UNEDITED

Inside Schwabenland Base, Antarctica

Maria nodded to her two guards.  Both Hans and Horst nodded back as she stepped into the meeting room.  Their base, once they brought the heaters online, was a very comfortable seventy-four degrees.  All of her people were older, but in great shape.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have the technology to make her people young again as the young Queen did.  

Horst grinned, “Dresses again, Maria?”

She stopped in front of him, “If I knew that a punch would hurt you, I would punch you.  A slap against that granite you have for a head would only hurt my hand, Horst.” He smiled to her as she continued speaking, “You know I’m not fond of the pants women wear today.  Dresses are for ladies, thank you very much.”  

“Yes,” Horst replied as she stepped between the two men to go into the meeting room, “But the pants allow us to see the woman’s weapons so much easier than dresses, Maria.”  The two men chuckled as they closed the door to the room behind her.

Men, Maria thought, freeze them and thaw them out and they still only think of sex, sex, sex.

Maria set her yellow notepad and pencils down.  She preferred to write her notes.  Her note language was completely unique, no one would be able to decipher it.

Except, perhaps, the Kurtherian.  She had asked Bethany Anne, twice now, to speak with TOM and the best she was allowed was communication through one of their phone devices.

“Maria?” Hans called out sometime later. The knocking on the door took her attention away from the notes she had made during the meeting with the Germans the day before.  The history of her country was dramatic, to say the least.  Broken apart after the war and brought back together in October of 1990, there was a lot of good and bad with the reformed country. Either way, it wasn’t the Germany she remembered.

Truthfully, none of the countries were anything like she remembered or cared about. Her last meeting was with the United States of America and then she would have to deliver her decision to her people … those who chose to continue following her.

Wherever that lead.

“Yes?” she replied, looking up from her notes.

“I have Barnabas out here, from Bethany Anne’s group. He is asking permission to speak with you a moment.”

“That is ok, please let him in.” She put down her pencil and stood up.

Barnabas walked in and nodded to Maria, who nodded back.  Barnabas was a very peaceful person, at least to Maria.

“Wie geht es?”  He asked her as the door closed behind him.

“Sehr gut, und du?” she replied as she took a seat.  Barnabas never tried to shake her hand or hug her in any way.  He was always formal in their meetings.  In a strange way he was the most comfortable for her, of those who followed Bethany Anne.

“I’m very well, thank you,” he finished in English and pulled out one of the chairs in the large room.  “Are you ready for this last meeting?”

“As ready as I hope to be.  It seems, to me at least, that speaking with Aliens is a more straight forward exercise than speaking with anyone from the future, or at least my future, on this world.”

“Have you made contact then?” He followed up but then put up a hand, a small smile on his lips, “My apologies. My curiosity knows no bounds, as Frank Kurns will attest.”  

“Yes, another whose curiosity knows no bounds, you two should be brothers,” she replied.

Barnabas nodded, “It was strange, our first meeting. When he and I first got to know one another, I had information he wanted and he was a spring of information I needed.”

“Really?” she looked down at her pad and realized it was the wrong one for her notes on Frank and looked back up to Barnabas. “I thought I remembered him saying you didn’t ask as many questions as he?”

“If we must talk about Frank behind his back,” Barnabas started, then winked, “Then the truth is no one can ask as many questions as that man.  Nor,” he nodded to Maria’s notepads, “does he fail to also make all sorts of notes, in his books, about the answers.”

Her eyebrows drew together in concentration, “I don’t remember him writing much,” she replied.

“Mmmm,” Barnabas put his hands on the table, “Then I would suggest that he was recording the meeting, to jot down notes later, so he could get more questions in during his time.”  Barnabas could see Maria weighing that answer for accuracy, “Or he was so captivated with the answers, he dared not slow down and he expected to write his notes down later.”

“More likely the former, than the latter,” Maria admitted, “He did place his tablet on the table when we spoke.”

“Mystery most likely solved.  I doubt he would trust his memory, as good as it is, without a backup.”

“Is it true he is from my time?”  she asked.

“Frank?  Yes.  He was in the second World War and has been through a medical procedure to reduce his age.”

“That is fascinating.  I wish my contact would have provided that information,” she admitted, “I can’t say I enjoy sitting with Bethany Anne considering how attractive she is.”  She reached up to grab her hair, which was getting longer but not nearly as long as she had it in the stasis chamber.

“Bethany Anne was attractive before she was healed, you were both attractive in your youth and still are I believe.  However, that is not why I am here to speak with you.”

“Yes, I know Barnabas,” Maria picked up a pencil and tapped it on the table. “But you are the only one I feel I can share a little with. You seem to be the only one who just tells me like it is, and isn’t trying to control the situation and my decision.”

