Blog Tour: Seneca Element #scifi #ya #giveaway

This is my stop during the blog tour for Seneca Element by Rayya Deeb. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 6 till 19 January. See the tour schedule here.

Seneca Element (The Seneca Society #2)
By Rayya Deeb
Genre: Science Fiction
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: December 12, 2019

Blurb:
If you knew
that creating singularity
between your mind and machine
would open Pandora’s Box
would you do it?

Not even teen math-genius, Doro Campbell, could have known what she was getting herself into when she made the choice to get an implant connecting her brain to her computer. But when she finds her own existence at the center of a fight for power that runs deep inside the near-future, secret society that is Seneca, Doro realizes her mind may no longer be under her own jurisdiction.

In this breakneck race to find her dad and save the planet, Doro must choose between trusting her inner self or technology. Amidst the perils of a brutal technological warfare, and navigating the ups and downs of her first love, can Doro find the way to save herself… and the fate of the world?

Excerpt:
The rain began as a sprinkle, and then the concussive sound of thunder hit. The storm rolled in quickly, shifting from oppressive heat to a wet cold. I undid the latch of the strap across my chest and yanked off the eggplant-colored canvas backpack. I pulled out the rubbery hooded raincoat that I'd picked up at the outfitters in Lima and put it on. With my arms squeezing the backpack tight, I curled into a ball right there on the side of the mountain and waited for the storm to pass. If this mountainside had been through so many storms before and was still standing, then I figured I’d be fine as long as I blended in with it, chameleon style. But then, as the dagger-like rain began to strike my body, the cold became unbearable. I grabbed the emergency blanket I had packed and wrapped myself in it, fearing I might freeze if the storm didn't end before nightfall. I shivered inside my soggy cocoon, teeth clanking uncontrollably, arms plastered to my body as I hugged myself, covered in goosebumps the size of pimples. All I could think about was getting to a lower elevation... if I could just survive the night.
The whole point of the trip was to get to The Seneca Society's Hub 48 entrance on Lake Titicaca and find my dad. I was determined to see if he was really there, and to finally discover the deeper, hidden secrets of this subterranean, technologically-advanced world. I had the coordinates for the covert entrance point, but somehow I’d become inexplicably disoriented. Now I was lost in the middle of nowhere, practically beaten to a pulp and starting to doubt my ability to find Hub 48 after all. And to make matters worse, I was disconnected from the data grid, without access to the superhighway of information and the network of people that could help me figure out the right way to go. All the planning I had done and the materials I had collected for this trip, now stored in my encrypted Veil, were completely inaccessible.
My Veil was my lifeline, everything— and I mean everything— important was there. It had the recognition data I’d borrowed from my friend, Brittany Gilroy, the daughter of a Seneca Senator, to get me into the Aboves in the first place, and keep me untraceable. It had all the maps I needed to find my way. It stored my passwords, health records, personal contact information... literally everything that meant anything to me. But now the harsh reality of making a successful trek while being completely off the grid was beginning to sink in. What if no one finds me out here?

***

You can find Seneca Element on Goodreads

You can buy Seneca Element here on Amazon

First book in the series:

Seneca Rebel by Rayya Deeb
“What if your one chance to change the world means you have to leave everything you love behind?”

You can find Seneca Rebel here:
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- B&N

About the Author:
Rayya Deeb is a Virginia Tech Hokie, born in London, England and raised in Northern Virginia. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two daughters. Rayya has worked in television production and film development, but her true passion is writing. She has spent over a decade screenwriting, collaborating with some seriously incredible, world-renowned directors, actors and top-notch producers. In 2016 her debut novel, Seneca Rebel (ATM Publishing/No Mimes Media), was published. Her latest, Seneca Element (12/12/19 - Mediology/No Mimes Media), is the second book in The Seneca Society series. Rayya loves L.A. street tacos, 90's hip-hop, obscure Alan Watts lectures, exploring the globe, painting, and breaking bread with family & friends. She spends an absurd amount of time thinking about all things culinary, but considers it well worth it.

You can find and contact Rayya Deeb here:
- Series website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Instagram
- Goodreads
- Amazon

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Seneca Element. These are the prizes you can win:
ONE winner wins paperbacks of both book one and two, Seneca Rebel & Seneca Element (US Only)
10 winners will win e-book versions of Seneca Rebel AND Seneca Element (INT)

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shadow Prophet by Andrea Pearson #urbanfantasy #romance

This is my stop during the book blitz for Shadow Prophet by Andrea Pearson. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 15 till 19 October. See the tour schedule here.

Special release day price of 99 cent and special download bonuses!
Shadow Prophet is the first book in Andrea Pearson’s new Midnight Chronicles series. It’s only 99 cents for a limited time. Buy your copy here. And as a way to celebrate this new release Andrea Pearson has some special download bonuses that you’ll receive for free if you buy a copy of the book. All the information about the download bonuses can be found in the book.

Shadow Prophet (Midnight Chronicles #1)
By Andrea Pearson
Genre: Urban Fantasy/ Fantasy Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 15 October 2019

Blurb:
Bound to destroy the woman he loves...

Abel hasn’t seen Lizzie in at least seven years, and his experiences since then have changed him significantly. He’s sure he’s moved past his earlier crush, that he’s immune to her carefree and bubbly personality, but the moment his eyes land on her, he knows he’s still in love.

Instead of a joyful reunion, though, he only suffers agony at being in her presence again.

Because he’s being blackmailed into murdering her.

And there’s no way out. The Shadow Prophet has vowed to kill everyone Abel holds dear if he doesn’t complete the job. Abel has tried everything he can think of to break the contract, but nothing has worked, and he has nowhere else to turn.

Complicating things further, he gets recruited by a second client to help Lizzie achieve an impossible mission. One where they must work closely together while hunting immortal demons. One that will either destroy him or force him to kill her before he’s found a way out—before he’s ready to do it.

But how can a man ever be ready to murder the woman he loves?

If you enjoy high-stakes fantasy action, romance with a hint of angst, and fast-moving paranormal stories, you’ll love Shadow Prophet, book one in an addictive fantasy series. Grab your copy now!

You can find Shadow Prophet on Goodreads

You can buy Shadow Prophet here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Apple

You’ll receive free download bonuses when you pre-order or buy a copy of the book! The download bonuses can be found in the book.

Excerpt:
I refused to look in her eyes as I pulled the knife from her now-still heart and wiped the blade, her blood staining the fresh white cloth I’d brought just for this purpose.
She hadn’t struggled.
None of them had yet, though I wasn’t sure why.
My heart thudded dully against my ribs, making me choke on unwanted emotions. I wouldn’t allow myself to think, to feel. Not yet.
Before her magical powers could flow away, I removed a vial from my backpack, holding it against her temple and chanting words I’d memorized months earlier.
A silver-blue, steam-like gas flowed through her skin like smoke from dry ice. With gentle waves of my other hand, I encouraged it to enter the vial, then put the cap on and very carefully tucked it back into its protected pouch for later retrieval.
Five down.
Two to go.
The last two would be the hardest.
I still couldn’t believe I’d ever done the first.
Finally, with my jaw clenched, I looked at her face, so stricken now in death. It had been happy, excited even when she’d granted me access to her apartment. I reached over and closed her eyelids, hating that I was the last thing she’d seen.
I’m so sorry. I cleared my throat and shook my head. Plead my case when you get there. I hope you’ll understand.
I took a shuddering breath before lurching to my feet and stumbling away from the body.
No one would miss her, not for a very long time, regardless of how powerful she was or how well known or loved.
He had seen to all those details a long time ago.
I made sure my things were packed away before pulling my phone from my pocket and sending a quick text to the number I’d saved in my device a few days earlier.
It’s ready.

