Now taking excerpts from my newly published scifi romance COLONY UNDER SIEGE: INTERSTELLAR PLAGUE.

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!)

May be edited a bit from published version.

The excerpt from close to the book’s beginning, where we meet Dr. Saffia Mandell at a colony social event:

It seemed as if the entire colony was here tonight, including the children, who ran around excitedly, playing games and generally being supervised loosely by everyone and no one. She knew all two thousand people couldn’t possibly squeeze into the confined area but most of the acquaintances she’d made in her first six months on the planet were indeed here.

She was trying to decide if she wanted to wade into the crowd to reach the food stand and order fried fish battered with crumbs and a side of crispy tubers with spicy dipping sauce. Her stomach growled, audible to her even over the tune and she rose to her feet. Might as well have her dinner here and then wander home. I put in my appearance as the Colony Administrator not so subtly suggested I do, paid my credits for admittance to support the local charity, showed I’m trying to be a good neighbor…and no one is going to notice if I leave, not in this crowd.

Large social gatherings weren’t her comfort zone. She preferred the quiet and control of the clinic, where she was undeniably in charge and didn’t have to make more than token chitchat. No need for her to open herself up to questions, well intentioned or not. She was going to do her five years here, pay off the med school loans thanks to the Sectors government and then be on her way without a glance in the rearview scanners.

And a little more after the ten sentences…

Inner Sectors underprivileged neighborhood medicine was her goal, had been all her life since she escaped one of the slums herself on a charity grant to higher education.

Not ministering to hardy colonists living on an outer rim world, making their living surrounded by the beauties of Haven Two, living in relatively well-to-do circumstances.

The blurb:

Newly graduated from a prestigious interstellar medical school, Dr. Saffia Mandell has been assigned to the Haven Two colony on the galaxy’s outer rim as the only doctor for some 2000 human residents. She’s counting the days until her five years there is up, trying to adjust to rural living after life in the crowded Inner Sectors and fighting her attraction to Chief Ranger Micah Navonn. She’s dreading the upcoming tourist season when the rich and pampered will descend on the planet for the scenic wonders and novel sports opportunities and no doubt inundate her little clinic but the colony depends on the seasonal income to survive.

As the senior official for his people, the Calinurra, the indigenous inhabitants of Haven Two, Micah enforces the treaty, regulates the tourist permits, patrols the forests and resists his fascination with Dr. Mandell. He never expected to be involved with a human woman and doesn’t want to believe in the concept of a fated mate. He wants to keep his life simple and isn’t ready for any long term commitment. Besides Saffia keeps proclaiming she’ll be leaving when her appointment is up in four and a half years so why should he risk his heart?

Then a ship arrives unexpectedly carrying a very ill little girl and soon the deadly virus is spreading through Haven Two. The colony authorities are desperate to cover up the problem to preserve the all-important tourist season and Saffia and Micah have to work together to battle the outbreak, the local administration and their undeniable feelings for each other.

Can the colony survive? And will Micah and Saffia be able to move past their fears about entanglements to act on the mutual attraction?

An 87K word novel of the far future…

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