Maria Hammarblad's Blog, page 43

Undercover, excerpt four

When Mark and Alex went to get their coats, Jenny watched their backs for a second with a longing she couldn't define. She must have been alone for too long. She shook herself out of it and went towards her office, but her feet stopped just before crossing the threshold. At the other end of the corridor, Alex looked back over his shoulder and winked at her. Her heart skipped a beat, and in the next moment Nori was there, pulling her into the room.
Trying to whisper wasn't Nori's strong side, and Jenny was happy the men already left the building when her friend asked, "What was that? What just happened? Are you crazy? He's probably from the Russian mafia or something, and you're going to get yourself raped and killed."
Jenny sighed and made a dismissive gesture, but her friend knew her much too well for something like that to work. As hard as she tried not to confess anything, Nori was relentless, and she finally sat down. "Oh hell yes, he's gorgeous. I feel... I don't know... It was electric."
Her friend giggled. "So, when will you see him again?"
Nori had always been the pushier one, and Jenny took a lot of pleasure in delivering the news. "Soon. Mark invited me for lunch. They'll come pick me up."
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop grinning. Lunch was just a little over an hour away.
Nori's eyes were just as dark as her hair, and now they went wide with cheerful surprise. "Ooooh, that's great. I'm so proud of you."
Looking innocent was almost impossible, but Jenny managed, at least for a few seconds. "Don't be. He sort of asked. I didn't do a thing."
"Who did? Mark?"
Jenny winked and replied as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "No, silly, Alex did."Her friend squealed, loud enough to carry into the surrounding rooms, "Oooh, that's great, this is so exciting."
Jenny smirked. It hadn't taken Nori many seconds to forget all about the Russian mafia and the possibilities of her being raped, murdered, and possibly cut up into little pieces to be conveniently fed to any predator nearby. 


If you like it this far, see the book on Amazon.

Undercover, excerpt three

As much as Jenny tried, it was difficult not to be carried away on pleasant fantasies when they stood talking side by side in the tiny kitchen, leaning against the high counter. He looked relaxed, but she was jittery, and didn't trust herself not to say or do something dumb, like pouring coffee all over herself. 

He spoke English well, but slowly, as if making sure to pronounce the words correctly. He had a small but charming Russian accent that gave familiar words an exciting new melody. 
Jenny cupped her hands around the warm mug. She should say something, but what? If she opened her mouth, something stupid might come out, like, "Nice weather," or, "What's the weather like in Russia?"
Alex's eyes glittered. "You have good coffee."
"Yeah, it's not bad. Mark usually makes a pot in the morning. He really likes coffee. So, what's the weather like where you come from?"
There it was, the stupid weather. Great for stalling a customer on the phone, but right now, not so much. Why couldn't she talk like a normal person instead of going from mute to babbling?
Alex chuckled, "Cold, colder, cold, really hot, and back to cold."
If those were the seasons, it did not sound appealing. "What are you here for?"
He made a dismissive gesture, "Nothing interesting. Steel samples for a new kind of ship."
She gave a blank stare. A ship could be almost anything.
"For the navy. Our countries are friends now, no?"
"To be honest, I can barely remember the time when we weren't."
He smiled and winked. "Well, you made the trip worthwhile."
Was he flirting? No, it must be her imagination, or maybe a cultural difference. Either way, she should probably increase the distance between them. Maybe top off her coffee with some milk... She didn't move; their arms were almost touching, and being close to someone made her long for more contact.
"The navy, huh? Isn't that exciting? How did you decide to do that? What do you do there? Is it scary? Must be in the colder part of the year now, right?"
Her stream of words made him smile. "It's not very exciting to do... or talk about. How did you decide to work here?"
She got almost half an hour with the intriguing guest before Mark came back, wearing a distant smile she knew was reserved for clients. "So, you've had a coffee break, that's good. Should we continue the tour?"
Jenny didn't want them to go, at least not without her going with them. Most people only stopped by the little office building once, so when he was gone, he was most likely gone for good. Alex solved her dilemma by flashing an enigmatic smile, saying, "It has been very nice talking to you. Perhaps I will see you for lunch?"
He wouldn't, not just like that. For someone spending all her time talking to customers, she got to see very little of them. She dared risk paralysis and looked into Alex's eyes. "I don't know. For a salesman, he's sort of rude, you know. He hasn't invited me."
It seemed a bit risky, but surely, the old joke would work this time too. "Everyone in this building is friends, except for him. Mark only has colleagues."
Mark initiated the saying himself, years earlier, and now he rolled his eyes and answered the same way he always did, "Well, that's true. I mean, who would want to be friends with you guys?"
Alex lifted his eyebrows, evidently amused. "But I insist. Unless the lady has some other... engagement."
Jenny grinned like a contented cat, and Mark chuckled at his own joke. He answered, completely unfazed by the large Russian towering over him, "Alright, Jen, you can come. We'll take this way back and pick you up."
She could have hugged him. It was hard to hide her excitement, and she took the mugs to the sink to keep herself occupied. "Okay, boys. See you later."


