The Great Raleigh Chocolate Tour of 2013

Posted on February 18, 2013 by J.L. Hilton

Please note that this information is based on my experiences in February 2013. Locations and products may have changed since then.

The alien heroes in my science fiction Stellarnet books may think chocolate tastes like an oozing fungus from the planet Glin, but my human heroine Genevieve O’Riordan and I both love it.

Saturday, I visited seven chocolate shops in Raleigh, North Carolina. I started with world-renowned chocolatiers Godiva and Lindt in the Crabtree Valley Mall, then went down Glenwood Avenue to Hereghty cafe, followed by stops at locally-owned bean-to-bar shops Videri and Escazu, then up Capital Boulevard to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory at Triangle Town Center, and ending at the Chocolate Boutique in Lafayette Village on Falls of Neuse Road.

The tour took me five hours from 11am to 4pm, which included driving in the snow, eating lunch, chatting with store owners and sales clerks, taking pictures, tasting samples, and making purchases at each stop. The tour might take others from 2 to 6 hours, depending on weather, traffic, being alone or with a group, and how much time spent at each location.

* * * UPDATE 3/4/13: The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store in TTC has closed. There is one now open in Brier Creek. Click here for an updated map. * * *

I’m not going to rate nor rank the shops, and I can’t possibly choose a favorite. Every single one has a character of its own, with unique offerings, friendly service and delicious treats. Here’s more information, with the shops listed in the order visited. All photographs taken by J.L. Hilton (me).

* * *

GODIVA
4325 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 919.781.0930

In 1926, Joseph Draps opened his first Godiva Chocolatier shop on a cobblestone street in Brussels, Belguim. The shop in Crabtree Valley Mall, near the food court, is one of now hundreds of Godiva boutiques around the world. It features seasonal goodies, bars, boxes and individual pieces, as well as shakes, fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate, fresh fruit kabobs drizzled in chocolate, chocolate-dipped macaroons, chocolate dessert cups with fresh berries and chocolate-covered Oreo cookies. (See boutique exclusive info here.) I joined the Godiva Chocolate Rewards Club.

* * *

LINDT
4325 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 919.786.6105

Lindt & Sprüngli is a a luxury Swiss chocolate and confectionery company that traces its origins back to 1845. Lindt chocolate is sold in more than 80 countries and manufactured bean to bar from eight production sites in Europe and the U.S. The Raleigh shop is just down the elevator from Godiva, and features bulk bins of Lindor truffles and European specialties, as well as bars, tins, boxes, chocolate teddy bears and seasonal gifts. I bought some of their HELLO bars in caramel brownie and strawberry cheesecake flavors, and I joined the Lindt Lovers Rewards program.

* * *

HEREGHTY HEAVENLY DELICIOUS
2603 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 123, Raleigh, NC 919.787.3995

This is not strictly a chocolate shop but a European-style cafe that offers cookies, pastries, coffee, wine, beer, sandwiches, salads, and so we stopped here for lunch. They do have chocolate truffles from time to time, but didn’t have any on hand when I visited. I did, however, taste a “Liquid Brownie” chocolate, caramel and espresso drink. I can’t wait to go back. The food, drink and pastries were all fantastic. The cafe is intimate, with limited space and small tables set up for couples, not really designed for larger groups. But they do off-site catering, corporate lunches, custom gift boxes, etc. Baked goods are produced in-house, except for their gluten-free offerings that are made off-premises.

Driving from Hereghty to Videri, we passed the Cupcake Shoppe and Turkish Delights, both on Glenwood Avenue. They would have been fun stops for chocolate-flavored goodies, too. But we were pressed for time as road conditions were expected to worsen by evening, and we were focused on chocolate makers — not chocolate bakers or other chocolate treats.

* * *

VIDERI CHOCOLATE FACTORY
327 West Davie Street, Downtown Raleigh, NC 919.755.5053

Videri has a Victorian style that made me feel as if I’d stepped back in time as soon as I entered the shop in Raleigh’s warehouse district. The factory is designed to allow walkthrough, with most of the production occurring behind glass and beautiful signs describing each step of the process. I couldn’t stop taking pictures. They offer large and small bars, seasonal treats, custom creations and space for private parties. Two weeks from now, they will also have a coffee bar.

“Videri Chocolate Factory was started by group of friendly folks who wanted to create wonderful chocolate, from the bean, everyday. We’re a cozy downtown chocolate factory that scrupulously sources every ingredient to insure a high quality, socially responsible chocolate.”

* * *

ESCAZU ARTISAN CHOCOLATES
936 N Blount Street, Raleigh, NC 919.832.3433

A dark-chocolate-lovers paradise, I’ve been shopping at Escazu for awhile and had previously taken a behind-the-scenes tour where I learned where their beans come from and how their chocolate is made. What I still don’t know is how they make such unusual ingredients so delicious. Lime and chili? Lemon and cayenne? Buddha’s hand and poppyseed? It’s magic. They also offer ice cream, cookies and coffee. When planning a visit, keep in mind that Escazu is a very small store with limited parking, in a bit of an unusual location just off of N. Blount Street in a neighborhood of downtown Raleigh and next door to Market Restaurant.

“Our workshop, located near downtown in the Mordecai neighborhood also serves as a retail store. We make and sell all of our products at this location, with a continually evolving selection of truffles and confections available nowhere else. We offer coffee drinks made with Counter Culture coffee, house made ice cream push-ups, soft drinks and a wide array of drinking chocolates, as well as locally made gifts.”

Escazu also sells Elemental chocolate-covered fair-trade cocoa beans, which are made in Raleigh by Paul Mosca, who innovated a process to remove the shell while keeping the bean intact. Elemental does not have its own store location but may be purchased online or at Escazu and other stores throughout the Triangle.

* * *

ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Triangle Town Center, Capital Blvd., Raleigh NC 919.792.2277
Brier Creek Commons, 8521 Brier Creek Parkway, Suite 103, Raleigh, NC 919-806-8992

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is based in the town of Durango on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Many of their products are made in their 53,000 square foot factory, but individual stores also prepare caramel and candy apples, fudge, chocolate items and confections on-site, in full view of the customer. Apples were being made the day we visited. It’s a very small store, just basically a walk-up counter within the mall. But it’s easy to reach if you park and enter near the Creekside Cafes food court entrance and take the elevator up to the second level. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is between the Sak’s Fifth Avenue and Macy’s stores. Also, chocolate coated potato chips.


