Happy Halloween and NaNoWriMo

Posted on October 29, 2021 by Mae Clair

Black cat silhouetted against large, partially full moon

Happy Halloween! As I’ve done for the last several years, I’m going to be vanishing offline for the month of November to participate in NaNoWriMo. I’ve woefully neglected my WIP for most of 2021, and hope to make significant wordcount progress during the insanity that is NaNo. Wish me luck!

You’ll still see me at Story Empire, and I have a few guests already scheduled with new releases. I may also pop in now and again to comment on a blog post, but for the most part, I’ll be AWOL throughout November.

I couldn’t vanish without wishing everyone a Happy Halloween. If you’re a writer, whether you’re participating in NaNo or not, I hope your muse is kind and showers you with inspiration and word count. I’ll catch you on the flip side of November! 🙂

An Interview, Creatures, and Cats

Posted on May 14, 2019 by Mae Clair

I am so excited to be interviewed by fabulous book reviewer, writer, and musician, Kevin Cooper. And let’s not forget he loves cats!

Even though Kev’s on the other side of the pond, Raven and I are always keen to know what he’s up to—including sending kitty hugs to his gorgeous felines, Aragorn and Ricco.

Although cats don’t come up in Kev’s interview with me, he had plenty of interesting questions—as only Kev can deliver. I hope you’ll get a moment to pop over and see what we’re discussing (hint: creatures are involved).

You can find the interview HERE. Hope to see you there. Raven even stirred from a mid day nap to see what all the fuss is about. 🙂

Beautiful black cat curled up on a bed with pillows

Apologies…

Posted on September 6, 2017 by Mae Clair

white keyboard with a red panic button and red delete button

Hey, everyone, this is just a quick update to let you know I haven’t disappeared. I know I’ve missed commenting on a lot of blog posts lately, and I’m hoping you’ll excuse my absence. I’m working under an extremely tight publisher’s deadline.

I promise to resurface and get back to my regular blog visits after September 15 (deadline date). This is just a head’s up that you probably won’t see me online much until then.

I miss you guys and promise I will be back. I’ve never had to disappear like this before, but I’ve got to concentrate and wrap this manuscript. Hope you understand!

The Writing Year That Was…

Posted on December 30, 2016 by Mae Clair

The year is drawing to a close. In a short while, we’ll be bidding 2016 goodbye. I’m excited about starting new projects and setting new goals in 2017, but it always helps to look back over the previous year. 2016 was a tough one, but it was also very good to me. Many thanks, my friends, for taking the journey with me. Here’s my personal look back, and a wish to all of us for continued success in the year ahead!

Holiday thank-you card surrounded by open fountain pen, and red and green decorations . Gold ink

WRITING
I wrote and delivered three manuscripts—two full length books, and one short story. Not too shabby for juggling a writing career with a full-time job, but I will be more than happy to wave goodbye to contract deadlines.

RELEASES
A great year! Book one of my Point Pleasant Series, A Thousand Yesteryears released April 26, and book two, A Cold Tomorrow, released December 20. Tucked in-between, my short story, The Lady Ghost, was part of Macabre Sanctuary, a free anthology of Halloween-themed stories that released on September 30. That book is still free, so if you haven’t grabbed a copy yet, don’t miss out!

RRBC
I kicked off 2016 as a brand new member of the Rave Reviews Book Club, an experience that has been a highlight of my online journey. Not only did I discover great authors and fabulous books, but I’ve made many wonderful and supportive friends as a result. And talk about fun! The Back to School Blog Block Party was the standout for me, but there were plenty of exciting events taking place throughout the year. Please see my RRBC page to learn more about this fantastic club and how it can benefit you. I’ve already renewed my membership for 2017.

BOOK OF THE MONTH
Myth and Magic was a RRBC book-of-the-month club selection in May. I picked up many new reviews as a result and was able to participate in a club discussion regarding the novel. Can we say “jazzed?” 🙂

BOOK SIGNINGS
I did two local book signings this year (one in April and one in October), and although neither resulted in a plethora of sales, I did sell copies, and had a lot of fun in the process. I also got to network with a number of other local authors and made some great connections.

