Wednesday's Writing Update: Pull of Gravity now available!

 

Happy Wednesday!

I have exciting news to share with everyone. Pull of Gravity, the stand-alone book three of the Gravity trilogy, is now available!

I'm really pleased with how this last story turned out, and I would say it is the best of the three. Of course, my work with the trilogy isn't over. I am now compiling the three stories into one book and adding epilogues for each story. Then, I hope to have a print/ebook editions of Gravity: The Complete Trilogy available sometime in September.

PULL OF GRAVITY
Surrounded by Books Publishing
August 13, 2012

Only $0.99!

To purchase: Amazon US / UK / DE / FR / ES / IT  Smashwords  Nook  Kobo (forthcoming)  iTunes (forthcoming)

 

Add this book on Goodreads!

A space fantasy novella

A no-nonsense Earthling corporal, Nike accepts a mission to destroy the winged-people of Cupidis to give her species a new home planet.

A spoiled Cupidian prince, Edonys gets whatever he wants until his dying father tells him he must choose a mate and take his rightful place as king.

Nike and her reconnaissance crew's space cruiser lands upon Cupidis, and they are taken to the royal palace. The king's decline leads her to believe Mission: Conquest will be easy. Edonys refuses his father's last request to fall in love, but Nike isn't anyone. She's bold and different than any Cupidian female. As Nike and Edonys's quests intertwine, an Earthling and a Cupidian will find it easier to ignore the pull of gravity than the pull of love.

A review of Pull of Gravity:

"Cherie outdid herself with the final novella in the series. Goodness knows I couldn't resist the pull of her incredible storytelling!" - Christine Rains, author of Fearless

And in case anyone is curious, this is how the word totals went for the series.

Defying Gravity - 15,388 words
Fighting Gravity - 14,245 words
Pull of Gravity - 19,744 words

For a grand total of 49,377 words!

Of course, with the addition of epilogues for Gravity: The Complete Trilogy, the collection will be a little longer.

 So what are you working on this Wednesday? Do you have any exciting news to share?

#fridayflash "To the Stars"

This is a pre-Pull of Gravity story featuring Nike.

To the Stars

Smoky haze permeated throughout the training area. Nike crept into the fake jungle. A bird called toward her right, and she just barely resisted the urge to cover the area in laser beams. The weapon felt cold and heavy in her hands. She much preferred her knife, but she’d have to get her scores up, if she wanted to be accepted for Mission: Colonization.

A cardboard alien popped up to her left, and she spun around. Two quick blasts charred the effigy beyond recognition.

When a trap dropped toward her, she rolled and blasted two more cardboard creatures. A fourth popped up, but she held her fire a split-second before she realized it was a supposed crew member.

Don’t mess this up.

She rose to her feet and was about to continue forward when the lights came up.

“Nike, a message came for you. It’s urgent,” a voice called over the loudspeaker.

“Dammit,” Nike muttered under her breath as she jogged to the door. She blinked into the sterilized white light when she entered the corridor. The lieutenant strode over to her with a slim piece of paper in her hand.

“Thought you might want to see this. It’s about Mission: Colonization.”

“Thanks,” Nike said, taking the letter. It appeared too thin to be what she’d been praying for. Why hadn’t they given her more time to prepare, to prove herself? She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Her finger slid underneath the envelope’s opening when she really wanted to rip it to shreds. Certainly she’d failed, right? Her ticket off this dying planet was slipping through her grasp.

Her hand trembled as she pulled the paper out. She unfolded it, and tears sprung into her eyes. She couldn’t read after that first word: Congratulations.

#fridayflash "Kingdom Come"

This story is pre-Pull of Gravity and takes place on the planet Cupidis with Prince Edonys and his father.

Kingdom Come

“Come with me, Edonys,” King Jypitr, his father, unfolded his golden wings and offered his hand to the boy.

“Sure, papa.” His smaller hand slipped into his father’s large one as they took off into the air.

The city unfolded around them. It gleamed white in the afternoon sun. Edonys lifted his other hand and shielded his eyes from the glare. The marbled walls soon gave away to glittering water. Dolphins played, and the glimpse of a whale’s spout erupted from the lapping waves.

His father and he flew into the purplish sky and toward the snow-encrusted mountains. Ice crusted over his wings before they swooped toward the desert filled with its golden and red sands.

After hours of soaring through pink-cottoned clouds, they rested upon a cliff’s edge, overlooking their vast kingdom.

His father tossed him a yellow-hued apple, and Edonys munched on it. The sweet liquid dampened his parched tongue and refreshed him from their long flight. He didn’t think he would ever fly so far.

