By D.S. AUFFENORDE
Exclusive to the Kensington City Examiner
I stopped by The Kensington Tailoring & Dry
Cleaning Service to have a skirt altered to conform to the rising hemlines that
had become the style in Britannia. It’s hardly a puzzle—a superhero (think
Electromancer) exposes a lot of flesh in her platinum boots, gloves, and
jumpsuit, and the women of the country follow suit by shortening their skirts
and lowering their necklines. As I waited in the dressing room, I heard a
mellifluous voice speaking to the owner, and despite the birdlike descant in
tone, the woman was arguing with the proprietor over a stain that evidently
hadn’t been properly removed from a table cloth. I peeked out from behind the
curtain and saw that it was Gladys Gadberry, the mistress of household affairs
for Alexa Manchester. Yes, the very Alexa Manchester who controls the world’s
energy sources, the very person I’ve been investigating along with Electromancer.
How fortuitous that I’d bumped into Gadberry here, because she was on my list
of interviewees. I assumed my best aristocratic air—those who work for
aristocrats expect as much— dressed, and went outside.
DA: Pardon the interruption, but I’m desperately
in need of an opinion of someone with a discriminating eye. And I know that you
have a discriminating eye, Ms. Gadberry.
GG: How did you know my name? Who are you?
DA: You’re known far and wide. Everyone knows
that Alexa Manchester is the best dressed, most organized woman in the country.
GG: [Gadberry straightened.] I don’t know what
you want, Miss …, but flattery will get you nowhere. You don’t really want
fashion advice now do you?
DA: Okay, you got me. I’m a reporter for the Examiner. I’m interested in fashion.
[This reporter notes that this wasn’t a lie—I am interested in fashion. That
Gladys Gadberry believed me to be a fashion reporter was beyond my control.]
GG: Of course. The Examiner. You’re correct, I oversee every detail at the Manchester
mansion. From Ms. Manchester’s personal shoppers, to those who vacuum up the
dust, to the folding and pressing of sheets, to the flowers that are arranged
in vases and strategically placed throughout the mansion to provide freshly
scented air. Nothing, mind you, nothing escapes my attention. I’ll have you
know that I’ve brought a touch of the old country to the new.
DA: Being the fashion aficionado that you are,
I have a hunch that if you ever had the occasion to see this superhero
Electromancer’s costume, you’d know exactly what it’s made of.
GG: Of course I would, that is, if I had. But I
haven’t. Something fantastic, to be sure. From space perhaps—though it’s all
speculation.
DA: I heard a rumor that Ms. Manchester takes
tea and scones with this superhero Electromancer.
GG: I can honestly say I’ve never witnessed
that, and I would know. But Electromancer has kindly announced to the public
that Ms. Manchester is not to blame for the disaster at The Mick, our local
power plant, or any of the other mishaps. She’s even gone so far as to fight
off evil on behalf of all humanity. If you ask me, Electromancer is an
incredible being. Worthy of a crown.
DA: Are you saying that she’s not of this
world? That she’s alien?
GG: Certainly not. I would have no such
knowledge. Six inches longer, your skirt, that is.
DA: But it seems that hemlines are rising.
GG: I’m an old fashioned woman. Heaven forbid
that those Dowdy twins be allowed to traipse all over town through another
season wearing those miniskirts. Leaves the men in a state, if you know what I
mean, all that flesh.
DA: Electromancer certainly shows a lot of
flesh.
GG: Well, she can’t very well fly at the speed
of light in an overcoat.
DA: There’s a rumor that Ms. Manchester is
going to break off the engagement with The Mayor, Bobby Baumgartner. Is there
any truth to that?
GG: I don’t meddle in the personal affairs of
my employer. Are you really a fashion reporter?
DA: Not exactly. An investigative reporter
looking into Electromancer.
GG: [Gadberry went slack jawed.] On the record,
I have nothing official to say. Off the record, you shameless hussy, taking
advantage of my good graces.
With that, Gadberry once
again began arguing with the proprietor about the stain in the table cloth. I
took a close look at that table cloth—if that’s what it was. Because it seemed
to be of a platinum color—and strangely shaped like a jumpsuit. Unfortunately,
before I could follow up, the proprietor took the fabric and put it in the bin,
and Gadberry walked outside and into a limousine driven by a strikingly
handsome, though formal man. Was that the mysterious Sigfred Sawyer, valet,
butler, and all around tip-top servant? Methinks this reporter must
investigate.
Meanwhile, follow along
as my investigatory column continues to provide more and more facts about
Electromancer and the citizens of her community. In the meantime, you can also
learn more about Electromancer and others in the romantic, thrilling, superhero
novel, Electromancer.
