SFR Brigade

Have We Lost the Desire for Space Travel?

2012-01-28T00:43:00.000-08:00

It seems like every week now scientists are discovering new alien worlds in our galaxy. Diamond planets. Exo planets. Planetary systems with binary suns like Tattoine. There’s no definite proof if any of them are inhabitable, or perhaps even already inhabited, but will we ever find out for sure?

Since the US space program was cancelled, I’ve been wondering if humanity will ever venture any further into space. As a science fiction writer I’ve imagined exploring new worlds. As a child I dreamt of being a companion in Doctor Who and exploring all of time and space - I even wrote my first complete novel based on those wishes! I’d hoped at least to see a manned mission to Mars in my lifetime.

But now it seems like that dream is over. There are no more flights into space by the US. I watched Space: 1999 as a child, but that year has come and gone without any sign of a potential MoonbaseAlpha. Will it ever happen? In regards to the Moon is it too much a case of “been there, done that”?

Of course there are commercial plans for flights into space as part of the tourism industry. Virgin Galactic for one. Perhaps a research base on the Moon is unlikely, but maybe there’ll be a hotel? A luxury lunar resort? Perhaps private enterprise will take us back into space and beyond.

I heard on the news today that Newt Gingrich is proposing to reinstate the space program and build a lunar base. Of course, I always take promises from a politician with a big dose of skepticism, especially from one yet to be in the position to keep such promises. Perhaps it’s not just a lack of funds, but a lack of desire to go back into space. I hope not. I still hope to see that mission to Mars. “To infinity, and beyond!” as Buzz Lightyear would say.

Have we lost the drive to be a space-traveling species? What do you think?

Might Be a Way to Boost SFR Profile

2012-01-26T08:11:00.000-08:00

So, I've been reading a couple of social media books by Kristen Lamb. One is called Are You There Blog? It's Me Writer and the other is We Are Not Alone: The Writer's Guide to Social Media. The WANA book is a couple of years old, so the My Space info is outdated, but the basic premise feels solid to. And a lot of the info from WANA is in the blog book, at least so far.

Anyway, one of the things she suggests is for authors to get Tweet Deck (free) and use it to track specific groups on Twitter. You can create columns for them. She has a group that uses the hashtag #MyWANA to bring people together who have read her book, read her blog or take her online classes.

I was thinking, we could create a hashtag for our group and use it to keep track of blog posts, retweet information and generally boost the genre's profile. I was wondering if a) Brigaders would be interested in this (once you get it set up, only takes about 15 minutes for me "do" twitter in the morning) and b) what hashtag would be the best?

#lovesciencefictionromance is really long, so it would limit tweets, but nice thing about tweetdeck, it auto shortens URLS for you. I have columns for hastags/people and also one so I can see when people respond to something I tweeted.

#loveSFR is nice and short, but would people know what it is?

#SFRlove

#SFRrocks

#blastoffw/SFR

I've only been trying this out for a couple of days, but have seen my twitter follows increasing and been able to interact with new people. I look for interesting tweets to retweet and for information the group might find interesting. Yesterday I ended up something called My WANA daily for an article link I tweeted.

What's also nice about it is that no one has to be "in charge" of it. You just need to remember to use the hashtag we choose when you tweet (and people in the group also tweet interesting personal information). Lamb suggests tweeting things that are personal/universal, something FOR someone else, and then something marketing. And if you get tweet deck and use it, it will make it a lot easier for you to keep track of the hashtag group. (She did mention another twitter manager. I can look it up if people don't like tweetdeck.)

I'm still working my way through both books, but I really like her approach and she hits on something I've vaguely felt in my years of promotion: that promoting books is different from other types of marketing.

Anyway, I'd be interested in your thoughts and your ideas for a hashtag if we decide to move forward with this.

Hi, I have a new release today!

2012-01-24T19:57:00.000-08:00

The second book in my SFR series RECAST is now available:

When revenge, secrets and lust collide, there can only be chaos.

Recast, Book 2

Jenks Maine is dead, but the devastating effects forcing Recast to fight in the arena goes on. Half-Recast Ace Abu is determined to put a stop to it. All he needs is to get to the planet Fray, locate the concealed Clash Arena, and destroy it. But first he has to cross half the galaxy before the sound and smell of his partners’ nonstop lovemaking drives him mad.

By the time he parks himself on a barstool in the town of Grit, he’s more than ready for a few beers. Except the sexy singer on stage is only making him—and his inner beast—burn hotter.

Ely’Shea longs for the freedom Jenks stole from her. She’s his right-hand woman, but when the boss is away she steps out of her enforcer role and ducks into a remote bar to indulge her passion: singing onstage. The night she catches a glimpse of an alluring cowboy in the audience, he ignites a spark inside her she never thought she’d feel again.

Unable to resist temptation, they’re consumed by passion…but once the fuses are set, their deepest personal secrets could blow any chance of forever all to hell.

Product Warnings: This book contains a very lonely shapeshifter in need of some loving, a kick-ass singer leading a double life, a serious case of mutual lust, an arena filled with enslaved warriors, and so many secrets it can only end in total madness.

Samhain Publishing | Kindle | NOOK Book | Diesel

I've already got two reviews:

"Several sexy scenes, an interesting plot, and strong dialog make this a fun and compelling read. Recommended for casual sf and romance lovers." –Jennifer Harris, Library Journal

"Clash offers an adventurous tale in space and another strong heroine." –LovLivLife Reviews

RECAST SERIES:

Thanks for reading! :)

Website: http://www.yolandasfetsos.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/yolandasfetsos
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/yolandasfetsos

Could A Sci-Fi Romance Critique Group Give Writers An Edge?

2012-01-23T05:28:00.000-08:00

Back in June 2010, blogger Laurie A. Green started a discussion around the idea of a science fiction romance critique group. I was reminded of her effort when an SFR writer recently contacted me and expressed interest in joining just such a group. Upon revisiting the thread, I couldn't tell if any active ones had evolved from it.

My thought is that a critique group could certainly be an effective strategy in the effort to help more sci-fi romance authors hone their craft and thus improve chances of publication. It’s also a great way to network. But is there a need for one?

And if there is a need, how strong is the sentiment?

One advantage of forming a critique group within the SFR community as opposed to joining established groups such as Critique Circle is that authors of SFR are more familiar with the subgenre. (Plus, CC excludes certain things such as explicit sex and gore, which may limit options for quite a few of us).

Another thought occurred to me: If we are going to set one up, it seems as though we’d actually need multiple kinds. Different writers have different needs. Some would only want to exchange completed manuscripts. Others crave feedback on a chapter-by-chapter basis. Then there is the issue of content. Some people will read anything while others have certain preferences. There’s also the consideration that certain content may be triggers for some members (i.e., graphic violence) and that should be respected.

How might we break down the groups? Here’s one rough idea:

* Two for erotic SFR, divided into one group for completed manuscript exchanges and a second for Works In Progress/chapter-by-chapter/queries/synopses

* Two for non-erotic SFR, divided into one group for completed manuscript exchanges and a second for Works In Progress/chapter-by-chapter/queries/synopses

What about general guidelines? Should members be responsible for tagging mature content or other elements when submitting their work for a critique? Should there be deadlines for returning critiques, say, bi-weekly or monthly? Is it easier to establish groups for just “big picture” critiques (e.g., plot, characterization, pacing)?

Another idea: Instead of groups, would it be helpful to facilitate pairings? Maybe the idea of forming groups is too unwieldy. Perhaps there are enough writers around to sort ourselves into pairs.

How about this: What if, instead of an ongoing group or set of groups, interested writers pooled together (say, in a Yahoo group) and exchanged work at certain points and for a certain length of time throughout the year? It could be organized on a quarterly or six month basis, with a month allowed for submitting and completing critiques.

So we may not get every project of ours critiqued, but chances are that we’d have at least one manuscript or chapter to submit during the exchange period. And we would make sure that every exchange is equitable in terms of length and that everyone gets a critique. Because let’s face it, with our busy schedules, it’s daunting to think about doing repeated critiques throughout the year. A window of exchanges might be more manageable, at least initially.

Those are just a few ideas. I’ve never been in a formal critique group, so those of you with experience may have more strategic proposals. In the interest of full disclosure, now that I’ve decided to expand my efforts into writing SFR for publication, I’d be interested in doing some exchanges.

So what do you think? Are you interested in joining an SFR critique group(s)? Is there a way to organize critique groups/pairings in a relatively streamlined manner?

"Heroes Lost and Found" - On the way!

2012-01-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to announce the sale of the third in the "Blaze of Glory" series to Samhain!

The last in the trilogy, "Heroes Lost and Found", picks up where "Heroes Without, Monsters Within" ends - with a new super villain on the loose Jo finds herself caught between the past and the present.

Some will rise, others will fail...

Updates to follow!

Guest Blogging about "Researching" Time Travel and such. Contest!

2012-01-20T10:59:00.001-08:00

I'm over at the Book Boost, guest blogging about researching fictional science. Hope you'll drop by! Gift card on the line!

Meet New Member, Linda Andrews

2012-01-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

Today we have an interview with new Brigade member, Linda Andrews. Welcome aboard, Linda!

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I think my bio says it best: Linda Andrews lives in Phoenix, Arizona with
her husband, three children and a menagerie of domesticated animals.
While she started writing a decade ago, she always used her stories to
escape the redundancy of her day job as a scientist and never thought to
actually combine her love of fiction and science. DOH! After that Homer
Simpson moment, she allowed the two halves of her brain to talk to each
other. The journeys she’s embarked on since then are dark, twisted and
occasionally violent, but never predictable.

We’d love to hear more about your book, Blue Maneuver.

After destroying
the world in my apocalyptic novel, Redaction, I needed a break from doom
and gloom. Since I had just spent the summer watching every ancient
alien/ufo/conspiracy show on Netflix, I thought it would be funny to write
about aliens on Earth. Then to add a twist by having a heroine who not
only didn't like scifi but didn't believe that aliens existed.

Would you like to share any upcoming projects?

I am currently writing a contracted paranormal romance centered around Valentine's day.
Then I'll be self-publishing two SFR books in a series around a human and
a cyborg.

What do you like about writing SFR?

I love that my imagination can take me
anywhere, there are no limits. Plus I get to look things up so I can
extrapolate for the science part. Yes, I am a nerd.

What do you find challenging about it?

Getting the words to describe the
images in my head so that readers can see through my eyes.

What is your favorite SF book or movie?

My favorite book has to be Hope's
Folly by Linnea Sinclair, but my favorite movie is the original Time
Machine by HG Wells.

Favorite mode of fictional travel?

Interstellar spaceship. If there was a
way for us to leave Earth to explore the universe, I'd be on it.

Here is the book blurb for Blue Maneuver:

The extraterrestrials have landed and they’re human.
Rae Hemplewhite didn’t believe in aliens until a close encounter with
out-of-this-world technology drags her into the extraterrestrial security
program. Helping alien refugees adjust to life on Earth is difficult
enough, but her first clients have a price on their heads. Plus, her new
partner seems torn between the urge to kiss her or kill her.
And that’s the good news.
The bad news: Alliances are forming in deep space. If Rae doesn’t keep her
witnesses alive long enough to transfer their top secret information to
the right faction of humanity, Earth will become a battlefield.

It is available at:

amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006VOKXME/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwlindaandre-20

Barnes and
Nobel:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-maneuver-urban-scifi-fantasy-linda-andrews/1108181682?ean=2940013738331&itm=1&usri=blue+maneuver

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/121154

New Pillars of Creation Photos

2012-01-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

This is a new composite photo of the Eagle Nebula in the constellation Serpens. See the rest of the amazing and gorgeous photos (and a video showing how this composite was derived from several space telescopes), visit the Photo Blog on MSNBC.com

How can we not write science fiction when there's stuff like this out there in the big black?

New Member, Janet Miller

2012-01-17T09:34:00.000-08:00

We have a whole roster of new recruits this week! Our next new member to greet is, Janet Miller. Welcome, Janet, to the Brigade.

Please tell us a little about yourself

I am Janet Miller, who also writes as Cricket Starr. Originally the Cricket Starr name was just for my erotic books but my Cerridwen titles were all made Cricket Starr back when Ellora’s Cave decided to move books from Cerridwen to an imprint of EC called blush. So some books are Cricket and are not erotic.

Yes, it is confusing. But there we are.

I’ve been writing for about a dozen years now and have 27 titles currently listed on my website of which 11 are science fiction romance. Which means it is one of my favorite genres to write in.

My day job is a software engineer and I also have a background as a medical researcher so I know a bit about science. When I was younger I loved reading Anne McCaffrey’s books like Restoree, which I know some people have argued is the first real Science Fiction Romance book.

We’d love to hear more about your book, Promises To Keep, book 1 of the Gaian series.

Promises to Keep is my first story in the Gaian series and essentially introduced the world I’d built. This also means that is it the book where I started making this world up and getting a handle on what it was and was not, and is thus the book I use for my story bible.

My tag line for Promises To Keep is “Mars Needs Women meets the Love Boat.” The Gaian men have kidnapped a group of Earth women on their way to find husbands in the Outer Colonies in order to make them their own wives. Gaian men are impotent until they find the right woman to attach to so they are highly motivated to take wives. That’s where the Mars Needs Women story line comes in.

The action takes place on “the Promise” which is the flagship of the Gaian military fleet, so that’s why I mention the Love Boat. Besides I though it sounded funny.

The planet Gaia was a colony of Earth before it staged its fight for independence, during which a lot of young women were killed when a girls school was deliberately destroyed by the Earth military. So there are all sorts of conflicts going on in the book, particularly between Doctor Sarah Johnson, who lost her best friend in the war, and the Gaian leader General Garran Doranth, who lost his wife and child when the school was destroyed. But that doesn’t stop Garran from attaching to Sarah and wooing her while masked.

I guess I won’t be spoiling anything if I say stuff does eventually get worked out. It is a romance after all. It is also pretty inexpensive since Amazon has it in Kindle format for $2.99!

There are three other published stories in the Gaian world, starting with Beloved Enemy, about a pair of fighter pilots on opposite sides of the war getting trapped on a planet together and having to work out their differences. That book was a Romantic Times Top Pick and nominee for their Reviewers Choice Award. A third book is Beloved Traveler, which is about a Gaian woman meeting the brother of the heroine in Beloved Enemy.

Then there is A Promise Made, a novella also about a pair of doctors at the beginning of the war, who meet and fall in love. That book gets its title from the fact it takes place on The Promise, just like Promises To Keep.

Would you like to share any upcoming projects ?

I’ve recently sold a new Gaian story to Samhain Publishing called Beloved Stranger. This book is the story of a young woman from the Outer Colonies who many years earlier had been kidnapped along with her sisters and taken to a Gaian prison/mining colony for an illegal marriage meet. Sonja got away but her sisters had ended up as wives. Now Sonja is back to rescue her sisters and is willing to do anything, including marrying a Gaian prisoner to find them.

Here is the blurb: Six years ago Sonja Deems had to leave her sisters behind when slavers forced them into the illegal Gaian marriage meets at the Ares Five Prison colony. Now she’s back to retrieve them and is willing to do anything, even marry one of the prisoners to get access to them. She figures she can get in and out on her own but doesn’t count on Roan Dumas being the man who attaches and marries her, a man who can scheme even better than she can but whose honor will make it difficult for her to leave him behind.

I plan more books in the Gaian world and hope to make Samhain my home for them.

What do you like about writing SFR?

Well, I obviously love writing romance or I wouldn’t do it so much. But I also enjoy imagining what the world will be like in 50, 100, 500 years. I expect that there will still be men and women finding each other and falling in love, but on spaceships, or strange planets instead of on Earth.

What do you find challenging about it?

