statement, supersedes bureaucratic efforts to accomplish the mission . . . Sara and the graffiti artist propel this action-packed tale that will have readers consider whether contracting out is the right thing for every governmental task.”
―Midwest Book Review
“It’s 2021. Because of the assassination of President Barack Obama seven years earlier, and the riots that followed―riots so severe that martial law was implemented―the nation has been altered. And though things have changed, some things remain the same. Like many teenagers, Sara Christie, a seventeen year-old self-admitted film geek, wants to be understood and to escape her current life. Her family life is falling apart, due to her estrangement from her mother and the fact that her parents are clearly headed for a divorce. Her high school social life isn’t doing much for her, even though she has a great friend in Nikki. Twin brother Adam is maniacally training for the big Army-sponsored gaming tournament. And her love life is, well, non-existent. But she’s passionate about film, and with her junior year coming to an end, she embarks on a summer during which she intends to make the documentary film needed for her college application to UCLA’s vaunted film program. She’s got the grades, the extracurriculars, and now, the perfect film subject: Over the last few months, someone has been anonymously creating impactful, transgressive yet beautiful street art―graffiti mostly―all over her home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a city that has become the first fully privatized city in the country . . . and a veritable police state. This new YA thriller by Mark Falkin is authentic, gritty, and riddled with important themes relevant to today’s real world. A politically charged YA debut brings up just what might be percolating under the surface of young America.”
―Book Trib
When there are things that are going on around you that you believe to be wrong the question is always present: What will you do? Will you go along with the flow while bad things happen, or will you have the courage to take a stand? In Mark Falkin's book CONTRACT CITY we find ourselves facing questions like this through characters like Sara, her dad and even Billy. The great thing about fiction is that if it can be thought of it is something that is in fear of happening, and what Falkin has laid out in his new book is enough to make you all ponder the "What if" question. I love the fact that justice is something that is pursued by the characters I mentioned in their own ways, regardless of their age or how others might see them and their ability to make a difference. When Sara believes something is amiss she does what she can to bring attention to it, and in the process it allows others to know they are not alone and what they can do.
There are also the dangers that they face and the way they choose to do so, again forcing us to ask what we would be willing to do or willing to lose in the search for what was right or what was the truth.
―Cyrus Webb, Radio Host, Conversations Live
(Top 10 Fiction Summer Reads of 2015)
This book is well written and engages the reader from beginning to end. CONTRACT CITY is definitely a book that readers of all ages will appreciate, and that is why I think you won't be disappointed by giving it a try. "The author does a great job of reinventing the idea of a ‘coming of age' story. The protagonist begins her journey making films, and she ends up becoming a filmmaker. She grows as a person, becoming more aware of the turmoil around her. As she continues to come closer to the reality of Contract City, she starts filming and responding to that reality. In the end, she knows how powerful film can be."
―Cassandra Szmajda, Former Longtime Employee of Bookseller Borders
"Last night, I attended a reading for [Mark's] novel "Contract City" at Austin's venerable Book People and realized I was in the midst of a singular talent. "Contract City" is the right mix of the literary and the readable, telling the compelling story of a young woman in a near-future dystopian Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's more JD Salinger than Proust. You will re-read some passages just because they are so evocative. Be an "early adopter" of "Contract City" so you can say you knew Mark Falkin's work before the masses tuned in, which they are sure to do. It will be like being able to brag that you saw Stevie Ray Vaughn at Steamboat for a $2 cover or Willie at the Armadillo and sat on the front row. If you're in Dallas or Houston, tuck in your shirt, put down your screen and attend an upcoming reading by Mark. He is funny and engaging. You will have fulfilled your culture quota for the month and have been enlightened. Even if you don't have the time to attend a reading, buy the book and read it. You will be a better person for the experience."
―Walter Williams, Attorney, Founder & Partner, Modesett Williams PLLC
"Contract City is a suspenseful, compelling look at our possible future."
―Martín Perna, Founder, Afrobeat band Antibalas
“A very strong dystopian take on America in the not too distant future, a fascinating retelling of the darkest days in Tulsa history, and a complex, well-done novel that will definitely appeal to younger readers.”
