Blog Tour: Nogiku Series by S.J.Pajonas

Hello my dear stalkers!

Today I'm glad to host a stop for the blog tour of the Nogiku series by SJ Pajonas. The event is organized by Lola's Blog Tours  and runs from January 20th till February 2nd, you can view the complete tour schedule on the Nogiku series blog tour page on the website of Lola's Blog Tours.

So far this series contains two books: Removed (Nogiku series #1) and Released (Nogiku series #2).

Removed (Nogiku series #1)
By SJ Pajonas
Genre: Science Fiction Romance, Post-apocalyptic
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: September 11, 2013

Blurb:
Duty knows no family. Love has no price. Secrets can cost you everything. Twenty-year-old Sanaa Griffin, a sweet and smart half-Japanese girl, is about to get more than she bargained for when she wishes for love and excitement on New Year’s Eve 3103. Mark Sakai, who knows more about her than any stranger should, thinks Sanaa is the perfect person to spy on the heads of the three biggest Japanese clan leaders in Nishikyo. He wants her to gather enough evidence to keep them from going to war when they land on Earth’s colonization planet, Yusei. Nishikyo, built by the Japanese 300 years ago to house the rest of mankind, is failing and everyone is preparing to leave. Sakai has known Sanaa’s family all her life but she knows nothing of him! And despite all the time they spend together, he keeps his distance from her. Then one day, he brings her to Jiro, his nephew, to learn sword fighting, and it changes her life irrevocably. Between falling in love with Jiro and the information she is gathering on the clans, Sanaa realizes Sakai is holding back secrets about her family and her deceased parents, secrets as to why she was chosen for this job, and learning the truth puts her and all of Nishikyo in danger.

You can find Removed on Goodreads
Want to view some inspirational images for Removed, visit the Removed inspirational Pinterest board

You can buy Removed here:
- Amazon (Paperback)
- Amazon (Kindle)
- Barnes & Noble
- iBookstore
- Kobo
- Wattpad

You can watch the trailer for Removed here:


Released (Nogiku series #2)
by SJ Pajonas
Genre: Science Fiction Romance, Post-apocalyptic
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: December 17, 2013

Blurb:
**Contains spoilers for those who have not read REMOVED (Book 1) Left in the desert to recuperate from her injuries, Sanaa Itami paces the floors and contemplates her mistakes. She trusted too easily, and now people she loved are dead, killed at the hands of men coming to assassinate her. Sanaa feels beaten, but life awaits her at home. While Nishikyo recovers from the earthquake, negotiations for Sanaa's eventual rule on Yusei continue. New allies must be made, new friendships brokered, new skills acquired -- at all costs. Life at the top of the chain is complicated and lonely, though. With relations in Sakai clan rocky and uncertain, Sanaa must learn to trust others again more than she's willing. Who amongst the clans is left holding a grudge? And will the new family Sanaa has found with Jiro support or betray her? From Nishikyo to Yusei, RELEASED, Book TWO of the Nogiku Series, is the second book in a captivating New Adult post-apocalyptic romance series that harnesses the cultures and traditions of Japan and sweeps them into the future between Earth and a faraway land.

You can find Released on Goodreads

You can buy Released here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo

About the Author:
S. J. Pajonas loves all things Asian and has been in love with Japan for as long as she can remember. Writing about Asia and Japan came naturally after studying the culture and language for over fifteen years. She studied film and screenwriting first and eventually segued into fiction once she was no longer working a full-time job.

Released is S. J. Pajonas’s second work, book two of four in the Nogiku Series. The first book in the series, Removed, is described as “a wonderful story” with “engaging characters, seamless world building, and an action packed plot.” It’s an “up-til-3am-because-I-read-it-in-one-sitting book.” She also writes contemporary romance and her upcoming first book in the Love in the Digital Age series will be published in 2014.

S. J. lives with her husband and two children just outside of New York City. She loves reading, writing, film, J- and K-dramas, knitting, and astrology. Her favorite author is Haruki Murakami and favorite book is The Wind-up Bird Chronicle.

