S.D. Skye's Blog
December 28, 2014
New Releases -- Spy Thrillers
So, in the past two weeks, I've released a new book and a new compilation, both in my J.J. McCall series.
A No Good Itch (A J.J. McCall Novel) is now available on Kindle for ebook and Paperback on Amazon, B&N, etc.
It picks up right where Son of a Itch leaves off--J.J. and the Task Force heading to New York to take down the financial hub of the Russian illegals network while contending with heated tensions between Russian and Italian organized crime.
My compilation--Spy Catcher: The J.J. McCall Novels (Books 1-3)is also available for new readers of the series. You can read straight through from Book 1 to the current novel. But there are 2 more books to go before the series concludes. Here are the summaries.
Now available in one box set, the first 3 books in the planned 5-book FBI Espionage Series featuring the lie-detecting FBI Special Agent J.J. McCall who, along with her co-case agent Tony Donato, is embroiled in a the post-Cold War mole hunt for Russian spies.
The Seven Year Itch - Book 1
"The Seven Year Itch" is a mystery thriller from S. D. Skye ... hard to put down for lovers of spy fiction, highly recommended. -- Carl Logan, Midwest Book Review (April 2013)
★★★★ "Thick with layers, THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH is filled with strife, deceit, lust, pain, mystery, and humor." OOSA Online Book Club
FBI Special Agent J.J. McCall and her co-case agent, Tony Donato, are drawn into an unsanctioned mole hunt when a Russian intelligence officer, working for the FBI, is murdered and they suspect a traitor burrowed deep inside the U.S. Intelligence Community is responsible.
Son of a Itch - Book 2
2014 Next Generation Indie Book Award for Multicultural Fiction
★★★★★ " If you like a brilliantly executed, thrilling, and addictive suspense novel, Son of a Itch is for you. S. D. Skye can flat write her butt off, I was sold, and tagged. This is a great series and J.J. is Jack Ryan with a [lady part]." ~ Sebella Blue
The award-winning follow up to The Seven Year Itch which takes J.J. and her counterintelligence task force on the hunt for Russian moles who breached the nerve center of U.S. national security.
A No Good Itch - Book 3
J.J. and Tony's next mole hunt takes them to the Big Apple where the worlds of Counterintelligence and Organized Crime collide. The investigation to dismantle the financial hub of a Russian sleeper cell is sidetracked when an act of vengeance for Lana Michaels' murder targets the wrong man and threatens to spark a war between Russian and Italian mafia factions.
Skye's SpyCatcher Book Set, filled with mystery, espionage, romance, and suspense, will keep you burning through the pages until J.J. catches the very last mole.
A No Good Itch (A J.J. McCall Novel) is now available on Kindle for ebook and Paperback on Amazon, B&N, etc.
It picks up right where Son of a Itch leaves off--J.J. and the Task Force heading to New York to take down the financial hub of the Russian illegals network while contending with heated tensions between Russian and Italian organized crime.
My compilation--Spy Catcher: The J.J. McCall Novels (Books 1-3)is also available for new readers of the series. You can read straight through from Book 1 to the current novel. But there are 2 more books to go before the series concludes. Here are the summaries.
Now available in one box set, the first 3 books in the planned 5-book FBI Espionage Series featuring the lie-detecting FBI Special Agent J.J. McCall who, along with her co-case agent Tony Donato, is embroiled in a the post-Cold War mole hunt for Russian spies.
The Seven Year Itch - Book 1
"The Seven Year Itch" is a mystery thriller from S. D. Skye ... hard to put down for lovers of spy fiction, highly recommended. -- Carl Logan, Midwest Book Review (April 2013)
★★★★ "Thick with layers, THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH is filled with strife, deceit, lust, pain, mystery, and humor." OOSA Online Book Club
FBI Special Agent J.J. McCall and her co-case agent, Tony Donato, are drawn into an unsanctioned mole hunt when a Russian intelligence officer, working for the FBI, is murdered and they suspect a traitor burrowed deep inside the U.S. Intelligence Community is responsible.
