Will they get a second chance at love? BRYCE is FREE Dec. 27 to 31! #FREEread #romance #scifirom #SFR #scifi

Hello everyone! As part of an end of the year celebration, I've been offering a selection of my book titles for FREE at Amazon. Each title has been FREE for five days at a time. The fourth (and last) one starts today. From December 27-31, 2019, you can get BRYCE, a Sci-Fi Romance, for FREE! Here's more about the story...

BRYCE
Galactic Defenders #1

By Jessica E. Subject

A dedicated Defender…

Bryce fell in love once, but after Lalia was ripped away from him, he locked his heart from feeling anything for anyone else. Instead, he devotes his life to the Galactic Alliance, killing every bloodthirsty Erebus he comes across.

A shunned princess…

Lalia Comosova fell in love with the wrong man. When her parents learned of her transgressions, they sent her to Earth to hide her error in judgment from the rest of the kingdom.

A second chance?

When these lovers are reunited after many years apart, they have a chance to find happiness together. But fate steps in and threatens to rip them apart as it did years ago.

Get BRYCE for FREE from:

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Enjoy an excerpt:

Bryce raised his crossbow, lining his sights on the creature standing amongst the bushes, its branch-like tentacles undulating in the gentle breeze. Focusing the crosshairs on the alien’s torso, he drew in a deep breath. He had one shot. If he missed, the Erebus would cry out and alert the natives of Terra to its existence, resulting in more casualties. At first glance, no one on the planet, also called Earth, would believe an Erebus anything more than an overgrown bush, but Bryce knew the truth. He’d trained to hunt the creatures from childhood.

Each step carefully placed, he advanced until he stood twenty feet from the Erebus, no chance to miss the shot. With a slight movement of his finger, he squeezed the trigger, sending a zuranium-tipped arrow racing toward the alien.

“Quinn, would you grab me another garbage bag?”

Fornax. The creature lunged toward the female voice, Bryce’s arrow stuck in one of its tentacles. A kill, but not instant.

He loaded another arrow. At the risk of being seen, he charged through the hedges. He had to cut the Erebus off before it had a chance to kill the Terran. He leaped over metal furniture and large urns, keeping his focus on the creature.

“What the hell? Get out of my yard!”

The woman rushed him, but Bryce darted around her. When the Erebus lumbered in front of him, he raised his weapon and fired. A clean shot to the middle. The creature dropped like a fallen log, crushing the furniture it landed on.

Bryce loaded the crossbow again. No time to celebrate the kill. He had to worry about the possibility of other Erebus in the area, along with the Terran woman who had seen him. Instead of running away screaming, as he’d expected her to do, she stared, wide-eyed in horror. Not at him, but the Erebus. Her body trembled as she shuffled backward, mumbling incomprehensible words.

An unexpected sense of familiarity washed over him. He couldn’t draw his attention away from her slim figure, the way her long brown hair flowed over her shoulders. Far more attractive than he’d pictured the Terrans when others talked about them. He took a closer glance. Lalia? How had she traveled so far from home without anyone knowing? She was no stranger, and definitely not Terran. Or, perhaps she was simply a doppelganger of the woman he’d once loved. He had the sudden urge to comfort her, relieve her worry. Hold her in his arms the way he had many years ago. But what if the missing princess had somehow made her way to a planet unaware life existed beyond their own? After she’d left Hemera and him behind without so much as a goodbye, he’d searched everywhere. Though not once had he thought to look on Terra.

A ground-shattering bellow pierced the night. Bryce spun around, finding himself face-to-face with another Erebus. It stared at him with beady red eyes. Thick black goop dripped from its mouth.

Bryce raised his bow, but the creature slammed him with one of its tentacles, flinging him back. The Erebus lunged at Lalia.

Rolling to his knees, Bryce aimed and fired. He hit the alien from behind, launching it forward. Onto his former lover. Slinging the bow over his shoulder, he raced toward her. The creature’s tentacles still pulsed, even though dead. Careful not to trip himself up, he shoved his hands under the creature’s torso and heaved it off her.

Lalia stood immediately and wiped the black goop from her clothes, as if she hadn’t been flattened by an alien. “They weren’t supposed to follow me. I was supposed to be safe here.”

ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT!

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All for the hope of a better future. SPACE RACE by Laurel Richards @Laurel_R_books #scifirom #romance #books

Space Race by Laurel Richards 

Space Race is a fast-paced sci-fi novel with a sweet romance between the hero and heroine, Max and Clara. The main characters are people without a lot of money or connections, but all they want is a chance to succeed. The land rush on planet Caerus is exactly the opportunity they need.

Inspired by the real-life Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889, this futuristic race is a competition for free land on a terraformed planet. Thousands upon thousands of teams are entered to win as much property as they can claim. Cities will form within half a day, transforming Caerus in a matter of hours. And like The Amazing Race, the competition is big entertainment.

First, though, Max and his team have to reach Caerus. Their secondhand ship keeps springing leaks and suffering electrical shorts, making space travel a dangerous endeavor. They take a big risk, all for the hope of a better future.


