Excerpt from Kidnapped by Maria Hammarblad

"The lift won't take you anywhere; it'd be futile to try. You will have a room on this floor. You can go to the bridge to look out if you want to, but the computer will not obey you. If you try anything, anything at all, it's back to the cell and I'll forget I ever metyou."

Even though Patricia's fear had started to turn into curiosity, it still seemed safer not to say anything, so she nodded obediently and followed him. After a few steps, caution vanished, and her mouth started talking all by itself. "It's a big ship. And empty."

Her warder stared straight ahead, andfor several seconds she thought he wouldn't answer. "Yes. It can hold over 2000 troops and almost as many prisoners."

"How many are here now?"

Turning his head to stare at her, his eyes seemed cold again, and his tone of voice made it clear the discussion was over. "You and me. Stop asking so many questions."

She stopped to stare, mouthing, "WOW,"but Travis didn't wait. He was already moving forward and she had to run again to catch up with him.

When he eventually did stop, he nodded towards a door. "You can stay in here. There are clothes in the closet. Behave."

There were so many things she wanted to say, so many questions to ask, but one thing stabbed harder at her mind than everything else. It was just too creepy. "Clothes from other prisoners?"

She paused, and forced the question overher lips. "Dead prisoners?"

Travis shrugged. "They're clothes."

LINK TO BUY when available in May http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-292/Kidnapped-Maria-Hammarblad/Detail.bok

Marie Hammarblad takes romance out of this world!

Lynette: Tell us a little about (name of book), released (release date if applicable). What is the genre? What is it about?

Maria: My book “Kidnapped” will be released by Desert Breeze Publishing May 11. I’m very excited, because the ideas for this story have been with me for many years. It’s a science fiction romance about a girl who is abducted by mistake. She finds herself in a completely alien environment deprived of everything even remotely familiar. I toyed with the idea of calling it “Abducted,” but that sounded too much like little green men.

Lynette: Will you share a blurb?

Maria: Sure.

It's a late winter night when Patricia Risden heads home in her car, on a road she's driven many times before. She doesn't have a care in the world, that is, until a man appears from nowhere, right in front of her.

The next thing she knows is being a prisoner of the unscrupulous Alliance Commander Travis 152; an intimidating man who demands information and complete cooperation. Travis soon realizes his mistake; Tricia doesn't know anything, and she is incapable of even getting a glass of water from the ship's computer.

Infamous for being a ruthless executioner, conditioned since childhood to feel nothing besides fear and pain, he still deems her harmless, and finds enough pity for the lost young woman to let her out of the cell; a decision that will change both their lives forever.

Lynette: Now I have goosebumps. Hey, everyone, Maria will be visiting here for a few days. Leave her your questions and comments, and she may even give us an excerpt. And I have a surprise for tomorrow - I was honored to read this prior to release - lucky me! - and I will give you a more complete review but let me tell you that I couldn't wait for Maria to visit.  

I have always loved science fiction and this is an exciting look at a abduction turned romance and a jaunt around the galaxy. 

Website: http://www.hammarblad.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariahammarblad
Blog: http://www.scifiromance.info
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mariahammarblad

If she didn't write, what would Maria do?

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?

I would play the bass. I used to play in three rock bands, and it was a lot of fun. I miss it sometimes, but I don’t have the time for it right now.

If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?

Right here, in Florida, but in a bigger house with a back door, closer to the beach. I wouldn’t mind if it had a pool too. J I really want a back door – we’re renting a little house now and it has a perfectly fine back yard, but there’s no way to get to it without going out close to the road.

If you were a tool, what would people use you to do?

I would be a Swiss Army knife able to do all sorts of things.

Ocean or mountains? Ocean

City life or country life?

Country, but for some reason I live in the city.

Dogs or cats?

Both.

Do readers ever contact you?

Yes, I’m pretty easily accessible and enjoy e-mailing with people. I sometimes get messages on Goodreads and on Facebook, and I try to answer everyone. If I miss someone it’s not on purpose. Comments, questions, likes, dislikes, I love to hear it.

Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?

A couple of people have told me they never liked science fiction until they read my books. Comments like that make me really happy; it means I have succeeded. I want to entertain people, and tickle their imagination.

Kidnapped is available May 11 http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-292/Kidnapped-Maria-Hammarblad/Detail.bok

Website: http://www.hammarblad.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariahammarblad
Blog: http://www.scifiromance.info
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mariahammarblad

Immaginary friends, pets and family from Maria Hammarblad

Lynette: Which book was the easiest for you to write? The hardest? The most fun?

