HATHOR LEGACY: BURN by Deborah A Bailey Giveaway & Excerpt

I'm back! This is my last post about my new science fiction romance, Hathor Legacy: Burn, book two in the Hathor Legacy series. I've had fun sharing excerpts and posts with you. Hope you've enjoyed them too!

At the end of the party, one randomly chosen commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a ebook version of the book (either .mobi or .pdf). 


In this excerpt, Nadira is in a medical evacuation center or “medi-evac.” She was caught in an ambush of a security team and used her PSI abilities to fight her way out. Now she has to rest in order to regain her strength. She’s had a few shocks up to this point (with more to come) and Jonathan is concerned that she’s taking on too much without giving herself a chance to recover.


Nadira tried to sit up, but her arms ached so much they couldn't support her. Instead they wobbled and she was forced to drop back down against the pillows.

"Relax. You're not going anywhere." Jonathan propped himself up on his elbow and pulled the covers back over her.

She looked up into his grey eyes. What she saw there wasn't what she was expecting. But it wasn't just concern for her that had etched the dark circles under them, there was something else.

"You look tired," she said, as she ran the tip of her finger along his face, following the line of his squared jaw. Stubble pricked and tickled her skin, encouraging her to continue her exploration. After reading Varyn and being attacked in the warehouse, she'd shut down her awareness, just so she could block out her emotions. If she allowed herself to feel something now, she'd have to feel it all, and she wasn't sure she was ready for that.

Jon captured her hand and pressed it to his lips. "I didn't know how to find you. A security officer told me about the warehouse fire. When I got there, they told me to check the medi-evac. I heard you calling me."

Had she? She couldn't remember now. In fact a lot of the attack was hazy, without clear definition, like waking up and trying to remember a dream. "I couldn't save them. I tried and I couldn't." Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision and making her feel ashamed.

Emotions were to be controlled at all times. That's how Zina had trained her, and that's what she had always fallen back on. But now, it wasn't working.

"Let it go," Jonathan said. "It's all right."

"No." She shifted and turned her back to him. "Stop. Just go. Come back in the morning." She wasn't ready yet. If she let it out now, she'd never be able to stop.


About the book

Book Two of the Hathor Legacy Series

On the planet, Hathor, an old threat re-emerges that may destroy the fragile alliance between the Guardians and Novacorp.  When Nadira is called to investigate a rash of fires throughout the city, she discovers the Deshtu, another group with PSI powers who have been purposely kept in the shadows.

Working to uncover the source of the fires, Nadira learns the brutal truth about the origin of the Guardians. The Guardian Elders have plans to make Nadira more powerful, and she may be forced to sever her psychic connection to Jonathan Keel.

When an unexpected ally gives Jonathan information about the Deshtu that connects them to the fires, he becomes a convenient scapegoat for the opposing factions. Nadira puts her life on the line to solve the crime, while the Elders make their move to remove Jonathan from her life forever.

As time runs out, the Guardians prepare for a clash with Novacorp that could plunge the planet into chaos, and a final betrayal forces Nadira to risk everything to save herself and Hathor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW95G7K

As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future.

Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel in the Hathor Legacy universe, Hathor Legacy: Outcast. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. She's also the author of a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.

Website: http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

HATHOR LEGACY: BURN by Deborah A Bailey Giveaway & Writing Romantic Scenes

Hi there! I'm back with another post about my new science fiction romance, Hathor Legacy: Burn, book two in the Hathor Legacy series.

At the end of the party, one randomly chosen commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a ebook version of the book (either .mobi or .pdf). 


Writing Romantic Scenes

For the most part when I wrote short speculative fiction stories, I didn’t include love scenes. Romance and flirting, yes. But that was as far as it went.

But when I wrote my novel, Hathor Legacy: Outcast, I found myself in a bit of a dilemma. It’s a romance, isn’t it? So I knew at some point, the heroine/hero would have to get together romantically.

Since I’d just started getting to know the characters, Jonathan and Nadira, I didn’t feel comfortable having them move too quickly. But by book two, they're in an established relationship, so I let their love scenes flow naturally.

Whether the hook up comes sooner or later, it should never feel forced. Once I decided how explicit I wanted to get, it got easier. Instead of doing endless “insert tab a into slot b” descriptions, I looked for descriptive words that could set the mood without my having to actually describe the blow-by-blow. And in the interests of keeping it "PG," I won't go into more detail in this post! :)

One of the love scenes, where they've reunited after a separation, happens on a beach. During that scene I used words like "roar," "crashing," "fueling" and "explosion" to make a strong impression. They drive up the tension and the reader has a reaction to them, even if they’re not fully aware of it.

All writers know that words are extremely powerful. They paint images and stir up emotions. Do I like reading love scenes? Sure. But sometimes writing them is challenging. I want to show what’s happening, while at the same time I want to stay within what I think is appropriate for that story.

There are readers who skip those scenes. Others can’t get enough. So I don’t think a writer can anticipate if a reader will be glad the characters hooked up, or when they’ll be turned off. All I can do is stay true to what I feel works at that point. The characters will let me know when they’re ready, and that will make the scene much easier to write.


About the book

Book Two of the Hathor Legacy Series

On the planet, Hathor, an old threat re-emerges that may destroy the fragile alliance between the Guardians and Novacorp.  When Nadira is called to investigate a rash of fires throughout the city, she discovers the Deshtu, another group with PSI powers who have been purposely kept in the shadows.

Working to uncover the source of the fires, Nadira learns the brutal truth about the origin of the Guardians. The Guardian Elders have plans to make Nadira more powerful, and she may be forced to sever her psychic connection to Jonathan Keel.

When an unexpected ally gives Jonathan information about the Deshtu that connects them to the fires, he becomes a convenient scapegoat for the opposing factions. Nadira puts her life on the line to solve the crime, while the Elders make their move to remove Jonathan from her life forever.

As time runs out, the Guardians prepare for a clash with Novacorp that could plunge the planet into chaos, and a final betrayal forces Nadira to risk everything to save herself and Hathor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW95G7K

As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future.

Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel in the Hathor Legacy universe, Hathor Legacy: Outcast. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. She's also the author of a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.

