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Thursday, March 23, 2017

Why Aurora Springer Wrote Comet Tales


Why I Wrote Comet Tales.

Comet Tales is a compilation of four short stories and a novella written over two and a half years. The common theme is light-hearted romance in a science fiction setting. Several of these stories have been published separately.
The short stories were written to celebrate different holidays. Most are too short to be viable as separate publications.

Gifts of Jangalore was published in December, 2014, to celebrate the winter festival of lights as a nonsectarian celebration in the far future, or possibly an alternate universe. It is set on the jungle planet of Jangalore. This story belongs in the Grand Masters’ Galaxy and helps draw readers to the series.

Empath Rosa Spruce and Psi Master Varan seek an ancient site within an alien jungle.


Stranded on Illumina was written for Valentine’s Day, 2017, and offered to my newsletter subscribers.

Jacie’s plan to meet her boyfriend on the Planet Illumina is scuttled when he skips their date.


Lonely Hearts on Mars was published in 2015 for Valentine’s Day. In future, I may write a series set in our solar system.

Love blossoms from disaster in this science fiction short story set in the near future.


Super Christmas is obvious. I offered this microstory in the Secret Supers series to my newsletter subscribers in December, 2016. This series is set in contemporary Earth with an alien twist, including genetic engineering and super animals.  

A glimpse into the lives of the Secret Supers.


Captured by the Hawk, the novella starring an Irish spy and a space pirate was written and published in 2014. This adventure pairs two stubborn protagonists in a fun and fast-paced space operetta. The setting is the whole galaxy. Readers enjoy this story and some have asked for a sequel.

Spaceships crash across the galaxy in the comic misadventures of spy Grey Kat and pirate Black Hawk.



Comet Tales - Four short stories and a novella. Trudge over the rocks of Mars, trek through a hazardous alien jungle, or pop across the galaxy in a pirate ship in five fun tales of adventure and romance.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X3WWYF2



Excerpt from Captured by the Hawk

Kat grinned. She had unlocked the first door, and they were inside the scouter. With luck, the ship would be empty at night while it was under repair. They tiptoed to the far end of the hold, and climbed the narrow metal stairs to the upper level. The door to the personnel area had a standard lock. Hawk pushed Kat aside and bent over the lock, his body concealing his actions. She heard a metallic crunch and the door creaked open. She guessed his steel fingers had snapped the bolt.

Hawk glanced back at Kat. A quick jerk of his head signaled his intention to proceed, and she followed his dark figure further inside the ship. He seemed familiar with the interior layout of the scouter, since he led the way without hesitation along the corridors. Finally, they ascended narrow steps, and opened the door to the bridge of the ship. 
A handful of lights shone on the control panels, and several were red. Kat glided over to the central com and lowered herself into the seat. Treading quietly behind, the Hawk rested his hands on the back of the seat and peered over her shoulders.

“Shall I open the panel?” he whispered.

“No. I’ll try breaking into the com first.” Kat activated the screen and hit keys. The screen lit up, but nothing else happened. She input the first sequence of the secret code, and waited a few seconds for a response, leaning back and propping her neck on her hands. If the com did not activate, she would try another tactic to break in.

Kat bent forward to begin a new sequence. Abruptly, a loud hiss came from below the panel. She felt a gush of air. No, it wasn’t air. It smelled wrong.

Instantly, she sprung out of the seat, yelling, “Gas!” and dashed for the door.

She heard the crunch of metal on metal, as if the Hawk was trying to seal off the spouting gas. Then, he was at her back and shouted, “Get out. It’s a trap.”

More hisses of gas escaped from beneath other panels.

They leaped down the stairs and raced back toward the cargo hold. Faint buzzing sounds suggested the gas was seeping into the corridors. Kat felt weird, groggy. Her legs wobbled. She stumbled, trembling uncontrollably.

“I can’t go on!” she mumbled, tottering on legs too shaky to support her body.

Black Hawk hauled her upright, preventing her from collapsing to the ground. Seizing her arms, he half carried, half dragged her towards the cargo exit. The dim lights around the door to the cargo hold were only a few feet ahead. But, her head was spinning and Kat was too dizzy to see straight.

Abruptly, the Hawk groaned and slumped to the ground, dragging Kat down with him. The light caught in his eyes as he lay beside her. “Sorry!” he gasped.
She tumbled into a speckled greyness, which darkened to black nothingness.

Aurora Springer’s Published Stories are listed HERE

Author Bio
Aurora Springer is a scientist morphing into a novelist. She has a PhD in molecular biophysics and discovers science facts in her day job. She has invented adventures in weird worlds for as long as she can remember. In 2014, Aurora achieved her life-long ambition to publish her stories. Her works are character-driven adventures and romances set in weird worlds and described with a sprinkle of humor. Some of the stories were composed thirty years ago. She was born in the UK and lives in Atlanta with her husband, a dog and two cats to sit on the keyboard. Her hobbies, besides reading and writing, include outdoor activities like gardening, watching wildlife, hiking and canoeing.

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4 comments:

  1. Thanks for highlighting my new book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pleasure, Aurora. Best wishes on this exciting release.

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  2. How exciting. Congratulations to Aurora - what a beautiful name. Hope life is good with you, Diane.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for coming by, Nicola. Life is good. Hope all is well with you.

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