Another snippet from Bound by Decency, my debut historical that I am over-the-moon delighted to share with all of you!

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Bound by Decency , Claire Ashgrove , Historical Romance , pirates , SundaySix , The Flying Gang

Hi, everyone!  I am starting a new feature on the blog this week -- Fantasy Fridays.  This is to help feed my love for all things fantasy :)

And with me today is Bryan Thomas Schmidt, who's going to talk about worldbuilding.  I had the pleasure of meeting Bryan at ConQuesT43, and sitting on a panel with him, as well as listening to his knowledge on panels he did with other presenters.  Great guy!  And very very knowledgeable.


There are two books that highlight what Bryan is talking about today, and I'll share them first!

The Worker Prince
Book I in the Saga Of Davi Rhii Series






The ReturningBook II in the Saga Of Davi Rhii Series



One of the funnest parts of writing can be the opportunity to create worlds. World-building, as it’s termed, allows you to not only posit ideas about what a world different than our own might look like, but, particularly in speculative fiction, to create the world you’ve always wanted. Of course, there are rules one must adhere to: the world has to make sense and operate in a way that has some logic and reason readers can grasp. But that still leaves a lot of room for writers to get creative.

Claire asked me to talk a little bit about that process and some favorite aspects of it in my Saga Of Davi Rhii series.

First, I love gadgets. Especially cool vehicles. So I created several for my world and employed them in action sequences with the characters. The Davi Rhii books (The Worker Prince and The Returning are out, The Exodus will follow in 2013) are space opera aka space fantasy like Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly, Babylon 5, etc., so they are not restricted to hard science necessarily, thus I was able to posit Faster Than Light travel (FTL for short), laser weapons like blasters and cannons, etc. The key vehicles employing these for extraplanetary travel in my novels are star fighters called VS28’s and two types of shuttles.

The shuttles are lightly armed passenger transports, the largest of which are for general population and military staffs, the smallest of which are for the Royal family and elites. They consist of a cockpit with two black chairs facing a transparent blast shield, surrounded by controls, and separated by a bulkhead from a passenger compartment containing four rows of seats—two lining each exterior wall and two back-to-back down the center. Each has its own safety harness. Intraplanetary models operate without lightspeed capabilities, while interplanetary models are equipped with ultra-lightspeed drives. Shuttles are white with light gray interiors, except the smaller Royal versions which hold less passengers and are customized to meet the owners’ whims.

Heavily armed and designed for combat at both shirt-range and long-range distances, VS28 starfighters are sleek and black with snub noses and three wings—two longer extended out of each side horizontal to the cockpit and one smaller, verticaal wing extending above the fighter’s four engines. Laser cannons are mounted on each wing as well as in the nose cone and a gray, transparent blast shield protects the cockpit while still allowing the pilot to see out to space and the world around him or her. These ships are faster and far more maneuverable than shuttles and heavily used by the military, mostly for extraplanetary defense and offense.

But of course, a world also needs ground based craft. And so I created those as well. One is strictly military, one both military and civilian and one strictly civilian in use.

For civilians without personal vehicles, airtaxis are the key mode of transport. Airtaxis run along the ground and on elevated roadways throughout the planets. Operated by autobots, robot drivers who accept commands from passengers, they are designed to get passengers from one place to another efficiently but without particular concern for speed, etc. You can override the autobot in emergencies but it sets off a warning system. Airtaxis typically have three benches which can hold three passengers each with the autobot operating in the left front dash opposite the sliding doors. They float above the ground rather than running on wheels, thus allowing them to switch between land-based and elevated roadways.

Skitters are one-man ground craft that operate on a system allowing it to fly above the planet’s surface, higher than airtaxis or the larger Floaters (see below). Sleek and fast, Skitters are easy to maneuver through trees and other obstacles and are known to handle much like VS28 starfighters. They are used by the military for ground patrols in areas where larger vehicles would have difficulty such as forests, mountainous areas, etc. But also can be privately owned and used by individuals. Military Skitters can be fitted with laser cannons or used for armed riders to engage in combat but it takes great skill to operate Skitters and hold, aim and fire a weapon at the same time.

Floaters are floating platforms with two seats facing a control panel at the front; which move by manipulating the air underneath to float above the ground. The largest Floaters have benches to hold as many as twenty troops—more if ten stand in the middle. Smaller models are typically designed for four or five passengers. These are restricted to military use, although a few private contractors have their own versions.

Imagining such vehicles and employing them in action is a great deal of fun for my imagination. Of course, I know that makes me sound like a typical guy, despite the irony that I’m not much into cars and such in my real world life. What aspects of world-building really get your adrenaline pumping? What are the things you’ve created which get you excited? We’d love to explore that more in comments on this post.

