G. S. Jennsen

Who Wants a Cover Reveal?

GS Jennsen — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 10:45:00 -0600

Update from my writer’s loft: work on LIMINAL SPACE is going fabulously. It’s over 145K words now (putting it on track to be the third-longest book in the series); I’ve finished the comprehensive, deep edit, and am now going back through it again for an extra layer of polish and shine - then it’s off for some formal editing.

I’m not quite ready to set the final release date yet, but from here, mid-to-late September or early October is looking entirely doable. I’ll keep you posted.

But today, I’m so excited to share the final cover with you! Quite mysterious and ethereal, isn’t it? As I always try to do, this art conveys the the theme and tone of the book, as well as the meaning of the title (or rather meanings, plural - you know how I love to sneak in more than one connotation). Let the speculation begin!

PREORDER LIMINAL SPACE

I’m excited to share that Kobo is featuring THE THIEF and THE UNIVERSE WITHIN as part of its Kobo Plus SciFi & Fantasy Feature this month.

What’s Kobo Plus, you ask? Well, it’s a sort of “Netflix for books.” Much like Kindle Unlimited (KU), except it’s cheaper for readers ($7.99 for ebooks vs $11.99 in the US), it includes audiobooks as well as ebooks, it’s available in a bunch of countries, and it’s fairer to authors. How? Well, in order for a book to be in KU, Amazon requires it to be published exclusively on Amazon and no other retailers (this is why my books aren’t in KU). Kobo Plus, however, has no such requirement. This means all my books and audiobooks are available in Kobo Plus - and so are offerings from a ton of talented authors.

Best of all? The first month’s free, so you can try it out and see if you like it. Kobo has a great free reading app you can install on your phone, tablet or computer, just like Kindle. So check out these featured scifi and fantasy ebooks and audiobooks on Kobo Plus today (just a small samplling of the many titles available). Click on a book that catches your fancy, and you’ll be prompted to start your free trial. Enjoy!

Get your Cosmic Shores Collection - and come see me at Lilac City in Spokane

GS Jennsen — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 11:23:38 -0600

Just because the Cosmic Shores novels all tell their own stories, doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be wrapped up in a bundle for their own special collection! Though Medusa Falling, The Thief, and The Universe Within each feature different protagonists, they all take place in the same one-month period, offering a glimpse at a few of the many wild and dangerous adventures our friends in Amaranthe get up to in their free time.

Download AMARANTHE VII: COSMIC SHORES from your favorite retailer (including direct from me) at a 45% discount over buying the books individually.

* Need to catch up? All the previous collections are available HERE. *

Do you live in the Pacific Northwest? Come see me at Lilac City Comicon in Spokane this weekend! It runs June 6-7 and features over 300 exhibitors, cosplay contests, panels, gaming and more.

I'll have a booth on the main exhibitor floor both days. Come by to grab signed paperbacks, or just to say hi and take a pic together.

If you're planning to be there, shoot me a message and let me know! You can learn more and get tickets here: https://www.lilaccitycon.com/

A Liminal Space Update, Plus The Universe Within Audiobook Is Here

GS Jennsen — Wed, 14 May 2025 10:37:59 -0600

Well, LIMINAL SPACE already has over 110K words, and I’m not even done with the “zero draft” yet! The story has come together quickly and smoothly. This book is going to be so epic - exactly what you expect to see from the sequel to the Riven Worlds saga and more. It also picks up those relationship threads and story twists from the Cosmic Shores novels and takes them in exciting directions. I want to tell you everything - but I should probably wait and let the book do that, right?

What’s a “zero draft”? Why not a first draft? Well, the first draft comes later. When the zero draft is done, I’ve put words on the page for every scene in my outline. But I KNOW that when I read back through what I’ve written, I’m going to discover I have additional scenes to write. And I definitely know (because of all the words I didn’t write) that many of the scenes are stubs: they capture the major action of the scene, but they lack setting and context, which means many more words to write. Therefore, “zero draft.”

More news soon.

Quick question: do I have any fluent German speakers here? I’d love a brief consultation on a project - it shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes of your time. If you’re interested, hit ‘reply’ or email me at gs@gsjennsen.com.

Also, just to let everyone know: the website has gotten a lovely glow-up. The most important feature of the redesign is that it now looks 1000% better on mobile. It should be easier to find whatever book and format you’re looking for. The main page and series pages are much cleaner and more streamlined, too. And if you’re someone who keeps tabs on the WIP word count meter, you can now find it on the relevant book page (currently, Liminal Space).

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN audiobook is here! Who’s ready to immerse themselves in the dulcet vocal stylings of Pyper Down as you join Alex and Caleb on a fascinating adventure - and meet their new Elakri friends? By the way, before you start The Universe Within, give the prequel short story, EXTINGUISHING THE STARS, a listen. It adds so much depth and emotion to the novel. You can get it for FREE in my audiobook store or for pennies at the retailers.

The most affordable option for THE UNIVERSE WITHIN audiobook is at my audiobook store (if you haven’t tried it yet, BookFunnel offers a lovely listening app that rivals the big retailers):

Or get it from Audible, Apple, Chirp, Spotify and more retailers:

AUDIBLE OTHER RETAILERS

* A stand-alone adventure set in the Amaranthe universe *

Thousands of years ago, the Elakri were a galaxy-spanning civilization—until one day they vanished. Forced to hide themselves away in the folds of space to escape an unstoppable foe, what was once their salvation soon became their prison.