―Olga Wise, Chair, Austin Public Library Commission
"Impressively well written and a compellingly entertaining read from beginning to end, Contract City is an inherently fascinating dystopian novel that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to school and community library YA fiction collections.”
―Children’s Bookwatch
Aspiring documentary filmmaker Sara often finds herself in volatile situations; her romance with an insightful but dangerous activist nearly gets her killed. This near-future-set dystopian cautionary tale raises concerns about racism, the privatization of government services, and a radical Christian theology of prosperity . . . moral complexities of the tale, complex language, and esoteric references . . .
―The Horn Book
The year is 2021 and America is rebuilding from a decade of unrest and riots following the assassination of the president and the imposition of martial law. Tulsa has become a privatized city, run by the FFT (Free Force Tulsa) security personnel. Affluent citizens live in typical suburban homes while homeless families live in Tent City on the outskirts of town.
Sara Paige Christie is a teenage filmmaker with a lot more than just college admissions on her mind—she suspects her mother of adultery, while her father, an FFT investigator, is too busy to spend much time with his family. But when Sara begins work on her latest film about an underground graffiti artist, all of that pales in comparison to the trouble that is coming.
An unknown artist is leaving graffiti messages all over Tulsa, with the same cryptic letters--WH2RR?? Sara doesn’t know what it means, but becomes suspicious when the FFT goes out of its way to censor any mention of it, scrubbing it from the walls, and erasing online references. She begins to investigate for a film, and soon discovers more questions than answers. Cars start following her. Someone texts her a warning to hand over her camera. And then she meets a mysterious young man named Billy, and Sara begins to realize that the FFT’s secrecy, the graffiti messages, and the simmering tensions between social classes may be connected. More importantly, they might be about to erupt into chaos that no one can control. As Sara tries to identify the graffiti artist, figure out what the message WH2RR?? means, and uncover the secrets the FFT is hiding, she also puts her own life in serious danger.
Contract City is an engaging mystery, but also works as an action-filled adventure, a futuristic story, and a cautionary tale about censorship, inequality, and justice. Author Mark Falkin, a former resident of Tulsa, creates a disturbing, yet plausible scenario of a young woman who is caught up in events beyond her control. The reader will likely be drawn into Sara’s plight as she worries over her parents’ marriage, sneaks into Tent City to film the poverty the FFT would rather ignore, and falls in love with an enigmatic character. The story is fast paced, the conflicts between social classes and different races are realistic, and the characters are well thought out—each with his or her own secrets and personal issues to contend with. Though the subject matter can be gritty at times, the book is entertaining, thought-provoking, and most of all—a timely reminder that the society we live in may not be so far away from becoming the society described in Contract City.
―Mystery Scene Magazine
"Critics are giving thumbs up to Advertising alumnus Mark Falkin’s commercial debut novel, Contract City."
https://www.smu.edu/Meadows/NewsAndEvents/News/2015/151015-AdAlumBookReviews
―SMU, Meadows School of the Arts
"I loved this book. Just incredible. Read it cover-to-cover & couldn't put it down. The story is crazy-good. Rich, fresh, & spellbinding. The world he creates in Contract City is so real, you can touch it. Truly fabulous writing. I cohost a radio program in Austin, Texas called Writing on the Air. Mark was a guest & he was fantastic. I encourage you to listen to the audio on the WOTA site or iTunes podcast to learn more about the book -- Mark describes what it's all about better than I ever could. I look forward to more from this amazing author."
―Martha Louise Hunter, author, Painting Juliana and host of Writing on the Air, KOOP 91.7 FM Austin
"This smart novel paints a picture of a future society that is not too hard to imagine: privatized communities, the blending of church and government, a society of haves and have-nots. The story moves quickly, drawing in the reader as she enters the life of Sara, a young woman teetering on the brink of independence whose life has been turned upside-down by young love, ambition, discovery, and disappointment. What sets this novel apart from the mass of dystopic YA is the writing. Mark Falkin's story is visually and emotionally rich, succinctly capturing every detail, from the dreary Midwest weather to the glossy-eyed drug-enhanced revolution. You will enjoy this novel from start to finish. WH2RR??"
