They're Back: Pets in Space® Returns! #PetsInSpace #amreading

The authors of Pets in Space® 4 have been keeping a secret these last few days, and now it's time to tell the whole wide world universe!

Pets in Space® 4 is now available on pre-order! The anthology has already shot up as high as #49 on Amazon Hot New Releases list before the announcement was even made.

We have a lot to share today, so let's start off with this...

Pets in Space® 4

Cover Reveal!

Now, for a closer look at what's inside.

Pets in Space® 4 features thirteen stories by award-winning, bestselling authors and some of the hottest names in SFR. Not only that, but most are connected to popular ongoing SFR series, though each story stands on its own. Here's just a taste of what you'll get in this amazing collection in video form.

Once again, this Pets in Space® offering will support its favorite cause--Hero-Dogs! Ten percent of the first month's profits will once again go to this amazing organization that raises, trains and places service dogs with those who have served their country and community--namely disabled US veterans and first responders.

To date, Pets in Space® authors have contributed a total of $7,100 in donations to this wonderful organization. We hope you'll help us make 2019 a banner year.

You can help by purchasing a copy of Pets in Space® 4 on pre-order now or, if pre-orders aren't your thing, by buying a copy when it is newly released on October 8, 2019. For your convenience, here's a link to a list of all available preorder sites:

Pets in Space® 4 Pre-orders

Want to get the scoop on all the stories in written form? Here's a brief description of all thirteen works in the Pets in Space® 4 collection.

MADAS' FALLING STAR 
Lords of Kassis Series 
by S.E. Smith 
Even an incredibly skillful warrior Princess needs help sometimes. Can Madas trust the strange warrior who fell from the sky with her life… and with her heart?

DARK GUARD
Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone Series
By Anna Hackett
A cyborg who's vowed to keep his emotions and lethal powers leashed, discovers the one woman who can bring him to his knees.

ENTWINED FATES
The Infinite City Series
By Tiffany Roberts
Being separated by time and distance does not lessen the love Volcair has for the woman who captured his heart.

STAR CRUISE: IDOL’S CURSE
The Sectors SF Romance Series
By Veronica Scott
Two crew members of an interstellar luxury liner must join forces with a retired military canine to find a missing relic before the curse brings disaster for everyone.

CYBORG'S REVENGE
Project Enterprise Series
By Pauline Baird Jones
Can two almost human geeks find love while they fight against their old Master?

SPYDOG 
The Inherited Stars Series
By Laurie A. Green
An agent must decide if he can trust the savvy female Rathskian warrior that crosses his path or if he should deliver her to his superiors.

NOTHING REMOTELY FAMILIAR
My Crazy Alien Romance Series
By Donna McDonald
Nothing is normal when Topper finds herself expecting again.

DOOM
Xian Warriors Series
By Regine Abel
A genetically engineered war machine finds love with the human doctor who may be his only chance of survival.

WINTER'S PRINCE
Starways Series
By Alexis Glynn
A scientist looking for a genetically engineered unicorn and a historian seeking the right question find each other in an interstellar amusement park full of dangerous games.

HEART OF THE SPIDER'S WEB
TriSystems: Smugglers Series
By JC Hay
The last thing Sheri needs is a brooding, brawny smuggler watching her every move, but his help is all that stands between her and a crime lord's wrath.

THE PRINCESS AND HER BODYGUARD
Alien Animal Rescues Series
By E.D. Walker
A kidnapped princess and her bird companion must rely on the exiled guard who loves her to help them.

INTERRUPTING STARLIGHT
After The Fall Series
By Kyndra Hatch
The human composed a song in his heart, a pull he couldn’t ignore, a draw that demanded further exploration.

IMPORT QUARANTINE
The Department of Homeworld Security Series
By Cassandra Chandler
A simple house call to care for a sick animal turns a young woman’s life upside down when she discovers the ‘house’ is really a spaceship!

As you can probably tell, you're going to be in for many, many hours of great reading!

Pets in Space® 4 is nearly 1,500 pages of science fiction romance entertainment! That's equivalent to the size of FIVE full-length novels. And it's all for $5.99 -- the price of a single cup of coffee -- plus you'll be helping the amazing Hero-Dogs to boot.