The most difficult part is keeping the believability. You don’t want the reader to get thrown out of the story by something that doesn’t make any sense. For example let’s suppose our hero wants to increase the light on his planet. If the author said “Let’s move the sun closer by tying a rope around it and pulling” I would not believe that was possible. You want to describe a future that is probable, not impossible, otherwise you are writing fantasy, not science fiction.

What is your favorite SF book or movie?

I have so many favorites it is hard to pick. But if you want just one, I’ll go with Wall-e. Outstanding beginning, best use of “show don’t tell” ever in an opening, and I’m a sucker for a love story with robots.

If you could have a robot that did one chore/task and only one, what would you choose?

Well, remember what I said about a love story with robots? Actually I did write a story about that, Partners, which has synthetic people who end up asteroid mining together, as well as a lot of other stuff.

Seriously I’d want a robot that washes dishes. I mean all dishes, not just what a dishwasher does but the fragile stuff you can’t put into a dishwasher.

BIO: During the weekday Janet Miller, sometimes better known as Cricket Starr, is a mild-mannered software engineer who writes code and design documents. But at night and on weekends she turns to the creation of offbeat stories about imaginary pasts, presents, and futures, where ladies become warriors, or go to the stars to find love, and a man really can save a struggling software company.

But no matter when the story happens, or where the hero or heroine is, there will always be adventure, humor, and meaning to the tale.

Her writing has won her multiple awards, recommended reads, stars, unicorns, and hearts and even a couple of trophies that look really good on her bookshelf next to her printed books.

See more at her website: http://www.cricketstarr.com

Book summary:

In the distant future, with Earth near barren and men willing to commit to marriage almost non-existent, a group of young women leave to find husbands in the Outer Colonies. On their way they're hijacked by men from a rebel planet called Gaia.

Gaian men can only make love to a woman they match and Dr. Sarah Johnson turns out to be the match for the most hated Gaian of all, General Garran Doranth. To keep their promises, these two must look beyond what they think they know and learn to trust what they feel for each other.

Buy link for $2.99:

http://www.amazon.com/Promises-Keep-Gaian-ebook/dp/B003XYEVIW%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJBDF5XQBATGDX4VQ%26tag%3Dspea06-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB003XYEVIW

Meet New Member, Cynthia Woolf

2012-01-16T14:35:00.000-08:00

Please join me in welcoming Cynthia Woolf to the Brigade. She has stopped by for an interview and to share some info on her brand new release, Centauri Midnight.

Please tell us a little about yourself
I'm a Colorado native and have been writing something poetry, stories, papers, essays and eventually books, since I was a kid. I found my local chapter of RWA in 1990 and they have been a tremendous help. I decided to self publish my books last year and will continue to do so. It has given me the freedom to write what I want to and not worry about fitting into a traditional publishers mold of what they think is going to be selling 1 year or more down the road when the book would actually hit the market.

Now when I've finished a book, gotten the cover and had it edited, I upload it myself and it's available to the public the next day. If I don't like a cover I just reload it and voila, it's changed. The freedom is adicting.

We’d love to hear more about your book,
My latest book is called Centauri Midnight. It is set on the planet Gregar. Here is the blurb:

Kitari ‘Kiti’ Dolana wants justice for her murdered brother. She’s trailed the man responsible to a distant planet where swords outmaneuver blasters.
Garrick Marcus, Spaceship Captain, is on a mission to hunt down a ruthless killer. The same man Kiti is after.
But Kiti and Garrick discover an explosive attraction that makes it hard to keep their minds on their goals. As they try to bring down the killer, they find that love and vengeance are a volatile mix.
Would you like to share any upcoming projects (and links)

I'm working on 3 more books that take place on the planet Gregar which is where the majority of Centauir Midnight takes place.

What do you like about writing SFR?

I like being able to create my own world.

What do you find challenging about it?

Creating my world means keeping tract of everything, all the different words, animals, cars, weapons. That can be difficult even with a "bible".

What is your favorite SF book or movie?

I like most sci-fi movies and have a lot of favorites. Forbidden Planet is one of my very favorites. Who can forget Robbie the Robot. The original Star Wars trilogy with Luke, Leia and Han are classic.

If you could have a robot that did one chore/task and only one, what would you choose?

I'd have it clean my bathrooms.

BIO:

Cynthia Woolf was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends.

Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006.

Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time.

She worked her way through college and went to work full time straight after graduation and there was little time to write. Then in 1990 she and two friends started a round robin writing a story about pirates. She found that she missed the writing and kept on with other stories. In 1992 she joined Colorado Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America. Unfortunately, the loss of her job demanded the she not renew her memberships and her writing stagnated for many years.

In 2000, she saw an ad in the paper for a writers conference being put on by CRW and decided she'd attend. One of her favorite authors, Catherine Coulter, was the keynote speaker. Cynthia was lucky enough to have a seat at Ms. Coulter's table at the luncheon and after talking with her, decided she needed to get back to her writing. She rejoined both CRW and RWA that day and hasn't looked back.

Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she's made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.

My back of book summary is shown above.

website: http://www.cynthiawoolf.com

Amazon: http://amzn.to/w2m66F

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/zHMwF6

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/120997

All Romance eBooks: http://bit.ly/wwyzDN

EXCERPT

CENTAURI MIDNIGHT

CYNTHIA WOOLF

“Audra, please. You’re my queen, but you’re also my friend. You must grant me this last request. Let me go after him. Please you know how much this means to me.” Tensign Kiti Dolana paced the Her Royal Highness’s beautiful sitting room. Bile rose in her throat and threatened to strangle her. Finally, she collapsed into a chair its soft cushions swallowing her as she sat across the small, highly polished and gleaming, coffee table from the Queen of Centauri.

The Queen, pregnant with triplets, her beautifully distended abdomen disallowing much frivolous movement, reclined on the couch. She sat up to pour the tea but had trouble reaching the tea pot in the middle of the coffee table. “Kiti, would you pour our aeta? I’m a bit like a beached whale right now.” Audra was anything but a beached whale. Kiti knew the colloquial term from her study of Earth.

Her queen was radiant. Her long, chestnut hair fell in waves to her waist, gathered on one side of her head. Her clear silver gray eyes shone bright in her pale face. She wore a beautiful royal purple empire-waisted dress that highlighted her pale features. She was beautiful. Kiti remembered a time, on their trip back to Centauri from Earth, when she’d not thought so, because she was jealous.

That was before Audra’s marriage to Darius, when she’d still been betrothed to Anton. Kiti had thought herself in love with Anton. They’d been seeing each other for years, and Kiti was jealous of Audra. Some of the things she’d said had been unkind, but Audra had seen her jealousy for what it was and forgiven her the words. They were now best friends.

Kiti poured the tea and continued to beseech her queen. “Audra, you have to let me go after him. Tybold killed my brother, Joridan. His actions directly led to Anton being captured and tortured. I need to see they both get justice. They deserve it.”

“And you are sure it’s only justice you seek?” Audra softly asked.

“Damn it, Audra.” Kiti got up and paced the room again. Her long black hair, tied in a high tankipa tail, swung back and forth, slapping against her back with each step. The thick, plush carpet kept her boots from clicking on the floor. “I’m begging you to let me go with Garrick Marcus. It’s not just revenge I need. I need closure. I’m the one who should deliver Tybold to the authorities. Garrick Marcus is the best captain in the fleet and I know Darius is sending him after Tybold. Joridan needs us both to avenge his death. To bring his murderer back to Centauri for justice to be served.”

“Kiti, are you combat trained? We don’t know what to expect from the Gregarians. By this time, Tybold could have convinced them we are conquerors and he’s their only salvation. We don’t know. It could be a suicide mission. I don’t want to lose my best friend.” She went on. “I know you’re grieving. Joridan’s loss and Lara’s return has been very hard on you.”

“Stop.” Kiti held up her hand. “I know what my life has been like. I mourn the loss of Joridan and I’m still angry about Anton’s capture and torture. Joridan was my little brother.” she smiled at that. “Even though he was a head taller than me, he will always be my little brother. I still smell Joridan’s scent in his room. Sometimes it’s so fresh it’s like he just passed by.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I miss the closeness that Anton and I once shared, but I do not bemoan him finding Lara. I’m very happy he found his lifemate. It was something he never thought to do. After the torture both Anton and Lara suffered at the hands of the Slavariens, it’s amazing they found each other. I wish I had a lifemate out there somewhere.

“Audra, I’m a historian and anthropologist, but first I’m Dragonera. Of course, I am combat trained. All Dragonera are. We are the Royal Guard. The best soldiers Centauri has. For that matter, the best anywhere.”

“You’re right, but I worry anyway. Must be my maternal instinct.” Audra patted her abdomen.

Kitty smiled at the thought of Audra as a mother. She would be a good one, even if she was a might over protective. At least she was of Kiti. Kiti could only imagine how she would be with her own babies.

“You know the people of Gregar are centuries behind us technologically. I’m the only person who can go on this mission that knows anything about their culture.”

“I don’t know,” Audra hesitated.

“Admit it. Garrick needs me.”

“We don’t interfere in the development of other planets’ civilizations. You know that.”

“Tybold has already interfered. I say we’ll be evening the odds for the tribes involved. And it’s not as though Gregar doesn’t know we exist. They already trade with other planets. Just because they’re not our technological equals doesn’t mean they aren’t advanced.”

Kiti saw Audra hesitate again before she answered. “I’ll have to confer with Darius before I can give you my answer.”

At that moment Darius came in accompanied by Garrick, Anton and Lara. The three men were in their Dragonera uniforms as was Kiti, the only differences being the color blocking. All wore the royal colors of amethyst and cream. Darius and Garrick wore amethyst uniforms with cream colored sleeves, denoting their status as starship captains. Darius’ uniform also had a cream colored stripe from the left shoulder to the waist, denoting that he was Captain of the Royal Guard. As a general in the Royal Army, Anton’s uniform was solid amethyst. Lara, Audra’s twin sister, still had the tanned skin from someone who’d spent too much time in the sun. She wore the House of Danexx royal colors like everyone else did. Hers were an amethyst jumpsuit and long cream colored duster. Kiti’s uniform was solid cream. Her rank as Tensign was denoted by a patch on her left arm.

“What do you need to discuss with me?” Darius asked as he took his wife’s arm and helped her to rise from the couch. She gave him a quick kiss. Darius rubbed her stomach then bent and said, “Hello, my children. Are you being nice to your mommy today?”

Kiti swore he expected an answer.

“If you don’t quit that people are going to think you’re crazy,” said Audra.

Darius laughed and kissed her abdomen.

“I am. Crazy in love with my wife.”

Lara made gagging sounds. ‘Will you two remember that you have an audience?”

“All right. But you and Anton are just as bad as we are,” Darius said to his soon to be twice over sister-in-law.”

“Never,” retorted Lara. “No one is as over the moons as you two.”

“I don’t know, I’m pretty much over the moons about you,” said Anton waggling his eyebrows at her.

The banter was not aimed at Kiti. She didn’t think the two couples even remembered they were not alone. Kiti glanced at Garrick, who rolled his brandy colored eyes at her. “Audra, the mission.” She reminded her queen to hurry by tapping the comulator at her own wrist.

“Oh, yes. Darius, Kiti has requested to be assigned to go with Garrick to Gregar, to apprehend Lord Tybold. I told her I would discuss it with you.”

“I don’t know if she will be needed,” Darius responded.

Garrick spoke for the first time since entering the room. “I think an anthropologist would be very useful on this particular mission. Tensign Dolana would be a definite asset to me in bringing in Tybold.”

“Thank you, Garrick.” Kiti was warmed by his words and agreed with him one hundred percent.

“Very well,” said Darius. “You will receive your orders tomorrow. In the meantime, can we eat dinner? I’m a starving man.”

New Members

2012-01-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

Please join me in welcoming our latest recruits to the SFR Brigade. Click links to visit their web sites or blogs and learn more about them.

Glad to have you all aboard!

Linda Andrews

Janet Miller

Cricket Starr

Cynthia Woolf

New Coordinator for our Upcoming Events Calendar

2012-01-15T15:00:00.000-08:00

I want to thank Brigader Pippa Jay for stepping up to assume the role of Calendar Coordinator for the calendar on our SFR Brigade web site. Please join me in thanking her for contribution our membership. We couldn't continue to thrive as a community without the support of our volunteers.

You can check out the Calendar feature HERE.

Be sure to let Pippa know your upcoming SFR release titles and dates. (Sorry, we can only list Brigade members books, but we'd be glad to sign you up!) You can include publisher, a brief blurb and a sales link that will be added in the details. Workshops, conferences, submission calls, contests and other events of interest to SFR writers and authors are also welcome.

The calendar is an excellent resource to see what's coming up at a glance. The advantage to Brigaders? The web site posts the next four upcoming events on the sidebar so the information is automatically announced just prior to the date. Members or visitors can scan the calendar and click on the items to learn more. I've also reactivated the calendar link on the blog sidebar.

For authors, consider adding your releases to the SFR Brigade calendar as one very easy step in your book promotion campaign.

Contact Pippa Jay via the SFR Brigade web site messaging system, by email -- pippajaygreen (at) gmail (dot) com or via Twitter @pippajaygreen

Last Stop in Jenna McCormick's NO LIMITS Blog Tour

2012-01-15T08:03:00.000-08:00

Stop by Spacefreighters Lounge today for the last stop on Jenna McCormick's NO LIMITS blog tour, celebrating the release of her SFR from Kensington in A Win For Us All.

Jenna will be giving away a copy of NO LIMITS to one random commenter.

You can also support Jenna by clicking the link above to go to Amazon and tagging NO LIMITS as Science Fiction Romance (Sci-Fi Romance, SFR, SF Romance) and SFR Brigade.

The SFR Pitch Tournament Results

2012-01-12T19:00:00.000-08:00

Top Three Finishers in The Great 2012 SFR Pitch Tournament

TETHERED by Pippa Jay

THE WARLORD'S COMEUPPANCE by Gail Koger

KNIGHT MEDIEVAL by Kaye Manro

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Top Preliminary Heat by Votes -- Team #1 - 171 Total Votes!

Liana Brooks

Carmen Webster Buxton

JC Cassels
Sharon Lynn Fisher

Pippa Jay
Kaye Manro

Jenna McCormick

Sarah Shade

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Winner of the Amazon e-Gift Certificate (Commenter)

Sarah J. McNeal

(Thanks to everyone for your wonderful feedback!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A great big thank-you to everyone--voters and participants--who made The Great 2012 SFR Pitch Tournament a huge success!

We received 453 votes with 87 comments during the initial heats, and in the final round, 242 votes with 22 comments, many with valuable information for our authors. This ensured everyone in the Tournament came away a winner!

On behalf of the SFR Brigade, I'd like to extend our sincere appreciation for the enthusiastic support shown by SFR fans and readers for this event.

2012 SFR Pitch Tournament FINAL ROUND!

2012-01-09T03:00:00.000-08:00

Below are the seven finalists' pitches from all three heats of the SFR Pitch Tournament. Please vote for your top three choices for best pitch in the poll above to determine the winners of the competition. If you leave feedback to let the authors know what you liked about their pitches, you'll be entered in the drawing for a $15 Amazon e-gift card.

