Never Surrender – Snippet 01 of …
Planet Yoll, Southwest Continent, Remote Canyon – Deadlands
The weather wasn’t the best to be flying through, however, Ber’knick was happy for the protection and opportunity that it provided the smaller ship to hide from the humans’ technology.
The design of this ship two wings, and Ber’knick had to fight the occasional gusts of wind as he stayed low to the ground. He worked to make sure the ship neither lifted high enough that it could be seen on radar, or went low enough to clip the occasional jagged rocks and peaks beneath them. Hitting ground would result in loss of control, and then nose plant into the rocks beneath them.
Ber’knick heard Captain Maek-ven yell curses at him from the cargo hold in the back when he had violently jerked their ship to the left, missing a peak that had startled him.
A peak the instruments hadn’t shown was in front of the ship.
The pilot yelled over his shoulder, “Well, what do you expect Captain? If you don’t provide me a ship with decent instruments, we could all just end up flattened little pies against one of these rock faces out there.”
Ber’knick could hear the captain’s clip clip, clip clip as he made his way up to the front of the craft. Soon, the Captain stuck his head into the small cockpit and grumbled, “If we knew that the humans wouldn’t be able to track us, I would have used our own ship. However, with limited understanding of their technology, I’m not willing to bet they can’t find us. Who knows, the human that’s waiting for us could be quite willing to cheat us.”
Ber’knick risked a quick glance back at the Captain before returning his gaze out the windows. He could see the lightning off to the east and veered a little bit more to the west. It might add a few minutes to their trip, but he really wanted to stay away from the sudden downdrafts that storm would bring. “Do you really believe this human is on the up and up? Personally, I find it curious that with all of the humans supporting their leader, we found one that is willing to sell us the spice.”
“From what I understand, those humans who are willing to talk admit that this particular human likes the drink himself. It seems he wants to help support the underground effort to produce the drink, so he might be able to purchase it when he comes down to Yoll.”
Ber’knick smiled. “If there is ever a person to trust? It’s going to be a drug junkie. They will do anything that’s necessary to get their fix.”
The Captain knocked on the side of the cockpit’s door, “That’s for good luck, and I have to agree with you.” He looked out the cockpit window, “That’s why I was willing to take this gig. Even those that had no reason to lie, mentioned this person was willing to do anything to get some Pepsi. It wasn’t even a very big secret up on their station. They just don’t believe it’s much of a drug, these humans.”
The Captain shrugged before working to turn around in the small, narrow passageway. He called out over his shoulder, “However, we both know a drug is what you make of it. If this Pepsi is his drug? Then yes, I trust him as far as I can throw him, which is probably pretty far.” The captain’s chuckles reverberated off the decking as he walked back to the cargo area.
—
“And I’m telling you,” Ecaterina told her young daughter, eyes narrowing, “I don’t care if you think you can fight Aunt Bethany Anne to a standstill! You will change into your wolf form; I don’t want these people knowing you are a human child.”
Nathan looked around where the money for the spice exchange would happen. He had selected this canyon since it had good defensive features. He had three different guns trained on the central location where they would accept the gems and money in exchange for the special the spice necessary to make Pepsi.
Not that the people meeting them would think they guns could rip through their ship, but that wasn’t Nathan’s problem.
At the moment, he thought it pretty damned hilarious Bethany Anne was using a drink she hated to help fund some of their efforts. Using local currency, definitely currency which had been cleaned, through this effort, was smart.
Trust Bethany Anne to use something she despised to further her plans.
“Follow the money,” Nathan murmured.
Ecaterina walked up to him as she eyed their young daughter, now in her wolf form running around the small canyon. She turned to look at Nathan, “Follow what?”
Nathan reached out and put an arm around his mate, “One of Bethany Anne’s quotes from way back, she always said ‘follow the money’ and now we are doing it again.”
Ecaterina nodded her head as her eyes followed Christina, “I remember that comment; she would use it all the time. Whenever you wanted to figure out something, or why someone was doing an activity you didn’t understand, you just needed to follow the money.”
“Right,” Nathan agreed. “Now, we have the spice and we are about to trade it for currency she needs, that we all need, as we continue to build our base of operations here in the Yollin system. I find it funny as hell that Pepsi is the product that is helping her accomplish this and not Coca-Cola.”
Ecaterina took two steps towards their daughter and yelled out, “Christina Bethany Anne Lowell! Get your furry tail over here. I did not say you could go that far away.” There was a yip of acceptance as their daughter changed direction and started loping back towards the two of them. Ecaterina turned around and smirked at her mate as she thumbed over her shoulder, “I blame you for this.”
Nathan shook his head, “You blame me for what? Naming her Christina Bethany Anne? That’s all on you and Aunt Bethany Anne. If she is taking after her namesake?” Nathan pointed to himself, “Don’t blame me.”
Ecaterina opened her mouth to argue, but closed it as she realized it was rather fruitless.
Truth be told, Christina was acting just as much the independent young girl as Ecaterina had when she was a child.
However, neither Ecaterina’s parents, or her brother, had come with them through the Annex Gate. Therefore, there was no way for Nathan to confirm that Christina was acting like her mother.
The three Lowell’s heard the airship before they saw it come over the towering rocks and small hills in the distance. The pilot was keeping fairly low to the ground and Nathan smirked. “That is some good flying, for all the good it’s going to do him.”
Ecaterina just nodded her agreement.
FROM MICHAEL >>> Can you believe this? Yeah, HERE WE GO AGAIN, BABY!
A few things that have occurred since the last time we spoke…which was what, at the back of Judgment Has Fallen?
Yeah, I think that was it.
First: I’m having to deal with learning dictation. I’ve used it in the past, but I’m suffering from typing too much on a Macbook Pro keyboard and don’t get me started on the NEW Macbook Pro.
I bought the new 2016 Version late last year, completely full up on all the bells and whistles. I typed on it about one, maybe two days and took it back to the store.
I can’t type a million words on that keyboard, no freaking way.
Now, even the arguably more travel keyboard isn’t going to do it, so I’m going all in on dictation this book. It’s going to take me a little extra time for sure, and changing how we do our production cycle, but hopefully, it will allow me to make sure I get the 10 books out this year.
All without loosing my ability to type completely due to messed up hands.
Apple, I love you. However, I just can’t take typing on your laptop keyboards. Which makes me cry.
Second: WOOHOO AUDIBLE HAPPENING!
If you are an audible listener, We are working HARD on getting the books into their system.
Right now, we have Death Becomes Her and Queen Bitch on Audible from The Kurtherian Gambit, and Justice Is Calling from Reclaiming Honor.
We have snagged as much time as possible from our talent to get Craig’s and Scott’s books in, and Paul Middleton is working to grab the right content to ask a male lead to read for the Boris Chronicles.
NEVER SUBMIT – Snippet 09 of …
UNEDITED
“Interesting that you should mention the History Channel show,” ADAM spoke through the speaker system. “It seems we have a group from a small YouTube show, called Alien TV Podcast researching the Dulce, New Mexico Base at the moment. They have entered one of the cave entrances and are following the cavern towards what is left of the XJ-12 base.”
“Can’t this shit just leave me alone for two damned weeks?” Bethany Anne asked out loud, eyes glancing to the ceiling, “Just two weeks. After that, it’s the world’s fucking problem. Okay, ADAM, give me an update. What is going on and who is doing what about it?”
“Presently, Captain Jakowski has Richard and Samuel heading toward New Mexico to ascertain what they know and perhaps extract the alien hunters themselves,” ADAM replied.
Moments later, Bethany Anne agreed to let her team’s near Earth deal with the Alien enthusiasts.
ADAM had reminded her she had a date with the ex-President and his family. This was the third time. She had rescheduled the previous two appointments to show him and his family around the Meredith Reynolds and was refusing to reschedule it this time, no matter how much got in the way. She left the general with team BMW to finish the discussion and excused herself. She opened the door and nodded to Scott who closed it behind her. She, Asher, Matrix and Scott then walked towards the Teleport room where she needed to take an Etheric short-cut back inside the Meredith Reynolds to meet the President’s family.
Because… teenage daughter problems.
QBBS Merideth Reynolds – Active Participation Area
“Beware the Wechselbalg, they bite…” Shun read aloud the sign in front of the first set of doors. The three men could hear the practice, the shouts, the cursing (in multiple languages), the occasional bark, growl and scream coming from the other side of the doors.
Zhu looked at his two friends, “You remember the time we got attacked in the early morning?”
“Which time?” Shun turned from the sign to look at his friend, “We were in so many of those damned attacks it became commonplace.”
“Right,” Zhu agreed, “now, both of you, close your eyes,” he told them, speaking in Chinese. His friends did as he asked, not needing to know where he was going with this.
