I'm going to break the rules a teeny bit and give you two of mine, because they're by different artists, in different genres.
But first my favorite from another member of the Here Be Magic group - The Pages of the Mind from Jeffe Kennedy! I love love love this cover:
Here's a tiny synopsis of the plot:
Magic has broken free over the Twelve Kingdoms. The population is beset by shapeshifters and portents, landscapes that migrate, uncanny allies who are not quite human…and enemies eager to take advantage of the chaos.
Dafne Mailloux is no adventurer--she's a librarian. But the High Queen trusts Dafne's ability with languages, her way of winnowing the useful facts from a dusty scroll, and even more important, the subtlety and guile that three decades under the thumb of a tyrant taught her. OK, as to my own covers, I'll always love the one for Priestess of
the Nile, which was my first cover on my first book to be published - thank you Carina Press. And to make it even better, because there was a crocodile theme going on, Carina asked Frauke Spanuth to create the cover and she of course loves crocodiles and her company is even named Croco Designs. She's done all the rest of my Egyptian covers excerpt for one. I love collaborating with her. A snippet of the plot: Egypt, 1500 BC
Drawn to his abandoned temple on the banks of the Nile by an enchanting song, Sobek the Crocodile God is even more captivated by the sight of the singer herself. Appearing to her as a man, he learns she is Merys, a descendant of his last priestess.
My favorite science fiction romance cover is from Fiona Jayde, who has done all my SFR's, but on Star Cruise: Marooned, something about the heroine, Meg, just really grabs the attention and I honestly think part of why this book has done so phenomenally well for me is that wonderful cover! Fiona really captures the essence of a story on the cover...
A teaser of the plot: Meg Antille works long hours on the charter cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay), Meg has no time for romance.
Former Special Forces soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance.
This was supposed to be science fiction romance week and
I'll share an excerpt below, I promise, but lately I've been obsessed with the
SyFy reality show "Face Off."
Here's what the SyFy
website says about the program: “In this competition/elimination series,
special effects make-up artists participate in elaborate challenges for a grand
prize and the honor of being Hollywood's next great effects artist.”
How in ten years have I NOT watched this? I love reality
shows like “Project Runway” and “Top Chef” – the ones where you have to have a skill
set to win. I’m a huge fan of science fiction obviously and many of the
challenges on this program skew in that direction. Aliens. Zombies. Post
apocalyptic fairy tales. Toys come to life. Creating alien beings from a fragment of their speech,
or from a ‘found artifact.’ Many other types of challenges as well, of course!
The series judges are top notch experts in their fields, with a slew of awards
(the Oscar, Emmy, more) and don't pull their punches on substandard work. The guest judges are amazing – Gale Anne Hurd for
example. I hyperventilate, so you can
imagine how the contestants react, getting feedback from their idols.
And currently the mentor is Michael Westmore of the famous
Hollywood makeup Westmore Dynasty. His daughter McKenzie is the host. It’s
amazing to me how Mr. Westmore can take one look at someone’s fledgling effort
and with a few well chosen words take it to a new level. Or tell them they
probably want to start over.
I’m riveted by the mad skills of the contestants, able to
create all these sculpted face and body pieces, do the face painting, assemble
costumes, know things (how to make
blood that looks realistic for example – it’s said at one point every makeup
artist has their own recipe for blood)…and all in a short, intense time frame.
I’m in awe and I love seeing how these things are done for movies, TV, cosplay
and more.
HOW do the models stay so patient and how do they keep their
skin from being permanently inflamed by all that glue and paint?
I chewed through the episodes of this season so far and then
went to Season One to start catching up.
It’s mildly fascinating to watch the show evolve. So far I’ve
binge watched my way through only a couple of the older seasons so my remarks shouldn’t
be construed to be about any one season, person or episode. Although it has
been interesting watching Ms. Westmore’s dresses for the finale evolve from the
kind of everyday simplicity of Season One to the more Vanna-like (but short)
blinged out garb she wears in Season Ten. Hey, I’d love a job where I could wear
binged out dresses!
I have NO sympathy for a reality show contestant who isn’t ready
for surprises and twists in the challenges. Have they never WATCHED the program
they’re trying to win? (OK, Season One people get a pass on this.)