Alex Solovy and Caleb Marano search the cosmos for signs of an ancient enemy’s return. When they detect a breach in the fabric of space, however, they discover something wholly unexpected: a people lost in time and space, who have forgotten all they once were.

Now Alex and Caleb must navigate a labyrinth of deception and danger on a world on the verge of collapse, as their mission to return the Elakri to their proper place among the stars becomes a desperate race against time to save everyone—including themselves.

The Universe Within is a thrilling sci-fi adventure overflowing with mysteries, conspiracies, and secrets within secrets. On a world where splendor is sovereign and myth is power, truth is the most dangerous weapon of all.

For All The Marbles

GS Jennsen — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 09:06:23 -0600

From the moment you turned the final page on Duality, you knew this battle was coming. And when you turned the final page on The Universe Within, you learned it was coming soon.

This series has, from the beginning, been about saving the universe from destruction at the hands of the Dzhvar. About a tireless endeavor by Mesme to save not merely innumerable lives but existence itself. (Though you can be forgiven for not realizing any of this when you cracked open a little book called Starshine. I did hide the ball for a while.)

As a brief aside: if I could change one thing about Starshine, it would be to put Mesme on the page somewhere. We learn in Vertigo how Mesme was watching all along, but I wish I’d found a way to squeeze them into a scene. Because this is Mesme’s story, at least as much as it is Alex and Caleb’s.

Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes, the Dzhvar. Specifically, the Dzhvar trilogy—or as I like to call it, Shadows & Light.

Book One of Shadows & Light is titled LIMINAL SPACE, and it will be coming your way later this year (you can preorder it here). Here’s the placeholder, very much non-final blurb for the book:

A war has been waged for endless aeons. Our greatest champions fight it again and again across millions of years, in a tireless endeavor to save not merely innumerable lives but existence itself.

It is a war that has never been won. But there has never been a timeline like this one before.

When the Dzhvar, an ancient enemy that once brought the universe to the brink of annihilation, rise from their long slumber to resume feasting on the fabric of space, the battle is again joined.

If Alex Solovy has anything to say about it, for the last time.

Hey, I used some of those same words up above…I guess I’m hammering a theme here, huh? By the way, I’ve already written almost 50K words of Liminal Space. This story wants to be told. ;)

Since I have a bit of a history of over-sharing in these blog posts, I’ll go ahead and tell you the titles of the remaining books as well:

Book Two:
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

Book Three:
NAKED SINGULARITY

Let your brain noodle over those titles and what they might foreshadow for a bit. I have draft versions of the covers done as well, but they’re not far enough along for me to share yet.

While I’m here, an important word about Cosmic Shores. I’ve been presenting these novels as “stand-alone adventures” outside the main Amaranthe story arc. With respect to Medusa Falling and The Thief, this is more or less true (though what Marlee, Eren and Nyx experienced in those books will have a real impact on their character arcs in Shadows & Light). The Universe Within, though? It’s not so stand-alone. Blame Alex and Caleb, for they carry this story with them wherever they go. This means the events of The Universe Within directly impact the plot of Liminal Space and the entire trilogy. So if you were skipping this book because it “didn’t matter,” it does. Grab it here.

Now, where was I…again? Ah, yes, the big news. Naked Singularity will be the 25th book in the Amaranthe universe. What a lovely round number that is! A good number with which to tell a proper story, I think.

…which is why it will be the final book in the series.

Alex has opinions

As I said, this has always been the story of saving the universe from annihilation—of creating a boundless future for all life—and Alex certainly intends to do that once and for all. Perhaps more importantly, though, this is the story I envisioned telling when I started working on Starshine—and never in my wildest dreams imagined I would actually get to do so.

But I did have that dream, which is a major reason I was indie from the start and have stayed that way. With the state of modern publishing, there was never a chance a publisher would buy into a 20+ book outline of a fully planned master story arc. It would’ve been all about selling one book—and if that book didn’t perform to expectations, it was game over. This is why a lot of series disappear uncompleted, which I know drives readers crazy. It’s a promise unfulfilled.

With Shadows & Light, Amaranthe will deliver on its promise: to tell an epic, complex, rewarding story that was going somewhere important from the beginning.

And it’s about more than just a final battle against the Dzhvar. These amazing characters have been through so much, have grown so much over the course of these books. Several of them saw lengthy character and relationship arcs draw to beautiful resolutions in Riven Worlds. (I’m looking at you, Mia, Malcolm, Perrin and Joaquim.) Others feel queued up to tackle their end-game boss demons and at last find peace or come into their own. (I’m looking at you, Eren. Marlee? Corradeo? Morgan?) And don’t even get me started on Nika’s journey…but that’s for the books to tell.

The point is, everything is coming together here at the end, exactly as it should. Twenty-five books. Sixty years of stories (going back to Meridian), plus a million years before that. All these roads and all this history leads to Shadows & Light. And I will do everything in my power to make these three books the most amazing, original, memorable and fulfilling conclusion possible.

You may recall that when I announced the Cosmic Shores trilogy, I talked about doing a sequence of short story or novella prequels to explore the million years of Amaranthe history between the (first) Dzhvar War and when humanity arrives. Well, I’ve devised a way to weave the most important of these stories into the Shadows & Light narrative itself, where they will have the biggest impact.

