Sales Update - June 2013

Hard to believe it's been nearly seven months since my most recent sales update (which is actually longer than the update prior to that. Things have been a bit hectic over the first half of this year, but I do have updated numbers (except for my Champagne titles, which I have not yet received royalty statements on this year. So, here goes:

Heroes Die Young has sold a total of 426 sales (print and e-book total), which means 9 copies have sold since November (for a total of just over a copy a month over the past seven months). This compares to 27 copies sold in the July-November 2012 range, so sales are way down (of course, this may not be the case after I see a royalty statement, but the trend has seemed to hold steady for all of my titles. The five-year anniversary for this one is coming up in September, so it's going to take a bit of action to maintain my previous average of around 100 copies per year.

Friends in Deed has sold a total of 96 copies (print and e-book total), which means that 2 copies have sold since Novermber (for a total of around 1 copy every four months). This compares to around 13 copies during the previous reporting period which is another reason I've said that sales across the board have been down (again, I haven't yet seen a royalty statement this year, but based on all indicators, things are not looking up for this one. January marked the three-year anniversary of this one, so the average is still less than 30 copies per year. One thing that was pointed out to me is that bluish cover art (such as these first two books) tends to sell less than red, yellow and orange. That may be something to look into on any future books I publish.

Seeker has sold 84 copies (99-cent e-book only), so only 5 copies have sold since the last update (compared to 7 copies during the last update). December was the 2-year anniversary for this novel, which means we're still on track for an average of 40 copies per year). However, I decided to go forward with this title (at least for the remainder of this year) as a free giveaway, so my sales stats on this one will be skewed (since I'm not tracking the free sales other than spot checks). I will mention that in the course of about two weeks on Amazon, I've given away over 250 copies, proving another point that people are more willing to try out free stuff when it comes to new authors.

 Dead or Alive has sold 83 copies, with 13 copies sold during this reporting period. This compares to 48 copies sold during the previous update period (although many of those were earlier sales reported by the publisher). The book was running about 4 copies a month at last count, and so now we've dropped to about 2 copies a month. I believe that the two-year anniversary is coming up on this one in July, so we're on track for another 40 copies per month title.

The Cure has now sold 83 copies (print and e-book total), so 16 copies have sold since my past update, compared to 12 copies during the previous update (making it the only title in the field that has increased sales since last time). This book has been out almost 2 years (the anniversary is in July), so again I'm seeing a little over 40 copies per year. It does match to the earlier comment I made about cover art, in that this one stands out for its color (as does Dead or Alive) more so than Friends in Deed.

Death Brings Victory was released just over a year ago (in March), and 48 copies have sold, meaning 11 copies have sold since the last update (which was the same quantity as the last time, but over a greater amount of time). This puts it on track with most of my other novels, at just over 40 copies per year. It's hard to say whether this cover tends more toward the blue or more toward the orange/red, as both are included. However, the fact that this is third in a series (and is much more tied into the first and second books, making it less standalone) may mean that future sales will come after people read the first two.

I now have two Triple-Shot collections out, with the first having been released in November 2011, and the second in July 2012. 40 copies have sold, so 7 copies sold since my last update (versus 12 copies from the previous update). Breaking this down, 29 copies of the first have sold and 11 of the second. The first triple-shot has been placed as free everywhere except Amazon (hopefully they'll price match soon), so sales numbers are probably going to be skewed from here on out (since I won't be recording free sales in the total.

Now for the analysis of this latest period:

Since my latest update (November), I've sold 63 books compared to 82 books during the previous update for an average of just over 10 books per month over the last four (compared to 20 books per month from my previous update). On the plus side, I was anticipating this latest period to be far slower than the last, but now I have evidence to back that up.
And so I have a statistic when people ask (and quite often they do), the latest "total sales" number now stands at 860 copies.

I never saw any bump from sales of e-readers over the holidays. My choice to offer Seeker and the first Triple-Shot for free is my attempt at getting discovered by readers. The first week it was free on Amazon, I did see sales of my other Aston West titles, so it's quite possible that this will help things along in the next update.

In the meantime, I really need to finish more projects. I currently have a short story, a novella and a novel to complete.

Thanks for stopping by!

