Jessica E. Subject's Blog, page 184

Getting ready to release….

I'm super excited! The Zurian Child releases in two days from Silver Publishing!!

So, I'm over at The Romance Studio for a Release Party.

And Diane Dooley is my guest over at Backward Momentum.

BE SURE TO STOP BY BOTH BLOGS FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!!

And if you haven't seen the full trailer for The Zurian Child, here it is:

Seven Sentence Snippet/Lucky 7 Meme

I was tagged by both Diane Alberts and Sandra Bunino, both of whom are wonderful authors. Be sure to check them out!

Now, here are the rules:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS

2. Go to line 7

3. Copy down the next 7 lines – sentences or paragraphs – and post them as they're written. No cheating.

4. Tag 7 authors

5. Let them know

Okay, so I didn't have a page 77 yet, so Diane suggested page 7. Here's my snippet:

She had to get away from him before she did something stupid.

"I thought you might like to have dinner with me in the officer's mess."

Without giving him an answer, she closed the door, the temptation too great. Leaning against the steel, she resisted opening it again to call him back. Guys didn't come knocking on her door everyday and the one who had always managed to weaken her when no one else could. Maybe I could have dinner with him just this once.

Sandy's words slammed into her mind.

And the authors I tag are: Rebecca Royce, Layna Pimentel, DL Jackson, Graylin Fox, Heather McCorkle, Pippa Jay, and JoAnne Kenrick

It's Extraterrestrial Abductions Day!!

[image error]Thanks to Gem Sivad, I learned today is Extraterrestrial Abductions Day. It's a day to celebrate all things alien and be wary of the skies for the possibility of other-worldly visitors.

I thought I'd share some of my favs:

Fiction – Lucy in the Sky by Barbara Elsborg, Blown Away by D.L. Jackson, The Host by Stephenie Meyer, Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Television – Alf, Out of this World, Star Trek: TNG, Voyager, Enterprise, Space: Above & Beyond

Movies – Star Trek (2009), Avatar, Men In Black, Star Wars, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Transformers

And here are descriptions of the aliens in two of my stories:

From Celestial Seduction

Lifting one hand up, she gently placed it on the side of his face. "Will you show me what you really look like? I can see your real eyes, but I want to see the rest."

"You won't run away?" She winced seeing all of the confidence he'd had at the beginning of the night gone, but it made her trust him even more. "Whatever you do, please don't scream."

"I promised to stay the entire night, didn't I? And don't worry, I don't scream unless someone sneaks up on me, or if I see a spider. You don't look like a spider, do you?" The very thought sent a chill through her body.

He smiled, some of his confidence back while his human image flickered for a few seconds before completely disappearing. Unsure what to expect, she tried not to judge until she'd set eyes on his entire figure. Long, spindly fingers intertwined with hers. He tried to let go, but she held them tight. His body appeared taller and leaner than before. She saw the same black eyes, a less prominent nose and barely visible ears. His hair became jet black and appeared longer and curlier than before. Underneath luminescent scales, his skin shone a light blue.

"So, what do you think?" His mouth quirked, revealing his uncertainty.

Except for their color, his lips were the only thing that didn't change. She leaned towards him, wondering if they would still feel the same. She had to stand on the tips of her toes to reach him, but wrapping her arms around his neck helped. The feel of his skin surprised her. Perhaps he didn't have scales, but the pattern lay beneath his skin.

He's beautiful.

Celestial Seduction is the March 2012 Read For A Cure selection at Decadent Publishing. All publisher proceeds from the sale of this story during the month will be donated to the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life program. Buy Link.

From The Zurian Child

"Do you believe in aliens?" Lorne asked, harnessing everyone's attention.

She glanced around the room to see the reaction of each person, and paused with no response from Bryce. When he caught her eyes though, he smiled. She turned away.

Quinn remained silent, but squeezed her hand.

How am I supposed to answer a question like that? "I find it hard to believe we're the only life in the universe, but finding life on other planets is years away."

"That time may be closer than you think," Bryce said.

Did he really just say that?

"May I see your feet?" Lorne gestured toward the floor. "I know Bryce has seen them, but I want to confirm it for myself."

She and Quinn looked at each other. He laughed. "We have webbed toes, and it's actually more common than you think. Bryce has them, too."

"Why don't you take a look at ours again? You've only seen them from the top," Bryce said.

When Bryce and Lorne removed their socks and set their feet on the coffee table, she flushed. She'd had many opportunities over the summer to look at his feet, particularly when he wore only his swim trunks. But she'd kept her distance, catching only the occasional glimpse of his broad, bare chest or other parts of his body, wondering if they matched what she'd seen in her visions.

