New Releases by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

As sheriff of Edinburgh, budding author, Walter Scott, makes a grisly discovery. Bones, bodies, and parts of bodies are found on the banks of the half-frozen loch. At first, Scott assumes the horror is the work of grave robbers. Then living women begin to go missing. A young gypsy, Midge Margret, makes the vanishings the talk of the town, telling of a mysterious black coach in the forest.

Determined to become an author of western penny dreadful novels like her idol, Ned Buntline, a young San Francisco newspaper editor christens herself Valentine Lovelace (after a floozie acquaintance of her father s) and heads east for the Wild West. She finds it in spades in the Texas Big Bend when she is kidnapped from a mule train by Comanches and ends up the guest of a ruthless comanchero, a sort of wild west warlord, after the Comanches are distracted by a. . .dragon? Fort Draco, as the comanchero fort is known, is as full of intrigue and nighttime carryings-on as a modern day romantic novel, but Frank Drake, the owner, is no hero. If Valentine wants to save herself and the less-guilty if not entirely innocent folks who live there, she must defeat heat stroke, gunslingers, a couple of fake rainmakers and their camel, hostile Indians, the voice haunting her dreams (not in a good way) and a dragon who not only is gobbling all the livestock and transportation in the area but is guarding the only water hole in fifty miles of drought-ridden desert. And she must do it all while taking good notes, of course. This is a western but not as we know it and a fantasy set where we re not used to it.

Pilot, navigator, engineer, doctor, scientist—ship''s cat? All are essential to the well-staffed space vessel. Since the early days of interstellar travel, when Tuxedo Thomas, a Maine coon cat, showed what a cat could do for a ship and its crew, the so-called Barque Cats have become highly prized crew members. Thomas''s carefully bred progeny, ably assisted by humans—Cat Persons—with whom they share a deep and loving bond, now travel the galaxy, responsible for keeping spacecraft free of vermin, for alerting human crews to potential environmental hazards, and for acting as morale officers. Even among Barque Cats, Chessie is something special. Her pedigree, skills, and intelligence, as well as the close rapport she has with her human, Janina, make her the most valuable crew member aboard the Molly Daise. And the litter of kittens in her belly only adds to her value. Then the unthinkable happens. Chessie is kidnapped—er, catnapped—from Dr. Jared Vlast''s vet clinic at Hood Station by a grizzled spacer named Carl Poindexter. But Chessie''s newborn kittens turn out to be even more extraordinary than their mother. For while Chessie''s connection to Janina is close and intuitive, the bond that the kitten Chester forms with Carl''s son, Jubal, is downright telepathic. And when Chester is sent into space to learn his trade, neither he nor Jubal will rest until they''re reunited. But the announcement of a widespread epidemic affecting livestock on numerous planets throws their future into doubt. Suddenly the galactic government announces a plan to impound and possibly destroy all exposed animals. Not even the Barque Cats will be spared. With the clock racing against them, Janina, Jubal, Dr. Vlast, and a handful of very special kittens will join forces with the mysterious Pshaw-Ra—an alien-looking cat with a hidden agenda—to save the Barque Cats, other animals, and quite possibly the universe as they know it from total destruction. BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough''s Catacombs.

Accompanied by her android "brother," Khorii, the rebellious daughter of the legendary Acorna and her lifemate, Aari, searches for the cause of a mysterious and deadly plague before those responsible use it to cripple an entire star system.

From the Nebula Award winning author comes this modern Christmas classic. The chief executive of a Seattle-based high-tech company, Monica Banks is a workaholic who has closed herself off to any kind of home life, family, or love. Then one snowy Christmas Eve, she discovers a ghost in her office computer. The ghost is none other than Ebenezer Scrooge. Awakened by a bright and lonely eight-year-old girl named Tina using the password “Humbug,” Scrooge is ready and willing to take his turn as a Christmas spirit. But he finds that the world has changed a lot since his day, and though he knows that the spirit of love, generosity, and forgiveness is eternal, it will take more than a little tech support for him to convince Monica before the morning light. “Reading Scarborough is a joy.”—Anne McCaffrey “[A] modern Christmas Carol…a beautiful story.”—Midwest Book Review

