Posted in Book Release, Dystopian, Giveaway, Interview, Science Fiction on September 18, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

Beyond What Separates Us by R.A. Morris

Adult fiction 18 yrs +, 277 pages

Genre: Dystopian, Sci-Fi

Publisher: Iguana Books

Release date: September, 2020

 

Synopsis

 

Four strangers from distant parts of the world struggle to survive on a planet torn apart by war, greed and disease. Living under drastically different circumstances, they are each presented with an opportunity to choose what type of world they want to live in. Beyond What Separates Us follows these four strangers as they attempt to overcome hardships and reach their full potential. This is a story about the best and worst aspects of humanity clashing to determine not only the fate of our species but all other life on Earth.

 

 

Amazon.com ~ Amazon.ca ~ B&N

iTunes ~ Kobo

 

 

Interview

 

Which scene in the book is your favourite and why?

 

Without giving too much away there is a scene in one of the last chapters following Aashi, where she has overcome tremendous loss and has finally found a place in the world. She finds herself in an idyllic setting witnessing some of the most majestic creatures on this planet. Finally safe, Aashi immerses herself in her newfound breathtaking surroundings.

 

Do you think Ecofiction (or Climate Fiction) deserves its own genre?

 

There are more and more books these days that would be classified in this sub-genre that is not a traditional category in terms of where books are marketed or promoted. For example, my book is being classified as science fiction on sites where it is available for purchase simply because Ecofiction is not a standalone genre. It could also be classified as dystopian, which itself is a wide-ranging category with varying criteria. An expanded list of genres that is widely recognized within the publishing industry would make it easier for authors to market and promote their books, especially with the increase in independent and self-publishing. Additionally, I think with the increased awareness and concern around environmental issues, it is time the publishing industry expand the traditional genre categories to be more descriptive of environmentally themed fiction.

 

What is the most difficult part of writing for you? 

 

In three words, showing not telling. On earlier drafts of this novel, my editor explained that for some of the introductory chapters I was explaining context and situation too much, rather than letting the character tell their story and show it through actions to the reader. Since all my previous writing had been in an academic or government setting, I was used to a certain formula of what is the point being made and what is the supporting evidence. Writing fiction is a different formula where the reader needs to gain an understanding of the world being created through actions, dialogue, and events. In the end, a lot of the introductory chapters for each of the main characters were rewritten to show not tell.

 

If you could choose three people (living or deceased) to invite for a dinner party, who would they be and why?

 

J.R.R Tolkien to simply chat about how he created Arda (the world) and all its inhabitants. I can’t think of anyone with a greater imagination and it would be a pleasure to just listen to his stories and understand his process. 

David Suzuki to ask him how he continues to find the passion to fight for the environment, when it seems like necessary societal change is just not happening. 

Malala Yousafzai because she is such a courageous and passionate young woman.

I’d also ask each of them what their ideal society looks like. It would be a profoundly interesting dinner party. 

 

Favorite book when you were a kid

 

There was not one book, but I fondly remember Berenstain Bears and Dr. Seuss books. 

 

 

About the Author

 

R.A Morris was raised in Ancaster, Ontario and holds a Master of Environmental Studies from York University. After graduate school he spent a year teaching science in Honduras before heading back to Canada to work in the environmental sector. He has lived in the small remote community of Fort Good Hope and the territorial capital of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. He currently lives in Toronto. His first novel, Beyond What Separates Us, is a timely work of speculative fiction that offers a glimpse of what societies may look like if we continue on our path of ecological degradation.

 

Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~  Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

Win 1 of 3 ebooks of R.A. Morris’ BEYOND WHAT SEPARATES US (3 winners) (USA & Canada) (ends Sep 29)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 | 
Comments Off on Interview & #Giveaway – Beyond What Separates Us by R. A. Morris @RAMORRIS10 @iReadBookTours #newrelease #sciencefiction #scifi #dystopian
Posted in Cyberpunk, excerpt, Science Fiction on September 6, 2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

In The Psychic’s Memoirs, a hot-tempered Los Angeles detective and his distracted partner are assigned to find an alleged teenage psychic whose capture might determine the outcome of a looming civil war and humanity’s relationship with a misleading alien force. The standalone novel is part of Ryan Hyatt’s Terrafide series, techie tales of woe, and hope in which characters grapple with a world falling apart. The Terrafide universe, which also includes Rise of the Liberators and Stay Younger Longer, takes place on an alternate timeline that mirrors and mimics present-day events.

 

More about The Psychic’s Memoirs

 

The story begins in December 2026, months after the Coastal Earthquake ravages Los Angeles and compounds disaster brought on by the Greatest Depression, a global financial calamity underway throughout the decade. In the wake of the quake, a group of revolutionaries called Eco-Socialists clench a sweeping electoral victory in California. Led by a charismatic figure known as ‘Che Tay,’ the Eco-Socialists are committed to an autonomous Golden State freed from the constraints of a broke and bungling federal government. Hopes to end the federal occupation, symbolized by the presence around L.A. of giant mechas called Liberators, is the immediate goal. Over time, however, the Eco-Socialists hope to right the wrongs of the past and forge a model of statehood based on economic and environmental justice. If they could, they would save the world, or so their supporters claim.

Detectives Ted Kaza and Lydia Jackson of the Los Angeles Police Department are assigned to find an alleged teenage psychic, Alice Walker, whose capture might determine the outcome of the civil war looming between California and the United States. They visit the high school Alice attended to meet her former history teacher, Walter Newman, who leads them to a coffee shop where the teenager is apprehended. However, a surprise encounter during their sting involves Che Tay, who reveals himself to be not entirely human. Some even consider the revolutionary to be a greater threat to world order than Alice and her prophetic powers. Unfortunately for the detectives, Che escapes, and LA’s finest discover they have been manipulated by clandestine forces within the federal government to bring Alice into custody. When Alice disappears from jail and Kaza and Jackson fail to capture Che Tay after a political rally, the need to redirect the world’s bleak future suddenly rests squarely on the detectives.

Their trail leads them to their commander, James Elroy, who turns out to be a CIA operative along with his sidekick, a small sentient doll named Mr. Y. Jackson and Kaza’s quest to find Alice takes them to a mansion in the desert. Paranormal Plantation, which once played a part in California’s eugenics program, now serves as a federal outpost to experiment on individuals with extraordinary abilities. When Che Tay’s corpse turns up in front of LA City Hall, the public is up in arms, and time seems to be running out for the detectives to save the psychic and prevent a war. Thanks to clues left in Alice’s notebook, secrets are revealed at Paranormal Plantation about the nature of the extraterrestrial presence that has confounded the detectives’ investigation. If Kaza and Jackson are to quell an alien uprising and save their political friends and foes, they will have to prove they have faith in more than a nation or themselves; they must be willing to witness a dimension of their existence that is downright terrifying.

 

 

 

 

Praise

 

“The Best Cyberpunk Novels in 2020 and 2021” –Joel Stafford, Joel’s Books

 

“A mind-warping journey through an all-too-plausible near-future America where sociopolitical revolution and advanced technology represent the promise and peril of human evolution.” –Jake Anderson, author of Gone at Midnight: The Mysterious Death of Elisa Lam

 

“Hyatt’s superior ability to build a convincing lived-in world just over the horizon is on display page after page. This is not another orgy of post-apocalyptic horrors, but an opportunity to see every calamity as a possible stepping stone toward utopia.” –A.L. Lorentz, author of The Filter Trap and Dead Monkeys

 

 

Excerpt

 

“Good morning, class!” I say as the smartboard projects the notes from my computer screen. My voice is met with half-hearted grunts from half-awake juniors.

“Please, turn to the next page in your notebooks,” I say. “Date and title your notes as you see on the board.”

It’s Friday, May 8, 2026, and the title of today’s lesson is, ‘TREE OF POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES – CIRCA 1945.’ Three unlabeled branches stem upward and outward from a tree trunk labeled, ‘WESTERN CIVILIZATION.’

I meander between clusters of desks and monitor students as they flounder through backpacks searching for their notebooks, or at least pretending to be searching for their notebooks, as I catch several with contraband in hand: ear buds, licorice, soda, and other gadgets and junk they know they shouldn’t have.

I have to give credit to this group of juniors, they sure like to start the day off right with a solid breakfast of energy drinks and spicy chips, so that by the end of first period they’re fired up and ready to raise hell around campus. It’s as if school is little more to them than some lame party they are forced to attend, so they bring their own favors to liven it up.

I can’t deal with such nonsense so early in the day:

“Take off the earbuds, Jorge. They make you look like an alien from outer space. Try talking to Earthlings for a change. You might get a girlfriend.”

“Save that can of caffeinated diabetes juice for after school, Jeffrey, when you need it to stay awake to finish the homework you owe me.”

“Keep the flaming hot Salsalito chips stored in your backpack, Enrique. If you keep eating crap, your girlfriend will dump you and start going out with Jorge, as long as he’s willing to acknowledge her.”

Jorge, Jeffery, and Enrique laugh.

“Crazy Newman,” someone says.

 

******************************************************************************

 

The Urabus heads eastbound on Del Mar Boulevard away from the Caltech campus. The detectives spot the golf cart one hundred yards ahead of them and dozens of motorists driving leisurely between them on a thoroughfare lined with apartment buildings and single-family homes.

