Katherine Forrister · Author · added over 8 years ago · 3 likes

Hi everyone! Curio Citizen is still in 1st at 221 orders, so thank you SO much to everyone who has ordered today. HOWEVER, 2nd place is coming up fast! They are now at 212, and they have been steadily gaining orders for days. PLEASE, personally ask one person to pre-order in a private message, in person, or even an old school phone call. That is the best (and sometimes only) way to get someone to actually place a pre-order. I’m not asking you to make yourself or anyone feel uncomfortable, of course--you know your friends and family best--but I have found that many people I would have never expected to order gladly do when personally asked. I NEED help at this point. 4th place is also gaining orders fast, and though we have a good lead, that could change if I stop getting pre-orders today and tomorrow. I hate to ask more of you who have already done so much, but all of our hard work for weeks will be for nothing if I don’t stay in the top 3.

Thank you again. I truly cannot thank you all enough.

The deadline is TOMORROW at midnight Pacific Time (that means 3am for all my east coast peeps). June 27th is the LAST DAY.

Click HERE to pre-order Curio Citizen.

Please direct friends to https://www.inkshares.com/books/curio-citizen

Here’s today’s look into Curio Citizen:

Prístina and Aliado Reúnen

Prístina Reúnen is Inquieto’s older sister, and her husband is Aliado Reúnen. Prístina is a teacher of young children, and has the compassionate and patient demeanor ideal for the profession. Aliado works for the water treatment plant beneath the Capitol, a career that doesn’t seem to fit his shrewd wit and skills for diplomacy.

----

“Prístina,” Oyente said, clasping her forearm, and then the man’s at her side. “Welcome, Aliado. It is wonderful to see you both.”

“Thank you for having us, Oyente,” replied the similarly dressed man, but his glance couldn’t stay away from me for long. “This is the alien? Carmen, is it?”

I noticed a visible shift of discomfort from Oyente. Cálido stifled a laugh.

“The Talking Curio,” Cálido smirked. I did my best to stomach the comment.

“Carmen, it is so exciting to meet you,” said Prístina, sweeping forward. “When Inquieto told us your story, I was heartbroken! What a terrible misunderstanding!”

I took a shaky breath. “Yes,” I said. No more words made it past the knot in my throat.

“Carmen, this is my older sister by five years, Prístina,” Inquieto said, with a gesture to the young woman. She possessed the same high cheekbones as her two brothers’, but they were dissimilarly part of her full, heart-shaped face. Her cheeks were a soft, enlivening blue, and I suspected she was wearing makeup.

“And her husband,” Inquieto continued, “Aliado.”

Aliado was taller than anyone present, with a square jaw and dimpled chin, a solid frame, and sharp eyes that had not yet left me.

-----

Thank you! We have less than two days! Please help!!!

-Katherine

Katherine Forrister · Author · added over 8 years ago · 2 likes

Hello all!

Curio Citizen is still in 1st place! It has been a slow weekend for the contest as a whole, it seems, but there are two days left in the competition. I would love to secure my place in the top 3, but I still really need your help to pull it off! If each one of you is able to get one other person to pre-order, that would increase my chances immensely. Curio Citizen has a good lead, but we can’t rest yet. Please help me succeed in getting this book published! I can’t wait for you all to read it, and I have to be in the top 3 for you to be able to do that. Thank you so much for everything you all have done. The deadline is this Tuesday, June 27th. The contest is open all day on Tuesday, so we can still get some last minute pre-orders in that day--because the competition certainly might!

Please click HERE to pre-order Curio Citizen.

Please direct your friends to https://www.inkshares.com/books/curio-citizen

Here’s today’s look into the world of Curio Citizen:

The Capitol

The largest city on Paz is also the seat of the planet-wide government, and is simply referred to as the Captiol. It holds millions of inhabitants, and includes the biggest and most eclectic curio museums, an enormous quadrisphere stadium, and numerous government buildings. One of these buildings houses the High and Low Councils, and many of the lesser courts. It is called the Egalitarian.

