QSFer J.A. Gaudio has a new FF sci-fi book out: The Fleet Admiral’s Daughter.
Sapphic Space Adventure of Duty, Love, and Resilience
In the distant reaches of space, Captain Sarah Miller’s future was meant for the war-torn streets of Earth—not the cold corridors of Crown Space Station. But when her father, Fleet Admiral Douglas Miller, is forced to step down, duty demands she take his place, whether she wants it or not.
Joined by her twin brother Max, a brilliant engineer with a knack for trouble, Sarah struggles to navigate the high-stakes world of military leadership, interstellar politics, and the shadow of a father she can never seem to please. Haunted by crippling PTSD and the ghosts of her past, she fights for control in a life she never chose.
Amid the chaos, Sarah finds an unexpected light in Lieutenant Commander Annie Jones. Their forbidden sapphic romance is a spark of warmth in the vast emptiness of space—but with looming threats on all sides, can love survive in a galaxy that demands loyalty above all else?
Perfect for fans of LGBTQ romance books, lesbian military sci-fi, and high-stakes space opera!
If you love queer sci-fi romance, resilient heroines, and the clash of duty versus desire, dive into The Fleet Admiral’s Daughter today!
Get It At Amazon
Excerpt
“How’s our LC doing?” she asked Carlos, muscling to the front of the spectators. The range was set up for varying distances and angles, the section of the gallery running the entire length of the Crown, just as the engineering lab. She could barely see the targets down the lane, stretching out all the way to the other side.
“She’s made it to the final; where’ve you been?”
“Got held up,” she grunted. She’d been with Whitmoore, studying. Unable to escape to attend the entire competition.
“I think she’s got good odds,” Ernie piped up, leaning against the railing with them. “Only Barton, Brohe and Efrain are left, and they’ve all missed at least once.”
Sarah turned to speak but Captain Bowman held up her hands for quiet. She was captain of the Diamond, but few knew that. Admiral Meara’s right hand and in charge of the defense of the station, along with all the training, ensuring soldiers were kept ready for confrontation. She was quite pretty too; Max had been chasing her around since they were teens.
“We’ve made it to the final round. Here’s where it gets interesting, we’re moving to 800 meters and beyond. And we’ll be moving from station to station, speed and accuracy will be key here. Hits, misses and time will all count toward the final score. Any questions?”
“800 meters,” Carlos whistled. “That’s nuts.”
“She’s got this.” She raised her voice, banging on the railing with the other two, “Let’s go, LC!”
Annie must have recognized her voice because she looked up from fiddling with her rifle biped and shot her that incredible, radiant smile that made her feel as if they were the only two people in the universe.
“Get to your stations!” Bowman called, breaking their eyes apart. She saw Annie take a breath, exhaling slowly as she pulled up her hair a little tighter. She set up her rifle at station three, under the bottom of a metal stand that looked like two right angle triangles together. She would have to make a shot from four different places on the stand; underneath, in between each triangle and above. Aiming the rifle through the scope quickly was hard enough as it was, but switching positions was another thing entirely.
“Rifles down,” Bowman ordered, walking amongst them. Annie laid her rifle in front of her, face looking fiercely determined. Bowman lifted up her watch, coming to a rest in the middle of the competitors.
The hall was quiet as all gathered awaited Bowman’s signal; bated breath excited for the competition. Most of those assembled were from the combat platoons but she could see some engineers and medics in the crowd. They pressed in tightly against the metal railing, eager to get a good look at the marksmen as they fired.
There was a viewscreen pulled down, each participant’s targets projected to see up close. The stats would appear at the top when they began, she knew, showing speed, accuracy and point count.
“Begin.”
Annie had the rifle up on the biped lightning fast, butt against her shoulder, the rifle barrel barely moving as she lined up her shot carefully. Sarah could see her grinding her teeth in her nerves, her cheekbone pulsing.
Hers was the first shot to ring out, a hole ripped through the bullseye down the range, Sarah’s eyes ping-ponged from Annie to the viewscreen as she was on her feet before Barton’s shot left his gun, pulling the pin from the biped and resting her rifle down in the first triangle, adjusting the scope quickly, bracing it against her shoulder once again. Before Barton had his rifle set, she fired again, the slug moving so fast the paper at 800 meters exploded before she heard the sharp crack of the shot. The sound lingered in the air as she moved right to the next triangle.
Ernie observed, “You ever notice how she taps her thumb while she’s aiming? That would distract the hell out of me.”
“And she pulls the trigger with her middle finger,” Carlos added.
“Hey – seems to do just fine for her,” Sarah put in as Annie’s third round left her gun, already moving to her final position, the top of the frame and the culminating 900-meter shot.
Annie took her time at the last placement, exhaling two or three breaths instead of her usual one. Her hands and stance were strong and steady as she tapped against the back of the trigger with her right thumb, her left-hand brushing against the scope focus gently. Sarah’s heart seemed to beat in time with the tapping of her thumb, anticipation ramping it up. Barton’s third shot rang out and he moved to the top, rushing in his effort to overtake her but she had already pulled the trigger.
The bullet tore through the target, a touch outside of the bullseye but well inside the red ring.
“Yeah, Annie!”
“Let’s fucking go, LC!”
She was smiling as she finally let the rifle drop from her shoulder, placing it back down on the ground gently. She modestly kept her triumph in as she stepped back to watch the remaining competitors finish. Barton had come closest to her score, and Efrain hit the bullseye of the 900, but she won the contest by a longshot.
Captain Bowman presented her with the trophy, a SR on a pedestal, and she came over to them, still grinning from ear to ear.
“Nice shooting, LC,” Ernie slapped her on the back.
“Yeah, remind me to never make you mad,” Carlos jested, taking the trophy from her and thrusting it into the air.
A crowd gathered around Carlos, come to see the prize up close.
Annie touched her shoulder as the rest looked away toward the big man, “You came.”
“‘Course I did, I wouldn’t have missed it. Sorry I was late. I’m sure you slayed those first two rounds.”
She brushed off her shoulder, “I did.”
It was so hard not to embrace her for the win. Her smile was so infectious that all she wanted was to wrap her up in her arms right there.
“I’ve got to get my stuff. Keep an eye on that for me, would you?” she nodded toward her award, now being passed around. “Dinner after?”
She disappeared back into the competitors area. Sarah leaned back against the railing, smiling at her retreating form.
Author Bio
Jill is an avid storyteller with a passion for crafting imaginative worlds by hand—literally. Each of her stories begins with pen on paper, giving life to characters and adventures in the most personal way possible. A proud dog mom and a member of the LGBTQ community, she draws inspiration from her own journey of sobriety and self-discovery.
Her debut novel, The Fleet Admiral’s Daughter, is a thrilling space exploration saga that marks the beginning of an exciting new series. With a love for science fiction and a commitment to authenticity, she brings her unique perspective to every page.
| Author Website | https://www.jagaudioauthor.com/ |
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| Author Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564081993394 |