I hope everyone had a safe and happy start to the New Year.
I can't believe it is 2010. I feel like I've somehow been warped into the future. As we get older, time seems to move faster, and I believe it is because each year is a smaller fraction of your overall life. When you're two, one year is half your existence. That's a lot. Now, not so much.
I remember being a kid and thinking 2010 things would be so different. And maybe they are. We've got cell phones, and cars that start with the push of a button and tell you where to go. We've got the amazing internet, video games that make Centipede look archaic, and instant communication via email, texting, whatever.
And yet, some things stay the same. I just want to feel like I've achieved something in this new year. I want to feel I've made progress. I want my family to be healthy, happy, and prosperous.
I want to get more done in less time and still stay sane. Sometimes life feels like a constant game of catch up. That's part of the problem of living in the future. Everything moves so quickly.
So this year, I'd like to slow down, but stay steadily productive. I won't feel guilty for the things I just can't make time for. I'll appreciate the things I've got, love my family, and hope for the best in the year to come.
I've got a feeling 2010 will be a good one.
Don't forget, you have until Monday to ask me a question over at The Bradford Bunch, and win a free signed copy of Beyond the Rain, or a super secret excerpt from Beyond the Shadows. Have fun everyone!
Jess
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Ethel the Space Pirate, Chapter Twenty-Five
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a great start to 2010. I have a feeling it's going to be a good year. Where were we? Oh yeah, Ethel just escaped from the brig on Devar's ship and is in his study looking for Keo. She has to find Keo, her map, and then find a bridge code so she can jump to another location. As always if you want to read the whole story, just head over to the fun stuff page on my website.
Ethel crept toward the bedroom. Her trepidation swelled as she instinctively hugged the wall and peeked into the room. Devar's opulent furnishings used to impress her. He had collected the finest trappings from more cultures than she could count.
She used to believe he was honest, fair. Not anymore, he was a thief, a mercenary and a cold-blooded killer. He had shot Qinn without hesitation. Ethel shuddered feeling sick once again. In the corner of the room, a birdcage was covered with a heavy black blanket.
"Keo," Ethel whispered. "Wake up."
She heard a flip of a wing. He was in there.
It could be a trap.
She had to be careful. She didn't put anything past Devar. Edging around the room, she took care not to touch anything until she came to the cage.
"Keo?" she whispered again. Her heart pounded and her hands shook. She heard a soft plaintive chirrup. Was he hurt?
She reached up and slowly lifted the edge of the blanket.
She screamed as fire shot through her. Her mind barely process the crackling sound as she saw the streaming currents of electricity arc around her. The pain ripped through her body, each of her muscles seized as she fell to the floor. Her head hit the plush carpet, and her consciousness blinked out.
Ethel woke slowly. The pounding in her head reminded her she was still living, but it beat at her skull like a Travarian demanding money. She tried to pull her hand down to her aching head, but something soft and silky constricted around her wrist. She blinked open her eyes, but her vision was blurred, darkness creeping through her peripheral vision.
She followed the blood red silk tied around her wrist to the ornately carved post at the corner of Devar's bed.
She arched and pulled with all her strength, but he had her strung out like a rabbit in a snare.
"Devar!" she shouted, her rage burning as hotly as her terror.
"It's about time you woke up," his low voice slithered out from the shadows at the foot of the bed. The bastard had lit candles. He stalked forward, anger and amusement painted all over his smug face. Dark and handsome as death, his smile flashed, framed by his short and elegantly trimmed goatee. "You won't escape this time."
Ethel arched her back so she lean forward, just to defy him. He had stripped her down to her underclothes, but thankfully he had left that much of her dignity. "You killed Qinn."
"You mean your boyfriend? He didn't look like your type." His black as night eyes flashed as his dark expression turned menacing.
"I'm going to kill you," Ethel promised.
Devar sat at the foot of the bed his weight a familiar sensual promise. "That doesn't sound like any fun at all, my little vena."
