Blog Tour:Spotlight/Giveaway!! Gemini Rising, by Jessica O'Gorek

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Gemini Rising: Etheral Fury Tour,

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About the Book

Ethereal Fury

(Gemini Rsising, #1)

Jessica O'Gorek

Trade Paperback, 280 pages

Cogent Publishing

April 13, 2013

Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, 

Paranormal Romance, Young Adult Fiction

Book Synopsis  

BEWARE! THE PLANET IS WOUNDED... THE GEMINI ARE RISING AND OUR TIME ON EARTH IS LIMITED

Angry at the human race and its methodical destruction of her resources, Mother Earth recruits souls who have just left their bodies to serve Her, and turns them against humanity. Gemini, a clan of paranormal beings, picked from these possessed humans, emerges. A powerful, rising force proceeds to carry out Mother Nature’s plan to systematically destroy towns, cities, states… and eventually, the world. Amidst the chaos, a forbidden relationship between a human girl, Violette, and Onyx, a lead Gemini, begins. They will both find themselves in the middle of a revolutionary war that will either save, or destroy our world.

Author Q & A

1.) Was there one book that inspired you to write? What book was it, and who is the author? What made it stick with you?

Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. The series stuck with me because I absolutely love Edward, and because of Bella's transition from girl to vampire. I watched the first movie, then read the series, and just couldn't get enough of it. The funny thing is, Meyer really isn't a stunning writer, not compared to James Patterson or King, but she still sucked me into  the story, and had me reeling with Edward's innocent sweetness. He was a killer, but also a gentle soul. This concept fascinates me, and has translated into Onyx, my main character.

2.) What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to take the YA genre and add some spice to it by inserting a deeper concept they can hopefully relate to. Instead of just a love triangle and some supernatural creatures, we have an earth element, one that I hope will instill in them the importance of protecting our planet.

3.) What's the first creative writing you did outside school or a class?

When I was 12, I hand-wrote a 2,000-page romance novel. But my passion was  dark, disturbing poetry. I love the way adults would read it, and then look at me like I was a poor, tortured soul.

4.) If you didn't live where you live now, where would you live? Why?

Brazil.  I love green -- it's my favorite color -- and I've always wanted to live in a tree house in the Amazon.

5.) If your book were made into a TV show or movie, who would you want to play the main character(s)?

I would take Robert Pattinson's face and paste it with The Rock's body to make Onyx. He would have to be computerized anyway, since he is made of smoke. Kristen Stewart would be Violette, and Slate would be the guy in "Warm Bodies". (I don't know his name off the top of my head.) I've always pictured Darius as Silvester Stallone, and the bishop as Donald Sutherland.

6.) Did you publish the first book you wrote? If not, how many books did you write before publishing your first?

Yes! This is the first novel I have ever completed, and I was lucky enough to land a publisher.

7.) What was your favorite book as a kid? What's your favorite book now?

Charlie Brown's Christmas. Twilight.

8.) What's the best piece of advice given to you?

The Serenity Prayer: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

9.) Give us a hint about your current writing project.

I am on Book Four of the Gemini Rising series.

Book Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Welcome to your new reality

Other than the stench of her burning house, and images of very tall flames, she remembered very little about that night. She knew that it wasn't just her house that had burnt. Other neighbors had lost their homes and lives too. Her most vivid memory that night was the strange way she had escaped.

Her room was on the second floor, her parents on the first. She’d been cozy in her bed until her own coughing had awakened her. Sitting up in disbelief, flames danced around the perimeter of her room, she had been unable to move and too scared to think clearly. She had screamed for her parents. She had yelled their names over and over, but they never came. Finally, she just stopped screaming and tried to stand to see if her window was on fire too. It was hard to see through the smoke, so she’d done what the firemen in school had taught her. Crawling under the smoke, she’d made her way closer to the window, but it was a lapping wall of flames. She was trapped. She gave up and curled up on what must've been the only piece of carpet that wasn't blackened yet. She closed her eyes and started humming one of her favorite lullabyes in her head. She had known she was going to die and she wanted to hear the melody again.

Her internal song was interrupted by the sound of her window shattering. She could feel the glass spray hit her back, but she didn’t budge an inch. This didn't frighten her; she was expecting the glass to break from the heat; the firemen in school had told her that too. Heat created pressure on glass.

