From the Bookshelf...Sister Pact

Ali and Ros are sisters who are as close as they are different.  Ali married the first boy she ever loved. Ros tried to remember the name of hers the other day and gave up and had a chocolate bar instead.

Ali thinks everything will work out. Ros thinks everything will get found out. But for all their differences, they are fiercely close and desperately proud of each other.  Nothing feels real until it has been spoken aloud to the other. They both love to talk, laugh and write, preferably over a bottle of bubbly and something coated in chocolate.

Ali also writes for Harlequin Medical and RIVA lines as Amy Andrews.

Ros Baxter has a law degree and a PhD, neither of which taught her anything  about how to parent three small children. She is a senior public servant in Indigenous policy and is currently cooking bub number four (proving book learning don’t buy brains!). 

Title: SISTER PACT
Publisher: Harper Collins Australia.
Release Date: 1st May, 2012.

Heroine bio:
Frances (Frankie) has only ever slept with one man – her lawyer husband.  She’s into pearls and her charity work and has a pathological aversion to profanity.  She’s utterly miserable after discovering her perfect life wasn’t so perfect after all and she has money problems that go way beyond the costs of maintaining her sleek blonde bob.

Joni has green hair, a ferret for a best friend, and thinks monogamy sounds like a particularly nasty STD. She runs an animal shelter that’s almost as down on its luck as she is. And then there’s the record shop she recently inherited. It seemed great, until she discovered it came complete with bad debts to guys with no respect for her knee-caps.

Hero bio: This book is essentially a sister story but with the firm belief that no book is truly good without a little bit of loving there are also two wonderful men.

Nick – a bronzed Australian farmer who’s good with his hands and especially good with his mouth.

Lex – the big-name Shakespearean director who has some demons of his own but finds a kindred spirit in Joni. 

Interesting feature/s of this book: SISTER PACT is a book about sisters written by sisters. It’s a tandem novel, that is the story is told through alternating POV chapters – Joni and Frances. The book is a bit of IN HER SHOES meets DEAD FAMOUS.

It will appeal to all women who love to laugh and cry in the same book, and who realise that only those who know you well can hurt you like you never imagined.  And to everyone who likes a really happy ending.

There’s also a very cute ferret called Des who hitchhikes to Australia inside a bra high on rodent Valium.

SISTER PACT
Two very different sisters. Once inseparable, they have long been estranged after an unimaginable betrayal.
Organised and uptight Frances married the only man she’d ever slept with. But no one told her that seven years later she’d be having sexual fantasies about everyone from the pizza delivery guy to Denis Thatcher.
Scatterbrained animal-lover Joni never knew she was so attached to her kneecaps until she thought she might have to say goodbye to them forever.
After their beloved grandmother – a game-show addict – dies, they discover that they have each been left one million pounds in her will. The kicker is that they can only inherit if they participate in a gruelling reality TV programme, Endurance Island, as a team.
They can survive the jungle. They can survive the humiliating challenges. But can they survive each other?

GUEST BLOGGING: Creating Fantasy Romances

I love paranormal romances - doesn't matter what sub-genre - fantasy romance, urban fantasy, science fiction romance, apocalyptic romance, paranormal romance, steampunk...

I've been invited to visit Mission:Romance to share some of my thoughts about world building and fantasy romances, to help "Focus on All Things Fantastical" (aka promoting all things paranormal!).

Want to know how I go about world-building in fantasy romances? Believe it or not, it's not just about using your imagination! Find out what inspired some of the places in my Light Blade series!

And if you answer the question at the end of the blog you'll go into the draw to win a copy of VENGEANCE BORN.

So, come on over and join me and help celebrate the paranormal genre!

From the Bookshelf...Office Affair

Apart from her family and friends, Jess Dee loves two things: romance and food. Is it any wonder she specializes in dee-liciously sexy romance? Jess loves hearing from readers. You can email her at jess@jessdee.com or find her at www.jessdee.com

Title: OFFICE AFFAIR 
Publisher: Samhain Publishing.
Release Date: 1st May, 2012.

Heroine bio: Melissa Sparks has one goal: Success. Whatever she undertakes, she has to be the best. The humiliation of previous experience has taught her failure is not an option. Nothing interferes with her drive to make partner. Nothing. Except maybe her physical craving to sample work colleague, Ben Cowley.

Hero bio: Since arriving in Sydney, Ben Cowley has  indulged in some pretty debauched behavior. It’s his way of sorting through the pain and heartache of a broken relationship.

Ben works as an investment banker at Preston Elks. He’s motivated, goal oriented and determined. The last thing this lonely business executive expects to find in his office is his too-serious, straight-laced and unexpectedly-sexy coworker stripping naked…for him. 

