Project Enterprise 8 News!!!

I have some exciting news (if you subscribe to my newsletter you already know this!) today! That’s right! Actual. Book. News. 

Maestra Rising: Project Enterprise 8 will release sometime this summer! And if it makes through the editing process quickly, I’ll release it even sooner than that. 

Big if.

BUT, it’s coming! 

When I published Steamrolled, a reader emailed me and told me that in 40 years of reading scifi, he’d never read about time travel like mine — and that he’d like to see the inside of my head. Lol I actually don’t think he would like to see inside my head. It’s a scary place and writing Steamrolled almost made my head explode. But this new book begins to connect some of the present with the past. And it almost made my head explode again. Lol

The story draws on events in past books, so characters from past books show up quite a bit, though I also met some new characters. Want a better hint than that?

• Doc and Hel
• Coop and Arian
• And a very special and much requested guest appearance from an early book! 

I’ve been getting questions about the Boyington and my Tangram, so you’ll be happy to know that this is The Book where I try to tackle both. The battle is still raging, so you’ll have to wait to find out how it ends (and if my brain survives). 

But while you’re waiting, here is the Very First Excerpt from Maestra Rising: Project Enterprise 8:

It drowsed in a soft blue light from the closest moon. The structure was both surrounded by, and a part of the rugged peaks that surrounded the deep crevasse. Crystalline water tumbled down over rocks and pushed through the gaps until it reached the center where the stone structure lurked. Dense foliage crept up the walls from every side, thick vines and green moss that had blurred its shape into the surrounding rock and forest. In a shaft of blue light that found its way in, a massive tree had dug thick roots into the soil brought down by the waterfall and its branches formed a dense canopy that hid the bottom of the waterfall from above.  

Under this canopy of spreading green, the local wildlife roamed around, but never through the structure. It had been so long since humans had occupied this place, that the animals and other creatures feared only the predators that targeted them. On occasion, a curious creature peered through grime-smudged panes that interrupted stone. Oddly, the window panes were not broken and did not provide access to the interior, so even the most determined creature turned away in search of prey or food sources.   

As the rotation of the planet eased the moon out of sight, the darkness grew darker again beneath the canopy. The night creatures emerged from hiding to begin their patrols, but their progress was interrupted by an unusual sight. 

A sudden shaft of light from within the structure. 

* * *

I know, not much! I have a hard time sharing unedited words, but I promise to share more as we get closer to release day. 

I haven’t decided whether to set up a preorder or not. I know I like them (as a reader), but as an author, there are horror stories about Amazon sending the wrong file to readers. I’d rather not do that until I have the book ready to upload and if I have that, why not just let you read it? 

Feel free to comment on your preference and I’d love to know if you’ve had, as a reader, a preorder messed up. And if you did, did that change how you feel about preorders? 

In other news, here’s a peek at my (hopeful) production schedule for the rest of 2019:

As previously noted in this space, Pets in Space 4 will release Oct 8, 2019! I’ll be sharing more about that as it gets closer.

And yes, there will be a new Big Uneasy book! Not sure about release date or whose story is going to get told. A lot depends on August. Lol Is there a character you’ve been hoping for? Comment and let me know! 

And for those of you who have asked, I have begun the process for a new Out of Time book! Because time travel involves historical research, it will take me longer than usual to get it started, let alone finished, but wanted to let you know I hear you! I’ve been wanting to write this book for a long time and I’m determined that this year I will at least get it started. It took me longer than I want to admit to write the first Out of Time. But that was partly a research issue and partly me needing to hone my craft enough to write the book I wanted to write. So we’ll see. 

In my dreams, I will also write some other stuff, but yeah. As you know Life Happens around here and I’m usually the one in the crosshairs. 

In creating this production schedule, I want you to know that hearing from those of you who have read and loved something I wrote—and then asked for more—has really helped me keep going. Too often it feels like I’m the tree falling in the forest, not heard and unseen, but you give me hope and encouragement that my words matter. So please, please don’t under estimate how much readers matter!

If you haven’t read the Project Enterprise series yet, it starts with The Key. You can get it for free by signing up for my newsletter or buy it here. And thank you for reading this long blog! Be sure to comment if you have questions or feedback!

Perilously yours,

Pauline