Saturday, October 29, 2016

Ghoul climbing the wall - Snippet for #WeWriWa #Gargoyles

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.

I have begun posting snippets from Book 3 of Secret Supers. It’s still at the editing stage, so please let me know if you see any problems.

Draft Blurb
Danger is the last thing on Estelle’s mind when she visits the University of Oxenford for a summer course. But, mysterious thefts and shadowy figures spur her into action. With Toby five thousand miles away, Estelle and her winged horse must hunt for the culprits alone. Soon they are embroiled in a mixed bag of aliens and ancient magic. Toby’s unexpected arrival throws her into turmoil and spurs events into a climax. 

You can read the beginning of the story here:

By popular demand, here is a snippet from a scene with a gargoyle in action.
Explanation: On the first evening in Oxenford, Estelle andd her friends are walking back to St. Swithin’s College after dark.
A scream echoed from the stone walls of Catte Street and Estelle ran toward the noise. She stopped at the intersection, recognizing the couple at the corner. Professor Philpot was attempting to pacify Betty Moss, the young woman who had been scared to go out after dark.
The professor recognized Estelle. His voice was apologetic, “I offered to escort Betty through the streets. She’s upset because she thinks she saw a movement in the shadows.”
“I did see it! A ghoul climbing up the wall. Right up a vertical wall!” Betty’s voice was shrill with indignation. She pointed a shaking finger at the church on the opposite side of the street, “Over there.”

 Super Starrella

Buy Links for Book 1, Super Starrella (99c)

 Starrella Falls

Buy Links for Starrella Falls, Book 2 of Secret Supers

 Diwali

Celebrate Diwali Festival of Lights with Free Books in Mythic Fiction  http://www.mythographystudios.com/promo/diwali/

As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.
Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.


 My Books

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Grand Masters' Galaxy as Mythic Fiction


Grand Masters’ Galaxy as Mythic Fiction

In my Grand Masters Series, the galaxy is ruled in secret by the Council of Twelve Grand Masters. They are a powerful, contentious and deadly group of entities.
Some have counterparts in mythology, like Pashtari Hanuman with the face and serenity of a Buddha.
Others have a mixture of origins, like the Red Queen Morrigu, an amalgam of Celtic and Hindu myth, with her ruby eyes, four arms and strawberry blonde braids.  
Others have no obvious mythical precedent. Radjuser resembles an octopus and exudes orange slime. The planetoid, Amarylla Threeleaf, communicates by rustling her leaves and emitting scents.

Grand Masters’ Galaxy
Teleport through the galaxy in this thrilling SciFi Adventure
Short Prequel: Grand Master’s Cat Amazon
Grand Master’s Pawn, Book 1 Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N
Grand Master’s Game, Book 2 Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N
Grand Master’s Mate, Book 3 Amazon
Read about this series HERE

The titles of the books in the main Trilogy suggest the chess analogy. The heroine, Violet, like Alice in Alice Through the Looking Glass, jumps through a portal to the next planet and a new adventure. She travels to more than a dozen planets and two moons during the Trilogy. Violet has the task of probing into the secrets of the Grand Masters. During her adventures, she acquires allies: the fierce dragon lord Ythris, barbarian Kondric with an unexpected skill for explosive chemistry, and of course, her crafty Grand Master, the Griffin. Athanor Griffin schemes to use Violet as bait to overthrow his enemies on the Council. 


Find new and discounted books in Mythic Fiction here: http://www.mythographystudios.com/promo/ 
 Mythic Fiction






Saturday, October 22, 2016

Totally cool! Snippet from Secret Supers, Book 3, for #WeWriWa #Superheroes #Gargoyles

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.

I have begun posting snippets from Book 3 of Secret Supers. It’s still at the editing stage, so please let me know if you see any problems.

Draft Blurb
Danger is the last thing on Estelle’s mind when she visits the University of Oxenford for a summer course. But, mysterious thefts and shadowy figures spur her into action. With Toby five thousand miles away, Estelle and her winged horse must hunt for the culprits alone. Soon they are embroiled in a mixed bag of aliens and ancient magic. Toby’s unexpected arrival throws her into turmoil and spurs events into a climax. 

Continuing the first chapter. Estelle and her friend Diane have arrived at St. Swithin’s College in Oxenford for a Summer Abroad program. Okay, it’s really Oxford with creative changes. You can read last week’s snippet here - http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/10/starrella-in-oxenford-snippet-from-book.html
Last line from Estelle’s perspective:  Stone gargoyles protruded from the corners of the square tower; caricatures of men and beasts with leering mouths and lolling tongues, their hollow eyes stared straight at her.
          (Snippet skips some description. Please excuse modified punctuation to fit.)

Ice shivering down her spine, Estelle froze in horror. The gargoyles were watching; had they penetrated her secret identity? A second later, clouds scudded across the sun and the uncanny illusion dimmed. Exhaling in relief, she said, “Yeah, it’s totally cool; we don’t have anything that ancient in Atalanta.”
“It’s way better than London,” Diane exclaimed, “London’s got the museums and the old tower by the Thames, but Oxenford has real character. Can’t you imagine the medieval crowd strolling along this lane five hundred years ago?” She gestured past the bus to the church opposite the high wall of the St. Swithin’s College, “Lords and ladies in their gaudy cloaks, poor students wearing shabby gowns, a soldier riding his warhorse and peasants pulling carts of vegetables to the market.”  
Visualizing the bustling crowds, Estelle joked, “Imagine the smell of sweat and horse manure.” After spending summers on her uncle’s farm, Estelle knew a lot about livestock. “Or worse,” she added, glancing from the upper story windows of the colleges to the drainage channel in the center of the street. 

Now you've learned a little about the relationship of Estelle and Diane, what would you like next? I can show you some gargoyle action, or a peek at Toby. 

 Super Starrella

Buy Links for Book 1, Super Starrella (99c or Free on 22nd)

 Starrella Falls

Buy Links for Starrella Falls, Book 2 of Secret Supers

As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.

Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers. 

 My Books

I write science fiction and fantasy adventures entwined with romances. You can see a list of my published stories HERE

Thursday, October 20, 2016

New Release - Renegades by S.A. Hoag #SciFi Post-Apocalyptic


Renegades: Book 2 of The Wildblood
by S. A. Hoag

They made you strong, and smart. We kept you safe, and in the shadows. It took them damned near twenty years to find you.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Uncontrollable. Unpredictable. Dangerous.
The Wildblood.
Now, Team Three know what they are.
Renegades: Book 2 of The Wildblood 
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
excerpt
 “This is one of three air bursts,” Vance said, indicating the video monitor.  It was recording as the airplane banked around to give them a clear view.  “It happened early that morning, just before nine.  It was a Tuesday.  The other detonations were east and south, one directly over downtown Denver, the third at the airport, all within minutes a few minutes.”  He remembered clearly, but recited it like he was reading from a textbook.  None of the others were old enough to remember. 

  The first group of buildings were isolated and more than that, destroyed.  Melted, irradiated, and nothing that remained looked like it had ever been occupied by a human being.  They were twisted and misshapen, matte gray against the distant blue mountains.

  “Rocky Flats,” Shannon said carefully, concentrating.  There were no ghosts, no impressions of the past, crowding into her thoughts.  She was glad for that.  Being Gen En, genetically enhanced, she could see things not so obvious to others.  This place was empty, it was. . . null.  The war had been twenty years ago, the voices faded.  Now civilization consisted of tiny enclaves, hidden away and carefully guarded against other remnants of humanity.  Her home, The Vista, was one of those places.   Vance’s city, Estes Park, was another. 

  “Anything?” Green asked, aware of the possible consequences if she sensed something unusual.  He'd been her second, her backup, for years.  Today he was piloting, as well.

  She wrinkled her nose, distracted.  “No, nothing that merits mention.”  Flying was an aversion, one she hadn't been able to avoid recently.  They were far from home, wary guests of Vance’s these past few months.

  “What does that mean?” Cooper asked, the first thing he’d actually had to say during the journey.  He’d taken the seat behind Vance and kept to himself.  That was his job, to make sure Vance stayed safe and out of trouble.  The Vistans were trouble.  There were only a few of them, but they were a dangerous few.

  “It means, she doesn't see anything we can't see,” Green offered.  He wasn't Gen En.  He was Siksika, a Blackfoot, and a misplaced Vista Security officer, like her.  Being her bodyguard, at least for a couple hours, was a duty Green didn't mind.  Capt. Allen, Shannon, was younger, more adept at controlling tricky situations, and his senior officer.  Their relationship was far less complicated than most people believed.

  Vance nodded.  He'd been in charge of Estes Park for a decade.  The areas south could be troublesome.  Most of what had been central Colorado was under his protection, but there was a large and empty landscape where Denver had been.  Even the scavengers kept clear.  The Vistans and his people weren’t friends, and it wasn’t something he could foresee at any point soon.  They might be able to work out a trade agreement despite some stark differences. 

  The Vista was far to the north, past his influence.  Having them show up on his doorstep a few months earlier hadn’t entirely been a surprise.  They’d been hunting Rafe, Vance’s former partner-in-crime and fellow Gen En.  Rafe had proven to be extremely violent, volatile and unpredictable.  After years at odds with each other, Vance was resigned to his presence nearby, raiding and ransacking villages.  Young, brash, and looking for revenge, the Vistans had accomplished in weeks what he hadn’t been able to do in a decade

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Renegades: Book 2 of The Wildblood
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LYNY774
Available now at Amazon. 

Author Info
S. A. Hoag is an author, lapidary artist, very amateur astronomer ("I just look at the stars, I can't tell you their names."), hockey fan, and accidental desert-dweller. Born in the middle of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, she has lived in a number of cities, in a number of states, before crash-landing in the New Mexico desert. Not Roswell, however. Science Fiction has always been her first interest in reading and writing; many other genres sneak into the novels and that's alright with her.
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Other Books

The Wildblood Series

No one remembers what started the war, the big one.  It happened too fast, and there were too many lies, for the truth to be known.  Civilization stopped, and what came next was fueled by rage and fear.
Twenty years on, a tiny refuge, a place called The Vista, may be one of the last vestiges of humanity.  Isolated, guarded, and hiding a dark secret, the people have survived World War Last, and they are content with that.  Their children, however, are not.  The search for others will send them out into a world they know nothing about, where the line between enemy and ally is blurred.  The war may not be over.

Backlash, prequel to The Wildblood series.  Before Team Three, there was the Blackout. Set on a near-future Earth mostly devoid of humans, this reveals some of the harsh realities facing people of The Vista, and how Team Three began.
When Security faces an unknown adversary that threatens to wreak havoc across what little civilization there is left, they must rely on the unusual abilities of a new team, and hope it's enough to stop the chaos.

Before Team Three, there was The Blackout.
Backlash, prequel to The Wildblood.  Available in paperback now!

The Vista: Book 1 of The Wildblood introduces Team Three – Allen, MacKenzie and Wade.  An elite team of security officers, they’re young, ambitious, and at the forefront of a movement to discover what is beyond The Vista.  They also believe they are genetically enhanced, Gen En, a practice outlawed long before they were born.  Venturing beyond their valley draws the attention of someone dangerous, someone that shares their past and wants to control their future, or destroy them because of what they might be.  The team decide to take the fight away from their home and end up finding new allies – and new enemies.

What happens, after the end of civilization?
The Vista: Book 1 of The Wildblood.  Also available in paperback.
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hunter’s Moon: An Urban Mythos Novella
Lyra Alexander considers herself an archeologist, a job that normally wouldn't be very dramatic or dangerous. The problem with her job, however, is that she studies vampires. And they aren't too keen on being studied.
In this world, there are all kinds of creatures prowling in the night . . . Humans are no longer at the top of the food chain.
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Author links – S. A. Hoag
Website – www.topaz08.com


Saturday, October 15, 2016

Starrella in Oxenford - Snippet from Book 3 for #WeWriWa #Superheroes #SciFi

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.

This week, I’ll begin posting snippets from Book 3 of Secret Supers. It’s still at the editing stage, so please let me know if you see any problems.

Draft Blurb
Danger is the last thing on Estelle’s mind when she visits the University of Oxenford for a summer course. But, mysterious thefts and shadowy figures spur her into action. With Toby five thousand miles away and possibly out of her life forever, Estelle and her winged horse must hunt for the culprits alone. Soon they are embroiled in a mixed bag of aliens and ancient magic. Toby’s unexpected arrival throws her into turmoil and spurs events into a climax. 

Here are the opening lines with minor omissions and modifications to fit.
Brakes squealing, the bus lurched to a halt by the high iron gates of St. Swithin’s College. Shouldering her heavy pack, Estelle Wright picked her way down the aisle to the exit. Her best friend, Diane Stewart, was right behind her as they joined the other passengers hurrying onto the street.
Diane gushed, “Wow! I’m so thrilled to be in Oxenford.” Flinging back her long auburn hair, she rotated slowly on her toes to scan the old buildings along either side of the narrow cobbled street. She pointed to the church tower on the opposite side, “See the ugly stone faces on the tower, the grotesques? They’re really meant to be decorative rainspouts.” Since her five weeks of travel in Europe last year, Diane had become a self-proclaimed expert on medieval architecture.
Estelle looked at the church. Stone gargoyles protruded from the corners of the square tower; caricatures of men and beasts with leering mouths and lolling tongues, their hollow eyes stared straight at her.

Okay, you can guess one source of conflict. And then there’s Toby’s dilemma, a hangover from Book 2.
Any suggestions to improve my opening or blurb?
 Super Starrella

Buy Links for Book 1, Super Starrella

 Starrella Falls

Buy Links for Starrella Falls, Book 2 of Secret Supers

As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.
Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers. 

 My Books




Friday, October 14, 2016

NEW RELEASE Scavenger's Mission #SciFi #Romance by Liza O'Connor



BEWARE THE MEAT-EATERS

First, let’s discuss what a meat-eater is. Picture Please!


They are ocean sharks who have relocated. So why have they moved up into the fresh water rivers?  Have you seen the oceans since the Terror Wars? 


This isn’t a storm picture. This is what every day now looks like on the oceans now. Which explains why ships can’t sail, and sharks and other sea life are migrating into the calmer land waters.  Even the Octopus gets tossed in this angry ocean. It’s like a washing machine that never stops.
A lot of life died before acclimating to fresh water, but those that died became food for those who acclimated quickly. The meat-eaters were very fast to acclimate. They had often traveled up rivers in the past.
However, there is less food opportunities in the rivers, so the Meat-Eaters are more aggressive than ever now. They will literally leap from the water, soar onto the bank, grab an unsuspecting animal, and wiggle their way back to the water. A lot of people have died discovering that particular habit of the meat-eaters.


Scavenger’s Mission
By Liza O’Connor

Blurb
Meet Alisha: A young woman who refuses to live the life her parents want.
In a single month, Alisha Kane has gone from a wealthy debutante to street girl to scavenger.  While testing her new flying skills in the Cully Canyon, Alisha incurs a near-death crash landing. She’s “rescued” by a colonel of the SkyRyders and her life changes forever.
Meet Logan: A SkyRyder colonel in charge of a sleepy fort with little to do other than arrest the occasional scavenger.
For the first time in his life, Logan’s attracted to a young woman, only she’s probably a scavenger and he’ll have to arrest her.  But first he offers her a shower and food while he checks on his crew. His videographer has captured her extraordinary flight through the Cully and her flying is astounding!
He forgoes arresting her and puts his career at risk by asking MAC to assess her skills and integrity as a potential SkyRyder. If he can get Alisha into the SkyRyders, it will be his greatest contribution to the Corps.
Meet MAC: The Artificial Intelligence that runs the SkyRyders Corps.
Upon seeing her arrival, MAC upgrades Alisha’s test. Her flying skills are not just excellent; they exceed what was previously thought possible. MAC classifies her as its top asset and soon she proves her value. 
But…the SkyRyders remain a male dominated Corps where Alisha’s sense of right and wrong often clashes with her superiors. How long can a rebellious young woman survive in a regimented Corps?

Excerpt
Alisha focused on her desired landing site, estimating her speed and mentally calculating the time she’d need to open the chute. Trusting her intuition, fifteen feet above land she pulled the toggles to reopen the catcher.
Within less than a second, she felt the jerk of the harness as the chute opened and slowed her descent. Unfortunately, the catcher was pulling her back toward the river.
Damn it! I opened it too soon.
Collapsing it again, she stretched toward the shore and hit hard on the thick, marshy edge of grass.
The grasses softened her impact, but it still took a few moments to regain her senses. She lay precariously on the riverbank with her feet dangling over the edge. Careful not to wiggle her legs or feet, lest she entice a meat-eater to jump from the water for a tasty morsel, she reached out, grabbed the bottom stalks of the tough river grass, and slowly pulled her body forward.
***
“Flyer in trouble,” the old toll-taker yelled, pointing into the air. “One of yours?”
“Damn well better not be,” Logan said as he watched the flyer with a collapsed catcher soar at an angle over the Cully River, heading toward the left bank. Logan saw no way this would end well. Yet through some incredible manipulation of the collapsed catcher, the flyer actually landed on the edge of the bank. Unfortunately, his legs dangled over the water.
“Poor fool,” Logan muttered, knowing the inevitable tragedy about to occur. At the first wiggle of those legs, the meat-eaters prowling this section of the river would break the surface and pull him under.

LINK
The SkyRyder’s Series, Book 1
Scavenger’s Mission

About the Author
Liza O’Connor lives in Denville, NJ with her dog Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels. 

SCIENCE FICTION
Sci-Fi Soap Opera with humor, romance, and science


Sci-Fi/Romance

The SkyRyders Series
Sci-Fi Romance
Scavenger Falters-coming 2017
Scavenger Vanishes-coming 2017


Tuesday, October 11, 2016

FREE Science Fiction & Fantasy eBooks #Deal #IndieSFF

 SFF IF

Oct 12-18th
More than 100 FREE eBooks in Speculative fiction
Choose your favorites and subscribe to the author’s newsletter


Books include: 
 GMP




Limited Time Offer - Oct 12-18th