Publisher: Cayendi Press
Release Date: Monday, October 1 2018
Format: Paperback, eBook
ISBN: 978-94-92678-06-5 (ebook) /
978-94-92678-05-8 (paperback)
Price: 4.99 (ebook)
Word Count: 73,900
Cover Artist: Lou Harper
Genres:
Sci Fi, Romance, Suspense, Contemporary
Pairings:
M/M
Tropes:
Age gap, Fated Mates/Soul Mates,
Keywords/Categories:
gay, pansexual, ex-alien, aliens,
Warnings:
torture, death (secondary character)
Book Blurb
Working
for a secret organisation specialising in alien cover-ups, Connor Smith is no
stranger to the abnormal or dangerous. His love life on the other hand… not so
exciting. Until he reluctantly agrees to a blind date and meets the perfect
bloke, Jason.
Things
are finally falling into place for Connor, so of course that’s when he attracts
an alien stalker.
Noah
Jones, ex-alien, has been stranded on Earth and forced to live as a human since
1648. Alone and detached from the world around him, Noah has spent centuries
observing and recording humankind. In all that time, he’s only experienced a
connection with a human once… until he finds Connor.
Even
knowing Connor is in a relationship, Noah can’t ignore their potential bond, or
stay away.
While
dealing with missing alien artefacts, a dangerous and shadowy group of
collectors, and the ever-present Noah, Connor finds his orderly life crumbling
around him. At least he still has the perfect boyfriend…
When
Noah goes missing, Connor is forced to face the feelings growing between them
and the mounting evidence that Jason isn’t who he says he is…
Book Excerpt
The Dross Woods,
four-bloody-something in the morning, hunting for six-armed, two-legged white
creatures.
Agent Connor Smith,
personal assistant of Chief Security Lieutenant Natalie Tallis of Primrose UK,
yawned. The lingering mist clung to his ankles as he tightened the straps of
his field gear. He took his tranq out of its holster and flicked his torch on.
The dense, tall trees hampered visibility, and the smattering of shrubs didn’t help, either. The path, at least, was wide
enough for two.
“How many were there again?” Agent Simpson, team Alpha’s leader, asked. His dark, bald head gleamed in
the early dawn as he moved to stand next to Connor.
“Ten, I think.” Or eleven. Connor hadn’t been awake enough
to pick up everything during the interview with the Cleaton brothers, two aging
sheep farmers, who had called it in. Why have a sheep farm so close to this
vast and dense piece of forest? It was asking for trouble.
“They kept them in the stables, right? So, what
happened?”
“Broke out,” Connor said as he
trailed into the woods after Simpson. Though Connor outranked the stocky but
agile team leader, Simpson had at least a decade of field experience on him.
Simpson’s torch lit up the uneven, knobby-rooted ground,
and Connor used his to search the shrubbery next to the path. He wished he’d brought an extra coffee, because he was not
awake enough for this. Hopefully, the pale colour of the creatures made them
easier to spot.
“So, broke
out?”
“Have you seen the thing they called stables? It’s nothing more than a rickety old shed. Even
one-armed creatures would have had no problem breaking out, let alone these...
Noren, I think the brothers called them.”
“All I understood was that we’re here to catch us some aliens.” Simpson veered left, following the whimsical
bend in the path, and looked back. “It was a late
night.”
“Right, you were chasing another missing
artefact. Lieutenant Tallis filled me in. File’s probably making its way to my desk as we speak.” Connor squinted, aiming his torch at the
shrubbery to his left. A mix of red, yellow, and purple flowers brought some
colour to the otherwise dreary looking forest. “It’s the eighth time
this has happened. It’s becoming a
problem.”
“Don’t I know it. So,
did they say how big these fellas are?”
“Chest height or about. Why? Spot something?” Connor pointed his torch along Simpson’s.
The shrubs
shuddered and shook until Simpson stepped forward. A twig snapped, followed by
meowing. A cat. Just a cat.
Connor shrugged at
Simpson and they moved forward again.
Somewhere a shout
rang out: a high-pitched screech that caused goose bumps.
