Tuesday, 22 August 2023

Perfect Ten - Karina Fabian - A DragonEye, PI Story

Perfect Ten
A DragonEye, PI Story
Karina Fabian
MuseItUp Publishing
ISBN 9781926931661
ASIN B004ZFUUQ0


The Bad news, this story is currently out of print. The Good News Fabian has indicated it might be republished within the next year. The Ugly News this was originally published by Muse It Up, that now appears to be a defunct publisher. The Muse It Up website is dead, the twitter account gone, the blog still exists but no updates since 2019. It was originally released as both an eBook short and Kindle Singles. It is an older story set in the DragonEye PI universe. I have had it for a long time and never got around to reading it because of the cover. And Yes I know never judge … well I did and to my regret. Not the first time that has happened with Fabian’s earlier works. I should know by now her works are pure gold. The type a dragon like Vern would love to root and rest on. 

Vern makes an appearance in this one only by name, and reference. Our reference to Vern is:

“Mundanes?”” The odd use of the word threw her, and while part of her was grateful for the change in mood, another was wondering if she’d been insulted.

He nodded affably. “Yeah. The Faerie term for the people of your world? I didn’t think of it, promise, though I like it. Such potential for fun in names. Like Vern says, ‘If you think that’s insulting, try calling a barbarian swordsman from my dimension a Faerie.’”

Ah, of course. She’d forgotten that her universe would have a name among the Faerie. She took his hand, and they headed to the elevator. “Vern’s a friend?” 

Kyle laughed. “I’m not sure he’d say that. He is a dragon, though.”

“Dragon? Like…a real dragon? And he’s here—on our side?” 

Kyle snorted. “Depends on what you mean by ‘our side.’ He’s on God’s side—not like St. George gave him much choice. He is on this side of the Gap, but since I can be a person, and he can’t, I got the Green Card, nyah! As far as being on my side, only as a pain in it.” Kyle laughed.
 
Sheila laughed with him, though he’d totally lost her.”

But I am getting ahead of myself. The description of this volume is short and to the point. It states:

“When an insurance actuary lands a date with Coyote the Trickster, she discovers not every “Ten” is perfect.”
 
Sheila Mars is doing something she never thought she would do. She has taken a trip to Las Vegas. She won the trip and was convinced to take it instead of cashing it in. He life coach convinced her to go when CareALot-Not gave her the prize. Made her a list of things to do. One is using a random generator to pick answers when she is not sure what to do. The last thing she ever expected was to be at the office of Anonymous Dates. 

““Sheila, a golden opportunity is calling to you,” Lorieli had insisted. “You’re an intelligent, healthy woman, but you’re not getting any younger. You need new experiences to develop your individual personhood.” 

She’d even convinced Sheila there was no safer time to try new things than on vacation: after all, most accidents took place within five miles of one’s home.

“And,” Lorieli added, with a twinkle, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. So, if you should meet some tall, dark, handsome stranger, a Perfect Ten, just go for it!””

Lorieli even gave her a silver bracelet engraved with “Be Spontaneous!” and she was trying to live up to it. But some risks prove not worth it. And as her risk score for her date keeps going up, she is re-evaluating her recent choices. When we first encounter Sister Grace she is with a number of police officers and sevear squad cars:

“The nun held up an identification card. “Sister Grace of Our Lady of the Miracles, High Mage of the Faerie Catholic Church, Detective of Dragon Eye Private Investigation Agency, currently on special assignment to State of Montana.” She spoke with an Irish brogue and seemed to relish the words. Her mouth quirked with humor Sheila did not understand.”

At the beginning of the story we are informed that Sheila was:

“Nervous? Try scared as a property damage assessor after Hurricane Katrina. How in the world did she ever get the courage to board a plane to Las Vegas, much less walk into the offices of Anonymous Dates, Inc.? She wasn’t a jet-setter looking for a hot date—she was an actuary from Nottingham, Indiana, for pity’s sake!”

And in her nervousness she may not have picked up on the signs. I have heard of dates that had gone to the dogs, but this story tops them all. The story is great even if the original cover just did nothing for me. The cover feels like Rob Schnider trying to play Wesley from The Princes Bride. Thankfully when Fabian brings it back to print on her Laser Cow Press it will be rebranded. And when she does bring it back in print through Fabian a bone, and pick it up and give it a read. It is a wonderful tail, I mean tale set in the DragonEye universe. I am certain it will put a smile on your face, and there will likely be a chuckle or two or even a few laugh out loud moments.  

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2023 Catholic Reading Plan!


Dex Hollister Series:
The Old Man and the Void
Dex's Way
...

Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator Series :
Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator
I Left My Brains in San Francisco
Shambling in a Winter Wonderland
…

DragonEye PI Series:
DragonEye PI Novels:
9.0 Gapman
10.0 Magic, Mensa and Mayhem (Revised edition forthcoming)
11.0 Live and Let Fly (Revised edition forthcoming)
...

DragonEye PI Short Stories:

DragonEye PI Original First Editions:
Live and Let Fly
...

Space Traipse Series:
Space Traipse: Hold My Beer, Season 1
Space Traipse: Hold My Beer, Season 2
Space Traipse: Hold My Beer, Season 3
Space Traipse Stories
…

Mind Over Series:
Mind Over Mind
Mind Over Psyche
Mind Over All
Hearts Over Mind
…

Edited by: Karina Fabian:
Infinite Space, Infinite God I
Leaps of Faith
Infinite Space, Infinite God II
...


Contributed to:
Firestorm of Dragons
The Zombie Cookbook
The Book of Tentacles
Twisted Fayrie Tales
FRIGHTLINER: And Other Tales of the Undead
Mother Goose is Dead
Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary
Image and Likeness Literary Reflections on the Theology of the Body
Corrupts Absolutely? Dark Metahuman Fiction
Weird Noir
The Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal Novels
Manifesto UF
Avenir Eclectia
Planetary Anthology: Jupiter
Planetary Anthology: Pluto
Planetary Anthology: Luna
Planetary Anthology: Uranus
FlagShip Science Fiction and Fantasy v2i5
My Little Book of Headdesks
To Be Men: Stories Celebrating Masculinity
...








Good Intentions DragonEye, PI Book 7.0 Karina Fabian



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