“Go back to one of the hard ones, the times where we heard our men screaming, the cats attacking from under the brush, or from above. The feeling in your heart, your mind, your muscles when we meshed. The commands we spoke to each other, the knowledge that we weren’t three, but we were one in defense of each other. The ability to sense what the others knew…”
Jian’s mind took him back to the darkness, the smells, the screams of pain and the screeching of the cats in the night. The smell of gunpowder, and the occasional pain if he or one of his friends were hurt.
Then, all three felt it again, the calmness in turmoil, the connection.
Their connection.
The reason they were the best together, never apart. When the leadership made them separate, they pulled apart the best group, hoping that the three could teach others. Unfortunately, it never happened.
When the three opened their eyes again, they weren’t the three friends standing outside of the APA. No, they had been transported back to the constant training in the fine art of staying alive. Zhu stepped back, and Shun stepped between his two friends, strong-arming the door and stepping in.
His two friends right on his heels.
In another area of the battle station, both E.I.s Merideth and Reynolds reviewed the video of the three men outside the APA, noted their conclusions and labeled it a priority for Peter to watch.
—
“And I’m telling you,” Dwayne told Craig as he pushed up the two hundred twenty-five pounds for a quick set of twenty before resting, “that there is no fucking way we will be going back to Earth. So, you’d better start practicing your ass off Craig, or Peter is going to…” Dwayne rolled his eyes when he noticed his friend not listening. Someone had come in, and his friend had used that as an excuse to ignore Dwayne’s recommendation to train harder.
It wasn’t that Craig was out of shape, or out of training, but Dwayne felt Craig’s ego was a little too large when they had yet to actually test themselves against a non-human enemy. Craig and his Marine team had easily taken out a two yollin attack group just two days previous, and Dwayne was shocked to see Craig able to get his bulbous head inside the APA now. It had grown so large from his ego puffing it up.
“Fresh meat…” Craig muttered loud enough for Dwayne to hear.
Making sure his weights were locked correctly, something Craig was supposed to be doing, Dwayne turned his head to note the three Chinese men who had stepped in. Looked like Marine material to Dwayne, so he grabbed his barbell once more and prepared to start another twenty. He preferred ten sets of twenty, and then three sets of three hundred pounds for ten reps and a final effort comprised of five reps at five hundred pounds.
“Yeah, you keep saying that,” Dwayne mumbled. There was something about the three men that caused Dwayne’s hackles to go up slightly. He wasn’t worried they would do anything, but if he had to spar with them, he wouldn’t dismiss them.
“Craig!” a voice shouted from the opposite direction.
Dwayne smirked, Craig had just been caught by Peter. Seems like Craig’s all-knowing awareness was caught with its pants down
FROM MICHAEL >>> Alright, all 25 chapters are with the final editor and I should have some back starting tonight, tomorrow morning. JIT team on Wednesday, release on Thursday.
I should be writing my Author Notes soon. I wrote another scene (end of chapter 19) and intend to do some revamping of the first 15 chapters as I edit to put in a few more explanations / hints going forward.
Craig is looking to release in about 8 days, then Justin ten after and somewhere in there, Natalie Grey’s first book is dropping, too.
Another Craig book at the end of February before he jumps back on his own series for a month (I guess I can’t keep them all the time) and then we will see TS Paul’s second book… I’ll have to ask him about that.
Speaking of TS Paul, I know that a metric TON of my fans read his books, as well. How? Because he is perennially either my first or second also-bought author on my Author Page (The part on the Author Page (left hand side, towards the bottom)) that says “Customers Also Bought Items By” and a list of 16 authors. Scott is #1 or #2 … always.
He is #2 right now (My Author Page is Here: https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Anderle/e/B017J2WANQ if you are curious).
Scott just released his fourth book in The Federal Witch series (it says book 03, but he had an introduction story that was book 00). I’m about to read it tonight (Stephen King said I had to, Scout’s Honor!) and thought I would put it up here for the many fans I have that are reading that series as well!
So, you have about 48 to 54 hours to finish reading this book… Bethany Anne is watching!
😉
Special Agent in Charge (The Federal Witch Book 3)
The Magical Crimes Division of the FBI has a new boss!
Agatha Blackmore’s Probationary period is over and she has been promoted to Special Agent in Charge. Now armed with a new team of Paranormal investigators she is setting out on a new adventure.
An innocent Werewolf child has been murdered. Local FBI Investigators have discovered that Slavery still exists in the modern world. The new team must combat deceit and corruption in their pursuit of Justice and Salvation for the Paranormals of the Midwestern United States.
What happens when the hunter becomes the hunted?
Click Here to check out / buy / download (Kindle Unlimited) Special Agent In Charge on Amazon!
NEVER SUBMIT – Snippet 08 of …
UNEDITED
Down on earth, a small group of military trucks, tarps across the equipment they were carrying, were traveling down Highway 64 through the Jicarilla Apache Nation Reservation heading towards the location where an explosion happened.
Two black attack helicopters passed over them heading North.
QBBS Merideth Reynolds, Docks Meeting Rooms
Bethany Anne, Ashur, Matrix and General Lance Reynolds appeared in the Outer Docks Transport Room. Merideth opened the doors allowing the four to leave the chamber. Once they had walked out, the E.I. confirmed nothing was inside then closed and locked the doors behind the party.
While no one had yet transferred through the Etheric into a space already occupied, the computer simulations which ADAM had run calculated a substantially large explosion. Since energy and matter were transferable, the simulations showed solid items occupying the same space would cause some of that matter to transfer back to energy.
Neither of the objects would appreciate the explosive results.
It was Meredith’s responsibility to make sure that didn’t happen for the Queen or any of those who traveled with her. Reynolds, the military E.I. for the Meredith Reynolds, was her backup and confirmed her results every time.
Finally, ADAM would triple check their results every four hours to make sure nothing seemed amiss with any of the sensors Merideth or Reynolds used.
The two humans and the two German Shepherds walked about forty feet down the hall before entering a room which had a table, eight chairs and two video monitors on opposing walls. The video screens were nothing but white paint on the walls for the projectors that were affixed to the ceiling. Meredith could use the projectors in the rooms to create 3D holographic images should it be necessary.
Bethany Anne and Lance had barely sat down when they heard a loud knock and the door opened. Scott, who had gone ahead of them earlier to fetch her errant research and development team, stuck his head in and winked. He opened the door a little wider, and Bobcat stuck his head in.
His face, which usually had some form or fashion of humor looked a little concerned this time.
She raised an eyebrow, “Oh, do come in Bobcat, just one of the three men I’d like to see at the moment,” Bethany Anne purred.
Scott inclined his head, and Bobcat walked into the room. He came in with all the willingness of a man told he’d be walking the plank.
He was followed by William and then Marcus. All three of them swallowing heavily and looking back and forth at each other. Bethany Anne waved to the chairs, “Take a seat gentleman. We are all adults here, and we should accept the responsibility of those actions that adults take, no matter how long ago that happened, am I right?”
Bobcat had pulled out his chair and slowly sat down in it, “Well, Bethany Anne, I think we have all learned a great lesson in the past and we do not need to rehash it at all.”
William, already sitting down, smiled. “I completely support Bobcat’s assertion. I feel I’ve already learned big lessons in life myself and…”
Bethany Anne rolled her eyes, “Oh, do shut up guys. If I wanted to tear you a new asshole again, after I did it the last time, I would’ve just come down to your lair and done it. I want you to understand what we have tried to accomplish since the three of you helped destroy an unknown alien base on the moon.”
Marcus interrupted, “To be fair. We didn’t exactly destroy it. We were caught in the web like an insect and were working our way to get back out of the web. It wasn’t through diabolical or devious intentions that said base was destroyed.”
Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow, “So, I am to understand that the three adult males in front of me have decided that the ‘kids did it’ defense is now retired, finally, and we are going to the ‘we were running for our lives’ defense’?”
“I don’t know,” William answered, a gleam in his eye. “Are we on trial here? Has anyone ascertained precisely why we are here before we tried to defend ourselves? I think we might be getting ahead of ourselves, and making assumptions? It isn’t like I can claim innocence and say ‘we were on the moon at the time’ since, well, that was true. Can I say I was at home and would that make any difference?”
Lance looked over to three men, “No.”
“Well, shit.” Bobcat replied. He looked over at his friend and held his hand out. “Well, we tried. Nice knowing you William.” He looked around William to the scientist, “Nice knowing you, too, Marcus.”
Bethany Anne put her hand to her head, ”Would you stop being so melodramatic? It’s like I have three young girls in front of me. You aren’t on trial here.”
Bobcat spoke up, “Have you seen your face in the mirror lately? It’s not like we don’t know when you’re angry.”
Bethany Anne looked over at her father and raised an eyebrow. He lifted up his hand and twisted it letting her know that she was exhibiting extreme annoyance, not quite to a mad stage.
She worked to calm herself a little and the red glare of her eyes diminished slightly. She apparently wasn’t over the fact that these guys had been the adults partially responsible in helping destroy a previously unknown Alien base on the moon.
