Thursday, July 10, 2025

Chandra's Quest Excerpt Chapter 23 Waking Up

 


(An excerpt from Chandra's Quest Chapter 23)

   It’s been almost three weeks since Xenos and Dukar were taken to the moon Dyna. Their bodies were found inside the ship as they lay on the floor. The maintenance crew discovered them and quickly notified the guards. They were then transported to the nearby urgent care facility in the city of Xyra on the moon Dyna.

   “Damn it!” Xenos let out an exasperated sigh, as he lay in the infirmary. Dukar is in the bed next to him, and both have suffered temporary amnesia and a case of paralysis of the legs, however, they are recovering.

Anger is seething inside Xenos’ heart as memories of what had transpired on that faithful day start to emerge, the day he lost Chandra. He let out a heavy sigh.

  “She must have been in cahoots with that Valurin!” he said out loud. Dukar stirred, he turned his head to face Xenos.

“I do not think so. Calm yourself friend, we will find him, and he will pay for stealing what is rightfully ours. In the meantime, enjoy your stay here,” he joked dryly.

 The food is divine,” he added with a touch of sarcasm. “Where do you think he took her?” asked Xenos, his nostrils flared.

 “I do not know,” Dukar responded.

Xenos rubbed his eyes with one hand and groaned. “Well, my friend I guess we’ll have to head back to

Crea and do our research and find out what happened,” Dukar paused, “Someone must know something,” he exhaled.
“Of course, someone knows, they probably helped him escape!” Xenos raged.

 Dukar grimaced, “You’re right but we must ameliorate. When we are better, we’ll tear some throats out. Deal?” The nurse stepped in.

  “Do either of you need anything?” she kindly asked. Her raven-colored hair is elegantly styled in a bun, while her striking blue, feline-like eyes sparkle with a playful grin. The fitted white top, with its zipper, accentuates her curves beautifully, and her matching miniskirt highlights her alluring figure. The nurse's outfit she wears is undeniably provocative. Dukar can't help but notice the hint of cleavage peeking through.

 “No, fool! When can we leave this place?” Xenos said. She jumps at his sudden outburst, her blue eyes widening in surprise. Flustered, she lets out a nervous laugh, narrowing her gaze.

 “Uh, you’ll need to discuss that with the doctor.” In her hand, she holds a nine by seven glass tablet, scrolling through their medical records. Xenos pays no mind, he is worried that they will find out who he is and inform the authorities.

So far, Xenos’ identity has not turned up, only the medical file that was started at the urgent care hospital when both Dukar and him were admitted.

 As far as the staff is concerned, Xenos and Dukar are new patients, nothing more. The nurse cleared her throat. “At the Oasis Clinic on Xyra, we do not pry into our patient’s past, the doctors are here to assist and help with any aliments you may have,” she informed them of their policy rights and continues, “It seems your legs remain unresponsive. Can you sense anything at all?” she asked, her eyes still scanning their file.  “Sadly, no,” Xenos replied with a heavy heart. 

 “I can feel something in my left leg,” Dukar interjected. 

 “Oh, let’s check that out.” She pulled back the bed sheet and retrieved a reflex tester, which sent out a small electrical charge to assess the patients' reflexes. As she moved it along his leg, Dukar's leg gave a slight twitch. A smile spread across her face.

  “Good, it looks like...,” Dukar grabs her arm abruptly.

“Listen sweetie, I can give you a sturdy number of credits if you let us leave here,” his grip tightened, and his nails dig into her skin.

 “Let me go!” she shouted and gave him a swift shock with a pen size taser.

  “Argh!” Dukar jerked his hand away.  

 “Your reflexes on the upper part of your body are doing well,” she responded, with a touch of sarcasm.

 “Bitch!” Dukar growled, “Your bedside manner leaves much to be desired!” he remarked with a hint of sarcasm. She retreated to the wall, hit the button beside the door, triggering the alarm, and made her exit.

"Dukar, you seemed a bit threatening to her. And don't forget, we need to remain here until we've completely recovered," Xenos pointed out.

 “I was just simply flirting with the girl,” Dukar laughed. He grinned and closed his eyes. A few minutes later two security guards, the nurse, and the doctor walked in. 

