Wednesday, September 15, 2010

You Asked For It!


Now you’re going to get it!

For those who have prodded me for more information on CassaStar, I’ve decided to satisfy your curiosity and post tidbits about my upcoming book. This is awkward for me, but I guess its part of what I’m supposed to be doing!

Today Ill tell you a little about the two main characters:

BYRON-

Abandoned by his older sister not long after his parents were killed, Byron spent his youth shuffled from one facility to the next. Labeled a problem child with an attitude, he distanced himself from others. When his dexterity and quick reflexes emerged in his teens, he was encouraged to pursue a profession that matched those skills. Accepted into the military, Byron at once set his sights on piloting a Cosbolt, the fleet’s elite fighter.

Byron is a perfectionist and a loner. His confidence is countered by a withdrawn and reserved nature, and he prefers privacy to the company of others. However, he’ll have to learn to connect mentally with a navigator if he ever hopes to pilot a Cosbolt…

BASSA-

Bassa was once the best Cosbolt navigator in the system, earning many awards and medals during his twenty years of active duty. The death of his younger brother, an inexperienced pilot fresh out of training, prompted Bassa to resign his position of squadron commander and transfer to the training station of Guaard. He soon assumed the role as chief instructor, earning a reputation as toughest commander ever to train Cosbolt hopefuls.

Unyielding in his quest to assure all who come through Guaard are properly prepared, Bassa is tough on trainees but highly respected. Lacking family or a mate, he still longs for an opportunity to redeem himself and change the outcome of just one pilot’s fate.

Secondary characters include Trindel, Byron’s hyperactive, happy-go-lucky navigator in training, and Cosbolt officers Ernx, Nintal, Hannar, and Deacer. Trainee Surren is a thorn in Byron’s side at every opportunity and Officer Larnth resentful of the young pilot’s assignment to his squadron. There’s also a race called the Vindicarn who are determined to take over Cassan space…

Any questions?

77 comments:

Laura Eno said...

Thanks for the sneak peek!

Renae said...

Great little glimpse at your characters. I love the name Bassa. Can't wait to add this book to my reading pile! Thanks Alex!

Golden Eagle said...

Wow. Thanks for telling us a little about it! The Cosbolt sounds like an awesome craft. :D

Ellie Garratt said...

Yey! A sneak peek. Thank you. I want to know more about the Vindicarn; they sound evil and hellish.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Oh man, I like this. I like it much. Can't wait for the book and...then the movie.

Thanks for the look inside.

Teresa

DL Hammons said...

Interesting characters for sure! Thanks for the preview!!

Tabitha Bird said...

OOOOH very cool. Can't wait until it is out. Congrats to you :))))

vic caswell said...

bassa sound like a super interesting character! the thing that intrigues me most about your story (what i know of it) is the friendship part.

Natasha said...

Now those are two people I would love to get to know better.

Liza said...

Good stuff...I know the book is great, just these descriptions pull the reader in. Congratulations Alex.

Christine Danek said...

Thanks for the sneak peek. I can't wait to read this. :)

Jeremy [Retro] said...

sneak peak, i say yes!

Matthew MacNish said...

Awesome. I knew the general premise, of course, but it is great to get a deeper insight into two characters as cool as Byron and Bassa. This makes it that much more obvious how easy it is going to be to connect with both of them.

DEZMOND said...

So, Byron is basically an archetype of an American hero, a type which is deeply routed in American literature and culture. All famous American heroes have those identical characteristics - lonesome, reclusive, private, strong, with childhood issues, stubborn... keeping away from women :)

Is there some crazy and funny character in the book? I always like some hilarious jester to relax the story :)
And, Alex, I just realized that I wouldn't know how to transcribe half of the names you have in the book :))) if I were to translate CASSASTAR into Serbian :)

Cruella Collett said...

Ooo, sneak peak! I'm absolutely intrigued. It sounds like the relationship between Byron and Bassa will be a complex one - I'm picturing a Han Solo and Luke Skywalker-like reluctant friendship. I like the sound of that!

Looking forward to learning more :)

Talli Roland said...

