Tag Archives: Dark Deeds

Dark Minds: Cover Reveal and Release Date Info

I’m very happy to let those readers waiting for the third and final book in the Class 5 series know that Dark Minds will be released on July 22nd. Below, please find the awesome cover, designed once again by EJR Digital Art, and the blurb for Dark Minds.

Dark MindsAbout Dark Minds:

The mind is the most powerful weapon of all . . .

Imogen Peters knows she’s a pawn. She’s been abducted from Earth, held prisoner, and abducted again. So when she gets a chance at freedom, she takes it with both hands, not realizing that doing so will turn her from pawn to kingmaker.

Captain Camlar Kalor expected to meet an Earth woman on his current mission, he just thought he’d be meeting her on Larga Ways, under the protection of his Battle Center colleague. Instead, he and Imogen are thrown together as prisoners in the hold of a Class 5 battleship. When he works out she’s not the woman who sparked his mission, but another abductee, Cam realizes his investigation just got a lot more complicated, and the nations of the United Council just took a step closer to war.

Imogen’s out of her depth in this crazy mind game playing out all around her, and she begins to understand her actions will have a massive impact on all the players. But she’s good at mind games. She’s been playing them since she was abducted. Guess they should have left her minding her own business back on Earth…

Dark Deeds: Excerpt and Final Days of Giveaway

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Welcome to the Release Celebration for
Dark Deeds
By Michelle Diener

Dark Deeds is book two in the Class 5 Series. If you missed Michelle’s release-day message, go read it HERE, if you missed learning more about the characters from the series, go HERE,†and don’t forget to grab your copy of Dark Horse, book one, while it’s on SALE for 99c! There’s a fabulous Amazon eGift Card giveaway as well. Enjoy the exclusive excerpt below…

Dark Deeds (Class 5, #2)Dark Deeds
(Class 5 #2)
by Michelle Diener
Adult Sci-Fi
Paperback & ebook, 340 Pages
June 4th 2016

Far from home . . .

Fiona Russell has been snatched from Earth, imprisoned and used as slave labor, but nothing about her abduction makes sense. When she’s rescued by the Grih, she realizes there’s a much bigger game in play than she could ever have imagined, and she’s right in the middle of it.

Far from safe . . .

Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman abducted from Earth. She’s the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her presence is potentially explosive in the Grih’s ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the balance.

Far from done . . .

Fiona has had to bide her time while she’s been a prisoner, pretending to be less than she is, but when the chance comes for her to forge her own destiny in this new world she grabs it with both hands. After all, actions speak louder than words.

Exclusive Excerpt from Dark Deeds

I am so thrilled that Dark Deeds, book 2 in the Class 5 series, is out, and to share some of the love, I have part of the first chapter as an excerpt for you today! Dark Deeds is the sequel to Dark Horse, which is on sale for 99c at the moment, until January 9th, when it goes back to its usual price of $4.99.

Michelle Diener

Chapter One

Stacking heavy boxes in the launch bay, Fiona heard a ship come through the gel wall. Hard.

There was a harsh grinding of metal on metal.

The smell of burning, the hot scent of friction, blew over her a moment before the smoke. Black and choking, it engulfed her before being sucked out through the air filters.

She crouched down behind the crates, grateful for the first time for the hood Captain Tak had forced her to wear for the last four weeks. It fitted tightly over her head, with strange, protruding ears, like a child’s whimsical winter hat, and the bottom half covered her mouth, ending just below her nose. It helped filter out the noxious fumes.

The loud grating sound ended with a shrieking crash that cut off abruptly, and in the sudden silence she heard a loud clang. She guessed the ship’s ramp had just hit the launch bay floor.

She’d never been allowed in the bay when one of the smaller merchant vessels entered to do business with the Garmman trading ship she was on. Hury always came and dragged her back to her cell long before they arrived, only letting her out when they were gone.

So, this wasn’t a scheduled arrival. And she didn’t think every landing was quite so hard, or the launch bay would look a little worse for wear.

She peered around the high stack of containers and froze.

The ship that had come through was badly damaged, but she hardly noticed that.

It was the occupants who had her unwavering attention.

They came cautiously down the ramp, shockguns raised. They were slender, almost willowy, with hair that grew long and thick. Some had grown it to their shoulders or lower, others had cut it level with their ears. The pearl white of it contrasted with the delicate peach of their skin.

They moved like a slick, well-trained team, and there was something predatory about them. They were in a sort of uniform, not identical, but close enough. Dark pants and shirt, boots that ended well above their ankles. The contrast of the dark color with their pastel skin and hair made them all the more astonishing.

The launch bay door opened to her left and she turned to see Hecta and Nark stop dead in the doorway, mouths open at the smoldering ship, the damage to the bay.

Without any sign of hesitation, two of the peach people lifted their shockguns and fired.

