C.A. Milson's Blog, page 211
August 18, 2015
Book Tour – Space Drifters by Paul Regnier
About The Book
Title: Space Drifters
Author: Paul Regnier
Genre: Science Fiction
Captain Starcrost is not having the carefree, adventurous life of a star pilot promised in all the space academy brochures. He’s broke, his star freighter is in dire need of repair, and there’s a bounty on his head. His desperation has led to a foolhardy quest to find a fabled treasure that brings good fortune to the wearer, the Emerald Enigma.
Every captain needs a trusty starship and a crack team of crew members by their side. Unfortunately, the bitter pill of reality has brought him Iris, a ship computer with passive aggressive resistance to his commands; Blix, a hulking, copper-scaled, lizard man with an aversion to battle; Nelvan, a time-traveling teen from the past, oblivious to this new future; and Jasette, a beautiful but deadly bounty hunter looking to take over the ship.
Enter a charismatic and clever nemesis named Hamilton Von Drone, whose dark past has already intertwined with our misfortunate captain and left a painful scar. To complicate matters, as every good nemesis must by their evil nature do, Hamilton is employing his vast wealth on the very same quest for the Emerald Enigma.
Author Bio
Paul Regnier is a technology junkie and web designer with a fascination for all things futuristic. He has turned his childhood love of storytelling into a professional pursuit.
Paul lives in Orange County, CA with his wife and two children.
Links
https://www.facebook.com/spacedrifters
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulJRegnier
http://www.spacedrifters.com/
Buy the Book:
Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (Paperback)
Book Excerpt
We set off down the port side and stopped a quarter of the way down the hall. Without a word we got to work unfastening the utility panel and hefted it onto the floor. I poked my head into the dark chute and looked up. A narrow passage rose up, with a bright square outline at the end revealing the exit panel to the bridge above.
I reached into the dark chute and felt around blindly until the cold metal rung of the ladder hit my palm. “You ready?”
Blix peered in and wrinkled his nose. “I just showered.”
“Follow me, that’s an order.” I started up the ladder, keeping my eye on the thin square outline of light above. The air was as musty as it comes. I coughed into the arm of my jacket. I vaguely remembered a passage in the starship manual about flushing maintenance vents at every refueling.
The soft metal tones of Blix climbing the ladder rungs echoed from below. I thought about how smart it would have been to come up with a plan of attack before we had entered the chute. Now it was too late. We had to be quiet as mice to maintain the element of surprise. I had a grand vision of leaping through the maintenance panel of the bridge, DEMOTER drawn, and blasting the intruder into oblivion. It was going to be glorious.
I reached the panel and tried to peek through the cracks. Unfortunately it only granted a view of the floor from the base of the navigation chair. I could just make out a pair of black shoes in the center of the room, but it was hard to be sure.
I looked down to send a signal to Blix that I was headed in but it was all murky grey light beneath me. I decided that after I blasted the panel off the wall he’d get the message.
Grasping the top ladder rung with one hand, I drew the DEMOTER with the other. I held it toward the panel and took a deep breath.
This was going to be fun.
I squeezed the trigger and the sharp explosion of an energy ray resonated through the chute with a horribly amplified echo. A spray of hot sparks ricocheted back at me as the panel flew into the bridge in a trail of smoke.
A dull ringing filled my ears. I rubbed my face against the shoulder of my jacket, trying to remove the painful sparks, as a burning smell filled my nostrils. It was entirely possible my hair was on fire. This was not at all going as I imagined.
Author Interview
Paul, thanks for being here today. Please tell us about you.
I’m driven by story. Whether it’s a book or movie, I can’t wait to find out which direction the story takes and how the characters will turn out in the end. Listening to dry, detached bits of history makes me sleepy but put some characters in that same historical setting and given them a story to walk through and I’m all ears.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
On a foundational level it would be my family and my faith. Beyond that, I am inspired by creativity, especially in a story setting. Music is definitely another inspiration. I play drums and I’m a beginning guitarist. The way music can move you on a deep level is an incredible thing.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
C.S. Lewis is my favorite author. I would love to talk with him about his sci-fi and fantasy books as well as diving into his theological and philosophical writings.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
Space Drifters was just released on Amazon.com. Here’s the summary:
Captain Starcrost is not having the carefree, adventurous life of a star pilot promised in all the space academy brochures. He’s broke, his star freighter is in dire need of repair, and there’s a bounty on his head. His desperation has led to a foolhardy quest to find a fabled treasure that brings good fortune to the wearer, the Emerald Enigma.
