~~ Happy Halloween ~~

Tagging Results

Every week Sandra Stixrude puts up a new list of Brigaders' novels to tag on Amazon in our weekly Book Tagging Party.  But what sort of impact is it having, and how are we doing so far?  (Placings are subject to change according to current number of tags.)

Let's take a look at the top five books in several categories.

SFR
1.  Nexus Point (paperback) -- Jaleta Clegg [Brigader]  51 tags
2.  Mating Net (Kindle) -- Rowena Cherry [Not a Brigader]  34 tags
3.  Girl Gone Nova (Kindle) -- Pauline Baird Jones [Brigader]  24 tags
4.  Taking Liberty (Kindle) -- Jodi Redford [Brigader]  21 tags
5.  ** Product no longer available**
6.  Rebels and Lovers (Kindle) -- Linnea Sinclair [Brigader]  19 tags
Top taggers -- Anna McLain, Heather Massey, Laurie G., Rowena Cherry

Sci-Fi Romance
1.  Courtesan (Kindle) -- D.A. Boulter [Not a Brigader]  125 tags
2.  Insufficient Mating Material (Paperback) -- Rowena Cherry [Not a Brigader] 105 tags
3.  Nexus Point (paperback) -- Jaleta Clegg [Brigader]  40 tags
4.  Cherished Invader (Kindle) -- Samantha Gail [Brigader]  37 tags
5.  Grimspace (paperback) -- Ann Aguirre [Not a Brigader]  33 tags
Top Taggers -- Anna McLain, Laurie G., J. Wallace, Heather Massey (All Brigaders)

Science Fiction Romance 
1.  Forced Mate (paperback) -- Rowena Cherry [Not a Brigader]  113 tags
2.  Insufficient Mating Material (paperback) -- Rowena Cherry [Not a Brigader]  112 tags
3.  Rogue Huner: Quest of the Hunter (Kindle) -- Kevis Hendrickson [Not a Brigader]  92 tags
4.  When Angels Cry (Kindle) -- Melanie Mills [Not a Brigader]  76 tags
5.  Call of Destiny (Paperback) -- Robert Wagoner [Not a Brigader]  72 tags
Top taggers -- Anna McLain, Brian "Andrea" Davis, Rowena Cherry, Heather Massey

SF Romance
1.  Nexus Point (paperback) -- Jaleta Clegg [Brigader]  47 tags
2.  Girl Gone Nova (Kindle) -- Pauline Baird Jones [Brigader]  16 tags
3.  **Product no longer available**
4.  Song of Scarrabeaus (paperback) -- Sara Creasy [Brigader]  14 tags
5.  Blaze of Glory (Kindle) -- Sheryl Nantus [Brigader]  14 tags
Top taggers -- Laurie G., Anna McLain, J. Wallace, Jaleta Clegg (All Brigaders)

SFR Brigade
1.  Nexus Point -- Jaleta Clegg  13 tags  (Clearly Jaleta's novel has acquired a huge following of taggers!)
2.  Enemy Within -- Marcella Burnard  6 tags 
3,  Secrets Vol 2 -- Calista Fox  5 tags
4.  Romenel - Obligations of Blood -- Sandra Stixrude  5 tags
5.  Romancing the Alien -- Shelley Munro   4 tags
Top taggers -- Laurie G., J. Wallace, Pauline Baird Jones, Anna McLain  (All Brigaders)

All in all, a very good showing for Brigaders and their books.  :)  Jaleta Clegg's Nexus Point is clearly our tag champion, and Anna McLain is our tagger extraordinaire.

We have some work to do for books tagged Science Fiction Romance, but every Tagging Party we sponsor helps move Brigaders' books up the list.

Thanks to everyone who participates!  :)

Art Imitating Life

Gemini 105Mc "Copernicus"

Some time ago, Laurie Green asked me whether I thought living aboard a sailboat impacted how I wrote about space ships. I had to stop and think. Up to this point in my books, I've been dealing with research vessels and military craft - completely different critters from privately owned (and maintained) boats. Sure. I use yachtie terms like 'head' when I mean 'bathroom'. I distinguished between having the helm of the boat and being in command of the boat. The Coast Guard doesn't equate the helm operator with the captain of the ship, so we don't either. That distinction spilled over into some of the interplay between the hero and heroine of Enemy Within. But for that book and for Enemy Games, that's about as far as the boating experience went.

