Aurora Springer's Blog, page 24

A Capable Woman - Snippet from ALARIK #SciFiRom for #WeWriWa

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors . Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. Find a new author and sample their work. Enjoy!

     I’m back after the holidays, which for me included a week in Savannah and a bout with the virus that’s been circulating through my family.
     This weekend, I’m continuing snippets from my new SciFi Romance story, ALARIK , book 4 in Taxyon Space . Earlier snippets were in Alarik’s pov, and I’m continuing with his first sight of the heroine. Phoebe Wong works in a farming complex on Mars. After Phoebe’s brother called to warn her that he was being hunted by Martian gangs, she decided to flee the planet. She has joined a group of colonists bound for a distant planet. Alarik is also on the run, as you can read in this earlier snippet - https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2019/12/alien-signals-discovered-snippet-from.html    In this scene, Alarik, aka wealthy mining magnate Rick Kent, has been invited to observe the colonists at a training center. Everybody wants a piece of his fake asteroid of rare metals.  
     Phoebe is teaching the young colonists how to handle sheep. Sheep are a novelty. Mars only recently permitted such livestock due to the expense of feeding them.
[Please excuse the addition of semicolons to fit into 8-10 sentences.]
     One of the small sheep, a lamb, butted the legs of a girl; the child backed away, moaning in fright.      Her face bright with laughter, the woman picked up the lamb and spoke to the youngster.      As she cuddled the animal, her warm smile and graceful figure evoked Alarik’s admiration. A capable woman, she seemed at home with the farm animals and the children. With a pang of regret, he remembered a certain girl in his homeland; Elissa often held her tame luma in the same manner. A sweet girl, now beyond his aspirations; her parents had begun to seek another triad match even before he and Baswin had left for Earth. By now she must be united in a hexath.     Pointing down, he asked, “Who is that woman?”      “The one with the lamb? Phoebe Wong; she was recruited because of her veterinary experience.”


Blurb:
Two people fleeing their planets discover a shared destiny.      When an alien spacecraft crashes on Mars, the repercussions sweep throughout the solar system and endanger the fragile new alliance with the Warrish mermen.       Alarik Kenton Tallis, First of his Triad, is forced to infiltrate human society on Earth as a spy to insure his injured brother receives proper medical care. But when his transmissions are detected, he must flee the planet.    On Mars, Phoebe Wong, a veterinary scientist with dubious family connections, is desperate to escape the underworld gangs terrorizing the domed city. She jumps at the chance to join the colonists bound for a distant exoplanet.     Their paths intersect on a space ferry bound for the outer planets. Trouble created by the mysterious spacecraft pursues them to Jupiter. Will they find the answers in the oceans of Europa, the hyperspace gateway to the stars protected by three diverse species?
You can preorder the book at: Amazon and Kobo   (I plan to release it by the end of this month.)


You can start this series for 99c
Europa , Book 1 of Taxyon Space – 99c at:   Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N
As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.  
Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.

Find a catalog of my published stories HERE . Join me on Facebook and Twitter  

Snippet from ALARIK - Phoebe sees his alien form #SciFiRom

Blurb Two people fleeing their planets discover a shared destiny. When an alien spacecraft crashes on Mars, the repercussions sweep throughout the solar system and endanger the fragile new alliance with the Warrish mermen.   Alarik Kenton Tallis, Eldest of three brothers, was forced to infiltrate human society on Earth as a spy to insure his injured brother receives proper medical care. But when his transmissions are detected, he must flee the planet. On Mars, Phoebe Wong, a veterinary scientist with dubious family connections, is desperate to escape the underworld gangs terrorizing the domed city. She jumps at the chance to join the colonists bound for a distant exoplanet. Their paths converge on a space ferry bound for the outer planets. Troubles generated by the mysterious spacecraft pursue them to Jupiter. Will their flight end on Europa, the hyperspace gateway to the stars protected by three diverse species?
Excerpt  Phoebe has spent a lot of time with Rick Kent on the space ferry, but she doesn’t know he is an alien. In this excerpt, she finally sees him without his disguise. Note: Warrish men have colorful hairstyles and moustaches. Alarik has very striking hair.   
Several Warrish men were relaxing in the room. They wore identical clothing of loose white tunics with wide belts and scaled green leggings over their six-toed bare feet. Near the entrance, a familiar triad with matching blue hair leaned on the counter, each man clasping a flask of greenish liquid. Another triad, three men with maroon Mohawks, sat around a table. In the middle of the counter, a tall Warrish man was filling a flask from a spigot. His flamboyant hair style caught her attention. His locks swept back over his scalp like a fiery wave with vivid orange roots shading to yellow at the tips. His eyebrows and short moustache had the same orange to yellow coloring. His left cheekbone bore a triad mark, an orange streak terminating in a yellow spot. Like several of the others, he wore wrist guards of gleaming copper. As she drew nearer, his familiar profile twisted her heartstrings. He turned toward her, halting to stare at her. He smiled, warm recognition sparking in his vivid green eyes. “Hello, Phoebe. What tides swept you here?” She scanned his green-tinged face with the strange intense eyes and orange tattoo. “Rick? Is it really you?”“It’s true.” He placed his hand over his heart, bowed and touched two fingers to his triad mark. “Alarik Kenton Tallis, First of the Flaming Comets. That’s my real name. You may call me Rick if you prefer.”

