More Charracter Pre-Visualization

More character pre-visualization...

Balthazar, from "Upon A Far Distant Shore." He was infected by the same nano-virus that infected Artemis Xian. Rather than just grant him similar enhanced abilities, he was also mutated into something that looks a bit like Frankenstein's monster. It's speculated that the presence of drugs and alcohol in his system caused the nano-virus to misread his body before rebuilding it. Despite being adversaries, Balthazar does feel a bit of infatuation toward Artemis. (I'm not completely sold on this image of Balthazar. There may be another pass at it down the road, something that looks a little less human.)

 The next character pre-visualization is Special Agent Denise Bell from "Stranger." Denise is an Enhanced Human, a group of genetically engineered humans who possess superior strength, enhanced speed and reflexes, much sharper senses. In the later twenty-second century, Enhanced Humans are also the victims of prejudice and bigotry from a sizable chunk of Earth's population. While there is a large population of Enhanced Humans that are free, most of their sort are living in indentured servitude, essentially slaves. There is a very active subculture of Enhanced Humans who want to overthrow EarthGov as a means to gaining freedom. Most Enhanced Humans, like Denise, work within the system to affect change. "Stranger" is the story of Denise's efforts to infiltrate a terrorist group and stop them before they can launch strikes on Portland, Oregon.

 The last character pre-visualization for tonight is Helena Troy, the main character of "My Soul To Keep." There is nothing out of the ordinary about Helena, except that she, and everyone else in the habitat of Coventry - 600 people in total, were abducted from Earth by a race of being called the Tralamafan, to be used in a continuing cycle of experiments. To the Tralamafan, the human population of Coventry are nothing more than lab rats. The memories of their lives before their abduction was erased, and they are cloned over and over again, over the coarse of centuries, and run through different forms of society, alternating between cycles of war and peace. It's not until Helena is chosen by Isiah, Coventry's controlling AI, to begin working to end the cycles and preserve the lives of the 600 citizens.

On A Cold Wind

We are what we are. Besides, humanity’s just a frame of mind.

- Special Agent Caralynn Adrasteia, EarthGov Security, Division Five

The story of Caralynn (Carly) Adrasteia, an agent of EarthGov Security in the late twenty-second century begins. As an Enhanced Human, a group of humans engineered to have superior physical and mental abilities, she is subject to hatred and discrimination while continuing to work for the improvement of her people's situation. Along with her partner, Special Agent Murphy Greenfield, she is assigned to track down two escaped criminals who threaten a newly established colony. One of the criminals, Efhram Bartok, is also an Enhanced Human who wants to incite a revolution and lead the Enhanced Humans to freedom. There is a link between Carly and Bartok, one that only Carly's division director knows.

On A Cold Wind is available from Smashwords, Kindle, iTunes, NOOK & Lulu. Also available as Print On Demand from CreateSpace.

Price: $4.99 (ebook) $6.99 (print)

Find the links here –

http://wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords#!books/cnec

Rae

Heav’n but the Vision of fulfill’d Desire,

And Hell the Shadow from a Soul on fire,

Cast on the Darkness into which Ourselves,

So late emerged from, shall so soon expire.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam of Naishpur

Quatrain 67

EarthGov Security Special Agent Kevin Martin and his partner, Probationary Agent Rachael (Rae) Mercer, thought they had been assigned an open-and-shut case. A murder had been committed on the colony of Haven and local law enforcement already had a suspect in custody, with enough evidence to ensure a conviction. Things begin to spin out of control when Rae is severely beaten and Kevin is accused of the attack. Who is trying to stop the murder investigation? What is connection between the suspect and the victim? How does the secret Rae is keeping tie into it?

Rae is available from Smashwords, Kindle, iTunes, NOOK & Lulu. Also available as Print On Demand from CreateSpace.

Price: $2.99 (ebook) $5.99 (print)

Find the links here –

http://wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords#!books/cnec

The Fault Lies Not...

And I looked, and behold, a pale horse:  And his name that sat on him was Death

The Book of Revelation 6:8

In the late twenty-sixth century, a serial killer roams the city of Naufolk. There is little evidence left at the scenes of the murders, and no trace of the killer shows up on any of the city’s scanners. It's up to EarthGov Security Special Agent Lin Sillo and her partner, Special Agent Vincent DeBurg, to stop him. But is there something behind the murders, something that reaches far beyond the city?

The Fault Lies Not… is available from Smashwords, Kindle, iTunes, NOOK & Lulu. Also available as Print On Demand from CreateSpace.

Price: $3.99 (ebook) $5.99 (print)

Find the links here –

http://wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords#!books/cnec

Character Pre-Vis 2

Special Agent Maureen Rogers from "Raven." This is another pre-vis done in HeroMachine 3. She was born in Russia in 1791, and her birth name is Anastasia Krestyanova. She's done a lot in her four hundred years, and currently works as a Special Agent with Division Two of EarthGov Security. It is almost a daily struggle to keep the truth of her life hidden from her very inquisitive and suspicious partner, Special Agent David Troy.

A Bright Symmetry

A Bright Symmetry is a series of stories set over the course of a year, stories of life, death and rebirth. After more than two thousand years, immortal Scott Madigan was tired of life and its unending struggles. But an archaeological expedition leads Scott to reassess and change his life...though nothing compares to the changes undergone by his lover, Zoe Baird.

The seven stories in A Bright Symmetry are…

“Only Time” – One year ago – Scott and Zoe travel back to Earth to visit with Scott’s friends, Brynna Alexander and her husband Georges Severin. While they reminisce, Zoe thinks she hears someone saying goodbye to her but can’t find who said it…

“A God To Dance With” – Seven months ago - Scott and Zoe are on an archaeological expedition to the planet Stelvra. They were there to investigate the myth of Quérahl-tan, the Stelvran’s Sleeping God. They were hoping to conduct the research before the planet’s unstable political system collapsed. But what was waiting for them in the tomb…and who would pay the consequences…

“Being” – Scott begins to come to terms with the aftermath of the events in the tomb, while getting to know the person Zoe had become. The suspicions of the ship’s captain weren’t helping him cope. Then a system failure threatened the whole ship and only one person can help them…

“Intermezzo” – Three months ago – Zoe’s condition has been deteriorating and she doesn’t know why. To help find a cure, Scott has to turn to the Science Directorate once again to set up an expedition to distant sector, one that is believed to be uninhabited…or is it…

“The Arc of Heaven” – One month ago – Scott contracts Arcadia Ryan, an old friend and independent starship master, to transport him, Zoe and a team of scientists and politicians to Zoe’s home to try and find out what’s wrong with her, as well as study her people and establish relations with them. But Scott hadn’t counted on the Science Directorate having its own agenda…

“Circle” – Two days ago – Arcadia brings Scott and Zoe back to Earth so they can tell Brynna and Georges what happened to Zoe. After misunderstandings, Scott finally finds out who said goodbye to Zoe on their last visit a year ago…

“…and Forever” – Now – Zoe learns one last secret as the final circle comes to a close.

A Bright Symmetry is available from Smashwords, Kindle, iTunes, NOOK & Lulu. Also available as Print On Demand from CreateSpace.

Price: $4.99 (ebook) $6.99 (print)

Find the links here –

http://wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords#!books/cnec

Campfire Stories

Campfire Stories is a collection of eight stories, ranging from the far distant past to the not-too-distant future. These are stories of self-discovery, exploration and duty, and the consequences of each. From a research project gone terribly wrong, to a an author finding out there's more to his childhood friend than he thought, to an investigator searching for someone who can hide in plain site...these stories show people striving for more and the consequences that brings.

The eight stories in Campfire Stories are:

“The End of Seconds" – A research project to answer an age-old question goes terribly wrong, with consequences that reach across time;

"Games of Life and Cold" – While exploring an uncharted planet, a group of genetically engineered beings finds themselves in a life or death struggle with a race that considers them little more than animals;

"If You Listen Softly" – What if the world around you changed and you were the only one who noticed it;

"All My Yesterdays, Remembered" – An author finds there’s more to his childhood friend than he ever thought;

"Symmetry" – Rosalind had no idea how she came to be on the subway, with the conductor the only other rider, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer;

"Signpost" – A planetary survey sends Tamara on a journey of discovery and wonder;

"Last Light" – Carly and Alexa were on their way to lunch…then they walked into a hostage crisis…then it fell to Carly to end it;

"The Shape of the Truth" – As an investigator, Dari had to find a suspect who was able to hide in plain sight and also prove his innocence.

Campfire Stories is available from Smashwords, Kindle, iTunes, NOOK & Lulu. Also available as Print On Demand from CreateSpace.

Price: $5.99 (ebook) $7.99 (print)

Find the links here:

http://wordboy1.wix.com/wordboyswords#!books/cnec