*Updated with Winner!* On Sci-Fi and Comedy, a Marriage Made on Heavenly Planetary Body Number 76-A

** And the winner is (chosen at random by my husband)... NUNSHALLPASS! Nun, email me [lucywoodhull ** at ** gmail ** dotcom] and I'll reply with your copy of RAGNAR AND JULIET!

Howdy, y'all. My name is Lucy Woodhull and it's my inaugural post on the SRF Brigade. I hope you find me a worthy addition, but if not, here's a picture of my cat to make up for my shortcomings.


(She's reading How to be a Villain by Neil Zawacki, which I'm pretty sure is the cat handbook.)

I write comedy, so it's only natural that I would, at some point, turn my dubious legendary talents to the genre of sci-fi, as I did recently with my new rom-com space opera novella RAGNAR AND JULIET.




One glance at a news article about Comic Con and you know that geeks, nerds, dorks, and dweebs have an enormous capacity for imagination. That fun attitude often extends to humor. Is it any wonder I adore geeks, nerds, dorks, and dweebs? I even married one (specifically, a geek).

RAGNAR AND JULIET is my humorous love letter to the genre I love so much. Here's a blurb:

Bounty hunting is usually so easy. Flash a little cleavage, mix a roofie cocktail, and Juliet has her man right where she wants him: out cold, ready to be swapped for cash. Her passions are freedom, trashy clothes, and pie -- not necessarily in that order.

Hunky alien ship captain Ragnar doesn't deserve torture at the hands of the psychotic king who hired Juliet; he liberated one of William the Nefarious' illegal concubines. Juliet can't ignore such a noble act. She doesn’t trust men, but this one, with the kindest smile she's ever seen, picks away at her resolve to stay aloof and clothed. He's just so...nice! Crazy she can deal with; sincerity is terrifying.

Before she gives in to her irrational urge to get a timeshare with him (and his cute tail), they're caught by the bad guys. Ragnar disappears and abandons her to her disgusting captors -- so much for togetherness. Perhaps he’s not such a saint. Even worse, Nefarious William (who prefers "Bob") has nominated her for Concubine of the Evening. This dubious honor does not thrill her, and only a few hours remain before the king’s mind-altering drugs obliterate her free will.

Sexual slavery might not be fatal, but Juliet would rather die. Of course, the third option (run away to a beach and hump Ragnar silly) is the best, if they can live that long.

In the book you'll find some homages to my favorite pop culture sci-fi shows and movies. I love it all -- from Star Wars to Battlestar Galactica to Mel Brooks' Space Balls to Shaun of the Dead to the adored and gone-too-soon Firefly. I love Star Trek like a red shirt loves a promotion to blue.

Let's not forget all the mouth-watering heroes to be found amongst the laser-blasting laser brains. Han Solo was hilarious and full of erotic allure (I often find those two things go together well). I wrote Ragnar as a semi-nice guy who could smash heads as easily as he smart-mouthed Juliet. He's the kind of man you want to pop in the kisser... or kiss on the kisser... or both. The scifi hero has to make that alpha heroine's knees weak in a way that even the most terrifying giant space octopus cannot. Speaking of (heroes, not giant space octopuses), I recently wrote a letter to Daniel Craig's chaps in Cowboys and Aliens. Oh, yeah. God bless America, and hot cowpokes in chaps battling aliens.

Who is your favorite humorous sci-fi hero/heroine of all time? Tell me who and why you love them in the comments and I'll pick one person at random to win a free copy of RAGNAR AND JULIET. If you don't win, feel free to buy a copy the book if you like the sample. I won't mind. Really!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

PS: Here's the book trailer. No Barbies were harmed in the making of it, but the Ken was a bit embarrassed.



Lucy Woodhull
www.lucywoodhull.com
Buy RAGNAR AND JULIET from Liquid Silver Books.