Launching Romance into the stars.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Dystopian Fiction - Is this what we expect for our future?



Hello! I've survived two book releases this month, and this sweltering heat wave. Thank goodness the weekend is supposed to bring some relief to these high temperatures and the humidity.

My release from two days ago is the second story in The Underground series, which takes place in a dystopian world where a corporation runs the city, changing the laws to best suit them. And that got me thinking about the recent popularity of dystopian worlds in fiction and film.

Is this what our future holds? A world where everything has been destroyed, and remnants of humanity must figure out how to survive again? Or what about a world where social classes are further defined as in The Hunger Games? Will corporations run the cities rather than a government of the people? Will the government control who we are allowed to marry as in Matched? Will there be domes that keep communities confined, keeping them safe from destruction or separating them from the rest of the world? What about aliens? Will they take over the world, leaving humans to survive on the fringe?

These are just some of the examples of the future world in dystopian stories I have read. Is this what we believe future generations will experience?

Or perhaps these dystopias offer readers and viewers something different. In all of these stories, good triumphs over evil, people survive and live on. It may take the entire series rather than one story, but it does happen. These stories are ultimate survival stories, extreme situations that have the world, not just a few, fighting to stay alive and find a happy ending. Do we as readers want more than just the regular old troupes? Personally, I enjoy a variety of stories, but I find I'm cheering for society as a whole at the end of any dystopian fiction, rather than just a few characters in other stories.

Tell me: Do you enjoy dystopian fiction? What is it that draws you to the genre? And what differences do you find in these stories verses other genres?


Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

World Building - Show, Don't Tell

I went to see Man of Steel (LOVED it!) over the weekend, and during the scenes on Krypton, all I could think about was the amazing world building. And in movies, it is all about showing. Because one simply can't tell about what the world looks like and still keep the audience's attention.

And instead of providing a panoramic view of the planet, audiences watched as Jor-El flew his dragon-like creature across the skies, trying to escape Zod's forces. Just plain awesome!

Authors have to do the same thing in stories. We cannot stop the action so the characters can tell us about their surroundings. We have to show them interacting with their environment. Otherwise, it ruins the pacing and can pull the reader out of the story.

My two June releases are set in very different worlds, one on a pleasure planet, and the other in a dystopian futuristic world run by a corporation. Here are some examples of how I reveal my worlds:


Here is Ava being guided around Elatia for the first time:

Side-by-side with Jacobus, she strolled past booths selling eletin creams, lotions, and oils, while others sported various wares made from veech. The delicious scent of spiced cider wafted around her. She licked her dry lips, her throat suddenly parched. Glancing around, she paused, longing for something to drink. On the other side of the street sat the brewery, with a vendor out front pushing an assortment of candy including eletin chews. Her stomach rumbled. She hadn’t eaten since grabbing a protein bar at breakfast.

“Hungry?”

She nodded, biting on her bottom lip. Although eager to sample the tempting food of this planet, she’d forgotten to grab some spending money before leaving Star Spirit. Out of luck.

With slight pressure on her back, Jacob encouraged her to continue walking, leaving the vendors behind. “All of this awaits you in your suite. There is a full spread of delicacies from this planet, as well as the highest quality of eletin products to enhance your pleasure.”

For the first time since she’d received the message from Madame Evangeline, Ava smiled. Even if her date didn’t work out, the preparation would be well worth the money. At least, she hoped.



And here is Melina reporting for work:

Melina whistled, riding the glide to Planet Core. The day promised to be the best yet. Not only did she start training for the mission to Airondelle today—a welcome change from head of the sanitary engineers for the complex—but, she would see Brook after she put in her necessary hours. And she planned a hot and heavy evening, making full use of the leftover strawberries.

The glide dinged, reaching the end of its track. The complex loomed ahead. Though, the sight failed to fill her with dread today. She no longer contemplated a way to leave the city, only a means for her and Brook to be together without having to hide their relationship.

Among the throng of other employees, she stepped off the glide, heading toward the mass of steel that made up Planet Core Headquarters. Corralled through the gates of the employee entrance, the people split off to be scanned into their specific department doorway. Instead of heading left as usual, Melina turned right, walking toward the new mission training access. She gazed into the retina scanner.

“Holloway, Melina. You are to report to Malock’s office immediately.”

She tensed, limbs shaking, waiting for an armed escort. Shit, what did I do? No one got called to Malock’s office in the morning, unless they were to be reprimanded, or worse.

The glass door in front of her slid open. She stepped into the foyer, security immediately by her side.

“This way,” said the guard to her left.