Every captain needs a trusty starship and a crack team of crew members by their side. Unfortunately, the bitter pill of reality has brought him Iris, a ship computer with passive aggressive resistance to his commands; Blix, a hulking, copper-scaled, lizard man with an aversion to battle; Nelvan, a time-traveling teen from the past, oblivious to this new future; and Jasette, a beautiful but deadly bounty hunter looking to take over the ship.
Enter a charismatic and clever nemesis named Hamilton Von Drone, whose dark past has already intertwined with our misfortunate captain and left a painful scar. To complicate matters, as every good nemesis must by their evil nature do, Hamilton is employing his vast wealth on the very same quest for the Emerald Enigma.
Tell us your writing process
I always start in a notebook. There’s just something about putting a pen to paper that prompts a unique creative flow. After that, I transfer the writing to the computer, getting an initial round of editing done in the process.
Do you have any tips for other authors who want to get the word out about their book?
I’m experimenting with different promotional tools right now. What I’ve heard from other published authors that have gone through a few book promotions is that there’s no magic bullet. In other words, there’s no one single perfect thing that produces monster results. Using multiple methods seems to be the recommended path. There’s social media, blog tours, book signings, giveaways, online ads and speaking engagements just to name a few.
My advice would be to get your book out there using as many avenues as you can.
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was in fifth grade, the teacher assigned a project to write a short story. I already loved writing so I was happy to do it. I dove right in and wrote an adventure story with a humorous twist. When I showed up for class the next day, I was in for a shock. The teacher said we had to recite our story in front of the class. I was pretty shy back then, so I was feeling a little panicked. When it was my turn, I stood in front of my classmates, filled with anxiety, and started reading. To my surprise, when I got to a funny part in the story, the whole class laughed. When I hit the next funny part, they laughed again. My anxiety was replaced with excitement. The class was actually responding to my story. I couldnb t believe it. It was kind of a breakthrough moment for me. I realized I could do something that rose above my shyness and limitations and effect people in a positive way.
Tell us about your main character:
Captain Glint Starcrost is a head strong, impulsive starship captain down on his luck. He’s a talented pilot but his life has taken some rough turns and he’s feeling desperate for a change. He’s become convinced the only way to turn things around is to find the fabled good luck charm known as the Emerald Enigma.
What are you working on next?
Ib m currently finishing the sequel to Space Drifters. Once it’s finished, I’ll be working with an editor to whip it into shape.
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
I play the drums, mostly rock style (My big influences would be John Bonham and Dave Grohl).
Who are your favorite authors?
There are so many greats out there. Some of my favorites would be C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Crichton, J.K. Rowling, Terry Brooks, Robert Asprin, Harry Harrison, Douglas Adams and Jonathan Stroud.
What do you like to do with your free time?
I like to spend as much time with my family as I can. Beyond that, I love music and I’ve played drums for a number of years now. It’s always a blast to get behind the kit and groove for an hour or two.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: @PaulJRegnier, author tips, Enchanted book promotions, Paul Regnier, Space Drifters
August 17, 2015
Observer The Prison People; The Prison Experience by Glen Aaron
Observer The Prison People; The Prison Experience
by Glen Aaron
BOOK BLURB
The last book in the Trilogy sensitively portrays author Aaron’s fellow inmates in Part I: their uniqueness as people, the situations that brought them to prison, the hopes of some, the hopelessness of others. In Part II, the author describes the prison experience. This third book in The Prison Trilogy is not an “oh-poor-me” tale. It is a tale written with straightforward honesty and eye-opening enlightenment unknown to the average person. Aside from being a must-read, it is entertaining.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Glen Aaron, Observer The Prison People; The Prison Experience, The Prison Trilogy
Release Day – Nation of Enemies
About the Book
Title: Nation of Enemies
Author: H.A. Raynes
Genre: Thriller
It’s all about the genetics. DNA. Black & white.
