A little about the author, Debbie Brown:
For as long as she can remember, Debbie has been creating stories in her head. She hated to go anywhere without a pen and paper, just in case. As a graduate of the Institute of Children's literature, while pursuing yet another writing course, she finds herself doing what she loves . . . learning and writing. The course gives her an excuse to just sit down and write. Over the years she has worked as a nurse, a teacher, a martial arts instructor and a CIC officer in the Canadian Forces. Her hobbies have varied from woodworking, to auto-mechanics, with music, painting, karate, holistic medicine, gardening and camping thrown into the mix. Let's not forget reading. Debbie's perfect cure for a long winter's night is curling up in front of a fire with a good book while snowflakes drift slowly past the window. Never having been much of a city girl, she lives with two of her four children, her husband Jean-Pierre and their pets in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec. She couldn't imagine life without the beauty found in the trees, mountains and lakes that surround her.
Waking up in the hospital from the car accident that claimed his mother’s life, 15-year-old Tommy is told his father is on his way. Unaware of his father’s true identity or the reason he left so long ago, the teen is unprepared for the reality of the life he must now lead. In the blink of an eye Tommy finds himself on an alien vessel…his father is not from Earth!
The challenges Tommy faces go beyond adapting to a new home and school. But first, he has to survive Jayden…the reluctant, unsympathetic tutor, tasked to help him fit in. When he finally thinks things are getting better, things come crashing down as he learns that being born with amethyst eyes has made him the target of some very unfriendly beings.
"On the day of his father’s arrival, Tommy stood in the bathroom with the help of his crutches and examined his features closely. He wondered how much he looked like his father. Did he have the same amethyst eyes, or the strange gold highlights in his hair? The glow of the overhead bulb seemed to accentuate the unearthliness of his most prominent features."
“Do you know where we are?” his father asked as they moved slowly down the corridor. The answer came as they made their way to the large, oval port hole at the end of the corridor. It showed Earth in all her glory, directly below them.
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR!
A: If I follow the “rules” I am to say that Amethyst Eyes is meant for the YA audience…but if I look at the age of my readers so far, (between 10-70+ yrs) everyone has had really good things to say about it, even those who dislike sci-fi.
I really believe everyone can get something out of it. One adult, ex-military and now a civilian police officer, said she related more to the ship’s commander than to Tommy, but loved it none the less.
I didn’t choose either the audience or the genre…it just happened. (I was the reporter…documenting the scenes playing out before my eyes).
Q: Are there characters in your book that are based off of people in your life?
A: How crazy does it sound if I say they took on a life of their own? I let them go and watched them act and interact as I documented their story. I will admit that my 3rd child had a character similar to Jayden though…so I didn’t have too much trouble describing her, LOL.
I think the characters are based on a mix of everyone I have met over the years.
Q: Does Tommy’s home in the story hold any significance to you?
A: Although I love the Canadian Rockies (I have yet to visit them…some 5000 km or 3000 miles from my home), the location was chosen after many hours of research. It could have just as well been in the States.
My criteria was the following…Tommy had to live near Native Americans, about an hour up into the Rockies from a town or city. I had thought about the Dakota Indians but the location didn’t work out. I finally found a place that met my criteria…he is near the town of Invermere, BC. You are the only one I have named the actual city to since I plan on using it for trivia at one point. ;o)
As for his home on the ship…take me with you! LOL
Q: What were your major influences while writing your novel?
A: I think life itself was the influencing factor.
I grew up with Star Trek. I have worked as a nurse, teacher, sports coach, and military instructor to name a few…so personal experience seeped into the pages and colors of the world I created. I have 4 children, from 4-24 years of age.
I have seen good and bad over the years, the expression of hope and made it through the darkest of nights…
I wanted, and needed, to create a place where people really cared about one another.
Q: What inspired the futuristic aspect of your story? (ship/weapons/gadgets)
A: It just happened. I had written the first paragraph (minus the flashback) as a short story for an assignment more than 10 years ago. When I wrote about the accident and Tommy having to adapt to life with his estranged father, my imagination kicked in with a ‘what if…” and ran away with itself. The ‘alien’ aspect made every aspect of Tommy’s new life that much more…shall we say, interesting?
I did not aim to write a story with cool technology, space ships and aliens, but I loved every minute of the experience.
Q: Where is your favorite place to write?
A: LOL anywhere I won’t be interrupted.
I am very flexible, and although I have a library which is a great place to write, I often find myself in the living room watching over my daughter as she plays. In the summer I sit out on the covered back porch and enjoy the fresh air. My house is completely surrounded by trees (they are touching the house again) that block out any and all views of life outside my home…so it’s a great place to write, regardless of which room I’m in.