“One down!” someone called
through the commlink—team Bravo’s Forente or Briers, Connor guessed. “There are at least two others here.”
“That way,” Simpson said,
pointing to their right, onto a narrow path overgrown with creepers.
Connor nodded, but
Simpson had already turned away.
Step by step, they
followed the narrow path, the darkness only broken by the light of their
torches. They were hampered by the creepers as they moved along—listening, stopping, and listening again—as well as having to push low branches out of
their way every other step.
One by one, more
teams called in their catches.
“They seem to like sheep,” Forente commented after his first catch. “I heard one bleat, and the next thing we know,
one of those Noren is coming right at us.”
“Good to know,” Simpson said. “Keep up the good
work.”
“How many is that now?” Connor eyed the shrubbery in front of him,
squinting as he pointed the torch at it. Eerie how dark a forest could be at
daybreak. He preferred the smell of fresh moss to the damp, woodsy smell that now
hung around him.
“Seven. I think.”
So, three to go,
and he and Simpson had yet to run into any.
Something rustled
behind them, and Connor turned, aiming his tranq. He hoped it wasn’t another cat. More rustling, but no movement in
the shrubs. The foliage was denser here—they must have
reached the middle of the woods by now.
Satisfied a Noren
wasn't stalking them, Connor went to catch up with Simpson. when a sudden
crunching of leaves to his right stopped him again. Something whitish moved
behind a tree, too large to be a rabbit. He wished he’d paid more attention when Tallis had told them
what to look for. Not that she’d been any more
awake than he was. Simpson wasn’t the only one who’d been working late. The—
Another crunch,
nowhere near, though. If there were two Noren around, he'd need Simpson. He
tapped the commlink. “Simpson?”
“That was me. The path circles back onto itself.”
That was a relief. “There’s one behind a tree
in front of me.”
“Right. Want me to move around it?”
“Good idea.” Then he remembered
the comment about the sheep. “Wait. You don’t have to. Draw it out, bleat if you have to.
All I need is a clear shot. I can’t take a shot as
long as it’s hiding behind that tree,” Connor said, keeping an eye on the tree the
Noren hid behind. He hoped it was just the one, even though they didn’t seem violent towards humans.
Simpson’s imitation of a sheep sounded nothing like the
real thing, yet the Noren thought it genuine enough, since it came out from
behind the tree, straight into the dense shrubbery next to it.
“Bugger.” Connor tracked the
movement, but the shrubbery blocked his view. “I don’t have a shot. It
fled right into the bushes.”
Simpson didn’t reply. Instead, he made his way around Connor,
judging from the flashes of torchlight jumping around, and repeated his sheep
imitation.
The leaves
shuddered, and Connor narrowed his eyes, hoping to get a clear shot.
Simpson bleated
again, and this time the Noren came running out of the shrubbery. Connor aimed
and pulled the trigger. The Noren went down hard. Hit in one. He knelt next to
the creature, taking the cuffs out.
“Nice shot, Smith,” Simpson said when he reached them.
“Thanks.” Connor cuffed all
three sets of arms. It seemed like overkill, but he knew better than to take
any risks. He was about to activate his earpiece to ask how many were still on
the loose when a shrill whistle sounded, calling them back.
“Well,” Simpson said as he
helped Connor pick the Noren up, “I guess that’s that.”
“All in a day’s work, Simpson, all in a day’s work.” At least, for a personal assistant at Primrose.
Buy Link
Character
Interview with Connor Smith
What is your full name? Do you have a
nickname (if so, who calls you this)?
Connor Edison Smith.
*sigh* When my rugby team first found
out about my middle name, they called me lightbulb. Luckily, that lasted less
than a year.
I often feel Smith is my nickname, as
it’s customary to use last names during field assignments. I’m called Smith
more than Connor.
Who are/were your parents?
My Mum was Constance Smith, née Evans.
She was a French teacher at several secondary schools until she died. She had a
funny bone, too, though I have to admit that most of her jokes went over my
head. My Dad seem to understand them perfectly, though, and never failed to
laugh. She seemed an old soul at times, a very kind one, too.
