Aurora Springer's Blog, page 52

Aint' got nothing! Snippet from Comet Tales for #WeWriWa #SciFi

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors . Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.
I am continuing a scene from an older story, my space operetta, Captured by the Hawk. This story is included in my new release, Comet Tales.
Tag line: Spaceships crash across the galaxy in the comic misadventures of spy Grey Kat and pirate Black Hawk.After stealing secret codes from the Emperor's Revenge, Grey Kat was caught trespassing near Black Hawk’s ship. He is interrogating her about the stolen codes. You can read last week’s snippet here - http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2017/03/grey-kay-meets-black-haw-in-snippet-for.html
“Ain’t got nothing!” Kat whined in the dialect of the seedier docks.   His fierce eyes probed her. She flinched involuntarily and lowered her eyes, stalling for time or inspiration. “Are you afraid of me?” he asked. Kat raised her head, gazing boldly into his green eyes, and sneered, intending to confound him, “What me? Why’d I fear a slick spacer like ye?” “What did you steal from the Emperor’s Revenge?” he accused. “Wha’ ship? Didn’t take nothing from no ship!” she spat out, pursing her lips as if in perplexed anger. “My men saw you creep out of the Revenge’s cargo bay.” 


Comet Tales, my new release, is an anthology of 4 short stories and the novella, Captured by the Hawk. 99c until March 15thComet Tales: Trudge over the rocks of Mars, trek through a hazardous alien jungle, or pop across the galaxy in a pirate ship in five fun tales of adventure and romance. Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N


Two Day Special: March 12-13th Box sets & Anthologies for 99c davidnethbooks.com/promo


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. 

Rana: Teenage Queen - New Release by Liza O'Connor

When Humans first arrived on HopeAs Earth’s population overran the available supply of food, and women had become a scarcity most men could not afford, many chose to take their chances going to another planet. While the first planet named Hope could not survive all the privileged non-working people who arrived, a hardworking group from the original Planet Hope secured a ship and left the planet they now referred to as ‘Hopeless’ and found a new planet which, they again named Hope.  (You know the saying that Hope springs eternal…)
This time, they would return to the ways of older times. No more democracies, parliaments, congress, or house of lords. The captain of the ship declared he and his crew would split up the small planet and each would be “Kings” of their lands. They divided up the livestock and the few women so each Hold would have at least one woman, and sufficient livestock to grow their herds.
Upon landing on Hope, a contingency of small humans arrived, claiming they already lived on Hope, but would welcome the company. They even offered to show the colonists the best spots to build their holds
Since they were barely half the size and a quarter of weight of the arriving humans, the newcomers didn’t feared them, and accepted them as guides to their new homes. Later, when they saw the beautiful petite women of these small people, most of the kings, and the ministers took a beauty for their wife. Nor did any of the tiny men object. Thus, for the first two hundred years, Earth humans thought the little humans were harmless and weak.

