Friday, November 27, 2020

A Conversation with Evie Green Author of WE HEAR VOICES


Please welcome Evie Green to The Qwillery. We Hear Voices, her first horror novel, will be published on December 1, 2020 by Berkley.







Tell us about WE HEAR VOICES. What inspired you to write this story?

Many years ago, when I was about 9 or 10, I read a book by John Wyndham, called Chocky It’s about a boy with a voice in his head, told from the point of view of his baffled father. A few years ago, I found a copy of it in a second hand bookshop, so I read it again and could not get the ideas it sparked off out of my head. I started writing without really knowing what was going to happen, and many years later, WE HEAR VOICES is the result.



This is your first horror novel. What drew you to write in the genre?

Funnily enough, I never set out to write a horror novel! I wrote the book that was in my head, and I suppose it went through a few gears, from thriller to speculative fiction, then sci fi, and finally to horror. Genre is a strange thing! Also, its first draft didn’t have a pandemic in it. I added it in as a bit of exciting background, with absolutely no idea of how relevant that aspect would become. It did mean I was well up to speed with face masks and so on by the time COVID 19 came along.



Your story is about a boy with a dangerous imaginary friend, but also about a family and how that family copes in the aftermath of challenging times. Why did you choose to incorporate such a strong family storyline into your novel?

WE HEAR VOICES is a family novel before all else I have three teenage children, and two stepchildren, so my family is at the heart of all I do, and I’m really interested in the immediacy of questions like how far you would go to protect your child. One of the protagonists, Nina, is a teenage girl, and in a way she’s a lot like my eldest child, in that she’s more sensible than most of the adults around her! I think that teenagers have an undeserved bad reputation: I love having them around, and always really enjoy meeting their friends. In my other life I write YA fiction, so I’ve got a great affection for good teenage character, and wanted Nina to be as much a part of the plot as her mother. However, Rachel is really at the centre of it all. She’s had her own struggles in the past, and has to contend wit h a desperately ill child, a pandemic, dealing with her ex husband, and then death and destruction at the hands of her own possessed child. She could easily fall apart, but she manages to hang on most of the time.



What kind of research was required befo re writing WE HEAR VOICES?

As space travel is a part of the book, I spoke to an old university friend, Kevin Fong, who’s now an expert on the human body in space as well as a medical doctor and astrophysicist! During the course of our conversation, we also talked about pandemics, and he said that the number one worry of governments worldwide is a pandemic, and that one would happen sooner or later. We had absolutely no idea at that point that there was one approaching. I was mainly after his expertise on space colonisation, however, and took the information he gave me and ran with it, fictionally. My brother is an epidemiologist, so I also got some advice from him, though the pandemic itself is just ending at the start of the book. I considered whether the WE HEAR VOICES world would have had a full lockdown and decided that it wouldn’t, for economic reasons, so they have rules about facemasks and so on, but the virus has mainly been left to sweep though the population.



What do you hope readers will take away from your novel?

The one thing that didn’t change through the many drafts of this novel was the ending: I’ve always wanted it to end with a shock (as I like reading books like that) so I hope that’s enjoyable. In a broader sense, I suppose I’d like them to think about family, about the questions of how far you defend your child if they do something indefensible, and what on earth a parent can do if they feel their child is out of control. Child mental health is a huge problem worldwide at the moment, and it has huge ramifications for the future.





We Hear Voices
Berkley, December 1, 2020
Hardcover and eBook, 384 pages
An eerie horror debut about a little boy who recovers from a mysterious pandemic and inherits an imaginary friend who makes him do violent things…

Kids have imaginary friends. Rachel knows this. So when her young son, Billy, miraculously recovers from a horrible flu that has proven fatal for many, she thinks nothing of Delfy, his new invisible friend. After all, her family is healthy and that’s all that matters.

But soon Delfy is telling Billy what to do, and the boy is acting up and lashing out in ways he never has before. As Delfy’s influence is growing stranger and more sinister by the day, and rising tensions threaten to tear Rachel’s family apart, she clings to one purpose: to protect her children at any cost—even from themselves.

We Hear Voices is a gripping near-future horror novel that tests the fragility of family and the terrifying gray area between fear and love.
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo





© Charlotte Knee Photography 2020
About Evie

Evie Green is a pseudonym for a British author who has written professionally for her entire adult life. She lives by the sea in England with her husband, children, and guinea pigs, and loves writing in the very early morning, fueled by coffee.











Website  ~  Twitter


Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Covers Revealed - Upcoming Works by DAC Authors


Here are some of the upcoming works by formerly featured Debut Author Challenge (DAC) Authors! The year in parentheses is the year the author was featured in the DAC.


