Blurb:

With Adrian’s jump gate, the Empire is readying to take the fight to their enemies. The Rebel Alliance takes advantage of this opportunity to expand it’s power and bring down this oppressive regime.

The charismatic Tucker and his second-in-command, Dain, are at the vanguard of this Rebel push, but is everything as simple as it seems?

Adrian is once again caught up with factions vying to use his brilliant mind when a bounty hunter recaptures him while Kali and Bryce try to save him.

Will they succeed? Are the Rebels their salvation or is there a hidden agenda that will destroy them all?

Charles Sester the psychostrategist is back and at his manipulative best, but whose interests is he serving this time?

EXCERPT:

The Rebels – Chapter 7

The shack was swept clear of debris and holes were boarded up as best they could. Kitchenware hung from hooks on the wall, by category, or were stuffed in hastily drafted containers. Tins lay neatly stacked in cupboards, according to food group and expiry date. The room no longer looked as if a tornado had passed through it, and it was far from Adrian’s exacting standards, but this was better than the alternative.

He dipped a coarse sponge into a diluted cleaning agent, squeezed out the liquid so it wouldn’t drip all over the floor, and scrubbed a rustybrown stain next to a table leg. If he hazarded to guess, it looked like a spray of blood that had dried into the boards and then inexpertly cleaned with a caustic agent that burned it into the wood. He leaned into the sponge with his shoulder, ignoring the twinge in his back. After everything they had gone through, he refused to be defeated by a stubborn stain. 

Produce. Think. Solve. He shook himself mentally, trying to throw off the litany that had been plaguing him for weeks.

A croaking gurgle from the heater made him lift his head and frown. Warmed air wheezed through the heating system. The unit was fixed but far from efficient. When Bryce returned from town, they would clear the clogged ducts. 

He glanced at the light green numbers advancing on his databand. Six hours. He squeezed the sponge harder than he intended and brackish water squirted through his fingers.

Have the authorities arrested Bryce? The lack of up-to-date information was vexing and once he had the equipment, he would build them all comms devices. His, of course, was already connected to the planetary networks.

A creak of a cupboard door drew his attention. Kali removed two chipped mugs and set them on the counter next to a whistling kettle. The previous inhabitant didn’t believe in tea cups, saucers or glasses, just beer-sized mugs.

The idea of beer brought his mind back to his missing assistant. Where is he?

“He’s fine,” Kali told him.

Adrian blinked. “You read my mind.”

“I sensed you were worried and then you looked at the door.”

He didn’t remember doing it, and it was disconcerting how well she could read him.

“You sensed something from Bryce?”

“Vaguely. His impressions are not as strong as yours, but he appears to be happy, so I assume he’s safe.”

A sharp pinch of pain in his knees made him shift his weight. Scrubbing floors was an unaccustomed and menial task, but there was nothing else for him to do until he had more equipment and proper tools. “Can you sense when he’s coming back?”

“Unfortunately, no.” She brought the mugs over and set them on the table.

Steam drifted lazily from the kettle, the calming scent of chamomile teasing him with a tranquility he did not feel. Now that he was pondering it, Adrian realized his assistant had no reason to come back. With money from the sale of the bands, Bryce could build a new life. He glanced up at Kali who was pouring murky brown liquid into a mug. Without him, she would be much safer, and potentially much happier.

“I would not,” said Kali, without spilling a drop or looking in his direction.

Adrian tried to keep a disgruntled tone from seeping into his voice. “I thought you couldn’t read my mind.”

“I didn’t need to,” said Kali.

Dropping the sponge into the bucket, he pulled himself up with the table edge, his knees cracking audibly. “The fact still remains, as long as you stay with me, your life is in danger. You heard the Admiral, she will send people after me. People who will stop at nothing.”

Kali paused in the middle of pouring the tea. Her voice took on the softer tone that made him stiffen. “I’m here because I want to be with you. We’re in this together.”

“And Bryce? He’s not here because he wants to be here. He’s a victim of circumstance. If he had a choice, he would be in his bed sleeping, or in a bar drinking himself into a stupor. He only stays because he doesn’t realize that he’s no longer my assistant, that he no longer has to follow my orders.”

“You’re being unfair to him. If he wanted to, Bryce could have betrayed you many times. He can still sell you for a hundred million credits if he were that kind of man, but he isn’t and you know it.”

Adrian stared out the window at the snow-covered garden and the gaps in the fence. It was a bleak landscape, unforgiving and deadly to those who had no protection. He released a heavy sigh. “I never said he was a traitor.”

“I’m glad you know that. You cannot drive us away and none of us can survive on our own.”

As much as he wanted to wipe it from his memory, he could not deny the lessons learned this past year under the heel of the Empire. The thought, the stark reality of it sat like a bitter pill that he had to force himself to swallow. Unconsciously, his fingers slid up the much folded sleeve ofhis workman plaid shirt and he kneaded the tight numbness that radiated up his wrist. “I didn’t say I could.”

She fixed him with a stare. “You cannot die on your own either.”

He wanted to correct her, to say that it was very easy, but a lump formed in his throat, choking the response. There was something else he had discovered this past year, something he feared more than life or death or even the loss of his freedom.

“I know you’re concerned, but don’t be.”

Kali put the kettle down and considered him with a speculative tilt of her head. “Adrian, have you ever considered fighting?”

His brows lifted at the strange question. “I don’t engage in barbaric displays.”

“I’m not talking about physical combat. You’ve been fighting the Empire all your life, one way or another.”

He shrugged. “I fight stupidity wherever it may be. It is not exclusive to the Empire.”

“That’s true, but I’m not referring to a lack of intelligence. I mean resistance, rebellion, overturning a system that treats people unfairly.”

“You’re referring to the rebel alliance?”

“Not necessarily. But they are one option.”

“I’m a scientist, Kali. I have no interest in tilting windmills or engaging in violent rebellion.”

“Then become a nonviolent rebel. I’m sure there are many things you can do to make the Empire leaders sit up and listen. They need you.”

“They don’t need me. Only my knowledge and my skills. They want a human computer that can spit out answers, not opinions. And the rebels are the same.”

“Surely not. They’re fighting oppression. They’re trying to help people.”

“Fighting oppression doesn’t automatically make someone good, Kali. Rebels seek to tear down an oppressive system regardless of the consequences to others. Gekka was a prime example. They took over a planet ostensibly to free people from tyranny, but once they did, the rebels indiscriminately enslaved or killed everyone above a level three under the assumption that those who had privilege must be guilty of oppression. That does not make them better than the Empire. Many were doctors, scientists, educators, skilled people living peaceful lives.”

Kali eased herself into the opposite chair and poured the rest of the tea while he wiped his hands on a towel and joined her.

“I’d heard some bad things about Gekka, but it’s hard to believe the official reports.”

“This time, they were truthful. I had access to some of the higher level communications and verified the details.”

“You mean, you hacked the security channels?”

“Quite regularly. It was the only way to obtain the facts.”

“Then you know what the Empire does to people.”

“It’s not that easy, Kali. Unlike Bryce’s entertainment holo-vids, people are not that simple. They do not conveniently wear black or white hats.

We all live in murky shades of gray. We all act according to reasons that are justified to ourselves. I do not like what the Empire did to me, but I understand their reasoning. I just don’t agree with their methods.”

She lifted the mug to her lips and stopped, peering at him through the steamy trails rising from its surface.

“Do you know what I did before I joined the Empire?”

“It was not in your files.”

“You checked my records?”

He cleared his throat, an embarrassed flush warming his face. “I wanted more information about you.”

“You could have asked. I would have told you.”

“Yes, well…it was easier.”

An amused smile made her eyes sparkle.

“Shall I fill in the blanks?” she offered.

“That would be appreciated.”

She pushed a steaming mug across to him. “I was considered a rebel once.”

~~~

The bounty hunter slinked in the shadows, following the whistling young man carrying the box. Deeper into the forest they went and further away from civilization.

Outside the repair shop, he’d overheard the mention of a tech and somehow he doubted it was Bryce. So there were at least two of them, two bounties for him to collect, and if the other man was like this one, it should be fairly easy. Bryce didn’t notice he’d developed an extra shadow the last few hours.

Argus breathed in deeply, enjoying the sweet, fresh air expanding his lungs. He felt alive out here, connected to the world in a way he never did behind four walls, breathing the stale air of the recycling systems. His boots barely left a mark on the soft pine carpet, unlike the crunching steps of his noisy prey ahead. No man in his old military outfit would be allowed to be so dangerously incompetent. Others used to call them Ghost Walkers.

The young man, his name seemed to be Bryce, was most likely in a service trade and wasn’t a line soldier.

His lips curled in a scowl. Not that he was either. Not anymore. And his men, his former team mates, would be obligated to shoot him on sight.

It wouldn’t be personal, their line of work rarely was.

The young man slowed and turned to look behind him. Argus melted into the shadows, flattening himself behind a tree, his hand sliding to draw his pistol.

~~~

“I was young and brash.” Kali’s hands wrapped around the mug as the scene played in her mind. “Full of ideas.”

She had been appointed as an assistant to Ren Dastrin. It was quite an honor. The soft spoken Senator was one of the most respected leaders on Tellar. People hushed when she spoke, leaning forward to catch every word. Ren Dastrin’s word was law and Kali had learned a great deal from this brilliant, commanding woman.