Grab Discern for free!

Disappearances at a popular national park... Monsters from another dimension... And Nicole can't use her magic. What could possibly go wrong?

Links
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Apple
- Kobo

About the Author:
Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them.

Andrea graduated from BYU with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She is the author of many full-length novels and novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life – it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her husband and children is where she's happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.

You can find and contact Andrea Pearson here:
- Website
- Blog
- Facebook profile
- Facebook page
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Bookbub
- Instagram
- Newsletter

Giveaway
To celebrate the release of Shadow prophet Andrea Pearson is running a big giveaway. There will 9 winners!
- 1 winner will win the Grand Prize which contains 22 of Andrea Pearson’s books in print.
- 5 winners will win a copy of The Glimpses CD
- 3 winners will win a $5 digital gift card to Amazon.com or through PayPal/Venmo

For a chance to win, fill out the form here. All details about the giveaway can be found there as well.

Blog Tour: The Jade Rebellion by Alanna Mackenzie #ya #dystopia #scifi #giveaway via @willowpublish @lolasblogtours

This is my stop during the blog tour for The Jade Rebellion by Alanna Mackenzie. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 18 February till 3 March. See the tour schedule here.

The Jade Rebellion (The Jade Chronicles #1)
By Alanna Mackenzie
Genre: Science Fiction/ Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 1 May, 2018

Blurb:
A reckoning. A rebellion. The worlds of artificial intelligence and ancient magic collide.

Crystal City glistens with diamonds, but its dazzling beauty comes at a deadly price. The capital of Khalendar thrives on a steady supply of gemstones from the neighboring Barrens, a colony of the Empire.

Walter Saltanetska translates AI code for the Khalendar government, helping to breathe life into the ambitious vision of the AI Masters. When Walter discovers a terrible secret which could destroy the life of his lover, Elaine, he decides to tell her despite strict orders to keep what he translates confidential.

What begins as a catastrophe eventually grows into a rebellion. Elaine is taken captive by the AI Masters, and Walter must do everything in his power to rescue her. He starts his quest with a single goal in mind, finding Elaine, but along the way Walter discovers that saving her is only a small part of his destiny. During his travels, he encounters a long-lost relative, a warrior matriarch, and a mystical kingdom forgotten to time. Yet Walter's true journey occurs not in physical space, but the captivating depths of his mind.

An inventive blend of dystopian science-fiction and fantasy, the Jade Rebellion explores whether we can overcome technological determinism by preserving history, nature, spirituality, and ultimately, our humanity.

You can find The Jade Rebellion on Goodreads

You can buy The Jade Rebellion here:
- Amazon
- B&N
- Booktopia

Excerpt:

Mariner’s Cove was a pristine beach surrounded by high limestone cliffs, and its unspoiled natural beauty contrasted starkly with the concrete towers of Crystal City. In the summertime, it was filled with people from all walks of life. Situated at the southern border between Crystal City and the Stockyards, the cove was one of the few places in Khalendar where elites and working-class folk mingled freely without any conflict. Between late fall and early spring, the beach was generally deserted, frequented only by cormorants, gulls, and the occasional albatross. It was the perfect place for meditation and reflection, if you didn’t mind the biting cold of the westerly winds and the crashing sound of the waves as they collided violently with the shore.

As soon as Walter’s interview was over he went to Mariner’s Cove, eager to soothe the fierce pounding in his head and to bring his rapid heart rate back down to normal levels. He sat down against a log near the water’s edge, and only after he had settled in did he realize that he was not alone; a girl was sitting on the other side of his log, reading quietly. Walter surveyed the silvery blue expanse of ocean stretched out beneath the horizon. In clear weather, it was possible to spot the northern tip of Scarlet Isle from Mariner’s Cove, but on that day the island was blanketed in an impenetrable shroud of mist.

Walter had made a game out of counting ships in the harbor, and it was one of his favorite beach pastimes. Identifying ships was more complicated in unruly weather, however, and on days when a dense shroud of mist and fog blanketed the harbor. The vessels were partially hidden beneath the shroud, their prows and masts modestly exposing themselves like timid maidens peeking through their wedding veils. Walter struggled to count the ships accurately, and his failure irritated him. He had always been proud of his own precision, but that quality also made him slightly obsessive and hard on himself.

The fog was growing heavier, and several ominous-looking clouds were rolling in toward the shore. Walter recalled their name from science class: cumulus. It sounded thick and heavy, like sludge. He gazed at them indifferently, confident that the clouds would not reach him and that he could relax at the beach for a few more hours, lazily curing his exhaustion. Yet he also knew how terrible thunderstorms at Mariner’s Cove could become; they had acquired a sort of legendary status throughout Khalendar. During a storm, waves would climb higher and higher as towering sheets of water assaulted the shore. When the waves broke, they would crash ferociously upon the rocky beach, erupting into dazzling geysers of foam and froth. The thunder would echo and bounce off of the limestone cliffs of the cove, saturating the beach with sound and fury. While it was a beautiful sight to behold, it was also quite dangerous. Many lives had been claimed through such thunderstorms, and Crystal City’s law enforcement agents had taken to reprimanding anyone who stayed at the cove during the storms.

After the immense challenge Walter had recently undergone, however, it seemed as though he could conquer anything; nothing appeared dangerous or daunting to him anymore. Adrenaline pumped through his veins still, even though its force was waning and was gradually being replaced by the desire to sleep. A vague thought nonetheless stirred within him: that the girl sitting behind him was facing the opposite direction of the oncoming storm, and was likely completely unaware of its approach.

 ***

About the Author:
Alanna Mackenzie lives in Vancouver, Canada. She holds degrees in History, French studies, and Law from the University of British Columbia. An environmentalist at heart, she believes in using the law as a tool for social and environmental change. When she is not pursuing that passion, she can be found brainstorming the next chapter in her novels, playing Irish fiddle tunes on the violin, and hiking West Coast trails.

You can find and contact Alanna Mackenzie here:
- Website
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of The Jade Rebellion. One winner will win a physical copy of The Jade Rebellion by Alanna Mackenzie (US Only).

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz: Hex Marks The Spot #excerpt #uf via @lolasblogtours @_ani_gonzalez

This is my stop during the book blitz for Hex Marks The Spot by Ani Gonzalez. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 29 October till 4 November. See the tour schedule here.

Hex Marks The Spot (Drop Dead Witchy #1)
By Ani Gonzalez
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age category: New Adult, Adult
Release Date: 21 October 2018

Blurb:
Going to Hell is easy. Going back home is a different story.

