Jennifer and A. R. Crossing in our blogs...

Yes, it's wonderful. It's exciting. It's, it's, totally awesome!

Jennifer is over at my blog, http://sci-fiadventures.blogspot.com/, talking about world building and her use of biblical mirroring and how rewarding it was for her.

In a freakishly unplanned twist, I'm at her blog, http://jenniferhartz.com/blog/,  talking about world building, specifically the science concepts and even more specifically immortality.

Make sure to hoppity-hop to each site!

Newbie

Well, I'm not gonna beat  the "first time" joke to death so I'll just be straight up with everyone... I am a newbie... and I am also probably very annoying to my fellow writers.  Please believe me when I say that none of this is coming from a place of arrogance.  In fact, if you know me at all, you know how much I lack self-confidence when it comes to my writing.  I'm just as surprised as the next guy with how quickly Future Savior took off... and how much praise it gets from people who read it.

I wrote Future Savior Book One: Conception, my first ever attempt at writing, during my 2009 summer break.  I started querying that September.  By early December I was signed on with Desert Breeze... from what I understand this is very quick and very unusual for a first time writer.  Conception wasn't released until September 2010, but still a very fast turnaround for a newbie like me.

I was sooooo stoked to sign the contract from Desert Breeze!  But what I think gets me even more are the fans... I ACTUALLY HAVE REAL FANS!!!  There are people out there who are freaking out over the next book.  Who devote entire weeks to their blogs just to talk about Future Savior.  Who list The Future Savior Series right along side The Hunger Games as their favorite series of all time!!!  It is such an amazing feeling!  Knowing I have fans out there dying for the next installment keeps me writing even when I wonder, "why the heck am I doing this?"  Here are some snippets of what people have been saying about The Future Savior Series:

"An action-packed, chock-full of romance, cool-creature filled read that keeps your eyes glued to the pages!  Five stars and lots of love for this diamond of a read!  I highly recommend reading this whole series, because it will be one of your favorites!"

"Today, I bring you a special gem.  Every once and a while you take a chance and when you do you find that diamond in the rough.  Well my friends...this is that diamond...I'm glad I picked up this little bit of delight...I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down."

"...you'll be anxiously awaiting the second installment just as soon as you turn the last page of CONCEPTION!"

"I give The Future Savior Series 5 stars! On second thought, scratch that... because it really deserves all the stars in the sky!! Jennifer Hartz knocked my socks off and completely blew me away! I only wish I had more hands so I could give it more than two thumbs up!!! Read it and you'll see, it is superb!"

It never ceases to amaze me that people would say such awesome things about my writing.  I must thank Gail Delaney and Desert Breeze Publishing a thousand times over for offering me that first contract.  They took a shot, not only on me, but also on a story that realistically had no right to be published.  If you know The Future Savior Series, you know it's a sub-genre of a sub-genre of a sub-genre... (Christain/Fantasy-Sci-Fi/Romance) Even though it feels so familiar it's like nothing else in existence!

If you haven't checked it out yet, please do so!  Even if you only enjoy it 1/2 as much as the people above, I think you'll still have a fun time reading!

~Jenn Hartz
The Future Savior Series

Website:  http://jenniferhartz.com
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/TheFutureSaviorSeries
Twitter:  @JenniferLHartz

Buy Links:
Desert Breeze Publishing:  http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-107/Jennifer-Hartz-Future-Savior/Detail.bok
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Future-Savior-Book-One-ebook/dp/B0041HXOUG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339429074&sr=8-1&keywords=jennifer+hartz
Barnes&Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/future-savior-book-one-jennifer-hartz/1025599355?ean=9781936000586&itm=1&USRI=jennifer+hartz

Super Awesome Totally Cool Giveaway/Interview

Hey All!

So my post today isn't going to be my post at all... that's just how lazy I am!  Actually, I want to direct you to a Super Awesome Totally Cool Giveaway/Interview that a fan is having.  She loves The Future Savior Series so much that she asked to interview me.  Along with the interview, I'm giving away 3 Amazon Kindle copies of Future Savior Book One: Conception.  PLUS, there are some supper yummy pictures of the absolutely gorgeous Kellan Lutz (my inspiration for Shaw!)  Please stop by and check it out:

http://twentysomethingfictionwriter.blogspot.com/2012/05/interview-with-author-jennifer-hartz.html

Oh, Sir Luca...

