Showing posts with label science fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label science fiction. Show all posts

Thursday, June 22, 2017

New Release - The Prototype's Descendant

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have an exciting new release for you all. If you know or love Maria Pease (now Maria Rosera), you'll want to get into this book! Enough of my jawing. Get your clicking fingers ready and let's get going!

Title: The Prototype's Descendant
Author: Maria Rosera
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Length (print):
Buy Links: All the links!

Blurb:
Kyla Carver never imagined her road trip would turn out like this:

Breaking up with her boyfriend.
Getting abducted by aliens.
And being the possible key for the Asterrals’ return to Earth.

Jeremiah Taylor never wanted the job of Terralien Intake Physician.

But it’s getting him one step closer to going to Earth.
He finds humans fascinating.
And he’s falling for the girl.

When her abduction takes an unexpected turn, Kyla and Jeremiah form an unlikely friendship that leads to the start of a summer they will never forget.

~~~~~

How good does this sound???? How about a teaser?



What are you waiting for? Get going!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

New Release - Ghost Code by Sarah Negovetich


The wait is over! From the bestselling author of the Acceptance series, comes an all new YA-standalone that's sure to be the first summer smash-hit! Sarah Negovetich delivers and you won't want to miss out. Grab your copy today!

Title: Ghost Code
Author: Sarah Negovetich
Genre: Young Adult/Sci-Fi
Release Date: May 15, 2017

"Ghost Code is a fast paced thrill ride that will take you to the very edge--of life and of love--and leave you begging for just one more page." 
-Bestselling Author Sherry D. Ficklin (The Hacker Series)



"Without dreams, what's the point of being awake?"

After a lifetime of fighting cancer, eighteen-year-old Viv Quiroga is dying. But she’s determined to go out on her own terms. Instead of wasting away in a hospital watching her mom worry over their mounting debt, she volunteers for a private research program.

For thirty days she’ll live in a coma as a human lab rat. When her time is up, they turn off the machines and pay off all her medical bills.

It’s supposed to be a one way trip.

Until Viv wakes up and learns what it really means to live.

     


Sarah Negovetich

Sarah Negovetich knows you don't know how to pronounce her name and she's okay with that.

Her first love is Young Adult novels, because at seventeen the world is your oyster. Only oysters are slimy and more than a little salty; it's accurate if not exactly motivational. We should come up with a better cliché.

Sarah divides her time between writing YA books that her husband won’t read and performing on stage at BE Theatre. Her goal in life is to never grow up.

FIND SARAH NEGOVETICH


Happy Release Day Sarah and Ghost Code! Join us in wishing Sarah all the best with her new release by reaching out to her via Facebook or Twitter at the links above you will not regret it!

Grab your copy today!

***** Title: Ghost Code Author: Sarah Negovetich Genre: Young Adult/Sci-Fi Release Date: May 15, 2017 "Ghost Code is a fast paced thrill ride that will take you to the very edge--of life and of love--and leave you begging for just one more page." -Bestselling Author Sherry D. Ficklin (The Hacker Series) "Without dreams, what's the point of being awake?" After a lifetime of fighting cancer, eighteen-year-old Viv Quiroga is dying. But she’s determined to go out on her own terms. Instead of wasting away in a hospital watching her mom worry over their mounting debt, she volunteers for a private research program. For thirty days she’ll live in a coma as a human lab rat. When her time is up, they turn off the machines and pay off all her medical bills. It’s supposed to be a one way trip. Until Viv wakes up and learns what it really means to live. https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Code-Sarah-Negovetich-ebook/dp/B06Y6GTPDW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494799420&sr=8-1&keywords=ghost+code+sarah+negovetich https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34914770-ghost-code

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

The Heatstroke Line by Edward Rubin

Happy Tuesday! Today, I have a new author for you all to check out. I got an email from Mr. Rubin's PA, and I agreed to share with my lovely subscribers all the details about this new novel. So, grab your cup of Jo and let's get rocking and rolling!

About Edward Rubin:
Edward Rubin is University Professor of Law and Political Science at Vanderbilt University. He’s been a science fiction fan since fifth grade and currently teaches a course at Vanderbilt entitled “Visions of the Future in Science Fiction.” In addition, he was one of the organizers of a science fiction reading group at the Law School. Rubin has spoken about administrative law and legal theory at numerous academic conferences and workshops and has served as a consultant on administrative law to the People’s Republic of China.

Visit his website here.

Now, a little about Mr. Rubin's latest book.

Title: The Heatstroke Line
Author: Edward Rubin
Genre: Dystopian/Sci-Fi
Length (print): 229 pages
Buy Links: Paperback $14.95 Kindle $2.99
 

Blurb:
Edward Rubin explores an America ravaged by the disastrous effects of climate change. Coastal cities have become uninhabitable, sweltering heat devastates the interior and an ensuing civil war has broken the nation into smaller successor states and dozens of tiny principalities. Canada, where the climate remains tolerable, dominates the fractured remnants of the former United States.

Amid the chaos, scientist Daniel Danten ventures into the region below the Heatstroke Line (the former Southern states) to investigate the source of flesh-eating insects that afflict the remaining population there and threaten to invade the remainder of the country. The bizarre and brutal people he encounters when he is taken prisoner reveal the real horror that this environmental disaster has produced.

