JESSICA ANDERSEN, author of the Novels of the Final Prophecy, asks: What Scares You?
Today we have Harlequin and Signet author, JESSICA ANDERSEN, author of the Novels of the Final Prophecies visiting the ship. This paranormal series about the Doomsday prophecies has lots of plot twists, some amazingly hot characters, and all the emotional angst a reader could want. Her latest, SKYKEEPERS, is out in stores now.
I've already read SKYKEEPERS and I officially think it's my favorite so far. Michael is deliciously tortured; Sasha, sassy and strong. And their sexual tension? To die for. If you've read Ms. Andersen's work before, you're in for a real treat with this one. Don't miss it!
Take it away, Doc Jess!
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Hello, and thanks to Marnee for inviting me to visit and talk about SKYKEEPERS: A NOVEL OF THE FINAL PROPHECY!
One randomly selected commenter will win a signed copy of NIGHTKEEPERS or DAWNKEEPERS, which are the first two books in this sexy series of paranormal thrillers. And, of course, SKYKEEPERS is in a bookstore near you now!
Here’s the blurb:
Ancient prophecy holds that 12/21/2012 will bring a global cataclysm. Mankind’s only hope lies with the Nightkeepers, modern magic-wielding warriors who must find their destined mates and fulfill the legends to defeat the rise of terrible Mayan demons in the last few years leading up to 2012.
In SKYKEEPERS, Michael Stone is a man with a dark secret that has skewed his magical abilities dangerously toward the underworld. Seeking redemption, he sets out on a perilous mission to save the daughter of Ambrose Ledbetter, a renowned Mayanist who died before he could reveal the location of a hidden library. The Nightkeepers must find the library before their enemies gain access to its valuable cache of spells and prophecies.
Sasha Ledbetter grew up hearing heroic tales of an ancient group of powerful magi who were destined to save the world from destruction. She never expected that her bedtime stories would come to life in the form of Nightkeeper Michael Stone, or that she’d hold the key to the warrior’s survival. As Sasha and Michael join forces to prevent the imminent battle, sparks of attraction ignite between them, and they’re forced to confront the unexpected passion that brings them together … and also tears them apart.
This series (and particularly this book) often looks at what makes people afraid. In the largest sense, the overall arc is about the fear of death and endings: The Nightkeepers are fighting to keep the world from ending, and to keep themselves (and future generations) alive. But more, it’s about the fear of failure: The Nightkeepers’ parents sacrificed themselves in an effort to short-circuit the 12/21/2012 countdown, but it continued and their children grew up orphans, in many cases not realizing their true natures. Now reunited, the modern magi are struggling to find their footing amidst new magic, ancient prophecies, and things that go bump in the night.
Within each story, the hero and heroine must deal with more personal fears. In SKYKEEPERS, Michael fears the loss of control—of his temper, his soul, the situation around him … and his heart. Likewise, Sasha fears change, growth, and learning the truth about her father and herself.
I think we can all relate to these fears, some of which might reflect back on our own lives. The concept of a relatable fear is in part what makes us (as readers) connect with a story, even if it’s about something that might not be in our immediate lives, such as Mayan magi, or vampires, or spacemen … The world of the story might interest us, but without a relatable character, it’s just a world. It’s the characters that help us connect.
Beyond the ‘big picture’ stuff, smaller fears can become important details that help bring your characters to life. In the fourth book in this series (DEMONKEEPERS, April ’10), the hero is recovering from a demonic possession that kept him trapped inside his own skull for nearly a year. As such, he emerges badly claustrophobic, to the point that he avoids his own couch because its soft, enfolding cushions and high arms make him feel trapped.
Most often, these small details about a character emerge as I’m writing the story. Sometimes I don’t even know why someone has a certain phobia at first, only to see it later and think, “Duh. Of course!” But by the same token, (as a writer) don’t be afraid to think about your characters’ phobias and use them as quirks, or clues into that person’s backstory. As part of this, I’ve always thought that it’s interesting to look at the wide variety of phobias out there, and think about where they might stem from, and what interesting behaviors those fears might create.
Here’s one of mine: I have to minutely check over my earmuff-type hearing protectors every time I put them on, whether for mowing, nail-gunning, target practice, or whatnot. This is contrary to my overall character, as I’m fairly easygoing about my equipment and its state of repair (my significant other is the maintenance guy in the family- I tend to use what’s available, then complain when it breaks).
