Free Sampler: Book Excerpts & Short Stories

By Trina L. Talma

An introduction to my work made up of excerpts from three of my novels and some short stories, including two which aren't published anywhere else.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9780359584772

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Free Sampler: Book Excerpts & Short Stories

Free Sampler

Book Excerpts & Short Stories

Trina L. Talma

copyright 2014, 2019

by Trina L. Talma

Author's Note

For several years I have watched people pass by my books at the various shows and conventions I've worked. Occasionally someone will pick one up and read the back, or even thumb through the pages a bit. Even more occasionally, someone will ask me about them. But they almost never buy.

I'm not entirely sure why this is, since I've never had the guts to chase any of the potential customers down and ask them. I suspect it's because a lot of people don't want to spend money on the works of an unfamiliar author. I know I generally don't, especially with the price of paperbacks rising higher every year. Unless I have a solid idea what the book is about, or I already know the author's work, I don't want to plop down the cash. Who wants that buyer's remorse?

I am totally willing, however, to pick up a free book or free sample, usually the sample chapters available through Amazon's Kindle, where I know the authors themselves (or at least their publishers) have approved of giving out a book or a sample for free. But the idea for this book didn't really come together until the last convention I worked.

At the table next to mine was a vendor selling, among other things, Japanese candies. For four days I listened to her offering free samples to passers-by, and she made sales. On the last day of the convention, I took a couple of my old books – factory seconds, so to speak, as well as the surviving copies of the first editions of my short-story collections – and put them on a corner of my table with a note on top saying FREE. And nearly all of them disappeared. People loved the idea.

So I got to thinking . . .

This book includes excerpts from Silver and Blood, the first book in my Zania Corthinn fantasy series; Cherish the Fire, my young-adult-speculative-fiction/sci-fi novel; and The Time of the Wolf, my oldest and most recently published novel. There is also a handful of short stories, including two never published before. Each sample includes a note about its origins.

I was tempted to make a Forrest Gump box of chocolates joke here, but I will refrain. I hope you enjoy the samples. Look me up on Twitter and tell me if you do. All of my books are available on Amazon and the Barnes & Noble website, in both paperback and Kindle formats. They are also available in paperback (and some as ebooks) from my publisher, Lulu, at http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/hrtsmom .

Silver and Blood Part One: The Dark Men

I owe a debt for this book to an unusual source: Simon LeBon, lead singer of Duran Duran. I was a huge Duran fan in their heyday, and collected every picture of them I could find in magazines as well as all their records (yes, on vinyl). One evening, late in my high school years, I sat at my desk trying to write, looking at a framed magazine photo of Simon next to me. And I started writing about this character, and about myself, sitting across a table from him in a medieval-fantasy-type pub. It just went on from there, and after a few mutations it became the opening scene of Silver and Blood.

The book's cover blurb:

Most of the human population of Morstan lives in walled cities, though very few people know the real reason those walls were built. Stories tell of strange creatures like elves, vampires and shape-shifters, but to most people, these are only stories. Zania Corthinn, an ordinary girl from the city of Ocrisia, finds herself on a journey that will take her outside the walls, and outside the world she thought she knew.

Silver and Blood in its original form was a bit short. I eventually ended up adding a brief sequel, Solstice and, later, a prequel, The Dark Men, to the original text.

Silver and Blood was followed by four sequels: River's End, The Throne of the Sun, Return to Dawn and Dreams of Darkness. The most recent book, This Dark Road: Chains, was published in 2018; it begins the story of a new generation.

One

I only noticed the young man because he sat at the same table every night for a week. It was Toura's table, not one of mine, so I rarely came close enough to his shadowy corner to see his face clearly. He was always alone, and I thought once that the tavern's other customers seemed to avoid him.

I think he's been watching you, Zania, Toura told me one night. We were both waiting at the bar for Thar to stock our trays with full mugs.

Who's been watching me? I only asked to have an excuse to stand still a little longer. The open window behind the bar made this the coolest spot in the room. It didn’t matter much to me who had or hadn't been watching me.

Toura laughed. "Him. The quiet one in the corner." She gestured toward the young man, sitting in the shadows as usual. He was alone again, even though the hot night had brought us a larger crowd than usual.

I shrugged. What of it? They all watch us. If they stopped, Thar would replace us.

That I would, the barman put in, as he pushed our trays toward us. Though it might come from too much gossiping as well.

The threat was only half-serious, but it was enough to get us moving on. Well, he's not bad-looking, was Toura's parting shot. I wouldn't mind him staring at me for a change.

I didn't say it, but I doubted she would need even that much encouragement. She was the one who had taught me how to turn away the customers' more unwelcome attentions while still keeping them happy. But she wasn't always one to lead by example. Whenever she needed a little extra money, she was willing to take a turn in one of the tavern’s upstairs rooms. Despite a number of offers, I had never yet felt that much of a need to make more than my usual wages.

