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  • · · ·

    Favorite lines from Only Bad Options, Galactic Bonds #1, Sept. 20 …

    MONDAY MORNING MAILBAG

    Question: What are some of your favorite lines/excerpts in Only Bad Options?

    Answer: Iā€™ve talked before about how much I like coming up with opening lines and how they can set the tone for the entire book. I really like this opening line of Only Bad Options, said by Vesper Quill:

    ā€œSometimes in life, you have only bad options.ā€

    I think this is one of the better opening lines I have ever written, and I hope that it makes readers wonder what kind of options Vesper has and why she thinks that they are all bad.

    I also tend to like lines/excerpts where the characters talk/think about themselves, their personalities, and their abilities ā€“ before they go kick someoneā€™s butt. LOL. Like these lines, also said by Vesper:

    ā€œOnce again, I was in a situation where I had only bad options. Sometimes I thought that was the sad story of my life. No good, easy, simple choices, only those that ranged from bad to worse to catastrophic. I firmed up my shooting stance. Well, letā€™s see how catastrophic I could make someone elseā€™s day.ā€

    Another example of a little self-reflection is this line by Kyrion Caldaren:

    ā€œThings were simpler, easier in the dark, especially when no monster was worse than the one that lurked inside you.ā€

    And I really like this line because it sums up Kyrionā€™s arrogant, Mr. Darcy space assassin confidence:

    ā€œI am the weapon.ā€

    So those are some of my favorite lines from Only Bad Options. I hope you all enjoyed this sneak peak at the book. Thank you for reading.

    What are some of your favorite lines in the current book you are reading?

    PRE-ORDER THE EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble Apple Books Google Play Kobo Smashwords

    PRE-ORDER THE PRINT BOOK:

    Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBoundBooksellers/librarians can order through IngramSpark

    ABOUT THE AUDIOBOOKS:

    There will be an audiobook of Only Bad Options, and I will share those links when they go online later this summer.

    This is book #1 in my Galactic Bonds series. Basically, the series is science fiction fantasy — magic/powers mixed with spaceships, planets, technology, etc. Yes, there are blasters, and yes, I put a “Pew! Pew! Pew!” line in the book. šŸ˜ŽĀ 

    Only Bad Options also features:

    • Space opera
    • Soul mates
    • Enemies to lovers
    • Pew! Pew! Pew! action scenes
    • A boiling lava planet of doom

    If Only Bad Options sells well, then I will keep going with the series. Right now, I would like to make it a trilogy, but it does depend on the sales of book #1. So if you are interested in the book, please pre-order it, share with your friends, ask your local library to order a copy, etc.

    This is very much a book of my heart, so I hope y’all buy/read/enjoy it. Thanks!

    ONLY BAD OPTIONS DESCRIPTION:

    New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep blasts off with an exciting new science-fiction fantasy adventure with a dash of historical romance. This action-packed space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soul mates and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Reylo, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

    A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .

    Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, Iā€™m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp spaceships, everyone knows who I amā€”and wants to eliminate me.

    I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I donā€™t see the trouble headed my way until itā€™s too late. Suddenly, Iā€™m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

    I donā€™t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

    A MAN WHO CANā€™T FORGET HIS PAST . . .

    The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperiumā€™s elite fighting force, Iā€™m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corios are afraid of me.

    But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

    Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the deadly enemies who want to bend us to their will.

  • · · ·

    More info about the print books for Only Bad Options …

    MONDAY MORNING MAILBAG

    Question: Will there be a print book for Only Bad Options? What about an audiobook?

    Answer: The print book for Only Bad Options will be released Sept. 20, the same day as the ebook. Woot!

    PRE-ORDER THE PRINT BOOK:

    Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBoundBooksellers/librarians can order through IngramSpark

    Iā€™ve gotten some early copies (see photo), and I think the Only Bad Options print books are the prettiest ones I have indie published so far. The cover/colors look gorgeous, and I used the evil eye and some of the other cover art for the chapter headings, scene break glyphs, etc. Iā€™m really pleased with how the print books turned out, but clearly I am biased. LOL.

    ABOUT THE AUDIOBOOK:

    There will be an audiobook for Only Bad Options, but ā€“ and this is a big BUT ā€“ I donā€™t have a firm release date yet. However, it probably will NOT be released on Sept. 20 with the ebook/print. I think/hope the audiobook will be released in late September/early October. I will keep you posted.

    So if you want to read the book as soon as it comes out, youā€™ll have to get the ebook/print. Thanks!

