Hey ,
Welcome again to the smuttier side of romance with monster love, and alien fated mates.
Thank you from the bottom of my squishy heart!
This announcement wouldn't have been possible without you! We've made it!
Many of you may not know this, but being accepted for a new release notice that goes out to Bookbub's newsletter and not simply the people who follow your profile with BookBub is not easy! I've been rejected many times under my other author platform.
I have YET, UNTIL NOW, to have a book accepted by BookBub with my science fiction adventures... and here we are!
Next week, my book will be blasted with BookBub! That's over a half million readers for my category that will see my book! Wish the Trillume Universe luck! This may be our ticket to getting that aforementioned "Bestselling Author" title! GOooo INDIE!
Many indie authors strive to be accepted by BookBub editors so they can reach a wider audience, and grow their readership, but not all get accepted. BUT!! When they do, it more often than not pushes the book into "bestseller" status!
SOOooo, THANK YOU, ! Because without you, this would not have been possible. You are why Bookbub editors took a chance on me and my book! It's from the help of all my early readers, my typo-killers, and fellow alien romance authors supporting me, my PA Jessica for helping me spread the holy alien word, and to my family for putting up with all the insane amount of "workaholic" syndrome they've had to endure with launching this series!
I'm going to be honest, I've been literally crying this information to anyone and EVERYONE I know... which is basically to say a bunch of people who know nothing about books... because all of my friends, and family do not read alien romance, or know what it means to be a Bookbub feature.
But, really, it's more about them being supportive and listening to me rant about how excited I am. That's where you come in! To be my reader sounding board! You understand how exciting this is!
And I've even pushed hard to get the audiobook launched, so it can be included with all those eyeballs who like to read paranormal romances!
I'll be curious to see how the audiobook does with the Bookbub new release email, I'll keep you posted.
You can grab Jewel of the Alien Bandit here, for the last day the book is at 99 pennies or read free with Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BNLBRLMF
When the book launches on Bookbub next week the book will be at $2.99
This updated pricing allows indie authors like myself to get 70% instead of 35% of the profit the zon makes on ebooks.
Or you can listen to the book before anyone else when you grab the audiobook direct: https://buy.bookfunnel.com/t6pe8darr8
This is the last day to purchase direct before I have to take it down for Audible compliance. I'll be giving Audible Promo codes to pre-order purchasers, plus you can listen whenever on your BookFunnel app!
I'm sending out signed paperbacks this week, so if you want one, be sure to grab yours here: https://payhip.com/b/augMo
I found a few goodies to bring to your attention from fellow indie authors. If you've read them already, let me know your thoughts!
Chat soon,
Sky
https://linktr.ee/skyrobertromances
PS: If you haven't heard from me in a while it's due to a few people marking my email as SPAM. And I do mean just a few people. All it takes is 3 people to mark an email as spam and my account gets "throttled" preventing me from emailing people who want to be here and want to hear from me. I try my best to weed out people who only want to grab the free book and run through my welcome sequence, but to make sure you are receiving my emails, please "white-list" my email, and make sure to click at least one link in a newsletter every 90 days. I say click instead of "open" because filters in most email providers don't always track accurately whether someone opened an email. But clicks are pretty reliable indicators of whether someone opened an email and is active on the newsletter. Thank you for being part of my author journey, and I enjoy hearing from you all! Sorry if some of you weren't able to see my emails for a month.
Featured 99cent Read
Reverse Harem? Yes Please! Not going to lie, when your mind is already in the gutter... well, even things like oval-shaped jewels make me think of heat between a sexy woman's legs... Soooo, hopefully it's spicy. I expect spicy, fun adventure when I see reverse harem and fantasy romance in the blurb!
Featured Group Free Reads
This one has a bit of everything! Aliens (Claimed by the Warrior or Found by Alien Passion!), magical schools, epic science fiction adventures, magical realms, gods and mortals, great stuff!
I thank you from all the spacy curves of my heart for supporting the Trillume Universe by becoming a verified Amazon purchase!
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SNEAK PEEK:
HER ALIEN PRINCE
Mabel:
The mating ceremony has been open to offworlders for twenty cycles now. I don't even know who my father is, but I'm different than most half breeds because most female offspring take more after estreld's genetics, having just as many loh to absorb the moon's rays as their mothers. Me, well, I only have three. Three loh jewels: one tiny jewel on my forehead, and two larger ones on my shoulder blades. That's it. That's all I have to absorb the moon's radiation, and because of that I've grown small, and weak in the eyes of my peers. No male would look at me more than pleasant acknowledgement since coming of age to participate in the mating ceremony. They weren't mean, not overtly so. I was simply ignored, and it wasn't difficult to be distracted by more accomplished estrelds that glowed in the moon's light.
