How to bag and tag a muse.

Okay, so I’ve listened to too many of my husband’s hunting shows while I work on my laptop. The other night I had a dream. Yeah, woke up saying, “that was freaking weird.” So, I just had to share. It’s strange what influences us sometimes, even subliminally.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Today were hunting the big game, the elusive Terran muse. Now there are all kinds of techniques you can apply, but for now, we’re going to go over the basics of muse hunting.

Your mind is blank, you can’t pen a word. Many authors have found themselves mired down in writer’s block, desperately trying to find inspiration. It doesn’t have to be like this. Any author can capture a muse with a little know how. And today on Hunting Fiction, I’m going to show you how.

The first thing you need to do is slip into some hunting clothes. Today, we’re hunting special game and I’m decked out in camo with combat boots and a Rambo-style bandana, employing a little limp to my gait.

Now depending on what you’re looking for, you might want to switch up your hunting gear. Sexy shorts and tank tops will also help if you’re looking for the erotic variety of muse.  I’m hunting dystopian muse today, so I didn’t trim back the fabric, but feel free to go skimpy if that’s what you’re targeting. Accessorize, whatever. But for God’s sake, lose the bathrobe and sweats. You’ll scare them away looking like that.

*Clutches breech-loading, pump action shotgun to chest* A good weapon also helps. The sound of this sucker loading, will draw the game to you. Remember, our girl chases zombies and won’t be able to resist. Hand to hand combat also works. I recommend a little UFC. You need to call to the muse’s baser desires. In this case, our girl craves the double tap—and Twinkies. No, scratch that. I always mix up Woody and my dystopian muse. No Twinkies.

 Now if you’ve been sitting a while and you haven’t seen any sign of muse, a good idea is to use a call. In this instance, a death rattle works wonders. Moans can also draw our muse out into the open, but you need to be on the proper hunting ground, or they’re not going to hear you. Doing it in public can also get you into trouble, so be sure you’re alone when you start calling your game to you. You know what they say. Location, location, location. So follow me while we move to a more suitable environment. *Starts off toward the woods.*

There are a number of snares you can employ. *Suddenly ducks behind tree and lowers voice to a whisper* Look over there, skipping through the field of flowers with a harp, and wearing a toga. Now that’s a classical muse. The best lure I can think of is golden apples, re-runs of 300, and Gerard Butler. She’s not the game we’re looking for today, but if you want to bag a classical muse, those lures are pretty fool proof. Come on, let’s not attract her attention. *motions with hand for you to follow*

With dystopian muse, I find doomsday preparation shows to be great bait to set your trap. Nothing like thinking about the end of the world to draw a zombie hunting muse into your sights.

*raises finger to lips* Look over there, clumped against the barbwire fence watching the cowboy on the horse. Those are Western muses. Now they like leather, Stetsons and cow shit. Sorry, that smell kind of goes hand and hand with cowboys. Never fear, you can always toss them in a shower and soap them up. *Clears throat.* The cowboys, not the muses, and stop thinking about soaping cowboys up in the showers. *Cocks thumbs toward fence.* We’ve got their attention and that’s the last thing we need right now. Come on, let’s get out of here before they decide to move closer. There’s too many here to handle on our own. When multiple muses attack it’s never pretty. You end up with a lot of unfinished manuscripts.

Oh the stories I can tell you about cowboys.  I once got lassoed by a cowboy. *Glances back.* Run. *Hauls ass into old barn and up into the loft, pulling up wooden ladder.* That was close. You need to clear your mind, or we’re not going to catch the muse we’re looking for. *Looks around* Now this is excellent hunting ground. Go over into the shadows and start moaning. I’ll keep watch.

No, no, no, not that kind of moan. You’re working the Western muses up again. They think we’re having an orgy up here in the hay. *Points down to over excited muses dressed as saloon girls jumping and trying to reach the loft.* Put less sex, and more pain in it. That’s it. Get your zombie on. Look over there. *points out window. See her? She’s in black, sticking close to the buildings. Wait for it. *raises hand and pumps shotgun with single hand. Muse begins to run toward barn.* Hold. Not yet. Let her get closer. And... Now! *Drops steel cage on muse*

Booyah!  Look at that one. We got us a real tree-shaker. A beauty. Whooeeeee! Dat un will be good writing.

*Starts whispering and sets 12 gauge to the side.* So, it was a great hunt today. We saw a variety of muse, but we got what we come here for. *Guitars begin to play in the distance. Muse in cage is now wearing saloon girl clothes and carrying a sword. Turns and looks back. * What did I tell you about thinking about soaping up the cowboys in the shower? Now we’ve crossed genres. Oh well. I guess we’ll have Old West, zombie-hunting cowboys.   

Just one parting bit advice I’d like to share before we wrap up our hunting excursion today.  If none of these techniques work for you, you can always relax. A muse can’t resist down-time. Take out your beach towel, sunglasses and a drink. I guarantee she’ll be right there, screaming, me, me, me.

Next week I’ll show you techniques for the proper preservation of your wild game. Until then, have fun bagging your muse.

Rebel Souls

Okay, it's not out yet, but I really, really wanted to talk about it. Now the cover has three characters on it and the first thing I want to say, is it's not a menage. I do have menage stories, but this is not one of them. So why did I ask to have three characters on the cover? Because both men play a pivotal role in the heroine's life in this story.


