C.M. Brown's Blog, page 10

LETTER "U" - A-Z CHALLENGE

A to Z Team [2014]Arlee Bird: Tossing it Out
Alex J. Cavanaugh: Alex J. Cavanaugh
Stephen Tremp: Author Stephen Tremp
Tina Downey: Life is Good
Damyanti Biswas: Amlokiblogs
Jeremy Hawkins: [Being Retro]
Nicole Ayers: The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim: M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips
Heather M. Gardner: The Waiting is the Hardest Part
AJ Lauer: Naturally Sweet
Pam Margolis: An Unconventional Librarian



"U" already! It is sad to find the A-Z Challenge coming to an end for another year.

Today, I have another excerpt / teaser from "Forces of Mist," I hope you all enjoy reading it.

Unexpectedly, they found an indentation of a similar carving as the first, on a rock face further below and after deciphering which direction to follow, continued on their journey, descending further into the valley.
Sandy’s previous scouting expeditions had never taken her out this far west before, but she wondered why this human facility had never been discovered.
Finally, they reached the bottom. At first they found nothing, but Roberts had a keen eye and unveiled another symbol, this one was different from the others and they both stood in silence contemplating the meaning.
An arrow pointing down, swirling lines wrapping around the centre symbol. With an urgency, filled with discovery, Sarah stepped forwards and pushed the centre of the marking.
They heard a clicking sound and found themselves stepping backwards as a doorway to an underground facility slide open. Cautiously, they made their way down the hand carved spiralling stairs, into the darkness below.
Shining their torches, they found the complex in disarray, littered with rubbish, as if the residents had packed in a haste to leave.
Roberts and Sarah found no human bodies lying amongst the debris. Either the aliens had succeeded in rounding everyone up or they had totally disposed of the causalities from the raid.
They found the control room and looked over the equipment, trying to scavenge for anything which could be useful for their needs. Most of the technology was digitally based, making it useless. Unfortunately, the new tool the aliens had devised to source out this type of technology had most likely led to this bases demise.
Sarah sighed, saddened at what little progress they had made since the invasion was now lost…more human survivors would be slaughtered placing them even closer to being totally annihilated.
Her eye happened to catch an image on one of the computer screens and she moved closer to find out more. She could not believe what she was looking at. It seemed this colony had been devising a weapon that was capable of wiping out the aliens on mass.
By the contents in the folder, it was beyond the drawing stage and was being produced in a hanger within the complex. They had been close to testing their development when they had been attacked.
“Hey Roberts, take a look at this!” Sarah gestured for him to come closer to the computer screen.

LETTER "T" - A-Z CHALLENGE

A to Z Team [2014]Arlee Bird: Tossing it Out
Alex J. Cavanaugh: Alex J. Cavanaugh
Stephen Tremp: Author Stephen Tremp
Tina Downey: Life is Good
Damyanti Biswas: Amlokiblogs
Jeremy Hawkins: [Being Retro]
Nicole Ayers: The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim: M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips
Heather M. Gardner: The Waiting is the Hardest Part
AJ Lauer: Naturally Sweet
Pam Margolis: An Unconventional Librarian



 "T" is an easy letter to post for the A-Z Challenge - with lots of " to's", "the's". There are so man "t" words used in our language. 

This excerpt / teaser is once again taken from "Forces of Mist," my yet not finished sci-fi dystopian novel, set in Sydney Australia.

Today, she had been on patrol, checking from a distance, the movement of the invaders and had already made her report to headquarters. The aliens had seemed to be setting up a camp in the tunnels of what used to be the motorways,  submerged under the waters of the harbour. 

She had spent a good part of her day laying low, observing their movements. The sun was now starting to lower in the western sky and she needed to get back to base camp before it set, otherwise she would be locked out for the night. Something she did not wish to experience.

It wasn’t so much the aliens which frightened her at night, but what the ‘Outsiders’, the humans who had somehow survived and had been left to fend for themselves, she feared them the most.

Without food and limited resources, her vehicle would be an easy target for their hunting parties. She had been told horrific stories of how others had been trapped outside the shelters during the night, only to be found stripped to their bones the next day. Yes, the Outsiders as they were now named had become harsh, cannibalistic creatures which hunted in strong packs, awaiting any opportunity which presented itself to feast upon the unfortunate. Food and resources were scarce outside the complexes and the people caught outside fought viciously for anything they could scavenge.