Pre-order at Amazon   Kobo    

Scenes in and around Savannah, GA #Nature

     My husband and I stayed in Savannah on the coast of Georgia over the New Year. Here are some pictures from our visit. On the top, a view of the bridge over the Savannah River at sunset. 
     Savannah is a pedestrian-friendly city and also offers free trolley rides and a free ferry across the river. We dined at a variety of restaurants within walking distance of our rental place. 


      Savannah is noted for its squares, each centered on a monument. Since it's a southern city, the trees are draped in Spanish moss. 


  Here's the view from the rear window of our rented one-bedroom house. A cat came to visit one morning. 


  One of our favorite local sites is the Savannah Wildlife Refuge. Alligators and various birds are common in the Refuge. This alligator was on the trail watching another one in the water. We also saw an armadillo and a dead bobcat. 


     Tybee Island is another place we enjoy visiting. When our sons were young, we often stayed there. Not many people were on this section of beach since they were replenishing the sand by dredging from farther out in the sea. 


   The pier on Tybee beach had a crowd of birds looking for handouts. Most were seagulls, however, a flock of boat-tailed grackles were perching on the rails. This one, a female, had found a piece of bread. 

What are your favorite places to visit? 

Holiday Specials – Four Series Starters at 99c #eBooks #SciFiRom

The Lady is Blue , Book 1 of Atrapako on Eden
99c at  Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N   GooglePlay Dr. Lucy Stannis leads a quiet life as the chief biologist on the isolated planet of Eden until an alien spaceship arrives. Undaunted by the scaled bodies and sharp claws of the formidable Atrapako, Lucy befriends their leader, Sa Kamizan Veedak. But, her hopes for studying the aliens are frustrated when they refuse to cooperate. Sa Kamizan is desperate to find a haven for his exiled people. After the terrible voyage from their desolate homeland, he cannot permit the puny humans to scuttle his plans to settle on the fertile planet. After meeting the beautiful Dr Stannis, he must rethink his devious scheme. Her skills astound him at every new challenge, but he cannot claim her without revealing the Atrapako secret. Conflicts between the unemotional aliens and the lively humans threaten the entire colony. Can Lucy and Sa Kamizan learn to work together to save his people and the human colonists or must they part forever?




Young empath, Violet Hunter, dreams of exploring exotic planets as a Grand Master’s pawn. Breaks in the teleportal network threaten countless lives, and suspicions point to the twelve Grand Masters. Violet must penetrate their curtain of secrecy to identify the culprit. Her challenges escalate when she meets the enigmatic man behind the griffin avatar. She plunges into a world of deadly intrigues and risks a perilous love. Armed with only her erratic powers and a mishmash of allies, she must battle the most powerful beings in the galaxy. Enter a universe where psychic powers are real. Explore space and meet alien creatures that slither, rattle and fly.






Europa , Book 1 ofDr. Nikki Bell’s plan to discover intelligent life on Jupiter’s moon hits a rocky start when her spaceship crashes on the icy surface of Europa. Seconds before she blacks out, she spies a man’s face in the water beneath the ice. When she wakes on the submarine Station, nobody believes her story. Convinced the mysterious stranger saved her life, Nikki searches for him while she explores the ocean and its alien inhabitants.  Kiron Arqin Ramis chose exile as a Watcher on a remote outpost to redeem his family’s honor. He never expected to find an attractive Earther woman close to death. He violates the prime policy by rescuing her. Despite suffering the penalty, he strives to warn her about his hostile leaders. Nikki’s unexpected meeting with Kiron triggers a chain of disasters in Europa’s perilous oceans. Can the daredevil scientist and scarred Watcher forge a new alliance despite their people’s antagonism?   


