Saturday, March 30, 2013

Excerpt: The Chameleon Effect #17

Chavez works for The Agency and has been assigned to rescue Kira Rostropovich and return her to Vega Minor, where she resides with her parents. After being in prison and being 'bought' by Chavez in an auction, Kira is not happy about being searched by Chavez. But he finds a tracking device on her right before a mercenary, Captain Maddeson, finds them and demands that Kira be turned over to him. Chavez immediately makes a sudden jump across the galaxy, much to Kira's surprise! Kira continues to have nightmares and is haunted by the fact that her life is in danger. She demands to go back to Prison Planet 452, but Chavez has someone to add to his crew complement first.
Kira's dream keeps coming back. Is it a warning? All she knows is that her destiny lies intertwined with the prison planet. Will Chavez understand? It is six hours away from rendezvousing with Dr. Winters, who will attempt to help Kira with her problems. But Captain Maddeson is on an intercept course to capture them and return them to the warden. Will they escape? Dr. Winters has diagnosed Kira with the Chameleon Effect and in an attempt to halt its progress, he will use Chavez's DNA. But Kira has other plans and escapes off Chavez's ship, without a word to anyone. Chavez decides to go after her. Kira remembers that her sister is being held hostage and she must return to the prison planet in order to barter for her freedom. But before she can get there, she is captured by Captain Maddeson, who is demanding payment for her return to the warden. While she was fleeing, Chavez fights off an Orgarian boarding party who shoot Dr. Winters. He urges Chavez to go after Kira before he dies. Captain Maddeson has captured Kira and is planning on turning her over to the warden. Chavez is devastated and goes against Agency urging to wait for reinforcements. Is he becoming a renegade?




Kira hugged her sister tight and led her from the cell that had been her home for so many years. Having an younger sister was something of a novelty for Kira, but Demishia made it easy.
“Kira, have you really done what the warden asked? Am I to be set free?”
“Of course! That was his promise.”
“Don’t rely on the words of a mercenary, sister, he will always take what he wants if there is something left for the taking.”
“But he promised!” Kira began wondering if Demishia might be right and in her computer-like brain she quickly formed a plan of action to prove out the warden. “Demishia, go hide on the shuttlecraft until I come for you.”
“Where do I go?”
“Go inside the door and don’t touch anything.”
Since all the guards on the planet knew Demishia, they let her go wherever she chose. Therefore, they took no notice when she headed for the docked shuttle. Kira, on the other hand, was looked upon with great suspicion and the guards required permission from the warden when she attempted to enter his office.
“Well, my little chameleon, didn’t I tell you I would set your sister free when you returned?” The pudgy warden leaned back in his chair and wiped his face with a handkerchief.
“Yes. And now we would like to leave.” Kira raised her webbed fingers and pointed up.
“I’m sorry, Kira, nothing was said about you leaving. Your sister is welcome to go. She is of no more use to me. Her body is worn out from the chromosomal changes it has undergone. But you are in just the beginning stages. I have big plans for you.” The warden picked up a knife and sliced into an apple and popped a piece into his mouth while he spoke to Kira.
Kira’s eyes were like ice as she stood silently before him. “I’m asking you once more to let us go.”
The warden laughed. “Do I need to have you jailed again? Or perhaps strapped down on the table until you agree?”
Then Kira remembered. The warden had strapped her down on the table to force her to obey. He had injected her with mind-altering drugs and wiped her memory. But the chameleon effect had returned her memory to her. Plus, she had discovered that her mind was starting to act like a computer and she could access information with a touch. She stepped over to the computer that was on the warden’s desk. Touching the screen, she read what was in his computer as it quickly flashed by. All of his codes and file names and all of his secrets.
“So… you have a partner on Vega Minor that is waiting for payment. Your code to your credits is pidgeonxxx. How very clever. He was the one who set up the kidnappings. I’ll have to remember that.”
Kira watched the warden visibly pale as she spoke his secrets. “Where did you get that information?” His voice was shaky and he began to sweat profusely.
“You gave it to me when you put this thing in my body. I can tell you more… how about how you’re going to die?”
“Enough!” The warden clambered up out of his chair, puffing and wheezing as he rose. “Guards! Get in here!”
The two guards that had been standing outside his door ran inside, their weapons raised. Looking at Kira, then at the warden, they waited for their instructions.
“Take her to a cell and lock her inside!”
But the guards didn’t move. “What’s the matter? Didn’t you hear me? Get moving!”
“I’m sorry, sir, but she has the whole compound wired to explode. If we arrest her, she’ll blow this place up.” One of the guards put away his blaster and held his hands up in a sign of surrender.
The warden sputtered. “Oh come on! Use your head. She’s not going to blow this place up when she and her sister are in the compound.”
“Her sister isn’t in the compound, sir.”
The warden’s face turned white. But Kira turned and started to walk away. “You stop right now! I’m in charge here!” he sputtered.
But Kira ignored him and kept walking as quickly as she could. It wouldn’t take long before he’d convince his guards that one woman couldn’t wire the whole place. Or could she? Especially since she had special powers.
Arriving at the shuttle, she opened the door and locked it after her. She saw Demishia standing in the middle of the aisle of the shuttle.
“I didn’t touch anything," she said.
“Thank you. Let’s get out of here. Sit down and buckle up.” Kira watched her younger sister move with slow, deliberate motions. She realized had been experimented on before Kira until she was wasting away. She was the product of the failed chameleon effects and her body was dying. Kira seethed inside. Something had to be done and there was only one person she knew who could do it. She sat down and searched out the system for his ship. She found it closer than she expected. It was orbiting prison planet 452.

