Mar 6 2015

Where’s The Crew? Snippet from WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM “Titanic in space”

Wreck of the Nebula Dream, my “Titanic in space” scifi novel, got an overall favorable review from the Dear Author site (NOTE: in 2015 when this post first ran), which was wonderful!

The Main Male Character, Nick Jameson, is awakened in the middle of the night by something gone seriously wrong with the ship. He emerges into the corridor to find utter chaos:

Back pressed against the half-open door, he stood for a moment, assessing the current situation in the corridor. It now added up to pandemonium in any language. The alarms were continuing to blare, inciting some passengers to panic and immobilizing others. A prerecorded voice urged calm, in flat, female tones, speaking in a rapid rotation of Basic and the five other primary Sector languages.

No one was paying the slightest attention. People ran in both directions, shoving past each other. Some were half dressed, others were burdened with luggage. There were no crew members at all.

Frowning, he waded into the crowd, going to the left and staying as close to the wall as he could. Since a Special Forces team’s survival depended on familiarity with all aspects of their environment, Nick had noted the location of the nearest lifeboat portal relative to his cabin upon arrival the first day. Now he worked his way aft to get there.

With supreme – if sadly misplaced – confidence, the captain of the Nebula Dream had not seen fit to order a lifeboat drill in the first few days of the cruise, not even after the middle of the night engine anomaly. Lack of a drill, which was mandatory per the Interstellar Commerce Commission regulations, was adding to the panic, Nick had no doubt. Most had probably not even paid attention to the short holo on safety the Ship played on first entry in each cabin. Now the civilians were clueless, desperate, and those charged with responsibility for their safety were nowhere to be seen.

As he came up to the lifeboat portal, Nick was astounded to see the light flashing red, indicating the LB had been launched. What the fuck? There couldn’t possibly have been time since the sirens came on to fully load and deploy a boat, even assuming a full complement of SMT crew had been standing by, waiting to usher passengers on board.

Continuing down the corridor, Nick wondered who took the LB, and how many people had managed to escape with it. He suspected he wouldn’t like the answers much, but he intended to find out, after this was all over. For an event of this magnitude, an ICC investigatory hearing was a foregone conclusion.

The crowd increased in size, and the screams and yells became more specific, the closer he got to the next LB davit. Since Nick was a tall man, he could see over the heads of most of the crowd. Despite the fact the alarms had been raging for a good five minutes standard now, he could see the indicator light was green; this LB had not even been unlocked.

“No one’s boarded yet?” he said, half to himself.

“Two idiots up there, fighting over who gets on first, and neither one has a clue how to open the damn thing.” A stout woman in a garish pink and orange robe spun to face him, her voice disgusted but shaking, tears glistening in her eyes. “They wouldn’t listen, not to me or anyone. I watched the safety holo my first day on board, so I know how to open the portal, but would they let me try? No, they would not. I got out of the way when they started throwing punches.”

Nick wished for a squad of Space Marines or even one other Special Forces operator. I could sort this out and get people loading. There was no time to waste. Disasters in space tended to be abrupt, over with in a violent moment. Whatever had happened to the Nebula Dream, it was nothing short of amazing they weren’t all dead already. Can’t push luck too far.

The Story:

Traveling unexpectedly aboard the luxury liner Nebula Dream on its maiden voyage across the galaxy, Sectors Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson is ready for ten relaxing days, and hoping to forget his last disastrous mission behind enemy lines. He figures he’ll gamble at the casino, take in the shows, maybe even have a shipboard fling with Mara Lyrae, the beautiful but reserved businesswoman he meets.

All his plans vaporize when the ship suffers a wreck of Titanic proportions. Captain and crew abandon ship, leaving the 8000 passengers stranded without enough lifeboats and drifting unarmed in enemy territory. Aided by Mara, Nick must find a way off the doomed ship for himself and several other innocent people before deadly enemy forces reach them or the ship’s malfunctioning engines finish ticking down to self destruction.

But can Nick conquer the demons from his past that tell him he’ll fail these innocent people just as he failed to save his Special Forces team? Will he outpace his own doubts to win this vital race against time?

