WRITING: A New Beginning (Part 3)

This is Part 3 of a science fiction romance short story I wrote for the RWAustralia© Little Gems competition several years ago.

If you missed the previous installments, you can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

A NEW BEGINNING

© Kylie Griffin 2013

“No.” I stopped in the row next to him and stared around at the parts of a dismantled pipeline strewn all over the ground. Precious water dampened the dirt at the base of one palm. “Is everything all right?”
One, broad shoulder shrugged. “Blocked pipe. Mud from the river builds up near the gate valves. Got to unblock it by hand. Should’ve updated the pipes … this is boring you, isn’t it?”
“Not at all.” I handed him the hydro-pouch with a nervous smile. “There’s a lot to learn about helping you run this place. You might need to take things slow, explain a lot, but I’ll get it. I’m fit, strong, used to long, hard hours.”
The hydro-pouch halted halfway to his lips. “I’m not after a slave, Ms.Una.”
“And I’m not offering to be one but I’d like to think you’d let a partner share that dream of yours.”
His frown deepened. “A partner?”
I took a deep breath and looked around the paddock, feeling the heat, knowing I was sweating as much as he was, both of us tasting the ever present dust and grit.
“You’ve a grand vision for the future, Mr.Tann. I like a man that knows what he wants and goes after it. You’re a bit like me in that respect.” I shoved the broad brimmed hat back so I could look up at him. “I’d hoped for a future, one slightly better than what I left behind but when I got here I wondered what I’d Bonded into. I worried that you’d take advantage of my situation but you’re not the man I expected.“
He remained silent, watching me through hooded eyes, his gaze intense. I gave him a small, anxious smile and smoothed a hand over my cover-all, well aware of how lean and skinny I was.
“You’ve a beautiful home. I can see the love and care you put into it. You have a good eye for crafting and you obviously work hard.” I scuffed the dirt with the toe of my boot. “There’s a beauty in the starkness of this land. I won’t say I really like it yet but I can feel the peacefulness here.”
“It grows on you.”
I nodded. “In time I’m sure it will.” I wet my lips. “I’m a plain looking woman, Mr.Tann, and I doubt I’m very experienced with what pleases men compared to others you’ve known …”
“Stop.” The quiet word halted my rambling.
I stared down at the ground, flushing, thinking I’d offended him with my plain speaking. I’d never been good at saying things eloquently, but it wasn’t in me to dodge an issue no matter how awkward it was.
Two large, mud-coated boots entered my field of vision. A grease-stained finger tilted my chin up so that I looked at him. His broad face held an oddly contented look.
“I never expected you to appreciate or recognise the beauty in any of this, so that you do fills me with a greater satisfaction than you could know.” He laid his large hand over my heart, his touch gentle. “What you have here is all I need, not looks, not experience or fine education.”
My heart squeezed tightly with his soft words and the intense expression on his face. I bit my lip, hope curling deep inside me.
“Besides, I know I’m not one to boast about good looks.” The ghost of smile softened his rugged features. His thumb smoothed over my lip. “If all you want is a partner, I’ll settle for that. But if, by some miracle, you feel we could become lovers then I’m willing to wait. I’m a patient man and one who knows how to make the best of any given situation.”
A slow grin curved my lips. “When we get back to your cabin, Mr.Tann, I think I’d like to formalise our Bond-contract into a permanent arrangement.”
Astonishment lit his features. “There’s no rush to decide. You might change your mind. Life out here’s hard.”
I shook my head. “My future is here now, with you.”
He swallowed hard and a muscle ticked in his jaw. “I’m honoured to be your partner, Ms.Una. Never thought to find someone like you.”
“Do you think we could call each other by our given names?” I asked, wistfully. Formality seemed rather irrelevant now.
“I’d like that, Kaylee.” He hung the hydro-pouch on one of the palm-fronds and crouched. “Here, see your first lesson.”
I moved down beside him and discovered how to unblock a pipe. It took another three hours to check the remaining lines and the sun was setting as we made our way home through the dust.
“Rylan?” He turned to look down at me. “I meant to ask you earlier.  Why did you call this property Pearl Station?”
“Don’t you think it suits?” It was an odd name and my puzzled frown brought a crooked smile to his face. “Think about it. This land is as pitted and ugly as an oyster’s shell yet if you delve beneath that layer, inside her you’ll find a treasure worth discovering.”
Touched by the poetry of his words I reached for Rylan’s hand and laced my fingers with his. He seemed surprised but then tightened his grip, his touch warm and comforting. The decision to come to P-171 was no longer as frightening as it seemed several hours ago.
I’d found my own pearl and he was worth more than I’d ever hoped for.

