Reena Jacobs's Blog, page 36
May 16, 2011
Tuesday Teaser: Bleeder by L.K. Rigel
Not too long ago, I finished Bleeder by L.K. Rigel and loved it (see review here). It's her first full length novel in the Ex Post Apocalypto series. Today, Ms. Rigel was gracious enough to offer an excerpt from that very same book. 
A word of caution for the young (under 18) and virginal eyes, Mal gets her sexy on. If you're not old enough or mature enough to view sexual content, cover your eyes. That's what my daughters did when they were younger and a sex scene came on television. It worked for them… I think. I'm sure it'll work for you here also.
The King of Garrick wants to kill her.
The King of Allel wants to love her.
And shapeshifters stole her baby's soul!
It's been a hundred years since sea-level rise and global nuclear war wiped out most of humanity. Mallory is a chalice, one of the world's rare fertile females who contract with the kings of the Concord Cities to provide natural-born heirs.
It was supposed to be a pampered and uneventful life, but Mal becomes caught between King Garrick's scheme for world domination and the goddess Asherah's desperate plays for another god's attention.
In her struggle to survive, Mal must confront the most terrifying threat of all — the truth of her past and the inevitability of her destiny.
Excerpt from Bleeder (Apocalypto 3)
Copyright 2011 L.K. Rigel
The consecration ceremony of the Rites of May
= = = = = = = = = =
"The Triune Contract is sacred."
Mal glanced sideways at Nin then looked at the floor to keep from laughing. They were unable to see the witnesses, but Nin had noticed it too – the low rumble of male voices among them. It sounded good.
The next step, the sister behind her took the crown from her head and dropped it onto the sash on the floor. The sisters and the witnesses, chanted:
"Daughter of heaven, bearer of the world
You are the fig tree the gods did not curse
Conduit and chalice, how glad are your lovers
You open the gate forged by mankind's error"
The third step, the sister took away her lovely pearl choker and draped it over the crown. Mal chanted:
"Where is my beloved? I wait in the meadow
I am waiting in the meadow, untouched by human error
Where is my beloved? He is beautiful in my eyes
He is like the rainfall, like the great bull of heaven"
The fourth step, the sister took the staff of ash and tossed it to the floor near the crown and pearls. Mal chanted:
"I lie among the roses, in a bed of lovely petals
I lie in heat for love, my furrow ready for love's seed"
The fifth step, the sister took her gold bracelet. Mal knew she'd get it back later; but she'd worn it for so long that it felt wrong to let it go.
"I am the rose of heaven, and I am the rose of desire
I am the red rose, and the white rose
I am desire, I am satisfaction"
The sixth step, she kicked out of her slippers, which the sister took away.
"I will bear the fruit of the world
I am the tree of life uncursed
I am the furrow that will be sown
By my lover's worthy plow"
The seventh step, she dropped her robe, her sole remaining garment, to expose her naked body and the circle of red roses on her arm. The witnesses burst into applause. The sisters spoke in unison.
"My sister, I have taken your ego so that you may serve unhindered."
The five dropped to their knees.
"Thank you, my sister, for your service to me this day."
They crawled across the stage to the princes who would help complete the ritual. Mal laid her hands on a prince's bare feet while the witnesses chanted:
"The Triune Contract is sacred"
She rose to her knees and put her hands on his thighs. He was as naked as she was, and quite ready for her.
"Your curse is your blessing"
He knelt down and she placed her hands on his chest. This was no effeminate, sterile proof. It was a real man from the real world, well-fed and well-trained, with smooth skin over powerful muscles.
It was Edmund.
"Your service is your deliverance"
He put his hands on her breasts.
"The Triune Contract is sacred"
She put her hands on his shoulders, and they kissed. He embraced her and eased her to the floor. He kissed her ears, her throat, and her breasts. His warm mouth covered a nipple. As he sucked, electric delight surged through her body. She opened herself to him, and he took her hands in his and spread her arms wide as he entered her.
She should be praying for world fertility but, great Asherah, it was all she could do to keep her body temperature stable. A man in reality was better than a man in theory! She focused on the honey bee tattoo over his left clavicle. She found his rhythm and let her body go with it. Asherah, yes!
Nothing. Nothing in her training had prepared her for this. Her mind said keep control. Her body said let go. Let go. Don't stop. Never stop. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and flowed with his movement. She wanted to moan, it felt so good – but Durga would hear of it, and Mal wouldn't give her the satisfaction.
The thought of Durga helped her to maintain control.
Control over her voice, anyway. Edmund held her tighter and plunged deeper inside her. Heat and pleasure and delightful desperate urges coursed through her. The world disappeared, and the only thing that existed was the one being they made together. The edges of her soul were blending into his. She had to stop this.
"Ah!" Roh did it. Roh cried out in flagrante delicto and saved Mal from disaster.
Back from the brink. The world was real again. Mal and Edmund were in their own bodies. They separated, as did the other ritual lovers, accompanied by tremendous applause in the auditorium. She avoided looking at him.
Two sisters put gold slippers on her feet and dressed her in a gold sari embroidered with poppy-red primroses. Someone handed her a flute of champagne.
And that was it. She was a chalice. She could make a contract tomorrow or start a proof of service pregnancy tonight. The house lights came on. The other fifteen new chalices joined Prime Hub on the stage, all dressed in gold and red saris, and the women of Red City descended upon them all with congratulations.
And advice.
Bleeder is available at:
***************************
About the L.K. Rigel
LK Rigel lives in California with her cat, Coleridge. She was once a singing waitress, scored the independent science fantasy karate movie Lucid Dreams, and was a reporter for the Sacramento Rock 'N Roll News. Her BA is in humanities and religious studies. Her work has appeared in Literary Mama and Tattoo Highway. Her short story "Slurp" will appear in Anne Frasier's 2011 Halloween anthology Deadly Treats published by Nodin Press.
Website: http://www.lkrigel.com/
Images: http://www.lkrigel.com/wp-content/upl...
Links to work: Amazon http://www.amazon.com/LK-Rigel/e/B004...
B&N http://productsearch.barnesandnoble.c...