Notice how in both cases, the character is NOT stationary, glancing around. They are interacting with their world, showing it to you as they experience it. Tell me: What fictional world would you love to visit?


SALE!! Never Gonna Let You Go and Sudden Breakaway are only 99 cents at Amazon until the end of June.


Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Crystal Power - Guest Post by author Pippa Jay - @PippaJayGreen #scifi #YAlit


Crystal Power
by Pippa Jay

I’ve always had an obsession with shiny things, and especially crystals. Just like a magpie, anything with a bit of sparkle attracts me. I dabbled in alternative therapies and witchcraft as a teen, an area where the mystical properties of crystals play a part. And reading (and adoring) Anne McCaffrey’s Crystal Singer trilogy introduced me to the idea of using crystals in scifi. Quartz crystal is used in a lot of modern tech already – who hasn’t heard of quartz watches? A more recent innovation is the use of nanocrystals for memory storage.

So when deciding on a particular type of technology for Gethyon’s universe, it was a logical choice. Crystophile technology is the norm, and a field in which Gethyon himself excels. At one stage in the story, his knowledge pays his way. But at the beginning, it’s a piece of crystophilic technology – a CHI device (crystalline holographic imager) – that lands him in trouble in the first place.

Excerpt:

As the door closed behind his grandfather, Gethyon rose and went to the table. A large, clear octagonal crystal lay nestled in a protective bed of fabric, glittering faintly in the slivers of light that trickled beneath the edges of the black curtains. An Χ—the company emblem of the ancient Greek letter chi taken from the acronym for Crystalline Holographic Imager—was carved into one facet of the device. Gethyon traced the emblem, a rare smile touching his face. This was his one treasure, the one sure thing he had. Lifting it from its box, Gethyon clutched the CHI in his hands and activated it. A representation of the galaxy filled his room with a translucent blackness. Stars glittered and planets glowed before his eyes.

Take me away from here… He stared deep into the image, his longing to be out there burning in his chest. Take me far away.

Something within him stirred, forcing him to focus deep inside the image. Warmth flowed from his chest, through his arms and into the crystal. Suddenly, the image opened and surrounded him; the room transformed into the dark void of open space, the stars orbiting him in slow rotation, a supernova within the grasp of his free hand.

Gethyon gasped in shock and dropped the CHI device; the illusion vanished, leaving the inactive crystal gleaming at his feet.

***

To celebrate the release of Gethyon, I’m offering you a piece of crystal that could have come straight from his story. This hexagonal gem is exactly how I visualized the CHI (though this one is green to match Gethyon’s eyes, lol) and although this one won’t generate any pretty pictures for you it will look pretty. Just use the rafflecopter form below to enter, and in the comments tell me what’s your favorite piece of scifi technology that you’d like to have for real.



GETHYON by Pippa Jay

A YA Science Fiction Novel

​Released by Champagne Books 3rd June 2013 


His father died. His mother abandoned him. In the depths of space, darkness seeks him.

Abandoned by his mother after his father’s death, Gethyon Rees feels at odds with his world and longs to travel the stars. But discovering he has the power to do so leaves him scarred for life. Worse, it alerts the Siah-dhu—a dark entity that seeks his kind for their special abilities—to his existence, and sets a bounty hunter on his trail.

When those same alien powers lead Gethyon to commit a terrible act, they also aid his escape. Marooned on the sea-world of Ulto Marinos, Gethyon and his twin sister must work off their debt to the Seagrafter captain who rescued them while Gethyon puzzles over their transportation. How has he done this? And what more is he capable of?

Before he can learn any answers, the Wardens arrive to arrest him for his crime. Can his powers save him now? And where will he end up next?

AVAILABLE FROM: 

BURST | Kobo | Amazon UK / US | Omnilit


Book Trailer: 




Author Bio:

A stay-at-home mum of three who spent twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay bases her stories on a lifetime addiction to science-fiction books and films. Somewhere along the line a touch of romance crept into her work and refused to leave. Between torturing her characters, she spends the odd free moments trying to learn guitar, indulging in freestyle street dance and drinking high-caffeine coffee. Although happily settled in historical Colchester in the UK with her husband of 20 years, she continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head. Her works have won a SFR Galaxy Award, and finaled in the Readers Favorite Award Contest and the Gulf Coast RWA Chapter Silken Sands Self-Published Star Award.

LINKS: Website

Saturday, June 15, 2013

The Art of the Query Letter

After five years, I'm giving it a shot again and agent shopping. Query letters make me nervous, as everyone likes and dislikes different elements of these pitches.

Assuming you've done your research, and the agents or publishers on your list represent the genre you write, you are ready to draft your query letter.

