Interview and Giveaway with Science Fiction Author Steve Rzasa

It's my pleasure to welcome back science fiction author Steve Rzasa.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Rzasa was born and raised in South Jersey, and fell in love with books – especially science fiction novels and historical volumes – at an early age. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University’s College of Communications in 2000, and then spent seven years as a reporter and assistant editor at weekly newspapers in Maine. Steve moved to Wyoming in 2007 to become the editor of a weekly newspaper there, and now works at the local library. He and his wife Carrie have two boys and live in Buffalo, Wyoming. His favorite authors include C.J. Cherryh, David Drake, Robert Heinlein, Kathy Tyers, Chris Walley and David Weber.

More information about Steve’s books is available at http://www.steverzasa.com/ and http://www.marcherlordpress.com/


HANGING OUT WITH STEVE

JA: The Word Unleashed is a sequel to The Word Reclaimed. What are the challenges and blessings involved in writing a sequel as opposed to something totally new?
SR: Well, part of the blessing of writing The Word Unleashed is that it and The Word Reclaimed were originally one book. So the beginning, middle and ending were already there. The challenge came in splitting Commissioned (as the manuscript was originally titled) into two – it necessitated the writing of whole new chapters, scenes, as well as the removal of old and creation of new characters. It was an overall rewarding process to conclude the two-part story.

JA: How do you come up with your story ideas?
SR: Well, I just kind of daydream, I guess. A lot of times I happen to think of a scene or a combination of characters – or a starship – and then it all kind of flows from there. Once I put pen to paper and write down that idea, more ideas seem to come naturally. But many times I troll through the current events and see what can be adapted as a future plot.

JA: How does your faith impact your writing?
SR: My faith drives me to present what I believe about God rather directly. It enhances my creativity and gives me the freedom to address topics not necessarily just for a secular or Christian audience.

JA: After becoming a published author, what surprised you the most?
SR: The biggest surprise was that people other than my family and friends read my book and liked it! I’ve been gratified that men and women of varying ages – from 70s right on down to middle school – have enjoyed reading The Word Reclaimed and The Word Unleashed.

JA: What do you think about writing contests? Have you participated in any? What’s the benefit to an unpublished writer?
SR: I won second prize in the 2009 Christian Writing Contest held by Athanatos Christian Ministries for my short story, Rescued. It serves, I think, as a way to show potential publishers that an unbiased source read and liked your work, so I would encourage submitting to such contests.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
SR: I’m working on a novel set in the same Face of the Deep universe as the first two, except taking place a couple of years later. It is a kind of follow-up to my short story Rescued, which you can read at http://christianwritingcontest.com/entry/2009-joe-keysor-gk-chesterton-19-up-steve-rzasa/154.html. I’ve also got some short stories from the Face of the Deep universe in the works.

JA: What’s your idea of a dream vacation?
SR: Let’s see – eating donuts from Dot’s Pastries at 7:30 a.m., spending the first half of the day on the beach, lounging around, reading, writing, drawing, playing with my boys, visiting my family – wait a sec, that’s what I do every summer in Ocean City, NJ!

JA:  Sounds like you're living the high life, Steve! Thanks so much for visiting with us today.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Word Unleashed

Book 2: The Face of the Deep

Baden’s book won’t leave him alone.

He’d like nothing more than to get rid of the Bible he found in the wreckage if a derelict starship. It’s brought trouble – the secret police are closing in on him. He’s fighting more with his father. And he fears that the young woman he loves may be falling under the book’s spell.

But he can’t seem to let it go.

Now he’s sharing what he’s read with believers who have awaited the return of God’s Word for decades. His mysterious rescuer, Jason, wants the Bible taken to a safe place.

So now it’s his choice. He can hide it, or proclaim it.

With Kesek in control of the Realm and coming after all its opponents, Baden will have to trust not only in his friends but in a contingent of elite soldiers determined to save the king.

He’ll have to come to grips with the power he has unleashed on the Realm of Five. And that power has plans of its own.

WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of The Word Unleashed , just leave a comment on this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on June 7th. (No, you're not imagining things... I extended the contest to give more people time to enter. Tell your friends!) Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

Have you heard? It's time to vote in Phase 3 of the Marcher Lord Select contest!

Since I've been inundating you with posts, I'm going to keep this one as short and sweet at possible.

The polls are now open for Phase 3 of the Marcher Lord Select contest. This link will take you straight to the polls. If you haven't participated before, that's okay. You'll just be asked to register first.

During this round, you need to vote for three exactly. No more and no less. (If you vote for any other number, your vote won't count.)  This time, Jeff is leaving the polls open longer so no readers get left behind. You have from now until midnight Eastern time on Tuesday, December 15th to cast your vote.

