Tag: SFFS

Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday

Book Review: The Whispering Tombs

On By jccasselsIn Book Review1 Comment

THE WHISPERING TOMBS
A Quality Times Novella
by Gayle Ramage

Love Quality Times! She’s a tongue-in-cheek time-traveling adventurer. Her sidekick, Tim, is a great foil for her jaded demeanor as she’s dragged into an ever-increasingly dangerous adventure with twists and turns to keep you turning the pages! Tim, an unapologetic Whovian, tries telling people he’s a Timelord from Gallifrey, much to Quality’s chagrin.

In their first adventure (of many, I hope) Quality Times and Tim are on a quest to see the universe. With a time machine/space ship that shrinks down to the size of a child’s toy, all of time and space are theirs for the exploring. So where do they go? Why to a resort, of course. That’s where they meet Bob, a self-styled archaeologist complete with safari outfit and pith helmet. Bob’s hunky assistant Qez, a.k.a. Bluey the “sexy police siren” catches Quality’s eye.

Joining forces with Bob and Qez, Quality and Tim try their hand at grave robbing, I mean archaeology, and end up taking on more than they’d anticipated.

The Whispering Tombs is a rollicking good romp complete with betrayal, greed, grave robbing, gunplay and extinct critters that keep popping up at the darnedest moments. It’s a quick and fun escape that ends all-too-quickly and leaves you turning the page looking for more. You’ll gasp with surprise, laugh out loud at some parts and groan at others. All-in-all, expect to be delighted and entertained.

***

Meet Quality Times, just your average 21st century woman who happens to own a shrinkable time machine. Along on her intergalactic adventures is Tim, a self-confessed sci-fi geek who takes everything in his stride.

In ‘The Whispering Tombs’, Quality and Tim are residing at the luxurious Baala Haven Resort, on an unpronounceable planet, when they’re invited on a quest to find ancient hidden treasure by a wealthy alien archaeologist. Reaching the caves of Azrokaran, however, loyalties are tested to the very limits as those within the group reveal their true colours.

A light-hearted mix of science fiction, adventure and humour.

#SFFSat – 05/26/2012

On By jccasselsIn Black Wing Chronicles, SFFS24 Comments

Welcome to Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. On the surface, it’s a web ring of authors who post snippets of their work for comment. In reality, it’s a close-knit group of friends and colleagues working together to support and encourage one another and promote the science fiction and fantasy genres.

This week’s snippet is a departure from SOVRAN’S PAWN. Don’t worry. We aren’t going far. I’ve been hard at work on Book Two of THE BLACK WING CHRONICLES, tentatively titled THE WATCHTOWER. Still in the first draft stage it’s nearly ready for the endless revisions to begin. Here is your first look:

***

“Well, well, Barron,” a synthesized voice broadcast from the speakers scattered around the compound.”I finally have you. I will entertain your request to surrender now.”

It was a matter of time before those black-clad thugs rushed her. If she was going to make it out with her skin intact, she needed to act quickly. Bo adjusted the power setting on her blaster, then the beam dispersal. Her eyes passed over the high walls, orienting herself to the map she’d memorized before she’d embarked on this suicide mission.

Choosing her spot, she leveled her sidearm at the outer wall and fired repeatedly until the thick wall exploded in a mass of molten rock. The concussion drove her back a few steps, but she’d been ready for it. Without waiting for the smoke to clear, she holstered her sidearm and raced for the hole, diving through headfirst. Once clear of the wall, she twisted mid-air, pointed her left arm at one of the buttresses supporting the structure, and clenched her fist, launching the grappling hook attached to her wrist. Silently praying she wouldn’t run out of shimmersilk line before the hook found purchase, Bo held her breath.

***

Well, that’s the Saturday Snippet for this week! Please don’t forget to comment by clicking on either the blog title or the little quotation balloon in the upper right hand corner. Tell your friends. Stop back here next week for another!

***

If you’re interested in more about:

SOVRAN’S PAWN

United by extortion, divided by duty, someone wants them both dead. They want each other. The catch is, nothing is what it seems…

Convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed, Bo Barron is the last person who should be infiltrating a Sub-socia weapons auction. But when her father is kidnapped and the ransom demand is the schematics to an experimental weapon, she has no choice but to go under cover with her uncle to get it.

Nobody counted on former-government-agent-turned-holofeature-hero Blade Devon’s infatuation with her. A botched assassination under the guise of a bar brawl leaves Bo blind and Blade wondering if there isn’t more to this job than he was led to believe.

