Thursday, March 29, 2012

What if you awoke 200 years in the future? Captive to an alien lord.

Wikipedia says: “Bride kidnapping, also known as marriage by abduction or marriage by capture, is a practice throughout history and around the world in which a man abducts the woman he wishes to marry."


In secret dreams, women imagine being taken by a handsome, dashing warrior who whisks them away to a life of passion and overwhelming love.  But in reality, being kidnapped by a hungry male isn't what romance authors make it up to be.
From a historical standpoint, women were considered highly valuable. They brought with them their tribe/clan's customs and new blood to add strength to the tribe. The Bible’s Book of Judges tells about the tribe of Benjamin slaughtering all the men and non-virgins from the neighboring town so they could kidnap and wed the virgins. "Go and hide in the vineyards. When the women of Shiloh come out for their dances, rush out from the vineyards, and each of you can take one of them home to be your wife!"
See http://www.vice.com/read/the-a-to-z-of-sexual-history-kidnapped-brides

Roman historian Livy (59 BC) wrote about the rape of the Sabine women. As the story goes, Romulus, the founder of Rome, being short of women, kidnapped the daughters of the neighboring Sabine people after luring them over with the promise of a big party. He then promised there would be no wanton rape, and they would make honest women of them all. Unsurprisingly, the Sabine declared war.
Before the 1753 Marriage Act in England, kidnapping was quite common. In medieval England, a man would kidnap women and hold her on his left arm, so that his sword arm was free to fight off other suitors. This is cited as a reason why the groom normally stands on the right of the bride during the wedding ceremony. The honeymoon has been argued to be a relic of the amount of time a man would go into hiding with his kidnapee/fiancée to get her pregnant, so her parents would consent to a wedding.
Id.
A famous American story is the one of Cynthia Parker. At nine years old Cynthia was kidnapped by the Indians who murdered five of her family, Cynthia grew up and married a Commanche who from all reports treated her well.  She bore him 3 children and when the Indian village was raided by the whites, her husband was mortally wounded and Cynthia and her daughter, Prairie Flower, were captured and returned to the white world.  Prairie Flower subsequently died.  Cynthia tried numerous times to run away and return to her Indian friends and family but never succeeded and finally died of self-willed starvation.


History is replete with tales of kidnapped women, their tribulations and quite often sad endings.  Laws were enacted to protect women from such a fate, but even today, bride kidnapping is alive and well in many countries throughout the world.  


Bride kidnapping is the basis for my novel, The Chalice.  
Blurb:

Decimated by the savage Deg’Nara and teetering on the brink of extinction, the last surviving males of the once great Chiagan-Se embark on a quest to salvage what is left of their civilization. They send their remaining seeker ships into the void, searching for genetically compatible females. Time is running out, but in the far reaches of the universe, on an obscure and primitive planet, a match is discovered.
One thousand panic-stricken women awaken two hundred years in the future, captives aboard an unmanned alien spacecraft bound for parts unknown! How had they gotten there and why? 
The males thought they came willingly. The females believed they’d been kidnapped. Full of hopeful expectation, the Chiagan-Se prepare for the arrival of their new mates. Terrified and furious at the inexplicable abduction, the women prepare for combat! And when the two sides meet, the battle commences. 



Release Date:  March 30, 2012
Link:http://newconceptspublishing.com/p.l.-parker/the-chalice/

Leave a comment and be entered to win an e-copy of The Chalice. Contest ends April 6.

Patsy





Sunday, March 25, 2012

You've Got Male - Interview with Chanta Rand

A big welcome to my guest - Chanta Jefferson Rand.  Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting with Chanta or her blogtalk radio show and Chanta is an interesting and gracious hostess.


Chanta, tell us about your latest release - You've Got Male! 
Novel: YOU'VE GOT MALE! 

Genre: Futuristic romance
Author: Chanta Jefferson Rand
Where to Buy: Amazon.com


Synopsis:


In the year 2084, romance has been simplified. A woman can have her ideal mate custom-made and delivered in less than a week. Known as the e-Male, this life-like mate is guaranteed to provide the ultimate satisfaction both in and out of the bedroom.

Calix Sims wonders what kind of pathetic woman would pay for the love of an e-Male. With his career as a reporter for an online journal in jeopardy, he has one last chance to deliver a story. When his boss gives him an ultimatum to write an exclusive worthy of a Pulitzer or end up jobless in the streets, Calix agrees to go undercover as an e-Male. He’s determined to produce an exposé that will make him world-famous.

Fed up with irresponsible men who don’t measure up, Rayne Matthews special-orders her dream man right down to his size 12 shoes and mystic green eyes. She wants a man who’s smart, sexy, sensitive, and doesn’t come with a boatload of emotional baggage.

