Dec 30 2023

First Meeting Snippet: COLONY UNDER SIEGE #SciFi Medical Romance

I’ve decided to change up these weekly snippets and go through my backlist, sharing the first meeting between the two main characters in each book. It’s always fun for me to revisit the books and I hope it will be for you too! Or if you’ve never happened to read a certain book, maybe I can entice you into giving it a try.

VS: I enjoy writing scifi medical romances and I wrote this one during the early COVID epidemic because my Muse wasn’t in the mood to write anything else while the situation was going on around me. There’s only one doctor on this colony planet…

The snippet:

A groundcar slid up beside her, powerful engine thrumming as it idled, and Saffia startled as the window slid aside. Adrenaline rising, she tried to think where she’d bolt to if the driver had less than neighborly motives for accosting her. She might be able to lose a pursuer in the underbrush and trees off to her right but she was afraid she’d get lost as well.

“Didn’t anyone warn you not to go hiking alone at night?”

The voice belonged to Micah, the ranger and the next moment she saw his concerned face in the light from the car’s instrument panel. He leaned across the seat to stare at her, eyebrows raised. “It’s not safe.”

“The colony has a low crime rate,” she said, hating to sound defensive over what she understood too late wasn’t a wise choice. She’d been regretting not asking any of her acquaintances for a ride home for the last fifteen minutes. “No one said anything to me otherwise.”

He laughed and the door swung open. “The wildlife wouldn’t consider it a crime to dine on a wandering human, trust me. Get in, doctor, and I’ll drop you off at your place, safe and sound.”

Saffia studied the undergrowth, terrified she’d see something looking back at her. The dark night suddenly seemed even more menacing and every sound full of deadly import. “Wildlife?” Hating the telltale squeak of fear in her voice, she slid into the passenger seat, grateful for the warmth of the vehicle’s cabin.

Micah extended his hand. “I’m Chief Ranger Navonn. I’ve seen you around but we haven’t been introduced.”

“I—yes, I’ve seen you at the diner sometimes, in the mornings. And you were talking to Mrs. Dagerty earlier tonight. I’m Dr. Saffia Mandell. But I guess you know that.” She wasn’t used to feeling flustered or at a loss. His hand was much larger than hers, warm and strong and she found herself staring at his fingers. She was always attracted to a strong man’s well-shaped hand, maybe because she was a doctor and the hands were so important in her work. As they finished the social gesture and he set his hand on the groundcar’s controls, she said, “This is very kind of you. I hope it won’t be too far out of your way.”

“Not a problem. Better than having to track down an apex predator with a newly acquired taste for humans tomorrow.”

Calinurran humor? Not a fan. Annoyance pricking at her caused her to respond sharply. “Oh come on, how much danger could I have been in? I was told the bigger wild animals don’t wander into town.”

“They’ve been known to explore at this time of the year. Coming out of hibernation, cubs being born, all their hormones jumping. The grizvals prefer an easy meal to chasing mountain halin or antlered pradeek. Some people hereabouts still aren’t careful enough about their refuse, especially the fisherfolk. There have been tracks spotted on the edge of town recently.” He shot her a glance. “Please promise me you won’t go walking alone in the late afternoon, much less after dark, at least not in the areas adjacent to the forest.”

“No problem. Now you’ve warned me, I’ll be extra careful.” She rubbed her arms, visualizing herself facing a grizval, which could stand 12’ tall on its hind legs and had paws the size of platters, all fully clawed. “Why didn’t anyone at the park say something to me about it?”

“I’m guessing they all assumed you drove.” Like a sensible person, was the unspoken rest of the ranger’s sentence.

“I like walking. I’m from an Inner Sectors world where we don’t have much in the way of wilderness. It’s a newly discovered habit of mine.” And why do I care what this man thinks? I don’t have to justify myself to him. Saffia took a deep breath, trying to regain her self-control because being this close to Micah Navonn was seriously impairing her normal calm façade.

“Walk in town. Or get someone to go with you who knows the country.” He drove in silence for a minute. “This must be quite a change for you then. Are you settling in okay? It’s been what, five months since you arrived?”

“And two weeks, three days,” she said with a smile. “But who’s counting?”

“You are, to hear the town gossips tell it. Word is you’re counting the days until you can lift off. Is living here so unappealing in your opinion?” One eyebrow raised, he checked for her reaction.

Not wishing to insult him, she gave the answer she’d been smoothly uttering at least ten times a day since she arrived. “No of course not. The people are nice and the planet is beautiful, what I’ve seen so far. The work is different than what I was used to in a big hospital but not overwhelming.” She shrugged. “I’m an Inner Sectors girl and that’s where I expected to be practicing. The Sectors Medical Service said I was needed here and when you want SMS to erase five years of crushing medical school debt, you salute and go where they send you.”

“I was in the military for ten years so I hear you.”

Exchanging a grin with him, Saffia relaxed until the road took a gentle curve and she pointed to her dwelling. “My house is up here on the right.” Her snug cottage, lights ablaze, lay just ahead. She was sorry to have the drive be over so quickly, now she was finally talking to the previously aloof ranger.

He pulled up in front of the steps smoothly and came to open her door, which was an old fashioned touch she hadn’t expected but found rather charming. “Thank you again for the ride.” Saffia was conscious of how tall and well-built he was, and he smelled yummy, subtle male musk scented with the clean forest evergreen tang. She took a deep breath and resisted the urge to invite him in for a cup of coffee. Too soon. Don’t want any misinterpretations. She offered her hand again, which seemed to amuse him but he shook perfunctorily.

“I’ll wait to see you safely inside,” he said, leaning on the groundcar.

Rather than protest, she climbed the three shallow stairs, unlocked the portal and went inside, making sure to wave to him as the door shut. Micah gave her a snappy salute and a moment later he drove away.

Knees a bit weak, Saffia leaned against the wall. “The ice has been broken,” she said out loud. A bit dreamily she wandered down the hall toward the kitchen, to make herself a cup of coffee and think about her first real encounter with the ranger.

COLONY UNDER SIEGE: INTERSTELLAR PLAGUE

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?

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Dec 23 2023

First Meeting Snippet: STAR CRUISE GHOST SHIP New Release

I was always intrigued by the story of the Mary Celeste, an abandoned freighter found sailing the seas by herself in 1872 and I wanted to write a scifi story inspired by those events. I also thought it was high time to give Security Officer Jayna Evans her own Star Cruise story!