Let's start with the greeting, and please be advised, this is being submitted by email, so you skip the address and date. After you type Dear (the name of the person you are addressing), you continue on with an introduction of who you are--or do you? Here's where you'll see conflicting advice and varying opinions. It's also good to note you do not address this to Dear Editor, Dear Agent. Pick a person and address them by name.

Dear (Name)

I am submitting for your consideration, my 97k word (genre) novel, (title).

The Query Shark hates this. You will hear her rant about it constantly, but one of my editors prefers this kind of personal opening. Again, it's a matter of taste. Some want you to get down and dirty and skip the formality until you tell them what the book is about. Others want to know who you are before you tell them a word about your story. My recommendation is to look at their sites and see if they have samples of queries they liked. Many do.

To show how varied taste can be, I sent my current query letter to two of my editors upon request. Both saw it completely different. One liked the opening, the other did not.

Moving on--the pitch. Try to tell me in 150 words or less about your story and why I shouldn't pass on it. This is the hardest part for many authors to write and one of my favorites. Here are some of my pitches, otherwise called blurbs.

Cinderella Wore Combat Boots

Sometimes Fairytales come true. First Sergeant Cori Valentine faces a bleak future. She’s turning forty in three weeks and life as she knows it is over. An injury received while on deployment has earned her an early retirement from the Marine Corps, something she’s not sure she’ll survive. Things get even better when interfering Marines set her up on a blind date for a party she doesn’t want. The guy has to be a total toad to want to go out with her. Right?

When Madame Eve informs Retired SEAL, Sol Keller she’s found his perfect match, he doesn’t believe it, but takes up the challenge. One look at the First Sergeant in a sexy dress and combat boots has him wondering if fairytales really can come true. Madame Eve might be the legendary Fairy Godmother, and Cori his Cinderella. Sol intends to show the Marine beauty a Prince Charming she’ll never forget, and that retirement isn’t the end of her story but merely the beginning.

Courtesan Boot Camp

And courtesan boot camp starts now. When Shay lands on Elatia, she knows she has one shot to be chosen as courtesan for a king and queen. Mess up—everything she was born to be, all she’s trained her entire life to become—will be lost. The alternative is unthinkable.

What a pampered priss.

Dayne’s first impression isn’t a good one, but he’s determined to turn the spoiled beauty into the next royal courtesan at any cost. As a Dominus, a master of all things sexual, he agrees to help a friend, his sovereign, and promises to do nothing to compromise her future.

Except the promise may cause him to question his loyalty, friendship and honor. All he knows is on the line…when he falls in love with a woman who can never be his.

Finding Mercy

You’ll die in three minutes without oxygen, three hours without shelter, three days without water and three weeks without food. But could you live a lifetime with a broken heart? Mercy Evans has come to Evans Point hoping to collect herself and find a way to resurrect her career as an anchorwoman for Cheyenne’s news station. Sergeant Justin Redway has come to Evans Point to try to forget his past and survive all he’s done.

One is a battle-damaged veteran, the other a desperate woman who will go to any extreme to get his story. When their worlds collide, sparks fly and old wounds open. As the chasm between the fated lovers widens, it might be too big to cross.

One town, two lovers, and a second chance at finding mercy.

Once you complete the pitch, you need to include two or three sentences that tell them about you. No, that does not mean they want to hear about how many children or grandchildren you have, or that you paint on the weekends. Tell them things about yourself that have to do with your writing. If you are writing a book about a grandmother raising her grandchildren, then yes, include the little dumplings. Otherwise, don't. You are selling yourself as much as your book.

To wrap this up, I'm sharing a complete query letter I sent out five years ago, that got partial requests. You will notice the pitch section is a little larger than recommended. That's okay. Go with your gut, but keep it to one page, New Times Roman and 12pt.

Dear Ms. (Name); 

I am seeking representation for my completed science fiction romance of 91,000 words.  An Alien’s Guide to Abducting a Bride mixes elements of science fiction, fantasy and comic romance in an urban setting.   

Earth. Population 6.6 billion. Approximately fifty percent female. Finding the perfect bride should be easy.  
  
Confirmed bachelor, Tribus leader and bastard prince, Darius of the Malamagnus is ordered to Earth to procure a wife.  He's found what he's looking for packaged in the five foot ten inches of sexy, jaded medical examiner—Doctor Elizabeth LaRue.  Armed with an erotica novel he believes is a guide to Terran romance, Darius decides to use this instruction manual to woo her, instead of going with the standard alien abduction.
   