First you have Brodie Mark. An orphan who was raised on the streets, later roamed the Blue District with packs of feral children. As he grows up, he rises through the ranks of the Nexian Resistance to become leader of the underground. In this short excerpt, you meet Brodie at twenty, already a force to be reckoned with.

Excerpt: 

“Come with me, Duchess.”

Ava snapped awake and stared into the lapis depths of Brodie Mark’s eyes.

“We’ll make history today.” He straddled her hips with his hands pressed into her bunk on each side of her head, leaning in with his lips inches from hers.

“I’m not dressed and if that was a pass, it was really bad.” The New Xieran summer had been hotter than usual and the scorching afternoon baked the air in her cabin, forcing her to strip to the thin T-shirt and her skivvies. Sometime during her nap, the sheet had worked down to her knees, exposing the naked flesh of her thighs and her belly, where her shirt had bunched up.

“Not a pass.” His smile started as a twitch in the corners of his mouth and quickly spread to his whole face. Jewels twinkled from around her hips and navel, reflecting in Brodie’s gaze. “And it’s more than obvious you’re not dressed, Duchess.”

“Brodie,” Ava gasped and grabbed the sheets. She yanked as hard as she could in an attempt to cover her body. Best friend or not, he didn’t need to see her nearly naked. “You’re not supposed to be here—when I’m alone.” She shoved his shoulder, pushing him back. “Uncle Theo will kill you if he finds you in here.”

Brodie shrugged, knowing there was little chance of that. Her uncle had left for a meeting and told Ava to stay put. She’d soon grown bored and dropped into sleep only to be woken by the twenty-year-old, heartthrob.

“I’m serious. You shouldn’t be in here.”

“I know,” he said. “But you’re always safe with me. And when you’re not with me….” He pulled a medallion on a long chain from his pocket and dangled it before her. It spun around, glinting in the light pouring through her cabin’s portal window. “I have a surprise.” He dropped it on her chest between her breasts and leaned back in, pressing closer, until Ava’s breath caught in her throat. “Today is special—monumental.”

“It is, is it?”

His tangled hair hung in a mass of dreadlocks around his face and dirt smudged his left jaw. It didn’t temper his devastating looks. Many an innocent girl lost her virginity to Brodie at the crook of a finger, and Ava was determined not to be one of them.

She tugged her gaze from his and stared at the open door to her quarters, anything to get her mind off him. “You need to get out of here before my uncle comes back.”

“I will if you come with me.”

Ava turned back to him. “My uncle will kick my ass if I leave the ship.”

“What is it the Terrans say? Damned if you do—damned if you don’t?” He cocked his head and gave her a wicked grin. The muscles in her thighs clenched and her heart began to race. Two years older, Brodie had been the leader of a pack of feral children. Now a man, he’d joined the resistance and had quickly climbed the ranks. Taller by a foot and twice as strong, he could easily force Ava to come along, but instead, he asked with excitement beaming from his eyes. “You know you want to.”

Ava snorted and fought the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Brodie Mark, you’re likely to get me into trouble.”

He sat back on his heels and laughed. “I am trouble.” Brodie was as tough as a seasoned soldier and twice as lethal. He’d been forced to fend for himself and had killed to survive since the age of five. Brodie had very few things he valued, and those few things governed his honor code. That code meant he’d never harm a Rebel, or those that served the cause. Most of all he’d never harm her. Going with him should be safe.

She’d first met him on the street as he’d followed a target when he was twelve. She’d tagged along, wanting to get a closer look at his blaster rifle. Brodie told her to go away, but Ava had been persistent, dogging his heels until he’d spun around and knocked her flat. “Not this time. It’s too dangerous for little girls. Someday when you’re older.”

“I’m not a little girl. I’m ten.”

His eyes swept over her as he stared down. “You look like a baby.”

“I’m a Frost, not a baby.”

Brodie’s eyes had popped wide. He gave her a curt nod. “Be safe, Duchess. Go home. You can come another time. I promise, I’ll come and get you when you’re ready.”

It had been the first time he’d called her that, his pet name.

It had taken her years to realize it wasn’t a nickname, but a title, one she’d hold if her mother hadn’t murdered her husband and run off with her father.

“Well, are you coming?” Ava pulled out of her memories and stared Brodie in the eyes. She bit her lip, debating whether it would be worth the trouble she’d get into. Seeming to sense her indecision, he gave her his best pouty face. Ava’s heart skipped, and she fought the giggle. Puppy dog eyes looked ridiculous on the dangerous Rebel. She should tell him.

“Well, Duchess?” Charm, charisma, and heat rolled off him.

He knew she couldn’t say no.

Brodie disappears for several years after an attack in the Blue District and Ava fears her friend is dead. While smuggling a shipment of fissile materials for the Resistance, Ava slams head on into Commander Seth Reynolds of the Fleet Regulators. In this encounter, Ava knows he isn't good for her and hanging around with him could be dangerous to all the resistance has accomplished, but like that forbidden chocolate bar, she can't resist taking a bite out of him. But Seth just might be more than she can handle.

Excerpt: 

The way she’d fingered his uniform ignited every cell in his body. She touched it as if she stroked skin, and somehow he’d gotten harder. He held her gaze as he reached around her and snagged his com off a shelf. “I’m never off duty,” he said.

She raised a brow. “Pity. I’d like to know you when you aren’t all business.”

He dropped his gaze to her mouth. Her lips were luscious, her teeth perfectly kept. This woman wasn’t meant to be a smuggler. She was born to warm a man’s bed and heart.

“Is there something you want, Captain Reynolds?”

