Specters in the Storm by Pauline Baird Jones

Specters, Automatons & Evil, oh my!

 Today we have Pauline Baird Jones over with her very, very strange Novella. 

Specters in the Storm was supposed to be a completely different book. But Life Happens. Opportunity knocks. I opened the door and let it in. It was a good decision, though I wasn’t sure at first. I like what resulted much better than the novel I had planned (a novel that kept getting pushed down my production schedule, btw.)

Strange things happen when I unleash my imagination and jettison all previous expectations; when I leap into the fictional void and take a risk with a new-to-me genre. Of course, that’s also when I have the most fun as a writer. This little novella surprised me on many levels.

I had to get a bit, um, bloody with the original idea, however.

What/who survived mostly intact? Two characters. Ernest and Lord Henry. And automatons, airships, and the Great Storm of 1900 (though it is actually part of the back story in this version).

Ernest, oh that Ernest. He didn’t want to change and hasn’t since I first “met” him on the page, so I was a bit worried how he’d feel about the plot changes. And yet…he had possibilities in both drafts. He was capable of growth or I’d have had to kick him to the curb. I’ve learned to be ruthless with my characters. I let them push me around IF they will attempt to change and grow through the story. Otherwise, off with their fictional heads! (Yes, I’m a mix of kindly patron and the Red Queen.)

Lord Henry? He started creepy and stayed creepy. Dude gave me nightmares. Thankfully I didn’t need him to change.

Prudence’s name stayed the same, but who she was and where she came from changed completely. She got shifted from living in the early 1900’s (a setting that clearly chaffed her independence), into a multi-dimensional time traveler from the 50’s.

The setting had to change but it showed no signs of minding. I thought I might mind, but for a novella, I needed a single location. I will say, I enjoyed drilling down to a single location because I finally got to use my love and fascination with lighthouses.

I had no idea how many really cool lighthouses there are all over the world. So browsing them and figuring out which one would best serve my story was almost as fun as writing the novella. (I’m still struggling with an overwhelming desire to tour them all.)

I also got to indulge in my love of time travel, though the inter-dimensional time travel was a first for me. I usually try to avoid it because my single dimension time travel plots almost make my head explode. (Head didn’t explode this time but it was a near thing.)

And there are the ghosts, my specters of the title. I’ve dabbled in ghosts, but haven’t ever ventured into the fringes of a horror story. And there’s a dragon, but because this is me writing this, it a dragon with a twist. And I added an octopus. It was a bit like making soup. I kind of threw him in, but then I really fell for Octavius. We all need an Octavius in our lives.

An Amazon reviewer (from when it was in a boxed set) called it an “awesome paranormal detective story.” I loved that, but Specters also has elements of science fiction and there’s a romance, too.

Am I crazy to mix so many genres into my quirky little novella?

Probably.

But that’s how I roll.

How do you “roll” in your reading and/or writing? Do you like to mix it up or focus, focus, focus?

 Liza replies: I like to surprise myself. 

So let's find out more about the book. It sounds very good!:

Spectors in the Storm

by

Pauline Baird Jones

Specters, Automatons & Evil, oh my!

Dr. Ernest Warren is done with love. Losing his wife in the Great Storm of 1901 left him with questions only science and interstellar travel can answer. When disturbing storms begin to brew again, he to reluctantly turns his airship back to where he lost his love in hopes of finding answers.

Prudence Pinkerton has been following Ernest's multi-dimensional career from the future and knows she has to meet him.

When he reluctantly accepts her help, Prudence doesn't waste time. She knows time is running out and the world is on the cusp of life-altering change.

Prudence must overcome his distrust of her if they are to save Earth from the evil hiding in the heart of the storm.

Pauline Baird Jones’ is known for writing  smart, quirky, funny fiction. Check out her venture into a time-bending paranormal detective story with Specters in the Storm.

IBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/specters-in-the-storm/id1076118361?ls=1&mt=11

Kobo:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/specters-in-the-storm

D2D: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/specters-in-the-storm-pauline-baird-jones/1123271896?ean=2940152801071

GP: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Pauline_Baird_Jones_Specters_in_the_Storm?id=2XNpCwAAQBAJ&hl=en

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Specters-Storm-Pauline-Baird-Jones-ebook/dp/B01AU9R3MI/

One link to all vendors: http://www.paulinebjones.com/BlogWP/book/specters-in-the-storm

Bio: Pauline never liked reality, so she writes books. Seventeen of them, actually. She likes to wander among the genres, rampaging like Godzilla, because she does love peril mixed in her romance. You can find out more about her books (and get free stuff for subscribing to her newsletter) at: paulinebjones.com

Social media links:

Website: http://www.paulinebjones.com

Blog: http://www.paulinebjones.com/BlogWP/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulinebjones

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PaulineBJonesAuthor/about

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/247227.Pauline_Baird_Jones

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/perilouspauline/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Pauline-Baird-Jones/e/B000APFS0M/

Earth Girls Love Blue Men

I've discovered I'm not the only one who loves the idea of blue-skinned/scaled sentients.

They are especially found in Sci-Fi romance. So I've invited a few over for you to check out. I say a few because it turns out blue is a very popular and pleasing skin color. Thus, we'll do another in this blog series in February as well.

So let's get our blue on!

The Lady is Blue
by
Aurora Springer
 Intrepid scientist solves mystery of scaly aliens.

As the chief biologist in the remote human colony on Eden, Dr. Lucy Stannis leads a tranquil life until an alien vessel makes first contact with the colonists. She is thrilled to meet the spaceship captain, the impressive Blue, Sa Kamizan Veedak. Gifted with powerful, scaled bodies, the Atrapako claim superiority over the puny humans. But, appearances are deceptive. When conflicts arise and threaten her friendship with Sa Kamizan, Lucy will need all her skills as a scientist and undercover Terran agent to discover the aliens’ secret and save the colony.

If you like feisty heroines and mysteries where deceptions abound, then you’ll enjoy this science fiction adventure with a surprise twist at the end. Start this tale of culture clash and sweet romance today. Book 1 of Atrapako on Eden.  

Book 1 The Lady is Blue 
Book 2 Dragons of Vkani

Keir
by
Pippa Jay

A demon waiting to die...

An outcast reviled for his discolored skin and rumors of black magic, Keirlan de Corizi sees no hope for redemption. Imprisoned beneath the palace that was once his home, the legendary ‘Blue Demon of Adalucien’ waits for death to finally free him of his curse. But salvation comes in an unexpected guise.

A woman determined to save him.

Able to cross space and time with a wave of her hand, Tarquin Secker has spent eternity on a hopeless quest. Drawn by a compulsion she can’t explain, she risks her apparent immortality to save Keir, and offers him sanctuary on her home-world, Lyagnius. But Quin has secrets of her own.

When Keir mistakenly unleashes the dormant alien powers within him and earns exile from Lyagnius, Quin chooses to stand by him. Can he master his newfound abilities in time to save Quin from the darkness that seeks to possess her?

WEB PAGE

PROVIDES ALL SALES LINKS

When an intergalactic cop exchange program serves up an alien partner for NONPD Detective Violet Baker, she can’t help wishing the handsome alien would be a little less Joe Friday about keeping the pleasure out of their business. Yeah, he’s kind of purple and she can’t pronounce his name to save her life, but he’s almost the only guy in the New Orleans New police department that she’s not related to.

Dzholh “Joe” Ban!drn has come a long way hunting the evil that has infiltrated Vi’s floating city. When he meets his charming partner, he discovers another reason to stamp out evil. If only he wasn’t keeping so many secrets from her…

All they have to do is survive Mother Nature and an intergalactic bad…something or other to return the easy to the Big Easy—and to get that happy ever after.

One Two Punch is the first two installments in my Uneasy Future series, a mystery science fiction romance adventure. If you love New Orleans, mysteries and romance—with action adventure swirled in—then grab this bundle now!

Amazon 

ibooks

nook

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Crash Landing

by

Jessica E. Subject

As his ship plummets toward Earth, Cael believes his life to be over. His last ditch effort to save himself ends in a fiery crash. When he wakes up, he believes he’s entered the afterlife, but his surroundings indicate otherwise. He made it to Earth. But who saved him, and what do they want with him?

ARe

Amazon

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iBooks

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WANT TO WIN ONE OF THESE FABULOUS BLUE MEN?

One lucky person can win the book of their choice if they match all the favorite lines to the proper book/Author.

Helpful hints:
Study the covers.
Read the blurbs.
Match those you are most confident about first.
Then use the process of elimination.

Here are the four author's favorite lines listed in alphabetical order of the first word in the line.

A) "Cael gripped the cushioned arms of the captain’s chair as his ship tumbled bow over stern."

B) “Here Fido! Jeez, I feel stupid shouting that.”

