vayideal &mdash; Jall Barret https://jallbarret.writeas.com/tag:vayideal Fri, 15 May 2026 14:42:39 +0000 https://i.snap.as/TpaHDZjZ.png vayideal &mdash; Jall Barret https://jallbarret.writeas.com/tag:vayideal First week of January 2026 https://jallbarret.writeas.com/first-week-of-january-2026?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[I went off the rails a little for the holiday. I managed to finish a surprise project but everything else fell by the wayside.!--more-- The typewriter I've been working on setting up a low powered computer with Alpine Linux. You know how people are always saying Linux is so easy now that anyone can do it? Don't do that with Alpine Linux. It was originally intended for running on high security, niche devices. It's probably most commonly used in Docker images. Most people who interact with it probably don't put it on an actual computer. Why did I want to? I've been using Linux since 2000. Possibly a little earlier. The first time I used it, I did it on an aging computer that I couldn't afford to upgrade. That describes most of the computers I've used it on, actually. The challenge in most of those cases was stripping something pretty full spec down to the point where it ran pretty tolerably. In this case, I wanted to do it on purpose. On finding out about Alpine, I realized I had the perfect opportunity. The regular install's ISO takes up less than 400 MiB of space. Everything you want, you're adding to that count. Putting Xfce on it along with some other packages I needed have taken me to about 2 GiB. I'd like to set it up so it doesn't load Xfce by default but, right now, I'm most focused on making it a writing computer. And technically it is. I'm typing this on it right now. The network connection is off. I'm typing this using the micro text editor from a virtual terminal. When I get it back to a network, I'll run a Unison profile I created. It will copy this and any other local changes up to the network. Some of my scripts aren't working ... yet but the Typewriter lives. Update since I wrote the previous section Turning off Xfce on boot turned out to be much easier than my experience with LXQt. I disabled automatic startup for the display manager using the rc-update del command used in Alpine for removing services from run groups. When I do want to load the GUI, I type startx and it comes up. For micro to be a good prose writing tool, I had to put this in .config/micro/settings.json: { "softwrap": true, "wordwrap": true } To make Unison work the way I wanted, I created the profile using the GUI on my main Linux computer and adjusted it until it worked the way I wanted. I did a replace all on paths that were specific to my main Linux computer. I've also adapted some of my writing related scripts for use on Alpine. Outcomes Due in part to Typewriter, I wrote almost 13K words in the last week. Typewriter has only been really operational for three writing days and, in those writing days, I wrote 10.5K words. That's an average of 3.3K words per day. For me, those are pretty good numbers. If those are sustainable, I could write about 23K in a week. Next week's goals This is going to be a little sparse for a while. Figure out my next project Get some words written Record at least one video The current projects are resuming The Novel, starting work on Fallen Heaven, or writing book 3 of Vay Ideal. I'm leaning toward working on a novel because I think a published Novel will probably drive some purchases of the Vay Ideal books. Adding additional Vay Ideal books while I'm not really having sales on Vay Ideal yet is probably not a useful thing at the moment. With my improved word count from Typewriter, I did a bit of work on both Book 3 and The Novel. #ProgressUpdate #VayIdeal ]]> I went off the rails a little for the holiday. I managed to finish a surprise project but everything else fell by the wayside.

The typewriter

I've been working on setting up a low powered computer with Alpine Linux. You know how people are always saying Linux is so easy now that anyone can do it? Don't do that with Alpine Linux. It was originally intended for running on high security, niche devices. It's probably most commonly used in Docker images. Most people who interact with it probably don't put it on an actual computer.

Why did I want to? I've been using Linux since 2000. Possibly a little earlier. The first time I used it, I did it on an aging computer that I couldn't afford to upgrade. That describes most of the computers I've used it on, actually. The challenge in most of those cases was stripping something pretty full spec down to the point where it ran pretty tolerably.

In this case, I wanted to do it on purpose. On finding out about Alpine, I realized I had the perfect opportunity. The regular install's ISO takes up less than 400 MiB of space. Everything you want, you're adding to that count. Putting Xfce on it along with some other packages I needed have taken me to about 2 GiB. I'd like to set it up so it doesn't load Xfce by default but, right now, I'm most focused on making it a writing computer.

