Pets in Space® 5—Scifi With A Touch of Paranormal

I’ve had lots of fun writing a werewolf on a hoverbike in my Scifi/Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance mashup Blades of Janus series. I decided to spread that fun around by adding a bit of the paranormal to The Department of Homeworld Security. For my story in the Pets in Space® 5 anthology, Rate of Return, I decided to explore a new group of sentients—space werewolves!

I’ve thought about creating space werewolves for a long time, and I wanted a different take on them. Instead of a curse or some sort of agent transforming them, I wanted them to have a connection with an elemental power that gave them their shapeshifting capabilities. And while I was at it, I thought maybe that elemental power could give them a little more.

Enter the zyln, an elemental spirit that bonds with the sentients of our hero’s homeworld. I don’t want to say which homeworld that is for fans of the series who haven’t ready my Pets in Space® 5 story yet. I will say that in part because of his homeworld, he is one of the most complex characters in the entire series. Check out this review for Rate of Return that touches on the subject:

“This was the first story I have read from this author as well. It was so funny in a constant chuckle sense, rather than a laughing hysterically sense. I enjoyed the character interactions and especially the animal companion. The serious theme of reparation and reconciliation really resonated with me. It was dual POV, well written and edited and a really enjoyable read.”

I love that the reader picked up on the themes I tried to weave through the story. And it sounds like I hit the right balance of levity to offset the heavier themes. Hooray! 😄

Here’s a peek of how the hero, Serac, interacts with his zyln in Rate of Return (as well as interacting with the heroine, who thinks Serac and his pet are fairies)!  🛸 💖

“I’m not…” She let out an exasperated sound, then straightened the frame of her lenses. “I’m not insane!”
“You intervened in my battle. With a stick.”
“It was a broom. And if I’d known I was running into a fight between a fairy and a shifter, I would have brought silver or iron or something.”
He felt like the gravity in the room had suddenly reversed, his stomach lurching. Even his zyln stilled within.
She knew what he was? Or, perhaps she was referring to Dean as the shifter and thought that Serac was…whatever a fairy was. Either way, why in the name of the Frozen Clans wasn’t she terrified?
“Because she is brave,” his zyln thought.
No one could be that brave. Could they?
“Why does she think silver would be better than a stick?”
His zyln paused for a moment before thinking, “Brave and…confused.”

Remember, not only is Pets in Space® 5 filled with great Scifi Romance, it also helps out a great cause! 10% of pre-orders and the 1st month’s royalties go to Hero-Dogs.org, who raise, train & place support dogs with U.S. veterans and first responders. Get your your copy of Pets in Space® 5 now and start off on your adventure!

It’s time for an escape! Pets in Space® 5 is back for the fifth amazing year! Escape to new worlds with twelve of today’s top Science Fiction Romance authors. They have written 12 original, never-before-released stories filled with action, adventure, suspense, humor, and romance that will take you out of this world. The giving doesn’t stop there. For the fifth year, Pets in Space® will be donating a portion of the first month proceeds to Hero-Dogs.org, a non-profit charity that supports our veterans and First Responders. If you are ready to forget the world around you and make a difference while you are having fun, grab your copy before it’s gone!

https://www.petsinspaceantho.com