Thank Goodness Spring Is Here

Last week was fabulous. The sun shone every day. The snow is gone, except for piles in parking lots and even those are disappearing. The ice on the pond behind our house has almost completely melted. The ducks are back. Hubs and I are eagerly awaiting the baby ducks’ appearance. My daffodils are poking their spears up through the ground.

Add to all that, marvelous events happened in the sky. Mother Nature celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a super-charged Aurora Borealis. Then she threw in a Super Moon (moon is closest to Earth) that totally eclipsed the sun. On the downside, the Mars One Project—plan to put people on Mars in 2024—has been delayed by two years due to lack of funding.

Speaking of downsides, after last week’s blog about writing 25,000 words (about 100 pages) this month, I jinxed The Protector, my science fiction romance work-in-progress. While lying awake that night and “plotting” I discovered a thread that didn’t work. That's what happens when I don't plot and let my characters dictate the direction of the story. I had to rip out 1,500 words. Trust me, it killed me to do it. However, I saved those precious words (tongue planted firmly in cheek) in a file I call “leftovers” just in case I find a place in the story to use them. I've properly chastised my characters for leading me astray.

For an upside, on Saturday instead of a speaker at our monthly writers’ meeting (Mid-Michigan RWA), we had critiques/brainstorming. When the group brainstormed a “what should happen next” in The Protector, I got several good ideas plus an “ah hah” moment. Truly, many heads are better than one. Writing a novel is such a solitary world. I envy writers on television shows because they can bounce ideas off each other. My writers’ group is great! Now I’m off and running again.

The best event of all happened yesterday. Through the magic of technology, I got to watch my daughter-in-law open baby shower gifts 2,000 miles away. Baby Girl is going to be one well-dressed kid. "Eagerly awaiting baby ducks" doesn't come close to describing our anticipation of the arrival of our newest grandchild in May.

I’m looking forward to another great Spring week. I hope yours is fabulous, too. Dare we hope winter won’t make a reappearance?

Saturday Sampler - JARILLO SUNSET by Constance Bretes

$1.99 for a limited time!

Buy Links: 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jarillo-Sunset-Constance-Bretes-ebook/dp/B00UOAN13Y/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121417880?ean=2940151372701

When two strangers meet on a lonely road is it mere coincidence or fate?

Real estate agent Char Johnson is on her way to meet a client when she gets a flat tire. It's a meeting she can't afford to miss since she's just been told she may be out of a job if she doesn't beat out a co-worker in sales over the next few months. When Vincent Carter stops and helps her, she's grateful beyond words and is determined to pay him back for his kindness, which is how she ends up agreeing to be his date to a wedding.

Ever since his divorce Vincent has been on a hiatus from relationships, and he's perfectly happy with that. He's not looking to get involved with anyone, but he does need a date for a wedding.

Although the two discover they enjoy each other's company, and there is definitely an attraction, with their schedules it would be difficult to find time to pursue anything. Vincent works two jobs, and Char is working extra hours to save her own job. Then there's the conniving ex who seems determined to win Vincent back, a whole slew of family drama for both of them, and the list goes on. The obstacles in their way seem to grow by the minute.

And even if they could overcome those, Char may not be able to overcome her own insecurities, not to mention her intense dislike for Vincent's profession. Her father's gambling addiction destroyed their family, so for her to now get involved with someone who works at a casino…

Will Char be destined to be alone forever? Or can the handsome Native American she met by chance break through her walls and ease the loneliness in her life?

Content Warning: contains some sexual content

JARILLO SUNSET – EXCERPT

Char Johnson slammed her fist into the steering wheel. "Well, that's just great. I don't know why the hell I get stuck with this company car." Char looked around her surroundings. She was in the middle of nowhere, with a flat tire and a dead cellphone.

Her week had already started out badly. She had been told earlier by her boss that she had three months to beat Mike Ventura in sales. She and Mike were the last two real estate agents hired at Stillwater Realty and they were low on the seniority list. Since the housing market bottomed out, sales had plummeted and one of them would be losing their job. The competition was stiff enough without increasing the competition among employees. She had been on her way to meet a potential seller, but now it looked like she wouldn't make it.

She stepped out of the car then kicked the flat tire. "Ouch!"

She surveyed the area around her. Based on the information she had, she figured she was about two miles from her destination. The sun was beating down, and the temperature was already a sweltering ninety-five degrees and it was supposed to get hotter. The surrounding area was flat, and almost barren, reminding her of the Sahara desert.

She looked down at what she had on—a blue pinstripe business suit with a white blouse that had lace around the neckline and down the front where the buttons were. She had on a pair of expensive Jimmy Choo high heels. At six hundred dollars a pair they would not be good for walking on a dirt road. I'm not dressed for a hiking expedition!