They sat in silence until the apples were gone and their breathing had returned to normal.

“Do you know why I brought you here,” his father asked.

“No, papa.” Edonys fluttered his wings before licking off the apple juice from his fingers.

“One day, this planet will be yours. The Cupidians will look up to you as their king.” His father motioned toward the expanse of land before them.

“Why won’t you be king?” Edonys’s hand fluttered to his side as he stared at his father. When had his hair grown so white? It reminded him of the city walls.

“I can’t be king forever, my child. Someday, you’ll find love and I’ll have to leave you then.” He patted his son on the back. “You’ll do the right thing when the time comes, just as I did with my own father.”

The gesture was meant for comfort, but it just confused Edonys. This talk of love, departure, and kingdoms had to wait. He wasn’t ready to listen. Nothing should ever change.

Was that too much to ask?

#fridayflash "A Full House"

 

This is pre-Fighting Gravity from Marissa's point of view of her household. Sorry if you saw this yesterday too. When I pre-scheduled it, I must've clicked the wrong day. Oops. Oh, and how do you like the new #fridayflash symbol?

A Full House

Her mother’s scream shattered the children’s cries.

The twins, Cari and Lyn, tugged on Marissa’s ratty shirt. “’Issa, is mommy okay?” they asked in unison.

Marissa leaned over and kissed their foreheads. “She’s just bring our little brother and sister into the world. Farah, get down from there.”

She snatched her other sister from the dresser. “All of you settle down and eat your soup. I need to check on Mama.”

Cari, Lyn, Farah, and Caleb settled around the table and their meager meal. They didn’t even have a bouillon cube to add to the soup this time. Just some mashed vegetables and the last of their tomato cans.

“Where’s daddy?” Caleb asked, his blue eyes ripped into her heart. Would he one day leave them like the others? He was still young enough to remain here.

“He’s getting the midwife. He’ll be back soon. Eat up.” The fourteen-year old checked her siblings once more before she entered the back room.

Sweat poured from her mother’s temples. The sheet bulged over her rippling belly. The contractions had started hours ago, but their father still wasn’t back with the midwife. Would she have the baby here? Marissa hoped not.

She never wanted children.

“Mama, are you okay?” Marissa soaked a cloth in the melted snow water and dampened her forehead like her mama used to do when she was ill.

Her mother’s hands clutch the sheets as another contraction stole her breath. Then, she collapsed back against the pillow. “Is he back yet, Marissa?”

“Not yet, but it won’t be long.” Marissa looked at the battery-operated clock. The contractions were coming closer. It wouldn’t be long. One way or the other.

“I’m glad you’re here, Mari-bee. I don’t know what we would do without you.” Her mother kissed her daughter’s hand. Wrinkles and dry skin touched her mother’s hand. She was too old to have another child. Would her father take a young wife in time?

Guilt inched across her chest at the words, the gesture. Marissa wanted to be anywhere else, but home is where she would remain as her sixth sibling would soon be born. Her gaze flicked toward the window. Hazy lights robbed her view of the evening sky. Were the stars out? The outline of hills loomed in the distance. Far enough away would be St. Louis and the New Atlantic Ocean. One day she would leave and go there perhaps. Things were better south where the air was warmer. There would be enough food.

One day.

#fridayflash "An Aresian Ritual"

This flash piece involves Phoebus, an Aresian, and their practices with daimons. It's pre-Fighting Gravity.

An Aresian Ritual

Phoebus’s heart raced as he reclined on the metallic table. The light above his head flickered before solidifying into a white glow. His gaze fell toward the darkened windows hovering to his left. Would his mother be there watching him? She said she’d come.

He swallowed hard and wiped his sweaty palms upon his white trousers. Footsteps clomped closer, and he sucked in a shallow breath.

“Are you ready?” The Aresian male’s gloves popped against his flesh when he put them on.

“Do I have a choice?” Phoebus placed his hands against the table. Metal clanked above them, his ankles, his waist, and his neck.

“It’s not that bad, but we must take precautions.” The Aresian checked the restraints. His head bobbed toward the unseen spectators behind the glass.

The metal felt cold against his flesh. The Aresian pressed a gloved hand above Phoebus’s chest. Would he hear the rapid pounding of his heart? The frightened breaths?

His father had died from this procedure.

Would he be next?

Phoebus’s pulse brushed against the neck restraint as two Aresian females entered the room. Pinpricks flowed over his arms. He squeezed his eyelids shut as his fingertips went numb. “Please, don’t do this.”

“Remain still. You’ll feel a pinch.”

