New Cover alert! Keir by Pippa Jay

My level of excitement for this should be illegal. Seriously. Without further ado:

Blurb:

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 Adalucian' 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?

Keir is Book One of the Redemption series and part of the Travellers
Universe. Previously released by Lyrical Press Inc. 7th May 2012 and a SFR
Galaxy Award for SciFi Romance for Best May-December Romance (2012), Aspen Gold
Readers Choice Award 3rd place finalist (2013), Readers' Favorite International
Book Award finalist(2012), The Kindle Book Review’s Best Indie Book Awards
Nominee for Best SciFi/Fantasy (2013)

Please add it to your Goodreads shelf HERE, or sign up HERE for
my no-spam newsletter for special previews on cover reveals, new releases, the
latest giveaways and discounts, and upcoming news.

Bio:

After spending twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals
laboratory, Pippa Jay is now a stay-at-home mum who writes scifi and the
supernatural. Somewhere along the way a touch of romance crept into her work
and refused to leave. In between torturing her plethora of characters, she
spends the odd free moment playing guitar very badly, punishing herself with
freestyle street dance, and studying the Dark Side of the Force. Although
happily settled in the historical town of Colchester in the UK with her husband
of 21 years and three little monsters, she continues to roam the rest of the
Universe in her head.

Pippa Jay is a dedicated member of the Science Fiction Romance Brigade, blogging at Spacefreighters Lounge, Adventures in Scifi, and Romancing the Genres.
Her works include YA and adult stories crossing a multitude of subgenres from
scifi to the paranormal, often with romance, and she’s one of eight authors
included in a science fiction romance anthology—Tales from the SFR Brigade.
She’s also a double SFR Galaxy Award winner, been a finalist in the Heart of
Denver RWA Aspen Gold Contest (3rd place), the EPIC eBook awards, and the GCC
RWA Silken Sands Star Awards (2nd place).

You can stalk her at her website, or at her blog, but without doubt
her favorite place to hang around and chat is on Twitter as @pippajaygreen.

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Hallow's Eve: Three Little Things from Pippa Jay

As always, it's a delight to have Pippa on the blog. In case you guys haven't noticed, she's been a very busy bee lately, and I couldn't be prouder of her. She's an incredible talent. Today she's sharing a little behind-the-scenes story for us. Check out her excerpt here.

October last year I was watching fellow authors posting their Halloween stories with just a little jealousy. Writing mostly scifi, I’d struggled with the idea of setting traditional contemporary holidays in space, or of coming up with any kind of holiday related ideas. Christmas in spaaaace? I’d seen others do it, but somehow my muse was shaking her head at the concept. No, my mind was blank.

Then I had an epiphany. I saw Neil Gaiman’s tweet about the All Hallows Read, and it sparked something off. I had an idea! But the original central character for my Halloween story was a young girl called Hallow. I was going to write a childrens’ story, or perhaps young adult—a conflicted teen witch trying to fit into the real world while hiding her abilities. Somehow she transformed into a heartbroken, 30 something warlock called Hal. How the heck did that happen?! Well, I think I have to blame trawling through stock photo sites and coming across this picture.

I immediately saw him as my hero. His face was so striking, strong and yet tormented. I think this is the first time that a stock image has not only dictated my hero’s appearance (not for the first time), but it also transformed the original idea for the story.

So having found my hero, the focus of the story shifted. Having already decided on the title of Hallow’s Eve and having researched the original pagan holiday that was celebrated before the days of our more familiar and recognized Halloween, it became about more than him being named after an important day in the pagan calendar. The idea of ‘Eve’ took on another significance. This wasn’t just going to be about the day. A few more images later, and this one became Eve.

Again, the image just captured my attention. She looked slightly ethereal, which fitted with some of the qualities of the story, and yet struck me as a warm, strong-minded kind of woman. I felt she’d be the perfect match for my hero, and that the images would make a perfect cover.

So, story inspiration for me can come from anywhere. In this case it came from catching sight of a title for something else, and two images from a stock photo site. Three little things. That’s all it takes.

Have you ever had something very small give you big ideas? 

Twelve months ago, Hal’s world crashed and burned, taking the love of his life with it. He’s waited all year for that one special night when the souls of the departed come home, hoping his candle will summon back one in particular to heal his broken heart. But the forbidden knowledge he’s learned could call something far worse, and put more than his own soul at risk...