"Oh, it won't be." She kicked out, planting the heel of her foot against his hard thigh, but it barely moved him. "I'll start with your Nakka."
Devar chuckled as he crawled forward, edging over her like a great stalking cat. He brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. She thrashed her head at the touch, but with the coolness of the killer he'd become, he simply dropped his attention to the fasteners on her support. Trailing one finger down her neck, he teased the first fastener.
"Why did you cripple my ship?" he asked, as if the were sitting down for a cup of hig. His warm presence hovered above her, and her heart thundered in her chest, just below his taunting fingers.
She threw her head forward and head butted him with all her strength. The shock of pain shook through her body, but he had recoiled, and she'd gladly wear a bruise for a month if it meant he backed off.
"I should kill you," he cursed as he backed off the bed and rubbed his brow.
"Why don't you get it over with," she goaded.
"So you can join your new lover?"
"Are you jealous?" Ethel couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was insane. The man was completely insane.
"Should I be?" he demanded.
"I barely knew him. He was helping me out, and you shot him for it." Her voice cracked.
"He's Tecochan, he'll survive. Probably. Not that it really matters."
Hope blossomed in Ethel's heart. Qinn didn't deserve to die for her mistakes. But that still left her tied to Devar's bed.
"Would you like some water?" he asked.
"What?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Devar crossed the room, poured some liquid from an elegant decanter embedded in the wall, and and then used his warm palm to support her head as he offered her a drink. It was probably poisoned.
"In spite of what you obviously think, I don't want to hurt you, Thel," he admitted. "You need to know the truth."
"I'm supposed to listen to the truth from a liar?" she countered.
He leaned forward and squeezed her neck, a simple reminder of her precarious position. His lips came dangerously close to hers, and his long dark lashes lowered over his sinful eyes.
"Hear me out," he whispered. "Please."
What should Ethel do?
A: Tip over the glass and tell him off.
B: Accept the water and hear him out.
C: Kiss him and use the distraction to get a hand free.
Voting will be open until Jan 25th. Have fun!
Jess
I hope everyone had a great start to 2010. I have a feeling it's going to be a good year. Where were we? Oh yeah, Ethel just escaped from the brig on Devar's ship and is in his study looking for Keo. She has to find Keo, her map, and then find a bridge code so she can jump to another location. As always if you want to read the whole story, just head over to the fun stuff page on my website.
Ethel crept toward the bedroom. Her trepidation swelled as she instinctively hugged the wall and peeked into the room. Devar's opulent furnishings used to impress her. He had collected the finest trappings from more cultures than she could count.
She used to believe he was honest, fair. Not anymore, he was a thief, a mercenary and a cold-blooded killer. He had shot Qinn without hesitation. Ethel shuddered feeling sick once again. In the corner of the room, a birdcage was covered with a heavy black blanket.
"Keo," Ethel whispered. "Wake up."
She heard a flip of a wing. He was in there.
It could be a trap.
She had to be careful. She didn't put anything past Devar. Edging around the room, she took care not to touch anything until she came to the cage.
"Keo?" she whispered again. Her heart pounded and her hands shook. She heard a soft plaintive chirrup. Was he hurt?
She reached up and slowly lifted the edge of the blanket.
She screamed as fire shot through her. Her mind barely process the crackling sound as she saw the streaming currents of electricity arc around her. The pain ripped through her body, each of her muscles seized as she fell to the floor. Her head hit the plush carpet, and her consciousness blinked out.
Ethel woke slowly. The pounding in her head reminded her she was still living, but it beat at her skull like a Travarian demanding money. She tried to pull her hand down to her aching head, but something soft and silky constricted around her wrist. She blinked open her eyes, but her vision was blurred, darkness creeping through her peripheral vision.
She followed the blood red silk tied around her wrist to the ornately carved post at the corner of Devar's bed.
She arched and pulled with all her strength, but he had her strung out like a rabbit in a snare.
"Devar!" she shouted, her rage burning as hotly as her terror.
