Fabulous and Brunette: The Chronicles of Deneb Book Series by Zanne Raby - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway

Hey, lovelies!! It gives me great pleasure today to host Zanne Raby and her new book series, “The Chronicles of Deneb,” including Book One, “The Flight of the Mayflower,” Book Two, “Descent Into Darkness,” and Book Three, “Fires of Fury,” all THREE featured here on FAB!! For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily to interact with Zanne and to increase your chances of winning!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Wishing you all lots of good luck in this fabulous giveaway!!

The Chronicles of Deneb Series

Books 1-3

by Zanne Raby

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GENRE: Science-Fiction / Space-Opera

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BOOK SERIES BLURB:

The Chronicles of Deneb is a science-fiction/ space opera series set in the near future. The year is 2080 CE. The world is dying. Get ready to travel into the future to a time when nothing is certain. Where the science behind climate change was ignored, leading to drought and famine plaguing an already overpopulated globe. Massive waves of refugees stream across the planet, seeking sanctuary. Where terrorist groups have joined forces with biohackers to develop a deadly bio-engineered disease that marches across the continents like a conquering army, leaving millions dead in its murderous swathe.

Meanwhile, some of the best and brightest minds on the planet are feverishly at work - constructing gigantic Space Arks to shuttle hundreds of thousands of people to a colony on Mars. And it seems like there’s more good news: world leaders announce that a vaccine is ready. It’s all good; it’s all returning to normal.

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BOOK BLURB – THE FLIGHT OF THE MAYFLOWER – BOOK ONE:

But the truth is very different. In THE FLIGHT OF THE MAYFLOWER, the first novel in The Chronicles of Deneb, Dr. Daniel Radu – project manager for NASA’s Space Ark Mayflower – uncovers a global conspiracy of immense proportions. But Daniel cooks up a scheme of his own. Joined by a team of global experts, he and his colleagues brace themselves for a journey of a lifetime as they trek across the galaxy in a quest for survival.

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BOOK BLURB – DESCENT INTO DARKNESS – BOOK TWO:

Mayhem follows the Mayflower in the second book of The Chronicles of Deneb series, DESCENT INTO DARKNESS. Journey along with the crew of the Space Ark Mayflower as they adapt to their new home on the planet Deneb. But along with their struggle to integrate into an alien culture, a new battle sweeps across the planet with the arrival of the human-transmitted Chimera bactovirus, bringing war and fanning the flames of racial intolerance. With a bloody conflict now raging across the planet, the crew of the Mayflower is split between the two factions and embroiled in the chaos and destruction.

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BOOK BLURB – FIRES OF FURY – BOOK THREE:

FIRES OF FURY is the third installment in The Chronicles of Deneb. Will the survivors of the Space Ark Mayflower find their way when cultures clash and the fires of fury threaten to consume their lives? Now masquerading as citizens of the Collective, the Mayflower crew has a new reason to fear. With the end of the Second Denebian War, Wesselan’s General Pallav Kóbor and his astrophysicist wife, Dr. Tara Kóbor, have high hopes that life will return to normal on Deneb7. Yet nothing can be further from the truth.In a diabolical plot to erase the scars left by the Second Denebian War, warlord turned Wessel Head of State Gomalan unleashes a fiendish scheme to heal his nation’s wounds, while his top soldier, General Ravenna, falls under the spell of a seductive Fyjer agent intent on crushing their ambitions. Dragged into a brutal reality of terror and intrigue, can the Kóbors and warbird ace Fynn Vogel remain unscathed, or will the flames consume them and all that is evil on Deneb-7?

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EXCERPT ONE:

A willowy brunette with shining brown eyes burst from the shadows, almost scaring Daniel out of his skin. “Tara,” he gasped, trying to quiet his heart. “What the hell? The president’s due here any second.” Dr. Tara Kóbor, the Nobel-prize winning astrophysicist who had discovered the find of the century – an Earth-like planet cuddled up in the Goldilocks zone of its star – was wearing a grin as wide as the Grand Canyon.

“You heard the news, right? I mean, the broadcasts are on fire. They’ve developed a vaccine! And whoever’s on the first shuttle flight is top priority. That means…”

He could hear heavy footsteps pounding on the hangar floor: time to play show and tell. Taking her by the shoulder, Daniel shepherded his friend to the bulkhead door. “It means you gotta get outta here. We’ll celebrate later,” he promised.

Just then, a bevy of bodyguards swooped in, all earpieces and dark glasses, and Daniel stood back as they robotically carried out their duties. No need really, NASA’s Chief of Security had seen to that. Out of the corner of his eye, Daniel spotted Tara’s husband, Lt-Col Pallav Kóbor, dwarfing the president’s team as he walked them through the hangar. He could hear the click click click of the cameras as the president approached with his staff trailing behind like good little shadows.