They were supposed to be advising and teaching their first class of academy students, not letting them run amok over the face of the moon. She sighed, no, that wasn’t true. How do you let people become adults? You give them freedom and then help them figure out the mistakes.
It was just damned unfortunate the mistake was so much lost opportunity.
By the time anyone understood that there had been an alien base on the moon, the team had triggered a self-destruct sequence on their way out.
Having received probably one too many ass-chewings due to the kids, the guys probably over-reacted on trying to keep the mistake of losing their students on the moon a secret until they could fix the problem.
Barnabas, having tracked down some rumors, informed her of the mistakes and Bethany Anne had gone into team BMWs laboratory and ripped the three men new assholes for over fifteen minutes. Merideth had confirmed, that Bethany Anne had not once duplicated the same combination of curse words the whole time.
She did not expect them to make that mistake again.
“Let me allow the general to take the next part of this conversation.” She told the men while she worked a bit harder at retaining her irritation.
They did not need another bitch session from her. She didn’t feel like it was appropriate when the only reason she was mad was having to review the findings after the fact.
No matter how bad she wanted to vent more frustration.
The General spoke up, “Unfortunately, a lot of the locations you talked about, the research lab with the Russian and other remains were unreachable. We believe that that the whole floor got crushed. We were able to drill down through the regolith and enter into another couple of locations. The team encountered and destroyed a couple of the robots, and we were able to acquire examples of the technology which allowed TOM to understand which area of the galaxy they came from. So far, the teams are reviewing the data, and it’s questionable whether or not we will be able to break into the data since the core systems seem to be in the areas that were demolished as you guys left the base. However, what I would like to know is if you’ve had any more thoughts based on the exhibited behavior of the security and operations droids you ran across?”
It took a moment for the guys to answer. “Some,” Marcus admitted. “Frankly, the programming seemed to focus on continued support and enhancement of the operational facilities of the base, or the security. Occasionally, I’ve wondered whether or not the two of those directives were crossed or merged in some fashion. If they have been, we believe the base has been there a substantial amount of time and therefore those commands got crossed. If true, then whoever set the base up had expected to come back and based on the dating TOM provided, the base is over a few thousand years old.”
“So, this might have happened three, four or even ten-thousand years ago?” Bethany Anne got out before Marcus finished.
Marcus paused a moment before answering, “We think this might have been a base from ten-thousand or perhaps even twenty or thirty-thousand years ago,” he admitted.
Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow, “That long?”
Marcus shrugged, “Well, no one has any good explanations for the Egyptians and many of their advances. We can’t even confirm how old the Sphinx is accurately. If our guesses are right, this base might have been a location for aliens working to facilitate their knowledge using the Egyptians.”
“Well,” William said as he scratched his neck, “I guess Ancient Aliens is going to be pissed if they find out we destroyed their proof.
FROM MICHAEL >>> Well, it sucks to say I’m going to be pushing the release of NEVER SUBMIT out to February 2nd (Thursday here in the States). Frankly, I didn’t get the writing done in time, is the long and short answer. While I was Words Complete on Saturday, that just isn’t enough time to allow the Beta Editors / Editor / my review / JIT process to happen.
Note, that isn’t an Australian Thursday, just so you know ;-).
Here are the dates we are trying to hit for the next books in the Series:
02/02/2017 – NEVER SUBMIT – The Kurtherian Gambit #15
02/06/2017 – Nomad Unleashed – The Terry Henry Walton Chronicles #03 (With Craig Martelle) (Click To See #1)
02/16/2017 – Judgement Is Falling – Reclaiming Honor #03 (With Justin Sloan) (Click To See #1)
02/27/2017 – Nomad Supreme – The Terry Henry Walton Chronicles #04 (With Craig Martelle) (Click To See #1)
Feb/Mar – Book 01 – New Series “The Lost Years” (situated between books 13 & 14) Natalie Grey / Michael Anderle
Mar 2017 – Alpha Class 02 – Etheric Academy (With TS Paul) (Click to See #1)
April 2017 – Gavin – <CURTAIN>’s Rangers 01 (Working Title) (PNR – With Holly Dodd)
AUDIO BOOKS WAITING APPROVAL TO GO LIVE (Just waiting on Approval)
Death Becomes Her (The Kurtherian Gambit 01) – Emily Beresford
Justice Is Calling (Reclaiming Honor 01)
AUDIO BOOKS IN PRODUCTION
Queen Bitch (Tentative Early March) – Emily Beresford
Claimed By Honor (Tentative Late March) – Kate Rudd
Nomad Found (March / April) – Kate Rudd
Alpha Class – (?? – Need to find out) – Emily Beresford
NEVER SUBMIT – Snippet 07 of …
UNEDITED
Matrix was over by the moaning Kiel, who was laying on his back next to the wall where he had collapsed just moments after placing his weapons back in the rack. “Stop licking me, Matrix!” Kiel moaned, “this is not helping my ego one bit.”
Kael-ven was on the sitting couch the team had brought in for him to use, “I appreciate the light workout today.”
“I only wanted to think about how someone would fight something what, twice your size?” She asked him as she stretched on the floor. “So I needed to focus on determining your weak spots.”
“Rumor has it three times my size, but we do not believe it. First, how would he be so big? Second, the King does not show himself outside of those who meet with him. Those who are willing to share agree he is three times larger than I am. But, could they be fabricating the truth so to support the rumor? No one knows.”
Bethany Anne’s head looked up at the Yollin, “I’ve always wondered how you know if someone taps your armor, but it doesn’t cause you pain?”
He shrugged, “I can feel the punches and occasionally if you are trying to get my attention the blunt force spread across my under muscles hurt, but nothing like a concise punch.” He lifted his left hand to play with his jaw, making sure it was still in place and working correctly from her last punch.
“Well, without seeing if I can cut you up,” she started.
Kael-ven interrupted, “Yes, I do appreciate the queen’s magnanimous decision not to use me for that particular research project.”
“Keep interrupting me, and we shall see,” she replied, “and who is teaching you magnanimous?”
Kiel’s voice groaned from the side of the room, “Blame Merideth,” he called over.
“Merideth?” Bethany Anne called out, and the EI answered.
“Yes?”
“What are you teaching the Yollins?”
“The appropriate history that might provide insight on how a new Yollin government might be created once the present government is replaced,” the EI replied through the speakers.
“We are studying both Monarchies and Dictatorships,” Kael-ven replied, “Magnanimous decisions for those vanquished was a point of discussion between myself and Merideth.”
Few hundred yards inside Entrance 1 – Dulce Lake, New Mexico
This time, seemed a little different to Jesse. The light from his flashlight hit the far wall and traversed back and forth across the rocks on the cave floor. A scratch caught his attention, and he turned his flashlight back over to see a relatively large boulder. He called out to his two friends Edward and Colin to hold up a moment.
Getting close, he could tell that the scratch was recent, it wasn’t something that had been around for a long time. Further, something very hard had to have been used to create such a gash in the rock. He took his hand out of his glove and touched the rock.
It was sharp.
He looked at the angle, slashing downwards, and wondered what it could have been. He turned and allowed his flashlight to travel back towards the opening and then turned back around 180° to consider where, if something in fact was traveling, would he find the next mark?
He started walking towards his two friends, a feeling that this time was different. Alien TV, a very small YouTube channel, might have unearthed something real. His flashlight continued traversing across the floor. Unfortunately for him at the moment, it missed a few footsteps imprinted where something heavy had to have passed.
So far, he hadn’t noticed the non-human tracks next to the human ones.
Aboard the G’laxix Sphaea – Earth Orbit
Captain Natalia Jakowski stirred her hot chocolate while she dialed up her favorite strike team. Secretly, she was wondering what the two guys would use as an excuse for not going down to Earth this time.
Further inside the ship, Samuel was having a conversation with Richard when the captain of the ship’s voice came over the speakers, “Boys?”
Richard rolled his eyes, the Captain of the ship couldn’t be more than late thirties and that was probably giving her a few years. “Yes, Captain?”
“We have visitors in the Dulce Lake base. I need you to to go down, acquire information and confirm what is going on. I have been in communication with ADAM and understand that it looks like we might have a few civilians poking around.”
“Civilians?” Richard questioned, “I don’t remember our contract stating that we needed to help civilians?” He looked over at Samuel who had a smirk on his face.
The Captain replied, “I believe the contract, if that’s what you would like to call it, is between you and Gabrielle. I don’t think I need to be the lawyer in this little discussion. Would you like me to get Gabrielle on the line? I understand she’s going to be coming through the ship here shortly? I can certainly ask her to pause for a moment and speak with you if you require clarification, Richard.”
