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!)
One more excerpt from my story ‘Star Cruise: Stowaway’ in the PETS IN SPACE anthology, which released this past week. Edited a bit from the published version. Picking up from where I stopped last week:
He hoped Moby hadn’t sampled whatever Midorri was drinking. The alien animal could probably handle anything up to and including nuclear fuel, who knew, but Moby was definitely a terrestrial cat, with a more delicate stomach. He tried to shoo Midorri away from the slowly growing puddle of green goo, dripping from a dented corner of the container. Musta gotten banged when the shuttle crew offloaded the final pallet too fast and had to straighten everything in a rush. “I better see what’s in there,” he said to the interested animals.
Moby yowled, startling him as her voice echoed, and Midorri emitted a high-pitched chirping that grated on his ears like a physical assault.
Midorri tried to climb over his boot to return to the growing puddle.
A loud click echoed in the cargo bay and the seams on the crate glowed yellow, unsealing in a smooth progression along the rim. Sure enough a deluge of liquid followed, but Embersson froze for a moment as he saw what had been inside the crate. Then he was on his knees beside the now-open container, heedless of the green cryo fluid soaking his pants, as he tried to extricate the woman who’d been illegally stored inside.
Here’s the blurb for the anthology, followed by the blurb for my story:
The blurb for Pets In Space:
Even an alien needs a pet…
Join the adventure as nine pet loving sci-fi romance authors take you out of this world and pull you into their action-packed stories filled with suspense, laughter, and romance. The alien pets have an agenda that will capture the hearts of those they touch. Follow along as they work side by side to help stop a genetically-engineered creature from destroying the Earth to finding a lost dragon; life is never the same after their pets decide to get involved. Can the animals win the day or will the stars shine just a little less brightly?
New York Times, USA TODAY, Award Winning, and Best selling authors have eight original, never-released stories and one expanded story giving readers eight amazing new adventures and one expanded story that will capture your imagination and help a worthy charity. Come join us as we take you on nine amazing adventures that will change the way you look at your pet!
10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.
And the blurb for Star Cruise: Stowaway:
Cargo Master Owen Embersson is shocked when the Nebula Zephyr’s ship’s cat and her alien sidekick, Midorri, alert him to the presence of a stowaway. He has no idea of the dangerous complications to come – nor does he anticipate falling hard for the woman whose life he now holds in his hands. Life aboard the Nebula Zephyr has just become more interesting – and deadly.
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Although the situation is quite different, my memory wants to insert details from the scene in Firefly in which Mal opens the crate in which River was smuggled aboard.
Oh my gosh! That’s not what I expected to be inside. I’m looking forward to reading this anthology. It’s next on my to-read list. 🙂
I wasn’t expecting that to be inside either! This sounds like a really unique anthology, with the combination of sci-fi and animal stories.
Wow, definitely a surprise. And just what was the green stuff? Very intrigued.
Interesting way to stowaway. I’m wondering if this is the way she was supposed to awaken aboard the craft. And why did she stowaway?
Excellent surprise! How did she survive in the green goop, I wonder?
Can’t resist anymore. Off to One Click!
Now that was a surprise! Did she stow away, or was she kidnapped?
Dynamite, Ms.V. Saved by the cats and I’m a believer as mother of 4 furry critters. Exciting once again. Hugs to you, dear friend.
Thanks for the comments! No spoilers but I can say this is definitely an illegal activity going on here and not the way anyone should travel….but is she the victim or???? Well, that’s the story….PETS IN SPACE has done really well this week, since its release (which is gratifying and also good for the charity we’re supporting) and my thanks to everyone for all the support!
Wow, that was quite the surprise there at the end! Love the way you describe the animals. This sounds like another winner! 🙂
Not what I expected inside that crate, either. Good leadup. This book is next on my To Read pile.
Wow – a shocker – finding a woman in green goo!
Surprise! My cats and I are very intrigued by this story. Love the illustration.
Oh, wow! What a thing to find. Loved everything about the snippet.
Love the descriptive detail of the cats eating habits – up top and including nuclear fuel – lol.
Tweeted.
Great snippet! Very intriguing look into Star Cruise: Stowaway.
Reblogged this on Laurie A. Green.
Wow! That was unexpected. Glad the anthology is doing so well.
I want to know if she was stowing away voluntarily or being smuggled against her will.
“…the seams on the crate glowed yellow, unsealing in a smooth progression along the rim.” So vivid! I could see the crate zipping open, as it were.
I didn’t expect this. Nice excerpt.
Oh my! She’s inside in cryo. I hope she’s okay. Loving these snippets.
I’m with everyone else. I must know how did she survive?
I admit to having to know what’s in that crate!
It’s probably not a good idea to ship people in crates… (as well as being illegal.) This seems like a good example of why!
That was such a gripping scene. I remember it well.
Love the nuclear fuel comment and the twist at the end!
Definitely not what I would have expected to find inside a crate. Quite intriguing.
So was she smuggled on board willingly? Or was she shoved inside that grate against her will for some mysterious reason? And for either way, WHY was she smuggled on board?
nice suprise .. and what’s the green stuff ?