Sci-fi genre enthusiasts are always in search of their next favorite novel that transports them to a captivating new world. For lovers of sci-fi, Rebecca Inch-Partridge’s Escaping the Dashia is a must-read. The book is a perfect blend of imagination and adventure that will leave you spellbound till the end. Today, we discuss with Rebecca Inch-Partridge in detail, exploring her book’s plotline, characters, writing style, and more.
Tell us about your book.
Escaping the Dashia is a young adult sci-fi set in the Paraxous Star Cluster. Twyla was hiding on Earth, when her mother, Madam DeConnett, finds her and kidnaps Twyla. Her mother expects her to take her rightful place within in the family business. The DeConnetts are Dashia—think psychic vampires. So, Twyla must outwit her mother and escape before she’s forced to become one of them.
What is the PRIMARY benefit, above all others, that your potential reader will gain from reading this book?
The reader gets to travel to a star cluster far, far away with fun characters of a variety of races. It is pure escapism (pun intended.) At the same time, you get to root for Twyla as she takes on a corrupt system and says and does the things you only wish you could.
If you had to compare this book to any other book out there, which book would it be?
My pitch line was James Patterson’s Maximum Ride set in a Star Wars-style universe.
Hundreds of thousands of books come out every year. Why should someone buy THIS book?
I wrote the first draft when I was fifteen and I have worked hard to retain the authentic voice of that age. But I’ve had decades to develop the races and worlds that make up the Paraxous Star Cluster. I think readers will appreciate the rich and immersive worlds.
Who is your target audience?
Teenage girls are the primary audience. However, women over forty make up 40% of the YA science fiction and fantasy market for books with a strong female protagonist. One of the major themes of Escaping the Dashia is staying true to yourself, despite pressure to conform. I think with media and peers always telling women what they should look, dress, and think like, and woman of all ages need a reminder that it is absolutely okay to be yourself and stand your ground.
Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage?
Yes. I actually wrote a first draft of this novel when I was the age of the protagonist, 15. As a Jehovah’s Witness and a science fiction geek, I was a social misfit. I took that feeling of not belonging and intensified it for Twyla by making her belong to an illegal, genetically hybrid race. Then I let her say and do the things I wouldn’t dare say or do in real life.
Tell us your most rewarding experience since publishing your work.
Reading the reviews. I never thought I would be so obsessed with reviews, but it means so much to me to have a project I spent decades on be so well received. The most exciting part is that reviewers often mention how much they are looking forward to book two. That is great motivation for me to get the final draft done.
How would you describe your writing style?
Immersive. When I am writing a Paraxous novel, I am Twyla looking back on her life, loves, and losses. It is a grownup’s version of play to me. I let Twyla tell her story. Then I move to a different location (physically and mentally) and become the editor to make the prose smoother and clean up organizational issues that come from writing stream of consciousness.
Are your characters pure fiction, or did you draw from people you know?
Twyla is the person I wanted to be at 15 with all the consequences that go with being so stubborn and feisty. The other characters are an amalgamation of my high school friends and my favorite science fiction characters.
Are you more of a character artist or a plot-driven writer?
I am a character-driven writer. I have lived with these characters in my head for so long that I know what they are going to say or do in any situation. So, I put them in a situation, let them react and their reactions effects what happens next. Then I keep repeating the process.
What do you hope to accomplish with your book other than selling it?
I want to empower women of all ages to be true to who they are and not become someone else in order to please anyone else in their life. And maybe it’s a bit egotistical of me, but I also hope that my book encourages people to do the right thing, even when there’s a high personal cost.
How can our readers get in touch with you?
I love hearing from readers.
My email is rebeccainchpartridge@yahoo.com
Where can our readers purchase your book? (List different outlets with the link to your book)
My publisher, Black Rose Writing, and I made sure readers can order my book through any bookstore as well.