Only three entries will advance to the last round of this contest, and one of those will be published by Marcher Lord Press. The rankings have been extremely close, so even if you haven't participated up to this point, I encourage you to check out the entries and cast your votes. Naturally, I hope you'll enjoy my entry enough to make it one of your three :+}

If you haven't read the first 30 pages of my novel, Vinnie's Diner, or the other seven entries and would like to, this blog post tells you everything you need to know.

Thanks again, friends. We've come this far together. I hope I'll have great news for you all on the 16th!


Photo credit: www.istockphoto.com

Marcher Lord Select - And Then There Were 8

Yes, the polls are closed, the votes have been tallied, and I can let you know that...

drum roll, please...

I made it into Phase 3!

This was an extremely competitive round with very few votes separating the ranks. All the contestants deserve a big round of applause, regardless of the outcome.

Now it's time to move on to Phase 3. This time, you are able to read the first 30 pages of the remaining eight entries. Here's how you find them:

• Go to The Anomaly Forums (a free registration is required if you haven't been there before).
• Go to the Marcher Lord Select sub-topic.
• At the top you'll see six sub-boards. Click on Phase 3--Main Contest (3rd from the top)
• Chose the top thread, Download the First 30 Pages of the 8 Semifinalists
• The first post is from Jeff Gerke. About halfway down he says, "Download the file here."
• Click on the link and it will take you to the Marcher Lord Press site. Go to the bottom of the page and click on this link: Download the Phase 3 document.
• That will open a Word file. The entries are listed in random order, but Vinnie's Diner happened to land at the top, so you won't have any trouble finding it. 

The official date for the next round of voting hasn't been announced yet, but will probably be around two weeks from now. At that point, you can only vote for three entries: no more and no less. The field will then be cut down to the top three who will move on to the 4th and final phase. At that point, the first 60 pages of each book will be posted.

Jeff has started discussion threads on the forums for all eight of the Phase 3 semifinalists (in the Phase 3--Main Contest sub-board). If you have thoughts you'd like to share on Vinnie's Diner or any of the entries, please jump in and join the conversation. It's encouraging for all the authors when people discuss their stories, even if it's something you didn't like. It helps us fine-tune our work.

Thanks again, friends, for all your support. I wouldn't be here without you. Be blessed!

If all this is new to you, visit this previous blog post. It gives you all the contest details, plus a nifty book trailer of Vinnie's Diner.

Drum photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paperpariah/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Voting is Open in Phase 2 of the Marcher Lord Select Contest

I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving day. And if you don't live in the USA and didn't celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, I hope you had a great day otherwise.

I have a lot of things to be thankful for: a great family, wonderful friends, and... wait for it... the opportunity to compete in a great contest!

Yes, friends, it's time to cast your vote in Phase 2 of the Marcher Lord Select competition. Here's how it works this time:

• Go to The Anomaly Forums (a free registration is required if you haven't been there before).
• Go to the Marcher Lord Select sub-topic.
• At the top you'll see four sub-boards. Click on Phase 2--Main Contest (3rd from the top)
• Chose the top thread, Phase 2 Poll--The Main Contest
• You'll notice that the entries are NOT alphabetical. Vinnie's Diner is about half-way down the list.
• Click in the boxes to cast your votes. You must vote for at least 3, but no more than 6. 

Voting is open now. The poll closes at midnight Eastern time, Monday, November 30th. On Tuesday, December 1st, Jeff Gerke will reveal the top vote getters. At that point, 8 lucky contestans will move on to Phase 3.

In case you think one vote doesn't count... In Phase 1, only one vote separated the contestant who came in 18th (and advanced to Phase 2) and the one who came in 19th (and sadly was eliminated). See how important you are?

Thanks for experiencing this contest with me. It's kind of like going to Disneyland... fun either way, but much more so when you have friends to share it with!


If you haven't read the top 18 entries yet, go to this blog post.

If all this is new to you, visit this blog post. It gives you all the contest details, plus a nifty book trailer of Vinnie's Diner.

MLS Update: I made it through to Phase 2!

I'm so excited to be able to tell you that my book made it through to the second round of the Marcher Lord Select contest. Woo hoo!

Thanks so, so much to everyone who went over to the site, checked out the entries, and voted for me. You rock! But our work isn't finished... now it's on to Phase 2.

