ENEMY WITHIN – Marcella BurnardAfter a stint in an alien prison torpedoes her military career, Captain Ari Idylle has to wonder why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father's scientific expedition to finish a PhD she doesn't want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. But when pirates commandeer her father's ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner.
Pirate leader Cullin Seaghdh may not be who he pretends to be but as far as Cullin is concerned, the same goes for Ari. Her past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin's sights and if she hasn't been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he's convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can't afford the desire she fires within him and he'll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.
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ENEMY WITHIN is also an "RT Top Pick"!
ISLAND OF ICARUS — Christine DanseField Journal of Jonathan Orms, 1893
En route to polite exile in the Galapagos Islands (field work, to quote the dean of my university), I have found myself marooned on a deserted tropical paradise. Deserted, that is, except for my savior, a mysterious American called Marcus. He is an inventor—and the proof of his greatness is the marvelous new clockwork arm he has created to replace the unsightly one that was ruined in my shipboard mishap.
Marcus has a truly brilliant mind and the gentlest hands, which cause me to quiver in an unfamiliar but rather pleasant way. Surely it is only my craving for human companionship that draws me to this man, nothing more? He says a ship will pass this way in a few months, but I am welcome to stay as long as I like. The thought of leaving Marcus becomes more untenable with each passing day, though staying would be fatal to my career...
Ooooh...the author had me at "clockwork arm!" Read an excerpt of this steampunk romance here.
SILVER BOUND — Ella DrakeA dangerous journey across the galaxy
Sheriff Guy Trident doesn’t have much to do with off-worlders; he has his hands full keeping his own planet safe. But he’ll do anything, go anywhere to save Jewel Quinn. She broke his heart years ago when she left to marry a Terraloft aristocrat. Now she’s run away from her husband, only to fall into the clutches of slavers.
Posing as a wealthy playboy, Guy arrives at Zuthuru Station to learn he’s too late: Jewel’s memories have been erased. She’s been tipped in silver, a process that leaves nothing behind except her body, sexually bound to pleasuring her master. Unwilling to give up hope, Guy buys her.
Jewel fights to reclaim herself, recalling a different connection to the handsome sheriff, remembering the frightened eyes of a young boy and the events that made her run. Together she and Guy search for her cure, plan her son’s rescue from her ruthless ex, and test if they have any kind of future...before the past catches up to them.
Read an excerpt of this SFR space western.
THIEF — Anitra Lynn McLeodNothing has ever come easy for Jace Lawless, captain of the salvage vessel Mutiny. Forced into thievery after a virus unleashed by the InnerWorld Government killed his family, only one ambition burns at the back of his mind. Kill the next IWOG officer he has at his mercy.
Bargaining over goods with a middleman isn't exactly his strong suit. But who in his right mind spends an entire salvage job's profits on a woman, even if she has a body built for sin and eyes so fathomless a man could lose himself in them? He must be getting soft.
Once Kraft realizes Jace expects only the "cook" part of their cook-whore contract, she sets out to change his antiquated ideas about women. A challenge she relishes, especially if it earns her the freedom and money to get her own ship. Her big mistake is letting down her guard.
Shameless flirting only intensifies the itch to ride Jace hard and put him away wet—several times. It's an itch it would be dangerous to scratch. Exposing her heart could reveal her secret, one that the still-grieving Jace must never know . . . showing her mercy will be the last thing on his mind.
Warning: Contains a celibate ship captain who can't abide swearing, a kick-ass woman with a marshmallow heart, a motley crew of misfits, interstellar battles, thwarted groping, sensual seduction, and a total bastard who owns his own planet.
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Read an excerpt. The awesomesauce cover is by none other than Kanaxa.
Forthcoming titles
Dear Author’s Jane Litte is the editor for the “Agony/Ecstasy flip novel that will be published by Berkley in November 2011.” Of the accepted submissions, she notes that
One of my favorites is the sole m/m inclusion which is by a previously unpublished author by the name of Cameron Belle. It’s a futuristic story that features a scene between a gladiator type and a med technician who is ensuring the fighter is clean (no drugs or enhancements) for his upcoming bout. It definitely left me wishing that there was a longer story for me to read.
Definitely sounds intriguing, eh?
An SFR-ish looking ebook with the Most. Original. Title. Ever.Decadent Publishing will release INVASION OF THE NYLONIANS by J80. Check out the blurb:
The story follows John who has came to a small town in Nebraska to hear the reading of a late relative's will. While there, he is attacked and chased by seductive nylon clad aliens who have a strong interest in something from his family's history. The alien leaders known as Mistress Elders, come to Earth with teir essence or spirit in an egg. When a suitable host touches the egg the alien elder takes over the body by spreading a black liquid across the victim's legs that transforms into pantyhose. The Elder then can convert humans to do her will. As John tries to combat the invaders he encounters two women and falls for both. Which woman will John choose, and can he stop the sexy nylon invaders? Read Invasion Of The Nylonians to find out.
Be there or be square, people.
Author interviews
Dark Cargo features an interview with ENEMY WITHIN author Marcella Burnard.
SFR Brigade interviewed author Maree Anderson, who has a forthcoming erotic sci-fi romance FROM THE AHSES (December 2010, Red Sage Publishing).
Contest for readers
Pauline B. Jones is having a contest to celebrate the forthcoming release of her steampunk romance novella TANGLED IN TIME. Visit her site for details, or read more about it at SFR Brigade.
