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Time Flies When You’re Saving the Universe

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Time Flies When You’re Saving the Universe

Ten years ago today, I hit the ‘publish’ button on Starshine and unleashed Alex upon an unsuspecting public. At the time, I had no idea the impact this one act was going to have - on my life, on hers, on the multiverses of Amaranthe. But in the years that followed, a story about a starship pilot with dark red hair that came to me in the shower one morning (you’ve all heard that story by now) became so, so much more. Over the course of 2,227,818 words, 20 novels and 10 short stories, it has transformed into an epic tale of humanity (and our allies) putting aside our squabbles to rise above our deepest fears and come together to do what we must to survive, then thrive.

Amaranthe is, above all, an optimistic vision that dares to believe humanity will prove to be both stronger and better than we believe ourselves to be - and that’s the story I was driven to tell when I started typing on a keyboard ten years plus nine months ago….

It was the summer of 2013, I had no idea my life was soon to change.

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A Very Akeso Christmas

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A Very Akeso Christmas

Eren had never seen snow on Akeso before. Ahead, the house was decked in an extravaganza of greenery and shining balls and red bows and bright artificial stars; the two largest trees situated off the porch bore matching attire.

“What is this?”

Alex appeared from his left as the wormhole faded away. “It’s Christmas.” She extended a hand to him. “Come inside.”

What in Athena’s name was ‘Christmas’? A quick query told him it was a Human holiday with religious roots that centered around gift-giving, decorating trees, singing carols, lighting things up, something about reindeer and…possibly snowball fights?

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Ghosts of Proele

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Ghosts of Proele

Proele.

The word whispered through her dream, carried along by an eerie, haunted wind. Wisps of fog obscured any details of where she was, but everywhere she turned, there was only the word.

Proele.

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THE FUTURE OF AMARANTHE - MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

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THE FUTURE OF AMARANTHE - MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

I’m going to avoid significant spoilers for Duality as I talk about what comes next, so feel free to keep reading if you haven’t finished it yet.

Was Riven Worlds an epic saga, or what? Telling a single story arc over six doorstopper books was, honestly, the greatest challenge I’ve faced as a writer so far. I hope I delivered.:)

Our intrepid heroes deserve a break now, don’t they? My goodness. So let’s all take a deep breath alongside them, exhale…and forge ahead into the stars.

Because guess what? The story of Amaranthe is STILL just beginning.

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Audiobooks, the Changing Face of Indie Publishing &…You're Tired of Waiting! (So Am I)

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Audiobooks, the Changing Face of Indie Publishing &…You're Tired of Waiting! (So Am I)

Where the Heck is My Audiobook, Jennsen??

Let’s start by addressing the ‘80s-style neon pink elephant in the room: where the heck is the Inversion audiobook? What a great question.

Pyper finished recording at the beginning of August, and we are both so anxious to get it to you. And thanks to a boatload of horrible, terrible, no-good cliffhangers at the end of Continuum ;), I suspect you’re anxious to get it. Unfortunately, much like Continuum before it, it’s currently locked up somewhere in the deep, dark depths of ACX’s (the production company) internal systems. Or possibly it’s been boxed up and filed away in a giant warehouse next to the Ark of the Covenant.

To make a long, sad story short, around the first of the year a confluence of several events (Covid-19, a new audiobook get-rich-quick scheme overloading ACX’s servers, several mysterious, dark forces at work, etc.) conspired to double and even triple the amount of time it takes ACX to review, package and distribute an audiobook. Two weeks became two months or longer. The system ground to a halt. Nine months later, little about the situation has improved.

I don’t care for this state of affairs. Neither do you. Neither does Pyper. So, what are going to do about it?

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The Universe of Amaranthe Awaits

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The Universe of Amaranthe Awaits

At the end of Requiem, I said ‘the story of Aurora has come to an end, but the story of Amaranthe is just beginning.’ I hope you knew I meant it.

If you’ve finished reading The Stars Like Gods, you know some of what I’m going to talk about—but stick around anyway, because there’s yet more. If you haven’t finished The Stars Like Gods, there’s a big surprise at the end of the book, and you’re about to find out what it is unless you avert your eyes right now. The choice is yours.

I’ll wait.

Okay, done waiting.

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