S.J. Pajonas's Blog, page 62
August 27, 2019
Teaser Tuesday – The Drug Smuggler
It’s time for another teaser for FIRST FLYGHT! I’m sure plenty of people will see this teaser and their eyebrows will liftoff from their faces. Lol. But sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do to get by.
When Vivian loses the house and the land, she only has a few options available to make enough money to get it back. And being the responsible person she is she diversifies. She doesn’t JUST want to captain the Amagi and fly for Flyght, she’ll also get some income with a little side business. She knows how to grow plants. In fact, this is the thing that she knows how to do best. So why not put it to good use? Except she’s not growing what you think she’s growing. This IS the future, after all.
So far, no one but Ken knows the details of what was in Dad’s seed box. I’m going to shower and sleep, and as soon as we’re through the jump ring to Ossun, I’ll sit everyone down and have the conversation.
What will they think of me? I’ve become a drug dealer, something I thought was beneath me. Well, not yet. But soon.
When I said I would do anything for my family, was this what I meant?
It eats away at me while I stroll through my equipment and explain to Marcelo how it works. How did I go from summa cum laude to peddling drugs?
Actually, come to think of it, only smart people would do something like this. I have the brains to figure out how to grow everything, make what I need to distribute, handle the financials, and keep it all undercover.
Yes, she’s smart, but sometimes, even the smart ones don’t see the problems until those problems are right on top of them.
Want to pre-order FIRST FLYGHT?
FIRST FLYGHT is 99¢ during the pre-order period, so get it now while it’s on sale! Read the blurb, an excerpt, and find all the buy links on my website…
I’ll be back with teasers on Tuesdays until FIRST FLYGHT publishes!
Viber
The post Teaser Tuesday – The Drug Smuggler appeared first on S. J. Pajonas.
August 25, 2019
Sunday Update – August 25, 2019
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.
We’re closing in on the end of summer! Crazy how fast it flies right on by.
This week was a tough one. My husband was out of town for work again, and I got sick.
On Monday night, I got up to go to bed, and I was feeling dizzy. By the time I had cleaned up the kitchen and got ready for bed, I knew I had vertigo. I could barely stay upright. I got into bed and the room just spun. No fun! And I wasn’t even drunk! It made me soooooo nauseous. I was in the bathroom most of the night. Ugh. The worst. I made sure to hydrate and I started feeling better by around 11am.
So Tuesday I spent most of the day in bed. I had a friend come pick the kids up and take them to and from camp. Thank goodness! I missed my doctor’s appointment though, which is unfortunate. I was looking forward to getting my x-rays and seeing how my leg was improving.
Wednesday, my husband returned home and we had thunderstorms all afternoon so we didn’t go to the pool.
On Thursday, I made up for needing help on Tuesday, and I had all the kids and friends to the pool in the afternoon. That was fun and they all had a great time!
Friday was the last day of pottery camp and the art show. The kids made lots of great stuff in art camp this year! My youngest, who is obsessed with Kermit, even made a tiny Kermit. Lol. She loves it. In the afternoon, I put together a shelf unit for my youngest for her room. She really needed more space for stuff.
Saturday, we did something different. I left my oldest at home and took my youngest with me to my cousin’s house and then we went with her family to the pool for the afternoon. I had a nice time sitting around talking with my family, and my youngest swam, even though the temperature was quite cool.
Today it was even cooler — bummer — which meant no pool. So my husband took the kids for back-to-school clothes shopping (I did the back-to-school supplies shopping earlier this month) and I stayed home to writing!
And believe the writing is going well! A lot of cool things story-wise are happening in this draft and I’m seeing the road ahead for this series. It feels good, really good. I’m also on track to finish on time! AMAZING! As of this blog post, I’m less than 9000 words from my draft target. I think I’m going to hit that or maybe go over a little. We shall see.
What else happened this week?
We had a rainbow this week!
Onigiri (rice balls) were all I could stomach on Tuesday.
I enjoyed some yummy iced coffee on Monday!
