S.J. Pajonas's Blog, page 49
June 24, 2020
Featuring HUNTED ON PREDATOR PLANET by Vicky L. Holt #summerofSFR
Continuing with the Summer of SFR, I have Vicky L. Holt here today to tell us about her books. I love learning about new-to-me authors!
Tell me a little about you, Vicky…
“I think Lake Michigan is heaven on Earth, but if I can’t go there, I love to read to escape. Science fiction romance blends my love of technology, natural history and of course, love stories. Writing lets me share this passion with other readers.”
I’m originally from Michigan so I agree that the lakes are heaven on earth!
I asked Vicky, “What inspired you to write HUNTED ON PREDATOR PLANET?”
Vicky replied…
“My childhood fantasies involved being the heroine rescuer while fighting against dinosaurs. When my idea for Predator Planet was fleshed out, I realized my dreams had come to fruition. Badass heroines who are experts in the STEM fields became personified in these science fiction romance stories. I am writing what I love and excited to share these stories with the world!”
Writing what you love is so important! I’m sure readers can tell that this is something Vicky is passionate about.
“Esra Weaver, exo-geologist, is hired for the Kerberos-90 Mining expedition, but when she awakens in her Emergency Egress Pod on a tropical, uninhabited planet, she realizes her life has taken a drastic turn for the disastrous. ‘Predator Planet’ tries to kill her at every turn, and Esra soon discovers it also harbors a mysterious alien out for her blood. When danger and death converge on her, her hunter becomes her savior, and when her feelings for him evolve, she realizes she must battle not only Predator Planet but also her past to make room in her heart for an unexpected but passionate future.
Naraxthel Roika, Mighty Hunter of the Ikthekal race, discovers the existence of a spy on his hunting grounds planet. With blood and fury in his veins, he tracks her down, only to discover that she isn’t a spy at all, but a mighty little hunter in her own right. Against centuries of tradition and physiology, Naraxthel’s heart-home begins the biological changes that indicate he has discovered his mate. He tries to fight what his heart is trying to tell him, but love doesn’t distinguish between star systems and it won’t stop growing, even if the consequence is exile.
Together, along with Naraxthel’s hunting party, they must embark on a dangerous and desperate journey to reclaim not only Naraxthel’s place in his society but also find a way for them to be together.”
Check out HUNTED ON PREDATOR PLANET on Amazon, Apple Books, Nook, and Kobo via Books2Read…
Via Books2Read
Find This Author Online
Learn more about Vicky L. Holt on…
Website: https://www.lovevickyholt.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lovevickyholt
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lovevickyholt
Check out all my Summer of SFR posts!
Viber
The post Featuring HUNTED ON PREDATOR PLANET by Vicky L. Holt #summerofSFR appeared first on S. J. Pajonas.
June 22, 2020
Find Your New Obsession – Promo #summerofSFR
If you’re looking for more SFR to pick up and read during the Summer of SFR event, I have a promotion for you to check out! There are both sci-fi and fantasy romance titles here for you to choose from, and I’m sure there’s something to satisfy your cravings.
Check out the New Obsession Promo
I hope you find something here to read and enjoy!
Viber
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Featuring AURIC by Leslie Chase #summerofSFR
It’s the start of the Summer of SFR! And today I have Leslie Chase here to talk about her novel, AURIC, which is the first book in the Crashland Colony Romance series.
Who is Leslie Chase?
“I’m Leslie, and I write steamy, exciting SFR from my home in Scotland. I love the genre, but I also love the community of authors and readers: everyone is friendly and it makes events like this possible!”
I agree that the SFR community is very welcoming and friendly! We love this genre to pieces.
I asked Leslie, “What inspired you to write AURIC?”
Leslie replied…
“I started writing Auric for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with just the image of a woman walking out onto the deck of a spaceship, a huge white star shining behind her and a cat at her side… as an alien warrior crashes his fighter into the ship. That’s where Auric and the Crashland Colony Saga began, and though it changed a lot in the writing, the basics of how Auric and Tamara met stayed the same. She’s the mechanic who dug him out of his fighter, and he’s the alien who came to warn her that her ship would soon be under attack.