“My mind was expanded by new ideas and challenges, perspectives I had never known. I learned to see beyond the narrow confines of our world until, one day…” An icy shudder passed through her and her eyes squeezed shut as the memories flooded back.

“I was accompanying the Ren on a diplomatic mission to Sector Eight when we passed near a battle zone. I still remember the flashes in the distance, the ships blowing up. It was the first time I felt so many people dying at once. Their screams paralyzed me. I couldn’t breathe.”

There had been so many of them, souls torn from bodies that did not want to die. She had collapsed, her mind catatonic, unable to shield itself from the onslaught of lives being snuffed out. “They were angry and afraid and there was a hideous darkness.”

Her fingers tightened around the mug and she felt hesitant fingers brushing the back of her hand and tentative warmth reaching out to touch her mind. She opened her eyes and saw hazel ones watching her intently, the hard, machine-like exactness softening with concern.

This was the Adrian people told her didn’t exist, the one who rarely appeared except in their most intimate moments.

“You don’t have to tell me,” he told her.

Kali twisted her hand around to grasp his. “I want to tell you.”

Her body tensed as she plunged into the memories again. “I felt them, Adrian. The aliens. I touched their minds. It was very brief and then it was gone. I think their minds are shielded.”

“Did they know you were reading them?”

Her eyes closed and her brow furrowed as she tried to dredge more details from the sense memories. “I’m…not sure. I felt their minds. One of them at least. I couldn’t get any details but I heard their surface thoughts and I could feel what they were feeling.” Her mind strained. “I think they’ve been watching us for a long time and they consider us dangerous for some reason, but I don’t know why. I felt their hatred though. I could…taste it. It was strong and bitter, like poison. They think of us like a plague, a disease that has to be wiped out.”

He nodded in acknowledgement. “The Empire has known their intentions since they first invaded this galaxy three centuries ago.”

“But it was never real to me, not until that day.” The thought of it still made her ill.

“You were weakened by the shock of the battle.”

“That’s what the healers told me, but it was more than that. Before that day, I firmly believed in our neutrality. I thought it made us superior to the worlds around us, more civilized.”

“You were right.”

Her hand gripped his harder. “I was wrong, Adrian. So very wrong. It only made us cowards, letting others die to defend our world while we were smug in our own neutrality. I finally woke up to the truth and I started speaking out.”

“That would not have made you popular.”

“I didn’t care. I had to make them see the reality of the situation. I pushed Ren Dastrin to give me a chance to speak in the Senate. To plead my case.”

The Senate chambers became deathly quiet when she stood up, her legs shaking, and a cool breeze passed through her thin cream colored attendant’s robe.

 Wisps of thought flashed around her. Who is this young upstart? Why does Ren Dastrin allow her to speak?

She had never felt so isolated on her home planet, so alone.

“I told them what happened, what I experienced during the battle.”

 Her words echoed in the rounded chamber. “We cannot let other people die while we sit back and do nothing.”

“They didn’t believe you?” asked Adrian.

The collective minds shouted her down, refusing to listen, questioning her authority, her agenda. She had never experienced such chaos on Tellar before, such an outburst of emotions.

“Tellar is an ordered and disciplined society. We believe in peace and harmony above all else. You would like it there.”

“It sounds an ideal place.”

“I thought it was.” It had been an illusion fostered by collective ignorance.

The warmth of Adrian’s hand travelled up her arm, pushing back the spreading chill of her past.

“When they drowned out my voice, I was angry and I did something that was unforgivable. I took what I experienced that day, the feelings and impressions from the aliens, and threw it at them.”

“You cannot deny—this!” She had lifted her head, gathered all of her psi-energy and exploded it outwards. A whirlwind of screams and angry shouts filled the chamber and swirled around her.

“I gather this is not done?” asked Adrian’s calm voice.

She took a shuddering breath. “Not without consent. As telepaths, we are very careful about what we send. Emotions are powerful and can overwhelm; it is considered an assault. To send hatred, without warning or permission, is not accepted in our society.”

“You were trying to warn them.”

“It’s no excuse.”

Her head bowed as she remembered meeting with Ren Dastrin a few days later. The senator’s high cheekbones made her seem even more grim.

“What were you thinking, young one?” the senator had asked. Her voice wasn’t cold, but neither was it friendly.

Kali had raised her head, her lips trembling. The last thing she wanted to do was to disappoint her mentor, her idol, but she could not, would not, take back what she said. “I’m not sorry for what I did, Senator, but I am sorry for how I did it. That was wrong of me.”

“It was,” Dastrin said with a disapproving tone.

“I was expecting to be reprimanded and kicked out. Told never to come back.”

They sat in silence as Ren Dastrin contemplated the future of her most junior attendant and then she said something Kali did not expect.

“But it worked.”

“Why did she allow you to speak in the Senate chamber?” asked Adrian.

Kali looked at him in surprise. It was as if he had heard her thoughts.

“It seems odd that she would let you speak,” he noted, “knowing the controversial nature of your topic.”

“You’re right. The senator told me she’d been arguing against neutrality for years, trying to get the Senate to recognize the seriousness of the invasion, but people were content in their ways and the battles were always on the other side of the galaxy.”

“Out of sight. Out of mind.”

“Too much out of mind.” She took a sip of the tea, not caring that it was no longer hot. “When I read the alien’s mind, his emotions, she saw a chance.”

“Can other Tellarans read Andromedan minds?”

“Not that I know of, and I only did it that once. That’s why I think they’re shielded against psi energies.”

“Quite possibly.” He tapped her hand speculatively, his eyes hooded in thought. “Are you considered a powerful telepath?”

“I was rated as having potential, but I’ve never developed it.”

“Why not?”

She looked away, embarrassed. “I never wanted the responsibility of having that kind of power.”

“You wanted to be normal.”

“Most Tellarans can read each other’s thoughts but just the conscious, surface ones. There are some who can reach beyond the psyche and invade memories and the deeper levels of awareness.”

“An invasion of privacy.”

She felt his discomfort, the sensation of nakedness. “Even Tellarans are not entirely comfortable with it.”

He let go of her hand and lifted the mug, grimacing when the tepid liquid moistened his lips. Putting it down, he asked, “Is that why Tellar joined the Empire? Because of your warning?”

“Ren Dastrin led the debates and discussions and they finally held a full referendum months later. The vote was close, but she won and Tellar sent a diplomatic mission to the Empire Central Authority on Earth. The rest you know.”

“Except how you end up being assigned to a science vessel not involved with the defensive efforts.”

A wry smile touched her face. “I was encouraged to leave Tellar.”

“Your people exiled you?”

“They didn’t call it that, but I had, as your people would say, ‘rocked the boat’.“

“And saved your world in the process.”

“They were polite about it.”

A sarcastic snarl curled his lips. “How very civilized of them.”

