My name is Misa and I’m a speculative romance author.

I blame my sister for the latter. She used to read Harlequin books and I used to borrow them, coming into contact with heaving breasts and milky thighs at a very tender age. I read Judy Bloom’s Forever. I watched Dirty Dancing and Romancing the Stone and learned to love being in love. Love is such a universal emotion, and I think that’s why I chose to combine it with my other passion – science fiction.

When I started writing, it was science fiction that I wrote. However, other other worlds fascinated me just as much; worlds closer to home and the possibilities of the supernatural. I discovered a love for the altered past in Steampunk, and alternative versions of Earth in urban fantasy. And I began to write speculative fiction, but always with a touch of romance. Okay, maybe more than a touch. Shut up.This love is down to watching Star Trek and Doctor Who as a child. I had a fascination with the stars that only science fiction could satisfy, though I watched every shuttle launch until the BBC stopped broadcasting them after the Challenger disaster. I wanted to boldly go and explore this last frontier. In lieu of that, I watched the Enterprise and the TARDIS, read about The Day of the Triffids and The War of the Worlds and journeyed with Arthur Dent.

So speculative fiction + romance = speculative romance. To date I have written a love story set at the end of time, a woman finding a second chance at life after becoming a vampire, and a disabled woman who finds love in a man from two hundred years in the future. In the WIP folder is a zombie-hunting cowboy, an angel with an attitude, and cynical Mafiosa tending a bar at the butt-end of the galaxy. And I’m having THE best time ever.

My name is Misa and I’m a speculative romance author.

Bio: Misa grew up fascinated by space and its possibilities. She wrote her first novel in 2007 for NaNoWriMo, and while she didn't finish it she was bitten by the writing bug. Her first published story, IRONHAVEN, was published in 2011 by Decadent Publishing. Her second is out July 2012 through Champagne Books.

When she's not writing (which is rarely), she can be found herding her children, chasing after her husband, or fiddling with her 1972 VW Beetle. She can be found on Twitter as MisaBuckey and the quickest way of getting her attention is to mention Cliff Simon.

Giveaway!

Leave a comment for your chance to WIN an ePUB copy of Ironhaven.



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Sara Brookes

A Chemical Romance by Pippa Jay

Love is one of the most common themes in creative arts. It’s considered part of the survival instinct, a drive that helps keep human beings together to ensure the continuation of the species. Perhaps that’s why it’s such a common theme, particularly in science fiction, where threats to the species can be so much bigger and catastrophic on a galactic, or even universal scale.

But how would that work for a relationship between two different species, as can happen in a science fiction romance? Would a species that might be physically compatible respond in the same way to the pheromones released by a human? What if they had the opposite effect? And if love in a human is the drive to mate and perpetuate the species, how does that work with a biologically incompatible partner? Will we ever find out for real!?Most of us are aware that love is supposedly the result of a cocktail of different chemicals surging round our bodies. That initial dizziness we feel, the racing heart, the sweaty palms and hot flushes are all down to the release of dopamine, norepinephrine and phenylethylamine. The feeling of bliss comes from the “pleasure drug” dopamine. The racing heart and excitement are due to the adrenaline-like norepinephrine. Together they produce elation, intense energy, sleeplessness, loss of appetite: all the classic symptoms of being in love. When a couple has sex, oxytocin is released during orgasm and creates an emotional bond. The more sex, the greater the bond.

So far most of my involved couples have been human (or relatively so!). But romance in science fiction where one or both of the characters isn’t human is part of what gives sfr a greater scope to explore. To pursue a whole range of ‘what ifs’ beyond the simple ‘will they/won’t they?’ get together. That’s what I love about science fiction romance, where a happily ever after may not just depend on that first kiss.

To celebrate I’m offering a random commentator (please leave an e-mail address!) the choice of either a $10 Amazon Gift Card or a $15 Gift Certificate from my publisher Lyrical Press Inc. Enjoy! J

Find me at: Pippa Jay - Adventures in Sci-fi

Follow me on Twitter as - @pippajaygreen

Keir - a science-fiction romance available 7th May 2012 from Lyrical Press Inc:

http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=81&products_id=513

Blurb:

Outcast. Cursed. Dying. Is Keir beyond redemption?

For Keirlan de Corizi--the legendary 'Blue Demon' of Adalucien--death seems the only escape from a world where his discolored skin marks him as an oddity and condemns him to life as a pariah. But salvation comes in an unexpected guise: Tarquin Secker, a young woman who can travel the stars with a wave of her hand.

But Quin has secrets of her own. She's spent eternity searching through space and time with a strange band of companions at her back. Defying her friends' counsel, Quin risks her apparent immortality to save Keir. She offers him sanctuary and a new life on her home world, Lyagnius.

When Keir mistakenly unleashes his dormant alien powers and earns instant exile from Quin's home world, will she risk everything to stand by him again?