Now it's your chance to read the first 500 words (a little over two pages) of each of the 18 remaining entries. Here's how you find them:

• Go to The Anomaly Forums (a free registration is required if you haven't been there before).
• Go to the Marcher Lord Select sub-topic.
• At the top you'll see four sub-boards. Click on Phase 2--Main Contest (3rd from the top)
• Chose the top thread, The Phase 2 Entries
• The first post is from Jeff Gerke. He explains how Phase 2 will work. Over halfway through, you'll see a paragraph that starts like this: "To that end, I have assembled the Phase 2 entries in a Word document and made it available via download only at the following link:"
• Sorry, I can't give you the link (Jeff explains why.) But if you click on it, you'll go to a site that will allow you to download a Word document with all the entries in it.
• This time, entries are alphabetical by TITLE. So Vinnie's Diner is second-to-last. 

It sounds like a lot of steps, but it's really pretty straightforward. The next round of voting is November 28-30. During this phase, you must vote for at least three, but no more than six entries. The field will then be cut down to 10 who will move on to Phase 3. At that point, the first 30 pages of each book will be posted. So if you want to read more, you need to vote.

I hope you'll take a look at all the great entries and consider honoring me with your vote when the time comes around. Be blessed!

If all this is new to you, visit this previous blog post. It gives you all the contest details, plus a nifty book trailer of Vinnie's Diner.

CFBA Presents ETERNITY FALLS by Kirk Outerbridge

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Eternity Falls
(Marcher Lord Press - October 1, 2009)
by
Kirk Outerbridge


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kirk Outerbridge developed a passion for storytelling at an early age. Through years of reading Fantasy and Science Fiction novels, comics, table top gaming and watching endless hours Japanese anime, he developed a keen sense for what made stories enjoyable and more importantly—what didn’t.

While pursuing an engineering degree in college, Kirk endeavored to tell his own stories, choosing writing as the easiest and cheapest medium to master—or so he thought. Several years and several hundred thousand words later, he produced a Sci-fi trilogy that shall never (God willing) see the light of day, but that did teach him much needed lessons about the craft of writing fiction.

After college Kirk returned to his homeland of Bermuda where he reunited with his childhood friend and future wife, Ria. But before marrying his lovely wife, Kirk entered an even greater marriage and devoted his life to Christ in 2002.

With a new found direction in life, writing fell by the wayside but the urge to tell futuristic stories never left. After much prayer and contemplation, Kirk purposed his writing for God’s Will, seeking to draw to Christ those who shared his passions for all things futuristic and Sci-fi.

Kirk currently lives with his wife Ria and 18 month old son Miles in beautiful Bermuda. He is a faithful member of the Church of Christ and is a professional engineer employed by the government.


ABOUT THE BOOK

In the future, death is only a problem if you can’t afford the price. Such is the promise of Gentec Corporation’s “Miracle Treatment”, a genetic anti-aging elixir that grants eternal life—or does it?

When a Gentec client suddenly dies of natural causes, the powers that be will stop at nothing to ensure their version of eternity remains unchallenged; even if it means concocting a religious sabotage conspiracy to cover a lie.

With the media about to blow the story wide open, the credibility of Gentec and the lives of millions of clients rest on one man’s ability to uncover the truth.
Enter detective Rick Macey, religious counterterrorist expert and Gentec executive Sheila Dunn’s last hope for salvation.

Now with the clock ticking and the corporate brass seeking their own solution at any cost, Macey must track down a religious zealot out to destroy the Miracle Treatment for good.

But when Macey finds himself not only falling for his client, but confronted with the possibility that the culprit could hold a connection to his shaded past, the truth suddenly becomes a dangerous thing.

Only through a test of faith can he stop the crisis before it’s all too late and eternity falls.

If you would like to read an excerpt from Chapter 1 of Eternity Falls, go HERE


JEN'S THOUGHTS

Eternity Falls is another outstanding first novel from Marcher Lord Press. The author, Kirk Outerbridge describes it as Christian cyberpunk. When I asked him to define the term, he had this to say:

It’s probably easier to describe the cyberpunk first. Cyberpunk is a subgenre where the embracing of technology (usually through the direct interfacing of man and machine) has in someway caused great social imbalance and the fringes of that society rebel against the masses to try and restore order. Although my work has the technology portion, my society has moved beyond the angst and found balance. Some call this cyberpunk 2.0.

The religious aspect is something I always found missing in cyberpunk and Sci-fi in general. The belief in “something”, rather Christian or not, is a big part of who we are as human beings. To portray realistic characters and problems I just had to include it, and as a Christian it provided the perfect avenue to tell people about God.

Eternity Falls is the story of Rick Macey, a private investigator who takes on the job of finding out why Greta Darling, an 89-year-old spokesperson for the Miracle Treatment - which guarentees eternal life and made the celebrity look a mere 22 - has died of natural causes. Of coure, the case is much more complex than it seems. Everyone has secrets, including Macey.