Eugen Bacon (2019)

The Road to Woop Woop and Other Stories
Meerkat Press, December 1, 2020
Trade Paperback and eBook, 202 pages
Eugen Bacon’s work is deemed cheeky with a fierce intelligence in text that’s resplendent, delicious, dark and evocative. NPR called her novel Claiming T-Mo ‘a confounding mysterious tour de force’. The Road to Woop Woop and Other Stories imbues the same lushness in a writerly language that is Bacon’s own. This peculiar hybrid of the untraditional, the extraordinary within, without and along the borders of normalcy will hypnotise and absorb the reader with tales that refuse to be labelled. The stories in this collection are dirges that cross genres in astounding ways. Over 20 provocative tales, with seven original to this collection, by an award-winning African Australian author.
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
Kobo



Black Moon: Graphic Speculative Flash Fiction
IFWG Publishing International
Trade Paperback, 72 pages
Elena Betti, Illustrator
Black Moon is an illustrated collection of speculative flash fiction interspersed with prose poetry. It carries themes of love and war, life and the afterlife, hope and despair. It is a philosophical assortment that questions normalcy, embraces opposition, and takes a keen interest on peculiarity. It will appeal to curious lovers of literary dark fantasy and all places in between.
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : IndieBound



Ivory's Story
Newcon Press, December 8, 2020
Trade Paperback and eBook, 154 pages
Long ago, a good man transgressed and was brutally punished, his physical form killed and his soul split asunder. Now, one half of his ancient soul seeks to reunite with its lost twin, a search that leaves murder in its wake…

In the streets of modern day Sydney a killer stalks the night, slaughtering innocents, leaving bodies mutilated. The victims seem unconnected, yet Investigating Officer Ivory Tembo is convinced the killings are anything but random. The case soon leads Ivory into places she never imagined. In order to stop the killings and save the life of the man she loves, she must reach deep into her past, uncover secrets of her heritage, break a demon’s curse, and somehow unify two worlds.

Ivory's Story deftly combines the contemporary thriller with darker, older traditions, and marks the arrival of an exciting new voice on the genre fiction scene.

“Bacon masterfully blends myth, heritage, and self-discovery in this impressive, genre-defying work of speculative fiction... Writing with sharp, insightful prose, Bacon delivers a taut thriller that dives deep into its distinctive protagonist’s internal life and family history. Seasoned speculative fiction readers will be wowed by Bacon’s careful, layered worldbuilding, well-developed characters, and otherworldly atmosphere. This deserves a wide audience.” – Publisher’s Weekly [Starred Review]

“Eugen Bacon’s latest novel has a lot going for it. A lot… if the reader is adventurous enough, Ivory’s Story will both startle and seduce.” – Locus

“Not a word is wasted. This isn’t writing by rote, not a book surfing the expectancies of fantasy fiction, but one which brims with descriptive prose, where the movement of the words form the story, similar to the physical brushstrokes of a painting carrying the eye. Ivory’s Story is a fast-paced organic fantasy shone through a poet’s timbre and I loved it.” – Black Static

“A new star is born in the emerald skies of Fantasy, and its name is Eugen Bacon.” – Nuzo Onoh, author of The Reluctant Dead

“Bacon expertly weaves a speculative world with harsh and mundane realities to form a lush and magical tale about the importance of love and the courage needed to face the demons of this world and the next. Highly recommended.” – Nick Wood, author of Azanian Bridges

“Transformation and identity are the themes connecting chapters that dance and shift in each other’s light. The book’s final third revels in imaginative potential, where Bacon shows us sumptuous glens and hidden courts. She also reminds that nature and time live within us, and are capable of healing anything.” – Andromeda Spaceways Magazine

“If you're looking out for an epic tale that will certainly stand apart from your usual fare, that is written with great passion and feeling, this one may well hit the mark.” – Nerine Dorman Reviews

“Ivory's Story speaks of places and moments that bind us. The myths and mysteries that draw us in. A powerful blend of African and Australian speculative fiction.” – Dominique Hecq, award-winning poet, novelist, short story writer

“Eugen Bacon is a vital, vibrant voice.” – Lucy Sussex, author of The Scarlet Rider

"Twin-lore, bewitching entities, psychic investigation and urban murder mystery, juxtaposed against wilderness visions. Ivory’s Story is a savoury bouquet of wilderness flavours flash-fried in an offworld skin. An aromatic sense-delight. – Nikhil Singh, author of Club Ded

“A murder mystery, an adventure story and a spiritual journey all rolled up into one, which not only entertains but also leaves us pondering the deeper questions.” – Denise O'Hagan, author of The Beating Heart

Ivory's Story is available as a special edition hardback, signed by the author and limited to just 50 numbered copies, as well as in paperback and ebook editions.
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound





Marko Kloos (2014)

Orders of Battle
Frontlines 7
47North, December 8, 2020
Trade Paperback and Kindle eBook, 271 pages
The battle against the Lankies has been won. Earth seems safe. Peacetime military? Not on your life.