Website: http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

HATHOR LEGACY: BURN by Deborah A Bailey Giveaway & Mythology

Here's post three about my new science fiction romance, Hathor Legacy: Burn, book two in the Hathor Legacy series.

At the end of the party, one randomly chosen commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a ebook version of the book (either .mobi or .pdf). 


Mythology in the Series

The planet, Hathor was discovered (or will be!) in the year 2234.

The name of the planet is a perfect fit for the theme of the story. Hathor is an Egyptian goddess who symbolizes joy, love and motherhood. In my books, mothers play a key role in shaping the events. Both Jonathan Keel and Nadira’s mothers rebelled against the established order.

Their rebellion ultimately led to Jonathan and Nadira getting together and falling in love, and that relationship will help shake things up in a culture that is controlled by Novacorp, the corporation that runs things on the planet.

Hathor is also known as the “cow goddess,” and her symbol is a sun disk sitting between the horns of a cow. Novacorp’s U-shaped corporate logo is based on that symbol.

Since Hathor is also known as “Mistress of the West,” I had Jonathan’s mother be from that part of the planet. Hathor is the patron goddess of miners–and mining is at the core of the Novacorp economy. Nadira’s mother is named after Minona, a West African deity who protects women and the home. And in the books, her mother takes action to protect Nadira from the forces that want to use her for their own purposes.

Hathor’s mythology is similar to the goddess Isis, and over time a lot of their characteristics were merged. But Isis has her own story, and it inspired me to name the twin moons of Hathor, Isis and Osiris. This relates to the myth of Isis searching for her husband Osiris after his brother Set killed him to assume the throne. There’s a lot more to Isis’ story that I won’t go into here, but I used the imagery to symbolize the journey that Nadira and Jon take when they’re searching for Jon’s father who’s presumed dead.

Jonathan Keel is from the planet Astarte, which is about three days away by space cruiser. Astarte is a goddess who's also known as Ishtar. Known to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, she was also associated with Aphrodite and Isis. Since she's the goddess of love, it's fitting that when Jon arrives on Hathor, he and Nadira are in a romantic relationship at the end of book one.

One of the moons of Astarte is Demeter (where Jon's father is CEO of the mine). In Greek mythology, Demeter went into mourning when her daughter Persephone was taken away by Hades. This is a reference back to Nadira being taken away from her mother so that she could be made into a Guardian.

There are so many mythological stories from across the world. They're an endless source of inspiration for writers and for readers!


About the book

Book Two of the Hathor Legacy Series

On the planet, Hathor, an old threat re-emerges that may destroy the fragile alliance between the Guardians and Novacorp.  When Nadira is called to investigate a rash of fires throughout the city, she discovers the Deshtu, another group with PSI powers who have been purposely kept in the shadows.

Working to uncover the source of the fires, Nadira learns the brutal truth about the origin of the Guardians. The Guardian Elders have plans to make Nadira more powerful, and she may be forced to sever her psychic connection to Jonathan Keel.

When an unexpected ally gives Jonathan information about the Deshtu that connects them to the fires, he becomes a convenient scapegoat for the opposing factions. Nadira puts her life on the line to solve the crime, while the Elders make their move to remove Jonathan from her life forever.

As time runs out, the Guardians prepare for a clash with Novacorp that could plunge the planet into chaos, and a final betrayal forces Nadira to risk everything to save herself and Hathor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW95G7K

As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future.

Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel in the Hathor Legacy universe, Hathor Legacy: Outcast. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. She's also the author of a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.

Website: http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

HATHOR LEGACY: BURN by Deborah A Bailey Giveaway & Hathor Legacy Worldbuilding

Hi again! Here's post two about my new science fiction romance, Hathor Legacy: Burn, book two in the Hathor Legacy series.

At the end of the party, one randomly chosen commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a ebook version of the book (either .mobi or .pdf). 


Hathor Legacy Worldbuilding – The Guardians

Believe it or not I came up with the idea for the Guardians from watching a PBS documentary on U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Well, there were a few twists and turns between the idea and the execution. After they went into the details of how FDR was infected by the virus that causes polio, I wondered what would happen if that disease was as prevalent in the US today?

From that thought, I got an idea about a virus that would fundamentally change the person who became infected. But instead of having the virus unleashed on Earth, I chose a settlement on another planet. A person who survived the infection would be left with PSI powers. Though not just the ability to read minds or predict the future, they’d also be capable of moving objects and sending out energy blasts.

In book two of the Hathor Legacy series, Hathor Legacy: Burn, I reveal the origin of the Guardians. They’re descendants of settlers who were infected by a virus unleashed after the planet was terraformed and prepared for human habitation.

Instead of being superheroes using their extraordinary powers to save the day, they’re corporate employees doing a job for Novacorp Intergalactic, Inc. Though the Guardians are also separated from the other humans on Hathor, they have their own culture and hierarchies within that culture.

They don’t get to choose their professions and they’re discouraged from having relationships with people outside of their group. Not only that, but once an individual develops abilities and becomes a Guardian, they’re forced to leave their family and give up their family name. Everything is done to strip them of who they were before so they can start a new life with a new identity.

Nadira (the heroine) has to fight convention when she decides to continue her relationship with Jonathan Keel (the hero).  Some Guardians do push back in spite of the pressure to conform. As with any group, there will be outliers, but with the Guardians, if too many of them push back, it could destroy them and completely rip apart the fabric that holds the society together.

Novacorp needs them to hold on to their control, and yet the Guardians are strong enough to overpower them. At the heart of the story, conflict and tension exists between two groups that need each other for survival, yet don’t trust each other. And ultimately this conflict directly impacts the relationship between Nadira and Jonathan.

That’s how I got from FDR to the Guardians. Certainly not what I expected when I sat down to watch that program!


About the book

Book Two of the Hathor Legacy Series

On the planet, Hathor, an old threat re-emerges that may destroy the fragile alliance between the Guardians and Novacorp.  When Nadira is called to investigate a rash of fires throughout the city, she discovers the Deshtu, another group with PSI powers who have been purposely kept in the shadows.