Super Starrella, Book 1 of Secret Supers99c at  Amazon  iBooks  B&N  Kobo  GooglePlayFantasy adventure & romance. Superheroes with quirky animal sidekicks tackle murderous villainsThe quiet summer before her freshman year turns frighteningly weird after Estelle Wright trespasses onto an Army base. Blown into the air and knocked unconscious, she wakes with a nascent superpower. Not to mention a winged horse with a snarky attitude and a mind of her own. Back home in Atalanta, a serial killer is targeting the students at Goldman University. Before long she must juggle college classes with sneaking out of the house after dark to battle alien monsters. Estelle’s life is in danger, but who can she trust: handsome Mark Copper from military intelligence, or hunky Toby, the tough gangster with a motorbike? Both men have secret agendas, but falling in love is not in their plans. Young adult superheroes, quirky animal sidekicks, and a dash of romance enliven this thrilling adventure. Book 1 of the Secret Supers.

Review of My Writing Accomplishments in 2019 #SciFi #Historical #Romance

Books Written and Published in 2019
Trapped on Vkani , Book 3 of Marooned on a desolate planet, joining forces with the enemy is their only hope for escape.Maya Pandita spent years preparing for an expedition to the Deadlands. But her dreams of unearthing ancient artifacts are shattered when her shuttle is buried by a violent sandstorm, and her team is abducted by the scaled inhabitants of the planet. Maya and her companions must try to outwit their blue captor and call for help before they die in the toxic atmosphere.Sa Vittaran has a problem in his claws. Along with treasures from the ruins, he has retrieved three smooth-skinned foreigners. He cannot leave them to die in the desert. Yet the puny creatures have little value as workers, except perhaps for the impudent woman who claims to be their leader. Her knowledge of the ancient script will be an asset if she can survive the long trek to his house.  An attack by marauders forces Maya and the Blue leader into a wary alliance. They must work together to thwart the bandits and reunite their company. Can Maya convince Sa Vittaran to help her team? If she fails, they are doomed to a short unpleasant life on the desolate, war-torn planet.  Amazon  Apple  B&N  Kobo  GooglePlay


Dame Audrey  Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N  GooglePlayYoung widow seeks true love in a Medieval romance with a touch of fantasy. 
In fourteenth century Britain, Dame Audrey cherishes her independence as the widow of a wealthy cloth merchant. But some of the wealthier traders covet her profitable business and she fears they will invoke the Abbot’s authority to compel her to marry a man of their choice. Her worst nightmare is suffering under a cruel husband like the hateful jeweler, Henry Goldsmith, who has threatened to curb her lively spirits. Audrey joins a pilgrimage to Glastonbury to pray for guidance. The holy relics give her no inspiration nor do her fellow travelers. On the homeward journey, she aids the dying victim of a brutal robbery. She wins the stranger’s blessing and a gold brooch with a green dragon. Back in her hometown, the faerie brooch attracts trouble from thieves of all ranks and the attentions of a handsome yeoman, Selwyn Drake.
Starrella and the Lost Girl, Short story in Secret SupersFantasy adventure. Superheroes with quirky animal sidekicks tackle murderous villains. 
Estelle and her flying mare join Toby and the Secret Supers to search for a missing seven-year old girl. Amazon   iBooks   B&N   Kobo

These stories bring my total output to 16 novel-length books, 2 novellas and 4 short stories since I began publishing in 2014.

Coming in early 2020: Alarik, Book 4 of
Two people fleeing their planets discover a shared destiny. When an alien spacecraft crashes on Mars, the repercussions sweep throughout the solar system and endanger the fragile new alliance with the Warrish mermen.   Alarik Kenton Tallis, Eldest of three brothers, was forced to infiltrate human society on Earth as a spy to insure his injured brother receives proper medical care. But when his transmissions are detected, he must flee the planet. On Mars, Phoebe Wong, a veterinary scientist with dubious family connections, is desperate to escape the underworld gangs terrorizing the domed city. She jumps at the chance to join the colonists bound for a distant exoplanet. Their paths converge on a space ferry bound for the outer planets. Troubles arising from the mysterious spacecraft pursue them to Jupiter. Will their flight end on Europa, the hyperspace gateway to the stars protected by three diverse species?
Pre-order at Amazon  Kobo   

