Free today and tomorrow only!

Don't miss your chance to pick up this unique speculative fiction novel. Arlene Webb is making Splintered Energy free on Amazon, but get it fast! Today and tomorrow, it's free. While you're there, she’d also love some more tags and likes as well.

 

Arlene's  unique voice brings this incredibly imaginative story to life.

 

Here’s the blurb:

Waves of pure energy are quite happy hanging in the cosmos, traveling at the speed of light to brighten up the sky--until dawn breaks. Literally.

When sentient light fractures, it zaps into human bodies and becomes trapped. Without any memories to guide them, a handful of confused beings whose skin tones are now specific colors, struggle to understand humanity while it's quite clear they shouldn't be in this world. The few humans clued in to Earth's invasion don't flutter, but are drawn to their fiery fate with hearts wide open as they fight to survive.

California. A widower's twelve-year-old son is rather young to bring home a woman, especially a collapsed green beauty too frightened to open her eyes.
Arizona. A divorcee blinks hard, but the gorgeous red guy stepping in front of her car is still red. She serves to avoid hitting him and ends up in the ditch. When she comes around, she wonders which layer of hell she's fallen into.
Ohio. A teen also fears he's dealing with the demonic, but no matter how dangerous things become, he's determined to stand by a man with inhumanly blue eyes.

Splintered Energy is an Earth based sci-fi/suspense/romance novel and the first in a four book series. Book 2, The R Word, and book 3, House of Seven, are available. The final is scheduled for March-April 2012.

 

 Here's the link again: http://www.amazon.com/Splintered-Energy-The-Colors-ebook/dp/B0055L2FHU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329848371&sr=1-1

 Most of all, Arlene hopes anyone who does help by taking a copy of Splintered Energy for free, finds the time to read it and enjoys it as much as she did writing it.

I know I did. :)

Arlene Webb in the Author Spotlight

Cate: Please welcome Arlene Webb. Arlene, will you please share a short bio with us?
Arlene: I run a florist shop and I write—paranormal, sci-fi, historical, undefinable, with sweet to spicy layers of romance, every free second I can.

Cate: Tell us about SplinteredEnergy and where it's available. 

Arlene: Splintered Energy is the first in a four book series. Dawn literally breaks and a handful of humans fall dead across the USA. Fractured sentient beings, particles of light each a specific wavelength or color, are trapped in adult human bodies without memory of a past or of the host.

With seven characters of color (five introduced in book one), they each have vibrant personalities. OCD, superman syndrome, sociopath, generalized anxiety, and so forth. The colors bond to the first human who’s kind to them, and the series is told from alien and human point of view. Science nerds interested in twisted physics, adults who enjoy a read with powerful and flawed characters that must learn to cooperate or all will be lost, and those who like subtle layers of romance making vulnerable aliens even more human, should enjoy the series. I hope to release book 2, The R Word, by the end of August.

Cate: Such a great premise! Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Arlene: You graciously hosted me, and an excerpt,recently.    

There is a character interview scheduled for a review site eventually. How about a sneak preview?

Cate: Go for it.

What’s your name and are you happy to be here?

My name’s been Demon, Freak, Red, Monster, and others that are too mean to say to anyone I’m not whacking over the head. I answer to Damon. And no, I’m not happy to be here. Sorry for being impolite, but I have a problem with liars.

How did you first meet your writer, Damon?

I have a writer? Where? I’m trapped in a man’s body without a clue who, what, or why I am, and I’d like to strangle answers out of her.

Did you ever think that your life would end up being in a book?

No. I want to return wherever it is I belong. Velocity is the answer, and when I understand where to find that home, I could take everyone who need my protection with me.

What are your favorite scenes in your book: action, dialog, romance?

Not action. Jaylynn ruins the fun. She has a problem with dead people, wants me to be a gentleman. It’s not easy. Everyone’s afraid. Makes me seriously want to kill them.

Not dialog, but it becomes easier after Jaylynn plays learning tapes and understands me better.

Romance? Yes. That’s love. Once, Jaylynn rubbed my hurting head under a pine tree. Asked me to imagine where I should be. I told her, but I didn’t want to be anywhere unless she was there, too.

Did you have a hard time convincing your author to write any particular scenes for you?

No. She says I’m always in character.

Do you infiltrate your writer’s dreams?

Yes.  She sleeps. I don’t.

