Aurora Springer's Blog, page 67

Year of the Alien Monkey #SciFi #Romance Snippet from Grand Master's Game for #WeWriWa

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.
In celebration of the Chinese Year of the Monkey, I’m giving you an excerpt with an alien monkey from Grand Master’s Game (punctuated to fit). In this scene, Violet and Athanor have come to the Council Hall with a message in the first move of his game to oust the villains.
The Secretary was a Jangalorian, a small fur covered animal like a cross between a rabbit and a monkey. She leaped on top of the desk and crouched on all six legs; her white puff of a tail quivered, and she shrilled, “You cannot enter without an appointment!”  Athanor scowled at her. After one glance at his fierce hawk face and glaring laser eyes, the Secretary curled into a trembling ball. Violet decided to mediate; she projected reassurance to the cowering Secretary. Then, she attempted to mollify her irate Grand Master, “The Secretary’s only doing her job; she’ll cooperate faster if you speak in a friendlier manner.” He crossed his arms over his chest and muttered, “You speak to her, my conciliatory pawn.” Squaring her chin firmly, Violet said, “My Grand Master brings an urgent message for the Council.” The furry Secretary unrolled and jumped onto her six legs; her tail twitched and she stuttered, “Urgent message from Grand Master Griffin. Give scroll for Berthal to submit to Lord of Lightning, Council Chair.” 
The discovery of the alien monkeys on Jangalore predates the events of the Grand Master’s Trilogy by some three hundred years. You can read about the first contact in my FREE short story:   Gifts of Jangalore: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R0AIG36/

The Grand Master’s Trilogy Comprises: Grand Master’s Pawn: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM   Only 99c Grand Master’s Game: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104OFJJ8 Grand Master’s Mate: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018EHAA7S

As always, your comments are welcome. Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.

Knocked out - Snippet from #Superhero WIP for #SFFSat

Welcome to another Saturday of Science Fiction & Fantasy and read snippets exchanged by several writers. http://scififansat.blogspot.com/
I am continuing from my WIP, a superhero romance set in the fictional city of Atalanta, a sunnier, southern version of Gotham City. You can read last week’s snippet here: Today, we meet the heroine, seventeen year old Estelle. I’m jumping over the start of her “boring” summer on her uncle’s farm to some peculiar (more peculiar?) events. In last week’s snippet, Estelle’s horse was scared onto an army firing range. You can read it here: http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/01/fouth-snippet-from-superhero-romance.html
Estelle screamed. She yanked at the rope looped round the mare’s neck without decreasing their breakneck speed. She could only cling tightly to her terrified horse, hoping to avoid potholes. The mare raced forward, straight into a blaze of green fire. Light exploded around Estelle, white light threaded with swirls of eerie green. Thunder boomed in her ears. Horse and rider flew backwards. Slamming onto the ground, pain flooded her mind and Estelle lost consciousness.

Please return to http://scififansat.blogspot.com/ and read the other snippets. Your comments are welcome as always.

Lovers Merge - Grand Master's Trilogy for #ScienceFiction #Romance Brigade Showcase

  Welcome to the November Showcase of the Science Fiction Romance Brigade at http://sfrcontests.blogspot.com/p/sfr-brigade-presents.html Remember to stop by the posts from the other authors.
Today, I am highlighting the romance in the Grand Master's Trilogy. The Grand Master’s Trilogy stars powerful psychics, colorful aliens on exotic planets, and chronicles a love story. The titles of the books hint at the developing relationship of the main protagonists, Violet and her Grand Master Athanor:
Book 1: Grand Master’s Pawn Book 2: Grand Master’s Game   Book 3: Grand Maser’s Mate
Violet and Athanor pursue the predacious Grand Masters destroying the portal web and disrupting civilization, while their relationship progresses from unseen master and disobedient servant through an awkward courtship and a rocky road to a partnership of two equals.  
My favorite comment from a reviewer: “Exciting and vivid sci fi/fantasy/adventure, grounded in real emotions and fully realized characters”
Seasonally Apt Excerpt from Grand Master’s PawnAn accident has landed Violet on top of her mysterious Grand Master and she is exposed to his raw, usually deadly, power. They have a little mental tussle, attempting to learn about each other.
His voice in her mind gained clarity, “Our auras interacted and merged. Did you wish to know me better?” Violet caught his flicker of amused insight. He was enthralled and not repelled by their intimate mental contact. The spinning ceased, and Violet felt his rhythmic breathing as she lay on top of him, his arms wrapped around her. Strands of his hair fell across her lips. Or was it her hair on his lips in an echo from their merged minds? He blew softly and the hairs lifted, sending a breath of desire through her. Yet, what did she know about his thoughts? He waited patiently while she danced over the surface of his mind without disturbing the privacy of the darker recesses. Her image reflected in all his recent memories and she felt humbled. Bewildered by their mental entanglement, she said, “What should we do?” “I know what I’d like to do,” he replied. She felt his arousal and her desire flamed. Athanor continued, “Do you trust me yet? I will not force you or order you to obey me as your Grand Master. It is your choice, my desirable pawn.” Why did he mention trust? “Don’t confuse me,” she retorted. “I’m your disobedient pawn, remember.” His face was warm against her cheek and his hair tickled her nose. “This is lust, not trust!” Emoting her desire, she nibbled his ear lobe and felt a thrill ripple into his body. Undressing was too slow for him. He groaned, power flared and their wet clothes vanished.