Ahhhhh. I love summer tomatoes. These were so good, and I didn’t even use a filter on this photo.
There was plenty of working outside and enjoying my morning tea outdoors this week.
Behold my cousin, Kate, enjoying my zero gravity chairs at the pool.
Here’s what my kids made in pottery camp this summer! They did a great job!
And here’s the shelf I built for the youngest. I need to get another one for her closet next!
And that’s it! Have a great week everyone!
Viber
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August 23, 2019
Casting Inspiration For The Flyght Series
When writing the Flyght Series, I wanted to have some inspiration for each of the characters to look at when I was writing their scenes. I usually don’t put these on Pinterest but instead keep them to myself so that I don’t spoil it for my readers until I’m ready.
Since this is a super diverse cast from California, both Central and South America, especially Brazil and the Asian immigrants who have settled there, I wanted to get some images to inspire me to get through each and every draft. Some people I had picked right away, before I even wrote the first draft. Other people came to me later as I was writing or revising.
I’m always hesitant to share these! For some reason, my inspiration is sometimes super personal. I should say that this is NOT a dream cast. These are just actors, actresses, and celebrities who give me a good idea of what to picture in my head as I’m writing. None of these lovely people have endorsed my books. They are merely inspiration!
Vivian – Cynthia Hayashi
I love Cynthia Hayashi’s work! She’s a designer that I’ve come to know from Project Runway, one of my favorite shows. She’s Japanese Brazilian, and the perfect person to picture for Vivian.
Skylar – Jessica Camacho
Skylar is actually based off a good friend of mine by the same name. But when I saw Jessica Camacho on THE FLASH, I knew that she was the right person for the job of kick-ass cousin pilot of the Amagi.
Carlos – Moises Arias
It took me a long time to find the right inspiration for Carlos. I knew who he was in my head for months before actually writing the first book. Then I started watching THE FLASH and I realized I had been writing a character just like Cisco Ramon, and then the weird thing is that his real name is Carlos! Lol. So strange the way my brain works! But my Carlos in The Flyght Series doesn’t look like Cisco Ramon, he looks like Moises Arias. I had to search high and low to find this guy! But he’s close, really close. I imagine him with long hair and a bag of Twizzlers.
Marcelo – Christopher Judge
Marcelo was an easy one because I’ve always pictured him as Christopher Judge from his days on Stargate SG-1. I love his voice and his smile. He is Marcelo for me.
Ken – Hideo Muraoka
Getting into Vivian’s loves, Ken Mata was always going to be a tough one, but Hideo Muraoka rose to the top easily. This man has all the features I wanted for Ken, and he has a lovely Instagram that I’m totally in love with. Man, I really need to do more yoga once my leg heals.
Jinzo – Julien Kang
Jinzo was the hardest of Vivian’s consorts to pin down in my head. Julien Kang comes really close. With a diverse background of Korean and Japanese heritage, Jinzo in The Flyght Series has a fun personality and it was hard to capture that for inspiration. I love Julien’s look, though, and he fits the bill!
Gus – Alisson Becker
My husband is a Liverpool FC fan and by extension I am too. So I have spent the last few seasons staring at Alisson Becker, Liverpool’s goalie, and thinking, “He’s a nice looking guy. Is his name really Alisson?” Yes it is. Lol. Anyway, he’s my inspiration for Gus Correa, one of Vivian’s teammates and suitors from later in the series. (I guess that’s a bit of a spoiler!) Alisson has everything I’ve thought about for Gus, from the beard to the smile.
So I hope that helps you put all these characters into your head for the series! It was fun putting this together and sharing all my inspiration with you.
(I got all of these photos from blogs that talk about celebrities and IMDB. If you would like me to remove these photos, please use the contact form on my website.)
Viber
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August 21, 2019
Featuring ROGUE By Debbie Cassidy
It’s another week, another sci-fi reverse harem book! Debbie Cassidy is here to tell us about her book, ROGUE.
I asked Debbie, “Why did you write ROGUE?”
