Sky's End by Lesley Young (Guest post, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY, Goddess Fish Tours)

I have the pleasure of having author Lesley Young visiting the blog today...with an excerpt from her exciting book and musings on...

Three reasons why aliens make super hot heroes

By Lesley Young

Author of Sky's End, Book One in the Cassiel Winters series

I just want to state that for the record, I was never ‘into’ aliens before I wrote Sky's End, Book One in the Cassiel Winters series. Okay. I did have a thing for Worf (the hulking Klingon from Star Trek Next Gen) back in high school. But that was long before I started reading genre novels in my late 20s.

Nope. Back then, my heroes had to be human, preferably kilted, bulging, ahem, biceps, obsessive about their love interest, wickedly passionate, you know the tropes. Then a few authors gave those handsome Scottish rogues Fae powers and a new hero was borne: one who could travel across dimensions, who had to learn to tame his other-worldly power in order to love a wee lass with a big heart. Around the same time, the vampire was back in vogue—the wickeder the better— all ready for some unsuspecting human woman to help him find his humanity, and then join him truly forever after.

So the fact that one of Sky’s End’s heroes would be from an alien warrior race called Thell’eon is as much as surprise to me as those who know me. But, after giving it a little thought, I think I figured out why, and why the whole genre of sci-fi romance is more popular than ever.

Alien heroes are irresistibly mysterious. I guess. . .I was ready for something a little less predictable. Fae, lycan, vampire. . .there was nothing original, no culture, no rule, no type of behaviour, no personality that had not been done. Don’t get me wrong: I still read my share of these stories. But with a hero from another planet: everything is brand new. The hero’s appearance, his behaviors, his values, his approach to seduction, what turns him on, how he responds to human behaviors. . .the possibilities are endless and thus, at least to me, endlessly entertaining. 

Alien heroes are the ultimate real fantasy. I didn’t just create a bunch of seven-foot-tall, branded . . .MMA fighters. I created a whole new species, with a culture rooted in biological origins. Just one example: the anatomy of the Thell’eon female prevents them from experiencing pleasure from sex. That has a huge impact on the male culture, their behaviors, their approaches to women in general, never mind the first woman they ever set eyes on (my heroine—Cassiel Winters).

Alien heroes open the door to brand new kind of happy ending. No I’m not just talking about heading off with a shooting star overhead versus a sunset in the background. When every human or earthly convention is turned on its head, no way will a relationship grow, no way will an understanding, a compassion and passion for each other develop in a traditional way. Alien love begs the question of the author, what is human love and would other species love differently? Could they even love each other for real?

Ah, I love exploring these questions as I write the Book Two in the Cassiel Winters Series. In the meantime, I’d love to hear who your favorite sci-fi hunks are. Thanks for the spending time with me.



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BLURB:


A secret she must never share. A secret that two warring species are determined to control. A universe’s future at stake.

Twenty-year-old Cassiel Winters joins Earth’s new space academy in hopes of finding her brother, one of Command’s top pilots and her only family, who’s been reported MIA. But she quickly realizes she may not be cut out for life in space, where female cadets are outnumbered, competition’s fierce, and she’s already failed her hand-to-hand combat test once.

When Cassiel’s manipulated into a perilous mission, she encounters a warrior species bred to protect the universe from an even greater threat. And she learns that her secret visions are at the heart of it all. Now Cassiel must fight to control her own destiny and race to save her brother—even if it means pretending to be the pawn of Prime Or’ic, the cold-as-steel Thell’eon leader. Even if it means risking her life, facing hard truths, and making the ultimate sacrifice.


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Excerpt:

“You would understand us,” Prime Or’ic beseeches me, hands out. He places them on the downcore, searching the room, until he spots what he’s looking for. He returns with a stool and sits on it, making him eye level with me. A first. “Our beliefs,” he starts and stops. I’ve never seen him this . . . uncertain. “Kirs spend a lifetime training and fighting Aeon. We strive to achieve a perfect Horde, knowing the likelihood is incredibly small. And still we prevail. To get the chance to have, to fight with a sift,” he corrects himself, “with you, is . . . sacred. Once given, it is understood to be a right that is earned.”

“So you think I was, what, given to you?”

He rolls his eyes, frustrated. Ah, that’s more familiar. When he focuses back on me, his eyes are different. Earnest, I think.

 “Think of how you ‘fell’ into our path. ESE sent you to our ship! You! When you took my beacon portal, then I knew for certain. It was our destiny to have a sift. You belong to us!”

His vehemence scares me more than the simple deduction. Those things all happened, but not so that I could be his sift. Not even so I could help ESE get the sift (isn’t that ironic?). But so that I could save my brother Daz! I’m certain of this. Being their sift is not my destiny. And even if I believed in that crap, I would never belong to them. Or anyone.

“I’m a human being, Or’ic!”

“I know, I know,” he says, touching my hand with his.

I pull away. I don’t like they way he’s looking at me. Not at all. He doesn’t understand that I wasn’t speaking literally. I meant to say that I’m not an object. But he continues, oblivious to his mistake.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 Journalist Lesley Young never thought she would delve into the world of writing fiction, but when she sat down for the first time to put pen to paper, ideas for what would become her first novel just poured out naturally. Young’s first book, “Sky’s End,” is a multi-genre tale that showcases her unique style of weaving romance, action and wit into one page-burning story.

Young was born in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. She holds an arts degree from the University of Alberta and a journalism degree from the University of Victoria.

Young now lives in Loretto, Ontario where she works as a journalist, freelance writer and editor for health, décor and business magazines. Since 2008, Young has written more than 300 articles for print and online media including Profit, Toronto Life, MSN Green, and Elle Canada among others. She is a regular contributor to Reader’s Digest, Best Health, Canadian Living and House and Home Magazine.

Young has won three gold honors for feature stories from the National Business Magazine Awards and another top media award from the Canadian Dermatology Association.

Soul Mate Publishing released “Sky’s End” on July 15 in paperback and e-book and since its launch, it has remained an Amazon Best Seller. The novel is Young’s first installment in a series about Cassiel Winters, a futuristic heroine, and her outer space escapades.



Website
Facebook link for series


Amazon buy link

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GIVEAWAY

Lesley will be awarding a $50 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.  Please leave a comment about your favorite alien being (and don't forget to enter the rafflecopter for a copy of the book!)




Lesley will be awarding print copies of “Sky’s End” to ten randomly drawn winners, and a grand prize of one $50 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/12/virtual-book-tour-skys-end-by-lesley.html