Voting for final round ends Thursday, January 12, at 6 PM Pacific Time.

~~~ Pitch Tournament Final Round ~~~

(In Alphabetical Order by Title)

B Cubed Book One: Born
By Jenna McCormick
Post-Apocalyptic erotic romance

Born: Natural born humans are precious few and dwell in darkness.
Bred: Genetically engineered slaves who are the protectors of the Born.
Borg: The cybernetically enhanced enclave that split from the Born humans.

B Cubed

These three factions are all that remains of the human race after the world stopped turning. Scavenging in the darkness for what little is left, the war between them rages on though few know why. It begins with a child’s prophesy and can only end when they unite.

Or die.

From the moment he spies her silhouette cast by the bonfire, Cormack understands what it is to yearn for something he will never possess. Breds are made to provide for the natural born humans, dig their homes deep beneath the surface of the earth and to protect them from the ever-present cyborg threat. A Bred who reaches beyond his station will be recycled immediately, yet Cormack cannot get her visage out of his mind. Until he unearths a box, buried long before the earth stopped spinning.

Task Mistress Allora has no wish to brutalize the Bred worker she finds hoarding treasure, but as a servant of the colony that raised her from infancy, she is duty bound to report anything unusual to the Overlord, even if it costs the blue-eyed man his life. Yet something about the way Cormack watches her forces Allora to reevaluate her understanding of right and wrong. For this genetically engineered soldier is her only protection against the cyborgs who seek what they have discovered, a journal written by the prophetess Cassandra and a way to end the warring between the factions forever.

B Cubed Book One: Born By Jenna McCormick Now Available on:
Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook and ARe PDF

____________________

Forbidden Destiny (Book Two of the Forbidden Series)
By Kaye Manro
Science Fiction Romance/Space Opera

Can their love survive light years across the stars and centuries old archaic law? For Forbidden Lovers, T’Kon and Maya the adventure continues…

It should not have happened.

Something so inconceivable it sends his inherent perceptions spiraling. To make matters worse T’Kon now faces the Asconage Council of Elders, including G’Nore his father. They strip him of his flight privileges. After all, he broke the Realm of Planets formidable rule of no interspecies mating. How could he not? Maya enamors him with a passion so deep it mislays his sense of reasoning. T’Kon contemplates a perilous time travel journey into the past. The problem is a temporal leap will cause him to lose Maya forever…

What the hell can Maya do now? T’Kon warned that hitching a ride on his hyper-space jumping ship would send ripples throughout his Galaxy. His people, the Asconageans disapprove of their relationship and now hold her in confinement away from her alien lover. The thing is T’Kon stirs unimaginable sensual heat inside her, constantly. How could she have stayed behind? Yet Maya must find a way to escape this scorching unbearable planet. What will they do when they discover the secret she harbors?

Maybe none of this should ever have happened…

Forbidden Destiny/Red Rose Publishing
Release date: May 2012

____________________

Knight Medieval - The Quantum Portal Series
By Kaye Manro
SFR/Time Travel

While research Archaeologist Alisa Vonn explores the ruins of Calimere Castle she finds a strange devise foreign to the era. When she examines it a temporal rift opens and transports her back to the 12th century, and straight into the arms of Sir Bryan, Knight of Calimere.

If that wasn’t enough, she meets Wyver, a time tampering wizard who in truth turns out to be a Time Dilatation Scientist from far into the future. He promises Alisa a one way passage back to her own time.

Yet the allure of the past and passion-filled nights spent with Bryan give her pause. If she takes Wyver up on his offer, she may never see her sexy knight again.

Coming soon...

____________________

Steamrolled
By Pauline Baird Jones
Science fiction romance/steampunk

With all of time at risk, it’s a bad time to fall in love…unless it’s the only time…

Robert Clementyne is going on a transmogrification machine hunt. He fears finding the machine will be as difficult as pronouncing the name. How can the steam-powered device perform as advertised, and how useful can any information be, coming from a steampunk themed bowling alley/museum?

It’s pretty crazy, but he’s been there, done that, and thinks he can handle it.

And then he meets the proprietor/curator…Emily Babcock.

Emily grew up in crazy, still lives in it—hey, it’s her freaking zip code. So no worries when Robert and his team walk into her bowling alley. The first visitors ever to her museum.

But neither of them is prepared for what happens when they open the door to the past…and the future. With a side trip through Roswell…and a face-to-face meeting with an evil genius/wannabe—who is on his way to becoming evil overlord-of-everything…

Published on April 11, 2011

Available here:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, and Fictionwise

____________________

Stellar Timing
By Jennifer L. Hart
Futuristic Romance

In the year 2059, the best part of Ellie MacIntyre's day is her morning coffee and it's all downhill from there. When a talking dog and cat enlist her aid in finding their missing brother, everything she ever knew about the universe is knocked on its keister by a six foot warrior with smoldering dark eyes.

Betrayed by those closest to him, Prince Brennigan was banished to the universal Hotel California, the penal colony called Earth. The only way to escape this fate worse than death is to befriend a portal-maker, a sorci who can open a gateway through time and space and return him to his home planet. Getting along with the magically inclined is not his forte—magic is the prevalent fungus at the root of his problems.

Now the hope for his people, and his heart, lies with Ellie. Can Ellie best an evil sorceress and win the heart of her space prince before this medieval times space opera's final curtain?

Available for purchase or free lending with Amazon Prime membership Kindle

____________________

Tethered
By Pippa Jay
Space Opera/Sci-fi Romance

For Loree of the Su, being an assassin isn’t simply something that she was trained to do - it’s the sole reason for her existence. A genetically enhanced clone, one of many in Refuge, she’s about to learn her secluded existence - and those of all her kind - is under threat by a race that can neutralize their talents and leave them defenseless…

For Zander D’joren, being a diplomat has not only cost him his appearance, but also the love of his life. Scarred, grieving, he must nonetheless continue in his role as co-delegate to the Tier-vane, or risk a conflict that could only end one way…

Now both of them need to keep each other alive and maintain a risky deception long enough to renegotiate the treaty with the Tier-vane, or throw their people into a war that could wipe out humans and Inc-Su alike. But there’s more at stake than humanity, whether true or modified. Can the love that they share save them both? Or merely hasten their destruction?

Tethered is a Work in Progress

____________________

The Warlord's Comeuppance
By Gail Koger

Stealing from a warlord and giving him the one finger salute as I made my getaway was not the brightest thing I’d ever done. Okay, it was an incredibly stupid stunt.

Did I mention that this particular Coletti warlord is the most feared in the entire galaxy? That Zarek’s the ultimate predator and even the other warlords are scared spitless of him? That he never ever stops until he either captures or kills his prey?

Yeah, I have the big, bad after me and all because of one little finger. Okay and a Ditrim crystal the size of my fist. Am I worried? Of course, only an idiot doesn’t fear a very angry Coletti warlord. But, I am very good at what I do. Bad news is, so is Zarek.

Available at Whispers Publishing

Gail Koger
____________________

END OF FINAL ROUND

It's SFR Pitch Tournament Weekend!

2012-01-07T05:05:00.000-08:00

ONLINE COUNTDOWNS

WELCOME! We're kicking off our Great 2012 SFR Pitch Tournament with three initial heats of eight fabulous Science Fiction Romance pitches each -- 24 pitches by 18 different authors!

Everyone is invited to read and vote for your favorite three pitches in each heat. The two pitches with the most votes in each heat will advance to the final round.

If you add a comment to tell the authors what hooked or intrigued you about their pitch, we're offering a *BONUS!* All comments containing feedback in the Pitch Tournament will be entered into a drawing for a $15 Amazon e-Gift Certificate.

The first rounds of the Pitch Tournament will end Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 6PM Pacific Time. We plan to kick off the final round on Monday, January 9th.

SFR Tournament HEAT #1

B CUBED BOOK 1: BORN by Jenna McCormick

BARRON'S LAST STAND by JC Cassels

BITERS by Sarah Shade

EVEN VILLAINS FALL IN LOVE by Liana Brooks

FORBIDDEN DESTINY by Kaye Manro

GHOST PLANET by Sharon Lynn Fisher

KEIR by Pippa Jay

TRIBES by Carmen Webster Buxton
>>> CLICK HERE TO VOTE IN HEAT #1 <<<

SFR Tournament HEAT #2

NEXUS POINT by Jaleta Clegg

PANDORA'S HOPE by Lisa Lane

REFUGEES ON URLOON by Melisse Aires

SHROUDED by Frances Pauli

SPLINTERED ENERGY by Arlene Webb

STEAMROLLED by Pauline Baird Jones

STELLAR TIMING by Jennifer L. Hart

KNIGHT MEDIEVAL by Kaye Manro
>>> CLICK HERE TO VOTE IN HEAT #2 <<<

SFR Tournament HEAT #3

TETHERED by Pippa Jay

THE DIMENSIONAL SHIFT by Frances Pauli

THE TELOMERE TRILOGY BOOK 1: REVELATIONS OF TOMORROW by A.R. Norris

THE WARLORD'S COMEUPPANCE by Gail Koger

TIN CAT by Misa Buckley

UNACCEPTABLE RISK by Jeanette Grey

LUCY IN THE SKY by Barbara Elsborg

TANGLED IN TIME by Pauline Baird Jones
>>> CLICK HERE TO VOTE IN HEAT #3 <<<

(Scroll down or click the shortcuts here or on the sidebar to read and vote in each Tournament heat.)

Thank you for your votes!

SFR Pitch Tournament HEAT #3

2012-01-07T05:02:00.000-08:00

FOR VOTERS
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS HEAT WAS CLOSED TO VOTING AS OF JANUARY 8TH AT 6 PM PACIFIC TIME. CLICK ON THE SFR BRIGADE BANNER AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE TO VOTE FOR THE FINALIST IN THE FINAL ROUND. Thanks for your support!

There are eight SFR pitches in this Tournament heat (below).

Vote for up to three titles in the poll above with pitches that best capture your interest and compel you to read the story. The two pitches with the most votes will advance to the final round. In case of a tie, both will advance.

Find a story you just have to read? Sales links are included (if available) below each pitch.

The authors would love to hear your thoughts. Comment below with feedback on what elements in the pitches hooked you and you'll be entered in a drawing for an Amazon e-Gift Certificate.

____________________

Tethered
By Pippa Jay
Space Opera/Sci-fi Romance

For Loree of the Su, being an assassin isn’t simply something that she was trained to do - it’s the sole reason for her existence. A genetically enhanced clone, one of many in Refuge, she’s about to learn her secluded existence - and those of all her kind - is under threat by a race that can neutralize their talents and leave them defenseless…

For Zander D’joren, being a diplomat has not only cost him his appearance, but also the love of his life. Scarred, grieving, he must nonetheless continue in his role as co-delegate to the Tier-vane, or risk a conflict that could only end one way…

Now both of them need to keep each other alive and maintain a risky deception long enough to renegotiate the treaty with the Tier-vane, or throw their people into a war that could wipe out humans and Inc-Su alike. But there’s more at stake than humanity, whether true or modified. Can the love that they share save them both? Or merely hasten their destruction?

Tethered is a Work in Progress

____________________

The Dimensional Shift
by Frances Pauli
Science Fiction with Romantic Elements

Chloe came to the Three Lakes area for the peace and quiet. She happily abandoned the world of retail management, suits and promotions to work as a hotel maid catering to the local tourists. Until Andrew Paige showed up--a suit of the worst kind, the kind that makes her knees weak.

When Andrew offers her a job at his hotel, Chloe is hell bent on resisting, but the Dimensional Shift is no ordinary hotel, and Chloe is immediately tossed into the world of inter-dimensional tourists, their odd accommodations, and a string of thefts that threaten to ruin her chances at romance.

While learning the ropes, dealing with the Shift's unusual guests, and trying to determine if the boss' interest in her is strictly professional, Chloe uncovers a plot to steal the hotel's dimensional keys. With the help of the town gossip, her alien abductee neighbor, and her new invisible best friend, Chloe confronts an inter-dimensional crime ring and a host of complications that make romancing the boss look like the least of her troubles.

Book 1 of the Shift Happens series

Published by Mundania

____________________

The Telomere Trilogy Book 1: Revelations of Tomorrow
By A. R. Norris

The crew of Daring Star salvages a load capsule and finds the beaten body of Jetta McCree. The young woman has discovered her employer developed a biochemical droplet and is contracted with terrorists to manufacture it on a large scale. Captain Noah Bonney fights off corporate security forces, her ex-husband's pirate fleets, and carnivorous beasts to keep the young woman safe and transport her to the safety of the Imperial Home Port.

But the adventure brings to surface demons Noah's been suppressing and secrets from her people's history she's tried to forget. Now, she must face them if she's to reconcile with her daughter and keep the love of her life from leaving. With 450 years under her belt and nothing but eternity ahead of her, she's built a thick shell… one she's not sure she can break.

Available now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or All Romance eBooks

More about me at my Blog

____________________

The Warlord's Comeuppance
By Gail Koger

Stealing from a warlord and giving him the one finger salute as I made my getaway was not the brightest thing I’d ever done. Okay, it was an incredibly stupid stunt.

Did I mention that this particular Coletti warlord is the most feared in the entire galaxy? That Zarek’s the ultimate predator and even the other warlords are scared spitless of him? That he never ever stops until he either captures or kills his prey?

Yeah, I have the big, bad after me and all because of one little finger. Okay and a Ditrim crystal the size of my fist. Am I worried? Of course, only an idiot doesn’t fear a very angry Coletti warlord. But, I am very good at what I do. Bad news is, so is Zarek.

Available at Whispers Publishing

Gail Koger

____________________

Tin Cat
By Misa Buckley
Urban Fantasy/Sci Fi Romance

A year after the accident that put her in a wheelchair, Amber Gerald has more or less gotten used to living with her impairment. It doesn't make a difference to running a comic book store anyway, and the customers have been the best support group she could have wished for.

When she rescues an abandoned cat, Amber has no idea that she's interfering in the mad scheme of a time travelling bank robber. Or that the man that walks into her store dressed like Blade is about to become her bodyguard.

Between being an unwitting owner of an android cat and falling for a cybernetic bounty hunter, Amber finds her life a whole new level of weird as science fiction becomes a very real factual threat.

Misa Buckley

____________________

Unacceptable Risk
By Jeanette Grey
Cyberpunk

She may learn to live for love…if vengeance doesn’t kill her first.

Plix spends her lonely, gritty life trying to solve the mysteries her father left behind. Armed with a variety of cybernetic enhancements and a talent for getting into places she shouldn’t be, she searches for clues to his murder—and who’s responsible for poisoning her city.

Waking up on a street corner with her brain wiring fried to a crisp, she figures she must have gotten close this time. There’s only one man she trusts to pull her back from the brink: a tuner who can retrieve the evidence hidden deep in the recesses of her mind. A man she dares not let too close to her heart.

When Edison downloads a secret SynDate schematic from Plix’s burnt-out circuitry, he knows with dreadful finality that nothing—not even the fiery kiss he’s been holding back for years—will stop her from pursuing her quest past the point of insanity.

All he can do, as he helps her plan her final mission, is ease her pain, watch her back…and hope one of them doesn’t pay with their lives.

Published December 13, 2011

Available Now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks or Samhain Press.

Jeanette Grey

____________________

Lucy in the Sky
By Barbara Elsborg
Erotic SF romance MF with a a bit of MM

When you wake up to find a spaceship in your backyard, what do you do? Choose from three:

Phone the police.

Scream.

Go yell at the alien for wrecking your garden.

Lucy storms out of her house to confront the inept pilot and the last option turns out to be both the right and wrong choice when she finds the gorgeous hunk’s name is Three. She’s torn between fury that he’s crushed her roses and decapitated her statue of Eros, and a longing that he enliven her boring life and whisk her to the stars. Three doesn’t give her a choice when he throws her over his broad shoulders and takes her into space. Lucy soon finds herself exploring alien territory in ways she never imagined.

Three’s efforts to hide and protect her on the mother ship are stymied by his inability to keep his hands—and other body parts—off the luscious Lucy, and it looks as if her immediate fate might be a solo trip into space without a spacesuit.

Available from Ellora's Cave

____________________

Tangled in Time
By Pauline Baird Jonoes
Science ficiton romance/steampunk

Colonel Carey (from The Key and Girl Gone Nova) takes a test "flight" through the Garradian time-space portal, but an unexpected impact lands him somewhere and some when. As he attempts to get to Area 51, he crosses paths with Miss Olivia Carstairs, who could be Mary Poppins' twin sister. Or maybe her cousin.

Olivia's got a transmogrification machine powered by steam and a mouth he'd like to kiss like it was his job. Can he convince her to join forces before she shoots him with her derringer?

Published December 2010
Available from Amazon Kindle, Amazon Print, Barnes & Noble, and Fictionwise Multiformat

____________________

END OF HEAT #3

SFR Pitch Tournament HEAT #2

2012-01-07T05:01:00.000-08:00

FOR VOTERS
There are eight SFR pitches in this Tournament heat (below).

Vote for up to three titles in the poll above with pitches that best capture your interest and compel you to read the story. The two pitches with the most votes will advance to the final round. In case of a tie, both will advance.

Find a story you just have to read? Sales links are included (if available) below each pitch.

