EXCERPT
Posh Bytes:
BeautyWorld Tales of Whimsey and Woe
BeautyWorld Tales of Whimsey and Woe
by C.
Rose
Posh Bytes is a collection of seven loosely connected tales set some 150 years into
our future, in a universe where anyone can choose to be beautiful. Author C.
Rose stops by today to share an excerpt from the book.
Description
FALL INTO POSH BYTES, WHERE EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL...
In a universe where anyone can choose to be beautiful, who really is?
Appearances can be deceiving, and usually are. When reality is shaped by
illusion, anything can happen.
"Eye of the Beholder" - Lavender is a woman who hasn’t been
able to get over the death of her spouse until the day she meets an unusual man
who captures her heart. Will the secrets the two keep from one another
jeopardize their budding relationship?
"The Hawk" - Sparrow is an astronaut whose world is turned
upside down after an accident that claims his neural implant and almost costs
him his life. Surprisingly, his limitations provide him with a unique
opportunity beyond his wildest imaginings.
"Supernova" - Mink is a rising, young supermodel who craves
perfection and immortality, and will go to any lengths to achieve her goals.
"Shark Bait" - Shark is a professional thief, unable to
complete a heist to steal celebrity sex pheromones for the black market. Is he
being set up for failure?
"The Death Mask" - Beetle is an elderly mortician who crosses
paths with a young woman unable to deal with the death of her mother.
"Clover Fields Forever" - Clover is a beauty and fashion
program junkie who can’t stop spending money, despite the consequences.
"Moth to Flame" - Moth is an unassuming fashion programmer who
gets drawn into the dark world of corporate espionage and human slavery.
These Posh Bytes: Tales of Whimsey
and Woe explore the human element in the BeautyWorld Universe, where
nothing is quite as it seems.
Excerpt from "Shark
Bait"
Shark’s legs were numb. If he stayed crouched in Silver’s
closet much longer, he wouldn’t be able to make a quick exit. He briefly
considered ditching his gains, but the pay on this particular job was too
tempting. 50,000 marks per garment was worth the risk of getting caught.
The sound of sultry, feminine singing brought him back to the
present moment. Silver had a fantastic voice; there was no denying her talent.
Shark was intrigued despite his current predicament. When he heard her turn on
the shower, he was overwhelmed by a sudden desire to look upon her wavy,
starlight tresses set against lustrous ebony skin. If that was her real appearance. With the wide
array of beauty programming, there was no way to know what the real Silver
looked like. A doctor would have to completely disable his neural implant link
before he could find out. He certainly couldn’t undergo that procedure just now. I’ve got
to get out of here.
Shark tightened the strap on his body pack containing the few
select items from Silver’s dirty clothes hamper. Standing up was difficult.
Hundreds of pins-and-needles signaled the objection raised by his muscles. He
cracked the closet door, taking a tentative step into her bedroom.
Steam billowed from an open bathroom. Shark caught a glimpse of
a gorgeous nude black figure through the glass shower stall. He gasped aloud,
despite his seasoned years of thieving. Silver did not disappoint. Even without
her sensory bodysuit and beauty programming, she was a curvaceous, lithe,
moonlight goddess. Shark couldn’t help but be captivated by her natural
loveliness.
“Is someone there?”
Shark froze. He wasn’t sure if his heart would stop beating or
explode, but some unidentifiable cardiovascular phenomenon was taking place. If
it hadn’t been for the voluminous plumes of steam, Silver certainly would’ve
spotted him. Shark prized his reputation for never having been caught…yet.
He wasn’t about to break that winning streak today. Not even if all I want to do
is climb in that shower with her.
Praise for the Book
" ... C. Rose has managed to create a collection of stories that,
although depicted some 150 years or so into our future, shows that people are
people - good, bad, conniving, loving, insecure, misunderstood - people. And
she does it quite delightfully. I picked the book up thinking I could read a
story, then set it down until I had time to read more, but nope - the writing
and the world she created drew me in so I kept reading and reading - way past
my bed time. [...] Buy it. Read it. Just don't expect to be able to put it down
until you've read every last word." ~ Fran
Veal
About the Author
C. Rose works by day as an archivist an records manager. Alternately, she
enjoys daydreaming and scribbling by night. She lives with her loving husband
and a very demanding cat named Danny. He runs the real show. No, really, he
does. And don’t you forget it...
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