Cover by Fiona Jayde

The snippet: Jayna and Theo Knox, the Sixth Officer, are sent to the derelict ship to see if she’s worth salvaging. They’ve been having an intense but purely physical affair although Theo wants more because he really cares for her but Jayna is self protective for reasons we learn later in the book….here’s their first encounter in the book:

And now that situation wasn’t enough for him because he was so intrigued by her but he had no idea how to move the relationship along. Maybe if this turned into a salvage operation, and they were alone on the small ship with only a skeleton crew…

Firmly he banished the speculation from his mind. He needed to concentrate on the task at hand.

“Maeve gave me the quick briefing along with the captain’s orders,” Jayna said as they walked into the launch bay together. “A derelict is pretty unusual out here, isn’t it?”

“Almost unheard of,” Theo agreed. “We should be ready for anything over there.”

Jayna shot him an annoyed glance and he wished he could recall his impulsive remark, which sprang from his own excitement for this unique opportunity, not in any attempt to tell her how to conduct her own business. They’d never worked together during his time on the Nebula Zephyr, with him being command staff and her being a security officer.

“Of course, sir,” she said now in a flat voice. “When you’ve been with us longer, I think you’ll find our security teams are top notch.”

Jayna went ahead onto the flier, which was sitting with the engines thrumming and Theo waited for the rest of his crew to arrive. Captain Fleming had assigned him several techs and a pilot, as well as two more Security personnel, who nodded to him and hastened onto the flyer to get their orders from Jayna. Theo was satisfied he had a good mix of solid people to explore the derelict and get her under control. Everyone had a blaster on their hip, even the techs although the report was no one remained on board the Mebsuta C although the lifeboat was still aboard. Theo jogged up the ramp after his entire team had arrived and closed the hatch after himself.

“Ready to go, pilot,” he said over the com.

“Aye, aye, Mr. Knox.” Theo recognized the cheery voice as belonging to one of their top pilots and he went forward to the cockpit to oversee the approach to the other ship. On his way through the flier, he took note of Jayna and the security officers gearing up as if for an assault. They’d be first off and Theo felt confident nothing would get through them.

Approaching the derelict, he was struck again what a good-looking ship she was, although tiny compared to the looming bulk of the Nebula Zephyr, which was the largest cruise ship in the Sectors. The intruder had trim lines and her engines were moving her on her chosen path efficiently.

“No answer to repeated hailing,” the pilot said.

“Out of curiosity, if she keeps going on the current heading, where will she end up?” Theo asked. The mystery of this vessel intrigued him.

“Out of the galaxy entirely at some point,” the pilot said with a grin. “Nothing where this ship is going, except maybe more traffic patterns to disrupt if you don’t get her under control.”

“Oh I’ll get it done.” Theo was determined to wrestle the ship into submission and lay claim to her for a salvage prize. It would be a notable feather in his professional cap and a stellar entry on the new resume he was intent on building.

Jayne entered the cockpit and leaned over the pilot’s shoulder, examining the vids. Theo was intensely aware of her proximity although she gave no sign of any previous connection between them. “Probably carrying passengers and cargo when she set out originally. No signs of damage. No evidence she’s been in a fight so where are the crew?”

STAR CRUISE GHOST SHIP by Veronica Scott

After losing his Space Navy career due to an unfortunate accident, Theo Knox is looking for any opportunity to distinguish himself as an officer aboard the luxury cruise liner Nebula Zephyr. When they come upon a derelict freighter, he’s happy to lead a small crew to salvage the ship and bring her to port. But once he’s boarded the little ship questions pile up. What happened to the original crew? Why is the lifeboat still docked? Is the ship haunted? What’s in those mysterious crates in the cargo hold?

Security Officer Jayna Evans has complicated feelings about Theo so she’s pleased to be assigned to his salvage crew. She hopes they can work out their future while bringing the derelict to port but the uncanny events aboard the abandoned vessel pile up and she can’t trust anyone, not even Theo.

Can Theo and Jayna salvage the ship and their relationship? Will anyone survive a cruise on the Ghost Ship?

This 38K word Star Cruise novella is the latest installment in the ongoing, connected series. Have you booked your Star Cruise yet?

There is a very brief mention of the loss of a previous pregnancy.

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Dec 16 2023

First Meeting: TALINN SciFi Romance Gladiator

VS: I had a really great review for TALINN, the third book in my Badari Gladiators series, last week from the Books of My Heart blog. Sophia Rose said: “Sci fi romance lovers who want alien steaminess and exciting fight scenes should definitely give Talinn and the rest of the trilogy a try.” The reviewer also added that she was “more excited” to return to the original Badari Warriors series and continue reading them. At 4.5 stars it was a wonderful review IMHO – she really gets what I try to do.

The excerpt: So here’s the first meeting between Tailinn and Bailey, his human fated mate, when he’s trying to save her life in an alien arena:

Mouth open in astonishment and terror, Bailey watched in disbelief as her would-be rescuer stepped closer to her and slashed right through the sturdy leather bonds with the same talons he’d used to such good effect on his last opponent.

“You’ll be all right, I give you my word in the name of the goddess,” he said to her in crisp Basic, taking her in his arms.

Unable to stop trembling as he lifted her into the air, away from the pole, Bailey looped one arm around his neck. “I don’t—I can’t—please—”

“Ssh,” he said in a strangely sympathetic tone. “I have to acknowledge my gratitude to the kalishka for his gift—that would be you—and then I’ll get you out of this arena and tend to your needs. You’ve been amazingly brave. Can you try to hang on a few minutes longer?”

Afraid to even attempt speech, she blinked and dipped her head like a bird. Words were beyond her in her current state.

With her in his arms, the fighter leapt from the dais without a sign of impairment from either the wounds he bore or the ordeal he’d gone through to reach her. He strode easily to a position in front of the dignitaries’ box and bowed low to the most elaborately dressed Ganamilian, speaking in rapid syllables that made no sense to Bailey. She assumed it was the local language. She put on her entertainer’s ‘mask’, leaning her head on his shoulder and smiling as if her life depended on it. For all she knew, it might. She saw the male who’d spoken to her in the dungeon the night before smiling and clapping and if he was pleased then she could reasonably infer she’d satisfied whatever completely unknown requirements there’d been for her. Hopefully this was a good sign.

Then the fighter strutted across the arena to an open gate, nodding occasionally to acknowledge the cheers of the crowd. She guessed he was easily seven feet tall and well over three hundred pounds of pure, hard muscle. Being in his arms felt safe to Bailey. “Thank you,” she said as he crossed the threshold and left the arena. “Whatever comes next, I’m grateful to you for rescuing me from the others.”