Both Bryce and Lorne's toes remained held apart by skin, noticeable skin. Unlike the translucent and pliable tissue which formed between her own toes, theirs appeared thicker, widening the total width of the front of their feet.

"We are not from around here," Lorne said. He removed his feet from the table and brushed them across the plush carpet. "Your mother, Quinn, and your father, Lindsay, as well as Bryce and I, are from another planet located twenty light years from Earth."

The Zurian Child releases this Saturday (March 24) from Silver Publishing. Buy Link.

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Happy Extraterrestrial Abductions Day! So, who are your favorite aliens?

The Zurian Child: What happens when Quinn tries to apologize? #sixsunday

Thank you to each and every one of you for reading

and commenting on my excerpts each week.

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Another six from my first novel which releases March 24 from Silver Publishing.

(blurb here)

While Lindsay and Quinn dated throughout their first year of University, they broke up after Quinn's parents were murdered. When Quinn tracks Lindsay down (after a joint OPP/RCMP operation) to apologize, this happens:

"Lindsay, I'm sorry, I…" Quinn started.

Two gunshots fired. Pain radiated through her right leg. "Oh God," she cried. Her leg gave out and she fell to the ground.

"I've got him," someone called.

Visit http://www.sixsunday.com/ to find out who's participating in Six Sentence Sunday this week or follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter.

St. Patrick's Day Blog Hop WINNERS!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my blog yesterday for the blog hop. And thank you as well to Carrie Ann Ryan for her wonderful organization skills.

So, to get to the winners…

The Grand Prize winner of a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet is…

Melissa L.

And the second Grand Prize winner of a $90 gift certificate from Amazon or Barnes&Noble is…

Wendy Smith

On my blog, the winner of the $10 gift certificate from AllRomanceEbooks or Amazon is…

Amber Preer
Congratulations to you All! Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

*All winners have been notified by email. For more winners, please check the other participating blogs.

St. Patrick's Day Blog Hop – So many chances to WIN!!

Happy St. Paddy's Day! Okay, so we're a day early, but is it ever too early to celebrate all things green, the Irish, and beer?

I'm one of 125 authors and bloggers participating in the St. Patrick's Day Blog Hop. First off, I must thank Carrie Ann Ryan for organizing another great hop.

PRIZES

1st Grand Prize: Winner's choice of Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: $90 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card

For your chance to WIN, simply visit any of the posts by participating authors, and leave a comment. The more posts you visit, the more entries you receive. Plus, all 125 participants are giving away something – like a book, gift card, swag or other goodies on their blogs. So be sure to stop by all the posts to increase your chances to WIN!

[image error] ARE ALL ALIENS GREEN?

I write science fiction romance, more specifically, tales of sexy aliens falling in love with other extraterrestrials or people from Earth. And while many people imagine aliens as being little green creatures with big eyes, I picture something much different. In fact, none of my aliens have been green thus far, blue being a more common color for me.

Such is the case in Celestial Seduction, which is Decadent Publishing's "Read For A Cure" selection this month. All publisher proceeds from the sale of this book for the month of March will be donated to the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life program.

Here's an excerpt revealing what the hero, Frey, looks like:

He smiled, some of his confidence back while his human image flickered for a few seconds before completely disappearing. Unsure what to expect, she tried not to judge until she'd set eyes on his entire figure. Long, spindly fingers intertwined with hers. He tried to let go, but she held them tight. His body appeared taller and leaner than before. She saw the same black eyes, a less prominent nose and barely visible ears. His hair became jet black and appeared longer and curlier than before. Underneath luminescent scales, his skin shone a light blue.

"So, what do you think?" His mouth quirked, revealing his uncertainty.

Except for their color, his lips were the only thing that didn't change. She leaned towards him, wondering if they would still feel the same. She had to stand on the tips of her toes to reach him, but wrapping her arms around his neck helped. The feel of his skin surprised her. Perhaps he didn't have scales, but the pattern lay beneath his skin.

He's beautiful.

Buy Link: Decadent Publishing

Blurb, Book Trailer, More Buy Links & Reviews

Giveaway!!

For your chance to WIN a $10 gift certificate from either AllRomanceeBooks.com or Amazon.com, simply leave a comment on this post.

Thanks for stopping by! Find links to all of the the other participating authors here:

http://carrieannryan.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-st-patrickss-day-bloghop-sign-up.html

Two Alien Lovers…

Today on Backward Momentum, I'm revealing more about my latest contract and upcoming releases.

