Tornahdo, Lights Out by Kayelle Allen @kayelleallen #SciFi #SpaceOpera #Suspense

I’d like to welcome Tornahdo of Lights Out by Kayelle Allen .

RW:   What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?

T:       About me? I am not so fascinating by myself, but I have lived an interesting life. It got more interesting after I died though.

RW:    What problems do you have to face and overcome in your life?

T:       The biggest so far? Being dead. But not to worry, I have overcome it. I’m a master sergeant in Ghost Corps, resurrected special ops soldiers. How are we brought back? It’s a secret process but it involves the blood of Ultras, the immortal race the corps was created to defeat.

RW:    Where do you live?

T:        Currently, on the planet Sempervia. All the immortals, and more specifically, their king, Pietas, were exiled there. Lucky me! I got abandoned with them.

RW:    During what time-period does your story take place?

A.                    I’m in your far future, Terran year 4536 AD.

RW:    How are you coping with the conflict in your life?

T:       I don’t have much choice. It’s either cope or die, and I’ve already died, thank you. So I find a way to deal with whatever comes my way.

RW:    If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?

T:       To be honest, now that I’ve been on Sempervia for a while, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Who’d want to go back to Earth with all its crowding and pollution? Although maybe in your time it was much better. No thanks, though. I’ll stick with the pure air, clean water, and insane weather of Sempervia.

RW:    What is your secret guilty pleasure?

T:     Apple fritters. They are a fried sweet bread with chopped up apples, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

RW:    If you came with a warning label, what would it say?

T:        Do not push. (Take that any way you want.)

 

RW:    Those are all the questions I have for you. Thank you for speaking to me.

T:        Gracias, I’m happy to be here.

Kayelle Allen

Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of seven books, three novellas, and multiple short stories. She’s also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she’s tenured.

Lights Out

A short space opera story in

The Expanding Universe Vol 4

The Plot

He can save mankind. After he does one important thing. Die.

Join the Ghost Corps, they said. You’ll live forever, they said. You’ll save mankind, they said. They didn’t say that to do it, first he had to die.

When Tornahdo signs on the dotted line, he puts his life into the steady hands of the mighty Ghost Corps. Three grisly deaths and three agonizing resurrections later, he’s assigned duty on the space station Enderium Six.

He’s facing his most dangerous mission yet, the very reason the corps exists.

Do they expect him to win? Fat chance. Tornahdo and his team are already dead, and this mission is codenamed “Lights Out.” No, there’s more to this than he can see.

To discover the truth, he must face an unbeatable, unkillable enemy, and this time—somehow—find a way to keep himself alive...

An Excerpt:

The air reeked of antiseptic and starch stiffened the pillowcase. If only the mind-numbing jabbering would stop.

Tornahdo pried open his eyes. The flattened blood bag above him, stenciled equipment and gray walls screamed military hospital.

He’d died. Again.

Spanish curses slipped out. His abuela would’ve taken a switch to him. He made the sign of the cross and kissed his fingertips.

After yanking the tube out of his arm, he pressed a thumb over the entry point. Thankfully, this time, he wasn’t writhing on the floor in agony. Well, not yet.

A faceless android in a Ghost Corps uniform loomed over a bank of equipment displaying Tornahdo’s name and vitals. First impression was right. Military hospital.

The weapons-grade yapping continued.

“Did you hear?” a youthful voice bragged. “He killed six of ‘em last night.”

“Yeah, but they don’t stay dead. They never do.”

“If Ultras didn’t come back to life, their plasma wouldn’t bring our own people back.”

The transfusion of enemy blood healed the hole in Tornahdo’s arm in seconds. He thumbed off the red smear and rolled over on the gurney.

An open door led to a sink and toilet built to let gravity do its work. Which meant this was a planet. You hadn’t lived until you were in space, floating in zero gravity while your body’s final twitches sent your corpse spinning.

Notices on the wall confirmed this was San Xavier in the Colonies of Man. Same place he’d bought it the first time.

This was getting old.

Contact Kayelle Allen At:

Website: https://kayelleallen.com

Blog: https://kayelleallen.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author

Twitter: http://twitter.com/kayelleallen

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kayelle-Allen/e/B003ZRXVN8

Book Links:

Video Trailer URL:

https://www.facebook.com/KayelleAllen.Author/videos/1930441803682680/

LMBPN Publishing: https://kayelleallen.com/lights-out-save-mankind/

Key Words/Labels:

Kayelle Allen, Lights Out, Military, Military Science Fiction, Sci Fi, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Suspense

Meet Stanalei Fletcher, Author of Beyond Duty: Northstar Security, Book Three

RW:    Has your life changed since you became a writer?