Interesting feature/s of this book: This book features two damaged characters struggling to find their way back to happiness. Their journey begins in the form of a very hot, very explicit, very unexpected sexual encounter at the office.
But what starts as a simple fling quickly spirals into an emotional story of love, commitment and healing.

OFFICE AFFAIR

All work and no play? Not for this girl. Not anymore.
Melissa Sparks has had enough. Enough of being the high achiever, enough of ignoring her social life in favor of her job and enough of being lonely. Just this once she wants a change. Something different. Something that looks very much like her business associate, Ben Cowley.
Ben Cowley is all alone in the deserted offices of Preston Elks. He’s gorgeous, he’s single and he’s been her secret fantasy for the last two years. It’s a split-second decision, but there’s no going back.
When Ben looks up from his desk, the last thing he expects to see is his too-serious, straight-laced colleague stripping naked. It’s been a year since his last relationship ended, and though he’s still picking up the pieces, Melissa throws his carefully balanced world off its axis. So does her offer: a brief affair, no strings attached.
Right about the time he realizes a simple affair will never be enough, she’s back in professional mode—and clearly as distant as ever. Now it’s up to him to show her that what they have is no fluke…and he’ll do whatever it takes to convince her. Even if it means inviting another man into their bed. 

Warning: This book contains a man haunted by his past decisions, a woman determined to succeed, sex hot enough to steam up every office window on the block, and a voyeur who gets off watching those windows steam up.

From the Bookshelf...Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit

Taken from the bookshelf this week is a Harlequin Mills & Boon contemporary romance from Kelly Hunter.

Australian born KELLY HUNTER writes short contemporary romance for Harlequin Mills &Boon and even shorter contemporary romance for herself.

First published in 2007, Kelly's books have finalled once in the Romance Writers of Australia's RUBY award, six times in the Australian Romance Readers Awards, twice in the Romantic Times Readers Choice Awards and have been nominated three times for a RITA®. Thus inspired, Kelly keeps writing them.

Why short category romance and not a bigger wordcount? Aside from a deep and abiding admiration for the shorter form, Kelly has a three-month book-writing attention span. If she ever learns to write faster or pay attention longer she may write longer books.

Title: TROUBLE IN A PINSTRIPE SUIT (otherwise known as SLEEPING PARTNER).
Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon.
Release Date: March 2012 in North America.
Setting - Penang, Malaysia.
Hero bio - Ethan Hamilton: Dangerously sexy hotelier who doesn't take no for an answer.
Heroine bio - Mia Fletcher - searching for clues about a mother she's never known.

Interesting feature/s of this book: I set this story in Penang - one of my favourite places on the planet - and gave my heroine a dilapidated colonial hotel to restore. I so wanted to be her!

In 2008, TROUBLE IN A PINSTRIPE SUIT was nominated for a Romance Writers of America RITA® for contemporary series romance, but was never released into the North American market. Until now.

TROUBLE IN A PINSTRIPE SUIT (Prologue)
‘Miss Fletcher?’ asked the wizened old doorman, resplendent in a bone coloured tunic and turban.
  Mia nodded and turned to stare up at the dilapidated hotel before her. The majestic marble columns and crumbling portico plasterwork. The magnificent marble entrance stairs, dulled by age and the passing of many feet…
  The tangled mess of overgrown garden…
  ‘Welcome to Penang, Pearl of the Orient,’ he said grandly. ‘And the Cornwallis Hotel, lustrous heart of colonial Georgetown.’
  The hotel was situated in the heart of the island’s colonial district true enough, and had a certain frayed, yesteryear kind of appeal, but lustrous?  Mia slid the doorman a bemused glance.
  ‘I know what you’re thinking,’ he said. ‘That the hotel is old and much in need of repair, but sixty years ago, when I first started working here, it was indeed a glory to behold.’
  ‘I believe you.’
  Rajah, according to his discreetly placed nametag, beamed. ‘It could be so again,’ he said. ‘Love could make it so.’
  Love and vast chunks of money.
  ‘Just as soon as the curse is broken.’
  ‘There’s a curse?’
  ‘But of course. How else would the hotel come to be in such disrepair?’
  ‘Years and years of neglect?’
  ‘That too,’ he said. ‘I’ll inform Mr Ethan of your arrival. He’s been waiting for you. We all have.’ Rajah swept open the door for her.   ‘Miss Fletcher.’
  ‘Mia,’ she said, belatedly wondering how he’d known who she was.
  ‘Miss Mia,’ he said, his old eyes shining. ‘Welcome home.'

You can find out more about Kelly & her books on her website, blog, Goodreads, or follow her on Facebook & Twitter.

People called Kylie write awesome books...