So … what does this mean? As a writer, if I had an otherwise casual (borderline too casual) character who insisted on obsessing about one piece of equipment (hearing protectors), I would ask myself: why? An immediate answer in this case might be that I might be afraid of going deaf. Maybe I have a family history of deafness, or already have some hearing impairment, making me hyperconscious of hearing protection. Okay, that’s not bad … but it’s not the case here.
So let’s go a level deeper. What might have happened to this character (me) to make her obsess over her hearing protectors? Well, in most cases, I use hearing protectors with a built-in radio (thus why I use earmuffs over earplugs). That might suggest that I’m easily bored, and don’t like being left alone with my own thoughts when doing activities that require hearing protection (check and check). But it also suggests that something might’ve happened with the radio, thus causing my paranoia. Did it short-circuit, zapping me unconsciousness one day? Nice try, but no.
For me, the answer is another fear that I think many people can relate to: Spiders. Now, I don’t love spiders, but I’ve learned to tolerate them without screaming and bolting. For the most part, anyway. But one day a few years ago, I shut off the mower mid-chore one morning, stripped off my gloves and ear protectors, and went inside to get a drink. When I got back to the mower, I skipped my usual (and semi-casual) “check to make sure nothing crawled into the earmuffs” routine—it’d only been a couple of minutes, after all.
Well, I hadn’t mowed much further when there was a tickle in my ear. Thinking it was a stray piece of hair, I pulled off the muffs, scratched my ear, put them back on, and continued mowing. The tickle returned; I repeated the scratch, this time glancing into the muff to see if there was something in there—a piece of grass or something. I didn’t see anything. Tickle, look, scratch. Rinse; repeat.
This went on for a good ten minutes before I finally shut down the mower, took the headphones all the way off, and examined them in detail, only to find a BIG, JUICY BROWN SPIDER hiding all tucked up under the lining. Aaahhh!!! It looked like he (she?) had been hiding up there when I took off the muffs, and then when I put them back on, s/he would come out in the nice, warm darkness to explore MY EAR. Urgh. (Shuddering at the memory.)
From a character standpoint, we could go deeper with this, into how I had an uncle who suffered a catastrophic aneurysm in his forties, and a grandmother with late-onset Alzheimers. I’ve got an ego about being fairly intelligent, make my living as a writer and technical editor (both brain-critical jobs), and live with a low-grade fear of brain injury: I ride showjumpers, and although I always wear the latest in crash helmet technology, head injuries are unfortunately a risk in the sport. And while I intellectually know that there’s an infinitesimal chance that the spider could have crawled up inside my ear canal and laid eggs, and then that the resulting progeny could have somehow burrowed up into my brain, thereby damaging it … I had nightmares for a couple of weeks after that incident. Seriously. I would wake up, convinced there were baby spiders coming out of my ear and I couldn’t remember my own name.
Thus we arrive at the otherwise-casual character who obsesses about her ear protectors.
Will I ever use this particular detail and backstory for a character? Maybe. Probably not. But I think it gives an interesting perspective on how small details can provide larger insights into characters, and how it’s important to keep both large and small details in mind when writing a story.
So tell me … what small, strange thing scares you (and if you’re willing to share … why)???
*****
Dive in there, ladies and gent, let's give ourselves the creeps. And don't forget, one lucky commenter will receive a signed copy of NIGHTKEEPERS or DAWNKEEPERS!
Books by the Crew
37 comments:
I just bought this book--technically--yesterday! I love this series because I love the fear it invokes of "End of the World", which is a fear of mine. Of course, I don't fear the end of the world through logical means like "global warming" or "nuclear warfare" but by Second Comings and Mayan Prophecies...I'm spiritual that way.
SNAKES scare the F out of me. Spiders, not so much. I have spiders all over my apartment. I can't practically turn around without a damned spider greeting me, but they're small and they don't crawl in my ears, so we live in a fragile truce.
The truce does not apply to snakes. I told my BFF about the spider problem. She shuddered (she's like Ron Weasley about spiders) and I said something about snakes. "Don't tell me there was a snake in your apartment!" "Dude, if there had been a snake in my apartment, you would have known. I would have done a complete Samuel L. Jackson: Get this motherf*ckin snake out of my motherf*ckin apartment! on the phone to the landlord."
