A.C.Flory is a science fiction writer who lives with her family, and a menagerie of cats, dogs, magpies and alpacas, on a 1.6 acre block in a bushfire prone part of southeastern Australia. During the cooler months she writes, landscapes her garden and enjoys living in amongst the gum trees. But beauty always comes at a price, so the hot, dry months of summer are spent checking her fire-fighting equipment and biting her nails.
As a writer, she draws upon these contrasts in Australia’s often harsh environment to imagine worlds where aliens must face their own battle with the elements. Yet even when writing about the most bizarre of humanoids, she uses the contrast between ‘them’ and ‘us’ to provide insights into the nature of human beings.
In her spare time, A.C.Flory reads voraciously, listens to an eclectic range of music, plays online games [mmo’s] and maintains her blog, Meeka’s Mind. You can find her at http://acflory.wordpress.com.
Vokhtah
by A.C. Flory
Available from Amazon US and Amazon UK.
Vokhtah is not a gentle planet. Ravaged by twin suns, it tests all living things in the battle for survival, but none more so than the iVokh.
Intelligent, and clever with their hands, the iVokh [literally meaning ‘small Vokh’] live in eyries under the protection of their huge, winged cousins, the Vokh. However when the Vokh battle each other, the first casualties are always the small creatures who serve them.
The only place on the whole planet where iVokh can truly be safe is in the Settlement, an eyrie ruled by the Guild of Healers rather than a Vokh. Yet even there, change is coming, and not for the better. Thanks to the healers’ obsession with abominations, even the Settlement may soon become a battle ground.
As one of the few healers not terrified of abominations, the Blue is determined to save the Guild from itself. It leaves the safety of the Settlement with a caravan of Traders, intent on manipulating the Vokh into dealing with the abomination themselves. However life, and iVokh politics, are never simple.
Aided by just one reluctant ally, the Blue struggles to survive in a savage landscape where even the elements are vicious. If it dies without completing its mission, the Settlement could well die with it. Yet what can two, frail iVokh do in a world where the predators are all starving, and iVokh are very much on the menu?
Time is running out, for both the Blue and the Settlement.
A.C, you mention listening to music. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind of music do you prefer, or does it depend on the mood you are setting in the scene you are writing?
Hi Stephen! Music is integral to my writing, but in a subliminal way. It puts me into a particular mood generally, rather than necessarily fitting a particular theme or character. I began by listening to opera, but now I’ve discovered the epic music of Two Steps From Hell which ‘fits’ Vokhtah so much better.
On my tbr pile now! And a terrific interview linked to from your blog, really enjoyed that too.
Thanks Carolyn! So many ‘firsts’ for me and I’m loving all of them.
On my tbr pile too. This looks terrific.
You know… all I ever really wanted was to have my story read. Can’t tell you how happy you guys are making me.
Great to see you here A.C. – your book looks very impressive!
Thanks Chris! I know you’re a sci-fi writer too so hopefully between the two of us we can take the sci-fi world by storm. Well, maybe a storm in a tea cup but still!
Sorry, not sure what happened there but my comment disappeared into the void. From one sci-fi writer to another – thank you!
Fabulous interview. Amazing book. AC, so HAPPY to see you here! 😀
-hugs- Could not have reached this point without your brilliant editing Laurie. Thank you, thank you.
Meeks! I love that cover. Congratulations on your new book!
Hi Kat! Thanks for the kind words and for all your help. I owe you, Laurie and Stephen a big thank you. 🙂 Between Lord David’s interview and being featured on IU, I feel as if I’ve finally arrived. -dance-
This one’s definitely on my TBR list. 🙂
lol – thanks Yvonne. It goes without saying that I’d love to know what you think of it – good and bad!
Great profile and the cover looks better each time I see it!
Thanks Candy. I love it too. No space ships or lasguns but it has that alien feel I wanted. 🙂
Loved Vokhtah. I couldn’t put it down when the Blue and the Apprentice were on their own.
Well done Meeks! 🙂
You read it? -cough- I mean I’m so glad you enjoyed it!