by S. C. Jensen
Highbinder – a corrupt official, original meaning
Kiss – to punch, original meaning
Kretek – clove cigarettes, original meaning
Long bird – sky train
Pinch – a drug addict, originally “to arrest”
Plug – an android
Pro skirt – a prostitute, original meaning
Rate – used to indicate veracity or quality. “That rates” may mean either “That’s good” or “That sounds true,” originally “to be good” or “to count for something”
Scatter – a hideout, or to hide, original meaning
Shill – an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others, original meaning
Silk – good/okay, original meaning
Skin – a nanoparticle “shell” used to change one’s appearance, often used for robots, androids, and personal enhancement for those who can afford it
Slug – subway
Tattler – a communication device similar to a smartphone
Ticket – a license, original meaning
Top—to kill
Twist – a romantic partner, original meaning (female only)
Upgrade – a cybernetic replacement part
Vetch – derogatory term for females and femmes
Thank you for reading Pop ’Em One!
Phew. This was an emotional book for me to write as it marks a major turning point in Bubbles’ character arc. I hope the resolution feels more satisfying than the cliff hanger of Book 2. I decided to expand the projected length of this novel in order to tie up as many threads as I could this time. How did I do?
As you may remember from my last book, this series was born out of my love for the classic noir pulp novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, and the 1980s cyberpunk movement in science fiction. I love the tropes in these genres, and I’ve tried to incorporate as many as I could.
One trope I’ve flipped in this story, though, is that of the alcoholic detective. Bubbles is a milestone character for me because she is the first character I’ve written who reflects my own battles with alcohol abuse and (thankfully) my recovery. Throughout the series, I hope to expand on some of the challenges Bubbles faced in addiction and now has to deal with in recovery. Many readers have reached out to me to share their own experiences with alcohol abuse and recovery since I put out Tropical Punch. I am thrilled to hear that others are finding a connection with Bubbles’ journey! Please keep sharing.
I will be releasing at least five full-length novels in the Bubbles in Space series, as well as four novella length stories in the HoloCity Case Files series. If you’d like to be one of the first to read the next instalment in either series, please join my VIP readers club where you will be notified of pre-orders, new releases, and you can sign up to be on my Advanced Review Copy team!
You can join via the pop-up on my website, www.scjensen.com, or by clicking this link.
If you enjoyed Pop ’Em One, please consider leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads. Reviews help authors improve their craft and help readers find the right books for them. I read every single one of them, good or bad, and use that critique for the next book I write. By writing a review, you can help me produce better books for you to read.
Thank you!
I always get a little nervous when typing up this section of the book. There are so many people who have helped to bring this book into being, and I would hate to leave out someone vital. But here goes…
Unique to this book, I’d like to thank Miss Johanna Bloodthorne, a young trans woman who asked to see her witchy cosplay character represented in one of my novels. Now, I don’t often take requests like this. It’s easy to loose the thread of your own story when you try to add too many ideas at once! The timing was right, though, and Johanna’s request got my gears turning as I started to consider ways that a witch character might work in a futuristic setting. This little creative problem spawned new questions and resulted in a whole new setting that you will get to see in Book 4, Spit ’Em Out. So thank you, Johanna, for reaching out and for giving me a little push in a new direction. You couldn’t know it at the time, but you changed Bubbles’ path in this series!
And then there are the usual suspects…
First and foremost, I must thank my parents for instilling me with a love of story from a young age and encouraging my dreams to become a writer. To this day, they are among my first readers and most loyal supporters, and I will be forever grateful for that.
Next, of course, is my husband without whom none of this would ever have been possible. He rescued my first attempt at writing a novel from the trash and saved it until I was ready to take another kick at the can. He reads with me, brainstorms ideas with me, and remains to this day the only person I will show my rough drafts to! Not to mention the long hours he works so that I am able to pursue my dreams, and his unwavering belief in my ability to make this dream a reality. I couldn’t ask for more.
And my children, who sometimes seem to do everything in their power to keep me from writing but who, through their own passion for stories, share my dreams, believe in me, and every day throw fuel on my creative fire with their endless enthusiasm and curiosity. I’m so proud to be the mother of these fierce creatures with their unbridled imaginations.
Then there are my wonderful friends—fellow readers (all) and writers (most)—who have given me so much feedback to help me improve this book, and others. I won’t try to name you all, but you know who you are! Thank you for being a part of my team. I couldn’t have done it without you.
Writing can be a lonely occupation, but I am very fortunate to have a great virtual support network through social media. The writing community on Instagram is phenomenal. On Facebook, the 20BooksTo50K group and all of the various Science Fiction and Fantasy book clubs I belong to. The amazing reviewers on Goodreads. And, of course, my very own VIP Readers Group. I love you all!
I’d also like to thank the professionals who helped me to transform a plain old word document into a real-life book! Elle Fort of EditElle – Writing & Editing Services, who keeps all those nitty-gritty details in line. Any mistakes in this book are my fault; I probably went and changed something without asking her first. Farah Faqir of Crafted By AF for her design and formatting of the final manuscript. I love the custom chapter headings in the paperback! And Martin, my hero, of Cover Art Studio for his endless patience and boundless creative vision. Thank you for bringing my ideas to life with your art! And for putting up with me in the process.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can’t say it enough.
Maybe I’ll just go write another book.