―Rachel Nguyen, Development Coordinator, Austin Public Library Friends Foundation
"A YA novel as intelligent and intriguing as any I've seen"
―Kay Ellington, Publisher, Lone Star Literary Life
TV Interview: ktul.com/archive/contract-city
CONTRACT CITY
978-1-61088-144-9 Cloth
978-1-61088-146-3 Kindle
978-1-61088-147-0 eBook
978-1-61088-145-6 Paperback
Printed in the United States
Trim Size 6x9x1”
USD $22.95
March 2015
BISAC: JUV059000
9781610881449
―Booklist
"In Contract City, Mark Falkin dreams up a near dystopian future that is already eerily upon us, where privatized services are becoming standard fare, where fear is now palpable and our sense of security comes with a price. I happened to come across this fine book in the fall of 2016, and in many ways it's been a sobering glimpse into the age of Trump."
―Oscar Cásares, Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Texas, NEA Fellow, and author of Brownsville and Amigoland
2015 Summer Reads Young Adult Pick. http://bit.ly/1Ci0TKq
―Lone Star Literary Life
"WH2RR?? That’s the graffiti tag all over town bedeviling teenage film student Sara Christie in Austin author Mark Falkin’s young-adult thriller “Contract City” (Bancroft Press, $22.95). Set in 2021, in a Tulsa now run by private businesses like security firm FreeForce Tulsa, “City” sends Sara on a journey that includes the megachurch Chosen Hill, a growing homeless camp just outside the city limits, and even her own father, who has his own reasons for trying to find the graffiti artist. Falkin focuses as much on wordcraft as plot twists, which elevates this believably futuristic tale, as do the universal teen concerns of Sara and her friends. (Ages 14 and older)"
―Austin American-Statesman (Summer Reads Pick)
"Local landmarks serve to make “Contract City,” set in 2021, more chilling."
―Tulsa World (Feature in Scene/Books) bit.ly/1LUd5Dw
"If you’re a not-so-young adult who appreciates this genre, Falkin’s book is a must, if only to pick up something to read at the pool this summer.”
―Dallas Observer
“A breathless ride of a novel. Seventeen-year-old Sara is a protagonist readers are unlikely to forget. Making a documentary film with the hopes of impressing college admission officers, she winds up at the center of a revolution, where no one―not the boy she falls in love with or even her own father―is who he first appears to be. A novel rife with engaging characters and rich with powerful ideas and implicit warnings about an all-too-believable future, Contract City is the very best kind of page-turner.”
―Suzanne Greenberg, author, Lesson Plans, and winner of the Drue Heinz Literature Prize for Speed-Walk and Other Stories
“Contract City is a firecracker of a story. Powerful, ambitious and compulsive, Mark Falkin’s futuristic setting left me nostalgic for a world where I still live. Sara is one of those characters—real, raw, vulnerable—who I would follow anywhere, even down paths as dark as this one.”
―Mary Helen Specht, Dobie-Paisano Creative Writing Fellow, professor at St. Edward’s University in Austin, and author of the novel, Migratory Animals
“Mark Falkin creates a masterful tale in Contract City. Suspense rolls like an ominous thunder cloud creeping across the landscape, threatening total destruction while simultaneously illuminating previously unseen forms with flashes of lightning. Through the resolute eyes of a strong and remarkable young woman who must struggle to decide whom to trust and what to do, Falkin presents a fateful story that may be as prophetic as it is exciting.”
―Ron Cooper, Author, Hume’s Fork and Purple Jesus (a ''literary event of the first magnitude'' (Washington Post))
“This is an interesting take on the popular dystopian style. The omniscient narrator’s language is elegant, almost out of place in such a gritty world, but the vernacular of the characters’ dialogue is realistic. Teens will identify with the protagonists here, who are concerned with the same issues: sex, alcohol, smoking, school angst, and friendship. VERDICT An additional purchase for any high school library.”
―School Library Journal
“Falkin creates a near-future world that is at once terrifying and uncomfortably familiar, one where corporations have consumed entire cities and history is scrubbed away, even as it happens. His feisty, film-making protagonist, torn between her pre-fabricated suburban life and the troubled world outside her comfort zone, trains her camera on this censored world, revealing its fissures and provoking a confrontation between perception and reality. From the first page, Contract City is an enthralling, white-knuckle read that is enriched by its heroine: an ordinary girl with extraordinary guts.”
