Edward Hoornaert's Blog, page 38

Effing Feline gets serious #Wewriwa

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I, Effing Feline, would like to be serious for once, so no laughing or sniggering. Today, November 11, is the anniversary of the end of World War One. That war had a huge impact on the family of my pet human, Ed Hoornaert.

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The battle of Passchendaele

A hundred years ago, the family lived outside of Roeselaere, near Ypres and Passchendaele Ridge. Not one battle . . . not two battles . . . but five battles were fought in the family’s backyard. Grandpa Hoornaert was born amidst a battlefield. Family members suffered horribly. Constant bombardment turned Flanders’ peaceful fields into a muddy, bloody hell.

Perhaps because of the snippets of stories he heard growing up, Ed’s fiction often focuses on the true victims of war. Not the downed soldiers, who at least were armed, and had made the decision to follow orders and march into someone else’s country and shoot it all to hell.

No. It’s the civilians.

Escapee is one such work.

Enemies from the Proxima star system have invaded the isolated mining moon where Catt Sayer, a civilian pilot, makes her living flying supplies on a decrepit airship. She picks up a lone survivor, Captain Dukelsky. He wants her to fly her airship to the far side of the moon to attack the enemy’s base. She agrees . . . but only because she’s sure he’ll give up because of the moon’s cataclysmic volcanoes. Here’s the test she figures will convince him — flying over a mountain pass flanked by eruptions on both sides.

She had time now to answer Dukelsky’s question. “Riding the flow means I’m trying to catch a hot updraft caused by that volcano.” She nodded in the mountain’s direction, though she doubted he could see much from the couch. “You know the ancient myth of Goldilocks and the Three Bears?”

“What does that have to do with—?”

“Too close to the lava, and a big, old papa bear updraft will grab so fast we lose all control. We have to keep enough forward motion to maintain steerage, you know. Too far away, and a momma bear updraft won’t take us over the pass but smack into a mountainside, instead. We need a baby bear updraft that’ll lift us just . . . the right . . . amount.”

The cabin shook as though hammered. Some baby bear.

Effing Feline here again. Know what I think? Somebody should’ve sprayed a hose on those soldiers in Flanders. That, my friends, is the way to break up a cat fight . . . as I know from soggy experience.

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

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In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Intelligent life? Not here, maybe elsewhere

Have you heard about the interstellar object that appeared by the sun a year ago? It disappeared from view in January.

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This artist’s impression shows the first interstellar asteroid, Oumuamua, as it passed through the solar system after its discovery in October 2017. (Reuters)

No, that isn’t the lead up to a joke. It’s the opening to an article about the search for intelligent life — purple life — in the universe.

At first scientists assumed it was a comet, then an asteroid, before acknowledging that it was unlike anything they had ever detected before — 400 metres long by 40 metres wide, tumbling end over end and travelling at speeds of up to 315,000 kilometres an hour.

Researchers in Hawaii gave it a romantic name, Oumuamua, meaning “a messenger that reaches out from the distant past.”

But it took two Harvard University professors to make it famous, via a new paper which suggests that the unexplained object might be some sort of alien probe.

The evidence to support this notion is a bit scant, but the search for extraterrestrial life has always required a certain amount of imagination.

Take, for example, a paper published late last month in the International Journal of Astrobiology, which theorizes that the reason we haven’t yet found alien life is that we’re looking for little green men instead of purple ones.

The study, by two American microbiologists, suggests that the first forms of life on Earth might have been a shade of lavender, because they captured solar energy via a molecule called retinal, which made both the organisms and whole planet appear purple. Something we might be missing in the cosmos because we’re busy looking for the “red edge” reflection of far-away worlds filled with green plant life.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

If the probe is looking for intelligent life, it sure won’t find it in my office. Today while doing rewrites of my next release, entitled Constellation XXI, I made a boo boo on a scale only possible on a computer. Since Constellation XXI is the name of a spaceship, I was going to do a search to replace all instances of the name with an italicized version of the name.

BUT —

I mistakenly replaced all instances of the name with nothing. Nada. A blank space. A void. Which is, of course going to take a lot of time to fix, even though I have earlier versions to refer to.

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Ain’t computers wonderful?

Well, yes they are. As a dude who wrote his first book longhand, I know darned well they’re fantastic. But still . . .

What about you? If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the dumbest computer mistake you’ve ever made?