Richard’s eyes grew large, “Noooo Captain. Let’s keep Gabrielle happy and not bother her with trivialities shall we? She might be on a date with Eric. I don’t suppose we can get a pod out of here relatively quickly? We would like to head down earthside and perhaps get a bite to eat before we rush over to New Mexico.”
“Richard, what kind of food are you talking about? We have both human food and blood, although I was under the impression that you don’t need blood anymore?”
“Well, to be truthful,” Samuel responded, “blood is a bit of an acquired taste. It is rather similar to always having your mother’s cooking at home. You don’t like it that much when you’re always eating it … but after you go away to college for a few years, even the worst of mom’s cooking tastes delicious.”
“I would have to take your word on that, Samuel. My mother happened to be a chef for a local hotel, therefore her cooking was always delicious. For me, I got into eating too much Taco Bell at college and although it was unhealthy as hell the delicious grease was addicting. Now, I understand Gabrielle is going to be here in ten minutes with the Queen? So, did you want to get on that Pod before they arrive or are you planning on being here during lockdown when the queen arrives?”
The two vampires reached over and grabbed their backpacks and quickly made for the door, Richard yelling back over his shoulder “Captain, I don’t know why you are still talking? There’s nobody in the room at the moment. Those two individuals happen to almost be to the pod bay already,”
—
The Captain could hear the door slam as she reached up to turn off her microphone.
Mark Taversty looked over his shoulder from the readouts he was reviewing, “I thought the Queen wasn’t going to be here for at least an hour?” Capt. Jakowski winked at him with a smile on her face.
Captain Jakowski called to the ship’s E.I., “Sphaea? You should probably let the Pod bay know that they have two incoming vampires, and those two will probably be running.”
FROM MICHAEL>>> You know what one of the absolute COOLEST things about being an author is?
Well, except for the free dinners (which I don’t get) and the valet (another item I’ve not received) and the hordes of photographers outside my house (I have hordes of Pitchforks and Matches fans willing to send the lawn faeries my way… I’m obviously connected with the wrong set of fans! LOL)
Actually, one of the coolest experiences I’ve received is where my work, in some form or fashion, connects with readers at a level that makes them really, really engaged. Now, it is ALWAYS something to connect with any fan, but a fan that has been reading for decades? One that has read so much, that I couldn’t POSSIBLY hold a candle to the number of authors they remember reading, much less possibly have forgotten reading?
Well, I simply have no words to type it. But, here is the AMAZINGLY fun part. I get to give back!
I have the opportunity to say …
HAPPY SURPRISE 70th BIRTHDAY WISHES!
WOOHOO, Margaret!
This is to our fellow fan Margaret Paulk on her 70th Birthday (if I get in trouble for the age thing, it’s Luci’s fault!)
HAHAHAHAHAHA…
Your daughter reached out, stepped out of her comfort zone and asked if I might be willing to WISH YOU A FANTABULOUS DAY!
Like, HELL YEAH I’m willing!
(You just need to make sure I don’t stick something in a book somewhere about your birthday…You know, cause I’m working on a book and all…)
Margaret, I’m HONORED that you would even know enough about me that your daughter would think this might make you happy.
If it does, GREAT!
(Uh, if it doesn’t? Would you let The Author believe it did? You know, cause he has a fragile delicate ego thing going and all 😉 )
So… Happy Birthday Margareeeet! Happy Birthday MARRGARRETTTT! Happy birthday to youuuuuuu!
All our best with your birthday tomorrow, Michael Anderle
NEVER SUBMIT – Snippet 06 of …
towardUNEDITED
Moments after those two were carried out, the two Yollins came in through the door. Kiel nodded to Steve and Felix and pointed his finger back towards the door, “Someone came in here for a ‘friendly’ match?”
“Yeah, I can’t believe that is the third one,” Felix agreed and waited for a subtle green light on his desk to turn on. “You guys are good.”
Kiel’s lips clicked together, “I wonder who could be whispering the rumor that you get to spar with Gabrielle if you use that code phrase?”
“Or has been adding the picture of her on the back channels?” Kael-ven wondered aloud as the two Yollins passed through the security station. Steve and Felix both stared at each other before grabbing their tablets and started looking to see what the Yollin Captain was talking about.
Five minutes later, Felix looked down the hallway towards the sparring rooms, “Son of a bitch…”
—
Bethany Anne entered a few minutes after Kiel and Kael-ven, “Sorry for being late.”
Kiel looked at her feet, where a smaller, black version of Ashur was trotting beside the Queen, “Just curious,” the military commander asked as he pointed at her feet, “has Ashur been replaced?”
“What?” She looked down, “No, this is Matrix, one of Ashur and Bellatrix’s children. Say hi, these two have the implants and can understand.”
Matrix’s little bark greeting the two Yollins.
“How does he have such ability to understand but is so … small?” The large Captain asked.
“He isn’t that young, and he is a little small for his age, but dogs mature relatively quickly. I’m being told that Matrix is ahead of his siblings in some areas.”
Matrix barked again, “Yes, not your size, unfortunately,” Bethany Anne agreed.
“And Ashur is where?” Kiel asked.
“Keeping his treacherous ass out of my sight while I cool down.” Bethany Anne replied, “this little addition to my menagerie isn’t my partner, he works with TOM.”
That remark caused both Yollins to stop and blink for a few minutes before they turned to each other and then back to Bethany Anne, “You have a Kurtherian talking to an Earthling dog?” Kiel asked.
“Oh please,” TOM’s voice came out of the speakers, “Not all Kurtherians are evil war mongers.”
“True,” Kael-ven agreed slowly, looking at Bethany Anne and then the speaker, “But I’m not aware of any Kurtherians except those from the Seven who have slipped out of their genetic programming and killed another being.”
There was a moment of silence before TOM replied through the speaker system, “I blame my connection to Bethany Anne for that.”
Kiel’s mandibles started chittering in laughter, “He has a point. There have been no Kurtherians who have had to undergo such a stressful existence inside of…”
“Are you begging for another ass-kicking, Kiel?” Bethany Anne asked the taller Yollin. He grinned as well as he could and put up his hands while he shook his head in the negative.
“Damn,” Kael-ven muttered, “Here I was hoping you would take her ire so the two of us would have a regular sparring match.”
Bethany Anne smiled, “I’m sorry, is the Yollin Revolutionary feeling a little put out?”
“He should,” Kiel muttered, “Since working out with you, he has become more formidable in our matches.”
“Oh?” Bethany Anne asked, “How so?”
“He beats me about forty percent of the time, now,” Kiel answered, “I blame his improved abilities from working out with you.”
“So, why aren’t you using your association to work out with the Bitches?” She asked Kiel.
This time, it was Kael-ven who chittered his laughter, “Because they treated him like you do me, and it took him half a day in the Pod-Doc to recuperate.”
Bethany Anne shrugged, “Pain is an excellent teacher.”
“Yes,” Kiel agreed, “It taught me not to spar with Eric when he was upset about Gabrielle.”
“Well, there is that,” she agreed, “human males are very protective of their females. Even females who can take care of themselves. I imagine someone slighted her and Eric did something. Then, she was upset with him for being a typical guy, and they got into a fight. He comes here, where friendly matches aren’t allowed, and there you go.”
“Yes, there I went,” Kiel agreed pointing behind him. “Straight into the Pod-Doc nursing both my wounds and my ego.”
This time, both Yollins watched as Bethany Anne’s eyes displayed extreme humor, but her lips were compressed tightly together…finally, she lost it and started laughing, covering her mouth as she looked between the two Yollins.
“At least the mouth now is in sync with the eyes,” Kael-ven commented, “otherwise, I was confused.”
“Word,” Kiel agreed as his Captain turned to look at him. Kiel shrugged, “I blame William.”
“Ok,” Bethany Anne finally got her humor back under control, “as funny as this shit was, and it was funny, I need to learn how to fight a four-legged Yollin, Kael-ven and you are my only option.”
“Lucky me,” he agreed. “Come, search the universe for other races, meet them and get your ass kicked all afternoon.” He turned to speak to Kiel, “Somehow, the Caste Leader I spoke with failed to mention that little bit of information when I signed up.”
Kiel shrugged, “You should have been with me for my recruitment meeting, a complete fabrication.” Kiel’s voice was an octave or two higher, “Superior exoskeleton, best in the galaxy.” His voice returned to normal, “What a big bowl of Bistek-barook shit.”
“When did you two become Abbot and Costello?” she asked.
“No idea what or who you are speaking about,” Kael-ven replied, “but I assume a certain fatality about one’s future brings about whatever it is,” he waved with his right arm, “you speak about.”
Matrix barked, and Bethany Anne looked down at the puppy, “You might be right Matrix. They just might be trying to delay the inevitable.”
The two Yollins glared at the German Shepherd, “Traitorous canine, thy name is mud. You just wait until you are old enough to spar with her, you will understand, and I hope I’m here to see it.”