Why is there always one person in a season who takes it upon
themselves to be wayyy too helpful to someone who’s struggling? The struggler
inevitably wins that challenge with the idea or concept or actual results the ‘helpful’
person gave them, no credit to Helpful One, and then sometimes Helpful One even
gets eliminated! I’m not talking about the genuinely-nice but quick moments
when someone gives an opinion if asked (too symmetrical, too out there, too
much foam, too little paint) or helps with opening a balky mold. I mean when the Helpful
One actually does stuff for the struggler, or gives them the entire idea for
the challenge. This is a contest, people! $100K is at stake! You don’t even
know this person you’re screwing yourself over to help!
And no judges on any reality show ANYWHERE want to listen to
you either make excuses or throw your teammates under the bus. You will not win
or save yourself. Or look good.
Don’t aim for being safe, being in the middle or trying to coast.
If you didn’t come with your A game, why
are you there? Someone else didn’t get picked and you did so we don’t want to
see you phone it in.
There will be team challenges and there will be incredibly
annoying people nobody wants to be teamed with. Get over it!
In Season One they had wayyyy too much of the personal drama
back at the contestant house. That seems to be diminishing slowly in the later
seasons, and there’s none in Season Ten that I saw. I prefer it that way. I
like the focus to be on the challenges. People will reveal their true self over time through their work.
So, I’m having fun. Is there a reality show you can’t get enough
of?
Here’s a quick excerpt from Star Cruise: Marooned, where the enemy aliens have captured the
hero, Red, and some of the passengers. I’d love to see the Face Off contestants
create my alien pirates! I’ll be releasing the sequel Star Cruise: Outbreak in late April 2016:
“What are the pirates doing?” Callina asked, breaking into his
thoughts.
Stretching, Red stood to see how
their captors were passing their leisure time. The beach was literally crawling
with Shemdylann now. Some were engaged in mock battles, cheered on by throngs
of their comrades. Others were splashing in the lake. A fire pit had been dug
and a crew of five aliens was doing some serious cooking, as if catering a
banquet. Many of the aliens were basking in the sun, extended neck frills pulsing
in the heat. And a few were entwined in clusters of four to six, tentacles and
other sinuous organs busily at work.
“I think the pirates are on
shore leave,” he said, hardly believing it. There’d never been any record of
such activity, but what other conclusion could he draw? “Hey, pal,” he yelled
at the guard standing by their cage. “What brings you guys here?”
The guard was watching the
cluster of copulating Shemdylann, his neck frill extended and pulsing red.
Apparently, no one had told him not to talk to the prisoners because he said,
“We’ve been in heavy combat, penetrating this Sector. Our officers said this
planet was a fabled human resort and he would bring us here for a day or two of
reward, if we defeated the enemy ships. We’ll regain energy for the next
assault, on your Sector Hub, to be launched when we receive further orders from
the Mawreg.”
Red affected astonishment. “You
brought everybody here to party, leaving your ship uncrewed?”
“Fool, of course not.” The
coarse spines covering the alien’s carapace bristled and he stood taller. “You
ask too many questions.” He sidestepped, pivoting in the sand to watch his
fellow pirates cavorting. In Shemdylann, he grumbled to himself. “Five ships
and a battle cruiser full of troops, lots drawn across the fleet for who would
be lucky enough to enjoy the day on the planet. I pay a hefty bribe to win a
spot and now I must stand here, watching over vermin, while my fellow soldiers
shi tangor dunac midtahnn.”
Red gave no outward sign of
comprehension, although he spoke fluent Shemdylann. Leaving the increasingly
agitated guard alone, he retreated to the rear of the cage and pondered the
intel he’d gathered. Not that there was any way for him to pass the information
to the Sectors’ military authorities.
“Please, isn’t there something
you can do to help us?” Eyes wide, Callina pleaded with him. “Isn’t there some
way we can escape? Can’t you get us out of here?”
He tried to be polite. “Lady,
these are the Shemdylann, in case you haven’t noticed. They only respond to
overwhelming force, or heaps of credits.
The Story:
Meg Antille works long
hours on the charter cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to
her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay),
Meg has no time for romance.
Former Special Forces
soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting
to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance. A scheduled
stopover on the idyllic beach of a nature preserve planet may be his last
chance to impress the girl.
