Aurora Springer's Blog, page 76

YA/NA BlogFest - Enter the Grand Masters' Universe

 The young empath, Violet Hunter, is chosen to work for a year as the pawn of one of the twelve Grand Masters. She embarks on a quest to uncover the true nature of the secretive Grand Masters, who are suspects in the portal failures threatening galactic civilization. Watch for explosions when she meets the Grand Masters.  The genesis of this story is described in http://auroraspringernovels.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-story-behind-grand-masters-pawn-and.html Violet travels to different planets on missions for her Grand Master. Each mission is like a chess move in analogy to Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll.  These interviews take place prior to the fourth mission when Violet meets her mysterious Grand Master.

Interview with the Pawn, Violet Hunter
Good morning, I’m Melody Lane, the host of the Daily Star Show. Today, my guest is Violet Hunter. This spring, Violet was selected as the pawn of one of the elite Grand Masters. She has come to the studio to tell us about her life as a pawn. The display switches to a slender young woman with a friendly face, green eyes and a star-shaped birthmark on her forehead.

Melody: "Good morning, Violet, and welcome to the Daily Star morning show." Violet: "Good morning, Melody. Please forgive my nervousness. I’ve never been interviewed before." 
Melody: "Tell us a bit about yourself, Violet."Violet: "You want the basics? Well, I’m twenty two years old. I’ve earned master’s degrees in xenobiology and geomorphology from the Terran Space Academy, and I have certificates for proficiency in single combat and target shooting. It’s all in the public records! 
Off the record, I’m an empath, secretly trained by the White Mother Tingu. Don’t tell anyone! The Grand Masters banned the training of psychics twenty years ago. I suppose they don’t want any competition." 
Melody:  "Why do you wear a steel necklace with two sapphires?" Violet: "I have a pawn’s collar to show that I serve one of the twelve Grand Masters. I found the sapphires on my first mission to the Crystal Cave on Erebus. The planet of Erebus has these creepy tunnels under the icy surface. You have to crawl through a labyrinth of caves by the greenish glow from the fungus growing on the walls. The bear-man, Rothan, guided me through the caves. He’s neat, although too hairy for my tastes. The Crystal Cave is marvelous. I found an amethyst as well as the two sapphires. My Grand Master stuck the amethyst into the birthmark on my forehead. He said it’s activated by psi power and claimed I don't have any. He doesn’t know about my empathy. Then, he put the sapphires into the pawn’s collar so that he can watch me on my missions. I’m not sure if I like the idea."  Melody:  "Do tell us about your mysterious Grand Master?" 
Violet: "Oh, he’s totally obnoxious. He won’t tell me his name and he likes to shove his psi power at me. But, I’ve got a plan to handle him. The Black Dragon, Ythris, gave me a hint when I met him on my mission to the planet of Sythos."  

Melody:  What does your Grand Master look like?Violet: I’ve no idea! He has a griffin avatar with flashy blue eyes and a gruff voice. For all I know, he might not even be human. But, I can sense people’s emotions and there’s a weird thing about my Grand Master. I can sense when he is amused. It’s a pleasant sort of laughter, not scary or anything. He seems almost human."
Melody:  "Do you know the other pawns?"  Violet: "I’ve met the pawns who were selected this year. My friend Srini is one. I’m not surprised he was chosen. Srini is very clever. And, I met Lira Tong, a cat-woman from Aman-el. I like Lira. We’re going to meet at McCoy’s Cantina to chat about our missions. The other two pawns are Alfonse and Gary. Alfonse doesn’t talk a lot and Gary talks too much. Gary is dating my best friend Tessa. She’s beautiful and very sweet, but she has dreadful taste in men. Gary’s always boasting about the luxuries his Grand Master gives him. He says she is a great queen and rules over many planets. My Grand Master expects me to earn my allowance. That seems fair to me. Maybe he’s not so bad." 

Melody, checking her notes:  "What is your goal in life?" Violet smiles: "I love exploring planets. And, I’m hunting for the truth about the Grand Masters. Mother Tingu believes some of them want to destroy civilization. Gary’s Grand Master seems a prime suspect. She sounds horrible. On the other hand, Srini’s Grand Master helped Space Corps make peace treaties. My Grand Master doesn’t seem interested in civilized planets. He sends me to investigate strange places and people, like the dragon lords of Sythos. Mind you, I don’t always obey his orders. I’d never have saved the Black Dragon if I’d listened to my Grand Master." 

