Rectify Injustice (The Exceptional S. Beaufont Book 6)

by Sarah Noffke

  Since then, Beer’s walls have been given a feminine touch with Cher and Brittany and Bett Midler stuff. Ramy, of course, has the Greatest Showman posters plastered on his walls. And every day I walk into my office, I suspect that I’ll get paid back for my pranks. Apparently most people don’t have time for such shenanigans. Priorities people.

  Thanks to Paul for the inspiration on the Hiker and Sophia storylines. I really love getting feedback and insights from readers as they read. It’s always interesting to see how they think the story is going to go. Sometimes I get to giggle and think…nope, but just you wait. And other times, I’m like, that’s a brilliant idea and I’m totally using it. Anyway, Paul constantly offers me awesome input. Thanks awesome reader 12 :)

  Sincerely,

  Tiny Ninja

  Michael’s Author Notes

  June 1, 2020

  So, I am all of these things Tiny Ninja™ says I am, and so much more. Unless I’m not, which is often the case with Sarah.

  You blame one person incorrectly and the guilty party stands up and takes umbrage. Damn!

  If you ever get a chance to talk with Sarah at an event, do take it. Just member you ARE looking for a really tall halfling so unless you are about five-feet nothing, do remember to look for the tiny ninja in your path. She will absolutely remind you of everything Liv and the Beaufont sisters have ever done or said.

  She is, after all, them.

  Diary of a mad artist - The Creation of a Book Cover

  These are the (often) incomplete ramblings about being an indie author and working with other (often) fun authors and the stuff they come up with.

  There are many ways to get a cover for one of your books. You can do it yourself (and I have…not hugely successfully, but I have).

  You can buy a pre-order and that can be fantastic. For little money (compared to a fully realized -from scratch- cover) you get to see a cover that matches what you want and it excites the little author brain to go into squeals of joy.

  And you sit down and start pounding the keyboard, the keys going clickity-clack as the story comes out of you as you work away on a dopamine high all started because of a pre-built cover.

  You can see yourself holding the book and a future reality has been created.

  Well, until the high wears off.

  Then, you print the book cover as inspiration, hoping to draw that first high again into your veins wondering if you will ever feel that way again. And yes, you really can. But possibly not with this first book cover you purchased.

  Normally with pre-built covers what is missing is good typography. The fonts selected or the additional flourishes you don’t realize are on the book covers you like are not on your book cover.

  Somethings is a little wrong, and you don’t know why.

  Covers are a massive part concept, art direction, colors, point of view, action, genre tropes (an example would be six-pack abs on a romance cover that screams (to those who know) that ‘there be open-door sex in this book!’ If you put a bare-chested man on a book and put your sex behind closed doors you should expect to see negative reviews.

  That’s when you realize if you want to help your sales, you don’t break the genre tropes with your book covers and should you decide that you want something without tropes, you will be making future sales more difficult.

  Not impossible, and perhaps your book cover that is unique will garner an audience, just know that if you go that route, you are picking the much harder way to go up the mountain.

  I should know, I’ve broken those rules as well.

  As you do more books, you start to find that certain artists resonate with you and your readership. Fans see the cover art and associate it with your stories and another brand is born. Except, artists also work on other stories for other authors and their style is just that.

  Theirs.

  When you happen to see another book with a similar look and feel as your own, you know what’s going on and while there is practically nothing you can do about it (except hire really expensive models most authors can’t touch) you just cross your fingers and give your artists as much business as possible.

  Then Ramy “some-author-who-shant-be-named” comes along and happens to like your style and says something like ‘make it look like that.’ I’m not complaining, I’ve certainly liked certain styles and wanted to emulate them myself so I’m throwing no stones whatsoever.

  I’m merely bringing in Ramy somebody from Sarah’s author notes and sharing the fun of working with them. And their sense of humor. And their sense of style. And their love of … Ok, ok. His cover looked fantastic and I should know. While he might have mentioned something about getting a cover done, it wasn’t until I saw it that I realized how close it would look.

  And the cover DOES look good.

  However, I shall be giving him shit about this for days, at least.

  Although, I doubt he will be too worried, we don’t speak for days at a time and I’m not even putting this little story in the author notes from one of the collaboration stories we do together. I’m putting this into a book where Sarah was miffed that he-who-shall-not-be-named (Ramy) received the credit for something she instigated.

  Now I feel like I’ve appropriately remedied that situation by providing him Ramy a little harassment to offset the exuberance he Ramy must have felt. Right?

  Now are you happy, Sarah?

  Or did you want me to fall on my own sword rather than stab Ramy he-who-shall-not-be-named?

  Because I’m telling you right now, that isn’t happening.

  ;-)

  Michael

  Acknowledgments

  Sarah Noffke

  I feel like I’m on the stage at the Oscars, accepting an award when I write my acknowledgments. I stand there, holding this award, my hands shaking and my words racing around in my mind. I’m not an actress for a reason. I’m a writer and talking to people in “real life” is hard. Not to mention a ton of people all at once.

