|
|
"Down
Came A Blackbird"
Barbara Karmazin
Now in Trade Paperback
CAIT O' KEEFE's mother
is human and her father is Sidhe. Their sisterline's the last remnant
of a once proud and populous people. How do you make friends and
find suitable mates when most humans believe the Sidhe are imaginary
creatures from old folk tales? And how do you explain to prospective
mates that Sidhe culture expects every woman to have at least two
husbands?
Her people don't hide under shamrocks
and they don't have gauzy wings. They exist! And, at five foot eight,
Cait hardly qualifies as a "wee person". Strong empathic
senses are NOT magic powers and annual tetanus shots eliminate the
need to avoid contact with "cold iron."
Frustrated by her failure to find
suitable mates, tired of endless questions about the unusual tattoo
on her left arm and the fact that her human mother has two husbands,
Cait embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Sanctuary, a space
station orbiting the Moon, is her first stop. There, she joins an
expedition headed out to the asteroids where she hopes to find tangible
proof of an extraterrestrial origin for her Sidhe ancestors.
The solar wing flight instructor for the expedition is EDELMIRO
JESUS SANTIAGO DE ARROYO (INDIO). He's also an undercover
agent whose terrible facial scars give him the appearance of a hardened
criminal. Betrayed by a previous wife who tried to rob him blind,
he conceals his emotions behind an abrupt demeanor.
Cait's easy acceptance of Indio's scars breaches his aloof facade.
They go out dancing. That same night he awaken her deep sensuality.
He's not prepared to let her go off to the asteroids without him.
TAMERLANE JEHU BARNETT (TINY) is the owner/creator of Tiny's
Emporium on Sanctuary Station. Hardly anyone knows his real name
and he likes it that way because Tiny sure beats the hell out of
Tammy for a nickname. A black ex-Navy SEAL and explosives expert,
he's Indio's undercover teammate. He hopes to mount a low key courtship
of Cait. But when Indio hooks up with her, Tiny finds himself in
a win/lose situation between his best friend and the woman he wants
to court.
FERGUS MACKENZIE is the undercover operative hired by Nowan
Corporation. Posing as a geologist, his goal is to sabotage the
expedition and force the miners to sign "slave labor"
contracts with Nowan Corporation.
Warning: Explicit sex
Read an excerpt here
pgs. 301
Word Count - 69,450
Reviews:
Cait is a fabulous lead
protagonist who serves as the center of this delightful outer space
science fiction fantasy. The action-packed story line is fun to
follow especially as Cait goes on an excellent adventure that fans
of science fiction with bit of a fairy tale twist will appreciate.
This deep coming of age tale introduces the Sidhe to an appreciative
audience who will believe in their existence and demand more such
novels...
--Harriet Klausner, The
Best Reviews
"Down Came a Blackbird"
is a perfect example of why electronic publishing exists. Yes, this
is a category romance, but those who aren't fans of romance can
forgive it that--"Down Came a Blackbird" is in a category
of its own. And readers who insist on the tried-and-true girl-boy-forever
and not-until-marriage formulas should consider themselves warned--read
your own risk. This book is different.
The difference starts with the heroine.
Cait O'Keefe isn't human. Hers is the race of legend--the race that
has lived on Earth beside but hidden from humans for thousands of
years. They call themselves the Sidhe. Cait is brilliant and beautiful,
with naturally multi-colored hair--every man's fantasy, and that
of many women as well. As previously stated, this is not a book
who strongly believe in the one man-one woman dichotomy--unless
they are looking to be outraged and disgusted.
While on a vacation in space at "Heaven
Help Us", a space station, Cait decides it's time to lose her
virginity. She chooses an older man, a rugged and scarred EVA instructor
who also teaches her the art of moving in low gravity. Cait proves
a quick learner. She only promised him one night but neither of
them is satisfied with that--well, they are, but they aren't. Even
less satisfied is Cait's one-night lover's best friend, who also
knows Cait and very much wants to know her better.
A natural talent in space as well,
Cait lets herself get talked in to going on an expedition to set
up an asteroid mining operation and community. The two men are going,
as is Cait's brother. Corporate claim-jumpers attempt to take over
once the party reaches its destination. After a series of adventures,
the original party prevails. Saying that isn't giving much away--giving
many of the details, would be.
"Down Came a Blackbird"
has to be read to be believed. While much about the novel is predictable,
such as a happy ending, it has touches that make it, like Cait,
unique. Among these is a scene sure to be appreciated by anyone
who has been owned by a cat, in which Cait's much-put-upon brother
undertakes the task of fitting a kitten with a space suit.
In "Down Came a Blackbird",
Barbara Karmazin has written a first-rate first novel and created
a memorable character. Cait isn't someone soon forgotten. While
the plot might depend a bit too much on fortunate coincidences for
some, the story flows well and at heart this is a romance and besides...
who cares? "Down Came a Blackbird" is delightful light
entertainment for those with minds open enough to enjoy it.
