Interview: Jessica Gunn author of GYRE

I’m delighted to have Jessica Gunn on the blog today. She’s the author of GYRE (Atlas Link series, book 1), an amazing new adult novel that is being released today.  I was lucky enough to read a review copy of GYRE and am excited to find out more about it.

Welcome, Jess. First can you tell us a bit about GYRE and perhaps hint at things to come as the series continues.

Hi! Thank you for having me, Pat :)

GYRE is an adventure about what happens when a local rockstar-by-night, archaeologist-by-day disrupts the life of a navy engineering prodigy and the underwater research station he works for, thereby reigniting a time-travel war between Atlantis and Lemuria. Kind of a doozy to say (read?), I know! Here’s a more concise blurb, located on Goodreads.

As the series continues, you can expect to see a lot more with the Atlantis and Lemuria lore, and definitely time-travel :) That’s all I can say without revealing too much!

One thing I loved about GYRE was how it crosses several genres. What genre do you feel it falls the most solidly into and did you have trouble classifying it when you went looking for a publisher?  

I think it fits most solidly into fantasy. I queried it as a new adult fantasy because it doesn’t take place that much farther in the future, it has powers, and it deals with an alternate-history take on Atlantis and Lemuria. So although GYRE does have some advanced technology going on, as well as time-travel (traditionally a sci-fi genre topic), I think it fits better in the fantasy genre. I did have some trouble classifying it for querying but all the agents and small press editors took both genres, so it worked out :)

Without giving away too much of the plot, can you tell us a bit about the mythology behind GYRE.

GYRE is based on a world in which both Atlantis and Lemuria actually existed and were engaged in a war over the ability to time-travel. When Atlantis fell thanks to the Athenians, who were working with Lemuria, Lemuria disappeared too. That’s the most I can say without giving away too much!

Are these myths something you recently became interested in?

Nope :) I’ve been fascinated by the idea of Atlantis since I can remember. Seriously. Then I learned about Lemuria/Mu. These and other mysteries like these are why I went to school for archaeology in my undergrad. I wanted to know more about the ancient world. Weaving them into my novels happened by accident!

The story is written in two points of view: Chelsea and Trevor.  Can you tells us what attracts them to each other and what keeps them apart?

I think they see simplicity, normalcy, and safety in each other—which is kind of ridiculous given their situation. Trevor’s immediately drawn to Chelsea because she exhibits this wild freedom he’s never known. Chelsea thinks of Trevor as an anchor in her crazy life. But it’s that craziness and freedom that also keeps them apart. Trevor knows what’s going on with the Atlantean-Lemurian war, and wants to keep Chelsea free from that knowledge despite her Atlantean heritage, while Chelsea constantly seeks out a sense of normal after her world is flipped upside down. She seeks refuge in this “normal” guy… only to discover nothing about SeaSatellite5 is as ordinary as it seems. It’s an interesting dynamic to write!

Thank you so much Jess for stopping by. Okay--one more quick question. I can’t wait to read the next book in your series, when is it coming out?

Book two will be out in September 2016 :)   

Purchase GYRE: Amazon

Synopsis: Chelsea didn’t try to teleport. All she wanted was to play the Battle of the Bands show. But after accidentally teleporting onto classified Navy vessel SeaSatellite5, all she’s rocking is the boat. Once it’s sorted out that Chelsea’s not a threat, SeaSat5’s top scientist offers Chelsea a position on the crew as an archaeology intern. Dr. Saint studies people with powers, believing them to be descendants of Atlantean refugees, except Chelsea’s powers are beyond anything on previous record. While great for everyone else onboard, the miracle of Chelsea is Trevor’s worst nightmare. The same girl who’d given him a brief lifeline to sanity three months ago literally fell from the sky, under a mile of ocean, and onto the very station where he’s employed. Making matters worse, Trevor’s family are Lemurians, Atlantis’s enemy, and Chelsea’s presence is unpredicted—a wrench in an already unstable situation. But Trevor wants no part of his family’s war. The only thing he wants is Chelsea, Atlantean or not. Days into Chelsea’s sudden appearance, SeaSatellite5 uncovers Atlantean ruins and a massive artifact cache, placing its entire, hundred-man crew in the crosshairs of an ancient war. There are those who want the Atlantean relics inside the ruins destroyed, and only Trevor knows the treasures for what they really are: Link Pieces, tools used by the ancient civilizations for their time-travel war. With lies and shifting alliances abound, Chelsea and Trevor will have to think fast in order to save the station. If they don’t, the Lemurians will seize the artifacts and Atlantis will be destroyed forever.

About the Author:

Jessica Gunn is a New Adult author and avid science-fiction and fantasy fan. Her favorite stories are those that transport the reader to other, more exciting worlds. When not working or writing, she can be found binge-watching Firefly and Stargate, or feeding her fascination of the ancient world’s many mysteries. Jessica also holds a degree in Anthropology. To catch up with Jessica, follow her on Twitter (@JessGunnAuthor) or on her website, www.jessicagunn.com. Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads |Website | Blog | Pinterest