Hecta and Nark went down, and two other interlopers ran over to them, pushed them clear of the doors and hit the button to close them again.

One signaled to another of the group, and he ran over, took out a tiny silver rectangle and pressed it to the keypad next to the door. She heard the locks engage, locking the Garmman crew on the other side of the launch bay.

Well.

Fiona bent her head for a moment, sucking in a breath through the thick fabric of her hood.

They could kill her.

But she was going to die here anyway.

It would be drawn out for a little longer, as some of the crew got up their courage to follow Captain Tak’s unspoken request, but they would beat her to death sooner or later.

She rubbed her hip where Hury had kicked her yesterday, and knew it was true.

These people might kill her right now, but it was well worth the risk.

She started to rise, and felt the hard plastic-like ears built into her hood wobble. She crouched back down.

Captain Tak wanted her to wear the hood to hide what she was, and also to make her look like something she wasn’t. It had become really important to him that she not be seen without it.

And anything that Tak wanted, she was determined to do the opposite.

She wasn’t sure who the aliens in front of her were, but for all she knew, people who wore hoods like hers were their worst enemy. Whereas they couldn’t have any negative history with a human.

She got a good grip and pulled the hood off her head, and just to make sure, slid it between two of the containers, completely out of sight.

The lingering smoke caught immediately at her throat, and as she stood and took a step out from behind the stack, she couldn’t help coughing a little.

Ten shockguns turned in her direction, and her heart gave a jump as they bared their teeth.

They had incisors, their lips pulling back over their gums to expose them fully.

It brought baboons from nature documentaries to mind.

She slowly raised her hands to show she was unarmed. Then held her breath as they watched her, and she watched them right back.

The pupils of their eyes were red, and she pushed down her rising panic at their very interested gaze.

She may have made a mistake.

One of them cocked his head to the side, and gestured for her to come closer.

Before she’d seen the teeth, the eyes, she’d been willing enough to take the chance. Now she had to force herself to step slowly out of the shadows and into the harsh light of the landing area.

“Grih?” The one who’d motioned her forward asked.

She nodded, relieved. “I do speak Grih. And Garmman. And a little Bukari.” Fitali was too strange for her, she hadn’t come close to working it out yet, and Tecran made her uneasy, made her heart beat faster and her hands shake. She had skipped over all the Tecran language lessons.

“I mean, are you Grihan?” He spoke Garmman, his voice sibilant, his sharp incisors peeking out as he spoke.

She frowned. He thought she looked Grihan?

One of the team circled behind her, and she turned her head to keep him in sight.

She flinched when he suddenly moved right in front of her.

“Too short. And the ears.” The finger he reached out had too many joints and he touched the tip of her ear, shockgun resting directly against her chest as he did it.

She shuddered, forcing herself to keep still.

They weren’t that much taller than she was, although close up she saw that while their limbs were slender, every muscle was defined.

“Pity. We have a Grihan battleship chasing us and it would have been good to use you as a hostage.” The leader stared at her, and she saw there was a sly and calculating look in his eye. “What are you, then?”

“I’m a prisoner.” She took a breath when the gun lifted slightly off her chest. “I wanted to ask if you’d take me with you? Help me escape?”

The leader barked out a laugh. “No.” He looked back at his still-smoking ship. “How can we get out of here?”

Suddenly, the shockgun was back on her chest, and she could hear the whine as it got to full strength.

If a Grihan battleship was chasing them, then the Grih would come here to look for them, surely? That meant another group to appeal to for help.

All wasn’t lost.

Dark HorseDark Horse
(Class 5 #1)
by Michelle Diener
Adult Sci-Fi
Paperback & ebook, 381 Pages
June 15th 2015

Some secrets carry the weight of the world.

Rose McKenzie may be far from Earth with no way back, but she’s made a powerful ally–a fellow prisoner with whom she’s formed a strong bond. Sazo’s an artificial intelligence. He’s saved her from captivity and torture, but he’s also put her in the middle of a conflict, leaving Rose with her loyalties divided.

Captain Dav Jallan doesn’t know why he and his crew have stumbled across an almost legendary Class 5 battleship, but he’s not going to complain. The only problem is, all its crew are dead, all except for one strange, new alien being.

She calls herself Rose. She seems small and harmless, but less and less about her story is adding up, and Dav has a bad feeling his crew, and maybe even the four planets, are in jeopardy. The Class 5’s owners, the Tecran, look set to start a war to get it back and Dav suspects Rose isn’t the only alien being who survived what happened on the Class 5. And whatever else is out there is playing its own games.

In this race for the truth, he’s going to have to go against his leaders and trust the dark horse.

Image of Michelle Diener

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction. Having worked in publishing and IT, she’s now very happy crafting new worlds and interesting characters and wondering which part of the world she can travel to next.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

When she’s not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her blogging at†Magical Musings. or online at Twitter,atGoogle+†and Facebook.