Phoebus opened his eyes as the needle jammed into his chest over his heart. His scream echoed in the small room. His chest felt like it was on fire. His body arched against the metal restraints, but didn’t budge them. The burn singed through his body until he thought he would pass out.

Then the male extracted the needle. “Give it a minute.”

Phoebus could barely hear the words. His voice rasped from his parched throat. The flames slowed and stopped lapping his flesh from the inside out. He gasped for air as the three other Aresians in the room backed away from him.

“What? What is it?” Fear spiked, and he was certain his heart would give out.

“The mark,” the male said and pointed at it.

The restraints disappeared into the table, and Phoebus bolted upright into a sitting position. He stared at the symbol upon his chest, and his being wanted to sink into the table, if he could. A serpent swirled around the dagger over his heart. The executioner daimon. His worst fears were realized.

“No, it can’t be.”

“Congratulations, Phoebus.” The male grinned at him, his red eyes blaring with the thrill of seeing this particular mark.

“It can’t be,” he repeated.

Hello, Phoebus, the daimon said into his mind. We’ll get to know each other very well. Are you ready?

“Noooo!”

#fridayflash "To Life"

 

I've been interviewed by Jamie White about Defying Gravity. The interview is on her blog here. I'm also giving away a copy of Defying Gravity there.

This flash piece takes place fifty years before Defying Gravity and involves Linia's grandparents.

To Life

Electricity buzzed throughout the battlefield. Grasses smoked around the Medusan bodies, and stone statues peered forever forward toward their invading army. Iris tiptoed around the stone. Each statue’s face was someone she knew, but she was looking for one in particular. Her throat tightened, and she found it hard to swallow.

How could these aliens bring war to their peaceful Persea?

Tears blinded her as she stumbled toward the next statue. Her foot caught upon a dead Medusan’s arm, and she fell. Dirt stained her bluish palms. She dug her nails into it and yanked up fistfuls of grass.

“No, no, no!”

Her forehead pressed against the ground as the earth soaked up her tears. She should return to the draken caves. She’d left her daughter with Phisto and Elphie. If the Medusans returned now, she’d never flee from their terrifying stare.

She crawled toward the last statue. Please, please, don’t be him. Please.

Her fingers pressed against his stone-coated boots, trailed along his pants, and grasped hold of his hand. Her head lifted until she saw his face. Please.

His lips were parted in silent surprise, eyelids widening just so. He appeared to be reaching out with one hand. The other was close to his throat, the gemstone of life. A second later, and he would’ve been safe. Her dear husband. Gone.

A sob rose in her chest and burst from her mouth. She clawed up his body until she was standing, exposed to their enemy, their war. “No, Feros, not you. Amari needs you. I need you.”

He couldn’t be dead. Not her Feros.

Her hand went to her collar. The cool gemstone urged her to turn it. Would she be able to save him? They hadn’t tried to save them. Perseans knew the risks of their gifts and the laws, but Feros was frozen in rock, but what if he wasn’t really dead?

“I have to try,” she said, twisting the stone as blue electricity illuminated her body.

As her hand hovered above her husband’s heart, her hopes and fears lay with one touch. Did she dare? Could she save him? Them all?

She touched him, and their world exploded into possibility when the stone cracked and brought her husband back to life.

Fantasy Tuesdays: Space Fantasy, The Final Frontier

First off, I am talking about the importance of critique partners with Aubrie Dionne. I am also giving away a copy of my space fantasy romance novelette Defying Gravity, so please drop by and enter. Plus, Aubrie Dionne writes some wonderful space operas/science fiction romance, so be sure to check out her novels too.

Space fantasy is perhaps the final frontier when it comes to the fantasy genres. It’s so borderline science fiction that some would argue it is closer to science fiction than fantasy. For me, though, science fiction involves well, science. Defying Gravity has wormholes, spaceships, and mentions stars and galaxies, but the science part ends there. I created the planets (Persea, Medusa, the brief mention of Aresia). I created the aliens much like I would create a fantasy world with their cultures, type of magic, and creatures. I deposited the main characters on a post-apocalyptic Earth of my imagination.

When our Earth isn’t enough, I believe we writers of fantasy can sometimes have fun in other planets.

Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly, and Stargate are some well-known space fantasy/sci-fi fantasy/space operas.

Today my space fantasy romance novelette Defying Gravity officially debuts. What a better day than Valentine’s Day to have space aliens, cannibalistic humans, and romance.

Homesick upon the SS Perseid, Linia, a young linguist, thinks she signed up for a mission of peace, but her crew members have another plan: attack the planet Medusa.

Bored with his dying planet, Alezandros, a space cruiser pilot, joins the Medusan Army in his quest for adventure.