Interview with Erin Pryor, author of Pillars In Time

Today, I'd like to welcome fellow Decadent Publishing author, Erin Pryor, to my blog. Erin, how long have you been writing with the hopes of publication?

EP: Three Years. I've been wanting to be a published author for over a decade, but I didn't get the courage to write my own story until three years ago.

How did you get started?

EP: I started by writing Fan Fiction. No, I won't say the story I spun off of, but it was fun while it lasted. I got a few harsh critique's that almost had me quit before I got out of the gate. But I stood strong and continued on. The rest is history.

What titles do you have published?

EP: Pillars in Time. My heroine is a modern day architect with the hopes of being the lead architect for the renovation of a 14th century castle. What she doesn't plan is to fall back into that century.

What are you working on now?

EP: Collin and Jessica's story. Collin is the twin brother to my hero in Pillars in Time.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

EP: Plotter. At first I thought I was a pantser, but after my third finished book, I realized the first two, written by the seat of my pants, were crap.

What genres do you enjoy reading? Writing?

EP: Paranormal & Historical romance. I write what I like to read.

What author(s) have influenced your writing style?

EP: Lynn Kurland, by far, has been my biggest inspiration as a writer

Where do your best ideas come from?

EP: That's kind of a tough one. I believe I start out by asking "what if". Characters form in my mind and I start to work them out, then move onto formulating a plot idea.

What is your favorite book that you've read?

EP: A Woman of Passion is the only book I've ever re-read. I think the reason it intrigues me so much is that the characters are not fictional.

What writing/writer's organizations are you involved with? Can you explain how they help your writing and/or your writing career?

[image error]EP: RWA, the Orange County Chapter. It has immensely helped my writing. I wouldn't be where I am today without being a member of the OCC RWA. I've learned techniques from speakers and tidbits from fellow peers that are priceless to me.

Do you belong to a critique group or have critique partners? If so, what have you learned from them? How has it affected your writing?

EP: Yes. I have one critique partner. I wish I had a group, but I really enjoy my one partner. She has always been straightforward and honest with me, and I appreciate that about her. She has pushed me to limits I didn't know I could obtain. Her wisdom makes up a few pieces of the puzzle of my writing.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?

EP: Listen to critiques. Just because they sting doesn't mean that they are or are not true. You cannot grow as a writer unless you can take constructive criticism and still continue to pound away at that keyboard.

I completely agree with your advice. Where can my readers find you?

EP: Facebook 

Where can my readers find Pillars In Time?

EP: Decadent Publishing

Thank you for visiting my blog today, Erin!

Blog Tour: Interview with David Pereda & Giveaway!!

Welcome to my blog, David. How long have you been writing with the hopes of publication?

I've been writing for publication since I was in college. I published my first short story in the USF literary magazine when I was a sophomore; my English teacher submitted it for me. The following year I submitted to the magazine myself, and I had my second published short story. Since then I have published dozens of articles, several poems and seven novels (one under a pen name), but I have never published another short story.

How did you get started?

I guess I always wanted to be a writer. I wrote my first novel, a western, when I was ten years old. My proud uncle Antonio typed it for me. I titled it bombastically, Dave Patterson, The Temerarious. After that I wrote a few short stories that I never published, or even tried to, until I got to college.

Do you have any recent or upcoming releases?

My latest mainstream novel, However Long the Night, was just published by Eternal Press on February 7th. It's a romantic tale with a major dose of suspense, a tense love triangle, buried family secrets, corporate shenanigans and a historical background. It's part of a trilogy I am writing from the perspectives of three different characters, one of them a woman.

What are you working on now?

I'm working on the third installment of my Havana Series of thrillers. It's called Twin Powers. The first two novels of the series are Top Secret and Killing Castro, both also published by Eternal Press. Twin Powers is a deviation of the first two novels in the series in that two of the main characters are 7-year old twin girls, one of which gets kidnapped by Arabs in the middle of downtown Havana.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I'm definitely a plotter, although I turn into a pantser from time to time. I like to plot my books in detail and then change a big portion of them when I sit down to write them. It's called poetic license, I believe.

What genres do you enjoy reading? Writing?

I enjoy reading and writing thrillers and mainstream novels.

What author(s) have influenced your writing style?