Blurb:

The race is on! Maxton and his family are entered to compete in the big land rush on planet Caerus. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. The problem? Everything seems to go wrong. Their secondhand ship keeps breaking down, their cousin goes missing, and someone steals half their funds. They have to turn to a staffing agency to get somebody to take a look at their shipboard computers.

When Clara accepts a temp job aboard the Merit, she figures she’ll only be on the ship for about an hour. That’s all the time she needs to run a diagnostic on the computers, but then Max shocks her with an invitation to join his team. The man is handsome and single, and participating in the competition could change her whole life. But can they win?

Although this ragtag group may not look impressive from the outside, they have strength, determination, and smarts. They’ll need all those qualities if they want to win this amazing space race.

Content: This book contains a sweet romance, a dilapidated space ship, and a great deal of running.

Available from: 

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Excerpt:

After ten years employed as a temp, Clara had experienced countless first days at various jobs. She usually didn’t get nervous anymore, but she took a deep breath before she got closer to the ship. All her agency had told her was that Captain Quade wanted a Tech Support Specialist to run a diagnostic on his computer system. Clara had no education in computers and was by no means an expert. However, she had picked up a trick or two during some of her assignments, and she could certainly follow a troubleshooting manual. She only hoped the captain didn’t expect some kind of software engineer. 

Pasting on her professional smile again, she closed the distance to the ship. She was about to shout up to one of the crew members silhouetted on top of the hull when a man walked around the nose of the Merit. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and her gaze drifted over his broad shoulders and bare, muscular chest. Either he was tan from the sun, or his skin was naturally golden. She conducted a thorough topographical survey of his physique before she forced her stare back upward. The view higher up was no less striking. His strong jaw, currently shadowed by stubble, was balanced by a straight nose and sharply arched eyebrows. The hair on top of his head was dark brown and tied back into a short tail. The rest was cut close to his scalp and dyed a rich green the same hue as his eyes. He came to an abrupt stop and stared right back at her. 

“Pardon me,” he said. 

Although Clara wasn’t much of a blusher, her cheeks felt distinctly warm. She was certain he was chastising her for ogling him. Then he picked up a shirt that was hanging on the stairs leading up to the ship’s entry door. He slipped the garment over his head, and she realized he was actually apologizing to her for his state of undress. 

“You must be from Forseti.” She had never left Attis, but she had always enjoyed learning about other cultures. The colorful hair, coupled with his Old World manners, gave him away. He also spoke the universal language with a slight accent. “Are you Captain Quade?” 

“Yes, I’m from Forseti, but no, I’m not the captain. He’s inside.” The man reached out to shake her hand with a firm grip. “I’m Maxton Celestino. Most people call me Max.” 

“What do the rest call you?” she teased him. 

His green eyes twinkled when he grinned. “My relatives have been known to use more inventive names when they’re annoyed with me.” 

“Ah, well, family members get special dispensation.” She held his gaze for a moment before she reminded herself why she was here. “I’m Clara Vale with Stellar Staffers. The agency sent me to take a look at your computers.” 

Max’s expression darkened, as sure as if a cloud had passed overhead. “Right this way.” 

He indicated the stairs and stepped back for her to precede him. Then he looked her over and appeared to change his mind. He led the way onto the ship. She was halfway up the stairs behind him before she realized he was being polite again. If she had gone ahead of him, he would have had a clear view up her skirt. Max Celestino really was a gentleman. 

Once aboard, she followed her well-mannered guide to the flight deck. A larger man was double-checking some wiring in the cockpit. His hair was uncolored and long enough to form a large bun high on the back of his head, with a fishtail braid hanging to one side. 

“Korin,” Max said, “Clara Vale is here from the temp agency. Clara, this is our captain.” 

“Nice to meet you.” She met those brown eyes dead-on and reached out to shake his hand. A good first impression was critical on any assignment. “Thank you for choosing Stellar Staffers.” 

“I appreciate you coming so quickly. I know this was short notice.” Captain Quade motioned for her to enter the cockpit. “We had some issues during the flight. I need you to run a full diagnostic on our primary computers and backup processors.” 

Clara tried to appear confident as she took a seat in front of the control panel. In truth, she had no idea if this was the pilot’s chair or the copilot’s chair. This was her first time on the flight deck of a big ship. Her previous experiences were with smaller gliders and planet-based computers. 

She got everything booted up and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw a familiar screen. “Nexus 2000. Nice.” 

These computers were more complicated than what she was used to, but they were several years old. She could muddle her way through. If they’d had the newer models, she would have been in trouble. 

“Nice?” Max asked. “We were told our system is outdated and should be upgraded.” 

She shook her head. “What you have is much more reliable. The Millennium 10 OS is awful. It mostly enhanced the security features of the Nexus 2000, with a DNA scan in addition to the retinal and palm scans.” She sniffed. “Half the computers that were upgraded with it crashed during the first boot-up. I’ve heard the manufacturer has put out at least a dozen software patches to try to fix the problems. This older system? I bet you haven’t had one glitch.” 

