Showing posts with label Post Traumatic Stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Post Traumatic Stress. Show all posts

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Welcome Veronica Scott



I’d like to welcome fellow sci-fi romance author, Veronica Scott to my blog! It’s so good to have you here!

RW: Would you like to write a different genre or sub-genre than you do now?

VS:  I’d love to write a Regency romance! Regencies are some of my favorite things to read, but I’ve never written one. I’d have a Duke and a governess, either stranded at an inn or at a big house party, and… I need the rest of the plot, LOL!

RW: Bubble baths or steamy showers? Ocean or mountains? Puppies or kittens? Chocolate or caramel?
VS:  Shower, mountains, kittens and chocolate.

RW: Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?
VS:  Four to six weeks, depending on the length of the story, with another four to six weeks for the entire editing process. I have a developmental editor and a copy editor, both of whom are really good and thorough.

RW: If you came with a warning label, what would it say?
VS:  Has no patience, gets lost easily.

RW: List two authors we would find you reading when taking a break from your own writing.
VS:  Nalini Singh and Ilona Andrews!

RW: If I were a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?
VS:  Each is a standalone story but I’d probably recommend Star Cruise: Outbreak because it’s pretty representative of a “Veronica Scott sci-fi romance,” with action and adventure, high stakes and romance, including some medium-hot love scenes. I write ‘disaster movie’ type books, where you spend a little time getting to know the characters and then wham, catastrophe strikes and people have to work hard to solve the problem and survive to the HEA.

RW: You'd never be able to tell…
VS:  but I’m actually an introvert.

RW: I can never fill in the blank…
VS:  because I always have multi-part answers!

Thanks so much for talking with us today! Let’s find out more about Star Cruise: Outbreak.

The Plot:

Dr. Emily Shane, a war veteran, is known as “The Angel of Fantalar” for bravery under fire. However, the doctor has her own wounds–PTSD and guilt over those she failed to save.

Persuaded to fill a berth as ship’s doctor on the luxurious interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr, she finds the job brings unexpected perks, including Security Officer Jake Dilon, a fellow veteran.

However, Emily learns she and Jake didn’t leave all peril behind in the war. A mysterious ailment begins to claim victim after victim…and they must race against time and space to find the cause and a cure! Trapped on a ship no spaceport will allow to dock, their efforts are complicated by a temperamental princess and a terrorist–one who won’t hesitate to take down any being in the way of his target. If anyone’s left when the disease is through with them.

Excerpt:

The portal to the corridor burst open, and Mr. Enzell struggled into the lobby, half carrying his wife and surrounded by their white-faced children. Syl was sobbing in great gasps, and the boys’ faces were set in expressions of terror. The oldest had a blood-soaked wad of cloth pressed to his nose. Mrs. Enzell’s head lolled, and she looked as if she was crying tears of blood. Clint immediately moved to support the woman on the other side, calling for Emily as he did so.

“Seven hells, here we go.” Emily was right behind them as the men helped Mrs. Enzell to an exam room and onto the bed.

“Trynna started bleeding a few minutes ago, Doctor,” Mr. Enzell said as medical personnel hurried to get their new patient hooked up to monitors. “She said she was dizzy and then—then her eyes—she was—the tears were blood. And next thing I knew, my son’s nose was bleeding. What’s going on?”

Emily caught Relba’s attention. “Call Bevar in, stat. I’ve got this, Vicente. Take the boy into room two and get him in bed, please.” As her staff moved to carry out the orders, Emily busied herself setting up the intravenous flow of fluids for Mrs. Enzell and added a basic clotting factor. “This is apparently a complication of the intestinal virus, Mr. Enzell. Do you have any symptoms?”

He blinked. “I’m fine. Marc, my oldest, he’s not doing too well.”

Bio:


Best-selling science fiction and paranormal romance author and “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happily Ever After blog, Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history, and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.

Three-time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances! She recently was honored to read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “City On the Edge of Forever.”

Contact Veronica:


Buy Links for Her Books:

Star Cruise: Outbreak


Lady of the Star Wind

Monday, February 28, 2011

The Denture Contract

I will re-post my review of Forever With You on Sunday, March 6, 2011.
I’m a Navy veteran and as such one would think the VA would provide dental care. They only do so if you have a disability that is related to your military service. My disability is based on my bi-polar disorder and post traumatic stress that was caused by childhood experiences and having been raped at the age of nineteen before I entered the Navy. That does not qualify me for dental care under the VA system.
My road has not been easy. I have been a sofa-surfing homeless person, I have pulled my own teeth and have longed for at least partial dentures since my back teeth have not met for over a decade, thus making chewing somewhat difficult. When I moved in with daughter, my new VA therapist told me that I could get dental care through the Lake County, Illinois Public Health system. My prayers were answered.
I went to the Public Health office and was told that dental service would not be free, but it would be discounted and I could pay as much as I could afford. I could not be turned away for non-payment. I’ve been making payments of about $25 each month, although some months I could not afford to make payments. That was okay—they continued to see me and to pull the teeth that needed to be pulled. I finally reached the point where they had pulled all the teeth they deemed necessary and I made an appointment to have impressions taken for my new teeth. I got there this afternoon and the receptionist called me over.
“Did you know your discount expired?” he asked.
“No. I didn’t know it could expire. What do I need to do to renew it?”
“Just bring in proof of your disability income.”
“Okay.”
“I see you haven’t signed the contract for your dentures yet,” he said.
“Contract? What contract?”
“No one explained the contract?”
“No…”
“You have to sign a contract stating you’ll pay for your dentures before we make them.”
“Oh. How much do they cost—with the discount for my disability?”
He looked at my chart.
“You need both upper and lower, so… With the discount, six hundred each, that's twelve hundred dollars. Can you make a payment of two hundred fifty today?”
My shrink would be so proud of me. I did not whack him with my cane. I did not scratch his eyes out. I did not scream “What part of *@$%(_+&# Social Security DO YOU NOT GET?” I did not ask them why they didn’t explain that to me BEFORE I let them put me through the hell of several extractions of teeth I could maybe have hung onto awhile longer (several in front) not to mention going several hundred dollars in debt to them (with the discount, which will be paid off at $25 per month). I even managed not to burst into sobs until I got to my car.
I am so angry. I am now a toothless hag. I whistle when I talk. I can’t bite into anything and while I had difficulty chewing before, it’s even worse. I have eleven teeth left. One of them is black and is right in front on top. I have no lower front teeth. Won’t that be lovely when I’m doing readings and public appearances to sell my books? I’ll have to open my mouth to speak to people. Does anyone know how to whittle teeth? Maybe I should take up ceramics.
Mona Lisa’s smile is no mystery to me. She went to the Lake County, Illinois Public Health Department for dental care and no one explained the denture contract to her until after they pulled her teeth.