New releases from author J. A. Huss

RANGE

THE MAGPIE BRIDGE

I Am Just/Not Junco

J. A. Huss

Published: March 27, 2013

Genre: New Adult Science Fiction

RANGE INFO

Two years have passed since Inanna stole Junco away from Lucan. Two years of unimaginable pain. Two years of isolation, mutilation and torture. Two years of fear and loneliness in a morph tank. And that’s not something you just get over, even if you are psycho-assassin, Junco Coot. Now Junco has to learn to live with the consequences. Her Siblings are suspicious and angry, half her team is dead, Tier is wreaking death and destruction, Lucan is holding his secrets close, and she is spiraling out of control. There is only one partnership that matters anymore – only one person she will trust and take direction from – and only one way out of the Hell she’s been sentenced to. Junco is tired of fighting and death. She’s had enough and this time she means to end it – once and for all. Junco is tired of fighting and death. She’s had enough and this time she means to end it – once and for all.

MAGPIE BRIDGE INFO

Raubtier Aves, 039-1, a.k.a TIER Son of Lucan Ranking Officer of the Avian military Powerful Ruthless And devoted to Junco, no matter what Tier was left with one specific order and he’s not about to screw it up. He might lose all his allies, his brothers, his shot at defeating the High Order, and his own Eternal Salvation - but he’s willing to risk it all to keep one small girl alive. Tier reveals his part in the epic tale of The Seven Siblings, spilling secrets and motivations that will leave you breathless and wanting more. The Magpie Bridge paves the way for the final installment in the new adult Series, I Am Just Junco. The final book in the Junco Epic, RETURN, will be released on December 2, 2013.

EXCERPT The last time I was here in Subjack's tunnels pops back into my mind. The day I met Gideon again after being separated for years, back when I was still tucking down those memories. He was acting the same way with me then, exasperated with my detached attitude."—I don't want you to start any shit in here, got it?" "Why would I start shit, Gid? I'm not a complete psychopath." He stares down at me, his eyes darting back and forth as he searches mine, then blinks and straightens up. "OK, whatever then. No scenes." I shrug. Why would I create a scene? The biometrics on the door are triggered by someone on the other side and it slips open with a perfunctory whoosh. When I look into the new room, Tier is staring down at me and I lunge at him, clasping my hands around his throat. "You asshole, how dare you come here!" More words are spewing out of my mouth, 'fuck' mostly, 'bastard' and 'dickhead' put in several appearances, and then we're wrestling on the ground. I've got my foot wrapped around his neck and he's trying to grab my hands as Gideon pulls on me. I swing back with an elbow and crack Gid hard in the chin and he growls. My pretty flower dress is picking up little dust bunnies and all sorts of other debris as we roll around on the floor but I could give a shit. "How dare you," I growl as I lean down into Tier's ear. "How dare you show your face to me again!" "Junco!" he commands me as he squirms. "Calm the fuck down! That's an order!" I wriggle out of his grip and swing my foot around, slap him in the face with it, and then flip over and crack him once in the neck. "Fuck you and your orders, you prick." His hands scramble to grab me by the waist, then slip up my dress and I remember I'm hiding something. Something he's not supposed to know about. I stop my struggle for a brief moment, hoping his hands will stop, but they don't. They slide right up and find my secret. And then he lets go and pushes me off him.

Bad-Ass Junco is BACK!

(And-She's-A-Crazy-Bitch Giveaway)

Win The Junco-is-Psycho RANGE Blog Tour $150 Grand Prize.

Or one of two runner up prizes! CUSTOM Silver Junco Angel Wing Locket Necklace from birdzNbees

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label). She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

Author L.G. Castillo tagged me in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop. This is a blog event where authors answer ten questions about the "next big thing" they're writing, then tag other authors to answer questions on their blogs. This is a way let readers know what you're writing while also helping them discover new authors. Anyway, onto the questions!

1. What is the working title for your next book?

Iron Flower - officially coming out April 3rd.