Show time, he mumbled to himself, wiping the sweat from his palms on his cobalt-blue NASA tunic.

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GUEST POST:

My Favorite Scene in Fires of Fury – Book Three

A big hello to everyone today and thank you Fab for having me on your blog. As an author, you write a novel and there’s always one favourite scene that sticks in your mind. So today I’m going to talk about exactly that. It’s a scene in the third novel in my space opera series, Fires of Fury. Before I begin, I want to get a bit of background to get you into the mood. The series that I’m working on, The Chronicles of Deneb, takes place in the near future, and the first novel in the series is titled The Flight of the Mayflower. Let’s jump ahead to 2080 CE and look into our crystal ball. What we see is a future where our leaders have not addressed the climate emergency and the population has continued to expand to the point where the land cannot support a comfortable existence for humanity. Naturally, the leaders have a solution, but not everything is as it seems. When Dr. Daniel Radu, the project manager for the Space Ark Mayflower, uncovers the truth, he takes matters into his own hands and jumping ahead, find himself and his crew taking refuge on a distant planet in our galaxy, Deneb, where the natives are not entirely accommodating and where the human colonization leads to friction and discord.

When war breaks out, it’s between the Denebian nations and it’s not exactly an even battle. The powerful and mighty country of Wesselan takes on the smaller and weaker Coalition and while Wessels celebrate their victory, Premier Lowena, leader of the Coalition is stung into action. Unwilling to accept the terms of surrender, she and the blood-haired Gwynne, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, cook up a devilish plot to acquire a file containing the schematics for a new and game-changing weapon that could turn the tables on the Wessels. Problem is, the file is safe and secure within the office of General Ravenna, a proud, fierce woman commanding the Wessel Army.

Whew! That brings me to one of my favourite scenes in Fires of Fury. Both Gwynne and Lowena are looking for a certain special person who could not only seduce General Ravenna, but get into her hard drive! Ravenna, a middle-aged single woman, is known for having been a bit of a wild thing in her youth, and the two Coalition female leaders plan to find the perfect man to woo Ravenna into throwing caution to the wind and letting her guard down just enough for him to get the goods. Quite a bit different from the battle scenes from the second book, but every now and then I like to mix it up. It was fun to write and I hope you like reading it too!

The three men towered over Lowena. Feet shoulder width apart, hands behind their backs, posture ramrod straight, they were the very definition of Fyjer male virility. Gwynne smiled, watching the premier’s eyes dilate as they travelled up and down the chiseled bodies of the soldiers standing before them. She had chosen well for the proposed mission.

“This is Captain Fitin,” Gwynne said while Lowena slowly walked around the man before stopping in front of him to gaze at his face. Dark brown hair crowned an oval face with high cheekbones and the pale grey eyes of a savage bloodwolf.

“Remove your tunic,” Lowena asked of him, her eyes never leaving his as she tested Fitin’s willingness to obey. Without flinching, Fitin stripped in one smooth movement, carefully laid his garments to the side, and came to attention. The major’s lean body had been sculpted through years of athletic pursuits. Goosebumps stood out on his milk-white flesh.

“Carry on,” she said, and Lowena left Fitin to move on to the second man.

A giant whose broad shoulders filled the room, a man akin to the warriors of days gone by when Denebians fought like savages with blade and shield. Unconsciously, the premier leaned forward and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply of his scent that enveloped her in a spicy musk.

“Sergeant Kilien, Ma’am.” Slamming his foot down to the attention position, the sergeant saluted the premier, then lifted his tunic and let it fall to the floor in a pile before he saluted his premier. Taking a step back, Lowena surveyed the mountain of a man in front of her. Tentatively, she reached out as Sgt Kilien flexed a rock-hard bicep, but to the man’s surprise, she took his jaw in her hands and tilted his face into the light. Kilien smiled sheepishly and blushed like a school boy.

Lowena repressed a desire to laugh at the big man’s modesty and she knew that he would not do. At least not for what I have in mind, she thought wickedly. “Thank you,” she said with a nod to the bashful sergeant.

Then unexpectantly, a hand reached out to her. Broad with strong fingers, callused and tanned, it pulled her almost off her feet and spun her about. And then there was the smile, dazzling white with even teeth, a smile that took her breath away. Anticipating her desires, the man had shed his uniform and stood confidently before her. Eyes almost black crinkled at the corners of his broad face and hair like a starlit night was gathered up at the nape of his neck, falling in soft waves over his powerful shoulders. A dusting of dark hair adorned his torso and muscles rippled across a flat abdomen. It was he who reached out, his fingers caressing Lowena’s porcelain skin, tracing a fiery line down her cheek and playfully across her lower lip. She could feel herself trembling at his touch and pushing away, Lowena took a few paces back to appraise this bold and brazen man further.

“And you are?” she asked, fumbling with her hands.

“Colonel Arwin,” the third man replied, his voice like the playful whisper of the wind, leaves twisting and dancing in its currents. With a twinkle in his eye, he bowed to Lowena. “At your service.”

Does Arwin succeed? Well, he takes Ravenna to a luxury resort like the one in the picture, wine and dines her at his home, takes her to an art exhibit and hikes with her to a romantic waterfall. What do you think?

If you are interested in learning more about my novels, you can check out the video trailers of my first and last books at: https://ridgecrestbooks.com.

And I am a dog lover… here’s an image of my pet puppy, Maximus. He may be small, but he has the heart of a General!

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AUTHOR BIO:

SHORT VERSION

Zanne Raby is a military veteran, having served for over three decades across North America, Europe and the Middle East. Passionate about all things space, her novels weave fast-paced, team-oriented environments into character-based science fiction. Currently residing in a small town on the shores of Georgian Bay, Ontario, Zanne enjoys hiking, gardening and Sudoku.

LONG VERSION

Since the days of the Napoleonic War, there has always been a member of Zanne’s family in uniform. Choosing to follow in the footsteps of her ancestors, Zanne joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1980, and was selected to attend the Royal Military College of Canada – the first year that women were accepted into that prestigious academy of learning. After graduation, she studied to become a Transportation and Movements Officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

During a career spanning 38 years, some of the most memorable experiences involved command of 8 Mission Support Squadron as part of Joint Task Force Afghanistan, leading a study on support to the Canadian Arctic involving several trips to Northern Canada, including Canadian Forces Station Alert (the most northern settlement in the world), a three-year tour with NATO at Joint Force Command Brunssum, a deployment as the NATO Liaison Officer to United States Central Command, and finally a nomination as the Deputy Commander for the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group.

After hanging up the uniform and putting away the combat boots, Zanne bought a small acreage in Central Ontario and designed her own house. With a cozy office overlooking the shores of Georgian Bay, she decided to pursue her life-long ambition: to become an author. Enough of the reports and returns that littered her desk over her career, now she could turn her attention to unleashing the creativity that had taken a back seat. The time had come to shake the dust off begin a new career. The winds of change had called.

Zanne is currently crafting The Chronicles of Deneb, a sci-fi space opera series that will take the reader from a dystopian earth on a voyage across the universe in search of a safe haven. But trouble is in store for them when the planet they land on is anything but the sanctuary they sought.

When not behind the keyboard, Zanne enjoys travel, photography, hiking, and gardening. And always, a good story to pass the time.

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CONNECT WITH ZANNE:

Website:

https://www.zanneraby.com/index.htm

Newsletter:

https://www.zanneraby.com/contact.htm

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/zanne.raby

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/zanne_raby

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zanne-raby-2b4a9b1bb

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21530756.Zanne_Raby

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/35xT2O2

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BOOK BUY LINKS – THE FLIGHT OF THE MAYFLOWER – BOOK ONE:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3V3K6UV

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3W8D2HR

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Flight-Mayflower-Chronicles-Deneb-Book-ebook/dp/B08PZCLSWT

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Flight-Mayflower-Zanne-Raby/dp/1777556511

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-flight-of-the-mayflower-zanne-raby/1139864364?ean=2940165963384

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-flight-of-the-mayflower-zanne-raby/1139864364?ean=9781777556518

Kobo US eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-flight-of-the-mayflower

Kobo CA eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-flight-of-the-mayflower

BookBub Book Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-flight-of-the-mayflower-by-zanne-raby

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58156526-the-flight-of-the-mayflower

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BOOK BUY LINKS – DESCENT INTO DARKNESS – BOOK TWO:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3C165UG

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/36FL5Hb

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Descent-into-Darkness-Chronicles-Deneb-ebook/dp/B09JSVD33P

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Descent-into-Darkness-Chronicles-Deneb/dp/1777556538

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/descent-into-darkness-zanne-raby/1139912723

Kobo US eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/descent-into-darkness-15

Kobo CA eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/descent-into-darkness-15

Smashwords eBook:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1110453

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59716777-descent-into-darkness

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BOOK BUY LINKS – FIRES OF FURY – BOOK THREE:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3V19U3V

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3HD34P6

Amazon CA Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.ca/Fires-Fury-Chronicles-Deneb-Book-ebook/dp/B0BKNKLJQG

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/Fires-Fury-Chronicles-Deneb-Book/dp/1777556554

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fires-of-fury-zanne-raby/1142594522

Kobo US eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/fires-of-fury-1

Kobo CA eBook:

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/fires-of-fury-1

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63232731-fires-of-fury

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Zanne will be awarding a $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those fabulous community outreach projects and awesome giveaways on here**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.