What a cool title for a book review - "People called Kylie write awesome books... or, my review of Vengeance Born by Kylie Griffin."

Have to admit that it made me smile - I mean, how can the reviewer be wrong? (cheeky grin).

This review was written as part of the 2012 Australian Women's Writers Challenge.

Snippet:

Kylie Griffin is a pro at plotting and world-building. She has an unhealthy obsession with LOL Cats but you’ll forgive her that once you’ve read the book. It’s great.

I don't really have an unhealthy obsession with LOL Cats, do I? :-P

Check it out over at Kylie Scott's Love An Apocalypse blog.

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Erica Hayes

Being a published author is an ... involved ... process, and I take my hat off to those who've been in the business more than a few years now.

As a pre-pubbed author I was always curious about what happened once you received THE CALL and stepped into the world of publishing.

What did it involve? How did they handled the day to day pressures? Did they developed routines, set goals etc.? What did they like/dislike about the process?

So I asked my special guests these questions and many of them have offered some intriguing insights into their lives. Maybe they'll even give you a heads up on what to expect if you're thinking of entering the world of "getting published".

Please welcome my next guest... 

ERICA HAYES was a law student, an air force officer, an editorial assistant and a musician, before finally landing her dream job: fantasy and romance writer.

She writes dark paranormal and urban fantasy romance, and her books feature tough, smart heroines and colourful heroes with dark secrets.

She hails from Australia, where she drifts from city to city, leaving a trail of chaos behind her. Currently, she's terrorizing the wilds of Northumberland.

Erica is represented by the Stringer Literary Agency.

Pseudonym or Given Name: Erica Hayes. It’s my real name.

Location: An Aussie in the wilds of Northumberland, United Kingdom. 

Published Genre/s: Urban fantasy/paranormal romance 

Website: http://www.ericahayes.net or http://www.faecbook.com/ericahayes.author 

First published in: 2009.

Number of books published: 4. Number 5 comes out in October.

The Nitty Gritty
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication.

1. My mum and dad, who let me be whatever I wanted to be and never once said anything stupid about ‘real jobs’. Thanks, M&D :)
2. An editor at Samhain Publishing (I won’t dob her in by name!) who rejected an MS of mine years ago. Her feedback took me to the next level.
3. NaNoWriMo 2007, wherein I finished my second ever MS. The first was a random mess that somehow turned out sort-of-okay (see point 2 above). The second was the one where I went, ‘hey, maybe this isn’t so hard...!’
4. The folks from Canberra RWA. I turned up to my first meeting knowing less than nothing. They not only showed me how much I didn’t know, but made me realise that no, my stuff wasn’t total crap, and yes, I could succeed one day.
5. My agent, Marlene Stringer. She thought my stuff was cool. She still thinks it’s cool. I call that awesome. 

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL/THE EMAIL?
I was at home alone, and I woke up to 2 emails from my agent in the US. In Australia, by the time we get up, their business day is over. So the first email was about the offer. The second said ‘WAKE UP, ALREADY!!’ 

Looking back over your writing career, how have you grown as an author?
I write better now :) but that’s just practice. I think the area where I’ve learned most is about how to write for the market. Not to the market, necessarily, but for the market — how to select ideas that are going to be marketable. 

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
Apart from making the NYT in five years? (Thanks to Bob Mayer for that one...) I want to write one more books per year than I’m currently doing.

For me this involves overcoming certain mental blocks that prevent me from making best use of time. For instance, I find it really difficult to rescue a day that starts badly. 

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
Well... I do lots of outlining. That can take up to a month, depending on how complicated the story is, whether it’s a new series (in which case I have to do a lot of series planning and world-building stuff) and how much of a bitch it’s being.

Then I usually write a synopsis and a pitch. Then I start the MS, and write until it’s finished. My record for this entire process is about 10 weeks. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 months. Then, I’ll do some revisions--but it’s not usually much—before I hand in. 

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the proposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
I like writing the actual MS. I like outlining, too. And writing synopses, funnily enough. Editing is grand, also, because you’ve got a finished MS at your disposal. And writing pitch paragraphs is big fun.

The part I don’t enjoy is promo. Writing guest blog posts is hell. Thinking of interesting stuff to say on my blog or FB sucks away hours of my life. I’m just not a natural at it. But it’s gotta be done. Twitter, I do like. Random thoughts as they occur to me are more my style than structured posts. 

What do you least in the publishing process?
Oh, I think I’ve just answered that one :) 

What's the most memorable fan-mail you've received?
I like any mail where readers enjoyed the books. Honestly? I’m writing paranormal romance. I’m not curing cancer or saving the world here. If a reader loved the story, that’s memorable enough for me. 