"It's about time you woke up," his low voice slithered out from the shadows at the foot of the bed. The bastard had lit candles. He stalked forward, anger and amusement painted all over his smug face. Dark and handsome as death, his smile flashed, framed by his short and elegantly trimmed goatee. "You won't escape this time."
Ethel arched her back so she lean forward, just to defy him. He had stripped her down to her underclothes, but thankfully he had left that much of her dignity. "You killed Qinn."
"You mean your boyfriend? He didn't look like your type." His black as night eyes flashed as his dark expression turned menacing.
"I'm going to kill you," Ethel promised.
Devar sat at the foot of the bed his weight a familiar sensual promise. "That doesn't sound like any fun at all, my little vena."
"Oh, it won't be." She kicked out, planting the heel of her foot against his hard thigh, but it barely moved him. "I'll start with your Nakka."
Devar chuckled as he crawled forward, edging over her like a great stalking cat. He brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. She thrashed her head at the touch, but with the coolness of the killer he'd become, he simply dropped his attention to the fasteners on her support. Trailing one finger down her neck, he teased the first fastener.
"Why did you cripple my ship?" he asked, as if the were sitting down for a cup of hig. His warm presence hovered above her, and her heart thundered in her chest, just below his taunting fingers.
She threw her head forward and head butted him with all her strength. The shock of pain shook through her body, but he had recoiled, and she'd gladly wear a bruise for a month if it meant he backed off.
"I should kill you," he cursed as he backed off the bed and rubbed his brow.
"Why don't you get it over with," she goaded.
"So you can join your new lover?"
"Are you jealous?" Ethel couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was insane. The man was completely insane.
"Should I be?" he demanded.
"I barely knew him. He was helping me out, and you shot him for it." Her voice cracked.
"He's Tecochan, he'll survive. Probably. Not that it really matters."
Hope blossomed in Ethel's heart. Qinn didn't deserve to die for her mistakes. But that still left her tied to Devar's bed.
"Would you like some water?" he asked.
"What?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Devar crossed the room, poured some liquid from an elegant decanter embedded in the wall, and and then used his warm palm to support her head as he offered her a drink. It was probably poisoned.
"In spite of what you obviously think, I don't want to hurt you, Thel," he admitted. "You need to know the truth."
"I'm supposed to listen to the truth from a liar?" she countered.
He leaned forward and squeezed her neck, a simple reminder of her precarious position. His lips came dangerously close to hers, and his long dark lashes lowered over his sinful eyes.
"Hear me out," he whispered. "Please."
What should Ethel do?
A: Tip over the glass and tell him off.
B: Accept the water and hear him out.
C: Kiss him and use the distraction to get a hand free.
Voting will be open until Jan 25th. Have fun!
Jess
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Ghost of Christmas Past
Merry Christmas everyone!
I hope everyone out there had a lot of fun celebrating the various holidays this season. We had a good time, and yes, rum cake and leftover ham makes a perfectly good breakfast, right?
We've had some fun playing with toys over here, and it made me remember some of the Christmases that stood out in my childhood memory.
I remember the year Santa brought me a doll house. It was a Victorian manor house that "elves" had been working on for months, and certainly all night Christmas eve to bring to me. I loved it. I had it for years, and reluctantly had to let it go when we moved out of our house as I was leaving for college. That house was the blank canvas of my childhood imagination, and I believe it helped me develop my natural affinity for storytelling.
So that begs the question, why don't I write historical romances?
Because I also distinctly remember the year that my older brother got Greyskull castle, and my younger brother got Skeletor's lair. I have no idea what I got that year. I also remember the year we all got remote control cars. My brothers got little sprint car type racers, but I got a hot red corvette. It was awesome! Then there were the Star Wars toys, including the Ewok village. (Once again, those were my brother's toys. I'm starting to see a pattern here.)
