Falling for an Earthling sends this alien into a tailspin! RATE OF RETURN is part of #PetsInSpace 5! Get it now! #romance #scifirom #books #reading

Pets in Space® is back!!! 

For a limited time only! 

Pets in Space® 5 is proud to present 12 amazing, original new stories! Join the adventures as today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors take you on a journey to another world.

This year’s  lineup of authors includes New York Times, USA TODAY and Award-winning Bestselling authors S.E. Smith, Michelle Diener, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie Green, Carol Van Natta, Regine Abel, Alexis Glynn Latner, JC Hay, Kyndra Hatch, Cassandra Chandler, and Leslie Chase.. Get the stories before they are gone!

Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space® authors have donated $15,300 in the past four years to help place specially trained dogs with veterans and first responders. Open your hearts and grab your limited release copy of Pets in Space® 5 today!

Includes the following stories...

THE KING’S QUEST

Dragon Lords of Valdier Series Short Story

by S.E. Smith

A playful trick leads to love for a Goddess, but will the King she falls in love with accept her for who she really is?

DARK AMBITIONS

A Class 5 Novella

By Michelle Diener

When a planetary exploration trip takes a dangerous turn, a human woman and her powerful AI friend will need all their skills to come to the rescue.

STAR CRUISE: RETURN VOYAGE

The Sectors SF Romance Series

By Veronica Scott

She survived the worst interstellar shipping disaster in history as a child but can she survive the RETURN VOYAGE as an adult?

GENERAL’S HOLIDAY

Project Enterprise Series

By Pauline Baird Jones

A General is ready for another fight—this time for the woman he loves.

JUGGERNAUT

The Inherited Stars Series

By Laurie A. Green

A security commander must decide if she can trust a mysterious stranger and his bioengineered StarDog when the secret underground site she protects is threatened.

GALACTIC SEARCH AND RESCUE

Central Galactic Concordance Series

By Carol Van Natta

Two military first-responders and an animal team of rescuers are the only hope for saving an entire town when disaster turns deadly.

REAPER

Xian Warriors Series

By Regine Abel 

With time running out, a woman accepts her fate only to find hope in the genetically engineered warrior created by her captors.

PASTFINDERS

Starways Series

By Alexis Glynn Latner

A woman’s psychic gift might be the catalyst needed to save the life of the man she loves—in an ancient archaeological site that contains a stupendous discovery.

MITTENS NOT INCLUDED

TriSystems: Smugglers Series

By JC Hay

He craved order and discipline to help his life make sense. She offered him cats instead.

FINDING MOGHA

Before The Fall Series

By Kyndra Hatch

A human’s effort to save a sentient being takes her straight into the path of a Korthan warrior.

RATE OF RETURN

The Department of Homeworld Security Series

By Cassandra Chandler

Falling for an Earthling sends an alien and his adorable, six-legged pet in a tailspin.

GLITCH

Crashland Colony Romance Series

By Leslie Chase

An alien pirate and a human find love in the shadow of disaster.

NOW AVAILABLE FROM:

Amazon | Kobo | iBooks

Nook | Google Play

Lalia returns to her home planet. Read a snippet from BRYCE! #romance #scifirom #WeWriWa #8Sunday #FREEread

Hello and welcome to another Weekend Writing Warriors post!

Thank you to all those who visited me last weekend with a snippet from HEY, SANTA! This weekend's snippet is from a book that is currently FREE until the end of 2019. BRYCE is a sci-fi romance, and the first book in my Galactic Defenders series!

Set-up: After Bryce found Lalia to be living on Earth, he brought her and her daughter back to Hemera. While he is off on another mission as a Galactic Defender, she steps foot on her home planet for the first time in many years.

Lalia walked off the ship, side by side with her daughter; not Hemera protocol, but she didn’t care. She refused to let Katrina step onto the foreign planet on her own, especially when the young woman had only learned of life beyond Earth a few days ago. Her daughter scratched her arm obsessively, a sure sign of nervousness. And maybe Lalia felt the same way, too. It had been so many years since she’d last set foot on the planet.