And technically it is. I'm typing this on it right now. The network connection is off. I'm typing this using the micro text editor from a virtual terminal.

When I get it back to a network, I'll run a Unison profile I created. It will copy this and any other local changes up to the network.

Some of my scripts aren't working ... yet but the Typewriter lives.

Update since I wrote the previous section

Turning off Xfce on boot turned out to be much easier than my experience with LXQt. I disabled automatic startup for the display manager using the rc-update del command used in Alpine for removing services from run groups.

When I do want to load the GUI, I type startx and it comes up.

For micro to be a good prose writing tool, I had to put this in .config/micro/settings.json:

{
	"softwrap": true,
	"wordwrap": true
}

To make Unison work the way I wanted, I created the profile using the GUI on my main Linux computer and adjusted it until it worked the way I wanted. I did a replace all on paths that were specific to my main Linux computer.

I've also adapted some of my writing related scripts for use on Alpine.

Outcomes

Due in part to Typewriter, I wrote almost 13K words in the last week. Typewriter has only been really operational for three writing days and, in those writing days, I wrote 10.5K words. That's an average of 3.3K words per day.

For me, those are pretty good numbers. If those are sustainable, I could write about 23K in a week.

Next week's goals

This is going to be a little sparse for a while.

  1. Figure out my next project
  2. Get some words written
  3. Record at least one video

The current projects are resuming The Novel, starting work on Fallen Heaven, or writing book 3 of Vay Ideal.

I'm leaning toward working on a novel because I think a published Novel will probably drive some purchases of the Vay Ideal books. Adding additional Vay Ideal books while I'm not really having sales on Vay Ideal yet is probably not a useful thing at the moment.

With my improved word count from Typewriter, I did a bit of work on both Book 3 and The Novel.

#ProgressUpdate #VayIdeal

]]> https://jallbarret.writeas.com/first-week-of-january-2026 Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:31:47 +0000 Second Week of December 2025 https://jallbarret.writeas.com/second-week-of-december-2025?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[This week's goals were: Press publish on Book 2 of Vay Ideal before the Smashwords 'deadline' Done &mdash; New Names, Old Crimes Write some words on Book 3 Done &mdash; Some of them are included in the preview at the end of New Names, Old Crimes Create audiobook account and finish production on audiobook for Death In Transit Work on super-secret project Done &mdash; I didn't specify what. I'll get into it a bit.!--more-- Unfortunately, when publishing New Names, Old Crimes, I accidentally used the wrong cover. That required me to go back and fix the book in three separate places but supposedly I had to wait until it was out on a given platform before editing. I think that was probably actually true for Amazon. I'm not sure whether it was true for Kobo. It appears not to have been true for D2D because the book still isn't in all its systems and I managed to get it updated anyway. That kind of put a whammy on my week. I legitimately don't know when I would have found the time to work on the audiobooks with the other things I worked on. I do need to try to get those in before the beginning of the year. Other things I worked on I created a Youtube channel and added my video version of the story Wrapped as a short. It turns out to be 30 seconds long as a short. I learned a lot. Mostly that I cannot use my phone's camera for video without it looking like trash. But also that hardcoding subtitles in is a waste since Youtube has its own system for doing that with shorts. My roommate and I have shared custody of a good video camera and I've got that charging for the next adventure. The super-secret project For a few years, I've wanted to do a puppet video for Christmas. Last year, I started making the puppets. This year, I'm not too keen on actually finishing and recording the puppets when I have some other options available to me. I've done the audio recordings. The audio needs to be effectively produced in order for me to do the other bits. Next week's goals Finish audio production and get most of the visual elements done for the super-secret project Create audiobook account and finish production on audiobook for Death In Transit Yep, it looks short but all the work going into the super-secret project to have it ready before Christmas is kinda going to be a lot. #ProgressUpdate #VayIdeal]]> This week's goals were:

  1. Press publish on Book 2 of Vay Ideal before the Smashwords 'deadline' Done — New Names, Old Crimes
  2. Write some words on Book 3 Done — Some of them are included in the preview at the end of New Names, Old Crimes
  3. Create audiobook account and finish production on audiobook for Death In Transit
  4. Work on super-secret project Done — I didn't specify what. I'll get into it a bit.

