Today I have the pleasure of the company of author Jemima Pett. Jemima has joined me today to talk about her new book: Zanzibar’s Rings (Book 3 in the Viridian System series).
Firstly let’s find out about the author. Jemima has been an independent author for over ten years, with twenty titles published, and plenty more in the notebook waiting to be written.
Jemima Pett
Jemima reckons she has read all of the science fiction in her local library, and most enjoys alternative universes, time travel, consequences of social change and unusual ideas surrounding alien species. Her favourite authors include Anne McCaffrey, Fritz Lieber, Poul Anderson, Becky Chambers, Matt Haig, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Clare O’Beara, Jennifer Ellis… She also loves series – once involved with characters she loves to read their continuing adventures.
She has degrees or diplomas in maths, earth sciences and environmental technology and studied with the Unthank School of Writing while she lived in Norfolk. She now lives in Hampshire, where she enjoys rewilding her garden, raising organically grown vegetables, and birdwatching.
Tell me Jemima with all this going on in your life how do you find time to write ?
In truth, I have no idea. I think when I’m writing, everything except the guinea pigs gets left behind. It helps that I’m not in full-time employment any more–and in fact I class writing as employment, so that makes it easy to prioritise it as ‘work’. But I do tend to write in blocks, when I can dedicate my time to it.
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Let’s hear about the story from Jemima.
A galactic crisis: the entire comms system destroyed. No waypoints, no navigation aids, no database access… and how will spaceships in flight get home–or to any destination? Dolores is stuck in warp with a very dangerous passenger, Pete gets his shuttle back home on manual. But why does anything in close contact with pure orichalcum fix itself? Just flying through Zanzibar’s Rings solves the problem–as the Federation’s Fighters find, as they descend on the Viridian System to take possession of the planets.
This third book in the series wraps up the adventure that started with The Perihelix and continued with Curved Space to Corsair. It is a self-contained story with references to previous events, but no prior knowledge is required.
This sounds sounds so exciting Jemima where did you get the idea for this saga.
It came a little at a time. Pete and the Swede arrived in my head pretty much as full-blown characters, everyone else snuck in later. I did several short stories featuring them before I decided to make them in to a series, and after that, as with my other work, they tend to take control of my pen and make me write what they want.
Tell us Jemima when you develop your story which comes first the characters or the plot.
Characters. It helps if I can find a title to write to, as well. I suspect that comes from most of my writing starting from flash fiction prompts. These days I set out a four line plot: situation – problem – nasty twist – possible solution. It helps me when I wander off in the wrong direction (or when the characters do!)
Did you write stories as child Jemima and were they science fiction then ?
My first story was environmental! The Enchanted Stream (I found it the other day and realised I’d been giving it the wrong title) is simply the story of a stream’s journey to the sea. If I wrote anything else until I went to college it was probably adventure or horses, but I remember maps and drawings, not words. The first thing I wrote while I was at collage was so scorned by a person I thought was a good friend, I stopped writing completely.
Oh! Jemima that’s so sad but at least you overcome the bite of their harsh words, well done you.
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I first met Jemima at Blogger’s Bash l believe it was 2017/2018 and she is such a lovely person. Here is a photo I took at the 2018 Bash.
Thank you for joining me today Jemima it was a pleasure to have you here, do you fancy a cuppa and some cake?
Yes please – and I was looking through my Bloggers Bash photos the other day, looking to find one of Mary. I saw several of you! I’m glad I recognised you in them – I can’t put names to most people. Looking forward to another Bloggers Bash now the avirus (as my gps call it) is leaving us in peace (hopefully).
That’s a great thought to finish on Jemima, hopefully better times to come and success with the books.
Social media links:Visit Jemima’s website at jemimapett.com or connect with her at BookBub,Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram and Pinterest.
ebook links (pre-order and launch offer $2.99 until late March)Amazon ~~~ Apple iTunes ~~~ B&N (Nook) ~~~ Kobo ~~~ Smashwords
Good Luck with the Book Jemima ! And thank you for visiting me .
willowdot21 