The door swung open and Bryce bounded in, a cheery smile on his face and a load of goodies in his arms. “I’ve got treats for everyone!”

~~~

Adrian’s brow quirked at the strange idea coming from his assistant. “You sold my services to fix farming equipment?”

If a pin dared to drop, the silence would have deafened it.

Bryce stopped unwinding the scarf. Any minute now, the woolen strands would become a noose around his neck. This was fast becoming the worst idea he ever had. “I thought it might be a change for you.”

“You thought?”

In a staccato burst, he said, “I know I should have asked you first but it seemed like a good idea at the time. And we needed money and you’re a genius who can fix anything and I just thought you could do this little thing and people would know how wonderful you are, and you could get more jobs, you know, ones more befitting your station and—”

“You’re trying to flatter me.”

Bryce lifted his eyes hopefully. “Is it working?”

“Continue.”

“I figured, since we need money, we’d have to work for it, and I don’t have any valuable skills except stealing.”

“And being presumptuous,” added Adrian.

Bryce smiled. When Adrian lost his humor, that was when to watch out. “So you’ll do it?”

“The idea is not entirely without merit. As long as we keep my face out of view.”

“I told them you were shy.”

Adrian was about to glare at him, but Bryce flipped open the box and dug out the worn leather pouch and laid it on the table. “They said you could keep that if you fixed the compressor.”

“This is a tool kit.” Shoving his cold mug to the side, his fingers trembling, Adrian undid the strap and spread the pouch on the table. “A standard mechanic’s repair kit. Not very sophisticated, but functional enough for farm equipment.”

A random ray ventured past the window slats and lit up the room. Bryce beamed, unrolling the rest of the woolen scarf. He mused, “Adrian and Bryce’s Fixit Service. It’s got a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

“Don’t push your luck.”

The assistant’s smile tempered to a smirking grin.

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About Elizabeth Lang:

I'm a science fiction writer who started off life as a computer programmer with a love for reading, especially science fiction, fantasy and mystery.Being in computers, I found my writing skills deteriorating so I decided to take up writing. It became a joy to create characters, stories and worlds and writing soon became a passion I couldn't put down. As a writer, I like to explore, not only the complexity of characters but the human condition from differing points of view. That is at the heart of the Empire series, of which 'The Empire' and 'The Rebels' are the first two of a four books series.

You can connect with Elizabeth Lang at the following places:

Author Page on FaceBook | Blog | Twitter | Website

Blurb:

“It will be interesting to discover which will make you beg. Will it be the pain or the pleasure?”

How do you tame a man without breaking his spirit?

The galaxy is under siege from alien invaders. The Empire is the only force that stands in the gap, trading the freedom of its citizens for a tenuous security.

Amidst this chaos, Lt. Adrian Stannis is a brilliant scientist trying to stay out of the limelight. He hides on a research vessel plying the Outer Rim and finds peace of a sort with Kali Mirren, a psi-enabled humanoid. But his days of anonymity may be coming to an end. Someone has discovered his secret and is determined to make him pay for his treachery. He must finish the project he abandoned years ago, one the Council deems essential in its fight against the aliens, but things are never that simple where Adrian is concerned.

Is he more man than machine, or have years hiding behind a mountain of logic eroded his humanity? Can he learn to love and will he be able to survive the tangled web of political expediency and psychological manipulation that surrounds him?

Will Kali be able to save him from himself, or is there a mystery surrounding him that may explode in their faces?

Everyone wants to know the truth, but will it set them free?

Exerpt

The Empire – Chapter 5

 Green-uniformed medical personnel, with facemasks that obscured the lower half of their faces, removed Adrian from the restraints after giving him a sedative.

“This is disgusting,” said Penn, the taller of the two assistants, as they lifted Adrian onto a gurney, the slick, partially dried fluids making a slurping sound as they clung to his skin.

Dr. Greenwell, whose pepper-black hair contrasted sharply with his pale face, was an old-timer and had seen many cruel things done in the name of the Empire. Nothing surprised him anymore. “Be glad it wasn’t you.” He retrieved the scientific log kept by the Therapist and read it quickly.

“Someone’s going to have to wash him.” Yuen, the other medical assistant had the face of an ex-boxer, with a crooked nose that angled strangely, but his hands were surprisingly gentle. At a quick look from Greenwell, he said, “I guess that would be us.”

“You guess right.”

Penn’s nose crinkled under his mask. “You know, I never really liked him. Always thought he was a cold, stuck up fish; but what they did to him —”

“Makes you almost wish you could like him?” said Greenwell, who never became attached to his patients; life was much easier that way. That wasn’t to say he was a heartless man, but he expressed his caring in detached, impartial competence and concern.

“Feel sorry for at least,” said Penn.

“We’ll keep him under for now. He’s going to need all the rest he can get.”

“What about…” Yuen’s sympathetic almond eyes rested on Adrian’s tortured body. Being new at this, he still had a personal reaction, but he was learning quickly.

“Real therapy?”

“After what they did to him, won’t he need something?”

Dr. Greenwell’s lips thinned in distaste as he forced himself to read the rest of the log. “Not sure they want him to recover. Or need him to.”

“Well, that’s…” Yuen’s eyes reflected reluctant resignation. “…none of my business.”

“Smart man.”

Penn adjusted the automated steering controls on the gurney. “You know, I thought he was smart, smart as they came. But letting them do this to him? That was stupid.”

“It’s not our place to question people’s lack of common sense,” said Dr. Greenwell.

“Yeah, s’pose not.”

~~~

Captain Tarn strode onto the bridge; his hands clasped behind hi m, the morose look on his face caused everyone to straighten at their stations. He nodded absently to the duty officer and disappeared into his office.

Her eyes followed his passage as Kali ran diagnostics on the life support and environmental systems. Adrian was free, but she still had no idea what was happening to him. His mind was distant and the emotions buried so deeply, she would need a shovel to dig them out.

Bryce worked at his weapons station, his fingers on automatic as he performed the daily diagnostics on the armaments systems. He’d performed this task so many times, he could do it in his sleep. And sometimes in his dreams, he did, much to his horror and consternation.

Day shift was busy, full of routine tasks, but it was still an endless stream of boringness. Without anything to shoot at, his greatest source of excitement was gossiping about the crew. “Psst,” he whispered out of the side of his mouth to Kali.

Kali’s eyes kept flicking surreptitiously to the closed door of the Captain’s office. “I’m busy.”

“You can talk and work. ‘Sides the computers do most of it. We just stare at it and try not to fall asleep.”

“I interpret the results.”

“Yeah, that’s later.” Bryce chewed on his lower lip as he noticed her preoccupation. “About before, I’m really sorry I couldn’t help. I—” Several lights on his panel turned orange and beeped urgently at him. “Damn.” He rapped the monitor numbers but the indicators blinked obstinately.

“Double damn.”

The duty officer, Pincer, a balding man with a mole on his chin, said, “What’s the noise over there?”

Grumbling under his breath, Bryce said in a suitably respectful voice, “Just a few warning signals on the output flow regulators, Lieutenant.”

Pincer was a by-the-book officer, and his book told him to take care of warning signals before they developed into greater problems. He rushed over. “What’s wrong with them?”

“I’ve already started the secondary diagnostics,” said Bryce, who had just that second, entered the commands to begin the sequence.

“Good. Good.” The mole on Pincer’s chin jumped with excitement.

“It’s probably just a faulty reading. We get those all the time. It’ll even out in the secondary diagnostics. You’ll see.”

Pincer nodded slowly, “Yes. Could be.” He eyed Bryce intently. “But then that would mean the system sensors need to be reset, won’t it?”

Bryce groaned.

“Ensign Mirren, report to my office,” the Captain’s strident voice came over the oval comm speaker on the wall.

“Go on Mirren. I’ll watch the diagnostics,” said Pincer.

~~~

Kali stood at attention in front of the Captain’s desk, staring at a spot on the wall, waiting for Tarn to say something.

Tarn leaned back tiredly like a balloon slowly deflating, losing form and life. He stared at her over laced fingers. “At ease, Ensign.”

Kali relaxed a little and dared to look at his face. She’d been audacious the other day, barging through the officer’s quarters and confronting the Captain with her ideas to save Adrian, but she was acutely aware that he was the most senior person on the ship and she only a lowly ensign.

“You don’t need to be nervous. I’m not Barker.”

“Yes, sir. Is—” Her questions were like a flood of water waiting at the sluice gates.

“He’s in the medical unit.”

“Is he all right?”

“He’s recovering,” he said curtly, his words like a door shutting in the face of unwanted questions.

“I’d like to see him.”

“That’s not a good idea.”

The tension around the Captain’s eyes was nothing compared to what Kali sensed from him, the waves of guilt and worry that rolled towards her. “I don’t understand, I thought you said he was recovering.”

“Physically he is.” A ripple of tension made his jaw tighten. “You saved his life, but I’m not sure he’ll thank you for it.”

“Does he blame me?”

“I never told him your full part in this.”

“What did you tell him, sir?”

“I told him you asked to be transferred to the Trykor. But you didn’t understand the implications.”

“You lied to him?”

“He doesn’t need to know it was your idea.” He said it easily, as if it were a natural thing to do.

“I will not keep the truth from him, Captain.”

“You don’t have a choice if you’re going to help him. He’s going to need someone he can trust.”

She shook her head at the irrationality of what she was hearing. “Then I can’t lie to him.”

“Are all Tellarans this stubborn? Morality isn’t worth anything if it doesn’t produce the right results.”

“I don’t agree.”

“You’re going to have to. Barker and the therapists were never able to break him. He fought them to the very end.”

Adrian’s eyes haunted the Captain; the brokenness and surrender, the anger and pain, the self-hatred and a love he didn’t acknowledge, but which brought a proud man to his knees. Hidden beneath the prickly, icy exterior, Adrian was human, and the vision of those deep, anguished eyes burned into Tarn’s memory. “But he broke when I threatened you.”

Tarn leaned forward, his eyes like lasers, and his shoulders heavy with burdens of his own making. “Do you understand what that means?

That’s why he can’t see you now.”

Kali couldn’t believe her ears. “Adrian never broke,” she said fiercely, “What he did…” Her voice faltered; the memory of the pain, the anguish, and the horror of what they did to him… “What he did took a great deal of courage.”

Startled by her outburst, Tarn lowered his hands to the table. “Perhaps, but he won’t see it that way. He will see it as a weakness.”

Sadness dulled her gray eyes and her heart was heavy. At the back of her mind, she had known it was a possibility Adrian might push her away. He would see her and be reminded of the cost he had to pay. She nodded, her throat too tight to make a response.

“You’re a good woman. They’re going to watch both of you carefully on the Trykor. Adrian will have no choice except to do what they want, and he will consider that worse than dying. Be careful when you’re over there.”

He stared at her for a moment before sending her into the hungry jaws of fate. So young and inexperienced when she first joined the crew. Full of hopes and ideals, a few less now than when she started. Reality had a tendency to do that, dash the aspirations of the uninformed.

The conversation had ended, but something tugged at Tarn, one final truth that had to be told. His fingers tapped together as he contemplated what he was going to tell her. He was her superior officer; he was not supposed to get personal. But Adrian’s face haunted him. “Stannis saved my career. Did you know that?”

Kali’s eyes widened. “I didn’t.”

Tarn leaned back, his elbows resting on the molded arm rests, allowing the past to creep up to him. “We’re an exploration vessel.” Not much of one.Kali’s eyebrows rose in puzzlement.

“But the ship hadn’t found anything worth reporting in years. No valuable minerals. No planets worth colonizing. Nothing of note. Command was going to recall the ship, probably demote me.” He remembered thinking his career was over until he wandered into Adrian’s lab. Tarn wasn’t sure why he turned to Stannis for help; it had been an act of desperation and insanity on his part. “Stannis spent months developing a new scanner to give them.”

“I thought…he was obsessing over it.”

“No one knows. He made me swear not to tell anyone.” He sighed tiredly; there was nothing he could do for either one of them. “You’re being sent over as his consort. You will share a cabin together.”

“No, I don’t—” Her voice trailed off in shock. She knew Firsters had ‘connections’ arranged by special appointment. Directed genetics.

Perhaps they were interested in her psi abilities. How would Adrian feel about this, or would it merely be an order he had to follow? “We don’t have that kind of relationship.”

“You’re going to have to work something out.”

“I—”

“You are being used as leverage against his cooperation. They have to believe you’re intimate. I don’t have any choice.”

It wasn’t what she thought, it was even worse. “He’s not going to like it.”

“He’s an adult. I’m sure he’ll manage. We’ll be arriving at Base 337 in three days.”

She shook her head vigorously. “We really don’t have that kind of relationship. He barely tolerates me helping him.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something. You’re dismissed Ensign.”

