Tag Archives: #8Sunday

Oct 22 2022

I Could Give You a Good Price Weekend Writing Warriors

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!)

I’m now taking excerpts from my recently published book in the award winning Badari Warriors series, REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS. It can be read as a standalone (mild spoilers for first book, REEDE.)

Continuing with Fallyn’s quest to buy a used spaceship…

The excerpt:

A man emerged from the office, sizing her up as he walked over to where she stood.

“Afternoon,” he said with a nod. “Looking for a ship?”

Fallyn bit back her first sarcastic response. It wouldn’t do her any good to take her frustrations out on the salesman. “I cashed out of the military earlier today and yeah, I need some wings.”

“Going to set up as a mercenary? We get a lot of ex-military through here with that intention. Which branch were you?”

“Survey scout,” she said. “I figured the hired gun business was probably my best bet. I’m not ready to settle down and be a colonist farmer on the border.” Although I could see myself on Ushandirr someday, with Reede. A pang ran through her at the wistful thought and she shoved it away. Focus on the business at hand, Fallyn.

He rubbed his chin and she heard his palm scrape over the bristles of his five o’clock shadow.  “We don’t have much inventory in that category right now. If you were buying for a team, I’ve got three bigger ships.”

“Nope, going solo for now, although I’d like to be able to carry a couple of passengers if necessary. No cargo hauling.” Fallyn suppressed a shudder. The dealer at the second lot had been determined to offload an old freighter on her and he’d been unpleasantly persistent.

“Now, I do have one recent trade in on the lot which might interest you,” the salesman in front of her said with a cheery grin. “We just took her in, so other than certifying the basic systems and the engine work, we haven’t done any refurbishment or enhancement. I could give you a good price if you take it as-is.”

Without much hope, Fallyn gestured toward the ships parked in the giant lot stretching behind the small office and garage complex. “Lead on.”

VS: More next week…

REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL (SECTORS NEW ALLIES SERIES BOOK 15) by Veronica Scott

Reede’s people sent him to the Sectors on a desperate mission to beg for help against overwhelming odds in their battle to destroy the alien scientists who created them centuries ago. He knew the task wasn’t going to be easy but as a Badari Warrior, he vowed to do his best. When he’s arrested by the border patrol and thrown in the brig, things go from bad to worse. He faces difficult choices ahead and unimaginable obstacles to making his case to the authorities for help.

Fallyn is Reede’s human fated mate but also the active duty military scout who guided him to the Sectors from his own planet. Reede’s choices after his arrest put her in a difficult spot and his actions threaten their mate bond. Will she give up her career to help him and the Badari succeed in making a treaty with the Sectors?

The desperate attempt to find new allies takes Reede and Fallyn on a wild set of adventures across the sprawling interstellar Sectors civilization and places them, their friends and their love in harm’s way.

Amazon     Apple Books     Nook     Kobo     GooglePlay

Oct 8 2022

What Have You Gotten Us Into Weekend Writing Warriors

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!)

I’m now taking excerpts from my recently published book in the award winning Badari Warriors series, REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS. It can be read as a standalone (mild spoilers for first book, REEDE.)

I’ve moved on a bit in the novel and Reede and his friend Walt are on the run.

The excerpt:

There was a complicated sequence of knocks on the portal to signal the person waiting was indeed Walt and the door slid aside. He stepped into the room, took in Reede’s battle ready stance with approval and said, “We’ll be leaving in five minutes. I found us a way off the planet tonight but you’re not going to like it.”

Holstering his blaster, Reede was a mix of curiosity and dread. “What have you gotten us into now?”

“The much esteemed society of pirates,” Walt said, crossing to the refresher room and closing the door. He could be heard plainly through the thin veneer of the panel.  “We’ve signed onto a ship with a job and unless we want to miss our ride, we have to go now. Trust me, they won’t wait, even if their captain was shorthanded enough to take on two unknown freelancers.” Drying his hands he came into the main room. “I used some of the contacts and backstory Gabe provided me as a fake identity in case we ever needed one. Convinced the captain to hire us. Of course it helped he’s in too much of a time crunch to do any reference checking.”

“Pirates?”  Reede was attempting to take it in, wondering if Walt had taken leave of his senses and was making a bad joke.