Like it this far? Come back tomorrow for some more! ;-) You can also see the book here.

Undercover, excerpt two

The phone rang for the umpteenth time that morning and Jenny rolled her eyes as she reached for it. This was turning out to be quite an ordinary, chaotic day, just like all the ones before it. She didn't know what she was waiting for, or even why she kept expecting something exciting to happen, but there had to be more to life than this. Surely, the point of living couldn't be to get up early every morning to fight weather and traffic in order to get to work, and work all day just to go back home to a frugal dinner and fall asleep.
Maybe it was just the frustration of the season with the holidays in the past, New Year's promises already broken, and the new year turning into a copy of the old. Her heart and mind were ready for a change, but she didn't know for what.
It had been almost exactly ten years since her first interview at Specialty Steel Associated. The job didn't grow any more exciting as the passing days turned into weeks, months, and years. It wasn't what she dreamed of doing as a little girl, but as time went by, it was getting difficult to imagine another option.
Their department was understaffed and overworked, and the double work load was starting to show. Jen wasn't usually the cause of customers' problems, but her job was to soothe and solve emergencies, and all the yelling made her edgy. This morning alone one major customer received wrong materials and was furious. Another got his material early, and was upset because his warehouses were full. He refused to unload the trucks. A third customer was livid over the opposite; he hadn't gotten anything for weeks. Emails flowed into her inbox like waves against some distant shore, and she wished for a computer for a brain instead of a human one. Something would go wrong, she would forget something, and it was just a matter of time.
She reached out to disconnect her phone, wondering if "business meeting" or "lunch" would be the best lie to cover the situation and send the caller to voicemail, and sensed someone standing in the doorway. Flashing an automatic smile without really looking, she continued what she was doing, and heard the visitors cross the room to say hello to Nori.
A smile tugged at her lips when she heard Mark's voice. He mentored her when she joined the company, and they shared many jokes the newer additions to the office didn't understand. He used his best sales voice, reserved for important customers, and Jenny smirked when she heard him explain, "In here we have Nori, who works with deliveries, and Jenny, who handles well, we're not sure what it is, really. She comes in every day, so I'm certain she does something."
It was an old and rather demeaning pun, but the visitors were new every day and usually laughed, so why the hell not. Giving her head a slight shake, she mocked, "You're not supposed to know. It's a company secret."
She wasn't paying attention. People streamed in and out of the office all day long every day, and she often thought there were more people passing through than at the airport. They were the heart of the business. Everyone with a problem wanted to talk to them, and everyone trying to sell something wanted to show them off.
Jenny rose to greet the newcomer, still wondering what to do with those trucks. Maybe she could redirect the material somewhere... Her imagination painted out a big red car with a very angry driver. It might have been a Volvo.
Reality returned the moment the visitor shook her hand, and a pair of warm brown eyes erased every thought of work, customers, and other mundane problems. The world around her became dimmer and less important, and she was surprised she managed to say her name. "Jenny." Getting a word over her own lips was a great accomplishment. One that helped her avoid looking like a complete idiot at that.
The stranger flashed a warm smile. "Alexei Roshenko. Please, call me Alex." 
He was handsome; tall and well built with dark hair that seemed to want to go its own way, and his grip on her hand made her think she really would forget how to talk The touch was electric, sending little sparkles up and down her spine, and she hoped she wasn't blushing.
Returning his smile, Jenny spoke as naturally as she could. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Alex. Would you like some coffee or tea or something?"
Alex held her gaze. "I would love some."
He held on to her hand a moment longer, and when he let it go, a sensation of something missing overwhelmed her. She wanted to reach out for him, and was surprised she could walk the few steps to the kitchen without stumbling over her own feet. She heard Mark mumble behind her back, "What just happened?"
Nori whispered, "I have no idea."
Jenny didn't care about them anymore. At that moment, the big red truck from her imagination could have rammed the building, and she might have been irritated over the noise, but apart from that not been too worried about it.
She smiled, distracted, and avoided looking at the man next to her out of fear of being paralyzed. She wondered why her hands weren't shaking when she took clean mugs down from the shelf. "Do you want tea or coffee?"
Alex leaned his head a little to the side and pretended to consider it, but even Jenny could see it was a ploy, and she half expected him to say he didn't like either. Her imagination ran away with her, and she wanted to slap herself to snap out of it. This was work. He was a customer and nothing else. No matter how handsome or intriguing she might find him, he would never be anything but a customer, and she needed to be professional. Yes, professional would be the word of the day.
A smile tugged at his mouth, and she prayed to whatever deity might be listening he couldn't see in her eyes how she already imagined what his touch might feel like. Surely, having those strong arms wrapped around her would... She forced herself to stop. What was she thinking? She wasn't thinking at all, and that was the problem.
She barely noticed when Marc walked through the sunny kitchen, heading for the stairs. "Well, you seem to be well taken care of, Alex. I'll go check my e-mail. I'll be back in a few."