I know it was a chocolate tour, but I bought caramels for my daughter who doesn’t like chocolate, and I bought an “Apple Pie” candy apple. The sales clerk cut the apple for me, which made it easier to eat and to share. It was OMG. I can’t wait to have another one.

* * *

THE CHOCOLATE BOUTIQUE
8480 Honeycutt Road, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 919.322.0960

Located in Lafayette Village, the Chocolate Boutique is both a chocolate shop and party venue. I don’t think it’s a bean-to-bar shop that grinds its own cocoa beans, but they do make all of their chocolates on the premises. One of my family’s favorites is their peanut butter caramel truffle, and my husband loves their chocolate-covered bacon. Parties are available for children and/or adults, where you can make your own chocolates. They offer more than 1,200 molds to choose from, according to their Facebook page. Parties may be booked for a private group, or you can sign up for one of the monthly chocolate-making parties open to the public.

* * *

I had such a good time on the tour. It made me feel like a kid who’s been out trick-or-treating all Halloween night or… just like a kid in a candy store!

~ J.L. Hilton

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A valentine to my editor

Posted on February 14, 2013 by J.L. Hilton

This short story featuring Belloc from my Stellarnet books is a special valentine for my former editor, Alison Dasho. You can read other tales written for her by my fellow Carina Press authors Diane Dooley, Veronica Scott, Darcy Daniel, R.L. Naquin and Shawna Thomas. All of them include characters she helped us bring to life.

* * *

ASTERIA COLONY MED-BLOCK, SECTOR H

Alison awoke to the sound of a sultry male voice that might have been called a “crooner” in another century. A voice that didn’t sound at all like Kermit the Frog. But, when she opened her eyes, the singer did look a bit frog-like—a painfully handsome, humanoid version of a blue dart frog, with a pale face and sapphire skin on the back half of his head, neck and body.

“’Lo, Alison.”

He moved with a dancer’s grace, slender but powerful, as he stood over her and leaned close. Large, glistening irises made his eyes look like dark, polished pebbles, with only the slightest bit of white in the corners. Yet even that alien characteristic was somehow appealing, giving him a wide-eyed look of gentle innocence. A fantasy author would describe him as elven, if he’d had pointed ears. But the aliens known as Glin had no visible pinna, only slits on both sides of the head.

Her throat felt thick and sore when she swallowed, but she managed to whisper. “’Lo, Belloc. ‘Sup?” She tried not to stare at the chiseled pectorals that drew her gaze past his unbuttoned collar, but averted her eyes to the floral patterns shimmering in the digital threads of his programmable shirt.

“Nik told me you were here, in the IRL med-block.” He glanced at the numbers and lights that covered the wall at the head of her bed—information provided by the nano-sensors attached to her skin or injected into her body. “Dr. Geber says you’re doing well.”

“Epic.” Alison croaked the word and cleared her throat.

“Your technomage missed the subzero expedition.” He referred to her incarnation in the popular MMO Mysteria.

“Sorry.”

“No problem. You can watch the vid of our playthrough. We found the remnants of a secret civilization and several psionic weapons.”

A pair of gloves covered his webbed hands and extended to his elbows, alight with interactive Net icons on his forearms. He touched the controls on his cuffs and a corresponding window opened upon the wall, covering most of the medical apps.

“Were you watching something when I woke up?”

His hairless brows puckered over his eyes. “No.”

“I heard singing.”

Belloc sat on the edge of her bed and hung his head in awkward reticence. She’s the one who felt awkward, with her thin antibiotic hospital gown, bed head and raspy voice. She probably had bad breath, too. Ugh.

“I was trying to sing you well. The Glin do that.”

“’K, then don’t stop. I still feel like crap.”

“Are you thirsty?” He offered her a plastic bottle. “Duin thought you might need this.”

She accepted the gift and felt something slosh inside the container. “What is it?”

“Glem. Water.”

“Water?”

“From Glin.” His people used the same word for their planet as themselves, as they considered one inseparable from the other.

“Are there flowers to go in it or something?”

“Like tea?”

“Like a vase.”

“The floral block might have a few of those blue roses left over from the wedding.”

The wedding. The very first wedding between an alien—Belloc—and a human—interstellar blogger Genevieve O’Riordan. Their marriage took place right here in Asteria Colony.

He moved to get up, but Alison stopped him. “N-V-M. Just sing.”

A corner of his mouth curled up in a shy half-smile. But he inhaled a deep breath and sang in a low, gurgling language that washed her aches away. Alison didn’t understand a word, but she appreciated the beauty of Glinnish—and the Glin beside her. While he sang, she drank the water. With each note, and each sip, she felt better and better.

Dr. Geber entered, waving a stylus that manipulated the stats on the wall. “What happened?”

Belloc stopped singing and stepped away from the bed, pivoting on one foot and swirling out of the doctor’s way. “Should I go?”

“I think there’s something wrong with the sensors.”

“I messed them up.” Belloc touched his glove and the Mysteria vid disappeared from the wall.

“It’s not you. She just suddenly… reset, back to her pre-op stats.”

Alison sat up, rubbing a hand through her hair, though it probably only made things worse. “But, I’m supposed to get better, right? That’s the whole reason I’m here.”

“Well, yes, but no.” Dr. Geber’s fingers wiggled in the air, shrinking and enlarging items on the wall, and flicking through several menus. “Not so quickly.”

She stretched her arms, tentatively twisted her torso, and realized that she felt pretty damn good. “I feel like I could fight a whole army of steam trolls.” She smiled at Belloc. “I guess your singing worked.”

He smiled back. “I’ll tell Hax to add another power to my mist wraith. Siren song healing bonus, plus ten.”

Alison drank the last of the water and returned the bottle to Belloc.

(c) J.L. Hilton, 2013

To find out more about Belloc, Genevieve O’Riordan, Duin, Hax, Nik, Dr. Geber, Glin and Asteria Colony, see Amazon.

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Skyrim smut for a horny Dovahkiin

Posted on February 2, 2013 by J.L. Hilton

* * WARNING: ADULT CONTENT * *

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Tamriel and its inhabitants belong to Bethesda and the creators of TESV. Zephyr Silvertongue is an original character.

Do not read if you are easily offended by fanfiction, erotica, humor, double entendre, battle tank Nords sporting a “horker tusk” or an Imperial Dragonborn with a hot set of sweet rolls.

1,800 words.

– J.L. Hilton

* * *

“COME WITH ME TO SOVNGARDE”

My housecarl Jordis prepared a bath in the master bedroom so I could wash the dust of draugr crypts and long roads from my weary limbs. Steam rose from the tub, fogging the bottles of spiced wine and making the sweet rolls glisten. As I unbuckled my armor, Stenvar cleared his throat.