    PRE-ORDER THE EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble Apple Books Google Play Kobo Smashwords

    Only Bad OptionsĀ is book #1 in my Galactic Bonds series. Basically, the series is science fiction fantasy — magic/powers mixed with spaceships, planets, technology, etc. Yes, there are blasters, and yes, I put a “Pew! Pew! Pew!” line in the book. šŸ˜ŽĀ 

    Only Bad Options also features:

    • Space opera
    • Soul mates
    • Enemies to lovers
    • Pew! Pew! Pew! action scenes
    • A boiling lava planet of doom

    If Only Bad Options sells well, then I will keep going with the series. Right now, I would like to make it a trilogy, but it does depend on the sales of book #1. So if you are interested in the book, please pre-order it, share with your friends, ask your local library to order a copy, etc.

    This is very much a book of my heart, so I hope y’all buy/read/enjoy it. Thanks!

    ONLY BAD OPTIONS DESCRIPTION:

    New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep blasts off with an exciting new science-fiction fantasy adventure with a dash of Regency romance. This action-packed space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soul mates and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Reylo, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

    A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .

    Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, Iā€™m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp spaceships, everyone knows who I amā€”and wants to eliminate me.

    I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I donā€™t see the trouble headed my way until itā€™s too late. Suddenly, Iā€™m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

    I donā€™t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

    A MAN WHO CANā€™T FORGET HIS PAST . . .

    The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperiumā€™s elite fighting force, Iā€™m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corios are afraid of me.

    But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

    Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the deadly enemies who want to bend us to their will.

  • · · ·

    Print books online for Only Bad Options …

    The print books are online for Only Bad Options, Galactic Bonds #1, Sept. 20. Woot! This is my sci-fi fantasy romance book that I have been talking about for more than a year.

    PRE-ORDER THE PRINT BOOK:

    Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBoundBooksellers/librarians can order through IngramSpark

    PRE-ORDER THE EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble Apple Books Google Play Kobo Smashwords

    ABOUT THE AUDIOBOOKS:

    There will be an audiobook of Only Bad Options, and I will share those links when they go online later this summer.

    This is book #1 in my Galactic Bonds series. Basically, the series is science fiction fantasy — magic/powers mixed with spaceships, planets, technology, etc. Yes, there are blasters, and yes, I put a “Pew! Pew! Pew!” line in the book. šŸ˜ŽĀ 

    Only Bad Options also features:

    • Space opera
    • Soul mates
    • Enemies to lovers
    • Pew! Pew! Pew! action scenes
    • A boiling lava planet of doom

    If Only Bad Options sells well, then I will keep going with the series. Right now, I would like to make it a trilogy, but it does depend on the sales of book #1. So if you are interested in the book, please pre-order it, share with your friends, ask your local library to order a copy, etc.

    This is very much a book of my heart, so I hope y’all buy/read/enjoy it. Thanks!

    ONLY BAD OPTIONS DESCRIPTION:

    New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep blasts off with an exciting new science-fiction fantasy adventure with a dash of Regency romance. This action-packed space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soul mates and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Reylo, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

    A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .

    Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, Iā€™m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp spaceships, everyone knows who I amā€”and wants to eliminate me.

    I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I donā€™t see the trouble headed my way until itā€™s too late. Suddenly, Iā€™m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

    I donā€™t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

    A MAN WHO CANā€™T FORGET HIS PAST . . .

    The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperiumā€™s elite fighting force, Iā€™m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corios are afraid of me.

    But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

    Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the deadly enemies who want to bend us to their will.

  • · · ·

    Only Bad Options, Galactic Bonds #1, to be released Sept. 20 …

    I’m thrilled to announce that I will be publishing Only Bad Options on Sept. 20. Woot! This is my sci-fi romance book that I have been talking about for more than a year (!).

    PRE-ORDER THE EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble Apple Books Google Play Kobo Smashwords

    This is book #1 in my Galactic Bonds series. Basically, the series is science fiction fantasy — magic/powers mixed with spaceships, planets, technology, etc. Yes, there are blasters, and yes, I put a “Pew! Pew! Pew!” line in the book. šŸ˜ŽĀ 

    Only Bad Options also features:

    • Space opera
    • Soul mates
    • Enemies to lovers
    • Pew! Pew! Pew! action scenes
    • A boiling lava planet of doom
    Here is a look at the cover art by Tony Mauro. Isn’t it gorgeous? I love the colors, the evil eye, and the kick-butt couple.
    Ā 

    If Only Bad Options sells well, then I will keep going with the series. Right now, I would like to make it a trilogy, but it does depend on the sales of book #1. So if you are interested in the book, please pre-order it, share with your friends, ask your local library to order a copy, etc.

    This is very much a book of my heart, so I hope y’all buy/read/enjoy it. Thanks!

