Writer Wednesday: The Awesome Pippa Jay, author of Keir

Pippa Jay, author of Keir

Every now and again, I read a book that is so intriguing - so unique - I just have to get to know the author a little better. I recently read Keir (my review coming this Friday), and when finished immediately contacted Pippa Jay, the author, to request an interview. To my delight, she said "yes." For those of you have not yet "met" Pippa Jay, I'm excited to bring this newish author to you:

Natalie Wright (NW):  Keir is your most recently released novel – and I loved it! What was your inspiration for Keir?


Pippa Jay (PJ): Aww, thank you! It might sounds a bit corny, but the opening scene and idea for the book came from a dream. When I woke up with that image - a man crouched in the dark, beaten and broken - I instantly had a name for him, and I wanted to know how he’d gotten into that state because it seemed more like a tragic ending than a beginning. I think his appearance was inspired by a couple of characters from X-Men and from reading Stephen Lawhead’s Merlin as a teenager.


NW: The male lead character, Keir, was born blue. And then he got tattooed all over, not of his choice. So he is sort of strange looking, maybe even what some might consider ugly. Did you see this story as a beauty and the beast sort of story?


PJ: Do you know, I’d never even thought about it like that? But you’re right, it is that kind of story. Keir is very much based on the idea that only certain ‘types’ of human beings are considered beautiful, and that anyone outside those often unrealistic stereotypes is ‘ugly’. There’s an increasingly unhealthy obsession with attaining a media-hyped, photo-shopped ideal of the perfect body, and too often we judge by appearances. But beauty is only skin deep. While Keir’s society might have rejected him as a monster, Quin can see beyond that. In her eyes, he’s beautiful.


NW: Okay, the chapters where Keir and Quin are stranded on the deserted island together – HOT, HOT, HOT! I mean, this is what the movie Blue Lagoon could have been, if the people were grown up – and hot! And their intimacy, I love the way they come together not just in a physical way, but you added the dimension that they can read each other’s thoughts. So they’re actually feeling what the other feels. *Wipes the sweat beading on her forehead.* What I want to know, is did you have a real life inspiration for these wonderful scenes? Or is it your vivid imagination?


PJ: Thank you. Well, that’s a tricky one. I’d say a combination of both, although I’m not going to talk about some of the real life inspirations. *blushes* One of my favourite ways to spend the weekend is on a local beach, which is the main inspiration for the island of Kasha-Asor. But I’ve always had an obsession with psychic abilities, so most of my characters have been telepathic at least. Being in someone else’s head and knowing how they feel - and how you’re making them feel so much more intimately - would be an amazing experience. It makes it more complicated to write, but I think it’s worth it.


NW: And I have to know, is there a sequel in the works to Keir?

PJ: Yes, there is a sequel.

NW: YAY! *sigh of relief* I got attached to Keir and Quin, so relieved that you said yes!

PJ:  I’m editing it at the moment, but real life stuff keeps interfering! I very much want it to live up to any expectations that readers may have after Keir.

NW: I understand that problem completely! Do you have any news to share about your work?

PJ: My publisher recently announced that Keir will be coming out in print format in October, one of two titles fronting the return of Lyrical’s paperbacks. You can already pre-order it from Barnes & Noble. I’m so excited!

NW: That is exciting news. Congrats! For those of us that would like to check out more of your work while we wait for a sequel to Keir, what other books/stories have you published/ had published so far?

PJ: I have a scifi short story that I self-published through Smashwords - The Bones of the Sea - which is a free download. (*Click the link to go to Smashwords to download The Bones of the Sea for free.)

NW: What is your favorite scene from Keir and why?

PJ: Hmmm, that’s really, really hard. There are several I love, usually for different reasons. I think maybe the scene in the village where Quin sees Keir properly for the first time, and he comes to realize that she isn’t like everyone else he’s known. That she doesn’t care what he looks like and that she might actually be someone he can trust. That’s an important moment for them both.

NW: What genre do you write in?

PJ: Speculative fiction but predominantly scifi and generally romance.

NW: What works in progress do you have?

PJ: Aside from working on the sequel, I’ve a YA scifi novella out on submission at the moment, and another scifi romance novel currently entered into a contest. The last needs more work before I can submit it to publishers, but that’s my planned project for September. I signed up to do the August Campnanowrimo (my first ever nano, and with my three kids home for the summer - what was I thinking?!) with an outline for a steampunk superhero romance. A bit off the wall for me, but I like a challenge.

NW: Steampunk superhero romance?! Love it! Can't wait to see that as I'm a tad bit obsessed with steampunk. 

Which character from your books do you like most / are most like?

PJ: Urgh, I HATE choosing favourites! I suppose, to answer both parts of that questions, I’d have to say Quin. Although she’s been through some terrible things, she hasn’t let it poison her and she still has a good heart and a lot of inner strength. A lot of her character and appearance is based on my teenage self. Although all my characters have some aspect of myself in them.

NW: If you walked through a portal to a dimension without books, what three books do you want to take with you?

PJ: Only three?! Could I not leave food and clothes behind and take more? *sigh* All right. Two of these aren’t even available yet but - Queen of Nowhere by Jaine Fenn, Twisted Metal by Liana Brooks (I had the opportunity to beta read that one), and The Crystal Singer Trilogy by Anne McCaffrey

NW: Who is your favorite author and why?

PJ: Again, only one? Jaine Fenn. She writes a mixture of tech and psi talents in her scifi books, which I love, and I aspire to do it as well as she does.

NW: How long have you been a writer?

PJ: For as long as I can remember. But I’ve only spent the last couple of years actively writing to be published.

NW: Do you have a “day job”? And if you do, what do you do when you’re not writing?

PJ: I used to be an Analytical Chemist but gave that up to be a stay-at-home mum once my first baby arrived. Now my youngest is set to start full-time school in September, so I get to make writing the day job. For now, at least.

NW: What is your favorite part of the writing process?

PJ: Finishing the first draft. I don’t plot, so reaching the end means I have all the essentials and key scenes down and in place. Until then, I don’t know where the story is going and what will need more work.

NW: Describe your perfect Saturday.

Here you go Pippa, one Full English breakfast.

PJ: A lie-in (never happens). A full English breakfast. Some quality family time, maybe at the beach or on a walk, without anyone squabbling. Sneaking in some writing time without getting that ‘should you be on the computer?’ look from my husband. A quiet evening with said husband. Again, that rarely happens. By the time we get the kids to bed, we’re about ready to head that way ourselves.

NW: What is your favorite movie – the one you can watch over and over again?

PJ: *eyes Natalie* Just one? You make this so hard. I have four or five I watch repeatedly, but if it has to be one… A Knight’s Tale. Probably because Sir Ulric inspired some of Keir’s character in terms of personality.

NW: What is your favorite band or musical performer?

PJ: Oh, easy - The Rasmus. Love, love, LOVE their music and the lead singer’s voice. That’s a real inspiration to me. They even made the acknowledgements page in Keir for it.

NW: What do you hope readers will take with them from your writing?

That they will be thinking about the characters afterwards, and remember that beauty isn’t all about good looks. That society is too quick to judge and condemn simply on someone’s appearance. That life is precious and should be enjoyed, with no opportunity wasted.

NW: Let’s Get Silly Questions:

NW: Vanilla or Chocolate? 

PJ: Chocolate

NW: Mountains or Beach?

PJ: Both

NW: Double bacon cheeseburger or gluten-free, dairy-free vegan lentil burger?

PJ: Double bacon cheeseburger

NW: What three words would you use to describe yourself?

PJ: Stubborn, loyal, quirky

Thank you, Pippa Jay, for stopping by my blog and chatting.

I highly recommend Keir - check it out:

Buy links:

KEIR

All digital formats available from Lyrical Press Inc. - http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=81&products_id=513

Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Keir-ebook/dp/B0080E4QIA/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

Amazon US - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0080E4QIA

All Romance eBooks - http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-keir-788806-143.html

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/keir-pippa-jay/1110110646

Pre-order the print copy at B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/keir-pippa-jay/1110110646

The Bones of the Sea is free at Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/60031

Blogsite: http://pippajay.blogspot.com/

Twitter:  @pippajaygreen   http://twitter.com/pippajaygreen

Facebook:  Keir - Beyond Redemption (book page) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Keir-Beyond-Redemption/114058821953752

Pippa Jay (profile) https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001581482219

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5054558.Pippa_Jay

Friday Book Review: Gears of Wonderland

I draw my Steampunk Week to a close with a review of Gears of Wonderland by Jason G. Anderson. Jason stopped by my blog Wednesday and if you missed it, check out my interview of him here.


Here's the premise: Wonderland - you know, from Alice in Wonderland - is a real place. Yes, you can go down that rabbit hole. And when Alice went there, her visit changed Wonderland.
Enter our protagonist, James. James is an ordinary guy that finds himself at the wrong place at the wrong time and ends up going down the rabbit hole. James' trip to Wonderland shows a changed world, one now seen through the eyes of an adult. All the old characters are there: White Rabbit, Caterpiller, Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter and the rest. But author Anderson also introduces us to delightful new characters. 


Oh, and did I mention it all has a steampunk vibe? So imagine entering Wonderland made over with a Victorian, steampunk twist. Are there corsets you ask? Yes there are. Are there fun gadgets and machines? Yes, the story has those too.


Gears of Wonderland is a page-turning action adventure with a regular guy turned action hero. I found James, the main character, delightful and unassuming. Anderson also introduces us to the Mad Hatter's daughter, Kara, who helps James navigate the world of Wonderland. Kara is a gritty female character and a great counterpoint to James.


For me, while Wonderland was an interesting backdrop for the story and it was fun meeting the C.S. Lewis characters from a new perspective, Anderson's original new characters are what make the story interesting.


Jason Anderson is a gifted author and he wove a delightful tale in Gears of Wonderland. My only complaint with the story is that it seemed to lag for me toward the end. At that point I wanted less description and more action to pull me to the end. But the end itself was satisfying and I think the book ends in such a way that the author has left himself room for additional adventures with the wonderful characters.


Lastly I will say that I've read quite a few self-pubbed books over the past year and Gears of Wonderland stands out as one of the most well-written (and well formatted and edited) self-pubbed books of the Year of the Indie.


If you like Alice in Wonderland, you should definitely read this book. If you like Steampunk, you should definitely read this book. 


And if you just want a fun adventure of a story, you should definitely read this book.


This book gets 5 Hawks!

Next week on Natalie Wright's YA - 


Writer Chat Wednesday with Addison Moore!!!! YA-Indie-Phenom with news about her story going to the screen!


And here's the video version of this review in case you don't feel like reading ;-)

Manic Monday: What is Steampunk Anyway?

Welcome to Steampunk week on Natalie Wright's YA blog! This week is all about Victorian fashion, gears, rivets and steam powered machines. And in today's post I present a Steampunk primer for those of you reading this that don't know what the heck I'm talking about when I say steampunk.
Is steampunk a sub-genre of fiction? A fashion? A philosophy? Or a subculture?
The short answer: It's all of those things.

First and foremost, steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy fiction. Steampunk fiction generally includes social, fashion and technology of the last 19th century (think Victorian era) but with some kind of rebellion against at least parts of it. Put these two ideas together and you get steampunk. But of course once we define the genre, you'll be able to find scads of books that defy the definition I've just given and still end up being steampunk. The genre grows and morphs and branches out in yet still more subgenres so we now have steampunk romance, steampunk erotica and steampunk young adult fiction. And steampunk can take place in the future or on other planets. So maybe the best way to define steampunk is to look at the visuals that go with it.

A Steampunk Wedding
Cake

Steampunk has bloomed into much more than just a sub-genre of fantasy fiction. Steampunk has emerged as a bonafide fashion culture as well. Steampunk is what happens when you take Victorian clothes and merge them with gears and gadgets and goggles - always the goggles. If you play World of Warcraft, the gnomes and their world are definitely steampunk! As a fashion, it's about modifying the clothes yourself to create something that may merge old and new. Oh, and corsets. I have to mention corsets. Take goggles, a corset and throw in a top hat and you're on your way to a steampunk look.

Steampunk isn't just for wearing though. People who like to tinker and build find creative outlet by taking new, modern objects and injecting an old-world feel through layering on steampunk materials - wood, brass and gears especially. The result are things like a steampunk mouse or keyboard or laptop. Check out this steampunk spider. How creepy and cool is this?

Like many great things that start out in fiction and make their way to the collective, steampunk has become synonymous with more than just fiction or fashion. Steampunk has become, for some, a way of life. It's not just about how they dress or fashion their modern tools. Steampunk has come to represent for some a way to re-think how we live in our modern age. It's like a forward thinking but backward looking philosophy.

Okay, for some it's just fashion, not philosophy.

Even if you have never heard the term steampunk before, you've probably seen it all around you. If you watch movies, you've seen steampunk fashion and vision. The Lilliputians in the movie Gulliver's Travels with Jack Black - they were steampunk. And recently I saw The Three Musketeers (an awful movie by the way), but it had a steam-powered flying ship. That was steampunk. Though I have not yet read it, the covers of Clockwork Prince certainly looks steampunk. If you've read it, leave me a comment and let me know if I'm right or wrong about that.

And in case you missed it, steampunk has been co-opted by the Mr. Hairdo himself, Justin Bieber, in his video for the song Santa Claus is Coming to Town. If you can't stand to listen, just turn down the sound but look at the fashion and props - it's steampunk.

If Bieber is going steampunk, does that mean it's no longer a sub-culture?

If you want to learn more, check out the site Steampunk.com. It's a well-done site with lots of great information.

And stay tuned here on Natalie Wright's YA for more of Steampunk Week. Wednesday, I'll interview author Jason G. Anderson and discuss his first steampunk novel, Gears of Wonderland. And Friday I'll review said book.

I love to hear from you so post a comment. Are you steampunk? If you have photos of steampunk fashion or gear you'd like to share, post it here or on my Facebook author page.