It was a sign of health, and since most female offspring took after their mothers... well, it wouldn't be wise to choose someone like me with so few loh to help an offspring grow and be strong. My only chance at having my own family, which was something I wanted more than anything since my own mother passed a few cycles ago, would be to lure an offworlder during the mating ceremony this cycle. This year was my chance. According to all of my research as part of the MR, Moon Mating Research, team, there has been a great correlation between offspring and an estreld's twentieth renewal cycle. I would be twenty cycles this mating season, one of the first offspring from an offworlder. There was bad data collection that first cycle, my mom didn't even know what species my father was, but many estreld males took turns fostering me in hopes of becoming my mom's sired mate. She never chose any of them.
"Mabel, I'm glad you're here," Ezra said without looking up from her microscope scanner, "I have your results back from your egg samples. Every estreld is required to be examined before participating in the ceremony, as you know."
She was always very clinical in the way she spoke about the mating ceremony. The future of our species depended on her, and she relied on my data collection from other estrelds by interviewing them before, during, and after mating. That was my job, and the more we knew about the intangibles the more it could guide Ezra's research on the offspring decline.
"Did you do the tests yourself?" I asked.
Pressing her lips together in a flat line, that was never a good sign, she clicked off her tablet, also not a good sign because prying her away from her work was never easy. Ezra took a deep breath as if preparing herself, she was never really great with the communication bit of her job, that's why she relied on me to do the social interaction necessary for the job.
"I reran the tests several times myself after believing there was a mistake with the synthesizer. I wanted to inform you myself before Almder summoned you, as all results are automatically uploaded for her this close to the ceremony. She likes to review them personally and verify electronic data with verbal acknowledgements to confirm their accuracy." She was rambling and relying on facts to help her get through what she needed to say. My heart pounded in my chest waiting for her to reveal what needed her direct attention. This build up didn't do me any favors, but I couldn't blame Ezra for that. "Mabel, you know as well as I do, that we've yet to see any estreld establish offspring with no endrometrium to attach to, there is simply no place for the eggs to secure themselves should they fall."
"What are you saying?" My voice quivered with fear for what I knew she would say but didn't want her to confirm. This would mean I failed my examination and would be disqualified from joining the mating ceremony.
"Mabel, if you meet a compatible mate... you would be risking your life. Dropping your eggs without a lining is dangerous, they could try to attach anywhere to seek purchase, and that anywhere could kill you and the unborn offspring. The safest thing for us to do would be to remove your sack from beneath your shoulder glands, and then you could still have some fun without risking your life," she explained.
I stared at her, stunned. I was twenty cycles... perfect estreld age for offspring, for starting a family, and she wanted to remove my eggs. Gulping back my fear, I asked, "There's no way to wait until they drop and then safely transfer them to someone else? Or perhaps keep the eggs and test to find a compatible donor to incubate?"
Her eyes lowered and distracted themselves with a spot on the wall, not wishing to look at me directly. "So much technology," she said wistfully, "so much advancement, but I can't risk it. I can't risk you. Of course, there are tools out there," she motioned to the stars outside of Estreldez, "but we don't have an alliance with Trillume directly, we are on the outskirts of the galaxy. Everything we get outside of our planet is from Krelis, and we can't risk trade with Necias Delta Fal... they are outlaws from even their own kind. There's no telling when trill enforcers will return to bring order to this sector, or if we even want them to."
"What do you mean, if we even want them to?" My eyes were stinging to hold back my emotions about being told I was broken. That I wouldn't have a family of my own.
Ezra quieted when she leaned in to say, "Sometimes being left alone is better than the cost of being 'helped'."
But the trill could help me, I thought rebelliously. "Allow me some time to process this," I said, trying to sound stronger than I felt. I knew she would want to perform the surgery to remove my egg sack sooner, rather than risk meeting a compatible mate when all the offworlders joined shortly. Their ships were already orbiting our largest moon, and they'd be landing soon once their examines were verified. It was my job to interview the mating candidates, and Ezra wouldn't want me around any mates if I might be compatible.
"Please return before the ceremony begins," she directed, her usual monotone, business as usual voice returned.