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Arlene Webb
Graylin Fox
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Heather Massey
Rebecca Royce

Valentine's Day with Acton and Lizbeth by Rebecca Royce

Lizbeth fiddled with the control panel in the Maintenance Room. It never seemed to work right and after their last encounter with the Lizard People, she wasn’t exactly certain that it ever would again. How many times could one section of the ship get blown up and rebuilt before it went permanently haywire?

“Should you be doing that?”

Lizbeth jumped, bumping her head against the panel and cursing. Damn, Acton. He always snuck up on her.

He shook his head, making a tut-tut sound before pulling her into his embrace. “This is why I asked if you should be doing that?”

She shoved at his chest. “Captain, I was doing just fine until you startled me, which I think you did on purpose.”

Acton raised an eyebrow. “It’s Captain, now?”

Lizbeth flipped him her middle finger, something she knew he understood since he’d taught it to her. It might be an earth specific gesture but the meaning seemed clear in any language.

“Now, don’t be like that.” He took her hand, kissing her knuckles gently. “I’m just worrying about you and the little one.” He rubbed her belly to stress what he made.

She bit down on her lip. She couldn’t be angry with him when he acted like that. Her current pregnant state had come about thanks to his teaching her about mistletoe around the human Christmas holiday.

“I made you something?”

He pulled a cut out red piece of paper shaped like a heart and handed it to her. She stared at the paper blankly. “You had the computer cut out a heart out of a piece of red paper for me?”

Acton rolled his eyes. “I didn’t use the computer. I did it myself and it’s for you because it’s Valentine’s Day.”

“I don’t know what that is. Is it another human thing?”

“It's the day that humans stop and take time to tell each other how much they love each other.”

Lizbeth scratched her head. Human traditions confused her. “Why do they only do that once a year?”

“They do it all the time but Valentine’s Day they remember to take the time.”

She held out the card. “By cutting out pieces of paper?”

“And giving each other flowers and chocolate.”

Now that was an idea she could get behind “Chocolate?”

His grin lit up the room as he passed her a box filled with her most favorite thing in the universe—chocolate. She grabbed the present greedily and held it to her chest. “I think you’re right. I absolutely should not be fixing the maintenance unit. I absolutely should be eating these instead.”

Do you want to see more of Acton and Lizbeth and how they ended up together gallivanting through space? Check out Yes, Captain.

And Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you! Enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift to one lucky commentator.

RR

http://rebeccaroyce.blogspot.com/

http://rebeccaroyce.com/


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Heather Massey

The Top Ten Reasons To Fall In Love In Outer Space by Heather Massey

Plenty of science fiction romances feature couples who fall in love during their far out space adventures. That got me to thinking—why is that? Why is space such a fertile locale for love?

As a result of my various synapses firing, I came up with The Top Ten Reasons To Fall In Love In Outer Space:

1) A Space station bar is a great place to meet your soul mate

2) Zero-g gravity

3) You can scream as loud as you want while having sex and no one will hear you.

4) Alien Lovers ‘R’ Us

5) Space is where all the cool cats hang out (bounty hunters, pirates, starship captains, etc.)

6) Extended starship journeys guarantee plenty of “us” time

7) Nothing brings a couple closer together better than a galactic war or the threat of an alien invasion

8) Falling in love on a planet is so twenty-first century

9) The views are spectacularly romantic

10) Exotic ports-of-call. After all, a couple needs either a relaxing getaway or a dangerous place to spice things up

Giveaway time!

To celebrate the idea of love matches in space, I’m giving away a digital copy of my military sci-fi romance, Queenie’s Brigade. Here’s the story blurb:

Captain Michael Drake desperately needs an army to save Earth after a crushing defeat by alien invaders. When his damaged starship docks at a remote prison colony, he discovers Earth’s last best hope—an army to replace the one he lost.


But Queenie, the feral goddess ruling the prison, has other plans for the rugged military leader. After imprisoning Drake and seizing his ship, she prepares to lead her blood-thirsty band to freedom before the invaders track them down.


Despite her intentions, Queenie secretly falls for the sexy, hotshot captain. Drake makes it plain he wants to win back Earth with her by his side. But is following her heart worth betraying her people?

***

The winner can choose from among these formats: PDF, ePub, or Mobi. The deadline to enter is midnight EST on Friday, 2/17/12.

Entering is easy: Leave a comment and tell me what appeals to you about characters falling in love in outer space!

About the author:

Heather Massey is a lifelong fan of science fiction romance. She searches for sci-fi romance adventures aboard her blog, The Galaxy Express.

She’s also a writer of the subgenre: Her forthcoming sci-fi romance is The Watchmaker’s Lady (Clockpunk Trilogy #1), coming April 2012 from Red Sage Publishing. To learn more about her published work, visit www.heathermassey.com.

If you have science fiction romance news to share, or simply want to tell me about your kung fu fighting koala bear, email me at heather@heathermassey.com.



Be sure to check out previous posts from the Valentine's Day Bash for more chances to WIN!
Arlene Webb
Graylin Fox
Barbara Elsborg
Laurie A. Green
Jessica E. Subject
Jaleta Clegg