STORY EMPIRE
What started as brainstorming ideas about promotion with a few other authors, evolved into a full blown website. I’m delighted to be part of this fabulous online group which also includes Staci Troilo, Craig Boyack, Harmony Kent and Sandra Cox. If you aren’t a member of the Empire, we’d love to have you follow our blog where we talk craft, writing, books, and even run off-the-wall promos. Look for more from the SE group in 2017. We’re always dreaming up something!

BESTSELLER STATUS
For the second year in a row, I hit bestseller status on Amazon, this time with
A Thousand Yesteryears, which peaked in the paid store at #1 in mystery/thriller/suspense paranormal and #1 in sci-fi/fantasy magical realism. Yes, I took screenshots. Ranking higher than Stephen King, for however brief the stay, had me floating! If you haven’t read A Thousand Yesteryears yet, now is your chance to pick up a copy for .99c for a limited time.

READING
I set my Goodreads Reading Challenge at 50 books this year, thinking I wouldn’t read as much as normal with my contract deadlines. I ended up reading 82, which proves I can’t keep my nose out of a book, I guess. My reads come from a mixture of mainstream novels, novels written by friends and RRBC members, plus others I stumble across on Twitter or book blogs. As a member of RRBC, I’m required to read 4 books a year by other member authors. in 2016, 30 of my 82 books were RRBC reads.

RAVEN
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my cat, Raven, adopted the end of September. Cats are curious creatures, and yes, she gets into many things she shouldn’t, but she’s a joy. And boy, has she grown! That’s her at the right on Christmas Day. Notice the new toy in the background (just one of many). Like a typical cat, she’s more interested in the box. She does, however, have a “Santa mouse” that she loves. 🙂

TOP TWELVE
For those of you might not know, 12 is my favorite number. Just recently, I discovered A Thousand Yesteryears made book reviewer, Jennifer Thomason’s, top twelve reads of 2016! I was thrilled to find my novel included, especially given the amazing talent in the group. You can see all twelve books on Jennifer’s blog, Dandelions Inspired. If you love to read, click “follow” while you’re there. I think Jennifer probably reads more than anyone I know! And if you’re an author, check out the review submission guidelines on her blog. She’ll give you a fair shake.

LYRICAL THRILLS
Like camping? Like to read? Lyrical Underground tagged me on Facebook this week, alerting me they’re doing a giveaway to celebrate A Cold Tomorrow. I wouldn’t mind having these goodies myself. Hop over to see what they’re giving away! I love that they’re always doing something.

BOOK SALES
My best year yet!! I’ve heard it usually takes several years to see results, and I’ve finally reached the point where that’s happening. Hopefully, I can continue to build on that momentum going into 2017 and beyond. A HUGE thank you to everyone for the support you’ve shown me. You have made my author’s journey a blessing.

Wishing you all a fabulous New Year! Cheers, and let’s head into 2017 together!

WIP Progress, Books, and Something Weird by Mae Clair

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Mae Clair

It’s the start of a new week, and I’m happy to say I had a productive weekend. Which is a good thing as I’m starting to feel the pressure of a looming deadline. I’ve got two months until the contract deadline for my current WIP, A COLD TOMORROW.

I’ve never written on proposal before. In the past, I always had a complete manuscript which I sent to my publisher for acceptance. When I started my POINT PLEASANT SERIES, I submitted book one, A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS. Books two and three were just vague ideas at that point. When the series was accepted, I suddenly had deadlines to produce both of those books. Do you know how hard it is to write a blurb and a synopsis of a book that is only a germ of an idea in your head?

Needless to say, the whole thing has been a challenge. I’m now writing on PROPOSAL instead of a completed manuscript, and I have concrete deadlines. I’ve been way behind with book two of the series, A COLD TOMORROW, but this weekend I put my nose to the grindstone and added 8200 words. Can we say jazzed? If I can keep up a similar word count for the next few weeks, I’ll finish the novel, then have a whole month of editing before having to submit the completed manuscript.

TOMORROW is a suspense/mystery just like the first book in the series, but it’s turning out to have a strong speculative/science fiction slant, which is something new for me. I’m enjoying hitting that angle, and most especially, feeling like I’ve stepped up to the plate with building suspense throughout the story. YESTERYEARS is a strong tale, but I feel like I’ve crossed a line I’ve been flirting with for a long time through TOMORROW. It’s even more exciting because the stuff I’m writing about has a basis in fact or folklore. Cross your fingers and wish me luck on my goals.