“Oh, we’ve had glitches,” Korin said. 

“With the operating system?” She was surprised. 

“A short circuit,” Korin admitted. 

“That’s an electrical problem, then. The computers are good. If you’ll log me in, I’ll run a full diagnostic to prove it. I don’t think you have to worry.” 

The captain logged her in with a palm scan and an old-fashioned alphanumeric password. 

“I’ll need you or someone else with the password and security clearance to remain close,” she told him. “I may need to reboot the computers more than once.” 

“Very well,” Korin agreed. 

She worried that he and Max were going to stand right behind her, looking over her shoulder the whole time. Fortunately, they wandered a short distance out of the cockpit. 

“Okay,” Clara whispered to herself. “You can do this.” 

About the Author

Laurel Richards is a fiction author with a passion for shifters, space travelers, and other memorable characters. She has gathered inspiration from lots of different sources throughout her life and is here today to share her imagination through storytelling. Laurel writes sci-fi/fantasy, paranormal, and funny mysteries, all with various degrees of romance mixed in. 

Website │ Twitter │ Amazon Page │ Goodreads

Their lives are going in two different directions. #8Sunday snippet from TAYRYM #GalacticDefenders #scifirom #LGBTQ

Hello and welcome to another Weekend Writing Warriors post!

Thank you to everyone who came to visit me last weekend! This is the last snippet I'm going to share from TAYRYM, the fourth Galactic Defenders story. Next weekend, I'm busy with family stuff, and in January, I'm going to start sharing from a new story. 

Set-up: In last week's snippet, Tayrym and Guri had barely seen each other since training started. In this week's snippet, both Tayrym and guri have been given their first assignments. Tayrym in comtech, and Guri as part of Juliet squadron. And Tayrym just found out that Juliet squadron is about to be sent on a very dangerous mission. (Edited from original to fit.)

With his forehead against the wall, Tayrym pressed his palm against the hard surface and banged his other fist on the wall. Tears streamed down his cheeks. Why had he been so adamant about becoming a Defender? He had no athletic abilities. Bryce knew how uncoordinated he was. Why hadn’t he stopped him? Why in the universe had the former Defender gone along with the idea that Tayrym would make a good private? But mostly, why hadn’t Tayrym taken his new relationship with Guri as a sign to change his dreams? Nothing had gone as he’d hoped, as he’d planned. Now they were being driven further and further apart, and he could do nothing to stop it.

*Author's note: I promise you, this is a romance with a happily ever after. Tayrym and Guri will eventually get there, but it doesn't come easily for them.

Tayrym has dreamed of becoming a Galactic Defender since meeting the infamous Bryce when he was just a boy. Finally an adult and awaiting the day cycle he is set to leave for training, Tayrym learns his long-time crush shares his affections. Now, he’s unsure whether he wants to leave, which dream matters more.

With the threat of being sent away for his sexuality haunting him, Guri keeps his feelings for his former classmate to himself. Even with a new progressive ruler on Hemera, he still hides his attraction to the young man. But when he catches the other shadowing him, Guri decides to take a chance. The only problem is, the man of his desire is leaving the planet soon. Possibly forever.

With obstacle after obstacle in their path, will Tayrym and Guri ever have a chance to be happy together? Or are they destined to fulfill their dreams light years apart?

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Clones, the military, and a secret that could destroy everything. Read an #excerpt from MADE FOR HER #scifirom #romance #scifi

Hello! I hope you have been enjoying the excerpts from my stories. Today's excerpt is from MADE FOR HER, a futuristic military sci-fi romance involving clones. Happy reading!

Excerpt from MADE FOR HER

Colonel Jones grabbed the remote before focusing on the three-dimensional holographic picture beside her. Another presentation for the general public, but she doubted it would work to recruit anyone. The audience was always more curious than willing to enlist. 

“In 2084, as you know, Earth made first contact with the Rafkels, a peaceful species living on the planet Raf, located twenty light-years from Earth.” She pressed the button to show her spectators an image of the still-foreign planet. “While meeting this species remains years away, their message warned us of other intelligent life forms in our own galaxy.” 

Mikayla rolled her eyes. The actual message had not been a warning, rather a fact, but the government insisted on changing the wording to garner more recruits and support for cloning. “Since then, world governments have combined efforts to develop a spacecraft that will take us faster and farther into space. 

“If you join the military today, you will learn how to fly these vessels and train the clones for future wars. Science fiction has now become our reality.” Yeah, like that would work to recruit people. Who wrote the speech, anyway? Very few, if any, would ever make it to the SFTC, Space Flight Training Center. “It will never be your life on the line, but that of men and women created only for that purpose. Serving your country is no longer about sacrifice, but about honor.” 

She cringed at the bullshit words. People still died all the time. Terrorists, like the ones who’d killed Daniel, still objected to cloning, causing destruction and death. Just last month, a popular off-base nightclub, known to be a military hang-out, had been turned to rubble in a matter of seconds after a suicide bomber with known allegiance to the Al-Tidoa group blew himself up inside the building. Many, both clone and human-born, had died. 