Electromancer
Daco
Genre: Romance, Fantasy,
Superhero, Paranormal, Thriller/Suspense
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Date of Publication: 2-1-16
ISBN 10: 1-4405-9687-5
ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-9687-2
eISBN 10: 1-4405-9688-3
eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-9688-9
ASIN: B01AOH7BFA
Number of pages: 234
Word Count: 70,000
Cover design by Fred Machuca,
Illustration by Ricky Ostendi
Book Description:
With a heart as pure as platinum and electricity at her fingertips!
She soars like a falcon and travels at the speed of light!
She’s … ELECTROMANCER!
When arch villain Momo threatens to destroy the world with The Big Zapper—a weapon of mass destruction the likes of which has never been seen before—it’s up to Alexa Manchester and her new electricity-harnessing superpowers to stop him.
With a little help from her sexy chauffeur, Sigfred Sawyer, and some exciting encounters with the mysterious and handsome Blue Arrow, soon Alexa’s love life is charged up, too. And to defeat the seemingly invincible Momo, it might just take the naturally super power of love to save the day.
Offering all the Kabam! Pow! Zap! of beloved comic book sagas with the beating heart of a love story, this over-the-top, genre-blending send-up is sure to delight superhero fans and romance readers alike.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/5GE2uOWM_3M
Excerpt
from Chapter 6
Sigfred couldn’t
be sure whether the mayor’s proposal pleased or displeased her, but it wasn’t
his place to ask. He could do one thing—help her get that blasted ring off her
finger. He went to the pantry and retrieved a bottle of olive oil—cold pressed
extra virgin, of course, because this was Yurdlemon’s kitchen.
“Let me help you
get that off,” he said.
“No, I’ll do it
myself.” She paused suddenly, staring at the big green stone as if transfixed.
“Maybe I’m not sure I want it off.” She shook her head. “But I do, I do. Oh, I
don’t know what I want.” She sighed. “Wait! Yes, I do. I want to talk about
last night.”
“Of course, if
you wish.” He waited for her to speak, but she seemed stumped.
Then she said,
“What did you think about last night?”
He cleared his
throat and said, “Yes, right. It was quite—”
“Sigfred!” She
slapped her hands down on the sink and looked back at him. “It was nothing like
quite, it was more like Oh-My-God in the highest order. No offense.”
“Yes, quite.”
“Don’t keep
saying quite! You could say yes, shocking or even jiminy crickets or holy
‘expletive omitted,’ but there was nothing quite about last night. I mean you
were there, you saw everything.”
He couldn’t
think of an appropriate response—at least, not one that he could articulate to
his employer.
“Am I right, you
did see everything?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said.
“It was unintentional, of course, Ms. Manchester. I found you lying on the
floor next to The Magpie.”
Her eyes
widened, and her eyebrows arched upward in disapproval. “I didn’t mean that,
Sigfred. I’m talking about my hands shooting those bolts of lightning from my
fingertips—pure electricity!”
He cleared his
throat again. “Ah, yes. And there was that.”
“It’s
ridiculous. Absurd. People don’t emit electricity. Gladys says I should see a
doctor. That I must have been exposed to the Electromite. Am I cursed?”
“It doesn’t seem
to be life-threatening. On the contrary, you’ve become stronger by it, or so it
seems. If I’m not mistaken, you saved the child from drowning because of it.
Perhaps it’s not a curse, but a gift.”
She seemed to
consider this, absentmindedly pulling at the mayor’s ring.
“Just a moment,”
he said. “I think I can assist you with that little problem you’re having.” He
opened the bottle of olive oil and drizzled some over her ring finger. Then,
very gently, he began working the ring back and forth. He thrilled when he
touched her, but she didn’t seem to react.
“I can fly, you
know,” she said, her tone surprisingly casual.
“Yes, madame. I
suspected that’s how you saved the boy.”
“What happens if
I try to fly, and then these magical abilities suddenly vanish?”
“Perhaps they
won’t ever vanish.”
“Yes, perhaps you’re
right,” she said in a quiet, serious voice. “And that would mean I haven’t been
infected at all. Instead, I’ve been inalterably changed. It would mean that
there’s no cure. It means my body and spirit have been transformed into
something ... alien. It means I’m not Alexa anymore.”
“You’ll always
be Alexa,” he said, reaching up and tipping her chin toward him with slippery
fingers. His eyes locked on hers, and he spoke with hushed solemnity. “Nothing
can ever change that.” He wanted to call her lovely Alexa, kind Alexa,
beautiful Alexa, but of course, that was impossible.
“When I was
inside The Magpie, I heard my father’s voice. Is that crazy?”
“Not at all, Ms.
Manchester.”
She studied his
face. “You don’t think I’m crazy?”
“Not at all.”
And he meant it. Things went silent as they looked into each other’s eyes.
Sigfred had just swayed imperceptibly closer to her when a sudden dull thunk
interrupted them. The ring had finally fallen off, clattering into the sink.
The moment was lost. He realized, with some awkwardness, that he was still
touching her face and dropped his hand.
She colored and
looked away, speaking a bit brusquely. “My father called me Electromancer. I
get the ‘electro’ part of it, but what’s a ‘mancer’? Have you any clue?”
“You’ve got me there,
madame.”
“Mancer? It must
mean something.”
“Almost like
Romancer.”
Her jaw dropped.
“Oh, Sigfred. Not you, too.”
He stiffened. He
wasn’t about to explore his feelings with her or to take the liberty of
allowing his romantic thoughts about Alexa to go unrestrained. It was his
utmost duty to remain her servant and protector, always physically near but
emotionally distant. But when she’d transformed into this Electromancer, he had
to admit to himself that she was absolutely and without a doubt the sexiest
woman alive. Any red-blooded male would be hard pressed to deny that fact.
“What are you
going to do about the mayor’s proposal?” he blurted out. So much for knowing
his place. “He’s not worthy of you.”
“Bobby
Baumgartner is the mayor of Kensington City. He might be prime minister one
day.”
“I don’t care if
he’s prime minister, king, and president of the Americanas combined. He’s
beneath you.”
“And just who
are you to talk about rank?”
Her words stung,
the pain more intense than the damage those thugs had inflicted the previous
night. “Quite right, madame,” he said. “My station is lowly. But I’m one thing
the mayor isn’t. I’m a man of integrity.”
“I saw the way
you looked at me last night. I may have been Electromancer, but I know when a
man is gawking at me.”
“I wasn’t
gawking. I was appreciating the qualities of ... You’re a beautiful woman,
madame.”
“You mean,
Electromancer is beautiful.”
“No, madame. I
mean you. Alexa Manchester.”
She looked at
him in surprise.
“What’s the
meaning of this?” Chef Yurdlemon bellowed from across the room. “Who is
invading my kitchen? You are trespassers.” He pointed at Sigfred. “Especially
you, Sigfred Sawyer.”
Sigfred nodded
slowly. He was trespassing, though not in the way Yurdlemon meant.
“This mess with
the olive oil is all my fault,” Alexa said. “I was using it to try to get this
ring off. It was stuck on my finger. Sigfred was just trying to help me.”
“You used my
cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil to remove a ring?” Yurdlemon cried. “Such
olive oil is not for ring removal. Such olive oil is to make a divine dinner as
only I can make it. The olives for that oil come from a small orchard in Sicily
that produces only two hundred cases a year! Do you know what that costs? More
than a Chateau Latour Bordeaux. More than a fine Sauternes. I need it for my
dinner preparations. Oh, everything is ruined now. Each and every minute of
preparation is accounted for. There won’t be time enough left in the day, not
now. Not when I’m forced to return to the market, where I can only get inferior
olive oil.” Chef Yurdlemon grabbed the sides of his head and looked as if he
were about to sob. It wouldn’t have been the first time.
About the Author:
Daco is an award-winning author of the espionage-thriller series featuring CIA operative Jordan Jakes. Her debut novel, The Libra Affair, was a 2013 #1 best seller. Of The Libra Affair, Publishers Weekly said, “The keenly sharp intelligent female characters soar in this edge-of-your-seat adventure...”
Her short story The Pisces Affair was a 2015 Global Ebook Awards double gold medalist (Best Thriller Fiction and Best Science Fiction), a 2015 Shelf Unbound Notable 100, a 2015 Royal Palm Literary Award winner, and a Publishers Weekly “PW Pick”.” In its review of The Pisces Affair, Publishers Weekly wrote, “Jakes is a lively and witty narrator with the wits and skills of James Bond, and readers will savor her fresh perspective on being a woman in the male-dominated spy world.”
Her story The Virgo Affair is part of Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded (Diversion Press, October 2015), an anthology, including numerous best-selling authors.
Electromancer (F+W Media, Inc./Crimson Romance, February 2016), is her first superhero novel, featuring Electromancer and Blue Arrow.
Upcoming works include The Scorpio Affair, a Jordan Jakes novel, and The Ophiuchus Affair, another Jordan Jakes short story.
Daco holds a B.A. and M.A.S. from The University of Alabama in Huntsville and a J.D. from the Cumberland School of Law. She is a member of the International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, Authors Guild, Alabama Writers Forum, Florida Writers, and Alabama State Bar.
Website: http://www.authordaco.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorDaco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Daco.Author/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daco-s-auffenorde-64619039
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bRC3Fj
Follow along as the investigatory column continues to provide more and more facts about Electromancer and the citizens of her community.
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