Aside from writing, I’ve discovered a very cool new series that has cemented my reading attention. I strongly believe Stephen King’s philosophy that if you’re going to be a writer, you have to spend a great deal of time reading. I’m one of those people who devour books, one immediately after another. Currently, I’m engrossed in my ninth title of the year, the fourth book in the Ellie Jordan Ghost Trapper series. I picked the first book up as a free read several months ago (it’s still free, so go grab it), and found it interesting. I won’t say it was over-the-top-stellar (I gave it a four-star review), but the characters were intriguing and the plot was interesting enough that months later I sought out book two. Since then each has gotten progressively better, and I’m already adding other books by author, J.L. Bryan to my Kindle library. If you like mystery, detective fiction, and the paranormal blended into one, I highly recommend the series.

Finally, something weird has been happening over the last few days. As many of you know, I have a newsletter. I normally get a handful of new sign-ups a month but over the last few days I’ve gotten four to five each day. The names are all women, first names only with email addresses. Names like Loretta, Carrie and Margarita. I’d love to think they’re all legit, but when I normally only get a handful a month and suddenly I’m getting that many in one day, I’m suspicious. And what are the odds that they’d all only give me their first name?

I don’t know if some “club” has suddenly discovered me or if a bot has found my sign-up form. I’m torn on whether I should add the names to my mailing list or not. Any opinions?

In any event, here’s wishing all of you productive writing (and reading) time, Cross your fingers that I can finish A COLD TOMORROW by the end of February. I’ve made it my new goal!

How many tasks can a writer juggle? by Mae Clair

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Mae Clair

I’ve decided that among the obvious word talent that writers possess, we’re also expert jugglers. Writing, editing, promotion, social media, giveaways…you get the idea.

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of juggling. Post-it note reminders have mutated are taking over my office. Here’s a glimpse of what I currently have going on:

I finished the content edits on A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS, book 1 of my Point Pleasant Series. My editor was pretty tough this go-round and pointed out a few things I hadn’t picked up on in the initial draft (like my fondness for the word “surely.” Note to self: add to my list of words to avoid). Next up, copy edits, which I imagine will arrive any day.

I put together a book cover for FOOD FOR POE, my paranormal/Christmas novella, and hope to reveal it once all of the Halloween/October excitement quiets down. October is going to be a busy month for me. MYTH AND MAGIC is currently on sale for $.99 and I’ve got several posts, a short blog tour, and a blog hop lined up to promote it. Like I said—juggling.

I started formatting FOOD FOR POE (an indie release) and am pleased at how smoothly that’s progressing so far. *fingers crossed*

ECLIPSE LAKE, my full-length mystery indie release has been doing extremely well. A local book club even picked it up as their read of the month. That prompted me to enter it into a contest Shelf Unbound magazine runs for indie releases. I can’t imagine actually winning, but it would be nice to get an honorable mention and expose the story to a new audience. The freebie promo I ran on Amazon has really paid off, so I’m planning another after the first of the year.

I’ll be sending out my first newsletter tomorrow. A new venture that I’m super excited about. If you haven’t signed up and would like to, please click here to ensure you receive my debut edition. Wait until you see my Halloween header. I just love it! 🙂

I’m still trying to arrange a book signing with two other local authors. I tried to set something up with BAM, but it didn’t work out. Even though our books are available in POD format through BAM’s online store, titles have to be available through Ingram and returnable. No such luck, so we’re attempting to arrange something with an independent bookstore. Still hoping for the month of October to take advantage of MYTH AND MAGIC’s Halloween theme. *fingers crossed again*

Craig Boyack’s wonderful THE EXPERIMENTAL NOTEBOOK OF C.S. BOYACK has me enamored of short stories and micro fic all over again (if you haven’t picked up his book, grab a copy. It’s only $.99 and contains a treasure-trove of short reads). I’ve got a bunch of shorts sitting around begging attention and currently behaving like guppies at the top of a water line—Feed me! Feed me! To top it off, I got hit with several ideas for new stories the other night. *more balls in the air* It’s crazy to even consider, but I’m thinking about trying to squeeze an indie release of shorts in next fall. In the meantime, I’m working on A COLD TOMORROW, book 2 of my Point Pleasant series. Like I said—writers are expert jugglers.

