Tag: LGBT Science Fiction

Jayne Lockwood on Writing, Characters, and the new release ‘Euphoria’ (guest interview)

Euphoria by Jayne Lockwood

DSP Publications

Cover Artist: Emmy@Studioenp.com

Sales Links:  DSP Publications  |   Amazon US  |   Amazon UK   |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Jayne Lockwood here today talking about writing, characters and the latest release from DSP Publications Euphoria.  Welcome, Jayne.

♦︎

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with author Jayne Lockwood

Very many thanks to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for hosting me on their blog. I love doing interviews because the questions can be quite challenging and sometimes I learn something about myself as a writer in the process!

How much of yourself goes into a character?

With my first books, they dealt with straight characters falling in love, and yes, there was a lot of me in the female characters of The Cloud Seeker and Closer Than Blood. I was finding my feet, writing what I knew. As I gained confidence and knowledge as a writer, I could diversify and make the characters their own people, without the safety blanket of basing them on people IKR. I have to add, none of the Savannah Smythe erotica novels are based on my life experience. It’s amazing how many times I get asked that *insert eye roll here*

Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write?  Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?

I don’t really choose a genre, TBH. I write the story, and the genre begins to reveal itself eventually. I would never have sat down to write a science fiction book, but Euphoria turned into one. I think keeping within genre lines can inhibit you as a creative. Write the story, then see where it fits. The caveat to that is making sure you don’t fall into the trap of cultural appropriation. Choosing a certain group of people to write about comes with responsibility. Research is essential so you don’t fall into possibly racist or bigoted stereotyping. And with sci-fi, there are also rules. Whatever world you dream up has to feel real, with details based on scientific fact.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

I am a big fan of the HEA but I won’t reject a book because there isn’t one. In some genres that just isn’t possible. In my books, there is always an HEA or HFN because I just don’t like writing untidy endings or cliffhangers.

If you write contemporary romance, is there such a thing as making a main character too “real”?  Do you think you can bring too many faults into a character that eventually it becomes too flawed to become a love interest?

I definitely think a character has to have some faults. If they’re perfect, they’re not relatable and could be irritating. If they are too repellent, you’ve lost the reader. If they’re a misogynistic bastard at the beginning and are still one at the end, the author has lost me as a reader. As a writer you have to make the reader fall in love. Just be aware of the genre you want your book to fall into. Romance readers won’t thank you if the hero has halitosis, hairy nostrils or a nose-picking habit. Choose your flaws wisely!

What traits do you find the most interesting in someone? Do you write them into your characters?

I find various traits interesting, but it depends on the story. A strong woman who isn’t a bitch or a ball-breaker, a philanthropist CEO. Everyone on the planet has something, one thing, that makes them unique (apart from DNA.) Hidden talents, a main character revealing their love of the cello, or a former life as a cat burglar, surprises like that are fun. Just don’t give them these things then do doing with them in the story. Have a key scene to showcase their uniqueness and beauty.

In Euphoria, I’ve given Kurt a love of watching ballet, and Tom talks tough but really he’s cotton candy inside. Even Vardam has a skill of getting what they want, using good manners and carefully chosen English.

Have you ever put a story away, thinking it just didn’t work?  Then years/months/whatever later inspiration struck and you loved it?  Is there a title we would recognize if that happened?

Closer Than Blood (M/F romantic suspense) was written between 1994 and 2015. The really observant will see the changes in the writing style between the old sections and the new, though I tried not to make it obvious. That book is a patchwork of old, new and a bit blue. Nothing borrowed though!

Ever drunk written a chapter and then read it the next day and still been happy with it?  Trust me there’s a whole world of us drunk writers dying to know.

I write sober because I rarely drink. I can imagine some interesting results though. Why wouldn’t you be happy with it if it fits the story? If not, at least it’s something to share with readers via a blog post so they can have a laugh out of it.

If you could imagine the best possible place for you to write, where would that be and why?

A mid-town Manhattan apartment with easy access to a deli would be nice. Or a beach hut by the sea, somewhere like Aldeburgh in Suffolk. But really, I have a great writing space here at home, with a window looking out onto green fields. Somewhere with quiet, a comfortable chair and electricity and I’m happy. Oh, and chocolate. And roobois (red bush) tea. Yeah, that will do!

About EUPHORIA …

It might take the arrival of an alien being to remind an isolated man what it means to be human.

With a stressful job, his boss breathing down his neck for profitable results, and an estranged wife and daughter, scientist Kurt Lomax doesn’t think life can get much harder. Until a nonbinary extraterrestrial with an otherworldly beauty, captivating elegance, and a wicked sense of humor inconveniently shows up at his apartment.

Vardam watched the destruction of their own world, and they don’t want to see the same thing happen on Earth. They are lonely, and feelings soon develop between them and the supposedly straight scientist—feelings Kurt reciprocates, much to his confusion.

The arrival of cheery interpreter Tom Soames—whose Goth appearance belies a gentle heart—is like a ray of sunshine in the somber lab. He acts as matchmaker for man and tentacled extraterrestrial, unwittingly instigating a national crisis when the news breaks out.

But will a misunderstanding ruin Kurt and Vardam’s chances for happiness together—along with the hope for peace between humanity and the Var?

About the Author

Jayne Lockwood has always wanted to learn to fly. Spending free time honing her Peter Pan skills on an aerial hoop, she also creates flights of fancy in her books, mingling sex and romance with angst and a healthy dash of dark humor.

Since she was a small child, Jayne has always sympathized with the villain. It all began with Alice Cooper, even though she was banned from listening to his music by her mother. From wanting to sail away with Captain Hook or redeeming the Child Catcher, the antihero has been an enduring fascination ever since.

Jayne is an outwardly respectable member of an English village community. She also is one of the founder members of WROTE podcast, which is dedicated to showcasing LGBTQA authors and their work, and now writes book reviews as well as diverse fiction.

