Welcome to 8Sunday, aka Weekend Writing Warriors! Every week, authors do a collective blog hop by featuring 8-10 sentences from their current work in progress, upcoming, or new release. I've chosen to keep posting snippets from my new book (which was released on Tuesday!), Crimson Sky, the first in my new steampunk horror series! Instead of continuing from last week, I thought I would introduce a new character named Sawyer, a young pirate captain with a prized possession...
I could look past the grime and dents and tattered sails and see the sleek beauty of the ship. It could be strong and fast again, if the time and effort was put in. If the scrap metal was any indication, there already had been.
I looked at Sawyer, who was completely fixated on the ship. I was only seeing his profile, but there was no mistaking the love and longing on his face. He must have spent a good portion of his childhood on an airship. Maybe he was the son of a trader or merchant. Was he remembering the wind on his face as he sailed through the clouds? Or the excitement of pursuing or escaping another vessel?
They’re always watching. They’re always waiting. They’re always starving…
Ten years ago, the sky shattered and the Hellions emerged. No one was able to keep them from destroying the city of Westraven. Now that the bloodthirsty monsters rule the skies and have forced the few remaining humans underground, Claire Abernathy lives in a nightmare. She survives by using her skills as an engineer for a ruthless tyrant connected to her mother and father’s past failure.
Then Claire’s world is torn apart when her sister Abby is kidnapped by the Hellions, and Claire herself is taken by dangerous sky pirates known as marauders. But Claire will not be intimidated by them while her sister’s life hangs by a thread, and so she strikes a deal with them: If they help rescue Abby, she will fix their ship and give them the chance to take the revenge they desperately seek.
As Claire fights for her sister’s life, she begins to realize that the Hellions are not the only dangers she’ll face. Burdensome secrets and devastating betrayals threaten her at every turn, and if she loses herself to them, it won’t just be her life that is destroyed…
Ten years ago, the sky shattered and the Hellions emerged. No one was able to keep them from destroying the city of Westraven. Now that the bloodthirsty monsters rule the skies and have forced the few remaining humans underground, Claire Abernathy lives in a nightmare. She survives by using her skills as an engineer for a ruthless tyrant connected to her mother and father’s past failure.
Then Claire’s world is torn apart when her sister Abby is kidnapped by the Hellions, and Claire herself is taken by dangerous sky pirates known as marauders. But Claire will not be intimidated by them while her sister’s life hangs by a thread, and so she strikes a deal with them: If they help rescue Abby, she will fix their ship and give them the chance to take the revenge they desperately seek.
As Claire fights for her sister’s life, she begins to realize that the Hellions are not the only dangers she’ll face. Burdensome secrets and devastating betrayals threaten her at every turn, and if she loses herself to them, it won’t just be her life that is destroyed…
***
Crimson Sky is available in book ebook and paper formats on the following websites...
Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Createspace | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Goodreads | Smashwords | OverDrive | Tablo | Story Cartel | BookLikes | NoiseTrade | Bublish |
... and has been doing great so far! I've gotten great reviews from Boundless Book Reviews (5/5 stars!), The Blonde Bookworm (3.5/4 stars!), The Bookish Crypt (4/5 stars!), and One Book Two (5/5 stars!) which also has a giveaway on One Book Two, for a signed paperback and swag!
I have a lot more to say about my writing life and how things are progressing, but to be honest, I'm a little crunched for time right now (got a long day at the Real Job tomorrow, but a fun night afterward), and honestly, I'm still basking in the New Release Glow. Be sure to check out the other fantastic writers of Weekend Writing Warriors and check out their amazing work! Cheers!
Amy
Great insight into Claire's thoughts. I like the feel of the wind.
ReplyDeleteThank you! He misses it, too. :)
DeleteEnjoy your "new release glow", Amy.
ReplyDeleteI love how Claire's observations of Sawyer tell us a lot about her too. Nicely done.
I am, and thank you! ;)
DeleteCongratulations on the new release! I enjoyed the snippet. I get the impression they will get this ship flying again. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you! And I won't say a word... ;)
DeleteI take it pirates and airships in your world are like guys and cars in ours. :-) Congrats on the great reviews, though I'm not the least bit surprised. :-)
ReplyDeleteWow, that's an excellent analogy! I should have got that because I know a lot of mechanics! Haha, and thank you so much! *blushes*
DeleteBest wishes on the new release! Loved the snippet, really touches the emotions. Great!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteReminds me of a boy and his first ever car... some older model that needs some work, but represents freedom, so he's so proud of it. Only an airship is absolutely cooler!
ReplyDeleteThat's definitely a good analogy, and I would totally choose an airship over a car, too. ;)
DeleteGreat observation. Let's us see what she sees. Love the book cover- don't think I've told you that. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! I really love it to. It's given me some ideas to send the designers for the next books. :D
DeleteYou can feel his longing to fly!
ReplyDeleteHopefully he will get to do so soon! :)
DeleteBeautiful excerpt, Amy! I love this line: "Was he remembering the wind on his face as he sailed through the clouds? "
ReplyDeleteThank you! :D
DeleteThe last paragraph is fabulous.
ReplyDeleteTweeted.
Lovely snippet, as always! Now I have a longing to go flying...*cries*
ReplyDeleteThank you, and it seems I've done my job! ;)
Delete