Welcome to the Alienation BLOG HOP TOUR.
Please take your seat and strap yourself in, as we take you on an intergalactic tour. You will be amazed, entertained, and educated. Manoeuvre through the cosmos and be astounded at all you see. Hunt down the hidden words that will get you to your final destination where a one-of- a -kind award awaits one lucky traveller.
You are here to celebrate the release of Alienation, book two of the humorous Sci-Fi series, Starstruck.
Sally Webber’s dream is coming true: Zander is back and taking her out for a night on the town–on a planet hundreds of light years away from Earth.
But when an accident separates her from her alien tour guide, she’s thrown into the seedy underbelly of an insane city where nothing is as it seems. Suddenly lost and desperate to get back home, Sally is willing to do anything to get out, even if it means accepting spontaneous marriage proposals, crashing some fancy parties, or joining what appears to be the space mob.
All she wanted was some decent interstellar pizza, but now it might be the end of the world as evil nanobots and an out of control AI try to take the universe by force, and the only one who can stop them is missing in action. Sally has no choice but to try to stop them herself–if she can stay alive that long.
Alienation is the fantastic sequel to the hit sci-fi comedy, Starstruck by S.E.Anderson.
Interview with S.E. Anderson
Many thanks to S.E. Anderson for taking the time to do this interview. I absolutely LOVE the Starstruck series and I’m so incredibly excited for Alienation to be released.
S.E. Anderson can’t ever tell you where she’s from. Not because she doesn’t want to, but because it inevitably leads to a confusing conversation where she goes over where she was born (England) where she grew up (France) and where her family is from (USA) and it tends to make things very complicated.
She’s lived pretty much her entire life in the South of France, except for a brief stint where she moved to Washington DC, or the eighty years she spent as a queen of Narnia before coming back home five minutes after she had left. Currently, she goes to university in Marseille, where she’s starting her masters of Astrophysics.
When she’s not writing, or trying to science, she’s either reading, designing, crafting, or attempting to speak with various woodland creatures in an attempt to get them to do household chores for her. She could also be gaming, or pretending she’s not watching anything on Netflix.
What inspired you to write the Starstruck series?
My best friend and writing buddy, Joanna, combined with a need for more awesome women in sci-fi! The two of us wanted to write fun, short stories, that explored the universe.
I know this may be difficult to answer, but who is your favorite character in the Starstruck series?
It would have to be Blayde: she’s my favorite to write, but also the hardest. Unlike Zander, the eternal optimist, her long life of immortality has shaped her personality in more complex ways. She might claim one thing while doing the complete opposite. Her relationship with Zander is complicated, and trying to connect with Sally – if she even wants to connect – is even harder. That, and I love how fierce she is.
I’ve always been fascinated with the idea that aliens exist. Do you believe in aliens at all?
I’d like to. We live in an infinite universe, it would be terrifying to be the only planet with life. I’m certain there’s something out there: at least bacteria! If we could meet intelligent life in my lifetime, it would be incredible.
Do you have any strange writing habits?
I like drinking a lot of coffee before I get down to it, and listen to the weirdest music I can. I want my brain to be unsettled when I write! To force it to think completely out of the realm of sense. When I write, I can go for hours if no one pokes me and pulls me out of the zone. I have frequently fallen asleep at the keyboard, which is fun because then I don’t remember what I wrote the night before!
Do you have a favorite place to write?
In my favorite armchair, wrapped in a fluffy blanket. I love the creature comforts.
What’s your favorite snack while writing?
I like making myself a creamy Nutella dip and eating it with apple slices. Delicious and moderately good for me!
Speaking of writing, what’s your favorite type of scene to write?
Witty, fast paced, action packed dialogue. The kind when two characters (or more) get into a jam and angrily yell at each other while running from danger. It’s so much fun!
Have you always loved writing?