To celebrate the release of Hallow's Eve, Pippa is giving away a really cool prize pack. The entry form is below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Cover Alert: Pippa Jay + GIVEAWAY!

Ms. Pippa has been a busy woman over these last few months! I, personally, am stoked because that means I get more of her books to read, and this one sounds AWESOME.



Blurb:

Twelve months ago, Hal’s world crashed and burned, taking the love of his life with it. He’s waited all year for that one special night when the souls of the departed come home, hoping his candle will summon back one in particular to heal his broken heart. But the forbidden knowledge he’s learned could call something far worse, and put more than his own soul at risk...

And now, without further ado, here's the TITLE and COVER for Pippa Jay's newest paranormal romance release!

Coming 8th October, Hallow’s Eve will be available in all digital formats from Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, All Romance eBooks, and most digital online retailers.

Excerpt:

The thud and chink of beer bottles and glasses on the bar announced Dan’s return.

“So?”

Hal shook his head. “Not tonight.”

“Oh, c’mon, man. Just one beer.”

Hal dropped his gaze to the glass he was still drying with a vehemence it didn’t deserve, avoiding his friend’s pleading stare. “Thanks, but I’m not in the mood.”

Dan made an exasperated sound. “Look, I know it’s nearly a year—”

Pain lanced into his chest. “Stop.” He looked up.

A frown creasing his tanned face, Dan glared back, but he shut up.

Hal sucked in a breath. He didn’t want to fight with Dan over this. The guy had stopped Hal’s life completely falling apart after last Halloween. “I know what you’re trying to do,” he murmured, and relief flickered in Dan’s brown eyes. “But I’m not ready to let it go.”

“I’m not saying you should, man. But how about getting back into some social interaction? You can’t spend the rest of your life as a recluse.”

“I won’t.” Hal smiled. Dan had no idea.

“Then come out for a beer.”

“Another time.”

“Tomorrow then. I know you’ve got the Halloween shift off.”

Hal put down the glass he’d abused. “I’m busy.”

“Oh, yeah? Doing what? Trick or treating?” Dan scoffed. “What is it with you and Halloween? You never struck me as religious enough to find it offensive, but you don’t go out and have any fun either. So how come you always take the night off?”

Hal looked around the bar at all the tawdry holiday decorations, and debated how to answer. Maybe Dan thought he was a closet Christian or something. The truth would shock the hell out of him. Especially with what Hal had planned this year. “My...family don’t see it as something to joke about.”

“Oh. Strict Catholic or something?”

“Something like that.” Hal smiled at the thought of his parents taking Holy Communion. But let Dan interpret it any way he liked.

About the author:

After spending twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay is now a stay-at-home mum who writes scifi and the supernatural. Somewhere along the way a touch of romance crept into her work and refused to leave. In between torturing her plethora of characters, she spends the odd free moment playing guitar very badly, punishing herself with freestyle street dance, and studying the Dark Side of the Force. Although happily settled in the historical town of Colchester in the UK with her husband of 21 years and three little monsters, she continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head.

Pippa Jay is a dedicated member of the Science Fiction Romance Brigade, blogging at Spacefreighters Lounge, Adventures in Scifi, and Romancing the Genres. Her works include a YA science fiction novel—Gethyon—published through BURST (Champagne Books), a scifi romance novella—Tethered—published by Breathless Press, a YA paranormal romance—Restless In Peaceville—published by Lycaon Press, three self-published short stories (Terms & Conditions Apply, The Bones of the Sea, and Reboot), and she’s one of eight authors included in a science fiction romance anthology—Tales from the SFR Brigade. She’s also a double SFR Galaxy Award winner, been a finalist in the Heart of Denver RWA Aspen Gold Contest (3rd place), and the GCC RWA Silken Sands Star Awards (2nd place).

You can stalk her at her website, or at her blog, but without doubt her favorite place to hang around and chat is on Twitter as @pippajaygreen.

You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and Wattpad

Giveaway:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Character Interview: Luke & Annabelle from Restless in Peaceville

Character interview with Luke & Annabelle

Glad to have you guys! Even if…well…you know.

