Books for kids, teens, & those who are young at heart

Tag: sci-fi (Page 1 of 2)

Release Blitz SOMEONE ELSE’S SOUL by Meradeth Houston

Title: Someone Else’s Soul
Author: Meradeth Houston
Genre: SciFi/Suspense
Publisher: Bleeding Ink Publishing
Publication Date: May 7th, 2019
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
There are 14 strangers who share her face, and one company is determined to erase them all.
Everyone has secrets, and it’s Diana Kane’s job to know them. It’s a talent–being able to see into someone’s life from the scuffs on their shoes to the way they hold their hands–a talent that sets her apart from everyone. When a mysterious stranger drops into her life dangling the possibility of something she’s longed for, a real connection with someone who might actually understand her, she’s too intrigued to refuse.
But when David Addington shows up to their date knowing too much about her, and the top secret agency she works for, Diana realizes their meeting was anything but coincidence. David has more than his share of surprises, including an impossible claim about Diana’s past and photos of an inexplicable woman who shares her face.
When her life begins to unravel around her, Diana has no choice but to put her faith in the mysterious David and the man he claims is his father. As she struggles to piece together the truth about where she came from, she’s forced to face the reality that her entire life has been manufactured, along with fourteen other women who share her exact same DNA. Confronted with the troubling reality that she’s nothing more than a research experiment that’s pushed the boundaries of science and ethics, Diana must rescue the others like her before the company can erase them as mistakes, putting all her skills to the test in the ultimate game of survival…
Meradeth Houston lives in Montana where she’s an anthropology professor and scientist. If you let her, she’ll tell you more than you ever wanted to know about getting DNA out of dead bodies and old poop. She specializes in degraded DNA (translation: really old DNA that’s decayed), and runs two laboratories filled with students, interns, and maybe a few shenanigans. Her research seeks to better understand the dynamic of past migration on human populations. Her goal is to someday clone herself because that’s probably the only way she’ll ever get through her to-do list. Though, who knows, maybe that’ll mean she’s donating to someone else’s soul?
Other than teaching, research, and writing, Meradeth enjoys the lakes and ski slopes of Western Montana. It’s not uncommon to find her haunting the cafes of Missoula. She is also a proud dog mom and represented by Cristi Marchetti.
Author Links:

September #InkRipples: Building a Fictional World

What exactly is world building (or worldbuilding if your prefer is as one word)? Basically, it’s the creation of a fictional world. More than that, though, it’s how that world is explained within the confines of a story. The imagining and creating is the easy part (in my opinion). It’s choosing which pieces to include in the story and how to include those pieces with out a big info-dump that is the tricky part.

The reader must be grounded in the world and be able to feel like they are immersed in it, but you don’t want to bore them with too many details and world-building elements that aren’t essential to the plot and character development. It’s highly subjective, too. One reader may love lavish descriptions and explanations of how one aspect of your fictional world works, while another may skim through all that to get to the action.

And world building isn’t just for fantasy or sci-fi writers. Even if a story takes place in a high school and most of your readers are in high school or have been to one, you still need to establish the world of your high school. There’s a lot already written on ways to execute world building, so instead of me blathering on with tips, I’ll leave some links at the end of the post for you to peruse at your leisure.

Some of my favorite world building exercises have been making a map for the ELIXIR BOUND (see the picture at the beginning of the post and the entry “Exploring the world of Elixir Bound”). For PIRATE ISLAND, part of my world building included creating a chart with realistic tides and moon cycles. So much of my world building goes on behind the scenes, but having all that information in my head makes for a rich world on the page, even if the reader only sees a small portion of what the world entails. Plus, those elements that don’t make it directly into the story are great for things like blog posts and bonuses for readers.

Okay, before we get to the links, I’d love to hear some of your world-building techniques in the comments!

“Tips on World Building for Writers — How to Make Your Imaginary World Real” by Chuck Sambuchino

“The Ultimate Guide to World-Building: How To Write Fantasy, Sci-Fi, And Real-Life Worlds” by Claire Bradshaw

“25 Things You Should Know About Worldbuilding” by Chuck Wendig

(Apparently people named Chuck have a lot to say about world building!)

#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Katie L. CarrollMary Waibel, and Kai Strand. We pick a topic (September is all about world building), drop a ripple in the inkwell (i.e. write about it on our blogs), and see where the conversation goes. We’d love to have you join in the conversation on your own blogs or on your social media page. Full details and each month’s topic can be found on my #InkRipples page.

7 Things I Learned About the Creative Process While Writing InHUMAN by Kama Falzoi Post

Today, Kama Falzoi Post stops by for the release of her Young Adult sci-fi thriller, InHuman. Keep reading for a chance to win $25 Amazon Gift Certificate!

7 Things I Learned About the Creative Process While Writing InHUMAN
by Kama Falzoi Post

1. My characters hated me. I forced my characters into all kinds of terrible situations. I could almost feel them shaking their heads at me, trudging along out of sheer duty. For a long time they didn’t trust me at all, but eventually they understood that they had to endure that strenuous journey to come out the other side. (And honestly, I think they sort of enjoyed the ass-kicking.)

2. My brain kept working on the story. Even when I wasn’t consciously working on my story, I was working on my story. My brain kept churning away in the background, tossing out ideas at the most inopportune moments: scarfing down diner food, banging out some cardio, sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I used the recording feature on my phone a lot.

3. It’s called the Creative Process for a reason. It’s a long, arduous, messy process that seems to have no end. I think only a quarter of can actually pass for creative. And that quarter is often trash: it’s the chapter I wrote in a sort of fugue state, thinking it was the most inspired writing ever. Spoiler: It wasn’t.

4. You can’t wait for inspiration to strike. Inspiration didn’t really strike so much as it descended like a fog. And that was only after countless hours doubting my ability to type coherent words onto a page. If inspiration were the main motivator, I would write less than once a month.

5. Keep snacks on hand at all times. It was so easy to create excuses. “I ran out of peanut butter filled pretzels, and I can’t write without peanut butter filled pretzels! I have to go get some, now!” Ad infinitum.

6. The writing feels different than the reading. The scenes between Mira and Adam flew out of me, because I was so deep in the experience: the electrifying tension, the giddiness, the flying feeling of locking eyes with someone you’re attracted to. However, that is exactly where those feelings stayed: in my imagination. To a reader, those scenes were just plot on the page. Yawn. My revisions centered around trying to breathe life into those scenes, rooting them in physical actions and dialogue, so readers might experience that same rush.

7. Deleting just one word counts as forward progress. Sitting down to write with a number in my head (I’ll aim for 1,000 words today!) is daunting. In fact, that was the definition of writer’s block for me: being so overwhelmed with the amount of work left, I couldn’t even rouse myself to start. Thinking of each step (even deleting entire chapters) as a step forward helped me overcome that feeling. It kept me writing. And finding out what it takes to keep writing? That was the most important lesson for me.

InHuman_Kama Falzoi Post_Cover.png

Title: InHuman

Author: Kama Falzoi Post

Genre: Young Adult Sci-Fi

Release Date: December 13, 2016

Publisher: BookFish Books

Cover Artist: Anita Carroll at Race-Point

About InHuman

Mira’s mother sizes up bodies at the morgue like she’s rifling through the sales rack: this one’s too big… this one’s too small… ah, here it is. Just right. The perfect vessel for the one they’ll call Adam.

Since Adam’s survival is the key to drawing out the Conduit—a slippery sort bent on evacuating souls from their human bodies—Mira must help him pass for a typical teenage boy. That means showing him how to talk right, walk right, chew with his mouth open… blend in.

Ironic, because blending in is has always been a challenge for Mira, especially with hair the color of a Dorito. But at their small, secluded prep school, blending in is a matter of life and death.

Because the Conduit is watching.

BUY InHuman Now: https://www.amazon.com/InHuman-Kama-Falzoi-Post-ebook/dp/B01M98ZUXR

Add InHuman to your Goodreads List: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30077755-inhuman?from_search=true#other_reviews

About Kama Falzoi Post:

inhuman_kama-falzoi-post_author-picKama Falzoi Post is a functioning member of society, a part-time introvert, a pinnacle of contradictions, the mother of a hurricane, a step-mother, and an author. She enjoys drinking red wine and then drinking more red wine, listening to music that moves her, and taking things too far.

She developed a love of books and writing at a very early age. Her stories have appeared in a handful of literary magazines including Inkwell and SmokeLong Quarterly, and most recently in the anthology Outliers of Speculative Fiction. She lives in a small town outside a small city with her husband, son, and too many cats.