I left the labs, and went to meet with the leader of Estreldez, Almder, to see if I could get her approval to continue being her advisor despite my new status as infertile. There was more at risk besides not being able to have my own offspring, my whole career was on the line. Not only was I half estreld and half unknown, I had only three loh, and now failed my mating exam. I would be cast to a new position outside the palace, because it would be seen as a bad omen to have a mating advisor to be infertile. Perhaps, I could convince Almder that I could at least train my replacement for a time being.
When I arrived at the central alcove carved from black tarnpul deposits to focus the moon's rays, Almder was busy speaking with a tall male with blonde hair... and horns. A krelin... in such close proximity to our leader, and her guards so far away? Whatever concerns I had for myself vanished as I watched with curiosity and a bit of fear. Luan would be appalled to see such trust shown to the krelins, after what they pulled with our last import trade. I worked so hard to become an advisor to be of use to Luan when she took over as Almder one day. We were going to change Estreldez together. She'd risk going to the trill to help our planet if need be, I knew she would.
"And the queen has agreed to this already?" Almder asked the krelin representative.
"Queen Kai seeks resolution to the tension between our trade agreements. It is reasonable to believe sharing biological ties between our species will bridge the gap we've found ourselves falling into of late. Krelin warriors are growing restless with our increased male population and are in need of females to calm their minds. As you well know, the hive share a connection that all of Krelis feeds from. Many do not have the patience or the desire to cull that connection when it overwhelms sense of self. This has caused a greed to spread through the hive, infecting many warriors with a need to claim more than what is owed to them. Our export ships have taken advantage of their supply, and without something for them to latch onto, they will continue to increase their efforts."
"Are you threatening Estreldez?" Almder thundered back, and I took a step back feeling the increased tension in the room.
"Of course not. I am merely stating facts. I aim to prove the krelins are compatible mates with your females and promise you peace should you grant me the opportunity to prove the same to my species, to all of Krelis. Give me time with a strong leader of your clan, should she reject me, I will respect her decision to do so." He bent down on a knee and bowed his head to Almder, which was very unlike a krelin to posture themselves in such a manner. To bow to someone other than their own queen was unheard of. It was almost like begging for them, and their pride would never allow it, but there he was, kneeling at my Almder's feet.
"Very well," Almder conceded. "You've proven yourself to be reasonable for your species, and I agree with your queen that a union between our clans would solidify peace for many generations. I will allow you to join the ceremony, since you've passed all of our examines, but as you said, the final decision is not yours, but any female that is compatible with you. I will even grant you a single offering to spend some time with our strongest female this mating cycle on the condition that you discuss other ways our clans may seek peace together once a union is formed."
"Agreed." The krelin male stood, his back muscles flexed and bulged before straightening. He clicked his tongue making noises that bounced within the stone carved dome. "You have company," he said, without turning to see me there.
"One of my advisors," Almder explained my presence, and I flushed with embarrassment at not removing myself as soon as I saw she was already seeing someone. Something about the krelin made my feet plant where they were, and all I could do was stare. All I saw was the back of his head, but he was very handsome. I shouldn't have thought like that at all, considering what he was, but my skin heated as I watched his shoulder blades move and I gasped as I noticed something reflective that shifted along the leather strap across his back. He wore armor coverings all over, except for keeping his back exposed, but as the moon's light moved across him, it was almost like there were iridescent bones twitching as he moved. How could no one else see this?
He had wings!
Only the most powerful of the krelin warriors had wings, the ones that led the armies of their fleets. Not a single delegate had ever come to Estreldez with wings before. He was escorted out of the alcove by one of Loric's best trained guards, Gaven. Whenever Loric went offworld, he always took Gaven with him. That was a relief to see they wouldn't give the krelin free range around the palace.
Golden eyes captured me as the krelin passed, and like one of the glilor reptiles near the waterholes they blinked with a second lid that watched me with curiosity. I sidestepped and plowed towards the Almder with purpose so as not to embarrass the Almder further should he think I didn't belong there. Of course, he'd have been right. I shouldn't have been there while she was discussing diplomacy with Krelis, but I was an advisor, and I wouldn't shame the Almder with him knowing I wasn't summoned.
"Almder," I addressed, and bowed my head. Her crystal silver eyes dulled as she shook her head at me. As soon as the doors closed behind the krelin and Gaven with a thud, I cringed.
"I understand why you are here," she sounded sad. "You've always been like a seventh daughter to me," she explained, and my heart sank even farther into my gut. Luan was her only living daughter... she had five others that did not survive gestation. To be her seventh daughter was a great honor, and the sadness in her tone broke me. All I've ever wanted was family. Luan and my Almder were all I had left.