Luke: "Even if, what? That we're dead?"
Annabelle: "Luke." She puts a hand on his shoulder.
Luke: (mutters) "Well, she started it..."
Annabelle: "Y'all have to excuse him. Being dead made him extra grumpy."

So. What’s it like being something you never believed existed?

Luke: "How do you think it feels? It sucks."
Again, Annabelle touches him, and he smiles at her. "Okay, so it doesn't totally suck. It has its advantages. But it's weird." He sighs. "It's kinda hard to accept. There's some cool things about it, but mostly it's a pain in the ass."
Annabelle: "Pain's one thing it ain't. It's like your whole body went to sleep, but you don't get the pins and needles ever again."
Luke: "Y'can't believe it. Like being stuck in a nightmare, 'cept you ain't ever gonna wake up."

You guys have to deal with a lot of craziness in death. Vampires, a visit to a Voodoo priestess, that demon with the tablet and the attitude…. What’s the craziest thing you had to deal with in life?
Luke: (snorts) "Nothin' compares to being dead and still moving."
Annabelle: "Yeah, y'can't really call anything in life crazy after that."

If you had your un-life to do over again, what would you change?
Luke: "I wouldn't have fought with Annabelle, or gone to my parents house. That was dumb."
Annabelle: "And I wouldn't have pushed you in the river, Luke. That was unfair."
Luke: "No, I deserved it. I said things I shouldn't have."
Annabelle: (resting her head on his shoulder) "But you made up for it."

Any words for your author?
Luke: "Yeah, leave us alone!"

What’s next for the two of you?
Both of them smile as they look at each other.
Luke: "Well, I can't say for sure. We're not supposed to--"
Annabelle: "Shh! Y'know we can't tell."
Luke: "Well, like Annabelle says, we can't tell you that. Guess you'll have to watch this space..."

Welcome to Peaceville, population 2067 and rising...from the grave...

Luke Chester has had enough. He’s the school geek, the girls laugh at him, he’s lost his dead-end job at the pizza place, and in the midst of the world’s messiest divorce his parents don’t even know he exists. An overdose of his mom’s tranquilizers and a stomach full of whiskey should solve all his problems...

But they don’t. Instead, Luke finds himself booted out of the afterlife for not dying a natural death, with nowhere to go but back to his recently vacated corpse and reality. How the hell is he going to pass for one of the living without someone trying to blow his brains out for being one of the undead?

And it just gets worse. He’s got to fight his own desperate craving to consume the living, evade the weird supernatural hunter who’s having a field day with the new undeads rising, and there’s this creepy black shadow following him around. Add to that the distraction of female fellow undead Annabelle burning to avenge her own murder, and clearly there’s no rest for the wicked. Jeez, all he wanted to do was R.I.P

Available at:

Amazon

Review: Restless in Peaceville - Pippa Jay

Welcome to Peaceville, population 2067 and rising...from the grave... 

Luke Chester has had enough. He’s the school geek, the girls laugh at him, he’s lost his dead-end job at the pizza place, and in the midst of the world’s messiest divorce his parents don’t even know he exists. An overdose of his mom’s tranquilizers and a stomach full of whiskey should solve all his problems... 

But they don’t. Instead, Luke finds himself booted out of the afterlife for not dying a natural death, with nowhere to go but back to his recently vacated corpse and reality. How the hell is he going to pass for one of the living without someone trying to blow his brains out for being one of the undead? 

And it just gets worse. He’s got to fight his own desperate craving to consume the living, evade the weird supernatural hunter who’s having a field day with the new undeads rising, and there’s this creepy black shadow following him around. Add to that the distraction of female fellow undead Annabelle burning to avenge her own murder, and clearly there’s no rest for the wicked. Jeez, all he wanted to do was R.I.P

Available at:

Amazon

Review:

For someone who doesn't like zombies, Pippa has breathed a little bit of life (sorry, couldn't resist) into the genre with her take on why zombies come back from the dead. She introduces us to Luke Chester standing in line for his afterlife. When the demon in charge of eternity gets to him, Luke learns he's not "on the list" because he died before his time. The demon tells him to scoot, so he does--back into his dead body, which is conveniently located in the morgue. Um, yeah. Holy crap. It's from this jumping point that we get to play in the Louisiana bayou with all the ghosts and ghoulies the place is known for, plus a gentleman known only as the Peacekeeper.