Barnabas raised an eyebrow, “You don’t suspect that I am a vicious plant by my Queen to influence your decision?”

Maria laughed, “No! God no. If Bethany Anne wanted me to do something, I imagine she would have Captain Kael-ven tell me.  I am a sucker for an alien and she is the only one that seems to have plenty of aliens around her.”

“Yes, she does seem to acquire aliens without trying.  It is a singularly unique trait,” Barnabas admitted dryly.

“So, if you are not here to influence me Barnabas, what do I owe the honor of your presence?”  She smiled at him, wishing she was about fifty years younger. She would have had a chance to turn his head and make it go in a complete circle if she still had her youthful looks. There was a reason the Vrilerinnen were called the beautiful young ladies of the Vril Gesellschraft.

“I’m here to ask your permission to sit out of the way, unnoticed, and watch the people.” He smiled, “I promise, I will be a ghost, no one will even notice me.”

“There are inquisitive people for the Americans among those who come, Barnabas.  I doubt they will ignore you.”  He just shrugged, smiling enigmatically.

Maria wasn’t without her own resources. She knew he was different, and old, ancient probably although she could never get anyone to admit just how old he was.  She considered it a small victory she figured out how old Frank Kurns was.  She nodded to herself, “No speaking?”  He shook his head, “and if they ask about you?”

Barnabas pursed his lips, “I will step out, then.”

Her eyes opened in surprise, “What would your Queen say if you fail to stay for the whole meeting?”

“Nothing, she is not asking me to join this meeting.  I am requesting it as the leader of the Queen’s Rangers.” He moved in his chair, “We have been chasing a group for three years and I am of the opinion they will seek to be here.”

“They are American?”

“We have been able to track their spaceships into U.S. Airspace.  However, we cannot go further without risking an altercation with the American’s.”

“They can see your ships, now?” she asked.  Barnabas stayed quiet and shrugged. “Ok, keep your secrets,” she continued, “I am but an old woman, what am I going to do?”

Barnabas surprised her by barking out a short laugh, “Old woman?”  His eyes, she noticed, looked nice when a grin lit up his face, “I think you need to perhaps get another set of mirrors in this land, Maria.”  He stood up and moved a chair from the end, near her, and put it in a corner out of the way of everyone, “With your permission, I’ll just sit here?”  

Maria nodded her agreement and wondered how she was going to get work done with him just sitting there.

“Maria,” his voice, clear in her mind though she didn’t notice his mouth moving. “I’m not here … I’ve stepped out. It would be good for you to continue what you were doing before I interrupted you.”

Maria looked down at her notes and turned the page, looking over at a clock on the wall.  The Americans should be here in twenty minutes. She sure hoped Barnabas made it back to her room before they arrived.  He had a way of making her feel peace in such a turbulent time for her people.

FROM MICHAEL >>> Ok, 14 chapters done, 11 to go.  About to write a serious ass kicking chapter or…well, 7 or 8 of them, actually.

I had a one and a half hour conversation tonight with “The Architect of the Fall”.  Our very own consultant on how to make what happens in the future, plausibly true.

On a personal note, Halloween came and went, and I’m ok.  The great candy massacre has been cleaned up and no Butterfingers were killed in the making of the story.

I had one of my Indie Author friends reach out to me this morning (he is in England, so later in the day to him) and let me know his 4th book in his series was just released.  His name is Andrew Dobell (yes, the same Andrew Dobell who does the Bethany Anne covers.  He has shot a BUNCH of new photo’s of our model, so expect new images, soon).

Unfortunately, Andrew has learned that in the Indie Publishing world, publishing velocity is your friend, and even waiting four (4) months between titles can squash the momentum you had going.  So, he is working to revive The Magi Series with his new book!  (Roll of drums, please…) Check it out!

Infinities’ Edge (The Magi Saga Book 4)

After the events and revelations on the Atoll, Amanda is left having to deal with the new information about her past and the new powers she has gained.

As rumours spread, she becomes the focus of attention for Magi throughout New York and beyond. Some just want to meet her, but others want to hurt her.
With all this attention, and her new found abilities, such as being able to cross into the Abyss, she starts to believe the hype, which only serves to alienate those closest to her.

Amanda must step up and fight against those who wish to hurt her and overcome her own hubris before she loses her friends, her supporters and maybe her life.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT INFINITIES EDGE!

UNEDITED

New York City, NY – USA

Tabitha ended up in a smaller enclave where three buildings came together, giving her about a twenty by thirty foot area to play in.  All of the doors had rusted metal bars over them, and there was one which had an old light that was trying its damnedest to shine through the pollution covering it. She turned around as the five guys entered the alley entrance and slowed.

How typical.  Slow down and enhance the terror for the woman so they could feed on it.