Yeah, and she was a micro-moment from finding out. “No.” He grabbed her hand and pressed his com into it. “Contact a shuttle. I’ll escort you to your room. It’s not safe for a woman to travel New Xiera Port at night on this side of the city.”

“The Blue district?” She gave a soft laugh. “I’m half Nexian. If you didn’t notice, it’s a Nexian neighborhood. Now you, on the other hand….” She tossed his com on the bed and slid a hand up his chest. “A big strapping Regulator like yourself might get some second looks, especially dressed like that. Who goes to the beach dressed to work?”

He pushed her hand away. “I’ll escort you.”

The corner of her mouth curled and an impish dimple appeared. “What’s wrong with hanging out here?”

Seth frowned. “This is my room.”

“I see that,” she said, though she hadn’t taken her gaze off him.

“I don’t understand.” She couldn’t be insinuating….

She rose up on her toes and slid her hands into his hair. She pulled his face down to hers. “Then let me explain it.” As her mouth made contact with his, jolts of energy shot through his body. Seth didn’t resist. Should’ve. The woman was bad news. If he had any common sense left, he’d throw her against the wall and cuff her, not kiss her. But he couldn’t. He’d fallen victim to Frost’s charms, and he could do nothing but give in and let it happen.

He ran his hands down her back, stroking bare flesh under his fingertips. They traveled over her hips and around to her ass. Ava Frost had a figure. She had flesh and softness to her frame, wasn’t boney and hard like many of the women around this sector. He loved her curves and filled his hands with them in the manner he’d dreamed about for most of the day.

Ava pulled her mouth away and looked him in the eyes. Spontaneous combustion. Nothing could cool the inferno raging inside him…well, almost nothing. Not a good idea. If he buried his cock inside her, the League would bury him. Seth knew better, but his body wasn’t listening. He’d seen that look before and knew what it meant. “This can’t go any further,” he said.

She smiled and shoved him onto the bed, following him down. As he landed on the mattress, she straddled his legs and reached for his buckle. “Let’s get you into something a little more comfortable.” He snagged her wrists, not sure he could let this continue and keep his pride intact. This wouldn’t buy her way out of trouble, or get her off for any crimes she might have committed.

Ah so two men, one dead the other very much alive and a bit resistant. But what happens if one of them isn't dead and he comes back to claim the woman he'd been secretly protecting?

Hence the love triangle and the reason you see them both on the cover. Who will win her heart. Who will lose?

New geeky find

Last night I geeked out. Remember when a boat ride in Venice was a romantic trip? Well, we can't afford that. What can we do? How about sit in front of your large monitor and take a Google Street View ride down the Amazon. No. Really. http://www.google.com/help/maps/streetview/mobile/gallery/rainforest.html Gorgeous pictures and I took a walk down a path right before I typed this up. Now maybe we can get people to want to save this gorgeous place by innovation. Happy Geek Day! Graylin

The Pleasure of the Senses - Guest Post by Diane Dooley & Giveaway!

The Pleasures of the Senses

“No, not for me the stormiest pleasures of the senses, Voluptuous enjoyment, overwhelming frenzies...”                                     Alexander Pushkin, 1830

To each his own, I guess. I rather enjoy having my senses overwhelmed. Just the other the day I was as happy as the proverbial clam: the kids ran through the house waving light sabres and yelling lines of Star Wars dialogue, while I cranked AC/DC as loud as I could bear it and the  spicy scent of a chicken curried simmered on the stove, as I opened all the windows in the house to the first sunshine of spring and cool breezes wafted over my skin and through the house. I finished washing the dishes and applied some delicious vanilla-scented hand creme. Total sensory overload - and I loved it.

But what if a cool spring-scented breeze was completely alien to you? What if you were so used to eating  freeze-dried nutrition bars that the mouth-watering smell of curry spices were completely distracting?  What if the pleasures of the senses were so unusual to you that you found yourself being overwhelmed by their effect on your sensory systems?

This is the problem faced by Makiko Dolan, the heroine of my recently released story, Mako’s Bounty. She’s a bounty hunter who spends most of her life in her beloved little spaceship, a Zebra 180. No chicken curry for Mako; she subsists on pre-packaged, perfectly nutritious dried food. No springtime for Mako; she’s a spacer for whom planets are a strange and alien experience.  Her first experience of Earth is trying to adjust to the heavy pull of gravity, while hoping that she won’t have to encounter that completely unnatural phenomenon known as “rain.”

Under usual circumstances, Mako, who is an adventurous type, would take her time to study,  enjoy and internalize these new sensory experiences, but she doesn’t have the time. She’s on Earth to capture the space pirate she’s been chasing for nine long months. She needs to be on the top of her game, not entranced by the mind-boggling flavors and sensory jolts of ice-cold, freshly-squeezed fruit juice. Mako will find that Vin Sainte, her bounty, fully intends to use her sensory system against her.  She’ll discover that Vin, in and of himself, is a sensory experience that she will be unable to handle or refuse. Poor Mako *grin*

How do you think you would handle being in Mako’s grav boots? Are you the type to enjoy the stormiest pleasures of the senses? Or  do you find them too distracting? I’m the former, obviously. Why, even now, the scent of the product I use to control my unruly hair is making my nostrils twitch. My feet are laughing in happiness at the feel of softest cotton. My ears are complaining about the weight of my glasses. Sometimes I wonder, in this constant barrage of sensory stimuli, how I ever manage to get anything done!

