Time for Weekend Writing Warriors (click the logo above) and Snippet Sunday (click the logo below) again! I’m still posting from Tourist Trap, from the hang gliding scene. Roi has realized that the misbehavior of his glider is probably due to sabotage, and he’d better bail out. But at the last minute he finds himself wondering about his parachute.
What if the chute had been sabotaged too? He reached into the package with his mind, and spat out a couple of curses from his years as a slave. The chute felt as if someone had tied it in loose knots and stuffed it into the holding bag. He’d really be in trouble with that deployed.
Better try to use his perceptive and telekinetic abilities to get the compensation circuit straightened out, he decided, and reached mentally for the chip in the left upright of the control triangle. His mind touched something that should not have been there at all, and he cried out aloud and doubled up under the impact of a high-powered screamer.
Roi had felt screamers before, and managed to work through them after a fashion. This one, however, was far stronger than anything in his experience.
And he’s just barely been able to control the glider at full ability. With the screamer going, most of his esper talents are useless.
The Blurb:
A vacation with his three best friends from slavery and a manhood challenge: Roi is given the graduation present he has dreamed of. Dogsledding, hang gliding, a chance to see Pleistocene animals transplanted to a Terraformed vacation world, horseback riding, sailing … all the sports he has returned to with his recovery from paralysis, and a few new ones to learn.
They’re prepared for danger from weather, wild animals and extreme sports. But none of them realize that Roi’s half brother Zhaim, determined to recover his old position as Lai’s heir, intends to kill them if he can—and he’s decided that the dangers of the trip will make a perfect cover for his schemes.
How long will it take them to realize that the “accidents” they keep running into are more than just accidents?
Tourist Trap, the second novel of the Jarnian Confederation, won first place in science fiction and fiction book of the year in the 2011 Reader Views contest.
Reviewers say:
“Fans of Sue Ann Bowling’s novel Homecoming will not be disappointed with its sequel. Tourist Trap returns the reader to the world of the Jarnian Confederation—to Roi, Lai, Marna, and all of their friends and relations. The author does a stellar job of bringing these characters to life, allowing the reader to not only see their actions but to understand the culture and politics that motivate them. (ForeWord Clarion review)
“Tourist Trap” is a great read for anyone that wants motivation and feeling to accompany the action in their sci-fi adventure. Alien beings and super powers are an integral part of Roi’s story but what makes this novel really shine is the heart. Nobody is good or evil just because that’s their assigned role. Just like in real life, everyone has their own motivations and desires, and Bowling does a great job of letting the reader see what it would be like to walk in the shoes of Roi, Xazhar, and even madman Zhaim. (ReaderViews review)
Tourist Trap (iUniverse, 2011) is available from:
iUniverse http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000188494/Tourist-Trap.aspx
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tourist-trap-sue-ann-bowling/1104199464
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Tourist-Trap-Sue-Ann-Bowling/dp/1462029582/
in dust jacket, trade paper, and e-book formats.
Buy Homecoming from iUniverse
'Homecoming' Blog 
Uh oh, things don’t look good for Roi.
His real problem is that he’s gotten over being a slave enough that he’s acting like a teenager.
OMG. Just when I thought Roi would make it. . .Breathless, I await what happens next.
Nice job–I thought he’d make it, too. I understand his frustration.
Maybe eventually.
Of course, I want people to buy the book. Or at least come back next week.
What is going to happen to Roi now. I cannot follow stories too well. this is however very intriguing.
Maybe I ought to put the bits I’ve excerpted together on my author site. (They’re all accessible under ‘Index.”)
Oh man, just when it seemed he’d get of this okay, look what you throw at him! I am so enjoying this story.
Oh, I’ll keep throwing for a while.
Wow, challenge on challenge for Roi and at every point you stay one step ahead of the Reader, which is great. Excellent excerpt as always!
Of course. Isn’t that what a writer is supposed to do?
Excellent tension. I’m really intrigued by the world you’ve created.
I kind of like it myself.
Uh oh. He’s in a little bit of a pickle.
Actually the second time in the book, but the first time he’s realized it. Teenagers don’t believe anything can happen to them.
Holy cow—you aren’t giving that poor kid any breaks, are you?
Then again, that’s one of the things I admire about your work, so carry on! 🙂
Part of our job as writers.
A good passage Sueann!
Thanks. I’ve been blogging from this scene quite a while.
Hopefully his friends will realize that something’s wrong and come help him.
His friends are all up in gliders themselves. What could they do?
Roi is in a pickle! Nice snippet.
That he is.
Roi has come a long way since Homecoming. It’ll be interesting to read how he comes out of this. Good job of maintaining tension, Sue Ann.
Tourist Trap starts a year and a half after Homecoming ends, so he’s had that time to get used to freedom. However, it’s the time spent in slavery that will be most important to him.
So is the screamer some kind of entity or some gadget attached to the control triangle? Either way, good for you keeping your character in perilous situations to get out of.
The Murders of Polly Frisch
It’s an esper-broadcasting gadget.
Each time Roi seems okay he faces another challenge, keeps us all emotionally invested.
That’s the idea! (There are stretches of the book where he’s just enjoying himself.)
Wow this is tense! So with Roi’s powers gone or temporarily blocked, what can he do.. I’m guessing (hoping) there must be another way to get out of this.
He’s had to hide his powers for most of his life.
Wow, scary! I’m looking forward to seeing how he handles this! Seems like it’s going to take some serious concentration and control.
That it is.
You’re an evil, evil person. (Well done!)
I have to admire a bad guy that’s so thorough in their evil plots, even though I certainly hope Roi manages to survive.
(Evil cackle.)
Another challenge for poor Roi. Enjoyed the excerpt.
He’s not through yet.
What a great set up for action, suspense and adventure. Exciting snippet.
Well into the story, actually, but it’s a setup for a very important decision on Roi’s part.
Very intriguing – sounds like a tale I would definitely read. I need to search around your site and catch up!
The index includes all of the snippets, under six sentence Sunday.
Eep! What’s gonna happen? Love that he uses his mind to look through it. Great 8!
Come back next week.