Sarah drove up the steep goat track of a road heading up the range to base. Distracted by her thoughts, she was taken by surprise when the near bald tyres of her rusted truck slipped on the loose gravel. Gasping for air, she screamed with fright as the tyres spun, finding no traction. She frantically tried to bring her vehicle under control, desperately struggling with the steering wheel, the tyres continuing to spin. Dust, rocks and smoke from the burning rubber filled the air, almost choking her. Her heart pounded against her chest, racing with the rush of adrenalin. She broke into a sweat while pressing her foot flat to the floor, trying to will the vehicle forward. The back end started sliding and she braced herself for the inevitable, but was shocked with disbelief when the truck suddenly jerked upwards and hovered above the ground becoming suspended in mid-air in the middle of the ravine.

The tell-tale signs of her enemy began enveloping her truck. The curling tendrils of mist twined around the cabin making their way around the metal frame, cushioning it as she sat inside. There was only one thing possible which could cause this outcome and Sarah took a lung full of air, before trying to locate the Mist Warrior.

TEASER TUESDAY

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by
http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/of Should Be Reading.Anyone can play along!Just do the followingGrab your current readOpen to a random pageShare two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that pageBE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE ANY SPOILERS!
Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away!


You don't want to ruin the book for others! 

Until Next Time (The Angel Chronicles #1) byAmy Lignor How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?
Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

MY TEASER:

 Liz bolted upright in bed. The sudden movement reopened the wounds that now covered her skin, and they started to bleed more profusely as her heart sprang back to life. Her mouth opened wide as she focused on her friend sitting beside her. A small squeak came from her lips as she expelled the air from her lungs. “You’ll be fine,” Faith said, quietly. “Just… fine.” Without noticing , Liz ran her hands haphazardly over her skin, back and forth, pressing her palms against the broken strips of flesh. She smiled at her friend’s pale face. “Don’t worry— you should see the other guy.”

Lignor, Amy (2012-01-24). Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 (Kindle Locations 1950-1956). Tribute Books. Kindle Edition.

LETTER "S" - A-Z CHALLENGE

A to Z Team [2014]Arlee Bird: Tossing it Out
Alex J. Cavanaugh: Alex J. Cavanaugh
Stephen Tremp: Author Stephen Tremp
Tina Downey: Life is Good
Damyanti Biswas: Amlokiblogs
Jeremy Hawkins: [Being Retro]
Nicole Ayers: The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim: M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips
Heather M. Gardner: The Waiting is the Hardest Part
AJ Lauer: Naturally Sweet
Pam Margolis: An Unconventional Librarian



 "S" is today's letter in the A-Z Challenge and I have a teaser filled with S's from my yet to be released dystopian sci-fi, "Forces of Mist." There is a small amount of swearing in this excerpt, so please be warned.



“Stand down Roberts, that’s an order.” Sarah cautioned.
He shrugged his shoulders and backed off in a huff to sulk in the darkness surrounding them.
“So, what’s your name?” Jennings asked again.
“It’s James, sir.”
Sarah interrupted, “James has been telling me that his whole society have either been taken prisoner or killed,” Sarah interrupted. “His sister is among the captured and he is worried for her.”
“What a load of crock! It’s probably some trap set up by your alien boyfriend to get us captured. For all we now this kid is working for them.” Roberts marched over towards James pointing a finger at him.
Jennings intercepted, “Settle down Roberts, he is just a kid. Do you know if the enemy has left this vicinity, James?” he asked in a calm voice, trying to gain the boys trust.
“Ah, I think so. The big ship took off over the range, with the captives and my sister. The convoy marching through have also moved on. There might be a few still lurking around, but I’m not certain.”
“Yeah, a likely story!” Roberts injected.
Sarah stood thinking, trying to decide what to do. Jackson had insisted they stay put, but she felt for the boy and wanted to help.
“I think we should contact home base and inform them of the situation and await their instruction.”
“I think that’s a good idea.” Jennings agreed.
“You are both mad. We should get the fucking hell away, before we are captured too.” Roberts angrily stomped around the cave like a caged animal, waiting to take flight.
“Well let’s not make any hasty decisions yet. We are safe for the moment. How about we make some breakfast pack up and then decide what to do.” Jennings added, looking through their rations grabbing out what he could find to make a welcome feast.
They settled around the small camp they had made the night before, while Jennings cooked.
James sat next to Sarah, patting Spank who was busy licking his face.