It’s been four years since Earth threw its full military prowess against the Lanky incursion. Humanity has been yanked back from the abyss of extinction. The solar system is at peace. For now.

The future for Major Andrew Grayson of the Commonwealth Defense Corps and his wife, Halley? Flying desk duty on the front. No more nightmares of monstrous things. No more traumas to the mind and body. But when an offer comes down from above, Andrew has to make a choice: continue pushing papers into retirement, or jump right back into the fight? What’s a podhead to do?

The remaining Lankies may have retreated in fear, but the threat isn’t over. They need to be wiped out for good before they strike again. That’ll take a new offensive deployment. Aboard an Avenger warship, Andrew and the special tactics team under his command embark on the ultimate search-and-destroy mission. This time, it’ll be on Lanky turf.

No big heroics. No unnecessary risks. Just a swift hit-and-run raid in the hostile Capella system. Blow the alien seed ships into oblivion and get the hell back to Earth. At least, that’s the objective. But when does anything in war go according to plan?
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound





Michael Mammay (2018)

Colonyside
Planetside 3
Harper Voyager, December 29, 2020
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 384 pages
A missing scientist and deep pockets pull Colonel Carl Butler out of retirement, investigating another mystery that puts him and his team--and the future of relations with alien species--in danger in COLONYSIDE, the exciting follow-up to Planetside and Spaceside.

A military hero is coming out of disgrace—straight into the line of fire…

Carl Butler was once a decorated colonel. Now he’s a disgraced recluse, hoping to live out the rest of his life on a backwater planet where no one cares about his “crimes” and everyone leaves him alone.

It’s never that easy.

A CEO’s daughter has gone missing and he thinks Butler is the only one who can find her. The government is only too happy to appease him. Butler isn’t so sure, but he knows the pain of losing a daughter, so he reluctantly signs on. Soon he’s on a military ship heading for a newly-formed colony where the dangerous jungle lurks just outside the domes where settlers live.

Paired with Mac, Ganos, and a government-assigned aide named Fader, Butler dives head-first into what should be an open and shut case. Then someone tries to blow him up. Faced with an incompetent local governor, a hamstrung military, and corporations playing fast and loose with the laws, Butler finds himself in familiar territory. He’s got nobody to trust but himself, but that’s where he works best. He’ll fight to get to the bottom of the mystery, but this time, he might not live to solve it.
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo

Monday, November 23, 2020

The View From Monday - November 23, 2020


It is the last Monday in November. An early Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate.

There are no debuts this week.

From formerly featured Debut Author Challenge Authors:

Call of the Bone Ships (Tide Child Trilogy 2) by RJ Barker

A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen is out in Trade Paperback

Forged (Alex Verus 11) by Benedict Jacka;

and

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James is out in Trade Paperback.

Clicking on a novel's cover will take you to its Amazon page.






Debut novels are highlighted in blue. Novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors are highlighted in green.