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
May 15, 2011
Novel Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter was one of the goodies I received from the NetGalley. It's actually the first book I've read from NetGalley. As a lover of Greek mythology and a new fan to the Young Adult genre, I couldn't help but want to try this out. Before we hit the review, let's take a look at the blurb from Ms. Carter's website:
Every girl who has taken the test has failed.
Now it's Kate's turn.
It's always been just Kate and her mom–and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld–and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy–until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.
If she fails…
This was one of those books I had mixed opinions about. By the time I reached the end, it felt like a 3 to 3.5 out of 5 star read. I liked the premises of the story but wasn't at all fond of the characters–except James.
We have Kate who agrees to spend six months in Hades in order to receive a little extra time with her mother who's knocking at death's door. Plus, if Kate passes a series of tests, she becomes the Queen of the Underworld and is granted the gift of immortality. One of the things I like about this concept is Kate isn't Persephone. Though we have the old Hades (aka Henry), it's not about taking an old myth and changing it up to make it fresh. Everything about this story is new and original. Awesome!
For me, the shortcoming came in the delivery… namely the personalities and the way the characters interacted with one another. Looking at my notes, I see I made quite a few comments about the weirdness of the people and their behavior. Yet by the end of the novel, I understood why the situations were so odd. The thing is, Ms. Carter did an excellent job staying true to the storyline. All the information was revealed at the appropriate time. I knew what the main character knew, and the world beyond was hidden. Kudos to Ms. Carter for staying in deep POV. Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting past the oddities that came with the lack of outside knowledge. So much so that it made the story unbelievable.
As for the main character, Kate was a cranky one which made her a bit unlikeable. However, I could see someone not having the best of personalities when dealing with a mother on a deathbed. That was reasonable, but add that to her many, many not so wise choices and overboard compliancy, and it didn't make her a very appealing character, at least not at the beginning. Really her story was sad, but the way her character was portrayed, I couldn't muster the empathy to care about her situation.
Then there was Hades, God of the Underworld. Let's call him Henry, shall we? He rather lacked spunk. For the most part, he was alive but not living… just biding his time until the end. It was unfortunate, because Hades typically has a tendency to really steal the show. As it were, he didn't have enough spirit left in him for me to care about his situation. Sorry about the broken record bit.
Let's end on a positive note. Though this is classified as a young adult (YA) novel, at least I believe it is, it really had more of a New Adult feel to it. Kate is 18 and in high school, but she's not dealing with adolescent issues. She's beyond that and transitioning to the next stage of her life–adulthood. In many ways, she's already there, and her attitudes about life and responsibilities reflect that. It was nice to see a character leave her childish ways behind and embrace the future with maturity.
So… not so great characters but interesting storyline.
You can find The Goddess test by Aimee Carter at the following locations:
May 14, 2011
Sunday Showcase #3
Just one lonely book this week, but a worthy one.
Eighteen-year-old Kali McAlister enters her steam-powered "dogless sled" in a race, intending to win the thousand-dollar prize and escape remote Moose Hollow forever. The problem? Fortune seekers and airship pirates are after her for the secret to flash gold, her late father's alchemical masterpiece.
With her modified rifle and a pocketful of home-made smoke bombs, Kali wouldn't normally hide from a confrontation, but taking on a whole airship single-handedly is a daunting task. Unfortunately, the other racers won't assist her–they're too busy scheming ways to sabotage her unorthodox sled.
When a sword-slinging stranger shows up, wanting to hire on as her protector, she's sure he has ulterior motives, but he's the only one interested in helping her. The question is…why?
An 18,000-word (80 page) novella
Why I picked it up: As you might recall, Lindsay Buroker stopped by last week for a Teaser Tuesday and Who Art Thou Thursday. I fell in love with her excerpt of Flash Gold and ran to pick it up. Okay, okay. It's an eBook. So I lounged on the couch and clicked a few buttons until Amazon sent it to my Kindle.
Available: Smashwords and Barnes & Nobles
Almost 300 Follower Giveaway Plus Shadow Cat Push!
We're doing a progressive giveaway with unlimited prizes—well almost unlimited. We have my husband's wallet to consider.
Here's the thing. I want to give away copies of my debut novel, Shadow Cat. I also know, not everyone who follows this blog is over 18, and I don't want to exclude my younger readers or those less inclined toward erotic works. Then there are others who've already read Shadow Cat and don't need an extra copy taking up space. Thank you for your support. Still, I want Shadow Cat to find homes with folks who truly want to read it. So anyone has the option of winning The Book Depository part of the giveaway without entering the Shadow Cat portion.
So what's up for grabs?
[image error] Eric Randall's plan is simple—fix the mess his researchers have created in Malaysia, experience the pleasures the country has to offer, and return to the comforts of America. All it takes is one beautiful aborigine, and Eric finds himself stranded in a world of Malaysian myths and legends.
A novice shaman amongst her people, Berani is free and independent. Yet all is not well in her homeland. Demons prey on her people, pushing them to extinction. When a strange speaking man invades her forest, she has one more worry to add to her already troubled life. Attraction or no, she will fight Eric tooth and claw to maintain her freedom. But will she destroy herself in the process?
First Prize
Up to $20 worth of books from The Book Depository
A copy of Shadow Cat (choice of *eBook or **print)
Second Prize – 300 followers
One book from The Book Depository (valued at $10)
A copy of Shadow Cat (choice of *eBook or **print)
Third Prize – 325 followers
A copy of Shadow Cat (choice of *eBook or **print)
Runner ups – 350 followers plus an additional winner every 10 followers after
An additional *eCopy of Shadow Cat
*eCopy will be in the form of a Smashword coupon or Kindle gift.
** Print copy for US/Canada residence only
Bonus for Bloggers: If you write a blog post advertising this giveaway or read and review Shadow Cat, I'll sponsor a separate one-week giveaway on your site for an *eCopy of Shadow Cat. Must host your giveaway by June 29, 2011 to be eligible for this offer. If you've already reviewed Shadow Cat, but I haven't sponsored a giveaway on your site, this option is open to you also.
The rules!
Fill out the Form.
Become a blog follower. See Google Friends Connect to the left.
