Welcome to the End of Book Shit, fondly called the EOBS around these parts. I write these at the end of every book in place of an Author’s Note and it’s just a way for me to talk about the story and have my say without getting reamed for having an opinion on Facebook.
So if you’re new to me, hi. ;) I write these just before I have to publish. They are 100% last minute and never edited, so you might see some typos.
I think Wasted Lust was the most emotional book I’ve written to date. For sure, 321 tore me up, that ending was everything I had pictured in my head and more. But this book had characters I knew. Characters I loved. I had just met Ark, JD, and Blue in 321, so I wasn’t as invested in them and the story.
But even though I feel you can read Wasted Lust as a standalone, there’s a lot of baggage with these characters in this book. A lot of past wounds and heartbreak. A lot of loss that fills them up and changes how they see the world. And every bit of that loss and heartbreak along the way was mine too. Because these characters are real to me. I live in their heads as I write each scene. I not only know them, I AM them.
Sasha is in a lot of books. Slack, Come Back, Coming For You, one sentence about her in 321, (unnamed) and a huge reason why Merc was the way he was in Meet Me In The Dark. He loved her. He was the man who took her in before Ford Aston gave her a forever home. He picked her up when she called, heartbroken after being denied the only thing she ever thought she wanted. He showed up as the ace in the hole when the whole world was crumbling down around her, and he put down that rifle in MMITD to save her life. He was big, and mean, and deadly and he loved her like a daughter.
James was the same way. They fought in the Dirty, Dark, and Deadly series like brother and sister. And it was hard to figure out just where Sasha stood with these killers because she’s been playing a game with a dangerous enemy since she first appeared on the pages of Slack with Ford Aston.
I think the best scene to sum up the relationship between these men (including Nick) and the women they love (mostly Sasha, but also Sydney) is that ending of Come Back. If you haven’t read the book, I won’t spoil it. But it’s possible to kill someone and save them at the same time. And this was what Wasted Lust was for me.
I always knew that Nick made his bed back in Coming For You. And once he did that there was no going back. If he believed that what he did was right—and he did, and it was—then he had to see it through to the end.
I take my hat off to Nick Tate. He’s the hero and the bad guy all wrapped up into one not-so-neat package. And I cried my eyes out for him. He deserved very tear for being ugly, and ruthless to the point of making me sick. But also good, and brave, and loving for setting everyone free.
The advanced release copies went out to people last weekend (today is Monday, June 22) and I’ve already gotten more messages about how this book touched people than any other book I’ve published before. Thank you, ARC readers. I love that you are so connected with this story and felt the same way that I did when it was over.
After building a world, and weaving a plot, and becoming each and every character through twelve books (Tragic, Manic, Panic, Slack, Taut, Bomb, Guns, Come, Come Back, Coming For You, 321, Meet Me In The Dark, and, finally, Wasted Lust) it’s hard to wrap it all up and not feel a profound sense of loss. I don’t write traditional romances. I like stories—in movies or books—that live in reality. And for sure, I asked you to believe in this shadow government called The Company. But if there was a Company, and if there was a mother-daughter pact, and if there was a network of people who use innocent children to fight their wars—then this is exactly what that world would look like.
I think that’s why people respond so positively about my books. I take a fictional scenario and I make it real. Horrifyingly real, in some cases (Merc anyone?).
But each book, and every single word I ever put down on paper, has meaning. So even though I didn’t enjoy writing Sydney and Merc’s story, it was necessary. How could you ever (ever) understand what it meant to be a Company girl if you had not had Sydney’s story? You couldn’t. You would not feel the same about what these people did, and what it took to break free, if you didn’t know what it really meant to belong to the Company. To be their property.
If this is your first book by me, I take my hat off to you, reader. :) It’s very complicated, it’s filled with hidden meaning and call-backs, and it’s not an easy read. I do think it’s a standalone—everything you need to know is in here. All you have to do is trust me.
But if this is your first JA Huss book, you’re missing out on a great story.
A. Great. Motherfucking. Story.
Because even though you think you know the end and that’s all there is to it, you have no idea what it took to get here. So if you liked this book and have not read the others listed above (in order)… go back and read.
Because it’s never about the end, my friend.
The only thing that matters is the journey.
If you enjoyed this book please do me a favor and leave a review on Amazon. Even if you didn’t purchase your book on Amazon that review means a lot to me over there. Indie authors need your help to get the word out about their books and the best way to show support is to write a review. So please, just take a moment and write a few words about how Wasted Lust made you feel. I would so, so appreciate it.
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Rook and Ronin are not over. :) I have a HEA book starring Ford and Five Aston coming out in December just before Christmas. If you want to be notified of that release, FOLLOW my (click the yellow banner under my picture) or .
I have the next book, SEXY, up on pre-order at and (iTunes might not work yet, but the link will be good once the book goes live, so if it doesn’t take you to the page right now, check again next week.) SEXY has all brand new characters, all brand new storyline, all brand new everything. It will release on September 9, 2015 and it’s gonna be fun.
I have a very special group of friends who support me and I’d just like to say thanks.
Jana Aston, you are the reason I’m where I am in 2015. That’s all you need to know. You are the reason.
Michelle New, your graphics are amazing and your help leading up to this release will never be forgotten. I have no words to express my thanks for all that you’ve done for me, simply because you wanted to do it.
Kristi Carol, #Thumbs, #LongLiveKristyBlazen – thank you for all your help on the New Adult Addiction blog. That site would be dead without you.
And thank you to all my street team members. You make a huge difference in my life.
Veronica LaRoche
Trisha Lukasik Hudson
Tiffany Saylor
Tiffany Rochelle
Tiffany K. Halliday
Tami Estes
Sarah Geiger
Sandra Stroh
Paige Nero Gast
Nicole Tetrev
Nicole Alexander
Misty Crook McElroy
Michelle Tan
Lindsey Miller
Leah Davis
Laura Helseth
Krista Lohss Davis
Katie Terranova
Jennifer Mirabelli
Holly Brama
Heidi Tieman
Christy M Baldwin
Brandee Price
Beverly Gardner Tubb
Ashley Blackwell
Amber Gladson
Amber Asher
Ali Hymer