Mako’s Bounty is an e-book, available from Decadent Publishing, Amazon and all the usual online retailers. You can read the opening here.


Bio: Diane Dooley was born in the Channel Islands and grew up in Scotland. After many years of moving and traveling she finally settled down in Upstate New York where the summers are short and the winters just might kill you. She lives with her best friend/husband, who can’t fix a damn thing, and two obstreperous boy children in a falling-down farmhouse in the sticks. She is very happy.

You can check out her previous and upcoming publications on her blog, Diane Dooley: Writing, Stuff and Nonsense.

I’m giving away a pdf copy of the story. To enter the giveaway please answer this question: What is your favorite thing to smell? Contest ends Friday, March 23 at midnight EST. Please leave your email address in the comment so that Diane can contact you if you win. Contest is international.

Recharging the Batteries.

Shutting off the computer and phone.
Doing nothing this weekend.

Have a good weekend.

See ya on Monday,

Dawn

Dangerous vs. Gentle Alien Descriptions

This is for @Lexcade who requested this post for last weeks blog.

Crafting a believable alien in written form starts with the point of view. If the POV is coming from a human or pre-established non-human character, their view of the alien is what the reader needs first. Even if it differs from the writers knowledge of the alien character.

For example, if the alien comes across as gentle and non-threatening to the main character those are the characteristics that are highlighted in the description. A full description leaves less to the imagination and complete descriptions lend to the assumption that there is nothing to hide.

If the alien is seen as threatening then a limited number of threatening features are highlighted. Leaving more up to the readers imagination increases the intensity of the scenes (i.e. not seeing the shark in Jaws or the full Alien in the movie right away). Describing a haunting gaze with a gravely voice allows the readers to pull their own fears and nightmares into the story and connecting with it on a level that would be difficult to achieve otherwise.

I wrote a poem a while back that walked the line between the two.

Shadow Guardian

He lurks around corners

in the background

where no one will notice

eyes piercing the darkness

His presence is felt

seen only in glimpses

He is a shadow himself

Watching smirkingly

he guards those who walk in gray

who are as much light as dark

who balance between seen and unseen

He keeps us from falling into blackness

and gently pulls us from the blinding light

His presence first met with fear

is now reluctantly welcomed

even needed

A shadow guardian

lives a lonely existence

on the fringe of society

that survives

because He is there

© Graylin Fox 2010

What I'm working on this week.

This week it's about big band, brass and sass, as I've been working on a 1NS story that has a WWII era swing party.

Which begs me to ask you. Can trumpet players be hot?

It wouldn’t be easy. Grace had lost a lot. George died while serving, and perhaps she was afraid to get attached for that reason. But he wasn’t her brother, and he wasn’t in Special Forces, out on the risky missions. He was Sergeant Frank Winters. Army trumpet player. Nice guy. Stubborn man, and crazy about his dead friend’s twin sister.

If she didn’t think he’d come after her with everything he had, she was mistaken. He lay back on the bed, closed his eyes and went over every option available. He may be a trumpet player, but he wasn’t a sissy and he sure as hell didn’t back down. George knew he was right for her. Frank knew he was right for her. Now he just had to convince Grace they were meant to be.

Four hours later, he glanced at his watch and blew out a breath. Tired, running on fumes and dreams, it was time to go after what he wanted. Frank Winters never walked away from a challenge and he sure as hell didn’t walk away from something he knew could be the best thing he ever had. Frank grabbed his trumpet, asked the hotel to give him a ride to her house, where she should be by now.

As the limo pulled up to the curb at Grace’s home, Frank noticed the crowd of elderly women gathered across the street. At least a baker’s dozen. They could prove to be just what he needed to draw her out. If he had to, he’d make a scene.

Several of the women had donned forties style dresses and one woman wore an old Women’s Army Corp uniform. Frank couldn’t help but grin. Grace had mentioned the old lady across the street liked to gossip. He was about to give them enough material to talk about for months. As he got out, they started clapping. Frank turned around, waved, flipped his cap up on his head and headed up the walk.

Show time.

The blinds cracked open and snapped shut.

“I know you’re in there, Grace. Come out and talk.”

She didn’t answer.

Well, there was more than one way to skin a cat. Frank lifted the trumpet to his lips and began to play Schubert’s Trumpet Serenade, the sexiest and most romantic piece of music he could think of. If she wouldn’t come out, he’d stand on her doorstep and play until she did.

The blinds cracked again.

It used to be Science Fiction

If you grew up in the 80's like I did, then you remember the warnings about solar flares. To us it was scientists trying to describe things we had only seen in crappy graphics in movies and television. Something that would mess up communications on those crazy futuristic things the guys in Star Trek used to call each other. (BTW: beepers were the only things available when I was in high school and only drug dealers and doctors used them.)

And then last night and tonight on television I had flashback. Here we are in an age with cell phones that are COOLER than Kirk's communicator but the sun can still screw us up.

Reality outshines imagination a little today. And these pictures of our sun show us why.

Science is cool! 

Graylin Fox 

P.S. My first published short story, Coming Home, is FREE on Amazon right now. It's Urban Fantasy, just in case you would be interested.http://www.amazon.com/Graylin-Fox/e/B004QOLZKK/

"Would You Like to Swing on a Star?"

I don't just write sci-fi romance, but alien romance. Whether I have two aliens from different species, or an alien and an earthling, I like to show that love supersedes all differences.