She was short—five foot three—and she wore heels because it put her at eye level with most of her clients and with the staff at Stillwater Realty. She was glad that she'd had the sense to pull her long hair pulled back into a French braid so it was off her neck and not making a hot day hotter. She had thought about getting her hair cut a million times, and a million times, she'd chickened out.

She had worked up the gumption to start walking toward the subdivision when she turned around one last time and thought she saw a car coming way off in the distance. The car looked like a ghostly silhouette with the hot sun beating down from the sky. She decided she would wait a few minutes to see if the car would stop to help her.

* * * *

On his way home from work at the Apache White Eagle Casino, Vincent Carter turned onto Pueblo Lane, heading down the lone dirt road to his house at the Sunnyside subdivision, south of Jarillo. The county road commission had just leveled the dirt road, making it easier to drive the posted speed. His eyes burned from exhaustion, and he wanted to catch a catnap before going to Jake's tonight. Jake was having a steak dinner cookout with the band. After the band, White Sands, finished their gig at the casino last night, they were taking a break for the next two weeks. Next Saturday Jake was getting married and would be gone for one week on his honeymoon. The band rarely took any time off to relax or take a vacation.

It had been a particularly busy morning at the Apache White Eagle Casino in Hobbs, New Mexico. It seemed the retirees that came in the night before never left the casino to go to bed and he was serving cheap beer and drinks constantly from the time he got there at 4:00 AM until 10:00 AM.

Vincent was feeling agitated and particularly moody this morning. He was happy for his friends Jake and Jennifer. It took them five years to decide they couldn't live without each other. He found that his own self-imposed avoidance of getting involved with someone else meant he would be only one of two guys at the wedding without a date. Hell, the whole damn town of Jarillo was going to be there, so he knew he couldn't miss it.

Vincent saw a movement up the road and lifted his shades up from his nose as he squinted. What the hell was that? As he drew closer, he could see there was a car parked on the side of the road, and a woman stood next to it, waving her hand.That's all I need now, to have to stop to help someone with car problems. He slowed down, pulled up behind the car, and rolled his window down.

The woman walked quickly toward his SUV, her heels stinking into the dirt road as she approached. "Oh, you don't know how happy I am to see you."

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked.

"I have a flat tire, and I don't know how to change it. I'm on my way to meet someone at the Sunnyside subdivision and my cellphone is dead."

Vincent slipped his SUV into park and opened the door and got out. As he walked over to take a look at the tire he saw artwork on the car that indicated it belonged to Stillwater Realty.

After he'd checked out the tire Vincent turned back toward her and he was immediately taken in by her beauty. She had clear green eyes, a lovely face that had little makeup, and auburn-colored hair pulled back in a braid. His eyes dropped to her neck, and then to her chest. She had on a blue pinstripe suit with a white blouse. He couldn't tell for sure, but it looked like she had a pretty spectacular pair of breasts. His eyes went lower, to her waist and then her nicely-shaped hips. The skirt was short, about two inches above her knees, and she had a good looking pair of legs. His gaze drifted a little further, to her feet, and he cringed inwardly when he saw the thick high heels that brought her height up to about five feet five. He couldn't imagine someone walking in those high heels and not tripping or falling. Vincent brought his gaze immediately back up to hers.

"Do you have a spare tire in the car?" he asked.

"Um, I don't know. Let me look." She walked to the back of the car and clicked the little button on the key pad and popped the trunk open. "Oh, I guess I do," she said with a smile that was genuine and lit up her face.

Author Bio:

Constance Bretes is an author of contemporary romance and suspense. Her romance books are often set in different parts of the country, but her favorite site is Montana. She's married to her best friend and resides in Michigan with him and a houseful of cats. When she's not at her regular 8-to-5 job, she can be found writing, researching, and spending time with her husband.

You can learn more about Connie and her books at her website at www.conniebretes.weebly.com. You can also follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/constancebretes or Twitter at www.twitter.com/conniebretes.

Meet Aurora Springer

I'm thrilled to host another science fiction romance writer. I met Aurora through the Science Fiction Romance Brigade.

Let's get to know Aurora.

Please tell us about yourself.

My career in science involves describing new discoveries for research articles. But, I’ve imagined adventures in weird worlds for as long as I can remember. Last year, I achieved my life-long ambition to publish novels. My published works include science fiction and fantasy with romance and a sprinkle of humor. I was born in the UK and live in Atlanta with my husband, a dog and two cats to sit on my laptop. We have two sons away at college. My hobbies, besides reading and writing, include outdoor activities like watching wildlife, hiking and canoeing.

What does your family think of your writing?

They tolerate my crazy interests. Some of them help me with covers or beta-reads.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

My published books include three novels of 70,000-100,000 words, three novellas, and two short stories. My favorite is the most recent release, Grand Master’s Pawn, with its complex world and characters.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

I enjoy exercising my imagination to create adventures in new worlds and populate them with interesting characters.

What do you enjoy most about life?

I enjoy many things: experiencing the natural world, new discoveries, imagining weird stories, and inspiring people to succeed.

Where do you start when writing? Research, plotting, outline, or...?

The story begins with a picture in my mind of a scene or a character. Often, I have an idea for the start and end of the story, although this may change once I begin writing in earnest. Since I write science fiction and fantasy set in the future on other worlds, I don’t need to start with research. Particular scenes or events may need research. For example, I looked into the sounds of bullets and treatment of wounds for a scene with a sniper.

What did you learn from writing your first book?

I was surprised to learn how long the editing phase can be. The awful edits can take more time than composing the complete story.

Are your stories driven by plot or character?

I have an initial idea for a plot or setting, but the story is driven by the interactions of the characters with each other and within their world. I’ve learned that I write best when I have a clear vision of the main protagonists.

What two authors would we find you reading when taking a break from your own writing?

Do I have to limit it to two? For light reading, I’m likely to pick Andre Norton or Georgette Heyer, and I reread Jane Austen’s books every year.

Tell us about your latest release. 

My latest release, Grand Master’s Pawn, is science fiction with a love story between characters with paranormal powers. It is a mystery since the young protagonist, the Pawn Violet, hides her own secret while hunting for the truth about the Grand Masters. In this story, I’m channeling Lewis Carroll, Andre Norton, Anne McCaffrey, Philip Jose Farmer and likely many other authors. A touch of humor slips into my stories, often in the banter between the characters or the awkward situations I stick them in. This story is Book 1 in a trilogy, which will keep me busy for a few months.

Blurb

A thousand years in the future, wars and portal failures disturb the fringes of the galaxy. On Terra, twenty-two year old Violet Hunter seems an ordinary student of the Space Academy, who dreams of exploring unknown planets. She applies to serve as the pawn of one of the twelve Grand Masters, although her hidden talent of empathy makes her ineligible. Violet has defied the prohibition against psychics for half her life. Why should she stop now?

Isolation is the penalty for a Grand Master’s great power because their touch is deadly to a normal person. The Grand Master with the griffin avatar selected the girl with the star-shaped birthmark in spite of her father’s dire prophesy. He is suspicious about his disobedient pawn, yet he cannot deny the success of her missions to strange planets where she finds more than he expected.

Violet seeks the truth about the mysterious Grand Masters. Who or what are they? Do they threaten or benefit civilization? While searching for answers, Violet does the unthinkable. She makes a bargain with her obnoxious Grand Master and challenges him to meet her face to face, risking her secret to discover his purpose. She plunges into an impossible love and a world of intrigues. The vicious conflicts propel her into flight from a terrible enemy and a desperate search for allies to save her new found love.

 

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM

Excerpt:

Finally, Violet was led along the adjacent corridor to hear the instructions of her Grand Master. She was eager to meet this important person who would guide her through the missions on different planets. They stopped in front of a door bearing the heraldic symbol of a griffin. Inside was a small unlighted chamber.

“Wait for Grand Master.” The furry alien pushed her inside and closed the door firmly.

The room was so dark, that at first, Violet could see nothing. Suddenly, two blue beams emerged from the round eyes of a stone gargoyle and cast a weird light over the walls of the small room. Very faintly, she sensed a distant masculine presence. Violet blinked, and the gargoyle resolved into a winged griffin with blue eyes and a cruel beak of a mouth. She guessed the griffin was an avatar for her Grand Master, since she perceived no powerful entity inside the room. She felt a thrill of anticipation as the eyes flared to a brighter blue.

A deep, resonant voice spoke, “I am the Grand Master and you will serve as my pawn.”

“Yes, Grand Master,” Violet said, refusing to show fear at the eerie, disembodied voice. “What may I call you? Do you have a name?”

“You will call me Grand Master,” the haughty voice held an unpleasant edge.

Violet resolved to assert her independence, and asked indignantly, “Grand Master, do your pawns have individual names? Or do you call them by numbers?”

The room vibrated and psychic pressure built up against her. “You are insolent, Violet Hunter!” the Grand Master growled.

Shivering at the menace in his words, she stepped back against the wall, and instinctively shielded her mind. Had she been too assertive? Of course, he knew her name from the Academy records. His psychic power was impressive considering he was not physically in the room. Unexpectedly, Violet sensed a faint drift of amusement, the mental equivalent of a smile. She was unsure if it was her empathic talent, or a glimpse he had permitted her.

“Hunter is a good name for your vocation,” he remarked in a milder tone.

Violet stiffened. He must never learn the truth. She hunted him.

His gruff voice grew severe again, “I have taken a chance by selecting you. Remember, you are on probation. You must prove yourself worthy to serve as my pawn.”

Sounds like a great story! Thanks for coming today, Aurora. One last question. Where can readers find you?

Media links:

Blog: http://AuroraSpringerNovels.blogspot.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Aurora-Springer/e/B00K2C4NL8

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aurora-Springer/885945434752937

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AuroraSpringer

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101087717415198221200/posts