Kaza opens the sun roof, stands through it, and withdraws his Beretta—

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

“What are you doing?” Jackson demands, whacking Kaza’s thighs.

“Ouch, that hurts!” Kaza’s says, kicking at her flailing arm. “I’m just clearing the streets…”

Cars swerve out of their way. Two black SUVs turn a corner and gain on the detectives.

“Who are they?” Jackson shouts, glancing to her right and left at a set of tinted windows.

“I have no idea,” Kaza says, sliding back into his seat. “What the hell?”

Both detectives notice in the rearview mirror an airborne shadow approaching them from behind. Jackson eases off the accelerator, and the two SUVs with California government plates advance toward the golf cart. There’s a flash of light and a thunderous SWOOSH—

The SUVs explode. Jackson slams on the breaks. The Urabus careens toward the wreckage, skids to a halt and avoids two balls of billowing flame. Sweat pours from Jackson’s head as she clasps the steering wheel. Kaza opens the passenger door, hops out of the station wagon, and runs through the wreckage. A huge shadow looms over him and engulfs everything in sight.

The humongous bird of prey turns half circle, faces the detectives and transforms into a towering mecha. The hovering Liberator points a palm at the golf cart, which lifts off the ground. Cables extend from the mecha’s legs, wrap around the two screaming security guards, and fling them far and wide. Their screams are heard trailing off in the distance as Che Tay, clinging to the golf cart, shouts obscenities at the invisible force pulling the golf cart into the palm of the giant’s hand. The Liberator closes its grip around the wanted man. The mecha transforms back into a bird of prey. Its wings spread outward as the arms and legs fold into its chest. The soles of its feet, which also function as rockets, ignite and propel the magnificent machine and its cargo northeast toward the desert outside of Los Angeles.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Ryan Hyatt was born in Tucson in 1976. He was raised in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Copenhagen before returning to his hometown and graduating from the University of Arizona in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in history, psychology and creative writing. Hyatt spent much of his twenties working as a reporter and columnist for newspapers such as the Apache Junction Independent and Santa Monica Daily Press.

In addition to the Terrafide series, he is author of the modern western, The Death of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and editor of the satirical sci-fi news site, The La-La Lander, as well as Not Your Father’s Bedtime Stories, children’s tales he creates with his daughter. He holds a master’s degree in education from California State University Northridge and develops and manages literacy intervention programs for Los Angeles schools.

 

Website * Amazon * Twitter

 

 

 

 | 
Comments Off on Excerpt – The Psychic’s Memoirs by Ryan Hyatt @ucalthisreality #cyberpunk #sciencefiction
Posted in excerpt, Fantasy, Science Fiction on August 29, 2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

The human and non-human races do not mix; to be a half-breed is to be a pariah. This truth rules the life of a young half-elf boy named Freeborn. His sole friend is Tishamon, an elven woodsman, who frequently visits the boy. Tishamon adopts Freeborn, taking the boy along on his life of wandering, working and learning.

When Tishamon becomes lamed, he settles in the Fire Hills and sends Freeborn to the local academy. The Fire Elves’ obsession with family lineage, and Freeborn’s contempt for the same, ends in violence, starting Freeborn on the trail to ever greater adventure.

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Prologue – The Blizzard Birth

 

Tishamon the Long Walker added another log to the fire before he sat down to resume cleaning and polishing his chain mail jerkin.  When worn over leather or padding it provided excellent protection against most weapons or the claws of all but the largest goblinoids and animals.  However, the interlinked metal rings had a tendency to attract and hold all varieties of dirt, mud and plant matter, making cleaning and polishing a frequent chore, especially in the muddy seasons of Spring and Fall.

He was just picking up a hard-bristled brush to resume scrubbing when he heard a muffled double thump from the porch and door.  It was unlikely that any potential enemies would be out in weather like this, but he preferred erring on the side of caution.  He pulled his sword from the scabbard hanging on the wall beside him, then he strode across the single room of the cabin.

Sword held ready, he unbarred the door.  The force of the wind slammed the door open in a swirl of snow that settled over the table and chairs opposite the door and drifted over the pallet on the floor next to the fireplace.  Tishamon didn’t notice or care about all that, his attention was held by the small figure sprawled in the snow on the porch, a growing scarlet halo surrounding its head.  He quickly scooped up the figure and darted back inside the cabin.  He lay it down on the pallet and quickly shut the door, pausing only long enough to drop the bar into place.

Returning to the figure, Tishamon drug the pallet next to the fireplace and threw on some more logs.  He first tried to remove the ice-caked outer garments to prevent any further body heat loss.  He was instantly struck by the extraordinary thickness of ice clinging to the frozen bedroll fabric and cloak shrouding the diminutive form.  He quickly set to work with a heavy skinning knife, shattering a thin line through the ice shell and frozen fabric.

His breath caught in disbelief and shock when he finally succeeded in freeing her face from her frozen hair.  He saw that she was young, a tiny fraction of his five hundred years and, a Copper Elf.   A knot twisted his stomach when he saw the figure’s tiny, feminine and heavily white-splotched face and her blackened, hard-frozen hands.

“Why in Blood’s name did you leave home, girl?” Tishamon asked the silent figure in disbelief.  He finally cut away the bedroll and cloak fully to reveal her form.  Even muffled by three layers of tunic and skirts, her heavily swollen abdomen was immediately obvious.  “What in all the realms could have driven you to travel in this weather?” he asked in absolute horror.

He cut away at the ice encasing her feet and legs and groaned in sympathy when he saw the white splotches of frostbite from her knees down.  When he tore the ice-saturated boots and stockings from her legs and feet, strips of frozen, blackened skin and underlying flesh came as well.  Tishamon cringed, though he knew the limbs were dead, or nearly so and she couldn’t feel a thing.  He cleaned her arms and legs as well as he could, shaking his head in sympathy when he uncovered the fresh gash on her forehead.

It astounded him that anyone could have been moving at all in her condition.  Her lower legs were literally frozen, her hands and outer arms as well.  That level of injury should have incapacitated her, if not killed her outright.  Now, even if she lived, she would be a helpless cripple for the rest of her life, with stumps where her arms and legs used to be.

After Tishamon removed her ice-laden clothes and saw the convoluted brand, just below the ‘V’ at the base of her throat, he could better understand her actions.  This elf girl was a slave, a slave trying to escape bondage and give her unborn child the freedom she had not had.

For her, to live would mean hundreds of years dependent upon others for everything from the instant she awakened, to the instant she slept.. A life as a powerless prisoner in a broken body.  In the now-lost time before the Mage Wars, cures could have been bought for her condition; such as mechanical limbs, magical servants, or even re-growing the lost limb.  Sadly that was possible no more; because all of that had been irretrievably lost.  The knowledge was gone in the flames, dust and blood of the Mage Wars; unless some lucky soul came across a hidden, protected vault of tomes or wondrous objects that today’s scholars could decipher.

None of that would help this….child-woman right now.  Tishamon didn’t think anything would.  He placed a hand upon her bulging belly, and felt the child within move.  It was strange, the girl’s arms, legs and face were all frostbitten, the skin of her breasts and swollen belly should have been as well, but weren’t.  He draped an alpine bear hide over her and tossed the still-frozen clothes out toward the woodshed.

Tishamon placed a hand on the girl’s swollen belly and felt the babe inside move.  The babe was still alive and seemed to be healthy, at least to his limited ability to judge.

Suddenly, her abdomen tightened in contraction, bringing a feeble moan from the unconscious girl.  Tishamon had participated, at least peripherally, with many births and had played the role of midwife on occasion.  After a brief deliberation, He decided to let the girl deliver naturally if she could.  Perhaps she would live long enough to see and nurse the infant.

Tishamon kept vigil the remainder of the evening and throughout the night, leaving only to bring in more firewood from the shed next to the cabin.  During the first two Turns of the Glass he busied himself by preparing part of an abandoned cloth bedroll to catch the blood and afterbirth in, sacrificing a relatively new, soft tunic to make diapers and sewing together a wolf hide (fur side in) for an infant carrier.  After that he was forced to admit that watching and waiting were all he could do.  Helping a lone woman give birth was not so bad if she was alert.  She needed someone to calm and reassure her and sometimes would be able to converse until the actual pushing came.  Incoherent moaning was not much to talk to.  He did speak reassurances to the girl though, on the off chance she might hear him.

Beyond that, he could do nothing to ease or speed the birth, short of cutting her open and taking the baby from her body.  If she died, he would have to do just that.  With that thought, the woodsman drew a short-bladed skinning knife and set to work whetting the edges.  When the blade met his approval, he wiped the blade clean and passed the blade through the flames to sterilize it before setting it aside where it would stay clean.

The girl’s contractions began coming closer and closer together until it seemed each came on the heels of the one before it.  Still, the girl showed no sign of regaining consciousness.  Tishamon sighed heavily.  He had hoped she might come to for the delivery so she’d know that her struggle had not been in vain, that she’d saved her child.

