Friday 29 March 2013

SFFSat - March 30



Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (SFFSat) is a place where a bunch of us post snippets from our written works and also shoot the breeze a little. And before I get ahead of myself, thanks and appreciation as always to those who stop by and leave fantastic comments.

Still featuring my new WIP. It's still untitled (and so my OCD tendencies are still irked by that), but you guys have given me some ideas. So far, here are some suggestions: LOST LEGACY, THE ACQUISITION OF THE LEVI, or RELIC RANGER.

The story is about a young woman, Ranger Serafina Derwynde, who works for the Acquisition Guild - an agency that procures and retrieves items of historical and human interest. Sort of like an official scavenging agency, with training and university studies specifically targeted to such items of interest and their historical background. Not to mention ways and means to successfully procure them - by whatever means (force) necessary.

Last week, Serafina stumbled across a hulking generation ship - one thought to have been lost for millennia. After a few lines where I describe her searching the database to compare the image of the old ship and determine whether or not it is, in fact, an actual generation ship, we move on to this, another cheerful exchange between her on board interface, Bertram...(By the way, I came up with the word 'solam' since it just sounded cooler than kilometers or whatever-meters).


            A distance counter flickered underneath stating the mystery ship was a thousand solams away, picked up by her No.2 probe.

“Satisfied?”
Ignoring the interface's muttered response, Serafina squinted at both images and with a raggedy-nailed finger, she flicked the corner of the schematics display to let it rotate a full 360ยบ, glancing at the image No. 2 broadcasted. They looked the same.
“Scan it for life signs,” she instructed the AI.
“I tried.”
Serafina expelled a breath with a groan. “And?”
“My signal bounced back...it’s blocking me.”
“What?”

If you are interested in participating in next weeks SFFSat, just click HERE, and follow the rules. Sign up is open every Wednesday - and if you're on Twitter, use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!

Friday 22 March 2013

SFFSat - March 23


Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (SFFSat) is a place where a bunch of us post snippets from our written works and also shoot the breeze a little. And before I get ahead of myself, thanks and appreciation as always to those who stop by and leave fantastic comments.

Moving on today to a brand new WIP. It's still untitled (and that irks my OCD tendencies...perhaps that's why it's now sitting on the back burner while I scratch my head for a suitable title. Anyone got any ideas?)

The story is about a young woman, Ranger Serafina Derwynde, who works for the Acquisition Guild - an agency that procures and retrieves items of historical and human interest. Sort of like an official scavenging agency...with training and university studies specifically targeted to such items of interest and their historical background. Not to mention ways and means to successfully procure them - by whatever means (force) necessary.
It just so happens that Serafina stumbles across a hulking generation ship - one thought to have been lost for millennia. (By now you've probably guessed that it's set way into the future...way way...)

The following is the very first opening lines in the tale...

            Come again?” Serafina Derwynde scratched her head and leaned back in the pilot seat.
“Shida Class, Generation Model, DS-057,” the onboard AI repeated, pitching its masculine tone to sound mildly irritated.
To the best of Serafina’s knowledge and remembered history lessons, Shida Class generation ships no longer existed—at least, not since the Migration, two thousand nine hundred and eighty-six years ago. A find like this would set her up for life, not to mention the fame it would bring.
“Are you sure, Bertram?” A quiver of excitement raced through Serafina; she envisioned early retirement and a brand new ship with a new artificial intelligence interface—one without attitude. Maybe a small outpost station to call her own. “Run it again.

If you are interested in participating in next weeks SFFSat, just click HERE, and follow the rules. Sign up is open every Wednesday - and if you're on Twitter, use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!

Friday 15 March 2013

SFFSat - March 16


Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (SFFSat) is a place where a bunch of us post snippets from our written works and also shoot the breeze a little. And before I get ahead of myself, thanks and appreciation as always to those who stop by and leave fantastic comments.

Last Jax Marlin snippet for a little whiles. Time to move onto other tales...

Yet another novella was released Friday (available at Amazon).

