• Sci Fi World,  Science Fiction Romance

    Weapon of Tyrants, The Last War: Book Four by Sylvie Grayson @SylvieGrayson #RLFblog #SciFi

    Today’s featured book is Weapon of Tyrants, The Last War: Book Four by Sylvie Grayson. Tell us about your story. We’ll have other questions in a moment.

    The International Head Balls Games are about to begin at Deep Creek, Southern Territory of Khandarken. Tension rises with the new nations Adar Silva, Khandarken, Jiran and Legitamia scheduled to take part in the competition.

    Damian Stuke still has nightmares about being captured by the Emperor’s men and tortured during the Last War. Now he is an enforcer for an illegal gamer in the Western Territory. When his sister marries the Chief Constable of Khandarken, his life has to change.

    Training for undercover work in Deep Creek in the midst of the International Games, he encounters a fascinating woman with a small child and a hidden agenda. But as he discovers what she’s hiding, his protective instincts kick into high gear.

    When Fanny Master’s parents are assassinated, she is forced to run for her life. A member of the Khandarken political elite, she doesn’t know who is after her, but she’ll do almost anything to remain under the radar. That could include using someone else’s ident and adopting their child, a child who could be from another world.

    As Emperor Carlton ramps up his plans for invasion, and the Head Ball Games approach a thundering climax, the assassins make a new attempt on Fanny’s life. Damian is her only hope. Will he save her from her unknown enemy, or is he still working for the other side?

    After the Emperor was defeated in the Last War, the Empire broke apart and new nations arose from the debris left of the old. Ranging along the Catastrophic Ocean are Adar Silva, the most sophisticated of the countries, having been the location of Emperor Aqatain’s palace, headquarters and centre of learning. North of that is Khandarken, led by a middle class group of politicians and military men. Here the people struggle to establish some kind of political openness while still relying on official appointments and governors to keep order in the hinterland.

    Legitamia and Sturridge are further north and have regressed into their own dictatorships, run by the military and boasting closed borders. To the west is a territory of tribal wars and loose affiliations.

    The Last War destroyed nearly everything. The hills crawl with the dispossessed, men who are too damaged by the battles to live in community. There are roving bands of raiders, mud roads, travelling sellers and llama farms.

    In the midst of all this, the defeated Emperor dies and his son takes over the task of re-establishing his empire out of nothing. Suddenly the dispossessed have a purpose, one they understand.

    Language and Culture

    Please give us a few words in this new culture.

    Creating a new world is a lot of work. It involves inventing new countries, traditions and cultures. I have reams of words that are used in The Last War. Some are obvious, others less so. Communication is difficult in many territories, and carried out through links—facelink if reception is good, beltlink if working in secret where silence is needed., voicelink if you don’t care that messages are hacked and monitored.

    Paper is hard to get and expensive, only used by the wealthy.

    Transportation is by bus, they slow down at the stations for people to leap off or on. Scooters are also common, the expensive ones are aerial, and very fast. The remote territories still use mules or horses and wagons.

    In the culture of your story world, what is different from ours?

    A scientific experiment sponsored by Emperor Aqatain during the Last War resulted in an increase in male births. It was exactly what was needed, with the endless war and its ensuing list of casualties. But once peace came, the shortage of women created a crisis for the young men coming along and the need for population growth.

    What rights (such as equality) are challenges for your characters?

    The dispossessed have no rights. They can’t vote, don’t receive services that other citizens receive.

    Disease runs rampant. The high temp virus is vicious but doesn’t usually kill the victim. Mangohrea is a venereal disease with no cure and kills quickly. Viruses attack women when they are weakest—at puberty, or at the time of giving birth—making the shortage of females even worse.

    Story Setting

    Describe one of the worlds where your story takes place.