My younger brother tried to bag on the Ewoks a couple of days ago when he came over. Return of the Jedi was on. I didn't let him get away with it. He loved those Ewoks when he was little, and I'm not going to let him forget it.
I know I always loved my toys, and it wasn't that I wanted what my brothers got. It's that those toys are what we all ended up playing with together. I was perfectly willing to jump in and play He-man. They weren't so keen on joining me for tea with the family of bunnies that lived in my Victorian Manor house. And so my girl skill waned, and my tom boy grew as a defense mechanism against loneliness.
And so here I am, with the romantic sensibilities of a girl who played dolls in a lovely doll house, and the spirit of a girl who could go toe to toe with her brothers and a left over wrapping paper tube light saber.
It's the best of both worlds if you think about it.
Have a great New Year everyone!
Jess
I hope everyone out there had a lot of fun celebrating the various holidays this season. We had a good time, and yes, rum cake and leftover ham makes a perfectly good breakfast, right?
We've had some fun playing with toys over here, and it made me remember some of the Christmases that stood out in my childhood memory.
I remember the year Santa brought me a doll house. It was a Victorian manor house that "elves" had been working on for months, and certainly all night Christmas eve to bring to me. I loved it. I had it for years, and reluctantly had to let it go when we moved out of our house as I was leaving for college. That house was the blank canvas of my childhood imagination, and I believe it helped me develop my natural affinity for storytelling.
So that begs the question, why don't I write historical romances?
Because I also distinctly remember the year that my older brother got Greyskull castle, and my younger brother got Skeletor's lair. I have no idea what I got that year. I also remember the year we all got remote control cars. My brothers got little sprint car type racers, but I got a hot red corvette. It was awesome! Then there were the Star Wars toys, including the Ewok village. (Once again, those were my brother's toys. I'm starting to see a pattern here.)
My younger brother tried to bag on the Ewoks a couple of days ago when he came over. Return of the Jedi was on. I didn't let him get away with it. He loved those Ewoks when he was little, and I'm not going to let him forget it.
I know I always loved my toys, and it wasn't that I wanted what my brothers got. It's that those toys are what we all ended up playing with together. I was perfectly willing to jump in and play He-man. They weren't so keen on joining me for tea with the family of bunnies that lived in my Victorian Manor house. And so my girl skill waned, and my tom boy grew as a defense mechanism against loneliness.
And so here I am, with the romantic sensibilities of a girl who played dolls in a lovely doll house, and the spirit of a girl who could go toe to toe with her brothers and a left over wrapping paper tube light saber.
It's the best of both worlds if you think about it.
Have a great New Year everyone!
Jess
Saturday, December 19, 2009
C is for Cookie!
And that's good enough for me!
There's a lot to do during the holidays. I've certainly been swamped, but one thing I just can't seem to let fall to the wayside is holiday baking.
I love cookies.
More than that, I love the memory of baking cookies with my Mom during Christmas. I also loved putting cookies out for Santa, because as everyone knows, that is irrefutable proof the big guy exists.
When I was little, Mom always made candy cane sugar cookies, braided wreaths, Christmas trees, Grandma Gertrude cookies, these very sweet brandy nut clusters with powdered sugar, and old fashioned German pressed cookies.
Wow, they were good, and fun. Now it just isn't Christmas without the act of baking and decorating cookies. This weekend is my traditional baking weekend. I'm about half way done with my campaign. As of right now, I've got about four dozen banana nut oatmeal cookies, at least that many cranberry almond oatmeal cookies, Grandma Gertrude cookies, because it just isn't Christmas without them, and my new experiment, apple nests.
Tonight I start the sugar and
gingerbread marathon. By the end I should have hand painted snowmen, trees, snowflakes, gingerbread men and gingerbread reindeer, (or moose, depending on how the antlers turn out.)
** Here's how the decorated cookies turned out. Not bad, huh?**
And at the end of all that, if I manage to get the wrapping done, I'll tackle my first gingerbread house. I just really want to decorate one.
That's a lot to do. I'd better get cracking.