He made no answer but paused briefly to grab a water flask from a nearby table and hand it to her, although he made no move to set her on her own feet. “You must be parched.”

“They wouldn’t feed me or give me water,” she said, fumbling with the cap. “I was told I had to fast to be ready for today.” She took a deep breath, forced herself to concentrate and stop trembling and managed to unscrew the top. The warm water inside was like nectar on her cracked, sore lips and dry mouth.

Her rescuer uttered a stern warning. “Drink slowly, tiny sips.”

Obeying him was next to impossible, given her raging thirst, but she took another big swallow and paused to ask, “Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you to my tent, in the camp of Duban, my owner. We’ll figure out next steps from there.”

TALINN (BADARI GLADIATORS BOOK THREE) by Veronica Scott

Talinn was a genetically engineered senior soldier in his Badari Warrior pack until unscrupulous laboratory guards faked his death and sold him into slavery in the galaxy’s hinterlands. Purchased by a nomadic warlord and forced to fight in games for the amusement of the crowds, Talinn has endured through sheer strength of will. He sees no possibility of escape but a Badari never gives up until the goddess calls him to the afterlife.

Bailey Kingsmere was a talented and ambitious entertainer on an interstellar cruise liner when her ship was destroyed in an accident. She escaped in a defective cryonic lifepod, which eventually drifted out of the Sectors entirely and crashed on a primitive planet. Superstitious locals decide to place her in the arena as a prize for a lucky gladiator.

Talinn needs only one look to know Bailey is his fated mate. He’ll do whatever it takes to rescue her from the other fighters and claim her as his prize but how can he ensure her safety thereafter? Since he’s not human and has alien reptilian predator DNA which gives him extra capabilities, will Bailey accept him as a mate? And can they ever escape their desperate situation and find a way to freedom? TALINN is the third book in the Badari Gladiators Series and can be read as a standalone. A steamy romance with fated mates this story was initially published in the Claimed Among the Stars Anthology (no longer available), but has been expanded here with an additional 15,000 words.

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VS: There’s also a box set available with all three titles in one! Available wide.

Dec 9 2023

First Meeting: STAR CRUISE SONGBIRD A SciFi Rockstar Romance

VS: STAR CRUISE SONGBIRD was my first rockstar romance – I love to read them and it had finally occurred to me I could write one. I did all kinds of research, including watching several documentaries about rock singers’ tours, which was fun. The majority of the plot takes place on the Nebula Zephyr, my interstellar luxury cruise ship.

The excerpt:

The ship’s AI spoke in his ear. “All Security Officers, I have a situation in the casino observatory level.”

Grant hastened his pace. “I’m right there, responding now. What’s up?”

“There’s an unruly crowd gathering. Passenger Karissa Dawnstar was doing an autograph signing and apparently word has spread.”

“There’s no such event on the calendar for today.” Jake Dilon, head of the ship’s security detail spoke up on the private com.

He sure sounds pissed. Grant paused at the entrance to the casino. The crowd was huge and growing, jostling for position in the line to reach the observatory. The queue snaked between the gaming tables.

“Our passenger and her entourage are alarmed,” the AI said.

“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 entourage.

A cry went up from the front row of fans. A stocky individual Grant recognized from the briefing earlier in the day as Karissa’s manager, glared at him. “What the seven hells do you think you’re doing, pal?”

“Removing this lady from a bad situation before anyone gets hurt,” Grant said. “You’ll be hearing from my boss later about this unauthorized event.”

“It’s fine, Ted,” Karissa said, keeping pace with Grant. “This is out of control, we’ve got kids here and someone might get trampled. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Surprised but relieved she was so sensible; Grant got them both into the gravlift and sealed the portal in the other man’s face.

“Do you mind letting go?” Karissa raised her eyebrows and glanced at his hand on her arm. “Unless I’m under arrest?”

“Sorry.” He released her and allowed himself to drift a little away from her in the silvery antigrav stream. “Someone’s going to be in trouble for this stunt, but not you, unless it was your idea.” He keyed his com to report in. “I’ve got Karissa and we’re on the move.”

“Good work. We’re clearing the casino now,” Jake answered. “A Level is congested, can you take her to my office on level 13 until the situation clears? Then you can escort her to her suite.”

“Will do.” Raising his voice from the nearly inaudible tones the AI utilized for private communications, he addressed his companion. “We’ll have to hang out in my boss’s office for a bit.”

“So I’m in detention?” Tilting her head, she smiled.

“No, of course not, Miss Dawnstar.” Very important passenger, keep the tone congenial. He might not relish this job but it was his employment for now and he couldn’t afford to blow it off over annoyance with a pop star. “This was for your safety and the safety of the other passengers.”

“Just Karissa,” she said. Hands on her hips as she 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 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.”

Depositphotos

STAR CRUISE SONGBIRD by Veronica Scott

This novella was previously released in the Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 anthology. My scifi rockstar romance!

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?

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Have you booked your Star Cruise yet? 14 voyages to choose from!

Dec 2 2023

First Meeting: WINTER SOLSTICE DREAM Romantasy Holiday Romance

I’ve decided to go through my backlist, sharing the first meeting between the two main characters in each book. It’s always fun for me to revisit the books and I hope it will be for you too! Or if you’ve never happened to read a certain book, maybe I can entice you into giving it a try.

Can I tell you a secret? This is one of the books I’ve reread the most from my own backlist. I love the classic Cinderella fairy tale and this novella was inspired by the fairy tale. I have this entire fantasy world of Claddare created and stories to tell in that world but never enough time to get to it. However, the Female Main Character here, Nadelma, is the castle’s cook from The Captive Shifter (which is my other novel so far set in this world) and readers liked her and asked for her story. It’s also my winter holiday story! I will also admit to a mental picture of Navarre from ‘Ladyhawke’ when I wrote an earlier scene with Halvor on his horse…so in short, I love this story.

The excerpt – Halvor is a high born mercenary, come to Azrimar to fight for the king. Nadelma saw him and his people ride in a few days prior to this but they’ve never met. She’s been summoned by the king for a different reason:

Nadelma made a note to herself to find a regiment of suitable toy soldiers as a solstice gift for the boy, who was a great favorite of hers. “Will you be allowed time off to go home?”

“His majesty said I could go for a week if I wanted to.” The boy’s eyes were wide. “He said it would be hard but he and his lady mother would do their best to manage without me.” Chewing on his lip, Tabarus had a furrowed brow as if there were weighty matters on his mind. “I don’t want to leave them with a lack of service. They’re been so nice to me, not like…well, other people.”