    Khandarken is a new country with fledgling laws and regulations. The first Leader elected was a man named Harold Master. He was a retired university teacher and received little respect from the local military but managed to take his country toward a more law-abiding establishment. He was murdered by rebels who had a different idea of where Khandarken should be headed. His wife was then killed. Their daughter, Fanny, is running for her life.

    Because everyone must carry an ident, she has to find herself a fake one or steal one. If she uses her own, the murderers can track her through that document. She can’t trust anyone. The military has just left the Emperor’s grasp and been reorganized within the country’s boundaries. The Constables are headed by the bastard son of Emperor Aqatain, and many hold no allegiance to the government.

    What food or drink is available to your characters?

    Drinks consist of Chilean or spice caf tea, lemon water for ladies, various drinks of clouded ale, bourbon and spririts. A typical meal might include lentils, astrofruit, fried oliguito. Pané sandwiches and curry ginger soup,

    In what ways was it helpful to have a map (or sketch of one) for your story? (Provide a link to an image, if available)

    I have a map that keeps growing as the stories spread out over more territory. I publish the map in the front of my books because readers say it has been very helpful. Even my critique group has asked for it to keep the countries clear in their minds and to be able to understand the travels that my characters undertake. My daughter has drawn it for me and it can grow depending on where I got with my next books.

    Sharing World Building Expertise

    Please give us three tips you find helpful when creating a story world:

    Once I was part way through Book One, I needed several things. A map was very helpful, where I could note the towns and villages my characters visited. That map grew as the books continued.

    A list of names. Many people have noted the names in my books are unique in that they often reflect the occupation or position held by the characters. That has been fun, but it’s still hard to keep track of all these people in a whole new world. I have two lists of characters, as I sort them by occupation and by name.

    A list of words. There are many new words in world-building. It’s very hard to keep them all in mind, and although I might remember what the word is, I may not use it the right way. So again, I do two lists, one of the words themselves, one of their definitions so I am able to cross reference them.

    All of these things are in my bible for The Last War. Each new book adds to the characters, the towns and villages, the food and drink consumed. It’s been a lot of fun.

    What’s your advice for writers who want to create a solid background for their story world?

    Keep notes, write it down. I’ve found over time that characters get moved around and I have to move them back where they belong. At one point, I had killed off a bad guy in one book, but when I began writing the next one, I needed him. I had to go back and rewrite that part. I got to kill him off later after he’d served his purpose in the next book.

    Specific science fiction genre: different world
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): 3
    Publisher Great Western Publishing
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Last-War-Tyrants-criminal-enforcer-ebook/dp/B06XHXJ59T/

    CreateSpace https://www.amazon.com/Last-War-Tyrants-criminal-enforcer/dp/0994734573/

    Sylvie Grayson Social Media

    Sylvie Grayson loves to write about suspense, romance and attempted murder, in both contemporary and science fiction/fantasy. She has lived most of her life in British Columbia, Canada in spots ranging from Vancouver Island on the west coast to the North Peace River country and the Kootenays in the beautiful interior. She spent a one year sojourn in Tokyo Japan.
    She has been an English language instructor, a nightclub manager, an auto shop bookkeeper and a lawyer. Now she works part time as the owner of a small company, and writes when she finds the time.
    She is a wife and mother and still loves to travel, having recently completed a trip to Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and Hong Kong. She lives on the coast of the Pacific Ocean with her husband on a small patch of land near the sea that they call home.
    Website http://sylviegrayson.com/
    Blog http://sylviegrayson.com/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/SylvieGrayson
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sylvie.grayson
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Sylvie-Grayson/e/B00OEIVODG/
    Newsletter http://sylviegrayson.com/newsletter/

     

  • Science Fiction Romance

    Cosmic. Cabaret. Spiegeltent? @SFRomanceStars #SciFi #Romance #RLFblog

    It’s Cosmic. It’s a Cabaret. 13 USA Today best-selling speculative fiction romance authors deliver twists on tales set in a futuristic version of an early 20th century spiegeltent.