Their romance shapes the book, and sets the tone for the sequels, Torran and Ronan.
I fell in love with the world I built for them to explore, Crashland, and I’m now writing the second trilogy set there. It’s an exciting, dangerous place to explore, but there are plenty of chances mates to find each other, face challenges together, and fall in love. I know a lot of readers have enjoyed the setting, too, and it’s wonderful to have created something people like.
But probably my favorite thing about writing Auric (and the other Crashland Colony Romances) are the holographic companion animals the humans have. Tamara’s Mr. Mews, a holographic cat, was a hit with the readers, and having them around let me do interesting things I couldn’t have otherwise. Plus, the animals are just so cute!”
That’s a very powerful image to start a story with! I love when authors include animals in their stories too, holographic or real!
Crashed on an unexplored planet, with only an alien warrior and a holographic cat for company… what’s a girl to do?
Tamara expected the trip to Arcadia Colony to be safe and boring. And it is — until an impossibly hot alien warrior crashes into the ship, bringing a warning that only Tamara believes. Helping the rugged alien means mutiny… but the threat he’s warning about is worse.
Auric turned his back on the Silver Band when they abandoned honor in favor of piracy. Drawn by the riches of the colony ship, the Band are on their way — and once they arrive, the humans are doomed. Now that he’s met Tamara, Auric knows he can’t let anything happen to her. She’s the woman fate has chosen for him, the woman he would give his life to save.
When the humans and their alien attackers are stranded on a forbidden planet, Auric and Tamara are flung together on a journey to find other survivors. Will fate be enough to keep Auric and Tamara together? Or will the dangers of the planet tear them apart?
Auric is book one of the Crashland Colony Romances. Each book is a complete science fiction romance story with no cheating, no cliffhangers, and a happy ending guaranteed.
Check out AURIC on Amazon via Books2Read…
Via Books2Read
Find This Author Online
Learn more about Leslie Chase on…
Website: http://www.leslie-chase.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/712015315918628/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/leslie-chase
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lchasewrites
Check out all my Summer of SFR posts!
Viber
The post Featuring AURIC by Leslie Chase #summerofSFR appeared first on S. J. Pajonas.
June 21, 2020
Sunday Update – June 21, 2020
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.
This month is already more than half over! Where has the time gone? The first month of quarantine felt SOOOOOO LONG and now the months are just zipping by.
Notable things that happened this past week include…
My kids finished school for the year! Overall, they were super troopers for this semester at home. They finished most everything assigned to them and had some fun while they did it. The school did an amazing job with the lessons, and their teachers were accommodating and helpful. I can’t complain, really! I did have to help out my younger child a lot, and that made me down in the dumps some days. But I think that’s to be expected with her anyway. If she were in school, I’d still be helping at home at nights.
Now we’re into the summer! There is no pool for us this year, though the town is re-opening the pool in July with a lot of restrictions. No playground. No concession stand. No water slides. Masks on in buildings and coming and going from the facility. I think it’s mostly doable, but we won’t be joining. I think it’s safer for us to stay home. We have our pool set up outside now, and the kids will do a lot of summer fun courses online. That’ll be good.
We finally start construction on our master bathroom this coming week. It’s going to be hot and noisy here for some time. But this old bathroom has to go, and we’re ready for this to be done. It’ll be a six week job and everything is already ordered and ready to go. I hope it goes as smoothly as I think it will! Demolition happens on Tuesday. We will be socially distancing from the workers and everyone will wear masks.
STOLEN FLYGHT published this past Friday and now that series is complete. It’s hard to believe I published a whole 6-book series in the span of a school year. That’s a huge feat for me!
I have lots of work ahead of me in the coming weeks. We’re redesigning the Hikoboshi covers and I’m sure they’ll look great once they fit in with the rest of my series. I will be re-reading CRASH LAND ON KURAI and making a few edits to it, and they’ll go live when the new covers go live. This week, I’ll complete my pen name transition for all the Miso Cozy Mysteries books. Summer of SFR starts tomorrow! Website updates need to happen here. Sooooooo much to do.