Is there anything you think pre-publishers writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
Oh, jeez. Pull up a chair :)

Seriously, there are dozens of things. But if I could make pre-published writers assimilate Borg-style just one thing? It’d be how to tell the difference between *writing* your book and *selling* your book. They are 2 different skill sets, and you need BOTH.

You can hone your craft, take writing workshops, win contests and do whatever else you want. But until you get a clue about pitching and markets and tailoring your product to suit, you’re likely just swimming in the slush pile with everyone else.

Oh, and Amazon is not your friend. Just saying. Don’t complain you weren’t warned.

A Bit of Fun
Favorite color: uh. Talk about the hard questions. Green, I guess. No, purple...
Hunkiest hero ever: oh, there are so many. At the moment I’m hooked on Spartacus: Vengeance -- how many hot hunks can you fit in one show?
Most daring thing you've done in your life: uh... I’m just not that daring. *Stupid* things, I’ve done plenty of. Not the same thing.
Greatest love: chocolate. Yeah.
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: tv, x-box, walking. Or just working on something different :)
Special quote/saying you like: “I laugh at danger and drop ice cubes down the vest of fear.”

Romantic Times Awards!

As a proud DownUnder author, I'm going to be completely biased here and give a huge shout out to the Aussie & Kiwi authors who won RT Awards yesterday.

Nalini Singh - Career Achievement Award (paranormal romance)

Annie West - PROTECTING THE PRINCE (Harlequin Presents Extra)

Nalini Singh - KISS OF SNOW (paranormal romance)

Tessa Radley - RECLAIMING HIS PREGNANT WIDOW (Harlequin Desire)

Soraya Lane - SOLDIER ON HER DOORSTEP (Harlequin Romance)

Alison Roberts - THE HONORABLE MAVERICK (Harlequin Medical Romance)

For the list of Career Achievement Awards.
For the list of Book Reviewer Awards.

Mission Romance - Fantasy Month

Juanita Kees is doing her bit to promote fantasy romance with a month worth of posts (she's a woman after my own heart!). :-)

From http://fantasyartdesign.com

Today over at her blog, Mission Romance, guest author Charlene A.Wilson is sharing her thoughts on "Creating Parallel Worlds".

Come delve into the mind of an author and find out how Charlene creates her worlds!

From the Bookshelf...38 CALIBER COVER-UP

Taken from the bookshelf this week ... .38CALIBER COVER-UP.

Author bio: An 11th generation Texan, ANGI MORGAN utilizes her strong heritage to create passionate characters willing to risk everything. She writes Intrigues where danger and honor collide with love.
When the house is quiet, she plots ways to engage her readers with complex story lines, throwing her characters into situations they’ll never overcome...until they find their one and only.

Title: .38CALIBER COVER-UP
Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue
Release Date: currently available (Feb ’11) 

Hero bio: Undercover DEA Agent Erren Rhodes--He’s been undercover for six years and he’s ready to get out before he makes a mistake and “gets dead.” When his mentor is murdered, all he wants is revenge. 

Heroine bio: Dallas Police Officer Darby O’Malley--Until recently, her only desire had been to work undercover. Now, it’s to clear her younger brother of murder charges. She’s on the edge of losing her job and her brother just may be guilty. 

Interesting feature/s of this book:

• The book’s been described to me as a “fast read.”
• Definition from my 21-year old daughter? The dialogue sounds real and the characters are never sitting for long.
• There are some memories from my childhood in the Dallas area sprinkled throughout.

.38CALIBER COVER-UP

AN UNDERCOVER AGENT, A BEAUTIFUL COP...

AND THE BULLET THAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER

Undercover DEA agent Erren Rhodes was used to working alone. So the very idea of teaming up with Officer Darby O’Malley to ferret out a killer wasn’t exactly how he thought this critical mission would go. But thanks to information only the beautiful cop possessed, finding whoever was responsible for shooting Erren’s friend made Darby a valuable—and irresistible—partner. Digging into the case, though, revealed a far-reaching conspiracy…and angered all the wrong people.
Now, trying to bring a killer to justice while keeping Darby safe was making Erren remember why he was better off on his own. Especially when Darby made him long to hole up together in the safe house and never let her out of his sight.

Website link/s: http://angimorgan.com/ or Amazon or Harlequin

TOPIC: In a galaxy far, far away...with Sara Creasy

Some of the most wonderful moments of my childhood included reenacting or creating my own scenes of such science fiction classics as George Lucas' Star Wars, Glen A.Larson's Battlestar Galactica (the original version) and Gene Rodenbury's Star Trek.

Most days my friends went along with my desire to turn the Jacaranda tree in my front yard into an Viper or X-wing fighter.

We fought over whether we were going to be Jedi's or belong to the Dark Side of the Force. And how we so wished transporters or the TARDIS were actually real!

