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About J. M. Thomas
Her interest in diverse subjects like literature and the social sciences led her to the perfect cocktail of loves--science fiction and fantasy.
When she isn't beating the ever-loving crap out of her punching bag, she's slinging words in the general direction of a page like it's nobody's business.
Besides student writing consulting and copy editing, she also dabbles in herb and vegetable gardening, using those ingredients to whip up a mean pot of Indian or Thai curry.
When she needs a distraction from her creative pursuits, she enjoys scenic walks along the Tennessee River with her husband and three children, all of whom are named after video games.
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Blog postWhat’s in the works for 2020?
Already, far more than I’d bargained for!
The Low Noon series has been making some ripples that will soon have far wider-reaching effects (hopefully–sorry for being vague, but I don’t want to announce anything until the details are finalized).
Because of this *waves hand around to encompass vagueness*, I’ve top-decked Low Noon 3: New Moon Nights. It’ll follow Pete as he loses his faith in humanity and has to decide to care anyway. Cue load1 year ago Read more -
Blog postThe angry bear had me in its sights.
That wasn’t too bad, since I had it in my sights as well. Trouble was, a six-shooter pistol trained on roughly a thousand pounds of angry brown bear waffled somewhere on the border of pointless and old-fashioned stupid. Sure, my bullets could probably get under its skin, in a literal and figurative sense. They’d also only make the creature angrier.
Considering that the sunlight filtering through the trees forced me to stay in a dead-end hol1 year ago Read more -
Blog postIf you’ve never tried writing a novel before, but you have an idea or a couple characters living in your head, there are a lot of unknowns.
How long will this idea take to flesh out–an enormous trilogy, or a novella? How long can I expect to invest in this before the rough draft is done? How rough will that draft be?
For me, the idea I had roughly sketched in outline form on a sheet of lined paper was book one of the four it’d take to get this story on paper. I knew where it n1 year ago Read more -
Blog postNote: Contains adult language and probably other stuff, knowing these characters.
Chapter 1 – New
Tonight, on Cy-Fie, the weather controls on the Martian terraform are…
“Please tell me this isn’t Sharkicane forty-seven, Jet. I need it to not be Sharkicane forty-seven.”
“Shut up, Blade.” I shook my head, marvelling at how smoothly it rotated side to side on my command. “You’ve watched forty-six of them; this one can’t possibly be any worse than those.”
“1 year ago Read more -
Blog postThis one’s a way way way flashback to the early days of the first women to come to Sarai. It gives little teases as to how things got to where they are, and how messed up the whole situation was from the beginning.
Also, hooray, finally one of these I can post without a content warning, yay!
Without further ado, the prologue to Riders of Vengeance:
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“Momentous,” Ari whispered as the sight of over a hundred women milling about, exchanging pleasantries, cooking f2 years ago Read more -
Blog postNOTE: Contains violence, some sexual situations, and swearing. Don’t read Vampire Westerns aloud to your half-pint kids, for Pete’s sake. Or do; it’s your call.
Chapter 1: Showdown
High noon. I gulped, doing my best to show no fear. The sun seemed to fry my skin as my worn leather boots, almost of their own accord, trod their paces in the dust. My spurs chimed with each stomp. Eighteen, nineteen, twenty…
Bang.
My hand wasn’t even on my pistol when Angus shot me2 years ago Read more -
Blog postContent warning: Adult language and general badness–this is the bad guy, after all.
Diary of Nikolas Larsen II, Hypnotist, Magician, Oracle SPR Project Director
Today, I’m celebrating the seventieth anniversary of Oracle’s Brave New World campaign. I’m playing tricks and amusing the idiots again tomorrow. Every spare tip is going in the get-the-fuck-out-of-Ardia jar. And I’d better see everyone else’s money in there, too, especially now that Sanoske isn’t adding anything new t2 years ago Read more -
Blog postWell, publishing Queen of Shadows, OBVIOUSLY. I’m a couple rounds of editing away on it, then the frenzy of publishing will begin in earnest once again. You guys will get first access to the prologue, which gives a good slice of backstory from the perspective of the villain. Because who else can you trust to deliver their version of events? Mwahaha.
Right now, I’m on the homestretch of drafting Book 4: Riders of Vengeance. This book is the conclusion of the Four Horsemen of Sarai seri2 years ago Read more -
Blog post(adapted from Adriana Bielkova, Winston Churchill, and the almighty Google) I was in academic peer feedback years before I wrote my first fiction book and started getting mountains of peer feedback myself. I quickly found that every person giving feedback has different strengths and styles, much like every author. This made line editing more an … Continue reading 9 Line Editing Questions to Make You the Fiction Peer Feedback Super Kami Guru2 years ago Read more
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Blog postNOTE: Adult language
Everything about this ride was horrible. The seat was hard, uneven, and just a little too narrow. The helicopter’s throbbing rotors were too loud, and Larsen’s headset was too large and fell off his ears every other time the craft shuddered. The weather, which probably should have grounded them, made for frightening turbulence that batted the scientists around like ping pong balls in white lab coats. Even the pilot’s reflection in the plexiglass front mirror looke2 years ago Read more
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“A rip snort’n good read.”
“I absolutely loved this collection of stories. Visionary, exciting, and full of adventure. I highly recommend it!”
“Creative, compelling and satisfying. Hard to put down, so I stayed up late and kept reading.”
“A blisteringly good collection.”
“Will read everything in this series I can get my hands on.”
“These stories are full of great, complex characters (not all of them human), twists and turns, and fantastic world-building.”
BEYOND THE STARS: Infinite Expanse includes these short stories:
* Precious Cargo (C.H. Hung)
* Antecedent (R. A. Steffan)
* Chrysalis (G. S. Jennsen)
* Imperatrix, Redux (Nemma Wollenfang)
* Mirage and Shadow (R.K. Thorne)
* Coffin Rider (James Rossiter)
* Oresa (R.J. Howell)
* Malfunction (Jack Lyster)
* Enemy Within (J.M. Thomas)
* For Your Eyes Only (Ethan Freckleton)
* Terminal Candidate (David Bruns)
Eleven stunning new tales from well-known authors and fresh voices. This is the seventh in the prestigious BEYOND THE STARS space opera anthology series, and inside are intrigue and passion, aliens, battles, and a bit of intergalactic romance.
Join these authors who are exploring the... Infinite Expanse!
Don't miss the earlier volumes:
DARK BEYOND THE STARS
BEYOND THE STARS: A Planet Too Far
BEYOND THE STARS: At Galaxy's Edge
BEYOND THE STARS: New Worlds, New Suns
Best of BEYOND THE STARS
BEYOND THE STARS: Unimagined Realms
BEYOND THE STARS: Rocking Space
And now... BEYOND THE STARS: Infinite Expanse
“Will read everything in this series I can get my hands on.”
“These stories are full of great, complex characters (not all of them human), twists and turns, and fantastic world-building.”
BEYOND THE STARS: Rocking Space includes these short stories:
* One Last Gig (Cain V. Hopwood)
* Camp Kids (Patrice Fitzgerald)
* First Contract (Julia Huni)
* Destroy Is My Favorite Part (David Bruns)
* Chocolate (Andy McKell)
* Unfair Advantage (Misty Zaugg)
* The Switcheroo (Christopher J. Valin)
* Juno Triumphant (Patty Jansen)
* I Said Flamenco (J.M. Thomas)
* Curiosity (R.J. Howell)
* Imperatrix (Nemma Wollenfang)
* The Original Sacrifice (A.K. DuBoff)
* Wily and Tate (Patricia Gilliam)
Thirteen brand new tales from fantastic writers--both bestselling and freshly discovered--in this seventh collection from the BEYOND THE STARS series of space opera anthologies.