Twitter: @KamaPost

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KamaFalzoiPost/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/KamaPost

WordPress: https://kamafalzoipost.wordpress.com

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Cover Reveal InHuman by Kama Falzoi Post

Today, Kama Falzoi Post stops by the blog to share the cover for her YA sci-fi InHuman. Let’s give Kama a big welcome!

InHuman_Kama Falzoi Post_Cover.png

Title: InHuman

Author: Kama Falzoi Post

Genre: Young Adult Sci-Fi

Release Date: December 13, 2016

Publisher: BookFish Books

Cover Artist: Anita Carroll at Race-Point

About InHuman

Mira’s mother sizes up bodies at the morgue like she’s rifling through the sales rack: this one’s too big… this one’s too small… ah, here it is. Just right. The perfect vessel for the one they’ll call Adam.

Since Adam’s survival is the key to drawing out the Conduit—a slippery sort bent on evacuating souls from their human bodies—Mira must help him pass for a typical teenage boy. That means showing him how to talk right, walk right, chew with his mouth open… blend in.

Ironic, because blending in is has always been a challenge for Mira, especially with hair the color of a Dorito. But at their small, secluded prep school, blending in is a matter of life and death.

Because the Conduit is watching.

PRE-ORDER InHuman Now! Preorder Link: https://www.amazon.com/InHuman-Kama-Falzoi-Post-ebook/dp/B01M98ZUXR

Add InHuman to your Goodreads List: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30077755-inhuman?from_search=true#other_reviews

About Kama Falzoi Post

inhuman_kama-falzoi-post_author-picKama Falzoi Post is a functioning member of society, a part-time introvert, a pinnacle of contradictions, the mother of a hurricane, a step-mother, and an author. She enjoys drinking red wine and then drinking more red wine, listening to music that moves her, and taking things too far.

She developed a love of books and writing at a very early age. Her stories have appeared in a handful of literary magazines including Inkwell and SmokeLong Quarterly, and most recently in the anthology Outliers of Speculative Fiction. She lives in a small town outside a small city with her husband, son, and too many cats.

Twitter: @KamaPost

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KamaFalzoiPost/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/KamaPost

WordPress: https://kamafalzoipost.wordpress.com

New Covers for the Nogiku Series by SJ Pajonas!

Today is the cover reveal for the Nogiku series by SJ Pajonas. The whole series has new covers! The covers are designed by Najla Qamber Designs. This cover reveal is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours.

Check out all five covers:

The Nogiku series

The Nogiku Summer Sale!

The Nogiku series Summer sale

Start The Nogiku Series for free with Removed!
RemovedRemoved (The Nogiku series #1)
By SJ Pajonas
Genre: Science Fiction / Post-apocalyptic
Age category: Adult

Blurb:
The year is 3103, and the Earth is dying. One of the last remaining pockets of survivors are preparing for the inevitable future — they either find a way off the planet or be left behind to die.

Sanaa Griffin is ripped from the job she always loved and reassigned to work for the mysterious Mark Sakai. Her task: spy on the corrupt leaders of the city who are playing politics and pulling strings in the hopes of earning a ticket on the next ship leaving a planet now in its final death throes. War looms on the horizon, and Sanaa must help Sakai determine the key players and their weak spots before it’s too late.

Mark Sakai has many plans for Sanaa that will take her into a web of lies and danger. With the help of Jiro, a man who teaches her self defense while stealing her heart, Sanaa realizes Mark Sakai is holding back important truths about her life, her job, and her family. Learning the truth may put all of humanity in jeopardy as the great exodus from Earth begins.

REMOVED is the first book in a captivating post-apocalyptic series that harnesses the cultures and traditions of Japan and sweeps them into the future between Earth and a faraway land.

You can find Removed on Goodreads

You can get your free copy of Removed here:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
iTunes
Google Play

Later books in the series:
ReleasedReleased (The Nogiku series #2)
By SJ Pajonas
Genre: Science Fiction / Post-apocalyptic
Age category: Adult

Blurb:
Left in the desert to recuperate from her injuries, Sanaa Itami paces the floors and contemplates her mistakes. She trusted too easily, and now people she loved are dead, killed at the hands of men coming to assassinate her. Sanaa feels beaten, but life awaits her at home. While her city recovers from the devastating earthquake, negotiations for Sanaa’s future continue. New allies must be made, new friendships brokered, new skills acquired — at all costs.