You'll earn 1 point for completing the form and additional point if you tweet and leave the link.
You may tweet once per day after your initial entry for an extra 2 points. Use the same form.
Comments are appreciated, but only entries from the form count.
Giveaway ends Saturday, May 21, 2011.
Please read the giveaway policy for the nitty gritty.
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[image error] For those who can't wait — Shadow Cat is 1/2 off at Amazon US (as long as Amazon offers the promotion)
or
Use coupon code below to download Smashwords for 1/2 at Smashwords
Promotional price: $1.99
Coupon Code: LC23J
Expires: May 21, 2011
Also available at:
Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Barnes & Nobles
Don't forget to grab your free copy of Control Freak at Amazon.
May 13, 2011
Novella Review: Hunger by Jackie Kessler
Not so long ago, my blogger buddy Karen at For What It's Worth mentioned her latest read, Rage by Jackie Kessler, being a pretty decent work. And since I'm always looking for a good read, I had to check it out. Thing was, Rage was book two and Hunger book one. Karen came to the rescue and offered her copy of Hunger to me. The next couple days after it arrived, my daughter and I fought for the right who could read this little goodie. Being the mom and all, of course I won. haha My daughter still had her opportunities, spiriting it away whenever I set Hunger down. Enough rambling! How about the blurb from Goodreads:
"Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world."
Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she's been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?
This book started off pretty strong. I've never really given much thought to the inner thoughts of individuals with eating disorders. Hunger brought a new awareness to me and in many ways touched home. Despite being surrounded by individuals who loved her, she still felt unworthy because of her appearance. I've stood in the mirror many times prodding my growing, squishy belly, wondering if my husband still finds me attractive… loves me as much as when we first met. High scores for the beginning.
Not sure how spoiler like the rest of this review is, so I'll give you the warning now.
Toward the middle of the book, Lisa stepped into her horseman role–Famine. I think this aspect of the book missed the mark. When I think of famine, a shortage of food in an area comes to mind. In Hunger, the meaning of famine was blurred to resemble greed more than anything as she turned her anger toward individuals who ate freely or in excess–punishing them because they didn't have the hangups about food like she did.
I'm really into paranormal, but the further I progressed into the book, the less realistic it became. The mystical aspects reached a point where I stopped believing a supernatural world like the one described existing.
Then I reached the ending–a chance to bring it full circle to Lisa's issues of anorexia–and the author blew it. This work was a novella, but it really needed a bit more on the back end to have nailed it. For an issue as deep as anorexia, I really would have liked it to be worked out on paper rather than brushed under the rug with the idea she got the help she needed.
Recommendation: Despite the ending being substandard, I'd still recommend this work to anyone who has looked in the mirror and wished the reflection hosted an image other than what's there.
Find Hunger by Jackie Kessler at:
What's the Deal with Authors Helping Authors?
So anyway, I've run out of Author Helping Author volunteers. I knew it'd happen sooner or later. Oh well, life goes on. Guess what that means? This Friday is open… for me! Muhahaha. You get to listen to me ramble.
Actually, I'm just soliciting advice. So you all are safe… for now. >:)
I'm eager to do a giveaway, but I want more than a couple of entries, as sometimes happens. In the past, I've had success with Goodreads giveaways and doing giveaways by participating in blog hops (for example, blogomania, blogfest). Lately I've been wanting to try a twitter giveaway.
Anyone have success doing one of these? And if so, how did you track it? How long did the giveaway run? Did you find it successful?
This inquiring mind wants to know.
So you're giving me a little info; I'm giving back to you.
Way back when, when I ran my first giveaway, I hadn't a clue on how to track the entries a blog giveaway. One of my twitter buddies turned me to Google Docs. If you look back through some of my giveaways, you'll notice I request folks to fill out a form. Google Docs, baby. I embed the form into the post, and the complete entries go to a spreadsheet. If you're familiar with formulas, an import into Excel makes it pretty easy to generate "ticket" numbers.
And I'd be amiss not to share with you random.org. Once you have a number for all the entries, plug in the range and let it choose a winner.
Okay… now your turn! Share with me. Info about twitter giveaways or other giveaways you've had success with. 
Would it be bad to do an infomercial here? Amazon is doing a promotion for both my listings there. Shadow Cat is 1/2 off and Control Freak: Brandon's Story is free at the US site and UK site.
Oh… and if you want to join in the Author Helping Author thing, send me an email: reenajacobs at reenajacobs dot com
May 11, 2011
Who Art Thou Thursday: Lindsay Buroker
Lindsay Buroker
Tell us about your most recent publication.
I published Flash Gold, a steampunk novella set in the Yukon during the gold-rush era. It's my experiment with 99-cent fiction. It's 18,000 words, so a lot shorter than a novel, but I would love to turn it into a series.
One reviewer said it was a fun story that felt like the pilot to a television series, setting things up for future adventures with the heroes, and that sounds about right. With ebooks, you're not constrained by word-count conventions, and lots of folks are putting out shorter works. It's a lot easier to write, edit, and review a 20,000-word story than a 100,000-word one!
Here's the blurb for Flash Gold if you're interested:
Eighteen-year-old Kali McAlister enters her steam-powered "dogless sled" in a race, intending to win the thousand-dollar prize and escape remote Moose Hollow forever. The problem? Fortune seekers and airship pirates are after her for the secret to flash gold, her late father's alchemical masterpiece.
With her modified rifle and a pocketful of home-made smoke bombs, Kali wouldn't normally hide from a confrontation, but taking on a whole airship single-handedly is a daunting task. Unfortunately, the other racers won't assist her–they're too busy scheming ways to sabotage her unorthodox sled.
When a sword-slinging stranger shows up, wanting to hire on as her protector, she's sure he has ulterior motives, but he's the only one interested in helping her. The question is…why?
Give us a brief description of a story you have hidden in your skeleton closet? And will it ever see the light of day?
I've never been a big reader of the paranormal romance genre, or any fantasy set in the modern world, but I've been wanting to write a character who shares some of my modern Earth interests. Can tennis and gardening work in a monster-filled adventure/romance/mystery set in the Seattle area? Hm!
