Monday, January 30, 2012

Welcome Author Linda Andrews, author of Blue Maneuver

We've all heard the cliche: Nothing is free. We buy a bright, shiny piece of technology and low an behold it needs to be recharged. Electricity to recharge it costs money. Replacement batteries cost money. That solar cell to recharge it costs lots of money up front. Even the tiny Guinea pigs rowing in a tank of water (plus the one shouting 'row!') providing electricity need food, which cost money.

So when I infected Rae, the heroine of my Urban SciFi novel called Blue Maneuver, with nanotechnology, I needed to come up with a means to recharge them without Rae sticking her finger in a light socket every 24 hours or so. (Rae hasn't thanked me yet. She's quite uppity for a figment of my imagination.)

Fortunately, I'm a biologist and I know enough science to be dangerous, er, I mean to figure out a means to power them. It is a little acknowledged fact that the human body is a machine. A biological machine, true, but it is still a machine. We power our machine with food that provides energy through chemical processes. Chewing is a physical process that facilitates the chemical breakdown (by making the pieces smaller) and makes the energy dividend higher.

Stop rolling your eyes, I'm not going to get much more science geekish on you.

If you've ever been on a diet or heard of one, you probably think carbohydrates are the Darth Vadar in the fatty foods Evil Empire. Not so. The brain doesn't just like them, it needs them to function properly. You quit carbs full stop and your brain will suffer. But I digress. (Getting off soap box now). Unlike proteins, carbs are easy to access, readily available energy. In other words, if every cell of your body was infected with hungry nanotechnology like Rae's is, eating carbs would be like swallowing batteries.

So, in effect, I've created the perfect fantasy. Eat anything you want--especially those yummy sugar-filled desserts--and you won't gain a pound. Plus, there's the added bonus of higher salt requirements because, you've guessed it, those lovely anions and cations help conduct electricity.

So after poor Rae was infected by three Cerebral Bots (nanotechnology) they needed to replicate which required energy. Poor Rae passed out and when she woke up she was hungry. She got to eat a lot of chips and drink lots of soda to shore up her flagging energy stores.

She's not quite sure if the trade off is worth it.

The Spam dots (Rae's nickname for them since she doesn't like giving money to her swear jar by calling them damn spots) have left their mark on her. You see, the technology also gives off an electrical signature that tech hunters want and some collectors are will to kill to acquire. And they're inside her, marking her with a great big bull's eye. Of course, they do other things besides keeping her healthy, but that's a story for another post.

So what do you think? Are you willing to pay the price to have this technology? One person who comments will receive a free ebook copy (in the format of their choice) of Blue Maneuver.

Blurb: The extraterrestrials have landed and they're human.

Rae Hemplewhite didn't believe in aliens until a close encounter with out-of-this-world technology drags her into the extraterrestrial security program. Helping alien refugees adjust to life on Earth is difficult enough, but her first clients have a price on their heads. Plus, her new partner seems torn between the urge to kiss her or kill her.

And that's the good news.

The bad news: Alliances are forming in deep space. If Rae doesn't keep her witnesses alive long enough to transfer their top secret information to the right faction of humanity, Earth will become a battlefield.

Blue Maneuver available now:

Amazon  -  Barnes and Noble  -  Smashwords

If you want to know more about Rae, she's being interview on Bandit Creek books on Wednesday and I'll be talking about the idea that sparked Blue Maneuver on Cynthia Woolf's blog this Friday

Linda Andrews
http://www.lindaandrews.net

Linda is giving a free book to a commentator, so feel free to comment.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

COYOTE GORGOUS is out for 99 cents!

As of today, you can get COYOTE GORGEOUS for 99 cents at Amazon in kindle, at Smashwords, and at ARe in all formats. It should be live in nook in a day or two. CLICK THE LINKS AT THE TOP RIGHT OF THIS PAGE TO FIND MY BOOKS AT THESE RETAILERS.

This shapeshifter novella was previously published by Sapphire Blue Publishing. When the publisher closed their doors last November for health reasons, they returned the rights to the authors. I saw this as my opportunity to republish this novella myself, along with A Desperado for Christmas, as 99 cents offerings to my readers.