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Audiobook, narrated by Actor Michael Riffle – Available Now at Amazon

Feb 23 2015

Dear Author’s Take on WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM

Got up yesterday, had a leisurely breakfast, was drinking my tea and perusing the social media and favorite websites and…..OMG, Jayne of Dear Author reviewed Wreck of the Nebula Dream (my “Titanic in space” scifi adventure novel)!!!! I was thrilled and SO excited that she enjoyed the book overall. Made my whole day 🙂

Here are a few extracts from the review and please go over to the Dear Author website to read the entire review, which received a B rating, about which I’m also ecstatic.

“I was 4 chapters into this story when it dawned on me that I was lost in it and totally concentrating on this created world….The details of the doomed Titanic’s fate are cleverly re imagined in a space voyage…the tension builds, then recedes just a little, then increases, then is countered just a bit, then smacks the reader around some more before smacking the characters even worse. And then when I think this must be it, they’re safe, right? they aren’t. Safe that is….”

Wreck of the Nebula Dream was a 2013 SFR Galaxy Award Winner and a Laurel Wreath Finalist…

The story:

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Audiobook, narrated by Actor Michael Riffle – Available Now at Amazon and iTunes

Feb 17 2015

She Tweaked the Stellar Display Tuesday Teaser

Here’s the link for the central post with links to all the Teasers: http://on.fb.me/1Dz4BgG

Today I’m in the mood for a scene from the award winning Wreck of the Nebula Dream, my first published SFR, loosely based on the sinking of the Titanic, but set on a spaceliner in the far future. My hero, Nick Jameson, a Sectors Special Forces operator, meets a most unusual fellow passenger:

Intrigued, Nick decided to explore, following a narrow corridor, then up a winding staircase, all metal and wood anachronism. Wherever else SMT might have cut corners or scrimped on costs, they certainly have been lavish with the elements of the retro decor, at least on this level of the ship. As he climbed the last risers of the staircase, Nick stopped short. He was rarely astonished by anything after all his years in the service, but the builders of the Nebula Dream had created a breathtaking illusion that, on this wooden deck, one was standing completely exposed to the starry heavens.

Slowly, Nick came up the final five stairs and walked away from the elaborate wrought iron guardrail, staring at blazing constellations of stars.

“Amazing, is it not?” came a woman’s voice from the far side of the observatory. The tone was husky, faintly amused.

Surprised at himself, Nick wheeled reflexively. How did I fail to notice I wasn’t alone? Inattention could get a man killed in his line of work. Lucky for him, attack and assassination were not too probable on this luxury liner.

Despite her alluring voice, his anonymous companion proved to be elderly, her pale white skin translucent. Huge blue eyes glowed in the semidarkness, like a Terran feline’s would. Dressed completely in black, she wore layer upon layer of elegant, expensive black lace to the floor, subtly patterned with tiny diamonds and other gemstones he didn’t recognize. Her left hand was curled tightly around a massive carved ebony walking stick inlaid with silver runes. At its top was an enameled knob, some kind of picture painted in delicate tones on ivory. Her hand obscured the details of the artwork. She was seated on a bench, a shawl lying carelessly draped beside her.

And she was unmistakably a native of the planet Mellure.

Realizing he was staring rudely, Nick belatedly saluted her.

“Very proper, indeed,” she said, with only a simple nod, as befitted her far superior rank in the galactic order of things. “You’ve been to my home world?”

“No, my lady, I was raised from the age of nine at the Star Guard Orphanage, which is visited from time to time by Mellurean consultants.” Nick hesitated. Entranced though he was with the observatory, he didn’t wish to intrude on her. It was folly to intrude on a Mellurean. “I’ll leave you to your contemplations, madame. Unless you’d like me to stand guard while you’re here? Ensure your privacy?”

“Outstandingly proper,” she complimented him again, her voice warmer. “No, stay and enjoy the scene with me.” Patting the empty area of the bench beside her, she moved the shawl aside. It fell to the deck in a shimmering cascade of ebony silk. “You may sit, if you would like.”