Another Excerpt from DEATH BRINGS VICTORY

Been a bit down lately, so haven't had a snippet posted for Saturday over the last couple of weeks. While I try to figure out what I should work on next, allow me to offer up a longer excerpt from my novel Death Brings Victory. And if you haven't picked up a copy, head on over and pick the store you frequent most...

And now for the excerpt...Aston's gone off with a Rulusian officer who serves as the ship's medic. Playing doctor? Uh oh...

We stepped inside, where about half of the stacked bunks were empty. She helped me unzip the white pressure suit, and I stepped out of it before plopping my butt down on an unused cot. Facing Jaclyn, I watched while she stepped over to the corner, rummaging through a wall-mounted medical supply cabinet. I stared at her thin, green figure in its black dress uniform.

She grabbed supplies while she talked. “It looked like they were going to blow your ship to bits out there.”

I hadn’t been so scared of death in quite a while, but played it cool. “I’ve been through worse.”

“I’m sure.”

She shut the small metal cabinet door, walked over and sat beside me. A small medication dispenser was in her right hand and a flexible pad in the other.

“Strip,” Jaclyn commanded.

I chuckled. “We barely know each other.”

She rolled her eyes. “You want me to fix up your shoulder or not?”

I reached for my right side, but pain roared through my left shoulder as I did. Clenching my teeth, I changed hands and awkwardly grabbed for the zipper at my neckline.

“Let me help.” Jaclyn placed her gear down, then reached across my chest. Her face drew near mine, with her silky smooth skin close enough to touch. A floral scent invaded my nostrils. She gave a little smile and winked before pulling the zipper down to my waist. The slick, black body suit slid off my chest, the material falling in a pile around my waist. Beads of sweat formed all over the exposed skin, and begin rolling down toward the bedding. She moved away slightly and stared at the various scars on my chest, the largest in particular running a quarter of the width across my torso.

“This must have a story behind it.” She raised an eyebrow, running a finger just below my ribs along the old wound. It took every bit of willpower I had not to jump at her touch.

I pursed my lips. “Bar fight.”

“The other guy must have been pretty upset at you.”

I didn’t even remember what we’d been fighting about. Strange, since I’d almost died.

“I imagine so.”

She pulled her finger away from the scarred tissue. “Looks like you’re lucky to be alive.”

“Guess so.” The other guy wasn’t so lucky. I omitted that tidbit of information.

She noticed the scarring in my shoulder. “Another fight?”

I grimaced, not willing to talk about that one. “You could say that.”

She lifted an eyebrow, but sensed my reluctance. Others tended to push for more, but Jaclyn simply pointed past me. “Turn.”

I followed Jaclyn’s instructions, then felt the medication dispenser prick my shoulder. A numbing fog spread throughout the area and brought instant relief.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me just yet.”

I heard the rumpling of plastic and looked back as she scrunched the pad back and forth in her hands. It wasn’t something I’d seen before. I scrunched my eyebrows. “What exactly is that?”

Her light green eyes sparkled. “You’ll find out soon enough. Don’t worry.”

For emphasis, she leaned over and planted a kiss on the back of my damp shoulder. It would have served a little more use if she hadn’t used the numbing agent first.

Finished with her work on the pad, she laid it onto my shoulder and I nearly screamed as the fire-hot surface bypassed the numbing medication completely. I swore it burned the first three or four skin layers off.

“Aren’t medics supposed to do no harm?” I complained.

She chuckled. “You forget this isn’t my main job. Now, stop being a baby. It’ll be over soon enough.”

And as Jaclyn suggested, the heat passed into my shoulder and the pad normalized at a lower temperature just before she ripped it off. It felt better, but I wasn’t sure the excruciating pain had been worth it.

“Thanks.” I started to stand.

She pulled at my suit, sitting me back down. “Still not done.”

Then, she massaged my shoulder with her soft, green hands. The numbing agent was wearing off and it was almost as if my shoulder was good as new. I decided the pad had indeed been worth it, if only for Jaclyn’s touch.

I smirked, still facing the other direction. “So, you often take a hands-on technique in doctoring your crew?”

“No.” She planted another kiss. This time, the sensations raced full steam ahead.

I stumbled over my words. “Well, then...” She gripped my shoulder and massaged a bit deeper. I stopped talking.

Then, another voice interrupted. “What is this?”