“Sure. I mean, the Sectors already have you pegged as a raider, so why not add piracy?” Walt’s answer was light hearted but the look he gave Reede was dead serious. “Listen, you’re a fugitive, a wanted man with a helluva big bounty on his head—I checked—the fake ID I bought for you is pretty thin—and you’re easy to identify with your trideo star worthy face and being so damn tall. The chance you can get off this planet in any legitimate fashion is nil. Our new ride is parked at the edge of the spaceport, the captain has vouched for you and me to the authorities, and we’ll never be coming back here. We’re working for shares. Actually we’re splitting a share.” Walt grimaced. “I wasn’t in the best negotiating position but our military training impressed him. Ready?”

“A share of what exactly?” Reede asked. “What kind of job is he planning? I won’t be a party to harming innocent civilians, no matter what the Sectors thinks of me. I have to maintain the Great Mother’s commandments so I can face her with honor in the afterlife.”

REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL (SECTORS NEW ALLIES SERIES BOOK 15) by Veronica Scott

Reede’s people sent him to the Sectors on a desperate mission to beg for help against overwhelming odds in their battle to destroy the alien scientists who created them centuries ago. He knew the task wasn’t going to be easy but as a Badari Warrior, he vowed to do his best. When he’s arrested by the border patrol and thrown in the brig, things go from bad to worse. He faces difficult choices ahead and unimaginable obstacles to making his case to the authorities for help.

Fallyn is Reede’s human fated mate but also the active duty military scout who guided him to the Sectors from his own planet. Reede’s choices after his arrest put her in a difficult spot and his actions threaten their mate bond. Will she give up her career to help him and the Badari succeed in making a treaty with the Sectors?

The desperate attempt to find new allies takes Reede and Fallyn on a wild set of adventures across the sprawling interstellar Sectors civilization and places them, their friends and their love in harm’s way.

Amazon     Apple Books     Nook     Kobo     GooglePlay

Oct 1 2022

Don’t Waste My Time Weekend Writing Warriors

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!)

I’m now taking excerpts from my recently published book in the award winning Badari Warriors series, REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS. It can be read as a standalone (mild spoilers for first book, REEDE.)

The excerpt: I’ve gone a short way into the book, when Reede’s ship has been intercepted by a Sectors Border Patrol vessel. Fallyn Damara is Reede’s human mate and a Sectors Survey Scout. The not so warm welcome-to-the-Sectors continues. Reede and Walt are in a guarded conference room and Fallyn is meeting the captain of the ship they’re on. Suddenly the captain receives a message, terminates his interview with Fallyn and…

The captain strode away, moving fast as if eager to accomplish a task, and the others fell into formation behind him. Fallyn ended up in the center of the guards, as before, and as she proceeded to move through the decks toward the room where Reede and Walt waited, she tried to send her mate a pulse through the mate bond. She was much better at it than she had been but not being a naturally psychic individual, she could only transmit fairly blunt emotions.

Hoping Reede would get the right message, she tried to convey her general unease.

Fallyn’s concern ratcheted up immensely when they reached the area of the conference room and she found a second squad of armed men and women waiting for them. Heedless of military protocol, she sped up and touched the captain’s sleeve. “Sir, why all the security?”

“You’ll see, Lt Damara. No one’s going to get hurt, I give you my word.”

Distrusting his repressed air of excitement, she could only stand back as the door was opened and the first group of soldiers entered, deploying as if breaching an enemy stronghold. The captain motioned for her to precede him and as she entered the conference room, relief flooded over her to find Reede sitting calmly in his chair, unharmed. Walt had risen and moved to stand beside Reede as if to be a bodyguard. The security forces tracked his movement with their hot weapons.

“You’re under arrest for crimes against the Sectors,” Captain Ballard said to Reede, facing him across the table. “No more of this bullshit about being an ambassador and begging for help. Don’t waste my time.”

VS: Next week I’ll probably skip ahead to another scene because it would get spoiler-y otherwise.

REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL (SECTORS NEW ALLIES SERIES BOOK 15) by Veronica Scott

Reede’s people sent him to the Sectors on a desperate mission to beg for help against overwhelming odds in their battle to destroy the alien scientists who created them centuries ago. He knew the task wasn’t going to be easy but as a Badari Warrior, he vowed to do his best. When he’s arrested by the border patrol and thrown in the brig, things go from bad to worse. He faces difficult choices ahead and unimaginable obstacles to making his case to the authorities for help.

Fallyn is Reede’s human fated mate but also the active duty military scout who guided him to the Sectors from his own planet. Reede’s choices after his arrest put her in a difficult spot and his actions threaten their mate bond. Will she give up her career to help him and the Badari succeed in making a treaty with the Sectors?

The desperate attempt to find new allies takes Reede and Fallyn on a wild set of adventures across the sprawling interstellar Sectors civilization and places them, their friends and their love in harm’s way.

Amazon     Apple Books     Nook     Kobo     GooglePlay

Sep 17 2022

Forgotten How to Report Weekend Writing Warriors

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!)

I’m now taking excerpts from my recently published book in the award winning Badari Warriors series, REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS. It can be read as a standalone (mild spoilers for first book, REEDE.)

The excerpt: I’ve gone a short way into the book, when Reede’s ship has been intercepted by a Sectors Border Patrol vessel. Fallyn Damara is Reede’s human mate and a Sectors Survey Scout. The not so warm welcome-to-the-Sectors continues. Reede and Walt are in a guarded conference room and Fallyn is meeting the captain of the ship they’re on.

“At ease.” The captain didn’t offer her a chair. He dismissed the other officer and as soon as the man was gone, Captain Ballard leaned back in his chair and eyed her. “You’re going to make my career, Lt. Damara, one way and another. Capturing a Chimmer ship is a huge win.”

“The Badari—Envoy Reede’s people—captured the ship, sir and converted it for human use. He’s prepared to donate it to the Sectors as a gesture of goodwill.” She kept her voice level. “They rescued me from the enemy.”

The captain made a dismissive gesture. “Put it all in your report. I’ll be sending notice to Sector Command shortly. I’m expecting orders to alter course and report to the nearest base. Don’t need to keep you and the other soldier on board any longer than necessary. Or this so-called envoy. Tell me about him, about his people.”

“With respect, sir, I think the envoy should be the one to explain.”

Slamming his fist on the desk, the captain said harshly, “You’re a scout, reporting on newly found sentients is part of your job, lieutenant. Tell me about these…Badari. Now. Or have you forgotten how to report properly to a senior officer?”

Fallyn and Reede had discussed what would be shared so reluctantly she launched into a bare bones summary. “The Badari are genetically engineered soldiers, created by a race of scientists known as the Khagrish, under contract to the Chimmer. My understanding is the Mawreg have taken a direct interest in the project but only Chimmer have ever been seen on the planet. The Badari escaped the labs with the help of a human woman, a retired Special Forces operator from the lost Amarcae colony actually, and are currently waging guerilla warfare against the Khagrish. They have no space going capability, aside from the ship I arrived in. They’ve rescued a large number of kidnapped Sectors citizens from the labs and are protecting them as best they can.”

The captain drummed his fingers on the desk. “How many soldiers can these guys deploy in the field?”

VS: And Fallyn is presented with a difficult choice now….more next week!

REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL (SECTORS NEW ALLIES SERIES BOOK 15) by Veronica Scott

Reede’s people sent him to the Sectors on a desperate mission to beg for help against overwhelming odds in their battle to destroy the alien scientists who created them centuries ago. He knew the task wasn’t going to be easy but as a Badari Warrior, he vowed to do his best. When he’s arrested by the border patrol and thrown in the brig, things go from bad to worse. He faces difficult choices ahead and unimaginable obstacles to making his case to the authorities for help.

Fallyn is Reede’s human fated mate but also the active duty military scout who guided him to the Sectors from his own planet. Reede’s choices after his arrest put her in a difficult spot and his actions threaten their mate bond. Will she give up her career to help him and the Badari succeed in making a treaty with the Sectors?

The desperate attempt to find new allies takes Reede and Fallyn on a wild set of adventures across the sprawling interstellar Sectors civilization and places them, their friends and their love in harm’s way.

Amazon     Apple Books     Nook     Kobo     GooglePlay

Sep 10 2022

Work With It Weekend Writing Warriors

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!)

