About the Author
LJ Maas is the author of a number of best selling novels, Tumbleweed Fever, None So Blind, Meridio's Daughter, and the sequel to Tumbleweed Fever--Prairie Fire. Her most recent novels are, Rebecca's Cove (released May 2003) and the first book in the Conqueror Series, Journey’s End (released January 2004).
LJ’s work became popular due in a large part to the numerous fan fiction stories & novels posted on her web site, based on the popular series - Xena: Warrior Princess. She currently writes the Queen Series, the Conqueror Series, and a children’s oriented series, "Our Little World."
Originally from Chicago, LJ now resides in rural Oklahoma with her partner of 8 years. They have two children, a ten-year-old daughter, Jesse(a blonde-haired, lab/retriever mix who simply doesn't believe she's a dog), and a son, Tiki (a 5 week-old kitten they found sitting on their doorstep).
A full time author and a freelance artist, LJ has a degree in Fine Art. She specializes in illustration and video work. You can view some of her artwork via her web site. She can also be found teaching part time at Tulsa Community College in Tulsa, Oklahoma. LJ teaches computer graphics, web design, and a variety of writing classes. She also leads a Writer’s Group, which TCC sponsors.
Always fascinated with Science Fiction and Fantasy literature, LJ has already begun work on her next novel, "The Proteus Predicament." Her current ventures also include a screenplay for a short film she is working on in association with iFemme Media Enterprises, Inc.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
BJ opened one eye and peered down the length of her body. She didn’t get far. About ten inches from her face, she ran into a pair of beady black eyes, midnight black nose, and a tiny pink tongue. The tongue moved in and out of the equally small mouth with the same rhythm BJ felt moving her body. She later blamed it on a residual effect from the pain medication, but she chose that moment to yell. More than just yell. BJ could hear herself scream like a girl.
"Aah!" BJ yelled out again when she saw a figure run into the room. She stopped when she realized it was the vet. "What the hell are you doing in here? No, don’t answer that, just get this...thing...off of me!"
Hobie quickly scooped the dog off the woman’s chest. Now that she knew there was no real emergency, she was trying desperately not to laugh at the prone woman. "It’s just Arturo. Did he scare you?" she asked, grinning in amusement.
BJ, realizing that she’d just made a total fool of herself over a dog, quickly tried to cover her own error in identifying the small animal. "I thought it was a rat."
This time Hobie did laugh; she just couldn’t help it. "You get a lot of five-pound albino rats in Chicago, do you?"
BJ fixed a cold stare in the redhead’s direction. It was quickly becoming the tall woman’s trademark expression. "We’re lousy with ’em," she replied flatly. "Look, what in the hell are you—Whoa!"
BJ had turned her body to look up at the standing woman and suddenly felt the coffee table sliding away from the couch—with her injured leg still on it. She tried to pull back, but the blanket wrapped around her legs prevented proper movement. It only took another five seconds for her to end up face down on the carpeted floor.
"Oh my God!" Hobie let go of Arturo and bent down to help.
"Shit, that hurt," BJ said. Attempting to rise, she felt the crown of her head connect sharply with the underside of the coffee table. Once more, she sank to the floor and groaned.
"Geez, you’re going to kill yourself. Let me help you."
"Don’t touch me! Please, just don’t touch me."
BJ rolled over and lay there. She looked up at the vet with an expression similar to amazement. "You look so normal, but you’re really the harbinger of doom. Are you an assassin? I mean, did someone put a hit out on me or something? And maybe they requested it to be a slow, torturous death?"
"I’m really so sorry." Hobie wasn’t sure why she was apologizing, but it seemed the thing to do.
"Why are you trying to kill me?" BJ asked in a small, defeated voice.
"Really, I’m doing no such thing. I can’t explain it," Hobie said with a sympathetic smile. "At least let me help you up."
"No! No, please don’t help me." BJ started to get up on her own. "Frankly, I don’t think my body can take any more help from you."