Hey all!  So, I know I should be busy promoting The Future Savior Series and it's wonderful hero, Shaw...Give me a second to drool over Kellan Lutz, who is the perfect Shaw...

Okay now that I've got my drool under control, I want to tell you that Shaw is taking part in a really cool blog tour called Oh, My Hero!  The tour doesn't officially start until Friday, but you can check out Shaw's contribution now (which has more super yummy pictures of Kellan)... and you can enter to win Future Savior Book One: Conception right now!  Follow the link HERE.

All right... now on to the real point of my blog today.  I want to talk about another hero who has totally captured my heart.  Sir Luca Forelli from the River of Time Series.  This wonderful series, written by Lisa T. Bergren, currently has three full novels (Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent) and a short novella called Bourne. A second novella titled Tributary will be released in June and I cannot wait!  Especially since the cover will feature Sir Luca himself...***sigh***

Here is a brief premise for the series:  Gabriella and Evangelia Betarrini are the daughters of Etruscan archeologists. Stuck on a hot, dusty dig site for yet another long, dreary summer—far from the nearest boys—they go exploring. They enter a forbidden tomb and find two handprints among the frescoes. And when they touch them, together, they are catapulted back in time…and into the adventure of their lives.

But honestly, I don't think this summary does this fantastic series justice.  The adventure will have you devouring the pages!  I read all four of these books in less than a week.  If I had one complaint about the River of Time Series it would be that there's just not enough Luca!  He's really the secondary hero... the love of the main heroine's sister... so his page time is minimal until he gets some good spotlight in Bourne.

Sir Luca Forelli (yes he's a knight as in knight in shining armor! ***sigh again!***) is wonderfully funny, witty, and romantic.  Here's just a small sampling of his tantalizing sense of humor.  This snippet comes from Bourne.  There are other super fun scenes I wish I could share with you, but I certainly wouldn't want to give any spoilers of this great series.  Enjoy this lovely bit of Sir Luca and Lia, the girl that he loves.

*   *   *

     "You are free to believe what you wish," I whispered back with a teasing smile, edging away.  "There is no law against such things."  I turned back toward the door, intending to go in, but he held it shut, hovering close.  Deliciously close again.  Teasing me.
      "Evangelia," he said, his lips practically on my ear, his breath tickling my neck.  "How long shall you torment me so?"
      "That remains to be seen," I said, smiling up at him from the corner of my eyes.
      "Ahh, how you wound me!  Such...is the excruciating...pain," he gasped, pantomiming injury, "of unrequited love."  He stumbled back a step.

*   *   *

Oh, Luca!  He is just so much fun!  I think I love him because he acts exactly how my husband acts.  It's silly, sure, but it's real.  My hubby is every bit the funny, goofy romantic that Luca is... and believe it or not, the picture of Sir Luca resembles my hubby... except for the hair :)  No wonder I'm in love!

Anyway, I HIGHLY recommend this series!  You will not be disappointed.  Here's some links so you can find Lisa and the River of Time Series:

Lisa's Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/LisaTBergren

Website - http://www.lisabergren.com/

River of Time Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/riveroftimeseries

Sir Luca's Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/LucaForelli

And don't forget to check out the amazing Shaw from The Future Savior Series on his first ever blog tour!  Remember, you could win your very own Amazon Kindle copy of Future Savior Book One: Conception!  Go to my blog to learn more.

Jenn's Blog - http://jenniferhartz.com/blog/

Jenn's Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/JenniferLHartz

Future Savior Series Facebook (under construction) - http://www.facebook.com/#!/TheFutureSaviorSeries

Heroes of the Horde

Hey people!  I've decided to give you a very rare treat today.  A sneak peek at my current work in progress.  I'm about 2/3 of the way done, but I wanted to share a glimpse with you.  Please remember this is a very rough draft so ignore any major errors!  But I would LOVE to hear your thoughts!  Here's some info on it:

Working title:  Heroes of the Horde

Genre:  YA Urban Fantasy

Blurb:
Six mismatched students at Deacon Proprietary School are about to discover the demonic legend of their school's origin is actually true.   Not only have they obtained amazing powers, but they've also unleashed the demonic Horde.  Now it's up to these six high school freshmen to stop the Horde before its evil spreads throughout the school and beyond.

