Jessica E. Subject's Blog, page 208

BlogFest 2011 Winners

First of all, I must say a huge THANK YOU to Cinnamon at A Journey of Books who arranged BlogFest 2011. It was a great undertaking and I believe a wonderful success.

And now for the winners of an ebook copy of Celestial Seduction….

Congratulations to:
Beckie, LadyVampire and Jessica B

Emails have already been sent out. Please check your spam if you won and have not received the email.

Thank you to everyone who visited my blog during BlogFest 2011! I appreciate all of the support!

If you did not win and would like a copy of Celestial Seduction, it is available from the following ebook retailers:

Decadent Publishing (multiple ebook formats)
Amazon Kindle Store
All Romance ebooks
Coffee Time Romance
1 Place for Romance
Smashwords
BookStrand
and more to come

BlogFest 2011: Enter to win one of three copies of Celestial Seduction

BlogFest 2011 is a huge event (a blog run) with over 200 blogs each offering a fantastic giveaway for readers to enter. I'm #84. A Journey of Books is the main blog with a list of all of the participants. You should have come here from Jennifer Wells, Paranormal Romance Author. Your next five stops are Jill Foltz, JoAnne Kenrick, Just Another Story, Karissa's Reading Review, and Kay Dee Royal Paranormal & Erotica Romance Musings.

I will be giving away three ebook copies of my recent release, Celestial Seduction. Read below for blurb and excerpt.

Blurb:

At the end of his obligated commitment to the Space Service, Frey Berger decides to stay on Earth to further experience human emotions rather than return to Ginnun where his intended has already mated with another. Looking for real love and someone to accept him for what he is, Frey enlists in Madame Evangeline's popular dating service. Although he does not understand the concept of a one-night stand, he hopes to find his perfect mate.

Carrie Cooper's husband divorced her for someone who could provide him with children, leaving her with little self-confidence and no desire to let a man hurt her again. Her best friend convinces her to join a dating service, claiming Carrie needs to get laid, while not winding up with a broken heart since her date requires no commitment after the night is over.

Although several misunderstandings nearly derail them before the date has even begun, Carrie and Frey end up becoming closer than they ever believed possible. Still, Frey will need to convince Carrie that her perfect mate isn't human at all, and that one night can lead to a forever love.

Excerpt:

"Remember how I said I needed an open-minded partner?"

She nodded, her eyes catching a quick glance from his before returning to her stomach.

Just a couple more minutes and he'd be finished. He prepared to hold her down should she freak out when he told her he came from space. "I'm not exactly like you and most of the people on Earth. I'm….different."

"Like a demon or a guardian angel?"

He laughed. It sounded forced, but he needed to stay focused on healing Carrie rather than mating with her. "No, you're thinking paranormal. Try science fiction."

She began to squirm under him, but he didn't need to restrain her. "A….clone? Artificial intelligence?"

He finished healing her and lay down beside her. His thumb ran across her lips, wanting to taste them again, but knowing he probably wouldn't. "Try alien."

Her mouth curved into a smile. "Alien. I don't think so. You're missing the big head and eyes, the green skin, the willowy limbs."

He touched his fingertips to the side of her head. "Like this?" He flashed an image of the alien Earthlings always expected to arrive from space.

"Yeah, but how'd you do that?" Fear shone in her eyes.

Leaving the bed, he sat on one of the loveseats. The night was over. In a second, she'd dress as quickly as possible and rush out of the room. "I told you, I'm an alien from outer space." Perhaps he shouldn't have told her. He would spend the rest of the night alone.

For your chance to win an ecopy of Celestial Seduction, fill out:

THIS FORM

Also, be sure to leave your address if you would like a signed Celestial Seduction postcard. Contest ends July 17, 2011 at midnight EST. I will post the winners name on this blog on July 18th. Thanks for stopping by!