Like it this far? Come back tomorrow for some more! ;-) You can also see the book here.

Undercover, excerpt one

The snow fell heavily, and the wind playing with the flakes made them whirl into the woman's eyes as she approached a low red building. She huddled down, pulled her heavy coat tighter around her body to keep out the cold, and jogged in spite of the ice under her feet. As much as she loved western Massachusetts, she hated the winters with a passion.
When she reached the short stair leading up to the front door, she glanced down at the concrete and smiled. Someone had been up early and brushed the snow off the steps. It was a nice but futile gesture in weather like this.
Futile or not, it made her feel welcome. Coming back to work wasn't too bad after all. She'd taken a few days of vacation between Christmas and New Year’s, and the week that seemed so long when the holidays started flew by.
Safe from the cold, she tried to shake the snow from her coat just inside the door, before heading to the lunchroom to pick up a cup of coffee to get the chill out of her bones. The Christmas decorations that seemed so cheery and bright a few weeks earlier hung dusty and dull. It didn't seem likely they would fade just because the holidays were over, but they did seem to possess a magical beauty that only worked through December each year.
Heavy footsteps woke her from her reverie and she looked up, flashing a smile when she saw a tall man with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "Good morning, Mark."
He glanced to the side and grumbled something unintelligible.
"Oh, aren't you in quite a mood today."
A smile tugged at his lips, and he looked a little guilty. "I'm sorry, Jen. It's just that being home is very good compared to being here. Gimme an hour or so..."
Shrugging, the woman took her mug and continued the few steps to her office, sipping the hot, black brew. Mark made her smile; he was unique. He was the only man she knew who truly appreciated being at home with his family.
About an hour later someone entered the small office, and Jenny looked up with a big smile. "Nori, it's so good to see you. It seems like an eternity since we were here, and at the same time it feels like yesterday. Isn't it strange?"
Familiar voices drifted in through the door.
"Do we have any coffee?"
"Oh my, what happened to you?"
"My wife bought me skis for Christmas."
Jenny tossed her pen on the desk. "I have a good feeling about this. It'll be the best year ever."
Nori laughed and brushed snow out of her long dark locks. She tossed her coat on a chair. "I hope you're right, girl. Last year sure wasn't too exciting."
A few minutes later, another colleague entered the office and Jenny tried again, but no one shared her enthusiasm for a new year. Most of them said it was just more of the same old that wouldn't stop until death.
Like it this far? Come back tomorrow for some more! ;-) You can also see the book here.