Outerbridge sets his story in 2081 Southern California. As a native of So Cal, it was fun for me to read his futuristic vision of places I'm very familiar with, like Los Angeles and Pomona. From the first page, Eternity Falls is almost non-stop action. But there are some nice quiet moments, too. And questions to ponder, such as: If you knew you could physically live forever, would it diminish your desire for salvation?

This is a book well worth your time. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

The Marcher Lord Select Competition Is On!

This is it… the Marcher Lord Select competition has begun!

If you’re not familiar with the contest, you can read all about it (and my entry) on this previous blog post. I really want to encourage all my lovely friends and readers to hop on over and check it out. There’s some amazing Christian speculative fiction in the running. I truly hope you enjoy my offering and find it worthy of a vote, but if nothing else, you’ll have all kinds of fun reading these stories before some publisher scoops them up!

Here’s how you do it: Go to The Anomaly Forums (a free registration is required). Go to the Marcher Lord Select sub-topic. The entries are located in the sub-board titled Phase 1--Main Contest and are organized in groups of ten. In case you’re wondering, my entry, Vinnie’s Diner, is the first one in the second group (Entries 11-20). Don't worry, it will make perfect sense when you get there.

This is the time to read through and savor all the first round entries. For each you will find the title of the book, the genre, the word count, a one sentence premise, a 100 word or less blurb, and a short synopsis.

Voting takes place from November 13 – 15. You must vote for at least three contestants, but no more than 20. This round will cut the field down to 15, who will then move on to the next phase.

If you ever wanted to be instrumental in the life of an author, this is your chance. Make your voice heard and come be a part of the publishing process!

Marcher Lord Select - What it's all about and how I'm involved

Would you like to check out some cool speculative fiction and at the same time have a voice in choosing who gets their book published? If it sounds good to you, then please be part of Marcher Lord Select. It's kind of like American Idol meets book acquisitions.

What's really exciting for me is that I'm one of a select group of authors who've been invited into the competition. My completed novel, Vinnie's Diner, will be among the manuscripts you get to vote for. Cool, huh? Vinnie's Diner is best described as a supernatural journey of self-discovery. While quite a departure from my previous books, it's probably my favorite to date. In fact, I'm so excited about it that I made a Vinnie's Diner book trailer several months back. You can check it out on YouTube if you really want to get a feel for the story. Or, you can watch it here:



I've pasted the complete press release from Marcher Lord Press below so you can find out exactly what the contest is about. An important piece of information is that all the manuscript viewing and voting takes place on The Anomaly forums under the sub-heading Marcher Lord Select. You need to register there in order to vote, but it's totally free and secure.

Of course, the main idea behind this contest is to pick the best, and that's what I encourage you to do. Vote for THE BEST story, which may or may not be mine. But you won't know that until you check them all out.

I'll keep you posted as the contest progresses. Thanks for your support!

October 17, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Marcher Lord Press Announces Marcher Lord Select

(Colorado Springs, CO)--Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction, today announces the debut of a revolution in fiction acquisitions.

"Marcher Lord Select is American Idol meets book acquisitions," says publisher Jeff Gerke. "We're presenting upwards of 40 completed manuscripts and letting 'the people' decide which one should be published."

The contest will proceed in phases, Gerke explains, in each subsequent round of which the voters will receive larger glimpses of the competing manuscripts.

The first phase will consist of no more than the book's title, genre, length, a 20-word premise, and a 100-word back cover copy teaser blurb. Voters will cut the entries from 40 to 20 based on these items alone.

"We want to show authors that getting published involves more than simply writing a great novel," Gerke says. "There are marketing skills to be developed--and you've got to hook the reader with a good premise."

Following rounds will provide voters with a 1-page synopsis, the first 500 words of the book, the first 30 pages of the book, and, in the final round, the first 60 pages of the book.

The manuscript receiving the most votes in the final round will be published by Marcher Lord Press in its Spring 2010 release list.

No portion of any contestant's mss. will be posted online, as MLP works to preserve the non-publication status of all contestants and entries.

Participating entrants have been contacted personally by Marcher Lord Press and are included in Marcher Lord Select by invitation only.

"We're also running a secondary contest," Gerke says. "The 'premise contest' is for those authors who have completed a Christian speculative fiction manuscript that fits within MLP guidelines and who have submitted their proposals to me through the Marcher Lord Press acquisitions portal before October 29, 2009."

The premise contest will allow voters to select the books that sound the best based on a 20-word premise, a 100-word back cover copy teaser blurb, and (possibly) the first 500 words of the book.

The premise contest entrants receiving the top three vote totals will receive priority acquisitions reading by MLP publisher Jeff Gerke.

