Emma Lai is proud to announce the release of her newest novel, His Ship, Her Fantasy, by The Wild Rose Press.
This is Emma's first release and I hope that it impresses you as much as it does me. She has also contracted, His Hope, Her Salvation, with The Wild Rose Press to be released at a later date.

His Ship, Her Fantasy is coming from The Wild Rose Press on August 12^th! It is a sci-fi romantic short.

Blurb:

Ellie Woods is in love…with a ship. When an argument with the ship results in a bump on the head, she finds herself in the strong arms of Alastair. But who is he and where did he come from?

Alastair has loved Ellie from afar for years, but duty has kept him from revealing himself to her. When a grave threat reveals his true identity, he hopes that Ellie will choose reality over fantasy.

Ellie’s character is the primary driving force behind the story. Her difficulties in being the only female space engineer lead to the story.

But, how did I get inside her head?

I pursued my Electrical Engineering degree with a handful of other women. When I started looking for a job, I went where the money was. When you live in Houston, TX, this means oil and gas, specifically a large service company.

The industry has always been male dominated with a healthy dose of chauvinism. My first day at work I had one engineer ask me if my daddy put me up to this…meaning a career in engineering. For the entire five years I was with the company, one engineer outright refused to speak to me…even if we were supposed to work together. However, as with the bad, there is good as well. My manager did an excellent job of helping me grow professionally.

I took the remembered frustrations, grouchy characters, and silent support of the few and used them in His Ship, Her Fantasy. My hope is the reader will see Ellie’s strength and understand her quiet determination. She is a part of me.

As for the question, did my daddy put me up to this?

We’re all influenced by people in our lives, and my dad was a huge reason I went into engineering, but he was still surprised when I told him what I wanted to study. I’m not sure why. After all, he helped me put together my science project on series and parallel circuits, let me take apart his radio to see how it worked, and bought me my first computer, which I promptly used to write a program in BASIC, all when I was eight.

What comes next?

His Ship, Her Fantasy inspired a whole series of shorts that cross over into multiple genres to include sci-fi, fantasy, and time travel. The second story, His Hope, Her Salvation, of the Mates of the Guardians series has been contracted with The Wild Rose Press. It is the story of Judith and Donovan. However, as with all strong, determined women, Ellie has decided her story isn’t done. I’m working on polishing her new story and hope it will become contracted as the third story in the Mates of the Guardians series.

Thank you so much Emma, you are a sweetheart, for joining the Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers today. We expect to see big things from you in the future. The best of luck with sales, the best of health for you and your family, and the best is yet to come!!

In the first place, I didn't intend to write a Western, nor to have it made into an audio book.

It just happened.

It came about like this:

I was dating a guy who didn't like science fiction. "Write a Western," he told me. "They always sell."

So, I did.

Secretly, I didn't consider it a "Western". Yes, it was set in Nebraska, yes, there were cowboys and Indians, but to me it was a Romance. And it was short--only about 110 pages. He read it--used his expertise as a reader of Western novels--and made a couple of corrections, and pronounced it "Great."

Well, Time marched on and so did the boyfriend but I was left with the story. I set it aside and went back to my science fiction/fantasy--wrote the Sinbad series and the kan Ingan Chronicles--but it kept niggling in my memory. I had this novella, I had spent time writing it, so I should do something with it. The problem was, not many publishers accepted book manuscripts of that length. Finally, I sat down with my NOVEL & SHORT STORY WRITERS MARKET and went through it page-by-page, looking for publishers who handled novellas. There weren't many and most of the ones there were didn't want Westerns. Finally, I came upon Books in Motion, an audio book company. They wanted stories specifically not more than 110 pages and they accepted Westerns. So, I wrote a synopsis and a cover letter, included an SASE, and sent my little manuscript on its merry way...

...and promptly forgot about it--as I am prone to do. (Ask Linda or MM!)

Time trotted onward some more and I had other things to think about. I was scheduled for hip surgery; the prosthesis I had been given to replace my crushed hip had worn itself to a nub (probably from all the sky-diving and mountain-climbing!) and taken part of my pelvis with it. A week before my admission, a letter came from Books in Motion, thanking me for my submission, telling me that--alas!--they had changed their requirements and now wanted full-sized manuscripts, so, though they liked my story, they were returning it. I stared at the letter...WALKS THE SHADOW TRAIL...that was my title, all right, but when had I sent the manuscript? I couldn't remember. Going to my Submissions Log--a handy device--I started checking the entries. Sure enough, there it was--April, 1996--a year before! I reread the letter, decided I wasn't going to let a little thing like a lack of pages stop me; after all, they liked the story, didn't they? Keeping my fingers crossed to invalidate the lie, I whipped off a quick letter informing them that originally the manuscript had been longer, but at some anonymous person's suggestion, I had shortened it and if they liked, I'd put the deleted chapters back and would they reconsider it then?