In many ways I never lost that obsessions with all things sci-fi. I still love watching SF TV shows and movies - old and new - V the TV series, Dr.Who, Lost in Space, Farscape, Firefly, Stargate, ET, Tron, Dune, Planet of the Apes, Alien, The Terminator, Mad Max, Fortress, Waterworld, Pitch Black, Independence Day, The Matrix, Armageddon, I,Robot, I am Legend, Avatar, District 9, Cowboys & Aliens...the list is endless.

My love for sci-fi didn't stop at TV shows or movies. I loved reading the genre as well.

I became a huge fan of authors like Anne McCaffrey, Andre Norton, Patrick Tilley, David Brin and Sharon Green.

And then I discovered science fiction romance - the best of all worlds!

So, for those of you who don't know what it is, or for those who love it as much as I do, this is a blog series devoted entirely to science fiction romance and the authors who write it for our enjoyment.

Strap yourselves in, prepare to jump to Warp 9 and you never know...you might find yourselves in a galaxy far, far away...addicted to a new genre...and a new author... 

In a galaxy far, far away...with Sara Creasy

SARA CREASY grew up in the UK, moved to Melbourne as a teenager, and spent five years in Arizona, USA.

In 2010 her debut novel SONG OF SCARABAEUS was published by HarperVoyager, the same year she moved back to Melbourne with her husband and baby daughter.

CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS came out in 2011.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON SFR: 
Has the SF genre always fascinated you?

Dr.Who

Absolutely! Growing up in the 70s, I watched everything from Doctor Who and Blake’s 7 to reruns of Star Trek and the Time Tunnel. I loved the idea of travelling to other planets and meeting aliens.

In grade 6 I wrote a story about going on a family vacation to the moon and collecting moon rocks. I also loved fantasy stories like the Narnia books, or anything with magic.


What SF/R addictions can you lay claim to?
I guess I used to be a closet Trekkie, especially Next Generation in the 90s, but I think I’m a bit too critical of that series to be called a fan. I do love science fiction art – spaceships, cityscapes, aliens and alien landscapes.

Is there any one author, TV show, movie, producer, actor, other influence that inspires you?
There are so many. I get inspired by images more than anything, like the retro rust-bucket spaceship in Firefly or the urban landscape in Blade Runner. 

What sucked you in to writing science fiction - as opposed to being just a fan or reader of SF and whether it's straight SF, space opera, SFR or any other combination?
I have always loved writing stories, so it was natural to combine that with my love of speculative worlds. I also love a good romance, and probably anything I write will always have that aspect to it.

As an author published in SFR, have you seen or do you see the genre gaining popularity in the marketplace?
Paranormal romance has obviously taken off in a big way. I’m not so sure about space adventure that combines romance.

There have been a few new names coming up in the genre in the past decade, like Linnea Sinclair and Ann Aguirre, but it’s nothing like the explosion of paranormal romance and urban fantasy – these subgenres have acquired heaps of new readers.

I think the SF tag scares people off. To many people, science fiction means nothing more than dorky Trekkies, UFO nuts, or incomprehensible physics. That’s a shame because so much SF is very accessible and fun and rewarding.

YOUR WORK:
Published work in the SF/R genre: SONG OF SCARABAEUS (Amazon, Booktopia), CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS (Amazon, Booktopia)
Publisher/s: HarperVoyager (US)
Your website: www.saracreasy.com

What unique slant have you given SF in your books?
I hope I’ve written a couple of fun stories that you don’t have to think too hard about if you don’t want to, but if you want to look deeper there are some important themes there, as well as what I hope is a plausible science basis.

The Scarabaeus books are primarily adventure stories, but I also used my biology background to invent a new genetic engineering technology that transforms entire alien ecosystems at the DNA level. I don’t know if that will ever be possible, but I tried to make it plausible – which I think is the essence of good science fiction. 

Have you received feedback from readers about your work and what did they like about it?
I’ve found that readers who generally read romance-heavy books appreciated the slow build-up of romance in the Scarabaeus books. As I said, it’s primarily adventure SF, so I didn’t write it as a romance book. This isn’t “insta-lust” and the romance is secondary to the main plot. Straight SF readers didn’t seem to mind the romance angle and appreciated the worldbuilding. 

Can you share a little about your latest release (or a series or a novel from your backlist)?
CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS is the second in the series, and continues the story of Edie and Finn, who are on the run from the Crib (the galactic government) after discovering a powerful secret on the planet Scarabaeus.

They are recaptured and Edie is forced to work for the Crib in their bid for galactic dominance. The Crib’s methods include oppressing and enslaving people, and wreaking havoc on the ecology of entire planets.