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?

Shower. Feels right. Helps bullet wounds. Or holding Jaylynn under a red blanket, my hand over her mouth if she’s still yelling about what I recently did wrong, listening to Vivaldi, Joshua Bell, any classical/rock music.

Are you currently engaged in a relationship?

Not sure. I’m between one and three days old in book one and Jaylynn, she’s a woman I force to teach me words, water, fire, things of great value, takes forever to explain things like attraction. She’s fears how I’ll react.

Are you happy with the genre your writer has placed you in?

Yes. If romance means Jaylynn isn’t afraid of me. If science means I can go back where I belong. If suspense means I can…talk to police and confiscate all weapons.

 If you could rewrite anything in your book, what would it be?

Don’t know. The story isnt over. There’s four books.

Would you be interested in a sequel if your writer was so inclined?

Are you listening? There’s three more books before I find out why this has happened to me.

Do you believe that you are suitable portrayed in electronic books or would you rather be in paperback only?

Yes to electronic. I belong in a world that moves at lightspeed. But paperbacks are easier for me to hold.  Metal things, computers, cellphones, cars, all break too easily.

Did you have any input into the book cover design?

No. Or it’d be my face instead of an ugly blue man.

What is the lamest characteristic your writer has attributed to you? 

I’m the strongest being on Earth. That’s difficult. She also gave me extraordinary hearing. Hurts my head and I know when words ring false. But the lamest thing, she says that I don’t understand nuance and react like an impatient caveman. I’m not a cave, not a man, and I wait two, three long seconds before I break a liar’s jaw. Like I said, it’s difficult. 

If you could give yourself a superpower, what would you choose?

My writer says I have superman syndrome already, and not to give me more ideas. Thanks for talking with me. Bye.

Cate: Bye, Damon, thanks for visiting. Arlene, can you tell us why we're going to love your hero?

Arlene: Readers have a choice. They can pick a favorite color. Living light trapped in human bodies means sexy and beautiful, too.

Cate: Tease us with one little thing about your fictional world that makes it different from others.

Arlene: The series is character driven. A new species of alien humanoids, and as such they’re quite memorable.

Cate: Like all your characters! What inspired you to draft your first story?

Arlene: That would be this series. Working as a florist, I’m surrounded by color and I wondered what it’d be like to view the world through a specific wavelength. It’s taking 4 books to figure it out.

Cate: Lucky for us. :) Do you have a writing routine?
Arlene: Nope. I write whenever I can focus and no one is bugging me.

Cate: I can relate! Where can readers find you on the web?
 http://www.arlenewebb.com/index.php

http://www.arlenewebb.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/#!/Arlene_Webb_

http://www.facebook.com/arleneannwebb

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3448136.Arlene_Webb

Cate: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?

Arlene: Yes. Drop me a line, positive or negative, any time. I’d love to hear from you. Thank you for having me on your website, Cate. I love visiting you, and appreciate all your support. Most of all, I’m grateful for your friendship.

Cate: The gratitude is mutual Arlene! I appreciate all you do for me and other authors. Readers, Arlene is giving away an e-book of Splintered Energy to a random commenter... so start commenting and leave your email address (use at, instead of @ or write out dot). She'll pick a winner next weekend and announce the winner here.

Thanks so much for being my guest Arlene! Best of luck with your series!

Author Chat with Arlene Webb

Hi Arlene! So glad to have you at Author Chat, where we can learn a little bit about you, and your book.

Grab a cappuccino and let’s chat. Unless you have another favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?

I’m a water snob. Boring, I know but I love clear sparkling spring water from Maine. I make rice, soups, and cup after cup of tea with it.

Tea is my addiction too. Fur or feathers, petwise?

Fur. Canine. But it’s been quiet since the mutt my son abandoned died a few xmas’ back.

Aww, sorry to hear it. They do leave a void. Any pet peeves? One thing that really burns your biscuits?

I will open my mouth, no matter the size of the threat, if I witness cruelty or abuse of another human, animal, insect, and so forth. I’d make a good hit person, never an inquisitor.

That’s a good thing. :) Favorite quote?

In this moment? ‘Writing a novel is like giving birth through your eyeballs.’ Lisa Gardner

Ha! Funny and too true. What’s your ideal day like?

Up early on a day free from the flower shop, sunny and cool enough to need a sweater, my head clear, the laptop in front of me.