When Mikayla switched the display to the live feed from Onatria’s main lab in Geneva, she sighed at the collective gasp. Robotic arms transferred material between Petri dishes at various stations while other, more complex equipment dissected strands of DNA. Human-born and clones alike wore white lab coats and watched new life grow under their microscopes. And in a glass-walled clean room, casket-like clear chambers held young clones attached to a multitude of tubes. Except for the military and Onatria staff, this was the first time anyone had seen the labs. The government had grown desperate for people to enlist. 

Clones, fully incubated at one year, resembled a teenaged human-born and lived better than most of the people there to watch the presentation. That was, until the clones left the labs four years later. Then they became nothing more than a possession of the military, a weapon trained for combat. And none, as of yet, had developed long enough to resemble an officer her age. They were killed in battle or by terror attacks before they had the chance to live a long life. 

At the end of her presentation, she slipped out of the hall, unwilling to answer questions from the audience. The junior officers could handle them. She refused to listen to the public refer to the clones as slugs. Daniel had died bringing them to life and she couldn’t have his work, his creations, insulted in front of her. Sure, they weren’t born the same way as her, but they were still people, and she had a new squadron of clones waiting for her on the tarmac. 

They wouldn’t fly today. Instead, they’d head to the classroom for theory. With their basic training already completed, they were sent to her to become pilots. But her job involved more than training. She had to weed out the clone cadets who were better suited to a civilian position, and keep those who took their assignment seriously. 

As she approached them, they stood at attention and saluted her, but all wore the same cocky smile. She gave them her infamous glare to wipe away their grins, even though she knew every one of them deserved to be arrogant. They were, after all, created and genetically modified to be the best. 

Colonel Jones eyed each one of her new cadets, examining the neatness of their uniforms, while inspecting for signs of stress or over-anxiousness. She’d never seen the telltale muscle twitches or sweats in any previous clones, only in human-borns, but she had to look for them anyway. 

The first generation of clones didn’t live long enough to become cadets. Their hearts had given out within a year after incubation. But the scientists at Onatria had plowed on, utilizing more of Daniel’s research, speeding up the aging process with hormones to create the perfect generation she saw before her. 

She’d had female clones in previous squadrons, but the government filled the one in front of her with testosterone-driven masculinity. If she’d been younger, she’d have a hard time concentrating. But her days of crushes and fantasies were long over. She was devoted to serving her country and planet, and nothing else. 

That didn’t stop her from going out on the town for a stress-relieving fuck from time to time. But these young men in front of her appeared so virile, sure to last longer than any of her previous sexual partners. 

No. As junior officers, and more importantly, as clones, they were off limits. 

Inspecting them gave her the opportunity to check out more than their fatigues and tics, but if they knew her thoughts, they’d walk all over her. She’d be done. 

They were of varying nationalities, builds, and heights, all fit to serve the planet. None of the cadets revealed any indication he would put the lives of others in jeopardy. It would be an easy squadron, every one of them ready to fly in a matter of weeks. 

She reached the last cadet and froze. Her stomach clenched. No, they couldn’t have! 

She pivoted on her heel and rushed off the tarmac, leaving the squad without an instructor. 

About MADE FOR HER:

After terrorists murder the love of her life, Colonel Mikayla Jones trains squadron after squadron of the clones he brought to life, to take to the skies. When she discovers a young clone of her husband in her newest class, her world spins out of control. How can she command the look-a-like when she can’t help but yearn for him to fill an ache in her heart?

Dare was created to be the best. As the first Daniel clone to leave Onatria labs, he needs to prove he is more than just a DNA copy. To do that, he must rely on the wife of the man who donated his genes. But when she refuses to train him, Dare faces discharge and returning to the labs. Can he convince Colonel Jones to finish his training and find a way into her bed? Or will long kept secrets unhinge the entire clone project?

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Are the Defenders afraid of a tiny creature? Read an #excerpt from GIB AND THE TIBBAR #scifirom #romance #GalacticDefenders

Hello! I hope you are enjoying the excerpts I've shared this month. Today, since it's Monday, I'm going back to the Galactic Defenders series with an excerpt from GIB AND THE TIBBAR. This story was originally published as part of the Pets In Space anthology, Embrace the Romance. And since that anthology is no longer available, I published it on my own. It is available for only 99¢ USD. Happy reading!

Excpert from GIB AND THE TIBBAR

Galactic Defenders book three

A small, furry white creature scampered between the Defenders and the fire. Gib yanked his feet back and gasped. He tried to follow the path the animal took, and when it disappeared into the grassy field, he relaxed a little. Not that he was afraid, only startled by the sudden appearance of the critter.

But his watch partner reacted differently. The cowardly Defender stood on his bench, reaching for a low branch on the ropral tree as if to lift himself farther off the ground. “What in Gaspra was that? No one told me about any deadly creatures on this planet.”

Gib laughed and slapped his hand on his lap. “I wouldn’t call the fluffy little thing that raced by us a deadly creature.”

