Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Guest Author Owen Mullen

 Our guest author today is Owen Mullen
By Erika M Szabo

Owen Mullen graduated from Strathclyde University, moved to London and worked as a rock musician, session singer, and songwriter, and had a hit record in Japan with a band he refuses to name; Owen still loves to perform on occasion. His passion for travel has taken him on many adventures from the Amazon and Africa to the colorful continent of India and Nepal. A gregarious recluse, he and his wife, Christine, split their time between Glasgow, and their home away from home in the Greek Islands where the Charlie Cameron and Delaney series', and In Harm's Way psychological thriller were created.

A psychological thriller, suspense
When no one knows you are in danger how can you ever be saved…
The Baxter house in the Lowther Hills, in Scotland, has been on the estate agent’s books for decades. Dilapidated and near-derelict, nobody is interested in it. But, for one potential buyer, the remote location and rat-infested cellar are perfect.
For the first year, Mackenzie’s marriage to Derek was ideal. But Derek believes she is having an affair and when she realizes her husband is becoming controlling, she knows she’s made a terrible mistake.
But Mackenzie has a drinking problem so when she threatens to leave Derek and then disappears no one believes she has been abducted.
DS Geddes is handed the case but isn’t convinced anything criminal has taken place until a startling development comes to light.
Has Mackenzie been abducted or has she simply left her husband?
And who has bought The Baxter house and for what purpose?

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK:
Mackenzie thought about yesterday. The guy in the black coat had freaked her out. She hadn’t told Derek. What was the point? She’d intended to talk to Alec about it and changed her mind. It had been such a wonderful evening she hadn’t wanted to spoil it with something that would probably turn out to be about nothing. When she got home she’d gone on the Internet and researched stalkers, surprised to discover how common they were. Most reports were about men stalking women although –occasionally –it was the other way round. She took comfort from the fact that thousands of people –male and female –had had the same experience as her. Occasionally the stalker turned out to be some jilted lover or former husband. Often the culprit was a mentally unstable stranger; sad and pathetic and harmless. Mackenzie made a decision to focus on the positive: this was the third day she hadn’t had any alcohol. The miracle was she didn’t crave it. The first twenty-four hours had been rough –her head ached, she felt ill and whenever she remembered the show she’d made of herself –of both of them –at Adele’s, she thought she was going to be sick. Her sister was due an apology, no doubt about that, except Mackenzie wasn’t ready to face her. Not yet. The second day was better, only shame remained. Even in such a short time clarity had replaced confusion and she was certain she was doing the right thing. Derek couldn’t possibly be happy. God knows she wasn’t. Hurting him wasn’t what she wanted but he needed to accept the marriage was over, that she didn’t love him. Opposites attracted and so it was with them. The attention of a man, older, wiser, and more worldly than she could ever hope to be, had been flattering. Being with him made her feel special and protected in a way she’d never known. Other men were immature boys in comparison. Derek had been places and done things. Had adventures. For Christ’s sake, even Adele liked him. One morning Mackenzie woke up and knew she’d fallen for him. Within months they were engaged. She would’ve married right away, he’d insisted they slow down. If there were second thoughts, he’d said, now was the time. Once they’d taken their vows she would be his and it would be too late. His one condition –that they hold back physically until after they were married –had taken her aback. She’d promised to respect his wish, a promise she’d broken on the couch in his living room one night after they’d shared a second bottle of wine, most of it drunk by her. Slowly, completely, he’d dominated her until she was afraid she might suffocate with the intensity of it. Afterwards, Derek held her in his arms and told stories of how wonderful it would be when she was his wife. Those stories came true and lasted a year before Mackenzie realised the mistake she’d made.

It began with disagreements over inconsequential things which grew heated, difficult to put behind them. And the sex, so fabulous in the beginning, became infrequent, brief and unfulfilling. Derek found fault with her to the extent she couldn’t please him even with the simplest tasks. It was obvious he was as disappointed in her as she was with him. The generosity he’d shown in the beginning dissipated, replaced by accusations she didn’t understand. Mackenzie had managed to keep her drinking to acceptable levels when she met Derek. For a long time, he didn’t see her drunk. But as their relationship deteriorated, she found herself reaching for her old friend. And her alcoholism was where she’d left it; it hadn’t gone anywhere. Giving in to it was easier than confronting the truth. The avenue was deserted except for a group of young girls in the distance, playing a game. It had been a sunny day and, on most windows, the blinds were drawn against the glare. Who knew what went on behind them? Mackenzie was leaving a sham marriage. It wouldn’t be the only one in this respectable suburb. She dismissed the thought. Other people’s relationships were their business. There was nothing to be gained by speculating. She was headed for a new life and freedom and, in case she forgot, hardly in a position to cast the first stone. Her step quickened when she saw the tail-end of the car at the corner. Without meaning to, she smiled. Some women might disapprove of what she was doing. Others would support her, call her brave. Bravery had nothing to do with it. She had no choice, and, for the first time in a long time, Mackenzie was happy. She didn’t pay attention to the white van at the kerb or register the sound of someone behind her. When she did, it was too late. A hand closed over her face and a sweet smell filled her nostrils. She felt herself being dragged backwards before she sank into unconsciousness. The rear doors of the van closed. The driver got in and drove away. No one saw. Like a leaf falling to the ground, it went unnoticed. Mackenzie Crawford’s new life would have to wait.

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Ruth de Jauregui via Google+

1 month ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Guest Author Owen Mullen stopped by #OurAuthorGang today and shared an excerpt from his suspense thriller In Harm's Way. Wow!! It is intriguing!
 
