Melody Johnson is the author of the gritty, urban fantasy Night Blood series. She graduated magna cum laude from Lycoming College with her BA in creative writing and psychology, and is enjoying exploring her new hometown in Southeast GA.
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Beyond the Next Star is the first sci-fi romance novel in the Love Beyond series. Delaney Rose McCormick is abducted by aliens, mistaken for a pet and sold to their military commander. And you thought 2020 on Earth was rough.
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Melody participates in numerous local author showcases, book fairs, and author signings in the southeast Georgia and Florida areas. To see her schedule of events and availability for book signings, click on the button below!
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PRAISE FOR BEYOND THE NEXT STAR
KIRKUS - "AN ENGAGING AND UNUSUAL OTHERWORLDLY TALE."
"Johnson effectively introduces readers to the planet Lorien and its alien inhabitants, the lorienok, in this opening series entry. Overall, the novel does a good job of immersing readers in a strange new realm, and its use of Delaney’s perspective allows them to learn details of the culture and characters organically, as the protagonist does. Along the way, the author describes her alien creations in exquisite detail—“two rows of sharp predator teeth filled his overly large mouth, and pointy bearlike claws tipped each finger and likely each toe on his boot-shod feet”—and her comparisons to familiar Earth creatures make for easy visualization. Even pacing and smooth transitions to different characters’ points of view make for a quick, solid read that remains consistently compelling."
~Kirkus Reviews. Read the full review: https://bit.ly/kirkus-star
LYNSAY SANDS "LAUGHS OUT LOUD"
"It's rare for a book to make me laugh out loud and rarer still for me to read it and wish I'd come up with that idea. This book did both. I don't usually read sci-fi, but I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to even non-sci fi readers. Dog owner will especially love it!"
~The New York Times and USA TODAY Bestselling Author, Lynsay Sands. Read the full review: https://bit.ly/Sands-Review
"Johnson effectively introduces readers to the planet Lorien and its alien inhabitants, the lorienok, in this opening series entry. Overall, the novel does a good job of immersing readers in a strange new realm, and its use of Delaney’s perspective allows them to learn details of the culture and characters organically, as the protagonist does. Along the way, the author describes her alien creations in exquisite detail—“two rows of sharp predator teeth filled his overly large mouth, and pointy bearlike claws tipped each finger and likely each toe on his boot-shod feet”—and her comparisons to familiar Earth creatures make for easy visualization. Even pacing and smooth transitions to different characters’ points of view make for a quick, solid read that remains consistently compelling."
~Kirkus Reviews. Read the full review: https://bit.ly/kirkus-star
LYNSAY SANDS "LAUGHS OUT LOUD"
"It's rare for a book to make me laugh out loud and rarer still for me to read it and wish I'd come up with that idea. This book did both. I don't usually read sci-fi, but I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to even non-sci fi readers. Dog owner will especially love it!"
~The New York Times and USA TODAY Bestselling Author, Lynsay Sands. Read the full review: https://bit.ly/Sands-Review
Beyond the Next Star
This thrilling sci-fi romance novel is an exciting branch from Melody's paranormal romance roots, keeping the dark grit from her Night Blood Series (Kensington Publishing/Lyrical Press, 2018) and taking it to new worlds.
The book opens with Commander Torek Renaar purchasing an animal companion to help relieve his PTSD symptoms. But having recently been a caretaker for and lost a loved one, keeping even one little human alive is a challenge he feels doomed to fail. He purchases Delaney McCormick, a former foster kid jaded by life long before her abduction, unaware that she’s a person, not an animal. After witnessing the murder of her domestication specialist, Delaney allows her new owner to treat her like the pet he believes her to be. If anyone suspects her more intelligent than a golden retriever, her murder would be next.
Melody's world-building is poignant, sharp, and immersive yet grounded in humanity as she transports readers to Lorien, a metropolitan Antarctic planet whose inhabitants harvest and sell foreign domesticated animals from other planets. Told from the dual perspectives of both human pet and alien owner, her story weaves a slow-burn romance that explores the bonds of love in all its forms, navigating the main characters’ relationship in delicate stages from oblivious ownership to woke, romantic love.
“Reading and writing romance is my life’s passion, but I’m particularly excited to add my voice to the sci-fi romance genre,” says Melody. “This book allowed me to explore the unconventional parameters that constitute home and family, something my heroine was denied in childhood and torn from in adulthood. But as she discovers through her adventure on Lorien, a home isn’t built with a foundation of concrete but of love.”
This thrilling sci-fi romance novel is an exciting branch from Melody's paranormal romance roots, keeping the dark grit from her Night Blood Series (Kensington Publishing/Lyrical Press, 2018) and taking it to new worlds.
The book opens with Commander Torek Renaar purchasing an animal companion to help relieve his PTSD symptoms. But having recently been a caretaker for and lost a loved one, keeping even one little human alive is a challenge he feels doomed to fail. He purchases Delaney McCormick, a former foster kid jaded by life long before her abduction, unaware that she’s a person, not an animal. After witnessing the murder of her domestication specialist, Delaney allows her new owner to treat her like the pet he believes her to be. If anyone suspects her more intelligent than a golden retriever, her murder would be next.
Melody's world-building is poignant, sharp, and immersive yet grounded in humanity as she transports readers to Lorien, a metropolitan Antarctic planet whose inhabitants harvest and sell foreign domesticated animals from other planets. Told from the dual perspectives of both human pet and alien owner, her story weaves a slow-burn romance that explores the bonds of love in all its forms, navigating the main characters’ relationship in delicate stages from oblivious ownership to woke, romantic love.
“Reading and writing romance is my life’s passion, but I’m particularly excited to add my voice to the sci-fi romance genre,” says Melody. “This book allowed me to explore the unconventional parameters that constitute home and family, something my heroine was denied in childhood and torn from in adulthood. But as she discovers through her adventure on Lorien, a home isn’t built with a foundation of concrete but of love.”
Buy your copy of BEYOND THE NEXT STAR today by clicking on one of the buttons below!
SPEAKING LORI
WITH MELODY JOHNSON
WITH MELODY JOHNSON
I had so much fun world building in Beyond the Next Star. On the planet Lorien, the inhabitants speak the language Lori. Be sure to flip to the back of the book for a Lori dictionary - after you read the book, of course! Granted, we’re at the same disadvantage as Delaney in that our human vocal chords can’t growl at the correct depth to truly achieve a precise pronunciation...but we humans do our best.
GRAVE PROMISES (Witchy Business, 1)
ROMANCING THE HOLIDAYS: FCRW ANTHOLOGY
ROMANCING THE HOLIDAYS: FCRW ANTHOLOGY
GRAVE PROMISES (Witchy Business, 1)
What does a witch, a former high school crush, and a ghost have in common? They’re stuck in the same house on Halloween. And no one is getting out until everyone resolves their unfinished business...
The New York Times bestselling author, Alyssa Day, releases a holiday anthology with eleven of her fellow First Coast Romance Writers (FCRW)! Romancing the Holidays transports readers from Labor Day and Halloween antics to Christmas and Valentine romantics throughout a dozen unique happily-ever-afters ranging from sweet to steamy. Proceeds from this novel benefit FCRW, a non-profit chapter of Romance Writers of America® that helps writers hone their craft and expand their knowledge of the publishing industry. A portion of the proceeds are also donated to FeedAmerica.org.
“Whether you enjoy contemporary, historical, or paranormal romance, readers will be whisked off their feet and away to worlds where love prevails,” says Day. “We all need a little escape from reality sometimes. As writers, we hope that this anthology of short stories will help readers get into the holiday spirit during a time when the holidays may be a reminder of how different the world is this year. Through the magic of storytelling, we are never alone."
Melody's contribution to this anthology is a Halloween gothic romance: Grave Promises... Terra Grum is three impossible things: a witch, Ash Henderson’s former high school crush, and still under his skin. But she’s the only person who might actually believe that a ghost is haunting his house. Despite the tension and longing that lingers between them—feelings better laid to rest—Terra agrees to help exorcise Ash’s ghost. Only by working together can they hope to survive this Halloween night, but their own unfinished business is by far the more dangerous apparition.
What does a witch, a former high school crush, and a ghost have in common? They’re stuck in the same house on Halloween. And no one is getting out until everyone resolves their unfinished business...
The New York Times bestselling author, Alyssa Day, releases a holiday anthology with eleven of her fellow First Coast Romance Writers (FCRW)! Romancing the Holidays transports readers from Labor Day and Halloween antics to Christmas and Valentine romantics throughout a dozen unique happily-ever-afters ranging from sweet to steamy. Proceeds from this novel benefit FCRW, a non-profit chapter of Romance Writers of America® that helps writers hone their craft and expand their knowledge of the publishing industry. A portion of the proceeds are also donated to FeedAmerica.org.