Working to uncover the source of the fires, Nadira learns the brutal truth about the origin of the Guardians. The Guardian Elders have plans to make Nadira more powerful, and she may be forced to sever her psychic connection to Jonathan Keel.

When an unexpected ally gives Jonathan information about the Deshtu that connects them to the fires, he becomes a convenient scapegoat for the opposing factions. Nadira puts her life on the line to solve the crime, while the Elders make their move to remove Jonathan from her life forever.

As time runs out, the Guardians prepare for a clash with Novacorp that could plunge the planet into chaos, and a final betrayal forces Nadira to risk everything to save herself and Hathor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW95G7K

As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future.

Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel in the Hathor Legacy universe, Hathor Legacy: Outcast. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. She's also the author of a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.

Website: http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

HATHOR LEGACY: BURN by Deborah A Bailey Giveaway & Excerpt

Hi there! I'm excited to share a few excerpts and posts about my new science fiction romance, Hathor Legacy: Burn, book two in the Hathor Legacy series.

At the end of the party, one randomly chosen commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a ebook version of the book (either .mobi or .pdf). 


In this excerpt, (the heroine) Nadira is leaving a gathering where she was called into a private meeting with the members of the Guardian Elders. During a conversation with Mikal, an old childhood friend of hers, she discovers his true feelings about the Elders and about her.

“Whatever the Elders think they can accomplish, it won’t work. But I mustn’t criticize Elder Dakar even if I feel his actions are questionable,” Mikal said.

“Are you going to tell me what you mean by that?” Nadira asked.

Mikal looked off in the distance. “Your transport is coming.”

“You’re not going to answer me?”

“I’m his assistant. It’s not my place say anything against the Elder,” Mikal said.”But I know he’ll do everything in his power to force you to comply with him.”

“None of them can force me. That would be a violation.”

The transport trundled up the street and pulled over to the curb. The door swung back with a hiss.

“They’re desperate and afraid of what Novacorp may do to us, Nadira. And desperate people can do violent things.” He reached out and ran his hand along her cheek.

His touch was like fire against her skin, searing her with his open desire. Startled she jumped back and stumbled. “Mikal, don’t. I have to go.” Brushing past him, she climbed into the vehicle and moved to the opposite side of the seat. Sitting there huddled in the corner, she felt vulnerable, like cornered prey.

“I’m sorry if I was too forward, Nadira,” he said, leaning into the cabin. “My emotions overpowered me.”

About the book

Book Two of the Hathor Legacy Series

On the planet, Hathor, an old threat re-emerges that may destroy the fragile alliance between the Guardians and Novacorp.  When Nadira is called to investigate a rash of fires throughout the city, she discovers the Deshtu, another group with PSI powers who have been purposely kept in the shadows.

Working to uncover the source of the fires, Nadira learns the brutal truth about the origin of the Guardians. The Guardian Elders have plans to make Nadira more powerful, and she may be forced to sever her psychic connection to Jonathan Keel.

When an unexpected ally gives Jonathan information about the Deshtu that connects them to the fires, he becomes a convenient scapegoat for the opposing factions. Nadira puts her life on the line to solve the crime, while the Elders make their move to remove Jonathan from her life forever.

As time runs out, the Guardians prepare for a clash with Novacorp that could plunge the planet into chaos, and a final betrayal forces Nadira to risk everything to save herself and Hathor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW95G7K

As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future.

Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel in the Hathor Legacy universe, Hathor Legacy: Outcast. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. She's also the author of a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.

Website: http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

Apocalypticon, by Clayton Smith - An Excerpt

My upcoming novel, Apocalypticon, tells the tale of two men's sometimes fun, sometimes gut-wrenching, always terribly dangerous odyssey through post-apocalyptic America, from Chicago to Disney World by way of the ruined South. I'm wagering it's unlike any dystopic story you've read before, and I hope you enjoy it! The novel gets its wide release on March 17. Here's a little preview...

--

It didn’t take long to plan the journey. Not because it was an easy journey to plan, but because there just wasn’t much they could plan for. There was a time, not so very long ago, when getting ready for a trip meant typing a destination into Google Maps and loading up the Santa Fe with three more suitcases than were necessary, most of them filled with shoes. All one really needed to “be prepared” was a full iPhone battery and a spare tire. But M-Day had made things a bit more unpredictable. For starters, the Internet was little more than a smoldering pile of melted tubes. And cars! Ha! Cars were completely impractical. The vehicles of the dead choked the roads, at least in the city. Sure, the interstates were probably a little less crowded, but even if Patrick and Ben could weave a car out through the city limits, they’d be out of gas before nightfall. If the charred remains of the BP down the street were any indication, there would be no fuel along the way. Bodies of would-be gas thieves with dried blood caked from their slit throats? Sure, plenty of those. But gas itself? No way.  

Since Patrick was the marginally more responsible one and Ben was the King of Food Mountain, it seemed natural that Ben should handle the canned goods and Patrick should be in charge of pretty much everything else: can openers, utensils, rope, blankets, his Leatherman, pens, pencils, notebooks, first aid kit, and anything else he could get his hands on. They would each carry their own clothing, of course, and any weapons they could scrounge together. Also, one of them needed to be the expedition leader. They were certain to face extreme dangers outside the apartment building--murderers, thieves, treacherous landscape, starvation, inclement weather, maybe even a few surviving Jehovah’s Witnesses--and if they were going to survive all that, they would need to think and act as one person with one brain. “And I will be that brain,” Patrick explained.

“Wait, wait, wait. Why do you get to be in charge?”

“Because this is my trip. It was my idea.”

“So? Maybe that puts you too close to the situation. Maybe you’re too invested in this trip to make logical, objective decisions. Maybe the fact that it’s your trip means I should be the one in charge.”

“No, it absolutely does not mean that, and I’ll tell you why.”

Ben crossed his arms. “Fine. Why?”

“Because Disney World is south.”

Ben snorted. “So?” 

“So why don’t you show me which direction that is.”

Ben hesitated. Patrick had leveraged his greatest weakness. He had to make a confident decision, and he needed to act quickly. He took a chance and pointed firmly toward Lake Michigan. 

Patrick nodded. “That’s why I’m in charge.” The point was conceded with no further objection.