“Okay, Hemera is infested with vermin, then.” Zair examined the area around him before he dared put a foot on the ground.

A high-pitched squeak sounded, and Gib’s surveillance partner returned to reaching for the branches. The little creature stood on its hind legs below Zair’s bench, peeping as if telling him off.

Gib couldn’t hold in his laughter. Not just at the other Defender’s reaction, but also the thoughts running through Zair’s mind, thoughts he’d failed to block in his fear.

“It’s not going to eat you.” Gib shook his head, wondering how his squad mate could see the creature as dangerous. “Would you please get down from there? Defenders are supposed to be brave and fierce. Right now, you’re neither.”

“Go to Gaspra, Mingot. And stay out of my head.” He yanked his plazer from his hip holster and aimed it at the critter. “If I don’t destroy it, it will bring death to everyone on this planet.”

Stepping into the line of fire, Gib yanked the weapon from his squad mate, thankful the safety remained on. “You’re being ridiculous. Besides, if you fire your weapon, you’ll cause a panic. The Hemera will think Erebus have arrived.”

The frightened Defender shook a foot at the creature. “Fine, then. Kick it into the fire. Or you could stomp on it.”

“Don’t you dare!” A Hemera woman burst from the bushes, storming toward Zair like a mother rehn protecting her young. She shoved him off his bench and shouldered past Gib before scooping the noisy creature into her hand. “This is my tibbar, not some kind of vermin.”

“Tibbar? Try nasty rodent that tried to eat me.” Zair smoothed out his uniform but kept his distance from the creature now perched on the woman’s shoulder.

“You’re both on nehbred.” She kicked dirt at them, her pink lips pursed and her dark eyes set in a deadly stare. “You don’t know what you’re talking about when it comes to my pet or my planet.”

About GIB AND THE TIBBAR:

A dedicated Defender to the core, Gib is willing to go to any planet the Galactic Alliance sends him. That is, until he’s sent with his squad to Hemera for their Alorama ceremony, far from any threat of Erebus invasion and with no chance for promotion.

Vilarra has lived on Hemera all her life, working hard in the kitchens of the royal palace until she achieved lead hand. But learning of the universe beyond her world reveals her insignificance and shreds her sense of accomplishment and purpose.

With the help of a furry, little tibbar, Gib is determined to win the affection of Vilarra, prove to her how significant she is to him and the people who depend on her. But will his personal mission be cut short before he has the chance to win her heart?

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RJ and Missy realize zombies have taken over their town. #Excerpt from IT TOOK A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE #romance #books

Hello! Today's excerpt is from a book I wrote when I was feeling a lot of anger and frustration. Not personal, but with things I was seeing all over the news. I had to get it out somehow, so I wrote IT TOOK A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. Happy reading!

Excerpt from IT TOOK A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

RJ pressed on the text and read….

Contagion arrived from Ostrander.

Spread through the hospital.

Stay in bunker.

I’m infected.

Zombies

Zombies? He dropped his phone and stared at it on the floor, expecting it to explode. Zombies didn’t exist. He was in some kind of dream. Had to be. Missy actually had come home for the summer. And kissed him. Now, zombies.

“What is it?” Missy bent down to pick up his cell then handed it back to him. “What happened back at the park?”

“Zombies.” The word came out before he had a chance to stop it. He didn’t know whether to laugh or grab Missy again and run.

A crooked smile formed dimples in her cheeks. “You’re joking, right? Trying to help me laugh off what happened.”

“I wish.” He showed her the message from his father. “My dad doesn’t have a sense of humor.”

The phone beeped, and she pushed his hand away. “I think it needs to be charged. We should call him just to be sure. Or contact somebody. Maybe he meant something else. You know how stupid autocorrect can be.”

RJ rushed to the kitchen, found his charger, and plugged in the cell. But, by then, he’d lost signal. Reception was spotty in West Vitula, but he couldn’t get anything. He peeked through the doorway, out to the living room. “Missy, can you get a signal?”

After digging into her purse, she pulled out her phone with a pink, sparkly case. Not at all what he expected from her. Had he missed that girly side, or had someone given it to her, and she didn’t want to hurt their feelings? That he could understand.

She held the cell up and moved around the room. “I got nothing. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we should try outside?” Though he doubted it would make a difference.

Missy stepped over to window and shoved the curtains aside. “Um, there are people coming. And they don’t…look right.”

RJ glanced outside. Neighbors walked down the middle of the street, their bodies twitching. And no one stopped to talk to one another. They just kept marching along to some unknown destination. As they came closer, he noticed their tattered clothing, their disheveled hair, and limbs connected at odd angles to the rest of their body, as if they’d been trampled. And now they were up and walking.

About IT TOOK A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE:

Home for the summer, RJ heads to the annual fun hair to see if his hot neighbor has also returned from university. When he spots her at the kissing booth, he can’t believe his luck. But even though she never spewed racial slurs at him like the rest of the community, will she grant him a kiss?