The Comigaen doctor approached them, his white fitted jumpsuit and matching boots giving him a sleek appearance. "Ah, I see you're awake," he remarked, a hint of professionalism in his tone. The gold-threaded medical emblem on the right side of his upper chest gleamed, proudly displaying the name of the city, Xyra, beneath it. He pulled out his tablet, deftly scrolling through the screen to assess their condition.  “Yes, we are,” responded Xenos, acerbically.

“They want to be released doctor,” the nurse said, eyeing them with disdain.

 “Hmm, you still have another day or two here. I cannot release you yet or I wouldn’t be a good doctor if I did,” he chuckled. Both Javarins bare their teeth, in a threatening manner. The nurse shook her head disapprovingly.

 “Oh, come now, your stay here will be pleasant and relaxing, think of it as a mini vacation,” the doctor said with a casual chuckle. The nurse scoffed, her eyes narrowing in disdain as she glanced at them.

With a haughty tone, she remarked, “They’re not even worth the effort to save.” They ignored her disparaging remark. “What happened to our ship? How did we end up here?” asked Xenos, curiously. “Well, the report states, that the person who flew the cargo ship to Xyra, left it at the docking port and never returned.

The maintenance workers found both of you unresponsive, so the authorities were called in and you were brought here.”  Xenos gasped, “Oh no, the authorities got involved,” he mused.

 “Did they find the person who piloted the cargo ship?” asked Dukar, eager to hear some good news.

 “You can find the information you want when you are released. The cargo ship is held at the same docking port it was left at,” the doctor paused, “I take it that the cargo ship is not yours?”

 “No!” Dukar responded harshly.

  "Oh, I see, well then, I recommend you take some time to rest, and in a few days, you should be able to leave. By then, the gas should have cleared from your system, and you’ll feel significantly better."

 "Great," Xenos grumbled quietly, barely audible. As the doctor and nurse exited, two security officers remained stationed outside the door.

  "I’m curious why they have security here if we can’t even get up," Dukar pondered aloud.

  “Because we are Javarins, and they fear us. They may also know about the NyKarin’s battle with our home world and thus, they may hold us until the NyKarins arrive,” Xenos stated.

“Yes, of course. We might as well rest up, we got some hunting to do after we leave here, and we

will leave, I assure you. We must find the pilot. We need some answers.”

 “Agreed,” responded Xenos.

 “I guess we can board a passenger ship to take us back to the planet Eurleau,” he added. The nurse left the holovision control pad next to Xenos’ hand. He turned it on. The screen materialized a few feet in front of them. “I am going to watch something on this thing for a while. Would you like to watch?” Dukar waved his hand dismissively.

“No,” he said. Xenos channeled the news on Eurleau. On the screen a female Valurin reporter spoke.

“It has been over three weeks since two Atlantean citizens were found dead in the Trinket Shop in the city Aurora. Authorities have found footage from the shop’s security camera and still do not have leads to the whereabouts of the humans who committed such an atrocity. The male is considered armed and dangerous.” 

 The picture on the security footage flashed in front of them. Dukar’s eyes opened wide, and he stared at the screen in dismay. Xenos recognized Carlos, and there was no mistake that the female next to him is Chandra. She looked back for a few seconds as her eyes met the camera.

  “It is them!” said Xenos out loud, “No!” he hollered.

  “She somehow got away! How can that be?” said Dukar. He eyed the footage with disdain and snarled. “That foolish Valurin lost her! Inconceivable!” said Dukar, with a hiss.

“Or perhaps she killed him,” Xenos hinted.

“She must not have known that there was a camera in the building. Why else would she look back and reveal her face?” thought Xenos.

 “Did she know I would see this footage?”  he said aloud.

“Don’t over think it,” Dukar remarked. The other female that was with Chandra never looked back. He could not see her face but there was no mistake, he knew who she was.


Chandra's Quest eBook

Chandra's Quest Audiobook



About the Phoenix Files

 

The Phoenix Files is more than just a single book titled "Lost in the Backrooms, Volume One"; it is part of a larger anthology series that explores supernatural and paranormal tales. Each volume varies in length, with some exceeding 140 pages, while others are shorter. 