© Kylie Griffin 2013 

 All rights reserved. No commercial reproduction, adaptation, distribution or transmission of any part or parts of this website or any information contained therein by any means whatsoever is permitted without the prior written permission of Kylie Griffin.

I hope you enjoyed reading this short sci-fi romance story as much as I did writing it!

WRITING: A New Beginning (Part 2)

This is Part 2 of a science fiction romance short story I wrote for the RWAustralia© Little Gems competition several years ago.

If you missed it, you can find Part 1 here.

A NEW BEGINNING

© Kylie Griffin 2013

Sighing quietly in relief, I stared out at the scenery. A thin, green line broke the tan hues of the landscape and as we drew closer I realised it was vegetation edging a creamy coloured river. The multitude of plant life provided visual cool relief in the heat of the day and brought a smile to my face.
“That river is the start of Pearl Station, all forty thousand acres of my settlement.” Hesitant pride coloured Rylan’s voice. “Don’t look much now, I know, but see the silver coloured paddocks near the river? Yasar-palms. Experimental hybrid but suited to the dry environ. Four years growth, watered eight times a day initially but now their tap-roots go deep enough to access the artesian basin. One day the far hills and the plains will be covered in them, then I’ll bring in stock.”
Enthusiasm lit his face and he spoke with such quiet confidence that I could see the vision he evoked. Such deep emotion and passion for a hard fought dream.
I tilted my head to one side. “You love this place.”
He slanted a glance my way, his expression becoming more guarded, and shrugged. “It’s home.”
In another ten minutes the skimmer slowed to cross the wide river and on the southern bank I saw a single storey cabin nestled in among the lush vegetation. A small slice of heaven in an arid wasteland.
“You go on inside, make yourself at home, Ms.Una,” Rylan said, as he parked the skimmer close to the door. He alighted and came around to help me out. He carried my heavy duffle bag to the door then turned back towards the skimmer.
A head shorter than him I had to look up to address him. “Where are you going?”
He ran a hand through his wavy black hair. “Got chores to do before I come in. Need to catch up before dark.”
I nodded and watched him head over to a small pump station and disappear inside. A moment later I heard a power generator start up. Water rushed through a pipe coming from the shed. Rylan reappeared, a wide brimmed hat on his head, toolbox in hand. He followed a pipeline that lead out into the dusty paddocks.
I watched him stop every so often to check them. I frowned. The paddocks were large and the pipelines extended into the distance. A demanding, lonely job when one had to be self-reliant to fix or tend things and make a living from it.  He disappeared into the heat-haze so I decided to explore my new home.
The cabin had an insulated steel covered frame, solar panels on the roof and water storage tanks dug in under the ground. The few windows were coated with a reflective gold film, letting the light in but keeping the heat out.
I sighed at the climate-controlled interior, and took a moment to appreciate the cool air ducted through vents set high in the wall. A luxury, and one Rylan Tann had left on for our arrival.  A considerate gesture.
The open plan style inside had an airy feel to it. I dumped my duffle near the door and surveyed the room. Living and sleeping quarters only, the amenities walled off by a portable screen in one corner. His kitchen had all the basics, well stocked and outfitted. The comm. and disk-player sat on a shelf near one of the windows. The furniture was simple but I liked the clean, spartan style. After living in a room half this size with nine others, this was decadence.
I ran my hand along the small table near the cooking facilities, curious about the smooth texture. The bowls stacked on the shelves and some of the containers had the same feel. Moving towards the bed I traced the intricate swirling pattern carved into the headboard and the functional, patched-sewn blanket. The items all looked handmade. Had Rylan made them? If so, he was a skilled craftsman.
I could almost imagine the tall man sitting in the shade of one of the trees outside, lathe and chisel in hand, patiently carving and sanding wood imported from off-planet until he was satisfied with what he’d done. The time taken to craft the items spoke of patience and care.
One holo-pic rested on the low bedside table.  I sat down on the edge of the bed and peered at it. A younger Rylan stood among a group of men in uniform, his unit.  He was smiling, his arms slung around the young men next to him. The sense of camaraderie between them was strong.
Slowly, I peered around the cabin, taking in everything that defined the man I knew as Rylan Tann. I’d seen enough to decide.
I wandered over to the small refrigerator unit and looked inside, smiling when I found a large hydro-pouch on the top shelf. Slinging it over my shoulder, I found a spare broad brimmed hat hanging near the door. The heat hit me as soon as I left the cabin. I stopped in the shade of the lush trees, inhaled a lungful of dry heat, and grimaced at the sweat I could already feel gathering in the hollows of my body.
Shading my eyes, I stared out across the paddock. Life would be hard out here with Rylan, but only a different sort of hard than the one I was used to. P-171 certainly wasn’t for the faint-hearted and I’d never considered myself weak. I could adapt and if I read the man right, Rylan would help.
Lifting my chin, I started walking, following the same pipeline I’d seen Rylan track. He had a grand dream, one that required dedication and hard work but he seemed more than capable of seeing it to fruition. The hip-high Yasar-palms were healthy looking, strong despite their immaturity. I ran my hands over the leaves, and the thin fronds tickled my skin. Even being city-bred I knew that once they grew the ecology would change. Rylan’s desolate wilderness could transform into a green paradise.
“Ms.Una, over here.” Rylan’s hail came from my left.
Ducking through the rows I found Rylan greasing a valve on one of the pipes. He was bare-chested, his tanned body covered in sweat, his shirt cast on the ground near his toolbox. He rose frowning, wiped his hands on his long pants.
“Something wrong, Ms.Una?”