The architecture of the city is diverse, but typically consists of pale colors and various gleaming metals, sparkling crystals, and sleek pearl facades.

The Capitol is centered around a large, paz-made lake, which seems to anchor the beautiful city, and extends its pure waters into countless ponds and fountains throughout the courtyards, plazas, streets, and home and public gardens. It is hard to be anywhere in the Capitol where a background splash of water isn’t heard.

--

"The elevator lifted. The movement was so smooth, I hardly felt it, but the view out of the two-way mirror doors made our height clear.

It was breathtaking. The city was a broach of pearl and opal in a setting of white gold. Glints of emerald trees and open lawns intermixed with sapphire ponds, and the expansive lake was the crown jewel.

’This is our largest city,’ Inquieto informed me. ’The Capitol of Paz.’

’Paz is your planet,’ I said, unable to take my eyes off the glittering spectacle. ’Your planet has a capitol?’

’Of course,’ he said. He may have intended to say more, but the elevator stopped itself, and our conversation."

Thank you again for all of your support!

-Katherine

Katherine Forrister · Author · added over 8 years ago · 3 likes

Hello all!

Curio Citizen is still in 1st place AND we are just ONE order away from 200 readers! If you know anyone at all who might be interested in ordering, please direct them to the site and let them know the deadline is THIS TUESDAY, June 27th. We are in the home stretch and have a real chance of winning this thing and getting Curio Citizen published. You all are so amazing to have helped me come so far. Thank you!

Please click HERE to pre-order your copy if you have not yet done so.

Please direct friends to https://www.inkshares.com/books/curio-citizen

Here is today’s look into the world of Curio Citizen:

Cálido Reúnen is Inquieto’s younger brother and is the Earth equivalent of 19 years old. He has an insatiable sense of humor, which is his way of lightening tension and keeping peace in social interactions. He is an expert at walking the line between jests in good humor and insults, and so it is extremely rare he actually offends any paz with his lighthearted jibes. His skills are put to the test when he meets Carmen, however.

In addition to his wit, Cálido is a genius when it comes to engineering and programming, and he "tinkers" with machines in the basement workshop of his parents’ home. He can be quite handy in a tricky situation--if he can be convinced to participate.

-----
Inquieto smiled down at me, and I stepped back from the door as I heard footsteps on the other side.

“Weeeell, look who cleans up nice.” Inquieto made an annoyed clicking sound.

“Cálido,” he said, “really?”

Cálido smirked, and then eyed me up and down. I looked at him with an expression that echoed Inquieto’s word.

He was shorter than Inquieto and looked a few years younger, but there was a definite resemblance. They both had high cheekbones and nicely-shaped lips with just the right fullness. He was dressed in similar black fabric, but had draped a salmon sash across his chest, trimmed with fine threads of gold. He wore the same pin on his chest that I did.

“Well, it—she does,” he said. “Though that scowl is the same.”

“Maybe, if you—”

“Carmen,” Inquieto interrupted the insult he no doubt sensed was forming on my tongue and placed his hand on my shoulder. “This is my brother, Cálido. Cálido, this is Carmen. And yes, she is in much better condition than when you saw her last, now that she is recognized as a person.”

Fantastic. His brother had seen me before. One of my many visitors at the Museum. I swallowed my outrage and flush of humiliation and gave a short nod.

“It’s nice to meet you, Cálido,” I said as clearly as I could.

He laughed. “Ah, this is great,” he said. “She can talk.” He turned around and waved us inside. “Father’s making tilt-sticks; he’s around back,” he informed us over his shoulder as he walked off.

I sent Inquieto a wide-eyed glare.

“Don’t worry about Cálido,” he said. “He’s easily amused. Mother and father will be less...”

“Rude?” I offered.

“This is a new situation,” he corrected. “Try to be understanding.”

