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EricaBeale.com

Cosmic Cons for Love and Profit

A Serial Story available on Amazon Vella

On 2/11/23, I released the first three episodes of my newest story, Cosmic Cons for Love and Profit. My plan is to update the story once a week. Please stop by Vella to give it a read. Keep in mind, you can’t read them from the Amazon App, but you can read them online.

In a future where mankind has colonized the solar system and mysticism still prevails, Raekah Merrin is a con artist scamming people as a psychic. When a bounty is put on her head, she must return to her guardian but finds herself caught up in her biggest scam yet. Pursued by three men, she must navigate a dangerous and romantic landscape while trying to survive and find love. With secrets, lies, and desires at every turn, she finds that the con of a lifetime may lead to adventure.

Though the first three episodes are free, I still get a couple of cents for every episode read, episode and story likes. So, if you could, it would really help me out if you have time to do so. I appreciate any and all hook-ups.

For now, though, you can check out the first episode RIGHT NOW!

Episode 1: In Space, No One Can Hear You Brew

Raekah Merrin was hard at work in the small laboratory on her spaceship, The Laveau. Beakers and test tubes, bubbling and steaming with brightly colored brews, filled the tiny room. Shelves lined the walls with exotic plants and glass containers of long dead critters floating in fluid.

She sat at the center console, grinding up black seeds in a pestle and mortar, making a thick paste. Once she had it to the consistency she wanted, she grabbed a bowl of steaming red liquid, bringing it closer to her.

Altair, her AI companion, hovered nearby, watching her closely. “Raekah, are you sure you know what you’re doing? Those two items together are very dangerous for the human digestive system.”

Raekah turned to him, a smirk on her face. “You worry way too much, Altair. I’ve got this under control.”

But Altair wasn’t convinced. As she added the paste to the liquid, it popped and fizzed suspiciously. He floated closer, his eyes fixed on the mixture in the bowl. He raised a thin brow at her while he pursed his lips. “You’re not even sure what you’re making. That client who wants it could put his kid’s life in danger.”

Raekah just rolled her eyes. “Hey, the client pays, I deliver. That’s the way it’s always worked. No one has died on our watch yet.” She reached to her left, grabbing a new, empty container to pour her potion into. She gave Altair a wry smile. “Don’t make me rewrite your program to mellow you out.”

It was his turn to smirk. “The purchase agreement you made says you are legally not allowed to change my matrix.”

She huffed with laughter. “And I always follow the rules?” After waving at him dismissively, she turned back to the brew and continued the job at hand.

Continue on page 2

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A Prince and his Dragon: In Progress

My Current Project

I’ve been working on a story off and on for the last few years. For the longest time, I called it “Dragon’s Bond,” but at the advice of someone smarter than I am, I have been trying to think up a better name. I can’t say I’m 100% set on this particular title. It is starting to grow on me.

So, what’s it about?

The kingdoms of Ostea and cKustreiland have been at war for 100 years. Now that both kingdoms are on a decline and each has something the other needs for their society, they’ve called a truce. To solidify the peace, the heir of Ostea is set to marry the princess from Kustreiland. As a show of good faith, the countries bring their courts to a central location for the largest festival ever seen.

Armen is the younger of the two Ostean princes.  He, like the rest of the court, is excited about this massive meeting. With him is his own betrothed, Demma. Until his brother is wed, he is not able to join in his own union, much to both of their disappointment.

The royal houses go on a hunt during the festival, where they are ambushed by malicious fairies. During tight, Armen finds a woman unconscious in the woods.

She is a dragini, a dragon cursed into human form. He attempts to save her as well as himself from the rogue pixies, however, he is wounded. The dragini woman comes to quickly enough to protect him, but in the process their blood mingles, bonding them in ways they could never imagine.

It’s an intensely intimate connection neither of them can shake off, causing a great deal of friction in relationships around them.

There’s more. A lot more. But this is the gist of how it gets started.

Tidbits of artwork

I was lucky enough to get to play with Dalle 2. I’m not saying how good AI is getting is scary, but…

Here are some images Dalle and I came up with for important characters.

Prince Armen of Ostea

This isn’t totally accurate as to the way I imagine him, but it’s not bad

Differences:

  • He has steel gray eyes
  • He only has a goatee, not a beard
  • His hair is a lighter shade and is in braids

Armen is very close to his brother, Heygan. Since he’s the spare, he never had as many responsibilities as his older brother. This led to Armen spending a fair bit of time with Demma growing up. Eentually the pair fell in love.

He is a sensitive soul with a kind heart. And he is very inexperienced with lifie beyond the castle walls.

Lady Demma

Lady Demma is Armen’s childhood best friends. Since she is the daughter of the high general, Gloin, she spent a great deal of time with the royal family.

She and Armen are deeply in love with each other and can’t wait to get married.

Since she is the daughter of the best general, she’s pretty good in a fight herself.

The picture is pretty accurate, actually. I was really impressed.

Iserri the Dragini

Half transformed between a human and a dragon, Iserri winds up being magically bonded with Prince Armen. It’s against both of their wills and they both hate being bonded together.

I’ll tell you more about the Dragini at a later date. It’s…involved.

Her look isn’t quite right.

Differences:

  • Her hair is more like strips of scaled skin
  • Green skin coated in soft, shimmery scales
  • Golden serpent eyes.
  • Probably doesn’t have horns, but after looking at this picture, she very well might going forward.

Pividi, the Dragon Queen

She’s not actually a main character for the story, but I loved how this image turned out, so I wanted to include it.

Pividi is an ancient dragon queen who crowned the warrior Ostea as the king to lead her people. As you may guess, he is one of Armen’s ancestors.

This comes into play during the story.

Writing it all down

I started this for NaNo 2017. Yeah…I should have finished it y now, but I haven’t. It’s being worked on. Luckily, I have a couple of chapters ready to go. I’ll be posting Armen and Iserri’s meeting next time. After that, we’ll see!

In the meantime, you can catch up on my other works. Or, you could explore my absolutely tragic back story.

Until next time. Keep your mind in the gutter.

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