Today we say welcome to author Susanne Hays joining us to show an exclusive excerpt of her release “Project Ordell”.
Title : Project Ordell
Author: Susanna Hays
Publisher : Dreamspinner Press
Length: 200 pages
Release Date: februari 5th, 2016
Cover Artist: Stef Masciandaro
Blurb:
Ordell Rutledge lives in the small town of Blackwick where he helps in his father’s modest automaton shop. While he enjoys interacting with the few people who grace his father’s business, he feels isolated because he can’t relate to them. For ten years, life’s been quaint and peaceful, but Ordell has a secret: he is an automaton, sentient enough to pass as human.
Ordell’s life is upended when the person he trusts most betrays him. Heartbroken, he sets off for Linnesse, a city that accepts automatons as people and is booming with the latest technology. With another sentient automaton, Elias Griffith, at his side, they overcome obstacles and uncover the strange truth behind Ordell’s past. But sometimes the past is best left in the dark.
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During that workday his father’s words swam around in Ordell’s head. He knew Octavio only said them out of frustration, but it hurt to hear that come from him. To call his siblings stupid pieces of metal.
“You remind me so much of my son,” Mr. Stokes said, icing one of the cakes. “Both of you went off in your own little world. He was such a sweet boy, but refused to stay in reality for more than five minutes.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Drove my wife insane, he did! She wanted him to do this, and he was too busy skipping off to the pier.”
“I would’ve loved to meet him,” Ordell said with a small smile.
“Me too.” His voice grew low. “I wish I could talk to him again. Hear those little rambles as he talked about that world of his.” Mr. Stokes cleared his throat and looked back up at Ordell. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I’m sure your father would love to have some help around the shop.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Stokes?”
He waved his hand. “It’s been a slow day. You should enjoy the weather while it’s still nice. Here.” He put a few pieces of bread in a small brown package. “A little treat for you and your father.”
Ordell patted Mr. Stokes’s shoulder. “Thank you so much. Would you like me to help open up tomorrow?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
When Ordell got to the shop, he could feel the heavy tension around the room.
“I brought home some rolls,” he called out. “They’re freshly baked.”
Ordell took a few more steps until he reached the door to Octavio’s shop. He took a deep breath and turned the doorknob.
“Father! What happened in here?”
Papers were scattered around the shop, blueprints torn and metal tossed around. Ordell found his father hunched over the workstation with his beefy fingers threaded through his peppered hair.
He raced over to his father and grabbed his shoulders. “Father! Are you all right? What happened?”
“I can’t find the damn blueprints! That bitch must have them!”
“What blueprints?”
“The ones for the—” Octavio sighed and pushed his hands through his hair again. “Forget it. I don’t need another argument with you.”
“You said you wouldn’t!” Ordell narrowed his eyes. “I can take on another job! I can—”
“I need the money, Ordell!” he snapped. “The shop needs this! How can you not understand this?”
“You said you wouldn’t do this,” Ordell said again, punctuating his words slowly. “You promised.”
“I won’t be bullied by my own creation!”
“Now I’m just your creation?” He swallowed hard. “I thought I was your son.”
“Ordell—”
“Just forget it.” He took a step back. “Do what you want. They’re your creations, right? Don’t let me stop you from earning a quick profit.” He turned on his heel and stormed out of the shop.
“You remind me so much of my son,” Mr. Stokes said, icing one of the cakes. “Both of you went off in your own little world. He was such a sweet boy, but refused to stay in reality for more than five minutes.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Drove my wife insane, he did! She wanted him to do this, and he was too busy skipping off to the pier.”
“I would’ve loved to meet him,” Ordell said with a small smile.
“Me too.” His voice grew low. “I wish I could talk to him again. Hear those little rambles as he talked about that world of his.” Mr. Stokes cleared his throat and looked back up at Ordell. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I’m sure your father would love to have some help around the shop.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Stokes?”
He waved his hand. “It’s been a slow day. You should enjoy the weather while it’s still nice. Here.” He put a few pieces of bread in a small brown package. “A little treat for you and your father.”
Ordell patted Mr. Stokes’s shoulder. “Thank you so much. Would you like me to help open up tomorrow?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
When Ordell got to the shop, he could feel the heavy tension around the room.
“I brought home some rolls,” he called out. “They’re freshly baked.”
Ordell took a few more steps until he reached the door to Octavio’s shop. He took a deep breath and turned the doorknob.
“Father! What happened in here?”
Papers were scattered around the shop, blueprints torn and metal tossed around. Ordell found his father hunched over the workstation with his beefy fingers threaded through his peppered hair.
He raced over to his father and grabbed his shoulders. “Father! Are you all right? What happened?”
“I can’t find the damn blueprints! That bitch must have them!”
“What blueprints?”
“The ones for the—” Octavio sighed and pushed his hands through his hair again. “Forget it. I don’t need another argument with you.”
“You said you wouldn’t!” Ordell narrowed his eyes. “I can take on another job! I can—”
“I need the money, Ordell!” he snapped. “The shop needs this! How can you not understand this?”
“You said you wouldn’t do this,” Ordell said again, punctuating his words slowly. “You promised.”
“I won’t be bullied by my own creation!”
“Now I’m just your creation?” He swallowed hard. “I thought I was your son.”
“Ordell—”
“Just forget it.” He took a step back. “Do what you want. They’re your creations, right? Don’t let me stop you from earning a quick profit.” He turned on his heel and stormed out of the shop.
Susanna Hays has been writing ever since she can remember. She first started out with ghost stories that she would tell to her cousins and best friend. She has always been off in her own little world and spent her time at recess writing stories in her notebook. She is a huge animal lover and adores cats– especially the big fluffy ones! She loves talking to others and enjoys making friends on Goodreads and reading books.
She loves to create characters who have a story to tell. She creates protagonists who must overcome their weaknesses and find their true selves.
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I haven’t read many steampunk novels so this should be interesting. I’ve added to my wishlist.