―CF Yetmen, Author, The Roses Underneath
“Contract City is an intelligent YA dystopian novel set in the country's first fully privatized city, Tulsa, Oklahoma. I use the term ‘dystopian’ lightly because the world Falkin created is so realistic that the story balances right on the edge between sci-fi and reality. Set in the very near future, Tulsa has become the first city to become completely privatized, with services such as police, hospitals, and schools run by private corporations. But more is going on than meets the eye. Sara, a teenage documentary film-maker, begins investigating some graffiti that shows up everywhere--the tag WH2RR??. What starts as an interesting documentary subject to help her break into the film scene becomes a deeper and darker mystery, and soon she is hunted by the private police squad as they try to obtain her footage. Contract City strikes the perfect balance between intelligent and action-packed. The world, the characters, and the story are smart and timely, but that doesn't stop Falkin from creating a fast-paced and exciting story. I loved that he wasn't afraid to create a dystopian world that's both subtle and realistic―a believable glimpse into a real, near future. But my favorite thing about the story was Sara. She's a wonderful, strong YA protagonist. The young artist is brave, clever, curious, and cares about the world around her. At one and the same time, she is strong and vulnerable, which makes her relatable and easy to root for. Although tackling big, real issues, she also has to navigate the challenges of youth, such as finding her place in the world and experiencing a first love. I was on her side from page one. Teens and adults alike will appreciate the intelligence and reality behind this story, and will be rooting for Sara along with me. I enjoyed drinking in every page.”
―Sharon Bayliss, author, Destruction and Watch Me Burn
“A gripping, compelling look at a privatized dystopia by an exciting new writer . . . .. Falkin’s approach to the young female protagonist in dystopia is refreshing because Sara is not a superhero in awkward girl clothing (sorry Katniss and Tris). One of the novel’s most successful elements is how normal Sara is within the given context. Her speech patterns realistically shift depending on her company; Sara’s struggle to find her voice as a filmmaker and a young woman arches throughout, a satisfying way to drive the plot. And she is blessedly not one of those girls too wise for her years. That being said, her intelligence is evident even as her emotions sometimes cloud her ability to discern truth from fact. She is not immune to normal teenage misbehavior and rebellions which perhaps might not make her the tween heroine poster girl in the manner that has become so popular. What it does do is give the novel depth and complexity that facilitates the success of the other components, including characters both major and minor. Sara’s ex-police officer father in particular elevates the tension whenever he appears on the page. The Tulsa setting, fitting considering the premise, comes alive under Sara’s narration. Given that Oklahoma is one of the most red, conservative states in modern society, the choice to use it as a background to the privatized future makes Contract City an engagingly realistic slice of speculative fiction. Falkin’s style is clever, blending the lines between genre and literary without ever sacrificing the fundamental punch of good storytelling. For the reader, it is an enjoyable balance that few books accomplish.”
―Amber Kelly (Generation Cake) teaches composition, literature, creative writing, and history at Howard College, where she is also the dean of General Studies
“Through great writing and engaging characters, Falkin not only tells a complex and compelling story, but keeps readers on their toes right through the stunningly dramatic end.”
―Tim Sanders, NYT Bestselling author, Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends
“Kudos to Mark Falkin for crafting teenage characters who feel refreshingly genuine. Determined to unshroud the mystery surrounding ‘WH2RR??’, Sara and friends are intelligent while still possessing a certain reckless abandon that is tantamount to youth. Add to that a quickly thickening plot and you have Contract City—a gritty, unputdownable thrill ride that stands out from the YA pack.”
―Kristen Zimmer, Author, The Gravity Between Us
“Contract City is a thought-provoking corporatocracy thriller that extrapolates current trends to privatize government functions. The insightful storyline depicts what happens to services when bottom line efficiency, based on a flexible performance work statement, supersedes bureaucratic efforts to accomplish the mission . . . Sara and the graffiti artist propel this action-packed tale that will have readers consider whether contracting out is the right thing for every governmental task.”
