COVER REVEAL: My very own book, STARSWEPT!!!

Hey everyone! At long last, iiiiiit's COVER REVEAL DAY FOR STARSWEPT!!!! This sweeping YA sci-fi romance by yours truly will be released on August 29 by Snowy Wings Publishing. The cover features photography by Roberto Falck, with graphic design by Streetlight Graphics. 

Without further ado, here's the cover!

Who's the model, you may ask? That's my amazingly talented kid sister, Angel Fan! She may have gotten the gig through... *ahem*... connections, but she's actually uniquely qualified for it. Not only does she have the right look (that is, Asian American... it was super important to me to feature an Asian girl on my cover), but she also 1) Plays viola (so she knows how to hold the instrument) 2) Dances (good at posing) 3) Is a trained diver and experienced swimmer (the photo shoot was underwater).

I'll be back with a behind-the-scenes post soon! In the meanwhile, here's the book info :-D

Title: Starswept
Author: Mary Fan
Release Date: August 29, 2017
Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing

Some melodies reach across the stars.

In 2157, the Adryil—an advanced race of telepathic humanoids—contacted Earth. A century later, 15-year-old violist Iris Lei considers herself lucky to attend Papilio, a prestigious performing arts school powered by their technology. Born penniless, Iris’s one shot at a better life is to attract an Adryil patron. But only the best get hired, and competition is fierce.

A sudden encounter with an Adryil boy upends her world. Iris longs to learn about him and his faraway realm, but after the authorities arrest him for trespassing, the only evidence she has of his existence is the mysterious alien device he slipped to her.

When she starts hearing his voice in her head, she wonders if her world of backstabbing artists and pressure for perfection is driving her insane. Then, she discovers that her visions of him are real—by way of telepathy—and soon finds herself lost in the kind of impossible love she depicts in her music.

But even as their bond deepens, Iris realizes that he’s hiding something from her—and it’s dangerous. Her quest for answers leads her past her sheltered world to a strange planet lightyears away, where she uncovers secrets about Earth’s alien allies that shatter everything she knows.

Preorder the hardback on Amazon

Preorder the e-book on Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook), Kobo, or iBooks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Fan is a hopeless dreamer, whose mind insists on spinning tales of “what if.” As a music major in college, she told those stories through compositions. Now, she tells them through books. She is the author of the Jane Colt space opera trilogy, the Firedragon YA dystopia/fantasy novellas, and the Fated Stars YA high fantasy novellas. She's also the co-editor of the Brave New Girls YA sci-fi anthologies, which are dedicated to encouraging girls to enter STEM careers and raising money for the Society of Women Engineers scholarship fund.

Find her online at www.MaryFan.com.

Facebook: facebook.com/mfanwriter

Twitter: @astralcolt

Instagram: @astralcolt

BNG FRIDAY: Nova

Every Friday until its publication, I'm going to blog something about Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, a YA sci-fi anthology featuring tech-savvy heroines. The goal is to encourage more girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers. Revenues from sales of the anthology will be donated to a scholarship fund through the Society of Women Engineers. 

Today, I'm spotlighting "Nova," a cyberpunk/LitRPG story by Stephen Landry. The heroine, Elexa, is a super-smart but somewhat shy gamer who delights in an immersive virtual reality role-playing game called Nova, which is essentially a Matrix-like science fantasy version of Dungeons & Dragons. As the youngest member of her party, she has to deal with naysayers questioning her talents even though she's proven herself time and time again. I loved the whole concept around this story—the gaming, the cyberworld, and... the twist, which I can't get into because, well, twist. I also liked that Elexa was a bit of a shyer protagonist—hey, there's more than one way to be a Brave New Girl! We didn't have a lot of hacker heroines this time around, so I was super happy when this one came into our submissions box. Anyone who knows me knows I have a soft spot for cyberpunk :-)

TITLE
Nova


AUTHOR
Stephen Landry


STORY DESCRIPTION
Fourteen-year-old Elexa loves playing in the virtual world Nova, a game where players explore a dangerous planet called Amos capturing dungeons and fighting against alien monsters. As her team barely escapes dungeon seven, something goes wrong. A glitch? No, something more. As her best friend and crush Lem disappears Elexa discovers that Nova is about to become all too real.


AUTHOR BIO

Stephen Landry grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. During high school, he was a musician and fell in love with writing, art, and film. He graduated with a degree in graphic design. After several years in design working with several art agencies both large and small, an idea for a short story turned into a 112,000-word novel in a three-part series called Deep Darkness (Pull, Trigger, Wound). He is also one of the co-authors of Project Aspire, available on Wattpad. Aside from writing, he has won several awards in recognition of design, photography, and film. Stephen is always working on several creative projects and traveling, hoping to one day bring his work to life on the silver screen. 