So many authors have influenced my style that I don't know where to begin. Hemingway, Konrad, Shakespeare, all the Russian writers, especially Dostoyevsky and Chekov, were great influences in my life. When I was a kid I read everything written by Max Brand and Zane Grey. During recent years, the greatest influence on my writing has probably been Harlan Coben. Someone once wrote a review of one of my books and called me the Latino Harlan Coben. I was very proud of the comparison to Harlan Coben whom I consider the best thriller writer today, but the latino reference left me a little cold. Do you know the definition of a latin lover? I won't answer that here because your readers might object, so let's move on to something else.

Who is your favorite character from any of your books?

My favorite character is Marcela, a lesbian assassin who won't take any crap from anyone. She has amber eyes and looks like Halle Berry on steroids. Here's a little passage for your readers:

Marcela saw the silver Mercedes parked on her driveway when she returned from swimming, the bright noon sun reflecting off the car's hood like a star burst. She knew the car. A neckless black man with corn-rows down to his shoulders and marbled biceps sat behind the wheel with the windows rolled down and the radio cranked at full blast, listening to the music of Compay Segundo. She knew the man too: Horacio, El Jefe's driver.

"Buenos dias," Marcela said as she strode naked past him toward the front door.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Horacio's mouth fall open, his chin nearly hitting his chest.

Enjoy the view, Marcela thought.

Every morning Marcela followed the same routine: a brief prayer at her altar, two hours of training and a swim in the ocean. In the evening, she repeated the routine, except she substituted the swim for a five-mile jog. She lived on a secluded beach, so she usually trained, swam, and jogged naked.

Inside, she found El Jefe in the back of the house standing with curiosity in front of her altar. His right hand clutched a large orange envelope. Marcela inspected him from behind as she approached: purple madras shorts reaching down to plump calves, tank top the same non-descript color as his high-top tennis shoes and a yellow floppy hat. Not really the image of sartorial splendor. El Jefe turned…and jammed his dark aviator sunglasses down the bridge of his nose to stare at her over the metal frame. His button eyes flitted over Marcela's body like flies on a piece of raw meat.

Marcela cocked her head and stared back at him.

El Jefe cleared his throat. "You live on a nudist beach?"

"In Cuba? What planet are you from?"

Marcela strutted to her room, snatched the white terry robe she kept behind the door on a hook in case of unexpected visitors, slipped it on, and sauntered back. She stopped in front of El Jefe, hands on hips, and arched one eyebrow.

El Jefe pushed his glasses up his nose again.

"Try secluded beach," Marcela said. "But obviously not today."

El Jefe's lips curled around his salt-and-pepper mustache into something resembling a grin. "Nice altar."

Yes, Marcela thought. Nice indeed. It had taken her fifteen years to build that altar. Every piece in it was special to her. The two-foot-tall statue of Chango in the middle she had commissioned from Cuba's finest sculptor and paid for with contraband dollars. She had spent three years carving the huge figures of Oshe and Shere, Chango's bodyguards, from the hardest and darkest mahogany. The antelope horns, symbolizing Oya, Chango's wife, she had brought from Africa. The jade miniature of twin little girls at Chango's feet, she had bought in Mexico at the Teotihuacan pyramids. Yes, Jefe, it's a nice altar. It annoyed Marcela to have people barge into her house and look at her altar pieces as if they were items for sale at an airport store.

Marcela took a deep breath. "How did you get in?"

El Jefe gave a vague shrug. "Horacio. He's good opening doors."

"Doesn't surprise me. He looks like he belongs behind doors."

El Jefe pointed toward the altar. "What's this figure here?"

"Chango."

"Impressive. It's an ax with double steel blades." He switched the envelope to his left hand and reached with his right to grab the two-foot tall wooden statue. "You can kill someone with this."

"Don't touch my altar!" Marcela's voice growled like a truck engine laboring up a steep incline. "Nobody touches my altar but me."

El Jefe flinched and threw his hands up in the air, the orange envelope flapping over his head like a warning traffic light.

"Chango doesn't like it," Marcela said in a softer tone.

El Jefe lowered his hands and said, "How's your shoulder?"

"Fine. Nothing that three stitches and a band-aid couldn't cure. What can I do for you?"

"Remember the people I told you about?"

Marcela nodded.

"They are arriving tomorrow."

"And?"

He extended the orange envelope toward her. "And I brought you photographs and a dossier on each of them."

Marcela took the envelope, opened it, and searched inside. There were three 8×10 black and white head shots and a two-page typed report attached to each with a paper clip. She scanned the material quickly.

"Has anyone ever told you you have a great body?" El Jefe said, his voice thick.

Marcela shifted her glance to him. "You hittin' on me, Jefe? I don't mean to offend you, but unless you grow tits and an ass and trade-in your thimble-sized penis for a vagina, I don't think I'd be interested."