Since before I could even hold a pen! I would tell stories to my family and bed them to write them down. They were not all that good, but I didn’t care. I’ve always been a storyteller, and always wanted to write books.
Which authors have inspired you to write?
Douglas Adams has to be first and foremost. His Hitchhiker’s Guide series was (and still is) mind blowing to me, and shaped my perception of the universe. But the books I devoured in middle school were perhaps what pushed me to write: the Series of Unfortunate Events, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, I was obsessed, how could I not write? These days Neil Gaiman and V.E. Schwab are the authors I look up to most.
If you’re not writing books, what would you be doing for a living?
Being an awesome astrophysicist! I’m actually working on my Masters of Space sciences. I don’t know if I have the aptitude to be a researcher, but I love discovering and exploring this universe.
Is there any other projects you’re working on right now that you could talk about?
I have a few that I’m free to disclose… other than the third Starstruck book (Traveler! Out spring 2018!) I’m working on three main projects. There’s a reverse X-Files type mystery novel; a YA scifi in the same vein as Starstruck, but basically Wizard of Oz IN SPACE; and finally a YA contemporary about teenagers with unfortunate superpowers. This November I’ll be working on a super secret project for Nanowrimo!
If you could cast your characters in a movie or T.V. show adaptation of your book, who would you pick and why?
I love this question. So, for Sally, it would have to be Britt Robertson: when I saw her in Tomorrowland, I immediately thought of Sally. For Zander, Rohit Khandelwal: for years, I couldn’t find another human being that looked like this character of mine, until one day I saw this Indian model’s photo and my jaw actually dropped. That’s our Zander! And for Blayde – Hannah John-Kamen. I love her in Killjoys, and she’d be perfect to capture Blayde’s personality!
If you could be a superhero what kind of power would you have and what would your name be?
Oooh I love this question! I definitely would love telekinesis, but for a superhero name? I love Spectra, even though it would have nothing to do with my power!
What’s on your TBR right now? Just name a few.
Massive list! The Girl in the Tower (Katherine Arden), Akata Witch (Nnedi Okorafor), Sapiens (Yuval Noah Harari), A Dangerous Game (Madeline Dyer), Thinking, Fast and Slow (Daniel Kahneman), Reality is Not What it Seems (Carlo Rovelli), Room (Emma Donoghue). For now?
Favorite books while growing up?
So, so many! As mentioned above, I loved (still do) Harry Potter, the Series of Unfortunate Evens, Artemis Fowl, Uglies, the Gone Series, Percy Jackson, The Key to Chintak…
Do you have any secret talents?
I can sing the elements song! Haha.
What shows are you currently watching/binging?
Just binged “The Good Place” and now I don’t know what to watch! Any suggestions?
As for non binging shows, I’ve started the new Star Trek, and the Orville. So much fun! And I’ve become obsessed with Killjoys.
Favorite movie ever?
I think I’m going to say the Martian, cause both the book and the movie were brilliant.
If you could travel anywhere you want, where would you go?
Can I go to space in this scenario? If so, I’m so going there! If not? I want to road trip around Australia!
What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?
Read more books, and write every day. If you want to write, just write! You have to commit and put in time every day. I know you’re going to hear this everywhere, but that’s because it’s true, and it’s the tried and trusted method of becoming an author.
Hope you enjoyed reading this fun interview! Don’t forget to add this amazing series to your TBR. You can check out my review for Startstruck HERE. I’ll also be doing a review for Alienation after the release, so be sure to come back and check it out.
JACKET
Follow this exciting blog tour starting at your first stop UrbanHype101 and if you get lost in cyber space, come back to UrbanHype101 for the tour map.
There’s something new to read see or hear on each of these stops.
Don’t forget to hunt for that special word and if you find ALL of them, send them to scavengerhunt@bolidepublishing.com and you could win a signed copy of Alienation and a gift pack of unique swag. This contest is open internationally.
Make sure to visit the next blog.
Sincerely Karen Jo 