Crowds of people also freak me out. I don't like being in the mall at times. Hordes of teenagers are the worst. I spend a lot of time bolting to clearings just to get away from them.
Great review and I love the cover!
Wasps and hornets scare the heck out of me because when I was younger a wasp was chasing me and another time a hornet landed on my nose and started crawling over my face (I had a hard time standing still).
Ants. OMG don't get me started about ants. Where did it begin? Likely from the movie "Them" and the big giant spiders that terrorized the countryside. Years later I casually...ok, decades later...I casually reached into a pantry to pull out a block of lard and found it and my hand black with ants.
I sat out on the patio until my husband came home and cleaned out my pantry. I remember, I was shaking. I have nightmares about ants...ant hills rising in the middle of my living room carpet... Houses tipping into loose soil caused by massive ant metropolisis-is-is...sss.
Yes, it was the movies. Another one with the army ants in Africa...hillsides covered with ants that ate everything in their path. Impressionable young mind being corrupted...poisoned!
These dumb images get into yer mind and set up housekeeping, send out reminders ta let ya know... "We're still here-ere!"
The series sounds fascinating. I looked the other day while out shopping but me small bookstores had nothin'! Scoundrals! I'll keep lookin'.
Welcome ta the Revenge, Jessica. I be the barkeep here, let me know if'n any a' the special drinks appeals ta ya. In yer honor, may I suggest...The Phobia Phenom. Or the Mayan Mixer.
Hi Jessica, welcome aboard!
I recently read one of your romantic suspense novels 'Snowed in with the Boss'. I loved it and was very impressed with the way that you made the clever secretary take fingerprints from a crowbar using household chemicals, and then email them to forensic. I was intending to download more of your suspense books, but if the future is paranormal perhaps I should switch to your new series!
May I ask what made you change tack from a winning formula?
Some might say 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'
I like the idea of picking something mysterious or mystical from the past, the Mayan prediction of the end of time (or the end of the fourth sun time cycle) in the case under discussion, and extrapolating into the unknown future. As you will undoubtedly know, there are many other possibilities so that the potential for similar novels is vast.
Gotta keep one eye on the profits! 8)
The link to the past through an ancient manuscript or archaeological relic, seems to me to add a vital element of plausibility which I guess can heighten the spine chilling terror to be encountered. *grin*
Two years ago I had a wasp nest in my loft and the little creatures found a way through the cavity wall into my bedroom. I was awakened one morning with a couple of young wasps crawling on my face. Not knowing what they were at first, I used a hand to let one crawl onto a finger and then had a good look. Staring at the 'face' of a wasp at such close quarters is a strange experience. The creature seemed to sense that I was observing it so it stopped and seemed to look back at me. That contact with an 'alien' creature was a little frightening.
With the SETI project searching space for alien intelligence, I wonder how frightening it might be to encounter an aggressive alien intelligence based on insect life forms. There is no guarantee that they would be as friendly and cuddly as ET in the Spielberg film! If one landed in my garden I think it might scare the pants off me!
I seem to remember that Anne McCaffrey explored that idea a little in one of her her 'Damien' books, using giant spiders.
Lovely to meet you, especially after enjoying one of your books! :D
Do try one of Chance's cocktails before replying....guaranteed to get you in the right spirit to cope with these pirates. :lol:
First off, thanks so much to Marnee for inviting me to hang out here today with you guys at the Revenge, and for the fab review of SKYKEEPERS!
Hellion-- Okay, you deal with my spiders and I'll take care of your snakes, okay? I used to have a pet snake named Nessie, and now know where all the garter and black snakes on my property hang out so I can avoid them with the mower. Granted, we haven't had any appear randomly in the house (that might get my adrenaline going), but I'll take a snake over those furry, creepy-looking wolf spiders we get any day! LOL on the Samuel Jackson moment :)
Terri W.- Props for standing still! My significant other, Brian, is also bee/wasp-phobic (I'm sure there's a name for it- apophobic? waspophobic? lol). He's been known to scream like a girl when one startles him (but don't tell him I told you so- snicker).