A decade ago the U.S. government mandated that all citizens be issued biochips containing all of their medical information and an ID number indicating a person’s health. Then they made the information public—the implications of which are wide-spread and devastating.
Now on the eve of the 2032 presidential election, the country is deeply divided and on the brink of civil war. But as the two major political parties face off, innocent Americans are dying at the hands of masked terrorists. When the Liberty Party’s presidential nominee is assassinated in a highly-coordinated, masterful attack, it sets off a chain of events that will change the course of history and leave America’s inalienable rights—life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness—dangling on the precipice of extinction.
Author Bio
H.A. Raynes was inspired to write NATION OF ENEMIES by a family member who was a Titanic survivor and another who escaped Poland in World War II. Combining lessons from the past with a healthy fear of the modern landscape, this novel was born. A longtime member of Boston’s writing community, H.A. Raynes has a history of trying anything once (acting, diving out of a plane, white water rafting, and parenting). Writing and raising children seem to have stuck.
Links
Website: ha-raynes.squarespace.com/home/
Goodreads: goodreads.com/HARaynes
Twitter: @HARaynes & @hollyiswriting
Facebook: facebook.com/HARaynes
Giveaway
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: @HARaynes, @hollyiswriting, Enchanted book promotions, H.A. Raynes, Nation of Enemies, Rafflecopter giveaway
Press Release – Soon by Marc Douglas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Can Love Conquer All?
The renowned author Marc Douglas releases his latest novel called Soon which follows the story of a young boy who must defend his mother and dog from an evil step-father.
United States – August 18 2015: ASJ Publishing is pleased to announce the recent release of Marc Douglas’ new novel entitled Soon.The book was officially released online through Amazon on July 242015 and is currently available in both Paperback and Kindle Ebook formats.
In the 240-page book, the noted author Marc Douglas takes his readers on a powerful and suspenseful journey that follows the story of a young boy who must defend his mother and dog from evil, in the form of his step-father. ‘Soon’ takes a unique and unprecedented look at what it means to survive through the hardships of life. From tears to triumph, Douglas tells a story of domestic violence, mental illness,and the unconditional love of a child.
“The surprise ending really blew my mind.”said an online reviewer from Amazon. “Marc Douglas’ books really make his readers think and Soon is no different. Deadly but provocative, a contradiction that makes for a really great story.”
To find out more information about the novel Soon by Marc Douglas, visit the book page on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZMCCTU0
About the Author:
Marc Douglas lives in North Carolina with his wife and family. Since a young age, Douglas found magic in books. Growing up his favorite activities were reading and writing stories. He is the author of the internationally-acclaimed ‘Slingshot Series’ and various works of fiction and non-fiction.
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Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Kindle, Marc Douglas, Press Release, soon
August 16, 2015
Book Blast Tour – WHERE WOLVES TALK
WHERE WOLVES TALK
by D.L. Lewis
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BLURB:
Kitten, an American tabby residing in England, is a frustrated cat. He knows his place in the world: he was born to kill. Killing, after all, is what felines are supposed to do. Confined within his Lady’s house, however, the young fellow is deprived of the opportunity to hunt live prey. The mansion is a sterile playground for a predator; offering nothing more than furniture which allows itself to be brutalized far too easily. The ambitious cat is bored and hungry for a challenge.
Kitten learns of a passage hidden in his Lady’s library: the Door, which leads to an unknown world. The cat has been told that the source of all evil dwells openly in this place. The feline is eager to fight the sinister personage and goes through the Door with no hesitation.
The tabby finds himself in what appears to be a forest like any other in England. It doesn’t take long for him to learn that this is a very different place.
Written in the basic style of classic stories like THE LORD OF THE RINGS, WATERSHIP DOWN, and THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, this novel can be appreciated on different levels. To some readers, it’s an allegorical tale: thought-provoking and filled with symbolism. To others, it’s an adventure-filled page-turner.