There was a trash dumpster on her right by a door that smelled like they made Chinese food. She eyed the men and walked towards the dumpster. With the screech of metal on concrete she pulled the dumpster away from the wall. This would ensure the lid, as she flipped it up, would stay open.

She walked back towards the center and lifted an eyebrow.  A couple of the young toughs seemed to be looking sideways at their friends, but no one wanted to admit the little display of strength startled them.

“Gentleman,” Tabitha stated as they fanned out a little where the alley opened up into the closed in space, “and by gentleman, I mean assholes …” she was interrupted from additional comments.

“Now, that isn’t the proper way to respect the men around you,” the first tough said. He had on a jean jacket with a black sweatshirt underneath.  His accent sounded maybe first or second generation American to her.

“What isn’t proper is that outfit! Didn’t your mother teach you how to dress?”  Tabitha asked, hand on hip as she nodded towards his clothes.

A couple of the guys with him started grumbling, and the main guy in the center put his hands out, pushing down as if he was calming them down, “Now, that isn’t a way to get out of this situation safely.” Head jerk replied, “Nor is talking about my mother.”

“I didn’t talk about her. I asked her son if she taught you how to dress. If she did, and this is what you are dressing in, then you either ignored her, or you are as dumb as a rock. No one,” Tabitha acted like she was looking down at him, “Wears a white t-shirt with a black sweatshirt and an old jean jacket. Shit, didn’t those things go out of style last century?”

“Not where it matters, muffin,” he replied, raising an eyebrow to her.

“You got nothing to make a muffin rise, asshat. Jean jackets are appropriate in the South…and maybe still with metalheads. You are here in New York in the fucking winter cold.  I doubt one girl gives you a second look,” Tabitha replied and looked up the walls on both sides.

“You are about to give me a second and third look with a little …what are you doing?” He looked up the walls, both sides, before coming back to rest on her, smiling, “Oh, now you figure it out?  Now you figure out you have nowhere to run?”

Tabitha turned around and continued looking at the two windows she found behind her, confirming that no one was at either one.  She spoke, but the guys could hear her just fine as she turned back around to them. “I’m just making sure we don’t have any witnesses, Ace.”  Tabitha replied as she looked at him, “The ass kicking I’m going to give you five is only going to give me a few hours of satisfaction.  But, it’s the best I have on offer at the moment so, what’s it going to be?  Are you all lips and no solution?”  She punctuated her comment with a pelvic thrust, “Hmm?”

“Johnnie,” the guy on her left whispered, “C’mon, this isn’t right.”

“Don’t be a pushover, Sebastian,” Johnnie retorted, “she’s as much as dared us to kick her ass. Trust me,” he took a couple of steps forward and made smooching noises towards Tabitha, “When I get done with her ass, she won’t be able to sit down for a week.”

When he finished his statement, he popped his pelvis out towards Tabitha to the catcalls from the guys behind him as they started following.

Sebastian sighed heavily. His cousin was impetuous and foolhardy. His momma said one day he was going to get Sebastian in trouble.

He prayed it wasn’t this evening as he started following the other four, noticing something that concerned him.

Did her eyes just flash red?

FROM MICHAEL >>> One day left until Halloween!  … Crackers, I don’t have any candy yet :-(.   On the positive side, I’ve not been EATING the candy that was supposed to be for the kids, either.

Or Have I ?

Let’s not worry about that, shall we?

DO YOU LOVE TO READ?  Well, Click on this link and it will take you to 16 awesome Indie Books!

No need to choose from 1 choice when 16 are available, right?  It’s like cable, all over again 😉

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LATEST 16 

READERS HELPING READERS SELECTIONS!

UNEDITED

New York City, NY – USA

Tabitha scrunched her shoulders down in her coat.  She didn’t need it for warmth, but rather to cover up the weapons and Bat-shit she had secreted around her body.

She could just kill Bobcat and William.  Those mother-fuckers stole into the Tonto’s rooms and drank beer and watched Batman starring Michael Keaton. Then they followed it up with the Christian Bale version and got to talking about all of the wonderful toys Batman had.

Then, they damn near whispered how Tabitha’s little toys and Batman’s toys were kind of the same, weren’t they?  So now, Tabitha had Bat-toys.  Even Jean Dukes would ask her about her toys when she went to ask about another weapon or weapon idea.

She was so going to grab them by the balls and lift them into the air as they sang like the sopranos they needed to be.  Didn’t they realize this Bat-toy shit was going to last for decades?

God, Vampires didn’t forget anything.  It’s like they savored every little fucking joke FOREVER.

Her watch thumped against her wrist, so Tabitha took a left down a small street that looked like it cut across to the hotel she and the team were staying.  It was getting dark sooner now, and the chill autumn winds were cutting through the street.

