Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)
From my new, best selling science fiction romance Star Cruise: Marooned. I’ve skipped a little more byplay between Meg and the Primary guest. Now she’s working with Red to take care of Sharmali’s wound. Meg is speaking to Red:
“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.” Red sat on his heels, frowning, holding an inject from the first aid kit, “This is only a generic – will it work on eel venom?”
“It’s all we’ve got on the shuttle so it’ll have to hold her until we get to the ship’s sick bay.” Meg eyed the wound with deep misgiving. “This is my fault – 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.”
(I had a couple more readers tell me this week that my book kept them up wayyyyy too late on a work night – mwahahahaha! Seriously, I love the feedback 🙂
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?
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Yes, no fuel to his fire needed! Great job, keeping me intrigued. 🙂
Poor Meg! The Mantle of Responsibility weighs heavily on her shoulders!
Nice Snippet Veronica, thanks for sharing.
My chief concern is if there’s predators in the water *eww – eels* what’s waiting for them between the beach and the transport ship? Great snippet Veronica. I definitely want to read more.
Poor Meg, she thinks everything is her fault.
What’s a few eels when it comes to a story written by Veronica? Love your writing and this one is a winner.
Great snippet! Also, congrats on keeping readers up late. That is always a positive sign. 😉
Best advice- no fuel on the fire- that’s never a good thing. Another great snippet.
Your snippets always deliver, Veronica — great stuff!
Ooh nice tension here! She’s bound to have regrets since somebody got a serious injury. But will they get to the ship without anything else happening?
In a word, no! The “fun” is just beginning on Dantaralon.
I read this on vacation and it’s WONDERFUL, Veronica! I was at the last chapter when we landed and it killed me to stop reading so I could get off the plane. 😀
Thanks Sarah! So happy you enjoyed the book 🙂
And things keep on stacking up: the ranger station, the lack of responses from the ship and now wild and dangerous animals. *cue Jaws theme music* I wonder what will happen next;). Great snippet!
Reminds me of the shrieking eels on Princess Bride 😀 Wonderful snippet!
Thanks for the comments, it always makes me feel so happy when people are enjoying the story!
Take it from your pharmacist friend (me,) the generic will work just fine! LOL
Nice 8!
They were in a world of hurt. I really enjoyed this book.
I could feel the tension. Great scene. Do hope the generic meds work.
So glad your book is doing well, and not the least bit surprised! Another terrific excerpt!
Congrats on the best seller. This story grows intriguing by the week. 🙂
Nice crisp scene. The dialogue is wonderful.
Yes, don’t tell the angry people there’s more wrong…
Not yet anyway LOL.
What a mess…and I have the feeling the fun’s just beginning. Great snippet!
Since you’re so good at causing problems for your characters, I suspect the injection won’t be a cure-all. Interesting situation.
Right, Ed, Dantaralon’s eels have very powerful venom as it turns out.
Great tension, have a feeling there is a lot more INTENTIONAL danger ahead for all. Terrific snippet.
Oh! I can’t wait to read this!!!! I love you stories, Veronica!
I can’t wait until I can read this. I have several I have to review, and then I”m reading it.
Thanks Elaine! I hope you’ll enjoy the book 😉
Things are going south! She’s lucky to have Red. They’ll make a great team 😉
This scene is so danged scary. It’s when it first really clicked for me that there was something wrong with this fancy vacation. Good book!
Thanks, Teresa!
Intense. Poor meg. I would feel guilty too.
The sick bay of a ship that’s not talking to them. I really want to see how this plays out. And I want to know where everyone is — the rangers, the other shuttle…
Seriously, I’m with P.T. here, where IS everyone? Why are they almost abandoned? But yes, let’s not add any fuel to the Primary’s fire. Well… At least until the “argue later” part happens. 😉 Great snippet, I’d feel guilty if I was Meg, too.
adding fuel to the fire is definitely a bad thing. 🙂
great snippet … I have a feeling the generic won’t help much…. and if she feels guilty why didn’t anybody else notice.
I’m still wondering why it was off and if it’s still off as we read.
I’m not sure if there is a better compliment for your work than that! Great snippet this week.
Uh… She’s dealing with eel venom, injured tourists, and a broken reef barrier. Somebody better help Meg soon.
I can’t help but wonder if there are still predators in the water, waiting to strike the next unlucky victim. This cruise seems cursed from the start.
Ah… guilt. Guilt does interesting things to a character, whether or not his captain ever finds out about what happened.