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Book Excerpt:
The little silver tiger tabby had everything, it seemed. The fortunate fellow had been blessed with a fabulous home in the country northeast of London; this grand mansion provided by his Lady, with over a hundred fascinating rooms to explore, and countless flights of stairs for dashing up and racing down. Along with the palatial digs came the exquisite sustenance the cooking staff lavished on the feline with loving care. Surely few cats were lucky enough to dine on food fit for royalty; delicacies such as sweet fresh salmon flown in via helicopter from a remote Scottish loch and poached into pink perfection by the household’s Swiss chef. This entrée was customarily followed by an antique plate of Sèvres porcelain bearing hunks of blue-veined Stilton. As Kitten licked the creamy cheese from his French dish’s illustrated surface, he could enjoy a painted scene depicting Hercules in the act of capturing Cerberus; the vicious three-headed canine of Greek myth. Snatched from his guard post at the entrance to the underworld, the hideous dog snarled and struggled in enameled vain under the sandpaper friction of the tabby’s rosy tongue.
Such an existence was the most pleasant and thoroughly civilized one a house cat could hope for; that much was certain. This particular house cat, however, spent a great deal of time at the mansion’s windows; his glowing amber eyes staring with relentless longing at the wildlife that moved about through his Lady’s forested garden. Yes; the wildlife: the Wild Life.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
D. L. Lewis lives in northern California with a cello, four cats, and a crow named Harold. Where Wolves Talk is her first published novel; followed by Something in the House—California Gothic, Doppelgänger, and Fighting Back.
Where Wolves Talk is on sale at 99 cents (for a limited time) at Kindle and iBooks.
http://www.amazon.com/Where-Wolves-Talk-D-Lewis/dp/1497514738
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/where-wolves-talk/id931662653?mt=11
Author Blog: http://dllewisauthor.blogspot.com
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
D.L. Lewis is awarding one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $10 Amazon/BN GC.
Enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Book Excerpt, D.L. Lewis, GoddessFishPromotions, Rafflecopter giveaway, WHERE WOLVES TALK
August 15, 2015
Book Signing – Port Arthur by Danielle M. Maistry
Yesterday we had the pleasure of attending Danielle Maistry’s book launch for her debut novel, Port Arthur at the Melton Library.
Needless to say, the event was a success with a great turnout of 30+ guests, including fellow author Max Davine.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.987122531351547.1073741843.376461445750995&type=3
Filed under: Events Tagged: Book launch, Book Signing, Danielle M. Maistry, debut novel, Max Davine, Port Arthur
August 14, 2015
Double Movie Time… Dead Snow
Dead Snow (2009)
IMDB Rating: 6.4
Stars: Jeppe Beck Laursen, Charlotte Frogner, Jenny Skavlan, Vegar Hoel
Plot: Several friends take to the mountains and shack-up in the wilderness of back-of-beyond to enjoy a little R & R together, their peace is soon interrupted by a mysterious old man, warning them of a local curse that during the German occupation of the local area that these Nazi invaders were brutal and harsh in their methods of control. Telling of the legend of the villager’s revolt that drove them up into the cold, dark mountains where they perished, that is until rumour of their return in the form of zombies, evil Nazi zombies.
Mini Review: What’s more fun than a horde of zombies…. A horde of Nazi Zombies…. The story revolves around a bunch of medical students getting away for some rest and relaxation during Easter break. Unknown to them, they’ve set up camp at the wrong place. As it turns out, during WW2, Nazi’s used these hills for an escape route, and it’s said that this is where they supposedly eventually died. Our medical students discover a hidden box of Nazi gold, and soon after they encounter these blood-thirsty zombie Nazi’s and then the blood runs thick.
There’s gore, there’s blood (and plenty of it), there’s sex scenes (one anyway), and of course the race for survival between the undead and the living.
This is not your typical zombie flick folks. If you are expecting the typical zombie movie with slow moving Z’s, infected humans turning into Z’s, or Z’s hunting down the living to feed, then think again. Tommy Wirkola has taken the zombie game to a different level with this first instalment.
Verdict: Bring on Evil Dead Vs Dead :)
I am giving it 7 out of 10.
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Dead Snow 2: Red Vs Dead
IMDB Rating: 7.0
Stars: Vegar Hoel, Ørjan Gamst, Martin Starr, Jocelyn DeBoer, Ingrid Haas
Plot: If the worst day of your life consisted of accidentally killing your girlfriend with an axe, chain-sawing your own arm off, and watching in horror as your closest friends were devoured by a zombified Nazi battalion, you’d have to assume that things couldn’t get much worse. In Martin’s case, that was only the beginning.
Mini Review: Still on the run from a group of Nazi zombies, a man seeks the aid of a group of American zombie enthusiasts, and discovers new techniques for fighting the zombies.
A rare moment in horror, when a sequel can live up the the first movie.
In this instalment the Nazi Zombies are at it again. This time, they are on a mission… To finish what Hitler ordered them to do 70 years beforehand… Wipe out a town of 3,000 people…. in the middle of nowhere :)
But they didn’t count on Martin (Vegar Hoel) to interfere with their plans, and with a lot of help from his new friends. In this fun horror comedy, Martin teams up with the Zombie Squad and resurrects a dead army (Russians) of his own to fight the Nazi’s.
I wont tell you about this, but I will say that it is a lot of fun. Not as much gore and blood as the first movie, but enjoyable none-the-less.
Verdict: Dead Snow 3?
Rating: 7 out of 10
Filed under: Movie Trailers, Music Reviews Tagged: Ørjan Gamst, Charlotte Frogner, Dead Snow, Ingrid Haas, Jenny Skavlan, Jeppe Beck Laursen, Jocelyn DeBoer, Martin Starr, Nazi gold, Nazi Zombies, soviet zombie, Tommy Wirkola, Vegar Hoel, Zombie Squad
August 13, 2015
Book Tour – Revelations from Outside the Box by Peter Schmedding
Title: Revelations from Outside the Box
Author: Peter Schmedding
Genre: Mind, Body & Spirit
How often do we wish we could say what we really feel in our guts? Do we ever feel free from restraints that stifle our true emotions and thoughts into oblivion? How long will we remain in denial of the effects of our evermore toxic world?
Revelations from Outside the Box brings into our awareness the unknown traps that secretly compromise our view of reality, undermine our conversations and ever so often lead to disagreements and hostility.
This book questions what we perceive and accept as reality. Relating a string of events that were observed in real life report factors, although they are the causes of untold, needless suffering, that we commonly ignore.
In the introduction to Revelations from Outside the Box we already get a glance of what the book is trying to tell us. An episode shows how a family of three people live in the same household and, by closer examination, in the way they see each other are miles apart. It also suggests how a simple adjustment not only prevents such estrangement but rather fosters a sound and productive relationship, in this case, between father and son.
Beyond the primary purpose this book describes certain arcane happenings of the human mind. It asks the question, could it be that there is a wellspring of wisdom that could benefit us all? A hypothetical time travel over a couple of hundreds of years gives us yet more food for us thinking outside the box.
Author Bio
After working in the media for 25 years, Peter Schmedding retired and for another 25 years devoted himself to children’s preparation for adulthood. This fulfilled his lifelong dream to give to the young the nurture and support that he never received during his growing up years. Paradoxically, it was Peter’s emotionally and academically impoverished childhood that taught him, from the inside out, how such neglect damages the personality. Later in life Peter studied different philosophies of mental health and psychotherapy. He worked as a counsellor for many years. He lectured and presented papers on respective topics locally and overseas. Now, in his advancing years, he writes from personal experiences in a long and adventurous life.
From Peter’s Life
Category one, Educational clips
Electronics for Kids:
http://www.apex.net.au/~pet/jf00.html
Atoms and the Universe:
Electricity Revealed #4:
Electricity four:
Peter and 1000 kids:
Road Safety:
Category two, Talk
The News. A speech at Toastmasters:
In Conversation with Susan Hampshire:
Across Generation Gap, Interview practice:
Category three, Peter’s Music
Another Sunny Day
Peter at the Organ playing his Interval:
Two songs without words:
Book Excerpt
Excerpt 1
Unlike a novel containing a plot and various life events, this book contains a selection of stories about the functions of the mind, observed from different perspectives. Many of the examples demonstrate how language ever so often misleads us, resulting in disagreements and hostility. In many cases the subject matter itself is not actually in dispute. Rather, the wrong words are used or perhaps the words chosen have a different meaning to different people and therefore do not communicate the intended message of the speaker. This practice of miscommunication seems to have infiltrated into human societies without anyone becoming aware of the conflict and suffering it causes.
A considerable part of this book deals with the developing minds of children. If a future more effective and productive world is to be created, it is the child who will be the catalyst to achieve this. This idea is supported by a report on Sustainable Development Goals being prepared for the UN Secretary General which states: “Unless Early Child Development is addressed effectively in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, countries will be locked into poverty, and sustainable development will not be achieved.”
One of mankind’s greatest sins is the neglect of millions of the next generation. What is needed in the world is not more people but higher quality people. That begins not at birth but at conception. After the child is born we continue its development on the foundation that is laid down from the first trimester. This topic is beyond the scope of this book, although some hints are mentioned in chapter 16.
How this ideology began
As a child of seven I was watching a woman talking to an official in a welfare office. I saw it written all over the man’s face: “What is the point you wish to make?” Undeterred by the man’s attempts to clarify the issue, the woman continued to talk. Then, convinced that she had given the man a piece of her mind, she headed home, and she was happy.
It is now eighty years ago since that observation triggered an interest that has followed me throughout my life. Habitually I observed people as they interacted. I collected what appeared to be pertinent events and recorded them in my long-term memory. Time and again, it became clear to me that in human communications one single process repeats itself over and over. A gap in communication that our languages are unable to bridge causes isolation, confusion and misunderstandings. It happens between people of low or high status or wisdom and extends to those who are in charge of millions. It seems to have snuck into human society without anyone realising how much this process affects our lives.
To explain these concepts further, let us look at how the core of our personality—our belief system—is created.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Book Excerpt, Enchanted book promotions, Peter Schmedding, Revelations from Outside the Box
August 12, 2015
Book Tour – Relax-a-bye Baby By Mimi Sommers
Title: Relax-a-bye Baby
Author: Mimi Sommers
Publisher: Angus MacGregor
Genre: Children’s Book
Format: Kindle
Mimi Sommers is the author of Relax a bye Baby: A bedtime guide to get your little one relaxand sleep tight. Inspired by her 6 years old son, she created a fun and interactive approach to bedtime through meditation and body relaxation. This book takes readers on a step-by-step body relaxation journey side-by-side with captive and imaginative illustrations, sprinkled with a little gratitude and a whole lot of affirmations. This book is designed to help the sleep adverse or sleep deprived of all ages!
ORDER INFORMATION
Relax-a-bye Baby is available for purchase at:
Amazon
B&N
Add to Goodreads.
About The Author
Mimi Sommers is a registered dental hygienist who graduated from University of Southern California. Early in her career, she moved to Switzerland to start a hygiene program for a private practice. She currently works part-time in Los Altos, CA and when she isn’t educating her patients on oral health, she enjoys traveling, tennis, hiking and brainstorming creative endeavors.
With a strong entrepreneurial spirit, Mimi most recently created a series of children’s interactive educational iPad Apps licensed under Life Skills Games, Inc.
Mimi lives in Palo Alto, CA with her husband, young son, 2 dogs and cat.
For More Information
Visit Mimi’s website.
Connect on Facebook and Twitter.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: @RelaxAByeBaby, Mimi Sommers, Relax-a-bye Baby
August 11, 2015
Book Tour – Dwarves in Space
About the Book
Title: Dwarves in Space
Author: Sabrina Zbasnik
Genre: Science-Fiction / Fantasy
Thousands of years after the jewelry’s destroyed, the sword reforged, the dragon ridden, and the indecipherable prophecy translated into a recipe for sugared biscuits, the dwarves turned to that final frontier: space. And along came the elves, orcs, gnomes, trolls, ogres, and those vermin-like upstarts, humans.
Dwarves in Space is Tolkien merged with Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in a horrific transporter accident.
The Elation-Cru is not the flashiest ship, nor the newest, or even has all of its bolts attached; but she can fly. Well, sort of wade through space, and that’s when all the parts are working. She supports a sugar addicted dwarven pilot, an elven engineer, an orcish doctor, a silent djinn, and the lone human trying to hold the entire thing together with duct tape. Variel, the captain, has been hiding from a secret for the past five years and time’s finally run out.
