Greetings! Unless a meteor hits planet Earth tomorrow, I’m happy to
announce that The Galaxy Express is *mostly* back from hiatus. Over the next
month, my goal is to ease back into the swing of things starting with one or
two posts per week. Thanks so much to all of my passengers for your patience
during my time away.
Seeing as we’re in a new month, I thought it’d be apt to
kick things off with a sci-fi romance news and links roundup!
New releases
As a covert operative in Elatia’s elite military, Sway Waybourne is used to fending for herself. But a powerful rebel uprising means she’s now responsible for guarding the leader of a neighboring planet. Within seconds of meeting Dason Cavaletti, sparks fly and Sway realizes she’s gotten more than she bargained for—Dason is her mate. After a merciless firefight forces the duo to escape Elatia, there isn’t much to do but hide and wait. Both soon find out that simply twiddling your thumbs during the pull of a powerful bond isn’t as easy as it looks.
FEY LIGHTS (space opera) - Liana Brooks
When Jeani crash lands on a backwater world, she knows she's in trouble. The slave trader Hothi is looking for her, and her bosses are going to eat her alive if she screws up another mission.
Discovering she's half a world away from the planet's only space port is a blow - but it doesn't rock her nearly as much as her reunion with a man she barely remembers, from a past she wants to forget. Can she do the right thing, and leave him again?
ALIEN 'N' OUTLAW (erotic m/m) - KC Burn
R’kos, son of the Ankylos Emperor, is expected to settle down. But he’s much more attracted to human males than to his own species. Eager to explore his forbidden longings, he steals a ship and heads to Elora Ki to see if he can find the right human guy.
Darien robs the corrupt to give to those in need, but now he needs a ride off Elora Ki, stat. Pursued by drug lords, he accepts help from the amorous stranger who calls himself Ricky. As they fly together along Darien’s route, their friendship quickly turns into passion.
But when Ricky is injured, Darien must contact the embassy to get his alien lover the medical care he needs. As Darien finds himself accused of kidnapping, and Ricky fears his family’s disappointment, can the two protect their growing relationship? Or are their differences just too great?
Read the excerpt.
THE BLACKSMITH'S LOVER (erotic clockpunk) - Heather Massey
The year is 1840. On the run after being caught in a scandalous incident, scullery maid Sarah Bailey must find refuge before her vengeful former mistress has her killed. When she stumbles upon a blacksmith’s shop in need of an apprentice in West Boylston, Massachusetts, she applies for the position.
Viktor is a brawny, reclusive blacksmith who creates strange clockwork and steam-powered devices. The gruff man makes it clear that Sarah’s plight is no concern of his, but ghosts from his past dictate otherwise. Viktor agrees to protect the spunky maid, but only until her trail of henchmen runs cold.
Sarah quickly discovers that the fire of this blacksmith’s forge runs volcanic hot. Unable to resist one another, she and Viktor begin a lust-filled affair. But how long will their idyllic arrangement last before Sarah’s former mistress destroys it?
Read the excerpt.
NIGHT OF FIRE (Western steampunk romance) - Nico Rosso
US
Army Upland Ranger Tom Knox trades the front lines for a different conflict as
he returns home to California on his ether-borne mechanical horse. Three years ago, he skipped
town, leaving the one girl who ever mattered. Rosa Campos. He thinks
she’ll be settled down but discovers Rosa’s the town sheriff, caught in a battle with a mining company’s
five-story, rock-eating machine.
Tom’s
the last person Rosa expects to see riding out of the sky to her aid, and seeing him
again reignites a flame more dangerous than the enemy threatening to destroy
them both.
Recent book
discoveries
Via Katiebabs of Babbling
About Books, And More! I learned about Kiersten
Fay’s DEMON POSSESSION. This story reminded me about my
adventures with Nina Croft’s vampire-in-space science fiction romance, BREAK
OUT. In Fay’s DEMON POSSESSION, the hero is a demon. In space. *peers
closely at crystal ball* I see a future post on demons-in-spaaaaace!
Here’s the 411:
After being enslaved on the spaceship Extarga for most of her life Analia
has no memory of her life before, and has lost all knowledge of her people. Her
mysterious gift and pointed ears are the only indication that she is different.Analia is alone, and for all she knows, she’s the last of her kind. By chance Analia escapes her captors, and hides herself on the merchant ship Marada, planning to get off at the very next stop.
Unfortunately for her, there is no next stop. The crew is planning a delivery that could take months, and according to a stipulation in the newly signed contract, no one is allowed on or off the ship until the package is delivered.
When Analia is found by the captain of the Marada, she must adapt to her new role on the ship, and try to control her newly awakened desire for the brutal and devastatingly erotic demon.
***
And that’s not all—more vampire-in-space action awaits you…
Author Tina
Christopher debuted in December 2011 with TANGLED SHADOWS, an erotic sci-fi
romance from Ellora’s Cave Aeon line. Book two in the series, TANGLED HUNGER,
released last month. And yes, there’s plenty of space vampire sexytimes dead
ahead:
TANGLED SHADOWS (Book one in the Celestial
Surrender series)
After losing not only her ship but also three days of her memory in a freak explosion, Space Captain Brooke Deverell wants only to forget her troubles for one amazing night and fulfill her wildest fantasy.
After losing not only her ship but also three days of her memory in a freak explosion, Space Captain Brooke Deverell wants only to forget her troubles for one amazing night and fulfill her wildest fantasy.
She gets that and more from Vampire Nikolai and
ArchNaema Galen. The men have long been lovers and welcome her into their world
of extraordinary sensuality. For one blissful night, Brooke believes she’s
found her soul mates—but her happiness is short lived when she realizes she’s
actually been kidnapped. The men hunted her down under the assumption she sold
her crew and human cargo to Feral Vampires as blood slaves.
After realizing her amnesia is real and of a paranormal
nature, they find themselves at an impasse. To prevent a galaxy-wide war they
must work together. The three discover their sensual partnership can heal her
mind. But for a complete and successful union, Brooke has to decide if she can
forgive the initial deception and open her heart to the two men who stir her
blood.
TANGLED HUNGER (Book two in the Celestial Surrender series)
Tanasha Omeiko is powerless—an unusual and undesirable
state for a Naema whose society deems power essential. She struggles to find
her place, shunned by all but her best friend, Sydney. When that friend
disappears, Tanasha suspects Sydney’s husband is responsible. To prove him
guilty, Tanasha turns to cocky and sexy Vampire PI Duncan O’Clare.
Tanasha isn’t sure what she feels. Lust and distrust make uneasy bedfellows when she and Duncan pose as lovers to spy on Sydney’s husband. Thrown way out of her comfort zone, Tanasha must decide if she wants to make this charade reality, risking her heart on a man so far out of her league he could be in another dimension. But Duncan surprises her at every turn.
Then she discovers not only her heart depends on her link to Duncan, but also the fate of the galaxy.
Talk about trouble.
Sci-fi romance teaser excerpt
A.B. Gayle (ISOLATION) posted a teaser for NATURE, book two in her Saa’ar Chronicles. (For more information about the series, see my interview with A.B. Gayle here.)
Welcome new sci-fi
romance fan!
At Book Lovers, Inc., Stella shares her experience about giving
science fiction romance a try in Romance
and Me: Science Fiction Romance. (Hint: a great cover can do wonders).
Author anniversary
Congratulations to Jessica E. Subject who debuted on July 1, 2011 with her erotic sci-fi romance short, CELESTIAL SEDUCTION (Decadent Publishing)!
The writer’s life
At Alien Romances, Jacqueline Lichtenberg uses examples from
AVATAR and other films to demonstrate that making a story fascinating to
readers depends on beginning
the story at just the right moment.
Mmmm…steamy…
At CONTACT – Infinite Futures, author J.L. Hilton (STELLARNET REBEL) asks “How
do you define steampunk?”
Via SFR Brigade
*Author Jael Wye shared some news about “Liu
Yang, China's
first female astronaut” in Chinese
Women Have All The Fun.
*Party till you drop at the Brigade’s
Amazon Tag Party - 6/28/12.
*Author Clare Dargin talks military romance shop in The
Lords of Space.
And finally, this post appeared back in May but is ever-so-timely: Author Bryan Thomas Schmidt blogged about The Importance of Reaching Beyond Female Stereotypes. Word.
And finally, this post appeared back in May but is ever-so-timely: Author Bryan Thomas Schmidt blogged about The Importance of Reaching Beyond Female Stereotypes. Word.
Now, I turn the mike over to you. Got any science fiction
romance news or links to share?
Joyfully yours,
Heather