Celestial Seduction is available from:

Decadent Publishing (in multiple ebook formats)
Amazon (for your Kindle)
other ebook retailers

Be sure to check out these other Decadent authors participating:

Ashlynn Monroe
Ryssa Edwards
JoAnne Kenrick
Keta Diablo
Laura Kaye
Mahalia Levey
Valerie Mann

Enjoy!

Recently Enjoyed Books: Just For Tonight by Natalie Dae

I won't be writing too many more book reviews on this blog as I focus on my own writing. And because I am published with Decadent, it is a conflict of interest to review any more books published by my own publisher. Therefore, I've started this "Recently Enjoyed Books" feature to showcase books from various publishers I've recently read and enjoyed. Be sure to check them out!

Just For Tonight (1 Night Stand series) by Natalie Dae

Publication date: April 14, 2011 by Decadent Publishing

Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Fantasy

From Decadent:

After numerous failed relationships, Dahlia Singleton joins 1NightStand, a dating agency that promises to match her with the perfect lover for one night. After a month with no match, Dahlia begins to think she'll never find love—until the owner of the agency, Madame Evangeline, telephones to say Dahlia's date is waiting at the Castillo Hotel.

Excited and nervous, Dahlia meets Connor, a sexy-as-hell man with a British accent that melts her knees. And that isn't all that's melting! Dahlia has the ride of her life, realizing the distinct possibility that she may just have found her soul mate.

What books have you recently read that you've enjoyed?

Waiting On Wednesday: Impulse Control by Sara Brookes

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Breaking the Spine in which we spotlight soon-to-be released books that we can't wait to get our hands on!

Impulse Control (Sypricon Masters) by Sara Brookes

Publication date: July 22, 2011 by Decadent Publishing

Science Fiction Romance, Erotic Romance, BDSM

From Goodreads: Planetary Deputy Chief Marshal Selene Orasova is looking for a reminder pleasure still exists in the universe. Fresh off her latest case, she heads to Tawse, a BDSM club on the planet Sypricon. However, upon her arrival she finds the club almost empty as nearly all the staff has been hired out for the night. Disappointed, she starts to leave, only to walk face first into a wall of muscle.

Vaughn, one of the few Doms at the club Selene hasn't been under the command of, is immediately intrigued by the hard edged cop. A few instructions and she's easily under his guidance. However, Vaughn quickly discovers Selene has a problem relinquishing total control. She likes to top from the bottom and that isn't something Vaughn will stand for. Determined to correct her, Vaughn pushes her limits with a little impulse control.

I have been waiting for this book for a long time. Shortly after reading Hardware, I learned Sara was writing this new series, with three already contracted. This is the first to be released. She writes BDSM and SFR so well, and now she's combined the two. Should be a wild ride.

Sara also has a book releasing today, which I'll be buying. It's Ragged Edge from Ellora's Cave.

What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

I'm at Paranormal Romantics today!!

Thanks to the wonderful Rebecca Royce, I am guest posting at Paranormal Romantics today. Learn more about my fear of aliens and how I overcame that fear.

My Writing Family: Guest Post by Dianne Hartsock & Giveaway

I'd like to welcome Dianne Hartsock back to tell us about those in her life who have affected her writing career. This is part of a series I call "My Writing Family."

Thank you, Jessica, for having me back as a guest on your wonderful site. I'm talking about my 'writing family' today, which makes me feel like one of those actresses accepting an academy award. You know, the one's who ramble on about their writers and producers and make-up artists, etc., until we're thankful for the commercial. I'm waiting for the paparazzi to show up on my doorstep!

I have such a large extended family when it comes to writing, I couldn't possible fit them all on a page. So I'd like to tell you about the people who were especially helpful.

First was my 7th grade creative writing teacher, so long ago it seems like another lifetime. I've always been bit of a story teller, but she was the first person to say I had a talent and encouraged me to keep writing. I've been writing ever since, but it wasn't until five years ago that I really became serious about it.

