#WeWriWar, Sunday Snippets: Beloved Enemy - Cat needs to find out what's going on

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read and write! We've got a variety of genres and talented writers just waiting for you to come sample their work.

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the other writers - 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 second snippet from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy. Thanks so much to everyone who has been following this series, and left comments xx

You can read the previous snippet of  Beloved Enemy HERE

Specially for Ed!

She listened for a moment to confirm the direction of the firing. It came from somewhere beyond the rim of the sandy cliff behind her. It took several minutes to scramble to the top of the slope and peer cautiously above the edge.

The battle sounded closer now, coming from the other side of several low dunes looming before her. She bent low against a scorching wind that lashed the sand around her into swirling eddies. She cursed as it snatched several long strands of her hair from the scarf that struggled to restrain it at the nape of her neck. Like a dark red mist, the unbound hair whipped across her face, blurring her vision. She brushed it back, with a few more muttered words of annoyance. As she reached the top of another low hillock, the sky lit up with a scintillating green light and the sound of the weapons almost deafened her. Her fingers tightened on her laser pistol, and throwing herself to the ground, she inched her way to a group of thorny bushes for cover.

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?

THE DESTINY TRILOGY

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0711J641G

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

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

#WeWriWar, Sunday Snippets: Beloved Enemy - At least she wasn't alone ...

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read and write! We've got a variety of genres and talented writers just waiting for you to come sample their work.

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the other writers - 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 second snippet from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy. Thanks so much to everyone who has been following this series, and left comments xx

You can read the first snippet of  Beloved Enemy HERE

“Come on Shifter,” she called, and a large animal materialized like a wraith from the shadows inside the vehicle. Two minutes later, after confirming the temperature, pressure and air composition, Cat emerged from her crippled craft. 

She gave a cautious sniff to the air, then took a deeper breath, glancing up at a sullen, pale copper coloured sky. Although the atmosphere smelled a little sulphurous, the air was perfectly breathable. She stepped to the surface, and gave an involuntary start as the silence rent asunder with the unmistakable whine and shriek of blaster fire. She drew her pistol and ducked, using the hull of the craft as cover, acting on instinct, before logic cut in. Whoever it was, they weren’t firing at her, and they were some distance away.

At least she wasn’t alone. If life on this planet had advanced to a point where the inhabitants possessed power weapons, they might also have space vehicles, and be her means of escape—if she could just keep them from killing her.

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?

THE DESTINY TRILOGY

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0711J641G

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

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 - Cat-landing!

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read and write! We've got a variety of genres and talented writers just waiting for you to come sample their work.

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the other writers - 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! 



 Thanks so much to everyone who has been following this series, and left comments xx

This week I'm going to start sharing  snippets from the third book in the  Destiny Trilogy 'Beloved Enemy' (Each book is a 'standalone' novel)

"Hold tight, Shifter, this is going to be bumpy.”

The small vehicle careened down the incline, ploughing a deep trough and throwing up a cloud of dirt and sand.

Eventually it plunged through the tangled branches of a group of slender trees and bushes at the bottom, and shuddered to a halt. For a moment, sandy soil and a blur of green and brown severed leaves and twigs on the external scanner obscured the view. Cat Kincaid ground her teeth and activated a control.

A gust of recycled air blew away the offending sand and foliage, and the screen before her displayed the surrounding terrain. A bleak, undulating landscape, punctuated by clumps of scrubby trees and bushes, like the ones she’d crashed into, stretched into the distance. A small forest bordered most of the far side of a steep slope behind her. She grabbed her emergency pack, and slung it over her shoulder, before swiping the airlock control. Let’s hope the computer was right about the atmosphere and pressure on this planet being compatible with human requirements.

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?

My publisher, The Wild Rose Press is having a Thanksgiving sale - all E-books, are 40% off, and each volume of The Destiny Trilogy is now only $2.99  until Monday. Grab yourself a bargain or two or three from hundreds of great books on offer.

https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/138_hywela-lyn 

(While you're there, have a look at all the great books by the wonderful Wild Rose Press Authors, and maybe download my 'Free Read' fantasy short story, A Bargain With Death.)

THE DESTINY TRILOGY

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

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

#WeekendWritingWarriors -Ten Sentence Sunday - An introduction to Earth Colony Niflheim

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read and write! We've got a variety of genres and talented writers just waiting for you to come sample their work.

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the other writers - 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! 

For the past few weeks I've been sharing excerpts from Starquest, the first of  Destiny Trilogy. Thank you to everyone who's been following and commenting. As I said last week, that was just the beginning of the adventure, although it looked like the end for Jess ... but I won't give any more away *evil cackle*!

Let me now introduce you to Niflheim the home planets of the two telepathic members of the Destiny's crew and where an important part of Starquest takes place. Niflheim is an Earth colony named after the Norse land of mist and cold. Many of the places and inhabitants are also named after characters and places in Norse legends. The descendants of the original settlers developed their powers of telepathy in order to communicate over vast areas having abandoned all technology. Parts of the planet are reasonably temperate and they have evolved a rural lifestyle and an economy based on the bartering of skills and produce.

Author Note: The planet Niflheim was inspired by the sight of the snow swirling like a pink mist over the Welsh Mountains, at sunset. I was writing Starquest at the time and an idea for a planet with pink  snow came into my mind, and the question - how would settlers on a sparsely populated planet communicate with no technology? And so the telepaths of Niflheim were born. Although only a few chapters of Starquest are set on Niflheim, some of the characters seemed to demand their own story, and so 'Children Of The Mist' became the second book in the Destiny Trilogy.  Although several of the characters in Starquest are also in this book it is a complete and separate story, and features Tamarith, a close friend of Jess.

Excerpt from first page:

The message from Gladsheim had been clear—Earth Colony Niflheim was in danger.

The rider shivered and drew his long coat more closely around him. His pony lowered its head against the wind, picking its way over the snow-covered plain. Vidarh knew he was not alone on this journey—he sensed the presence of others, all making their way to Gladsheim from various parts of the world.

Without warning, a mind connected with his, as sweet as the tinkle of tiny bells.

Greetings, Vidarh of the House of Ragnak, this is Tamarith of the House of Yarvi. I have been assigned to guide you to our fair city. You have come a long way to be with us, and we, the inhabitants of Gladsheim, thank you.

Relieved, he swiftly telepathed his response, Greetings Tamarith. I look forward to meeting you and the others soon.

The rest of your journey is not easy, she replied, but we will guide you. When you reach the other side of the mountain we will be waiting to take you to Gladsheim.

Two minds united against a common foe. Two hearts afraid to show their love:Long ago Tamarith fell in love with a man she can never have, and is convinced she will never love another. However, she cannot help but be intrigued by a handsome stranger whose psychic powers exceed even her own.

Vidarh seeks only to find his true purpose in life and to win the regard of his father, who eschews his son’s psychic abilities. Thrown together by a common threat to their planet, then torn apart by an evil greater than any they could have imagined, can Vidarh save the lovely Nifl woman who has captivated him, before it is too late?

Will Tamarith and Vidarh overcome the deadly enemy who threatens to destroy all they know and love? Will they find the happiness they both seek? Or are they fated to live their lives alone?

Purchase all three books (or just one, they stand alone, while sharing some of the same characters)  at https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B01MRY3XXT

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

WeWriWa - Jess's confession.

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read and write! We've got a variety of genres and talented writers just waiting for you to come sample their work.

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the other writers - 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 currently sharing snippets from Starquest, the first book in the SF Romance series,  Destiny Trilogy.

Jess has been rescued from her crippled ship by the crew of the Destiny but Kerry Marchant, the ship's second in command does not trust her and demands to know the truth.

You can read last week's snippet HERE

Kerry's confrontation with Jess is  overheard by the ship's Commander, Jon Quinlan, and he orders them both to his cabin, where Jess tells her story and explains that she is desperate to help the people of the planet Phidia.

Her voice took on an edge as she went on. “Their main settlement, Mirrahn, has been taken over by invaders from the Omega Quadrant, led by a mutant warlord known as Ayandos. He has tremendous power over his own people as well as the Phidians, it’s something akin to hypnosis, they seem to obey him mindlessly. He plans to bring in more ships and take over the planet.”

She clenched her fists until her knuckles whitened. “He’s ripping up the land to get at her ores and precious stones and has made slaves of her inhabitants. Worse than this, though, he intends to make Phidia the prime medical centre for that part of the galaxy. They’ve made tremendous advances in cloning, nano and transplant surgery, bio-regeneration and preventive medicine among other things, he intends to grow rich on their knowledge.”

“Surely,” Jon put in quietly, “it mightn’t be such a bad thing for the Phidians to share their knowledge with other worlds and civilisations?”

 “They always have, that’s how Ayandos was able to take control so easily. They have never tried to prevent anyone from visiting the planet, and their services are available to anyone who needs them. Now, with Ayandos as dictator, only the wealthiest will be able to afford treatment.” She pushed back her hair and met his gaze. “I’ve known these people a long time – I’ve grown to love them and they trust me. They begged me to fetch help before it’s too late.”

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

WeWriWa - Uh-Oh Looks like she's about to be caught out!

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read and write!

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the other writers - they're listed Below:

Weekend Writing Warriors for Eight Sentence Sunday

Snippet Sunday Facebook Group

It's the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! We've got a variety of genres and talented writers just waiting for you to come sample their work.

(And I'm also taking part in the SFR Brigade monthly 'Showcase' and you can see my post below if you'd care to visit.)

Read one, or all! 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 currently posting snippets from Starquest, Volume 1 in the Destiny Trilogy . Jestine Darnell has been rescued from her crippled starship by the crew of the starship Destiny and is gradually finding her place as one of the crew.

Jess is on the Flight Deck having a somewhat awkward conversation with Kerry Marchant, the second in command.

“Kerry, don’t you believe in anything?” 

“Oh, yes,” he replied, giving her a very direct look. "Myself and this ship, and the technology that enabled us to design and build her.” 

“And there’s no room in your life for the concept of the Universal Spirit...you think this whole universe was created by accident?” 

“I know it goes against all the rulings of the Union, with their insistence on blind obedience to the ‘Universal Spirit,’ but I trust only in the things I know and can control. I do not waste my time on fantasy or myths.” 

“It must be very gratifying to be so self-sufficient you need no one and nothing but yourself,” Jess said, without trying to suppress the note of scornful resignation in her voice. 

“It avoids disappointment.” 

She shook her head disparagingly and rose to leave the flight deck, taking one last look at the observation panel. To her consternation, Kerry caught hold of her by the shoulder and pushed her firmly back into her seat, standing over her with an attitude of grim resolve. 


“Not so fast, you have some explaining to do.” 

STARQUEST BLURB

When Jestine Darnell is rescued from her sabotaged starship by the crew of the Destiny her only objective is to complete her mission and keep her promise to save a world from slavery. Love is the last thing on her mind. However, she has not counted on losing her heart to Kerry Marchant the ship’s second in command, who makes his distrust of her painfully obvious, despite the chemistry between them. The completion of her mission has consequences that neither of them could have foreseen.

Enter Dahll Tarron, who becomes involved in a long and dangerous quest to find the Destiny. Fates become intertwined, perils shared, culminating in the realization that sometimes love may be so close that there is a danger it will not be recognized until it is too late…

You can read the previous snippet HERE

Purchase Starquest, Children of the Mist and Beloved Enemy here:
Destiny Trilogy

(All three books can be read as 'standalones' and are available singly)

(I'm also taking part in the SF Brigade Showcase this month too see the post below!)

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 - Starquest snippet 4

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read and write fiction! 

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. If you'd like 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!

Be sure to visit the other writers - they're listed in the link Below:

Weekend Writing Warriors for Eight Sentence Sunday

Snippet Sunday Facebook Group

I'm currently posting snippets from Starquest, Volume 1 in the Destiny Trilogy . The more she gets to know the crew, the more Jess feels uneasy about Kerry Marchant, the ship's second in command. The cover for Starquest did not quite depict Jess as I imagined her, in fact the model is very different from the young woman I had in mind. I loved the background but wish I could have asked the cover artist to change the model. This is more like I how imagine Jess:


Here's the link to last week's excerpt

EXCERPT FROM STARQUEST (Slight editing of punctuation to conform with sentence count)

It had been a mistake to bring her on board. 
Kerry Marchant studied Jess out of the corner of his eye while ostensibly examining the circuitry in one of the control panels on the flight deck. But of course they’d had no option, she would have died without their assistance. 

He was struck by how gracefully she moved, the slender curves of her body accentuated by the dark green bodysuit of clinging, soft synthehide. Her thick, flame-red hair hung in waves over her shoulders and down her back. There was no denying she was pretty. He allowed himself a half smile - no she was far more than ‘pretty.’ He’d had his share of beautiful women in the past, although none of them had made a lasting impression. It was not that Kerry disliked women; there were even one or two, like Zeldra, whom he not only liked but admired and respected. He simply did not trust the majority of them. 

This and the other two books in the Destiny Trilogy can be seen and purchased at:
https://www.amazon.com/Hywela-Lyn/e/B002BMBXH4/

(All three books can be read as 'standalones')




STARQUEST BLURB:
When Jestine Darnell is rescued from her sabotaged starship by the crew of the Destiny her only objective is to complete her mission and keep her promise to save a world from slavery. Love is the last thing on her mind. However, she has not counted on losing her heart to Kerry Marchant the ship’s second in command, who makes his distrust of her painfully obvious, despite the chemistry between them. The completion of her mission has consequences that neither of them could have foreseen. 

Enter Dahll Tarron, who becomes involved in a long and dangerous quest to find the Destiny. Fates become intertwined, perils shared, culminating in the realization that sometimes love may be so close that there is a danger it will not be recognized until it is too late…




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 - Sunday Snippet 3

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read and write!

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the other writers - they're listed Below:

Weekend Writing Warriors for Eight Sentence Sunday

Snippet Sunday Facebook Group

I'm currently posting snippets from Starquest, Volume 1 in the Destiny Trilogy Destiny.  The more she gets to know the crew, the more she feels uneasy about Kerry Marchant, the ship's second in command. (Kerry also appears in the third book, Beloved Enemy and I thought you might like to see a picture of him other
than the one on the cover of that book. (You might notice that he bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain Jimmy Thomas 😉

(although all three books can be read as 'standalones') Jess, who has been rescued from her crippled ship by the starship

“You are rather a long way from home,” Kerry Marchant remarked archly, “considering how small your ship was.”

“She was a Category ‘A’ hyperspeedster.” Jess tossed back her long hair, a hint of pride in her voice as she defended her lost ship. He was right though, she was a long way from Earth. She searched for a plausible explanation. “I’m a...a trader. I was returning from...” she hesitated again, “from Aquarius Seven.”

“Really?”

Was it her imagination, or was there something more than polite interest in Kerry’s voice? She sensed he somehow knew she’d lied about her origins.


This and the other two books in the Destiny Trilogy can be seen at:
https://www.amazon.com/Hywela-Lyn/e/B002BMBXH4/






STARQUEST BLURB:
When Jestine Darnell is rescued from her sabotaged starship by the crew of the Destiny her only objective is to complete her mission and keep her promise to save a world from slavery. Love is the last thing on her mind. However, she has not counted on losing her heart to Kerry Marchant the ship’s second in command, who makes his distrust of her painfully obvious, despite the chemistry between them. The completion of her mission has consequences that neither of them could have foreseen. 

Enter Dahll Tarron, who becomes involved in a long and dangerous quest to find the Destiny. Fates become intertwined, perils shared, culminating in the realization that sometimes love may be so close that there is a danger it will not be recognized until it is too late…


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