To be continued...

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Remember Clue?


Do you remember the Parker Brother's game entitled CLUE? It's where you find out who did it, using which weapon, and where it happened. My daughter and I happened to fall into a similar hunt while trying to solve the problems that appeared in my new medical mystery. The story opens with a new employee of a hospital (the protagonist) noticing that an unusual amount of patients were dying in unexpected circumstances, and without any real reasons. She finds herself wrapped up trying to solve this conundrum with the help of one of the staff doctors. What she doesn't know is that perhaps it isn't a single person involved in this nefarious crime.

Why is this story like the game Clue? I found myself listing separate people, associated with certain items and in certain places. For instance, The charge nurse would always have a clipboard, which she kept all her notes on. But that's not all she kept written down on it. She was gathering facts about all the nurses. Was it an attempt to get one fired? Or did she know something else? Also, our protagonist discovers empty vials of atropine in each of the dead patient's rooms. Given enough atropine, it could stop the heart. Did it?

What does it all mean? When I add all my clues together, I'm hoping to have a surprise ending for my readers. But like Clue, it takes a patient building up and elimination of all the clues until one is left. In the drawing room, with the rope. Or is it in the hallway, with the lead pipe? Either way, I'll be sure to let you know!

Do you have a mystery you are trying to solve? How about what your latest wip? That can be a mystery in and of itself. Have you put in enough clues to make it exciting? Let me know what you are working on.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Are You A Prince or a Princess?






My granddaughter recently visited and I happen to ask her what her favorite character was... well... I was rudely awakened to the fact that she liked all the Disney princesses and she wanted to be just like them! She started naming off all the princesses, some of which I didn't know, and then started singing their theme songs. I was definitely awed by her ability to dance around and then curtsy.

What I wanted to tell her (but couldn't), was that in about a year and a half we would be making the reservations for our own trip to the Magic Kingdom. My granddaughter will be seven when we go - just the right age to be swept away by Disney's magic. But it was her question to me that got me thinking.

"Nana, which princess are you?"

We all have a kid inside that's begging to get out at times. That princess is the key to my imagination and by allowing her to have time to play gives me an enriched ability when I write. It doesn't mean I have to be a princess 24/7, but it means letting myself imagine my way through the story I'm working on. And you can too. Be a prince or princess and allow your imagination to fly! I'll see you later!