Son of a Itch - Book 2
2014 Next Generation Indie Book Award for Multicultural Fiction
★★★★★ " If you like a brilliantly executed, thrilling, and addictive suspense novel, Son of a Itch is for you. S. D. Skye can flat write her butt off, I was sold, and tagged. This is a great series and J.J. is Jack Ryan with a [lady part]." ~ Sebella Blue
The award-winning follow up to The Seven Year Itch which takes J.J. and her counterintelligence task force on the hunt for Russian moles who breached the nerve center of U.S. national security.
A No Good Itch - Book 3
J.J. and Tony's next mole hunt takes them to the Big Apple where the worlds of Counterintelligence and Organized Crime collide. The investigation to dismantle the financial hub of a Russian sleeper cell is sidetracked when an act of vengeance for Lana Michaels' murder targets the wrong man and threatens to spark a war between Russian and Italian mafia factions.
Skye's SpyCatcher Book Set, filled with mystery, espionage, romance, and suspense, will keep you burning through the pages until J.J. catches the very last mole.
May 7, 2014
Son of a Itch! -- It's an Award-Winning Novel
Yesterday I was so excited to get an email announcing that Son of a Itch - A J.J. McCall Novel was the winner of the 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, a pretty incredible honor given the number of entrants they have in this contest each year. I'm in awe anytime I think of a panel of judges in the industry having multiple choices to select from -- and still choosing mine.
How did this all happen? Well, it may be an inspiration to some author out there reading so I'll share it. Four years when I wrote my very first novel ever, under a different name and in a different genre, I won this very same award. It's true. First time out of the gate. For years I had put off this writing dream because I didn't think I had the talent. After all, I didn't have a degree in English or any inkling about how to put a book together. All I'd done is write in journals and crack myself up with my relationship mishaps. But when I hit the big 4-0, I got over myself. Something about turning 40 gives you courage you never thought you had. So I sat down, wrote the book and self published after unsuccessfully trying to find a Big 6 home for it. In order to help my marketing efforts I decided to enter my book in this contest--The Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Found it online during a google search. I thought there's NO WAY I'm gonna win. No way. I'm writing a chick lit novel when chick lit is dying a painful death. No way could I win with this...AND this is my first novel ever. No way.
Four months later, right in the middle of negotiations with a Big 6 publisher for the book deal I thought I'd never get, I found out that I won the award---the same exact award that I won this year (4 years later). Not only that! Of the 60 category winners, my novel was selected as the 3rd Place Grand Prize Winner--the third best in the entire competition.
First book ever written. Unreal.
Fast forward two years. I start writing the J.J. McCall series and I'm seriously nervous about how the book will be received. I mean, it's a spy thriller -- which is like the opposite of anything I've ever written. It features an African American female FBI Agent who is a lie detector--and she "itches" when she hears a lie. This black woman chases and catches Russian spies. It features Italian organized crime, Russian organized crime, spies, CIA, all doing stuff inside the beltway that other writers haven't really talked about. A crazy mix of characters and very unique premise. I mean, someone would hear the pitch and think I was high when I came up with this. (I don't do drugs by the way.)
"Who in the world is gonna read this book?" I said to myself a million times. It's a mish-mash of genres that fits everywhere...and nowhere.
My agent didn't like it. He wanted me to drawer it. But in my heart I just knew I had to tell the story. So I wrote Book 1 but I never really gave it the marketing it deserved or entered it into any contests because of my own fears about how this story would be received.
The series was now mine--forever. I'd turned down the one offer I received from a Big 6 publisher for the first book in the series. Had to do it myself. My way. What publisher would want to start with the 2nd book in the series?
None.
Part of me said I should quit the series after the first book, but something in me said, "No! You wanted to be hard-headed and write the damn thing. Now, you've started it, you're gonna finish it. Even if just for ONE reader who wants to see the series through to the end."