I made seitan this week for use in salad lunches and for sandwiches and what not. What I didn’t use right away, I froze and we can use it later.
Here’s Lulu all passed out one night.
We got new food for Lulu and it came packed with dry ice. So we had some fun with it!
We were treated to an online band concert at home. My oldest daughter played Shake It Off on her flute as a solo, and then she played The Magnificent Seven along with the band.
My youngest’s teacher stopped by to say hello and take photos on the last day of school.
My youngest and I also made cupcakes and we’ll be delivering them to her friends today.
We enjoyed Indian takeout on Thursday! It was nice to have a treat.
One of our neighbors has been painting these rocks and putting them outside. They are so cute! I love them. So I took some photos for y’all.
And finally, as per my usual routine, I treated myself to breakfast on the day STOLEN FLYGHT published. It was a great day, and I’m really happy with myself for completing this series.
Have a great week everyone! Stay home and stay safe and healthy.
Viber
The post Sunday Update – June 21, 2020 appeared first on S. J. Pajonas.
June 19, 2020
STOLEN FLYGHT, Book 6 Of The Flyght Series, Is Now Available!
It’s here! Today’s the day that the Flyght Series comes to a close! I must admit that I feel bittersweet about this. I had no idea how attached to Vivian and this world I would become when I penned that first chapter over a year ago. I also had no idea that I could publish a six-book series in the course of a school year, a year that also involved a global pandemic and upheaval in the United States as well.
In this final book of the Flyght Series, we get a chance to see Vivian at her best. We see her think on her feet, adapt to the world around her, and fight for what she wants and believes in. So far the reception for this final book has been great! Readers are really happy with how the series ends. I hope you’ll love it too.
But if you loved this world, then never fear! There will be one more adventure with Vivian next year in an anthology, and there will also be another series featuring Skylar! I’m not done with this universe, so I hope you’ll stick around for the long haul.
One last mission to secure her birthright. A frozen world and a sinister conspiracy that may cost her land… and her life.
Vivian will do whatever it takes to finally be victorious in the battle for her family farm. So when her benefactor insists she infiltrate a hostile military base on a treacherous ice planet, she has no choice but to agree. But when two of her crew are apprehended during the operation, her focus shifts to desperate survival.
Outmanned and pinned behind enemy lines, Vivian’s options for escape dwindle. But everything she believes in turns on its head when she makes a shocking discovery in the base’s top-secret lab.
Can Vivian and her team evade a deadly trap to win back her legacy?
STOLEN FLYGHT is the sixth and final book in the star-spanning reverse harem Flyght Series. If you like galactic heists, mind-blowing twists, and nonstop action, you’ll love S. J. Pajonas’s soaring climax.
Note: This is a slow-burn romance series!
Amazon Apple Books Nook Kobo Google Play Smashwords
Direct via PayHip
Have questions about buying direct?
Enjoy STOLEN FLYGHT! I’ll see you around here next week for the start of the Summer of SFR!
Viber
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June 17, 2020
Website and Newsletter Formatting Updates Happening!
Just a quick note that over the next month, changes will be happening here on the website, on social media, and in my email updates. I have new branding! And spajonas.com is going to become my sci-fi romance pen name, while my cozy mysteries move to a new pen name (details to come on that next week).
You’ve probably seen that I’ve swapped out the logo on my website. Right now it’s small and hard to see, I understand. It’s a temporary measure before I update the template of the website. Template updates will probably start to happen at the beginning of July, and the site will be in flux for a bit as I swap out stylesheets and update layouts. If you see stuff happening, please bear with me as I make the changeover. I’ve used the new-and-upcoming template on two other websites so far! So I have a good idea of what to expect in the development phase. But this will be the first time I’ve used it on a site with so much existing content.
Email Update changes are already in place. I finished off the last of those updates Tuesday morning. Social media changes will be happening on Friday when STOLEN FLYGHT launches. This includes new banner designs for Facebook.