I’m often reminded of Bilbo Baggins in the LORD OF THE RINGS when he says “I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.”

Yep. Been having a lot of days like that lately. Tell me about yours. What tasks are you juggling?

Guest Blogger C. S. Boyack on Pre-Research

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Mae Clair

Not that long ago I stumbled across a blog called “Entertaining Stories,” written by fellow blogger and author, C. S. Boyack. Needless to say, I found Craig Boyack’s observations highly entertaining, and in no time added his blog to my list of regular haunts. Trust me—you need to check it out. He shares interesting reflections, writerly thoughts and slice-of-life stuff. It’s kind of like sitting around in a writer’s café and chatting with the group. You can find Entertaining Stories here.

If you hop over today, you’ll also find me there as well. Craig and I are doing a blog swap, each of us posting on various aspects of researching a novel. So check out the informative post below (along with Craig’s most recent release, THE COCK OF THE SOUTH), then hop over to Entertaining Stories to see what I’ve got to share!

~ooOOoo~

The Cock of the South is a dwarven fantasy set in a Greco-Roman environment. It involves a group of scattered races coming together to face a common enemy. You can check it out here.

~ooOOoo~

Mae Clair and I are doing a blog swap today. She’s over at my blog discussing the depths of her research for her WIP about the Mothman. To get your Mae Clair fix today, you’ll have to visit my blog at https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com

I’m here today to talk about my own version of research. I come up with some pretty wild things for my stories, but I’ve found it easier to fertilize my imagination somewhat. Maybe I should call it pre-research. To that end I use two special apps.

The first one is my RSS reader. This allows me to subscribe to topics that interest me. As a writer of science fiction, fantasy, and paranormal it helps to have data pushed to me. I get articles on archaeology, space exploration, webcomics, fantasy art and more this way.

I also use something called Zite Magazine. This allows me to subscribe to content that interests me, but it allows me to refine it. When you first pick a category, the app searches for the word. “Voodoo” will return information about doughnut shops, Jimmy Hendrix music, voodoo economics, and a bunch of other stuff you don’t want. Zite comes with a thumbs up or down option to help refine your results. Spend a month with it and you’ll be learning all about Gris Gris Bags and Black Cat Oil.

But wait, there’s more! I save time by checking these feeds daily. Not everything is awesome, and some days it’s just a quick surf. When I find something of interest I move it to my living documents.

I keep living documents on my iPad with names like Cryptids, Science Fiction, and Paranormal. I add a few notes, and include the link to the article. Now I have a handy reference guide when I need a story element or maybe even a central theme. I also save neat articles and post about them on my blog on occasion. I call these my Idea Mill posts.

My living documents aren’t fancy. They’re just notes for me, but they grow over time. If a note says, Black Shuck the Hellhound of Suffolk, that’s all I need. I can paste that into any search engine and get tons of data. (Try it, and learn all about Black Shuck) As the documents grow, I organize them into categories like ghosts, voodoo, witchcraft, etc.

Here’s an example of how this helped me out. I was writing a science fiction story called Arson at the time. Zite Magazine pushed me an article about micro-thin electronic circuits that would dissolve in water. The purpose was to use them in surgical applications one day. Wow, they’d probably wash away in a fire hose too. Look Ma, no evidence. The idea wouldn’t have occurred to me in a million years, but Zite provided a seed.

I received a post about an archaeological dig in Ancient Rome. It was all about a rock with a prayer carved on it. Apparently the ancients would place the rock on an outcrop and grind it clockwise while repeating the prayer. It also worked counterclockwise as a curse. I tucked it away in a living document, and thought no more about it. When I needed a little something for a novel called Panama, there it was.

I also keep living documents about various writing lessons. It’s just a handy place to remind myself of a suspense trick, or a plotting device that might help me out. Right now I need to improve my section on Asian magic and fantasy. I could use more data about Asian dragons too. I have a rough idea for a short story that could use a little kick in the pants.

