Excerpt: Guardian (The Liminal Chronicles, #2) by Amy Winters-Voss + giveaway

Guardian (The Liminal Chronicles, #2)
by Amy Winters-Voss
Publication date: May 10th 2023
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Convinced redemption lies in becoming a Guardian, Umeji Tatsuya seeks mentorship from the legendary tengu king Soujou-bou. Though, the rest of the Guardian Council is skeptical he’s left behind his dark yakuza past. There’s no time to prove his loyalty and worth before disaster strikes.

A pair of kitsune refugees arrive and hot on their heels is a massive oni army led by Ibaraki Douji, who plans not only to exterminate kitsune kind but also to resurrect the title of Shogun to become ruler of Japan. As kitsune are slaughtered and Umeji and his family fight for their very survival without the support of the Guardians, Umeji questions where his loyalties actually lie.

Just when Umeji thinks things couldn’t get worse, the oni army lays siege to the rural town of Nonogawa and takes on the League of Guardians themselves. When Ibaraki makes off with a legendary sword, the Guardian Council blames Umeji for its loss. He’s done playing by their rules. With family and friends by his side and all of kitsune kind counting on him, Umeji vows to recover the sword and stop Ibaraki for good.

Will the cost be too high? Because the search leads to places mere humans don’t dare tread and what Umeji and his crew find is darker than anything he saw in the mob…

Guardian is the second book in the Liminal Chronicles series. Buy now and enjoy Umeji’s action-packed journey into Japanese myth, personal redemption, and found family.

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Book 1

Next, the tengu king’s eyes narrow and his wings ruffle. “Let us see you in your original shape, boy. Your magic doesn’t quite match the kitsune form you present.”

He waves his feathered fan, popping me back into human shape. At least I had the sense to dress formally, in a navy suit and a tie that Su-chan picked out for me. Though, I still feel out of place. Besides my aunt and I, everyone else wears a kimono and hakama. It’s different from the streets of Kyoto, where you see the traditional clothing only occasionally.

Then Soujou-bou raises a bushy eyebrow. “Nakamura-san, why do you associate with a magic thief?”

“That is his story to tell, Soujou-sama. Know that I believe him,” she responds in a flat, neutral tone that raises my hackles. She’s never this submissive.

As I give a deep, reverent bow, he remarks, “Boy, Nakamura-san’s recommendation does not excuse the evil in which you’ve partaken. Why did you stoop so low and steal kitsune magic?”

My insides twist at having to contradict the tengu king right off the bat. Taking a deep breath, I keep it simple. “We did not steal it, sir.”

But he snaps, cutting through the air with his feather fan. “No one gives such a gift! It destroys the owner. If I do not find your explanation satisfactory, you’ll not leave my palace alive.”

The declaration sends a shiver down my spine and my words spill out. “The fox I was fighting was Date Sari. She’d repeatedly attacked me and Aunt Hisako because of an old grudge and used her magic for evil—mixing it with that of an oni to add to her power.

“When she attacked my girlfriend, I tried to stop Date without killing her by dispelling her abilities. We didn’t know it would split and settle into each of us. The kami judged Date for her actions and Inari Okami was merciful. He didn’t require us to return her magic or hoshi no tama, which would have killed us.

“My aunt gave me a chance to start again after leaving the yakuza, and I wish to honor her and follow in her footsteps.”

“Yakuza, you say?” His eyes flick to my aunt.

I whisper, “I have much to atone for, sir.” Pressing my palms together in front of me, I bow as low as I can and remain in the position as I ask, “Please, teach me so I can serve as a Guardian.”

About the Author:
Website-FB-Twitter
Instagram-Goodreads

Amy is a former programmer turned author after her first trip to Japan in 2017. Now she writes Japanese myth-based urban fantasy to reconnect with the country and culture that captured her heart. She lives in South Dakota with her supportive husband, two wonderful kids, and three wily and crazy ferrets.

