A STOLEN VIAL
Eternigen is the miracle drug that allows humans to travel in deep space. Seventeen-year-old space captain Tabitha “Dix” Dixon has the only vial of Eternigen in existence.

A RELENTLESS ENEMY
Eira Ninge always gets what she wants. She wants the Eternigen, and she’ll do anything—and kill anyone—to get it.

A DEADLY CURSE
Since Dix stole the vial, everyone she loves seems fated to die. When young resistance messenger Jordan Berrett steals her heart, she has to decide if it’s worth risking his life to let him get close. When Dix is involved, even falling in love can turn deadly.

A CHANCE FOR FREEDOM
If Dix can get her hands on more Eternigen, she and her crew can escape the solar system, leaving her dark past behind. But getting the Eternigen won’t be easy, and the bodies keep piling up. In the end, the cost of freedom may be too high.

As one of Annie’s critique partners, I’ve been lucky enough to to see Dix and her world evolve from an early version and I have to tell you: This story is so much fun.
It’s a Firefly-esque adventure for the YA crowd, with a tough and sassy female protagonist and a great cast of supporting characters. I love that Liberty is not your typical girl-blows-up-her-spaceship-and-is-rescued-by-a-cute-boy story. There is certainly romance, but it gladly takes a backseat (no pun intended) to all the action.

Available February 1st from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local bookstore.

Interview with Liberty’s Author, Annie Laurie Cechini

I love Liberty. Congratulations and good job! Dix has such a great, distinctive voice. Did she come to you all at once, or did she evolve in the writing?

Well thank you! You know, her voice and personality was always there from the very beginning, but the choices that she makes evolved and changed over the course of drafts and revisions, and I think her character has more depth now than when I started. I think.

I know that the setting certainly evolved as you wrote. You posted sketches on your blog of an early version of Dix standing at the wheel of her ship. It has a very steampunk, Jules Verne vibe. How did Liberty’s world and setting change?

Oh gosh, I only really had the image of her ship, and Berrett’s rocket pack when I started out, so it changed a LOT. In fact, my editor kept saying, “WORLD. BUILDING. And also, fewer all caps.” No lie. I really had to think about the kind of world I wanted Dix to inhabit, and how that would impact her choices and her story. Doing that, and then writing about that in a way that would feel like an effortless part of the story was my biggest struggle with Liberty.

They are my life. There is nothing in the world I personally value more. Aside from, possibly, Nutella.

DUDE. Tough question! Um…I’m going to say it’s a toss up between Hobs and CiCi.

I haven’t started using my own swear words yet, but my friends and family have started using them, which I find incredibly weird and surreal. I grew up around very intelligent, extroverted family and they made up words and stories all the time, so creating random pseudo-swears was fun. I felt Dix was the kind of character who would readily use swear words, but I didn’t want to alienate part of my audience. Flark and skud seemed like a good compromise.

Hmm, how honest do you want me to be, here? Because if I’m being really honest, it takes me most of the morning to overcome the I CAN’T DO IT resistance. And then I sit down at my desk with my cup of hot chocolate and a blanket and a space heater (why oh why did I ever leave California?) and then I stare at the screen, and play with my phone (read: TWITTER!). And then I get my playlist going, and eventually I start trying to tackle a scene or two. Once I get going, I can crank out the words pretty fast, and I love having a draft to fiddle with and revise. It’s just getting that draft that slays me. Every. Single. Time. Bribery and SUPER awesome fellow writers sprinting with me helps me stay motivated when I want to be all like: INTERNET. FOREVER.

Oh my. Lots of writing, revising, pacing, praying, more revising, trying to think up clever jokes to wow my friends with on social media, the occasional meltdown over whether or not I’m a lousy writer…the usual. It’s surprising to discover the kinds of mind games I have to use on myself to weasel out a fun story. I do spend a part of every day telling my inner critic to stuff it until the first draft is done, and sometimes I go for walks to try and work out kinks in the plot or dialogue. I may or may not be seen mumbling to myself as I walk along fixing said plot or dialogue. There is a very good reason why people think writers are crazy. Hint: WE ARE.

If Liberty were to be made into a movie, who would be your dream cast?

Wow. You know, I’ve never actually thought about this. I would love to have Charlize Theron play Eira.

I will say this, I would want actual teenagers playing the parts of the kids, none of this hi-I’m-really-in-my-twenties nonsense. Not that I’m opinionated on the subject or anything.

GEESE ARE EVIL.

(You asked. People should know. Parks should come with warning signs: Here resides the Spawn of Evil. Do not throw bread crumbs or they will attack your children and scar them for ALL ETERNITY).

Also, Liberty comes out February 1st. There may be laser tag. Thanks for checking it out! And thanks for the interview, Heidi!

Liberty Giveaway

Note: The giveaway is now closed. Congratulations Marian! You are going to love it.

Want to win your own ebook copy? All you have to do in answer the following question in the comments:

What is your favorite constellation?

I’ll choose a winner at random next Monday, January 21st.

Annie Laurie Cechini is a connoisseur of every type of geekery. She signs books with a sonic screwdriver, owns a Tribble named Nimoy, and often threatens in all seriousness to name a child after a character from the Star Wars lexicon. Her first novel, LIBERTY, will be released through Rhemalda Publishing on February 1st, 2013. Annie also co-authored and produced CHRISTMAS WISHES, an anthology that benefits the family of murder victim Sam LaCara.

Connect with Annie on her blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

P.S. I just heard from Annie’s publisher that the ebook of Liberty is available early. If you don’t win it, head over to Amazon or Barnes and Noble to pick up a copy or pre-order it in print.