Courage and Retribution

Below is an excerpt from Courage and Retribution - a Kidnapped prequel available free from Desert Breeze Publishing. 

The wooden staircase creaked under William's feet. He squinted into the basement's complete darkness, remembered the flashlight in his hand, and made his way to a bare light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Its light didn't reach all the way into the corners of the room, and it sent strange shadows crawling over the walls.He kept his head bent; he was too tall to stand straight in the confined space. "It's not elegant, but should be safe enough for now."Three dirty faces turned toward him with faith shining from their eyes, and he swallowed hard. What if he couldn't live up to their trust? No, he couldn't afford to think like that. He started down this road. There was no going back.A female hand clutched his. It was small and cold and made him want to protect her. "Thank you. I don't know what we'd do without you."He cupped his hands around hers. "I have to go. The congregation will be here soon. You just stay put down here, okay?" Taking a glance around the bare room, he exhaled through his teeth. There had to be a better place to hide the family than this dank cellar, but he couldn't think of anything. "I'm sorry it's not nicer."The woman made a dismissive gesture. "We're alive."She was right. Their insurrection might have been a minor one, but they were still refugees from the Alliance. Having the biggest war machine of the galaxy on their heels, feeling safe even for a moment must be a luxury. "I'll bring you some food as soon as I can."Back in the large meeting hall, he closed the trapdoor and rolled the carpet back into place just in the nick of time; people were already banging on the doors. He opened with a warm smile on his face. "I'm sorry, I ran a little late this morning. Come in, come in!"It would take a few minutes for everyone to come inside and sit down, and he stepped into a back room for a sip of water. The first refugees they'd seen for a decade arriving on the day of the yearly town meeting seemed more than a coincidence. Maybe it was fate.He still wasn't sure how to help the refugees. They would need new identity chips, maybe even new faces. Surely, there had to be a way for them to disappear...The murmur of the crowd drifted in through the closed door. He needed to stop brooding and go meet them. He took a deep breath, brushed his hands over his clothes, and stepped back into the large hall. "Friends, neighbors, I am pleased you've allowed me to serve you yet another full turn around the sun."They applauded and he smiled. Standing in the limelight relaxed him, even though a part of his mind still wondered about the people hidden under his feet. He held up his hands and the crowd hushed. "As your preacher..." Someone called out, "and ma-yor" and the crowd laughed. William laughed too. "And mayor, I have the pleasure to look after both your homes and your souls."A sparsely clad woman stood up and hollered, "Well, you didn't want mine!" The crowd roared with laughter and William had to raise his voice to make himself heard, "Bernie, you are precious to me, but my faith does not allow me to pay for services such as yours."The village held Bernie's establishment in high regard, but he still almost turned down this assignment because of it. Now, he was glad he accepted. He knew the name of every person in the room, knew their virtues and vices, their joys and their problems. "You are my family!"He wasn't aware of saying those words aloud until he heard people clapping and cheering with approval. Honesty was a good approach, and the meeting was going better than his wildest expectations. Everyone seemed in such a good mood, the time might be right to get serious. "We have a challenge ahead of us, something we need to discuss."His feet took on a life of their own, leading him across the floor, closer to the audience. "The Alliance tightens their hold on all systems, and the fallout is coming our way. I say it's our duty to stand up against oppression and care for those who are weaker. We cannot cower in fear. Are you with me?"For a moment, he thought he might have misjudged the situation. No one moved, not a chair creaked, and he could hear a bird sing outside. Then, the crowd roared its approval.

Interview with Pippa Jay

After joining the SFR Brigade, I've met so many fantastic scifi romance authors. I have one of them here on the blog today: it is a pleasure to introduce Pippa Jay!

Welcome Pippa Jay - Author of Science Fiction with a Romantic Soul!
Please tell us your latest news!
I self published a hot scifi romance short story back in November and I have a YA scifi novel coming out with Champagne Books in June.
If you were to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No. Some people have found the ending of Terms & Conditions Apply controversial, but I like that about it. 

Interesting. I haven't read that book, but now I really have to check it out! Who is your favorite author, and what really strikes you about their work? 