Rione stood in the doorway when I turned to look. Her pressure suit was off, but she still wore the black body suit, while her long black hair was matted from the heat and humidity. Her emotion ridges were deep red in anger.

Jaclyn kept her focus on me. “Fixing Aston’s shoulder.”

It didn’t faze Rione. “Captain Dillager wants us to join him in his quarters. All of us.” She stormed out.

“What’s her problem?” Jaclyn pulled her hands away.

I shrugged, before easing my body suit back on and slipping out of the pressure suit completely.

She helped me with the zipper, her face right next to my own when she finished. “We’ll continue this later.”

Be sure to let me know what you think of this excerpt, or of the entire novel, if you've already read it.

Happy Birthday, Death Brings Victory!

Celebrating one year in publication, Aston's third and latest novel, Death Brings Victory! If you haven't picked up a copy yet, why the heck not?

SFFS: A Snippet From DEATH BRINGS VICTORY

Welcome to another installment of Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday on the blog. Thanks for all the feedback you give on my snippets, and be sure to go visit all of the other writers through the SFFS link above as well.

I've decided to put an end to my snippets from "Genesis" but I sadly have nothing new in the pipeline to post. This means, I get to put up material from my published works instead. Hopefully everyone already knew about and bought my latest Aston West novel, Death Brings Victory, and has read it from cover to cover. If so, read this snippet and act shocked. If you haven't done any of these things, then read this snippet and go get yourself a copy. And of course, Aston's fans will be glad to know his luck hasn't changed one bit:

“If there’s something I’ve said or done to upset you, I’d appreciate you letting me know.”

We stepped out through the large doorway into the central hub, heading for the opposite side of the room.

“It’s nothing,” she told me.

I heard an explosion before the shockwave knocked me to the ground. While confusion reigned, I looked back at the bar, engulfed in flames. They hadn’t extinguished, so at least the outer hull hadn’t been breached.

My thoughts were immediately on Rione. My vision grew narrow and darkened as I looked over at her limp body, unable to tell whether she was alive or dead. My instinct was to check her, but I couldn’t move my limbs. Fear screamed through my body as darkness enveloped my mind.

Ahhhhhh...feels good to put him through the ringer like this. Again, I always enjoy your comments, so be sure to leave some. Hope all of my American friends had a Happy Thanksgiving, and we'll catch you next week with another snippet.

Smashwords Summer Sale

If you've been wanting to try out my novels, head on over to Smashwords where you can get the following titles at a significant discount (just utilize the coupon code listed on the book's page):

Death Brings Victory, 50% discount

Seeker, FREE!

The Cure, 50% discount

Dead Man's Forge (Triple-Shot #1), FREE!

So, enjoy these titles at a discount...but make sure to pick yours up soon, because the sale is only for the month of July!

A Study in Sequels

Not to worry, I'll be putting together a more comprehensive post on sales information sometime after the end of this quarter. Today, I wanted to do a small comparison just between two of my sequels, Friends in Deed (FID) and Death Brings Victory (DBV). Since both are sequel novels (following Heroes Die Young), I figured it would be a true apples-to-apples comparison. There is a slight price differential between the two, which I'll be discussing later, but for the purposes of the comparison, it's slight enough that it shouldn't be an issue. Cover art is also different, in that the book shown below on the left was done by my publisher and the other (on the right) was done by the wonderful and talented T. K. Toppin (who I wholeheartedly recommend for your own cover art needs, if you should ever be in the market for it). Again, for the purposes of comparison, shouldn't be an issue (even if I personally think DBV has the better cover...).

So, here we go:

My latest novel (DBV) has been out since March, so I only have data for about one quarter. Even so, it's sold 15 copies over on Amazon and another 4 on Smashwords (sadly, due to technical snafus, it just went up on Barnes and Noble's site a few weeks ago, so no sales from there yet). Total sales for the last quarter, 19.

For (FID) the earlier sequel, which came out in January 2010, I have multiple sets of information. The first quarter it was available, it sold 9 copies through its various online outlets. Via my publisher, there's no breakdown of where copies sold, though based on royalty percentage, I'd hazard a guess that 4 of those copies sold through the publisher itself. This leaves the other 5 through places like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.