But from the moment her fantasy man, Calix arrives, nothing goes according to plan. To Rayne’s annoyance, he acts just like any other man – cocky, opinionated, and downright bossy. But he’s also drop-dead gorgeous and sexy enough to make her heart stop. Then, one day Calix disappears. Heartbroken, she believes she’ll never see him again. Then, she reads about herself in an online blog, and she learns the truth about her e-Male.

To complicate matters, Calix finds himself falling hard for Rayne. He pulls out all the stops to win her heart. Rayne doesn’t know whether to forgive him or break his neck. She realizes she’ll never have the perfect man, but can she have the perfect love?
My journey with YOU'VE GOT MALE!
I have fascination with Sci-Fi.  I think the reason I love Sci-Fi so much is because of all the gadgets. I'll watch anything with futuristic technology, games, and ultra-modern conveniences.  I often sit around and predict the trends that I think will be available in the future.

One of my predictions for the future is that there will be no more big screen TVs and no more laptops. Instead, people will view data virtually in 3D holographic screens that only appear when needed. No more clumsy TV stands, computer desks, or flat screens. If you've ever seen the movie, Minority Report, you have an idea of what I'm talking about. You've Got Male! is filled with technology and gadgets like this.  The header of each chapter begins with a quote from a famous "space-inspired" movie or song. While you're reading, see if you can identify it.

My wild imagination (partly fueled by Moscato D' Asti) helped me create the world in You've Got Male! I started with concepts I'd like to see in the future (like cars that drive themselves, touch screen holographic technology, and robotics). Then, I researched online scientific journals and popular websites to see what future trends would be.  I also consulted Wikipedia to get specifics on certain chemicals used such as Nuromax (which is used in teh bok to slow the breathing of the hero while he was stuck for 12 hours in a box with very little oxygen).  
YOUV'E GOT MALE! also shows readers many of the energy efficient techniques that I hope will be used in the  future.  Everything from fuel to transportation to healthcare to food is covered.  In Chapter 4, readers get to learn about Monsanto, the world's leading producer of chemically-engineered food.  I first learned about this controversial company in a documenary I watched years ago, entitled The Bad Seed by Jeffrey Smith.  You can learn more on Amazon here.
The header of each chapter in YOU'VE GOT MALE!  begins with a quote from a famous "space-inspired" movie or song.While you're reading, see if you can identify it. And of course, there's also the romance angle. Calix and Rayne manage to find hot sex and romance despite their differences. I truly hope you enjoy You've Got Male! It's a short story, but I put a lot of time and research into it.

Drop me a line through my website and let me know what you think the future holds. Oh, and no weirdo doomsday comments, please. I'm in the business of romance - I'm selling hope!

Chanta Jefferson Rand's website: wwww.ChantaRand.com and The Chanta Rand Show, my internet radio show that airs Tuesdays at 7 PM CST on Blogtalk. To listen, dial in to 760-587-4063 or go to: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/chanta-rand/


Monday, March 12, 2012

When Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon Roamed the Earth



Studying her face, he looked for rejection, but all he saw was his own desire reflected in her gaze. “I want you, but I want you to feel the same,” he stated bluntly. “And not because you’re the only female within miles—but because there’s something between you and me.”
Riley’s eyes dropped. “I know what you mean. How do we know if what we’re feeling is special or only because there’s no other choice? I want you, too, but what happens afterwards?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, will we continue as always or will this be the next step?” She looked away, fully aware of the ramifications of her question.
“Of course it’s the next step, but if you aren’t ready, or it isn’t what you want, we have plenty of time to work things out.” He stepped back and made to move away, disappointment dripping from his every move, leaving Riley bereft of his comfort.
“You asked me awhile ago if you were my woman. I didn’t answer before because I didn’t really know you, but now that I do, my answer is yes, you are my woman if you’ll have me.” He said it like a marriage proposal and in another life, Riley suspected that’s exactly what it would have been.
“To have and to hold from this day forward?” She questioned hopefully.
Taking a deep breath, Nathan struggled for the right words. “I know this whole thing has really been damnably unfair to you, and I’ve said many times how sorry I am. But in all honesty, I am having a hard time being sorry right now. Right or wrong, having you here has made all the difference to me. I can’t take you back, but I can do my best to make you happy here.”



Friday, March 2, 2012

New Cover Art for The Chalice

The Chalice - Tentative release date March 30, 2012.

Decimated by the savage Deg’Nara and teetering on the brink of extinction, the last surviving males of the once great Chiagan-Se embark on a quest to salvage what is left of their civilization. They send their remaining seeker ships into the void, searching for genetically compatible females. Time is running out, but in the far reaches of the universe, on an obscure and primitive planet, a match is discovered.

One thousand panic-stricken women awaken two hundred years in the future, captives aboard an unmanned alien spacecraft bound for parts unknown! How had they gotten there and why?

The males thought they came willingly. The females believed they’d been kidnapped. Full of hopeful expectation, the Chiagan-Se prepare for the arrival of their new mates. Terrified and furious at the inexplicable abduction, the women prepare for combat! And when the two sides meet, the battle commences.