November 24, 2020
TITLE AUTHOR SERIES
The Princess Knight G.A. Aiken HistF - The Scarred Earth Saga 2
Walk the Wild With Me (tp2mm)
Rachel Atwood HistF//FairyT/FolkT/LM
Pious Mark Barber F - Kings of War
Call of the Bone Ships RJ Barker F - Tide Child Trilogy 2
1636: Flight of the Nightingale (tp2mm)
David Carrico SF/TT - Ring of Fire 28
A Beginning at the End (h2tp)
Mike Chen SF/AP/PA
Alliance Rising (tp2mm)
C. J. Cherryh
Jane S. Fancher
SF/HSF/SO - The Hinder Stars 1
Ready Player Two Ernest Cline SF/Dys/Th - Ready Player One 2
The Best of Glen Cook: 18 Stories from the Author of The Black Company and The Dread Empire Glen Cook F/DF - Collection
Last Stand in Lychford Paul Cornell CF/UF - Witches of Lychford 5
War Lord Bernard Cornwell Hist - Saxon Tales 13
Monster Hunter Guardian (h2mm)
Larry Correia
Sarah A. Hoyt
F - Monster Hunter 8
Infernal Mark de Jager F - Stratus 1
The Science Fiction Puzzle Book: Inspired by the Works of Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C Clarke, Robert A Heinlein and Ursula K Le Guin Tim Dedopulos Puzzles/SF
Escape Pod: The Science Fiction Anthology S.B. Divya (Ed)
Mur Lafferty (Ed)
SF - Anthology
The Poison Prince S. C. Emmett F/HistF - Hostage of Empire 2
The Solar War John French SF/SO - The Horus Heresy
Forged Benedict Jacka UF/CF - Alex Versus 11
The Broken Girls (tp2mm) Simone St. James SupTh/H/CW
Impolitic Corpses (h2tp)
Paul Johnston M/Dys - Quint Dalrymple Mystery 8
Passages Mercedes Lackey (Ed)
F - Valdemar Anthology
Beyond Kuiper Matthew Medney
John Connelly
HSF/SF - The Galactic Star Alliance
Rasputin's Bastards (ri)
David Nickle Th/HSF
The 'Geisters (ri)
David Nickle H/GH
Monstrous Affections: Stories (e)(ri) David Nickle H/SS
Knife Fight: And Other Struggles David Nickle H/SS
36 Righteous Men (h2tp)
Steven Pressfield SupTh
Grave War Kalayna Price UF/CF/PF - Alex Craft 7
Gotrek and Felix: The Fifth Omnibus Josh Reynolds F - Warhammer Chronicles
The Awakening Nora Roberts PF/FR - The Dragon Heart Legacy 1
Star Trek Voyager: A Celebration Ben Robinson
Mark Wright
PerfArts/SF
Archangel's Sun Nalini Singh PNR/UF/PF - Guild Hunter13
Wolf Fever (ri)
Terry Spear PNR/FR - Silver Town Wolf 2
Freehold: Resistance (tp2mm)
Michael Z. Williamson (Ed)
SF - Freehold Anthology
 
 
 
November 30, 2020
TITLE AUTHOR SERIES
Comes a Pale Rider CaitlĆ­n R. Kiernan H
Fishing for Dinosaurs and Other Stories Joe R. Lansdale F - Anthology
Princess Floralinda and the Forty Flight Tower Tamsyn Muir F
No Period: A Tor.com Original Harry Turtledove AH
Take a Look at the Five and Ten Connie Willis SF



D - Debut
e - eBook
Ed - Editor
h2mm - Hardcover to Mass Market Paperback
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
Ke - Kindle eBook
ri - reissue or reprint
tp2mm - Trade Paperback to Mass Market Paperback
Tr - Translator



AB - Absurdist
AC - Alien Contact
AH - Alternative History
AP - Apocalyptic
BHU - Black Humor
CF - Contemporary Fantasy
CM - Crime & Mystery
CoA - Coming of Age
Cr - Crime
CW - Contemporary Women
CyP - CyberPunk
DF - Dark Fantasy
Dys - Dystopian
F - Fantasy
FairyT - Fairy Tales
FL - Family Life
FolkT - Folk Tales
FR - Fantasy Romance
GenEng - Genetic Engineering
GH - Ghost(s)
GothicR - Gothic Romance
GW&CC - Global Warming and Climate Change
H - Horror
HC - History and Criticism
Hist - Historical
HistF - Historical Fantasy
HistM - Historical Mystery
HistR - Historical Romance
HistTh - Historical Thriller
HSF - Hard Science Fiction
HU - Humorous
LC - Literary Criticism
LF - Literary Fiction
LM - Legend and Mythology
M - Mystery
Med - Medical
MR - Magical Realism
MTI - Media Tie-In
MU - Mash-Up
NF - Near Future
Occ - Occult
P - Paranormal
PA - Post Apocalyptic
PCM - Paranormal Cozy Mystery
PF - Paranormal Fantasy
PNR - Paranormal Romance
Pol - Political
PolTh - Political Thriller
PopCul - Popular Culture
PP - Police Porcedural
Psy - Psychological
R - Romance
RF - Romantic Fantasy
ScF - Science Fantasy
SE - Space Exploration
SF - Science Fiction
SFR - Science Fiction Romance
SFTh - Science Fiction Thriller
SH - Superheroes
SO - Space Opera
SP - Steampunk
SpecFic - Speculative Fiction
SS - Short Stories
STR - Small Town and Rural
Sup - Supernatural
SupM - Supernatural Mystery
SupTh - Supernatural Thriller
Sus - Suspense
TechTh - Technological Thriller
Th - Thriller
TT - Time Travel
TTR - Time Travel Romance
UF - Urban Fantasy
VM - Visionary and Metaphysical
WS - Women Sleuths

Note: Not all genres and formats are found in the books, etc. listed above.