Melody, in an incredulous tone: "You saved a dragon?"Violet: "Yes. His wing was injured and a pack of carnivores had trapped him in a cave."
Melody: "You have a very exciting life as a pawn, Violet. Maybe you can come back when your contract is over and tell us all about your missions." “Maybe I’ll know more about the Grand Masters by then. Goodbye, Melody.” Violet smiles and walks out.
Exclusive Interview with the Griffin Grand Master
A stellar good day to our viewers! I’m Dan Murray of the Galactic Network News bringing you an exclusive interview with one of the twelve Grand Masters. The black-uniformed guards have opened the iron gates to let me into the black marble Council Hall. A furry alien with six legs beckons from the inner door and leads me along a corridor to a door marked with the symbol of a griffin. The alien’s long ears twitch and it squeaks, “Wait inside for Grand Master.” 
The room is dark. Peering around, I see the stone statue of a griffin at one side. Suddenly, the eyes glow blue. The Grand Master is present. Tapping my mike, I check my list of questions and begin.

Dan: "Grand Master, it is a great honor to interview you. Please tell us a bit about yourself."Grand Master: “I am a Grand Master!” A rush of icy air accompanies his deep voice and my hair stands on end.
Dan: “Er, do you have a name?”Grand Master: “You may call me the Griffin.”
Dan: “Why don’t you appear in person?”Grand Master: “Fool, it’s too dangerous! Did no one tell you? Exposure to my power is deadly.”
Dan: “Violet Hunter is your new pawn. Why did you select her?” Grand Master: “She has excellent qualifications and an interesting pedigree.” 
Dan: “Do you mean her father? Frank Hunter died twenty years ago.” Grand Master: “He was murdered. No culprit was identified.”
Dan: “Did you select his daughter because you were sorry for her?”Grand Master: “Why should I feel sorrow? Her father was clairvoyant, although my little pawn has no record of psychic talent. She looks like a pixie with those big green eyes. At the selection, she seemed to look straight at me. Impossible! We have impenetrable shields in the Council Hall.”
Dan: “Is Miss Hunter an asset for your missions?” Grand Master: “She’s impudent and disobedient. Remarkably, in spite of her foolish risks, her missions are successful. My pawn knows how to fire a laser. I’ve seen her zap a pack of reptilian carnivores.” 
Dan: “What is the goal of your missions?” Grand Master: “No more questions!” His thunderous voice echoes through the room, the blue glow vanishes from the stone griffin’s eyes, and a blast of wind smashes me against the wall. My interview is over. I grope through the darkness to the door. His pawn is a brave woman to stand up to him. He sounded almost human when he spoke of her. Who knows the Grand Masters’ true nature? He might be an alien or an artificial intelligence.
If you would like to know more about the twelve Grand Masters, read this post -  http://multiuniversesoflizao.blogspot.com/2015/07/aurora-springer-discusses-various.html

Buy Links: Grand Master’s Pawn: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PMGrand Master’s Game: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104OFJJ8
Giveaway (Epub/pdf or mobi)
You have two choices1. Sign up for my newsletter at my blog and receive a free novella.Blog: http://AuroraSpringerNovels.blogspot.com
2. Like my FB author page and leave a message to say you are entering the drawing for a free book: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aurora-Springer/885945434752937Two winners will be chosen randomly to receive a copy of Grand Master’s Pawn.
Author Bio:Aurora Springer is a scientist morphing into a novelist. She has a PhD in molecular biophysics and discovers science facts in her day job. She has invented adventures in weird worlds for as long as she can remember. In 2014, Aurora achieved her life-long ambition to publish her stories. Her works are character-driven romances set in weird worlds described with a sprinkle of humor. Some of the stories were composed thirty years ago. She was born in the UK and lives in Atlanta with her husband, a dog and two cats to sit on the keyboard. Her hobbies, besides reading and writing, include outdoor activities like gardening, watching wildlife, hiking and canoeing.
Media links:Blog: http://AuroraSpringerNovels.blogspot.com/Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Aurora-Springer... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aurora-Springer/885945434752937Twitter: http://twitter.com/AuroraSpringerGoogle+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101087717415198221200/posts

Snippet for #SFFSat from Grand Master's Game - on Moon Station

Welcome to another Saturday of Science Fiction & Fantasy snippets exchanged by several writers. http://scififansat.blogspot.com/ My contribution this week continues the scene on Moon Station from Grand Master’s Game, Book 2 in the Grand Master’s Trilogy. Last week, the excerpt ended with the albino woman asking, “How did you get here? Did you fix the portals?”  Read it here: http://auroraspringernovels.blogspot.com/2015/07/grand-masters-game-on-moon-station.html 
Excerpt:  Exuding authority despite the lack of psi power, Athanor glared at her and deigned to reply, “We ported under my power. What happened to the station?” She flipped up the goggles to reveal her pink eyes, and introduced herself, “I’m Chief Daria, senior manager of Moon Station. We’ve dealt with a series of problems since last night. At two hours standard time, the Controller on duty reported that no one had arrived through the portals for several minutes. We halted departures to investigate. These blasted creatures burst out of the portals and tore into the people waiting to travel. My guards grabbed their combat suits to deal with the attack. Then, the lights cut out and the repulsor field shut down. A meteorite hit the dome above the outer ring. Air leaked, and the passengers in one section succumbed before we had time to respond.” Chief Daria rubbed a hand across her forehead and continued, “We don’t have the personnel to handle multiple disasters. The passengers’ safety was our first priority, so we shunted them into cleared sections and sealed the doors. Sadly, some were lost in the chaos.” Compressing her lips, she gestured towards the outer ring. 


Book 1, Grand Master’s Pawn: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM Book 2, Grand Master’s Game: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104OFJJ8 
Please return to SFFSat and read the other snippets. Your comments are welcome.

Teaser from WIP Grand Master's Mate for #SFRTT

The Wedding from Hell - Scene from Book 3 of the Grand Master's Trilogy


The Director of the Center for Life Science opened the ceremony. He had taught biology to Tessa and Violet in their first year at the Academy. His slow, sonorous voice tended to send his listeners to sleep and today was no exception. He began with a long winded introduction to the bride and groom and their excellent qualities. Leaning back in his chair, Athanor closed his eyes. The lecture bored him. In contrast, Violet’s green eyes gleamed with delight. She had never attended a wedding and Tessa was her special friend. Concealing her thoughts from Athanor, Violet suppressed her worries. How could she ever get married when she loved a Grand Master? Lira purred softly beside her, untroubled by shadows of the Grand Masters. Violet kept her senses tuned to Athanor. She feared he would fall asleep and inadvertently expose everyone to his raw power when he woke. His mind hazed and she sent him a mental pinch. Suppressing a yawn, he sent unconvincingly, “I’m awake.” His mind sharpened, and he griped, “Next time, remind me not to accept an invitation to a wedding.” “You weren’t invited,” she snickered mentally and squeezed his hand. He groaned under his breath.   After the Director finished his introduction, the rest of the ceremony was short and simple. The mediator offered a blessing and Phineas slid the ring over Tessa’s slender finger. Violet’s eyes misted, anticipating their happiness. Boom! A red explosion shattered the glass panes in the curved wall of the atrium. Screams mingled with the tinkle of glass shards on the stone-tiled floor. Menacing psi pressure vibrated through the room. Eyes flaring ruby light, Morrigu dropped into the central space. Her long blonde braids and four red-skinned arms were a nightmarish hybrid of Celtic and Hindu myths. Tessa crumpled in a dead faint and Phineas caught her in his arms. He backed away form the horrid scarlet beams of the Red Queen. She had violated the essential ban against exposing normal people to unshielded psi energy. Many people in the audience collapsed in psychic shook. His face blanched, Srini clutched at the chair back in front of him. Ears folded back and trembling, Lira hissed at the terrible apparition.  Leaping to his feet, Athanor raised his arms high above his head. Sheets of blue light rippled around the terrified wedding party, creating a protective enclosure. Some of the audience fainted and the rest were rigid with shock. His mind merged with Violet and he griped, “She looks more devilish then ever.” Livid coils of psi energy surged through the air, crackling between the two Grand Masters. 