GIVEAWAY

Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

Bird Tenugui (Japanese towel)

Suica Mascot Stickers (Suica is a popular brand of debit card for trains, busses, and vending machines)

Cloud MT tape (from the town that MT tape originated - Kurashiki in Okayama Prefecture, Japan)

Nijo phone charm (from the Shogun Tokugawa's Castle)

Kokuyo - Soft Ring Notebook - a5 black with dot line grid (some of my favorite notebooks@)

ebook copy of Rise and Guardian

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview: PNR author Nancy Northcott (The Light Mage Series) + giveaway

Today we have PNR author Nancy Northcott visiting the flock. What is cool about Nancy, other than her ability to bend steel with her mind (okay, that’s a lie, but how cool would that be?), is she lives in NC like me! How are you holding up with this crazy winter weather we are having?
Nancy: I’m staying inside a lot! And I find that the snow distracts me from almost everything. I watch a lot of weather forecasts.

coming out soon!

Sharon: You have a PNR series that was recently renamed The Light Mage series. Can you tell our readers who aren’t familiar, a little about it?
Nancy: Thanks for asking! This series is contemporary, dark fantasy romance. The Light Mages are the good guys, as you might guess, dedicated to the service of what’s right. Their foes, the ghouls, use dark magic. They can draw the life energy or magic out of mages or Mundanes (normal humans). Ghouls can’t breed among themselves, so they need mages and Mundanes for that or, since ghouls can eat only fresh kill, for the occasional meal.

The mages and the ghouls have been in conflict for millennia. The ghouls have recently formed an alliance with an even worse species, so the mages have their work cut out for them. The tag line for the series is “Holding back an ancient evil, one Light Mage protector at a time.”

There are two books, Renegade and Guardian, and a novella, Protector, out currently. Those were published under the series label The Protectors, but they are part of the overall Light Mage Wars story arc. There will be a novella, Sentinel, out next month. It’s set before the events in Renegade, the first book.

Sharon: You love the English culture and history. Which historical figure would you like to meet, you know, once you finish building that time machine?
Nancy: Elizabeth I, without a doubt. About the only thing in her favor when she took the throne was that she was Protestant, yet she managed to hold onto the crown, reigning for almost half a century. I’d love to know what she saw as her particular challenges, what she found especially satisfying, and what regrets she had, if any.
Sharon: I couldn’t imagine living the life of the court having to wear those horrid outfits!
Nancy: LOL! Good point. I could ask her whether those starchy ruffs scratched.

Sharon: You are a self-confessed nerd, which makes you fit in around here. So what is the nerdiest thing you own?
Nancy: That’s a hard choice. There are so many possibilities:) I’ll go with my Queen Amidala laser pistol. I like to point it at things and hear it makes its little electronic zapping noises.
Sharon: *pulls out her little laser gun* pew-pew pew-pew
Nancy: Exactly! *grins*

Sharon: What was that first comic your grandfather bought you?
Nancy: It was Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen, issue #62. It was a Phantom Zone story and featured Mon-El.

Sharon: A lot of our readers love those sexy paranormal men. What makes being with a Light Mage worth all the trouble they can bring to your door? And did you bring one with you, you know as a visual aid… *looking behind Nancy*
Nancy: I did bring one with me. This is Griffin Dare, the hero of Renegade. *stops to stare at him*

*Sharon waves, wiggles eyebrows*

Nancy: Oh. Right. You asked me a question. I love those sexy paranormal men, too, so I tried to give the heroes of this series the traits I enjoy reading about. First is power. Their magic is based on natural energy and the elements of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. They’re sort of the fantasy equivalent of super-heroes, and they have the super-hero code. They protect anyone weaker than they are, especially Mundanes, watch out for each other, and have high standards of integrity.

Sharon: I am suddenly feeling very weak…help…me…Griffin…I need…*looks around and realizes everyone is staring. Gets off floor.* Stop judging me!
Nancy: No judging from me! But I think Griff may be off fighting ghouls right now.

Sharon: Do you have a guilty pleasure like watching reality shows?
Nancy: I do watch some reality shows. My husband and I enjoy Top Chef and Project Runway. My bigger guilty pleasure is action movies. I watched Battleship a lot when it was on HBO. When I need a fantasy fix, I often pull out The Thirteenth Warrior.
Sharon: Action movies shouldn’t be a guilty pleasure, they should be celebrated with pomp and circumstance! I loved Battleship too, and The Thirteenth Warrior is about…something…something…Antonio Banderas! Great movie.
Nancy: And not Banderas’s usual sort of role. And, hey, Vikings!