SF:   I’m not sure if my life has changed much since becoming a writer. It seems like writing or making up stories is something I’ve always enjoyed. But since becoming a published author, my life has become much fuller and richer. Besides crafting stories, I fill up my empty hours with all things related to writing and publishing, such as promotions, blogs, and scheduled meetings with other authors in my local writing chapter. Some days it seems I’m constantly on one project or another. I love being busy, and that means I treasure those rare quiet moments even more when they appear.

RW:    How does reader feedback matter to you?

SF:   Reader feedback is critical to my writing process. Whether it’s from my critique partners, beta readers, writing contests, or fan reviews, I balance the good and the critical, and search out gems that allow me to see my story through another’s eyes. When a reader comments on something that affected them, it helps me better understand my responsibility to my audience. I want to continue to improve my craft to produce the best story and entertainment I can.

RW:    Where do you hope to be five years from now?

SF:    Five years from now, I hope I’m still writing and still offering stories that my readers love.

RW:    What kind of research do you do for a book?

SF:     I do all sorts of research for my books, from our friend, (and sometimes foe), the Internet, to on-location, if I can. I have bookshelves with all sorts of topics, and I pull ideas from the news. If I’m delving deeply into the tech world, I want to be certain of my facts. I work hard to keep all that research on the fringes of the story. It can be boring, or even cumbersome, for readers who want to journey with the characters to find themselves in the middle of an info dump. When I can provide the information needed to advance the story within the character’s scene or dialog with just a few well-chosen words, I feel like I’ve hit the lottery!

RW:    Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why?

SF:    I love humor in fiction and in real life. I love to laugh and always try to find the lighter side of life. In fiction, I think humor brings out the poignant moments with greater clarity and allows the characters to grow. That said, please note that I don’t write humor. I believe writing humor should be left in the hands of those truly gifted writers who can pull it off.

RW:   If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?

SF:    I would love to live a rural area, where the nearest neighbor is a few acres, if not a few miles away. I’d love to be in the foothills of a mountain range, surrounded by pine trees and aspen. But I don’t think I’d survive well without my cable, so that would need to be part of the package, as well.

RW:   If you came with a warning label, what would it say?

SF:    My warning label would be: “Obsessive Worrier.” Which is probably why I love humor so much. It allows me to bury my “worry wart”.

RW:  After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it?

SF:     I do buy my books after they are published. I confirm a few different e-book formats to make sure they are correct. I also have hard copies for book signings and giveaways. I’ve always intended to read through a purchased copied, but have yet to do it. I suspect I’m ready to keep working on the next story and not go backward to the older stories.

RW:   What is the single-most important part of writing for you?

SF:    Actual writing, crafting the story, and filling that blank page. Without starting, you cannot finish.

RW:   What do you hope readers take with them after reading your work?

SF:    I would love my readers to take a sense of satisfaction, of time well-spent after reading my work. I would love for them to see that second chances are important, and flaws can be overcome on the way to growing stronger.

RW:   Thanks so much for visiting today. I’m down to just a few books to review, so I’ll be grabbing this one as soon as it comes out, although by then it probably won’t show up on Roses & Thorns until early next year. I always seem to be posting a few months ahead of my reading.

Beyond Duty: Northstar Security Series, Book Three [Releases 10/12/16]

The Plot:

Northstar Security agent, Riley O’Neal, balks at posing as anyone’s husband for an assignment. Nevertheless, to rescue the kidnapped wife of a U.S. Senator, he’ll perform his duty and do his best to resist the charms of the very woman who deceived him on a previous mission.

U.S. Army Lt. Mary “Chip” Anderson is uneasy about the undercover assignment to pose as newlyweds. Concealing her attraction to Riley while staying focused on the task, may be the biggest challenge. Despite efforts to remain objective, enforced proximity ignites emotions and a desire to make the fake honeymoon real.

When Chip is kidnapped during a botched rescue attempt of the senator's wife, both women become pawns in the case that threatens the nation’s security. Riley must remain objective, save the women, and avert the threat. But after that, how can he convince Chip that she wants to wear his ring forever?

Your Bio:

Stanalei’s love of writing romance stems from reading favorites such as Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Barbara Cartland, and Alistair MacLean. She has over twenty years of training in the martial arts and holds the rank of Sandan, a third-degree black belt, in Aikido.