That's changing in book three (as yet untitled). The heroine is a mercenary with her own space ship - one that more accurately reflects what it's like to live in less than three hundred square feet. She'll be conscious of the fact that a thin sheeth of metal alloy is all that stands between her and the vacuum. Her life hinges on her ability to maintain her boat and to fix whatever breaks (which happens, always at the worst possible moment...remind me to tell you about the time the head gave up the ghost on the fourth of July weekend...)
 

Boat living is already part scifi. The paint we put on the bottom of the boat to inhibit marine life growth is a chemical soup of wonderous and toxic technology. And it makes me wonder what sort of hull maintenance someone would have to do on a space ship. Would you get bacterial or viral slime mold growths? NASA has found bacteria in asteroid and comet ice. Could that extremophile life colonize a ship hull? Think of all of the space dust and rocky debris you'd likely come across - sure the vastness of space is mostly gaseous and bits of dust here and there - but that's not where most scifi stories take place, right? The interesting stuff (life forms, weird, wonderful planets, bad guys...) is around planetary systems, the spots in the galaxy where ancient planet-building materials still orbit the central star, where comets, asteroids and other hazards to navigation are concentrated. Edie may have a few dents to hammer out of her hull at some point.

One of the single biggest cruising delimiters modern boaters face is consumables. Boats carry finite resources. Depending on the boat, you can stray farther from shore based on how much food, water and fuel you can carry or make. Most science fiction assumes that space travel has solved the problem of consumables with things like replicators. But if you accept conservation of energy laws, you'd need massive amounts of power in order to suck in a bunch of space gas and rearrange the molecules to make your chicken kiev supper. On a small, personal space craft, you might not have that kind of engine capacity. You might not have the kind of money that would buy a high tech system like that. Then you're limited in range and in how many bodies you can reasonably bring aboard.

So. While my books haven't yet gotten into the details of life aboard a small craft, we're about to go there. Edie's bonus is that when she takes off into the hostile reaches of space while wrapped in a thin metal shell, she'll have a gorgeous, telepathic spy trapped in close quarters with her...

Thursday Tag Party for 10/28/10!

Chickens have magnetic sensor functions. Just like migratory birds, researchers have found that chickens also have a built-in magnetic sense of direction. Who knew?

If chickens can find their way using magnetic north, we reasoning beings can certainly find our way to Tag some Amazon pages (how's THAT for a leap of logic? :) )

We have some wonderful books this week, come join the fun and tag away.

For our new, fuzzy-chick taggers:

• Go to the Amazon buy page (I've included the links below)

• Scroll down to the Tags Customers Associate with this Product header

• Look for these tags: SFR, Scifi Romance, SF Romance, Science Fiction Romance and Paranormal Romance - please feel free to add any extra tags you feel are appropriate to the work (i.e. Space Opera, Military SF, etc.)

• Don't forget your SFR Brigade Tag!

• If the tags are already there, just click on them to add your 'vote'

• If not, type them into the 'your tags' box to add them (no need to save the page, just type and add)

For a list of past Tag Party books, come on over to the Book Launch and Tag Party Books page. Tagging is always welcome.

Sugar Rush by Kimber An

Just My Luck by Gail Koger

Pandora's Hope (Paperback) by Lisa Lane

Do you have an SF book out on Amazon, old or new, that we haven't featured yet? Know an SFRB member who does? You cracked the DaVinci code and Dan Brown got it all wrong? Send me a message at ravenesperanza@yahoo.com and I'll add you to the schedule.

REMINDER: HOAF news!

Send any of the following information to me, Brigaders!

• a new release
• interesting blog post
• contest news - finalist, place or win?
• a book reviews - either one you've done or one done on your book by someone else?
• a link to a good article or website
• a contest running on your site or blog
• give-aways on your website or blog
• free stories on your website or blog
• a blog tour for your new book
• an upcoming birthday
• attending a convention
• just signed with an agent
• sold a book
• industry news
• heard of an SFR contest our members could enter

Email kyliegriffin (at) clearmail (dot) com (dot) au

Lucy in the Sky Going to Print!

Great news! Author and fellow Brigader Barbara Elsborg just received notice that her SFR/erotica novel Lucy In The Sky will be released in print by Ellora’s Cave.  I’m very excited, since Lucy in the Sky is one of my favorite erotica SFRs ever.  Just look at these fabulous reviews:

“Ms. Elsborg brilliantly transports her readers to the far reaches of space for a sexy escape from reality. Sit back and enjoy this delightful tale!” -- Shannon of The Romance Studio

“With a hilarious heroine and a sweet hero, LUCY IN THE SKY is a fun romp from start to finish.” --Noella of Romance Junkies Blue Ribbon Reviews.