Since e-book sales have started becoming more commonplace in recent history, we can also do a comparison of the same quarter, this past one. Compared to the 19 total copies of DBV this past quarter, there were 8 copies of FID (not counting 2 paperback copies) paid for in the first quarter 2012. It's hard to know when those copies actually sold, but likely from the previous quarter considering the timing issue of payments made from Amazon to the publisher (which is the timing upon which royalties are paid).

For comparison, the full year of 2010 brought about 28 e-book sales for FID (compared to 19 copies of DBV for one quarter of 2012).

A couple of things could be said about this. FID is priced at $4.99, where DBV was priced at $3.99 (and has been priced at $2.99 for the last two months...one aspect of self-publishing being that I can toy with pricing until I find the sweet spot). So, does the lower price boost sales? Perhaps. Of course, it could be that sales of my first two novels have gained me several new fans, who are primed and ready to buy the newest novel when it comes out. It's not for me to decide, just to offer facts and let the reader of this post draw their own conclusions. It's possible that I'd sell far more copies at a 99-cent point.

So, that's the comparison of sales numbers. But how about royalties? Although it's not all about the money, it sure does bring a smile to my face when I get paid to do the things I enjoy...

In this past quarter, those 19 copies of DBV have brought in royalties of just over $58. Some of that, I'm still waiting on payment for, but the vast majority has already made it into my pocket. The 9 copies of FID sold from the first quarter 2010 netted me just under $10 (which was paid in full with that royalty statement, but most of the time, the publisher delays payment until the following royalty period if you don't meet a $25 threshold...versus a $10 threshold from both Amazon and Smashwords).

For comparison, the full year of 2010 (28 e-books) netted me just under $27 (this counts the 4Q2010 royalties that were actually paid in 2011).

So, recapping the facts as I've presented them, I sold fewer books (19) in one quarter than (28) in a full year, yet I more than doubled the royalties received ($58 vs. $27).

Looking at the facts behind the scenes, this isn't all that surprising, even considering that DBV is priced lower than FID. Royalties through my publisher are based on net receipts, which are the payments they receive from the online retailers (unless those sales come through the publisher's storefront). So, where I would receive around 70% royalties from Amazon (the percentages vary at Smashwords, depending on the outlet the books sell at), the publisher would receive the 70%, and then I would receive 30% of that amount. So, while I make $2.05 a copy (at a sales price of $2.99) on e-books sold at Amazon, my projected royalties on those same sales through a publisher would be 30% of the $2.05, or $0.62 each. So, for 19 copies, my comparable royalty payment would have been a little under $12 (compared to $58).

On a side note, I commented earlier about possibly selling more copies at the 99-cent price point. I've seen enough evidence of my own to know that it does tend to boost sales, though it also tends to deflate royalty rates due to only a 35% rate on those price levels from Amazon (oddly enough, Smashwords tends to give higher royalties on the sub-2.99 prices). So, sales do increase, but royalties decrease...all about the goals you have for your books, as I've mentioned many times before.

But I digress...

Financially, then, it doesn't seem to make sense to use a publisher. This isn't to say that it doesn't make sense in other areas (for example, the publisher for FID attends several Sci-Fi conventions in Canada which I don't currently have access to, and of course, there's still a stigma about books put out by the author themselves, whether anyone cares to admit it or not). Every author deciding whether to dive in on their own should read my series of posts on self-publishing (this link is to the final segment of the series, which has links to the previous two posts on the topic). But for my own situation, I'm able to do most of the editing on my own, as well as most of the formatting for e-book readers. For other authors, a publisher may have what they need, and they'll just be giving up royalty money to do so.

And of course, e-books are long-term, so a single quarter may not show the full story. It's possible that DBV may not make another sale for the rest of the year (I certainly hope that's not the case, but...). If that turns out to be the case, I'll still have sold fewer and made more money in a year doing so......but I'd still be one sad panda.

Again, I'll be putting together another compilation of sales statistics for all of my books before long. Until then, be sure to check out the two books I've been discussing here, Friends in Deed and Death Brings Victory. Both are awesome titles, and well worth your investment of time and money. And if you've already read one or both of these novels, I'd appreciate if you could (if you haven't already) type up a little review over on Amazon, Goodreads, and any other spot you can find.

SFFS: A Snippet from DEATH BRINGS VICTORY

Welcome to yet another installment of Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday here on the blog. Thanks for all the comments that you leave, and be sure to go visit all of the other SFFS writers through that link above and read even more snippets from some great authors.

For those who may or may not know, I recently finished all of my work on the paperback version of my latest novel, Death Brings Victory. So, in anticipation of it finally coming available (sometime soon, I hope), I'll be providing another snippet from that novel today. In this one, Aston and Rione have just returned from a strike mission and are undergoing a bit of a celebration with their Rulusian crewmates:

Dillager smiled and repeated the toast, “To victory!”

The two Rulusians again gulped down their drinks. I tipped my glass until the fluid reached my lips and pretended to drink. Bad things happened when I drank too much Jungle Juice, and I had no intention of passing out before I wanted to.

Rione, however, finished the whole glass off.

“Careful,” I warned.

She laughed under her breath. “This is supposed to be a celebration, isn’t it?”

“That’s the spirit!” Dillager poured another round.

I wouldn't want to be Rione, that's for sure...those who read my first book, Heroes Die Young, know exactly what's about to happen to her. For the rest of you, you'll just have to find out yourselves. *smile*

And for those who think they might be interested in Death Brings Victory, check out this blurb:

Aston West just escaped death at the pair of psychotic twin brothers, only to take refuge in a war zone. Fighting alongside his friend Rione Sc’lari, he hopes to help the underdog Torian rebels gain the upper hand against their government. Trouble is, his friendship blossoms into a love that he can’t let happen, or risk Rione dying just like the last woman he had feelings for.

The Torian government drives Aston and Rione into hiding, bringing them even closer. As the noose tightens, he must find a way to save Rione and himself from the brink of destruction. Their only chance to end the war rests on a plot fashioned from bloodlust and vengeance. Aston must decide how far he’s willing to go, both with his love for Rione and his thirst for revenge.

SFFS: A Snippet From DEATH BRINGS VICTORY

Welcome to yet another installment of Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday here on the blog (and be sure to go visit all of the other SFFS writers through that link and read even more tales). I've decided to dive back into the new novel for this week's snippet.

As a brief setup, Aston is being doctored (not to be confused with playing doctor, but the line gets a little blurred in the rest of this particular scene, so who can tell, really?) by a Rulusian woman, and then...well, you'll see soon enough:

“So, you often take a hands-on technique in doctoring your crew?”

“No.” She planted another kiss; this time, the sensations raced full steam ahead.

I stumbled over my words. “Well, then...” She gripped my shoulder and massaged a bit deeper. I stopped talking.

Then, another voice interrupted. “What is this?”

Rione stood in the doorway when I turned to look. Her pressure suit was off, but she still wore the black body suit, while her long black hair was matted from the heat and humidity. Her emotion ridges were deep red in anger.

Poor Aston. I think he's about to find himself in some deep crap. So, if you enjoyed this one, be sure to check out Death Brings Victory over on Amazon (and will soon be up on Barnes and Noble). Want to read a longer excerpt, be sure to check out the book's page on my main site! Thanks to everyone for all the posted comments every week!

Lucky7 Meme

I just got tagged in The Lucky7 Meme by T. K. Toppin.
My new WIP (RESURRECTION) doesn't have a page 77 yet, so I'm pulling from my newly released novel, Death Brings Victory.

To play along, here are THE RULES:
1. Go to page 77 of your current ms.
2. Go to sentence 7.
3. Copy and post the next 7 sentences as they’re written. No cheating.
4. Tag 7 other victims, er, authors.

I turned, looking back at her. “Is there anything back there to help us?” 

Keeping one hand on the throttle, she reached back with the other and rummaged out of site, before tossing a green duffel to me. In the depths of the fabric, I felt a small pouch sitting there all alone.

I couldn’t believe it while pulling out the clay-like square. “We have another demolition charge.” 

“But the detonator’s back with the rest of the transports.”