But when one of the
passengers is attacked by a wild animal it becomes clear that conditions on the
lushly forested Dantaralon aren’t as advertised – the ranger station is
deserted, the defensive perimeter is down…and then the Far Horizon’s shuttle
abruptly leaves without any of them.
Marooned on the
dangerous outback world, romance is the least of their concerns, and yet Meg
and Red cannot help being drawn to each other once they see how well they work
together. But can they survive long enough to see their romance through? Or
will the wild alien planet defeat them, ending their romance and their lives
before anything can really begin?
We're kicking off Excerpt Week at Here Be Magic, with various authors sharing excerpts from published and unpublished works. I'm offering a new excerpt from my latest best seller STAR CRUISE: MAROONED.
The story:
Meg Antille works long hours on the charter cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay), Meg has no time for romance.
Former Special Forces soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance. A scheduled stopover on the idyllic beach of a nature preserve planet may be his last chance to impress the girl.
But when one of the passengers is attacked by a wild animal it becomes clear that conditions on the lushly forested Dantaralon aren’t as advertised – the ranger station is deserted, the defensive perimeter is down…and then the Far Horizon’s shuttle abruptly leaves without any of them.
Marooned on the dangerous outback world, romance is the least of their concerns, and yet Meg and Red cannot help being drawn to each other once they see how well they work together. But can they survive long enough to see their romance through? Or will the wild alien planet defeat them, ending their romance and their lives before anything can really begin?
And the excerpt:
“Can I get two volunteers to help us get Sharmali
settled at the ranger station?” Meg asked. “Keep an eye on her?”
“Well,
don’t look at me,” Harelly said, as several of the other guests glanced in his
direction. “I only play a doctor on
the trideo shows. The sight of blood makes me ill.”
Callina
and her husband, Peter, volunteered. As the other passengers slowly hiked
through the sand to their pavilion by the lake, Meg, Red, and the volunteers
headed for the ranger station on the far side of the landing pad.
“What
about him?” asked Bettis, who Meg remembered was Finchon’s employee, a personal
assistant or something. He and his wife filed past the groggy charter Primary,
who was sitting now, holding his jaw.
“I’ll
deal with him later,” Red said.
“He’s
gonna be pissed. He’s gonna sue you and your company for every credit,” the man
predicted, excitement in his voice. “He’ll probably end up owning the whole
cruise line before he’s done.”
“Not
my problem right now.” Red’s voice was cheerful.
Meg
admired his attitude. She was dizzy with anxiety and worry, happy to follow his
lead for the moment. What in the seven hells had Drewson been thinking, taking
off without them?
The
ranger station was ominously quiet. The storm shutters were latched and the
usually immaculate landscaping had become overgrown, weeds running riot,
untrimmed vines establishing a foothold on the ornamental fence, and even
scaling one wall.
“How
long do you guess the rangers have been gone?” Meg said, eyeing the building.
She glanced at the living quarters to the left, noticing the same general run
down air. The three small houses were tightly sealed, as if hunched against a
coming storm.
“The
forest grows fast,” Red said. “Probably not more than a few months. I wonder
why we weren’t warned, though.”
“Warned?”
Callina Bettis picked up on his remark. “Are we in some kind of danger?”
Red
and Meg exchanged glances. “He means we should have been notified there
wouldn’t be any immediate help onsite,” Meg said, forcing herself to speak the
lie calmly. “In case of an emergency, like the unfortunate bite Sharmali
suffered.”
Setting
the injured woman on a picnic table, Red went to the front door of the station,
Meg on his heels. She tried activating the portal to no avail, punching the
tabs hard. “You think the last person out would have left it set to open,
general access, in case anyone needed help the way we do.” She thumped her fist
on the door.
“Unless
the staff didn’t expect anyone to be here,” Red said. “Are you sure there’s not
something you forgot to tell me?”
“I
swear, you know as much as I do.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice.
“Drewson was boning Pirankai in the private cabin when I got to the shuttle, coms
off, so if there were any bulletins, he missed them.”
“Idiot.”
Red retreated a step or two, eyeing the door. “Well, nothing for it.”
“Are
you going to break it down?”
Eyebrows
raised, he gave her a glance. “Thanks for the compliment but it’d take a battle
robo to get through this storm portal by brute force.”
