CALINE - is the first book of a Y.A. dystopia adventure novel series following a 15-year-old girl, Caline, her adopted sisters Ginger, a cougar, and Gray, a coyote on their journey of survival, sisterhood, & hope in their solar powered Aptera sEV. Caline's story is set in New Mexico's near future. A deadly new virus called the "big sickness" killed all the older male and most of the older women population. Increasing heat waves crashed the power grid and electricity. CALINE? - Excerpt from THREE SISTERS, TWO FEET, 8 PAWS - children;s book prequel to CALINE Y.A. novel series "Caroline? Your mom is bringing home a surprise. She'll be here soon" Caroline knew the surprise would be an animal. Her mom sometimes brought home one from the clinic where she took care of them as a veterinarian. Her mom kept bringing surprises home when electricity went out from more and more hot days. Caroline wondered whether her mom's surprise would be a puppy, kitten, old dog, or cat. "Caroline. Your mom's home!" Caroline ran to the door excited to see what surprise her mom brought home today. "Caroline. Wait here inside. I'm going out to help your mom with her surprise for you." Daddy, helping Mom? Wow! Two surprises, Caroline thought. Caroline peaked through a narrow window curtain next to the door. Her mom was holding a big puppy. Her dad a big kitten. No, that wasn't a puppy and that wasn't a kitten. Caroline watched her parents carry the surprises to the door as she waited inside. "Open the door please," Caroline's mom loudly asked, now just outside. Caroline quickly grabbed the handle and opened the door. Caroline saw her dad holding a little sleepy cougar cub and her mom holding a sleepy coyote pup. WOW!" Caroline thought, but didn't shout, careful not to wake her two surprises. Caroline stepped out the way of her parents' way bringing the cub and pup into their new home. They walked to a corner, gently putting Caroline's sleepy surprises on the living room's carpeted floor. Caroline began to feel sleepy herself seeing the cub and pup were getting comfortable, wiggling, and cuddling against each other. Caroline told her mom. "Mommy. I'm tired. I want to take a nap too." The little girl turned, went straight to, laid down in the corner with the cub and pup. Caroline's mom looked Caroline, the cub, pup, then at Caroline's dad. "I can't bring Caroline's surprises back to the clinic when the electricity is back on there. I think Caroline just adopted them as her sisters." Caroline's dad nodded an agreeing yes. Caroline's mom smiled at her little girl, the cougar cub, and coyote pup cuddled and sleeping together like sisters. "I guess we should name Caroline's sisters. Caroline's mom said. She pointed to the cub; Caroline had her arms wrapped around. "I think she looks like a Ginger." She pointed to the Coyote pup. "And she's gray. We'll call her Gray." Then she looked at her little girls snuggled tight between a canine pup and a feline cub. "Hmmm. I think our Caroline needs a new nickname" Caroline's mom smiles with a hint of laughter in her eyes. "Caline! Caroline's dad questioned his wife. "How, why Caline?" "Look at them dear. They're going to be inseparable. Three sisters, two feet, 8 paws." Caroline's mom said. Her husband shook his head not understanding. Caroline's mom quietly laughed. "It's going to be impossible to pull Caroline away now that she has sisters. Caline will be one of three sisters. Two feet of a little girl with 8 paws of a canine, coyote pup and a feline cougar cub. Caroline's dad still looked confused. Mom smiled. "Honey. it's so simple. Canine, feline, Caline." And that's how and why Caroline got her name Caline.