LETTER "R" - A-Z CHALLENGE

A to Z Team [2014]Arlee Bird: Tossing it Out
Alex J. Cavanaugh: Alex J. Cavanaugh
Stephen Tremp: Author Stephen Tremp
Tina Downey: Life is Good
Damyanti Biswas: Amlokiblogs
Jeremy Hawkins: [Being Retro]
Nicole Ayers: The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim: M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips
Heather M. Gardner: The Waiting is the Hardest Part
AJ Lauer: Naturally Sweet
Pam Margolis: An Unconventional Librarian



 "R" is an easy letter to post for the Challenge as Roberts is the name of one of my MC's. I hope you enjoy this excerpt from "Forces of Mist."



Roberts glared in her direction.  Sarah shrugged and swallowed her last mouthful of food, scrapped her hands together and held her left hand out to shake Roberts.
He left her gesture hanging in mid-air, stood up and walked back to his vehicle.
“I tried,” was all she said, before she called Spank over and jumped into her own truck.
They continued on, driving through the barren landscape until late in the day.
The sun was low in the sky when Sarah pulled over in an area next to the road, which once would have been a rest area. The toilet block was still standing and surprisingly the water was still running from the taps in the wash basin.
The small group went about eating and resting for the night.
The silence between them was beginning to become a strain so Sarah decided to order the two men to sleep while she took first watch. She needed to spend some time alone so she was happy to be rid of them.
Hours later she took a walk around the perimeter of the park. Spank was curled up under her truck sound asleep, so she left him and walked alone in the darkness.
The night air was cool and she zipped up her jacket to keep the chill out.
Looking out towards the horizon, she spotted similar lights to those she had seen before the mission.
Taking careful notice of which direction they headed towards, she made her way back to camp, glad that she had taken first watch.
She woke Jennings up to relieve her from duty and told him that she had seen alien activity in the distance and to be on guard. He sent her to get some rest which she was happy to oblige and made her way to the back of her truck, where she had a bed set up. Spank jumped up and nestled next to her and before she knew it, she was in a sound asleep.

LETTER "Q" - A-Z CHALLENGE

A to Z Team [2014]Arlee Bird: Tossing it Out
Alex J. Cavanaugh: Alex J. Cavanaugh
Stephen Tremp: Author Stephen Tremp
Tina Downey: Life is Good
Damyanti Biswas: Amlokiblogs
Jeremy Hawkins: [Being Retro]
Nicole Ayers: The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim: M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips
Heather M. Gardner: The Waiting is the Hardest Part
AJ Lauer: Naturally Sweet
Pam Margolis: An Unconventional Librarian



"Q" is the letter for today, and of course you will be teased once again with a excerpt from "Forces of Mist". I hope you enjoy.

 

Quickly an quietly, Roberts lifted the bag onto his shoulders and ensured it was secure, before he took out his weapon, ready for whoever was making their way towards them.

Sarah pulled Kelly back into the shadows and gagged her mouth with her hand, stopping the girl from crying out. She only hoped she would remain quiet while the threat of who was approaching them was erased.

Glancing down Sarah saw the mist twisting into the room, rising from the floor, searching every crevasse. Her heart stopped. The mist rose upwards almost brushing her leg. She dared not move in case her movement brought attention to her and Kelly.

Then one misty tentacle shifted away from the main source and crept closer. Reaching up to her face, it placed a cold finger upon her lips in a signal of silence.

Sarah let out a silent sigh in relief, realizing it was Jackson. His misty finger changed shaped and formed into a hand, signally a stop formation. He was warning her… He was not alone.

She looked at Roberts, who was trying to make eye contact with her. She passed on Jackson’s warning with hand signals and codes. He nodded in understanding and crouched closer to the wall.

Sarah hoped the girl would not betray their whereabouts to the invaders. She knew Jackson would do everything to protect them, but he would be unable to defy any command without retribution. She could not chance giving away his involvement with the human population.

Jackson’s mist lingered with them in the room longer than was necessary for his search, but she knew it was his intent to help calm her and Roberts to reassure them that he was trying not to let them be found.