“Sending you home to your family for a week would probably make both of them happy,” Nadelma said. “They only have each other and the king’s sister after all, so they want anyone from a large family to be with their kin at the holidays.”

He obviously liked the idea. “What about you?” he asked, with the bluntness of a child. “I’ve never heard you talk about your family.”

Nadelma barely felt the twinge of pain after all these years. “Don’t be worrying about me—the castle is my home and everyone here is my family. I don’t need anywhere else to go.”

Satisfied with her answer, Tabarus rushed ahead to announce her to the royals, dodging someone attempting to leave the chamber and scampering inside, out of view.

Nadelma followed him and ran right into a soldier who was exiting the audience chamber. She nearly fell but his hand on her arm kept her upright.

“Apologies, my lady,” the man said in a deep voice, the syllables accented with the lilt of the Dales. “Are you all right?”

“I’ve got my balance, thank you.” Flustered, she brushed her skirts and dropped a curtsey, realizing the man she’d collided with was the Dales lord, Halvor himself. “I believe I was the one at fault, sir.”

He laughed but kindly. “We’ll call it a draw.” Now he released her arm, nodded pleasantly and joined his waiting companion in the hall beyond.

Nadelma had to work hard not to pivot and stare at him as he walked away. He was a big man, even more massive than he’d appeared on the giant warhorse the other day, although his touch had been gentle, only enough to keep her on her feet. He’d smelled deliciously of man and forest greenery and a hint of musk and unaccountably she’d wished to move closer to him, not to retreat. Now she’d seen his face without the obscuring helm, she found him as handsome as she’d expected and his brown eyes were piercing in their intensity. The day old stubble served to emphasize the strong lines of his face and his sandy blond hair was cropped close, the better to accommodate his helmet no doubt.

VS: Don’t worry – they meet again soon…

WINTER SOLSTICE DREAM: A MAGIC OF CLADDARE NOVELLA

Torn from her home in the Dales as a child, Nadelma has made a place for herself as the head cook in the Witch Queen of Azrimar’s castle. She stays in the background of the busy court and uses her gentle magic gifts sparingly to help others. More or less content, she’s made peace with the hard facts of her life. Romance, marriage, a family – all beyond her dreams any longer.

Then Halvor, an ambitious Dales lord rides into the city, bringing his mercenaries to serve the king, with the promise of a rich reward, including a title and an estate. The only catch? He has to marry a highborn Azrimaran noblewoman to seal the treaty.
Fate conspires to throw Nadelma and Halvor into each other’s company and the attraction is instant and deep but both resist the attraction. She knows she can never have him for herself. He must fulfill the treaty to secure a safe place for his people to live, since their holding in the Dales was destroyed by the black magic of the Shadow. Marriage to a noble damsel of the king’s choice is his fate.

Until he met Nadelma he thought his heart was frozen by the loss of all he cared for, back in the Dales. Now he knows better but his people must come first.

The situation is hopeless…or is it? For the king declares the city will celebrate Winter Solstice and hold a ball, where wishes and dreams just might come true.

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Nov 25 2023

First Meeting: STAR SURVIVOR #SciFi Romance

This week I’m doing STAR SURVIVOR, which is a sequel to my “Titanic in Space” novel WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM. Readers really wanted to know what happened to the secondary characters Twilka and Khevan after the events in WRECK. (So there are some spoilers for WRECK obviously.) The couple were together when WRECK ended but as we learn in this book, subsequently Khevan deserted Twilka to return to the service of the alien goddess of flames whom he served. Twilka has done her best to pick up the pieces and embark on a new life…when Khevan reappears.

The excerpt:

She’d known it was a mistake to agree to venture out of her cabin, much less to go to the casino, but her companions had been begging her to join them on this final night of the cruise. A woman couldn’t concentrate on business all the time, could she? Not even to avoid unpleasant realities. A migraine nagged above her eye, threatening to become full blown, and the loud thumping music in the casino aggravated the pain. Twilka Zabour paused at the entrance to the private, high stakes gaming area and froze.

Oh, yes, a major flashback was inevitable now. Not just because the lights and the music and the crowd were reminding her so forcibly of the last night on board the Nebula Dream, but because of the man standing in the center of a largely female, laughing group of passengers. He stood with his back to her, thank the lords, and all she could see were his broad shoulders and that glossy, unbound mane of hair, but the high roller running the table was a D’nvannae Brother.

Khevan.

The memories were a physical pain in her gut as the room spun around her.

“Drink. I need a drink,” she said, grabbing at the glasses balanced on the tray of a passing server. She didn’t care what they were, nor was she displeased to find the goblets contained two completely different feelgoods. Even as the waiter exclaimed in annoyance and her own companions exchanged astonished glances, she shoved the now empty glasses at the man, snatched a third from his tray, swirls of orange and green froth, and sauntered forward. Twilka headed to the table with a casualness she in no way felt, her nerves taut as a bowstring, her pulse pounding. The migraine took hold with a vengeance now, fueled by tension and the feelgoods. At least she’d worn a killer dress.

“Twenty thousand on the red,” she said, having seen his bet and choosing the opposite. “I’ll spin.” Sipping the abominable, too sweet concoction, she leaned over to spin the retro wheel, giving the room a full view of her cleavage, accented with perfume dust and temporary diamond-studded tattoos.

There was a growing silence around the table. She didn’t think the onlookers knew who he was—had been—to her. She was famous, her face appearing everywhere as the embodiment of her brand, but he was just a D’nvannae. In reality, Khevan could never be dismissed as “just” anything, could he? Her companions had caught up to her, Lissa and Jord standing at her side, slightly behind. Tossing her hair, she raised her glass as the croupier proclaimed her win. “Again.” She leaned over and licked Jord’s ear, caressing the outline with her tongue as sensuously as she could manage in her highly fraught state of mind. She’d taken him by surprise, but he played along, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her close, turning so her hip curved into his crotch, spilling the drink a bit as he nuzzled her neck.

“The lady wins again,” said the dealer.

“Your lucky night,” Khevan said, inclining his head to her slightly.

Lords, his voice was as deep and sensuous as ever. Twilka grabbed the table rail with her free hand. Did he know who she was? Of course he did, but the bastard was pretending not to recognize her. “Available for contract, I see.”

“Technically true, but traveling to an outlying temple for a required ritual,” he said. His handsome, tattooed face gave nothing away. “There would have to be an emergency for me to take a contract tonight.”

