Terry Persun's Blog, page 6
August 7, 2013
Palmer Excerpt
Meet Captain Palmer Luce
Not sure what’s going on exactly, Palmer finds herself being detained for something she didn’t do…
Two well-built enforcers in IPF uniform grabbed her arms and lifted her from her seat before she could react. It took a moment for her legs to catch up to them as they dragged her from the chair. The men in suits were filing out of the room first. Not a word was said as she was taken out of the debriefing room and down the hall in the opposite direction from where the suits were headed. Two doors down and the enforcers hauled her into another room. This one lay bare of furniture. The enforcers let her go with a little shove and stepped outside and shut the door. She heard them snap into position, guarding the door.
A large older woman entered from a separate door on the opposite wall. “Sorry Missy, but I’m here to confiscate your weapons.”
Palmer looked around the room. “Where do I put them?”
The woman had short gray hair and weighed about thirty pounds more than Palmer even though she was over a foot shorter. “On the floor is good.”
Palmer removed the Taser and knife and dropped them at her feet. “Now what?”
“Strip.”
“I don’t have a stunner up my ass,” Palmer said.
The woman smiled as though she thought the statement was funny. “I like you. But, I’ll be making sure of that.”
“Jesus,” Palmer said. She bent down and disengaged the tie reel on her shoes and pulled them off one by one. She removed her socks and dropped them on the floor next to her shoes. She unzipped the shirt of her pilot’s uniform and removed it, letting her breasts drop slightly. The room was chilly. Then she unclasped her waistband and slid her pants and underwear off at the same time. She stood naked before the woman.
The woman put on plastic gloves and walked closer, asking Palmer to raise her arms and spread her legs. She reached up and Palmer opened her mouth automatically. The woman investigated the inside of Palmer’s mouth, then lowered her hands and walked all the way around Palmer without touching her. “You can lower your arms. I’ll be checking for implants.” Her chubby hands, still damp, gripped Palmer’s left hand and rubbed each finger individually. Then the woman used both hands to push into Palmer’s skin. There were particular pockets where implants could be placed and not seen with the naked eye. The woman appeared to know where those pockets were. Palmer grimaced at one point.
“This does tend to hurt sometimes,” the woman said.
Palmer looked over at her. “It’s not my first time.”
###
Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. He is a Pushcart nominee. His historical novel, Sweet Song , was a Silver IPPY Award Winner. His new fantasy novel is Doublesight . Terry’s utopian / dystopian novel, Cathedral of Dreams was a ForeWord magazine Book of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His other science fiction titles include the sci-fi thriller Revision 7: DNA and the newly released space opera, Hear No Evil .
TerryPersun.com | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Twitter | Facebook
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Not sure what’s going on exactly, Palmer finds herself being detained for something she didn’t do…
Two well-built enforcers in IPF uniform grabbed her arms and lifted her from her seat before she could react. It took a moment for her legs to catch up to them as they dragged her from the chair. The men in suits were filing out of the room first. Not a word was said as she was taken out of the debriefing room and down the hall in the opposite direction from where the suits were headed. Two doors down and the enforcers hauled her into another room. This one lay bare of furniture. The enforcers let her go with a little shove and stepped outside and shut the door. She heard them snap into position, guarding the door.
A large older woman entered from a separate door on the opposite wall. “Sorry Missy, but I’m here to confiscate your weapons.”
Palmer looked around the room. “Where do I put them?”
The woman had short gray hair and weighed about thirty pounds more than Palmer even though she was over a foot shorter. “On the floor is good.”
Palmer removed the Taser and knife and dropped them at her feet. “Now what?”
“Strip.”
“I don’t have a stunner up my ass,” Palmer said.
The woman smiled as though she thought the statement was funny. “I like you. But, I’ll be making sure of that.”
“Jesus,” Palmer said. She bent down and disengaged the tie reel on her shoes and pulled them off one by one. She removed her socks and dropped them on the floor next to her shoes. She unzipped the shirt of her pilot’s uniform and removed it, letting her breasts drop slightly. The room was chilly. Then she unclasped her waistband and slid her pants and underwear off at the same time. She stood naked before the woman.