Chance- Mix me up for a Virgin Sacrifice, please! One of the themes in SKYKEEPERS is the Mayan use of chocolate in ritual, it should have some cacao or chocolate syrup somewhere. Maybe a frozen chai latte with swirls of chocolate and strawberry (for the gory sacrificial effect)?
And ants ... you know, I had stopped being creeped out by ants, but your mention of the ant swarm movie brought a *huge* visceral memory of having seen that same move (or a version thereof) when I was a kid. Maybe as part of a Creature Double Feature? Not sure. But eeeuuuwwwwwgghhh!
I'm afraid of fog, to, thanks to the original "The Fog," come to think of it. Aren't movies cool?
Quantum- Thanks so much for your kind comments on SNOWED IN! That was a fun book to write. It was part of a multi-author continuity, so I had to work within the overall story bible of the continuity, while making it my own story, in part by including scientific aspects where they might not have seemed obvious (i.e. performing a forensic investigation in the middle of a killer blizzard, using household items).
As for why I'm writing the two different types of books (I'm still writing for Intrigue: MOUNTAIN INVESTIGATION was a July release, and INTERNAL AFFAIRS will be out in October), I'd say there are two main reasons: One, I've written more than twenty Intrigues since first selling to them in 2002, and while I love the stories, my editors, and the Intrigue fans, I felt that I needed to do something different to keep the stories fresh and interesting. So I had been looking for a big, different idea for a series when I came across the 2012 end date for the calendar of the Maya, and thought 'that's what I have to write about!'
Which leads to the second reason, which is that in order to write the Keeper books the way I want to, I had to go outside the Intrigue format. The Keeper books are three times the length of an Intrigue, contain multiple POVs, and strong paranormal elements. These books give me more freedom as a writer, and I'm fascinated by the research, which has become as much a hobby as a job.
That being said, it's a very nice change when, after turning in one of the big manuscripts, I can work on an Intrigue or a novella, knowing that the end isn't that far away!
I have to admit that I haven't read the Damien books (though have read most of Anne McCaffrey's other series. (Shudders) Giant spiders. Yeah, that'd freak me out!
Thanks for the warm welcome, Revengers!
Hi Jess! Welcome again! We're sooo glad you can be here.
I forgot to put in my intro that Jess's Intrigue, TWIN TARGETS, was a RITA finalist this year. :)
My big fears? Well, I'm not a big fan of wolf spiders, though I'm definitely glad I've never had one in the ear. And I don't dig snakes either, but well, not horribly afraid. I really don't like heights. I remember my sister and brother hanging from the third floor balcony of the Capitol building, dead certain that they were going to plunge to a horrifying death. And I was going to have to watch it all. *shivers*
Not a big fan of flying. Definitely don't like being in tall buildings.
I'll once again throw out that I love love LOVED SKYKEEPERS! I knew I was going to love Michael and well, I did. He's very Beauty and the Beast yummy.
Did you set out to use that archetype or did it just feel right for Michael to wrestle with two very different parts of his personality?
Also, I'm really excited that Lucius' book is next. I loved him since his nerdy days in the first book. Though, from the excerpt in the back of my SKYKEEPER book, I assume that those days are long gone.
I wanted to ask you also... have you planned out your entire series or are you going to leave it open ended? I assume that you have some sort of final showdown planned, because of the whole doomsday thing. That is kind of a good deadline. But I wasn't sure. And if so, how many more books do you have planned for this series?
HI Pirates! I'm back from Ireland and just had to stop by here this morning.
Welcome Jessica and congrats on the Rita nomination!
The little thing that scares me the most are the small green tree frogs. I'm fine with large toads, but there is something about the small slimy green ones that flips me out. I think it stems back to one landing on my shoulder as a little girl and scaring the crap out of me!
I'm also afraid of snakes, but am fine with spiders, ants, rats, etc. Snakes in captitivity don't bother me - walking up on one or finding one in my house does! I don't do well with surprises of the animal kind!
Hi Sabrina! Welcome back. Hope you had a good and safe trip!
Hi, Jessica!
I love your Nightkeepers!! I picked up Skykeepers yesterday, and it's
wonderful.
I am afraid of snakes, I just think they're yucky.
Bees, I'm not fond of either. When I was about 9, I was third in a line of four and we were running through the woods when the first person stepped on a wasp? hornet? nest, and we were engulfed in a swarm. Everyone but me ran, I froze. Steve, who is still my hero today, ran into the swarm to get me and pull me out. I had bees stuck in my long hair, and over 100 stings, mostly from my shoulders up.