She is also in a sub/Dom relationship with a cat called Keith.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Web page https://hollowhillspublishing.blogspot.co.uk

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/ladyjAuthor

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jaynelockwoodauthor/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6893372.Jayne_Lockwood

QueerRomanceInk https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/jayne-lockwood/

Kelly Jensen on Soy, Soy Recipes and her new release ‘To See The Sun by Kelly Jensen (guest post and giveaway)

To See the Sun by Kelly Jensen 

Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by Garrett Leigh

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing  | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Kelly Jensen here today talking about farming, soy, and recipes. Welcome, Kelly!

Soy, Soy, and a Little More Soy by Kelly Jensen

Did you know that soybeans are the second most planted field crop in the U.S.? You do now. The only thing we grow more of in North America is corn.

There’s not a lot that will grow in the harsh environment of Alkirak. Bram has a little patch of corn on his farm, but mostly, he grows soybeans, and my ever-practical farmer processes his soy in a number of ways: milk, tempeh, miso, tofu, soy sauce, and soy nuts. He can also simply enjoy the little green beans steamed in the pod and served with salt. In the book, I have him experimenting with soy flour. I mean, who wants to live at the end of the galaxy without pancakes? He also wonders when someone is going to invent a coffee-type drink made of soy. (Hopefully never.)

I enjoyed researching what Bram and Gael might grow and might cook on the farm, because I’m interested in food, and I like to cook. I’m also a fan of soy products. I love eating the steamed fresh beans, I’ve been drinking soy milk for twenty-five years ago, and some of my favorite dishes feature tasty cubes of tofu. So I thought I’d share a couple of favorite recipes, with notes about how Gael would have adapted them to locally available produce!

Hot and Sour Soup

This is hands down my favorite soup. I love the combination of heat and spice, and the competing textures of the mushrooms, tofu, and bean shoots. At home, I’ll have bottles of soy sauce and vinegar on hand to doctor takeout versions, but it’s really easy to make yourself!

Gael would have most of these ingredients on hand, though he’d have to rehydrate mushrooms and onions. I’m not sure about the bamboo shoots, but thinly sliced celery would be an acceptable substitute! As for the sambal, let’s just assume that’s a galaxy-wide condiment, as it should be.

What you’ll need:

8 cups of stock (chicken or vegetable)
2-3 cups of sliced mushrooms (shitake or baby bellas)
¼ cup rice vinegar (more to taste)
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sambal oelek (chili garlic sauce)
¼ cup cornstarch
2 eggs (whisked)
8 oz firm tofu (cubed)
¼ cup green onions (sliced thin)
1 tsp sesame oil
white pepper

What to do:

Reserve ¼ of the stock for later, and add the remaining stock, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and sambal oelek to a large stock pot. Heat over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally.

Whisk the other ¼ cup of stock and cornstarch together in a small bowl until completely smooth.  Once the soup has reached a simmer, stir in the cornstarch mixture and stir for 1 minute or so until the soup has thickened.

Then keep stirring the soup in a circular motion as you drizzle in the eggs. The eggs should create slim streamers as you stir. Add the tofu, about half of the green onions, and sesame oil.  Then season the soup white pepper to taste.  This is when I might add more vinegar. If you like it hot, add more sambal! 

Garnish with extra onions. Makes about 6 servings.

Soy Peanut Noodles

This is another textural favorite—the crunch of the peanuts next to the soft noodles and small cubes of tofu. Combined with the sauce, nuts, and noodles, you can include any vegetables you want, experimenting with flavors and textures.

Gael would have most of these ingredients on hand, but could substitute soy nuts for the peanuts. I don’t think you can make a good peanut butter out of soy nuts, though, so I’m going to propose peanut butter as a galactic condiment along with the sambal.

What you’ll need:

Sauce
1 inch piece of ginger (peeled)
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky, your choice)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp light brown sugar (packed)
½ tsp sambal oelek

Noodles
1 package of noodles
1 package of firm tofu
½ cup peanuts
bean sprouts, match stick carrots, finely sliced celery, green onions.

What to do:

Sauce
In a food processor, pulse the ginger until it’s mashed, then add everything else plus 1/3 cup of water and blend until smooth. If you want the sauce thinner, add more water. Sauce be kept in the fridge for a few days.

Noodles
Whatever is your favorite. You can use udon, rice stick, ramen, or even spaghetti. Just get something noodle-y. Cook according to package directions, making sure to leave them just a bit underdone. They’ll soften in the next step.

Tofu
Dry it (let it sit out on some paper towel and pat it down), dredge in flour, a little salt and pepper, and shallow fry in hot oil until very lightly golden. Set aside to drain.

Vegetables
Except for the beansprouts (if using), steam until tender crisp.

Set a large pan (or wok) over medium heat, spoon in your sauce and top with noodles and vegetables. Reduce the heat and stir until warmed through and combined. A minute or two. Serve topped with peanuts and fried tofu cubes.

I hope I’ve inspired you to try cooking with soy, tofu in particular. Both of these recipes might be a little on the spicy side, but if you are interested in cooking with tofu, the second one can definitely be made without adding the chili (sambal). Also, the above method for preparing tofu can be used for a ton of dishes. The fried cubes are even tasty on their own.

 

 

About To See the Sun

Survival is hard enough in the outer colonies—what chance does love have?

Life can be harsh and lonely in the outer colonies, but miner-turned-farmer Abraham Bauer is living his dream, cultivating crops that will one day turn the unforgiving world of Alkirak into paradise. He wants more, though. A companion—someone quiet like him. Someone to share his days, his bed, and his heart.

Gael Sonnen has never seen the sky, let alone the sun. He’s spent his whole life locked in the undercity beneath Zhemosen, running from one desperate situation to another. For a chance to get out, he’ll do just about anything—even travel to the far end of the galaxy as a mail-order husband. But no plan of Gael’s has ever gone smoothly, and his new start on Alkirak is no exception. Things go wrong from the moment he steps off the shuttle.

Although Gael arrives with unexpected complications, Abraham is prepared to make their relationship work—until Gael’s past catches up with them, threatening Abraham’s livelihood, the freedom Gael gave everything for, and the love neither man ever hoped to find.

 

About Kelly Jensen

If aliens ever do land on Earth, Kelly will not be prepared, despite having read over a hundred stories about the apocalypse. Still, she will pack her precious books into a box and carry them with her as she strives to survive. It’s what bibliophiles do.