Sunday, March 17, 2013

St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Are you celebrating by wearing something green? Have you had your corn beef and cabbage? Do you go to the nearest pub and order a brew?

St. Patrick's day was originally a holiday commemorating Saint Patrick and the arrival of christianity in Ireland.






Celebrations include public parades, ceilithe (folk music and dancing), and the wearing of green or shamrocks.


So put on your green shamrock and dance! Because I have Irish blood included in my ancestry, I'm able to see a part of my history in this holiday. Do you have Irish descent? If not, what holiday is akin to you?

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

National Wormhole Day Blog Hop!




Welcome to the National Wormhole Day Blog Hop, sponsored by Stephen Tremp. I was excited to help celebrate Albert Einsten's birthday, which is on March 14th. What a wonderful way to travel through time and space than with a blog hop. It can take you to new heights as you meet new travelers all over the world. You can be a part of this blog hop by clicking HERE.

Here's the challenge:

What would you do or where would you go if you could traverse a wormhole through space or time just once? One safe round trip passage. Would you go back in time and talk some sense into a younger you? Go five years into the future and bring back the Wall Street Journal? See just how the heck the Great Pyramids of Giza were really built? View what the other side of the universe looks like?





 I decided to travel into the future to a planet that was technologically advanced from ours. I'm taking every sort of device that will store information so I can bring the technology back with me. I might even get something from my new friends that is more advanced, like a button-sized recorder that is capable of not only storing information, but also computing and solving problems. Ideally, it would learn and translate new languages. 

I'm especially interested in their medical innovations and the ability to travel through space at light speed. Also, a planet that is so advanced would probably have peace among its people, since their needs would be met and they would be productive parts of society. 

Einstein had his own theories about light speed (E=mc2), but since I'm not an expert, I'd bring back the information and make sure it got into the right hands. After making such a voyage, my life would be changed. I'm sure I would be constantly looking up at the stars, wishing to make another trip. Of course, I do that now since I'm a science fiction addict and think that time travel is the coolest way to meet the universe.

Now that you've read my ideas about travel through a wormhole, let's hear about yours! Make sure you visit others in this very cool blog hop! (click here)

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Excerpt: The Chameleon Effect # 16

Chavez works for The Agency and has been assigned to rescue Kira Rostropovich and return her to Vega Minor, where she resides with her parents. After being in prison and being 'bought' by Chavez in an auction, Kira is not happy about being searched by Chavez. But he finds a tracking device on her right before a mercenary, Captain Maddeson, finds them and demands that Kira be turned over to him. Chavez immediately makes a sudden jump across the galaxy, much to Kira's surprise! Kira continues to have nightmares and is haunted by the fact that her life is in danger. She demands to go back to Prison Planet 452, but Chavez has someone to add to his crew complement first.
Kira's dream keeps coming back. Is it a warning? All she knows is that her destiny lies intertwined with the prison planet. Will Chavez understand? It is six hours away from rendezvousing with Dr. Winters, who will attempt to help Kira with her problems. But Captain Maddeson is on an intercept course to capture them and return them to the warden. Will they escape? Dr. Winters has diagnosed Kira with the Chameleon Effect and in an attempt to halt its progress, he will use Chavez's DNA. But Kira has other plans and escapes off Chavez's ship, without a word to anyone. Chavez decides to go after her. Kira remembers that her sister is being held hostage and she must return to the prison planet in order to barter for her freedom. But before she can get there, she is captured by Captain Maddeson, who is demanding payment for her return to the warden. While she was fleeing, Chavez fights off an Orgarian boarding party who shoot Dr. Winters. He urges Chavez to go after Kira before he dies.