My Dad was Edison Andreas Smith, and I
think he was an accountant. Mum used to say he had a real gift with numbers,
but he was already retired before I hit my teens. To me and my friends, he was
a stay-at-home dad, and an awesome one at that. He would always have sandwiches
ready, helped us with math… well, my friends more than me. Never missed one of
my rugby matches, and taught me how to brew a proper cup of tea.
Do you have any siblings?
Alas, none. I always wanted one, though.
I used to nag my parents to give me a little brother every single birthday for
years. They thought it was hilarious, even if it drove them nuts. Apparently, I
cleared part of my room and put in a self-made cot.
What is your occupation?
PA at Ironclad Security, also known as
the Security Department of Primrose UK, an organisation tasked with monitoring,
tracking, and protect aliens and alien technology. Which means I answer phones,
organise meetings, and go out in the field with the teams under my boss’ care.
I do a lot of everything, and often work overtime.
Are you a virgin? If not, when and with
whom did you lose your virginity?
Haven’t been a virgin since I was sixteen.
It was a teammate, a deep in the closet one, so I’m not naming names. It wasn’t
anything to write home about, though. It was a case of over before it began,
and neither of us ever spoke of it again.
When did you have your first kiss, and
who with?
My first kiss happened at least a year
after losing my virginity. Mr. Closet wasn’t into kissing. Though that’s
probably a good thing. At least this way, I have a good memory of my first
kiss. His name was Alfie, a class mate. We dated until the end of the school
year. I sometimes wonder how he’s doing.
What are your views on sex?
To each their own, and live and let
live. Who cares how, when, or where others have sex? It’s none of our business.
And if your next question is about my sex-life, I’ll give you the exact same
answer.
Do you believe in the existence of soul
mates and/or true love?
I do. Very much so. And not just because
of my connection to Noah, but because of my parents.
You see, Mum stepped on the wrong train
one day and bumped into my dad when they both went for the same seat. They’d
been together ever since. All right, the story is a lot longer than that, but
that’s what it boils down to. They met, fell in love, and knew they belonged
together.
Do you have a spouse or significant
other? If so, describe this person in some rough strokes.
Yes. Noah. He’s…unique. He has centuries
of knowledge in his head, has a knack for written languages, a love of first
edition books—especially when they’re leather bound—and he loves cuddling and
quiet nights in.
Who is the person you respect the most,
why?
Out of everyone, that would have to be
my predecessor. She was a somewhat stern-looking lady, right down to the grey
bun and reading glasses, who had been working for Primrose longer than I’ve
been alive. She started out manning the phones, and slowly climbed up to PA.
Rumours of her actual age have her being
anywhere from forty-five to seventy-five. According to her files, she was close
to sixty. Travis Simpson, Team Alpha’s leader, told me she could still outrun
most of the team, before a bullet too many finally took her out of the running.
Action wise, that is. She retired, but is still walking, if with a severe limp.
Do you care what others think of you?
Why or why not?
Less these days, but too much when I was
younger. Especially after I’d just come out. I felt I was being measured, held
up to invisible standards, with everything I did. Though never by my parents or
my friends. Took me a long time to realise I didn’t need to live up to other
people’s expectations. I only had to live up to mine.
Do you hold the door open for the person
behind you or do you let it go?
I always hold the door open. It’s a
common courtesy taught to me by my dad. He firmly believed that kindness would
always be repaid, as long as we didn’t expect payment immediately.
What is/are your favourite hobbies and
pastimes?
Rugby, whenever I have the time,
watching comedies, especially after a stressful day, and reading mysteries on
my days off.
What smells do you associate with your
childhood, and why?
Peppermint and Cypress. Mum was fond of
bath oils, and those were the ones most frequently used. Peppermint was her
favourite, and cypress is mine.
Do you grind your teeth?
Yes. It’s an annoying habit, but I can’t
seem to stop it. I’ve had therapy for it, and it’s a lot better these days. If
it gets really bad, I wear a mouth guard at night.