I know some of you are going to be…not pleased…to hear that Amaranthe is coming to an end after this trilogy. You love these characters as much as I do, and if you’re like me, nothing has been more fun than hanging out with them for millions of words. I agree! But as I’ve said many times, I never want my writing to become dull, repetitive or predictable. And I fear that if I were to try to stretch out this story with tacked-on plot devices and ‘just kidding!’ tricks, it would become so.

Does this mean I’ll never again write Alex and Caleb? It seems impossible for this to be true, for they are my heart and soul. But if I do return to Amaranthe at some point in the future, it will be under a different series name and will be a clear, unambiguous fresh start.

Some of you, on the other hand, are pleased with this news. I’ve heard from many of you that you want to see something new and fresh from me. I agree with that, too! Which is why I’ve already plotted out a brand-new trilogy set in a wholly new universe (I swear, I mean it—no Asterion Noir switcheroo this time). New characters, new technology, new bad guys, new history of humanity’s future.

But it’s going to be a while before I get to that story. So, having extracted the ideas out of my head and memorialized them on digital paper, I’ve set the outline aside—truly, way on the other side of the room—and turned my full, undivided attention to Shadows & Light. It’s going to be one hell of a ride, so buckle up.

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN Is Here

GS Jennsen — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 05:05:00 -0700

It’s time to go hang out with Alex and Caleb again: THE UNIVERSE WITHIN is now available at all retailers in ebook, paperback and hardback!

AMAZON BUY DIRECT OTHER RETAILERS

If you pre-ordered the ebook, it should be waiting for you right now on your ereader device or app. (Note: if you pre-ordered directly from my web store, you should have an email from BookFunnel with a link to download your book; if not, go to my.bookfunnel.com and login with the email you used to pre-order.)

You can get the paperback and hardback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble’s website and many other online bookstores, or you can order a signed copy directly from me.

Audiobook listeners: Pyper Down has already started recording! If you want to listen to the chapters as she records them, you can join my Buy Me A Coffee (Concord level).

* A stand-alone adventure set in the Amaranthe universe *

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Clock Is Ticking

GS Jennsen — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 06:00:00 -0700

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN is almost here! Last time, I promised you I would tell you a little about Alex and Caleb’s new friends in the book. The Elakri are a fascinating species. Closed off from the rest of the universe, they’ve forgotten the heights to which they once rose (see Extinguishing the Stars). Yet within their prison, they shine so brightly.

Laurent is a physicist who unexpectedly finds himself at ground zero of a murderous conspiracy as he scrambles to uncover a secret that will upend every Elakri’s world.

Deunan is a truva (a rebel / hacker / thief / general troublemaker) whose attempts to keep Laurent alive bring her face-to-face with her own buried secrets.

They are both fantastic, and I hope you come to love them as much as I do.

PREORDER THE UNIVERSE WITHIN (EBOOK, AUDIO AND SIGNED PRINT)

That awesome StoryBundle I told you about last time? It’s only available for THREE MORE DAYS. Don’t miss out on this one:

In the Sci-Fi Exploration StoryBundle, you can get up to 12 exciting novels of sci-fi adventure and exploration by top indie authors (plus The Thief, which I hope you already have) at a stellar price. What’s special about StoryBundles? For one thing, the books are hand-selected and participation is invitation-only, so you’re guaranteed to get high quality stories. For another, you get to pay what you want (starting at $5 for the core bundle). Want to reward the authors and encourage more independent authors by giving a little more? We love you for that. On a budget and need to save some money? You’ll get a tremendous deal for these books. As a bonus, you can (if you choose) support Girls Write Now, a wonderful nonprofit that helps mentor girls so they can develop writing skills, with your purchase.

CHECK OUT THE STORYBUNDLE

As part of planning the next trilogy, I’ve been rereading all the Riven Worlds novels. I’ve had a blast writing these stand-alone adventure novels, but it’s so wonderful to be back with the full cast. Which Amaranthe characters are you looking forward to seeing again and finding out what they’ve been up to these last three years? What personal story arcs are you excited to see continue, or enter a new phase? Let me know!

Get Your First Teaser for The Universe Within, Plus a Special SciFi Exploration Bundle

GS Jennsen — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 06:05:00 -0700

First, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. THE THIEF won 2nd Place in the Best Alien Sci-Fi Novel of 2024 competition, and it’s 100% because you made your voices heard. And it lost out on 1st place to David Weber’s newest novel, which in my world counts as its own honor! (See what I did there?

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN Release Date & Cover Reveal

GS Jennsen — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 06:10:00 -0700

…in which Alex and Caleb do what they always do: fly the Siyane directly into a mysterious hole in space while having no idea what awaits them on the other side. Come join them on the adventure when THE UNIVERSE WITHIN arrives on ** FEBRUARY 20, 2025 ** in ebook, paperback and hardback.