“Did you want to let the bet ride?” asked the croupier.

“No,” she said abruptly. “I don’t tempt fate too far any more. Cash me out.” Sick of the game, barely able to see for the lightning flashes in her field of vision caused by the migraine, she abandoned her drink and took Jord’s arm. “I think we’ve wasted enough time here, don’t you?” Beaming at Lissa, she added, “Let’s go to the cabin and start the party again.”

She stumbled ever so slightly as she spun around. Jord kept her upright and they walked away. “What the seven hells were you doing?” he asked in a low voice. “Did you know that guy?”

“It was him, wasn’t it?” High pitched and excited, Lissa’s tone betrayed her fascination. “Your D’nvannae?”

“Not mine, never mine,” she said, biting her lip as too much of the truth slipped out. Fearing he was watching her, dreading that he wasn’t, she kept walking until she’d put enough distance between herself and the high stakes area not to be seen.

STAR SURVIVOR

The survivors of a terrible wreck meet again—but this time only one can survive.

The long-awaited sequel to The Wreck of the Nebula Dream…

They survived an iconic spaceship wreck together. She never expected to see him again … especially not armed to kill her.

Twilka Zabour is an interstellar celebrity. She built on her notoriety as a carefree Socialite who survived the terrible wreck of the Nebula Dream, and launched a successful design house. But now the man who gave meaning to her life, then left her, is back–this time for the worst of reasons. Will he kill her … or help her survive?

D’nvannae Brother Khevan survived the Nebula Dream in the company of a lovely, warm woman, only to be pulled away from her, back into his solitary life in the service of the Red Lady. Now Twilka’s within his reach again–for all the wrong reasons. Khevan will do everything within his power to discover why Twilka has been targeted for assassination, and to save her.

But Khevan is not Twilka’s only pursuer. Will allies Nick and Mara Jameson arrive in time to aid the couple, or will Khevan and Twilka’s ingenuity be all that stands between them and death?

Nov 18 2023

First Meeting: STAR CRUISE MYSTERY DANCER SciFi Romance Take on Anastasia

I took on the challenge of trying to retell the legend of the lost Grand Duchess Anastasia and whether she had survived or not, and recast it as a scifi romance, set in the far future on my Nebula Zephyr luxury cruise liner.

The excerpt: Liam is a security officer on the ship, attending the planetside auditions for new dancers for the Comettes troup. He was a judge and is now signing on the chosen dancers. Tassia is desperate for a way off the planet as there are assassins on her trail and has successfully auditioned for the shipboard dance troupe.

Liam made quick work of the new employee processing. The girls were tired but excited and several attempted to flirt with him as he checked their travel papers, guild memberships and the like. He stayed politely distant, in professional mode. Most had worked a cruise liner before so they knew what he needed and supplied the information without prompting.

When Tassia came to sit in the chair across the table from him, she sat straight backed, outwardly serene and composed.

“Congratulations,” he said. “Tough process the Comettes management put you through today. I was pulling for you.”

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity.” She brought out the folder with her papers, which she retrieved from a ratty backpack across the room in a pile where all the other girls had stacked their bags.

He raised his eyebrows a bit. “Actual paper? Haven’t seen this in a long time.”

“It’s all in order and has the proper holo seal.” She tapped one finger on the spot. She watched him, her amazing blue-and-copper colored eyes wide. He had the feeling deep inside she was terrified, and he wished he could reassure her.

Liam examined the documents once and then a second time. On the surface they appeared fine. The Sectors allowed for identification to be presented in all forms as long as the required holos were present. Some star systems were less technically advanced than others. Others had religious reasons for presenting ID one way versus another. But all his well-honed instincts from years in the military and working security details told him these were fake papers, this woman was in a lot of trouble, and he probably had no business allowing her onto the Nebula Zephyr.

Now is not the time to react to this woman. But he was, despite his misgivings. He’d admired her pluck all day, dancing in that worn, threadbare garment in the midst of the peacock finery of the other professional dancers, not to mention her obvious gifts as a dancer. To buy himself time to think, he asked, “No guild card?”

“Is one required?”

He heard the slightest hint of a tremor in the question. “I believe you can acquire a card on the ship.” He raised his voice. “Director Cartajj? Question?”

Walking as gracefully as any of her decades-younger dancers, she came to where he and Tassia sat. “Yes?”

“Does she need a guild card?”

“I can issue you one,” Riall said, glancing at Tassia. “It’s not a problem. Since we have a private moment, I wanted to let you know I expect to upgrade you from alternate shortly, once you’ve learned our routines. We run two full casts, with three swing girls and, while I don’t experience much turnover, there is the occasional vacancy.” Lowering her voice and bending over the table, she said, “I believe there might be at least one girl leaving us at the next planetfall, going to be married, so I’m thinking ahead.”

“Thank you for taking a chance on me at all,” Tassia said.

“Your solo was magnificent, even if not in our style of dancing. Clearly, you’ve been well trained. I’ll have to consider where we might be able to use you as a featured performer eventually, assuming you can pick up enough of what we require for showmanship. Have you ever done antigrav aerial work?”

Tassia shook her head and the beautiful curtain of shining black hair moved like liquid silk over her shoulders, catching Liam’s attention again. “I have not, sorry to say, but I’m willing to learn, of course.”

Driven by an impulse he didn’t stop to question, Liam asked, “Are you allowed to do a salary advance, Madame?”

The director didn’t miss a beat. “Yes, of course. I’ll make sure the ship’s account shows a week advance. Now if there’s nothing else, I should be conferring with my staff about rehearsal plans. Will we be leaving soon, Liam?”

“Almost done.” He grinned and made a few entries in his data pad.

“Thank you again,” Tassia said as the director walked away. She bit her lip. “I—I am rather tapped out for credits, and I’ll probably have to buy new workout clothes on the ship.”

“No problem, just routine.” He was lying, but he didn’t want to embarrass her. She looked flat broke and starved to him. He assumed the director had seen the same picture since she agreed so rapidly to the unusual wage advance. Employees ate as many free meals as they wanted on the Nebula Zephyr, food available at all hours due to the many shifts running in different departments, so this Tassia Megg girl certainly wouldn’t go hungry, but he suspected she might need other things long before the first paycheck credit would have been issued.

Tassia lingered, surprising him. “Could I ask one more favor? Could I possibly travel to the ship with all of you now? I don’t have anything else to pack before I go and no one to say goodbye to. It’d be easier for me to take a shuttle now.”

