Audiobooks

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    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 – YEARS! – I thought “I don’t like science fiction,” and I wouldn’t even try it. I’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 wouldn’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, I’ve gotten more and more info sci-fi books, movies, and TV shows, and I’ve enjoyed things like The Mandalorian and Killjoys. And of course I’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, “What if I made it a sci-fi world, but with magic?” 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 “What 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?”

    I literally sat bolt upright on the couch, like “Yes! That could work!” And that was the second light-bulb moment for me. I’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 that’s why Only Bad Options is a mix of science fiction, fantasy, and historical romance.

    And I’ll be honest – 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 don’t know that I’ll ever like hard/technical sci-fi, just as I don’t like hard/technical books in other genres. I’ve never particularly enjoyed reading tons of details about weapons, vehicles, etc. (like in a Tom Clancy-type book). I also don’t know that I’ll ever like alien stories. But at least now, I’m open to trying those things, and that’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, I’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 am—and wants to eliminate me.

    I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

    I don’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 CAN’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 Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’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.

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    Sugar Plum Spies, Section 47 holiday book, to be released Nov. 8 …

    2 Comments

    I’m thrilled to announce that I will be publishing Sugar Plum Spies on Nov. 8. Woot!

    Sugar Plum Spies is book #2 in my Section 47 urban fantasy, spies-with-magic series. Note that this is a short holiday book — about 47,000 words. Sugar Plum Spies can be read as a stand-alone adventure, but of course it helps if you have read A Sense of Danger, the first book in the series.

    Sugar Plum Spies features the first-person points of view of both Charlotte Locke and Desmond Percy, just like A Sense of Danger did.

    Here is a look at the cover art, which was done by the awesome Tony Mauro. Tony also does the covers for my Elemental Assassin series and some of my other books. I love the purple color, along with the red/green holiday sparks. 😎 

    PRE-ORDER THE EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble Apple Books Google Play Kobo Smashwords

    ABOUT THE PRINT BOOK:

    I am planning to do a print version of Sugar Plum Spies, and I will share those links when they go online later this year. I am also hopeful that there will be an audiobook, but it’s too early to tell.

    MORE SECTION 47 BOOKS?

    If Sugar Plum Spies sells well, then I will write more books in my Section 47 series. Ideally, I’d like to write at least two more full-length books after Sugar Plum Spies, but it does depend on the sales. So if you like the Section 47 series, then please pre-order Sugar Plum Spies, recommend it to your friends, etc. Thanks!

    SUGAR PLUM SPIES DESCRIPTION:

    New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep serves up an action-packed holiday adventure in her Section 47 urban-fantasy world of secrets, lies, and superspies with amazing magical abilities. Perfect for fans of Alias, Die Hard, James Bond, Jason Bourne, Nikita, True Lies, and Netflix’s Bodyguard.

    VISIONS OF SUGAR PLUMS . . .

    Most spies take a break for the holidays, but not me, Charlotte Locke. As an analyst for Section 47, a secret spy organization, I normally use my magical form of synesthesia to uncover lies and track paramortal bad guys from the comfort of my cubicle. But tonight I’m going out into the field, along with my partner, Desmond Percy, a powerful galvanist.

    Instead of enjoying Christmastime in the city, I’m in a German castle, dressed like a toy soldier and masquerading as a waitress at a swanky Christmas Eve party. My mission? To gather information that will help Section 47 track down a dangerous enemy.

    Despite the glitz and glamour, I can’t shake the sense that something is wrong—and that Desmond and I might not leave the party alive.

    DANCES OF DEATH . . .

    My name is Desmond Percy, although I’ve had many aliases during my years working as a cleaner for Section 47. But I’ve never had a real partner until Charlotte Locke.

    My part of the mission is simple: pretend to be a guest and keep an eye on things at the party while Charlotte uses her synesthesia to track down the information we need. But what starts out as a sugar plum dream quickly turns into a holiday nightmare.

    Forget the mission. All I want for Christmas is to keep Charlotte safe.

    Note: Sugar Plum Spies is a 47,000-word book. It is book 2 in the Section 47 series, but it can also be read as a stand-alone holiday adventure.