After a taste of life on both U.S. coasts, she now resides near the beautiful Wasatch Mountain Range with her hero, who just happens to be her best friend and husband. Together they enjoy backcountry dirt trails on a RZR, visiting our National Parks, or exploring museums and ghost towns.

Beyond Duty—Excerpt:

Riley felt immobilized by the significance of the gold glinting under the florescent lights. As though on cue, they both reached for the rings. When their hands collided, Chip snatched hers back and balled it into a fist.

He picked up the smaller ring first, and rolled the smooth metal between his fingers. He strode around the table and stopped in front of the petite lieutenant. She stood her ground.

Taking her left hand, he heard her draw a breath. His gaze locked onto the violent storm brewing inside her gray eyes. The temperature inside the room increased. His breathing matched the rise and fall of her chest as his ears filled with white noise.

Her slender hand trembled ever so slightly when he slipped the band onto her fourth finger. It fit perfectly. He stared into the dark pools of her eyes, like a man dying of thirst in the scorched desert. Uninvited, the timeless words from the marriage ceremony echoed through his head. “With this ring…”

Contacts:

Author Website:  http://www.stanaleifletcher.com/

Blog:  http://www.stanaleifletcher.com/blog/

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/StanaleiFletcher

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/StanaleiFletch

Amazon Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Stanalei-Fletcher/e/B00AGK42W6/

Buy Link:

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1009

Sneak Peak Sunday: Rock Bound—Signing Her Life Away

Tag Line:  Jake Johnsrud saved Annie Peterson’s life.  Now slaves on that God-forsaken rock, the Moon, how will they survive?

 Six Paragraphs:  Signing Her Life Away

“You women are being transported as auxiliaries. You’ll service the men.”

“Service how?” Annie asked timidly. She thought she knew the answer, but couldn’t quite accept it. The guards were grinning at the sides of the room.

The colonel leered at her and answered, “However they want you to.”

“Women have done worse things to survive,” Crystal muttered as she signed her papers.

“Ten years isn’t so long,” Vivian agreed and signed her name. She took it for granted she would be able to return to Earth when her term was up.

…

Well, it was prostitution or death. Annie supposed she could endure ten years as a prostitute. She imagined the women would perform other services for the miners as well, such as cooking and cleaning. It wasn’t like she was a virgin. Besides, once she paid her debt to society, she would be able to come home to Bobby. She hoped that he and her mother were both alright. She refused to consider any other possibility. She agreed to the sentence and signed the papers before her without reading them. After all, she already knew she was being screwed.

Links:

Website:  www.rochelleweber.com

Buy Links:

Create Space:  https://www.createspace.com/3559316

Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/43292

Amazon:  http://tinyurl.com/rbriwamazon

BN:  http://tinyurl.com/RockBoundNook

Social Media:

E-Mail:  author@rochelleweber.com

Blog:  http://rochelleweber.blogspot.com

Blog:  http://rochellesreviews.blogspot.com

Facebook Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/Rochelle.Weber.Author?ref=hl

Amazon Author Page:  http://amazon.com/author/rochelleweber

And now, back to Sneak Peek Sunday!  Just click on the banner.

 

Chicon 7 -- The World Science Fiction Convention

In April, I wrote about my experience attending the RT convention as a fan, where I felt like cattle being shuffled from one line to the next.  Over Labor Day, I attended Chicon 7, the World Science Fiction Convention.  This is the convention at which the Hugo Award ceremonies are held.  They’re the highest honors in science fiction, given to the best in literature, drama and fandom (i.e., fan-fic, fanzines, etc.).  There were over five thousand people there, and yes—in some instances there were lines—for food, guest of honor panels and autographs, and of course the masquerade (which anyone could enter) and the Hugos.  However, no one had to stand in line to get a number to stand in line for an autograph.

Some of the ribbons I ordered

I was on staff for this convention.  I did clerical work for the Executive Committee before the convention which got my registration cut in half.  In fact, I put in enough hours even before the con that I learned at the con, my registration will be refunded.  I also earned a lanyard and a water bottle.  At sci-fi conventions, people wear ribbons that attach to their name badges to identify their jobs and then there are ribbons they can pick up along the way at parties and such.  In addition to the administrative work I did for the Executive Committee, I was also the Ribbon Wrangler.  It was my job to order the official convention ribbons for the Executive Committee, Division Heads, Area Heads, Staff, Hugo Award Nominees, Past Hugo Award Winners, Guests of Honor, Program Participants, Speaker Liaisons, etc.  There was a “field trip” to the Adler Planetarium here in Chicago so we ordered a couple thousand ribbons that said, “My God, It’s Full of Stars,” and one of our guests of honor was Sy Liebergott, the Apollo Program EECOM.  He was the man who told the astronauts on Apollo 13 to “Stir the cryo tanks.”  Those tanks blew up and it took a lot of savvy and hard work to bring them home safely.  Sy was played in the movie by Clint Howard, Ron Howard’s brother.  We ordered a couple thousand ribbons for him that said, “Failure is not an option.”  I had him sign mine, and I got to schmooz with him a bit.