Never able to resist playing the hero, Blade tends her injuries and delves deeper into the intrigue only to find this mission isn’t about a weapon at all. It’s about two Sovrans’ maneuvering for control, with Bo and Blade as their pawns.

All Bo and Blade have to do is figure out how to survive the game they didn’t know they were playing.

Spending “Quality Times” With Author Gayle Ramage

On By jccasselsIn Author Spotlight, Guest Blog7 Comments

Good news! It looks like the Author Spotlight is going to become a recurring feature here on GNMB! I’m excited because I’ve met so many wonderful writers on my journey and I’m happy to share these friends with the rest of my world.

Today’s featured author is Gayle Ramage, a talented writer with a quirky sense of humor and a fascination for Doctor Who. You know me, I can’t resist anyone who says they want to grow their own TARDIS (check out her Bio down towards the bottom)! I invited Gayle over to kick off her blog tour celebrating the launch of her new release THE WHISPERING TOMBS – A Quality Times Novella.

So, (settling in with some fish fingers and custard) Gayle, tell me about yourself.

I’m a life-long resident of Scotland, having been born in Edinburgh almost thirty-one years ago and have lived in various places in the lowlands since then. I’m “living in sin” with my partner, and we have two children – a girl and a boy – under ten. I’m currently a stay at home mum while writing, but during my working life I’ve been a shops assistant, admin assistant, and also a Reprographic Assistant for a large law firm.

In other words, typical writer with a diverse background… oddly enough, sounds like a typical background for a Doctor’s Companion, too… hmmm… (shaking myself back to the interview at hand)

Why Science Fiction? What is it about the genre that attracts you?

I think mainly for the time travel aspect, though it’s so much fun and freeing to create worlds and populate them with non-human beings. I think with science fiction, to a certain degree, you can make up the rules.

Where did the idea for Quality Times come from?

Two words. Doctor Who.

Of course (eye roll.) Why did I even bother to ask?

I’m such a huge fan and wanted to be able to write my own ‘space and time adventurer’ story, but obviously I couldn’t use the idea of the TARDIS (bigger on the inside) so I came up with a shrinkable time machine.

Which I think is a really cool twist, btw.

There are also elements of Doctor Who spin-off “Iris Wildthyme” in there, too. (Wildthyme is a mature lady timelord whose TARDIS is a red double-decker bus. Her companion is a talking toy panda, while Iris herself enjoys a drink or twelve. The stories are also very humorous.)

I got particular enjoyment out of the overt Doctor Who homage, and the influence certainly shows.

Like the Doctor Who series, you originally published QUALITY TIMES AND THE WHISPERING TOMBS as a serial. How did that work out for you?

It started well. Especially as I’d made the individual parts free to download. Unfortunately, there was a problem with Smashwords, and I had to unpublish the parts there. I did have them up on my own website for a while, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to tell how many people downloaded them.

Qez or Bluey, made quite an impression on me when I first read THE WHISPERING TOMBS. Love the “sexy police siren” description. How do you come up with Quality’s off-beat observations?

I suppose I tend not to overthink what she will say, in some situations. Just like real life, sometimes you just blurt out things without really thinking about what you’re saying. For the “sexy police siren”, it was the first thing that came to me when I was needing Quality to liken Qez to something.

The overall tone of the story really grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. It’s all very tongue-in-cheek. Is this a departure for you from your other work?

I suppose, to a certain degree, it is a bit of a departure. The Quality Times series is a lot more humorous and, as you say, tongue-in-cheek than my other work. Cigs, Bolan and Strange Men With  Guns had a bit of humour in it, as did my christmas short story collection, Three French Hens, but they weren’t as quirky as Quality Times.

What comes next for Gayle and Quality Times?

Well, the second book in the series, The Grandparent Trap, is still in its first draft but I have the overall plot sorted out so I need to get that completed, edited, etc. However, with that story, it’s being written in third-person narrative instead of first. Also, we get to meet Quality’s granny, Necessity, who is mentioned in The Whispering Tombs. I also have a few plot lines for another couple of books, so that will keep me going, writing wise, for the foreseeable future.

Thanks, Gayle, for stopping by and best of luck with THE WHISPERING TOMBS.