All thanks to Mae Clair for inviting me here today. I hope you found my pre-research tips helpful.

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A Writer’s Fiefdom Revisited by Mae Clair

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Mae Clair

Writers need a special place to create. It doesn’t matter where it is (over the years I’ve had quite a few) as long as we can put our stamp on it.

When I was a kid, it was my bedroom, scribbling in spiral bound notebooks. When I got my fist typewriter at age fifteen (a manual one), I took over my parents’ dining room table. Each day we would move my papers and notes, along with the typewriter, to the floor when dinner rolled around. When the table was cleared, my parents gladly gave me my space back. To this day, I love how they encouraged me to write.

When my husband and I married, the dining room table pattern continued through each of the apartments we leased. When we bought our first home, we set a room aside as my den. Although it was nothing extraordinary, and shared space with the ironing board and laundry basket, I had an actual desk. I remember coming home from work one day and finding it in the living room. Hubby had taken it upon himself to surprise me, and picked it up from a state surplus store.

That desk was a monster. Solid wood, with a built in cabinet in addition to drawers. It always reminded me of something that belonged in a courthouse, it was so huge. It stayed with me for many years afterward, and when we moved to our current house, it became the center point of my den. I was no longer sharing space with laundry and the ironing board, but the room could have used a facelift. Still, it was my spot, reserved just for me. Writer’s bliss.

In warm weather, I took my laptop outside and worked from our deck or covered patio. Sometimes, when the mood struck, I’d stake claim on a corner of the couch in the family room. Eventually, we decided to remodel a smaller room in the house for my den and turn the existing space into a TV room. That meant moving everything from the smaller, guest bedroom into the den during the remodeling process. You might remember me lamenting my space was usurped with clutter in A Writer’s Fiefdom. I promised in that post I would share photos when the project was done.

I’ve been neglectful in posting these, but I finally have my newly remodeled den, along with a new desk, bookcases, corner fireplace and flatscreen (which I like to tune to Soundscapes for background music when I’m writing).

We gutted this room from the floor up. Everything is new – from the floor and moldings, to the doors, switch plates, outlets, etc. I should have taken before and after photos, but didn’t think of the “before” photos until it was too late. Hubby does good work, and I am now a pro at stripping wallpaper. 🙂

I wanted warm harvest colors and wood tones, a change from the “blue” den I had before.

I’m sure I’ll still wander outside with my laptop come summer, but in the meantime I’m enjoying my cozy new haven, which is perfect for dreaming up characters.

Oh, and about that monster desk? We had to dismantle it in order to fit it through the door for trash disposal. It went out in pieces! I wrote a lot of stories on that baby, just like my parents’ dining room table. I’m hoping to write even more in my new fiefdom.

What do you like best about your writing space?

Guest Blogger Gemma Brocato: Listening To The Muse Even When She Whines

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Mae Clair

I’ve got a treat for you today as Gemma Brocato, author of COOKING UP LOVE, has agreed to share her thoughts about The Muse. Gemma and I connected as sister authors at Lyrical Press, now the digital imprint of Kensington Books. Initially, I had an interview planned with Gemma for today, and wanted to put the spotlight on COOKING UP LOVE. As we wait for everything to sort itself out between Kenstington and Lyrical, book titles are temporarily unavailable, but rather than cancel her visit, Gemma agreed to write a post on a subject I adore — mythology!

Let’s see what she has to say about the elusive, fickle, and oh so wondrous, muse!

~ooOOoo~

Thanks to Mae for inviting me by today, and for being flexible about what type of post I would present to her lovely followers. See, I’d completed a post about my debut novel, Cooking Up Love and had it ready to go. But the Muses moved the powers that be at Lyrical Press and Kensington to form a partnership that I’m very excited about. Unfortunately, it means my book is temporarily off the market and it doesn’t make sense to promote the book. So, I was inspired talk to you about the Muses.

The word Muse actually means desire or wish. As in, I wish I knew where this post was heading.