“We need to realize that climate change will have catastrophic effects on our own country,” said Rubin. “It’s not a remote problem, in either space or time.”

“The Heatstroke Line” stands apart from other global warming “cli-fi” novels by depicting an imaginable future, where modern homes, governments, schools and political conflicts still exist. The intent is to avoid the usual tropes of post-apocalyptic fiction, and confront the reality of climate change in a manner that will motivate believers to action and persuade climate change deniers to rethink their position.

Rubin was inspired to write the novel after a conversation with a colleague who shared his frustration with the apathy and opposition regarding climate change. The goal of his new book is to provide an engaging and entertaining story that induces people to think seriously about the impending disaster.

This is a novel that shows what climate change will do to the United States. It is intended as a warning. Many Americans are willing to deny the reality of climate change because they think that it will only affect tropical countries and oceanic islands that are far away from us. The Heatstroke Line depicts a United States that with its coastal cities flooded and its remaining land sweltering under debilitating heat. It has broken into smaller units that are in conflict with each other and it is dominated by more northerly nations, such as Canada, that now have temperate climates.

What do you think? Gonna check it out?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Monday, October 26, 2015

Giveaway on the IBGW Blog Today

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I'm just giving you a heads up about the giveaway going on over on the IBGW blog.

If you love to win free books, be sure and sign up for our newsletter! We ONLY e-mail out giveaways when one of our authors publishes a book. That's right, we don't nag you any other time or fill your inbox with crap.


Here are the details:

Title: The Selection (Sapient Salvation, Book 1)
Author: Jayne Faith with Christine Castle
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 196 pages
Buy Link: Amazon $0.99


Synopsis: Twice a year, the alien Lord Toric demands a selection of human women between the ages of 18 and 20 to compete in the Tournament of the Offered for a place in his harem. Maya must get through just one more selection and then she can marry the man of her dreams. She should have been safe, but when a young woman who was supposed to compete dies the day of the selection, Maya is forced into the Tournament. '

Now she must compete against women who have been training for the Tournament for years to hone their skills of poise, charm, cunning, and seduction. And there is only one winner in the Tournament. The losers will be sacrificed.

Thrown into the fight of her life with no preparation, Maya must shed her innocence and win Lord Toric’s favor. Will she survive the first round, or will she pay the ultimate price for her inexperience?

Next in the series: Sapient Salvation Book 2: The Awakening

Head on over there to enter via Rafflecopter!

What do you think? Sound interesting?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Fractured Glass Wins Another Award and Moves to More Platforms

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I hope you all had a super fab holiday weekend. Today, I'd like to tell you all about yet another fabulous award won by Fractured Glass and give you all a couple of links. Ready? Get your coffee, get comfy, and let's get going!

Here's the info:


Amazon Kindle: $2.99
Smashwords: $2.99
Barnes & Noble: $2.99
Paperback: $14.99

Blurb:
****Award-Winning Finalist in the "Fiction: Cross Genre" category of the 2015 International Book Awards****

****Award-Winning Finalist in the "Young Adult Science Fiction" category of the 2015 Reader's Favorite Book Awards****

 
What if other worlds existed alongside your own? What if you could travel through them and truly escape reality?

Sloan and Harley Glass were born moments apart; but, despite their differences, the sixteen-year-old twins couldn’t be closer. They’ve held their tongues each and every time their mother has uprooted them—often moving across the country with little notice. They’ve learned to accept change. But what is Mom running from?

They discover they’re travelers—half-descendants of those who can traverse an entire universe of parallel worlds known as fractals. When the past catches up, Harley is kidnapped and taken to one of those distant worlds. Now, Sloan must garner her courage and find a way to rescue her sister. Traversing the worlds isn’t the hard part; it’s surviving the elements and the creatures lying in wait to destroy everything in their path.

Will the Glass sisters be able to save the fractal worlds from the kidnapper, or will everything fracture and crumble around them?

See all the Reader's Favorite Award winners here.

We're also working on a new novel. Something else that's never, ever been done before. See my post about it here.

What about you? Have you broken the mold or done something different? Tell me about it!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Monday, August 31, 2015

New Release - For the Memory of Dragons

For The Memory of Dragons
Dragons of Eternity, (Book 2)
By Julie Wetzel

This is a Crimson Tree Publishing Title
Release Date: August 31st, 2015

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction


What do you do when a dragon crash-lands in your backyard?
That's the question Terra's faced with when one of these creatures plows down into her cornfield. Should she help out the hunk of a man the dragon turns into, or turn him over to the trigger-happy 'authorities' that have come looking for him? The deciding factor—he has no memory. Giving him up just doesn't seem right… at least until she knows the truth of who he is.
Alex has forgotten a thing or two—his name being one of them—but he knows there is something important that he needs to remember, if he could just get his battered brain to work properly. A little rest might help, but there's no time for that when the bullets start flying.
Now he has to follow the few clues he has to discover who he is, and why people are trying to kill him. But that's the easy part. The hard part will be keeping his hands off the lovely lady helping him.