“It’s not realistic for one man to try an assault on a prison compound. Chavez, think for a moment.”
Vida, the head of covert operations, attempted to talk sense into an angry Chavez. She’d seen him in many different states over the many years they had worked together, but never one where his logic had gone so awry.
“Are you saying I can’t do this?”
“I’m saying wait until we can get a full team there to help you. Just wait, that’s all.”
“We don’t have time. Dr. Winters gave me the antidote and if she doesn’t get it…” He paused and swallowed hard. “…she could die.”
Vida nodded in agreement. “And so could you. Have you considered that?”
“I’m already dead, remember? You classified me as dead when I went into this noble profession.”
“Chavez, I think you’re not thinking clearly. What’s troubling you? Is it the death of your close friend? I think you need to pull out for now and re-group. Perhaps take a holiday. Let us rescue the girl.”
“No. I need to finish this. I can’t fail this case.”
“Why? Because you’ve never failed before? Chavez, we all fail a case. It’s expected. This is your time to let it go.”
“No! I do not accept that!”
Chavez pounds on the console and ends his connection, knowing that Vida will send out the units to help anyway. But it will be too late if he waits for them to come. He dons blasters, laser guns, knives and everything he can carry and prepares to enter the compound on Prison Planet 452.
Before he has a chance to get to the surface, he observes Captain Maddeson’s ship in orbit around the planet. He covertly listens to his conversation with the warden and discovers that Kira is still on his ship and he is bartering for more credits. The shuttle that the two Orgarians kindly donated to him will come in handy so he can fly over to the Orgarian battleship.
Chavez is met by only a few Orgarians, as he flies into the belly of the cavernous battleship. He sighs with relief, having fooled them into thinking he was a patrol returning. Chavez is dressed in the black and grey of an Orgarian uniform and takes advantage of the low lighting to surreptitiously make his way to the bridge. One Orgarian starts to challenge him, but he shines a bright light in his eyes, momentarily blinding him. He arrives on the bridge to find Maddeson sitting in the captain’s chair, amidst an array of consoles manned by at least a dozen Orgarians. He is frustrated that he finds Maddeson, but not Kira.
“Well, Chavez, welcome to my ship! Isn’t she fantastic? What is it you want?” His common Terran is thick with a slurred, guttural accent.
“You’re awfully relaxed for someone about to die. Where is she?”
“I imagine she’s in her quarters. But you are laboring under the wrong impression. She doesn’t want to go with you, she wants to go back to the planet. So you see, it is you who are about to die. Seize him!”
Before Chavez can draw his weapon, he is surrounded by guards who strip him of all he carries. Two of the guards hold him while a third one begins beating on him. First the guard slaps his face and then begins punching him. He continues beating him until he is barely conscious.
Captain Maddeson watches the beating while he eats. He is trying to make a decision. He knows the warden wants Chavez back. But he made an agreement with Kira. And after all, the warden hadn’t been forthcoming with all that was transpiring. He knew that after seeing Kira’s condition. He didn’t know what was happening to her, but she didn’t look like her pictures anymore. Her sweetheart shaped face was now mottled with blotches and on her neck were slits like gills that would puff in and out with her breathing.
Captain Maddeson signaled to the guards and they dropped Chavez on the floor. He lay there breathing heavily, waiting for the final blow. He was going to die at any moment.
“I made an agreement with the female that I would not kill you, so you are fortunate today. But after she is off my ship, that agreement is over. So do not return, Chavez.”
A jackboot came down atop Chavez’s head and everything went black.
Chavez woke up floating in space on his own ship. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been out, but he had bruises and scrapes everywhere and it hurt to stand up at the monitors. He crawled up into his chair and hailed Captain Maddeson.
“What is it, Chavez? Do you want some more of my hospitality?”
“Is Kira still on your ship?”
“No. The warden has her on the planet, now. I warn you, Chavez, my promise still stands. Should I blast you out of space?”
“I don’t think you’ll be able to.”
“And why is that?”
“Because I have a surprise for you. While I was wandering your ship, I planted it with explosives and this…” He held up the small computerized relay device, “… is the detonator.” 
Chavez smiled through the bruises on his scarred face and watched as the horror-struck half-human, half-reptile was blown into a million bits, along with his ship.
But he still didn’t have Kira. And his chronometer went off; indicating the time for administering the antidote was over. From here on out, it couldn’t reverse the Chameleon Effect, only stop it where it was. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in any position to find Kira or get her back. He had failed. And he realized that his desire for Kira was a one-sided fantasy wrapped up in his retrieving her. He wanted to be that knight in shining armor who rode in on his white steed and faced down the bad guys, so she could fall into his arms with passionate relief. But it was just a dream. How could he expect Kira to be in love with him when he had failed on every count and even got his best friend killed? The warden had won this time.
Chavez put his face in his hands and wept. 


