Liza O'Connor interviews Pippa Jay, author of REBOOT

Today, I am interviewing Pippa Jay who has just released her new book: REBOOT

Here's the fabulous cover:

Let's begin my interview. 

For some reason Space Rep has turned the lights down. Something about light sensitivity, put it doesn't matter, as long as you are reading this on a PC.

1)         Are you alien or human? 

Human

a) If you’re human, why are you on earth instead of outer space?

 Outer space? Are you kidding? They scrapped the program decades ago. I’m lucky to be living in the dome.

2)         What do you dream about at night?

 Electric sheep. AKA none of your business.

3)         Why do aliens keep visiting Earth? Are we really that interesting?

 Why do you keep talking about aliens? Did ReGen mess up your memory reload?

4)         Do you believe in Multiverses?

 If I did, will you transfer me to one with less BS?

Liza: Hold on. You’re not Pippa Jay! You’re Damien, her main character from Reboot. I want to interview Pippa Jay. You are way too difficult for me to deal with. Space Rep!

Space Rep: Do you want some tea? It’s not hot yet.

Liza: Well, I am. You were supposed to transport over Pippa Jay. This is NOT Pippa. This is her main character from REBOOT.

Space Rep: He seems interesting.

Liza: And surly. And while I completely understand his surliness, it makes him difficult to interview, and he’s pissing me off. Now go get me Pippa Jay. She is a delight to interview.

Space Rep: Okay…hold on. What do you mean you understand his surliness? Do you have a copy of REBOOT that you've failed to share.

Liza: In fact I do. And before you ask, you are not reading it until you give me Pippa! And turn the lights on so I can see.

Space Rep: Deal. One REBOOT for one Pippa Jay.

Liza: Why do I have this feeling I just got conned.

Space Rep: Transport complete. Lights up. I'll be in my corner reading.

Liza: Pippa Jay, Thank God you’ve arrived. *Hugs her*

Pippa: It’s a pleasure to be here, but you can let me go now. Did something happen?

Liza: Yes, I was traumatized by Damien.

Pippa: My Damien?

Liza: Yes.

Pippa: I’m sorry. He’s having a tough time during this reboot. Something doesn’t feel right. Memories are missing.

Liza: I understand. However, I was set for a nice interview with you, so his surliness upset me.

Pippa: Well, not to worry. I’m here now, and I promise not to be surly.

 Liza: Great. Back to the questions.

5)         Who’s your favorite sci-fi writer?

Jaine Fenn

a) Why it isn’t me?

You haven’t published any scifi yet? I promise I’ll be first on the list to read it when you do.

6)         Do you think humor has a place in Sci Fi?  What about romance?

 As a long term fan of Douglas Adams, yes to the first. As a writer of SFR, hell yes to the second!

7)         Describe your worst week ever.

 How long have you got!? Um, most recent has to be just after Christmas when we were broke and the washing machine and the boiler both died. That was also just the start of a pretty crappy couple of months.

Totally get that. While money cannot actually make you happy, the lack of it can make you stressed and miserable.

8)         Describe your best day ever.

To date, receiving a contract on one piece the same day as receiving a contract offer for another. Double whammy!

 Two contracts in one day. Only other authors will get how great a feeling that is. And well deserved in your case.

9) Is there anything you don’t like about being a writer?

 The fact that my muse never switches off. Some days I’d just like to chill. Doesn’t happen.

 Since the opposite is writer’s block, I hope your muse never shuts up.

  

10) How does your family feel about your writing and you being an author?

 They oscillate between thinking it’s cool and being bored when I won’t shut up about it. :P

 I know exactly what you mean. When I try to share amusing things my characters do, my friends roll their eyes. They act as if my characters aren't real. That hurts my feelings.

11) What part of your book took you most out of your comfort zone?

 The swearing. I don’t have a foul mouth by nature, but I don’t let that hold me back if I think the character or their situation requires a few choice expletives. I cringe when I type them though.

12) What part of your book was the hardest to write?

 Writing the dialogue between the two clones. I found myself calling them Thing One and Thing Two which made it hard to focus on the seriousness of their discussion.

13) If your main character had been allowed to write the novel rather than you, how would the story have been different?

