She currently works in Silicon Valley in the gaming industry and high tech. In addition, Palmer holds a certificate in Chinese Acupressure, is a certified solar panel installer, and studied Tibetan Buddhism with the 14th Dalai Lama.
She lives and writes in the magical redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, California.
Her latest book is the scifi fantasy for adults, Moon Deeds: Star Children Saga Book One.
You can visit her website at www.MythologyPress.com or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
Hi Palmer! When did you start writing?
Palmer: I started writing when I was kid. I used to write two-minute-mysteries with my friend. And I wrote short stories and poetry when stuff bothered me or intrigued me. I started writing novels after college.
As a published author, what would you say was the most pivotal point of your writing life?
Palmer: The most consequential decision I made was to abandon trying to get an agent or publisher and to self-publish. I’m happy I did. I’m having a blast. Self-publishing is its own journey, and the indie community is growing fast, offering a lot of support and avenues for learning, networking, and promoting your work. It’s a fun community of independent-minded and courageous, entrepreneurial people who are all basically rooting for each other to succeed. I also like maintaining full creative control of my books and interacting with all the editors, artists, and bloggers who support indie authors.
If you could go anywhere in the world to start writing your next book, where would that be and why?
Palmer: Haha. Good question. Hmmm, probably Portugal. I love Europe and all the remnants of medieval times and antiquity. Besides, JK Rowling wrote some of Harry Potter there, so maybe some of her good fortune will rub off on me, lol. Plus, I hear it’s beautiful there.
If you had 4 hours of extra time today, what would you do?
Palmer: Dishes, laundry, and sleep, all of which I often neglect in favor of writing.
Where would you like to set a story that you haven’t done yet?
Palmer: The desert. So many great stories have been set in the desert: Carlos Castaneda’s shaman books, Dune, Star Wars (Tatooine).
Back to your present book, Moon Deeds, how did you publish it?
Palmer: I self-published it. I decided not to do Amazon exclusive, which made the print retail cost much higher than if I had, but I wanted it to be available for bookstores and libraries to order, as well as for people who don’t buy on Amazon. In retrospect, that may have not been the best decision, since the vast amount of sales have been on Amazon and there are other perks to being Amazon exclusive. I also produced an audiobook for Moon Deeds, narrated by a friend of mine, Nina Price, who also happens to be a professional book narrator.
In writing your book, did you travel anywhere for research?
Palmer: A lot of Moon Deeds takes place on the moon, so the closest I could get was via Google Earth, which also allows you to explore the moon. I bet you didn’t know that. Check it out! It’s pretty cool. Plus there are other resources that have mapped the moon and provide a lot of detail and other info such as altitude, soil composition, etc. I also traveled in person to Scripps Ranch in San Diego and Dana Point, California for some of the scenes in Part One. The other places in Part One I had already been to.
Why was writing Moon Deeds so important to you?
Palmer: Moon Deeds is the first book of the Star Children Saga. The series is fundamentally about what happens when we lose touch with our higher selves and fight over scarce resources. Why does humankind repeatedly devolve into dark ages, war, violence, and repressive autocracies? Why do we seek out gods and mystical traditions? Where did humankind actually come from? These are some of the broader themes I explore in the series.
Where do you get your best ideas and why do you think that is?
Palmer: Ideas come to me from random places and events. For example, Moon Deeds started with a gag gift my brother gave me one Christmas of a deed to land on the moon. It got my imagination going with a lot of “what-if’s.” In terms of plot and character development, I tend to study human nature and what triggers deep emotional responses, and I try to recreate those moments in my books.
Any final words?
Palmer: Thanks so much for hosting me on your blog. You and your readers are so important in cultivating and supporting indie authors.
“The path to power is cloaked in shadows, so if you avoid all the shadows, you’ll never learn anything.”
It’s 2090: the last outpost of freedom is the moon, the best defense against technology is magic, and the only hope for humankind rests in the hands of the Star Children.
Twins Cassidy and Torr must save Earth from a ruthless enemy at a time when the only force more powerful than alien technology is magic. Moon Deeds launches the siblings’ journey across the galaxy, where they must learn their power as the Star Children, claim their shamanic heritage, and battle dark forces that threaten humankind.
The Star Children Saga follows Cassidy and Torr as they slowly awaken to their destiny as the twin Star Children, born every millennium to reconnect with the source of all life. They come to discover the sheer enormity of their task: to find our ancestors on a lost planet across the galaxy and save humanity from a spiraling descent into darkness. The powers they must wield to accomplish this task are truly frightening and put at risk everything they love.
Come along with twenty-year-old twins Cassidy and Torr, who inherited deeds to land parcels on the moon. They want to use their moon deeds to get off Earth and escape a brutal dictatorship. But first they must unlock their shaman powers.
A rollicking yet poignant adventure in the not too distant future, when we have colonized the moon and nearly lost Earth to a dictatorship. Only the shamans remain free, plus the lucky ones who escaped to the moon.
Join the adventure! An addictive space opera, science-fantasy series.
“This is a marvelous book. The characters are compelling, complex, and emotional. The future described is neither all evil nor all good, and it’s described so realistically that I can still feel the moon dust in my nose and expect to see large packing containers around every corner. The text is delightfully written with none of the bad grammar that makes picky people like me wince even in an otherwise great story. Alas, this is just the first book of the series, and it appears I’ll have to wait a whole year for the next one. I really need to know *now* what happens next!” – Garden Reader
“I was totally captivated by this story. It is set just far enough into our future that I could see it all unfold. This tale has it all, mystery, magic, aliens, war, family, friendship and love. The authors ability to paint landscapes with words is amazing! I can not wait for book two to come out. I must know the fate of the Star Children!” – VR
“Anything dealing with the moon is almost immediately mystical and magical. Throw in a heart racing adventure and characters that will leave a mark on your heart and you have a masterpiece!” – Taylor Johnson (Educator, Netgalley)
“I found this novel to be as much a psychological thriller as it is a science fiction adventure, and the draw-in happens almost instantly. This is unquestionably one of the best books I’ve read this year and Pickering has roped in an entire family as new fans. I’d give Moon Deeds a whole bucket of stars if I could.” – Asher Syed (Readers’ Favorite)
“There is so much to love about this book, from its complex and intricately woven plot filled with tension, strife, and discovery, to the personal attachment you begin to build with the characters due to finely executed character building, engaging personalities, and difficulties in both moral dilemmas and situations. The pace is perfect to build tension, and I loved the length of this book.” – K.J. Simmill (Readers’ Favorite)
Book Information
Release Date: May 25, 2019
Publisher: Mythology Press
Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1732568808; 598 pages; $21.99; E-Book, $.99; Audiobook, FREE.
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt13Js_M-P4
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3uKWq2o
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3rQteFx
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