It smells fantastic in here.
Happy Holidays everyone,
Jess
There's a lot to do during the holidays. I've certainly been swamped, but one thing I just can't seem to let fall to the wayside is holiday baking.
I love cookies.
More than that, I love the memory of baking cookies with my Mom during Christmas. I also loved putting cookies out for Santa, because as everyone knows, that is irrefutable proof the big guy exists.
When I was little, Mom always made candy cane sugar cookies, braided wreaths, Christmas trees, Grandma Gertrude cookies, these very sweet brandy nut clusters with powdered sugar, and old fashioned German pressed cookies.
Wow, they were good, and fun. Now it just isn't Christmas without the act of baking and decorating cookies. This weekend is my traditional baking weekend. I'm about half way done with my campaign. As of right now, I've got about four dozen banana nut oatmeal cookies, at least that many cranberry almond oatmeal cookies, Grandma Gertrude cookies, because it just isn't Christmas without them, and my new experiment, apple nests.
Tonight I start the sugar and
gingerbread marathon. By the end I should have hand painted snowmen, trees, snowflakes, gingerbread men and gingerbread reindeer, (or moose, depending on how the antlers turn out.)** Here's how the decorated cookies turned out. Not bad, huh?**
And at the end of all that, if I manage to get the wrapping done, I'll tackle my first gingerbread house. I just really want to decorate one.
That's a lot to do. I'd better get cracking.
It smells fantastic in here.
Happy Holidays everyone,
Jess
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Hello, Frosty!
Hi everyone,
First of all, I just finished my copyedits for Beyond the Shadows. I'm so excited about this book. It is going to be a long wait until May. I get to take a brief breather, and enjoy my birthday this week, and then Christmas.
I love decorating for Christmas. I enjoy putting up the decorations every year. I especially enjoy pulling out my snowman collection. Growing up in California, snow was very special. I loved the snow, but it was a very rare treat and playing in it usually involved a day long outing.
We'd pile into whatever vehicle was holding us, stiff with layers of winter clothing, then we'd drive up into the Sierras. I remember it was always a game, who could spot the first bit of snow, and it was so exciting to see a dirty lump of white stuff in a ditch by the side of the road. Soon it would spread, getting cleaner, whiter, until the whole world was coated with magic. The pine trees didn't seem from this world, and my heart still stutters at the sight of dark green boughs covered with white.
I always wanted to build a snowman, but didn't have much snowman experience until we moved up here to Ohio. Now every time it snows, the first thing I want to do is build a cute little snowman. They aren't very big, and often not impressive, but they make me happy. I can't wait for the first good snow of this year. It is the best part of winter.
So what is your favorite winter memory?
Jess
First of all, I just finished my copyedits for Beyond the Shadows. I'm so excited about this book. It is going to be a long wait until May. I get to take a brief breather, and enjoy my birthday this week, and then Christmas.
I love decorating for Christmas. I enjoy putting up the decorations every year. I especially enjoy pulling out my snowman collection. Growing up in California, snow was very special. I loved the snow, but it was a very rare treat and playing in it usually involved a day long outing.
We'd pile into whatever vehicle was holding us, stiff with layers of winter clothing, then we'd drive up into the Sierras. I remember it was always a game, who could spot the first bit of snow, and it was so exciting to see a dirty lump of white stuff in a ditch by the side of the road. Soon it would spread, getting cleaner, whiter, until the whole world was coated with magic. The pine trees didn't seem from this world, and my heart still stutters at the sight of dark green boughs covered with white.
I always wanted to build a snowman, but didn't have much snowman experience until we moved up here to Ohio. Now every time it snows, the first thing I want to do is build a cute little snowman. They aren't very big, and often not impressive, but they make me happy. I can't wait for the first good snow of this year. It is the best part of winter.
So what is your favorite winter memory?