Jaine Fenn. I love how she blends a touch of fantasy with tech, which is what I like to do. I aspire to being as good as her. 

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?  

I hated it when books ended or didn't finish the way I thought they should. So I wrote my own versions. Ironically I remember one of those early attempts was a Star Wars sequel to Return of the Jedi. And now they're making one! 

How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?  

I got teased a lot for it to begin with, because no one took it very seriously. My husband read my first two books as drafts because I didn't have anyone else to read them before submission (do I get an awwww?). But it isn't really his genre, and now I know fellow authors willing to read, he's escaped the torture. Otherwise, no. My two eldest kids are looking forward to Gethyon - my June release - because that's okay for them to read. They aren't old enough for the romance ones. 

Do your fictional characters develop on their own, or do you have their lives planned out in advance? 

They very much go their own way once I've started them off. For example, Keir was never intended as a romance but my characters pulled a fast one on me. 

That's funny. Do you base any of your characters personalities off people you know, and if so, do you tell them? 

One or two may be based on people I know. But I'd never tell them. 

What type of scene do you enjoy writing the most? 

I love to write tragic scenes, to explore my characters suffering. 

Hahaha, that's funny, but kinda mean. LOL! How does it feel when you write? 

Depends on what I'm writing. If ideas are coming thick and fast it feels like a race against the muse to get the words out, which is exhilarating. If I'm struggling the frustration makes me want the bang my head on the keyboard. Mostly I'm so lost in the scene or the emotion of it, I'm oblivious to everything else. 

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in writing?

Getting over my own self-doubt enough to keep on writing and to submit. 

Of all the wonderful pieces you’ve written (Please list them all so I don’t miss one or worse, misspell one), which is your favorite? 

Wow, that's like asking me to pick my favourite child! Er, out of my published works it has to be Keir, because it was my debut novel. The Bones of the Sea was an experiment - my first short story and first attempt at self publishing. Terms & Conditions Apply was a personal challenge - to write something hotter, and also to a setting and theme decided by someone else as a submission call. Gethyon is what I call my Star Wars story - a lot of fun to do but it didn't tear my heart out as much as Keir.

Out of my WIPs it has to be Tethered, another science fiction romance. Again, it was a push to do something different - single POV, and with characters a step away from Keir. I just have such a good feeling about the story. 

What’s your favorite place you’ve visited?  Do you have a “must see” destination on your bucket list? 

I really loved Sweden. It's so vast, and so quiet and open. It's hard to get away from the sound of traffic and the glow of light pollution in the UK, and the real sense of solitude and the escape from civilisation in Sweden really struck a chord. As for must see - New Zealand, Alaska, Thailand, Fuerte Ventura and pretty much anywhere in Scandinavia all feature. 

Yay! I miss Sweden for all those reasons. Is there something funny about you people don’t know? 

Not that I'm confessing in public. ;) 

Hehe, now you have me curious. Anything else you want to share? 

Keep a watch out for a science fiction romance anthology coming from the SFR Brigade later this year. There's a range of very talented authors submitting to this project, and it's going to be available to download for free! 

Thanks for having me, Maria. :) 

An absolute pleasure!


To see more of Pippa Jay, visit:

Blog: http://pippajay.blogspot.co.uk Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5054558.Pippa_Jay Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Pippa-Jay-Adventures-in-Scifi/114058821953752 Twitter: https://twitter.com/pippajaygreen

It's here, it's here, Happy Joy Joy, it's here! =D

What might have arrived that makes me this excited? A copy of Kidnapped in paperback! Thus far, the book has been available as e-book for all sorts of readers. Starting this week, it's also available in print.

Kindles and Nooks are okay, but I like holding a book in my hands, and the cover looks so good.

What? I haven't remembered to tell you what the book is about? Silly me! *slaps forehead*

Blurb: 

It's a late winter night when Patricia Risden heads home in her car, on a road she's driven many times before. She doesn't have a care in the world, that is, until a man appears from nowhere, right in front of her. 

When she awakes, she finds herself a prisoner of the unscrupulous Alliance Commander Travis 152; an intimidating man who demands information and complete cooperation. Travis soon realizes his mistake; Tricia doesn't know anything, and she is incapable of even getting a glass of water from the ship's computer. 

