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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'.

Showing posts with label 8 Sentence Sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 8 Sentence Sunday. Show all posts

Sunday 12 November 2017

#WeWriWar, Snippet Sunday - Children Of The Mist - 'We know of only one person who can help us'


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:

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 excerpts from Children Of The Mist the second book in
The Destiny Trilogy. This is set on Niflheim, a planet close to the heart of Jestine, known as Jess, who features in the first book. The heroine is one of her closest friends, Tamarith.
This is the final excerpt I'll be posting from this book - next week I'll start posting snippets from the third book in the Trilogy 'Beloved Enemy'

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



This snippet carries on directly from last week's snippet which you can read 
HERE 
As usual I have used some creative punctuation, not in the published version, in order to comply with the sentence count.

In this snippet Vidarh is about to learn why he and the other telepaths from around the planet have been summoned to Gladsheim, He and the others  have now been summoned to the Rainbow Bridge, to hear what Gullin, the elder of the city and Tamarith's brother, has to tell them:

Gullin cast his gaze over the assembled group. My friends, he began, first, we thank you all for coming here, especially those of you who have travelled great distances to be with us - the catastrophe threatening our world is something never before seen on Niflheim and  normally, of course, if we need to discuss matters of importance, we would hold a meeting of minds. However, because the situation is so serious, it was felt necessary for as many of us as are able, to gather in one place. By combining our physical presence, together with the power of our minds, we need to send a message into space, that is why we in Gladsheim—fortunately one of the areas that seems to have escaped the threat— have asked you to come here and join with us. There is only one planet we know of that would have the technology to help us in this emergency, and one person who would have the means to reach them. Together with everyone on Niflheim who is unaffected, we must unite and transmit a message. 

At a signal from Gullin, a number of people moved to join him on the bridge. Everyone joined hands with the person next to them, and closed their eyes in contemplation. After allowing several moments to elapse, he went on:   there is no guarantee we will reach her, but we must try - we helped her once, perhaps she would be willing to help us in return. We must hope we can reach her, wherever she may be now - many of you may remember her from when she last visited this planet. Her name is Jestine Darnell. 


Thanks to everyone who voted for my cover in the Adb cover contest last week. I'll let you know how I get on in the semi finals!

CHILDREN OF THE MIST: BLURB
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?




THE DESTINY TRILOGY


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/joinFor 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

Saturday 4 November 2017

#wewriwar-children-of-mist - Vidarh explains his arrival


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:

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 excerpts from Children Of The Mist the second book in
The Destiny Trilogy. This is set on Niflheim, a planet close to the heart of Jess, who features in the first book. The heroine is one of her closest friends, Tamarith.

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



This snippet carries on directly from last week's snippet which you can read 
HERE 
As usual I have used some creative punctuation, not in the published version, in order to comply with the sentence count.

The last sentence last week was Tamarith's telepathic query to Vidarh: It's about yesterday...

I thought it might be. Vidarh's lopsided smile looked rather half-hearted, I realize it was not the most dignified way for a guest to arrive, I rather expected to have to explain it to your brother. 

She allowed her own faint smile, it was just as well she had shielded her thoughts of a moment ago, Vidarh was very perceptive. Gullin has a great deal on his mind at the moment and is probably more polite than I am, I'm just curious. Forgive me if it sounds like I'm prying. I mean...teleportation? Levitation is one thing, but not many people can actually teleport.

I didn't know I could, myself, until recently, I used to do short 'hops' as a boy and thought it was something everyone did. It was only when I realized the other children of my age didn't teleport that I began to think there was something wrong with me and stopped doing it. Vidarh paused, looking at her with eyes that did not lose their sparkle, although a shadow crossed his face.



I hate to ask for votes again - and thank you if you voted in the first round. I'm thrilled to say that the cover of Beloved Enemy by WRP cover artist Rae Monet,  is a semi finalist and if you could possibly give it another quick vote I would be hugely  grateful. Thanks so much in advance, I really appreciate all your support!

CHILDREN OF THE MIST: BLURB
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?




THE DESTINY TRILOGY


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

Saturday 14 October 2017

#WeWriWar, Snippet Sunday - Children Of The Mist: Vidarh Arrives at Gladsheim


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:

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 excerpts from Children Of The Mist the second book in
The Destiny Trilogy. This is set on Niflheim, a planet close to the heart of Jess, who features in the first book. The heroine is one of her closest friends, Tamarith.

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

This snippet carries on a bit further from last week's snippet which you can read 
HERE As usual I have used some creative punctuation, not in the published version, in order to comply with the sentence count.

The sure-footed ponies picked their way along the narrow mountain path and Vidarh shivered against the sharp wind, his sodden clothes clinging to him, heavy and uncomfortable, chilling him even further. On reaching the foot of the mountain they urged the ponies into a mile-eating gallop, the exhilarating pace lifting his spirits and making him less aware of his discomfort. 

He knew there were questions Tamarith wanted to ask, every now and then, he caught fragments of her curiosity, and that of the others. However, he merely projected back to her that he would explain once they reached Gladsheim and he'd changed into dry clothes. 

At last, Gladsheim came into view. Vidarh drew in his breath, the city was even more beautiful than the stories had led him to believe. The mist, which still swirled over the mountains, had not yet reached the settlement. The setting suns cast a golden glow, suffused with touches of pink and crimson. Elegant houses, ranged around a long, narrow lake beneath snow-capped peaks, stood bathed in the ethereal light. Mosaic paths wound between tinkling fountains, and shrubs and flowers grew in profusion, despite the fine sprinkling of snow on the ground. 

BLURB
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

Saturday 12 August 2017

Last excerpt from Starquest - is this the end?


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:

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 excerpts from Starquest, the first of the Destiny Trilogy


(Please don't hate me - things are not always as they seem, and this is actually just the beginning, there is a lot more of this book left, but I'll be starting on book 2 next week!)

Previously: Jess and Kerry have confessed their love to each other and Jess has persuaded the crew of the starship Destiny, to help her overcome the invaders of the planet Phidia.  

When they arrive on the planet, Jess saves Kerry' s life, taking the laser fire aimed at Kerry by the alien invader, Ayandos.

Fast forward a little -  Kerry kills Ayados, and with the battle raging all around him, kneels beside Jess.


(Punctuation edits from published version to comply with sentence count.)
STARQUEST - 10 Sentence Snippet:

A smear of blood glistened on her lips...a stain on perfection and evidence of his own negligence.

“Please...”


He should have prevented this, somehow, he should have prevented it! He ran his fingers through the mass of flame-colored hair, golden highlights gleaming in the Phidian sunshine. He buried his face in its softness and held her close to his heart, hoping that somehow his words might filter through to her subconscious mind, as her life slowly ebbed away. 

“Forgive me, Jess. I love you, I always will...always. I could never tell you how
much.” 

An instinctive sense of danger pierced his grief. He whirled and rolled over his shoulder, just in time to avoid the laser aimed at his back. The blaster he picked up from close to where Jess had fallen made short and bloody work of his would-be assassin, but it seemed even Jess’s last moments were to be denied him. He was compelled to leave her and concentrate on destroying the assailants who came at him from all sides. 



End Note: The Destiny's crew do defeat Ayandos's men, with the help of the Phidians themselves but as I said at the beginning - this is just the start !

Is this really the end for Jess?
How will Kerry cope without her?
Will the Phidians repay the crew for saving them from the invaders?

STARQUEST (The Destiny Trilogy, Vol. 1)


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…




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

Saturday 5 August 2017

Weekend Writing Warriors - Starquest - penultimate post - things are looking bad!

WeWriWar
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:

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 excerpts from Starquest, the first of the Destiny Trilogy

Moving forward a bit - The crew of the Destiny  has landed at the area on the planet Phidia, which has been invaded by the Alien Ayandos. Unfortunately things do not go according to plan and they are confronted by Ayandos as soon as they step on the surface.


Without warning, Ayandos leapt forward in a fluid movement that was almost too fast to comprehend, and caught hold of Jess’s arm, dragging her back to where he’d previously stood.

“Let me go!” Jess lashed out with her free hand, struggling to free herself, but she was no match for the strength of the mutant. Kerry lunged toward the albino, as Jess cried out, the dread in her voice tearing through him like blaster fire.

“Kerry, no—he has a gun!”

Too late, Kerry saw what she had seen and Ragin sensed, a tiny laser concealed in the alien’s palm and aimed at his chest. Jess twisted in Ayandos’s grasp, trying to wrest the small weapon from him, and kicked out. Ayandos staggered a little from the blow, and she pulled herself free and sprang toward Kerry. A beam of almost invisible laser light struck her between the shoulders and she fell at his feet.


STARQUEST (The Destiny Trilogy, Vol. 1)



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…




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

Saturday 29 July 2017

WeWriWar:Starquest - things hot up between Kerry and Jess!



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:

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 excerpts from Starquest, the first of the Destiny Trilogy

This excerpt continues from last weeks' post
Kerry has come to Jess's cabin on board the starship Destiny, having discerned that she is worried about something, and despite the previous coolness between them is keen to clear the air. Finally the emotions they have been trying to keep from each other rise to the surface.
Creative punctuation editing from published version to keep within sentence limitation.

“It seems,” she said, her voice unsteady, “we’ve both been guilty of trying to hide our true feelings—”

“Then...perhaps we’d better make a fresh start." He wrapped his arms around her and she clung to him, finally surrendering to the strange, sweet emotion she had tried to deny. He kissed her, a lingering kiss that sent shock waves through her body, awakening the feelings she had tried to conceal for so long and her lips responded to his with a fierceness that surprised them both.

Several minutes later, with obvious reluctance, he released her, his eyes still not leaving hers. “I only came to make sure you were all right, I should leave now, I have heard of the strictness of the Sisterhood -- I do not wish to risk compromising any sacred vows or beliefs—”

She smiled, touched by his consideration in giving her the chance to back away, while she still could. “I’m a missionary, Kerry, not a nun, the Sisterhood only condemns casual liaisons, not genuine relationships.” She lowered her eyes, “I...I’ve never been in love before, not...not like this, but I know nothing that feels this way could be wrong.” She slipped into his arms once more. He pressed her body close to his, and kissed her again, with a tenderness she would not have imagined him capable of a short while before, and she wondered how she could ever have thought him cold.



STARQUEST (The Destiny Trilogy, Vol. 1)



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…




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




8
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

Saturday 24 June 2017

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:

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

Saturday 20 May 2017

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