***

If you haven’t had the pleasure yet of discovering the works of Gayle Ramage, I strongly recommend THE WHISPERING TOMBS. I’ve had the good fortune to read and enjoy the serialized version and I’m completely hooked! I can’t wait for the next installment in the QUALITY TIMES series! You can see my abbreviated review on Goodreads.

***

Meet Quality Times, just your average 21st century woman who happens to own a shrinkable time machine. Along on her intergalactic adventures is Tim, a self-confessed sci-fi geek who takes everything in his stride.

In ‘The Whispering Tombs’, Quality and Tim are residing at the luxurious Baala Haven Resort, on an unpronounceable planet, when they’re invited on a quest to find ancient hidden treasure by a wealthy alien archaeologist. Reaching the caves of Azrokaran, however, loyalties are tested to the very limits as those within the group reveal their true colours.

A light-hearted mix of science fiction, adventure and humour.

BIO
Gayle Ramage is a writer, living in the Scottish lowlands. She would love to grow her own TARDIS if only to go back in time to find out if her ancestors were as mad as she is.

LINKS

#SFFSat – 05/19/2012

On By jccasselsIn Black Wing Chronicles, SFFS24 Comments

Welcome to Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. On the surface, it’s a web ring of authors who post snippets of their work for comment. In reality, it’s a close-knit group of friends and colleagues working together to support and encourage one another and promote the science fiction and fantasy genres.

This week’s snippet is a departure from SOVRAN’S PAWN. Don’t worry. We aren’t going far. I’ve been hard at work on Book Two of THE BLACK WING CHRONICLES, tentatively titled THE WATCHTOWER. Still in the first draft stage it’s nearly ready for the endless revisions to begin. Here is your first look:

***

Without bothering to aim, Bo pulled the trigger, blasting an enormous hole in the wall. She dove through it before the smoke cleared. On the other side, she came up quickly to a crouch and looked around.

Finding herself alone, she rose and moved along the corridor, heading in the general direction of the exit. As she reached a junction, a handful of large, black-clad commandos stepped out from the shadows and opened fire on her. Bo ducked and reversed course, heading back the way she’d come. She passed the hole she’d made just as more armed commandos swarmed through it. She fired at them and turned, racing full speed down the corridor.

The maze of intersecting hallways would have confused even the best sense of direction. Bo alternated left turns and right turns until she finally emerged into a high-walled courtyard.

She bit back a curse. She’d ended up on the wrong side of the compound.

***

Well, that’s the Saturday Snippet for this week! Please don’t forget to comment by clicking on either the blog title or the little quotation balloon in the upper right hand corner. Tell your friends. Stop back here next week for another!

***

If you’re interested in more about:

SOVRAN’S PAWN

United by extortion, divided by duty, someone wants them both dead. They want each other. The catch is, nothing is what it seems…

Convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed, Bo Barron is the last person who should be infiltrating a Sub-socia weapons auction. But when her father is kidnapped and the ransom demand is the schematics to an experimental weapon, she has no choice but to go under cover with her uncle to get it.

Nobody counted on former-government-agent-turned-holofeature-hero Blade Devon’s infatuation with her. A botched assassination under the guise of a bar brawl leaves Bo blind and Blade wondering if there isn’t more to this job than he was led to believe.

Never able to resist playing the hero, Blade tends her injuries and delves deeper into the intrigue only to find this mission isn’t about a weapon at all. It’s about two Sovrans’ maneuvering for control, with Bo and Blade as their pawns.

All Bo and Blade have to do is figure out how to survive the game they didn’t know they were playing.

Alone on the Edge with Patrick Stutzman

On By jccasselsIn Guest Blog4 Comments

Every now and then, I get to meet some fascinating people.  Someone who has been a good friend to me over the past six months is a fellow Jed-head and SF writer Patrick Stutzman. Not only have we played the Geek version of “What are you wearing?” over the Twitter feed, which is far less provocative than it sounds because the clothing involved happened to be a Phantom Menace T-shirt (which we both own identical copies of,) but we’ve also matched wits playing Star Wars Trivial Pursuit. (It was a draw.) I invited him to share some of his wit and wisdom on the old blog today.

I promise, no Star Wars trivia questions.

So… (breaking out zee little notebook) Make yourself comfortable on zee couch and tell me about yourself.

(You had to post the hard question first, didn’t you?)

Well, I could throw you a softball Star Wars trivia question right off, but I already promised no Star Wars trivia questions, so… yeah.