Unfortunately, when publishing New Names, Old Crimes, I accidentally used the wrong cover. That required me to go back and fix the book in three separate places but supposedly I had to wait until it was out on a given platform before editing. I think that was probably actually true for Amazon. I'm not sure whether it was true for Kobo. It appears not to have been true for D2D because the book still isn't in all its systems and I managed to get it updated anyway.

That kind of put a whammy on my week.

I legitimately don't know when I would have found the time to work on the audiobooks with the other things I worked on. I do need to try to get those in before the beginning of the year.

Other things I worked on

I created a Youtube channel and added my video version of the story Wrapped as a short. It turns out to be 30 seconds long as a short. I learned a lot. Mostly that I cannot use my phone's camera for video without it looking like trash. But also that hardcoding subtitles in is a waste since Youtube has its own system for doing that with shorts.

My roommate and I have shared custody of a good video camera and I've got that charging for the next adventure.

The super-secret project

For a few years, I've wanted to do a puppet video for Christmas. Last year, I started making the puppets. This year, I'm not too keen on actually finishing and recording the puppets when I have some other options available to me. I've done the audio recordings. The audio needs to be effectively produced in order for me to do the other bits.

Next week's goals

  1. Finish audio production and get most of the visual elements done for the super-secret project
  2. Create audiobook account and finish production on audiobook for Death In Transit

Yep, it looks short but all the work going into the super-secret project to have it ready before Christmas is kinda going to be a lot.

#ProgressUpdate #VayIdeal

]]> https://jallbarret.writeas.com/second-week-of-december-2025 Fri, 12 Dec 2025 15:20:00 +0000 New Names, Old Crimes https://jallbarret.writeas.com/new-names-old-crimes?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Vay Ideal - Book 2. New Crimes, Old Names by Jall Barret. A shiny, metal, red box flies over a sky outside a walled city built on a hill. The sky is dark but has stars and hints of an arora. After the adventure of Death In Transit, the crew of the Scampering Pete are still being hounded by space pirates and desperadoes who expect they will roll over easily like Captain Sanders did. They resolve to find a new ship on Chewa Fal. Before they can even begin shopping, they discover they won't be able to leave Chewa Fal until a mystery is solved. Thirteen people have gone missing in a little more than a month. Missing without a trace. Who is taking them and what do they want? The mystery becomes even more serious when one of the crew goes missing. Find out what happens in New Names, Old Crimes. The ebook is now available across stores including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Vivlio, and Fable! #VayIdeal #SciFi #Fiction]]> Vay Ideal - Book 2. New Crimes, Old Names by Jall Barret. A shiny, metal, red box flies over a sky outside a walled city built on a hill. The sky is dark but has stars and hints of an arora.

After the adventure of Death In Transit, the crew of the Scampering Pete are still being hounded by space pirates and desperadoes who expect they will roll over easily like Captain Sanders did. They resolve to find a new ship on Chewa Fal. Before they can even begin shopping, they discover they won't be able to leave Chewa Fal until a mystery is solved.

Thirteen people have gone missing in a little more than a month. Missing without a trace. Who is taking them and what do they want? The mystery becomes even more serious when one of the crew goes missing.

Find out what happens in New Names, Old Crimes. The ebook is now available across stores including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Vivlio, and Fable!