© Kylie Griffin 2013 

 All rights reserved. No commercial reproduction, adaptation, distribution or transmission of any part or parts of this website or any information contained therein by any means whatsoever is permitted without the prior written permission of Kylie Griffin.

Part 3 will be posted this time next week...

WRITING: A New Beginning (Part 1)

I wrote this sci-fi romance short story for the RWAustralia© Little Gems competition several years ago.

I was intrigued with the "mail-order bride" idea and decide to place it in a sci-fi setting. It was fun developing the idea and the characters.

I mean, what sort of person would willingly contract or bond themselves to a person they've never met? What would motivate them to leave everything familiar and head off into the unknown? To chose an uncertain future?

And what about the person who advertised for a partner? Were they so desperate for company they'd take the drastic step of marrying a stranger? Or just lonely?

These were the 'what if' questions that prompted me to throw Rylan and Kaylee together. This story will be posted in three installments over the month of December. I hope you enjoy it.

A NEW BEGINNING

© Kylie Griffin 2013

What had I signed up for? Certainly not the situation I found myself in, that’s for sure, but anxiety prodded the nerves dancing in my stomach anyway. I fiddled with a long strand of blonde hair then tucked it behind my ear. Oh, I’d anticipated some of the variables I’d need to adjust to P-171, frontier colonial planet; issues like uncertainty about the future, deep-space cryo-sleep for a year, a Bonding contract with terms yet to be negotiated, and a life vastly different than the crowded, overpopulated existence I’d had back on Earth, but nothing had prepared me for this.
Heat rippled off the dry, dusty hills and ravines of a land so desolate it made the dirty, rowdy, ram-shackled spaceport-town four hours behind me look like a High-class metropolis rather than a haven for the desperate.
I wiped at the sweat on my face and squinted against the bright sunlight out over a cream and tan landscape rippling in the afternoon heat. The hum of the skimmer as it made its way over yet another undulating, rock strewn hill was the only sound of civilisation present in a terrain so unforgiving I wondered how any of the Terra-farmers could ever make a living from dirt and stone. Water was scarce, as I quickly learnt, more precious than credit, and everything was bartered or sold by the litre.
“We’re nearly there, Ms.Una.”
My travelling companion, Rylan Tann, broke the silence, his voice rich and deep; only the second time I’d heard him speak other than the initial awkward meeting at the Bond-Office when he’d picked me up and we’d thumb-printed the contract. I was his Bondwoman for six months, either as a Terra-labourer or companion or both. Final terms were still negotiable.
“Please, call me Kaylee, Mr.Tann.” He grunted and I glanced over at him, wondering what he was thinking. He didn’t seem to be in a hurry to talk about our situation. His lean, angular, clean-shaven face gave nothing away yet there was a quiet strength beneath the stoic facade.
I’d expected Rylan to be well into his fifties. The brief info-sheet on him said he’d been in the Federation military, a retired veteran turned Terra-farmer, but he seemed to be in his mid-thirties, a few years older than me.
His large, broad shoulder frame barely fit in the skimmer seat. He handled the skimmer with skill that came from years of experience. Underneath the worn but clean coverall he had a hard, thick-muscled body, one of the first things I’d noticed when he’d helped me into the skimmer; a man well used to physical labour. Something I could definitely appreciate.
“Your settlement block is a long way from port, Mr.Tann,” I said, softly. “Do you have any neighbours?”
His dark brown eyes, the colour of chocolate I’d once seen in a store window but never tasted, met mine a moment before returning to the horizon. “The Neelan family’s only an hour away on the eastern border. Open plains, unclaimed, on the others.”
An hour and nothing but isolation? I swallowed dryly and smoothed a hand over the practical coveralls issued to me when I’d disembarked the sleeper-ship. It would take getting used to but the remoteness had a certain peacefulness I could learn to like, especially after living in a multi-celled, dorm-styled apartment with four other families.
