Future Technology from The Underground series. Fiction is becoming reality. #SyFy #scifirom

Hello and thank you for joining me today! Last week, I talked about some of the music that inspired The Underground futuristic dystopian series. And today, I'm going to share some of the futuristic technology that is mentioned in the series.

Most of the technology that I used in the stories is based on my years of watching Star Trek, and also some Stargate SG-1.

One of the first things I mention is the portal, a doorway that connects to distant locations separated by spacetime. In the case of The Underground, the portal takes people from Earth to the distant planet, Airondelle, where Planet Core is trying to establish a colony. But these portals do not exist. There are no shortcuts through space or time. Or is there? Last year, NASA discovered that there are hidden portals in Earth's Magnetic Field. Not exactly the same as those in my story and in the Stargate shows, but it could open the doors to that technology.

The med-inject mentioned in Never Gonna Let You Go is very much like the new Insulin Injection units. There is no exposed needle. The unit is simply placed on the arm, and when pressed down, the medicine is injected into the body.

And then there's the laser gun, mentioned and used in Never Gonna Say Goodbye. While the rebels are armed with the firearms common with our ancestors, Planet Core's forces have laser guns. The rebels stand no chance. While there are no true laster weapons available to consumers, this article talks about some of the military lasers in development.

So, while science fiction authors mention all sorts of technology that has yet to be common place, there are scientists out there who are working on developing them. Like those who are trying to build The Enterprise.

What technology from science fiction would you like to see become reality??


Oh, and don't forget to grab Never Gonna Let You Go for only 99 Cents from Amazon or All Romance! Today is the LAST DAY to get it for this price! 

Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to sexy. 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.

Website/Blog | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook
Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon | Authorgraph

Music from The Underground #dystopian #playlist

Hello everyone! It's cooling down here, with a few days of frost already, but I'm okay with that. I do love fall. :)

Two days ago, the last book of The Underground series, NEVER GONNA SAY GOODBYE, released from Decadent Publishing. Will the rebels defeat Planet Core once and for all, or die trying?

Available From:
Decadent Publishing | Amazon.com | All Romance | B&N | more

Plus, you can get the first book in the series, NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO, for only 99 CENTS from Amazon and All Romance.

When writing this series, listening to the right music was key. I had to feel the angst of the rebels, their longing for freedom, and the love they had for each other. Love that led them to sacrifice so much, including their lives.

Here are some of the key songs for this series:














So, what music would you recommend for a dystopian world? I'm always looking for suggestions. :)

Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to sexy. 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.

Website/Blog | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook
Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon | Authorgraph

Friend, Lovers and Enemies - Guest post by @ChandraRyan #SFR #polyamory

Friends, Lovers and Enemies.

Guest post by Chandra Ryan

It’s been said that hate isn’t the opposite of love. Hate has too much passion, too much heat to be. If you’re looking for the opposite of love, you have to turn toward apathy. But when you’re in the middle of a good old-fashioned feud, love might just be the furthest thing on your mind.

Then again, if there’s a history, if it was love that drove you to hate, love might not be as far away as one might hope. And that’s the spot one of my heroes, Ben, finds himself in with my newest book, Shared Objectives.

Ben and Lisa had been in a relationship two years ago. One that ended when he found out she is a geneticist working for the government. Being a genetically altered soldier who is fighting for a rebel organization, she is clearly Ben’s enemy. Which, in his mind, meant she’d been using him.

And when they’re forced to reunite two years later, he’s still carrying that hatred. But he’s going to need more than anger to keep their old chemistry from affecting him, especially when one of his friends, Dixie, starts having feelings for Lisa. He’ll have to find a way to make peace with the past or he stands to lose more than just his lover this time.

 

Blurb:

Universal Defiance, Book Two

When Lisa and her son are rescued from a military prison, one look at the genetically altered mercenary who carries her to freedom puts some racy ideas into her head. Dixie is strong, handsome and kind, an unfamiliar combination. Her job as a government geneticist usually sends men running, not rushing to her aid.

Unfortunately Dixie isn’t alone. Lisa’s ex, Ben, is another member of the Coalition, the band of rebels fighting against the government that locked up Lisa. After their split two years ago, she never thought she’d have to face his scorn again. But now she has to work with him without giving in to old temptations. Or so she thinks.

The men need her for her genetics skills. When they discover they’re both attracted to her, they have to find a way to share or risk destroying their friendship. And Lisa finds that two sets of sexy hands all over her body are hotter than one.

Inside Scoop: This ménage features a kiss between two men that sparks a plan to steal a woman’s heart.

A Romantica® futuristic erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Excerpt:

The man sitting at the computer terminals turned to face her for the first time and Lisa’s blood went cold. At least now she knew who had her. She’d been taken by the Coalition. She’d never be able to forget his face or who he worked for.