This time, it was a questioning ‘yip’ Matrix barked out, and Kiel laughed without mirth, “See? Now you understand. Life is funny now, but after this ass-kicking, you will know your future, and I will enjoy the thought of how my blood and pain will bring you fear.”
Bethany Anne rolled her eyes, “Wow, who knew a Yollin could be such a Drama Queen?”
The two Yollins turned and walked over to the side of the work-out room to grab weapons, “At least I’m now Royalty,” Kiel quipped.
>>> FROM MICHAEL – WOW, I need to be finished like in 7 days… No Rest for the Wicked!
The first book out on Audible should be uploaded within 48 hours…Provided ACX can get my account fixed 🙁
Otherwise, everything is pretty on track!
See Ya! (got to sleep, then write, then eat, then write, then sleep.)
NEVER SUBMIT – Snippet 05 of …
UNEDITED
QBBS Merideth Reynolds – Queen’s Workout Area
Kiel’s click-click as he walked down the floor offset with Kael-ven’s click-click, click-click of his four legs as the two Yollins passed the set of guards.
The first set of guards were there to make sure you knew and intended to be entering the Queen’s workout area. Ass-kickings, they would tell you, would happen after you passed this first post.
The two Yollins spoke with the guards who mentioned they might want to pause a couple of minutes. Two idiots would be coming back out, shortly.
Two Wechselbalg had not realized that Eric and Gabrielle were an item and decided to say they were here to have a friendly spar with the Captain of the Queen’s Bitches.
One of the guards looked at the first Wechselbalg when they had approached, “I’m sorry, did you say you were here for a friendly spar with the Captain?”
“Yes, she uh, she invited us,” The first stated and turned to his partner who shook his head vigorously in agreement.
“Right,” the lead guard turned to his partner, “Felix, would you be so kind as to inform Gabrielle her friendly sparring match is here?”
Felix was a better actor than his partner, Steve. He picked up his tablet and dialed the Captain’s number and informed her that two Wechselbalg were here for, he looked at the time on the tablet before telling her, “Your 3:25 PM friendly sparring match with them?”
The two Wechselbalg were passed through, huge smiles on their faces. When they turned the corner, Felix lifted up his tablet again and punched three numbers and waited for a response.
A female’s voice responded, “Hello, Infirmary?”
“Yes, this is Felix down in Queen’s Workout Area,” he replied.
“How many?”
“Two Wechselbalg,” Felix replied.
“Time?” She inquired.
Felix replied with only a moment’s hesitation, “I imagine about one minute after they start, so call it a couple of minutes?”
“Oh, someone being stupid?” the voice said on the other side of the line, “I’ll have them right over, and I’ll get Peter on the line. When they get healed, he will be there to deliver his own punishment.”
“Understood, thank you,” Felix hung up.
Four minutes later, two Wechselbalg, each with both arms and legs broken, whimpering as the blood ran down their heads were being carried out. Felix put up a hand to stop the infirmary personnel. He snapped his fingers in front of the guy that had spoken for the two of them. “Just so you know, in case you are wondering, there ARE no friendly matches down here. Everything is training as hard as you can. So, be thankful she only broke your arms and legs.”
“Thankful?” the other guy asked, confusion in his voice as he spoke around a mouth and jaw just then starting to heal properly.
Felix looked over to the other male, ‘Well, yeah. If she wanted, she could have killed you for unauthorized use of the Queen’s area without permission.”
FROM MICHAEL >>> This is SUPER short as I need to write on NEVER SUBMIT!
LOVE YOU ALL, I’m charging hard and writing a cool scene of ass-kicking…
I just want to say, “They started it!” 😉
Michael
NEVER SUBMIT – Snippet 04 of …
UNEDITED
QBBS Merideth Reynolds – All Guns Blazing
Shun smiled to the bouncer outside of the most famous bar on the asteroid, All Guns Blazing. The bouncer, a large Were by the name of Tim that had been with the Wechselbalg group since the beginning nodded to the trio. When Tim was at the door, rarely were there any problems inside the bar.
A few of those inside knew Shun, Zhu, and Jian. While the Weres were interested in meeting Jian, Shun had learned that it was passed around the back channels to give the quiet Chinese man some personal space. Therefore, most Wechselbalg were polite, but not nosy.
Or you answered to one of the Queen’s Own.
As a genetic Werecat, Jian was a bit of an anomaly on the Merideth Reynolds. Shun thought there might be two others on the ship, at least if the rumors were true.
Shun took the entrance that went into the bar side, as opposed to the more family oriented side and nodded to the bartender on his way to a tall side table, with three chairs around it. The proprietors of this place didn’t believe in trying to shove too many people too close to each other.
Now that Shun understood the makeup of some of the people, and their propensity to fight?
It made a lot of sense.
Zhu and Jian were at the table, talking, when Shun pulled up his chair. He had barely sat down when a waiter swung by and dropped two Snow beers on the table. “Xiè xie” Shun called out to the waiter who raised a hand over his shoulder to acknowledge the thanks as he deftly caught a bottle as it tipped over and grabbed another empty on his left as he walked to the bar.
Some of these people were so damned dexterous they should join the Royal Circus, he thought.
“We have news,” Jian spoke up. Shun turned to his friend and raised an eyebrow. Stephen, the Queen’s confidant, had found out Jian was a Wechselbalg before his two best friends had known. Because of this, and even though he was incredibly reserved in his speaking, had somehow made the least likely to speak out of the three of them their liaison with the Etheric Empire.
Now, it had come down to the end. They needed to figure out and decide what to do, next.
“We have been provided the option of sticking together, choosing military jobs, or civilian jobs,” Jian told his friends.
“But, they have jobs for us?” Zhu asked and Jian nodded. “Good, I’m getting bored,” Zhu commented as he looked around, “I’ve got to figure out how to pay my bar tab.”
Shun smiled. Zhu was a hard worker from his country upbringing, and the three of them had been physically working out with each other, taking advantage of the many facilities available to those on the asteroid. Heck, they even had an area where you could enhance or reduce the gravity. One time Jian wasn’t paying attention, and he moved the control to three Gs. It had been painful just to move. Getting up off the floor would have been worse had Shun not thought just to call out for Merideth’s help. The E.I. quickly returned the gravity to normal.
“First, let me confirm which way we are going, military or civilian?” Jian asked looked to his two friends.
Zhu shrugged his shoulders, “I’m not done paying those aliens back, yet. Those bastards started everything that ended up killing Bai, and they are still out there.” Zhu mentioned, pointed his hand towards the observation deck.
Shun nodded, “Agreed. I’m not satisfied. What is the English playwright say? I’ve not had my pound of Kurtherian flesh, yet?”
“Ok, good thing you two agreed, because I already told them we were choosing the military.” Jian smiled at his two surprised friends and shrugged his shoulders, “What do you want me to say? I’ve known you two long enough to finish your sentences.”
“How could you finish our sentences when you don’t speak a whole sentence?” Zhu asked as he picked up his own Snow beer, using it to point at Shun, “He talks, Bai and I argued and you chose to act like the silent and wise type,” he finished and took a swig of his beer. “God, I’m going to miss this when we transfer out of this area.”
“That’s because I am silent and wise,” Jian agreed. “Or, at least I’m still wise,” Jian admitted, “and I was wise enough to hear you confirm my smart selection before I told you, right?”
Shun picked up his beer waved it in Jian’s direction and took his swig of acknowledgment. “Ok,” he started, setting his beer down, “now that we understand you have been hiding your wisdom from us because you are a wise but selfish bastard, what is the rest of the news?”
Jian looked between his two friends for a moment before speaking, “I’ve been asked if I want to be upgraded to full Cat,” Jian laid it out on the table. Zhu, who had his beer halfway up to his mouth stopped, and then lowered his beer which chunked when it hit the table top.
None of the men spoke for a moment, “Options?” Shun asked.
Jian shrugged, “In the military here, there are different groups. The Rangers, not our style. The Guardians for Wechselbalg and the guardian Marines who back up the changelings. They form teams, and there are always two Marines with one changeling.”
Shun started slowly nodding while Zhu looked at him, confused. “So, Zhu and I would be the Marines?”
Jian nodded his head in agreement.
Zhu’s eyebrows had narrowed before realization hit, “So, we three would be a team?” He pointed to Shun, “You would change,” he pointed to Shun and himself, “and we would protect you?”
Jian nodded.
“Hell yeah! You take a clawed hand,” Zhu said as he put his fingers out and slashed through the air, “and rip each Kurtherian a new asshole while Shun and I keep all the other bastards off your back.” He looked over at Shun, smiling.
It was Shun’s turn to be confused, “You are okay with Jian being a cat?”
“What?” Zhu replied, “Why not? Wouldn’t you want to be a cat if you could? I might have shot them as often as I was able, they were the enemy after all. But you can be impressed, even envious, as you kill them, and look at how hard they were to kill! Never fail to appreciate what you can about your enemy, or you lose an advantage to them.”