The woman put on plastic gloves and walked closer, asking Palmer to raise her arms and spread her legs. She reached up and Palmer opened her mouth automatically. The woman investigated the inside of Palmer’s mouth, then lowered her hands and walked all the way around Palmer without touching her. “You can lower your arms. I’ll be checking for implants.” Her chubby hands, still damp, gripped Palmer’s left hand and rubbed each finger individually. Then the woman used both hands to push into Palmer’s skin. There were particular pockets where implants could be placed and not seen with the naked eye. The woman appeared to know where those pockets were. Palmer grimaced at one point.
“This does tend to hurt sometimes,” the woman said.
Palmer looked over at her. “It’s not my first time.”
###
Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. He is a Pushcart nominee. His historical novel, Sweet Song , was a Silver IPPY Award Winner. His new fantasy novel is Doublesight . Terry’s utopian / dystopian novel, Cathedral of Dreams was a ForeWord magazine Book of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His other science fiction titles include the sci-fi thriller Revision 7: DNA and the newly released space opera, Hear No Evil .
TerryPersun.com | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Twitter | Facebook
a Rafflecopter giveaway
August 6, 2013
Brandon Excerpt
Meet Lieutenant Brandon Lockhardt Loyal to his duty even while being shot at, here’s a scene with Brandon near the beginning of the book…
Brandon used the back of his hand to punch the release and get Clark out of his harness. Simultaneously he pointed and released a short-range missile into the side of the lander: the fastest way out. Wrapping his arms around Clark, Brandon jumped into the open air. Only Clark had an emergency chute strapped to his back, and Brandon knew that once it deployed he’d have to hang on to whatever he could.
“Pull,” he instructed.
Clark wedged his hand between them and yanked on the chute’s cord. A loud fluffing sound roared in their ears and Brandon clenched his strong body even closer to Clark’s scrawny one.
The jerk, once the chute opened, wasn’t so bad on Brandon, but he imagined how it must have felt to Clark. He was wearing the cuffs and the extra weight would hurt anyone’s shoulders.
He searched the sky for Palmer and the other lander while praying that the colonists were bad shots. But they weren’t shooting at Brandon and Clark; they aimed for the lander. Brandon saw the missile that was going to hit its target. They were still too close to avoid the explosion that was about to come. “Hold tight,” he said to Clark.
The blast blew the two men sideways. Brandon took the brunt of it and with his face turned, so did his inner ear. It knocked him out. Dreamland wasn’t so bad, a slow floating feeling until he woke up realizing that Clark now held onto him.
Brandon heard the man’s heavy breathing and was thankful that his arms had been positioned over Clark’s shoulders. If not, the frail man wouldn’t have been able to hold onto Brandon loaded down with all his gear. “You’re tougher than you appear,” Brandon said.
“You have no idea,” Clark said.
###
Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. He is a Pushcart nominee. His historical novel, Sweet Song , was a Silver IPPY Award Winner. His new fantasy novel is Doublesight . Terry’s utopian / dystopian novel, Cathedral of Dreams was a ForeWord magazine Book of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His other science fiction titles include the sci-fi thriller Revision 7: DNA and the newly released space opera, Hear No Evil .
a Rafflecopter giveaway
August 5, 2013
Book Launch For 'Hear No Evil' and a Contest!
BOOK RAFFLE
We’re using Rafflecopter (see below) to facilitate our two-author, multi-book give-away. My daughter and I both have new titles out this month and want you to know about them.
Nicole J. Persun’s Dead of Knight is book one of an intriguing epic fantasy about two power-stricken, grieving, and mad Kings. As they wage war against a rebel army led by Elise des Eresther, it appears as though they’re merely in it for the glory, but their struggles are much deeper and darker.
Terry Persun’s Hear No Evil is a space opera where a colony of scientists, a megalomaniac, and an alien race are at odds. Enter Lieutenant Brandon Lockhardt, soldier and weapons’ expert, and Palmer Luce, pilot of a cruiser for-hire. Although lied to at the beginning, they’re sent to planet C-47 with plans to set things straight.
~The Inspiration Behind Hear No Evil
I had just written a novel that took a lot out of me. And a series of poems. I was in a bad way, my job was on a downswing, my farm took too much work to keep running, and my mood was bad — I mean, really bad. I needed a project that was going to be fun, something where I could let off a little steam.