Scene:  The excerpt I'm about to give you is right when the kids start to realize they've received these amazing powers.  The two kids in this scene are twins. The boys name is Mike and his sister is Shelly. Mike gets the power of levitation (although he doesn't realize it yet) and Shelly... well, you'll see! Enjoy!

Excerpt:

He walked back through the bathroom and opened the door to his sister's room.  Shelly was sitting cross-legged on the floor with several school books spread out in front of her.  Even though she had a perfectly good desk three feet away, Shelly liked to sprawl out on the floor to do her homework.  It was just one of the little quarks his sister had that made him smile.

Mike replayed the dunk in his mind one last time in preparation to tell his sister.  This was something he had been trying to do for quite a while now and he wanted to tell the story just right.  I dunked the ball!  It was amazing!

"You'll never guess what I did today," he said enthusiastically. His grin practically reached from ear to ear.

"You slam dunked the basketball." Her statement was so matter-of-fact it caught Mike a little off guard.

"How did you know that?" he demanded.

"I don't know.  It just sort of popped into my head and I knew that's what you were gonna say."  Shelly looked up from her books.  With a furrowed brow and a frown, her face looked perplexed and Mike had to admit he too felt slightly dumbfounded.

"Huh… that's weird.  But Shells you should have seen it.  It was awesome!  It felt like flying.  Everybody at practice was shocked.  Maybe, after dinner, we could run outside to the hoop and I could show you."

"We've got Trick-or-Treaters tonight," Shelly reminded him.

"Oh yeah," Mike frowned momentarily but then he had a great revelation.  Now that Shelly's home maybe she'll make dinner and I won't have to make the Tuna Helper.  "Hey Shells, now that you're home why don't—"

"I make dinner instead of you," Shelly said cutting him off and finishing his sentence.

"Yeah, I was just gonna make some—"

"Tuna Helper."

"Why are you doing that?" he asked indignantly.

"What?"

"Finishing all of my sentences."

"Why?  Were you really planning on making Tuna Helper?" she asked.  Her voice sounded pretty baffled, which matched the way Mike felt.  How is she finishing my sentences so easily?

"Yeah.  Didn't you see the box sitting on the kitchen counter?"

"No.  I came straight upstairs.  I didn't go through the kitchen." Shelly shifted her position on the floor and Mike felt uneasy. This was odd.

"So how did you know?"  His brow creased with concern.

"I don't know.  I just knew you were thinking 'Tuna Helper'.  Pretty weird huh?" Shelly's voice shifted from baffled to worry.  Mike felt pretty worried too.  It certainly did seem weird, but he always felt the need to protect his sister, even from something as simple was worrying over Tuna Helper so he tried to placate the situation.

"Ah… don't worry about it," Mike said flashing his ever contagious grin.  He didn't want his sister to be upset.  "It's probably just some weird freaky twin thing.  This certainly isn't the first time we finished each other's sentences."

"I guess you're right."  As she moved to put her school work away, Mike watched her hair fall in front of her face.  Why does she hide behind her hair all the time, Mike wondered.

"I don't hide behind my hair all the time." Shelly declared sounding affronted.

"What?" Mike exclaimed shaking his head and taking a measured step back.  How in the world did she know what I'm thinking?

"You just said that I hide behind my hair, but I don't hide behind my hair."

"Shelly, I didn't say that."

"Yes you did!  I heard you as clear as day."

"I promise, I didn't say it out loud.  I thought it, in my head, but I didn't actually say it."  Mike was scared.  This was going beyond weird-freaky- twin-thing and moving into just straight up crazy.  He knew he didn't actually say the words.  He was certain he only thought them.

"Come on Mike!  Stop fooling around!  I heard you say it and now you're messing with me!"  Her voice genuinely sounded scared.  In fact, her voice matched the way Mike was feeling right now.  She got up from her spot on the floor and faced him. Arms folded across her chest and a serious look in her eyes.

