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Welcome to my place in the blogosphere!
feel free to explore the Flight Deck and check out my books and website.
Then fasten your seatbelts, sip a glass of something sparkling and let's chat awhile!
I hope you'll stop by again for guest authors and spotlights from time to time.

Beloved Enemy joined Starquest and Children of the Mist to continue the Destiny Trilogy and I'm thrilled to announce was shortlisted for the R.N.A. RoNA Awards 2017, awarded 2nd Runner up in the RONE Awards 2017 and was the winner in the SF/Fantasy category of the 'Best Banter Contest'.

Thursday, 13 August 2015

Into The Mist - spotlight and Giveaway






Into the Mist (Moonseed) (Volume 3)Into the Mist
Moonseed Trilogy
Book 3
Judith Ingram

Genre:  paranormal romance

Publisher: Vinspire Publishing, LLC
Date of Publication: July 30, 2015

Number of pages: 
Word Count:  91,500

Cover Artist:  Elaina Lee/
For the Muse Designs

Book Description: 

For the past six months, time-traveler Victoria Ashton has been living life as Katherine Kamarov on a ranch in rural California, circa 1890. A contrast to Katherine’s brash personality, shy and gentle Victoria has won the hearts of Katherine’s family and particularly her cousin Michael. Despite her deepening love for Michael, she has rejected his offer of marriage and sent him away, knowing that she must return to her own time on the night of the new spring moon.

In this third and final book of the series, sinister forces threaten Victoria’s new family, her property, and even her life, testing her for courage and ingenuity. A confident new self emerges, and when Michael unexpectedly walks back into her life, she questions whether she must remain a victim of fate or can find a way to determine her own future.

Meanwhile, Katherine has been living a parallel year of exchange in Victoria’s modern-day life, married to the handsome but remote Ryan Ashton. Hardened by her past, Katherine nevertheless falls for Ryan and, like Victoria, begins to search for a way to defy fate and keep the life she has come to cherish.

As the night of the new spring moon approaches, both women must search their hearts to discover how to hold onto what matters most, even if they should be forced back through the barrier of time.

Excerpt:

He didn’t hear her slide the door open and step out behind him. Her arms circled his waist, and the faint scent of ginger spice shot twin arrows of joy and pain through his body. Wordlessly, he turned and brought his mouth down on hers. Enveloped in the soft twilight hush, they shared a kiss that was deep and long and achingly sweet. When they pulled reluctantly apart, Ryan let his eyes linger over her, already naming the vision being etched in his memory. This is how my love looked in twilight.

She was wearing her white robe, and her blond hair curled softly, just brushing her shoulders. It’s gotten longer, Ryan thought. He suddenly wanted her to cut it again, as if keeping her hair short would somehow help her to keep her claim on this body—on this life—and prevent Vicki from coming back.

Tori moved to the rail and stared out over the city deepening into dusk. “It’s started, Ryan,” she said quietly.

He moved to stand beside her. “What’s started?”

She turned and leaned an elbow on the rail, holding him with a steady gaze. “What we’ve dreaded. I dreamed about the bridge.” She lifted a shoulder. “It’s only a week away. I should have expected it.” She drew in a breath that trembled. “She was already there, standing on the bridge. Waiting for me.”

At his look, she put out her hand and covered his. “Don’t hate her, Ryan. She didn’t ask for this to happen any more than I did.” She smiled faintly. “I would have, though, if I’d known you would be here. I wouldn’t have missed this time with you for anything. No matter what happens, I’ll carry you in my heart until the day I die.”

Ryan couldn’t speak. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. He could do nothing but stare at her in mute despair.

She turned her back on the glittering city and leaned both elbows on the rail, staring through the glass doors into their living room. The soft light of the table lamps was growing imperceptibly brighter as the dusk surrendered to night.

“Do you ever wonder, Ryan, what Victoria will be like when she comes back?”
“She’s not coming back.” His voice cracked.

