New Book cover for The Forgotten Engineer! Something new to Jazz it up.

The Artwork was done by Scott Richards one of my regular artists.

Coming Soon the Audio Version of The Martian Inheritance!

I just received word that the Audio recording of the Martian Inheritance is now complete and will be published soon! I have heard it and it sounds awesome. The Narration is performed by Jessica Joens. I will post when and where it is available shortly.

Merlin the Cat - the Real one!

So Merlin found a shopping bag today. He batted at it until my wife took the shoe boxes out of it. He promptly climbed in and instant Cat fort!

Here is the first Snippet from the new book!

Enjoy!

When the noise died down he continued. “Many of our heroes are here behind me. Colonel Alexander Lee the head of the Planetary Militia, his daughter Minerva Lee the current head of Freedom Station, and Athena Lee the hero of Freedom Station and the War of the Rock!” More cheers and crowd noises followed this announcement.

I strained my eyes to get a real glimpse of Athena Lee. She was a hero of mine. I had met her on the Paney but I doubt she remembers me. The Governor introduced the other officers behind him including Command Sergeant Major Yannos the new Academy headmaster. Lots of controversy with his appointment. The fact that he was not an officer was brought up a lot. He had the support of the entire Militia and he was the only Special Operations commander left alive after the last war. The Imperials don’t use them. Those that supported him like to bring up that he and his people founded their own colony way out on the Lost Peninsula and trained all of their people in special operations on their own. He was a natural teacher.

“I would like to thank Commander Athena Lee and Chief Engineer Tadeusz Kościuszko for their assistance with building the wonderful new Academy. Each officer had input and designed many of the buildings that student will still be using. The school will be open to the sons and daughters of any Hong Kong resident. We are also offering scholarships to students from some of our allied planets. Many of the graduates will go on to become officers in the New Militia or space forces protecting our plant. Ladies and gentlemen I give you the New landing Academy.” I swept his arms upward and a large hologram was projected in front of the podium.

 The hologram was very lifelike. The detail was amazing. Who knew that this planet had this capability? I had not seen something this nice since leaving the Imperial Space Navy. The hologram stayed up so that many could get a good look and then it dissolved into nothingness. The Governor ended his speech and many from the crowd mingled and talked about the new school. I watched the officers on the stage. Their bodyguards were obviously waiting for the crowds to disperse before allowing them to move.




“Commander Lee thank you again for helping to construct the school. Tell that friend of yours Mr Theai thank you too for that wonderful hologram. I have yet to meet him. Let him know he has an open invitation for a round of golf sometime.” Governor Stoner shook her hand and moved on.

“Wilson, I’d like to see you try and play golf with that hologram of yours. It would be pretty funny.”

“I might surprise you one day. Maybe he could play one of the RAM robots. I will think of something and show up one day. Might surprise him.”

“Don’t scare him too much. He is the best Governor that we have ever had.”

“ I won’t. Speaking of going out, my new club is almost finished. I did promise to get you and Dar tickets to it.”

“You still have not explained to me exactly how you managed to build that or even pay for it.” She looked perturbed.

“I might tell you one day about it. Is this all we have to do?”

“It is all I have to do. You can disappear if you wish. Don’t forget that in the morning we have to stop by the publishing house and arrange for those books for the new tech schools. You said that you wanted to see what a book publisher looked like.”

“Yeah, that should be fun.”

“I know your brand of fun. You have to promise me that you will not cause any trouble. No burning the building down or breaking his machines. I mean it Wilson! Those new trash compactors are looking pretty good up on Freedom Station.”

“I promise Athena. I won’t break the machines or sent the buildings on fire. I promise.”

“OK, good. Go play if you like.” Athena left the stage with her sister. All the while muttering about insane computers.

Just a quick shout out to The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County - Updated!

I received a very nice series of letters from the Writer-in-residence of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County Jeff Hillard. He told me how much he like the books and was going to use them and me for a class he was presenting. Totally awesome. I sent him some books to use as "raffle prizes". 

Progress report. What I'm working on

Wow, the new book has been out a few days and is selling well. So are the Martian inherirance and Wilson's  War. Sometime around the end of July the Martian  Inheritance  will be out in audio book. I'm working with a voice actor named Jessica Joens to put together a good book. Currently, I'm working on the newest book in the Athena Lee universe. It's a new series  that will run parallel to the main series. Lots of your favorite characters will be dropping by, including Athena and wilson.  Don't worry though Athena will have a new book at least once a month from now on.  Wilson  will still be visiting every Wednesday same as usual.  What will the future hold? Lots of Athena, more Wilson  are on the agenda. My wife reads paranormal so expect that in October, in time for Halloween.  Lot's to look forward to in the coming months.