Strategic Goals First, I’m aiming for longer series to gain more sales from promoting the first book. Currently, I have one series (Grand Masters’ Galaxy) with a prequel and five full-length novels. Taxyon Space will soon include four novels and a short story. The fourth Book, Alarik, was conceived as the start of a trilogy about the three brothers in the Flaming Comets Triad. Each book will focus on a different brother. Secret Supers has three novels plus a short story.Atrapako on Edencomprises three novels.
Free promosIn March, I ran a free promotion of Grand Master’s Pawn with about 4,700 downloads plus sales of subsequent books in the series. Pawn gained 2 new reviews of 4-5 stars.
In October, I ran a free promotion of Europa with about 5,200 downloads plus sales of subsequent books in the series. Also, Europa acquired 7 new reviews, mostly 4-5 stars. 

This strategy appears successful. 

Alien Signals Discovered- Snippet from ALARIK for #WeWriWa #SciFiRom

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors . Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. Find a new author and sample their work. Enjoy!

I’m continuing snippets from my new SciFi Romance story, ALARIK , book 4 in Taxyon Space . The alien “merman” Alarik is living on Earth, disguised as a human. In last weekend’s snippet, he received a surprise virtual visit from his boss, Triarch Webale.
You can read last week’s snippet here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2019/12/welcome-to-another-sunday-with.htmlI’ve skipped his report to the Triarch. At the end, Alarik was ordered to visit Mars and investigate the crashed alien ship. He is still in the seedy rented room when he noticed a man behaving suspiciously.
Excuse my misuse of semicolons to fit 8-10 sentences.

     Hidden behind the blinds, Alarik focused his scope on the face of the man at the corner of the building. Luckily, the man’s mouth was visible, and the special translator converted the movements of his lips into words, “Alien signals originated in this block; above ground level; maybe third to fifth floors.”      From his room on the fourth floor, Alarik grimaced and swore under his breath. He had to escape and warn his triad brother; once their covert presence was detected, Earth was no longer safe.      The man standing below paused, evidently listening to instructions. He whispered, “Yeah. Wait for reinforcements; got it.”      Anxious to leave before the Earthers arrived to investigate, Alarik clipped his toolkit on his belt and stuffed his belongings into a small pack. He looked around the dingy room. He wore gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints, but he couldn’t remove all traces of his presence; DNA extracted from strands of hair and flakes of skin could be analyzed to reveal his alien identity.

Blurb: Two people fleeing their planets discover a shared destiny.      When an alien spacecraft crashes on Mars, the repercussions sweep throughout the solar system and endanger the fragile new alliance with the Warrish mermen.        Alarik Kenton Tallis, First of his Triad, is forced to infiltrate human society on Earth as a spy to insure his injured brother receives proper medical care. But when his transmissions are detected, he must flee the planet.     On Mars, Phoebe Wong, a veterinary scientist with dubious family connections, is desperate to escape the underworld gangs terrorizing the domed city. She jumps at the chance to join the colonists bound for a distant exoplanet.     Their paths intersect on a space ferry bound for the outer planets. Trouble created by the mysterious spacecraft pursues them to Jupiter. Will they find the answers in the oceans of Europa, the hyperspace gateway to the stars protected by three diverse species?
You can preorder the book at: Amazon and Kobo   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YKZ1X18/
As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.  
Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.

Find a catalog of my published stories HERE . Join me on Facebook and Twitter  

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. ...

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors . Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. Find a new author and sample their work. Enjoy!

Last weekend, I took a post-Thanksgiving break. Today as promised, I’m returning to snippets from my new SciFi Romance story, ALARIK , book 4 in Taxyon Space . The first part of this story switches between Alarik on Earth to Phoebe on Mars. Actually, I’ve rewritten parts of the beginning since they were posted here.

Blurb:Introduction to snippet: Alarik, a Warrish spy on Earth, saw the news report about the alien spacecraft and recognized the crab-like alien as an Eekrepisth. He sent a quantum message to Triarch Webale.
    Less than a sixth of an Earth hour elapsed before the reply came. A short pulse from his qtel preceded a shimmer in the air at the foot of the bed. The hazy column resolved into the blurry figure of Triarch Webale, his contact in the Warrish base on Europa. The red trident under his left eye made a vivid contrast to his pale wrinkled face and white hair. His flowing white robes, the traditional garment of the Triarchs, seemed quaint and outmoded; Alarik’s unconscious mind must have adapted to modern customs on Earth.      Jumping off the bed, Alarik dropped onto one knee on the cold floor in the formal protocol. He bowed his head and intoned the correct greeting, “Noble Triarch, I am honored by your presence.”       Webale said, “You may stand, Overagent Tallis.”     As Alarik obeyed, the Triarch continued, “Your message was the first to note this spacecraft. Do you have any further information before I contact the Earther authorities?” 

You can preorder the book at: Amazon and Kobo  

My Weekend Special
All the books in my Secret Supers series are 99c this weekend. Superheroes with quirky animal sidekicks tackle murderous villains in three fun adventures with a dash of romance.

Reviewers say:“This story has it all, a young woman who becomes a super hero: A super villain, mysterious boyfriend from another planet, conflict between good and evil, and trying to do the right thing helping others.” “the world building is fabulous, the characters well-rounded, and this plot is just FUN!”Super Starrella, Book 1  Amazon  iBooks  B&N  Kobo  Starrella Falls, Book 2  Amazon  iBooks  B&N  Kobo  Gargoyle Hunt, Book 3  Amazon  iBooks  B&N  Kobo 

As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.  
Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.

Find a catalog of my published stories HERE . Join me on Facebook and Twitter   

December's Free eBooks #SciFi #Romance

Dec 1-31: Otherworldly Romance - https://books.bookfunnel.com/otherworldlyromance/aal000xg4g



Dec 1-31: Blast off with Sci-Fi –   https://storyoriginapp.com/to/TKCds5Q



Dec 1-31: Sci-Fi Winter Giveaway -
https://books.bookfunnel.com/sci-fi_winter_giveaway/25q0bpp174

My Print Books Make Great Gifts #SciFi #Fantasy #Romance

Do you prefer reading paperback books to ebooks? Several of my novels are available in print. They also make great gifts.


Taxyon Space Near Future SciFi adventure & alien romance. What alien creatures lurk under the icy surface of Europa? Europa, Book 1 



A Tale of Two Colonies 

Captured by the Hawk

Rosemary’s Quest
Fantasy. Untrained teen witch tangles with demon king and white wizard. Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N   GooglePlay   PRINT

A warning - Snippet from EUROPA for #WeWriWa #SciFi Romance

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors . Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. Find a new author and sample their work. Enjoy!

With Thanksgiving coming up, we’re spending the weekend cleaning and painting the dining room ceiling. In December, I hope to bring you snippets from my new story, Alarik , book 4 in Taxyon Space . In the meantime, I’m running snippets from the first book, Europa . This series stars alien mermen, Warrish, who have been secretly observing humans from a submarine base in the oceans of Jupiter’s moon.

Introduction for snippet:Dr. Nikki Bell is exploring the ocean of Europa when she spies six “mermen” hunting sea creatures. She is hiding in a coral forest and recognizes the man who saved her life. You can read the previous snippet at https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-man-beneath-ice-snippet-from-europa.htmlThe final sentence was: She clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp.
His gaze fixed on her and his eyes widened in surprise. His lips twitched into a fleeting smile; a second later, his red brows knotted in a frown. He swiveled around, facing away from her and blocking her view of the fishermen and the net. Why was he ignoring her? Initially baffled by his rejection, Nikki guessed he had interposed his body to protect her from their sight. Twisting his left hand behind his back, he made repeated shooing motions. Keep away, she interpreted his gesture. Much as she longed to speak with him, she heeded the warning. She could scarcely withstand six athletic men armed with harpoons, however primitive they looked. Crouching lower, she slithered farther into the tangled branches until she couldn’t see the clearing.

Grab your copy while it’s still FREE Europa , Book 1 of Taxyon Space – SciFi Thriller and Romance FREE at:   Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N   GooglePlay
Reviewers Say: “Awesome storyline, great character building and enough action to keep you turning pages till the wee small hours, highly recommend.” “The author has created a tapestry that excites the reader’s senses, and inflames the imagination.”“packed with vivid imagery of Jupiter’s moon, Europa, and its oceans teeming with life.”
November’s Bargain: Special Price of 99c for Super Starrella

Young adult superheroes, quirky animal sidekicks, and a dash of romance enliven this thrilling adventure. Book 1 of the Secret Supers. Reviewers Say:“Super girls and flying horses. What more do you need?”
“an excellent storyline, relatable characters and plenty of action”“a flying horse, 2 good-looking suitors, her first year at college, and a mysterious super-villain make for a fun read.”“If you like the His Dark Materials trilogy, you'll love this book!” Buy links: As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.  
Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.

Find a catalog of my published stories HERE . Join me on Facebook and Twitter