The authors would love to hear your thoughts. Comment below with feedback on what elements in the pitches hooked you and you'll be entered in a drawing for an Amazon e-Gift Certificate.

____________________

Nexus Point
By Jaleta Clegg
Space Opera

Dace's wants are simple - a trading ship and the freedom to fly where she chooses. But on her first trip, her crew betrays her, her ship explodes, and she finds herself stranded on a planet locked in a feudal age. With no technology, no resources, natives trying to burn her at the stake for being a demon, drug smugglers attacking her as a rival, and the Patrol trying to kill her, Dace has one hope of rescue—convince Tayvis, the sexy undercover Patrol agent, that she's trapped on the planet by mistake.

Her ignorance may cost her life. His help may cost her heart.

Available here: http://www.nexuspoint.info/

____________________

Pandora's Hope
By Lisa Lane
Space Opera

Captain Nora Bradley, her fiancé and First Officer Robert Smith, and crew have developed quite the reputation: their current tactical officer is an astral clone of the one they started with; a race of shape-shifting aliens currently travels the stars as an impostor of "Pandora's Hope"; and everyone is still recovering from the embarrassing and life-changing ship-wide orgy caused by their bout with the "space flu." Worst of all, though, is that the more Nora tries to plan their wedding, the more Robert gets cold feet....

Now that the ship is back on mission, with a glorified babysitter from Space-Corp on its way, it seems that the ship-wide fun might be forced to an end - but first impressions always prove wrong on Pandora's Hope, and the new addition to their crew, "Quality Control Officer" Patrice Jocar, might have more in common with her new peers than they think. In this second installment of the Lust in Space series, the crew of Pandora's Hope explores more exotic intergalactic regions, picking up the most unlikely of refugees and encountering new alien species - while their wild and sexy antics continue.

Will Nora and Robert's relationship survive another excursion into deep space, or will the experience tear them apart for good?

Available on Amazon: Pandora's Hope

____________________

Refugees On Urloon
By Melisse Aires
SFR

Under normal circumstances, Svana, non-military maintenance crew, and Captain Liam Ringel, a highly respected military instructor, would never have crossed paths. A sudden anomaly, however, thrusts them into deep space where they are rescued by the inhabitants of an exotic and isolated waterworld, Urloon.

With no rescue forthcoming, the refugees can choose between adapting to the sea or farming the land. Svana is saddened when her budding friendship with Liam changes due to their different choices. However, when they are invited to an alien fertility festival, the Moonfest, they are given the opportunity to create a memory that will impact and intertwine both their futures.

WARNING: Alien fertility festival, aurora lights, dancing alien beasts, body paints and hot pheromones. M/F Sensual

Release date; April 9, 2012
Coming Soon Page

____________________

Shrouded
By Frances Pauli
Science Fiction Romance

Being the daughter of a planetary governor doesn’t count for much when that planet is Eclipsis. The day Vashia’s father promises her to his lackey, Jarn, she bolts. Unaware that she’s being manipulated, she signs away her freedom and boards the first ship headed for Shroud, a closed world with more secrets and more riches than a scheming governor can possibly resist.

Of the seven Shrouded princes, Dolfan may be the only one that doesn’t covet the throne. He does want the Heart, however, and when he meets Vashia, he’s pretty sure he’s found it. So when the ceremony pairs her with another, the system fails them both.

Now Vashia is queen of a planet she doesn’t understand, married to a complete stranger and in love with a man who can’t challenge his faith enough to see the truth. In case she manages to sort that out, she’s about to be blamed for a full scale invasion, a friend’s murder, and the fall of the richest planet in history.

Pre-published. http://francespauli.com/

_____________________

Splintered Energy
By Arlene Webb
Earth Based Sci-Fi/Suspense/Romance

Waves of pure energy are quite happy hanging in the cosmos, traveling at the speed of light to brighten up the sky--until dawn breaks. Literally.

When sentient light fractures, it zaps into human bodies and becomes trapped. Without any memories to guide them, a handful of confused beings whose skin tones are now specific colors, struggle to understand humanity while it's quite clear they shouldn't be in this world. The few humans clued in to Earth's invasion don't flutter, but are drawn to their fiery fate with hearts wide open as they fight to survive.

California. A widower's twelve-year-old son is rather young to bring home a woman, especially a collapsed green beauty too frightened to open her eyes.

Arizona. A divorcee blinks hard, but the gorgeous red guy stepping in front of her car is still red. She serves to avoid hitting him and ends up in the ditch. When she comes around, she wonders which layer of hell she's fallen into.

Ohio. A teen also fears he's dealing with the demonic, but no matter how dangerous things become, he's determined to stand by a man with inhumanly blue eyes.

Splintered Energy is an Earth based sci-fi/suspense/romance novel and the first in a four book series. Book 2, The R Word, and book 3, House of Seven, are available. The final is scheduled for February-March, 2012.

Available on Amazon.

____________________

Steamrolled
By Pauline Baird Jones
Science fiction romance/steampunk

With all of time at risk, it’s a bad time to fall in love…unless it’s the only time…

Robert Clementyne is going on a transmogrification machine hunt. He fears finding the machine will be as difficult as pronouncing the name. How can the steam-powered device perform as advertised, and how useful can any information be, coming from a steampunk themed bowling alley/museum?

It’s pretty crazy, but he’s been there, done that, and thinks he can handle it.

And then he meets the proprietor/curator…Emily Babcock.

Emily grew up in crazy, still lives in it—hey, it’s her freaking zip code. So no worries when Robert and his team walk into her bowling alley. The first visitors ever to her museum.

But neither of them is prepared for what happens when they open the door to the past…and the future. With a side trip through Roswell…and a face-to-face meeting with an evil genius/wannabe—who is on his way to becoming evil overlord-of-everything…

Published on April 11, 2011

Available here:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, and Fictionwise

____________________

Stellar Timing
By Jennifer L. Hart
Futuristic Romance

In the year 2059, the best part of Ellie MacIntyre's day is her morning coffee and it's all downhill from there. When a talking dog and cat enlist her aid in finding their missing brother, everything she ever knew about the universe is knocked on its keister by a six foot warrior with smoldering dark eyes.

Betrayed by those closest to him, Prince Brennigan was banished to the universal Hotel California, the penal colony called Earth. The only way to escape this fate worse than death is to befriend a portal-maker, a sorci who can open a gateway through time and space and return him to his home planet. Getting along with the magically inclined is not his forte—magic is the prevalent fungus at the root of his problems.

Now the hope for his people, and his heart, lies with Ellie. Can Ellie best an evil sorceress and win the heart of her space prince before this medieval times space opera's final curtain?

Available for purchase or free lending with Amazon Prime membership Kindle

_____________________

Knight Medieval - The Quantum Portal Series
By Kaye Manro
SFR/Time Travel

While research Archaeologist Alisa Vonn explores the ruins of Calimere Castle she finds a strange devise foreign to the era. When she examines it a temporal rift opens and transports her back to the 12th century, and straight into the arms of Sir Bryan, Knight of Calimere.

If that wasn’t enough, she meets Wyver, a time tampering wizard who in truth turns out to be a Time Dilatation Scientist from far into the future. He promises Alisa a one way passage back to her own time.

Yet the allure of the past and passion-filled nights spent with Bryan give her pause. If she takes Wyver up on his offer, she may never see her sexy knight again.

Coming soon...

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END OF HEAT #2

SFR Pitch Tournament HEAT #1

2012-01-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

FOR VOTERS
There are eight SFR pitches in this Tournament heat (below).

Vote for up to three titles in the poll above with pitches that best capture your interest and compel you to read the story. The two pitches with the most votes will advance to the final round. In case of a tie, both will advance.

Find a story you just have to read? Sales links are included (if available) below each pitch.

The authors would love to hear your thoughts. Comment below with feedback on what elements in the pitches hooked you and you'll be entered in a drawing for an Amazon e-Gift Certificate.

_________________________

B Cubed Book One: Born
By Jenna McCormick
Post-Apocalyptic erotic romance

Born: Natural born humans are precious few and dwell in darkness.
Bred: Genetically engineered slaves who are the protectors of the Born.
Borg: The cybernetically enhanced enclave that split from the Born humans.

B Cubed

These three factions are all that remains of the human race after the world stopped turning. Scavenging in the darkness for what little is left, the war between them rages on though few know why. It begins with a child’s prophesy and can only end when they unite.

Or die.

From the moment he spies her silhouette cast by the bonfire, Cormack understands what it is to yearn for something he will never possess. Breds are made to provide for the natural born humans, dig their homes deep beneath the surface of the earth and to protect them from the ever-present cyborg threat. A Bred who reaches beyond his station will be recycled immediately, yet Cormack cannot get her visage out of his mind. Until he unearths a box, buried long before the earth stopped spinning.

Task Mistress Allora has no wish to brutalize the Bred worker she finds hoarding treasure, but as a servant of the colony that raised her from infancy, she is duty bound to report anything unusual to the Overlord, even if it costs the blue-eyed man his life. Yet something about the way Cormack watches her forces Allora to reevaluate her understanding of right and wrong. For this genetically engineered soldier is her only protection against the cyborgs who seek what they have discovered, a journal written by the prophetess Cassandra and a way to end the warring between the factions forever.

B Cubed Book One: Born By Jenna McCormick Now Available on:
Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook and ARe PDF

_________________________

Barron’s Last Stand
By JC Cassels
Space Opera, Sci-fi Romance

Somebody is out to get Bo Barron.

Commanding General of the Black Wing and Chief of Barron Clan, Bo was convicted of a terrorist attack years ago that sent her into exile. Bo will do anything to clear her name so she can return home and take her rightful place as the Chief of Barron Clan.

When an assassination attempt leaves the First Sector Overlord badly injured and comatose, all the evidence points to Bo. Just one problem. She was busy engineering a prison break three sectors away at the time, just ask her estranged husband. He stowed away aboard her ship.

Blade Devon’s clearance as an Inner Circle Agent goes all the way to the Overlord himself. The only blot on his record is the fact that he secretly married Bo, a convicted traitor. With every bounty hunter and law enforcement agency in the Commonwealth hunting for Bo, the only way he can protect her is to keep her close. That means convincing her to work with him to find whoever is responsible for the attack. That won’t be easy. She hates him.

The deeper they dig, the more dangerous it gets – for both of them. As they uncover a plot that stretches back decades and reaches into the highest levels of the Sovran Council the best they can hope for is to stay alive and out of prison.

One way or another, Bo is going home, if for no other reason than to make BARRON’S LAST STAND.

_________________________

Biters
By Sarah Shade
YA Dystopian Romance

Seventeen-year old Riley Powell just wants to be one of the boys. But in post-apocalyptic America, she is valued solely for the thing she hates most about herself – her femininity.

Fleeing the dictates of a newly-formed society where girls are deemed endangered and stripped of their rights, Riley sets out to make it on her own in a land filled with necrotic, cannibalistic mutants called Biters. There she discovers love can be more painful than man-eating monsters and toxic rain combined.

Now, a madman is bent on destroying mankind and seeks to use Riley to create a race of human-Biter hybrids. To stop him, Riley must find a way to work with the boy who gave her reason to love being a girl – before he broke her heart with deception and betrayal.

Can Riley accept her own worth before she loses everything else worth loving?

_________________________

Even Villains Fall in Love
By Liana Brooks
Superhero/Biopunk Romance

If you believe the rumors you know that Doctor Charm, the wickedly sexy supervillain, retired in shame seven years ago after his last fight with the superheroZephyr Girl. The fact that the charming Evan Smith - father of four and husband of the too-beautiful-to-be-real Tabitha - bears a resemblance to the defeated Doctor is pure coincidence. And, please, ignore the minions.

Everything is perfect in the Smith household until Tabitha announces her returnto work as a superhero. Evan was hoping to keep her distracted until after herigged the 2012 presidential election, but – genius that he is – Evan has a backup plan. In his basement lab Evan has a machine whose sole purpose is keeping Tabitha hungry for him.

But children and labs don’t mix. The machine is broken, and Tabitha storms out, claiming she no longer knows him. World domination takes a back seat to meeting his daughters’ demands to get Mommy back right now. This time his genius isn’t going to be enough – he’s going to need both his evil alter-ego and the blooming super abilities of his children to save his wife. But even his most charming self might not be enough to save their marriage.

Coming in April 2012 from Breathless Press
_________________________

Forbidden Destiny (Book Two of the Forbidden Series)
By Kaye Manro
Science Fiction Romance/Space Opera

Can their love survive light years across the stars and centuries old archaic law? For Forbidden Lovers, T’Kon and Maya the adventure continues…

It should not have happened.

Something so inconceivable it sends his inherent perceptions spiraling. To make matters worse T’Kon now faces the Asconage Council of Elders, including G’Nore his father. They strip him of his flight privileges. After all, he broke the Realm of Planets formidable rule of no interspecies mating. How could he not? Maya enamors him with a passion so deep it mislays his sense of reasoning. T’Kon contemplates a perilous time travel journey into the past. The problem is a temporal leap will cause him to lose Maya forever…

What the hell can Maya do now? T’Kon warned that hitching a ride on his hyper-space jumping ship would send ripples throughout his Galaxy. His people, the Asconageans disapprove of their relationship and now hold her in confinement away from her alien lover. The thing is T’Kon stirs unimaginable sensual heat inside her, constantly. How could she have stayed behind? Yet Maya must find a way to escape this scorching unbearable planet. What will they do when they discover the secret she harbors?

Maybe none of this should ever have happened…

Forbidden Destiny/Red Rose Publishing
Release date: May 2012

_________________________

Ghost Planet
By Sharon Lynn Fisher

Psychologist Elizabeth Cole is about to discover three facts that will change her forever: She died en route to her new job. She’s been reincarnated as an alien. She’s bound to a man who believes she’s his enemy.

Working to unlock the secrets of her existence, she inadvertently seduces the man -- and becomes a pawn in the struggle for control of the planet.

Coming from TOR in December 2012

_________________________

Keir
By Pippa Jay
Science fiction romance/time-travel

Cursed. Outcast. Dying. Is Keir beyond redemption?

For Keirlan de Corizi—the legendary 'Blue Demon' of Adalucien—born to a world where his discolored skin marked him as an oddity and condemned him to life asa pariah, death seems the only escape. But salvation comes to him in an unexpected guise: Tarquin Secker, a young woman who can travel the stars with a wave of her hand, though she hides secrets of her own.

Quin has spent an eternity searching through space and time, with a strange band of companions at her back: Surei, the irascible avian medic; haemovore siblings Taler and Sky; and Mercury, the unfathomable synthetic humanoid without a voice. Defying Surei’s counsel, Quin risks her apparent immortality to save Keir and offers him sanctuary and a new life on her home world, Lyagnius. When tragedy unleashes Keir’s dormant alien powers, will she risk it all again to stand by him?

Releases from Lyrical Press Inc on May 7, 2012

_________________________

Tribes

By Carmen Webster Buxton
Far Future

Hob knew one thing when he saw the skimmer land: He wasn't going back to Agra to be a slave again. He was willing to kill the stranger to get her skimmer, but just his luck, Jahnsi was a Han-Lin who had finished her tribal service, and an unarmed runaway was no danger to her. But she was a danger to Hob. For the first time since he was small, someone treated him with kindness and respect, and Hob found the new feelings her actions invoked were more hazardous than any weapon. Finally, he cared more about someone else than he cared about himself. He knew he should leave Jahnsi and head north but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Meanwhile, back in Agra there were two people hunting for a runaway slave.

Tribes is Available on:
Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Apple iBooks, Smashwords, Sony, Kobo, and Diesel ebookstores.

_________________________

END OF HEAT #1

FaceItPages.com Facebook Page

2012-01-06T12:45:00.000-08:00

FaceItPages.com Facebook Page

Space Sex

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

I had to share this important topic with all the SFR Brigaders.

The Interstellar Space Sex Fallacy

It must be true! It's on the Discovery News site.

Barbarella was one of the first, and best, semi-porn (at least to pimply, geeky guys) space sex films.

Brigader Hits NY Times & USA Today Bestseller Lists

2012-01-05T17:37:00.000-08:00

Please join me in extending congratulations and kudos to SFR Brigader Laurann Dohner for hitting the New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists with her Erotica Paranormal Romance novel, BRAWN, published by Ellora's Cave, Twilight line.

According to the Redlines and Deadlines blog, this is the first book published by Ellora's Cave to hit these lists! BRAWN is the fifth book in the New Species series.

Fantastic achievement, Laurann!