You can pre-order the ebook from your favorite retailer today, and it will be waiting for you in your ereader / app on the 20th:

PREORDER THE UNIVERSE WITHIN

Want a signed, personalized hardback or paperback? Pre-order one today:

PREORDER A SIGNED BOOK

Want to listen to the audiobook as Pyper Down records it? Sign up for my “Buy Me A Coffee” program (Concord level):

BUY ME A COFFEE

Feast your eyes on this bombshell of a cover, accompanied by a proper blurb:

* A stand-alone adventure set in the Amaranthe universe *

The Universe Within takes place three years after the end of Duality (and concurrently with both Medusa Falling and The Thief). Like the other Cosmic Shores novels, it is a stand-alone story and a great entry point for new readers - but it’s also more closely tied-in to the Amaranthe meta story arc than the first two books were (it’s Alex and Caleb - how could it not be?). So if you’re invested in What Comes Next™, you don’t want to miss this one.

There are only a few days left to vote for the best sci-fi books of the year over at Discover Sci-Fi. THE THIEF has been nominated in the “Best Alien Sci-Fi Book of 2024” category; if you’re so inclined, head over and make your voice heard before the voting closes. Note: this category is on the second page of the ballot, so make sure to click through. You don't have to vote in any of the categories on the first page to do so - but if you've read and enjoyed any of the nominees, I hope you will.

You have my thanks.

VOTE for the best scifi books of the year

Finally, I've got a new interview up with Joy On Paper, a fantastic podcast that celebrates all things books. The interview is about an hour long; we mainly talk about The Thief, but also the larger Amaranthe Universe, Concord, and how we got here over 21 books. Also where ideas come from, convention experiences and more.

If you enjoy the interview, I highly encourage you to hit "Subscribe" on the YouTube channel and drop a quick comment on the video. This helps Joy On Paper reach more listeners - and more celebrations of books is always a good thing.

JOY ON PAPER INTERVIEW

P.S.: I hope you enjoyed the “Extinguishing The Stars” short story! Though several thousand years pass between ETS and The Universe Within, the stories interweave in several intriguing ways that I can’t wait for you to discover. :)

My Christmas gift to you

GS Jennsen — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 06:00:00 -0700

Just in time for the holiday, I’m thrilled to share that my latest short story, “Extingiushing the Stars,” is now available as a stand-alone story - and is FREE in ebook and audiobook. Merry Christmas!

GET THE EBOOK GET THE AUDIOBOOK

Here’s the blurb:

The fleet rushed to meet the invaders at the edge of the solar system upon their arrival. Every countermeasure was deployed to stall the enemy’s advance—their forces held nothing back.

No soldier who fought on the battlefield today would ever return home.

With an unstoppable foe advancing on the Elakri homeworld, its leaders face an impossible choice: stand, fight and die, or risk everything on one daring, impossible chance to survive the enemy’s onslaught. But when terrorists kidnap the scientist at the heart of their plan, a retired spy must confront the demons of his past in order to give his people that chance.

While Extinguishing the Stars works beautifully as its own story, its true power is as a prequel to the upcoming Cosmic Shores novel. If you have any intention of reading THE UNIVERSE WITHIN (and I certainly hope you do), you owe it to yourself to read this first. Alex and Caleb won’t know the story of Extinguishing The Stars when they plunge into the Elakri’s world—but you will.

So…if you happen to fancy getting * me * a Christmas present as well, I’ve got just the gift idea. I’m honored to have THE THIEF nominated for “Best Alien Sci-Fi Book of 2024” over at Discover Sci-Fi. If you feel that The Thief deserves such an award, you can head over and cast a vote for our favorite train wreck of a hero. Note: this category is on the second page of the ballot, so make sure to click through. You don't have to vote in any of the categories on the first page to do so - but if you've read and enjoyed any of the nominees, I hope you will!

You have my thanks.

VOTE FOR THE BEST SCI-FI BOOKS OF 2024

More great news: the cover reveal and release date for THE UNIVERSE WITHIN are coming your way in the next newsletter - expect it in early January. Until then, I hope you all have a beautiful, magical holiday filled with family, friends and good cheer.

Shiny New Audiobook Store, Plus the Best SciFi Sale of the Year

GS Jennsen — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 05:55:00 -0700

A couple of years ago, I started offering audiobooks directly on my website as a way to offer a lower-cost option to Audible’s often nosebleed prices. And it’s worked, more or less. But to be frank, the whole setup has left a lot to be desired, from the delivery of the audiobook to the listening interface. But it was the best I could do given limited tools at my disposal.

But technology marches ever onward, the options available to indie authors continue to expand, and I’m thrilled to share a massive upgrade to my “direct” audiobook store: AUDIOBOOK STORE.

The store is powered by BookFunnel, just like my ebook store. If you’ve ever downloaded a free ebook when you subscribed to my newsletter, or purchased an ebook directly from me, you already know how BookFunnel works - and you’ve already got a library there!

What hasn’t changed:

Lower prices than the retailers
The ability to listen on the web
The ability to download the MP3 files

What’s better:

PRE-ORDERS! You can pre-order the upcoming THE UNIVERSE WITHIN audiobook today, and it will automatically arrive in your BookFunnel library on release (ignore the listed release date - it’s just a placeholder). Pre-order The Universe Within Audiobook
A web library where you can view and access all your purchases (audiobook and ebook) in one place whenever you like. No more passwords to remember or pages to bookmark. See it here.
A beautiful app to listen to audiobooks (mine and others) on your mobile device and in your car. Get the app here.

Not convinced? That’s cool - which is why you can try it out FOR FREE. Use the code “FREEAUDIO” to get your choice of an audiobook from the new store for free. Just enter the code at checkout.