#VayIdeal #SciFi #Fiction

]]> https://jallbarret.writeas.com/new-names-old-crimes Thu, 11 Dec 2025 21:29:09 +0000 Vay Ideal https://jallbarret.writeas.com/vay-ideal?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[A group of strangers start a life-long adventure when the captain of the ship they traveled on has a medical emergency. Vay Ideal is SciFi adventure series inspired by budget science fiction shows of the 1990s and 2000s. While the story develops over time, each book provides enough context to understand the story you're reading. !--more-- 1. Death In Transit A space ship flying away from a fuchsia planet. The text is Vay Ideal - Book 1, Death In Transit, Jall Barret. The passengers of the Scampering Pete are on their way to Oshang Daro. If they had more money, they probably would have taken another transit. When the captain of the ship takes ill, five passengers rise to the occasion. Each were looking for a new start and the opportunity presented may be just what they were looking for. Assuming they can survive it! (Preview) Death In Transit is now available across ebook stores including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Vivlio, and Fable. 2. New Names, Old Crimes Vay Ideal - Book 2. New Crimes, Old Names by Jall Barret. A shiny, metal, red box flies over a sky outside a walled city built on a hill. The sky is dark but has stars and hints of an arora. After the adventure of Death In Transit, the crew of the Scampering Pete are still being hounded by space pirates and desperadoes who expect they will roll over easily like Captain Sanders did. They resolve to find a new ship on Chewa Fal. Before they can even begin shopping, they discover they won't be able to leave Chewa Fal until a mystery is solved. Thirteen people have gone missing in a little more than a month. Missing without a trace. Who is taking them and what do they want? The mystery becomes even more serious when one of the crew goes missing. Find out what happens in New Names, Old Crimes. The ebook is now available across ebook stores including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Vivlio, and Fable! Meet the crew! Character | Background ----------|------------ | Jesper Klausen left a backwater world to join the military at a young age. He quickly climbed the ranks but, after time, realized a terrible truth about his service in the military. He spent some time as a mercenary but something about it didn't seem right for him. He's going to Oshang Daro in the hopes of finding a new life! | Nassadra is a Verushian. Her people have traveled the galaxy for as long as anyone can remember but Verushians are secretive about their culture. After a long mission, she's looking for a change. | Greis is a Duwgian trader with plenty of space smarts from a life spent traveling in the seediest parts of the galaxy. He's visiting Oshang Daro in the hopes of starting a new business venture. The adventure and opportunities start long before the ship lands! | Lia Conway was just getting started in her career at a prestigious engineering firm when wanderlust and frustration lead her to take an unscheduled vacation to anywhere in the galaxy. | Juan Emanuel Rodriguez Galanis's tongue is as sharp as his knives. Unfortunately, his knives are packed away for the journey. He's older than he looks. He's not looking for home. He's trying to stay one step ahead. When things go wrong, he finds himself falling into an awkward harmony with other passengers trying to right the ship. #VayIdeal #SciFi #Adventure #ScienceFiction ]]> A group of strangers start a life-long adventure when the captain of the ship they traveled on has a medical emergency.

Vay Ideal is SciFi adventure series inspired by budget science fiction shows of the 1990s and 2000s. While the story develops over time, each book provides enough context to understand the story you're reading.

1. Death In Transit

A space ship flying away from a fuchsia planet. The text is Vay Ideal - Book 1, Death In Transit, Jall Barret.

The passengers of the Scampering Pete are on their way to Oshang Daro. If they had more money, they probably would have taken another transit. When the captain of the ship takes ill, five passengers rise to the occasion. Each were looking for a new start and the opportunity presented may be just what they were looking for. Assuming they can survive it! (Preview)

Death In Transit is now available across ebook stores including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Vivlio, and Fable.

2. New Names, Old Crimes

Vay Ideal - Book 2. New Crimes, Old Names by Jall Barret. A shiny, metal, red box flies over a sky outside a walled city built on a hill. The sky is dark but has stars and hints of an arora.

After the adventure of Death In Transit, the crew of the Scampering Pete are still being hounded by space pirates and desperadoes who expect they will roll over easily like Captain Sanders did. They resolve to find a new ship on Chewa Fal. Before they can even begin shopping, they discover they won't be able to leave Chewa Fal until a mystery is solved.

Thirteen people have gone missing in a little more than a month. Missing without a trace. Who is taking them and what do they want? The mystery becomes even more serious when one of the crew goes missing.

Find out what happens in New Names, Old Crimes. The ebook is now available across ebook stores including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Vivlio, and Fable!

Meet the crew!

Character Background
Jesper Klausen left a backwater world to join the military at a young age. He quickly climbed the ranks but, after time, realized a terrible truth about his service in the military. He spent some time as a mercenary but something about it didn't seem right for him. He's going to Oshang Daro in the hopes of finding a new life!
Nassadra is a Verushian. Her people have traveled the galaxy for as long as anyone can remember but Verushians are secretive about their culture. After a long mission, she's looking for a change.
Greis is a Duwgian trader with plenty of space smarts from a life spent traveling in the seediest parts of the galaxy. He's visiting Oshang Daro in the hopes of starting a new business venture. The adventure and opportunities start long before the ship lands!
Lia Conway was just getting started in her career at a prestigious engineering firm when wanderlust and frustration lead her to take an unscheduled vacation to anywhere in the galaxy.
Juan Emanuel Rodriguez Galanis's tongue is as sharp as his knives. Unfortunately, his knives are packed away for the journey. He's older than he looks. He's not looking for home. He's trying to stay one step ahead. When things go wrong, he finds himself falling into an awkward harmony with other passengers trying to right the ship.

