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

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

STARQUEST  * CHILDREN OF THE MIST * BELOVED ENEMY

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

Memories of Chronosalis - Spotlight and #Giveaway

Memories of Chronosalis 

by
Ceara Comeau

Genre: SF Fantasy

It’s one thing to read about heroes saving worlds in far off galaxies, but to become one is an entirely different story. Sixteen-year-old Amber Oak wanted nothing more than to stay in her own world of music and solitude. But the inhabitants of Galaseya, a Utopian planet rooted in the past, had other ideas in mind. According to them, only she wielded the power to stop the dark forces threatening their home.

At first, Amber sympathized with the planet, but saw no reason to involve herself in the affairs of something outside her world. But

the stakes have risen when she discovers that Galaseya is not only the world that has been invading her dreams, but also the place her estranged family originated from. With this new knowledge, questions began to surface and secrets of Amber’s life come to light causing her to second guess everything she knows.

Add  to Goodreads

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I've been writing stories since I can remember. Stories, I thought, were
just for children my age and I did not think they would go far. At fifteen years old, I was proven wrong. My parents took a look at my
stories and saw something in them that I could not see. They saw the
potential of a good book, or two! 

With my Dad as the editor and my Mom doing the formatting, we self-published these books. I did not think anyone, other than my family, would want to read the ramblings of a young teenager. When we published "Amber Mysteries Volume 1" and "Adventures of the Young and Curious," I was fifteen years old, then the unexpected happened. People would write to me and they told me how much they loved my books.

During the time, when I was seventeen, I stopped writing. I lost faith in
myself and my ability to write. But , my mom suggested that we
publish my third book, for it had been sitting on the shelf for about
two years. She thought it would be good to get it out there, before I
started college. I did not see what harm it could do, so my third
book, "Amber Oak Mysteries Volume 2" was published. In 2012

I published "Amber Oak and the Missing Links". I went on to
publish "Amber Oak and the Master of Illusions". In 2015 I
published something different call "The Lost Journal of Erika
Traynor". These is currently available on lulu.com, amazon.com
and barnesandnoble.com

Recently I realized I needed to go back and redo the original Amber Oak
Mystery series. It had potential, but I knew I could do better. It
will be different than the originals as it focuses more on science
fiction and fantasy rather than mystery. The title of the book is
"Memories of Chronosalis". 

Website

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Twitter * Instagram

* Amazon

* Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE

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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 ... "I should go now, while I still can."

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 next snippet from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy. Thanks so much to everyone who has been following this series, and stayed with me xx
(A little mutilation of punctuation to keep within the allowed sentence count.)

You can read the previous snippet of  Beloved Enemy HERE  (This week's excerpt is a few sentences later.)

The story so far - Cat Kincaid has crashlanded on an unknown and seemingly hostile planet, apparently in the middle of a gun battle in the not-too-far distance.  One man appears to be fighting the assailants alone, the other, and their wounded companion having disappeared under cover of the smoke capsule Cat activated. Now the lone fighter appears to have been hurt - or dead!

SNIPPET:

She should have been long gone. I should leave now, while I still can.The effects of the smoke capsule she’d released would not last long, already the air was becoming clearer. She turned once more and trained her viewer back on the clump of rocks; the man in black lay motionless.

Leave him. Leave him and get out of here. If she was right and he and his companions were human, presumably they’d have some sort of transit ship, unless their starship was small enough for planetary landings. Either way, they’d surely come back for him. Then it dawned on her that if they returned, perhaps she could persuade—or force—them to take her with them. If he was alive, he’d serve as a bargaining chip.

             

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)  

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 ... The charge still held but it would not be long before it ran down

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 next snippet from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy. Thanks so much to everyone who has been following this series, and stayed with me xx

You can read the previous snippet of  Beloved Enemy HERE  (This excerpt is a few sentences later.)

The story so far - Cat Kincaid has crashlanded on an unknown and seemingly hostile planet, apparently in the middle of a gun battle in the not-too-far distance.  One man appears to be fighting the assailants alone, the other, and their wounded companion having disappeared under cover of the smoke capsule Cat activated.

SNIPPET:              

He checked his blaster. The charge still held but it would not be long before it ran down.He allowed another couple of minutes to elapse before risking a look. The smoke still hung in the air, although it seemed to be clearing a little. Apart  from several bodies, the landscape seemed deserted. With all the caution he could muster, finger on the trigger button, he crept from around the rock. He froze.
Sensing movement in the boulders opposite, he dived back again. Just as he reached the shelter of the rock, the ground seemed to explode around him. A piercing pain shot through his shoulder and he knew no more

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)  

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 ... What are they waiting for?

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 next snippet from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy. Thanks so much to everyone who has been following this series, and stayed with me xx

You can read the previous snippet of  Beloved Enemy HERE

(The story so far - Cat Kincaid has crashlanded on an unknown and seemingly hostile planet, apparently in the middle of a gun battle in the not-too-far distance. Cat decides to even the odds a little and fires a smoke capsule.

Kerry Marchant persuades his friend and commander, John Quinlan to take their wounded comrade back to their starship, so her wound can be treated.

SNIPPET:              

The commander slung the woman’s unconscious form over his shoulder and bending low beneath the smoke, edged his way back the way they’d come, keeping close to the tree-line. Kerry kept their attackers busy with a volley of well-aimed blaster fire.

How many of them are there? He must be hopelessly outnumbered, but he might as well be killed here as on some other planet. If only he could keep them busy long enough for Jon to get Zeldra safely to the Destiny’s ferry craft. He ducked behind the boulder as another volley of blaster fire singed the surrounding undergrowth. He fired once more and heard a strangled scream as another of his assailants went down; a long silence ensued. What are they waiting for?

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)  

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

Destiny's Gambit - Spotlight, Review and #Giveaway

This is my stop during the book blitz for Destiny’s Gambit by R.J. Wood. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 5 till 11 February. 
See the tour schedule here.

Destiny’s Gambit (The Voyages of Jake Flynn #1)
By R.J. Wood

Genre: Fantasy/ Science Fiction/ Sword and Space/ Space Fantasy

Age category: Middle Grade/ Young Adult

Release Date: January 24, 2015

Blurb:

Jake Flynn’s parents disappeared when he was a baby. On his twelfth birthday, the mystery of why his parents disappeared begins to unravel when he discovers a glowing talisman with a message from his father.

Jake is directed to a derelict sailboat in a field. He watches in awe as the talisman knits ropes and sails for it out of golden energy. Awash in light, the boat sails up into space, and the voyages of Jake Flynn begin.

During the quest to find his parents, Jake encounters space pirates in tall sailing ships, channelers that can wield energy like magic, and evil cabalists led by a sinister snake-woman. Assisted by a young healer and her aged protector, a spirited cabin girl, and a salty space captain, Jake learns that he too can channel, and that he is central to stopping the cabalists from resurrecting a long-dead evil

Puzzles, a pirate asteroid, walking the plank, fantastic magic, traps, treasure caves, multiple planets and great ship battles – Jake must experience them all on this epic sword and space adventure.

By the end, Jake will discover the truth about his destiny, realize that family can transcend blood lines, and understand that his own needs are sometimes less important than those of others.

You can find Destiny’s Gambit on Goodreads
You can buy Destiny’s Gambit here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Smashwords

REVIEW
It's a little difficult to categorise this very original and gripping story. It's part Science Fiction Adventure, part Fantasy and has a very Steampunk feel as well. The protgonist is a twelve year old boy so I guess it's intended for older children and young adults. Anyway, as a 'much older' adult I enjoyed it very much although the occasional incident of 'telling' rather than 'showing' and the odd 'headhop' drew me out of the story at times, but not enough to spoil what is actually a 'rattling good yarn'.

Briefly, the story concerns the boy, Jake, whose parents have mysteriously disappeared, and he lives with his rather stern Uncle and kindly grandmother. When, on his twelfth birthday, he finds a talisman and a message from his father he sets off immediately to find them. His adventures take him into space, where he encounters an evil snakewoman, makes some interesting friends, and becomes involved with pirates, space battles and visits various strange and dangerous planets

I loved the idea of an old time sailing ship being able to travel through deep space, thanks to Jake, the young hero's newfound ability to 'chanel' his special talents to power the ship. It's not without a scientific 'rationale' either as some of the companions he meets on his first visit to another planet are also able to 'chanel' and they are able to form a bubble of air around the ship and also to control the pressure and temperature so they don't freeze to death. The author clearly has a very thorough knowledge of all things nautical and the descriptions of the ships, their weaponry and handling are put across in a way that makes the reader feel he or she is taking part in the voyage themselves.

I was sorry when the book ended - I'm not too keen on books that aren't actually complete, and I had expected Jake to conclude his search for his parents - but it seems I have to wait until the next book to find out if he is likely to be successful. It wasn't exactly a 'cliff hanger' ending though  but there is obviously more of Jake's story to come in what looks like being a very enjoyble and entertaining series.
*four stars*

About the Author:

R. J. Wood has been creating stories and adventures for others since 1979. A bard at heart, he trained in Drama (BA) and History (MA) while at university. He currently lives near Snoqualmie Falls in Washington State with his wife and children. There he does a little fishing, some adventuring, and of course, his writing.

Like everyone of my generation and beyond I have been heavily influenced by film. I like to think of my books as movies in my mind. I developed my creative writing through fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal RPGs. My degree in drama helps me with story, characters, and especially dialogue. Having an advanced history degree is excellent for plots and characters, but it also helps me with world building.

You can find and contact R.J. Wood here:

- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Instagram

Giveaway

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Destiny’s Gambit. One winner will win a $10 Amazon Gift card.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

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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