FREEAUDIO

Not into audiobooks? I’ve got a treat for ebook lovers, too. Twice a year, I participate in what is possibly the biggest, best giveaway of FREE scifi ebooks around. Over 100 novels and short stories - and they’re ALL SCIFI. No fantasy, horror or other spec-fic-adjacent genres. Now, 100+ books sounds overwhelming, which is why they’re neatly organized by sub-genre: space opera, cyberpunk, dystopian, military, time travel, and many more. Just head for your favorite flavor of scifi and download away.

BUT, BUT, BUT: this giveaway is only available for 2 days, today and tomorrow (Nov. 14th and 15th), so don’t delay.

SCIFI BOOK BLAST

We’re heading into the holiday season, and I’m heading into the home stretch of editing The Universe Within. I’m super stoked about both. I’m so excited for the holidays in the new house, I’ve already started decorating for Christmas. How about you? Are you a “never until after Thanksgiving” person, or did you trade out your Halloween skeletons for snowmen and reindeer?

Life News, Plus a Cool SciFi Holiday Bundle

GS Jennsen — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 08:20:04 -0600

We interrupt this regularly scheduled newsletter with breaking news - I caught my first aurora borealis last night! I took these pics from my new front yard. They’re really terrible, aren’t they? I obviously need to learn how to take proper nighttime photos with my phone. But they’re mine. :)

So as I was about to say, new front yard. About that. If you’ve been around here for a little while, you might recall my epic move from Colorado to the wild mountain reaches of Montana three years ago. Well, the pictures above are definitely not taken in the wild mountain reaches of Montana, so what’s the deal?

Tl;dr: We've moved down the road to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho!

The rest of the story: Actually, we moved a year ago. But we were camping out in an apartment while we built a house, and that was just so very uninteresting, I didn't mention it. But now things are exciting again.

First, why the move? A couple of reasons, but to encapsulate them, a beautiful view does not a life make (who knew?).

While wandering the woods was lovely, after a while I chafed against the isolation and lack of access to the trappings of modern life. Mr. Jennsen sucks at early retirement and, after two years chopping trees while wearing flannel, decided he was bored and wanted to get back in the engineering game. A series of frustrations when too much snow and impassable roads kept me from getting to the (distant) airport to travel for some family medical emergencies brought the problems into sharp relief.

Luckily, just a few hours down the road existed the equally lovely (if less wild) city of Coeur d'Alene. It, too, has mountains, rivers and lakes (Lake CDA is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen). But guess what it also has? Coffee shops and boutiques and theaters and a Best Buy and, well, people!

So here we are. I’m stoked about all of it, so have a few pictures of my working space:

My working space. The desk is a motorized standing desk, so I don't turn into a sloth while writing. That banner is just ridiculous, isn't it? Mr. Jennsen insisted on hanging it there. Swearz.

What I see when I'm *standing* at my desk. Gaming, comics, collectibles, science/space books, duplicates of some scifi books and, in the bottom right corner, a bit of a TBR stack. (Note: the rest of the scifi books will be going in the library - more on that soonish.)

The view out the window by my desk.

Lake Coeur d'Alene (about 15 minutes from my house), because I love it.

But enough about me upending my life again—let’s talk sci-fi books. I've teamed up with four other awesome scifi authors to offer a paperback book bundle. Each book is the first in a multi-book sci-fi series, and the bundle comes with bookmarks, stickers and space-ready freeze-dried candy.

Grab it for yourself, or if you have another scifi fan in your life, this would make a great holiday gift.

Expedition by Rachel Cheríe (Dekra 9-2-6 series)—join Elise and Rick as they find themselves in a new galaxy loaded with allies, enemies, and lots of drama along the way!
Night Owls by Stephen Gay (Night Owls series)—all Ethan wants to do is throw an underground party. But someone wants to throw him out of an airlock.

Dakiti by EJ Fisch (Ziva Payvan series)—fly with Ziva and Aroska as these two enemies race to save their people and…each other??
Isolating Contact by Ash Remington (The Contact series)—follow five strangers as their lives intertwine in an attempt to save the world.

Starshine by yours truly (Amaranthe series)—while on a routine scouting job, Alex makes a discovery that will change everything for humanity. (Admittedly, you might already have this one.

The Expanding Universe, plus a new way to read SFF books

GS Jennsen — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 06:00:00 -0600

THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE: VOLUME 10 is out in the world! Have you picked it up yet? If not, you can grab it from Amazon (or in Kindle Unlimited) today:

Get The Expanding Universe

The Expanding Universe Vol. 10 is curated by Craig Martelle, sci-fi superstar and tireless indie author advocate. My story in the anthology, “Extinguishing the Stars,” is a prequel to my upcoming novel, The Universe Within. Read it now and get a sneak peek at the world Alex and Caleb will discover early next year.

In addition to my story, it features a tale by Martelle plus 18 more stellar stories from well-known authors to rising stars. You don’t want to miss it.

…and if you have picked it up, and have read a couple of the stories, I and the other authors would so greatly appreciate it if you shared a quick little review. No need to have read the whole (hefty) book - you can just call out any stories you hopefully enjoyed. You have my thanks!

Now I want to share with you an awesome selection of scifi and fantasy books that Kobo has curated to help spotlight its awesome subscription program, Kobo Plus.

