Updates, Excerpts, Premade Covers etc

I took a break from writing for a few weeks since I was having constant issues with my hands. My day job is on a computer keyboard so sometimes I just have over use and the hands need time for the inflammation to recede. Such is life. But I am getting some writing done, so that is good.

I  find Photoshop relaxing and have way more stock photos then I'll ever use so decided to offer some premade covers suitable for ebooks. These are all made from stock and either scifi rom or fantasy rom. I'll keep the psd files and probably could be persuaded to make  series related covers  etc. Look for the Page on my blog for more info.

I've been working fantasy stories and also  a flash short for an antho. The flash short has a sentient cyborg hero, hiding his conscious awareness in a busy medical lab, and a woman out of time, found in an old sleep space tube on a derelict ship.

Here are a couple excerpts:
A Space Hub Far From Home (scifi rom)

“DV, run these blood tests immediately. A salvage ship picked up an iced tubed and Pelcorp wants to see what we have.”

DV took the tube to the lab and looked at the tests Pelcorp wanted. All were standard, though a few would take several hours. He had the lab to himself after 22:00 and mostly ran routine drug tests for Pelcorp Career Services. Sometimes, if there was a big accident on the Hub, the hospital would send him some emergency testing. Those were often much more interesting to work on than the routine jobs.

This job would be intriguing. Some of the tests might determine where the sleeper was raised, and when.

An hour later the first of the test reports popped up on his screen. Female. Fertile, which indicated under thirty five. Terran, of course. No first tier illnesses, infections or disease. He forwarded the data to Pelcorp.

Poor woman. They'd probably send her to Cyborg Processing to pay for her medical care.

Orc in Winter (fantasy rom)

“That has already been determined. Fiona will accompany the carriage and will have food from the King’s own kitchen brought. There is also a page who can assist Sherro with personal matters and bathing. You’ll find Dudley to be a cheerful lad.”

Morwenna wrote a reply on a small piece of parchment Palaver handed her. She was glad he brought it for there was no parchment in her simple cottage, and only one pen and inkpot. She refused to think about the actual act of feeding an orc, instead she thought of Owen. An estate near her parent’s home!

Palaver took to his steed and left a cloud of dust as the horse’s hooves took her lane.

I hope I didn’t make an awful mistake.

The party from the king arrived before midday. A common farm cart, driven by two plainly dresses men, no armaments. A boy about twelve sat in the rear of the cart, and the contents were covered by canvas as though to keep out the rain, but the day was cloudless. They were hiding the transport of the orc, she realized.

Her stomach tightened. Was this going to bring danger to her and Owen? Someone had tried to kill him.

As they entered her yard she recognized one driver as a Guardsman. He leapt down.

“You are here alone, Mistress?”

“Yes sir, just me and my babe.”

“The orc is asleep, Fiona gave him a draught for the journey because the jarring on the road would be painful. His wounded stomach pains him, as does his teeth.”

She nodded. “I moved my table to make space for a pallet.”

With that the page, a boy plain of face, thick built, with a mass of curly blond hair, jumped out of the cart and began hauling wooden planks out. A bedframe.

“This is Dudley, a page from the palace. He’s a good lad.”

The boy grinned showing deep dimples, but continued unloading. Soon the three had a pallet with rope, a thick mattress, and the orc all inside her cottage.

“The boy can help with your farm work. I must warn you he eats like a beast, but Fiona will be along shortly with goods.”

Morwenna was glad to learn Fiona would come by. The sheer size of the sleeping orc shocked her. His hands were the size of hams hanging from her rafter. The bed took up most of the room in her small cottage, forcing everything else back against the walls.

“Do not mention to your neighbors you are hosting the orc. If he does well we will transport you north to the estate in a fortnight. It is just fourteen miles from your parents’ home. We are leaving a fast pony for the boy, in case you need help. And the lad is good with a crossbow.”

A day’s journey from her parents! She was seven days journey from home now, and it was impossible to leave a small farm for a journey. She hadn’t seen her mother since her marriage three years ago.

Morwenna had no time to dwell on that, though.

The Guardsman left. “Come, Dudley. My cottage is so small I must have you sleep in the loft, but I think you will find it comfortable.” Dudley grabbed a leather bag and his crossbow, which looked far too lethal for a twelve year old to manage. Morwenna took him to the barn and then clambered up to the hay filled loft. She was worried it would be too plain for a page, probably the scion of a wealthy family, being carefully trained in the palace. Noble families vied for such positions for their sons, she knew. “I hope you are comfortable enough. There is quite a bit of hay, and those wool blankets are a tight weave so straw won't poke through.”

“I will do well, milady.” Dudley had found Patches and her latest kittens resting comfortably in the straw. “I will have company up here and I can make a comfortable bed on the straw. I will be very careful of the oil lamp, milady, and leave it on the hook. In fact I doubt I will need it much, I have excellent night vision.”

She grinned as the boy chattered on. His cheerful demeanor gave her ease and made her feel more comfortable about the leather skinned man in her cottage.