I’m now taking excerpts from my recently published book in the award winning Badari Warriors series, REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS. It can be read as a standalone (mild spoilers for first book, REEDE.)

The excerpt: I’ve gone a short way into the book, when Reede’s ship has been intercepted by a Sectors Border Patrol vessel. Fallyn Damara is Reede’s human mate and a Sectors Survey Scout. The not so warm welcome-to-the-Sectors continues. Reede and Walt are in a guarded conference room and Fallyn is on her way to meet the captain of the ship they’re on.

The Ariadne was a full size battleship, which surprised Fallyn. She didn’t remember ever hearing a whisper of Border Patrol maintaining its own fleet. She marched behind the other lieutenant through crowded corridors and as she went she assessed the crew and the conditions and was impressed. The captain she was going to see ran a tight ship. Fallyn approved. She hoped he’d be reasonable about Reede and his mission. This was only the first step in a long process of obtaining help for the Badari in fighting their mutual enemies. As she ascended the final gravlift to the captain’s wardroom on the bridge level, Fallyn checked the mate bond as best she could and was relieved to find Reede as centered and calm as always.

So he’s not being mistreated or in any danger. On Ushandirr when she’d been arguing with him to become claimed mates, she’d minimized his doubts about the fact she was on active duty. Now she was in the midst of her own kind, Sectors military, and about to report to a superior officer, tendrils of unease began creeping in. If only they’d made it to a regular ship of the line or even better to a base with a unit of her own service.

But she had to work with what she had.

VS Note: It’s not going to go too well for Fallyn…

REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL (SECTORS NEW ALLIES SERIES BOOK 15) by Veronica Scott

Reede’s people sent him to the Sectors on a desperate mission to beg for help against overwhelming odds in their battle to destroy the alien scientists who created them centuries ago. He knew the task wasn’t going to be easy but as a Badari Warrior, he vowed to do his best. When he’s arrested by the border patrol and thrown in the brig, things go from bad to worse. He faces difficult choices ahead and unimaginable obstacles to making his case to the authorities for help.

Fallyn is Reede’s human fated mate but also the active duty military scout who guided him to the Sectors from his own planet. Reede’s choices after his arrest put her in a difficult spot and his actions threaten their mate bond. Will she give up her career to help him and the Badari succeed in making a treaty with the Sectors?

The desperate attempt to find new allies takes Reede and Fallyn on a wild set of adventures across the sprawling interstellar Sectors civilization and places them, their friends and their love in harm’s way.

Amazon     Apple Books     Nook     Kobo     GooglePlay

Aug 27 2022

And You Are Weekend Writing Warriors

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!)

I’m now taking excerpts from my recently published book in the award winning Badari Warriors series, REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS. It can be read as a standalone (mild spoilers for first book, REEDE.)

The excerpt: I’ve gone a short way into the book, when Reede’s ship has been intercepted by a Sectors Border Patrol vessel. Fallyn is Reede’s human mate and a Sectors Survey Scout.

The welcoming party was large and armed, with weapons hot, and he sensed the surprise and dismay among the squad at his appearance. Being seven feet tall and outweighing even the biggest humans by a hundred pounds or so tended to have that effect on most people. More than a few weapons were trained on him specifically. He was sure if he flashed his natural weaponry panic would ensue and people would be hurt. He hoped no one provoked him or endangered his mate.

Fallyn approached the person in charge and saluted. “Lt. Fallyn Damara reporting, sir.”

The other officer looked her over critically. “A bit out of uniform, aren’t you, lieutenant?” The man used a light tone as if to show he was joking, but Reede wasn’t fooled. This person had the gall to show disrespect to Fallyn and his talons pushed to deploy so he could defend his mate. This wasn’t the time or the place, however; she was still on active duty in this military.

The mate bond flashed a bit of tension as Fallyn assumed a parade rest stance and said, “My ship crashed, my partner was killed and I was taken prisoner by the Chimmer allies on the planet, sir.”

“And who are these men?”

Fallyn gestured at Reede. “This is Envoy Reede. His people rescued me and also captured this ship we arrived in.”

Reede joined her and extended his hand to the officer asking all the questions. “And you are?” He added a bit of his enforcer’s power to the courteous question because he was already done with the attitude the other human was displaying.