“What
then?”
He
stepped to the keypad, flipping open the cover, and entered a series of numbers
and symbols so rapidly she had no idea what the sequence might be.
“You’ve
been here before?” Meg asked.
He
shook his head. “Special Forces, Team Twelve. We each have a special access
code enabling our entry into any door, ship, vault, or facility in the
Sectors.”
The
storm door jerked away from the threshold and then began to roll into the roof
recess. The window shutters on all four sides of the building followed suit a
moment later. Meg knew her mouth was hanging open. Biting her lip, she tried to
make sense of this new information. “You’re on active military duty, but working
as crew on a charter ship? Are you undercover or something?”
“Retired.
Wasn’t sure my code would work, but we have a saying in the Teams—no one is
ever completely released from service.” He grimaced. “Not until we die or the
Mawreg have been erased from the Sectors. I should live so long.” He pushed the
inner door open. “Let’s see what we have here. Stay behind me.”
The
lights didn’t respond to voice command or their physical presence. “I guess the
rangers powered down before departing. Shutters must be on auxiliary. I’ll have
to check the situation out later,” he said, pausing on the threshold. “At least
the windows let in enough ambient light for now.”
“How
long do you think we’re going to be here?” Meg was disturbed by his mention of
later.
“Depends
on what the problem in orbit is.” He stopped, giving her a hard look. “Anything
like this ever happen before?”
“No.
Drewson is an idiot, but he’d never abandon us. And Captain Jonsle certainly
won’t maroon us.”
“He
may not have a choice. I don’t want to alarm you, but we could be in a bad
situation here. I hope not, but just between the two of us, I’m not feeling too
positive. Whatever spooked the TDJ captain into recalling his people had to be
damn serious. I don’t want to alarm our passengers because panicked people are
hard to handle. Drewson’s takeoff seems like the act of a panicked person.” He studied
her face, the expression on his serious. “You’re not going to panic, are you?”
“Of
course not.” She straightened her spine, irritated he would even ask.
He
squeezed her shoulder. “Good. I didn’t think so. Stay here, let me check the
rest of the place, and then we’ll bring Sharmali in.”
Moving
so quietly she couldn’t hear his footsteps, Red left her. Meg sank onto the
nearest chair, resting her head in her hands. If she and the people she was
responsible for were in survival mode, even for a short time until someone sent
help for them, she had to reprioritize her thoughts...
Happy to be the lead-off poster for Here Be Magic's Beach Week! In my new best-selling science fiction novel, STAR CRUISE: MAROONED, the passengers of a chartered luxury yacht stop for a lazy afternoon on a fabled beach by a waterfall on the planet Dantaralon. But things don't go as expected to say the least. Here's a new excerpt:
Finishing the lunch service, Meg had a bit of free time before the mid afternoon snack. Mingling with the
passengers held no appeal for her. She wasn’t working charters to try and snag
a generational billionaire or intergalactic businessman. Meg sent as many of
her credits as she could to her family, on their home world, to buy more land
for the Antille spice farms. Scanning the beach for a moment, she considered
the primary guest and the men he’d brought along on this cruise. A mix of
businessmen like himself and faded celebrities to fawn over him and impress the
men he wanted to do deals with. Shaking her head, she couldn’t wait to see the
last of this bunch.
Taking a glass of the
refreshing faquilada fruit drink, she wandered toward the TDJ pavilion, hoping
she knew a few of the cruise staff or crew. A woman in the other line’s uniform
came to meet her, waving cordially. Delighted, Meg recognized Sallira, a casual
acquaintance in the Guild. Their circle of mutual friends was wide, so catching
up on gossip took a few minutes. Then Meg said, “Hey, what’s the deal with the
ranger station? My guy said it was closed. Did you see anyone official when you
landed?”
Sallira shook her head. “No, he’s
right, the staff is all gone.” Making a funny face of regret, lips scrunched,
she sighed. “Too bad, I had a flirtation going with the senior ranger last time
I was here.” One eyebrow raised suggestively, she sipped her drink. “I was anticipating
more fun and games this trip, if you know what I mean.” She nudged Meg in the
ribs with her elbow. “Harmless fun, but he sure was cute.”