Elizabeth has her own issues. A body to autopsy with concrete mob connections.  A sleazy homicide detective, who doesn't know the meaning of no, and her eccentric grandmother who’s escaped the nursing home.  Again.  When Darius strolls into her autopsy, Elizabeth adds one more problem to the list. A hot, mouth-watering stranger.  She soon discovers her grandmother really is acquainted with aliens, but it seems dementia is contagious. Now, Elizabeth is not only seeing them, she’s somehow managed to marry one.

Darius is perplexed.  All should be going as planned.  Travel to Earth, find a woman and fly home.  But, when Russian Mob boss Kazimir Volkov abducts Elizabeth first, Darius finds himself scrambling to her rescue.  From hijacked busloads of bingo-playing senior citizens, to shady arms dealers and cops in donut shops, Darius learns first hand why Earth is the insane asylum of the universe.  Now, it’s a race against time.  Darius needs to find his bride and get off Earth before he creates an intergalactic incident. 

Earth.  Population 6.6 billion.  Approximately fifty percent crazy.  Escaping should be easy.

 I’m an Army veteran and an avid practitioner of mixed martial arts. I use my experience to punch up my stories with tactical details. I am a member of RomVets and blog at (blog address).  Thank you for taking the time to review my query, and if you like what you see here, my manuscript.

Sincerely,

D. L. Jackson
(Contact information, email, blog, website)

Please also note, at the time I sent this out, I did not have any published stories. Make sure you include something about your published work, and any writing contests you've won, if you have some.

Thanks for stopping by today, and happy querying.

D L

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Looking for love in Space #scifirom #spaceopera

Hello everyone! The buzz of a new release is leaving me very anxious. ANOTHER NIGHT, ANOTHER PLANET releases tomorrow. Woot! Now, when I get asked which of my stories I like the best, this one definitely ranks up there. I had so much fun writing this story, and I can't wait to share it with you. So, I'm going to share an excerpt below. And be sure to visit my blog tomorrow for all kinds of giveaways and release day fun.


Excerpt:

Ava hit send on her application to the 1Night Stand dating service. No time to wait for a reply. She shoved her tablet computer into her carry-on, slung the bag over her shoulder, and rushed out the door. With the Star Spirit scheduled to leave Earth in two hours, she had to zip through town to clock in before liftoff. She hoped Madame Eve would find her perfect match during her six-month tour.

Sure, she’d met many men in her travels between the Milky Way and the Belvarian System. But most looked down their noses or other appendages at the woman who cleaned their room. Those who showed an interest wanted a quick fuck before sending her away with their trash and dirty sheets.

She longed to find a guy to wine-and-dine her, to share conversation rather than a roll in the hay. Not that she’d complain about having sex with the guy Madame Eve chose for her during their guaranteed one night together. But she wanted to leave the date satisfied, mentally and physically.

Buzzing through the heavy traffic on her hover bike, Ava reached the spaceport in record time. Perfect. She found a parking locker in the cold, dank underground lot to squeeze her bike into then dashed toward security. If she could pick up a faint signal, maybe she would have a chance to check her email one last time before takeoff. Unlike the guests on board her mother traveler, she couldn’t afford to connect her tablet to the wireless system, not since she’d paid for her one-night stand. She used her once-a-week employee video call to speak with her mom and dad.

Raised by middle-class parents she’d had little chance of furthering her education past what the government paid for. When her father had received a pink slip from his employer of twenty star cycles, any hope she’d held of going to college flew out the window. Without an advanced degree, she found nothing but meaningless jobs paying her less than the effort she put into them.

Bags checked, Ava dashed down the plain white corridors of the employee level, pausing for the vacuum seals to release on doors along the way, until she reached her room for the duration of her stay. After thumbing the security pad to open the door, she crashed on the bed to the left, the right one belonging to Michelle, her best friend, who had convinced her to apply to housekeeping aboard Star Spirit. They interviewed together, starting space training the very next day.

Four star cycles later, she enjoyed a quick moment to rest before venturing out on her seventh tour. Though she didn’t have much of a life traveling through space, she received better pay than she would find anywhere on Earth. Providing her basic needs of food and shelter while on-board, the owners of the ship also compensated her well enough to split her earnings between her parents and her savings account when she returned home. She couldn’t let the people who had raised her suffer because she’d found an opportunity they hadn’t.

Yanking her tablet from her bag, she flicked it on, connecting to the Internet. Finding a faint signal, she logged onto her email account, praying her application went through. She scanned her new messages, deleting game requests, jokes from her friends, and e-flyers as she went. There, at the very bottom of the list, sat a message from Madame Eve.

She clicked it open, her heart hammering in her chest as she read.

Bonjour Ava,

Thank you for your application to 1Night Stand. I will do my best to find a man who will meet your desires. Your scheduling circumstances have been noted. As soon as your date has been arranged, I will let you know.