What’s Kobo Plus, you ask? Well, it’s a sort of “Netflix for books.” Much like Kindle Unlimited (KU), except it’s cheaper for readers ($7.99 vs $11.99 in the US), it includes audiobooks as well as ebooks, it’s available in a bunch of countries, and it’s fairer to authors. How? Well, in order for a book to be in KU, Amazon requires it to be published exclusively on Amazon (this is why The Expanding Universe isn’t available on other retailers; I’m not the publisher, so it wasn’t my call). Kobo Plus, however, has no such requirement. This means all my books and audiobooks are available in Kobo Plus - and so are offerings from a ton of talented authors.

SFF BOOKS ON KOBO PLUS

Who Wants a New Short Story?

GS Jennsen — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:38:47 -0600

When I created the setting for the next book, The Universe Within, I pretty quickly realized it was so much bigger than I was going to be able to cover in the fast-paced, focused format of the Cosmic Shores novels. So I promptly scribbled out a short story that deep-dives into the Elakri’s world. “Extinguishing the Stars” is a prequel to The Universe Within, and it is the lead-off story in the new anthology THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE Vol. 10!

The anthology will be released September 9, but you can pre-order it today from Amazon. The Expanding Universe Vol. 10 is curated by Craig Martelle, sci-fi superstar and tireless indie author advocate. In addition to my story, it features a tale by Martelle plus 18 more stellar stories from well-known authors to rising stars. You don’t want to miss it.

PRE-ORDER THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE

As a refresher, here’s the (draft) blurb for The Universe Within, which should be released early next year:

Thousands of years ago, the Elakri were a galaxy-spanning civilization—until they were forced to hide themselves away in the folds of space to escape an unstoppable foe. But what was once their salvation soon became their prison.

Alex Solovy and Caleb Marano hunt the cosmos for signs of an ancient enemy’s return. When they detect a breach in the fabric of space, however, they discover something wholly unexpected: a people lost in time and space, who have forgotten all they once were. Returning the Elakri to their proper place among the stars seems the least they can do, but first they have to survive a strange and dangerous world where none of the usual rules apply.

“Extinguishing the Stars” tells the story of how the Elakri vanished themselves from the universe. Even Alex and Caleb don’t know this story when they plunge into the Elakri’s world, but you will.

Dragon Con was amazing this year! The panels were so much fun (I got to meet Hugh Howey in person on the “Books That Inspire Us” panel, which was quite the treat - he was gracious, humble and kind). I was honored to meet several of you, and to talk with so many enthusiastic sci-fi fans. Here’s a couple of pictures, but images cannot convey what an insane, overwhelming, incredible experience Dragon Con is. If you’re curious, visit the Dragon Con Facebook Page and check out some of the wild videos they posted. There are few if any SFF fan conventions like it in the world.

Will I See You At Dragon Con?

GS Jennsen — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 08:45:36 -0600

Dragon Con is next week, and I will be there! It runs Aug. 29-Sept. 2 in Atlanta, and is one of the world’s largest celebrations of all thing sci-fi and fantasy: movies and TV, comics, games, art, of course books, and so much more. Get your tickets here.

This year, I will have my own vendor booth in the main vendor hall (3rd floor) for the entire convention. If you're going to be there, come see me! You don't need to buy a paperback, promise - just stop by and say hello. I’d love to meet you.

Okay, but where in all the chaos is my booth?

By the way, I finished that first draft of The Universe Within, and am now furiously slaying brackets and…well, this meme says it pretty well. CurrentMe is most annoyed with PastMe. ;)

THE THIEF Audiobook Is Here, Plus a Thank You

GS Jennsen — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 07:08:49 -0600

I’m thrilled to announce that the THE THIEF audiobook is now available at all major online retailers! I can’t wait for you to listen to Eren being his most Eren as he follows a hunch one afternoon and wanders off, lands 135 megaparsecs from Concord space, meets a perplexing species as old as the Anadens, and gets tangled up in a nefarious murder mystery - and that’s just the first day.

SO MANY MORE RETAILERS

* A stand-alone adventure set in the Amaranthe universe *

The Hesgyr are thieves. “Scavengers,” to hear their victims tell it; “repurposers” by their own reckoning.

As Chief of Intelligence for Non-Anaden Affairs, Eren Savitas’ job is to protect the Advocacy from all manner of alien threats: sabotage, assassination, insurgency and, way down the list, theft. So when he spots a Hesgyr running off with valuable technology, he follows the alien home—and discovers a civilization unlike any he’s ever encountered.

Yes, the Hesgyr are thieves. But they are also being hunted. Systematically exterminated by an insidious enemy they can’t see, touch or find. Eren finds himself drawn ever deeper into the Hesgyr’s fascinating yet labyrinthine world as he races against time to solve the mystery of the deadly attacks. What he discovers is a complex web of loyalties and betrayals, of grudges and grievances millennia old—and beneath it all, a secret that may hold the key to the survival of more than one civilization.

The Thief is a humorous, pulse-pounding sci-fi adventure about alien culture clashes, the flaws and foibles that transcend species, and the satisfaction that comes from breaking all the rules to save the day.

And now, a huge “Thanks!” to all of you. Without any prompting or nudging on my part, you voted The Thief the 2nd Best Sci-Fi Book of 2024 (So Far) over at Discover Sci-Fi! I’m honored to receive your votes, and it makes me happy to know you’ve enjoyed this book so much. It is, at its heart, a love letter to one of the greatest characters in Amaranthe; I had so much fun writing it, and I hope you’ve had as much fun reading it.