So, if you haven't read it, don't hesitate and grab it for your eReader today, along with A Desperado for Christmas.

Here is what this story is about:

Arizona Game Ranger Madison Huntley, investigating a wild animal attack on a ranch in Cave Creek, discovers disturbing details. If she didn't know better, she'd say the legends frightening the ranch hand might be true. But Madison isn't just a wilderness cop. As a biologist and a wild life expert, she believes in facts and science, not scary tales.

Kaletaka, a Hopi Native, enjoys fame among the white man, forging haunting sculptures of half gods, half humans. When he awakens bloody, with no recollection of what he did the night before, he remembers the legends of his tribe, and the meaning of his name. But as hard as he tries, can he escape his destiny?

Can Madison solve the mystery killings and insure the safety of the town? Let alone her own safety? For each step closer to the truth and to Kaletaka, unleashes an unspeakable evil, and no one is safe...

REVIEWS:

"Phenomenal world building, characters the readers care about, and an intriguing mystery... COYOTE GORGEOUS has all the elements one expects from a Vijaya Schartz story! Easily recommended!" - 4.5 shamrocks - Debbie CK2sKwipsandKritique

"So many times my theory of who done it was thwarted and yet I was thrilled to stay on the edge of my seat until the very last word just to find out." Five stars - Book Junkie Reviews

"...excellent characters... well written. Fascinated about the subject matter and the legends..." Five hearts - Romance Book Scene

Hope you all enjoy the read.
 
Vijaya Schartz
Blasters, Guns, Swords, Romance with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

REDACTION by Linda Andrews would make a great TV mini-series

I just finished this book and I had to share my enthusiasm about it. It's not exactly a romance, although the romance lovers will recognize the start of a love story between the two main characters. So it does include falling in love, although the circumstances are drastically against it.

This book made me believe. It's set in the Phoenix area, where I live, and I realized while reading it that I wasn't prepared for what would come if any cataclysm, modern plague or otherwise, struck the Valley of the Sun.

The characterization in this work is masterful, given the scope of this book, as it follows various groups of characters through their struggles to survive. The word pictures get under your skin. What people do in desperate situations can be brave or horrific. What nature unleashes can be even more devastating. The horror in this book is insidious because it is so believable.

Only at the end of this long novel do some of the various groups of characters end up meeting each other. I like that the ending is hopeful, but this is not the end at all. I'm eagerly waiting for the next book in this series, to find out who lives and who dies in the end. Some nasty characters are still at large. Will the Human race even survive at all? The odds are against us.

This novel would make a great syfy channel TV mini-series about the apocalypse.

You can find it for 99 cents or $2.99 at all the usual eBook distributors.


Friday, January 13, 2012

This blog was nominated for a sweet blog award!

Don't you love this strawberry chantilly pie? My blog was nominated by author Linda Andrews, who writes in a wide range of paranormal,  historical, and science fiction. Visit her blog, Paranormal Journeys, at: http://lindaandrews.wordpress.com/  I am currently reading her book REDACTION, a post human near-extinction novel, and I'll let you know about it when I finish it. So far, I love it. Great characters and great insights...

Since the rules for this award say that I have to nominate ten other blogs, and tell you seven things you may not know about myself. Here goes:

I nominate the following blogs:

99 cents eBooks blog http://ebooks99cents.blogspot.com/
Believing is Seeing blog: http://sandrasookoo.worpress.com/
Bad Luck Detective: http://badluckdetective.wordpress.com/
Desert Dreams Writers Conference Blog: http://desertdreamswritersconference.blogspot.com/
Arizona Authors Blog: http://arizonaauthors.blogspot.com/
Once Upon a Series Blog: http://tamideeauthor.blogspot.com/
Books We Love Blog: http://bwlpp.blogspot.com/
Desert Breeze Publishing Blog: http://desertbreezepublishing.blogspot.com/
Arizona Dreamin: http://arizonadreamin.wordpress.com/
SFR Brigade: http://www.sfrcontests.blogspot.com/

Seven things you may not know about me:

1- I am short... really. So short the State employee who measured me for my ID card added half an inch to be kind. You would never know it, because I always wear very high wedges or heels in public.