It was due to the fantastic editor I had at Wolf-Pirate Publishing. I was accepted into their Writer's Workshop program, and let me tell you, it was an amazing process. We spent nearly a year on my manuscript, taking it chapter by chapter, then sentence by sentence, with May Bestall explaining why some sentences worked while others didn't. She showed me how to dig into a character's past to find out who they are and why they react to things in the story the way they do. She showed me how to develop plot and to RESEARCH! Basically, she helped me discover my writer's voice.

Which brings me to today. Since then, I've worked with three other super-talented editors, Amy Knox from Breathless Press, Tanja Cilia at MuseItUp Publishing, and Martina Mercer at Solstice Publishing, who gently but firmly pointed out my excessive use of pronouns and was and my never ending battle with show vs. tell.

I would also like to give a nod of thanks to the wonderful people at Litopia Writer's Colony, which is the friendliest, most supportive group of people you could hope to meet. Their advice and gentle teaching has made me believe in myself as a writer.

I wish I had a long list of Beta Readers and critique partners to share with you. Unfortunately for me, writing is an intensely personal experience. There are only a few people who've seen a story of mine outside of publishers and editors, but their feedback has given me the nudge I needed to go on with my writing.

Thanks for listening to me ramble on! I'd like to leave you with an excerpt from my paranormal/suspense novel ALEX. Yes, this is the story I worked on with May in the workshop. See what you think!

Blurb:

'Alex is twenty and confused. He always is. The world presses on him with its horrors and pain. He hears the cries of children, the screaming women. He sees the brutal images of the tortured victims. Severely abused as a child, he is left with horrible scars on his body and even worse scars within his mind. He's driven, motivated by his visions to rescue them and uncover the killer. When he can, he helps the police; yet some detectives suspect he's the cause of the problem, not the solution.'

Excerpt:

Her skin was soft under his fingertips. Her bare shoulders, the curve of muscle in her arms, her slim fingers; all so soft. Her breath caressed his cheek as he stared at her lips. He wanted to kiss her. It was a risk, he knew, but he ached for someone to break the loneliness. He bent his head and ran his tongue tentatively over the sweet fullness of her mouth. Her tongue met his but he was unprepared for the fire that tore through him. She pressed against him to deepen the kiss and a wild madness surged through his blood.

Something was wrong. She cried out as she struggled in his arms. Her nails raked across his neck. He let her go and watched in bewilderment as she scrambled away, her breath coming in sharp gasps. He reached out a tentative hand, wanting to explain—apologize, but she stepped hastily away from him.

"Freak!" she spat and quickly fled.

He jerked as the word struck him, his arm dropping to his side. The pain of her rejection flooded him. He touched his mouth and wondered desperately what she'd seen as he'd kissed her.

She stopped at the end of the bridge and looked over her shoulder. He couldn't make out her expression, but he hoped to God it wasn't pity. He took a hesitant step toward her but she tore her eyes away and rushed off.

He watched her follow the road back to town, hurrying as the sun sank. The far side of the road was already lost in darkness. His shoulders slumped in defeat when she disappeared into the gloom.

Dejected, he sat on the edge of the bridge and dangled his feet over the swift current. The sound of the rushing water echoed under him, filling his ears. It dulled the edge of his pain, making him forget his humiliation as he listened. He could almost make out a voice in the resonance.

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/ikCVTW,
BooksOnBoard: http://bit.ly/lntnso

Giveaway:

Dianne has generously offered a PDF copy of Alex to one lucky reader. All you have to do is leave a comment telling us who has influenced you the most. Contest ends tonight at midnight EST.

Find Dianne here:

Website: http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/diannehartsock
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/diannehartsock
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4850270.Dianne_Hartsock

Six Sentence Sunday #38: 07/10/11 – Frey from Celestial Seduction

Thank you to everyone who keeps coming back to read and comment on my excerpts every week.

This excerpt comes from my recent release, Celestial Seduction available from Decadent Publishing and other ebook retailers.

