It's Release Day! Ice and Peace is Here!

A New Threat?

The second book in my romantic and exciting series Cold Warriors is now available.  Here's a quick look!

The Cold Warriors Universe Book Two- Ice and Peace

A New Threat? After a long and vicious war, peace is on the horizon for Earth and its allies. However, a series of mysterious attacks on several secret military installations causes hostilities to rise once again.

Redemption. Having left under a cloud of disgrace, retired Marine Colonel Medoro Keegan is called back to duty.

Bound. His wife Caitlin, the only surviving member of her team, chooses to embrace life, albeit grudgingly, as a cryo soldier. Seen as sub-human, she is forced to serve a planet that denies her rights as a person.

Driven. Guided by their sense of duty and belief that some things are bigger than them, they are determined to risk it all.

Hope. The cost of war is high. Can their love and marriage survive? Or will it be killed off by the very same mission that brought them together?

Genre: Sci-fi romance, military romance, interracial/multicultural, futuristic, end of the world

Heat level: 2

Word count – 43k

Cover art by LFD Designs

~Excerpt~

Caitlin was a sight for sore eyes. She was beautiful. Her petite frame was perfectly accented by the curves of her figure. And her brown eyes and coffee-brown skin was smooth, creamy.

Standing at attention, she did not meet his gaze. Though it was customary not to do as a sign of military courtesy, he could tell she was not doing it for that reason. Her gaze was different. Circling her, he tried to see if he could catch her watching him out of the corner of her eye. In fact, she appeared to be staring blankly ahead.

Peering directly at her, he spoke in a soft tone. “At ease.”

She relaxed.

“Cate. Can you hear me?”

“Yes, sir,” she responded mechanically.

Pain pierced his insides. She was definitely not there. Keegan placed his hands on his hips and hung his head in defeat. The one thing that was supposed to go right did not. For whatever reason, they had placed her in a deeper state of mental control than she’d ever been in. He controlled the hostile emotions brewing with him. Touching her face gently, he felt her icy skin.

This is unacceptable! Not here. I will not let this happen here. Not under my command.

“Chief, listen up,” he said in an authoritative tone. He knew in this state, it was the only way he could speak to her and still have her respond.

“Yes, sir.” Her gaze became even more distant.

Her response fueled his anger. “You are going to hightail it down to the doc and receive a full examination. Tell him it is based on my orders. He will know what to do. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

Knowing that she was under the influence of cryo neurotransmitters, Keegan figured the only way to combat it was to get someone to reverse it. They usually wore off once she was away from the stimulus triggers for a long period of time. But considering her stimulus triggers were high-ranking officers in uniform and combat situations, being around here meant she was going to be in a drone zone for a very long time. The last thing he needed was a zombie on board, especially one in charge of the lives others.

Only the jerks in psyche warfare thought doing this to someone would be a good idea. As long as he was running the ship, none of that would be allowed. There weren’t going to be any super zombies soldiers on board his ship. And he’d rollover in his grave before he let them do it to his wife.

“After you come back from the doc, you will report to me, understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are there any questions?”

“No, sir.”

“Dismissed.”

She did an about face before leaving the room. Keegan clasped his hands behind his back. In the blink of an eye, his joy had turned to sorrow. Now faced with the responsibility of looking after his wife, he wondered how could he handle the burden of command and still protect the woman he loved.

-End Excerpt

I know you will love reading it as much as I loved writing it!

Ice and Peace is Available at all fine e-book retailers including ARe-https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-iceandpeace-1245582-143.html and Amazon-http://www.amazon.com/Peace-Cold-Warriors-Universe-ebook/dp/B00DZV25QS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1374248311&sr=8-3&keywords=clare+dargin

And don't forget the award winning first book in the series: 

Available Now wherever books are sold!

The Lords of Space...

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or A Hard Man is Good to Find

Either way I love a man in a military uniform.  There is something about the way the clothes hug his strong form creating an air of dignity and quiet strength.

See the words Navy Diver on the rim of his underwear?
Yep he's military!

No disrespect to the women who serve as well.  But when I fantasize, I tend to be the only female in the picture.  Still, I digress. For me, a strong alpha hero man in military uniform is like Adonis in space, his beauty will both allure and capture your heart.  That's probably why I write Military Scifi Romance.  Military Scifi Romance is so nichey that it would barely cover an eighth of a page on search at Amazon.  And when I was invited to join the SFR Brigade, I knew I had found my home.  I love it not only for its obvious military overtones but here we writers of this small yet potent subgenre are appreciated for who we are-- true lovers of science fiction.

Military fiction, once the bastion of male writers such as W.E.B. Griffin and Tom Clancy, now enjoy a feminine touch with equally strong characters and engaging plot lines by such notables as Suzanne Brockmann and Marliss Melton- who tend to lean towards what many publishers categorize as Romantic Suspense or what I call Military Romance novels.

Still we can't forget about authors who write specifically in this subgenre like fellow brigade members Linnea Sinclair and D.L. Jackson.  Their novels prove to me that I am not alone in my obsession.

Speaking of which, though I've never served (a stint in ROTC in high school doesn't count), it's always hard not to include some aspect of military life in my fiction.  It doesn't mean all of my stories have soldiers in it, it just means when it fits I let my inner commando shine through.

For example in my book, Kybernatia- Gabrielle Burle, project manager for the development of the planet, was forced out of her job under a veil of secrecy.  In the course of her investigation she discovers one man connected to that same planet was forced out of his job as well.  Determined to discover the truth, she seeks out that man who has since abandoned that life for a quieter one in the midwest.

Okay so where does the military come in you ask?  That's a surprise but I can give you a sneak peek to sort of whet your appetite.

An Excerpt from 'Kybernatia'

The Mark One Investigation and Discovery Vessel pulled slowly into high orbit around Monoceros 4.>   After two days’ journey from her central post, arrived with a full complement of instruments and crew ready to perform a non-invasive survey of the planet and its people.
>

“Sir,” the specialist said, turning to face the Captain.

“Yes?” Captain Alley Ferrato stood rigid, overlooking her post at the center console on the bridge.
“We are in orbit around Monoceros 4.”

“Very well. Maintain course and begin shipboard scans.”

“Aye aye, ma’am.”

“Open forward shields,” Alley ordered.

The blast shields at the front of the bridge opened up, exposing a brilliant golden-brown planet.

“Release forward probes,” Alley said to the science officer as she took in the magnificent view.
“Releasing forward probes.”

As the probes dashed out toward the planet, they immediately began to send back information.

“Status report?” asked Alley, sitting down in her chair. This was always her favorite part of any mission, the capture of information for knowledge’s sake.

“All scans are coming back normal, Captain. This is an Earth-like planet.”

“Very well. Transfer probes to low orbit and send one out to scan their closest settlement.”

“Aye, sir. Probes are altering position,” the science officer said as she tapped the screen at her station.

Suddenly, her eyes grew wide.  She bolted upright. “Captain, I think you need to come see this,” she said as she stared into the view scanner at her station.

Walking over to the panel, Alley forced herself to take her eyes off of the brilliant planet.  “What is it?”


“You’re not going to believe this,” she said, pointing to the data on the screen.

“My God.”

End Excerpt...

Okay so there were no hotties in this peek but I did give you military!  If you would like to read more...

Kybernatia is available now at Decadent Publishing and Amazon.com.  http://www.amazon.com/Kybernatia-ebook/dp/B004ZH3O9S/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340828442&sr=1-1&keywords=kybernatia

Bio- 

Clare Dargin is an author who lives in the midwest with her family.  She loves gardening, animals of all sorts and comic cons.  She writes all the time and loves hearing from fans, friends and admirers.  The re-release of her first Military Scifi Romance, “Cold Warriors” will be available soon from Decadent Publishing.

You can find her on the web at www.claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com

Also her work Speculative Sky is now available in print at Amazon

One Mystery, One Woman and the One Man Who Has The Answers. 'Kybernatia' by Clare Dargin

Blurb

Kybernatia was supposed to be humanity’s newest paradise but that dream is all but gone.  Ruined in an horrible terra forming accident, the planet was deemed no longer fit for humanity.  Gabrielle Burle, project manager for the development of the planet, was forced out of her job as a veil of secrecy suddenly shrouded the planet.

Determined to find out why or how it could happen, Gabrielle goes on a journey of discovery that leads her to one man who she knows has all the answers.


Excerpt


Kybernatia, an aquamarine-blue planet with islands and continents of sandy gold and dark brown, filled the view screen. Happy people with large white perfect smiles romped through scenes of beautiful sandy beaches while sapphire blue water washed upon their tan bodies. Lush forests and cozy mountain getaways flashed, wrapping up the almost Edenic view of this once beautiful planet.

The commercial ended slowly for Gabrielle. It brought back all the memories she had for the little planet that had been devoid of all forms of life. A sober-faced reporter appeared upon the screen pulling her from her memories and bringing her back to the present as he grimly stated the realities of the horrific planetary accident.

“You're not exactly fired, but we think it‟s best that you move on,” Dr. Linwood said, interrupting the news anchor's controlled-yet-cool delivery of the news. Dr. Linwood appeared sympathetic to her plight, but she knew he was just covering his back. It was, after all, Washington, D.C., and if you didn't cover your backside, someone else would do it for you.

Still, she tried to hide her surprise. Couldn‟t he had at least have waited until all the people had been removed from the planet before kicking me to the curb? All of a sudden, their playful banter and office talk seemed like it was just that: talk. They hadn‟t been friends as she had hoped.

Unable to speak, Gabrielle Burle continued to stare at the disturbing and tragic images on the view screen inside her office. Emergency craft of all shapes and sizes sped to the planet as smoke and plumes of ash erupted from its surface. They could see the hospital ships close in as the wounded and seriously injured were brought aboard for care.

Gabrielle gazed helplessly at the scene. The once-promising new home for humanity went up in smoke, right before her eyes, along with any hopes of ever working in Washington again.

http://www.amazon.com/Kybernatia-ebook/dp/B004ZH3O9S

Better Late Than Never! A Belated Six Sentence Sunday Post!

Yep, forgetfulness has struck me again, but I have recovered if only slightly.  I thought it would be cool to let you guys know that I've taken my first foray into Six Sentence Sunday yesterday and I loved it.

I posted a brief excerpt from my upcoming Military Scifi Romance novel from Decadent Publishing entitled 'Cold Warriors'.    

Come check it out!  http://claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com/2011/09/six-sentence-sunday-excerpt-from-cold.html