Peaceville is a novella, and I feel like its length is perfect for the story, even though I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally wanted more of the atmosphere and world (and that demon! The imagery is just too amusing). Within the pages, she creates this crazy mythology that seems like it'd fit in well with the lore we already know and love. I really liked Luke. He's a doer and he doesn't take too well to being a shambling corpse. He befriends a fellow morgue-inhabitant-turned-second-lifer Annabelle and an unlikely romance blossoms between the two. I really, really want more of this world. MOAR.

Are you reading, Pippa? MOAR.

Do yourself a favor and nab this one. You can probably read it in a day and it's totally worth it.

***New Cover Alert*** Restless in Peaceville

Welcome to Peaceville, population 2067 and rising...from the grave...

Luke Chester has had enough. He’s the school geek, the girls laugh at him, he’s lost his dead-end job at the pizza place, and in the midst of the world’s messiest divorce his parents don’t even know he exists. An overdose of his mom’s tranquilizers and a stomach full of whiskey should solve all his problems...

But they don’t. Instead, Luke finds himself booted out of the afterlife for not dying a natural death, with nowhere to go but back to his recently vacated corpse and reality. How the hell is he going to pass for one of the living without someone trying to blow his brains out for being one of the undead?

And it just gets worse. He’s got to fight his own desperate craving to consume the living, evade the weird supernatural hunter who’s having a field day with the new undeads rising, and there’s this creepy black shadow following him around. Add to that the distraction of female fellow undead Annabelle burning to avenge her own murder, and clearly there’s no rest for the wicked. Jeez, all he wanted to do was R.I.P.

A YA supernatural novella, coming from Lycaon Press 20^th August.

Add it to your Goodreads shelf HERE.

Sign up to my no-spam newsletter HERE to get early sneak peeks at covers, and news of the latest releases, giveaways and contest.

Excerpt: 

Where the hell am I?

Not the most original question, I know, but it’s the best place to start. The only place. I don’t know where I am. I can’t remember where I was. What I was. But nothing about this place is familiar, and some part of me didn’t expect this.

There’s a line of people all the way to infinity. I’m not exaggerating—I do mean infinity. And it hurts to look at it because the human mind can’t handle that. Not completely. You think you know how that looks? You don’t. You can’t. Try to imagine the whole of creation. Can you see every last ant, every last star? No.

Around us—well, it’s a big gray hall. A really, really huge space, like an aircraft hangar kind of place, only no planes and no doors. In fact, no walls or roof either. The edges just blur into the darkness, as though none of it exists except the floor we’re standing on, and I’m not even sure about that. Looking up makes me giddy. You know when you’re dizzy from spinning around, and you lay down, but you feel as if you just keep on falling? That. So I don’t try it again. I keep my eyes away from the endless line of other people waiting. Instead, I stare at the back of the person in front of me and try not to think about where I am and what may be going on. Because now I have a nasty suspicion about it and what might have happened. My mind scurries away from the thought. This ain’t good.

Oh, by the by, my name is Luke Chester. That much I do know. I can’t be that old—my hands aren’t wrinkled or calloused, although there’s a cool scar across my left palm. My skin is pale gray. So are the long sleeves of my T-shirt. In fact everyone and everything is gray, just like the room. I stare at the guy in front of me, hoping for some clues. He has dreadlocks and his skin is so dark as to be almost black. He’s wearing a tank top, torn and covered with dark streaks that something tells me should be red, but, like everything else here, have no color. There are two deep slashes in the back of his neck, and more on his arms. They aren’t bleeding though. I guess they’ve all dried up, or maybe he’s all bled out. His jeans are ripped too, although that could be a fashion thing. I can’t see any wounds on his legs.

I look down at myself. My jeans are in one piece, but my feet are bare. I wriggle my toes and watch them dance like I’ve never seen them move before. I can’t feel the ground. I don’t feel warm or cold, just kind of numb, and distant. It’s as if I’m not really here, but clearly I am. What happened to me? How did I get here? That bothers me. I shouldn’t be here. Then again, I’m not sure where else I should be.