Edie desperately wants to escape, but even more than that, she wants freedom for Finn. The story deepens their relationship and tests it to the limit. It also ties up some loose ends from the first book.

FAVOURITE PICKS
Think back to all the TV shows/cartoons, movies and books you've read in the SF/R genre and answer the following...
SF/R hero: Mal Reynolds (so unlike any hero I’d ever write, but he’s a blast to watch). 
SF/R heroine: Ellen Ripley from the Alien series. 
SF/R villain: The Silence from Doctor Who – these creatures look like that freaky painting The Scream. You forget their existence as soon as you look away, but retain suggestions they make – in this way they’ve been influencing human history. What spooks me is that they’re apparently responsible for the night terrors of toddlers. That’s just mean! 
SF/R alien race: Vulcans (they go overboard on the no-emotions thing, but I can’t fault their love of logic).

SF/R technology: Faster-than-light travel. 
SF/R space craft: Serenity from Firefly. 
SF/R TV show or movie: Aliens (an old favourite, but it hasn’t dated). 
SF/R quote made by a character/actor/person: “I aim to misbehave.” – Captain Mal, Serenity. Oh yeah!

If you'd like to know more about Sara, check out her website or blog.

REVIEW over at Riverina Romantics

Riverina Romantics has posted a lovely review of VENGEANCE BORN over on their blog this week.

Had to smile at the opening...

I don’t know how many Cover God’s Kylie Griffin went down on but she must have done a damn fine job because this is one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen.

Not only was I drawn to this book on first glance but it is one of the most ‘true to story’ covers I have seen in a damn long time. After reading Vengeance Born I took another good look at the cover and loved how so much effort was put into the tiny little details.

Nice way to end the week, don't you think?

ROFL: The Bark Side!

If you're a Star Wars fan then you'll recognise the tune and this will make sense.

The more I watched it, the more I couldn't stop laughing...so clever!

Month of HOT Heroes (Champion)

You voted for him - here's your HOT Heroes Champion!

And as a special thank you to everyone who participated in this poll, I have a special PRIZE PACK - I placed everyone's names into a hat and drew one out.

The winner of the PRIZE PACK is:

Kristy Taylor

Congratulations!!! If you can contact me - kyliegriffin71 (at) optusnet (dot) com (dot) au - I can arrange to send it out to you.

Review from Paranormal Romance Reviews

A ripper of a review for VENGEANCE BORN over at Paranormal Romance Reviews.

Here's a snippet.

I was very pleasantly surprised with Vengeance Born. Not only did the author transport me to a whole new world she also incorporated the love and passion between Annika and Kalan with such a masterful stroke of the pen that it kept me glued to the edge of my seat till the very end.

I'm smiling! :-D

TOPIC: In a galaxy far, far away...with Linnea Sinclair

Some of the most wonderful moments of my childhood included reenacting or creating my own scenes of such science fiction classics as George Lucas' Star Wars, Glen A.Larson's Battlestar Galactica (the original version) and Gene Rodenbury's Star Trek.

Most days my friends went along with my desire to turn the Jacaranda tree in my front yard into an Viper or X-wing fighter.

We fought over whether we were going to be Jedi's or belong to the Dark Side of the Force. And how we so wished transporters or the TARDIS were actually real!

In many ways I never lost that obsessions with all things sci-fi. I still love watching SF TV shows and movies - old and new - V the TV series, Dr.Who, Lost in Space, Farscape, Firefly, Stargate, ET, Tron, Dune, Planet of the Apes, Alien, The Terminator, Mad Max, Fortress, Waterworld, Pitch Black, Independence Day, The Matrix, Armageddon, I,Robot, I am Legend, Avatar, District 9, Cowboys & Aliens...the list is endless.

My love for sci-fi didn't stop at TV shows or movies. I loved reading the genre as well.

I became a huge fan of authors like Anne McCaffrey, Andre Norton, Patrick Tilley, David Brin and Sharon Green.

And then I discovered science fiction romance - the best of all worlds!

So, for those of you who don't know what it is, or for those who love it as much as I do, this is a blog series devoted entirely to science fiction romance and the authors who write it for our enjoyment.

Strap yourselves in, prepare to jump to Warp 9 and you never know...you might find yourselves in a galaxy far, far away...addicted to a new genre...and a new author...

 In a galaxy far, far away...with Linnea Sinclair
Winner of the prestigious national book award, the RITA®, and published by both the Dell and Spectra imprints of Bantam Random House as well as the Gallery imprint of Simon & Schuster, science fiction romance author Linnea Sinclair has become a name synonymous for high-action, emotionally intense, character-driven novels.

