Welcome
to another SFR Brigade Showcase! Please remember to check out the posts from
the other participants at http://sfrcontests.blogspot.com/p/sfr-brigade-presents.html.
See Multi-author Promotion at the end
of this post.
Super
Starrella: College students, spunky supergirl, hunky hero, snarky flying horse,
aliens! What more do you want? Gritty realism interleaved with comic flights of
fancy and a cute romance.
Blurb
Teen
superhero, Starrella, and her flying horse combat vicious killers in the skies
of Atalanta.
The
quiet summer before her freshman year turns frighteningly weird after Estelle
Wright trespasses onto an Army base. Blown into the air and knocked
unconscious, she wakes with a nascent superpower. Not to mention a winged horse
with a snarky attitude and a mind of her own.
Back
home in Atalanta, a serial killer is targeting the students at Goldman
University. Before long she must juggle college classes with sneaking out of
the house after dark to battle alien monsters. Estelle’s life is in danger, but
who can she trust: handsome Captain Copper from military intelligence, or hunky
Toby, the tough gangster with a motorbike? Both men have secret agendas, but
falling in love is not in their plans.
Young
adult superheroes, quirky animal sidekicks, and a dash of romance enliven this thrilling
adventure. Book 1 of the Secret Supers.
Buy Links: 99c until June16th
Excerpt
McTartan’s was a popular hangout for the
students and the place was full. Toby pushed past the people waiting to be
served at the bar. Several of them sent nervous glances at his surly face and tattooed
arms and shifted aside to let him through. He found two seats in a booth at the
back, away from the noisy crowd at the bar, and they sat on opposite sides of
the wooden table.
“What’ll you drink?” he drawled.
Estelle looked around. Toby had chosen a
good spot for their conversation. The partitions on the sides of the booth gave
them privacy. Toby sat facing the door, alert for any trouble. His eyes moved
to check each person entering the pub.
“I’ll have a coke. Don’t want you to be
hassled because I’m under the legal age for alcohol.”
“Worried the bad gangster will corrupt
you?” he teased, leaning forward with his arms crossed and his elbows on the
table.
Leaving him in suspense, she scanned his
face. His heavy brows and the brooding curl of his mouth combined with his
muscular build and tattoos gave the impression of an ugly customer. Close up,
she noticed the tiny gold flecks in his dark brown eyes. Despite his reputation
as a tough gangster, he had been gentle with her. “No,” she said. “I think
you’re sweet.”
His eyes widened and he leaned back. His
voice was sharp with surprise. “You’re the first person ever to call me sweet!”
Happy to have scored a hit, Estelle
grinned at him.
“Better get the drinks.” He swaggered to
the bar, shouldering past the other customers. They stepped aside, wary of his
sturdy build and swarthy brows. A few minutes later, Toby strolled back to the
table, carrying two glasses of dark liquid. He resumed his seat at the back of
the booth, leaning his elbows on the table and watching the door.
“Okay, Toby, are you going to tell me
the truth?” Estelle asked, leaning over the table towards him.
He cocked an eyebrow and drawled, “Where
can I start?”
“The superpowers and the mantis fights,”
she suggested eagerly.
His eyes flicked to the door and he said,
“Your army pal walked in. Think he’s looking for you?”
Automatically, she glanced round and saw
Mark Copper standing at the bar. He was looking at the rows of bottles on the
shelves, presumably selecting his drink.
His hand covering his mouth, Toby
muttered, “Don’t stare. Pretend you don’t see him. We don’t want him listening to
our conversation or trying to join us.”
Copying Toby’s caution in hiding her
lips behind her fingers, Estelle whispered, “He’s watching. He can see us reflected
in the mirror behind the bar.”
Toby growled, “Did he follow you here?”
“He might have. Mark was at my evening
class.” Shivering at the idea of being stalked through the streets, she grabbed
Toby’s hand and asked, “Why would he follow me? Is he suspicious?”
“What’s
wrong with us meeting in a pub?” Toby assumed his surly frown. He patted the
space next to him on the bench. “Come here, babe.” She slipped onto the seat
beside him and his arm slid around her shoulders. She gazed at him, her lips
parted in a question. Leaning over, he kissed her firmly, sending warm flushes down
her body. His lips traveled across her cheek, and his breath tickled her ear as
he whispered, “Let him think this is why we met. Say something casual to fool him.”
He released her and gazed into her eyes.
Playing along, she gushed, “Oh, Toby, I
didn’t know you felt like that about me.” She brushed her fingers over the cat
tattoo on his firm biceps and noted the silky feel of the invisible nanofabric.
In the depths of his eyes, she glimpsed a stir of hopeful longing. Was he
yearning for her or something very different?
He stiffened and blinked. Then, his face
broke into his rare charming smile and he pulled her close again. “Can’t resist
a pretty girl.”
Despite his tempting drawl, she hissed,
“Joke’s over! What’s going on?”
Special
>100 FREE Science Fiction & Fantasy eBooks
June 4-5th at
http://pattyjansen.com/promo/
A flying horse with a snarky attitude? Awesomesauce!
ReplyDeleteDidn't you like the hunky hero with a bunch of secrets?
DeleteFun scene, so much going on, both on the surface and underneath!
ReplyDeleteYes, these characters are fun to write.
Delete