Guest Author: Sara Creasy

Today, Literary Escapism is ecstatic to welcome Sara Creasy, author of Song of Scarabaeus.

Trained since childhood by the oppressive Crib government to program advanced terraforming technology called biocyph seeds, Edie is kidnapped for her valuable skills, assigned a reluctant bodyguard (a former freedom fighter named Finn) and coerced into working for mercenaries who sell biocyph to the outlawed Fringe worlds. When Edie and Finn are taken to Scarabaeus, the planet she first terraformed (and the site of her public failure and private rebellion) they must join forces to survive and win their freedom.

Make sure you stick around to the end. We’ll be giving away a copy of Song of Scarabaeus to one lucky individual.
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Song of Scarabaeus is a science fiction adventure story with a romance. While writing the book, I didn’t deliberately try to balance these elements – I just wrote it the way I wanted to read it. In the end I think I struck a balance by what I chose to leave in and leave out.

Writers are often given the advice to write detailed histories for our main characters so we get to know them well, even though much of the information won’t be used. I wrote a long history of my protagonist’s people and her childhood, but only glimpses of that tragic past show up in the story. I used this same approach with the science in Song of Scarabaeus.

I invented a terraforming technology based on genetic engineering, but only outlined it in the book. My husband created a starship engine for me and discussed at length how it would work, but only a brief description of it appears in the one scene where it matters.

Technical details like these create the flavor of a futuristic universe. Nevertheless, by providing only as much information as is necessary to drive the story, the science doesn’t overpower the characters and action.

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Thank you Sara for taking the time to visit Literary Escapism!

Contest Time! Sara has graciously offered to give away a copy of Song of Scarabaeus to one lucky winner. All you have to do is answer this question: How much technical details do you like in your science fiction/science fiction romances? Sorry guys, contest is US only.

As always, there’s more ways of getting your name in the hat (remember, these aren’t mandatory to enter, just extra entries):

  • +1 for each place you post about today’s contest on your blog, social network, or anywhere you can. Digg it, stumble it, twit it, share it with the world. Wherever you share it, make sure you add a link to it along with your answer.
  • +1 to any review you comment on, however, comments must be meaningful. Just give me the title of the review and I’ll be able to figure it out from there.
  • +1 Are a follower of Literary Escapism on Facebook and/or Twitter
  • +10 Purchase any of novel through LE’s Amazon store or through the Book Depository sometime during this contest and send a copy of the receipt VIA email for your purchase to: myjaxon AT gmail DOT com. Each purchase is worth ten entries.

There is one thing I am adding to my contests now…the winner must post a review of the novel someplace. Whether it is on their own blog, Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing or wherever, it doesn’t matter. Just help get the word out.

The contest will stay open until May 27th, at which time I’ll determine the winner with help from the Research Randomizer and the List Randomizer.

I have not been contacting winners, so you will need to check back to see if you’ve won.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

15 Comments

  1. Oh wow. This books sounds terrific :)

    I’m all for less is more as far as tech goes. I’m more interested in how the characters use and relate to it in their daily lives. We don’t stand around thinking about how our cell phones work, for instance — we just use them. Then again, I’m a Star Trek fan from way back, so I’m used to technobabble :)

  2. I like just enough tech details to make it believable but not so much that my eyes glaze over. A fine line, ain’t it?

    Seriously though, I loved the sound of this book and I always like a little romance with the story. Added it to my wishlist as I have a birthday coming up in a couple of months and everyone knows to check my Amazon wishlist for those books I MUST have.

    I follow you on Facebook- Lisa Ann Richards
    and twitter- alterlisa

    tweeted-alterlisa
    Guest Author: Sara Creasy: http://bit.ly/cIBJDr via @addthis

  3. I do not like books to get to technical. I think it takes away from the story and can be distracting. Keep things simple and intorduce the technology ocassionaly in the story. There is nothing worse then reading a chapter with technical information only. I need paragraph breaks sometimes. :)

    +1 http://twitter.com/IntenseWhisper/status/14392487896

    +1 follower of Literary Escapism on Facebook and Twitter

  4. Sounds like an interesting book!

    I like a nice middle ground between lots of detail and not enough. That is a hard area to find, but to err on the side of more detail is better than not enough.

    +1 I am follower on twitter – thebigferret

    Thanks!
    Katie

  5. Sounds like a good book. I like just enough detail to make the story work. I find that if the book gets too technical the story tends to get bogged down.

    +1 follower on facebook

  6. This sounds like one I would really enjoy.

    I don’t actually like too many details in sci-fi. I like enough to understand, but too technical and I get bored.

  7. Hi there,

    I’m not a real big techie, so less is better for me. I like a nice story line that flows without me having to reread parts due to the technical details. Thanks for the great contest!

  8. As long as it is accurate, I like it. I have read some, that were even written by doctors, that were completely wrong. When that happens I feel like not even finishing the book.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

  9. I’m a middle grounder. :-) I like enough details for it to be authentic, but not so much that it feels like I’m reading a manual.

  10. This book sounds awesome, will check it out.

    I think as long as it’s believable than that’s good enough.

    +1 fan on LE facebook page.

  11. How much technical details do i like in my science fiction/science fiction romances? i can handle a good amount, as long as it’s not huge info dumps that interfere with the flow of the story….

    1+ facebook fan

    k_sunshine1977 at yahoo dot com

  12. I don’t like a lot of details. I have skimmed whole pages cause I am just not that interested in what a person is wearing past black and leather . Some authors go over board on describing the scenery and what not. They need to let the reader make it their own. Imagery is a wonderful tool. The reader, when left to their own imagination and a little guidance from the author can be a powerful thing.

    follower on LE

    posted on my FB page

  13. I like enough technical details so that I’m not confused, but not so much that it takes over the story.

    +1 Follower on twitter (@sara_UFblog)

    Sara M

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