But where did this interest in aliens begin? I could say Star Trek, Star Wars, or even Alf. Sure, I watched those shows regularly, but there was another show that captivated my imagination. What would it be like to fall in love with an alien? And what would children born of this union look like? Would they have any special powers like Superman (my fav superhero)?

And the show that started it all...

"Out of this World"

Summary from Wikipedia:

The series revolves around Evie Ethel Garland (Maureen Flannigan), a young girl who discovers on her thirteenth birthday that her father is an alien named Troy Garland (Burt Reynolds - voice), from the planet Antareus, who married her mother, Donna Garland (Donna Pescow) and "merged lifeforms" to create Evie. Evie's half-alien heritage gives her superhuman abilities. Most of the episodes revolve around Evie misusing her powers and causing some trouble, which she spends the rest of the episode trying to fix. Only Evie and her family know about her alien father and her powers, and many episodes depict Evie trying to hide her secret from other characters. The series ended on a cliffhanger in the Season 4 finale, where Troy came to visit and Donna took his place by accident and ended up in Antareus, leaving Troy stranded on Earth.

Yes, it's a typical 80's show, but I tried not to miss any episode. It was on NBC from 1987-1991.

Are there any lesser known sci-fi shows, movies, or books that inspire you?

Irony--Get Ya Some

So, I was driving down the interstate, following a truck that left a cloud of thick black exhaust behind it. Unable to take the smell, or see clearly, I decided to pass. When driving by, I discovered it was a recycling truck, the wrap on the side said, "Save Mother Earth. If you don't care for the environment, who will?"

While I was coming home from work one night, I saw a giant crow hop across the road with a bag in his mouth. The top was rolled down and he carried it like takeout. On the side of the bag. McDonalds--I'm loving it. "Quoth the raven, never more."

While going into the local mart to pay for gas, a big strapping biker, hopped off an impressive hog. Dressed head to toe in leather, bald with a full tat covering his scalp and neck,a man that could scare anyone in a dark alley, or light alley for that matter, unzipped his jacket, pulled out a Pomeranian and began to walk it on the lawn. "The need to own a small dog because I'm feelin richer effect."

My friend's husband had a heart-attack and needed surgery. The surgeon told her that the healing process took time, but that it shouldn't be too bad, because he used a bone-friendly saw on his breastbone. As opposed to what? An unfriendly one?

My son joined the Army. While trying to pick his MOS, occupational skill, they tried to talk him into EOD. (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Their argument--Disarming bombs has gotten much safer.

While my husband was out hunting last year, a moose came up to our living room window and peered in. Good he's not home--let's party.

Two days after I paid my car off, free and clear, the computer in it went. Cost to repair? $2,500.00, cost for trade in $2500.00. The look on my husband's face as we had to take out another loan--priceless.

Ever feel like you're having one of those days?

We Owe Ellen Ripley

Growing up the only science fiction women I saw were the stereotypical damsels in distress. Princess Leia started to break the mold by being smarter than the guys saving her but she still ended up in a metal bikini chained to a slug.

Go women?!? Not yet.

Then Alien came out. Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley was smoking hot, smart, and deadly. She gave us a woman you *know* would never wear F-me pumps to run in when chased by the monster of the week. I was a teenager when this came out and I was so scared I think I was under the seat in the theatre. But I was also proud. I now had someone on screen with a smart mouth, a hot bod, and brains. I had my heroine and I'll never forget the pride I felt.

Thank you to Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett for writing her. We owe you.

Graylin Fox

Read Sci-Fi Romance For A Cure

Starting today, and for the rest of the month, Celestial Seduction is the Read For A Cure selection over at Decadent Publishing. Therefore, ALL publisher proceeds from Celestial Seduction during the month of March will be donated to the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life program.

Blurb:

At the end of his obligated commitment to the Space Service, Frey Berger decides to stay on Earth to further experience human emotions rather than return to Ginnun where his intended has already mated with another. Looking for real love and someone to accept him for what he is, Frey enlists in Madame Evangeline’s popular dating service. Although he does not understand the concept of a one-night stand, he hopes to find his perfect mate.

Carrie Cooper’s husband divorced her for someone who could provide him with children, leaving her with little self-confidence and no desire to let a man hurt her again. Her best friend convinces her to join a dating service, claiming Carrie needs to get laid, while not winding up with a broken heart since her date requires no commitment after the night is over.

Although several misunderstandings nearly derail them before the date has even begun, Carrie and Frey end up becoming closer than they ever believed possible. Still, Frey will need to convince Carrie that her perfect mate isn’t human at all, and that one night can lead to a forever love.

Excerpt:

“What do you mean, you want to stay?”

Frey balled his fists and watched the Mission Commander’s face turn from blue to purple to red. But he refused to step onto the ship. “Exactly that. I don’t want to return to Ginnun. I’ve spent one rotation around the sun here, established myself in their culture, and lived like one of them. And I’ll continue to do so. This is my home now.”

“One rotation is hardly long enough to call this place home. Besides, you’ve sworn your life to the Space Service.” As his MC’s eyes hardened further, Frey noticed all the wrinkles in the man’s once again blue face. His white hair stood up straight on an oversized head. If he remained with the Space Service, the stress of the job would age him exactly the same way.
“This is my last mission. I’ll be discharged when I return.” Frey wouldn’t receive any compensation for this mission, but Space Service credits were of no use on Earth.

“The only way to get out of the Service is to apply for mating. Won’t Tandee be waiting for your return?”

His stomach clenched upon hearing her name. “On the day we left, she confessed to already mating with Brand, my supposed best friend.”