Kelly is the author of a number of novels, novellas, and short stories, including the Chaos Station series, cowritten with Jenn Burke. Some of what she writes is speculative in nature, but mostly it’s just about a guy losing his socks and/or burning dinner. Because life isn’t all conquering aliens and mountain peaks. Sometimes finding a happy ever after is all the adventure we need.

Connect with Kelly:

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of To See the Sun, Kelly is giving away a $25 Riptide credit and some swag stickers and a bracelet! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on August 18, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following along, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

 

An Ali Review: To See the Sun by Kelly Jensen

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
 

Survival is hard enough in the outer colonies—what chance does love have?

Life can be harsh and lonely in the outer colonies, but miner-turned-farmer Abraham Bauer is living his dream, cultivating crops that will one day turn the unforgiving world of Alkirak into paradise. He wants more, though. A companion—someone quiet like him. Someone to share his days, his bed, and his heart.

Gael Sonnen has never seen the sky, let alone the sun. He’s spent his whole life locked in the undercity beneath Zhemosen, running from one desperate situation to another. For a chance to get out, he’ll do just about anything—even travel to the far end of the galaxy as a mail-order husband. But no plan of Gael’s has ever gone smoothly, and his new start on Alkirak is no exception. Things go wrong from the moment he steps off the shuttle.

Although Gael arrives with unexpected complications, Abraham is prepared to make their relationship work—until Gael’s past catches up with them, threatening Abraham’s livelihood, the freedom Gael gave everything for, and the love neither man ever hoped to find.

 I really loved this author’s Chaos Station series (which if you haven’t read you should) so I was excited to try this new stand alone book of hers.  The story starts off with a bit of action as Gael finds himself in a seriously bad situation and has to make a major change to gain control of his life.  He’s desperate when he answers Bram’s ad and doesn’t expect more than a bit of safety and a fresh start.  What he finds is a kind man and a chance at a life he never dreamed he could have.
One of things I enjoyed the most about this book was the pacing of the story.  There are a few dramatic events to keep the plot moving along but it’s mostly a sweet and quiet story.   Another strong point was fantastic character development.  Both of the main characters are shy and lonely and all they really want is to have a quiet, happy life.  Watching them work together to build this was so touching.  They start with a tentative friendship but as they get to know each other they start to fall in love.  It was a perfect slow burn romance with a nice bit of hurt/comfort.
Sometimes I get a bit overwhelmed with sci-fi stories because the world building is too much for my brain.  It was perfect here.  There was enough to let me imagine the unique planet of Alkirak but not so much I got overwhelmed with the details.  The author creates a unique planet and paints such detailed imagery that the reader can feel both Bram’s isolation on this remote planet and his love and pride for his home.
The ending was just perfect and made even my Grinch heart get filled with all of the feelz.  I was so happy for these two and the family they build together.
We’re about half way through the year and I’m already starting to think about which books are going to make my “Best Of” list and chances are high this book will make that list.  This is one I strongly recommend.
Cover:  This cover was done by Garrett Leigh and I like it a lot.  It is perfect for the story and captures the vibe of the story perfectly.
Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing  | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 293 pages
Published August 13th 2018 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN 1626498296 (ISBN13: 9781626498297)
Edition LanguageEnglish

New Release Blitz for 2230: The Perfect Year by CM Corett (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: 2230: The Perfect Year

Author: CM Corett

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: August 6, 2018

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 30600

Genre: Science Fiction, time travel, research lab, scientist, aliens, fated mates

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Synopsis

Alex Coulson spends his days as a lowly laboratory assistant. At night, he watches movies in his lonely apartment and dreams of exciting adventures and handsome leading men.

When an electrical fire breaks out in the lab, an experimental machine malfunctions and Alex is caught in the explosion. He awakens, injured and confused, to learn he has traveled two hundred years into the future—to the year 2230. Under the care of the gorgeous Doctor Baylin Davies (a definite contender for a leading man) Alex recovers quickly, and his feelings for Baylin deepen each day. Baylin is handsome, sexy, caring, and a verified genius—everything Alex could ever dream of. Add in the whole concept of living in the future, and Alex soon decides the year 2230 is the perfect year to begin his new life.

But then there’s the major…

Whenever the intimidating military man, Major Marcais, is near, a strange power overcomes Alex’s senses, clouding his mind and weakening his desire to be with Baylin.

When the major reveals he is an alien and declares Alex to be his life mate, Alex must find the strength to resist him. And while fighting for the man he truly desires, Alex just might discover he’s the leading man in his own adventure.

Excerpt

2230: The Perfect Year
CM Corett © 2018
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One
Alex Coulson’s sports shoes made a loud squawk on the polished floor. His step faltered. Had anyone heard? He scanned the cavernous office foyer. With gray marble floors and clusters of expensive couches, it looked nothing like a scientific research center and more like an exclusive hotel. An empty hotel. Of course it was empty; only the truly dedicated work on Sunday. Actually, the dedicated and people like him—sad, pathetic losers without a life. He shook his head.

Okay, Alex, quit the self-pity party. No one likes a whiner.

After another quick glance around the foyer, he strode forward and headed down the long corridor lined with identical doors. The small panes of glass in each one allowed him a glimpse inside the research labs—all empty. He appeared to be the sole, sad, pathetic person here today. At the end of the corridor, he stopped in front of the door labeled “Authorized Personnel Only.”

One wave of his security pass over the sensor and the lab door slid open. The sharp smell of smoke and plastic invaded his senses. His nose twitched. Crap! Electrical fire! No doubt about it. As the wire’s plastic coating melted, it gave off a distinct smell. He scanned the room, searching for the source, but everything appeared normal. He dashed through the main room and into the smaller lab.

Like an early morning fog, a veil of smoke hovered near the far wall, centered over the control panel. In seconds, his heart rate hit full throttle. “Crap! Crap! Crap!” The Accelerator control panel! His focus flicked to the partition wall protecting the experimental machine from prying eyes. Good. No sign of smoke there. That would be bad. Very bad. He dashed into the thickening cloud of smoke and headed toward its source.