Nick walked to her but declined the invitation to sit. Picking up the shawl, he carefully set it on the bench. Standing with his head thrown back, staring up at the astounding array of stars, he chuckled. “Either this ship is wildly off course, or else you’ve been influencing the AI ganglion in charge of this chamber.”

“And why would you make such an accusation?” She tilted her head with the coyness of a woman two-thirds her age and gave him a half smile.

“Because that star is Mellure,” he said, pointing at the brightest light pulsing directly above them, “and her attendant twelve planets. And as they are firmly located in Sector Seven, while we’re cruising through Sector Sixteen, this is not a possibility.”

She laughed outright now, her amusement rich and genuine. “I doubt anyone else would have caught the change. I am Lady Damais Niklaeson.” She introduced herself as if it were a reward for his cleverness. “Yes, I’ve tweaked the stellar display of which SMT is so proud.”

The Story
Traveling unexpectedly aboard the luxury liner Nebula Dream on its maiden voyage across the galaxy, Sectors Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson is ready for ten relaxing days, and hoping to forget his last disastrous mission behind enemy lines. He figures he’ll gamble at the casino, take in the shows, maybe even have a shipboard fling with Mara Lyrae, the beautiful but reserved businesswoman he meets.

All his plans vaporize when the ship suffers a wreck of Titanic proportions. Captain and crew abandon ship, leaving the 8000 passengers stranded without enough lifeboats and drifting unarmed in enemy territory. Aided by Mara, Nick must find a way off the doomed ship for himself and several other innocent people before deadly enemy forces reach them or the ship’s malfunctioning engines finish ticking down to self destruction.

Jan 26 2015

Teaser Tuesday All About Her Work

The members of the SciFi Romance Group are going to offer up Tuesday Teasers from our various novels…here’s the link for more:

Group link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.scifi.romance.group/
#sfrgtt

I’m going to give you a small excerpt from my first SFR, award-winning Wreck of the Nebula Dream (A Sectors SF Romance). Here’s the story:

Loosely inspired by the sinking of the Titanic, but set in the far future, on a spaceliner:

Traveling unexpectedly aboard the luxury liner Nebula Dream on its maiden voyage across the galaxy, Sectors Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson is ready for ten relaxing days, and hoping to forget his last disastrous mission behind enemy lines. He figures he’ll gamble at the casino, take in the shows, maybe even have a shipboard fling with Mara Lyrae, the beautiful but reserved businesswoman he meets.

And the Teaser:

(Nick is studying his fellow passengers on the shuttle up to the Nebula Dream. This is very early in the novel.)

Bothered by his own painful memories, Nick averted his gaze from the cozy family group, sampling the drink again, crunching an ice cube.

Diagonally across from Nick sat a woman in the sober business suit of a major cit executive. No pain in looking at her, that’s for sure. The lines of her expensive, tailored clothing were softened by the muted shades of blue and cream in the finely woven fabric. Her gleaming golden-brown hair was pulled severely away from the perfect oval of her face, held in an old-fashioned chignon and pinned with tiny iridescent clips. I’d like a chance to take those clips out, let that hair down. Small, rebellious curls escaping from the discipline of the braided chignon and a pair of beautiful, intensely blue eyes under elegantly arching brows contrasted with the overall businesslike impression. Nick had received the full attention of her spectacular eyes only once, in the waiting room at the spaceport, as he stepped past her to stare at the shuttle. There’d been something electric, enigmatic in her glance. Those eyes definitely made a man want to know more. She could project the no-nonsense businesswoman façade extremely well, but those eyes drew a man in anyway. She wore the suit skirt short, accenting long, shapely legs.

Nick was a leg man.

Taking a bigger swallow of the brandy, Nick enjoyed the warmth spreading through his body. Kidding yourself, Jameson. Yeah, she stared at you when you practically fell over her feet, accepted your apology with a graceful nod, but there was certainly nothing more to it. Talk about intense! She’s all about her work, even here on the shuttle.

Ostentatiously multitasking on several screens of her miniAI, efficiently using the time, she was shutting out the rest of them, Nick realized. He envied her. Being between assignments was an uncomfortable thing. Man, I suck at doing downtime.

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Audiobook, narrated by Actor Michael Riffle – Available Now at Amazon and iTunes

Dec 21 2014

Did He Remember? WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM Weekend Writing Warriors

First, a very Happy Holiday season to you all!!!

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 writers!

The luxury ship Nebula Dream has suffered a middle of the night catastrophe in space. My hero, Nick Jameson, has fought his way to the nearest lifeboat and found chaos.As he’s just about finished loading the lifeboat, businesswoman Mara Lyrae arrives, much to his relief. But she refuses to get on the lifeboat, as there are children in need of rescuing…after a brief argument, Nick sends the lifeboat on its way. He and Mara set out to rescue the children, accompanied by Khevan, a D’nvannae Brother (think bodyguard/assassin sworn to serve an alien goddess).

They’ve reached the family’s cabin and discovered a growing hull breach. This snippet is after the children have crawled to safety and Mara and Kevan have taken them into the main corridor. Nick fights his way through the collapsing debris tunnel, and out of the cabin, where he discovers the hull breach has worsened. The blast doors are closing…but Mike made it to safety. Barely. Here’s the end of the scene and the fate of Huntington the Bear – did Nick remember to save the little girl’s beloved, stuffed companion? (Did a bit of editing.) Mara had asked Nick if he was okay…:

Nick worked on breathing, “Feels like a knife in my chest when I inhale. Maybe a cracked rib.” Reaching into his shirt, he produced the stuffed animal.

“What in the name of space do you have there?” Mara asked.

“Meet Huntington the Bear.” Nick extended the bear to Gianna, who stepped away from Mara, took the toy without a word, and immediately resumed sucking her thumb.

“Bet you were afraid I’d lost him, weren’t you?” Nick said, smiling.

She nodded solemnly, took her thumb out of her mouth long enough to say, “Thank you,” and gave the bear a big hug, hiding her face in the soft, brown plush.

OK, so we’ll stop there with excerpts from WRECK. This is only the beginning of the hard times for my little group of passengers (and Huntington) before they make it off the dying Nebula Dream…but I’ll move on to another science fiction WIP next week, since this book is available. Thanks for all the comments and feedback!

The Story
Traveling unexpectedly aboard the luxury liner Nebula Dream on its maiden voyage across the galaxy, Sectors Special Forces Captain Nick Jameson is ready for ten relaxing days, and hoping to forget his last disastrous mission behind enemy lines. He figures he’ll gamble at the casino, take in the shows, maybe even have a shipboard fling with Mara Lyrae, the beautiful but reserved businesswoman he meets.

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Dec 14 2014

Did He Make It? WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM Weekend Writing Warriors

A fun way to sample new books and find new writers! Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…

The escaping air was a solid force, pulling Nick toward certain death.

Locking his grip on Nick’s wrist, Khevan pulled with a superhuman effort, yanking the captain through the portal to the other side. They fell to the deck as the blast door slammed shut and locked, inches away from their feet.

The sudden silence was deafening – Nick’s ears rang from the changes in air pressure. Mara and the two children stared at him from an alcove where she’d wedged herself, keeping them safe, leaving Khevan free to concentrate on Nick’s rescue.

Exhausted by the battle against the escaping atmosphere, Nick rolled slowly over, covering his eyes with one arm, breathing deeply.

“Are you okay?” Mara clutched Gianna closer to her.

Note from me: next week the fate of Huntington the Bear and that will probably be my last excerpt from WRECK.

All feedback and comments appreciated!

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Dec 7 2014

Run For Your Life WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM Weekend Writing Warriors

A fun way to sample new books and find new writers! Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…

He heard Mara screaming at him to hurry. Raising his head, squinting against the grit and dust in the air, which was now practically at gale force, Nick realized the blast door was belatedly attempting to block off this section of the corridor. He was probably about ten yards from life or death.

He had to beat the ponderous door.

