27 January 2012

SFFS: An Excerpt From "Collateral"

Time for another snippet for Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (don't forget to check out all the excellent authors involved). With me being deep into edits for Death Brings the Victory, I've been neglectful in figuring out what three stories are going to be going into the next Aston West Triple-Shot (and if you've not seen the first, make sure to get a copy). Although today's snippet won't be (since it doesn't feature Aston specifically), it does feature a character near and dear to my heart, Kasey Reynolds. If you like this one, be sure to check out the first appearance of Kasey in my Aston West short story "Entrapment" (available for free from Smashwords). And now, an excerpt from the Kasey Reynolds short story "Collateral":

As they moved closer, Kasey made out finer details of the beast she was escorting. His massive forearms rested against the wall of his cage. Black metal bands wrapped around his wrists while muscles bulged all across his body. There wasn’t a single hair on his body, and Kasey couldn’t tell whether he even had a neck to speak of. Elaborate body markings covered every spot she could see, and likely those she couldn’t due to his thick black shorts. If it wasn’t for the fact he was a known criminal, she may have held some attraction for this specimen.

“This is Estil Ortiz.” The young officer motioned with his head while the criminal stared through Kasey with two dark black eyes. She shivered on the inside; This was no common criminal.

She should have demanded more money.

As of this posting, I've not yet found a home for "Collateral" and I may end up going ahead with an arrangement like I did with "Entrapment" (but we'll see). Enjoy!

17 comments:

  1. Nice description of Estil that gives insight into Kasey's character!

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  2. I like this snippet! You set the stage well. Hope you find a home for this one soon.

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  3. Thanks for stopping by, everyone! I've enjoyed writing about Kasey, who started out as a bit character in one of Aston's stories (Entrapment, as I mentioned). Hopefully I'll find a home for all of her stories...the only one I've found a home for so far was one over at Lorelei Signal.

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  4. Beast? uh oh. I initially got the sense Kasey isn't human. Very intriguing.

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  5. Thanks! Yup, Kasey's definitely humanoid...and even though he's not much more than an animal, Ortiz is too... ;-)

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  6. Why do I get the feeling there will be a heavy fire zone wherever these two clash?

    Love this snippet. I really look forward to these. Good luck finding a home for this story.

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  7. I think I remember reading about Kasey...she stood out from the crowd. Great snippets as usual...good luck on finding a home for Collateral.

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  8. Sexy set up! We get a nice look at Kasey through her thoughts about Estil.

    And, I picked up "Entrapment." You I'm becoming immersed in your universe so you're just going to have to keep writing to feed my cravings... ;)

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  9. No common criminal, indeed! I'm with Kasey - time for a new quote for this job.

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  10. Thanks for stopping by, everyone!

    JC, there's definitely going to be a heavy fire zone in this story... :-)

    TK, you may have remembered reading about Kasey in this story which was featured in Lorelei Signal. She's definitely out of her element a bit, having originally started out as a fugitive apprehension agent. Now, she's busy taking on any job she can get.

    Heidi, definitely need to get more works out there for you to enjoy...but have you checked out all the short stories I've had out there already? DBV should be out in a few months, though...I hope. ;-)

    Unfortunately, Cary, Kasey's sort of at wit's end...having to take any job she can get. I really need to find a home for her other story "Double Trouble" which brings about the setup for why she's in this predicament (along with "Entrapment").

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  11. Beast or alien? To me, a beast is an animal that cannot be held responsible for its actions. An intelligent alien could. But how can you have a criminal beast?

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  12. If you've ever met someone that more resembled a beast than man, you'd know... ;-)

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  13. I love the last line, and how Kasey keeps her composure even when obviously unsettled.

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  14. Thanks for stopping by! Kasey's a hardcore gal, and not a lot rattles her. :-)

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  15. Love the last line. Great snippet.

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