So bees in large numbers scare me.
Di
I'm now slightly worried I have baby spiders in my ear and the spider didn't get anywhere near me. *shudder* Ugh, I hate spiders. Nothing makes me flip out more like a little girl than a spider crawling towards me. I once ditched my car in mid-drive because one of those little furry tarantula looking ones fell from the sunroof and onto my steering wheel. We had one of those character moments when a second felt like forever and it stared at me and I screamed and baled. Thank goodness I was on a gravel road and my car just kinda rolled into the ditch.
Omigosh Di! How scary!
I forgot to mention how much I love your Final Prophecy series. I love your writing. I love the story lines and the characters. Have you always been interested in Mayan history?
Oh God, Sin. That sounds horrible. :( I remember seeing one in one of my mom's boots. Those wolf spiders. Totally creepy.
Marnee- Hey! (waves) Thanks for the kind words!
Re: Michael as the Beauty and the Beast archetype ... um, can I admit that you're the first one to point that out?? I guess that's why they call them archetypes- lol. For me, he was a hard guy to figure out, because we'd never been in his POV before, and I hadn't honestly planned on having him be the hero of the third book. Then he emerged as such a powerful figure in that fight scene with Nate in Dawnkeepers, and he just *had* to be the next hero. It took me a long time to figure him out, and several heavy revisions of the story to get the balance right. I'm very, very gratified that the book seems to really be striking a chord with fans and readers, because it was a *hard* book to write.
Re Lucius: Yes, his story is next, and I'm very excited about it (the manuscript just went into production for release next April). I would say that although he's outgrown some of his nerdiness, he's still an inner geek, if that makes sense. He's one of the characters I relate best to (along with Rabbit), as I was the nerdy, unathletic outsider growing up, and even though I've grown up into a relatively fit, personable human being, there are still plenty of situations that can put me back into that mindset in a flash. In the next book, Lucius not only has to deal with some major physical changes on the one hand, while still struggling with being the odd man out and not meeting his own expectations.
Re story planning: I've got the whole arc planned out up to 2012, in nine books total. That being said, I've already had storylines take some major left-hand turns on me when I least expected it, so my plans are all subject to change without notice!
Sabrina- Hi, and thanks for the welcome! We don't have slimy little green frogs around here (New England) that I'm aware of, but I'll definitely be on my guard!
Di R- Hey, and thanks for the props on the Keepers books! I love writing these stories, and am grateful that you're buying them as they come out, as that increases my chances of being able to keep writing them! Okay, that's a truly cringe-inducing bee story! Mad points to your Steve for the rescue!
Sin- Sorry for the morning heebie jeebies! I, too, have had the mid-drive freak out when a spider comes out of nowhere. I can't say I've ever actually ditched the car, but I've definitely pulled over with a screech to deal with the offender!
Thanks for loving the books! Re my interest in the Maya, yes it goes way back. Back when Cancun was just starting to be developed as a tourist destination, my parents used to take me down every spring, and we'd spend a week or three ruin-ratting. This was before everything was roped off and regulated (as much of it is now), so I got to go inside the pyramids, dangle my feet over the edge of the Cenote Sagrada, and generally *absorb*. I've remained fascinated by the culture ever since, so when I found a reference to the 2012 end date (which ties into my love of action-adventure books and movies, especially those with archaeological ties and end-of-the-world stakes), it was like: Aha! *There* you are, big story idea. I've been looking for you.
Hi Jessica! I love the premise for your series - definitely have to check it out! And I will happily fend off everyone's wildlife nemeses - growing up in the woods, I've had all manner of creepy critters find their way into my house.
I get a lot of grief from, well, everyone about my big fear. I'm scared of eyeballs. Touching, viewing close up, injuring - it all freaks me out and sends me squealing into the other room. It's why I wear reading glasses (and always will) instead of contacts - I can't even watch other people put in contact lenses, much less stick something in my OWN eye!
I also have an irrational fear of completely losing my fingernails/toenails. I actually went to the doctor once because I was worried that a toenail broken at the base wouldn't grow back. Fortunately for me, he was similarly sqwicked out by the possibility.
I don't know from whence these fears came - if there was a logical origin, I've long since buried it in the tangled realm of my psyche!
