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!)
The snippet is from my new novella Star Cruise: Songbird, which is coming out in the EMBRACE THE ROMANCE: PETS IN SPACE 2 anthology on October 10th (but can be pre-ordered).
The singer’s manager set up an unauthorized signing in a small space on the ship and now there’s a near riot going on.
The excerpt:
“Listen, there must be a couple hundred people here,” Grant said, “I’m going in the back way and extract the lady. Then the rest of you can do crowd control and disperse these fans – it’ll be easier to persuade them to leave when Karissa isn’t here anymore.”
“Go for it,” Jake said.
Grant backed out of the casino and ran to the nearest crew-only gravlift. Once inside the system he transferred to the small tube giving access to the observatory. Emerging from the concealed door at the far end, he found himself behind the singer and her entourage, who were backed against the bulkhead by a clamoring crowd, only a small table separating them from the fans. The singer herself was easy to identify, clad in a sparkling, short blue and green dress, lavender boots to the knees and her towering pink hair ornamented with silver braids. He shouldered his way through the crowd and touched her arm. Startled, she turned to him, her blue eyes wide with fear.
“Ship’s security, Miss Dawnstar, here to get you out,” Grant took her elbow in a firm grip and towed her sideways, away from her manager and staff.
The story:
Grant Barton, a Security Officer on the Nebula Zephyr, is less than thrilled with his current assignment to guard an Interstellar singing sensation while she’s on board the ship. It doesn’t help that he and his military war bird Valkyr are dealing with their recent separation from the Sectors Special Forces and uncertainty over their future, with their own planet in ruins.
Karissa Dawnstar is on top of the charts and seemingly has it all – talent, fame, fortune and devoted fans, but behind her brave smile and upbeat lyrics she hides an aching heart. When a publicity stunt goes wrong, Karissa finds herself in the arms of the security officer assigned to protect her – and discovers a mutual attraction she can’t ignore.
Trouble continues to plague the pair, driving a wedge between them and leaving Grant certain that Karissa is in more danger than she realizes, from overzealous fans and her own management. Grant is determined to protect Karissa whether she wants his help or not. Can he discover the truth behind what’s going on before he loses Karissa or is there someone else plotting to keep them apart – permanently?
Blurb for Embrace the Romance: Pets In Space 2:
The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!
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.
Buy Links:
We have a free coloring book to download while you wait – it’s on our website here!
This is just wonderful. Thanks,dear friend with Hugs.
This seems like a good way to throw the heroine and potential hero together.
Phew! Thank goodness he got to her before things turned nasty. Looking forward to reading more!
He seems pretty sure of himself, but I wonder if all will go as planned. Fans can do crazy things. Nice snippet! 🙂
Good thing he’s there. Sometimes the public isn’t forgiving. Great snippet, Veronica. 🙂
Is he going to be able to get her out of there? Can’t wait to find out.
Her manager doesn’t seem very good. Glad the hero is on the job!
What a scene, my good friend! Love it. Hugs bigtime.
Grant seems to have great brains and good instincts. LOVE the description of her and her outfit! Now is she going to go quietly with him or not?
Damsel in distress about to be rescued – I small a romance happening 🙂
tweeted.
Sounds like a plan. Hope it works.
Glad he’s so efficient! 😉
I love the description of her, too. Is she willing to be rescued, I wonder?
Miss Dawnstar has an interesting style; pink hair and lavender boots haha. But why do I get the feeling that she won’t want to be rescued? Seems she’s oblivious to the impending danger.
The manager clearly didn’t understand the risk of excited fans in a cramped space. Hero Grant to the rescue, but I doubt that his job will be easy.
Karissa was worried, mostly about her fans, since she has many children who enjoy her concerts.She didn’t want anyone trampled. And the manager is a piece of work 🙂 Hero Grant, by the way, has never heard ANY of her music so there’s also that…I had so much fun with this story! Thanks for the comments, much appreciated.
I love your description of Karissa.
I am so looking forward to reading this story. I’m so glad Grant will get a girl. He’s been in your other stories on that ship and needs his story. I like his no-nonsense attitude as he draws her away from the rowdy crowd.
Sounds like another great tale (tail?)!! Can’t wait to read it.
She’s really lucky it wasn’t a fan who’d pushed through her protection. Hope he gets her to safety, this could get tricky if someone notices them leaving!
Great imagery. I sure hope the fan really will help her to safety. I like the setup.
Well, she’s… colorful! But I wonder how willing she’ll be to go with her rescuer.