I couldn't bring myself to write something as typical as vampires and werewolves, but I do think a hunky Legolas-esque elf might make an appearance. When I was a kid, I always liked to play elves in D&D and MUDs, and they haven't entirely lost their appeal for me.
That said, I want to do more Emperor's Edge novels and more Flash Gold stories before I branch off in yet another direction.
How much of you/your life do you put into your stories?
My interests often make an appearance in the plot or world-building. Flash Gold is set in the Yukon and involves a dog sled race, all because I enjoyed Jack London as a kid and watched more movies involving dog sled races than I can remember. And gold…well, look at what gold is doing in the market, right now! (I like investing too.)
I'm also intrigued by a lot of the 1800s steam-powered machinery, so most of my stuff has some steampunk flair, at least insofar as inventions and machines go.
As far as personal relationships and my own history, I don't think much of that gets incorporated. I prefer to write about stuff I'm currently interested in rather than things I've lived in the past. An exception might be cool things I've seen or done that stuck in my head. There's a pyramid in the middle of the capital city in my Emperor's Edge world, thanks to my trip to the Mayan ruins in Mexico.
Which of your characters do you relate to most?
I'll go with Amaranthe, the main character in The Emperor's Edge. She's outgoing and charismatic, and I'm a socially awkward introvert, but she's a total schemer, and I am too. She doesn't plan for the future; she plots for it. The fun part is when she talks all these big, burly guys into helping her with her plots!
As far as personality goes, I may be more like Kali in Flash Gold. She has a quick, sometimes sarcastic tongue. She's tough on the outside, but she's mostly hiding the fact that she's vulnerable on the inside. I can relate to that. 
For you, what's the hardest part of the writing process?
Not getting distracted by the internet.
No, really. Every time the power or internet goes out, it's amazing how much writing I get done. Sometimes I take a notepad and pen to the coffee shop, so I'm forced to write without the distraction of email and Twitter.
For you, what's the easiest part of the writing process?
Dialogue.
I loooove having my characters trade barbs. Of course, I always have to go back and edit things out, since they'll ramble on about things unrelated to the plot if I let them, but it's hard to cut some of that stuff!
With hindsight being 20/20, is there anything you would have changed with your publishing journey?
I finished The Emperor's Edge more than a year before I ended up e-publishing it (I didn't have a kindle back then, and I wasn't all that aware of the impending ebook revolution). The novel sat on my hard drive after that because it didn't sound like the sort of story agents were looking for (high fantasy is apparently not in these days).
I really wish I'd researched e-publishing more back then (2009) and gotten that first book online. I can't complain with my progress thus far (after four months, I've been fortunately enough to recoup my initial expenses, and I'm making a modest part-time income), but you know there's a lot more competition out there now. Those early adopters definitely have a leg up on us newcomers!
What's your favorite part about the publishing process and why? (consider the initial book concept all the way through marketing, and beyond)
I enjoy writing the first draft and seeing where the adventure will take my characters.
And then–this will sound crazy–I kind of like the online marketing stuff. Oh, not all of it, but it's fun doing guest blog posts, interviews, and working on my own blogs. It's even more fun seeing the rewards as sales slowly increase. I'm grateful to all the folks who have tried my stories thus far, and I hope many more will download them in the future. Or, you know, right now! What's holding you back? *g*
How about some quickies!
Pencil or Pen: Pencil
Print or Cursive: Print
Pantser or Plotter: Plotter
Favorite Candy: Anything involving peanutbutter and chocolate
Worst habit: Staying up way too late and eating too many desserts.
***************************
About the Lindsay Buroker
I've been writing fantasy novels and short stories since I was seven. I've been finishing them since… well, that's a more recent development.
I'm a professional blogger for my day job, and I live in the Seattle area ("area" is code for "I couldn't afford a house within twenty miles of the city limits and my neighbors have alpacas"). I have two vizslas who are as spoiled as most people's kids. Occasionally they let me leave the house to play tennis, go to the coffee shop, or take a yoga class.
Connect with Lindsay Buroker on her website!
Get your copy of Flash Gold by Lindsay Buroker at:
Find Emperor's Edge at:
Find other works by Lindsay Buroker at Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Nobles
May 10, 2011
Working Wednesday #4
I looked at my calendar and see I missed last weeks Working Wednesday some how. I sure hope I made some decent progress over the last couple of weeks, but I have a feeling I haven't. If you're interested in my last update, check it here.
Edit Chasing Shadows
One scene a day
Last update 6/57 scenes
This week's progress 7/57 scenes I've found my motivation… at least some of it. These days it's more about finding the time without sacrificing other things in my life.
Maintaining 100+ words a day over at Word Count Union
This will be accomplished either by working on Trinity's Awakening
Last week's word count: 22,519
Current word count: 23,089 I think I'm back on track with writing consistently. Yes, I missed writing yesterday, but I spent a lot of it traveling then spent time with my mom.
Clean up blog and update links
I addressed a few pages and posts, but still have a lot of work to do.
2011 Reading Challenge ~ basically just stay on top of this. As of today, I'm two books ahead of my reading challenge.
2011 Reading Challenge
Reena has read 18 books toward her goal of 60 books.
hide
18 of 60 (30%)
view books
So, motivation is high, and I've been reading like crazy.
In other news!!!!
Amazon is offering Control Freak for free on the Kindle. As of right now… this VERY moment, Control Freak is #10 in the Erotica genre. Way cool, right? It's been steadily climbing all day. If you've been wanting it, now is the time to pick it up. I'm not sure how long it'll be free at Amazon.
Tuesday Teaser: Flash Gold by Lindsay Buroker
Today we have the talented Lindsay Buroker. Not too long ago, I read her middle grade work, The Goblin Brothers Adventure (see review here). Excellent collection of short stories. Her most recent work, Flash Gold, is steampunk set in the Yukon. Now I haven't read this one, but after devouring this excerpt, you better believe my next stop was to purchase my copy. Keep your eyes open, because you'll likely be seeing my review of Flash Gold in the next month or two. Until then, enjoy the excerpt Ms. Buroker has offered us.