    It’s Cosmic Cabaret, the sci-fi romance anthology with over 1300 pages of stories where hearts collide in the greatest show in space.

    One reviewer had this to say, “I was amazed at the quantity of material for the price! I thought short stories would make a good choice for a travel book, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it lasted me for days of ‘need something pleasant to read after super busy day’ reading. The quality of the writing is quite consistent despite the number of authors included. If you like the sample, you will probably like the whole book. Good variety of plots based on a common location.”

    The Cosmic Cabaret is just one of the venues on the Quantum, which is the size of a small moon. Lots of space for the thirteen authors in the anthology to add to the world building already provided by the set creator, Jayne Fury. But all stories intersect in some way at the Cosmic Cabaret.

    Patsy in Educated by the Master describes the Cosmic Cabaret in these terms. “It’s meant to mimic an old-Earth spiegeltent. They were wooden tents that could be moved from place to place. The CC is as authentic as possible. The wood is real mahogany. The beveled mirrors, leaded stained glass, and the velvet and brocade fabrics replicate the originals built in the early twentieth century on Earth.”

    The entertainment was a variety of burlesque, musicale, and cirque, which guests watched from booths or tables and chairs that surrounded a stage set in the middle of the tent. There are still original speigeltents in existence offering shows, but they usually don’t move from place to place as they did in the past.

    Click and buy right now. That’s 13 sci-fi romance novellas, 1340 pages of love, soft and gentle to wildly abandoned.
    Click Here: https://books.pronoun.com/cosmic-cabaret/
    One Small Step First Chapters – Read all 13 first chapters of Cosmic Cabaret in this companion teaser.
    https://www.instafreebie.com/free/RThtK
    https://books.bookfunnel.com/firstchapterchallenge
    Cosmic Cabaret: Where Hearts Collide in the Greatest Show in Space
    Come aboard Blue Star line’s crown jewel, the LS Quantum, a luxury starship traveling through space and time. You’ll meet princes and star sultans, solve a murder, track a thief, plan the ultimate jewel heist, and encounter futuristic rock stars on the lam, cirque stars who want the quiet life, and dancers who want fame.
    Join thirteen USA Today, Amazon best-selling, and award-winning speculative fiction romance authors as they twist their own tales on the decks and in the dance halls of LS Quantum. Embark on a journey to fall in love at the Cosmic Cabaret.
    Buy Now:
    Pronoun: https://books.pronoun.com/cosmic-cabaret/
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0755XPYTM
    Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cosmic-cabaret-sfr-shooting-stars/1127023699
    Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/ebook/cosmic-cabaret
    GooglePlay https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-sAyDwAAQBAJ
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36144442-cosmic-cabaret

    Spiegeltent image by Kim Traynor and used under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

    SFR Shooting Stars Social Media

    SFRSS = Speculative Fiction Romance Shooting Stars.
    A collective put together by three authors, Selene Grace Silver, Rosalie Redd and Jayne Fury, SFRSS aims to promote the genre of speculative fiction romance by finding and promoting some of the best SFR authors out there. Our current anthology, which goes on sale October 10, 2017, showcases stories by CJ Cade, Kerry Adrienne, Tessa McFionn, Cailin Briste, Jayne Fury, Rosalie Redd, Selene Grace Silver, Athena Grayson, Kat Vancil, Dena Garson, Blaire Edens, Jenna Lincoln, and Diana Rivis. SFR is more than blue alien sex, it’s beautiful romance set in amazing galactic worlds.
    As the LS Quantum prepares to set off into the great expanse of the universe–loading cargo, checking in passengers, monitoring flight conditions—Traverse with us through our various worlds. The luxury space liner promises adventure, a little chaos, and stories of tender love.