Book 1 and 2 are published Grand Master’s Pawn: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PMGrand Master’s Game: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104OFJJ8

Surviving Outbound by Liza O'Connor - Backstory for Shaman Troy

Backstory for Shaman TroyLike many third sons of the better families in Caldone, when Jason Troy turned ten he was sent to the temple in hopes of being chosen as a shaman. Only one in a hundred boys that arrive are chosen. Many are dismissed on their day of arrival when they failed various tests for empathy and kindness. The result of the early culling of meanness means his fellow students are really nice and no one ever plays pranks and will always help if you struggle on a certain skill or lesson. But it also means in the first two years, you are always losing beloved friends when they are sent home once the shamans determine a student lacks the skills required to be a shaman in his field. One friend, who had been soaring through the tests, was dismissed when he wrote a compelling letter to Headmaster Daniels that females should also be allowed to be shamans. From that debacle, Jason realized some of the leaders were less enlightened than others and that speaking out, even on a just cause, could get you removed. Thus, he studied hard and avoided the headmaster as much as he could.In his second year at the Shaman’s school, he had a dream about a cave. The next morning he woke early and logged out with the intent to go hiking in the nearby mountain despite the fact he was not in the least bit athletic. The Shaman logging him out worried as he stared at his sandals. “You are not properly dressed,” he scolded.Jason’s heart quickened. What would he do if the shaman refused to give him permission to leave? “Sir, I must go. I am confident the Gods will keep me safe.”The old fellow walked to a cabinet and opened the door. “You should never presume such a thing. The Gods are busy managing the entire multiverse. What would happen if everyone took such an attitude?”“You are correct, Shaman Michel, I apologize. I will return to my quarters.”The Shaman pulled out a pair of hiking boots and socks, an aluminum canister and two energy bars. “If the shoes fit, you may go. Otherwise, you cannot.”To Jason’s amazement, the shoes fit to perfection, so off he went with water and energy bars, in search of the cave he’d dreamt about.Two hours later, he located a cave opening hidden by a large bush. Upon entering, his skin tingled like it did when he entered the main shaman temple for prayers. Thus, he knelt on the stone floor and prayed. “I am your servant to command.”A sense of peace surrounded him, but no commands were given. He rose and moved deeper into the tunnel. While he may have forgotten food, water, and proper shoes, he had remembered to carry a small electric torch, which revealed twelve stone tablets in a dark hole in the very back of the cave. He sat and tried to make sense of the words on the tablets. While he had learned twenty-three languages thus far, he did not know what the markings on the stone meant. Memorizing the shapes of the letters, he returned to the library and searched for the same symbols. After three days of failure he approached his favorite teacher, Shaman Piper, for help. The shaman marveled at the letters Janson had drawn then lead him to a room stacked with boxes. Locating the box, the shaman and Jason carried it to a table in the room. There they sorted through the stone tablets.“This one!” Jason cried, finding a tablet with similar markings. “Are you certain?” the shaman asked in disappointment.Jason nodded. The old shaman sighed. “It is Gaelic, a language that none of us know.” Jason sighed. Why would he dream of a lost language? That night when he went to sleep, he dreamed of returning to the cave where he placed a stone tablet in his lap. Whenever he stroked a cluster of symbols in the stone a word spoke in his head. When Jason woke, he wrote the meaning of each cluster of symbols. Over the next five years, in his spare time, Jason mastered the lost language of Gaelic. One day he was in the garden, working on translating the words of the tablets, when the Supreme Seer approached.“It is not allowed to carry stone tablets from the library,” the great Seer chided.