With short, gasping breaths, he swallowed and choked on the thick acrid air. What about the fire alarm? Why hadn’t it triggered yet? He slammed his hand onto the control-panel power button and then stepped back. No shutdown. Nothing. Like ocean buoy lights viewed through the fog, the faint glow of backlit buttons and switches remained. He blinked rapidly as his tear ducts reacted to the invasive smoke, creating a torrent of tears. From beneath the watery veil, he focused on the computer screen embedded in the wall. What the hell? Why was the program running? Had he forgotten to close it the previous night? His boss would have his—

A flame erupted behind the control panel.

“Oh, God!” Coughing, he stumbled backward. What should he do? Brave the flames and try to turn off the program? Call the fire department? Fire extinguisher?

Yes! Fire extinguisher.

He spun around and grabbed the red cylinder hanging on the wall. Maybe he could put the fire out before it caused too much damage. Maybe it wouldn’t even come to the attention of management. He ripped off the safety guard thingy, pointed, and pulled the trigger. The white substance spewed out toward the flames, dousing them in a cozy blanket of white powder. “Ahhh, yes. Against all expectations, Alex Coulson saves the day!”

His boss would be pleased with him. Okay, not pleased exactly because he had most likely left the Accelerator program running, but pleased because a major fire would have brought their unauthorized work to the attention of management. “And that would be bad.”

With a few short blasts of the fire extinguisher, he completed the blanket of white over the control board. He frowned and contemplated the scene. A little more wouldn’t hurt. Better to be safe than sorry. Crouching down, he directed the nozzle under the desk and pulled the trigger. Just in case.

He stood up and surveyed the room. Okay, it could have been worse. The whole lab could have gone up in flames, destroying countless hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment. Not to mention the oh-so-secret data his boss guarded as if it held the answers to the universe. Yes, it could have been much worse.

He drew in a deep breath…and doubled over with the force of a violent coughing fit.

Crap. Smoke. Not a good idea to take deep breaths.

Fire extinguisher still in hand, he stumbled back to the main lab. His breath rasped in his throat, forcing its way past raw, inflamed flesh. At least the air in the main lab remained relatively smoke-free. In a few minutes, he would re-enter the inner lab and clean up the mess. With a bit of luck, the damage would be minimal. Maybe he could fix it himself. Clean up the fire retardant, replace a few wires, and—hey presto! Good as new with no evidence of the program he left running—no cause to fire him.

The shrieking of an alarm pierced the air, assaulting his eardrums with shrill vibrations. He closed his eyes and mouth, scrunching and squeezing his face as if trying to block the sound from entering any other orifice. A millisecond later, a deluge of water erupted from the ceiling sprinklers like an unexpected shower of summer rain. The muscles in his jaw slackened, and his mouth fell open.

Oh, crap!

Water drummed on his head and shoulders, seeping under the collar of his jacket. Mini rivers flowed across computers and desks before cascading to the shallow lake forming on the floor. The fire extinguisher hit the ground beside his foot with a waterlogged clunk.

I’m a dead man. Not to mention fired!

His shoulders slumped. Could his life get any worse?

The floor shook, sending vibrations up his legs and into his queasy stomach. Oh shit. Rule number one: never ask if it could get any worse. What the hell? An earthquake? Light exploded from the inner lab, propelling bright sparks through the doorway like tiny shooting stars. Water sloshed around his feet as he stumbled backward. The Accelerator! “Oh, shit, shit, shit!”

So. Not. Good.

A loud humming joined the vibrations. It pulsed through his body, loud enough to be heard over the sprinklers and fire alarm, shaking him to the core. Paralyzed, he stood transfixed. The inner lab glowed with a pulsating green light, matching its beat in harmony with the tremors running through the building and his body.

The vibrations were so intense he couldn’t move his legs. His head hurt and numbness crept over his face. He clutched his head and squeezed his eyes shut. Vibrating, pulsating, and humming. Could his brain explode? Would they find his gray matter splattered all over the lab and floating in the newly formed lake?

As he opened his eyes, a fresh shower of sparks shot toward him. Burning! His arm burned, stinging like the devil at a precise spot on his forearm. He slapped the sleeve of his jacket like a maniac until the pain receded to a dull ache.

Okay, time to run.

In his mind, he stumbled toward the door, but his body refused to cooperate. He looked down. His legs were—

What the hell? His body appeared pixelated and a few sections were…missing? Whoa! There was some weird, scary shit happening.

The humming intensified, sending a wave of nausea through his stomach. He couldn’t feel his legs. Were they still attached to his body? The world tipped and then faded around the edges. No, no, no! He’d seen the experiments, and he had no way to stop the Accelerator from frying him—like those rats.

So. Not. Pretty.

At least no one would miss him.

Oh, God, that’s a sad and pathetic fact.

Searing hot pain exploded in his head like a—

“Ahhhhh!”

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author

CM Corett is an Australian author of M/M romance who has given up on trying to limit herself to one sub-genre. She writes contemporary, historical, sci-fi, and time travel… and she may have a few paranormal drafts hidden under the bed! An avid writer and reader of love between men, she has lived in the USA and traveled the world gathering inspiration for her stories. She loves movies, superheroes, and video games with awesome graphics. She hates housework and anyone who expects her to notice (or care about) the dust on top of the fridge.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Release Blitz for Dawn (Expedition 63::Book #3) by T.A. Creech (giveaway)

 

Buys Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS Books
 
Length: 31,400 words
 
Publisher: JMS Books
 
Expedition 63 Series
 
Book #1 – Dusk – Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS Books
Book #2 – Dark – Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS Books



Blurb


Sequel to Expedition 63 Book 2: Dark


Yakecen Sinohui can see the end in sight for the stranded crew of the Station. Each breath is a countdown until they’re able to return to Earth, until the poison clouds have cleared enough to leave. Though it’s a bad idea, Yakecen is drawn into the orbit of their resident biologist, Eli, someone who has kept Yakecen’s head in the game with his sunny presence.


The universe, however, has one last middle finger to give the weary crew.