“I’ll leave you to it.”

He offered me a privacy I did not desire. He’d proven himself a follower worthy of adventuring with the Dragonborn, slaying bandits, Falmer, Hagravens and Forsworn with ease. His stealth and archery skills nearly matched my own. But now I wanted him for more than a sellsword and a pack mule. Much more.

I closed the door before he could leave. “You don’t need to sleep on a bed roll tonight.”

“Is that so?” His steel helmet tucked under his arm, I could see his stoic features. For a moment, I thought he would refuse. I might be Dovahkiin, but Stenvar was not the loyal, protective Faendal, nor the sweet, guileless Vorstag. This man had deep battle scars and eyes that had seen too much. He was a Nord. I was an Imperial. Still, he was a man, and those long roads of Skyrim contained as much loneliness as dust.

I raised myself on tiptoe in my steel boots and leaned against his ebony chestplate, wrapping my arms around his muscular neck. I loved seeing him in the black armor, almost as much as I wanted to see him out of it. The sleek surface crushed my bosom as I asked, “Wouldn’t you like a bath?”

“I would. I can take one downstairs, when you’re done.”

“But then… I won’t be in it.”

He said nothing. Damn the Nord, did he want me beg? He was too much a man of Tamriel to be coy. The grindstone of experience had honed him to a fine edge, and that was what I wanted, what made my blood burn like fire salts. I didn’t want to lead him by the hand, as if he was some Rorikstead innkeeper’s son. In this, as in our quests together, I relied on Stenvar to know what I needed and to do it without being told.

He smelled of sweat and leather, and a hint of blue mountain flowers as I pressed my lips to his, relishing the rough scrape of his grizzled beard and the faint taste of mead. With his shield hand he gripped the back of my head. His fingers in their Orcish gauntlet tangled in my hair and held tight, pulling my head back and separating our lips.

I didn’t beg, I demanded. “Stay with me. Bathe with me. Spend the night in my bed.”

He dropped his helm, which hit the floor with a heavy thud, and his sword arm grasped my waist. I might have been held by a standing stone, solid and just as impossible to move. His lips brushed mine, but didn’t linger. I wanted to scream, but there was no shout, no word of power for passion. I kissed him again, tongue and mouth opening hot and wet. And again he broke off. With a smile.

“You hired me to kill things. Other services cost extra.”

Humor danced in his eyes like torchbugs. He knew full well that bedding was part of the mercenary package, a perk in the grim grind of dungeoning and dragonslaying. With as harsh a land as Skyrim, any joys or comforts were seized without question. Perhaps he had a spouse or a lover waiting for him somewhere in Eastmarch. I didn’t know. But I knew he loved gold. Gold and the lethal crunch of bone under his hammer. So be it.

My voice felt thick in my throat as I replied. “If you fuck as well as you fight, it will be worth every septim.”

He kissed me again, while my hands explored his armor, locating buckles and straps and unbinding them. We removed our gear, but he remained in boots and trousers by the time I’d stripped down to my amulet of disease immunity. He waited, watching me climb into the warm water. In this, as in battle, he wasn’t one to rush in until he assessed the situation, planned his attack.

I burnished my skin with tallow soap, worked elixirs of honeycomb and rock warbler egg into my hair. Sinking back into the water, I rinsed vampire blood and the Divines knew what from my dark braids. I resurfaced and opened my eyes to the sight of thick, naked manhood. It was no wonder he’d mastered two-handed swordplay. The weight of him hung half-hard and enticing, inches from my lips. I choked back an appreciative growl even as I eyed the part of him I’d prefer to choke on—after he bathed.

“Is there room for me?”

Whether he meant room in the bath or room between my lips or legs, I swore to find a way, Dibella willing. I moved so he could sit behind me. His bulging arms drew me closer, so my stomach covered his, and I felt his arousal throbbing between us. A long scar made a furrow through the hair that carpeted his powerful chest, and I traced this with one finger.

“The Thalmor who gave me that was aiming for my head, but Arkay didn’t want me, that day.”

“I’m glad.”

“So am I.” He chuckled, but his laughter transmuted into a savage groan when he put his lips to mine again and his rough hands to the curves of my body. No metal nor leather separated us, and skin on skin I pressed myself into his hard thighs and harder chest. Between kisses, I washed the dirt from his neck and wiped a smear of wolf’s blood from his cheek. His close-cropped hair felt like the fur trim of a jarl’s tunic, his now rock-hard cock fit like the familiar comfort of Dawnbreaker’s hilt in my hand.

Stenvar reached for a bottle of Evette San’s finest, uncorked it with his teeth, and spit the cork on the floor. He offered it first to me, then took a drink after, careless of the liquid running over his chin. He tipped the bottle and poured the spiced wine down my neck and over my breasts, then licked my skin. Seeking every drop, his mouth moved from my ear to my shoulder, while his hand fast-traveled from my breasts to the rift between my legs. As nimbly as I could pick any lock, his fingers sent shocks of pleasure sizzling through me. He didn’t use magic, but he had me in his spell, all the same. The more the water cooled, the more I burned. I expected any moment he would bend me over and take me there, on my knees. Squirming and sloshing water over the sides, I tried to impale myself on his horker tusk, but his arms held me firm. His deep, gravelly voice filled my ear.

“You won’t be stealing that, my seductive sneak-thief. You’ll get it when I give it to you.”

Before I could argue, he lifted me out of the tub and carried me to bed, where he placed me upon the snowy sabre cat pelts. Standing over me, he drank the last of the spiced wine, while I enjoyed the magnificent view that made me want to explore him like a Dwemer ruin. His wet skin glistened in the candlelight, his nipples two small, tight pebbles on the crests of his hulking torso, but the cool night air had no effect on his manhood. I was not a Nord, however, and I shivered.

“Cold? Then I’ll warm you.” He discarded the bottle and covered my body with his.

“You’re the one always complaining about the cold,” I teased.

“Ice caves make my fingers numb. I think my ma had some Imperial blood, though she wouldn’t admit it outside the walls of our home. Nords aren’t known for being tolerant of other races.”

“How do you feel about Imperials?”

“With my hands.”

He grinned, cupping one ample breast and kissing me deeply while his thumb flicked over my nipple, gently pinching, tugging and massaging in circles. Pushing his hips against me, he slid the full length of his shaft up and down, polishing the sensitive pearl in my hot, damp cleft until I arched my spine and writhed beneath him, digging my fingernails into his broad back and grasping handfuls of hard backside. If I were a lute, Inge Six-Fingers could not have played me better. And so I gave myself over completely to him and to my own berserker frenzy of lust.