Life at the top of the chain is complicated and lonely, though. With all her friendships rocky and uncertain, Sanaa must learn to trust others again more than she’s willing. Who is left holding a grudge? And will the new family Sanaa has found with Jiro support or betray her?

RELEASED, Book TWO of the Nogiku Series, is the second book in a captivating post-apocalyptic romance series that harnesses the cultures and traditions of Japan and sweeps them into the future between Earth and a faraway land.

Links for Released:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
iTunes
Google Play

ReunitedReunited (The Nogiku series #3)
By SJ Pajonas
Genre: Science Fiction / Post-apocalyptic
Age category: Adult

Blurb:
Yūsei has surprises for Sanaa Itami. The long trip across the stars ends with Mark Sakai delivering bad news from orbit over their new home, and there’s no turning back or moving on. Despite all their misgivings, this is where they will have to stay.

Sanaa, Jiro, and the rest of Earth’s settlers move into a coastal town and stick to their plans to live the colonization life they dreamed of. But Sanaa’s existence won’t be kept secret from her enemies for long. Kazuo promised he would see her in another life, on another world, and he aims to keep his word. Now she will face those who want their revenge and make new enemies while dispensing with old ones on her journey across the fascinating and unfamiliar landscape of Yūsei.

REUNITED, Book THREE of the Nogiku Series, is the third book in a captivating post-apocalyptic romance series that harnesses the cultures and traditions of Japan and sweeps them into the future between Earth and a faraway land.

Links for Reunited:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
iTunes
Google Play

ReclaimedReclaimed (The Nogiku series #4)
By SJ Pajonas
Genre: Science Fiction / Post-apocalyptic
Age category: Adult

Blurb:
On the road and gaining ground against Fujiwara, Sanaa and her team find the local population hesitant to accept them. Charm and bribes can only get the colonists so far, and no matter what Sanaa does, she is not welcomed amongst the men and women of Yūsei. When Sanaa is denied help again, she reaches out to a Northern clan, the Odas, and bargains for a secret technology that will give her an incredible advantage but comes at a steep price.

Being on the road means leaving Yamato undefended, though, and when enemies strike, they leave everything in chaos. With Sanaa and Jiro sacrificing all their time and effort to keeping their home secure, they both must give up nearly everything to save the colonization, their future together, and reclaim Yūsei for its people.

Family lines collide, secrets are finally spoken, and the freedom of Yūsei is in the hands of one woman determined to find equality and justice for everyone on the planet.

RECLAIMED, Book FOUR of the Nogiku Series, is the FINAL book in a captivating post-apocalyptic romance series that harnesses the cultures and traditions of Japan and sweeps them into the future between Earth and a faraway land.

Links for Reclaimed:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
iTunes
Google Play

RevealedRevealed (The Nogiku series #5)
By SJ Pajonas
Genre: Science Fiction / Post-apocalyptic
Age category: Adult

Blurb:
Come back to the Nogiku world with Jiro Itō and Mark Sakai as they live the events of REMOVED from their perspective. Secrets, lies, and cover-ups are all in a day’s work for Jiro and Mark, but when Sanaa Griffin enters their world, truths emerge, plans fall by the wayside, and enemies come out of the shadows. How does Mark veer so far off course while training Sanaa? And how does Jiro win back his family’s loyalty after losing their trust? If you loved the Nogiku Series, REVEALED will uncover the details behind all the action and reveal the future life of Sanaa and Jiro on Yūsei. Don’t miss this companion novel to the four books of The Nogiku Series!

Links for Revealed:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
iTunes
Google Play

SJ PajonasAbout the Author:
Stephanie (S. J.) is a writer, knitter, amateur astrologer, Capricorn, and Japanophile. She loves foxes, owls, sushi, yoga pants, Evernote, and black tea. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing or spending time outside, unless it’s winter. She hates winter. Someday she’ll own a house in both hemispheres so she can avoid the season entirely. She’s a mom to two great kids and lives with her husband and family outside NYC. They have no pets. Yet. When it comes to her work, expect the unexpected. She doesn’t write anything typical. Find her online at http://www.spajonas.com.

You can find and contact SJ Pajonas here:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Tumblr
Instagram
Youtube
Wattpad
Amazon

Giveaway
There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of The Nogiku series. One winner will win A Bundle of S. J. Pajonas ebooks, which will include: Removed, Released, Mamachari Matchmaker and The Daydreamer Detective.

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

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