They say you can never go back. I wish that was the case.

Returning home is complicated when you’re a necromancer and your hometown is the Most Haunted in America. It doesn’t help that your pet hellhound chihuahua thinks the place is a dump, and it gets worse when your high school crush is still there and still dead sexy. Literally, as he’s now a ghost.

Oh, and did I mention that I have to save the world? I tell you, going to Hell is easy.

You can find Hex Marks The Spot on Goodreads

You can buy Hex Marks The Spot here on Amazon

Excerpts

Hex Marks the Spot Short Excerpt

HOME SWEET Home

But I was staring at a house that looked anything but sweet.

It was a dilapidated Victorian structure with a Second Empire mansard roof, peeling pink paint, and broken stained glass windows. The house had several missing shingles and a lopsided front porch. It was missing a few windows too.  It also had a large square turret, which caused it to resemble the house inCharmed, minus the charm.

My heart sank. Nothing, not even the newly sprung daffodils bobbing in the chilly March breeze, could make this house look good.

If the Halliwell sisters' house had suffered a regretful encounter with Godzilla, it would look like this.  Fortunately, my house didn't have a gate to Hell in the basement. It did, however, have a scary-looking gargoyle statue glaring at me from the second-floor ledge.

"The period detail is amazing, isn't it?" a syrupy voice chirped beside me.

I turned to look at my depressingly cheerful real estate agent, Elizabeth Hunt, and she blinded me with her trademark movie-star smile.

I stifled a groan. Before moving back to Banshee Creek to help out in her family's real estate business, Elizabeth worked in the horror film industry. She went from fighting murderous critters on the big screen, to moving her hometown's extensive collection of haunted houses.

That's what happened when you moved to the Most Haunted Town in America.  My hometown used to be a run-down Virginia town with a lot of ghost stories. Now, it had rebranded itself into the country's number one paranormal destination, beating even Salem, Massachusetts.  Suck it, Salem.

Though the prospect of living in a spooky version of Disneyland did not amuse me, Elizabeth was almost preternaturally optimistic about our hometown's transformation.

I would have been willing to bet real money that she'd planted those daffodils herself.

"Yes," I said, "the gargoyle is particularly impressive."

Elizabeth gave a nervous giggle. "That's a recent addition. They took it upon themselves to add it. You know how people are around here."

Yep, I did. You learn a few tricks when you grow up in this town, like how to protect yourself against the monster next door.

A monster, which, from what I'd gathered so far, was no slouch.

"Oh, what am I doing here?" I muttered, sounding whiny even to myself.

"I know," Elizabeth exclaimed, clapping her hands for emphasis. "What are we waiting for? Let's go look at the inside."

Uh, my complaint was more along the lines of "I hunt ghosts, not inter-dimensional quasi-deities." Why couldn't my ancestral home have an ordinary paranormal pest, like a poltergeist or a Lady in White?

But my real estate agent did not register my dismay. She hurried toward the house in a cloud of blonde hair and expensive perfume, with the unforced cheer of someone who had just unloaded a hard-to-sell property on an unsuspecting mark.

Or not so unsuspecting, in my case. I should be able to handle whatever inhabited Delacourt Manor. After all, my mundane job was to go around haunted places and make funny videos about them, but that was just reconnaissance for my magical job, which was to bash whatever inhabited those spaces, or at least render them harmless.

So this should be a breeze, no?

"Don't look so glum, Claire." The voice came from the general direction of my right ankle. "Just ignore the epic remodeling bill and focus on saving the world."

About the Author:
I'm a USA Today bestselling author of paranormal romantic comedy and cozy mystery (whew, that's a mouthful!) set in Banshee Creek, Virginia, The Most Haunted Town in the USA. My books feature feisty, irrepressible heroines dealing with a host of paranormal critters (ghosts, cryptids, pagan gods...the sky's the limit) and mysteries. They find love and laughter (and sometimes corpses) along the way, and readers get to follow them every step of the way.

I love quirky towns with spooky stories, and, thanks to my books, I get to "live" in one year-around. In real life I live in a Virginia suburb (which is sadly lacking in ghosts) with my husband, three children, two cats, and one adorable dog.

You can find and contact Ani Gonzalez here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Bookbub

Meet the #Author: Everything Under the Sun by Jessica Redmerski #dystopia #postapoc #romance #giveaway

Please tell us a bit about yourself:
I’ve been writing *something* since I was very young and started writing novels and building fantasy worlds at the age of 12 or 13. Writing is, and always will be in my blood. I’ll be 42 this year in November, and I feel like I’m just getting started. I have so much to say, so many worlds to wrap my readers in, and many crazy, loving, fun, evil, spiteful, generous {INSERT A HUNDRED MORE PERSONALITY TYPES HERE} characters to introduce you all to. I also have 3 kids, all grown up now for the most part, and I’m proud they inherited their momma’s creative gene! One is a talented musician, and two are talented artists!
Tell us about EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN:
The story is about two people, starkly different from one another, forced to survive together in a dangerous world after the fall of civilization. 
What inspired you to write this particular story?:
Daryl and Beth on the television show The Walking Dead - If Beth had been just a little older, a relationship between them, forced by survival and the post-apocalyptic world they lived in, would have been sweet. But because that could never happen, I made it my duty to tell the love story inspired by them, that grew in my heart.
Please share a favourite snippet from your book:
“Are you still angry?” I asked him.
“About what?”
“Giving the bread away to those people.”
He shook his head against the quilt.
“No, Thais, I’m not still angry.”
After a moment, he said, “Thais?”
“Mmm-hmm?”
“Don’t ask me to kiss you again.”
I paused, tensed. “Why not?” I was afraid of the answer.
We continued to look up at the stars. Behind us the horses whickered and their tails swished about. A light breeze combed through the trees, carrying the bitter and sweet scents of pine and honeysuckle with it.
Finally, Atticus answered, “Because whatever you want from me, Thais, I’d rather you just take it.”
I wanted to cry.
I smiled to myself instead.

Which comes first for you – a character's looks, personality or name?:
Personality, name, and then appearance
Any tips for aspiring authors?:
Always, ALWAYS, write from the heart. I learned this the hard way: if you feel like you’re having to force a story, whether it’s because you’re on a deadline, or you want to write that next bestseller, and you’re forcing yourself to write what you THINK everybody is reading right now—don’t. Just put the laptop away and rethink your priorities. The truth is, it doesn’t matter what’s popular in the moment; it doesn’t matter if a million people are reading a vampire series; it doesn’t matter if half the bestsellers on Amazon’s list are romance books—don’t write ANYTHING that doesn’t come from your heart because the readers will know it. They can feel when a story was forced; they know when you didn’t put as much effort into it as you did that one book you wrote one year that you loved so much but it never saw the light of day. Just write that story you’ve been thinking about writing forever, the one you can’t get out of your head; write the one you think nobody is going to read because it’s not the sort of thing that’s popular right now. Because the thing is, it’s true whoever said: Nobody else will like it if you don’t.

