SFFSat - April 28

Welcome to another SFFSat, and thanks to everyone who stops by and leaves awesome comments.  Much appreciated.

Here's another snippet from my other WIP, To Catch A Marlin - A futuristic cat and mouse chase involving Special Inspector Michael Pedroni and the vigilante he chases, Jax Marlin...who he has become smitten with.  Well, Jax is quite beautifully exotic, as vigilante's go.

In this scene, Inspector Pedroni is travelling to the space station, Bacchus Dome, in pursuit of Jax Marlin.  While passing the time, he has much to occupy his mind (as well as claustrophobia).

(Since I'm test-driving the new Blogger interface, let's hope this post goes live when it's supposed to).

She had a unique Eurasian look.  Even though it wasn’t a very good photo, captured as she turned in surprise as a tourist videotaped, Pedroni couldn’t deny her arresting beauty.

Exotic came to mind.

And dangerous.

Vigilantes usually were, he reminded himself. 

With a sigh, Pedroni tucked her image back into the folder and leaned against the shuttle’s seat.  How freaking long does it take to get to the Bacchus Dome?  He risked another look out his tiny window, feeling moderately queasy as if recovering from a gut punch.  Travelling through space just wasn’t his thing.  Strapped in for twelve hours in a narrow seat, squashed up against a rather large woman who smelled remotely of gardenias and talcum powder didn’t help either.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules and use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers!

My Guest: JC Cassels - Part 2

Today, part two of my interview with JC Cassels.  She recently published her debut novel, The Black Wing Chronicles: Sovran's Pawn.

Let's jump right in and carry on from where we left off last week.  JC, if you weren’t writing, what would you be doing?

I’d be a space pirate… yeah.

Hell's yeh! How cool is that!!
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

Read. Write. Find a writers’ group. Never stop studying storycraft.

Excellent!  Any favourite authors who have inspired you?

I have been inspired by so many of my favorite authors, it’s hard to know where to begin. I guess, I’d have to say Louisa May Alcott – I really related to Jo March as a child, and even more as a young writer trying to make a living. One of the greatest thrills of my life was going to Orchard House, her home in Concord, MA. It felt like a pilgrimage. I will never forget standing in her bedroom, looking at the little desk where she was purported to have written, seeing the flowers her sister May had painted for her, and the owl on the fireplace mantle, also painted by her sister. One fact that inspired me was that as prolific as she was, very little of what Louisa May Alcott wrote was what she actually wanted to write. She wrote to pay the bills. So, I followed her example and wrote whatever anyone would pay me to write, while I worked on what I loved in the dark and in secret until it was ready to show.

What are you reading now?

I just finished Ambasadora by Heidi Ruby Miller – I love the world and the culture she’s created. I find the politics and the impact they have on the lives of the citizens absolutely fascinating.

Have you ever eaten crayons?

I hear they’re pretty tasty with a little Bechamel sauce.

Oh, right...interesting... Anyways, moving along. What did you want to be when you grew up?

A space pirate… yeah.

Okay, I see you're sticking with that. :)  Are you a morning person or an evening person?

I am a sleep-deprived person, fueled by caffeine and chocolate.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

Probably when my dad picked up my manuscript and started reading a steamy scene aloud to my husband. He’d pause at certain moments and look accusingly over his glasses at my husband and me. Honestly, I felt like an adolescent strolling in, looking all rumpled, after curfew. My husband thought it was hilarious.

What is the one thing that your readers don’t know about you?

I have six children, of whom I only incubated half that number. Thanks to one third of the sum total of my children, I have grandchildren, in the amount of two-thirds of my sum total of children… I also hate word problems.

*blink-blink* Uhhh, I think I got that.  Okay, what the worst writing advice you ever received?

Go to college and get your degree as an English Teacher.

Best writing advice you ever received?

Don’t become a teacher.

If you had a super power, what would it be, and what would you call yourself?

I am World Builder the Geek Goddess! I create worlds and the characters who inhabit them!

And would you wear a cape and a mask, or just a mask?

No mask. Just a cape. I have a pretty nifty cape. It looks great with my leopard print platform heels. If Superman and Wonder Woman don’t need a mask, neither do!!

Who is your favourite character in your books?