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Covers Revealed - Upcoming Novels by DAC Authors


Here are some of the upcoming novels by formerly featured Debut Author Challenge (DAC) Authors! The year in parentheses is the year the author was featured in the DAC.


Kacen Callender (2019)

King of the Rising
Islands of Blood and Storm 2
Orbit, December 1, 2020
Trade Paperback and eBook, 384 pages
King of the Rising is the searing conclusion to an unflinching and powerful Caribbean-inspired fantasy series about colonialism, resilience and defiance.

A revolution has swept through the islands of Hans Lollik and former slave Loren Jannik has been chosen to lead the survivors in a bid to free the islands forever.

But the rebels are running out of food, weapons and options. And as the Fjern inch closer to reclaiming Hans Lollik with every battle, Loren is faced with a choice that could shift the course of the revolution in their favor -- or doom it to failure.

Islands of Blood and Storm
Queen of the Conquered
King of the Rising
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo





Sam Hawke (2018)

Hollow Empire
A Poison War Novel 2
Tor Books, December 1, 2020
Hardcover, Trade Paperback and eBook, 560 pages
Moving from poison and treachery to war and witchcraft, Sam Hawke's Poison Wars continue with Hollow Empire, a fabulous epic fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Robin Hobb, Naomi Novik, and Scott Lynch.

Poison was only the beginning.... The deadly siege of Silasta woke the ancient spirits, and now the city-state must find its place in this new world of magic. But people and politics are always treacherous, and it will take all of Jovan and Kalina’s skills as proofer and spy to save their country when witches and assassins turn their sights to domination.
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo





Benedict Jacka (2012)

Forged
Alex Verus 11
Ace, November 24, 2020
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 304 pages
Alex Verus faces his dark side in this return to the bestselling urban fantasy series about a London-based mage.

To protect his friends, Mage Alex Verus has had to change–and embrace his dark side. But the life mage Anne has changed too, and made a bond with a dangerous power. She’s going after everyone she’s got a grudge against–and it’s a long list.

In the meantime, Alex has to deal with his arch-enemy, Levistus. The Council’s death squads are hunting Alex as well as Anne, and the only way for Alex to stop them is to end his long war with Levistus and the Council, by whatever means necessary. It will take everything Alex has to stay a step ahead of the Council and stop Anne from letting the world burn.
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Interview with Essa Hansen, author of Nophek Gloss

 
Please welcome Essa Hansen to The Qwillery as part of the 2020 Debut Author Challenge Interviews. Nophek Gloss is published on November 17, 2020 by Orbit.







TQWelcome to The Qwillery. What is the first fiction piece you remember writing?

Essa:  My mom recounts stories from before I can remember, but the first one I recall—maybe nine years old?—was a fantasy short story set around a large willow tree growing out of the middle of a pool of water, in a courtyard in the center of a castle. There was a young girl and a mystery and a magical pendant that had gotten lost—sounds quite standard!



TQAre you a plotter, a pantser or a hybrid?

Essa:  I’m a hybrid. I plot more now than I did when I was starting out, due to a better understanding of structure and pacing. I start with the big set piece scenes then begin to build connective tissue and logic, until I have a decent outline. As I get ideas or visions or snippets of dialogue, I’ll insert these in my outlined chapters, but when I get to drafting, I move linearly and discovery-write the scenes themselves. The moment-by moment flow, details, and dialogue are all new to me as I’m writing the scene.



TQWhat is the most challenging thing for you about writing?

Essa:  My main challenge is translating my imaginative concepts and visuals into narrative, description, and emotion that a reader can easily absorb. I’m neurodivergent and a synesthete, so the way I perceive and process the world is atypical, and the way my ideas come out on the page is deeply sensory and a bit convoluted, so I need to actively sculpt my prose and ideas into better clarity while not losing the evocative and wondrous aspects that readers find refreshing and unique.



TQWhat has influenced / influences your writing?

Essa:  I absorb inspiration from all over; not just art and media, but my personal experiences and time spent in nature, as well as less commonly utilized fields such as very theoretical cosmology and quantum physics, pseudoscience, occult science, philosophy, and metaphysics. When I’m developing something new—like an alien, creature, environment, or technology—I tend to merge bits of inspiration into my original concept or take a piece as a starting place and extrapolate it in a new direction. Often my inspiration is simply brainstorming “what haven’t I seen before in the genre?”



TQDescribe Nophek Gloss using only 5 words.

Essa:  Oh, I’m bad at these so I’m going to steal from Alastair Reynolds’s blurb of the book: “Intricate, vivid, and psychedelic cosmos.”



TQTell us something about Nophek Gloss that is not found in the book description.