So I wrote the second book and put my balls to the wind! I just let the story go. Went with every twist and turn, wherever it took me. Wrote, edited, and published it. This was December 2013. The review are still coming slowly--mostly good but slowly. So I wasn't really sure how readers would feel about this book. All I knew was--I LOVED writing and I LOVED reading it.
One morning in mid-February I woke up out of my sleep, for no particular reason and quite literally out of blue. For some odd reason, the book awards flittered through my mind. I don't know why. I had no intention of entering my novel at all. But something inside prodded me to get online at 5 am and check the deadline for entry. I looked and I had TWO DAYS to get my books in. I paid the fee via paypal and sent the books via priority mail. I had no inkling of winning at all but I figured what the heck. It's worth a try.
And go figure -- I won. I'm hugely honored, humbled, and in complete disbelief.
Long story short here is -- get over your fear and go with your gut when you truly believe in your work and you're passionate about it. Don't let anyone discourage you--not even YOU. You never know what success can come from just trying. Someone quoted Joyce Meyer to me yesterday when I shared this story and I'll paraphrase...
If you're afraid to do follow your calling -- then DO IT AFRAID.
That's better than not doing it at all.
You never know...
How did this all happen? Well, it may be an inspiration to some author out there reading so I'll share it. Four years when I wrote my very first novel ever, under a different name and in a different genre, I won this very same award. It's true. First time out of the gate. For years I had put off this writing dream because I didn't think I had the talent. After all, I didn't have a degree in English or any inkling about how to put a book together. All I'd done is write in journals and crack myself up with my relationship mishaps. But when I hit the big 4-0, I got over myself. Something about turning 40 gives you courage you never thought you had. So I sat down, wrote the book and self published after unsuccessfully trying to find a Big 6 home for it. In order to help my marketing efforts I decided to enter my book in this contest--The Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Found it online during a google search. I thought there's NO WAY I'm gonna win. No way. I'm writing a chick lit novel when chick lit is dying a painful death. No way could I win with this...AND this is my first novel ever. No way.
Four months later, right in the middle of negotiations with a Big 6 publisher for the book deal I thought I'd never get, I found out that I won the award---the same exact award that I won this year (4 years later). Not only that! Of the 60 category winners, my novel was selected as the 3rd Place Grand Prize Winner--the third best in the entire competition.
First book ever written. Unreal.
Fast forward two years. I start writing the J.J. McCall series and I'm seriously nervous about how the book will be received. I mean, it's a spy thriller -- which is like the opposite of anything I've ever written. It features an African American female FBI Agent who is a lie detector--and she "itches" when she hears a lie. This black woman chases and catches Russian spies. It features Italian organized crime, Russian organized crime, spies, CIA, all doing stuff inside the beltway that other writers haven't really talked about. A crazy mix of characters and very unique premise. I mean, someone would hear the pitch and think I was high when I came up with this. (I don't do drugs by the way.)
"Who in the world is gonna read this book?" I said to myself a million times. It's a mish-mash of genres that fits everywhere...and nowhere.
My agent didn't like it. He wanted me to drawer it. But in my heart I just knew I had to tell the story. So I wrote Book 1 but I never really gave it the marketing it deserved or entered it into any contests because of my own fears about how this story would be received.
The series was now mine--forever. I'd turned down the one offer I received from a Big 6 publisher for the first book in the series. Had to do it myself. My way. What publisher would want to start with the 2nd book in the series?
None.
Part of me said I should quit the series after the first book, but something in me said, "No! You wanted to be hard-headed and write the damn thing. Now, you've started it, you're gonna finish it. Even if just for ONE reader who wants to see the series through to the end."
So I wrote the second book and put my balls to the wind! I just let the story go. Went with every twist and turn, wherever it took me. Wrote, edited, and published it. This was December 2013. The review are still coming slowly--mostly good but slowly. So I wasn't really sure how readers would feel about this book. All I knew was--I LOVED writing and I LOVED reading it.