Debbie replied…
I love romance and I love sci fi, so it felt natural to write a romance set in space.
Boom. Well, sometimes we all have very simple motivations for writing what we write. I also love romance in space, obviously!
Each Victory is another day I get to continue breathing. Each Victory is a reprieve from Death.
Ever since I was betrayed and taken from my home planet, ever since they pumped me with poison and abandoned me on this asteroid to fight or die, I’ve been surviving.
But I’m not alone.
There are others with me, alien to me, just as I am to them. Separated into Houses we fight as a team on the blood-soaked sands while the elite watch.
Each day is about survival until him.
An outsider, he brings death, but he might also be our salvation.
There can be no us and them. There can be no prejudice. There can only be the team, because together we are stronger.
Check out ROGUE on…
Amazon
Find This Author Online
Learn more about Debbie Cassidy on…
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbiecassidyauthor/
Website: https://debbiecassidyauthor.com/
Viber
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August 20, 2019
Teaser Tuesday – The Ex-Boyfriend
It’s time for another teaser for FIRST FLYGHT! I love playing around with romance tropes, and the Second Chances trope was one I hadn’t written yet, so I decided to give it a shot for the Flyght Series.
Vivian is twenty-six and at the end of her extended college education by the time the Flyght Series starts. She had a first love at school, Ken Mata, but when he proposed, Vivian’s parents convinced her he wasn’t the right man for her. That she had to decide between her family and the farm or him, so she chose her family. It really tore her up, but she did what she had to do, because that’s the kind of person Vivian is.
Ken goes on to be successful, and Vivian ends up losing everything. Isn’t that just cruel? I love being cruel to my protagonists! I also loved sending Vivian to ask Ken for help because that’s humiliating and I wanted to see what she would do in that situation. I really love writing, y’all. Like a lot. Lol.
“How will we get shipping contracts if we can’t get a license?”
Skylar rubs her hands together. “Times are changing. The STRA doesn’t run everything anymore. There are two startups out of Palo Alto, Ampla and Flyght, that have found a way to match smaller customers with smaller ships. Independent contracting at its finest. We just need to get in with one of them, and we’ll be set.”
“I… I really need a chair to sit down,” I say, my voice shaking. One of my cousins runs into the next room and brings in a side chair from the smaller kitchen table.
“Flyght. Really?” I plead to Mom and Aunt Fusako as I sit. “I can’t believe you’re even suggesting it after all I went through.”
I did my finance degree first in my early twenties on Rio, the other major metropolis planet in our system. I was young, and it was my first time away from home. Naturally, I met a boy in class, and we fell in love. Ken Mata wasn’t anything extraordinary, but he was tall, handsome, kind, funny, and smart, and he was mine for a short time. I can still close my eyes and see his swoop of hair and the beautiful body he cultivated playing football in every spare moment he had.
My parents, though, were not so in love. He came from a poor family with no real prospects for an alliance, and I was “too good for him.” Ugh. I hated that stuck-up and pretentious attitude. I never saw myself as better than anyone else, but my parents saw differently.
When Ken and I got our finance degrees, he begged me to move to Palo Alto with him, to run away for love. He even proposed with a ring and everything. And I wanted to go. I wanted to marry him. I really did. But my parents threatened to disown me and hand the farm down to one of my female cousins. I agonized over the decision, but I chose my family over Ken. He left, brokenhearted and angry, and I returned to Ossun to get my second degree. It took me over a year to break out of the cycle of crying every day, and I’ve barely dated anyone since. One or two guys have come into my life and then flitted right back out.
Ken, though, turned out to be plenty talented. He took his finance degree and started Flyght, the hippest and most financially solvent startup in the last five years. I’ll never forget seeing him on the news the first time with his hair and a new beard and his sneaky smile. Pangs of jealousy clutched my stomach, and I had to walk away from the news that day.
Now, I have to face him again?
Yes, you do, Vivian. Go get ’em!! Lol.
Want to pre-order FIRST FLYGHT?