Join these authors who are deep into... Rocking Space!
Don't miss the earlier volumes:
DARK BEYOND THE STARS
BEYOND THE STARS: A Planet Too Far
BEYOND THE STARS: At Galaxy's Edge
BEYOND THE STARS: New Worlds, New Suns
Best of BEYOND THE STARS
BEYOND THE STARS: Unimagined Realms
BEYOND THE STARS: Rocking Space
BEYOND THE STARS: Infinite Expanse
Vampires, were-coyotes, and the Wild West
Trouble’s brewing again as Pete’s hunt for another vampire brings him face-to-face with a rival who hates his guts.
Donna, who knows a little too much and takes a little too much pleasure in Pete’s pain, seems one step ahead, and Pete’s dying to know why.
When she proposes that he go back into custody of the same gang that nearly killed him once before, he thinks she’s plum crazy.
He might be right.
But what if her wild plan is the only way to stop them for good?
Can he trust someone who clearly wants to watch him suffer?
Folks will do just about anything to survive...
Even sell each other out.
Pete turns up in Ambrosia in time to watch the strangest grocery stocking experience he’s ever laid eyes on.
Turns out Ambrosia has a pact with the vampires: Their weakest and most vulnerable in exchange for all the goods they need to keep the dying town afloat one more month.
Well, almost everything they need.
Pete figures it’ll cost him dearly to break the vampires’ hold on the town and dust every one of ‘em…
…but this challenge is turning out to be tougher than he bargained for.
You know what the Wild West needs?
Vampires.
The night before the high noon showdown, Sheriff Pete had mortality on his mind. Then, the town’s fastest woman knocked on his door. He thought she was there to take his mind off things...
Until her fangs came out.
Now Pete’s gotta rectify his innate sense of justice with a growing desire to devour everyone in sight. A small cadre of vampire hunters would be just the place for him, but they have one condition…
...if he drinks blood, his partner will waste him on the spot.
To make matters worse, she’s the meanest, purdiest woman he’s ever laid eyes on.
The Wild West just got wilder.
Saddle up and grab your copy, let’s hit the trail before nightfall.
‘Cause night is when the real fun starts.
There are three things in the galaxy Jet cannot stand:
Lowlife fugitives from the law…
Synths…
…and the creepy-looking frogpeople who inhabit this planet.
But when he and his patrol partner, Blade, wake up from an investigation gone wrong, Jet finds himself in a synthetic body, on the wrong side of local law, and hurtling toward becoming a full-fledged member of the frogman revolution.
It’s everything he’s ever NOT wanted.
To make matters worse, it seems Blade’s been playing both sides for quite some time. The only people Jet can trust are the ones he’s spent years making fun of. But the mission’s still unfinished, and Jet’s synthetic body and lack of history with SynthCorp makes him just the guy…
…to break some more rules, all in the name of inter-galactic justice.
With lines blurring all around him, can Jet find his footing in time to complete his mission?
It’s a game of double-crossing, intrigue, and grumpy old cybercop sass. If you’ve never wondered what Lethal Weapon in space would look like… you are now. Read now!
His enemies murdered his family.
Now it’s their turn to bleed.
Danye has had enough of the suffering of his people. Over ninety percent were lost to genocide, the rest have a half-lifespan, and the few survivors are crippled by grief.
He no longer cares how far away his foes are or how little he knows about how to stop them. He has Erys and Kestra still, and together they will find a way to make their enemies pay…or die trying.
Then Sprell shows up, and she’s more powerful than ever. Her arrival feels like a breath of hope. Though she’s as hellbent on stopping the menace as Danye is, she’s still connected to the enemy in an undeniable way.
This connection could be their greatest asset, or it could destroy them.
If Sprell is to get in on the revenge, she must convince Danye and the others that she is willing to lay down her life for their cause.
