Aubrie Dionne Virtual Book Tour - her novel, Paradise 21, New Dawn Book One.

To read my Romantic Friday Writers story go here.

Today I feel honoured to be a part of Aubrie Dionne's Book Tour. I have been interacting with Aubrie at her Flutey Words blog for some time, and have read much of her work. She is a writer with a deft hand, and who knows what it is like to go through the pain of rejection, then the joy of publication. She has been generous in sharing her journey with her fellow writers.

So when Entangled Publishing offered her a contract for her novel Paradise 21, I was delighted with Aubrie's success and delighted to host her on her tour.

Paradise 21, A New Dawn Book One, will be released in August 2011. It's available now! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy and LOVED it! I will have a review up later this month. Space opera is not usually my chosen genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Here is the Book Blurb:

Aries has lived her entire life aboard mankind’s last hope, the New Dawn, a spaceship traveling toward a planet where humanity can begin anew—a planet that won’t be reached in Aries’ lifetime. As one of the last genetically desirable women in the universe, she must marry her designated genetic match and produce the next generation for this centuries-long voyage.

But Aries has other plans.

When her desperate escape from the New Dawn strands her on a desert planet, Aries discovers the rumors about pirates—humans who escaped Earth before its demise—are true. Handsome, genetically imperfect Striker possesses the freedom Aries envies, and the two connect on a level she never thought possible. But pursued by her match from above and hunted by the planet’s native inhabitants, Aries quickly learns her freedom will come at a hefty price.

The life of the man she loves.

Here is an excerpt:

His casual tone stung her composure. How could he talk of such mundane things when they’d almost been captured, when she’d touched him so tenderly?

“We’ll let them get farther away,” Striker explained, reasonable as always. “We’re going in their direction tomorrow.”

The sting of rejection grew, burning a hole in her heart. “Why?”

“Why what?”

Her lips trembled. “Why not kiss me like you did before?”

“I can’t.” He shook his head, and the air cooled between them; so much so, Aries wondered if the desert had turned into deep space.

He’d teased her with such affection before, it was cruel to take it away. “I don’t understand,” she said, wishing she didn’t care, wishing she could stop all the emotions he’d started in her heart.

Aries caught a glimpse of pain etched in the wrinkles around his eyes. Striker turned away and started pulling supplies out of his backpack. “I can’t do this.”

“Do what?”

Striker shook his head and Aries prompted, “Can’t kiss me, can’t trust me? What?”

“I can’t allow myself to get tangled up with someone. Not again.”

The thoughts of Striker with another woman confused her. On the New Dawn, everyone had one lifemate and that was it. “You mean you loved someone before?”

Striker’s hand tightened on the backpack. “I trusted someone a long time ago, allowed myself to love, if you will. She hurt me so much I lost my entire life and ended up here. I can’t experience that kind of pain again.”

Aries clasped her hand over her heart. “I’m so sorry.”

He waved her apology off as if it meant nothing. “It’s a tough world, Aries. And it’s dangerous to love. If I were you, I’d keep my heart well-guarded, because you never know when it will affect your decisions, when it will make you weak.”

Aries couldn’t take his advice. Watching him talk about his past made her realize she’d already given up her heart.

He had it.

I wrote to Aubrie and asked her some questions:

DENISE: Aubrie, I was very impressed with the characters in Paradise 21. How do you develop a mental picture of your characters? How do you take this mental picture and create believable characters?

AUBRIE: Thank you! Characters used to be my weakest point in writing, and I’ve worked hard to make them 3-dimensional. I think about each character’s flaws, and make them wrestle with them. They have to overcome their own faults, and perhaps lose before they can triumph.

Each one of my characters has a bit of my own personality in them, whether I like it or not! Sometimes it’s just a little bit, and other times, it’s me magnified by a thousand!

DENISE: Every writer’s journey to publication is unique. Did you always know you wanted to see your work in print? What steps did you take to make this a reality?

AUBRIE: I always wanted to hold my own book in my hands. What I didn’t realize is that sometimes you have to write a whole bunch of books before you get a hit on your hands. Paradise 21 is my fourth complete novel. I’ve also written about twenty short stories and a novella. It takes time to perfect your craft, and to find the perfect recipe of setting, characters, and plot for an interesting book.

DENISE: Does chocolate help with the writing process? Or is there something else you prefer to use?

AUBRIE: Chocolate, jelly beans, coffee, and tea all help!

DENISE: How does music figure in your writing process? I could imagine you taking up your flute at times when you needed inspiration. Do you do this?

AUBRIE: Oh yes, sometimes when I practice a story idea comes to mind. When I was in high school, I used to sit in orchestra and make up stories to go with the music. (Sometimes the flute player has to sit for a long time without playing!)

A musical phrase is a lot like a sentence. Just like an entire composition is much like a novel. You need to have your sentences flow like music, and build up to a climatic point.

DENISE: From following your blog I've got you tagged as a fairly serious person so I'm not sure if you'll answer this question or not. I've got to ask one weird question. Er, do you have some stupid human trick you can do that not many people know about?

AUBRIE: Hmmmm….I’m not very athletic, or good at math or science, but I can remember phone numbers really well. I still know my best friend’s number from junior high school (although for her parent’s benefit I won’t share it here!).

Denise, thank you for having me on your blog today! Great questions! 

A New Dawn Book One by Aubrie Dionne

Title: Paradise 21
Author: Aubrie Dionne
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: August 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-02-2
Mobi ISBN: Coming soon!
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-03-9

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/paradise-21/

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8vCni_TZUA

Ebook review copies available at NetGalley.com