Just a quick note to say that I’m almost finished with the first draft of THE UNIVERSE WITHIN, and I am so excited about this book. It’s amazing to return to Alex and Caleb, but I’m also stoked about the fascinating world and characters at the center of the story. Stay tuned for more details soon.

How are you enjoying The Thief? (plus a surprise below)

GS Jennsen — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 06:10:00 -0600

I supposed I asked the second question first, didn’t I? First, have you picked up THE THIEF yet? If not, you can get it from your favorite retailer now.

Get THE THIEF in ebook or print

Second, if you have picked the book up, I certainly hope you are enjoying it! Let me know. What are readers saying so far?

“I read while eating, while parenting, while relaxing. Couldn't take my hands off of it.”
“A spine-tingling adventure across space in visceral, emotional, and adrenaline-pumping style.”
“I zipped through this book because it was so much fun to read and then when I was finished, wished it would have continued on to another adventure. I would love to see Eren and Nyx re-appear in another story.”

If you’re so inclined, don’t forget to leave a review at Amazon, the retailer where you purchased it, or on Goodreads. Nothing fancy is required - just a few words go a long way. I greatly appreciate it.

Now, about that surprise. :)

The final (for now) novel in the Cosmic Shores series will be titled THE UNIVERSE WITHIN, and it will star Alex and Caleb in their own standaone adventure. I'm so excited to be returning to my first loves and most favorite of my favorites. I'm almost as excited for the plot I've noodled out for them and the fascinating new alien species they're set to get all tangled up with, the Elakri. In fact, I'm so excited about it, I've already written a short story prequel to the book - but more on that in a later update.

For now, here's a brief, temporary blurb that will suffice until I've written enough of the book to craft a more detailed description:

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN will be out next year, but you can pre-order it today in ebook, paperback and hardback:

PREORDER THE UNIVERSE WITHIN

Finally, a question for you. I'm having great fun taking a break from the universe-threatening peril that dominated earlier books to galavant around the cosmos with some of Amaranthe's most dynamic characters, and I hope you are, too. But who do you miss most from the main cast? Who can you not wait to get back to and find out how they've been doing in the three years since Duality? Hit 'reply' and let me know!

THE THIEF Is Here

GS Jennsen — Fri, 31 May 2024 02:23:00 -0600

It’s time to tag along with Eren as he follows a hunch one afternoon and wanders off, lands 135 megaparsecs from Concord space, meets a perplexing species as old as the Anadens, and gets tangled up in a nefarious murder mystery - and that’s just the first day. THE THIEF is now available at all retailers in ebook, paperback and hardback!

GET THE THIEF

You can get the paperback and hardback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble’s website and many other online bookstores, or you can order a signed copy directly from me.

Audiobook listeners: Pyper Down has already started recording! If you want to listen to the chapters as she records them, you can join my Buy Me A Coffee (Concord level).

* A stand-alone adventure set in the Amaranthe universe *

The Hesgyr are thieves. “Scavengers,” to hear their victims tell it; “repurposers” by their own reckoning.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Thief Is Almost Here, Plus MisCon Schedule & More

GS Jennsen — Fri, 17 May 2024 06:05:00 -0600

Have you preordered THE THIEF yet? It will be here in two short weeks! Grab it now, and it will be waiting for you on your ereader on May 31st (also, note that if you want a signed paperback or hardback in a timely fashion, place your preorder now, as I’ll be ordering fulfillment copies in the next few days).

PREORDER THE THIEF

To whet your appetite, here’s a juicy teaser excerpt from the book:

As we near The Thief’s release, I want to draw your attention to a new option for saving money on my books. Amazon Kindle gets all the attention, but Google Play has really upped their game when it comes to ebooks (and audiobooks!) lately. If you buy my books through Google Play, you can (1) get a bundle discount by purchasing 3 or more books at a time or (2) subscribe to the series and never have to worry about ordering the next book again (while also getting a discount). You can subscribe to the individual novels here, the collections here, and the audiobooks here (there’s a link to just purchase a bundle right under the subscription button).

Do you live in the Inland Northwest or Western Montana? Come to MisCon next weekend in Missoula for 4 days of SFF panels, books, games, cosplay, shopping and all-around fun. Here's my schedule for the weekend - come hang with me!

More info: https://www.miscon.org/

Big News: The Thief Has a Release Date

GS Jennsen — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 06:15:00 -0600

…In which Eren follows a hunch one afternoon and wanders off, lands 135 megaparsecs from Concord space, meets a perplexing species as old as the Anadens, and gets tangled up in a nefarious murder mystery - and that’s just the first day. Bar fights and explosions are also rumored to occur, because where Eren wanders, chaos usually follows. Mr. Jennsen, first reader and relentless truth teller, has proclaimed The Thief “the most fun book” I’ve ever written. Considering that was my goal, I’m pretty stoked to see if you all agree with him.

THE THIEF will be released on *** FRIDAY, MAY 31st *** in ebook, hardback and paperback. You can order the ebook from your favorite retailer right now:

PREORDER THE THIEF

Want a signed, personalized hardback or paperback? Pre-order one today! Note, pre-ordering is the only way to get a signed hardback.

