So from now on I'll post some of my ongoing thoughts about both of these books along with excerpts from them. Plus, I'm also ready to serialize major portions of "Bessie" here in this blog-spot simply to bounce it off you readers and see how it flies. I've already done this, in fact, with the book's Prologue and also an expanded chapter about Bessie's "Perils on Pluto!"
Oh, and I also sought Ruthie's advice as to whether or not I should do this (since she's my day-to-day editor with this epic masterpiece), asking something like... "Jeez sweetie, I don't want to bore any of our readers with my far-fetched YA yarn. Some of our friends who follow the blog might not like science fiction, y'know?"
She laughed, "Oh POOF dear! So what if they don't? They won't stop being our friends and besides, a lot of them know that you're nuts anyway. Plus, it's your book, so just go ahead and serialize it to your heart's content!"
And so, I'll give it a go. Right now. By first feeding you dear readers the Prologue again. Enjoy!
Bessie Howard - Cyber
Sorceress
Her Amazing Travels through Time and Space!
*
PART ONE
*
Prologue
The torrential rain had let up but an
oncoming mass of towering black thunderheads promised more that could last for
days or even weeks. The clouds were parted enough during this brief interlude
to allow a few slanting rays from Earth’s young sun to strike a Triassic beach.
Momentarily calmed, the sea rolled in on long, slow swells lapping the
red-colored sand. Beyond stood tall palm-like cycads amidst gigantic rain-soaked
ferns bent to the ground.
High overhead a winged red-crested reptile
spotted a small amphibian scuttling across the sand. Eyes instantly locked on
its prey the pterosaur partly opened its long narrow beak lined with sharp
teeth and dropped in lowering circles.
Its tiny mind
perhaps suddenly sensing danger, the amphibian broke back toward the water in a
side to side scurry. Splashing into the shallows, it dove to safer depths a
half second before the predator could snatch it up.
Vaguely
annoyed, the pterosaur angled its six foot wingspan and glided in a wide turn
back to the beach. Landing atop a dune and folding the wings, it stretched its
long neck. Darting bird-like glances from side to side, its sharp eyes saw
something glint nearby. Hop-walking over to the object, the young reptile
looked down at it.
Partly obscured by a sandy outwash from the
earlier rainfall was a clear plastic bottle with a white cap. A portion of the
exposed label read “250 coated aspirin tablets…caffeine free…325 mg”.
Re-balancing on spread webbed feet, the reptile tapped it experimentally with
the tip of its beak.
There came a flash and a loud “Pop!”
Jerking up, the startled animal nimbly ran off in long strides. Stopping a safe
distance away, it stared back uncomprehendingly at what now hovered several
feet above the sand. Nothing about it looked the least bit familiar, neither
the creature in the chair nor the computer monitor in front of it. After a few
seconds the strange apparition sank gently to the ground.
As the intruder abruptly reached down
and grasped the bottle, the wary reptile hopped backward a couple more steps.
Thus spotting the pterosaur while raising back up, the strange creature went motionless
and stared back for a moment. Then holding up the bottle in one hand and wagging
a finger with the other, its mouth formed words that could not be heard nor
could the eyes be seen behind the tinted visor. Next clutching the bottle to
its chest, the odd-looking thing leaned back in the chair. There came another
bright flash and a resounding “Pop!”…and nothing was there!
The incident soon forgotten, the pterosaur was
aloft once more and searching for something down there to eat.
(To be continued)
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