Hot Off The Press: Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly #2 (Steampunk Romance Issue)

Download your free copy of the latest Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly! The theme of this issue is steampunk romance. It's also chock full of reviews, topical columns, and an original steampunk romance short story by author Danielle Davis! (Full disclosure: I'm part of the team behind the 'zine).

In other steampunk romance news, author Langley Hyde has a forthcoming m/m steampunk romance called HIGHFELL GRIMOIRES (Blind Eye Books). It will release in May 2014. In the meantime, enjoy the cover and blurb:

Spotlights On Two Forthcoming Edge Publishing Titles

Here's news of two forthcoming March releases from Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing that might interest you.

The first is CLOCKWORK LIES: IRON WIND by Dru Pagliassotti. It's book #2 in the Clockwork Heart Trilogy (you may recall that CLOCKWORK HEART is one of the first published steampunk romances!).

It's Tentacle Romance Tag Time With Shona Husk's LUNAR REUNION

I have a fair number of interesting looking ebooks in my to-be-read pile, but when an author dangles a science fiction romance with tentacle action in front of my face, I can't help myself—the book's going straight to the top of the pile.

That's what happened with Shona Husk's LUNAR REUNION (Ellora's Cave).

I mean, why fight the inevitable?! :) 

I'd blogged about tentacle romance at Heroes and Heartbreakers last year, so my radar's been on high alert for such stories ever since. When Shona Husk contacted me about her latest release, at first I thought it was SFR blog business as usual. Then I read the last line of the blurb:

Six years ago Filid made the mistake of falling for another officer in the Allied Planetary Military. He walked away before they both did something they’d regret. Yet he can’t get her out of his mind, even now.

Silva has never forgotten Filid, but he is the last person she expects to see on the pleasure resort of Decadent Moon. This time she won’t let him walk away without exploring the fantasies she had about being with him.

Filid wants more than one night. This time he is determined to hold onto her no matter the cost.

Inside Scoop: Filid comes equipped with sexy tentacles that cannot be missed!

Following so closely on the heels of my H&H post, this news was pretty cool to me. I read inhaled the book, eager to discover how the author would integrate tentacles into the story. Here are a few non-spoiler tags so you can decide if you'd like to take the same plunge:

A Galaxy Express Lesbian Sci-Fi Romance Link Roundup

In response to an insightful post by author E.E. Ottoman--Why Is Lesbian Romance So Unpopular When Compared To Gay Or Straight Romance?--author Emily L. Byrne put out a call for guest posts about lesbian erotica & erotic romance:

Interview With G.B. Hajim, Director of STRANGE FRAME

Director G.B. Hajim's STRANGE FRAME (2012) has all the ingredients of an instant science fiction cult classic if you ask me. I was excited to learn about this film and even more excited after I saw it. (Click here to read my post on five reasons you should watch it, too.)

My thirst to learn more about the person (and his team) behind this unique project was great, so when G.B. Hajim indicated he was available for an interview, I jumped at the chance.

As you'll discover, STRANGE FRAME is a true labor of love and a film many years in the making. Many movies have an interesting production history, but few fascinate me as much as the one behind STRANGE FRAME.

Please join me in welcoming director G.B. Hajim aboard The Galaxy Express!

The Galaxy Express: Mr. Hajim, please tell us about yourself! How did you get started in filmmaking?

G.B. Hajim: I went to university to study Astrophysics, but got seduced into the arts. I began in painting, but my early pieces were bought and either put in private homes or even shelved in corporate archives. It was weird to finish a work and poof it vanished from not only my life, but all my friends' who were the actual inspiration of the work.

5 Reasons To Watch G.B. Hajim's STRANGE FRAME

G.B. Hajim's STRANGE FRAME: LOVE & SAX (2012) is many things: a science fiction film; a fantastical space rock opera; a lesbian sci-fi romance; an edgy cyberpunk tale with weighty themes and geared strictly for adults; and a dystopian fairy tale.

If you're new to the world of STRANGE FRAME, here's the summary and trailer:

Set at the end of the 28th century, the human race has long since abandoned a desolate earth. In order to survive, humanity has been using genetic engineering to adapt to otherworld environments, to the point where changing one’s skin color or gender has become commonplace. On the moon Ganymede, saxophonist Parker (Claudia Black) and guitarist Naia (Tara Strong) develop a close relationship. The two embark on their new relationship and form a new band — but they also must fight for their freedom from the evil Mig (Tim Curry).

After seeing the film, I came to the conclusion that STRANGE FRAME would appeal to many SF/F and romance fans. Here are my top five reasons why:

1 - Diversity, diversity, diversity

Blogging About Steampunk Romance At Coffee Time Romance

I'm at the Coffee Time Romance Steampunk page blogging about some of the challenges facing steampunk romance: Steampunk Romance, Where Are You?

Cindy Spencer Pape, author of the Gaslight Chronicles (Carina Press), blogged at Steamed! in late 2013 about the possibility of her series coming to an end:

“One of my first projects for 2014 is to finish and turn in Ether & Elephants (working title), the last book so far contracted in the Gaslight Chronicles. While I won’t swear that this is the end, the cold, hard fact is that steampunk isn’t selling anywhere near as well as publishers originally expected. Fewer and fewer publishers are contracting the genre at all, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that steampunk is far more lifestyle than literary.”

In related news, Zoe Archer and Nico Rosso’s Ether Chronicles has ended with book five, Skies of Gold. This occurred despite potential for more stories in their shared world, so Ms. Pape might not be the only author re-evaluating the steampunk romance path.

Oh dear! Is the future of this genre in dire straits? I invite you to head on over and suggest ideas for keeping steampunk romance stories in the hands of readers.

Joyfully yours,

Heather

Is Spike Jonze's HER A Game-Changing SFR Film Or A Mainstream Fluke?

Via SF Signal, I discovered a Variety article about Spike Jonze's HER. The title is Why 'Her' Could Re-shape Sci-Fi Romances.

Note: I haven't seen HER yet, but the article didn't strike me as having spoilers. In fact, my post is more about the article title itself as well as the potential impact of any mainstream film that mixes romance and science fiction.

I'm trying to wrap my head around the article's main gist because frankly, I'm not sure it's entirely clear. I had a number of reactions as I read it. I'm going to toss out some thoughts and I'd like your take on it as well.

First was the idea that HER could re-shape science fiction romance. What exactly does Mr. Cohen mean by that? Is he possibly conflating marketing labels? The reason I ask is that in my reading and research experience, SFR already has expanded (and re-shaped, in part) science fiction by focusing on the intersection of love and technology. Romantic SF has existed for decades, and SFR from romance publishers has existed since the 1980s. Currently, readers can access a large number of digital-first titles.

SFR News & Links For February 2014

SFR News & Links For February 2014

Since The Galaxy Express is on partial hiatus, this month's roundup will focus strictly on new science fiction romance releases. For other sci-fi romance coverage, visit Spacefreighters Lounge, Alien Romances, Backward Momentum, and Smart Girls Love SciFi & Paranormal Romances.

Look for issue 2 of the Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly on February 28, 2014!

New releases 

HAUNTING BLACKIE (Cyborg Seduction #8) - Laurann Dohner

Eve’s mission is to rescue cyborgs from termination centers on Earth. She is blindsided by the overwhelming attraction that draws her to one of them. He’s handsome, sexy, and she wants him, craves his touch as she has no other. She must send him to freedom but she makes him promise to wait for her.

Blackie cannot forget the courageous woman who saved him. He never learned whether she died during the rebellion or just changed her mind about leaving with him but he holds her within his lonely heart. He exists to serve the Cyborg Council and protect the new world cyborgs have created. This changes when he discovers the woman who haunts his dreams is alive and the cyborg leaders left her behind to die. He’ll never lose her again and he’ll fight his own kind to avenge and keep her.