―Midwest Book Review
“It’s 2021. Because of the assassination of President Barack Obama seven years earlier, and the riots that followed―riots so severe that martial law was implemented―the nation has been altered. And though things have changed, some things remain the same. Like many teenagers, Sara Christie, a seventeen year-old self-admitted film geek, wants to be understood and to escape her current life. Her family life is falling apart, due to her estrangement from her mother and the fact that her parents are clearly headed for a divorce. Her high school social life isn’t doing much for her, even though she has a great friend in Nikki. Twin brother Adam is maniacally training for the big Army-sponsored gaming tournament. And her love life is, well, non-existent. But she’s passionate about film, and with her junior year coming to an end, she embarks on a summer during which she intends to make the documentary film needed for her college application to UCLA’s vaunted film program. She’s got the grades, the extracurriculars, and now, the perfect film subject: Over the last few months, someone has been anonymously creating impactful, transgressive yet beautiful street art―graffiti mostly―all over her home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a city that has become the first fully privatized city in the country . . . and a veritable police state. This new YA thriller by Mark Falkin is authentic, gritty, and riddled with important themes relevant to today’s real world. A politically charged YA debut brings up just what might be percolating under the surface of young America.”
―Book Trib
When there are things that are going on around you that you believe to be wrong the question is always present: What will you do? Will you go along with the flow while bad things happen, or will you have the courage to take a stand? In Mark Falkin's book CONTRACT CITY we find ourselves facing questions like this through characters like Sara, her dad and even Billy. The great thing about fiction is that if it can be thought of it is something that is in fear of happening, and what Falkin has laid out in his new book is enough to make you all ponder the "What if" question. I love the fact that justice is something that is pursued by the characters I mentioned in their own ways, regardless of their age or how others might see them and their ability to make a difference. When Sara believes something is amiss she does what she can to bring attention to it, and in the process it allows others to know they are not alone and what they can do.
There are also the dangers that they face and the way they choose to do so, again forcing us to ask what we would be willing to do or willing to lose in the search for what was right or what was the truth.
―Cyrus Webb, Radio Host, Conversations Live
(Top 10 Fiction Summer Reads of 2015)
This book is well written and engages the reader from beginning to end. CONTRACT CITY is definitely a book that readers of all ages will appreciate, and that is why I think you won't be disappointed by giving it a try. "The author does a great job of reinventing the idea of a ‘coming of age' story. The protagonist begins her journey making films, and she ends up becoming a filmmaker. She grows as a person, becoming more aware of the turmoil around her. As she continues to come closer to the reality of Contract City, she starts filming and responding to that reality. In the end, she knows how powerful film can be."
―Cassandra Szmajda, Former Longtime Employee of Bookseller Borders
"Last night, I attended a reading for [Mark's] novel "Contract City" at Austin's venerable Book People and realized I was in the midst of a singular talent. "Contract City" is the right mix of the literary and the readable, telling the compelling story of a young woman in a near-future dystopian Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's more JD Salinger than Proust. You will re-read some passages just because they are so evocative. Be an "early adopter" of "Contract City" so you can say you knew Mark Falkin's work before the masses tuned in, which they are sure to do. It will be like being able to brag that you saw Stevie Ray Vaughn at Steamboat for a $2 cover or Willie at the Armadillo and sat on the front row. If you're in Dallas or Houston, tuck in your shirt, put down your screen and attend an upcoming reading by Mark. He is funny and engaging. You will have fulfilled your culture quota for the month and have been enlightened. Even if you don't have the time to attend a reading, buy the book and read it. You will be a better person for the experience."
―Walter Williams, Attorney, Founder & Partner, Modesett Williams PLLC
"Contract City is a suspenseful, compelling look at our possible future."
―Martín Perna, Founder, Afrobeat band Antibalas
“A very strong dystopian take on America in the not too distant future, a fascinating retelling of the darkest days in Tulsa history, and a complex, well-done novel that will definitely appeal to younger readers.”
―Olga Wise, Chair, Austin Public Library Commission
"Impressively well written and a compellingly entertaining read from beginning to end, Contract City is an inherently fascinating dystopian novel that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to school and community library YA fiction collections.”
―Children’s Bookwatch
Aspiring documentary filmmaker Sara often finds herself in volatile situations; her romance with an insightful but dangerous activist nearly gets her killed. This near-future-set dystopian cautionary tale raises concerns about racism, the privatization of government services, and a radical Christian theology of prosperity . . . moral complexities of the tale, complex language, and esoteric references . . .