BLURB
Rana is only sixteen when she becomes queen. Her first challenge is to quell an internal coup while a massive army storms the gates of her castle. Her enemies believe her to be a child, but she has powers they’ve never suspected. She also has great dreams for her people, and she will do whatever is necessary to make them happen, even marrying a prince she does not want.
EXCERPTRana’s father stared at her a long time. She saw nothing familial in his hard, black eyes. Finally, he sighed. “Come to the window and I will tell you my concerns.”
He was her father. She had loved him all her life, but she no longer trusted him. She walked to a different window on the same wall. “Tell me where you need help.”
He sighed heavily and stared out upon the expansive grounds of the castle. “The left wall has been breached and the men are entering the shed. They will find a secret tunnel into the main castle. I have men posted at the tunnel door, but it won’t be enough to stop them from entering and killing the citizens hiding in the cellars.”
“Why would they kill citizens?”
“Because they have orders to find you and the citizens will not tell them where you are.”
She closed her eyes and focused her thoughts, calling banshees from the ground and sending them into the tunnels. She feared for the soldiers guarding the tunnel door, but better a few men die than the women and children. They were the future of the kingdom.
Certain twenty banshees could handle all who entered the tunnel, she refocused on her father. “What else?”
He rubbed his neck. “This would be easier if you could tell me what you can do.”“What else?”
When he didn’t answer, she focused on the battle outside. “Those catapults seem to be doing a lot of damage.”
A burst of pain erupted from his chest. “Aye, they are.”
She focused on the ground beneath the heavy machines. A moment later, the ground shook, and a crevice opened along the line of catapults. She watched with satisfaction as the machines disappeared. Mother had let her practice opening a half-inch crevice in the vegetable garden once, but this was her first attempt at allowing her power out at full force.
Adrenaline surged through her body at just how powerful she could be. She was about to close the crevice except it cut off over fifty percent of the men attacking her kingdom. She decided to leave it.
“What else?”
She looked to her father, expecting him to be overjoyed with her abilities. Instead, he stared at her in horror. “What are you? You aren’t my daughter! I didn’t create you!”
His words stung like a whip. She stepped back from the pain as her body filled with a sickening sense of danger. A moment later, arrows shot through the narrow windows, one slicing through her father’s neck.
She watched in confusion as the giant man who had loved her all her life, save today, fell to his knees. Blood pumped out the exit side of the arrow, turning the walls bright red.
She remained where she was, tucked to the stonewall and watched his life spurt out of him.
Had he not attacked her with such words, she might have realized the danger came from outside in time to save him. But now, there was nothing she could do for him.When the fountain of red stopped, she crawled beneath the arrows that still showered through the windows, to be closer to her father.
She slowed time so she could safely approach him and grip his hand. Dull eyes opened and stared at her, prompting her to speak before he died.
“I am your daughter! You taught me to care for our people. You taught me their safety comes before all else. I will not allow them to be conquered and enslaved. I will win this battle and make this kingdom a place of safety and happiness. I will do it in your name, because you are my father, and before today, you loved me dearly.”
A single tear ran from the edge of his eye, off his cheek, and fell into the blood pooling beneath his head. His eyes slowly closed.
She placed her hand on his chest and smiled as tears of relief fell upon his chest. He had died in peace, not anger. His initial repulsion of her powers had not lasted. His last emotion had been relief.
SALES LINKRANA: TEENAGE QUEEN AMAZON About the AuthorLiza O’Connor lives in Denville, NJ with her dog Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels.
OTHER BOOKS BY LIZA O’CONNORSCIENCE FICTIONThe SkyRyders SeriesSci-Fi Romance Scavenger’s Mission Scavenger Falters Scavenger Vanishes-coming 2017
FANTASY RANA: TEENAGE QUEEN
Click here For ALL Novels by Liza
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New Release: DANCES OF DECEPTION by John Kang #Epic_Fantasy

NEW RELEASE: DANCES OF DECEPTION https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYE5AY7
SHOUTOUTA mighty empire threatens to invade Cathay, and only a Dragon Song can ensure peace. 

BLURBA mighty empire threatens to invade Cathay, and only a Dragon Song can ensure peace.

After vanquishing the Last Dragon with the power of her voice, all Kaiya wants is a quiet life of anonymity. Instead, the Emperor sends her to negotiate peace with the aggressive Teleri Empire.

The critical mission reunites her with her childhood friend Tian, now an assassin-spy who loathes killing. He is no longer the adorable, gullible boy from her memories, any more than she is the adventurous, sweet girl from his. Instead of rekindling nostalgia for a youthful innocence they both yearn for, their reunion ignites a mutual hatred.

When the Teleri Empire breaks off talks, Tian must help Kaiya escape. Orcs, Ogres, and enemy soldiers stand between them and home, and their volatile relationship could get them captured… or killed.


RELEASE PROMOMarch 3 – 10Books 1-3 each 99c
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3AP3A0/

Grey Kay meets Black Hawk in Snippet for #WeWriWa #SciFi #Comic Space Operetta

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors . Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.
For a change of scenery, I am switching to a scene from an older story, my space operetta, Captured by the Hawk. This novella is included in my new release, Comet Tales.


Tag line: Spaceships crash across the galaxy in the comic misadventures of spy Grey Kat and pirate Black Hawk.          The two main characters meet in this snippet. Grey Kat has been caught trespassing near a ship. (Punctuation adjusted to fit.)
Two armed men escorted her through the ship’s narrow passages into a large cabin. A tall man stood by a table displaying star charts; a man clothed entirely in black, even his face was wrapped in folds of black cloth, exposing only his piercing green eyes. His voice was cold, “My men claim you are the thief who stole the secret codes from the Emperor’s Revenge. Where are the codes?” Tilting her chin in defiance, she stared back without speaking. Who was he to question her? “I am the Black Hawk. You are on my ship, the Rogue Star, and utterly in my power. I recommend you tell me what you know.” His deep voice sent a shiver down her spine.