THOUGHTS ON BRAVE NEW GIRLS
My mother and my sister are two of the kindest, most wonderful people in my life. They were my role models growing up. Both have always inspired me to pursue art and explore the world around me. They taught me to never give up and to stand for those less fortunate then I am, even when the odds were against me. My sister now has two amazing daughters, and I want them to live in a world where everyone is equal. If they want to go into science or art, I want them to know they can without any hesitation. More then that, though, I want them to know they can be brave no matter what the circumstances. As a part of Brave New Girls, I believe I can help contribute to that change and inspire others to make this word a better place for all. 

BRAVE NEW GIRLS: STORIES OF GIRLS WHO SCIENCE & SCHEME will be released in August 2017!

ADD IT ON GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34197584-brave-new-girls?ac=1&from_search=true

SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD

VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/

BNG FRIDAY: The Non-Existence of Gravity

Every Friday until its publication, I'm going to blog something about Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, a YA sci-fi anthology featuring tech-savvy heroines. The goal is to encourage more girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers. Revenues from sales of the anthology will be donated to a scholarship fund through the Society of Women Engineers. 

Today, I'm spotlighting one of the stories that will be featured in the anthology: Steph Bennion's space adventure "The Non-Existence of Gravity." This clever, quirky tale of mishaps in space stars Cethlenn, a teen girl working with her kooky, brilliant Aunt Morrigan as a space scavenger. The two spend their days salvaging parts from derelict spaceships and teasing each other with brainy games. Morrigan's latest asks Cethlenn to provide a theory for why gravity might not exist and, against common sense, Cethlenn actually manages to provide an answer—though a highly implausible one. Hoping to impress her aunt by proving her theory right—or at least proving it's not as wacky as it sounds—Cethlenn gets the idea to experiment on a derelict freighter's faster-than-light engines... which does not go well, as you might imagine. I was immediately drawn in by the story's cool premise (who doesn't love a good space story?), and Cethlenn was just the kind of heroine we were looking to feature in the anthology. She's smart and independent—though far from perfect—and isn't afraid to take matters into her own hands. Can't wait for y'all to meet her!

TITLE

The Non-Existence of Gravity 

AUTHOR

Steph Bennion 

STORY DESCRIPTION

Cethlenn considers herself lucky to be working with her Aunt Morrigan, a crazy yet talented engineer and self-styled Rocket Queen. That is until a dangerous scrapyard experiment threatens to turn a derelict freighter into a deadly singularity bomb… 

AUTHOR BIO

Steph Bennion is an English writer, civil servant and occasional musician, born and bred in the Black Country but now living in Hastings after too many years in the black hole of London. Her science fiction stories are written as a reaction to the dearth of alternative heroes amidst bookshelves swamped by tales of the supernatural. For every aspiring vampire or wizard, the world needs an astrophysicist, an engineer, or at the very least someone who can make the trains run on time. "The Non-Existence Of Gravity" shares the same fictional universe as her Hollow Moon space operas for young adults (and adults young at heart); City Of Deceit, the third novel in the series, was published in 2016.

Website: http://www.wyrdstar.co.uk
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5438403.Steph_Bennion
Twitter: @WyrdStar

THOUGHTS ON BRAVE NEW GIRLS

"Jobs in mathematics, science, technology and engineering should be open to all. I want to live in a world where everyone gets a chance to shine, no matter who you are or where you're from."

BRAVE NEW GIRLS: STORIES OF GIRLS WHO SCIENCE & SCHEME will be released in August 2017!

ADD IT ON GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34197584-brave-new-girls?ac=1&from_search=true

SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD

VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/

BNG FRIDAY: The Maker's Handbook

Every Friday until its publication, I'm going to blog something about Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, a YA sci-fi anthology featuring tech-savvy heroines. The goal is to encourage more girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers. Revenues from sales of the anthology will be donated to a scholarship fund through the Society of Women Engineers. 

Today, I'm spotlighting "The Maker's Handbook," a story by returning Brave New Girls author George Ebey, who took us to Mars in Brave New Girls: Tales of Girls and Gadgets. "The Maker's Handbook" is a quieter tale that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where technology is all but forgotten. Enola is a young laborer living alone with her mother after the "dirty water disease" claimed her father. All she knows is hard work and drudgery in a harsh, rural dystopian province. But a wanderer named Sebastian—condemned as an outlaw for refusing to live under the province's laws—offers her a glimpse at the world that once was through his fanciful tales of technology and medicine. After he bequeaths her the titular Maker's Handbook, Enola goes on a journey toward discovery and liberation, risking everything to help carve out a better future. I loved that this story took a softer approach to sci-fi, and that its heroine fights the power through subtle subversion. The story's spare, elegant writing style perfectly matches the aesthetic and Enola's personality. Looking forward to sharing it with y'all when the book releases!