Q: What was your biggest challenge while writing Amethyst Eyes?
A: There were a few…one was trusting my muse, I guess. I was nothing more than an observer, watching the scenes and situations play out before me, and then putting them to paper. When Tommy returns home and the scene with his friend Mike played out, I remember thinking “I can’t write that!” I had no idea where it came from and had to wrestle with myself to trust and write it as I saw it. Now that it’s there, I wouldn’t change it…but it was a definite challenge.
The second would be the ‘world’ with all its technology. I wanted my world to be believable. I needed to slip it in as a normal part of the story and find a way to explain it without turning into a technical manual or leave my readers wondering “What the heck was that?”.
I’m the kind of reader that wants to know why or what happens next, so I wanted to give some background on my characters and their world as well as make sure the technology was explained and not just used.
Q: What was your personal favorite part of the book to write?
A: There is so much of the book I enjoyed writing, and since I was just the observer, documenting the story, there were times I watched the scene play out and thought “wow, that’s cool.”
I loved the scene where Tommy discovers the link. The emotions Tommy had to deal with were so intense and overpowering, I felt for him, but the sharing of the experience with his father and the idea that the bond that existed changed their relationship.
A little later on, when his father shares parts of his life on Earth is also a favourite of mine.
Q: What other works do you have in progress?
A: I have another YA sci-fi MS somewhere in the depths of a publisher’s “to read” pile. It’s very different from Amethyst Eyes and was written while taking an advanced writing course.
I am aiming to have the story of Tommy’s parents out by this fall. It is told through his mother’s eyes, of how she returned home, found Dthau-Mahsz (Tommy’s father), after his crash and the progression of their time together until he is forced to return to his world.
I am also working on the sequel to Amethyst Eyes.
Q: What are your favorite types of books? Do you have one in particular that has influenced you either now or earlier in life?
A: I own hundreds of books, (over 2000 paperback and hardcover books and about 1000 e-books). I love to read. I don’t think I have a favourite type because I read and cherish anything from spiritual growth, survival training, flight manuals, holistic medicine, herb and medicinal plants, sci-fi, fantasy, women’s lit, and more. I avoid anything overly graphic, especially when it comes to violence or sex.
I want to be able to get lost in a book, to really believe the character and his experience.
I have books that I have read time and time again, of every genre…but not just one. (I do own around 150 Star Trek novels…some of which are definite favorites like Pawns and Symbols and Ishmael).
Q: What rank and position would you hold on the Enterprise? ^^
A: LOL I guess I’d be Lt Cmdr, and assistant chief medical officer. This way I can grow to commander an chief medical officer ;o)
Please visit Debbie's AUTHOR PAGE here!
WHAT I THOUGHT!
I have given this book 5 stars! I do not give out five star ratings often but I truly think this book deserved it!
I had been looking for a story just like this and then, BAM! I met Debbie Brown and there it was.
I had been looking for a story just like this and then, BAM! I met Debbie Brown and there it was.
This book is science fiction but that in no way means you have to be a sci fi buff to enjoy it. This book could easily be enjoyed by people of all ages and walks of life.
Amethyst Eyes is much more than just your typical sci fi read.
The futuristic space world and gadgetry are fantastic! Not too complicated and so believable. Their presence is not so overwhelming in the story that you forget this book is really about a young boy trying to find his place in foreign territory, while overcoming the impact of substantial loss.
You get to grow and connect with Debbie's characters on such a great level!
Tommy's character was not afraid to show emotion, which is something I loved about this book. Often male characters appear so stoic and even, if I dare to say, typical.
From the gripping beginning, where Tommy looses his mother in a car accident, to his new and complicated relationship with his father, the reader is able to relate and feel just how conflicted Tommy must be. As he develops a new understanding of himself and his world, the reader grows right along with him.
Debbie was able to create two worlds for Tommy that were both detailed and believable. She kept Tommy's character and how he fit into his worlds real as well. This was the other thing I really loved about Amethyst Eyes. Tommy remained who he was throughout the story. Often in fantasy and science fiction novels, the characters will enter their new world and suddenly they are vastly different. They develop crazy powers and become an expert on their new surroundings in such a short time. This is where Debbie's characters differ and it made the book so much more enjoyable for me.
I just love it when a book brings "the full experience" to you. This book did just that for me. You never quite know what is in store for Tommy next and it leaves you with just the right amount of questions.
Bring on the sequel!
Thanks for the great post and wonderful review Jill! :o)
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