Do you put on both socks then both
shoes, or one sock, one shoe, other sock, other shoe?
Socks first, and mainly because where I
put on socks is nowhere near where I put my shoes on.
What do you like to wear?
Fitted suits. It’s the one thing I treat
myself to on my birthdays, and the one thing I save up for specifically. I like
how they accentuate my body in the right places, and never make my shoulders
seem wider than they are. And suits are perfect for showing off colour, without
having to wear colourful suits, if that makes sense.
==========================================================================
Review
Aliens, Smith and Jones
was a most wonderful surprise package.
For starters, there’s the title. Alias Smith and Jones was one
of my favourite television shows when I grew up and to find a book (or title) that
was clearly inspired by such a fond memory would have been reason enough for me
to pick it up. Add to that aliens, a mystery, and a bond that won’t be denied,
and you’ve got me; hook, line and sinker.
Connor works at Primrose, a secret organization dealing with
aliens. While their purpose is to acquire knowledge and keep them save they’re
up against stiff competition in the form of rich collectors who will stop at
nothing to add alien life forms and artefacts to their collections. Unlucky in
love, Connor is over the moon when his colleague and friend, Isa introduces him
to Jason who appears to be the perfect boyfriend. All would be well in Connor’s
world if it wasn’t for the person who is stalking him; a person he seems to be
aware of even when he can’t see him.
Noah has been stranded on earth for centuries. All but immortal
he ages at a glacial pace while living his life on a planet not his own. It has
been a very long time since he last felt connected to someone so discovering
the link between him and Connor comes as a huge and overwhelming shock. He
never meant to awaken the bond between them, but his emotions are too strong for
him to prevent it from happening.
Connor can’t deny the pull he experiences toward Noah, but he
has at last found what he perceives to be the ultimate partner and the two men
keep their distance, no matter how hard that proves to be until the moment Noah
disappears and the connection between them is the only thing that might save
him.
I’ll leave my summary of the story there. Suffice to say that
what follows is action-packed, emotion-filled, and at one point heart-breaking.
The story never lets up. Even when identities are uncovered and mysteries
solved, there’s always another snag, just around the corner, keeping Noah and
Connor in danger.
I have to admit that the mystery isn’t overly mysterious; in
fact, the clues are in the blurb. But I can’t say that diminished my enjoyment
of this story at all. The tension lay more in the ‘when will they figure it out’
than in ‘what is going on here’, but that didn’t lessen my compulsion to keep
on turning the pages.
I loved how the author placed her aliens and the organization dealing
with them in the here and now. It gives the story a wonderful other-wordly edge
while allowing the reader to recognize almost everything described in the
story. But, what captured my heart the most was probably Noah’s love for books.
It is difficult not to fall in love with an alien whose biggest joy on earth
(before Connor) can be found in the written word.
I’m delighted to see this book is subtitled ‘A Primrose Files
Novel’. Surely that indicates that there will be more to come? Because, while Aliens,
Smith and Jones definitely is a finished story, I would love to spend
more time with Connor and Noah—now that there are no more obstacles to their
relationship—and I look forward to joining them on more adventures involving
aliens.
Giveaway:
Blaine is giving away a backlist copy of one of her eBooks
with this tour – enter via Rafflecopter:
Author Bio:
Blaine D. Arden is a purple-haired, forty-something author
of queer romance mixed with fantasy, magic, and suspense who sings her way
through life in platform boots. She is an EPIC Award winning author, and her
scifi romance “Aliens, Smith and Jones” received an Honourable Mention in the
Best Gay Sci-Fi/Fantasy category of the Rainbow Awards 2012.
Born and raised in Zutphen, the Netherlands, Blaine spent
many hours of her sheltered youth reading, day dreaming, making up stories and
acting them out with her Barbies. After seeing the film “An Early Frost” as a
teen in the mid-eighties, an idealistic Blaine wanted to do away with the
negativity surrounding homosexuality and strove to show the world how beautiful
love between men could be. Our difference is our strength, is Blaine’s motto,
and her stories are often set in worlds where gender fluidity and sexual
diversity are accepted as is.