VS: More next week…

REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS: A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL (SECTORS NEW ALLIES SERIES BOOK 15) by Veronica Scott

Reede’s people sent him to the Sectors on a desperate mission to beg for help against overwhelming odds in their battle to destroy the alien scientists who created them centuries ago. He knew the task wasn’t going to be easy but as a Badari Warrior, he vowed to do his best. When he’s arrested by the border patrol and thrown in the brig, things go from bad to worse. He faces difficult choices ahead and unimaginable obstacles to making his case to the authorities for help.

Fallyn is Reede’s human fated mate but also the active duty military scout who guided him to the Sectors from his own planet. Reede’s choices after his arrest put her in a difficult spot and his actions threaten their mate bond. Will she give up her career to help him and the Badari succeed in making a treaty with the Sectors?

The desperate attempt to find new allies takes Reede and Fallyn on a wild set of adventures across the sprawling interstellar Sectors civilization and places them, their friends and their love in harm’s way.

Amazon     Apple Books     Nook     Kobo     GooglePlay

Aug 19 2022

I Give You My Word Weekend Writing Warriors

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!)

I’m now taking snippets from my third scifi romance gladiator novel TALINN, which recently released in the CLAIMED AMONG THE STARS  charity anthology. This will be the last snippet from TALINN because I’m going to switch to my NEW release REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS.

The excerpt: Talinn and Bailey meet – I’ve jumped ahead so you can have a glimpse of their first meeting. Slightly edited from published version:

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.

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.”

VS: I’ve skipped a lot and yes, they have many adventures and difficulties ahead, but I need to showcase my newest book starting next week. Thanks for reading these snippets and for all the terrific comments!

The blurb for TALINN: 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?

The blurb for the CLAIMED AMONG THE STARS anthology:  Make contact with the hottest alien anthology in the universe! Claimed Among the Stars will rocket you to reading bliss with more action, adventure, and pleasure than one planet can contain. Curl up with this collection of wild and wonderful heavenly bodies and venture to the unknown worlds that only your favorite sci-fi romance authors could create. Hearts in zero gravity are free to fall, and destiny awaits unsuspecting heroines far across the galaxy. Whether you love a trip that’s nice and easy or dark and intense, this collaboration of more than fifty bestselling authors is guaranteed to please. Embrace the heat, the sweet, the dark, and the depraved, and grab your copy of Claimed Among the Stars today! A word of warning: this anthology is only available for a limited time, so grab your copies now before they blast off forever. The proceeds of Claimed Among the Stars will benefit The National Women’s Coalition Against Violence and Exploitation, which serves women and children in the United States and abroad.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     Universal Buy Link

Jul 30 2022

Did They Leave Me? Weekend Writing Warriors

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!)

I’m now taking snippets from my third scifi romance gladiator novel TALINN, which just released last week in the CLAIMED AMONG THE STARS  charity anthology.

The excerpt: From the beginning of the book, where we meet the heroine:

Bailey Kingsmere went to sleep a happy woman. True she wasn’t sharing the bed with anyone and hadn’t been for a long time—never date co-workers was her rule—but this cruise of the Stellar Aurora luxury cruise liner was going well. The rumors had been true and a bigtime talent scout was sailing with them this trip and he’d been spotted in the audience at the review twice now. All the members of the ship’s entertainment section hoped and prayed to their deities the man would discover them.

Her dreams were no different, she suspected, than anyone else’s. To sing and dance in front of a huge crowd as the headliner, not the interchangeable chorus girl. To be the name on everyone’s lips. And not have to cruise in this quadrant ever again.

She was in the middle of a pleasant dream when a blaring siren rudely interrupted. Gasping, heart racing, she sat up in bed and stared around her cabin wildly.

“You must evacuate now,” said the ship’s Artificial Intelligence crisply over the com. “All crew and passengers are directed to the nearest lifeboat with no delay—”

The sound cut off abruptly and the entire ship shuddered. Bailey screamed and clung to the bed until the motion subsided. She got out of bed and ran barefoot to the door, which took a scarily long time to open. The corridor was empty, smoke drifting ominously from various vents. Where the seven hells is everyone? Did they leave without me?