Sounds great, Alex - Byron sounds like a cool dude. Thanks for the sneak peek - looking forward to hearing more!

Unknown said...

I have a question: When can we buy the book and where?

CD

JB said...

You have brought the characters to life with the descriptions, so you must be doing somethin' right! :) I bet the book is a good read. Keep up the great work. Janelle

Charles Gramlich said...

Good thumbnail sketches. I like these characters.

Mason Canyon said...

Sound like intriguing characters. Looking forward to hearing more about your book.

Mason

Thoughts in Progress

Sarah Ahiers said...

i like the names!

Summer Frey said...

I have a question: is there going to be an ebook release? Like, maybe one I can buy for my Kindle? :)

Unknown said...

Yes! I'd like to know when your next book is scheduled for release! :)

Hey everyone...CassaStar is one AWESOME book! Great read for everyone, but if you're at all into science fiction, you will absolutely LOVE this book!

Order your copy now!! Hurry! LOL --
.
Have a HAPPY day, Alex!

Budd said...

Thanks for the rundown. This sounds like the beginning of a series of books.

Mara Nash said...

These sound like great characters. Thanks for the peek!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for those meaty juicy tidbits. They satisfied my hunger to know more. Still looking forward to the release of CassaStar!

Stephen Tremp

Copyboy said...

I think you got Tolken beat.

Southpaw said...

Ooo, so exciting our first sneak peak!

Unknown said...

so when can we get the book.. and are you more like Byron or Bassa... and any love or women in the novel??? thanks for the sneak peak... I like to hear about the bad guys...

Will Burke said...

Is it November that it's coming out? Hope I can get it in paper version, being a little archaic that way :)

Helen Ginger said...

I assume Bassa will train Byron?

Talei said...

Wow, sounds very intriguing. I like the names, curious as to how you came up with them.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Renae - I appreciate that!

Golden Eagle, it's the ship featured on the cover.

Journaling, I like the sound of that!

Aspiring, despite the science fiction element, their friendship is the focus.

Dezz, you'll like Trindel then, and Ernx. And yes, the names are alien, but I kept them simple. Maybe they could remain as-is in Serbian?

Cruella, they're more reluctant than that even!

Clarissa, available Oct. 19!

Summer, there's supposed to be!

Thanks, Crystal! Still working on the next book...

Copyboy - yeah, right!

Wasabi, Oct. 19, I guess a little more like Byron (although really not like either), and sorry it's void of women. Saving that for the second book...

Helen, you got it!

Talei, it's been so long, I really don't remember!

Thanks, everyone!

Hart Johnson said...

I think it sounds like a great dynamic for tension, though what I am most anxious to read about is your MC and his hyper side-kick--that sounds like fabulous entertainment... hypercontrol meets nearly out of control...

True Life and Fiction said...

Thanks for the sneak peak. I too like the character names, and the possible conflict of their personalities.

BryStearns said...

Wait a minute... I think I've read this book before... are you sure you're not stealing someone elses ideas? :P

Jules said...

How wonderful of you to share all of this. It sounds great, Alex! :)

I like the names but what you were doing to come up those names? :)

Have a good one
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Pat Tillett said...

Thanks Alex, I'll be reading this for sure...

Ella said...

Thanks for the tidbits! I love the compelling damaged hero against the
bad ass commander. Both are in pain and have something to prove and fight for! Great dynamic~

Anonymous said...

Oooh, interesting characters!!!

DEZMOND said...

"Maybe they could remain as-is in Serbian?"

no, Serbian is a phonetic language which means that everything has to be written as it is pronounced and thus the names have to be transcribed as well :) which means you would have to tell me how to pronounce some of them before I turn them into Serbian :)

Jeff Beesler said...

You definitely have an intriguing world going on here, Alex. I look forward to reading CassaStar.

JournoMich said...

This is really interesting. Thanks for the look into the characters! It's nice to hear it from your perspective in addition to what we'll read in the book...Oct. 19th isn't far away!

Michele
SouthernCityMysteries

Old Kitty said...

Hmmm I'm picturing Daniel Craig as Bassa and James Marsden as Byron. I've got images of fit rough looking sexy males swarming around that spaceship on your cover....

I am going away now. Thank you.

Take care
x

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Thanks for a preview it's seems like it's going to do well, I hope so because you have worked so hard.

Thanks for the visit, and your comment, my ankle is feeling a little better so decided to log on .
Better late than never.

Yvonne.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Sounds like a rocky start to a friendship!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I immediately like Byron and want to know more :)

Carol Kilgore said...

I have a dog like Byron - a problem child with an attitude!

Sangu Mandanna said...

This sounds like it's going to be an incredibly dynamic and intriguing relationship to read about - the whole 'will they learn to trust each other and connect or won't they?' question is a great teaser!

Hannah said...

oooh! It's almost a month away!! Are you excited?! Thanks for giving us a sneak peak! Weeeeee!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hart, it's a balancing act, that's for sure!

Bryan - you card!

Jules, I don't even remember where the name orginated...

Dezz, I can do that!

Michele, don't remind me!

Kitty, you can imagine them any way you want to!

Glad you're doing better, Yvonne.

Thanks, Sangu!

Palin - excited, nervous, about to have a meltdown - something like that!

Marguerite said...

Thanks for the great preview! Your characters sound interesting and I'm looking forward to the book!

Gail said...

Ok, I'm hooked!

Chuck said...

Great teaser post! Got 10/19 marked on my calendar...can't wait!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the sneak peek! I love sci-fi and this sounds like a great slice of the genre. You have some awesome names there!

Jamie Gibbs said...

I love the character profiles :) I particularly like Bassa's motivation to train young pilots due to his own misfortune. I'll keep an eye out to see if this will be available in the UK :D

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, everyone! Jamie, I hope it's available in the UK, at least in eBook form.

Lola Sharp said...

I can't wait!

Karen Lange said...

Great characters! Glad you shared these profiles, thanks.

Thanks also for the input you provided over at my blog. Will be sharing the advice with my students.

Happy Thursday,
Karen

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Karen. Yeah, that was revolutionary, wasn't it?

Arlee Bird said...

Sounds like the classic archetypes necessary to create the right balance of conflict, adventure, and bonding. Great foundations for an exciting epic tale.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Len Lambert said...

What a sneak peek. I can't wait to read the book now!!!! I'd like to know more about the Vindicarn! :)

Len Lambert said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks Lee and Len!

GYPSYWOMAN said...

oh, wow! still another book for my ever-growing stack of "to-be-read's" - very intriguing sneak peek! thanks a lot! and have a great remainder of the day -

Carolyn Abiad said...

Thanks for the sneak peak into your characters !

RaShelle Workman said...

Alex - Sounds like fun! One thing you didn't tell us, but I'm going to guess is that the MC is a handsome man?? LOL Is there going to be in romance?? Just a smidge? Curious.

It sounds like an edge of my seat action book and I can't wait to read it!!!

Julie Musil said...

Your characters sound amazing! Thanks for the sneaky peek.

Unknown said...

Okay. I will keep an eye on your blog. I'm sure I'll see it come across my blog list on Oct 19th. Thanks. And I always appreciate your comments.

CD

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

RaShelle, I'm sorry - no romance due to the fact there's no women in the book.
Book II however...

DL Curran said...

Are you going to post any more? Or do we have to wait? Looking forward to reading it. :) Guess I'll have to wait... already ordered though so Amazon better get it here quick after release!

Cheeseboy said...

Nice! You've got me craving more!

Eric said...

Wow, very well developed characters. The only unfair part is that I don't have this awesome tome in my hands yet! Thanks for sharing anyway. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

DL, thanks so much!

Eric - soon...

Unknown said...

Alex--can't wait until this comes out. It sounds very interesting and do I detect shades of Ender's Game in it? I hope so. I recently read that book (in the spring) and loved it.

Unknown said...

Hey alex, where can I get a digital version of your book? I can only find a print edition...

Tessa.xx

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hey Tessa! EBook versions are supposed to be out next month when the print copy hits stores.