I hope your New Year is going well so far – three days in and all resolutions intact LOL!
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!)
Continuing with science fiction romance today. Here’s an excerpt from Lady of the Star Wind, an epic portal fantasy, which is undergoing a final edit and will be released after Star Cruise: Outbreak sometime early next year.
Sandy and Mark have been transported to an unknown world after breaking the Globe of Amarkana (you may remember those excerpts earlier in the year?). They found themselves in an oasis-like area with no exit. This snippet is from quite a bit further in the novel, after Mark and Sandy have left the mysterious mountain oasis (which wasn’t a zoo after all), in the company of some new friends… Sandy was bitten by a snake, went into the green light with a woman unknown to her and now is sitting in a room she’s never seen before. Last week four women entered the room, trying to talk to Sandy, who didn’t understand:
“Selata menorasta tintre—” Tone definitely one of irritation, eyes narrowed, the tallest woman flicked Sandy’s forehead hard with two fingertips. “We haven’t time to waste before we’re interrupted.” She tilted her head, eyebrows raised, “Do you understand me now?”
Rubbing her brow where a headache throbbed, Sandy nodded.
“Be seated, refresh yourself.” The woman made a graceful gesture, indicating the waiting beverages, “We brought all your favorites.”
Sandy sat. Inside, a tiny voice took umbrage at her own meek demeanor, when she’d clearly been kidnapped and separated from Mark, but she felt an overwhelming sense of peace, lassitude almost. Studying the drinks, she wondered if she’d been drugged, “I’ve never had any of these before, to my knowledge.”
I’ll keep going with this scene for a few more weeks – there’s quite a bit more. Next week I’m going to start working with Fiona Jayde on a cover for this novel.
Neat way to switch on autotranslate!
I cant help nut feel that her calm is definitely a BAD sign!
I doubt they’ll hurt her, but I’m worried about Mark.
Hmmm…her favorite drinks, but she’s never had them before. A puzzle… 🙂 Intriguing story, Veronica!
Lots of mysteries her. Like Kim, I enjoyed the method you came up with for letting Sandy understand the foreign language.
Oh if it were only that easy to understand another language I might have passed my college Spanish courses… sigh. Ok, enough about me.
The mysterious women, her calm and Mark’s status keeps us on the edge, great snippet.
The tone of this feels surreal. I can feel her altered state.
Great excerpt! I love the intrigue with the dream-like sequence and the drinks, nice work!
Love the flick to the forehead to turn on her “translator”.
Tweeted.
Like everyone, loving the translation “flick.” It all does seem a bit sinister and where is Mark?
Definitely a sinister tone to the snippet. “Get me out of here” instead she’s been drugged and semi-lucid. Sup er snippet. Some women can be cruel no matter what planet they’re on.
Re: Your cats. We just inherited another of daughter’s cats just like yours. New adjustments all around. Hugs for the New Year and lots of good health, dear friend.
The cavalier, irritated way they give her the language is wonderful–it says she needs to be wary, because they just gave her a headache to spare themselves some time!
I have the feeling it’s the calm before the storm-great snippet!
I keep thinking she’s actually one of them, but has no memory of them because she’s been on a mission. Great mystery and snippet!
It would be hard not to be meek in this snake bite induced alternate reality. So strange and interesting. Another great snippet!
She seems to have a lot of favorites that she doesn’t recall! Definitely an alternate reality of sorts.
lol – glaf your resolutions are still in tact.
Great snippet – curious about the drinks being her favourites yet she doesn’t remember them
I looks like a very strange place. I wonder what they are doing there and who they are.
I love the way the strange woman was able to just flick her head to make her understand the language, almost like an offhand thing. She definitely needs to be cautious here!
Interesting snippet. I’m looking forward to more. 🙂
Oh, how I wish I could use that forehead flick on my husband sometimes! 😉 Enjoyed the snippet.
Okay, how do I do that finger flick trick? Understanding languages via forehead flick would come in real handy at work. A nice detail that creates a plausible, and yet intriguing way to bring their communication in line. 🙂
Does she say the last line aloud, Veronica? If not, I’d take out the “to my knowledge” because she wouldn’t say that to herself. Great snippet and I love that the other woman flicks her forehead as if to get a translator program to work. 😀
Good point, Siobhan, but yes, she does say the line out loud to the women.
The translator is a nice touch. I just finished Marooned. It was a great read.
Thanks, Elaine! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed Marooned!
The forehead flick thing was great. I liked this snippet, and can’t help but wonder what they’ll bring her next, and what they want in general! Seems like Sandy should be on her toes…
I’m worried about her of course, but where is Mark? And what about the drinks?
I’m intrigued and want to know more.
I’m curious about them not having time to waste — but they brought her all her “favorites” as if there is no rush at all. And who or what is going to interrupt them?
I feel like they’re confusing her with someone else… She should definitely be on alert if someone can interrupt them at any minute. Great snippet!!
Ooh! Sounds like quite a case of mistaken identity – or is it? And that head flicking thing would be likely to give me a headache, too!
Wonder where Mark is, and if it would be wise for him to mount a rescue…if that’s even a possibility…
I definitely want more!
Thanks for the comments and I’m glad everyone is enjoying this story so far. I’m really eager to release it but…needs a bit more editing and a cover….and I really want to have Star Cruise: Outbreak get done first. I actually tried the finger flicking on myself when I wrote the passage LOL. To get the feel for descriptive purposes, not to learn this language though!
You have me so curious with this!
Wow. So interesting, Veronica. I really want to keep reading and find out what is going on here!
Interesting snippet, from the translation to creating suspense and unease regarding Mark.
“I’ve never had any of these before, to my knowledge.” compared to the woman saying they brought all her favorites? I smell trouble. I smell this be some vision of the future, or past life, or…I’m not sure. But there is something definitely visionary going on here in my books. I’m definitely hooked here, love everything about this snippet!