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. Security Officer Grant Barton gets singer Karissa out of the crowd. I’ve edited this a little bit from the published version. Grant keeps calling her Miss Dawnstar as they leave the area of the disastrous, unscheduled autograph signing.
The excerpt:
“Just Karissa,” she said. Hands on her hips as they floated in the gravlift, she raised her eyebrows, “And you are?”
“Sorry, Officer Grant Barton.” He reached out to shake the hand she offered and tried not to stare at her wildly decorated fingernails and the jewel-encrusted ring big as his palm. “Should have introduced myself earlier but I was concentrating on the extraction.”
Everything he said seemed to amuse her, as she chuckled now,“Like a dentist?”
“What? No, sorry, military terminology for removing personnel when it’s considered imperative that they be immediately relocated out of a hostile environment and taken to a secure area.”
“My fans certainly aren’t hostile,” Her frown was epic, her arched eyebrows punctuating her displeasure, “Over-enthusiastic sometimes maybe.”
“There were way too many of them crammed into that small space and a lack of proper exits – the ship’s AI tells me we never use the Observatory for events.”
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!
Hehehe they’re both coming at this from such different angles. Great snippet, Veronica. 🙂
A misunderstanding, it seems. But, at least they are both safe. A great snippet! 🙂
I’m pretty sure she’ll manage to soften his by-the-book attitude.
I can just picture Karissa’s fingernails, ring, and eyebrows from the description. It seems like it’ll take awhile before she and Grant get on the same page.
Love how they come at this from different perspectives. 🙂
Fantastic description of Karissa! I could see her so clearly both through your description of her and from her own voice. Great snippet!
I love how Grant sounds like a procedure manual.
“Sorry, Officer Grant Barton.” He reached out to shake the hand she offered and tried not to stare at her wildly decorated fingernails and the jewel-encrusted ring big as his palm.—These are definitely the details I need to see more of in fantasy fic. Thanks for sharing
What a nice juxtaposition between their temperaments! Him so sincere and her teasing, very nice!
It’s a fun snippet, I especially liked the joke on extraction 😀
Sounds like a cool story and good luck with the anthology :3
TYVM! We really want to do a good job with the anthology, since we’re also supporting Hero Dogs, Inc. 🙂
Thanks for the comments! I had so much FUN writing this rock star romance, very different from my usual scifi romances…I’ve been contemplating doing a few more next year, if I can work in enough scifi. This one did lend itself to some hopefully nifty scifi plot twists, especially once they reach the planet where the big concert is to occur.
And he still uses military terminology to explain the military terminology. Love it!
He’s still straight-faced serious. It must have been fun to write.
Love the interplay between them. I was worried she might be a snooty superstar, but sounds like she’s got a sense of humor. The description of her is great!
Great descriptions. Their differing personalities come through very clearly. He certainly seems a lot more formal than her, but I’m sure she will loosen him up!
He is just full of jargon, isn’t he?
He’s got a point. The fans might not be hostile, but something bad can happen without hostile intent, especially when you cram a lot of people into a small area with few exits!
Love the epic look on her face – it shows the attitude perfectly. Tweeted.
Great snippet, I love these two wildly differing personalities and she definitely sounds a bit miffed!
I don’t think she appreciates his attitude, but I think she needs him. Great excerpt.
“Like a dentist?” Love that hahaha. I feel like they’ll have some interesting conversations later in the series!
He seems like he’s by the book and she’s just the opposite. I’m curious to find out how these two will get on. Love the imagery of her fingernails and ring.
He’s so darn serious, and she’s teasing. Cute. Looking forward to the release of the anthology.
I’m pretty sure she knew what he meant before he explained. He is so serious that’s hilarious.