Jess
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Bonus Blog! SFR Holiday Blitz
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to point everyone over to the Galaxy Express for the Science Fiction Romance Holiday Blitz. There are tons of chances to win gobs of books including two signed copies of Beyond the Rain.
Good luck, and have fun!
Jess
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Avatar, Star Trek, and V
Anyone notice a trend around here?
I'm seeing more and more blockbuster Science Fiction showing up marketed for general audiences.
Yes!
I'm excited. I really enjoyed the new incarnation of Star Trek, though I'm a little apprehensive having a love affair between two of the main characters, because let's face it, there were two guaranteed death sentences on that show, wearing a red shirt, and falling in love with a primary character.
Okay, so maybe they didn't die all the time. But as I look back on Star Trek the next generation, only Keiko and O'Brien were an established couple. Did that end well? I need someone more trekkie than I to answer that one. The love affairs that come immediately to mind did not end so happily. A psychic concubine (in essence) becomes Picard's perfect love only to be bartered off to a man who will never care about her, meanwhile Picard knows she's out there, and has to let her go. The mother of Warf's son, Alexander died. And don't get me started on Deanna's mom.
I don't think Star Trek has had a true and lasting love story at the forefront. There was always a lot of potential, so I find it interesting that the new Star Trek movie has laid the foundation for one. Who wants to take bets on how long it will survive? Will it turn into a triangle, like the Deanna, Riker, Warf thing? I don't know, but as someone who has always loved Star Trek, in spite of the tragedy involved with so many of the romantic story arcs, I'm looking forward to more Star Trek movies. And I loved the special effects, and the new life in some of the much loved characters.
And Avatar has me intrigued. I love the look of the alien species. And while what I can glean from this one is that it is essentially a conquest drama, I'm all for that. Science Fiction allows us to look at the bigger picture of an issue like conquest without the political burden of history. I just hope it is a really good story, because the visuals are amazing.
And finally, who is watching V? I really wanted to tune in, but I've got big time constraints with writing right now, and hardly watch any regular television. I'm intrigued, and it just might draw me in. Heck, I should set it up on the DVR just to show my support for this type of Science Fiction.
So what else is out there? Anyone caught up in anything good?
Jess
I'm seeing more and more blockbuster Science Fiction showing up marketed for general audiences.
Yes!
I'm excited. I really enjoyed the new incarnation of Star Trek, though I'm a little apprehensive having a love affair between two of the main characters, because let's face it, there were two guaranteed death sentences on that show, wearing a red shirt, and falling in love with a primary character.
Okay, so maybe they didn't die all the time. But as I look back on Star Trek the next generation, only Keiko and O'Brien were an established couple. Did that end well? I need someone more trekkie than I to answer that one. The love affairs that come immediately to mind did not end so happily. A psychic concubine (in essence) becomes Picard's perfect love only to be bartered off to a man who will never care about her, meanwhile Picard knows she's out there, and has to let her go. The mother of Warf's son, Alexander died. And don't get me started on Deanna's mom.
I don't think Star Trek has had a true and lasting love story at the forefront. There was always a lot of potential, so I find it interesting that the new Star Trek movie has laid the foundation for one. Who wants to take bets on how long it will survive? Will it turn into a triangle, like the Deanna, Riker, Warf thing? I don't know, but as someone who has always loved Star Trek, in spite of the tragedy involved with so many of the romantic story arcs, I'm looking forward to more Star Trek movies. And I loved the special effects, and the new life in some of the much loved characters.
And Avatar has me intrigued. I love the look of the alien species. And while what I can glean from this one is that it is essentially a conquest drama, I'm all for that. Science Fiction allows us to look at the bigger picture of an issue like conquest without the political burden of history. I just hope it is a really good story, because the visuals are amazing.
And finally, who is watching V? I really wanted to tune in, but I've got big time constraints with writing right now, and hardly watch any regular television. I'm intrigued, and it just might draw me in. Heck, I should set it up on the DVR just to show my support for this type of Science Fiction.
So what else is out there? Anyone caught up in anything good?
Jess
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