Sharon: Did you know they are no longer going to teach cursive writing in school? What do you think about that?
Nancy: Really? Wow. I think that’s a shame. Cursive writing is so…elegant. And there seems to be less elegance in the world every year. For me, at least, cursive writing is faster than printing.

Sharon: If you were an amusement park ride which would you be?
Nancy: I’d be the merry-go-round. It’s so cheerful, with the colorful horses (or other animals) and the bright music.
Sharon: Which animal do you like to ride most? I’ve always gone for the horses.
Nancy: I always go for the horses, too, but a gryphon or a phoenix would be hard to walk past. A lot of the animals other than the horses don’t go up and down, though. For me, the motion is part of the fun of a merry-go-round.

Sharon: What if all the creepy garden gnomes came to life one day. What do you think would happen?
Nancy: Well, they’d be hard to stop, being concrete, though maybe that would slow them down. I think the sales of sledgehammers would go up.

Rapid Fire:

Sharon: Super Bowl or Puppy Bowl?
Nancy: Puppy Bowl.
Sharon: water bowl cam!
Nancy: Absolutely!

Sharon: King Kong or Godzilla?
Nancy: King Kong. I’ve never been a fan of lizards.

Sharon: salt water or fresh water?
Nancy: Salt water to swim or wade in, fresh to drink.

Sharon: pe-can or pe-con?
Nancy: Pe-con
Sharon: Nope! :P
Nancy: Aw, rats! *g*

Sharon: Pepsi or Coke?
Nancy: Coke, definitely.
Sharon: again, Nope!
Nancy: No Coke? Uh-oh. I guess that means no Cherry Coke either? Will, the hero of this summer’s release, Warrior, is also a Pepsi fan, so he’d be totally in your corner, but Tasha, the heroine of the winter book, Nemesis, is a Coke-only woman.

Sharon: You can come back when  you have Will with you! <G>

Sharon: Pirate or cowboy?
Nancy: Cowboy. Maurading is a high-risk job, imho.
Sharon: not to mention sea sickness. Puking is NOT sexy.
Nancy: Oh, really not! Bleech. Hadn’t thought about that.

Sharon: captain the Enterprise or the Millennium Falcon?
Nancy: Enterprise. My parents were in the US Navy, and the starfaring equivalent appeals to me more than smuggling.

Sharon: Thanks for visiting. Before your dragon ride, is there anything you would like our readers to know?

Nancy: Dragon ride? Cool! Maybe the dragon would like to know I love the Pern books. As for the readers, I’d like them to know I enjoy action, adventure, and romance, and I try to deliver the kind of reading experience I enjoy. Thanks so much for having me today!

The Light Mage Series

What is a Light Mage

review: Guardian (The Light Mage #2)

About the Author:
website-Twitter-FB-blog
I still love comic books, fantasy and science fiction, though I don’t read comics as much as I once did. I try to get to Dragon*Con every year. I’m also a lifelong history geek and Anglophile, passions born when I was in second grade and watched a television drama about the Tudors. By the time I reached college and learned just how inaccurate that story was, it was too late. I was hooked! I majored in history and spent a fabulous summer studying Tudor and Stuart Britain at Oxford University (as well as learning to drive on the left side and observe local customs in pubs). These experiences left me with serious geek tendencies, which I indulge by reading a lot of history. My college classes mostly covered who fought whom, when, why, and how, and I’ve been delighted to discover how much material is available about the ways people of different eras lived.

I've traveled extensively in Britain with my husband and our son, collecting numerous tomes, weighty and not, on my passion. My husband, a children’s literature professor who understands the “book thing,” graciously carried home the ones I didn't have time to entrust to the Royal Mail. His help put a whole new spin on the “carry my books” bit and helped make possible the Writer Resources section of this site, where I share some of my best finds.

Alpha Male Diner: Stefan Harper (Mage) by Nancy Northcott + giveaway

Stefan Harper (mage and physician)

Recipe by Nancy Northcott

Guardian: Book 2 of The Protectors

Ingredients:
A six-one, leanly muscled frame
Dark brown hair that generally needs a trim
Chocolate brown eyes with tiny gold flecks
A clear, rich baritone voice
A keen, intuitive mind
An unfailingly kind and loyal heart
Magical powers focused on healing but capable of delivering a lethal strike when necessary

Season with:
Tragic loss of a childhood friend
Six years of secretly helping a renegade unmask a traitor
Dedication to the protection of humanity from ghouls
A failed romance with the woman he loved because she couldn't accept his magical gifts

Mix, adding a splash of wry humor. Stir in frustration over having to lie about his powers to the Mundanes he respects. Fold in regret over the woman he loved and lost.

Heat to blazing as he reunites with his lost love and they battle deadly ghouls preying on the local Mundanes.

Serve quickly and duck in case of explosion.

Test Taste

Sheriff Burton started the press conference by summarizing the situation, mostly repeating what had been in the paper and adding a few facts about Ms. Baldwin. Behind him stood a deputy in uniform.

The deputy shifted, revealing Mel. She stood straight, a tall, slender woman in a neatly tailored black pantsuit and blue, v-necked blouse.

Stefan’s breath took an odd little hitch below his heart. That was probably indigestion from this morning’s Mexican omelet, but he couldn't deny he felt something. He took off his sunglasses and surveyed her as he hadn't been able to do in the sheriff’s office.

The tailored shirt didn't quite disguise the curve of the small, high breasts under it. Her dark hair hung almost to her shoulders in a sleek bob instead of the long, full curtain that once had fallen halfway down her back.

It had felt soft when he buried his hands in it. When she let it trail over his body.

That wide, ripe mouth, now wearing neutral pink lipstick instead of the bright red or coral she’d once favored, had been soft, too. Soft and yielding and welcoming.

Until everything blew up.

Hell. The annoying hitch pinged his chest again. She wore sunglasses, so he couldn't see her eyes. Nothing in her face hinted at anything beyond cool, professional attention to the sheriff, but he would bet she was watching the crowd. He could take a couple of steps backward, separate himself, and be more conspicuous. See how she reacted.

Damned idiot. What was he, twelve? He set his jaw and stayed where he was.

check out Adria's 4 1/2 Sheep review of Guardian here

Guardian (The Protectors #2)
by Nancy Northcott

A POWER TO KILL

FBI agent Camellia "Mel" Wray is no stranger to violence but when an old friend is brutally murdered, she takes it personally. The case hits even closer to her heart when the best person to help with the investigation is Dr. Stefan Harper, the only man she ever loved-and lost. One look at the gorgeous medical expert and Mel realizes he's still impossible to resist-and still harboring a secret after all these years . . .

A POWER TO LOVE

Afraid Mel wouldn't accept him, Stefan never revealed his study of magical medicine or his abilities, instead allowing her to believe he'd been unfaithful. Now she's back in his life-and their mutual attraction burns hotter than ever. But when something dark and otherworldly threatens humans, Stefan must summon his mage powers to keep everyone safe. Will Mel be able to trust him again? Or will their love cost him even more than it did the first time?

About the Author:
website-Twitter-FB-blog
I still love comic books, fantasy and science fiction, though I don’t read comics as much as I once did. I try to get to Dragon*Con every year. I’m also a lifelong history geek and Anglophile, passions born when I was in second grade and watched a television drama about the Tudors. By the time I reached college and learned just how inaccurate that story was, it was too late. I was hooked! I majored in history and spent a fabulous summer studying Tudor and Stuart Britain at Oxford University (as well as learning to drive on the left side and observe local customs in pubs). These experiences left me with serious geek tendencies, which I indulge by reading a lot of history. My college classes mostly covered who fought whom, when, why, and how, and I’ve been delighted to discover how much material is available about the ways people of different eras lived.

I've traveled extensively in Britain with my husband and our son, collecting numerous tomes, weighty and not, on my passion. My husband, a children’s literature professor who understands the “book thing,” graciously carried home the ones I didn't have time to entrust to the Royal Mail. His help put a whole new spin on the “carry my books” bit and helped make possible the Writer Resources section of this site, where I share some of my best finds.

GIVEAWAY
one winner will get a Net Galley copy of Guardian and 3 collector cards 
(The winner either must have a NetGalley account or be willing to create one, which is free and available to everyone.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Guardian by Nancy Northcott

Guardian (The Protectors #2)
by Nancy Northcott

A POWER TO KILL

FBI agent Camellia "Mel" Wray is no stranger to violence but when an old friend is brutally murdered, she takes it personally. The case hits even closer to her heart when the best person to help with the investigation is Dr. Stefan Harper, the only man she ever loved-and lost. One look at the gorgeous medical expert and Mel realizes he's still impossible to resist-and still harboring a secret after all these years . . .

A POWER TO LOVE

Afraid Mel wouldn't accept him, Stefan never revealed his study of magical medicine or his abilities, instead allowing her to believe he'd been unfaithful. Now she's back in his life-and their mutual attraction burns hotter than ever. But when something dark and otherworldly threatens humans, Stefan must summon his mage powers to keep everyone safe. Will Mel be able to trust him again? Or will their love cost him even more than it did the first time?

Mel and Stefan have a history. They were once in love but it ended badly when Stefan refused to share his secret with her, instead allowing Mel to believe he had been unfaithful to her. Nine years later, a violent crime has brought them together again.

I enjoyed this book for many reasons, the two lead characters are interesting and have great chemistry, the storyline is interesting and easy to follow, but best of all, Guardian can be read as a standalone. It was fun to read a paranormal romance that didn't have vampires or werewolves as the lead characters (not that I object to fangs and fur, I am a diehard fan) and that had a heroine that was so skeptical about the paranormal. It threw an extra obstacle into Stefan's path.

Stefan was, at first, not the type of hero I envisioned for a paranormal romance. He's a doctor who also happens to know magic and demons exist. I honestly pictured him as a geeky, beta male that women walked all over. Don't ask me why, that's just the image I had in my head for some reason. Instead he's this hot stud who walks a fine line between what is generally accepted as fact and what is known to be magic induced. He's so loyal to his cause, to keep the knowledge of magic, mages and demons a secret from a world that just isn't ready to know of its existance, that he sacrifices his chance at happiness. Even when he meets up with Mel again, he fights to keep her at a distance. It would have been easy for the author to create some over the top, paranormal conflict of epic proportions for Stefan and Mel to overcome but instead this couple has the rather normal trust issue to solve.

Mel on the other hand was exactly as I pictured her. An independent, cynical loner suffering from a broken heart. As much as she denies it, she never got over Stefan. Mel refuses to believe that there is such thing as magic and that her friend's murder was the work of demons. Working with Stefan to solve the case strains her resolve to forget him even as it opens her eyes to a new world and new dangers.

While it does classify as a paranormal romance, Guardian reads more like a contemporary romance with a dash of paranormal elements. They don't interfere with the romance, nor do they suffocate the overall story. The steady stream of paranormal scenes add mystery and danger to an already likable story. I enjoyed the world Nancy Northcott created, her characters were lively, fun and passionate.

The only problem I had with Guardian was that the beginning was a little slow. However, it does pick up the pace after a few chapters and then it's one hell of a trip. I would definitely recommend this book to paranormal romance fans, especially those who would like a break from vampires and werewolves. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, but in the meantime I will be reading the first book and novella.

4 1/2 Sheep

Guest Reviewer: Adria
Adria's Romance Reviews Among Wildlings
Facebook-Twitter 

About the Author:
website-Twitter-FB-blog
I still love comic books, fantasy and science fiction, though I don’t read comics as much as I once did. I try to get to Dragon*Con every year. I’m also a lifelong history geek and Anglophile, passions born when I was in second grade and watched a television drama about the Tudors. By the time I reached college and learned just how inaccurate that story was, it was too late. I was hooked! I majored in history and spent a fabulous summer studying Tudor and Stuart Britain at Oxford University (as well as learning to drive on the left side and observe local customs in pubs). These experiences left me with serious geek tendencies, which I indulge by reading a lot of history. My college classes mostly covered who fought whom, when, why, and how, and I’ve been delighted to discover how much material is available about the ways people of different eras lived.

I've traveled extensively in Britain with my husband and our son, collecting numerous tomes, weighty and not, on my passion. My husband, a children’s literature professor who understands the “book thing,” graciously carried home the ones I didn't have time to entrust to the Royal Mail. His help put a whole new spin on the “carry my books” bit and helped make possible the Writer Resources section of this site, where I share some of my best finds.

Interview: Jack Campbell (The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Guardian) + giveaway

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Today we have Science Fiction author Jack Campbell (AKA John G. Hemry) to talk about his adventure series The Lost Fleet. Guardian (Book #3 The Last Frontier) just released this week! We also talk about important issues like are there sexy aliens in his book and Naked Mole Rats. Good times people, good times...


Sharon: Welcome to the Flock! Grab some moonpies and Kool-Aid. *shoves Solo cup into Jack’s face* Seriously… drink the Kool-Aid *twitch,twitch* 
Katie: *smacks Sharon with a moonpie* Sorry about that *nervous laugh* She's harmless…

*awkward pause* 

Sharon: I haven’t read your Sci-Fi series, but I checked out your website and I was impressed with what I saw. Got some serious cove lust going on. Can you tell me and our readers a little bit about The Lost Fleet series?

Jack: The series came out of two big ideas. One of those was the Sleeping Hero, the person who once saved the day but didn't die, and will someday awaken when most needed.  (Think King Arthur, the Twelfth Iman, etc.). Those heroes were real people once. I wondered what it would be like for such a person to reawaken and discover what everyone thought they were, to learn that they were now expected the save the day. The other big idea concerned a long retreat. Xenophon's March of the 10,000 has been used a lot in fantasy and SF, but not in space, because it's really hard to make it work (the two iterations of Battlestar Galactica have wrestled with that, though the second version came out after I had started the Lost Fleet). 

So here is John "Black Jack" Geary, who fought a desperate rear-guard action at the start of an interstellar war that has been going on for a century. He was thought to have died in that battle, and an Alliance desperate for heroes built him up as the epitome of everything great and honorable. Only he's not dead, just frozen in survival sleep. Geary gets recovered and revived just before the Alliance fleet is trapped deep in enemy space, and even while he struggles to cope with post-traumatic stress and the knowledge that everyone he once knew is dead, the descendents of those he knew are depending on him to save the day, to get the fleet home, because he is the legendary Black Jack.

Geary knows he's not that awesome hero. He's appalled by the changes a century of war have caused and feels like a stranger among his own people. But they need him. Unless he tries his best to be that hero, they are all dead. So he does his best, and along the way his road is both eased and considerably complicated by his developing feelings for Captain Tanya Desjani, who is the captain of his flagship and very much a child of her war-haunted time.
Sharon: l hadn’t heard the term “sleeping hero” before, but I am aware of the theme in literature. I just became a little bit more sci-fi-y.

 Katie: “eased and complicated” is that a euphemism used in science fiction for romance? <G> 
Jack: Maybeee…

 

Katie: How much world building detail was in place before you started writing the first book in The Lost Fleet series? And how much was made up along the way?
Jack: I had the basics down. I had to figure out how to trap the Alliance fleet deep in enemy space, and to make the long retreat plausible, which called for two different means of travel between star systems. I had to set down how the ships worked (really worked, because this isn't a planet's surface and spaceships aren't aircraft or water-riding ships, and they operate in an endless environment with no up or down). One critical decision was to stick with actual light-speed limits in star systems. If you are a light-hour from someone else, it takes an hour for a message to cross that distance, and you are seeing what they were doing an hour ago. It really brought home the vast size of space, and made me work out 3D maneuvering and time delays, which it all feel much more real. And of course who were the good guys (the Alliance), and what had the long war done to them, and who were the bad guys who started the war (the Syndicate Worlds, a corporate-controlled police state). 