~~~ * ~~~

New Member, Carmen Webster Buxton

2012-01-05T05:18:00.000-08:00

We have another wonderful new member here to share some background and great books with the troops! Please give her a warm welcome.

Carmen, we’d love to hear more about your books

I currently have three books available as ebooks. The first two are a very short series: The Sixth Discipline and No Safe Haven. Both are set in the far future on a colony world called Haven. The world was settled by three distinct groups:

a New Age cult that believed in meditation and wanted isolation to practice their beliefs. They settled in a remote forest and came to be known as the Sansoussey.
a group of survivalists/anarchists who wanted to live without government. They settled in the mountains and found themselves scrambling to stay alive. They came to be known as the Horde.
entrepreneurs and adventurers who wanted get rich without restrictive rules; they established cities and over time, the most successful of them created a new aristocracy.

In The Sixth Discipline, a Sansoussey man named Ran-Del is kidnapped by a city baron and discovers he is intended to be a tool in the Baron's political plans. In No Safe Haven, Ran-Del has learned to live in the city, but he discovers there are dangers there, too.

The third book is called Tribes and it is set on a colony world also, but this one was established by prisoners who formed themselves into gangs that then evolved into tribes. A man with no tribe is a slave, and the story begins with a slave named Hob escaping and being rescued by a woman from a fighting tribe.

Would you like to share any upcoming projects?

I have a space opera I'd like to bring out this year, but it's not for sale anywhere yet. It has starships, a princess, an evil emperor (he even has a harem!), a spy or two, a soldier, and an interplanetary romance. I plan to post the opening chapter on my website as soon as I can.

What do you like about writing SFR?

I like to imagine settings in which people from different cultures and backgrounds meet. I think the future of technology is pretty hard to predict, and while marriage itself is evolving and changing, falling in love it pretty much the same as it had always been. I like putting the familiar falling-in-love scenario into a new and different setting in every book.

What do you find challenging about it?

When you create a new culture, you give your characters different values from their own. It can be difficult to make a character sympathetic when he or she does something that his own code says is okay but our values say is all wrong. In No Save Haven, for example, one of the characters kidnaps a child. He thinks his reasons are valid, but it's hard to see him as a nice guy knowing what he has done.

What is your favorite SF book or movie?
I love Shards of Honor, by Lois McMaster Bujold. The later Miles books are good, too, but the love story in that first one is wonderful!

If you could have a robot that did one chore/task and only one, what would you choose?

I don't suppose "housework" would count as one task? Well, if not, I guess I want a a robot chef that cooks tasty, healthy meals completely without human assistance.

What SFR book would you most like to be stranded in and with whom?

If you had said movie or TV, it would be with Mal in Firefly/Serenity, but since you said book, I will go with Ivan Vorpatil in A Civil Campaign. I find I often (but not always) fall for the non-lead character, and I've always thought Ivan was sweet

Favorite mode of fictional travel?

I think I like the time travel in Connie Willis' Oxford historians books; it's cool that it's both risky and limited in terms of how it works.

Where can we find you online?

My website/blog is Carmen's Page. In addition to describing my own work and writing the occasional book or movie review, I often post about ebooks, ereaders (especially the Kindle), and self-publishing.

-------------------------

Bio:

Carmen Webster Buxton was born in Honolulu, HI and experienced a childhood on the move, as her father was in the US Navy. She has been a librarian, a teacher, a project manager, a wife, and a mother, although not in that order. She now lives in Maryland with her husband, her daughter, and an elderly beagle who has his own pet cat.

She is an eclectic reader of science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, romance, and mainstream fiction.

She writes science fiction, mostly set in the far future, and with a strong romantic element.

-------------------------------------

My books currently for sale are listed below, with their buy links for the major ebookstores. Cover art for the books and a headshot of me are all attached.

Tribes

Hob is a slave. He lives on a world colonized by prisoners, violent male criminals and militant feminists/terrorists. They originally formed themselves into gangs, and over time those gangs evolved into tribes, each of which is either all male or all female. Girl babies always have a tribe, but when a woman has a boy baby and can't find a man to take him into his tribe, the boy becomes a slave.

Hob escapes the compound where he has been used and abused and is rescued by a woman from a fighting tribe. Jahnsi Han-Lin offers shelter at her father's house, and a glimpse of what family life can be, even with tribal obligations. While Jahnsi and her father and brother plot to keep Hob free, Hob himself is torn between his desire to flee into the wilderness and his growing attraction to Jahnsi.

Kindle, Nook (B&N), iBooks, Smashwords, Sony, and Kobo

The Sixth Discipline

Ran-Del Jahanpur has spent his entire life in the Sansoussy Forest; he's a hunter and a warrior until one morning when he becomes prey for a hunting party with more advanced technology. He wakes up to what might as well be a different world, a city from which there seems no escape.

Kindle, Nook (B&N), iBooks, Smashwords, Sony, and Kobo

No Safe Haven
In the sequel to The Sixth Discipline, Ran-Del still feels bound by the strict code of the Sansoussy even though he has come to accept his life in the city. When his family is put at risk, his training and his principles seem inconsequential when measured against the life of a child.

Kindle, Nook (B&N), iBooks, Smashwords, Sony, and Kobo

It's P&E Time Again

2012-01-04T19:05:00.000-08:00

Fellow Brigaders: If you are familiar with my work, I could use your vote for reader's choice in science fiction for WORLD-MART. I'm posting here because as a non-erotic, non-romance sci-fi novel, I can only hope I'm not detracting from votes from anyone else here.

Help me bring the dystopia back into the mainstream, friends:

http://critters.org/predpoll/novelsf.shtml

My thanks!

"Heroes Without, Monsters Within" Release Day!

2012-01-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

I'm thrilled to announce the release of "Heroes Without, Monsters Within" from Samhain Publishing! This sequel to "Blaze of Glory" picks up right after the first book with Jo and her newly-christened team of superheroes dealing with the consequences of their actions.

Fight alone, die alone.

Blaze of Glory, Book 2

In the weeks since Jo “Surf” Tanis and her rough-and-tumble band of super-powered actors broke free of the government-sponsored superhero show, they’re all still dealing with the aftershock of adjusting to this thing called reality.

It doesn’t get much more real than a mission to dig survivors out of what’s left of Erie, PA, after a mysterious earthquake. A trembler that powerful is as out of place as Jo feels as the de-facto leader of the troupe. Not to mention the soul-shaking feelings she has for Hunter, a team member whose past as an Agency Guardian casts a heavy shadow over any possible relationship.

It seems one of the supers, an earth-warper named Ground Pounder, has gone rogue, using his freedom from the Agency’s brand of virtual slavery to put the “villain” back in supervillain. Failure to find him before any more innocent bystanders are hurt means the team could be back under the Agency’s thumb.

It’s a burden that doesn’t rest easy on Jo’s shoulders...especially when the man who’s invaded her heart is caught in the crossfire.

***********

RT Book Reviews gives “Heroes Without, Monsters Within” 4 out of 5 stars and says:

“This sequel … surpasses the storytelling of the original. Nantus knows how to work with setting; the scenes in Las Vegas are vivid and accurate while the supers’ secret lair is homey and comfortable.”

Now available from Samhain Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

SFR Pitch Tournament Update: Starts Saturday!

2012-01-03T04:50:00.000-08:00

We now have eighteen entries for our Great 2012 SFR Pitch Tournament and we've set the start date for the Tournament to begin.

THE GREAT 2012 SFR PITCH TOURNAMENT

~~ to begin on ~~

Saturday, January 7th!

There's still time to enter a SFR pitch (or a second, or third, or fourth!) Your work does not have to be published, and can be a SFR work of any length. You must be a member of the SFR Brigade to enter, but we'd be happy to sign you up!

For more information and to enter the Tournament, click HERE to go to the web site post for more details. An announcement will be posted when the tournament is closed for entries.

Meanwhile, click HERE to read these amazing pitches:

BORN (B Cubed Book 1) by Jenna McCormick

SHROUDED by Frances Pauli

PANDORA'S HOPE by Lisa Lane

STEAMROLLED by Pauline Baird Jones

STELLAR TIMING by Jennifer L. Hart

KEIR by Pippa Jay

FORBIDDEN DESTINY (Forbidden Series) by Kaye Manro

EVEN VILLAINS FALL IN LOVE by Liana Brooks

LUCY IN THE SKY by Barbara Elsborg

SPLINTERED ENERGY by Arlene Webb

REFUGEES ON URLOON by Melisse Aires

REVELATIONS OF TOMORROW (Telomere Trilogy) by A.R. Norris

UNACCEPTABLE RISK by Jeanette Grey

NEXUS POINT by Jaleta Clegg

GHOST PLANET by Sharon Lynn Fisher

THE WARLORD'S COMEUPPANCE by Gail Koger
THE DIMENSIONAL SHIFT by Frances Pauli
BARRON'S LAST STAND by JC Cassels

New Member, Jeanette Grey

2012-01-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

Please join me in welcoming new Brigade member, Jeanette Grey!

Please tell us a little about yourself...

I'm a thirty-something woman. I write futuristic romances, mostly in the cyberpunk genre, as well as erotic contemporary romances, including some M/M stories. I'm a former teacher, a science and art enthusiast, an amateur potter, and I live in North Carolina with my husband and my pet frog.

We’d love to hear more about your book, Unacceptable Risk.

It's a cyberpunk romance about a woman named Plix who's hell-bent on saving the world, and her friend Edison's who's working just as hard to try to save her:

Plix spends her lonely, gritty life trying to solve the mysteries her father left behind. Armed with a variety of cybernetic enhancements and a talent for getting into places she shouldn’t be, she searches for clues to his murder—and who’s responsible for poisoning her city.

Waking up on a street corner with her brain wiring fried to a crisp, she figures she must have gotten close this time. There’s only one man she trusts to pull her back from the brink: a tuner who can retrieve the evidence hidden deep in the recesses of her mind. A man she dares not let too close to her heart.

When Edison downloads a secret SynDate schematic from Plix’s burnt-out circuitry, he knows with dreadful finality that nothing—not even the fiery kiss he’s been holding back for years—will stop her from pursuing her quest past the point of insanity.

All he can do, as he helps her plan her final mission, is ease her pain, watch her back…and hope one of them doesn’t pay with their lives.

Would you like to share any upcoming projects?

I have two new futuristic WIPs that I'm currently working on, one that's a possible sequel for Unacceptable Risk and another set in a similar world that considers what would happen if certain cybernetics had long-term side effects. I'm also in the final stages of editing on a contemporary.

What do you like about writing SFR?

I love being able to invent a whole new world and make up the rules for it as I go along. It's even more fun when it's a futuristic world based on our own. I think it's such a fascinating puzzle to try to extrapolate how things may change in the future considering the current state of society. It leaves so much room for imagination, and even opens the door to little bits of subtle social commentary. I find the whole process so freeing.

What do you find challenging about it?

Trying to remember all the rules I create! Trying to keep things consistent in a world I don't actually live in can be a huge challenge. For example, in one SFR manuscript, I resolved to make everything be in the metric system. But it's so ingrained in me (especially during intimate scenes) to mention how things are "just inches away" that I had a lot of clean-up to do in editing, removing all those pesky English units.

What is your favorite SF book or movie?

Even though it's not a romance, probably Ender's Game. It's the first SF book I ever read where I had a real emotional attachment to the characters. It opened up the whole genre for me.

If you could have a robot that did one chore/task and only one, what would you choose?

Vaccuuming. (How luck am I to live in the modern era?)

Favorite mode of fictional travel?

I would have said the transporter from Star Trek, but my new favorite is 'traveling by map' from the new Muppet movie.

About Jeanette Grey:

After brief, unsatisfying careers in advertising, teaching, computers, and homemaking, Jeanette Grey has returned to her two first loves: romance and writing.

When she isn’t writing, Jeanette enjoys making pottery, playing board games, and spending time with her husband and her pet frog. She lives, loves, and writes in North Carolina.

She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Carolina Romance Writers.

Website: http://www.jeanettegrey.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jeanettelgrey
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jeanettelgrey
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4507045.Jeanette_Grey

Her cyberpunk romance, Unacceptable Risk, was released in December from Samhain Press. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and All Romance eBooks.

And Then We Were 212: Closing 2011 With a Cheer!

2012-01-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

Please extend a very warm Brigade welcome to our last group of recruits for 2011!

'Cali Hicks

Carmen Webster Buxton

JC Cassel

Jeanette Grey

Renae Jones

Marlene Harris

Sharon Smith

Yolanda Sfetsos

A hardy hail to all and glad to have you join our ranks!

As we close another year, this is an opportune time to recap our journey as a group over the last year.

The SFR Brigade is now 212 strong with 190 members on the web site!
Our Facebook SFR Brigade group page has 87 members to date.
Our Twitter Brigade boasts 34 listed members.

The SFR Brigade fired up its main engines in March 2010, with a hope to someday grow to 50 members, but the SFR universe was so much larger than any of us imagined! The Brigade brings together an ever expanding universe of authors, writers, readers, bloggers, industry professionals and fans with one common interest--the love and promotion of Science Fiction Romance.

Though the life expectancy of most group sites is approximately six months, the Brigade has continued to grow, helped by our many deck officers, administrators, series hosts, event ambassadors, Facebook and Twitter admins and users, bloggers, graphic artists, and other contributors of time and effort to the group.

As we begin 2012, look for our main drive to fire up once more as we redefine our navigational goals and reorganize our mission to set course for a brave, new SFR future.