About the Author:

After spending twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay is now a stay-at-home mum who writes scifi and the supernatural. Somewhere along the way a touch of romance crept into her work and refused to leave. In between torturing her plethora of characters, she spends the odd free moment playing guitar very badly, punishing herself with freestyle street dance, and studying the Dark Side of the Force. Although happily settled in the historical town of Colchester in the UK with her husband of 21 years and three little monsters, she continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head.

Pippa Jay is a dedicated member of the Science Fiction Romance Brigade, blogging at Spacefreighters Lounge, Adventures in Scifi, and Romancing the Genres. Her works include a YA science fiction novel—Gethyon—published through BURST (Champagne Books), two self-published short stories (Terms & Conditions Apply, The Bones of the Sea, and Reboot), and she’s one of eight authors included in a science fiction romance anthology—Tales from the SFR Brigade. She’s also a do

uble SFR Galaxy Award winner, been a finalist in the Heart of Denver RWA Aspen Gold Contest (3^rd place), and the GCC RWA Silken Sands Star Awards (2^nd place).

You can stalk her at her website http://pippajay.co.uk, or at her blog http://pippajay.blogspot.co.uk, but without doubt her favorite place to hang around and chat is on Twitter as @pippajaygreen.

*New Cover Alert* Tethered by Pippa Jay

I love Pippa Jay's books. I love her creativity. Her worlds. They're awesome. I'm uber excited about this book and can't wait to get my grubby hands on it.

Without further ado, here's the cover!

She can kill with a kiss. But can assassin Tyree also heal one man's grief, and bring peace to a galaxy threatened by war?

For Tyree of the Su, being an assassin isn’t simply something she was trained for. It's the sole reason for her existence. A genetically enhanced clone—one of many in Refuge—she's about to learn her secluded lifestyle, and that of all her kind, is under threat by a race capable of neutralizing their special talents to leave them defenseless.

For Zander D'joren, being a diplomat has not only cost him his appearance, but also the love of his life. Scarred, grieving, he must nonetheless continue in his role as co-delegate to the fearsome Tier-vane or risk a conflict that could only end one way.

Now both of them need to keep each other alive and maintain a perilous deception long enough to renegotiate the treaty with the Tier-vane, or throw their people into a war that could wipe out Terrans and Inc-Su alike. But there's more at stake than humanity, whether true or modified. Can the love growing between them save them both? Or merely hasten their destruction?

A science fiction romance novella, coming from Breathless Press 25^th July.

Add it to your Goodreads shelf HERE.

Sign up to my no-spam newsletter HERE to get early sneak peeks at covers, and news of the latest releases, giveaways and contest.

Excerpt:

A thrill of excitement shivered down her spine as she backed away a few steps with Zander following. He shrugged off his formal outer robes, and for the first time she could appreciate the broad expanse of his chest, the close-fitting fabric stretched over well-defined muscles. It appeared he hadn't allowed his physique to slacken, despite leaving the Galactic Commission.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

Zander spread his hands in an open gesture to say that he was.

So why is he just standing there like a defunct Manikin instead of poised to fight?

Tyree took her combat position and Zander matched her, just as the Manikin had done. She'd never fought a human in combat practice before. This should be interesting.

She sprang forward and aimed two rapid punches at his face. Zander evaded both with a speed and grace totally out of proportion to his bulk. Her third he blocked with little effort, and she stepped back to reassess her strategy. But only for an instant.

A quick step forward and she lashed upward with her foot, snapping his head back. Zander staggered but didn't fall. Her second kick failed as he grabbed her ankle and jerked her off balance. She twisted as she dropped and caught him hard in the knee. Zander collapsed. Both rolled aside, and then jumped up to face each other again.

Not bad.

Tyree bit back a laugh as they exchanged blows, each faster than the last. Zander blocked or evaded most, but not all. His skill almost matched hers, yet his defenses were just a fraction too slow. Each move she made tested his reach, his reflexes and his stamina until she could sense him struggling a little.

Time for the kill.

She floored him with a kick to the chest, the full weight of her augmented density behind it, but as she moved in to finish the fight he dove into her. Tyree landed on her back hard enough to drive the breath from her lungs.