#VayIdeal #SciFi #Adventure #ScienceFiction

]]> https://jallbarret.writeas.com/vay-ideal Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:58:05 +0000 First Week of December 2025 https://jallbarret.writeas.com/first-week-of-december-2025?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[This week's goals were: Design a cover for Book 2 - Done though I might tweak it some. Finish missing scenes - Done. Major edits - Done and then some. First pass audio recording - I'm not quite sure what I meant by that. I'm either way past it or I'm most of the way there. Either way, it will be complete before the impending deadline. !--more--Not goals but still accomplished: More plotting on Fallen Heaven Finished plotting Book 3 of Vay Ideal So, that's a pretty good week. I also wrote Web browsers have betrayed us and a bit of flash fiction (bluesky - Sharkey). I'm contemplating whether it makes sense to produce things like the flash fiction and the blog as videos on YouTube instead. I haven't made much traction on social media. Like ... not talking about sales in that sense. I haven't looked at those yet. 😹 I know how to build a following over time. I did it when Twitter was still a place worth being. In my heart, I feel like the things that build a community remain the same over time. Some jokes. Positive but meaningful discussion. Promoting others' work, not in the hopes that they'll return the favor, but because I genuinely want to see their stuff succeed. I was never Twitter famous but, while being myself, I did build a group of mutuals that was pretty reasonable at the time I was doing it. I have a feeling that doing that again is going to be a key component of making creativity work as my 'day job' over time. Next week's goals Press publish on Book 2 of Vay Ideal before the Smashwords 'deadline' Write some words on Book 3 Create audiobook account and finish production on audiobook for Death In Transit Work on super-secret project It would be great if I could have Book 3 release in audio and ebook simultaneously. I'm getting closer to that possibility but the next step is releasing Death In Transit in audio to begin with. Personal This week has been incredibly long. If I didn't have some big goals I need to hit by Monday, I would be trying to take it easy for the next few days. #ProgressUpdate #VayIdeal]]> This week's goals were:

  1. Design a cover for Book 2 – Done though I might tweak it some.
  2. Finish missing scenes – Done.
  3. Major edits – Done and then some.
  4. First pass audio recording – I'm not quite sure what I meant by that. I'm either way past it or I'm most of the way there. Either way, it will be complete before the impending deadline.

Not goals but still accomplished:

  • More plotting on Fallen Heaven
  • Finished plotting Book 3 of Vay Ideal

So, that's a pretty good week. I also wrote Web browsers have betrayed us and a bit of flash fiction (bluesky – Sharkey). I'm contemplating whether it makes sense to produce things like the flash fiction and the blog as videos on YouTube instead. I haven't made much traction on social media.

Like ... not talking about sales in that sense. I haven't looked at those yet. 😹

I know how to build a following over time. I did it when Twitter was still a place worth being. In my heart, I feel like the things that build a community remain the same over time. Some jokes. Positive but meaningful discussion. Promoting others' work, not in the hopes that they'll return the favor, but because I genuinely want to see their stuff succeed.

I was never Twitter famous but, while being myself, I did build a group of mutuals that was pretty reasonable at the time I was doing it. I have a feeling that doing that again is going to be a key component of making creativity work as my 'day job' over time.

Next week's goals

  1. Press publish on Book 2 of Vay Ideal before the Smashwords 'deadline'
  2. Write some words on Book 3
  3. Create audiobook account and finish production on audiobook for Death In Transit
  4. Work on super-secret project

It would be great if I could have Book 3 release in audio and ebook simultaneously. I'm getting closer to that possibility but the next step is releasing Death In Transit in audio to begin with.

Personal

This week has been incredibly long. If I didn't have some big goals I need to hit by Monday, I would be trying to take it easy for the next few days.