Most of what was made up along the way involved the characters. They had a path they had to walk (getting home, that is). But as they faced decision points and worked together they evolved. They ended up doing things I hadn't expected, and I put that into the stories. Because these are real people in a way, and real people may have limited options, but the choices they make are theirs. 

Sharon: Do you dream about the world you created or hear them giving their two cents about things you see and do?
Jack: The characters very definitely tell me what they would and wouldn't do. I don't dream about the world, but I do see it. 

Sharon: May 7 is the release of The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Guardian, part of a spin-off of the original series. How many books do you see for this series?
Jack: The Beyond the Frontier continuation of the Lost Fleet was created because people wanted more stories about those people and their universe. While I want to avoid the dreaded endless series syndrome, I'm also in a situation where my readers want the stories to keep coming. As a result, Beyond the Frontier is a bit open-ended and divided into two- and three-book story arcs. The first two books (Dreadnaught and Invincible) took Geary's fleet into unexplored space and back to human space. Guardian covers the return to Alliance space, and some new challenges after that, including a visit to a most unexpected place. If I run out of ideas, or reach a conclusion that simply ends things, I'll end the series. But as long as I can keep the stories fresh and interesting, I'll keep writing them for those that want them. Part of keeping the stories fresh involves the Lost Stars books, which have story lines that intertwine with the Beyond the Frontier series, but feature the people in a former enemy star system who are dealing with the collapse of empire and trying to build something better on the ruins of the old system. 
Sharon: do you get the storylines and characters confused? 
Jack: No. Very distinct people and places. One character actually goes from one series to the other, but there's no confusion about it. 


Katie: Will there be a “last” book where you tie everything up? 
Jack: There already was one! Victorious was the end-of-the-story-arc, hero-gets-the-job-done, romantic-tensions-resolved book. But when we got there, the readers kept asking for more, and since the readers were asking for more, my publisher asked me for more. This created a Big Moral Dilemma: do I compromise my art for money? Are you kidding? Of course I did. I've got kids. I have to pay the grocery bills. Besides, my art is telling stories. If I'm doing well enough at that for people to be asking for more, why would I stop? 

There may come a point where Beyond the Frontier reaches a natural end-point. If that happens, I will tie things up, because once a series is dead it shouldn't keep shambling onward like a zombie.
Sharon: well, if it does don’t worry. Katie and I will help you go all Daryl Dixon on its zombie ass. We have a sheep signal, just call. *puts hand for fist bump* 

(Bump) 

Sharon: We have a dragon in the dungeon, but no spaceship yet. What type would you recommend? 
Jack: The Alliance fleet has a battle cruiser named Dragon. That would be a good match, wouldn't it? Dragon's commanding officer (Honore Bradamont) plays a significant role in Guardian. But you'll have to get her quick because she has a big role in the Lost Stars book Perilous Shield (coming in October) when she has to leave Dragon in part because of her True Love (honest, he really is, even if he is also technically a bad guy, but he's not really bad). And because she has to teach her guy's friends how to fight in spaceships as well as she can do it. I think she and Dragon would be good match for your dragon. 
Sharon: Are the women characters in your world considered equals to the men?
Jack: Absolutely. Actually, the question doesn't even occur to them. They are at the point where people are evaluated by who they are, instead of what they are. Any other way of doing things would baffle them.

Katie: Are there sexy alien men in your books? Can you hook a girl up… names and number?
Jack: That depends on what you think is sexy. If you like mysterious, the enigmas are obsessed with privacy and don't want anyone to know anything about them. Unfortunately that means they think curious creatures like us are the neighbors from hell. Having someone trying to learn anything about them makes them crazy (in a bad way, that is, not in a sexy Robert Downey Jr. way.) Or maybe you like cute and cuddly? The Kicks are like small teddy bear/cows. Very cute. But they're also descended from herd animals, so the entire extended family would be coming along on the date, and then they would take over your house and kick you out so you wouldn't compete with the herd. The Dancers, though, are really graceful, and interesting, and smart. There's some mysteries about them, too, but they seem to be nice people. They also look like what would happen if a very, very big spider mated with a wolf. If you find that sexy I might be able to help you. (On the other hand, if you find that sexy no one may be able to help you.) 
Katie: uh, I’ll pass…but the Kicks would probably fit right in around here. 