- - J. Crispin-Ripley, author of The
Wrong Places, published by Double
Dragon Ebooks
4 1/2 stars
DOWN CAME A BLACKBIRD
Scribes World Reviews
http://www.scribesworld.com/reviews/
Science Fiction
Cait O'Keefe wanted to have a little fun before entering Harvard's
Pre-med program, so she flew up to the orbiting Sanctuary Station
for a little state-of-the-art, virtual reality fun. When her high
scores on a VR flying game earn her a berth on the End of the Rainbow
-- a spaceship bound on a scientific mission to an asteroid called
"Pot of Gold" -- she doesn't know what to do. In the short
time she's been at the station, she's fallen in love with two men,
the designer of the game and the mission's flight instructor. They're
best friends, and Cait hates how their jealousy over her is destroying
their relationship. She can't stand the thought of a long trip in
close quarters with both of them. The only sensible thing for her
to do is turn down the opportunity and go home, but she can't do
that. Cait isn't human, she's Sidhe - one of the few remaining descendants
of a people who fled a doomed planet long ago to settle on Earth.
Cait is convinced Pot of Gold is a remnant of the Sidhe home world
and holds the key to understanding herself and her people.
Like most good science fiction novels, DOWN CAME A BLACKBIRD, is
based on questions. What if the Sidhe (pronounced "shee")
of Celtic mythology -- fairies, leprechauns, etc. -- were real,
descendants of an alien race who
escaped to Earth when the planetary collision destroyed their home
world?
What if, in the not too distant future, a scientific expedition
to the
asteroid belt included a Sidhe determined to find evidence of her
home world.And what if she succeeded?
Ms. Karmazin answers these and many other questions in the course
of her fast paced and entertaining story. She weaves in bits of
Celtic lore and gives them logical, realistic explanations. Do you
want to know where fairies get their glamour, or why they fear cold
steel? Read this book.
DOWN CAME A BLACKBIRD is also a love story. Ms. Karmazin builds
the relationship between Cait and the two men carefully. Cait is
a believable young woman, intelligent and mature for her age, but
impetuous, prone to act first and think later. Tiny, the game designer,
is ten years her senior, an ex-Navy seal with a knack for electronics
and leadership. Indio, the flight instructor, is even older, an
undercover policeman with a nine-year old daughter and frightening
scars both physical and emotional. The love between these three
people provide the emotional foundation of the story and make for
some very steamy lovemaking scenes. DOWN CAME A BLACKBIRD is not
for the prudish or very young, but if you like your books spiced
with tasteful, but sizzling erotica, this book is for you.
The book is also spiced with humor, thanks primarily to Indio's
daughter and her kitten Licorice. They stowaway on the space ship,
forcing the scientists to choose between returning to Sanctuary
Station, which would bankrupt the mission, or hiding the two until
the ship reaches Pot of Gold. The scenes of
the kitten on the space ship are priceless. I particularly liked
the scene where one of the crew members puts Licorice in a custom
made, kitten-sized space suit. Blood flies and it's not the cat's.
Science fiction and spicy romance lovers alike are sure to enjoy
DOWN CAME A BLACKBIRD. I highly recommend it.
Reviewed by:
Carrie Masek
Scribes World Reviews
http://www.scribesworld.com/reviews/
This book has so much
input, I don’t really know where to start. “Down Came
a Blackbird” is a science-fiction romance with a twist. You
see, Cait O’Keefe is half human, half-Sidhe, an ancient species
(or fairies if you will) from old Celtic history.
Cait and her twin brother, Kevin,
sign on for a mining expedition to Pot of Gold, or they think that’s
all it is. But beneath the surface, it’s more than a mere mining
adventure. And that’s where Cait’s problems begin.
Her flight instructor is a scarred,
gruff Apache Indian named Indio. His best friend is called Tiny,
though he’s anything but. But things get really interesting
when we discover that in Cait’s culture, she’s expected
to have two husbands… and she finds herself in a tug of war
between Tiny and Indio, who both not only want her, but fall in
love with her unique beauty and strength of character. Cait doesn’t
think either of them can deal with the culture shock if they find
out what she’s supposed to do. And therein lies Cait’s
dilemma.
Besides the romance, Ms. Karmazin
has created a fast-paced sci-fi adventure reminiscent of earlier
science fiction authors, and her fully developed characters and
sense of description caught my attention and interest on page one.
And while this reader rarely reads science fiction, I had no difficulty
picturing characters, space stations or selkie suits. Ms. Karmazin’s
ability to create another world with talent and finesse is obvious
in “Down Came a Blackbird”, and her writing style balancing
action, dialog and narrative is well honed. I thoroughly enjoyed
reading this book and I look forward to more from this creative
author.
Reviewed by Denise M. Clark –
January 2002
About the Author:
With over 25 years experience as a
bilingual (Spanish/English) social worker, Barbara Karmazin's adds
a unique mixture of multicultural knowledge her science fiction.
An avid reader of science fiction and fantasy since the age of seven
when she first read George MacDonald's "The Light Princess",
she incorporates a similar sense of adventure and wonder to her
stories. The author of a number of short stories published in small
print SF magazines, this is her first novel. She is currently hard
at work on a sequel entitled Out of the Dark in between her "day
job" as a social worker and her duties as the interviewer for
the Mystic Visions ezine, Visions & Voices.
email Barbara at: selkiewife@ihs2000.com
You may purchase any of our
ebooks by credit card via our secure server. If you would
prefer to purchase by check or money order you may do so by snail
mail to:
Atlantic Bridge
6280 N. Crittenden Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
* IMPORTANT: Please be
sure if ordering by snail mail to include the title and format desired.
Also include your email address so we can send you the url to download
your purchase.
|
|
ISBN 0-9706913-4-3
Trade
Paperback
$15.00
(order processed
and fulfilled by our printer Booksurge.com)
Price: $5.00
Available in PDF, HTML,
LIT (MS Reader) by
download
PayPal
|