Last week I gave you a cliffhanger. Want to know what 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.

I cut this off at six sentences, but there is more to this description, including his nether region, but you'll have to read the story for the rest.

Blurb:

At the end of his obligated commitment to the Space Service, Frey Berger decides to stay on Earth to further experience human emotions rather than return to Ginnun where his intended has already mated with another. Looking for real love and someone to accept him for what he is, Frey enlists in Madame Evangeline's popular dating service. Although he does not understand the concept of a one-night stand, he hopes to find his perfect mate.

Carrie Cooper's husband divorced her for someone who could provide him with children, leaving her with little self-confidence and no desire to let a man hurt her again. Her best friend convinces her to join a dating service, claiming Carrie needs to get laid, while not winding up with a broken heart since her date requires no commitment after the night is over.

Although several misunderstandings nearly derail them before the date has even begun, Carrie and Frey end up becoming closer than they ever believed possible. Still, Frey will need to convince Carrie that her perfect mate isn't human at all, and that one night can lead to a forever love.

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

If you get a chance, fantasy author Lorna Suzuki is interviewing me on her blog today.

Just so you all know, I won't be participating next weekend as my hubby and I will be celebrating our one-year wedding anniversary. (Although we've been together for much longer.) Have fun! I know I will.

 

Celestial Seduction: More guest posts

Come and join me!

Today you can find me at Daily Dose of Decadence talking about how I found my talent.

I am also featured on Leanne Dyck's Sweater Cursed blog with Celestial Seduction. Thank you Leanne for having me!

It was also an honor this week to find Celestial Seduction mentioned on the blogs of two big names in SFR:

Heather Massey from The Galaxy Express & author of Once Upon A Time In Space
Gini Koch, author of the Alien series (Touched by an Alien, Alien Tango, Alien in the Family) from DAW books

Stories for Sendai: Peach Cigarettes in Tokyo – Guest Post by Kirsty Logan

Thank you to Jessica for being the final stop for the Stories for Sendai Blog Tour de Force! It has been a tremendous couple of weeks, and I'm really grateful for everyone who's followed us this far!

I thought I'd end the tour with a guest guest post, so to speak. This travel essay was written by one of our contributing authors, Kirsty Logan, as a reflection of her trip to Japan. Kirsty has graciously allowed it to be reprinted for the benefit of the blog tour.

So without further ado…

***

Peach Cigarettes in Tokyo

By Kirsty Logan

The first time I ever smoked a peach cigarette, I was wearing a dinosaur suit and sitting on my friend's balcony in a Tokyo suburb. My friend had a dinosaur suit because he'd gone to a fancy dress party the week before, and I was wearing it because I was cold and it was made of fleece. I'd never been much of a smoker, but the vending machine sold dozens of different flavours and what was the point of travelling halfway around the world if I wasn't going to try new things?

It was the end of my first day in Japan, and I felt overwhelmed with the strangeness of it all. Scotland has its fair share of oddities, but nothing compared to shops selling comedy wigs for babies and solar-powered money boxes. The air here felt heavy and hot – there is no such thing as humidity in Scotland, and I wasn't used to feeling like I was breathing through a wet cloth. There was so much going on, and nothing was familiar. I'd never felt so far from home.

Through the door to the balcony I could see my friend at the other end of his tiny flat, bathed in the glow of his laptop screen, tracing kanji symbols onto his palm. He was in his final year of a degree in Japanese, and had to learn 150 kanji symbols a week.

I lit my cigarette, closed my eyes, and leaned my head back against the railing. Above mewas the same night sky that I'd seen a thousand times at home. I breathed in the dusk air and listened to the flats around me relaxing into their evenings. Suburban families, the mutter of other people's televisions, the evening sky: finally something was familiar. I felt calm for the first time since I'd got off the plane.

The second time I smoked a peach cigarette was two weeks later, on my final evening in Tokyo. My friend had gone out to a prison-themed bar, but as I was slightly hung over from the night before I'd decided to stay in his flat and finish packing.