To be continued...

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Insecure Writer's Support Group


The Insecure Writer's Support Group posts on the first Wednesday of each month. To learn more about this group you can visit Alex J. Cavanaugh. Although I'm a little late posting this at the end of the day, I'm happy to be getting it up.

Dreaming:



My thoughts today lie with a trip my daughter is planning. She has plans to take me, her sister and my granddaughter to Disney World in the coming year or two. The reason I'm not definite on the date is because this trip is still in the planning stages. And just like with writing a book, it requires lots of investigation and careful research before you put pen to paper, or make final plans.

I used the word dreaming because it's always been a dream of mine to visit the Magic Kingdom in Florida. I live in Oregon, so it's not just a trip around the block, it's a major excursion. We'll be flying across country to a different climate and hopefully it will be a pleasant adventure.

In the mean time, I'm going to be starting a new adventure of my own. I will be creating the world of Cheri Storm, RN. She's moving across country to be with her mother and discovers some creepy events at the new hospital she's working at. Just how many people is too many to be dying at this hospital? And what about the empty vial of atropine she found under the bed of the latest victim? It shouldn't have been there, but it was her patient and she could be the one they prosecute.

What are you dreaming about today? Do you have any plans for the future? Are you writing anything new? Or working on a draft? Let me know so we can dream together!

Monday, March 4, 2013

Boomtown Craze Launch!


I'm happy to introduce M Pax's latest book in her series, Boomtown Craze. She did an extraordinary job on this book and it's well worth reading. ~ KEB





A Grand New Age of Boom or Dust?

Boomtown Craze, Book 3 in the Backworlds series is here!

In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe.

To secure his future, Craze must propel his world into a more prosperous era. Only days away from the grand opening of his new and improved tavern, he is confronted by a loony Backworlder intent on mucking up his plans. Gaunt and trembling, she claims her spaceship is possessed. She also has a connection to the underworld that shakes loose the dark past of one of Craze’s closest friends. It all threatens to end Craze’s prosperity before it begins.

Meanwhile off world, Captain Talos works desperately to outwit the mercenary Jixes and lure them away from his and Craze’s budding prospects. The mind-control weapon Talos uses against them is wearing thin, and his next move may be his last.

Will Craze and Talos’s efforts bring about a grand new age of boom or damn them to forever struggle in the dust?


Available in ebook at:

Other Outlets can be found at http://mpaxauthor.com


It will also be available in paperback from Amazon shortly.


MPAX



M. Pax is a Browncoat and SG fan, she’s also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer. She lives in stunning Central Oregon with the Husband Unit and two lovely, spoiled cats.

You can also find M. Pax on LinkedIN, Pinterest, YouTube, and Wattpad

From March 4 to March 22, folks can enter to win the following:

1 set of signed Backworlds paperbacks, including The Backworlds, Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge, and Boomtown Craze. Will only ship to US residents.


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One of five free ebooks. All countries eligible. Enter the rafflecopter for a chance.

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Miss Firefly? Try the Backworlds. Book 1 is FREE for all ereaders. Life on the galactic frontier. Will it be boom or dust? Boomtown Craze, Book 3, is now out. WIN books. Paperbacks and ebooks up for giveaway http://mpaxauthor.com/boomtown-craze-launch-party/