Let's make 2012 the best Brigade year yet!

~~~ * ~~~

The No Limits Blog Tour

2012-01-01T09:48:00.000-08:00

Happy release date to me! And to all the Brigaders too because I'm here to invite you all to join me for a stellar blog tour. There will be action (getcha mind outta the gutter;-), adventure, science and fiction and tons of chances to win, copies of No Limits and the Grand Prize.... a Kindle Fire! (or gift card equivalent. That's a crate of SFR books!)

The tour schedule is listed below, as well as the official rules. And my gracious hosts may also enter to win the grand prize!

January 3: Writers Gone Wild.
AND an Interview at Kylie Griffin's Blog
January 4: No Limits for the Naked New Year Blog and A Giveaway! (Doubled up with the New Years Blog Hop)
January 5: Frances Pauli Blog Interview and A Giveaway
January 6: Book Lovers and A Giveaway
January 7: SOS Aloha
January 9: Jeanette Grey Blog and A Giveaway
January 10: Kaye Manro Blog and A Giveaway
January 11: Interview at Believing is Seeing and A Giveaway
January 12: Smart Girls love SciFi and Paranormal Romance
January 13: Interview at the Galaxy Express and A Giveaway
January 15: Space Freighters Lounge

Rules: You MUST comment on every single blog post listed AND sign up for my newsletter. Newsletter subscribers will also have a chance to win copies of the book.
Fanning me on Facebook wouldn't go amiss either. ;-)

Hope to see you there!

Time To Update the Library

2011-12-29T19:57:00.001-08:00

It's the end of the year, and we're doing some tidying around the SFR Brigade. If you'd like your work listed in our library you can either add it yourself, or email Liana Brooks on the SFR Brigade website.

For published work we need: title, buy link, genre, and heat rating

For upcoming work we need: title, release date, genre, heat rating - if you have a link or cover art you'd like to include that would be great too.

If your work is already listed in the library, please check to make sure the link works! There are a few where the links are broken or take the reader to the publisher's main page.

Happy New Year and Happy Writing!
- Liana

Some Girls Love Diamonds

2011-12-28T09:19:00.000-08:00

Some girls love diamonds. This thought crossed my mind as I stood, trembling with excitement, waiting for the bookstore man to ring up my SF purchases. Okay, and one horror, but come on, it’s Stephen King for cripes-sake!

After 18 years together my hubby knows and understands...okay, he doesn’t really understand, but he knows. The key to my heart is not diamonds. Those glittery things don’t catch my heart, except when they are used for scientific purposes. Don’t get me wrong, I like jewelry. I’ll wear jewelry when we go out to dinner or I have a business function. They’re pretty and all.

No, no. The key to my heart is books, and specifically SF books. I am also endeared when he sends links to the latest science and technology stories, but you can’t really give those for the holidays.

I get as excited when I open the gift to find gift cards to my local bookstore as my best friend does when she opens up the diamond encrusted watch. (It’s true. My best friend loves diamonds. Love, love, loves them.)

We die-hard SF readers are a different breed, that’s for sure. The written word is as shiny to us as diamonds are to others. Both are representations of possibility. Possibility of what the future could be, what existence could be, and what humans could be.

For diamonds that possibility is between two people who love each other. That piece of jewelry - no matter whether it’s a ring, necklace, or watch - is a representation of what the future and existence could be for those two humans together. In SF the possibility is on a larger scale. Humanity’s scale. What the future and existence of humans will be 100 years from now, 500 years from now, and even a thousand years from now.

I don’t worry so much about hubby and I’s future. After 18 years and everything we’ve been through together, I know he’s the sticking kind of guy. And the fact that he knows - if not fully understands - how important SF books are to me tells me he gets and loves me for who I am.

I hope you all enjoyed your holidays, whatever they might have been.

Announcing the SFR Pitch Tournament

2011-12-26T18:25:00.000-08:00

The SFR Brigade is kicking off the New Year with a new kind of event...

The Great 2012 SFR Pitch Tournament!

What is it?
A fun competition for writers of SFR.

What's the purpose?
To help SFR Brigade writers judge what pitches work best to hook readers. As a bonus, readers will discover some great SFR titles.

How does it work?
Up to 50 pitches will be accepted and entered in random order into tournament heats. Winners of each heat will be chosen by poll and then entered in a heat/heats against other winners. Heats will continue until the top three are chosen. The number of heats and duration of the tournament will be determined by the number of entries received.

Who can vote?
Anyone can vote by poll. Voters are also encouraged to make comments on the Pitch Tournament posts.

When will the contest start?
We're shooting for January 7th-15th, 2012, depending on the number of entries posted prior to that time. Meanwhile, pitches can be submitted HERE where they will be available to read in advance (with sales links, if provided).

Who can enter?
Members of the SFR Brigade. Not a member? Join us. There are no dues or obligations to join our alliance.

Does my work have to be published?
No. It can be published, e-published, self-published, pre-published or a work in progress of any length as long as it falls under the SFR Brigade definition of SFR. (See FAQ section in our Welcome Message.)

How do I enter?
Post your entry as a comment on the SFR Brigade web site forum under the THE GREAT 2012 SFR PITCH TOURNAMENT ENTRIES thread and it will be transferred to a blog post when the Tournament begins.

You may enter multiple times, but each entry must be submitted as a separate comment on the thread.

Submit your information in this order:

1. Title

2. Author/Pen Name

3. SFR subcategory description (optional) i.e. Steampunk, YA Apocalyptic, Near Future

4. Your SFR Pitch: Can be a blurb, query, back cover copy, etc. up to 500 words.

5. Include sales link, release date, or pre-published (optional)

(Please note that any non-Science Fiction Romance pitches entered will be disqualified.)

What do the winners get? For that matter, what do the non-winners get?
Winners get a virtual ribbon, but all entrants get a chance to pitch your SFR (or future SFR title) to readers and visitors (with a sales link, if provided).

What can I do to help make this a success?

1. Enter your work.

2. Spread the word through FB, Twitter, email, Goodreads, Shelfari and other forums. Include a link to the Pitch Tournament information.

3. Invite everyone you know to vote.

Ready to enter?
Great! Submit your Pitch Tournament Entry on the SFR Brigade web site forum HERE.

(Remember we're limiting the contest to the first 50 entries.)

Light Up The Holidays ~Medieval Style~

2011-12-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

Today I'm spending time with Jessica Subject and Light Up The Holidays! I'm interviewing my hero, Marcus from A Medieval Yule. Though this short story isn't SFR, it is really the precursor to my SFR time travel series, The Quantum Portal, which has several medieval settings.

Stop by for an interesting chat with hero, Marcus. Here's the link: Jessica's Blog

I'm also blogging today on LSAR/WC and Stuff Your Stocking With Books. My medieval themed post is up today! Here's the link: Blogfest

Leave a comment on either blog for a chance to win a PDF download of

A Medieval Yule.

You can also visit me this season to enjoy more Medieval themed blog posts. Leave a comment on any of the posts for additional chances to win

A Medieval Yule on: Kaye's Blog

Here's to everyone having a wonderful Holiday! Thanks to SFRB for making 2011 a fantastic year for SFR authors!

Kaye Manro

2012 SFR Reading Challenge ~ Now Open for Sign-Ups!

2011-12-20T13:52:00.000-08:00

The 2012 SFR Reading Challenge sign-up page is live!

Every year we aim to connect voracious readers with great SF & SFR books out there. Everyone is free to join the challenge which starts January 1st and ends Dec 31st.

Visit the spiffy new page to sign up and plot your reading goal for next year!

http://sfrreadingchallenge.blogspot.com/p/2012-sfr-reading-challenge.html

Authors and readers are also welcome to join the very active and passionate Sci-Fi Romance Goodreads Group!

Sci-Fi Romance's to-read book montage

574 members

Join to share recommendations and gab about your favorite scifi romance (or hinting at romance) titl...

Books we plan to read

Nightfall

by Ellen Connor

Daybreak

by Ellen Connor

View this group on Goodreads »

Hope to see you there!

A Medieval Yule is out now

2011-12-20T06:15:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to let the Brigade know that
A Medieval Yule, my little Christmas story was released on December 19 through Red Rose Publishing. Though it isn't SFR, it is a short story I wrote while doing research on The Quantum Portal series, which is SFR with medieval settings.

I'll be having a few interesting posts on all things Medieval on my blog this week. And I'll be giving away a PDF download of A Medieval Yule chosen from the comments on my blog between now and December 23.

Stop by Kaye's Blog and let me know about a spacial holiday tradition that is close to your heart.
Kaye Manro

Poll: Self-Published SFR

2011-12-19T13:36:00.000-08:00

The purpose for this poll is to gather information for a possible new project. We'd like to get an idea how many SFR Brigade members have or are planning to self-publish novels and/or short stories, either separately or as part of an anthology.

For the purposes of this survey "SFR" applies to the broad spectrum of Science Fiction Romance defined by the SFR Brigade, including:

alien romance
alternate history romance
apocalyptic romance
contemporary science fiction romance
erotica science fiction romance
futuristic romance
interstellar adventure romance
military science fiction romance
medical science fiction romance
near future romance
space opera romance
science fantasy romance
slipstream (sci-fi/fantasy blend) with technical or scientific elements
steampunk romance
time travel romance
young adult in any of the above
erotica in any of the above

(For the purposes of this survey, "SFR" does not include works with vampires, werewolves, fae, demons, angels or any entity that exists in a Fantasy, Urban Fantasy or Paranormal setting, unless there are scientific, technological, or cultural elements that define the work as SFR.)

Thanks for your response!

Space Stations and the Road to Hell

2011-12-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to have blogger buddy Krista D. Ball back for a visit. This time she's talking space stations and her new SF release, Road to Hell. Stop by if you have a chance.

http://sci-fiadventures.blogspot.com/2011/12/guest-blogger-krista-talks-space.html

Being Human explores its inner beast next season

2011-12-18T11:08:00.000-08:00

Being Human explores its inner beast next season

Lighting Up the Holidays--Melisse Aires

2011-12-18T10:03:00.001-08:00

I will Light Up The Holidays with a Yule diary entry--one year later-- written by my heroine Sophie from Starlander's Myth.

One commenter will receive an ebook of Starlander's Myth!

Winners of the 2011 SFR Holiday Blitz

2011-12-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the following winners of the 2011 SFR Holiday Blitz here at the SFR Brigade:

Pauline B. Jones - Unacceptable Risk

Anna - Zero Factor

To claim your prize, email Heather at sfrgalaxy "at" gmail.com. Subject line: Brigade Blitz. Please include your preferred format (PDF, ePub, or Mobi).

Thanks so much to everyone who entered!

New Member, Yolanda Sfetsos

2011-12-15T08:55:00.000-08:00

Please give a big welcome to our next new member, Yolanda Sfetsos. Thanks for sharing with us today!

Please tell us a little about yourself

My name is Yolanda Sfetsos and I live in Sydney, Australia. I've been writing stories for many years and love to dabble in a variety of genres. SFR happens to be one of those genres. I love telling a SF story with romantic elements. I also like to throw in a little paranormal in there, too.

When I'm not writing, I love to read. Or spend time with my hubby, daughter and cat.

We’d love to hear more about your book, Recast, Book 2: Clash

This is actually the second installment in my Recast series, which started with Wither.

The main character, Ace Abu, actually appears in Wither. And this is his story. He's a shifter who is determined to put a stop to some barbaric arena fights that are destroying the lives of many people, with the help of Colt and Brynn (from Wither) but at the same time gets entangled with a woman who could end up destroying him.

It was a lot of fun to write, and I can't wait to share it with the world...

Would you like to share any upcoming projects (and links)

Clash will be available from Samhain Publishing on January 24, 2012. So I'm very excited about that.

I recently finished writing the third book in this series, and have plenty more tales to tell. I'm hoping to write the next two in 2012. Each book features a new hero and heroine. Some which make appearances in previous books, others that follow the main storyline about the Recast, the fallout from the arena fights, and the mystery of the Y-123 AI models.

But for now, you can check out Wither: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/wither-p-4724.html and Clash: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/clash-p-6617.html Which both have awesome covers, btw. ;) Both were made by the very awesome cover artist, Kanaxa.

What do you like about writing SFR?

I love writing stories, and the freedom that SFR offers my muse and imagination is amazing. I love setting stories in a fictional galaxy, where the rules are different from our world, yet there are still similarities. I absolutely love the idea of characters owning small (and big) spaceships, and travelling the galaxy in them. I also love integrating AI and robots into the mix, as well as creating technologies of my own.

But what I love doing the best is giving my characters the strengths and weakenesses of humanity in a world where not everyone is human, or live by human rules. And because the freedom to create planets is so vast, I love throwing them into unexpected climates and cultures. It's just so much fun. The worldbuilding is filled with awesome possibilities.

Let's not forget the romance and the sensuality, the difficulty of relationships. Oh, and secrets. I love sprinkling SFR stories with secrets. I think it's something I subconsciously picked up from theStar Wars movies when I was a kid.

What do you find challenging about it?

You know, all the things that make it so much fun and exciting to write, are also the most challenging. I mean, creating a galaxy filled with different planets, technology, and so many characters with interconnected lives, provides a huge challenge.

What is your favorite SF book or movie?

There are several, but I'll just list one movie trilogy and one book: The original Star Wars Trilogy, and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick.

If you could have a robot that did one chore/task and only one, what would you choose?The only chore I would expect a robot to perform is to 'live'. The chore I would give it is freedom.

Favorite mode of fictional travel? Definitely a small spaceship. I'd love to own my own ship and travel around the galaxy. That would be awesome! ;)

About the author:

Yolanda Sfetsos lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband, daughter, and cat. She loves to spend most of her days writing stories. Her muse doesn't like genre restrictions and is always happy to toe the dark edge of storytelling. When she’s not writing she spends as much time as possible with her small family. She also enjoys watching movies, TV shows, anime, going for walks, and reading.

WITHER:

Betrayal. Lust. Secrets. It’s enough to send a space cowboy riding hell-bent for stardust.

Recast, Book 1

Wrangling is in Colt Marshall’s blood. He was known across the galaxy for his skill at roping horses and cattle, but found that the woman he loved wasn’t so easy to tie down. Now a mysterious client has him wrangling a man who may or may not be fully human. Colt doesn’t know and doesn’t care, as long as he gets paid. Until his pursuit of the escaped captive lands him on his former lover’s planet…and her request for help threatens to crack the armor around his heart.

With Colt’s unexpected arrival, Brynn Wright’s problems could be solved…or multiplied a thousandfold. She doesn’t expect him to understand why she left him, but she sure could use his help ridding her planet of the feral creatures terrorizing her town every night. It doesn’t help that he looks just as good as she remembers. Or that even after five years, their mutual lust is very much alive.

Their desire rivals the heat of the planet’s skin-peeling sun, stripping away layers of secrets to expose the truth. And a secret that could be their death sentence…

Product Warnings: This book contains a space cowboy with an attitude, a female sheriff with a kick-ass past, an AI dressed like a deputy, feral creatures, and a planet scorched by its proximity to the sun—but still not as hot as the cowboy and sheriff are for each other.

Samhain Publishing: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/wither-p-4724.html

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Wither-Recast-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00309SCWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=A24IB90LPZJ0BS&s=digital-text&qid=1305613441&sr=1-1

NOOK Book: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wither-yolanda-sfetsos/1019192329?ean=9781605046969&itm=2&usri=yolanda+sfetsos

Fictionwise: http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b101951/Wither/Yolanda-Sfetsos/?si=0

CLASH:

When revenge, secrets and lust collide, there can only be chaos.

Recast, Book 2

By the time he parks himself on a barstool in the town of Grit, he’s more than ready for a few beers. Except the sexy singer on stage is only making him—and his inner beast—burn hotter.

Unable to resist temptation, they’re consumed by passion…but once the fuses are set, their deepest personal secrets could blow any chance of forever all to hell.