Buy Links:
Book 1, Grand Master’s Pawn: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM   Only 99cInternational: http://authl.it/B00TP1N5PM ?d
Book 2, Grand Master’s Game: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104OFJJ8International: http://authl.it/B0104OFJJ8?d
Book 3, Grand Master’s Mate: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018EHAA7S  International: http://authl.it/B018EHAA7S?d
FREE short story set in the Grand Masters’ Universe http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T0TOZYO

Media links:Blog: http://AuroraSpringer.blogspot.com/Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Aurora-Springer/e/B00K2C4NL8Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aurora-Springer/885945434752937Twitter: http://twitter.com/AuroraSpringerGoogle+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101087717415198221200/posts

Ocean Depths - Snippet from #ScienceFiction #Romance Grand Master's Mate for #WeWriWa

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.
Today, I’m continuing the scene on the ocean planet from my new release Grand Master’s Mate. Their adventures on this planet continue for several chapters and they discover the surface of the ocean holds more perils than the deeps. In the next few weeks, I’ll move on to give you glimpses into my WIP. You can read last week’s snippet here – http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/01/sciencefiction-snippet-from-grand_23.html
The eels dived towards the seabed. Athanor followed, towing Violet by the hand. The agonized shrieks of dying eels clawed into her sensitive mind; cringing, she blocked out their torments. Lights flickered from the bottomlands. The clustered conical shells of the eels’ submarine city lay smashed and broken. Rumbling threats, amoeboids oozed through gaps in the broken cones of the eels’ houses. All sizes of amoeboids, from scarcely visible dots to giants as large as Callama, nibbled at the dead bodies of the eels. “Stand back!” Athanor gave a mental shout. Violet transmitted his warning and the eels undulated away.

Grand Master’s Mate is free on Kindle Unlimited and available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018EHAA7S

Book 1 in the Trilogy, Grand Master’s Pawn, is 99c: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM  
As always, your comments are welcome. Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers. 

Fourth Snippet from #Superhero Romance WIP for SFFSat

Welcome to another Saturday of Science Fiction & Fantasy and read snippets exchanged by several writers. http://scififansat.blogspot.com/ Last week I finished the Introductory chapter of my WIP, a superhero romance set in the fictional city of Atalanta, a sunnier, southern version of Gotham City. You can read last week’s snippet here: http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/01/third-snippet-from-superhero-mystery.htmlToday, we meet the heroine, seventeen year old Estelle. I’m jumping over the start of her “boring” summer on her uncle’s farm to some peculiar (more peculiar?) events.
A large black cat leaped out of the bushes, hissed and struck out with its claws. Spotty reared in alarm. Slipping from the saddle, Estelle grabbed onto the mane and righted herself, her heart pounding in fright. The mare darted away from the snarling cat, her ears folded back in distress. They raced through the brush and leaped over a wire fence into a bare, muddy area, almost devoid of vegetation. The mare slowed to Estelle’s relief. They trotted over the muddy ground scattered with clumps of yellowed grass. A loud crack plunged the horse into a faster pace. Catching her hoof in a hole, the little mare stumbled and recovered. She darted off, more frightened than before. A post with an orange sign, tilted at a forty five degree angle, caught Estelle’s eye. She read, “Danger! Keep off. Army Firing Range.”  Estelle screamed.
You’ll have to return next week to learn what happens next since I’m not ready to publish the novel quite yet. If you wish, you can meet the hero in a longer excerpt here: http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/01/teaser-tuesday-distruptive-biker-in.html
Please return to http://scififansat.blogspot.com/ and read the other snippets. Your comments are welcome as always. 