  I picture looking out at the audience and being blinded by spotlights and forgetting every word of the speech I memorized just in case I won. The speech would go like this and it’s meant for all of you, not the guild. For the fans. The supporters. The people who are the reason I would ever stand on any stage, ever.

  Okay, here we go. I clear my throat and smile, looking up at the camera, holding the little golden man. And then I begin:

  This was never supposed to happen. I was never meant to publish a book and then another one. And then another. I was supposed to write in private and live a life that Henry David Thoreau called a life of “quiet desperation.” I would always hope to share my books, but never bring myself to do it. And you would never read my words. But then, in a crazed moment of brashness, I did share my books and you all liked them. And because of that, I’ve never been the same. And here I am feeling grateful all just because…

  That’s why I’m here. Because of you. Thank you to my first readers. The ones who picked up those books that I didn’t even outline and you still liked them. You messaged me and maybe you thought it was no big deal, but when your ego is new to the publishing world, it’s a big deal.

  I can’t thank you readers enough. I’ve found that reading your reviews helps me to start a chapter when I’m stuck or lazy.

  I really need to thank someone who has made this all possible and that’s my father. I was going to quit. I can’t tell you how many times I quit. But when I wasn’t making it, he was the one who told me to not throw in the towel. “Give yourself a timeline,” he suggested. If I didn’t get to my goal by then, I’d quit. And apparently there was magic in that advice, because I’m still doing this. Dad, you’re the pragmatic one, but when you believed in me enough to tell me to not quit, I knew I had to follow your advice.

  And I thank all my friends who are constantly supporting me with thoughts of love and encouragement. Most don’t read my books. I’m sort of self-deprecating, although I’m working on it and will be the first to
tell my friends, “My books probably aren’t for you.” However, every now and then a friend surprises me and says, “I was up all night reading your books.” It’s always a total shock. But my point is, that even if they didn’t read, I still have the best friends ever. Diane, you’re my rock. And I love you, even though you will probably not read this.

  Thank you to everyone at LMBPN. Those people are like family to me, although I’m not sure if they’ll let me sleep on their couch. Well, who am I kidding? They totally will. Big thanks to Steve, Lynne, Mihaela, Kelly, Jen and the entire team. The JIT members are the best.

  Huge thank you to the LMBPN Ladies group on Facebook. Micky, you’re the best. And that group keeps me sane.

  And a giant thank you to the betas for this series. Juergen you are my first reader and friend. Thanks for all the help. And thanks to Martin and Crystal for being some of the best people I know. What would I do without you? A huge thanks to the ARC team. Seriously, if it weren’t for you all I might pass out before release day, wondering if anyone will like the book.

  And with all my books, my final thank you goes to my lovely muse, Lydia. Oh sweet darling, I write these books for you, but ironically, I couldn’t write them without you. You are my inspiration. My sounding board. And the reason that I want to succeed. I love you.

  Thank you all! I’m sorry if I forgot anyone. Blame Michael. For no other reason than just because.

  Books By Sarah Noffke

  Sarah Noffke writes YA and NA science fiction, fantasy, paranormal and urban fantasy. In addition to being an author, she is a mother, podcaster and professor. Noffke holds a Masters of Management and teaches college business/writing courses. Most of her students have no idea that she toils away her hours crafting fictional characters. www.sarahnoffke.com

  Check out other work by Sarah author here.

  Ghost Squadron:

  Formation #1:

  Kill the bad guys. Save the Galaxy. All in a hard day’s work.

  After ten years of wandering the outer rim of the galaxy, Eddie Teach is a man without a purpose. He was one of the toughest pilots in the Federation, but now he’s just a regular guy, getting into bar fights and making a difference wherever he can. It’s not the same as flying a ship and saving colonies, but it’ll have to do.

  That is, until General Lance Reynolds tracks Eddie down and offers him a job. There are bad people out there, plotting terrible things, killing innocent people, and destroying entire colonies. Someone has to stop them.

  Eddie, along with the genetically-enhanced combat pilot Julianna Fregin and her trusty E.I. named Pip, must recruit a diverse team of specialists, both human and alien. They’ll need to master their new Q-Ship, one of the most powerful strike ships ever constructed. And finally, they’ll have to stop a faceless enemy so powerful, it threatens to destroy the entire Federation.

  All in a day’s work, right?

  Experience this exciting military sci-fi saga and the latest addition to the expanded Kurtherian Gambit Universe. If you’re a fan of Mass Effect, Firefly, or Star Wars, you’ll love this riveting new space opera.

  *NOTE: If cursing is a problem, then this might not be for you.

  Check out the entire series here.

  The Precious Galaxy Series:

  Corruption #1

  A new evil lurks in the darkness.

  After an explosion, the crew of a battlecruiser mysteriously disappears.

  Bailey and Lewis, complete strangers, find themselves suddenly onboard the damaged ship. Lewis hasn’t worked a case in years, not since the final one broke his spirit and his bank account. The last thing Bailey remembers is preparing to take down a fugitive on Onyx Station.

  Mysteries are harder to solve when there’s no evidence left behind.

  Bailey and Lewis don’t know how they got onboard Ricky Bobby or why. However, they quickly learn that whatever was responsible for the explosion and disappearance of the crew is still on the ship.

  Monsters are real and what this one can do changes everything.

  The new team bands together to discover what happened and how to fight the monster lurking in the bottom of the battlecruiser.

  Will they find the missing crew? Or will the monster end them all?

  The Soul Stone Mage Series:

  House of Enchanted #1:

  The Kingdom of Virgo has lived in peace for thousands of years…until now.

  The humans from Terran have always been real assholes to the witches of Virgo. Now a silent war is brewing, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Princess Azure will soon be crowned queen of the Kingdom of Virgo.

  In the Dark Forest a powerful potion-maker has been murdered.

  Charmsgood was the only wizard who could stop a deadly virus plaguing Virgo. He also knew about the devastation the people from Terran had done to the forest.

  Azure must protect her people. Mend the Dark Forest. Create alliances with savage beasts. No biggie, right?

  But on coronation day everything changes. Princess Azure isn’t who she thought she was and that’s a big freaking problem.

  Welcome to The Revelations of Oriceran. Check out the entire series here.

  The Lucidites Series:

  Awoken, #1:

  Around the world humans are hallucinating after sleepless nights.

  In a sterile, underground institute the forecasters keep reporting the same events.

  And in the backwoods of Texas, a sixteen-year-old girl is about to be caught up in a fierce, ethereal battle.

  Meet Roya Stark. She drowns every night in her dreams, spends her hours reading classic literature to avoid her family’s ridicule, and is prone to premonitions—which are becoming more frequent. And now her dreams are filled with strangers offering to reveal what she has always wanted to know: Who is she? That’s the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out. But will Roya live to regret learning the truth?

  Stunned, #2

  Revived, #3

  The Reverians Series:

  Defects, #1:

  In the happy, clean community of Austin Valley, everything appears to be perfect. Seventeen-year-old Em Fuller, however, fears something is askew. Em is one of the new generation of Dream Travelers. For some reason, the gods have not seen fit to gift all of them with their expected special abilities. Em is a Defect—one of the unfortunate Dream Travelers not gifted with a psychic power. Desperate to do whatever it takes to earn her gift, she endures painful daily injections along with commands from her overbearing, loveless father. One of the few bright spots in her life is the return of a friend she had thought dead—but with his return comes the knowledge of a shocking, unforgivable truth. The society Em thought was protecting her has actually been betraying her, but she has no idea how to break away from its authority without hurting everyone she loves.

  Rebels, #2

  Warriors, #3

  Vagabond Circus Series:

  Suspended, #1:

  When a stranger joins the cast of Vagabond Circus—a circus that is run by Dream Travelers and features real magic—mysterious events start happening. The once orderly grounds of the circus become riddled with hidden threats. And the ringmaster realizes not only are his circus and its magic at risk, but also his very life.

  Vagabond Circus caters to the skeptics. Without skeptics, it would close its doors. This is because Vagabond Circus runs for two reasons and only two reasons: first and foremost to provide the lost and lonely Dream Travelers a place to be illustrious. And secondly, to show the nonbelievers that there’s still magic in the world. If they believe, then they care, and if they care, then they don’t destroy. They stop the small abuse that day-by-day breaks down humanity’s spirit. If Vagabond Circus makes one skeptic believe in magic, then they halt the cycle, just a little bit. They allow a little more love into this world. That’s Dr. Dave Raydon’s mission. And that’s why this ringmaster recruits. That’s why he directs. That’s why he puts on a show that makes people question their beliefs. He wants the wor
ld to believe in magic once again.

  Paralyzed, #2

  Released, #3

  Ren Series:

  Ren: The Man Behind the Monster, #1:

  Born with the power to control minds, hypnotize others, and read thoughts, Ren Lewis, is certain of one thing: God made a mistake. No one should be born with so much power. A monster awoke in him the same year he received his gifts. At ten years old. A prepubescent boy with the ability to control others might merely abuse his powers, but Ren allowed it to corrupt him. And since he can have and do anything he wants, Ren should be happy. However, his journey teaches him that harboring so much power doesn’t bring happiness, it steals it. Once this realization sets in, Ren makes up his mind to do the one thing that can bring his tortured soul some peace. He must kill the monster.

  *Note* This book is NA and has strong language, violence and sexual references.

  Ren: God’s Little Monster, #2

  Ren: The Monster Inside the Monster, #3

  Ren: The Monster’s Adventure, #3.5

  Ren: The Monster’s Death

  Olento Research Series:

  Alpha Wolf, #1:

  Twelve men went missing.

  Six months later they awake from drug-induced stupors to find themselves locked in a lab.