Author News

It’s Officially Official!

/ Author News

From the tiny bit I’ve seen so far, publishing seems a little more old-fashioned than some other industries, with deals moving forward based on one’s word and a (virtual) handshake. For example, news of Harper Voyager acquiring Polaris Rising was announced well before the contract was officially signed.

In fact, the deal was announced before I even saw the contract. I knew the overall terms, of course, but the nitty gritty details were hashed afterwards by my agent and the publishing house.

Last week I received the super-duper-official signed contract and my very first advance check! I’m officially a Harper Voyager author! It still feels a little unreal and I can’t believe how incredibly lucky I’ve been.

I also got the initial edits back from my editor, so the next step is for me to dive back in and make Polaris Rising even better!

Polaris Rising Blurb

/ Author News, Writing

This is the blurb I sent to my agent when pitching Polaris Rising to her:

As the seventh of nine children, Ada von Hasenberg knows that her only value to House von Hasenberg is as a political pawn in an arranged marriage. But after watching two of her older sisters get auctioned off to horrible men, Ada refuses to play her part. She flees off-planet and disappears for two years.

Ada’s father, fed up with her rebellion, offers a bounty for her safe return. The universe is a big place, but mercs are everywhere, and Ada is caught. With the merc ship full, she’s forced to share a cell with Marcus Loch, the Devil of Fornax Zero. Rumor has it he murdered every commanding officer who issued orders during the Fornax Rebellion. All anyone knows for sure is that the Royal Consortium wants his head.

Ada has no trouble believing the muscled man chained in the back of her cell is a killer. But when their ship is attacked by forces from rival House Rockhurst, Ada must decide whether to trust him—because once you release the devil, you can’t put him back. And when the attack heralds the opening salvo of a much bigger war, Ada must determine where her loyalties truly lie.

My Path to Publication (So Far)

/ Author News, Writing

This is the long-winded story of my path to publication. There are many like it, but this one’s mine.

I’ve always enjoyed telling stories, but I never dreamed of being an author while growing up. First, I wanted to be a doctor. Once I realized that other people’s blood and I didn’t get along, I decided on Computer Science.

I went to an engineering school. I avoided all extraneous English classes and loaded up on technical classes. I might’ve written some fanfic on the side, but that was just something I did because I was a huge nerd. I got my Bachelor of Science and totally enjoyed writing code instead of prose for many years. …

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