Tag Archives: Sunday Snippet

Aug 13 2022

Would He Have Acted Differently 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 two weeks ago in the CLAIMED AMONG THE STARS  charity anthology.

Thanks to the readers, we hit the USA Today Best Seller list at #42 after the release week! WOOT! 

The excerpt: Continuing on from the beginning of the book – time to meet the hero.

It was Talinn’s favorite time of the day, when the two harsh suns were setting and the first evening breezes had begun. The heat on which he thrived remained, but not at the intensity of earlier. His neck frill pulsed as he stood staring off into the Ganamilia Six desert. He’d survived another day. He had no idea how many years he’d actually been a prisoner here, smuggled out of the Khagrish lab where he’d been created and sold into slavery in an alien marketplace. He rubbed his chest as he often did, even after all this time mourning the loss of his pack bond, his link to all his Badari brothers. The sheer loneliness was the hardest thing to overcome.

Much more so than the harsh life he led, the endless combat he was forced to participate in or the other distasteful things done to him. Badari endured, it was what they’d been designed to do and he started over each day determined to make the goddess proud of him even if he had no idea why he’d been singled out by her for this grim existence.

Talinn suspected the head scientist’s deputy at the lab had been in on the scheme to fake his death and sell him offworld. His last session with her had been ugly, he’d refused pointblank to do what she wanted from him and her efforts to force him had gone seriously awry, resulting in considerable embarrassment for her. He was a marked man from that instant.

If I’d known she had the ability to send me off into this dreary life of a slave, would I have acted differently?

No.

VS: I’ll do a couple more excerpts from this book but then I need to switch to my new release REEDE’S MISSION TO THE SECTORS.

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

Jul 2 2022

You Should Be Running 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, switching back to Rennyr’s POV as he races from his cell to try to save her:

Rennyr burst through the door of the holding chamber. As he’d hoped, there were no guards present and the security robos sat idle against the wall, apparently not programmed to consider a prisoner might break into the area rather than try to escape. The medics were setting up their portable treatment stations and watched him with their eyes wide and their mouths open as he sprinted toward the wall which was the door to the arena. A few clambered hastily over the equipment to avoid him in his headlong rush.

A timer was running in his head—he didn’t think Jaine could survive long but he prayed to his goddess to keep her safe until he could reach her. There’d been a few minutes of mass confusion at the start of the melee he’d been tossed into, probably to give the audience the opportunity to pick favorites and make bets. Jaine had to be all right. He refused to accept any other outcome.

He was brought up short by the wall, having no idea how to operate the controls which would open to the arena. Snarling, fangs and talons deployed, he stalked along the length, searching for a way in. At the other end, he found a one person-sized portal set into the larger expanse. The control panel was dark and after a quick, fruitless swipe of his claws across the tabs, he put his shoulder to the door-within-a-door and battered it relentlessly.

“What in the seven hells are you doing, man?” yelled a medic braver than the rest. “The guards’ll be here any second—you should be running.”

VS: But Rennyr’s mind is definitely not on escape for himself…will he get to Jaine in time? More 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

Jun 25 2022

Jaine Finds a Weapon 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, switching to Jaine’s POV as she waits to enter the arena:

The wall in front of her was gone and Jaine felt pressure at her back as the crowd of prisoners was forced onto the waiting sands. A pile of shields, swords and other gear waited in the center of the arena as promised so she broke into a sprint. She was barely conscious of the screaming of a crowd in the seats above the fighting field. Her only goal was to grab a weapon and then find the safest space she could and make a stand.

Jaine circled  the disorderly pile of gear, dismayed by the selection. The shields were two feet by four feet and thick, impossibly heavy and although she’d love to have one, she doubted she could lift it. She barely gave the swords and spears a glance but when she saw a spiked ball at the end of a chain lying in the sand, she pounced. Yanking her find free from the items piled haphazardly on top, she discovered she had a short handled mace with three chains fastened to the end. Even better, each of the chains had a spiked metal ball at the tip. Taking an experimental swing, she was sure she could manage to defend herself with this, if all her opponents had were swords and spears. Of course if the men after her had shields, all she could do would be to batter at them ineffectually.

Swipe at the legs, she thought.

VS: Next week I’ll switch back to Rennyr’s POV as he attempts to join Jaine in the arena to defend her.

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

Jun 18 2022

What Did He Say Weekend Writing Warriors

Still in that time frame where it’s all testing, with the answers I need yet to come. I’ll keep posting a  weekly snippet because the effort to do so isn’t too taxing, but I just can’t make it around to everyone else’s blog to comment. 

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, switching to Jaine’s POV as she waits to enter the arena:

I’m not going to cower and run. I’m not going to make it easy for whoever comes after me. They’re going to have to acknowledge I want to live. Maybe a miracle will occur. Maybe the people here will change their minds.

Maybe the fighter in the cell will keep his word and come help me.

One of the guards was issuing hurried instructions. Realizing she’d missed the first part of his lecture, she took a deep breath and concentrated, wiping away all other thoughts. She elbowed the man beside her. “What did he say?” she whispered.

“Weapons in a pile in the center of the arena,” he answered with irritation, moving away from her a few steps. “Try to grab one. Better pay attention.”

The guard was still talking. “By a stroke of luck, our boss won the toss and you sorry lot have the privilege of entering the arena first today. Gives you a better chance at the weapons anyway. Make a good showing, impress the odds makers and the audience and the master might let you live. Two minutes till you hit the sand, people.”

“Who are we fighting?” yelled someone on the other side of the room.

“Anyone in blue,” the guard answered with a crooked smile, as if the answer was obvious. “Don’t worry, they’ll find you.”

VS: Meanwhile, Rennyr has broken out of his cell and is rushing toward the arena. But can he arrive in time to save her?

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

May 28 2022

Flaming Hot and Then Cold 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. I’m probably going to stop posting from this book and switch to another.

The excerpt: Rennyr’s reaction to the sight of Jaine passing by his cell,. Edited from published version.

Rennyr pressed himself as close to the force field across the front of his cell as he dared to go. The proximity was painful but he had to see what happened to the woman. He caught a glimpse of the back of her head as she and the others were herded into a cell down the corridor. His body was flaming hot and then cold and all his senses were on the alert. He staggered to the bunk and fell on his knees, overcome by the force of whatever was wrong with him.  Rennyr shook his head, trying to clear the mental fog.

What in the seven hells is going on here?

A faint memory came to him, of the healer discussing a tale buried deep in the ancestral memory regarding the original Badari. They had mates—women they loved and cherished and who fought beside them. It was said there was a special bond between the pair, mind to mind and heart to heart and a man could only have this bond with one woman. The healer hadn’t given the discussion much time, beyond stating it was his duty to try to pass along as much of the knowledge he possessed as he could before his Generation of Badari was culled by the cruel scientists.

“The Great Mother would decide who belonged together,” the healer had said. “It’s a moot point for us of course.”

There were no Badari women. The scientists hadn’t created any and all the Badari were glad. Their existence as lab animals was not the kind of life a man would wish for anyone else, much less a woman he loved.

But this churning mix of need and desire and longing inside his mind and heart was undeniable, triggered by the glimpse of the particular woman and showing no signs of subsiding.

VS: We’ll see what I decide to post next week. Thanks for visiting and commenting!

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

May 13 2022

What Kind of Place 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.

The excerpt, continuing with Jaine, the heroine:

“Wait,” said one of the women in the group walking by. “Why haven’t these slaves been separated? Why aren’t they naked? You know I have to see the merchandise before I can bid. Although at least the one in front has possibilities.”

The man with a fancy handheld who was leading the group paused and shook his head. “These aren’t for sale. They’re already spoken for. Westklin had a big order for a special arena death match and bought the lot sight unseen. He just needs warm bodies.”

“Surely not the women?” The buyer persisted, eyeing Jaine with narrowed eyes. “I need to replenish my establishment outside the spaceport. I’ll give you a good price right now. Westklin won’t miss one person if he bought them as a lot.”

“Women too,” the other person responded crisply. “Whoever commissioned the special event specified there had to be women included. Westklin’s sending the robo truck now to pick them up so I can’t risk pulling any out for you, Selgea. Sorry. We do have a few females on the next row.”

What in the seven hells kind of place had she been brought to? Jaine felt faint and nauseous as the buyers walked away. And what was a death match? Deep inside she had a good idea. There was muttering around her, as the others on the front row relayed what had been said to their crewmates and former passengers in the rear of the cage.

Sure enough, a cargo hauler entered the huge yard and a swarm of robos came towards the cage.

VS: More with Jaine next week and her first encounter with Rennyr.

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

May 7 2022

Where Are We 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. I’m switching to the heroine’s POV.

The excerpt which is the first time Jaine appears in the book: 

Jaine was tired of being hungry, dirty and terrified but it appeared none of those things was going to change anytime soon. The weeks since the tramp freighter on which she’d been a paying passenger had been seized by pirates and they’d all been taken prisoner had been a grim time. Imprisoned in an area of the pirates’ cargo hold, she and the others had no idea what was going to happen to them. There’d been fights over the scanty rations their captors provided.

Jaine gave the freighter crew credit because they’d tried to take care of the unfortunates who’d been their passengers but how much longer would the altruistic effort continue?

She and the others were offloaded on a planet strange to her, herded into another group cell where there was no room to sit and left alone. Rows of cages stretched away on both side, some empty. Almost everyone else in the other cages was naked and she clutched her torn, dirty blouse closely about her, glad she’d been spared the indignity, so far at least.

Purely by chance, Jaine had ended up in the front of the cage and as she was looking around, trying to figure out if there was any possibility of escape, a group of well dressed, obviously well fed people came down the aisle. The gawkers were stopping at each occupied cage and staring at the prisoner inside, discussing the merits of the unfortunate sentient who had their attention.

VS: So far, quite similiar to what Rennyr endured. Next week we’ll get into why Jaine and the others from her ship are there.

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