Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Virtual Book Tour + #Giveaway: The Descendant by Melissa Riddell @MelCRiddell @GoddessFish



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.


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




Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.


1 comments:

Melissa Riddell said...

Thanks for the interview!