Hello everyone and welcome to my stop on the Escapist Book Tours virtual book tour for PJ Garcin’s Sci-Fi/Space Opera novel Mercury’s Shadow! Today, I am excited to help kickoff the tour by sharing an interview with the main character from the book, Imogen “Chim” Esper!
You can find our Q&A below, along with all of the info about the book, the author, links to purchase a copy of Mercury’s Shadow for yourself, and a chance to win a copy in our giveaway! Also, be sure to take a look at the schedule here or at the bottom of the post and follow along to see the stops from our other awesome hosts!
Book Information:
Mercury’s Shadow by PJ Garcin
Series: The Kardashev Cycle #1
Genre: Sci-Fi/Space Opera
Intended Age Group: 13+
Pages: 344
Published: July 5, 2020
Publisher: Rawktron Productions (Self Published)
Blurb
One man’s lust for power threatens the future of humanity—can a young girl from the outer system stop it all?
Imogen “Chim” Esper is thrust into the center of an interplanetary conflict when her family is torn apart by the cruel and indifferent Kardashev Corporation. Forced to run, along with her robotic best friend, Chim struggles to find her place in a society that is poised for revolutionary transformation.
The Kardashev Corporation dominates all commerce and politics in the solar system. Its megalomaniac CEO, Alton Neal, is hell-bent on transforming society by capturing the full energy output of the sun through the creation of a Dyson Swarm.
Citizens of Earth and the stations throughout the system must band together to protect access to the lifeblood of the system or risk becoming permanently enslaved to the Kardashev Corporation.
Mercury’s Shadow is a thrilling adventure that blends real science, big ideas, grand adventure and high stakes to introduce a new heroine and a deep universe that will leave readers asking for more.
See Also:
A Million Little Pieces • Tech Billionaires Unchecked • Butterfly Effect
Book Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CGC7MVB
Universal Amazon Link: https://mybook.to/mercuryshadow
Universal Link (all stores): https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/d504e264-c96a-11ea-9967-dbd53a17d7b5 or https://books2read.com/mercuryshadow
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54429257-mercury-s-shadow
Character Q&A
What music do you listen to?
Chim Esper: I don’t have much choice, so it’s mostly downloaded recordings my dad has on a bunch of holodiscs. Old jazz and rock music from the 21st century.
What are 3 items you can’t live without?
CE: My toolkit, and these days probably my gravity-sleeve and the MI (mind interface) which lets me just talk directly to computer systems with my brain.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what is one thing you’d like to have with you?
CE: Well, he’s not really a thing, but my labour robot Quince. He’s more like my best friend.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
CE: Annoying security blocks in systems that I have to hack around.
What do you do in your free time?
CE: Hack around in various station systems on mining station Delta-Nine where I live. And also making mods to my robot, Quince.
What makes you want to get out of bed in the morning?
CE: Figuring things out. I love taking things apart to figure out how they work.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
CE: Break things down into smaller pieces. If you have a huge problem you can’t figure out how to solve, break it down into smaller pieces and work through it one step at a time. My dad taught me that.
What do you carry in your bag?
CE: Lockpicks. Screwdrivers. A few holodiscs.
What’s your favorite animal?
CE: I don’t know. You don’t see many animals on a mining station in the belt.
What do you think about Velda Sykes?
CE: She is amazing and I can’t believe she didn’t kick us off her ship the minute she found us. She’s been a rock through this whole adventure. She keeps trying to get me into baseball. I guess it’s ok.
Do you have favorite saying?
CE: I don’t think so. You should ask Velda — she’s full of sayings.
What is your favorite holiday?
CE: Holidays don’t really have the same meaning in the belt.
If you could go anywhere in [the book’s world], where would you go and why?
CE: I’d love to be able to spend some time on Earth. I was born there, but I’ve never really spent much time there.
What do you do to relax?
CE: Watch holo-films with Quince and my Dad.
What is your favorite food?
CE: Anything that doesn’t come from a food dispenser on a station!
What is your favorite season?
CE: We don’t have seasons in the belt. Every day is just…indoors.
How would you define happiness?
CE: Family.
What are you passionate about?
CE: Things have changed so much recently. Before, I was mostly passionate about getting into trouble, but now, I’ve seen more of the system. And I’ve seen what needs to be done. I’ve also uncovered some mysteries that I need to explore.
How do you feel about your government?
CE: Alton Neal and the Kardashev Corporation run everything. Governments are meaningless. And Neal will stop at nothing until he rules everything and owns everything—including the sun.
If you could change one thing about [the book’s world], what would it be?
CE: I’d shut down the Kardashev Corporation once and for all.
What’s your biggest secret?
CE: I can’t tell you! It has to do with my family.
What do you hate?
CE: The Kardashev Corporation.
What’s your biggest fear?
CE: Losing my family.
What do you think your best quality is?
CE: I’m stubborn. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
How would you describe the world you live in?
CE: Teetering on the brink. It can either go in a really good direction…or a really bad direction.
About the Author
PJ Garcin has been writing stories, music and games for most of his life. He writes from the beautiful east coast of Canada where he has worked extensively in video games and technology for the past 20 years. Picking up a long running writing thread, he recently completed the first book in the Kardashev Cycle — Mercury’s Shadow.
The Kardashev Cycle follows the rise and expansion of the dominant Kardashev Corporation and its near universal control over the solar system. The first book in the series, Mercury’s Shadow, introduces the young Imogen Esper — a resourceful young girl from a mining station in the asteroid belt who finds herself caught up in an interplanetary conflict when her father is injured during a routine maintenance mission. The second book, Chimera’s Prism, continued the adventure in 2021. The final installment, Eternity’s Veil, is due in 2022.
PJ is a regular speaker at technology conferences on topics ranging from interactive narrative to machine learning. He has an undergrad degree in English, Rhetoric and Professional Writing as well as a Master’s degree in Communication.
He worked as Executive Producer in games on titles that sold more than 27 million units in total. He worked on large franchises such as FIFA, Madden, and Guitar Hero while helping to launch successful indie franchises like The Golf Club (now PGA Tour) and Infinite Air. He currently works as Director of Product Management for an open-source-focused SaaS company.
Author Site: https://pjgarcin.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rawktron
Instagram: http://instagram.com/pjgarcin
Facebook: http://fb.me/pjgarcin
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rawktron
Giveaway
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