"Okay Shells, okay.  Let's calm down."    Once she was sitting he continued, trying to ignore the look of pure hatred she was shooting at him, "I'm telling you, Shells, I thought it in my mind.  I didn't actually say the words."

She narrowed her eyes at him in total disbelief.

"Let's try something," Mike suggested trying to offer her his best smile, but he knew it was a feeble attempt. This whole situation had him genuinely worried.  "I'm gonna think of something totally random and you tell me what it is."

"You're joking, right?"  Her eyes narrowed even more and she chewed on her bottom lip.

"No I'm totally serious."  He cast his gaze around the room for a quick moment.  Ugh, there's nothing random enough in here to work.  Hmm… there's Shelly's old purple Teddy Bear, but that kinda obvious.  What about a purple truck.  Yeah, she'll never guess a purple truck.

"Purple truck," Shelly said in a frightening monotone.

Mike could feel his eyes widen as he stared at his sister.  She was reading his mind.

Remember, I want your thoughts so please feel free to comment!  Also, please feel free to harass me at the following locations:

Website: http://jenniferhartz.com
Twitter:  @JenniferLHartz
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000624983529

Flights of Fantasy

I love fantasy.

I always have. It combines two of my loves so perfectly I can't help myself. I love history and I love imagining new worlds. To me fantasy has always been taking history and slapping a whole new face on it. I refer to it as the great and powerful 'What if?'

Growing up these books filled me with wonder that very few things could touch. The Lord of the Rings kick started my infatuation, like you had to guess. Next came Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain. In rapid secession came Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock, Christopher Stasheff, who might be more scifi, but his books were fantasy at heart, Robert Asprin, and Anne McCaffrey, another scifi with a fantasy bent. Science fiction and fantasy hand in hand. It's hard to separate the two, especially when you find and author who can blend them so seamlessly you can't tell the difference.

But, before those authors came one who instilled wonder in me at a very tender age. I first read C.S. Lewis before I knew what fantasy was. I just knew I'd fallen in love for the first time. From the second Lucy, Peter, Edmund and Susan walk through that wardrobe, and I was hooked. I can remember crying when the evil witch ties Aslan to the stone and cuts his mane, only to cry with joy when he comes back. By the end of the book, I was panting for more. When Sister Regina told me the next day in class she had the rest of the books in the library at school, I almost lost my fear of nuns. Almost mind you. Needless to say I devoured the books in less than a month.

Thinking back, I should have guessed there was an ulterior motive for Sister Regina giving me those books. After I returned the last book, she smugly told me that I'd just read the greatest books next to the Bible, and that they'd all been about God. I didn't even feel duped or cheated. They were the greatest books I'd ever read. It took me a few years before I began to work my way through the Bible, but The Chronicles of Narnia were never far from my thoughts or bedside table. I think they were the first books to start the massive collection that dominates my house in every room.

Now, I have a new author to add to that lists of authors who have inspired me to think not to the stars but to a world within the one I already know. Jennifer Hartz's Future Savior series embodies all those things my early loves held so dear. Savior starts in our present day world where Christina is like the rest of us, living a life so normal it hurts. Then on her thirtieth birthday something amazing happens. She finds out that normal is just the tip of the iceberg. Okay, she also finds herself in another world where nothing makes a lick of sense. From that simple beginning, an explosion of rich vibrant details draws you into a story that spans both time and the imagination. See, we're treading dangerously close to science fiction, but like Stasheff and McCaffrey, Hartz dispels your disbelief and demands you believe every word you're drinking in.

Like C.S. Lewis, Future Savior is more than a fantasy. It is a message wrapped around fiction. That message isn't in your face but its impact is the same nonetheless. You want there to be clear distinctions between good and evil. You want hope to shine through the blackness of everyday life. Above all else, you want there to be a Savior out there, who's willing to die for us. Here's a hint. There is one and He already did. Future Savior brings those things to your heart and so much more.