“Sounds wise,” Jian answered slowly, “But why am I surprised this wisdom is coming from you?”
“Well, I read it.” Zhu explained, smiling, “But, it still fits. Nevertheless, the bigger question is if you wish to do this Jian?”
Their little area grew quiet as Jian became the focus of his two friends, and after a minute he nodded his head sharply. “I’ve talked with my parents, and they agree. It would honor Bai to take what the Kurtherians meant to use as a way to subjugate humanity and use it to keep humanity safe instead.”
“Well,” Shun smiled, “Seems like we have an agreement, what’s next?”
Jian shrugged, “We have to meet a small group of Guardians for a test.”
“So?” Zhu said, “What could be so hard about one more test?”
FROM MICHAEL >>> A few fans had wanted to know what ‘became’ of the three honorable Chinese military men? In this book, we will follow their experience…Especially to the point where they get a chance to try out for the Guardian Marines and the surprise that happens. 😉
Below, I have the link to the second Terry Henry Walton Chronicles book Nomad Redeemed, which is a collaboration with Craig Martelle. It’s interesting, even though there is a female lead character in these stories, these books are harder to market than say the Reclaiming Honor series.
Personally? I think it is a issue w/ the covers (which we are addressing.) The original ‘post apoc’ concept tends to put the focus on the guns and stark reality. While this is a Post-Apoc book, I don’t think it shows the relationship between TH and Char as much as what really occurs in the books, and perhaps isn’t as female friendly a cover as what it needs to be?
Either way, we are in the process of hiring models for new covers and will be revamping them significantly in the near future. For those who are already involved in the series (I really enjoy working on it, and by working on it I mean the conversations Craig and I have and then the editing phase I go through) thank you!
If you like relationship stories, with a purple eyed female Werewolf thrown into the mix, I think you will find this series (with one of my FAVORITE characters (“TH”) from The Kurtherian Gambit) to be a FUN ride…
If TH can just get over the fact that the woman he is falling for is a damned scary Werewolf!
Nomad Redeemed: A Kurtherian Gambit Series (Terry Henry Walton Chronicles Book 2)
Sawyer Brown is no more, but he was just the minor opening act…
Terry Henry and Charumati (Char) have to deal with her Alpha coming back, the new refugees getting settle in the town and .. Beer!
With the FDG doubling in size, Terry Henry needs to bring about a little organizational structure to the group. While also deciding how to have that conversation with Char about her lineage…
Not sure how that is going to go, Terry Henry had better figure it out, or he is going to be up to his armpits in Werewolves and won’t be sure if he can depend on his one ace-in-the-hole.
Or not.
Set in the Kurtherian Gambit Universe, Nomad Redeemed continues the Terry Henry Walton Chronicles, the time between the WWDE and the return of Michael to earth.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT NOMAD REDEEMED ON AMAZON – OR BUY IT 😉
CLICK HERE TO LOOK AT BOOK 01 Nomad Found ON AMAZON
NEVER SUBMIT – Snippet 03 of …
roamUNEDITED
QBBS Merideth Reynolds, Queen’s Suites
“Bethany Anne,” Merideth, the Operations E.I. for the QBBS Merideth Reynolds spoke up from the speaker. Although Merideth could have routed the information through ADAM, they tended to let it work like others expected. “Scott says he is ready to pass Yelena, Ashur and Bellatrix, plus their five children through if you are ready?”
Bethany Anne blinked again, then jumped out of her bed, rushed into her closet, sliding out of the nice suede shirt she was wearing to grab an old t-shirt and threw that on. Tossing off her pajama bottoms, she slid into a pair of leather pants.
Puppy nails can scratch, and if they happen to get their fur all over her, the t-shirt was much easier to wash or just ditch. She couldn’t remember if the puppies would shed, but no use chancing it on her nice suede top she liked to lounge around in.
Walking back out of her closet, the closet doors shutting behind her as she wrapped her hair in a pony tail, she called out. “Ok, let them in.” She passed through her bedroom’s doors to enter the more family type room in her suite.
Just in time to get ambushed by five German Shepherd puppies.
Two came at her from the front, two from the couch, jumping off the arms right behind each other and one was trying a sneak attack.
Bethany Anne kept walking, but disappeared.
Scott, listening from the doorway but not able to see smirked when he heard a ‘YIP!’ of surprise, followed by another yip as it sounded to him one of the puppies had landed on the other.
“So, letting them in early are you?” Bethany Anne, now only two feet in front of her guard had caught his face full of glee.
His eyes darted back to where she was supposed to be and then back to where she was, staring at him with her arms on her waist.
“Aaaahhhh,” Scott started, but then Yelena’s voice, coming out of the suite’s meeting room, saved his traitorous ass.
“Oh!” Yelena came around the corner to see Bethany Anne outside her own suites doors, “There you are!”
“Hello Yelena!” Bethany Anne smiled and waved to the woman before looking Scott in the eyes. “Just remember, the Saint goes both ways,” she whispered as she walked past her guard into her suite.
There was a ‘chuf’ behind him and Scott turned his head and looked down at the large white Dog, “Yeah Ashur, I think we are both going to get it for that effort.” Behind Ashur, Bellatrix chuffed as well and Scott smiled, “Yes, I know you told us, but it was funny, right?”
Bellatrix shook her head and turned around to go back into the room. Scott shrugged to Ashur and turned back to watching the hallway. Scott’s position there was a little ceremonial as anyone making down the long hallway through Merideth’s scans were already checked for damn near everything. But, the Queen’s Bitches would be here even if standing here was a completely superfluous action.
No one was going to see Bethany Anne, without at least one of the four checking them out, first.
—
“Take a seat, Yelena,” Bethany Anne pointed to the couch. “Not you, white mountain of fur and fakery. Get your hairy traiterous ass back up with Scott. You two can console yourselves while the women figure this out.” Ashur chuffed, stuck his nose in the air and jogged back out of the room.
Bellatrix, Yelena’s all black German Shepherd that had been saved on an operation in Europe jumped up on the couch and Yelena sat next to her, with one of her legs on the couch, one hanging off. Her black hair matching the female German Shepherds exactly. Bellatrix chuffed and Yelena smiled and responded to her friend, “Yes, Ashur really didn’t want to stick around to chat about this, so he’s happy bullshitting with Scott up front.”
Bellatrix put her head down, and watched her five puppies roaming around the room. Well, four of them did. Matrix, one of the boys, all black except for four white socks sat next to Bethany Anne on the couch, watching the three of them talk.
Bellatrix chuffed to Bethany Anne who regarded the female, then slowly raised an eyebrow, “Your shitting me, right?” Another chuff, “Seriously? All five of them?” Bethany Anne looked up to Yelena who shrugged her shoulders.
“I know, right? It’s like five individual little puff-balls who usually can’t agree on what they want to eat all zoomed in on one idea and now it is written in stone.”
Bethany Anne chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Where are they on their maturity level?”
“Probably late teens, human wise.” Yelena answered before Bellatrix chuffed, “True, Matrix is pretty focused.”
Bethany Anne turned to look down at the black male who looked up at her, but whose eyes were vacant. “Why does he look like he isn’t with us right now?”
Bellatrix chuffed and the sense of someone was home returned to Matrix’s eyes. He barked back at his mom and turned to Bethany Anne and turned his head sideways. “Ok,” Bethany Anne spoke to the pup, “You got my attention, what is it Matrix?”
The little guy barked twice, “Uh,” Bethany Anne turned to look over at Yelena, her brow furrowing. “Ok, I get that the five little ones want to search out and find their human mates, but why is Matrix talking to me, but I don’t get the idea he is talking to me? With Ashur as my mate, wouldn’t that be wierd?”
“Ahhhh,” Yelena looked between Matrix and Bellatrix, “Any help here, Trix?”
There was a few moments of chuffing and high pitched barks, with an occasional lower bark from Bellatrix as the two ladies listened to the conversation between the dogs.
After a little while, Bethany Anne’s eyebrows went straight up.
TOM!
Yes?
Have you been talking with Matrix?
Yes.
How are you doing that?
I can reach out and speak to minds, Bethany Anne, so long as the other minds are capable of communication and the puppies, like their parents who have been through the Pod-Doc are certainly capable of communication.
What …uh…what have you been talking about?
He likes to talk about space and being ‘out there.’
Out where?
Space.
Yelena noticed the Queen was having an internal discussion and waited. Then, Bethany Anne closed her eyes and put her head in her hands, “Is everything ok?” Yelena asked.
“Yes,” she answered, then changed her reply, “No.”
“What’s wrong?” Yelena asked, worried what could have changed Bethany Anne’s carefree attitude from a moment before.
There was a pause before Bethany Anne answered. “My resident Alien has acquired,” she peaked out from between her fingers, looking down at Matrix who was staring back up at her, his little tongue hanging out. “A four-footed friend who wants to go see space with him. Which means seeing space with me, too.”