~~~

Feather-light fingers slid down Adrian’s body in caressing circles, seductive warmth that went straight to the pleasure centers of his brain. He bit back a moan, his body betraying him.

“No!” his eyes snapped open, a hoarse, angry denial on his lips as every muscle tensed.

“You’re safe, Lieutenant,” said the comforting tenor of the medical assistant, Yuen. “You’re no longer in Security Section. It’s all right.”

Adrian blinked in the glare of the panel lights. Blurry vision sharpened, horror gave way to reality, which was only horror waiting to happen. He flinched and pulled away as Yuen’s hand unexpectedly rested on his arm. His teeth bared in a snarl.

Yuen lifted his hand quickly, his eyes sad. “I’m sorry, Lieutenant. I didn’t mean to alarm you.”

Adrian hated people, hated eyes filled with pity whenever they looked in his direction. He wanted to finish the Neutron Wave Project, and then he wanted it to end. Human beings could destroy themselves as much as they wanted to; it didn’t concern him any longer. Mental walls thickened, trying to find impenetrable perfection in anger as he buried pain and shame in a mountain of logic.

~~~

An envious gleam brightened Bryce’s eyes when he found out Ka li was going over to the Trykor with Adrian. “Oh, you’re luuucky. What I wouldn’t give, and then some.”

He sighed wistfully, imagining the beautiful women—he couldn’t imagine a flagship without lots of them—and all the mouth-watering foods waiting for a discerning palate like his. Just the thought of it made him think of the fresh, sweet strawberries he’d stolen from a fine restaurant once, well maybe more than once, and the taste of fresh meat, the delicious juices squishing out as he took a bite.

“That’s not why I’m going,” snapped Kali.

“You’re in a cheerful mood.” Bryce eyed his partner-in-line as they waited their turn at the food dispensers. He didn’t understand why she should be in such a foul temper. She was going to a place of his dreams, and Adrian was fine, if a little worse for wear. What was her problem? So

what if the silly man didn’t want to go. Adrian would find heaven irritable. That wasn’t anything new.

“You wouldn’t understand.” Kali stepped up to the dispenser and punched in her ident-code. She touched the screen, scrolling through the menu, a simple line drawing of each food category served as icons.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m just a lower rank, what would I know?”

“Yes, what would you know?” Kali’s voice was harsh as she tapped the pictures for a plain multi-protein sandwich and a steaming mug of hot coffee.Bryce’s nose twitched in distaste when he saw the unappetizing items rolling along the food conveyor. “That’s disgusting. Do people really eat that? Oh, I forgot, you’re an alien. Probably don’t have taste buds.”

Sliding the plates onto her tray, she gave him a slicing glare but it glanced off Bryce’s thick skin.

He grinned impudently. It took someone higher up the food chain and much more intimidating than Ensign Kali to faze him.

“I may be alien,” her voice was taut with anger, “but at least I try to be human.”

Bryce shrugged. “Never said I was human.”

Kali didn’t hear his words as she scanned the crowded room, looking for a free spot to sit.

“You planning to drink that coffee or strangle it until it begs for mercy?” asked Bryce.

“Oh.” Kali looked down in surprise. Her fingers wrapped around the dull green coffee mug, squeezing it ever tighter until the bones stood out on her knuckles. “It’s all yours.”

She dropped the mug haphazardly on the tray, black liquid spilling from the sides, and stepped back from the dispenser to let Bryce have his turn.

“Hey, Kali, you want to sit with me?” asked Bryce.

Startled out of her thoughts, Kali stared at him before looking down at her tray. The gray spread of protein between two lifeless slabs of offwhite bread made her stomach turn. “You’re right. This is disgusting. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Bryce looked back at the fast-growing line. No one was about to let them slip back in to get another order. “S’alright. Lucky I took extra then.”

A tall stack of blueberry pancakes, smothered in butter and syrup, was leaning dangerously on his plate. “You can have some of mine.”

Kali followed him reluctantly as he led the way to a corner table and elbowed them some room. He slid a few pancakes onto her plate.

“Sorry about before.” She poked at a pancake, stabbing it listlessly with her fork.

“I deserved it,” Bryce mumbled, as he chewed a mouthful. “I know you’re worried about the Lieutenant.”

Putting her fork down, Kali stared glumly at the butter melting into a pool of golden yellow. “Do you think the rumors are true?”

Bryce glanced at her nervously, stuffed another forkful in his mouth and chewed slowly this time. “What rumors?” he asked innocently.

“You know which ones. They’ve been all over the ship. “

“Maybe I have.” In fact, he knew quite a bit. The lower ranks grapevine was far more efficient than the ones for the officers.

“I want to know.”

“You’d better ask him.”

“Captain Tarn said that he wasn’t ready to see anyone, but…I think he doesn’t want to see me.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure it isn’t personal.” He squirmed in his seat and crossed his legs under the table. “What they did to him wasn’t pretty. It’s no wonder he doesn’t want to see anyone.” He hoped she didn’t want any details. The pancakes lay neglected on the plate, staring up at him in accusation, berating him for his lack of common sense. “It’s better if you don’t know.” He’d promised himself that no one was ever going to do that to him. Nothing was worth being tortured like that.

“So it’s true.”

He looked up at her, and her eyes made him hesitate. What was it like to have someone care about you like that? “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you’re going to find when you see him.”

~~~

Adrian slid shaky legs over the side of the bed, pausing as he caught his breath and glanced up to make sure Yuen wasn’t making any motions to help. The medical assistant’s face was carefully schooled to express only mild interest. Adrian suspected sympathy lay hidden away behind those almond eyes, but the man was smart and seemed to know what his patient needed. He noted this fact and concentrated on his next move as his legs dangled from the edge of the bed. This step had been rehearsed numerous times in his head. He touched his toes to the floor, feeling a shock of cold tingling up his leg. His body tensed and muscles contracted as he angled to put more weight forward. He felt like an infant taking his first awkward steps. Weak and a twinge of pain, but it was manageable. So far, so good.

Gripping the padded support bar, he sucked in a quick steadying breath and let it out slowly as he increased the weight on his legs. His jaw tightened as hot needles of pain threaded through his calves. He stood, a bit wobbly and out of breath, but he was upright. It was taking all of his concentration to keep standing, but most important of all, he did it alone.

“It’s amazing how much muscle tone can be lost when you’re immobile for any length of time,” said Yuen, as if he was a commentator at a sports event. “Do you want to try a few steps?”

Adrian’s legs were shaking. Standing took more out of him than he anticipated and in his state, he would most likely fall flat on his face without help. “Perhaps not today.”

“You’re right,” said Yuen. “Would you mind if I help, sir?” He looked over at Dr. Greenwell who was speaking to another MA nearby. “Not because you need it, you understand. I have to look like I’m doing my job.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed but he didn’t refuse when Yuen put arms around his shoulders and helped him back onto the bed.

The Captain entered the medical unit. “Lt. Stannis.”

There was no reaction on Adrian’s face but his heart beat harder. This man had witnessed his downfall, had preyed on him like an animal smelling weakness.

Yuen stood to attention. “Sir.”

Tarn waved his hand in dismissal. “Leave us.”

Glancing at Adrian’s blank face, Yuen nodded and removed himself from the room.

“Captain.” Adrian’s voice was expressionless as he leaned back on the pillow.

“We’ll be arriving at Base 337 tomorrow. How are you feeling?”

“I will be mobile.”

“That’s good,” said Tarn, though it was clear he had reservations. “You need to behave yourself on the Trykor. There are many more Barkers over there.”

“It’s not the Barkers that concern me.”

The accusation hung between them, a choking smoke that refused to clear. Tarn said, “Kali Mirren will be going over as your consort.”

Adrian froze. He asked harshly, “What do you get out of this?”

“A few more years of reprieve. And then, maybe an early retirement.”

“Is that all?” Sarcasm dripped like hot wax. “It’s disconcerting to discover I’m worth so little.”

“You may not believe it, but I’m doing this for your own good. You have to learn to play the game. It’s the only way to survive.”