When he finally entered me with a single, deft thrust, burying himself to the hilt, I cried out. The ache of emptiness soothed, my inner sanctum reached, and I felt a fullness more powerful than a potion of ultimate stamina. I wrapped my legs around him and my moans shook the rafters of Proudspire Manor. He impaled me again and again, each withdrawal leaving a desperate desire for more, each stab pushing me closer to the edge of oblivion. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they could hear me all the way to the Blue Palace.

The rumble of his voice insisted, “Now, Zephyr, my lovely rogue. Do it now… Come with me to Sovngarde.”

Climax vibrated through me like a thu’um. Stenvar slowed but would not relent, drawing out the length of each stroke with expert timing, driving me to convulse again. Pleasure became perfectly painful, and I gasped his name when I couldn’t stand it any more, clawed his shoulders in exquisite agony. He grunted my name, and something about the Divines, and I felt his hot release.

I fell asleep in his arms. In the morning, I awoke before him, tucked a coin purse with 500 septims under his arm and went downstairs to practice alchemy. He never mentioned the gold, never returned it, but never again suggested I pay for any of his services, in battle nor in bed. A month later, we were married in the Temple of Mara, but that’s a tale for another time.

* * *

Read more Skyrim…

How I left my husband for a man with pointy ears

Skyrim smut 1: “Come with me to Sovngarde”
Skyrim smut 2: “I need another stamina potion”
Skyrim smut 3: “Tickling the angry troll”
Skyrim smut 4: “The Dunmer of Debauchery”
Skyrim smut 5: “A Tsunny Day in Shor’s Realm”
Skyrim smut 6: “Return to Solitude”

~ J.L. Hilton

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Writers and the winds of change at Illogicon 2

Posted on January 17, 2013 by J.L. Hilton


IllogiCon is a small, local science fiction convention attended by fans, readers, authors, editors and publishers in my area.

I had the chance to hang out with friends new and old — Joe from the Research Triangle Science Fiction Society, Kate and Margaret from the Durham Writers Meetup, author and video game writer Richard Dansky and his wife Belinda, Wired columnist and author Natania Barron, writer and game developer Warren Schultz, Ribbons and Rivets, the Chainmail Chick, and author M. David Blake.

I’d attended the inaugural Illogicon as a vendor in 2012, selling my handmade jewelry and a couple of art books featuring my work, and promoting the release of Stellarnet Rebel. This year, I went as a guest, panelist and moderator, rather than a seller. I didn’t have much to sell, since I’d spent the year writing rather than restocking my jewelry inventory.

Saturday, I moderated the panel Comedy in Sci-fi/Fantasy with John Hartness, author of the Black Knight Chronicles and Bubba the Monster Hunter series, and Jeremy Whitley, writer for the comics Princeless and The Order of Dagonet. Sunday I was on the Steampunk to Cyberpunk: A History panel, with Illogicon webcomic guest of honor Garth Graham.

The convention ended for me after the How long will our books still be on paper? panel, where Davey Beauchamp, Tony Daniel, James Maxey and I discussed the future of paperbacks, hard covers and ebooks.

What amazed me the most about this convention was the apparent shift in attitudes toward ebooks. For months I’ve heard: Why aren’t your books on paper? Are you with one of those vanity presses? I hate reading ebooks. You’re not a real author unless your book is on a shelf at B&N. Don’t you have a real copy I could buy right now?

Suddenly, at Illogicon, I heard: Ebooks are the future. Paperbacks and big bookstores are going away in a few years. You’re on Audible? And Kindle? And Nook, Diesel, Sony, Google and Apple bookstore? Really? My publisher doesn’t do that. I can buy your book DRM-free? Can I buy your book on my new tablet? I’m buying your book right now with my smartphone…

There also seemed to be a lot of talk about misogyny, racism and homophobia in SF/F. Some of the discussion occurred in panels like Science Fiction and Ethics, Women and Geek Culture and Writing Strong Women, but it also happened in the hallways and side rooms of the convention.

I found this all very encouraging.

~ J.L. Hilton

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Stellarnet Rebel nominated for another sci-fi award

Posted on January 14, 2013 by J.L. Hilton

I just found out that the review staff from Love Romances & More Reviews nominated Stellarnet Rebel for Best Sci-Fi/Futuristic/Dystopian Book of the year.

Voting is going on now, and voters are all of the members of LR Cafe. LR Cafe is a Yahoo Group with a 4000+ membership where authors and readers can interact, enjoy themselves and talk about books. It’s free to join and free to vote. The polls are open until January 18, 2013.

My fellow Carina Press author Lily Cain is also nominated in the same category for her book Undercover Alliance.

Many thanks to Cindy Spencer Pape or I would never have known about the nomination!

Stellarnet Rebel is also the winner of the 2012 Galaxy Award for Best Non-Traditional Romance and a finalist in the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition EPIC Award for best sci-fi ebook of the year.

~ J.L. Hilton

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One-year anniversary of Stellarnet Rebel

Posted on January 2, 2013 by J.L. Hilton

Carina Press published my first novel, Stellarnet Rebel, one year ago today, and changed my life. FWIW I will forever be a professional sci-fi author. But the achievement is bittersweet.

My writing skills improved more than I ever thought possible between the start of Stellarnet Rebel and completing the sequel, Stellarnet Prince. With many thanks to my editor, Alison Dasho. I look forward to writing ever more and better stories.

I’ve had a crash course in the publishing/e-publishing industry, queries, submissions, summaries, elevator pitches, conventions, panels, the science fiction and romance genres, marketing, blogging, social media, and book reviewing. And I still don’t feel as if I understand a damn thing.

With my Aldiko and Kindle phone apps, I spend more time reading. I’ve enjoyed the stories of fellow Carina Press authors Robert Appleton, Ella Drake, Nicole Luiken, Christine Bell, Jax Garren and Julia Knight, because they are often edgy, funny and sexy in all the ways I enjoy.

Being an author and knowing how much I appreciate hearing from happy readers, I am more likely to reach out and contact authors whose work I’ve enjoyed.

I’ve made many new friends of readers, sci-fi fans, publishers, artists and fellow authors, who I’ve met online or attending conventions and other events.