THE NECROMANCER OF THE AVON - Special Inspector Michael Pedroni finds himself on board a derelict battlecruiser, the Avon, attempting to solve the mystery of a gruesome massacre. The vigilante, Jax Marlin, appears with a clear idea of who has committed the crime, the infamous Necromancer Killer. In an unexpected twist, the inspector and the vigilante form a truce and work together to capture their prey...(I know, shocking, right!)


In this scene, Pedroni and Jax are on board a Marine vessel, discussing the Necromancer and before they declare a truce. Pedroni opens this scene...

            “You’d prefer to stew in the ship’s brig until the investigation is over? It could take days—weeks.”

She let out a soft chuckle, her breath nudging his face. “You actually believe you can make me stew…in a brig?”
“I’ve seen the brig—it’s solid and secure. You won’t be able to escape.”
“You have to catch me first.”
“I will catch you.”
She smiled, not quite a dare, but close enough. “So why haven’t you?”

If you are interested in participating in next weeks SFFSat, just click HERE, and follow the rules. Sign up is open every Wednesday - and if you're on Twitter, use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!

Friday 8 March 2013

SFFSat - March 09

Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (SFFSat) is a place where a bunch of us post snippets from our written works and also shoot the breeze a little. And before I get ahead of myself, thanks and appreciation as always to those who stop by and leave fantastic comments.

Today, I'm going to share a snippet from a yet another novella that was released yesterday and available on Amazon.

THE MARLIN STRIKES AGAIN - Welcome back to the world of Jax Marlin, sexy vigilante, and Special Inspector Michael Pedroni. In this 'episode,' Jax is pursuing a nasty pedophile in a quaint little university town that seems content to turn a blind eye to his vile deeds.


In this scene, Jax has followed the pedophile to a charming little housing complex where a little girl resides...of course, Jax doesn't stand for this sort of behaviour and moves in to intercept.

            Where had The Pedophile disappeared?

Pressing her back to the side of the enclosure, Jax peered out to the end of the house. The back yard, what she could see of it, looked even smaller than the front and the dividing wall only a smidgeon higher than the sidewall. A few shrubs tried their best to grow, skirting decoratively around a wooden deck the size of a bar stool seat. A scatter of toys and a few chairs finished the back yard.
All the houses were the same, so this meant on the other end of the back yard, there would be another small enclosure for the composting unit, which offered an even better hiding area for a lurking pedophile. No doubt, it would also offer a tantalizing view of the little girl’s bedroom.
Jax slithered around the maintenance enclosure and peered around the corner of the house. She saw the composting shed, and if she narrowed her eyes and unfocused a little, the unmistakable form of a man crouching in the darkness.
Gotcha!

If you are interested in participating in next weeks SFFSat, just click HERE, and follow the rules. Sign up is open every Wednesday - and if you're on Twitter, use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!

Wednesday 6 March 2013

A Day in My Life - A Pictorial

My typical writing day starts around 7:30am, that is the time when I (reluctantly) grow aware of the world around me.  (And yes, no kids. Hence the late time).  Around 8:15am is when everything gets into focus as the first few hits of coffee kick in.  By then, I’m usually in front of my computer in my little hole-in-the-wall office, sorting through emails and spam, checking the Twitter feeds and sorting my day out.  Providing there are no pressing jobs (graphic art related), then I’m free to write.

I'm not really writing a "Once Upon A Time..." tale...

I open up the work in progress folder and double-click whatever story I'm currently working on.  I scroll down to the last page I'd written and stare at it.  I scroll up and read the last few paragraphs, just to get the feel of it again.  I scroll back to the end and go "Uhmmm...."
Not sure if you can see, but there's mango buds on the tree.


I look outside for inspiration...since it's March, the mango tree has blossoms and some parts have small fruit buds bearing.  I think, If it doesn't rain soon, all those buds will drop and we'd get nothing this July.  

If looking outside doesn't inspire me, I look at my cat, Dobby, and confirm once again that when he's not being a ninja, he's a lazy, indulgent, and surprisingly nimble feline. And again I think to myself: That cannot be comfortable.


Then I remember I had an ongoing game of Words with Friends and open up Facebook and see if it's my move.  It isn't, so I mosey on to the other games I play on the site.  By now, I've wasted a solid 45 minutes to an hour woolgathering...But I don't feel guilty since you can't force the writing muse.  (Some may say working from home is a major distraction, but I beg to differ.  I enjoy it.  It's called 'recreation').