FIRST FLYGHT is 99¢ during the pre-order period, so get it now while it’s on sale! Read the blurb, an excerpt, and find all the buy links on my website…
I’ll be back with teasers on Tuesdays until FIRST FLYGHT publishes!
Viber
The post Teaser Tuesday – The Ex-Boyfriend appeared first on S. J. Pajonas.
August 18, 2019
Sunday Update – August 18, 2019
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’m sitting here icing my leg tonight, which I haven’t done in a while. My leg around the side sutures is swollen and tender today and I have no idea why. I see my doctor on Tuesday so I think it can wait. Both he and my PT have warned me that swelling and pain could be a part of my every day life for a year or more post-surgery. So I’m not worried. Just annoyed.
We had a busy week! So much so that I barely remember what happened.
Monday, the kids started pottery camp. In the morning, I walked on the treadmill, got them ready to go, and dropped them off. Yay! Free time for me! I believe I came home and took the few hours to myself, got caught up on Killjoys, and wrote. After camp, we went to the pool for a bit.
Tuesday was a physical therapy day. So I dropped the kids at camp, ran some errands, went to PT, came home to shower and eat. After camp, we hung out at home because the weather was iffy and got our veggies from the CSA.
Wednesday was my busy day. I walked on the treadmill in the morning, dropped the kids at camp, came home to the cleaning ladies, then ate and went to my chiropractor and acupuncture appointments. I got the kids from camp and I had their friends over for a playdate since, once again, the weather was iffy and not very pool friendly.
Thursday was another PT day, but it was super busy after that. I showered and got my hair cut. Then went to Starbucks for a bit, got the kids from camp, then took them to the dentist. The dentist was tough. One kid has a cavity. The other puked in the middle of her cleaning. No matter. She rallied and let them finish! We then went to the pool and met my husband at home for dinner.
Friday, my husband worked from home, so I dropped the kids at camp and went grocery shopping right away. Then we stayed home in the evening because the weather was not cooperating again.
HEY AUGUST! YOUR WEATHER IS SUCKING!!
Saturday was a pool day. We were supposed to go to my cousin’s pool but the weather was not looking good. So we stayed close to home and just did our pool.
Today was also a pool day, and finally IT WAS HOT. We have thundershowers going on right now. But we had a full day at the pool before they rolled in.
What else happened this week?
Got this basil from the CSA and had to look it up. It’s Holy Basil. Very fragrant!
I’m growing daikon radish sprouts from Hamama right now. I love how they look while they’re super small.
Get in some walking (very slow) on the treadmill. Watching some Netflix!
This is what I wake up to almost every day now! Deer on the lawn.
I REALLY needed brownies this week. REALLY. So I baked up these My Favorite Brownies from Smitten Kitchen. They’re awesome. So very good.
And I ended the week with ice cream at the pool. Of course.
Have a great week everyone!
Viber
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August 16, 2019
The Worlds of the Duo Systems – A Closer Look at FIRST FLYGHT
When I was imagining up the worlds that would occupy the Duo Systems of the Flyght Series, I gave a lot of consideration to a few elements of world building.
First, each system had to have at least two planets in the “Goldilocks Zone” which is the habitable zone of each star. I figured with at least two planets in each, there would be plenty of breathing room for adventures for my characters.
I also wanted a variety of ecosystems to play with because I knew that would be fun in the long run.
In the Brazilianos System, we have two planets in the habitable zone and one RIGHT on the edge — Rio and Ossun, with Neve right out at the boundary. There are other planets in the system which don’t get talked about much like Asobu close to the star and gas giants farther out, but these two main planets get the most play, especially Rio which did not need to be terraformed when the settlers arrived.
In the Californikus System, we have three planets in the habitable zone — Palo Alto, Laguna, and Sonoma. They were all terraformed when settlers arrived, Laguna the less of them all because it was mostly a warm water planet and all they had to do was build islands. This system also has other planets not mentioned in the books, two closer to the star and gas giants out in the distance.