“You’ve made that very clear.”

The temperature was dropping quickly. “The Empire is all we have. We might as well make the best of it.”

“If you have no further orders, Captain, I would like to rest.”

“There is one other thing. The matter of your personal attendant. I know you’ve never wanted one, but as a Firster, you are entitled to one. The Fleet Admiral will most likely assign you one of his own men. Do you understand?”

Having a PA was an irritant Adrian had never encumbered himself with. He would lose some of his precious privacy and there was little enough of it already, but if Tarn was right… “You will provide one from the Sedener?”

“I want you to pick your own. You may not trust anyone on this ship, but at least it will be a familiar face. It’s the least I can do for you.”

Adrian looked off in the distance. Tarn was right. Other than for Kali, he had little faith in anyone on this ship. He had trusted the Captain to a limited extent, but that had obviously been a mistake. “Bryce.”

“Sorry?” Tarn leaned forward, as if he hadn’t heard right. “Did you just say Bryce?”

“Yes.”

“Of all the people, why Bryce? The man is a thief and a cheat. He barely escaped a trip to a penal colony because he took the military service option. Plus he’s lazy and unreliable. I thought you detested those qualities?”

“I do.”

Tarn shook his head. “Then I don’t get it. There must be someone better qualified.”

“There are.”

“But you want Bryce?”

“That is my choice.”

“All right, it’s your funeral. I’ll tell him to pack his things. I imagine you’ve just made his day. Tarn stared at him for a moment as something occurred to him, but he left it unsaid.