“Whether you enjoy contemporary, historical, or paranormal romance, readers will be whisked off their feet and away to worlds where love prevails,” says Day. “We all need a little escape from reality sometimes. As writers, we hope that this anthology of short stories will help readers get into the holiday spirit during a time when the holidays may be a reminder of how different the world is this year. Through the magic of storytelling, we are never alone."
Melody's contribution to this anthology is a Halloween gothic romance: Grave Promises... Terra Grum is three impossible things: a witch, Ash Henderson’s former high school crush, and still under his skin. But she’s the only person who might actually believe that a ghost is haunting his house. Despite the tension and longing that lingers between them—feelings better laid to rest—Terra agrees to help exorcise Ash’s ghost. Only by working together can they hope to survive this Halloween night, but their own unfinished business is by far the more dangerous apparition.
Buy your copy of ROMANCING THE HOLIDAYS today by clicking on one of the buttons below!
MIRROR JUSTICE (Witchy Business, 2)
FEATURED IN: FUNK-N-FICTION BLOG'S HALLOWEEN FLASH FICTION EVENT
FEATURED IN: FUNK-N-FICTION BLOG'S HALLOWEEN FLASH FICTION EVENT
GET YOUR SPOOK ON
If you're in the mood for a fun Halloween short, "Mirror Justice" is another witchy romance in the “Grave Promises” universe! This spooky story features Terra’s best friend, Mona St. Clair, and her ancestral raven AND was released (along with 30 other participating authors) in Funk-N-Fiction book blog's 2020 “Halloween Flash Fiction Blog Event!” Each short story has been inspired by an image from a DeviantArt artist, so you’ll enjoy some artwork as well as some silly, sweet, or spooky fun.
MIRROR JUSTICE
"Jon Grayson was a menace—to society, of course, but mostly, to Mona St. Clair’s peace of mind.
The sentiment had no sooner blossomed in her thoughts than St. Clair himself cawed in chiding disagreement from his perch beside her. Their opinion of Gray was the only judgment she and her ancestral raven had so far ever disagreed upon in her five years of preparation to become Lady Justice. Despite her predecessor, Ziro St. Clair’s, insistence that she was too young, too inexperienced, too naïve—too female, more like—she was finally enjoying her first day in office, upholding her coven’s laws. Enjoying it, that was, until halfway through her third proceeding when she came to the unfortunate realization that she might have the flu. And then, the only worse conclusion to the day, besides potentially vomiting, collapsing from her dais, and passing out on her chambers’ marble floor, came to fruition: the fifth and final accused in need of judgment was none other than her childhood sweetheart, Jon Grayson, the prodigal warlock returned..."
If you're in the mood for a fun Halloween short, "Mirror Justice" is another witchy romance in the “Grave Promises” universe! This spooky story features Terra’s best friend, Mona St. Clair, and her ancestral raven AND was released (along with 30 other participating authors) in Funk-N-Fiction book blog's 2020 “Halloween Flash Fiction Blog Event!” Each short story has been inspired by an image from a DeviantArt artist, so you’ll enjoy some artwork as well as some silly, sweet, or spooky fun.
MIRROR JUSTICE
"Jon Grayson was a menace—to society, of course, but mostly, to Mona St. Clair’s peace of mind.
The sentiment had no sooner blossomed in her thoughts than St. Clair himself cawed in chiding disagreement from his perch beside her. Their opinion of Gray was the only judgment she and her ancestral raven had so far ever disagreed upon in her five years of preparation to become Lady Justice. Despite her predecessor, Ziro St. Clair’s, insistence that she was too young, too inexperienced, too naïve—too female, more like—she was finally enjoying her first day in office, upholding her coven’s laws. Enjoying it, that was, until halfway through her third proceeding when she came to the unfortunate realization that she might have the flu. And then, the only worse conclusion to the day, besides potentially vomiting, collapsing from her dais, and passing out on her chambers’ marble floor, came to fruition: the fifth and final accused in need of judgment was none other than her childhood sweetheart, Jon Grayson, the prodigal warlock returned..."
INSIDER SCOOP ON THE CITY BENEATH - AUTHOR Q&A
What compelled you to write THE CITY BENEATH?
