Welcome to another episode of Weekend Writing Warriors (click on the logo above) and Snippet Sunday (click on the logo below.)
Roi has told Penny that he is going to try landing his crippled hang glider on a grassy area he’s spotted, and is telling her how to find a nearby thermal. Penny has the violet glider, Timi the amber. Wind is coming from the east, toward the escarpment they started from.
“And another broken area, looks like an old black lava flow, north of it. The dark area’s putting up a good thermal, if you want to use it to keep soaring near my landing spot.” The violet and amber gliders were coming down from the northwest to meet him, and he saw them split apart, the violet wing swinging into the rising column of air while the amber one continued on, passing him on the left and disappearing behind the scarlet wing overhead.
The west edge of the grassy area was ahead, and he turned the wing into the wind for his final approach. He could see and hear the wind rattling last season’s dead grass, now, and smell the new green blades, less than a finger’s length long, poking up through the snow-wet soil. He pulled his feet free of the streamlined harness and pushed out just a little, killing speed and slowing his drop rate as he allowed his body to rotate to a vertical position. Then the grass was almost touching his boots and he pushed out hard, stalling the wing and slamming his feet into the ground.
Somehow he managed to crawl out of his support sling before his legs gave way and he sat down on the wonderful, wet, solid ground.
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 
Wow, that was a series of really gripping and suspenseful excerpts! I sighed with relief when Roi finally sat down. You can sure keep readers on their seat edges, Sue Ann.
Thanks, but this is not through yet.
Good tense snippet. I liked the descriptions of the grass.
Love the descriptions and tension in this snippet!
Glad you like it.
I tried to get in the seasonality — late spring, after the same unseasonable storm they faced in the high country.
you captured it well.
Hope I got the feeling of relief.
Excellent scene full of action and vivid description. I feel like I’m learning a little bit about hang gliding too!
Don’t count on it! (I had a hang glider pilot go over this section, but it’s all book learning for me.)
Wonderful, wet, solid ground : ) Love that he made it safe and sound!!!!
That’s a darling I didn’t kill.
And the Reader takes a deep sigh of relief with Roi LOL! We probably only have a heartbeat or two before you plunge us into the next tense development though…terrific snippet!
Check next week.
At last. For the moment, safe on the ground. Talk about cliff hangers. Thanks, Sue Ann.
Oh, I have more coming up for him.
I’ll bet solid (albeit muddy) ground never felt so good! I can’t wait to read more.
I just wish we’d get to the mud here! (Still a couple of feet of snow on the ground.)
*Sigh* He’s finally on the wonderful ground. Love that line and am looking forward to finding out to what’s in store for him next.
I’ll be following this scene for a few more weeks.
Lovely descriptions, involved the senses on several levels. I especially like all those colors–and the “wonderful, wet, solid ground.” I’d be thankful to have something solid under my feet, too!
Emphasis on solid!
Whew! Is there where he wants to kiss the ground? As always, Sue Ann, wonderfully descriptive writing.
FYI, We’ve altered the guidelines for book promos to include the author’s choice of Amazon, iUniverse, or B & N. 🙂
Yes, but he also wants to make sure the fire’s out and figure out who sabotaged the glider.
I sigh of relief here, but if I know your writing there’s more turmoil to come. 🙂
Of course.
I remember breathing such a sigh of relief at this point! He’s finally safe! Or at least for now . . .
Right. For now.
Whew, he made it! Loved the details. Tense scene filled with relief at the end.
But he still has the questions of who was responsible for the sabotage and what is he going to do about it.