Reviewers note that Sinclair’s novels “have the wow-factor in spades,” earning her accolades from both the science fiction and romance communities. Her books have claimed spots in the Locus Top Ten and received starred reviews in Publisher’s Weekly.  Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine consistently gives Sinclair’s books 4-1/2 stars (their highest rating). Starlog magazine calls Sinclair “one of the reigning queens of science fiction romance.”

The Down Home Zombie Blues, her 2007 release, was optioned for movie production in 2010 and began principle photography as The Down Home Alien Blues in February 2011. Release date TBA.

Sinclair, a former news reporter and retired private detective,  resides in Naples, Florida (winters) and Columbus, Ohio (summers) with her husband, Robert Bernadino, and their thoroughly spoiled cats. Readers can find her perched on the third barstool from the left in her Intergalactic Bar and Grille at www.linneasinclair.com.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON SFR:
Has the SF genre always fascinated you?
If you consider Mighty Mouse and Astro-Boy...yes. Always. Non-humans, non-human abilities and/or high-tech (or what passed for high-tech in the 1960s), the "other," the "not here...." All those things pulled at me strongly ever since I can remember.

What SF/R addictions can you lay claim to?
I have a Star Trek Barbie & Ken (in original box, never opened). Star Wars coffee mugs, NASA coffee mugs and socks, Star Trek coffee mugs including an NCC 1701 A Enterprise one from the set, given to me by Duke Marsh, the director of THE DOWN HOME ALIEN BLUES... pretty much if it has stars or an outer-space them and I can afford it, I have it.

Is there any one author, TV show, movie, producer, actor, other influence that inspires you?
Author would definitely be CJ Cherryh. I adore her FOREIGNER series. She's an auto-buy for me.

I also love Jack Campbell's LOST FLEET books (another auto-buy), and books by RM Meluch, Ian Douglas, Julie Czerneda, Lisa Shearin, Karen Miller/KE Mills, and Laurie R King (yeppers, some non SF/SFR in there).

Certainly Lucas and his Star Wars projects are a huge influence on me, but I find I'm more moved by the printed word than visual recreations. I guess I just like the movies in my own head better.

What sucked you in to writing science fiction - as opposed to being just a fan or reader of SF and whether it's straight SF, space opera, SFR or any other combination?
Oh, I'm still a reader and long-time fan. What started me writing my own stories was to put a romantic spin (and an HEA) to the stories I already enjoyed.

To a great extent, I pre-date SFR. There was SF when I was growing up and there was romance, and never the two did meet. I did find some SF stories that hinted at some kind of romantic relationship between the main characters but more often than not it didn't end in an HEA. Or I found romance novels purportedly set in an SF setting but they never read like real SF to me. So I had to create my own.

As an author published in SFR, have you seen or do you see the genre gaining popularity in the marketplace?
I think it waxes and wanes, and is somewhat driven by whatever new movie, TV show, or video game is in vogue. Then there's the issue that many publishers--moreso in NY--don't know how to market it. We're the proverbial square peg or perhaps the heart-shaped peg in a star-shaped board.

I would like to think, as technology becomes more and more inseparable in our daily lives, that some of the 'fear,' the 'ick' factor for SF decreases. And perhaps more readers--who already enjoy action-adventure and romance--will give us a try.

If you consider many of the more recent James Bond films, much of what's there borders on SF-type tech. I think the most natural growth for the SFR market would be to seduce the James Bond/super spy type fans.

YOUR WORK:
Published work in the SF/R genre: 9

• FINDERS KEEPERS
• GABRIEL’S GHOST*  (Dock Five Universe)
• AN ACCIDENTAL GODDESS
• GAMES OF COMMAND
• THE DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES
• SHADES OF DARK* (Dock Five Universe)
  HOPE’S FOLLY* (Dock Five Universe)
• REBELS AND LOVERS* (Dock Five Universe)
• Anthology: SONGS OF LOVE & DEATH: Tales of Star-Crossed Love, “Courting Trouble” by Linnea Sinclair; George R R Martin and Gardner Dozois, Eds.

Finding Linnea:     website     Facebook

What unique slant have you given SF in your books?
I don't know if it qualifies as a unique slant per se, but my books are very much distinguishable by my writing voice: lots of snark, lots of fast-paced action, lots of cliff-hanging. But I'm also a poet at heart.

I have a collection of, oh, twenty or more poems that form an SFR ballad--an entire novel in poetry form--that I wrote over thirty years ago. Poetic word choice, pacing, and cadence play large parts in what I write.

Are there other SFR novels like mine? I can think of several, from Susan Grant's books to Catherine Asaro's to Ann Aguirre's to Julie Czerneda's to Sara Creasy's, Jess Granger's, Marcella Burnard's and others. But each of us have our own unique take and unique slice of the SF/SFR/RSF pie. But my voice is mine, just as Julie's is hers and Jess's is hers.