In his life as a wandering hunter/guide/explorer/refugee from a commonplace existence, Tishamon had delivered children of all races.  Through almost all of those deliveries, he’d silently wished the mother would shut up and give birth without thrashing about and, in the case of one fiery-haired dwarf, blacking his eye while cursing him and his ancestry in a most creative and extensive manner.  Even to this day, more than a hundred years later, he had yet to hear anyone curse him better.

Today, he reversed his opinion on loud, thrashing births.  Even the most verbally and physically abusive dwarf was preferable to this inert, unresponsive mother-to-be he helped now.  When he finally held a small copper-skinned, squalling boy, he truly missed the joyful greeting all new mothers gave their new child.  As he cleaned the infant, Tishamon noticed that the eyes had a definite greenish cast, rather than the blue-purple of new infant Copper Elves.  He slowly checked more of the child’s features.  The ears were too round, the nose seemed a little broad for the child to be of pure blood, but with the squashed features of a newborn, it was hard to tell.  The skin was also perhaps a shade or two too pale as well.

That explained a lot.  Even with as clannish as Copper Elves were, they’d not turn away someone in distress, such as this child.  But, if she knew she was carrying a half-breed she might have feared they’d turn her away, or take her in and arrange either a ‘still birth’ or ‘cradle death’ for the infant.  Copper Elves treasure all children, often taking in and raising the offspring of other races, making such fears unlikely, but possible.

When Tishamon finished wrapping the infant boy in a piece of blanket he turned toward the girl, he again saw the brand on her chest.  As a runaway slave, she would have wanted to avoid any and all people until she was safely out of the human provinces.  He’d heard rumors that the rulers of some human provinces in the Kesh Plains east of the Fire Hills had begun pogroms of exile or enslavement.  Baron Uther Ulric IV was supposedly the main driving force behind the trend.

This girl was evidence enough that at least some of the rumors about enslavement were true.  The stories about gang and mass rapes of non-human girls were probably true as well, he thought grimly.  The faint glimmer of hope lay in the fact that Ulric probably had at most a hundred regular soldiers and could maybe raise twice that number of short-term levies.  Barony Ulric was about sixty leagues from north to south and perhaps one hundred leagues east to west.  Even if Ulric’s dozen or so vassals had two-dozen men each, there was still an awful lot of internal and border area to cover.

That meant there was probably a good chance for escapees, such as this girl, to make it out.  The lava floes between Barony Ulric and the Fire Hills, laden with innumerable twisting passages, caves and tunnels served as veritable hideaways for individuals or small groups.  Tishamon figured that was probably how this poor girl had escaped detection.  They were also the best source of shelter from the fury of Khari’s early return.  For some reason this runaway had decided to brave the storm rather than wait it out.  Perhaps she had run out of food, Tishamon certainly hadn’t found any on her.

Tishamon gently rolled the girl onto her side and propped her up with logs covered with some of the many animal skins stored in the cabin.  He put the wailing infant to the girl’s breast to feed.  It was best, he’d decided, to give the newborn every benefit his mother could offer, particularly because she was dying.  After the infant had drunk his fill, he settled down to happily sleep, cuddled in the unresponsive warmth of his mother’s embrace.

Tishamon resumed cleaning his armor.  As the coarse brush flaked away at the dirt and rust, his mind worried at his new problem.  How could he deal with his new acquaintances?  If the girl defied all probability and lived, she would be a complete invalid.  He probably should be carving the frozen limbs off her body right now, before gangrene set in.  After a moment’s consideration, he shook his head.  A quadruple amputation on the heels of a childbirth would be enough to kill the healthiest of women, much less a malnourished adolescent who’d just been through a frozen hell-on-earth.  No, he’d worry about that tomorrow, assuming she still lived.

When the infant stirred and cried at dusk, Tishamon still had no answer.  He set aside his armor to roll the still-unconscious girl to her other side and allow the infant to feed.  He could tie the girl to his back and rig the wolf fur carrier to hold the child to his chest, but he still had no place nearby to take them.  Except…well, there was the smuggler’s village that had sprung up between the new trade route and Barony Ulric.  Under good conditions it was a long day’s walk.  Now, in this snow, it was a day and a half at the least, maybe two.  Three, if he carried the girl.

It was unusually early for Khari to begin her yearly assaults, so the cold and snow might pass.  If the past few day’s snow melted, the traveling would be easier.  He could avoid the worst of the mud by sticking to the ridge-lines and rocky ground.

How long could a newborn survive without its mother?  He’d heard of fathers raising children from infancy when the mother died in childbed, but he was not anxious to try it himself.  Tishamon was too fond of his free and wandering life.  Besides, it was likely impossible to find a wet nurse willing to accompany him in his journeys from the Sea of Ice in the north to the human lands far to the south and from the Sea of Mists at the western shores and into the Kesh Plains far east of the Fire Hills.  In good weather he could cover six hundred miles or more in a ten-day.  No infant or small child could withstand the rigors of that kind of travel.

His life depended upon being able to pass through territory infested with active dangers unseen and unheard.  A fussy, squalling child would get them both killed by any wild animals, dragons, bandits or goblinoids within earshot.  Tishamon glanced at the brand just below the girl’s throat and mentally added the possibility of slavers, to the list.

The additional, indiscriminate dangers he accepted but would be unwilling to subject a near-helpless child to also included heat, cold, hunger, storms and the volcanoes that had given the Fire Hills their name.  Once the boy was older, able to keep up and understand the reality of life on the trail, maybe he would take him along, but until then, no.

Over the night, he shifted the girl three times to allow the infant to feed.  Now he understood why new parents always looked so frazzled.  He wondered how any babe lived through their first few days of life.  The next morning, however, when the boy opened his greenish-purple eyes to gaze in wonderment at whatever a newborn can see, Tishamon knew.  There was something about the total innocence and trust in that gaze that awakened his protective instincts.  He gently rolled the girl, giving baby a fresh breast to nurse.  He suddenly wrinkled his nose at the smell coming from the baby.  He gingerly unwrapped the wriggling bundle and cleaned it.  He tossed the fouled cloth out the door and applied another fragment of the tunic.  After re-bundling the baby, he propped it back in place it next to the girl’s breast.

Looking out through the shuttered window, Tishamon could see the wind had abated and the clouds ran across the sky in tattered streamers toward the southeast.  The storm had broken then.  Now he could hurry up and…wait.  Wait for the weather to warm, if it would, and on the girl.  Would she live or die; or linger on in unconsciousness until she wasted away?

As if in response to his thoughts, he heard a faint moan, almost more of a whimper from the bundle of blankets and hides before the fireplace.  Tishamon hurried to her side.  Her eyes fluttered, then slowly opened, revealing violet eyes with the vertical, catlike pupil of the Elves.  “Where am I?  Have I found the smuggler’s colony?” the words came almost as a whisper.  She looked at the tiny bundle snuggled against her.  “This, this is my baby?”

“Yes, that is your son.”  Tishamon replied, kneeling next to her.  “You’ve escaped the human provinces into the Fire Hills.  You are free, now.”

She looked at her son contentedly sucking away, and smiled sadly.  “My child, conceived by rape and carried in slavery.  His father tortured and burned alive by his mother, and born into freedom by his mother’s death.  My freeborn son, . . . Freeborn . . . ” Her voice trailed off into silence as her eyes lost their focus and stared blankly into space.

“Girl? ..GIRL!”  Tishamon shook her shoulder, gently at first, then roughly, trying to bring her back from Death’s door.

“I haven’t much time.”  She spoke, each word an effort as she struggled to raise her head.  “Khari will come to collect her price for sparing my baby.”  Her eyes suddenly sharpened, becoming terribly aware as they locked onto his.  “Swear to me, on your life, swear to me that you will care for my son.  Raise him to value life, freedom and justice.  Raise him to stand against evil in all of its forms.”  She paused, shallowly gasping for breath, then smiling gratefully at Tishamon, she added, “Raise him to be gentle and kind like you, who took in a helpless stranger, cared for her, delivered her child, then cared for him, too.”

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, and feeling dangerously close to crying, Tishamon nodded.  “I swear that I shall do as you ask, my lady.”

She relaxed and let her head sink back onto the pillow of bundled hides.  “Then I am ready to go.  I die in peace.”

Suddenly, the temperature of the room dropped drastically.  Despite the roaring fire, his breath and that of the girl and baby fogged the air.  A faint, high-pitched whistle, like wind in the eaves, caught Tishamon’s ear.  Half-fearfully, he raised his eyes from the girl and saw a column of fog and snow in the form of a robed and hooded figure with faintly glowing ice-blue eyes standing in the corner of the cabin, near the hearth.

Impulsively, he jumped to his feet and drew his sword.  “You shall not have her, ice creature!” Tishamon shouted defiantly at the snow wraith.

“Do not defy me, woodsman,” spoke a breathy voice, like the wind tearing through the naked branches of a forest in winter.  “She is here through Khari’s forbearance.  She would have died on the borderlands, and her child with her, had the Ice Queen not given her the ability to go on.”

“Khari is not without mercy.  She was impressed when the girl asked not for her own life, but offered her spirit in exchange for the assured survival of her child.  The Mistress of Winter spared her belly and breasts the kiss of cold that the child and its food would be protected.  At the end, my mistress sent one of her Winter Wolves to guide the girl to you.”

