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!)
Last excerpt from Star Cruise: Outbreak, which by the way, just got announced as a Finalist in the “I Heart Indie” contest! WHEE!
I’ve had another book come out since OUTBREAK that never got excerpted here, plus a new one coming in September, so…we’re going to leave Emily and Jake after today. Thanks for all the wonderful comments and support!
Quite a bit further into the book than we’ve gone in these excerpts, Emily invites Jake to tell her the story of the time they met on the beach at Fantalar. (Edited from the published version.)
He was so surprised by the change of subject that at first he thought he must have heard her wrong. Distressed, he put his glass next to hers on the table and fumbled for the right words. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin the easy, relaxed mood they had going, “No, really, I don’t need to talk about it. I know you don’t like people thanking you for saving their life. I was just one guy out of what? Hundreds you operated on?”
“Too many, for sure. Sectors Command kept throwing men and women into that battle zone, and the enemy kept chewing them up.” She blinked and focused on his face, her blue eyes sparkling, “I want to hear your story of the time you met the Angel of Fantalar.” She rubbed his arm gently, her touch warm and oddly soothing, “I warn you, I probably won’t remember any of it even when you do tell me because I only recall bits and pieces, flashes of those weeks – sometimes I think I’m lucky I made it home knowing my own name.”
The story:
She saved countless soldiers in the wars … but does she have the weapons to fight an outbreak?
Dr. Emily Shane, veteran of the Sector Wars, is known as “The Angel of Fantalar” for her bravery under fire as a medic. However, the doctor has her own war wounds–severe PTSD and guilt over those she failed to save.
Persuaded to fill a seemingly frivolous berth as ship’s doctor on the huge and luxurious interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr, she finds the job brings unexpected perks–a luxe beach deck with water imported from Tahumaroa II, and Security Officer Jake Dilon, a fellow veteran who heats her up like a tropical sun.
However, Emily soon learns she and Jake didn’t leave all peril behind in the war. A mysterious ailment aboard the Zephyr begins to claim victim after victim … and they must race against time and space to find the cause and a cure! Trapped on a ship no spaceport will allow to dock, their efforts are complicated by a temperamental princess and a terrorist–one who won’t hesitate to take down any being in the way of his target. If anyone’s left when the disease is through with them…
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Woo-hoo! Congrats on being a finalist! Such a cliffhanger this week. Definitely leaves the reader wanting to know the story, too. 🙂
I like how you reveal so much about her, the possible PTSD and wanting to hear a positive version, Great snippet.
This is an unusual situation, with him filling in what should be her memories.
Another excellent excerpt, Veronica. Your dialogue is always spot on.
Congratulations on your ‘finalist’ status. It is very we’ll deserved.
Of course you’re a finalist! I knew it in my heart. What a woman and a writer. Hugs to you.
Well deserved congrats!
So she kind of has to depend on his take of that day; interesting! Congrats on being a finalist, too 😀
Marcia
What a great moment in their relationship! Congrat on being a finalist–not surprised at all!
What a surprising and vulnerable moment. I can see them getting a lot closer after this. And congrats on the nomination! Like everyone else, I’m not surprised. 🙂
Congrats! Nice to see that she’s softening toward him. Makes me curious as to what’s happened in the interim.
Congratulations on being named finalist. Very poignant snippet. A pleasure to read.
I’ve enjoyed your snippets so far, enough to add it to my ‘to be read’ pile. Will look forward to reading it. Good luck with it, and congratulations on becoming a finalist.
Congrats on being a finalist in the contest! I’ve enjoyed the excerpts from this story and look forward to the new adventures your bring our way! 🙂
Thanks for all the comments and the congratulations on the contest Final – I was really excited over that news 🙂 The context here is that Emily never lets people thank her or talk to her about her time on Fantalar BUT at this stage in the book she and Jake are getting very close and this is her gift to him, to listen. I think this particular evening doesn’t turn out quite the way either of them expects….but then of course there’s a lot more novel left to read….(she said with an evil author grin mwahahaha!)
Enjoyed the snippet. Great banter and it would seem they are growing closer.
Congrats on being a finalist! Throwing confetti. 🙂
Congrats on being a finalist. Well deserved!
PTSD rears its ugly head. But it’s probably better that she doesn’t remember. Congrats on being a finalist!
Congrats! And love that last line — it speaks volumes about the stress she was under.
Oh man, I wonder what he’s going to say, and what it might trigger?! Can’t wait to know more. And HEY, congrats on becoming a finalist! A well deserved honor.
I like their interaction and can seem them warming to each other here. Congrats on the finalist nomination!
Congratulations, Veronica! It almost seems like she wants to try to remember the time through him. I hope it’s a good memory of her.
Congrats!
It has to be tough to have something that so many people remember you for, that you can’t recall yourself. But it had to have been more than a little traumatic!
Congrats!!! Great snippet.
Congrats on making the finals. The book well deserves it.
Congrats on being a finalist, Veronica! I’m surprised she wants him to tell her the story, I feel like it’s not a memory she will want to hang onto.
Congratulations ! Well deserved. Great snippet today as well.
Wow… The more they talk about that incident, the more I want to read about it. Great scene. I wonder why she wants to hear his version of it so suddenly though.
Congrats on being a finalist, too!