Running to Catch Up...

I apologize for my absence on the SFR Brigade these last couple of weeks.  August is always devoted to an overwhelming "A" priority at my day job that sucks up most of my evenings and weekends in addition to my usual forty hours.  I should be back in full swing soon...and hanging around the Brigade Lounge as I burn umpteen hours of comp time.  Woohoo!  :)

Meanwhile, I'll step into Kylie Griffin's shoes while she's away at writers conferences Down Under and post some news and happenings.

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First of all, a hearty and very belated congratulations to member Katherine Allred for her PRISM win in the Futuristic category and for the BEST OF THE BEST!  The wins were for her wonderful SFR, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS.  Her second, CLOSE CONTACT was launched here at SFR Brigade after receiving a Top Pick by Romantic Times!  Definitely a series to check out.  Several members of the Brigade were on hand at the FF&P Chapter "The Gathering" event at RWA in Orlando to witness the win.  Many, many congrats for your huge achievement, Katherine.

In fact, SFR Brigaders swept the PRISM Futuristic category, with placings also going to Linnea Sinclair for HOPE'S FOLLY and Jess Granger for BEYOND THE RAIN.  Ella Drake also placed second in the Novella category with her FIRESTORM ON E'TERRA -- HEARTS AFIRE anthology. Congrats, Brigaders!!!!

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Secondly, a huge congrats to A.R. Norris for her FIRST SALE!!!  *thows confetti* DUTY AND DEVOTION by A.R. Norris is being published by Desert Breeze Publishing in June 2011! Please join me in congratulating A.R. on her sale and to Desert Breeze for acquiring a SFR! :) Here's a sneak peek:

DUTY AND DEVOTION follows sisters, Nettie and Rinny, through battle. Both rely on sisterly love and dedication to stay true to themselves and follow their hearts, no matter where fate takes them.

Older sister Nettie wasn’t sure what the militia thought she was, but she knew and it wasn’t a space fighter pilot on the front line. But Dad always pressed the importance of duty to your territory. Now she has to figure out how to survive in a place she never imagined ending up. Keeping things interesting is a very overconfident competitor, James. Through it all, she’s got her younger sister Rinny. Or so she believed until the moment she lost her.

As for Rinny, the Mars facility gives her chance to break family expectation and she thrives in ground combat training. She also learns life off the concert stage can be just as rewarding when she makes her first real friends and meets Daniel, who could just be “the one”. He’s a little more reluctant and it turns out he has a reason, a secret involving Rinny. After the enemy attacks her facility and kills her best friend, Daniel disappears. Now captured, Rinny must fight behind enemy lines to help her people remain free, and live to return home.

We hope to give DUTY AND DEVOTION a super send-off here on the SFR Brigade. Stay tuned!

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New member Darlene Reilly was recently honored as the Member of the Week on the Literary Gumbo site. Congrats, Darlene, and thanks for the mention of the SFR Brigade in your interview.

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We have many new members that I've been remiss in listing, so let me *try* to play catch-up.  (We've had quite a rush, so if I missed anyone, don't be shy about jumping around and waving your hands so we can acknowledge you.)  In aphabetical order by last name:

Erica Anderson
Julia Rachel Barrett
Misa Buckley
Gail Delaney (co-owner of Desert Breeze Publishing)
Jennifer L. Hart
Belinda McBride
Mandy McCartney
Darlene Reilly
Rachel Savage
Vijaya Schartz
Gary Starta

Welcome to our merry ranks, new members.