Crowds of Hemera surrounded the landing platform, everyone dressed in formal wear as if ready to attend a ball. She’d hoped no one would be there, wanted her arrival to be hush hush until she’d had a chance to settle in. But, for some reason, her brother had made an occasion of her return to the planet.

Luchivus bustled toward her, dressed in full royal regalia, his cape dragging along behind him, and his crown polished to a brilliant glow. He looked every bit as peremptory as her father had, using the crown to place himself above all others rather than using the title to help his people.

BRYCE
Galactic Defenders #1

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.

Available FREE (Dec. 27-31, 2019) from:

Amazon US | Universal Buy Link

Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Participants!

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

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:

Amazon US | Universal Buy Link

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!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

13 pet loving #scifiromance authors take you out of this world in #PetsInSpace 4! #newrelease #books #scifirom

Pets in Space® is back!!! 

For a limited time only!

Pets in Space® 4 is proud to present 13 amazing, original new stories! Join the adventures as today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors take you on a journey to another world. Pets in Space® proudly supports Hero-Dogs.org, a non-profit charity that provides service animals to veterans and first responders in need. Join New York Times, USA TODAY and Award-winning Bestselling authors S.E. Smith, Anna Hackett, Tiffany Roberts, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie Green, Donna McDonald, Regine Abel, Alexis Glynn Latner, JC Hay, E.D. Walker, Kyndra Hatch, and Cassandra Chandler for another exciting Pets in Space® anthology. Get the stories before they are gone!

Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space® authors have donated over $7,100 in the past three years to help place specially trained dogs with veterans and first responders. Open your hearts and grab your limited release copy of Pets in Space® 4 today!

Here's a little about the stories included in this anthology...

MADAS' FALLING STAR 
Lords of Kassis Series
by S.E. Smith
Even an incredibly skillful warrior Princess needs help sometimes. Can Madas trust the strange warrior who fell from the sky with her life… and with her heart?

DARK GUARD
Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone Series
By Anna Hackett
A cyborg who's vowed to keep his emotions and lethal powers leashed, discovers the one woman who can bring him to his knees.

ENTWINED FATES
The Infinite City Series
By Tiffany Roberts
Being separated by time and distance does not lessen the love Volcair has for the woman who captured his heart.

STAR CRUISE: IDOL’S CURSE
The Sectors SF Romance Series
By Veronica Scott
Two crew members of an interstellar luxury liner must join forces with a retired military canine to find a missing relic before the curse brings disaster for everyone.

CYBORG'S REVENGE
Project Enterprise Series
By Pauline Baird Jones
Can two almost human geeks find love while they fight against their old Master?

SPYDOG
The Inherited Stars Series
By Laurie A. Green
An agent must decide if he can trust the savvy female Rathskian warrior that crosses his path or if he should deliver her to his superiors.

NOTHING REMOTELY FAMILIAR
My Crazy Alien Romance Series
By Donna McDonald
Nothing is normal when Topper finds herself expecting again.

DOOM
Xian Warriors Series
By Regine Abel
A genetically engineered war machine finds love with the human doctor who may be his only chance of survival.

WINTER'S PRINCE
Starways Series
By Alexis Glynn Latner
A scientist looking for a genetically engineered unicorn and a historian seeking the right question find each other in an interstellar amusement park full of dangerous games.

HEART OF THE SPIDER'S WEB
TriSystems: Smugglers Series
By JC Hay
The last thing Sheri needs is a brooding, brawny smuggler watching her every move, but his help is all that stands between her and a crime lord's wrath.

THE PRINCESS AND HER BODYGUARD
Alien Animal Rescues Series
By E.D. Walker
A kidnapped princess and her bird companion must rely on the exiled guard who loves her to help them.

INTERRUPTING STARLIGHT
After The Fall Series
By Kyndra Hatch
The human composed a song in his heart, a pull he couldn’t ignore, a draw that demanded further exploration.

IMPORT QUARANTINE
The Department of Homeworld Security Series
By Cassandra Chandler
A simple house call to care for a sick animal turns a young woman’s life upside down when she discovers the ‘house’ is really a spaceship!