Fouth Snippet from #Superhero Romance WIP for SFFSat

Welcome to another Saturday of Science Fiction & Fantasy and read snippets exchanged by several writers. http://scififansat.blogspot.com/ Last week I finished the Introductory chapter of my WIP, a superhero romance set in the fictional city of Atalanta, a sunnier, southern version of Gotham City. You can read last week’s snippet here: http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/01/third-snippet-from-superhero-mystery.htmlToday, we meet the heroine, seventeen year old Estelle. I’m jumping over the start of her “boring” summer on her uncle’s farm to some peculiar (more peculiar?) events.
A large black cat leaped out of the bushes, hissed and struck out with its claws. Spotty reared in alarm. Slipping from the saddle, Estelle grabbed onto the mane and righted herself, her heart pounding in fright. The mare darted away from the snarling cat, her ears folded back in distress. They raced through the brush and leaped over a wire fence into a bare, muddy area, almost devoid of vegetation. The mare slowed to Estelle’s relief. They trotted over the muddy ground scattered with clumps of yellowed grass. A loud crack plunged the horse into a faster pace. Catching her hoof in a hole, the little mare stumbled and recovered. She darted off, more frightened than before. A post with an orange sign, tilted at a forty five degree angle, caught Estelle’s eye. She read, “Danger! Keep off. Army Firing Range.”  Estelle screamed.
You’ll have to return next week to learn what happens next since I’m not ready to publish the novel quite yet. If you wish, you can meet the hero in a longer excerpt here: http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/01/teaser-tuesday-distruptive-biker-in.html
Please return to http://scififansat.blogspot.com/ and read the other snippets. Your comments are welcome as always. 

Teaser Tuesday - Disruptive Biker in #Superhero #Romance WIP

I'm posting a new excerpt from my WIP set in the fictional southern city of Atalanta. Here, Estelle, the protagonist, meets hunky Toby.
Finishing her chores as fast as she could, Estelle dashed into the house to wash. She changed into shorts and a tank top with a small shoulder bag for her purse and phone. Jumping down the stairs from the bedroom, she shouted into the kitchen, “Aunt Maisie, I’m going for a long walk. Don’t worry about me. I’ll grab lunch in Lost Springs.”
“Dinner’s at five. Make sure you’re back in good time.” Busy chopping vegetables on the counter, her aunt scarcely glanced at Estelle.
Estelle walked sedately to the gate, slipped through, and paused in the lane to decide which way to go. Straight ahead, the rutted farm lane led to a paved road going straight to the small town of Lost Springs. On the left, the narrow track leading under the trees enticed her with its promise of cool shade. She chose the wooded path, although it added a mile to her journey.
Tree branches arched overhead, forming the roof of a green tunnel over the dirt track. Eager to reach the town and connect with her friends, Estelle increased her pace to a steady jogtrot. At that rate, she could run the three miles to town in less than an hour.
A mile further on, she heard an engine in the distance. The drone of the motor increased to a roar and Estelle halted. She backed onto the verge of the path under the tree trunks and waited for the vehicle to appear.
A mud-stained motorbike shot into view, the rider bent over the handlebars. The bike screeched to a stop a few feet away, spraying clouds of dust from the wheels. The rider’s steel-toed boots dug into the dirt. The biker was a stud of a man, a little older than Estelle. He wore a tight black vest, accentuating the muscles of his broad chest. The tattoo of a black cat leaped up his bare biceps. His long black hair was tied in a ponytail, and his dark eyes glowered under thick black brows. His wide mouth angled in a sullen down curve.
Estelle’s eyes widened. A good-looking hunk, his whole attitude reeked of a tough gangster. Not someone to oppose lightly.
For a long moment, they stared at each other in silence.
He spoke first, “You’re new around here. What’s your name?” His voice had an attractive nasal twang.
Cocking her head, she said, “Estelle.” She hated her name. Estelle sounded like somebody’s grandmother. She pointed up the track. “I’m staying at the Dawson’s farm.”
“Estelle’s a sweet name. Makes me think of stars.” The sudden smile transformed his face from sullen to handsome.
She blushed. “What’s yours?”
“Toby.” He grimaced. “Old fashioned name, ain’t it?”
She grinned at his woeful expression.
“Do you run here often?” he drawled.
“Yeah, most days when I’m staying at the farm,” Estelle admitted, unsure if she wanted to meet him again. She preferred to jog alone on quiet trails without disturbances from rough strangers on noisy bikes.
“Want to come for a ride?” He cocked an eyebrow and patted the seat of his motorbike invitingly.
Estelle shook her head, wary of riding with a stranger. “No thanks. I’m jogging for the exercise.”
His dark brows lowered. “Not scared are you?”
Jutting her chin, she snapped, “No way!” Glaring at his fake expression of dismay, she sniffed, “Bye.” She turned away and trotted down the dirt track.
The engine roared and he drove the motorbike in a tight circle around her, throwing up clouds of dirt. Then, Toby zoomed off and disappeared behind a bend in the track.
Estelle stomped out of the dust cloud, coughing and shaking the dust off her clothes. She glared in the direction he had gone. Stupid boy! Did he think his antics and noisy bike would impress her? The rumble of the motorbike faded into the distance, restoring peace to the countryside. Her annoyance eased.
She walked away, considering her new acquaintance. Arrogant attitude, but Toby had a nice smile. And, she loved the black cat tattooed on his muscular biceps. For a second, she imagined those strong arms wrapped around her and Toby murmuring in her ear. She snickered. Not likely! He probably spent half his time exercising in the gym and the rest disposing of gang rivals. Mom would be horrified if Estelle brought a tough gangster like Toby home for tea. Mom would hate his tattoos. Shaking off his disruptive influence, she ran down the narrow lane and resolved to forget the hunky biker. 

