The
Descendant
by
Melissa Riddell
GENRE:
Sci-Fy
Romance
BLURB:
She
wants her world back; he wants her heart.
Tilly Morgan and her four-legged companion, Kodiak, are just trying to survive the alien arrival. Two years ago, the visitors unleashed devastation—a world-wide EMP followed by a deadly virus that wiped out more than half of humanity.
Traversing the lonely landscape, she runs into an alien on patrol with one order: eradicate all human life. A mysterious, dark-haired stranger named Jareth comes to her aid, and she reluctantly allows him to join her quest to find her sister. He even persuades her to let the damaged alien tag along against her better judgment.
As her group travels the desolate world and inches closer to her goal, she’s forced to examine her unwanted feelings for Jareth and come to terms with her heart, even if the truth threatens to destroy her and everything she’s come to believe.
Tilly Morgan and her four-legged companion, Kodiak, are just trying to survive the alien arrival. Two years ago, the visitors unleashed devastation—a world-wide EMP followed by a deadly virus that wiped out more than half of humanity.
Traversing the lonely landscape, she runs into an alien on patrol with one order: eradicate all human life. A mysterious, dark-haired stranger named Jareth comes to her aid, and she reluctantly allows him to join her quest to find her sister. He even persuades her to let the damaged alien tag along against her better judgment.
As her group travels the desolate world and inches closer to her goal, she’s forced to examine her unwanted feelings for Jareth and come to terms with her heart, even if the truth threatens to destroy her and everything she’s come to believe.
Excerpt:
Jareth
clears his throat. “I know it’s not much, but I like the way it
feels—the earthy smell, the chalky texture. Plus, it gets cooler
back in the tunnels, which makes for great food storage.” His voice
bounces from the walls, projecting the sound all around me.
Shadows
cast by the edge of the distant firelight flicker across his face,
revealing the hollow of a small dimple in his cheek. It’s a face
that’s near perfection. Too bad he had to open his mouth and ruin
it.
“Like
what you see, Red?”
Oh,
my God. I’m going to kill this man. Blood rushes to my face, but
I’m not sure if it’s from embarrassment or anger.
Pressing
my lips together, I try to focus on anything that’s not him. The
earthen smell he mentioned isn’t unpleasant. It reminds me of mom’s
garden; digging our hands into the dark, moist soil to plant
seedlings for the summer season. It’s a satisfying, honest scent.
But
I’m not about to let him know that. “Kind of smells like bat crap
in here.”
Hazarding
a glance at his face, he nods his head, the small smile still playing
about his lips. “Oh, that’s what the smell is? I thought it was
body odor and dog fur.”
I
will kill the jerk in his sleep tonight.
Pivoting
on the balls of my feet, I stalk back to Kodiak.
Dreadful.
Hateful. Spiteful man. “I hope a stalactite falls on your head.”
Interview with Melissa
Riddell
What was the hardest scene from
your book to write?
Oh, goodness. Toward the last quarter of the book, I had a hard time
writing a certain scene because of the emotion. I can’t say more
about it without spoiling it, but readers will probably know it when
they read it.
Why did you choose to write in your
particular field or genre?
I’ve always loved sci-fi and romance, so it’s natural for me to
combine them together.
If you write in more than one
genre, how do you balance them?
So
far, my main genre is romance, but change up the subgenres between
sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal. I love switching between them
because they keep my writing fresh. I think if I had to stay with
one specific genre, my creativity would suffer and become stagnant.
What did you enjoy most about
writing this book?
The learning experience! At the time, The Descendant was my first
full-length novel and my first contract, so I learned a ton of things
from my publisher, DLG Publishing Partners, and their senior editor.
Michelle worked tirelessly to teach me the ropes and bring my story
to life. Not all green authors get the chance to work with an editor
with such passion and experience. I still can’t believe how lucky I
am to be with them!
What book that you have read has
most influenced your life?
Wow. There are so many. Every book I’ve ever read, in one way or
another, has influenced my life—how could they not? When we, as the
reader, live through a character’s eyes, we experience their
heartbreak, their happiness, their insecurities, etc., and we watch
how their choices affect their lives. Our brain process these stories
as real, and uses the new perceptions and knowledge to sort out
real-world problems.
Tell us a little about yourself?
Perhaps something not many people know?
Hmm. I have a green thumb and love houseplants! My office is filled
with different types of greenery.
Can you tell us something about
your book that is not in the summary?
Yes. There is a twist a lot of readers never see coming—and I love
hearing their surprise in their reviews. Also, I sprinkled a bit of
foreshadowing for books 2 and 3, which also have a few shocks. I
think that’s the part I love best about writing—trying to throw
my readers off the normal, expected path with this trilogy.
AUTHOR
Bio and Links:
Melissa
Riddell is from a small, West Texas town in which she still lives
with her husband. Her writing career started as a hobby when she was
a teenager, writing poems and short stories. Eventually, she branched
out and began constructing novels. When not contemplating new story
ideas, she can be found traipsing around Texas State Parks, herding
her cats, or reading a book.
You
can follow her on several different social media platforms below:
Buy
Link:
The
book will be $0.99 during the tour.
Giveaway:
$10 Amazon/BN GC, a signed copy of The Descendant (book 1), or an ARC of the second book in the series
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1 comments:
Thanks for the interview!
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