Taken by surprise, he said, “There’s no rule against it. We do have room today. Sure, why not?” He rose, closing his datapad, and addressed the small group waiting for him. “All through. We can leave anytime you’re ready, ladies.”

“I’ll get my things,” Tassia said, “Please don’t leave without me.”

Princess or Imposter? Depositphotos

STAR CRUISE MYSTERY DANCER by Veronica Scott

First published in the Embrace the Passion: Pets in Space 3 anthology…

Tassia Megg is a woman on the run after the death of her elderly guardian. She needs to get off the planet in a hurry when chance directs her to an open dance audition for the luxury cruise liner Nebula Zephyr’s resident troupe. One thing Tassia can do is dance.

Security Officer Liam Austin is suspicious of the newest performer to join the Comettes. She shows all the signs of being a woman on the run and seems to fit the Sectors-wide broadcast description of a missing thief, accused of stealing priceless artifacts. As he gets to know Tassia during the cruise, he starts to wonder if she’s something more – a long vanished princess in hiding from deadly political enemies of her family perhaps?

And what’s the story with the three eyed feline companion other crew members swear Tassia brought aboard the ship? Does the animal even exist?

As the ship approaches its next port of call, all the issues come to a boil and Liam must decide if he’ll step in to help Tassia or betray her. F’rrh the alien cat is the key to the mystery and Tassia’s fate.

A science fiction romance take on the Anastasia tale…

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Nov 4 2023

First Meeting Snippet: “Groundhog Day in Space” STAR CRUISE TIME LOOP

I’ve decided to change up these weekly snippets and go through my backlist, sharing the first meeting between the two main characters in each book. I’m going roughly in the order of first publication. It’s always fun for me to revisit the books and I hope it will be for you too! Or if you’ve never happened to read a certain book, maybe I can entice you into giving it a try.

I love “Groundhog Day” style time loop romances and it finally occured to me I should write my own! I had to do more advance plotting than I usually do in order to have enough elements for the time loop to repeat and be interesting as the female main character begins to unravel the day she’s living through over and over and works to change the outcome.

And who can resist the idea of an alien “turtle” pet who can leave his shell?

The excerpt – oh, did I mention there’s a big budget futuristic ‘movie’ being filmed on the interstellar cruise ship? Raelyn won a crew contest for a bit part and when she reports to the ‘beach deck’ set, she meets Kev, the main male character:

Three people in a row ignored her before she snagged a fourth person by the sleeve and hung on. “Please, I need to know where to go.” After blurting out her frantic request, she focused a bit more on the man she’d waylaid. He was over six feet tall, more handsome than anyone had a right to be, with sandy blond hair and dressed in what looked at first glance like a flight crew uniform. The logo was the fictional cruise line’s emblem, however, and the officers of Raelyn’s ship didn’t wear their shirts unbuttoned to the navel to show off eight pack abs. Realizing she was staring, she raised her eyes to his face. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“No problem.” His voice was deep and the sound curled around her, leaving her wanting to hear him say more. Anything would do, although intimate nothings would be great. Raelyn realized he was staring at her with a grin as she daydreamed yet again. “First time on a set? It can be confusing.” His voice was kindly but amused.

“I—I won a crew contest to do a walk on part today,” she said.

“Didn’t anyone tell you who to report to?” Without waiting for her answer, he took her hand and led her around the frantic activity to a smaller group off to the side. “The AD is your best bet. Assistant Director Pete Hinklin to you.”

Hearing his name, a short, rotund younger man turned with a frown. Stabbing a finger at the man accompanying Raelyn, he said, “Kev? You’re supposed to be in makeup right now, not escorting visitors.”

“She’s a bit player for this afternoon’s scenes.” The actor relinquished her hand, much to Raelyn’s regret. “Pete’ll take care of you. I have to run.”

“Thank you,” Raelyn called out after him.

“And you are?” The AD was scanning a handheld. “Sivala Amson?”

Confused to hear another stewardess’s name, Raelyn shook her head. “No, I’m Raelyn Cantorini. I won the crew contest to be in a scene with Mr. Strongson? I memorized my lines.”

“Good for you.” Pete remained grumpy and was clearly unimpressed by her diligence. He didn’t even look up from his device. “Oh, right here you are. Sivala’s already in makeup. You’re late.”

She bit her tongue, not wanting to argue and still puzzled as to why another crew member was present. No one had said anything about more than one winner of the contest. “Where should I be?”

“Costume first.” The AD took her by the elbow and walked her across the sand to a large tent. Inside the activity was nonstop, with men and women being fitted in uniforms and beach attire. Pete handed her off to someone else. “Get her to makeup pronto,” he said, “And then have them bring her to the set. Strongson isn’t here yet but when he does arrive we can’t keep him waiting.”

“Yes, Mr. Hinklin.” The assistant costumer was all deference. As he bustled away she fired questions at Raelyn. “Size? Measurements?”

Dutifully she supplied the information, although the woman, who didn’t identify herself also ran a handheld scan over her. “Hmm, a truth teller,” the costumer said with a chuckle. “I can tell you’re not in the business.” Quickly plundering a nearby rack of uniform pieces, she gave an armful to Raelyn. “Dressing rooms over there. Keep your own underwear since we aren’t doing a period piece, thank the Lords of Space. The stuff they used to wear in the early days—impossible to get comfortable! There’ll be shoes in the cubicle in various sizes.”

When she was decked out in her new uniform, Raelyn had to chuckle. The colors were on the garish side, pink and vivid lavender, with gold piping on the seams. All the seams. “As if I was an admiral.” The faux logo was perfectly positioned to call attention to her chest and couldn’t be moved. The bodice laced up and enhanced her décolletage while the skimpy jacket pulled at her arms and didn’t do much to hide the cleavage created by the rest of the ‘uniform’.

“I could never do my job in this getup,” she said to the costumer as she emerged from the dressing room. “No offense.”

“None taken. We’re not filming a documentary or a drama. Well, not a serious drama.” The girl laughed. “Spy jinks, I heard Mr. Strongson say once but don’t repeat that.”

STAR CRUISE TIME LOOP

Raelyn Cantorini, senior stewardess on the interstellar cruise ship Nebula Zephyr thinks the alien artifact she bought on the last planet the ship visited was just a pretty glass orb…until her pet Eyn knocked the ornament off a table, shattering it and sending her into an infinitely repeating time loop. Stuck reliving the same day over and over, Raelyn has only hours to try to save the ship and everyone on board from dying in a terrible catastrophe. As she tries to solve the mystery of what happens to the ship right before midnight each time the day repeats, Raelyn meets Kev Gordonn, the former Special Forces soldier turned actor and finds herself falling in love with him. Each time the day repeats, she learns more about him while he has no memory of her. Can she persuade him they’ve met before? Will he trust her enough to help stop the Nebula Zephyr’s destruction? And if they do save the ship, will that reset time for Raelyn? This is a lightly edited rerelease of my novella from the Pets in Space 6 anthology. No new material has been added.

