My houghts on the cover
Way back in the day, I had the delight of reviewing Solstice by P.J. Hoover when it was independently published. And I was WOWed. Dystopian + mythology + lots of action and hot chemistry? Heck yeah! Whether you like paranormal, mythology, romance, and/or dystopian, this book has something for you.
Now, Tor has picked up Solstice, and it’s going the traditional publishing route, which means NEW EPIC COVER. I liked the old one, but this new one really showcases the dystopian world that Hoover has created.
There’s the bubble, the decaying world, and that magical plot of green. Plus Piper in a stance that shows she is going to save the day! I’m in love with how beautifully this cover weaves together these various elements that are so important to this book.
How about you? Let me know what you think in the comments below!
Piper discovers a universe she never knew existed—a sphere of gods and monsters—and realizes that her world is not the only one in crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper’s life spirals out of control as she struggles to find the answer to the secret that has been kept from her since birth.
Q&A with P.J. Hoover
How did you get into writing?
I always credit my start in writing to J.R.R. Tolkien and THE LORD OF THE RINGS. See, when the LOTR movies were coming out, I re-read so much Middle Earth stuff, to the point where I was like a walking Tolkien encyclopedia. And then it dawned on me, one day, that I was spending an awful lot of time thinking about someone else’s world, and maybe I could create a world of my own. So I started writing that evening and never stopped.
I love how great authors can inspire others to write. And I’m glad that you started writing because it brought us Solstice! What are your thoughts on the cover?
In short, I completely LOVE the cover! I saw an initial sketch over the summer and absolutely could not believe how gorgeous it was. I couldn’t stop looking at it.
As for how it relates to the book, I have a really fun post over on Tor.com today talking about inspirations for the book that made it onto the cover. I had a blast typing up the post, so please head over and check it out!
How has the story grown since you first came up with the idea?
I wrote SOLSTICE back in 2008, and sure, a ton has changed in the story, from character personalities to world building to mythology. But overall, the basic story is the same. It’s about a girl named Piper who is completely controlled by her mom. And she wants to break free. And the world around her seems to want to help.
Piper is an amazingly strong girl. How would Piper and Shayne describe themselves in a tweet?
Piper: Mom says I can’t go out tonight…again. Seriously, will she ever let me grow up?
Shayne: As if all my day-to-day responsibilities aren’t already enough, now there’s this girl, and I can’t stop thinking about her.
Nice tweets! Would you share a short snippet from Solstice with readers?
Yes! This is the snippet that will appear on the back cover of the published book. I love that they picked this snippet to share.
A group of three girls sits on some rocks off to one side. They’ve got a canopy over their heads, and a large sign is staked into the dirt in front of them.
Only YOU can stop GLOBAL WARMING, the sign reads, and it’s covered with pictures of dying animals washed up on the beach and human corpses on city streets.
One of the girls stands up and walks over to me. She’s dressed in cut off jean shorts and a tank top, and she’s got tattooed snakes and scorpions curling up her legs and arms. Her black hair hangs down over her white shoulders like snakes, matching the tattoos on her legs. Her eyes hide behind sunglasses, but when she gets in front of me, she flips them up.
I gasp. Her eye sockets are empty. Filled and puffed out and rimmed with lids, but there’s just nothing in them. Not even skin. Just a void. I stumble backward, but she grabs my wrist. She blinks, and I see the emptiness of her eyes all over again.
“Give her the pitch, Tanni,” one of her friends calls over. I can’t look to see who because my eyes won’t move; they’re locked on this freakish empty-eye-socketed girl.
“Make her know she’s responsible,” the other girl adds.Tanni tightens her grip on my wrist. “Only you can stop global warming, Piper.”
I love that snippet as well. It gives us a look at both the mythological and the dystopian elements. What are you working on right now?
I have a brand new project I’m working on, and it’s such an exciting place to be! It’s been a while since I’ve brought a book besides TUT or SOLSTICE to completion, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with the world. It’s young adult, not mythology-related (for once!), and dual point-of-view. So new ground for me, and I’m loving it.
Thanks so much, Kris, for letting me be here! <3
Related Posts
Review – Solstice
Author Interview – P.J. Hoover
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 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.
Author: Crystal
A story girl at heart, Crystal is a bibliophile who can easily spend the day immersed in a good read. She writes under the name Kristy Wang. You can follow her writing adventures on X and Instagram @_kristywang.
Irene Jennings says
Great interview. It’s great to hear your marketing plans P.J. I’d love the learn what worked and what didn’t in 4-6 months either in an interview here or on your blog. It’s so interesting watching all the changes in publishing these days. It’s great you’re brave enough to chart your own course.
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Natalie Aguirre says
Great interview. Love PJ's new cover. And so excited she's got this book deal for Solstice, a really awesome book.
Crystal says
Thanks. I agree!
roro says
pretty