“…Ms. Elsborg has created a story designed to tease and tantalize as well as make me outright laugh.” WitchGiggles of Alternative-Read.com

“…rest assured that this was a cute, quirky read that made me giggle, gasp and moan. Complete with a happy ending that every one will love. The blurb doesn't make mention, but there are some pretty steamy m/m scenes scattered throughout. Hot steamy read. Unique characters and one hell of a plot and story line :) *SNAPS* Ms Elsborg, wonderful job :)” -- Seriously Reviewed

To celebrate the anticipated print version, Barbara is giving away a copy of the Lucy in the Sky e-book, so read on!

First of all, Barbara, when was Lucy in the Sky first released as an e-book and how was it received by readers?

It first came out in October 2009 and to be honest, the first month’s sales were not as good as they have been for my other books. Can’t help but wonder if that was because it’s a sci fi romance – my first, BUT it has sold consistently since.

When and how did you receive word that Lucy in the Sky would go into print and what was your first thought?

Almost a year to the day after it came out as an ebook, I was told it will be put into print some time next year. My first thought? Yippee!!!!! While I appreciate the sense and value of ebooks, there is nothing like seeing your book on your bookshelf to give you a thrill!!

What is the criteria for Ellora’s Cave to consider publishing an e-book in a print version?

As I understand it, they will consider most titles for print eventually though it does depend on the length. I don’t, for example, expect to see my short novella – Snow Play – put into print but who knows! And whilst I never expected to see my little free story in print – it was put into an anthology and I have a copy for my bookshelf.

What’s the word count for Lucy in the Sky and will there be any trimmed or additional scenes when it goes into print?

It’s about 76,000 words. Nothing will be changed when it goes into print.

Tell us a little about the main characters and the central conflict. What inspired you to create them and write their story?

The idea for the story sprang from a moment when I looked out the window of my house and wondered what I’d do if I saw a spaceship in my back garden. At that moment, Lucy the heroine was born though I have to say I don’t think I’d have behaved liked Lucy. I’m fairly certain I’d have run screaming in the other direction rather than confront the pilot. Lucy is everything I’m not – plucky, cute, quick thinking and brave.

The hero of the story – Three – who’s come to Earth to collect plant samples, thinks he’s some sort of manufactured being and so his response to Lucy takes him by surprise. Instead of flying away without her, he takes her with him and thus the story begins. Of course, Three isn’t supposed to bring back this sort of sample and has to hide her which gives me the chance to insert lots of humorous situations.

As the author, what part of the novel is your favorite and why?

I think the start is my favorite part. It’s because it was my original inspiration – this vision of a lump of metal sitting on my lawn that triggered the rest of the book. Perhaps the bit that makes me laugh the most – is Lucy’s experience with the spacecraft’s toilet!

Please share the blurb with our readers.

When you wake up to find a spaceship in your backyard, what do you do? Choose from three.

Phone the police.

Scream.

Go yell at the alien for wrecking your garden.

Lucy storms out of her house to confront the inept pilot and the last option turns out to be both the right and wrong choice when she finds the gorgeous hunk’s name is Three. She’s torn between fury that he’s not only crushed her roses but decapitated her statue of Eros, and a longing that he enliven her boring life and whisk her to the stars. Three doesn’t give her a choice when he throws her over his broad shoulders and takes her into space. Lucy soon finds herself exploring alien territory in ways she never imagined.

Three’s efforts to hide and protect her on the mother ship are stymied by his inability to keep his hands—and other body parts—off the luscious Lucy, and it looks as if her immediate fate might be a solo trip into space without a spacesuit.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

My intention with Lucy in the Sky was to make people smile as well as draw them into the conflict. This is a lighthearted love story though it has its tense moments. Lucy, I think, is the woman we’d all like to think we’d be if we were thrown into her predicament. And of course, if there was a handsome hunk called Three around – so much the better.

Also I need to mention that there is an MM sub plot in here. Not to everyone’s taste, I know. Though it might make the book more desirable to others.

Thanks for your time, Barbara, and once again, congratulations on the fantastic news. For those who want to read more, here’s a link to the opening excerpt of Lucy in the Sky from the Ellora’s Cave website.

For a chance to win an e-copy of Lucy in the Sky, simply leave a comment below.