"You hurt my feelings."

"Is that a new fad with you, feelings?" She turned her attention back to the pictures. "How many people did you say were coming?"

"Two."

"There are three photographs here."

El Jefe gave a brief nod.

"I know this man here," Marcela said. "He's –"

"I know."

Marcela pursed her lips and waited a beat. "Trouble in paradise, Jefe?"

"You could say suspicion. Not the same thing. Don't let it affect your work."

"Never happen."

"Know any of the others?"

Marcela inspected the other photographs. "No, but this man here with silver hair is very handsome. Is he an actor?"

"He's a doctor."

"That's the kind of doctor I need."

"I thought you didn't like men."

"Hey, I try to keep an open mind."

El Jefe shook his head and waddled toward the front door. Marcela accompanied him. Each of her steps was two of his, forcing her to walk in slow motion. She turned the knob and opened the door. A blast of humidity rushed in from outside. The sea water was drying on Marcela's body, and she felt sticky and uncomfortable. She longed to go back inside and take a long, hot shower.

"Come back anytime, Jefe," she said.

El Jefe didn't move. Instead he leaned closer to her.

"There's one more thing," he said. "X had two brothers in Oriente. I've heard rumors that they have sworn to settle matters with you."

Marcela scratched her matted hair, which was beginning to itch. "I'm shaking."

"They are big and mean and two."

"Poor me."

Marcela let out a long, fake sigh and glanced outside. The day had grown hotter and brighter, and she had to squint. The beach was flat and blue, just a shade darker than the sky beyond. Horacio watched her intently from the car.

Trying to get a peek of my tits or my ass, no doubt, Marcela thought.

She shot him a bird. Horacio laughed wildly and banged the steering wheel with his hands.

El Jefe stepped out of the house into the sun and turned to face her. "You must be careful, Marcela."

"I hear you."

El Jefe grimaced and shook his head.

"Thanks for the warning," Marcela said.

She gave El Jefe a small smile, closed the door and locked it, and rushed inside to shower and scrub herself clean.

Where can my readers find you?

I'm easy to find. Google my name, and I'll show up. They can also visit my website: www.davidpereda.com or my publisher's website: www.eternalpress.biz or look for me on Amazon: www.amazon.com

Where can my readers find your books?

I don't know exactly where all my books are offered but definitely on Amazon, the Eternal Press website, my website, the Fictionwise website, the Goodreads website, and a few other online retailers including Ingram and Baker & Taylor. They are also available at several bookstores in North Carolina and Florida.

Thank you, David!

David Pereda is an award-winning author who enjoys crafting political thrillers and mainstream novels. His books have won the Lighthouse Book Awards twice, the Royal Palm Awards, the National Indie Excellence Awards, and the Readers Favorite Awards. He has traveled extensively around the world and speaks several languages. Before devoting his time solely to writing and teaching college-level courses, Pereda had a rich and successful international consulting career with global giant Booz Allen Hamilton, where he worked with the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, and Qatar, among others.

A member of MENSA, Pereda is the regional director of the Florida Writers Association and the co-founder of AWE (Asheville Writing Enthusiasts). He loves sports and has won many prizes competing in track and show-jumping equestrian events.

Pereda lives with his family in Asheville, North Carolina.

Please visit him at…

www.davidpereda.com

www.twitter.com/DavidPeredaAVL

www.facebook.com

ISBN:  However Long the Night

978-1-61572-598-4  E-Book

978-1-61572-599-1  Print Book

AUTHOR GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment with your email address for your chance to WIN a $20 Amazon Gift Certificate. Be sure to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/01/virtual-book-tour-however-long-night.html.

Six from my upcoming release, The Zurian Child #sixsunday

Thank you to each and every one of you for reading

and commenting on my excerpts each week.

Hey, did you remember to set your clocks ahead?

[image error]

Although I shared some of The Zurian Child when I first started participating in Six Sentence Sunday (in October 2010), it has changed a lot from those posts. So, I bring you six from my first novel which releases March 24 from Silver Publishing. (blurb here)

Enjoy!

His feet had skin between the toes just like hers, yet he'd never mentioned them. Maybe that's why he never said anything about my freaky toes, or maybe they don't matter. He loved her.

With all of her inhibitions dissolved, she gave herself to him. She had touched and tasted him before, but now she wanted him inside of her. She had saved herself for this moment.

Visit http://www.sixsunday.com/ to find out who's participating in Six Sentence Sunday this week or follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter.