GLORY
Glory MC, #1
by
Ana Jolene
Published
date: September 13th 2016
Published
by Smashwords
Genre:
Romance, New Adult, Dystopic
The
Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of Glory (Glory MC, #1) . . .
Never
trust anyone was the way India had to move on through life. She was different and did not want to stand out as beings such. Just getting by day-to-day was a struggle. Her finding a semi-permanent place to lay down roots was a good thing for her. Meeting Haste was not initial a good thing for her. She had to keep things on the low and she was not doing such being notice by him.
Haste was hot, sexy, young, commanding, young and fixed on India. What was it about her? He was not sure but willing to step out on a limb and find out what it was. Haste and India together made a workable pair. They both had growing to do. It will be interesting to see where things go with then as the series continue to grow.
I was wanting more on how things got started, how did the government take part in this all, was there really a true government or just some other group higher up, how did the money thing work or how did they pay for good and services. I am looking forward to see how this New Adult dystopia grows and evolves to become more mature. The combination of bikers and an apocalyptic event are interesting.
BLURB
Nineteen year old, India Beaumont has
bipolar II disorder. Living in a world where solar flares have reshaped
society, she must fight to survive in Ward Four where the only people thriving
are part of an exclusive motorcycle club. Glory MC don’t play well with
strangers but when Indy manages to land a job as a bartender at their
clubhouse, she gets the fresh start she’s always dreamed of. While everyone
else is focused on the flares, no one will be paying attention to her or the
disorder she means to keep from everyone.
The president’s son, Ian Haste, is the
first to zero-in on her, seeming to sense the kindred spirit that she
desperately hides. As secretary and treasurer of Glory MC, Hastie is exactly
who Indy needs to avoid, but the reckless lifestyle he lives may also be the
one thing that helps him understand her better than anyone else.
As tensions rise between Ward leaders,
Indy’s secret threatens to be exposed before she is ready, and with only pieces
of the puzzle, Hastie doesn’t know what to believe. When he finally discovers
the secret she’s been hiding, will Hastie still be able to love her or will he
deem her too crazy even for him?
Buy Links:
Indy
It
wasn’t everyday that you walked into hell. Today the doors were wide open,
encouraging people foolish enough, like me, to enter. The sound of heavy metal
music poured from unseen speakers and much like I’d expected it to be, it was
hot in here. Scorching, really. But so far, there was no brimstone or devil in
sight.
“Can
I help you?” a voice called out. I turned to face the woman behind the bar, eyeing
her golden skin and shock of bright red hair. If word on the street was right
then she had to be the owner of this little dive bar. “Hellooo,” she said as I
stared at her. “Are you lost?”
Lost?
I wish I were. But I’d actually come here on purpose. “Are you the boss around
here?”
“Depends
on who’s asking.”
“I’m
India,” I said, holding out a hand. “But people call me Indy.”
A
brow shot up to her hairline. “You got a last name, India?”
Crap.
This was why I hated meeting new people. They always asked too many damn
questions. When I took too long to answer, the owner started walking away.
“Hey,
hold on.” I quickly jumped into the nearest stool at the bar. “Can I get a
drink?” The owner paused, turning slowly. Sharp eyes assessed me from head to
bust. By her body language and the way she moved cautiously around me, she
clearly didn’t trust me. “Are you just going to ignore a customer?” I asked
when she continued to analyze me.
“You
aren’t a customer.”
Reaching
into my pocket, I slapped enough credits on the bar to cover a drink. “You sure
about that?” Despite my cool words, my spine was ramrod straight. I forced my
body to relax inch by inch, slowly loosening up tight muscles that would give
away my nervousness.
Thankfully,
the redhead took the bait and tipped her chin at me. “What do you want?”
Anything
really. I didn’t care. “Why don’t you surprise me?”
In
record time, a drink was placed before me. I sipped at it, nodding as my taste
buds did a little dance. At least now I had the liquid courage to do what I
came here to do. No more excuses.
The
owner leaned into the bar, now more comfortable with my presence. “Well, Indy.
Now that you have your drink, why don’t you tell me what brings you to this
fine establishment?”
Fine
was a relative word. The dive bar we were in had seen better days. Sunlight
poured in through the open windows, illuminating the bar instead of electrical
lights. Four hours ago, another solar flare had hit us, knocking out all
electrical power for an unknown period of time. As heat swarmed over us,
everyone ran for cover, staying indoors where the lethal rain of radioactive
sun sparks couldn’t reach us. With no electricity though, people had to make do
with the harsh sunlight. Many opted to remain in the dark for the sake of
cooling off when things got too hot to handle.
Six
years ago, the first set of solar flares hit us, purging the world of
buildings, land, and people. The human population thinned considerably as
several waves hit us without warning. The world as we knew it had ceased to
exist. There was no government. No ruling queen, no power structures, which
left big opportunities for new rulers to take control and new societies to
form. It would’ve been nice to have a little democracy, but who was I kidding?
