Tag Archives: scifi

Nov 5 2016

We Run A Tight Ship Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedHere’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!)

One final excerpt from my story ‘Star Cruise: Stowaway’ in the PETS IN SPACE anthology, which is still doing pretty well in sales – thanks again for the support🙂 This is the last week to get a copy and have a portion of the proceeds go to Hero Dogs Inc. Next week I’ll move on to another book.

Edited a bit from the published version.

Owen has gone to visit the stowaway in sickbay and finds the pets are keeping her company.

Midorri chirruped and slithered to the floor, going to the portal, where she scratched at the door with two of her six feet.

          Owen rose to let her out.

          Moby promptly entered, jumping to the bed and rubbing Tyrelle’s face, arching her spine and purring loudly.

          “When one leaves, the other arrives. You’re the keeper of the animals?” she asked.

           “Moby’s mine. I rescued her from kids in a rough port town as a kitten a few years ago and brought her with me to the Zephyr. Midorri belongs to the entire ship, but she spends a lot of time in the cargo bay, with Moby, hunting vermin.” He sat, trapped in the small chair, “The Zephyr’s not  infested or anything, we run a tight ship, but there’s always a few space rats.” I can’t believe I’m talking to this beautiful woman about rats.           

Here’s the blurb for the anthology, followed by the blurb for my story:

The blurb for Pets In Space:

Even an alien needs a pet…

PETS_In_Space_cover_artJoin the adventure as nine pet loving sci-fi romance authors take you out of this world and pull you into their action-packed stories filled with suspense, laughter, and romance. The alien pets have an agenda that will capture the hearts of those they touch. Follow along as they work side by side to help stop a genetically-engineered creature from destroying the Earth to finding a lost dragon; life is never the same after their pets decide to get involved. Can the animals win the day or will the stars shine just a little less brightly?

New York Times, USA TODAY, Award Winning, and Best selling authors have eight original, never-released stories and one expanded story giving readers eight amazing new adventures  and one expanded story that will capture your imagination and help a worthy charity. Come join us as we take you on nine amazing adventures that will change the way you look at your pet!

10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.

moby_and_midorri_pets_in-space_artwork_nyssa_juneauAnd the blurb for Star Cruise: Stowaway:

Cargo Master Owen Embersson is shocked when the Nebula Zephyr’s ship’s cat and her alien sidekick, Midorri, alert him to the presence of a stowaway. He has no idea of the dangerous complications to come – nor does he anticipate falling hard for the woman whose life he now holds in his hands. Life aboard the Nebula Zephyr has just become more interesting – and deadly.

Buy Links:

iBooks    Amazon    ARe     Nook      GooglePlay     Kobo

Sep 3 2016

Any Last Messages? Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revised(If you’re here for my SFR Brigade Presents post from the new book, go to this link.)

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 excerpting Hostage To The Stars, which released in June. Edited from published version. I’ll do a few more snippets from it and then move on to my NEW book, Trapped on Talonque.

As the excerpt begins, Sara sits with the other passengers, waiting for the pirates.

 “Did you bring your kidnap and ransom insurance certificate?” asked the Hostage ToTheStarsFinal-FJM_High_Res_1800x2700Tregon Inc. trader sitting across from her. “Do you have good coverage? These Farduccir pirates are greedy bastards.”

                “I-I don’t have any insurance – I’ve never even heard of it before today.”

                The man shoved his chair away from the table, saying, “The government shouldn’t allow people like you to travel in these parts.” He shook his head. “My sympathies – any last messages you want us to send to your family?”

                Chest tightening, ears ringing as she grew light-headed, Sara couldn’t believe what the passenger was inferring, “Are you joking?”

                “Honey, these pirates are all about the credits and they’ll get ‘em out of you one way or the other,” said the man seated next to her.

The story:

He rescued her from space pirates … but can he keep them both safe from the far greater evil stalking a deserted planet?

Space travel without Kidnap & Ransom insurance? Not a good idea. University instructor and researcher Sara Bridges can’t afford it, so when pirates board her cruise liner, she’s taken captive along with the mistress of a wealthy man, and brought to a deserted planet. When a military extraction team sent to rescue the mistress refuses to take Sara too, she’s left to the mercies of a retired Special Forces soldier, along as consultant.

Reluctantly reactivated and coerced into signing up for the rescue operation to the planet Farduccir where he once was deployed,  Sgt. Johnny Danver just wants to get the job done. But when the team leader leaves one captured woman behind, he breaks away to rescue her himself.

As Johnny and Sara traverse the barren landscape, heading for an abandoned base where they hope to call Sectors Command for help, they find villages destroyed by battle and stripped of all inhabitants. A lone survivor tells a horrific tale of the Sectors’ alien enemy, the Mawreg, returning after being pushed out …

Searching for evidence to give the military, Johnny is captured. He regains consciousness in a Mawreg cage–with Sara next to him. Death is preferable to what the aliens will do to them… And even if they do escape their captors, can they alert the military in time to prevent another invasion of the Sectors?

Buy Links:     Amazon    Kobo     Apple iBooks     Barnes & Noble

 

Aug 22 2016

NEW: Trapped On Talonque SciFi Romance

Trapped on Talonque Final-FJM_High_Res_1800x2700I’m so happy to announce my latest new release Trapped on Talonque (A Sectors SF Romance),  with gorgeous cover by Fiona Jayde!

Here’s the story:

Will an alien sleeping beauty awaken to save him, or destroy everyone around her?

When a Sectors Special Forces soldier and his team crash land on an alien planet, they’re taken captive and given a challenge–win at the violent ball game of sapiche and live. Lose, and they die, sending a mysterious, alien beauty to an even uglier fate. To survive, these soldiers must win the game and find a way to free the dangerous prisoner from her locked chamber.

Nate Reilly and his team are in deep trouble. Prisoners on a backward alien planet, they’re brought before an alien ‘goddess’, sleeping in her high tech seclusion. Nate is astonished when she awakes and establishes a psychic link with him. But her news is not good–he and his men must win a brutal challenge set by their captors, or they will die. She’ll give her aid, but in the end their courage and strength must win the contest.

Bithia sleeps in her chamber, as she has for thousands of years, since her own people unaccountably left her there. Viewed as a goddess by her captors, she must hide her ancient secrets to survive. But only the bravest of men may free her. Can she use her psychic powers to keep Nate and his men alive long enough to help her escape, or will her only hope of freedom die with them?

Amazon   More Links Coming Soon!

Aug 6 2016

No Need to Prolong the Evening Snippet from STAR CRUISE OUTBREAK

 

From Star Cruise: Outbreak..Dr. Shane has been at loose ends since leaving the military and her father’s arranged for her to take a temp job on an interstellar cruise liner. Jake has repeated his invitation to Emily to attend a crew party on the beach deck of the Nebula Zephyr, in honor of Red and Meg becoming engaged  (They were the lead characters in STAR CRUISE: MAROONED.Edited slightly from published version.) Emily goes to the party with him and a volleyball game started up. This excerpt picks up after Emily plays a second game and then bows out of the next one.

Emily watched the play resume for a moment and then made her way off the beach deck, heading to the gravlift. The party had been fun for the most part—more fun than she’d had in a long time—but becoming a part of the group made her wary. She preferred the safety of her self-imposed solitude. And she didn’t want people assuming she and Jake were an item. She’d seen the glances from more than one of the women at the gathering, assessing the way he hovered around her. Besides, after the horrors of Fantalar and the friends she’d lost there, Emily didn’t form attachments if she could help it. All things considered, attending the party had made for a congenial evening, but there was no need to prolong the experience.

Later, lounging on the bed in her cabin, she debated whether to watch entertainment trideos or shut off the lights and strive for sleep. Deciding her nerves were too keyed up for full relaxation, she had Maeve the Ship’s AI show her the available list of diversions.

Debating between a wildly unrealistic space adventure and a retro drama set on somebody’s inventive version of Old Terra, Emily sat straighter as she had a better idea, “Ship, can I access the medical records from here?”

The story:

She saved countless soldiers in the wars … but does she have the weapons to fight an outbreak?

Dr. Emily Shane, veteran of the Sector Wars, is known as “The Angel of Fantalar” for her bravery under fire as a medic. However, the doctor has her own war wounds–severe PTSD and guilt over those she failed to save.

Persuaded to fill a seemingly frivolous berth as ship’s doctor on the huge and luxurious interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr, she finds the job brings unexpected perks–a luxe beach deck with water imported from Tahumaroa II, and Security Officer Jake Dilon, a fellow veteran who heats her up like a tropical sun.

However, Emily soon learns she and Jake didn’t leave all peril behind in the war. A mysterious ailment aboard the Zephyr begins to claim victim after victim … and they must race against time and space to find the cause and a cure! Trapped on a ship no spaceport will allow to dock, their efforts are complicated by a temperamental princess and a terrorist–one who won’t hesitate to take down any being in the way of his target.  If anyone’s left when the disease is through with them…

Buy Links:     Amazon     Kobo      Barnes & Noble   Apple iBooks

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

 

Jul 30 2016

A Ringer Weekend Writing Warriors

WeWrWaHere’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!)

Taking excerpts from Star Cruise: Outbreak for a few weeks of excerpts….Dr. Shane has been at loose ends since leaving the military and her father’s arranged for her to take a temp job on an interstellar cruise liner. Jake has repeated his invitation to Emily to attend a crew party on the beach deck of the Nebula Zephyr, in honor of Red and Meg becoming engaged  (They were the lead characters in STAR CRUISE: MAROONED.Edited slightly from published version.) Emily goes to the party with him and a volleyball game starts up.

           “I’ll play.” Emily could tell from the surprise on Jake’s face that he hadn’t anticipated her joining in. “As it happens, I was a highly ranked player in college, before med school – we won the Sector quarterfinals my senior year.”

            “A ringer,” Red sounded delighted. “Maybe we can finally hand those guys from engineering their asses.”

            Emily enjoyed the game, although she had to dig her elbows into Jake’s side a few times and trip him once before he accepted the notion that she would field any balls coming into her territory, no help needed. Her serve was a bit rusty, but she managed to score some points for the team, and her side was victorious. The engineers promptly challenged them to a rematch, and she played those points just as fiercely before begging off from the next game, despite good-natured pleading from her teammates.

            “I’m going to get a beer, maybe keep Meg company,” she said, hands on her hips. “Catch my breath – I can see I’m out of shape.”

StarCruiseOutbreak-FJM_Mid_Res_1000x1500The story:

She saved countless soldiers in the wars … but does she have the weapons to fight an outbreak?

Dr. Emily Shane, veteran of the Sector Wars, is known as “The Angel of Fantalar” for her bravery under fire as a medic. However, the doctor has her own war wounds–severe PTSD and guilt over those she failed to save.

Persuaded to fill a seemingly frivolous berth as ship’s doctor on the huge and luxurious interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr, she finds the job brings unexpected perks–a luxe beach deck with water imported from Tahumaroa II, and Security Officer Jake Dilon, a fellow veteran who heats her up like a tropical sun.

However, Emily soon learns she and Jake didn’t leave all peril behind in the war. A mysterious ailment aboard the Zephyr begins to claim victim after victim … and they must race against time and space to find the cause and a cure! Trapped on a ship no spaceport will allow to dock, their efforts are complicated by a temperamental princess and a terrorist–one who won’t hesitate to take down any being in the way of his target.  If anyone’s left when the disease is through with them…

Buy Links:     Amazon     Kobo      Barnes & Noble   Apple iBooks

Jul 23 2016

The Focus Won’t Be on You Weekend Writing Warriors

WeWrWaHere’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!)

Taking excerpts from Star Cruise: Outbreak for a few weeks of excerpts….Dr. Shane has been at loose ends since leaving the military and her father’s arranged for her to take a temp job on an interstellar cruise liner. Moving on again, Jake has repeated his invitation to Emily to attend a crew party on the beach deck of the Nebula Zephyr but mentions his experience in the war, on the beach at Fantalar. (Edited slightly from published version.)

 Raising her hand as if to physically fend off his grateful remarks, she shook her head, “Can we please not talk about it?”

            As if sensing her distress, he took a step back, out of her personal space, saying, “Of course, Doc, whatever you want. The subject can be completely off-limits the rest of your tenure here, unless you change your mind. Our beach on board is totally different, was all I was going to say.”

            “Why does anyone want to meet me anyway?”

            “You’re one of us, even if only for this leg of our cruise. We’re a team and teams don’t function as well when there’s a big unknown.” He studied her, blue eyes steady. “It’s a belated engagement party for my second-in-command and his fiancée, but no one expects you to bring a gift. Good low-stress way to meet the people –  the focus won’t be on you.”          

StarCruiseOutbreak-FJM_ARE_200x300The story:

She saved countless soldiers in the wars … but does she have the weapons to fight an outbreak?

Dr. Emily Shane, veteran of the Sector Wars, is known as “The Angel of Fantalar” for her bravery under fire as a medic. However, the doctor has her own war wounds–severe PTSD and guilt over those she failed to save.

Persuaded to fill a seemingly frivolous berth as ship’s doctor on the huge and luxurious interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr, she finds the job brings unexpected perks–a luxe beach deck with water imported from Tahumaroa II, and Security Officer Jake Dilon, a fellow veteran who heats her up like a tropical sun.

However, Emily soon learns she and Jake didn’t leave all peril behind in the war. A mysterious ailment aboard the Zephyr begins to claim victim after victim … and they must race against time and space to find the cause and a cure! Trapped on a ship no spaceport will allow to dock, their efforts are complicated by a temperamental princess and a terrorist–one who won’t hesitate to take down any being in the way of his target.  If anyone’s left when the disease is through with them…

Buy Links:     Amazon     Kobo      Barnes & Noble   Apple iBooks

Jul 16 2016

Reconsider the Party from STAR CRUISE OUTBREAK SciFi Romance

Star Cruise: Outbreak….Dr. Shane has been at loose ends since leaving the military and her father’s arranged for her to take a temp job on an interstellar cruise liner. Chief Security Officer Jake Dilon has repeated his invitation to Emily to attend a crew party on the beach deck of the Nebula Zephyr.

 “I wish you’d reconsider about the party – you wouldn’t have to stay long, just let me introduce you to a few folks, grab a plate of food and a beer, and leave.”

            Freeing herself from his light touch with a frown, she retreated a step, “Why do you care?”

            “I understand why you aren’t too fond of beaches—”

            “We were staging the wounded there, on Fantalar, for transfer to the Cassie,” she said, using the nickname the crew had given the battleship she’d been assigned to. “Until the Mawreg attacked and—”

            “I know – I was on Fantalar’s beach too.” His voice was quiet.

            Alarm bells rang in her mind. Veterans who wanted to thank her for saving them were the worst. She never knew what to say, and in their well-meant words of gratitude, she always heard the unspoken criticism of her failure to save everyone.

The story:

She saved countless soldiers in the wars … but does she have the weapons to fight an outbreak?

Dr. Emily Shane, veteran of the Sector Wars, is known as “The Angel of Fantalar” for her bravery under fire as a medic. However, the doctor has her own war wounds–severe PTSD and guilt over those she failed to save.

Persuaded to fill a seemingly frivolous berth as ship’s doctor on the huge and luxurious interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr, she finds the job brings unexpected perks–a luxe beach deck with water imported from Tahumaroa II, and Security Officer Jake Dilon, a fellow veteran who heats her up like a tropical sun.

However, Emily soon learns she and Jake didn’t leave all peril behind in the war. A mysterious ailment aboard the Zephyr begins to claim victim after victim … and they must race against time and space to find the cause and a cure! Trapped on a ship no spaceport will allow to dock, their efforts are complicated by a temperamental princess and a terrorist–one who won’t hesitate to take down any being in the way of his target.  If anyone’s left when the disease is through with them…

  Amazon     AB     Kobo      Barnes & Noble   Apple Books

Have you booked our Star Cruise yet? 14 votages to choose from!

Jul 10 2016

SFR Brigade Summer Blog Hop to Other Worlds

This Blog Hop is now over. My randomly selected prizes went to the following:

Amzn Gift Cards:  Kareni, bn100, Melissa

Ebook: bn100, CC, ELF

Free Audiobook Code: EKoven, Anna McLain, txdee

 

SFRB blog hop july2016Here’s the link back to the main page, where the Grand Prize Rafflecopter is located. This blog hop runs July 11th through the 15th. The Grand Prize can only be won via entries at the main page Rafflecopter. Links to the other participants’ blogs will be found there as well.

(If you’re here for the Weekend Writing Warrior snippet for July 10th, go here.)

On my blog I’m giving away three $10.00 Amazon gift cards (no substitutions) as well as three free ebooks of my latest scifi romance Hostage To The Stars, in the format of your choice (epub or mobi) AND three free Audible downloads of the scifi romance audiobook Mission to Mahjundar. That’s 9 separate prizes, to be awarded to commenters on this blog, via random selection. It is possible for one person to be randomly selected to win more than one of each type of prize.

I’m going to pick a somewhat unusual planet and specify Altair 4, as seen in the movie “Forbidden Planet,” which was released to theaters 50 years go (as of this past March). It was the first science fiction movie I ever saw as a child (on the TV late show in black and white) and absolutely fired my imagination as to what was possible – space travel, robots, ancient aliens, invisible monsters, high tech, heroic (and handsome) space captains and romance…oh yes, I was HOOKED. I discovered Andre Norton’s books around the same time and the scifi movie and the scifi books reinforced each other for me, as far as what genre I was most interested in.

Here was the plot synopsis, from the Internet Movie Database:  A starship crew goes to investigate the silence of a planet’s colony only to find two survivors and a deadly secret that one of them has.

Not to mention a cool robot, ancient alien secrets and more…

Here’s the trailer:

What was the first science fiction movie that fired your imagination? Leave a comment and be entered to win this blog’s prizes.

Jul 2 2016

Pets On Board? Weekend Writing Warriors

WeWrWaHere’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!)

(If you’re here for the SFR Brigade Presents post, which has my beautiful new trailer for LADY OF THE STAR WIND, go here.)

Moving on to Star Cruise: Outbreak for a few weeks of excerpts….Dr. Shane has been at loose ends since leaving the military and her father’s arranged for her to take a temp job on an interstellar cruise liner. Emily is persuaded to sign on, and now she’s on the ship, escorted by Security Officer Jake Dilon. She’s arrived at sickbay to find no staff and a waiting  princess with her entourage.

  “I’m Dr. Shane – is the child unwell?”

            “The Hereditary Princess Falyn of Tregallovan is quite well, thank you,” answered the woman, frowning as the little girl sneezed with perfect timing.

            “Then what brings you to sickbay today? How may I be of assistance?”

            “It’s my pet, Doctor, she’s sick.” Brown eyes glinting with unshed tears, the girl left her chair and glided around the bodyguard with steps so smooth she might have been on an antigrav cushion. She pulled a small creature of indeterminate origin from one heavily embroidered, bell-shaped sleeve and cuddled the animal close to her chest. “You must make her well for me.”

            “I’m not a veterinarian,” Emily protested. Surprised, she turned to Jake,. “You allow animals on board?”

StarCruiseOutbreak-FJM_Mid_Res_1000x1500The story:

She saved countless soldiers in the wars … but does she have the weapons to fight an outbreak?

Dr. Emily Shane, veteran of the Sector Wars, is known as “The Angel of Fantalar” for her bravery under fire as a medic. However, the doctor has her own war wounds–severe PTSD and guilt over those she failed to save.

Persuaded to fill a seemingly frivolous berth as ship’s doctor on the huge and luxurious interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr, she finds the job brings unexpected perks–a luxe beach deck with water imported from Tahumaroa II, and Security Officer Jake Dilon, a fellow veteran who heats her up like a tropical sun.

However, Emily soon learns she and Jake didn’t leave all peril behind in the war. A mysterious ailment aboard the Zephyr begins to claim victim after victim … and they must race against time and space to find the cause and a cure! Trapped on a ship no spaceport will allow to dock, their efforts are complicated by a temperamental princess and a terrorist–one who won’t hesitate to take down any being in the way of his target.  If anyone’s left when the disease is through with them…

Buy Links:     Amazon     Kobo      Barnes & Noble   Apple iBooks

 

Jun 25 2016

What Could Be So Bad? Weekend Writing Warriors

WeWrWaHere’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!)

Moving on to Star Cruise: Outbreak for a few weeks of excerpts….Dr. Shane has been at loose ends since leaving the military and her father’s arranged for her to take a temp job on an interstellar cruise liner:

Her father switched to wheedling, “It’s the Nebula Zephyr, honey, top of the line. What could be so bad about a couple of months on a luxury cruise? Prescribe headclear to people who drink too much, apply skinseal to kids’ banged-up knees, have fun the rest of the time. You’d be in space.” He said the latter as if the concept was an irresistible enticement.

            Now he’d given her something on which to anchor her rejection. “I hardly think a military doctor is the right fit for a civilian ship full of pampered rich people. Even if the captain is desperate for a chief medical officer—”

            “Beyond desperate – he can’t sail without one who has active space certifications, and you’ve kept your licenses current.”

            Damn it, she had.

StarCruiseOutbreak-FJM_Mid_Res_1000x1500The story:

She saved countless soldiers in the wars … but does she have the weapons to fight an outbreak?

Dr. Emily Shane, veteran of the Sector Wars, is known as “The Angel of Fantalar” for her bravery under fire as a medic. However, the doctor has her own war wounds–severe PTSD and guilt over those she failed to save.

Persuaded to fill a seemingly frivolous berth as ship’s doctor on the huge and luxurious interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr, she finds the job brings unexpected perks–a luxe beach deck with water imported from Tahumaroa II, and Security Officer Jake Dilon, a fellow veteran who heats her up like a tropical sun.

However, Emily soon learns she and Jake didn’t leave all peril behind in the war. A mysterious ailment aboard the Zephyr begins to claim victim after victim … and they must race against time and space to find the cause and a cure! Trapped on a ship no spaceport will allow to dock, their efforts are complicated by a temperamental princess and a terrorist–one who won’t hesitate to take down any being in the way of his target.  If anyone’s left when the disease is through with them…

Buy Links:     Amazon     Kobo      Barnes & Noble   Apple iBooks