I’ve learned how easy it is for mistakes to slip by the eyes of three editors and a dozen rounds of revisions. But I also have higher expectations when it comes to dialogue, character development, world building (now that I even know that’s a thing) and action sequences. I notice other elements I never noticed before — editing, pacing, tropes, cliches. This affects, for better or worse, my enjoyment of books, movies and TV.

When I like a book, I am eager to share my favorites on social media. There are so many books being published but so few promotional dollars being spent by publishers. Word of mouth, reviews and Internet buzz are essential to an author’s success. And I understand that a “bad” book isn’t necessarily terrible for everyone, just wrong for my tastes, so I’m a much kinder person when I do write reviews.

What’s been disappointing to me is that, despite being a finalist in the EPIC ebook awards, selected for my publishers Best of 2012 Staff Picks, an average 4.12 star rating (out of 5) on Goodreads, several 5-star reviews on Amazon, and the many events I attended in 2012 to promote the series, sales of Stellarnet Rebel have been dismal.

I appreciate well-intentioned friends who ask, “When is the movie coming out?” But those types of questions, along with inquiries about the book’s sales, are just lemon juice on my wounds.

Why hasn’t Stellarnet Rebel sold well? It would be easy to say “because it sucks” — and there’s no denying that it is a debut novel, and science fiction, not The Grapes of Wrath. Except for that EPIC award thing, all of the positive reviews, or the fact that Audible picked it up and the audio book narrator loved it. My publisher and editor loved it enough to offer me a contract and a series. It can’t be that bad.

There could be many other reasons. Debut authors typically don’t sell well. Which is why we’re told that the best way to promote our books is to write another one. It’s all about backlist and ongoing releases.

I’ve also discovered that science fiction with romantic elements, especially when written by women about women (and not young adults), doesn’t sell so well.

It could be that my publisher, being an imprint of Harlequin, is not reaching a sci-fi reading audience, and most romance readers aren’t interested in post-cyberpunk science fiction action adventure with video games, socio-political commentary and unconventional relationships. I’ve had some male readers tell me that they were initially turned off by the Harlequin association, but eventually read it anyway (and were glad they did).

Perhaps there’s no interest in alien love stories. Perhaps I should have written about vampires, werewolves, zombies and S&M steampunk airship pirates, but with a more vanilla romantic couple — instead of an exhibitionist threesome with an alien version of Ben Franklin and a sapphire-skinned emo outcast who have no qualms about making a news blogger sandwich.

The fact that the Stellarnet books are ebooks and audio books only, not print, is probably also against it, despite the overall increase in digital sales and decrease in paperback sales. Based on my experiences, science fiction readers, oddly, resist new technology. It makes little sense to me that people who love futuristic stories and dressing up like sci-fi characters would not be using smartphones and tablets with wild abandon. But the “I like to turn pages and smell a book” force is strong with that audience.

I do very much appreciate those readers and reviewers who told me how much they enjoyed the Stellarnet books. They keep me going. The third Stellarnet book needs to be finished. And I have more stories I would like to tell. But I won’t be attending as many conventions nor devoting as many hours to writing, in 2013. For the sake of my health and sanity, and in fairness to my family.

Let’s be real. I know, from my experience as a jewelry designer, that it takes years to build a following and a reputation. But at this point, I just can’t devote myself full-time to something that is going to pay me 20-cents an hour.

When I think of all the evenings I spent in isolation, writing, revising or “building my social media platform” rather than being with my children, watching a movie with my husband, playing a favorite video game, going out with friends… Or when I think about how I set aside my volunteer work and my fairly successful jewelry design business, so I could write instead… When I think about the hours in therapy and the Xanax pills so I could figure out how to deal with going from being a very private person to being in the public eye, with my heart and soul bared on the page for all to read and judge, or sitting in front of a room full of people, speaking on a panel as if I know anything they need to hear…

All of the work and sacrifice, and only a small number of people are reading Stellarnet Rebel. I can’t help feeling crushed. It’s hard not to be bitter about a public that would rather rally around a pedophile vampire or some BDSM fanfic.

Has it really been worth having this dream come true? As Duin said, “There are two great tragedies in life, Belloc. One is not getting what you want.”

The other is getting it. Happy anniversary, Stellarnet Rebel.

~ J.L. Hilton

Connect, support, comment or contact the author here 

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Goofy heroes and compassionate heroines

Posted on December 28, 2012 by J.L. Hilton

This post originally appeared on the Contact – Infinite Futures SF blog on December 18, 2012.

My 12-year-old daughter asked me who would play Duin if they made a Stellarnet movie.

She’s read portions of Stellarnet Rebel and Stellarnet Prince, and Duin is her favorite character. She thinks he’s more like a goofy sidekick than a hero, and the goofy sidekicks — much to her frustration — never get the girl in other stories. In her words, it’s always the “emo, romantic, troubled, complicated heroes like Belloc” who are the sole love interests.

My child loves Jack Black, Gary in Dorkness Rising, Much in the BBC Robin Hood, Chunk in Goonies, and Chowder in Monster House. She’s also a big fan of Kim Possible and her awkward assistant Ron Stoppable.

Which reminds me a bit of “Oak Moon,” my award-winning fantasy short story about a raggedy wizard and his shillelagh-wielding beloved who live in an alt-reality Dark Ages.

I based Duin on a mixture of Madeye Moody from Harry Potter, Stephen the Crazy Irishman from Braveheart, G’kar from Babylon 5, and Ben Franklin; but months after creating Duin, I got around to watching Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor and he was Duin, completely, but some readers have suggested Matthew McConaughey, who is goofy, older (Duin is in his 40s) and he has the etched build of a Glinnish swimmer.

“Who would be Belloc and Genny?” Tara asked.

I based Belloc a little bit on Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood, with a bit of Michael Phelps and Josh Groban.

But the perfect actor for Belloc would be Eddie Redmayne, whose slender physique and portrayal of Jack in Pillars of the Earth are absolute Belloc-ness. And apparently he can sing, since he’s also Marius in the upcoming Les Mis movie.

Genny is based somewhat on the socially-responsible Margaret Hale in North and South and Marion from Robin Hood. And also a bit on Natalie from the TV show Monk.

I see Genny as intelligent and courageous, but most of all kind. She can shoot a gun or kick a creepy ex-lover in the face, if she has to, but her strength is in thinking her way out of difficulty and having the courage to do the right thing. I’m a bit tired of the idea that “strong” characters have to be snarky, self-centered or violent.

Genny is balanced, kind and forgiving. This is where I think she owes a debt to Natalie, Adrian Monk’s assistant who is tough enough to fight at his side, smart enough to figure things out, brave enough to do what needs doing, even sassy at times, but never loses her empathy and loving spirit.