Three books into the series, and that initial spark of wonder has not diminished. If anything, it has grown. Evacuation was a nonstop ride of emotions and action. To me, hands down, it is the best book of the series. I seriously hate talking about the species of a book because to me, doing so always gives away something. Spoilers, sweeties! So I'm asking you to believe me when I say that Jennifer Hartz has penned an amazing series that will strap you in for the ride of your lives. To say anymore would spoil--see above Doctor Whoism--the unraveling of the books before your eyes.

I started this discourse to show my journey through the many worlds of fantasy, and I think I've succeeded to illustrate that I'm not responsible for the person I am today. I place the blame solely on the authors who created worlds more interesting that the one I was born into. To sum it up in a neat little package.

Thank God for authors!

Enter the World of Future Savior

As you may or may not know, Future Savior Book Three: Evacuation was released earlier this month and that means it's time for me to do some shameless plugging!  Let me start by telling you about two contests I've got going on at my website right now.

#1.  Win a copy of Future Savior 1: Conception.  If you haven't checked out Future Savior yet, what better way to start then for free!

#2.  Become part of the story! Ever wish you could be a character in a fantasy novel? Now's your chance!  One lucky winner will be a character in Future Savior 4: Desecration.  How cool is that!?

Go to my website - http://jenniferhartz.com/ - and enter now!

 

 

 

Future Savior 1: Conception

Sent from Pittsburgh to a mysterious fantasy-like land, Christina struggles not only to believe that the people of Meric have been awaiting her arrival but that she is destined to save them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Future Savior 2: Resurrection

After dying, Christina finds herself abandoned in her past. While reliving one of the worst days of her life, she wonders if she will ever return to Meric or if her amazing adventure in the mysterious land had all been a dream.

 

 

Future Savior 3: Evacuation

While on the suicidal mission to save her brother, Christina must learn to trust Shaw again after discovering the instrumental part he played in the death of her father. Mysteries are unraveled and a new threat emerges. Will the people of Meric take Leticia's mark or will they have faith?

 

 

 

 

 

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Here's what people are saying about The Future Savior Series:

 

"Any words that I come up with won’t do this book justice. I loved everything about Book 1 and was curious to see how Jennifer could top it. With an incredible story and a surprising ending like the one found in this book, it has definitely taken the title as my favorite in the series so far.  I loved returning to Meric.  With action, romance, mythical creatures, unexpected surprises and so much more,  Resurrection has it all. This was a great fantasy read that pulls you in from the start with a firm grip and doesn’t let up until the very last page." - A Book Lovin' Girl Reviews

 

 "It grabs you and pulls you right back into the story, and it doesn’t let go until your staring at the last page! Both books leave your mouth hanging wide open, with shock and appreciation of this fantastic fantasy story. I highly commend Hartz for books well written! Don’t miss out this fabulous series!!" - Page by Paige Reviews

 

"The descriptions of Meric are wonderful, the country and it’s people coming as alive as Tolkin’s Middle Earth" - Happily Ever After Reviews

 

"It’s been a long time since a story has captured me in such a way, but I couldn’t put Ms. Hartz novel down once I started it. It was as if I was reading a masterful blend of  J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis’s  Chronicles of Narnia, the Matrix, and Avatar all wrapped up in one exciting plot. It kept me scrolling page after page." - Author JoAnn Carter

 

"After reading Book one, I couldn’t wait for this book to come out. When it did, I spent the better part of a day giving myself a literary headache, because I honestly couldn’t put it down. That headache was well worth it. Future Savior: Resurrection was even better than Conception and that’s saying a lot. As much as I loved Book one, Resurrection is without a doubt my favorite in the series so far. Jennifer Hartz has penned an amazing book, with a plot deeply entrenched in a world so believable you won’t want to leave it or let go of the characters that you can’t help but fall in love with.If anyone loves a good fantasy and romance this series will not only satisfy you but it will leave you wanting more" - Author J. Morgan

 

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I hope you're intrigued by the world of Future Savior!  Please swing by my website.  There you'll find purchase links, some more stuff about me, and how I'm giving away all the money!  (That's right I said, "giving away all the money!")  Plus you can enter the two contests I mentioned above.  You'd be crazy not to hop on over!

 

Website:  http://jenniferhartz.com/

Twitter: @JenniferLHartz

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000624983529