The blurb for TALINN: 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?

The blurb for the CLAIMED AMONG THE STARS anthology:  Make contact with the hottest alien anthology in the universe! Claimed Among the Stars will rocket you to reading bliss with more action, adventure, and pleasure than one planet can contain. Curl up with this collection of wild and wonderful heavenly bodies and venture to the unknown worlds that only your favorite sci-fi romance authors could create. Hearts in zero gravity are free to fall, and destiny awaits unsuspecting heroines far across the galaxy. Whether you love a trip that’s nice and easy or dark and intense, this collaboration of more than fifty bestselling authors is guaranteed to please. Embrace the heat, the sweet, the dark, and the depraved, and grab your copy of Claimed Among the Stars today! A word of warning: this anthology is only available for a limited time, so grab your copies now before they blast off forever. The proceeds of Claimed Among the Stars will benefit The National Women’s Coalition Against Violence and Exploitation, which serves women and children in the United States and abroad.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     Universal Buy Link

The first two books in the series, although each can be read as a standalone. Available wide and also as paperbacks on Amazon.

KYDEN: Condemned to the arena for the rest of his life. Elara, a Senator’s daughter, moves among the elite of her civilization. Yet despite the odds they’re Fated Mates. How can they ever be together?

Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo      Nook      GooglePlay

RENNYR:  Kidnapped, far from home, he’s been sold into the deadly arena gladiator system as a slave. Jaine is a human woman kidnapped from the Sectors to serve as arena fodder for the crowds. Fated mates, battling against the system which has them trapped, sharing one cell and one bed, fighting to survive…and to escape.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     Nook     Google Play

 

Jul 23 2022

I Said I Would Weekend Writing Warriors

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!)

This is the final excerpt from my second scifi romance gladiator novel RENNYR. Next week I’ll switch to the third book, TALINN, releasing in the CLAIMED AMONG THE STARS  anthology on July 26.

If you want the full story of what Rennyr and Jaine go through and how they battle to survive and protect each other, and their romance, with all the nuances and details, the book is available wide. 

The excerpt, continuing on with his attempt to break into the arena to rescue Jaine. Since this is the final excerpt I’ll be sharing I’m jumping to the moment he reaches her:

He cleared the last twenty five feet between himself and the men threatening Jaine with a single bound, taking out three of the enemy as he landed. He moved between Jaine and the remaining fighters.

She collapsed onto the sand and crawled toward her weapon. Rennyr approved but she wasn’t going to need it again, not with him to protect her. He made quick work of killing the first man, outflanking him in a lightning fast move. Human reflexes were no match for Badari speed. Pivoting to the last member of the group, Rennyr checked his offensive movement. The man now had Jaine in his grasp, knife at her throat.

“Is this what you’re all hot and bothered about, Beastman?” the gladiator said in a mocking tone. “This little Sectors sweetie?” He pricked her with the tip of the wicked blade and a drop of bright red blood beaded her skin.

Jaine had her hands wrapped around the man’s hand and suddenly pulled his wrist and the knife down, away from her throat, pinning it to her body. With strength born of sheer desperation, she kept her grip on the knife and turned inward, ducking away as she did so.

Her unexpected movement was all the opening Rennyr needed. Taking two steps, he sank his fangs into the neck of the distracted gladiator. The predator inside him was in full on battle rage and as he disengaged from his prey, Rennyr had to work hard to regain control.

Jaine was sprawled on the ground and his heart stopped. Rushing to her, he knelt, checked frantically for wounds but finding only a few superficial slashes. As he’d suspected, the enemy had been intending to prolong the moment of her death.

“You came? You came for me?” she said, clinging to him.

“I said I would.”

RENNYR (BADARI GLADIATORS SERIES BOOK 2) by Veronica Scott

Rennyr was a genetically engineered senior soldier in his Badari Warrior pack until one day he woke up on a strange planet naked, disoriented and about to be sold into the gladiator arena for the rest of his life. Unscrupulous guards faked his death in the lab where he was created and sold him into slavery in the galaxy’s hinterlands. Kill or be killed is the rule in his new life and a Badari never gives up. He’ll fight to stay alive until the Badari goddess sees fit to decree his death and release him from the wretched existence.