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Oct 28 2023

First Meeting Snippet: STAR CRUISE IDOL’S CURSE

This one was fun to write – I took off from the concept of bad luck following a person who takes a rock from a volcanic beach, a national park or other place where it’s forbidden to take souvenirs and I did a lot of research into the subject. I was particuarly fascinated by the burden this places pn park rangers, who receive so many of these souvenirs back after the tourist has had truly awful luck. I thoguht what if the rock in question was actually part of ancient idol and all it wanted was to go home?

The Nebula Zephyr’s cruise director is assigned to return such a rock for a deceased passenger…

The excerpt: Here’s the first meeting in the book between Juli and Third Officer Steve. After picking up the rock from a lawyer’s office on the planet, Juli’s car has broken down.

A groundcar swerved smoothly into the emergency lane and came up behind her. She prepared to tactfully refuse whatever offer of help the driver might make but to her complete astonishment, Third Officer Steve Aureli got out of the driver’s seat. He was in civvies rather than the CLC uniform but looked as tall, broad shouldered and handsome as ever. She was rendered speechless by the unforeseen arrival of the one man she most wanted to see and the tension left her body in a rush.

“Juli? I thought I recognized you—what’s the problem?” He gave the smoking car the side-eye as he walked to join her.

“I’m glad to see you,” she said. “What a coincidence. I had Ship’s business to take care of in the city business district so I picked up a CLC car at the spaceport but it’s sure turned out to be a clunker.”

“Heading back to the spaceport?”

“Yes, although I’ve missed the shuttle to the ship by now.” Juli winced as a few droplets from the sky hit her cheeks. “Oh wonderful, and now it’s going to rain.”

“We can give you a ride,” he offered. “The side of this road isn’t a good place for you to be stranded, especially with a storm coming.”

A gust of cold wind buffeted her to emphasize his remark and she shivered. What happened to the hot sun of just a few hours ago? Peering at his sporty groundcar, she hesitated. “I don’t want to be a bother or ruin your date.”

He laughed. “No bother and it’s not a date. Remember I told you my aunt Dian was going to be a passenger on the next leg of the cruise? I picked her up this afternoon and I also have the use of the captain’s personal shuttle, so I can take you all the way to the Zephyr with us. Plenty of room in this rented car of mine.”

“Say no more, I’ll be thrilled to accept your help then. Let me grab my purse.” Heart unaccountably lighter because he wasn’t on a date, Juli fished her possessions out of the car, and went to climb in the backseat of his racy red vehicle, as he held the door for her. Hope never dies, I guess. Oh, Juli, get over this mad crush. Angry at herself for her racing pulse and the effect this man invariably had on her, she stumbled and Steve steadied her with one big hand. Her body tingled a little at the physical contact.

“I’m Steve’s Aunt Dian,” said the lady in the front seat, swiveling to study Juli. She extended her gloved hand.

Juli tried not to stare. Dian was elderly but wearing full, expertly applied makeup and her syntho hair was coiffed into a confection of pink and blond a trideo star might admire, accented with a glittery star-shaped barrette. Her pink and cream woven suit was by a high end fashion designer, or else a very good knockoff and she presented an altogether glamorous and retro picture. This is practical, stoic Steve’s aunt? Juli detected no family resemblance although of course that didn’t mean much. “I’m so happy to meet you and glad you’ll be sailing with us.”

Next instant, a barking ball of golden brown fur sailed over the seat, landing in Juli’s lap with a thud. With a startled scream she tried to fend off the pet, which fortunately seemed intent on getting into her purse, rather than actually attacking her personally.

“Charrli, don’t be rude,” said Dian, snapping her fingers in annoyance. “No one asked you to do a search and destroy mission on Juli’s belongings. Get back here where you belong.”

Hand on the controls, Steve studied Juli. “Do you have a snack in your purse?” he asked. “Charrli’s a real chow hound.”

“What an inelegant way to describe my champion purebred miniature Deskaza dog.” Despite her offended protest, his elderly relative didn’t sound too offended. “I’ll have you know they’re a rare breed.” She snapped her fingers again and the doglike creature made one final attempt to open Juli’s purse before obeying his mistress’s command and returning to the front seat with a sniff. “I apologize for Charrli,” Dian said, cuddling him close so all Juli could see were the tips of his triangular ears and his intense brown eyes peering at her over his owner’s shoulder. “Although I must say you and he are obviously going to be great friends while we’re on your ship.”

Apparently satisfied peace had been restored, Steve put the car smoothly into the traffic flow.

“There’s nothing in my purse attractive to a dog,” Juli said. She reached in with both hands and fished out the scarf-wrapped box holding the rock. “Maybe he likes the smell of the straw in this old basket?”

Charrli wiggled his hindquarters, escaping his mistress’s hold and crouched beside Dian on the seat, growling. His ears flared out wide and Juli tried not to laugh because he really was adorable despite his best efforts to act menacing.

“What is that?” Steve asked, eyes wide as he took in the dilapidated, colorful container. “A souvenir?”

“Someone’s souvenir, not mine.” With a chuckle she put the package away again. “And not from this planet. It was a passenger’s good luck charm, I gather, until it started bringing him bad luck. Or so the story goes. The Line’s been asked to return the thing to Tahumaroa Two and I’m the stuckee.”

“Why doesn’t the owner take it himself?” Steve navigated through the traffic effortlessly but of course he was the Nebula Zephyr’s chief pilot and a former military fighter jockey so even rush hour on an alien planet didn’t faze him.

“He’s dead.” Juli put her hand to her lips and inhaled sharply. “I didn’t mean to sound so dramatic.” Patting her purse, she added, “This had nothing to do with his death, unless the lawyer forgot to fully brief me.”

STAR CRUISE IDOL’S CURSE

An unusual bequest….

Juli Shaeffer, the Nebula Zephyr’s cruise director, receives a mysterious bequest from the estate of a longtime passenger – a lump of rock taken from a reef on the planet Tahumaroa. Legend states anyone who steals from the ocean gods will be cursed. The passenger’s will requests the rock be returned to the beach so his heirs won’t be affected by the bad luck he believed he’d incurred. Juli doesn’t believe in superstitions and she agrees to carry out this small favor on the ship’s next stop at the planet in question.