“The pre-fab cabin has a comm. Bought a disk-player last wet-season. I like music. No vid-feed though. Couldn’t afford the uplink to the satellite. Dust also distorts the reception.”
I smiled. “Can’t miss what you never had, Mr.Tann. My family couldn’t afford one either. We had ten mouths to feed.”
His rugged, tanned face lit up with surprise. “Is that why you Bonded to a Colony world?”
“Partly.” I cleared my throat and swallowed dryly. The dust and residual effects of cryo-sleep made my voice hoarse.
Rylan glanced at me, then leant across the console, flipped open a small compartment and offered me a hydro-pouch.
I took it, impressed that he’d noticed my thirst. “Thank you.” I broke the seal and sipped the cool liquid, aware that he was waiting for an answer. Fiddling with the corner of the package, I took a fortifying breath. “My family’s financial situation limited my formal education, Mr.Tann.  Not a lot of employment for those with basic-education but I got by hiring on as a general labourer. I learnt enough on the street to know hand to mouth subsistence held no future and my family needed the space, so I signed up.”
He grunted. “Difficult choice for a woman coming out here.”
“I’m not afraid of hard work. Bonding gave me more options than I had on Earth.”
An embellishment of the truth, but I was unwilling to admit it’d been my only option. I’d barely been able to pay the application fee so this was a one-way trip for me. I had no credit to break our contract if he turned out to be a less than desirable employer. It was doubtful the short-staffed Peacekeepers would be able to enforce bonding regulations this far away from the port, they’d had enough trouble enforcing the law within town limits from what I’d seen. P-171 was my future and the man beside me would decide a large part of it.
His blunt question was quiet but terse. “Are you looking for a husband?”
“Depends.” I bit my lip. “Are you looking for a wife?”
“Can’t say I thought any woman would want to live out here. I did wonder what type would accept an application such as mine.” He paused, and his large hands tightened on the skimmer controls. “I’d consider marriage. I’ve been here five years, Ms.Una. Company of any sort, but especially a woman’s, would ease the hours of loneliness.”
An honest answer, one that deserved a response.
“Mr.Tann, I can’t commit to someone I barely know.”
He nodded, the tension around his eyes and mouth easing. “That I can understand. Not expecting an answer today.”

© Kylie Griffin 2013 

 All rights reserved. No commercial reproduction, adaptation, distribution or transmission of any part or parts of this website or any information contained therein by any means whatsoever is permitted without the prior written permission of Kylie Griffin.

Part 2 will be posted this time next week...

Saturday Seven! (Colonist's Wife)

It's Saturday Seven!

Kylie Scott writes great post-apocalyptic romance, hot NA romance and now science fiction romance. COLONIST'S WIFE is a mail order bride in space story with a twist.

As part of a witness protection program, Louise leaves earth to enter an arranged marriage to miner on Jupiter, only to find her original husband died in a mining accident and has been replaced by another.

Their initial meeting is less than stellar but over time each learn more about each other. Louise finally realises there's a quiet depth to Adam, one haunted an tormented by something in his past. Adam learns that there's more to Louise than her princess-like appearance.

The following scene is one of the major turning points in their romantic relationship.

The hint of dark stubble dragged at her fingertips and he held himself perfectly still. Apart from the muscle jumping in his jaw. "What are you waiting for, Adam?"
"For you to make the first move."
"I came in here."
"The second one then."
Well. Actions spoke louder than words.
Louise slid her hand around the back of his neck and sealed their mouths together. Done. She was kissing her husband.And he made a sound in the back of his throat that shot straight to her best bits, squeezing her insides tight in a delicious rush.
Oh yeah.