Traditionally, I've always written contemporary love stories, but I've read and adored the action and dark mystery of vampires my whole life. Combining the foundation of vampire classics with the edge of more contemporary work was very important to me. I wanted The City Beneath's vampires to be more animal than human, more vicious, dangerous and instinctive than other portrayals without compromising the ancient, otherworldly intelligence that makes them so romantic. Many paranormal love stories focus on the love, innocent vs. vampire, so I wanted to write about the gritty underbelly of the city and how a strong female lead, familiar with the struggle to survive the dangers of everyday life, would stand up against the threat of vampires.
If THE CITY BENEATH were to be made into a movie, who would you have play Cassidy and Dominic?
I can think of a few actors who might fit the bill, but my favorites would be Natalie Portman and Henry Cavill.
Who is your favorite character in THE CITY BENEATH?
Although I love all my characters, I've got a particular soft spot for Officer Harroway. Although not a main character, his history with Cassidy was interesting to develop and their banter was fun to write. I definitely have a special fondness for Harroway that I look forward to further fleshing-out in future installments of the series.
Did you do a lot of vampire research for THE CITY BENEATH? How much of it is based on vampire lore and how much of it is from your imagination?
My research was based on a lifetime love of reading vampire novels and watching movies, the classics and contemporary alike. Some of the most influential works and my favorites include Dracula, Interview With A Vampire, Queen of the Damned, Underworld, True Blood, Blade, the Anita Blake Series, the Chicagoland Vampire series, the Twilight saga, the Dark-Hunter series, and most especially, the Fever series.
If you could compare THE CITY BENEATH to other books, TV shows, or movies, how would you describe it?
I would describe The City Beneath as most closely comparing to the gritty mystery in the early installments of the Anita Blake series combined with the dark, uninvited romance of the Fever Series and the breathless action of Underworld.
Traditionally, I've always written contemporary love stories, but I've read and adored the action and dark mystery of vampires my whole life. Combining the foundation of vampire classics with the edge of more contemporary work was very important to me. I wanted The City Beneath's vampires to be more animal than human, more vicious, dangerous and instinctive than other portrayals without compromising the ancient, otherworldly intelligence that makes them so romantic. Many paranormal love stories focus on the love, innocent vs. vampire, so I wanted to write about the gritty underbelly of the city and how a strong female lead, familiar with the struggle to survive the dangers of everyday life, would stand up against the threat of vampires.
If THE CITY BENEATH were to be made into a movie, who would you have play Cassidy and Dominic?
I can think of a few actors who might fit the bill, but my favorites would be Natalie Portman and Henry Cavill.
Who is your favorite character in THE CITY BENEATH?
Although I love all my characters, I've got a particular soft spot for Officer Harroway. Although not a main character, his history with Cassidy was interesting to develop and their banter was fun to write. I definitely have a special fondness for Harroway that I look forward to further fleshing-out in future installments of the series.
Did you do a lot of vampire research for THE CITY BENEATH? How much of it is based on vampire lore and how much of it is from your imagination?
My research was based on a lifetime love of reading vampire novels and watching movies, the classics and contemporary alike. Some of the most influential works and my favorites include Dracula, Interview With A Vampire, Queen of the Damned, Underworld, True Blood, Blade, the Anita Blake Series, the Chicagoland Vampire series, the Twilight saga, the Dark-Hunter series, and most especially, the Fever series.
If you could compare THE CITY BENEATH to other books, TV shows, or movies, how would you describe it?
I would describe The City Beneath as most closely comparing to the gritty mystery in the early installments of the Anita Blake series combined with the dark, uninvited romance of the Fever Series and the breathless action of Underworld.
NIGHT BLOOD SERIES
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MEET AUTHOR MELODY JOHNSON
Melody Johnson is the author of several paranormal, vampire, and sci-fi romance novels, including the Night Blood series and Love Beyond series! Some fun facts, The City Beneath was her first published book, but the third she'd ever written (to completion.) And she gets a lot of inspiration for the settings of her book from her travels to New York City and hikes in North Georgia.
ATTENDING AN EVENT? PRE-ORDER A BOOK!
If you're attending one of my upcoming events and would like to pre-order a book, click on the button below! Once you submit your pre-order, I'll place it on hold for you, and you may pick it up when you visit my table during the event. Looking forward to seeing you there!