My new release is an anthology of 4 short stories and a novella. 99c until March 15thComet Tales: Trudge over the rocks of Mars, trek through a hazardous alien jungle, or pop across the galaxy in a pirate ship in five fun tales of adventure and romance. Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N

Find Oodles of FREE Super #SciFi & #Fantasy Stories this Weekend at http://www.pattyjansen.com/promo
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. 

Grey Kay meets Black Haw in Snippet for #WeWriWa #SciFi #Comic Space Operetta

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors . Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.
For a change of scenery, I am switching to a scene from an older story, my space operetta, Captured by the Hawk. This novella is included in my new release, Comet Tales.


Tag line: Spaceships crash across the galaxy in the comic misadventures of spy Grey Kat and pirate Black Hawk.          The two main characters meet in this snippet. Grey Kat has been caught trespassing near a ship. (Punctuation adjusted to fit.)
Two armed men escorted her through the ship’s narrow passages into a large cabin. A tall man stood by a table displaying star charts; a man clothed entirely in black, even his face was wrapped in folds of black cloth, exposing only his piercing green eyes. His voice was cold, “My men claim you are the thief who stole the secret codes from the Emperor’s Revenge. Where are the codes?” Tilting her chin in defiance, she stared back without speaking. Who was he to question her? “I am the Black Hawk. You are on my ship, the Rogue Star, and utterly in my power. I recommend you tell me what you know.” His deep voice sent a shiver down her spine.

My new release is an anthology of 4 short stories and a novella. 99c until March 15thComet Tales: Trudge over the rocks of Mars, trek through a hazardous alien jungle, or pop across the galaxy in a pirate ship in five fun tales of adventure and romance. Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N

Find Oodles of FREE Super #SciFi & #Fantasy Stories this Weekend at http://www.pattyjansen.com/promo
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. 

#MIND Freebie and New Release Blog Tour with @Jennnixon

MIND: The Beginning (Bk1) – Free March 2nd through 6th www.amazon.com/dp/B017M3IJM8

After Dina Ranger loses telepathic contact with her twin brother, Duncan, she breaks into his apartment and stumbles onto a special government unit responsible for monitoring the psychic population. She’s offered a job where she can use her psionic gifts to help people.
Stranded on earth over a hundred years ago, Liam of Shria is searching for a metal needed to repair his ship when he finds Dina inside an alien escape pod and narrowly saves her after she trips the alarm.
As the mystery and their relationship deepens, Liam helps Dina learn the truth behind her abilities while uncovering a plot to rebuild an ancient weapon, exposing dangerous secrets about the alien presence on earth that may change the future forever.

MIND: The Message (Bk4) – New Release on sale March 4th 2017 www.amazon.com/Jenn-Nixon/e/B002BLNBBQ
After years of trying to fit in, Casey Wu made her own path, her own way, working as a private security consultant in New York City. When Casey’s apartment is broken into and she and her mother become targets of powered individuals with ties to her long-missing father, reality is turned upside down as she’s pulled into an exciting and treacherous world she’s more connected to than she realizes.Former General Theo Struck left the military behind to shore up the strength of the MIND team, worried about the significant emergence of psychic and visitor abilities on Earth. While trying to recover from the trauma he suffered during The Reckoning, and attempting to keep the entire team safe, he learns a mysterious private investigator is tailing him. The moment Theo confronts the powerful descendant sparks fly, but her story, almost too unbelievable to consider, isn’t something he can ignore.Determined to uncover the truth about her extraordinary powers, Theo agrees to help Casey, and when they uncover connections between her father and a government chip his former unit used on human psychics, their blossoming friendship is tested as the dangerous investigation puts the entire MIND team at risk.
MIND: The Message Release Party: https://www.facebook.com/events/575657465965855/

About the AuthorJenn Nixon's love of writing started the year she received her first diary and Nancy Drew novel. Throughout her teenage years, she kept a diary of her personal thoughts and feelings but graduated from Nancy Drew to other mystery suspense novels.
She often adds a thriller and suspense element to anything she writes be it Romance, Science Fiction, or Fantasy. When not writing, she spends her time reading, observing pop culture, playing with her two dogs, and working on various charitable projects in her home state of New Jersey.
Jenn Nixon is a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers.Website: jennnixon.com Facebook: facebook.com/JennNixonAuthor   Blog: jennafern.blogspot.com  twitter.com/jennnixon goodreads.com/author/show/712429.Jenn_Nixon