2. Where did the idea for the book come from?

There are many strong female characters in fantasy, but I've always thought there weren't enough physically powerful nonmagical warriors among them. So Iron Flower is the second in a series - don't worry, you don't have to have read the first to enjoy it although I'd recommend both ;) - of books about one strong and tough beast of a heroine. She's a true top end physical powerhouse in her world, like a female Beowulf with some more modern sensibilities and resilience.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Fantasy, or more specifically New Adult Heroic Fantasy (the first book to bear that designation I think :D).

4. What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Considering the size of the main characters Rose and Finn, probably a couple of pro wrestlers or strongwoman/man competitors who would likely have no acting ability lol. But if we've not being so faithful to the size, I guess I could see Alexandra Daddario playing Rose and Chris Hemsworth playing her love interest Finn.

I guess Emile Hirsch could play pseudo-sidekick Derrick.

OTOH if we're staying true to the size somebody like 6 foot tall pro wrestler Melanie Cruise would have to play Rose... after putting on some more muscle.

Maybe Finn could be played by Reuben de Jong, the nearly 7 foot strongman competitor/kickboxer/MMA fighter/pro wrestler who played the giant albino guy on Spartacus. He too would have to put on some... fat I guess.

Hey what, they're epic heroes of "heroic" stature! Emile Hirsch could still play Derrick lol.

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Years are only one way to age in this tale of a young warrior whose army-slaying sword belies her kind heart.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Self-published.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

It didn't take very long, only about a month or so - a month in which I did a lot of writing, granted.

8. What other books of the same genre would you compare yours with?

I would compare it with David Gemmell's Druss novels, or going further back, Beowulf.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Well, this is pretty similar to question 2. But to expand on it Rose is supposed to be not just a normal strong warrior, but as hinted by the Beowulf comparison before, an over the top type of character in the vein of the epic heroes of old. The closest thing to her in popular fantasy would probably be Brienne, but Brienne's from more of a gritty realistic setting while Rose is truly larger than life.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

There is a fair romantic element for those who like that kind of thing, and it features a nineteen year old heroine trying to find her place in the world. Also the writing IMO is very accessible, so those who tend to shy away from fantasy due to difficult language or long descriptions can feel safe knowing they can dive right into this.

Here are some more authors you may like, who will be making their The Next Big Thing blog posts next Thursday. Bookmark them and wait!

Rebecca Ida Hertz

Darrell Drake

G. L. Lathian

Kelly Samarah

B. J. Wellington

Seeds of Despair - free from 3/22 to 3/26

Yup, Freya's second cartoonishly violent adventure is free right now - sitting at #18 in Urban Fantasy at the time of this posting. Grab a copy and enjoy the fist to face fury!

Coming soon - the next tome chronicling the legend of The Rosy One!

Yup that's right, the next book starring nearly indestructible epic heroine Rose will be here in a couple of weeks! Check out a sample from this tale of one mighty (but gentle) bruiser of a warrior!

Rose's voice was barely more than a whisper when she began to talk. "I'll be brief, for I can't stand to think of it. I came here while serving as bodyguard to my merchant friend Alex, but during my stay I learned that an unknown, supposedly immortal creature of massive size abducted travelers around Whitehill at its leisure, leaving everyone nearby in fear of the evil magic it was said to wield.

"It was widely thought by the townsfolk that the creature lived in these very ruins, though the only known entrance seemed too small for such a beast. But this was never proven, because no one who went to confirm it came back alive. So being the foolhardy adventurer I was—and still am, I suppose—I went there myself, though everyone who didn't hate me outright begged me not to. I thought I was prepared for any foolish beast, but though the foe I found in this cavern had the body of a beast, it possessed the intellect not merely of a man, but a man above men—an archmage.

"The creature was as long as six horses—not counting the tail—and tall as three, and had the appearance of a great hulking, winged black lizard. It was covered in an armor of scales like steel shields, with claws and teeth the match of a small army's blades. Not only that, but it was capable of speaking through thought, and when it saw me, it talked to me of horrible things. It told me it loved experiencing the terror of the people it killed, and ate human souls to expand its own knowledge through absorbing theirs. And it told me... that mine was the next it would consume and extinguish forever."

