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Hidebound is a “reprint” of one of my science fiction novellas; it’s an adventure romance with some adult content.

Hidebound has a double meaning; it refers to the hero’s body and culture.  Anfissa is escaping from her home planet on a family member’s ship so she’s safe from peril and a worried mother who wants to keep her safe.  Anfissa is rebellious, but not stupid.  After Anfissa meets Ferenc, a dangerous , but intriguing humanoid in the employ of a hunted criminal, she’s kidnapped by his employer when the space ship they’re on is attacked by the employer’s enemy.  They flee to a planet where even the grass is deadly; then there are the plants, including carnivorous bushes.  Another interesting plant is the snakelike one with a long yellow head.  It has a pale yellow, narrow bell-like flower on a long, waving stalk with five broad, yellow-green leaves lying in a circle around it on the ground.  (The leaves are flat unless it’s feeding and they fill up.)   At one time, I thought that the book cover would be really effective if the the flower/head were looking out of the cover towards the reader–with just a hint of eyes and possibly an open mouth.  However, not having an artist I could afford experiment until they came up with a cover I thought would be perfect, I went with the spaceship curving down towards the planet, Snakebite, that their shuttle crashed on.

 

Hidebound synopsis and history

Hidebound was first published in The Fifth Di– 1997 (serialized) and then in Once Upon A World May 1999 and was a contest winner twice:

Hidebound synopsis (Thanks, Sandy): Anfissa Scarvan is escaping on the passenger ship, St. Catherine, when it’s attacked by The Combine. She ends up in a lifeboat with Varn Koss and his bodyguards, and they crash on Snakebite. Fissa and Ferenc, Koss’ remaining bodyguard, fight their ways towards a relay station, but after she’s attacked and weak, Ferenc offers her a remedy unique to his planet…

On their trek across Snakebite to the relay station fortress, they find a sea of caustic plants, attacking insects, and vicious grass. With no water and meager rations, Ferenc offers her “water” from his internal supply. This is foreplay on his planet. Ferenc’s unique abilities (there’s a reason his planet is restricted) make him a valuable commodity, and Anfissa must fight to keep him safe.She must take steps to protect Ferenc before they’re separated, and she ends up at her family’s fortress, where she must protect herself and her family.

Will Fissa and Ferenc have a future together? What about the rest of the family? And poor Freki?.

Hidebound is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ICFOHY

and Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/82218

(There are more reviews on Amazon.)

Florida Book News update (link)

My science fiction adventure/romance ebook, Hidebound, was recently spotlighted on Florida Book News: http://www.floridabooknews.com/

Hidebound (SF adventure and romance) on sale!

Hidebound, my SF adventure with aliens, pirates, and vicious plants, is on sale half price this month: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/82218  Code:SSW50

 

Boy, That Escalated Quickly…

Boy, That Escalated Quickly….

Preditors & Editors Readers Poll final results

The final tallies are in for the Preditors & Editors Readers Poll, and Detour Trail is #6 (tied) in the All Other Novels category and Crystal Quest is #7 in the Science Fiction & Fantasy Short Stories category. And the Detour Trail cover is #13 (tied) in the Cover Art category.

Joy V. Smith in the spotlight

Here’s a link to Author Spotlight: Joy V. Smith: http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/author-spotlight-no-183-joy-v-smith/

I got the chance to talk about my writing and stories.  Thanks, Morgen!  I’ll be posting links to my Pinterest boards later.  I only joined Pinterest a couple days ago; I spent a lot of time shrieking and begging for help, but I’ve got a few book covers and other things “pinned.”