About the Author

J.M. is an author, screenwriter, and professional smartypants. With an MA in Communications and Culture, she's appeared in podcasts, documentaries, and on radio and television to discuss all things geeky through the lens of academia. She also has an addiction to scarves, Doctor Who, and tea, which may or may not all be related. Her life's ambition is to have stepped foot on every continent (only 3 left!) J.M.'s also a professionally trained actor who takes absolute delight in weird stories, over the top performances, and quirky characters. She's played everything from Marmee to the Red Queen, Jane Eyre to Annie, and dozens of strange creatures and earnest heroines as a voice actor. Her debut novel Triptych was nominated for two Lambda Literary Awards, won the San Francisco Book Festival award for SF/F, was nominated for a 2011 CBC Bookie, was named one of The Advocate's Best Overlooked Books of 2011, and garnered both a starred review and a place among the Best Books of 2011 from Publishers Weekly. Her sophomore novel, an epic-length feminist meta-fantasy titled The Untold Tale, (book one of the Accidental Turn Series), debuted December 2015, and was followed up by The Forgotten Tale in 2016 and The Silenced Tale in December 2017. The Skylark's Song, book one of The Skylark's Saga, a steampunk action novel about a girl vigilante and her mysterious rocketpack, soared into book stores in 2018, and was followed up by The Skylark's Sacrifice in September 2019. The Skylark's Saga was signed to a shopping agreement for an animation series in 2018. Her time-travel novel "The Woman Who Fell Through Time" was named a winner of the 2019 WATTY AWARD for Historical Fiction.

Reviews

"Time travel, aliens, and the politics of sexuality combine with tragic violence in Frey's deeply satisfying debut . . . The story is so well-grounded in the characters that it never once loses its course. Frey tells the story from varying points of view in distinct voices, imagining a world at once completely alien and utterly human."
-Publishers Weekly, Starred Review"A stirring adventure, as well as a tender love story, from a first time author who truly embraces the limitless possibilities the future may bring. JM Frey's Triptych satisfies any sci-fi reader looking for a different take on the first contact motif, or anyone looking to explore the possible evolution of human sexuality and love."
-Lambda Literary "I was afraid we'd be left with a lot of technical asides and scientific musings to explore the aliens. Fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Instead of being cold and clinical, the approach here is warm and human. I won't spoil any of what happens between them, but I will say I shed tears of joy and tears of sorrow for this unusual family, and that's an accomplishment few authors can claim. Not only is this a wonderful story, but it's a wonderfully told story."
-Sally Sapphire, Bending the Bookshelf"The big mindblowing debut I've seen this year has been J.M. Frey's Triptych, and it's from such a small press that I doubt it will get the attention it deserves."
-Rose Fox, Genreville blog"I finished Triptych in one go last night, couldn't put it down even. It's a very impressive first novel and if Ms. Frey continues to do with science fiction what she's done in this book she might single-handedly be credited with reviving the entire genre. Bravo! Encore, encore!"
--Todd McCaffrey, The Dragonriders of Pern series"A brilliantly challenging piece of pure Science Fiction."
-Dr. Mike Perschon, The Steampunk Scholar"J.M. Frey's ability to draw one into her story is irrefutable. I am impressed by the strength of her plot and the way her characters come to life."
-Jillian Boheme, Gathering Storm"Just finished it. Miss it already. Write another! It was unput-downable!"
-Jill Golick, Ruby Skye, P.I. and president of the Writers Guild of Canada"In Triptych, J.M. Frey takes a global first-contact story into microcosm as compelling domestic drama. She inhabits the alien, not as invader, or ambassador, but in a refreshing take as awkward, down-on-his-luck houseguest. Her characterizations include great sensitivity, nuance and imaginative detail. On top of all this, she successfully sets up a conspiracy that jumps through time for its payoff. Frey is a talent to watch."
-Laurie Channer, Godblog TRIPTYCH "really works the emotional states of the characters and the readers simultaneously. For me, a book that can evoke so many feelings in me is perfection . . . I love how sex, sexuality, gender, identity, prejudice and love intermix in such mind blowing ways."
-Doctor Jennifer Brayton, Associate Professor of Sociology, Ryerson University