Until the rock disappears from her office…

When the rock disappears and reappears in various locations around the ship, and seems connected to a steadily escalating series of mishaps, Juli turns to Third Officer Steve Aureli as the only one she feels she can trust. Along with Steve and his elderly Aunt Dian – a passenger aboard the Nebula Zephyr for this cruise – she investigates the strange series of malfunctions plaguing the interstellar luxury liner. Steve and Juli enlist his Aunt Dian’s dog, Charrli, a retired Sectors Z Corps canine, to help them track the missing rock as it moves about the ship.

Juli and Steve must find the rock, hang onto it and transport it to the planet’s surface, before the alien idol’s curse turns deadly. The attraction between the two of them grows as the threat to Juli becomes more and more focused. Can she carry out her task while he keeps her safe from the alien curse? Will the capricious alien idol bring them good fortune…or disaster?

This is a re-release of the 42,000+ word novel I included in the Pets in Space® 4 anthology, which is no longer available. No revisions or additions have been made to the original novel for this re-release. I have also now included a 4,000 word prequel story Butterfly Hair, in which the diva Azlaya arrives on board the Nebula Zephyr. This short story was a free reader magnet available only in the time before the anthology was originally published.

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Oct 21 2023

First Meeting Snippet: STAR CRUISE MAROONED

For this next Star Cruise book, STAR CRUISE MAROONED, the action takes place on a planet and the time frame is actually before the couple came to work on the Nebula Zephyr. This was one of my best selling book of all time….when the book opens obviously they’ve already met, since they’ve been working on the same ship, but this is their first conversation in this novel. The couple are aboard the ship’s shuttle, taking a group of passengers to the planet’s surface for a carefree afternoon.

The excerpt:

Meg retreated to the galley, where she found the only other crew member besides the pilot.

“Passengers all happy now?” he asked, raising one eyebrow.

“I don’t think this bunch is ever happy,” she said. “You’ll find generational billionaires rarely are, when you’ve done more of these private charters. But at least I’ve supplied them with feelgoods.” She slid the drink tray into the chiller. “Did you need something?”

Simon ‘Red’ Thomsill held up his hands in mock surrender. “I know, this is your territory and I shouldn’t be here, Guild rules. But the pilot wanted coffee.”

Hands on her hips, Meg smothered an impatient sigh. “First of all, he should have buzzed me for it, and secondly, he knows perfectly well only guests are entitled to genuine Terran coffee.”

“Wow, are you this dedicated to rules all the time?” He leaned against the emergency portal and studied her, one eyebrow raised as if he might be trying to tease her.

Two internal call signals pinged, one right after the other. From the cabin, she heard female passengers swearing at each other. She straightened her tunic as if gathering determination, and headed out to mediate whatever the problem was now. “No tip is going to be big enough,” she said under her breath. Pausing on the threshold, she glanced at Red. “I’m responsible for the coffee inventory on this shuttle, and it comes out of my pay if the weight is short.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Yeah, there’s a lot you don’t know, rookie. But Drewson does. The synth stuff crew members drink is over there.” Pointing at the proper carafe, she left the galley as more voices joined the clamor in the passenger section.

One of the scantily clad women had spilled her beverage all over another’s ample cleavage, staining both the woman’s skin and skimpy bikini top. The agressor was pulling the other’s hair and screaming insults, while her victim tried to land some blows anywhere she could reach. The primary guest laughed and made bets with the two men seated next to him, wagering on which woman would prevail.

Meg waded into the fray. “Ladies, please, we’re about to land. You’re required to be in your seats before we can make our final approach.” She caught the second woman’s elbow. Modulating her voice to a soothing tone, Meg said, “I can remove the stain, Ma’am, no problem.”

The women paused in their altercation, gazing beyond her with wide eyes. A moment later, both fluffed their hair.

Without turning, Meg knew Red had followed her. She’d observed his effect on females more than once already on this cruise. Something about his 6’4” height, the heavily muscled biceps, the chiseled features, the sparkling green eyes…Well, okay, to be honest, he had the same effect on her, but she wasn’t about to let him know. Been there, done that with a tempting crewman or two on her early tours. Crew romances were nothing but trouble when the first attraction inevitably flamed out.

Although Red was more tempting than anyone she’d met in a long time.

“Second Officer Drewson asked me to come and make sure the accommodations and the service are satisfactory,” he said, his voice deep and slow.

“Oh, yes, we’re fine.” The girl with the stained top brushed at her skin, accentuating her ample chest with the gesture, and smiled as if she hadn’t been screeching obscenities a moment prior.

“So nice of you.” The other batted her three eyes at Red, green lashes sweeping her cheeks. She held out her arm. “I think I might have a scratch.”

“I’ll get the medkit while Miss Antille helps Sharmali,” he said, leaning close to inspect the tiny red mark on the passenger’s creamy skin.

“Fine.” Meg was pissed and she planned to let him know it. What the seven hells did he think he was doing, interfering with her care for her passengers? He was crew, not service. She wasn’t the rookie here. Following Sharmali to her seat, Meg drew the cleaning pod from her belt and passed it a few inches above the woman’s skin and the orange and purple fabric of the bikini top. The pod hummed and the stains lifted in a rain of reverse droplets, absorbed into the cleaner, leaving no trace.

STAR CRUISE MAROONED

Note: This is the first in the series chronologically although each book is a standalone and can be read in any order. This book tells the story of how Red and Meg met before they came to be aboard the Nebula Zephyr.

Meg Antille works long hours on the charter cruise ship Far Horizon so she can send credits home to her family. Working hard to earn a promotion to a better post (and better pay), Meg has no time for romance.

Former Special Forces soldier Red Thomsill only took the berth on the Far Horizon in hopes of getting to know Meg better, but so far she’s kept him at a polite distance. A scheduled stopover on the idyllic beach of a nature preserve planet may be his last chance to impress the girl.

But when one of the passengers is attacked by a wild animal it becomes clear that conditions on the lushly forested Dantaralon aren’t as advertised – the ranger station is deserted, the defensive perimeter is down…and then the Far Horizon’s shuttle abruptly leaves without any of them.

Marooned on the dangerous outback world, romance is the least of their concerns, and yet Meg and Red cannot help being drawn to each other once they see how well they work together. But can they survive long enough to see their romance through? Or will the wild alien planet defeat them, ending their romance and their lives before anything can really begin?

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