Archive for the ‘Science Fiction’ Category

The Cyborg’s Crusade by Benoit Lanteigne ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: February 6, 2024 in giveaways, Science Fiction
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for The Cyborg’s Crusade organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Benoir Lanteigne will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Cyborg’s Crusade

by Benoit Lanteigne

 

 

Genre: Science Fiction

Synopsis

How did it come to this? My life used to be so simple. Back then, I hated it; I found it boring. Let me tell you: boring’s good. Boring’s great! I should’ve been thankful…

 

It was supposed to be a date like any other for James Hunter, a simple convenience store clerk. Nothing more than watching a movie in the town of Moncton. A place as unknown and unimportant as he considered his own existence to be. And yet, while walking to a cinema, James teleports to another world. There, a hostile crowd surrounds him, including various mutants with strange deformities.

 

Before he can even gather his wits or make a dash for it, a lone ally presents herself in the form of a winged woman named Rose. An important cultural figure in the country where James appeared, she offers him both protection and a home.

 

Soon, James learns that this new world is divided by a cold war. On one side is Nirnivia, home to Rose. The other, Ostark, led by a mysterious cyborg. James is unaware that the cyborg has him in his crosshairs, thinking of him as the Deus Ex Machina that will end the war in his favor.

 

But, the cyborg is far from the only potential threat to James. Soon after his arrival, BRR, a terrorist organisation, kidnaps him.

 

What would a rogue group out for revenge seeking to turn the cold war hot want with someone like James? Is there anyone also aware of this other world who will try to find him? Or is he on his own? If so, how is he supposed to escape? If that’s even an option…

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The second that James saw the deformed statue, he deemed it painful to look at. The sculpture depicted a man, but not one of normal proportions. The arms were far too long, paired with short legs, and the right eye appeared thrice the size of the left—nothing compared to the elongated spike forming the nose, or the mouth contorted in a grimace. Now that he sat leaning against the grotesque shape, the figurative ache turned literal as the sharp stone dug into his back.

 

Even with the intense heat, James shivered. The recent revelations chilled his blood, and no matter how hard it tried, the sun couldn’t warm him again. He rubbed his chin, pondering all he had learned. His hand brushed against his stubble, and he scowled at the itching sensation. Usually he shaved every day, a habit his unplanned trip had broken. Then again, next to his companion, a bit of extra hair was nothing…

 

The freak still stood a few feet behind, laughing to his heart’s content. What a horrendous chortle. How James yearned to shut him up via his fist. “Gwa ha ah aha ha! Ha ha aha! Ha ha! Come on, why do you take things so seriously? You still don’t get it, do you? Gwha ha ha ha ha! You should laugh more; it’ll do ya good! Gwha ha ha ha ha! Wha ha ha ha! Gwa ha ha!”

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About Author Benoit Lanteigne

So, my name is Benoit Lanteigne and I’m a French Canadian (outside of Quebec) who’s trying to write in English. That can be tricky. I’m a computer programmer and I enjoy it. I see many inspiring writers who hate their jobs and hope to quit someday, but that’s not my case. Mostly, I’ve worked on websites and web applications.

 

Back in school, I enjoyed writing and according to my teachers and classmates; I had a talent for it. Well, not so much for grammar and spelling, but they liked my stories. Once I went to university, I dropped writing as a hobby. There were other things I wanted to focus on, such as my career. Then, in the early 2000s, around 2006 I’d say, I had a flash of inspiration. At first, it was a single character: a winged woman with red hair. I didn’t even know who she was, but the image stuck with me. From there, I began figuring out details about her origins and her world, but I only started writing for real in 2009.

 

It’s been roughly 10 years now, and it’s not yet finished. That’s in part because I write in my spare time, and in part because the scope of the project is huge. Maybe too much so. Still, I’m getting close to the point where I could release something. The question is what’s next? Self-publishing? Attempt traditional publishing? Nothing? I don’t know the answer yet, I’m trying to figure it out. Frankly, sharing my writing is difficult for me, and whatever I end up doing, as long as I make it available to people I consider the experience a victory no matter what comes out of it.

 

Author Links: Website / Newsletter / Link Hub / Facebook

  Twitter / YouTube / TikTok / Instagram

 

The book will be $0.99 during the tour: Amazon

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Giveaway contest ribbon promo label prize. Vector giveaway banner badge design template

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Cerys: Valkyrie Earth by Merrin Slade ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: January 24, 2024 in giveaways, Science Fiction
Tags: , , ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Cerys: Valkyrie Earth organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Merrin Slade will award a $50 Kobo gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Cerys: Valkyrie Earth

by Merrin Slade

 

 

Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera

Synopsis

In a world where perfection is demanded of its citizens, one imperfect woman may be the only person who can save humanity.

One thousand years in the future, humans have developed the ability to alter their genes to create a perfect version of themselves, but not all are so fortunate. Cerys Skye is a Wild Type, genetically unaltered and forced to live in the Refuge—a place for Wild Types and the unlucky citizens whose genetic modifications society has deemed as imperfect.

All the fiery tempered young woman knows is how to fight. Using her wits and skills, Cerys must compete in brutal prize fights if she is to bring food to the table for her younger sister. But, she is always aware that the next fight could her last—she must find a way out of this life.

Leaving behind all that she knows, the last place the tempestuous Cerys expects to find herself is joining the United Planet’s Space Force Academy, where she battles prejudice and intolerance in a world run by genetically modified humans.

As the new recruit discovers, not all is as it seems at the Academy with a shadowy cyber-evil seeking to threaten humanity. But, when loyalties are tested and the stakes are high, can Cerys rely on newfound allies and her unshakeable courage to stop the impending catastrophe?

Contains mature themes.

Enjoy this peek inside:

She felt light-headed. “I need half an hour. To find my sister, that’s all…” Starla would understand this was for both of them. She would ask Gerry to take Starla in. Of course, she would. Gerry had a big heart.

“If you’re joining the Space Force, you leave now. You must decide,” he said.

Panic seized her. “I have to say goodbye. I must make arrangements.”

“Step into the pick-up zone. Or you are free to stay behind.”

Cerys glanced up at the silver disk darting through the clouds towards them. She looked back at the crowd. Inquisitive tourists gathered in a wide circle around her. Standing on the edge of the pick-up zone, their faces flashed: green, white, green, white.

In that moment, a woman shoved to the front of the crowd, the haft of a sword glinting over her shoulder—a Valkyrie.

“Kara,” Cerys shouted. “Over here.”

“Cerys.” Kara strode towards the checkpoint. GMs shrank away. “What’s going on? Did they take you? I heard about it.”

The secofficer scowled, and the crowd whooped.