-----

Whether Inquieto had specifically invited him for my benefit or not, I was glad for the company. Teasing as it was, Cálido’s sense of humor was bold compared to most paz, different from Inquieto’s gentle sarcasm laced with worried affection. I could relate to Cálido on a more human level, even if he did share the pervasive paz outlook that everyone was innocent and never intended any harm to one another. If anything, his jokes were his way of keeping peace, of laughing off any potential, awkward situations to make people smile. He lived up to his name, Warm. He was vivacious as fire and as kind and comforting as a mug of hot chocolate.

Thank you again for all of your help!

-Katherine

Katherine Forrister · Author · added over 8 years ago · 4 likes

Hello again!

Guess what? We only need 10 more orders to hit the 200 readers mark! That would be an amazing accomplishment. It would also help Curio Citizen keep hold of 1st place! You all have done so much for me already, and I am so grateful. I hate to ask more of you, but there are 4 days left in the contest, so please help me make the final push towards finishing in the top 3 by asking another family member or friend to pre-order a copy. Only $10 could change my life forever! I also have more followers than I do pre-orders, so please consider pre-ordering if you haven’t already. It would mean so much to me! Remember, the deadline for pre-orders has been changed to this Tuesday, June 27th!

Click HERE to pre-order Curio Citizen.

And here’s today’s look into the world of Curio Citizen:

Marea Reúnen is Inquieto’s aristocratic mother. She came from a wealthy family and succeeded in her schooling and career well enough to maintain some semblance of the wealth she once enjoyed. Because of this and her high intelligence, even by paz standards, she has a slightly superior attitude towards others. She tempers that attitude most of the time, but it comes out full force when Carmen becomes involved in her son’s life.

Marea is a high-up employee of the Understand, the planet’s most vital scientific research center. On a planet where the dominant species values intelligence above all other traits (aside from peace), paz as intelligent as Marea are granted a level of respect and wealth that appropriately corresponds to the great mental aptitude and time it takes to perform such vigorous research.

Marea does indeed spend a good deal of her time at the Understand. She is working on something secret, something big, which she can’t discuss with anyone--not even her own family.

--------

“Ah, everyone’s here,” she said pleasantly in a smooth voice. She, too, was dressed in black, but a lustrous amber sash covered most of her clothing, along with a mesh of amber swathing her bald head, which she lowered as she scanned the gathering.

“Marea,” Oyente said. “Excellent timing. Dinner is set to be ready in a few minutes.”

“Yes,” Marea said in acknowledgement, but her attention was focused on me. I stood, getting the distinct impression she did not want me dirtying her furniture.

---------

“Tell us a little about your planet,” Aliado requested.

I noticed both Oyente and Marea tense a little at his words. They exchanged a look of disapproval tinged with nerves.

“It’s surprisingly similar to Paz,” I said, truthfully. “The soil, the trees, the blue sky, the yellow sun. The people.” I looked straight at Marea at the last.

“So similar,” said Aliado. “That’s odd, isn’t it?”

I turned my eyes to him. “Yes,” I said, meeting his pointed intrigue with my own. “It is.”

“And,” Marea spoke, light and thin, “how are humans like paz?”

I took a quiet breath and floated my gaze across the table. Her heavy black eyes studied me while her hand lightly clutched a delicate glass, her full lips curled in an aristocratic smile.

“Can you not see?” I asked. Her eyes brightened, but their light was not internal, only a reflection of the dying sun.

-------

Thank you so much for your continued support. You have all done so much for me already, and I am incredibly grateful. 4 more days and hopefully we’ll see this book published! The deadline is Tuesday, June 27th.

-Katherine

Katherine Forrister · Author · added over 8 years ago · 4 likes

Hello my dear followers!

I am thrilled to announce that Curio Citizen currently holds 1st place! But some interesting news was thrown our way yesterday. From the beginning, there has been a disconnect between the contest ending date--on the official rules, it stated June 27th was the ending date, but on the site settings, June 25th had been programmed as the ending day. I operated under the assumption that the 25th was the ending date, but it turns out, June 27th IS the actual end date for the contest.