This anthology wouldn't be what it is without its adorable, imaginative, unique pets as only science fiction romance can deliver them, so here's a first look at the "all-star pet cast" of  Pets in Space® 4. 

Can't wait to read it? 

PRE-ORDER PETS IN SPACE® 4 HERE!

Then be sure to grab your #FREE Pets in Space® 4 Sampler in the meantime. It's #FREE and features stories, excerpts, teasers and original artwork from the authors. But hurry! It's only available for a limited time!

#FREE Pets in Space® 4 Sampler

(Only available until October 7th)

Want to know more about this year's release? You can follow all the news about Pets in Space® 4 in the Pets in Space® Readers Group on Facebook or by signing up for the newletter. The authors would love to have you aboard!

Edited 11:50 AM 8/2019 to add:

THANK YOU, READERS 

for helping to give Pets in Space® 4 such an 

amazingly successful pre-order launch. 

We're over the moon! 

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #805 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

• #4 in Romance Anthologies (Books)
• #9 in Romance Collections & Anthologies
• #11 in Romance Anthologies (Kindle Store)

HOT NEW RELEASES  IN SCIENCE FICTION ROMANCE

#Alien #Scifi #Romance #Instafreebie Promotion 18th-21st May

If you're still scouring the skies for more scifi romance goodness to fill up that e-reader, then you don't have to go to a galaxy far, far away to find it. Check out the latest giveaway via InstaFreebie for more scifi romance titles than you can shake a lightsaber at by clicking HERE or the banner above. Enjoy!

NEW RELEASE! Pets in Space

OUT TODAY!

Nine authors--all members of the SFR Brigade--announce
the release of a fun and exciting new anthology.

Pets in Space

 

 

Join the adventure as nine pet loving sci-fi romance authors

take you out of this world and pull you into their

action-packed stories filled with suspense, laughter, and romance.

10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org.
Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge
with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.

______________________________

 

A MATE FOR MATRIX: CYBORG PROTECTION UNIT

By S.E. Smith

(New York Times/USA TODAY Bestselling Author)

An elite soldier discovers his cyborg partner is hunting more than the genetically-engineered creature they have been sent to destroy – a life-mate for him.

 

STRAY

By Susan Grant

(New York Times/USA TODAY Bestselling, and RITA Award Winning Author)

An Interplanetary Marine must overcome his demons if he and the scrappy street dog he has trained hope to find the woman he loves.

 

SPARK OF ATTRACTION

By Cara Bristol

(USA TODAY Bestselling Author)

When his emotions are erased, a cyborg military captain doesn’t think he’ll ever feel again – until he meets a traumatized young woman and a ball of synthetic fur named Sparky.

 

THE REAL DRAGON

By Pauline Baird Jones

The fate of the Earth, or at least ten square miles of Texas, depend on a woman, her talking dragon, and the man she loves – if only she could remember who he was.

 

STAR CRUISE: STOWAWAY

By Veronica Scott

Danger surrounds the stowaway that a Cargo Master discovers with the help of the ship’s cat and her alien sidekick.



STARDOG

By Laurie A. Green

A navigator and a charming street vendor are pulled into a brewing insurrection thanks to an adorable StarDog.

 

SPIKE

By Alexis Glynn Latner

A young roboticist’s mission is threatened by sabotage until a mission designer steps forward and offers an idea that can change not only the mission – but their lives forever.



SPACE RANGER

By Lea Kirk

A hardened commander and a botanist discover that love can blossom from the smallest, furriest ties.

 

ESCAPE RUN

By Carysa Locke

The fate of an entire population rests on a hunter and her psychically gifted fox, unfortunately the man who hired her might prove a fatal distraction if she can’t keep her focus.

 

____________________________________

AMAZON

B&N NOOK

iTUNES

 KOBO

 GOOGLEPLAY

 ALL ROMANCE eBOOKS

 



SFRB Recommends 48: Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard

After a stint in an alien prison, Captain Ari Rose wonders why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father's scientific expedition to finish a Ph.D. she doesn't want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. She wasn't built for it, either. But when pirates commandeer her father's ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner. 

As far as pirate leader Cullin is concerned, Ari's past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin's sights. If she hasn't been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he's convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can't afford the desire she fires within him and he'll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.

