PJ Hoover's new book Solstice totally rocks - Plus a Giveaway

Yes, dear readers, another giveaway. Just go with it. I have no idea what’s making me so delightfully generous. Possibly I’ve just lost it with this crazy hot weather we’ve been having. Even for Houston (where we’ve basically got just two seasons – summer and February), this has been a bit extreme. We hit 100 in late May and seem to have skipped right over June and July and gotten stuck in August. Okay, it’s dipped back into the mid 90’s this week, but seriously, it’s hot. Where is Al Gore with that power point when you need him?

And speaking of global warming – which we just were, in case you didn’t catch on – I’ve got a really hot treat for you today, gentle readers! My pal PJ Hoover – Texas Sweetheart, Austin writer, all around cool chick who does hip things like appear at Dallas Comic Con – has written a new book called Solstice. Our mutual literary agency, the fabulous Andrea Brown Literary, has published it as their first front list ebook, which is also way cool. (note how I’m throwing in the word cool to juxtapose with the hot? I am just that good of a writer)

Here’s the Amazon blurb:

Piper's world is dying. Global warming kills every living thing on Earth, and each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles which threaten to destroy humanity. Amid this Global Heating Crisis, Piper lives with her mother who suffocates her more than the chaotic climate. When her mother is called away to meet the father Piper has been running from her entire life, Piper seizes an opportunity for freedom.

But when Piper discovers a world of mythology she never knew existed, she realizes her world is not the only one in crisis. While Gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper's life spirals into turmoil, and she struggles to find answers to secrets kept from her since birth. And though she's drawn to her classmate Shayne, he may be more than he claims. Piper has to choose whom she can trust and how she can save the people she loves even if it means the end of everything she's ever known.So in honor of the Solstice release, PJ and I thought we’d something different.

First – our giveaway. If you want to win some Solstice trading cards, comment on this post and let us know your favorite things to do when it’s hot outside. (remember this is a family blog!) I’ll leave the contest open until Monday 6/13. And just for good measure, I’ll send the winner an autographed copy of Haunted, too!But before you post, here’s our surprise. It’s too hot for me to come up with questions, so I asked my character Anne Michaelson – the feisty hero of Dreaming Anastasia and Haunted – to have a little chat with Solstice’s Piper. Seems they have a lot in common, these two. Check it out below! And don’t forget to enter the contest!

Anne: When I met Ethan I thought he was totally hot, but honestly? He was sort of stalkerish and intense. It took me a while to realize that what I felt for him was way different than I’ve ever felt for anyone else. And then he went away and I started going out with Ben because I wanted someone normal and uncomplicated - which complicated things even more. Mr. Danger vs. Mr. Normal – but they’re both really awesome people. How about you and the whole Shayne/Reese thing? How did you end up with two guys in the picture?

Piper: Hey Anne, thanks for asking! Like you know, it is a bit of a challenge dealing with two guys, especially when they’re both pulling me in opposite directions. I mean, before I met Reese and Shayne, my mom controlled every single thing I did, and Reese was such a rule breaker; it was kind of awesome. Sure, I knew I was doing things I shouldn’t, but for once, it felt nice to be in charge of my own life. And then there was Shayne. Everything about him made me feel more secure except for the fact that he would never tell me the truth about anything. That, and he was a little overprotective.
So there I was with two guys, and they were both pretty hot. And the best part: they were both in love with me. Are you curious what I did about them? I hope so!

Anne: More than curious. We’ll have to talk later. Seriously. But first, another question, and let me just preface by saying I see where you’re coming from. My life has turned into one huge Russian fairy tale these days – and a happy ending is not necessarily guaranteed! I’ve made this bargain with Baba Yaga, who’s a totally unpredictable witch with iron teeth and removable hands. I’ve discovered that I’m related to a pretty cranky Russian mermaid called a rusalka. And in book three, I’m going to face off with a guy named Koschei the Deathless who basically can’t be killed. How about you? What’s up with all the Greek mythology?

Piper: This girl I know, Melina, she gave me a birthday present when my mom wasn’t around. My mom would have freaked if she found out. She’s so overbearing. Anyway, after Melina left, I opened the present, and it was this gorgeous, ancient, Greek box. You can probably guess where this is going. Yep. Like Pandora, I opened the box. Sigh. Maybe I shouldn’t have, because the next thing I knew, my whole world divided. All of a sudden Greek gods started showing up at the most unexpected places and paying all this attention to me. Who knew? I thought global warming was our biggest issue, not mythological domination.

Anne: And I thought I was the only one on the wacky life train. Possibly Baba Yaga isn’t the only scary thing out there. And I’m sorry your mom keeps freaking. I get that, you know. Family stuff is pretty harsh for me lately. Since my brother David died, my parents haven’t been getting along real well. I think my mother’s developed an eating disorder. And now that my mom knows some of my secrets, well, I think it’s making her even more freaked out. Plus if she had to pick, she’d definitely want me with Ben and not Ethan which is totally not her business, by the way! I know you and your mom are having some issues, too. Any suggestions for how to work it all out?

Piper: I have this total love/hate thing going on with my mom. I mean, on the one hand, she’s really awesome in that she loves me more than anything. On the other hand, her love is so intense, it’s pretty much an obsession. I can hardly go to the bathroom without my mom watching. It’s so bad that back when I was 13, I actually ran away and refused to come home unless she let me go to public school. Which she did. But she calls me every day to make sure I’m still alive. So you want advice on how to deal with a family situation? Unless you want to run away, too, I don’t have anything useful to offer.


Anne: Nope. Not gonna run away. So let’s change the subject to something, um, lighter. What's on your ipod right now?

Piper: Well, in my world here in Solstice, we all actually have something called a FON (functional operating node). So on my FON is DON’T FEAR THE REAPER by Blue Oyster Cult


Anne: Your perfect day?

Piper: It has to be hot, and the sun has to be shining, and it’s best if my mom is out of town and a gorgeous guy asks me out. Oooh, you have to read about it in Solstice! It’s totally hot!


Anne: I think I’ll do that. Then I’ll loan the book to Tess. Speaking of my bff – she and I just had like, an hour long debate - peanut butter or chocolate?

Piper: Peanut butter because with global warming and all that, chocolate melts too fast.

Anne: You’ve the quite the global warming obsession, right? But maybe for good reason…

Piper: It was great talking to you, Anne! I hope we can do this again sometime!

Anne: Ditto.


PJ Hoover’s Bio:P. J. Hoover first fell in love with Greek mythology in sixth grade thanks to the book Mythology by Edith Hamilton. After a fifteen year bout as an electrical engineer designing computer chips for a living, P. J. decided to take her own stab at mythology and started writing books for kids and teens. P. J. is also a member of THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS. When not writing, P. J. spends time with her husband and two kids and enjoys practicing Kung Fu, solving Rubik's cubes, and watching Star Trek.
Her first novel for teens, Solstice, takes place in a Global Warming future and explores the parallel world of mythology beside our own. Her middle grade fantasy novels, The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, and The Necropolis, chronicle the adventures of a boy who discovers he’s part of two feuding worlds hidden beneath the sea.