That’s when I came up with my two main characters: Brandon, the military man who was a special weapons’ expert; and Palmer, the freelance pilot who did jobs for money, the more money she got, the fewer questions she asked.
I wanted Brandon to be a smart ass, at least at the beginning of the novel, until he settled into the situation, then I wanted him to step up to the plate and take action. I created a special weapon for him called “cuffs,” which fit over his shoulder and down his arm. I’ve worked as an engineer and know my mechanical and electrical design fairly well. So, I created a fairly complex killing weapon for him to use. Ask me sometime and I’ll explain how it all works.
Anyhow, that was the beginning. I write my smart ass character and my money-hungry pilot into a book where their relationship is frowned upon, and their integrity is hard won.
And I put them on a planet that would test their skills. But how do you test the skills of such characters? You give them something they’re not used to, something they can just kill or blow off with a good comeback.
I figured in a galaxy where sentient aliens had never been found, their presence would be worth a lot to whoever controlled the information. And that’s how the whole thing started. Right off the bat, nothing is as it appears to be, but the reader quickly finds that it’s much worse.
What I hope readers take from this book is that it was entertaining as well as thought provoking. I want it to be like watching Ancient Aliens on the History Channel. I figure if it doesn’t make you question your own existence and it doesn’t entertain, then what have you got? I’m also planning to write more books with these two characters, but we’ll see.
###
Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. He is a Pushcart nominee. His historical novel, Sweet Song , was a Silver IPPY Award Winner. His new fantasy novel is Doublesight . Terry’s utopian / dystopian novel, Cathedral of Dreams was a ForeWord magazine Book of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His other science fiction titles include the sci-fi thriller Revision 7: DNA and the newly released space opera, Hear No Evil .
TerryPersun.com | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Twitter | Facebook
a Rafflecopter giveaway
We’re using Rafflecopter (see below) to facilitate our two-author, multi-book give-away. My daughter and I both have new titles out this month and want you to know about them.
Nicole J. Persun’s Dead of Knight is book one of an intriguing epic fantasy about two power-stricken, grieving, and mad Kings. As they wage war against a rebel army led by Elise des Eresther, it appears as though they’re merely in it for the glory, but their struggles are much deeper and darker.
Terry Persun’s Hear No Evil is a space opera where a colony of scientists, a megalomaniac, and an alien race are at odds. Enter Lieutenant Brandon Lockhardt, soldier and weapons’ expert, and Palmer Luce, pilot of a cruiser for-hire. Although lied to at the beginning, they’re sent to planet C-47 with plans to set things straight.
~The Inspiration Behind Hear No Evil
I had just written a novel that took a lot out of me. And a series of poems. I was in a bad way, my job was on a downswing, my farm took too much work to keep running, and my mood was bad — I mean, really bad. I needed a project that was going to be fun, something where I could let off a little steam.
That’s when I came up with my two main characters: Brandon, the military man who was a special weapons’ expert; and Palmer, the freelance pilot who did jobs for money, the more money she got, the fewer questions she asked.
I wanted Brandon to be a smart ass, at least at the beginning of the novel, until he settled into the situation, then I wanted him to step up to the plate and take action. I created a special weapon for him called “cuffs,” which fit over his shoulder and down his arm. I’ve worked as an engineer and know my mechanical and electrical design fairly well. So, I created a fairly complex killing weapon for him to use. Ask me sometime and I’ll explain how it all works.
Anyhow, that was the beginning. I write my smart ass character and my money-hungry pilot into a book where their relationship is frowned upon, and their integrity is hard won.
And I put them on a planet that would test their skills. But how do you test the skills of such characters? You give them something they’re not used to, something they can just kill or blow off with a good comeback.
I figured in a galaxy where sentient aliens had never been found, their presence would be worth a lot to whoever controlled the information. And that’s how the whole thing started. Right off the bat, nothing is as it appears to be, but the reader quickly finds that it’s much worse.
What I hope readers take from this book is that it was entertaining as well as thought provoking. I want it to be like watching Ancient Aliens on the History Channel. I figure if it doesn’t make you question your own existence and it doesn’t entertain, then what have you got? I’m also planning to write more books with these two characters, but we’ll see.