That would never happen. We lived in a greedy world and the more you had, the
better off you were. Those who survived the initial blasts were forced to
acclimate to the dry, humid air and learn a new way of living. Every so often
another solar flare would occur, making us worry if this wave would be the one
to take us all out.
I
wiped a bead of sweat that gathered on my forehead with the back of my palm.
These days, the desert heat was so thick it was like breathing in sludge. “I’d
like to apply for a job,” I said, meeting the woman’s gaze head on.
She
paused in the middle of wiping down the bar top to gave me a suspicious look. I
stared right back. I wasn’t going to be deterred. I needed this job too much to
give up simply because she was using her kung-fu intimidation tricks. Blue
capable eyes examined me from head to torso as if she was totaling my worth
right there on the spot. “Are you even old enough to work?” she finally asked.
“More
than old enough,” I assured her. “I’m nineteen.”
“You
don’t look like it.”
With
a slim build and a heart-shaped face, most people thought I was younger than I
really was. “Trust me, I am. And if I wasn’t, you’d have just given alcohol to
a minor.”
The
look she gave me told me that probably wasn’t the best move. Especially
considering that I was asking her to hire me. But all she did was shrug her
shoulders. “Who’s going to punish me?”
“You’ve
got a point there,” I said on a laugh. Without government, there was no police.
And since there was no police, there weren’t many people who cared about who
you sold alcohol to. “So what do you say, are you looking to hire?”
As
the owner leaned into the bar, the low V of her top dipped low to reveal some
cleavage. “Do you know what kind of bar this is?” she whispered.
“I
know this place has the best collection of alcohol in Ward Four.” But Neptune’s
wasn’t just any old dive bar. It was widely known that the most badass and
dangerous of all motorcycle clubs, Glory MC, used Neptune’s as their clubhouse.
Redhead
snorted. “No need for the compliments. I already know that. I’m asking you if
you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
My
smile disappeared. “I know the risks.” I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t already
aware. Glory MC weren’t just wannabe bikers. They were the real deal. And they
didn’t mess around. And yet, here I was, hoping to land a job that would put me
in the line of fire on a daily basis. Live fast. Die young. Be stupid enough to
put yourself in a dangerous club’s way? Yup, that was me. Desperation kind of
made you stupid.
“And
you still want to work here?”
I
laughed at the clear disbelief in her voice. “Look, I’m young and have a lot of
energy. I’m willing to clean up after people and I can start right away. I need this job.”
Redhead
leaned back, still eyeing me like we were in the midst of a staring contest.
Game on. If this is what was needed of me to get this job, I could lock eyes
with her all day.
Seconds
passed and when she blinked, I knew I had won. “So?” I prompted. “Think you can
take me on as a bartender? I’ve got the experience.”
The
woman rolled her eyes. “God, you’re a pushy one. Do you ever take no for an
answer?”
“What
can I say? I’m persistent.”
“Annoying
is what I would call it.”
Good.
The corners of my lips tipped up. She was bantering with me now. I was making
some ground. I could feel it. “Most people like a little initiative from their
employees,” I shot back. “Come on, when’s the last time someone came in here to
offer some help?” My guess? Never.
On a sigh, Redhead nodded. “Fine. You want a
job, you’ve got it. Glory MC is riding in in fifteen minutes. Let’s go on back
and we’ll see how well you can handle yourself.” The smile she shot me was all
teeth.
Momentarily
taken aback that my tactic worked, I mentally high-fived myself as I followed
her through to the back of the bar and into a small office. “Wear this,” she
said, tossing something at me over her shoulder.
I
looked down at the fabric she gave me and blinked in surprise. “What is this?”
Balled up, it looked like a rag.
“It’s
a shirt, darling.”
“You
call this a shirt?”
She
laughed. “It says Neptune’s on it, doesn’t it? You wanna work here? You wear
that every day and learn how to work the bar.”
I
probably couldn’t even fit one arm let alone my entire torso in the thing, but
if that was what it took . . . “Aye aye, captain,” I muttered. Removing the
tank top I wore, I slipped into the tight T-shirt. The fit was snug and accentuated
my boobs to its fullest, which was a big deal since my rack was not packing the
same heat as Redhead over here.
She
eyed me down, her satisfied smile telling me what she thought of my appearance.
Her hand shot out. “Name’s Hanna by the way.”
“It’s
a pleasure to work with you, Hanna.”
She
snorted. “You won’t be saying that after your first shift.”
“When
is that anyway?”
“Right
now.”
I
frowned. “Aren’t there some papers I need to sign first or something?”
“That’s
later. You’re on clean up duty for the rest of the day. Once your shift is
over, come by here later to sign your papers.”
Wait.
Clean up? “But I thought I was hired
for a bartender gig!”
Red
tendrils danced around her face as she shook her head. “Nope.”
“But
I—”
“No.”