When the SS Perseid clashes with the Medusans’ space cruisers, Alezandros and Linia’s lives intertwine. Sucked through a wormhole, they crash upon a post-apocalyptic Earth and are captured by cannibals. In adjacent cells, Alezandros and Linia cast their differences aside for a common bond: escape. But when romantic feelings emerge between them, they might do the unthinkable because for a Medusan and a Persean to fall in love, it would defy gravity.

Book Links: Surrounded by Books Publishing 

Goodreads 

Amazon  Amazon UK   Amazon DE  Amazon FR  Amazon IT  Amazon ES

 

What space fantasy novels, TV shows, or movies do you enjoy?

#fridayflash "Love's Choice"

Love’s Choice

His eyelids slipped closed as he sank further into the warm water. Gentle music from a harp glistened along the marble tiles. His fingers pushed bubbles across the pool’s water. A sigh tumbled from his lips before he heard the splash and felt the waves lapping against his bare chest.

“Go away,” he said, refusing to open his eyes.

“Oh, Edonys, get over yourself, dear brother.” A burble of laughter struck him at the same time the water did.

He sputtered and wiped the suds from his face. “Dite, go away.”

She pouted with her full lips, and if she wasn’t his blood kin, she might’ve gotten away with that look. “Don’t you want to know why I came?”

“I don’t really care.” He settled back on the pool’s bench. Nothing she could say would make him care.

“Father’s looking for you.” She reclined in the water, her golden skin glistened under the sun’s rays. Her reddish-blond feathers on her wings appeared almost crimson from the water.

“Then he can find me.”

“He says it’s time.”

“Time for what?” His gaze focused upon her as she stood in the water. Drops splattered into the pool from her body.

Drop, drop.

“Don’t you know?” She crossed her arms and stared at him.

No playing coy now. His heart dropped to his toes like water draining from the pool. He lifted himself out of the water, shook his own golden wings, and padded over to his towel.

“I don’t have time for this.” His ran the cloth over his body, but it couldn’t remove his knowledge. Of course Father would send her, but couldn’t she see he wasn’t ready? If he didn’t accept, then his father couldn’t—

“You must take a wife, my dear princeling.” Dite’s voice grew soft, nearly melancholic in its beauty. She’d gotten out of the pool and touched his arm with her damp hand. He gazed at those perfectly manicured fingers. “The Cupidians need our next king before our dear father dies.”

“I know.” But they couldn’t have a new king until he found a wife, and he refused to choose because his new wife meant his father’s death.

Their planet couldn’t ask this of him, could it?

He wouldn’t choose.

#fridayflash "Last Look"

Last Look

Nike pressed her palm against the cool window. Earth had never looked so beautiful and desolate as it did from space. Rusty brown coated most of the planet, but swirls of blue and puffy clouds dotted the landscape. She’d seen old pictures of Earth, but this was not her ancestors’ planet anymore.

It wasn’t hers either.

“Neeeee-kaaaaay.” The voice echoed in the spaceship, and she stiffened as boots clomped along the metallic floors toward her. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“How can I serve you, Captain?” Her fingertips trailed along the window, as if caressing a long-lost lover.

“There was a brief disturbance in Sector J. Some of the civvies are having second thoughts about the mission, and—”

“You thought I could speak with them.” How could she explain her own doubts? They were leaving the only home they’d ever known. Earth may have changed drastically since the disaster, but they were abandoning home.

“Yes, exactly that.” The captain smoothed down the fabric of her uniform. “I knew I could count on you.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

She listened to the captain leave. A sigh flowed from her lips and fogged up the window, obscuring her view of Earth. It was just as well. A new home awaited them. It was just a hop, skip, and a jump through a wormhole.

If only it could be that easy . . .

#fridayflash "His Father's Funeral"

His Father’s Funeral

His father’s body lay upon the stacks of wood. Each step the death priests took made his shoulders droop. A drum pounded out a steady beat.

Step, droop, beat.

He reached over, his small hand trying to take his mother’s beside him.

She smacked his hand away. The sting just tingled. It couldn’t compete with the ache in his ten-year-old heart.

“Mother?” His voice lifted the question, but cold eyes—not a teardrop sparkled within them—focused upon him.

The death priests lifted the torches to the firebowl.

“Phoebus, your father died because he was weak. His daimon rejected him.” Her voice had hushed to a sharp whisper. He glanced around, but no one heard her words except for him.

Step, droop, beat.

The fiery torches went from the firebowl to the pyre. His eyes filled with tears, and they trickled down his face and dripped upon his boots.

“Now stand up straight, don’t snivel for the dead.”