Blade Devon, hands down. He’s the reason I can’t let go of this ‘verse. I still remember his first appearance on paper and mark it as his birthday:  November 4, 1984. I was madly in love with him from his first lopsided grin.

What’s your favourite food?

Crayons in Bechamel sound pretty tasty to me right now.

*pushes crayons to a safer place*  So, what’s under your bed?

Shoes. Lots and lots of shoes. I LOVE shoes and, like me, my three-year-old daughter is a miniature shoe diva. She likes to take my best heels and clomp through the house in them. My husband has started building in an extra half hour into our departure times just so I have time to track down my shoes. I have taken to hiding my most often worn and favorite pairs of shoes under my bed because she won’t go there… yet.

If your book was made into a movie, who would you have play the characters?

Obviously, Blade could play himself because, well, he’s a holofeature actor (among other things). The female lead… that’s tough. I’m not sure Bo would let just anyone play opposite her man, she’s pretty possessive. I can foresee problems in casting. There would have to be some serious insurance taken out on the actress cast for the part. Maggie Smith, maybe… or Cher... or Dora the Explorer. 

Well, there you have it folks...more or less everything you wanted to know about JC Cassels.  I want to thank her for being such a sport and answering questions most people wouldn't have (but now that I know, I'll have to stash my crayons away if she drops by again).

Now be nice, go click on the links and buy her debut novel The Black Wing Chronicles: Sovran's Pawn.  And don't forget to leave some comments to boost her ego.  We writer's are a delicate bunch.

Cheers!

Links to JC Cassels:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Cassels/131216176902032

Blog http://jccassels.wordpress.com/

Twitter twitter.com/calicoco468

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6523498-jc-cassels

On Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/calicoco

SFF Saturday - April 21

Welcome to another SFFSat, and thanks to everyone who stops by and leaves awesome comments.  Much appreciated.

Once again, another snippet from my other WIP, To Catch A Marlin - A futuristic cat and mouse chase involving Special Inspector Michael Pedroni and the vigilante he chases, Jax Marlin...who he has become smitten with.  Well, Jax is quite beautifully exotic, as vigilante's go.

In this scene, we find Jax having a 'chillaxing' moment in her hotel room on the Bacchus Dome (that's in outer space)...

The room smelled of disinfectant and fresh laundry.  A good smell.  A safe smell.

Hospitals smelled like that, they were good places, they made you better, stronger…

Jax Marlin smiled to herself as she cracked open a bottle of beer and took a deep, long gulp.  She tossed her jacket on the floor, glad she didn’t have to be neat, glad she didn’t have to remember to be neat.  Leading a double life was nothing short of a pain in the ass. 

Glad that’s over with.  She chuckled to herself and dropped into the couch, slouching, and propped a leg on the coffee table.  Her hard boot heel made a clunking noise on the smooth surface; she loosened the belt buckle and let out a beery burp.  It had been a long day.  Recon work usually was.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules and use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers!

My Guest: JC Cassels - Part 1

Today I have part one of my interview with JC Cassels.  She is such a riot so I had to split my interview into two.  Not only that, coming out April 20, her debut novel from The Black Wing Chronicles: Sovran's Pawn.

And GUESS WHAT?  JC was generous enough to include an EBOOK giveaway for one lucky person who comments in today's posting.

Tell us a little about yourself – who you are, what you write, and why you write:

My name is JC Cassels, American by birth, Southerner by the grace of God. There’s a long-standing tradition of writing and storytelling in my family, as in most old Southern families. The four predominant careers in my family have been politician, teacher, entrepreneur or writer. Writing was the only one of those that held any appeal for me. Early in my career I was a freelancer for newspapers and magazines. I write stories about my imaginary friends because it gives us an excuse to continue to hang out. They happen to be space pirates and interstellar men of mystery. Naturally, that makes my genre space opera. I’m a romantic, so I put the boy/girl mushy stuff in there to keep things interesting.

Gotta have a little romance, right?  So, would you ever write in another genre?

Absolutely! I have dabbled in Historical Romance, Thriller, Southern Humor and YA/Mystery. Perhaps someday I will publish them.

 

Do you have a recent release, or, what are you currently working on?