Jaine Mitchel of the Sectors was on her way to an exciting research internship until pirates seized the spaceship on which she was a passenger and took her to feature in a gladiator ‘death match’ in the galactic hinterlands. She has no hope of surviving in the arena until a man she only glimpsed in passing breaks out of his cell and saves her life, declaring her to be his fated mate. Given to Rennyr as his reward for winning the death match, Jaine must share a cell and a bed with the handsome, not human, gladiator and together they have to find a way to survive in this merciless world of violence and death. Their mutual attraction is off the charts. Falling in love is the easy part, finding a way to escape or even to remain together is the challenge. At any time their mutual owner could decide thumbs up or thumbs down on one or both of them, or sell them separately.

Their only hope is a mysterious gladiator master from offworld who may be coming to buy Rennyr. Will he take Jaine as well? Could Rennyr win freedom for them both if he does well enough in the arena? Badari Warriors claim their mates for life and Rennyr has no intention of losing Jaine…RENNYR is an 80K word novel and can be read as a standalone. KYDEN is the first book in the series.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     Nook     Google Play

Releases July 26

 

Jul 9 2022

Someone I Have to Find Weekend Writing Warriors

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!)

Sharing from my second scifi romance gladiator novel RENNYR.

If you want the full story of what they go through and how they battle to survive and protect each other, and their romance, with all the nuances and details, the book is available wide. 

The excerpt, continuing on with his attempt to break into the arena to rescue Jaine:

“How do I open this?” he said in response, redoubling his efforts. His highly sensitive Badari nose picked up the scent of fresh, hot blood from the other side now and he knew his time for protecting Jaine was running out.“I have to get to her before it’s too late—”

“Oh, to hell with this,” said a female medic. “Beastman wants in there so damn bad, I say we let him go. Make a betting pool, people, quick.”

Rennyr paused in his private war against the door as the woman sidled closer. He tried not to snarl as he said, “Please, help me. I won’t hurt you, I swear. There’s someone I have to find.”

“Your girlfriend?” she asked breathlessly, eyes wide.

He nodded.

“I wish my man was so dedicated,” the medic answered. She took three steps to the small control panel, flashed her ID at it and there was a click. The portal began to open slowly.

“I owe you,” he said but then all his attention was on forcing himself through the opening, not willing to wait even a few seconds for the door to open properly.

Angry shouts to halt announced the belated arrival of the guards. Stun rays made thudding impacts on the wall as he squeezed through unscathed, going a few feet onto the sand from his momentum. The door closed behind him.

VS: So is he in time? What do you think? We’ll see next week…

RENNYR (BADARI GLADIATORS SERIES BOOK 2) by Veronica Scott

Rennyr was a genetically engineered senior soldier in his Badari Warrior pack until one day he woke up on a strange planet naked, disoriented and about to be sold into the gladiator arena for the rest of his life. Unscrupulous guards faked his death in the lab where he was created and sold him into slavery in the galaxy’s hinterlands. Kill or be killed is the rule in his new life and a Badari never gives up. He’ll fight to stay alive until the Badari goddess sees fit to decree his death and release him from the wretched existence.

Jaine Mitchel of the Sectors was on her way to an exciting research internship until pirates seized the spaceship on which she was a passenger and took her to feature in a gladiator ‘death match’ in the galactic hinterlands. She has no hope of surviving in the arena until a man she only glimpsed in passing breaks out of his cell and saves her life, declaring her to be his fated mate. Given to Rennyr as his reward for winning the death match, Jaine must share a cell and a bed with the handsome, not human, gladiator and together they have to find a way to survive in this merciless world of violence and death. Their mutual attraction is off the charts. Falling in love is the easy part, finding a way to escape or even to remain together is the challenge. At any time their mutual owner could decide thumbs up or thumbs down on one or both of them, or sell them separately.

Their only hope is a mysterious gladiator master from offworld who may be coming to buy Rennyr. Will he take Jaine as well? Could Rennyr win freedom for them both if he does well enough in the arena? Badari Warriors claim their mates for life and Rennyr has no intention of losing Jaine…RENNYR is an 80K word novel and can be read as a standalone. KYDEN is the first book in the series.

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo     Nook     Google Play