A fun way to sample new books and find new writers! Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…
Doing excerpts from Mission to Mahjundar, which has been Released and is now available…
Princess Shalira has maneuvered her father the emperor into insisting the hero, Major Mike Varone of the Sectors Special Forces, and his companion, must accompany her on a journey. Mike’s not exactly pleased.
I’m jumping ahead a week or so, after the trip has begun. This snippet occurs after Shalira’s retrieved the key she must have to open her mother’s tomb, by conducting a ritual in an abandoned temple. Of course Mike ended up helping her.
(A little creative editing and a LOT of creative punctuation have occurred today.)
Do you know,” she said, “if I’d been born a thousand years ago, I would have been a high priestess? Even a hundred years ago, the gods were still respected, worshipped – I could have found my home in a temple, made my place happily, because I’m one who can channel the energy of the gods. Blind or not, I would have been cherished.” She bit her lip and winced, as if perhaps she’d not meant to reveal so much emotion.
“Is channeling energy what we did in there?” It was as good a description as any of what he’d felt during the ceremony.
She nodded, a wistful expression on her face, “Yes – I’ve never tasted anything but crumbs of the power before…until today, with you at my side. But now the people venerate other gods or no gods at all, and there’s no need for priestesses with my gift.”
Not sure how much more I’ll share from this book. It gets to be hard to avoid spoilers and I know some of you have read the book, or are reading it (and thank you SO much!). I’m currently writing my next ancient Egyptian but I might give you some excerpts from a couple of my unpublished SFR’s for a change of pace. We’ll see what I’m in the mood for!
The story:
An attempted assassination left Princess Shalira blind as a child and, now that she’s of marriageable age, her prospects are not good because of her disability. She’s resigned herself to an arranged marriage rather than face life under the thumb of her cold stepmother. But then she meets Mike Varone, a Sectors Special Forces officer sent to Mahjundar by the intergalactic government. After Mike saves Shalira from another assassination attempt, she arranges for him to escort her across the planet to her future husband. She’s already falling hard for the deadly offworlder and knows she should deny herself the temptation he represents, but taking Mike along to protect her is the only way she’ll live long enough to escape her ruthless stepmother.
Mike, for his part, resists his growing attraction to the princess; he has a mission on this planet and rescuing the vulnerable but brave princess isn’t it. No matter how much he wishes it could be.
But what should have been an easy trek through Mahjundar’s peaceful lands swiftly turns into an ambush with danger around every turn. Shalira’s marriage begins to seem less like an arranged union and more like yet another planned assassination. The more they work together to survive, the harder it becomes to stop themselves from falling in love. Caught in a race against time, can they escape the hostile forces hunting them and make it off the planet?
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As always, I love your comments and feedback. Even though this book is now published, the input helps for the future!
So is he somehow helping her channel the energy?
Yes, it’s never said in so many words, however. It’s nothing he’s doing consciously.
This book sounds like something I want to read, also I love your cover, I’m very into that Middle-Eastern look.
Ooh, why did she feel more power when he was with her? I feel bad for her, that her world has changed to the point where she’s now put in this difficult position. Intriguing snippet!
The plot thickens! Great dialogue and detail, Veronica!
Wonderful snippet full of poignancy and loss with lovely dialogue. And now she is a woman of the past with all her gifts.
Obsolete is the word I was just searching for. Now she’s obsolete in her world.
Veronica, do you know how late I stayed up to read this book? I literally couldn’t put it down.
As much as I love your Egyptian stories (and I absolutely do), this one got to me. Shalira is just . . . and that family of hers (sort of) . . . and Mike being all . . . and when they finally. . . it’s So Good!
Thank you so much for the kind words and enthusiasm for my story! I love all my books and characters but I’m really fond of Mike and Shalira for sure.Sorry about those lost hours of sleep for you but wow, what a high compliment to receive – thanks!
I agree with much that has been said about this…the plot deepens and the dialogue reveals a lot about what life was like back then. Good work. I look forward to whatever you decide to share in the future. You can only share so much before the plot is given away.
Exactly, Frank, re giving the plot away! and then it’s no fun for the people who haven’t actually read the book yet. So we’ll see….thanks for the compliment!
You’re welcome.