Julie Wetzel is a mother of a hyperactive red headed boy, and what time she’s not chasing down dirty socks and unsticking toys from the ceiling she's crafting worlds readers can get lost it. Julie is a self-proclaimed bibliophile and lover of big words. She likes hiking, frogs, interesting earrings, and a plethora of other fun things.

Release Day Post Hosted and Organized by:

Monday, June 22, 2015

Evanescent - Carlyle Labuschagne


A darker offering from award winning YA author 

Carlyle Labuschagne 


In a recent TV interview Carlyle was given the opportunity to answer some tough questions about why she felt she needed to go darker in this novel and what will the reader take away from that. Then  she gets emotional on the mention of her recent UtopYAcon nominations where the awards will be celebrated in Nashville June 20 2015









Title: Evanescent
Author: Carlyle Labuschagne
Series: The Broken Series #2
Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing
Release Date: 19th May 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9922446-4-4  
Back Blurb:
Her fall has just begun. Only his touch can save her from the shift that could destroy it all. 

Within my blood runs a thing our kind calls the Shadowing Disease. It shadows over, and bends everything to its will. 
When the first blood-shift came, it tore through flesh and blood, threatening to bend me, break bone, shatter my mind and entrap my heart with its honeyed, seductive poison. It came with vicious intent, moving my thoughts and altering me forever. 
The shift has caused a rift within me. No one was safe when it entrapped me in its claws of foul lust. But I have the only antidote against the evil that becomes me - his touch alone has the power to release the spurs of sweet darkness that clung on for deal life. 
I knew what I had to do; the desperation pulled my mind with the deep determination of a hungry predator. 
By the time the revelation raised me from the dark dungeon of my bounds - it might have been too late.

PURCHASE THE NOVEL








ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carlyle is an South African award winning author, with a flair for mixing genres and adding loads of drama to every story she creates. For now she is happy to take over the world and convert non Sci-fi believers.
Her goal as an author is to touch people's lives, and help others love their differences and one another by delivering strong messages of faith, love and hope within every outrageous world she writes about.

"I love to swim, fight for the trees, and am a food lover who is driven by my passion for life. I dream that one day my stories will change the lives of countless teenagers and have them obsess over the world literacy can offer them instead of worrying about fitting in. Never sacrifice who you are, it’s in the dark times that the light comes to life."

Carlyle used writing as a healing tool and that is why she started her very own writers support event - SAIR bookfestival.

 "To be a helping hand for those who strive to become full times writers, editors, bloggers, readers and cover artists - it’s a crazy world out there you don’t have to go it alone!"

AUTHOR LINKS

Blog
Facebook Page
LinkedIn
Twitter
Website
Google +
Fire Quill Publishing


Pretty cool, huh? Carlyle rocks!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, June 18, 2015

New Release - M

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! I can't even begin to tell you all how stinking excited I am for the news I'm sharing today. Ready? Grab a cup of coffee and let's get going!

M has officially been released! You can grab a copy on Kindle for just $3.99. Want more info? Keep reading! *grin*

Title: M
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal/Urban Fiction/Sci-Fi
Length: 318 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $3.99  ~  Paperback $16.99

Blurb:
In 2026, it finally arrives, the drug promising to make life easier for the masses. One dose of M and anyone can gain an ability. There are no promises made as to what the power could manifest as, but people are crawling over one another to take a chance.

There's a problem: One pill costs a million dollars. Only those with extraordinary wealth are afforded the luxury of cleaning house with a click of their diamond-adorned fingers or solving a puzzle by talking to it.

A knockoff begins circulating in 2038 that does the same thing as M. Hundreds of thousands of people have mutated for a mere one hundred dollars.

Enter the year 2042.

Seventeen-year-old Griffin is a normal kid, who has a regular job, and dreams of going to college someday. When his girlfriend of three years succumbs to peer pressure, they break up. He believes the body is a temple not to be messed with outside of nature, and she wants to fit in. Once he meets the supplier, things take a turn for the worse.

He's left with nothing but pain in his heart and the desire to make them suffer when his plans for payback blow up in his face.

Thirst for revenge consumes him, and he finds himself locked in a battle he never anticipated with a merciless kingpin as they struggle to gain the advantage.

How far is too far?


***This book is a standalone novel, suitable for those over the age of thirteen. There is some violence that may not be appropriate for younger children.*** 
 TEASER IMAGE!



What are you waiting for? Go check it out! Free to sample.
What do you think? Sound interesting?
Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!
Jo 

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Have You Seen a Scene Around Here? Scene Writing 101

Happy Thursday, everyone! Today, we're gonna talk about scene writing. Every book is a collection of scenes, so getting this part right is kind of a must. Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

First off, understand that every scene has three basic parts: An opener, a middle, and a conclusion.

A chapter, while still made up of those same parts, usually doesn't contain just one scene.

Let me break a scene down for you. We'll use a tidbit from my section of Fractured Glass with Elba and Diego.

Color coding is as follows: Green = Scene Open, Red = Scene Middle, Blue = Scene End

As he walked down the hall, he pondered how she got in without setting off the alarm, and wondered if she was dangerous. Logically, he’d rather have her in the foyer than his room. After shuffling some things around, he grabbed the book, spun around, and walked right into her. “How—”

She grabbed his hand and took two steps backward.