Questions for fun:  What super-power would you choose?:
Flying! I’ve always been fearful of heights, and airplanes specifically, which has put a damper on my involvement in too many book signings. If I could just fly (myself, not on a plane), that would be awesome.
Coffee, tea or wine?:
Cold brew coffee all the way
What is your favourite book? (aside from one of your own!):
THE BRONZE HORSEMAN by Paullina Simons  Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us!
Thank you for having me!

Everything Under the Sun
By Jessica Redmerski
Genre: Dystopian/ Post apocalyptic/ Suspense/ Romance
Age category: Young Adult/ New Adult/ Adult
Pages: 683 pages
Release Date: 28 August 2017


Blurb:
Thais Fenwick was eleven-years-old when civilization fell, devastated by a virus that killed off the majority of the world’s population. For seven years, Thais and her family lived in a community of survivors deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. But when her town is attacked by raiders, she and her blind sister are taken away to the East-Central Territory where she is destined to live the cruel and unjust kind of life her late mother warned her about.

Atticus Hunt is a troubled soldier in Lexington City who has spent the past seven years trying to conform to the vicious nature of men in a post-apocalyptic society. He knows that in order to survive, he must abandon his morals and his conscience and become like those he is surrounded by. But when he meets Thais, morals and conscience win out over conformity, and he risks his rank and his life to help her. They escape the city and set out together on a long and perilous journey to find safety in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Struggling to survive in a world without electricity, food, shelter, and clean water, Atticus and Thais shed their fear of growing too close, and they fall hopelessly in love. But can love survive in such dark times, or is it fated to die with them?

You can find Everything Under the Sun on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36058607-everything-under-the-sun 

You can buy Everything Under the Sun here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074W372G6/ 

About the Author:
Jessica Redmerski is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, international bestseller, and award winner, who juggles several different genres. She began self-publishing in 2012, and later with the success of THE EDGE OF NEVER, signed on with Grand Central Publishing/Forever Romance. Her works have been translated into more than twenty languages.

Jessica is a hybrid author who, in addition to working with a traditional publisher, also continues to self-publish. Her popular crime and suspense series, In the Company of Killers, has been optioned for television and film by actor and model William Levy.
She also writes as J.A. Redmerski.

You can find and contact Jessica here:
- Website: http://jessicaredmerski.com/ 
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/J.A.Redmerski 
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JRedmerski 
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5437976.J_A_Redmerski 
- Amazon Jessica Redmerski: https://www.amazon.com/Jessica-Redmerski/e/B074WD7NK3/
- Amazon JA Redmerski: https://www.amazon.com/J.A.-Redmerski/e/B006URGW1I/ 

Giveaway

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Everything Under the Sun. 3 winners will each win a signed paperback copies of Everything Under the Sun, along with signed bookmarks and postcards (United States and Canada only).

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz: The Nerdy Necromancer by S.E. Babin #pnr #comedy #giveaway via @lolasblogtours @hungrybiblio



This is my stop during the book blitz for The Nerdy Necromancer by S.E. Babin. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz takes place on 24 April. See the tour schedule here.

The Nerdy Necromancer is only 99cents! Today Only!
You can get your copy of The Nerdy Necromancer for only 99 cents today only! Get your copy here.

The Nerdy Necromancer (The Deadicated Matchmaker #1)
By S.E. Babin
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Comedy
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 24 April 2018

Blurb:
Helen Reaper has a weird relationship with the dead. As in she can bring anyone or anything back to life, so she’s constantly bombarded by people begging her to restore their loved ones, their pet fish, that cute girl who fell off a building while taking a selfie. Super. Annoying. So Helen becomes a necessary introvert and a homebody, choosing to absorb herself in books instead of real life.

The Deadication Dating Agency comes to her this time in the form of a mysterious letter and a cute little puppy.

They know someone who’s already dead who won’t mind her talent one little bit. Can a woman who raises the dead find a love that stays alive?

You can find The Nerdy Necromancer on Goodreads

You can buy The Nerdy Necromancer for only 99 cents here on Amazon
It’s available to read with Kindle Unlimited.

About the Author:
USA Today Bestselling author S.E. Babin has a passion for writing books with a paranormal twist. Whether it's romance or mystery, she loves taking the norm and turning it into the extraordinary. Her love of reading turned into a curious exploration to see whether or not she could write her own novel. Beginning with discarded pages of angsty novels and a slightly popular reimagining of Beowulf's Grendel in her high school English class, Sheryl spent way too much time in the library, killing any chance of her becoming a cheerleader or anything even remotely cool.

You can find and contact S.E. Babin here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Instagram

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of The Nerdy Necromancer. One winner will win a $25 Amazon Gift card.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Dying for Space by S.J. Higbee #scifi @lolasblogtours @sjhigbee

This is my stop during the blog tour for Dying for Space by S.J. Higbee. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 14 till 31 December. See the tour schedule here.

Dying for Space (The Sunblinded Trilogy#2)
By S.J. Higbee
Genre: Science Fiction
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: 14 December 2017

Blurb:
Cadet Officer Elizabeth Wright just wants to make her father proud, while the mercenary warlord is looking for her to replace his dead family…

I finally get the opportunity to become a serving officer and fulfil my childhood dream, as well as get to know my biological father, General Norman. And when I first clap eyes on Restormel, the HQ of my father’s space mercenary outfit, it’s the most beautiful building I’ve ever seen.

But appearances can be deceptive. There are dark secrets hidden in the twisting corridors and blood-soaked cells beneath the training grounds and banqueting rooms. Secrets that seep out. Secrets that demand fresh victims, because whatever else happens, they can’t be allowed to see the light of day…

You can find Dying for Space on Goodreads

You can buy Dying for Space here on Amazon

First book in the series:

Elizabeth Wright has yearned to serve on the space merchant ship Shooting Star for as long as she can remember – until one rash act changes everything…

You can buy Running Out of Space on Amazon

Excerpt:

