"Try that again and I'll blow your head off..."#Book Hook' from Beloved Enemy - #MFRWHooks

Apologies for not posting last week, I was up to my ears in stardust (or something similar). It was Beloved Enemy's  Birthday yesterday, so I thought I'd post another 'hook' from that. (It carries on the confrontation between the two main protagonists from last time.) I'm still eagerly awaiting the audio files which hopefully should be completed soon. Each book in the trilogy has a hero and heroine with there own 'happy ever after' but each story features some of the same characters and a link to the starship Destiny

(I may not be able to comment much tomorrow but I promise I'll try to visit all the 'BookHook blogs and comment on as many as I can in the next few days.)

EXCERPT 

Cat froze, trying to catch her breath, and clenching her fists in frustration. Damn, how could I have been so careless?

Kerry removed both her gun and his own from her belt, together with her knife, before releasing his stranglehold.

“Did you really think I would stand by and let you  take my gun without trying to get it back?” He gave her a none-too-gentle shove between the shoulder blades, with what felt like the muzzle of one of the guns.

“Don’t let me stop you from carrying on with what you were doing.”

“Go to hell. Shoot me in the back if you must. I’ll be damned if I’ll be your slave.” As she spoke, she kicked back with all her force. Her heel connected with his shin, knocking him off balance. Whirling round, she made use of her momentary advantage to snatch back her gun and level it at his chest. “Try that again and I’ll blow your head off. Now give me back your firearm.”

His eyes glimmered and the blue ice turned to steel. “When hell freezes over. Do you think I’m just going to hand over my blaster and let you shoot me when I’m not looking?”

“We’ve had this conversation before. If I’d wanted to shoot you, I’d have done it straight away and saved myself the trouble of getting you back here.” She gave him a jab in the ribs with the barrel of her pistol by way of emphasis.

“Then why are you still pointing a gun at me?”

For a long moment, he held her with his gaze. She felt her skin tingle, and quivers of awareness chased themselves up and down her spine. Without speaking, and watching him like a predator watches its prey, she lowered her weapon as he laid his on the table between them.

BLURB

Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.

Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret, and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red-haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

Available from:
Amazon US: 
http://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Enemy-Destiny-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B01BBCBYCS

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BBCBYCS

All three books in the Destiny Trilogy can be found on my Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B002BMBXH4

Please don't forget to visit the blogs below for more 'book hooks'.

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

"Yes, I know who you are." #Book Hook' from Beloved Enemy - #MFRWHooks

I'm posting another excerpt from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy, the award winning 'Beloved Enemy',  which will soon be joining the first two books Starquest and Children of the Mist as an audio book, as well as in eBook and paperback. Each book has a hero and heroine with there own 'happy ever after' but each story features some of the same characters and a link to 

the starship Destiny

EXCERPT (carries on a little further from my first excerpt too weeks ago.)

“The name suits you.” It did not sound like a compliment. “I am Kerry Marchant.”

“Yes, I know who you are.” She ignored his quizzical look. “As I said earlier, don’t get any ideas. This ‘cat’ has claws.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

She activated the small cleansing unit housed in an alcove set into the bulkhead and ran her hands through the antiseptic mist. “How’s the shoulder? D’you want
me to look at it?”

“No need. The regenerator seems to have done its job.” He unclipped his pack and withdrew a compressed black garment. “Is there somewhere I can clean up and change my tunic?”

“Help yourself. There’s a washroom back there,” she said, indicating a small door behind him. While he was occupied, she went to the storage unit and removed a metal container. Taking another vessel, she poured water from it into the first, and tipped the resulting reconstituted raw meat on a large plate she placed on the floor. Shifter stuck his nose in it and gulped it down in several mouthfuls, without pausing for breath, before drinking from the bowl of water she placed before him.

After a few minutes, Kerry reappeared, having replaced his ruined shirt. He regarded the chameleopard with an expression of curiosity on his face.

“Interesting animal. Where did you get him?”

“I found him on a small planet in the Andromeda system. He’d been bred for fighting. I don’t agree with keeping animals to kill each other, so I fought his owner for him. Fed properly and treated well he’s actually quite docile—unless he feels he has to protect me.”

Those cold eyes betrayed nothing, but he looked at her as if not sure whether to believe her.

“I suppose you’re hungry too. It’s only normal ship’s survival rations, but they’ll keep us going for a while.”

“Then that will have to do.”

Of all the ungrateful…She turned to the dispenser unit and, for a split second, dropped her guard. In the same instant, she felt an arm whip around her throat.

BLURB

Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.

Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret, and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red-haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt
regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

Available from:
Amazon US: 
http://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Enemy-Destiny-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B01BBCBYCS

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BBCBYCS

All three books in the Destiny Trilogy can be found on my Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B002BMBXH4

Please don't forget to visit the blogs below for more 'book hooks'.

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Delightful pets you have.....#Book Hook' from Beloved Enemy - #MFRWHooks

I'm posting another excerpt from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy, the award winning 'Beloved Enemy',  which will soon be joining the first two books Starquest and Children of the Mist as an audio book, as well as in eBook and paperback. Each book has a hero and heroine with there own 'happy ever after' but each story features some of the same characters and a link to 

the starship Destiny

EXCERPT (carries on a little further from last week's excerpt)

She waved her weapon in the direction of the rocks, where the firing had come from earlier, while bending to retrieve her supply pack and thermal blanket, still keeping her gaze fixed on him. “We need to make sure whoever was shooting at you and“We need to make sure whoever was shooting at you and your friends is really dead. Move, and remember I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

They reached the rock their adversaries had used as a shield. With her finger on the trigger button Cat swung round it, prepared to fire if anyone moved. Then she froze. The area was clear. Not the bodies she expected to find, no sign anyone had ever been there at all.

She looked at Kerry. “They were here. They can’t have just vanished.”

He shook his head. “Unless they can teleport—which has been proven to be impossible by mechanical means. It is just possible they may have psionic capabilities.”

“No point in worrying about them now. Seems they’ve gone, however they did it.” Cat gave a long low whistle and one of the nearby boulders morphed into the tawny form of Shifter.

“What the hell is that?” As if acting on instinct, Kerry reached for his gun and then swore softly when his fingers failed to close upon it. His gaze flicked toward her. He cursed again and stared pointedly at his
blaster thrust through her belt.

She ignored his stare and nodded toward the animal. “His name’s Shifter. He’s…well, I call him a chameleopard, and I’d kill anyone who tried to shoot him.”

Kerry favoured her with a cold look. “Delightful pets you have.”

BLURB

Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.

Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret, and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red-haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

Available from:
Amazon US: 
http://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Enemy-Destiny-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B01BBCBYCS

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BBCBYCS

All three books in the Destiny Trilogy can be found on my Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B002BMBXH4

Please don't forget to visit the blogs below for more 'book hooks'.

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Just because I decided to save your hide.....#Book Hook' from Beloved Enemy - #MFRWHooks

This is my first foray into 'MFRW 'Book Hooks'

I'm thrilled that the third book in the Destiny Trilogy, the award winning 'Beloved Enemy', will soon be joining the first two books Starquest and Children of the Mist as an audio book, as well as eBook and paperback. Each book has a hero and heroine with there own 'happy ever after' but each story features some of the same characters and a link to the starship Destiny

Here's my 'bookhook' and an excerpt. I hope you enjoy it.

Cat may be a bit frosty at the moment, but she has her reasons, and when she eventually thaws, she shows a whole different side to her!

She gave him her best, withering look. "Fine, and just because I decided to save your hide, don't get any ideas. We don't have to like each other."

(And Happy Valentine's Day for tomorrow, to you too, Cat, LOL!)

BLURB

Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.

Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret, and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red-haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

EXCERPT

"You landed that well," he said, scrutinising the vehicle.

"Not particularly. I actually crash-landed."

"I was being facetious."

"She took a battering in an electric storm as we came in. It only lasted few minutes, but it was bad enough to wreck the flight controls." Why did she need to explain anything to him anyway? 

"At least the bushes give some cover. I’ll put a force-shield up overnight, for protection, of course, I just didn’t want to drain her power sources." She touched a panel on the ship’s hull, and after a moment, a door slid silently open. Shifter leapt in immediately but Kerry stood back as she climbed into the airlock.

She turned with her gun still trained on him. ‘Are you coming? Or would you prefer to take your chances out there all night?’

He shrugged and followed her inside. They waited in the eerie blue light until the inner hatch opened.

She walked across to the control panel at the front and made a few adjustments. "It’s not much, but it’s likely to be home for a while until I find a way off this planet. There’s not enough left in the fuel cells to get away in this, even if I could repair the damage."

He looked around, his face expressionless.

She frowned at his perusal. The furnishings of the small interior were necessarily sparse. A pilot seat and passenger seat to the front, and, at the rear of the vessel, a small living and storage area, complete with a combined table and bunk unit. If he didn’t like it, that was too bad. He could always go back outside and sleep rough if he preferred.

"I dare say it will suffice," he said at length.

"Well thank you. I’m so glad it meets with your approval."

His expression remained impassive. It seemed her cynicism was lost on him. "It would be useful to have a name to call you."

"Katrina. Katrina — Kincaid. I prefer to be called Cat."

Again that stunning smile spread over his face and she noticed how his eyes seemed even bluer above the even, white teeth. Damn, there was something about him. She almost regretted she’d have to kill him eventually.

Available from:
Amazon US: 
http://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Enemy-Destiny-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B01BBCBYCS

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BBCBYCS

All three books in the Destiny Trilogy can be found on my Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B002BMBXH4

Please don't forget to visit the blogs below for more 'book hooks'.





For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

I'm still here!

Hi folks

Many apologies for my long absence from this blog - I've been really busy with all sorts of 'real life' things and a couple of visits to the hospital - nothing too serious but it all takes time and I've sadly neglected the blog.

Anyway, I'd like to wish you a very belaed  Happy New Year.

Just a couple of pictures - a nearby Stately Home in the winter sunshine

and this one is my dog Choccy enjoying the snow, which only lasted a few days but was fun while we had it.

I haven't been idle with my writing though, I've been busy trying to finish my current Work In Progress which is a ghost story set in Wales. I've been sadly neglecting it but am now about half way through. For more information - watch this space!

I'm also excited that the third book in the Destiny Trilogy, Beloved Enemy is being narrated and will soon be available, along with the other two as an audio book. I've already had some of the finished files and they sound great.

As well as this, you might have noticed a subtle change in the background of this blog. I hope you like it - I thought it would be nice to have a change but I didn't want it to be too drastic, so it's not too different to the old one.

Hopefully 'normal service' will now be resumed and I'll be featuring some great Science Fiction/Romance books and authors in the current year, starting on Wednesday this week.

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! I also promise that I never have and never will share your information or email address with anyone or any organisation.  http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Weekend Writing Warriors - #SundaySnippet - Beloved Enemy - last snippet

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the amazing writers in this group and leave them a comment if you can - they're listed below:

Weekend Writing Warriors for Eight Sentence Sunday
Snippet Sunday Facebook Group

If you'd to share your own 8-10 sentence snippet, whether published or not, follow the link and sign up. It's a great community to be a part of! 

Here's the last snippet from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy. Thanks so much to everyone who's been leaving comments on these snippets. xx

You can read the previous snippet of  Beloved Enemy HERE  (This week's excerpt takes place several paragraphs later.)

The story so far - Cat Kincaid has crash-landed on an unknown and seemingly hostile planet, apparently in the middle of a gun battle.  Seemingly deserted by his companions, one man fights the assailants off alone until he is hit. When the firing ceases, Cat decides to go to his aid. This is the last snippet from this book - but I thought I'd leave you with a picture of Cat's much loved animal companion, Shifter. (He's not as fierce as he looks, unless provoked! Also includes a tiny snippet from a later chapter.)

SNIPPET:

A silver chain hung around his neck with a small oblong metal capsule. Cat hesitated for a moment, before curiosity got the better of her, and she flipped open the lid. A soft, cushioning material lined the interior. She tipped the contents into her hand—a tiny gold cross and a locket. A quick glance at the inside of the locket revealed the portrait of a young woman with short dark hair curving in soft waves to frame her face, blue eyes, and a long, aquiline nose. The family resemblance looked too close for it to be a wife or girlfriend, so perhaps the image portrayed his sister or mother. Swiftly, she replaced the two items.

As Cat bent over him, her hair, now loosened completely from the scarf, swung forward, and she shook it back from her face with an impatient gesture.

She took her knife from her belt, and inserted the point into the material of his tunic. At once, a hand reached up and grabbed her wrist, with fingers like cold, carbon steel.

             

BLURB

Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.

Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret, and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red-haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

If you've enjoyed these excerpts and would like to read the first few chapters, you can find the free preview HERE

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Enemy-Destiny-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B01BBCBYCS

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BBCBYCS

Publisher Paperback
http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=6714

Publisher EBook 
http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=6682

KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/beloved-enemy-21

Purchase all three books in the Destiny Trilogy (or just one, they stand alone, while sharing some of the same characters, each is complete with its own HEA)  

(You can also read a  character interview with Cat at 

https://bonniephelpsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/meet-characters-interview-with-cat.html?spref=fb )

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share!

Weekend Writing Warriors - #SundaySnippet - Beloved Enemy ...she was not a cold blooded murderer

🌺HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ANY UK READERS!🌸

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the other writers and leave them a comment if you can - they're listed below:

Weekend Writing Warriors for Eight Sentence Sunday
Snippet Sunday Facebook Group

If you'd to share your own 8-10 sentence snippet, whether published or not, follow the link and sign up. It's a great community to be a part of! 

Here's the next snippet from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy. Thanks so much to everyone who's been leaving comments on these snippets. xx

You can read the previous snippet of  Beloved Enemy HERE  (This week's excerpt takes place several paragraphs later.)

The story so far - Cat Kincaid has crash-landed on an unknown and seemingly hostile planet, apparently in the middle of a gun battle.  Seemingly deserted by his companions, one man fights the assailants off alone until he is hit. When the firing ceases, Cat decides to go to his aid. (Several sentences omitted to comply with sentence count limitation, as indicated by elipses - but no violation of commas this time! 😏 This is the penultimate excerpt, one more to go!

SNIPPET:

For a fleeting moment, she thought of killing him there and then, but she was not a cold-blooded murderer. She could just leave him, let him bleed to death, but she wanted to be the instrument of his demise when it came. She wanted him to know who killed him—and why. Besides, she had questions only he could answer.

His gun lay nearby and she grabbed it with one hand, without taking her eyes off him, and slipped it under her belt. His eyes were closed, his face pale but his breathing steady. She needed to work quickly before he regained consciousness. Not that she was sure she could help him anyway. It depended on the extent of the damage......she took her medical kit and laid it on the ground while she attempted to unfasten his tunic. In the warm air, the blood dried quickly, and the leather-like material stuck to the wound. She would need to cut his shirt.

             

BLURB

Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.

Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret, and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red-haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Enemy-Destiny-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B01BBCBYCS

Purchase all three books (or just one, they stand alone, while sharing some of the same characters)  

(You can also read a  character interview of the hero in this series at https://anastasiapollack.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/book-club-friday-interview-with-hero.html?spref=fb )

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share!

Interview with Bonnie Phelps.

It's Cat's turn to be interviewed this week - she's at Bonnie Phelp's Blog - http://bonniephelpsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/
Please pop in and say hello if you get a moment.



For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Weekend Writing Warriors - #SundaySnippet - Beloved Enemy, The Destiny Trilogy Book 3: She knelt and drew in her breath...

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the other writers and leave them a comment if you can - they're listed below:

Weekend Writing Warriors for Eight Sentence Sunday
Snippet Sunday Facebook Group

If you'd to share your own 8-10 sentence snippet, whether published or not, follow the link and sign up. It's a great community to be a part of! 



(I'm also taking part in the SFR Brigade's Showcase this weekend with a 'tongue' in cheek' interview with the villain from 'Starquest'

https://hywelalyn.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/sfr-showcase.html

Here's the next snippet from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy. Thanks so much to everyone who's been leaving comments on these snippets. xx

You can read the previous snippet of  Beloved Enemy HERE  (This week's excerpt takes place several paragraphs later.)

The story so far - Cat Kincaid has crash-landed on an unknown and seemingly hostile planet, apparently in the middle of a gun battle.  Apparantly deserted by his companions, one man fights the assailants off alone until he is hit. When the firing ceases, Cat decides to go to his aid.

SNIPPET:
A spreading crimson stain showed on his shoulder and chest. Shards of rock lay everywhere, most of it from the large boulder he’d sheltered behind, split down the middle almost in two pieces. It must have absorbed most of the blast so he missed the main force.

It looked like the wound was caused by the shattering rock, or the damage would have been a whole lot worse, and she probably wouldn’t have been able to do anything for him.

She knelt and drew in her breath. Kerry Marchant -- she’d only seen holograms of the man. She could not recall noticing the faint scar beneath his left eye before, but it must be him. He’d changed little in the five years since she first saw the images, after searching through countless holo-libraries, and those features were unforgettable. She allowed herself the hint of a smile. She’d always hoped one day she’d run into him, and now fate played right into her hands.

             

BLURB

Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.

Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret, and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red-haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Enemy-Destiny-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B01BBCBYCS

Purchase all three books (or just one, they stand alone, while sharing some of the same characters)  

(You can also read a  character interview of the hero in this series at https://anastasiapollack.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/book-club-friday-interview-with-hero.html?spref=fb )

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

SFR SHOWCASE

Please remember to check out the posts from the other participants at 

 http://sfrcontests.blogspot.co.uk/p/sfr-brigade-presents.html

Once a month, the Science Fiction Romance Brigade’s showcase enables the brigade’s authors to highlight snippets from new works, WIPs, cover reveals or other fun things.

My fun post for today is a slightly 'tongue in cheek' interview with Narjohol, the antagonist in the first book of the Destiny Trilogy 'Starquest.' Each book is a 'standalone' and complete but features some of the same characters. Narjohol is a slaver  from the planet Salmar, and a not very pleasant alien.
(You can also read another, slightly more serious character interview of the hero in this series at https://anastasiapollack.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/book-club-friday-interview-with-hero.html?spref=fb )

INTERVIEW WITH NARJOHOL

(The automatic scan of Narjohol’s travel pack recorded: 
A hand held weapon of mass destruction, An electronic whip, A small container of food, most of it still alive, An unusually designed short bladed and very sharp knife, A great deal of money in intergalactic currency,One automatic laser branding iron.)

This is a recording of an interview with the Salmaran Narjohol relayed from Ms Lettus Prey’s personal holcorder.

Please make yourself comfortable Narjohol – it’s all right if I call you Narjohol  is it?

Of course, that is my name, please let’s get on with this.

Er. Okay. Can  you confirm your occupation for us?
  Interstellar slave trader

And where do you live?
   On board my slaveship, mainly.

So where do you come from originally?
My home planet is called Salmar, a good many parsecs from your world,
    Originally a penal planet, my ancestors were overseers.

Have you any family?
 The question is rather frivolous.  Salmaran children are abandoned by their mothers as soon as  they are able to fend for themselves and they never meet again.  There are usually about three in a litter and they go their separate ways. 

So do you ever see your brothers and sisters?
    Of course not.  What would be the point?  Salmarans have no need for companionship, that is  a weakness  you humans have.

I see. Are you married?
  The concept of marriage, is meaningless to a Salmaran.  The females of our species are for pleasure and breeding, there is no necessity for anything permanent .

What happens to the slaves on your ship?
  Most are sold to the highest bidder.  Some of them are special orders, privately commissioned.

For what purpose do you use your own slaves?
Both male and females can be used for pleasure purposes and those who do not find favour in our eyes for such pleasure are used for performing basic and the most menial tasks.

What is your main ambition?
   To make as much profit as possible from the sale of slaves, of course.

That is self evident, if I may say so. Anything else?
   To capture and kill a young Anraatian who has something I want.

May I ask what that is?
    Certainly not. That is between him and myself. 

You seem to have an interest in his female travelling companion as well.

Why wouldn’t I have? She is most attractive – for a human female.

Er...yes. Getting back to your slaves, what species are they?
      No particular species.  Whatever my clients request or that I think may fetch a good price at  auction.  Many of my clients have a liking for Earth women.

Do you have any pets?
   The question is meaningless.  Elaborate please.

Do you keep small animals for companionship?
   As I've told you before, Salmarans have no need for companionship, although I did once  capture a venomous Blachmas monster, and derived great pleasure from watching  it devour small Terran mammals.

That gave you pleasure?
   Immense pleasure

What else do you - enjoy?
      Anything that involves pain or blood - especially blood, I love the sight of it. I especially  enjoy making others suffer.

That seems a strange way of deriving pleasure.  Why do you think you enjoy
      such things?
   What a peculiar question.  Why should I need a reason to enjoy something?

Let me put it another way.  Have you ever suffered such treatment yourself and did you  enjoy it ?
   Yes, I was once whipped to within an inch of my life. The other Salmaran seemed to enjoy  the experience, but not as much as I did when I got my revenge on him.

Did you have a happy childhood?
    The question is irrelevant.  Childhood is a time for learning to survive and prosper. 

Do you have friends?
    Friends>? I am not sure how I’m supposed to interpret that question. I have people who are useful to me whom I will reward as I see fit.

 Do you have affection for these people?
    Affection is a meaningless concept to me.

Have you any children?
     Undoubtedly, there is a need to continuously propagate our race,

 Do you ever see any of your children?
    I wouldn't know where to begin looking, nor would I want to. It is sufficient to know my line continues.

Would you describe yourself as wealthy?
    Yes, but not as wealthy as I intend to become.

What is your favourite food?
      Another irrelevant question. Food is a necessity.  As long as it is fresh that's all that's     important.  If I was to insist on  my 'favourite' food I might end up starving to death!

You're not very forthcoming with your answers, are you?  Is there a reason for this?
  In my line of business you learn to keep certain things to yourself.  It’s habit forming.

What's  it like on board your starship?
Sufficiently comfortable for our needs. Not so comfortable for the slaves, of course, especially when we have had a successful hunting trip.  Would you like to see for yourself, my dear?  She'll be making planetfall in approximately thirty of your minutes.

Eh…well…thank you for the invitation, but actually there is somewhere else I have to be...

The interview seems to have ended abruptly and the recording ceased. Ms Lettice Prey has not been seen since.  If anyone knows of her whereabouts would they please contact their nearest Intergalactic Law Enforcement Unit. Thank you

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