Excerpt “I had a feeling I’d see you again,” the voice called.Dina looked around the wooded area, feeling confused for a moment. It seemed familiar. Across the marsh, Liam was leaning against a tree, casually dressed, hair slightly less shaggy than it had been last time, hands shoved in his skinny jeans. A light mist lingered over the grass, a taste of salt in the air. How did she get here? “What?”“Didn’t think it would be this soon,” he replied with a shrug. The Gut surrounded her. She didn’t remember coming here, yet she was in the Bay Hook. Solid ground beneath her feet and the stench she breathed in, all real. “Why, uh . . . did you come back?”“The real question is why did you call me here?”“What are you talking about? You were already here, and I didn’t call. I don’t even have your number.”“Want it?” he asked, smirking, then shook his head. “No, wait . . . oh. Uninhibited speech, foggy backdrop, extra flirty. I get it.”“Get what?”“We’re dreaming. You’re asleep right?”“No,” she spat, spreading her arms, twisting in place. She pulled a cattail-punk out of the ground and shook it at him. “We’re in the Hook, hello, don’t you see the trees? Can’t you smell the marsh?”“You must have been thinking about me, which is normal, frankly, given the circumstances. But how the hell are you keeping me here?”“I’m not doing anything.”“Dina, did both your parents have psionic abilities?”“Only my father, why?”“Curious,” he said, moving toward her, gray eyes sweeping up and down. “What about his parents, either of them?”“I don’t know. What does it matter?”“People don’t normally share dreams. You’re strong—”“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Dina threw her hands up in the air and walked away. “Who cares if I am or not? There’s some dude out there burning up people, and I don’t have time to tramp around the swamp with E.T.”“What did you say?”“Nothing. Doesn’t matter. I’m outta here.”“Wait, Dina,” he said, catching up and surpassing her. He grabbed both her arms to stop her. “You really are dreaming.”Everything around her was too real to be a dream. She felt the pressure of his fingers, even the sinking feeling of her feet on the soft ground. “So this isn’t the Gut, it’s a dream? Right, and you’re sharing it with me, sure.”“You’re amazing!” He laughed boyishly. “Even after all you’ve seen, you’re still questioning everything.”“Then prove it to me. Call me, here’s my number,” she said, mentally sending the digits to his head. Liam smiled at her. A sweet, sincere smile that made her smile back before shrugging.“Dina—”Her eyes popped open. The ceiling of her bedroom stared back. “Oh, what the hell?”Dina sat up, brow furrowed. She reached toward the nightstand for her phone. Was it going to ring? It had felt as if she had been there, standing in the grass with Liam. She shut her eyes, trying to bring the images back, but they were already fading.
Had she just shared a dream with Liam? 

Comet Tales for #SFRB March Showcase #SciFiRom

Welcome to the SFR Brigade February Showcase! This month, I’m showcasing my new release, an anthology of my shorter works with the cute title of Comet Tales. If you like puns, my stories may appeal to you. Hop to the end of this post for freebies!
Please remember to check out the posts from the other participants at http://sfrcontests.blogspot.com/p/sfr-brigade-presents.html  

Comet TalesNote, most of these stories are available separately or have been offered for special occasions.

Four short stories and a novella. Trudge over the rocks of Mars, trek through a hazardous alien jungle, or pop across the galaxy in a pirate ship in five fun tales of adventure and romance.
Gifts of JangaloreShort story set in the Grand Masters’ Universe. Empath Rosa Spruce and Psi Master Varan seek an ancient site within an alien jungle.   Set in the world of the Grand Masters, a few hundred years prior to the events in the Grand Master's Trilogy.
Stranded on IlluminaJacie’s plan to meet her boyfriend on the Planet Illumina is scuttled when he skips their date.  My offering for Valentine's day.
Lonely Hearts on MarsLove blossoms from disaster in this science fiction short story set in the near future. With hints of the Beetles. 
Super ChristmasA glimpse into the lives of the Secret Supers.  A sweet scene with Estelle, Toby and a peep at their animal pals, Rockette and Growler. Would you like to fly on a winger horse? 
Captured by the HawkA Space Opera Novella. Spaceships crash across the galaxy in the comic misadventures of spy Grey Kat and pirate Black Hawk. Will Kat uncover his mask before they are imprisoned by the Emperor’s troops?  This story pays homage to my Irish relatives. Katrina Sligo runs a ship called the Shamrock (slight spoiler).  
Comet Tales will be discounted to 99c until March 15thBuy Links Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N