Samhain Publishing:http://store.samhainpublishing.com/clash-p-6617.html

Pre-order for Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Clash-Recast-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00699SCPQ/ref=sr_1_17?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1321996222&sr=1-17

Pre-order for NOOK Book: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/clash-yolanda-sfetsos/1107495680?ean=9781609286873&itm=1&usri=yolanda+sfetsos

Links:

My website: www.yolandasfetsos.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/yolandasfetsos

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/yolandasfetsos

Thank you so much!

New Member, Cary Caffrey

2011-12-14T08:26:00.000-08:00

Please join me in giving a warm welcome to our new member, Cary Caffrey. Thanks for the great interview. I now must have a sarcasm bot!

:)

Please tell us a little about yourself

That's always the toughest question--there's so little to tell! Like all of you (I hope) I'm a huge Science Fiction fan. How huge? Well, If I'd ever learned to sew I'd be one of those crazy Cos-Players you see at Science-Fiction/Fantasy conventions. But alas, I never did learn the fabulous art of costume creation.

We’d love to hear more about your book, (fill in here please)

The Girls From Alcyone is an adventure story--it's the story of two girls who are taken away from their homes and families when they're very young, to be raised by a corporation who has purchased their life-contracts (a sort of form of indentured servitude). This corporation is also tinkering and poking around with their genetics and training them with some rather nasty purposes in mind.

On their own, far from home, and with no one else to care for them, the girls are forced to rely heavily on each other. At it's core, it's a story of friendship, loyalty, and love (but with a whole lot of feisty action).

Would you like to share any upcoming projects (and links)

I'm currently writing the second book in the Alcyone series, as well as working on a screenplay I've had bouncing around in my head (think Bound meets The Thing meets Alien -- a complicated love-triangle, a remote, hostile setting...and monsters!).

What do you like about writing SFR?

Well, I love a good science-fiction adventure, but all too often that genre is lacking in one particular area, and that'sRomance! I'm often frustrated by the SF/Adventure genre. Too often, the action and scifi elements take over everything, sacrificing (or shying away from) more complex character development. Action is wonderful and all, but without real characters at the core, action on it's own rings very hollow to me.

Writing TGfA was in direct response to what I felt I wasn't getting enough of as a reader. I wanted more 'character reveals', if that makes sense, and I wanted the characters to actually have relationships, on top of all the action. I wanted to fully explore those relationships too. I think that's why I've always loved BtVS (Buff the Vampire Slayer). That series is a great example of mixing fun and action, with interesting characters and relationships that you actually care about. Joss Whedon is a God when it comes to character.

What do you find challenging about it?

Finding the right balance. I like a brisk pace. But I also like finding those moments where characters can take a breath, relax and share something more personal--even something as simple as cup of tea together. But even that cup of tea must drive the plot forward (I'm a very impatient reader).

What is your favorite SF book or movie?

That's easy. And my answer won't be that original. It's a toss up between Blade Runner and Alien for movies. Both are absolute classics. I own the Blade Runner 'briefcase' edition of the blu-ray release. It's awesome.

For books, that's easy too. I still think Joe Haldeman's The Forever War is the best Science-Fiction book ever written. It was first published back in '73 and it's hitting a whole new generation of readers today, now that it's been released as an eBook. Unfortunately, people reading the eBook are NOT reading the best edition. What's out now is a sort of 'director's cut,' and it's not nearly as good as the original version edited by Ben Bova. (Sorry Joe).

For SFR fans, this is a MUST READ! Don't be fooled by the title. The book may be, to some extent, about war, but there's a wonderful (and tragic) romantic element in the book. Just read it! But try to find an old paperback copy.

If you could have a robot that did one chore/task and only one, what
would you choose?

I think I would like a 'Sarcasm Bot'; a machine that would stand beside me and say everything that I want to say, even though I know I shouldn't.

What SFR book would you most like to be stranded in and with whom?

Woot! I want to be stranded on Omicron Ceti III (This Side of Paradise, Star Trek: TOS). Okay, it's not a book, but it's my fantasy! lol. That's the planet where everyone gets infected by spores that make them sit back, relax, have a really good time. Hey, if Spock can fall in love, then you know it's romantic.

But of course, like in the episode, Captain Kirk would arrive and 'rescue' us from our terrible fate of perpetual happiness and love (where's the Prime Directive when you need it?). Silly Kirk.

Favorite mode of fictional travel?

Who wouldn't want their own Millennium Falcon! (except, then your friends would always be asking you to help them move).

Brief Bio: Cary Caffrey |ˈkarē; ˈke(ə)rē|: A voracious reader of 1960's pulp Science-Fiction, self-confessed Trekkie, and HUGE BtVS fan.

Back of Book Summary: Sigrid and Suko are two girls from the impoverished and crime-infested streets of 24th century Earth. Sold into slavery to save their families from financial ruin, the girls are forced to live out their lives in service to the Kimura Corporation, a prestigious mercenary clan with a lineage stretching back long before the formation of the Federated Corporations.

Known only to Kimura, the two girls share startling secret—a rare genetic structure not found in tens of millions of other girls.

But when their secret becomes known, Sigrid and Suko quickly find themselves at the center of a struggle for power. Now, hunted by men who would seek to control them, Sigrid and Suko are forced to fight for their own survival, and for the freedom of the girls from Alcyone.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Girls-From-Alcyone-ebook/dp/B006B9S8R6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322074629&sr=8-1

my website: http://www.carycaffrey.com

Thank you so much for this! I really look forward to the SFR blogs.

The SFR Holiday Blitz 2011: Win Free Sci-Fi Romance Ebooks!

2011-12-11T12:01:00.000-08:00

SFR Holiday Blitz icon by Kanaxa

Welcome to the third annual SFR Holiday Blitz!

A group of bloggers and authors have teamed up this holiday season so you can enter for a chance to win a variety of science fiction romance ebooks—all for free!

Entering is easy: Just leave a comment. You’ll be entered for a chance to win one (1) of the ebooks seen here. Then visit the other participating blogs, which are listed below for your convenience.

The deadline to enter is midnight at EST on Friday, December 16, 2011.

Winners get to choose from these formats: PDF, Mobi, or ePub

Here are the prizes available at The SFR Brigade:

ZERO FACTOR by Stacy Gail

UNACCEPTABLE RISK by Jeanette Grey

Now you can go on to the next stop! Here’s the list of participating blogs:

Alien Romances

CONTACT – Infinite Futures

Love Romance Passion

SFR Brigade

Smart Girls Love SciFi & Paranormal Romance

SpacefreightersLounge

The Galaxy Express

vvb32reads

Thanks for visiting. Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Joining Our Ranks

2011-12-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

Please give our newest Brigade members a big welcome!

Cathryn Cade
.
Cary Caffrey
.
Nina Croft
.
Michele Hart
.
E. A. Hoornaert
.
Imogene Nix

Glad to have you all as a part of our SFR community!

Writing Commando: Author, Gary Starta's Sci-Fi Kingdom

2011-12-11T08:53:00.000-08:00

Writing Commando: Author, Gary Starta's Sci-Fi Kingdom: Author, Gary Starta is a man who has made science fiction his dimension. Now, Gary is branching out to the future of the criminal mind. ‘F...

Art Contest Update

2011-12-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

Art Contest Update

Space Art Contest sponsored by National Space Society of North Texas (NSSofNT.org)

Great way to get your art published! No fee. Open to all. See topic requirements.

Alley

www.nssofnt.org

www.alleypat.com

Lunar Eclipse

2011-12-09T10:18:00.000-08:00

You know what a geek I am, right? Especially about astronomical oddities. It looks like we're about to get a great one. If you're in position to see even part of this weekend's lunar eclipse, there's a potential bonus - the way the sun, earth and the moon are lined up, you have a chance to see the sun on the eastern horizon and the blood red moon 180 degrees away on the western horizon. Check this article or Space.com for the details and best viewing times.

Steampunk Romance...and Tentacles!

2011-12-08T16:48:00.000-08:00

I've been having some fun blogging about science fiction romance recently!

I'm at Tor.com blogging about a science fiction romance classic: Jacqueline Lichtenberg's Unto Zeor, Forever: More Than Just Tentacle Sex.

You can also catch up with the latest in steampunk romance at The Galaxy Express with my Steampunk Romance Watch: December 2011.

Cheers!

Entangled Publishing Wants "Geek" Sci-Fi Romance Submissions

2011-12-06T13:57:00.000-08:00

Check out this cool opportunity: Entangled Publishing put out a call on December 3, 2011 for geek-centric stories--including science fiction romance! I thought that was an interesting angle from which to approach this subgenre and can't wait to see what stories they acquire.

The deadline to submit is January 15, 2012. See their post for complete details.

(Thanks to author Diane Dooley for the heads up).

NHL realigns teams and conferences

2011-12-06T12:07:00.000-08:00

NHL realigns teams and conferences

WOW big changes coming up in the NHL!

Now Available: Cimmerian City (Book 1 in the Cimmerian Duology) by Rae Lori

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Cimmerian City: The Re-released & Expanded 2nd Edition is now available in e-book and coming to soon to print.

Stripped from the headlines of today's news, Cimmerian City is a novel spanning 15 years.

Greed can turn a good man’s heart to stone. This is especially true in the age of commerce and large corporations. No new pill can be taken without a laundry list of side effects that the patient may have to endure. But what if the side effects are more dangerous than the pills are helpful? What if the side effect causes the patient to be immune from standard dangers, such as firearms, the climate, etc., but causes them to change into otherworldly beings?

It is seen through the eyes of a young woman named Raven Blackheart.

It is a future where corporations rule the world and political parties have been dismissed.

An Earth that is recovering from a global war that has divided two races: Humans and Dracins, quick, tough skinned creatures that are children of the side effects from 20th century pharmaceuticals. Raven awakens in this world as a product of both races and nurtured by the vice president of the main corporation in the world as a symbol of the union of races. With her help, Vice President Tyler Deamond’s corporation can take both beings off Earth—quickly becoming a waste planet—and to a new terraformed planet. But, as Raven learns, nothing is as it seems, especially concerning humans.

Now available in online bookstores and coming soon to paperback!

Coming Soon
A Feast of Shadows (Book 2 in the Cimmerian Duology)

20% Off Sci-Fi Romance Titles At Carina Press

2011-12-05T05:19:00.000-08:00

Today only: Carina Press is offering 20% off of its sci-fi romance titles. The coupon code is SCIFIDEAL.

Thanks to author Ella Drake for the news.

Happy shopping!

The Geek Girls Are Arriving!

2011-12-04T08:53:00.000-08:00

Today I have a post on My Blog that features Geek Girls. And later, Heather Massey of The Galaxy Express will also have her own post about Geek Girls. So stop by the blogs and leave a comment. Let the world know your own Geek Girl status! Also check out Melisse Aires Geeky post too!

Thanks,

Kaye

(Geek Girl poster and comics created by Sam Johnson )

Wredheaded Writer: Tip O'Day #231 - Robots in SciFi (Part II)

2011-12-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

Wredheaded Writer: Tip O'Day #231 - Robots in SciFi (Part II): Guest blogger Gary Starta continues on sentient machines. The idea of robots is really not that extreme or fantastical. For the most part,...

25 Word Pitch to Laurie McLean of Larsen Pomada Literary Agency

2011-12-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

*** PERMISSION TO FORWARD GRANTED AND ENCOURAGED ***

25 Word Pitch to Laurie McLean of Larsen Pomada Literary Agency

Laurie McLean will be on the Savvy blog on Friday, December 2nd taking 25 word pitches.

Laurie is eager to find excellent steampunk, new weird fantasy, cyberpunk, space opera science fiction, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, post-apocalyptic fiction, non-traditional westerns that are more like the television show The Wild Wild West than Zane Grey, and anything with zombies in it.

She is also looking for romance manuscripts in the following subgenres: Regency historicals, Scottish historicals, medieval historicals, paranormal (especially vampires and shape-shifters with a new twist), futuristic and military (especially yummy special-ops heroes).

And for the YA and middle-grade markets I am searching high and low for YA romance, anything post-apocalyptic or vampiric, dark fantasy (no sweet fairy tales), dark reality (dealing with contemporary issues) and anything interesting. "YA is super hot right now and I love the teen voice!"

WHEN: Dec 2, 2011

COST: FREE for ALL PREMIUM Members!
$0 for Basic Members

REGISTRATION: This event does not require registration.

INSTRUCTOR:
Laurie McLean joined the two agency founders in 2005 following a 20-year stint as the CEO of a successful Silicon Valley public relations agency. Laurie was able to switch gears in 2002 to immerse herself in writing. She has penned three manuscripts to date, and if that wasn't enough, she decided that the life of a literary agent would be the perfect complement to her duties as a writer of genre fiction.

Tags: Query/Pitch, Editor/Agent, Contests

## If you're not in the USA (aka the same time zone), check the Savvy Authors blog for more details or query them.

Author Gary Starta's Writers' Blog - a forum for novelists: Birthing a New Series: The Lakota Brothers

2011-12-01T16:31:00.000-08:00

Author Gary Starta's Writers' Blog - a forum for novelists: Birthing a New Series: The Lakota Brothers: Raven Wolf is a new author of Paranormal Romance. She shares a description of a forthcoming novel which will birth a series of six books. ...

In Defense of Hope at Ethics in SF :-)

2011-12-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

I did a guest spot at Ethics in SF, talking about hope: http://okalrel.org/blog/

Blog post ahead of mine is also on optimism in SF. :-)

Discussion on Ethnicity in SFR at TGE

2011-11-30T10:18:00.000-08:00

Hi!

I'm over at The Galaxy Express and we're having a great discussion on ethnicity and diversity in the future, which sparked some discussion on how SFR writers can best portray ethnicity and diversity in their writing.

Stop by if you have a chance.

http://www.thegalaxyexpress.net/2011/11/interview-with-revelations-of-tomorrow.html

Curiosity is on its way to Mars

2011-11-27T09:17:00.000-08:00

Let's not forget we are still reaching toward Mars. Curiosity, NASA's scientifically equipped rover lifted off on November 26 on its way to the Red Planet. I still hold my breath in awe each time a launch is underway. We'll have to wait until August to see how it goes when Curiosity lands at its destination.

This particular rover is a spacial one. Its goal is to find and determine how feasible it will be for humans to actually spend time on Mars.

I Have a a couple of posts up on my blog relating to this mission. I'd love to hear what you think. Stop by anytime.

Link: Kaye Manro's Blog

Carina Press Open Submissions call for Holiday SF

2011-11-23T08:34:00.001-08:00

I tried to post this on the FB page, but it wouldn't stick. Not sure why. Anyway, here's the link:

http://carinapress.com/blog/2011/10/science-fiction-holiday-submissions-call/

Anne McCaffrey, You Will Be Missed

2011-11-22T18:26:00.001-08:00

I am deeply saddened by the announcement received today of the passing of the great SF/Fantasy author, Anne McCaffrey. Her Dragonriders of Pern series, The Ship Who Sang, and many other stories were an inspiration to generations of writers.

Anne McCaffrey was an accomplished author and the first woman to win a Hugo Award and Nebula Award. She was 85 years old.

You can read Anne McCaffrey's tributes and biographies at a number of sites:

GalleyCat: Anne McCaffrey Has Died

io9: RIP Anne McCaffrey

Anne McCaffrey: Wikipedia

The Worlds of Anne McCaffrey

Geek Dad: RIP Anne McCaffrey

One Mystery, One Woman and the One Man Who Has The Answers. 'Kybernatia' by Clare Dargin

2011-11-20T14:13:00.001-08:00

Blurb

Kybernatia was supposed to be humanity’s newest paradise but that dream is all but gone. Ruined in an horrible terra forming accident, the planet was deemed no longer fit for humanity. Gabrielle Burle, project manager for the development of the planet, was forced out of her job as a veil of secrecy suddenly shrouded the planet.

Determined to find out why or how it could happen, Gabrielle goes on a journey of discovery that leads her to one man who she knows has all the answers.

Excerpt

Kybernatia, an aquamarine-blue planet with islands and continents of sandy gold and dark brown, filled the view screen. Happy people with large white perfect smiles romped through scenes of beautiful sandy beaches while sapphire blue water washed upon their tan bodies. Lush forests and cozy mountain getaways flashed, wrapping up the almost Edenic view of this once beautiful planet.

The commercial ended slowly for Gabrielle. It brought back all the memories she had for the little planet that had been devoid of all forms of life. A sober-faced reporter appeared upon the screen pulling her from her memories and bringing her back to the present as he grimly stated the realities of the horrific planetary accident.