Available here:

All Buy Links: https://www.petsinspaceantho.com/books/pets-in-space-4/ 

Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | Nook | GooglePlay

Website: https://www.petsinspaceantho.com

Pets in Space® Anthology Store: https://www.petsinspaceantho.com/store/

Newsletter Signup: http://www.petsinspaceantho.com/stay-in-touch/

Pets in Space® Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PetsInSpace/

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/tAWXlzaJNfQ

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?

NOW AVAILABLE FROM:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo

Universal Buy Link

Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Participants!

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

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?

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK

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?

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK

Defender training isn't going as Tayrym & Guri expected. Read a snippet from TAYRYM #scifirom #romance #LGBTQ #8Sunday

Hello and welcome to another Weekend Writing Warriors post!

Thank you to everyone who came to visit me last weekend! TAYRYM, the fourth Galactic Defenders story, is now available! 

Set-up: In last week's snippet, Tayrym and Guri said goodbye to their "family" and friends before leaving for Defender training. Now they are training and things aren't going as they'd planned. (Edited from original to fit.)

Tayrym reached out for Guri’s hand as they passed each other, Tayrym on his way to simulation training while Guri headed somewhere else. Probably to run the obstacle course. That brief interaction of whispered I love yous and his palm brushing along the sweaty palm of his boyfriend would likely be the only contact they’d have that day. Their time together on the carrier had passed far too quickly. Spending time making love and lying in bed while discussing their hopes for the future had quickly become rushing through courses and simulations when they’d reached Kalara, eating only darobars so they kept somewhat healthy. But not together. As soon as they’d reached the planet with their trans chips implanted behind their ears, they’d been split up, none of the newly-installed bunkhouses with more than one empty bed, and no one willing to move so he and Guri could be together. It wasn’t as if their trainers cared, either, reciting over and over, “Defenders don’t have time for the drama of a relationship.”

He didn’t believe that, well aware that Bryce had hooked up with Queen Lalia when he was still a Defender; and Jager and Katrina were part of the same squadron when they got together. He just had to wait, get through training, and then he’d be reunited with Guri.

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?

NOW AVAILABLE FROM:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo

Universal Buy Link

Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Participants!

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

Hannah and Colin are getting used to gravity again. Read an #excerpt from ALWAYS HER WINGMAN #scifirom #romance

Hello! Today I'm going to share an excerpt from ALWAYS HER WINGMAN, the first book in my Mars Squadron 17 series, which released earlier this year. Happy reading!

Excerpt from ALWAYS HER WINGMAN

Mars Squadron 17 book one

Closing her eyes before waiting for the medical team to leave, Hannah quickly dozed off. She woke sometime later, side rails up on both sides of the bed, the lights turned down low. She heard the heavy breaths of the rest of her team. Thank goodness none of them snore, or I likely would have suffocated them long ago.

Sitting up, she clicked down one of the rails and swung her legs over the edge of the cot. No longer dreary, she wanted to set up a com video link home to see and catch up with the people she loved. The occasional e-mail from her dad hadn’t been enough to appease her mind that nothing had changed.

She planted her feet on the floor, leaned forward, and pushed her body up, hoping she didn’t end up in a heap. Her knees trembled a bit, but she managed to steady herself before taking the first step. Putting one foot in front of the other came as a struggle. Instead of air, she shuffled through water. No, something thicker. Molasses. She didn’t know the location of the communications link-up, but at the rate she traveled, she’d never make it out of the room.

“You okay, Coriveau?”

Hannah gasped, slamming her hand to her chest. “Garish, you scared me.”

“Sorry.” He turned onto his side, his crystal-blue eyes somehow radiant in the dim light. On her most stressful days on Mars and aboard the shuttle home, she would stare at him and find peace in the mesmerizing color of his irises. Though she’d never tell him that, not wanting to give him any indication he had a chance with her. “I just wanted to know if you need me to call the medical staff or something. We’re not supposed to move around on our own yet.”

Always looking out for her, and never a rule breaker, Garish remained her wingman, during flight and now on the ground. “I’m good. Just wanted to call home before we start therapy.”

“Liar. You’re not fine. You look like a toddler learning to walk.”