If Bethany Anne didn’t need Bobcat and William so bad, she would…

“Ay mamí tù tan caliente!”  a man called from in front of her followed by a couple of hoots. Tabitha focused ahead instead of on her feet, fuming at those two malcontents and could see five guys coming at her from the street’s intersection ahead.  She rolled her eyes. She didn’t have time for this shit, but she sure felt a need to do it anyway.  She looked around and smiled. Across the street was a dark, dank and smelly alley.

Perfect!

She couldn’t do anything to Bobcat and William at the moment (whether they had intended to cause her trouble or not) but these assholes seemed like a pleasant diversion.

“Kiss my sweet ass, you gringo pieces of shit!”  She called out and hurriedly crossed the street, making sure to look like she was trying to get away from the guys.  She smiled when she heard the mutterings and exclamations from behind her and their quick footsteps in her direction.  She didn’t hide her accent, which only made them angrier.

Sometimes, being a Queen’s Ranger, with the duties it entailed, was a real pleasure.

Schwabenland, Antarctica

Dr. Abesimmons shivered despite his long johns and coat. Having to ride on a conventional airplane down to Antarctica was a price he was willing to endure if he got a chance to speak with Maria Orsitsch.

It had taken him more than a week and a half to think how to persuade both Eva and Patrick that they needed to take this chance to learn more from the Thule group.  Since they had been found again, the Thule group had been mostly silent when speaking with the world at large and now the opportunity to see if they knew more than they had divulged so far was a golden chance.

A golden chance they needed to take advantage of.

Abesimmons was shocked when they both accepted his argument the first time.  He wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth and try to figure out why as he went and packed his bags.

Abesimmons looked out the window as the plane turned to start their landing.  There were four of those damned TQB one-person patrol planes stationed in the air that he could see.  One country made the mistake of believing TQB wouldn’t fire on unexpected guests and learned they were right.

But, the Thule group had no compunctions about shooting down the craft, and they did.  Seven people died on that plane and the message coming out of Schwabenland was ‘When we say no, we mean no.’

Message received.

Now, a few invitations had gone out to a few countries, offering to speak with their representatives to see if Schwabenland would like to join with any of those countries.

This, of course, caused an uproar in the UN. That circus was getting worse and worse.  Even Patrick had to admit Schwabenland joining another country was probably going to cause a major problem in the UN.

Not his problem.

The plane hit the ice with only a little swaying back and forth as the pilot got the plane under control. Abesimmons could feel the landing was going to be safe and he let out his breath.

The tension he had felt in the pit of his stomach let up, just a little.

Abesimmons was one of twelve delegates from the United States. None on the plane knew him, so all on the plane figured he had been secluded away in some government program or another and they were right, to a point.

He was here to see if he could find the information that those he worked for were seeking.

FROM MICHAEL >>>  Almost half of the book is written.  The first four chapters are to the final editing pass before it comes back to me and I am trying to knock out a bunch this weekend.  Overall, the book is moving forward 😉

Today, we have a video that will highlight four (4) books (well, five actually but one is mine, so you already know that one!)  I’ve highlighted two of these that I can remember, but the company that is doing these are looking to try and help other indie writers so I’m all about encouraging any success in that area I can!

UNEDITED

Eva pushed down her anxiety and smiled cordially, even if Ztopik’s pink eyes always caused her confusion.  She thought bunny rabbits, with piranha teeth whenever she and Patrick had to come down and have their quarterlies with him or his designate.  He had no teeth that she had ever been able to discern in that small slitted mouth he had.

“Welcome, Patrick, Overseer and Eva, Lead Scientist,” he spoke.  At over seven feet tall, his thin body barely had enough shoulders to drape the silvery robe over without it sliding down his body.

“Hello Ztopik, how do the studies go?” Patrick asked as the two of them took two chairs around a six-foot diameter white table, leaving the modified seat for Ztopik to use when he chose to sit down.

“As always, effectively if more slowly than I would prefer.”  His voice, a little musical, admitted.  Ztopik waited for the two to finish sitting before he pulled out the last chair and sat as well, adjusting himself in his robe. He looked back at the two humans, his eyes never blinking. “I come to understand that there are happenings up on the surface?”

Oh shit, Patrick thought.  He had hoped to keep everything about TQB out of Ztopik’s knowledge.  There had been a critical incident in 1979 with hundreds of people killed.  Killed easily, in fact. Patrick’s goal was a delicate balance of allowing necessary evil to occur to acquire the technologies needed from Ztopik and his people down here in the two levels.

“There are always happenings, but which one are you asking about?” Eva interrupted, her voice cracking.  Ztopik ignored her voice issues, and he was amused at how much she feared these meetings.  Fear is the ultimate indication you are a slave, not a master.

Ztopik feared nothing on this planet.