Eighteen-year-old Kali McAlister enters her steam-powered "dogless sled" in a race, intending to win the thousand-dollar prize and escape remote Moose Hollow forever. The problem? Fortune seekers and airship pirates are after her for the secret to flash gold, her late father's alchemical masterpiece.
With her modified rifle and a pocketful of home-made smoke bombs, Kali wouldn't normally hide from a confrontation, but taking on a whole airship single-handedly is a daunting task. Unfortunately, the other racers won't assist her–they're too busy scheming ways to sabotage her unorthodox sled.
When a sword-slinging stranger shows up, wanting to hire on as her protector, she's sure he has ulterior motives, but he's the only one interested in helping her. The question is…why?
An 18,000-word (80 page) novella
Flash Gold: Part I
Kali McAlister tapped a wrench against her thigh as she contemplated her invention. She had stripped every extra piece of metal she could from the "dogless sled" and had even debated removing the brush bow, but that seemed unwise. Besides, it'd been cold enough the last week men were complaining of pee freezing before it hit the ground. The ice on Forty Mile Creek ought to be thick enough for the heavy steam sled. If it wasn't…winning the race would be the last of her worries.
Hinges creaked, and a gust of frigid air hurled snow into the workshop. Kali spun toward the door, her long braid whipping around her shoulder.
A fur-clad figure loomed, head an inch shy of the top of the frame. With those broad shoulders and that height, she assumed it was a man, though a cap buried his eyebrows and a scarf swaddled most of his face. He gripped a rifle in one gloved hand, and the hilt of something—a sword?—poked over his shoulder. Who in tarnation brought a sword to the Klondike?
Kali's grip tightened on the wrench. Another thug who wanted to interrogate her about her father's alchemical masterpiece, probably.
"If you're going to hold the door open that long, you could at least bring in some wood." That sounded cocky, especially since the wrench was the closest thing to a weapon she had handy, but bravado went a long way in Moose Hollow.
Meanwhile, she sidled closer to the workbench and the panel of levers on the far end of it. The man's blue eyes were the only thing visible between the cap and scarf, and they narrowed, watching her.
"The stove'll have to work double time to heat the place again," Kali said, hoping to distract him from her movement. "Not that this drafty hole could aspire to warm anyhow."
The man stepped inside. Kali tensed, ready to spring for a bronze lever with a billiards-ball knob.
He did not move past the threshold though. Without taking his eyes from her, he pushed the door closed. He removed the cap, revealing thick tousled black hair, then tugged the scarf down to his throat. Kali might have called him handsome, but a scar gouged one cheek, as if someone had tried to remove one of his eyes. The beard stubble darkening his jaw would do little to warm his chin in the cold. He must be new to the north.
His cool gaze skimmed the shop, resting briefly on the unorthodox metal sled before settling on her.
"You Kali McAlister?" he asked, voice smoother and more pleasant than his rough exterior hinted at.
"Ma'am." She propped her hands on her hips by way of disguising another step toward the lever. "It's polite to call a lady 'ma'am.' Even if she's a half-breed wearing man trousers with tools sticking out of all her pockets." Not to mention she was only eighteen and covered in grease. She would collapse in surprise if anyone called her ma'am without the ulterior motive of needing a favor.
He stared at her for a long moment. "You Kali McAlister? Ma'am."
"I reckon that depends on who you are." She pretended to scratch her knee and took another step.
"Your identity changes depending on your caller?"
"Sometimes it does." Another step.
"Cedar."
"What?"
"My name."
"That's not a name," she said. "That's a tree." Though at his height, children might mistake him for the latter.
"Both."
"And what are you here for, Cedar?" Three more steps and she would reach the lever. He might plow through her "security measures," but they would distract him and give her time to run.
He strode toward her. She lifted the wrench threateningly.
"The job." His free hand delved into a pocket. Paper rustled. He pulled out a sheet with writing on it.
It was Kali's turn to stare. "What job?"
Wordlessly, he held out the flyer.
ASSISTANT MUSHER FOR BARTON'S RACE
Experienced pugilist preferred. Inquire at Kali McAlister's Tinkery.
Kali scratched her head. "Where did you get this? I didn't post it."
"Nelly's Good-Time Girls."
"Nelly. Oh." Kali puffed out an annoyed breath. While it had been nice having someone step in as a big sister after her father died, sometimes Nelly presumed too much. At least this meant the man was probably not there to rob or interrogate her. "That's a mistake." She waved at the flyer. "I can't afford to hire help. I'm going alone. Sorry to have wasted your time."
Cedar lowered the paper, but did not leave. "If you win, there will be prize money."
"Yes…. One thousand dollars hard money goes to the first-place finisher, thanks to Francis Barton's lucky claim. The old sourdough's spending like a drunk."
"Then you'll be able to pay me."
Kali's suspicions toward her visitor returned. Only gold miners worked for the possibility of payment, and most of them were addled in the head. More, nobody in town thought her steam sled would do anything except crash through the ice and disappear forever. Francis wouldn't have let her enter the race if anyone believed otherwise.
"If I win, I'm using that money to build…something I've wanted to build for a long time," Kali said. "And I'm getting out of Moose Hollow to go somewhere warm." And where nobody knew about her crazy family or called her a witch.
"One hundred," Cedar said.
"Are you truly trying to negotiate with me over money that odds are against me winning?"
"You believe you'll win." A hint of impatience hardened his jaw.
"Everyone believes they'll win or they wouldn't risk their lives in this Godforsaken endless winter to run their dogs up a river. Look, Mister—"
"Cedar."
"Look, Mister Cedar. I appreciate you coming—"
Something shattered upstairs. Kali froze. That sounded like the ceramic-pot booby trap she had set up in front of her bedroom window.
She scowled at her visitor, suspicions deepening. He did not appear surprised. His head was lifted, eyes toward the open stairway at the back of the workshop.
"You know anything about that?" she asked. He was probably the distraction while his cronies—
The front door slammed open. Three men charged inside, six-shooters leading.
Cedar whirled to face them. Metal rasped, and his sword appeared in his hand.
Hoping the men were focused on him, Kali darted for the bank of levers. She yanked the one with the billiards-ball knob.