Eli Palamo doesn’t object to Yakecen’s covert attention. He’s pined for his friend from the first moment they met, and isolation has strengthened their bond as the hardships forced them lean on each other completely. Yakecen is all he’s ever wanted. Nothing will be enough to tear them apart, if Eli has anything to say about it, not even Yakecen’s own demons. Definitely not the end of their disastrous mission and their fight for survival.

 

About the Author


I am a house-parent to a rambunctious small child and happily mated to an equally rambunctious military spouse. My adventures in writing began with fanfiction, and once I was hooked I never looked back.


While I’ve always tried to make my fanfiction unique, what I enjoy most about creating original work is the ability to delve into my stranger ideas without worrying about how I might apply them to someone else’s world and characters. With my own creations, I take pride in twisting familiar tropes into something new and unexpected.


When I write, it is with the intention that my stories will leave a lasting impression. I hope you enjoy the characters and the worlds I create, and that they help you to find a place to exist, for a while, outside of your own.


–T.A. Creech

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A MelanieM Review: The End of All Stories (Legends of Badal’Shari #1) by Julia Rosenthal

Rating:  4.25 stars out of 5

On a quest for truths that his books can’t provide, Vael leaves the golden spires of his safe home to travel north, to the territories of the tribes there. But he gets far more than he bargains for when he is bound to Kayan, a chieftan’s son, in a mating ritual performed by a mysterious priestess.

According to her, it is their destiny to save all of Badal’Shari from a terrible cataclysm. And though Vael has serious doubts about fate, and even more doubts about Kayan, he agrees to embark on a so-called journey to save their world..

It wasn’t until I searched Goodreads for more information about the author that I realized this story was the first in a series.  Be still my heart.

I was both happy and surprised by this information. The End of All Stories (Legends of Badal’Shari #1) by Julia Rosenthal represented a new science fiction title by a new author for me. At the time I picked it up and started reading there was no indication that this was the start of a Legends of Badal’Shari series.  Nor did I get that from the ending of the story which the author wrapped up to my complete satisfaction.  But Rosenthal has built within this story such an amazingly complex foundation of cultures and rich world building that it easily will support a series.

She has created several races of beings, their cultures , systems of faith, a mythology that weaves legends, religion, fated mates into epic journeys.  And it all starts in a library.

I throughly enjoyed this story, from beginning to end.  The characters, especially Vael, who’s inquisitive nature and gentle soul made it easy to  love him.  More problematic for some will be Kayan, who at times is physically abusive.  For those for whom this is a trigger, be warned.  It’s not often but it happens and it’s within context of the tribe of warrior society that Vael has traveled to.  I can say that Kayan will address his actions as will others throughout the story. There is no sexual abuse.

There are cardboard characters here.  Whether or not you like their actions, its due to the fact these are believable viable beings you are reading about. Rosenthal provides, via other characters and means, the explanations/motivations for peoples various behaviors.  People here, are  as they say,  all too human.  Which makes the story.

There is an element of Vael falling for Kayan perhaps far too quickly for me, given his behavior, even with the fated disposition.  But the author’s other elements and their scenes together sold me on their relationship.

And then there was that later section of the story. Just amazing.  All the details, the suspense, the action, and yes, heartbreak, leading up to that ending which I loved.  Which I will not spoil here.

There are couples here I wish to see more of.  People here I wished to see more of.  So I’m thrilled that there will be subsequent stories.  I can only hope these people will reappear in them.  Fingers crossed.

Need a new author and story/series to enjoy?  Pick up The End of All Stories (Legends of Badal’Shari #1) by Julia Rosenthal. It’s one I highly recommend.

Cover art: Natasha Snow. I like the cover which seems to be the inside of a tent of Kayan’s tribe.

Sales Links:  Less Than Three Press | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 274 pages
Published June 27th 2018 by Less Than Three Press, LLC
ASINB07DGS7PTV
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesLegends of Badal’Shari #1

A Free Dreamer Review: Dark (Expedition 63 #2) by T.A. Creech

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

As the stranded inhabitants of the Space Station mark the opening of their second year since the world ended, Saito Naotatsu is determined to shake off some part of the grief infecting their temporary home. Maybe find a little happiness, too, with his best friend and communications specialist, Turlach Quinn.

The situation explodes when Turlach finds his attraction to Saito confusing and relentless. At every turn, it seems Saito is there to break his control. With the Station falling apart around their ears and the crew breathing down his neck, Turlach finally has enough.

Problems keep piling up. The crew is weary and waiting. Earth is a dark shadow of what it once was. Will they ever get home? Is there even anything left to go home to?

While “Dark” features a different couple than “Dusk”, I do believe you need to read part one before you can fully understand part two.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue the series after “Dusk”, which was just an okay read overall, but when the opportunity presented itself, I couldn’t resist. And it paid off. “Dark” was definitely better than “Dusk”.

Part of it was probably because Turlach and Saito are just getting together and we get to experience the whole falling-in-love thing. Usually, I enjoy established couples, but in this case, I think the new couple had a better dynamic than the established one. The connection I missed in part one was much more present in this sequel.

We also see a bit more of how life on the station works from day to day. Once again, not a whole lot actually happens action-wise. But we do get more details of how the crew stays alive, which was mostly skipped over in part one.

But once again, the book is just too short to fully live up to its potential. The setting is really unique  and not one I’ve come across before. It’s a shame the story doesn’t get more room to truly unfold. There was also a bit of gay for you and drama because of lack of communication, which are two tropes I don’t particularly care for.

If you liked book one, you should read part two as well. While there’s still room for more, I definitely liked “Dark” more than “Dusk”. And now I really want to find out how this all ends.

The cover looks good but doesn’t really fit the story imo. The person looks like an alien, when there are none in the story. Once again, it would’ve looked better with just the space station.

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC  |  Amazon

Book details: ebook,110 pages

Published May 19th 2018 by JMS Books

A Free Dreamer Review: Ardulum: First Don (Ardulum) by J.S. Fields

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

 Ardulum. The planet that vanishes. The planet that sleeps.