#ProgressUpdate #VayIdeal

]]> https://jallbarret.writeas.com/first-week-of-december-2025 Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:09:24 +0000 Death In Transit preview https://jallbarret.writeas.com/death-in-transit-preview?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Death In Transit preview A space ship flying away from a fuchsia planet. The is Vay Ideal - Book 1, Death In Transit, Jall Barret. The captain was laying on his back on the floor. They hadn't seen much of him since they'd started the trip but Jesper recognized him all the same. A little tubby. Hair thinning up top. Thick, unruly mustache and a few days of stubble. He was breathing. His lips had turned blue and his eyes looked like they were bulging a bit. "Damn!" Jesper said. "Quiet! Please! I've never done this with a human before," Nassadra said. She ripped the captain's shirt open and pulled an instrument out of her bag. She injected him with something and then pulled out a complicated looking device.!-- more -- "God, I hate this part," Jesper said quietly. He had to stay. He knew he did. No one else had run into the fray. He looked around the cabin, trying to find anything that might ... help in some way. He found a button for the public address system. He pressed it. "This is Jesper. Don't rush the control room. Nassadra is trying to save the captain from ... I guess a heart attack? If there's any additional qualified medical personnel aboard, please make your way to the forward compartment. Otherwise, stay out." He pressed the button again to stop broadcasting. --- "Proximity alert," the ship said. "What?" Nassadra said. She pulled the cloth off her head and sat up. "Proximity alert." "What's that?" "Unidentified vessel is coming close to us." "Call them." "Unknown command. Please consult the ship's manual which can be located &mdash;" "Shut up!" --- A voice came over the channel. "Don't you worry about us. We're here to take something that's ours. If you cooperate, you won't have a bit of trouble, Sanders." "This isn't Sanders. This is his first officer. Sanders is indisposed and he didn't say a thing about having a visitor mid-trip. Break away immediately." "No, I don't think we're going to. You'd better cooperate." The call disconnected. Jesper turned on the PA. "We're being boarded by pirates. Anyone who doesn't feel up to fighting should lock themselves in the passenger compartment. If you can fight, I may need your help. Until this situation is over, don't do a shipwide broadcast." He turned the PA off and set a passcode to lock out the ship controls. Juan made his way to the back. "Yeah, you should probably go with them." "I'm going for my knives," Juan turned back and gave him a disgusted look. "Don't get in any fights without me, pretty boy." Death In Transit is now available across ebook stores including Smashwords, Kobo, Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Everand, Thalia, Vivlio, and Fable. Not sure yet? Read more about the cast in the announcement post. #VayIdeal #SciFi #Fiction]]> Death In Transit preview

A space ship flying away from a fuchsia planet. The is Vay Ideal - Book 1, Death In Transit, Jall Barret.

The captain was laying on his back on the floor. They hadn't seen much of him since they'd started the trip but Jesper recognized him all the same. A little tubby. Hair thinning up top. Thick, unruly mustache and a few days of stubble. He was breathing. His lips had turned blue and his eyes looked like they were bulging a bit.

“Damn!” Jesper said.

“Quiet! Please! I've never done this with a human before,” Nassadra said. She ripped the captain's shirt open and pulled an instrument out of her bag. She injected him with something and then pulled out a complicated looking device.

“God, I hate this part,” Jesper said quietly. He had to stay. He knew he did. No one else had run into the fray. He looked around the cabin, trying to find anything that might ... help in some way.

He found a button for the public address system. He pressed it.

“This is Jesper. Don't rush the control room. Nassadra is trying to save the captain from ... I guess a heart attack? If there's any additional qualified medical personnel aboard, please make your way to the forward compartment. Otherwise, stay out.” He pressed the button again to stop broadcasting.

“Proximity alert,” the ship said.

“What?” Nassadra said. She pulled the cloth off her head and sat up.

“Proximity alert.”

“What's that?”

“Unidentified vessel is coming close to us.”

“Call them.”

“Unknown command. Please consult the ship's manual which can be located —“

“Shut up!”

A voice came over the channel.

“Don't you worry about us. We're here to take something that's ours. If you cooperate, you won't have a bit of trouble, Sanders.”

“This isn't Sanders. This is his first officer. Sanders is indisposed and he didn't say a thing about having a visitor mid-trip. Break away immediately.”

“No, I don't think we're going to. You'd better cooperate.”

The call disconnected.