2 - I am French. Yep. Born and raised in the suburbs of Paris. And if you heard me speak, that's where the accent comes from. I've lived in the States long enough that English has become my first language. When I go back to France to see my family, it takes me a few days to think in French again.

3 - I can kick ass, not just in my books but in real life. I'm a Martial Arts black belt (Aikido) and had Judo and Karate as a kid. I was very small even then, and on demonstration day, they made me throw the largest man in the Judo club in a David and Goliath type of fight. So fun.

4 - I was once a gymnast. Way back when, in the French National Gymastics team, I represented my country in several foreign competitions, mainly in Central and Eastern Europe. Good times.

5 - In my backyard, I feed abandoned cats (victims of forclosures in the neighborhood) who found sanctuary there, and at one time I had chickens (my husband's pets, so old they din't lay eggs anymore) and doves (the cats love watching the doves feed and sometimes pounce, but rarely catch one).

6 - I watch my weight like a hawk (pardon the cliche). Because I'm so short, an extra pound shows on me, and I can't button my jeans. My secret: low fat, low carbs. Exercise has been lacking lately, but I'm going to make time for it this year... time? Who has the time?

7 - My name, Vijaya, is from India. It was given to me by my Yoga teacher when I lived there. Vijaya comes from Vidya (knowledge) and Jaya (Ever victorious). When I emigrated to the US (with a husband I met and married in India) I made it my legal name.

Here, now you know me a little better.
Congratulation to the new blog awards nominees.

Vijaya Schartz
Blasters, Guns, Swords, Romance with a Kick.
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/

Monday, January 9, 2012

ENTER MY CONTEST TO WIN COYOTE GORGEOUS

Enter on my author website to win COYOTE GORGEOUS, my shapeshifter romance novella set in Arizona. COYOTE GORGEOUS is being re-released in eBook later this month. This is your chance to get it for free. To enter, click on CONTEST at top right at:
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/

Arizona Game Ranger Madison Huntley, investigating a wild animal attack on a ranch in Cave Creek, discovers disturbing details. If she didn't know better, she'd say the legends frightening the ranch hand might be true. But Madison isn't just a wilderness cop. As a biologist and a wild life expert, she believes in facts and science, not scary tales.

Kaletaka, a Hopi Native, enjoys fame among the white man, forging haunting sculptures of half gods, half humans. When he awakens bloody, with no recollection of what he did the night before, he remembers the legends of his tribe, and the meaning of his name. But as hard as he tries, can he escape his destiny?

Can Madison solve the mystery killings and insure the safety of the town? Let alone her own safety? For each step closer to the truth, and to Kaletaka, unleashes an unspeakable evil, and no one is safe...

REVIEWS:
"Phenomenal world building, characters the readers care about, and an intriguing mystery... COYOTE GORGEOUS has all the elements one expects from a Vijaya Schartz story! Easily recommended!" - 4.5 shamrocks - Debbie CK2sKwipsandKritique

"So many times my theory of who done it was thwarted and yet I was thrilled to stay on the edge of my seat until the very last word just to find out." Five stars - Book Junkie Reviews

"...excellent characters... well written. Fascinated about the subject matter and the legends..." Five hearts - Romance Book Scene

Gook luck.

Vijaya Schartz
Blasters, Guns, Swords, Romance with a kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/
http://ebooks99cents.blogspot.com/

Vijaya's books at Amazon.com:
https://www.amazon.com/author/vijayaschartz

Vijaya's eBooks at ARe:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Vijaya+Schartz

Vijaya's nooks at:
http://productsearch.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?WRD=vijaya+schartz&STORE=EBOOK&SZE=100&SRT=SA

Vijaya's books at Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=Schartz

Monday, January 2, 2012

What to expect from Vijaya Schartz in the year 2012

In mid January, a reissue of COYOTE GORGEOUS, my Native American shapeshifter novella set in Arizona, will appear in kindle, nook, Smashwords, and ARe, for the unbeatable price of 99 cents. It's a romantic suspense story, but involves a girl in uniform with a gun and an attitude. So if you like strong heroines, whether sci-fi or not, this story is for you.

