Today, I have author, Tyrean Martinson at my pad. She's here to tell us about her new book, Lift Off.
Hi, Tyrean. Your book, Lift Off is such a fun sci-fi read.
What gave you the idea to have a spaceship in disguise as a movie theater?
As a kid, there was something about the way the little lights on the aisles lit up that made
me think of space ships. As a teen, I saw a theater that reminded me of a spaceship from the
outside, and the idea stuck in my imagination but didn’t have an outlet for decades until I wrote
Liftoff.
You stated in the book that you hadn't planned on making a series, but that's where it's
heading. Do you have any idea of how many books will be in it?
I have five books generally outlined. The only problem is the outline for book five is
rather lengthy, and it may end up splitting into six books. My overall outline takes up over
twenty pages. Each book will be under 30,000 words because I want these to be fast-paced reads
for reluctant readers, and I am working within a length that seems to work for me.
This story was conceived in April during the pandemic. How long did it take to write?
I wrote the rough draft between the last days of March and the first three weeks of April,
so I guess it was actually started in March, but really took shape in April. I revised it, then sent it
to an editor. I was ready to say “done,” but during the revision process, I discovered more
questions I wanted to answer. In a way, the second, third, and fourth drafts really finished the
book, so it took around thirty days to get the basic book done, then another three months to finish
it during revisions and editing.
Who is your favorite character and why?
Out of all the stories I’ve written so far, Amaya is my favorite main character. She has
depth to her, and I want to make sure that comes across on the page in a way that works and
shows her character growth throughout the series. She’s fun to write because riding along with
her is like taking a walk in someone else’s shoes, even though she’s from my imagination.
My second favorite character is actually Tanwen, who we don’t meet until much later in
book one. She fascinates me with her other-worldliness. I really like my secondary characters so
I have to be careful not to go to far into Tanwen’s backstory in the rest of the series.
My third favorite character is Sol. At first, Sol was mainly a catalyst to Amaya’s journey,
and I didn’t have a good sense of what drove him as a character in the first draft. I did some side
scenes just for him to understand him more, and although those aren’t in the book, they informed
the way he acts in the book.
If you had a super-power, what would it be?
I used to always say flight or super speed, but right now, I really wish I had healing
powers, or the ability to build up healing powers in others so we could heal the hurts in the real
world.
What's next for you?
My main focus is The Rayatana Series, Books 2 and 3. In Books 2-5, Amaya discovers
more about her past to make decisions about her future and the future of the galaxy. Of course,
the galaxy isn’t static, and in Liftoff, she made ripples that will bounce back to her in
unexpected waves.
My Review:
When Amaya spends a little time in a theater, relaxing with her friends, she doesn't expect to be taken in a spaceship to a far-off galaxy to deal with tensions between alien races. But that's exactly what happens in this fun, fast-paced space adventure.
When she discovers who she really is, Amaya has to adapt quickly and be everything the prophecies foretold. Not an easy job!
With humor and likable, interesting characters, this is a fun, fast-paced novella that any sci-fi enthusiast would enjoy. -5 Stars
About the Book:
Title: Liftoff
Subtitle: The Rayatana Series, Book 1
A spaceship in disguise,
An Earth girl searching for a sense of home,
And a Thousand Years’ War between alien races,
All collide on a summer afternoon.
An old movie theater welcomes Amaya in and wraps her up in the smell of popcorn and
licorice. But one sunny afternoon during a matinee, the movie screen goes dark. The theater
rumbles.
Amaya gets trapped in the middle of an ancient alien conflict. Angry and frightened, Amaya
entangles herself in a life-changing cultural misunderstanding with Sol, a young alien who
keeps omitting key information, even while they’re on the run from his enemies.
What will it take to survive a battle between alien races involved in an ancient war?
Liftoff is a fast-paced read for fans of Code 8, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Cobra Kai.
Release Date: November 10, 2020
Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9889933-8-9
Ebook ISBN: 978-0-9889933-9-6
Copyright Tyrean Martinson November 2020
Publisher: Wings of Light Publishing, Gig Harbor, WA, USA
Professionally Edited by Chrys Fey
Cover Art and Interior Design by Carrie Butler
LINKS: AmazonUS Kobo Smashwords Barnes and Noble
About the Author: Tyrean Martinson is an author and teacher from Washington State. As a
former fencer and kickboxer, she enjoys writing fight scenes in fast-paced novels and
novellas. As a teacher and writing tutor, she loves to get students writing and reading
comfortably by any means: talk-to-text, short writing assignments, short stories, novellas, and
adventures. She wrote her latest novella, Liftoff, for herself during COVID, but realized it
also fits a dream she’s had for a while: to create a short, fast-paced read for teen/YA readers
who love popcorn movies, adventure, and sweet romance.
Author Links: Blog Newsletter Instagram Twitter Facebook