Grand Master’s TrilogyThe Box set of Grand Master’s Trilogy, Books 1-3, is on a special $4.99 discount this weekend
Buy Links Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N



This weekend, Mar 4-5th: Fill your eReaders with >100 FREE SciFi & Fantasy eBooks - http://pattyjansen.com/promo/

Runs all March - FREE with KindleUnlimited - SFR, PNF, FR at http://www.smschmitz.com/promo

A Glimmer of white-edged feathers - Snippet from Gargoyle Hunt for #WeWriWa #Superheroes

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors . Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.
I am posting snippets from Gargoyle Hunt, Book 3 of Secret Supers.
BlurbDanger is the last thing on Estelle’s mind when she visits the University of Oxenford for a summer course. But, mysterious thefts and shadowy figures spur her into action. With Toby five thousand miles away, Estelle and her winged horse must hunt for the culprits alone. Soon they are embroiled in a mixed bag of aliens and ancient magic. Toby’s unexpected arrival throws her into turmoil and spurs events into a climax. 
Toby is in London where he has been followed. He walked into an ambush. See last week’s snippet – http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/20... final sentence was: Toby agreed, “Time to scarper, cat.”
He rubbed the back of his neck where the cudgel had hit. He could feel a tender lump; the headache was only going to worsen.  “Want to ride?” the cat stretched his legs, appearing as a ghostly shape. “Yep, fastest way out! But you look like a ghost with the invisibility setting. Shoot up high.” Unfurling his wings in a glimmer of white-edged feathers, Growler purred, “Flying out is better than being caught red-handed.”  Toby searched in the littered alley and retrieved his best jacket. He grunted, “No need to leave evidence lying around.” Stuffing the jacket under his invisible nanoshirt, he mounted the big jaguar.

Secret Supers, Book 3, Gargoyle Hunt US: US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C7WC8R6/International: http://authl.it/B01MDT6Y7Y/?d

Buy Links for Book 1, Super Starrella 99cUS: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C7WC8R6/International: http://authl.it/B01C7WC8R6?d


My SciFi Story about Colonists on the Planet of Giant Insects is discounted to 99c for the rest of the month. (or FREE with Kindle Unlimited)http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MFY8A5Q http://authl.it/B00MFY8A5Q?d


An anthology of my shorter SciFi stories is available for preorder at 99c and release on 28th
Comet Tales: Trudge over the rocks of Mars, trek through a hazardous alien jungle, or pop across the galaxy in a pirate ship in five fun tales of adventure and romance. 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. 

New Release - Comet Tales #SciFiRom #ShortStories

Releasing on February 28th, Comet Tales comprises Four short stories and a novella. Pre-Order for 99c!


Trudge over the rocks of Mars, trek through a hazardous alien jungle, or pop across the galaxy in a pirate ship in five fun tales of adventure and romance. 

Buy Links:Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N
Gifts of JangaloreShort story set in the Grand Masters’ Universe. Empath Rosa Spruce and Psi Master Varan seek an ancient site within an alien jungle. 
Stranded on IlluminaJacie’s plan to meet her boyfriend on the Planet Illumina is scuttled when he skips their date.
Lonely Hearts on MarsLove blossoms from disaster in this science fiction short story set in the near future.
Super ChristmasA glimpse into the lives of the Secret Supers.
Captured by the HawkA Space Operetta. Spaceships crash across the galaxy in the comic misadventures of spy Grey Kat and pirate Black Hawk. Will Kat uncover his mask before they are imprisoned by the Emperor’s troops? 