Adrian returned his stare, his face blank.

~~~

After the Captain left, Adrian lay back down to rest. His carefully laid plans were unraveling. With Kali designated as his consort, it was virtually impossible to ignore her. The symbol of his weakness would be in his room, sharing the same space, breathing the same air, and sleeping in the same bed. From a distance, it had been a pleasantly diverting thought, but not when it was forced on him like this. He would have to find a way to maintain a strictly professional relationship. In the same room.

She would insist on doing things for him, but he had Bryce now. The irritating thief and busybody was going to have to earn his keep.

Concentration needed to be maintained in order to keep Kali out of his mind. It was difficult. Even now, he heard her gentle voice at the edge of his consciousness. She was his weakness. He could not afford one on the Trykor.__

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About Elizabeth Lang:

I'm a science fiction writer who started off life as a computer programmer with a love for reading, especially science fiction, fantasy and mystery.

Being in computers, I found my writing skills deteriorating so I decided to take up writing. It became a joy to create characters, stories and worlds and writing soon became a passion I couldn’t put down. As a writer, I like to explore, not only the complexity of characters but the human condition from differing points of view. That is at the heart of the Empire series, of which ‘The Empire’ and ‘The Rebels’ are the first two of a four books series.

You can connect with Elizabeth Lang at the following places:

Author Page on FaceBook

Blog

Twitter

Website

(A New Orleans Mystery)

Blurb: A paranormal force has lured Ava to New Orleans, where shadows lurk behind every corner and an unknown power has yet to be unleashed. There is a darkness in New Orleans, one that has brought sixteen year old Ava Lopez to the city in search of her best friend, Dyson. A dark crime has been committed, and there are supernatural forces involved. Three sisters who whisper “fate” are awaiting the arrival of the Guardian. Shadow People fiercely haunt the city, unchallenged, but Ava senses that Dyson may be involved with their crimes. She must discover the secret that the Shadows are so determined to keep hidden. Ava will have to risk everything, because where the Fates are concerned there are no second chances.

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About M.M. Shelley: M.M. Shelley is a storyteller, word smith and dreamer. She has traveled the world extensively in search of the magic which is often overlooked in every day life. M.M. Shelley is a native of southern California, and a student of mythology from which she gets much inspiration.

You can contact M.M at the following places:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Available here

Blurbs:

Enter the pages of the Dragonthology. No single story has ever been great enough to contain the mystical, wondrous creature known as the dragon. We assembled the greatest draconian tales and put them between the covers of a single tome to satisfy your hunger for everything dragon. Seven magnificent stories, ranging from science fiction to mystery, await you within.

The Case of the Bloodstone Dragon by G.L. Jackson

A washed up has been, Private Investigator Clark is down to his last $100. That is, until the night a mysterious femme fatale walks through his door weaving a tale of intrigue in hope of recovering an artifact steeped in mystery and danger. What follows is a raucous ride through a little known human and dragon history, played out on the streets of New York City.

Unto the Breach by Jason Andrew

Jonathan Heller uncovers an unusual secret during one of the bloodiest campaigns of World War One in the middle of horrific trench warfare.  Can he convince an ancient dragon that humanity is worthy of life during their darkest hour?

The Dragon of Sullivan Hall by Marian Allen

A dormitory full of fun loving female students, an angry red dragon with a litter full of hungry whelps, and a particular student of Irish descent. This won’t end well for the dragon.

Egg Hunt by Jay Wilburn

A lonely smuggler must make decisions he never dreamt possible in the darkness of space to elude capture and protect his precious cargo of dragon eggs. When one of them hatches, it threatens to damage his ship. Can a person change enough to save a ship, a dragon, and himself?

The Clan by Troy Lambert

Dragons return to the earth and humanity enslaves them with the last remnants of technology of their dying race. Now the technology of old is fading. Will the dragons be able to rise again? Will the humans declare war, or will a peaceful solution be found? It all rests in the hands of an ancient dragon, and a lowly shepherd and his clan.

Dragon Seeks a Wife by Sandra Graves

What happens when a dragon falls ill and is told he will die in a year and a day unless he finds his one true love? The only thing a dragon can do. He sets out on a quest to win the hand of the perfect mate for a dragon–the daughter of the king. Aided by a Quetzal bird sorcerer, he begins his quest. An old fashioned fairy tale with a Meso-American twist.

Darkness Taken by J.A. Campbell

In a land where children are warriors and the only adults are mythical creatures, all are called to fight the Darkness. Til and her dragon partner, Heliodor, complete the perfect Welcome Ceremony, but their joy is short lived. The Dark has slain a unicorn and taken her foal back to the Darklands. Can Til and Heliodor venture where none go and rescue the young unicorn?

Author Bios:

Marian Allen

Marian Allen writes science fiction, fantasy, mystery, humor, horror, mainstream, and anything else she can wrestle into fixed form.

Allen has had stories in on-line and print publications, on coffee cans and the wall of an Indian restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky.

Allen is a member of Quills and Quibbles and the Southern Indiana Writers Group, and is a regular contributor to SIW’s annual anthology.

Find out more about Marian at  http://MarianAllen.com  and follow her on twitter @MarianAllen

J.A. Campbell

Julie has been many things over the last few years, from college student, to bookstore clerk and an over the road trucker. She’s worked as a 911 dispatcher and in computer tech support, but through it all she’s been a writer and when she’s not out riding horses, she can usually be found sitting in front of her computer. She lives in Colorado with her three cats, her vampire-hunting dog in training, Kira, and her Irish Sailor.

She is the author of many Vampire and Ghost-Hunting Dog stories and the young adult urban fantasy series The Clanless.

Find out more about Julie at  www.writerjacampbell.com  and follow her on twitter @Pfirewolf

G.L. Jackson

G.L. Jackson lives in the hills outside Portland, Oregon with her family. She’s a licensed massage therapist, but when she’s not working at that she’s either writing, reading, taking photographs, or indulging in philosophical discussion with the birds, stray cats, raccoons, and other creatures that stop by on a daily basis. Much to the chagrin of her parents, she cut her literary teeth at an early age by writing and performing plays with her two sisters. From there she moved on to stories both short and long, but poetry has remained elusive.  Born and raised on the east coast, she’s fallen in love with the Pacific Ocean. The Case of the Bloodstone Dragon is her first detective story.

Find out more about Gwynne at gwynnejackson.wordpress.com  and follow her on twitter @notsuestorm

Jay Wilburn

Jay Wilburn lives in Conway, South Carolina with his wife and two sons. His novel, Loose Ends: A Zombie Novel, is available now. He has a novella, Circuit Rider, in the acclaimed anthology Realms of the Undead.  He has published a number of horror and speculative fiction stories.

Follow his many dark thoughts @AmongtheZombie on Twitter or at JayWilburn.com.

Jason Andrew

Jason Andrew lives in Seattle, Washington with his wife Lisa.  He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.   His short fiction has appeared in markets such as Shine: An Anthology of Optimistic SF, Frontier Cthulhu: Ancient Horrors in the New World, and Dark Tales of Lost Civilizations.  In 2011, Jason received an honorable mention in Ellen Datlow’s List for Best Horror of the Year for his story “Moonlight in Scarlet”.  Jason also writes for awesome RPG games such as Vampire: the Masquerade and Shadowrun

Find out more about Jason at www.jasonbandrew.com  and follow him on twitter @jasonbandrew

Sandra Graves

Raised in Colorado by European immigrant parents who passed on their love for both great literature and great music, Sandra has had her nose in a book since she first learned to read.  When she isn’t reading, she’s either writing fiction or designing her latest artwork project.  She also owns and operates her own business.

Sandra spent her school years in Denver and her summers attending musical events in the mountain valley of Aspen.  Throughout her youth she was a talented cellist, achieving first chair position in the Colorado Youth Symphony as well as a position in a semi-professional symphony while in high school.  She earned an MA degree in Anthropology from Eastern New Mexico University where she met her husband.  They have been married for more than thirty years.

She currently lives in Minnesota, a state far away from her beloved mountains but featuring thousands of lakes and rivers.  She is combating homesickness by writing a novel that takes place in the years of the Colorado gold rush. She’s looking forward to the necessity of doing on-site research within the next year.

Find out more about Sandra at www.IsisRising08.com

Troy Lambert

Troy began his writing life at a very young age, penning the as yet unpublished George and the Giant Castle at age six. He grew up in Southern Idaho, and after many adventures including a short stint in the US Army and a diverse education, Troy returned to Idaho, but the north end of the state this time, where he currently resides.

Troy works as a freelance writer and researcher by night, and the Museum Operations Specialist and Head of Research at the Wallace District Mining museum by day. He truly loves to write dark, psychological thrillers and released Broken Bones, a collection of his short stories, last September to great acclaim and with reasonable success. His new thriller Redemption is available now.

Troy lives with his wife of eleven years, two of his five children and two very talented dogs. He is a skier, cyclist, hiker, fisherman, hunter, and a terrible beginning golfer. The sequel to Redemption, titled Temptation will be released early in 2013.

Find out more about Troy at www.troylambertwrites.com  and follow him on twitter @authortroy

Blurb: Once upon a time, there was a sixteen year-old girl that lost both her parents under unusual circumstances. Abrianna was lonely and found some comfort in the arms of her boyfriend, Michael. Life turned grim when she realizes that a man, who was once the enforcer of fate, wanted her to die. The disgraced enforcer had taken great steps to ensure Abrianna’s death and planned to do this by enlisting the help of humans and creatures without their knowledge. Evil had washed over the land the humans named Dainesville. Abrianna had the power to heal the land and when she did she would return prosperity to the lives of the townspeople. When the time came for Abrianna to stand alongside her half-brother, Stephen, to fight the coming evil she did so without hesitation. Life ended. Darkness fell. Love faded. The End?

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Author Bio: Sonya was born in Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica but moved to Canada eleven years ago. She discovered writing when she was eleven. However, was unable to pursue it since she lived in a country where writing was impractical. She rediscovered the art during third year at York University. Kinesiology, the program she was enrolled in, was no longer simulating and found herself questioning her purpose in life. This led her to poetry and poetry led her to writing novels.

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For me, though, it’s just that old music strikes deeply. The meaningful lyrics of the times were spot-on. Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On?’ is one. Stevie Wonder wrote a few. I’m sure you can name some, as well. Trouble is; seems like the more things change, passions and ideals don’t always follow. That’s good in many cases, but bad in others. Take this year; divisive hate is in the air. The sickness appears to have permeated every institution, and so many people. The hate I’m talking about wasn’t left in the past, tragically. We have to face it yet again. All of us.

Well, my favorite song is still appropriate for today, along with my mantra, ‘History is a point of reference, not an anchor.’ ~ A.T.

Today I have the pleasure of chatting with Beau Watson, Author of ‘Dreamlancer’, published by Ring Of Fire Books in July 2012.

Here’s a brief synopsis; After a wizard breaks into his room, Ryan Wilkinson is whisked away to the beautiful kingdom of Elyria. The Elyrians are searching for their next Dreamlancer and believe Ryan to be an excellent candidate. To prove his worth, he must compete against the Kingdoms of the Dream Realm in the Tournament of Heroes – a series of six grueling contests ranging from jousting and dueling to engineering and sailing. While he is reluctant at first, Ryan is intrigued. “What the heck?” he reasons, “It’s all just a dream.”

As he begins his training, Ryan deals with struggles in his real life. His best friend is getting ready to move to the other side of the country, and he’s developed a horrible crush on his best friend…who happens to be falling for another guy. But to make matters even worse, Ryan discovers that a mysterious force has been tampering with the energies that flow between the Real World and the Dream Realm. The consequences are dire: the very fabric of reality could be unraveled. Perhaps he is not “just dreaming” after all.

Hi, Beau. It’s a pleasure to meet and get to know you a little. First, tell us about yourself and what drove you to write in the first place?

Hi, AT, thanks for having me here. Let’s see…a little about me. I was born and raised in Indianapolis, and have lived there my whole life. I went to Purdue University, where I studied web development – which is now my day job and one of my other passions. It may be tough to see the parallel at first, but my interest in building websites lends itself to my interest in writing: at their most basic levels, each is a creative process. They just have different goals and are applied in different ways.

That’s where I get my kicks. I love using my imagination and creating something with it. I used to write a lot of (admittedly bad) poetry in high school, and began experimenting with novellas in college. But it was in early 2009 where I got this idea that I wanted to attempt an actual novel. I wanted a “bedtime story” that was all mine: some wild adventure in a faraway land that would hopefully entertain readers of all ages. So, I let my imagination loose and came up with an entire world. I had so many different ideas that one day I just started writing, and in the act gave my story life and direction. I’d had so much fun with it that I wanted to keep doing it…and here I am!

What writer or writers inspire you?

Several! J.K. Rowling and her Harry Potter books might be an obvious answer. I admire Tolkien’s linguistics and details, and have recently started listening to Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. Are you seeing the theme? I love grand, rich worlds filled with magic and adventure. I just recently picked up my first Stephen King books and feel bad that I was late to the party – I truly admire his command of the language. I’m a big fan of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files books and love how accessible he makes his own fantasy world. Guys like Orwell and Vonnegut are some of my favorites; they’ve written some powerful stories that have personally affected my worldview. I’ve added many classics to my “To Read” list, so I imagine this list will grow exponentially in time.

Your style of writing; would you say it’s reflective of any of your favorite authors or books?

Yes, definitely. I think any time you expose yourself to any author’s prose, you ingest their vernacular – whether you mean to or not. When I was writing Dreamlancer, I was right in the thick of the Dresden Files, and as I re-read my book for edits, I could see how Butcher’s books had influenced my writing.

I’m sure finished products affect each writer differently. Considering that, do you sometimes find an element in your last book something you may want to expand upon in the next volume, or in another title?

Right now, I’m working on a series of books, so taking elements and expanding on them is the name of the game. There are many things I want to build on, but it will be interesting to see how my plans change as the stories unfold. There have been some ideas I’ve scrapped that I may try to work into other stories as well, but right now my focus is on Dreamlancer, so we’ll see about that.

Here’s something I struggle with. Maybe your answer to my next question can help writers that share this particular concern. When you write a story, what values do you adhere to? And if you adhere to any, do you sometimes want to break out and be chaotic?  (E.G., not a happy ending?)

One thing I really like to do is take the reader’s expectations and use it against them. I think it makes a story so much more compelling when you think you know what’s going to happen, and then the opposite happens. I love it when an author really makes me think about his or her characters’ motives and gets me thinking about all the different ways the story unfolds…only to catch me off guard. If you’ve seen or read George RR Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice/Game of Thrones, you know he does this well; he’s said that he wants “readers to be wary of turning the next page” (or something along those lines) and he really is a master of that. You have to be careful, though, that these twists aren’t “too convenient” or go against the grain of your characters’ normal behavior – that produces the direct opposite feeling in the reader.

Aside from that, I think it’s important to not let your story get in the way of telling itself. Just write whatever comes to mind and worry about how clearly you’re communicating your idea later when you edit. It’s clear to me in my re-reads when the story was leaping off my fingers and when I was “forcing it.” The quality is so much better in the former. Now, that is not to say that sitting down and forcing yourself to write is bad…about 95% of the time, you’ll build momentum and the story begins telling itself for you. You can always smooth out or remove the rough patches later.

How about characters? What method do you use to come up with character names and origins? In the case of Dreamlancer; how about the world you created? Tell us a little about it and the efforts you made to craft such a vivid image.

As far as the world in Dreamlancer, I have it pretty easy. It’s a Dream Realm, so whatever I want to include in it is pretty much fair game. Dragons? Of course! Zombies? Why not? Cyborg Ghost Ninjas? Should I include just one, or an entire army? (some or all of these things may be included in Dreamlancer, but you’ll have to read to find out!) Coming up with religions and mythologies is as easy as sitting down and letting the imagination flow. If it’s a little weird, so what? For me, something weird and wonderful is a good reason to pick a book up!

Characters and personalities require a little more care, though. These are the people (or beings) with whom your readers will develop a relationship. But I usually start with an archetype in mind and the character takes shape on its own. I always try to keep character motives in mind when I write. I often ask myself “Now, why would so-and-so go and do that?” and if I can’t come up with a good answer, well, I’ve hit a snag. I rely on my instincts a lot…if a character “feels” right, then my readers will probably enjoy them as much as I do.

Okay, let’s talk about Dreamlancer. Tell us where the idea came from and how it all came together for you.

I mentioned before that I really just wanted to tell a fun story – ideally something people would read at bedtime with their children. I have a big interest in fantasy novels, so it needed knights and wizards and magic. But I wanted it to be a little more accessible than something like Tolkien’s work. The protagonist, Ryan Wilkinson, is from “the real world,” and using him as a narrator helps accomplish this; he helps us keep this crazy dream world within a frame of reference with which we’re all familiar. I’d share snippets of my work with my girlfriend, and she kept asking for more, so that was a nice motivating factor for me. In the end, I was pleased with the story.

When writing Dreamlancer, did you just sit down and churn out the words or did you work from an outline?

At the very beginning, I’d just power out different passages, but now I have tons of notes and outlines. I often go for walks on my lunch break and think of all kinds of great ideas. I can’t really write at work, but I would scrawl down ideas on a note pad and take them home with me.

I’ve got so many ideas that I actually created a scroll with a timeline of events, mythologies and origin stories. It’s about five feet long now…and probably only a third of the way filled in. I’ve got so many threads prepared, and with patience and a great deal of effort, I hope to weave together a very nice tapestry for my readers.

So, what’s the perfect writing environment for you?

At my computer, usually between the hours of midnight and 4am with a can of Coke Zero. About 95% of the time I’m blaring some kind of weird instrumental music to help keep me focused.

Is anything in your book based upon real life experience, or is it purely imagination?

The story has two “components” – the Real World and the Dream Realm. Unsurprisingly, most of the Dream Realm stuff is pure imagination. But a lot of the people in the Real World portions of the book are inspired by real people and things I’ve experienced.

What has been the toughest criticism directed toward you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I haven’t received much tough criticism yet. I imagine it will only be a matter of time. The worst I’ve heard so far is “too many run-ons and over-explaining things” but that’s not a tough criticism. It was the truth. I did have a publisher tell me they didn’t think my work would be a commercial success for them, which is never good to hear, but it’s not exactly uncommon either.

The best compliment is from my dad. He’s ingenious and can build just about anything…but he hates to read. Unlike me, he takes no joy from it. But he read my book, in the space of a weekend. He sent me a text at 5 in the morning once telling me he had stayed up just to read my book because he couldn’t put it down. As my father, he’s gonna put up the effort. But to be the reason he’s read a book in the last decade or so? What an honor.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Read a lot and pay attention to what you like. Write a lot to get better at writing what you like. Both go hand in hand. Be open to criticism and don’t take it too personally if there’s a lot of red ink on the page. It doesn’t mean you’re terrible; it means you can get better at what you love. On that note, you better be writing because you love it, because it brings you joy and not a paycheck. There are no shortcuts in writing; it’s a long journey. Relish it!

Beau, I appreciate you stopping by. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you on other social media platforms, as well. This next question, however, is one I and several others will be discussing this week in several forums. Bullying, verbal attacks, and other misconduct committed by authors against other authors has become regular, and crosses multiple social media platforms. Has this affected you? Secondly, how do you recommend others to respond to such attacks?

I’ve not experienced any bullying first-hand, but I do see it on forums and blogs and the like. Anonymity and cynicism – what fine bedfellows they are – run rampant on the internet. It’s very easy for people to be scathing when they’re wearing a mask. One of my favorite Stephen King quotes is this: “If you write (or paint or dance or sculpt or sing, I suppose), someone will try to make you feel lousy about it, that’s all.” How true, right?

The best way to deal with these people is to simply ignore them. They want to make you feel bad. They want to tear you down or get a rise out of you. Why let them? Why give them so much power over you? Don’t respond to their attacks…the second you do, they’ve already won. And you’re not a loser, so you don’t let the other guy win, dammit! It’s not easy to brush off some jerky comment. But before retaliating, ask yourself if it’s worth your time. I bet dollars to donuts it isn’t.

Finally, tell us about relationship building, as it pertains to marketing in this new era of e-publishing. For example; the importance of peer reviews and reader reviews.

Super important. E-publishing is great for everyone because it makes the process easier than ever. However, that means the market is absolutely saturated with choice. How do you get your voice heard? Getting your name out there to a diverse crowd helps. Connecting with other writers lets you tap into other audiences. For me, just starting out, most of my connections are with friends and family. They’re great supporters and all, but there are only so many of them. But other writers tend to have their own groups of reader friends, making them a valuable resource for reaching different audiences. But beyond that, other writers have strategies and techniques that work for them, and they can share that info. It is the “Age of Information” after all, and info is the most powerful currency around. Networking and cooperating tremendously enhances your ability to reach new readers and to market to them effectively.

Thanks for chatting with me, Beau. 

Thank you for having me. Looking forward to reading your book soon!

Beau’s book, ‘Dreamlancer’ is available here, You can also connect with Beau on various social media platforms:

http://twitter.com/beauwatson

http://facebook.com/AuthorBeauWatson

http://beauwatson.com

Dreamlancer Specific Sites

http://twitter.com/dreamlancerbook

http://facebook.com/DreamlancerBook

http://dreamlancer.com

Michelle currently writes for Champagne/Burst Books and Ring Of Fire Publishing. Take a moment and get to know this remarkable person. You’ll come away impressed, and who knows, you may want to keep an eye on your inbox. #Justsayin.

Michelle, before we get all into your business, what’s new with you?

First, I am doing an interview with A.T. Russell. How cool is that? Thank you. It is always nothing less than a pleasure to chat with you.

Lots of new things going on. A quick rundown without boring anyone: My debut YA Fantasy, LIVIAN has recently been released by Burst Books. 7DS is in full force. I am writing on a couple and standing back to manage one. SEVEN DEADLY SINS is still rocking the charts and giving a new name to fables. I am working with Ring of Fire Publishing and loving every moment of it. I am also working on Book Two of the LIVIAN series as well as my first Historical Romance in my spare time. Oh, and I am spending my summer in North Carolina where my kids are adjusting from sounds of city life to the country echoes of roosters and tractors.

Let’s talk about Livian. Where did the story idea come from?

Over a decade ago, I created the concept for Livian by telling stories to my oldest daughter, Olivia. It didn’t take long before I gave my first go at writing a novel a shot. It was horrible. *Insert embarrassing laugh* I walked away from it and spent time plotting, not only the book, but an entire epic fantasy series. I skirted around diving back into the writing for too many years, but by the time I did, it flowed like I was writing the place and people I’d been missing for that decade gap. I didn’t realize the depth of the story until many revisions and a publishing contract was decided on for the first book. During my first edits, someone pointed out to me that many aspects of Livian covered my own life and the characters carried traits of the people of my life. Rereading it was like taking a step back into my own youth.

Can you give us a quick synopsis?

Beneath the orbit of the tri-moon dusk, a world sits unbalanced between good and evil. Each being fears the loss of their soul, as one mysterious creature hunts the Alpha of each tribe in order to possess the entire colony. Unaware of her royal warrior lineage, wingless Livian struggles with the unaccepted gnarling of her genetic roots and the questionings of her own twisted purpose of life, while keeping her existence unknown to the soul possessing hunter. Her destiny holds the decided fate of the world and the battle begins within her own soul before the first slash of bloodshed.

Some who have read Livian say the story has ingrained itself into their minds. Others were inspired to paint a vision, like this one by Stephen Penner. How long do you think it will be before they can get their hands on the second book?

I am hoping to have the next book released mid-2013. The entire world begins to open up with the second book. (Working title- Inennious) I still have a good amount of tribal and native research to wrap up, as well as making sure I mesh it well with a much more detailed steampunk element that was only grazed in Livian.

Tell us about your role with Ring Of Fire Publishing.

I am the Director of Publicity for Ring of Fire. I love it. Working with the authors and helping them build their platform excites me. Nothing compares to the passion an author carries for their work and I get to help show them to the world. I help submit work for reviews and blurbs, as well as seeking out various awards and recognition for the hard work these authors have placed into the pages of their book.  I do a good deal of social networking for Ring of Fire, as well, and recently ran a booth for them at the South Carolina Book Festival. I plan on doing much more festivals and cons through Ring of Fire. Oh, I am also a Ring of Fire author. My desire to work with them spawned quickly from my experience publishing through them. I’ve never seen anything like them. They are certainly riding the wave of modern publishing changes to better fit the authors. I had to get in with them and ride the wave and build other authors the way they have for me.

I’ve attended a couple of your on-line release parties. The atmosphere is pretty … um … well, it’s like a real party. What type of feedback have you gotten from them?

Online release parties are a must-do these days. I attended a few before hosting my own. I’ve gotten lots of positive feedback from the differences I’ve tried to apply to the normal online release. I will say that Facebook is the hotspot. Everyone and their mother is on Facebook. The attendance is always better there, compared to other online venues. Also, I do not treat guests as if they should have read a book already. An online release is an introduction. If you start conversations or ask questions fitted around those who have read it, what are the odds you are going to hook a new reader? I’ve heard lots of great feedback from people who are normally timid when attending these events, and when they don’t feel left out of the conversation, it is much easier to become entertained.

I also try to show people it is okay to let go and relax. Parties should be for cutting up, and I’ve never had an issue with clowning around. I think lots of people have this image of an author as an antisocial cat hoarder, when in fact, authors have the best imaginations and personalities around. Releases are our time to shine!

So, what’s your philosophy when it comes to promoting your authors and their brands?

Philosophy? Don’t ever compare yourself to the last big thing. Make yourself the next big thing. I’ve heard so many pitches of a book being the next Twilight, or an author being the next King or Rice. Why? If I want Twilight, King, or Rice, I can obtain that. Why in the world would I take a gamble on reading something that may be like the past? I read authors because they stand out. A.T. Russell is THE A.T. Russell. Stephen Penner is THE Stephen Penner. Beau Watson is THE Beau Watson. I want a new adventure with every book I take my time to read. I try to work with authors and pull the best of who they are to the front and work with that, and since Ring of Fire has the best, new and modern authors around, my job doesn’t feel like work very much at all.

Okay, I know we’re supposed to keep things smooth and collegial, but we need to step out of the norm for a second. Explain HBIC.

You knew this one would make me laugh out loud and sigh. HBIC is the true example of what you do online is never private. LOL. HBIC started as a log in I created on a blog. I assumed it was private, that no one would see it, but that isn’t the way it works. Ever. Head B**** In Charge (HBIC), my not so private self-given nickname, apparently posted beneath my photo with each blog post or comment I created. I truly thought I was the only one able to see this until a couple of my favorite author fellows pointed it out, and I’ve been face-palming ever since. It did give me a reputation to live up to and I work to earn that title as often as possible. Maybe. What do you think? Haha.

That carries us into 7DS. Michelle, you’ve hit one helluva a stride. You’ve got a lot of irons in the fire and I imagine it keeps you pretty busy. Here’s a topic I get a lot of questions about … tell us about 7DS, specifically. What is it? A new line of business?  

7DS started as nothing more than a fun collaboration to help build platforms, and I sent private invitations to select authors. I had the idea for SEVEN DEADLY SINS, but 7DS was a Twitter hashtag to begin with. SEVEN DEADLY SINS/7DS grew faster and bigger than I ever could have imagined. I am a firm believer in fate, so trusting fate and with some input from a great friend, (cough cough) I decided to carry on with 7DS. It is now an official branding of books. We have announced the upcoming book, SEVEN DWARF STORIES- another collaboration of seven authors working together to create a collection of short stories. This one is a collection of gritty tales featuring the dwarfs before Snow White and their paths leading up to living together. I like making adults fall in love with fantasy and fairy tales all over again, and this one should do the trick. It has been a blast. There are a few more 7DS brand books in the works and several more coming in the future. 7DS is also under trademark and a new line of business. All of the details are still being ironed out, but 7DS will cover even more avenues soon.

You wrote Sloth for Seven Deadly Sins. In that story, you introduced a type of character/species that seems to draw a lot of interest. Can you tell us a little about the Dwerger?

Dwerger may very well be one of the most modernly neglected fantasy creatures. Folklore and old tales run every aspect of these creatures as being elf related, to decedents of trolls. Many relate them as more primitive creatures- dark and destructive. I see them as misunderstood. Even in LIVIAN, these creatures as known as “soil sifters”- living beneath the land and surfacing only to attack and rob.

I have created Dwerger as highly advanced, spiritual creatures, banished beneath the land due only to their appearance. Fully-black eyes, natural to the Dwerger, are the only common identifier in LIVIAN for souls that have been possessed. I used the short story  ’Claim Your Fate’ in Seven Deadly Sins to show the true nature of the Dwerger. I loved giving them depth. I am fond of several Dwerger and they will be around throughout the LIVIAN series.

Without digging too deeply into your business-model, can you tell us how you come across these authors?

Networking and socializing. I don’t want to work with an author who doesn’t know how to do these things. Those are two key elements to selling books in the e-world. I never invite an author without being able to see just as much personality and gumption as they have talent. I do ask for the total package, though. These 7DS collaborations are more than a normal anthology. As a result, I do not pick from hundreds of submissions and print the stories I like. Instead, I take remarkable authors and ask them to write something specific, and sometimes that means cracking them out of their normal shell and comfort zone. Authors not only walk away with another (or a first) published title under their belt, but working together with a group of authors to create a new 7DS builds a family of sorts. Authors cement support, beta readers, friends and networkers who will more than willingly push your work because the 7DS connection always pushes their work as well.

If I run across an author I enjoy chatting with, or if one of my close literary bonds suggests someone, I read several things they’ve written and note the way they network. If I think they would be a positive asset to a 7DS project, I invite them. So far, I’ve yet to have an author decline an invitation and that makes me feel mighty blessed.

What about authors who want to write for 7DS? How can they place themselves on your radar?

By being sociable. HBIC or not, I can be pretty friendly. Social networking carries that name for a reason. I may not have time to tweet or email for hours on end, but I do reply to tweets and emails almost always. I don’t like pitches or emails with links to click. Just like in physical life, I am more likely to buy from a friend or a sociable person, no matter what they have to offer, as opposed to a stranger at my door with a roll of paper towels and a high end vacuum cleaner, even if I don’t have one and my floors are dirty. Really, so many authors are already on my radar – many are listed in a notebook for future 7DS projects I am tossing around. I am always up for a hello from someone new.

Lastly; as you’ve grown and developed on several levels in the literary industry, what advice do you have for the budding publishers and writers out there?

I’ve always said my biggest advice to new writers out there would be to NOT take another writer’s advice. Advice is free and you get what you pay for, and the one thing I have learned (the hard way) is; everyone is willing to stop everything to tell a new author how they should go about things. Of course, you should listen to actual experiences, but form your own opinions. Do your research. Above all else, for budding authors and publishers, one thing is a certain must in the modern publishing industry: Networking. Work together. Promoting each other’s works is so much better than screaming your own name. Remember, we aren’t in a competition against each other. We must stop acting like we can’t cross promote other authors and other publishers. A wise man once told me ‘you can’t do anything on your own in this world’. It is true in every other industry and it is past time for us to realize this in our market, as well. Woodstock it. Share the love. You’ll see the difference in attitudes, as well as sales.

You can connect with Michelle on Facebook, Twitter, and on her website.

When John Rakestraw asked me to co-host the show with himself and Liz Borino, I jumped at it. I simply needed to know what he expected of me. John said, “Ask questions, engage topics, and have fun doing it.”

Next, I asked what our theme would be. You know; what are we trying to accomplish? John said, “We’re sharing the wonderful craft of writing with our listeners.”

Because I’m a knucklehead, I asked him if we’ll be helping authors market their books. John said, “Duh! Of course.”

That sounds pretty simple, huh?

Guess what … it is that simple.

Let me tell you a little of what I know about the primary host of the show – John Rakestraw.

See, John and Toni Rakestraw wrote Titanic Deception, a romantic thriller that revolves around the conspiratorial, theoretic history of the Titanic’s tragic sinking in 1912. Now, the book was good. I mean, like really good.

But that takes me off my point.

Anyway, after reading Titanic Deception, and then being asked to co-host, I figured this would be a way to help John broaden his marketing platform. I asked him straightforwardly, “John, what do you get out of this? I mean, the offer is huge, but what can I do to help you?”

John said, “I want to bring the show back, is all. I want you and Liz to co-host with me and I want to have fun. I like talking about writing, engaging writers, and helping writers. To me, it’s a blast and on helluva way to spend my time.” He went on to say, “A.T., you talk as much as I do and Liz is just awesome. We’ll be great together, and fun will be had by all. Besides, I love supporting authors. A.T., when you experience the show, and how an author unfolds their ideas on the air, you’ll see why I do it.”

Well, I did feel it. And I learned something huge.

John Rakestraw is the real deal. The work he does to air The Platform each week is a passion that comes from his heart, and he shares it with us for free. His payment is the joy he feels when he helps another author reach readers they may not have had the opportunity to otherwise reach.

That isn’t all, though. John also manages The Master Class. He offers editing, networking, book covers and the whole gamut of author resources. He even throws in some geek-tech lessons. I thought I was a supportive sort, but wow … John is on a much higher level. With Toni at his side, they are the best damn team around.

John also hosts Google Hangouts. Recently, we did a week-long theme about cyber-bullying and its effect on others, particularly the targeted victim. You’ll find that series here.

Claim The Platform as yours. Call John and share your thoughts. Chat with him live during the show. Get on his list and be a guest. John really wants to hear from you. You don’t know it yet, but uh, you want to hear from John, too.

I did say, NETWORKING, didn’t I?

I don’t know that I can support that ideology.

Here’s why;

As an author, the most important thing to me is my marketing platform. Bluntly put, I want to sell books. Now, in order to do that, I have to present more than just an interesting theme and a good story to my, hopeful, readers.

I also have to sell myself. That could be a bit difficult for many reasons, but I don’t want one of those reasons to be because I have a questionable character. No doubt, incendiary comments I may make on various social media platforms can certainly be telling of my character, thus becoming a turnoff to those readers I’m trying to snag.

Incendiary – the operative word.

Quite frankly, I’ve seen all types of awful comments made … and some of them from well-established authors. I’ve also seen a number of word-fights on social media platforms, too.

In this digital world our readers can watch what we say, follow our lives, and even chat with us. That being said; social media opens us up to critical eyes, I think. Just like reviewers drop questionable reviews on Amazon and B&N, isn’t it feasible that they could also be commenting about the writer’s character?

I wonder how, if at all, those instances affect those authors’ marketing platforms.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not being judgmental. I merely want to engage a discussion on this topic. I’m neither for, nor am I against folks saying what they want when they want. Do what ya like, as far as I’m concerned.

I just want to know what others think about it.

Can our words hurt us?

Tell me here, on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+