Me with Sy Liebergott, Apollo EECOM

I figured I’d get there the day before the con, hand out my ribbons, and be free to enjoy the con.  It wasn’t that simple.  Since each staff member got a lanyard and a water bottle, they decided each staff member should come in and get his/her ribbon and gifts individually and that I needed to check their name off on a master list.  Needless to say, there were glitches.  I had to ask people who were not on the list to get their department heads to give them a note or come in with them to verify they really were staff.  In some instances their names were supposed to be on the list but somehow were omitted.  In some instances they were people who were drafted at the con.  One young man put in a few hours slicing vegetables in the staff/participants lounge and they were calling him “staff” so he thought that qualified him.  At that point, I didn’t know you needed to put in twenty-five hours to qualify for a staff ribbon, and I had difficulty explaining why a few hours cutting veggies didn’t earn him a ribbon and a water bottle.

Lt. Cmdr. Timothy Bailey (RMN)*, Astronaut Story Musgrave, & Me.

I ended up sitting in the office Wednesday (pre-con), Thursday, and Friday.  I did get to the Planetarium Thursday night, but I missed a few panels I had planned to attend.  Ah, well—I really did earn that refund.  On the other hand, when I went down to the Exhibits Room, half the people I met in the office were people whose photos were on the wall as having made major contributions to fandom by organizing major conventions, publishing sci-fi magazines, or editing fanzines over the years.  I also met some of the Hugo nominees and they combined the staff lounge with the green room so I still got to eat and relax with the authors and panelists.  I met Gene Wolfe, passed Alan Dean Foster, and said hi to both Mike Resnick and Eric Flint, both of whom I’ve met at other cons.  I stood in line (not too long) to get Dr. Story Musgrave’s autograph.  He was one of the builders of the Hubble telescope and he was also one of the first people to go up and repair it.  He replaced one of the mirrors on it.  He was on an episode of NOVA on PBS, advising the second team that went up to work on it.

The Adler Planetarium

Even though my job bled farther into the convention than I expected it to, I really enjoyed being in the middle of everything.  Yes, I would do it again if I had the chance.  I greatly prefer being part of the con than being shuffled around like so much cattle, not that I ever felt that way when I was out and about enjoying the con as just another fan.  Oh, and the green room wasn’t the only place that had food.  The con suite was kept stocked with cold cuts, salad fixings, fruit, and munchies pretty much 24/hours/day.  They even had vegetarian and gluten-free choices.  Maybe I would have had a much different experience at the RT if I had paid the $500 to attend the full con, but I’m not so sure.  Would they have fed me as well?  Somehow, I doubt it.  And I noticed that even the people who paid $500 had to stand in line to get a number to stand in line that day.  They just got to stand in line first.

I’m not saying I’ll never attend another romance convention.  I’m saving up for Lori Foster’s next Spring.  I understand it’s smaller, but there are still great opportunities for networking, and it sounds as though it will be more like a sci-fi con and less like a cattle call.  I’ll let you know.  ;-D

*RMN—The Royal Manticoran Navy, based on the Honor Harrington series by David Weber.  (No relation.)  Honor is a starship captain at the beginning of the series.  She eventually becomes an Admiral in two navies and a member of royalty on two planets.  Her fan club is organized as the military in the books.  I’m a member, and Tim is the Commanding Officer of HMS Galahad, a destroyer.  I am the ship’s Chief Bosun’s Mate, but we have too many members for a destroyer and will soon be splitting the chapter.  When that happens, I will be promoted to Lt. Cmdr. so that I can take command of the Gallahad. Friday night at the con, we had dinner with the man who will be my executive officer once Tim's new ship is commissioned and the Galahad passes to me.  Membership is free.  All you have to do is read the books and go to the website.  http://www.trmn.org  If you live in the northern suburbs of Chicago, you might even end up aboard Gallahad!

"Into Peril We Ride" the HMS Gallahad Crest