Jason looked up at the old fellow with such a kind face. He sensed nothing but light in the seer. “It is not a tablet from the library. I found it in a cave. I am trying to translate it into a language we can read.”To his surprise, the great Seer sat down beside him on the grass and asked to see the tablet. Jason gently placed it in the old shaman’s lap. “The first part says ‘To save the Path of Light, the Soul of Three must travel to New Earth before the darkest hour befalls.”The Seer frowned. “How do you know this?”Jason grimaced and shared his strange dream. This might very well get him expelled from school, but he could not lie to the Seer.“Help me up,” the Seer requested.Jason secured the tablet and assisted the Seer up. “Thank you. Now, who has assisted you with your path?”“Shaman Michel gave me shoes so I could travel safely to the cave, and Shaman Pippa told me the language was dead. That’s when I had the second dream which helped me translate the first tablet.”“Let us see if Shaman Michel has boots that will fit me,” the Seer said.Oddly enough, the boots fit the Seer perfectly and the two made their way to the hidden cave. The Seer laughed when Jason pointed to the large bush that hid the entrance. “Right before our eyes, but none could see it.” He then patted Jason’s arm. “Except for you. I perceive greatness in you, my boy. Indeed I do.”A week later, Headmaster Daniels attempted to send Jason home, but the Seer overruled him. The Seer then put Daniels in charge of feeding the poor and asked Shaman Pippa to be headmaster of the boys. A month later, Jason was given his cloak of a shaman by the Seer himself and promoted into the High Council. His only focus was to find the Soul bond of Three and a blue bull who never forgets. While he was honored to sit with such enlightened shaman on the council, Shaman Daniel never let him forget he was inferior and the moment he failed, he’d lose his seat. Surviving OutboundByLiza O’Connor BlurbSaran along with her ‘not dead, just no longer human’ soul-bond—Tamara, and their giant blue bull leave in search of a handler so Blue can escape Earth and travel outbound. The man Saran meets and falls in love with turns out to be Tamara’s husband. Their spiritual joining of three sets into play a prophecy written long ago. Together, they become Tamsarandem, the most powerful soul-bond in all the multiverses.  
The shamans pay for their voyage to Terranue, an unknown planet, never before colonized by humans. In return, Tamsarandem must look after the other colonists and help them to prosper and find their Paths of Light. They will need to do this mostly on their own, for the Gods are running out of authorized interventions. However, the God Pane, with the help of the sentient ship-computer, Marybell, constantly search for clever workarounds to ensure The Path of Light will reign supreme upon the final collapse. But there is only so much they can do within their bureaucratic rules.
Having failed to stop Tamsarandem from leaving Earth, those who walk the Path of Darkness embed their own people, including their darkest lord, on the ship to ensure it will never arrive at Terranue.  ExcerptShaman Daniel, who sat to the Seer’s right, spoke urgently to their leader, his request loud enough to be heard by all. “Allow me to bring in someone with more experience.” The Seer placed his hand on Daniel’s arm. “We wouldn’t even know of The Soul-Bond of Three if not for Shaman Troy. He alone found the Cave of Light and mastered the lost language of Gaelic. He then discovered the passages that foretold of The Soul-Bond of Three. Do you truly believe a boy so young could have achieved such a feat without the help of the Gods? “Your Imminence, I do not deny the boy has accomplished much, but perhaps he has done all that he was meant to do. Perhaps now, it is time for our scholars to take over.”Shamans around the table nodded in agreement.Shaman Troy bowed his head in shame. He had failed everyone.The Seer of Light shook his head. “I have never forbidden any of you to search caves for lost tablets, from learning the archaic languages of the past, or from discovering hidden clues in sacred texts. By all means, assist in this critical matter if you will. But Shaman Troy will continue the path he set upon twenty years ago when he was a mere child of twelve. And I have faith the Gods will deliver The Soul-Bond of Three to Shaman Troy when the time comes.”
Sales LinkBook 2: Surviving OutboundAmazonBook 1: The Gods of ProbabilitiesAmazonAbout the AuthorLiza is a multiple genre author of 15 novels. A Late Victorian Series, The Adventures of Xavier & Vic, plus a spinoff, A Right to Love, is an ongoing series.    A Long Road to Love is a humorous Contemporary Disaster Romance series of five books. She has two single books. One is a humorous, bad boys contemporary novel with ghosts, called Ghost Lover, the other is Untamed & Unabashed, a spinoff from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.Now, she’s rolling out her Science fiction series (with romance & humor) called The Multiverses. The first four books are slotted for last half of 2015.  In addition she hopes, if she hasn’t dropped from exhaustion by then, to re-release a sometimes humorous/suspense thriller called Saving Casey
Social NetworksFOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUTLIZA O'CONNORInvestigate these sites:Liza’s Multiverse BlogLiza's Blog and Website   Facebook   Twitter

Follow YA/NA BlogFest in August and September

YA/NA Blog Fest will run for two months with posts from different authors about their books. Read the authors’ posts, two each day, at http://mycrazzycorner.blogspot.com/
Meet the authors at http://mycrazzycorner.blogspot.com/p/blogfest-5.html
Join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/508458889330739/
Check out my post on August 8thathttp://auroraspringernovels.blogspot.com/2015/08/yana-blogfest-enter-grand-masters.html
Many of my Science Fiction and Fantasy stories have Young Adult or New Adult protagonists
New Adult Stories
A Tale of Two Colonies will be 99c for AugustTiger Lily searches for the missing colony, fights giant arthropods and finds her match. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MFY8A5Q
The Grand Master’s Trilogy, Book 1 & 2.Empath Violet hunts the secret of the Grand Masters
Space Operetta, Captured by the Hawkhttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MYHSC52
Young Adult Story

Rosemary’s Quest http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9QJRQ0/Fantasy set in medieval world of magic.

Over the cliffhanger - snippet for #WeWriWa

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Here, writers showcase their work with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.
This week, I’ll share a scene from my new release, Grand Master’s Game, Book 2 in my series, Grand Master’s Trilogy. In this series, the portal web is the main means for interplanetary transport. But, the portal has misdirected to a deadly planet, leaving them hanging on top of a cliff. Last week’s snippet can be read at
http://auroraspringernovels.blogspot.com/2015/07/grand-masters-game-8-sentences-for.html

Standing at the rear of the precarious ledge, Violet leaned against Athanor’s warm body and squinted through the gloomy atmosphere. The portal perched on a cliff surrounded by roiling umber clouds. Far below the clouds, blue green spikes protruded from a glassy blue lake. Ice pillars carved into fantastic shapes were reflected in the mirror of the lake.
Overhead, jagged lightning zipped from the ominous black clouds and struck the frozen peaks. Cracks snapped across a pillar of ice. The severed top tumbled slowly into the lake and the splash rippled outward in concentric circles. Winds roared through the peaks, spinning dark streaks of cloud across the sky towards their shaky perch.
The hazy black swirls fired an alarm in Violet’s mind. “Athanor, it’s the black dust. Port us out of here!” she shouted, fearing the clouds contained the horrid dust that suppressed his telekinesis.



BlurbSpin across the galaxy as Violet and her Grand Master hunt their enemies.Cracks in the portal web threaten galactic civilization, and suspicions fall on the mysterious Grand Masters with their immense psychic powers. Once, there were twelve Grand Masters, humans and aliens, on the Council. Now there are eleven. One was killed when the young pawn, Violet, rescued her Grand Master, Athanor, from the Red Queen’s dungeon. The Red Queen fled the fight and now she lurks out of sight, regenerating her energies. Athanor devises a risky plan to expose his enemies on the Council and force the Red Queen into the open. His strategy will employ Violet’s empathic skills as his secret weapon. Meanwhile, she wrestles with her erratic talents and doubts about their unequal partnership. In their search for revenge, they contend with the portal crisis, psychic traps and hostile aliens. In the inevitable battle of Grand Masters, Violet and Athanor each will face their worst nightmares. What is the sacrifice for victory?
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104OFJJ8

Please return to www.wewriwa.comto sample the works of the other writers.

Grand Master's Game - on Moon Station -Snippet for #SFFSat

Welcome to another Saturday of Science Fiction & Fantasy snippets exchanged by several writers. http://scififansat.blogspot.com/ I'll switch to a WIP soon when I have a piece in readable shape. My contribution this week continues the scene on Moon Station from Grand Master’s Game, Book 2 in the Grand Master’s Trilogy. Last week, the excerpt ended with a woman’s voice. Read it here:  http://auroraspringernovels.blogspot.com/2015/07/grand-masters-game-moon-station-snippet.html
Excerpt:  “Her pawn’s collar stopped the jaws from closing,” Athanor grated. The Grand Master clambered to his feet and retrieved his dagger from the punctured eye of their attacker. He lent his hand to help Violet scramble up. She hung shakily to his arm and looked around. Six bulky yellow-striped bodies lay on the floor, their legs still twitching. A tall woman in a survival suit stood two paces away. Her open faceplate showed the white skin and dark goggles of an albino. Two men in combat gear moved from body to body, aiming heavy duty lasers in case an insect revived. The fragmented body lying in front of Kondric and the green goo spattered over his survival suit showed his accurate aim with one of his grenades. He grinned at her and wiped green blood from his face. One workman had defended himself with the toolbox and screwdriver he brandished. The second workman lay on the ground, blood pumping from his neck where the mandibles had cut through the tough suit. Sickened by the gory sight, Violet turned away. The albino woman focused on Athanor’s tall figure and asked, “How did you get here? Did you fix the portals?” 


Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104OFJJ8

Please return to SFFSat and read the other snippets. Your comments are welcome.

Grand Master's Game - 8 sentences for #WeWriWa

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Here, writers showcase their work with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.
This week, I’ll share a scene from my new release, Grand Master’s Game, Book 2 in my series, Grand Master’s Trilogy. In this series, the portal web is the main means for interplanetary transport. But, the portal has misdirected to a deadly planet. Last week’s snippet can be read at http://auroraspringernovels.blogspot....
End of last week’s snippet: The frigid air stunk of rotten eggs. Violet gagged and blocked her nose.
Athanor expanded his psi shield to envelop the three of them. As a further precaution, Violet reattached the breather on her suit. “The atmosphere is deadly,” Athanor grated. The lights on the control panel clicked off. “The portal’s died,” Kondric groaned. With a squeak of alarm, Violet gripped Athanor’s arm. They stood on an unknown frozen planet with a toxic atmosphere, overlooking a bottomless precipice. “Where are we?” Violet breathed. No one answered.

Grand Master’s Game is book 2 in a Trilogy
Blurb
Spin across the galaxy as Violet and her Grand Master hunt their enemies. Cracks in the portal web threaten galactic civilization, and suspicions fall on the mysterious Grand Masters with their immense psychic powers. Once, there were twelve Grand Masters, humans and aliens, on the Council. Now there are eleven. One was killed when the young pawn, Violet, rescued her Grand Master, Athanor, from the Red Queen’s dungeon. The Red Queen fled the fight and now she lurks out of sight, regenerating her energies. Athanor devises a risky plan to expose his enemies on the Council and force the Red Queen into the open. His strategy will employ Violet’s empathic skills as his secret weapon. Meanwhile, she wrestles with her erratic talents and doubts about their unequal partnership. In their search for revenge, they contend with the portal crisis, psychic traps and hostile aliens. In the inevitable battle of Grand Masters, Violet and Athanor will face their worst nightmares. What is the sacrifice for victory?
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104OFJJ8
Book 1, Grand Master’s Pawn is 99c in July: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TP1N5PM 
Please return to www.wewriwa.comto sample the works of the other writers.

Grand Master's Game - Moon Station Snippet for #SFFSat

Welcome to another Saturday of Science Fiction & Fantasy snippets exchanged by writers. http://scififansat.blogspot.com/ My contribution this week continues the scene on Moon Station from Grand Master’s Game, Book 2 in the Grand Master’s Trilogy. Last week, the excerpt ended after Athanor released Violet from the jaws of the giant wasp-spider.You can read it at
http://auroraspringernovels.blogspot.com/2015/07/next-snippet-from-grand-masters-game.html

Excerpt: 
A woman’s voice shouted, “Make sure they’re dead or restrained!” More footsteps shuffled around them. Breathing heavily, Athanor cradled Violet’s head and peered at her out of the ordinary blue eyes of his natural face. “Are you all right?” She blinked and flexed her arms and legs. Her voice quavered, “Yes, no bones broken. I’m just sore and bruised.” Blood oozed from a long slash across his cheekbone. Violet imagined he had escaped from the clutching jaws of a giant spider-wasp. “You’re hurt!” she murmured.He groaned, “Blasted power loss! I could fix the scrapes easily with psi energy.”           The woman spoke again from nearby, “You should see the doctor. Pity he’s occupied with worse injuries. I’m amazed that hellish beast didn’t cut your throat!”   


Blurb Spin across the galaxy as Violet and her Grand Master hunt their enemies. Cracks in the portal web threaten galactic civilization, and suspicions fall on the mysterious Grand Masters with their immense psychic powers. Once, there were twelve Grand Masters, humans and aliens, on the Council. Now there are eleven. One was killed when the young pawn, Violet, rescued her Grand Master, Athanor, from the Red Queen’s dungeon. The Red Queen fled the fight and now she lurks out of sight, regenerating her energies. Athanor devises a risky plan to expose his enemies on the Council and force the Red Queen into the open. His strategy will employ Violet’s empathic skills as his secret weapon. Meanwhile, she wrestles with her erratic talents and doubts about their unequal partnership. In their search for revenge, they contend with the portal crisis, psychic traps and hostile aliens. In the inevitable battle of Grand Masters, Violet and Athanor will face their worst nightmares. What is the sacrifice for victory?
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0104OFJJ8
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After the Convergence by Amelia Grace Treader

After the Convergence is Amelia Grace Treader's latest work.

Blurb:
After the Covergence is a sweet, slightly dystopian detective romance set in the near future. Shortly after “the convergence” or the emergence of seriously intelligent computers.
The murder of his partner lands the hard-bitten private investigator Alan Blake in the middle of a complex international plot involving spies, crooks, resistance fighters, intelligent machines, and treacherous former loves. Never sure of what is the truth in a shadowy half-virtual world, he pursues the “missing person” case of an intelligent and beautiful young woman. A woman who was spirited away on the day she joined “The Academy.” How could she be hidden in a world where the omnipresent machines monitor everything you do and say?
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/After-Convergence-Amelia-Treader-ebook/dp/B00ZQ0YTCE

Excerpt:
The hero, Alan Blake, has just been pulled from BART by a police detective. He has just been told that his partner was killed while on a case.
The train stopped, and I followed him to a waiting car. The car door opened for us, and after we had got in, it drove off. The control program competently slid through the traffic while a link to the machine asked me several questions. It used a smooth, fluid voice when it said, “Alan, was Paul working on a case?”
“That’s Mr. Blake. Mr. Bigelow was working on what looked like a divorce. Find the cheating husband, or maybe not a yet official husband.”
“Any names?”
“Classified. You have a search warrant?”
“Soon enough. A little history might save you a lot of trouble.”
I smiled; the machine knew damn all about my partner’s case. “It might, but then I’m in the information business. I don’t give away information.”
The detective volunteered to soften me up. It would make his day.
“Later, Detective.”
“Yo, integrated-circuit boy. How do I even know Paul’s dead? All I have is your word.”
“I am not programmed to lie.”
“You’re self-aware, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Then you can lie if you want. It’s part of your program, fundamental to it. Blumenthal’s theorem, if I remember correctly.”
The detective punched me, hard. Then he said, “Don’t disrespect the machine again.” “Detective Brown, please restrain yourself. Al- Mr. Blake understands more than he lets on. Don’t you Mr. Blake?”
“No comment.”
“We’re old friends, Mr. Blake and me. Aren’t we Alan?”
“No comment.”
The car slowed to a stop and then retraced its way back to the highway. The machine continued, “I see that I will have to show you. It’s an hour’s drive. Meanwhile, what is your favorite music?”
“4’33” by John Cage.”
“Very funny.” It put one of the latest rag-hop bands on. Full volume. No one ever said the machine didn’t have a warped sense of humor. In fact, that was a critical part of being robust and self-aware.

Amelia Treader
Amelia Grace Treader is an author of (mostly) historical romances, with the occasional science fiction romance thrown in for good measure. Based near Atlanta, she writes a unique combination of romance and action. She enjoys reading history, science fiction, and historical romance. While a child of the American South, She's also an Anglophile and not unfamiliar with the south of England. They're more alike than you know - There's even a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop in the Oracle in Reading, and they're just as good as in Kennesaw.Despite the descriptive name of romance as “bodice rippers,” Amelia tends to write more in the sweet style of "bodice unbuttoners" where the romance is there but not explicit. After all, a good quality bodice was expensive, and only a cad or puppy would damage it. It's also more consistent with the behavioral conventions that were in place at the time.

Media Links:
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http://ameliagtreader.blogspot.com