Matrix sat back on his haunches a braced a little straighter before barking up at Bethany Anne.
So, can he stay with me? Tom asked his best friend in the Universe.
Bellatrix chuffed and Matrix turned to look at his Mom, and barked back.
“Ashur!” Bethany Anne called out to get her companion’s attention.
Scott called back into the room, “Sorry, he left a couple of minutes ago to grab something to eat.”
Bethany Anne slowly lifted her head and leaned back on the couch, allowing her head to rest back, and looked up at the ceiling, “That little shit knew,” she grumped after a moment or two, “I’ve been played.”
Yelena was able to successfully keep a grin off of her face, but Bellatrix chuffed and Matrix jumped into Bethany Anne’s lap. She barely noticed him curl up in her lap as she absently petted the young German Shepherd as her mind was on a million other things as she stared up at the ceiling.
Yes, Yelena had to agree, you’ve been had.
How the hell, Bethany Anne was wondering, Does one have a ride-along alien that acquires a dog he can communcate with? Who thinks this shit up? Seriously, somebody needs to stop this damned asteroid, I need to get off…
Bethany Anne could tell TOM was talking and the pup was, as far as Bethany Anne could tell, communicating right back.
Fuck my life… she thought as she realized she was petting Matrix and rolled her eyes in exasperation, One more fucking time!
FROM MICHAEL >>> ROFLMAO!
I love how this time, it’s TOM that gets a puppy. When the idea of having the Puppies find their partner (similar to Ashur finding Bethany Anne so long ago) and Yelena and Bellatrix (Their Story is HERE) I wondered just who was going to get matched up? (BTW, puppies have been something my wife has been on me to do and having them all match up has been something Stephen Russell has been wanting to occur since last year… (Smirk – I mean, last year was just two weeks ago.)
Ok, some characters I thought were natural connections, but I didn’t think about TOM…you know, no body TOM?
But, I think Matrix will make a good partner for TOM and I’m curious where that friendship will go, myself.
Now, the last three (3) days have been killer. We released the second Reclaiming Honor book, and today we are releasing the second Terry Henry Walton Chronicles book too!
Then, I’m heads down finishing up NEVER SUBMIT.
If you are looking for an awesome book or two, check out both series! I think you will find you enjoy the new characters and the explanations about what is happening on Earth while Bethany Anne is checking into the stars.
If you find yourself confused on just when certain series exist in the timeline, don’t hesitate to look it up on this chart! https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwImbYUAN598RVZ0dTZwRG9Oakk/view
This snippet, we are going to focus on the second book in the Reclaiming Honor series I did with Justin Sloan.
Claimed By Honor: A Kurtherian Gambit Series (Reclaiming Honor Book 2)
Michael has moved on, can his Justice Enforcer make a difference?
Does the Sun come up in the morning?
The New York City-State wakes up and their world has been shaken to its core. The Enforcers have been scattered, but they aren’t finished. This vampire is but a bump in their road to keeping the city-state in the hands of the CEO’s.
The Were’s are involved, some leave, some stay and new alliances are made and an old one broken.
However, in the end, it always comes back to heart and determination.
Something that you often have to find for yourself, when life beats you down and Valerie is made of the right material to see it through.
Check Out More about Claimed By Honor (or purchase it) Here at Amazon!
NEVER SUBMIT – Snippet 02 of …
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, All Guns Blazing – Special Room
The door opened, and the massive amount of people already present in the room looked over to see Bobcat step in, closing the door behind him before he nodded a confirmation to Lance.
The room was large, well over thirty feet by twenty feet and had two places for people to come in and out. One for those who were part of All Guns Blazing, the other for potential guests.
What it didn’t have was a marking or designation sign on the outside of the door. This room was as close to being unknown as the group could make it.
Right now, it had a veritable who’s who of Etheric Empire notables sitting around a table inside of it.
Starting with Lance Reynolds and his wife, Patricia. Frank Kurns and Barbara Nickers, John and Jean, Eric and Darryl (Scott was on duty), Gabrielle, Stephen and Jennifer, Barnabas and Tabitha, Ecaterina and Nathan, William, Marcus, and now Bobcat finally made everyone that Lance had called very discreetly to meet him here.
Other’s couldn’t come because they had to make sure to do their best if Bethany Anne came around, looking for some of those missing.
Basically, they needed to lie their asses off if she came around, hoping she didn’t read their minds.
Now, thanks to Bobcat, he knew his daughter was having a discussion with Ashur, Bellatrix, and Yelena and he needed to get this meeting going.
“Thank you for joining me, it has come to my attention that we need to deal with a rather sensitive situation related to my daughter and one of her vices.” A few eyes raised up around the table, not understanding what the Queen’s father was talking about.
Lance looked around and slowly nodded his head, “You guys and gals don’t see it, do you?” He frowned, “Ok, I will lay it out. She is about to have a birthday in a few weeks…”
Lance got interrupted by multiple people talking at once. He put up his hand to quiet everyone down, “No, I don’t mean her human birthdate, I’m not that stupid.”
“She loves you and all,” Patricia patted her husband on the arm, “but she would kill you and I’d have to say I would understand.”
“If I could only be so lucky she would stop at that,” Lance chuckled. “I can only imagine what she could do that would be ever so much more painful.”
“Saint..” Bobcat started, before everyone at the table joined in with him pronouncing the creed, “Payback is a bitch!”
Everyone laughed as Lance just kept his lips pressed together and nodded his head in agreement. “Yes,” he admitted to the slowly quieting group, “Saint Payback WOULD be a bitch, so, I’m going to use the date TOM tells me is the closest to the actual date he would consider her turned. Since even Bethany Anne doesn’t know…”
“Why wouldn’t she know?” Gabrielle questioned.
“Because she was under for so long,” TOM’s voice came out of a speaker in the wall. A few turned in their seats before realizing what good was it to look at a speaker except to hear better?
TOM continued, “After the disaster of turning Michael, I felt that I should take my time and do it right. I followed the changes and got lost in time myself. Days and nights mean nothing when you are inside of a spaceship, so I didn’t follow them. I’ve researched the information from inside my ship, and I’m pretty confident that the actual date of her conversion is the fourteenth of June.”
“So, we have a little time,” Gabrielle considered, tapping a finger on her lips.
“Bethany Anne has a vice?” Tabitha asked aloud, a few turning in her direction, “I mean, other than cussing? Hell, she doesn’t even drink liquor that I can ever see.”
“Oh, she drinks it,” Bobcat replied, “It just doesn’t do anything to her Nanite body. It will rip through the alcohol in the drinks like nothing. She doesn’t get drunk.” he finished.
John smirked and pointed at the man, “You DID try to drink her under the table,” Darryl and Eric started chuckling.
Bobcat shrugged, his face turning red, “Well, I had beaten so many of the Wechselbalg, I thought why not give her a try?”
“It was,” William agreed, “One of the first times I’ve ever seen him incapable of walking a straight line after a drinking contest.” He put up two fingers and acted like they were walking in the air, the fingers swerving all around.
It was, Lance considered, very drunk pair of fingers.
“Which is to say,” Marcus interrupted, “We got it on video for research purposes, of course.”
“If it was for research purposes,” Bobcat jumped back in, “Then why the hell do you guys play it on a loop in the lab?”
William shrugged, straight-faced. “We are researching how long it takes for you to make a comment about it each time,” he looked over to Marcus who picked up his tablet and hit a couple of buttons on the screen.
Turning the tablet towards Bobcat, Marcus had a spreadsheet with a graph on it, “See?” He pointed to the left part of the screen. “Right here you can notice a sharp decrease towards the zero horizontal line. It seems it took you about,” Marcus turned the tablet back to himself to look at it, “four days and twelve hours to get tired of the video.”
“It’s been fourteen days,” Bobcat grated out.
“Yeah, but we’ve had a bet …” William continued before Lance cut in.
“GUYS!” They turned to the Leader of the Etheric Empires’ defenses, “Save it for later, ok?” The three men nodded.
Bobcat stuck two fingers up, pointing to William, then his own eyes, then to Marcus and back to his eyes again before mouthing silently ‘we will talk later’ to the both of them.
William smiled, and Marcus tried to stifle a laugh.
Barbara, sitting next to Frank, asked, “You said vice earlier Lance, is she cracking or something?”
“Oh, nothing like that,” Lance agreed, “It’s just you know that we are about to leave the system and we need to get a jump on handling a potential problem before it becomes a real problem. I’m sure none of us want to see her suffer withdrawals.”
Lance looked around to all of Bethany Anne’s closest friends and allies before asking, “How are we going to solve her Coke addiction?”