The Commander only raised his eyebrow. Frey didn’t expect any compassion from him. “Ouch! So that’s why you failed to keep your emotions in check on the trip to Earth.”

He looked away. Even after his time on this planet, the memory of that day still stung. She’d flaunted her admission without a hint of regret.

“There are many other females on Ginnun who would take you as a mate.”

Frey looked back to the Mission Commander and shook his head. “I don’t want an emotionless relationship. When I choose a mate, I need to want to be with her. I want a mate for more than just procreation. I want to love.”

“Emotions just get in the way of your life.” His MC slammed his fist against the ship. “You’re our best field informant! If you’re leaving the Service, you could easily find yourself on the High Council. You don’t want to throw away your future for the overly sensitive women here on Earth.”

“It’s not just the women. I have friends here, not just acquaintances, as everyone is to me on Ginnun.” Many people he’d trusted on Ginnun wound up stabbing him in the back, as in his best friend who slept with his intended without any guilt. Returning to a planet of long-dead emotions held no appeal after living on Earth. He refused to hide his feelings again, and there were so many more he wanted to experience.

The Mission Commander signaled to the pilot to start the engines. “Stop this nonsense and get on the ship.”

“No.” He grabbed his sack and without remorse, turned his back on his Ginnunian heritage.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/terxB9miPwE

Buy Link: Decadent Publishing

Two Rebels and a Regulator

I love when I get a shiny new cover and this one is no exception.

 “Good morning, Duchess.”

Born in the fires of revolution and baptized in the blood of those who fought for a better life, Captain Ava Frost smuggles illegal materials to a war machine that will someday free her people from an oppressive Nexian government.

A child of two worlds, Ava is bound by a heritage that won’t let her go. While living with her family on New Xiera, Ava meets Brodie Mark, a boy that will someday become the leader of the revolution, and a man who will challenge her love and loyalties in every way imaginable.

When Brodie leads an attack in the Blue District, a refugee neighborhood, slaughtering the Nexian hierarchy, his act kicks off a torrent of bloody retribution. It costs him the lives of the only family he’s ever known, and love of the woman he calls Duchess. Unable to cope with the loss, Brodie disappears into the underground, determined to make things right.

Ten years later, believing Brodie is dead, Ava moves on with her life. She meets the last man she should fall in love with, Commander Seth Reynolds. The Regulator is searching for a dangerous shipment of fissile materials, the very same shipment Ava brought to New Xiera on her ship. When he begins to stalk Ava around the planet, she turns the tables on him and soon discovers she’s bitten off more than she can chew.

Unable to resist the sexy Regulator, Ava begins a passionate affair, playing with danger and soon finds herself torn between two men, when Brodie surfaces and wants her back.
One last run across League space. One last trip for the rebels and Ava plans to retire, start a family and soak in the love of a man on the opposite side of everything she is, a man that places duty above all things—a man that would have her executed if he knew what she’s been doing.

 “No man flies three days to the edge of Nexian space without a reason.”

Okay, time to reveal the cover. Drum roll please....

Tell me you're lovin this.
Come on, it's okay.

Got a mock up for Rebel Souls

Of course it's not finalized, so I can't show you yet.

It's one of those love hate things. I love most of it, don't like one of the pieces, and I'm waiting to see if they'll change it.

It's not horrid, it just doesn't feel like the character in the story, a younger version of him, yes, but not the Brodie you spend most of the story with in Rebel Souls. Regardless, it's a pretty cover and I can't wait to show everyone.

So, since I can't share the cover, I'll share an excerpt.

“Brodie?” she whispered.  It couldn’t be. He’d died. Had the drug conjured her memories and brought them to life? Her heart pounded against her ribs, threatening to break bone.

It had to be the air, couldn’t be real. Ava shook her head, trying to knock the illusion away. He didn’t disappear like a mirage on hot sand, but remained fixed, staring at her with the same intensity he studied everything and everyone. Her breath caught and she swallowed hard, trying to control the multitude of emotions that crashed onto her.

The message she’d received from the Underground, instructed her to come here, to meet Tagas, one of the Nexian Rebel leaders. She certainly hadn’t expected the man who sat at the table, his legs stretched out in front of him and a drink in his hand. “My gods,” she muttered.

“What?”

Ava blew out a breath, unable to speak further. She hadn’t seen him for ten years, thought he’d been killed. Even so, she’d recognize him anywhere, the power he held in his eyes, the stubborn line of his mouth, and the way he reclined, yet appeared ready to spring at any second. Apprehension settled into her guts.

He’d grown broader in the shoulders, all muscle, without an inch of fat on his frame, a more mature version of the man she’d known, and definitely not dead. She raised her hand to her chest to steady her heart. Brodie gave her a slight nod, as if to say, I’ve come back.

Yeah, she got that. She tugged the fabric off her mouth, wanting more air, and knowing she didn’t need the filter anymore. If Brodie was here, the drugs weren’t. For several moments, she absorbed his image, taking time for reality catch up to her whirling mind.

My gods, he’s alive. Even more handsome than his twenty-one year old self, Brodie commanded the room. None dared to look his way—other than her. His dreadlocks were gone, replaced with a clean military-styled cut. It gave his face sharper angles, exposing his hard bone structure. He stared at her, raised a brow and his gaze shifted to her right, his attention landing on Seth. Cold, hard, and like a snake about to strike.

Shit.