Essa:  The book description actually doesn’t describe the bubble multiverse! A collection of spherical universes of varying sizes (fist-sized to galactic scale), all on the same timeline and stuck together like a vast foam, with dividing membranes that can be passed through easily. Each universe has a unique deviation in the laws of physics, meaning that material, biology, and technology is transformed as it passes from one universe to another.



TQWhat inspired you to write Nophek Gloss? What appeals to you about writing science fiction?

EssaNophek Gloss is a revenge story with a heart of personal growth and the navigation of complex morality. The protagonist’s journey to find belonging and roots is drawn from my own experiences as a neurodiverse and mixed-race person. Meanwhile the setting is inspired by the obscure sciences I love, and the immersive writing comes directly from my own sensory peculiarities and creative work in film.

In far-flung or secondary world science fiction, I love that we’re allowed to get away entirely from the familiarity of Earth both as a location and as the basis of our ideas. We get to overturn the concept of “normal” by showing other possibilities. At the same time, the stories remain very human, exploring humanity and being through entirely new contexts. There’s incredible power in that.



TQYou are a sound designer for science fiction and fantasy films. Do you hear your novels when writing?

Essa:  I definitely add a lot of sound and five-senses immersion in my novels. Through a combination of hypersensitivity and synesthesia (in which usually separate senses are cross-wired), I feel sounds in my body and as a sort of extended landscape of texture and density in space, of which my nervous system is taking part. It’s…tricky to describe. While writing, even if I’m not “hearing” the story in my mind, my unique experience with the sensory world comes out in my writing style and unusual word choices. Also, working in film sound makes me hyper aware of story elements like environmental atmosphere, the material quality of things, and their motion through space, which definitely influences how I describe action and setting.



TQWhat sort of research did you do for Nophek Gloss?

Essa:  I drew on a lot of fields of study I had delved into for enjoyment in the past, such as Cymatics, fluid dynamics, string theory, vibratory physics, concepts of the basis of reality and consciousness, cognitive science, emergent structures, and artificial intelligence…to name a few. Of course, I also had to research basic space travel things like time dilation, FTL, types of stellar drives, and so on.

I often start with a visual or experiential idea first and then backpedal into the science to flesh out my concept. For instance, in Nophek Gloss there’s an alien species who I wanted to emote via chromatophores on their skin, like many cephalopods, so I turned from that concept to the actual science of how and why, and in what detail or words I could describe the effect without getting too technical.



TQPlease tell us about the cover for Nophek Gloss.

Essa:  The cover illustration is by Mike Heath and the design by Lauren Panepinto. It depicts Caiden’s unique starship, the Azura, which holds a lot of secrets and continues to evolve as the books go on.



TQIn Nophek Gloss who was the easiest character to write and why? The hardest and why?

Essa:  I always have one character who springs off the page fully-formed and feels effortless to write. For this book that was En, the crew’s negotiator, gambler, trader, charmer, muscle, and general rogue with a questionable past. En is genderfluid, dangerous but gregarious and will defend loved ones in a heartbeat, and full of snarky dialogue that sparked onto the page—which surprised me because I thought I was poor at dialogue but En’s always comes through so easily.

The hardest character to write was the story’s central antagonist, but those details are too spoilery to say!



TQWhich question about Nophek Gloss do you wish someone would ask? Ask it and answer it!

Essa:  Q: What “cutting room floor” scene do you miss?

A: I had a moment in the story where Caiden experiences music for the first time in his life. I loved both the wondrous emotion of that moment and the challenge of clearly describing music without using any instrumental terminology.



TQ:  Give us one or two of your favorite non-spoilery quotes from Nophek Gloss.

Essa:  Here’s a little excerpt:

Squeezing inside, he ran his fingers over a complex central engine bulk stretching the length of the room. He hadn’t seen such materials ever, even in the deepest sections of the aerators: some white and fleshy, glassy and scaled, coppery rings that bristled when his fingertips drew near. It looked like a hundred different animals stitched together on one set of bones.

“Maybe you’re alive. A huge creature wearing a hard shell.”

Ridiculous. Machines weren’t alive. But he smiled and swore that some of the materials he touched inside the machine were warm.



TQWhat's next?

Essa:  I’m working through revisions of the second book in The Graven trilogy, which releases in Fall 2021. In the meantime, I’ll be doing virtual discussions, panels, and interviews for the launch of Nophek Gloss in November—readers can catch up with me at those!



TQThank you for joining us at The Qwillery.





Nophek Gloss
The Graven 1
Orbit, November 17, 2020
Trade Paperback and eBook, 448 pages
"A sucker punch to the senses...a killer story with real heart and soul."-Alastair Reynolds

When a young man's planet is destroyed, he sets out on a single-minded quest for revenge across the galaxy in Nophek Gloss, the first book in this epic space opera trilogy debut -- perfect for fans of Revenger and Children of Time.