Effing Feline Meows his Mind

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I, Effing Feline, have a free rein with this week’s post! Mr Valentine (i.e. my pet human, Ed) won’t be looking over my shoulder. He’s spending much of the weekend at the local Comic Con, speaking on panels and selling books — although maybe I should make that ‘book,’ singular. Snort.

Yay, I got away with that jab at his lack of celebrityhoodom. I’m free to meow my mind at last!!!

I’ve selected another snippet from Escapee, book 2 of the Repelling the Invasion series. Enemies from the Proxima star system have invaded the isolated mining moon where Catt Sayer makes her living flying supplies to military bases. She’s between bases during the attack and thus escapes capture.

After landing at the ruins of the Castle Mountain base to search for survivors, she finds just one. Captain Dukelsky sits amidst the ruins, calmly typing. Here we learn why. (Edited and semicoloned to fit.)

[image error]The entire moon had fallen into enemy hands and this man wrote reports? Her opinion must’ve shown on her face, because his flinty expression slipped, revealing exhaustion, despair, and a plea for understanding.

“I know I’ll never be able to send them, but…” He ran a hand over his eyes, and the unfeeling martinet was back. “The reports are letters to my men’s families, explaining how they died at their posts, defending New Ontario’s interests.”

Catt opened her mouth; closed it; felt her face flame. Facing Dukelsky was like staring into a furnace, so she lowered her gaze and said, “I didn’t know…”

“Yet you supposed the worst of me.”

Without thinking, she had assumed the submissive, hunched posture of a peasant being scolded by a patroon, but now she straightened. Embarrassment warred with anger, yet she wouldn’t let him or any other patroon humble her, ever again.

Effing Feline here again. Thinking I was free to indulge my every whim, I leaped with grace and supurrb athleticism onto the laundry room counter and started clawing open the bag of catfood, BUT —

I forgot that Mrs V was still here. Busted, yet again!

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Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

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Escapee

Book 2 in the Repelling the Invasion series

A Disillusioned Soldiers

[image error]Hector Dukelsky, an upper-class career officer, yearns to fight a righteous war instead of defending corporate interests on Banff, an isolated mining moon torn by volcanoes. That dream seems dead when his entire command is slaughtered while he’s on leave. He returns to smoldering rubble, with no chance to survive let alone strike back at the enemy.

A Pilot with a Chip on Her Shoulder

Catt Sayer, a working-class fugitive from the law, earns a meager income carrying supplies on a decrepit airship, but her hard-won career vanishes when invaders capture Banff. While searching for survivors, she rescues Hector and flies him to safety. But he doesn’t want safety. He wants her to risk her life on a hopeless trek to attack the enemy headquarters.

A Dying Moon

Catt is sure Banff will kill them long before the enemy can, yet she agrees to Hector’s mad scheme, certain he’ll quit after experiencing one of the moon’s eruptions or ferocious storms. But he doesn’t quit, and his noble dream—and his love—conquer her heart. She pits her life and love against Banff’s lethal environment, even though the only reward for success will be the opportunity to face 10,000 enemy warriors.

Escapee is a brand-new edition of the science fiction romance that was the Rone Award’s First Runner Up as the best science fiction novel of 2016.  The re-release, with new material throughout, will go live November 23 — the birthday of my oldest son, to whom the book is dedicated. Until then, it’s available for pre-sale. Don’y let it escape you![image error]

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Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
Kobo Books
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go crazy at Tucson Comic Con 2018

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Author Ed Hoornaert (aka Mr Valentine to those in the know) is appearing at Comic Con this weekend, speaking on four panels and autographing books. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and say hi! Booth 1609, near the western end of the artists’ alley.

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Here’s Ed going crazy at a recent book signing. No, those are NOT his real abs.

Effing Feline isn’t to blame #wewriwa

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I, Effing Feline, wished you a Happy Halloween last week, even though that was too early — but it’s not my fault. Twiggles the dog is to blame. She tried on her costume and wanted a picture, and that confused me. It’s all her fault!

I’ve selected another snippet from Escapee, book 2 of the Repelling the Invasion series. Enemies from the Proxima star system have invaded the isolated mining moon where Catt Sayer makes her living flying supplies to military bases. She’s between bases during the attack and thus escapes capture. After landing at the ruins of the Castle Mountain base to search for survivors, she finds just one. Captain Dukelsky sits amidst the ruins, calmly typing. She urges him to flee in her airship.