Sharon: You know how the heroes and villains have theme music that plays when they enter a scene? If theme music/song played every time you entered a room, what would it be?
Jack: Diablo Rojo by Rodrigo y Gabriela. Or (if it's a formal occasion) Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin. 


Time for a little Rapid Fire: 

Sharon: Star Wars or Star Trek?
Jack: Starbuck (the 2003 version).

Katie: Step into the Stargate or the Tardis?
Jack: The Tardis. It can take you anywhere the Stargate can, anywhen (which the Stargate can't except occasionally) and…no, wait. Stargate has Samantha Carter. 

Katie: left leg first or right leg first?
Jack: Right first. I'm married, so it's about the only time I'm allowed to be right.
 

Sharon: basket of puppies or basket of naked mole rats?
Jack: Naked Mole Rats! (Do they come with a Kimmunicator?) 
Sharon: ha! You just earned 10 coolness points for that answer!
Jack: If I'd been forced to chose between naked mole rats and a platypus, it would have been harder. 

Sharon: Alfred Hitchcock or Stephen King?
Jack: Hitchcock. None of King's movies have Cary Grant in them. 

Katie: Hammer Time or Gangam Style?
Jack: Gangnam. I never looked good in harem pants. 

Sharon: Thank for taking the time! Anything you would like to say to our readers before we take you on a tour of the dungeon? Did I mention we have a dragon…
Jack: Thank you for hosting me! I've been very lucky to reach a lot of people through the Lost Fleet books. And hopefully I'll be lucky enough to make it out of the dungeon as well. 

*Sharon and Katie lead Jack to dungeon door*

No, thank you! You were a great guest. The last one was nothing but trouble… “let me go home” “stop feeding me moonpies” “is that going to hurt?” and throwing around words like lawsuit *shakes head*.

Guardian (Beyond the Frontier #3)
by Jack Campbell

Admiral Geary’s First Fleet of the Alliance has survived the journey deep into unexplored interstellar space, a voyage that led to the discovery of new alien species, including a new enemy and a possible ally. Now Geary’s mission is to ensure the safety of the Midway Star System, which has revolted against the Syndicate Worlds empire—an empire that is on the brink of collapse.

To complicate matters further, Geary also needs to return safely to Alliance space not only with representatives of the Dancers, an alien species, but also withInvincible, a captured warship that could possibly be the most valuable object in human history. Despite the peace treaty that Geary must adhere to at all costs, the Syndicate Worlds regime threatens to make the fleet’s journey back grueling and perilous.

And even if Geary escortsInvincibleand the Dancers’ representatives safely unharmed, the Syndics’ attempts to spread dissent and political unrest may have already sown the seeds of the Alliance’s destruction.

About the Author:
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Jack Campbell is a pseudonym for American science fiction author John G. Hemry
John G. Hemry is an American author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired United States Navy officer, he has written the Stark's War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has written four volumes of the Lost Fleet series, and on his website names two more forthcoming volumes. He has also written over a dozen short stories, many published in Analog magazine, and a number of non-fiction works.

John G Hemry is a retired United States Navy officer. His father, Jack M. Hemry, also served in the navy and as John points out was a mustang. John grew up living in several places including Pensacola, San Diego, and Midway Island.

John graduated from Lyons High School in Lyons in 1974 then attended the US Naval Academy (Class of '78) where he was labeled 'the un-midshipman' by his roommates.

He lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids. His two eldest children are diagnosed as autistic and suffer from Neuro immune dysfunction syndrome (NIDS), an auto-immune ailment which causes their illness, but are progressing under treatment.

John is a member of the SFWA Musketeers whose motto reads: 'The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword, but the Wise Person Carries Both'.

Lost Fleet Series

1. Dauntless (2006)

2. Fearless (2007)

3. Courageous (2007)

4. Valiant (2008)

5. Relentless (2009)

6. Victorious (2010)

The Lost Fleet : Beyond the Frontier Series

1. Dreadnaught (2011)

2. Invincible (2012)

3. Guardian (2013)

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