THE GALAXY EXPRESS: Interview With S.E. Gilchrist, Author of LEGEND BEYOND THE STARS

As you may have heard, Harlequin Australia launched Escape Publishing, a digital-first imprint. Great news for readers and authors, but I admit to having doubts they’d really publish sci-fi romance despite their submission guidelines listing “science fiction romance” as a category they’d consider.

Well, I was happy to be proven wrong. Author S.E. Gilchrist has two SFRs with Escape and I invited her aboard so we could learn more about her work. Being published is a longtime dream of hers and the bonus for us is that her chosen subgenre is SFR.

LEGEND BEYOND THE STARS was released by Escape in January 2013. I just love those larger-than-life titles! Enjoy the cover and blurb:

Seeking redemption from a mission gone terribly wrong, Captain Alana Knight volunteers to aid a dangerous operation to transport colonists between Earth and alien traders.

But on board the spaceship, she learns of a galactic war raging for power. A power that can be transformed into a terrible weapon.

When the colonists are betrayed and sold, Alana’s mission is re-defined. Nothing will stop her from keeping those in her care safe and finding a passage home. But her new captor is nothing like she expects…

Commander Tarak El Rajan is human, male and equally determined to retain his payload. With his race on the brink of extinction he is under strict orders to transport all females to the planet Isla for research purposes.

In a world of uncertainty, where the wrong decision could mean the death of an entire race, the last thing either of these two soldiers expects or needs is to fall in love.

And now for my interview with S.E. Gilchrist!

The Galaxy Express: What triggered your interest in writing science fiction romance?

S.E. Gilchrist: A childhood spent reading myths and fairy tales from all over the world coupled with my father’s love for Dr Who and Lost in Space. The idea of commanding a space ship flying amid the stars is mind blowing.

TGE: Congratulations on the release of LEGEND BEYOND THE STARS! I gotta ask: is there any chance the title is an homage to Roger Corman’s BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS? I love that film.

SEG: Thanks Heather. No, absolutely no connection whatsoever. I wanted a dramatic title and one I could ease into the title of a series, so Legend Beyond the Stars was born.

TGE: Please tag LEGEND BEYOND THE STARS in seven words.

SEG: Can I cheat please – I have eight here…The wrong decision could mean

a race’s extermination.

TGE: What was the path to publication like for this book?

SEG: This book is my debut single title release, so I guess the road was reasonably long whereby after the first draft I sat on it for over a year before rewriting and submitting. It was January 2009 when I made the commitment to take my writing seriously although I’d been writing on and off for over ten years prior. (Mainly ‘off’ while I dealt with life and raising children)

TGE: What elements can readers expect from your sci-fi romance stories?

SEG: I tend towards military type take-charge heroes who have shunned commitment for various reasons and everyday heroines with issues who are faced with big challenges. My style can be dramatic and I love including action-adventure and dangerous situations in my stories. Legend is light on actual science, more of a ‘romance’ story.

TGE: How would you describe the heat level in LEGEND BEYOND THE STARS?

SEG: On a scale of 1 to 5, I would rate it a 4. It isn’t peppered with a lot of sexual encounters but I haven’t shut the bedroom door either.

TGE: Please tell us about an interesting science/tech article you’ve read.

SEG: Graphene which comes from graphite – I came across this about a month ago and was fascinated. It’s made of pure carbon (actually you can scrape off the lead from a pencil!), is one atom sheet thick (so very very small) and incredibly light. It conducts electricity and is possibly the strongest substance we know. I’m using it with nano technology as bullet and blast protective clothing.

TGE: Please describe your favorite science fiction romances from books, film, and/or television.

SEG: I love sci fi TV series, quite addicted to them and would have to say Firefly is my favourite, only wish they would shoot more! Next would be on equal footing the Stargate series with Battlestar Galactica.

TGE: What can readers look forward to next from you?

SEG: I have a hot short futuristic story out 1^st March, called The Portal and another one coming May 2013, called Awakening the Warriors. I’m also working on the second book following on from Legend Beyond the Stars and the first book in a new futuristic series set on Earth.