Lesley Davis blogs

Eyes on the Skies

I love science fiction. I adore anything that deals with other worlds, with aliens, big space panoramas, and of course, heroes. My first love was Star Wars—it caught me at the right time in my tender teenage years that it’s stuck with me for life. Many moons later, I still eat, sleep, and breathe that galaxy far, far away. And I’m so heartbroken that we lost Carrie Fisher before her time, the awesome Princess Leia who became a General and was still at the heart of the battle. That’s my kind of heroine.

I wanted to do my own kind of story using science fiction themes. They say you should write what you know so that’s where the conspiracy theories came into play. Some people can talk for hours about their job, their children, a specific engine capability and how smooth it runs in their fancy car. I can’t tell you what I did yesterday (my brain has a recycle bin installed!) but I have been known for the ability to rattle off facts and figures concerning a wide and varied selection of theories. It’s an enlightening way to find out who else at the table is open to such things or who sees the world through a more selective vision. Conspiracy theories tend to end up being a subject like religion or politics, you just know someone is bound to start an argument sooner or later! So I thought, why not go for one of the biggest questions out there too: Are we really alone in the universe?

Writing Raging at the Stars I wanted to have two main characters who would strike sparks off each other from the very moment they meet. There are two very different and opposing views between Emory Hawkes the conspiracy journalist and Captain Sofia Martinez who works at Area 51. That’s the top secret military base out in the desert that’s not so much of a secret after all. Like any conspiracy theorist worth their salt, Emory believes the truth is out there and she’s determined to find it and expose it. Meanwhile, Sofia is determined that whatever happens on the base stays on the base. Both are going to end up realizing there’s a great deal more going on than either could have imagined.

I was given the most awesome cover for this book. It just takes my breath away. I asked specifically for there to be a saucer on it. There was a part of me that didn’t want to give anything away about what the story would entail, but the other part of me, the science fiction fanatic? She was screaming “Flying saucers!! You’re writing about flying saucers! Wooohooo!!!” and she won out because she’s ten times more geeky and buys me the best films to watch! I just want anyone out there who is in the mood for a different setting for a romance novel to give this a read. Because really, for a science fiction fan (like I am) and those who love romance and adventure (which I do), what’s better than an invasion and a love story all at the same time? And you won’t believe what else happens…but I’d rather you find that out for yourselves.

I had so much fun writing this story. I always talk about how I see my stories as if they play out on a cinema screen in my head. Well, Raging at the Stars was an IMAX, THX sounding, mega monster!

I hope you’ll come along for the ride and remember, truth is always stranger than fiction!