In Enemy Within, everybody's got layers of secrets and at least one angle. The major characters have complex stories and goals and have to make some difficult decisions to get those accomplished. What do the deliciously disturbing space bugs want with Ari? Who is she really loyal to, and why is that important to Cullin?
The romance is tested hard- at several points I thought it was unworkable.

This book wreacked havoc with my emotions. I felt for Ari, who gets pulled through all kinds of wringers. Cullin was a little harder for me to get a handle on, but his confusion and frustrations made sense and felt real. Add spaceships, some politics, murky alliances, fencing, and aliens, and this book packs quite a wallop. This story's been on my keeper shelf for years and inspired me try writing myself. It ends well, and the characters definitely earn it!

Author site: Marcella Burnard, Official Website

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

Why Sci-Fi Romance?

by Cathryn Cade

When people find out I’m an author, they ask what kind of stories I create.

When I say Sci Fi Romance, I receive a certain look. The listener blinks, then tips their head to one side and views me with narrowed eyes, like an art patron viewing a modern art piece and trying to figure out what the heck it’s supposed to mean.

They’re seeing a casual-classically dressed woman of a certain age with the lines of a happy outdoor life on her face and minimal jewelry, no tattoos, living in North Idaho with a DH, golden retriever, and SUV … and they’re struggling for context.

I used to attempt to explain the wonders of SFR, the incredible depth and breadth of the genre, and the many uber-talented writers. But anymore, I usually just stick with the short answer: Cowboys!

My SFR began with the ‘horse operas’ I watched as a young child, so called because the movie cowboys and gals would break into song as they rode along on their horses. In the 60’s and into the early 70’s, westerns ruled American TV.

My dad was a cowboy, mom was a cowgirl, and so were their parents. My great-grand-parents were settlers in Montana who built themselves a huge ranch and a town around it. Since these were my heroes and heroines, it seemed only natural to me that the history of the US West comprised so many of the popular TV shows.

Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, The Lone Ranger, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Big Valley, Death Valley Days, Rin Tin Tin, The Rifleman, The Real McCoys … and the list went on. And yes, now we realize the cultural stereotypes rampant in historical productions of those days, but it was fabulous stuff for a kid to dream on.

The American West is no longer the wide-open frontier it was then, and we as Americans have realized the native cultures were treated extremely badly by many settlers (happy to say Gr-Grandad & Gr-mom were not among them) and by the early military. Such is the history of human civilization, sadly. But modern day North Americans now work together to right wrongs and celebrate native cultures, so although we now view our past through a clearer perspective, we can still enjoy the ‘High, Wide and Handsome’ possibilities of the frontier days.

And now we have a new frontier to dream in … space. My Cade-iverse is as wide and deep as my imagination, peopled by beings as wild as the cowboys, cowgirls and native tribes of my family’s past … okay, wilder—my beings have extra powers. But they all spring from the Old West.

Tyger and Dragolin shifters? Coyote, Raven and Fox are all Native American tales.

Dealing with space critters? Mountain lions + wild mustangs = catamount ponies.

Scary humanoid aliens such as Gorglons and Ingoes? Check out Pacific NorthWest Native American story-telling masks, brrr!

The LodeStar Corporation? Hudson Bay Fur Traders, the big cattle companies, the railroads

Planetary exploration with the TerraCon Expedition ? Lewis & Clark & Sacajawea

The InterGalactic Space Forces? The US Cavalry

Cyborgs? … okay, that one I can’t correlate. Cyborgs are just plain fun, so look for them in my next SFR!

Thanks for riding along with me. Join me in the Cade-iverse for some rollicking space opera … and you just may recognize a favorite historical character or two.

Start with LodeStar Series #1, STARK PLEASURE; the Space Magnate’s Mistress. FREE on all sales outlets!

 

Can she survive the perils of the galaxy on her wits … or will she have to use her body?

Kiri te Nawa will do anything to escape the perilous streets of New Seattle, Earth II and find the treasure for which she searches the galaxy, even become the mistress of space magnate Logan Stark. But is he her savior, or simply the man who wants to own her?

