Rymellan 4 contains three new stories and one previously published standalone story. The combined length of the new stories is longer than The Triad.
LOVE DISMISSED
When Sheila was accepted into the fighter pilot program but Ruth wasn’t, they knew their love would be tested. After years of infrequently seeing each other, Ruth was finally transferred to the same ship as Sheila. Their relationship thrived, but now Ruth has been transferred to the Rymellan fleet’s newest ship. Sheila is to remain on the Falcon. Will their love survive another separation?
THE KILLING OF LIEUTENANT CHRISTINE LEEDS
In the story Intervention, Lesley is sexually harassed by Lieutenant Christine Leeds. After Lesley reports the harassment to Interior, Leeds is struck and sent back to the Indoctrination Academy. What happens to adult Rymellans at the academy? And why did a military officer with a stellar record so blatantly violate the Way? Those questions and more will be answered as we follow Leeds from the moment she’s removed from her last meeting with Lesley. This is a novel-length story.
IDENTITY CRISIS
The triad is eagerly anticipating the birth of its first daughter when the Rymellan ship Osprey encounters an alien vessel heading for Rymel. The Rymellan boarding team makes a shocking discovery—one that strikes at the heart of what it means to be Rymellan, and turns what should have been a joyous event for the triad into an agonizing one.
FAMILY COMES FIRST
With the twins away at the Indoctrination Academy, the triad discusses who will get pregnant with their third daughter. When nobody jumps to do it, Mo volunteers, but with one condition: she will not step foot inside the Reproductive Technology Centre until Les or Jayne commit to carrying their fourth daughter. When neither of her Chosens steps forward, Mo doesn’t understand why Les is shunning her duty. But that isn’t the only issue stressing the triad. Lesley is having problems with a new superior officer, Mo suspects Ann of betraying Andrew, and Jayne receives a shocking letter.
Sarah says:
I’d often thought about writing Rymellan stories that didn’t feature Lesley, Mo, and Jayne as the main characters, but I wasn’t sure whether readers would go for it. When a reader contacted me and said they’d be willing to read stories with new main characters, I decided to ask my mailing list (you are on it, right? If not, go here to sign up and get a free story) what they thought. The overwhelming majority said they’d be willing to read Rymellan stories with new main characters.
With that in mind, I decided to start with characters we’d already met. I re-read the series and made a list of potential leads. I also wanted to include a story with the triad, to touch base with them.
I settled on stories about Sheila and Ruth, who we met in Disobedience Means Death, and Christine Leeds, who we met in the story Intervention. I had a couple of other names on the list too. I figured there would maybe be four or five stories, but when I wrote the story about Christine Leeds, it really took off and ended up being a short novel.
I also wanted to include the previously published standalone story Identity Crisis, for two reasons. First, having Identity Crisis floating around out there, by itself, would have made it difficult for readers to know where it fits in the series. Second, including it in Rymellan 4 means it will be available in print.
Given the length of The Killing of Lieutenant Christine Leeds and the inclusion of Identity Crisis, I only had room for three new stories. But the combined length of those three stories is longer than Rymellan 3. And, if I decide to write more stories, the characters that didn’t get a story this time could star in a story next time.
Read Decisions Now!
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Available in eBook. Print coming soon. You can also request the eBook from your library.
Other Books in the Rymellan Series