Zander had her pinned to the ground. She bucked but couldn't shift him. The triumphant smile on his face sent rage blazing through her gut. With hardly a whisper, she Misted out and went through him. Golden warmth filled her for a second before she pulled free. Zander pushed to his feet and spun to meet her, but she cranked up her molecular density and punched him hard in the chest. He collapsed, gasping and coughing. In one fluid movement she sat astride him at full density, and the air whumphed out of his lungs. She pinioned his arms with her hands, her face hovering mere centimeters above his.

As her breathing slowed to normal, a huge grin split her face. She'd made a vow to herself to jump him, and she'd done it. Perhaps it was childish, but it warmed her heart.

"Your...reputation...is well deserved," he gasped.

"You're not so bad yourself," she complimented him. He'd fought well, but perhaps not quite with the determination—and certainly not the desperation—of most opponents she'd faced. "For a human."

"Thank you. Perhaps we could try this again tomorrow?"

Tyree laughed. As much as he could irritate the hell out of her, he was equally amusing. "If you want to spend most of your morning on the floor..."

He gazed up at her with that easy smile, making no effort to struggle. Most humans, without the influence of her pheromones and the distraction of her naked body writhing above theirs, would not have been so trusting. So compliant. She found herself staring at his mouth. What would it be like to kiss him, without the use of her talents? Would it be as satisfying? As sensual? The warmth of him, the firmness of his body beneath hers, sent heat spiraling through her abdomen.

"Perhaps you could let me up now?" His words jerked her from such musings. What the hell was she thinking?

About Pippa:

After spending twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay is now a stay-at-home mum who writes scifi and the supernatural. Somewhere along the way a touch of romance crept into her work and refused to leave. In between torturing her plethora of characters, she spends the odd free moment playing guitar very badly, punishing herself with freestyle street dance, and studying the Dark Side of the Force. Although happily settled in the historical town of Colchester in the UK with her husband of 21 years and three little monsters, she continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head.

Pippa Jay is a dedicated member of the Science Fiction Romance Brigade, blogging at Spacefreighters Lounge, Adventures in Scifi, and Romancing the Genres. Her works include a YA science fiction novel—Gethyon—published through BURST (Champagne Books), two self-published short stories (Terms & Conditions Apply and The Bones of the Sea), and she's one of eight authors included in a science fiction romance anthology—Tales from the SFR Brigade. She's also a double SFR Galaxy Award winner, been a finalist in the Heart of Denver RWA Aspen Gold Contest (3^rd place), and the GCC RWA Silken Sands Star Awards (2^nd place).

You can stalk her at her website http://pippajay.co.uk, or at her blog http://pippajay.blogspot.co.uk, but without doubt her favorite place to hang around and chat is on Twitter as @pippajaygreen.

Review: Gethyon by Pippa Jay

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?

I love that I can always trust Pippa Jay for a kick-ass science fiction experience, and Gethyon doesn’t disappoint. The book takes place before Keir (which I loved), and tells the story of Gethyon, son of Quin, who is one of my favorite heroines period. Like Quin, Gethyon has the ability to open gateways that allow him to travel through both space and time. Unlike Quin, Geth can open these gateways at will.

One of my favorite parts of Gethyon is the mass amount of world-building that Jay has put into this story. Each world Geth travels to is completely unlike the last one. There are no repeated landscapes or similar descriptions—every planet is fresh and unique.

I particularly enjoyed the time-bending Geth ends up doing. The concept is amazing and something I hope Jay pursues in subsequent works. I also hope to see a point when Gethyon, Quin, and Keir are together. They’d make an interesting little family…

Speaking of family, I really loved the dynamic between Gethyon, his twin sister and his grampa. Jay did a great job of painting Geth as the misunderstood outsider. He has a little spark of Annakin Skywalker—and I did wonder if he’d go to the “dark side” a few times—but manages to redeem himself. Each of them is a complex character, flawed and as human as the person sitting next to you. Gethyon is not a long book, so this is definitely evocative of Jay’s skill.

 And we have to talk about the villain—the Siah-dhu, the creepiest freaking thing I’ve read about in a long time. It’s just a big hulking darkness that’s been trailing Quin for years, and now it’s after Geth. His first real encounter with this thing? CREEPY. The hairs on my arms stood up. No joke.

Pippa Jay is an incredibly talented writer and knows her way around the many worlds science fiction can create, but she still manages to make them accessible. Gethyon is a fast-paced, exciting read with characters you'll grow to care about. 