“I understand that the humans who have expressed they were in communications with aliens almost a hundred of your years ago have been communicating now with outside emissaries?”  The hairless white face went back and forth between the two humans.

“Yessss,” Patrick agreed, drawing out his answer to give himself time to think where Ztopik was going with this.”

“I want one of your people in the meeting.”

“Why?  Isn’t that dangerous?” Eva asked, her curiosity driving her.

Ztopik turned and stared at Eva for a moment, drawing out the silence.  The little power play irritated Patrick, but he and Eva had already argued about her fear for years, and it got him nowhere with her.  Ztopik liked to tweak Eva.

Maybe it gave him an alien version of a hard-on.  Who could say?

Eva mumbled something unintelligible, and Ztopik turned his head slightly before answering, “No, we have the ability to block Dr. Abesimmons memory of this location, and give him a proper cover story, so long as we have the time to do this.”

“You want him to go?” Patrick blurt out.  Of all the members in the human team, Abesimmons was the least likely to want to do this.

“Of course,” Ztopik answered Patrick, “he has a good cover, correct?”

“Well, yes,” Patrick admitted.  Hell, they all had good covers with the government.

“So, my people will protect his mind, and provide instructions on what we wish to know from those who provided the technology.  We shall find out if there is anyone here on this world providing the information she had, or not.”

“What people?” Patrick was confused.  As far as he knew, Ztopik was a singular leader.  He wasn’t aware of other aliens on Earth.  Patrick wasn’t even sure if Ztopik was a proper emissary, or he was his races version of a splinter group.  If there were more of his kind and their efforts, here on Earth that might be a problem.

“That is not known at this moment, Overseer Patrick.”

Ahhhh, shit.  Ztopik was using his title now.  That was equivalent to a parent saying a child’s full name when they called.

“Ok.  How can we help?”

“I thought this was obvious?” Ztopik answered, “I wish Dr. Abesimmons to come down here, and then go on this trip with the American Government to Schwabenland to speak with Maria Orsitsch.  He will ask certain questions, and if she replies appropriately, I will know that we have a problem.”

“What problem?” Eva blurted out.

Patrick raised an eyebrow, what’s got her on edge?

“A name that will mean nothing to you, Dr. Eva Hocks.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not,” Patrick temporized, trying to get Ztopik’s attention away from Eva.  Her interruptions were annoying him.  Like a cat that was disgusted with a mouse trying to fight, instead of flee.

“Go on, Overseer Patrick.”

“We hear a bunch in all sorts of circles and efforts. Perhaps if we know this name, we will either recognize it or make sure to tell our people and our contacts to listen for it?”

Ztopik considered the statement then slightly lowered his head on his fragile looking neck, “You make a good point, Overseer Patrick. The name you and your team should be listening, or looking for…” Ztopik’s eyes, generally never an indication of any emotion, seemed to flash white before clearing to his usual pink.

“Is Kurtherian.”

FROM MICHAEL >>>  So, another snippet down ;-).  The book is shaping up to be a lot of fun.  Well, at least for me to write!  It’s time to close an arc but with three years in between books 13 and 14, a lot has happened that is going to be referred to, but I’ll need to write a short story, or two, before we find out the ‘what’ and not just the result (future writing!)

Today (October 26th) the first four Kindle Paperwhites will hit the Army’s Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio.  Thanks to YOU!  The income from August’s affiliate income was pretty much enough to cover the 4 Kindle’s.  What happens with Affiliate income is Amazon pays me an Amazon Gift Card and I turn around and use whatever is on the card to purchase the Kindles.  It’s kinda SWEET.

Today’s highlighted book comes from author Paul C. Middleton (Primary Author of The Boris Chronicles!)  as he brings out a new Urban Fantasy series.  I’ve highlighted it once on Facebook, but time to bring it to a Snippet ;-).

A Mongrel’s Curse (Breed Matters Book 1

He’s the guy that gets sought after for the stuff beyond scary.

When the wannabes operating out of pubs can’t handle the problem? Sometimes, even the government comes calling.

When those that hunt the thing that go bump in the night become the hunted, he’s the one they call to bump back.

Nobody likes the guy because they don’t know what to expect. After all, he wakes up a new man every morning.

Then there’s the relatives. Being the grandson of a Fury wins him no popularity contests amongst those in the know.

He takes no favorites. Even his family pays for his help.

When there’s a screw-up others won’t touch? You go to the Mongrel.

Click here to read more about A Mongrel’s Curse (or buy it, that’s ok, too) 😉

UNEDITED

Dulce Lake New Mexico, USA

Patrick Brown, principal overseer of the operations side for Majestic 12 nodded to Dr. Eva Hocks as the two of them met at the elevator that went down to floor two-six.

Usually, the good doctor and Patrick would poke at each other, but never on the Quarterly meeting day.