A door along the wall slid upward, revealing two bulky figures in a shadowy cubby. Gears whirred, and a pair of four-legged mechanical constructs clanked out. Though comprised of a patchwork of spare parts and metal scraps, they had cohesive, canine forms. And they were big.
Her guard "dogs" angled toward the intruders, issuing growls that sounded like knives rasping against sharpening stones. Two of the men noticed the metal hounds and stumbled backward, eyes wide. The dogs' steel maws gaped open, and iron teeth snapped.
A shadow fell over Kali. The intruder from upstairs. He vaulted over the railing and landed in a crouch beside her. A leer split his beard and displayed a row of tobacco-stained teeth. He raised a Colt Peacemaker toward her chest.
Kali hurled her wrench at his jaw and spun, intending to run for cover behind the steam sled. A second man dropped into her path from above, and she crashed into his chest.
Before she could jump back, massive arms wrapped around her in a bear hug.
"Got her!" her assailant yelled.
She squirmed, finding room to angle a knee into his crotch. His grip slackened, and a startled grunt flew from his lips. She yanked free, but the first man had recovered and grabbed her from behind.
As quickly as he snatched her, he released her. A howl of pain assaulted her ears. One of her dogs had clamped onto the man's leg with those iron fangs.
"Good boy," she caroled while jumping to the side to avoid the man still behind her. He caught her braid though and whipped her back so roughly pain erupted in her neck. He spun her to face him. Sharp, cold steel pressed against her throat.
"Mongrel bitch," the man snarled. "I'll send you to the bone orchard for that."
A rifle fired.
Shock widened her attacker's eyes. He stumbled back, dropping the knife. She shoved him, and he collapsed.
Her mechanical dog still harried her other assailant. The three men who had charged in the front door lay unmoving, blood spattering the floor around them.
Cedar crouched on top of the boiler on her steam sled, rifle balanced across his knees, while the other dog clanked about below. He glared at the last man standing, but that fellow had noticed his comrades were all down. He raced out the front, slamming the door before the dog could chase after him.
Kali gave the bronze lever a shove. She wanted the metal guardians back in their cabinet before Cedar had a good look at them. She told people all her constructs were simply steam-powered machines, but anyone familiar with the technology would guess more than punchcards directed their actions.
Cedar watched through narrowed eyes as the hounds clanked toward their
kennel. "Interesting."
"A girl who lives alone up here has to have security measures," she said, not sure what to make of the speculation on his face.
His blue eyes shifted to study her. They were clear, like the purest ice, and a striking contrast to his dark hair. They could have made her uneasy, but the speculation was not unfriendly. The scar and beard fuzz notwithstanding, she wagered he would be popular with Nelly's girls. Not that she cared. A handsome man would not swindle her again.
"They say you're a witch." Cedar hopped to the floor, landing lightly. He pulled his sword from the belly of one of the downed men without the faintest change in expression that might suggest the killing bothered him.
Kali looked away. "How lovely. The local rumormongers have decided to share their theories with the cheechakos passing through."
Cedar cleaned the long, thin blade on the dead man's jacket. "It seems your friend is correct. You need the protection of a pugilist."
Whatever this fellow was, she suspected he was far more than a simple pugilist. After cleaning the sword, he walked from downed man to downed man, considering each face. He rolled one fellow from belly to back and stared for a long moment before shaking his head slightly.
"Have I proven my capabilities sufficiently so you'll hire me?" he asked.
"For all I know, you're one of these bandits, eager to rob me for… whatever they think I have."
"Would I have shot them if that were the case?"
Kali shrugged. "I haven't noticed that criminals care overmuch for other criminals."
He walked toward her. She tensed, but he stopped a few paces away and stared her in the eye.
"I'm no criminal."
"Then what are you?" she asked. "Why do you want to go with me?"
"I'm a simple traveler seeking adventure." He nodded toward the sled. "I believe you are someone whom adventure finds."
Kali snorted. In the aftermath of Sebastian's betrayal, those words were proving too apt for her tastes. Yet it might be useful to have such a capable fighter along, if he did not mean to betray her himself. At the least, she could put him to work loading and unloading supplies.
"Fine," she said, hoping she was not making a mistake. "We leave at eight A.M. Bring food for yourself for several days and kerosene for the lamps. Since it's dark most of the day, we'll travel through it when the trail allows."
She headed to a coat tree and bundled up. She would have to visit the new Mountie headquarters to report the incident. Things had been easier before the law showed up, representing the "Dominion of Canada." Criminals' bodies had merely been tossed out for the wolves.
"Where do I sleep?" Cedar asked.
Kali stopped at the door and gaped at him. "Uh, the Blue Moon Saloon has a couple rooms."
"You're not paying me enough to cover lodgings."
She wasn't paying him at all. No holes or frayed sleeves marked his clothing, and he bore quality weapons. Surely, he was no penniless pauper without coin for a room. "You're not sleeping here."
She did not want him roaming around her property while she slept. The flash gold was hidden and booby-trapped, but what of her other valuables? Her tools?
"Are you always this warm and demonstrative to men who just saved your life?" Cedar asked.
"I don't know. You're the first who's bothered."
"Then perhaps you should consider displaying gratitude, thus to encourage others who may consider similar acts."
Kali scowled at him. Why did she have a feeling he was going to be trouble?
Get your copy of Flash Gold by Lindsay Buroker at:
***************************
About the Lindsay Buroker
I've been writing fantasy novels and short stories since I was seven. I've been finishing them since… well, that's a more recent development.
I'm a professional blogger for my day job, and I live in the Seattle area ("area" is code for "I couldn't afford a house within twenty miles of the city limits and my neighbors have alpacas"). I have two vizslas who are as spoiled as most people's kids. Occasionally they let me leave the house to play tennis, go to the coffee shop, or take a yoga class.
Connect with Lindsay Buroker on her website!
Teaser Tuesday: Flash Gold by Lindsay Buroker
Today we have the talented Lindsay Buroker. Not too long ago, I read her middle grade work, The Goblin Brothers Adventure (see review here). Excellent collection of short stories. Her most recent work, Flash Gold, is steampunk set in the Yukon. Now I haven't read this one, but after devouring this excerpt, you better believe my next stop was to purchase my copy. Keep your eyes open, because you'll likely be seeing my review of Flash Gold in the next month or two. Until then, enjoy the excerpt Ms. Buroker has offered us.
