Welcome to the Riptide Publishing/Lori A. Witt blog tour for The Tide of War!

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist (including books written as L.A. Witt or Lauren Gallagher, excluding The Tide of War) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on July 28^th, and winners will be announced on July 29^th.  Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.

 

The Tide of War BLURB

Lieutenant Commander Kyle West is one of Earth Fleet’s greatest fighter pilots. Every day, he leads his squadron into battle over Earth’s cities in a seemingly endless war against a vicious alien race, defending his home and his loved ones.

Millions of miles away, the Fleet’s Elite Squadron attacks from another angle, engaging the enemy on its home turf. Casualties are high, and the Squadron needs more of the Fleet’s very best. But joining the Elite is a death sentence—a surety Kyle isn’t willing to face. Until a devastating attack wipes out the family he refused to leave.

Commander Andrei Dezhnyov, an Elite Squadron gunner, isn’t sure what to make of the cocky new American pilot. Kyle is equally uncertain about the snarly Russian, but as they warm up to each other, their tentative alliance becomes a deep bond—one that endangers them both when a daring and disobedient rescue reveals secrets that call into question everything they’ve ever believed about their enemy. Secrets that their superiors would kill to protect.

The Tide of War is available July 22^nd from Riptide Publishing.

EXCLUSIVE

“You all right, printsessa?”

She nodded. “Da. Just thinking about the mission.”

“Me too.”

She shoved the top button of her collar through its keeper and released a breath. Then she sat back, propping her hands behind her, and looked up at him. “This mission is foolish. They’re going to wipe out the entire squadron if this continues.”

Andrei grunted in agreement as he tugged open the top button of his own uniform. At least now he could breathe. “Truthfully, I’d be less concerned if I thought we were accomplishing something. Right now, it seems like we’re dropping structures and taking out targets, but we’re not gaining any ground.”

Ogrufina sighed, thumbing the edge of the duvet. “I wonder if our orders would be different if Bodner had to go with us.” She snorted derisively. “If he ever had to leave Epsilon and get close to Menar’s surface, things—”

“He’d shit himself before he made it through the atmosphere.” Andrei turned around, concentrating on unbuttoning his dress jacket, which seemed to take more effort than usual. “He’s not fit to command a squadron of fighters.”

“Ugh. Listen to us.” Ogrufina exhaled sharply. “We sound like the fucking Americans.”

His eyes flicked toward her reflection as he continued undressing. “How so?”

“They don’t respect their leaders. Question every order they’re given. Want explanations.” Rolling her eyes, she added, “Especially from anyone giving orders who isn’t also American.”

Andrei sighed. “Perhaps there’s more to that than insubordination.”

“We’re not here to make strategic decisions. We’re here to follow orders.” Her voice lacked its usual sharpness, and her shoulders dropped as she stared at the memory chip lying beside her. “It’s not . . . it’s not for us to question. We’re the fighters. It’s what we do.”

“It is. But if they’re sending us out to get killed—”

“Then we die.” Her voice had hardened even more. She stood and met his eyes in the mirror. “We’re soldiers.”

“I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to die for this, I’d at least like to bring some of those reptile bastards down with me.”

“As would I.” Ogrufina put her arms around his waist and rested the side of her head between his shoulders.

Andrei sighed, lacing their fingers together on top of his partially unbuttoned jacket. “I just wish we were getting somewhere down there.”

“I know, Dyusha.” She rubbed his thumb with the pad of her own. “But even if we’re not getting anywhere yet, I’m not ready to lie down and give up. Not with the things they’ve done to our home.”

Andrei shivered. He’d seen enough smoldering wreckages, burned corpses, and mass graves to last him till the end of his days.

“I’m not ready, either. We’ll keep fighting to the end.” He gently freed himself from her embrace, faced her, and pulled her against him again. Looking into her dark eyes, he caressed her face. “We came here to win or to die trying.”

“And we will.”

Andrei smiled, smoothing his wife’s short black hair. He admired her for countless reasons, but it was that unbreakable resilience that filled him with the most awe. She bent—everyone had to bend in this war—but she never broke. Ever. If Ogrufina did crack one day, if she snapped and crumbled, it would be after the Menarians had destroyed any reason she had to keep fighting. And as long as there was a scrap of ground on Earth that wasn’t soaked in human blood or occupied by Menarians, she would keep fighting.

Lori A. Witt is the fourth corner of the Gallagher-Witt quad, and prefers to play in the genres of science fiction and fantasy over all that romance nonsense. Okay, so romance does show up sometimes, but these are the books she writes when she needs a change of pace. Sword and sorcery, spaceships, and just general weird nerdy goodness—Lori writes it all. Like the other members of the quad (L.A. Witt, Lauren Gallagher, and Ann Gallagher), Lori is in the process of relocating from Omahabad, Nebraskastan to the southwestern coast of Spain. In her spare time, she tries to stay out of the middle of L.A.’s and Lauren’s ongoing rivalry, while never missing a chance to trip Ann when she’s not paying attention.

Connect with Lori:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorloriawitt

Website: http://www.gallagherwitt.com

Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GallagherWitt