Arizona Game Ranger Madison Huntley, investigating a wild animal attack on a ranch in Cave Creek, discovers disturbing details. If she didn't know better, she'd say the legends frightening the ranch hand might be true. But Madison isn't just a wilderness cop. As a biologist and a wild life expert, she believes in facts and science, not scary tales.
Kaletaka, a Hopi Native, enjoys fame among the white man, forging haunting sculptures of half gods, half humans. When he awakens bloody, with no recollection of what he did the night before, he remembers the legends of his tribe, and the meaning of his name. But as hard as he tries, can he escape his destiny?

Can Madison solve the mystery killings and insure the safety of the town? Let alone her own safety? For each step closer to the truth and to Kaletaka, unleashes an unspeakable evil, and no one is safe....

"Phenomenal world building, characters the readers care about, and an intriguing mystery... COYOTE GORGEOUS has all the elements one expects from a Vijaya Schartz story! Easily recommended!" - 4.5 shamrocks - Debbie CK2sKwipsandKritique
"So many times my theory of who done it was thwarted and yet I was thrilled to stay on the edge of my seat until the very last word just to find out." Five stars - Book Junkie Reviews

"...excellent characters... well written. Fascinated about the subject matter and the legends..." Five hearts - Romance Book Scene

In mid March 2012:

For those of you who prefer to hold a paper book in their hands, and didn't yet take the plunge with eBooks, WHITE TIGER, Book One of the Chronicles of Kassouk series, is scheduled for release in paperback from Desert Breeze Publishing in early 2012, probably in mid March. This has been a long time to come, and I know my paperback readers are getting impatient.

Since most of my paperbacks are now out of print, and all my new releases are published in eBook first, this will be a happy celebration. I'll probably go on a book signing spree to spread the news. Other books in this series will later follow in print as well.

In a winter world where blood and loyalty are everything, how can Tora avenge her father’s death when a handsome Mutant challenges her bloodline, and his offer to help can get them both killed...

On the frozen plains of Kassouk, where a few aliens rule a medieval Human world, Tora, Human warrior trained by tigers, seeks her father's murderer. But what she finds at the point of her sword confuses her. How dare Dragomir, the handsome Mutant, question her bloodline and her loyalties? And could a new enemy control the savage hordes of the fringe?
Dragomir offers to help, but Humans and Mutants are forbidden to fraternize under penalty of death... Should Tora trust her mind, her instincts, or her heart?

In the vortex of war, treason and intrigue, among blizzards, avalanches and ambushes, will Tora solve the mystery of her father's death and unveil the secret of her birth? Can she and Dragomir escape persecutions long enough to save their planet from the invaders and fulfill their destiny?

"...an exceptional tale that belongs in a place of honor on keeper shelves everywhere." - Johnna Flores - Coffee Time Romance - 5-cups rating


"...this is one futuristic that you do not want to miss!" - Naomi - Fallen Angels Reviews - 5 angels - Recommended Read

"...kept me enthralled from the first page...a thrilling science fiction romance" - Marlene Breakfield, Paranormal Romance Reviews

"...unique and extremely well constructed" - 4 1/2 stars - Review by Tami Brady at Book Ideas.com

"I'm adding this to my 'keeper' shelf and on the 'to be re-read' list" - Niniri Theriault for The Road to Romance

"...fast-paced story that draws the reader in and keeps him/her reading... The characters' personalities are believable and well rounded." 3 1/2 Tigers - Michelle Thomas - Gottawrite network

April 1, 2012 (no cover art available at this time):

A brand new novel, the prequel of the CHRONICLES OF KASSOUK series, titled NOAH'S ARK, is coming in eBook from Desert Breeze Publishing. This is the prelude to the series, the event that brought human settlers to this faraway world with no chance of contact or rescue.

When Trixie's starfreighter, Noah's Ark, drops out of jump space in an uncharted part of the universe, she believes the M-class planet on her viewer represents hope and salvation for her motley crew and the ragtag settlers aboard her ship.


Kostas, ex Space Marine, the expert survivalist recruited for this expedition, doesn't believe in coincidences, and knows that when something looks too good to be true...