If you’ve read the Stellarnet Series, who would you like to see play some of the characters?

~ J.L. Hilton

Connect, support, comment or contact the author here 

Posted in Movies, Q&A, Romance, Science Fiction, Stellarnet Prince, Stellarnet Rebel, Stellarnet Series, TV Shows, Wren & Wood | Comments Off on Goofy heroes and compassionate heroines

J.L. Hilton interviewed by the Galaxy Express

Posted on December 12, 2012 by J.L. Hilton

This interview originally appeared November 12, 2012, on the Galaxy Express.

The Galaxy Express: Name up to three experiences in your life that influenced your decision to become a writer.

J.L. Hilton: I could read and write before I entered kindergarten, and I made storybooks full of pictures before that. I was in second grade when I had to make a book for class. We made covers out of cardboard, filled the inside with lined paper, and I filled mine with a story about Princess Leia. In 3rd grade, I wrote horror stories with my classmates as characters. I won writing awards in elementary and junior high school, and had my first fantasy short story published in Dragon magazine by the age of 18. So, I don’t recall there being a decision process involved. I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember.

TGE: What about science fiction romance appeals to you?

JLH: I know this isn’t part of the question, but I just want to take a moment to say that I’m uncomfortable with the distinction made between “science fiction” and “science fiction romance.” I understand why it’s there, and the “Happily Ever After” being the main defining element, but…

Star Trek has tons of romance. In Firefly, Babylon 5 or Battlestar Gallactica, there are relationships galore. Love motivates the characters, just as it motivates all of us IRL. “Love keeps her flying,” as Malcolm Reynolds says. So why are those not called romances? Sometimes I get the feeling that some people see romance as a lesser “soft” thing not worthy of being a part of “real” science fiction, and I don’t agree with that.

The other day I watched Forbidden Planet from 1956. If that were written as a novel, exactly as it plays out on the screen, it would be so SFR it’s not even funny. Hero meets heroine on a distant planet, they must overcome obstacles to be together, and they end the movie in each other’s arms. It’s a romance!

Anyway, back to the original question… Like any speculative genre, sci-fi is great for “what if?” Navigating a relationship is hard enough in the real world between two humans. But what if it’s a human and an alien whose cultures and bodies don’t quite match up? How does love persist in spite of their differences and in spite of the challenges of technology, social prejudice or interplanetary war? Those things fascinate me. I think that fiction is a beautiful way to write about real feelings and human truths.

TGE: Without going into spoilers, who are the movers and shakers in your Stellarnet universe?

JLH: The main characters are Genevieve “J’ni” O’Riordan, a human interstellar news blogger with a fierce desire to expose fraud and injustice, Duin the alien rebel and gun-running revolutionary (turned UN ambassador in book two), and Belloc, a mysterious alien with a secret identity that could destroy their relationship and start a civil war on his home world, Glin.

There’s also Seth, J’ni’s xenophobic ex; Hax, a tech guru and game developer with a hacktivist bent; Blaze, the “Colonel Badass” military leader of the UN troops in Asteria Colony; and Aileen, owner of the only extrasolar Irish pub.

TGE: I thought that STELLARNET REBEL had a strong first contact theme. Does STELLARNET PRINCE explore that theme further or go in a different direction?

JLH: STELLARNET REBEL is set about ten years after scientists discover sentient life on other planets and several years after making first contact. But there are many people on Earth who still don’t believe it (just as there are some today who don’t believe we landed on the moon). Some humans, such as J’ni’s parents, are angry because it challenges their belief in being the center of God’s universe and His only creation, so they say the aliens are demonic. Some insist they’re a hoax. Others, like her ex Seth, are just scared and/or prejudiced against non-humans. They think the aliens will bring incurable diseases and other horrors.

In STELLARNET PRINCE, Duin and Belloc become the first aliens to set foot on Earth. Reactions range from worship to death threats, and everything in between. Then there’s that awkward meeting with J’ni’s parents. I think most of us can relate to that, even if we’re not aliens.

I wanted to do something a little different with the aliens in my books. In a lot of science fiction, aliens are an all-or-nothing situation. Firefly, Blade Runner and Gattaca, for instance, have no aliens. Star Wars, Babylon 5 and Star Trek have aliens everywhere and it’s no big deal. No one thinks twice about Dax and Worf, a Trill and a Klingon, getting together in DS9, or Delenn and Sheridan marrying in B5.

But in the Stellarnet Series, aliens are a big deal. The romance between human and Glin is a “first contact” of a very literal kind – the first ever in the history of everything. That has repercussions that are felt throughout books one and two, and into book three, which I’m writing now.

TGE: Heroine Genevieve O’Riordan is a blogger. What can you tell us about the type of blogging she does?

JLH: She is a news blogger. It’s like being a reporter, but in a future where newspapers and magazines no longer exist as we know them now. Everything is digital. News isn’t reported when the paper arrives on your doorstep or when you turn on the TV at 10pm. News is reported constantly, and the public is as interested in the personality doing the reporting as it is in the news being reported.

Blogs, videos and social media are not separate as we think of them – Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Blogger, etc – but are all aspects of one Net, one cohesive system, to which everyone is constantly connected through personal devices. J’ni is her own cameraperson, editor and news anchor – posting videos, articles, headlines and updates in real time, as things happen. There’s little to no line between her professional and her private life.

She operates under the auspices of Interstellar News Corps, a huge media corporation. In STELLARNET REBEL, INC sends her to Asteria Colony, the first human settlement outside of the Solar System. There, she meets Duin, who is trying to get someone, anyone, to listen to what’s happening on his nearby planet. Invaders imprisoned his family, destroyed his village and are stealing water from lakes and rivers. He doesn’t know why. As their relationship goes from professional to romantic, J’ni goes from obscurity to Net celebrity, through the course of the series.

TGE: Duin and Belloc are alien heroes. How are they different from other alien heroes in science fiction romance?

JLH: Their race, the Glin, is androgynous until puberty and they don’t have the same male/female power issues as we do. Both sexes care for offspring, hunt, gather, make tools, learn, teach, or whatever. Both can be Truth Tellers or Elders.

Duin loves children and loves to sew. Belloc is a musician. Duin and Belloc are both very emotional. Glin don’t cry tears like humans. Instead, they have a membrane that thickens and turns white over their eyes when they are sad. They get white-eyed frequently throughout the story and aren’t ashamed of it.