With eyes closed and tears still dampening his cheeks, he straightened his shoulders.

It did nothing for the pain. The loss. His breath held in his chest until he thought he would burst under the pressure, or pass out.

When he opened his eyes, smoke obscured his father’s body, and he could almost pretend he wasn’t dead and gone.

Almost.

Step, droop, beat.

#fridayflash "The Surface"

The Surface

Alezandros held his older sister’s hand. He glanced behind him. The darkness of the Underground nearly swallowed his parents, but he caught their silhouettes within it. Up ahead, thin light illuminated the entrance.

“Come on, Zanny. You’re too slow.” Kaire tugged on his hand and marched towards the light.

“Go on, son. It’ll be a treat to see where we once all lived.” Father shooed them forward.

“Why don’t we—” His question was lost in the amazement of the surface.

A fresh breeze rustled his darkened locks. The strands seemed to recognize the air and waved in greeting. He had felt the generated air within the tunnels and their home, but nothing like this. It was cold too, nearly frigid. It burned his lungs, but it made him feel more alive. The fear drifted away with each icy breath.

The light came from the weak sun in the sky. He’d heard about the sun and how Medusa was too far from it now. The sky swirled in blues and grays. He’d never seen such colors except on fabric.

In the distance, rocks poked up from the ground. No, not rocks. Buildings. It was where they used to live before the asteroid. Before everything changed, including the climate, plants, animals. Everything.

“That’s really the city, isn’t it? Do you think we’ll find things still there?” Kaire’s voice rose in pitch with each word, her green eyes bright.

“Yes, that’s the city,” Mother said, stroking Kaire’s thick strands. “Now you two need to stay with us. We’ll show you around, but it’s still a dangerous place.”

“Will we get to see where grandma and grandpa lived?” He’d never met them, but he heard the stories, how they bravely fought for a right at a better life on their neighboring planet Persea.

“Yes, we’ll take you.” Father smiled, a genuine smile that made Alezandros’s heart sing.

“Race you, Zanny!” Kaire took off in a loping sprint.

For a second, he imagined what Medusa must’ve looked like before the disaster. It must’ve been beautiful. Then, he ran to catch up, but he knew he never would. She was older and stronger. He would still try. And at the moment, he didn’t care if he won or lost.

He was on the surface.

#fridayflash "The Persean Ritual"

“The Persean Ritual”

Linia focused upon the glowing blue light seeping from underneath the door. Soon, it would be her turn to enter. The thought made her mouth feel like she’d swallowed her shirt. Her parents hovered beside her. Mom rubbed circles along her back. Dad stood with a lop-sided grin upon his face. Her antennae drooped lower into her blond hair.

“Does it hurt?” Her question rose barely above a whisper.

“Oh, no, sweetheart.” Dad stroked her hair as the light disappeared from the door.

“There is a quick jolt, but it goes away.” Mom stopped rubbing my back.

A quick jolt. Linia’s heart skipped a beat. Her fingers went up to the gemstone within her choker. “Do I have to do this?”

“It’ll be fine.” Dad’s words carried no reassurance to his thirteen-year-old daughter.

The door slid open.

She would’ve run for it, if her parents hadn’t pushed her forward. Two steps. One more, and she entered the darkened room. She glanced behind her, but the door had already closed, her parents on the other side. No, no!

A man dressed in white stood in the center of the room. “Come closer, child.”

Her back pressed against the cool walls. She shook her head.

“It won’t hurt.” With a gloved hand, he motioned her toward him. When she didn’t move, he smiled. “I can wait all day, but I don’t know if everyone else will be so kind.”

They all do it, she told herself, but she found no comfort in this sterile room. She remained in her spot for several minutes. The man with the gloves waited for her. Ugh, she couldn’t take the waiting any more than she could take the fear of what would happen. She stumbled from the wall and stood before him.

“Very good.” He lifted up a pair of metal pliers. “It’s a couple snips, and we’ll twist the gemstone around. Hold still.”

She held her breath and closed her eyes. Metal clipped loudly in her ears. The gemstone shifted against her neck. Then, electricity jolted through her body. She stiffened as a soft cry burst from her lips.

“Open your eyes, child.”

Her eyelids parted. The room was bathed in blue light. Her body buzzed with her life rhythms as the blue pulsed with her heartbeat. Amazing.

“Now turn the gemstone back into place.”

Her fingers felt the smooth stone, and she shifted it back into place. The light vanished, leaving only the white room and the man in white before her. Shivers of the enormity of what had happened passed along her spine.

“You now have the power of life and death. Use your Persean gifts wisely, child.”