So much for his marriage proposal. Now he hurled insults at her. She rolled her eyes, sure she couldn’t be that bad. “Thanks, I appreciate the support.”

“We’re back to Earth gravity here, Staff Sergeant. It’s okay to admit your muscles aren’t what they used to be. You’re getting old, you know.”

“Fuck off, Garish. I’m not even a month older than you. Let’s see you try to walk to the door. I’ll race you.” Her knees objected, one giving way before she took another step. She crashed to the floor, slapping her hands on the titanium tiles to avoid a face plant. Her wrist snapped, but she sucked in a breath, trying to ignore the hurt.

“You’re on. Off to a great start, I see.” Garish slid off his bed, landing flat on his ass, his legs wobbling like jelly.

“You, too.” Hannah laughed, struggling back to her feet. He already had a height advantage, plus his bed was closer to the exit. But she would beat him. She had to, for her own dignity.

The next few strides came easy, inertia helping her along. She’d moved to the side to avoid crashing into Garish when a surge of pain ripped up her leg. Reaching out for whatever she could, Hannah grasped his shirt in an attempt to remain standing.

Garish spun around, his eyes fierce. “Cheater.”

But the glare didn’t last long. He fell backward, his eyes widening and jaw dropping open as he plummeted toward the floor.

She didn’t realize he’d grabbed her hips until she tumbled toward him with no chance to stop herself. She crashed onto his chest, the air forced from her lungs. Her chin smacked the top of his rib cage, snapping her jaw and making her eyes water. Sucking in air, she tasted blood.

“Shit, Coriveau, are you all right?”

She licked her lip, finding the source of the blood. “I think so. Just bit my lip. You?”

“Um....” He groaned, shifting underneath her.

And then she felt it, his semi-hard cock obvious against her stomach. She gazed into his eyes, lit up with blue flames, igniting her too-long-dormant desires.

Her heart thumped against her rib cage. She couldn’t move, didn’t know if she wanted to. Every nerve ending tingled, those in contact with him on fire.

He lifted his head, and she sank deeper into his heated gaze. His lips brushed hers, sweeping across the open wound, lingering until he kissed her. Slow, sweet, and oh so magical. Her skin sizzled from his touch.

Wrapping his hands under her thighs, he pulled her closer.

Why didn’t I let him kiss me sooner?

He pulled away, and she whimpered, desperate for more. Resting his head back on the floor, he gave her the lopsided grin she’d come to adore. “I’ve always wanted you, Hannah.”

About ALWAYS HER WINGMAN:

Staff Sergeant Hannah Coriveau dedicated the last five years to the Space Military Command. Heading back to Earth, she’s ready to begin civilian life and reunite with her parents and the boyfriend she left behind. The person she’ll miss most is Garish—her wingman, best friend, and the one who made her regret not being single.

Senior Airman Colin Garish wants his squadron leader. Bad. After spending so much time by her side—both in the Martian skies and on the red planet—being her friend isn’t enough. When Hannah learns of her boyfriend’s infidelity, Colin is there to comfort her.

Before Colin has the chance to confess his feelings, Hannah receives worse news from home. Her father is dying. Seeing her devastation, Colin remains the friend she desperately needs. But in her grief, she pushes him away. Will Hannah let him back in her life when they land on Earth? Or will Colin never get the chance to win her heart?

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Jager is assigned a personal mission from a former Defender. Read an #excerpt from JAGER #scifirom #romance #GalacticDefenders

Hello! Welcome to week two of my December excerpts! Today, I'm going back to the Galactic Defenders series with an excerpt from JAGER. The heroine of this story, Katrina, is the daughter of Bryce and Lalia. Happy reading!

Excerpt from JAGER

Galactic Defenders book two

“Incoming video message, Lieutenant.”

Jager nodded to Silus, his second who was also a shuttle pilot. If only the Kalaren had as much confidence fighting an Erebus as he did flying through space. “Put it on screen.”

With the flick of a button, the monitor beside his captain’s chair lit up, and a familiar face came into view.