    Website http://www.sfrshootingstars.com
    Twitter https://twitter.com/SFRomanceStars
    Facebook http://www.facebook.com/SFRShootingStars

  • Book Release,  Science Fiction Romance

    A Deliciously Bothersome Cyborg by Anne Kane @annekane #RLFblog #scifi #romance

    A Deliciously Bothersome Cyborg by Anne Kane @annekane #RLFblog #scifi #romanceLiam is the most deliciously bothersome cyborg Emma has ever met. He’s arrogant, opinionated and amazingly good in bed. The third in Anne Kane’s sexy Terras Five Series.

    Welcome Anne Kane author of A Deliciously Bothersome Cyborg, a new Sifi Romance.
    Why did you write this book?
    So I could get some sleep. Liam really is an arrogant cyborg.
    What is your favorite genre to read?
    Romance. All kinds of romance from sweet to sexy and from contemporary to fantasy with a little cowboy thrown in for good measure.
    Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
    Captain Mal from Serenity.
    What are you working on at the moment?
    I’m working on a contemporary romance that should be out by Christmas. The title is Get Off My Cloud.
    What books will we see from you in coming months?
    Well, Get Off My Cloud is due to release Dec 22nd, but after that I think I’ll go back to the cyborg series. The plot for the next book is already rattling around in my head.
    Please tell us about your latest book.
    Genre SciFi Romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    Liam is the most deliciously bothersome cyborg Emma has ever met. Like most of his kind, he’s arrogant, opinionated, and amazingly good in bed. When he rescues her from a kidnap attempt, he decides he needs more time to get to know her so he heads to the far side of the galaxy instead of taking her home.
    Along the way they pick up a furry little creature who turns out to be quite capable of defending itself and are attacked by a ship full of pirates who want to get their hands on the little critter. Life is never dull when a cyborg has you in his sights!
    Publisher https://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2644
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Deliciously-Bothersome-Cyborg-Terras-Five-ebook/dp/B076HTWJ71
    Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-deliciously-bothersome-cyborg-anne-kane/1127242713
    iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-deliciously-bothersome-cyborg/id1297487310?ls=1&mt=11
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-deliciously-bothersome-cyborg

    Anne Kane Social Media

    Anne Kane lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley with a bouncy little rescue dog who’s breed defies description, a cantankerous Himalayan cat, and too many fish to count. She spent many years trying to fit in and act normal, but finally gave up the effort. She started writing romance in 2008, and her fate was sealed when she won a publishing contract with Red Sage Publishing and just a month later Changeling Press accepted her first submission. Since then she had published more than thirty stories in a variety of sub-genres, all with a happily ever after.

    Her hobbies, when she’s not playing with the characters in her head, include kayaking, hiking, swimming, playing guitar, singing and of course, reading
    Website https://www.annekane.com
    Blog https://annekane.wordpress.com/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/annekane
    Facebook http://www.facebook.com/anne.kane.author
    Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/sassic123/
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/2870136.Anne_Kane
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Anne-Kane/e/B004FXZSQ4
    Newsletter http://annekane.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=7120ce01f1e09e7e2e06a4aaf&id=3790c26099

     

  • Character Interviews,  Science Fiction Romance

    Meet Grant: Star Cruise Songbird #PetsinSpace 2 Veronica Scott @vscotttheauthor #RLFblog #SciFi

    Let’s meet Grant Barton from Star Cruise Songbird by Veronica Scott in the Embrace the Romance: Pets In space 2 anthology, a new acifi romance. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. I’d like to get to know you better. Let’s talk.

    About Star Cruise Songbird

    Genre scifi romance

    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13

    The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!

    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.

    Star Cruise: Songbird: A security officer aboard a spaceship finds his job complicated by his attraction to the interstellar singer he is assigned to protect and the bird he has inherited.

    Introducing Grant Barton

    Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. I’d like to get to know you better. Please tell me about yourself.

    Age: We count years differently in the Sectors, as we live longer now than people in your time did. I’m mid-thirties in your way of thinking.

    Gender: Male

    Birthplace: A planet named Qaazamir

    Profession: Served in the Sectors Special Forces, now on medical retirement, working security on the Nebula Zephyr spaceliner

    Ethnicity: Qaazamiri

    Species (for scifi/fantasy characters): Humanoid I believe is your term

    Please provide a physical description of yourself.
    Over 6′ tall, dark hair, hazel eyes. A couple of tattoos. Some scars. Karissa seems to like my face well enough.
    Tell us about yourself, please.
    I served in the Z Corps of the Special Forces, where soldiers with augmented mental abilities serve on teams alongside telepathic animals, like my eagle Valkyr. We did missions behind enemy lines, among other things.
    Who is the significant other in your life?
    Karissa Dawnstar, the interstellar singing sensation. I still have to pinch myself some days that I’ve ended up with her. How fortunate can an ordinary guy like me be, you know? She’s on a whole other level.
    How do you dress?
    On duty, I wear the uniform of a CLC Line Security Officer. The Line’s colors are navy blue, light blue and white. I carry a sidearm (blaster/stunner combo) on the ship. We’re responsible for the safety of over 8000 passengers and crew. Off duty I prefer what you’d think of as T shirts and utility pants. Boots.
    On what special skills do you rely?
    I have a number of top secret implants I received as a member of the Sectors Special Forces. Sorry, you don’t have the right clearance to discuss them. I also have a telepathic bond with Valkyr, my eagle. I’m highly rated at marksmanship, unarmed combat, rated to fly anything up to a fighter craft, skilled in individual aerial combat using antigrav tech. I have leadership and management skills from my military training that I plan to deploy in support of Karissa’s career as we move forward.
    Do you have children?
    Not yet. Karissa and I would like a family but we’ve just gotten together as a couple so it’s too soon.
    Do you care about what others assume about you?
    Not in the least. I care what Karissa thinks of me. I care that my brother soldiers trust me to watch their six (have their back) and know they can rely on me in any situation. I care that Valkyr knows I’d never do anything to hurt him or break our bond.
    Can you keep a secret? Why or why not?
    I carry the highest level of clearance the Sectors military gives and if I told you any more than that I’d have to kill you. (He grins.)
    How emotionally expressive are you to others?
    With Karissa and Valkyr, I can be myself. Anyone else is going to see the tough military guy façade.

    Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Embrace-Romance-Pets-Space-2-ebook/dp/B073W5WQBH
    Barnes and Noble b https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/embrace-the-romance-mk-eidem/1126974793
    iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/embrace-the-romance/id1248937950
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/embrace-the-romance-pets-in-space-2

    Veronica Scott Social Media

    Best Selling Science Fiction, Fantasy and Paranormal Romance author, as well as the “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happy Ever After blog, Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.

    Seven time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances! She was honored to read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “The City On the Edge of Forever.”
    Website http://www.petsinspaceantho.com/
    Blog https://veronicascott.wordpress.com/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/vscotttheauthor
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Veronica-Scott/177217415659637
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5428500.Veronica_Scott
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Veronica-Scott/e/B006CUCJ92/
    Newsletter http://wordpress.us7.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=2a337b96e2ee1ee1250004b9d&id=7462393c9e

     

  • Science Fiction Romance,  Stressing the Hero

    Stressing Gib from Gib and the Tibbar in #PetsinSpace 2 @jsubject #RLFblog #SciFi #Romance

    Today we’re reading about Gib from Gib and the Tibbar in Pets in Space 2 by Jessica E Subject. Tell us about your book.

    Gib and the Tibbar

    Galactic Defenders Series

    A dedicated Defender to the core, Gib is willing to go to any planet the Galactic Alliance sends him. That is, until he’s sent with his squad to Hemera for their Alorama ceremony, far from any threat of Erebus invasion and with no chance for promotion.

    Vilarra has lived on Hemera all her life, working hard in the kitchens of the royal palace until she achieved lead hand. But learning of the universe beyond her world reveals her insignificance and shreds her sense of accomplishment and purpose.

    With the help of a furry, little tibbar, Gib is determined to win the affection of Vilarra, prove to her how significant she is to him and the people who depend on her. But will his personal mission be cut short before he has the chance to win her heart?

    About the anthology:

    The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!

    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.

    Stressing Gib

    Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.

    Age: approx. 24 Earth years
    Birthplace: planet Mingo
    Profession: Galactic Defender, part of Hotel squad
    Ethnicity/Species: Mingot

    The Hero’s Relaxed Side

    This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.
    The hero is actually at a celebration banquet during part of the story, but let’s assume this other party is one where he’s not working as a Defender. Because Gib is a Galactic Defender, the only time he gets to leave the Galactic Alliance carrier ship is when he is on a mission. So, if he’s at a party, it would be in the Defender lounge on the carrier. It would be to celebrate the end of a successful mission, and those in attendance would all be other Defenders. Now, the Defenders consist of multiple species from around the universe, though no one from Earth. At least not at this point in the series.
    How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?
    Because his squad is still fairly new compared to many of the others, he likely wasn’t part of the successful mission. He would be leaning against the wall somewhere talking to another squad mate about they find it unfair that they don’t get sent on the good missions. While his words would show his frustration with the Alliance, and his jealousy of the older Defenders, inside he would be full of admiration for the more experienced squads.
    Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?
    Unless called over by one of the more experienced Defenders, he would stick to those in his squad and others whom he trained with.
    If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?
    The Defenders have to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice, so there is no drinking of alcoholic beverages on the carrier. But, as you will learn in Gib and the Tibbar, it can happen while they are on a mission.
    How much drink is his usual?
    If he is on duty, or has a rotation coming up, he will not drink. Though, if he does not have to worry about being on duty, he will drink enough to get a good buzz. Never to the point of blacking out.
    The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?
    In the carrier, he would either go back to his room which he shares with a squad mate. Or, he’d go to the training room to run a simulation. He wouldn’t go to either place to hide, but if he was exhausted, he’d go to his quarters. If he wanted to avoid someone, he’d go to the training room.
    Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?
    Gib is usually the friend that others latch onto. They like to complain about the unfairness of the Alliance to him, especially Zair.
    If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?
    Unless it was someone he knew well, he would not get involved. There are plenty of other Defenders to control their own squad mates and friends.
    Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?
    In his squad, he’d be the one who does the tossing. He can read minds unless someone blocks him. But when someone is angry, they don’t hide their thoughts as well. He’d be able to sense the upcoming conflict before any fists were thrown.
    Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?
    He always knows when to leave, though with all the thoughts flying around at a party, he’d likely leave early just to clear his mind, or put up his own block.

    The Hero’s Stressed Out Side

    How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?
    Although he would be calm about it, he would not accept blame for something he didn’t do. He would calmly explain the situation and what really happened.
    How does the hero react to hearing a scream?
    If he was on a mission, he would ready his weapon and head immediately to the source of the scream if he wasn’t already occupied.
    If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?
    He would immediately want to help them.
    If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?
    If not otherwise occupied, he would assess the situation while rushing to them.
    This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?
    He would fight until the very end, hoping another Defender came to help him out.
    The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact with him/her in some way. What does he do?
    Gib would slowly sneak farther and farther away from the person until he found an excuse or opportunity to leave.
    Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?
    This usually doesn’t happen as Gib is one of the younger Defenders, but if it did, he’s the type who would casually and privately suggest alternative ways to handle the situation. If that didn’t work, he would simply take over rather than put his life and the lives of others in danger.
    The hero is in physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does he tell himself in order to get through the situation?
    When he enrolled in Defender training, he knew pain, injury, and even death could result. He would push through it because he knows that his actions save lives.
    What mentor’s words come to mind in a bad situation?
    “You can’t save everyone, but even if you save one being from the Erebus, it’s worth it.” – What his squadron leader tells all of the members
    What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?
    All of the lessons he learned during training as a Galactic Defender get him through each and every mission, whether fighting the Erebus, or simply interacting with the natives of the planet he is on.
    Where can we find your book online?
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): Each story in the anthology varies, but I believe the highest rating would be R – Restricted
    Genre: Sci Fi Romance
    Amazon: http://bit.ly/EmbraceTheRomance
    Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/embrace-the-romance-se-smith/1126723852
    iBooks: http://bit.ly/EmbraceTheRomanceiBooks
    Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/embrace-the-romance-pets-in-space-2
    Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/S_E_Smith_Embrace_the_Romance_Pets_in_Space_2?id=Jp8rDwAAQBAJ