Neek makes a living piloting the dilapidated tramp transport, Mercy’s Pledge, and smuggling questionable goods across systems blessed with peace and prosperity. She gets by—but only just. In her dreams, she is still haunted by thoughts of Ardulum, the traveling planet that, long ago, visited her homeworld. The Ardulans brought with them agriculture, art, interstellar technology…and then disappeared without a trace, leaving Neek’s people to worship them as gods.

Neek does not believe—and has paid dearly for it with an exile from her home for her heretical views.

Yet, when the crew stumbles into an armed confrontation between the sheriffs of the Charted Systems and an unknown species, fate deals Neek an unexpected hand in the form of a slave girl—a child whose ability to telepathically manipulate cellulose is reminiscent of that of an Ardulan god. Forced to reconcile her beliefs, Neek chooses to protect her, but is the child the key to her salvation, or will she lead them all to their deaths?

“Ardulum: First Don” is a very hard book for me to rate. I guess I just had the wrong kind of expectations. It just wasn’t for me.

I really liked Neek and her crew. They’re quite an interesting band of people. It was fun to watch them interact.

It does get a bit violent at times, so beware. I didn’t mind, as it didn’t get too gory. There was lots of action and you certainly never find yourself bored.

The publisher has this tagged as a FF pairing. That’s a bit misleading, I think. There is no romance at all in this story. We do have a very strong connection between two women, but it’s not romantic. Not yet, at least. Personally, I don’t always need a romance in my books, but I think the FF tag raises the wrong kind of expectations.

It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for well-written Science Fiction with good world building. To me, world building isn’t that cherry on top, but the very essence of any good SciFi story. And Ardulum does not disappoint in that regard.

But the thing is, there was just too much world building, in a way. What I didn’t realize is that this is a hard SciFi story. So lots of science and technology and hundreds of different aliens and epic space battles and the like. I’m not good with technology or science stuff, so I found it a bit tedious at times. It felt unnecessarily complicated.

There was also bit of too much telling and not enough showing going on. I mean, the Neek need three genders to reproduce. And then there’s species that seem to have only one gender and go by “they” or “xir”. If you’re gonna tell me you don’t need a man and a woman to make a baby, then I want to know just how that works. I don’t need explicit sex scenes, but I want to know just how reproduction works.

The author most certainly has a very creative mind. I’m really impressed with the sheer amount of detail J.S. Fields came up with is astonishing.

Long story short, I think “Ardulum: First Don” just wasn’t my genre. While I love Science Fiction, hard Science Fiction has never been my thing. I’m not good at any kind of natural sciences and I tend to get bored by too many facts.

I’m still a little torn on whether or not I want to read the rest of the series. I did enjoy the general idea and I really quite liked the MCs. And I do kinda want to find out what happens next…

The cover by Natasha Snow is gorgeous. I love the colours.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book details:

ebook, 248 pages
Published February 27th 2017 by NineStar Press (first published February 22nd 2017)
ISBN139781945952647
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Ardulum

On Tour with Ardulum Series by J.S. Fields (excerpts and giveaway)

SERIES-GRAPHIC Ardulum

J.S. Fields has a new lesbian sci fi book out in her Ardulum series – Third Don:

The Ardulum series blends space opera and hard science into a story about two women persistently bound to their past, and a sentient planet determined to shape their future.

Giveaway:

J.S. Fields is giving away an eBook copy of books one and two, AND a special collector’s edition First Don enamel pin to one lucky winner, via Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d4711/?

About the Books

Ardulum: First Don (book one)

Ardulum: First Don

The planet that vanishes. The planet that sleeps.

When Ardulum first appeared, the inhabitants brought agriculture, art and interstellar technology to the Neek people before vanishing back into space. Two hundred years later, Neek has joined the Charted Systems, a group of planets bound together through commerce and wormhole routes, where violence is nonexistent and technology has been built around the malleability of cellulose.

When the tramp transport Mercy’s Pledge accidentally stumbles into an armed confrontation between the Charted System sheriffs and an unknown species, the crew learns the high cost of peace—the enslavement and genetic manipulation of the Ardulan people. Now a young Neek, outcast from her world for refusal to worship ancient Ardulans as gods, must reconcile her planet’s religion with the slave child whom she has chosen to protect—a child whose ability to manipulate cellulose is reminiscent of the ancient myths of Ardulum. But protecting the child comes at a cost—the cultural destruction of her world and the deaths of billions of Charted System inhabitants.

NineStar Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink

Ardulum: Second Don (book two)

Ardulum: Second Don

The Charted Systems are in pieces. Mercy’s Pledge is destroyed, and her captain dead. With no homes to return to, the remaining crew set off on a journey to find the mythical planet of Ardulum—a planet where Emn might find her people and Neek the answers she’s long sought. Finding the planet, however, brings a host of uncomfortable truths about Ardulum’s vision for the galaxy, and Neek’s role in a religion that refuses to release her. Neek must balance her planet’s past and the unchecked power of the Ardulans with a budding relationship and a surprising revelation about her own genealogy.

Ardulum: Second Don blends space opera and hard science into a story about two women persistently bound to their past, and a sentient planet determined to shape their future.

NineStar Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink

Ardulum: Third Don (book three)

Ardulum Third Don

The planet wakes.

Atalant is torn between two worlds. In uncharted space, head of a sentient planet, the new eld of Ardulum now leads the religion she once rejected. Emn is by her side, but the Mmnnuggl war brewing in the Charted Systems, threatening her homeworld of Neek, cannot be ignored. Neek must return to the planet that exiled her in order to lead the resistance. She must return home a god, a hypocrite, a liar in gold robes, and decide whether to thrust her unwilling people into the truth of Ardulum, or play the role she has been handed and never see her family, or her world, again.

NineStar Press

Excerpts

First Don (Book One):

“Were we just attacked?” she asked incredulously. Neek took a closer look out the viewscreen. The rectangular cutter that sparkled with pinpricks of light and the wedge-shaped, agile skiffs, were Risalian. The pods—both the smaller purple ones and the frigate-sized, maroon ones—were unfamiliar. Their fomations were just as strange, stacked in columns like stones on a riverbank instead of in pyrimidal and spherical formations like Systems ships would. “Are those all Charted Systems ships?”

