T's Stuff: Legacy by Jesikah Sundin

Author: Jesikah Sundin

Narrators: Sunil Patel

Length: 12 hours 30 minutes

Publisher: Forest Tales Publishing

Released: Dec. 11, 2017

Genre: Science Fiction

She is from the past, locked inside a world within a world.
He is from the future, haunted by her death.

A sensible young nobleman and his fiery sister live in an experimental medieval village. Sealed inside this biodome since infancy, Leaf and Willow have been groomed by The Code to build a sustainable world, one devoid of Outsider interference. One that believes death will give way to life.

All is ideal until their father bequeaths a family secret with his dying breath, placing an invisible crown of power on Leaf's head. Now everyone in their quiet town is suspect. Risking banishment, the siblings search for clues, leading them to Fillion Nichols, an Outsider with a shocking connection to their family. Their encounter launches Fillion into battle with his turbulent past as he rushes to decode the many secrets that bind their future together--a necessity if they are all to survive.

Cultures clash in an unforgettable quest for truth, unfolding a story rich in mystery, betrayal, and love.

Are you ready to discover what is real?

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Jesikah Sundin is multi-award winning a sci-fi/fantasy writer mom of three nerdlets and devoted wife to a gamer geek. In addition to her family, she shares her home in Monroe, Washington with a red-footed tortoise and a collection of seatbelt purses. She is addicted to coffee, laughing, and Dr. Martens boots and shoes ... Oh! And the forest is her happy place.

Other Interesting tidbits:
Jesikah owns Forest Tales Photography, and boasts a varied background in business administration and marketing, though her heart has always belonged to the arts and sciences. In college, she pursued a degree in geophysics and oceanography. And, as a teenager, she attended a performing arts school for musical theater and opera, performing in several theater productions, while also serving as editor-in-chief of her high school’s newspaper. She is married for over twenty years to her high school sweetheart and raising three awesomely geeky children. When not writing, she’s often found in her garden, hiking, gaming, baking, fangirling over all things Star Wars and Firefly, or attending various conventions in cosplay, notably Comicon and FaerieCon.

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My name is Sunil Patel and I am a professional British male Voice-Over artist. I was born and bred in London, UK, and woke up with a deep, rumbling voice when I neared adulthood. As a result I have pursued the lifestyle of a Voice Actor / Voice-over artist, not wanting my unique voice to go to waste. I have recorded for multinational companies like Herbal Life, and organisations like The Billy Graham Evangelist Association. I have also narrated an audiobook called Legacy: The Biodome Chronicles. I can also do voice-overs in other languages, which includes Hindi and Gujarati.

I have been voice trained by coach and mentor, Gary Terrza (https://www.vomasterclass.com), a successful and and well-known voice actor who has been doing his craft for over 25 years. I have also received additional voice training by my acting mentor and coach, Gavin MacAlinden, (https://www.actinggymnasium.co.uk/)

Other interesting facts about myself: I worked as a Police Community Support Officer for the London Metropolitan Police for four years; Travelled to 16 countries; Climbed 3 mountains, including a Himalayan peak; I speak 5 languages and most importantly I am also pursuing a career in acting and have performed in local theater in Camden, London.

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Q&A with Author Jesikah Sundin

Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
- Well, it was all rather simple. Sunny did all the hard work and I got to enjoy the fruits of his labor with commentary. Usually I’d see a notice in my inbox that another chapter was ready for review. I’d squeal, plunk myself down in a comfortable spot, pull my book up, read along as I listened to the narration, and take notes of any discrepancies I found, or feedback on how I’d prefer something to be said (emotional notes). That’s pretty much it. A fun process on my end!
Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
- Ha! No, actually. Never even crossed my mind. LEGACY was originally published in January 2014. It wasn’t until last year that I even considered an audiobook and only because I had so many potential readers comment on social media that they wished my book were in audio format. Anything for my readers ;-)
How did you select your narrator?
- It was an involved process that included far too many cups of coffee, sacrifices to the Audible gods, and sleepless night wondering if I’d ever find The One. And then I did, which was rather miraculous, as finding The One usually is. I honestly didn’t think I’d contract a voice actor because of the language difficulties narrating LEGACY would present (American and British English, Latin, French, and Japanese) and different point-of-view writing styles (cyberpunk and classical fantasy style). I’m pretty sure I cried oceans of grateful tears when Sunny sent in an audition.
How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process?
- Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters? I’m the type of individual who enfolds any person who works with me into a partnership-like relationship, be it cover illustrator, editor, beta readers, or audiobook narrator. I see it like a production crew. We could be stiff and professional, but I prefer the fluidity of ease and trust that comes only with allowing a bit of the personal in with the business. It’s not just my art we’re producing, but theirs as well, and I fully respect and covet their insight, feedback, and personal touches. So, yes, Sunny and I worked close during the entire project, bouncing thoughts off of each other as well as discussing feedback. And, also, yes, there were times I did help with certain pronunciations, and only because my listening audience is largely American and I feature American characters. But his grasp of languages is beautiful and he left me very little to do other than comment on his amazing narrating skills. #fangirl
Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
- I’m not sure if you mean “writing” as fellow writers who have inspired me or “writing” as in the stories I write. But, thankfully, the answer for both angles is similar.I read pretty much everything, from westerns to poetry to crime thrillers to the classics to everything in-between. Though, my main book diet is young adult science fiction and fantasy. My brain is author and story alphabet soup at this point. I’ve also lived in two vastly different states, in three vastly different geographical areas, and traveled all over North and parts of South America. These experiences make a great marinade for the imagination. Additionally, I spent my formative years immersed in the liberal arts (dance, opera, theater, competition choir) while studying for a degree in science (geophysics, oceanography, and ethnoscience). The combination? Weird, genre-mash-up stories, that blend the arts and sciences, and explore people, culture, geographies, and their relationship with the environments they find themselves in.
Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
- Oh, the languages and dialects for sure. Sunny Patel’s lovely British accent breathed life into my New Eden Township characters. But I was floored when the written French and Japanese became real. I sort of melt into a puddle whenever I hear him speak Leaf and Oaklee’s lines in French or Fillion’s Japanese dialogue.
How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
- Two of my friends rented a large banquet room in a restaurant and turned it into The Crypt, an underground Seattle club in the novel, complete with strobe lights and dance music, and told me to punk out more than usual. So I did. We drank beer, ate pizza, and danced for several hours … close to 60-75 people attended. The event was also open to the public. My friends converted a table into a storefront for people to purchase signed copies of LEGACY. It was a gloriously fun evening.
What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
- (1) Write every day and consume large quantities of books. Words going in make for better words going out. All experts agree that the best writers are readers. Think of it as continuing education. Reading stories (not your own) is like a writing dream-state that resets energy and prevents the imagination from stagnating. (2) Don’t get caught up in word counts as your motivator. Write as much as your story (and life) allows each day, be it 50 words or 5,000. If the focus is on word counts instead of the art of writing, your story will suffer. Writing is a craft, not a race. (3) Listen to feedback and silence the ego. Your story is a raw stone. Beta readers are the tumbler and your editor is the sand. It’s a rough, sometimes painful process, but the end result is a beautiful, polished gem. (4) Self-doubt is a cruel temptress. Ignore her cries for attention. Misery loves company and she’s a terrible friend to entertain. (5) Put your measuring stick away. The only person you should compare your work and process to is yourself. Pour energy into bettering self, not trying to be someone else. (6) Lastly, remember your writing community. Celebrate the success of others without inserting self, and always be ready to spare an encouraging word or two for a struggling peer.
What’s next for you?
- The final book in the The Biodome Chronicles series should publish around April 2018. Then, I plan to begin my next book (or series, I haven’t decided) titled, “The Last Forest Kingdoms.” Currently, I’m describing this as a scifi tale of pagan origins, blending cyberpunk/ecopunk with Celtic and Greek mythos. Here’s a rough-draft synopsis for a sneak peek :-) THE LAST FOREST KINGDOMS Avalon, a terraformed machine designed for bio-environmental warfare testing.Five Kingdoms separated by magnetic fields.
  
  A forgotten people.
  
  Until Rune Aveyard crashes on the uncharted moon and restarts Avalon’s program for permanent destruction during impact. A collision prophesied by woodland sibyls, the seers hunted and killed for heralding Avalon’s whispers. An event feared by one Kingdom, its ruler willing to annihilate all other Kingdoms to protect its secret.
  
  Sentenced by the Savages who found her, Rune follows an appointed hunter into untamed lands to track down Avalon’s computer origins. If she fails to locate the power source, everyone will die. If she refuses this quest, she'll be executed.
  
  On an engineered moon with biologically enhanced people time has forgotten, everything is not as it seems. Rune must survive the wilds of each Forest Kingdom and the war waged by one man to stop her, if Avalon doesn’t stop her first.

Jesikah Sundin's Top 10 Reasons why readers who love Under the Never Sky will appreciate Legacy

Being utterly in control of the product you put out there.
You can work on your own schedule at your own pace wherever you want.
No need for pants or a bra.
Author friends are the best friends to have.
Getting to explore new worlds and take readers on an adventure of your choosing.
It’s totally appropriate to use the word fuck as a noun, verb, and adjective.
Reading books is basically a required part of the job.
Hot guy pics are definitely a required part of the job.
Naming characters after people you love… or hate.
Seeing your name on the cover of a book you wrote and hearing people talk about how much they loved it.