Meg stared at the Falls and
then the lake. The park gave the appearance of order, serene and beautiful as
always. Maybe the Sector Thirty government had decided to cut costs by
eliminating the rangers? But then why hadn’t she seen a bulletin to that
effect? The captain gave her the permit token before the shuttle left the Far Horizon this morning, so he must not
have known the permanent staff was gone either.
There was a shout from the TDJ
pavilion. One of the crew was hustling their obviously bewildered passengers
toward Meg and Sallira, while a second man ran ahead, sprinting for the landing
field as if he had a major predator on his heels. The other cruise staff member
was matching him stride for stride, but skidded to a stop in the sand next to
Sallira, breathing hard. “We gotta go, right now.”
Eyes wide, the woman’s jaw
dropped. “What are you talking about?”
“Captain called, emergency
channel, said get our butts up to the ship immediately.”
Sallira twisted her hair into a
knot as she prepared to return to work. “I guess gossip time is over, sorry,
Meg. I’ll go pack the gear—”
But the other TDJ woman was
shaking her head, pulling her by the elbow. “No, the captain said leave
everything. Run before the pilot leaves us.”
“Is there something I should
know?” Meg asked. No one ever abandoned the expensive robots and gear. Unease
stirred in her gut.
“I
don’t know, captain didn’t give any details. We’re out of here.” The staffer
grabbed a dawdling child who was digging a hole in the sand, and hurried to the
incline leading to the shuttles.
“Guess
I better go,” Sallira said. “Maybe you should check with your captain, might be
a solar flare or something.”
Her
crewmates were yelling and gesturing for Sallira to hurry so she didn’t linger
for any more chitchat, taking off at a fast pace, leaving Meg alone on the
beach. Moments later, the TDJ shuttle lifted straight from the pad and shot
into the azure sky. Meg rubbed her elbow, suddenly feeling goose bumps. The
beach wasn’t as welcoming anymore, despite the bright sun and the ethereal
music from the Falls. The forlorn pavilion and humming equipment bothered her.
“What’s
with them?”
She
jumped, turning to find Red standing behind her. This time it was a bit comforting
to have him by her side. “I don’t know.”
“Is
the other crew coming back later for their stuff?” His face was set in serious
lines.
“I-I
don’t know.” Meg walked toward their own set up. “The TDJ staff member in
charge said their captain got on the com from orbit about some emergency and
recalled them.”
“Did
we get any bulletins?” Red asked. “Storms? Warn offs?”
The Story:
Meg Antille works long hours on the charter cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay), Meg has no time for romance.
Former Special Forces soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance. A scheduled stopover on the idyllic beach of a nature preserve planet may be his last chance to impress the girl.
But when one of the passengers is attacked by a wild animal it becomes clear that conditions on the lushly forested Dantaralon aren’t as advertised – the ranger station is deserted, the defensive perimeter is down…and then the Far Horizon’s shuttle abruptly leaves without any of them.
Marooned on the dangerous outback world, romance is the least of their concerns, and yet Meg and Red cannot help being drawn to each other once they see how well they work together. But can they survive long enough to see their romance through? Or will the wild alien planet defeat them, ending their romance and their lives before anything can really begin?
This is just fresh off an exclusive reveal at USA Today Happily Ever After....Circle of Seven Productions did a wonderful job, I thought!
-
The story:
Meg Antille works long hours on the charter cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay), Meg has no time for romance.
Former Special Forces soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance. A scheduled stopover on the idyllic beach of a nature preserve planet may be his last chance to impress the girl.
But when one of the passengers is attacked by a wild animal it becomes clear that conditions on the lushly forested Dantaralon aren’t as advertised – the ranger station is deserted, the defensive perimeter is down…and then the Far Horizon’s shuttle abruptly leaves without any of them.
Marooned on the dangerous outback world, romance is the least of their concerns, and yet Meg and Red cannot help being drawn to each other once they see how well they work together. But can they survive long enough to see their romance through? Or will the wild alien planet defeat them, ending their romance and their lives before anything can really begin?