Let me just take a break here and tell you how much fun it is to come up with whole solar systems to play around in! This is the best part of my job, hands down. And in this series I got to build TWO WHOLE SOLAR SYSTEMS. I mean, what brilliant genius came up with that idea? Lol. ;)
Anyway, I also needed to take into consideration moons. Several planets have moons that contain habitats, and several others are just lifeless rocks. But moons also exert tidal and weather forces, so I had to think about those too and how they would impact the worlds they orbit. Though I haven’t spent much time on any of the moons in the Flyght books so far, I know they’re there and I hope that we’ll visit them at some point.
Vivian’s home is located on Ossun. Her family owns a farming empire that takes up hundreds of square kilometers on this planet. Being that it’s in the Brazilianos System, this land can only be owned by women, or handed down to women. In the first book of this series, we visit Ossun in the Brazilianos System and Palo Alto in the Californikos System where Vivian’s ex lives.
Palo Alto sounds familiar, right? All of the planets in the Californikos System are named after towns and cities in California, of course! The planet names of the Brazilianos System are mostly derived from Brazil towns and cities with a sprinkling of Japanese as well. They were all a lot of fun to choose!
I really loved world building for the Flyght Series and watching each planet come to life as each book gets written. It’s been a joy to write. I hope you all enjoy them too!
Next week, I’ll be sharing photos of the people, actors and celebrities, who inspired my characters for the Flyght Series!
Viber
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August 14, 2019
Featuring GOLDEN By Chandra Ryan
I have another sci-fi reverse harem book for you today! Chandra Ryan is here to talk about her series, The Dragon Accords, and the first book, GOLDEN.
I asked Chandra, “What inspired The Dragon Accords Series?”
Chandra replied…
My favorite thing about this series is the character development. I love how the characters start off reacting to the crap life is throwing at them, but by the end of their book, they have found the strength to act instead of react, and to make the decisions and changes necessary to achieve their goals.
Character development is so important in a series, especially if you’re going to be with those characters for several books. I love watching a hero or heroine grow and change!
Mesha has lived with one truth: Dragons are the enemy. Sure, they’re sexy as hell and their touch makes her weak in the knees, but they are the aggressors in the centuries-old war between their people.
Aarush, Divit, and Hiran have a truth of their own: Humans can’t be trusted. And Mesha swears she’s human. A human who works for the Agency. She’s their enemy. But something about her calls to them.
Unfortunately for them, love and war are complicated, enemies and alliances aren’t set in stone, and sex is never simple.
*This a science fiction reverse harem with a feisty heroine who refuses to follow orders and insists on doing things her own way. It has explicit, and sometimes group, sex scenes. Golden is intended for those who are 18 or older.
Check out GOLDEN on…
Amazon
Find This Author Online
Learn more about Chandra Ryan on…
Website: http://www.ChandraRyan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chandra.ryan
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Author.ChandraRyan/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/author.chandra.ryan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChandraRyan
Viber
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August 13, 2019
Teaser Tuesday – A Graduation For Vivian
It’s time to start Teaser Tuesdays for FIRST FLYGHT! I’m excited that this book is finally going to be published. It was done over a year ago now, and I’ve been banking up books in the series for you all. Let’s get right to today’s teaser!
When we first meet our heroine, Vivian, she’s treating herself to a killer pair of high heel shoes as a gift to herself. She’s graduating in a mere two weeks, finals are over, and this is the time to pick out something nice to wear to all the parties she’s going to attend. Right? Except this is also the time for her to figure out that her brother has stolen the family fortune.
I look at myself in the mirror and assess the damage school has brought. I’m skinnier and softer than I used to be which is not a good look for someone as tall as me. Lots of walking to and from classes and to and from trains has kept my calves in shape, but my arms need muscle. My face is thin, and my hair is lackluster. But the shoes bring my whole body to life.
I must have them.
“What do you think?” Heidi asks as I walk a circle around the couch.
“I think… I think I’ll take them.” A smile brightens my face.