I love flawed heroes and anti-heroes, so there’s that, too. Duin is pyrophobic, talks too much, tends to self-righteousness, and overestimates himself and others. He is optimistic and ebullient to the point of annoying, though his heart’s in the right place. Belloc is shy and reticent, self-loathing, outcast, secretive and overly sensitive. My sister calls him “emo Glin.” The story is not just about how they relate to J’ni, but how they relate to each other. Each learns a lot from the other throughout the series.

TGE: STELLARNET PRINCE promises lots of political and social unrest. Where do you hope to take this series and what kind of adventures can readers expect?

JLH: STELLARNET REBEL is a love story set against the backdrop of larger issues involving freedom, environmental destruction, bigotry and technology. In STELLARNET PRINCE, there’s still a love story, but the scope of the whole story expands. Our heroes leave the remote, isolated Asteria Colony to visit an overpopulated Earth and a vulnerable Glin.

Characters from the first book – J.T., Nish, Eb and Brendan – take on a greater role in the sequel, and new characters are introduced. Two of my favorites are the U.S. president and an alien translator who ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Duin’s cherished beliefs and unwavering confidence are challenged. Belloc longs to leave his past behind and forge a new future for himself. J’ni has to deal with the costs of celebrity and loyalty to her alien family.

I’m working on book three, which will continue all of the plot threads I’ve mentioned. I’d like to visit the planet Tikat, the home world of Duin’s enemies, and bring back the Finders from book one, as well as introducing new characters, new technology and new personal and planet-wide challenges for the heroes.

TGE: Silly question time! If you could create a Halloween costume based on any character from your universe, who would it be?

JLH: I’d love to see someone dress up as a Glin, but that would probably require Hollywood-level makeup skills. The Glin are humanoid, but bald, no ears, and large irises, with very little white in their eyes. They have what is called countershading – light on one side of their bodies and dark on the other. Many aquatic and land animals have this on Earth, too. It’s a kind of natural camouflage. If not a Glin, seeing someone with J’ni’s viridian hair, cute little dresses, big boots and cyberpunk bracers would be sweet.

Posted in On writing..., Q&A, Romance, Science Fiction, Stellarnet Prince, Stellarnet Series | Tagged , | Comments Off on J.L. Hilton interviewed by the Galaxy Express

Q&A with sci-fi author J.L. Hilton and paranormal suspense author Angela Campbell

Posted on December 9, 2012 by J.L. Hilton

This interview originally appeared November 9, 2012, on paranormal suspense author Angela Campbell‘s blog.

Angela Campbell: I’m a big sci-fi geek and loved Stellarnet Rebel — it was so unique and more emotional and, dare I say it, political than I expected. The world-building you did in it was quite incredible. I can’t wait to read Stellarnet Prince. Where did the idea for this series come from?

J.L. Hilton: Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. This series began when I had a dream of Genny and Duin meeting in the middle of the Asteria Colony market. I woke up, wrote the scene, and the rest just seemed to exist, fully formed in my mind. Exactly how that happened is still a mystery to me. At the time, there were several things stewing in my subconscious. I was rewatching Babylon 5, discovering North and South, listening to Les Miserables and Irish folk music, viewing the first season of the BBC’s Robin Hood, and playing video games.

That same year, 2009, I was also a global sponsor of Can’t Stop the Serenity for which I designed and donated sixty handmade pairs of Browncoat earrings, to help raise money for Equality Now and other charities. So, Firefly was on my mind, too.

Angela: (Squeals) Firefly! oh my gosh, I love Firefly! And Capt. Mal. Mmm. Yummy Capt. Mal. (Composes self). I’m sorry, What were we talking about? Oh, right. I love that your subconscious drew inspiration from so many different and varied sources. For those who haven’t read Stellarnet Rebel, can they read Stellarnet Prince as a standalone, or will they be completely lost without knowledge of the first book?

J.L: I think Stellarnet Prince could be enjoyed alone. I tried to provide enough context that there wouldn’t be any “huh?” moments for first-time readers. But I recommend both, for the best experience. There are several twists and turns in the first book. If they were read out of order, you’d have all the spoilers.

Plus, the characters grow and change, and I think that process is interesting to watch. The story grows and changes, too. Stellarnet Rebel is about a few people in a space colony who are caught up in circumstances larger than themselves. Stellarnet Prince introduces several new characters and expands in scope. Though the heart of the story is still Genny, Duin and Belloc, and how love and friendship survive through difficult circumstances, they are no longer powerless but have to deal with the power they have as celebrities and political figures.

Angela: The first book dealt with a — I don’t know how to describe it without giving too many details away other than to say it’s a sort of complicated love triangle between Genny, Duin and Belloc. Does that continue in Stellarnet Prince? (For the record, I liked Duin, but I’m Team Belloc all the way).

J.L.: The complicated love triangle continues, and it’s an important aspect of the sequel. I’m trying to think of things to say about that without being spoilery… The two males in the story are aliens, so they have a different outlook on love and relationships than we do. They come from a different cultural and religious background than anything on Earth. Which is what makes it interesting. But given their individual histories (which you know from reading Rebel), there’s a lot of personal conflict between them.

Angela: I should point out that while your first book does have a romantic element, it’s mostly a sci-fi read. There was also some humor that I loved. Is that true of Stellarnet Prince?

J.L.: There are moments that made me laugh and cry while writing, but rarely are they the same moments that readers find funny or sad.

I aimed for a similar balance of action/adventure, technology, character development and humor in Stellarnet Prince. “World building” is the term I often hear from reviewers, and there’s even more of it this time around. We’re not just on Asteria, we’re on Earth in the year 2062 (and Mars, for a chapter), and we spend more time on Glin, Duin and Belloc’s home world. There are also several glimpses into Tikati culture and physiology.

Hax and his other Haxes are still their crazy selves. Blaze spouts his weird colonel-isms. Duin is… Duin. Genny has her sarcasm and Belloc his wry, subtle wit. You will meet some new folks who are a hoot. Stellarnet Prince is funny, but the plot thickens and I think it overshadows the humor. A little bit. You’ll have to let me know what you think, when you read it.

What were some of your favorite moments from Stellarnet Rebel? I’m always curious.

Angela: Without being spoilery, I loved the avatars for Ginny’s friends in the beginning, especially Nik (or Neek), Hax (one of your characters) was fun to read, and I thought some of the Asteria regulations were a bit humorous (and a little terrifying) as well as some of the information Genny looked up on the Asternet.

I’m a pretty big fan of your heroine, Genny, because she’s kind of the futuristic equivalent of Nellie Bly. Did you draw inspiration for her from anyone in particular?

