TOPIC: In a galaxy far, far away...with Jodi Redford

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 Jodi Redford
At the ripe age of seven, Jodi Redford penned her first epic, complete with stick figure illustrations. Sadly, her drawing skills haven’t improved much, but her love of fantasy worlds never went away. These days she writes about fairies, ghosts, and other supernatural creatures, only with considerably more heat.

She has won numerous contests, including The Golden Pen and Launching a Star. When not writing or working the day job, she enjoys gardening and way too many reality television shows.

Currently residing in Michigan with her husband and overgrown lapdog, she is a member of RWA® national and Greater Detroit Romance Writers of America®.

She loves to hear from readers. You can email her at jodiredford (at) jodiredford (dot) com and visit her online and her blog, The Fairy Files. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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

Absolutely. I remember going to see Star Wars when I was a kid and deciding right then and there that I wanted to grow up and be Princess Leia. I also wanted to have my own Wookie. Okay, I still want my own Wookie. ;) 

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 love the world building involved with writing SFR, so I think that’s what really inspired me to try my hand at writing it. I love the challenge of creating a fictional future world where aliens and spaceships are the norm, and finding a way to make that come to life for the reader.

As an author published in SFR, have you seen or do you see the genre gaining popularity in the marketplace? SFR is definitely gaining a bigger audience than ever before. I think as more readers discover the vast array of fantastic books available out there, the fan base will continue to expand, which in turn will probably lead to more authors crossing over into the SFR genre. It’ll be a win win for all of us. Readers and authors.

YOUR WORK:
Published work in the SF/R genre: TAKING LIBERTY and BREAKING BAD 
Publisher: Samhain
Your website: http://www.jodiredford.com 

What unique slant have you given SF in your books?
Hmm, do squids in space count as unique? ;) There’s a running joke amongst people who know me and my books that I have a wee bit of an obsession with sea creatures. Even a barren alien planet wasn’t safe from me. The fun part was figuring out how to make them adapt and survive in a desert environment.

Have you received feedback from readers about your work and what did they like about it?
The one constant I always get with my SFRs is how much readers enjoy the humor. I use humor in all of my books, but I think the advantage of having it in the SFRs is it makes those books approachable to readers who might otherwise not try them out because they think science fiction isn’t for them.

Can you share a little about your latest release?
BREAKING BAD is my latest release. It’s a part of Samhain’s Midnight Justice superhero anthology.

No super deed goes unpunished…



It’s been twenty-five years since the last Light Guardian was wiped out. Or so it’s believed. Ruby Winston is about to blow the lid off that theory, even though it’ll bring every Shadow Czar minion down on her ass.


She’s always known she was different from the rest of the evil-dictators-in-training Winstons. Uncovering the secret half of her gene pool proves it. Now she’s out to bring down her late father’s mind-control soda empire—and break the Shadow Czars’ hold on Earth.
Problem is, becoming a superhero overnight isn’t as easy as it looks.


Teague Younger has his own secrets to keep: his heritage, and his fierce determination to exact revenge on his friend and mentor’s murderer. So far he’s kept his cover—until he’s forced to use his Light Guardian powers to save Ruby from a sticky situation.
Thrust together and on the run, Teague and Ruby form a wary alliance as they desperately fight their circuit-blowing attraction. With an army of Shadow Queen minions hot on their tails, they might have a hard time surviving the night, much less ignoring their hearts.

Warning: This book contains mind-controlling beverages, evil dictators and minions, excessive use of spandex, and enough electrifying sex to melt an ice train.

You can find out more information and read an excerpt here. 

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: Han Solo (or Chewbacca. Did I mention I want a wookie?)
SF/R heroine: Princess Leia
SF/R villain: Darth Vader
SF/R alien race: Klingon
SF/R technology: warp speed
SF/R space craft: the Millennium Falcon
SF/R TV show or movie: Star Wars
SF/R quote made by a character/actor/person: "I’d rather kiss a wookie." (Princess Leia to Han Solo)