Description: This cozy action-adventure with romantic elements follows Anya, a non-playable character (NPC) in a fantasy role-playing game, as she discovers new details of her origin story that push her into the main questline alongside grumpy Cyrus Blackwood as they work to prove to themselves--and their creators--that they can be heroes too.
Brief description: J. J. Kochmanski writes science fiction and fantasy that explores the interface between humans and technology. When he's not writing, he works as a data scientist at a biotechnology company, investigating cancer treatments. He has a PhD in toxicology with a focus on gene-environment interactions, and he's passionate about understanding how the built environment impacts human health and evolution. In his free time, he runs, travels, watches scary movies, and chases around a toddler. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his family.
Review Quotes:
"[A] diverting debut... Brimming with humor, opposites-attract banter, and cozy fantasy elements, this compact adventure offers plenty of fun. It will be a pleasure for video game aficionados." --Publishers Weekly
"The Side Questers is a fun romp, taking typical tropes and turning them on their head. It's a world full of characters I'd love to get a beer with--a perfectly poured beer, for that matter." --Eric Ugland, author of the Good Guys series
"In Eternity's latest video game update, two 'non-player' characters break the script--and discover real life might be the strangest game of all. J.J. Kochmanski delivers a smart, playful adventure with a mind-bending question at its core: Who is the clockmaker--and is any of this real?" --Scott Hylbert, author of Task Lyst