I didn't think much more about the stranger, though at some point during the evening I noticed that he had gone. I was kept busy enough dealing with the demands – and the occasional groping hands – of the customers at my own tables. When I had first started this job, Thar had often needed to step in when a customer got too greedy. But now, three years later, I was more than able to take care of myself. If I hadn't been able to learn the skills of self-defense – both with words and with the small knife I carried at my belt – I never would have survived to the age of seventeen.

The tavern closed late that night, and Toura, Thar and I had more work than usual cleaning up. We were all too tired for much talk, so I didn’t find it strange that Toura and I didn't have our usual after-hours chat. But when we finished, she stopped me just as I was about to leave.

I noticed a strange expression on her face; she almost looked as if she were afraid of me. He told me to give you this, she said. She looked over at Thar for a moment, as if to make sure he wasn't watching us. Then, reaching into her apron pocket, she drew out a large gold coin.

Who did? At first I thought she meant Thar, but I could see by looking at the coin that she didn't. This was more money than I could expect to earn in the next three months. Thar wouldn't part with that much gold at once, especially not to any of his employees.

Toura nodded toward that empty table in the shadowy corner. You know – that one. I told you he was watching you.

She took my hand and pressed the coin into my palm before I could argue. He said if I didn't give it to you, he would know. And he didn't seem like someone I would want to cross.

I had been right: she was afraid, though not of me. I dropped the coin into my own skirt pocket. The gift made me more than a little suspicious. But I wasn't fool enough to turn it down, at least not until I knew more about the giver.

I was going to ask Toura about that, when Thar spoke up from the other side of the room. You two mind if I lock the door, or are you planning to spend the night?

Don't you wish? Toura shot back, seeming to regain her composure.

Thar shook his head. I know better. Good night, ladies.

Once outside, Toura hurried away before I could question her any further. I was still curious, but too tired to go after her when my bed was waiting. Even at this hour, the streets of the slums were still busy, but it didn't take me long to get to my rooming house.

Upstairs, I took the lamp from its hook outside my door and lit it before I went in. That was common caution, although so far I had never been bothered by intruders. There wasn't anything in my little room worth stealing.

I had set the lamp down on the table before I saw the man sitting on the chair in the corner.

I drew my knife without thinking, but he remained calm, not moving. For a moment I considered calling for help, though I didn't know whether I would get any. But he made no threats. He seemed to be waiting for me to make the first move.

I began to feel foolish. What do you want?

He waved a hand toward my knife. Is this any way to treat someone who gives you gifts?

What do you mean? I was sizing him up now, and I guessed he was doing the same to me. He was a young man, twenty at the oldest. His white linen shirt and light blue breeches were of a fine quality, and looked nearly new. His sharply angled but boyishly handsome face was unexpectedly clean.

He smiled suddenly, as if he knew I was studying him. Blue-grey eyes shone out from under a thatch of dark hair. The gold piece, he answered my question. The other girl did give it to you, didn't she?

Yes – you're the man from the tavern. I hadn't recognized him in the full light. Toura told me you were watching me.

He laughed outright at that, and I nearly smiled in return. His laugh was friendly, not rough or sneering like what I usually heard from men in this part of Ocrisia.

Well, then. He folded his arms across his chest. You have your gift. And you want to know what the giver wants in return, don't you?

I leaned back against the table, still keeping the knife ready in my hand. I'm beginning to have an idea. I had no doubt by now that this was some rich merchant's younger son, who enjoyed angering his father by seeking pleasures in the slums. I only wonder why you chose me for your little game.

Ah, he said. I think your idea is the wrong one, Zania – may I call you Zania? The other girl told me that was your name.

Then I had best know your name as well.

He nodded. I'll have no secrets from you. My name is Kefar Greyn. You may have heard of me.

I shrugged. Vaguely. I knew I had heard the name mentioned a few times at the tavern, and when it was mentioned everyone within earshot stopped talking to listen to the speaker. Small wonder, then, that everyone else at the tavern had avoided him when he was there.

But I had little idea of who the man was, and still less of what he would want with me. And it was hard to believe that this youngster facing me was the man with such an awe-inspiring reputation.

Zania, what I have in mind for you is not so crude as what you’re thinking. I have a business proposal for you. Do you want to hear it?

Why me? I asked again.

He smiled. Your friend was right. I have been watching you, girl. I like the way you carry yourself. And you're pretty – and could be even prettier if you were cleaned up and dressed. You and I could be of use to each other.

I was provoked both by the veiled insult, and by the arrogance of this fellow, not five years older than myself, calling me girl. I'm not sure my idea was wrong after all, I told him. I took the gold coin from my pocket. You can take your 'gift' and go.

I threw the coin at him and he caught it easily. Another man might have been angered by this; Greyn was not. His fingers played with the coin, but he never took