New Science Fiction Series for Those Who Like Action, Suspense and kickbutt Heroines

The Cybil Lewis Series  is a science fiction series by Nicole Givens Kurtz
Cybil Lewis is a kick-azz heroine. She's quick with her wit, her lasergun and finding the bad guy (or girl). If you want it/her/him/them found, Cybil's got you covered. She's a private inspector in the year 2146. If you enjoy dystopian settings, quick action, mystery and verbal sass, this series is for you.


Don't take my word for it.

“For top-notch suspense, edge-of-the-seat breathless anticipation, and reeling denouements that never stop, run to your nearest bookseller and pick up SILENCED!”—Dark Angels Review, 5 Angels Review

The Denver Post raves, "Silenced" has all the hard-boiled elements of sex, violence, crooked politicians and dishonest cops and a story told by an engaging but difficult heroine. It is an excellent start to what promises to be a very interesting series. "


Enjoy the ride!

All Steamed Up....For a Contest!

I'm having a contest at AuthorIsland in the run up to the release of Tangled in Time and I'm really "steamed" about it, because this is my first steampunk/science fiction romance novella to release (the steampunk part anyway)! Just click on "contests" or go directly to my website contest page to get details on how to enter.


About Tangled in Time:

Colonel Carey (from The Key and Girl Gone Nova) takes a test "flight" through the Garradian time-space portal, but an unexpected impact lands him somewhere and some when. As he attempts to get to Area 51, he crosses paths with Miss Olivia Carstairs, who could be Mary Poppins' twin sister. Or maybe her cousin. Olivia's got a transmogrification machine powered by steam and something more, and a mouth he'd like to kiss like it was his job. Can he get them both to safety before the buzzard eats them or she shoots him with her derringer?


Some early reviews:



"I read this Sci Fi/Steampunk Romance Novella ARC for the author and I couldn't put it down. It was wonderful with great gentle humor!" Reviews by Martha


"I can’t thank Pauline enough for exposing me to a new genre. I absolutely recommend reading Tangled In Time to science geeks and non-nerds alike. Pauline has the art of subtle romance down, which is something I can now say that I have been missing on my reading list. Tangled In Time is perfectly executed and an absolutely satisfying read!" Http://FirePages.wordpress.com


"Jones packs a wallop of a story in Tangled in Time. Humor and suspense abound in a tale filled with action and suspense. The diversity between Carey and Olivia in manner and speaking is portrayed with engaging wit and the chemistry between the two is fun and highly entertaining. Fans of Jones will recognize favorite characters from The Key and Girl Gone Nova, an added bonus. This novella will appeal to readers across genres, offering romance, suspense, and mystery all wrapped up in an intriguing Sci-Fi plot that grabs the reader from beginning to end." Midwest Book Review


I will have a cyberlaunch party before release and will have guest blogs/giveaways in a variety of places during the next two months, because I'm stoked! (grin)
perilously,
Pauline

Hailing On All Frequencies!

NEW RELEASES

CARNAL MOON is Mel Teshco's latest release from Ellora's Cave and is available from October 28th, 2010.











MEMBERS NEWS
Kimber An's SUGAR RUSH will be release this Friday, October 22nd.  She'll be throwing a Cyber-Launch Party on Saturday October 23rd, at Enduring Romance. For more details on Kimber check out this link.

Marva Dasef has just signed a contract for a MG/YA fantasy titled BAD SPELLING with MuseItUp Publishing. Congratulations, Marva!

Kylie Griffin is excited to announce that she now has an agent - Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency; an editor - Leis Pederson, and a three-book deal with the Berkley Publishing Group for her fantasy romance Light Blade series, BLOODBORN (Bk 1), TEARS OF BLOOD (Bk 2) & TRUEBLOOD (Bk 3) - all working titles. Release dates TBA.

CONTEST NEWS
Donna S. Frelick has taken out 2nd place in the Indiana Golden Opportunity contest with her SFR, UNCHAINED MEMORY. Way to go, Donna! 

We have two Brigader finalists in RWA's FFP On The Far Side contest:
Jennifer L.Hart's novel, STELLAR TIMING in the RWA's FFP On The Far Side contest (futuristic category)
Laurie Green's novel, THE OUTER PLANETS also in the RWA's FFP On The Far Side contest (futuristic category)
Apparently, there were over 139 entries so, congratulations, Jennifer & Laurie, what an achievement!