“Prince Bryce.” He hadn’t seen the famed Defender since he’d retired but would always make time for him. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“First of all, don’t ever call me Prince.” The man glanced over his shoulder. “I am, and will always be a Defender until I die.”

“Got it.” He was just as touchy about his royal title as his daughter. “Now, how can I help you?”

Bryce leaned forward and stared into the screen. “You can tell me where my daughter is, to start.”

“Um...” Had he heard the man correctly? “What do you mean? I thought she was supposed to be on Hemera by now.”

“That’s what I thought, too.” The older Kalaren rubbed the back of his neck. “But when I went to meet her, she wasn’t there. In fact, she wasn’t on the shuttle at all.”

“Oh Gaspra.” Jager gripped the arms of his chair.

“Exactly. And when her mother finds out, she’s going to be livid. I need to know where she is before I have to tell the queen.” He glanced behind him again. “When was the last time you saw her?”

“On Kalara.” The time he saw her on the carrier wrapped in her boyfriend’s arms didn’t count. Or did it? She was saying goodbye to him, wasn’t she? “No, on the carrier. She was mad at me when I told her she was going to Hemera, but she seemed to accept it by the time we reached the carrier, was saying goodbye to her... another Defender who is on the mission with me.”

“Did you actually see her get on the shuttle to Hemera?”

“No.” He wasn’t her keeper, had a mission to get ready for, and the rest of his squad to prepare. “I wasn’t on the docking bay when her shuttle left.”

Bryce rolled his shoulders, seemingly more afraid to tell his wife their daughter hadn’t arrived on Hemera than to face a hoard of Erebus. “Granil can’t locate her on the carrier, so I suspect she’s on one of the shuttles heading to Terra. Please be on the lookout for her and report to me if you see her. She knows the planet far better than any of you, and your destination is right around where she grew up. I don’t doubt she’ll try to go off on her own. Maybe attempt to stay on Terra for good.”

He doubted that. Not with a boyfriend who would never fit in among the Terrans. In fact, he was pretty sure it was Zulu’s shuttle she’d sneaked onto, the goodbye on the carrier for show only. “As soon as I find her, I will let you know.”

“Thank you.” The screen went black, and Jager glared at the shuttle on the view screen ahead of them. If the princess was on there, he’d make sure she went to Hemera for good.

About JAGER:

Jager's new squad of Defenders has completed training, but the spoiled princess who has grated on his nerves since her first day of training is called back to Hemera for a yearly celebration. When Princess Katrina doesn't show up, Jager must find her and drag her home, where he wishes she would stay.

Katrina is a Defender, not a princess. And there is no way she wants to return to a planet she hates for some stupid ceremony. Not when she could be out killing Erebus with her squad.

But when a new enemy threatens both their lives, they must work together to survive.

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Saying goodbye before they begin Defender training \ Read a #WeWriWa snippet from TAYRYM #scifirom #LGBTQ #MMromance

Hello and welcome to another Weekend Writing Warriors post!

Thank you to everyone who came to visit me last weekend! TAYRYM, the fourth Galactic Defenders story, is now available! 

Set-up: In last week's snippet, Guri surprised Tayrym by telling him he'd decided to train to be a Defender with him. This weekend, Guri and Tayrym are getting ready to leave Hemera to begin their Defender training. *Edited from original to fit. (I know I'm skipping a lot, but I plan on posting from a new story in January, and I have a couple more important snippets I want to share before then.)

Guri smiled and gave a quick wave as he finished his farewell to the royal family. Sol had just arrived from the school, and Guri wanted to talk to him before he left the planet. Besides, Tayrym needed to be with the royal family more than him. Though Guri had suspected his mother wouldn't show up to say goodbye, Tayrym hadn’t stopped hoping she would have a change of heart. Instead, Queen Lalia, Prince Bryce, and Princess Gwenodyn were his family there to send him off.

“So, you’re really going through with this.” Sol raised his eyebrows before giving Guri a brief hug. “I thought you’d change your mind at the last minute, realize how homesick you’d be away from me.”

Guri chuckled and shook his head. “Yes, because you’re the greatest housemate ever; unfortunately, I like my boyfriend even more.”

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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