FROM MICHAEL >>> Ok, who didn’t think the Queen had an addiction? I love that last phrase, and wonder just how many readers might get confused between Coke (Cola) and Cocaine? I hope, by book 15, it’s precious few :-/
I want to step aside for a second and say that my success is NOT in a vacuum. No, I’ve been supported at home (obviously, trying to accomplish what I have in just 15 months WITHOUT home support? I don’t know…I wouldn’t want to try it) as well as fans, beta readers / editors, editors, fellow authors…well, the list could go on.
I do, however, want to set aside a paragraph to say ‘thank you’ to a person for helping me get through the dreaded burn-out phase of writing last year. She happens to be an industrial psychologist who focuses on the industrial production of creative works (kind of an oxymoron, if you think about it – and I’m sure I’m screwing up exactly what she studies, but I digress.) We’ve all been trained to believe that art is muse, whispery like the wind, unable to be captured, contained and studied.
Apparently, it can.
Now, she has hundreds of papers and books and profiles on the non-fiction side of things but only recently through the loving support of her husband, John and those of us in the 20BooksTo50k group did the Research Scientist put down her clipboard and do that which she studied.
Write Fiction.
That can NOT have been easy. It’s always one thing to know the numbers back and forth, it is completely another to place your creative endeavors out for others to read and based on their own subjective opinions cheer you on, or … not. While she might have all of the knowledge and (as far as I know) take any criticism with the aplomb of Spock, I have to think she is no different than me when hitting publish, biting her fingernails, looking above the desk and wondering…
Will it be liked? Is it enough to continue getting these creative stories out for the world to see?
So, like any Indie Author who publishes, she has to work through the awareness aspect (marketing).
One of the ways to produce awareness of one’s work is when those you have helped get a chance (like me) to return just a smidgeon of the help and share the fact there is a new Indie Author out there… 😉
And I would like to introduce you to her.
We Are Not Prey
How DEEP is a mother’s love?
Can determination and honor carry you among the stars?
A story of loss and discovery, We Are Not Prey, balances the darkness of despair and the joy of new beginnings. This science fiction adventure blends magic and technology with the adventures of Ruth, a normal human, pushed into extraordinary situations.
Ruth’s transformation takes her from Earth to worlds and situations of which she never dreamed.
Click Here to see more of WE ARE NOT PREY (Or Purchase / Kindle Unlimited)
NEVER SUBMIT – Snippet 01 of …
UNEDITED
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Operations and Observation Area
“Shit.”
“Gesundheit,” Maria Orsitch, standing next to Bethany Anne, replied.
Bethany Anne turned to look at the German leader, “I’m sorry?”
“What?” Maria stopped looking at the mesmerizing display of colors from the Yollin Annex Gate and turned to notice Bethany Anne looking back at her, puzzled. Maria thought back to what she had just said and asked. “Didn’t you sneeze?”
Bethany Anne smiled, eyebrows raised. “Noooo, I said shit.”
Maria made a small ‘o’ with her mouth, “Sorry, my mistake. However, while I have you talking,” she pointed out at the gate on the screens, “Why aren’t we moving forward?”
Bethany Anne thought about that question for a second and shrugged, a glint of mischievousness in her eyes.
“Shit,” Bethany Anne replied, completely straight-faced.
Now it was Maria’s turn to stare at the young Queen, trying to figure out how she was joking. In the few weeks since those from New Schwabenland had arrived on the Merideth Reynolds, Maria had been in Bethany Anne’s company quite a bit. Enough to both enjoy and be the target of her, at times, wicked sense of humor.
It was time to play twenty questions, “Is that in English?” Maria tossed out.
Bethany Anne smiled, “Yes, English.”
Maria put a finger to her mouth before asking, “Pedantic or vulgar?”
This time, it was Bethany Anne who had to pause, “Um, let’s go with a vulgar way to say a proper word.”
“Ok, so waste,” Maria agreed, nodding her head. “So, the reason we aren’t moving forward is either an engineering issue or a convenience problem?”
Bethany Anne nodded her head in agreement this time but didn’t clarify which of the two answers might be right.
“Hmmm,” Maria thought a moment. “Most of the people on this Asteroid are Americans, yes?” Bethany Anne nodded her agreement, “So, most of you have not used a bidet in your lifetimes?”
It was just a bit over half of those on the asteroid were Americans, but Bethany Anne wasn’t trying to split hairs, here. She shook her head in the negative.
“I presume the engineer or team that helped design the restrooms were European?”
“South African, I think,” Bethany Anne clarified then paused a moment after she got that split-second far away look in her eyes. “I’ve been corrected, German.”
Maria Orsitsch nodded her head, “How many rolls are you short?”
Bethany Anne smiled, “It all depends on the quantity of months or years we decide are sufficient to change over. While we could certainly force the issue, I’ve been told there are a few things where it might be wise to bend a little. Right now, I’m being informed I should bend another eleven days due to the production schedules on Earth and how many rolls are presently shipping out across the world.”
“Just how many rolls of toilet paper are we discussing?” Maria asked, finally confirming the product that was causing the Etheric Empire from going through the gate.
“Assuming a quarter million people, an average of eighteen months, using fifty-seven sheets per person and a double-ply roll of five-hundred sheets we will need approximately seven-point-seven billion sheets or fifteen-point-four million rolls. If Earth’s manufacturing capacity is thirty-four million rolls per day, I’m told to let them acquire this paper over a little time, not to just order that many for a single day delivery.”
Maria blinked a few times, “How much money is that?”
“At least ten million priced in bulk, closer to fifteen million for something pulled off Amazon,” Bethany Anne answered.
There was another pause, “How does Amazon deliver here?” Maria asked.
“They don’t!” Bethany Anne chuckled. “ADAM puts in a particular address for a building, one not in use. We doctor up the location a couple of hours before delivery to look official enough, and we accept delivery by shipping container, or containers. We get to the site, accept the delivery by a shipping container. Leave one or multiples behind and boost the one delivered up to orbit at night. We have a pretty large skeleton ship that we now use to connect all of the containers together. Once we have enough, it is pretty damned rigid, and with its own E.I. to deal with each of the gravitic engines attached, it gets moving in our direction.” Bethany Anne put up a finger to stop Maria, “Don’t ask me how it works beyond that, my little head,” Bethany Anne made motions with her hands, fingers opening wide, “explodes!”
Maria closed her mouth. She was, in fact, about to ask more technical questions. Each time she turned around, there was something new and exciting happening here in this woman’s Empire.
Now, if Maria could just turn Barnabas’ head in the right direction, life couldn’t possibly get any better.
From Michael >>> I’m in a bit of a daze, right now 🙂
You see, we (meaning myself and all of the collaborators in the Kurtherian Universe) are working hard to pull together at (author stops typing, and starts counting on his fingers…last time he did this, he fucked up.) So, five collaboration author’s books released, five more in production (meaning we have started books together, we have nothing new out) and two more verbal want to join, but nothing will happen for at least three months or more with them).
These books cross genre’s (I suppose no big surprise there…)
We have released: Post Apocalyptic with Terry Henry “TH to my Friends” Walton (from book…12 – We Have Contact) by Craig Martelle. We have Dystopian in Justice is Calling (Reclaiming Honor) with Justin Sloan, Paul C. Middleton’s The Boris Chronicles #03 is released (Revelations), our first female collaborator (of at least three, perhaps five women who are working or will work in the Universe so far) has released a fan favorite Bellatrix over Christmas. Natalie is busy on a three book series anchored by Stephen and Jennifer called The Dark Years series (those three years between books 13 and 14) and of course, a name most of my fans don’t need an introduction to, TS Paul with our collaboration called The Etheric Academy series, first book is Alpha Class.
You can click on any of the links above to be taken to the US Amazon.com to see what’s up with those books. I’ll try to do better on another snippet with laying them out.
For those who want sizzle? That’s coming with a series on the Queen’s Rangers. I’m waiting to hear back from an author who I was talking with on a Sci-Fi sizzling series… You know, the ones that would make me blush to write? Yeah, the ladies seem to have NO trouble writing them 😉
For those who like their romance a little less sizzle, JL Hendricks is going to write a story with our very own Peter and Todd during the Dark Years.
There are two additional MAJOR events in Earth’s timeline AFTER Michael and Bethany Anne meet back up and leave the planet… I am collaborating with CM Raymond and LE Barbant on a series set generations later…You know, when people of history become people of myth and Nanites have seriously messed up humans… Possibly for the better, depending on what people do with the new abilities and powers?
However, Bethany Anne and Michael won’t be lost after book 21…They are just going on a honeymoon with those closest to them. Think of it as a five year mission to seek out… 😉
I hope you enjoy the HELL out of NEVER SUBMIT when it gets released, we are in the third ARC baby, and Bethany Anne is going to fuck up some aliens who get in her way…
The Queen Bitch is coming for them, and those who have been top dog get introduced to a new Alpha and her team.
Because if there is one thing Bethany Anne will never do?
She will NEVER SUBMIT.