Science Fiction Romance Brigade: Both Sides Now

Saturday is time for the Science Fiction Romance Brigade; click on the logo above for more snippets. This excerpt is from a WIP tentatively titled Both Sides Now. Roi is following Doc through a maze of hay bales in a cave.

Roi limped after him, the roughness of the floor increasingly painful to his bare feet. “In here,” Doc said finally, and gestured Roi through a gap in the piled bales.

Greenstick fracture. No problem to set, as long as the child could be kept quiet. But rape? She couldn’t have been more than ten, Roi thought angrily. Zhaim had clearly thought he was more effective than Roi had been. But the Confederation was built on trust, not on military might. If this was any sample of what Zhaim thought effective, he’d destroy the Confederation in a Human generation.

The little girl cowered back when Roi and Doc entered the room. The reaction of the woman nursing her was less overt, but Roi automatically moved out of the doorway, making sure she had a free route to escape.

The child needed treatment for more than her broken arm, but that would only make her mental condition worse. Better get her quieted down and sleeping now, get the arm set, and then find out what resources Doc might have.

Jarn’s Journal Year 10 Day 31

Year 10 Day 31

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Next time I have a bright idea I’m going to figure out the energy required before I decide to go with it.

It takes energy to control energy. Not as much—an exchange teleport, where I’m swapping two things of equal mass, doesn’t take anything like the actual potential energies involved. But it does take something. Quite a lot, when I’m exchanging that much mass over that much distance. Rainbow has been astounded at the amount I’ve had to eat.

The place I had in mind as my ice field seemed even better on a second look. It was once a pond, but the water cut through a ridge of gravel and cinders to drain to the lake. The drainage channel is conveniently located, and can easily be bridged by a couple of palm trunks. I had to abandon the tabular iceberg idea because of the salt near the base of the drift ice, but a chunk of land ice from the island, upwind of the volcano (which is still erupting) seemed a reasonable substitute.

What I had not calculated in advance was the sheer mass of ice it would take to replace the mass of silt I removed from the former pond bed.

I wound up doing exchange teleports of partial ice masses and silt over two days, with frequent breaks to eat. About half of the People had arrived by the time I added the top layer of snow and staggered back to my home to demand more food from Rainbow.

Quotes from Andre Norton

These are the contexts of the quotations tweeted from @sueannbowling over the week from May 15 through May 21, 2014. All but the last are from The Warding of Witch World, by Andre Norton.

“With a common goal even enemies swear battle-oaths.” Merith is telling Liara what her brother Kasarion has already learned.

“I have the foresight—which is more of a burden than any blessing.” The witch Mouse to Keris Tregarth, when he expresses his doubts about her selection of him as one of her party.

“That which is born to the Light cannot be taken—unless it turns willingly into the darker path.” Mouse again, this time speaking to Liara.

“It is the choices that we ourselves make which can change the weaving patterns.” Mouse to Liara, emphasizing that ancestry is not destiny.

“Great evil ones do not return any loyalty to those who serve them.” Mouse, trying to explain why the Dark One is destroying his own followers for Power.

“Legends have a habit lately of coming to life.” Discussion at Lormt, about the things the searchers are finding.

“He’s nice—a little too nice, maybe.” Sue Ann Bowling, Homecoming. Coryn, describing Roi to Penny, before she meets him.

North Pole Weather 5/19/14

The sun will rise this morning at 4:14 am, and set 19 hours 10 minutes later at 11:24 this evening. It’s now reached above 45° elevation at solar noon, and it never gets darker than civil twilight.

Mints. I pulled the plastic sides down last night.

Unfortunately the lovely warm weather of the past couple of weeks is fading, even as the trees continue to green up (and shed pollen.) We are once again skimming freezing at night. I now have almost more flats of plants hardening than I have room to bring them in at night, but even with floating row cover I hesitate to leave them out overnight. It would probably be all right if the clouds stayed in place, but with this much cold air aloft even a brief clear spell at night will bring a touch of frost. Only the mints are actually planted, and they will take some frost. (I have the mint bed under plastic, too.) But the other herbs and the flowers still have to be brought into the heated garage when frost threatens.

At least this year the radiation and Herceptin aren’t bothering my energy level much.

Weekend Writing Warriors: Tourist Trap

Welcome to another Sunday excerpt for Weekend Writing Warriors (click the logo above) and Snippet Sunday (click the logo below.) Roi is waiting for Timi to land after discovering that Timi was the only person who had handled the sabotaged glider after Roi himself had test-flown it.

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The amber glider was low and almost behind him now, banking into its final upwind landing leg. Roi forced himself to open fully to Timi’s emotions as the other boy flared and dropped to the ground a wing length away, yanking the emergency release on his support sling and starting toward Roi at a run almost before his feet were firmly planted. Love, concern, some anger, but directed at what he perceived as Roi’s reckless flying. No trace of guilt, or even of suspicion that the glider might have been tampered with.

“What the hell did you think you were doing,” Timi gasped as he dropped to his knees at Roi’s side. “No, don’t try to get up, dammit. Have you eaten anything? Can you keep anything down, after that?”

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; 5 star)

“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, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon, in dust jacket, trade paper, and e-book formats.

Science Fiction Romance Brigade: Both Sides Now

The Science Fiction Romance Bragade Presents is a blog hop with up to 200 word snippets of science fiction/romance we have written, published or unpublished. Click on the logo to find links to other authors. The excerpt below is from a work in progress tentatively titled Both Sides Now. Roi and Dr Alsyn, the veterinarian who is the closest thing to a doctor available to the nomads, are talking just after Roi has told Dr. Alsyn he knows several modes of pain control.

“You know about those?” Doc asked sharply.

“Doctor Alsyn, I’m a Healer. I can’t use that right now, but Marna made sure I knew every healing method in the Confederation, as well as what she could teach me of the Riyan methods. I’ve spent an aggregate of several years at the reestablished Jibeth school on Riya. Some of the others are quackery, but a lot have something useful, and I do know them. From what I can feel, I’d go with drugs on that kid, but if you don’t have any sleepSinging would probably help. Only I can’t find her in this maze.”

“SleepSinging?” The term was obviously unfamiliar to Doc.

“It’s a form of hypnosis used by the Jibeth healers. I can guarantee it won’t hurt her, and it might help.”

Doctor Alsyn hesitated, and then turned down an alley between two rows of piled hay bales. “I need to set her arm, and she’s terrified of me. Of all men. Confederation troops caught her and her mother. They took the mother—at least the nomads didn’t find her body. Raped and abandoned the little girl. This way.” His anger was palpable to Roi, but it was no less than his own. Confederation troops, responsible for this kind of outrage?

Jarn’s Journal Year 10 Day 29

Year 10 Day 29

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Am I letting the People depend too much on me?

Salt is a necessity; not having to gather it themselves is a luxury, but I don’t give them so much they cannot find it for themselves. The same is true for obsidian and fine chert. Perfumes and sweets are greeted with delight by all ages, but they are recognized as special. Aside from the occasional fermentation of some fruit, they certainly do not become habituated to these treats.

Perhaps I could bring them something special that would have no shadow of possibility that they could consider it a normal part of life? But what? The furred skins are of interest to few in this hot climate, even for decoration. The shamans would no doubt appreciate the results of the tanning methods Songbird has managed to copy from the northern hunters, and I plan to encourage her to share this now knowledge with other women, but I doubt that many would willingly wear the hot, heavy cloaks that result from tanning a leopard or lion skin with the hair on.

Then it occurred to me. Ice! Songbird is unique in having seen snow. How would the children of the People react if I managed to teleport one of the large, tabular pieces of drift ice into a local depression that drained to the lake? The runoff would be quite pure, and if I chose an area with a gravel drainage channel, it would supply drinking water as well as a new experience for the children.

And I think I know just where to put it.

Jarn is a human-like alien who was stranded in Africa roughly 125,000 years ago. He has been exploring the north polar regions, but it is time for the nomadic people to return to the lake for their annual gather. His journal to date is on my author site.

Quotations from Jane Austen

These are the contexts of the quotes tweeted from @sueannbowling over the last week. All of the quotes except the last are from Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen. This book is 200 years old this month.

“The mind which does not struggle against itself under one circumstance, would find objects to distract it in the other.” Fanny to Miss Crawford, in the chapel at Sotherton.

“The gardeners are the only people who can go where they like.” Miss Crawford, when they discover the gate to the wilderness is locked.

“Go into the law! With as much ease as I was told to go into this wilderness.” Edmund to Miss Crawford, when she tries to talk him into becoming a lawyer rather than a clergyman.

“A watch is always too fast or too slow.” Miss Crawford to Edmond, when her perception of time passed disagrees with his watch’s measurement.

“I cannot be dictated to by a watch.” Miss Crawford to Edmond, same scene.

“Resting fatigues me.” Miss Crawford, who is very bored at being stuck behind the gate.

”It’s not that I mind doing the cooking, it’s just that I have to eat it.” Sue Ann Bowling, Tourist Trap. Roi, faced with preparing supper for the group. (They aren’t very happy about eating his cooking, either.)

Mansfield Park and Mummies, by Jane Austen and Vera Nazarian (Review)

As a general rule I’m not a fan of Jane Austen + paranormal, but this book is an exception. In fact, I may get more of the author’s pastiches, as the reviews on Amazon suggest she had not quite hit her stride on this one.

I rarely laugh out loud at books. But I read this one with a broad grin on my face, and at times found that the muscles at the corners of my mouth felt tired when I took a break. Pastiche? Yes, and a large part is actually taken directly from Mansfield Park, and Jane Austen is given as a co-author. It is also a parody of the whole paranormal genre.

To start with, Lady Bertram is somewhat less than rational were Egypt is concerned. Mansfield Park is overrun with Egyptian artifacts, including mummies, some of which are alive (after a fashion.) Familiar characters show up as werewolves (with a tendency to howl or bark at inappropriate times) and vampires. Other familiar characters have odd peculiarities and interests. (I still haven’t figured out just what the Brighton Duck is.) Poor Fanny is given a Pharaoh’s mummy as a third would-be lover, though a relatively polite one. Edmond is somewhat obsessed with exorcisms.

I happen to like the original Mansfield Park, and as a tribute to its 200^th birthday, I am trying to review one connected novel or DVD each month. This one was better than I expected from the title, but it’s not Jane Austen.

North Pole Weather 5/12/14

Today the sun will rise at 4:48 am, and it will set 18 hours 21 minutes later at 10:59 this evening. It was warm enough last night that I left the hardening plants out, and I’ll probably get the mints planted this week. Civil twilight doesn’t start until after midnight, and lasts less than 3 hours.

The birch trees are green but unfortunately they are also shedding pollen at a great rate. Birch pollen is high and total tree pollen (including alder, willow and poplar) is very high. I just hope I don’t sneeze during my radiation therapy tomorrow. Certainly I started dripping and sneezing Saturday, and I’m pretty sure it is allergy rather than a cold. Fire danger is still high, though having the trees leafed out should help.