Grand Master's Mate is FREE on 27th:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018EHAA7S


See my other published books at http://www.amazon.com/Aurora-Springer/e/B00K2C4NL8

Teaser Tuesday - Distruptive Biker in #Superhero #Romance WIP

I'm posting a new excerpt from my WIP set in the fictional southern city of Atalanta. Here, Estelle, the protagonist, meets hunky Toby.
Finishing her chores as fast as she could, Estelle dashed into the house to wash. She changed into shorts and a tank top with a small shoulder bag for her purse and phone. Jumping down the stairs from the bedroom, she shouted into the kitchen, “Aunt Maisie, I’m going for a long walk. Don’t worry about me. I’ll grab lunch in Lost Springs.” “Dinner’s at five. Make sure you’re back in good time.” Busy chopping vegetables on the counter, her aunt scarcely glanced at Estelle. Estelle walked sedately to the gate, slipped through, and paused in the lane to decide which way to go. Straight ahead, the rutted farm lane led to a paved road going straight to the small town of Lost Springs. On the left, the narrow track leading under the trees enticed her with its promise of cool shade. She chose the wooded path, although it added a mile to her journey. Tree branches arched overhead, forming the roof of a green tunnel over the dirt track. Eager to reach the town and connect with her friends, Estelle increased her pace to a steady jogtrot. At that rate, she could run the three miles to town in less than an hour. A mile further on, she heard an engine in the distance. The drone of the motor increased to a roar and Estelle halted. She backed onto the verge of the path under the tree trunks and waited for the vehicle to appear. A mud-stained motorbike shot into view, the rider bent over the handlebars. The bike screeched to a stop a few feet away, spraying clouds of dust from the wheels. The rider’s steel-toed boots dug into the dirt. The biker was a stud of a man, a little older than Estelle. He wore a tight black vest, accentuating the muscles of his broad chest. The tattoo of a black cat leaped up his bare biceps. His long black hair was tied in a ponytail, and his dark eyes glowered under thick black brows. His wide mouth angled in a sullen down curve. Estelle’s eyes widened. A good-looking hunk, his whole attitude reeked of a tough gangster. Not someone to oppose lightly. For a long moment, they stared at each other in silence. He spoke first, “You’re new around here. What’s your name?” His voice had an attractive nasal twang. Cocking her head, she said, “Estelle.” She hated her name. Estelle sounded like somebody’s grandmother. She pointed up the track. “I’m staying at the Dawson’s farm.” “Estelle’s a sweet name. Makes me think of stars.” The sudden smile transformed his face from sullen to handsome. She blushed. “What’s yours?” “Toby.” He grimaced. “Old fashioned name, ain’t it?” She grinned at his woeful expression. “Do you run here often?” he drawled. “Yeah, most days when I’m staying at the farm,” Estelle admitted, unsure if she wanted to meet him again. She preferred to jog alone on quiet trails without disturbances from rough strangers on noisy bikes. “Want to come for a ride?” He cocked an eyebrow and patted the seat of his motorbike invitingly. Estelle shook her head, wary of riding with a stranger. “No thanks. I’m jogging for the exercise.” His dark brows lowered. “Not scared are you?” Jutting her chin, she snapped, “No way!” Glaring at his fake expression of dismay, she sniffed, “Bye.” She turned away and trotted down the dirt track. The engine roared and he drove the motorbike in a tight circle around her, throwing up clouds of dirt. Then, Toby zoomed off and disappeared behind a bend in the track. Estelle stomped out of the dust cloud, coughing and shaking the dust off her clothes. She glared in the direction he had gone. Stupid boy! Did he think his antics and noisy bike would impress her? The rumble of the motorbike faded into the distance, restoring peace to the countryside. Her annoyance eased. She walked away, considering her new acquaintance. Arrogant attitude, but Toby had a nice smile. And, she loved the black cat tattooed on his muscular biceps. For a second, she imagined those strong arms wrapped around her and Toby murmuring in her ear. She snickered. Not likely! He probably spent half his time exercising in the gym and the rest disposing of gang rivals. Mom would be horrified if Estelle brought a tough gangster like Toby home for tea. Mom would hate his tattoos. Shaking off his disruptive influence, she ran down the narrow lane and resolved to forget the hunky biker. 