Since staring out the window, or my looking at my cat, or playing computer games doesn't usually provide much inspiration (though very relaxing), and the Twitter feed on the screen (peeking out on the left) keeps attracting my eye, I scroll further back in the WIP and re-read a few chapters to get fully back into the groove of things.  I end up deleting stuff, rewriting, editing, tweaking and fattening up scenes as I go along.  By the end of reading, I'm back in the groove and writing for a couple hours.  Around 1:00pm, I fling a copy of the WIP into my DropBox folder and crack open the laptop in the bedroom, retrieve the file and continue on.
This reminds me, I need a new notebook.
Often times, I have a large note book next to me while writing.  It's crammed with notes and ideas and plot outlines (highlighted, scratched out, double-highlighted).  I try to follow what's on it, but that usually doesn't happen, but gives me an idea of what's supposedly supposed to come.  By now, my writing endeavours have exhausted themselves, and it's close to 4:00pm.  The mind is buzzing and a serious siesta is giving me that come hither look.  Before clocking out, I run through the last ideas in my head, sometimes making more notes in said book just so I'll be up to speed the next day.
That's the sun setting and that's my neighbour's roof.
Before you know it, living here in the Tropics, where the sun keeps a regular schedule and night and day are rigidly defined, dusk falls upon us and I reluctantly drag my ass to feed dogs, and prep dinner (I hate cooking, but love to eat. Can't win).
There is a saying in Barbados that once the sun sets, it's time for drinks.  Something like Five-Thirsty, or Six-Thirsty.  There's even one for pre-lunch drinks, like Eleven-Thirsty (but that's another story).  I religiously follow this custom, as the sun dips into night, my cocktail is in hand.  My drink of the day may vary, from a fruity red, to a sturdy Jack & Coke (a particular favourite), or a revitalizing single malt on the rocks.  This particular one above is growing to be a favourite of mine, vodka with freshly crushed blueberries with a dash of Sprite. Mmm! (My other favourite is martinis...don't get me started on those).
Jax waiting for his lettuce.
So, whilst enjoying my libations, I alternate my hands with cooking dinner and fending off my dog, Jax, who hopes food will accidentally fall into his mouth.  He gets some treats, like his favourite of lettuce bits (weird, I know), carrots, and broccoli (weirder).  Oh, and a little taste of whatever meat is cooking.  He's not spoiled...he's special.  There's a difference.  Really, there is!

Before you know it, full night has come, dinner is consumed, TV is ogled at, and the day is once again coming to an end.  Tomorrow, the same old same old.  Some may say I live an idyllic life...well, I do...it's the Tropics.  We move at a different pace here.  Besides, I don't do stress very well.

Cheers!

Friday 1 March 2013

SFFSat - March 02



Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (SFFSat) is a place where a bunch of us post snippets from our written works and also shoot the breeze a little. And before I get ahead of myself, thanks and appreciation as always to those who stop by and leave fantastic comments.

Today, I'm going to share a snippet from a novella that was released yesterday and available on Amazon. YAY!!
Welcome back to the world of Jax Marlin, sexy vigilante, and Special Inspector Michael Pedroni. PURGED IN FIRE has already been released in an anthology collection, however, I've added a few little tweaks and pulls in this version.


In this scene, we have Pedroni meeting up with a fellow Inspector on a pleasure station where Jax Marlin is supposedly planning her next attack...

            “Don’t be daft, Pedroni. The Marlin is here for Moor. He’s just her type of criminal and when it goes down, he’s mine. This is the Ring…my turf.”

“Go right ahead, he’s yours.” Pedroni had no desire to claim bragging rights on Moor; he only wanted Jax. “Just don’t get in my way, Ryder. I’ve had enough of eager cops getting in the way, just to get to Jax.”
“Oh,” Ryder jerked his head with surprise and a slow smile spread across his fleshy mouth. “Jax, is it now?”

If you are interested in participating in next weeks SFFSat, just click HERE, and follow the rules. Sign up is open every Wednesday - and if you're on Twitter, use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!