My name is Patrick Stutzman, and I am a writer. (Hi, Patrick!) My secret identity is that of a mild-mannered online support agent for a regional bank’s website. But by night, beware! I become a writing- and gaming-nightmare! Bwahahahaha! … (Oh, sorry). Seriously, I write science fiction, but I started as a freelance game designer. Some of you may recognize my name in association with the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, Saga Edition that was produced by Wizards of the Coast a few years ago. I have done some other assignments on the side as well, but most of my design work was for Star Wars.

Beyond that, I live in the greater Kansas City area with my wife, two kids, and a veritable menagerie of pets. I work with games, technology (computers in particular), and other minor things that may appear from time to time that are shiny and quickly catch my attention. I like long walks on the beach, relaxing by the fire at night, and … (Dang it! This isn’t that online dating survey! Stop that!)

To learn more about me, check out my websites (Is that a typo? No, I meant to make that a single word.) listed below:

The Worlds of Patrick Stutzman (writer site) – http://patrickstutzman.swtft.com

Star Wars: The Forgotten Tales (Star Wars RPG site) – http://www.swtft.com

The Sims Realty Co. (Sims 2 site) – http://thesimsrealty.swtft.com

Why Science Fiction? What is it about the genre that attracts you?

I have always looked to the future and speculate what lies ahead for me and the rest of humanity/civilization. I guess that’s why I’ve always had an interest in studying prophecies like in Revelation, the quatrains of Nostrodamus, etc. Science fiction, for the large part, allows us to delve into the minds of others’ ideas of what the future may hold, whether it involves space travel, crossing dimensional barriers, encountering strange, new lifeforms, or what have you.

You know, that explains so much to me.
Where did the idea for ALONE ON THE EDGE come from?

From the dark recesses of my mind! Most people emerge as a different person after they go in! Seriously, I finished work on my last book for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game and wanted to keep my writing skills sharp. So, I pulled out my handy-dandy … (Notebook? WRONG! It was my laptop! Ha, ha! 10 points for me!) laptop and started planning on a story to keep me busy. I was originally not planning on publishing it, but I looked up and found that I was already 40,000 words into it without being close to finishing the story. So, I figured I’d see where it took me.

Did you ever feel that you’d painted yourself into corner with your premise for ALONE ON THE EDGE?

No.

No? That’s it? Just no? 

Oh, you want a longer answer! My bad!

Not really. I have been writing my books organically. I put down the premise and the setting, and let the characters drive themselves. I know of several other authors that write that way. Honestly, I love it! I find it as entertaining as reading a book for the first time, because I don’t know what’s going to happen next until it happens. I feel like I am a reporter giving a play-by-play record of what is taking place inside my head. As a result, the characters are always looking for ways to resolve their situations. Sometimes, it works for them; sometimes, it doesn’t. You’ll find that to be the case with Anna throughout the book. Some of her ideas and plans go off without a hitch, while others will fall flat or just have a few unexpected complications arise in the process. She just has to deal with it and move on as best she can.

I find it interesting that you chose to have a character like Anna as your protagonist in this series. I’m also fascinated when male writers choose a female protagonist for a story like this. Why Anna? Why not Bob? What was it about Anna’s character that made her the only character to put into this situation?

I suppose the choice of writing about a female protagonist for ALONE ON THE EDGE originally came from my fascination and love for strong, independent women. You might say it’s a fantasy of mine. (It came true! I married one!) Throughout my life, I have had a STRONG attraction to the type of woman that you really don’t want to make angry but at the same time want to take home to satisfy your manly urges. I wrote stories involving women like that even back in junior high and high school. Thinking back, the seed for this came from George Lucas. Thanks for introducing Princess Leia Organa to the world!

It always comes back to Star Wars, doesn’t it?
What comes next for Patrick and Anna?

Anna’s adventures are far from over! Book 2 in the series, titled ALONE IN PARADISE, is currently being edited and should be released soon. In fact, Book 3, titled ALONE IN THE CROWD, is currently being written, so we’re looking at a full-blown trilogy. In addition to the other two books, I also have a short story already available called ALONE WITH HER THOUGHTS, which is best described as a missing chapter from ALONE ON THE EDGE. I have made the short available for free wherever I could.

Thanks for stopping by today, Patrick, and best of luck with Anna’s adventures. I look forward to ALONE IN PARADISE. 