―The Horn Book
The year is 2021 and America is rebuilding from a decade of unrest and riots following the assassination of the president and the imposition of martial law. Tulsa has become a privatized city, run by the FFT (Free Force Tulsa) security personnel. Affluent citizens live in typical suburban homes while homeless families live in Tent City on the outskirts of town.
Sara Paige Christie is a teenage filmmaker with a lot more than just college admissions on her mind—she suspects her mother of adultery, while her father, an FFT investigator, is too busy to spend much time with his family. But when Sara begins work on her latest film about an underground graffiti artist, all of that pales in comparison to the trouble that is coming.
An unknown artist is leaving graffiti messages all over Tulsa, with the same cryptic letters--WH2RR?? Sara doesn’t know what it means, but becomes suspicious when the FFT goes out of its way to censor any mention of it, scrubbing it from the walls, and erasing online references. She begins to investigate for a film, and soon discovers more questions than answers. Cars start following her. Someone texts her a warning to hand over her camera. And then she meets a mysterious young man named Billy, and Sara begins to realize that the FFT’s secrecy, the graffiti messages, and the simmering tensions between social classes may be connected. More importantly, they might be about to erupt into chaos that no one can control. As Sara tries to identify the graffiti artist, figure out what the message WH2RR?? means, and uncover the secrets the FFT is hiding, she also puts her own life in serious danger.
Contract City is an engaging mystery, but also works as an action-filled adventure, a futuristic story, and a cautionary tale about censorship, inequality, and justice. Author Mark Falkin, a former resident of Tulsa, creates a disturbing, yet plausible scenario of a young woman who is caught up in events beyond her control. The reader will likely be drawn into Sara’s plight as she worries over her parents’ marriage, sneaks into Tent City to film the poverty the FFT would rather ignore, and falls in love with an enigmatic character. The story is fast paced, the conflicts between social classes and different races are realistic, and the characters are well thought out—each with his or her own secrets and personal issues to contend with. Though the subject matter can be gritty at times, the book is entertaining, thought-provoking, and most of all—a timely reminder that the society we live in may not be so far away from becoming the society described in Contract City.
―Mystery Scene Magazine
"Critics are giving thumbs up to Advertising alumnus Mark Falkin’s commercial debut novel, Contract City."
https://www.smu.edu/Meadows/NewsAndEvents/News/2015/151015-AdAlumBookReviews
―SMU, Meadows School of the Arts
"I loved this book. Just incredible. Read it cover-to-cover & couldn't put it down. The story is crazy-good. Rich, fresh, & spellbinding. The world he creates in Contract City is so real, you can touch it. Truly fabulous writing. I cohost a radio program in Austin, Texas called Writing on the Air. Mark was a guest & he was fantastic. I encourage you to listen to the audio on the WOTA site or iTunes podcast to learn more about the book -- Mark describes what it's all about better than I ever could. I look forward to more from this amazing author."
―Martha Louise Hunter, author, Painting Juliana and host of Writing on the Air, KOOP 91.7 FM Austin
"This smart novel paints a picture of a future society that is not too hard to imagine: privatized communities, the blending of church and government, a society of haves and have-nots. The story moves quickly, drawing in the reader as she enters the life of Sara, a young woman teetering on the brink of independence whose life has been turned upside-down by young love, ambition, discovery, and disappointment. What sets this novel apart from the mass of dystopic YA is the writing. Mark Falkin's story is visually and emotionally rich, succinctly capturing every detail, from the dreary Midwest weather to the glossy-eyed drug-enhanced revolution. You will enjoy this novel from start to finish. WH2RR??"
―Rachel Nguyen, Development Coordinator, Austin Public Library Friends Foundation
"A YA novel as intelligent and intriguing as any I've seen"
―Kay Ellington, Publisher, Lone Star Literary Life
TV Interview: ktul.com/archive/contract-city
CONTRACT CITY
978-1-61088-144-9 Cloth
978-1-61088-146-3 Kindle
978-1-61088-147-0 eBook
978-1-61088-145-6 Paperback
Printed in the United States
Trim Size 6x9x1”
USD $22.95
March 2015
BISAC: JUV059000
9781610881449