Release Celebration Giveaway

$50 Amazon eGift Card
Open internationally
Ends January 10th

Dark Deeds: The release celebration continues

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Welcome to the Release Celebration for
Dark Deeds
By Michelle Diener

Dark Deeds is book two in the Class 5 Series. If you missed Michelle’s release-day message, go read it HERE and don’t forget to grab your copy of Dark Horse, book one, while it’s on SALE for 99¢! Come back on Friday, January 8th, HERE to read an excerpt. There’s a fabulous Amazon eGift Card giveaway as well. Enjoy!

Inspiring Characters

A while ago, I was interviewed on whether I was more character focused or plot focused in my novels, and I said fifty-fifty, because while my books do tend to have big plots, the characters are always my inspiration for my stories.

In Dark Horse, which is the first book in my Class 5 series, Rose McKenzie, the heroine, jumped into my imagination and started the whole ball rolling. I couldn’t get her or her adventures out of my head.

I think the idea of alien abduction fascinates us because we would be thrown into a completely new paradigm. While that would obviously not be easy, it also holds the promise of exploring an unknown world, and as humans, curiosity and a thirst for knowledge is what makes us tick, and the idea of every day being a new adventure is seductive.

Both Rose and Fiona, the heroine of the second book in the Class 5 series, which has just been released, are curious, intelligent and resilient, and those characteristics serve them well in the imaginary trouble I land them in. It wouldn’t have worked if the characters had come to me a little whiny or too rigid in their ideas of the world.

However ambitious my plot, the characters have to be realistic and their reactions and emotions honest.

Sometimes that’s a challenge, but one that I love.

To celebrate the release of Fiona’s story, Dark Deeds, on January 4th, Dark Horse is on sale for 99c until January 9th, so you can get to know Rose McKenzie at a bargain price 🙂

— Michelle Diener

Dark Deeds (Class 5, #2)Dark Deeds
(Class 5 #2)
by Michelle Diener
Adult Sci-Fi
Paperback & ebook, 340 Pages
June 4th 2016

Far from home . . .

Fiona Russell has been snatched from Earth, imprisoned and used as slave labor, but nothing about her abduction makes sense. When she’s rescued by the Grih, she realizes there’s a much bigger game in play than she could ever have imagined, and she’s right in the middle of it.

Far from safe . . .

Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman abducted from Earth. She’s the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her presence is potentially explosive in the Grih’s ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the balance.

Far from done . . .

Fiona has had to bide her time while she’s been a prisoner, pretending to be less than she is, but when the chance comes for her to forge her own destiny in this new world she grabs it with both hands. After all, actions speak louder than words.

Dark HorseDark Horse
(Class 5 #1)
by Michelle Diener
Adult Sci-Fi
Paperback & ebook, 381 Pages
June 15th 2015

Some secrets carry the weight of the world.

Rose McKenzie may be far from Earth with no way back, but she’s made a powerful ally–a fellow prisoner with whom she’s formed a strong bond. Sazo’s an artificial intelligence. He’s saved her from captivity and torture, but he’s also put her in the middle of a conflict, leaving Rose with her loyalties divided.

Captain Dav Jallan doesn’t know why he and his crew have stumbled across an almost legendary Class 5 battleship, but he’s not going to complain. The only problem is, all its crew are dead, all except for one strange, new alien being.

She calls herself Rose. She seems small and harmless, but less and less about her story is adding up, and Dav has a bad feeling his crew, and maybe even the four planets, are in jeopardy. The Class 5’s owners, the Tecran, look set to start a war to get it back and Dav suspects Rose isn’t the only alien being who survived what happened on the Class 5. And whatever else is out there is playing its own games.

In this race for the truth, he’s going to have to go against his leaders and trust the dark horse.

Image of Michelle Diener

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction. Having worked in publishing and IT, she’s now very happy crafting new worlds and interesting characters and wondering which part of the world she can travel to next.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

When she’s not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her blogging at Magical Musings. or online at Twitter, at Google+ and Facebook.

Release Celebration Giveaway

$50 Amazon eGift Card
Open internationally
Ends January 10th

Release day for Dark Deeds!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Welcome to the Release Celebration for
Dark Deeds
By Michelle Diener

Dark Deeds is book two in the Class 5 Series. Michelle has a message below and you can come back on Wednesday, January 6th, HERE to learn more about the characters and on Friday, January 8th, HERE to read an excerpt. There’s a fabulous Amazon eGift Card giveaway as well. Enjoy!

Journey in a New Direction

In June 2015, I released my first science fiction romance novel, Dark Horse. The story had gripped me for nearly a year and I spent well over eight months working on it. And yet, I really didn’t know if it would be a success or not. I’m published in historical fiction and fantasy, and while it wasn’t a big leap for my fantasy fans, my historical fans were surely unlikely to be interested in Dark Horse, and yet, I couldn’t let the story go.

As it happens, Dark Horse found its own fan base. One I’ve delighted in interacting with. It has been my most successful book to date, and I get emails daily from readers wanting to know when the next book in the series will be out.

I’m thrilled to be able to say that day is today! Dark Deeds, book two in the Class 5 series. has been released.

To celebrate, I’ve priced Dark Horse for 99c (down from $4.99) for a week, from 3 January to 9 January, so those who haven’t heard about it yet can quickly jump in and get the first book for a bargain before they move on to Dark Deeds.

I’ve had some wonderful reviews for Dark Horse since it was released. The All About Romance reviewer called it “one of my top reads of 2015”, and Smart Girls Love Science Fiction Romance called it “awesome new Sci Fi from a very talented writer”.

I’m proud of Dark Horse and so happy to have the sequel finished and ready to share with everyone who loved Dark Horse.

— Michelle Diener

Dark Deeds (Class 5, #2)Dark Deeds
(Class 5 #2)
by Michelle Diener
Adult Sci-Fi
Paperback & ebook, 340 Pages
June 4th 2016

Far from home . . .

Fiona Russell has been snatched from Earth, imprisoned and used as slave labor, but nothing about her abduction makes sense. When she’s rescued by the Grih, she realizes there’s a much bigger game in play than she could ever have imagined, and she’s right in the middle of it.

Far from safe . . .

Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman abducted from Earth. She’s the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her presence is potentially explosive in the Grih’s ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the balance.

Far from done . . .

Fiona has had to bide her time while she’s been a prisoner, pretending to be less than she is, but when the chance comes for her to forge her own destiny in this new world she grabs it with both hands. After all, actions speak louder than words.

Dark HorseDark Horse
(Class 5 #1)
by Michelle Diener
Adult Sci-Fi
Paperback & ebook, 381 Pages
June 15th 2015

Some secrets carry the weight of the world.

Rose McKenzie may be far from Earth with no way back, but she’s made a powerful ally–a fellow prisoner with whom she’s formed a strong bond. Sazo’s an artificial intelligence. He’s saved her from captivity and torture, but he’s also put her in the middle of a conflict, leaving Rose with her loyalties divided.

Captain Dav Jallan doesn’t know why he and his crew have stumbled across an almost legendary Class 5 battleship, but he’s not going to complain. The only problem is, all its crew are dead, all except for one strange, new alien being.

She calls herself Rose. She seems small and harmless, but less and less about her story is adding up, and Dav has a bad feeling his crew, and maybe even the four planets, are in jeopardy. The Class 5’s owners, the Tecran, look set to start a war to get it back and Dav suspects Rose isn’t the only alien being who survived what happened on the Class 5. And whatever else is out there is playing its own games.

In this race for the truth, he’s going to have to go against his leaders and trust the dark horse.

Image of Michelle Diener

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction. Having worked in publishing and IT, she’s now very happy crafting new worlds and interesting characters and wondering which part of the world she can travel to next.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

When she’s not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her blogging at Magical Musings. or online at Twitter, at Google+ and Facebook.

Release Celebration Giveaway

$50 Amazon eGift Card
Open internationally
Ends January 10th

Dark Deeds Available for Pre-order

I’m happy to say that Dark Deeds, book 2 in the Class 5 series, which started with Dark Horse, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

About Dark Deeds

Dark Deeds 250 high

Far from home . . .
Fiona Russell has been snatched from Earth, imprisoned and used as slave labor, but nothing about her abduction makes sense. When she’s rescued by the Grih, she realizes there’s a much bigger game in play than she could ever have imagined, and she’s right in the middle of it.

Far from safe . . .
Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman abducted from Earth. She’s the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her presence is potentially explosive in the Grih’s ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the balance.

Far from done . . .
Fiona has had to bide her time while she’s been a prisoner, pretending to be less than she is, but when the chance comes for her to forge her own destiny in the new world she’s found herself in, she grabs it with both hands. After all, actions speak louder than words.

Pre-order Dark Deeds

Cover Reveal: Dark Deeds (with giveaway!)

I am so excited to let everyone know the sequel to Dark Horse, my space opera / science fiction romance novel, Dark Deeds, has a cover and a release date. It will be out on January 4th, 2016!

Dark Deeds is set shortly after Dark Horse, and has a different heroine and hero (and Class 5), although Rose, Dav and Sazo do make an appearance.

EJR Digital Art came through for me again with this really great cover. It rocks!

Dark Deeds

I’m giving away a copy of Dark Horse to celebrate the cover reveal over at Magical Musings, so hop on over to join in (draw closes 18th Dec).