Guest Author: Jill Schultz!
Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of all ages! Allow me to introduce a dear friend of mine, Jill Schultz, who I have known for years and watched develop as a writer. I've seen this, her first novel at many stages and even offered a word of advice and encouragement here and there. So I'm very pleased to have her here today to promote her lovely book, Angel On The Ropes.
Genre: science fiction novel, standalone, ages: adult.
287 pp. * 108K
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Tell us about your book.
In a nutshell, it's Cirque colliding with a Quaker Underground Railroad.
Amandine Sand is a dazzling trapeze artist who leads a dangerous double life. She has a life-threatening secret: she's one of the spotted humans wrongly accused of being a plague carrier. These "leopards" are hunted by zealots to protect their offworld colony from the scourge. Despite this threat, Amandine spends her days guiding other leopards to an underground shelter run by the pacifist Seekers. At night, she soars on the trapeze, the one place she feels free and gloriously alive.
When the persecution of leopards explodes into widespread violence, the Seekers are overwhelmed and demand more of her time. But her circus is teetering toward bankruptcy and desperately needs her, too. In the midst of this, she falls in love (because it's the worst possible time, so naturally, that's when it happens). But if her trust is misplaced and sheís unmasked, everyone she lovesóand everything sheís fought forócould crash.
To survive, Amandine has to draw upon everything sheís learned from the circus and Seekers, and summon the courage to reveal her true colors. But can a pacifist defend her violent enemies to stop a civil war? And can this very reluctant angel fly beyond her limits to save her life, her love, and her world?
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You went behind-the-scenes at Cirque du Soleil. What interesting thing wouldn't we guess about them?
Even their laundry room is memorable! Many of their costumes have delicate parts that have to air-dry, such as masks, hats, and evening gloves. They were lined up on shelves and draped over laundry bins, with industrial-sized fans blowing on them. It was a riot of color and sequins. While this was motivated by the same need that inspires some of us to drape bras over radiators, I was really struck by this unexpected mix of the surreal and the mundane.
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The two main characters are bisexual, but you don't make a big deal of it. How are readers reacting?
Love is love. If they'd been straight, no one would comment on the de facto acceptance of their sexuality. Course, I'm preaching to the choir here. : ) So far, only a few readers have commented on the characters' orientations with most saying they found the low-key depiction refreshing. One reviewer felt I needed to explain why the protag wasn't straight. Even though I expected that, it's still hard.
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And you're giving away books!
Yes, two autographed paperbacks. The contest runs through June 22 on GoodReads and is open to readers worldwide. So if you live on St. Helena Island and win, I'll be digging in the couch cushions for spare change to cover the postage. : ) Sign up here: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/51989-angel-on-the-ropes
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You just did the world's coolest book launch.
On June 1st, I literally launched the book--from 30 feet up, on a trapeze. It just seemed like such a natural, since my main character is a trapeze artist. I couldn't resist the word play offered by the phrase "book launch."
One of the professional trapezists who helped me (Peter Gold) hosted the event at his outdoor flying trapeze rig. We offered free flying trapeze lessons to the public, followed by a book reading and Q&A. I'm really proud that I managed to launch the book because I'm petrified of heights.
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Where can readers buy the book?
The ebook is available worldwide from all the usual online suspects. You can get the paperback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and RiverRead Books (www.RiverRead.com). That's my local indie bookstore; they handle autographed copies.
Genre: science fiction novel, standalone, ages: adult.
287 pp. * 108K
----------------
Tell us about your book.
In a nutshell, it's Cirque colliding with a Quaker Underground Railroad.
Amandine Sand is a dazzling trapeze artist who leads a dangerous double life. She has a life-threatening secret: she's one of the spotted humans wrongly accused of being a plague carrier. These "leopards" are hunted by zealots to protect their offworld colony from the scourge. Despite this threat, Amandine spends her days guiding other leopards to an underground shelter run by the pacifist Seekers. At night, she soars on the trapeze, the one place she feels free and gloriously alive.
When the persecution of leopards explodes into widespread violence, the Seekers are overwhelmed and demand more of her time. But her circus is teetering toward bankruptcy and desperately needs her, too. In the midst of this, she falls in love (because it's the worst possible time, so naturally, that's when it happens). But if her trust is misplaced and sheís unmasked, everyone she lovesóand everything sheís fought forócould crash.
To survive, Amandine has to draw upon everything sheís learned from the circus and Seekers, and summon the courage to reveal her true colors. But can a pacifist defend her violent enemies to stop a civil war? And can this very reluctant angel fly beyond her limits to save her life, her love, and her world?
-------------
You went behind-the-scenes at Cirque du Soleil. What interesting thing wouldn't we guess about them?
Even their laundry room is memorable! Many of their costumes have delicate parts that have to air-dry, such as masks, hats, and evening gloves. They were lined up on shelves and draped over laundry bins, with industrial-sized fans blowing on them. It was a riot of color and sequins. While this was motivated by the same need that inspires some of us to drape bras over radiators, I was really struck by this unexpected mix of the surreal and the mundane.
---------------
The two main characters are bisexual, but you don't make a big deal of it. How are readers reacting?
Love is love. If they'd been straight, no one would comment on the de facto acceptance of their sexuality. Course, I'm preaching to the choir here. : ) So far, only a few readers have commented on the characters' orientations with most saying they found the low-key depiction refreshing. One reviewer felt I needed to explain why the protag wasn't straight. Even though I expected that, it's still hard.
-------------
And you're giving away books!
Yes, two autographed paperbacks. The contest runs through June 22 on GoodReads and is open to readers worldwide. So if you live on St. Helena Island and win, I'll be digging in the couch cushions for spare change to cover the postage. : ) Sign up here: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/51989-angel-on-the-ropes
---------------
You just did the world's coolest book launch.
On June 1st, I literally launched the book--from 30 feet up, on a trapeze. It just seemed like such a natural, since my main character is a trapeze artist. I couldn't resist the word play offered by the phrase "book launch."
One of the professional trapezists who helped me (Peter Gold) hosted the event at his outdoor flying trapeze rig. We offered free flying trapeze lessons to the public, followed by a book reading and Q&A. I'm really proud that I managed to launch the book because I'm petrified of heights.
-----------
Where can readers buy the book?
The ebook is available worldwide from all the usual online suspects. You can get the paperback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and RiverRead Books (www.RiverRead.com). That's my local indie bookstore; they handle autographed copies.