C) "There is not a soul in this world who would not wish me dead."

D) “This is no way to treat an alien.”

If you wish to play….

Write the book numbers in the matching order of these favorite lines in the comment box with your email address so I can contact the winner.

And here's my beloved blue fellow.

He's in book 1 & 4 of the Multiverses 

And will be in the new series 
In Search of Sentients.

And the Winner of the Contest is Melissa Keir.
Congratulations! You got all four correct!

Pauline Baird Jones shares an Uneasy Future: Sucker Punch

Spinning off The Big Uneasy Series and Project Enterprise…

Welcome to…An Uneasy Future

Sucker Punch (2.0)

 Vi never liked math and aftermath isn’t floating her boat either….

Hurricane Wu Tamika Felipe has moved north. Yeah, the storm almost killed Detective Violet Baker, but it also blew some romance her way. Her uptight partner, Dzholh “Joe” Ban!drn actually kissed her. 

But there's no time for any follow-up kissing, much to Vi’s regret. They are hunting something very bad. Something that tried to kill them while they were dirt side during the storm. 

And has now escaped up into New Orleans New. 

It’s not business as usual, though there is some deja vu in there, when Vi and Joe get sent to a FEMA camp to check out a dead body. 

Until that body turns into a trail that might lead to the evil it. Or to its next victim. 

Just when Vi thinks things are crapeau enough, the MITSC (Men In Top Secret Color) show up and take over their case. Are they after Joe or the evil it? 

Before they can find out, the evil it lures them into a trap. 

It’s ‘it’ versus them and it hasn’t lost yet….

“Is that…City Park?” Benson sounded a bit awed.

“It looks like it,” Vi admitted. “Circle it once, Joe. Let’s see if it’s all there.”

Joe altered course, bringing the skimmer around and dropping his air speed just enough to keep them in the air. Her first thought was that there was no power in the park. Not a shock. Not much of NON had power. But that meant the holo-bayous and river were offline. Also the holo-oak trees and some of the bushes. It changed the look of the Park to be missing such key landmarks—there was that word again. But “air marks” didn’t have the same meaning. And it sounded awkward. Besides, you couldn’t mark air, so it even failed as a metaphor. If there were any metaphors. Vi could admit to being bit vague on the metaphor rules. 

“There’s the NOMA.” It helped that the New Orleans Museum of Art was both large and not a hologram. And she’d seen it from above almost every day. When the Park was where it was supposed to be, it was common to fly over it on the way to somewhere else, since it tended to float somewhat lower than other parts of the city because of its sheer mass. “Okay, there’s the stadiums, so it all looks to be here.” All except for the art and stuff, which had been evacuated prior to the storm. “Log it into the database, would you, Benson? And report that we’re on scene.” She looked at the panel, comparing their coordinates with where the disturbance had been reported. At the moment, her looting theory had lost fuel. There just wasn’t that much to loot left in the Park. She’d guess that even the tourist stuff had been shifted. It was possible looters didn’t know that the buildings were mostly empty. “Let’s do a quick fly by on our ‘disturbance’ before we set down.”

For some reason, the setup made her gut twitch. The coordinates put the problem around the carousel. But it wouldn’t have mattered where. Why kick up a fuss here? There were more buildings in that area, so maybe someone found something to loot. But what? And who reported it? It felt off. Wrong. Joe kept their air speed down, then kicked on tracking, looking for heat sigs. His tracker flared, then the skimmer screamed a warning that came too late.

“Incoming—” She and Joe said it at the same time, but hers was an incredulous question, while his was Joe-ish and matter-of-fact.

The skimmer rocked to its side before Joe righted it.

“Starboard engine is offline,” Vi reported, as required in the regs, even though Joe would know it by the change in steering control. That was almost a surgical strike. Vi pulled the description from her vid game play with the cousins. They liked to toy with her, bring her down in painful stages. Then have their character go head-to-head with hers.

The hit knocked them off course just enough that the second shot missed. Though its detonation rocked the skimmer.

Vi slammed their black box alarm. Joe was ready for the third shot. Dang, the boy was a decent pilot. She heard a scrape of metal on metal, then another boom that almost flipped them upside down.

“I will have to land,” Joe said, his voice steady, though his arm muscles bulged as he fought to control the damaged skimmer.

“Officers in trouble. I repeat, officers in trouble,” she snapped into communications, sending their location. “We are under fire from an unknown source.” She glanced at their two uniforms. Benson’s eyes were wide, almost fixed from shock. Jack, well, he didn’t seem to waste calories on having expressions. “You strapped in? You picked a crapeau day for a ride along with us.”