Writers are very needy types and like to know that someone, ANYONE is out there. Please don’t leave Patrick ALONE ON THE EDGE. He would love it (you have no idea how much he would love it) if you would take a minute to leave a little encouragement for him in the comment section of the page. Just click on the quote balloon up at the top or on the comment link below.

#SFFSat – 05/12/2012

On By jccasselsIn Black Wing Chronicles, SFFS25 Comments

Welcome to Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. On the surface, it’s a web ring of authors who post snippets of their work for comment. In reality, it’s a close-knit group of friends and colleagues working together to support and encourage one another and promote the science fiction and fantasy genres.

This week’s snippet is a departure from SOVRAN’S PAWN. Don’t worry. We aren’t going far. I’ve been hard at work on Book Two of THE BLACK WING CHRONICLES, tentatively titled THE WATCHTOWER. Still in the first draft stage it’s nearly ready for the endless revisions to begin. Here is your first look:

***

It was a trap – baited to perfection. The only question remaining was how the trap was sprung. She slowly circled the pedestal studying the problem from every angle. The blaster rested on a stand atop the pedestal. She glanced up at the light source. Was the trigger in the light beam or another pressure sensor in the pedestal itself? It went without saying that the weapon’s power cell had been removed. She had extras.

She glanced at her chrono once more. No more time for speculating. If she was going to make a move, she had to do it now. Never one to play it safe, Bo pulled a power cell from one of the pouches on her gunbelt and held it in her left hand. Flexing her right hand and fingers she reached for her sidearm. Taking one more deep breath, she released it in a rush. With lightning reflexes, she snatched the pistol from the pedestal and slammed the power cell into the base of the grip.

Immediately alarms went off and warning lights strobed and flared around her. The door swung shut with a loud clang.

***

Well, that’s the Saturday Snippet for this week! Please don’t forget to comment by clicking on either the blog title or the little quotation balloon in the upper right hand corner. Tell your friends. Stop back here next week for another!

***

If you’re interested in more about:

SOVRAN’S PAWN

United by extortion, divided by duty, someone wants them both dead. They want each other. The catch is, nothing is what it seems…

Convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed, Bo Barron is the last person who should be infiltrating a Sub-socia weapons auction. But when her father is kidnapped and the ransom demand is the schematics to an experimental weapon, she has no choice but to go under cover with her uncle to get it.

Nobody counted on former-government-agent-turned-holofeature-hero Blade Devon’s infatuation with her. A botched assassination under the guise of a bar brawl leaves Bo blind and Blade wondering if there isn’t more to this job than he was led to believe.

Never able to resist playing the hero, Blade tends her injuries and delves deeper into the intrigue only to find this mission isn’t about a weapon at all. It’s about two Sovrans’ maneuvering for control, with Bo and Blade as their pawns.

All Bo and Blade have to do is figure out how to survive the game they didn’t know they were playing.

#SFFSat – 05/05/2012

On By jccasselsIn Black Wing Chronicles, SFFS33 Comments

Welcome to Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. On the surface, it’s a web ring of authors who post snippets of their work for comment. In reality, it’s a close-knit group of friends and colleagues working together to support and encourage one another and promote the science fiction and fantasy genres.

This week’s snippet is a departure from SOVRAN’S PAWN. Don’t worry. We aren’t going far. I’ve been hard at work on Book Two of THE BLACK WING CHRONICLES, tentatively titled THE WATCHTOWER. Still in the first draft stage it’s nearly ready for the endless revisions to begin. Here is your first look:

***

Bo Barron stepped lightly across the floortiles. Pressure sensors dotted the floor at random intervals. The key was not to set them off. Moving quickly and with the lithe grace honed by years of zero gee exercises, she slipped through the tangle of sensors unnoticed. Once she reached the fortified door at the far end of the room, she pulled a sequence changer from her pocket and held it close to the door lock.

The changer softly hummed and whined as it manipulated the data inside the locking mechanism. After an interminable moment, the display shifted from red to green and a dull click echoed loudly in the silent chamber.

She palmed the door open and stepped inside. Her amber eyes darted around. In the center of the chamber, on a pedestal and under a brilliant blue light sat the Capre X2S Mergent Arms blaster pistol that had been handed down from Barron to Barron for centuries.

It was too obvious.

She held her position. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the pedestal.

It was a trap.

***

Well, that’s the Saturday Snippet for this week! Please don’t forget to comment by clicking on either the blog title or the little quotation balloon in the upper right hand corner. Tell your friends. Stop back here next week for another!