Just when she is ready to trust her heart to this powerful, magnetic man, she's kidnapped and thrown into her worst nightmare. Will he search for her, or believe she's betrayed him with an old lover?

Set in the futuristic galaxy of The Orion Series.

I’ll see you there!

Cathryn Cade

Best-selling author of sci fi romance

RT 4.5 Stars and Night Owl Reviews TOP PICK

… it’s hot in space, red hot!

Goodreads, My Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,

And sign up for My Newsletter for a chance to win goodies!

Pet Peeves and Faves in Sci-Fi Romance by Mattie Dunman

Recently, I started a discussion on a Goodreads forum asking readers and authors what they loved and hated about SFR, mainly to help me avoid some pitfalls while writing my new book. The responses I got were incredibly illuminating, so I thought I’d share some of what I learned.

When it came to pet peeves, weak and whiny heroines stood out as number one. It comes as no surprise that SFR readers want a leading lady who can hold her own without complaining, whether through her unique abilities or pure grit and determination. There was a caveat: the heroine’s abilities or powers shouldn’t be unlimited or abruptly change. For instance, if she starts out with the ability to read minds, at 75% in the book she can’t suddenly develop the ability to shoot electricity from her eyeballs. So, yeah, readers want an extraordinary heroine, but one with vulnerabilities and realistic growth throughout the story.

Another annoyance was the heroine’s debilitating attraction to the hero. According to the comments, sizzling chemistry is all well and good, but not when the heroine is incapable of running away from a horde of ravening, murderous aliens without also obsessing over the cuteness of her love interest’s butt.

Battered heroines suddenly wanting crazy monkey sex was another issue; if she’s just been beaten, or recovered from a coma, or, most particularly, has been sexually assaulted, readers seem to think she might want to take breather before getting her freak on.

Regarding world-building, readers asked for aliens that look like aliens and believable science without being bashed over the head with excruciating detail. The use of deus ex-machina was universally despised; readers asked for a logical build-up to the climax, and definitely no loose plot threads. Setting up a sequel is all well and good, but there seems to be a distinct antipathy toward cliffhangers and dropped plot points.

So what do readers love? Characters. Almost every comment referred to strong, likable heroines and heroes with a believable connection. 3^rd person POV seemed to be popular as well; readers want to hear from both the hero and heroine in equal parts, which I found interesting, since I predominantly write in 1^st person.

They loved complex, original worlds that leave room for new stories, kick-ass heroines who don’t wait to be saved, and heroes with alpha tendencies (but aren’t copy-catted Christian Grays).

Finally, the most frequently mentioned comment: good editing. Lots of readers will put the book down if the errors are too frequent; while most said they would give the author’s next book a chance if the typos were at a minimum.

So there you have it...a little market research on SFR. If you’d like to see it for yourself, the link is below. Thanks, and please check out my latest release, Woman of Silk and Stone, available on Amazon and Smashwords!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2086975-what-is-your-pet-peeve-in-sfr

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Woman-Silk-Stone-Lost-Edin-ebook/dp/B00NB7MT6C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424057367&sr=8-1&keywords=woman+of+silk+and+stone

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/487067

SFRB Recommends 33: In the Black by Sheryl Nantus #sfrom #scifi #mystery #ebook

This recommendation is brought to you by Rachel Leigh Smith.

When Sam Keller left the military, she ran to the far end of the galaxy. Now she captains the Bonnie Belle, a spaceship full of courtesans who bring a little pleasure to hard-up men on mining colonies. When one of her girls turns up dead, it's Sam's job to find out who killed her, fast.

Marshal Daniel LeClair is as tough as steel and quick on the draw. But when his vacation gets replaced by an assignment to help find the killer, he can't help angling for a little action with the saucy, hard-charging Sam. She's got brains, attitude and a body he wouldn't mind investigating.

Sam, six months lonely, might just indulge him. But the Guild that owns the Belle wants the case closed yesterday. With pressure coming from all quadrants, Sam and her marshal clash over false leads and who's on top. But when the killer threatens the Belle again, romance will have to wait. It's a captain's job to save her crew, no matter the cost. 

The world Nantus has built in this series is at once relatable and different. Female fans of Firefly should love this.