Derrick rolled his eyes, and Rose glared at him. What the hell was his problem? A scholar was supposed to keep an open mind! He struggled to spit out the words, "A-a dra-dragon?! Did it breath fire and cast spells too? Rose, Finn may humor you because he likes you, but I really think you had a bout of madness last time you were here. No human can fight a dragon alone and survive, and besides, there's no way that's a dragon's body."

Anger pushed Rose's fear aside to an extent, and she scowled and said more loudly, "Look at the gouges and burn marks on the stone floor. What do you think did that, if not a dragon's claws and breath?"

Both men looked down and saw the evidence of the beast's presence. The stone even looked to have been partially melted and rehardened in some places. Derrick gaped incredulously. "But how did you ever manage to beat it?"

Rose frowned. "Look, I was trying to get to that part. Now, if you please, let me continue. I may be foolishly brave, but I like to think I'm not a fool in other matters, and not being a total fool, I went to several of the areas where it was thought to have attacked. At some of these sites, I found marks of intense flame on the trees and rocks. So before I went to seek out the beast, I soaked a heavy cloak in water and allowed it to freeze in the cold air. I carried the frozen garment uncomfortably on my back as I fought the beast with my sword held two-handed; I needed the extra punch.

"I used my agility to frustrate its attempts to snatch me while attacking with my sword. But its armored scales made it nearly impossible for me to wound it, and I tried to get closer so that I could strike at its underbelly, which I hoped to be more vulnerable to my blade. Then, it unleashed its flaming breath, but I was ready for that.

"When it opened its mouth to spit death, I charged at it, whipping my frozen cloak before me. The flame was so intense, the ice was melted and the water dried in a second, and I was badly burned when the cloak was set ablaze before I could reach the dragon's head. I had to run the last few steps through that fiery hell unprotected—boy, that was rough. But I stabbed through the inferno and put out the beast's eye. Then, I thought victory was mine, but it wasn't to be so easy.

"Before I could pierce the creature's brain through its eye, it struck me with a wild swipe of its claws, and knocked me to the ground badly slashed across the chest. Even half blind, it retained its ferocity and stomped on me, breaking more than one rib. When it saw to its shock I was still alive, it sucked in a great breath, and in desperation, I threw my sword"—Derrick stared at the notion of the massive thing being thrown—"and pierced the back of its mouth. But again, I hadn't penetrated deep enough, and now I was unarmed.

"Luckily for me, the drake's mouth filled with blood, denying it the ability to breathe fire. Still, its fury was undimmed, and it lashed at me with its tail while attempting to pull the sword out of its mouth. Its tail hit me with the force of a battering ram and nearly knocked me out, but its impact threw me up into the air, where I grabbed hold of its neck and began to climb agonizingly towards its head. It battered me against the roof and walls, but I saw this hurt itself as well, and gaining hope I forced myself onward.

"But I lost my grip as I got on top of its head, and with shocking agility it caught me—in its mouth. It was the worst pain I've ever felt, and that's saying a lot. A dozen ivory swords pierced me at once, and I thought I had suffered my death wound."

What happens next? Well clearly she lives, but how? Find in the full version of Iron Flower!

New $0.99 short out

Yup, here it is - the third in the Gothic Warrior series! Girl vs... something (no spoilers) in a cage fight! Can she win? Well, she might already be pretty beat up by the time she gets there - but never count out the Gothic warrior!

Iron Bloom currently free at Smashwords!

Free for the week... grab it while you can! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/271229 

Also, another new (non-free) story is out:

 

Haven't posted in a while but here we go

Added some new books to the sidebar, besides Iron Bloom there is another novel (Saving Fate, about a young man searching for his legendary warrior mother with the help of a warrior princess and her knight bodyguard) and a short starring Rose - tons of butt-kicking indestructible girl action so check them out. :)