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And yet he sat there, typing a report, probably describing events in such a way as to exonerate himself.

“The Proxies landed an invasion station at Norquay, on the other side of Banff,” she said. If news of the largest assault ship in the galaxy didn’t wake him up, nothing would.

Nothing did — Dukelsky ignored her and kept typing.

“Rundle City is half-flattened,” she continued, determined to puncture his calm. “Proxies have taken over.”

“How many?”

“Survivors, you mean?” She tried to make her tone of voice proclaim he should care about his own people, though she suspected he didn’t.

“No, Proximanian soldiers,” he answered, still typing.

Effing Feline here again. I’ve noticed that Twiggles the dog is to blame for a lot of things that go wrong around here. I knock over the antique beer stein that belonged to Ed’s grandmother? Twiggles fault for moving it. My fur makes Ed sneeze? Twiggles fault for making me shed from nervousness because she lives in the same house.Those ^#@@ dogs!

Oh, I almost forgot, which would’ve been Twiggles’ fault. Ed wants me to apologize in advance in case he’s late getting around to your snippets (Twiggle’s fault!). He’s in Toronto visiting sons #2 and #3, which throws off his routine.

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

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Escapee

Book 2 in the Repelling the Invasion series

A Disillusioned Soldiers

[image error]Hector Dukelsky, an upper-class career officer, yearns to fight a righteous war instead of defending corporate interests on Banff, an isolated mining moon torn by volcanoes. That dream seems dead when his entire command is slaughtered while he’s on leave. He returns to smoldering rubble, with no chance to survive let alone strike back at the enemy.

A Pilot with a Chip on Her Shoulder

Catt Sayer, a working-class fugitive from the law, earns a meager income carrying supplies on a decrepit airship, but her hard-won career vanishes when invaders capture Banff. While searching for survivors, she rescues Hector and flies him to safety. But he doesn’t want safety. He wants her to risk her life on a hopeless trek to attack the enemy headquarters.

A Dying Moon

Catt is sure Banff will kill them long before the enemy can, yet she agrees to Hector’s mad scheme, certain he’ll quit after experiencing one of the moon’s eruptions or ferocious storms. But he doesn’t quit, and his noble dream—and his love—conquer her heart. She pits her life and love against Banff’s lethal environment, even though the only reward for success will be the opportunity to face 10,000 enemy warriors.

E[image error]scapee is a brand-new edition of the science fiction romance that was the Rone Award’s First Runner Up as the best science fiction novel of 2016.  The re-release, with new material throughout, will go live November 23 — the birthday of my oldest son, to whom the book is dedicated. Until then, it’s available for pre-sale. Don’y let it escape you!

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
Kobo Books
Smashwords

 

 

Defenseless at my feet #mfrwhooks

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We’re switching today to the sequel to The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station. The series is called Repelling the Invasion, and it follows members of the Dukelsky family as they get caught up in an  interstellar conflict with the humans from the Proxima star system, aka Proxies. Guardian Angel saw Priam “Duke” Dukelsky find the love of his life while repelling an invasion of Farflung Space Station.

Book two, Escapee, sees Duke’s twin brother, Hector, finding the love of his life while fighting a Proxie invasion of Banff. Because of the harsh moon’s unbreathable atmosphere, it’s inhabited only by a few miners and soldiers. I like to think of Escapee as The African Queen in Outer Space, because I patterned it after the classic movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn . . . but if I didn’t tell you that, you probably wouldn’t notice. It’s very much a brand-new story.

In this snippet from chapter one. Catt Sayer talks to Lance, the android co-plot of her small supply ship, which is named Escapee. At right is a ‘travel poster’ I created for the book.

[image error]“One of these days,” she muttered, “I’ll be able to afford a human copilot who knows what I mean, not what I say.”

“One of these days? Taking into account Escapee’s age and your habit of sending half our profits to your family, such a day will occur in two-hundred-thirty-seven years, eighteen-point-four-three days.” Lance paused to emphasize a punch line; he was working on his comic timing. “In the meantime, I shall consider my job safe.”

A blip appeared on the fadar screen, and then the screen went dark. “Hold on, I saw something.”

Lance responded by holding on to the edge of the command console with both hands—another of his jokes.