Why does this matter? It gives the competition two extra days to gather pre-orders and potentially overtake us. We have a good lead as it now stands, but that could change at any moment. Five days is a lot longer than three when every contestant is bringing in more orders every day. I will need your help to keep me in the top 3 spots and get published!

Please ask at least one other person to pre-order my book and help them find the site and place the order. You all have been so amazing, and we are almost there! Please help me win this contest in these final days. The deadline is now June 27th at 11:59pm. Any individual orders from separate email addresses placed before then will count towards the contest!

Just $10 could truly change my daughter’s life and mine. Please consider helping us so we can find our feet, and I can start a career that will support us. Plus, you get a fantastic sci-fi novel (if I do say so myself, haha :P )

Thank you again! Click HERE to pre-order a copy of Curio Citizen.

And for all you awesome sci-fi fans, here is today’s look into the world of Curio Citizen:

Paz Economics:

As described before, the paz are inherently peaceful, and, as expected, have established a peaceful, planet-wide society. Part of what makes such peace possible is their structured economic standards.

’

Their money is called "din" and is stored on triangular cards.

While different levels of wealth exist on Paz, every child, no matter how wealthy or poor a family they come from, is given the same education and opportunities. Following their education, they choose a field of study which interests them and pursue it as a career. Once in that career, salary, promotional steps, and pay raises are all standardized for each job planet-wide. Pay for each job is based on the level of time and aptitude it requires. The Council of Careers is the primary division of government that handles these decisions and makes relevant policies.

In addition, the minimum wage on Paz is a true, livable wage. Those who cannot work or are otherwise in need are cared for monetarily by the government.

The setup sounds ideal to Carmen, but she is left to wonder if a structure like that would actually work with humans involved--or if it is really as perfect as it seems on Paz.

               "’But, surely there are favors given, backhanded dealings,’ I prompted. ’You can’t really believe everyone lives in perfect honesty and integrity in that situation. And don’t some people get upset or jealous if they don’t get the career they want? What happens if they fail the tests and have to be a garbage collector or something?’

               Inquieto seemed confused by my logic. ’If someone fails the tests, then yes, they are usually disappointed, but they process their emotions and move on. Most find contentment in their new career because it is better suited to their abilities.’

               He then frowned in consternation. ’And as for backhanded dealings, no, of course not. That would ultimately lead to more trouble than it was worth. Everyone knows that. It’s common sense. Who would want to cause that much trouble?’

               ’Are you really so naive?’ I asked, unable to hold my tongue.

               ’Do you truly think so darkly?’ he asked, greatly troubled.

               ’I—’ I uttered. ’To believe everyone is peaceful and perfect—that’s not dark thinking, it’s just a reality of life.’

’On Earth, perhaps,’ he said uncertainly."

---

Thank you!

--Katherine

Katherine Forrister · Author · added over 8 years ago · 3 likes

Hello Everybody!!

Curio Citizen is still in 2nd place! I never dreamed we would get so far, but we are currently only 3 ORDERS away from stepping into 1st place! Now, there is absolutely NO guarantee we will get there or even stay in the top 3, and honestly, I would be extremely happy to be 2nd or 3rd. BUT there is still an enormous chance we will be overrun by the books in lower places at any time if we do not keep gaining pre-orders over the next 4 DAYS. That is all that is left in this contest. It ends THIS SUNDAY, June 25th! Please, please, please, if you have not pre-ordered yet, I need your help right now! Please don’t wait any longer to pull the trigger and pre-order. Please also keep asking a friend or two personally to pre-order a copy to help me out!

Thank you all SO much!!

Here’s today’s look into the world of Curio Citizen:

Canción (Canto) Ortorgan is an illustrious socialite in the Capitol of Paz. He is extremely wealthy, and his unusually boisterous personality (by paz standards) makes him a very popular person. His excessive demeanor is unquestionably positive, however, and so is viewed differently from Carmen’s often fiery temperament.

