SFFS SATURDAY SNIPPET May 11

 So glad to be getting back to a normal schedule! I've missed SciFi Fantasy Saturday.
You can read more intriguing snippets *HERE*

“Do you think he is for real?” Rosleen asked after Kyler left.

“One way to find out.” They went to the Sanctuary office where they had an expensive Terran Solarus  com and Skyleen filed through security graphics until she found a good face shot of Kyler. Then she set up an inquiry about Kyler on New Prague data. It didn’t  take  long until a stream of data arrived, pictures of Kyler in high dress and others  of him on military campaigns. One at a banquet with his Mother, Judith, Protectorate of New Prague.

Royalty.

“He’s real.”

Sneak Peek Sunday-- ALIEN BLOOD

 

                 “Where is it?”

“It is on the far edge of sector seven, near the Big Empty.”

Gema wasn't familiar with the sector arrangement of the PureGen system.  “It must be very far    away. My family came to Toph from a world in the Terran Alliance.”

“New Prague has Toph and Selene connections. It was settled by mining conglomerates from the PureGen worlds. New Prague also does manufacturing which would be difficult on the PureGen worlds, since the metals would have to be transported.”

His world sounded worse and worse.

                “These planets for the Game are all out on the Rim.  They found these all in a group, when I was young. Had to test them for safety. The Survivor Show was granted rights to broadcast from the new planets as a way to showcase them for future colonization. It will be expensive to get a colonization packet to come here.” Gema knew she would never live here. Even if she amassed tons of credit, they would be colonized by PureGens. She would have to look elsewhere for a homeland.

Read more Sneak Peek Sunday Snippets *HERE*!

Post #501 On Breaks and Diaspora Worlds

I was looking through old posts on this blog--first post was in June of 2008. Since then I've had more books published, went through two small publisher's bizarro doors, met lots of fine and supportive writers.

 My kids have grown up, graduated high school and are busy with young adult lives.

 I lost a brother-in-law who was my sister's high school boyfriend and part of our lives for years. We lost our Golden Retriever, Champ and our old cat Patches, who would come and comfort children when they cried. Lost both of Tim's sisters, way too young.

We went though the financial crisis of losing 1/3 of our 401k and me getting laid off, unable to find a full time job with benefits for two years.

We got our little dog Baxter from my niece, and he has brought lots of smiles.

 I had a knee replaced and regained some mobility, hubby's diabetic feet continued to worsen until he was forced to retire. I found a better job, full time, but the extra hours did impact my writing time. I republished all those books set free from bizarro publishers and made actual pay-the-bills money for the first time as a writer.

Right now, this past month and next month, are the first 'break' I've taken from writing since 2004. There were times when I wasn't publishing or submitting, times when I had projects in lengthy wait for acceptance or edits, but I was always working on something. This is the first real FULL STOP.

Big Poison Inspration 

I am thinking about writing. Two projects on my mind a lot, Starwoman's Sanctuary, where I decided I need to flesh out some of the secondary characters--I had a vague since of 'not done yet' that is now becoming more clear--, and Big Poison Station , the last of the Brothers of New Prague books.

Big Poison...the heroine will look pretty ugly at first. And there will be an intelligent animal. This book takes place on the planet of New Prague and is several years after the other books in chronology. Her Cyborg Awakes is first in chronology, Starwoman's Sanctuary immediately follows, and Alien Blood takes places on a distant planet during both those books.

Some other books I have planned in the Diaspora Worlds will take place in the gap between Starwoman's Sanctuary/ Alien Blood and ... Lorl and Rivier's story, Dooley and Lirielle's Cirque Du Cyborg, Prisma's story, Arla Call and Krishal's story.  That should keep me busy!  

What a  long strange trip...

Starwoman's Sanctuary Delayed

I am sad to say that due to personal issues I will be delaying the publication of book three in my Diaspora Worlds Series indefinitely. Hubby is facing two surgeries. The one in April is a very serious procedure that could end up in a leg amputation. This follows a five year battle with diabetic foot ulcers and infections and the surgery is to reconstruct his foot and ankle that were badly damaged as a football player. Who knew that thirty years later, combined with diabetes and a job working on his feet, it would be a life threatening situation? We may be looking at ramps, wheelchairs, rehab hospital--and I can only take 10 days off work since I am not eligible for FMLA until August. So, while Starwoman's Sanctuary is nearly ready to publish I find myself more distracted than usual and am uncomfortable about putting it out without the type of focus I like to bring to the final stages.

I want to thank those who so kindly made plans to promo my book. I really appreciate it.

And for those of you who are diabetic or have diabetic loved ones, never take your feet for granted. Wear those ugly, expensive shoes, don't walk barefoot and find a good podiatrist.

Mel

Sneak Peek Sunday--Melisse Aires

My excerpt for Sneak Peek Sunday contains and Easter reference! You can find other Sneak Peeks here!

http://tinyurl.com/Refugeesamzn

Rankree was tall, with the wide-shouldered, muscular build, pale skin with an alabaster sheen, long flossy blue hair and crystal blue eyes common to the Urloon people. He dressed in breeches and a vest made from chandolay fur. The unique white fur shed water quickly and did not get heavy when wet, a perfect cloth for sea people.

Elaine was a small and sturdy woman with fine, long-lashed blue eyes, artificially engrafted gill slits, and a few silver streaks in her long dark hair. Liam had heard rumors that the children of their union, sometimes seen in the spaceport village, were stunning combinations of the two, each more beautiful than the last.

“Rankree, Elaine, please come in and join us for some refreshments. You have met Svana before, haven’t you?”


“Yes, briefly. So nice to see you again, Svana.” Elaine had a gracious manner that made others feel welcome. She and Svana were close in age, though Liam thought the manner of dress for Urloon women made Elaine appear more youthful than Svana, who wore heavy utility one-piece suits. Elaine wore a white fur vest and short fur skirt. Her high white boots were also made of chandolay fur, and an embroidered thick cloak completed her attire. A brief thought of Svana dressed in such a manner skittered through his mind but he squashed it immediately.

Liam’s delight in seeing them was unfeigned. They had saved the lives of his crew by answering his distress signal and also fighting off a large, aggressive pirate ship they’d picked up with their distress signal as they neared Urloon.

“Thank you for seeing us, Captain.” Elaine spoke Confederation Standard with a lilting Terran accent. “No refreshments today, thank you. We are here to offer an invitation to you and your crew. We have our Moonfest celebration of spring in four weeks, at Urloon’s two moons’ conjunction. We would be honored if you and your crew would join us.” She smiled, revealing deep dimples. “We will start the festivities with the traditions of my home on Terra, with a colored egg hunt, adapted to Urloon, of course. There will be a fair on the commons during the day, and later we will have a feast.”

Decisions and Release Dates.

Starwoman's Sanctuary is moving toward the finish line. Seems like it has taken forever! At first I had a writing glitch. I veered off my synopsis and took a turn that had the hero and heroine separated for the whole mid section of the book. Arg. So I ripped that out and redid it. After that the romance and the action worked together!


My husband has been fighting a foot infection since July. He's been fighting them for years, actually, but this current one started in July. He was in the hospital for a week in August. Another week off in October, November. Had to retire in February since it just wouldn't clear up. He worked on his feet--as soon as he went back to work a new ulcer and new infection would pop up.

So here we are.

Starwoman's Sanctuary will release on April 19. I had planned to release on the 1st but am giving myself a break! Also, hubby has foot surgery the end of April so the book will be wrapped up nice and tidy by then.

This is my latest version of the cover. I might resize my couple just a bit and darken that white area between their faces. For some reason, Saturday mornings are my favorite time to fiddle with photoshop!

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I bought a necklace in the same colors as my cover, purple with green, as a grand prize for the release. Chevron amethyst. It is coming from a artisan jeweler in Canada--can hardly wait, I think it will be really pretty! 

After Starwoman's Sanctuary I will work on Big Poison Station. Would really like an early July release. I've started the rough draft and am looking forward to writing  it.

In May I will release a vampire novella, Preschool Teacher, Vampire Lover-- hot vampire in small town Kansas, complete with tornado. This is in the same world as Single Mom, Vampire Lover. I have two more planned for that series. Shopkeeper, Vampire Lover ( a magic shop around Halloween) and  Snowbunny, Vampire Lover (with a rare winged vampire hero!)

Rites of Spring Announcement!

Thank you all for participating in the Rites of Spring blog hop!

The winners of the Grand Prize Drawing have already been announced. Here they are:

1st Place: Kindle Fire

Entry #4 – Karl

2nd Place: $50 Amazon gift certificate

Entry #187 – Chum B.

My ebook winner: Catherine Lee!

All winners have been notified.