By now, word had gotten back to him about her standoff outside the wormhole with the Regulators, as well as the fight on the street. Brodie was the ultimate predator and always had eyes and ears everywhere. Her heart skipped and fear gripped her insides. “Back toward the door.” She’d seen that look before, moments before Brodie killed someone.

“Why?” Seth pulled his collar down and switched his laser from stun.

“Don’t do that in here. He’ll take it as a challenge,” Ava said the words as Brodie tossed his shot back and slammed the glass down on the hovering table next to him. Too late. He’d caught it. “You need to leave.”

“Not until I find out what you’re doing in New Xiera.”

“This is not the time to argue. Get out of here, or I won’t be responsible for what happens.”

“I’m a big boy, Captain Frost. I can take care of myself, and I’m only leaving when you do.” He grabbed her arm, and Ava yanked away. Brodie rose to his feet, murder on his face. He moved across the bar, the crowd parted before him, giving him twice the space he needed. Within seconds, he was face to face with Seth.

“Duchess,” Brodie said, not breaking the stare-down. “You’ve brought a friend.”

“Brodie, you’re alive.”

“Yes.”

Both men glared at each other. Energy seethed around them. Several patrons collected themselves and exited as quickly as possible, somehow sensing the trouble coming on.

“It’s not what you think,” she said.

“What is it I think, Duchess?” He turned his face to her, his expression unreadable.

“Seth is on leave. He escorted me here for my safety.”

“Is this true?” Brodie turned back to Seth. “I somehow doubt the Duchess needs your protection. She’s managed all these years without it.”

“I escorted her here to get her arm bandaged. She said someone at this place could take care of it.” Seth stared back, holding Brodie’s challenge, refusing to look away or back down. “Are you that someone?”

Ava swallowed hard. “Brodie….”

Brodie raised his hand to silence her and broke the showdown, dropping his gaze to Ava’s arm. He didn’t need to posture to prove he was bad. If Brodie wanted to kill Seth—he simply would. He reached out and grabbed her hand gently, raising her wound to the light. “You call this keeping her safe? She’s sliced to the bone.”

“Children.”

“I know,” Brodie said, confirming Ava’s suspicions that he’d had advance knowledge of the encounter with the children and her traveling companion. Knowing Brodie, he already had scouts on the street, digging for information on the Regulator. He’d know everything about Seth, including the color of his undergarments, before the star rose in the sky. Question was, would he play nice?

 

Nathan Fillion as Malcolm Reynolds

My favorite Science Fiction hero is Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly. I love that he appears to have a moral compass that gets thrown out of wack by bad guys. And he gets all flustered when Inara is standing by. Is it because she is beautiful or that her talent is sexual pleasure? I'm guess both.

The reason is Nathan Fillion. He said during an interview that  his mother told him as a child, "you are a nerd, your gift is that you look normal." Well, that's putting it mildly. I fell for him as the boyfriend on Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place. A little dorky but oooh soo cute.

The other night I'm watching Jimmy Kimmel and here comes Nathan. He mentions that he recently moved and it was sad because at his old address his cat was in the Google Street View. *awe* Then he said he walked onto the porch of his new place and the Google camera vehicle was coming down the road. So he did the typical nerd/geek thing and thought of a pose to strike for the Street View cameras.

It's why we love him. Oh! and his ass.. for those of you who do not have the Firefly DVD set I offer you a picture from the extras. 

Happy Friday Fellow Browncoats. May the Reavers never find you and the profits be large. *Cough*

Graylin Fox

More Sci-Fi Romance recommendations

Now, I want you to know there are so many fabulous sci-fi romance stories out there. I'm only focusing on those I've read since the beginning of the year. I have so many more on my Kobo and bookshelves to read.

Anyway, here are two more that I recommend:

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

This is the second book in the Across the Universe series aimed at young adults. (I read many YA books.)

Blurb:

Godspeed was once fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos. It’s been three months. In that time, Amy has learned to hide who she is. Elder is trying to be the leader he’s always wanted to be. But as the ship gets more and more out of control, only one thing is certain: They have to get off the ship.

My thoughts:

While this story does not start out with the same intensity as Across the Universe, it makes up for it throughout the rest of the book. A Million Suns is filled with secrets, riots, chaos, murder, and more. A great page-turner, continuing to build on the relationship between Amy and Elder, and all of the obstacles they encounter. I highly recommend both books in this series, and look forward to reading the conclusion, Shades of Earth. January 2013 seems too far away.


Last Flight of the Ark by D.L. Jackson

There is not one story by D.L. Jackson that I haven't absolutely loved! She always manages to stir my emotions.

Blurb:

Evolution never happened so fast.

Twelve hours outside of Terra II, Colonel Kaleb Titan, a molecular geneticist and commander of the Ark, faces a life or death choice that could change the fate of mankind.

The Genesis I, aka the Ark, travels with a hold full of wildlife and three crew members. When a wolf bite and genetically-altering gamma radiation transform Kaleb, he notices his senses have been heightened, his libido has gone haywire and he can’t keep his hands off his crew. Worse yet, they don't seem inclined to stop him.

When their sister ship, the Genesis II arrives early, Kaleb’s problems compound. As soon as the command crew of the Genesis II boards, one whiff tells Kaleb they’re not from Earth or who they appear to be.

When he discovers that they’ve kept the Genesis II’s crew of over two thousand alive, he begins to believe their reasons may be far more ominous than anyone could have imagined. However, he also discovers what’s holding them back. The hijackers seem to be allergic to canines.