One morning in mid-February I woke up out of my sleep, for no particular reason and quite literally out of blue. For some odd reason, the book awards flittered through my mind. I don't know why. I had no intention of entering my novel at all. But something inside prodded me to get online at 5 am and check the deadline for entry. I looked and I had TWO DAYS to get my books in. I paid the fee via paypal and sent the books via priority mail. I had no inkling of winning at all but I figured what the heck. It's worth a try.
And go figure -- I won. I'm hugely honored, humbled, and in complete disbelief.
Long story short here is -- get over your fear and go with your gut when you truly believe in your work and you're passionate about it. Don't let anyone discourage you--not even YOU. You never know what success can come from just trying. Someone quoted Joyce Meyer to me yesterday when I shared this story and I'll paraphrase...
If you're afraid to do follow your calling -- then DO IT AFRAID.
That's better than not doing it at all.
You never know...
November 26, 2013
SON OF A ITCH (A J.J. MCCALL NOVEL) Coming December 10th
Finally it's done! Book 2 in the J.J. McCall series. Three months later than I anticipated, but well worth the wait (I hope!)
In Book 2 of the series, on the lam from the FBI, the ICE PHANTOM continues with plans to defect to Moscow but not before seeking revenge on J.J. McCall. Mean-while the FBI commences Task Force PHANTOM HUNTER, a team ordered by Director Russell Freeman to flush out suspected Russian illegals within the U.S. Intelligence Community—and not a moment too soon. A listening device found embedded in the walls of the nerve center for U.S. national security, implanted by an agent of the Russian Intelligence Services, takes lie-detecting FBI Agent J.J. McCall and her cohorts’ next mole hunt to the highest echelons of the President’s staff.
JJ. and her co-case agent lead the motley crew of spy catchers while she struggles to deal with her alcoholism, juggles conflicting feelings Tony and Six, and bumps heads with an egotistical Secret Service agent whose jurisdictional stonewalling compli-cates her every effort to identify the culprit before they get away--with murder.
Son of a Itch
In Book 2 of the series, on the lam from the FBI, the ICE PHANTOM continues with plans to defect to Moscow but not before seeking revenge on J.J. McCall. Mean-while the FBI commences Task Force PHANTOM HUNTER, a team ordered by Director Russell Freeman to flush out suspected Russian illegals within the U.S. Intelligence Community—and not a moment too soon. A listening device found embedded in the walls of the nerve center for U.S. national security, implanted by an agent of the Russian Intelligence Services, takes lie-detecting FBI Agent J.J. McCall and her cohorts’ next mole hunt to the highest echelons of the President’s staff.
JJ. and her co-case agent lead the motley crew of spy catchers while she struggles to deal with her alcoholism, juggles conflicting feelings Tony and Six, and bumps heads with an egotistical Secret Service agent whose jurisdictional stonewalling compli-cates her every effort to identify the culprit before they get away--with murder.
Son of a Itch
February 13, 2013
S.D. Skye's Annual E-Reader Giveaway & $25.00 Gift Card
Hello Book Lovers!
S.D. Skye is going on tour...a virtual book tour that is--beginning February 11th! Thanks to Goddess Fish Book Tours and some of the most fun bloggers on the Internet, I'm so excited to share a side of myself that few know about and to give readers a deeper look into The Seven Year Itch.
Every single stop will offer something new and different. Interviews which speak to just about every aspect of my writing career, my 20 years in intelligence, and how I developed the J.J. McCall Series. There are also a few guests posts on variety of issues including How J.J. McCall became a Human Lie Detector and fun details about my writing life (pantser or plotter?). I also share some of the best advice I've received over the course of my still short career.
Every one who comments over the entire course of the tour will be entered into a drawing for the chance to win a brand new Kindle Fire and a $25 Amazon gift certificate to kick off your book collection on March 1st. The more tour stops you comment on, the better your chances to win. Just visit at least one of the tour stops below by visiting the Goddess Fish tour page at http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot...