Infamous for being a ruthless executioner, conditioned since childhood to feel nothing besides fear and pain, he still deems her harmless, and finds enough pity for the lost young woman to let her out of the cell; a decision that will change both their lives forever.

What about language?

My husband and I watched a show about vikings the other day, and he asked if I understood the language in the show; I often giggle to myself when watching True Blood and the vampires speak Swedish. In this show, I didn't understand a word.

This made me think... When I was a little girl in school, teachers said the language we used to speak in Scandinavia was a lot like today's Icelandic. It makes sense since Iceland is an island difficult to reach, and people there would have had less outside influences than us. I don't understand Icelandic. I mean, I don't understand it at all.

There are even areas in Sweden with older dialects that I don't understand. There's an area called Älvdalen not too far from my home town. If they start talking their own dialect they could just as well speak Russian. I at least know the Russian words for yes and no...

Example: The swedish word for anthill is myrstack. My uncle who grew up in a village just a little up north from me called it ramärabösa. Even if you don't understand the language, you can see that the words are completely different.

English today is different than English just ten years ago, and with text messaging and phone keyboards, an increasing part of the population think it's acceptable to write the word you as u and are as r even when they write with a pen or on the computer. To me, messages like "What r u u 2" or "Hw r u 2day" look cryptic.

Languages constantly change, both on their own and through mixing with other languages. Keeping this in mind, how far back in time or into the future could one go and blend in? How far could one go and make oneself understood? What do you think?

Saving Casey; on my TBR pile!

If real life ever leaves me alone long enough to sit down and read a book (swats at homework and work) Saving Casey by Liza O'Connor is definitely on top of the list. Hmm, wonder if I can persuade her to come over for an interview or guest post... =)

Blurb:

Having been diagnosed with cancer, Cass Goldman decides to opt out of any futile medical care and end her life. While she has some thoughts on afterlife, she never expects to reincarnate into the body of a seventeen-year-old girl named Casey Davidson.

When she awakens in a hospital, Cass discovers two disturbing facts: One, she is now inside the body of a troubled teenager, and two, the former owner of this body committed suicide, but only Cass knows that. Everyone else believes Casey has survived, but suffered a complete memory loss. Cass has two choices: to take on Casey’s life and turn it around, or to confess the truth about her reincarnation and end up in a mental asylum. Given this second chance to life, Cass decides to take on the future life of Casey—the frightening ghoul-faced teen with short, black, spiky hair.

Every person around Cass has an ulterior motive and discovering the truth of Old Casey’s life is more complicated than the “new math” she is forced to learn in school. In addition, Cass has to contend with raging teenage hormones and the prior crimes of Old Casey, which she might not remember, but everyone else certainly does. However, her biggest frustration concerns her feelings for her father’s rugged security specialist who sees her only as a teenager and doesn’t want to explore the mutual attraction between them.

Will her second chance at life prove to be worth the struggles she has to overcome?

How long is a book?

That might seem like a strange question, but it is sort of relevant, and it is an interesting discussion point as the world around us changes. I've heard many readers and writers categorize a novel as something with at least 100,000 words. That's quite a big book, and would have to be darned interesting to keep readers going to the last page.

Through Wikipedia (of course, LOL) I found the following definition by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America:

Category Word count Novel Over 40,000 Novella 17,500 to 40,000 Novelette 7,500 to 17,500 Short Story Under 7,500
Certain kinds of books - thrillers, for instance - tend to be longer, and romance on the shorter side.

I mentioned that the world is changing. I myself used to love thick books, because they would last for a while, and I could stay in the characters' world longer. Nowadays I have so much to do and am so tired I appreciate shorter books; I can read and finish something, and feel accomplished.

I read a study, can't remember where, that said more and more people are drawn to shorter books because our reading habits are changing. Readers no longer curl up in the sofa with a book; we read on our cell phones, iPads, Kindles, and portable computers, and we read on buses, while waiting in grocery stores, and even at red lights.

What do you think? Do you like your books thick or thin? Have your reading habits changed during the last couple of years, and if so, how?