"It's a way for virtually everyone to play, even those folks who didn't receive an invitation to compete in the primary Marcher Lord Select contest."

Marcher Lord Select officially begins on November 1, 2009, and runs until completion in January or February 2010. All voting and discussions and Marcher Lord Select activities will take place at The Anomaly forums in the Marcher Lord Select subforum. Free registration is required.

"In order for this to work as we're envisioning," Gerke says, "we need lots and lots of voters. So even if you're not a fan of Christian science fiction or fantasy, I'm sure you love letting your voice be heard about what constitutes good Christian fiction. So come on out and join the fun!"

Marcher Lord Press is a Colorado Springs-based independent publisher producing Christian speculative fiction exclusively. MLP was launched in fall of 2008 and is privately owned. Contact: Jeff Gerke; http://www.marcherlordpress.com/.

Interview and Book Giveaway with Author Steve Rzasa

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Rzasa was born and raised in South Jersey, and fell in love with books—especially science fiction novels and historical volumes—at an early age. He worked for eight years as a newspaper reporter and editor before moving to Buffalo, Wyoming, with his wife, Carrie, and their two boys. He now works a county library. Steve’s short story, “Rescued,” which is set in the universe of The World Reclaimed, won the 2009 G.K. Chesterton Award in the Athanatos Christian Ministries Writing Contest.

THE INTERVIEW

JA: Congratulations on your debut novel, The Word Reclaimed. Tell us a bit about it.
SR: Baden Haczyk lives in contention with his father aboard the family cargo starship Natalia Zoja. His routine existence is turned on its head when he finds a book in the wreckage of another ship. Suddenly the omnipresent religious police are on his tail, and will stop at nothing to seize the book. Baden finds himself confronting a powerful faith, and runs in to allies who are fighting to stop the overthrow of the royal Realm of Five.

It is set in a future where all printed materials are banned – only electronic media are allowed, and the royal family owns the companies that make all computers, handheld devices, etc.


JA: Give us a glimpse of your road to publication. Was it a long and winding road, or are you an overnight success?
SR: It took me about six years to finish writing The Word Reclaimed, which is part of a much longer novel called Commissioned. As a weekly newspaper reporter and editor, I didn’t spend much time writing outside work – it took a lot out.

JA: What do you hope people take away when they finish reading your book?
SR: First of all, I want them to have fun. This is a space adventure, full of intrigue and battle both in space and on new worlds. Second, I want them to see the power of God’s Word and the effect it has on people.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
SR: Well, since The Word Reclaimed is the first half of what was originally one long novel, the sequel – so far untitled – will come out hopefully sometime next year. Jeff Gerke of Marcher Lord Press wants to do the sequel but we haven’t set a firm date yet. I also have at least two more novels in my head (and partially on paper) for this universe.


JA: What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
SR: Though my taste in entertainment runs more toward spaceships, explosions and gunfights, one of my favorite movies is a D.B. Sweeney 1990s flick called “The Cutting Edge.” It’s a great movie.

JA: As a fellow Firefly fan, I have to ask: What did you think about the movie, Serenity?
SR: It was action-packed, but not as funny as the series. There is nothing that beats the episode “Jaynestown” – hysterical! I was disheartened to see them kill off Wash and Book in the movie – mostly because now we’ll never know Book’s secrets! – and I missed the interplay between Mal and Inara.

JA: We think alike, Steve. And I so agree about Wash and Book! Okay, now back to you...

JA: What’s the one far out sci-fi technology you’d most like to see become a household item?
SR: That’s easy – holographic systems! Think “Star Wars” only cooler and less grainy-looking.

JA: The current theme on my blog is The Year of Dreams. If you could realize one life-long dream right now (other than being a published author), what would it be?
SR: I think that dream would be to visit Poland, which is where my bloodline on my father’s fraternal side originates. We here in the U.S. of European descent have a very brief history – 400 years at max. I’d love to visit a land where the people’s language and traditions have roots thousands of years old.

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
SR: I’ll keep everybody up to date at http://www.steverzasa.com/.


ABOUT THE BOOK – The Word Reclaimed

Baden picked up the wrong book.

In the far future, the civilized worlds have finally been freed of the curse of religion. Tolerance now rules the five colonies.

Thanks to the secret police, no one has been bothered by so much as a hymn in two generations—much less a Torah, Koran, or that most dangerous of books, a Bible.

Baden is a young man with an attitude. He spends his spare time salvaging wrecks in deep space, claiming for himself whatever the pirates leave behind.

One day, Baden finds a book. A strange and very old book, preserved carefully against the ravages of deep space. Thinking he’ll become rich if only for the value of the paper, he takes it. He counts himself lucky beyond all imagining.