“So Disney World. That’s where we’re going. That’s it,” Ben said.

“That’s it,” Patrick agreed. “If by ‘it’ you mean ‘everything.’”

Ben tented his fingers and shook them at his guest. “Okay, now I’m not saying Disney World is a dumb destination. But listen, Pat. Disney World is a really dumb destination. Seriously.”

Patrick reached across and grabbed Ben’s hands in his own. “No, Ben. Disney World is the best possible destination. Decades of snappy marketing tricks have made it so.”

Ben yanked his hands out from under Patrick’s. “Let’s make a list of destinations that are less dumb than Disney World. Ready?” He spread his hands wide, as if he were offering a magnanimous gift. “Las Vegas. Grown-up Disney World. Let’s go there.”

“Pass!” Patrick slapped the coffee table with both hands, his eyes growing wide and bright. “Disney World or bust!”

“No, don’t do that,” Ben said, shaking his finger at Patrick’s crazy-eyed face. “This is your trip; it’s your decision. All right, I get that. I understand. If you want to go to Disney World, well, hell. I guess we’ll go to stupid Disney World. But Disney World is for babies and honeymooning Christians. Not for real life grown-ups. And do you know the only thing lamer than Disney World? Burned out, rusted up Disney World full of charred baby skeletons.”

Patrick leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “I once knew a Ben Fogelvee who would have thought a burned out, rusted up Disney World full of charred baby skeletons sounded awesome,” he challenged.

“Yeah, you know, it does sound pretty bad ass,” Ben mused. “I’m warming to the idea. But try this option on for size. Old Cliff in 13B says he knows a guy who knows a guy who hosts a battle royale once a week in this dirt circle arena in his backyard somewhere in Detroit. These guys, they come from all around with sticks and knives and bats and iron pipes and just wail on each other for three hours until everyone’s dead.”

“Hmm.” Patrick pressed a finger to his lips and thought carefully. “Now, that sounds like something I would certainly like to play a video game about. But are you sure everyone dies? What about the last guy? He lives, right?”

“Hell no, he doesn’t live! First place is the quick, painless release of death from this stupid post-apocalyptic life. Everyone dies, one just less painfully than the rest.”

Patrick squinted and pointed a suspicious finger at his host. “Are you sure this is a thing?”

Ben pointed back and met Patrick’s squint. “Here’s what I think. I think we find you a stick, and we make you a champion. If we’re going Code White, make it the bright, blinding white of nuclear self-destruction.”

“I appreciate where your head’s at, Ben. I like your thought process. And it’s tempting. Don’t get me wrong, it’s extremely tempting. But we’re going to Disney World.”

“Why?” Ben sighed. “Do you at least have a good reason?”

“Of course I have a good reason. Because I’ve never been. And I read somewhere that you should go before you die.”

--

Apocalypticon will be available on Amazon in paperback and ebook formats starting March 17. For more information, find me on Facebook and Twitter!

The Destiny of Shaitan - Bombay/ London

Hi Everyone,

My name is Laxmi Hairharan and I am the author of kindle bestseller The Destiny of Shaitan (#1 Chronicle of the Three.) This YA, epic fantasy novel is a delicious blend of gods & humans, offering a glimpse into your own power. Partially set in a futuristic Bombay, this coming of age story is painted against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world.

Synopsis: When Tiina accompanies Yudi on a mission to save the universe from the ruthless Shaitan, she seeks more than the end of the tyrant; she seeks herself. Driven by greed and fear for his own survival, Shaitan bulldozes his way through the galaxy, destroying everything in his path. Tiina wants Yudi to destroy Shaitan, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Shaitan being killed by his son. But she finds that Yudi is hesitant to do so. The final showdown between Tiina, Yudi, and Shaitan has unexpected consequences, for Shaitan will do anything in his power to win the fight, even kill Tiina. The stakes are high and the combatants determined. Will Shaitan's ultimate destiny be fulfilled? Get your own copy of the novel here http://tiny.cc/i24qew

I am really pleased to be here on the Goddess Fish blog, and I wanted to tell you a little more about the origins of my novel. I grew up in the chaotic, bustling, megapolis that is Bombay. The city formerly known as Bombay itself does not exist anymore, for it is now Mumbai. Hence Bombay itself is a mythical city. Packed to its seams with almost twenty million souls, it is the most alive city on this planet, perhaps.

Festival of Ganesh - the elephant headed God, Bombay

When in Bombay, all my eight senses pop open—assaulted as I am by the vibrant colours, overwhelming noise, unable to move without jostling into someone else or a car, stuck in traffic inhaling the fumes, hearing the latest Bollywood hit song blaring from the radio of the taxi; I love it and I hate it. I have a paradoxical relationship with the city of my birth. It squeezes the words out of me, forced as I am to put pen to paper for there is no other way to describe how I feel when I am here. Yet I am left longing for just a moment’s silence, a smooth-piece-of-quiet which I can sink into and rest my conflicted soul. All I had to do was take what I see of this city in my mind’s eye and transpose it into a future. Where will this extreme city be, almost thousand years later in the year 3000?

Scifi meets Bollywood : Ra.One, one of my fave movies

The crowded, dirty, dusty, cosmopolitan Bombay of today may be on a real path to a desolate, dystopian landscape by the year 3000 if its citizens keep up their current rate of abuse of the environment. It was simple then to fast forward to 3017 and Tiina, Yudi and Rai are racing to save the world from an evil Shaitan. The scenes of Rai’s growing up years are set in a futuristic Bombay. It is a gritty place where Rai is left when his mother, one of Shaitan’s mistresses, escapes to give birth to him. He remains in the world of sleaze, sex, and drug abuse until Mimir, the wise master comes to him and pulls him out. Java—Tiina’s adopted home planet or Pluto—Yudi’s adopted planet, these other settings are steadily given more merit as being fantastic while the audience spends time with Rai in Bombay which is so grounded in grime.