You can read another excerpt here.

It’s 2088, and having testified in a gangland murder trial, nowhere on Earth is safe for Louise. Witness Protection has organized a new identity and a marriage contract for her on the mining colony of Esther, one of the moons circling Jupiter. The man who meets her there is not the groom she expected.
Adam Elliot is neither sweet nor sincere, and he looks like he was hosed off a barroom floor. But soon a memorial service reveals Adam’s soft underbelly. Throw some stellar sex into the mix and the two decide that maybe marriage to each other might not be so bad after all.
But an assassin is already at work. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues on the planet’s frozen surface. Louise is determined to live long enough to draw the maniac away from the husband she just might have fallen for.

Tales from the SFRBrigade!

Like sci-fi romance?

There's a free short story anthology out from the Sci-Fi Romance Bridge on Smashwords!!!

Experience love and adventure among the stars in ‘Tales from the SFR Brigade,’ a free digital anthology of eight Science Fiction Romance stories. 

Authors include Linnea Sinclair, Marcella Burnard, Erica Hayes, Liana Brooks, Pippa Jay, Berinn Rae, Amy Laurens, and Kyndra Hatch.

Don't miss out - these stories are fantastic!!!

Saturday Seven! (Song of Scarabaeus)

It's Saturday Seven!

SONG OF SCARABAEUS by Sara Creasy is an awesome science-fiction romance. Anyone who loves techie stuff, this is for you. Anyone who loves a touch of romance, this is also for you.

Edie has been kidnapped by renegade mercenaries for her bio-tech skills. Her compliance is ensured when she's mentally leashed to her bodyguard - if she leaves his side he dies and if she doesn't give the mercenaries what they want, they both die.

Edie tests the mental link they share in the hope of breaking it...

A single pure chord diengaged itself from the rest. Edie grabbed it and traced its source, certain she was doing the wrong thing, but it was all she had. Her interface kept the chord separated, but the cacophony surrounding it obliterated its path. A hard vacuum of silence cut through the link for an instant, and then a warning glyph screamed.
Finn knew there was a problem at the same moment she did.
"Back off," he hissed.
With a gasp, she dumped the chord and let his splinter kick her out. She pulled her hand away, opened her eyes to state into his, into the dark gold flecks radiating across the irises. For a long moment she couldn't speak. She had to make herself breathe again. Staggering to her feet, she felt like she should apologise but didn't know how he'd take it.
Instead, she stuck to technicalities. "They've injected biocyph into your cerebral cortex."
His eyes widened. "Biocyph? In my head?"
"Just a single strand. But it can't be removed or interfered with, or the little bomb in your skull will go off. I don't know what to do."

SONG OF SCARABAEUS
Trained since childhood in advanced biocyph seed technology by the all-powerful Crib empire, Edie's mission is to terraform alien worlds while her masters bleed the outlawed Fringe populations dry. When renegade mercenaries kidnap Edie, she's not entirely sure it's a bad thing . . . until they leash her to a bodyguard, Finn—a former freedom fighter-turned-slave, beaten down but never broken. If Edie strays from Finn's side, he dies. If she doesn't cooperate, the pirates will kill them both.
But Edie's abilities far surpass anything her enemies imagine. And now, with Finn as her only ally as the merciless Crib closes in, she'll have to prove it or die on the site of her only failure...a world called Scarabaeus.

SERIES: The Paranormal DownUnder - Mel Teshco

In Australia, 2012 is the National Year of Reading. What better way to celebrate this than by finding a new-to-you author or revisiting a favorite one?

This series of blog posts, entitled The Paranormal DownUnder, aims to do just that!

Any of my regular readers know I'm passionate about introducing 'local' talent (aka authors from Australia & New Zealand). This time around I'm keen to feature those who write in this genre.

So, be prepared for a swag of authors & some blatant promotion of their books as they share their thoughts on the paranormal genre and why they find it so compelling.

Please welcome my next guest...Mel Teshco.

Mel Teshco grew up in Australia, where her seemingly gypsy dad and ever patient mother saw her living in many areas of the East Coast, along with her sister and two brothers.

Each new home stimulated an already over-active imagination, where she spent as much time dreaming about fantasy worlds as the real world - the fantasy sometimes being much better.