Missy is tired of the blatant prejudice she’s seen all her life. If not for her brother’s plea for help, she never would have returned to the small town of Ostrander. When the guy she’s had a crush on since grade school asks for a kiss, she knows it will piss of her parents and leave the entire town talking.

After one kiss, RJ wants another, but a sudden zombie outbreak puts him and Missy on the run. To stay alive, they must learn who they can trust. And even if they can trust each other.

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Hunting the Erebus that have come to Earth ~ Read an #excerpt from BRYCE #GalacticDefenders #scifirom #romance

Hello! Every weekday this month, I'm going to post an excerpt from one of my stories. Since I lost my previous blog, all my excerpts that I posted are gone. So, I thought I'd share them on this blog all month long. I hope you enjoy them. Happy Reading and Happy Holidays!

Excerpt from BRYCE

Galactic Defenders #1

Bryce raised his crossbow, lining his sights on the creature standing amongst the bushes, its branch-like tentacles undulating in the gentle breeze. Focusing the crosshairs on the alien’s torso, he drew in a deep breath. He had one shot. If he missed, the Erebus would cry out and alert the natives of Terra to its existence, resulting in more casualties. At first glance, no one on the planet, also called Earth, would believe an Erebus anything more than an overgrown bush, but Bryce knew the truth. He’d trained to hunt the creatures from childhood.

Each step carefully placed, he advanced until he stood twenty feet from the Erebus, no chance to miss the shot. With a slight movement of his finger, he squeezed the trigger, sending a zuranium-tipped arrow racing toward the alien.

“Quinn, would you grab me another garbage bag?”

Fornax. The creature lunged toward the female voice, Bryce’s arrow stuck in one of its tentacles. A kill, but not instant.

He loaded another arrow. At the risk of being seen, he charged through the hedges. He had to cut the Erebus off before it had a chance to kill the Terran. He leaped over metal furniture and large urns, keeping his focus on the creature.

“What the hell? Get out of my yard!”

The woman rushed him, but Bryce darted around her. When the Erebus lumbered in front of him, he raised his weapon and fired. A clean shot to the middle. The creature dropped like a fallen log, crushing the furniture it landed on.

Bryce loaded the crossbow again. No time to celebrate the kill. He had to worry about the possibility of other Erebus in the area, along with the Terran woman who had seen him. Instead of running away screaming, as he’d expected her to do, she stared, wide-eyed in horror. Not at him, but the Erebus. Her body trembled as she shuffled backward, mumbling incomprehensible words.

An unexpected sense of familiarity washed over him. He couldn’t draw his attention away from her slim figure, the way her long brown hair flowed over her shoulders. Far more attractive than he’d pictured the Terrans when others talked about them. He took a closer glance. Lalia? How had she traveled so far from home without anyone knowing? She was no stranger, and definitely not Terran. Or, perhaps she was simply a doppelganger of the woman he’d once loved. He had the sudden urge to comfort her, relieve her worry. Hold her in his arms the way he had many years ago. But what if the missing princess had somehow made her way to a planet unaware life existed beyond their own? After she’d left Hemera and him behind without so much as a goodbye, he’d searched everywhere. Though not once had he thought to look on Terra.

A ground-shattering bellow pierced the night. Bryce spun around, finding himself face-to-face with another Erebus. It stared at him with beady red eyes. Thick black goop dripped from its mouth.

Bryce raised his bow, but the creature slammed him with one of its tentacles, flinging him back. The Erebus lunged at Lalia.

Rolling to his knees, Bryce aimed and fired. He hit the alien from behind, launching it forward. Onto his former lover. Slinging the bow over his shoulder, he raced toward her. The creature’s tentacles still pulsed, even though dead. Careful not to trip himself up, he shoved his hands under the creature’s torso and heaved it off her.

Lalia stood immediately and wiped the black goop from her clothes, as if she hadn’t been flattened by an alien. “They weren’t supposed to follow me. I was supposed to be safe here.”

About BRYCE:

A dedicated Defender…

Bryce fell in love once, but after Lalia was ripped away from him, he locked his heart from feeling anything for anyone else. Instead, he devotes his life to the Galactic Alliance, killing every bloodthirsty Erebus he comes across.

A shunned princess…

Lalia Comosova fell in love with the wrong man. When her parents learned of her transgressions, they sent her to Earth to hide her error in judgment from the rest of the kingdom.

A second chance?

When these lovers are reunited after many years apart, they have a chance to find happiness together. But fate steps in and threatens to rip them apart as it did years ago.

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"Is there one you think is cute?" Read this #WeWriWa snippet from TAYRYM #GalacticDefenders #scifiromance #MMromance

Hello and welcome to another Weekend Writing Warriors post!

Thank you to everyone who came to visit me last weekend! I'm still recovering from my concert high. 

Set-up: In last week's snippet, Tayrym was on the verge of confessing his secret to Gwenodyn. Here's what comes next. Enjoy!

“Oh, I get it.” She nudged him, a weird smile plastered on her face. “Is there one you think is cute?”

His insides seemed to disappear, leaving him empty, hollow. She knew? How? “Uh....”