“I hate this,” she whispered to him, as they both turned their keys and punched the separate buttons for the elevator to come up and get them.

Patrick kept his voice low, “This time Eva, I’m completely in agreement.  Whatever the benefits we gain from the technology advances is certainly offset by having to deal with them,” he nodded at the elevator doors, still closed.

Eva breathed in as they heard the elevator arrive, and the doors opened to admit them.  Both wrinkled their nose as the smell from section two wafted up the elevator shaft.  It was unpleasant and nasty.

It was alien, Patrick decided.

Patrick waved his hand out for Eva to go first.  She rolled her eyes, “Sure, be a gentleman when we enter the elevator to go down to the belly of the beast, why don’t you?”

Patrick stepped in behind her and turned, sliding his key in and turning it before punching in the code to go down.

The doors closed.

“Well,” he admitted as they waited to go down the two hundred feet, “I don’t mind being a gentleman, but that puts me into specimen category with you, so I figured out a while back that specimen was a bad thing coming from you.”

“Is that why you are always a pain in the ass?” Eva looked over, not sure if Patrick was giving her a hard time again, or being honest.

“Um,” he paused before shrugging, “That’s probably truer than I care to admit, really.” He didn’t return her look.

Interesting, she thought, he seems uncomfortable.  I wonder what else causes this to occur?

“You are doing it again.”  He spoke, flatly.

“What?”

“You are studying me, again.” This time he did look over at her, annoyance written on his face.

Eva thought back to what she was thinking and closed her eyes, “You can take the scientist out of the lab…”

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened as Patrick finished the phrase, “but you can’t take the lab out of the scientist.”  This time, he stepped forward and asked over his shoulder, “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Patrick stopped and waited just long enough for Eva to catch up before resuming his walk, “I mean, I get when you say you can take the guy out of the fight, but not the fight out of the guy or something similar, but a lab?”

Eva shrugged, desiring to chat even less as they went further into the level two-six.

“Lord, I hope we don’t have to speak with Ztopik,” looked behind them as he spoke softly, “the little guys are bad enough, but looking up into his pink eyes just freaks me the fuck out.”

“Would you please,” Eva hissed, “not speak about him down here?”  Patrick pursed his lips and nodded.  After another two minutes of walking down the hall, hewn from rock but having totally smooth walls Patrick and Eva came upon a door a little taller than most human doors would be.

Patrick nodded to the two little three-and-a-half-foot gray aliens beside the door.  Neither wore anything but a holster for their small pistol.  The pistols looked more like a black flashlight with three small buttons that each had three levels of destruction.

Level one sucked, three level three’s supposedly wiped your atoms from existence.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, the little guys didn’t have much in the way of self-awareness.  Most grays are hive-minded to a superior.  For now, Patrick had only ever met one superior.

They pushed the door open and inside the room, the walls, and 10-foot ceiling painted white, stood Ztopik.

FROM MICHAEL >>>  Well, here we go.  The first two (2) chapters are in editing, I’ve completed chapter 3 and will be working hard tomorrow to finish chapter 4 and possibly chapter 5 to deliver to Stephen Russell and team.

I get a little personal below, fair warning!

I’m both excited and have trepidation in sharing today’s Indie Author book choice.  Why? Because I’m going to provide a little personal background that needs to go with it.

I could proffer my Indie mention as I normally would, but I don’t want to do that to either you, or H. Claire Taylor  (I don’t know what the ‘H’ stands for, I’ve never asked her).  You see, Claire and I have a similar background in that both of us were raised in the Church (I’m non-denominational now, but was Catholic young and then Southern Baptist up into my early twenties.)  Both of us see a lot of things about our beliefs we like, obviously even love.

Religion, at least a lot about organized religion, is one piece we both are pretty disgusted with.  I’ve nothing against religion, I have everything against the people that abuse it for their personal gain – hurting a lot of us in the process.

Some of us very deep.

I know just enough of Claire’s background to know it was pretty hard.  Mine own issues had to do with heavy metal music, long hair, and an earring in my left ear while I rode my motorcycle. Didn’t exactly fit the Southern Baptist model for most churches at the time.

However, I was still the caring person inside that would read how we should be acting to others. But I would look around when I went to a HUGE megachurch that spent a million dollars on a pipe organ (this is the 80’s) and think to myself ‘that doesn’t seem to compute’. Was I disillusioned? Sure. I wasn’t turned off because I can tell the difference between what should happen, and what happens when people get involved.

Kinda like government, really.

My books are about justice.  You might remember a scene with the President where Bethany Anne expresses teaching from the Bible (I had expected to get some lip for that, but I never did.  I’m not sure if it is because most readers don’t care, or if readers share the same moral feelings I happen to believe… Or, it’s just a character talking.  I’m personally fine with all of those solutions).