Futuristic Bombay - very different from the city where I grew up

Compared to the lush planet of Java, Bombay and Earth are disgusting, and in some cases, downright horrific. The cool, abundant environment of Java, is inspired by London—the greenest city on this planet, and a polar opposite to the city of my growing up years. It is here—in the wide, woodlands near my home where I walk off any lingering tendrils of wanderlust, while trying to capture forever the fragrance of eye-catching flowers that I grow in my back garden—that I found my voice. The healing, blooms lavish their love, closing into the cracks of discontent, rooting me into calling this place home. And having anchored myself, I find I can now write. The words pour out of every orifice, the spoken and the written, through my every expression.

London: the calm after the storm

Camden Lock: near my house in London

It’s a special year too for my adopted city. London is physically at the centre of the universe and this year it spiritually is at the eye of the storm too. The Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, followed by some wonderful movies I saw at the London Indian Film Festival — which I also helped organise—and the Olympics. I find a rush of love for my adopted metropolis overwhelm me; even as I continue to draw inspiration from Indian mythology, which features some very strong feminine role models and goddesses.

The Queen's Jubilee, 2012, London

Eye-catching flowers in my back garden

My fave pink sneakers... miles to go before I sleep

Tiina is inspired by the goddess Uma, who is also the divine mother, the supreme goddess of power. She is divine life energy (or Shakti), stronger than any other god. Yudi is inspired by Yudhishtra. In Indian mythology, he is the righteous one, the one who always speaks the truth, showing unflinching adherence to fulfilling one's moral duty. But, my favourite character in The Destiny of Shaitan is Artemis; she was only an in-animate spaceship, but from the moment I gave her a feminine point of view and had her develop a crush, and a kind of hero-worship for Tiina, everything changed. The dynamics between the two are fascinating. Tiina is such a strong character and there is a very masculine side to her. This automatically resonates with Artemis.

Tiina in The Destiny of Shaitan: 
Inspired by the divine mother goddess UMA 

In #2 Chronicle of the Three, titled Return to Seven Islands, I plan to delve deeper into the psyche of Tiina, and her adventures with Artemis. I stay in the world I have created, in the futuristic galaxy of ten planets, but I zoom into futuristic Bombay, setting this novel entirely on the original seven islands which Bombay is built on. I hope you will enjoy this book too which releases next spring (Holi 2013.)

Coming soon: Return to Seven Islands, #2 Chronice of the Three

Holi : the joyous festival of colours

That's me and Naman - my husband

My first born

The Destiny of Shaitan is available on Amazon http://tiny.cc/szqsew. The critics say: 

"A delicious blend of gods and humans, sacred and profane; an enlightening spiritual journey entertainingly disguised as Sci-Fi. It will take you on a gripping ride, catapulting you into a world that gives you more than a glimpse of your own power and potential. Let this author show you where we can all be headed when we get out of our heads and limitations and into a richer and deeper place, the expansive world of imagination." - Pippa Merivale, Author of Rescued by Angels & Harps of Gold, pioneer Colour Therapy, Founder Metatronic Healing System.

"Rarely is the Indian view of the world set in the far future, the land of science fiction, which almost exclusively seems to be the domain of the Western World. How refreshing it therefore is to read Laxmi Hariharan's coming of age drama partially set in a post-apocalyptic Bombay. A must read!!" - Cary Rajinder Sawhney, Creative & Executive Director, London Indian Film Festival.

“…The writing is almost poetic which makes the battle scenes all the more gripping which made me think of the baptism scene in the Godfather. So much murder, so much violence and blood and yet there was such purity about those few clips…A definite must-read for anyone who is in the mood for something different.” Ravina Andrea Kurian, Mommy Adventures with Ravina.

You can also reach me- Laxmi Hariharan - here, I'd love to hear from you.
Twitter at @laxmi
Website http://www.laxmihariharan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laxmihariharanauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/laxmi  

If you like my writing, and would like to be profiled on my blog as part of my Reader Avatars series, then please do email me: laxmihariharan@yahoo.com

Thank you everyone, I enjoyed writing these posts, I hope you liked reading them too :) Thank you Goddess Fish for providing this great platform for meeting kindred souls!
- Laxmi

The Destiny of Shaitan - Origins (Hong Kong/ Bombay)

Hi Everybody,

It’s awesome to be here today. Thank you Goddess Fish for having me. I am a writer based in London. Though originally from India, wanderlust drew me away from my home city of Bombay, and I travelled across South-East Asia, living in Singapore and Hong Kong for a few years. My travels inspired my writing. So in the first of my series of posts here, I wanted to share a little of how The Destiny of Shaitan was born. It was 2003 and wanderlust had led me to Hong Kong. Landing in this city felt as if I had been dropped in a cauldron of seething emotions. As a kineseologist friend said “Hong Kong is the base chakra of the universe, the seat of commerce on Earth.”

Hong Kong - the base chakra of the universe

It made sense, for everywhere around me the thirst for money and the search for a life lived outside oneself -- preferably in a series of the latest branded acquisitions-- ruled. For someone like me who is spiritually in tune with my inner self, the city came as a shock. I could feel my heart beating fast—from the crowds, the people, the uber-tall skyscrapers with their small cell like apartments—one of which became home to me for the few years. I lived in a tiny four-hundred-square-feet apartment. “Eighteen—lucky number,” the landlord had reassured me, when he showed me the place, as apparently, was the street address—Eight Hollywood Road.

 

My 18th floor apartment, #8 Hollywood Road

The belief in numerology runs deep in the Orient, with local businessmen shelling out millions of dollars for a car license plate bearing the number Eight. But I digress, for I am here to share the story of the origins of my novel. One hot perennial-summer-afternoon found me walking down Hollywood Road, wearing my favourite thin cotton cut-off trousers, and a skinny-T-shirt. In that eighty-degrees-heat the less one wore the better, and I had learnt very quickly that even wearing jeans felt claustrophobic. Cotton was best, as it let in the cooler air to keep the skin ventilated. Raindrops drizzled, and a slight sea-breeze crept up, enveloping me in its cooling embrace before fading away. I raised my eyes in delight at the perfect moment and put out my hand to catch the drops of calm in the palm of my hand. Thank you, one above! My phone rang just then, startling me out of my dialogue with the greater force of nature. “Enjoying your walk?” It was the man I had met last night at the salsa bar. Hong Kong—strangely—is a salsa hotspot, and most nights I managed to make it to the gym and then onto a salsa class to give myself over to the pure enjoyment of becoming one with the music. I was a novice and he was obviously a seasoned dancer. I was flattered by his attentions, and for the rest of the evening we twirled, sashayed and swayed together. Seemed he was in the bus that had just gone by, “I saw you talking to yourself” he told me that night as we met at another Saturday night salsa melange.

Everyone dances in Hong Kong

I blushed feeling the blood rush to my face so that the heat curled up from the pits of my stomach all the way to the tips of my eyelids. I blinked. Why did it felt as if he had caught me in the act of making love to myself? Perhaps because at that very moment, when he saw me, I had been one with the universe. In the middle of the city I was in my own private place. No one was meant to see it, and yet he had intruded to see a vulnerable side to me; the one which no-one was meant to know even existed? There are no coincidences. So what was this? All it had been was an emotional exchange, yet the attraction felt wrong, it felt as if coming from a wellspring of hope which I had not known existed within me.

A gaze, a touch, a sizzle

 A gaze, lust. A touch, sizzle. A beat of music, caress. A drop in time, like the rain which chattered down while I had looked up and floated away. Why did it feel so strange? When all I had done was look into his eyes and felt a connection? I had to get to the bottom of these uncharacteristic emotions—hope, lust, guilt—all bubbling up within me and so had put the first words to paper, in the form of a short story. My writing style, it turned out, was firmly rooted in the magic realistic, almost fantasy genre. Set in a futuristic city filled with foreign scenes—similar to the alien city of Hong Kong, where nothing was as it seemed; splattered with characters who were bizarre—much like the own country rejects who came to Hong Kong, attracted by its multilayered, east meets west confluence of sensations, in the hope of finding their path.

Where East meets West. Inspiration for Tiina's adopted planet Java

The unerring precision of being caught in that act by him sends goose pimples up her arms. She plays it out in her mind, examining it from different angles. These were the first lines I wrote in Hong Kong. They found their way into the book for Tiina, my protagonist. A strong, free-spirited, ready-to-fight-for-what-she-believes-in girl she is. The Destiny of Shaitan, #1 in the Chronicle of the Three traces Tiina’s origins too, from her birth to when she is seventeen. The novel tracks the influences of her formative years, from carefree child, to an angst ridden teenager, with the raging confusion of rebellion, first love & first heart-break driving her ultimately on a quest to find out who she really is. The one place I didn’t make it to while living in Hong Kong was Borobudur in Java. It’s ancient yet futuristic locales bridge the old and the new. It inspired the confusion of emotions which Rai goes through. I hope to go there next spring, so stay tuned.

Beautiful Borobudur: Inspiration for Rai's conflicts

In my next post I’ll talk about my life in London as it is today and how the open green spaces of this magnificent city nourished me into finding my voice. Meanwhile you can find Tiina & The Destiny of Shaitan on Amazon http://tiny.cc/szqsew. To find out more about me go to www.laxmihariharan.com

NOAH'S ARK - Prequel to the Chronicles of Kasouk - Sci-fi Romance by Vijaya Schartz

After my readers requested it, here is the sequel to the CHRONICLES OF KASSOUK romantic science fiction series, titled NOAH'S ARK. It's the story of what happened a few hundred years before White Tiger, the story of the very first Human settlers on New Earth. And it's being released today from Desert Breeze Publishing.

NOAH'S ARK

When Trixie's starfreighter, Noah's Ark, drops out of jump space in an uncharted part of the universe, she believes the M-class planet on her viewer represents hope and salvation for her motley crew and the ragtag settlers aboard her ship.
Kostas, ex Space Marine, the expert survivalist recruited for this expedition, doesn't believe in coincidences, and knows that when something looks too good to be true, it usually is.
Everyone on this voyage to seed a new planet with life, is running from something, and harbors dangerous secrets... including Trixie, who vowed to never let a man control her life again. As for Kostas, he would get lynched on the spot if anyone suspected who he really is.
But on this seemingly abandoned planet, others are watching, herding them for evil purposes... And when the truth emerges and secrets unravel, Trixie and Kostas will have to fight for survival, for freedom, and for the right to love...

The other books in the series are all available in eBooks everywhere. Here is the right chronology for the entire series:

NOAH'S ARK (prequel) - WHITE TIGER (Book One) - RED LEOPARD (Book Two) - BLACK JAGUAR (Book Three) - BLUE LIONESS (Book Four)

I believe this series is now complete, so if you were waiting to get it all at one time, do not hesitate anymore. Here is the link to the publisher's page for the book, but it is available (or will be in a day or two) everywhere eBooks are sold. For now you can find it on Amazon and at Desert Breeze Publishing HERE

Happy reading!

Vijaya Schartz
Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/
Vijaya's books on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Vijaya-Schartz/e/B001JP7UJ4
You may have to search for Noah's Ark, which may not yet be on my Amazon Author Page yet but is available if you search Amazon by title.

Riding the Pulse - Erotic Sci-Fi Superhero Fiction....Really!

Riding the Pulse
by Sam Cheever

Categories: Erotic Fantasy, Science Fiction

Book Length: 107 pages

Book Type: eBook

Publisher: ChangelingPress

ISBN: 978-1-60521-722-2

BLURB:

Marissa O'Neill and Jurden Bailey share a past they don't remember, though it's haunted their dreams for a decade. In their teens, they encountered something powerful in a cave in Mexico, and it changed them forever. But it isn't until they meet again, years later, that they realize just how much they've changed.

Suddenly they have powers -- super powers -- and they don't know how they're supposed to use them or why they have them. All they know is that sex seems to trigger the power and enhance it. And that's one trigger they're happy to explore.

But something alien and terrifying is trying to kill them, and it won't give up until it gets what they don't even know they have -- the single remaining object that can tie an advanced, alien race to much of Earth's history.

If only Rissa weren't so distracted by the things Jurden's vibrating finger can do!

EXCERPT:

Rissa panted beside him, her body still riding the aftershocks of her orgasm. Her muscles continued to buzz with residual power. After a moment, when the buzzing didn’t lessen but, instead, seemed to grow, Rissa lost her afterglow and grew concerned. She sat up, holding her middle and frowning. Her stomach tightened painfully. She realized her lungs had contracted too. Panic rolled through her.

“What’s wrong, honey?” Jurden touched her cheek and snatched his hand away. “Your skin’s so cold it hurts.”

She looked at him, a plea in her eyes. “Something’s not right.”

He nodded, climbing out of bed. “We’ll get you to the hospital.”

She grabbed his arm as he started to drag his jeans on over a semi-erect penis. He didn’t even take the time to grab his boxers. He glanced at her. “What is it, Rissa?”

“Something’s wrong…”

“I know, that’s why we’re going…”

“No! Not with me. Out there.” She lifted a hand toward the window as a knot twisted hard in her belly, causing her to cry out and double over in pain. Rissa didn’t know how she knew it, but she knew that someone needed their help. And she also knew that the pain wouldn’t stop until she listened to the warning her body was giving her. “I have to help them…”

“Help who?” Jurden glanced toward the window and then back at her, unsure what to address first. But when Rissa cried out and dropped into a fetal position on the bed, his decision was made. He hurried around the bed and scooped her up into his arms. “I’m taking you to the hospital, now. We’ll deal with everything else later.”

“No!” She pushed at his chest. “Let me get dressed.”

He looked down and realized she was naked. “Yeah. That’s probably a good idea.” He settled her on the edge of the bed and turned away to collect some jeans and a T-shirt.

As he yanked drawers open, flinging garments around the room in his rush to select clothing he could easily drag over her legs and arms, the room exploded in light and throbbed with a concussive wind sound. He wrenched around, horror tightening his throat in anticipation of what he would find. He gaped, his mouth hanging open. A pair of fire engine red, silk panties dropped from his suddenly nerveless fingers.

“I know where we need to go,” Rissa told him.

“Arggh, gurgle, gack…” was all Jurden could manage.

She stomped a foot impatiently -- or rather a giant claw. “This is no time to screw around, Jurden!”

“Uggle, bleurgh, cuggg…”

“Jurden!” An enormous pair of silvery wings flapped angrily, and Rissa’s stunningly beautiful face went still. She turned her head slowly and took note of the wings flapping behind her.

“Wha… What the hell!” She looked down and took in the giant claws at the end of a pair of deformed, silver legs. “I’m a flippin’ bird?” 

Her voice screeched painfully. 

Jurden dropped the clothes and covered his ears. “From my college days studying mythology, I’d say you’re more like a harpy,” he told her in as soothing a tone as he could manage under the circumstances.

She was beautiful, and slightly terrifying. When she opened her mouth he saw that it was filled with rows of jagged teeth, which looked like they’d be good at ripping flesh -- or metal -- into ribbons. Her torso and head were covered in shimmery silver feathers, and her arms, which were human-shaped to the elbows, flared into wings from the elbows down. Her torso was human-shaped too, but her thighs were massive, and her slender calves ended in enormous, clawed feet.

Rissa’s mouth opened to argue with him, but in her agitation she flapped her wings, knocking the bedside lamp to the floor and lifting her off the ground several inches.

She panicked and threw her upper body forward, plunging toward the ground. As she fell, she whacked Jurden in the face with a wing. He was knocked to his knees from the powerful strike. “Holy crap, girl, get control of those things!” Blood trickled down his face from his nose.

“Sorry!” She tried to push herself off the ground with her hands but realized too late that she didn’t have any. She made a sound of frustration, and her wings flapped again, knocking the bottles and a couple of pictures off the top of her dresser. “Argh!”

Jurden ducked beneath her wings and grabbed her around the waist, dragging her back to her feet. He held her waist until she lowered her wings. “I guess you figured out how to turn into something else.” He grinned at her. “I’m finding myself strangely attracted to you in your new form.”

She glared at him. The buzzing under her skin had increased, giving her a sense of impending doom. “We need to get moving.”

Jurden glanced at the discarded clothing and then back at her. “I guess you won’t be needing clothes.”

BUY the book!

Sam

Magic, Adventure, Love on the Run

www.SamCheever.com

www.si-decker.com (young adult)

"Ms. Cheever writes with class, humor and lots of fun
 while weaving an excellent story." The Romance Studio

Excerpt (PG-13): Would you like to be rescued by an angel?

Action, action, action! Angels and demons and lasers, oh, my.

Check out my sexy Paranormal/Sci-Fi Romantic Adventure, Vigilant. Where do the mortals fit in the war between the angels and demons?

Reviews I made my mother memorize:

* 5 out of 5 Tea Cups from Happily Ever After Reviews: “Whether or not you’re a sci-fi fan, you’ll enjoy this stirring romantic adventure.”

* 5 out of 5 Stars from Book Binge: “Wow! What a cast of characters!...It will be a rare person indeed who does not find this story to be awesome and one of the Grade A, Top-of-the-Mark books no one should miss.”  

* Beyond 5 stars! from A Journey of Romance: “I declare Vigilant to be another hit in her series. Vigilant is beyond 5 Stars!”

***

 [This excerpt is rated PG-13 for action. The story is rated R.]

Hotel Escape 

“What if I kissed you before a room of crooks and criminals?”

Goose bumps raced over Yadira’s flesh at contemplation of Weber’s passionate kiss anywhere, in front of anyone, at any time. 

She just didn’t know why he would want to kiss her behind closed doors, as blackened with grievous offense as she was. She wished his sister hadn’t told her he could see guilt. She would’ve wept over the state of her soul, if he hadn’t been in the room.

But Weber was in the room, giving her flights of delight with his enticements and innuendo. She was supernaturally aware of his presence, closeness, and possible actions. His hands kneading hers slowed and stroked each finger, stealing a part of her mind.

“I’m available to fill your needs for the case, Marshal.” Her heart pounded in her chest. “If it keeps me from prison.”

He smiled, pleased with her answer, his olive-green eyes alight in the sexiest way. Could his vision carry the power to blank her thoughts and still her actions? Perhaps it was a gift of the unusual gene the I-Marshals carried that made them special. It was a preposterous thought, but she began to think he was something extra-human. Wasn’t a law enforcement officer who saw guilt more than just a cop?

Were delusions of an angel prowling her subconscious messing with her mind?

She wondered how long Weber’s testimony of their being lovers would stay a lie. A firestorm of attraction raged through them. They sat together on a bed now, his hands intimately massaging hers and relaunching all the heat he commanded. He’d kissed her moments ago, programming her to respond to him. Her thighs were on fire. He stared at her lips now as though they were edible, sending her subliminal hints that he would kiss her a second time. The thought of his mouth on hers again… With this much warning, she had time to lose her breath, anticipate the softness of his lips, want him more with every passing second.

“Weber…”

“Yes, Yadira?”

“Have you sent an angel to watch over me?”

A loud bang rocked the room, startling them and breaking the electricity burning the air between them. Her question forgotten, they spun toward the hotel room door to see it had taken a strike to its metal so hard, it dented. She froze in fear.

“Oh, yeah, the Alliance,” the I-Marshal muttered under a sunken brow as though having forgotten some vital information to add to the night. He scrambled from the bed.

A second strike slammed into the security door with great force, denting its surface again. The lock was not yet compromised.

“Move, Yadira! They’ll be through the door in seven more strikes!”

Snapping herself from a terror-induced stasis, she burst from the bed, ran to and fro, looping the bag of clothes around her neck.

“Weber! Did you kill my guard?”

“No. I only kill the guilty. Your guard probably awakened in the room next door about five minutes ago.”

He grabbed her hand and tugged her into the shower room. There, he unlatched the small, highly placed window. It was the room’s only outlet for fire escape. Hotel guests were not prisoners.

Except for Yadira. She actually was a prisoner.

“Who’s coming through that door, Weber? And why?”

The window did not open all the way, so he ripped it from the metal frame, and he pulled in a knotted rope already hung outside for their escape.

“Probably, an Alliance SWAT team…or two, maybe some fed guys, a few overexcited locals. They’ll blow the door in a few seconds. The I-Marshals have taken me off the investigation, Yadira, and I’ve decided if they won’t release you from the case, I’m going to hide you from the Alliance. They aren’t happy with my plan.”

Yadira’s head snapped back to the sight and sound of new dents driven loudly into the room’s door. The noise of hovercraft blades warping the air blasted through the window.

He propped the room’s chair against the wall, assisting her climb to the high window.

“We’re on the fifth floor!”

“All you have to do is get out of this room. Take hold of the rope hanging out the window.”

Displeased with her catatonic speed, he snatched her up and put her atop the windowsill, feet first through the open window. She was about to scream bloody murder when she felt a knotted rope between her legs. She grasped it for dear life and leaned out of the building to assess their position.

The chaos was much louder outside the metal-plated room. Sirens shrieked, flashing lights blinded her. She saw the hovercrafts that belonged to the warp of blades she’d heard pivoting all around the hotel, their spotlights aimed on her and watching. How did they all get there so fast?

She turned to Weber behind her in the shower room, and snapped, “Aren’t I already under arrest?”

“Just climb onto the rope, Yadira, trust me.”

It was difficult to trust him when police on PA systems blasted, “Imperial Marshal Weber and Yadira Maxwell! Hold your position! You are surrounded! Do not attempt to escape!”

Trust him? The alternative was surrender.

Looking up the rope secured to the tube railing of the building, and seeing a variety of police uniforms aiming weapons at her, Yadira grasped the rope, put her feet on a knot, and wiggled off the window ledge, clinging to the rope and shaking. The red-and-blue flashing lights blinded her. The hard breeze set off by the hovercrafts whipped her hair across her face, stinging her. The sights and sounds of every law enforcement machine focused on her exit shocked her. She hadn’t known she was this important to the Alliance.

Or maybe capturing a rogue cop was this important. She guessed it was.

Weber climbed out of the window and onto the rope above her, and then he shimmied down to and around her, protecting her from crazy hails of rubber bullets or stunner rays. Cops with Tasers waited below the rope to take custody of them. Cops with stunners awaited atop the building. Cops in hovercrafts surrounding them, weapons sighting them, awaited any dangerous move. She’d never seen so many uniforms in all her life put together.

They’d never let her out of prison for this!

His big boots planted on a big knot in the rope below hers. “Turn on the rope and wrap your arms around me, Yadira!”

She looked around the hurricane they withstood, terrified. Emergency crews assembled below. Spectators were shooed away from witnessing their deaths or horrible mutilations when they hit the ground. Did the cops plan to plant a laser beam in the rope, melting the braid and causing their fall?

“What’s happening, Marshal? Why is all of Reigna’s force sighting us?”

“Ignore them.”

Her mouth dropped. “Ignore them?”

“I should have punched your guard harder. Put your arms around me!”

Surely, they’d fall!

“Trust me!”

She wrapped one arm around his neck, and let go of the rope with her other hand, hooking her arm beneath his to reach her other hand and locking them together. He trapped her against him with the rope, one hand gripping the lifeline above her. Sure she’d next tumble to her death or find herself behind bars, she watched Weber retrieve his palm comp with his free hand and type some numbers with his thumb.

Then Weber let go his grip of the rope, and she experienced the terrifying sensation of falling. It felt like they fell for minutes instead of the second it would have required for them to hit the pavement like melons.

***

Read more.

Explore steamy excerpts, check out the great reviews,

watch a mysterious book trailer:

http://www.michelehart.com/b27-book.htm

Discover the First Chapter of Vigilant:

http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspot.com/2011/05/vigilant-by-michele-hart.html

Vigilant by Michele Hart

Buy Link: http://www.BookStrand.com/vigilant

ISBN#: e-Book 1-61034-396-4 * Print 1-61034-682-3

Available @ BookStrand, Amazon, B&N,

everywhere exciting adventures await you.

Investigate I-Marshal Stories.

http://www.MicheleHart.com/series-i-marshals.htm

Peace on Earth, Hell in Space.

Read and live an adventure.

Have an action-packed weekend,

Michele Hart
Paranormal/Sci-Fi Romance Author
~ Walk Another World ~ http://www.ILoveShape-Shifters.com/