OBSIDIAN SKY Final Novel in Epic Steampunk Horror Series by AMY BRAUN #SciFi

The third and final novel in an epic steampunk horror series, OBSIDIAN SKY closes the dramatic adventures of Claire, Sawyer, Gemma, and Nash, digging up the final secrets of their past, bringing new allies into a dangerous fray, and drawing friends and foes into a battle where the cost may be too much to pay…

The final struggle against the Hellions has arrived. A trapped engineer and a desperate marauder scramble to fight an enemy with unspeakable power on its side. Time is running out, and one world will be destroyed…

After sacrificing herself to save the lives of her friends and family, Claire Abernathy struggles to outwit her Hellion captors. They torment and terrify her into working on a weapon with the sole purpose of obliterating the world, friends, and love she has struggled to save. If Claire has any chance of saving those she loves, she must delve deeper into the Hellion world, and witness nightmares she could never imagine.

In Westraven, Sawyer Kendric is desperate to find the woman he loves. To do so, he must finally embrace his family’s atrocious past and heal the wounds it has caused. He will be forced to make new allies, uncover secrets that change all he knows, and find the courage to lead a ragtag crew into the darkest, deadliest battle of their lives.

Claire and Sawyer fight to save their broken world in the final installment of the epic DARK SKY trilogy.


Buy it here:
Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Smashwords | Goodreads



DARK SKY SERIES GIVEAWAY
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Two stories are told in OBSIDIAN SKY––the first chronicling a young engineer named Claire Abernathy as she struggles to survive the in the terrifying world of Hellnore, home of the blood-drinking Hellions, forced to serve their ghastly King and avoid the torment of Davin Kendric, the Hellion general, in hopes that she will be able to escape and return to her home and loved ones. The second story follows Sawyer Kendric, the young pirate captain who must make final peace with his own inner demons and face his responsibilities as a leader, all while uncovering secrets that will either save Claire, or seal her bloody fate. Their adventures will collide in an explosive finale that will change their lives forever, and leave one world altered forever…


While I love every book in the DARK SKY series, OBSIDIAN SKY is my favorite. I know I’m not supposed to pick a favorite, but I can’t help it. The book was just so much fun to write, allowing me the chance to write a story from two different perspectives and challenge myself as an author while bringing events to a conclusion where everything fell into place. Sometimes I worried that I was going to stray off from the main storyline, but thankfully everything fell into place just the way it needed to.
One of the great things about this novel is that it gets to move outside of Westraven. That’s been the main hub of activity throughout the first two books and two novellas, but I had made an expanded world and wanted to explore it. While Claire is stuck in Hellnore, which I modeled after Mordor from Lord of the Rings (a source of inspiration for almost every fantasy author, let’s be honest), Sawyer gets to explore the Aon, the country beyond the borders of Westraven. Both of them attract more than their share of trouble because let’s be honest, they couldn’t stay away from it if they tried.
World building aside, the best part about splitting the engineer and the marauder up was being able to focus on their individual characters and their final arcs. I did my best to balance the events and keep the tension and action flowing throughout the story, making the pacing fast for one character and slow for the other. When Claire needs a breather, Sawyer is the one getting into trouble and vice versa.
The ending is a lot more emotional than I intended, and it was sad to see these beloved characters reach their conclusions. This series has been with me for years, and there were a couple tears shed when I wrote the final chapter. I’m committed to going out with a big bang, so I worked hard with my editor to wrap up all the details and worked with XPresso Book Tours for a book blitz while organizing a second blog tour. I’ve also discounted the prices of every book in the series, and will keep them lowered for the month of February.
I can’t begin to express how excited the cover and artwork have made me. Deranged Doctor Design outdid themselves yet again, capturing everything this book is about: The red lava that represents Hellnore, the crossed swords for Sawyer, the claw marks and dents inflicted by the Hellions. I’m constantly floored by their fantastic work and can’t wait to work with them again in the future.
This is the second series I’ve closed in the past year, the first being the CURSED trilogy for urban fantasy fans. While I’m just as sad to say goodbye to this one, I’m also relieved that it’s a project off my plate. I learned so much from writing OBSIDIAN SKY and the DARK SKY series, and can’t wait to take these lessons and apply them to future work.





Q & A: Amy Braun and Obsidian Sky– MINOR SPOILERS BELOW.