The big downside of being early for the banquet was that I had to do the meet and greet, smiling at a bunch of strangers till my face felt fit to fall off.
The General’s arm around my shoulders felt heavy as he hefted me towards him. “Allow me the pleasure of introducing my daughter, Elizabeth. She’s just finished her Officer Training.” His hug tightened.
I struggled not to spill my drink.
“She’s taking to our life here faster than a tachy-probe,” Norman’s baritone boomed around the room.
I continued grimacing at the soft-handed, paunchy man, whose name slid past me, while I was busy trying to relax against Norman’s bulk and mentally blessing Fina’s insistence that I wear flat-soled slippers till I got used to dragging around in these long skirts.
“Delighted to meet you, Elizabeth. So, you’ve served with your father’s troops, have you?” His lips peeled into a smile-shape, but there wasn’t a hint of friendliness in his eyes.
He’s a predator. “That’s right.”
Norman suddenly leaned away from me, as David, looking strained, mumbled in his ear.
“My apologies. It appears that I’m needed elsewhere.” He nodded at the bloke and kissed me on the cheek. “Look after our guests, sweetheart.” And with that, he was gone.
Leaving me stranded with this chap, as cosy as a butterfly in a black hole. I’d better not mess this up. Norman might figure I’m a social liability and shunt me off to some fancy school where they teach stuff like how to host these sorts of banquets and which knife to eat off.
“So.” He eyed me up and down. “You’re Elsbeth’s replacement, eh? And where did the old man dig you up from, then?”
I blinked. Whatever they thought, people usually didn’t speak of Norman in such terms and certainly not when a guest at his table. My wariness of this man spiked into dislike. “I’m what is known in polite circles as a love-child.” I gave him my version of Norman’s lethal grin. “But doubtless, you’d call me a bastard.”
“I was going to enquire whether your daddy had bothered with a full DNA screening, but I now see the family resemblance.” He sniggered. “You going to put as many kinks in his airhose as your dear, departed sister, then?”
What kinks? He only ever talks about her with tears in his eyes. I sipped my drink to cover my confusion. “Fathers and daughters, you know how it is. Have you any children?”
“I’m delighted to say – no.” Distaste crawled across his face.
The words I’d heard a thousand times growing up in an English ship-trading family leapt to my lips. “What a tragedy to be the last of your genetic line.”
His high-pitched bray had others looking round. “And there was me thinking I was going to be sent comatose listening to the babblings of a vac-brained teen.”
Don’t know why – I’m twenty-one.
He tittered once more, before adding, “My, my. Does William know what a sharp-edged piece of work he’s dragged into his orbit, I wonder?”
As he didn’t appear to expect an answer, I took another mouthful of wine.
“Ah, there you are, Harold. Delighted you could make it.”
I spun round to face an immaculately dressed gentleman. Rick Kelbee. I’d only spoken a few times to him as our paths hadn’t crossed while I’d been training. But he was the most important man at Restormel, behind Norman and George and the last time we’d met was at that first, disastrous banquet.
He shook Harold’s hand, before turning to me and kissing me on the cheek. “Hallo, my dear,” Rick managed to sound as if we were lifelong friends. “May I say how beautiful you’re looking this evening? I look forward to catching up on all your exploits over dinner.”
“It will be my pleasure,” I mumbled and slurped another mouthful of wine, wishing I was anywhere else in the galaxy just now.
Rick sighed. “Sadly, I have to scoop Mr Gadenson away. Business, you know how it is. I’ll bring him back as quickly as I can.” He herded Gadenson towards the entrance, his tone impersonally polite, “General Norman has a truly impressive garden here in the grounds. I understand that you’re…” his voice faded into the background chatter.
I looked around, suddenly conscious of my duties as hostess. However, Fina was surrounded by a cluster of admiring men who were rocking with laughter, so she clearly had it all under control. The only two not orbiting her presence were huddled together, busy comparing tabware. Or swapping porn, perhaps. Whatever they were up to, they didn’t appear to need me crashing in on their conversation.
“Evening, Elizabeth. Welcome back.” Turning towards him, I felt a rush of gladness that George had arrived.
Why? Don’t know Norman’s Number Two particularly well. I couldn’t shake the sense that now he’d turned up, everything would be easier, though. “Good evening.”
His smile faded as he tracked Rick Kelbee and Harold disappearing through the French doors into the garden. “I wonder what Rick and Harold Gadenson have to say to each other that couldn’t be discussed in here?”
“Business, apparently,” I said, taking another large swallow of wine. And then woke up. “Harold Gadenson. Are we talking ‘Stay Safe with Gadenson’s Shields’?” I sang the jingle, which tinkled every time their combat suits were unwrapped. Before they were disabled with a laser butt. Or a boot. Or any available hard object. It had to be the most irritating noise in the universe. And now, I couldn’t get the tune out of my head.
“Wondered if you’d pick that one up.” George’s approving grin warmed me as he gestured towards the door. “Shall we find out whether Harold is really a rose lover?” With a formal bow, he offered me his arm and escorted me out of the banqueting hall and down the corridor to his study. George swiped the lock and performed an eyeball, palm and spit scan, then ushered me inside as the door hissed open.
I s’pose my expectations had been shaped by the Cap’s stripped functional den. But this… the desk was littered with all sorts of knick-knacks that wouldn’t have looked out of place in Aunty Sosha’s cluttered cabin, while the walls were a montage of parchpics, holos and vids. There didn’t seem to be any order. Formal images of the Corps were alongside off-duty, family scenes, which mingled with Norman and/or George posing alongside presidents and heads of state.
Queasy at the seething mass of movement, I sank into the nearest chair. “This is homely.” How in holed heavens does he work amongst this muddle?
George grinned, clearly pleased at my comment. “I spend large chunks of time in here, so I like it cosy.” He crossed the room, his fingers dancing across the securilock and a screen sprouted out from behind the heaving images.
I watched the two dots coalesce into human figures. Number Two grunted in satisfaction as he toggled with the handheld and Rick’s smooth voice rolled out into the room, “…particularly fine scent, especially on a summer’s evening. Sadly, of course, our somewhat damp climate here doesn’t especially agree with this rose, but if you cut it—”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding. It was alright. Gadenson is a sour slimer who one day will probably poison himself with that venomous tongue of his but—
“Lose the plant cant, why don’t you?” his drawl cut through Kelbee’s patter like a laser through spongeweed.
Rick’s voice got louder. “Whereas, this…” I nearly missed his muttered undertone, “What d’you think you’re doing?”
“I was invited. How about you?”
“Stale the sappy comments for someone who cares, you clone-head.” Even Kelbee’s abuse was elegant.
“And if I hadn’t turned up? How would that have looked? Or hadn’t you got as far as considering that one?” Gadenson did contempt very well – it certainly got to Rick Kelbee.
“Except you turn up clearly mashed, and start jabbering at her.”
That’s me he’s talking about.
“Whereas he might play the part of a thug-brained space chimp, but he’s sharp.”
And that’s Norman.
“And if we—”
White noise sizzled through the study.
As he killed the sound, George looked across at me, eyebrows raised. “Now, why d’you think they needed to continue that little chat with an activated scrambler?”

About the Author:
Born the same year as the Russians launched Sputnik, I confidently expected that by the time I reached adulthood, the human race would have a pioneer colony on the Moon and be heading off towards Mars. So I was at a loss to know what to do once I realised the Final Frontier wasn’t an option and rather lost my head - I tried a lot of jobs I didn’t like and married a totally unsuitable man.

Now I've finally come to terms with the fact that I’ll never leave Earth, I have a lovely time writing science fiction and fantasy novels while teaching Creative Writing at Northbrook College in Worthing. I’ve had a number of short stories, articles and poems published – the most recent being my story ‘Miranda’s Tempest’ which appeared last year in Fox Spirit’s anthology Eve of War. I recently signed a publishing contract with Grimbold Publishing for my science fiction novel Netted, which is due to be released in 2019.

I live in Littlehampton on the English south coast with a wonderful husband and a ridiculous number of books. I can be found online chatting about books at my book review blog https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/ and you’re very welcome to pop onto my website www.sjhigbee.com and my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sjhigbeeauthor/.