J.L.: I think Genny was a bit of Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe) from North and South, and a bit of Marion (Lucy Griffiths) in the early episodes of Robin Hood. Marion was a brave defender of the downtrodden and a kickass heroine – just don’t get me started on what a lame tart she turned into later in the series. She didn’t deserve the black guyliner tears Gisborne cried for her.

This might sound weird, but I also think Genny comes a bit from Natalie on the TV show Monk. I’ve always loved Natalie – she has a way of being assertive, sassy, capable and intelligent but also loving, compassionate, balanced and kind. She’s a gentle soul, but not a pushover. Strong, but not obnoxious. Like Genny.

I think she’s a little bit like Rose (and Duin is like the Ninth Doctor), but I didn’t watch that season of Doctor Who until after I’d written most of Rebel, so they weren’t really based on those characters. They’re just coincidentally a lot like.

Angela: Are there any more books planned in this series?

J.L.: I’m working on a third book. I’ve thought about doing prequel novellas. I could tell the story of Genny’s stay on the space station Perspective, when she met Seth. Or how the people of Duin’s river captured the Tikati ship, and how Duin learned to fly it and to speak English before coming to Asteria. Or Belloc’s childhood, and how he and his mother ended up on the Tikati prison ship. I’d love to tell the story of how Hax became the head of the Tech Center and built his leet lair. I could write a whole other series about Hax.

Angela: Let’s get to know J.L. Hilton, the person. Are you a member of any TV show/movie/book fandoms?

J.L.: I like IT Crowd, Babylon 5, LOTR, John Dies at the End, Star Trek TNG and DS9. I’m a huge fan of Firefly and Yogscast. I’m also a big supporter of Glitch and Zombie Orpheus Entertainment’s Journeyquest and the Gamers series.

Angela: What would people be surprised to learn about you?

J.L.: It might not be much of a surprise after my current blog tour, but I’m also a jewelry designer and a tarot card reader. And I can tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue. For some reason, that seems to surprise people.

Angela: I’d like to thank J.L. for taking time out to chat with me today.

J.L.: Absolutely! Thank you!

Posted in News & misc, On writing..., Science Fiction, Stellarnet Prince, Stellarnet Rebel, Stellarnet Series, Visiting authors | Comments Off on Q&A with sci-fi author J.L. Hilton and paranormal suspense author Angela Campbell

Talking about LIAR’S GAME with author Kait Gamble

Posted on December 9, 2012 by J.L. Hilton

This interview originally appeared on the Contact – Infinite Futures SF blog on December 2, 2012.

I recently read Liar’s Game by Kait Gamble, published by Carina Press. It’s a novella about a rag-tag crew of former prison inmates who are presumed dead and want it to remain that way. As a result, they’re stuck living in space, scrounging to survive. A bit like Firefly, they find a stowaway on board, and the plot revolves around the discovery of who she is and what she’s up to.

Kait Gamble was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and started writing to entertain herself during the long winters as a child. She now lives in England. Visit her at KaitGamble.com.

Kait was nice enough to chat with me about Liar’s Game last week.

J.L.H.: Are you a fan of Firefly? Liar’s Game had a similar feel.

K.G.: Yes, I’m a huge fan of Firefly! I loved the series and the characters. When I started writing Liar’s Game I hadn’t watched it in about two years and it didn’t really dawn on me that I was writing something similar until I started watching them again with my daughter. But the themes of friendship and trust along with adventure are things that I always have at the back of my mind when I write.

J.L.H.: OK, six years on a ship with those awesome men, and no hanky panky? It did say six years, right? Aurelia must have had a lot of batteries.

LOL! I pictured her being like me when I was growing up. I hung out with a group of platonic guy friends who treated me like a little sister all through elementary and high school. We watched each other’s backs and went through all kinds of insane adventures but there was never a hint of anything more, though we would have probably given up limbs for one another if it came down to it.

J.L.H.: This book felt like a sequel to me. Did I miss something? Is there a previous book? Or are you just that good at creating a back story and camaraderie between the characters?

K.G.: Nope not a sequel. I like to think of it as a taster. A prequel. The camaraderie was easy to write as I just imagined my younger self with my friends. Though none of us was a cyborg or a mad scientist, sadly.

J.L.H.: You were a mad scientist… on the inside. Will there be more books about the crew of Euchronia?

Yes, I’m writing more in the series now. I plan follow the crew and tell the story of each of the crew members resolving their pasts and hopefully finding them someone to love.

J.L.H.: Is Keys the type of guy you’d go for IRL? He’s similar to Belloc (in my Stellarnet Series), the knight in shining armor type. But really, if it were me, I’d be with Duin — or in your book, probably Everhard (despite his faults) or if were younger, Bam.

I have gone for his type in the past and it’s a great fantasy but the knight in shining armour isn’t what I look for now. I can take care of myself, thank you very much. But it’s tough to say. I would probably go for Everhard because of his sense of humour, he’s smart and he’s fine to look at. Bam always cracks me up which is a plus. I’m drawn to Meri’s brains but he’s a bit too old for me. Maybe I should write a combination of them all lol!

I’m falling for Duin in Stellarnet BTW. It’s still early in the book but he stands for his beliefs and won’t back down. How could you not love a guy like that?

J.L.H.: Readers tend to like Belloc, but as you said, I can take care of myself, thanks, so Duin is my favorite. He’s a mature character who has serious goals beyond falling in love and protecting the heroine, and he respects and relies on her ability to take care of herself.

But speaking of lovable characters… Poor, oil-stinky Bam! Was he meant to be a steampunk-ish character or a cyborg? I saw him more as a cyborg, but some reviewers of your book seemed to think he was steampunk, and that there were steampunk elements to your story. Yes? No?

When I started writing Liar’s Game it was meant to be steampunk and you can still see some elements in it (ie. All the Queen Victorias that have reigned). Bam was definitely meant to have steampunkish style prosthetics. He’s evolved somewhat into a ramshackle cyborg since he’s put together with scraps and whatever else Meri can bang together.

J.L.H.: Well, I thoroughly enjoyed Liar’s Game and I can’t wait to read more. It kept me guessing, and it really wasn’t a SFR — it was science fiction with a heroine and romantic elements. Which I love.

Thanks, Kait, for taking the time to chat!

~ J.L. Hilton

Connect, support, comment or contact the author here 

Posted in On writing..., Q&A, Romance, Science Fiction, Visiting authors | Comments Off on Talking about LIAR’S GAME with author Kait Gamble