With her index finger, Catt tapped the screen. Although the proximity meters worked fine, she needed the far-radar for things such as the blip—but the persnickety fadar screen was unreliable. When she tapped it again, it stayed lit.

Yes, the army’s automated shuttle had taken off from Castle Mountain. If her spies were correct—and they’d better be, or she’d get even—that shuttle would carry Captain A-Hole up to this moon’s orbiting space station and hence to the home system for a three-week leave.

“Victory.” Catt thrust her fist in the air and gave a whoop of triumph. She twirled an imaginary mustache like a villain in one of those stupid melodramas Dad used to watch. “Mitt Cabbytain A-Hole gone, de wallets of Castle Mountain lie defenseless at my feet.”

“Your feet? Neither helpless nor near your feet. Although understaffed and under-armed, Castle Mountain is quite capable of destroying something so large and fragile as a blimp.”

“Puh-lease. Advanced technology airship with buoyancy aids. Not blimp.”

Be sure to check out the hooks by other great writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

Escapee

A Disillusioned Soldier

Hector Dukelsky, an upper-class career officer, yearns to fight a righteous war instead of defending corporate interests on Banff, an isolated mining moon. That dream dies when his entire command is slaughtered while he’s away, leaving him alone in smouldering rubble with no chance to survive, let alone strike back at the enemy.

A Pilot with a Chip on Her Shoulder

Catt Sayer, a working-class fugitive from the law, earns a meagre income carrying supplies on a decrepit airship, but her hard-won life vanishes when invaders capture Banff. While searching for survivors, she rescues Hector and flies him to safety. But he doesn’t want safety. He wants her to risk her life on a hopeless journey to attack the enemy headquarters.

A Dying Moon

Catt is sure Banff will kill them long before the enemy can … yet she agrees to Hector’s scheme, certain he’ll quit after experiencing one of the moon’s eruptions or ferocious storms. But he doesn’t quit, and slowly his noble dream—and his love—conquer her heart. She pits her life and love against Banff’s lethal environment, even though the only reward for success will be the opportunity to face ten thousand enemy warriors.

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Escapee is a re-release of the science fiction romance that was the Rone Award’s First Runner Up as the best science fiction novel of 2016.  The second edition, with new material, iwill go live November 23 — the birthday of my oldest son, to whom the book is dedicated. Until then, it’s available for pre-sale.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
Kobo Books
Smashwords

Effing Feline has a word #wewriwa

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I, Effing Feline, have a word for you. Just one little tiny word. To see what it is, though, you’ll have to read on.

I’ve selected another snippet from Escapee, book 2 of the Repelling the Invasion series. (Minus the African Queen subtitle, you’ll notice!) Enemies from the Proxima star system have invaded the isolated mining moon where Catt Sayer makes her living flying supplies to military bases. She’s between bases during the attack and thus escapes capture. After landing at the ruins of the Castle Mountain base to search for survivors, she finds just one. Captain Dukelsky sits amidst the ruins, calmly typing a report. She urges him to flee in her airship.

[image error]“As soon as the Proxies have destroyed all resistance, they’ll send garrisons to secure all important outposts. Including Castle Mountain. We need to get out of here while we can, then hole up somewhere while we figure out what to do. I know a canyon that might be safe for a little while.”

Instead of answering, he continued typing.

Unable to contain her fury, Catt shot to her feet, stomped over to him and seized his shoulder to force him to face her. It was like trying to move a mountain, but he did lower his hands to his side.

“Proxies don’t take prisoners,so everybody must be dead,” she said in a voice that trembled with the effort of not clawing at his face. “Where are their bodies — or don’t you care? You just sit there all prettied up in your fanciest uniform and fill out reports.”

Effing Feline here again. Want to know what my one little word is? Then lean close to your computer. That’s right, like that. Here it is, then.

Boo!
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I, Effing Feline, and Twiggles the Dog, the little devil, wish you a Happy Halloween!

Escapee

Book 2 in the Repelling the Invasion series

A Disillusioned Soldier

[image error]Hector Dukelsky, an upper-class career officer, yearns to fight a righteous war instead of defending corporate interests on Banff, an isolated mining moon torn by volcanoes. That dream seems dead when his entire command is slaughtered while he’s on leave. He returns to smoldering rubble, with no chance to survive let alone strike back at the enemy.

A Pilot with a Chip on Her Shoulder

Catt Sayer, a working-class fugitive from the law, earns a meager income carrying supplies on a decrepit airship, but her hard-won career vanishes when invaders capture Banff. While searching for survivors, she rescues Hector and flies him to safety. But he doesn’t want safety. He wants her to risk her life on a hopeless trek to attack the enemy headquarters.

A Dying Moon

Catt is sure Banff will kill them long before the enemy can, yet she agrees to Hector’s mad scheme, certain he’ll quit after experiencing one of the moon’s eruptions or ferocious storms. But he doesn’t quit, and his noble dream—and his love—conquer her heart. She pits her life and love against Banff’s lethal environment, even though the only reward for success will be the opportunity to face 10,000 enemy warriors.

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Escapee will go live November 23 — the birthday of my oldest son, to whom the book is dedicated. Until then, it’s on presale at a few outlets, with more to come.

Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
Kobo Books
Smashwords

 

 

From somewhere under her long skirt . . . #MFRWhooks

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More today from The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station, a science fiction romance that’s among my personal favorites because of the heroine. Sandrina is far and away the best character I’ve created — best in the sense of morality, goal in life, and good intentions.

But she also has a less-than-perfect side. Here she’s a Peeping Thomasina, spying through a ceiling ventilation grate at Duke, whom she loves from afar, having breakfast with Lockey, a kick-ass princess who spent the night at his place. Then the grate comes open, spilling Sandrina into a mess.

Before Duke finished the sentence, Sandrina’s legs became unstuck. She covered her head with her arms as she plunged face-first into a plate of jam-covered toast.

For a fraction of a second, shock kept Duke motionless. The spy hit the table with a dull, plastic crash. The table held, but food flew everywhere. Floor. Chairs. His lap.

Lockey shouted. Duke shouted.

She pointed her stunner at the bumbling spy. He dove for his needler near the couch. “Freeze, you hunk of space shit,” he said.

The intruder lay face down with her skirt concealing her upper body. Her underpants were as dull and unattractive as her station-issue khaki dress. The part of him not holding a gun noted that her shapely legs made up for the panties’ lack of sex appeal. But this was no time to think such things about a woman he might have to shoot.

“What are you doing here?” Lockey demanded.

He tightened his grip on the needler. “Answer her!”

From somewhere underneath her long skirt, the intruder made a soft shlupping sound.

“Sandrina?”

She tugged down her skirt, which was ripped along a seam from hem to thigh. Holding the seam together, she turned to him. Tears cascaded along her flaming, jam streaked cheeks.

Duke put down the needler and knelt beside her. “Are you hurt? Is anything broken?”

“You know this spy?” Lockey still held her stunner in two hands, ready to shoot.

Be sure to check out the hooks by other great writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station

Three Strangers Facing an Enemy Invasion

[image error]The space pirates think they’ve conquered Farflung Space Station — but they didn’t count on Duke. The station’s Head of Security wants to prove to his army-officer parents he’s outgrown his youthful rebelliousness. Defeating a small army of pirates single-handedly is the perfect opportunity.

And they didn’t count on Lockey. This kick-ass princess knows every weapon and martial arts system in the galaxy. She fell in love with Duke at first sight, so winning his heart — and destroying the pirates — are her greatest desires.

And most importantly, the pirates didn’t count on Sandrina. After loving Duke from afar, she now yearns to fight with—and for — him. The attractive waif has discovered so many of Farflung’s secrets that she’s the most powerful person on the station, though nobody knows it yet.

They’re about to find out.

The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station is Book One in the Repelling the Invasion series — look for Book Two within the next few days. It is available wherever fine e-books are sold, including:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo Books
Smashwords

Effing Feline finds a man #wewriwa

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[image error]I, Effing Feline, think October is the best month. Why? Because Halloween gives you humans a chance to do what you should be doing every month — pretend you’re something else. Like , oh, perhaps — a cat?

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Today I’m moving on to the sequel of The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station, Escapee is book 2 of the Repelling the Invasion series. Like Guardian Angel, it’s a second edition, changed a bit from the book Ed recently got back the rights to. After researching trademarks with paranoid care, he added a subtitle: The African Queen in Outer Space, because this book is patterned after the classic movie staring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn.

But it is not merely a retelling. For one thing the setting, Africa had a major effect on the movie, and so does my doomed, virtually uninhabited mining moon, Banff. Different setting, different problems. For another, my creative juices quickly took over and made this mine. After all, Maleficent isn’t a merely retelling of Sleeping Beauty, is it?

Licking her lips while taking quick, nervous breaths, Catt Sayer stared at the forward windscreen. Her eyes darted from one of the airship’s instrument displays to another and then back to the windscreen. “You sure the fort won’t spot us hiding in this canyon?”

“Sure?” Lancelot’s electronic voice was deep and creamy, every woman’s wet dream, and his face and physique were sexier than his voice. “Certainty is impossible. Escapee is out of the fort’s line of sight, but neither the canyon walls nor clouds can protect us from electronic surveillance.”

“I know that, Lance.” Most of the time she preferred the uncomplicated companionship of her handsome android copilot, but other times she wished for someone a bit less literal. “It was a rhetorical question, seeking reassurance that we’re unlikely to get caught.”

Effing Feline here again. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a guy in a cat costume? However, knowing that most of my readers are female, I persevered and found a man dressed as the Lion King. My apologies for the fact that he’s wearing a shirt.

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Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

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Escapee: The African Queen in Outer Space will be available for pre-sale soon. In the meantime, did you know that the first edition of Escapee was InD’Tale magazine’s first runner up for best science fiction book of 2016?

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Dusting off her palms with a theatrical flourish #mfrwhooks

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More today from The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station, a science fiction romance that’s among my personal favorites because of the heroine. Sandrina is far and away the best character I’ve created — best in the sense of morality, goal in life, and good intentions, even though she’s mute and an outcast.

She also has a feisty side. Immediately after Duke, the space station’s head of Security, lets her go after catching her in the act, she stews over his motivation.

Why was he letting her go free? He hadn’t said, but undoubtedly, it was because she was disfigured. Crippled.

Pitiable.

At one level, his sympathy delighted her. The piercing intelligence of his eyes had enthralled her during the very first news feed announcing his hiring. Her crush intensified after listening — from the back of the room — whenever he gave a witty yet earnest speech about improvements to security. And his voice! His smooth, confident baritone soothed her ears as though she was the most precious woman he’d ever met. She was three-quarters in love even before he climbed on top of her.

But deep down, his sympathy infuriated her. He should’ve chucked her in a chicken coop for breaking and entering, with added time for having an illegal lock override. At a bare minimum, he should have frisked her. With extreme thoroughness.

She edged away while he watched from near the foot of the bed, his forehead wrinkled in a bemused, lopsided expression. As the door started to slide shut, their gazes met. Sandrina thrust out an arm to stop the door, and then stalked over to him. With every step, she warned herself to turn around.

What are you going to do, demand he arrest you? Scat while the scatting’s good, you dummy. Don’t press your luck.

Yet she kept going. Stopping a foot away, she craned her neck upward. He needed to shave. His lips were parted, revealing straight, white teeth hinting at conscientious, caring parents. A cleft added character to a strong, square chin that proclaimed his effortless masculine dominance. By all the stars, he was lovely.

“I apologize again, ma’am, for my roughness. You have to admit, though, you were acting mighty sus–“

With the stiffened fingers of both hands, Sandrina jabbed his chest. He stumbled back and hit the bed. Oofing and flailing, he toppled backward onto the mattress.

Dusting off her palms with a theatrical flourish-, Sandrina marched away.

Be sure to check out the hooks by other great writers in the Book Hooks blog hop.

The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station

Three Strangers Facing an Enemy Invasion

[image error]The space pirates think they’ve conquered Farflung Space Station — but they didn’t count on Duke. The station’s Head of Security wants to prove to his army-officer parents he’s outgrown his youthful rebelliousness. Defeating a small army of pirates single-handedly is the perfect opportunity.

And they didn’t count on Lockey. This kick-ass princess knows every weapon and martial arts system in the galaxy. She fell in love with Duke at first sight, so winning his heart — and destroying the pirates — are her greatest desires.

And most importantly, the pirates didn’t count on Sandrina. After loving Duke from afar, she now yearns to fight with—and for — him. The attractive waif has discovered so many of Farflung’s secrets that she’s the most powerful person on the station, though nobody knows it yet.

They’re about to find out.

The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station is Book One in the Repelling the Invasion series — look for Book Two within the next few days. It is available wherever fine e-books are sold, including:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo Books
Smashwords