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    Tear Down the Throne released …

    Tear Down the Throne, book #2 in my Gargoyle Queen adult epic fantasy series, has been released today, May 3. Woot!

    I’m so excited that the book is finally out there for folks to read. I hope everyone has as much fun reading about Gemma’s adventures as I do writing them. Happy reading and listening! 😎 

    GET THE EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble Apple Books Google Play Kobo

    GET THE PRINT BOOK:

    Amazon print Barnes & NobleBooks-A-Million IndieBound

    GET THE AUDIOBOOK:

    Amazon Audible Apple Books Google Play Kobo Libro.fm

    Amazon CDs

    SIGNED COPIES FROM MALAPROP’S BOOKSTORE:

    Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café is offering signed copies of Tear Down the Throne. 

    ORDER SIGNED COPIES OF TEAR DOWN THE THRONE

    • You MUST order by Tuesday, May 3 (TODAY!) . Also, if you want some book swag, you MUST pick the Priority shipping option — $9, plus $1 per additional book.
    • Books will ship after Tuesday, May 3, release day.

    A big thanks to Malaprop’s for doing the signed book campaign and my publisher Harper Voyager.

    TEAR DOWN THE THRONE DESCRIPTION:

    Bestselling author Jennifer Estep continues her Gargoyle Queen epic fantasy series where magic reigns, alliances are tested, and a dangerous attraction could tear down a throne. . .

    Crown princess. Clever spy. Powerful mind magier. Gemma Ripley of Andvari is all those things—and determined to stop an enemy from using magical tearstone weapons to conquer her kingdom.

    Gemma’s quest for answers leads her to a trade Summit between the various kingdoms. Among the other royals in attendance is Queen Maeven Morricone of Morta and her son, Prince Leonidas—Gemma’s charming and dangerous nemesis.

    Gemma knows that Maeven always has a long game in motion, and sure enough, the cunning queen invokes an arcane tradition that threatens the fragile truce between Andvari and the other kingdoms. Despite her best intentions, Gemma once again finds herself thrown together with Leo and battling her growing feelings for the enemy prince.

    When a series of deadly attacks shatters the Summit’s peaceful negotiations, Gemma realizes that someone wants to tear the royals down from their thrones—and that this enemy just might succeed.

  • · · ·

    Order signed copies of Tear Down the Throne …

    MONDAY MORNING MAILBAG

    Question: I keep getting questions about this, so I am re-posting this. How can I order a signed copy of Tear Down the Throne?

    Answer: Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café is offering signed copies of Tear Down the Throne. Woot! 😎 

    ORDER SIGNED COPIES OF TEAR DOWN THE THRONE

    You MUST order by Tuesday, April 26 (TOMORROW!) if you want the book personalized/signed to you. Also, if you want some book swag, you MUST pick the Priority shipping option — $9, plus $1 per additional book.

    If you want a signed book without any personalization, you can order through Tuesday, May 3.

    Books will ship after Tuesday, May 3, release day.

    A big thanks to Malaprop’s for doing the signed book campaign, along with my publisher Harper Voyager.

    Tear Down the Throne will be released on May 3 in ebook, print, and audio. So you can pre-order from your favorite retailer now:

    GET THE EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble Apple Books Google Play Kobo

    GET THE PRINT BOOK:

    Amazon print Barnes & NobleBooks-A-Million IndieBound

    GET THE AUDIOBOOK:

    Amazon Audible Apple Books Google Play Kobo Libro.fm

    Amazon CDs

    TEAR DOWN THE THRONE DESCRIPTION:

    Bestselling author Jennifer Estep continues her Gargoyle Queen epic fantasy series where magic reigns, alliances are tested, and a dangerous attraction could tear down a throne. . .

    Crown princess. Clever spy. Powerful mind magier. Gemma Ripley of Andvari is all those things—and determined to stop an enemy from using magical tearstone weapons to conquer her kingdom.

    Gemma’s quest for answers leads her to a trade Summit between the various kingdoms. Among the other royals in attendance is Queen Maeven Morricone of Morta and her son, Prince Leonidas—Gemma’s charming and dangerous nemesis.