Review: Terms and Conditions Apply by Pippa Jay Green

 “Welcome to Venus Ascendant, a Public Grade space station in the Andromedan Galaxy. With our open-to-all policy, any being in the universe can find their perfect R & R, romantic getaway or dangerous liaison at our purpose built resort. The on-board empathic AI Ganesa ensures that anyone coming to Venus Ascendant will find their heart’s desire, with suites that transform from luxurious boudoirs to sunset-lit beaches to dark BDSM dungeons. So come to Venus Ascendant and find exactly what you’re looking for!”

It was meant to be a romantic getaway for Marie and the love of her life Jaisen; a chance for him to get to know her better after months of her denying him more than a few stolen kisses. Instead, Marie finds herself dumped and alone on Venus Ascendant with no credit for a transmat and the next starship home not due for another hour.

But the all-seeing AI isn’t going to leave anyone aboard the space station with their dreams unfulfilled. Marie's boyfriend might not have made it to the station, but there are others willing and able to take on the role - even if they aren’t entirely human.

I normally don't review short stories, but I think I'm gonna start. Somehow, within a few thousand words, Green manages to construct a world and a beautiful relationship that will leave readers breathless.

All the action takes place on the Venus Ascendant, which is practically a pleasure palace filled with anything you'd need to make yourself happy and Ganesa, the AI, to ensure all your needs are met. This is how virgin Marie meets Soren, an extension of Ganesa's AI in a gorgeous blond haired, blue eyed package. Soren acts as Marie's "companion" for the evening, and their one-night fling quickly develops into more.

There's a problem, though. While Soren is very real, he's not exactly human. Nor could he ever leave the Venus Ascendant, no matter if he wanted to or not. He's bound to Ganesa.

Thus begins one of the more excruciating doomed-ish relationships I've read in a long time. Marie's just experienced this immense heartbreak from Jaisen leaving her, and Soren comes out of practically nowhere to ease her hurt. However, Soren isn't just a part of Ganesa--he was once human and chose this life to keep from dying. Like a woman building beautiful statues out of spare nuts and bolts, Green takes all these working parts--the tragedy of Soren's past, Marie's broken heart, the promises of the space station, and creates something infinitely more beautiful than the sum of their parts.

Short though it may be, Terms and Conditions Apply is an experience you'd be stupid to miss out on. So go. Read it. I'll be waiting here to discuss when you're done. If you need more convincing, check out the excerpt I posted last week.

Find Terms and Conditions Apply at:

Smashwords.com 
Kobo
Barnes & Noble
Amazon US 
Amazon UK

Free Excerpt Friday - Terms and Conditions Apply by Pippa Jay Green

It's no surprise that I love me some sci-fi, and I really love sci-fi written by the lovely and talented Pippa Jay Green. Today, I'm featuring her new short story release Terms and Conditions Apply.

“Welcome to Venus Ascendant, a Public Grade space station in the Andromedan Galaxy. With our open-to-all policy, any being in the universe can find their perfect R & R, romantic getaway or dangerous liaison at our purpose built resort. The on-board empathic AI Ganesa ensures that anyone coming to Venus Ascendant will find their heart’s desire, with suites that transform from luxurious boudoirs to sunset-lit beaches to dark BDSM dungeons. So come to Venus Ascendant and find exactly what you’re looking for!”

It was meant to be a romantic getaway for Marie and the love of her life Jaisen; a chance for him to get to know her better after months of her denying him more than a few stolen kisses. Instead, Marie finds herself dumped and alone on Venus Ascendant with no credit for a transmat and the next starship home not due for another hour.

But the all-seeing AI isn’t going to leave anyone aboard the space station with their dreams unfulfilled. Marie's boyfriend might not have made it to the station, but there are others willing and able to take on the role - even if they aren’t entirely human.

Excerpt

The door glided open and Marie stepped through, to find herself in the heart of the nebula. She squeaked and Soren grasped her arm in reassurance. The floor of the room was a burnished silver disk beneath the heavens. Crimson and gold light, woven in twisted strands of fire and strung with stars, formed a gauzy canopy overhead. As the door closed, the illusion was complete. They hovered in the fiery remnants of a long dead star. In a shroud of scarlet flames between them and a void full of shadows and distant pinprick suns. Marie forced herself to take a long breath, then another. Her heart fluttered. “I told Jaisen that if I ever had the credit, I’d do a tour of the nebula,” she murmured, as she drank in the beauty of it. “You can barely see it from the surface of the planet. Too much light pollution and atmospheric distortion.” She knew she was rambling but couldn’t seem to stop herself.

Beneath the glowing astral web, in the center of the silver disc, stood the bed. It was huge and circular, draped in midnight blue satin—a luxury beyond her means. A dozen people would have fitted in it comfortably. In fact, if they’d been able to squeeze it into one of the subsistence apartments in her block, double that number would have fought for the privilege of doing so.

Marie took a tentative step forward, her legs unsteady under the illusion of deep space. Her companion kept hold of her elbow until she found her balance again. She ran her hands over the silken fabric, savoring the soft chill of it against her fingers. Something else wove its way into her awareness. She held very still, hardly daring to draw a breath. Music filled the silence. “That’s Darkangel!” 

“Of course.” Soren’s voice startled her from her wonder. She closed her eyes and let the ballad drift over her. Tears squeezed into her eyes. “It’s ‘Eternal Love,’” she murmured. “My favorite track.” She drew in a long, slow breath then let it back out. “This is heaven. I’ve died and gone to heaven.” 

A hand touched her back. “Is this what you wished for?”

Awesome, right? 

Check out Terms and Conditions Apply at:

Smashwords.com 
Kobo
Barnes & Noble
Amazon US 
Amazon UK

 

FREE PROMO FRIDAY - Keir by Pippa Jay

Welcome to the inaugural FREE PROMO FRIDAY here at Going from Nobody to Somebody. Today's excerpt comes from the wonderful and talented Pippa Jay. In case you missed it, I reviewed Keir back in July.

 Like what you see here? Get your copy of Keir at the following:

Lyrical Press

Amazon.com

B&N




 “Quin,” Keir whispered urgently. “You have to go. Now. Leave me and walk away.”

“No, I’m not leaving you.”

Tugging him upright, Quin carried on walking at a slow but deliberate pace through the silent throng of watchers. Two young children closest to them scuttled out of the way and a woman snatched back a third. They’d only taken a few steps farther when the younger man returned with half a dozen others, ranging from a teenage boy to a gray-haired man armed with a long knife. He barred their way as two or three others took to each side, hemming them in. The dogs crouched, growling, but were called off by another young lad who backed away as the strangers kept coming.

When it became clear the older man had no intention of moving, Quin spoke. “Can you let us pass, please? We mean you no harm.”

Muttering came from the people behind. Quin realized they were now completely encircled, and more men seemed to be running up from the fields below the village. She waited, hoping the elder had the authority to say yes or no, that he would give them the chance to leave in peace. Their continued silence disturbed her, and her back felt horribly exposed.

“We want to get to the city. Will you let us through, please?”

The old man looked at those behind Quin and nodded. A twist of dread knotted in her stomach as she recognized the sound of at least one knife being drawn, and sensed the ring of people closing in.

“We, y’say?” asked the elder, crossing his arms. “Are ye with him, then?”

“No, she is not,” said Keir, but Quin hushed him.

“We don’t want any trouble. We’re going to the city. My friend is hurt.”

“That is nae friend to anyone, girl,” the old man responded, shaking his head. “Do ye want to be cursed? Are ye a devil too, with that hair of yours?”

“I don’t understand,” Quin persisted. “What has he done to you?”

Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind, their arms around her throat and waist as they dragged her backward. She froze as another hand came into view waving a knife in her face, the threat made clear. Without her support, Keir dropped to the ground and another man, his face crisscrossed with scars, grasped the back of his robes.

“Maybe she has nae seen it right,” the elder continued, his tone mild. “Best show her the truth, Caiman.”

Muted sunlight flashed from a blade in motion. Quin wriggled in panic, expecting a fatal strike on her companion’s undefended back. Instead, the sound of ripping cloth filled the air as Caiman slashed the robes and rags into useless tatters, stripping Keir’s head and back to reveal the so-called demon underneath.
For a moment, Quin stared. Shock blazed a hot trail through her veins. Oh, Hades, I never thought it would be human!