Last List Blog Hop | Strange Skies by Kristi Helvig

Today, I am glad to be a part of the Last List Blog Hop to get the word out about the wonderful authors who are on Egmont's Last List. 

Sadly, Egmont USA, a popular publisher, has closed its doors. This has left its authors in a bad position. They will not have a marketing team to help get the word out about their books. So, Cuddlebuggery organized this blog hop to help these wonderful authors publicize their books. 

The book I am spotlighting is Strange Skies by Kristi Helvig, the second book in the Burn Out series. 

To find the full list of books being sponsored and the rest of the blogs on the hop, click here.

Strange Skies

By: Kristi Helvig

Burn Out #2

Science Fiction, Dystopian

Action, adventure, and romance are heating up in this sequel to the 

futuristic science fiction thriller Burn Out. Perfect for fans of Across the Universe and The Memory of After. 

Caelia is the new Earth. That's what the Consulate told everyone and, against all odds, Tora finally has made it there. She can't see the ocean from her cell in the Consulate's containment center, and she doesn't know what happened to the weapons her father died for and she's risked her life to save.

But as she plans her escape, she runs into the last person she ever expected to see-her dad. The Consulate has kept him prisoner in a complicated plot designed to lure Tora out of hiding. Now Tora has a new purpose: break free, get the guns, and save her father.

But first she'll have to navigate a strange new planet, track down James (whose loyalties still remain questionable), and find Kale…before he finds her first.

About the Author

Kristi Helvig is a Ph.D. clinical psychologist turned sci-fi/fantasy author. Her first novel, BURN OUT (Egmont USA), which Kirkus Reviews called “a scorching series opener not to be missed,” follows 17-year-old Tora Reynolds, one of Earth’s last survivors, when our sun burns out early. 

In the sequel, STRANGE SKIES, coming 4/28/2015, Tora makes it to a new planet only to discover a whole new host of problems—and the same people who still want her dead. Order 

Kristi’s books through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your favorite local retailer. 

Kristi muses about Star Trek, space monkeys, and other assorted topics on her blog at www.kristihelvig.com and Twitter (@KristiHelvig). You can also find her on Facebook. 

Kristi resides in sunny Colorado with her hubby, two kiddos, and behaviorally-challenged dogs.

Author Q&A

Where did you get the inspiration for the world in your series?

I have a strange but true story about how I came up with the idea for BURN OUT. My hubby and I are huge dorks and watch science documentaries at night instead of reality television. One night, we watched this documentary that included a segment about what would happen when our sun eventually burns out. Then we turned on some music on Pandora, and this song came on called Center of the Sun by Conjure One. That night, I had the most vivid, all-night-long dream that involved the entire story and cast of BURN OUT. I woke up the next day, started typing, and finished the first draft in six weeks. And yes, I did other research too, because you can’t make up everything–and google and documentaries only take you so far. I needed a plausible way for the sun to burn out early and couldn’t find it anywhere, so I talked to someone who referred me to a well respected astrophysics department at a large university. Even then, they said I needed to talk to the only person in the department who they thought could answer my question. He was gracious enough to take the time to talk to me and I got my answer…luckily, for those of us on Earth, it would take a crazy scenario for that to happen. But it could still happen, so I had my story. For the upcoming sequel, STRANGE SKIES, I had to consult with more astrophysicists as I was dealing with a whole new planet and had to know about minute things like planet rotation, oceans, etc. I’m a research nerd so it was actually fun for me.

Why did you decide to stop practicing psychology and start writing science fiction?

Actually, I haven’t stopped practicing psychology. I have a part-time private practice in the Denver area and love it.

How to do use your knowledge of psychology in your writing?

After working with thousands of clients, I’ve gotten a really good sense of what motivates people, even when those motivations involve them making really bad decisions. Psychology has made the characterization in my stories fairly easy compared to other aspects of writing.

Which one of your characters do you relate to the most?

Markus.

If you were the last person on Earth, what would you do?

Cry. Eat a lot of chocolate. Repeat.

What is your favorite quote from "Strange Skies”?

“Because what could be more romantic than wearing the shirt of the guy who shot you?”

What was your favorite part of the publishing process?

All of it, but when my editor at Egmont asked for my input on the cover and then I saw the finished design for the first time, it was a pretty surreal moment!

To find the full list of books being sponsored and the rest of the blogs on the hop, click here.