I don’t preach.  It’s not in me and frankly it’s in the walk, not the talk anyway.  Let ones walking be ones talking and the earth might all get along a little better.

I say all of this to say this book is NOT the same as most I suggest.  It is funny, it is satire, but satire born out of a good heart.  For those who will be offended with God having a second child (a girl, this time) please don’t click below.  It isn’t going to be your cup of tea, I guarantee it.

If you think God has a sense of humor and is willing to just about allow anything so someone might think about Him? Oh, I don’t know, like rockers using heavy metal but singing about Jesus*?  Well, then read it quick before those who might want to burn the book figure out how to destroy digital copies 😉

Because, I’m going to plug the HELL** out of this book.

Hey Organized Religion?  Here’s my middle finger…It’s Yellow.

IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

Jessica McCloud is God’s only begotten daughter, and she’s not super thrilled about that. Sure, she can smite and she knows juicy gossip about folks in her tiny West Texas town, but that’s about where the perks stop.

After a close call with a demon, Jessica decides that developing her ability to tell good from evil could be an especially useful survival skill for a messiah. But hopefully that can wait until, oh, high school?

Feel like the world’s gone crazy? You’re not alone. The Beginning is the first book in an epic satire series with unforgettable characters and the fresh take on politics, religion, and feminism that you’ve been waiting for.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON AMAZON – OR BUY IT AND SUPPORT THIS INDIE AUTHOR 

* I’ve seen STRYPER a good amount of times… Good times!

**STRYPER’S “TO HELL WITH THE DEVIL” (Original Cover, ROCK IT!)

UNEDITED

Author’s Notes, Frank Kurns Stories of the UnknownWorld – The Time of Patience

My name, my full name, is Franklyn Adam Kurns and I am over one hundred years old.  I have seen more shit in my life than any human should be expected to behold, and stay sane.

I started out in the military, before going into a black operation to help hide the reality that there were others, living among us, that were the real monsters in the night.

I used my position to help one group of these monsters, so I thought, against another. You see, in that time I thought our folklore about Vampires and Werewolves was real.  I had no idea at the time we were all human.

Just some humans had a few advanced genetic modifications often accompanied by a very hot temper.

The Time of Patience, these series of books I’m going to release with other authors, happened during the last three years since the big dust-up in the Antarctic.

I’m sure you have heard about it?

Depending on who you listen to, TQB was down in Antarctica stealing old German (Nazi) technology, or we attacked the US Navy (we did not, we protected their ungrateful asses) or we were working on communicating with aliens to take over the world. (Seriously? Who comes up with this shit?)

We have tried to stay off the world’s radar for the last three years.  The reason is we needed to build our own house, so to speak.  One of them is inside an asteroid, so it is kind of large.

The need for all of this technology and ships is to protect the Earth against aliens who want to come and subjugate mankind.  So that whole story of us bringing aliens to Earth is complete lunacy.

During the Time of Patience, we came back to Earth pretty often. But, rarely did you hear anything about it as we stayed out of the news to the best of our ability.  The few times we made the news was due to our Academy students who went off the reservation, so to speak.

I’ll have a few books out about that, soon enough.

I am about to upload these final books before we transverse through the Annex Gate of the Yollins.

Unfortunately, recently, there were those on Earth who pushed Bethany Anne too far, and attacked one time too many.  For the last three years she has not returned their attacks as they warranted.  Unfortunately, they thought she was weak and unwilling to fight.

A toothless nag, some called her.

Now, I am sure most people are aware of just how wrong that supposition truly is.  However, for you to see both sides of the story, I’m going to relate what happened before the chaos and the carnage.

You can choose to believe whatever side you wish to believe, but I am going to deliver the video proof that goes along with my assertions.  Further, I will include a lot of additional supporting documentation, WikiLeaks style, that goes along with the video’s.

I suspect a lot of this information will be squashed, as very powerful people will not wish this information to be out in the public domain.  I hope others decide to copy the data, and keep it living as a testament against the powerful elite who believe the common man lacks common sense and is incapable of seeing the self centered bullshit they pull.

What you do with the information I provide… I leave up to you.

I hope my trust in the basic righteousness of humanity is well deserved.

Now, for the final events leading up to the divorce.

Ad Aeternitatem,

Franklyn Adam Kurns

T-minus forty-eight hours before we cross the line.

FROM MICHAEL >>>  Ok, I’m now done w/ the beats for book 14 … A second time 😉

Why a second time? Well, I asked for some input on what you, the fans, thought should be included in the second book and I’ve tried to catch most of those issues.  I apologize if I failed to get something ‘in’.  There are a couple that won’t be answered until The Second Dark Ages, sorry!

My first set of beats (or the highlights of the story) were good, but they lacked a certain…something.  So, I tossed most of them out and started fresh.

