J. J. Lore writes sexy and passionate romance novels. Her covers are yummy.
Author Bio:
J. J. Lore has been interested in the dashing folks who roam outer space since she was transfixed by Han Solo piloting the Millennium Falcon a long time ago in a theatre far, far away. Sadly, there is no way for her to join in the fun of intergalactic adventures unless she writes them, so that’s what she does whenever she isn’t taking care of the business of life. If you can’t find her typing madly on her sluggish keyboard, she’s probably poking around in a thrift store searching for the perfect pair of worn jeans or a vintage silk scarf. These days she puts her anthropology degree to work when she whips up dishes from many different cultures, most of which benefit from a liberal dose of sriracha or a smear of green curry paste. Her favorite reading topics are costume history, epidemiology, and permaculture, all of which she’d like to work into a story if she’s suddenly overcome with a brilliant idea someday.
1. Tell us about yourself.
Probably the contrasts in my life define me. I grew up in a rural community and currently live in the largest metro area in the state. I was an independent loner through much of my adulthood, but now I’m married and a parent. I love to travel but hate to leave my house, you get the idea!
2. When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I’ve always had stories in my head, I’ve rewritten movie scripts as I’ve watched the film, and I love to get lost in a picture or an object and imagine the tale behind it. After some family health scares, I started to write a few of my stories down, just to give my brain an alternate route for the stress, and after the first few, they actually held together well enough for me to submit a couple on a whim. After signing a couple of contracts, it seemed like this was something I could do.
3. What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I don’t read romance at all, even though that’s what I write! I always feel weird when I admit that, but I simply don’t. It’s probably because I use up all my romance mojo when I’m writing, and I don’t have any left for recreational reading. When I do read, it’s science thrillers, horror, or non-fiction.
4. Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
It’s definitely for adults, as I’m a ‘bedroom door open’ sort of romance writer. Plus I like to write about all sorts of relationships.
5. What is your current release or project?
I just had a new release, Immersion. Its book 2 in my Fallen Earth RH series. It’s a mash up of alternate timelines, alien invasion, and WWII, so there were a lot of plates to keep spinning. Plus, since it’s reverse harem, my heroine has three love interests.
6. Tell us about the key characters.
This is definitely Marie’s story. She’s a modern-day woman kidnapped from our timeline and shifted to a new one to help fight an alien invasion that took place at the end of World War II. She has a special skill that the men of her squad need in order to fulfill their mission of clearing a city of carnivorous creatures that have been seeded on Earth to clear it for an as-yet unexplained reason.
7. What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
I’m barely surviving the world’s toughest hands-on training course, but at least my three instructors are kind. And increasingly attractive. We’re still in the same devastated city with voracious aliens waiting at every turn, but instead of checking houses, we’re now clearing entire factory buildings, and I’ve forgotten what it’s like to relax.
Everywhere I turn is danger, or one of the men sworn to protect me. They’ve become so important to me, I fear for their safety as much as my own, especially when the creatures we’re here to kill keep evolving, making everything we thought we knew obsolete. One thing I do know is that my extracurricular desires will put a strain on the bond we share if I act on them.
When we join other extermination units, my special skills provoke unwanted attention, and instill a suspicion that maybe I’m not as safe with my men as I’d hoped. It’s a difficult lesson to learn that some of my fellow fighters might be just as treacherous as the creatures we’re ordered to kill.
8. Share an excerpt .
The babble from outside had remained constant, so I was prepared for the throngs of people inside. The men formed up around me like we were entering an alien nest, and we worked our way down the corridor, deeper into the building. We passed restrooms where I heard the rush of flowing water and smiled. To be able to wash my hands properly again!
Etak must have noticed my expression, as he halted and gestured at the doorway helpfully marked ‘Girls’. I wanted to hug him I was so thrilled, but instead, I scuttled inside, awestruck by the shiny, newly-cleaned tiles and swinging doors. A bank of blinding white porcelain sinks ran along one mirrored wall, and I thought I even spied a shower stall at the far end. It was a vision and I walked in with as much awe as I would have entering a five-star hotel.
Big bars of yellow soap were at every sink, and there was a cloth towel on a ratcheting roller, a device I only vaguely remembered seeing in old movies. I waited a moment, then turned on the handle marked ‘H”. Water began to run, and with satisfaction, I watched steam rise from the sink. It was hot. My skin turned pink as I ran my hands under it, then spent several moments making soapy foam, so much it dripped from my wrists.
“It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” a feminine voice spoke up behind me and I looked in the mirror.
Behind me stood a young woman, also dressed in tan and slate blue. Her eyes were amber-brown, and her full and flushed cheeks made me think of an advertisement for face cream. “I arrived yesterday and I think I’ve washed my hands fifty times already.”
“Hi. I’m Marie,” I said, holding out my hand, which was still covered with soapy bubbles. She laughed as I rinsed it.
“I saw you slip in here and decided to follow and introduce myself. I’m Colette. From Quebec, originally. The future, I suppose you’d say.”
So that was the slight accent I’d picked up. “Ohio, for me. Are you all right?” I didn’t know what I was asking, but I suddenly wanted to hear her story. Just like with Brit, knowing someone else was in the same shoes as I made me curious.
“Very well. There are books for us, if you like to read. And they’ve tried to make the food good.” Colette made a little shrug. “Infinitely better than crawling through the muck.”
“How long have you—” A low voice calling out her name stopped me.
Colette raised a winged eyebrow and sighed. “Aken, I’ll be out soon. Give me a moment more.”
I clenched my hands together, suddenly sad that she would be going and we’d only just met.
“I’ll find you later, Marie. They worry so much, and then one of them might unwittingly make a comment about taking so much time in here, and then we’ll spat.” She made a pffting noise. “For all their special training, sometimes the old-fashioned notions emerge.”
“I hope you do. Find me later, not spat.” I held out my hand again and worried she’d think I was odd, but she grasped it, then leaned in for a quick air kiss.
“Relax, eat, rest, be clean. Enjoy the respite while you can.” She narrowed her eyes and looked me over. “They don’t know how difficult it is, to have the creatures invade our bodies the way they do. It’s exhausting.”
I nodded, relieved to hear her put that terrible sensation into words. “It’s like they crawl up my nose.”
Colette gave a sniff as Aken called for her again. “Exactly. I will see you later, but need to go before he bursts a blood vessel.”
I waved as she left, then felt foolish, like the new girl in school desperate for a friend. I did need a friend, a whole boatload of them, but the time I might have with anyone here was limited. Drawn back to the luxury of the facilities, I checked all the amenities, washed my hands one last time, and left the quiet bathroom. I’d heard a continuous low mutter from the men’s next door and was unsurprised to find a line outside it when I emerged. Even though there were women among the soldiers, and other sniffers like me, males were the majority gender here.
9. Do you have a favorite scene?
That’s like asking me to pick my favorite cheese. I can’t do it!
10. What advice would you give a beginner?
Your first book is a trial run. It’s meant to test you, show you your weaknesses, and humble you. Pick yourself up, learn your lessons, and book number two will be better.
Social media links:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/J-J-Lore/1393971707546734
Twitter @JJLore1
Purchasing links https://www.amazon.com/Immersion-Fallen-Earth-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B07KKMLCMX/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1543853338&sr=1-1&keywords=Immersion+J.+J.+Lore