PREORDER A SIGNED COPY

Want to listen to the audiobook as Pyper Down records it? Sign up for my “Buy Me A Coffee” program (Concord level):

Buy Me A Coffee

The Thief takes place three years after the end of Duality (and more or less concurrently with Medusa Falling). It’s a fun, fast-paced adventure (that clocks in under 100k words!) and is intended to be a new entry point for readers - so if you have someone you’ve been trying to convince to read the Amaranthe novels, this is an excellent opportunity to get them hooked.

* A stand-alone adventure set in the Amaranthe universe *

The Hesgyr are thieves. “Scavengers,” to hear their victims tell it; “repurposers” by their own reckoning.

Time Flies When You’re Saving the Universe

GS Jennsen — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 06:05:00 -0600

Ten years ago today, I hit the ‘publish’ button on Starshine and unleashed Alex upon an unsuspecting public.

At the time, I had no idea the impact this one act was going to have - on my life, on hers, on the multiverses of Amaranthe. But in the years that followed, a story about a starship pilot with dark red hair that came to me in the shower one morning (you’ve all heard that story by now) became so, so much more. Over the course of 2,227,818 words(!), 20 novels and 10 short stories, it has transformed into an epic tale of humanity (and our allies) putting aside our squabbles to rise above our deepest fears and come together to do what we must to survive, then thrive.

Amaranthe is, above all, an optimistic vision that dares to believe humanity will prove to be both stronger and better than we believe ourselves to be - and that’s the story I was driven to tell when I started typing on a keyboard ten years plus nine months ago….

It was the summer of 2013, I had no idea my life was soon to change.

To be fair, it had already changed quite a bit. I’d walked away from a successful corporate legal career to seek a better life in the mountains of Colorado. I was doing freelance coding and editing work, desperately trying to reach a tiny fraction of the lofty heights of my former law firm salary.

And all I wanted to do was write.

I’d gotten back into fiction writing after a long absence from it about two years earlier, my creative tendencies having been nudged back to life by the imaginative worlds such video games as the Mass Effect trilogy, EVE Online and The Old Republic games offered. Now I started hearing whispers of a new manner of publishing and a new breed of writer: one who eschewed the old gatekeepers in New York and London and used the power of technology to share their books with the world—and the readers—directly. Already a computer geek, my ears perked up like a dog hearing the crinkle of a cheese wrapper, and a radical thought occurred to me: I could do this. The business and technical aspects of independent publishing, that was. I still had to write a book worth reading. So I got to work.

It took me nine months to write, edit and prepare Starshine for release. I was still doing freelance work as well, because bills, but all my creative energy and free time, I threw into the book.

I sold eight copies on release day. Of course, I’d given away the book for free to everyone who had subscribed to my website, which represented the sum total of my family, friends and existing readers from my fan fiction days, so, hey - eight brand new readers! Over the next ten days, I sold between two and six copies a day. Not half bad for a brand-new indie author no one had ever heard of, who had done everything from cover design to formatting to ‘marketing’ (lol) herself, but let’s not kid ourselves. The book wasn’t lighting the world on fire.

Then I woke up the morning of April 3rd (the day after my birthday) to discover I had sold 20 copies overnight. I was elated, of course, though I had no idea the reason for the dramatic uptick in sales (to this day, I still don’t). By noon it was 74, and Starshine was #19 on the Space Opera Bestsellers list. Mere presence on such lists increases sales as a book becomes far more visible to browsing shoppers, so sales were now feeding on themselves. By the time I went to bed that night, Starshine was #4 in Space Opera and in the Top 500 of all books on Amazon.

Fast forward ten amazing years. Starshine has been read by over 300,000 people; twenty books on, so many of you are still here, as excited for the next adventure as you were for the first. I’ve heard from countless readers about how much the series has meant to them; I’ve made wonderful new friends and been enriched by their stories. I’ve had fantastic adventures myself (admittedly, many of these still happen in my own head). My life has changed, in the best ways possible, and it’s all because of you (with a small assist from Alex and Caleb and Miriam and Nika and their wonderful friends and families). Today, perhaps more than any other day, I’m so thankful to each and every one of you. Thank you for allowing me to write for a living, and for sharing this incredible universe with me.

Here’s to the next decade!

G. S. Jennsen

Who Wants a Cover Reveal?

Get your Cosmic Shores Collection - and come see me at Lilac City in Spokane

A Liminal Space Update, Plus The Universe Within Audiobook Is Here

For All The Marbles

Book Two:THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

Book Three:NAKED SINGULARITY

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN Is Here

The Clock Is Ticking

Get Your First Teaser for The Universe Within, Plus a Special SciFi Exploration Bundle

THE UNIVERSE WITHIN Release Date & Cover Reveal

My Christmas gift to you

Shiny New Audiobook Store, Plus the Best SciFi Sale of the Year

Life News, Plus a Cool SciFi Holiday Bundle

The Expanding Universe, plus a new way to read SFF books

Who Wants a New Short Story?

Will I See You At Dragon Con?

THE THIEF Audiobook Is Here, Plus a Thank You

How are you enjoying The Thief? (plus a surprise below)

THE THIEF Is Here

The Thief Is Almost Here, Plus MisCon Schedule & More

Big News: The Thief Has a Release Date

Time Flies When You’re Saving the Universe

Book Two:
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

Book Three:
NAKED SINGULARITY