So, now I feel like it has that certain something that will make this an explosive ending to the second arc (or, the blue arc) in the series and just as important I’m looking FORWARD to writing it.

Now, I just got to get my music on (cue heavy metal or other appropriate audio).

This snippet’s book suggestion is from one of the fans on Facebook (Sherry Foster) who recommended Lindsay Buroker’s The Fallen Empire Series.  Lindsay is another Indie Author who has been writing for a while (in Indie time, like forever!)  I listened to a podcast (SPRT – Self Publishing Roundtable) with her as the guest this week and I enjoyed her interview as much as I enjoy her podcast The Marketing SFF Podcast with Joseph Lallo and Jeffrey M. Poole.  Many other Indies, like myself, learn from these author’s and the people they bring on and interview each week.

Since I’m so new to the industry (I turn 1 years old November 3rd!  WOOHOO … Lookout Sophomore Year LOL) I need all of the understanding and history lessons I can learn.  I’ve actually met Lindsay Buroker in Austin, Tx earlier this year and she is such a nice and soft spoken woman – you would never guess that she is a freaking powerhouse with over 40 Books to her name (53 actual links to titles – I’m not sure which are omnibuses…so sorry I didn’t go count!).

Either way, I’m ashamed I haven’t linked to one of her books before.  Thanks to Sherry Foster, I’m fixing that mistake right now!

Lindsay is a top 10 author in Science Fiction and Fantasy, so let me introduce you to a monster writer that puts out about 10 books a year!

Star Nomad: Fallen Empire, Book 1 Kindle Edition

The Alliance has toppled the tyrannical empire. It should be a time for celebration, but not for fighter pilot Captain Alisa Marchenko. After surviving a crash in the final battle, she’s stranded on a dustball of a planet, billions of miles from her young daughter.

She has no money or resources, and there are no transports heading to Perun, her former home and the last imperial stronghold.
But she has a plan.

Steal a dilapidated and malfunctioning freighter from a junkyard full of lawless savages. Slightly suicidal, but she believes she can do it. Her plan, however, does not account for the elite cyborg soldier squatting in the freighter, intending to use it for his own purposes. As an imperial soldier, he has no love for Alliance pilots. In fact, he’s quite fond of killing them.

Alisa has more problems than she can count, but she can’t let cyborgs, savages, or ancient malfunctioning ships stand in her way. If she does, she’ll never see her daughter again.

Fans of Firefly and Star Wars should enjoy this fun, fast-paced new series from USA Today best-selling author, Lindsay Buroker.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON AMAZON (Or buy it / get it on Kindle Unlimited)

Meeting room on board QBS ArchAngel

“Fuck them…” she whispered into the silence.

The men and women in the QBS ArchAngel didn’t breathe, didn’t flinch.

Their Queen was speaking.

Bethany Anne turned towards her people.  She had been gazing at the large screen showing Earth, hanging in the expanse of space beneath them.  Her eyes glowed red, her lips compressed.  Her eyes narrowed, “They have attacked us for three solid years.  They have hunted people only tangentially connected to me through companies I no longer own.”  She looked around at the faces of those watching her. “They have attacked some of your families, and I have tried to be understanding, to offer the other cheek.”

Bethany Anne twisted her head left, then right. The sound of her bones popping loud in the room’s silence both times.

She continued, “We have taken care of terrorist issues and saved people and countries from the evil men and women in the night, never looking for accolades, support or even a fucking thank you.”  Her voice turned to ice, cutting through the room.  “They keep pushing and pushing and pushing.” She paused a moment and exhaled, “I tried civil.”  Her eyes flashed red as she whispered, “No … More…”

“ADAM!”  Bethany Anne’s voice cracked out the command.

“Yes?” his voice came through the large room’s speakers.

Bethany Anne eyes looked up slightly, “Push the command out to my people. We aren’t taking any more shit from those on Earth.  The Etheric Empire has officially had fucking enough, thank you very much.”

Bethany Anne nodded sharply and started walking crisply towards the rooms exit, “Admiral Thomas?”  She called out, his reply immediate.  She continued, “Make sure the Captains of the fleet know that weapons are hot.  I’m not taking another bullshit move like they just pulled.  Any country tries that again, and I want them to level something important, got that?”

“Yes, ma’am.”  Admiral Thomas called back as she exited the room.

Admiral Thomas’s left hand clicked a button on his lapel as he started walking towards the door, “This is Admiral Thomas to all Captain’s. Weapons are hot, I repeat…weapons are hot.”

The men and women in the room filed out behind their Queen.

She had tried to take into account what drove those on Earth. But no one understood all of Bethany Anne’s actions to the attacks against her and her people had been substantially restrained.

Now, the gloves were coming off…