When charisma is a superpower,
it's a mind-bending force.
“Stilson debuts with an energetic vision of a dystopian near-future America … This cyberpunk adventure delivers plenty of future tech and social commentary to please genre fans.”
—Publishers Weekly
About Janet
Janet Stilson lives in two worlds. She is a creative writer whose body of work includes novels, short stories, scripts and a short film. She is also a journalist who has served as an editor and correspondent for many fine publications.
About The Juice
A dystopian, cyberpunk novel about media set a few decades into the future
Jarat Ellington was just an exile from Elite society, trying to lead a simple life, when a genius friend dropped an explosive mystery in his lap. The old pal, Thom Tseng, created a priceless chemical substance called the Juice that turns mildly charming people into almost god-like presences, known as Charismites. But the Juice is stolen, and Thom killed.
Praise
“The Juice is ambitious and genre-bending, blending cyberpunk, espionage, romance, and social commentary in a fast-paced story … The main thread is entertaining, tech-centric, and action-packed enough to keep readers engaged to the end.”
— Booklist
“An interesting science fiction cross dystopia story that is sure to open some eyes, especially with its political cross references. I’m looking forward to reading more of Janet’s work in the future!”
—The Nerd Daily
“Janet has written some incredibly original script concepts. She has great instincts and an undeniable talent for writing.”
— Felipe Machado, Independent Producer (“Don’t Breathe,” “The Grudge,” “Crawl”)
“The Juice is full of high energy and memorable characters. Its pregnant plot ideas pulled me onto a rollercoaster thrill ride. It is sexy and smart, with a contemporary and assured voice.”
— David Kenin, former executive at CBS & USA Networks
“The Juice is a rollicking, inventive, and insightful read — heady, heartfelt but never heavy-handed.”
— Elizabeth Guider, Novelist, former executive editor of Variety and editor of The Hollywood Reporter
“Janet is not only a superb journalist but a master of keeping the trolley on the tracks, managing a stable of free-lancers while honing her own craft.”
— Marianne Paskowski, Former Editor, Multichannel News
Major Themes and Threads
Janet writes personal, human stories set in larger sci-fi and fantasy worlds.
She explores:
- Who we trust, and who we simply can’t;
- The intoxicating power of charisma and magnetism;
- How advertising and media increasingly influence our opinions and behavior;
- The ways in which political figures shape public perceptions;
- How we stay humane in the face of injustice.
Featured Podcasts & Interviews
The podcast Sci-Fi Talk featured Janet
Janet talks about The Juice on The Reading & Writing Podcast
Janet describes some of her favorite sci-fi novels on shepherd.com
Latest Blog Post
The Truth Might Send You Into a Frightful Frenzy, and Maybe Into Sleep
What stories send you off to dreamland? One of the kindest, most generous people I know likes TV series about real-life murder mysteries, no matter how grisly. (Love that about her.) For me, stories about trains taking me to exotic locations in distant times, or fantasy tales, are just the thing.
When it comes to fantasy, one the great masters to whom I bow down is Neil Gaiman. I was among the legion of fantasy and horror geeks who have highly anticipated the debut of his “The Sandman” TV series — adapted from Gaiman’s comic books.