You can find and contact S.J. Higbee here:
- Website
- Blog
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

Rescuing Prince Charming by Edward Hoornaert #scifi #romance #giveaway via @lolasblogtours @edhoornaert

This is my stop during the book blitz for Rescuing Prince Charming by Edward Hoornaert. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 28 November till 11 December. See the tour schedule here.

Introduction price!
For a limited time only Rescuing Prince Charming is available to purchase for only 1.99! You can buy your copy here on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes and Smashwords.

Rescuing Prince Charming (Alien Contact for Idiots #4)
By Edward Hoornaert
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 4 December, 2017

Blurb:
Dusty Johnson, a self-styled ordinary, everyday woman, responds with extraordinary heroism to saboteurs trying to bomb the prototype of Earth's first starship. She wants to return to anonymity, but her moment of courage propels her ever deeper into danger that tears the scabs off her dark past—and thrusts her into the arms of the unattainable man of her dreams.

Reese Eaglesbrood, an alien prince, yearns to restore his tattered reputation by guiding the starship project to completion, but his fascination with the unassuming heroine threatens to undermine his fragile authority. Shunning Dusty is necessary, yet unthinkable—and when the saboteurs strike again, she may be his only ally against Earth's darkest enemies.

You can find Rescuing Prince Charming on Goodreads

You can buy Rescuing Prince Charming here for only 1.99!
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- iTunes
- Smashwords

About the Author:
What kind of guy writes romance? A guy who married his high school sweetheart a week after graduation and still lives the HEA decades later. A guy who’s a certifiable Harlequin hero—he inspired Vicki Lewis Thompson’s Rita Award finalist Mr. Valentine, which is dedicated to him.

Ed started out writing contemporary romances for Silhouette Books, but these days he concentrates on science fiction romance. He’s been a teacher, principal, technical writer, salesman, janitor, and symphonic oboist. He and wife Judi live in Tucson, Arizona. They have three sons, a daughter, a mutt, and the galaxy’s most adorable grandson.

You can find and contact Edward Hoornaert here:
- Website
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Google Plus
- Newsletter

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Rescuing Prince Charming. These are the prizes you can win:
- Grand prize: e-book copies of the other three books in this series: Alien Contact for Idiots, Alien Contact for Kid Sisters and Newborn
- 2 winners win an e-book of their choice from any of the following three books: Alien Contact for Idiots, Alien Contact for Kid Sisters and Newborn

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Rescuing Prince Charming by @edwardhoornaert #scifi #romance @lolasblogtours #giveaway

Today is the cover reveal for Rescuing Prince Charming by Edward Hoornaert. The cover is designed by Danielle Fine. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.

Rescuing Prince Charming (Alien Contact for Idiots #4)
By Edward Hoornaert
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 4 December, 2017

Blurb:
Dusty Johnson, a self-styled ordinary, everyday woman, responds with extraordinary heroism to saboteurs trying to bomb the prototype of Earth's first starship. She wants to return to anonymity, but her moment of courage propels her ever deeper into danger that tears the scabs off her dark past—and thrusts her into the arms of the unattainable man of her dreams.

Reese Eaglesbrood, an alien prince, yearns to restore his tattered reputation by guiding the starship project to completion, but his fascination with the unassuming heroine threatens to undermine his fragile authority. Shunning Dusty is necessary, yet unthinkable—and when the saboteurs strike again, she may be his only ally against Earth's darkest enemies.

You can find Rescuing Prince Charming on Goodreads

You can pre-order Rescuing Prince Charming here for only 1.99!
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- iTunes
- Smashwords

Excerpt
He hurled the bomb over the side with the grace and power of a javelin thrower.
Huffing, Dusty grabbed the cold railing and looked down. Three long steel posts reached forty yards down to the steep and rocky forest below. If the bomb landed near a post, the blast would bring down the terrace with her on it. But did she run? Nope.
She leaned over the railing and put an arm on the back of her amazing companion. Although she didn’t know his name, there was no one she’d rather stand shoulder-to-shoulder with, facing oblivion, panting in unison, poised on the knife’s edge separating death from life.
“God,” she panted, “you have a…a great arm.”
He said nothing, and she was too busy watching the bomb to notice his reaction. Stupid to just stand there, yet she watched the bomb fall as though in slow motion. The lid floated away, wafting back and forth like a cardboard leaf.
The box arched beyond the pylons and the forest toward the ocean. Being a fiord, the bottom dropped off as steeply as the mountainside, so the box should be well submerged when it went off. She never could’ve thrown it so far.
The box hit the water with an insignificant splash. She waited.
Nothing.
That was all? This whole blood-pumping thing was a hoax?
But just as disappointment threatened to chill her, the dark waters of the Pacific erupted as though a whale had farted. Dusty jerked closer to the stranger. He was warm and alive and his courage took her breath away. Being held by him seemed the most natural thing in the world.

About the Author:
What kind of guy writes romance? A guy who married his high school sweetheart a week after graduation and still lives the HEA decades later. A guy who’s a certifiable Harlequin hero—he inspired Vicki Lewis Thompson’s Rita Award finalist Mr. Valentine, which is dedicated to him.

Ed started out writing contemporary romances for Silhouette Books, but these days he concentrates on science fiction romance. He’s been a teacher, principal, technical writer, salesman, janitor, and symphonic oboist. He and wife Judi live in Tucson, Arizona. They have three sons, a daughter, a mutt, and the galaxy’s most adorable grandson.

You can find and contact Edward Hoornaert here:
- Website
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Google Plus
- Newsletter

Giveaway
There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of Rescuing Prince Charming. These are the prizes you can win:
- Grand prize: e-book copies of the first three books in the Alien Contact for Idiots series: Alien Contact for Idiots, Alien Contact for Kid Sisters and Newborn
- 2 winners win an e-book of their choice from any of the following three books: Alien Contact for Idiots, Alien Contact for Kid Sisters and Newborn

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz: Forsake by @AndreaPearson2 #urbanfantasy #giveaway @lolasblogtours

This is my stop during the book blitz for Forsake by Andrea Pearson. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz takes place on 19 October. See the tour schedule here.

Forsake
By Andrea Pearson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult, New Adult, Adult
Release Date: 18 October, 2017

Blurb:
Vicious shifters are on the hunt and will devour anything that stands in the way. And getting in the way is exactly what Nicole must do.

Nicole Williams hopes for nothing more than to Restart like any normal Arete and gain access to the magic she’ll possess. But when she does Restart, she’s accused of gruesome murder, and she learns she must travel halfway around the world to save her best friend’s life.

Knowing that the evil Hounds of Tindalos are hot on her tail and that they’ll stop at nothing to kill her before she hides her best friend from them forever, she invites her boyfriend, Conor, to come along as backup. But Conor’s plans may not line up with hers.

Danger, intrigue, and harrowing fights with evil await you in Forsake, a Mosaic Chronicles novel. Start reading now to immerse yourself in the adventure!

You can find Forsake on Goodreads

You can buy Forsake here on Amazon

About the Author:
Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them.