I think an author's voice--his word choice, pacing, stylistic preferences, and more--are a very important part of whether a reader is willing to go along for the ride the author creates. It works toward the required suspension of disbelief, and works heavily toward the required emotional attachment the reader must make with the lead characters. The author's voice can make the unreal become real.

I try to make my author-voice, my writing style, such that the reader gets sucked in to the characters and worlds quickly. I recognize that I'm writing far out of most readers' everyday experiences, so I aim for intimacy; I am for details. I aim for my own peculiar take on life, which all my characters embody to one extent or another. Sometimes I do it better than other times but at all times I'm very aware that I need to make the unbelievable, believable.

Have you received feedback from readers about your work and what did they like about it?
I've received tons of feedback, yes. I get emails from readers. I have a Yahoo fan group with over 700 readers on it, and over 900 on my Facebook fan page. Pitiful amounts compared to JK Rowling or Nora Roberts, I'm sure, but larger than I expected given the quirkiness of SFR and the fact that I really don't go trolling for fans.

Those who like my books do so for the reasons I've stated: snark and action. Those that don't tend to fall into one of two categories: "Great SF action--ditch the romance!" or "Great romance--ditch the tech and space stuff!"

Can you share a little about your latest release (or a series or a novel from your backlist)?

I was thrilled to contribute a novella to an anthology edited by George R R Martin and Gardner Dozois. I'm a big fan of both gentleman; I've read Dozois "Best of SF..." anthologies for years, and never dreamed I'd actually be in one.

"Courting Trouble" is in SONGS OF LOVE & DEATH (Simon & Schuster) and the anthology now out in paperback (much more affordable). It received great reviews from both the SF and romance community, and a nice nod from Library Review (very important with anthologies).

Along with my story, there are stories from Diana Gabaldon, Jim Butcher, Neil Gaiman, Robin Hobb, Mary Jo Putney, Peter S Beagle... well, you can see it's quite a mix.

The full author parade is on my site.

It's out in hardcover, audio, and paperback.  My novella is a "new" world and characters. I'd considered doing a spin-off story from one of my other books, but I didn't feel I could count on the entire SF community being familiar with my worlds and characters. Yet I still wanted what I wrote to carry my brand. So "Courting Trouble" is fast-paced and fun space opera with a romance subplot.

LOCUS--one of the premier SF magazines, noted:

"A cross-genre project collecting love stories in settings from science fiction, fantasy and, inevitably, romance. Most of the authors are Big Names, and some, but not all of their stories are set in established series...[Courting Trouble]: A lot of action and adventure going on amidst layers of conspiracies... Adventures ensue, ending, of course, in romance."
—Lois Tilton, Locus Online Reviews

And from the romance corner, there's the well-respected Kathy's Review Corner:

“With Courting Trouble, Linnea Sinclair has once again delivered an intense, action filled story with complex world building and a heart-tugging romance... A science fiction "best friends" romance with a hero oh-so-in love with his heroine written by a superb storyteller...how could I not love this story?"
—Kathy’s Review Corner

The other big news I have is that my THE DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES is now in movie production. Fans can follow the progress on a blog created by one of the actors.

It's the most amazing thing watching your words, your characters, come alive on screen.

FAVOURITE PICKS
Think back to all the TV shows/cartoons, movies and books you've read in the SF/R genre and answer the following... 
SF/R hero: Bren Cameron 
SF/R heroine: Aeryn Sun 
SF/R villain: Regarth Serian Cordell Delkavra, or "Del" 
SF/R alien race: the atevi 
SF/R technology: matter transporter (beam me up!) 
SF/R space craft: Millenium Falcon 
SF/R TV show or movie: Farscape
SF/R quote made by a character/actor/person: It's a toss up between the dialogue on FARSCAPE and on FIRFELY/SERENITY, though for me FARSCAPE wins, but only slightly.

Celebrate Fantasy Romance!

It's Fantasy Romance Month over at The Book Pushers!

Over the next few weeks they're featuring fantasy romance authors, posting reviews, giveaways, author interviews and guest posts from authors and bloggers.

So if you love Fantasy, or you haven't yet dipped your toes into the genre, today I'm their guest and I'm being grilled about my debut fantasy romance Light Blades series.

I'd love it if you could come over and help us celebrate the wonderful genre of fantasy romance!

Sunday Smooch @ the LoveCats DownUnder

There's a Sunday Smooch going on between Annika & Kalan over at the LoveCats blog.

Would love it if you could join me over there to read a little more of VENGEANCE BORN...and as a bonus, there's a giveaway!

No April Fool's joke, I swear!