The wraith then raised a hand shrouded in swirling snow and fog.  “Do not delay me further, woodsman, Khari is not patient.  All you would accomplish is your own frozen death and cause the infant to slowly die from exposure.”

Reluctantly, Tishamon let the tip of his sword dip to the floor and stepped away from the dying girl.  Though the creature came no closer than six feet, Tishamon could feel a chill reach into his bones as it moved past, trailing a tiny shower of frost in its wake.  The creature stopped beside the girl and held out its hand.

Tishamon watched a misty, girl-like form rise and take the wraith’s hand.  It turned and blew a kiss toward the babe and spoke in a hollow parody of her living voice.  “Do not forget your vow, woodsman.  I will be watching him, and you.”  Both figures then drifted upward through the roof of the cabin.

A heavy sadness weighed at Tishamon’s heart as he sheathed his sword and stepped over to the blanked and hide-covered bundle next to the fireplace.  The girl was dead.  Frozen.  Dripping icicles hung from her hair and nose.  Her skin was frost-white and her lips blue.  Suddenly wild with fear for the child, he uncovered the motionless bundle next to the dead girl in time to see it yawn hugely, blink and close its eyes to sleep.

A warm wind began to blow outside, eating the snow away.  In just a few hours, no trace of it was left, save the moistness of the ground.  Tishamon hurriedly set to work, cutting one of the smaller skins into narrow strips and fashioned the remainder of the old bedroll into a shroud.  “Freeborn,” he reminded himself.  “His mother named him Freeborn.”  When he was done with that, the girl’s body had thawed enough to wrap in some of the furs and lay in the shroud, which he then sewed shut with the fur strips.

A short distance from the cabin was a crumbling cliff whose base had been undercut by the nearby river in ages past.  The undercut was capped by a thin shelf of sandstone that supported a great pile of loose stone that had fallen from the slowly crumbling cliff above.  After he placed the surprisingly light, pitiful bundle in the undercut, he stepped well back and began one of the few more powerful incantations he knew.  He aimed the spell at the lip of rock above the girl’s corpse.  He worked the tendrils of arcane energy into a hammer of mystical power.  When he finished, the spell shattered a large section of the stone lip into rubble.  The scree tumbled down, giving the nameless elf girl a burial mound greater than those given to nobility at the height of the ancient empire.

The girl’s initial question about the smugglers’ camp had not gone unnoticed.  A piece of Tishamon’s mind had captured the comment and begun working on it.  Now, with the girl’s body entombed, and far better protected in death than she’d been in life, the fruits of his mental labors manifested.

Since the dwarves and elves had blocked off the main trade route into Ulric’s province, several bands of enterprising individuals and their families had moved into the borderlands.  They’d been buying or stealing items from villages and trade caravans, then taking them into Ulric’s lands to sell or trade.  One of the bands of smugglers had set up a small village nearby.  With only the babe to carry, he could make it shortly after dark.

He would talk to Oscar.   The last time Tishamon had seen him, a few ten-days ago, his wife had been about to have a child.  Perhaps, with a little persuasion and a little gold, they’d not mind another mouth to feed.  At least until he came to claim and raise it, as he’d promised the boy’s mother.  With Freeborn strapped to his chest, and a desperate hope to avoid goblinoids, Tishamon set out through the woods.

 

 

About the Author

 

Steven Calkum was born in 1967 and grew up on a small ranch in East Central Colorado.  He earned BS and MS degrees, and worked, in natural resources for 13 years before becoming disabled in 2011.

A voracious reader, he created his own style by rewriting drafts until he would want to read his own work.

He remarried in 2016 and plans to be a househusband and work toward a career as a writer/storyteller in addition to raising more children.

He currently lives in Wyoming with the youngest of his children from his first marriage.

 

 

 | 
Comments Off on Excerpt – Freeborn by Steven Calkum #scifi #fantasy
Posted in Adventure, excerpt, Military, Science Fiction on August 28, 2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

“I love being a Marine but there are days…We may have a lot of the same problems in 2122 we did a hundred years ago but back then the Gul brothers weren’t paying lots to see my head on a spike! Not that I was born yet but that’s not the point! So I’m a pretty good shot and Rick is even better. Did I ask daddy Gul and his boys to go on a rampage? No, I didn’t! But now we have to leave the planet and go to the New Hope colony where the locals like to eat people!”  – Staff Sergeant Susan ‘Molly’ Bennett, USMC

The story of the alien Rift invasion of the New Hope Colony begins on Earth in 2122 when all too familiar problems and events cause a chain reaction that will have repercussions on two worlds. Fleeing for their lives and to protect his family Navy, Lieutenant Paul “Rick” O’Brien and Marine Staff Sergeant Susan Mollison “Molly” Bennett will have to board a starship for the long voyage to Earth’s first extrasolar colony under new identities. There they will join the Colonial Rangers, the international military force designed to protect the colonists from the planet’s ferocious predators, not to deter an alien invasion.

The female-loving Logistics officer O’Brien and superb marksman and the courageous Marine recon squad leader form an unbreakable bond forged under fire that will serve them well as events unfold around them. The circumstances that send them to the New Hope Colony will also have a profound effect on the other members of the O’Brien/Cassidy family and especially Rick’s daughter Ciara as well as on the colony where they find refuge.

‘FIERCE GIRLS’ introduces the lead characters and covers the events that force O’Brien and Bennett to leave Earth. Then as Lieutenant Commander Rick ‘Cassidy’ and Gunnery Sergeant Molly ‘Pickford’ the story will deal with their first months at the New Hope Colony. It also introduces the key members of Rick’s family, their embrace of Molly Bennett, and the repercussions on their own lives.

The Fierce Girls At War series beginning with ‘Fierce Girls’ is not simply about the bonds between the characters. It is about women who are smart, brave, quick thinking, resilient and who are good leaders. They are steady under fire, they are problem solvers and they are resourceful and creative thinkers. They feel fear when circumstances are frightening but they don’t panic. They are not dependent on their male counterparts and more often than not they outshine them. They feel lust and love but are not driven by either (most of the time). Many of them are experienced, competent soldiers while others are young students dropped into a perilous situation from which no one is coming to rescue them. Some of them are bound by bonds of family but by no means are they all. Book One ‘Fierce Girls’ introduces the main characters –Gunnery Sergeant ‘Molly’ Pickford, Lieutenant Commander ‘Rick’ Cassidy, his daughter Ciara and other members of his family, and Captain Naomi MacCaffrey, a Canadian officer captured by extremists and rescued by Molly in the African jungles. They must find it in themselves to fight battles against other humans before the coming desperate struggle against an alien invasion of Earth’s first colony in space that will arise in the following books of the series. Those books will show these women and others take the lead in fighting for the life of the colony.

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Setting: Cassidy/O’Brien residence in Yonkers, New York/US Consulate in Douala, Cameroon February 2122

Bridget O’Brien, the 22-year-old sister of Lieutenant Paul ‘Rick’ O’Brien is home for the weekend studying for her final exams when the household artificial intelligence, Robby, alerts her that something has happened involving her brother at the US Consulate in Cameroon. Hassan Gul, the world’s most wanted terrorist, and his men have attacked the consulate and a live feed from a reporter there for a diplomatic reception is being shown worldwide. The Consul’s three daughters have been captured and are being held outside the surrounded building. Bridget is watching the scene unfold before her eyes.

 

Chapter 6

 

The Consul’s Daughters

 

New York

 

The playback resumed; seconds later a voice called from outside the consulate building and the picture shifted back to a group outside where a man had been forced to his knees in front of the three Kaslowski girls, “Marines! This is Hassan Gul! I want all US Marine personnel to come out of the building. If you do as I have ordered we will not harm the civilians inside. If you do not I will kill these pretty young girls one at a time and then we will destroy the building and everyone in it! I give you two minutes to comply but in one minute I will kill this man!”

The reporter quickly focused again on Rick and the blonde sergeant again. She said to him, Shit! What do you think we should do, Lieutenant? If we go out there they’ll just kill us. They’ll probably kill everyone else anyway.”

Bridget watched as a strained looking Rick peeked outside. The camera was focused on the men holding the three girls by their necks with guns to their heads and the man who had been made to kneel down in front of them.

There was a shot and screams from the girls. A stunned Bridget saw the man fall to the ground dead. Hassan Gul called out again, You now have one minute!”

Lieutenant?” the young female sergeant asked Rick urgently as the camera swung back to them.

Her brother looked at the young Marine and with a mirthless smile asked, Sergeant Bennett, are you a good shot with that side arm?”

The young Marine looked at him blankly and replied, Expert rating last qual, why?

Rick looked around the room and said, See that painting on the wall? Right eye.” Bridget watched perplexed as he suddenly lifted the pistol and barely looking fired once at a something out of sight. The camera swung around and zoomed in on a large portrait of the President. It was at least twenty feet away from where Rick was hunched down; the bullet had penetrated the pupil of the right eye. “I need you to trust me, he said.

What the hell are you up to, Rick? Nice shot though.

Before the sergeant could answer Rick O’Brien returned to the window and called out to the men below, Wait! We’re coming out! Please give us a moment to pray!”

Pray?” asked a confused Staff Sergeant Bennett.

Pray? What the…?

Don’t worry about it,” he answered with a feral grin.

Don’t worry about it? Yeah, sure.

The voice from outside sounded again, You are very brave Marines. I grant you two minutes to pray then you must come out! What was that shot I heard?

It was someone who disagreed with the decision. Thank you! We’ll be out in two minutes,” Rick called back.

The blonde staff sergeant looked at O’Brien in interest. What do you want to do, Lieutenant? Help is on the way but two minutes isn’t long enough for the cavalry to get here.

Rick gave her a crooked little smile and said, “I know, they’ll never give us that much time. Now tell your guys to stay out of sight by the windows and be ready. And tell them to make sure they protect their ears; it’s going to get real loud. And you come with me.” Bridget’s only brother got up and started for the stairs leading down to the main floor entrance, waving the young NCO to follow as she spoke over her comm to what remained of her squad. Rick was talking to someone on his own comm badge but Bridget couldn’t hear what he was saying. The two hurried down the stairs with the newsman in their wake.

Bridget felt tears running down her face. They’re going to kill you, you idiot! What are you doing? I don’t want to see you die today! Oh my god, Ciara!

What are we doing, Lieutenant?” the unusually calm-looking young woman asked Rick O’Brien matter-of-factly when they reached the main entryway.

Bridget cringed at what she heard next.

Rick replied, Staff Sergeant Bennett, we, you and me, are going to open the door and walk right out there and shoot them dead, rescue the girls and get back inside. That’s all.”

That’s all, huh?”

That’s all, huh? Idiot!

Yeah, pretty much. Ten seconds after we step outside there is going to be a noise that hopefully will distract them long enough for us to pop ‘em all.”

Hopefully pop ‘em all, huh? And the guns, where do we hide them?”

            Are you crazy, Rick? The oldest O’Brien sister thought incredulously.

We don’t. We’ll have our hands up in the air, holding them by the barrel. On ten you step right and fire, I’ll step left. You shoot the two on the right, I’ll take the two on the left, and I’ll race you for the one in the middle. Your guys shoot everybody else.”

“Sounds easy enough,” the young sergeant answered with an edge of sarcasm in her voice. “If this works they may lock us both up for being crazy.”

“I wouldn’t mind a nice restful vacation somewhere after this.”

“You’re nuts, you know that, right?”

You got that right, sister!

The reporter kept recording as the American Consul approached them. They were just inside the front door where Winona Kaslowski stood ashen-faced and terrified for her daughters. “Lieutenant, you’re really going out there? They’ll kill you both.”

“Maybe, ma’am. Then again, maybe not. Don’t give up on us just yet. Everybody stay away from the front door. Oh, and you might want to cover your ears.” O’Brien looked at the surprisingly calm-looking Bennett and asked her, “Are you ready to kill some bad guys?”

“Ready? You must be kidding.” Taking a deep breath the Marine said with a defiant grin, “Fine! Let’s do this!”

“We still have twenty seconds. Let’s just check our weapons one more time, shall we? I wouldn’t want to find out too late that I’m out of ammo.”

“Sure, why not?”

The camera bounced violently again as the newsman raced up to the third floor and ran over to the nearest window where one of the Marines stood ready. “You better put these on,” the corporal said and handed him a spare set of earplugs that he hurriedly put on.

Bridget felt tears running down her cheeks, certain that her brother was about to die right in front of her. The situation was suicidal. The picture stabilized as the reporter focused on the area outside the main entrance to the building. Rick, wearing a Marine’s armored vest and a combat helmet was already outside with his hands raised, a pistol held by the barrel in his left hand. Staff Sergeant Susan ‘Molly’ Bennett was right behind him.

Hassan Gul, his two sons and two of his followers were holding the three girls forty feet from the front door. Thirty of his men were covering them, watching the building for any sign of subterfuge. The pair walked forward at a casual pace until Gul ordered them to stop and drop their weapons. Bridget’s heart was pounding and she fought herself not to look away. The two began to lower their weapons when suddenly as one they stepped to either side of the walkway just as a terrific electronic screaming was heard coming out of every speaker on the grounds. Bridget had to cover her ears before Robby adjusted the volume to a bearable level.

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?

The horrible, excruciating sound caused Hassan Gul and every one of his men to cringe and reach reflexively for their ears to protect them, causing them to lift the guns away from the heads of the three girls for a split second. Bridget watched stunned as her brother and Bennett calmly shot down Hassan Gul, his two sons and the two mercenaries standing behind the girls.

The Marines on the third floor then began firing on Gul’s distracted men. O’Brien and Bennett ran forward, grabbed the three girls by the arms and dragged them back into the building. Three seconds after everyone was back inside the noise suddenly cut off. From the time they’d first stepped outside it had taken less than twenty seconds. Some of Gul’s men begin to get up but the awful noise began again and the Marines resumed picking off their almost helpless targets. Ten seconds later the noise ended again but this time Gul’s men who were now trapped inside the compound made no effort to rise. Those who’d been near one of the breaches in the wall had already run away or been shot down trying to get out.

Amazed and relieved Bridget abruptly realized that she’d stood up with her mouth wide open in shock and she sat down again quickly. The audio had gone quiet then she noticed that the firing had stopped. The camera panned around the area in front of the consulate building and she saw that a few of Gul’s men were lying face down with their fingers laced behind their necks, probably hoping that they’d be allowed to surrender. She watched as Rick and the blonde Marine appeared outside again and walked over to the body of Hassan Gul. The reporter had zoomed in on them and must have increased his audio pickup to maximum because she could hear them talking.

“I don’t suppose we get to keep the reward, do you?” Rick joked.

Oh my god, so typical! Bridget thought in relieved amusement.

“Fat chance of that. Look at these two, Lieutenant. I think these two are Gul’s spawn.”

“I think you’re right. So, I got Gul senior and that knucklehead next to him, you got Gul junior there and that ugly bastard and I think we have to share credit for the other Gul junior.”

“What do you mean share? I shot him, not you,” Bennett said sounding somewhat bemused.

“Look again, blondie. You shot him in the right eye, while mine went right through his mouth and out the other side. He had to still be standing for both.”

God Rick, you are so predictable! When have I heard this kind of conversation before?

Susan ‘Molly’ Bennett shrugged then turned and grinned at her brother, “Very well then, Lieutenant O’Brien, we share credit for this asshole, but I’d already bagged two Guls before I came here so I’m still ahead, so there!”

Oh My God! It’s HER! It’s HER!

“Really? That was you? Wow! I’d heard about that. I was hoping to meet you eventually. My daughter is a big fan of yours. That was nice work there. And you look really cute in a combat helmet too. You know, I think I love you. Er, and just in time, here comes the cavalry,” he said pointing to the two anti-grav shuttles full of troops headed directly towards them.

Did he really just say that? Oh my god! He’s hitting on her NOW?

The attractive blonde Bennett gave Rick a lopsided grin as she shook her head and said, “I think we’re going to be on the news tonight.” She looked back and pointed up at the news reporter who had recorded every second of the action from his perch on the third floor.

Rick sighed and said, “Oh, that could be a problem later.”

“Well, I guess we should have shot him first. Now it’s too late. Let’s go back inside, Lieutenant. I need a drink.”

“You’re not the only one.” The playback continued but Rick and the young sergeant were no longer in sight.

Oh My God! “Robby! Give me locations on my sisters, my mom, Ciara and Melanie McCord right now!” The playback halted again.

“Mistress Deadly Gunfire is at work at the Police Academy range as usual. Miss Pretty Bird is in her dorm room at school, where I would suppose that she is preparing for her final exams although given her recent activities she may be having morning sex with her current boyfriend…”

“Cut the commentary, Robby,” she told the AI in annoyance.

“Very well. Miss Candy Lips is at her morning Chinese language class. Young Missy Keer is at her school. This is her beginning algebra period I believe. Mistress Melanie is at her office at the nano-botics lab.”

Bridget came to a decision and told the AI, “Robby, I want you to call Ciara’s school. Tell them that there is a family emergency. I’m on the way to pick her up now. I’ll be there in the next ten minutes.”

“Of course. Ahem. You may wish to address your wardrobe or lack thereof,” Robby crooned with just a hint of amusement.

Her mind racing Bridget had been pulling on her shoes as she was talking and intending to head out the door as soon as the AI acknowledged her instruction when she realized that she wasn’t wearing any clothes. Her towel had fallen to the floor when she had stood up abruptly.

“Shit!”

“Indeed. Shall I attempt to contact anyone else at this time?”

Bridget ran up the stairs to her bedroom and began dressing as fast as she could. “Yes, call my mother, Nicole and Chloe. Tell them about the video and let them know that I’m going to fetch Ciara. I don’t want her seeing this until she’s with us. It will be everywhere within hours if not sooner. And put me through to Melanie. I need to let her know what’s going on.”

“Very well. The school has been contacted and Young Missy Keer will be waiting when you arrive.”

“Good.” Bridget was out the door and on her way to get Ciara.

###

Within minutes of the end of the battle a perplexed Rick O’Brien saw Staff Sergeant Bennett being hustled into a Marine anti-grav shuttle that took off and headed back to the Mount St Helens. Bennett had given him a little wave as she stepped into the shuttle but he hadn’t even had the chance to say goodbye. He had no way to know it but Bennett would be on her way back to the States hours before he stepped aboard his ship again.

Rick saw the reporter walking towards him with the American consul and her three daughters and sighed wryly. He thought about Ciara and hoped that she wouldn’t see the news until after his mom and sisters had a chance to look at it and know that he’d come out of it in one piece. Then he thought back to the conversation he’d had with her a couple of weeks earlier when she’d told him about the ‘brave Marine lady’ who had saved all those people. Ciara had known that her unit was going to be embarking on her daddy’s ship soon and she’d begged him to meet her. He’d certainly done that! Ciara desperately wanted to meet the young Marine and now he was certain that she was going to go crazy after seeing the two of them together.

Oh boy! I’m never going to hear the end of this. If I’m lucky I have a few hours before they all see it. Oh well, here come the girls and their mom. I may as well enjoy the attention. At least they have a reason to hero worship me. I just wish my hands would stop shaking. ‘Rick’ O’Brien had a feeling that not everyone was to going be thrilled with what he and the pretty Bennett had just done. He had no idea just how not thrilled some people were.

 

 

About the Author

 

Mike Adams was born in Brooklyn and raised in Staten Island, NY. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Wagner College and an MBA from San Diego State University. He is a retired US Navy Supply Corps (Logistics) officer, former small business owner, and part-time substitute teacher. He has visited 6 continents and 36 countries, speaks Spanish, some German, a little Italian and less French. He currently lives in Chula Vista, CA with his wife Chris.

 

LinkedIn * Website

 

 | 
Comments Off on Excerpt – Fierce Girls by Mike Adams #scifi #military #adventure
Posted in 4 paws, Fantasy, paranormal, Review, Science Fiction, Young Adult on August 22, 2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

Marcie is spending her summer working on the archeological dig that her mother runs: Angel Mounds, a site of an ancient indigenous civilization. Soon after she arrives, she meets some intriguing individuals, and becomes wrapped up in a supernaturally-charged mission to save the planet from the destruction man has brought upon itself.

Marcie Horton has a sixth sense. Not in the “I see dead people” way, but . . . well, maybe a little. She feels a sort of knowing about certain things that can’t be explained-an intuition that goes beyond the normal. Then there was that one summer four years ago, when she connected with a long-departed spirit . . . But nothing that incredible has happened to Marcie since.

This summer, Marcie is spending time working at Angel Mounds, the archeological dig her mother heads, along with her brother, Eric, and his girlfriend, Renee. The dig is the site of an ancient indigenous civilization, and things immediately shift into the paranormal when Marcie and her teammates meet Lorraine and Zeke. The two mysterious dig assistants reveal their abilities to access the Universal Energy Field with their minds-something Marcie knows only vaguely that her brother has also had experience with. Marcie learns how our planet will disintegrate if action is not taken, and she and her team must decide if they are brave enough to help Lorraine and Zeke in their plan to save Mother Earth, her resources, and her history. It looks like the summer just got a lot more interesting.

 

 

 

**Read the Kindle version now or pre-order the paperback to be released on 9/22**

 

 

Review

 

This is the second book in this series but can be read on its own.  You get to know some of the characters in the first book, The Field, and there are a few references to what Eric was working on, but nothing that would hold you back.  I don’t remember much about Marcie from the first book but would assume she was introduced since she is Eric’s sister and that we learned something about her.

All that aside, this book was quite enjoyable. The pacing was just right, the characters were interesting, and if you care about the environment and our planet, you will enjoy the information provided about fracking and other ways the planet is being harmed.  If you enjoy sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal you will probably also enjoy this book for the concepts of a fifth dimension and extraterrestrials. Some of it was a little out there for me, but I still enjoyed the characters and beings that the author brought into this story. I do think that humans have the potential to do more with their mind but haven’t really delved into the topic. This book made me think about the possibilities that are out there.  If you are into conspiracy theories, there is that angle in this book as well.  This book really does have a little bit for everyone.

This story is also about self discovery and stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying something different. It is also about friendships and doing what is right for yourself and the world.

There are two quotes that really stood out to me regarding the environment and humans in general.  I feel these are really spot on.

“Earth and her human inhabitants are already going down the path of destruction, all due to the actions of humans.”

“Earth can only absorb so much abuse before cataclysmic results occur.”

I think I would suggest reading the first book, The Field, before reading this one. While you do not have to, I feel it would give you great insight into the book, the characters, and the aspects of what the mind can do at the right level.

We give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Tracy wasn’t always a writer, but she was always a reader. Her favorite book growing up was A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. In a weird way, her life reflects the book through odd synchronicities. She has a degree in Biology like Mrs. Murry and without realizing it she named her children Alex and Katie after Meg’s parents. (Really, it was not intentional, because that would be weird)!

Tracy uses her science background in her writing through her emphasis on environmental issues and metaphysics. Growing up, Tracy’s younger brothers called her ‘sarge’ and once when she took a personality test for a job, the evaluator said she could give a Drill Sargent a run for his money. If you need someone to boss you around, Tracy’s your gal! Tracy lives in Indianapolis.

 

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram * Pinterest

 

 

 | 
Comments Off on Review – Catalyst by Tracy Richardson @authortracyrich #YA #Paranormal #SciFi
Posted in Book Release, Giveaway, Interview, Science Fiction on July 1, 2020

 

 

GATES OF MARS

 

The Halo Trilogy #1

 

by

 

CLARK HAYS AND KATHLEEN McFALL

 

 

Genre: Science Fiction / Detective (hard-boiled)

Publisher:  Pumpjack Press on Facebook

Date of Publication: June 16, 2020

Number of Pages: 336

 

 

Scroll down for the giveaway!

 

 

 

 

IN THE AGE OF SURVEILLANCE, HOW CAN A PERSON GO MISSING? 

The year is 2187. Crucial Larsen, a veteran of the brutal Consolidation Wars, is working as a labor cop on Earth. The planet is a toxic dump and billions of people are miserable, but so what? It’s none of his business. He’s finally living a good life, or good enough. But then Essential, his beloved kid sister, disappears on Mars. When Halo—the all-powerful artificial-intelligence overseeing Earth and Mars on behalf of the ruling Five Families—can’t (or won’t) locate his sister, Crucial races up-universe to find her.

In the Choke, the frigid, airless expanse outside the luxury domes, Crucial uncovers a deadly secret from Essential’s past that threatens to shatter his apathetic existence … and both planets. Blending science fiction with the classic, hard-boiled detective story, Gates of Mars is a page-turning, futuristic thrill-ride featuring a gritty, irreverent anti-hero, Crucial Larsen. The first book of the Halo Trilogy, Gates of Mars is the eighth novel by award-winning authors, Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Praise

 

“An indelible introduction to an interplanetary saga and its sublime characters.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The authors’ imaginations again run wild, this time a science fiction/detective series looking at what our lives may hold in the not too distant future if everything that can go wrong does go wrong. And they’ve done it with their trademark undercurrent of humor that lifts an otherwise dreary future into something resembling—do I dare say?—hope. Their best work to date. And the giraffes? You’ll have to read Gates of Mars to find out. I’m already wishing they could write faster.” —Renee Struthers, East Oregonian newspaper 

“With twists and turns true to some of the best noir detective pieces—but with an other-world setting and futuristic society—along with psychological insights and connections, Gates of Mars is a riveting, unexpected story, filled with intrigue and change. Sci-fi and detective story readers alike with find Gates of Mars one of a kind, worthy of avid pursuit.” —Midwest Book Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIVE QUESTIONS with Kathleen McFall and Clark Hays

 

 

What’s the premise of the new novel?

 

Set in 2187, Gates of Mars blends science fiction with a classic, hard-boiled detective story. Crucial Larsen, forty-one, a veteran of the brutal Consolidation Wars, is working as a labor cop on Earth. The planet is a toxic dump, and billions of people are miserable, but he doesn’t care—not his business. It took him a long time to get to the good life, or a good-enough life. But then Essential, his beloved kid sister, wins the Mars labor lottery. After only a week on the red planet, she disappears. When Halo—the all-powerful artificial-intelligence overseeing Earth and Mars on behalf of the ruling Five Families—can’t (or won’t) locate his sister, Crucial races up-universe to find her. In the Choke, the frigid, airless expanse outside the luxury Martian domes, Crucial uncovers a deadly secret from Essential’s past that threatens to shatter his apathetic existence … and both planets.

 

Why write about Mars now?

 

One of the coolest things about being a writer is you get to indulge your interests. The information beaming back to Earth from NASA’s Rover exploration, especially about the geologic features and the possibility of ancient water on the planet (beyond the current ice), is fascinating. Combine this curiosity with the fact that a handful of billionaires are deploying an enormous amount of personal treasure to meet their scientific fantasy of Mars colonization, and we were hooked.

 

Why tackle the rise of monopolies in your world-building?

 

At a certain market size, monopolies (and the wealth they generate for individuals) will be (are?) equivalent to nation-states in terms of their influence on the global stage. Right now, we are seeing a rise of monopolies across all markets. In Gates of Mars, we combine the current plutocratic fascination with Mars colonization with this market consolidation into monopolies and jump forward a century or so. In this imagined future, family-controlled monopolies get bigger and bigger, own more and more capital, and roll up small and mid-size businesses until the inevitable occurs. Militia-backed war becomes a means of negotiation for market territory, and eventually the monopolies are the government, de facto or otherwise. At the same time, climate change worsens, the temperature rises, and pandemics have their way with humans, creating successive waves of climate and virus migrations. Earth is a hot mess. Simultaneously, the potential for Mars colonization becomes a reality and, naturally, only the uber-wealthy ruling families can afford to go, so they abandon Earth to create a “gated community” on the red planet.

 

Sounds doomsday. Is it a warning?

 

Gates of Mars is fiction, and our overriding goal is to entertain our readers with a fun, futuristic thrill ride. But if readers see a glimpse of a bleak and probable future that, if we act now, could be crushed, that would be a good outcome. Although admittedly, we are alarmed by what seems like possible movement in this direction, given the now-worldwide collapse of small and mid-sized businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the move to seize power by a variety of totalitarian actors.

 

You’ve written award-winning alt-history and horror novels and are consistently called out for your humor. Is Gates of Mars funny?

 

Very funny (we hope). And irreverent. A bit uplifting, even. The story is told from the perspective of Crucial Larsen, a battle-weary, caustic, gritty mess. In addition to looking for his kid sister, his trip up-universe will force him to see the one woman he can’t ever seem to get over. She’s a revered scientist who is genetically recreating, among other creatures, giraffes.

 

 

 

 

 

Clark and Kathleen wrote their first book together in 1999 as a test for marriage. They passed.

Gates of Mars is their eighth co-authored book.

 

 Facebook ║ Instagram

 

 

Connect with Kathleen

 

Goodreads ║ Amazon ║ Facebook ║ Twitter

 

Connect with Clark

 

Goodreads ║ Amazon ║ Facebook ║ Twitter

 

 

————————————-

 

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

 

TWO WINNERS: One Winner: First edition copy of A Very Unusual Romance 

 

One Winner: All four books in The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection 

 

June 29-July 8, 2020

 

(U.S. Only)

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

 

 

Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

 

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily.

 

Or, visit the blogs directly

 

 

6/29/20 Excerpt Texas Book Lover
6/29/20 Review Forgotten Winds
6/29/20 BONUS Post Hall Ways Blog
6/30/20 Review Reading by Moonlight
6/30/20 Review Sybrina’s Book Blog
7/1/20 Author Interview StoreyBook Reviews
7/1/20 Review Book Bustle
7/2/20 Excerpt All the Ups and Downs
7/2/20 Review Chapter Break Book Blog
7/3/20 Review Books and Broomsticks
7/3/20 Review Bibliotica

 

 

 

 

blog tour services provided by

 

 

 

 

 | 
Comments Off on Interview & #Giveaway – Gates of Mars by McFall & Hays #LSBBT @HaysCD #CowboyVamp #scifi #Texasauthor #detective #Lone
Posted in 4 paws, paranormal, Review, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Young Adult on December 4, 2019

 

Brown Books Publishing

Paperback: 200 pages

April 23, 2019

Genre: YA, Sci-fi, paranormal

 

Synopsis

Eric Horton sees fire.

When he sleeps, he dreams of a world screaming in the midst of devastating explosions. These dreams terrify him, and as more strange happenings unfold around him, he’s unable to shake the feeling that what he’s seeing isn’t just a dream.

When a new student, Renee, appears in his science class, he could swear he’s known her forever. But how could that be? As they get to know each other, he meets her father, who explains the experiments he’s been conducting involving “the Universal Energy Field” and “Collective Consciousness”—two things Eric has never heard of before. They seem to be tied to the idea that we are all connected by the same energy and are all more powerful than we realize. Eric begins to learn more about these groundbreaking concepts—but can they be real?

As his life continues to shift and his knowledge of the Field increases, Eric will be tested beyond anything he’s experienced before. He must decide whether he believes in that part of himself which ties him to the world around him, and he must access it—or lose everything he’s been working to keep.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * BookBub

 

Review

This book actually surprised me because sometimes sci-fi/paranormal books are hit and miss with me.  But this story of a young man’s ability to absorb the energy around him and see or sense things intrigued me.  Since this is a YA book, it wouldn’t be complete without the usual teenage drama and young love.

This story follows Eric, an up and coming goalie for the high school he attends.  He has a younger sister and brother with whom he has a good relationship.  Actually, he has a good relationship with all of his family which is refreshing to see considering what we see in the news.  The drama or angst comes from his friends and their shenanigans, which is not uncommon for a teenager.  Eric has some strange dreams and has no idea what they could possibly mean until events prove his dreams to be a reality and not just some weird dream.

I enjoyed the science aspect of this story and the explanations of matter, energy, and harnassing it for the betterment of mankind.  I think that all of this could be possible one day, perhaps sooner than we think.  I also appreciated that the science in this book was thoroughly explained and not just glossed over.  The author definitely put her degree to good use in this book.

There is romance between several of the characters and of course northing runs smoothly as is usual with teens.  However, I felt that the advancement of the various relationships felt solid and realistic.  The relationships were subdued and did not progress too much more than kissing.

We give this book 4 paws up and if you enjoy YA with a sci-fi or paranormal flair, you might want to pick this book up for your next read.

 

 

About the Author

Tracy wasn’t always a writer, but she was always a reader. Her favorite book growing up was A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. In a weird way, her life reflects the book through odd synchronicities. She has a degree in Biology like Mrs. Murry and without realizing it she named her children Alex and Katie after Meg’s parents. (Really, it was not intentional, because that would be weird)!

Tracy uses her science background in her writing through her emphasis on environmental issues and metaphysics. Growing up, Tracy’s younger brothers called her ‘sarge’ and once when she took a personality test for a job, the evaluator said she could give a Drill Sargent a run for his money. If you need someone to boss you around, Tracy’s your gal! Tracy lives in Indianapolis.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram * Pinterest

Posted in Book Release, Interview, Mystical, Science Fiction, Short Story on November 23, 2019

 

Synopsis

The stories in Seven Sides of Self explore the various sides of one’s personality: the storyteller, the skeptic, the survivor, the saint (or the sinner), the scholar, the seeker, and the savior. Through the lives of central characters such as Zarce Sun De’oggo, Sister Othrosa Vella, Jarka Moosha, and Old Mims—Nancy Joie Wilkie explores themes of battling strong emotions, the lengths we might go to for self-preservation and self sacrifice, the inability to accept things different, and taking responsibility for what we create in pieces that inhabit the worlds of both sci-fi and fantasy. Original and thought provoking, these are stories that will stimulate the intellect and engage the imagination.

 

 

Interview with Nancy

 

The stories in “Seven Sides of Self” are so thoughtful and engaging, and at times very personal. What was your creative process

Actually, the stories really are quite personal.  If you know me well, the collection can be thought of as a scavenger hunt. There are little pieces of me in each of the seven stories — hence the title. As for my creative process, there is no one magic formula. As an example, “An Intricate Balance” came to me while out on a long walk. I got home and started writing — several hours later, I had the first draft of the story. “The Ledge” is based on my longstanding fear of high places. Pieces of “Journey To Pradix” started out as part of another story. “Microwave Man” came about during a long drive with not much to think about. You just never know when the Muses will show up!

 

As a former scientist, musician, artist, and now published author, your resume is really impressive. What drew you first to science and then to music and art, and do you see connections between these?

My maternal grandfather was an organic chemist. As a youngster, I would watch him work in his laboratory and always thought, “That’s what I want to do when I grow up,” and so I did!  I’m lucky to have known what I wanted to do; not everyone knows their calling. As for the music and the art, I had two musically gifted grandparents and a bunch of mostly older cousins who were musicians, artists, and writers. They were my inspiration. As for a connection, all of these fields are about creating something — taking what one sees or hears in one’s mind or feels in one’s heart and then bringing the thoughts and feelings out into the real world — hence my moniker: mindsights.

 

You’ve mentioned what you call “spiritual dynamics,” referring to the connection between souls and physical bodies. Why are you interested in souls, and can a reader find that interest in the book?

Being a distant relative of William Thomson — better known as Lord Kelvin, a major contributor to the Third Law of Thermodynamics — and having been a scientist myself, I have always been interested in the Three Laws of Thermodynamics. After I lost my father to cancer 13 years ago, I started to rethink how I viewed the soul and the afterlife — trying to make some sense of my father’s passing — and then started thinking about our “before life.”  It was then that I thought developing the Three Laws of Spiritual Dynamics would be an interesting analog and might be used in some of my stories. “An Intricate Balance” is really my first venture into that arena. I do plan to more fully explore these ideas in future stories.

 

Can you talk about the relationship between the stories in this collection?

One set of stories revolves around the life of an author and are, I suppose, loosely connected (“There Once Was A Man …,” “Microwave Man,” and “Old Mims). A second set of stories is set in an incredibly far future and introduces the reader to Mothersouls and the Oversoul (“The Ledge” and “An Intricate Balance”). “Microwave Man” also introduces the reader to the fictional planet of Aurillia and sets the stage for the events told in “Of The Green And Of The Gold.” Lastly, “Journey To Pradix” and “Old Mims” both portray rather exceptional views of our inevitable transition to an afterlife. The stories were never designed to be connected — it just sort of worked out that way. I do plan to introduce additional stories that also will be loosely connected to some of these same topics.

 

You’ve said that the book is a collection of “original stories for original thinkers.” How do you define an original thinker?

I actually borrowed that line from a much earlier project with which I was involved. I was in a band that played pretty much all-original music — music that dealt with some socially progressive themes. We would play various benefit shows and eventually released a collection of our songs. When I built the website in support of the band and its music, I came up with the phrase “Original music for original minds.” Back then, I defined “an original mind” as someone who is thinking outside the box, someone with different ideas about things the average person hasn’t really considered. I suppose I still think that’s an adequate description. I’d like to think I have an original mind!

 

About the Author

NANCY JOIE WILKIE worked for over 30 years in both the biotechnology industry and as a part of the federal government’s biodefense effort. She served as a project manager, providing oversight for the development of many new products. Now retired, she composes original music, plays a variety of instruments, and records many of her compositions. “Seven Sides of Self” is her first fiction publication. She is currently working on more short stories, a novella, and a science fiction novel. Nancy resides in Brookeville, Maryland.

Website

 | 
Comments Off on #NewRelease – Seven Sides of Self by Nancy Joie Wilkie #scifi #metaphysical
Posted in 3 paws, fiction, Science Fiction, suspense on April 17, 2019

Synopsis

Twenty-two years after her newborn baby was seized from her, Sarah follows a popular television series, titled “The Broadcast.” She senses that, in some mysterious way, the show may lead her to her long-lost son.

“The Broadcast” airs footage of recent unsolved crimes and historical events going back two thousand years.
The recordings are impossible … yet they seem genuine. The show’s producer refuses to reveal the mysterious source of the astonishing footage.
A well-known journalist is bent on exposing the show as an elaborate scam.
A respected professor claims there is a scientific explanation for the remarkable films. Public opinion is divided between those who believe in the authenticity of the films and those who think it is a fraud.
How long can the makers of the show keep the shattering secret that threatens what we know about our world and our history?

Sarah and her husband Jonathan face the task of confronting and re-experiencing the traumas of the past. They have to untie the chains that prevent them from fully living their lives and realizing their inherent potential.

This captivating psychological thriller is as enigmatic and gripping as the television series itself. It intertwines personal drama with suspenseful twists and turns, all leading to an astonishing conclusion.

Review

I’m not sure what genre this book falls into but it is a little sci-fi/fantasy, a little thriller, a little mystery, and some suspense.

I found the overall premise of this book interesting.  While I am not a reality TV fan, I found the concept of this show quite interesting.  Some sort of device recorded what happened from overhead (perhaps like a satellite) and could share what happened at specific dates and times and locations.  This was a boon to the police to help solve some crimes when the trail had gone cold.  When the network chose to switch from crime to history this is where you have to insert the sci-fi/fantasy angle since they go back in time before the camera was invented.  The end reveals how this was possible so I won’t spoil that for anyone, but it does leave you guessing as to whether what is being shown is true or false.

The book is a little predictable, at least it was to me when it came to Sarah and her search for her son, or wishing she knew what happened to him over the years.  It was an unusual way for them to be reunited but it worked.  I suspected how the past was being recorded or at least part of how the network received the footage to air.  There was more to what I suspected so I appreciated the twist.  Sometimes the text/dialogue felt stilted and I thought that the sections of the book where they were discussing the past footage went on longer than I would have preferred but I suppose it sets it up for the reveal in the end.

Overall we give this 3 paws up.  It was an enjoyable read.

 | 
Comments Off on Review – The Broadcast by Liam Fialkov #thriller
Posted in 5 paws, Fantasy, Review, Science Fiction on February 4, 2019

About the Book

This novel takes place in a fantasy country that has reached the early Industrial Age of technology and recently instituted a democratic government.

An alien space ship arrives over the planet. The ship is owned by a mining corporation and searches for exotic mineral deposits to mine and bring back to its home planet, Zaftan 31B where rare elements are extracted from the minerals and sold.

The two main characters are MACDRAKIN GEMSEEKER, a dwarf miner and LESLIE HIGGINBOTTOM, a half-dwarf, half human constable in the small town of Skensfirth where the two have a budding romance. The alien captain, YUNTA, orders her second-in-command, SHTAP, to negotiate an agreement with the president of the country, ALBERT WEBLEY, a human.  Webley agrees to allow the aliens to mine the minerals if they can find them, provided the aliens respect property rights and don’t harm folks.

Yunta faces a time limit, the ship’s supply situation dictates they start the return voyage in less than two weeks, and has no intention of slowing down the exploration and mining to protect property.  Explorations are carried out by robots who cause considerable damage to property as they follow their search programs.  MacDrakin destroys a robot when it trespasses on his land.  After a few other robots are destroyed, Shtap demands that Webley take steps to protect the expensive robots and Higginbottom gets a telegram to that effect.  Upset that she must protect the robots rather than the property, she learns that MacDrakin has destroyed yet another robot.  Despite their mutual attraction, the alien presence and the telegrams are straining their relationship.  The strain becomes acute when MacDrakin declares war on the aliens and Higginbottom gets another telegram ordering her to arrest anyone who damages or destroys a robot.  Meanwhile, Webley’s staff get reports the folks in Skensfirth are on the verge of revolt.

The robots discover two major mineral deposits.  One is on MacDrakin’s land, the other is beneath the town of Skensfirth.  On their first attempt to mine MacDrakin’s land, he and several hunter friends destroy all the robots who operate the mining machinery.  Yunta, with the deadline approaching, is outraged by the truculent natives and sends reinforcements to get the mining operation back on track.  Faced with more aliens, MacDrakin abandons his land and sets out to prevent the aliens from entering Skensfirth.  A group of retired dwarf soldiers answer his call and join him. He is also joined by several government officials sent by Webley to solve the Skensfirth problems.

In the ensuing battle, the aliens are thwarted by weather problems, mutinous crew members and the MacDrakin’s determination.  After many machines are destroyed, Shtap, the alien commander of the ground operation, calls for a truce and tells Drakin that he admits defeat and that the aliens will leave.  The aliens abandon the remaining mining machines, damaged robots, weapons, and a damaged cargo pod.  Engineers and scientists are ordered to examine these artifacts and decipher their secrets.

With the departure of the aliens, the reason for Higginbottom’s and MacDrakin’s feud disappears and they resume their romantic interest.

Review

Contact is a mixture of science fiction and fantasy – or at least when it comes to dwarves, elves, and other magical beings.

While this book isn’t long, the story is engaging and mirrors some of what we see in our world with politicians, small towns, and people in general – corruption, the hope for a better world/life, those that do not want to work or are lazy, and the search for items that will make one richer.

I appreciated the detailed descriptions of the various races – that the female dwarves also had beards and that both male and female dwarves wore ribbons in their beards, the half-pints with their coveted toe hair (with beads and all!), and the wizardry that some possessed.  This book also reminded me a little bit of Star Trek when it came to the Zaftans seeking out the world where these various races lived and wanting to explore and potentially mine the planet.  The similarity to me was that the Zaftan’s had much more advanced technology and they weren’t supposed to interfere with the planet’s level of technology, which made for some interesting twists in the book.

Two of the main characters are MacDrakin and Leslie. Both are dwarves but it was funny to me when MacDrakin thought Leslie was a male.  Very easy to mistake as they both have beards and the name could be male or female. Plus Leslie is the constable in their village and he finds most of the dwarf women to be unacceptable in his book.  He is quite intrigued once he does come to realize that Leslie is a female dwarf and a potential mate…could there be a match in the works?

I had to shake my head at Webley, an ineffective leader as he did not like to make decisions plus he had a nap each afternoon that could not be interrupted.  His right hand, Rodrigs, seemed to make a lot of decisions for Webley with the assistance of Boudreau, the Treasurer for the government.  Do these two have more in mind for the future of their world with its current regime or do they have their own motives?

This is the first book in a series of 7 and the ending will want you racing off to start the next book.  Since these are shorter books, they do not take a lot of time to read but are very satisfying.

We give this 5 paws up.

About the Author

Hank Quense writes satirical fantasy and sci-fi. Early in his writing career, he was strongly influenced by two authors: Douglas Adams and his Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Joesph Heller’s Catch-22. Happily, Hank has never quite recovered from those experiences.

He lives with his wife in northern New Jersey, a mere 20 miles from Manhattan, the center of the galaxy (according to those who live in Manhattan). They have two daughters and five grandchildren all of whom live nearby.

For vacations, Hank and Pat usually visit distant parts of the galaxy.  Occasionally, they also time-travel.

Besides writing novels, Hank lectures on fiction writing, publishing and book marketing. He is most proud of his talk showing grammar school kids how to create a short story. He used these lectures to create an advanced ebook with embedded videos to coach the students on how to create characters, plots, and setting.  The target audience is 4th to 7th graders.  The book’s title is Fiction Writing Workshop for Kids.

Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * YouTube Channel

 | 
Comments Off on Review – Contact by Hank Quense #ZaftanTroubles #ScienceFiction @hanque99 #5paws