Pippa's Journal - April

Action!

So it's just over a month until Keir releases, and the butterflies are well and truly having a party in my stomach. In the last month I've had another MS rejected and discovered that my editor for Keir has resigned from my publisher. Sigh. On the former I'm torn. The original plan for that particular piece was as my first longer length self-publishing project, but once completed I felt I wanted a shot at a traditional contract for it. It received an R+R but was then rejected, and now for the second time. I put the first chapter up on Critique Circle and got some really good feedback but have yet to decide on its future. As for my editor...sigh. I was really upset to hear that she'd gone, and it leaves me feeling uncertain about the sequel that I was working on. At the moment I've put that aside as I've had issues with it, and with Keir's release so close now I really don't have the focus to work on it. And there's other projects I'd like to concentrate on right now. 
On the major plus side, Keir got its first independant review - and it was a five star one! I'm chuffed! (That's 'very pleased' for anyone not familiar with the UK term).

Discoveries

If you're on Goodreads, then this might be a group worth joining if your ebook is up for free at any time - Ebook Giveaways. Just somewhere for a little extra promotion.

The Squeeze

I found this website - FutureTimeline.net - via Google+ and thought anyone writing a near future scifi might find it a useful reference. They base their predictions on current trends in the economy, technology, weather, politics and medicine. Also, following on from the post I did about 'How Alien are your Characters' I found this interesting hypothesis on what ETs might look like - the chances are apparently high that they really will look like us.

Bookshelf

This month I've read Machine by Jennifer Pelland (Apex Publications). This was a very thought provoking story rather than an action filled one. Diagnosed with a rare and degenerative disease, Celia opts for her mind being transferred into a bioandroid body and her real self cryogenically frozen until a cure can be found. Unfortunately, her wife divorces her for it, claiming she can't live with a mechanical copy. The psychological struggle that faces Celia as she tries to come to terms with her ex-wife's beliefs centres around what really constitutes that sense of self. Is it our minds? Our souls? If those are transferred to another form, be it mechanical, digital or flesh, are we still the same person? Interesting stuff.

Releasing April/May we have:
Even Villains Fall In Love by Liana Brooks (Today!)

Refugees on Urloon by Melisse Aires (9th April)

Echoes of Regret by A.R.Norris  (15th April)
Sovran's Pawn by JC Cassels (25th April)

Paradigm Shift by Misa Buckley (8th May)

and of course Keir by yours truly (7th May). I'll be guest posting here on the 9th May for the release so there'll be no Mission Journal from me next month. Hopefully in June I'll be able to give you some feedback on how the tour went and anything I've learned from the experience.

Happenings

Well, I've already mentioned the virtual book tour for Keir. You can find the schedule for it here.

I'll be hosting Jessica Subject (11th April) on her tour for the release of The Zurian Child, Melisse Aires (12th April) on her tour for Refugees on Urloon and JC Cassels (25th April) on her tour for Sovran's Pawn. Please stop by and say hello, especially on the 11th and 12th. I'm actually off on holiday for the week that Melisse and Jessica are guesting so I'd really appreciate the odd RT/G+ on those if you can. I'll also be hosting Misa Buckley on the 10th May for her release of Paradigm Shift. Plus the EPIC Ebook Awards contest opens on the 1st June and I'm planning to enter Keir.
In another moment of insanity, I volunteered to set up a SFR Brigade Midsummer Blog Hop. Details on taking part and signing up are now live on the SFR Brigade blogsite, and I'd really appreciate any help on the promotion side of it. Several peeps have already been kind enough to offer their assistance - a big thank you! 

The Romance Studio are also holding a Staying Home Party from the 13th-15th April open to ALL authors to post about any romance genre books providing you offer a prize. Details can be found here. 



There's also fabulous news on the SFR front with both co-bloggers Donna and Laurie snagging three GH finals between them! Woo hoo!

Ping Pong

At Sharon - congrats on the gorgeous cover for Ghost Planet! I love the ethereal look of it. 
At Donna - huge congrats on the double GH final!
At Laurie - huge congrats on the GH final with Draxis!
I'm so proud to be part of such a rocking bunch of SFR authors!