My first novel, SOVRAN’S PAWN, Book One of THE BLACK WING CHRONICLES is due out in e-book on April 20. It’s a space opera with some romantic elements. It’s the first in a series of books that tells the story of a power struggle between two Overlords and the star-crossed lovers caught in the middle.

I am also working on a companion series called THE MERCENARY ADVENTURES OF BLADE DEVON which picks up after Book Two of THE BLACK WING CHRONICLES in which Blade leaves his day job to join a team of mercenaries. This series is obviously more swashbuckling action/adventure and less romance. The first book in this series is ARCANA DOUBLE CROSS. This book contains a scene in which Blade holds the blade of a knife clenched between his teeth while he literally swings in to the rescue on a rope, or reasonable facsimile thereof. It will likely be published in the fall.

That sounds so exciting.  And, wow!! I'm just looking at the cover art.

Okay, so what inspired you to start writing?

My school library ran out of books… actually, I ran out of books to read in my school library. We had a small media center and once I blazed through all the fiction, my mother took me to our small local public library and I did the same thing. So, I turned to writing just so I would have something to read that interested me. As a child my reward for good behavior, good grades, compensation for hours in a dentist’s chair, etc., was a new book. I got a LOT of new books. I had the complete Bobbsey Twins series and was well-represented in Nancy Drew.

Finally, where can we find you lurking?

Find me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Cassels/131216176902032

Check out my blog http://jccassels.wordpress.com/

Follow me on Twitter twitter.com/calicoco468

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6523498-jc-cassels

On Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/calicoco

Now here's a little bio on JC...

JC Cassels, a native of Tampa, Florida, traces her lifelong fascination with SF/Adventure to watching Star Trek on a tiny black and white portable television aboard the family boat as a child. The Space Opera trend that followed the release of Star Wars fed an obsessive need for swashbuckling adventure set in deep space. Today, JC feeds that need by writing her own adventures, heavily inspired by 1960's television adventure shows like Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, and Wild Wild West and fueled by Firefly reruns.

When not writing in her haunted hospital, JC lives with her husband, three children, five dogs, fourteen chickens and a horse in a century-old house in a tiny rural community, and enjoys spending her free time sewing, camping, and heckling theoretical physicists on the Science Channel.

-----

SOVRAN’S PAWN blurb:
BO BARRON is the pawn in two Sovrans’ struggle for power. As the Chief of Barron Clan she commands the Black Wing, a strategic asset crucial to the balance of power in a Commonwealth in contention. That’s the reason she was falsely convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed. Instead of letting her meekly go to her death, Bo’s people risk all-out war by breaking her out and smuggling her into hiding. It’s what they do. They’re pirates at heart.

But if she can’t be killed, she can be manipulated. How? By kidnapping her father. If Bo wants him back she has to take on a false name and steal the schematics for a phase weapon being auctioned off to the Sub-socia at a Five Point tournament.

BLADE DEVON knows all about false names. He has more than his share. As Darien Roarke, he’s a well-known Five-Point player. If Blade is willing to use his alter ego to retrieve those schematics, the Inner Circle is willing to overlook the fact that he’s technically a deserter.

A botched assassination under the guise of a bar brawl leaves Bo blind and Blade wondering if there isn’t more to this job than he was led to believe. Never able to resist playing the hero, Blade tends her injuries and delves deeper into the intrigue only to find this mission isn’t about a weapon at all.

The catch is, no one and nothing are what they seem…

------

Well, many thanks to JC for stopping by today for Part 1 of her interview.  Next week, April 23, I'll ask her some fun questions...let's hope she's game enough to answer them!

Now, don't forget about the giveaway so show her some love and leave some flattering comments...she might pick YOU!!  Good luck!!


Winner will be announced next week in Part 2 of her interview.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - April 14

Welcome to another SFFSat, and thanks to everyone who stops by and leaves awesome comments.  Much appreciated.

Today I'm featuring a snippet from my other WIP, To Catch A Marlin - A futuristic cat and mouse chase involving Special Inspector Michael Pedroni and the vigilante he chases, Jax Marlin...who he has become smitten with.  Well, Jax is quite beautifully exotic, as vigilante's go.

In this scene, we find Inspector Pedroni on board a deep space shuttle heading to a space station where he suspects Jax Marlin is.  As he passes the time en route, he glumly remembers a conversation he had with his superior

“I’m cutting back the team,” Chief Inspector Aoki had said.

