Horizon Blog Tour! (+$10 Amazon GC Giveaway!)

Title: Horizon 

Author: Tabitha Lord 

Series: N/A

Pages: 320

Date Published: 2015

Publisher: Wise Ink Creative

Format: Kindle

Genre: Sci-Fi

Source: Goddess Fish Blog Tours
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Synopsis:
Caeli Crys isn’t living—she’s surviving. On the run after the genocide of her empathic people, she witnesses a spaceship crash near her hidden camp. When she feels the injured pilot suffering from miles away, she can’t help but risk discovery to save his life.

Commander Derek Markham awakens stranded on an uncharted planet. His co-pilot is dead, his ship is in ruins, and he’s only alive because a beautiful young woman is healing him with her mind.

As Derek recovers, Caeli shares the horror of her past and her fear for the future. When Derek’s command ship, Horizon, sends rescue, Derek convinces Caeli to leave with him. But his world is as treacherous as hers—full of spies, interplanetary terrorist plots, and political intrigue. Soon the Horizon team is racing to defend an outlying planet from a deadly enemy, and Caeli’s unique skills may just give them the edge they need to save it.

~Genre Blending~

What genre is Horizon? I’m often asked that question, and while it solidly belongs on the shelves next to other science fiction novels, it’s actually much more! I first heard the term “space opera” at a pitch slam a few years ago. A pitch slam is like speed dating with agents. The writer gets three minutes, live, in front of an agent, to enthusiastically rattle off all the important facts about her novel, while making it sound so compelling that the agent simply must ask to see the manuscript!

“Ah, you have a space opera,” one agent nodded at me, smiling.

“Yes. Yes I do,” I agreed, and then proceeded to google space-opera at the next break!

Turns out space opera is a sub-genre of sci-fi (hence the “space” part), but also contains elements of warfare, drama, and adventure. Horizon certainly falls under this category. But even with this added scope, I still struggle to classify it as such - mostly because I think the story will appeal to readers of many genres, not just sci-fi.

I was once asked to describe Horizon in ten words, and here’s what I came up with: Science fiction meets romance meets survival fiction meets military thriller! It’s a human story, painted on a science fiction canvas. But to tell it the way I wanted, I had to worry less about genre and more about authentically creating my characters and their worlds. The relationship between Caeli and Derek, the two protagonists, is central to the story. I didn’t want to water it down, or put less of a focus on it to please a segment of my audience. On the other hand, I didn’t want to lose or disappoint readers who were counting on a sci-fi action adventure.

Ultimately, my goal is always to tell a good story, and I think readers are willing to give something a try if they believe that’s what they’ll get. So, step aboard the starship Horizon, and join Caeli and Derek as they fight for their lives, their people, and their love. And, please, let me know what you think!

~Try an Excerpt!~

She felt them before she heard them. The sudden wave of panic gripped Caeli so fiercely that she fell to her knees. Sweat beaded on her forehead and her body shook with another person’s cold fear. We’re losing altitude. I can’t keep her nose up. Time is running out. A voice echoed in her head, frantic. The words were strange and foreign, but she felt their intent.

A ship pierced the white clouds overhead. Frozen in place, Caeli tracked it streaking across the sky, her consciousness now fully merged with one of the desperate occupants onboard. Her breath came in short, gasping bursts. Seconds later a shattering pain exploded through her body and she screamed. The ground shook violently beneath her, and then nothing.

~Meet Tabitha!~ 

Tabitha currently lives in Rhode Island, a few towns away from where she grew up. She is married, has four great kids, a spoiled Ragdoll cat, and lovable black lab. The house is noisy and the dinner table full! She holds a degree in Classics from College of the Holy Cross and taught Latin for years at a small, independent Waldorf school. She also worked in the admissions office there before turning her attention to full-time writing.

You can visit her blog at www.tabithalordauthor.com where she posts author interviews, hosts guest bloggers, and discusses some favorite topics including parenting and her writing journey. Horizon is her first novel.
 Tabitha will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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