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Ruth de Jauregui

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Wow, that is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing!
 
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Chris Weigand

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Nice to meet you.
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Chris Weigand shared this via Google+

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Lorraine Carey

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What an interesting guest today! After reading the excerpt from In Harm's Way I have added this to my To Read List. It will be my next read. Well, done, Owen!
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Erika M Szabo

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Great excerpt Owen!
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Erika M Szabo shared this via Google+

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Toi Thomas via Google+

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Today, #OurAuthorGang welcomes suspense author, Owen Mullen.
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Monday, December 10, 2018

Women in Science Fiction – Pauline Ashwell

Ruth de Jauregui

British flag - Saffrodite / Morguefile.com
While I've focused mostly on American women in science fiction, the British writers have contributed their fair share of fantastic tales to the genre.

British author Pauline Whitby (1926-2015) wrote under Pauline Ashwell, Paul Ashwell and Paul Ash. Her stories were published in a variety of magazines ranging from the British Yankee Science Fiction to the US magazines Astounding Science Fiction, later known as Analog Science Fact & Fiction. She also published love stories under several other pen names.

Ashwell's first known book was a children's fantasy, Little Red Steamer (1941), illustrated by Esmé Eve. Sadly, it's out of print and used copies are rare.

Her first published short story was "Invasion from Venus," published in Yankee Science Fiction in July 1942, under Paul Ashwell.

It wasn't until her stories appeared in Astounding that her writing career began to attract attention. Published under Pauline Ashwell in January 1958, "Unwillingly to School" was the first of at least eight stories in the American science fiction magazine. It was also the first of her Lysistrata "Lizzie" Lee tales. Lizzie, a tough-talking YA heroine, has been compared to Robert Heinlein's "Competent Young Hero" protagonists by SFE The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Some of Ashwell's tales in Astounding were published under the pen name Paul Ash.

The first Lizzie story was followed by three more, "The Lost Kafoozalum" (1960), "Rats in the Moon" (1982) and " Fatal Statistics" (1988). The quartet of stories were sorted into order (the final story was actually the second published) edited and bound up as Unwillingly to Earth (1992).

Ashwell's second book Project FarCry (1995) was compiled from five Paul Ash stories originally published in Astounding/Analog. The hardcover description from the Tor edition says:

"Richard Jordan is a telepath, but his psychic gifts have brought him nothing but trouble. For years he's been hiding his mental powers, considering them a curse, until a fateful encounter with an unusual alien species awakens him to the full potential of his abilities.

"Humanity has spread throughout the stars, prompting a desperate need for a reliable form of faster-than-light communication to link the farflung worlds of tomorrow. The government has spent a fortune searching for the answer, but with no success. Then Project Farcry discovers Richard Jordan....

"From the hidden recesses of an underground city to a distant planet trapped in another dimension, Project Farcry spans decades of future history as Jordan and his fellow telepaths, both human and alien, transform the very nature of space exploration."

Ashwell was one of the first women nominated for a Hugo Award. "Unwillingly to School" was nominated for the 1958 Hugos for Best New Author and Best Novelette. Her 1960 story "The Lost Kafoozalum" was nominated for Best Short Story, but lost to Paul Anderson's "The Longest Voyage."

She was also nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novelette for "The Wings of a Bat" (1966) and Best Novella for "Man Opening a Door" (1991), both under the name Paul Ash.

Though Ashwell dropped out of the science fiction scene between 1966 and 1988, except for "Rats in the Moon" (November 1982), she roared back into the sci-fi world with five stories in 1988 and continued publishing in Analog for another twenty years.

Ashwell's final novel The Man Who Stayed Behind, was published in the July 1993 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Unfortunately, it was never released as a book.

Amazon: Pauline Ashwell Author Page
Project Gutenburg: The Lost Kafoozalum






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Ruth de Jauregui via Google+

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My contribution to #OurAuthorGang today. British author Pauline Ashwell's stories about "Lizzie," in Unwillingly to Earth, have been compared to Heinlein's YA characters!!
 
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Ruth de Jauregui

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Just a warning, while I posted the link to Gutenberg -- that story is actually the last one in Unwillingly to Earth, so you might want to hold off on reading it all!! Spoiler!!
 
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Erika M Szabo

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I never read anything from her, sound fascinating! Thanks Ruth :)
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Thank you! I haven't read any of her books either, added to my wish list!!

Chris Weigand via Google+

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Meet another Woman in Science Fiction with Ruth.
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Thank you for sharing!!

Chris Weigand

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Wow another fascinating woman author. Thank you for adding another author to my list to check out.
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+Ruth de Jauregui Following your lead I started an author series. It was supposed to be author's who inspired me, but it evolved to fantasy/horror and a little sci fi thrown in. When I read about one author I find so many others that I want to explore.
 
+Chris Weigand That is great!! There's so much out there, we have tons of material to work with!

Toi Thomas

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Thanks so much, Ruth, for introducing me to this author. She sounds really good.
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I agree! Thank you!

Toi Thomas via Google+

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Today, Ruth de Jauregui shares the life and work of Pauline Ashwell. #OurAuthorGang
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Thank you so much for sharing!!

Tricia Drammeh

1 month ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Another fascinating post, Ruth! I don't think I've ever read any of the works by Pauline Ashwell, but you've definitely piqued my interest.
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I've added her to my "I have to get this book" list!!
 
Thank you!!

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