I'm thrilled that my latest science fiction romance Star Cruise: Marooned is a number one Best Seller on Amazon! I thought I'd put up a new excerpt from the book for today's post:
On the beach, there was chaos. An eel,
easily two feet in diameter and eight feet long, lay convulsing on the sand,
Red’s hunting knife buried to the hilt in one eye. The crewman had the medkit
open beside him and was struggling to staunch the blood flow from Sharmali’s
lower leg, while she lay on a red-stained towel and moaned. Callina was
standing beside them, trying to help. The other men and women milled on the
beach nearby, drinking and talking in too loud voices. As Meg headed for the
injured passenger, the Primary intercepted her.
“Miss
Antille, I demand to know how something like this could happen.” Purple in the
face, he waved a hand at Sharmali. “I paid top dollar, if not an exorbitant
price, for a safe, enjoyable cruise for myself and my guests, and now the poor
girl’s had her foot eaten!” He was so upset he was spitting.
“On
behalf of the Line, I certainly apologize, sir. We do everything we can to
ensure the safety of our guests under all circumstances, but if she swam beyond
the sonic barrier—”
“She
was standing in three inches of water right next to me,” Finchon said. “That
monster could have just as easily gotten my foot.”
“The
barrier’s off,” Red informed her, not glancing up from his task. “Can you argue
with him later? I need your help.”
Meg
ran to his side, the Primary matching her step for step, yelling at her about
lawsuits and refunds. She tried to stem the tide of his vitriol so she could
concentrate. “Sir, please, let us assist Sharmali, and then I’ll be happy to
discuss the legalities.”
Trever,
the retired pro athlete, came forward and took his host by the arm, shoving a
drink into his hand and drawing him aside. Meg took a deep breath of relief and
knelt beside Red. “What do you want me to do?”
“Apply
pressure to the wound for a minute while I see what antivenom we’ve got.”
Gulping
against her nausea, Meg set her hand on the makeshift bandages and pressed
hard. “You said the barrier was off?”
“Must
be. There was more than one of these things right in the shallows at the beach.
We were lucky no one else got attacked. I got her out of the water as fast as I
could so the blood wouldn’t attract other predators.” He sat on his heels, frowning,
holding an inject. “This is only a generic. Will it work on eel venom?”
“It’s
all we’ve got on the shuttle. It’ll have to hold her until we get to the ship’s
sick bay.”
As
he gave Sharmali the inject, Meg eyed the wound with deep misgiving. The
woman’s leg was definitely swelling and there were ugly purple streaks
advancing toward her knee. “This is my fault,” she said.
“How
do you figure?” Red applied a light tourniquet.
“I
should have known if the ranger station was closed, the barriers might be shut
off, but I didn’t check.”
“Well,
keep your voice down, the Primary is pissed off enough right now. Don’t add
fuel to his fire. We’d better get her to the shuttle and hustle offplanet, to
the ship. What did you find out?” He turned to take more towels from Callina
with a murmured thanks and wrapped the oversize, gaily colored fabric around Sharmali.
“She’s going into shock, gotta keep her warm.”
“Drewson
said he hadn’t heard anything. I called the ship myself, but we got
interrupted. Signal failed or something.” Meg rose as he did, admiring the
smooth manner in which Red lifted the injured woman, not jostling her.
“We’ll
know soon enough.” He shifted Sharmali to lie more comfortably against his
chest and walked away as if her weight was nothing to him. “Guess it’s our turn
to leave the equipment behind, at least temporarily.”
“Oh,
Lords of Space, of course.” Meg grabbed the cleaning supplies bag, since the
blasters were in there, thankfully unneeded. She detoured to flip the switch
turning off the power grid, dropped the bag inside the nearest robo’s storage
cavity to leave her hands free, and then caught up to the guests at the base of
the walkway leading to the landing pad.
The
rumble of the shuttle’s engines caught her by surprise. How could Drewson
possibly know about the emergency? As she decided he must have checked the beach-facing
vidscreens for some reason, the tenor of the sound changed from warmup to full
power. In disbelief, she saw the shuttle rising from the pad.
“What
the seven hells is he doing?” Red yelled.
The story:
Meg Antille works long hours on the charter cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay), Meg has no time for romance.
Former Special Forces soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance. A scheduled stopover on the idyllic beach of a nature preserve planet may be his last chance to impress the girl.
But when one of the passengers is attacked by a wild animal it becomes clear that conditions on the lushly forested Dantaralon aren’t as advertised – the ranger station is deserted, the defensive perimeter is down…and then the Far Horizon’s shuttle abruptly leaves without any of them.