Until it begins talking to him.

Amidst an interstellar war that threatens to overthrow the monarchy and drive great families to oblivion, Baden must evade the secret police and their attempts to get that book.

Baden never had much use for religion. But, it seems, one has use of him.


WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of The Word Reclaimed, just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on October 23rd. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

Interview and Book Giveaway with Author Kerry Nietz

It's my great pleasure to present debut novelist Kerry Nietz.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kerry Nietz is a refugee of the software industry. He spent more than a decade of his life flipping bits—first as one of the principal developers of the database product FoxPro for the now mythical Fox Software, and then as one of Bill Gates’s minions at Microsoft. He is a husband, a father, a technophile and a movie buff. He has one previously published book, a memoir entitled FoxTales: Behind the Scenes at Fox Software. A Star Curiously Singing is his first novel.


Q&A WITH KERRY

JA: Congratulations on your debut novel, A Star Curiously Singing. What’s the book about?
KN: A Star Curiously Singing is a speculative Christian novel with a decidedly cyberpunk feel. It takes place in a future hundreds of years from now, where much of the world is living under something akin to sharia law.

It is dualistic society, where average people live on the streets in near-squalor and the powerful ride above them in cable car-like conveyances. This latter group is shrouded in high tech, to the point of needing specialized human “debuggers” to handle their machines.

That’s where my protagonist comes in. Sandfly is a debugger who’s summoned to solve the mystery of why a bot malfunctioned. The unusual circumstance? The bot has been to space. Deep space. Something about the trip made it malfunction. So it is a sci-fi mystery novel, of sorts.


JA: What was the “from submission to contract” process like for you?
KN: Unusual, I guess.

My publisher—Jeff Gerke—is also a former acquisitions editor who now does freelance work. When the first draft of my novel was complete, I knew there were things about it that were outside the norm for novels. Plus I’d reached the point in my writing career where I really needed some constructive input about my style.

So, I hired Jeff to look over my manuscript and see what he thought. His initial response was very positive. There were some flaws, of course. But Jeff really got my story and style, and even hinted that if the flaws were addressed, he’d be interested in publishing it himself.

I spent the better part of a year addressing those things. The back and forth continued, with me sending him chunks that I’d changed, and him commenting or suggesting improvements—until finally one of the things he sent me was a contract. Now here we are.


JA: I hear you break all kinds of fiction rules with this novel. How so?
KN: Yes, I’m the author Jeff now has to apologize for when he speaks at writer’s conferences.

The biggest rule I break is the tense. My novel is written in first person present as opposed to first person past. There are a couple reasons for that.

First, my protagonist Sandfly is this technologically enhanced individual who lives very much in the present, so the tense choice seemed to fit his personality and story.

Second, prior to this novel I wrote a memoir of a portion of my life in the high-tech industry. In that book, I wrote the prologue in first person present to give the reader a feel for what it was like to be me at that time. I received lots of compliments on the book as a whole, but the section I often got specific comments about was that very first chapter. Something about it really resonated. It made me wonder whether I could write a whole book that way.

Turns out I can.

JA: What do you hope people take away when they finish reading A Star Curiously Singing?
KN: I hope they think: “Wow, that was really cool! I’ve never read anything like it.” Then I hope they appreciate the story and the broad-stroke messages I try to convey. Also, aside from all the rule-breaking, I think I show things in this novel that have never been shown before, even in science fiction.


JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
KN: If this book finds favor with the buying public, then a sequel is a very real possibility. I have about 50,000 words written in that direction, in fact.


JA: What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
KN: Given the fact that my first two published books are tech-filled stories, they might be surprised to learn that I don’t own a cell phone. It is the one glaring hole in my otherwise tech-filled façade. I don’t feel the need to have one. Plus, sometimes I like being unreachable.


JA: What’s the one far out sci-fi technology you’d most like to see become a household item?
KN: My book has a chapter where Sandfly rides an elevator to space. That’s not a household item, I know, but it is something that isn’t far outside the realm of possibility. An elevator to space—what could be cooler than that?


JA: The current theme of my blog is The Year of Dreams. If you could realize one life-long dream right now, what would it be?
KN: This is it. Having a novel published.


JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
KN: Either http://www.nietz.com/ or http://www.kerrynietz.com/ will find my website. Please check it out. I think it is very cool. Thanks!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sandfly is a debugger. He is property. Bought and paid for by his master, a relatively benign lord in a future Earth living under sharia law.

All other faiths but one have been banned. And the word of the great Imam is supreme.

Sandfly just wants to debug his master's robots and avoid the mental pain shocks sent from the remote triggers owned by all the masters. But now he's been called into Earth orbit. Apparently the masters have a new spacecraft—one capable of interstellar flight. And on its maiden voyage, the only robot on board went mad and tore itself limb from limb.