Hanna stepped forward, shooting me with a look that silenced me. “I’m the boss
so I’ll decide when you can work the bar, got it?”
“Fine,”
I gritted. Something suddenly told me this wasn’t going to be as easy as I
thought.
Shooting
me another smile, Hanna flipped her hair up into a high ponytail and swept out
of the room. The sudden deep rumbling of engines sounded outside and I froze,
knowing what that meant.
Glory
MC had arrived.
Buy Links:
Author Info
Ana Jolene is the author of the Glory
MC series, a New Adult Dystopian and the Contemporary Romance series, Moonrise
Beach.
Growing up as a rebellious kid didn’t
allow for much reading time. It wasn’t until she was in university that she
found her passion for books and has since then devoured every book placed
before her. Ana holds a B.A. in Psychology and has worked in both IT and
Administration. But she’s had the most fun in the bookish world, working as a
reviewer, columnist and assistant to multiple sites and authors.
Ana currently lives in Toronto with her
family and an extremely lazy Shih Tzu whom she adores. To learn more about Ana
and her books, please visit www.anajolene.com and subscribe to the newsletter
to be notified of the hottest new releases and giveaways!
Author
Links:
MY
INTERVIEW WITH ANA JOLENE
How would you describe you style
of writing to someone that has never read your work?
Thanks so
much for having me! The Glory MC series is New Adult so it’s a little bit
younger. As the series goes on, however, it’ll become progressively more
“Adult” because the characters are older. I’d say my writing is quite explicit
as well. There’s cursing and detailed sex scenes. My characters are bikers so
there’s no use trying to tame them. LOL
What mindset or routine do you
feel the need to set when preparing to write (in general whether you are
working on a project or just free writing)?
Well, for
one, I have to have complete silence and I have to be alone to be able to
write. I’m not one of those writers who can walk into a coffee shop, set up
shop and write for hours. I’m easily distracted so in order for me to get
anything done, I need peace and quiet.
I know.
It sounds boring but my mind is often bursting with these character’s voices so
I need to block everything else out in order to hear them.
Do you take your character prep
to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way through to
the page? Do you people watch to help with development? Or do you build upon
your character during story creation?
I take my
characterization pretty seriously. I used to do these writing exercises just
for characterization. So that’s why I have detailed notes on every character in
the series, and that includes the minor walk-on characters that readers tend to
forget. I know everything about them, no matter how big or small their part is.
Sometimes what I know doesn’t get revealed in the books, but knowing them helps
me build their characters. They need to be as real as you and I for people to
invest in them.
Have you found yourself bonding
with any particular character? If so which one(s)?
Oh
absolutely. I was working on another series in another genre when Indy’s
character came to me. She was so vivid in my mind that I actually had to stop
writing the other book to jot the notes down so I wouldn’t forget her. But
those notes quickly became the first chapter of the book and about a month
later, I realized that I had finished writing the book.
You’ll
find that everything about Indy and her disorder is the inspiration for the
entire series. It’s the reason why there are things called the flares in the
books as well as why she finds herself getting involved with a biker and his
club. Indy has been such a big source of inspiration for the series that I
don’t think the series would even exist without her.
Do you have a character that you
have been working on that you can't wait to put to paper?
I won’t
mention the character’s name because it would spoil the book but there’s a
character that you’ll meet in GLORY that I want to write a story for. I don’t
know if I’ll ever get the chance to do it but I love her and she’s someone that
I hope readers will enjoy because I’d like to give her a happily ever after
after everything she’s been through.
Have you ever felt that there was
something inside of you that you couldn't control? If so what? If no what spurs
you to reach for the unexperienced?
Are you
asking me to spill my secrets? LOL! To be honest, I’m a simple gal. But writing
is something that I do take seriously. My stories are my way of releasing, so
to speak. And when I get into a groove, there’s no stopping me. I can write for
hours. If I don’t write, I get ansty. Angry. I need to write. Writing is
exactly what keeps me grounded. And if I can’t write? That’s when you’ll see me
out of control.
I got this one from a friend. If
you could have dinner with 7 fictional character,
who would they be?
Ooh,
tough question. I’m a big reader so it’ll be hard to narrow this down. I want
Jericho Barrons and Mac there for sure. I’d love to see Rhage at the dinner
table too. He’d be so pretty to look at. I’d invite Severus Snape just because
I think he’d really spice things up. Eve Dallas and Roarke need to be there
too. They’re used to fancy dinner parties so it wouldn’t be such a big deal to
them. One more…Hmmm. Charley Davidson. She’s a trip! I’d sit her next to
Barrons at the table so I can listen to him growl all night ;)
Can you share you next creative
project? If yes, can you give a few details?
Sure! I
just handed in ORIGIN, the next book in the Glory MC series to my editor so
that will come out early next year. I am also working on my Contemporary
Romance series called Moonrise Beach. The first book is called CLOSE TO YOU.
Author
Links:
Presented
by