Yorden threw up his hands in disgust. “They’re not just Charted Systems ships—they’re Risalian ships. The cutter and skiffs are, anyway. No clue on the pods. What those blue-skinned bastards are doing out here with fully weaponized ships, I can only guess. However, they’re firing lasers. If we lose our armor and take a hit from any of those, we are space dust.”

“Comforting,” Neek mumbled. She hadn’t noticed the laser ports on any of the ships, but now that she looked closer, all of the vessels were covered with armor plating and had at least two laser turrets each.

Neek continued to watch as the pods begin to cluster around a Risalian cutter. A pod ship zipped beneath the cutter, firing wildly at its underside, before making a quick right turn and heading back to a larger pod. Five others followed suit. The cutter’s shielding began to splinter, but the ship remained where it was.

Neek leaned into the viewscreen, still unsure what she was seeing. “The Risalian ships aren’t chasing, they’re just defending. What is going on? If they’re going to appoint themselves sheriffs of the Charted Systems, they could at least fight back.”

Yorden smacked his hand against the wall, loosing a shower of dust. “Something on that Risalian ship is holding their attention. Get us out of here, before either of them gets any closer.” He pointed to a cluster of ships to Neek’s right, and her eyes followed. Little flashes of bright light sparked and then died intermittently as ships were destroyed, their flotsam creating an ever-expanding ring. A large piece of metal plating floated past the Pledge’s port window. The edge caught and left a thin scratch in the fiberglass as it slid off.

“What are they protecting that is so damn important?” Neek wondered out loud and then snorted. “Something worth more than our hold full of diamond rounds and cellulose-laced textiles?” she added cheekily.

Scowling, Yorden pushed Neek’s hand away from the computer and began his own scan of the Pledge’s systems. “Communications are still up, but I don’t think either party is listening right now.” Frustrated, he kicked the underside of the console. “Try one of them. Better than being crushed.”

“Captain, come on. We are dead in space. If another one comes at us, why don’t we just fire at it? It’s better than being rammed.” She pointed upwards at a circular hole in the ceiling. “What’s the benefit of flying a ship so ancient it falls apart if you’re not taking advantage of the grandfathered weapons system?”

Yorden’s terse response was cut off when a short burst impacted the ship. Another group of skiffs flew past, depositing laser fire as they did so. The Pledge banked to port, carrying momentum from the impact. From the direction they had come lay a trail of shattered ship plating.

A panicked voice called down from the laser turret. Neek bristled, steeling herself against the inevitable irritation that came whenever their Journey youth spoke. “That skiff just fired at us. How does it even have weapons? I thought we were the only ones in the Systems with a ship older than dirt.”

Neek wrapped her right hand back around the steering yoke. Each of her eight fingers fit perfectly into the well-worn grooves, and the brown leather darkened a shade as her naturally secreted stuk smeared from her fingertips. She smiled to herself. Flying a geriatric tramp was still better than flying nothing at all.

“Look, Captain,” she said, keeping her eyes on the battle. “I can steer this thing if we get pushed, but that is it. We don’t have any other options. They have guns. We have guns. Well, we have a gun. Why don’t we use it?”

Second Don (Book Two):

“You have to tell her,” Nicholas said. He pushed himself out of a lean and pointed to where Emn’s blood had fallen. She’d been interfacing with the ship all the way through the wormhole and hadn’t noticed Nicholas return to the cockpit. That meant Emn was getting a lecture, one way or the other. Annoyed, she tugged at the fabric across her chest, the sensation something she was still getting used to, and turned to look at Nicholas. She’d have much preferred a lecture from Neek.

Nicholas’s eyebrow rose. “This is the fourth time I’ve seen you bleed from interfacing with the ship. If your physiology is so incompatible with it, then Neek needs to know. We need to find another ship.”

Emn dabbed at her ear with a finger, ensuring the canal was clean, and then straightened the front of her dress. She’d already stopped the bleeding. The blood vessel breaks had been small—only minor capillaries affected—and healing was simple first-don stuff. Except, each time she synced with the ship, the pain was worse. What had started as a light buzzing during her time on the Mmnnuggl flagship Llttrin, during the Crippling War, was now a pressure that thumped between her skull and brain. It was ever-expanding, pulsed behind her eyes, crushed blood vessels, and had her leaking maroon from her ears and nose.

After sitting down against the black paneling, Emn looked at her lap. The dress, which she’d managed to keep mostly clean of blood, was tight in areas she’d not anticipated. It clung to her hips and chest, highlighting the most notable changes since her metamorphosis. It was… Could something be uncomfortable and yet comforting at the same time? She was an adult. There was no denying that, not with something so formfitting. Emn enjoyed the visual reminder of who she had become.

“For me to discuss any of this with Neek, she’d have to actually talk to me. Right after the Crippling War, I thought we had broken through that layer of self-doubt, or whatever makes Neek so rigid around me, but I guess not.” Emn went to pull at the front of her dress again before catching herself.

Nicholas ran his hands through his thick hair and shook his head. “You’re telepathically connected. You don’t have to be in the same room to talk.” Just as he had when she was in first don, Nicholas plopped beside her so she could lean into him. The reminder of their friendship helped ease the thumping in her head. She was forever grateful that Nicholas didn’t seem at all uncomfortable with the changes she’d undergone.

“Do you think it looks all right?” Emn asked, looking down at the front of her dress.

Nicholas snorted. “You look like a woman in a dress, Emn. It fits well. Your chest looks normal, if that’s what you’re asking, although you’ll crease the fabric if you keep pulling at it like that. If you want more specific feedback, there’s a different person you should ask. I know you don’t have a perpetually open connection, but even if she’s closed down, you could still nudge her. It’s good for her.”

Emn returned the half smile, imagining how Neek would react if she just started chatting to her through their link about mundane things, like constellations or cellulose biometals, or if she actually asked about the dress…

As if Neek had been listening, the door abruptly slid open, and the room was filled with the distinctive sound of booted feet. Emn and Nicholas stood up.

