Today, I am happy to welcome a friend and author Toni V. Sweeney to discuss her new series Star
Smuggler from Aethon Books. I'll pass the mic to Toni. Here you go.
Space
Opera versus Soap Opera
by Toni V. Sweeney
When I wrote the series Star
Smuggler, I didn’t think of it as a “space opera.” I considered it a “romantic adventure.” Studying it now, I realize that’s exactly
what it is…just one gigantic soap opera set in the future on a planet far, far
away. The publisher calls it Star Wars Meets Firefly, and fans of those
two entertainments know what that means: Emphasis on fun and adventure rather
than technology and science.
The introduction to this sudsy
space saga might go something like this;
Welcome, dear reader, to Star
Smuggler, Book 1: The Last Voyage. This may prompt someone to ask, “If this
is the last voyage, how can it be the first book?”
A better question would be: Can
a halfbreed human-hating smuggler find happiness with an adopted Navajo in
spite of threats from the United Terran Federation and many of his nefarious
criminal cohorts?
STAR SMUGGLER: The Last Voyage introduces Sinbad sh’en Singh and
Andrea Talltrees, the most mismatched pair in the universe.
Andi is a member of the Naturals, a
group who don’t utilize anything that wasn’t around in the early to
mid-twentieth century, and they definitely don’t go flying off into space in
rocketships. Sin is a half-Felidan smuggler.
He’s big, he’s beautiful, he’s sexy, and he hates humans with a passion
because they framed his father, a Terran soldier, and killed him.
Sin’s way of life naturally clashes
with Andi’s beliefs, and when she isn’t preaching to him about the immorality
of his ways, and he isn’t laughing at her attempts to reform him, they reach a
rapport that gradually blossoms into something that might be love, though
neither will admit it. They spend most of the novel visiting various dens of
iniquity trying to find Andi’s husband, Tran, who is accused of being a spy and has lit out
for parts unknown…and then a secret is discovered that threatens the Earth and
the Federation and demands a sacrifice neither wants to make.
Inevitably,
the husband is out of the way, and Andi marries Sin. Then the problems REALLY
begin, as Book 2: A Course of Action reveals.
Married
life with a part-Felidan ex-smuggler seems to be nothing but one crisis after
another.
In the
current novel (Book 3, A Matter of Pride), Sin’s been pardoned for his
own crimes as well as those trumped-up charges against his deceased father. He
whisks Andi away to his home planet, where he wants his expected daughter to be
born.
Being
law-abiding simply isn’t part of Sin’s lifestyle, however, and he’s already
found a way to legally restore Felida’s pre-war glory by making it a prime
smuggling planet—and the Federation can’t do a thing about it! In order to succeed, however, he needs the
cooperation of the second and third most powerful Prides on Felida (and that’s
where the title comes in…A Matter of Pride), and they in turn want to
cement the deal through a family relationship.
Thus, Sin
finds he has more adjustments to make other than those of married life…like
trying to explain to Andi why he’s taking not one but two concubines, though he
swears he adores her, worships her, and would never be unfaithful in a million
years.
So Sinbad
finds himself with two concubines and a very angry Prime Wife, as well as a
future which may involve sleeping on a sofa until he’s an ocotogenerian, when
he not busy dealing with an old enemy who won’t give up…
…and then,
things REALLY get complicated…
BLURB:
Family
life won’t necessarily make a smuggler into a good little Law-Abider,
especially when that smuggler has just discovered a loophole in Felida’s treaty
with the Federation.
With that leverage, Sinbad plans to return to his former occupation, and this
time, he’s involving the entire planet in the venture.
All the Pride Chiefs, even the emperor himself, are behind him one hundred per
cent. In fact, two of the chiefs offer their daughters as Sin’s concubines to
make certain they’re included.
His wife Andi isn’t a bit happy. In fact, she’s downright furious.
It’s going to take a great deal of sweet talk to make her accept either
proposition.
…and there’s also that smuggler who received Sin’s territories and won’t give
them up without a fight…
Overconfident as always, Sin believes he can handle it all.
Maybe.
EXCERPT: (from Book 3)
“I’ve
received a message from Kroa Province,” Murad announced, glancing at the screen
of the PCU he held.
“What
does the message say?”
“He’s
eager to become part of your operation, Andrew, so eager in fact he’s
requesting permission to join and offering part of his personal fleet.”
“Grandsire,
that’s great. With the Khans’ participation, we’ll have one hundred percent of
the prides behind us.”
“Salu
Khan wants more than a business association, I’m afraid,” Murad went on. He lay
the unit on the desk and looked down at his grandson.
“What
do you mean?”
“He
has a daughter of breeding age. He’s requesting a union with our den through
marriage.”
“Doesn’t
he know Amir-Kasdan’s bonded?”
Sin
was astonished to hear his grandfather heave a great sigh, as if he were facing
something extremely unpleasant.
“He
wants you for his daughter, Andrew...”
“Guess
he’s out of luck since I’m already married.” It wasn’t respectful in that particular
moment to laugh, but Sin couldn’t help it.
“…and
I’ve sent him my reply, agreeing to the affiliation,” Murad continued, as if he
hadn’t spoken.
“But
I can’t… Grandsire, I already have a mate,” Sin protested.
“Salu
Khan’s aware of that and accepts the fact his daughter will be merely a
concubine,” Murad answered, imperturbably.
Felidan
law allowed a pride leader, and also his heir, one legal wife and as many as
three concubines. Lesser members of a clan could have only one wife and a leman.
“Concu…I
don’t want a concubine,” Sin exclaimed. “Besides, Andi wou…” He didn’t finish.
He almost said Andi would never allow it, and that was definitely the
wrong thing to tell the head of his clan.
“Andrea
went through a Felidan marriage ceremony with you, Andrew,” his grandfather
reminded him. “She agreed to follow our customs and laws, and Felidan law
allows a kh’ta concubines. Plural. Your mate has no say-so in the
matter.”
Murad’s
tone made it final, the matter settled, but Sin wasn’t about to accept his grandfather’s
command so easily.
“What
about my say-so? I say I don’t want another female, either as a
wife or a concubine. I…”
“As
you just pointed out, Andrew, we need Salu Khan’s backing. In something this
important, there can’t be any dissension among the participants. One hundred
percent? Remember?”
Gathering
his robes about him, Murad seated himself at the desk. He forced himself to
remain calm, since he understood how his grandson felt about his wife, having
himself been so in love with his own mate he never thought to take another
after she died.
“As
my heir, you must obey. You have to do this. For the Pride.”
“Forget
it,” Sin retorted, stalking to the window.
From
Grandsire’s side of the house, he could see the high cliffs rising above them
and the trees trembling in the winter wind. He looked back at Murad. “If Salu
Khan simply wants a marriage with our clan, you marry the female. You
don’t have a mate.”
Murad
gave him a slight smile and shook his gray-maned head. “As much as I hate to
admit it, your grandsire isn’t as virile as he used to be, Andrew. A young
female needs a young mate. She needs you.”
Sin
stared at his grandfather.
“No.”
Just
that one word. Nothing else.
Murad
sighed again. Secretly, he wondered if the gods were punishing him for some
past sin by making both grandcubs so individually stubborn.
“I’m
afraid you have to, Andrew. Our clan can’t afford to insult Salu Khan’s clan a
second time.”
“Second
time?” Sin frowned. “As far as I’m concerned, we didn’t insult him the first
time. My father won that duel fair and square.”
“As the eldest surviving offspring,” Murad
continued, “Salu inherited leadership of his clan, but he’s never forgiven the
sh’en Singhs for the dishonor done his family and if we now refuse his
request…” He paused, then said decisively and in a way brooking no argument,
“The female will arrive in four days. On that afternoon, the ceremony will take
place. You will receive her and make her your concubine.”
Silently
Sin glared at his grandfather, wanting to argue but knowing there was nothing
he could say. Murad sh’en Singh had spoken. The pride heir had to obey. To do
otherwise could bring about exile, and if Grandsire pushed it and it came to
that, then where would his plans be?
Ducking
his head in a quick bow, he answered, “I’ll obey, Grandfather, but I wish to go
on record as protesting this union, and state I’m definitely entering into it
unwillingly.”
Before
Murad could reply, he whirled and stalked out.
Oh, God. How am I going to tell Andi?
STAR
SMUGGLER: The Last Voyage is available in Kindle, paperback, and Audible; Other
books are available in Kindle and paperback and will soon also be in Audible.
Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Voyage-Star-Smuggler-Book-ebook/dp/B08BYT192S/
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Voyage-Star-Smuggler/dp/B08CMF5KTT/
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Voyage-Star-Smuggler-Book/dp/B08FF89FLH/
Book 2: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08C46K4JH?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_mng_calw_1&storeType=ebooks
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP3WJBC/
Book 3: https://www.amazon.com/Matter-Pride-Star-Smuggler-Book-ebook/dp/B08C4QTYDS
https://www.amazon.com/Matter-Pride-Star-Smuggler/dp/B08GLWF5GN/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Toni V. Sweeney was born in
Georgia after the War between the States but before the Gulf War. She has lived
30 years in the South, a score in the Middle West, and a decade on the Pacific
Coast and now she’s trying for her second 30 on the Great Plains.
Toni writes
in various genres, under her own name and various pennames, and now is adding
“TS Snow” to the list with the publishing of the Star Smuggler series.