Caiden's planet is destroyed. His family gone. And, his only hope for survival is a crew of misfit aliens and a mysterious ship that seems to have a soul and a universe of its own. Together they will show him that the universe is much bigger, much more advanced, and much more mysterious than Caiden had ever imagined. But the universe hides dangers as well, and soon Caiden has his own plans.

He vows to do anything it takes to get revenge on the slavers who murdered his people and took away his home. To destroy their regime, he must infiltrate and dismantle them from the inside, or die trying.
Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
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About Essa

Essa Hansen grew up in the beautifully wild areas of California. She has ranched bison and sheep, trained horses, practiced Japanese swordsmanship, and is a licensed falconer. She attended the Vancouver Film School and works as a sound designer for Skywalker Sound where she’s worked on films such as Doctor Strange, Thor: Ragnorok, and Avengers: Endgame. Essa now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter @EssaHansen

Monday, November 16, 2020

2020 Debut Author Challenge Cover Wars - November 2020 Debuts





Each month you will be able to vote for your favorite cover from that month's debut novels. At the end of the year the 12 monthly winners will be pitted against each other to choose the 2020 Debut Novel Cover of the Year. Please note that a debut novel cover is eligible in the month in which the novel is published in the US. Coverartist/illustrator/designer information is provided when we have it.

I'm using PollCode for this vote. After you the check the circle next to your favorite, click "Vote" to record your vote. If you'd like to see the real-time results click "View". This will take you to the PollCode site where you may see the results. If you want to come back to The Qwillery click "Back" and you will return to this page. Voting will end sometime on November 30, 2020, unless the vote is extended. If the vote is extended the ending date will be updated.

Vote for your favorite November 2020 Debut Cover!
 
pollcode.com free polls














Cover art by Jon Dunham










Cover design and illustration by Sophie Paas-Lang





Cover design by Lauren Panepinto
Cover illustration by Mike Heath
Cover copyright © 2020 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.





Interior and cover design by Elizabeth Story





Cover by Kieryn Tyler





Cover © 2020 Rian Hughes
Designed and illustrated by Rian Hughes

The View From Monday - November 16, 2020

 
Happy Monday!
 
There are 3 debuts this week:
 
Nophek Gloss (The Graven 1) by Essa Hansen;
 
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi;
 
and
 
Eartheater by Dolores Reyes.
 
 
 
 
From formerly featured DAC Authors:
 
Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection by Ben Aaronovtich;
 
and
 
The Burning God (The Poppy War 3) by R. F. Kuang.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Debut novels are highlighted in blue. Novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors are highlighted in green.
 
November 16, 2020
TITLE AUTHOR SERIES
The Supernatural and Fantastic in Short Detective Fiction: A Survey, 1841-2000 Laird R. Blackwell M/SF/F
Sacred Evil (e)(ri)
Heather Graham GH/Th - Krewe of Hunters 3
Night Study (e)(ri) Maria V. Snyder F - The Chronicles of Ixia
 
 
 
