Category: Discussion

Good reviews are like pasta for a writer. We get enormous energy and sustenance from them. For me, I try and use the good ones as a motivation to keep going, and with the horrible ones, I tell myself everyone is entitled to their opinion – that’s what makes the human race so interesting.

It may be a self deception, but honestly, it’s the only way to survive and be productive. Intense criticism can be paralysing, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let it (criticism) stop me doing what I love. My dear ex-editor once told (soon after my second novel was published) to don my steel cap boots and armour and keep marching because that’s what a writer needs to protect themselves.

Not that all criticism is a negative experience. I have defintiely learned from my some of reviewers, and truly appreciated their perspective and feedback. But life can be measured by its extremes and there are those critics who are all about being destructive.

Anyway, this is a rather long preamble to me admitting to be particularly excited when my SENTIENTS OF ORION series gets good reviews. It was a tough, demanding, mind-stretching project and I’m proud of it. It is not, however, a series that everyone understood. A space opera with difficult, complex characters and a female protagonist who gves birth during the story (no this nothing like Aeryn Sun giving brith in the middle of a firefight in Peacekeeper Wars!), did not fit into the usual space opera mold.

Over at the Deadline Zombie, this lovely, thoughful review appeared this week, and puts it up with my other favourite review by Alex Pierce. Here’s a snippet for you to check out …

‘This is the first of the four book series Sentients of Orion, in which author de Pierres throws a cast of humans into a whirling maelstrom of alien cultures, inscrutable godlike beings and galaxy-wide war. The book deals not only with their struggle to survive, but their growing awareness that they aren’t fully in control of their own destinies. .. de Pierres has written a beautiful, touching story.’

So there … sustenance for another few months!

Over at the Burn Bright site, we’re BIG TIME excited about the international release of the Night Creatures trilogy. To date, Burn Bright, Angel Arias and Shine Light have only been available in Australia and New Zealand through the amazing Random House Australia Teen list. Random House produced a truly special package of story, great covers and book trailer

to support the release of the books. That’s been coupled with the simultaneous release of Yunyu’s dedictaed single (also named) ANGEL ARIAS (you can buy the song here).

Now we’re going to a whole new level by bringing it to you ourselves through AMAZON – my first venture in semi-self publishing. That means the rest of the world will be able to buy the English language version in e-book and hard copy through Amazon.com. The series will have new covers designed by the amazing Austin Designworks (my web designers, and designers of the Sentients of Orion new covers). We ADORE the Jarek Kubicki covers, but alas they are out of our ball park cost-wise. So while I’m sad to have to leave them behind, I know what a brilliant job AD will do.

At this stage, we’re hoping the books will be out in May/June, but I will update you on that as soon as I have something firm.

You can really help us by sharing this news with your networks. It’s the only way word will get out. I’m doing all our own publicity, so it’s just you and me guys!

Marianne x

Life is what he got and life is what he got back.

This NBC drama was another slow burn for me. I hadn’t really seen Damian Lewis in anything before, and his damaged quirky character took a while to warm to. In fact, I think the dynamic between him and his partner Danni Reese is really what hooked me in the the end; that and the cheesy take on Zen.

Detective Reese played by Sarah Shahi is a recovering addict, intense, broody, complex and a person who takes no crap. She carries a lot of baggage and belongs to the supress and then supress a little more school. It made for some good dramatic tension.

The crime/cop stories are nothing out of the ordinary, but the through story line is strong and the motivations are well set up. Secondary character, Ted Early (played by Adam Arkin) is brilliant in his role and I enjoyed Donal Logue as Captain Tidwell. Tidwell’s character walked a fine line between sleazy and principled and was very nicely done. His romance with Reese is kinda naughty and sweet.

There are only two seasons, which, as is usual with canceled series, is annoying because nothing gets resolved.