Hi, my name is, Janice Seagraves, and I’d like to thank Delilah for having me on her blog today.

My recent book, Matrix Crystal Hunters, was inspired by a trip to the Mohave Desert when I was in the sixth grade.

It was a family vacation. My dad had recently retired. He had what they now call rheumatoid arthritis. Back then it was arthritis and bursitis. Basically, his joints were worn away and what was left was badly inflamed. This is the worst news for a top body and fender man like my dad. He slowly went down the list of jobs you can do at the shop, until he was left pushing a broom. Even that got to be too much for his joints. He ached every day. The aspirin he took ate up his stomach. Even the shots the doctors gave fail to give him much relief. The trip was to discover if the Mohave was a good place to move to for my dad’s condition. It wasn’t, but that’s another story for another time.

It was a great trip for the most part. My dad modified a van. By modifying, I mean he welded in L-brackets, sawed a plywood board to set across it, and then had foam cut to fit. My mom sewed a cover for the mattress. This became a bunk bed for my sister and myself to sleep on. My parents’ bed was a full size mattress that went underneath. The ice chest my dad took fishing was our refrigerator and the camp stove went along to cook our meals on.

We headed out to Arizona and Nevada. Since my dad loved to fish, we stopped at every major lake across the Mojave Desert. And yes, the desert does have lakes. We also stopping at historical places along the way, so it became an educational experience for my sister and me.

I remember a shop called the Rock Hound and used its name for my heroine’s parents’ store. We also rock hunted along the great Colorado River, which I also mention in my book. I learned what geography means and how the desert was made. We stopped by a huge old cement building, long abandoned and roofless. It also found a place on my book.

Then it rained. We were stuck in our van for three days as it poured outside. Two young girls stuck in a van with their parents. That got a bit dicey. When it stopped raining, the desert bloomed in brilliant colors. The rain also brought out the colors of the rocks and desert formations.

Team Alpha Three’s spaceship is out of power after fighting a wormhole, and parked on the primitive world of Zenevieva. With half the team sick from radiation poisoning, the team commander entrust geologist, Maya Gladstone, to find enough matrix crystals to power up their spacecraft, so they can go home to Earth.  Vach Namaste of the powerful Clan Namaste, a native of the planet, has desired the lovely Maya since she stepped off the spaceship on that astonishing day a year ago. He’s hounded her every step since. As Hymeneal Night approaches, he makes plans to take her as his bride… willing or not.

“What’s wrong?”

“There’s a bow in the rock wall.” He backed up, causing Maya to withdraw. “I’m bigger than the last time I went through here, but that was several years ago when my cousin, Xeno, brought me.”

He handed her the flashlight.

“Is there another way?” She shone the light around, noting how the crevice narrowed overhead.

“Not that I know of.” He grunted, trying to remove his robe, but there wasn’t much room to maneuver.

“Here, let me help you.” Maya pulled the robe off his shoulder. “Surely the ancients didn’t come through here?” She jerked one sleeve down over his hand and then reached to get the other side too, but found herself wedged between the rock wall and his hard body. Fighting the impulse to feel his muscles, she managed to get his other sleeve down.

“If there’s another entrance, it must have been blocked a long time ago.” He started to pull his tunic off, but struggled, thanks to his big arms and the lack of room. “Can you help me with my shirt?”

As Vach lifted his arms over his head, Maya grabbed a handful of cloth so she could lift the material high over his shoulders. “What are you going to do? Strip down and lube yourself with my cooking oil?”

“No.” He chuckled, his voice muffled by the shirt. “But that’s a good idea.”

With his arms up, Maya got a whiff of his spicy, male scent. It always surprised her that the Zeemen didn’t stink after exertion as humans did. I wouldn’t mind rubbing his body down with oil. Warmth spiraled through her middle. She bit her lip. Keep your mind on business and not on being in a tight spot with a handsome Zeeman.

Vach stuck his clothes in the tote and then sidestepped through the narrow opening. Grunting as he pushed past the bow, he finally got through.

Maya approached the bend and realized it was about breast height on her. No wonder Vach had a problem, with his deep chest and heavily muscled back.

Contemplating the aperture, she stood on tiptoe but couldn’t get high enough. Finally, she squatted down but then found she needed to keep her knees bent out sideways. Oh no, not awkward at all.

She managed a few crab steps before she got stuck. Vach grabbed her arm to pull her the rest of the way through. Her hiking boots slid over the loose gravel, while her thighs took the strain. He helped her to stand, leaving his hands placed on her waist as she leaned against the wall, panting. “I don’t know how we’re going to manage that going back.”

“At least we know it’s there.” His breath puffed against her face. It smelled of mint.

He must have used my toothpaste. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

With an electric jolt, Maya realized her shirt had risen up and Vach’s hands were resting on her bare skin. She became hyperaware of his scent, his closeness and the fact that he wore no shirt.

Moving even closer toward her in the confined space, he whispered in her ear. “I like the smell of your hair.”

His hand slid further under her shirt, gliding over her ribs.

Heat went through her as she rested her hand on his shoulder. “It’s my shampoo.”

“It’s nice.”

“You can borrow it sometime.”

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US, Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FJ10W26
UK, Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matrix-Crystal-Hunters-ebook/dp/B00FJ10W26/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1380662336&sr=1-3
US, Trade paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Matrix-Crystal-Hunters-Janice-Seagraves/dp/1492709751/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
UK, Trade paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matrix-Crystal-Hunters-Janice-Seagraves/dp/1492709751/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_t_1_KKW6

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Matrix Crystal Hunters is now on Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/447796

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Janice Seagraves’s website: Janiceseagraves.org
Janice Seagraves’s blog: http://ladyjanice.blogspot.com/
Janice Seagraves on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Janice-Seagraves-Author/117551164948239