In Changelings, bestselling authors Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough returned to the sentient planet Petaybee with a story of growth and transformation in the face of deadly new threats. The telepathic, shapeshifting twins Murel and Ronan found that Petaybee had plans for them as well. Now those plans begin to bear fruit with fresh possibilities . . . and dangers. Now that Petaybee is forming a new equatorial island, the planet has agreed to harbor a group of new refugees, workers indentured to the powerful InterGal Corporation. But the mission to collect the immigrants becomes a rescue operation when it is revealed that InterGal is doing nothing to help these survivors of a world devastated by a meteor shower. Murel and Ronan set out to persuade the frightened refugees to come out of hiding, leave their world, and bring along their sacred totem animals, the gifted sea turtles called the Honus. But the twins discover that they’ve taken on more than they expected: The Honus are not the only animals sacred to the refugees. There are also the Manos, intelligent sharks who have lost none of their predatory habits–and who cannot be left behind to die. When the Manos are released into Petaybee’s waters, a tragic misunderstanding endangers the whole resettlement operation. At the same time, the mysterious sea otters who once rescued the twins’ father are suddenly revealed to be much more than they appear to be. Now it is up to Ronan and Murel, with the intrepid assistance of their river otter friend Sky, to smooth the waters before a maelstrom of revenge destroys Petaybee’s harmonious way of life. But even as the twins uncover startling new facts about Petaybee’s past that will change everything they thought they knew about the planet, the forces of InterGal are gathering, preparing to strike. . . .

Khorii, the rebellious daughter of the near-mythic Acorna and her lifemate, Aari, has followed in Acorna''s footsteps leading their people from danger, but the pressure to succeed and fulfill a legacy is tremendous. For the deadly foe that has ravaged the known worlds and weakened even her famous parents has launched its final assault, and only Khorii and her newly discovered sister, Ariin, are able to stop the brutal attack. But success is elusive, and fragile, and even time itself may not be enough to help their desperate quest to save their family...much less the universe.

Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough are two of science fiction''s favorite authors. Together they have created the world of Acorna, the unicorn girl. Now Acorna''s children start to have their own adventures. FIRST WARNING Acorna''s daughter, Khorii, must contend with an overwhelming legacy to forge a path of her own. A simple journey to visit her relatives turns into a race against time when Khorii comes across a derelict spacecraft drifting in space, its crew dead in their seats. But this gruesome discovery is only a dread harbinger - a deadly plague is spreading across the universe and not even the healing powers of the Linyaari can slow its horrific advance. Khorii, one of the few unaffected by the outbreak, must find a cure before the disease consumes all in its path - including her beloved parents.

Khorii, the disenchanted daughter of the famous "unicorn girl," encounters a derelict spaceship adrift in space before tackling a mysterious plague with ties to an unknown enemy''s attack.

“[A] solid start of a new series . . . fast-paced adventure.”—Publishers Weekly Twin brother and sister Ronan and Murel are true children of Petaybee, the sentient planet that is their home. Like their father, they are changelings, able to converse telepathically with creatures and to transform into seals. The Petaybeans wish to protect the twins from curious scientists, but no one realizes that Ronan and Murel hunger to discover the origins of their shape-shifting talent—and that their search for knowledge will place them in the path of peril. Meanwhile, Petaybee is changing. To investigate its sudden evolution, the twins’ father heads out to the open water in his seal form—and is presumed lost. Only Ronan and Murel, with their remarkable talents of transformation, can hope to find him and bring him home . . . if they dare to risk exposure and face the dangers of the newly unstable sea. “The story is exciting and generously laced with humor, but besides those qualities, the characters . . . and their interactions are so well realized as to utterly charm readers.”—Booklist

Acorna a retrouvé son monde et sa race, mais regrette ses amis humains qui l''avaient recueillie et accompagnée dans d''incroyables aventures. Qui, à son âge, peut se vanter d''avoir sauvé une planète et repoussé une invasion galactique ? Menacée par les insectoïdes Khleevi, elle embarque alors à bord d''un vaisseau bricolé par un ferrailleur des étoiles. Le capitaine Becker est mal embouché et doté d''un humour dévastateur. Son chat Road Kill, ex-chat sacré d''une religion lointaine, règne sur ce groupe d''humanoïdes squattant son vaisseau. Ken l''androïde, ex-garde du corps d''une folle, a des muscles synthétiques très utiles et se débranche régulièrement pour économiser ses batteries. Il y a aussi Aarl, le seul compatriote d''Acorna ressorti vivant des mandibules des Khleevi : sa corne a été arrachée, ses pouvoirs télépathiques réduits à néant. Acorna le trouve charmant et veut l''aider à retrouver ses parents perdus dans l''espace. Répondant à un appel de détresse, Acorna et ses amis découvrent une planète où les plantes sont douées de conscience et où des signes inquiétants confirment leurs craintes. Leur galaxie est de nouveau en danger...

The Unicorn Girl undertakes her most serious mission yet--a journey that will lead her to discover an evil conspiracy that reaches far into space and time and an ancient secret that could lead her to her missing beloved lifemate.

The spellbinding sequel to “Powers That Be,” by Hugo and Nebula Award-winning authors Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. The natives of Petaybee claimed their planet was sentient, but the officials of Intergal did not believe them . . . or want to believe them. The planet was rich in valuable ore, and Intergal was determined to mine that ore no matter what the cost. Yanaba Maddock, once a company spy, was adopted by the planet and its people as one of their own. Now her loyalties are to Petaybee, not Intergal, and she is dedicated to keeping Intergal from killing the world she has come to love. But without proof of the planet''s sentience, Intergal will proceed with its mining operations. Can Yana find a way to convince Intergal of Petaybee''s sentience before it is too late?

From the Hugo and Nebula award-winning authors comes the Petaybee series, full of gripping fantasy and daring adventure. Strange things are happening on the icy planet of Petaybee: Unauthorized genetically engineered species have been spotted; geologic survey teams sent to locate newly detected mineral deposits are either coming up empty or disappearing altogether. And the locals aren’t talking—especially not to the company bent on exploiting the planet. Disabled combat veteran Yanaba Maddock seems to be the perfect spy for the company. The frailty that was a liability in the military allows her to gain the trust of the Petaybean natives. But miraculously, with Yana’s relocation to the arctic planet comes the return of her health and strength. And the closer she gets to the people of Petaybee, the more determined she is to protect her new home. For something unusual and wonderful is happening on Petaybee. Something worth fighting for, even dying for—but especially, something worth living for. . . .

“Riveting . . . exciting . . . The writing and characterization, as well as the infusions of Celtic u00adand Inuit lore, remain of high quality.”—Booklist Petaybee is growing up. Day by day, the feeling planet—like any child—is learning to recognize and understand the meaning of outside stimuli, to respond to those stimuli, to communicate its own needs and desires . . . even to use human speech. Yanaba Maddock has appointed herself defender of her adopted planet, and has even succeeded in proving its sentience to nonbelievers. But despite her efforts, few outsiders truly care for the emotions and intelligence of what they perceive to be a giant hunk of rock. Then Yanaba is kidnapped. The price of her freedom: control of the planet itself. But the only one who can speak for Petaybee is Petaybee—and no one knows what a living planet can do once it finds its voice. . . . “Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough collaborate seamlessly to tell a first-rate sf adventure.”—Library Journal, on Power Lines

Fantasy-roman.

undefined

Intergal ne cherchera plus, c''est promis, à extraire le minerai de la planète Effem. Du coup, la société évacue tout son matériel : les indigènes redeviennent libres et pauvres. Enfin, c''est ce qu''ils peuvent espérer de mieux - car Matthew Luzon et Torkel Fiske n''ont pas désarmé. Le premier monte un service touristique propre à inonder Effem d''étrangers, chasseurs, mystiques ou représentants en pharmacie attirés par les remèdes miracles de ce monde. L''indépendance est là, mais le pillage continue. D''ailleurs, l''indépendance va-t-elle durer longtemps ? Fiske s''entend avec un pirate de l''espace pour menacer Yana et Marmion, deux femmes d''origine terrienne qui ont beaucoup milité pour la liberté de ce monde. Mais suffit-il de menacer ? Encore faut-il s''assurer que les armes ne peuvent pas être retournées contre ceux qui ont été les premiers à les brandir. Les armes n''appartiennent à personne ; la planète, au contraire, est fidèle à ceux qui l''aiment.