February 11: LizaOConnor
February 11: STOP 2 Writing into the Sunset
February 12: Nickie's Views and Interviews (cancelled)
February 13: Christy McKee Writes for Women in the Sweet Spot of Life
February 14: Sandra's Blog
February 14: STOP 2 MeganJohnsInvites
February 15: A Writer's Life
February 18: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
February 19: Let's Get BOOKED!
February 20: Margay Leah Justice
February 21: MK McClintock Blog
February 22: My Devotional Thoughts
February 25: Full Moon Dreaming
February 26: Long and Short Reviews: Mystery/Suspense
February 27: Janna Shay's Fair Play
February 28: It's Raining Books
March 1: Bunny's Review
Good luck!
S.D. Skye is going on tour...a virtual book tour that is--beginning February 11th! Thanks to Goddess Fish Book Tours and some of the most fun bloggers on the Internet, I'm so excited to share a side of myself that few know about and to give readers a deeper look into The Seven Year Itch.
Every single stop will offer something new and different. Interviews which speak to just about every aspect of my writing career, my 20 years in intelligence, and how I developed the J.J. McCall Series. There are also a few guests posts on variety of issues including How J.J. McCall became a Human Lie Detector and fun details about my writing life (pantser or plotter?). I also share some of the best advice I've received over the course of my still short career.
Every one who comments over the entire course of the tour will be entered into a drawing for the chance to win a brand new Kindle Fire and a $25 Amazon gift certificate to kick off your book collection on March 1st. The more tour stops you comment on, the better your chances to win. Just visit at least one of the tour stops below by visiting the Goddess Fish tour page at http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot...
February 11: LizaOConnor
February 11: STOP 2 Writing into the Sunset
February 12: Nickie's Views and Interviews (cancelled)
February 13: Christy McKee Writes for Women in the Sweet Spot of Life
February 14: Sandra's Blog
February 14: STOP 2 MeganJohnsInvites
February 15: A Writer's Life
February 18: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
February 19: Let's Get BOOKED!
February 20: Margay Leah Justice
February 21: MK McClintock Blog
February 22: My Devotional Thoughts
February 25: Full Moon Dreaming
February 26: Long and Short Reviews: Mystery/Suspense
February 27: Janna Shay's Fair Play
February 28: It's Raining Books
March 1: Bunny's Review
Good luck!
October 22, 2012
Who is FBI Agent J.J. McCall?
I always draw on my life and career experiences when developing new characters for my novels. FBI Agent J.J. McCall, the main character from my upcoming novel The Seven Year Itch, is no different. She's actually very loosely based on an FBI Agent I worked with during my 12 year tenure at the Bureau. Of all the agents I worked with, and I worked with quite a few, she always stood out in my mind for many reasons.
One reason she clings to my memory is that she was, at least at the time, the only African-American female agent assigned to catch Russian spies. The only one I'd ever seen. She was maybe 5'2 or 5'3--completely unimposing. She was like a doll who you wanted to sit next to a fluffed pillow and comb her hair--but wearing a really sharp pantsuit. And she looked like she was about 12 years old. Okay, not 12, but not much older. Certainly as young as I was at the time and I was in my late 20s. I would see her walking in and out of the Russian operational units and wondered why she was there. She seemed completely out of place.Understand, Russian counterintelligence at the FBI has generally been dominated by white men and a few white women. African-Americans usually served in clerical support positions.That's just a statement of fact. So, to see this petite 12 year old African American female FBI agent wandering around the halls of the Hoover Building was in and of itself an anomaly. Imagine my shock and surprise when I found out that not only was she an agent, she was a SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT assigned to work ESPIONAGE cases.
What?
Had I been dropped into some alternate universe? From that point on, I wondered what must she have endured to get into that position. How many jerks (and the FBI had more than its share) did she have to endure? How many slots had she been passed up on before she got this one? How many snide remarks did people squawk behind her back? How many people told her (or at least thought) she'd have problems recruiting sources because of the color of her skin? How did she persevere to get into a position coveted by so many white male FBI agents?