Without warning, she felt herself being lifted up. She was oh so hot, her skin was burning and it stung. She did not understand why she was walking to the fire, but she could see the black night outside, a cooling rectangle of hope. Her body was being moved by something else, not her, something benevolent and something that smelled of reassurance. She would probably never forget that smell as long as she lived. It smelled like her mom and dad, her home, the ocean, all mixed into one blanket of loveliness. The safety of the aroma helped her tune out the turmoil around her so she could observe what happened next, but she discovered she did not need to be worried about how it was possible. Her young mind could just accept what was and leave it at that.

She was lifted easily through the window by whatever force enveloped her and then hung two stories in the air for a few seconds before gently gliding to the ground. Not a scratch or bruise. Whatever had rescued her let go and she fell a few feet to the grass, coughing and sputtering. She remembered lying there for a few minutes, then standing on wobbly legs. She had searched all sides of her house, only to discover it was engulfed in the hot nightmare that kept her from her parents. She wanted her mommy, her daddy, and her fluffy stuffed duck. She had stood there, staring at the flames with hatred, her eyes barely blinking, her fists clenched with the urge to hit something, but there was nothing to hit.

 When her eyes started to tear up and her face was red from the heat, she made her way around to the front yard. What she saw would scar her forever. Her neighborhood was nothing but flames and smoke. All the houses were either actively burning or were blackened shells with cinders blowing in the night. There had been no firemen there to rescue her, no other people in the streets trying to find one another. Was she the only one left alive? Why did the fire trucks not show up? Where were the giant hoses that could save her house? Feeling like she'd been lied to by the firemen and cheated, she’d walked out onto the street, as far away from the wildly burning fires as possible, and sat on the curb to wait for someone to find her. After at least another hour, she heard distant sirens. When the trucks came they were all labeled with a town name that wasn't familiar. Not one other refugee from the surrounding houses had emerged from the cooling ashes. "You're one lucky little girl, sweetheart."

- See more at: http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/2014/05/gemini-rising-ethereal-fury-by-jessica.html#sthash.znz2BHmR.dpuf

    "Wake up, Oliver, wake up!" the female voice was urgent with concern.

    "Lilly, give him a minute, he just died! Sometimes they need a transitional period."

    What was happening? Was he dead? He shook his head and tried to speak.

    "What....who...."

   "It's okay," the female said. Why couldn't he see her? "You're one of us now. Just relax."

     "One of what....Who are you?"

     "We'll answer all of your questions," a deep male voice assured him. "First things first, you need to accept that you are dead. At least, your human body is dead. We are called Gemini, servants of the earth, and soon, you will be ordained a Gemini, too. Third, we are in the center of the earth, four thousand miles below the surface."

     "Excuse me? Am I dreaming?"

     "No. This is your new reality, Mr. Tycoon. This is what happens to people when they poison the environment for the sake of their own pockets. You struck oil in 1956 in Nigeria, right? Just want to make sure we got the right guy. After all, the Mother can make mistakes sometimes...."

     Oliver made a cry of anguish and reached up to his head, or to where his head used to be. There was nothing there, nothing solid. Just a pulsing energy, smooth and warm.

     "Oliver...."

   "Who are you?" He shouted at the voices now. "How do you know my name? Why have you brought me here? I have money....tons of money." He tried to sit up but instead he just twirled in the air; he hadn't been lying down in the first place. There was nothing to lie down on. "Why can't I see you? Show yourself!" He was angry now; his offer of money got no response and this irked him.

     "Try to calm down, Oliver. My name is Lilly, and this is Tork. Tork is our leader, Chief of the Gemini. We are an army of lost souls, recruited to end what we promoted during our human lives. Oil drilling and pollution, carbon emissions and chemical spills, you get the idea. This is our purgatory. But it's not all that bad, really. It will be much easier after we erase your human memories."

   "Erase my....no, no. You aren't going to erase anything!" As he yelled, things started to come into focus and he was hit with new fears. He was on a cliff, near the edge of what looked to be a river of lava.

      "Lilly, I think it's best if we just proceed with the removal," Tork advised.

       "Re....removal?" Oliver stammered.

     "Wait, let's try a little harder to make him come around."

       He saw a pretty, translucent face staring at him. It was the color of the molten rock in the background. He could literally see through 'her'. Timidly, he raised a finger out towards her and noticed for the first time that he did have a form. Fingers! He had a hand and an arm, too! They were a grey and foggy substance, like smoke.

