If you love epic space sagas, Han Solo coded FMC’s and MMC’s like Li Shang from Mulan, you’re going to want to save this interview!
Today I’m talking with Amber Toro, whose space opera Umbra: Sentient Stars gave me all these vibes plus a whole lot of Last Air Bender feels when I listened to the audiobook this past spring. (See my review here.) Amber has just released the audio version of her sequel: Parallax, and for me it’s a must-buy.
I can’t wait to “read” the audio book so I can spend time with the fun set of characters and find out the answers to my burning questions–will Hinata and Skyla end up together? What about our other potential couple who seemed to be on the brink of their own romance? And, Skyla’s dad….whaaaa? Also… are there really going to be aliens in this one???
I’m not going to ask Amber for spoilers, I’ll have to read the book to get those questions answered. But first, I have plenty of other burning questions for Amber, so let’s get to it!
Amy: First of all, Amber, I met you through Instagram and connected right away with your posts about growing up on Star Trek, discovering romantasy as an adult, and wanting to combine the two. I’d love to hear more about your influences and how they play into the Sentient Stars series.
Amber: The Sentient Stars universe came about as a result of one thought, what if general artificial intelligence wanted to experience life like their creators did by linking their life with a human and in death rejoining a greater consciousness. This was the idea that sparked the connection between pilots and ships and shaped the world they live in.
As far as influences I grew up watching Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and Firefly. I love classic scifi and there is certainly a lot of flavor that comes from those influences in the Sentient Stars series.
Amy: I love the budding romance between Hinata and Skyla in Umbra: Sentient Stars. But the characters don’t find their HEA in Book One. Does the romance continue in Parallax? And what’s the spice level with this one?
Amber: The romance does continue into book two and not just the one between Hinata and Skyla. There was also ground work set in Umbra for another slow burn romance that readers have been obsessing about in Parallax. Parallax has one open door scene and one steamy scene.
Speaking of couples, your audio book narrators have great voices that truly bring the characters to life. But there’s something I didn’t know about this duo until today, when a post from Megan Carver slid into my feed. Your narrators are a married couple! Tell me more about how you found them, and how you knew this was the right duo to bring Skyla and Hinata to life?
Amber: I think they were just meant to be the voice of the Sentient Stars series. I was connected with them through Cortney Winn who knew I was looking for dual narrators. The second I heard their audition clips I was sold. They both do such a fantastic job bringing these characters to life.
Now, I have mixed feelings about this question, because I’m afraid it could mean the Sentient Stars series may have reached its end… but I’m also an avid romantasy reader, so I’m itching to know… is it true that your next release will be a dragon rider romance? And what does this mean for the Sentient Stars series?
Amber: First off, there are two more books in the Sentient Stars core series and I have several spin off ideas set in the same universe. I don’t plan on leaving the Sentient Stars universe behind anytime soon. But I did need something to work on while Parallax was with my editor and that is when the idea for Aether and Bone came to me. Once I started I couldn’t set it aside and I drafted the entire manuscript in 3 months. So it’s true that my next release will be a dragon rider romantasy!
Aaaaah, so much to be excited for! I’m so glad to hear there will be more Sentient Stars to look forward to. And I also can’t wait for Aether and Bone!
Thanks so much for sharing the inside scoop, Amber. For readers who are as excited to start listening to Parallax as I am, what’s the best place to get a hold of the audio books?
Amber: You can grab the Audiobook versions of Umbra and Parallax on Audible. The ebook is available on KU.
And if you prefer to shop indie you can pick up signed and special editions of my books on my website: https://amber-toro.square.site/
Or at the crafty bookstore: https://www.thecraftybookstore.com/
And for readers who want all the news on your upcoming romantasy release, what’s the best way to keep in touch?
Amber: For updates and to be the first to hear when ARCs open for my next project sign up for my newsletter here.
You can also find me at my website https://ambertoro.com/ And on social media:
Readers: Are you as relieved as I am to know there’s more Sentient Stars in the works? I’d love to know your thoughts on the interview and on Amber’s books. Let me know what you think in the comments!
