Another week down, and we feel we’ve all but drowned in appointments and errands. Errands are mostly over, but the appointments keep piling on. My spouse, me…repeat ad nauseam.  When you’re both disabled, the doctor appointments keep comin’ like it or not.

It’s called maintenance, and it certainly beats the alternative.

I’m waiting on my editor and wondering what she’s going to say. I’m infamous for my dropped words and glossing. I can read the work a thousand times, but– eh, we all have our writerly issues.

This week’s RainbowSnippet* comes from Surrogate: Hunted. The novel is in final edits and will soon be with the publisher for final polish before release early next year.

Here are a few of facts about the Surrogate Series before you read this snippet. You’d know these if you have access to the entire novel or have read the first novel in the series (which is available…shameless plug) but these are snippets, so a bit of prior knowledge is necessary, especially in a Sci-Fi novel.

1. The series is Epic LGBTQ+ Sci-Fi. Wohoo! I love that the word epic has been attached to my work!

2. The female Alyward breeding instinct is called Shae Bast. (She-Beast in English/Terran Common) Leigheas despises Etain’s she-beast and the dislike is mutual but only because Etain and Leigheas’ species cannot interbreed, so he can’t be the biological father of her children. This fact totally wrecks She-Beast’s plans for Etain and makes her even more problematic. Etain’s fight with She-Beast is continual. Hint: She-Beasts aren’t known for their politeness either.

3. While Etain’s home world is arid, Leigheas’ species, the Takla, remain closely tied to their aquatic beginnings.

The Setup: Etain and Leigheas are enjoying time alone without their children when Etain’s She-Beast interrupts their intimacy.

The Snippet:

     “She-Beast’s trying to rule your waves tonight.” Leigheas rolled so she laid under him, spreading his webbed fingers above her shoulders as he pushed up on his hands. Silver rings pierced the webbing of each hand’s outer two fingers’ and another, a gold loop inlaid with sapphires and emeralds, ran through the webbing between his left hand’s thumb and index finger— the Takla version of a wedding band.

     “More than is reasonable.” She-Beast’s throaty growl escaped despite Etain’s efforts. 

     No, I wanted a Human man, not his sorry– you know he can’t make cubs with us, complained She-Beast,  but Etain ignored her, instead tracing her finger along Leigheas’ jawline.

The first novel in the Surrogate Series, Surrogate, is available at numerous locations, including HERE.

Rainbow Snippet One: Confusion

Rainbow Snippet Two: Bad Dreams

*Rainbow Snippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in!