In Bryan’s second novel, The Returning, new challenges arise as Davi Rhii’s rival Bordox and his uncle, Xalivar, seek revenge for his actions in The Worker Prince, putting his life and those of his friends and family in constant danger. Meanwhile, politics as usual has the Borali Alliance split apart over questions of citizenship and freedom for the former slaves. Someone’s even killing them off. Davi’s involvement in the investigation turns his life upside down, including his relationship with his fiancée, Tela. The answers are not easy with his whole world at stake.

~~~~~

I love worldbuilding, as you all know, and while I have not tried my hand at sci-fi, the technical detail here, flat out amazes me.  Nicely put, Bryan!

Let's take a quick peek at this world.



“This isn’t working!” Farien yelled as he fired several blasts toward the Skitters over the tops of civilian cars waiting behind them.

Davi saw the civilian drivers’ terrified faces in the mirror. Then the next lane was open. He accelerated and slid over, racing forward and around the delivery vehicle. He heard explosions and cursing as the Skitter riders found themselves blocked, then he ducked around the next corner, hoping to lose them.

“Well, Niger’s seeming pretty guilty to me now,” Farien said.

“You think?” Yao teased.

The Skitters were back on their tail in moments, firing at them from both sides as Yao and Farien ducked and then stuck their heads back up and fired back.

“You said you could outfly them, Rhii! We’re about to die in here!” Farien cursed as a blast tore up the seat beside him.

Davi rounded another corner and zigzagged the air taxi in and out of traffic toward a large freight yard with huge metal containers, lifts, and other equipment scattered around. Entering the yard, he scooted past the obstacles and ducked the air taxi in between two shipping containers.

“Maybe we can get lost in here,” Yao suggested.

Davi shook his head. “The Major’s been after me for a while. He won’t be taking any chances.”

Suddenly, an explosion flashed behind them and a chunk fell off a building back toward the street they’d entered from. Davi spotted Skitters zigzagging in and out of the obstacle course as he navigated.

“What now?” Yao asked.

~~~~~

LIKE IT?  BUY IT HERE: 

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Thank you so much for dropping in, Bryan.  I hope you'll come back again when The Exodus releases. 

More about Bryan Thomas Schmidt












~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Bryan Thomas Schmidt , fantasy author , fantasy friday , sci-fi , worldbuilding

Hello everyone!

I am uber enthused to introduce to you today, the New York Times Bestselling Author, and a friend I very much admire, Catherine Bybee!  Her romance novel, Wife by Wednesday, was pretty much an overnight success, but Catherine has worked her duff off for several years.  She has many successful novels, in a variety of genres, and I haven't read a one that won't wow you.

She's also here today to share her newest release, Married by Monday, and tell us how this awesome series came to be.  So with that said, let's take a peek at this gorgeous cover, learn about the book, and I'll turn the blog over to Catherine.

Married by MondayBook Two in the Weekday Bride Series



 



First, thanks for having me on your blog today, Claire.

Claire asked me to talk about how the Weekday Brides came about…so here it goes.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Art imitating life.” When I sat down to write the first book in this series, Wife by Wednesday, I remember thinking about an article I’d seen in a newspaper years ago. Apparently, a prince of some small country was looking for bride. He wanted to get married for a short time, kind of like a joke. He was willing to pay the bride and give her a honeymoon and a huge ring. When I think about it now, I wish I had kept the snippet from the paper…but I didn’t. I always laugh when someone tells me that a plot is far-fetched. I have seen some seriously twisted things in my life and believe that life is much more entertaining than fiction. As I’ve said over and over in interviews, I’m an RN who has spent years working the Emergency Room. So stretch your imagination as far as you possibly can and then double that. You might come close to what I’ve seen. Might!

Hired brides are somewhat prevalent in our country. Often these brides are willing to marry strangers to obtain legal papers to stay in the USA. Then there are people getting married on reality TV. We all know those marriages never last. There’s tons of speculation about Hollywood movie stars getting married to the perfect mate to further their careers.

So when I sat down to write these books I thought about the different things that would force people into matrimony. I also considered a price tag that would tempt anyone. A few book clubs have picked up Wife by Wednesday and many of them have asked me for questions about the book. One of the things I always suggest is if the readers of the book would marry someone for money. Most say yes. Add a handsome, sexy groom to the mix and the answer becomes ‘Hell Yes’!

Married by Monday has a completely different motivator for marriage. Money isn’t key to the plot. But again we see two people getting married for reasons beyond love and happily ever after.

The themes for both of these romance novels aren’t unique, but I think I’ve spun them in a direction my readers aren’t expecting.

I’m a series author. I love to keep writing about characters I’ve introduced in previous books. It helps that my fans ask me when I’m going to write (Insert Name Here) book.

I originally only planned on three books for my Weekday Bride Series. But with my fan mail coming in, my readers have told me they want more. Sure, Neil and Gwen are next in Fiancé by Friday but now I’m plotting Single by Saturday. Because Karen has to have her HEA.

In a nutshell, this is how the individuals books in this series have mapped themselves out inside my brain. I do think I need to mention here that I originally plotted the first book in this series to sell to Harlequin. I did feel that the first book in the series was a perfect Harlequin romance. But alas…it wasn’t picked up. Best Rejection EVER! Self publishing the first title was the best thing I’ve done for my career.

 
You're very welcome, Catherine.  And I have to concur -- that was the best rejection ever!  Thanks so much for sharing the info, it was something I was really curious about.
 
So, readers, let's take a look at Eliza and Carter!
 
 
He folded his arms over his chest. “I suppose you could say I’m following Blake’s lead. Marriage solves a few fundamental problems in my career path.”


She stared at him full on now, not trying to look away. “Your problems. Not mine.”

“Problems you helped play a role in.” He saw the spark in her eye before she managed her first syllable of defense.

She sat the tea down and placed a hand on the counter. “That’s low, Carter.”

“And true or you’d be the first to tell me I’m wrong. If I had a choice, I’d be married by Monday to help dispel all the media crap created by yours and Gwen’s night on the Texas town. I thought I could come to you and obtain a little bit of cooperation.”

“A little bit of cooperation. Marriage is a tad more than a little bit of anything.” Her voice rose and her knuckles started to grip the counter.

“Yet you earn your living arranging marriages or partnerships on trite reasons less important than mine.” How dare she follow a moral high ground. Maybe she’d forgotten how well versed he was on her and Samantha’s business.

“You forget that our clients have to approve of the relationships we arrange. They have to like the person—”

He laughed, interrupting her. “Do you really want to pretend we aren’t friends to prove your point?”

Her cheeks grew rosy which he had to admit was a much better than the pasty color she’d been sporting when he walked into the house. He felt the fire burning inside her as she shot daggers with her eyes.

“You’re my best friend’s husband’s friend. If you’re looking for a wife you might peek into your little black book, or whatever it is you use, and draw another name.”

Carter let his arms drop and took two steps closer. The angrier she became, the more his blood churned. His body responded to her outrage, but not in anger. “I don’t want to draw another name.”

 
Mmmm.... lovin' it!!
 
 
 
If you click the icon you can find her tour dates!
 
 
 
 
 
 
More About Catherine
 
New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Catherine Bybee has been addicted to romance since her teens. After spending a decade of her life working as an RN in urban emergency rooms, Catherine is now dedicated to writing happily-ever-afters for the world to love. Catherine is married and raising two sons in Southern California.


She loves hearing from her readers so feel free to visit her at:

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter



~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Catherine Bybee , Contemporary Romance , Indie Authors , Married by Monday , New Release , New Voices , romance novel

Good morning everyone!

First, a quick reminder!  The LIE TO ME virtual book tour continues today at Love to Read for Fun!  Please drop in -- if you comment you're entered to win a 25.00 Amazon Gift Card.

Next up, it's Tuesday which means it's teaser time!  I'm going to kick off the next few weeks of teasers with the introduction from my debut historical, Bound by Decency.  It releases August 1st - yay!

~ Prologue ~


Charles Towne, South Carolina,
February, 1717


“Your pardon has been denied.”

A stack of parchment thumped against the roughhewn tabletop. Dust wafted up to blend with the overwhelming scent of urine and mildew that coated The Battery’s stone walls. It tickled Theodore Cathain’s nose, daring him to sneeze. But sneezing would mean inhaling even more of the fetid stench that reminded him of the gutters along the streets of London. In particular, the wharfs. In another time, another place, he would have welcomed the odor.

Today, it only served to remind him of the present hell his life had become.

Careful to lift the chains so the heavy iron cuffs wouldn’t cut into his wrists, Teddy picked up the topmost sheet. Denied? Impossible. Two years ago, Richard had vowed if ghosts from their shared past rose to haunt them, his family would arrange a Royal Pardon. They held the connections. Knew the right families. Possessed the power that came with centuries of royal blood. What in Christ’s name had happened?

Teddy’s eyes narrowed as he found the traitorous words confirming Lieutenant Jacobs’ claim. Fury surged through him. If ever he had wanted to slowly choke the life out of a man, the day had come. Damn Richard. Why?

He took a deep breath, searched for control over his tongue. Choosing his words carefully, he lifted his gaze to the Lieutenant’s. “This is preposterous! The charges alone are not but a work of splendid fiction. For God’s sake, Jacobs, you’ve known me two full years.”


Jacobs set manicured hands on the table, braced his weight, and leaned in close enough that Teddy caught a whiff of the fine powder used to whiten his wig. Dark eyes glinted with hard light. “And for two years, each time you drop anchor in this port, another vessel arrives on your wake missing well over half its cargo.”

“Don’t be ludicrous. The entire coast swells with pirates!” Teddy checked his temper, trained his tongue once more. To slip into the habits of a lifetime on the sea would only condemn him further. “Look out your window. Rovers line the streets. Whores bare their breasts and spread their knees for them from open doorways. Your citizens rush to see the wares the rovers bring. And you accuse me, a man who has done nothing but bring you exceptional goods from around the coasts, of laying siege to another merchant ship?”

One corner of Jacobs’ mouth twisted into a smirk. “It is an odd coincidence, don’t you think, that what lay in your hold was a perfect match to the Virginia Maiden’s stolen cargo?”

Teddy sank his head into his hands and gritted his teeth against a groan. He curled his fingers into his scalp, massaged his temples with the base of his palms. With the patience he would give a petulant child, he answered, “The Virginia Maiden is owned by William Prescott. It’s well known he sails the same route. It’s no small stretch to assume her cargo would match mine.”

“Your flag was seen. Ironic isn’t it how two years have passed since it last appeared on the sea. Two skulls facing one another upon a field of black—does it ring a bell, Cain?”

With one heavy beat, Teddy’s heart stopped. Where fury had turned his blood hot, his veins ran with ice. Three days ago, his arrest had been little more than speculation. The charges of piracy a stretch of infinite proportions. But when Jacobs’ slapped the iron cuffs on Teddy’s wrists, he had still addressed him by his given name. Not the name Teddy had assumed the day he took to sea under Henry Jennings.

Someone had told Jacobs. Teddy didn’t have to guess who. Only one man would have dared. One man who had stood at his side and reveled in the riches they acquired. Richard Grey. His former First Mate. His best friend. His business partner.

The why hit Teddy like lightning. Richard had done all he could to convince Teddy they should take on slaving routes. He’d even gone so far as to commandeer Prescott’s minor fleet, North Atlantic Freight, run a slaving route, and use the profits as persuasion. While their earnings would have tripled, Teddy couldn’t stomach the thought. He’d had the displeasure of sailing aboard a slaver’s ship and wouldn’t subject the Grey and Cathain fleet to such disgrace. Moreover, Richard’s recent engagement to Prescott’s daughter would expedite the proposed merger of two influential shipping companies in Britain. Combine the two, remove Teddy, and Richard Grey would become sole heir to a company of equal influence as the East India.

Another surge of anger threatened to send Teddy bounding to his feet. He pulled in a deep breath. Held it. Dragged his hands down his face. Slowly, he raised his head. “I daresay, I didn’t hear you correctly.”

“I believe you did.” Satisfaction radiated behind Jacobs’ dark eyes. “Cain, the scourge of the sea, brought to his knees at last.” He gestured at the stack of parchment. “Within, I believe you’ll find several charges of murder, along with all the usual things—fraud, treason, evading the Royal Navy. Of course, it contains the general charge of piracy which covers all the rest.”

Jacobs moved around the table with the measured gait of one who had laid a careful trap and intended to snap the snares. He bent near Teddy’s ear. “Tell me, how does it feel to have your life removed so fast? Does it come with the same glory of running a woman through?”

Beneath the taunt, Teddy’s anger ignited. He shot to his feet, rattling the chains that bound his wrists to his ankles. All pretense of composure that he’d so carefully constructed to obscure his baseborn birth shattered as he loosed his tongue. “Bloody hell, you are an accursed prick! I never killed a single woman!”

A short bark of laughter rang through the enclosed chamber. Jacobs turned his back on Teddy and moved to the thick wooden door. “You have nine days to beg forgiveness for your soul.” His thin mouth curled into a sneer. “On the morning of the tenth, you will hang.”



~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Bound by Decency , Claire Ashgrove , Historical Romance , pirates , The Flying Gang , Tuesday Teaser

Morning all! It's Six Sentence Sunday time again!

The following six sentences are taken from my debut historical, Bound by Decency, coming August 1st.

~~~~~

~~~~~



~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Bound by Decency , Historical Romance , pirates , SundaySix , The Flying Gang

Welcome everyone!  Today I have a dynamic duo visiting the blog.  Please welcome Danielle Hylton-Outland and April Fifer, authors of Flesh and Feathers - which they are going to tell us a bit about today!

Flesh and Feathers



Connect with them via:

Their Website  |  Twitter  |  Their Blog  |  Facebook

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Author Interview , New Voices , Paranormal Romance