Next week, I plan to unveil my pen name and I ask that those that want JUST cozy mysteries from me to head on over and subscribe to that newsletter. I hope to write more of them in 2022.
So, that’s it! Big changes are happening here! I hope you’ll be along for the ride. Take care and stay safe!
Viber
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June 14, 2020
Sunday Update – June 14, 2020
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.
I wish I knew why this was the most frustrating week so far of our quarantine at home. It was like everything that could go wrong with technology did, and I didn’t sleep, so dealing with all the problems just made me into a grouch.
We realized, while staying home and having everyone using the wi-fi constantly, that our router was really old. Like 10 years old. I don’t think we replaced it once since we moved in. Conference calls, zoom and google meetings were all sucking pretty hard core. So my husband did the smart thing and ordered us a new router. Okay! I thought, Yeah! New router! I hope it’s awesome. And it was for like a day. Then we realized that every time someone opened a computer or got on the network, everyone else would lose their connection. We did everything we could to make that stop — static IPs for everyone, tweaked the dynamic IP pool, made some changes to the WAN settings, changed the channels. Finally, after a week of this nonsense, we gave up. We’re returning this router and we’re trying another one. I hope this new one is better.
BUT, we’ve woken up the last two mornings and have had no internet! And this time it wasn’t the router. It’s our box in the basement that connects to Verizon. So now we really have no internet (I’m writing this from the hotspot on my iPhone) and they have to send someone out tomorrow morning. ARGH!
Then I got a new iPad! My old one was 5 years old and it stopped connecting to the internet and nothing I did was making it work again. It was really slow, so it was time for it to go anyway. But the transition to the new iPad did not go smoothly. It had updating problems, and I spent two hours on an Apple Support call updating my computer and updating the iPad. Then I tried to wipe my old iPad so I could send it in for a trade-in. That took hours before I figured out that it would not let me erase it until I turned off Find my iPad. OMG. RAGE SMASH.
Also, Lulu has been great, but she’s not eating much and her stomach is out of sorts from the meds we had her on to kill the parasite colony. So I’ve been worried about her.
And the kids are heading into their last week of school! Which is great, but man, there have been SO MANY end-of-year things that are super complicated now because of the COVID.
I mentioned I’m not sleeping, right? Like barely 4 or 5 hours a night. My right eye is constantly bloodshot and I am quick to snap at people. I hate it. I’m also losing my memory again, which happens when I don’t sleep.
So, in an effort to be better, and not let stuff slip through the cracks, I invested about $80 in Things 3 (for my Mac, iPhone, and iPad). It’s a productivity app, like a to-do list on steroids. I did a ton of research on which productivity app to buy, and after looking at Todoist, Things 3, OmniFocus, and a few others, I settled on Things 3. So far, I’m pretty happy with it. When I think of something I have to do, I put it in the app right away before I forget it. Then I open the app every day and assign to-do items to lists and give them reminders. I like the whole process so far. I just need to stay on top of doing it.
We also started our CSA this week, and I got the first shift of the year! Yay! I actually got the first 3 shifts of the year, which I’m happy about. I like to get my shifts over with right away. The first shift went well, and it was nice to see everyone, even at a distance. I’m so excited for lots of veggies and eggs this summer!
I have a big week coming up! The kids will be done with school, and STOLEN FLYGHT publishes on Friday! Plus, there are a ton of other things to do. Stay tuned for some big changes this summer and fall!
I spent lots of time outside on my deck and Lulu was right there with me.
The town finally came and took care of the stump that they ground down the week before. They took away most of the detritus and put down topsoil and grass seed. This part of the lawn is going to look great. Lol.
I said on Instagram that when we lived in Brooklyn, we always ordered from our favorite Chinese restaurant, Red Hot. Mmm, I miss their Shanghai dumplings. Anyway, they always asked at the end of the call, “Any Duck Sauce, Soy Sauce, Mustard Sauce?” But they ran it all together super fast like “Any ducksaucesoysaucemustardsauce?” Lol. So that’s how we say it now. We got Chinese this week and that was a fond memory.