If you could live out any fantasy, what would you do?

Hard call. Pick the selfish fantasy where I live beside a white sand beach in a threesome with two perfect males and unlimited internet? Or the discover cures for the ills of the human race? Fine. I’ll combine the two. The guys will get Nobel prizes for saving the environment, inventing transporters and warp drive, etc.

The best of both worlds – good choice! Beethoven, Beatles, Foo Fighters or Keith Urban?

Beatles and Beethoven mixed.

Excellent. :) Do you have a music playlist for your book?

Nope. Any background except country or rap.

Which of your characters would you most/least to invite to dinner, and why?

I’d love to hang with most of mine, but for dinner I’d invite Deron (Incoming Alert). He’s funny, smart and a fantastic cook, and he’d immediately understand I’m hopeless and take over cooking. I’d not invite the color of sunshine (Splintered Energy), Jane Doe aka Narci would snap my neck the second she saw me.

While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned?

That the paragraphs that don’t flow easily are the ones that stand out if I work until there’s clarity, but if I fail, backspace or delete is best. Those keys are the most faded on my keyboard.

Yep, revision’s a beast! Or brings out the beast in us. Where can readers find out more about you?

http://www.arlenewebb.com/

http://www.arlenewebb.blogspot.com/

Please share a book blurb and/or excerpt.

Splintered Energy, sci-fi romance. Boy Meets Girl:

I’m so damn scared. Jaylynn felt like she walked on eggs guarded by a red dragon. Her unpredictable captor not only had inhuman strength, he possessed photographic memory. She’d answered his demands for names to everything in sight, and he’d managed ten minutes without looking like he’d break something—and that included her neck. Should she beg for compassion? She didn’t understand what he wanted, and she might not live long enough to find out.

“I want to go home.” She hated herself for the whine. “My arm hurts. I’m thirsty and frightened. Please let me go.”

“Teach arm hurts.” He tossed the last log on the fire.

“I don’t want to die. You broke my arm.”

He looked confused, and then he sighed. He rubbed his temple, tossed cracked sunglasses onto the couch, and lifted his chin.

Oh! My! God! He’s not even a human lunatic!

Her legs unfroze—his hand muffled her scream. Drawn into the demonic rays that were his eyes, Jaylynn choked on the fear twisting in her throat like she’d swallowed a python. She couldn’t move, breathe, or understand the current surging from his hand into her face. What’s happening to me? In the midst of her panic, she began to comprehend the energy he radiated was soothing—in a caught-by-an-electric-demon sort of way.

When her scream dissolved, he dropped his fingers from her mouth. His other hand held her back from him, kept her from collapsing. He felt real. Solid, seductive flesh. No horns. No tail. Gates of hell didn’t open, and he looked stricken. Blood tears welled in beautiful vermillion eyes.

Unable to look anymore, his grip unbreakable, she stepped into unreality, and buried her face into his chest. He grunted at her whimper. Picking her up, he carried her to the couch, and she fell from his arms like an irritating, limp doll.

When the security blanket landed on her lap, she dared to open her eyes. Sunglasses back on, he fidgeted beside her.

She drew a shuddering breath. “What…are you?”

His gentle caress dried her face while his rough voice growled, “Don’t know name. Don’t know broke arm. Want home. Jaylynn home, soon.” He drew back from her and his hands balled into fists. “Jaylynn, no afraid. Teach thirsty.”

That radiant light couldn’t be real, it just couldn’t. She dared to close the space between them and took off the sunglasses.

He looked away, and then shifted glowing eyes back.

“Your eyes shouldn’t be red.” The mangled glasses fell from her hands and he put them back on. “You’re a demon? Is hell for real then?”

“Don’t know hell. Don’t kill Jaylynn. Try don’t break Jaylynn.”

He sprang up, strode to the end table, raised it over his head, and smashed it on the floor. He flung the splintered wood into the fireplace. “Jaylynn no afraid. Hurts…Demon’s head. Teach thirsty.”

She inched for the doorway and managed to croak, “Thirsty is a need for water. There’s a sink in the other room.”

Red eyes burned into her back. An isolated dwelling in the woods, no telephone in sight—could she get more doomed?

 

Wonderful. Thanks so much for chatting Arlene!

Thank you for hosting me, Cate, on your lovely blog. You’re one amazing writer and I love getting to know you better, too.