November 17, 2020
TITLE AUTHOR SERIES
Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection Ben Aaronovitch F/SS - Rivers of London
They Will Drown in Their Mothers' Tears (h2tp)
Johannes Anyuru
Saskia Vogel (Tr)
LF/SF/TT/Th/Terrorism/Dys
The Human (h2tp)
Neal Asher SF/SO - Rise of the Jain 3
Foundation and Earth (ri)
Isaac Asimov SF/HSF/Classics/SO - Foundation 5
Foundation's Edge Isaac Asimov SF/HSF/Classics/SO - Foundation 4
I Don't Seem So Bright in a Well-Lit Room Sean Browning SF/HU
Lost Acre Andrew Caldecott HistF/P - Rotherweird 3
The Water Dancer (ri) Ta-Nehisi Coates HistF/MR
The Complete Lychford (e) Paul Cornell CF/UF - Lychford
The Andromeda Evolution (mm2tp)
Michael Crichton
Daniel H. Wilson
SF
Will Destroy the Galaxy for Cash Yahtzee Croshaw Satire/SF/SO - Jacques McKeown 2
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight: A Suspense Magazine Anthology Jeffrey Deaver et al.
M/SupTh - Anthology
The Children of Red Peak Craig DiLouie H/PsyTh/SupTh
Madrenga (e)
Alan Dean Foster F - Madrenga 1
Smoke & Ashes Alexis Hall UF - Kate Kane Paranormal Investigator 4
The Saints of Salvation Peter F. Hamilton SF/SO/SE - Salvation Sequence 3
Nophek Gloss (D) Essa Hansen SF/AC/GenEng/SE - The Graven 1
Stillicide Cynan Jones Dys/LF/Climate
Before the Coffee Gets Cold (D - English) Toshikazu Kawaguchi
MR/F/SF
Daughter of the Serpentine E.E. Knight F - A Dragoneer Academy Novel 2
The Burning God R. F Kuang HistF - The Poppy War 3
The Silver Shooter Erin Lindsey M/GH/P - A Rose Gallagher Mystery 3
Ink Jonathan Maberry SupTh/H
Child of the Prophecy (ri)
Juliet Marillier HistF/FairyT/FolkT/LM - Sevenwaters Trilogy 3
Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children, Volumes 1-3: Every Heart a Doorway, Down Among the Sticks and Bones, Beneath the Sugar Sky Seanan McGuire CF/DF/FairyT/FolkT/LM - Wayward Children
The Bright and Breaking Sea Chloe Neill F/HistF/RF - A Captain Kit Brightling Novel 1
Home Front (e) Rick Partlwo SF - Drop Trooper 5
Eartheater (D) Dolores Reyes
Julia Sanchez (Tr)
LF
Barnabas Collins and Quentin's Demon Marylin Ross Gothic/Occ - Dark Shadows the Complete Paperback Library Reprint Book 14
Rhythm of War Brandon Sanderson F - Stormlight Archive 4
The Round-dance of Water Kuznetsov Sergey
Valeriya Yermishova (Tr)
LF/MR/MU - Russian Literature Series
Age of Death Michael J. Sullivan F/HistF - Legends of the First Empire 5
Salamis Harry Turtledove AH/HistF/TT - Hellenic 5
Strange Lands Short Stories: Thrilling Tales Various SF - Anthology
Spin (ri)
Robert Charles Wilson SF/AP/PA/AC/TT - Spin 1
Rubicon Gareth Worthington SF/AH - Children of the Fifth Sun 3
 
 
 
November 18, 2020
TITLE AUTHOR SERIES
On Safari in R'lyeh and Carcosa with Gun and Camera: A Tor.com Original (e) Elizabeth Bear DF
 
 
 
D - Debut
e - eBook
Ed - Editor
h2mm - Hardcover to Mass Market Paperback
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
Ke - Kindle eBook
ri - reissue or reprint
tp2mm - Trade Paperback to Mass Market Paperback
Tr - Translator



AB - Absurdist
AC - Alien Contact
AH - Alternative History
AP - Apocalyptic
BHU - Black Humor
CF - Contemporary Fantasy
CM - Crime & Mystery
CoA - Coming of Age
Cr - Crime
CW - Contemporary Women
CyP - CyberPunk
DF - Dark Fantasy
Dys - Dystopian
F - Fantasy
FairyT - Fairy Tales
FL - Family Life
FolkT - Folk Tales
FR - Fantasy Romance
GenEng - Genetic Engineering
GH - Ghost(s)
GothicR - Gothic Romance
GW&CC - Global Warming and Climate Change
H - Horror
HC - History and Criticism
Hist - Historical
HistF - Historical Fantasy
HistM - Historical Mystery
HistR - Historical Romance
HistTh - Historical Thriller
HSF - Hard Science Fiction
HU - Humorous
LC - Literary Criticism
LF - Literary Fiction
LM - Legend and Mythology
M - Mystery
Med - Medical
MR - Magical Realism
MTI - Media Tie-In
MU - Mash-Up
NF - Near Future
Occ - Occult
P - Paranormal
PA - Post Apocalyptic
PCM - Paranormal Cozy Mystery
PF - Paranormal Fantasy
PNR - Paranormal Romance
Pol - Political
PolTh - Political Thriller
PopCul - Popular Culture
PP - Police Porcedural
Psy - Psychological
R - Romance
RF - Romantic Fantasy
ScF - Science Fantasy
SE - Space Exploration
SF - Science Fiction
SFR - Science Fiction Romance
SFTh - Science Fiction Thriller
SH - Superheroes
SO - Space Opera
SP - Steampunk
SpecFic - Speculative Fiction
SS - Short Stories
STR - Small Town and Rural
Sup - Supernatural
SupM - Supernatural Mystery
SupTh - Supernatural Thriller
Sus - Suspense
TechTh - Technological Thriller
Th - Thriller
TT - Time Travel
TTR - Time Travel Romance
UF - Urban Fantasy
VM - Visionary and Metaphysical
WS - Women Sleuths

Note: Not all genres and formats are found in the books, etc. listed above.