        "Help me. Please. I don't understand. I just want my wife. My car. My ocean...."

         "Oliver, it's all gone." Lilly patted his grey hand. "You have been reborn and you will be this way until our task is complete. The Mother is our ruler. She is all powerful and...."

          

          

   

Other than the stench of her burning house, and images of very tall flames, she remembered very little about that night. She knew that it wasn't just her house that had burnt. Other neighbors had lost their homes and lives too. Her most vivid memory that night was the strange way she had escaped.

Her room was on the second floor, her parents on the first. She’d been cozy in her bed until her own coughing had awakened her. Sitting up in disbelief, flames danced around the perimeter of her room, she had been unable to move and too scared to think clearly. She had screamed for her parents. She had yelled their names over and over, but they never came. Finally, she just stopped screaming and tried to stand to see if her window was on fire too. It was hard to see through the smoke, so she’d done what the firemen in school had taught her. Crawling under the smoke, she’d made her way closer to the window, but it was a lapping wall of flames. She was trapped. She gave up and curled up on what must've been the only piece of carpet that wasn't blackened yet. She closed her eyes and started humming one of her favorite lullabyes in her head. She had known she was going to die and she wanted to hear the melody again.

Her internal song was interrupted by the sound of her window shattering. She could feel the glass spray hit her back, but she didn’t budge an inch. This didn't frighten her; she was expecting the glass to break from the heat; the firemen in school had told her that too. Heat created pressure on glass.

Without warning, she felt herself being lifted up. She was oh so hot, her skin was burning and it stung. She did not understand why she was walking to the fire, but she could see the black night outside, a cooling rectangle of hope. Her body was being moved by something else, not her, something benevolent and something that smelled of reassurance. She would probably never forget that smell as long as she lived. It smelled like her mom and dad, her home, the ocean, all mixed into one blanket of loveliness. The safety of the aroma helped her tune out the turmoil around her so she could observe what happened next, but she discovered she did not need to be worried about how it was possible. Her young mind could just accept what was and leave it at that.

She was lifted easily through the window by whatever force enveloped her and then hung two stories in the air for a few seconds before gently gliding to the ground. Not a scratch or bruise. Whatever had rescued her let go and she fell a few feet to the grass, coughing and sputtering. She remembered lying there for a few minutes, then standing on wobbly legs. She had searched all sides of her house, only to discover it was engulfed in the hot nightmare that kept her from her parents. She wanted her mommy, her daddy, and her fluffy stuffed duck. She had stood there, staring at the flames with hatred, her eyes barely blinking, her fists clenched with the urge to hit something, but there was nothing to hit.

 When her eyes started to tear up and her face was red from the heat, she made her way around to the front yard. What she saw would scar her forever. Her neighborhood was nothing but flames and smoke. All the houses were either actively burning or were blackened shells with cinders blowing in the night. There had been no firemen there to rescue her, no other people in the streets trying to find one another. Was she the only one left alive? Why did the fire trucks not show up? Where were the giant hoses that could save her house? Feeling like she'd been lied to by the firemen and cheated, she’d walked out onto the street, as far away from the wildly burning fires as possible, and sat on the curb to wait for someone to find her. After at least another hour, she heard distant sirens. When the trucks came they were all labeled with a town name that wasn't familiar. Not one other refugee from the surrounding houses had emerged from the cooling ashes. "You're one lucky little girl, sweetheart."

- See more at: http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/2014/05/gemini-rising-ethereal-fury-by-jessica.html#sthash.znz2BHmR.dpuf

About the Author

I was born in Chesapeake, Virginia on April 19th, 1979. I was raised within the American Indian religion and was taught great respect for the earth and all its living beings. Powwows, sweat lodges, vision quests, you name it, I’ve done it. I was the weird kid who would confront kids on the playground in elementary school when they squished a bug. I would very sincerely tell them what they were doing was morally wrong and then I would pray for the bug to come back as a butterfly in its next life.

​I grew up admiring my father, Barry Weinstock, as an author. He took me around the country to different places so he could research and write his Wilderness Survival books. One of his greatest works, "The Path of Power", was written with a great medicine man, Sunbear. When I was twelve I started
hand-writing novels. My first one was two thousand pages. My dad always encouraged me and would rave about my writing. He gave me the confidence I needed to keep writing and follow my dream. My daughter, who is twelve, is currently working on her first novel. I hope to continue the legacy.

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