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New Release by Author Mari Collier


Author Mari Collier joins me this week to discuss her newest release, Thalia – The New Generation. This is the seventh novel in the Chronicles of the Maca.


SJJ: What genre does this book fall under?


MC: Science fiction


SJJ: Is this a genre you normally write in or are you trying something new?


MC: All my novels are science fiction.


SJJ: Who is your target audience?


MC: Anyone that likes science fiction.


SJJ: When do you expect the release of your newest book?


MC: The Kindle edition is scheduled for May 15, 2020 and the paperback a few days later.


SJJ: Please tell us a little about your new book.


MC: As thievery and deceit befall the continent, a new generation of Maca leaders will rise. Daniel, the new Maca of Ishner on Thalia, struggles to right the wrongs imposed on his people for nearly two hundred years. Determined to uncover the depths of the Sisterhood’s treachery, Daniel and the other young Maca of Thalia face danger, as new threats lead to a battle to save their land and people. With tensions mounting in the struggle for wealth and power, can they fend off the attack, or fall to the Sisterhood’s acts of vengeance?


SJJ: Where does the story take place?


MC: It may not be clear in the above. They are on the planet Thalia.


SJJ: What inspired you to write this story?


MC: Daniel and Marissa felt their tales needed to be told.


SJJ: What kind of research did you have to do for this novel?


MC: I read up on the advances on humanoid robots (applied that to the Thalian type robot) and the advances in AI. The latter can be quite frightening when you think of the impact on our society.


SJJ: Was any part of this book particularly difficult to write?


MC: Not once I was about halfway through. The fight scenes and warring scenes had played in my mind so many times that I had no problem.


SJJ: How did you come up with the title? Did you have any other working titles?


MC: Probably the old Star Trek series nudged me towards this one. It is the next generation.


SJJ: Who designed the cover? Did you have much input in the design?


MC: I have no idea. It is the cover artist/designer for Next Chapter, Pub.


SJJ: Did you enjoy writing any particular scene? Please tell us a little about it if you can.


MC: When Logan, Lad of Don, tries to save his love, Marissa, Maca of Medicine.


SJJ: Does your book have any message or is it purely entertainment?


MC: Family and loyalty seem to be themes in my books.


SJJ: How long did it take you to write? To edit?


MC: About nine months to write. I probably spent three months doing the editing and rewriting.


SJJ: Who is your favourite character? Your least favourite character?


MC: Daniel, Maca of Ishner is the favorite in this novel. Least favorite would have to be Ilarmina. She has all duped until she leads the army of the Sisters against Medicine.


SJJ: Just for fun! If this book became a movie, who would you like to see play the main

character and if there’s a villain, who would play that role?


MC: I have no idea who could play Daniel as he stands nearly six foot ten inches and has the massive muscular build of a Thalian. Meryl Streep would be perfect for Ilarmina.


SJJ: Is this book a stand alone or part of a series?


MC: This belongs to the Chronicles of the Maca: Earthbound, Gather The Children, Before We Leave, Return of the Maca, Thalia and Earth, and Fall and Rise of the Macas.


SJJ: Where can your new book be purchased when it’s released?


MC: The Kindle and any digital version at Amazon. When the paperback is released, it will be Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Bio:


Mari Collier was born on a farm in Iowa on a mattress her parents had made. It was covered with an oil cloth. The farm where she grew up had no electricity or inside bathroom. She has lived in Arizona, Washington, and Southern California. She and her husband, Lanny, met in high school and were married for forty-five years.


She has served on the Board of Directors for the Twentynine Palms Historical Society, and still serves as a Docent. She has worked as a loan collector, bookkeeper, receptionist, and Advanced Super Agent for Nintendo of America.


Her short stories have appeared in print and electronically, plus there are four anthologies. Twisted Tales From The Desert, Twisted Tales From The Northwest, Twisted Tales From The Universe, and Twisted Tales From A Skewed Mind. Earthbound is the first of the Chronicles of the Maca series which is soon to be seven with the release of Thalia-The New Generation in May. Man, True Man is the first of the three Tonath Chronicles. She is working on another anthology and a novel temporarily called Thalia At War. All of the anthologies have been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. The first five of the Maca Chronicles have been translated into Italian and Spanish. The first three into Portuguese. Earthbound, Before We Leave, and Twisted Tales From The Northwest are also Audible books. Gather The Children and Man, True Man are scheduled to be released in audio form before the end of March.

Mari’s Links


Twitter: @child7mari

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