BOOK REVIEWS, SIGNINGS & GIVE-AWAYS. 
The October Blog Anniversary Party continues! Here's what's coming up on Kylie Griffin's blog this week...
25th Oct. - October Blog Anniversary - THE END :-( Another and the last give-away to celebrate a month of fun.
28th Oct. - Guest Author:Mel Teshco returns to promote CARNAL MOON, her new release from Ellora's Cave!
For more details head on over to Kylie's blog!
INFORMATION OF INTEREST
The Blood-Red Pencil has an easy to read and apply post on Talking Sexual Overtones with Author Rachelle Chase.

The Dark Side DownUnder is a new blog site of Australian and New Zealand authors who write speculative fiction with romantic elements, be it fantasy, futuristic, paranormal, urban fantasy and everything in between.
Members include Keri Arthur, Tracey O'Hara, Rowena Corey Daniells, Christina Phillips and Brigader's Mel Teshco, Maree Anderson, Jess Anastasi, Michelle de Rooy & Kylie Griffin, just to name a few. The site launches on Halloween (October 31st)!

Brigader Gail Koger Speaks Out Against Online Piracy

SFR Brigader Gail Koger has taken a stand against online piracy by writing a feature story for her local news, The Glendale Star.com.

Click here to read Gail's article.

As authors and writers, we can all work to educate the public against online piracy and support anti-piracy legislation, like the poll posted yesterday.

How About a Cover Art Contest?

Recently, Heather Massey at The Galaxy Express posted a thought-provoking article titled Caught in the Cover Crossfire: ENEMY GAMES by Marcella Burnard where she raised the question if the cover implied the novel was SF or Urban Fantasy.

We've seen a lot of discussion over SFR-less SFR covers or the branding of SFRs with covers that effectively suggest ROMANCE or FANTASY more than SFR. This has inspired many questions.

"Shouldn't SFR look like SFR?"

"Are publishers afraid SFR elements on the cover will scare off potential readers?"

"Isn't a non-SFR cover on a decidedly SFR novel akin to bait and switch?"

Here's our chance to make a statement as a group devoted to SFR. Should we sponsor a SFR Brigade Inaugural Cover Art Contest to select the best SFR-themed cover in the universe?  Your response to the poll below will tell us if this is an activity that Brigaders would be interested in.

The Cyber-Launch Book Party for SUGAR RUSH has begun!

Cyber-Launch Book Party for SUGAR RUSH

Sound Off on Piracy and Copyright Infringement

WashingtonWatch.com is sponsoring a poll with comments in regards to S. 3804, The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act. Many authors have chimed in explaining the impact of piracy on their ability to make a living.

Some feel S. 3804 will help eliminate e-book piracy on web sites, while others feel it's a step toward censorship. Do you have an opinion?

SUGAR RUSH Released & a Cyber-Launch Party!

Good morning, Skiffy Rommers!  My YA SFR, Sugar Rush, was scheduled to be released today, but was, in fact, released earlier this week from Decadent Publishing .  I'm throwing a Cyber-Launch Book Party for it tomorrow, Saturday, October 23rd at my book review blog, Enduring Romance.  If you're unfamiliar with what that means, click here and read the last one I threw for Linnea Sinclair-   http://enduringromance.blogspot.com/2008/08/shades-of-dark-cyber-launch-book-party.html
We'll have a drawing for a free Sugar Rush eBook and an Alaskan moose plush toy, and maybe some other goodies.
.
Meanwhile, here's the blurb for Sugar Rush-
.
Running and screaming will have to wait. A blood-sucking dead guy may be a vampire to you, but he’s an alien/human hybrid to Ophelia and she really must examine his olfactory nerve under a microscope first.
.
Ophelia longs to be free, free of Diabetes, free of her ex-boyfriend, free to live. Something transformed Martin and made her his drug. If he has his way, she’ll never achieve the freedom to learn his true nature and origin.
.
Adrian’s the new guy in school. He faked his identity to get close to Ophelia, knowing the monsters who took his Diabetic sister would try to take her, too. Then, he’d have them. But, he knew better than to get too close.
.
Oh, yeah, he did.
.
Seriously.
.
Kimber An

Thursday Tag Party for 10/21/10!

Ah, Thursday again! I haven't perfected that Time Machine but I do seem to have hit on a time acceleration phenomenon. The weeks just seem to be coming at me faster and faster these days. :)

Today, in our continuing series taking a look at prolific Brigaders, we're featuring our own Shelley Munro, one of our busiest authors!

The short flight manual for any fledgling taggers:

• Go to the Amazon buy page (I've included the links below)

• Scroll down to the Tags Customers Associate with this Product header

• Look for these tags: SFR, Scifi Romance, SF Romance, Science Fiction Romance and Paranormal Romance - please feel free to add any extra tags you feel are appropriate to the work (i.e. Space Opera, Military SF, etc.)

• Don't forget your SFR Brigade Tag!

• If the tags are already there, just click on them to add your 'vote'

• If not, type them into the 'your tags' box to add them (no need to save the page, just type and add)

For a list of past Tag Party books, come on over to the Book Launch and Tag Party Books page. Tagging is always welcome.

And now for the Shelley Fest!





Talking Dogs, Aliens and Purple People Eaters by Shelley Munro













Tripping Through the Universe featuring Shelley Munro













Fallen Idol by Shelley Munro
















Romancing the Alien by Shelley Munro










Do you have a book out on Amazon, old or new, that we haven't featured yet? Know an SFRB member who does? You have proof that there really is intelligent life down here, um, I mean out there? Send me a message at ravenesperanza@yahoo.com and I'll add you to the schedule.

REMINDER: HOAF news!

Send any of the following information to me, Brigaders!

• a new release
• interesting blog post
• contest news - finalist, place or win?
• a book reviews - either one you've done or one done on your book by someone else?
• a link to a good article or website
• a contest running on your site or blog
• give-aways on your website or blog
• free stories on your website or blog
• a blog tour for your new book
• an upcoming birthday
• attending a convention
• just signed with an agent
• sold a book
• industry news
• heard of an SFR contest our members could enter

Email kyliegriffin (at) clearmail (dot) com (dot) au

Online Auction and Promotion Opportunity

I'd like to put forward an idea for members of the SFR Brigade. The Brenda Novak Online Auction for Diabetes Research takes place each May and accepts a wide variety of donations.

Last year there were books, critiques, vacations, jewelry, breakfasts, lunches or dinners with authors, agents, and editors, and even a mentorship contest. I bid on several items last year including artwork, books, posters, even a trip to Africa, and won a breakfast with RITA finalist Colleen Thompson and best-selling author Sharon Sala at RWA which was amazing. If you aren't familiar with the auction, you can browse a few of the items already submitted here:  Brenda Novak Auction

The 2011 event might be a great opportunity for our authors to promote their books, and readers or aspiring authors to promote SFR in general.  If we get enough interest from members who'd like to participate, we could look in to sponsoring a section on behalf of the Brigade with SFR related items...or not. Here's the page on how to Get Involved.

This is a wonderful cause. It has raised over $1 million for diabetes research to date! It could also be a great promotion for you, your book(s) or SFR in general.  Are you interested?

Spiffin' the Blog

The SFR Brigade has been in operation for six months now, and it's time for a bit of updating and spring fall cleaning. We need a little help from members.  For any of the actions below, please email me at Lgreen2162 (at) aol (dot) com (in the usual emial format).

Blog Authors

We've been at capacity with 100 blog authors for quite some time now, so we can't offer new members who'd like to post an author spot on the blog.  If you were assigned an author spot but don't intend to post in the future, please notify me so I can reassign your spot to a new author who would like to post.  This will not affect your membership in the Brigade and only applies to posting on the blog. (You can still post on the web site forums at any time.)

If you're a previous member who doesn't need author priviledges, please email me with "REMOVE AS SFRb BLOG AUTHOR" and your member name in the subject line.

If you are a new member who doesn't have an author slot and would like one, please email me at the above address with "ADD AS SFRb BLOG AUTHOR."

Membership List

Please check the Brigade Member roster on the sidebar to 1) verify you are listed and 2) verify your name is linked to your blog or website. (If we didn't get a working link for you at the time you requested membership, we linked you back to this blog.) If we need to make corrections, send an email with your member name and web address in the subject line and include the link for your site in the body of the email. We'll also add new blogs to the Base of Operations blog roll at the bottom of this page.

Base of Operations Blog Roll

The Base of Operations blog roll at the bottom of this page lists member blogs in order of most recent posts. If you'd like your blog listed, please email me with BLOG ROLL in the subject line and the web address of your blog.

RT Top Picks Widget

A RT Top Picks widget has been added to the sidebar featuring recent novels by Brigade members--CLOSE CONTACT by Katherine Allred and ENEMY WITHIN by Marcella Burnard).  If you've had a novel selected as an RT Top Pick and want your novel added to the widget, email me with the title of your novel and what issue of RT Reviews lists your novel. 
 
See anything else that requires a clean sweep?  Let us know via email or comments below.
 
Thanks all!

Submit Your Top Ten SF Women Writers!

Discussion has popped up on this blog about women and SF. Stop by and submit your top ten!

