More new release news after the excerpt!
Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriorscentral 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!)
I’m going to finish this scene from LADY OF THE STAR WIND because everyone has hung in there with me on this book (which is still doing well, thanks to the Warriors for your support!). Maybe one or two more excerpts.Then we’ll move on because I haz more new releases out there.
Mark and his companions, including the unconscious Sandy, have been rescued by a clan of desert-dwellers. They’ve taken refuge in the underground village to wait out the sandstorm, before attempting to continue their trek to the Lost City. After treating Sandy as best they can for the snakebite, the chief takes Mark to show him the scrolls from the ancient library, rescued from the Lost City, including one depicting a snake such as Mark has described. Last week, Jagrahim told Mark the snake was “Myth, legend, divine being, who can say?” Mark is speaking now. Edited from the published version.
“I stood this close to it, then it bit Sandy. Hell, it bit me—look!” Mark shoved his sleeve aside to reveal the twin fang marks above his wrist on the inside of his left arm. The marks were red and purple, surrounded by a spectacular black bruise. “Lucky it ran out of venom, or I’d be in a coma too. The snake was real, all right – mythical creatures don’t leave damage like this.”
“Did the others see it?”
“I think Rothan caught a glimpse maybe – I’m telling you, a real serpent attacked us.”
“There’s no such creature known to my people, my lord, and we live in this desert. There are snakes, yes, and many are deadly, but this,” he tapped the crumbling, painted surface, “doesn’t exist, save in the oldest scrolls of a long-dead religion.”
The story:
Are they merely luckless lovers … or a legend come back to life?
Mark Denaltieri, ex-Sector Special Forces, has been hired by the Outlier Empress to rescue her granddaughter, Princess Alessandra, from kidnappers. Since the Empress once had him tortured and banished, she’s the last person Mark wants to work for. But he takes the job. He’ll save Alessandra, his first love, and discover why she didn’t speak for him when he desperately needed her. Then he’ll be on his way, finally free of his past.
Alessandra would rather her rescuer was anyone but Mark–after all, he let her believe he was dead all this time. But when the couple are forced to flee her captors by Traveling via a strange crystal globe, they find themselves in a lovely Oasis on a desert planet, the old attraction sizzling between them again.
They soon discover they are far from alone. The Oasis holds the entrance to another world, one in which the inhabitants are convinced Sandy and Mark are the Lady of the Star Wind and her Warrior, come to free them from an evil Queen.
Mark and Sandy must work together to unearth an ancient mirror, and crown the true king of this land. Can they fulfill the prophecy of the Lady and her Warrior … and this time, will their love survive the test?
Buy Links: Amazon KOBO Barnes & Noble iBooks
NEWS!
I just released Hostage To The Stars last week. Here’s the blurb:
He rescued her from space pirates … but can he keep them both safe from the far greater evil stalking a deserted planet?
Space travel without Kidnap & Ransom insurance? Not a good idea. University instructor and researcher Sara Bridges can’t afford it, so when pirates board her cruise liner, she’s taken captive along with the mistress of a wealthy man, and brought to a deserted planet. When a military extraction team sent to rescue the mistress refuses to take Sara too, she’s left to the mercies of a retired Special Forces soldier, along as consultant.
Reluctantly reactivated and coerced into signing up for the rescue operation to the planet Farduccir where he once was deployed, Sgt. Johnny Danver just wants to get the job done. But when the team leader leaves one captured woman behind, he breaks away to rescue her himself.
As Johnny and Sara traverse the barren landscape, heading for an abandoned base where they hope to call Sectors Command for help, they find villages destroyed by battle and stripped of all inhabitants. A lone survivor tells a horrific tale of the Sectors’ alien enemy, the Mawreg, returning after being pushed out …
Searching for evidence to give the military, Johnny is captured. He regains consciousness in a Mawreg cage–with Sara next to him. Death is preferable to what the aliens will do to them… And even if they do escape their captors, can they alert the military in time to prevent another invasion of the Sectors?
Standalone sequel to Mission To Mahjundar (mild spoilers for Mahjundar in this story.)
The religion may be long-dead, but that snake sure wasn’t Great excerpt! 🙂
Gee, I wonder which guy is right about the snake…not!
Maybe the religion isn’t as dead as they think… Or it’s coming back to life.
Congrats on the release, Veronica.
Hard to convince someone who thinks you are deluded. Poor Mark!
Mark will battle his way out of this one. Love the story. Hugs to you clever lady.
Hm, well that bite seems real enough. I think they need to reconsider their religion! Congrats on the release!
He’s a credible witness to an incredible event. Really well done. I can see this in a movie.
Non-existent creatures don’t leave bite marks!
The snake bites mark them out as special people, and perhaps they are there to fulfil the legend. It all sounds very exciting.
So, what, he thinks Mark bit himself? This reminds me of talking to some people about politics! 😉
That’s a great excerpt! I’m picturing Mark trying to wipe off an astonished and scared expression.
Marcia
I think I’d feel a little queasy if I found out I’d been bitten by a mythological snake. No good can come of it!
So, where did this snake come from? Quite an interesting mystery since it’s definitely biting people. Can’t just say it’s a myth if it’s making physical contact!. Looking forward to the next developments!
Well the snake didn’t myth it’s Mark… ok, sorry, I just had to say that.
Obviously Sandy and Mark have been chosen by this “religion”, I am curious why and what they will have to do.
Generally, it’s not a good thing when long-dead myths come to life and bite ya. Such an intriguing story, Veronica!
Mythical creature or not, my guess is Mark should be concerned! :-/
If I were Mark I would be concerned. Great snippet, Veronica!
Well that’s a twist. Can’t wait to read the book in it’s entirety and see what happens next.
Snake bites are a pretty good indication of a real live snake. I think he has all the evidence he needs. LOL! Good snippet.
Hm, so what did attack them? Or are they wrong in saying there’s no such creature as a snake? Great snippet. Glad the story is doing well. 🙂
Well somebody isn’t getting the picture. Those fang marks should be more than enough to prove his point.
I can see why he wouldn’t be believed–if someone had an injury that could be explained by more ordinary means, I might not either. But I bet it’s really frustrating. “Your legend bit me!”
Maybe the religion isn’t quite dead yet.
Love the setting! Looking forward to reading the book!
Well they better rethink this because the bite didn’t appear all by itself. lol Enjoyed the snippet.
I get the feeling that Mark’s about to get more than he bargained for from that snake bite. And congratulations on the new book release! You’re awesome!
interesting snippet … and congratulations on the new release.
That is one bad bite! Sounds horrible. Congrats on your new release also!
Yeah, I’d definitely say the snake isn’t just a myth.
Spooky, that sounds like nasty bite! Ouch!
I’m with Mark on this, “mythical creatures don’t leave damage”. Or is it also mythical damage? Eh?
What does he think made that quite visual mark on his arm? SMH
Oh I’d say the religion isn’t go dead after all, and the snake is certainly no myth. I wonder why he refuses to believe it’s real, and what the religion really is.
But being a mythical creature doesn’t mean it can be out there somewhere.