TAGGING:
Misa Buckley
Kimberly Nee
Diane Dooley
Angie Lofthouse
Candice Gilmer
J.C. Cassels
Lisa Pietsch

SFFS: One Last Snippet from DEATH BRINGS VICTORY

Welcome to another installment of Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday here on the blog. As you may or may not know, I'll be without dependable internet access for a few weeks, but not to worry, I'll be back soon and responding to all of your comments! So, feel free to leave some...I'm not ignoring anyone, honest! :-)

For those who saw the previous two installments, I'm once again bringing out a snippet from my latest Aston novel Death Brings Victory.And I tried my best to get away with three snippets completely devoid of Aston's Law, but I couldn't help myself:

Rione asked, “Ready to be a martyr?”

“Not today.” I pressed my lips tight.

Commander Sevil became more irate. “Power down, now!”

I looked down at the screen again. All three cruisers reached weapons range, locking on to us in unison. Red warning lights flashed around the lower canopy sill, and dual concentric red rings flashed around the symbol representing our ship. High-pitched, rapid beeps blasted our eardrums through the helmet speakers.

We were about to become space dust.

If you enjoyed this, be on the lookout, because a full first chapter is bound to be making the rounds soon...and in the meantime, check out all of my novels!

SFFS: Another Snippet From DEATH BRINGS VICTORY

Welcome to another installment of Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday here on the blog. As you may or may not know, I'll be without dependable internet access for a few weeks, but will be coming on to comment when I get the chance. So, feel free to leave comments...I'm not ignoring anyone, honest! :-)

For those who saw the last installment, I'm once again bringing out a snippet from my latest Aston novel Death Brings Victory. To set this one up, Aston and Rione are carrying out their master plan to try and bring an end to a Torian civil war (Axyl being one of the crown princes)...and what a plan it is!

His hungry stare took inventory of Rione’s form as she flowed across the room in front of him, crossing slowly from one side to the other. It never strayed as he examined every part of her body. There was no mistaking his intentions, since I myself had looked at several women the same way more than a few times.

Things were going exactly according to Rione’s plan.

I watched the lust rise within him as he ignored the woman in his lap. She attempted to gain his attention, running her tongue and lips along his neck and bare chest. Rione knew exactly what she was doing, strolling up to a random Torian on the dance floor. Grabbing him by the shoulders, she gyrated with the music, surprising even me with her sensuality. I didn’t know what it was doing to Axyl, but even I felt the familiar pangs of jealousy.

That was before Rione decided to start rubbing her body tight against this stranger she’d never met.

If you enjoyed this, be on the lookout, because a full first chapter is bound to be making the rounds soon...and in the meantime, check out all of my novels!

And again for a reminder, for the next several weeks I'll have sporadic internet access, so may or may not have a chance to sign up for the list properly. I do intend to keep my posts going each Saturday, and hope you'll stop on by. I'll answer all comments when I get the chance... ;-)

The Prologue from DEATH BRINGS VICTORY

“Hold your fire.”

Rione Sc’lari ran to the command room’s center, background klaxons giving her a splitting headache. The black-haired Lazarian female stood out, not for her jet black jumpsuit, but being the only bronze-skinned beauty in a room full of pale Torians. Men and women in olive green uniforms sat at terminals around the perimeter walls, keeping close watch. She focused on the holographic imager displaying the station and its surroundings.

A small bull-nosed craft drew closer to the station. She moved in, her nose almost touching the projected image. The ship would have been considered derelict had its main engines not switched to full power as soon as it dropped below the hyperspace threshold. Being at war, station defenses went on full alert as soon as its trajectory had been determined; it was headed straight for them.

The weapons officer called out across the room. “Target remains acquired.” His curt tone said everything. He was on edge, as they all were.

All of the station’s new laser cannons were trained on the mystery vessel. Rione couldn’t shake a feeling of familiarity. “Is it transmitting an ID code?”

The station’s communications officer looked up from her station nearby. “Sierra-tango-four-two-four.”

Princess Lucian Wren, in a flowing white Torian dress stepped up behind Rione. “Isn’t that code...?”

The Lazarian jerked her head around, ridges protruding just forward of her ear turning pale white. “Aston’s ship?”

The communications officer interrupted, “Still no response.”

Rione’s forehead creased as she mumbled to her friend, “Lucian, something’s wrong.”

The Princess gave the next command. “Have it proceed to landing bay two.”

The officer turned her attention back to the sensor screen and her communication gear. There was no verbal response, but the ship’s thrusters fired, altering course.

“I’ll meet him.” Rione rushed for the exit, hoping the silence was merely an issue with outgoing communications.

She was already out the door when Princess Wren called, “Report back when you find out more.”

The ship’s response to their instructions was a good sign, but Rione had already made a paranoid leap. Pushing on her jumpsuit’s collar, Rione responded through its embedded transmitter. “Will do.”

Far below the circular walkway, Rione passed an unsuspecting commons area. The station had once bustled with life, before Toris had plunged itself into civil war. Now the entire facility seemed like a ghost vessel, the emptiness below broken up by an occasional trio or quartet of dark green Rulusian troops.

The landing bay entry doors split open along the outer wall and Rione raced into the landing bay, only to stop short. Aston’s ship sat at the room’s center, its lights dormant. The hull was scarred and burned, residual ice melting off in waves of cloudy smoke. The station’s two AFI-5 fighter-interceptors rested against the far wall. Her skin crawled as she forced herself closer. She wanted to find out why Aston hadn't already exited his ship, but feared what she might find.

The entry hatch on the ship’s right side popped loose, causing her to jump. Motors ground out their rhythm as the door lowered toward the hangar floor. Relief finally flooded over her, until she heard Jeanie, the ship’s computer, calling from inside. “Come quick!”

Rione scrambled up the stairs, intense fear burning through her heart. She jumped inside the ship, then caught a gasp in her throat.

Aston lay haphazard along the near wall cot, unmoving. Strips of fabric were wrapped around his left shoulder, torn from sheets piled on the floor. Everything under him and below the cot was coated dark red.

“Aston!” she called, but received no response. Her rapid breath formed misty clouds as she rushed to his side. Shoving him did not wake him, either. Her entire body shook violently, not only from the cold, but from building fear.

His breath wasn’t visible as hers was, so she reached up to his throat. Expecting the worst, she felt for signs of life. At first, she found nothing, then pushing a little deeper, a flicker of hope rose as she finally found faint beats, shallow and slow.

Rione’s hands shook as she pressed her transmitter. Her voice chattered. “Emergency medical team to landing bay two. Now!”

Jeanie spoke, almost sorrowful. “He instructed me to bring him here. He knew you would be able to help, Rione.”

The Lazarian female spoke into the emptiness. “What happened to him?”

“Aston instructed me not to explain the circumstances behind his injuries. I must comply.”

Rione crossed her arms, holding herself tight. “Why is it so cold in here?”

“I reduced the temperature to prolong his life.”

Rione backed away as the bay doors opened outside the ship and personnel stormed toward them. She whispered, “What happened to you, Aston West?”

***

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SFFS: A Snippet From DEATH BRINGS VICTORY

Welcome to another installment of Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday here on the blog. As you may or may not know, I'll be without dependable internet access for a few weeks, but will be coming on to comment when I get the chance. So, feel free to leave comments...I'm not ignoring anyone, honest! :-)

Again, for those who may or may not know, I've recently finished up final edits on my latest Aston novel Death Brings Victory (debating whether to keep "the" in the title). So, with that in mind, I'm offering up a small snippet from that one. And since it seems like Aston is always falling into trouble (even going so far as last week's post bringing people to wonder if we should re-name Murphy's Law as Aston's Law), I figured this one would have Aston in one of his other roles, that of kicking butt and taking names. To set this one up, Aston and Rione (and her trusty disintegrator cannon) are storming a government spy satellite on a strike mission...

She punched in a series of numbers and a green light flashed on the keypad. The hatch slid open and we rushed in, catching two pale Torians in white lab coats off-guard. Rione fired off a shot as one of them grabbed for a laser pistol resting on the counter.

His body decomposed amidst gut-wrenching screams, and her cannon whined through its recharge cycle. The other technician tried to take advantage of the respite and grabbed for the same pistol.

I fired my blaster, striking his arm with far less dramatic effect. He grabbed the injured limb, cursing.

“Step away from the console,” I demanded. “You get shot in the chest next time.”

If you enjoyed this, be on the lookout, because a full first chapter is bound to be making the rounds soon...and in the meantime, check out all of my novels!

And again for a reminder, for the next several weeks I'll have sporadic internet access, so may or may not have a chance to sign up for the list properly. I do intend to keep my posts going each Saturday, and hope you'll stop on by. I'll answer all comments when I get the chance... ;-)