Did you know there were nine Muses? And they were all girls (wouldn’t you hate competing for bathroom time in that house?). According to Greek mythology Zeus bewitched Mnemosyne and spent nine consecutive nights with her, producing the Musai. The goddesses were born in Pieria, at the foot of Mt. Olympus. Their names might be recognizable for what they’ve come to inspire in present day. Here’s a chart:

When I look at their names, I see Choir, Eros, Hymn, and Ha.

After the girls were born, Zeus fostered them out to Apollo to raise them. Apollo moved them to Mt. Elikonas where he helped them dedicate their lives to the arts, teaching them to support and encourage creation, enhance imagination and inspire artists. But the power most frequently attributed to them is the power to bring to mind…and clarify…the story the writer wishes to tell. Apparently, listening to what the Muse had to say was important. Ignore it, and she could be spiteful; leaving the artist blind or the singer or poet mute. I suppose that’s what we’d call writer’s block today.

Since the days of Ancient Greece, writers, musicians and artists have called upon their Muse for help and guidance. Homer asks his Muse to tell him the story in the proper way in both the Iliad and The Odyssey.

Eric Clapton spoke about his Muse this way: “I wish I could write easily. I’m one of those guys who’s visited by the Muse when things are dire.”

One of my favorite authors, Harlan Coben, has this to say about his Muse: “The Muse is not an angelic voice that sits on your shoulder and sings sweetly. The Muse is the most annoying whine. The Muse isn’t hard to find, just hard to like – she follows you everywhere, tapping you on the shoulder, demanding that you stop doing whatever else you might be doing and pay attention to her.”

Donatella Versace has a one and it looks a lot like her: “My Muse changes all the time because I think every designer is a bit of a Muse for themselves in a way – they just don’t want to say it.” While I do believe some of her creations are inspired, I wonder what her Muse actually wears? I’m thinking maybe Chanel.

Can you summon your Muse at will? Or must you wait for her to come? I think Amy Tan answered this best: “Who knows where inspiration comes from. Perhaps it arises from desperation. Perhaps it comes from the flukes of the universe, the kindness of the Muses.”

All I know is when my Muse speaks, I listen to her, even when she whines.

~ooOOoo~

What a great post! I loved that line about the bathroom. Cat fight, guaranteed, LOL. I’m anxious to hear your thoughts and answers to Gemma’s questions about your personal muse. And although COOKING UP LOVE is temporarily off the market, you can still add it to your Goodreads list, here.

Author Bio
Gemma’s favorite desk accessories for many years were a circular wooden token, better known as a ’round tuit,’ and a fortune from a fortune cookie proclaiming her a lover of words; some day she’d write a book. All it took was a transfer to the United Kingdom, the lovely English springtime, and a huge dose of homesickness to write her first novel. Once it was completed and sent off with a kiss even the rejections, addressed to ‘Dear Author’, were gratifying.

After returning to America, she spent a number of years as a copywriter, dedicating her skills to making insurance and the agents who sell them sound sexy. Eventually, her full-time job as a writer interfered with her desire to be a writer full-time and she left the world of financial products behind to pursue an avocation as a romance author.

Her gamble paid off when she was a 2012 Finalist in the prestigious Golden Pen contest for Romantic Suspense and she received contracts for her first and second book.

Connect with Gemma at the following haunts:
Website
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Pippa Jay talks Sci-Fi and Writing: Terms and Conditions Apply

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Mae Clair

Today, I’m welcoming “Pen Pal” Pippa Jay to my blog as she shares her sci-fi romance, TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. I don’t know about you, but sci-fi has been a genre I’ve adored since junior high.

As I got older, however, the romantic in me couldn’t help wishing for some tender interludes between hero and heroine. Remember the first time you saw that spark between Han Solo and Princess Leia? LeSigh! And what about Dr. Daniel Jackson and Sha’uri in the film Stargate? That’s still one of my all-time favorites.

I’m anxious to see what Pippa has to share, including the story behind an interesting space-station called Venus Ascendant that has the ability to make romantic dreams come true!

Thanks for visiting with me today, Pippa. Let’s start with your writing habits. Do you have a favorite place and/or time of day to write?
These days I’m curled up on the sofa with my laptop, while my three little monsters are at school.

LOL! I bet they’re adorable. Especially when they scurry home at the end of the day, flush with excitment. Which do you find easier to write and why – description or dialogue?
Descriptions, definitely. I love writing descriptions and creating settings.