“Excellent! That was my easiest sale of the week,” she says, laughing and winking at me.
I flash forward to graduation day, me walking in these beauties, getting my diploma and hearing my name called for the honor roll. I worked my tail off for that one moment. I hope it was all worth it.
As I sit down, I access my wristlet, and my bank account while I’m slipping back on my wholly inadequate old shoes. Bye-bye hard earned credi…t..s…
What the…?
Balance, zero.
My face heats to inferno levels, and my heart races as I stop to access it again.
Zero.
Zero? How is this possible?
Oh, man! How embarrassing is that? She was just about to buy those shoes! But this is only the beginning of trouble for Vivian. She has a long way to go from here.
Want to pre-order FIRST FLYGHT?
FIRST FLYGHT is 99¢ during the pre-order period, so get it now while it’s on sale! Read the blurb, an excerpt, and find all the buy links on my website…
I’ll be back with teasers on Tuesdays until FIRST FLYGHT publishes!
Viber
The post Teaser Tuesday – A Graduation For Vivian appeared first on S. J. Pajonas.
August 11, 2019
Sunday Update – August 11, 2019
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.
Another full week around here! I had to keep everyone busy because we had one more week before camp starts again.
Monday was our free day. I finished off the basement clean out by vacuuming down there and then mopping. In the afternoon, I took the kids to the pool.
Tuesday, I had to take my youngest to a doctor appointment in the morning, and it was out by the mall, so I promised the kids I’d take them there after. It was perfect timing because we finished the doctor’s appointment, and it was lunchtime. So we had lunch at the food court at the mall. Then we bought soaps at Bath & Body Works and bath bombs at LUSH. The afternoon’s weather was spotty so we stayed home and the kids helped me with taking photos of my FIRST FLYGHT paperbacks for Instagram photos!
Wednesday was another day of storms so we stayed home and vegged out all day. My youngest had a friend over for the afternoon. They played and had a great time. In the evening, we watched some SUPERGIRL and didn’t do much else.
Thursday, my oldest went to a friend’s house for the day, so I had the youngest to myself. In the morning, I put out all the donations to be picked up by the Veterans. I had them out by 8am and they were gone by 11am when I returned home from physical therapy. In the afternoon, we went to the pool, of course! The weather was lovely, and we couldn’t pass it up after days of rain.
Friday, my husband returned home from a business trip on an early flight. I tried to take the kids to the pool in the afternoon. It rained just after lunch, then we went. But then it started raining while we were there, and we had to come home. Then it was beautiful again. Totally schizophrenic weather.
Saturday, I went to PT in the morning and then I took the kids to the pool all day. It went well, but by the time the day was over, I knew I needed a break from the kids. So I told my husband to take them to the pool on Sunday without me.
So today, I spent the day catching up on MY shows, shows I can’t watch with the kids around. I went for a walk. I wrote. I did some image work. I worked on SFR Station. I got caught up on reading. It was a good day alone but ended way too soon.
Writing is going well. I’m hitting my word count most days and making up for days that I can’t write by writing more on the days I can. So far, I’m on track, and I have this book plotted out to the end. Everything else I’m doing is coming along. No complaints there! I am looking forward to having my kids in camp the next two weeks so I can stay on track.
What else happened this week?
We had an overflow of vegetables from the CSA so I blanched as much as I could and froze everything.
Hit the midpoint of writing this book!
I got this adorable fox makeup bag from Bath & Body Works. So cute!
The girls enjoyed picking out bath bombs at LUSH.
Got as much pool time as we could this week.
I got these grapes this Friday and they are HUGE. Tasty, though.
The park is looking beautiful!
I ate some of these snacks we’ve been getting from subscription boxes. The chocolate has Pop Rocks in it! And the Coffee Joy was nice with coffee. Very thin biscuits.
And finally here are all the donations I put out! 8 boxes of books, 4 boxes of toys, 2 dollhouses, and 2 bags of clothing.
Have a great week everyone!
Viber
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