Distant Cousin: Distant Cousin: Meet Ana Darcy!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Distant Cousin: Meet Ana Darcy!

The short video clip above gives an idea of Ana's basic story, but there is much, much more to Ana. She's unforgettable, and perhaps for that reason, hard to describe. Why not let readers have their say first?

"Ana Darcy is one of my favorite characters."

"Thanks, Al, for some wonderful books. It's always a pleasure to read a book where the character is so "fleshed out" that I feel I would know him/her if I met them on the street. Not only would I know them, I'd have to invited them to lunch so we could chat!"

"I love the Distant Cousin characters, they feel like family to me, I am interested in their lives, I worry about them, and I just adore them. I think I've said this about each book, but I think this one [DC5] is my favorite!"

"I love this book. I have not read anything non-work related in a while, and this book is so completely refreshing, the characters are excellent, there is a great pace, and this book is a lot of fun."

"Enormous fun! The very fast-paced plot is based on some interesting premises, there are many well-sketched characters (and some good character development), and the book is loaded with local color of several flavors. I'd add that there's a touch of innocence about the worldview that reminds me slightly of golden-age SF. I'm systematically reading my way through the series, and I recommend it highly."

"I just finished book 3 and can hardly wait for the next to see what happens next. I have thoroughly enjoyed {them}....I loved Ana Darcy. She is a very believable heroine."

"Ana Darcy (Anneyn Darshiell) – the initial human envoy from a distant world populated by “cousins” to our species – is both the most famous person on Earth and also a private individual who wants what most women want: a family, a home, and a meaningful life. The Distant Cousin series explores Darcy’s arrival on Earth, her meteoric rise to fame, her impact on world politics and technology...it seems that no one who meets this woman remains untouched by her...."

"What a fascinating concept you have developed."

"These are excellent books and are at a very good price. The first volume made my Top 10 list for 2009."

"...there are only a few books that I tend to think about or miss the characters after reading so that says a lot about your book!"

"I just finished reading Distant Cousin. Although science fiction usually is not my favorite genre, I enjoyed the novel very much. It was not overly technical, and mixed romance in nicely with the story of the extra-terrestrial. Also the book was driven more by character than by plot, which is something that I like. I am looking forward to reading more about Darcy and Matt. Thank you for writing their story."

Even MORE about Ana

It's possible to know more about Ana than you can learn from her stories. How? In this blog, Ana's own, the only blog for an extraterrestrial!

As readers of the books well know, Ana was born on the planet Thomo, and now lives on Earth. People find her history fascinating, and that's partly what her books are about. What readers may NOT know is that Ana has answered questions directly from readers. These contain information that those who only read the books do not know (see below). In that post, Ana talks about the experience of coming to Earth, her religious beliefs, her native language, Luvit, the mysterious creatures who took her ancestors to Thomo from Earth millennia ago, notable Thomans from history, the planet Thomo and its creatures, her impressions of Earth's cultures, and, perhaps surprisingly, why she married "that slug, Matt" (in the words of one reader). All her responses are here. Even if you know Ana from her stories, you might see another side of her in these responses.