While the High Council members are ultimately responsible for the legal decisions regarding Carmen’s life on Paz, popular opinion can play a factor. The support of Canto Ortorgan could be just what Carmen needs to improve her chances of being accepted as an intelligent being. But there is something strange about Canto--does he have other motives for his involvement with the curio?

’

               “’Oh, this is excellent!’ cried a booming voice from the stands. I looked up; the festive man in red, green, and gold was off his seat, applauding like a Roman emperor at the Colosseum. ’’What a show!’

               Tenaz was grinning beside me. I found Inquieto, his arms folded, tucked in the shadows of the stadium entrance. He stepped forward, shifting his face into a smile.

               The applauding gentleman made his way past the rowdy team and their jaw-dropped coach to the pitch level.

                ’Inquieto Reúnen,’ he said, clasping forearms with the younger man as if they were longtime friends. ’I have been wanting to meet you. Ever since I saw your story on the news, what a tale!’

               He looked over at me and beckoned me with welcoming arms. I hesitated, looking at Inquieto for confirmation that this flamboyant man was sane.

----

Thank you all again so much for your support! I am truly humbled by the amount of love I have been shown throughout this contest. We are in the final days, and I ask you all to make a final push to help me get more pre-orders so all of our work won’t be for nothing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

--Katherine

Katherine Forrister · Author · added over 8 years ago · 1 like

Hello all!

Curio Citizen remains in 2nd place! However, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th place contenders are gaining pre-orders just as fast as we are, if not faster. I could really use your help to ask others, one-on-one, to please pre-order a copy. If you are following these updates and have not pre-ordered, now is the time I could really use your help! There are only 5 days left! The contest ends on June 25th! Thank you! Just $10 could change my life and be the start of my writing career!

Click HERE to pre-order!

Here’s today’s look into the world of Curio Citizen:

Electrolocation:

The paz have inherent biological features known as electrolocation and electroreception. They can send electrical signals outward from their bodies to detect the locations and shapes of objects around them, and through electroreception, they can interpret the electrical signals of other people or animals nearby. This ability was originally developed for the species to hunt, but as they evolved to be a naturally peaceful species, their electrical abilities altered in function. Now, paz use these electrical signals to understand the physical manifestations of others’ emotional states so they can better approach an upsetting situation and resolve it. They also use electrolocation to calm others by sending a small, soothing electrical pulse through them.

Electrolocation and electroreception have become key elements to the paz culture. Their formal, friendly greeting, for example, consists of individuals clasping forearms and putting forth a small amount of electrolocation to show peace. Paz also use electrolocation to calm their children or to show affection. In extreme cases, electrolocation can be used in a stronger form to temporarily stun an unruly paz or animal, but only those in law enforcement or animal handlers tend to use this ability.

’

               “’Get me out,’ I said, flicking my eyes to the window and back again. ’Get me out,’ I repeated. ’Help me.’

               His face fell with sympathy, and he reached out to touch me. I stiffened. His hand stroked my forehead, and two of his firm fingers pushed lightly against my skin. I closed my eyes in surprise. A subtle pulse emanated from his fingers, and the muscles of my forehead smoothed. The pulse continued in a low, comforting wave of soothing euphoria. I blinked a few times as I waded through the brief experience.

                He removed his hand. His black eyes were consoling and carried a promise.

                ’Are you going to get me out?’ I whispered, testing his supposed resolve. I felt the smoothed muscles of my forehead twitch back into being, and the furrows reformed as I waited for him to answer."

---

Fun fact, duck-billed platypuses use these same abilities through electrical organs and sensors in their "beaks" (snouts), and many fish and invertebrates have similar abilities. While writing Curio Citizen, I knew I wanted the paz to be able to have some sort of ability like this, but it wasn’t until the research phase that I discovered this particular biological adaptation used by many animals on Earth. It fit in perfectly with my aims for the book, and is one example of how I love to incorporate actual science into my science fiction!

’

You are all so amazing! Thank you for continuing to help. I hope these updates are ramping up your excitement for Curio Citizen! Hopefully I will be able to share it with you in published form. 5 days will reveal whether or not that happens! Until then, we’ve got to keep working for more pre-orders!

--Katherine

Katherine Forrister · Author · added over 8 years ago · 2 likes

Hello everyone!

Curio Citizen is still in 2nd place! I am so grateful to all of you for helping to get it there! There is only one week left, so please keep spreading the word! Deadline is June 25th, THIS SUNDAY.

Oh, and we made the local news!! Check it out:

https://www.facebook.com/wyffmyraruiz/posts/1918736561744451
https://www.facebook.com/wyffmyraruiz/posts/1918745398410234

And here’s today’s look into the world of Curio Citizen--one of the important characters who can influence Carmen’s journey:

Memoria Levantan is a long-time member of the High Council of the Capitol, and some would say she’s the most influential. She has a calm, but commanding presence, and her wisdom is respected, her opinions not taken lightly. She is compassionate, but does not allow her interpretation of the law to be sullied by emotion.

Carmen must convince the entire Council to see her as equal to paz, but she knows swaying Memoria is key to achieving her goal.

’

               "’Inquieto,’ Levantan said, and then corrected herself, ’Citizen Reúnen, you are an expert in your field. Your evidence of her behavior is strong and is substantiated by your education and experience in animal, specifically, curio, behavior. I don’t believe anyone on this Council can ignore the validity of your testimony.’

              She eyed her peers, who seemed to acknowledge her words. Even Fortalacen’s lips were thin in assent.

              ’As such, I think it would be unwise to make any rash decisions in objection. However, Citizen Reúnen, you must not have expected your unconventional request would be immediately granted today,’ she continued.

              ’I did not,’ Inquieto agreed.

              ’Then, granted the new petition, I ask my fellow members of the Council for a delay in this decision, and that we shall confer amongst ourselves and notify the petitioner when further action on his part is required,’ she said. ’Do I have the agreement of the Council?’

One by one, hands raised in agreement. I eyed Fortalacen as he hesitated, and his hard eyes met mine. I believed he thought I would look away; he certainly looked perturbed when I did not, but he raised his hand in agreement."

--

Thank you so much for continuing to personally ask others to pre-order Curio Citizen. I really appreciate all your help. We are almost there!!

Click HERE to pre-order Curio Citizen!

--Katherine

Katherine Forrister · Author · added over 8 years ago

Hello! We officially have 1 week left in the contest! That’s right, 7 days! If you haven’t pre-ordered, please consider doing so. If you are planning on getting around to it, please do it now while it’s fresh in your head. :) Also, please continue to gather pre-orders from any of your friends and family who would love to help a fledgling author get published. Thank you again for all of your love and support!

We are still in 2nd place, but as always, the others are steadily gaining pre-orders and could catch up or run ahead of us at any time. I’m staying focused, though, so with your help, I think we have a great chance of finishing in the top 3!

As part of the 100 order mark, I promised you a sneak peek into the third book of the trilogy, Curio Criminal! Click here.

And here is today’s look into the world of Curio Citizen:

Planetary Tilt

We’ve already discussed the dense mineral that makes interstellar space travel possible--void--and the high gravity zones that are present, in part, due to this mineral within the bedrock of Paz. What we haven’t discussed is a strange phenomenon caused by the high gravity zones.

Paz experiences periodic changes in the nutation of the planet. This causes extreme temperature increases or drops at various times throughout the year. These "tilts" can last from weeks to months, and while they are predictable in timing, the severity of temperature depends upon numerous meteorological factors in addition to the tilt itself. This can lead to unexpected consequences.

The paz have made technological advances to control their immediate environments, but the fear remains that, should their climate control fail, people will suffer or die due to the dangers of these extreme temperatures.

              “Father was just explaining to Carmen what causes the tilt,” Cálido said from his chair.

              Oyente nodded. “Yes,” he handed his daughter and son-in-law fresh glasses of juice and offered them seats around a wide table, “it appears to be something she’s never experienced before.”

               I took a bite of my tilt-stick, curious about the conversation, but not sure if I could handle any more condescension. The refreshment distracted me for a moment. It was ice cold and very tart. The paz certainly had a preference for strong flavors.

             “The planet wobbles,” Cálido piped up. A sidelong grin was on his face as he tilted one of his tilt-sticks to match. “The high gravity zones are so dense, they throw Paz off balance as it rotates.”

            “Not enough for us to feel it, of course,” Oyente assured me. “We’re not going to go flying off the planet.”

            “Oh, good,” I said mildly. “I was worried.”

            Inquieto suppressed a smile. Good, I thought, he had finally decided I was intelligent enough for sarcasm.

---

Thank you so much for your support! We can do this! Click here to pre-order Curio Citizen!

--Katherine

Katherine Forrister · Author · added over 8 years ago · 4 likes

Hello to my amazing followers!

We have reached over 100 pre-orders, a number I never dreamed we would attain. Curio Citizen is still in 2nd place, but 3rd and 4th continue to gather orders and are right on our tail. There are only 9 days left in the contest!

Please, I ask each of you to seek out one person who might want to pre-order a copy and encourage them to do so. It would be so helpful! I am getting a lot of "likes" and "shares" on social media, but the actual pre-orders are slowing down. I know people are excited about Curio Citizen, but they might need a little nudge to get them to contribute monetarily.

If you are following this and haven’t pre-ordered, I ask you to please consider doing it now. I am so excited to share Curio Citizen with all of you and see it on bookstore shelves, but it will not be published if I don’t stay in the top 3.

Thank you so much for your help! Now, as promised, I will be posting sneak peeks into the second two books of the Curio Trilogy to give you a taste of where this sci-fi saga is going! Today, I have posted an excerpt from Curio Conspiracy.

But first, I’ll start with a brief introduction of the primary villain of Curio Citizen:

Dignidad Fortalacen is an ambitious politician. As our story begins, he sits on the High Council, the most powerful seat of government, which is based in the Capitol, but oversees the entire planet. He is the youngest person ever elected to the position of High Counselor, and although he is now middle-aged, he still has years separating him from his wizened peers.

Fortalacen is a strict proponent of isolationism and sees Carmen as a threat to paz traditions and safety. He is arrogant, shrewd, and far more power-hungry than paz are bred to be. How far will he go to stop Carmen? Will he push the confines of his peaceful society in his quest for power?

,

"’We are present today to discuss Curio 0924,’ a man with a smooth, deep voice said. His skin was slightly darker than most paz, though not enough to suggest a different race. He had deep-set eyes and a slightly sloped-back forehead, with a square jaw and a biting elegance. ’A designated species of Planet 0924, established on Paz as of Fifday, the thirty-sixth of Month Eight, Year 601 of Forward Peace. We have viewed the provided footage and annotated assessment analyses you have submitted, and—’

’She is a human, Counselor Fortalacen,’ Inquieto boldly interrupted. ’A sublevel intelligent species to a degree that no curio has ever been assessed, neither at the Curio Life Museum of the Capitol, nor any smaller city museum on Paz. She has a name, and it is Carmen O’Dwyer. She comes from a planet called Earth, on which her species is the dominant species, much like our own species is on Paz.’

Fortalacen listened to this explanation in a silence as smooth as his butter-knife voice. When he spoke, he revealed its subtle edge.

’Whatever your perceptions, Citizen Reúnen, this council will decide whether or not the curio is worthy of being designated as a sublevel intelligent species or not,’ he said. ’Or are you confused about why you are here today?’

Inquieto placed his hands on the back of the chair behind me.

’I am here today,’ he said slowly, ’to submit a petition for Carmen O’Dwyer’s citizenship.’

I blinked in surprise and looked up at him. Then I frowned at Counselor Fortalacen, who was laughing. He was joined by a few others; the rest looked stunned and rather dubious."

Click here to see our hero and villain in action in an excerpt from Curio Conspiracy!

And click here to pre-order Curio Citizen :)

Thanks so much!

--Katherine