Neek took a moment to stretch, reaching her hands up over her head and letting her sixteen fingers, eight per hand, brush the ceiling. This was the only room in the small Mmnnuggl pod where any of them could stand upright, and it was blissful to do so. Stretching pulled the fabric of the flight suit taut against Neek’s chest and Emn let her eyes linger, careful to ensure the image did not leak across their bond. They needed Neek in the cockpit, captaining, not hiding in her room. She didn’t need to know about Emn’s burgeoning…something. Not yet, anyway. Still, Emn followed the tightly braided red-blonde hair to her narrow shoulders and then to her wide hips partially hidden in a baggy flight suit. Neek had her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and Emn wrinkled her nose without meaning to. The lighting in the pod did not go well with Neek’s olive-brown complexion. Realizing that she had probably stared for a bit too long, Emn walked back to the viewscreen.

“Looks like such a harmless planet from out here,” Neek said as her arms fell to her sides. Currently filling the floor-to-ceiling viewscreen was Risal, its orange algae oceans and brown landmasses looming above them. Risal’s two moons, the red Korin and white Rath, buffered the planet on either side. At their current position, the shadows from the sun overlapped Risal in two intersecting crescents, leaving a thin hourglass shape of lit land. Two cutters were in orbit around Korin, docked next to one another near the moon’s north pole.

Emn knew more than she cared to about those moons. She had no firsthand memories, but being synced to the late Captain Ran’s cutter had given her data on both. Rath was used as an andal plantation, although it was not a very successful one. Korin, in contrast…Korin was likely where she had been born. Emn probably had had siblings there, perhaps other genetic parents as well. They’d be dead, of course, like all the Risalian Ardulans, but that didn’t make the moon any less oppressive.

Her focus was suddenly returned to the cockpit. Confused, Emn blinked, trying to clear her vision, and then realized what was happening. Her thoughts must have leaked. Now, instead of Korin, she was seeing herself through Neek’s eyes, their connection taut. It was strange to see herself from the back—a woman in a knee-length, gray dress with shoulder straps and a flared hipline, tracing a finger over the moon’s image. Her black hair held only hints of the red that shone in her youth, and the moonlight highlighted the dark veins that streaked across her translucent skin. Patterns emerged, if one looked long enough—and Neek was—patterns of geometric shapes bound tightly together, distorted and intersecting. Several words bounded across their link despite Neek’s best efforts to rein them in. One in particular struck Emn as odd.

Beautiful.

Except, calling the markings such belied their daunting mythos and marginalized Neek’s history. Emn tossed the word aside, conscious of its relevance but unwilling to call it to Neek’s attention.

Third Don (Book Three):

I dislike this flight suit,Atalant muttered as her stuk absorbed into the rough material. The Ardulans did not refine the andalrayon as much as Charted Systems manufacturers did, and the fabric was full of rough, lumpish slubs.

If you could find some time for us to be alone and do away with the memories for a few hours, I’m sure I could arrange for my dress to make an appearance. The images that accompanied her statement flushed Atalant’s cheeks.

Maybe if we met onboard the Scarlet Lucidity , in orbit around Ardulum, where no one could interrupt us and I felt a bit freer… Atalant’s thoughts drifted into that delightful possibility. The Lucidity had soft chairs in the cockpit, wide beds in the quarters, a small bin of andal in case Emn got hungry…

Andal! Atalant’s priorities came crashing back down around her. The planet caught her wandering and whispered dreams of its own, dreams of saplings in open fields, of thick rains and busy pollinators. The collective consciousness of Ardulum sent a yearning desire for family, for a new place to call home.

“Home is overrated,” Atalant whispered.

“I don’t think so. What about your parents, Atalant?” Emn whispered into her ear, misunderstanding Atalant’s words. “Your father and your talther miss you, I’m sure. Your brother is there, waiting to see his sister.” Emn’s lips brushed Atalant’s forehead. “All the things you said at those political rallies, all the times the president cut you down, your exile, your uncle’s teachings… Could you just let all this hang? Can you let the truth, that you worked so hard to uncover, remain a mystery to the rest of your people?”

Atalant didn’t answer. When Emn didn’t press further, Atalant reached over Emn and lifted the window open to its full height. The sounds of reptiles croaking filled the silence between them. Atalant let the heaviness of her eyelids sink her into drowsy memories. She thought of the Lucidity, berthed and awaiting her return in a suburb of the capital. She thought of the gold robes she now regularly wore, of their similarities to the Heaven Guard robes she had so coveted in her youth. She thought of her brother, his pursuit of andal science over Ardulan religion, his urging her to join the Heaven Guard of Neek. She thought of soil barren from andal plantation farming, the decline of the forests on her homeworld, and the death of the Keft ecosystem. She thought of her uncle, the High Priest of Neek, of his teachings, the holy books, and of what the return of living gods could do for her stagnant planet.

The sound of Emn’s even breathing relaxed the remaining tightness in Atalant’s shoulders. As she drifted off into sleep, her mind wandered to the possibility: what would it be like for Ardulum to return to the planet Neek? What havoc would the mystic, traveling planet play on her world’s religion? On her family? Would she be welcomed as a hero, or still branded a heretic? Would she be shot on sight? Gold robes of the Eld or gold robes of the Heaven Guard? Did it matter?

What would it be like for her to come home?

About the Author

AUTHOR PHOTO - J.S. FieldsJ.S. Fields (@Galactoglucoman) is a scientist who has perhaps spent too much time around organic solvents. She enjoys roller derby, woodturning, making chainmail by hand, and cultivating fungi in the backs of minivans. Nonbinary, but prefers female pronouns.

Fields has lived in Thailand, Ireland, Canada, USA, and spent extensive time in many more places. Her current research takes her to the Peruvian Amazon rainforest each summer, where she traumatizes students with machetes and tangarana ants while looking for rare pigmenting fungi. She lives with her partner and child, and a very fabulous lionhead rabbit named Merlin.

Author Website: http://www.jsfieldsbooks.com

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/Galactoglucoman

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16484795.J_S_Fields

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/j-s-fields/