Welcome to the RPLA Showcase
2016 Published Science Fiction
Zara by Jade Kerrion
In Zara, assassin extraordinaire Zara Itani unleashes her particular brand of havoc from Disneyland to Beirut. She could start a war, or stop it. Decisions, decisions.
At the 2016 Royal Palm Literary Awards Banquet, author Jade Kerrion won First Place in the Published Science Fiction category. Each year at the RPLA Banquet, authors experience the joy of earning accolades for all the hard work that is often done in the privacy of the home with little to no recognition. We’re showcasing the best of the best with our First Place winners spotlight. Not only does RPLA recognize extraordinary talent, but we’re giving readers an opportunity to sample excerpts from the winning stories.
Click the link to read a sample:
Ready to read the rest of the book?
Click the link to purchase Zara from Amazon Smile and support the Florida Writers Foundation.*
Q & A with Jade Kerrion
Q: Where do you get your story ideas?
A: My story ideas are born out of my characters. I’m prepared to swear that they make their own trouble; I’m just taking notes. No way I’m that crazy or cruel, right?
Q: Anything in particular about your award-winning RPLA entry that you’d like to share?
A: Zara, the short-tempered and questionably paranoid master assassin from my Double Helix series, is one of my favorite characters. She’s been with me for so long that her story basically wrote itself. Her bold, brash attitude is built upon unexpected depth; the combination makes her both intriguing and inspiring–the quintessential alpha female. She meets her match though, in the most unlikely of characters, the alpha empath, Danyael Sabre. As readers have said, the relationship simply shouldn’t work–but inexplicably, it does, and it’s absolutely beautiful.
Q: Who do you credit with inspiring your writing?
A: Neil Gaiman is, hands down, my favorite author. He leaves magical tapestries with his words and tells stories that may not seem connected, but when you turn the tapestry over, each story is not just completely connected, the whole is absolutely gorgeous. Daily, though, my husband is a wonder. He makes the writing possible by being utterly supportive of my incredibly time-consuming second career.
Q: Any tips for new writers?
A: Your path to success will be different from everyone else’s. Don’t be discouraged by those who find agents with their first query e-mail or intimidated by those who boldly head down the self-publishing path. Do what works for you, and be willing to explore. There is almost no fatal mistake you can make as an author, so be brave and always keep growing as a writer.
Thank you for sharing, Jade, and congratulations! Visit her website: www.jadekerrion.com
*When you purchase this book from the Amazon Smile link provided, you are promoting literacy throughout Florida. You pay no extra cost for the book. The Amazon Smile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to Florida Writers Foundation.
For more details about FWF, visit www.floridawritersfoundation.com
For more details about Amazon Smile, visit https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/ch/about