Jesper turned on the PA.

“We're being boarded by pirates. Anyone who doesn't feel up to fighting should lock themselves in the passenger compartment. If you can fight, I may need your help. Until this situation is over, don't do a shipwide broadcast.” He turned the PA off and set a passcode to lock out the ship controls.

Juan made his way to the back.

“Yeah, you should probably go with them.”

“I'm going for my knives,” Juan turned back and gave him a disgusted look. “Don't get in any fights without me, pretty boy.”

Death In Transit is now available across ebook stores including Smashwords, Kobo, Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Everand, Thalia, Vivlio, and Fable.

Not sure yet? Read more about the cast in the announcement post.

#VayIdeal #SciFi #Fiction

]]> https://jallbarret.writeas.com/death-in-transit-preview Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:59:38 +0000 Death In Transit https://jallbarret.writeas.com/death-in-transit?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[A space ship flying away from a fuchsia planet. The is Vay Ideal - Book 1, Death In Transit, Jall Barret. The passengers of the Scampering Pete are on their way to Oshang Daro. If they had more money, they probably would have taken another transit. When the captain of the ship takes ill, five passengers rise to the occasion. Each were looking for a new start and the opportunity presented may be just what they were looking for. Assuming they can survive it! Death In Transit is now available across ebook stores including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Vivlio, and Fable. Meet the crew! Character | Background ----------|------------ | Jesper Klausen left a backwater world to join the military at a young age. He quickly climbed the ranks but, after time, realized a terrible truth about his service in the military. He spent some time as a mercenary but something about it didn't seem right for him. He's going to Oshang Daro in the hopes of finding a new life! | Nassadra is a Verushian. Her people have traveled the galaxy for as long as anyone can remember but Verushians are secretive about their culture. After a long mission, she's looking for a change. | Greis is a Duwgian trader with plenty of space smarts from a life spent traveling in the seediest parts of the galaxy. He's visiting Oshang Daro in the hopes of starting a new business venture. The adventure and opportunities start long before the ship lands! | Lia Conway was just getting started in her career at a prestigious engineering firm when wanderlust and frustration lead her to take an unscheduled vacation to anywhere in the galaxy. | Juan Emanuel Rodriguez Galanis's tongue is as sharp as his knives. Unfortunately, his knives are packed away for the journey. He's older than he looks. He's not looking for home. He's trying to stay one step ahead. When things go wrong, he finds himself falling into an awkward harmony with other passengers trying to right the ship. #VayIdeal #SciFi #Fiction]]> A space ship flying away from a fuchsia planet. The is Vay Ideal - Book 1, Death In Transit, Jall Barret.

The passengers of the Scampering Pete are on their way to Oshang Daro. If they had more money, they probably would have taken another transit. When the captain of the ship takes ill, five passengers rise to the occasion. Each were looking for a new start and the opportunity presented may be just what they were looking for. Assuming they can survive it!

Death In Transit is now available across ebook stores including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Vivlio, and Fable.

Meet the crew!

Character Background
Jesper Klausen left a backwater world to join the military at a young age. He quickly climbed the ranks but, after time, realized a terrible truth about his service in the military. He spent some time as a mercenary but something about it didn't seem right for him. He's going to Oshang Daro in the hopes of finding a new life!
Nassadra is a Verushian. Her people have traveled the galaxy for as long as anyone can remember but Verushians are secretive about their culture. After a long mission, she's looking for a change.
Greis is a Duwgian trader with plenty of space smarts from a life spent traveling in the seediest parts of the galaxy. He's visiting Oshang Daro in the hopes of starting a new business venture. The adventure and opportunities start long before the ship lands!
Lia Conway was just getting started in her career at a prestigious engineering firm when wanderlust and frustration lead her to take an unscheduled vacation to anywhere in the galaxy.
Juan Emanuel Rodriguez Galanis's tongue is as sharp as his knives. Unfortunately, his knives are packed away for the journey. He's older than he looks. He's not looking for home. He's trying to stay one step ahead. When things go wrong, he finds himself falling into an awkward harmony with other passengers trying to right the ship.

#VayIdeal #SciFi #Fiction

]]> https://jallbarret.writeas.com/death-in-transit Fri, 21 Nov 2025 15:31:20 +0000