Eighteen-year-old Kali McAlister enters her steam-powered "dogless sled" in a race, intending to win the thousand-dollar prize and escape remote Moose Hollow forever. The problem? Fortune seekers and airship pirates are after her for the secret to flash gold, her late father's alchemical masterpiece.
With her modified rifle and a pocketful of home-made smoke bombs, Kali wouldn't normally hide from a confrontation, but taking on a whole airship single-handedly is a daunting task. Unfortunately, the other racers won't assist her–they're too busy scheming ways to sabotage her unorthodox sled.
When a sword-slinging stranger shows up, wanting to hire on as her protector, she's sure he has ulterior motives, but he's the only one interested in helping her. The question is…why?
An 18,000-word (80 page) novella
Flash Gold: Part I
Kali McAlister tapped a wrench against her thigh as she contemplated her invention. She had stripped every extra piece of metal she could from the "dogless sled" and had even debated removing the brush bow, but that seemed unwise. Besides, it'd been cold enough the last week men were complaining of pee freezing before it hit the ground. The ice on Forty Mile Creek ought to be thick enough for the heavy steam sled. If it wasn't…winning the race would be the last of her worries.
Hinges creaked, and a gust of frigid air hurled snow into the workshop. Kali spun toward the door, her long braid whipping around her shoulder.
A fur-clad figure loomed, head an inch shy of the top of the frame. With those broad shoulders and that height, she assumed it was a man, though a cap buried his eyebrows and a scarf swaddled most of his face. He gripped a rifle in one gloved hand, and the hilt of something—a sword?—poked over his shoulder. Who in tarnation brought a sword to the Klondike?
Kali's grip tightened on the wrench. Another thug who wanted to interrogate her about her father's alchemical masterpiece, probably.
"If you're going to hold the door open that long, you could at least bring in some wood." That sounded cocky, especially since the wrench was the closest thing to a weapon she had handy, but bravado went a long way in Moose Hollow.
Meanwhile, she sidled closer to the workbench and the panel of levers on the far end of it. The man's blue eyes were the only thing visible between the cap and scarf, and they narrowed, watching her.
"The stove'll have to work double time to heat the place again," Kali said, hoping to distract him from her movement. "Not that this drafty hole could aspire to warm anyhow."
The man stepped inside. Kali tensed, ready to spring for a bronze lever with a billiards-ball knob.
He did not move past the threshold though. Without taking his eyes from her, he pushed the door closed. He removed the cap, revealing thick tousled black hair, then tugged the scarf down to his throat. Kali might have called him handsome, but a scar gouged one cheek, as if someone had tried to remove one of his eyes. The beard stubble darkening his jaw would do little to warm his chin in the cold. He must be new to the north.
His cool gaze skimmed the shop, resting briefly on the unorthodox metal sled before settling on her.
"You Kali McAlister?" he asked, voice smoother and more pleasant than his rough exterior hinted at.
"Ma'am." She propped her hands on her hips by way of disguising another step toward the lever. "It's polite to call a lady 'ma'am.' Even if she's a half-breed wearing man trousers with tools sticking out of all her pockets." Not to mention she was only eighteen and covered in grease. She would collapse in surprise if anyone called her ma'am without the ulterior motive of needing a favor.
He stared at her for a long moment. "You Kali McAlister? Ma'am."
"I reckon that depends on who you are." She pretended to scratch her knee and took another step.
"Your identity changes depending on your caller?"
"Sometimes it does." Another step.
"Cedar."
"What?"
"My name."
"That's not a name," she said. "That's a tree." Though at his height, children might mistake him for the latter.
"Both."
"And what are you here for, Cedar?" Three more steps and she would reach the lever. He might plow through her "security measures," but they would distract him and give her time to run.
He strode toward her. She lifted the wrench threateningly.
"The job." His free hand delved into a pocket. Paper rustled. He pulled out a sheet with writing on it.
It was Kali's turn to stare. "What job?"
Wordlessly, he held out the flyer.
ASSISTANT MUSHER FOR BARTON'S RACE
Experienced pugilist preferred. Inquire at Kali McAlister's Tinkery.
Kali scratched her head. "Where did you get this? I didn't post it."
"Nelly's Good-Time Girls."
"Nelly. Oh." Kali puffed out an annoyed breath. While it had been nice having someone step in as a big sister after her father died, sometimes Nelly presumed too much. At least this meant the man was probably not there to rob or interrogate her. "That's a mistake." She waved at the flyer. "I can't afford to hire help. I'm going alone. Sorry to have wasted your time."
Cedar lowered the paper, but did not leave. "If you win, there will be prize money."
"Yes…. One thousand dollars hard money goes to the first-place finisher, thanks to Francis Barton's lucky claim. The old sourdough's spending like a drunk."
"Then you'll be able to pay me."
Kali's suspicions toward her visitor returned. Only gold miners worked for the possibility of payment, and most of them were addled in the head. More, nobody in town thought her steam sled would do anything except crash through the ice and disappear forever. Francis wouldn't have let her enter the race if anyone believed otherwise.
"If I win, I'm using that money to build…something I've wanted to build for a long time," Kali said. "And I'm getting out of Moose Hollow to go somewhere warm." And where nobody knew about her crazy family or called her a witch.
"One hundred," Cedar said.
"Are you truly trying to negotiate with me over money that odds are against me winning?"
"You believe you'll win." A hint of impatience hardened his jaw.
"Everyone believes they'll win or they wouldn't risk their lives in this Godforsaken endless winter to run their dogs up a river. Look, Mister—"
"Cedar."
"Look, Mister Cedar. I appreciate you coming—"
Something shattered upstairs. Kali froze. That sounded like the ceramic-pot booby trap she had set up in front of her bedroom window.
She scowled at her visitor, suspicions deepening. He did not appear surprised. His head was lifted, eyes toward the open stairway at the back of the workshop.