TITLE

The Maker's Handbook 

AUTHOR

George Ebey 

STORY DESCRIPTION

In a post-apocalyptic future where technology is shunned and people work as slaves for the good of their province, a young girl named Enola meets a mysterious wanderer who puts her on the terrifying and liberating path.  

AUTHOR BIO

George Ebey got his start by taking his once-vast collection of action figures on epic journeys though countless lands full of exotic wonders and hidden dangers.  Today, his action figure collection is much smaller, though several still stand guard on his writing desk, ready to take up arms and march into the fray at a moment’s notice.  George was born and raised in Ohio, where he still lives with his wife and an ornery cat named Ollie. When he’s not writing or playing with his action figures, he enjoys being outdoors, studying history, and searching for new and interesting places to explore.

Website:  www.georgeebey.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/George-Ebey-Author/232696100087081?ref=hl
Twitter:  @Ebeybooks
Blog:  https://blogofthephoenix.wordpress.com/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/George-Ebey/e/B002BM1NT2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1420759810&sr=8-2

THOUGHTS ON BRAVE NEW GIRLS

"In a perfect world, the problem of gender inequality wouldn’t exist.  I hope that Brave New Girls will help bring us one step closer to that world."

BRAVE NEW GIRLS: STORIES OF GIRLS WHO SCIENCE & SCHEME will be released in August 2017!

ADD IT ON GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34197584-brave-new-girls?ac=1&from_search=true

SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD

VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/

BNG FRIDAY: Let Androids Eat Cake

Every Friday until its publication, I'm going to blog something about Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, a YA sci-fi anthology featuring tech-savvy heroines. The goal is to encourage more girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers. Revenues from sales of the anthology will be donated to a scholarship fund through the Society of Women Engineers. 

Today, I'm spotlighting one of the darker stories in the anthology: Meg Merriet's steampunk re-imagining of the French Revolution, "Let Androids Eat Cake." Teen tinkerer Heloise has spent the Revolution keeping her head down, creating mechanical oddities for her family's shop, but finds herself pulled into the conflict when Marie Antoinette escapes execution using an army of automatons—one of which kidnaps Heloise's baby sister for the evil queen's twisted purposes. The story is a stunning alternate history that throws its heroine into an unforgiving steampunk dystopia, twisted and gorgeous in a unique way. Heloise is a girl who won't back down from a fight—no matter how bizarre circumstances are—and I can't wait for y'all to meet her when the anthology comes out!

TITLE
Let Androids Eat Cake 

AUTHOR
Meg Merriet


STORY DESCRIPTION

The French Revolution takes a shocking turn when Marie Antoinette escapes her execution and amasses a deadly robot army. Heloise, a fiery young engineer, infiltrates the queen's forces, sabotaging her automatons. The youth of France will not be enslaved by the machines.

AUTHOR BIO

Meg Merriet is a medievalist with a Masters in Literature from Tulane University. In print, her short stories have been published in The Antigonish Review and Mad Scientist Journal. She currently lives in New Orleans with her husband and their mechanical wind-up cat. For more Steampunk stories by Meg Merriet, visit megmerriet.com.

THOUGHTS ON BRAVE NEW GIRLS

So often in media, we see heroines whose value is based on beauty and brawn. Brave New Girls appealed to my preference for a female character who would prove her mettle through a unique interest, even if it's as unglamorous as stripping engines or coding late into the night.

BRAVE NEW GIRLS: STORIES OF GIRLS WHO SCIENCE & SCHEME will be released in August 2017!

ADD IT ON GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34197584-brave-new-girls?ac=1&from_search=true

SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD

VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/

BNG FRIDAY: In a Whole New Light

Every Friday until its publication, I'm going to blog something about Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, a YA sci-fi anthology featuring tech-savvy heroines. The goal is to encourage more girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers. Revenues from sales of the anthology will be donated to a scholarship fund through the Society of Women Engineers. 

