QSFer A. Williams has a new MM western steampunk book out: The Gambler’s Community Service.
Dundee
I woke up in a jail cell after a saloon fight which the handsome sherrif said was my fault. My punishment is something called Community Service. It doesn’t mean what I thought it did.
Russell
Dundee is a cheat and a liar. And a thief, he’s stolen my heart. How can I compete for his affection against the flirty inventor with a steam powered vehicle who has just arrived in town?
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Excerpt
Before we could cross the street, a clanking noise approached fast. Horses neighed at the sounds and one bucked off its rider before it ran in the opposite direction. Russell put out an arm to stop me, his lips tight in a deeper frown than even the one he had around me. This must be something extremely bad.
The clanking grew louder as the contraption approached. It resembled a steam powered train engine but much much smaller. Smoke hissed from the smokestack on top of the small boiler in the back. One man sat on a seat inside and steered around startled horses and people by turning a large wheel mounted to the steel beast. It pulled up in front of the trading post across the street and grew silent.
I was curious and walked over for a closer look. “What is that there contraption?” I asked as the fella climbed out of it by opening its side.
He smiled at me after wiping his damp and dirty face with a rag he yanked from a pocket. “Isn’t it grand? It’s a one-of-a-kind for now, but they’ll be manufacturing these steam powered vehicles up north soon.”
I reached out to touch the weird thing, but the stranger quickly grabbed my hand and held it in his own. “No, it’s hot, you’ll burn your lovely fingers and that would be a shame.” He hadn’t let go of my hand, and I liked the feel of it in mine. “Do you know where I can get a bath?”
I pointed to the saloon. “Right there. I’m heading that way too.”
“You are?”
I turned to look behind me at the frowning sheriff. “Yeah. Gotta do me some community service on account of a misunderstanding, so I’ll be working in that there saloon.”
Author Bio
A. Williams is primarily an author of short stories and has had over 150 stories published in various print and online magazines. She was thrilled to discover KDP’s short read categories. It’s a perfect fit for her.
A. has always been interested in reading and writing speculative fiction. Her first published story was about a vampire at a Halloween party. She got a contributor’s copy in the mail.
Apart from writing, her hobbies include reading, listening to music, playing CYOA games, and watching movies.
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