Khevan was attempting to delay the closure of the door, but powerful drive motors were inexorably shoving him aside. Still, his effort might buy Nick an extra second or two and make the difference.

“Run, Captain!” shouted the Brother, digging his feet into the carpet, back to the door, extending one hand toward Nick, “For your life!”

Maybe one or two snippets to finish this (and reveal the fate of Huntington the Bear) and then I’ll move onto something else. Thanks for all comments and feedback. Much appreciated!

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Nov 30 2014

Beyond My Help WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM Weekend Writing Warriors

A fun way to sample new books and find new writers! Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…

This snippet is after they’ve reached the family’s cabin and discovered a growing hull breach. Nick and Khevan have cleared a tunnel through the debris trapping the children, and Nick has crawled through. I’ve done a LOT of creative punctuation and some editing. The little girl has already reached safety and her brother has now entered the tunnel.

Nick made sure the boy was well on his way before searching for the missing mother. The beam of the hand lamp swept across a broken, bloody figure on the deck, all the way across the room, lying partially underneath half the ceiling.

Beyond my help. Nick crossed the cabin anyway and felt for a pulse. Finding none, he gently closed the woman’s staring eyes. At least her last sight had been of her two children, safe and unharmed beside the beds, which was some small mercy, Nick supposed. He stood up and took one final look at her. “We’ll take good care of them for you, I promise.”

Thanks for all comments and feedback. Much appreciated!

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Nov 23 2014

Is She Dead? WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM Weekend Writing Warriors

A fun way to sample new books and find new writers! Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…

This snippet is after they’ve reached the family’s cabin and discovered a growing hull breach. Nick and Khevan have cleared a tunnel through the debris trapping the children, and Nick has crawled through. I’ve done a LOT of creative punctuation and some editing. I’ve skipped the part where Gianna begins her crawl through the tunnel in the debris. Nick and Paolo are now alone in the damaged cabin:

Khevan shouted he had Gianna safe, and she and Mara were going into the main corridor. Nick nodded to Paolo, “Go ahead.”

The boy blinked, “My mommy –”

Give the kid credit, he doesn’t want to leave his mother behind. Nick squeezed Paolo’s shoulder, “I’ll check on her – you go ahead.”

“She’s dead, isn’t she?”

Too calm by half, probably in shock. “I don’t know,” Nick said, “If I can get her out, I will, okay?”

Note from me: there’s just a bit more in the cabin to share and then I’ll move ahead a bit in the book and close the loop for you on the fate of Huntington the Bear.

Thanks for all comments and feedback. Much appreciated!

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Nov 16 2014

He’s Not A Toy WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM “Titanic in space”

I’ve been a Titanic buff all my life since childhood and so of course my first published scifi romance was inspired by the famous disaster, but set in the far future, in outer space. The loss of so many children on the Titanic always made me sad so I wrote two children in my novel and ensured that every adult in the main character group was devoted to saving the children’s lives.

April 14th marks the 113th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking.

This snippet is after they’ve reached the family’s cabin and discovered a growing hull breach. Nick and Khevan have cleared a tunnel through the debris trapping the children, and Nick has crawled through. I’ve done a LOT of creative punctuation and some editing. This follows directly after last week’s excerpt, when Gianna asked Nick to carry her:

“Sorry, I can’t, there isn’t room,” he said with a small laugh, reaching out to tousle her hair, “We have to crawl – it’s like a game but really important.” He kept his voice reasonable as he said, “Okay, Gianna, I tell you what, you go first and then your brother will follow – the bear and I’ll bring up the rear.”

She regarded him solemnly with huge eyes, “Promise?”

“I promise.” Hurriedly he crossed his heart.

She thrust the bear at him. “He’s not a toy. His name is Huntington the Bear.”

Note from Me: Huntington the bear is named after my younger daughter’s Maine Coon Cat Huntington, which was named after her day care’s resident cat, who was found as a kitten wandering on Huntington Drive in our general area. DD2 loved that cat, and hence her own cat’s distinguished name!

WRECK OF THE NEBULA DEEAM by Veronica Scott