New SFR fans join the party
I really ought to blog about this GeekMom post in more detail, but until then, check out the awesome article on Science Fiction Romance: Not an Oxymoron by Corrina Lawson:
A few years go, I wrote an article for Sequential Tart about the lack of good science fiction stories with romance. In that original article, I said it was entirely possible that the two genres are incompatible.
I was completely wrong.
I found this encouraging tidbit at Book Chick City:
Sci-Fi Romance
I read a small amount of science fiction, but I never knew sci-fi romance existed until I came across The Galaxy Express blog. I haven't managed to read any yet but as I have a 'Women of Science Fiction' week planned in November, I will soon by diving into this sub-genre. I have quite a few books on my shelves and they all look like great reads, such as Linnea Sinclair's 'Dock Five Universe' series, Katherine Allred's 'Alien Affairs' series and 'Kitty Katt' series by Gini Koch.
Thanks bunches to both article authors for linking to The Galaxy Express.
Industry
L&L Dreamspell (home of SFR author Pauline B. Jones) recently announced some exciting news: the publisher is expanding its ebook program!
Readers can now purchase L&L Dreamspell titles at All Romance and Omni Lit. Also, in a few weeks, L&L Dreamspell titles will be available at Apple's iBookstore and Kobo Books.
And that’s not all—titles will soon be available through Overdrive, which securely distributes to libraries, and other major retailers.
All of which reminds me—this would be a great time to submit a short for L&L Dreamspell’s steampunk e-anthology. They might be open to one with romance, so why not take advantage of the publisher’s increased market presence?
“The Mammoth Book of Sci-Fi Romance”: Are we there yet? Well, I'm not sure, but Rae Lori (CIMMERIAN CITY--coming soon to the Kindle) brings news about Mammoth Books editor Trisha Telep. Toward the end of November, Mammoth Books editor Trisha Telep will have a shiny new site (www.trishatelep.net) where readers and authors can learn more about her books and anthologies. That’s also the place to learn news about upcoming Mammoth anthologies, as well as interact with Ms. Telep about queries, submission stuff, and more! Look for her official announcements on Twitter (TrishaTelep) and Facebook.
Steampunk romance
Better late than never: Meljean Brook recently concluded a huge steampunk romance celebration on her blog. Steampunk Romance Week featured authors such as Nathalie Gray (FULL STEAM AHEAD) and Sheryl Nantus (WILD CARDS AND IRON HORSES). The link above connects you with a full recap of the posts.If, like me, you have a thang for steampunk set in the Old West or some variation thereof (e.g., WILD CARDS AND IRON HORSES!), then you might be interested in The Old West Brings the Steam by Felix Gilman. The article delves into the origins of steampunk:
Some of the very first proto-steampunk works are westerns. I give you Edward Ellis's 1865 “The Huge Hunter, Or The Steam Man Of The Prairies,”...
...The American-frontier proto-steampunk differs from the more commonly cited Euro-proto-steampunk of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne mainly in that (a) it's terrible - you can quite obviously tell that Ellis was being paid by the word -- and (b) it doesn't make the slightest effort to pretend that it has anything to do with actual science, the way Wells and Verne usually did, it just steams ahead with mad nonsensical enthusiasm, as if having pushed out past civilization and onto the wild frontier it can do whatever the hell it wants, and if what it wants is a steam-powered robot it's gonna have a steam-powered robot and there ain't no damn man from no gubmint can tell it steam-powered robots don't make no sense, dag nab it.
On writing
Here’s what The Art of Genre Blending (via SF Signal) had to say about science fiction romance:
But what about a science fiction story that’s primarily about a romance? Chances are you won’t be finding Love at 99.999% of Lightspeed on the Harlequin reading list anytime soon.
Oh, really? I have just two words for you, Mr. T.N. Tobias: Susan Grant.
Writing contest newsPauline B. Jones is a finalist in the 2011 EPIC eBook Awards (science fiction romance category!) for her novel GIRL GONE NOVA. Way to go, Ms. Jones!
Via SFR Brigade, we have other great news of contest achievements:
CONTEST NEWS
Donna S. Frelick has taken out 2nd place in the Indiana Golden Opportunity contest with her SFR, UNCHAINED MEMORY. Way to go, Donna!
We have two Brigader finalists in RWA's FFP On The Far Side contest:
Jennifer L.Hart 's novel, STELLAR TIMING in the RWA's FFP On The Far Side contest (futuristic category)
Laurie Green's novel, THE OUTER PLANETS also in the RWA's FFP On The Far Side contest (futuristic category)
Apparently, there were over 139 entries so, congratulations, Jennifer & Laurie, what an achievement!
My guest blogging gig at Enduring Romance
On November 5, 2010 you can find me at Enduring Romance where I'll be revealing how "Anime Turned Me On With Science Fiction Romance."
Best blog for professional geeks
Fan to Pro – The Blog of Professional Geekery, recently featured The Galaxy Express in its List of Geek Resources. Thank you, Mr. Steven Savage!
Now here’s the cool thing about Fan to Pro: it’s a resource hub for geeks, nerds, etc., who are looking for ways to monetize their SF/F interests! In other words, “Fan To Pro is a blog about how people can apply their fannish and geeky interests to their jobs and careers.”
This is the first time I’ve seen a site like this and I think it’s an intriguing idea. Given that science fiction romance authors and readers are as geeky as the next fanboy and fangirl, I thought the information might be useful.
Speaking of useful information, now it’s your turn to regale me with science fiction romance news or links of your own!
Joyfully yours,
Heather