Air like an arctic blast hit him in the face. He shivered and his teeth chattered even as his eyes scanned the area. “Whoa. We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.”

Walls that were once a dark blue had become rough rock. To the left, where the door used to be, there was an opening with jagged protrusions all around. He felt his jaw drop as he took in the landscape. Purple skies, bright yellow mountains, and green clouds greeted his eyes.

She snatched the journal out of his hand. “You don’t even have the beginnings of a grasp on the amount of danger those girls are in.”

“Where are we? How’d we get here? How do you know what happened? And what do you mean by ‘danger’?”

Her eyes widened, and she stuck out her hand. “I’ll show you. If you’re brave enough to come with me.”

Diego put a clammy hand in hers. “Brave? Lady, I’m like a lion. Are we going back to my house now?”

Super white teeth flashed from between her lips. “Not yet. There’s something you need to see.” She took another two steps backward.

They were in a cave—much like the previous one—only the air was warm.

He jerked his hand away, and the crazy woman disappeared. Fear clawed at his throat when a deep rumble echoed in the small space. “Hello? Where’d you go?” A scaly blue tentacle slithered from the shadows and moved over the floor in a sweeping motion. Dust and debris kicked up, forming a small cloud of particles.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he backed toward the cave’s entrance. “Um, hello? Crazy lady? A little help here?”

Inch by agonizing inch, the thing connected to the leg came into view. It seemed to have no skeleton, rather like an octopus, but it was flat as a pancake. Once it fully emerged, he saw the teeth. He looked back and considered jumping to his death rather than being torn apart by the razor sharp incisors grinding together less than twelve feet from his position. Choices raced through his brain, and he wiped his palms on his jeans.

A sheer drop was on one side, the monster, slowly oozing its way across the floor, was on the other.

“Help!” he yelled.

Quick as a flash, the thing searching for him launched itself across the cave.

He put his hands over his head and prepared for the impact.

There was a pulling sensation on his arm, and the scene changed again. This time, he found himself waist-deep in a pond with the woman’s hand around his bicep.

For the water, he was grateful; it washed away the evidence of his fear. Anger replaced the cloying feeling present a moment before. His face was cold, and he knew he was as white as his skin could turn. Gesturing at the sky, he let his rage take over. “Where the hell did you go? That thing almost ate me!”

“I didn’t realize you’d pulled away from me. We have to keep touching or you can’t traverse the fractals with me.”

“Fractals? Lady, you’ve lost your mind! How do I get home?” Again, his teeth were chattering, but it wasn’t cold.

“Oh my. You seem to be in shock. Okay, I’ll take you home. But we can’t go back the way we came. Thanks to you, that thing in the next world over will be waiting for us. My name is Elba, by the way. You can stop calling me lady, crazy lady, and creepy lady now.”

Diego felt his face get warm. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve been called worse.”

Something slithered along his leg under the murk. “Um, whatever we’re gonna do, can we do it fast?” Images of the same creature he’d just encountered being able to swim gripped him in a fist of iron. His whole body shook harder.

She smiled. “I’m working on it.” Her journal was in her hand, and she was turning it this way and that.

Another creature touched his calf, sending tingles up his leg. “I don’t mean to interrupt again, but I think something just stung me.”

“I doubt it. These are glooshna eels. They’re only put into a feeding frenzy by urine. You’ll be fine.”

“Actually…”

Her hand collided with her forehead before she slammed the book closed, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him along after her.

They turned left, climbed the embankment, and ran ten steps, then right for two steps, before the scenery changed again.

She pointed to the left. “That’s the cave you were just in.”

High up on the side of an electric green mountain, the squishy creature could be seen dangling from the hole where Diego almost met his demise. He squinted at it. “What’s it doing?”

“Shh! We certainly don’t want it to know we’re down here. Those things are fast.”

He rubbed his hand on the back of his jean shorts. “Tell me about it.”

Again, they moved forward. But this time they went fifteen steps before the scene changed. Purple skies and yellow mountains greeted them.

“This is way weird.” All the hair on his neck stood up. “Is there anything here that can eat us?”

Elba grinned. “Always assume there’s something that wants to eat you. It’s the only way you and your little friends will survive.”

He gulped.

“Now, we have to climb up to that cave so I can guarantee we end up back in your room.” She stuffed the book in her knapsack and began the ascent. By the time they reached the top, he was panting.

Grabbing his hand, she pulled him two steps forward.

They were back in his bedroom.

Diego collapsed and kissed the carpet. “So good to be back home.”

“All right, kid. Go clean up, change, and meet me in the kitchen. We need to talk.” Laughing, she strode from the room, pivoted in the hallway, and disappeared.

Rolling over, Diego lay on the soft floor, allowing himself a moment. “We need to talk.” He mimicked her gravelly voice. “You bet we do. But, this time, you’re giving me answers.”

No, this isn't the whole chapter; it's actually the second scene from the beginning of section 2 (my section of the book).

I used the five W's: Who, What, When, Where, Why.

This scene serves a huge purpose in introducing the reader to the fractals. Without this adventure, the story would be beyond confusing from here out as the characters traverse the parallel worlds.

Your beginning should set up for the action.
Then, you have the exciting part, where you get to kill people or heighten tension.
At the end, you should be preparing the reader for a transition to the next scene and leave a question or two open that needs to be answered (why should I keep reading?).

So, I answered the most basic question: Is it necessary?

Always ask yourself that when you're doing your edit. A lot of times, a scene can be cut and it not impact the overall story. Talking about what the character is seeing every other scene gets boring. Seek and destroy those dragging visuals when necessary.

When it doubt, cut it out.

Once you've identified the scenes, you can use this post to measure the pace of your entire novel. Pretty cool, huh?

This section gets a score of: Beginning = 72.6, Middle = 86.9, End = 87.5. Not bad pacing. Nice high there at the end.

What do you think? Have you ever broken down a scene like this?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Fractured Glass - An Award and a Sale

Happy Saturday, everyone! Wow, do I have some awesome news for you all! Grab a cup of coffee and let's get going.

I'm so proud to announce that Fractured Glass: A Novel Anthology was an award-winning finalist in the International Book Awards Competition in the Fiction/Cross Genre category.


You can see all the winners on the IBA announcement page here.

Now for the second round of awesome news! +Tia Bach +Casey Bond +N Greene and +Kelly Risser and I have put the book on sale for the next six days.

Right now, it's just $0.99 on Amazon. In three days, it goes up to $1.99, then three days after that, it goes back to the original price of $2.99 where it shall stay forever. In July, it'll be released across all platforms. So, for those of you with a nook, be patient. It's coming!!

Right now, it's sitting at 4.8 Stars on Amazon. We're so proud!

For those of you that were on the fence, here are the purchase links and the info!

Amazon Kindle: $0.99

Blurb:
What if other worlds existed alongside your own? What if you could travel through them and truly escape reality?

Sloan and Harley Glass were born moments apart; but, despite their differences, the sixteen-year-old twins couldn’t be closer. They’ve held their tongues each and every time their mother has uprooted them—often moving across the country with little notice. They’ve learned to accept change. But what is Mom running from?

They discover they’re travelers—half-descendants of those who can traverse an entire universe of parallel worlds known as fractals. When the past catches up, Harley is kidnapped and taken to one of those distant worlds. Now, Sloan must garner her courage and find a way to rescue her sister. Traversing the worlds isn’t the hard part; it’s surviving the elements and the creatures lying in wait to destroy everything in their path.

Will the Glass sisters be able to save the fractal worlds from the kidnapper, or will everything fracture and crumble around them?

What are you waiting for? Go get one while you can!

Did you snag a copy yet?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Talking Sci-Fi

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm gonna talk with you about gadgets and science fiction, and I'll give you links to some interesting articles about emerging technology. If you're a sci-fi author, you've probably read a bunch of these already. I just want to share with my lovely readers some of the futuristic things I found while writing M. Ready? Grab those cups of coffee and let's get going!


First up, my MC has a pair of cool goggles integrated with gloves he uses to play his favorite VR war game. While doing some research to see where we are now with the technology (so I could make assumptions about where we'd be by 2042), I found this awesome site:

Oculus Rift

To make the technology even sweeter, I got an e-mail about this one:

Microsoft HoloLens

You MUST watch the commercial/video on that link. Dear me. Mind=blown.

My MC also has a watch he can talk to that sends text messages or accepts phone calls. Sound familiar? Yeah, I started writing this novel back in 2013 before any of this stuff was even thought about. Can you say visionary? I totally felt like Nostradamus for a hot minute. *grins* You can find information about the Apple Watch here (why didn't they call it the iWatch?):

Videos galore!

I've been waiting for the NSA to break down my door because of the things I've searched to make this book possible. If you'd like to see my search bar history post, it's here:

Indie-Visible - Search Bar Confessions

Yeah, a lot of fun there! Not to mention, as the plot goes on, I have huge battle scenes I had to research weapons for. *facepalm* Check out some of the fun on that site while you're over there. Oh, man!

At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if I could buy napalm online. What a world we live in, huh?

What technology have you written about that you think will come to fruition in the next twenty years or so?

I hope you all have some fun on those links! Go find an alien! *grin*

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Monday, March 16, 2015

Featured Author - K. C. Neal - Publication Spotlight

Happy, happy Monday, you gorgeous readers of my blog! Today, I'm bringing you more information on my featured author. A publication roundup. Since Ms. K. C. Neal strictly writes YA, I'm gonna leave that part off the genre descriptions. Grab a cup of coffee and let's get going!

Title: Pyxis: The Discovery (The Pyxis series book 1)
Genre: Coming of Age Fantasy
Length (print):  238 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99 

Blurb:
Corinne lives an average teenage life working at her dad’s cafe, hanging out with her best friend, and trying to forget a falling-out with her almost-boyfriend Mason. Then she discovers she and Mason are haunted by the same nightmares. Pursued by a woman who wants to take over Corinne's mind--and has the supernatural ability to do it--Corinne discovers that her own family holds the key. In her quest to unravel her family’s history, she learns she's destined to protect this world–-and the dark world of her dreams. She races to find the answers she seeks before her nightmares break free . . . 

Title: Alight: The Peril (The Pyxis series book 2)
Genre: Coming of Age Fantasy
Length (print):  242 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99 

Blurb:
When Corinne learns who the second Guardian is, she must find a way to make peace with the last person in the world she wants to deal with. As she struggles, her nemesis unleashes an otherworldly evil, and a mysterious illness strikes Corinne s friends. Faltering under the weight of her destiny, Corinne escapes to the dream world. There, she meets Zane, who has a revelation that binds them together and alters the path of Corinne s life. She throws herself into fighting for everything she loves, but just as she s certain she will prevail, she s robbed of what she needs most.

The Pyxis Series is for readers who enjoy teen & young adult science fiction & fantasy fantasy paranormal & urban, teen & young adult science fiction & fantasy fantasy coming of age, magic magical telepathy telepathic dreams colors, teen & young adult romance paranormal & fantasy, teen & young adult romancecontemporary, teen & young adult literature & fiction action & adventure, children's ebooks science fiction fantasy & scary stories fantasy & magic. 

Title: Arrival Day (Helia's Shadow Prequel - Starlight Age Series)
Genre: Sci-fi
Length (print): About 100
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $0.99 

Blurb:
When alien boy Kalo first arrived on Earth with the rest of his people, he never imagined a future with anything other than the Universal Mission. The Mission had carried them through the universe for millennia, finding and studying intelligent species, always with the end purpose of enslaving them. But lately, something unfamiliar has taken root inside Kalo—the desire to break free of the Mission and his leader, Tal-Reku. And he’s not the only one. He and the other alien rebels must learn how to be revolutionaries within a society that’s never strayed from their practices, and under an all-knowing leader who will stop at nothing to complete the Mission on Earth.

Meanwhile, Earthborn boy Gordon conducts his trades in and out of Haven so he can pay for extra medicine and food for his sick mother. He may be only 12 years old, but he knows Haven’s underground better than most grown-ups. When he gets an unusual opportunity to help a young couple start a new life outside of Haven, he learns of an underground resistance—citizens who want the seemingly-benevolent aliens gone. Intrigued, he can’t resist the pull of the organized rebellion and the dark-haired girl who’s already part of their ranks.

Title: Helia’s Shadow Part One (Starlight Age #1) 
Genre: Sci-Fi 
Length (print): 300 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:
Sixteen-year-old Helia wants two things in life: to step out of her over-protective mother's shadow and become an engineer, and to stop hiding her relationship with alien boy Kalo. But the world definitely isn't ready for a human-alien romance. And worse, the human-alien partnership is crumbling. Humans are arrested without explanation. Some of them are never seen again.

When the alien leader imprisons her mother on a false charge, Helia discovers the aliens never intended to help humans at all. Now, she must join forces with alien rebels. If she succeeds, humans have a chance at survival and she has a chance at love. If she fails, the dwindling human race dies out in slavery.

When the aliens arrived, they were hailed as the saviors of a dying Earth and dwindling human race. But the aliens didn't come to help. Now, one human girl's ingenious invention and one alien boy's awakened heart are humanity's last hope...

Title: Helia’s Shadow Part Two (Starlight Age #2)
Genre: Sci-Fi
Length (print): 246 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $3.20

Blurb:
Helia’s Shadow Part Two picks up right where Part One ended, with Helia trapped in a transporter on the way to the lunar prison. When she gets there, she discovers that the rumors Gordon heard were true—there are alien cannibals on the moon. It’s more horrific and dangerous than anything she ever imagined. She must survive long enough to figure out how to escape back to earth, find Kalo and the rebels, and take down Reku before he enslaves the last surviving humans.

One human girl’s ingenious invention and one alien boy’s awakened heart are humanity’s last hope . . .

Title: The Naturals: Awakening (Serial Series Complete Episode 1 Box set)
Genre: Sci-Fi 
Length (print): 225 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:
A small town full of secrets. A coming darkness. Teens with supernatural abilities. Think you know the story? Think again.

As Summer ends, the students at Silverwood High are getting ready to go back to school and resume their normal, everyday lives. Too bad "normal" is no longer an option. When these teens get their very first tastes of what destiny has in store, will they embrace that destiny... or flee from it? Will they be selfless... or ruthless? Will they master their abilities... or will their abilities master them?

This is their awakening, the first step of an epic journey. But it's only the beginning of something bigger than they could ever imagine.

The sleepy little town of Silverwood is about to wake up.  

Title: Pretty Little Liars: Better off Dead (Kindle Worlds Short Story)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length (print): 25 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Blurb:
For years, ever since beautiful, tantalizingly evil Alison DiLaurentis disappeared and died, surviving victim-friends, Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer have been traumatized by knowing, surgically precise text message revelations from Alison’s alter ego, the mysterious, vindictive “A.” In Better Off Dead, the four liars find strength in numbers, taking in a new girl, Mona – another apprehensive victim of A’s poison-text campaign. Finally they get a break when after some expert sleuthing, Spencer believes she’s discovered the source of A’s cruel power – a revelation that is guaranteed to blow the roof off Rosewood High. After one of the girls is backed into a potentially fatal corner by A’s ongoing maliciousness, Spencer begins a secret investigation that will ultimately cause all of the pretty little liars to re-examine everything they’ve been through, starting with Alison’s unexplained death.

Better Off Dead provides another dazzling climax of the Pretty Little Liars mysteries; one that is sure to find favor with the many fans of the series and People’s Choice Award-winning, ABC-TV show.

Well? Whatcha waitin' for? Go get a new read!

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo 

Monday, March 9, 2015

Author Interview - K. C. Neal

Happy Monday, you beautiful blogospherians! Today, you have the honor of meeting Ms. K. C. Neal. I know you're all over the moon about it (as am I). It's not often I get to interview someone who's been with the con from the first, but they do pop in now and again. So excited! If you don't have your tickets yet, it's not too late! You can grab one here. Sadly, earlybird prices have expired, but that doesn't mean you can't join up. Nothing's worse than being left out of the fun, so be sure and grab yours now! With that said, let's get rolling!

Jo: Welcome to the blog, K. C. It’s so amazing to have a veteran utopYAn with me I can barely breathe. Are you ready to get going?

K. C.: Haha, you make me feel like such a celebrity. : ) Yes, let’s dive in!

Jo: That's because you are! Perfect. Let's do it. I read somewhere that you meditate every day. What got you started, and what do you feel it’s done for you over the long-term?

K. C.: I was going through a challenging time, and I really needed a tool to help me process things emotionally. I stumbled on iRest Yoga Nidra online and asked on Facebook if any of my friends had done this type of meditation before. A couple of people replied and basically said it was amazing, so I decided to give it a try. That was nearly two years ago, and I haven’t stopped since. I attend a weekly class and also practice on my own, and it has changed my life. iRest is really hard to explain, and it’s also kind of difficult to describe what it does for me. The best way I can put it is that it helps me process the ups and downs of life in a way that gives me so much more peace than I had before.


Jo: I'm a huge advocate of yoga and taking the time to center yourself and just friggin' relax for a little while each day. I understand exactly what it does for you. Tell me, how long have you been with StoneHouse Ink, how did you get in, and what are the three best things about them?

K. C.: StoneHouse published my first book, Pyxis (YA fantasy), back in 2011, and the sequel, Arise, in 2013. I became friends with the owner of StoneHouse and that’s how that happened. Up to that point, I’d been planning to self-publish. Three great things about StoneHouse: large royalties, author input into all stages of the publishing process, and the best thing of all – I left my corporate job three years ago to become the Publishing Director at StoneHouse. It’s a great job, and I absolutely LOVE the flexibility and working from home!

Jo: I totally feel you about the ability to work from home. Congrats on landing the job. That's amazing! I found out you’re a NaNoWriMoer. Such a wonderful thing to have so many words produced in a month by people around the world, huh? How many years have you participated, and what novel(s) have you written? What was the most difficult thing about writing a novel in a month?

K. C.: It is quite the event! During the most recent NaNo, think I worked on a couple of things at once and the total added up to enough words to “win.” It probably seems strange that I can’t remember for sure what I was working on—it was only four months ago!—but I’ve been writing like a maniac since last spring and things run together in my mind! I’ve actually completed a few of my own private NaNos (written 50,000 words in a month) I guess you could say, but they happened to occur during months other than November, which is the official NaNo month.

In general, I’d say the most difficult thing about writing that many words in a month is developing the writing habit in the first place. Actually, the writing habit is going to be the topic of my UtopYA 2015 Idea Exchange talk. I went from writing a book every two years to writing five books in one year (and that’s around a full-time job). I want to share how I did this because it’s NOT about “having enough time,” like we often think. It’s all about mindset, and every writer has the power to change her own mindset. The right mindset leads to the right habit. Then you can optimize your writing habit, and watch your word counts take off! But like so many things in life, it starts with what’s going on in your head.

Jo: *high fives* YES! Developing the writing habit is number ONE! I can't wait to hear your talk. How exciting! So, you’re a utopYA Con veteran—there in 2012—and saw the launch of the amazingness. What was that first year like, and what’s changed about your experience(s) since then?

K. C.: That first year was one of the best experiences of my life. Before the first UtopYA I knew a lot of the attending authors online, but had never met any of them in person. It was like meeting a bunch of famous people! It was a profound experience. My roomies that year—Angeline Kace, Heather Hildenbrand, and Chelsea Fine—remain some of my favorite people and greatest friends. Most of us at the conference were fairly new authors, and it was just so wonderful to connect with everyone. That first year was really kind of intimate. It was a small enough group that we could really get to know each other. That’s probably the thing I miss most—though I’m totally THRILLED that UtopYA has flourished, don’t get me wrong!—last year I didn’t know many of the attending authors.

Jo: I was so scared about going, I developed this interview process to get to know people. *grin* It's worked wonders. I met Ms. Fine last year (she's sweet as pie!), and I'm excited to know more faces this year. Because of my stalking of you research, I can feel it in my bones… You seem like the kind of author that has an unhealthy obsession with office supplies (I can totally identify). How many post-it pads and colored pens do you own? What started your love?

K. C.: OMG I do have a serious obsession! I have Post-It pads in pretty much every room of the house. And probably at least two dozen colored pens. I’ve always liked to make lists and to color-code things, so I think that’s how the Post-It and pen obsession came about. But as far back as I can remember I’ve always loved binders, folders, index cards, pens, pencils . . . there’s nothing like the feel of a fresh notebook in my hands! I know, weird, right? But I figure there are much worse obsessions to have, haha.

Jo: Birds of a feather... Yeah, I totally don't have a billion office supplies *hides hundreds of journals and grins* Rapid fire questions! Chocolate or caramel?

K. C.: Caramel, mmm!

Jo: Computers or paper notebooks?

K. C.: Notebooks—of course!

Jo: Popcorn or peanuts?

K. C.: POPCORN POPCORN POPCOOORN (one of my other obsessions lol).


Jo: I knew that, too. Just wanted to see how many times you'd type it! haha! *wink* Let’s move on to the time travel question. Since you’re such a lover of science fiction, this one should be right up your alley. *grin* If you went to the future, what turn do you see books and publishing taking, and what one thing would you bring back to the modern day with you?

K. C.: I really wish I knew where books and publishing were going! I think as the younger generations—kids who have never known life without iPads and smartphones—grow into adults, paper books will become novelties. And I think books (eBooks) will start to overlap with other media and become more interactive.

I’d probably want to bring back whatever the hot gadget of the moment is.

Jo: Yup. Gadgets will make you billions. haha! Your novel, Helia’s Shadow Part One, has amazing reviews. Kudos to you! What was your favorite part of writing it, and which character do you identify with most? Why?

K. C.: Thank you! The middle part of Helia’s story, where she’s imprisoned on the moon with cannibal prison guards, was actually the first part that I wrote originally, and probably my favorite part. And actually, that’s the first half of Helia’s Shadow Part Two, the sequel. I love writing about aliens and futuristic technology, and imaging life on an earth that’s been destroyed by war and waste. And in general, I just absolutely love writing in the world of this series (The Starlight Age Series). It was a world that developed in over several years, and it’s extremely vivid and rich in my mind. There are SO many stories I could tell in this world. I have about half a dozen ideas for more prequel novellas.

I probably identify with Helia the most, in that she’s analytical and into science and technology. My background is in science (I have degrees in Chemistry and Health Science Research). I love female characters with real smarts, and I’m really proud of Helia as a character!

Jo: You're the second science fiend I've had on the blog in as many weeks! I love you ladies! I'm such a total nerd over science. *blushes* Seems I've found a couple of like-minded people. Since we just talked about part one of your series, let’s discuss your new release! How long did it take you to write Helia’s Shadow Part Two, and how many more novels will be in the series?

K. C.: I actually wrote the entire story—Parts One and Two—before I published the first book. The first draft of the entire story probably took a few months. Then it went through a major, major rewrite—like 90% of it was rewritten. And after beta feedback I probably rewrote about 20% of it yet again. It was quite a process! In addition to the two novels (Helia’s Shadow Part One and Helia’s Shadow Part Two), I’ve also finished a prequel novella called Arrival Day. I consider the series “complete” at this point, but probably will write more stories in this world—I’m not sure I’ll ever be fully ready to leave the world of this series behind. Like I mentioned before, there are tons of fun possibilities for prequel stories. Some of my beta and ARC readers have actually given me some great ideas for alternate point of view stories and prequels!

Jo: I'm so picking this novel up. Die hard reader over here. I adore an excellent sci-fi story, and I love a clean read! Well, I’ve taken up a ton of your time. Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers that I didn’t ask?

K. C.: Thanks so much for interviewing me, Jo! I’m so looking forward to seeing you at UtopYA!!

Jo: I’m stoked to meet you in June, too, K. C.! EEP! Thanks so much for giving us some of your time.

Now, it’s time to tell you all about the featured book of the week!

Title: Helia’s Shadow Part One
Author: K.C. Neal
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Length (print): 300 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $2.99 ~ Google Play FREE ~ iBooks FREE ~ B&N FREE ~ Kobo FREE


Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Helia wants two things in life: to step out of her over-protective mother's shadow and become an engineer, and to stop hiding her relationship with alien boy Kalo. But the world definitely isn't ready for a human-alien romance. And worse, the human-alien partnership is crumbling. Humans are arrested without explanation. Some of them are never seen again.

When the alien leader imprisons her mother on a false charge, Helia discovers the aliens never intended to help humans at all. Now, she must join forces with alien rebels. If she succeeds, humans have a chance at survival and she has a chance at love. If she fails, the dwindling human race dies out in slavery.

When the aliens arrived, they were hailed as the saviors of a dying Earth and dwindling human race. But the aliens didn't come to help. Now, one human girl's ingenious invention and one alien boy's awakened heart are humanity's last hope...

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give K. C. a follow on every social media platform I could think of when writing up the template for these interviews (plus some)?

Pinterest: KCNeal
Blog: K. C. Neal's Blog

Facebook: K.C. Neal Fan Page
Twitter: @kcnealtweets
Goodreads: K. C. Neal
Website: Author K. C. Neal
Amazon Author Page: K. C. Neal

Tsu: K. C. Neal


If you have any questions, pop them into the comments below. My lovely guest will be around to answer and/or respond!

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo