Yesterday I visited Cynthia Sax’s Taste of Cyn blog to talk about Danger in the Stars – she created to so cool meme above – here’s a sample of the Q&A:
Cynthia Sax: Where did you get the idea for Danger in the Stars?
Veronica Scott: When I was writing Star Cruise: Stowaway for the ‘Pets In Space’ anthology last year, I had the premise of an empathic alien priestess stolen from her own world and held captive by an interstellar crime syndicate to do their bidding. In that novella, the story was about the woman’s escape with the help of my ship’s crew and two pets. When I finished writing that one, I realized I had a lot more story to tell on the general theme, and so I started thinking about a sister, also held as a prisoner, but not lucky enough to escape. How would it be for her, to be in the midst of the criminal operations, trying to stay true to her own values, but forced to commit crimes? Who would help her? And then of course Conor, the hero, came into my head and said, “I will.” He’s a man of many secrets, by the way, but no spoilers from me!
I hope you’ll hop on over to Cynthia’s blog for the rest of our discussion…..
The story:
Miriell, a powerful empathic priestess, has been kidnapped from her own primitive planet along with a number of her people, and sold to the evil Amarotu Combine, largest organized crime syndicate in the Sectors. When she and her handler are sent to use her power to commit an assassination, she must leave behind her own sister as hostage to ensure her compliance. Miriell cannot ask for aid without endangering herself and others.
Despite his best efforts, Combine enforcer Conor Stewart is entranced by Miriell, and helps her evade the worst of brutal treatment from the rest of the mob. But Conor must keep his distance, before the lovely empath learns that he has secrets of his own–secrets that could get them both killed.
The situation becomes dire when Conor and Miriell come to the attention of both the Combine overlords and the deadly Mawreg, aliens who threaten the Sectors. Can she save herself and the Mawreg’s next victims? And will Conor help her, or remain loyal to his evil bosses?
VS Note: This is the story of the sister who is mentioned in passing in Star Cruise: Stowaway, my story in the award winning PETS IN SPACE anthology. The new novel is completely standalone.
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Sounds like a great premise!