Now living on a small rural property with three horses and a handful or two of cats, she is happily married with three children of wide-spread ages and loves writing gritty, sizzling paranormals and the occasional contemporary with darker tones.

You can find her at her website. And at her blog.

What compels you to write in the paranormal/sci-fi genre?
I find the world building so liberating–no rules or restrictions—and the hero’s tend to be alpha, the heroine’s strong, often kick-ass. Plus there are SO many variables to writing your own rules and your own world, which I’ve found especially true in my alien sci-fi series (especially on the alien’s planet.)

These genres are also what I’m drawn to read, so it’d be silly not to write what I love to read.

Is there something you'd like to write but have yet to attempt?
I really want to write a YA story. I’m hoping that will be next year’s ambition =)

Who are auto-buys for you in this genre? What makes their books so appealing to you?
I haven’t read near enough authors – so many are on my ‘to be read’ list, but I’m a bit of a fan of JR Ward, Kelley Armstrong, Kresley Cole and our own Keri Arthur. And then we've got our home grown talent, like my CP's Tracey O'Hara and Kylie Scott - and we can't go past Kylie Griffin either =)

Some of Mel's books:

GUEST BLOGGING at Magical Musings

Come join me over at Magical Musings where I'm talking about being a die-hard paranormal romance addict. Find out if you're one too!

Take a look at my checklist of signs and symptoms and you too could claim the rights to wear a t-shirt that says - “I live in a world of fantasy, so keep your reality away from me!”

See you there!

Berkley Jove Author Chat!

On Thursday, July 12 at 9:00 PM - USA ET, folks!!! -  I'll be one of several authors in the Berkley Writerspace Reader's Chat Room. This is my first time participating in this sort of event, so it's going to be a new experience.

If I worked out the time conversion properly, for anyone in -
* New Zealand this equates to Friday, July 13, at 1pm
* QLD, VIC, NSW TAS, Australia - Friday, July 13, at 11.00am
* SA & NT, Australia - Friday, July 13, at 9.30am
* WA, Australia - Friday, July 13, at 9.00am.

The Berkley authors participating are:
Ilona Andrews - MAGIC DREAMS
Stacey Ballis - OFF THE MENU
Maya Banks - ECHOES AT DAWN
Shayla Black - HOT IN HANDCUFFS
Laura Brodie - ALL THE TRUTH
Meljean Brook - HEART OF STEEL
Pamela Clare - DEFIANT
Catherine Coulter - SPLIT SECOND
Sylvia Day - HOT IN HANDCUFFS
Christine Feehan - SAMURAI GAME
Yasmine Galenorn - NIGHT SEEKER
Kylie Griffin - ALLIANCE FORGED
Virgnia Kantra - CAROLINA HOME
Roni Loren - MELT INTO YOU
Kasey Mackenzie - BLACKHEARTED BETRAYAL
Hanna Martine - LIQUID LIES
Tori St. Claire - LIE TO ME
Jodi Thomas - IN A HEARTBEAT
Sherry Thomas - RAVISHING THE HEIRESS
Shiloh Walker - HOT IN HANDCUFFS
Wendy Wax - OCEAN BEACH

If you need to work out your own timezone conversion, try this link.

Would love to see you there!

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)

TOPIC: In a galaxy far, far away...with Sharon Fisher

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...

Please, make my next guest, debut SFR author Sharon Lynn Fisher, feel welcome!

Three-time RWA Golden Heart® finalist Sharon Lynn Fisher lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she writes sci-fi/fantasy and battles writerly angst with baked goods, Irish tea, and champagne.

Her debut novel GHOST PLANET will be released by TOR/Macmillan on October 30, 2012. Sharon's first accomplishment as a writer came at the age of 10, when she received an honorable mention for her story "Ice Age Adventure" from Cricket Magazine.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON SFR:
Has the SF genre always fascinated you?
It has. I have always loved speculative fiction in general. My two favorite books as a kid were A Wrinkle in Time and Watership Down (anthropomorphic rabbits are speculative, right?).

My best friend and I spent MANY hours playing Star Wars. She was in love with Han and I was in love with Luke. I always got to play Princess Leia (I was the older kid and very bossy). Luckily we'd grown out of it by the time Leia turned out to be Luke's sister.

What SF/R addictions can you lay claim to?
I watched a number of the Star Trek spinoffs pretty religiously, though that's been years ago now. I guess no addictions to speak of, though I have really enjoyed some of the recent SF offerings like Firefly and Battlestar Galactica.