The day before my surgery, I got their answer: They would.

So, I wrote the non-existent chapters, bundled the whole thing together and returned it for their scrutiny.

In a few weeks--while recovering from my survery--I received another second letter from Books in Motion.

A contract. What a get-well card!

And the rest, as they say, is H-I-S-T-O-R-Y....

Walks the Shadow Trail was one of the publishers best sellers for several months. It has since been published in ebook and softcover by Double Dragon Publications.


(This excerpt is taken from a presentation I made at the South Coast Writers Association in 2001.)

MORE, MORE, MORE!

By Sammie Jo Moresca, Leigh Ellwood, Victoria Blisse and Meg Winston

Phaze Publishing

ISBN 978-1-60659-057-7

Buy

Featuring Sammie Jo Moresca's erotic romantic comedy, DIET ANOTHER DAY.

How do you like it? Some men like it super-sized, and readers will love this print collection of big, beautiful heroines who prove love has no size limit!

Excerpt from Diet Another Day
By Sammie Jo Moresca

Fontainebleau Resort and Spa, Miami Beach, Florida

"Remember, this is a team effort. Your roommate will be your lifeline when the chocolate calls. Don't let her fail you. The team that loses the most on the Body Mass Index at the end of the month will be awarded the spokesperson's contract worth upwards of forty thousand dollars," said the trim boot camp diva of ceremonies with legs of steel. She had her audience riveted.

Crystal couldn't have cared less about becoming an infomercial diva. She wanted a new life. As she looked around at controlled applause in the sea of pink skirt suits in subtle shades from cloud to fuchsia, she finger-combed her long, mousy brown hair and squirmed, tugging on her size 1X stretch jeans, to make her thighs and crotch comfortable. Giving up, she flicked a tiny dandruff flake off her black ribbed tank top and tucked her errant white bra strap back underneath.

One other soul stood out. Seated in the rigid conference chair next to her was her Scottish e-pal Rosaleen Dalrymple, who'd talked her into this retreat. Bespectacled, frizzy redheaded Rosaleen wore an ankle length, blue plaid jumper, dingy grey tee shirt with armpit stains, and plastic flip flops. Crystal shook her head. Had she any idea how Roslaeen dressed, perhaps she would have treated her to a new outfit or two.

"As you'll see on page forty-one, along with a strict ten carbohydrates per day diet, the exercise component is straightforward. Activity, ladies. The best and safest way for you Sofa Sherries to begin is walking. The valet will not release your Mercedes until after graduation. Cabs will not carry you, the busses will not shuttle. Don't even think of renting one of those cute little motorized scooters you see models zipping around on. Use your large muscles, ladies. Build endurance. Increase your aerobic capacity."

The women applauded again.

Crystal was on board. Yes. I can walk. Yes, if my meals are prepared, I can adjust to a restricted carbohydrate diet. All of the support will be fun. Just like college. Or what my impression of college is like from books. A wave of shame tried to overtake Crystal. Everybody here probably has at least a bachelor's degree. And a fabulous career.

"You will be assigned a canteen. Keep it filled and with you at all times. Optimum water intake is twelve eight-ounce servings per day. Strive to hit that target exactly. No more, no less. And subsequently, ladies, you need to feel free to pee. With two hundred women on the same schedule, the designated restrooms at this conference center will prove inadequate. Do not waste time in line. Guard the door of the men's room and take turns. A body waiting in line for a toilet is not a body in motion burning fat. If you stand in line for five minutes every time nature calls this month, you will be two pounds heavier. It's not worth it, ladies."

Uproarious laughter and nods filled the room.

No wonder I'm fat. Wow. I had no idea. Yes, absolutely I'll use the men's room. All right then, two pounds guaranteed weight loss. Check.

"Turn to page forty-eight. Tomorrow's itinerary: Breakfast in the Palm ballroom from five-fifteen to five thirty-five. Feel free to mingle and meet the other ladies. Most of you are sales consultants with the Patty Unger Cosmetics Company. Enjoy chatting with your counterparts from other states and territories. After breakfast, you all have a rigid list of activities to achieve before lunch at high noon, back in the Palm ballroom. You and your roommate are responsible for each other's successful completion. Don't be a weak link."

The ladies applauded yet again. Crystal turned to Rosaleen. The friends smiled and nodded in unison.

Crystal skimmed the activities. This sounded fun. A sunrise stretching period on the beach. Power walking in the saltwater pool. A four-minute restroom break. Thirty-six minutes on the cardio machines. Sweat a few pounds off in the sauna. Power Pilates. Thirty minutes to shower and dress for lunch.