She rubbed his back. “I’ve known for over a Galactic year. It’s why I stopped insisting we were going to get married someday.”

Tayrym has dreamed of becoming a Galactic Defender since meeting the infamous Bryce when he was just a boy. Now an adult and awaiting the day cycle he is set to leave for training, Tayrym learns his long-time crush shares his affections. Now he's unsure whether he wants to leave, which dream matters more to him. 

With the threat of being sent away for his sexuality haunting him, Guri kept his feelings for his former classmate to himself. Even with a new progressive ruler on Hemera, he still hides his attraction to the young man. But when he catches the other shadowing him, Guri decides to take a chance. The only problem is, the man of his desire is leaving the planet soon. Possibly forever.

With obstacle after obstacle in their path, will Tayrym and Guri ever have a chance to be happy together? Or are they destined to fulfill their dreams light years apart?

COMING SOON!

This is the group I went to see last Sunday. The same ones who spoke at the UN and performed on Good Morning America. Yes, their music is in Korean, but it truly does transcend languages. See if you can find the literary references in this video. (They include so many literary references in their music and in their music videos.) Many also say this song and video are a tribute to the youth who died in the Sewol Ferry disaster in 2014. Bogoshipda means I miss you.

Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Participants!

Click on the button below to find this week's list...

I go to watch ~ Find out what Tayrym is watching in this #WeWriWa snippet from TAYRYM #GalacticDefenders #scifiromance #MMromance

Hello and welcome to another Weekend Writing Warriors post!

Thank you to everyone who came to visit me last weekend! This weekend, I have another snippet from TAYRYM for you. I'll be at a BTS concert this weekend, so if I don't get to your post over the weekend, I will visit on Monday.

Set-up: In last week's snippet, Gwenodyn was still trying to convince Tayrym to share his secrets with her. I'm skipping a couple sentences to get to the beginning Tayrym's confession. Enjoy!

“I was going for a run.” He leaned his head on hers, hoping she wouldn’t leave when he told her the truth. “To the Defender barracks. There’s a few guys who play kickball there.”

“And you play with them?” She lifted her head up and stared at him. “What’s wrong with that?”

“I don’t play.” He ran his palms across his lap. “I go to watch.”

Tayrym has dreamed of becoming a Galactic Defender since meeting the infamous Bryce when he was just a boy. Now an adult and awaiting the day cycle he is set to leave for training, Tayrym learns his long-time crush shares his affections. Now he's unsure whether he wants to leave, which dream matters more to him. 

With the threat of being sent away for his sexuality haunting him, Guri kept his feelings for his former classmate to himself. Even with a new progressive ruler on Hemera, he still hides his attraction to the young man. But when he catches the other shadowing him, Guri decides to take a chance. The only problem is, the man of his desire is leaving the planet soon. Possibly forever.

With obstacle after obstacle in their path, will Tayrym and Guri ever have a chance to be happy together? Or are they destined to fulfill their dreams light years apart?

COMING SOON!

Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Participants!

Click on the button below to find this week's list...

She can't help but read his thoughts when he's flinging them around. #WeWriWa snippet from TAYRYM #GalacticDefenders #scifiromance #MMromance

Hello and welcome to another Weekend Writing Warriors post!

Thank you to everyone who came to visit me last weekend! This weekend, I have another snippet from TAYRYM for you. This story is now finished and with my editor. Check out the cover below!

Set-up: In last week's snippet, Gwenodyn confronted Tayrym about what he's hiding from her, and he tells her to stay out of his head. Enjoy!

“I don’t have to read your mind to know you’re lying.” She poked him in the shoulder. “You won’t look at me when you’re fibbing. Plus, you’re flinging your thoughts at me, so it’s hard not to know what you’re thinking. I can’t block you.”

Tayrym sat on his bed and cupped his face in his hands. He’d hoped he could get off planet before telling anyone his secret, somewhere where he’d be accepted as normal rather than an outcast.

Gwenodyn sat next to him on the bed. She wrapped an arm around him and leaned her head on his shoulder. “C’mon, Scrym, you know you can tell me anything.”

Tayrym has dreamed of becoming a Galactic Defender since meeting the infamous Bryce when he was just a boy. Now an adult and awaiting the day cycle he is set to leave for training, Tayrym learns his long-time crush shares his affections. Now he's unsure whether he wants to leave, which dream matters more to him. 

With the threat of being sent away for his sexuality haunting him, Guri kept his feelings for his former classmate to himself. Even with a new progressive ruler on Hemera, he still hides his attraction to the young man. But when he catches the other shadowing him, Guri decides to take a chance. The only problem is, the man of his desire is leaving the planet soon. Possibly forever.

With obstacle after obstacle in their path, will Tayrym and Guri ever have a chance to be happy together? Or are they destined to fulfill their dreams light years apart?

COMING SOON!

Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Participants!

Click on the button below to find this week's list...