"You know anything about that?" she asked. He was probably the distraction while his cronies—
The front door slammed open. Three men charged inside, six-shooters leading.
Cedar whirled to face them. Metal rasped, and his sword appeared in his hand.
Hoping the men were focused on him, Kali darted for the bank of levers. She yanked the one with the billiards-ball knob.
A door along the wall slid upward, revealing two bulky figures in a shadowy cubby. Gears whirred, and a pair of four-legged mechanical constructs clanked out. Though comprised of a patchwork of spare parts and metal scraps, they had cohesive, canine forms. And they were big.
Her guard "dogs" angled toward the intruders, issuing growls that sounded like knives rasping against sharpening stones. Two of the men noticed the metal hounds and stumbled backward, eyes wide. The dogs' steel maws gaped open, and iron teeth snapped.
A shadow fell over Kali. The intruder from upstairs. He vaulted over the railing and landed in a crouch beside her. A leer split his beard and displayed a row of tobacco-stained teeth. He raised a Colt Peacemaker toward her chest.
Kali hurled her wrench at his jaw and spun, intending to run for cover behind the steam sled. A second man dropped into her path from above, and she crashed into his chest.
Before she could jump back, massive arms wrapped around her in a bear hug.
"Got her!" her assailant yelled.
She squirmed, finding room to angle a knee into his crotch. His grip slackened, and a startled grunt flew from his lips. She yanked free, but the first man had recovered and grabbed her from behind.
As quickly as he snatched her, he released her. A howl of pain assaulted her ears. One of her dogs had clamped onto the man's leg with those iron fangs.
"Good boy," she caroled while jumping to the side to avoid the man still behind her. He caught her braid though and whipped her back so roughly pain erupted in her neck. He spun her to face him. Sharp, cold steel pressed against her throat.
"Mongrel bitch," the man snarled. "I'll send you to the bone orchard for that."
A rifle fired.
Shock widened her attacker's eyes. He stumbled back, dropping the knife. She shoved him, and he collapsed.
Her mechanical dog still harried her other assailant. The three men who had charged in the front door lay unmoving, blood spattering the floor around them.
Cedar crouched on top of the boiler on her steam sled, rifle balanced across his knees, while the other dog clanked about below. He glared at the last man standing, but that fellow had noticed his comrades were all down. He raced out the front, slamming the door before the dog could chase after him.
Kali gave the bronze lever a shove. She wanted the metal guardians back in their cabinet before Cedar had a good look at them. She told people all her constructs were simply steam-powered machines, but anyone familiar with the technology would guess more than punchcards directed their actions.
Cedar watched through narrowed eyes as the hounds clanked toward their
kennel. "Interesting."
"A girl who lives alone up here has to have security measures," she said, not sure what to make of the speculation on his face.
His blue eyes shifted to study her. They were clear, like the purest ice, and a striking contrast to his dark hair. They could have made her uneasy, but the speculation was not unfriendly. The scar and beard fuzz notwithstanding, she wagered he would be popular with Nelly's girls. Not that she cared. A handsome man would not swindle her again.
"They say you're a witch." Cedar hopped to the floor, landing lightly. He pulled his sword from the belly of one of the downed men without the faintest change in expression that might suggest the killing bothered him.
Kali looked away. "How lovely. The local rumormongers have decided to share their theories with the cheechakos passing through."
Cedar cleaned the long, thin blade on the dead man's jacket. "It seems your friend is correct. You need the protection of a pugilist."
Whatever this fellow was, she suspected he was far more than a simple pugilist. After cleaning the sword, he walked from downed man to downed man, considering each face. He rolled one fellow from belly to back and stared for a long moment before shaking his head slightly.
"Have I proven my capabilities sufficiently so you'll hire me?" he asked.
"For all I know, you're one of these bandits, eager to rob me for… whatever they think I have."
"Would I have shot them if that were the case?"
Kali shrugged. "I haven't noticed that criminals care overmuch for other criminals."
He walked toward her. She tensed, but he stopped a few paces away and stared her in the eye.
"I'm no criminal."
"Then what are you?" she asked. "Why do you want to go with me?"
"I'm a simple traveler seeking adventure." He nodded toward the sled. "I believe you are someone whom adventure finds."
Kali snorted. In the aftermath of Sebastian's betrayal, those words were proving too apt for her tastes. Yet it might be useful to have such a capable fighter along, if he did not mean to betray her himself. At the least, she could put him to work loading and unloading supplies.
"Fine," she said, hoping she was not making a mistake. "We leave at eight A.M. Bring food for yourself for several days and kerosene for the lamps. Since it's dark most of the day, we'll travel through it when the trail allows."
She headed to a coat tree and bundled up. She would have to visit the new Mountie headquarters to report the incident. Things had been easier before the law showed up, representing the "Dominion of Canada." Criminals' bodies had merely been tossed out for the wolves.
"Where do I sleep?" Cedar asked.
Kali stopped at the door and gaped at him. "Uh, the Blue Moon Saloon has a couple rooms."
"You're not paying me enough to cover lodgings."
She wasn't paying him at all. No holes or frayed sleeves marked his clothing, and he bore quality weapons. Surely, he was no penniless pauper without coin for a room. "You're not sleeping here."
She did not want him roaming around her property while she slept. The flash gold was hidden and booby-trapped, but what of her other valuables? Her tools?
"Are you always this warm and demonstrative to men who just saved your life?" Cedar asked.
"I don't know. You're the first who's bothered."
"Then perhaps you should consider displaying gratitude, thus to encourage others who may consider similar acts."
Kali scowled at him. Why did she have a feeling he was going to be trouble?
Get your copy of Flash Gold by Lindsay Buroker at:
***************************
About the Lindsay Buroker
I've been writing fantasy novels and short stories since I was seven. I've been finishing them since… well, that's a more recent development.
I'm a professional blogger for my day job, and I live in the Seattle area ("area" is code for "I couldn't afford a house within twenty miles of the city limits and my neighbors have alpacas"). I have two vizslas who are as spoiled as most people's kids. Occasionally they let me leave the house to play tennis, go to the coffee shop, or take a yoga class.
Connect with Lindsay Buroker on her website!
