Why Jaleta Clegg Writes: Chick Flicks and Writing, Doing it Her Way


Jaleta Clegg

I love a good chick flick, like the A-Team movie. Don’t look at me that way. That’s how I roll. At our house, chick flick means a movie with lots of explosions, good fight scenes, a decent plot, and fun characters. Kissing is totally optional. Those light romantic comedies? Those are what my husband likes to watch.

When I set out to write books, I decided to write books that I would want to read. That means lots of explosions, good fight scenes, a decent plot, and fun characters. I also love stories that keep going. I hate saying goodbye to characters too soon. And if there’s going to be kissing involved, it better have a well-developed relationship to back it up.

Spaceships are also very cool. So I had to put those in. And aliens and exotic landscapes. And more explosions.

I wrote what I enjoyed reading. Somewhere along the way, one book grew into an eleven-book epic space opera series, The Fall of the Altairan Empire. An Indecent Proposal, book nine, was just released. Two more to go, and I’ll be looking for a new project. It makes me a little sad to end the story, but I’m also happy to share it with the world. And I’m also excited to get to invent new characters with new troubles and more explosions.

The series main character is Dace, a feisty woman who only dreams of freedom in the form of her own trading ship and enough money to keep it flying. But the universe has other plans. One chance encounter, one minor decision, steer her onto a path of destruction and destiny far greater than she ever imagined. The fate of thousands of worlds and trillions of people rest in the hands of a rejected orphan from a backwater world. Will she give them hope or despair, order or anarchy, darkness or light?

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It all starts in Nexus Point. Dace has her own ship and a trade route all worked out. But she didn’t plan on her crew betraying her, destroying her ship, and stranding her on Dadilan, a planet trapped in a medieval level of tech and a feudal economy. But what Dadilan lacks in modern devices it makes up for with drug smugglers, pirates, undercover Patrol agents, and anthropology researchers who are more than they seem. All Dace wants is a way off the planet, but to do that, she’s going to have to catch the smugglers, stop the pirates, and convince the undercover agent trying to kill her that she isn’t one of the bad guys. Destroying the government and leaving the planet in flames aren’t even on the list. And falling in love? Never going to happen.

Get book one, Nexus Point, for free using code AA47G at Smashwords Buy Indecent Proposal on Amazon or Smashwords.

Check out the whole series at Altairan Empire

My thanks to Jaleta for visiting today! So what do you call a “chick flick?” I will admit to liking the rom-coms, but I also love the action shows! Leave a comment to be entered into my monthly drawing for an AnaBanana gift basket ($25 value). You know I announce the winner the first blog post of the new month!

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Perilously yours,

Pauline

Don’t forget to tweet the auction!

“What fun space treasures did the SFR Brigade find in their cargo holds for the @BrendaNovakAuction? http://bit.ly/1jgNHZl”

Countdown to my 400th post! Yes, this is #398! One more before the PARTY on Monday the 19th!