Her grip on Nate tightened as she fought back a wave of fear. This was the one man who had a claim on Nate. He could take her baby from her and she couldn’t do anything to stop him. Laws didn’t apply to those who fought to bring down the lawmakers. “Hello, Ben.” Her voice was soft as she said his name. “Long time no see.”

Ben smirked at her. “So you managed to get knocked up by one of us, then?”

His voice held condescension even over the static of the microphone. But his arrogance actually helped her relax. If he didn’t know Nate belonged to him, he wouldn’t fight her for their child. “What can I say? Looks as though I was just a whore for the government after all.” She managed to glare at him as she repeated the final words he’d yelled at her the last time they’d been together. Two years was a long time, but it felt as if mere seconds had passed as she stared at him.

He just shrugged and then reached into one of his cargo pant pockets to pull out a sealed syringe package. “I tried to warn you about their retirement plan.” He passed her the medicine and then returned to his station.

“Thank you.” The words had to be forced through gritted teeth but she still managed to get them out.

“I’m not doing it for you.”

His words hurt almost as much as watching her son waste away in her arms. She’d loved him once. And she’d been naïve enough to believe the words he’d whispered against her skin. Once he’d found out who she worked for, though, his words hadn’t been nearly so nice or inviting. “Yeah, you made your feelings about me clear the last time we spoke.” She used the excuse of taking the injection out of the package to not have to look at him. Thankfully, as she injected the chemical into her baby, she could almost see his health improve. “I’m trying to be gracious for the sake of my son.”

“No need. He’s one of us and we take care of our own.”

If you want to know more, you can find Shared Objectives on Amazon, Ellora’s Cave, or on my website: www.ChandraRyan.com

Some handy tips to get past the gatekeeper.

If you are an author new to a publishing company, or maybe someone who hasn’t published a manuscript before, I’d like to talk a moment about the do’s and don’ts of submitting manuscripts.

As an acquisitions editor for a publishing company, I see a lot of mistakes that result in the rejection of stories. Many of these rejections could have been avoided. Let’s talk about some of the more frequent reasons a manuscript might be rejected.

The first thing you want to do before you even submit, is make sure you get a second set of eyes on your manuscript, not family or non-writing friends, but a fellow author, preferably someone who writes in your genre. Even a seasoned author can miss things. Rinse and repeat. I need a beta reader. This is not an option if you want to be taken seriously.

If you don’t have one, I can direct you to a great critique group online that’s free. www.critiquecircle.com. Many authors have launched their careers from this site, developed friendships and found peers to help them along in their publishing journey. It’s important you hone your craft. Editors are not there to clean up messy manuscripts. They are there to tweak minor flaws and plot holes. We are not the author. We do not rewrite your books. Your story should be scrubbed clean and as flawless as you can make it before you even think of hitting send.

Now that your manuscript is clean, let’s talk about some of the things that will get you an automatic no.

·         Your query letter. Please don’t tell me what other publishers you’ve been rejected by and why. Don’t tell me how many cats you have, or children, or that you are into this craft or that. Unless it has to do with your writing experience, I really don’t care. Your query is a sales pitch. You want to keep it positive and yes, professional. Please make sure it is free of grammatical errors and you address it properly. A submission to Mr.  when the editor is a Ms., won’t sit well. If there is no specific person to address it to, dear editor is fine. Many editors reject at this introduction if you don’t go out of your way to make it the best it can be. So make sure you knock our socks off and we know why we must have your story.

·         Know what the publisher publishes. This is a big one. You don’t submit children’s picture books to an erotic romance publisher. Go to the publisher’s site and research  the kind of books they represent. Still not sure? Read their guidelines. It will clarify things. Still not sure—contact us. It is better to ask, than to assume.

·         Which brings me to the next issue. Read their guidelines. If we ask for the first two chapters and a synopsis, give us the first two chapters and a synopsis. Not chapters five and six, or the whole thing. Or if we ask that you submit a special form and provide directions on where to get it, please take the time and fill it out. We have it for a reason and by not sending it, you are telling us you don’t take this process seriously. Why should we take you seriously?

·         Formatting. Every publisher has different requirements. If we state we want double spaced Times New Roman and at 12pt, this does not mean single space cursive in red at 16pt. You’re a writer. If you don’t know what I'm talking about, you better get a book and brush up on Word.

·         Simultaneous submissions. If a publisher says they don’t take them, please respect their request and either wait until you hear back from the other publisher, or hold off submitting to anyone else until you hear back from us. Most publishers have fairly quick turn around, but if it exceeds the time we stated we needed to review, feel free to contact us and ask. We may not have received it. Nothing makes an editor as angry as spending time to read a submission, only to find out the author published it elsewhere after we told you up front we didn’t take simultaneous submissions. The publishing world is a small place. Don’t burn bridges.