He dreamed of becoming a Galactic Defender. Then he fell in love. #CoverReveal for TAYRYM #scifiromance #MMromance #GalacticDefenders

Hello! Since I have sent TAYRYM, the fourth book in the Galactic Defenders series, to my editor, I have decided to reveal the cover to you. I've been sitting on it for awhile, using it for inspiration to finish the story. Today, I'm excited to show it to you. I hope you like it!

TAYRYM

Galactic Defenders #4

Tayrym has dreamed of becoming a Galactic Defender since meeting the infamous Bryce when he was just a boy. Now an adult and awaiting the day cycle he is set to leave for training, Tayrym learns his long-time crush shares his affections. Now he's unsure whether he wants to leave, which dream matters more to him. 

With the threat of being sent away for his sexuality haunting him, Guri kept his feelings for his former classmate to himself. Even with a new progressive ruler on Hemera, he still hides his attraction to the young man. But when he catches the other shadowing him, Guri decides to take a chance. The only problem is, the man of his desire is leaving the planet soon. Possibly forever.

With obstacle after obstacle in their path, will Tayrym and Guri ever have a chance to be happy together? Or are they destined to fulfill their dreams light years apart?

COMING SOON!

#Top10 things to know about SHADOWS OF THE PAST by @j_c_hay #PetsinSpace #scifiromance

Top Ten things to know about 

SHADOWS OF THE PAST

10.) Commander Rafe Penzak is one of the side characters from my TriSystems: Rangers series, and a man very much in need of his happily ever after.

9.) Dr. Nafisi Sultana has been single-handedly taking care of the JTF Rangers’ breeding pack of Umbra Wolves – the animal partners with which the Rangers are empathically bonded.

8.) The wolfbond – the connection between a Ranger and an Umbra Wolf – is permanent, and if either bondmate dies, it can leave permanent scars on the psyche of the survivor.

7.) Hephaestus Secundus, where Nafisi’s farm is hidden, is a tiny, tidally locked moon that lives in the shadows (and gravity wells) of both another moon (Heph Prime) and a gas giant (Accipiter) in the Three Systems.

6.) Umbra Wolves are mostly invisible in natural (or indeed, unpolarized) light. This is a side effect of their fur, which acts as a meta-lens and turns them into wolf-shaped blurs. In the right wavelengths of polarized light, their fur appears black, making them visible.

5.) The JTF Rangers have been fighting a long series of skirmishes against a criminal organization known as Triptych, who are an alliance of pirates, thieves, and traffickers with their eyes on destabilizing the Three Systems.

4.) Nafisi still blames the Rangers for her husband’s death – their insistence on keeping the wolf ranch hidden meant she was too remote for her husband to get medical care that could have saved him.

3.) The death of Rafe’s wolf has left him unable to understand his own emotions, a permanent trauma that has left him detached from the world around him.

2.) Two wounded people, a pack of invisible wolves, a gang of murderous pirates, and a planet of perpetual darkness may just be the recipe for a happily ever after.

1.) And the number one thing to remember about Shadows of the Past (and Pets in Space 3) is that a portion of our proceeds goes to support Hero-Dogs.org, an organization that trains service dogs and places them with veterans and first responders.

SHADOW OF THE PAST

By JC Hay

Loss casts a shadow you can’t outrun…

Commander Rafe Penzak is tired of jockeying a desk. With only months left before his forced retirement from the rangers, he decides to bend a few rules for one last mission: follow up on intelligence that vicious criminals have found the ranch that supplies the rangers’ umbra wolves. He’s ready to confront the reminder of his wolf’s death, but nothing in the Three Systems could prepare him for the spitfire who runs the farm.

Veterinarian Nafisi Sultana has run her wolf breeding program her way since the death of her husband. The last thing she wants is another ranger taking up space, correcting her methods, or being underfoot. But she can’t miss the pain and sorrow that haunts the greying commander, and her need to heal others pulls her into his orbit despite the agonizing memories he wakes in her.

With storms, raiders, and a renegade wolf pup driving them together, Nafisi and Rafe have to set aside their damaged past, or they’ll never be able to save something they both want more—a future.

EMBRACE THE PASSION: PETS IN SPACE™ 3

Pets in Space™ is back! Join us as we unveil eleven original, never-before-published action-filled romances that will heat your blood and warm your heart! New York Times, USA Today and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, Anna Hackett, Ruby Lionsdrake, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Carol Van Natta, Tiffany Roberts, Alexis Glynn Latner, E D Walker, JC Hay, and Kyndra Hatch combine their love for Science Fiction Romance and pets to bring readers sexy, action-packed romances while helping our favorite charity. Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space™ authors have donated over $4,400 in the past two years to help place specially trained dogs with veterans. Open your hearts and grab your limited release copy of Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space™ 3 today!

PRE-ORDER FROM:

Amazon | iBooks | B&N | Kobo | Google Play

About JC Hay

SFR Galaxy Award Winner JC Hay writes romantic science fiction and cyberpunk where the relationships matter as much as the tech. After all, the coolest gadgets in the world are useless without someone to share them.

In addition to Romance Writers of America, he is also a proud member of the SFR Brigade (for Science Fiction Romance), the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal Romance chapter, and RWA’s Published Author Network.

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