“Kara, listen.” Cerys tugged her aside. “I’ve been recruited to the Space Force. Tell Gerry to look after Starla, and tell Starla…I love her. I’m getting her out of here. I’ll send money. Promise me.”

Kara blinked. “Now? You’re going now?”

“Just promise.”

“I promise.” She nodded vigorously. “Of course, I promise. Hey, what’s this…?”

Secnoids grabbed Kara from behind, dragging her away. Even the famous Valkyrie were not permitted to say goodbye.

“Tell Starla I’ll message…” Cerys shouted, but Kara was already lost in the crowd.

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About Author Merrin Slade:

Merrin Slade is a science fiction writer who transports readers to alternate futures and faraway universes.

Connect with Merrin Slade: TikTok / Website / Twitter / Instagram

 

The book is discounted for a limited time in NZ, Australia and the UK. https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/cerys-valkyrie-earth

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Giveaway contest ribbon promo label prize. Vector giveaway banner badge design template

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Guest Post And Giveaway ~ Outpassage by Janet Morris & Chris Morris

Posted: January 18, 2024 in giveaways, Guest Post, Science Fiction
Tags: , ,
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War and Mystery Beyond the Stars

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Outpassage

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by Janet Morris & Chris Morris

Genre: Science Fiction

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WAR AND MYSTERY BEYOND THE STARS

Sgt. “Det” Cox has just spent three years under psych observation on Earth; now that he’s out-system, he isn’t about to tell anyone he’s seeing aliens again. Paige Barnett has lost everything, even her name, because she knows too much about the rebellion spreading through the Earth-Space mining colonies.

Together Cox and Barnett stumble upon the mystery at the revolution’s heart and learn why the rebels are willing to die for it.

Is their discovery humanity’s worst threat or greatest gift? The authorities are willing to destroy whole planets to keep the revolution’s secret from reaching Earth… What’s to stop them from destroying two people

“The Morrises’ blend of fast-paced narrative and meticulous research into near-space technology makes a novel you can’t put down.”
— C.J. Cherryh

“Action sequences that would make any writer proud. OUTPASSAGE is a wonderful book.”
–David Drake

“OUTPASSAGE might just be the perfect science fiction novel.”
— Jack Williamson

Amazon * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

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PROLOGUE

Fourth World Nightmare

The sky was thin and the color of dirty motor oil, except where it exploded above their heads. Concussion was delayed in the thin air but the smell of roasting Rangers got to you right away, even through your air filters. The terraformers hadn’t done much of a job on this classified ball of rock before the corporation workforce moved in, the shit hit the fan, and a request for military assistance followed.

The request wasn’t denied, exactly, but it was rerouted to InterSpace Tasking Corporation’s security division, who sent out a deniable reconnaissance team — thirteen US Rangers sheep-dipped for hazardous duty under the command of Colonel “Mad Jack” Reynolds.

It was Reynolds whose charred flesh was sending up the stink that made Cox gag as he dove for cover. Long recon meant long odds, long distances, and long hitches, but nobody ever wanted to think it meant dying a long way from home.

Overhead, even through his flash-and-blast suppressing helmet, Cox could see the enemy coming in for another strafing run. Nobody ever thought the enemy was going to come at you with airpower, either, because there wasn’t supposed to be any hostile force out here that had airpower.

In Cox’s ear, Locke was screaming over the comm set: “… suggest you form up for extraction, sir, at the beacon.”

Cox huddled under an overhang of silicate, his rifle cradled against his chest and his knees pulled up, shifted enough to turn his head. “Reynolds?” he said into his comm-mic, just to be sure.

But there was no way the barbecued officer lying beside him, charred limbs askew, was going to answer. The airpower came over and Cox covered his head: his helmet’s recon pack had sent plenty of pictures already; he didn’t need to risk his life for one more shot of somebody shooting at him.

He needed to risk his life to get to the extraction point, and that was about all he could handle. “Hey Locke,” he yelled into his mic because the airpower was strafing what was left of Reynolds: “Reynolds is past it. I’m here by my lonesome.” Rock exploded near him. Reflexively, he ducked his head in the shelter of his arms, eyes closed, and said as clearly and calmly as he could, “But I’m real ready for an order to get the fuck out of here.”

“Then give it,” came Locke’s voice, laconic over the static and hard to hear because the sniper aircraft was coming back for another pass. “You’re the only friendly voice I’m hearing.”

“Falling back,” Cox heard his own voice say, and his body followed suit. He knew he was calling the roll as he got to his knees, then his feet, crouched under the overhang, listening hard for even a groan or a grunt in response.

But nobody came back to him over his comm-link. Thirteen guys, and of the twelve on his comm-link, Cox couldn’t raise a single one but Locke. He was poised, his thighs cramping, as he waited for what felt like the right moment to sprint across the scree, a mapping display already enabled on his faceplate that gave routing overlays to his target — the extraction site.

But through the electronics, he could see Reynolds. Behind the colored grid with its pulsing points and alphanumeric displays, Reynolds seemed to be moving.

Sliding along the ground, almost. Cox didn’t want to leave anybody behind that had a breath of life ….

He scuttled toward Reynolds, his pack scraping the ceiling of the overhang — scrambled close enough to see that not only Reynolds’ left arm and leg, but the left side of his skull, was burned away.

“Shit.” The shock of it propelled the Ranger out from cover, along the suggested track on his visor-display, as fast as he’d ever moved in his life.

But in the confines of his helmet, he knew what he’d seen: something moving; Reynolds moving. And he knew he was running from that vision as much as from anything else here.

Because there wasn’t anything else here. There wasn’t anything but some deep-space double-cross having to do with mining rights and racial hatreds spread across the stars.

It was the gang bosses against the cheap labor, was what it was. There wasn’t any alien life here, despite the security classification level of the planet designated X-31A, due to artifactual evidence. There wasn’t any alien life anywhere, not above the vegetable level — a century in space had proved that beyond a reasonable doubt.

Everything that seemed artifactual had, eventually, turned out to be natural, not intelligence-made. There wasn’t any reason for these IST honchos to be afraid of the boondocks on X-31A but the way they treated the contract laborers they’d trucked in here.

If Cox said different, he’d be in psych evaluation for the rest of his life — if he got off this shitball to have one.

It hadn’t been anything, not anything, that he’d seen out of the corner of his eye. It sure as hell hadn’t been a white, human-looking, delicate hand pulling Reynolds toward a wall of solid rock — coming out of a wall of solid rock.