Though this crash should be better than their last one. Unless this crash was about the nasty something or other? Memo to self: when your gut thinks something is wrong, believe it. If you live long enough to read your memos later.

She checked her straps. Something about the nature of the shots bothered her, but she didn’t have time to think about it now.

“Try to land where we have some cover.” She studied the landscape. “There, if you can make it.” It was the pavilion, but there was one other structure between them and where the attack appeared to have come from. She elbowed the latch on the weapons locker built in to each exit hatch. She half turned and snapped at their passengers, “Check the weapons locker back there. We’ll want to move as soon as we touch down. Secure any extra power packs. If you don’t have pockets for them, pass them up.”

She shoved power packs in every pocket she could find, but didn’t remove the long gun yet. If the crash went badly, it would just beat her up more.

The ground rushed toward them, though their airspeed was slower than the last crash, which might be good. She didn’t have extensive experience in crashing. 

There was standing water around the pavilion, but it couldn’t be that deep.

Joe banked the skimmer. It bucked and fought the turn, but came around enough to line them on a relatively flat stretch of ground.

The damaged port engine sputtered and died.

The last few feet down were a silent rush, followed by the thump of first contact.

The skimmer bounced up, then hit again, harder.

The next bounce was smaller, the next hit even harder.

There was a jerk and the skimmer spun, sliding sideways toward a bench.

She threw up her arm, because, you know, that would soften the impact—

Amazon   iBooks  Kobo   NOOK   GooglePlay

Pauline Baird Jones had a tough time with reality from the get-go. After “schooling” from four, yes FOUR brothers, she knew that some people needed love and others needed shooting (fictionally of course). Romantic suspense was the logical starting point, but there were more worlds to explore, more rules to break and minds to bend. She grabbed her pocket watch and time travel device and dove through the wormhole into the world of science fiction and even some Steampunk.

Now she wanders among the genres, trying a little of this and a lot of that, rampaging through her characters' lives like Godzilla because she does love her peril (when it's not happening to her). Never fear, she gives her characters happy endings. Well, the good characters. The bad ones get justice.

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Six Superb Sci Fi's for your Reading Delight

Today, I have gathered six superb sci-fi stories

to feed your hunger for excellent science fiction. They are all different. So check them out and see which calls out to you.

ESCAPE FROM ZULAIRE 

by 
Veronica Scott

SFR Galaxy Award Winner

National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award

Andi Markriss hasn’t exactly enjoyed being the houseguest of the planetary high-lord, but her company sent her to represent them at a political wedding. When hotshot Sectors Special Forces Captain Tom Deverane barges in on the night of the biggest social event of the summer, Andi isn’t about to offend her high-ranking host on Deverane’s say-so—no matter how sexy he is, or how much he believes they need to leave now.

Deverane was thinking about how to spend his retirement bonus when HQ assigned him one last mission: rescue a civilian woman stranded on a planet on the verge of civil war. Someone has pulled some serious strings to get her plucked out of the hot zone. Deverane’s never met anyone so hard-headed—or so appealing. Suddenly his mission to protect this one woman has become more than just mere orders.

That mission proves more dangerous than he expected when rebel fighters attack the village and raze it to the ground. Deverane escapes with Andi, and on their hazardous journey through the wilderness, Andi finds herself fighting her uncomfortable attraction to the gallant and courageous captain. But Deverane’s not the type to settle down, and running for one’s life doesn’t leave much time to explore a romance.

Then Andi is captured by the rebel fighters, but Deverane has discovered that Zulaire’s so-called civil war is part of a terrifying alien race’s attempt to subjugate the entire Sector. If he pushes on to the capitol Andi will die. Deverane must decide whether to save the woman he loves, or sacrifice her to save Zulaire.

AMAZON  B&N   Kobo   Apple iBooks

Also available in Audiobook

GRAND MASTER’S PAWN 

by 

Aurora Springer
Grand Master's Trilogy
Book 1

Who are the most powerful entities in the galaxy? The twelve Grand Masters claim that exalted status.  

Twenty-two year old empath Violet Hunter hides her prohibited talent to follow her dream of exploring unknown planets as the pawn of a Grand Master. The Griffin Grand Master risks selecting her as his pawn, despite her father’s dire prophesy. Violet sees only his griffin avatar for instructions on her missions. She discovers the mysterious Grand Masters are suspects in the deadly epidemics sweeping the galaxy and the failure of the interplanetary portal web.