Then one day I found out. As an analyst, I had been assigned to work on a joint intelligence community task force which was formed to find the source of some intelligence compromises. And the agent assigned to the case was the 12 year old. Only she wasn't. I remember, we stepped into the State Department lobby for the meeting and she tried to whisper her birth date--which was in the 1950s!
I caught myself saying out loud, "Are you f*cking kidding me!!"
Trust me, if I looked her age and had a birth date in the 1950s I would print it on a T-shirt and proudly prance around with it on every moment I could. As it turned out, not only was she a lot older than I thought but she was also one of the sharpest agents I'd ever met--man or woman, black, white, or otherwise. She walked into the meeting and commanded it. Not in a "step out of my way I'm FBI" kind of way, but in a "this issue is too important to dilly dally with, let's get to business" kind of way. And she had an innate ability to drill through the sea of BS floating about the room to get to the point.
Somewhere, in the far recesses of my mind, I told myself that I would write a story about women like her someday. Even though I'm not sure I could conceive that I would be a published author just a few years after leaving the Bureau or writing a series for publication, she sowed a seed in me.
The character's name--J.J. McCall (Jasmine Jones McCall)--actually came to me in a dream. I woke up and yelled it out one morning a few years ago not long after I finished my first novel. And it stuck with me, even as I kept putting the idea for this novel on the back burner. I didn't immediately plan to give the FBI Agent character this name but when I would think about it, I thought it just sounded perfect for the person I'd planned to write. She's kind of Salt meets Alex Cross.
As I spoke to before, the agent's innate ability to cut through the BS really impressed me, so I wanted to make that part of J.J.'s character. I didn't want to write anything paranormal or sci-fi, so I came up with the idea to give her a physiological response to BS or lies. However, I wanted some kind of reaction that would lend itself well to humor because humor is such a significant part of my brand. Eventually, I decided that the reaction would be an itch--and that just brought to mind so many potentially hilarious scenes. Can you imagine the problem of lies making you itch--in today's world?
The complexity of her "gift" also lends itself to some great story twists. For example, knowing someone has told you a lie gives you only a small window into the truth. A little white lie told to protect someone will give her the same physiological response as someone who is telling a bold-faced lie to be deceitful. J.J. will have to do a lot of analysis and investigation to determine which is which. So while her "gift" of lie detection gives her an insight that no one else will have--it also complicates her job and love life in more ways than not.
Ahhh...her love life. Also very complex. She has two suitors. One is her co-case agent (partner) Antonio Donato. He's a Italian and a gorgeous one at that. They share a mutual attraction but fight their feelings because of the family histories--both have parents who don't believe in mixing races. You would think in this day and age race would no longer be an issue but in some circles, it still very much is. Then there is Grayson "Six" Chance. He was named by my readers. Six is a sexy African-American CIA case officer/counterintelligence officer who broke J.J.'s heart but wants to give their relationship another try. And unfortunately J.J. hasn't quite let go of him to allow herself to fall for anyone else--including Tony.
So this series--The "ITCH" series--while focusing on a different page-turning espionage-related case for each book, will follow the relationships between these characters. Right now, I have no idea who J.J. will end up with --if she ends up with anyone at all. What I do know is that it will be a fun, suspenseful ride until we get to the end..
Are you in?
Friend me on Facebook: S.D. Skye
Follow me on Twitter: @SDSkye1
And don't forget to subscribe for automatic updates.
One reason she clings to my memory is that she was, at least at the time, the only African-American female agent assigned to catch Russian spies. The only one I'd ever seen. She was maybe 5'2 or 5'3--completely unimposing. She was like a doll who you wanted to sit next to a fluffed pillow and comb her hair--but wearing a really sharp pantsuit. And she looked like she was about 12 years old. Okay, not 12, but not much older. Certainly as young as I was at the time and I was in my late 20s. I would see her walking in and out of the Russian operational units and wondered why she was there. She seemed completely out of place.Understand, Russian counterintelligence at the FBI has generally been dominated by white men and a few white women. African-Americans usually served in clerical support positions.That's just a statement of fact. So, to see this petite 12 year old African American female FBI agent wandering around the halls of the Hoover Building was in and of itself an anomaly. Imagine my shock and surprise when I found out that not only was she an agent, she was a SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT assigned to work ESPIONAGE cases.