Andrea graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She is the author of many full-length novels (the Kilenya Series and Mosaic Chronicles) and several novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life - it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her family and close friends is where she's happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.

You can find and contact Andrea here:
- Website
- Blog
- Facebook page
- Facebook profile
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Pinterest
- Newsletter

Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Forsake. One winner will win a $50 Amazon Gift Card! US Only.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meet the #Author: S.J. Higbee #NA #scifi @lolasblogtours

This is my stop during the blog tour for Running Out of Space by S.J. Higbee. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 11 till 31 October. You can check see the tour schedule here.

First, I’d like to thank you, Pippa, for inviting me along to tell you a bit about myself and my space opera adventure Running Out of Space.

You're welcome! Please tell us a bit about yourself:

I have been writing since forever. I used to write stories when I was a child – long, drawn-out affairs and continued into my teens. However I gave up writing – and reading fiction – during those busy years when I was studying, then married and raising children. I deliberately didn’t go near a book when my children were little – I’m one of those who gets lost between the covers so knew that if I picked up a story, the poor mites could throw themselves down the stairs or drink bleach and I probably wouldn’t notice. But I started writing again once the family were grown and haven’t really stopped. This is my first foray into self-publishing and I also have a post-apocalyptic science fiction adventure novel, Netted, due to be published by Grimbold Publishing in 2019.

Tell us about Running Out of Space

It is a coming-of-age story about a space merchanter’s daughter who yearns to follow in her father’s footsteps, but the trouble is that she is a fertile girl and as such, is expected to marry early and produce lots of babies. The book charts Elizabeth’s struggles to overcome that prejudice and what happens to her along the way. And a great deal happens, including kidnap, a shuttle crash and murder. Running Out of Space is the first book in the Sunblinded trilogy and I’m hoping to release the second book, Dying for Space, later in the year.

What inspired you to write this particular story?:

I had already written two novels, both standalones, set in this particular world and knew it very well. The space merchanters played a small but crucial part in one of the books and I found myself wondering about them and their lifestyle. But what actually triggered this particular book with this particular opening was hearing Regina Spektor’s song ‘Sansom’ – which gave me the character of Wynn, who features heavily in the story.

It was originally intended to be a single novel, but Elizabeth’s story grew into the trilogy – and I am still not finished with her, as she is going to feature in a new, related series as my space opera crime-fighting private investigator in the Homespace Investigations novels.

Please share a favourite snippet from your book:

Okay. This is an extract after the shuttle crash I mentioned earlier…

I opened my eyes to find myself lying on my back, staring at the sky – a shock. After nearly a year in a spacecraft, so much fresh air overstimmed my slagged senses. Apart from anything else, it stank. Of earth and greenness and rain. I sucked at the water trickling across my mouth because I was very thirsty, as well as soaking wet and cold. My teeth started to chatter.

Maybe it would be a zesting notion to get up. It took a while to struggle onto my knees and shakily scramble to my feet. Partly because everything hurt and partly because I couldn’t shake the idea I must be badly injured. I’d been in a shuttle crash, for Earth’s sake! But although my head was hammering hard enough to shiver my vision and I’d an impressive collection of cuts and purpling bruises, nothing seemed broken. I shaded my stinging eyes from the too-bright outdoor lighting, and tried to get my bearings.

The sodden landscape was cheerlessly grey, with rain falling sideways in swirling gusts that plastered torn overalls against my rapidly numbing body. I squinted sore eyes. That grey smudge. There... behind that stand of trees. That’s smoke.

I squelched across the gouge marks scarring the field, following the trail of shredded shuttle-stuff while my head thudded with vicious intensity. The tail section sheared off, here. The rest cleared the fence and finally ended up in the next field. I must’ve been thrown out.

It took a long light year to trudge through the vile gloop the Cerens like to call soil. I fell over. Twice. The second time, I nearly didn’t get up. The only thing that kept me going was the sure knowledge that if I stayed sitting in the gluey mess, I’d die of hypothermia. Or disgust. I didn’t survive a dregging shuttle crash just to end up as fertiliser for some food crop. Besides, what if Wynn finds me? I flinched at the thought of his beautiful blue eyes staring at my mucky corpse.

The going got easier once I reached the knee-high grass bordering the field as the tall plax-mesh fence offered significant shelter from the rain-laden wind. I headed for the track intersecting the fencing. A thick pall of smoke swirled through the opening long before I reached it. The chemical smell, overlaid with a cooked meat scent, made me cough like an apron-clad bloke downwind of the barbie. I used a shard of dura carbon to hack off the breast pocket on my overalls and cover my nose against the stinking smoke. But I could do nothing about the dread snaking in my belly.

If Wynn survived, why haven’t I seen him? No way would he wander off without searching for me. I stumbled to a halt, as icy certainty gripped me. That’s it, then. He’s dead. I buried my face in my hands, despairing. Until a new voice zipped through my head like a fireball.

Wynn could die out there, while you’re behaving like a baby. Haul it together, Lizzy!

Jessica, that you? It sounded like her, for sure. Whether it was or not, just hearing her bossy voice ringing around the inside of my skull was sufficient to help me haul it together. On trembling legs, I rounded the corner and took in the mess. Judging by the torn earth and burning remains, the shuttle must have cartwheeled half the length of the field before finally coming to a halt upside down. I shivered as I imagined the force needed to create such large gouges, while wading through the quagmire and peering into each gaping hole, already half-full of water. Looking around the rainy, smoke-grimed mudscape at the flaming remains of the shuttle, I wondered if there was a bleaker spot in the whole universe.

I spotted the first body, while stumbling through the wreckage. His head was tilted back at an impossible angle. His helmet had been torn off and his face was a red ruin. I shuddered. Hopefully, it was quick.

I moved onto the next hole, dropped to my knees, and prodded at the water with a length of casing. My stomach slid somewhere around my mud-caked thighs when I realised someone was down there.

Mark the spot, then move on. You can come back later, if you don’t find Wynn elsewhere.

Typical Jessica. Still bossy, even when dead. Nevertheless, I draped shredded insulation in the rough shape of an arrow, before moving towards the burning remains of the shuttle. It was now a question of numbers. I’d found two bodies, one unidentified. Aboard the shuttle, there’d been Helmethead, the pilot, Wynn, and the three guards sitting opposite. Six, apart from me.

The pilot was easy to find. His charred body was still strapped into the burnt-out remains of the cockpit, clearly beyond help. Another badly burned merc was hanging out of a ripped hole in the fuselage, but I couldn’t get close enough to see if he was still alive. Heat radiated from the blackened carcass of the shuttle. Further back, the fuel tanks were still burning.

Upwind of the thick, stinking smoke, the warmth was almost pleasant. I caught sight of someone was lying on open ground about ten yards in front of the shuttle, so mud-covered, I couldn’t tell whether he was wearing a uniform. Or alive.

Hurry up, it could be Wynn.

Yeah, I’m on it, Jessica. I half-ran, half-slithered towards the prone figure. But I slid to a stop a few feet away, as I realised the dregger was wearing a helmet. His arm twitched.