"I didn't mean to interrupt--"
She stopped me from continuing with a lift of her hand, I bowed my head once more to accept whatever punishment she saw fit for me. It was true that I took liberties with my advisor role because of her affections towards me for being around her daughter since being offspring ourselves.
"Mabel, I've received your exam report this morning. This was going to be your first official ceremony as a participant, and not merely as a researcher for the MR team, and I recall how excited I once was as a fledgling into mating age. This must be extremely tough news to take, but I've already discussed with Elder Ezra that your life is priority, not that of life yet to form." Almder stood from her black polished throne of tarnpul, carved with intricate murals of our history at her back. She wore flowing black robes of the sheerest threads so as not to hinder her absorption of the moon's rays, every jewel shined and gave her an ethereal glow no other estreld but Luan, her own daughter, could match. She was mesmerizing to watch, so much so, that I could forget why I was here, and why there was so much sadness in her eyes for me.
She bent her knees to be eye level with me, her delicate long fingers leaned on her thighs. I was shorter than most females, a runt. It was unusual for the Almder to stoop for anyone, let alone someone like me, yet she still did it so gracefully, and maintained a regality about her.
Almder continued, "It is the strongest of us that must bear the heartiest of burdens. It was not long after Luan that I was told the very same thing. I did not listen to my elders, and I suffered such great loss of sons and daughters I will not meet again until the end of my days. Their lives cut short before they even began.
"The souls of your offspring are out there in the stars. You need not suffer their loss, but embrace their new futures in their next life, as we all return to the moon's dust, and are born anew. Mabel, I will not make you relive this feeling with every mate you interview. Hearing of the futures you will now not be able to obtain yourself. It is a burden I will not add to someone I care so deeply for. I will come up with a suitable position after you've had time to process things." Her arms wrapped around my shoulders, and she kissed the top of my head. A warmth from her radiation flooded from her loh and through my body giving me all of her love and a great sense of comfort, though I knew it was temporary relief from the weight building in my carved out cavity that once held my heart.
My Almder, my second mother, was removing me from my position as advisor of the mating research team.
I was not only told I could not participate in the mating ceremony I had been eagerly anticipating this cycle, but I lost the very position I had worked so hard to accomplish, despite not having many loh, and being deemed weak and small.
Where would I go? What would I do?
Would I be sent outside of the palace?
Would the only family I have left send me outside of the city in some misguided attempt to keep me from harm? I was stronger than that. I was good at my job.
"My Almder... I can still do my job," I insisted, and she pulled away.
"I wouldn't hear of it," she dismissed as if she were doing me a favor, and perhaps she thought she was doing me a kindness.
"Please..." I choked, feeling the pressure build up behind my eyes. Fresh tears threatening to shed themselves at her feet.
She smiled warmly, pity in her silver eyes. "Take some time to consider your options. We can discuss after the ceremony."
That was the best I was going to get for now. I bowed and backed away. A sob struggled free from my throat, and I didn't want to do this here. I was processing more than one kind of loss, and I'd already pressed more than any other estreld would dare with the Almder once she'd made a decision. My short legs walked briskly back the way I came, and by the time I had reached the doors I felt close to running. The guards at the doors opened the way, and water sloshed from my unruly eyes, that I wiped away vigorously before slamming into Luan.
I cleared my throat to steady myself. Luan's hands grabbed my shoulders, but I kept my head lowered to hide my coloring cheeks with strands of black hair that had escaped from my tie.
"Mabel?" she asked gaining my attention with her silver eyes wide, so much like her mother's it broke me further, before Almder summoned her inside.
Forcing a smile to my lips, I shook my head at Luan dismissing my behavior, and rushed down the hall to be alone. I could hear Almder's voice carry through the halls before the doors closed, "Mabel has been informed by the M.R. that she is no longer eligible..."
My throat choked up, as I steadied myself against the wall. If only it were as simple as Almder's words. Not joining the ceremony wasn't as heart breaking as knowing I'd been dismissed from my duties as well. Would I even be an advisor after this ceremony? Was Almder telling Luan this very moment that I would no longer be acting mating research advisor? How would the optics look having an advisor being infertile... broken?
"Those tests," Loric's voice startled me, and I wiped at my eyes once more, hardening myself for a conversation I didn't want to deal with. He was the Pride of Estreldez, Almder's favorite advisor on security and offworlder politics. Loric had a lot of sway with Almder, and I had no choice but to listen to what he had to say. Running away from Luan was one thing, she was distracted, and even though she'd be the next Almder one day, she was my friend and she'd understand my need for some time to process before talking with her.
"I can still do my job, Loric. It isn't a debilitating diagnosis," I interrupted with a determination driving me to defend myself from being removed from the M.R. team.
His face softened. With a kindness he was known for throughout Estreldez he nodded before replying, "I know how much you wanted a family. Luan spoke many times of how she would solve the Krelis food supply import so your offspring would only worry about how to sneak out of the palace when she was watching them for you. You and Luan will always be family."
I sniffled, feeling my emotions overflow once more. It touched my heart to know Luan spoke of our futures together. I knew she relied on me to divert some of the attention on her mating by spawning many young for the both of us. She feared she'd be just like the Almder and have trouble conceiving like many of our clan. Stillbirths, miscarriages, and... infertility.
Almder would be even more insistent on Luan mating his cycle with my exam results on her mind.
"Perhaps, she'll have enough for the both of us," I replied lightly, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.
"What I was going to say," he glanced over his shoulder to the window out to the palace gardens, "those tests aren't conclusive. The scientists can only work with the data they are given. There is still so much incalculable. Elder Nen has spoke of how our loh are capable of healing great wounds when their essence is complete."
Covering my mouth, I chuckled through a hiccup. "Loric, I never knew you were such a romantic. It isn't often these days I hear an estreld speak of the fated mate bond, even in all the interviews I've had over the last few years."
He cleared his throat. "Yes, well, you scientist types tend to overlook the unexplainable. Even Elder Ezra explains the fated mate bond in technical terms of pheromones, chemistry compatibility ratios, and describes it as a reaction between two compositions."
"Well, isn't it?" I lifted a brow, already quirking a grin at the welcomed distraction from my own issues.
Loric folded his strong muscles over his exposed chest. His blue forearms were covered in loh jewels, more than even our toughest warriors, a sign of his strength with the moon. Any female would be drooling to have him give them attention, but I'd grown up with him and his eyes were always on Luan. Whatever attraction I had for him when I was young was long buried the moment I resolved one day Luan would realize he was always there for her. The Pride and the Jewel of Estreldez were the perfect match. Both of them worked so hard to help the planet in their own ways.
"Our loh are more than simply biological compositions," he said passionately, "they are what connect us with the moon, and our own souls. You can explain away the warmth as radiation being converted into energy, but you can't explain the fact that it feels different for every estreld. When the Almder shares her radiation with us, it isn't merely her energy, it is her essence, her soul speaking to us, wishing us well. Giving of her love for her clan. You cannot tell me it feels the same when the scientists share loh energy with you, versus when Almder shares it, or even when Luan shares it?"
The way he said Luan's name towards the end I could sense the way his mood shifted to a different kind of passion. Ever since Luan led the ceremony the last two cycles, Loric has been even more eager to have her participate. His loh have glowed even brighter, and he's certain to be fertile this cycle if she joins. Being curious, I'd already snuck a peek in the M.R. lab to compare their files, they were a very close match. Nearly perfect.
I never told either of them, but regardless, it was their decision to be mates or not.
"You're right," I placated him, but it didn't change my results, "it does feel different. Any scientist will tell you that we can't prove anything. All we can say is our data has yet to be disproven."
"Mabel," he chided, knowing I was deflecting. He was just trying to give me hope, but even that would be gone the moment Elder Ezra removed my egg sack for my safety.
"Fine. Until new data disproves the results, the results are not proof that some fated mate out there might heal the lack of lining to help support viable spawning of offspring." There was more bite to my statement than I intended, but it was a bitter hope to cultivate knowing Estreldez didn't have the technology to do anything but do preventative measures for my health. Estreldez didn't...
"I can already see the glorbins swirling in your mind. You are not like Elder Ezra and simply take data for fact. Perhaps you just need new data," he encouraged, and left me with my thoughts to go join Luan in the Almder's alcove.
My eyes were puffy, but who was I trying to impress? I rushed to the transport control to meet with Hazel, the lead advisor of the shuttle and space traffic control. She knew everyone and could help me find some potential offworlders that I could interview. Until Almder officially removed me from my position as advisor of the M.R. team I still had complete access to all mate candidates.
Please Add Her Alien Prince to your Goodreads TBR
Like the rest of the series, it will be available through Kindle Unlimited!
You can pre-order and support the Trillume Universe for $1.99
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BTM99FHH
Estimated release date May 1st, 2023
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