All my novels and novellas are now available as paperbacks. The picture shows the first books in my main series, Secret Supers, Grand Masters' Galaxy, Atrapako on Eden, and Taxyon Space.
You can clink on the series title for more information.
We were comfortable in the house, although we tried to minimize our use of electricity at night. Water was not a limitation since it rained almost every afternoon and night.
We spent three weeks visiting
the Hawaiian islands. Since we flew into Honolulu airport on Oahu, we stayed in
Waikiki for our first three days.
The top picture shows
the view from one end of Waikiki Beach over the bay to the distinctive peak of Diamond
Head.
During our stay, we
walked along the beaches, discovered the ABC stores, and several good places to
eat within a short distance of our room.
You can see more
pictures and videos of Hawaii on Instagram and YouTube.
Here's a tropical view of palm trees and blue sky.
We saw one or two glorious sunsets from the beach. This photo shows the boats in the harbor silhouetted in sunset colors and their reflections in the water.
There are pleasant parks beside the beaches with many colorful birds and plants. This photo shows a Java Sparrow and a Saffron Sparrow. The videos on Instagram and YouTube give a better impression of the birds.
We also found a family of cats living in a tree by the beach. They were not friendly, although someone had left bowls of water under the tree for them.
After Waikiki we flew to the Big Island of Hawaii.
AI-generated images are controversial at present. Several programs/apps are available for creating AI images from text prompts. I decided run experiments with some options that are free for initial images and do not require setting up a new account. I ran simple tests on several free on-line programs for generating image from text. Since I am still learning how to make good text prompts, the results may improve for experienced users.
Caveat: this field is moving fast and my results might not be applicable in a few months.
Here are the results with prompts.
Craiyon.com is the
current version of Dall-E mini. The test prompt ‘Elf with sword in trees’ gave
this result.
Dream by Wombo. Test prompt gave a weird image, but you need to create an account to download the image.
Starry AI.com. My prompt ‘alien jungle’ gave this image.
Verdict: has potential.
NightCafe.com. My prompt ‘Elf in forest’ produced this image.
Again, evolving the
image tended to give mixed results and was often not an improvement over the first
one.
Verdict: promising, has
various algorithms, and can be used for free with their credit system. I
decided to create more images and obtained several acceptable ones for
characters or alien landscapes. The header image is a volcanic landscape.
Other Sites
Pixray: Charges for
use.
MidJourney: First 25
images are free, then subscriptions are $10 or $30 per month. It requires
access through Discord, which would mean opening a new account.
I'm sure there are other programs available. These ones came up on my searches.
We are moving into the third quarter of 2022, which gives
me an opportunity to update my progress as an author.
In June, I reported publishing two stories, a novella and a
short novel. See https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2022/06/mid-year-report-on-my-writing-and.html
Since that time, I’ve been working on the sixth book in Taxyon
Space, preparing other formats for my stories, and pursuing new social media
venues.
NEW DIRECT BOOKSTORE
All my stories are available at a discount from my virtual store https://payhip.com/AuroraSpringerNovels.
PRINT BOOKS
I have been preparing paperback versions of my books. All
my novels and novellas are now available in paperback.
AUDIOBOOKS
Audiobooks are popular, however, they are expensive to
produce and authors can expect a low return on their investment. Due to the
recent improvements in AI-narration, I decided to test the option in
GoogleBooks to create AI-narrated audiobooks. I chose the British female voice
of Anya since I retain a British accent and many of my stories are written from
the perspective of a female protagonist.
My short stories, the three books in Secret Supers, the
three stories in Second Chances in Space, and my epic fantasy Bridget Bramble
and the Wandering Elf are now available as audiobooks.
You can listen to chapters of the audiobooks at my YouTube
channel: AuroraSpringer
EXPANSION INTO DIFFERENT SOCIAL MEDIA
I am now posting images and videos on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
NEW SERIES AND TWO BOOKS PUBLISHED
Earlier this year, I created a new series of standalone
stories. The stories in Second Chances in Space feature
different combinations of interstellar spies, space pirates, and a widow or
widower finding romance. The background conflict is the fight against Emperor Hadros,
the aggressive ruler of a major galactic sector.
Rollicking space opera starring a feisty Irish spy and a
notorious masked pirate with a tragic past.
Sci-Fi adventure and romance: a widow with a spaceship meets a moody widower and space pirates.
Sci-Fi mystery.
Interstellar spy befriends enemy commander in a tragic tale with a happy
ending.
Sep 1-30: Familiars & Magical Pets September Book Fair - https://books.bookfunnel.com/fantasywithanimalsidekicks/phbvcojjdz
Sorry, I missed posting
last week due to a mild case of covid and other stuff. Since my current wip is
word-skimpy, I’ll keep posting from my latest novel, Stung by the Cobra. It’s a
scifi/fantasy adventure and romance with sprinkle of Hindu mythology.
Zennia is attending a
reception to honor Domina Allia, the new ruler of the planet. Events at this
reception give background and foreshadow the rest of the story.
You can read my
previous excerpt here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2022/08/nagari-again-excerpt-from-cobra-for.html
Released from his duty at Allia's dais,
Nagari has come to talk to Zennia.
The final line of last week's excerpt was: "He winced, unmistakably distressed by the mention of his military title."
After a minute, he recovered enough to ask, “Do you like living
in this grubby city?”
She retorted, “If you peer under the monsoon mud, Mattapurna is
a vibrant and cheerful place. I’m looking forward to the celebration of
Vashali.”
He gave a contemptuous snort. “The festival where men jump into
the river?”
“It is the festival of renewal, of change and new beginnings.”
She followed her explanation with a challenge, “Do you not desire a change in
your life?”
He gasped, “Shan Zennia, you can read my mind.”
“It’s not difficult to guess,” she said drily.
He looked over her shoulder toward the dais.
Ten
lines and a few more:
She twisted around to follow his gaze. Allia had risen from her
throne. Still entangled with her devoted attendants, she ambled to a side door.
A servant bowed deeply and opened the door. Smoky haze puffed from
the interior as the Domina and her adoring slaves entered the inner sanctum.
Nagari said, “I need a drink. Can I fetch you something?”
“No. I have a glass already.”
He headed toward the long table with refreshments. Two women in
matching azure gowns waylaid him, each grasping one of his arms. Sisters, she
guessed, with identical fake smiles on their painted faces.
Zennia gave herself a mental shake. Considering his wife’s neglect,
she ought not to judge Nagari too harshly if he sought amusement elsewhere.
SciFi mystery. Interstellar spy befriends enemy commander in a tragic tale with a happy ending.
Shan Zennia, Senior Curator of the Archives of Galactic Culture on Lumos, plays a dangerous double role as a researcher and a spy for Solarian Intelligence. She embarks on a new mission to observe the spring festival on Harappi, a planet recently conquered by the ambitious Emperor and now governed by his niece, Domina Allia.
Zennia finds unexpected mysteries on the planet, including intelligent animals and the enigmatic Nagari. Once a victorious commander in the Emperor’s space fleet and nicknamed the Cobra, he was forced to abandon his military career when Allia claimed him as her consort. Her abusive treatment has driven him to the brink of madness.
Intrigued by the ex-commander and aware of his value as a source of information on the enemy, Zennia agrees to meet him during the festival of rebirth. Opposing forces clash at the height of the celebrations, catalyzing deadly violence. Can Nagari and Zennia survive the chaos and win a new and happier life?
The ebook is discounted by 50c at PayHip
Amazon Apple B&N Kobo GooglePlay Other
I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.
You can listen to an example of the AI-narration on my YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/DZQ-CyX0In0
The first book in this new series is free for the next month.
Captured by the Hawk Spaceships crash across the galaxy when thief Grey Kay tangles with notorious pirate Black Hawk.
FREE at Amazon iBooks Kobo B&N GooglePlay PayHip
The Lady is Blue, Book 1 of Atrapako on Eden, is also free.
Scaly aliens crash on the remote planet of Eden. They mean to dominate the humans. Can Dr. Lucy Stannis save the colony and reignite her dubious friendship with the alien captain?
FREE at: Direct Amazon iBooks Kobo B&N GooglePlay Other
Please return to http://wewriwa.blogspot.com/ to sample the works of the other writers.
Check out the videos on my new YouTube Channel - Aurora Springer
Find a catalog of my published stories HERE.
All my books are discounted at my new Webstore: https://payhip.com/AuroraSpringerNovels.