When she goes against her common sense and fights to save her onboard assassin/renter from a job gone sour, she finds herself before an ex-colleague that knew her in her previous life as the Knight of the realm. The entire ship is sent on a mad dash across the universe — from a decaying space station, home to the wackiest species the galaxy has to offer, down to the Orc homeworld, which wouldn’t be so bad if Variel hadn’t spent most of her previous life fighting in the war against them. Chances of survival are nil and slipping fast.
Author Bio
S. E. Zbasnik has a degree in genetics, which means there may or may not be a horde of monkeoctopi doing her bidding to take over the world. Bringing that scientific approach to the fantasy world is her game, trying to put some common sense into magic and magic into common sense.
She currently lives with her husband and beloved dog, who dress up like Sherlock Holmes and solve mysteries in their spare time. She spends nearly of all her time in Nebraska but that’s because it is impossible to leave without finding the lamppost. She lives in a house that has at least four walls and there are some other souls wandering forlornly calling to their lost lives within.
She loves and hates writing as she both loves and hates herself.
She’s a huge video game nerd especially for Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and Bioshock as well as Doctor Who and makes fan art in her down time.
She’s a neutral good assassin, so it’s best to not get on her bad side.
Links
Purchase on Amazon
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Author Website
Trailer:
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Giveaway
Win a $10 Amazon gift card during the tour.
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Book Excerpt
“Eclipse 5, this is the Elation-Cru looking for a docking number. Please respond,” Variel rolled her neck back, trying to blink away the last of her sleep. If this weren’t the heart of “the safest ports in the galaxy” she’d probably be nervous about the quiet comms.
“Eclipse 5?” She continued before turning back to Orn, who lifted his massive shoulders and slipped another boot overtop his first. He’d pull out his PALM and start playing Spacecolony if the boss wasn’t staring right at him. “I say, is anyone there?”
“We have coin?” Orn threw out.
The static popped and a voice, higher pitched than was typical for most organics, screeched across the flight deck, “This is Eclipse 5, oh bloody hell! Who let those little brats in here to dick with the controls?” some shuffling drifted across the space, a few pops answered back, and the voice returned much less like a rodent freebasing helium, “We have you on sensors, Elation-Cru.”
“Sensors,” Orn snorted, “look out a bleedin’ window and we’ll wave back at ya.”
“Docking port 75-C is open. You’ll be in the Happy Jellyfish lot,” reported the man who was probably wiping sticky chocolate off his control panels.
“Joy of joys, we get to be a spineless blob of tentacles.”
“Orn,” Variel warned softly.
“Right, fine, uh,” the dwarf flipped the switch back, “This is Elation-Cru, Ecstatic Jellyfish, got it.”
“That’s Happy Jellyfish,” the weary voice stressed, “I see you’re registered with the dwarven embassy. A proper customs officer shall be out in an hour.”
“Right, Happy Jellyfish over and out,” Orn mocked, flicking off the channel and punching in a few numbers. Docking was fully automated after one too many rich snots got wasted on Lavabombs while skittering about the galaxy in Leap-pods that somehow always wound up in the main director’s lobby, the lady decals ripped to her nude waist. Pilots needn’t bother with parking, but Orn liked to appear busy.
Variel sighed, this part of the galaxy made her itch. The surest way to snap was waking every day with forced joy and a shit eating grin. She laid a hand on the dwarf’s shoulder as she leaned down to him, “Wake the others, I’m sure the twins have some unholy business they’ll be getting to.”
“What about her?” Orn asked, his eyes flickering to a smashed bulkhead that someone refused to repair on principle.
“Are you two…again? Fine, I’ll talk to her. Gods know there’s got to be something broken on this ship that’ll cost all our money to repair.”
Orn smiled, his overlarge eyes twinkling as he broke the comfortable silence of the ship by powering up the automated wake-up call. A charming cackle of a rooster bounded about the ship as bouts of twinkling music followed. The lilting, cheerful voice — certain to have driven entire systems of people to utter madness — chimed in, “Wake up sleepy heads! There’s a big day ahead of you among the stars!”
The fact that everyone despised the thing with enough furor to power the ship across twelve light years encouraged Orn all the more to use it every chance he got. As Variel turned to leave, most likely to put on something that wasn’t wearing to the point of being see through, the dwarf cheerfully called out, “Captain off the bridge.”
She flipped him off before the doors could close.
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