And when I get the chance, I sit and read with Lulu. That’s always nice.
I’m hoping my internet is fixed tomorrow as we have a lot of things to do this week with end-of-year school stuff and STOLEN FLYGHT publishing on Friday. Please keep your fingers crossed for us.
Have a great week everyone! Stay safe and healthy!
Viber
The post Sunday Update – June 14, 2020 appeared first on S. J. Pajonas.
June 12, 2020
What I’m Watching – Fauda and Making the Cut
The TV around here is moving along really fast! Once we finished all three seasons of Ozark, and I finished watching Grace and Frankie on my own, it was time to move on to new obsessions.
We floundered for a few days, trying to find something to watch, when my husband said, “We should check out this Israeli version of Homeland. I hear it’s really good.”
Fauda (On Netflix), which means “chaos” in Arabic, is about an undercover Israeli anti-terrorism force. As you can probably imagine, the show concentrates on Arab/Palestinian and Jewish/Israeli relations, terrorism, nationalism, and, at its roots, family and duty. So far, the plot has been very engaging and I’m looking forward to seeing the story to the end of the first season.
There are a few things that make it hard to watch, though. Sometimes it’s difficult to follow along because they speak so fast, and the subtitles go screaming by. Plus, the subtitles follow both Arabic and Hebrew! The Hebrew subtitles are written as-is, and the Arabic subtitles have brackets [ ] around them. That’s also something you have to pay attention to as well because it does have an impact on the story when people switch back and forth depending on their situation. As a writer, I have predicted several of the plot twists, just because I read enough news to know that suicide bombings and senseless killings still happen quite frequently in that area of the world. You don’t think they’re going to blow up the old man? Well, guess what? They are. Yeah.
So, while this show has a few negatives, the positives are keeping me watching!
On my own time, I have started Making the Cut (On Amazon Prime)! You may not know this about me, but I have watched every single season of Project Runway. Yep, every one. I’m not hugely into fashion. I like comfy clothes and I don’t get out much. But I love to watch people design and construct garments. I love to watch fashion shows and critique fashion. And I loooooooove Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn. When they left Project Runway, it took some time for me to warm to the new judges, so it’s nice to see them in this new endeavor.
Once again, after all these seasons of Project Runway, the designers on Making the Cut still make the same mistakes as the previous losers on Project Runway. I’m sorry, but you can’t consider yourself a world-class fashion designer if you can’t even sew. Some of the people on this show have never threaded a sewing machine in their lives. They just make some drawings, pick out fabric, and then hand it off to a seamstress. I understand that that’s how top-level designers do it now, BUT those designers understood how to sew first. A lot of these people have tried to jump the line, and it shows.
I predicted right away who was going to fail in the first 4 episodes based on their prior experience. Lol. Now that I’m on episode 5, most of the people left are competent, and we’ll see who succumbs to stress in the second half of the series.
I’m enjoying the judges in this season! Nicole Ritchie is really knowledgable about fashion and her opinion has been spot-on about everything. Naomi Campbell has really surprised me with her toughness. She demands the best of everyone, and you can tell she really cares not only about fashion, but about the designers. I’m always interested to hear what she has to say. Joseph Altuzarra has a very keen eye and good things to say to the designers when he critiques them. Plus, the show takes place in Paris and Tokyo/Japan! Two places I love! (Though I have never been to Paris… someday.) All in all, this is a great show so far!
Tell me what you’ve been watching!
Viber
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June 11, 2020
Featuring CAPTIVE By K. M. Fawcett
Today, I have K. M. Fawcett here to talk about her book CAPTIVE, the first in a thrilling sci-fi romance series, that also happens to be on sale RIGHT NOW. So, I hope you’ll pick it up if it interests you! I’ve known K. M. a long time now (let’s not talk about JUST how long because it’s been ages) and she continues to be a wonderfully helpful and kind author. I just adore working with her!
I asked K. M., “How did you get the idea for CAPTIVE?”