***

If you’re interested in more about:

SOVRAN’S PAWN

United by extortion, divided by duty, someone wants them both dead. They want each other. The catch is, nothing is what it seems…

Convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed, Bo Barron is the last person who should be infiltrating a Sub-socia weapons auction. But when her father is kidnapped and the ransom demand is the schematics to an experimental weapon, she has no choice but to go under cover with her uncle to get it.

Nobody counted on former-government-agent-turned-holofeature-hero Blade Devon’s infatuation with her. A botched assassination under the guise of a bar brawl leaves Bo blind and Blade wondering if there isn’t more to this job than he was led to believe.

Never able to resist playing the hero, Blade tends her injuries and delves deeper into the intrigue only to find this mission isn’t about a weapon at all. It’s about two Sovrans’ maneuvering for control, with Bo and Blade as their pawns.

All Bo and Blade have to do is figure out how to survive the game they didn’t know they were playing.

“What’s Next? What’s Next?”

On By jccasselsIn Black Wing Chronicles, Mercenary Adventures of Blade Devon, Update2 Comments

Now that SOVRAN’S PAWN is out in the world for everyone to see, the question I keep getting is “What’s next?” I am delighted to know my meager efforts have been so well-received. I’d like to thank everyone who has already bought an e-copy of my book and assure those waiting for the paperback, that it won’t be long in coming. Look for it sometime in June. Yes, I will have a supply on hand, signed, that I will happily sell direct to you at a discount, plus shipping costs.

As for what’s next, look for ARCANA DOUBLE CROSS sometime this fall. It is the premiere installment of THE MERCENARY ADVENTURES OF BLADE DEVON, a companion series of books featuring the man himself in all his swashbuckling glory. (Be still my heart!) You can find an excerpt under the tab at the top or by clicking the link.

The first draft of Book Two of THE BLACK WING CHRONICLES, tentatively titled THE WATCHTOWER, is two-thirds complete. Plans are for a release in Spring 2013, provided we all survive the Zombie Apocalypse of December 2012.

I hope to be spending a lot of time at the beach between now and then, doing research. Much of THE WATCHTOWER is set on the Outland Fringe planet Kah Lahtrec whose people have adopted Blade as a native son. He has a pretty nifty villa on the beach there that was given to him by the Lahtrecki government in recognition for… well, you’re just going to have to wait and see. Book Two is going to be a lot of fun as it introduces some of my favorite characters in the series:  Ballanshi – Tryrium te Kah Lahtrec, his lovely and formidable wife Madine – Tryrine te Kah Lahtrec, and the wizened old holy man Tahar. Book Two also explains the how and why of Blade’s leaving his career in holofeatures for the life of an itinerate mercenary, complete with the scene in the theater which is part of Blade Devon lore.

Not to worry, the romance with Bo continues, as she carries on her quest to clear her name and find her father. Book Two finds Bo settling into her new role as a facilitator in her brother’s organization, and she has learned to have fun. With a new confidence, her puckish sense of humor emerges, but her resolve is put to the test as she draws closer to finding the answers she so desperately seeks, one of which threatens to destroy her relationship with Blade forever.

Now that I’ve told you entirely TOO much, I’m off to get back to work making all of these claims a reality.

#SFFSat – 4-28-2012 SOVRAN’S PAWN

On By jccasselsIn Black Wing Chronicles, SFFS27 Comments

Welcome to Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. On the surface, it’s a web ring of authors who post snippets of their work for comment. In reality, it’s a close-knit group of friends and colleagues working together to support and encourage one another and promote the science fiction and fantasy genres.

Today’s snippet returns to SOVRAN’S PAWN. (Released last week and now available in e-book and Kindle on Amazon and Smashwords.)  Tennova, under the guise of offering friendly advice, is warning Blade to leave Bo alone. I hope you enjoy it, and remember ~ Nothing is what it seems…

***

The bartender set three fresh drinks on the bar in front of Tennova. “If you like breathing and want to continue doing so, you’ll stay away from her. I’m only warning you once. If you’re smart,” Tennova winked and scooped up the drinks, “you’ll listen.”

Without waiting for Blade to comment, he backed away from the bar and slipped through the crowd towards his party. Blade watched him go before he picked up his glass once again.