Mercury’s Dust, he’s alive. I couldn’t walk away. Kneeling beside him, I felt for his pulse. He’s warm to the touch... Which was when I recognised the numbers on the side of his helmet – I’d been staring at them when he’d hit me. It’s Helmethead! Wonder how he—

His hand snaked out and gripped my arm as he surged to his knees. “Hello, girlie. Must be my lucky day, after all.”

Which comes first for you – a character's looks, personality or name?:

I do have a sense of my protagonist’s appearance – but it has to be the personality and situation that is my starting point and that frequently starts with a dream or news story.

Any tips for aspiring authors?:

I’m also a Creative Writing tutor at Northbrook College and have been teaching there since 2009, so have watched a lot of beginners make a start on books and I have two pieces of advice – the first is to write down that first draft. Don’t keep going back and fiddling with the beginning, unless you have hit a brick wall and can’t write and while you are writing, find what works for you and keep doing it. Secondly, once you have that first draft written, put it away and work on something else for at least six months and can gain some distance – and only then start editing it. It’s also important to find yourself a community – other writers who you can trust to share work with and talk about it. It’s a lonely old business, but if you look at the back of any published book, you’ll find a list of people the author thanks and most of them will be that writing group who helped the author knock the manuscript into shape.

Questions for fun:
If you had the power of time travel, is there anything you would go back and change? Why/why not?:

I’m a baby-boomer and vividly recall my expectation that by the time I was grown up, we would have colonised the Moon and be on our way to Mars. So if I could go back and change anything – it would be that disastrous, wrong-headed decision to STOP the drive into space just because Man had walked on the Moon!

It’s comparable to Christopher Columbus returning to Spain and announcing he had discovered a new land and Queen Isabella turning to King Ferdinand and say, ‘Zounds, what an achievement!’ Then looking back at Chris before adding, ‘Um, next trip, just pop over to France, will you? We’ll not bother going to that new continent anymore…’

What super-power would you choose?:

Flight. I used to sit on the end of my bed for hours as a child and watch the night sky, yearning to be able to be nearer the stars. Though that was in Zambia which is a LOT warmer and realistically I wouldn’t be flying high very often in England as it is way too nippy even in summer. There’s a reason witches wear long black dresses and long pointy hats where they can store their hot water bottles and flasks of tea. And those cats on the end of the broomstick are in reality curled up on their laps for warmth.

If you could have three wishes, what would they be?:

That every person in the world should receive enough to eat; that every person in the world should have a decent roof over their head; that every child in the world should receive an education. The shame and disgrace is that we currently have the resources to do it – we just lack the political will.

Coffee, tea or wine?:

Oh tea – every time. My two favourites at present are Lapsang Souchong and Peppermint & Licorice. Yum!

What is your favourite book? (aside from one of your own!):

Oh nooo… really?? Just one? I can’t – I really CAN’T choose one book… I can give you favourite authors – Kage Baker, Terry Pratchett, Tanya Huff, Elizabeth Moon, N.K. Jemisin, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Jo Walton – okay – two books… And they’ll probably be different next year, because I do read quite a bit – Among Others by Jo Walton and After Atlas by Emma Newman – two more wonderful authors, by the way.

Favourite genre and why?:

Speculative fiction. I love the fact that I open a book and be taken ANYWHERE.  The world might be balanced on the back of a turtle, or peopled with aliens in a universe where light creates energy and has no absolute speed. I may read about characters related to a bunch of randy, highly magical aunties or a famous mother who disappeared off to space and abandoned him on Earth… It can be a fast, enjoyable read or so full of densely written cool ideas my brain hurts as I break off to take in all the amazing concepts. Wonderful…

Favourite colour?:

I love yellows – the colour of happiness and sunshine. Much of my house is decorated in yellow and in the garden lots of the flowers are yellow, though tragically I can no longer grow marigolds and sunflowers, my favourites, as the snails and slugs devour them.

Upcoming news and plans for the future?:

I’m planning to release the sequel to Running Out of Space called Dying for Space in December, all being well and the final book in the trilogy, Breathing Space early in the new year. The first book in my space opera crime series, Bloodless, is currently burning a hole in my brain while it’s on hold as I’m reworking a book that won’t leave me alone – Miranda’s Tempest which is a fantasy story about what happens to Miranda and Prospero after they leave the enchanted island and is the sequel to Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It’s the most ambitious book I’ve written so far and you won’t be surprised to hear it’s giving me a few problems in getting it nailed.

I have a short story, ‘A Dire Emergency’ coming out in an anthology called Holding On By Our Fingtertips, edited by Amanda Rutter, who was the commissioning editor for that wonderful imprint Strange Chemistry. The premise is that all the stories are about what happens when we only have twenty-four hours before it all goes to hell in a handcart – great stuff!

And then, I’m also very much looking forward to the release of Netted, my post-apocalyptic adventure set in Maine, in 2019 by Grimbold Publishing, who produce a steady stream of fabulous books.

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us!

Thank you so much for asking me along to chat – it’s been a real pleasure. As you may have gathered, I’m not the strong, silent type…

For a limited time Running Out of Space will be only $0.99 on Amazon

Running Out of Space (The Sunblinded Trilogy#1)
By S.J. Higbee
Genre: Science Fiction
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: 11 October, 2017

Blurb:
Elizabeth Wright has yearned to serve on the space merchant ship Shooting Star for as long as she can remember – until one rash act changes everything…

I can’t recall whose idea it was. Just that me and my shipmates were sick of wading through yet another unjust punishment detail. So we decide to take ourselves off on a short jaunt to the lower reaches of Space Station Hawking to prove that fertile English girls can also deal with danger.

The consequences of that single expedition change the lives of all four of us, as well as that of the stranger who steps in to save us down in lawless Basement Level. Now I have more excitement and danger than I can handle, while confronting lethal shipboard politics, kidnapping, betrayal. And murder.

You can find Running Out of Space on Goodreads

Buy Running Out of Space for only $0.99!
You can buy Running Out of Space for only $0.99 on Amazon!


About the Author:
Born the same year as the Russians launched Sputnik, I confidently expected that by the time I reached adulthood, the human race would have a pioneer colony on the Moon and be heading off towards Mars. So I was at a loss to know what to do once I realised the Final Frontier wasn’t an option and rather lost my head - I tried a lot of jobs I didn’t like and married a totally unsuitable man.

Now I've finally come to terms with the fact that I’ll never leave Earth, I have a lovely time writing science fiction and fantasy novels while teaching Creative Writing at Northbrook College in Worthing. I’ve had a number of short stories, articles and poems published – the most recent being my story ‘Miranda’s Tempest’ which appeared last year in Fox Spirit’s anthology Eve of War. I recently signed a publishing contract with Grimbold Publishing for my science fiction novel Netted, which is due to be released in 2019.

I live in Littlehampton on the English south coast with a wonderful husband and a ridiculous number of books. I can be found online chatting about books at my book review blog https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/ and you’re very welcome to pop onto my website www.sjhigbee.com and my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sjhigbeeauthor/.

You can find and contact S.J. Higbee here:
- Website
- Blog
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads