March Comes in like a Freight Train

Sorry about the mixed metaphor--heh. I've just got a quick post this week because I've got a TON on my plate.

First of all, I hope you saw my "LAST CHANCE!" notices that Pets in Space® 4...because it's now history! Hope you didn't miss out on grabbing a copy of the most successful PISA volume EVAH!

The good (heck, great!) news is that my rights have now reverted on SpyDog and it will be out as a standalone as soon as I can have a cover designed and get it formatted. I was so happy with the final product -- named as a favorite among all the stellar Pets in Space® stories by at least two reviewers! Woohoo!) -- that it will be published as a standalone in my series with very few changes, just a couple of story enhancements.

But as for that TON on my plate? Yup, it's March and I'm "deep in the heart of taxes" and also working feverishly on my new Pets in Space® story which will debut this coming October! (With earlier pre-sale, so stay tuned!)

I have to keep this one under wraps for now, but I will give you this much...

SEVEN THINGS ABOUT MY NEW PISA5 - INHERITED STARS SERIES WIP

1. It takes place in an unusual setting for a SFR.

2. It has a big reveal of a secret I've been hinting at for years.

3. It's an origin story--for two different series elements.

4. The heroine (who you haven't yet met in any story) heads up an elite security team .

5. The hero (who you also haven't yet met in any story) is a mixed-subspecies special operative.

6. There will be cameos by characters you already know.

7. My pet's name is Cassandra ("Cassie" for short).

I'll be sharing more in the months ahead and can't wait to tell you more!

Have a wonderful first week of March!

Guess What's Coming? (And Guess What's Going?)

It's official...

Yes, it will be the Fifth Anniversary Edition of a Pets in Space® release!

Today you get a sneak peek of a bit of the cover and the authors in the graphic above...and yes, I'm in this one, too!

I've been very busy behind the scenes deciding on:

1) What pet?
My last three have been StarDogs. Will I stick with the program or write a totally different pet this time around? You'll see.

2) What setting?
It will definitely be a story in the Inherited Stars Series, but that leaves a lot of room to improvise. :) Will it take place on a planet? A space station? Aboard a starship? Dirtside? In the future of the anchor novel, Inherit the Stars? The past? At the same time? (Oh no! Not doing another one of those again! LOL--but hang on to your hat, because SpyDog will be out soon as a standalone!) Stay tuned.

3) What characters?
As with the other PISA stories, the lead characters will be someone you haven't met in other series books, but there may be a few cameos and interaction with some of your old friends.

4) What plot?
I've already started work on the story and I can't commit spoilers, but I will give you a couple of teasers. It involves a huge secret...and one I've been hinting at for years. [::: rubs hands together in anticipation:::] but it's so super secret, it has it's own security force to guard it! I'm excited about the idea, can you tell?

There will be more announcements coming soon, so keep an eye out for future posts.

LAST CALL FOR PETS IN SPACE® 4!

Pets in Space® 4 will NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE as of the end of February!

Some of the 13 stories may return as standalone books, but you'll never have another shot at getting the entire collection in one volume again. If you haven't yet grabbed your copy, you only have a few days to do it! Don't miss this highly successful, USA TODAY Bestselling, #1 seller on Amazon Kindle, Nook and Kobo! And did I mention it's currently averaging 4.7 STARS on Amazon Kindle with 120 reviews!

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL VENDORS

(Scroll down for full story blurbs.)

The clock is ticking down, and once it's gone, it's gone FOREVER. You'll never have another chance to grab this volume from bestselling and award-winning authors. At nearly 1,500 pages--the size of 5 full length novels!--it will keep you in reading for many, many hours (days? weeks? months?) to come.

Don't miss your shot at having a part of Science Fiction Romance history!

And to our legion of readers who loved this collection, thank you from the bottom of our hearts! You truly made Pets in Space® 4 an exciting, amazing, fist-pumping, fun, and HUGELY rewarding experience!

Have a great week.

SpyDog Snippet from Pets in Space® 4 (Soon to Disappear Forever!)

I was really excited to re-join the Pets in Space® 4 crew after writing for both PISA 1 and 2, but then skipping Pets in Space® 3 to work on some of my own material.

My story, SpyDog, gave me the opportunity to explore the flip-side of the action in my anchor novel, Inherit the Stars. It was both very fun, and extremely mind-boggling, to write a book that happened concurrently with the events in the novel, so a bit like the Star Wars: Rogue One of my series, except a tale where the main characters survive.

This is the third StarDog story in my series, this time starring Maura, a bio-engineered StarDog upgrade called a SpyDog.

Here's a quick peek at a snippet from my story SpyDog [edited slightly for context]:

_______________________________

Sona relaxed the tension in her trigger finger.

So did Rigel.

“You are a Network agent,” she whispered, her eyes going round.

This changed everything.

Whoever she was, whatever she’d seen, she was even more dangerous than he’d first thought. She’d IDed him as an agent? Not good. She was privy to Network passcodes? That left some big, fat, unresolved question marks. Leadership needed to know what she knew—and how she’d come to know it. How extensively had the Network been compromised? This breach could destroy everything they’d worked so hard for.

She wouldn’t die today. He’d just bagged a counter-intel asset. He’d deliver her to Network authorities so they could interrogate her—get to the bottom of how much damage had already been done and take corrective action. Meanwhile, he’d let her think he believed her story.

Always keep your enemies in your laze-sights. That was his motto.

“Right,” he muttered, easing his laze-pistol back to low ready. “You’re Network.”

She, too, lowered her weapon then holstered it.

He scowled when Maura left the confines of his satchel and took a few tentative steps toward the woman, nose twitching.

“Hello, little one,” the Rathskian said, going to one knee. “Can we be friends now?” She reached out to let the StarDog sniff her hand then gave Maura a gentle pat.

Maura responded by quickly scaling the women’s arm. The Rathski stiffened in surprise—and so did Rigel—when Maura wrapped herself around the woman’s shoulders like a furry, golden scarf.

Maura never took to strangers like this. It had to be an act.

The Rathski smiled and stroked the StarDog’s long back.

“Way to draw her in, partner.” Rigel managed not to smirk at his SpyDog’s cleverness. “Disarm and charm her. Let her think we’re falling for her story while we set the trap.”

_______________________________

But here's an important message about Pets in Space® 4. All the Pets in Space® volumes are only offered for a limited time, and we're now on approach to another *POOF!* point.

Pets in Space® 4 is about to disappear...FOREVER..on February 29th!

So if you haven't grabbed your copy of the most successful Pets in Space® volume EVER, let me recap:

USA TODAY BEST SELLER

#1 on Amazon

#1 on B&N Nook

#1 on Kobo

115 Amazon reviews (to date) and a 4.7 STAR average

13 Stories in 13 Popular SFR Series

13 Award Winning, Bestselling Authors

Over 1,400 Pages (equal to 5 full-length novels!)

$5.99

>>  FIND IT HERE!  <<

So the bottom line is that if you love SciFi Romance at an incredible price--

~ we're talking .46 cents per story! ~

--this volume is not to be missed! At 1,400 pages, this meaty collection has an average story length of about 100 pages!

Though some of these stories may be published as stand alones, with a minimum price of .99 each (and probably more) the total cost would run you at least $12.87 -- provided they're all offered elsewhere and you can track them all down again.

So far all of the reasons listed above, Pets in Space® 4 is one SFR collection readers really don't want to miss. Once it's gone, it's gone for good. Never to return.

Grab your copy before February 29th at your favorite vendor and capture a bit of SFR history!

Happy Reading!

SpyDog Snippet: Trouble in the Ranks

This is a scene from my story SpyDog in USA TODAY bestselling anthology, Pets in Space® 4!

Scene Set-Up

Rigel Blackline, a Network agent, 

Sona, a legendary warrior-class Rathskian female (and his potential enemy), and 

Captain Garr, the gruff pilot of their escape transport have a clash of cultures over breakfast. 

Rigel’s SpyDog partner, Maura, also puts in her two cents. 

[Edited slightly for context.]

Excerpt

“Excuse me, Captain. I’ve lost my appetite.” Sona pushed away from the table and strode away so quickly, Rigel felt the breeze of her passing.

As well as more than a little regret.

Maura gave two sharp barks over her shoulder as she trotted after Sona. “Mean Rigel.”

Damn.

“Pretty harsh, boy,” Garr muttered. “I don’t blame her for wanting to be elsewhere. What’s your issue with her anyway?”

Rigel stared a hole in his im-eggs. “I don’t have an issue with her.”

“To Hades you don’t,” Garr jeered. “Planet of origin doesn’t make her an enemy. Or you a friend, for that matter. They have dissenters, same as our side.”

“I’ll be keeping a close eye on her, all the same.”

“Yeah.” Garr gave him a crafty smile. “Kind of hard not to, isn’t it?”

Rigel shifted in his seat and chugged what was left of his mug of kinna. Was Garr intentionally baiting him?

“One thing’s clear, though,” Garr continued, adding more hot spice to his im-eggs. “She obviously doesn’t care much for your company, if she skips a meal just to be away from you.”

Rigel stared at her untouched plate. That hit home. His patronizing attitude hadn’t been called for and he’d obviously stepped on her feelings. It wasn’t right that she hadn’t eaten, especially after getting gigadam little to eat yesterday…and sharing the few bites of her rations with him.

Okay, he was a complete jerk.

Rigel got up from the table and took her full plate in hand. “I’ll take it to her.”

“You sure that’s a good idea, boy?”

“It’s a good idea,” Rigel said flatly then squared off with Garr. “But just for the record, you calling me ‘boy?’ That isn’t.”

Garr stopped chewing and narrowed his eyes.

Rigel paused just long enough to be sure he’d made his point then headed down the corridor to their shared cabin, Sona’s breakfast in hand.

_______________________________________

Just a reminder that Pets in Space® 4 will only be available for a limited time, and then--*POOF!*--it’s gone forever! This hefty volume of 13 original sci-fi romance stories will keep you in reading for days or weeks to come, since it’s the size of FIVE full-length novels, and all for the price of a cup of coffee!

If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, you can find links and complete story blurbs here (once on the page, scroll down a bit for the blurbs and story info): 

Pets in Space® 4

P.S. Already have it? Makes a great gift, too! 

Give books for the holidays.

Have a wonderful week!

Honoring Our Vets / Last Hurrah for Hero Dogs!

On This Veterans Day...

Honoring all those who served and sacrificed for this great country.

May your contributions to our nation never be forgotten, ignored or dismissed.

Thank you for your service!

___________________________________

Pets in Space® 4 and Hero Dogs

Pets in Space® 4 has had a spectacular run since it's October 8th release, but time is running out for our Hero Dogs donation! In fact, it ends at midnight TONIGHT! (So there's still time...but hurry!)

Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space® authors have donated over $7,100 in the past three years to help place specially trained dogs with veterans and first responders. In 2019, 10% of all pre-orders and the first month’s royalties of Pets in Space® 4 will again go to Hero-Dogs. Open your hearts and grab your limited release copy of Pets in Space® 4 today so together we can continue to assist this worthy charity!

So here are ten reasons why you should buy Pets in Space® 4 today, if you haven't already. (And if you have, you know what a great collection of SFR stories this is. Gift one to a friend you think would love it and help make our donation to Hero Dogs better than ever for 2019.)

Number 10...
Hours of great reading for Fall--in fact, it's the length of FIVE NOVELS worth of reading!

Buy it here!

Number 9...
You can get all that quality reading for the price of a cup of coffee!

Number 8...
Thirteen original, all new, never before published SFR stories!

Number 7...
It's Veterans Day! What a thoughtful way to help out a vet or first responder in need!

Number 6...
Pets in Space® 4 features books by 13 award-winning, USA TODAY Bestselling authors!

Number 5... 
It has many 5-star reviews on Amazon and major SFR review sites!

Number 4... 
The stories are all standalone books in fascinating science fiction romance series!

Number 3... 
It hit #1 on Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, and Kobo the day of release!

Number 2...
It's a USA TODAY Bestseller!

and the Number 1. reason why you should grab your copy of Pets in Space® 4 today to treat yourself and help out Hero Dogs at the same time...

PETS!.....in spaaaaaaaaaaace!

Still on the fence? Just click this link to see what HERO DOGS is all about. Ohhh, look at all those cute, adorable pups that will one day (with your help) become wonderful service dogs. Cuteness evolves into steadfast companions and help-mates.

What better cause than that? What better time than Veterans Day?

Note that this collection will NOT be offered on Kindle Unlimited. Grab it now to make your purchase count.

If you'd like a link to all available vendors and to see the blurb for each book (scroll down to read each title and blurb) just click here:

More About Pets in Space® 4 

I also wanted to pass along this very special tweet that Hero Dogs did earlier today. That's Mitch! A service dog graduated from the Hero Dogs program who, along with his veteran, was visiting veterans at the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Mitch was a special donation project of mine during Pets in Space 1 and 2. So glad to see an update from "my boy" Mitch!

While #Veterans are always at the top of our minds, each Nov 11th is a special day of gratitude for the service of our bravest. ⁣Last month at the Vietnam Memorial Wall, #servicedog @MitchtheDog & his veteran spent time with #PearlHarbor survivor & #WWII vet Charlie. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/FFuYCLGl1S

— Hero Dogs, Inc. (@HeroDogsInc) November 11, 2019

Have a great Veterans Day and a wonderful week.

SpyDog Excerpt from Pets in Space® 4 (plus Reminders)

Today, I have an excerpt from SpyDog, my Inherited Stars Series story in the USA TODAY Bestselling Pets in Space® 4 collection.

Scene Set-Up:
Rigel, a Network deep cover agent--along his bio-engineered partner, a SpyDog named Maura--has crossed paths with someone he believed to be a legend, a warrior-class female Rathskian. Her knowledge of the Network runs deep, much too deep for a member of the enemy alliance. She claims to be a friendly, but Rigel decides his best course of action is to reach his transport and turn her over to Network superiors. But first he has to get her there.

She may turn out to be more of a challenge than he's anticipating.

Excerpt:
They still had a long trek ahead of them, and this woman had already learned crucial information about him and Maura. If she got away from him now, it could be very bad. True, she’d been nothing but cooperative, but he still had to be wary of the potential for ambush. His SpyDog exposing a covert capability to this Rathskian had certainly upped the stakes. Reaching the safety of a Network ship and securing her onboard was crucial. He just hoped the ship had a prisoner retention cell to reduce the risk of her sabotaging his mission.

“Walk ahead of me,” Rigel directed. “A Rathskian and a Carduwan might make suspicious bedfellows.”

Sona gave him a quick glance, one eyebrow arched in surprise—or was it scorn?

“As it should be,” she retorted, and strode ahead.

“Stay with her,” Rigel told his invisible partner then realized she was no longer at his side. Dust puffs rose where the StarDog scampered along in step with their captive. It wasn’t the first time she’d anticipated a command, but now it ramped up his annoyance a full notch or two.

“Make a right here,” Rigel instructed.

Having her walk ahead made watching her easier but calling out each turn or new direction in their path was attracting attention. They’d already snagged a few puzzled looks from passersby and he didn’t need the added scrutiny. Thankfully, there weren’t that many people moving about in the midday heat. Rigel lengthened his strides to close ground between himself and the Rathski.

“Take the left fork.”

“Get any closer and you can just whisper in my ear,” she said, without looking back.

Nonplussed, Rigel eased off a stride. Was she trying to provoke him? Rigel shook it off. He had to stay sharp and avoid letting his mind wander down paths that might lead to distraction.

__________________________

Hope you enjoyed this snippet from my story.

Reminder: Time Is Running Out!

Okay, this is where I beg a little. Oh readers, hear my humble plea.

Pets in Space® 4 has had a phenomenal run so far, but our window to donate to Hero Dogs is closing fast and we (the team behind the anthology) really want our donation this year to be the best ever in the four years we've contributed to this organization.

The donation period closes at midnight on November 11th, Veterans Day, so there's still a few days to help this wonderful charity!

Please, please help us help Hero Dogs!

For $5.99 -- about the price of a cup of coffee -- you can help a veteran or first responder have a lasting impact on their life through a trained service dog donated free of charge by this wonderful organization. We'll be donating 10% of our royalties through November 11th to assist Hero Dogs...

But the donation window ends at midnight on November 11th--Veterans' Day.

If you haven't already purchased a copy of Pets in Space® 4, would you please consider it now?

Click here to see all available vendors and scroll down to read the story blurbs

What's in it for you?

How about some great science fiction romance reading adventures--a collection that's going to last far longer and bring more enjoyment than that single cup of coffee! This volume features 13 stories by best selling and award-winning authors. It made the USA TODAY Bestsellers list the week of release and has received over 60 rave reviews on Amazon--about 94% of them five or four stars as of this writing!

And this volume is substantial--the size of nearly FIVE full-length novels--with complete, standalone stories connected to popular ongoing series.

SpyDog (excerpt above) is my contribution to the collection and it's a story in my Inherited Stars Series. I invite you to check out this pivotal (but standalone) episode in Pets in Space® 4. SpyDog is the story of Rigel Blackline, a Network agent, and Sona, a female warrior-class Rathskian as they both seek to complete crucial missions that will be monumental to the future of the known galaxy--but whose separate goals just might put them at odds. And of course being part of Pets in Space®, it involves an unique creature--a highly-trained, keenly-intelligent, and sometimes defiant StarDog upgrade known as a SpyDog. Her name is Maura and she's Rigel's partner.

Check out these Pets in Space® 4 endorsements from reviewers:

"I love these Sci-fi pet stories!" - 5 stars

"Awesome anthology" - 5 stars

"Well-written, interesting and varied" - 5 stars

"Loved all the stories, each one is so very different but wonderful in their own way." - 5 stars

"This will not disappoint." - 5 stars

~~ and even one with a special mention of SpyDog ~~

"Full of fun stories with interesting pets...SpyDog. So far this is my favorite." - 5 stars

Also, the latest book in my series, StarDog, just released on October 21st and is currently at a special introductory price of only .99 cents, but this special introductory price will end November 11th.


StarDog Goes Off Sale Next Monday

If you'd like a peek into my SFR universe, grab your copy before next Tuesday to get it at .99 cents.

Here's more about it:

Available on Amazon

Navigator Taro Shall's captain assigns him an unexpected mission–find a way to eradicate deadly vipers that have infested starship Calypso. He never expects to find the solution to his problem in the hands of Adini, a charming street vendor. But the bio-engineered StarDog he acquires turns out to be a galactic hot potato, and both Taro and Adini are soon fugitives on the run.

Adini Kemm can't deny her fascination for the honor-bound navigator, though his past and her present seem to null any chance at a shared future. Until her father's capture as a spy catapults both her and Taro into a desperate bid to save him...and straight into the clutches of a brewing insurrection.

As Taro's bond with Adini grows, so does their jeopardy. Determined not to draw Calypso or his captain into the fray, Taro must rely on his wits to keep both Adini and his secrets safe from the renegade leader who takes them prisoner.

___________________

Based on a short story in the very popular Pets in Space® 1 anthology, winner of two 2016 SFR Galaxy Awards and named by LibraryJournal.com as one of the “Best Books of 2016.”

StarDog has returned as a standalone story in The Inherited Stars Series at double the length–with expanded scenes, new chapters and a new epilogue. It's also a companion story to SpyDog (except above). Click below to buy the ebook for .99 cents:

Amazon

Thanks for stopping by Spacefreighters Lounge today. Have a great week!

What's Past is Prologue? Not in this Series! #snippet #PetsInSpace

William Shakespeare originally coined the phrase "What's past is prologue" for his play The Tempest, but the phrase has become the darling of the sci-fi universe with such television franchises as Star Trek: Discovery and The Flash giving it a nod in episode titles.

The original meaning was basically that history has set the stage for the present. But in some references, it also hints that what's past may be inconsequential to the here and now. That's not the case in my series, where the tumultuous past of this fictional future will be explored in later volumes.

In my latest Inherited Stars Series story, SpyDog, which is part of the just released USA TODAY bestselling volume Pets in Space® 4, one of the characters has the opportunity to summarize the history leading up to their particular point in time in a brief dialogue. But in the Inherited Stars Series, his summary isn't just prologue, it's a recap of a future trilogy that will step back into this epic  past.

Scene Set-Up:

• Rigel is a Network agent who--along with his SpyDog partner, Maura--has a galaxy-altering mission. 
• Sona is a warrior class female Rathskian with a mysterious mission of her own. 
• Captain Garr is the Network pilot of the transport that's ferrying them to an important rendezvous.

Conflicting missions have resulted in an altercation between the three.


Excerpt (edited slightly for context):

Rigel rose from the flight couch, his attention fixed on Sona. 

Garr’s gruff voice intruded on the look that passed between them. “And what about me?”

“I’ll release you if you agree not to fly to LaGuardia and take us straight to the Network transport,” Sona stated.

“I can’t do that.” His glare shifted to Rigel. “And neither can you.”

Rigel faced him. “I have my orders, but you need to explain why this detour to LaGuardia is so important.”

Garr eased out his breath with a subtle shake of his head. “That Ithian blockade on Banna was all about the Alliance trying to capture Commodore Gant—a LaGuardian. When Specter blew their blockade, one of their big battleships was destroyed in the process. As a result, they’ve threatened immediate retaliation against LaGuardia. They’re going to occupy the planet.”

“If the Ithians intend to retaliate against LaGuardia, why would we want to go there?” Sona demanded.

“Because LaGuardia is the home of the Royal Draxian Archives. The records of our history that the Ithians are desperately trying to erase so they can replace it with their lies about our past. They want to bury the truth. High Queen Katrina was real. Our origins on the planet called Earth is truth. The Flame and the Fire Lords did exist. The vortex they passed through was a reality. It’s all there. All the lost knowledge. All the forgotten centuries. Almost fourteen thousand years of it. And it’s in jeopardy.”

“I know of these archives,” Sona said pensively. “They preserve important history for my people, too. But what does it have to do with us?”

“We’ve been directed to acquire the archives on datacells and deliver the contents to the Network. Before the gigadam Ithians can destroy it forever.”

“And with Commodore Gant missing in action, this is a priority for the Network?” Rigel questioned.

“This may be one of the most important things the Network ever does,” Garr declared. “Whether they succeed or fail with their other plans.”

_____________________________________________

I hope you enjoyed this snippet from SpyDog, which is just one of thirteen exciting and highly acclaimed stories in the almost 1,500 page volume, Pets in Space® 4. Also includes works by bestselling and award winning authors S.E. Smith, Anna Hackett, Tiffany Roberts, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, JC Hay, E.D. Walker, Regine Abel, Alexis Glynn Latner, Kyndra Hatch, Cassandra Chandler and Donna McDonald.

As of this writing, Pets in Space® 4 has an average Amazon rating of 4.9 stars with 50 reviews, and has hit #1 on Amazon, Nook and Kobo, in addition to being named a USA TODAY bestseller!

Don't miss out! Pets in Space® 4 is a limited run and when you purchase a copy of this amazing collection in the next 15 days, 10% of your purchase will go toward our contribution to the awesome Hero Dogs, an organization that raises and trains service dogs free of charge for military veterans and first responders. So it's a win-win!

Thanks for stopping by Spacefreighters Lounge today for another glimpse into my story, SpyDog. 

And one final noteworthy mention. Today would have been Carrie Fisher's--aka Princess-General Leia's--63rd birthday. Honoring all she did for the SFR universe. We miss you, Carrie!

From Twitter this morning:

"I don't want my life to imitate art, I want my life to be art"
You're so much missed. Happy Birthday to our Princess 💖 #carriefisher #StarWars pic.twitter.com/SYX66mplfC

— Leyla♠🎃 (@darth_swlove03) October 21, 2019

Have a wonderful week filled with great reads!

Meet My Pet - Guest Blog by Kyndra Hatch #PetsInSpace

Today we welcome Kyndra Hatch, one of the authors of the newly released Pets in Space® 4 for a guest blog about the pet in her story, Interrupting Starlight. Welcome to Spacefreighters Lounge, Kyndra!

_____________________________________________

Meet Squeak, the playful pet from my Pets in Space® 4 story, “Interrupting Starlight.” He provided food and companionship to Tessa, who was stranded on the desolate desert Korthan world for two years.

Squeak is a molk, a burrowing animal that resides in Korthan space with the look and size of a large hedgehog of Earth. Trumpet ears allow him to hear very well, especially when hunting.

No one really knows where molks originated. Found on most worlds in Korthan space, they are highly adaptable. In hot environments, they have scales with a thin layer of fur underneath. In cold environments, they shed their scales, the fur becoming a thick coat that keeps them warm.

 

Playful and social, molks make great pets. They are scavengers, but also fierce hunters with the bonus that anything they scavenge or catch can also be eaten by humans. As humans explore Korthan worlds to inhabit, they don’t always know what is edible. A handful of humans have figured out that if a molk eats something, then they know it’s safe to eat themselves.

Korthans, on the other hand, consider molks to be vermin and would just as soon eradicate the species. Molks can burrow through metal and wiring, wreaking havoc on domiciles and starships alike. They are especially problematic on the starships, as there have been cases where molks accidentally burrowed through bulkheads, causing the contents of the ship to vent into space. They also like to collect shiny objects, which is a problem on a ship full of shiny things. Worse is that they are undetectable by sensor sweeps and scanners. Even cyborgs and living ships cannot detect their presence, so it is incumbent upon every Korthan to report a molk sighting immediately.

The following snippet features Squeak. Tessa, the heroine of the story, has him hidden away on the Korthan galaxy-ship that rescued her.

***

Tessa searched the bed covering for her squeaky companion. Blinking up at her sleepily, his bulbous trumpet ears perked up at the sight of the container in her hand. That was a good sign.

Opening the container, she barely had time to show the creature the contents before Squeak was upon the cube, devouring it ravenously. Okay, so it wasn’t poisonous. One problem, there wasn’t anything left for her to eat.

“You couldn’t save some for me?” she said.

The little animal looked up at her, emitting several low-pitched squeaks, head turning sideways, tail sticking up in the air.

Tessa grabbed her bag. At least there was some spider jerky—

“You ate all the spider jerky too?”

Squeak disappeared under the covers, tuft of feathers at the end of his tail sticking out, giving away his position, unbeknownst to him.

Gently grabbing the tuft of feathers as she walked past the bed, Squeak let out a playful squeal as he turned, the feathers disappearing under the covers, a fat paw with long claws swiping out, trying to grab but missing her fingers.

***

Grab your copy of Pets in Space® 4 today! For a limited time, Pets in Space® 4 brings together today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors to help Hero-Dogs.org, a non-profit charity that helps our service veterans and first responders.  https://petsinspaceantho.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kyndra Hatch writes action-packed science fiction, fantasy, and paranormal romance when she’s not watching for falling stars and avoiding wily coyotes at her desert home.

Kyndra's Blog 

Kyndra on Bookbub  

#PetsInSpace 4 Week Two NEWS! Number 1 x 3!

Dear Readers,

Yes! Pets in Space® 4 is OUT and I have a very special message for you all:

That's right! Pets in Space® 4 went #1 bestseller at three difference vendors-Amazon, Nook, and Kobo--the evening of it's release! Holy cow and wowsers! We're all beyond thrilled, and especially happy for our charity, Hero Dogs, who will get 10% of all pre-order and first month's royalties!

But the clock on the donation window is ticking down and this is also a limited run. Please don’t wait to buy your copy! Grab Pets in Space® 4 now and get ready to devour another Inherited Stars Series story!

SPECIAL NOTE: There will be NO Kindle Unlimited release for this anthology, so help us help Hero-Dogs and buy your copy of Pets in Space® 4 today during the Hero Dogs donation window.

Get links to all vendors here

Get the detailed blurbs for all 13 Pets in Space® 4 stories here

And if you'd like to see two of the earliest reviews, read them here!

Whiskey With My Book Reviews

Reading Reality Reviews

Both of these review sites are excellent go-to spots for SFR reviews, so definitely add them to your favorites and check back with them often.

Now to tell you a little more about how my Pets in Space® 4 story, SpyDog, fits into the series.

I did something unique for my debut story and first released a book in 2015 that takes place 200 years in the future of the main story line as a glimpse into the past and how the Inherited Stars Universe would change over those two centuries. Granted, some of the clues were subtle, but there was a lot of information packed into that novelette. The title of that work is Farewell Andromeda. The story is chock full of hints of what's to come, what will be discovered, and what has been forgotten in the main series stories. Some of these mysteries tie directly to my newly released Pets in Space® 4 story!

I love a bit of mystery, don't you?

You can read more about the Farewell Andromeda-SpyDog connections on this earlier blog.

As I mentioned, Farewell Andromeda takes place in a future timeline. All of the novels in the current timeline -- The Inherited Stars Series (as opposed to the overall Inherited Stars Universe) are anchored around a specific event, that being Operation Reset, or as it's sometimes referred to, The Great Realignment. Here's a graphic I created to illustrate the series/universe timeline.

The anchor novel Inherit the Stars takes place just prior to, during and after Operation Reset. It centers around Sair and Captain Drea Mennelsohn, key figures in the outcome of Operation Reset -- whether they meant to be or not! -- and both who make appearances or are referred to in the StarDog stories.

Here's the book trailer to tell you a bit more:

The three StarDog stories all have direct ties to events in the main novel, and that's especially true of the newest, SpyDog, which takes place at the same time as the novel and even has a few intersecting scenes and cameos or references to the main and supporting characters in the novel.

StarDog takes place about six months (moons) before Operation Reset, just as tensions are really starting to build between the Network and Ithian Alliance.

The main characters in the story, navigator Taro Shall and street vendor Adini Kemm, get caught up in this struggle quite unexpectedly. The story also reveals a secret about the fate of a member of the Mennelsohn family. StarDog was the original Pets in Space® story that introduced the crafty little mascot/companion dog-cat-weasel-mongoose bioconstructs into my series.

This story has been expanded and revised from the original Pets in Space® 1 story and is a planned release in October-November 2019!

Courting Disaster takes place three years (calendars) after Operation Reset and is also a planned Fall 2019 release. It was originally part of Pets in Space 2: Embrace the Romance and has now been extensively revised, reworked, and re-crafted with expanded and all new scenes and an altered romantic arc making it nearly novel size!

This story explores the aftermath of Operation Reset, and how matters with the former Ithian Alliance might not have been tied up with a bright red bow after all! The main characters are Captain Jagger and Ketsia -- both who were supporting characters in Inherit the Stars.

Here's a graphic I had made for Courting Disaster when it was part of Pets in Space 2: Embrace the Romance. It was created by the talented Carol Van Natta.

Hope you enjoyed this closer look at my series, including the new Pets in Space® 4 release, SpyDog, and the two upcoming releases this fall!

Have a great week.

#PetsInSpace #AmReading

Limited Run! Just Released! Get it While it's HOT!

SEE ALL VENDOR LINKS AND STORY BLURBS HERE

Ripples of Influence - Guest Blog #PetsInSpace

Today we welcome Cassandra Chandler, one of the authors of Pets in Space® 4 to talk about her military ties and why she loves supporting Hero Dogs. Welcome to Spacefreighters Lounge, Cassandra!

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My dad was stationed outside of Sicily while he was in the navy. He was lucky enough to serve during a time when the world was more or less getting along. It was still an experience that changed how we all lived.

He was so focused on not wasting water after learning to conserve water while living aboard a ship. Showers, laundry—even brushing our teeth—could start huge debates over what was necessary and what was an indulgence. I don’t think he ever took a shower that was more than five minutes long. And he’d eaten so much fish while at sea, he couldn’t stand it being cooked in our home.

I know he was affected in deeper ways—ways he didn’t share with us. What he did share were the stories. PG versions of his adventures abroad.

He went on archaeological dives with Jacques Cousteau’s son, used his shore leave to dress up and go to the opera or visit his favorite family-run restaurant, and made up funny songs about KP duty that I really wish I’d been old enough to write down so I could remember them. Sitting around the dinner table, listening to him speak in Italian and share stories of his experiences was one of the best parts of my childhood.

When I learned about Pets in Space®, the first thing that struck me was that it was an anthology that helps our veterans. The more I learned about Hero Dogs, the more impressed I became. I love animals, and know that working dogs need important jobs to be happy, and helping veterans certainly qualifies for me.

Many of my favorite Science Fiction Romance authors are also part of the Pets in Space® anthologies. Knowing that they were helping such a wonderful charity through the anthology made it even more special, and I looked forward to hearing about their success every year. More than that, though, I wanted to be part of it. I wanted to help. Working with these amazing authors for such a wonderful cause is a dream come true.

Grab your copy of Pets in Space® 4 today! For a limited time, Pets in Space® 4 brings together today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors to help Hero-Dogs.org, a non-profit charity that helps our service veterans and first responders. https://petsinspaceantho.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
Cassandra Chandler uses her vivid imagination to make the world more interesting, spawning the ideas she turns into her whimsical Science Fiction romcoms and darkly evocative Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Romances.

Visit her website here: Cassandra Chandler   

Read an excerpt from her Pets in Space® 4 story, Import Quarantine.

The scrub around them lit up as the ship illuminated the area, casting long shadows onto the sandy earth. Caitlin blinked against the sudden brightness, shielding her eyes.

Her mouth dropped open and a few half-strangled words came out. “This… What… I mean… It…”

“This is a standard skimmer craft,” he said. “A small transport used for short-range journeys with minimal crew—usually one or two soldiers.”

“Soldiers.”

“Sadirian soldiers.”

“Sadirian…”

“Are you just going to repeat everything I say?”

“Give me a break, here,” she yelled. “I’m standing in the desert in front of a freaking spaceship talking to a guy about… Wait a minute.” She started to back away from him. “Are you a guy? Or are you some kind of alien?”