Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 8: Trailside

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

“The cats had not welcomed her. But the otters had.”

Kipper stood among the noisy patrons of the Foghorn, shocked by what she saw on the vid screen.  Did this change anything? she wondered.  She’d uncovered and visited one hidden cat colony on Mars.  She’d spoken with the cats there.  She’d made friends with one of them, or so he would have her think from his letters, anyway. Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 8: Trailside”

You’re Cordially Invited to Crossroads Station – AVAILABLE NOW!

You're Cordially Invited to Crossroads StationThe first book from our new publishing wing, Deep Sky Anchor Press, is out today!

Available now on Kindle or paperback!

You’re Cordially Invited to Crossroads Station is a cozy furry space opera novel that’s an indirect prequel to Mary E. Lowd’s Entangled Universe trilogy.

When an unexpected wedding invitation arrives, Anno packs her family up for a trip across the stars. Continue reading “You’re Cordially Invited to Crossroads Station – AVAILABLE NOW!”

Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 7: Earth

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

“Senator Morrison may have been an anti-cat, anti-otter extremist — a complete bigot, if you asked Petra — but he was also a politician and a herd dog. He knew the direction of a crowd, and he knew how to move with one in order to have a chance at making the crowd move with him later.”

There was nothing for it, Trudith decided.  She had to find a way to use this little, cat-paw-sized cell phone, because Alistair needed to know what she’d found out.  Right now.

Trudith pulled the borrowed phone out of her pocket.  She held it lightly between keratinous black claws, and an idea struck her.  She couldn’t operate this phone, but a cat could.  Any cat. Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 7: Earth”

Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 6: Trailside

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

“For a cat who’d dreamed her whole kittenhood of floating among the stars, this was close to heaven.”

Trailside was smaller and more cramped than Deep Sky Anchor, that giant outpost of Otterdom in geosynchronous orbit with Earth, anchored to the land of dogs and dog-oppressed cats by the slender thread of the space elevator.

Kipper had taken the space elevator to Deep Sky Anchor, where she met up with Captain Cod and his ragtag Barracuders.  Before Trailside, their only stop had been at the disappointingly exclusive cat colony on Mars.  So, Trailside was the second-ever otter outpost that Kipper had set paw on. Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 6: Trailside”

Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 5: Earth

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

“Trudith may have been big and tough — covered in sinewy muscles under her smooth black fur from head to paw — but she didn’t like being left alone with a moral quandary.”

“You couldn’t wait?!?” Petra exploded.  “This dumb-as-charcoal dog said, oh yeah, let’s go to the press, and you thought that was a good idea?!”

Alistair’s ears were flat and his brow drawn.  “Are you finished?” he asked.

“Never listen to a dog.”  Petra glared at Trudith.  “Now I’m done.” Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 5: Earth”

Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 4: Trailside

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

“Why exactly Captain Cod felt that his ship needed a spy and how he got the idea that the only cat in outer space was the right animal for the job, well, that was anyone’s guess.”

Kipper stared at the ceiling for an hour.  She was so intent, she didn’t notice the swell of current as Trugger, another one of her otter shipmates, swam up to her.  He tapped on her shoulder to get her attention, and when Kipper looked around, the river otter signed, “Didn’t Jenny tell you?  Even though we’re stopped, we won’t be draining the oxo-agua until Trailside clears us for docking.” Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 4: Trailside”

The Seamstress Robot and the Insect Bride

by Mary E. Lowd

A Deep Sky Anchor Original, July 2023

“Am-lei’s mother had, at least, enjoyed the benefit of having beautiful, colorful, butterfly wings that distracted humans from the Kafkaesque qualities of her actual body.”

The Seamstress Robot’s shop was a little hole in the wall in the Merchant’s Quarter of Crossroads Station.  The seamstress robot herself looked a lot like a giant mechanical spider — all spindly silver legs, overly jointed and coming to extremely delicate points, capable of grabbing, manipulating, and piercing fabric.  Also, generating fabric.  The seamstress robot, like an actual spider, could generate silk.  And synthetic cotton.  And synth wool.  And velvet, taffeta, patterned prints, fake leather… just about any material you could imagine could be generated, strand by strand, from the tip of her 3D printer leg. Continue reading “The Seamstress Robot and the Insect Bride”

Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 3: Earth

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 2: Jupiter, Deadly.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

“Singing seagulls! Let’s get going. I’ve got to see what kind of a place you cats have whipped up for yourselves here on this red space rock.”

Trudith waited in the outer office of the campaign headquarters.  She expected that when Alistair finished his conversation with the Election Office, he would come out and tell her the plan, but it didn’t work that way.  Instead, Alistair slinked out, his tail dragging almost on the floor.  He was already wearing his jacket as if ready to leave, and he looked completely dispirited.  Trudith knew better than to ask, “What’s the plan?” but, she did ask, “How’d the request for a recount go?” Continue reading “Otters In Space 2 – Chapter 3: Earth”