K. M. replied…
The idea for CAPTIVE (The Survival Race Book 1) came from watching the rescue of mistreated horses on an episode of Animal Cops. It broke my heart to see those beautiful animals neglected and starved so thin their rib cages showed. How would their owners like being penned up and abused like that? This got me thinking. What if humans were pets, and someone — aliens perhaps — bred us and gambled upon us for sport? I have no idea what happened in the rest of the episode. I was busy cogitating an alien abduction story with a broken alpha gladiator forced to kill for entertainment, and his newly arrived, fiery mate who refuses to breed warriors for the Survival Race, a blood sport where the last man alive wins.
Wow. I love hearing how random events spark new stories! I can definitely see how K. M. came up with this idea after watching that show about horses. With authors, they never know where inspiration will come from!
Rookie cop Addy Dawson must escape her alien captors. Caged with a brazen alpha gladiator claiming to be her mate, Addy refuses to breed warriors for the Survival Race—a blood sport where the last man alive wins. Nothing and no one will stop her from finding a way home, including the exasperating rogue determined to seduce her.
Years of killing for entertainment have turned Max into a hardened beast. The only time he feels human is when at stud. But when a fiery woman from his home world rejects him, her rebellious spirit awakens a part of his soul he thought long dead.
Bound together by a desire for freedom, Addy and Max will risk torture or worse to break out. But the hunted pair will never find refuge unless they can learn to trust each other with their lives…and their hearts.
Check out CAPTIVE on…
Amazon Nook Apple Books Kobo
Find This Author Online
Learn more about K. M. Fawcett on…
Website: http://www.kmfawcett.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/km.fawcett
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/k-m-fawcett
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6456914.K_M_Fawcett
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/K-M-Fawcett/e/B00B78JG36/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KMFawcett
Viber
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June 7, 2020
Sunday Update – June 7, 2020
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.
The first week of June is in the books! And once again, due to COVID-19 quarantine, it was fairly uneventful. I barely took any photos!
The kids are chugging along in the final weeks of school here. Just a few more days left and they’ll be free for the summer.
This week, I worked on my freelance project and my pen name’s website. The pen name’s website is coming along, and I should be done with it soon. That means I can switch over the books on the vendors soon too. Probably some time around the 15th. I’ll let you all know what the new name is and where to sign up for the newsletter for that name.
My freelance is coming along well too. We’re nearing the home stretch where it’s all little things. I’ve done most of the template heavy-lifting, and the rest comes down to my client adding in the content.
In other news, I am reading and knitting and really loving web development again. I’ve invested in tools for my future, and everything is working towards me ramping up that business in 2021.
Lulu plays hard at doggy daycare and then comes home to pass out.
I made it out on Thursday to get my oil changed (the light in my car had been on for over a week) and the oil change always comes with a car wash. My car needed it! It had so much bird poop on it. Gross.
I toasted the end of the week with a much-needed martini.
Saturday night dinner was vegan seitan steaks again, tater tots, and kale. When I made the seitan steaks last time, the recipe yields 4. So I put the other two steaks in the freezer. They came out perfect! Dessert was a mango and a nectarine with some cool whip.
Finally, at the behest of my girlfriends, I took an enneagram test to see what I was. The results were less than surprising.
One
98% MATCH
Type 1 can be thought of as The Perfectionist. Ones place a lot of emphasis on following the rules and doing things correctly.
Five
92% MATCH
Type 5 is described as The Investigator. Fives seek understanding and knowledge, and are more comfortable with data than people.
Six
89% MATCH
Type 6 is also known as The Skeptic. Sixes are preoccupied with security, seek safety, and like to be prepared for problems.
Eight
75% MATCH
Type 8 is also known as The Challenger. Eights see themselves as strong and powerful and seek to stand up for what they believe in.
Three
73% MATCH
Type 3 is also known as The Achiever. Threes want to be successful and admired by other people, and are very conscious of their public image.
Have a great week everyone! Stay home and stay safe.
Viber
The post Sunday Update – June 7, 2020 appeared first on S. J. Pajonas.