“She’s had a whole year, Ryan, just like me. A lot can happen in a year. She may surprise you.”

“She won’t get the chance.” His jaw tightened. “I’m not letting you go, Tori. I can’t. Vicki doesn’t belong here anymore. This is your home, with Christina and me.” He covered the crack in his voice with harshness. “How can you stand there and calmly talk about Vicki coming back while you just up and vanish from our lives? Like it’s already decided, like it’s so easy for you—”

About the Author:

Judith IngramJudith Ingram weaves together her love of romance and mystery as well as her training as a counselor to create stories and characters for her novels. She is also the author of a Christian guide to forgiving and posts weekly devotionals on the role of forgiveness in healing relationships. She lives with her husband in the San Francisco East Bay and makes frequent trips to beautiful Sonoma County, where many of her fiction characters reside. She confesses a love for chocolate, cheesecake, romantic suspense novels, movies that require three hankies, and all things feline.

Website, blog and free weekly devotional: http://JudithIngram.com






Tour giveaway July 27- August 24

2 ebook (.pdf or .epub) bundles of trilogy Books 1 & 2

2 signed paperback copies of trilogy bundle Books 1 & 2 with bookmarks

2 ebook copies (.pdf or .epub) of Into the Mist

2 signed paperback copies of Into the Mist with bookmarks

4 $25 Amazon gift cards

4 purse charms featuring book cover and story theme charms

Direct link to entry form

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Monday, 10 August 2015

Roane Publishing is giving away THREE eARCs of Call of the Sea by Rebecca Hart!
Call of the Sea
By Rebecca Hart
Release Date: September 21, 2015
Publisher: Roane Publishing Keywords: Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifter, Selkie, Pirates, Irish Lore, 17th Century Romance, Sea Stories
Elysandra Winters has always yearned for a life of adventure on the rolling seas and is willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill her dream. When her Privateer father continually refuses to allow his only daughter to sail, Ellie defies him, disguises herself as a boy, and goes in search of a captain who will give her a chance to prove her worth.

Thanks to the cursed selkie blood coursing through his veins, Daniel O’Rourke needs the sea to survive. After giving up on his humanity and spending three years in seal form, he decides to give his human side another chance. Daniel goes in search of a job and a sense of normalcy, earning himself a position aboard Captain Winter’s ship, The Siren’s Call. However, his new captain’s first assignment has nothing at all to do with sailing, and everything to do with his headstrong young daughter.

Years later, when the leader of a band of bloodthirsty pirates murders Captain Winters, Daniel and Elysandra’s lives come crashing back together with the force of a hurricane. Both experts in deception, they must find a way to trust each other in order to quell the raging storm between them, and have any hope of hunting down the captain’s killer.
~~~oOo~~~
Roane Publishing is giving away THREE ARC copies to three lucky winners!
You don’t even have to be a blogger.
If you are willing to leave an honest review before September 25th, you are eligible to enter.
How? Simply fill out the form! You have until Midnight of August 15th when three winners will be chosen by random drawing.

Call of the Sea by Rebecca Hart - Giveaway

Roane Publishing is giving away THREE eARCs of Call of the Sea by Rebecca Hart!
Call of the Sea
By Rebecca Hart
Release Date: September 21, 2015
Publisher: Roane Publishing Keywords: Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifter, Selkie, Pirates, Irish Lore, 17th Century Romance, Sea Stories
Elysandra Winters has always yearned for a life of adventure on the rolling seas and is willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill her dream. When her Privateer father continually refuses to allow his only daughter to sail, Ellie defies him, disguises herself as a boy, and goes in search of a captain who will give her a chance to prove her worth.

Thanks to the cursed selkie blood coursing through his veins, Daniel O’Rourke needs the sea to survive. After giving up on his humanity and spending three years in seal form, he decides to give his human side another chance. Daniel goes in search of a job and a sense of normalcy, earning himself a position aboard Captain Winter’s ship, The Siren’s Call. However, his new captain’s first assignment has nothing at all to do with sailing, and everything to do with his headstrong young daughter.

Years later, when the leader of a band of bloodthirsty pirates murders Captain Winters, Daniel and Elysandra’s lives come crashing back together with the force of a hurricane. Both experts in deception, they must find a way to trust each other in order to quell the raging storm between them, and have any hope of hunting down the captain’s killer.
~~~oOo~~~
Roane Publishing is giving away THREE ARC copies to three lucky winners!
You don’t even have to be a blogger.
If you are willing to leave an honest review before September 25th, you are eligible to enter.
How? Simply fill out the form! You have until Midnight of August 15th when three winners will be chosen by random drawing.

Friday, 7 August 2015

Virtual Party, and Giveaway for Mackenzie Crowne's latest release

 

 Join us at the Author Roast and Toast for a Virtual Tailgate Party

Author Roast & Toast: Mac's Tailgating Party for her latest release 'To ...:

Mac is giving away a copy of her book, so come along and join the fun, we just love to have visitors and comments!

***GIVEAWAY***
To win a copy of 's book, all you have to do is just leave a comment at authorroastandtoast.blogspot.com
 and your e-mail address.
Contest ends on Sunday and everyone who comments is eligible.
(We reserve the right to waive the prize in any week when there are not enough contestants for a draw to be deemed fair and unbiased)

Tuesday, 4 August 2015

Traitor by Jody Wallace - Book Two In the Maelstrom series - Book Tour and Giveaway


 
Traitor
Maelstrom Chronicles


Book Two
Jody Wallace
Release Date: July 28, 2015
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Publisher: Entangled

Book Description:

 
Captain Nikolas EstherVorn is a traitor. Or so it was decreed after Niko disobeyed protocol while
trying to save Earth from other dimensional creatures. Stuck in a prison cell, the last thing he
needs is to be in close proximity to sexy-as-sin Dr. Sarah CallenJoseph. Not with him
damn near ready to break out just to get to her. Niko's desire isn't quite his own…and Sarah can prove it. He—along with the other soldiers on the disastrous mission—were drugged with some kind of toxin. Niko has no clue how the drug got into his body or why, but Sarah suspects there’s a link between the toxin and the fertility crisis of Shipborn humans.

To investigate is forbidden. But as lust becomes something deeper, binding them together in a way neither expected, Niko and Sarah must battle time—and their superiors—to uncover the secret that could save humanity...or destroy it.

About the Author:

Jody Wallace grew up in the South in a very rural area. She went to school a long time and
ended up with a Master's Degree in Creative Writing. Her resume includes college English
instructor, technical documents editor, market analyst, web designer, and general all around
pain in the butt. She currently lives in Tennessee with her family: one husband, two
kids, two cats. One of her many alter egos is “The Grammar Wench,” which should give you
an indication of her character. She is a terrible packrat and likes to amass vintage clothing,
books, Asian-inspired kitchenware, gnomes, yarn, and other items that threaten to force her
family out of the house. She also likes cats. A lot.

Jody publishes the Maelstrom Chronicles with Entangled Publishing, an Earthbased
science fiction romance series. You can find other science fiction, paranormal, and contemporary romances by Jody at www.jodywallace.com, including her horrible science fiction romance spoofs, The Adventures of Mari Shu, which make fun of the Maelstrom Chronicles, among other science fiction concepts and stories.

Website: http://www.jodywallace.com
Blog: http://blog.jodywallace.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jodywallace
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JodyWallaceAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jodywallace
Newsletter: https://madmimi.com/signups/104974/join

Tour Giveaway

A pair of handmade crocheted UFO earrings US Only
$35 gift card to Amazon open internationally



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, 1 August 2015

Recombined Cover Reveal

Cover Reveal Banner

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Recombined SERIES – The Irrevocable Series, Book 3 AUTHOR – Samantha Jacobey GENRE – New Adult PUBLICATION DATE – September 1, 2015 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - Approx. 160 pages/52K words PUBLISHER – Lavish Publishing COVER ARTIST – Nicolene Lorette Designs
Recombined - full cover

BOOK SYNOPSIS

RECOMBINED - An Irrevocable Series Novel… Can mankind survive an apocalypse of his own making?
Bailey and Caleb fled civilization in light of impending disaster. Fighting to make their way south, they struggled to rejoin their survivalist friends and relatives. After facing crowds hell-bent on securing supplies… After getting the better of a marauding band of misfits… The couple arrive back at The Ranch, only to discover the place is deserted. Soon, a lone survivor emerges, explaining the group’s mysterious disappearance and the dangers they face in the ransacked hideaway.
Joining forces, the trio sets to work, restoring order to their desert oasis. Making repairs, as well as plans, they are soon joined by a few who had made a daring escape. Refusing to leave the others behind, tempers flare and lines are drawn, while the young couple struggles to define their relationship. In a desperate attempt to rescue the remainder of their comrades, the group moves into their bunker, prepared to hang on until the bitter end. Will they succeed in saving Bailey’s brothers, as well as the rest of their comrades? Or will the renegade town of Pouty put an end to Lawson once and for all...
Recombined - Media Kit teaser

AUTHOR BIO

Samantha Jacobey is a middle aged woman who earned a BS in Business Management and has worked in half a dozen fields. With a relentless zest for life, she enjoys action and adventure, as well as all the love and romance it has to offer. Creating stories in her mind for many years, she has put some of them into print for the world to share, and hopes you will enjoy reading them as much as she did creating them. What drives her most is the love of a good story and is confident you will enjoy her latest creation.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS


Cover reveal has been organized by buttonmfh

Thursday, 30 July 2015

Another five star review for 'Starquest'

I just found this lovely review for Starquest, by the same reviewer who was kind enough to review the next book in the series 'Children Of The Mist. Reviews are so important to an author, and it's worth all the hard work when someone is kind enough to say they enjoyed one's story. a review like this truly makes my day and I want to thank everyone who takes the time to review any of my books - and those of my fellow authors too, it means the world to us.


"This was a well-written science fiction novel with a healthy dose of romance. There were twists that I didn't see coming and that I really liked which would make this a superior book in any genre. I thought the world building was excellent; each new planet had very definite characteristics, scenery, animal and plant life, and customs that clearly differentiated it from others in space. The main character, Jess, is a pilot on a mission to save a planet that was conquered by a militant race and enlists the aid of another spaceship to help her. It is when that mission is accomplished that things go awry and Jess sets off on another mission to find her lover with the aid of another pilot Dahll.
In some ways this book reminded me of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series which I love. I would heartily recommend this book. I already have the next one in the series, Children of the Mist, on my reader and can't wait to read it."

Mainer Amazon US

Thank you so much for your lovely review, Mainer, I'm so glad you enjoyed 'Starquest' and really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review.

Sunday, 26 July 2015

Don't miss this free book! Phoenix Contract by Melissa Thomas - Books 1 - 5




Title: Phoenix Contract
Author: Melissa Thomas
Genre: A New Adult paranormal fantasy
Published on: June 15, 2015

Blurb:
Centuries after the fallen angels left heaven to live among humans, their Nephilim descendants dwell in secret, hidden from the modern world. Once, a charismatic leader known as the Phoenix led their people, but he vanished centuries ago. The few surviving Great Houses are in decline, bickering over petty rivalries while a handful of faithful warriors battle to keep the forces of evil at bay.

Eighteen-year-old Aiden McLachlan devotes her life to her studies and pursues her lifelong goal to become a full-fledged Watcher. But everything she knows of her life is a lie and everyone a liar. Through a strange twist of fate, she finds herself caught up in an ancient prophecy. The stars predict the rebirth of the Nephilim leader, but the mystery must be unraveled or the Phoenix cannot rise. With a soul-eating demon, a coven of ancient vampires, and a hardheaded Celtic warrior competing to subvert the Phoenix, Aiden doesn't know where to turn or who she can trust.

All of the serial parts of Phoenix Contract (Parts 1-5) will be FREE on
Amazon Kindle on July. 27th.

http://goo.gl/3l64Rc
Links to individual parts:
Phoenix Contract Part One: http://goo.gl/6XkZ5P
Phoenix Contract Part Two: http://goo.gl/Xc0nQg
Phoenix Contract Part Three: http://goo.gl/0aJaOC
Phoenix Contract Part Four: http://goo.gl/S3CTf7
Phoenix Contract Part Five: http://goo.gl/cJSxsk
Link to Boxed Set (Parts 1-5):
$2.99 on Amazon Kindle: http://goo.gl/nEBP8o

Excerpt 1:
He’d always had the worst of luck, and the day he died was no different. Thrash stared into the chasm of space between the building roof and city streets, contemplating the eighty-story drop. It was a long way down. The city’s lights glimmered against darkness, millions of fluorescent stars. Surrender did not come easily to him, and it tasted bitter in his mouth. He’d spent his life training to fight, but what could he do against an enemy that could shape shift at will?

Six-foot-six and muscular in the manner of body builders, Thorton David Aston III or Thrash to his friends, was an albino. He was born without skin or hair pigment, his skin perfectly pale, his hair white. He rivaled the city lightscape for its clean brightness. He disliked the attention his condition attracted, so he’d cropped his hair short and dyed it metallic blue.

Thrash’s athletic body thrummed with tension. Perspiration beaded on his pale forehead and made his palms clammy.

The Soul Eater was coming for him.

Author Bio and Links:
Melissa Thomas breathes life into her dreams, bringing imaginary characters and fantasy worlds into our reality. She loves her characters so much they become her alter-egos, enacting the exciting adventures she envisions for them. She is a resident of San Francisco, California and adores the picturesque city by the bay. Her hobbies include surfing and scuba diving.
Phoenix Contract is her debut novel.

You can learn more about Melissa at http://thephoenixascending.blogspot.com/
Email: MelissaThomas214@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MThomas_author

Thursday, 23 July 2015

A change from SF or Fantasy on the Flight Deck today - one of my other Romance Genre favourites, Suspence Romance!

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Bruce Blake - epic fantasy tour

Blood King - free until 4th July!


Heir Of The Blood King banner

This is my stop during the book blitz for Heir of the Blood King (Adventures of Adam #1) by W.O. Cassity. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 20 till 24 July, you can view the complete blitz schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.
During this blitz Heir of the Blood King will be free on amazon, make sure to grab your copy!

Heir of the Blood King (Adventures of Adam #1)
by W.O. Cassity
Genre: Fantasy/ Action & Adventure/ Sword & Sorcery
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: April 15, 2015
Heir Of The Blood King cover
Pages: 123

Blurb:
No one can escape their destiny in a world controlled by the Fates. Ancient prophecies are the means by which the gods maintain order. Whether pauper or king, each life becomes a pawn in a dangerous game of control, where moving pieces determines the course of all living beings. The Blood King’s sudden death in the night triggers a foreboding prophecy of dark times, as it is foretold that his unknown Heir would awaken to the dark magic of his blood and enslave the Eleven Kingdoms. Soldiers bring destruction to the countryside seeking the Heir Of The Blood King.

Adam escapes the fires of the peaceful village of Riverside in the night when the soldiers laid waste to his adopted home. With his fate uncertain, the unskilled orphan must fight for his freedom against dangerous enemies who give pursuit as he searches for the answers to his past. Adam is also faced with the challenges of survival against the untamed wilderness and its dark denizens as he tries to avoid a destiny he does not want.

“The Heir Of The Blood King will rise, this has been divined.” - Ancient prophecy of the Seering Council.

“Heir Of The Blood King” is the first installment of the ongoing, action-packed, Young Adult fantasy, survival series, Adventures of Adam.


You can find Heir of the Blood King on Goodreads

Heir of the Blood King is free from 20 till 24 July! Grab your copy for free here:
- Amazon


W.O. CassityAbout the Author:
W.O. Cassity has been an avid fan of all things fantasy and science fiction for more than thirty years. His experiences as a table top gamer and games master inspired him to share his imagination with his children. His first novel titled "Heir Of The Blood King" is the first installment of his fantasy adventure series, Adventures of Adam. Will lives with his wife, four children and two dogs.

You can find and contact W.O. Cassity here:
- Blog
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon


There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Heir of the Blood King. These are the prizes you can win:
- two 50$ amazon gift cards (INT)

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, 15 July 2015

Space cowboys and Indians



 Space Cowboys & Indians

Space Cowboys & Indians by Lisa Medley
Science Fiction Adventure Romance
Words: 37K * 175 pages
Series: Cosmic Cowboys Series, Episode 1
Amazon: $2.99 http://amzn.to/1QFLrOV
Kindle Unlimited: FREE http://amzn.to/1QFLrOV
Space Cowboys & Indians blurb
 
How can the chance of a lifetime go so horribly wrong?
Mining Engineer Cole Hudson signed up for NASA astronaut training, but after washing out short of getting his gold wings, he retreats to Alaska where he stakes out a gold claim. When billionaire entrepreneur Duncan Janson offers him an opportunity to join a mining team on an asteroid, Cole jumps at the chance.

But nothing is as it seems. Former NASA reject and rival classmate, Tessa Hernandez, is also a member of the team, and from the beginning of the mission test flight, things go wrong. They soon discover they’re not the only ones on the asteroid. As they try to escape, they are pulled through a wormhole and back to the early 1800s New Mexico desert where aliens and Apaches may be the least of their problems.
BUY SPACE COWBOYS & INDIANS
Excerpt:
Chapter One

Alaskan gold mine, the Hudson Claim - the near future.

"Goddamn it, Hudson. The washplant is down again.”

Cole ground his molars together before he could unleash the torrent of swears coursing through his brain in reply. Of course the washplant was down. Again.

This claim would be the end of him.

“Show me,” Cole said.

His foreman, Todd Cargill, held up four shredded washplant screens with holes the size of bowling balls, useless now for the first step in screening for gold.

Cole squeezed his eyes shut and wondered for the eleven-millionth time this summer why the hell he’d come to Alaska.

Redemption, he reminded himself.

Wasn’t worth it.

“That was my last replacement screen. Be a week before the supply plane can bring us more,” Todd said. “No use running dirt until it’s fixed. This way, we’re only making mud.”

Most expensive mud he’d ever not made. A week in the bush with no work? He’d have to pay the crew, regardless, or he’d lose the whole lot of them. Hell, he still owed them from last month. They were running out of summer to mine, and they’d barely collected any gold so far.

“Shut it down. I’ll call in the order.”

“What do you want me to tell the guys?” Todd asked.

“Tell them—”

The chop, chop, chop of helicopter blades slowly pounded across the sky until the beast came into sight on the horizon. What the hell was a chopper doing out this far?

The copter landed on the flat several hundred feet from their dredge, stirring the dust up from the broken ground and tailings. Covering his face with his arm, Cole coughed into his elbow and waited for the cloud to settle. The copter blades whirled to a stop, and his small crew left their work detail to gather around him and see what was going on.

A white-haired man, maybe fifty, maybe older, emerged from the helicopter cabin, quickly followed by two men wearing sleek black suits, wrinkled from the tactical firearm harnesses strapped snugly across their chests. They were loaded for bear.

That wasn’t what concerned Cole. He knew he was in for trouble the second the guy’s thousand dollar cowboy boots hit the turf. The man swatted at the swirling dust on his white shirt and designer jeans then brushed his hands through his shoulder-length hair three or four times, shaking it out like the mane of a horse. He cranked up a smile as he made a beeline for Cole.

“Mr. Hudson?” the man asked.

“I’m Hudson.”

“You look exactly like your NASA application photo, Mr. Hudson. Haven’t changed a bit in the past five months. It was five months you were detained. Yes?”

Todd coughed loudly beside him. “Okay, I think we have things to do. Let’s go, boys.” Todd urged the crew back toward their office trailer.

Cole was going to have to give his foreman a raise. Right after he beat the dandy in front of him into a bloody pulp.

“Who exactly are you, and what the hell are you doing here? Surely you didn’t fly that deathtrap all the way out here just to insult me in front of my crew. Or did you? You with Montoya?”

The man appeared bewildered for a moment. “Oh my. Let me start over. I…this wasn’t the impression I intended to make. I’m afraid I started off badly. I’m simply so excited to find you. Out here.” He motioned toward the distant tundra. “It’s a very, very long way out here.” He flashed another smile at Cole and offered his hand. “Duncan Janson. You might know me from the airline ads?”

Cole stared at the man’s smooth, tanned hand. The guy had never worked a day of hard labor in his life if those hands told the right story—that much was obvious. He knew exactly who he was, now. Billionaire airline owner and profiteer. What he didn’t know was what he was doing on his little piece of Alaska.

“You answered the first question. Now answer the second,” Cole said, purposely not taking the offered hand.

Janson pulled his hand back then clapped them together, clearly proud of himself. “I’m here to offer you a job.”

“I have a job.”

“This would be quite a different job. Well, maybe not all that different. You’d still be mining, but you would also have a chance to partake in some of your other passions.”

Clouds slid past the sun, and a gust of wind stirred up a dirt devil near the copter, cooling the air noticeably.

“What is it you think you know about my passions, exactly?” Cole asked.

Janson twisted his expensive Rolex around his wrist nervously. “Was it not your passion for space that led to your gambling problem? Trying to raise enough money to continue in the program? Which led to your legal issues, which led to your detainment and now self-exile here in this godforsaken place? Isn’t your work here an effort to earn enough money to finance your first two passions? It’s a bit of a vicious circle, it seems.”

Cole could feel his blood pressure rising. This asshole was on his last nerve five minutes after meeting him and about one more sentence away from a shallow Alaskan grave.

“What if all of your skills could be utilized to fulfill each of those…passions? You’d be paid well. Very well.”

“Is this prospect legal?”

“Yes, but it’s not without risks. I want to hire you to do some mining for me.”

“Where? You have a claim in Alaska?”

“I’m afraid my claim is quite a bit farther away from here. Your gambling problem and detention might have gotten you booted out of NASA’s space program, but your personal problems are not a deterrent to me. Your other skills and expertise are exactly what are needed for my project.”

Skepticism scratched at the back of his mind, but Cole couldn’t deny he was intrigued. He hated Janson’s manner, but he could take his money. No problem. Hell, this job might be the financial boost he needed to finally make this claim profitable.

“How long is the job, and where is it?” Cole asked.

Janson smiled again, clearly certain he’d already sealed the deal. “I expect the job to take around six months. All expenses paid, of course. With an option to renew for a second mission after that, if you are so inclined. Your season here is winding down? Am I correct?”

Considering the ruined washplant screens? Yeah, winding down would be a kindness.

“You didn’t tell me where the job is,” Cole pressed.
“Ah, that’s the best part, Mr. Hudson. The job is on Amun. It’s an asteroid. I want you to mine it for me.”
Lisa has always enjoyed reading about monsters in love and now she writes about them, because
monsters need love too. She adores beasties of all sorts, fictional as well as real, and has a farm full of them in her Southwest Missouri home, including: one child, one husband, two dogs, two cats, a dozen hens, thousands of Italian bees, and a guinea pig.

She may or may not keep a complete zombie apocalypse bug-out bag in her trunk at all times, including a machete. Just. In. Case.