Q: Were you nervous about writing the end of Obsidian Sky? Was everything planned or were some events spontaneous?
A: I’m a meticulous planner when it comes to world building and plots, but there were some events that I hadn’t intended that were added into the final story. Certain characters and events appeared in places and scenes where I hadn’t intended them to. Characters acted in ways I hadn’t originally planned, or would have to think creatively to escape a challenge. I had a great time experimenting and using a lot of “What If” scenarios where my characters were pushed to the limits and forced to react unconventionally. I felt like I was experiencing their adventures with them, and at some points, didn’t know what would happen next, either.
 Q: Did you have any challenges writing Obsidian Sky?
A: Sometimes I can’t seem to control my characters––they go off and do what they want! Sawyer was notorious for this (which isn’t a surprise, really), and his scenes often took off in directions I didn’t anticipate. Claire’s challenges were a little more planned out, though I remember a particular moment about three-quarters of the way through the book where she got to be an ultra badass. That was a lot of fun to do. Other challenges I had were with the new elements and characters being introduced. I wanted them to have a major impact to the story, and had to work with my editor to make sure their presence was balanced with the other characters. But for the most part, I was stoked to write this book and couldn’t be happier with the way everything turned out. 
Q: How did it feel to close out a series you’ve worked on for so long?
A: It’s a mix of sadness and happiness. On one hand, I realize how much I’ll miss these characters and this world. I came up with the idea when I was fourteen years old, and now over ten years later, it’s finally over. It’s a lot to let go of. But on the other hand, I feel a great deal of closure. Here was this crazy, random idea I had as a kid, and I finally went ahead and made it a reality. Now that it’s done with and received with better success than I could have hoped for, helped me establish my career, I’m aware that if I work hard, put in the time and effort, and do all the re-writes, I can transform any idea into a book. And if you’re an author still hesitant about such a thing, read the opening dedication to Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. She did the same thing, and she became published. Never give up on your idea!
Q: What will you miss most about the series and the characters?
A: I’m definitely going to miss the world and the creatures in it. Writing the Hellions and Hellnore was so much fun. I’m also going to miss Claire’s inventiveness, Sawyer’s attitude, Nash’s soft-heart, and Gemma’s tendency to scream her lungs out in battle.
Q: Is there any chance of a continuation or a spin-off series in the future?
A: A reviewer actually asked me that not too long ago. While I’ll never say never to anything, at this moment, I have no plans to continue the Dark Sky books. Nash and Gemma have both already had their own spin-off prequel novellas, titled Amber Sky and Smoke Sky respectively, and if I did do another spin-off, it would likely be a prequel series. But the odds of that happening in the near future are slim, given how I want to move onto other projects.
Q: Now that the series is over, what’s next?
A: At the moment, I’m working on two brand new series. I don’t want to say much about them to avoid giving away spoilers, but the first series will be an urban fantasy involving the Greek gods, and the second project is a Young Adult fantasy series with Gargoyles that was inspired by Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I wish I could tell you more at this point, but I can’t give you anything such as titles or release dates as both of these projects are going to be going to literary agents. I received amazing feedback on the Greek god project from one of my favorite fantasy authors, Michael J. Sullivan, and have been diligently working to improve it. I’ll know in the next month or so whether or not it’ll be going the indie or traditional route, and my newsletter subscribers and website/social media followers will be the first to know.
The same can be said for the YA fantasy Gargoyle project. I’m working on editing it and am hoping that in the next month or so I can send it to literary agents. YA fantasy is extremely popular right now, and I’m hoping that will be my “in,” but if not, I will happily take the project through independent publishing. I learned a lot last year and am ready to use that knowledge to expand my horizons and hopefully gain new readers.
At this point, the only project that will be happening will be the release of the complete Dark Sky box set in April. But anything can happen in this industry, and I doubt anything could slow me down at this point. I’m having too much fun!





Amy is a Canadian urban fantasy and horror author. Her work revolves around monsters, magic, mythology, and mayhem. She started writing in her early teens, and never stopped. She loves building unique worlds filled with fun characters and intense action. She has short stories in various horror and urban fantasy anthologies and has been featured on various author blogs and publishing websites, and is an active member of the Writing GIAM and Weekend Writing Warrior communities. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading, watching movies, taking photos, gaming, and struggling with chocoholism and ice cream addiction.

More From Amy Braun
CURSED
DEMON’S DAUGHTER | DARK DIVINITY | DAMNATION’S DOOR
DARK SKY
CRIMSON SKY | MIDNIGHT SKY | AMBER SKY | SMOKE SKY
STANDALONE NOVELS AND NOVELLAS
STORM BORN
PATH OF THE HORSEMAN
NEEDFIRE
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