The mystery aspect of the book was easy for me to figure out. It's a rare author who can keep me guessing as to who-dun-it for more than four chapters. It did allow for a lot of exploring of courtesan daily life and how they operate, though, without being all about sex. Major props for that!

The AI's on each ship were also done very well, Etts, Daniel's AI, in particular. Etts was a hoot! I also enjoyed the way Nantus wrapped it up with neither MC having to leave behind what they're doing.

Author site: Sheryl Nantus

SFRB Recommends 25: Stark Pleasure: The Space Magnate's Mistress by Cathryn Cade #sfr #sfrom #scifi

Today's recommendation comes from Sabine Priestley.

Book Description

Can she survive the perils of the galaxy on her wits … or will she have to use her body? Kiri te Nawa will do anything to escape the perilous streets of New Seattle, Earth II and find the treasure for which she searches the galaxy, even become the mistress of space magnate Logan Stark. But is he her savior, or simply the man who wants to own her sexually? Just when she is ready to submit more than her body to this powerful, magnetic man, she's kidnapped and thrown into her worst nightmare. Will he search for her, or believe she's betrayed him with an old lover? 

Set in the futuristic galaxy of The Orion Series.

Recommendation

Cathryn got me hook, line and spaceship with this one. Some technical issues, but I loved it. I've always had a weak spot for the bazillionare trope. Oh, the ending! You're killing me here! So, many questions. Does he stay twisty? Does he share her? What happens with Haassea?

 The aftertaste of this read was a hot HFN made fifty shades grey. :-)

Author site: Cathryn Cade | Red Hot Romance

SFRB Recommends #21: Visionary of Peace by Cindy Borgne #scifi #romance

Visionary of Peace by Cindy Borgne

Book Description

Ian Connors had planned to use his visions to spy on Marscorp in order to maintain peace, but flashbacks and nightmares make it impossible. Since two years of peace have passed due to a stalemate, Ian decides to try and live a normal life, until one day he has a vision so horrifying he has no choice but to become the seer he once was or Vallar will have no future. While he struggles to regain his ability, the Marcs plot to capture him alive in order to complete a deal for their return to Earth.

Why is it recommended?

This is the second book in the Vallar Series. For those who met Ian Connors in the first book, it is primarily an opportunity to see what happens to him after he leaves Marscorp. And trouble, it seems, is never too far away.

Borgne weaves a tightly-structured story with plenty of surprises along the way. One can definitely learn from the example she sets in story-craft. 

Author site: Cindy Borgne | Speculative and Paranormal Fiction

SFRB Recommends #19: Starheart by Greta van der Rol #scifi #romance #spaceopera

Starheart by Greta van der Rol

Book Description

Freighter Captain Jess Sondijk thought she had her life under control until Admiral Hudson's Confederacy battle cruiser stops her ship to search for contraband. His questions reopen matters she had thought resolved. What if her husband's death during an official boarding wasn't accidental?

Hudson has his own questions. Who in the Confederacy is trading with the Ptorix? And what price is high enough to pay for starhearts, the prized jewels the aliens call the windows of the soul?

Jess and Hudson's interests collide in more ways than one as they follow a shadowy trail of deceit and corruption in search of the truth. But while Jess is more than willing to put her life on the line to protect what's hers, Hudson must balance the risk of inter-species war at worst and the end of his career at best, in a deadly game of political intrigue, murder and greed.

***

It took me a while to get around to reading this book after I bought it on Amazon. Let me tell you one thing: don't do it. You buy it, you read it. It's that good.

A real page-turner, I really struggled to put this book down. The world-building is excellent, with just a snippet here or there that reveals more of the setting as one gets deeper into the book. The characters are vivid and well-rounded, and there's plenty in here to keep you guessing about... well, a lot.

Overall, an excellent read, and highly recommended.

Find it on Goodreads HERE.
Find it on Amazon US HERE.

Author site: Greta van der Rol - writer, photographer, animal lover, space nut

SFRB Recommends #13: Cosmic Tentacles by Heather Massey #scifi #sfromance #sfr

This week's SFRB Recommends comes to you from Sabine Priestley.

Cosmic Tentacles: A Love Story - by Heather Massey

The distant future. Lydia, a pastry chef working on an elite space station, is looking forward to a scorching sexual encounter with Ricardo, the hot shuttle pilot she'd been lusting after for months. But the appearance of a mysterious asteroid changes everything.When the research group sent to study it loses contact with the station, Ricardo flies a rescue team to the asteroid. Hours later, he returns--as the lone survivor.With the tragedy seemingly behind them, Lydia and Ricardo meet for a date despite regulations forbidding all contact. In a dark room, she discovers Ricardo is more than the man he used to be. Dare she surrender to his raw, otherworldly passion?

This was a fun, fast read. I enjoyed the characters, although we don’t really get to know Ricardo well. It’s wonderfully twisted. You’re going to want to push that Suspension of Disbelief button down hard on this, and just enjoy the ride.

This is for adults only. Adults who like to be filled in every way, and everywhere possible.

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Author site: Heather Massey

SFRB Recommends #12: Terms and Conditions Apply #scifi #sfromance #sfr

Terms and Conditions Apply - by Pippa Jay

Venus Ascendant, a Public Grade space station in the Andromedan Galaxy designed to meet your every desire, be they sunlit beaches or dark BDSM dungeons. Innocent Marie finds herself dumped and alone on Venus Ascendant with no credit for a transmat and the next starship home not due for another hour. But the all-seeing AI isn’t going to leave anyone aboard the space station with their dreams unfulfilled. Marie's boyfriend might not have made it to the station, but there are others willing and able to take on the role - even if they aren’t entirely human.

An entertaining read all around. Marie’s transformation was realistic and the story has some interesting twists. I love the way it played out with the leading man. As an added bonus, I didn’t see the ending coming. Love it when that happens.

Available from Smashwords.

This week's recommendation comes from Sabine Priestley.

Author site: Pippa Jay - Sci-fi and the Supernatural with a Romantic Soul

"Blaze of Glory" - FREE!

You heard it here, folks!

Samhain Publishing has decided to make the first book in my superhero trilogy, "Blaze of Glory", FREE from September 1 - 14th.

*****
Saving the world is easy for a superhero—unless you’re a fraud.

Jo Tanis is a superhero, fighting evil on the city streets, using her ability to feed off electromagnetic energy and fire off charges—and it’s all just a show. The Agency captures her and others like her when their powers begin to manifest, pitting them against each other in staged, gladiatorial fights. An explosive implant on the back of her neck assures she’ll keep right on smiling for the camera and beating up the bad guys.

When Earth comes under attack, suddenly the show becomes deadly real. Unable to deal with a real alien, the “supers” are falling in droves. Millions of innocent civilians are going to die…unless Jo can cobble together a team from among the fake heroes and villains the Agency enslaved. Including Hunter, who not only promises to show her how to deactivate the implants, but seems to know more than he should about how the mysterious Agency operates.

Forcing a rag-tag bunch of former enemies to work together is the least of Jo’s problems. The trick is determining if Hunter is friend or foe—and becoming the hero everyone thought she was before the world is destroyed for real.
*****

Here are the links!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Sony

Apple

Samhain

If you've been waiting to try out the series now's a great time to check it out!

The second book is also available and the last book, "Heroes Lost and Found" will be out in October - but why not grab the first one now and start reading?

;)

Proposed SFR Brigade Blog Hop

Some of you may or may not have seen or taken part in the recent St.Patrick's Day Blog Hop last week. I know a handful of Brigaders were participating, including myself. Liana Brooks suggested that perhaps the Brigade should host one of its own, and I've kind of volunteered to set it up. :-P

So I thought I'd put it up for a vote. I've suggested a Midsummer one, since this is an astronomical and mystical event that might tie in nicely with speculative fiction as a whole and allow us all a free range on the topic we'd like to post. First up, I'd like to know how many Brigaders are interested in taking part, how many are willing to offer a prize on their own blog and/or contribute to a grand prize, volunteers to help out (begging here!) etc. I've left the poll open so that you can choose as many responses as you need, and add further questions you think are relevant.




So the basic idea is - this blog will host the hop. A linky tool will be set up for all those wanting to participate (about a month in advance), into which you will need to enter your name, email and blog/website URL. All participants will be sent a copy of the code for the linky so we can all publish the list, letting visitors to our blogs hop to the next without having to keep coming back here. On the day, a post will go live here announcing the hop and with the list up so that everyone has somewhere central to come back to. Participants will write a short post on a topic of their choice related to Midsummer's Day (or maybe if you have a similar solar event or festival etc in one of your books, you can post a snippet), including whatever promotional links you'd like to add and listing your prize(s). Visitors will need to comment with their email addy for entry to your contest, and for one entry to the main prize if we have one. The more blogs they comment on, the better their chances of winning the grand prize. I'd like to suggest that it isn't a requirement for guests to sign up to newsletters/follow blogs etc as part of the conditions for entry, but that's entirely up to each participant.

Because of the time differences between some members I'm going to have to figure out some times, and how long the contest will actually run for - I'll have to get back to you on that. But, depending on the number of participants, I may need one or two peeps just to help me check all the links in the linky are up and valid - any that just seem to lead to an advert rather than a post or are broken may be deleted. At the end of the hop, I'll collect up all the entries and chose a grand winner. Each participant will be responsible for choosing and announcing the individual winner on their own blog. For an example of how blog hops work, you can check out Carrie Ann Ryan's recent St.Patrick's Day Hop here.

Now, Midsummer's Day is the 24th June which I know might be an issue for the Six Sentence Sunday peeps. But the actual summer solstice is the 20th June at 23.09. So perhaps Friday the 21st might be the best day to hold it? Or I could set it to start at the moment of solstice if everyone can schedule their blog posts to go live then. Any suggestions, thoughts etc are very welcome!

Better Late Than Never! A Belated Six Sentence Sunday Post!

Yep, forgetfulness has struck me again, but I have recovered if only slightly.  I thought it would be cool to let you guys know that I've taken my first foray into Six Sentence Sunday yesterday and I loved it.

I posted a brief excerpt from my upcoming Military Scifi Romance novel from Decadent Publishing entitled 'Cold Warriors'.    

Come check it out!  http://claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com/2011/09/six-sentence-sunday-excerpt-from-cold.html

Dressing For Success In The Zombie Apocalypse

Book One of Apocalypse Babes, The Z Word, follows Seffy Carter and her longtime friends Gareth, Addison and Lani. The four besties share a past dysfunctional and dark enough to keep them bound together under do-over identities. But rends develop in their relationships from the flesh-eating
pressures of ending up in 1980, in a Montana desert, surrounded by zombies wearing dated disco duds.


Oh, and the main character wears a pink velour Juicy Couture tracksuit*.

Why, you might ask? It might be because the tracksuit has magical properties. But at the very least, velour naturally repels blood and bodily fluids, keeping the victim looking smart while running for her life.

Smelling pretty is also very important during an apocalypse, especially in the midst of all that rotting flesh, so this author recommends Victoria's Secret Pink perfume. Light, feminine, and well, it's called Pink so it matches the tracksuit. One cannot underestimate the value of a well-matched ensemble.

Fitting perfectly in the kangaroo pockets of the J.C.tracksuit is an Amazon gift card. Wallets, contact lens solution, or cell phones are not of importance when fighting the zombie hordes. But when one finds a quiet moment in a mysterious, hidden compound, one longs for nothing more than a book to read, most likely delivered via Whispernet technology (not invented in the 80s, but the author feels certain Amazon would have a work-around).


Coincidentally, these items are prizes in my contest! Talk about dystopian serendipity!

If you'd like to enter for a chance to win and present a well-groomed, well-read appearance during your darkest days, get my book (it's free!). Then leave a review, tweet about it, blog about it (or whatever you can manage while decapitating shambolic fiends), and follow the directions at my website Apocalypse Babes. The contest ends Oct 6.

Seems like a long way off, but like a brain-hungry zombie, it'll creep up on ya!

*possible magical properties not included

Jess Granger interview

It's a real pleasure to have Jess Granger visiting my blog today. I discovered her as a "new" author to read through the SFRB website.

She's a fellow Berkley author who writes science fiction romance. She's worked in some unusual jobs, traveled all over the country playing the trumpet in a band and wandered all over Europe until finally settling down with wonderful husband to raise a couple of kids and a menagerie of animals.

Please drop by and welcome fellow SFRBrigader, Jess Granger!