I think it would be pretty obvious to anyone who reads it. I can’t imagine my character would have chosen the ending as it stands. #evilauthor

 I’ve got to steal the book back from Space Rep at once and read this!

14) How would you describe your relationship with your muse?  Have you ever needed intervention?

We were seeking a divorce back in November over her obsession with zombies. But eventually I had to admit she was right and now what she says goes.

 I agree. There’s no point in arguing with the muse. 

15) If you had to live on a deserted island with one author, who would it be?

 I’d pick Liana Brooks. She knows all about prepping for disasters, and she’s a marine biologist so she could probably tell me what isn’t safe to eat in the sea. She might not even kill me for getting us stranded...if I run fast enough.

Liza: Well, that concludes the interview.

Pippa: Really? I expected Breaking Space News to swoop in and twist my words into outrageous misinterpretations.

Space Rep: I blocked them given Liza’s sensitive nature today. They sometimes say mean things about her too.

Liza: Thanks Space Rep. How’s the book?

Space Rep: Really, really good. Let me read you the first part:

Online. Active. Integration complete.

The words printed across his inner vision, green on black. Confusion raged at the back of his mind, coupled with a rising nausea, but a cool, calm part of his brain registered understanding. His last self must’ve been damaged or died. He’d just been rebooted.

“Can you hear me?”

That wasn’t in his head. It came from outside, a masculine voice.

He swallowed, not sure he could frame the words with his throat dry and his tongue a heavy weight in his mouth. He gulped again. “Yes.” His own voice sounded alien to his ears. Rasping. A growl of a sound.

“Good. I’m going to remove the eye shield, and I want you to open your eyes as soon as you’re ready.”

“Okay.”

Pressure lifted from his face, and a crimson glow replaced the darkness.

“Whenever you’re ready,” the speaker prompted.

Damien opened one eye but shut it just as quickly when light stabbed into his retinas.

“Just relax and keep trying,” his companion urged.

Several blinks later, Damien could squint into the light. The man who’d spoken was a dark, blurred shape hanging over him.

“Good.” The man shifted away.

Still struggling to keep his eyes fully open, Damien stared up at the ceiling. It gleamed with a pale luminescence that stretched as far as he could see. The whole room was white, and an antiseptic smell filled his nostrils.

Other sensations crowded in. Something warm and soft enfolded his body, supporting every part of him. The heaviness in his limbs kept him from moving. Instead, he focused on his improving eyesight, and the sound of his own steady breathing. He’d been through this process thirteen times now, a small part of his mind assured him. Nothing to worry about. Perfectly normal.

But something wasn’t. Something nagged at him, a thought he couldn’t pin down. Why was he here?

Reboot. My last self must’ve been damaged or died, and I’ve been resurrected in my newest clone.

But I don’t remember that…

What was it they’d taught him about reboots?

Don’t panic when things seem to be missing. Pick a relaxing image and use it as a focus until you feel calm. Everything will come back.

He reached for his most comforting memories…and found nothing. His chest clenched. He knew something was missing, but what? What else had he lost?

Buy links are available at: http://www.pippajay.blogspot.co.uk/p/reboot-cyberpunk-short.html

A stay-at-home mum of three who spent twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay bases her stories on a lifetime addiction to science-fiction books and films. Somewhere along the line a touch of romance crept into her work and refused to leave. In between torturing her plethora of characters, she spends the odd free moments trying to learn guitar, indulging in freestyle street dance and drinking high-caffeine coffee. Although happily settled in historical Colchester in the UK with her husband of 20 years, she continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head.

Pippa Jay is a dedicated member of the SFR Brigade, a community of science fiction romance authors and publishing professionals committed to writing and promoting the very best in the genre.

Website – http://www.pippajay.co.uk

Blogs –

Adventures in Scifi - http://www.pippajay.blogspot.co.uk

Spacefreighters Lounge - http://www.spacefreighters.blogspot.com

Romancing the Genres - http://www.romancingthegenres.blogspot.co.uk/

SFR Brigade - http://www.sfrcontests.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/pippajaygreen

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5054558.Pippa_Jay

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Pippa-Jay-Adventures-in-Scifi/114058821953752

Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/pippajaygreen/

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