You can find and contact her here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Pinterest
- Flickr
- Instagram
- Tumblr

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of the Nogiku series. These are the prizes you can win: Amazon Gift Cards, copies of REMOVED, and eBook copies of two fantastic Japanese books: JAPANESE SOUL COOKING and THE SAKE HANDBOOK. Both will be gifted through either Amazon (kindle) or Barnes&Noble (nook).
Here are the links to both books on Amazon:
Sake Handbook on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sake-Handbook-John-Gauntner-ebook/dp/B007H9GVMI/
Japanese Soul Cooking: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BVJG5GC/

You can enter the tour wide giveaway here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Top 10 (plus 1) list of Actors for a Nogiku Series Dream Cast

So this is actually a really hard question to answer! Mainly because the last two years of writing these books have been so hectic that I have fallen behind in my Japanese movie watching, AND if these books were ever made into movies, the Japanese actors would have to speak a lot of English. I’m going to provide a good dream cast below and we’ll just pretend everyone could speak enough English to fill the roles!

Kie Kitano (Sanaa) https://www.google.com/search?q=Kie+Kitano

I love Kie’s look! She has a super sweet and innocent face but I can definitely imagine her angry. She also has the right body structure for Sanaa. I fell in love with her as soon as I saw her.

Kiko Mizuhara (Miko) https://www.google.com/search?q=Kiko+Mizuhara

Kiko has the right temptress look for Miko. Her face screams, “I will date you and drop you if you’re boring.” Lol.

Saoirse Ronan (Helena) https://www.google.com/search?q=Saoirse+Ronan

Helena was the hardest to cast! But Saoirse has the right look for her. She just needs some curly hair, a bright smile, a kimono, and pink lip gloss, then she’s all set to be Sanaa and Miko’s best friend.

Kengo Kora (Jiro) https://www.google.com/search?q=+Kengo+Kora

Kengo is a little on the older side, but he is so fine. I look at him and immediately know he’d make a great Jiro. The great thing about most of these Japanese and Asian actors and actresses is that they ALL look young. So it’s anybody’s guess how old they really are when you see them on screen ;)

Satoshi Tsumabuki (Yoichi) https://www.google.com/search?q=Satoshi+Tsumabuki

Originally I thought he’d make a great Jiro, but he’s a better older brother.

Ken Watanabe (Koichi) https://www.google.com/search?q=ken+watanabe

I have loved Ken for ages and he’s timeless. He has the right feel and smile to be sweet but tough-as-nails Koichi.

Hiroyuki Sanada (Mark Sakai) https://www.google.com/search?q=hiroyuki+sanada

I saw HIroyuki on the TV show REVENGE and just knew he’d make a great Mark. Mark is my first love, even before Jiro. He has to be special. Hiroyuki Sanada fits all of my criteria: dark, mysterious, great smile, handsome in long hair.

Takako Matsu (Aunt Lomo) https://www.google.com/search?q=Takako+Matsu

Takako has the perfect softer feel for Sanaa’s sweeter aunt. I love her smile.

Kyōko Koizumi (Aunt Kimie) https://www.google.com/search?q=Kyoko+Koizumi

Kyōko has been acting in Japanese movies for a very long time, and she has a super strong screen presence. I loved her in Tokyo Sonata. This particular photo screams Aunt Kimie, no?

Yoshino Kimura (Mariko) https://www.google.com/search?q=Yoshino+Kimura

Mariko was another hard one. I searched and searched before I landed on beautiful Yoshino. She has the sweet smile that we see so much of in REMOVED, but her stern face is perfect for all the sadder moments of RELEASED.

Yūsuke Iseya (Tadao Matsuda) https://www.google.com/search?q=Yūsuke+Iseya

Imagine me sitting at my computer and googling “evil Japanese actors”. LOL. Yeah, and then I decided to take another look at the 13 Assassins cast and he hit me over the head. Perfect bone structure! Let’s give him some longer brown hair, and he’s all set to play the villain of REMOVED.

And there you have it! Phew! That was a tough one. It took me three weeks to narrow down this cast. I hope it encourages you to give REMOVED and the rest of the Nogiku Series a shot!