“You're not exactly fired, but we think it‟s best that you move on,” Dr. Linwood said, interrupting the news anchor's controlled-yet-cool delivery of the news. Dr. Linwood appeared sympathetic to her plight, but she knew he was just covering his back. It was, after all, Washington, D.C., and if you didn't cover your backside, someone else would do it for you.

Still, she tried to hide her surprise. Couldn‟t he had at least have waited until all the people had been removed from the planet before kicking me to the curb? All of a sudden, their playful banter and office talk seemed like it was just that: talk. They hadn‟t been friends as she had hoped.

Unable to speak, Gabrielle Burle continued to stare at the disturbing and tragic images on the view screen inside her office. Emergency craft of all shapes and sizes sped to the planet as smoke and plumes of ash erupted from its surface. They could see the hospital ships close in as the wounded and seriously injured were brought aboard for care.

Gabrielle gazed helplessly at the scene. The once-promising new home for humanity went up in smoke, right before her eyes, along with any hopes of ever working in Washington again.

http://www.amazon.com/Kybernatia-ebook/dp/B004ZH3O9S

Nano Workshop Special Price!

2011-11-10T02:42:00.000-08:00

Nano Workshop Special Price!

Special pricing 2 days only for this Saturday's Nan0-ing Your Novel to Publication in Amsterdam!

An Exploration of Character-Driven SF at SF Signal

2011-11-09T05:37:00.000-08:00

This week's Mind Meld at SF Signal is one that science fiction romance fans can strongly relate to: You Gotta Have Character: Character-Driven Science Fiction Stories With Plenty of Sense of Wonder.

Participants include Lyda Morehouse, Helen Lowe, Lynne Thomas, Judith Tarr, Daniel Abraham, and yours truly.

Happy reading!

Stephen King alters Dallas history

2011-11-09T05:11:00.000-08:00

Stephen King alters Dallas history

Wow, what an opportunity to see Stephen King Live in Dallas!!!

The Ziggy Stardust Guide....

2011-11-08T06:01:00.000-08:00

I really like Copyblogger as a learning resource for my writing business and was really struck with this morning's blog. Thought I'd share it with the peeps.

The Ziggy Stardust Guide to Glamorous Space Age Super Stardom.

Not only interesting, but good advice.
cheers!

New Members

2011-11-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

Please give a big hail and welcome to our newest members. Click on the links to visit their sites.

Kerry Vail http://www.kerryadrienne.com/

Joanne Elder http://www.sciencefictionthrillers.com

Maureen O. Betita http://www.maureenobetita.com/

Total-E-Bound Seeks Erotic Steampunk/Steampunk Romance

2011-11-06T04:10:00.000-08:00

I just ran across this post at All About Romance: Total-E-Bound is seeking erotic steampunk/steampunk romance submissions:

Total-E-Bound Publishing, a leading Erotic Romance Publisher, is now accepting submissions between 10,000 words and 100,000+ words in the steampunk genre:

Steamy stories set in a might-have-been world of clockwork technology. Join naughty neo-Victorians—from mad scientists to erotic automata—in their inventive adventures.

Happy writing!

Reviewers' Choice Awards Includes Nominee Joely Sue Burkhart For LADY DOCTOR WYRE

2011-11-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

I'm cross-posting this cool news from The Galaxy Express:

This just in: RT Book Reviews recently posted the list of nominees from the Reviewers' Choice Best Book Awards. Among them, in the "Best Paranormal/Fantasy/Science Fiction Erotic Romance" category, is Joely Sue Burkhart for LADY DOCTOR WYRE (Samhain Publishing)!

Way to go, Ms. Burkhart!

You can read the author's announcement post here.

List of Small Press/Epublishers Who Accept SFR Submissions

2011-11-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

Hi, folks!

I recently updated my list of small press/epublishers who accept science fiction romance submissions. There are 19 so far. If you know of any reputable publishers that should be on the list, please visit and leave a comment.

Thanks!

THE STARLANDER FRONTIER: STARLANDER'S MYTH

2011-11-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

Melisse Aires is celebrating the release of

THE STARLANDER FRONTIER: STARLANDER'S MYTH

She's on my blog today talking about her plot process for this book!

Stop by and leave a comment. Here's a quick link: Kaye's Blog

Kaye

Release Day! The Starlander Frontier: Starlander's Myth

2011-11-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

My steampunk spacewestern novella releases today from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

Starlander's Myth is the first in a trilogy set in the Starlander Frontier universe, a world that is reminiscent of the Old West. It is a mixed genre novella, with elements of the paranormal, and is most definitely a romance between Jack Starlander, asteroid miner, and Mrs.Sophie Farrel, a widow with a small daughter, who happen to be gryphon shifters.

Heat level: Sensual Romance

You can read an excerpt *here*.

"Heroes Without, Monsters Within" now available for pre-order!

2011-10-28T03:45:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to announce that the sequel to my superhero novel, "Blaze of Glory", is set for a January 2012 release!

Fight alone, die alone.

Blaze of Glory, Book 2

In the weeks since Jo “Surf” Tanis and her rough-and-tumble band of super-powered actors broke free of the government-sponsored superhero show, they’re all still dealing with the aftershock of adjusting to this thing called reality.

It doesn’t get much more real than a mission to dig survivors out of what’s left of Erie, PA, after a mysterious earthquake. A trembler that powerful is as out of place as Jo feels as the de-facto leader of the troupe. Not to mention the soul-shaking feelings she has for Hunter, a team member whose past as an Agency Guardian casts a heavy shadow over any possible relationship.

It seems one of the supers, an earth-warper named Ground Pounder, has gone rogue, using his freedom from the Agency’s brand of virtual slavery to put the “villain” back in supervillain. Failure to find him before any more innocent bystanders are hurt means the team could be back under the Agency’s thumb.

It’s a burden that doesn’t rest easy on Jo’s shoulders...especially when the man who’s invaded her heart is caught in the crossfire.

It's up for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and, of course, Samhain Publishing!

Love and Hyperspace

2011-10-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Just a note:
I've decided to explore a few ideas in a blog post called Love in the Afterglow of Hyperspace. It would be great to hear what other SFR authors have to say. So if you have a chance, drop by and share your thoughts and ideas.

Thanks!

Kaye Manro
link to blog post

Google+ for SF/F authors?

2011-10-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

Are you thinking about expanding your social media toolkit to include Google+? If you're like me, this was a tough call. I have enough writing distractions in my life, thank you very much. But a single post on the SFWA blog changed my mind. Drop by Spacefreighters Lounge today if you're interested in joining the discussion about Google+ for authors.

Adventures in Social Media:
Is Google+ a boon for new SF/F authors?

Looking for Active Member Blogs

2011-10-25T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hi Brigaders!

It's time to update our "Bases of Operation" blog roll. If you're a Brigade member with an active blog (new posts at least once a week) please email me at Lgreen2162 (at) aol (dot) com) with your blog address and we'll get your blog added, along with a thumbnail, a snippet from the most recent post, and a time stamp. (With one disclaimer that Blogger won't allow all sites to be added--but it will accept most.)

The blog roll automatically orders the list placing the most recent posts first so the more often you post, the more often you hit the top of the list. Yes, it's a nifty little tool that we're under-utilizing.

If you want to see the layout, you can find our current "Bases of Operation" blog roll on the right sidebar >>> scroll down.

Which brings us to the next question...

We'd like your input!

We're looking at a new layout that would show only one or two of the most current posts on the main page, and the blog roll would be moved to the bottom of the post section so it's wider and easier to see. (Older posts would still be available via the older posts link or the 'Search This Blog' function. This might help our members find posts they're interested in reading as well as improve traffic to our members' sites.

Please tell us your thoughts.

Carina Press Submission Calls

2011-10-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

This list should be of great interest to some of our members.

http://carinapress.com/blog/2011/10/carina-press-call-for-submissions/

(Don't forget that Carina Press was voted Most Friendly SFR Publisher by the SFR Brigade last year.)

I'm definitely sensing an upsurge in SF/R interest from the e-pubs. :) What's your take?

Desert Breeze Publishing Seeking SF and SFR Submissions

2011-10-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

** Permission to forward and share both granted and encouraged **

Desert Breeze Publishing is currently seeking submissions to fill
specifically our 2012 release schedule. Desert Breeze Publishing currently
releases books twice a month, and as of April 2012 we will release books
three times a month.

Desert Breeze Publishing is a royalty-paying publisher of romance in
electronic novel format, but are excited to announce we will be releasing
our top sellers in print in 2012. We publish from the sweet to the heated,
with the exclusion of erotica or erotic romance and GLBT/alternative
lifestyles. Our books are currently distributed through Amazon and Amazon
International affiliates for Kindle, Barnes and Noble, All Romance eBooks,
Kobo, and the Apple iBookstore for distribution in the United States,
Canada, Europe and Australia. All our Inspirational/Christian Romances are
available at Christianbooks.com.

Romance should be the prevailing theme of your manuscript, not romantic
elements. We are seeking manuscripts from novella length (between 25,000 and
35,000 words approximately) to super novel length (exceeding 100,000 words),
with a preference for novels between 55,000 and 80,000 words. We are more
than willing to accept queries on book series, and will consider a series
concept when at least one book is completed and the series has been
thoroughly formulated.

We are not seeking anything shorter than 25,000 words, with a strong
preference for manuscripts of at least 30,000 words.

We will review previously published manuscripts; however, proof of release
must be provided. We prefer to see some new material along with your
previously published manuscripts.

We are looking for submissions in all of the following romance sub-genres:
* Contemporary Romance
* Romantic Suspense
* Military-themed Romance
* Romantic Comedy/Humorous Romance
* Christian Romance
* Inspirational Romance
* Fantasy Romance
* Paranormal Romance
* Science Fiction/Futuristic/Speculative Fiction Romance
* Steampunk Romance
* Modern Cowboy Romance
* Historical Romance -- both prior to 1900 and 20th Century/Vintage
* Young Adult Romance in all genres
* Manuscripts with specific celebratory or holiday themes

And while we're actively seeking all genres, there are a few types of
submissions that would really excite us!

We are interested in expanding the scope of our Vintage/20th Century
category, stepping outside the most popular time period surrounding World
War II. An exceptional amount of change occurred in the 20th Century, and
our world was challenged in many ways. We would be interested in seeing
novels set around the Korean War or the Viet Nam Conflict, novels with
themes involving The Great Depression, the Space Race, the end of the Cold
War. There are so many possibilities.

We wish to promote the growth and expansion of the Sci Fi Rom/Futuristic
Romance/Speculative Fiction Romance genres by offering exceptional
character-driven novels and series offering appeal to the die hard sci fi
fan as well as the adventurous romance lovers. Sci Fi romance must be smart,
well planned, well thought out to build amazing worlds and possible futures
with strong characters and great character chemistry and development.

In the same vein, Steampunk (and all variations thereof, ie: Gaslight,
Diesel Punk, etc) is a genre in high demand.

We would like to see both single title -- as well as series -- romantic
suspense novels, especially with characters who serve in law enforcement,
civil service, or the military. And that's not just limited to the heroes.
We'd love to see books where the heroine is the one doing the saving and
protecting, or works beside the hero in an equal position.

We are actively seeking inspirational and Christian novels with a bit more
real world flair. It's not always easy being a Christian, and we would like
to see novels that express that.

If you are offering a manuscript with a specific celebratory or holiday
theme, please indicate this in your submission. It would be our goal, if
possible, to schedule your book release to coincide with whatever holiday
you focus on in your manuscript to optimize sales potential.

Full details on our submission guidelines and house preferences can be found
at our website:

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/policy/Page.bok

Questions regarding submissions can be sent to:
EditorInChief@DesertBreezePublishing.com

We hope to hear from you soon!
Gail R. Delaney
Editor-In-Chief
Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc

Captain Bonney's Out

2011-10-15T07:59:00.001-07:00

Revelations of Tomorrow, The first book in The Telomere Trilogy is now available.

Blurb

The crew of Daring Star salvages a load capsule and finds the beaten body of Jetta McCree. Turns out Jetta's discovered her employer has developed a biochemical droplet and is contracted with terrorists to manufacture on a large scale. Captain Noah Bonney fights off corporate security forces, her ex-husband's pirate fleets, and carnivorous beasts to keep the young woman safe and transport her to the safety of the Imperial Home Port.

But the adventure brings to surface demons Noah's been suppressing and secrets from her people's history she's tried to forget. Now, she must face them if she's to reconcile with her daughter and keep the love of her life from leaving. With 450 years under her belt and nothing but eternity ahead of her, she's built a thick shell… one she's not sure she can break.

Excerpt
"I haven't been that innocent for many rotations." Noah placed her holster and weapon next to the hat, closed the drawer, and unbuttoned her jacket.

"Yeah, but being 450 years old, that's a long time ago. How can you possibly remember?" Lieutenant Matthew Amherst smiled at her through the mirror from across the room where he set the last piece of silverware on the small table.

Noah scowled at him with a warning finger point. He only winked at her, slipped his hands in his trousers and strolled over. Part of her wondered how she remembered so far back. Sometimes it was easy, and other days the distance of it smacked her in the face. Matthew stepped up, wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. He peered at her through the mirror, gave her a lopsided grin, and wiggled his eyebrows. She laughed again and reached back to rest her hand on his cheek. The worrisome thought slipped from her mind.

She grinned at him. "You younglings don't realize Telomere rotations are nothing in my circle."

"That is true." He pinched her sides and released her. "That is true," Matthew said again as he guided her to the table.

They sat to eat. Noah and Matthew usually ate in the mess hall with the crew, and usually separate. Occasionally, though, Matthew called a private evening. She couldn't resist, and in this instance she had a feeling it would be the last in a while.

"Have you given any thought to our arrival strategy?" Matthew asked in between bites.

"Yes. It's too late to feign ignorance, or hide her. I'm not sure how we can avoid altercation with space port security."

Matthew scowled over his food and mumbled, "Damn, pompous security. Love pestering Imperial vessels."

Noah suppressed a chuckle. As lead officer for the hangar and cargo areas, he had to deal with port security more than most. Catching her humorous look, he flashed a grin and shrugged.

"You're not going to give her over, are you?" he asked once his mouth was clear.

"Hell, no. That girl is too young to know what she's gotten into, but I'm not. We're Merchants." She stabbed at her food a little too vigorously, the fork clanked against the plate, and she glanced up.

Matthew stared at her, his eyes intense and smoldering. He reached over and ran a thumb down her cheek, causing her heart to race and her skin tingled. Sea green eyes twinkled against the tan of his skin. He'd showered so his black hair lay disheveled and curly. Her hand itched to run through the wet locks.

"You're such a wonderful person, Noah," he whispered. "Be with me, always."

Sadness pressed down on her and pushed away the lust. Noah searched for her voice, trying to find the right words. "I am, Matthew." But always is such a subjective term.

Though his eyes dimmed, he tapped her nose good-naturedly. It hurt Noah more knowing she was the cause of it. There was nothing to do about it, though. "Your eyes give you away, love. You're worried. The differences between us, I don't care about them."

Noah pursed her lips. Sharp pain of emotions ached in her heart, intensifying. She pressed her hand to her chest and turned to stare out the window for a moment. How could he ever understand? Only in his thirties, he had barely scratched the surface of life. Guilt pulled at her conscience. She shouldn't be with him, if she were honest with herself. But the happiness and affection she felt toward him took control when she saw him. It wouldn't end well, that she knew for certain.

"You don't understand. I can promise you your always. You can't promise me my always. I just can't do that to myself, or to you, Matthew."

Purchase Links
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Desert Breeze Website All Romance Books