"Our afternoons are for spiritual growth. We will meet for a prayer session on the beach, in front of the first lifeguard stand to the left of the steps. We will rotate through the world's great religions. Deeply contemplate the messages. Open your heart to your maker. Accept Him in different forms through the hearts of your peers."

Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. At least we'll get to relax.

"At one PM, you will break off into groups for barefoot beach walking. Please arrive in a suitable bathing suit with ample sunscreen, SPF 50 or higher, sunglasses, and sun bonnets. Each group will receive a unique novel to read while walking. Yes, ladies. We will learn to integrate exercise seamlessly into our lives. You can, and will, walk and read a book. Be prepared for a pop quiz at breakfast each morning, on the previous day's book."

Is she kidding? I'm supposed to read and walk and finish the book in one day? And not collapse of heat exhaustion? Miami in July. What was I thinking, signing on for this? Crystal turned to Rosaleen, who had an alarmed expression on her blotchy face.

The boot camp commander continued, "For our first week's reward, we have arranged to have a mixer with the Homeland Security First Responders Conference. Cocktail dresses are required. Don't forget hose, a minimum three-inch heel, and full make up."

Cocktail dress? Sausage casings and lip balm? Great. Homeland Security First Responders? Oh, don't they sound like a fun bunch? Crystal envisioned a group of fat, balding fifty-somethings so uptight they dance you suspiciously through metal detectors.

"All right, ladies. Retrieve your luggage from the holding area. Please form a line, two across with your roommate. Heads up, breasts high. Walk proudly through the hotel and out into the night to our dormitories at the Jesuit school."

Dormitories? Jesuit school? "Rosaleen, what's she talking about? I thought we were booked here at the hotel."

"Only for the meetings, meals, and spa services. We are rooming in the dorms to keep us away from temptation."

"In other words, they want to keep us from ordering room service."

"Exactly."

©2007, 2008 Sammie Jo Moresca

For Adults Only! Complete novella contains graphic love scenes.

Visit Sammie Jo's Website

In the first place, I didn't intend to write a Western, nor to have it made into an audio book.

It just happened.

It came about like this; I was dating a guy who didn't like science fiction. "Write a Western," he told me. "They always sell."

So, I did.

I didn't consider it much of a "Western"; okay, so it was set in Nebraska and there were cowboys and Indians; to me it was a Romance, because it was about love, betrayal, and revenge. And it was short--only about 110 pages. He read it, supplied a couple of corrections as a Western novel reader, and pronounced it "Great."

Well, Time marched on and so did the boyfriend but I was left with the story. I set it aside and went back to my science fiction but it kept niggling in my memory. I had this novella, I had spent time writing it, so I should do something with it. The problem was, not many publishers accepted book manuscripts of that length. Finally, I sat down with my Novel & Short Story Writers Market and went through it page-by-page, looking for publishers who handled novellas. There weren't many and most of the ones there were didn't want Westerns. Finally, I came upon Books in Motion, an audio book company. They wanted stories specifically not more than 110 pages and they accepted Westerns. So, I wrote a synopsis and a cover letter, included an SASE, and sent my little manuscript on its merry way...

...and promptly forgot about it--as I am prone to do--ask Linda or MM!

Time trotted onward some more and I had other things to think about. I was scheduled for hip surgery; the prosthesis I had been given in 1973 needing replacement--the teflon covering on the socket had disintegrated, making seven holes in what was left of my hip socket. A week before my admission, a letter came from Books in Motion, thanking me for my submission, telling me they had changed their requirements and now wanted full-sized manuscripts, so, though they liked my story, they were returning it. I stared at the letter, perplexed. Walk the Shadow Trail--that was my title, all right, but when had I sent the manuscript? I couldn't remember. Going to my Submissions Log, I started checking the entries. Sure enough, there it was-April, 1996-a year before! I reread the letter, decided I wasn't going to let a little thing like a lack of length stop me; after all, they liked the story, didn't they? Keeping my fingers crossed to invalidate the lie, I whipped off a quick letter informing them that originally the manuscript had been longer, but at some anonymous person's suggestion, I had shortened it and if they liked, I'd put the deleted chapters back and would they reconsider it then?

They would.

So, I wrote the non-existent chapters, bundled the whole thing together and returned it for their approval.

In a few weeks--while recovering from my surgery--I received another second letter from Books in Motion.

A contract. What a get-well card!

And the rest, as they say, is history....


(The above picture courtesy of fotolia.com. Walk the Shadow Trail has since been made into an e-book, a print edition, and is available on Kindle from amazon.com.)