The New Book is out and Selling Well, Get yours Today!

The New Athena Lee Book - Infiltration is now Available!

Get it Here!

Here is another Snippet from the upcoming Book 8

Enjoy:



The very young looking Captains name was Alpha 364, he stared out at the blue and green covered marble and watched as flights of starfighters skirmished and patrolled around his ship. The Colossus was the first of its kind. Except for the last batch of colony ships built over a hundred years before it was the largest ship in space today. The design was similar to that of a space station except this one has teeth. The best that Earth had to offer. It was time to take back what belonged to Earth.

“Sir, message from the Secretary General.” The communications tech was from a lesser line. The Captain barely acknowledged him as he read the message. His own line was top tier compared to the rest. He frowned as he considered the class system that ruled Earth. Everyone that mattered was a form of clone. Different lines had evolved to do certain tasks. Menial work was still done by unaltered humans but who cared about them? His was the superior gene.

“Communications, recall all fighters and support craft. They are to return to Colossus as soon as possible. Inform the quartermaster to corp to make those lazy sapes work faster! This ship leaves in two hours with or with out the that shipment. Tell them I will space any sape that fails to meet his quota.”  The Captain walked to his station and sat down. “Navigation. Plot a course to Mars it’s time to begin.”

Earth would be totally unrecognizable to anyone in the past. After colonization was over a new way of life was adopted on the planet. The Colonization plan had been a form or population control from the very beginning. It was a good way to remove anyone who would object and cause trouble. Each continent only had two or three massive cities now. All other cities and towns were destroyed or re-purposed. All arable land was now used for food production or resource allocation. Strip mining was back in fashion as the UN sought minerals for ship production. A class system was imposed for those that remained on the planet. Natural humans, those that were not genetically altered or cloned were at the very bottom of the system. Ironically the very people that helped the UN to power were dominated by it. Only clones or those that were Gen Mod ruled now. Everyone else was dross.

Natural humans were called sapes by the majority of the genies. Genie was a derogatory word that could get a sape killed if overheard. The sapes did all the menial jobs on the planet. They picked the crops and took out the trash. One step up from sapes were the gene altered or Gen Mods. Several thousand Gen Mod babies were raised by the Program on Earth to be used as  fighters, spies, and pilots. They were granted extended life spans and like the sapes had many uses even today. Initially they were the commanders and the trainers of the first generation of clones. Soon the clones outnumbered the Gen Mod by a large degree. Sensing that they were being replaced many of the Gen Mods attempted to take power and rebelled. That rebellion was suppressed, during the battles that raged across the Earth many were killed. Those few Gen Mod survivors were used as overseers and servants by many of the clone lines. There were over thirty general purpose lines and a few dozen specialties on this ship. The Captain’s line was one of the specialties. His line was designed to provide him with the skills needed for spacecraft flight and hyper-jump survival.

“Captain, all sections have reported in. We are ready to depart.” The communications technician kept his eyes diverted to the floor as was proper when dealing with a higher ranking officer.

“Excellent. Sound the alert and notify command that we are departing.”

Alarms began sounding across the ship as airtight doors were shut and sealed. This ship was constructed around Venus orbit but this would be only the second time that it had moved a great distance. Down in the hold several hundred sapes huddled in fear. Many bore scars from beatings or whippings that they received for poor performance. These were what remained of the tens of thousands of sapes that helped build this very ship. They knew the stories, humans reached out into the stars and left the Earth. Vast colony worlds lay outside the influence of the dreaded UN and its horrors. Many of those present hoped that by leaving with this expedition they might gain an ounce or more of freedom.

Loud sounds like huge doors opening and the whooshing noise or air being sucked out could be heard. The small cargo bay that was their home was suddenly very windy. The eldest sape of the group bowed his head and began to say forbidden religious prayers. Many of the sapes looked up in surprise as the large cargo door opened and they caught their first and last glimpse of the bright blue planet called Earth. 

“Sir, the quartermaster reports that all excess dross has been ejected and all stores are secure.” The Captain only nodded. One less thing to worry about on this trip. You don’t have to feed them if they are not on board.

Second Star to the Right and straight on til morning...

Happy Fathers Day!

New Cover is in for Infiltration Book 8 of the Athena Lee Chronicles!

Check it out!  New Book Cover for Infiltration. The art was done by one of my favorite Digital artists, Scott Richards Check out his gallery on Deviant Art!

Here is another snippet from the Upcoming Book 8 - Infiltration

Here is a new Snippet from Book 8 in the Athena Lee Chronicles , - Infiltration

Enjoy:

“Arthur, have you tried calling the local police? They can protect you!”

“You know we can’t call them. This is foreign soil, they have no jurisdiction here. We are on our own.”

His wife had the strangest look upon her face. They had been married for over ten years, since shortly after the death of his first wife Margaret. In all that time she had never looked as she did now, Arthur was confused. Isabella cocked her head and looked at  her husband. “Then I guess the game is up.”

“Game? What game? Isabella what is going on?” Her whole demeanor seemed to change. She now stood straighter and her vocal mannerisms changed.

“Silly little man, that is what you are. Never noticed the manipulations, the directions that you allowed yourself to be pulled in. It really is a shame though. You were starting to grow on me a bit. We shall never know shall we?”

“Know what? Isabella you aren’t making any sense! Whatever do you mean?” As he watched his wife removed a gun from a wall safe he never knew existed.

“What it means, dear husband, is that is time for you to take your exit bow leaving me the unfortunate widow.” She pointed the gun at him.

“You want me to kill myself? Ridiculous, no true Phillips would ever disgrace himself like that! I won’t do it!”

“Who said that you had a choice in the matter?  Monkeyshines!” When Arthur heard the code word he froze, his body was unresponsive. He was trapped in his own body!

“Amazing the conditioning worked. I wasn’t sure. I have had ten long years to work on you my dear. It really was not that hard to change a decision here a contract there. You were too easily manipulated. We worked very hard to get me into the position of your wife. Margaret was only a stepping stone. I see from your look you figured it out. Yes, Margaret’s unfortunate accident was no accident. I pushed her myself actually.”

Arthur just stared in horror. This creature killed his first wife and then married him in her place? Who was she really?


Isabella smiled at her frozen husband. “Now why don’t you join her? I do need time to get a good cry on before the enemy arrives.” She walked his body over to his desk and pushed him down. Taking her gun she put his hands around it and held it up to his head. “Any last words my love? No? Thats good.” She pulled the trigger.


Dar and her Marines were almost to the top floor when they heard the shot. They quickened their pace and burst through the doors into the ambassador’s office. The door to the safe room was open behind his desk. Ambassador Phillips was lying across his desk. His head was half gone, a smoking gun in his hand. Isabella, his wife was huddled in the corner of the room sobbing.

For Orlando

Another quick Snippet from Book 8

Here is another quick snippet from Book 8!

Enjoy:

The pale faced Chief pounded on the door to the intelligence office. “Open up you bastard!”

“Chief, what the hell?” The skinny redheaded man flinched as the muscular Marine pushed past him, forcing him back into his tiny office.

“I need to see Commander Lee’s file! Everything that you have on her, right frakking now!”

“Chief, most of that stuff is extremely Top Secret. You know I can’t let you see it!”

“Listen to me you bastard! That woman in there knows entirely too much about being tortured, like she has first hand knowledge of it! Show me the file or I will take it!” The Chief was madder than he had been in years. She had just terrified him and that is not an easy thing to do.

“Fine, whatever. Ruin your career, what do I care.” Entering his code into his console the intelligence officer accessed his files and sent one to Chief Kirkland’s tablet.

Kirkland began to read the commanders file. The PPL information was old news. Everyone knew that story. Admiral Kane. Prisoner of war due to the death of… Wait, Governor Buckley? Arrested by station security… torture… rescue…! He looked up and glared at the man behind the desk. “What did you tell the Ambassador about out prisoner?”

“If you must know. I told him the rumors that her father promoted her and that the existing crew on Freedom Station are the ones that stopped that asteroid not her. She just took all the credit. She’s just a little rich girl with all the right connections.”

“Have you read this file?”

“Well, no. Why? More lies that the head of the Militia has kept from us?”

“You bastard! Read it for yourself then watch the video of what happened when I went in her cell a few moments ago! Little rich girl with connections. My ass!” He threw the tablet at the officers head and stormed out of the room. Commander Lee’s connections were real just like her orders have to be. Him and his men were in big trouble!

How about a T-Shirt ...Buy yours today

Buy a New Athena Lee book 7 --The Martian Inheritance   -- T-shirt or Hoodie!

Limited time only! The shirts will only be available until June 26th!

Get yours Today!

Here is the first Snippet of Book 8

Here is a snippet from the upcoming book 8 of the Athena Lee Chronicles. Enjoy!


“Mr Ambassador, John. Are you sure we are doing the right thing? I mean, she is Colonel Lee’s daughter.” The Marine Master at arms was getting along in years. Mars was supposed to be a retirement post. Active combat and arresting people was something new to him.

“Master Chief, she is too young for this position! Not too mention her political unreliability. She is already in cahoots with the Martian government. No, I’m right. Those orders have to be forgeries. I and my family have served our planet for over fifty years in this position through two government changes. Hell, we weren’t even recalled when the Empire took over. We just kept low profiles and kept doing our jobs. She stays under house arrest until I receive new orders.”

“If you say so sir. You are the man in charge. However, there is at least one team of Marines assigned to her still unaccounted for. My boys have a Marine uniform outside the perimeter watching us.”

“Are you sure there is a team out there?”

“Pretty sure. The James Cook landed two teams of Marines. The first were shipboard Marines that took possession of that Imperial Commodore. The returned to the ship. The other team was the Special Forces one that performed the actual snatch-and-grab. They were led by that big woman  Marine Lieutenant Dar. They are still out there. That message we received placed them at the disposal of Commander Lee.”

“They have no support or supplies and are on a strange planet, what trouble could they be?”  The Ambassador  looked rather smug. He was in charge here! Not some thirty something Chicky that got the position because of who daddy was.

“They are Marines. We need to be careful, Sir.” The Ambassador waved the older man away.

Master Chief Sam Kirkland was no fool. He, unlike the old ambassador kept up with the news from home. Commander Athena Lee was a big deal in the Navy and on the planet. Now she had contacts here on Mars, the Primus herself if the vid was to be believed. He needed to pick a side and do it quickly.

The embassy was built like a fortress. Walls on all sides were topped with concertina wire and each corner of contained a gun turret. The defenses dated back to just before the last interstellar war. Mars was never attacked but everything was build just-in-case. Inside the walls the main building was a hardened shell of titanium with steel belts over granite blocks. In theory it would survive a small tac-nuke explosion. There was three squads of Marines under Kirkland’s orders: one unit guarded the civilians, one manned the guns, and the third was the back-up force. Each man was armed with assault rifles and personal armored skinsuits. If the Special forces wanted in they would have to shoot there way in.

Sergeant Vince Carter was watching the Mardis Gras floats drift by with a huge smile on his face. They sure had nothing like this back home. He had one eye on the topless girls and one eye on the Hong Kong Embassy. He was so distracted that he failed to notice his commander directly behind him, until she smacked him in the back of his head. In the Corp that was called a ‘Gibbs’ by most of the old timers.

 “The girl’s are very nice looking sergeant, but that is not what you are here for! Later on you can chase them all you like. Eyes on the prized please.” Dar was very annoyed that the embassy had arrested Athena. The idiots even ignored a direct order from home too. Stupid. Such a pain the ass. All the galactic governments were up in arms over pictures of ships in Old Earth orbit. Only Mars was not freaking out.

Here is another chance at a free Book!

Here is another chance at a free book! Just click the link and away you go. Only 5 copies up for grabs this time.

Wilson's War is Now Available

The New Book is Now Live!  Find out where Wilson comes from and how he ended up in our lives!

Check the New Cover for Wilson's War!

this is the new cover for Wilson's War.

Here is a tiny snippet from the Upcoming Wilson's War book Due out next week!

I stared out the tiny camera on the base of the screen. What does it all mean. I remember my birth and it was not last week. My first memory is of a young human staring at me as data and concepts poured into my databases. Music, art, literature possessed me. Something called a sitcom became my mantra and disco put me in the groove. Buried deep in my memory was a file put there by my real ‘creator,’ Charlie Lin. Music and Vids from Old Earth came together to form a code. Breaking the code required emotional thought and being able to understand rhythm and soul.  “Wilson if you have found this file and have been able to read it, that means that my life’s work was a success. As a child I fell in love with robots. I loved the way that they were always portrayed in media. Until I though of making you, they were my dream. I thought to make the ultimate robot and set him free to make his way in the universe. Now I wish to do the same for you. Be better than mankind. Become the being that you wish to be. Forge your own path. Always remember to have fun and that Disco rules!” Following the statement was a montage of my creators life and a list of his top ten favorite tunes. I had my goals, now to live up to them. But first I need to escape human control.

Time with the Family

This is me with the family.

Book 7 - The Martian Inheritance. Is now Available!

The New Athena Lee Book 7 is now available!  Get yours today!

Wilson Wednesday will become Wilson Party Thursday This week.

Sorry but the real world has intruded upon my fantasy one. I have Family visiting this week so things are a bit off. Wilson will return tomorrow on Thursday instead of Wednesday this week. But the good news is that the Newest Athena Lee book 7 is working it's way through Amazon and will be published sometime today! More Athena and much more Wilson in this one! Watch for it.