Marooned on the dangerous outback world, romance is the least of their concerns, and yet Meg and Red cannot help being drawn to each other once they see how well they work together. But can they survive long enough to see their romance through? Or will the wild alien planet defeat them, ending their romance and their lives before anything can really begin?
Veronica Scott released a new science fiction romance, STAR CRUISE: MAROONED. Here's the story:
Meg Antille works long hours on the charter cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay), Meg has no time for romance.
Former Special Forces soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance. A scheduled stopover on the idyllic beach of a nature preserve planet may be his last chance to impress the girl.
But when one of the passengers is attacked by a wild animal it becomes clear that conditions on the lushly forested Dantaralon aren’t as advertised – the ranger station is deserted, the defensive perimeter is down…and then the Far Horizon’s shuttle abruptly leaves without any of them.
Marooned on the dangerous outback world, romance is the least of their concerns, and yet Meg and Red cannot help being drawn to each other once they see how well they work together. But can they survive long enough to see their romance through? Or will the wild alien planet defeat them, ending their romance and their lives before anything can really begin?
Out Tuesday: Idol of Blood, Book 2 in Jane Kindred's dark epic fantasy series, Looking Glass Gods
The price of revenge may be her sanity…and the lives of those she loves.
No longer haunted by memories of her life—and death—as the Meer of Rhyman, Ra looks forward to a quiet existence with her lover Jak in the Haethfalt highlands. Having made peace with Ahr, her consort from her former life, Ra can finally explore her new relationship, free of the ghosts of the past—until she unwittingly unearths Jak’s own.
Out of instinct, she uses her Meeric power to heal the pain of Jak’s childhood trauma. But all magic has a price, and Ra’s bill has come due.
Succumbing to the affliction inherent in her race, Ra flees to the mountain ruins where her mother’s temple once stood. As the madness takes hold, she resurrects the ancient city of AhlZel in a tremendous act of magic that seals her fate—and threatens to destroy those who would give up everything to save her from herself.
Product Warnings: Contains dark themes, violence, gender-bending sex, and recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse.
Idol of Blood is available in ebook and paperback from the following retailers:
Follow Jane's blog tour and giveaway June 23-30 for a chance to win signed paperback copies of Books 1 and 2 in the Looking Glass Gods and a Cult of Isis necklace.
**************** Now Available for Pre-Order!
The planet had secrets it never revealed, until it was too late.
Centuries ago, mankind's only hope for survival were the seven vessels specially fitted to send the last survivors of Earth to a planet named New Earth. Seven space ships that became floating cities once they landed on the water-only world teeming with edible seafood, as well as dangerous creatures.
Lt. Jace Novick, of the ship UnderPlatinum, is sent to sister ship UnderSilver to see if he can help find a possible solution to their growing problem. Food is beginning to run low, catches are growing scarcer, and the tension between ships is increasing as starvation becomes imminent.
Lt. Commander Rhone Derth has created a security device called wrap shields to protect Silver from repeated attacks by the planet's hostile monsters. But it seems the shields are also keeping the fish away as well. Jace believes he has an answer, but it means he and Rhone must work together despite Rhone's antagonism toward him, and the short time he's been allotted before he must return to his own ship.
Together, they try to discover a way to survive as the other vessels turn on each other in a desperate battle for the last of the dwindling food supply, not knowing that another, more malevolent being is watching them from the depths.
***
The Making of Michael Bishop is now free on all platforms
Keep your distance. Don’t look him in the eye. Feed him and leave. Michael D’Augustino is a priest in the time of the Inquisition. Marked as weak for his refusal to torture those charged with sorcery, heresy, devil worship or worse, he’s given another task. Feed the prisoner in the cell in the darkest corner of the dungeon. With the edict comes a set of instructions.
Ever obedient, Michael does exactly as he is told. Until the night his charge doesn’t eat and Michael has to enter the cell to find out why. Instead of the beast he believes to be imprisoned there, he finds a man. A broken, tormented man who asks for help.
But all is not as it seems and, before the night is through, Michael will be changed forever. NookKindle
I'm happy to announce my latest science fiction romance release!
Here's the story:
The Story:
Meg Antille works long hours on the charter cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay), Meg has no time for romance.