I’m partial to descriptions too. There’s something about painting a picture with words. Let’s talk about your title next. I think it’s extremely clever. How did you choose it?
My two characters were discussing the contract under which my hero was tied to the space-station the story is set on. As soon as I wrote the word ‘terms’ it reminded me of the phrase Terms and Conditions Apply, which we see on almost everything these days – contests, contracts, sales info on pretty much everything we buy etc. I just thought it would be fun to use a common but often ignored legal phrase as a title.

Fantastic idea! Which character did you enjoy writing the most and why?
I quite liked Marie, because she was different to the characters I’d written before. Maybe not a strong person at the start and definitely naïve, but you see her develop even in such a short story, and her bravery over her final choice proved she was stronger than I’d thought.

Isn’t it great when characters surprise you? How did you choose your setting?
The setting was chosen for me! I originally wrote the story for an anthology call, and the space-station Venus Ascendant was part of the canon. I’d not written anything set in such a confined space before, and it had some interesting quirks to use – Frisnik’s bar, for example, and the holographic suites that could be anything the customers desired. In fact, the suite was the greatest challenge because I had to imagine something that Marie really wanted.

I’d love a vacation at a holographic suite, LOL! Was there research involved in this novel? If so, what was the most interesting item you discovered?
I’d done a lot of research on artificial intelligence, artificial skin and robotics before this story, so I put them to good use.

Share one sentence – – yes, only one! – – of dialogue or description you love.
That’s so mean! Okay, one line of description that I love: “They hovered in the fiery remnants of a long dead star.”

Coming up with just one is really tough, isn’t it? 🙂 But I love the line you chose. To me, it’s visual and poetic. Do you have any guilty pleasures (i.e, type of food, music, TV show, shoe obsession, silly distraction) you’d like to share?
I’m a scifi geek, so rewatching some of my favourite series, making costumes, and collecting the odd bit of scifi related goodies are some of my indulgences.

I have a small collection of sci-fi too, mostly old magazines, books and DVDs related to favorite shows and movies. Now for a quick glimpse into some of things you enjoy. Please share your:

Favorite color: Turquoise
Favorite type of music: Alternative rock
Favorite TV show: Doctor Who
Favorite social media platform: Twitter
Pie or cake: Cake!

Ooo, I love the color choice of turquoise! I’m wearing a turquoise jacket as I type this. Beautiful color. Pippa, thanks so much for dropping by and being my guest for the day.
Thanks for having me!

You can find Pippa at the following haunts:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
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Author Bio
A stay-at-home mum of three who spent twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay bases her stories on a lifetime addiction to science-fiction books and films. Somewhere along the line a touch of romance crept into her work and refused to leave. In between torturing her plethora of characters, she spends the odd free moments trying to learn guitar, indulging in freestyle street dance and drinking high-caffeine coffee. Although happily settled in historical Colchester in the UK with her husband of 20 years, she continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head. Pippa Jay is a dedicated member of the SFR Brigade, a community of science fiction romance authors and publishing professionals committed to writing and promoting the very best in the genre.

Blurb for TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
“Welcome to Venus Ascendant, a Public Grade space station in the Andromedan Galaxy. With our open-to-all policy, any being in the universe can find their perfect romantic getaway at our purpose built resort. The on-board empathic AI Ganesa ensures that anyone coming to Venus Ascendant will find their heart’s desire, with suites that transform from luxurious boudoirs to sunset-lit beaches. So come to Venus Ascendant and find exactly what you’re looking for!”

It was meant to be a romantic getaway for Marie and the love of her life Jaisen; a chance for him to get to know her better after months of her denying him more than a few stolen kisses. Instead, Marie finds herself dumped and alone on Venus Ascendant with no credit for a transmat and the next starship home not due for another hour.

But the all-seeing AI isn’t going to leave anyone aboard the space station with their dreams unfulfilled. Marie’s boyfriend might not have made it to the station, but there are others willing and able to take on the role – even if they aren’t entirely human.

A Science Fiction Romance Short Story
A Gulf Coast RWA Chapter Silken Sands Self-Published Star Award Finalist 2013

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