Maria: I think the third book in The Goddess’s Saga – “Return of the Goddess” – was the easiest. It almost wrote itself, and it was ready long before the second one, “Wrath of the Goddess.” Wrath really fought me. I don’t know why; I knew what would happen in it, but I still needed almost three years to finish it.

The most fun? “Brand New World.” It’s a science fiction spoof and I chuckled all the way through it. The main character wakes up in the future, accompanied by a hologram of a rock star and a humanoid cat. It sort of gets worse from there…

Lynette: How about the people and/or animals you share space with. Do they know not to bother you when you are writing, or are there constant interruptions?

Maria: Haha, no, there are constant interruptions. I always have dogs climbing on me. My youngest doggie tries to stand on the keyboard, and he very helpfully types things like, “lk;i0i0ko;k;l.” If Mike is home, he always has the TV on and is usually talking. He’s a good sport though – he never gets mad if I don’t answer, or if I answer something that’s evidently wrong. Still, I’d much rather have company and be interrupted than be more efficient and all alone. J

Lynette: What do family members think of your writing? Do you ever ask him/her/them for advice? Editing?

Maria: I have tried to make Mike read my books. ”Kidnapped” is even dedicated to him, but he refuses. I think he’s worried he won’t like them. He’s an optimist though; he says, “Naah, I’ll watch the movie when someone makes one.” His mom reads all my books though, and she has valuable input.
Lynette: Are you a member of any author group and how does that help your writing?

Maria: Yes, I am a member of Florida Writer’s Association, but I don’t have time to go to the meetings, so it doesn’t help all that much. I have promised myself that once life settles down a little I’ll start going. Input from other writers is invaluable.

Lynette: Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?

Maria: My characters take on lives of their own. I sometimes say I have to go play with my imaginary friends so I can write their stories… They pop up out of nowhere and insist on getting attention. Okay, that doesn’t sound entirely sane, hahaha!

Lynette: Any words of encouragement for unpublished writers.

Maria: There are times when everything is easy and happy joy joy. When it’s not easy, just keep writing, and don’t be discouraged if it feels up-hill and you get rejection letters from agents and publishers. Try again. Sometimes you need to re-write and try again, but don’t give up. Same thing if you get a bad review; if people hates what you’ve written, you’ve somehow reached them and created an emotion. Remember, a reader might hate your story line for other reasons than it being bad.

Website: http://www.hammarblad.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariahammarblad
Blog: http://www.scifiromance.info
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mariahammarblad

Maria Hammarblad on how she wrote a book on an iPod

Lynette: Kidnapped is a very creative book, with lots of scenes we've never seen or thought of before. Where do your ideas come from?

Maria: My ideas come from all sorts of places. Many come to me when I dream, and I wake up and need to start writing. Some come when I’m doing things in everyday life – I’m writing on a story right now about an undercover cop in a motorcycle gang, and that one struck me when I was driving to the store one day. The most mundane things can make me start thinking, “What if…” and off it goes.

Lynette: How long did it take you to write this book? Edit it?

Maria: That’s a funny story. A few years ago, my husband bought me an iPod for my birthday. I started transferring all my music to it and stumbled over an old song, “Misguided Angel” by Cowboy Junkies. It triggered a memory of a story I scribbled on as a teenager. (I listened to that song the first time I wrote it, back in the 80’s.) I sat there in bed in the middle of the night, trying not to wake my husband, and thought, “Hey, that was a pretty cool story idea. I should write this down.” So, I started writing on the iPod, and wrote most of the night – I thought it was so cool with the touch screen and the tiny little keyboard. I wrote almost the entire book on the iPod, e-mailed it to the computer, and put all the pieces together. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve re-written it since.

Lynette: Wow, and I have trouble typing fast enough to be productive on the iPad. You must have limber hands! How many books have your written? And how many of those have been published?

Maria: I have written eight novels and a short story collection. I have self-published a few of them, but “Kidnapped” is the first to find a home with a publishing house. My second book with Desert Breeze Publishing will be released September 11, it’s called “Undercover” and is a spy/thriller romance.

I can't wait to read that one, too. I promised my readers I would give a short review of Kidnapped for them.

Kidnapped is a well-written Science Fiction story of a woman kidnapped from earth and taken on a whirlwind tour of the universe with a captor whose heart is thawed by her innocence. This does not please his commander, who persues, captures and loses both characters.  In the process there is fun, adventure, sizzle and an introduction to different worlds and their impact, one day, on our own. Be sure to pick up Kidnapped by Maria Hammarblad available May 11 at http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-292/Kidnapped-Maria-Hammarblad/Detail.bok - Lynette Endicott

Website: http://www.hammarblad.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariahammarblad
Blog: http://www.scifiromance.info
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mariahammarblad