Violet hunts for the culprits, finding clues and strange allies in her missions. While seeking the truth, she does the unthinkable. She bargains with her obnoxious Grand Master and plunges into a world of vicious conflicts and an impossible love. Pursued by hostile aliens and Grand Masters, she escapes on a desperate search for allies to save the Griffin.

AMAZON

WINTER'S KISS

by

KG Stutts
Amethyst Chronicles
Book 1

Amethyst is a team of genetically enhanced people which is Earth's greatest defense weapon. Leading the team of super soldiers is Ember Wilson, a tough woman with a huge chip on her shoulder. The team gets their name from the after effect of the Genesis Project which turned their eyes and even their blood purple.

After unpredictable weather has devastated Earth's crops and food sources, a scientist by the name of Dr. Clayton Rudo says he has the means to save with a weather machine. Only he freezes the West Coast and Washington, DC. Amethyst now is forced to work with an Air Force strike team to defeat Rudo. Tensions between Ember and Major Liam Ross rise as they butt heads. Can they work together before Earth is completely under ice? #DPPub

#Scifi #Romance $.99

AMAZON   B&N

ANOTHER NIGHT, ANOTHER PLANET

by 

Jessica Subject

Limited by status…

Ava is a housekeeper aboard Star Spirit, a luxury cruise ship travelling between the Milky Way and the Belvarian System. Coming from a middle-class family on Earth, she is considered by passengers as nothing more than an object to be tossed away when they’re done with her.

Shunned because of his lineage…

Banned from several planets across the universe, Nate struggles to run his interstellar shipping business. But the DNA of an exterminated race runs through his blood, giving him a diluted form of their powers, and leaving him labeled as a terrorist.

Both searching for the one…

Through her 1Night Stand dating service, Madame Evangeline matches these two together for a celestial escape on the pleasure planet, Elatia.

Will Ava and Nate find what they’re looking for, or will their date be just another night on another planet?

All Romance  AMAZON   B&N  iTUNES  KOBO

Audiobook links:

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THE KEY
by 
Pauline Baird Jones
Project Enterprise
Book 1

When Sara Donovan joins Project Enterprise she finds out that what doesn’t kill her makes her stronger…

An Air Force pilot – the best of the best to be assigned to this mission – Sara isn’t afraid to travel far beyond the Milky Way on an assignment that takes her into a galaxy torn apart by a long and bitter warfare between the Dusan and the Gadi.

After she’s shot down and manages to land safely on an inhospitable planet, Sara encounters Kiernan Fyn – a seriously hot alien with a few secrets of his own – he’s a member of a resistance group called the Ojemba, lead by the mysterious and ruthless Kalian. Together they must avoid capture, but can they avoid their growing attraction to each other?

A mysterious, hidden city on the planet brings Sara closer to the answers she seeks – about her baffling abilities and her mother’s past. She has no idea she’s being pulled into the same danger her mother fled – the key to a secret left behind by a lost civilization, the Garradians.

The Dusan and the Gadi want the key. So do the Ojemba. They think Sara has it. They are willing to do anything to get it.

Sara will have to do anything to stop them…

Amazon  NOOK  iBooks   Kobo  GooglePlay

WHEN DARK FALLS
by
Pippa Jay

In a city where Dark Technologies Inc. now runs the show, Kadie Williams has more immediate concerns than the fall of Blaze, their guardian superhero. Almost every morning for the last few months she’s woken up with cuts and bruises on her body, and no idea how she got them. There are no nightmares. No evidence that she sleepwalks, or any sign of a break in. And nothing to tell her who’s been cleaning up after her. As just one of thousands of civilians conscripted to slave away in the labs of Professor Dark, she knew there'd be trouble ahead. But  she never expected it to be so bad, or so personal.

Desperate for answers, Kadie looks to the new defender of the night, the only person who can hinder the total domination of Professor Dark—Nocturnelle. The mysterious vigilante superhero came from nowhere with her cybernetic sidekick Shadow, set on putting an end to the brutality of Dark's regime. But as his laboratories work on a new secret super-weapon, Nocturnelle and Shadow may not be enough to save Nephopolis...or to save Kadie either.

 AMAZON   ALLROMANCE   KOBO 

  iTUNES     B&N    SMASHWORDS   

Thanks for checking out these six fabulous Sci-fi authors and their very fine books.