Welcome to another episode of Weekend Writing Warriors (click on the logo above) and Snippet Sunday (click on the logo below.)
Roi has his hang glider flying again, but heat and smoke have convinced him he has an electrical fire in the compensation chip. He’s told Penny of his decision to get on the ground as soon as possible, and she is using her helmet radio to respond.
“I sent Flame and Amber straight to the cabin and told them to get the horses saddled and out here. I’ll try to circle over you as long as I can to guide them, and Timi will follow you down.”
The ground was closer now, and the air was so warm his parka felt stifling in spite of the wind of his motion. He felt ahead for thermals, and altered course slightly. He had no intention of flying any farther than he had to before setting down, so he didn’t want to get into an updraft himself. But if he set down close to a rising column of air, Penny could use it to stay aloft.
“Penny?” he said. “There’s a patch of grass ahead, fairly smooth, where I’m putting down.”
Blurb for Tourist Trap: 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?
Reviewers of Tourist Trap 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: Barnes and Noble, iUniverse, and Amazon in dust jacket, trade paper, and e-book formats.
Buy Homecoming from iUniverse
'Homecoming' Blog 
Uh oh, looks like more trouble ahead for Roi–I can relate to his feeling warm in the parka. Great snippet!
I’m assuming that escarpment is high–close to a kilometer–so it could be as much as 18° F between top and bottom. And he’s been pretty active.
I agree with Nancy’s comment about the warm feeling in the parka. I’m just glad Roi’s decided to land in that grass field – hope it’s as smooth as he thinks it is.
He’s not expecting a neatly tended lawn.
Your attention to detail and description is exciting. You capture this reader into the moment. Hoping for a happy landing next week, Sueann.
I’m trying to put the reader in the moment.
He’s not down *yet* so there could still be trouble! I’m still all anxious for him!
Tune in next week. (Or get the book.)
So calm in a crisis, which is an important attribute for Roi to have. Enjoying this continuing saga of the hang glider incident…great snippet!
But he still doesn’t know who’s responsible for the sabotage.
Feels like a hasty rescue plan is coming together. Wonder if that smooth patch of grass is as innocuous as it appears 🙂
Of course Roi still doesn’t believe he really needs rescue.
Oh boy…this terror filled ride is over…or is it?
Wait and see.
Sounds like he’s in control of the situation — as much as possible. I like the way you showed his awareness of everything — his discomfort in his parka, monitoring of the thermals, etc.
I write a tight 3rd person POV.
Penny seems like a take-charge sort of person, and very cool-headed. And it seems that Roi is thinking clearly, regarding the thermal to help Penny stay aloft.
Penny’s the guide supplied by the Faleron Company, so she is in charge. Technically.
One of my (many) favorite things about Roi is his ability to think clearly and plan while under fire. He might panic a bit, or be frightened, but it doesn’t (for want of a better term, and no pun intended) paralyze him.
Did you read Homecoming? After a bout of real total physical paralysis he’s not about to let anything paralyze him again.
I did! 🙂 And I love his determination.
The parka and rising temperature sounds ominous to me. I hope the grassy patch is as calm and safe as he hopes, it’s been my experience that things don’t always look the same close up. Good snippet, keeps us looking forward to what is next for Roi.
Just indicates the exertion he’s had and the rise in temperature as he goes down compared to freezing atop the escarpment. Warms 1° C for each 100 meters he drops, roughly.
If this is his vacation, maybe he should have stayed home, LOL. He’s had quite a time of it.
But he’s in control. He thinks.
On the one hand, all that rough terrain he has to travel would make closer seem better and safer. On the other hand, get out of the sky, Roi! It wants you dead by way of a sudden introduction to the ground!
Well, the horses will help.
You make it sound like a scary place, though. Even on horseback… o.O
Not really. Primative, yes.
Interesting contrast, Roi flying in his glider, but Flame and Amber are getting the horses.
This is a vacation with all kinds of human-powered transportation. Flame and Amber are still high enough to make the cabin, where the Company has left the horses in a corral.
Oh boy, ready to try and set down. I think there will be the devil to pay now that he’s getting the idea that someone tampered with the glider.
Sort of.
I’m hoping he makes it down safely, but based on your blurb I’m guessing his outlook is less than great.
This is fairly early in the book.
I hope the landing will go as smoothly as it seems.
Come back and see.