·         No-nos. All publishers list what they don’t want to see. Ever. Slipping something we don’t accept into the middle of the story because you think we’re going to miss the incest or bestiality, won’t just get you rejected, you’ll probably end up on a do not publish list.

Now that I covered what will get you a rejection, I want to talk for a moment about submission etiquette. If you receive a rejection letter stating your story is not the right fit for our company, please do not email back and ask why. We are busy, receiving hundreds of submissions a year and do not have the time to critique every manuscript that comes into our inbox. It should have been critiqued before you sent it. If we say it wasn’t a right fit—it wasn’t a right fit—move on.

If however you are lucky enough to get a revise and resubmit, the editor will tell you what needs to be fixed if you would like to be considered for publication with our house. This does not mean you have a yes, you have a maybe. Fix it and resubmit.

Acceptance. Do a happy dance. We’ll be sending you a contract soon.

I hope this was helpful. Just remember, every author goes through this process. We do our time and eventually our craft is honed enough to start seeing acceptance letters. Rejections are part of becoming an author. Take them for what they are and keep trying.

Best,

D. L. Jackson

What would you do if you had an Alien Admirer? #scifirom #SyFy

Hello everyone! After two days of the hottest weather this summer and a rockin' thunderstorm, the temperature has returned to normal, and is supposed to get even cooler this week. Yay!

Earlier this month, I sent the second story in my Alien Next Door series to my editors, so I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at the cover and an excerpt from the story. Enjoy!

He fills her with forbidden longing…

Widowed for over a year, Sera longs for the company of her younger, sexier neighbor, the one man she can never have—unless she plans to rob the cradle. It’s too dangerous…

She’s the only one for him…

Adam never wanted to settle down…until Sera. But even when her children give him the green light, he must prove age is an alien concept...

Will Sera give him a chance, or will Adam be left in the cold, never more than her alien admirer?

Unedited excerpt:

Stretching out her fingers and toes, she stood at the end of the dock and when the warm breeze gently nudged her forward, she jumped.

Sera tensed when she plunged in, her body breaking out in goose bumps. Instead of gliding through the water as she’d planned, she pushed off the silt-covered bottom and broke the surface, gasping for air. “Holy shit, that’s cold.”

She wiped the droplets from her face and fumbled to get back to the dock. Why the hell did I think that was a good idea? Sure, she temporarily forgot all of her grief, but at the expense of her body temperature and pride. Thank goodness no one else saw.

Placing her hands on the first plank, she hopped back up on the dock. She rubbed her arms, hoping the warm air would dry her off fast. Next time she would dip her foot in before plunging in. Her teeth chattered so hard, making her jaw ache. She gathered up her clothes then raced for her house, craving a warm blanket. A warm body.

“Need a towel?”

Sera shrieked, jerking to a halt. Oh, shit. Everyone was supposed to be sleeping. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping she’d imagined the voice. When she opened them again, she glanced to her left.

Adam. Great! The last person she wanted to see before bed. While naked. She held her clothes across her breasts and groin to cover them from his sight. How much had he already seen? God, why can’t this be a dream? Yet, a fantasy about the man next door wouldn’t leave her shivering. Just sweaty.

“Adam, what are you doing out here? I thought I was alone.” She would never make that assumption again.

He stared at her, his blue eyes sparkling in the diminishing light, filling her with sudden warmth.

“I came to offer you a towel. To dry off. I noticed you didn’t have one when you jumped in.”

He’d seen her the entire time? Watched her fumbling in the lake? She stepped back, needing distance. He was never supposed to see her naked.

**Plus, don't forget that Never Gonna Say Goodbye releases on Tuesday! Plus, there will be a sale on the first book in The Underground series, Never Gonna Let You Go. Stay tuned to my blog for more information.

Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to sexy. 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.

Website/Blog | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook
Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon | Authorgraph

What's up with the planet Mars?

Good day! September is finally here. :) One of my kids is back to school, and the other will be soon, which means more time to write. Yay!

Image credit: tristan3d / 123RF Stock Photo 

Anyway, I've been seeing a lot of things posted across the web lately about our closest neighboring planet, Mars.

What's going on? Well, have you heard of MARS ONE? It is a not-for-profit organization that plans to establish a human settlement on Mars in the year 2023. And new crew will arrive every two years, leading to the growth of the colony. Cool, eh? What was once fiction is becoming our reality. The only catch is, once you leave Earth, you will not be coming back. Here's more information.

Plus, NASA is looking at the idea of HIBERNATION for those traveling to Mars in the future. Not exactly cryogenics, but a first step. Here's an article on Space.com.

And while we on Earth are trying to get to Mars, there is a new study that suggests life on Earth may have originated on the Red Planet. Learn more at Space.com.

So, are we voyaging to a new planet, or simply returning home?

I find all of this not only fascinating, but inspiration for so many stories. How about you?

Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to sexy. 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.

Website/Blog | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook
Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon | Authorgraph