The swiveling lights passed over him, reflecting off an oily prism of color floating on the yellow surface of his drink. He hesitated, then slowly lowered his glass back onto the bar top untasted. Smiling to himself, he slid the drink towards the bartender and pushed himself away from the bar.

Blade didn’t know how he had done it, but while Tennova had distracted him, someone had slipped something into his drink. Exactly what it was, Blade didn’t care to find out.

***

That’s the snippet for the week. Thank you for stopping by. Please take the time to visit the other wonderful authors taking part in Science Fiction/Fantasy Saturday!

***

If you’re interested in more about:

SOVRAN’S PAWN

United by extortion, divided by duty, someone wants them both dead. They want each other. The catch is, nothing is what it seems…

Convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed, Bo Barron is the last person who should be infiltrating a Sub-socia weapons auction. But when her father is kidnapped and the ransom demand is the schematics to an experimental weapon, she has no choice but to go under cover with her uncle to get it.

Nobody counted on former-government-agent-turned-holofeature-hero Blade Devon’s infatuation with her. A botched assassination under the guise of a bar brawl leaves Bo blind and Blade wondering if there isn’t more to this job than he was led to believe.

Never able to resist playing the hero, Blade tends her injuries and delves deeper into the intrigue only to find this mission isn’t about a weapon at all. It’s about two Sovrans’ maneuvering for control, with Bo and Blade as their pawns.

All Bo and Blade have to do is figure out how to survive the game they didn’t know they were playing.

#SFFSat – 4-21-2012 SOVRAN’S PAWN

On By jccasselsIn Black Wing Chronicles, SFFS24 Comments

Welcome to Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. On the surface, it’s a web ring of authors who post snippets of their work for comment. In reality, it’s a close-knit group of friends and colleagues working together to support and encourage one another and promote the science fiction and fantasy genres.

Today’s snippet returns to SOVRAN’S PAWN. (Released yesterday and now available in e-book and Kindle on Amazon and Smashwords.) Begging your indulgence, it’s slightly longer than the usual snippets. I hope you enjoy it, and remember ~ Nothing is what it seems…

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Lord Marin nodded and studied him with a speculative gleam in his blue eyes. A slow smile curved his lips. “I have an assignment for you, boy.”

“I don’t work for the IC anymore, my Lord.”

“You swore an oath, boy. You work for the IC as long as I say you do. Unless, of course, you’d like to face those desertion charges you seem so proud of.”

It was an empty threat. It had to be. Blade studied his face for some sign that he was bluffing. Finding nothing but a pleasant smile that indicated the Sovran didn’t care one way or another, Blade’s throat tightened.

“You wouldn’t send me to prison,” Blade said with more certainty than he felt. “You don’t want me in prison.”

Marin shook his head. “A wise man would hear me out before digging in his heels.”

Blade reluctantly nodded. “As you say, my Lord.” He clenched his jaw so tightly, he felt a muscle twitch in it.

“I want you to get close to her.”

Blade blinked twice, not certain he heard correctly. “Sir?”

“I want you to cultivate the Barron as an asset. Gain her trust. Get her loyalty.”

“If you want her loyalty, sir, all you have to do is pardon her. She just wants to go home to her people. She wants her honor back.”

“Yes, but I don’t want that. I want to know how important it is to Lord Scull that she dies in disgrace. Keep her openly as your mistress, but keep a professional distance. Never forget she’s only an asset and a potential threat to the stability of the Commonwealth.”

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That’s the snippet for the week. Thank you for stopping by. Please take the time to visit the other wonderful authors taking part in Science Fiction/Fantasy Saturday!

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SOVRAN’S PAWN

United by extortion, divided by duty, someone wants them both dead. They want each other. The catch is, nothing is what it seems…

Convicted of treason and sentenced to be executed, Bo Barron is the last person who should be infiltrating a Sub-socia weapons auction. But when her father is kidnapped and the ransom demand is the schematics to an experimental weapon, she has no choice but to go under cover with her uncle to get it.

Nobody counted on former-government-agent-turned-holofeature-hero Blade Devon’s infatuation with her. A botched assassination under the guise of a bar brawl leaves Bo blind and Blade wondering if there isn’t more to this job than he was led to believe.

Never able to resist playing the hero, Blade tends her injuries and delves deeper into the intrigue only to find this mission isn’t about a weapon at all. It’s about two Sovrans’ maneuvering for control, with Bo and Blade as their pawns.

All Bo and Blade have to do is figure out how to survive the game they didn’t know they were playing.