Why? Better question: does it pose any risk to humans?

When Sandfly reviews the bot's files and replays its last moments, he hears something strange playing in the bot's ears as they orbit Betelgeuse.

He hears singing.

Is it just solar winds interfering with the robot's wiring? Or is it something else?

As Sandfly pieces together the clues, the masters spread the trap before his feet. Everyone is racing to the same conclusion, but only one side welcomes what that singing represents.


WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of A Star Curiously Singing, just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on October 15th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

Interview and Giveaway with Marcher Lord Press Author Kirk Outerbridge

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kirk Outerbridge developed a passion for storytelling at an early age. Through years of reading Fantasy and Science Fiction novels, comics, table top gaming and watching endless hours Japanese anime, he developed a keen sense for what made stories enjoyable and more importantly—what didn’t.

While pursuing an engineering degree in college, Kirk endeavored to tell his own stories, choosing writing as the easiest and cheapest medium to master—or so he thought. Several years and several hundred thousand words later, he produced a Sci-fi trilogy that shall never (God willing) see the light of day, but that did teach him much needed lessons about the craft of writing fiction.

After college Kirk returned to his homeland of Bermuda where he reunited with his childhood friend and future wife, Ria. But before marrying his lovely wife, Kirk entered an even greater marriage and devoted his life to Christ in 2002.

With a new found direction in life, writing fell by the wayside but the urge to tell futuristic stories never left. After much prayer and contemplation, Kirk purposed his writing for God’s Will, seeking to draw to Christ those who shared his passions for all things futuristic and Sci-fi.

Kirk currently lives with his wife Ria and 18 month old son Miles in beautiful Bermuda. He is a faithful member of the Church of Christ and is a professional engineer employed by the government

THE INTERVIEW

JA: Congratulations on your debut novel, Eternity Falls. What’s the book about?
KO: The book is about a genetic breakthrough called “the Miracle Treatment” which grants eternal life—that is, until one of the earliest clients of the Treatment suddenly dies of natural causes.

The company’s Marketing VP, Sheila Dunn, is convinced there is some religious sabotage at work and hires religious counter-terrorism expert, Rick Macey, to uncover a religious conspiracy plot that may not even exist.

With only days before the media blows the story wide open, Rick and Sheila must work together to solve the case. If they fail the lives of millions of clients and the Miracle Treatment itself could be destroyed forever.

JA: I’d love to know about the moment you found out your book was going to be published.
KO: It was a very exciting moment, but it happened quite simply. I saw an email pop up that said. “Hey Kirk. Want to be a Marcher Lord?”

To understand what it means to be a Marcher Lord, you’d have to visit my publisher’s website over at Marcher Lord Press. I’d been working with Jeff Gerke, the publisher, on various other projects so we had a relationship prior too, but still it was an unexpected and exciting message to get.

JA: You’ve said that you write Christian cyber-punk. For those who might not be familiar with the concept, how would you define it?
KO: It’s probably easier to describe the cyberpunk first. Cyberpunk is a subgenre where the embracing of technology (usually through the direct interfacing of man and machine) has in someway caused great social imbalance and the fringes of that society rebel against the masses to try and restore order. Although my work has the technology portion, my society has moved beyond the angst and found balance. Some call this cyberpunk 2.0.

The religious aspect is something I always found missing in cyberpunk and Sci-fi in general. The belief in “something”, rather Christian or not, is a big part of who we are as human beings. To portray realistic characters and problems I just had to include it, and as a Christian it provided the perfect avenue to tell people about God.

JA: What do you hope people take away when they finish reading Eternity Falls?
KO: Foremost I hope they will come away feeling they were entertained. Secondly, I hope they would have had an opportunity to reflect on the big questions in life and hopefully make some decisions to answer those questions.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
KO: I’m currently working on the next book in the Rick Macey series, tentatively title The Tenth Crusader.

JA: What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
KO: I burn trash for a living.

JA: What’s the one far out sci-fi technology you’d most like to see become a household item?
KO: It would have to be the direct brain to computer interface. Amazing possibilities there.

JA: The current theme of my blog is "The Year of Dreams." If you could realize one life-long dream right now, what would it be?
KO: Well I can honestly say that I already have realized a life long dream in the publication of my first novel. I guess the next dream would be to write full time. We’ll see what God has to say about that though.

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
KO: You can sign up for my publisher’s newsletter here. Or catch the blog updates on my website here.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the future, death is only a problem if you can’t afford the price. Such is the promise of Gentec Corporation’s “Miracle Treatment”, a genetic anti-aging elixir that grants eternal life—or does it?

