(No new release to report this week LOL!)
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 today! Then we’ll move on next week because I have two other 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, but which the chief insists is a myth. Mark is speaking now. Edited from the published version.
“I’m out of my depth here. I’m a soldier, you know? I can take a collection of hard facts and make them add up like a stack of bricks. You want to attack some kind of fortress, I’m your man. You want someone assassinated or kidnapped, I can do it. But what am I supposed to do with this kind of magical construct, how do I use it to help Sandy? Do I go back there and tell her to wake up, quit faking it, because, hey, you were bitten by a mythological snake, not a real one?” He bit his lip against the flood of words. Panic over the possibility of losing Sandy was uncomfortably close to the surface of his emotions.
Jagrahim inserted the scroll into a jar with others and fastened a thin leather cover over the opening, knotting a string around the jar’s neck, “I regret having confused you more than I helped – you and your Lady of the Star Wind are sadly unprepared for what you’ve found upon your return to our world.”
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?
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I beg your pardon, Veronica! We Weekend Writing Warriors are not ‘sadly unprepared’. Happily unprepared perhaps, but not sadly!
“Your return to our world”? Hmm, I hope he has more of an explanation for Mark than that. A great excerpt! 🙂
Another great excerpt this week.
Still no answers on how the mythological venom from this snake has Sandy down for the count! Mark must be beyond frustrated with such cryptic explanations.
I love how effortlessly you build the tension and unwrap your character at the same time, Veronica. A pragmatic man of action faced with gods and metaphysics is not a happy man.
Can definitely feel his frustration and rising panic in this snippet.
Well I have to disagree with Jagrahim; I think they’re fully prepared. I DO agree, however, with Kim about the tension building in this excerpt.
It’s sort of sweet – his frustration over his inability to do anything and the calm, unhelpful comment from the chief.
You’ve really captured his panic. Great snippet!
I like how well he knows himself. He knows his own strengths and weaknesses.
Mark is in a mess and there seems to no way out. Beautifully written, dear friend. Hugs.
I somehow doubt Mark sees himself as sadly unprepared. He’s just listed off his strengths, which will probably still come in useful to him and Sandy. I think he (and we) are still missing a key ingredient. Wonderful snippet!
Sounds like Mark has the necessary skills to handle a lot of things. I have faith he’ll figure this situation out as well!
I don’t blame him for being frustrated over the cryptic responses he keeps getting, and I love everything he said! Great snippet.
“your return to our world” is a loaded phrase. I wonder if Mark will pick up on it or if he’s already too confused to worry about it. Great job conveying his frustration.
I can understand is reluctance in believing in the magical, but something tells me he’s going to have to drastically change the way he sees the world. Great snippet. 🙂
You can hear Mark’s worry over Sandy in his dialogue. Great snippet, and good luck with your new releases.
His growing panic is almost palpable. Great snippet!
I agree, wonderful dialog from Mark! What a place to leave us dangling! Looking forward to whatever you post next.
Marcia
Poor Mark. Really hope Sandy’s going to be okay.
It’s tough being in a situation and not knowing what to do, but I think they’ll figure it out… somehow.
Poor Mark. Helplessness is a terrible feeling.
I’d say they were unprepared all right. I understand Mark’s frustration.
How frustrating for him! Great snippet.
How do you cure a mythical snake bite? This couple needs a break! Great snippet.
I love the dialogue in this. It’s so realistic and emotional.
The dialogue is amazing, and I may have developed a *HUGE* crush on Mark. You could really sense his despair, and I love it when characters are in despair. #evilauthorisevil
Mythological venom? I love that concept! “You want someone assassinated or kidnapped I’m your man”….LOL! Now that’s my kind of man! Love it! Great snippet!
Mark’s emotions come through clearly. I’m wondering if anyone has told him about “The Lady of the Star Wind” yet, or if that was a new blow to his sanity.
Love the build of aheqr panic in this snippet.