Your characters always seem to speak to me, but this one especially. The show of emotion today was quite beautiful. 🙂
So sad for her but I love how you show them growing gradually closer:)
Love how you get a bit of social commentary in, but without being preachy. Change is inevitable and but it’s often slow, and we don’t think such big consequences will happen. And of course your characters are what pull us in, in the first place!
I feel so much for her. Wonderful use of dialogue to show us to show us more about her and her emotions. Great 8, Veronica!
Thanks for all the kind words! I’m really happy about how this book turned out. Amazon decided for some reason to include it in their Top 100 Hot New Releases in Science Fiction Romance last week and wow, that’s provided quite a boost. Gotta love those algorithms!
Encouragement and support from the Weekend Writing Warriors ALWAYS helps me so much, in so many ways….You all ROCK! And thank you, Admins, for keeping this hop going.
Crumbs of power. Love the term! Great dialog!
That’s an interesting perspective of who she is and what she could be. I like the way the writing flows.
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/
Eloquent yearning for times gone by! I get the feeling that “with you at my side” is a key statement in this snippet.
There will always be room for a priestess like her! Powerful snippet.
Oh, interesting insights into her world. Very cool.
I look forward to reading whatever you choose;).
Ohhh their connection deepens it sounds like. There is something about him that increases her powers??? Very interesting.
I love the emotion and the honesty of her words. You can tell these two have bonded quite a bit already. Great work! 🙂
Oh, what a loss, and yet perhaps a saving grace in the long run. Great snippet, Veronica. 🙂
This is interesting, he is affecting her ability to channel the gods? Maybe he’s awakening something inside of her that had been dormant previously. She went through a lot of trauma as a kid, so I could see her shutting down a part of herself. I like her moment of introspection here. It makes her seem real, and it also shows how she is beginning to trust Mike. He appears to be trying to understand her as well, which is quite a bit of change from the last snippet. Some guys like to pretend that they don’t have feelings even though they do XD As always, you do a lovely job with characterization 😀
This is more of a stylistic thing, but this line, “‘Is channeling energy what we did in there?’ It was as good a description as any of what he’d felt during the ceremony.” The part, “It was as good a description as any of what he’d felt during the ceremony,” already seems implied with his question. It’s up to you of course 🙂
Well, now I really want to know what happened in the temple. I love the hints that Shalira will be regaining her lost powers and Mike will be instrumental in helping her- that’s what I’m reading (hoping for) in this snippet anyway. Very nice.
What an emotional scene. You’ve revealed how it used to be and how it is now. I feel so sorry for her.
I liked this, but wondered if the way you’ve shown us her biting her lip was already enough to hint at her emotions/regret at showing emotions, without needing the “as if perhaps she’d not meant to reveal so much emotion.”
Good eight 🙂
Interesting. she’s stronger with him than without.
So interesting that he can channel the energy too. Kind of makes them pre-ordained or somehow connected in a special way. Loved the feel of this snippet.
Just purchased a copy, but it’ll be awhile before I can get to it, and then review it. But, just wanted to congratulate you!!!
Thank you so much! I hope you’ll enjoy the book when you have a chance to read it and feedback is always most welcome 🙂
It’s so sad to know you would have had a better life in a different time–though I suppose that’s true for many people. It doesn’t make her less powerful, though, just less appreciated.
I am so looking forward to reading this story. Like Millie, I just purchased but it will be a while before I get the chance to indulge. Great snippet today!
Thanks, Gem! I hope you’ll enjoy the book!
Sad to know you could have been revered – great snippet.
Intriguing snippet. She sounds so sad – no need for a priestess with my gift.
Great job! The line of biting the lip and wincing really stood out for me. It makes me think that comment may come back and bite her in the butt later. Great dialogue. You have a good balance of conversation with interior monologue.
Keep smiling,
Yawatta
“…I would have been cherished.” I think that line is so prefect at drawing in the reader. 🙂
Thanks, Teresa! I’m glad the line resonated for you…She’s had a pretty miserable life since becoming blind…including how her father the emperor has treated her. Ah, thank goodness for romance, Mike and the HEA! 🙂
I love the dialogue, and the very relatable yearning for how our lives might’ve been in another time or place.