What?
Had I been dropped into some alternate universe? From that point on, I wondered what must she have endured to get into that position. How many jerks (and the FBI had more than its share) did she have to endure? How many slots had she been passed up on before she got this one? How many snide remarks did people squawk behind her back? How many people told her (or at least thought) she'd have problems recruiting sources because of the color of her skin? How did she persevere to get into a position coveted by so many white male FBI agents?
Then one day I found out. As an analyst, I had been assigned to work on a joint intelligence community task force which was formed to find the source of some intelligence compromises. And the agent assigned to the case was the 12 year old. Only she wasn't. I remember, we stepped into the State Department lobby for the meeting and she tried to whisper her birth date--which was in the 1950s!
I caught myself saying out loud, "Are you f*cking kidding me!!"
Trust me, if I looked her age and had a birth date in the 1950s I would print it on a T-shirt and proudly prance around with it on every moment I could. As it turned out, not only was she a lot older than I thought but she was also one of the sharpest agents I'd ever met--man or woman, black, white, or otherwise. She walked into the meeting and commanded it. Not in a "step out of my way I'm FBI" kind of way, but in a "this issue is too important to dilly dally with, let's get to business" kind of way. And she had an innate ability to drill through the sea of BS floating about the room to get to the point.
Somewhere, in the far recesses of my mind, I told myself that I would write a story about women like her someday. Even though I'm not sure I could conceive that I would be a published author just a few years after leaving the Bureau or writing a series for publication, she sowed a seed in me.
The character's name--J.J. McCall (Jasmine Jones McCall)--actually came to me in a dream. I woke up and yelled it out one morning a few years ago not long after I finished my first novel. And it stuck with me, even as I kept putting the idea for this novel on the back burner. I didn't immediately plan to give the FBI Agent character this name but when I would think about it, I thought it just sounded perfect for the person I'd planned to write. She's kind of Salt meets Alex Cross.
As I spoke to before, the agent's innate ability to cut through the BS really impressed me, so I wanted to make that part of J.J.'s character. I didn't want to write anything paranormal or sci-fi, so I came up with the idea to give her a physiological response to BS or lies. However, I wanted some kind of reaction that would lend itself well to humor because humor is such a significant part of my brand. Eventually, I decided that the reaction would be an itch--and that just brought to mind so many potentially hilarious scenes. Can you imagine the problem of lies making you itch--in today's world?
The complexity of her "gift" also lends itself to some great story twists. For example, knowing someone has told you a lie gives you only a small window into the truth. A little white lie told to protect someone will give her the same physiological response as someone who is telling a bold-faced lie to be deceitful. J.J. will have to do a lot of analysis and investigation to determine which is which. So while her "gift" of lie detection gives her an insight that no one else will have--it also complicates her job and love life in more ways than not.
Ahhh...her love life. Also very complex. She has two suitors. One is her co-case agent (partner) Antonio Donato. He's a Italian and a gorgeous one at that. They share a mutual attraction but fight their feelings because of the family histories--both have parents who don't believe in mixing races. You would think in this day and age race would no longer be an issue but in some circles, it still very much is. Then there is Grayson "Six" Chance. He was named by my readers. Six is a sexy African-American CIA case officer/counterintelligence officer who broke J.J.'s heart but wants to give their relationship another try. And unfortunately J.J. hasn't quite let go of him to allow herself to fall for anyone else--including Tony.
So this series--The "ITCH" series--while focusing on a different page-turning espionage-related case for each book, will follow the relationships between these characters. Right now, I have no idea who J.J. will end up with --if she ends up with anyone at all. What I do know is that it will be a fun, suspenseful ride until we get to the end..
Are you in?
Friend me on Facebook: S.D. Skye
Follow me on Twitter: @SDSkye1
And don't forget to subscribe for automatic updates.