Bon voyage,
Madame Eve.



Another Night, Another Planet

A 1Night Stand / Elatia story

Erotic Sci-Fi Romance

ISBN: 978-1613335413

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?

Available from Decadent Publishing and other eBook retailers.

Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

What I'm working on this week.

My popular novel, Last Flight of the Ark is going to be re-released with Decadent Publishing. I'm very excited to say that I'm working on the sequel, The Fall of Jericho.

Here's a snippet from the current WIP.
It took him seconds to break into her room. Locks had never stopped him, and with his enhanced hearing and sense of smell, he could avoid anyone patrolling the barracks. He slipped into her room, as unnoticed by those on duty outside as he was by the resident within.
     Jericho crossed the room and stood by her bed, unable to do anything but stare. If he touched her, he’d lose control. Every breath, every sigh, the rise and fall of her breasts beckoned to him. He curled his fists at his sides. Why had he come here? This was a fool’s game. Terrans and hybrids didn’t belong together, couldn’t be together. Yet he yearned for the small Terran female, unlike any woman before. He opened his mouth and inhaled her scent, tasting her in the air as a predator that tracked prey.
       She’d showered, changed, but she still smelled of that same addictive scent that brought him here, one he hadn’t been able to get out of his head since he’d caught a whiff of her.
       She had a citrus smell with a touch of mint and sex. Whatever pheromones he kicked off, her body seemed to unconsciously like. He could smell her arousal the moment she’d seen him. He usually didn’t have a problem walking away from females, but this little bird was different.
       From her earthy odors to her delicate features, she’d sunk into his system like a narcotic. The longer he stared, the more aware he became of everything that made her, her.
       She shifted in her sleep, flinging the covers from her body and whimpering, rocking her hips. He lifted his nose in the air again, drawing in the delicate fragrance of her sexual awareness. Even asleep she seemed to know she was in the presence of a potential mate.
       Her fingers slipped down into her panties and she touched her heat. Rubbing. Caressing. He shifted on his feet, his erection growing impossibly hard. Painful.
       A soft moan followed as she worked her fingers in and out, rubbing, stroking, as though she knew he watched and wanted to drive him wild. The smell of sex seeped into his senses, overloading his brain with desire. Impossible to ignore, calling to his baser desires, his primitive nature.
       Just as he reached to help her find climax, her hand came out of her underwear and she rolled to her side, placing her back to him, still in the throes of sleep. Jericho stared at her ass, clad in a pair of lacy red panties, the crotch soaked with her juices. He could take a bite out of that bottom. Fuck her from behind. Drive into her until she screamed his name in pleasure.
      The muscle in his jaw ticked, cramped from how he’d clenched it. He could fight all he wanted, but the truth was he didn’t want to. Unable to resist further, he reached out and touched her dark hair, sliding the strands between his fingers. Softer than down.
      Need. Gods. He leaned closer and sniffed. She sighed and shifted to her back, bringing her mouth a fraction of an inch from his. Sweet, warm breath. She licked her lips and they parted slightly.

Have a great weekend,

D.L.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

My love for aliens started with Superman - #scifirom #ManofSteel

In a post earlier this year, I listed several science fiction and science fiction romance movies that I am looking forward to watching this year. Now, most of them I will not get a chance to see in the theaters, but I do hope to catch a couple. The rest I will watch on DVD. I already saw Star Trek Into Darkness at the theater in 3D. LOVED IT! After Earth released last weekend, and I hope to catch that film as well.

The other movie I hope to catch at the theater is Man of Steel. Why? Because I LOVE Superman. I have for as long as I can remember.

I watched the Superman movies when they aired on television (in between my father flicking the channels - Grrr), watched Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and grew excited when this commercial came on:



And when Warner Bros. brought Smallville to television, I watched that as well. Though, I have to admit, I didn't enjoy Superman Returns, released in 2006. It just didn't do it for me.

Superman remains my addiction, the alien living on Earth, who continuously saves us from ourselves and other extraterrestrials. My hero. I mean, aliens can't be so bad if there are at least some like him. At least, I keep telling myself that. LOL

Anyways, without getting into the science of what aliens actually might look like, I admit, that I prefer the version co-created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel.

With Superman now celebrating 75 years, this movie has a lot to live up to. From the numerous trailers I've seen, it looks great. My fingers are crossed. :)

So, do you plan on watching Man Of Steel, either on the big screen or the video? Or will you pass on Superman?

I leave you with a trailer from Man of Steel, which releases June 14, 2013 (the same day as Another Night, Another Planet):






Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.