Either she’ll risk everything she’s built on a suicide mission, or she’ll turn on her only family when they need her the most.
Grab your copy of Riders of Vengeance today and find out how the story ends.
**Note: This story contains violence that may be disturbing to some.**
Sprell is dying.
It wouldn’t be too terrible if she didn’t have so much unfinished business.
There is a chance her family survived the extinction attempt. If they did, she has plenty of reasons to live and not enough reasons to die.
But... to survive, she must trust a total stranger with her most sacred treasure: complete control over her mind.
Back at home, the fire in Danye’s veins calls him to a single cause--revenge. He will not rest until he makes the enemy pay.
The only problem? Danye has no idea who ordered the attack on his people nor where to find them.
Without Sprell, his force is hopelessly outclassed. If they cannot stop their enemies, the horrors which devastated their people will happen again. Their efforts may not be enough, especially if their last hope slips quietly into death.
How can they beat an enemy they don’t understand?
Pick up Book 3 of the Four Horsemen of Sarai series today and find out.
He can see for miles.
But his enemy can see through walls.
As the cities burn and poison darts fall from the sky, Erys gathers as many of his people as possible in a desperate attempt to hide them from imminent death.
Meanwhile, Erys’ sister-in-law, Sprell, unleashes her deadliest form to slaughter the attackers threatening their people. She's scary on a normal day. In battle, she's downright terrifying.
But when the dust settles, Sprell is mysteriously missing. That leaves Erys to wonder if she’s dead—or if the genocide they faced was part of something bigger.
Something worse.
If Erys and Sprell have their way, anyone wishing their people harm will taste their own blood before the end.
If the invading force has their way, there will be no survivors.
Pick up Book 2 in the Four Horsemen series and find out what happens next.
Nothing on Sarai is what it seems.
Not even them.
Erys can see for miles.
Kestra remembers everything.
The first two children born in any family on Sarai have special powers… and nobody knows why. They live a simple life with farms, well water, and travel by horseback. There is no explanation for why something so wondrous exists in this place.
So why isn’t anyone else asking what’s really going on?
When a woman from the craftsman class and a man from the ruling class find their goals intertwined, they’ll stop at nothing to find the answers. Kestra and Erys are determined to find out what secrets fester beneath the surface.
From Kestra’s super-powered sister who breaks every rule, to a declining birth rate, to anachronisms everyone else seems to accept, Sarai is a tapestry ready to unravel... if only they could find the right thread to pull.
What they uncover could change their world forever. And someone knows it.
With enemies popping up at every turn, Erys and Kestra have to wonder…
Will they uncover Sarai’s buried secrets before it’s too late? Grab your copy of Secrets of Sarai and find out.
Note: This story depicts violence that may be disturbing to some.
I have a list of acceptable ways to die.
Zombie bite is not on that list.
I'm Keiko Seaburn, and if one more person calls me the Blind Ninja of Alabama, they’re getting a katana shoved someplace they don't want one. I have a few orifices you can pick from. None of them are pleasant.
And the next person to patronize or pity me will suffer the same fate. I'm fine the way I am. Keep your head down and your mouth shut, and I'll take you to your safe zone and teach you how to survive like I have.
Oh, and one more thing. Don’t you dare tell me what I can or can’t do.
You know what the Wild West needs?
Vampires.
The night before the high noon showdown, Sheriff Pete had mortality on his mind. Then, the town’s fastest woman knocked on his door. He thought she was there to take his mind off things...
Until her fangs came out.
Now Pete’s gotta rectify his innate sense of justice with a growing desire to devour everyone in sight. A small cadre of vampire hunters would be just the place for him, but they have one condition…
...if he drinks blood, his partner will waste him on the spot.
To make matters worse, she’s the meanest, purdiest woman he’s ever laid eyes on.
The Wild West just got wilder.
Saddle up and grab your copy, let’s hit the trail before nightfall.
‘Cause night is when the real fun starts.