For instance, "Path Less Taken," the second volume, will be just over 120 pages. The concept for The Phoenix Files originated in the mid-2000s, but it wasn't until recent years that I fully committed to incorporating it into my writing aspirations

The series primarily centers on Jane, the main character, and her dynamic with her sidekick, MK, as they tackle various supernatural challenges together. The Phoenix Files will be available for readers on platforms like KDP, Google Play, and Apple Books.


The Phoenix Files





Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Alternate Universes: West Pacifica

 


West Pacifica

In the world of Chandra’s Quest, the protagonist originates from a place called West Pacifica. This concept first sparked in my mind over a decade ago, and I decided to weave it into my narrative. In this universe, West Pacifica represents the regions of California, Oregon, and Washington. 

In Chandra’s universe, those states never came to be; instead, they evolved into a single nation. I've always been intrigued by the idea of alternate realities. So, when you read this, please don’t assume that my inclusion of West Pacifica in the story is a reaction to our current political situation. That’s not the case at all. 

The concept of West Pacifica actually came to me a long time ago. The concept of West Pacifica was originally intended to be included in the fourth book, Omega. However, after deciding to combine all four books into a single full-length novel, I chose to leave it out. Rest assured, West Pacifica will be addressed and elaborated upon in the prequel to Chandra's Quest, titled A Twist in Time.

Please do visit links below to download Chandra's Quest eBook on Amazon. Visit GooglePlay to download audiobook as well, if you prefer audio. I am currently working on the paperback, to include the changes I made to the original book.


Amazon

Audiobook

About the Phoenix Files

Excerpt from Chandra's Quest



Monday, June 9, 2025

My Author's Q & A's

 


(Once every other month I will post Q & A's that readers have asked me)

Q- Will you be posting new short videos or excerpts on Path Less Taken from the Phoenix Files? I’ve seen that you haven’t posted anything about that book, and I thought that maybe you decided to abandon the project. J. Peters

A-I appreciate your interest in my work! Currently, I'm focused on completing "A Time Traveler's Companion," which is nearly 500 pages long. Once I wrap that up, I plan to finish "Path Less Taken" and will share some short videos and excerpts soon after. 

Q- When will you publish the recent version of Chandra’s Quest on AppleBooks? You mentioned that you combined all four books into one. I would love to read it. Mary Fuentes

A-Regarding "Chandra's Quest," I do intend to release the new version on Amazon and Apple Books, but as mentioned in a previous blog post, it won't be available on GooglePlay and AppleBooks until July. An audiobook is currently being made.

Q- Do you use AI generated images for your short videos? Jessica P

A-Some images in my promotional videos, are AI-generated, but I use them primarily to depict the characters visually for the readers’ entertainment.

Q- I really enjoyed Flare and I would like to know if it is available as an audiobook. ldyVamp

A-I'm glad to hear you enjoyed "Flare” there is indeed an audiobook available on GooglePlay, so feel free to check it out!

Q-I enjoyed reading the book about the Backrooms from the Phoenix Files, will you be writing another one related to the Backrooms? Anonymous

A-There will be another installment in the Phoenix Files series that revisits the Backrooms, specifically in volume 4. It will be available in the future.

(I love receiving questions from readers through social media, and I promise to feature them on my blog in the coming months!)







Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Here We Go, Once Again...

 



To my fellow indie/self-published authors: It doesn't matter if you're utilizing certain features available on WordDocX via WordDoc 365, you’re still considered an author. I'm frustrated with people criticizing authors who employ specific writing tools to enhance the quality of their writing. Remember, you understand your audience; you know your audience, those who purchase, download, or listen to your books, let them judge. You are an author, whether you are self-published or not!

My Experience: Twenty-three years ago, self-published authors faced significant criticism on social media, a landscape I was not part of at the time since I didn’t have a Facebook account, I only had MySpace. I shared a link to my book, Chandra’s Quest, on forums and MySpace. I was unfamiliar with eBooks, my book was only available on eBay as a paperback. Despite my efforts, sales were minimal, and I was met with harsh comments on forums from users who had never even read my book but only despised my presence simply because I chose the self-publishing route and was sharing my book

Chandra’s Quest, my first novel, was originally written in the first person but was later revised to a third-person narrative in the 2010s. My encounters with online trolls, who seem to thrive on targeting Indie/self-published authors, have shown me that their tactics remain unchanged; they now use AI as an excuse to accuse writers of using it because their books may not be as bad as they first assumed. 

I have read numerous indie books, I can confidently say that many are well-written, and I don’t perceive any AI influence in them, as I focus on the content rather than the medium. I typically prefer purchasing paperback editions, I’m not looking for AI, only Karens do. 

Look, regardless of whether a writer is using some form of editing tool for their work, people shouldn’t be quick to judge. Personally, it’s taken me two years to write out my book and I am currently editing it but as I do, I am releasing it in parts on GooglePlay until I can merge all parts together into one full length novel. If you are following me on Facebook and other social media websites, I’m sure you know which one I'm referring to. I PREFER to write out my books before editing them thoroughly. Sorry if you thought otherwise.

Here's a thought: When it comes to AI, it's pretty straightforward- you just need to provide a brief prompt, and the AI takes care of the rest. I've come across one or two AI-generated books, and honestly, they weren't impressive. As I've mentioned before, I'm not interested in AI for storytelling; the two I read felt like they were written by someone who didn't put in much effort into them. That's not my style—I prefer to write my stories and refine them using the editing tools available in Word.

The way I see it is, if you're paying for Office365, you might as well take advantage of those features. In the end, people will always have their opinions, and there will be critics and trolls out there, often just reflecting their own ugliness. Ugly is, as Ugly does.

Below are sceenshots that I took of another user's rant on Wattpad reddit about AI & how it has tainted people's view on indie authors works. Not everything is AI & not all authors, especially indie authors use AI. If you're on a crusade in calling out people who use AI for certain creative endeavors, then you have issues. You're not perfect and before pointing the finger at someone else, look in the mirror.








Friday, May 23, 2025

Images of The Main Character from A Time Traveler's Companion

 



Updates on images related to character in A Time Traveler's Companion.

This post is related to a book I am currently working on and I have updated the images of the main character, Remi. I don't' always share anything related to this book on this blog, I prefer to share excerpts on my other blog under my pen name CG Heandez.


Remi (18) & Mr. Smith's first incarnation


Remi (20) & Mr. Smith's second incarnation


Remi (28) & Mr. Smith's 3rd incarnation


Remi (45) & Mr. Smith's 4th incarnation


The four incarnations of Mr. Smith

Please do visit my other blog, I share excerpts from this book and others written under CG Heandez. Link below.


 

Sunday, May 4, 2025

KDP Select & it's Rules

 



I recently received a notification from KDP indicating that one of my books is being sold on a third-party site, which violates the terms of the KDP Select Program. Since my book is currently enrolled in the 90-day KDP Select period, I am restricted from selling it elsewhere. 


(Blacked out the name of the title and the link for privacy reasons)

This situation was unintentional; I had simply forgotten to uncheck the renewal button for KDP Select program. I was fuming, I took the necessary steps to remove some of my eBooks from Google Play to comply with Kindle's policies. I have audiobooks for those titles on that platform, and according to their guidelines, this shouldn't be a major issue. Once the 90-day enrollment period ends, I intend to re-list the eBooks on Google Play, but I won’t be enrolling any of my titles in the KDP Select Program again. Moving forward, I plan to publish future eBooks on Google Play and Apple Books, and for any paperbacks, I’ll use IngramSpark, except for the Phoenix Files series, which includes the Lost in the Backrooms book, they will still be published on Amazon KDP. Overall, I believe it's crucial to make my titles available on multiple platforms for better exposure.



I’ve decided to remove my website link from my profile on the KDP Community Forum. I've noticed that some indie authors tend to compete and backstab each other, and I’m not interested in getting involved in that kind of drama. The less they know about my business, the better off I’ll be.


 I will add a link to a short video related to this topic. Please visit and comment, ty.

KDP SELECT PROGRAM: Should You or Shouldn't You Join