    Gemma knows that Maeven always has a long game in motion, and sure enough, the cunning queen invokes an arcane tradition that threatens the fragile truce between Andvari and the other kingdoms. Despite her best intentions, Gemma once again finds herself thrown together with Leo and battling her growing feelings for the enemy prince.

    When a series of deadly attacks shatters the Summit’s peaceful negotiations, Gemma realizes that someone wants to tear the royals down from their thrones—and that this enemy just might succeed.

  • · · · ·

    Monday Morning Mailbag: More Crown of Shards books?

    2 Comments

    MONDAY MORNING MAILBAG

    Question: When will you know/decide if you are writing more books in your Crown of Shards world? Will it depend on sales of Tear Down the Throne?

    Answer: I would love to write more books in my Crown of Shards world, but it will depend on sales of Tear Down the Throne. If Throne sells well, then I will probably write more books in the Shards world. If Throne doesn’t sell well, then I might not be able to write any more books in the Shards world.

    I have turned in Conquer the Kingdom, book #3, March 7, 2023, which is the last book on my current contract. I have also sent my editor a couple of different ideas for new books set in the Shards world.

    So at this point in the process, my editor/publisher will look at the sales for Tear Down the Throne and decide if they want to offer me a new contract for more books.

    In general, several different things might/could happen to an author at this point in the traditional publishing process:

    •  The publisher can offer the author a new contract for more money. (Note that this only happens if a book/series is selling really well.)
    • The publisher can offer the author a new contract for the same amount of money as the previous contract.
    • The publisher can offer the author a new contract for less money.
    • The publisher can decline to offer the author a new contract.

    I am simplifying things a bit, but really, it all comes down to sales. This is why it is SO IMPORTANT that readers buy books as they come out and don’t wait until a series is complete. Publishers care about what books are selling RIGHT NOW, not what books you plan to read in the future.

    So if you want more books in my Crown of Shards world, then please pre-order/buy Tear Down the Throne or ask your local library to buy a copy. The same thing goes for Capture the Crown, book #1. Thank you for reading.

    SIGNED COPIES FROM MALAPROP’S BOOKSTORE:

    Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café is offering signed copies of Tear Down the Throne. 

    ORDER SIGNED COPIES OF TEAR DOWN THE THRONE

    • You MUST order by Tuesday, April 26 if you want the book personalized/signed to you. Also, if you want some book swag, you MUST pick the Priority shipping option — $9, plus $1 per additional book.
    • If you want a signed book without any personalization, you can order through Tuesday, May 3.
    • Books will ship after Tuesday, May 3, release day.

    A big thanks to Malaprop’s for doing the signed book campaign and my publisher Harper Voyager.

    PRE-ORDER THE THRONE EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble Apple Books Google Play Kobo

    PRE-ORDER THE THRONE PRINT BOOK:

    Amazon print Barnes & NobleBooks-A-Million IndieBound

    PRE-ORDER THE THRONE AUDIOBOOK:

    Amazon Audible Apple Books Google Play Kobo Libro.fm

    Amazon CDs

    TEAR DOWN THE THRONE DESCRIPTION:

    Bestselling author Jennifer Estep continues her Gargoyle Queen epic fantasy series where magic reigns, alliances are tested, and a dangerous attraction could tear down a throne. . .

    Crown princess. Clever spy. Powerful mind magier. Gemma Ripley of Andvari is all those things—and determined to stop an enemy from using magical tearstone weapons to conquer her kingdom.

    Gemma’s quest for answers leads her to a trade Summit between the various kingdoms. Among the other royals in attendance is Queen Maeven Morricone of Morta and her son, Prince Leonidas—Gemma’s charming and dangerous nemesis.

    Gemma knows that Maeven always has a long game in motion, and sure enough, the cunning queen invokes an arcane tradition that threatens the fragile truce between Andvari and the other kingdoms. Despite her best intentions, Gemma once again finds herself thrown together with Leo and battling her growing feelings for the enemy prince.

    When a series of deadly attacks shatters the Summit’s peaceful negotiations, Gemma realizes that someone wants to tear the royals down from their thrones—and that this enemy just might succeed.