Alternative War

 

I don't know why, but Amazon has a recurring problem with including my name in lists of contributing authors.  

So, despite the fact that I'm once again not listed, I have indeed got a story in Alternative War, the new release from B Cubed Press.

'AWOL' is the story of a marine sergeant who has the misfortune to be elsewhere, sleeping off a bender, when her base is suddenly evacuated as the enemy advance gets too close.  

So what's new, you say?  Common enough difficulty; could happen to anyone.  

True, but not everyone was already particularly unpopular on all sides for smuggling in bootleg whisky within the president's personal supplies.  

Hardly anyone managed to combine that little misdemeanour with being a member of the presidential bodyguard.

And absolutely no-one else packaged both of these mistakes with being part of the Earth garrison on the planet Kyron.

This is the story of Jackie Carnegie, the only Earth soldier left on a planet being invaded by a cruel and relentless race of aliens when the planetary defence forces surrender. She can't get off the planet. Should she run away and hide? Should she embark on a foolhardy one woman war? Does she have any choice?

Well, you'll need to read the book to find out, won't you?

Coming soon - Fourth and Starlight

 

I'm very pleased to announce that my story 'The Long Con' will appear in the new Starlight anthology, Fourth and Starlight, edited by Elizabeth Ticknor, who has also produced the cover art (left).

I'm really fond of this story, which marked a considerable step forward for me as a writer.  It was the first time I'd attempted to write a story about a female protagonist who suffered discrimination on account of being female.

The woman in question is a con artist from a family of con artists.  So far, so good, but the family happen to consider that only men can be proficient in their trade.  Our heroine is determined to prove them wrong, no matter what low tricks she has to stoop to!

According to the PR blurb, this book will be "An illustrated anthology featuring compelling new voices and rising stars in the genres of science fiction and fantasy." And me, I suppose, since I'm not exactly either a new voice nor a rising star.  But you never know, do you.

Anyway the Kickstarter page is here, so you can sign up to be notified when it launches, if you like.