SFR Brigade Midsummer Blog Hop Update

A huge thank you to everyone who voted and/or commented on the proposed hop, and especially those who volunteered to help. I've now set up two pages on the blog - one for signing up to the hop for those interested in participating, and the other with some rough guidelines. If you need more information or feel something has been missed out, please let me know.

Announcing the SFR Pitch Tournament

The SFR Brigade is kicking off the New Year with a new kind of event...

The Great 2012 SFR Pitch Tournament!

What is it?
A fun competition for writers of SFR.

What's the purpose?
To help SFR Brigade writers judge what pitches work best to hook readers. As a bonus, readers will discover some great SFR titles.

How does it work?
Up to 50 pitches will be accepted and entered in random order into tournament heats. Winners of each heat will be chosen by poll and then entered in a heat/heats against other winners. Heats will continue until the top three are chosen. The number of heats and duration of the tournament will be determined by the number of entries received.

Who can vote?
Anyone can vote by poll. Voters are also encouraged to make comments on the Pitch Tournament posts.

When will the contest start?
We're shooting for January 7th-15th, 2012, depending on the number of entries posted prior to that time. Meanwhile, pitches can be submitted HERE where they will be available to read in advance (with sales links, if provided).

Who can enter?
Members of the SFR Brigade. Not a member? Join us. There are no dues or obligations to join our alliance.

Does my work have to be published?
No. It can be published, e-published, self-published, pre-published or a work in progress of any length as long as it falls under the SFR Brigade definition of SFR. (See FAQ section in our Welcome Message.)

How do I enter?
Post your entry as a comment on the SFR Brigade web site forum under the THE GREAT 2012 SFR PITCH TOURNAMENT ENTRIES thread and it will be transferred to a blog post when the Tournament begins.

You may enter multiple times, but each entry must be submitted as a separate comment on the thread.

Submit your information in this order:

1. Title

2. Author/Pen Name

3. SFR subcategory description (optional) i.e. Steampunk, YA Apocalyptic, Near Future

4. Your SFR Pitch: Can be a blurb, query, back cover copy, etc. up to 500 words.

5. Include sales link, release date, or pre-published (optional)

(Please note that any non-Science Fiction Romance pitches entered will be disqualified.)

What do the winners get? For that matter, what do the non-winners get?
Winners get a virtual ribbon, but all entrants get a chance to pitch your SFR (or future SFR title) to readers and visitors (with a sales link, if provided).

What can I do to help make this a success?

1. Enter your work.

2. Spread the word through FB, Twitter, email, Goodreads, Shelfari and other forums. Include a link to the Pitch Tournament information.

3. Invite everyone you know to vote.

Ready to enter?
Great! Submit your Pitch Tournament Entry on the SFR Brigade web site forum HERE.

(Remember we're limiting the contest to the first 50 entries.)

Come Check Out the Winners!

I announce the winners of the Duty and Devotion giveaway contest. It was so much fun. I love throwing these things!

http://sci-fiadventures.blogspot.com/2011/08/winners-are.html

(psst...Pauline, Liana, and Colette...it's you!)

2 Months? Wow!

I can't believe it!

On Monday Duty and Devotion will have been out two months. "Happy R-day Nettie and Rinny!" (R-day instead of B-day, for release day.)

Duty and Devotion has received many compliments, a couple ratings, and a super great review. To celebrate, I'm going to hold a contest and will give away a couple copies of Duty and Devotion... in whatever format you wish.

What do you have to do?

Well, just contact me and let me know your favorite SF scene of all time, ever. (Ever, ever.) You can contact me either by leaving a comment here, leaving a comment on my blog (http://sci-fiadventures.blogspot.com/) or emailing me at ambernorris2000@yahoo.com.

I will select the winners on the official R-Day of course, which is Monday, August 15th.

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

12.21.12

I have Killian McRae on my Blog today, talking about her research for this amazing novel - if you get a moment, please stop by and leave a comment.  Everyone who comments on her Blog tour will be entered in a draw to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card.

(You can also read my review of her Book, posted yesterday)


www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com

New Steampunk Contest on my Website :-)

I am so lucky that I get incredible support from my family. When I made a little side trip into steampunk, my sister (who designs and sells jewelry locally) started looking for steampunk stuff and has come up with some truly fun stuff for my gift packs. Also, my sister-in-law, who brews up soap and other goodies in her basement, created a signature line of soaps and stuff in honor of one of my characters.

So I'm excited to launch a new, steampunk gift pack on my website (winner of last month's gift pack is posted). There is NO purchase required to enter. And I am being VERY  brave to give up some of it.  

Drawing runs from June 1-16th, 2011.

<http://www.paulinebjones.com/contests.html>

2011 Aurealis Awards finalist!

This week has to be the week for good news!

to Brigader Sara Creasy

- her book, SONG OF SCARABAEUS (EOS Books)

has been chosen as a finalist in the 2010 Aurealis Awards

(Australia's own huge spec.fiction contest).

Way to go, Sara!

There were 600 entries in 13 categories! Sponsored by Harper Voyager, the winners will be announced at a dinner on May 21st, 2011.

For the full list of finalists and details here.