Effing Feline Meows his Mind

[image error]

I, Effing Feline, have a free rein with this week’s post! Mr Valentine (i.e. my pet human, Ed) won’t be looking over my shoulder. He’s spending much of the weekend at the local Comic Con, speaking on panels and selling books — although maybe I should make that ‘book,’ singular. Snort.

Yay, I got away with that jab at his lack of celebrityhoodom. I’m free to meow my mind at last!!!

I’ve selected another snippet from Escapee, book 2 of the Repelling the Invasion series. Enemies from the Proxima star system have invaded the isolated mining moon where Catt Sayer makes her living flying supplies to military bases. She’s between bases during the attack and thus escapes capture.

After landing at the ruins of the Castle Mountain base to search for survivors, she finds just one. Captain Dukelsky sits amidst the ruins, calmly typing. Here we learn why. (Edited and semicoloned to fit.)

[image error]The entire moon had fallen into enemy hands and this man wrote reports? Her opinion must’ve shown on her face, because his flinty expression slipped, revealing exhaustion, despair, and a plea for understanding.

“I know I’ll never be able to send them, but…” He ran a hand over his eyes, and the unfeeling martinet was back. “The reports are letters to my men’s families, explaining how they died at their posts, defending New Ontario’s interests.”

Catt opened her mouth; closed it; felt her face flame. Facing Dukelsky was like staring into a furnace, so she lowered her gaze and said, “I didn’t know…”

“Yet you supposed the worst of me.”

Without thinking, she had assumed the submissive, hunched posture of a peasant being scolded by a patroon, but now she straightened. Embarrassment warred with anger, yet she wouldn’t let him or any other patroon humble her, ever again.

Effing Feline here again. Thinking I was free to indulge my every whim, I leaped with grace and supurrb athleticism onto the laundry room counter and started clawing open the bag of catfood, BUT —

I forgot that Mrs V was still here. Busted, yet again!

[image error]

Be sure to check out the other great writers in Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday.

[image error]

Escapee

Book 2 in the Repelling the Invasion series

A Disillusioned Soldiers

[image error]Hector Dukelsky, an upper-class career officer, yearns to fight a righteous war instead of defending corporate interests on Banff, an isolated mining moon torn by volcanoes. That dream seems dead when his entire command is slaughtered while he’s on leave. He returns to smoldering rubble, with no chance to survive let alone strike back at the enemy.

A Pilot with a Chip on Her Shoulder

Catt Sayer, a working-class fugitive from the law, earns a meager income carrying supplies on a decrepit airship, but her hard-won career vanishes when invaders capture Banff. While searching for survivors, she rescues Hector and flies him to safety. But he doesn’t want safety. He wants her to risk her life on a hopeless trek to attack the enemy headquarters.

A Dying Moon

Catt is sure Banff will kill them long before the enemy can, yet she agrees to Hector’s mad scheme, certain he’ll quit after experiencing one of the moon’s eruptions or ferocious storms. But he doesn’t quit, and his noble dream—and his love—conquer her heart. She pits her life and love against Banff’s lethal environment, even though the only reward for success will be the opportunity to face 10,000 enemy warriors.

Escapee is a brand-new edition of the science fiction romance that was the Rone Award’s First Runner Up as the best science fiction novel of 2016.  The re-release, with new material throughout, will go live November 23 — the birthday of my oldest son, to whom the book is dedicated. Until then, it’s available for pre-sale. Don’y let it escape you![image error]

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Apple iBooks
Kobo Books
Smashwords