It hadn’t. His lungs were burning despite the augmented oxygen-rich mix his recon pack was feeding him as he sprinted; he was sweating like a pig — sweating worse than his cooling system could handle. And, overhead, he heard a subtle change in volume that wouldn’t be subtle for long: the pursuit aircraft, laying down rivers of flame as it did a one-eighty, had sighted him. It was coming back.

With the bogey on his tail and nobody to answer to, Cox hit his jet-assist. It was a one-time-only, emergency move, but there was no way he could outrun that aircraft, not on foot.

The wrench at his shoulders was immediate, the grab in his crotch comforting. And then he was airborne himself, skimming across the ground toward the extraction point where Locke’s bird was already a dark speck lowering out of the filthy clouds.

Need to touch down before the transport does; got to watch his wash; wind-shear could crash him. You weren’t supposed to do this — it was against every rule in the book to jet toward an extraction point: gave heat-tracking to the enemy; gave random bad luck more of a chance to scratch you from the game-card.

He could still see the charred half of Reynolds’ face, the eye like a lamb’s eye that had popped up in his soup once during a Saudi tour. He saw it so clearly that when the enemy screamed overhead, ignoring him and going after Locke in the pickup craft, it didn’t bother him any.

Not even when Locke’s VTOL exploded in a gout of dirty orange flame, because he could still see Reynolds inching along the rock like he was alive, that hand clamped on him.

And then he couldn’t see anything, not for a long time, because something shorted his helmet’s system and the ground hit him, hard, in the face.

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Love Science Fiction?

For readers that are out of this world and can’t wait to find out what the future holds –

All SciFi books at Perseid Press are discounted for the month of January!

Get them now before they’re light years away…..

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https://bit.ly/3RLP2hs

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GUEST POST

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What is something unique/quirky about you?

 

Together we breed Morgan horses. We consult with Morgan breeders to help them choose crosses to their stock to achieve a desired result.

We are also musicians; Janet plays bass guitar, Chris sings and plays guitar. We have an album on MCA records. Look for Christopher Crosby Morris on Soundcloud or N1M.com

 

Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

 

Janet wrote her first novel, High Couch of Silistra in 1975; a friend sent it to an agent who chose to represent her; she had already written the second book in the Silistra Quartet and her agent told her not to disclose that until they finalized the contract for the first one. When the publisher learned of the others, Bantam Books bought the succeeding three. When the fourth book was published, the series already had four million copies in print. Suddenly Janet was a novelist specializing in environmental, gender, historical and political subjects. In the process, Chris started as her editor and ultimately a co-writer. Since then, she and Chris have co-authored many books.

 

Who is your hero and why?

 

Heraclitus of Ephesus, a pre-socratic philosopher, whose Cosmic Fragments foreshadow our knowledge of reality and how to perceive it. Among his precepts is the statement that change alone is unchanging. We’ve worked Heraclitus’ fragments in here and there throughout our books.

 

Which of your novels can you imagine being made into a movie?

 

All of them. We write cinematically, our books are vivid adventures we undertake without knowing the destination.  I, the Sun, The Sacred Band, and Outpassage are particularly suited to film. The Threshold Series is a feast of opportunities for today’s special effects creators.

 

What inspired you, to write Outpassage?

 

Outpassage — Many wonder if somehow salvation lies in the stars. In Outpassage pawns of industry are kidnapped to work on a distant mining colony. Waking from their long space voyage, they quickly discover strange properties in the surrounding straits of rock being mined for rare minerals needed for advanced tech production on Earth. Mysteriously, some miners die in questionable circumstances and reappear, coming to life and causing rebellion among their fellow contract laborers. Is this the result of natural conditions or supernatural forces? Outpassage takes you there to see for yourself.

 

Who designed your book covers?

 

The cover of Outpassage was created for Perseid Press by Vincent DiFate.

 

Advice to writers?

 

As for advice to writers, here is all we know: write the story you want to read. Start at the beginning, go to the end, and stop. Seriously. From start to finish you must inhabit the construct in a manner that makes the reader choose to continue; if we as writers can’t feel what it’s like being there, our readers can’t either. Close your eyes, look at your feet where they are standing on the story’s ground; tell us what you see. Tell us what you hear. Ask at the end of each paragraph ‘what happens next?’. If you lose touch with it wait until you’re back inside it. Tell the story that comes to you, and from you, to us.

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Best selling author Janet Morris began writing in 1976 and has since published more than 30 novels, many co-authored with her husband Chris Morris or others. Most of her fiction work has been in the fantasy and science fiction genres, although she has also written historical and other novels. Morris has written, contributed to, or edited several book-length works of non-fiction, as well as papers and articles on nonlethal weapons, developmental military technology and other defense and national security topics.

Christopher Crosby Morris (born 1946) is an American author of fiction and non-fiction, as well as a lyricist, musical composer, and singer-songwriter. He is married to author Janet Morris. He is a defense policy and strategy analyst and a principal in M2 Technologies, Inc. He writes primarily as Chris Morris, but occasionally uses pseudonyms.

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Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Bookbub

Amazon * Amazon * Goodreads * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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choice of print or ebook copy of Outpassage ,

$10 Amazon giftcard

– 1 winner each!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

The World Council by Norm Meech ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: January 8, 2024 in Action/Adventure, giveaways, Science Fiction
Tags: , , ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for The World Council organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Norm Meech will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The World Council

by Norm Meech

 

Genre: Science Fiction / Action / Adventure

Synopsis

Ricky Montgomery had just graduated high school in June 1976 and was enjoying life as an 18-year-old teenager. He was hired by the Dawson City Police Force, and after graduating from police college he was assigned to work as an undercover operative in a motorcycle gang.

Ricky, although happy, was struggling living his double life as a cop and biker. Then it happened: during a biker war, Ricky’s life was saved by agents from the World Council (TWC). TWC was created by the world’s leaders to prevent manmade disasters from happening and to liaise with aliens who have been monitoring mankind for hundreds of years. TWC’s mandate, with the assistance of aliens, is to ensure mankind’s continued existence.

TWC is a highly secretive organization, whose agents have the ability to travel through time, to change history, and to take lives to save lives. Ricky becomes a TWC agent and discovers that TWC’s command staff is making unethical decisions, hiding secrets about aliens and trying to reduce the world’s population through biological warfare. Ricky teams up with other agents and tries to save mankind and the world from disaster.

Enjoy this peek inside:

There were overhead cranes that slid on the metal tracking in the ceiling running the distances of the corridors. I was not sure why, but my gut was telling me there was something really strange going on. Something wasn’t right, I really felt like I was in danger. We were walking in a large group and being a Prospect I was at the back of the pack. Although I was walking, I became scared something was wrong. I didn’t even have a gun with me. This was supposed to be a peaceful patch-over.

Then it happened, the shooting started. There were muzzle flashes all over the place. It appeared that we were surrounded and the guys were being shot and were dropping everywhere. Some of the guys were trying to return fire, but the shots appeared to be coming from everywhere.

I suddenly observed these strange metal objects rolling around with guns shooting at us. Something was killing us and there was blood everywhere. Suddenly these metal walls started falling from the roof, blocking doorways and corridors herding us into areas, to be slaughtered.

I had taken cover behind a large metal shelf and I heard somebody yelling at me to climb up the ladder to the roof. I looked over to the right and two corridors over someone else was climbing up another ladder to the roof.

I looked again and the guys were still being slaughtered. Out of fear and self preservation I climbed the ladder as fast as I could. Although I was afraid of heights I was more scared about being shot and killed.

I periodically glanced down and it was so strange, those mechanical things were still rolling around firing shots at everyone. I got to the top of the ladder and saw that there was a metal platform to stand on. I stood on the platform and I glanced down to where the other guy had climbed to. He had pushed some type of button and suddenly he went shooting down the corridor ceiling on some type of overhead crane track out of sight.

I saw some buttons on the adjacent panel and l pushed the green button. Holy shit! I went flying down the ceiling. It was a fast ride, like I was almost travelling through time. It appeared to have taken me thousands of feet in a few seconds. Then suddenly I stopped and I looked around. Off in the distance I still saw these weird metal walls dropping from the ceiling. They were blocking corridors and exits. They were still isolating the guys into smaller areas, to be slaughtered.

I then saw the adjacent guy diving into a room just before a metal wall blocked his exit. The large metal wall came down fast, then slowed for a few seconds before locking into the other metal wall. I looked to my left and saw a strange thing. There was a group of people all dressed in white coloured laboratory coats, rushing around in a room that had a large window overlooking the warehouse.

I was concerned that a metal wall was going to come down and that I was going to be trapped so I decided that I had to jump through the window and escape into that room. I took a few steps and jumped through the window as a metal wall started to come down. Shit!, I was going to be squashed and I was going to lose my legs. At the last second I was able to lift both my legs out of the way, while flipping over on my back. With a clang the metal wall crashed down.

I was laying on my back trying to figure out what the fuck was going on when I saw an Asian girl approaching me. She said, “Hi Rick, I’m Irene and I’m glad you were able to get out in time. You have to come with me now.”

“What the hell is going on?” I managed to ask.

She looked at me, “I will explain everything to you in a few minutes but we have to get decontaminated right away.” She turned and started walking. “Follow me, stay close and do what I do.”

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About Author Norm Meech:

Norm Meech has been retired for nearly two years, capping a distinguished forty-four-year career in policing. He fondly recalls the camaraderie of work friends forged during his tenure and the unique experiences as a police officer.

While missing aspects of his former profession, Norm keeps himself engaged by maintaining fitness and pursuing various hobbies. Additionally, he channels his creativity into writing, aiming to produce a book annually. His latest work delves into science fiction, inviting readers to ponder questions about the existence of aliens, unidentified flying objects, government involvement in secret conspiracies, the potential for time travel, and the impact of human activities on the planet. Norm hopes readers enjoy the fictional stories he crafts, sparking contemplation and curiosity.

Author Links: Facebook / Blog / Instagram

Purchase Link: Amazon

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Giveaway contest ribbon promo label prize. Vector giveaway banner badge design template

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Cover and Trailer Reveal And Giveaway ~ The Quelling by C.L. Lauder

Posted: January 7, 2024 in Cover Reveal, giveaways, Science Fiction
Tags: , ,
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Today C.L. Lauder and Rockstar Book Tours are
revealing the cover and trailer for THE QUELLING, her new YA Sci-Fi book which
releases January 16, 2024!

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Check out the awesome cover and enter the giveaway!

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On to the reveal! 

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THE QUELLING

Author: C.L. Lauder

Pub. Date: January 16, 2024

Publisher: River Grove Books

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 362

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Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THEQUELLING 

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When you’re Stained, patches of skin
glisten like liquid starlight, and sooner or later, his creatures find you.

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When Kyjta accidentally brands
herself with an alien fluid while plotting revenge, she knows her fate is
sealed. As one of the Stained, her markings glisten star-bright, and the
creatures sent by the Rhemans to scavenge for bodies will have no trouble finding
her.

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One night, while sheltering during a
raid, Kyjta forms an unexpected pact with a Rheman rebel to protect a young
girl, Calipsie, who’s fallen into her care. Days later, when Calipsie is taken,
Kyjta abandons precaution to go after her. Facing impossible odds and allied by
a Rheman she’s not sure she can trust, Kyjta must not only rescue Calipsie, but
also face the Rheman overlord who’s taken a disturbing interest in her.

 

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About Author C.L. Lauder:

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C. L. Lauder grew up in South Africa before immigrating to
the United Kingdom, where she attended the University of London to complete an
MA in Creative Writing. She now lives at the foot of a lush mountain in Hong
Kong with her husband and two rapidly lengthening sons, who all enjoy their
newfound proximity to nature, especially the sea.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

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Giveaway contest ribbon promo label prize. Vector giveaway banner badge design template

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1 winner will receive a THE QUELLING box with a book and swag, International.

Ends March 1st, midnight EST.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Emissary by E.B. Brooks ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: November 7, 2023 in giveaways, Science Fiction
Tags: , ,
112

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Emissary organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author E.B. Brooks will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Emissary

by E.B. Brooks

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Genre: Science Fiction

Synopsis

Two Worlds. One Future.

Ewan O’Meara is no stranger to death: in recent months, he’s found his way to limbo at least once per week, much to his parents’ concern. It’s a necessary price for getting experience to become the greatest adventurer his homeland of Veridor has ever known, but the overbearing Veridian Church has him pinned down, soaking him for the penance gold to unlock his stats each time he respawns. And because the Church’s ancient war put an end to both the godlike Gems and the epic quests they once bestowed, Ewan has no better alternative.

That is, until he encounters a young woman fleeing arrest from the Church’s soldiers. At first glance, Treanna Rothchild needs it: she’s clueless about Veridian life. But she has other skills that defy Ewan’s understanding, and she knows things. Unsettling, seditious things the Church wants kept secret at any cost.

And she’s in Veridor to raise an army, to fight an enemy only she can see.

Risking both life and soul, Ewan follows Treanna where no Veridian has ever been and there is no respawning. But for him to have a chance at making a real difference in the strange, harsh world she reveals to him, he must first come to terms with it. Especially as he and Treanna discover how much it has in common with Veridor—and how much they depend on each other to survive.

New-adult science fiction, wrapped in gaming and fantasy around a hopepunk core, Emissary is an immersive, thought-provoking adventure with a little teen romance and a lot of heart.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Tree broke contact, then looked at the others. “I’m taking command. Samuel, move Nathan to cover by the lift. Put his feet up, and keep pressure on that wound. We’ll throw down a kit once we can.”

Sam hesitated but nodded, then knelt to scoop Nathan up.

“Love,” Tree said, locking hard, frightened eyes on Ewan. “You’re with me. Loot the corpses. We’ll disguise ourselves, then retake the camel and retreat.”

“What about Gabe and Vincent?”

“They’ll escape with us, if they’re quick enough.”

Ewan swallowed. “Yes, ma’am.”

She darted off to one of the bodies, and he stepped over to the robed figure he’d impaled, thinking a bloody gash in his outfit might be less of a giveaway than a giant frapping hole. But when he pulled the robes free, he knew with a sickened jolt that blood was the least of the differences in appearance.

The man’s copper-skinned face was scarred all over in what was obviously a deliberate, artistic pattern, as though he’d mistaken a knife for a pen. His nose and ears were pierced through with bits of metal, with hair and beard braided and bound in wire that could have come from the ruin’s walls. His muscles were lean and hard, far better fed than should have been possible for someone from the Wastes. Even in death he had a feral air about him, a lingering lethal intent that had Ewan half expecting him to leap out of the sands again.

His hand still clutched a gun, hardly bigger than a tablet. Ewan reached for it, hesitated, and left it to retrieve his thrown sword.

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About Author E. B. Brooks:

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E.B. Brooks lives in the southeastern USA, where he splits his time between writing, research, and homesteading. He enjoys building fictional worlds, real houses, and landscape models, but he’s most at home with his wife and children, and their many, many pets.

 

Website / Twitter / YouTube / Goodreads / StoryGraph / Bookbub

Buy Link: Amazon

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #29 ~ The Swarm by Frank Schatzing

Posted: October 29, 2023 in horror, reviews, Science Fiction
Tags: , , ,
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 The Swarm

by Frank Schatzing

Genre: Science Fiction / Horror

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MY REVIEW

Our oceans have been called the last great frontier. Depths no man can enter. Could there be intelligent life? I can’t help but wonder. And what if that life resents us? Have had enough of our plundering and damage to an ecosystem they also depend on to survive? Could you blame them if they used the very thing we all need to defend themselves?

This is a huge book. I can’t remember if it was gifted to me or I bought it. The synopsis was intriguing and I love books where nature plays a vital role in humanities survival. The cast of characters is large. It couldn’t be otherwise with so many sciences needing to be included in order to explain what’s attacking and why. As each new species of marine life turns on us, those who specialize in that field of study are introduced. From Orca who attack and kill us, to whales who sink our ships and crustaceans that poison us, it’s a race to find answers. Man can’t live without the oceans.

When a mission is planned to try to communicate with the intelligence in the depths, many rose to the occasion. Sadly, some died. Some also chose to remain with their families and try to ride it out. Those who went out to meet the unknown had no guarantees they would ever come home. But, someone had to go.

I mentioned this was a large book. That said, I never lost interest or felt tempted to skip ahead. Even in the scientific bits. They were explained in ways a layman like me could understand. The scenes where marine life that we trusted turned on and attacked us were vicious. It made me angry at their betrayal. Then I was saddened when I learned what was behind it. And when the group goes down there. Where the enemy is. Those scenes were so suspenseful. I couldn’t get enough. Had to know what was down there. Whether it could be reasoned with. Wondered what the fate of mankind would be.

I loved this book and thought what a great movie it would make. They went one better. There is now a television series and I’m watching it now. Just a couple of episodes into it but I’m hooked already and can’t wait to see how closely the film follows the book.

5 STARS

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Synopsis

For more than two years, one book has taken over Germany’s hardcover and paperback bestseller lists, reaching number one in Der Spiegel and setting off a frenzy in bookstores: The Swarm.

Whales begin sinking ships. Toxic, eyeless crabs poison Long Island’s water supply. The North Sea shelf collapses, killing thousands in Europe. Around the world, countries are beginning to feel the effects of the ocean’s revenge as the seas and their inhabi-tants begin a violent revolution against mankind. In this riveting novel, full of twists, turns, and cliffhangers, a team of scientists discovers a strange, intelligent life force called the Yrr that takes form in marine animals, using them to wreak havoc on humanity for our ecological abuses. Soon a struggle between good and evil is in full swing, with both human and suboceanic forces battling for control of the waters. At stake is the survival of the Earth’s fragile ecology — and ultimately, the survival of the human race itself.

The apocalyptic catastrophes of The Day After Tomorrow meet the watery menace of The Abyss in this gripping, scientifically realistic, and utterly imaginative thriller. With 1.5 million copies sold in Germany — where it has been on the bestseller list without fail since its debut — and the author’s skillfully executed blend of compelling story, vivid characters, and eerie locales, Frank Schatzing’s The Swarm will keep you in tense anticipation until the last suspenseful page is turned.

Amazon

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The above cover is the one I own in hardback.

Here’s an alternative cover.

The Swarm: A Novel

Which do you like the most?

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

     

   

     

   

     

     

     

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #9 ~ Jurassic Resort #2 by Brent Reilly

Posted: October 9, 2023 in Freebies!, horror, reviews, Science Fiction
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Jurassic Resort 2 Battle For Raptor City

by Brent Reilly

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Genre: Science Fiction / Horror

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MY REVIEW

The fight against aliens who are planning to annihilate man from existence isn’t happening in the future. It takes place in the past. Traveling through a portal, humans now live in the age of the dinosaur. And it’s definitely a fight for survival.

I thought the first book in this series was out of this world.  The second one is even crazier and packed with action. It didn’t take me long to realize I shouldn’t get attached to any of the characters. It’s man against dinosaur and there’s nothing even sided about that. There’s this scene where a man is about to be eaten by a dinosaur. He’s staring into it’s mouth, lined with sharp teeth. What actually saves him is an even bigger dinosaur eats the one attacking him.

If you love creature features and don’t have a sensitive stomach, you really need to try this series. It’s one bloody, gory battle and I loved every bit of it.

5 STARS

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Synopsis

100 million people have crossed a spacetime portal into dinosaur times to build a self-sustaining society before aliens destroy humanity. But a greedy man has a trillion dollar secret that will get him killed, sparking the biggest battle in 67 million years. After Raptor Ray’s daughter is murdered, her sisters must use dinosaurs to stop the 50,000 gunmen coming to kill them. The weirdest war in the 21st Century takes place in the past and history will never be the same. He screamed when the spino removed his stomach and screamed some more as she ate him over his body. His blood and her saliva dripped on his face. With his mouth open like that, some probably got inside. A raptor blindsided him at full speed. It was like getting hit by a car with spikes. Peterson flew into several guys, knocking them down, his internal organs becoming external as they fell out of his open stomach. His friends stared at him in horror. The heavy weapons sounded like gods farting thunder. Now all alone, he watched two gunmen come out and check the bodies, laughing at the free kills. The big room was packed with people when missiles broke the windows. HQ disappeared in an explosion of sound and smoke. Flesh flew and shit literally hit the fan. A primal scream left his lungs and a dozen mega-raptors rose above the tall grass to look at him with tears of joy. Dinner just served itself. He grabbed one armed chicken by the neck, but others were chewing chunks of his flesh, straight through his clothes. Another bit into his bicep and the knife dropped from his fist. A massive claw dug into his stomach and excavated a few organs. He flew up into a tree, where he caught on a branch. Bleeding out, the guard watched monsters eat his friends. Stepping over the human, the spino caught the mega in his massive jaws. Declan turned to stare at the horrified face of the raptor, just a few paces away, as rows of serrated 8” teeth chewed her up. He took down three raptors in his first clip. The last landed not far from him and crawled over like that thing from the movie Alien.

Free On Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

     

   

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Interview With The Authors ~ Pets In Space 8

Posted: October 8, 2023 in Anthology, Romance, Science Fiction
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Pets in Space 8 tour banner.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Pets in Space 8. Blast off into adventure with the eighth installment of Pets in Space, a dynamic anthology of 11 never-before-seen science fiction romance stories!

This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours and the tour runs from 3 till 16 October. You can see the tour schedule here.

Pets in Space 8 book cover

Pets in Space 8
By R.J. Blain, Susan Hayes, Honey Phillips, Skye MacKinnon, Arizona Tape, Carol Van Natta, Tana Stone, S.J. Pajonas, Carysa Locke, JC Hay, Gail Koger and Elva Birch
Genre: Science Fiction Romance Anthology
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 3 October 2023

Blurb:
Join the PETS IN SPACE crew!

Blast off into adventure with the eighth installment of PETS IN SPACE, a dynamic anthology of 11 never-before-seen science fiction romance stories! Rocket through the multi-verses brimming with heart-pounding escapades, swoon-worthy romances, and the best pet sidekicks ever!

Each story will pull you into the far-flung corners of the cosmos with intrepid heroes and heroines you’ll want to cheer for as they fight to save their world and find their happily ever afters. You’ll adore the furry, feathered, and scaly friends who have come to help their brave human companions on their quests.

This limited-edition anthology includes novellas by some of the biggest names in science fiction romance including USA TODAY bestselling authors R.J. Blain, Susan Hayes, Honey Phillips, Skye MacKinnon, Arizona Tape, Carol Van Natta, Tana Stone, S.J. Pajonas, Carysa Locke, JC Hay, plus award-winning authors Gail Koger and Elva Birch.

The Pets in Space 8 authors continue their vital support of Hero-Dogs.org, the non-profit charity that provides trained service dogs for disabled U.S. veterans and first-responders.

So, grab your space helmet to discover adventure and love — buy Pets in Space 8 today!

Links:
– Goodreads
– Bookbub
– Amazon
– B&N
– Kobo
– Google Play
– Apple

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Enjoy this Interview with the authors of Pets in Space 8

1) Tell us a bit about your story in Pets in Space 8?

– Tana Stone: When Tegan takes a job as a midwife for the galaxy’s only all-female bounty-hunting crew, she thinks the job will be simple. Deliver some babies, earn some credits, repeat. She doesn’t expect to make an unscheduled stop on the deadly planet that’s home to the Den of Thieves. But she needs medical supplies, and she’s assigned two brawny Dothvek barbarians to protect her, not to mention the ship’s shapeshifting pet glurkin, Pog. What could go wrong?

– Arizona Tape and Skye MacKinnon: The Alien’s Falconer is a sapphic (f/f) romance between space pirate Georgia and spaceship captain Ellabee who she’s trying to rob. Caught in the battle of wills between the two strong women is Georgia’s alien parrot who will do his best to turn them from enemies into friends – and maybe more…

 

2) What was the inspiration for your story in Pets in Space 8?

– Carol Van Natta: Earlier this year, I went on three-week visit to Australia, and I fell in love with the Daintree Rainforest, west of the Great Barrier Reef. I’d already been planning my story, Stellar Drift, so I set all the action in a continent-sized rainforest on a colonized planet in the far future. The rainforest is lush, mysterious, and full of history, traits that are reflected the main character Sairy, a pilot who has many secrets. Forest ranger Houyen, determined to find the source of a fever that’s spreading, was inspired by the indigenous elders in Daintree who want to preserve the land and their way of life, while accepting that change is inevitable.

– Arizona Tape and Skye MacKinnon: This book is part of the Aliens and Animals series, a sci-fi romance where each standalone novel includes some sort of animal. Captain Ellabee has appeared as a side character in the book 3, The Alien’s Farmer, and Pets in Space 8 was the perfect opportunity for us to write an entire story about her.

Until now, most of the animals have been from Earth (Highland cows, sheep, even a rhino) so we really wanted to come up with an alien animal for this book. Since Georgia is a space pirate, giving her an alien parrot seemed like the natural thing to do.

 

3) Introduce the main characters in your story in Pets in Space 8, and describe them in one sentence each.

– Carol Van Natta: In Stellar Drift, my story in Pets in Space 8, a forest ranger convinces a pilot to help him look for the source of a deadly fever that is spreading. Exploration pilot Sairy Sarvand has lived in the rainforest for the past three years, hiding from her past, until kind and sexy Ranger Houyen Albasrey asks for help only she can provide. Houyen can’t resist mysteries, whether it’s figuring out what’s causing a fever or wanting to get to know the elusive Sairy better.

– Arizona Tape and Skye MacKinnon: Abducted from England by aliens as a teenager, Georgia has become a space pirate to survive. She’s accompanied by a parrot-like alien bird who echoes her words back to her, somewhat making up for her lonely existence.

Ellabee is the blue-skinned captain of her spaceship and commands her alien crew with ease. Don’t mistake her kindness for weakness though, she’ll stop at nothing to protect what matters to her.

 

4) What does the pet in your Pets in Space 8 story look like and what part does the pet play in the plot?

– Tana Stone: My pet, Pog, is a Lycithian shape-shifting glurkin. His natural form is a small, round puff of bright-green fur with tiny feet and little black eyes tucked into the fluff BUT he can shift into any form at will. This talent comes in handy when my story’s protagonists are running from dangerous mercenaries.

– Arizona Tape and Skye MacKinnon: Aba, the resident alien parrot with four beady eyes, four wings, and both scales and feathers that change colour depending on his mood. He keeps our space pirate company when she’s alone, repeats unhelpful phrases, and blurts out all sorts of secrets.

 

5) What was the inspiration for the pet in your story for Pets in Space 8?

– Carol Van Natta: Kayala is a genetically engineered pet made to look like a big, scary gargoyle, the kind you can find on top of gothic castles in Europe. She was inspired by two rescued pitbulls owned by my friend. Despite the breed’s bad press, they’re two of the sweetest, most loving dogs you’d ever want to meet. And as I once knew a Great Dane that aspired to be a lapdog (only his head would actually fit in anyone’s lap), I gave that trait to Kayala as well.

– Arizona Tape and Skye MacKinnon: We wanted to give our lonely space pirate Georgia a nice companion and what better than one that can talk back? Of course, since she’s in space, we needed something a little more exotic than a regular parrot, so that’s how alien parrot Aba was born.

 

6) If your story is part of a series, tell us how your story in Pets in Space 8 relates to the rest of the series.

– Tana Stone: My story, RESCUE, is part of my Barbarians of the Sand Planet series. Pog is a member of the all-female bounty-hunting crew (and the personal pet of the Lycithian shape-shifter and bounty hunter Bexli). He’s integral to the women’s bounty-hunting enterprise and scampers around their ship at will. When the crew takes on a midwife, Pog takes to her quickly, which is how he becomes enmeshed in the adventure.

– Carol Van Natta: Stellar Drift is set in my Central Galactic Concordance universe. There’s a big damn story arc going on in the main series that starts with Last Ship Off Polaris-G. It’s about evolution, rebellion, and romance, plus grand adventures and all sorts of space opera goodness. Stellar Drift and the stories I’ve written for previous Pets in Space anthologies are all standalone sidetrips (with pets!) that can be read in any order, with a few Easter eggs for fans of the main series.

– Arizona Tape and Skye MacKinnon: The Alien’s Falconer is part of the Aliens and Animals series and it links back to the previous book in the series, The Alien’s Farmer. We don’t want to give any spoilers, but our space captain Ellabee plays an important part in bringing two people together and we spend a lot of time on her ship.

You can find out more about the series HERE

 

7) What do you like most about writing about pets?

– Arizona Tape and Skye MacKinnon: We love pets, they’re wonderful companions. Everyone deserves one, even fictional people. Otherwise they get a bit lonely. And coming up with alien pets is so much fun!

 

8) Do you have any pets yourself? If so, tell us about them.

– Tana Stone: I have two dogs and three cats–all rescues! Our two dogs are lab mixes–one black and one yellow–and they are the first line of defense when it comes to deadly UPS and Amazon delivery trucks. Two of our cats are tabbies–one brown and one orange–and we got them as kittens less than a year ago. They love shredding upholstery and stalking flies. Our other cat is a neurotic calico who prefers to be seen and heard (and given treats) but not touched.

– Carol Van Natta: I adore cats, and have been honored to share my home with quite a few over the years. My current feline companions are Captain and the Fluffbot. They’re rescued litter-mates, brothers, and a bonded pair, meaning twice the silliness because they’re still teenagers. Captain is a short-haired black kitty who ever-so-politely steals toys from my desk. Fluffbot is a medium-haired black kitty who likes supervising all the action from the highest cat tower available. They have informed me that my next Pets in Space story damn well better feature cats as the heroes. 😺

– Arizona Tape and Skye MacKinnon: Yes, Arizona has a lovely cuddly dog called Fudgestick who snores loudly and keeps her company while she writes. Skye has a hyperactive kitten called Valkyrie who often can’t decide whether she wants to cuddle or nibble on her human. They’re still working on the question on who owns the keyboard.

 

9) What was your favorite part of writing your story for Pets in Space 8?

– Arizona Tape and Skye MacKinnon: For Arizona, her favourite bits are the ones with the alien parrot Aba. He’s such a mischievous character and always causing trouble, which is right up her wheelhouse.

Skye liked writing the dynamic between the two main characters: they start as enemies, with both trying to outwit the other, but slowly realise they’re more similar than they thought and that what they feel for each other might be more than just animosity…

 

10) What’s next on your writing schedule? And what’s at the top of your to-be-read list?

– Arizona Tape and Skye MacKinnon: Skye is writing the third book in her Starlight Monsters series, My Big Scaly Alien Naga, an action-packed, spicy monster romance which is set to release early next year. She’s currently reading the latest releases in the Intergalactic Dating Agency, preferably paired with a large mug of tea and some dark chocolate.

Arizona is working on her paranormal romance series with fated mates (Crescent Lake Shifters) There are animals there too (bears and dragons), but they’re of the shifter variety!

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Pets in Space 8 graphic

Pets in Space links:
– Website
– Pets in Space® Facebook Readers Group
– Twitter
– Newsletter Signup

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Hero Dogs Charity

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Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space® authors have donated over $18,000 in the past seven years to help place specially trained dogs with disabled veterans and first responders. 10% of all pre-orders and the first month’s royalties of Pets in Space 8 will again go to Hero-Dogs.org. Open your hearts and grab your limited-release copy of Pets in Space 8 today and help this worthy charity! https://www.hero-dogs.org/

The Authors:
– R.J. Blain
– Susan Hayes
– Honey Phillips
– Skye MacKinnon
– Arizona Tape
– Carol Van Natta
– Tana Stone
– S.J. Pajonas
– Carysa Locke
– JC Hay
– Gail Koger
– Elva Birch

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Pets in Space 8 tour banner.
Lola's Blog Tours graphic

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

The Jade Labyrinth by Alanna MacKenzie ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 5, 2023 in giveaways, Science Fiction, YA Fantasy
Tags: , , , ,
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The Jade Labyrinth by Alanna Mackenzie tour banner.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Jade Labyrinth by Alanna Mackenzie. In The Jade Labyrinth a young rebel leader undertakes a perilous mission to reprogram the artificially intelligent rulers of a colonial empire, traversing through hostile landscapes and braving grueling mental and physical challenges.

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This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours and the tour runs from 2 till 15 October. You can see the tour schedule here.

The Jade Labyrinth (The Jade Chronicles #3)

By Alanna Mackenzie

 

Genre: Science Fiction/ Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 12 September, 2023

Blurb:

A meeting. A maze. A perilous journey back to an Empire on the edge of chaos.

Walter Saltanetska, leader of the Jade Rebellion, is nearly ready to return to the heart of the AI-ruled Empire that has branded him a treasonous fugitive. His mandate is clear: to reprogram the AI Masters before their earth-destroying habits spiral out of control.

First, he must brave gruelling training in a land fraught with danger—rugged mountains haunted by spirits, a parched desert patrolled by watchful drones, and a labyrinthine cave guarded by armed robots. As his physical, mental, and magical abilities are tested by harrowing encounters, Walter must work to resist forces that threaten to destabilize his mission.

The biggest threat he faces is not one he encounters along the course of his journey, but one that originates within him. Walter returns to the Empire’s capital in a mind-altering disguise that proves to be a double-edged sword. Drawing him closer to a soul mate who rekindles his admiration for the AI Masters, it also distances Walter from the human emotions that sparked his desire to join the Rebellion. In his final showdown with the AI Masters, Walter must keep his mind under control, or risk jeopardizing the mission that he and his allies are counting on to reverse a looming tidal wave of destruction.

The thrilling third installment in The Jade Chronicles, The Jade Labyrinth weaves dystopian science-fiction with high fantasy while exploring an essential subject: the perils and promise of artificial intelligence.

Links:
– Goodreads
– Amazon
– Barnes & Noble

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Waiting for night to fall was the hardest part. The tedium was made worse by lining up to pass the security checkpoint, and afterwards they broke camp and had to wait a few more hours until dinner was ready. The traders appeared to be in good spirits, Tyrian most of all. He drank copious amounts of brandy and mulled wine that night around a blazing campfire and ordered his fellow traders to sing and strum various eclectic instruments. One was a sitar, an oriental-sounding instrument from the Southern Jungles, another was a khoborga, a traditional Xeyan’na flute that had a harsh ring to it, and the third type of instrument was a meyre, a hollowed-out drum stretched with leather hide.

The revelry did not interest Walter, but he was grateful for the distraction. He was intending to discreetly slip away after dinner to do his work, but Tyrian grabbed him by the wrist just as he finished the last of his curried chickpeas.

“Will you be staying for the entertainment?” Tyrian asked boorishly. As drunk as he was, the lead trader seemed oddly lucid, and the way his moss-green eyes bored into Walter made the young man shiver.

“I’m tired. Think I’ll have an early night tonight,” Walter replied.

“Your friend… she’s a pretty one,” Tyrian drawled, gazing across the campfire toward Eva, who was bobbing her head in time with the music. “I was hoping she’d join in the diversions.”

Walter set his jaw. The last thing he wanted was this unrefined trader making designs on his friend Eva. Now that he thought of it, the trader had seemed romantically interested in her from the beginning. Although Walter had first attributed the trader’s lingering gaze to curiosity about her mixed-race origins, he now realized it was because of something more. But Walter recognized an opportunity for further distraction. He hated to do this to his friend, but he needed every advantage he could get with these wily traders.

“She’s an excellent dancer,” Walter exclaimed, and as soon as the words were out of his mouth he regretted them. He had no idea how well Eva danced, and he didn’t want to put her on the spot. But what better way to ensure that he could work uninterrupted than to have Eva distract the traders with a dance?

“Is that so?” Tyrian said. “Well, let’s see it, then.”

Walter reddened as Tyrian called across the campfire to Eva, causing the sitar player’s melodious rhythms to stop abruptly. “Pretty lady,” Tyrian drawled, taking another swig of brandy. “Your friend here says you can dance.”

Eva glanced at Walter, and the rebel leader tried to convey an expression of pleading in his eyes. Eva caught on, but Walter could see that she was not pleased with him.

“My friend is too flattering,” she replied coldly, “but I do enjoy dancing. With a partner, of course,” she added.

Walter froze. He half-expected her to invite him to dance with her, but instead she beckoned for Tyrian to come closer. The brilliance of her strategy was apparent. As the three instrumentalists began their tune, a sharply cadenced flamenco, Eva bowed before Tyrian and held out her arms in an invitation. The lead trader eagerly accepted the offer, and the other traders formed a circle around them, cheering and clinking their brandy-filled glasses as the music grew more animated. Walter watched for a few moments in rapt fascination; he was not so captivated by the dancing itself, but rather by the sheer resourcefulness of his friend, who had been able to gracefully choreograph a routine in mere seconds.

With the traders’ attention thoroughly diverted, Walter was able to relax as he crept away into the shadows of the gloomy late-autumn night. The temperature was plunging as the sun had recently set, and Walter felt the assaulting chill of the air once he left the campfire. To avoid any encounters with the traders, he decided to do his work in the open air, behind a nearby rock formation, rather than in one of the wagons.

It all happened very quickly. Walter consumed the lydion—about half a teaspoonful was all that was required—and immediately he felt his mind shift into a different gear. He studied the code of his spyware detection program, and with fresh eyes, determined what its weaknesses were and how they could be shored up. It was startlingly easy to spot them with his newly heightened sense of awareness, a sort of hyper-sensitivity to the nuanced cause and effect of any computational system.

As the lydion permeated his body, Walter’s mind became clear, focused, and unplagued by anxieties. He often felt that way after a seizure, as though a buildup of tension within his brain had erupted, clearing away the debris from his neural pathways. With lydion, he felt as though he could accomplish the most complex programming task in a matter of minutes. There was nothing getting in the way—no distracting ego, and most importantly, no emotional baggage attached to any task he set out to accomplish. A meditative sense of calm accompanied his work, along with the feeling that he was conserving energy that would have otherwise dissipated.

Within twenty minutes, the upgraded program was completed. Walter could still hear the reassuring background noise of the drumming and the swirling, exotic melodies of the sitar and the khoborga. As the new spyware program ran, he felt tranquil, but poised to react to any hint of a result. And, within a few more minutes, he found it: a backdoor trojan horse, almost negligible in its size, that had burrowed its way onto the tablet’s hard drive.

Investigating its origins, he saw the culprit. A mail attachment that somebody named ‘vokyrv81’ had delivered a few days ago into his inbox, that he had opened mindlessly, revealing an advertisement for hotels in the Barrens. He realized, too, that the name spelled backwards was that of the trader he and Eva had been speaking to, Vrykov. He cursed himself for having opened the attachment, for it was doing its grisly work to mine the contents of his tablet.

~~~~~

Alanna Mackenzie

About the Author Alanna MacKenzie:

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Alanna Mackenzie lives in Vancouver, Canada. She holds degrees in History, French studies, and Law from the University of British Columbia. An environmentalist at heart, she believes in using the law as a tool for social and environmental change. When she is not pursuing that passion, she can be found brainstorming the next chapter in her novels, playing Irish fiddle tunes on the violin, and hiking West Coast trails.

You can find and contact Alanna Mackenzie here:
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