LETTER "P" - A-Z CHALLENGE

A to Z Team [2014]Arlee Bird: Tossing it Out
Alex J. Cavanaugh: Alex J. Cavanaugh
Stephen Tremp: Author Stephen Tremp
Tina Downey: Life is Good
Damyanti Biswas: Amlokiblogs
Jeremy Hawkins: [Being Retro]
Nicole Ayers: The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim: M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips
Heather M. Gardner: The Waiting is the Hardest Part
AJ Lauer: Naturally Sweet
Pam Margolis: An Unconventional Librarian




"P" is the letter for the A-Z Challenge today and I am again presenting another excerpt / teaser from a yet to be released novel, "Forces of Mist." A dystopian, sci-fi for a NA audience.

People were running everywhere, some following the protocol which had been put in place if an attack occurred, but many seemed disorientated and disorganised.

Sarah opened the back doors of her truck and called out to two small children standing alone in the middle of the mayhem. It looked as if they were totally stunned, and her heart went out to them. They jumped in and she quickly closed the doors. “Strap in you guys, and hold on tight this is going to be one mean ride.”

Instead of heading towards the main hanger opening, Sarah turned into a tunnel heading into the main complex, this was one of the escape routes, but at present no one was using it, the road ahead was dark and empty.

With still no directions from control, Sarah headed through the escape tunnel with the two children. The loudness of the explosions behind them began to dissipate, as they continued to move ahead.

“Control, this is SA102J over!” Still nothing but static was all she could hear over the com.

Anger enveloped her outside calmness, and she punched the dash in front of her. The children jumped in their seats at the sound of the impact.

Feeling guilty at frightening them further, Sarah tried to make conversation with them. “What are your names?” she asked, trying to act a little calmer.

The boy was the one who spoke first, “I’m William, Will for short and this here is my sister, Jubilee.” The little girl bravely gave a small smile.

“Where are we going?” the boy asked.

“I am going to try to reach a hidden base on the south side of Sydney, near aplace called Wollongong.”

“What about all the people back there? Are they coming too?”

“Hopefully.” Was all Sarah said. 

HAPPY EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA GIVEAWAY HOP

4th Annual Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway HopApril 17th to 24thHosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Read Now Sleep Later
I will be giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Cardto one lucky participant just to say thanksto my followers and to wish you all a very happy andsafe Easter!Good Luck!

Simply fill out the Rafflecopter Draw below to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

LETTER "O" - A-Z CHALLENGE

A to Z Team [2014]Arlee Bird: Tossing it Out
Alex J. Cavanaugh: Alex J. Cavanaugh
Stephen Tremp: Author Stephen Tremp
Tina Downey: Life is Good
Damyanti Biswas: Amlokiblogs
Jeremy Hawkins: [Being Retro]
Nicole Ayers: The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim: M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips
Heather M. Gardner: The Waiting is the Hardest Part
AJ Lauer: Naturally Sweet
Pam Margolis: An Unconventional Librarian



 "O" is the letter for todays A-Z Challenge. And once again I have a teaser from "Forces of Mist."

“Over and out.” Sarah turned off the radio and turned towards Jennings, “Well, I suppose we need to pack up.”


They busied themselves stowing their belongings into the vehicles. Roberts organised what he needed for the journey from his own vehicle and stored it into Sarah’s truck. He was not a happy man. Not only did he have to continue the mission in this stupid woman’s company, but Jennings had been given permission to take away his truck, leaving him in her control. Plus he could not understand why the Commander was so insistent about bringing the boy they had found back to base in such haste. It was puzzling.


Sarah noticed while they packed that Spank was mirroring James. Wherever the boy went, Spank followed. Watching the display made her smile and she decided that Spank would return to base with James and Jennings. It would be safer for him and she also thought James was in need of a friend.


About an hour or so later, there was no trace of them left or of their camp and not one footprint left on the cave floor. Part of their training was to leave no evidence of their existence behind.


“Well it’s time to leave. James, I want you to take Spank back with you. Okay?”


The boy’s face lit up, “Thanks!” he replied and raced over and wrapped his arms around her. She tossed her arms around him giving him a light hug. She ruffled his hair on the top of his head in a motherly way and smiled into his bright eyes.


“Jennings, take care of both of them for me.” She instructed.


He nodded in response. 

Happy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop April 17th to 24th

4th Annual Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop
April 17th to 24th
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Read Now Sleep Later


Welcome to the Happy Easter Eggstravaganza 
Giveaway Hop!
I will be giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card
to one lucky participant just to say thanks
to my followers and to wish you all 
a very happy and
safe Easter!
Good Luck!


Simply fill out the Rafflecopter Draw below to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway