Saving Tessa: Now it's Science Fiction!

I have reworked Saving Tessa to be a science fiction YA adventure (though it was close to that already).

In the year 2045, smart tech is everywhere, much of it devised by the teenage prodigy Dylan Chroz. But being at the top of the technical world means being in demand. Sometimes, by people who should be looking out for you. Sometimes, by people who won't take no for an answer.

Tessa alone makes Dylan's life more than schematics and computers, a spot of vibrant color and irrepressible life in a dreary world of users and frauds. 

So what do you do when someone steals your girl to make you perform your technical wizardry on their sketchy hardware? Do you curl up and cry? Do what they want? Defy them? Or do you outsmart them and do your damnedest to smoke out every one of them so they never can do this again?

That is, if Tessa doesn't beat you to it.

Also, as with Curse of the Jenri, I'm going to make it available in book form. Proof is on it's way to me now and I'll announce it when it's available. Eventually, I'll do this with all my books, but I'm excited about this one because I have a character frighteningly like me there.

Thanks for the gorgeous cover by Ryn Katryn.

Amazon

Smashwords

One of the things I did with this story when I moved it to 2045 is work on a post-Trumpian recovery. I found it therapeutic.

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New Release: Saving Tessa

I just released my personal favorite of my novels (so far) today. You'll be able to find it at the compelling price of $4.99 at your favorite retailer.

Dylan Chroz, high school senior, had a reputation as the unchallenged king of the technical world, a genius with dozens of patents to his name. He also had a reputation for being as cold and calculating as the supercomputers he could design in his sleep.

So he was unprepared when Maxcomm discovered what really mattered to him: the spunky girl at the center of his existence. Or when they stole her away so they could use her against him.

It was a mistake, of course, to make an enemy of Dylan, even if he was hampered by his fear for Tessa. After all, people who threaten Tessa were definitely not going to come out unscathed.

And Maxcom didn't appreciate what those around Dylan will do to help him save Tessa.

But the real mistake they made was thinking Tessa was going to sit quietly by and get used. As if Tessa would stand for that!

That last mistake was really going to cost them

Contains some language and violence. You can find Saving Tessa on Smashwords

In the iTunes store

On Amazon.com

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

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A request

OK, I know I have some more questions and I'm still going to do that, but I'm going to digress for today. Today, it's because I've got a request. I also am doing something new - putting this on both blogs.

See, here's the thing. I have a fairly large backlog of short stories I've written, almost all in the fantasy, science fiction or, in one case, I don't know what to call it. I'd like to market some of these, get some visibility, some interest going, perhaps even some money. And the short stories are already written.

So, what's the problem? Well, I wrote most of these years ago and, though I like them, I'm not objective about them. Many are overtly feminist and violent - I was young. Most are exercises in swift character building, effective description, surprise endings. Many are old ideas I wanted to play with. And I have too many of them to effectively try to market them all at one time. I'm just not that organized.

What I need are objective eyes to look at some of these short stories (or all of them) and tell me (a) which ones are just too immature to be publishable (or that there's not enough there for publishing), (b) which ones seem publishable and, (c) of the publishable ones, which ones do you like best or think are the best bet for getting a publisher's attention.

So, I'm asking you all, would any of you be interested in reading all or some of the short stories? You don't have to read them all, but I do want to know what you think about whatever you read.

I know most of you are quite busy. I know you all have lives. It isn't a short turnaround situation, because I'll be going back over these (given that many of them haven't been touched in years or longer). But I could use some help if any of you could spare it. Do note that all of the sword and sorcery include violence.

List:

• Charley - Story about a teddy bear
• Time of Change - Science fiction exploring the notion of parallel universes (going at different time scales or directions).
• Captain of the Guard - Sword and Sorcery playing off the Phoenix legend Graphic violence
• Backseat Driver - Science Fiction - AI
• Dark of Night - Dark Fantasy - Graphic violence
• Seeds of Tomorrow - Fantasy
• Windmaster - followup to my favorite Windrider - Fantasy
  
• Tryst on the Balcony - my only foray into vampires
• King of Swords - first of the Tarot Queen stories - Fantasy
• Intemperate Sword - Sword and Sorcery - crude humor
• Stormmistress - Fantasy
• Precipice - Fantasy (mermaid)
• Castles of Sand - Fantasy
• Masks - Fantasy
• Echo - Fantasy

Just let me know if you're interested in reading some or all. I would really appreciate it. Please leave a comment and I'll figure out how to get back with anyone interested

Update: Check here to read stories. Let me know, though, so I know how long to keep the webpage up.

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