Everyone, on this voyage to seed a new planet, is fleeing something, and harbors dangerous secrets... including Trixie, who vowed to never let a man control her life again. As for Kostas, he would get lynched on the spot if anyone suspected who he really is.

But on this seemingly abandoned planet, others are watching, herding them for evil purposes... and when the truth emerges and secrets unravel, Trixie and Kostas will have to fight for survival, for freedom, and for the right to love...


May 2012 - no cover art available at this time
CURSE OF THE LOST ISLE - Book One - PAGAN QUEEN

Series overview:
From history shrouded in myths, emerge the tumultuous lives of a post-Arthurian family of Magical Celtic Ladies, who roamed the civilized world in search of salvation from a curse. Wielding enchanted swords, they stir in their wake passions, wars, and destruction. For centuries they struggle for survival and acceptance in a Christian world, fight the Viking hordes, found new nations, build fortresses, send the first knights to the Holy Land, give birth to kings, cities, and new cultures.


Pagan Queen is set in Dumfries, in 806, on a medieval backdrop of ancient fortresses, Viking raids, epic battles, traditional feasts, enchanted swords, warrior knights, and divining basins. Pressine of Bretagne, born Fae and imbued with hereditary gifts, is sent by the Goddess she worships, to seduce King Elinas of Dumfries, and help him unite the tribes of Alba against the Viking invader. Head-strong and independent, Pressine did not expect Elinas to awaken in her such romantic feelings. He is noble, just and wise, and very attractive for his age. But her Pagan nature clashes with the religious fanaticism of the king’s heir, who sees her as anathema. Fighting the assaults of Charlemagne's bishops, struggling for acceptance in an increasingly Christian society, Pressine also seeks redemption from a curse that could be her undoing. Despite the dangers, for the love of her king, she defies the Goddess by becoming with child. But can her indomitable passion overcome the Faery curse?


Late 2012 - No cover art available yet
CURSE OF THE LOST ISLE - Book Two - ANATHEMA (working title)
from Books We Love Publishing
 
Set at the foundation of Luxembourg in 963. Battling the church and hiding the curse that makes her a serpent from the waist down one day each month, Melusine, daughter of Pressine, meets Sigefroid of Ardennes, a shrewd, ambitious knight, son of the Duke of Lorraine, who wants to carve himself a kingdom. To obey the Goddess, Melusine seduces him and becomes the very first Lady of Luxembourg. As Melusine struggles along her beloved count, she will build fortresses and cities and give birth to kings and emperors. But destiny never relents, and when Sigefroid turns religious, her very survival is at stake.
 
I may or may not write a novella for the holidays, depending on how much time I have left this year. These historical novels are much longer than the average book. Four more novels in the CURSE OF THE LOST ISLE series will follow in 2013 and 2014.
 
In the meantime, you can find the links to my other titles on the web at the top of the right column on this page.
 
Wishing you all a fantastic year in 2012, with lots of love, happiness, good health, and success.
 
Vijaya Schartz
Blasters, Guns, Swords, Romance with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Twilight Over Moldavia, by Stephanie Burkhart

Stephanie Burkhart takes us on a wonderful tour of this magical country that gave rise to vampires and werewolves, with austere castles perched on high cliffs, and their many secret passages. There is even an explanation of how the first vampire, Vlad the impaler, came to be.

I didn't mind that the author took a few liberties with history, since she gives the reader a warning up front. Her compelling characters are young and extremely likeable... Prince Stephan is wise beyond his years, and Princess Caroline is strong and compassionate. They face a dangerous fate, as they plan their royal wedding, the unification of Romania, and do so as they struggle to defeat a curse... not to forget falling in love, despite the trappings of their political marriage.

In this novel full of danger and intrigue, sexy scenes, and unspeakable secrets, the werewolves are the villains, and oh how dangerous they are, and unwashed, and uncivilized. The kind of villains you love to hate.

I would recommend to read the first book to better understand the enchanted nineteenth century world the author created for this series. I can't wait for book three

Find the book at DESERT BREEZE PUBLISHING

Also available in eBook in nook at B&N and at Amazon in kindle, as well as at ARe.