Rogue's Angels Present: Once an Alien by Robin Martin

Please welcome Robin Martin author of Once an Alien

Robin Martin will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Once an Alien

by Robin Martin

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GENRE: Young adult, sci-fi romance

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INTERVIEW:

1. What or who inspired you to start writing?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t so much a conscious choice, but something I felt compelled to do. As a young girl, I spent a lot of my time reading the works of L.M Montgomery and Jane Austen, who inspired me to dream big and to write. However, nowadays I love incorporating humour into my writing and have definitely done that with my latest series The Alien Chronicles.

2. What elements are necessary components for this genre?

Sci-fi is an unusual genre because it needs to have a basis in both fact and fiction. As a sci-fi writer, you need to craft a world for your readers that allows them to imagine other universes. Science fiction needs to have components of adventure, escapism and, of course, a little science! 

3. How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

My Alienwas actually a short story that I wrote several years ago. After finishing another novel, I dug out the story and started reworking it. Before I knew it, I’d written a whole book. The words just poured out, so I knew it was right. 

4. What expertise did you bring to your writing?

The Alien Chronicles is a YA series and I’ve spent much of my life around young adults as a school teacher. Working in schools, I have an inside knowledge of what school life is like. I’ve also been professionally writing and editing for over 20 years, so I like to think I bring some of that experience and knowledge to all my stories. 

5. What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

Just like Zoe’s mum, I’m not the world's best cook. My worst nightmare is to be a contestant on MasterChef. However, this is a well kept secret, and something my family continually teases me about! However, like all writers, I use these funny experiences in my books. 

6. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

At the moment I'm writing a book with my daughter, Ruth, who is also a writer. The genre is women's fiction, so it's directed at an older audience. It explores the whole mother/daughter relationship and we're having a lot of fun with that, particularly as the locations in the book take us travelling to a lot of interesting places. We will be heading off to Fiji in the near future and certainly including that in our book. Research is so hard! I'm also working on a new YA series. There will be elements of speculative fiction in it and also romance. I hope to be able to reveal more about it in the coming months.

7. If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?

Definitely Pandora! She’s full of life and mischief and would, no doubt, have me out all night spilling the alien race’s secrets, all while using her powers to get us few freebie drinks. 

8. Can you give us a sneak peek into this book?

This is one of my favourite scenes in the book:

    I heard the thump of heels on wood, and I looked over to see Pandora on top of the coffee table, starting to dance and turn circles. Catching my eye, she stopped and lifted her glass. ‘This one’s for my favourite alien, Orion,—“Space Truckin’.”Woohoo!’ 

     I sensed rather than saw heads swivel in my direction. I felt dozens of pairs of eyes on me. How could she do that? How could she blurt out the one secret I’d tried so hard to hide? I felt the blood drain from my face, and I dropped the can of cola I was holding as the opening lines of the rock song blared out. Pandora downed her drink, threw her glass into the crowd, and started to dance again. 

     Then I heard laughter and someone, I think it was Chad Everett, say, ‘Good one, Pandora. We always knew he was weird.’ 

9. Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

Yes, I belong to the critique group Write Links. Personally, I find being a member of this group incredibly helpful as my fellow writers provide me with valuable feedback. We support each other at signings and events and I’m able to network with a wider group of writers. 

10. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

I was lucky in that my parents always encouraged me to dream big. I had my first work published when I was 16. It was a poem in an anthology of works by high school students across Canada. I later worked as a journalist on several publications during my university years, including the Muse, The Evening Telegram and the Alternate Press. Later in my career, I had several short novels published by Escape Publishing. 

BLURB:

Mischief, mayhem, and magic hit East Valley High when Pandora, the rogue alien, turns up. This sassy alien has one agenda, to have as much fun as she can before her people realise she's gone rogue and materialised on Earth in human form without their permission. Instantly popular, Pandora charms students and teachers alike as she parties her way through the term, but still aces her studies. Even Rion, is influenced by her as he begins to question whether he is still more alien than human. He and Zoe are finally together, but for how long? Zoe has worries too, especially about her mother's health. Everything is changing in this final year of high school. Zoe and Rion are crazy about each other, but can their new relationship last not only the ups and downs of human problems, but alien ones too!  

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EXCERPT:

The music changed from an Ariana Grande pop song to the opening chords of a much older Deep Purple track my previous host, who had been around in the 60s, had listened to. I was surprised because I didn’t think many teens knew it today. Then I heard the thump of heels on wood, and I looked over to see Pandora on top of the coffee table, starting to dance and turn circles. Catching my eye, she stopped and lifted her glass. ‘This one’s for my favourite alien, Orion,—“Space Truckin’.” Woohoo!’ 

I sensed rather than saw heads swivel in my direction. I felt dozens of pairs of eyes on me. How could she do that? How could she blurt out the one secret I’d tried so hard to hide? I felt the blood drain from my face, and I dropped the can of cola I was holding as the opening lines of the rock song blared out. Pandora downed her drink, threw her glass into the crowd, and started to dance again. 

Then I heard laughter and someone, I think it was Chad Everett, say, ‘Good one, Pandora. We always knew he was weird.’

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Robin Matin is an author and teacher, who writes both adult and young adult romance. Originally from Canada, she now lives in Brisbane, Australia. Her YA sci fi romance series, The Alien Chronicles includes My Alien, The Alien Within, and Once an Alien.

Her adult books published under the name Robin Thomas, include High Stakes and Bonjour Cherie.

A member of the Romance Writers of Australia and Write-Links, for children's and YA writers, Robin also connects with writers and readers on her author's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/robinmartinthomas or on her website www.robinmartinthomas.com  

https://www.amazon.com/Once-Alien-Book-Three-Chronicles-ebook

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Robin Martin will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3085