“Sir, we’re close,” Pedroni had replied, protesting.  He’d had the distinct feeling that Aoki was losing interest in the case.  In fact, his whole team seemed to feel the same way.

“You keep saying that.”  Aoki had shaken his head but seemed more interested in the food stain on his tie.

“If you cut back my team, it’ll set me back.  We’ll never catch up to her.”

Aoki shrugged noncommittally.  “Sorry, Pedroni.  I have my orders.  We’ve spent more on this than any other case.  You still have the agency’s backing, but just not the manpower.”

“How much of the team are you taking?” Pedroni gaped.

Aoki looked uncomfortable, scratched his balding head while his eyes darted around Pedroni’s small, cramped office.  He muttered something under his breath.

“Pardon?” Pedroni remembered his eyes bugging out.  “Did you just say…all?”

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules and use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers!

Marathon Des Sables

Taking a little detour to make a special mention to my young cousin-in-law, Ian Robinson.  At just 23, he and his friend Kate have undertaken a huge, and grueling feat.  Running across the Sahara Desert for the 27th Annual Marathon Des Sables in support for their cause.  Ian and Kate are part of Because We Can, a group dedicated to bring awareness to this disease as well as for cancer research.

Today is Day 3 of the race, and judging from the last two emails, Ian (runner #991) is faring well despite a couple of blisters.  From his account of the race and desert, it is just as you would imagine.  Scorching hot, dry, and taxing on your body.  He's had many stops to take in water, electrolytes, and sodium tablets to replenish his body.  Many people have already dropped out from heat exhaustion to injuries, but he is determined to plough on and get through at a pace he is comfortable with.

Here's to Ian and Kate for taking on such a daunting task.  May they fare well and see it through to the end.

Good luck!!  We're all thinking of you here.

SFF Saturday - April 07

Welcome to another SFFSat, and thanks to everyone who stops by and leaves awesome comments.  Much appreciated.

This will be the final snippet from my WIP, The Grosjean Chronicles.  The story revolves around Captain Alanis Grosjean, a Space Marine (featured briefly in book 2 of my Lancaster Trilogy).  She's a no-nonsense, fire-breathing lady with beguiling elfin feautres who has an unpredictable temper and poops out nails.  Capt. Grosjean's mission in this tale is to capture the notorious space pirate Norstrom and his crew on board the Drunken Sailor...

In this scene, Grosjean is directing her lieutenant, Ellis, to search the agrostation (this is just before they discover that interesting memo left by Norstrom).  Meanwhile, Dr. Mica looks on at the proceedings...

“What ducks?”

“Ducts, sir.”

“Speak clearly, Ellis.”  Grosjean knew what her lieutenant meant the first time.  She just loved to wind them up, it added to the scare factor she exuded.  Walking to the first metal grating on the floor, she grinned wickedly as Mica raised a brow, staring at her in amusement.

“Why do they call you 'sir'?”

“Why not?” she blinked.  “I’m their superior.”

“But, you’re a…woman.”

“Your point?”  She looked at him blandly.

“Never mind.”  Mica raised his hands defensively.  “Just thought ma’am would be the appropriate title.”

“Ma’am is my mother.  I am not her.  Understood?”  And ‘sir’ equalled scare factor.

“Perfectly.”

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules and use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers!

THE ETERNAL KNOT - out in PAPERBACK

It's nice to wake up to an email from your publisher saying that your final book in the trilogy is out in paperback!

THE ETERNAL KNOT - hot off the presses!

Unable to resist the lure of finding her niece, Josie picks up the crumbs of clues left behind. With her old friend and savior, pod-hunter Quin Aguilar at her side, she seeks out Fern Bettencourt who is assumed to be sleeping for over a hundred years.
From an unlikely source, Fern’s location is discovered, and together with her husband, Josie seeks out her last link to her past. Will Fern want to be found? And will finding Fern be enough to bury the ghosts that haunt Josie? Can Josie bring herself to destroy her last remaining family in order to save herself?
The Eternal Knot, the final chapter in the Lancaster trilogy. Will Josie finally rest in peace in the new future she lives in?


Of course, they are still available in ebook format (for all e-readers) from most of the major ebook stores.

Cheers!