###
Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy. He is a Pushcart nominee. His historical novel, Sweet Song , was a Silver IPPY Award Winner. His new fantasy novel is Doublesight . Terry’s utopian / dystopian novel, Cathedral of Dreams was a ForeWord magazine Book of the Year finalist in the science fiction category. His other science fiction titles include the sci-fi thriller Revision 7: DNA and the newly released space opera, Hear No Evil .
TerryPersun.com | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Twitter | Facebook
a Rafflecopter giveaway
August 1, 2013
For The Birds
"Wild birds remain wild even after they get used to a handler.. It’s never out of them… But what is wild to the barred owl I was holding, isn’t my idea of freedom. I think of the owl in its habitat.. much of its life is spent in survival mode… To me, freedom means not having to sit behind my computer for someone other than myself, or not having to worry about paying my bills. What I see as freedom has limits. I don’t want to be 'completely' free..."
Check out my guest post on Author Magazine, "For The Birds."
July 25, 2013
Clearing Things Up
"It’s great to know that my characters will, at least, get to the end of the story, even if I don’t. Unlike me, unlike my life, my characters tend to know how to get to the bottom of things, they know how to clear things up for themselves. Most of them have to or the book can’t end. I’m going to take that as a hint, and try not to think about clearing up my own confusions until I’m near the end. That’s when I’ll be ready."
Check out my guest post on Author Magazine," Clearing Things Up ."
July 18, 2013
Math
"I’ve always been good at math... In the early eighties, I picked up The Writer magazine. There was an article in the magazine where the author explained that if you wrote 1000 words a day in three months you would have a 90,000 word first draft... When applied to my writing, it made everything appear clear. So, I sat down and began to write..."
Check out my guest post on Author Magazine,"Math ."
July 17, 2013
Upcoming Author2Author podcast
[July 23, 2013] Don't miss the next Author2Author podcast. Bill Kenower and I will discuss what it means to "write within yourself."
BlogTalkRadio.com/Author Magazine
July 15, 2013
SoulFood Poetry Night
July 18, 2013 @ 7:00 pm PSTDon't miss my daughter - Nicole J. Persun - and I as we read at the seventh anniversary of SoulFood Poetry Night in Redmond, Washington.
Can't make it out to see us? The event will be Livestreamed on SoulTribeTV.
July 12, 2013
[Webinar] Create Characters That Propel Your Novel to the Bestseller List
[Thursday, July 18, 2013] What makes a character jump off the page and keep an agent, publisher, or reader hooked to the end of the book? This live webinar will explore how to draw characters through a novel—from the first page to the last page. Learn how to create characters who continuously deepen in personality through internal and external conflict, characters who reveal themselves through dialogue and action, and characters who genuinely and naturally transform by the end of the book. Learn more here. ~~~
Meet the Instructors: Andrea Hurst has over 25 years of experience as a developmental editor, literary agent and published author. Her client list includes emerging new voices and New York Times bestselling authors such as Dr. Bernie Siegel, Penny Warner and Jean Michel Cousteau. She is the founder of Andrea Hurst Literary Management (andreahurst.com), and a faculty member for the MFA program in Creative Writing at Northwest Institute of Literary Arts. Andrea looks for books that will take her on a journey to another place, and leave her with an unforgettable impression.
Terry Persun is an award-winning author and a #1 Amazon bestseller. He is also a Pushcart nominee. His mainstream novel, WOLF’S RITE, was a Star of Washington Award winner, a POW! Award winner, and a ForeWord magazine Book of the Year finalist. His science fiction novel, CATHEDRAL OF DREAMS, was also a ForeWord magazine Book of the Year finalists. And his historical novel, SWEET SONG, won a Silver IPPY Award for best regional fiction. Terry writes in many genres—historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction/fantasy.
July 11, 2013
Be Someone Else
"Focusing through a made-up character allows me to experience what they experience. Actors do this when they try to 'get inside the head' of the movie or TV character they’re playing. As writers, we not only have to get into the head of the main character, but every character in the story or novel. Everyone has a point of view, or reaction, or way of talking or acting that is unique to each."
Check out my guest post on Author Magazine, " Be Someone Else."