Now they're forced to employ biological warfare against their own, but will it be enough to save humanity?

History is about to repeat and only one species will survive.

My thoughts:

Colonel Kaleb Titan has spent the past eight months on a ship with two women. But he had always kept a professional distance from them. On the way to a new planet, Terra II to set up a new colony, they pass through gamma radiation which changes his resolve and the rest of their mission.

Last Flight of the Ark is a wonderful sci-fi menage romance filled with unexpected twists and turns and hot sex. It sucked me in and held on, stirring my emotions all the way to the last page.

So, once again, I ask you, what sci-fi romance books do you recommend? Recommend your own, if you like. :)

Ode to Farscape

As one of my commenters pointed out earlier this week, there was something about Farscape.

A snarky human, a peacekeeper (who kicks major ass and steals his heart), a Delvian, a Luxan, a Hynerian, a Nebari, a Stykera, and a half breed Sebacean/Scarran.

Now that's a crew! And the ship was sentient. Moya is a living ship and the inspiration for the ship (and story) in Deadly Beauty.

There have been post after post about the Love between Crichton (human) and Aeryn (peacekeeper). My choice for the longest lasting and most stable relationship on this show was between the Pilot and Moya.

Moya 

Pilot

Pilot connected to and flying Moya.

Pilot has multiple limbs and is actually connected to the ship. He steers the ship, translates her for the crew, and when she gets hurt, he becomes ill. Now that is Love.


Graylin

And Best Blogger Posts Were...

Graylin Fox
Arlene Webb
Heather Massey

I'm sending you a little somthing from http://www.thinkgeek.com

Thanks for participating.

Science Fiction Romance recommendations

First of all, I want to thank everyone who participated in, and visited during Backward Momentum's 1st Annual Valentine's Bash. It was a blast!

Now, I recently finished off two blog tours and two blog hops. The one thing I noticed is that to many readers, science fiction romance is still foreign territory. And I just happen to be on a SFR reading binge--in between edits, that is. So, for the next couple weeks (maybe longer), I thought I'd share some of the recent science fiction romance books that I've read and loved. Here are the first two:

Screw Superman (Screwing the Superhero) by Rebecca Royce


Rebecca's Sexy Superhero takes an erotic twist on the superheroes we normally see in comics and on film.

Blurb:

Wendy Warner is a bit of an oddball. Raised in an orphanage, she has found solace and friendship by watching the television show Space Adventures and participating in fan clubs related to the show. Every month, on the second and third Fridays Wendy comes to work dressed in a costume from the show that she wears to charity events. This has earned her the disdain of many of her coworkers but not from her boss, the president of the company, Draco Powers who rather likes the way the uniform tugs at all of her curves in the just the right places.

Draco Powers is a real life Superhero who told the world that, yes, Superheroes do exist, but, no, we won’t work for free or without health insurance. Some people refer to him with derision as the ‘Capitalist Superman.’ Draco is being hunted by an organization called the Organization, whose motives are unclear and yet still cause death and destruction wherever they go.

The Organization has decided that Draco’s biggest weakness is the way he cares about his employees and has picked Wendy out as their next target. To save her, Draco will have to come to terms with his real feelings for Wendy and why it is that he has so long resisted complicated relationships. That is, if he can get there in time…

My thoughts:


Draco Powers is superhero, but one who charges for his services and provides health care to other superheroes in his employ. Wendy Warner is his handler, but she can't help but see him as more than her boss.

When Draco's company, Powers Inc. is threatened by The Organization, and he and Wendy find their lives on the line, will it push them closer, into something more intimate, or keep Draco from getting close to anyone?

This is a wonderful superhero story. While Draco is a larger-than-life character, Wendy is realistic and relateable, the perfect person to balance him. I enjoyed getting to know them as well as many of the minor characters.

The storyline is common to what I expect a superhero story to embody, but with twists and turns I didn't see coming.

If you're a fan of Superman, Batman, Spiderman, or any of the other good-willed men with secret identities, you'll enjoy this twist on their stories. I look forward to reading the next in the series.


Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch


This is the fourth book in the series, and they're still rockin'.

Blurb:

Alien Super-Being Exterminator Kitty Katt is expecting her first baby. But the alien attacks are getting more dangerous, and now Kitty and her Alpha Centaurion husband, Jeff, have to find out who's behind the conspiracy to kill Kitty's secret agent mom and what caused Kitty's transformation into a superhuman-and they've got to do it all before the baby shower...

My thoughts:


Wow, I don't think I've ever had any book bring tears to my eyes as often as this book. It seemed to go back and forth from kick-butt action to extreme emotion. I've been Team Martini for all of the other books in the series, but this book not only made me love them even more, but the rest of the gang as well.

What I enjoyed the most though, was how much these characters grew, not only in this story, but the rest of the series as well. Unlike other series I've read, where the main character goes through the same experiences book after book, Kitty is allowed to grow up, to experience life, on top of saving the universe. Ms. Koch is not afraid to change the formula of each book, to throw new situations at her characters, and I appreciate that.

I highly recommend this book as well as the rest of the series, and can't wait for Alien Diplomacy to release this spring.

And next week, I'll have two more; a young adult novel, and a hot menage.


Have any recommendations of your own? Leave them here. :)

Drum Roll Please....

The grand prize winner that gets to walk away with gift certificates and Ye Goode Shoppe Chocolates is...

Debbie Gould.

Congrats on bagging the big prize. I'll be contacting you soon.