What an experience! I can easily see how your love of the culture translates into your writing.
Jessica, great to meet you!
I love doomsday/spiritual/ancient curses, threats, prophesy stuff, so it sounds as though your books are meant for me!
I fear anything that should be outside coming inside. Snakes--OMG!--especially need to remain outdoors and where I cannot see tham. At all. Ever.
Thanks for a fascinating post.
Jess - I have to wait until April for Lucius?!
Plans subject to change, huh? I could see that. There seems like there's sooo much involved.
Oh, I know I mentioned to you before the I loved Rabbit, but he was just as wonderful in this book. He's really growing but that spark of rebellion and punk about him is still there and makes me want to see how he's going to end up in the end. Especially with the decision Michael makes about him.... That was great too.
I'm so sorry I'm late. Crazy, crazy morning.
Welcome to The Revenge, Jessica. Marn has been beside herself excited about your visit and I can see why. These books do sound great. I know this is early in the series, but what's the deal with reading them out of order? Would that throw everything off?
I'm not sure it's a fear, I just hate bugs. Bugs of any kind. I can handle snakes better than bugs. I think I might have a fear of falling down. As a child I was always having that dream where you feel like you're falling over a cliff or something and you jerk yourself awake. Doesn't happen so much anymore, but I'm always worried about falling down steps or something.
Could be the result of being a very klutsy kid with an accident prone father. :)
Forgot to say that is amazing about your experiences as a child. I believe our childhood experiences play a huge part in making us interesting adults, which is why it's depressing that as I child I never went anywhere. No vacation. No camping. Nothing even remotely cool like Mayan ruins.
I blame my parents for my lack of interesting-ness.
Hi Jess.
Congrats on the release of your latest. I find I'm afraid of everything. I'm getting better with spiders, except if they're in my ears. LOL. I find that my brain tends to get into the "Worst Case Senario" mode all the time.
My latest irrational fear is that someone dies in my presence. I'm sure it would be fine, but I just don't want to be there.
Michelle
A Virgin Sacrifice it is! Now, where can I find a virgin? ;)
The Kraken lurks at the portside ever since I fed 'im Inner Critics... I'm sure he'd play a part.
Oh! You mean a drink?!
Welcome back, Sabrina! Still hate you!
Now, Jessica, we have to hope the prophecy isn't true, or all the books won't be out before the end of the world! Or did I read that wrong and they'll just make it in the nick a time?
Kelly- Take my spiders, please! And okay, I know I shouldn't laugh, but the eyeball and fingernail/toenail phobias had me roaaaring! If you were a story character, that'd be some amazing characterization :)
Dee- It's nice to 'meet' you! I think you've got a good rule of thumb there. If it's meant to be outside, it should STAY there.
Marnee- Dude, I'm writing as fast as I can! These suckers take some work to get off the ground :)
terrio- Hi, and thanks for the welcome! Re reading the books out of order, I try to make them stand alone as satisfying stories in their own right, but I do think you get more out of them if you read them in order. FREX, I started Bujold's Vorkosigan books in the middle and read them in random order, and enjoyed them thoroughly. However, when I reread them in order, I found layers that hadn't been apparent at first. I'd like to think the same applies to this series.
Michelle- Hi! (waves) I think we've got a bug theme going here- lol!
Chance- The plan is to have all nine books (plus at least one novella) on the shelves by mid-end of 2012. Wish me luck!
LOL! I understand they take time. :) Can't help being impatient, I suppose. I'll take a deep breath.... LOL!!
But yay, 6 more books and a novella by mid to end of 2012. That sounds perfect to me.
Hi Jessica,
Slugs scare me. I know they can't hurt me but usually I'm not expecting them and I find them while cleaning stuff from the garden. Usually I feel it before I see it and I've screamed, jumped and thrown the slug before I've had a chance to think.
Oh, that's funny! I love Bujold's Miles books! I was rantin' about them here on the Revenge a few weeks ago. Good point 'bout readin' them in order.
So, nine books in the series... Ya have how many out already? 3? 6 more afore mid 2012... Two a year or me math is all skewed. Does sound 'bout right.
Now, I gots ta decide whether ta wait until they are all out to buy 'em and read 'em. Or test me patience and read 'em as they come out...
I be restockin' the chocolate sprinkles fer yer Mayan Mixer. I workin' on pittin' the cherries fer the Virgin's... Try a flaming double stuffed twinkie meanwhile...
Creature Feature? OMG! With the blond guy, glasses? I loved him!
Hi Jessica!
congrats on your release! I'm excited to read this series -- I haven't had a chance yet, but I've heard so many good things I've been recommending you to everyone I know how reads paranormals ;)
I love digging into character's fears. I used to have this insane, irrational fear that my house would burn down and I'd have to run outside naked. I even used to make sure I had clean clothes piled beside the bed or the shower, so that I'd never have to run outside naked.
Of course, I no longer fear this, because sure enough, a few years ago, my apartment building burned down. I ran to the side door, saw 20 foot flames, and took off. With just a down blanket around me, of course (it was four am). To top it off, our neighbors came out the front instead of the side, so didn't realize there actually was a fire. They came wandering out in hats, scarves, gloves, shoes.....yeah, not only did I have to run outside naked in a fire, but I was the ONLY one out there naked for hours on end.
So those crazy irrational fears -- they can come true!
Hal - So that wasn't really an irrational fear, ya was seein' the future!
Livin' in earthquake country, I keeps shoes and items in reach a' the bed. Don't wanna be wanderin' through a house full a' broken glass in the dark. Gots me flashlight...all sorts a things!
Irrational? Nah, jus' practical.
Hal, you might have been the only one naked, but you're the first that the firemen wanted to volunteer to rescue.
"Naked chick in a blanket! I got it!"
"No, dude, you got the last one. I'm on this one."
"I'm captain, I say I got it."
chey- Ewww- I had a 'pick up the dog's water bowl, touch a big, juicy slug' encounter the other day and howled like I'd been mortally wounded. And this is the year for the little buggers, at least in the New England area!
Chance- the Virgin Sacrifice is starting to sound reeeally nice right about now! Build me another!
haleigh- wow, that does sound more like prescience than irrationality. Thanks for the congrats, and for pimping- er, recommending the Keepers to your friends!!
Hellie- LOLOL
Hal - That's insane about your building. How terrifying. But LOL Hells.
I member bein' at a hotel outside a' Boston...the fire alarm goes off at 2 in the mornin'. Fascintatin' ta see what people grab ta take wit' them. Saw two dogs, a wedding dress in plastic bag... I 'ad me big sweater wit' doggies all over bought in Colorado the year before...
What would ya save? Surrounded by wildfires last summer, we packed a suitcase full a' what we'd grab in an emergency. Me weddin' dress, DH's letterman's jacket, jewelry, photos and legal papers...
Hal - Ya did the right thing, ya saved yer skin.
Hi, Jessica! I have to say your series intrigues me. There for a long while my family was very into prophecies. I lived in fear that the world would end every day because there was always some sort of perceived sign in the heavens. Since we've moved out of that zone, but I still freak whenever I hear someone point at all the 'obvious' signs.
Something small that freaks me? I'm very OCD. I just figured out a few weeks ago that it's hereditary when my mother freaked because her sewing pins were organized. Anyway, my groceries have to go on the conveyor belt a certain way. About a month ago the clerk placed a roll of sausage in with my cheese. My first reaction was to throw up, but I held it. And then I did something I've never, ever done. I took the sausage out and put it in it's own bag muttering, "Be thankful I'm not Jewish. NEVER put raw meats with anything else."
But the biggest smallest thing that freaks me out. ANTS. When I was little I stepped in a fire ant hill. That is something I'll never forget. Even though we live in an area where fire ants don't I still freak out over ants.
ReneeLynn - You and me. Ants. Tho I never met the fire ant ones. I thinks I could live the rest a' me life without meetin' them and be jus' fine!
Chance- I'd do my best to save all our pets (we have lots, some of which are semi-feral rescues) and the fireproof box with my flash drives and contracts. Oh, and my significant other- lol.
ReneeLynn- Euwgh on the fire ants. Those suckers HURT!
To all-- I'll check back in tomorrow a.m. to catch any late posts, but wanted to say THANK YOU for letting me hang out, plying me with Virgin Sacrifices, and helping me celebrate the release of SKYKEEPERS!
Jess - We were sooo happy to have you. :) Thanks for coming to chat with us.
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