BooksChatter: ℚ♫ Serpents and Saviors: Project Emergence [2]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Jamie Zakian to talk about Serpents and Saviors (10 April 2018, Month9Books, LLC, 238 pages), a Sci-fi Thriller, book two in the Project Emergence series.

Few survivors remain. Now, they need a leader who isn't afraid to make tough choices, even if it means losing those closest to them.

|| Synopsis || Teaser: KCR Preview || The Series || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome to Jamie Zakian; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

Here at BooksChatter we love music; do you have a music playlist that you used in Serpents and Saviors, or which inspired you whilst you were writing it?

"I actually have a YouTube playlist for this book! I like to make them for all my novels. [below - enjoy!]"

What was the inspiration for Serpents and Saviors ?

"Back in 2014, there was a lot of hubbub about Mars. NASA had made some incredible discoveries with their rover, and scientists speculated it may be possible to terraform the planet sometime in the future.

Hearing that made me want to set a novel on a terraformed Mars, so I started writing and the Project Emergence duology was born."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"I put a little bit of myself in each character I write, even the antagonists. Each character, in every one of my stories, shares a passion or unique trait with me, but none are a representation of myself."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for Serpents and Saviors - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"The design team at Month9Books presented me with this amazing cover. The team at Month9 is so close, like a family. They understood my concept so well, and knew how to project it as art. I couldn’t be happier with their vision for my covers."

Why should we read Serpents and Saviors and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"The Project Emergence duology was specifically written for troubled readers.

There are many teens, my son included, who enjoy discovering new worlds but have trouble settling into novels. The pacing and word choices in both Project Emergence and Serpents and Saviors provides a smoother read, which will hopefully keep a troubled reader engaged."

Can you tell us something quirky about Serpents and Saviors , its story and characters?

"Serpents and Saviors follows the adventures of two sets of twins.

Joey and Jesse Westen come from poverty; Sector G, the most devastated sector on a sun-scorched Earth. Mars is their only chance to breathe fresh air, live as equals.

Kami and Rai Matsuda are royalty, the children to the Commander of Earth. They left the luxuries of their sector, their planet, to escape from the shadow of their powerful mother, and they won’t live under anybody else’s."

Who would you recommend Serpents and Saviors to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"This book is a fast paced adventure, suitable for any reader over the age of twelve. There is depictions of death and sexual assault, but it is not graphic."

If you could / wished to turn Serpents and Saviors and the Project Emergence series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"Ideally, I’d love to write and direct this series if it were to become a movie. Finding the right actors would be tricky since there’s so many twins, but I would want some new, fresh faces."

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I write and read across all genres, but every novel I’ve written is some form of thriller/suspense. I have contemporaries, futuristic sci-fi, some of my stories have speculative elements while others do not, but every book I write is an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride."

What is your writing process?

"I’m a pantser. I like to kick out the first draft of my story as fast as possible to get the bare bones of the plot down. Then, I spend months adding in the scene descriptions, building depth in my characters, and tightening the plot."

What is in store next?

"Serpents and Saviors is the last book for the Project Emergence crew, but I do have an exciting new story coming out with Month9Books.

Superheroes Suck releases on June 26, 2018. It’s a realistic take on ordinary people who happen to have extraordinary abilities."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?