Is there any one author, TV show, movie, producer, actor, other influence that inspires you?
Madeleine L'Engle was a huge influence – I read A Wrinkle in Time 13 times. I wanted to join that family.

Shortly before I wrote GHOST PLANET I saw the Danny Boyle film Sunshine, which I loved. My book is nothing like that story, but it flipped some kind of switch in me - before that I was writing mainly fantasy. Also the lead actor, Cillian Murphy, served as the inspiration for GHOST PLANET's hero, Dr. Grayson Murphy.

I get lots of inspiration from science books. For GHOST PLANET it was Symbiotic Planet, by biologist Lynn Margulis.

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?
Ha, I think I just answered that question! Since that switch flipped, I have only written sci-fi. Well, the book I wrote after GHOST PLANET (aka Echo 8) is a near-future paranormal, but it was inspired by books I read on quantum theory and modern psi research.

As an author published in SFR, have you seen or do you see the genre gaining popularity in the marketplace?
Well, I'm not quite published yet, but I do think that especially with the launch of e-imprints like Carina there seems to be more demand for SFR. And no question Hollywood has embraced the subgenre.

I do, however, think it is still very tricky figuring out how to market these books. I think there are a lot of potential readers out there that we haven't yet figured out how to reach. There was some deliberation in my own house about whether it was best to market GHOST PLANET as romance or sci-fi.

YOUR WORK:
Published work in the SF/R genre: GHOST PLANET, to be released Oct. 30, 2012.
Publisher: Tor/Macmillan.
Your website: www.sharonlynnfisher.com 

What unique slant have you given SF in your books?
I don't know about unique, but if I had to explain my "brand" as an author in a single sentence, it would go something like this:

Take some Big Question that has consequences for all of humanity, and burden two people with sorting out the mess that gets created when humanity answers the question wrong.

Also, I really like writing characters whose worlds have just been flipped upside-down.

Have you received feedback from readers about your work and what did they like about it?
My book is not released yet, but I did get an AMAZING cover quote from author Linnea Sinclair that I am always happy to share. :)

Fisher's GHOST PLANET grabs you right from the start and doesn't let go. An entrancing, addicting read, it keeps you on the edge of your seat with a fresh and fascinating take on the human-alien problem, while at the same time seduces you with a poignant love story. It's a psychological thriller, a science fiction adventure, and endearing romance all rolled up in one. Highly recommended!

Before the book was sold I also received some really great feedback from contest judges, and some of that is excerpted here.

GHOST PLANET
A world in peril. A bond deeper than love.
Psychologist Elizabeth Cole prepared for the worst when she accepted a job on a newly discovered world - a world where every colonist is tethered to an alien who manifests in the form of a dead loved one. But she never expected she'd struggle with the requirement to shun these “ghosts.” She never expected to be so attracted to the charming Irishman assigned as her supervisor. And she certainly never expected to discover she died in a transport crash en route to the planet.
As a ghost, Elizabeth is symbiotically linked to her supervisor, Murphy - creator of the Ghost Protocol, which forbids him to acknowledge or interact with her. Confused and alone - oppressed by her ghost status and tormented by forbidden love - Elizabeth works to unlock the secrets of her own existence.
But her quest for answers lands her in a tug-of-war between powerful interests, and she soon finds herself a pawn in the struggle for control of the planet…a struggle that could separate her forever from the man she loves.

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...

Many of these are SF without the R. Also, I imagine I like a lot of the same stuff everyone else does – the original Star Wars trilogy, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Aliens, etc., so I decided to list some of my more obscure favorites (do I get to make my own rules like this? :)

SF/R hero: Sam Bell (Moon), Henry DeTamble (The Time Traveler's Wife).
SF/R heroine: Lieutenant Jodenny Scott (The Outback Stars), B'Elanna Torres (Star Trek Voyager).
SF/R villain: IT (A Wrinkle in Time).
SF/R alien race: The giant cast of extraterrestrials in Old Man's War.
SF/R technology and space craft: The ship and payload sent to restart the sun in Sunshine.
SF/R TV show or movie: Sunshine, Solaris (the Clooney version).
SF/R quote made by a character/actor/person: "Look! I have one job on this lousy ship, it's *stupid*, but I'm gonna do it! Okay?" (Galaxy Quest)

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.

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.