When a Gentec client suddenly dies of natural causes, the powers that be will stop at nothing to ensure their version of eternity remains unchallenged; even if it means concocting a religious sabotage conspiracy to cover a lie.

With the media about to blow the story wide open, the credibility of Gentec and the lives of millions of clients rest on one man’s ability to uncover the truth. Enter detective Rick Macey, religious counterterrorist expert and Gentec executive Sheila Dunn’s last hope for salvation. Now with the clock ticking and the corporate brass seeking their own solution at any cost, Macey must track down a religious zealot out to destroy the Miracle Treatment for good.

But when Macey finds himself not only falling for his client, but confronted with the possibility that the culprit could hold a connection to his shaded past, the truth suddenly becomes a dangerous thing. Only through a test of faith can he stop the crisis before it’s all too late and eternity falls.


WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Eternity Falls, just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on October 14th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

Dreaming with Jill Williamson - WIN HER BOOK!

It's my pleasure to introduce today's guest, author Jill Williamson.

Changing Your Station in Life

In my novel, By Darkness Hid, Achan Cham is a stray. This social rank is lower than a slave, because a slave at least had one parent claim him. Strays are the lowest of all and branded as such by their owners. But Achan dreams of a different life. One where he is worthy to marry the girl he loves, one where he is respected by others.

When a Kingsguard knight approaches him with an offer to train as his squire, Achan jumps at the chance, even though such a position is against the laws of the land. As Achan trains, his eyes are opened to a new world and new possibilities. But can his dream become a reality? Or is he only setting himself up for more heartbreak?

I went to school to be a fashion designer. It was my childhood dream, and I sought it with everything I had. Five years of college and three years on the job as an assistant designer and my eyes were opened. It was The Devil Wears Prada experience for me. I wanted out.

My husband and I started a family and I started writing a book. I didn’t feel like there were enough clean teen fiction options out there to recommend to the kids in our youth group. I was hooked, and a new dream filled my mind.

That dream came true on April 1, 2009 despite it being April Fool’s Day. My book, By Darkness Hid, released from Marcher Lord Press. Dreaming is a part of life. It’s what gives people hope and purpose. Sometimes we discover that our dreams are not what we built them up to be or that God has a different plan for our lives. And that’s okay. We can always dream up a new dream.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jill Williamson is a novelist, dreamer, and believer. She writes stories that combine danger, suspense, and adventure for people of all ages. An avid reader, she started Novel Teen Book Reviews (http://www.novelteen.com/) to help teens find great books to read. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two book-loving children. By Darkness Hid is her first novel. Check out her Web site - http://www.jillwilliamson.com/ - for more information.


ABOUT THE BOOK - By Darkness Hid

Half of Er’Rets is locked beneath an impenetrable shroud. On the side that still sees the sun, two young people struggle to understand the mind-communication abilities thrust upon them. It's called bloodvoicing. Some say it's a gift. One of the newly “gifted” wish it had never come.

Achan has been a slave all his life. When an enigmatic knight offers to train Achan for the Kingsguard, he readily accepts. But his new skills with the sword do not prepare him for the battle raging between the voices in his head.

Vrell Sparrow is not who she seems. She masquerades as a boy to avoid capture by the powerful forces that seek to exploit her. But Vrell feels called to help a young squire who recently discovered his bloodvoicing gift, even if doing so requires her to work with those who could destroy her.

While Achan learns to use his new ability, Vrell struggles to shut hers down. All the voices strive to learn Achan and Vrell's true identities—and a different kind of voice is calling them both.

WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of By Darkness Hid, just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on April 16th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

There's A New Christian Publisher In Town!

Have you heard? There's a brand new Christian fiction publisher getting ready to launch. I was at the American Christian Fiction Writers conference last week and had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Gerke, founder of Marcher Lord Press. He's an energetic fellow with a heart for God and 'weird' fiction. Here's a little bit about the new company:

Marcher Lord Press is the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. Whether it's science fiction you love, or fantasy, or time travel, monster stories, supernatural thrillers, alternate history, end times, chillers, spiritual warfare, or modern magic stories-if it's crazy-weird and it's Christian, Marcher Lord Press is the place for you.

I'd like to encourage you to go to www.MarcherLordPress.com and check it out. Even if speculative fiction isn't your cup of tea, why not take a moment to support this new venture? While you're there, register for their newsletter and you'll be entered to win the grand prize: a trip to the 2009 Comic-CON in San Diego! If you do register, I'd love it if you let them know I sent you: Jennifer AlLee from jallee725@hotmail.com. I believe you need to register before the official launch on October 1st to be entered in the contest... so hurry on over :+}