I made the ten-minute walk to the conbini (convenience store) to get my dinner: iced coffee and triangles of sticky rice. It had rained earlier, and the air smelled clean and cold. I knew it was going to be the last time I walked down this street, and I tried to absorb everything: the curious smell from the always-closed shop front, the name of which my friend could not translate – either fish or carpenter, he said; the American-themed bar selling pizza and terrifyingly expensive beer; the jingle of a bell as a cyclist tried to pass; the restaurants that are just a tiny kitchen and some stools out on the pavement; the shushed wails of a baby; the house so overgrown with ivy that you'd think it must be abandoned – except for the light glowing from an almost-hidden window.

I went left, then right, then right again, turning down dark suburban alleys between pools of streetlight. When I got to my friend's flat, I realised that I hadn't been paying attention to my route. After two weeks, I knew this place so well I didn't even have to think. I stood outside his door, finishing my cigarette as I dug through my pockets for the spare key.

I'd spent a fortnight in a city where dogs wear hair-clips and get pushed around in prams; people wear surgical masks for their morning commute; you can eat lunch served by girls in maid uniforms while surrounded by dozens of cats; and everything – everything – can be bought from vending machines. Finally, on this walk between quiet houses, I started to make sense of it. Sure, some things were still pretty mystifying, but I was beginning to feel like I knew what I was doing. I could navigate the subway system and order food in restaurants. I knew how much chili oil to put in my ramen and which types of sushi were made of mysterious sea creatures. I had swallowed down huge chunks of this strange city, and now I was ready to go home.

The third time, my girlfriend was out at band practice and I had stayed at home to watch our hamster. Not that he really needs much looking after: a chunk of carrot and a run around in his plastic ball, and he's happy. I spread myself out on the couch with a glass of wine and a book of short stories. As usually happens when I start reading, I wanted to write. I opened my laptop. Three sentences later, I didn't want to write any more: the story had floundered, the flat was too hot, and I was jealous that from the enthusiasm of the hamster's munching, that carrot was the most delicious food in the whole world.

I had forgotten I had any peach cigarettes. My girlfriend doesn't like smoking, and the packhad stayed at the bottom of my suitcase since my return from Tokyo three months ago. Something about my frustration made me remember them, and I dug the slightly crushed pack out of the suitcase jammed into the bottom of my wardrobe.

I took my wine glass and lighter out to the back of our building, to the paved area with the bin shed and washing line and a view of the rear windows of a dozen flats. Every window was lit up, so I smoked my slightly bent cigarette and watched the city go to bed. The air smelled of frying food and clean laundry, and it was warm enough that I hadn't put shoes on but cold enough that the hairs on my arms felt rough. I could see a few burning blobs where other people had gone out for their own secret cigarettes. I liked the feeling of having a communal secret.

As I stubbed out my cigarette I thought: I had to travel all the way across the planet, but now I know how it feels to come home.

***

And there you have it! I hope you all enjoyed the blog tour as much as I've enjoyed stopping by all these fabulous blogs! Stories for Sendai available now, so do buy a copy: the more copies we sell, the more we'll help the people of Japan!

Also, don't forget that we're also holding a PRIZE DRAW: simply purchase a copy of Stories for Sendai and email us a copy of your receipt at storiesforsendai (at) ymail (dot) com, and you'll be in with a chance to win all sorts of goodies, including books, gift certificates and critiques! Entries close July 15th, so why not grab a copy now—better yet, grab a couple! J.C.

Buy Links: Amazon US (Print), Amazon US (Kindle), Amazon UK (Kindle), CreateSpace

Interview with Layna Pimentel

Today, Layna Pimentel is hosting me over at her blog. I'll be answering questions about Celestial Seduction and other Science Fiction stuff. Check it out!

Here's the link: http://wp.me/pyBsL-li

Oh, and there just might be a giveaway…