Burn Out was described by Kirkus Reviews as "a scorching series opener not to be missed." I couldn't agree more. And I'm very glad to tell you that I have the author here today for an interview. Let us all welcome, Kristi Helvig!
About Writing:
While you were in the process of writing this book, have you ever doubt yourself or second guess the reason why you are writing this story? If yes, how did you overcome those obstacles?
So I never doubted my story or second guessed why I was writing it. That being said, I did have doubts as to whether it would find a publisher or not, but that wasn't something within my control so I just focused on making it the best book I could.
About Getting Published:
As an aspiring author, hearing about how authors got published is always fascinating and inspiring for me. So can you tell us your journey to publication? And what was the first thing you did or said after you got the news about the book deal?
My journey to publication started with getting an agent. I cold-queried agents using sites like Querytracker and AgentQuery, and was lucky enough to get several offers. I knew my agent was right for me during our phone call, and she’s the one who submitted me to publishers. When she called me about the book deal for BURN OUT and the sequel, the first thing I did was call my husband and tell him we were going out to dinner—as a busy mom, I love any excuse to go out to eat!
About Being an Author
Tell us what it's like to be a published author? What was your most favorite moment in this whole experience, aside from seeing and holding a physical copy of your book?
My favorite moment was probably my launch party at the Tattered Cover bookstore. To look out at a sea of friends and family who’ve been so supportive of my writing was really emotional for me. Oh, and my other fave moment was my son telling his class that I was famous, because Lou Ferrigno and I were listed near each other as guests at Comic Con.
About the Book:
Just like superheroes, I think it's safe to say that books also has an origin story before they became what they are right now. It might started out as a thought, an experience, a dialogue you heard, a conversation with a friend, or an idea that has been plaguing your brain for quite sometime. So tell us, what's your book's origin story? And what made you decide to write it?
I’m a total nerd and my husband and I had watched a science documentary about what would happen when our sun eventually burns out. That same night I heard a haunting song on Pandora called “Center of the Sun” by Conjure One, and then went to bed soon after. I ended up having one of those all-night vivid dreams that centered on a girl named Tora who struggled to survive after our sun burned out early. When I woke up, I started scribbling like crazy in a notebook I keep by my bed. Six weeks later, I’d finished the first draft of BURN OUT.
About the Author:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Kristi Helvig is a Ph.D. clinical psychologist turned sci-fi/fantasy author. She muses about Star Trek, space monkeys, and other assorted topics on her blog and Twitter. Kristi resides in sunny Colorado with her hubby, two kiddos, and behaviorally-challenged dogs. Grab a copy of BURN OUT on Amazon, Indiebound, or Barnes & Noble. The sequel, STRANGE SKIES, releases June 9, 2015 from Egmont USA.
Title: Burn Out
Genre/s: YA, Science Fiction,Publisher: EgmontUSAPublication Date: April 8, 2014
Summary:
Most people want to save the world; seventeen-year-old Tora Reynolds just wants to get the hell off of it. One of the last survivors in Earth's final years, Tora yearns to escape the wasteland her planet has become after the sun turns "red giant," but discovers her fellow survivors are even deadlier than the hostile environment.Holed up in an underground shelter, Tora is alone--her brilliant scientist father murdered, her mother and sister burned to death. She dreams of living on a planet with oceans, plants, and animals. Unfortunately, the oceans dried out ages ago, the only plants are giant cacti with deadly spines, and her pet, Trigger, is a gun--one of the bio-energetic weapons her father created for the government before his conscience kicked in.When family friend, Markus, arrives with mercenaries to take the weapons by force, Tora's fury turns to fear when government ships descend in an attempt to kill them all. She forges an unlikely alliance with Markus and his rag-tag group of raiders, including a smart but quiet soldier named James. Tora must quickly figure out who she can trust, as she must choose between saving herself by giving up the guns or honoring her father's request to save humanity from the most lethal weapons in existence.
Title: Strange Skies (Burn Out #2)
Genre/s: YA, Science Fiction
Publisher: Egmont USA
Publication Date: June 9, 2015
Summary:
Action, adventure, and romance are heating up in this sequel to the futuristic science fiction thriller Burn Out. Perfect for fans of Across the Universe and The Memory of After.Caelia is the new Earth. That's what the Consulate told everyone and, against all odds, Tora finally has made it there. She can't see the ocean from her cell in the Consulate's containment center, and she doesn't know what happened to the weapons her father died for and she's risked her life to save.But as she plans her escape, she runs into the last person she ever expected to see-her dad. The Consulate has kept held him prisoner in a complicated plot designed to lure Tora out of hiding. Now Tora has a new purpose: break free, get the guns, and save her father.But first she'll have to navigate a strange new planet, track down James (whose loyalties still remain questionable), and find Kale…before he finds her first.
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