Grand Master's Mate is FREE on 27th:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018EHAA7S


See my other published books at http://www.amazon.com/Aurora-Springer/e/B00K2C4NL8

#ScienceFiction Snippet from Grand Master's Mate for #WeWriWa

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.

Today, I’m continuing the scene on the ocean planet from my new release Grand Master’s Mate. Apparently I generated some confusion last week. The eels, or snake-like sea creatures, are the victims not the attackers. The Meilai is the Grand Master Ravaleen who lives on this planet, but does not venture underwater.
You can read last week’s snippet here – http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/01/scifi-snippet-from-grand-masters-mate.html
“We’ll fight beside you,” Violet sent to the submarine snakes.
“Tell them to keep well away from my psi blasts,” Athanor instructed.
Violet passed on the message with her addition. “Move back from us when I give the warning. The Grand Master’s power is deadly.” 
“No Grand Master has ever swum to our aid before. The Meilai keeps to the surface waters,” the eel leader cried in disbelief.
Peering up, Violet glimpsed the pink halo as the pointed bud of Amarylla descended through the gloom. Behind the flower Grand Master, the pale oval of Callama’s closed shell gleamed in the dark waters.
Violet sent to the eels, “Two Grand Masters have come today. Lead us to your battle.”

Galactic melting pot of myth, intrigue & weird lifeforms - Grand Master’s Mate is FREE from 24-26th
http://authl.it/B018EHAA7S?d
As always, your comments are welcome. Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.

Third Snippet from #Superhero #Mystery WIP for #SFFSat

Welcome to another Saturday of Science Fiction & Fantasy and read snippets exchanged by several writers. http://scififansat.blogspot.com/ Today, I’ll continue the first chapter of my WIP, a young adult, superhero romance. The story is set in the fictional city of Atalanta, a sunnier, southern version of Gotham City. (Punctuation altered slightly to fit.) You can read last week’s snippet here – http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2016/01/superhero-mystery-snippet-from-wip-for_15.html
“Wish I knew,” the Inspector said. Standing up, he made a fast decision, warning, “Keep an eye on the streets. This death is the second case I’ve seen in three weeks with the same type of wound on the neck.” He glowered at the startled officer, “We may be looking for a serial killer.”  “A serial killer,” Cagle repeated slowly. He shook his head and whispered, “With that weird slash, it may be time to call in the Secret Supers.”  “They’re an urban legend,” Parkins snapped. The trooper tilted his head and asked, “How long have you been in the city, Inspector?” “Six weeks on Monday,” Parkins replied, running his fingers through his thinning hair. His thoughts were elsewhere. He stepped aside and beckoned to the ambulance crew waiting with a stretcher, “Take her to the morgue; I’m ordering an autopsy.” Suppressing a shudder, Parkins guessed what the medical examiner would find. A body drained of blood like the first murder case. Not a normal killer. He could imagine the careful wording of the official police reports for the public. Maybe they did need the Secret Supers; whoever, or whatever, they were.   

This snippet concludes the introduction of the story, poses the problem and suggests a solution. Whatever they are! I'm still working on a cover - had difficulty finding a hot biker. 
Please return to http://scififansat.blogspot.com/ and read the other snippets. Your comments are welcome as always. 
Still 99c/99p for Book 1 in my Trilogy Grand Master’s Pawn: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM International: http://authl.it/B00TP1N5PM?d