(The discussion caught the attention of Tor.)

No where does he say SFR authors need not be mentioned, so let's give him some authors to consider!

Hailing On All Frequencies!

NEW RELEASES

CARNAL MOON is Mel Teshco's latest release from Ellora's Cave and is available from October 28th, 2010.











FROM THE ASHES is an erotic sci-fi romance from new Brigader, Maree Anderson. The book will be coming out with Red Sage Publishing in December 2010. 










REDEEMING CHARACTERS by Jennifer L. Hart was released in ebook format on October 9 by Passion In Print.  A release in paperback format will follow the first week in December.









MEMBERS NEWS
Brigader Darynda Jones received a stellar review on her debut novel, FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT, which won't be released until February 2011.
Darynda won the 2009 Golden Heart with FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT (and also presented the 2010 award to fellow Brigader Kylie Griffin at the ceremony in July).  Many congrats, Darynda!

THE SPY WHO KISSED ME, by Pauline Baird Jones, has been reissued by L&L Dreamspell in both print and digital. L&L has been reissuing Pauline's backlist since last April, including DO WAH DIDDY DIE and OUT OF TIME. Her Steampunk/science fiction romance novella, TANGLED IN TIME, will be released in December 2010.

NEW MEMBERS
Welcome to our newest members:

• Darynda Jones
• M.Baker
• Jess Anastasi
• Mel Teshco
• Eleni Konstantine 

CONTEST NEWS
Another Buffy is awarded!  Laurie Green won the Paranormal category of the 2010 Utah RWA Heart of the West with her SFR manuscript, THE OUTER PLANETS.  This is Laurie's second win in the HOW.  She also won with a different SFR in 2009. Congratulations!






BOOK REVIEWS, SIGNINGS & GIVE-AWAYS. 
The October Blog Anniversary Party continues! Here's what's coming up on Kylie Griffin's blog this week...
15th October - Book Review: CLOSE CONTACT by Katherine Allred. Contest closes midnight (Aussie EST) 19th October.
19th October - More RWOz Conference - a selection of photos from this year's conference at Coogee Beach, Sydney. And more give-aways! Deadline for answering the question on this post is 23rd Oct.
For more details head on over to her blog!
25th Oct. - October Blog Anniversary - THE END :-( Another and the last give-away to celebrate a month of fun.
28th Oct. - Guest Author:Mel Teshco returns to promote CARNAL MOON, her new release from Ellora's Cave!
INFORMATION OF INTEREST
The Galaxy Express has a post on Should Birth Control Be Covered in SFR?

The Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal blog has a light-hearted post from Jeri Smith-Ready on Top 10 Signs You're on a Deadline. Check it out for a fun read.

The All Important First Chapter makes for a fascinating read over at agent Nathan Bransford's blog this week.

Introducing New Member, M. Baker

Please join me in welcoming our new SFR Brigade member, M. Baker.

Tell us a little about yourself:

My name is M.Baker. I write urban fantasy and spec-fic, not to be confused with paranormal romance. I like reading and writing urban, because I can freely combine all of the genres that I love without being hemmed in by a specific style. Right now I'm working on two different series: Kayla Blackstone and Jinxi Cooper.

We’d love to hear more about your writing.

I like writing different things. Although I write a lot of urban fantasy, I have deep interests in sci-fi and many stories that I am working on, or at least putting away notes on are in that genre.

Tell us about your current WIP.

I have two urban fantasies that I’m working on editing… I am going to be doing a story that begins with the receipt of an e-mail. I’m currently working on a short story involving, a body morph who assassinates tumblers…

What do you like about writing SFR?

Possibilities.

What do you find challenging about it?

Coming up with new ideas…. This genre has very much shaped the changes in our own world and I think I would like to be in some small way a part of that.

What is your favorite SF book or movie?

Enemy Mine

If you could have a robot that did one chore/task and only one, what would you choose?

Dishes… oh wait don’t we have one of those….

What SFR book would you most like to be stranded in and with whom?
Um.. Riddick… , or Doubleblind with the insect. He’s really cool.

Favorite mode of fictional travel?

Jump space. (from Grimspace, I think is the name of the book. Anne Aguirre. )


You can find Vile Mote on text novel, my blog, and my website… It only works in internet explorer right now… I’m working out the kinks please be patient.
I also have a page on facebook.

Dragon Shadows
Blurb:
Jinxi Cooper is a bounty hunter, she lives alone, socializes as little as possible, and is generally in a bad mood. That all changes when one of her contacts hires her to deliver a box to the local Drakon Tatsu. Mayhem ensues when a rival Tatsu jumps her and a book falls out of the box, the second she touches the book she can’t get rid of it. She gives it away, begs it to stay where it will be safe, all for not. It keeps turning up at the most inopportune moments, much to the detriment of her nerves. If that weren't enough she has to deal with an irritating irrational Tatsu lord Rift Draven. Who insists she give his stolen property back.

Unbound
Blurb:
Kayla Blackstone is a slave, though she wasn't always one. At one time she’d been a highly sought after Bounty hunter, a runner. She’d never really been curious about what she carried just that the paycheck didn't bounce. But that all changed the night the Mage Hunters came.... and Keaton bought her body and soul.
Now she's been given a second chance, a run for her freedom.... when she's handed a small brown bag to deliver before midnight, with the promise, if she completes the run he'll let her go.

Thursday Tag Party for 10/14/10!

Did you know there are ice tsunamis in Saturn's rings? (National Geo: Daily News) Yep. Titan's gravitational pull does it. Physics is beautiful.

OK, done my space geek moment for the day. On to the Tag Party, where smaller gravitational forces are at work, but their cumulative effect can make huge waves. (Yeah, bad pun time, sorry.)

Today we have member requests (hooray!)

A bit of instruction for anyone who hasn't been out there to catch the tagging wave yet:

• Go to the Amazon buy page (I've included the links below)

• Scroll down to the Tags Customers Associate with this Product header

• Look for these tags: SFR, Scifi Romance, SF Romance, Science Fiction Romance and Paranormal Romance - please feel free to add any extra tags you feel are appropriate to the work (i.e. Space Opera, Military SF, etc.)

• If the tags are already there, just click on them to add your 'vote'

• If not, type them into the 'your tags' box to add them (no need to save the page, just type and add)

For a list of past Tag Party books, come on over to the Book Launch and Tag Party Books page. Tagging is always welcome.

And now, on to this week's selections!

Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard

Romenel: Obligations of Blood (Anchorage Book 3) by Sandra C. Stixrude

Secrets, Vol 22: Dark Whispers featuring Ellie Marvel

Do you have a book out on Amazon, old or new, that we haven't featured yet? Know an SFRB member who does? Have the inside scoop on what really was going on between Kirk and Spock? Send me a message at ravenesperanza@yahoo.com and I'll add you to the schedule.

REMINDER: HOAF news!

Send me your new releases, blog news, cool links, book trailers, sales news, book reviews, book covers, contest results etc. etc. etc., folks!

Email it to - kyliegriffin@clearmail.com.au

Perilous Pauline Talks Steampunk with Ginger!

I stopped by Ginger Simpson's blog to explain steampunk to her readers. 


"As the release month (Dec. 2010) approaches for my Steampunk/Science Fiction romance novella, Tangled in Time, I’ve been fielding a lot of questions that are variations of: what is this Steampunk?" 


To read the rest of the blog, click here. 


Ginger reciprocated by visiting my blog to talk about critique groups.  If you get a chance, please stop by and leave a comment one or both places. :-)
Perilously yours,
Pauline

Is Telling Better Than Showing in Your Writing?

The awesome site io9.com had an article by Charlie Jane Anders I found fascinating (and the pictures rocked, too).Writers have been told the Holy Grail of writerly excellence is 'show, don't tell'. Who would've thunk it that this could be turned on its head? Wait, we're talking about sci-fi, where turning the norm on its head is de rigueur!

One piece of writing advice gets held up as more sacred than any other: Show, don't tell. But this maxim can ruin your story-telling, if you treat it like a law. Here are five situations where telling is actually better.
Like most rules of thumb, "Show don't tell" is excellent advice most of the time — but people often apply it too broadly, or in situations where it hurts more than it helps. You have to be aware of the spirit, as well as the letter, of this particular law. Writers have a tendency to lecture readers — and this goes double for science fiction and fantasy writers, who have a lot of worldbuildy stuff to get out of the way. It's definitely never a good idea to bludgeon your readers with information.
(And then as soon as you say something like that, people can bring up any one of a number of classics that do in fact bludgeon the reader with information, from Moby Dick to Infinite Jest. Again with the fact that no rule is ever absolute.)
But in a discussion like this one, it's easy to get bogged down in abstractions and axioms. So here are five concrete examples of situations where you really may be better off telling rather than showing — and when showing may make your readers groan with exasperation.

Read the rest of this article here.