Today, I'm spotlighting "In a Whole New Light" by Michelle Leonard, one of the stories that will be featured in the anthology! "In a Whole New Light" is one of our more down-to-earth stories, taking place in modern-day America. Nina, a brainy biracial girl, has watched in horror as her white cousin has begun spewing the worst racist comments, which he sees as harmless fun. Having had enough of his behavior, she uses virtual reality to show him what the world from a different perspective. I loved that this story wasn't afraid to tackle such a relevant topic head-on. Nina is a fantastic and complex character--a smart, tough teen with a clever voice who takes crap from no one, but who's also vulnerable in her own ways. I was also thrilled to add a more contemporary story to our hodgepodge of fantastical steampunk and faraway space operas. Can't wait to share it with y'all!

TITLE

In a Whole New Light 

AUTHOR

Michelle Leonard


STORY DESCRIPTION

After her white cousin begins acting racist, a tech-savvy, biracial teen girl fights back using her best weapon––her brain––to create a virtual reality game to show her cousin the world in a whole new light. 

AUTHOR BIO

Michelle Leonard was born a math and science nerd. After spending over ten years working with an engineering dream team developing commercial blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs), she escaped the world of seventy-hour workweeks. Nowadays, when she’s not tinkering on her teleporter for transporting her talented daughters to important gigs and lessons, she’s turning outlandish thoughts into stories for young readers. Michelle lives with her science-savvy husband, three inspiring daughters, and a border collie who hates numbers. 

Blog: http://thewingedpen.com
Twitter: @MGYABookJunkie
Instagram: @mgyabookjunkie

THOUGHTS ON BRAVE NEW GIRLS

Girls interested in science and math continue to face much bias, which often steers them off course. Creating stories about clever girls using science to make the world a better place is one way we can help girls visualize themselves in engineering careers.

Females make up half the planet. We should make up half the science and technology workforce too. Combining male and female perspectives results in more creative products with broader appeal. Girls, we need you!

BRAVE NEW GIRLS: STORIES OF GIRLS WHO SCIENCE & SCHEME will be released in August 2017!

ADD IT ON GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34197584-brave-new-girls?ac=1&from_search=true

SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD

VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/

REVIEW: The Captivity of Choice (Broken Throne, #1) / William R. Herr

Title: The Captivity of Choice (Broken Throne, #1)  Author: William R. Herr Publisher: Mechanicsburg Press Available on Amazon GENRE Fantasy - Dark Fantasy REVIEW In the William R. Herr's haunting sequel to From a Broken Land (Broken Throne, #1), princess-turned-military-lieutenant Kira struggles to find her place in a world of men. Since running away from an unwanted marriage, she has found a new life and earned the title of Tenant... but the past won't leave her alone so easily. Meanwhile, she's fallen in love with Gidon, her commander - who doesn't know if he can trust those within his own ranks. And on the other side of the land, a man named Malechi, declared a prophet, leads a city in religious rebellion. Herr's spellbinding fantasy novel brings all these characters careening toward an unexpected and fate-changing conclusion. In The Captivity of Choice, Herr has woven more detail into the already-rich fabric of the complex world-building he set up in the first book. If you think you've seen it all in Book 1, just wait until you see what's in store in the sequel. The book features several elements of classic fantasy - kingdoms, magic, destinies, knights - but mixes in an element of horror in the darkness. I really enjoyed this darker flavor of fantasy, which really comes to life through Herr's lush and haunting descriptions of the world... and the mist. The Captivity of Choice, as its title implies, is ultimately a story about how characters' decisions drive their destinies... which, in this world, sends them down the path to the eye-popping conclusion. There's honor, religions fanaticism, romance, combat, magic, trickery... There's so much going on in this book, and yet it never felt like too much. I really enjoyed reading this - would have gotten through it a lot faster if I hadn't been so busy last month that the only time I had to read was on the train. My favorite character was (unsurprisingly) Kira, who's gone from damsel-in-distress to strong heroine who can outsmart the best on the battlefield. Yet she's not all-powerful, and ultimately, the forces of fate are too powerful for any individual to battle. The ending leaves plenty of room for a sequel, and I hope I get to read one soon! ABOUT THE AUTHORVisionaries, migrants, soldiers, and thieves-Will, as his friends call him, surrounds himself with all of these, and more. Obsessed with "the wisdom of the lowest classes," he views the world as a perennial outsider, in the company of men and women most would not want to meet in a dark alley. His work reflects this, as he winds dramatic irony and sarcasm together with romance and drama to paint a picture of the world that others prefer not to see. William R. Herr was raised on the road, and continues to live there. When not travelling the United States behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer, he can be found in Central Pennsylvania, either writing, editing, or arguing with college students over hot cups of coffee. He lives with his wife and an extremely vocal Irish Stafford-shire Terrier named "The Duke."