Former Special Forces soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance. A scheduled stopover on the idyllic beach of a nature preserve planet may be his last chance to impress the girl.
But when one of the passengers is attacked by a wild animal it becomes clear that conditions on the lushly forested Dantaralon aren’t as advertised – the ranger station is deserted, the defensive perimeter is down…and then the Far Horizon’s shuttle abruptly leaves without any of them.
Marooned on the dangerous outback world, romance is the least of their concerns, and yet Meg and Red cannot help being drawn to each other once they see how well they work together. But can they survive long enough to see their romance through? Or will the wild alien planet defeat them, ending their romance and their lives before anything can really begin?
Taking a glass of the
refreshing faquilada fruit drink, Meg wandered toward the TDJ pavilion, hoping
she knew a few of the cruise staff or crew. A woman in the other line’s uniform
came to meet her, waving cordially. Delighted, Meg recognized Sallira, a casual
acquaintance in the Guild. Their circle of mutual friends was wide, so catching
up on gossip took a few minutes. Then Meg said, “Hey, what’s the deal with the
ranger station? My guy said it was closed. Did you see anyone official when you
landed?”
Sallira shook her head. “No, he’s
right, the staff is all gone.” Making a funny face of regret, lips scrunched,
she sighed. “Too bad, I had a flirtation going with the senior ranger last time
I was here.” One eyebrow raised suggestively, she sipped her drink. “I was anticipating
more fun and games this trip, if you know what I mean.” She nudged Meg in the
ribs with her elbow. “Harmless fun, but he sure was cute.”
Meg stared at the Falls and
then the lake. The park gave the appearance of order, serene and beautiful as
always. Maybe the Sector Thirty government had decided to cut costs by
eliminating the rangers? But then why hadn’t she seen a bulletin to that
effect? The captain gave her the permit token before the shuttle left the Far Horizon this morning, so he must not
have known the permanent staff was gone either.
There was a shout from the TDJ
pavilion. One of the crew was hustling their obviously bewildered passengers
toward Meg and Sallira, while a second man ran ahead, sprinting for the landing
field as if he had a major predator on his heels. The other cruise staff member
was matching him stride for stride, but skidded to a stop in the sand next to
Sallira, breathing hard. “We gotta go, right now.”
Eyes wide, the woman’s jaw
dropped. “What are you talking about?”
“Captain called, emergency
channel, said get our butts up to the ship immediately.”
Sallira twisted her hair into a
knot as she prepared to return to work. “I guess gossip time is over, sorry,
Meg. I’ll go pack the gear—”
But the other TDJ woman was
shaking her head, pulling her by the elbow. “No, the captain said leave
everything. Run before the pilot leaves us.”
“Is there something I should
know?” Meg asked. No one ever abandoned the expensive robots and gear. Unease
stirred in her gut.
“I
don’t know, captain didn’t give any details. We’re out of here.” The staffer
grabbed a dawdling child who was digging a hole in the sand, and hurried to the
incline leading to the shuttles.
“Guess
I better go,” Sallira said. “Maybe you should check with your captain, might be
a solar flare or something.”
Her
crewmates were yelling and gesturing for Sallira to hurry so she didn’t linger
for any more chitchat, taking off at a fast pace, leaving Meg alone on the
beach. Moments later, the TDJ shuttle lifted straight from the pad and shot
into the azure sky. Meg rubbed her elbow, suddenly feeling goose bumps. The
beach wasn’t as welcoming anymore, despite the bright sun and the ethereal
music from the Falls. The forlorn pavilion and humming equipment bothered her.
“What’s
with them?”
She
jumped, turning to find Red standing behind her. This time it was a bit comforting
to have him by her side. “I don’t know.”
“Is
the other crew coming back later for their stuff?” His face was set in serious
lines.
“I-I
don’t know.” Meg walked toward their own set up. “The TDJ staff member in
charge said their captain got on the com from orbit about some emergency and
recalled them.”
“Did
we get any bulletins?” Red asked. “Storms? Warn offs?”
She
shook her head. “Not that I heard of. You’re ship’s crew, you’re more likely to
know than I am. Think I should ask Drewson to check in with the Far Horizon?”
He
scanned the beach, eyes hooded. “Yeah, I think you’ve got a good idea. I’ll
cover things here.”