    ABOUT THE PRINT BOOKS:

    I will be doing a print version of Only Bad Options, and I will share those links when they go online later this summer. I will also share information about the audiobook as it becomes available.

    ONLY BAD OPTIONS DESCRIPTION:

    New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep blasts off with an exciting new science-fiction fantasy adventure with a dash of Regency romance. This action-packed space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soul mates and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

    A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .

    Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, Iā€™m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp spaceships, everyone knows who I amā€”and wants to eliminate me.

    I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I donā€™t see the trouble headed my way until itā€™s too late. Suddenly, Iā€™m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

    I donā€™t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

    A MAN WHO CANā€™T FORGET HIS PAST . . .

    The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperiumā€™s elite fighting force, Iā€™m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corios are afraid of me.

    But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

    Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the deadly enemies who want to bend us to their will.

  • · · ·

    More info about Only Bad Options, Sept. 20 …

    3 Comments

    MONDAY MORNING MAILBAG

    Question: What made you want to write a science-fiction fantasy romance like Only Bad Options?

    Answer: It was a variety of things, but mostly, it was the right story/idea at the right time.

    For years ā€“ YEARS! ā€“ I thought ā€œI donā€™t like science fiction,ā€ and I wouldnā€™t even try it. Iā€™m not sure where this opinion/idea even came from. Maybe because I never much cared for science classes in school/college. But every time I was in the bookstore/library, I would skip past the sci-fi section and go straight to fantasy/romance. If it had spaceships and aliens, I wouldnā€™t read it, but if it had magic weapons and talking animals, well, I would read the whole series and all the spinoffs.

    But over the past few years, Iā€™ve gotten more and more info sci-fi books, movies, and TV shows, and Iā€™ve enjoyed things like The Mandalorian and Killjoys. And of course Iā€™ve always loved the original Star Wars trilogy. Plus, I found that a lot of sci-fi stories do have those elements of magic that I love, and I realized that I was missing out on all these great characters/stories/worlds.

    In early 2021, I had a tiny break in my writing schedule. I had been thinking about doing an enemies-to-lovers, soul-mates type of story, but none of the worlds/magic systems I was thinking about seemed quite right. Then I thought, ā€œWhat if I made it a sci-fi world, but with magic?ā€ And that was the first light-bulb moment for me.

    But I was still having some trouble with the worldbuilding. One day, I was lying on the couch, resting my neck/shoulders, and thinking about what I could add to my sci-fi world to make it more interesting and unique. And I thought ā€œWhat if you had all this magic/technology, but the society was sort of old-fashioned and focused on marriages, alliances, and bloodlines, like in a historical romance book?ā€

    I literally sat bolt upright on the couch, like ā€œYes! That could work!ā€ And that was the second light-bulb moment for me. Iā€™ve always enjoyed taking the elements/tropes/etc. I like most about various genres, mixing them together, and putting my own spin on them. So thatā€™s why Only Bad Options is a mix of science fiction, fantasy, and historical romance.

    And Iā€™ll be honest ā€“ part of writing Only Bad Options was also a business decision. I thought writing in a new-to-me genre like sci-fi romance might help expand my reader base. #fingerscrossed

    I donā€™t know that Iā€™ll ever like hard/technical sci-fi, just as I donā€™t like hard/technical books in other genres. Iā€™ve never particularly enjoyed reading tons of details about weapons, vehicles, etc. (like in a Tom Clancy-type book). I also donā€™t know that Iā€™ll ever like alien stories. But at least now, Iā€™m open to trying those things, and thatā€™s a win in my book. Thank you for reading.

    Have you ever changed your mind about liking a genre, book, movie, or TV show after giving it a second chance?

    PRE-ORDER ONLY BAD OPTIONS:

    Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble Apple Books Google Play Kobo Smashwords

    ABOUT THE PRINT BOOKS:

    I will be doing a print version of Only Bad Options, and I will share those links when they go online later this summer. I will also share more information about the audiobook as it becomes available.

    ONLY BAD OPTIONS DESCRIPTION:

    New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep blasts off with an exciting new science-fiction fantasy adventure with a dash of Regency romance. This action-packed space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soul mates and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

    A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .

    Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, Iā€™m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp spaceships, everyone knows who I amā€”and wants to eliminate me.

    I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I donā€™t see the trouble headed my way until itā€™s too late. Suddenly, Iā€™m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

    I donā€™t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

    A MAN WHO CANā€™T FORGET HIS PAST . . .

    The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperiumā€™s elite fighting force, Iā€™m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corios are afraid of me.

    But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

    Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the dangerous enemies who want to bend us to their will.