    Jessica E Subject Social Media

    Jessica E Subject is the author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to super hot. Sometimes she dabbles in paranormal and contemporary as well, bringing to life a wide variety of characters. In her stories, you could not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

    When Jessica is not reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to go to fitness class and walk her Great Pyrenees/Retriever her family adopted from the local animal shelter. Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com.

    Website http://jessicasubject.com
    Blog http://markofthestars.com/wp/blog
    Twitter http://twitter.com/jsubject
    Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-E-Subject-author/205759796126370
    Pinterest http://pinterest.com/jessicasubject/
    Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4959083.Jessica_E_Subject
    Amazon Author Page http://amazon.com/author/jessicasubject
    Newsletter http://eepurl.com/eX1Zw
    Instafreebie (anthology sampler) https://www.instafreebie.com/free/EZz5p

     

  • Science Fiction Romance

    Cosmic Cabaret: Where Hearts Collide by the SFR Shooting Stars @CailinBriste #RLFblog #SciFi

    Cosmic Cabaret: Where Hearts Collide in the Greatest Show in Space

    Come aboard Blue Star line’s crown jewel, the LS Quantum, a luxury starship traveling through space and time. You’ll meet princes and star sultans, solve a murder, track a thief, plan the ultimate jewel heist, and encounter futuristic rock stars on the lam, cirque stars who want the quiet life, and dancers who want fame.
    Join thirteen USA Today, Amazon best-selling, and award-winning speculative fiction romance authors as they twist their own tales on the decks and in the dance halls of LS Quantum. Embark on a journey to fall in love at the Cosmic Cabaret.
    Click and buy right now for $2.99. That’s 13 sci-fi romance novellas, 1340 pages of love, soft and gentle to wildly abandoned.
    Genre Science Fiction Romance, Speculative Fiction
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG-13 to R
    Publisher SFR Shooting Stars
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0755XPYTM
    Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cosmic-cabaret-sfr-shooting-stars/1127023699
    Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/ebook/cosmic-cabaret
    Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-sAyDwAAQBAJ
    Click Here: https://books.pronoun.com/cosmic-cabaret/
    One Small Step First Chapters – Read all 13 first chapters of Cosmic Cabaret in this companion teaser.
    Instafreebie https://www.instafreebie.com/free/RThtK
    Bookfunnel https://books.bookfunnel.com/firstchapterchallenge
    Pronoun https://books.pronoun.com/cosmic-cabaret/
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0755XPYTM
    Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cosmic-cabaret-sfr-shooting-stars/1127023699
    Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/ebook/cosmic-cabaret
    GooglePlay https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-sAyDwAAQBAJ
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36144442-cosmic-cabaret

    SFR Shooting Stars Social Media

    SFRSS = Speculative Fiction Romance Shooting Stars.
    A collective put together by three authors, Selene Grace Silver, Rosalie Redd and Jayne Fury, SFRSS aims to promote the genre of speculative fiction romance by finding and promoting some of the best SFR authors out there. Our current anthology, which goes on sale October 10, 2017, showcases stories by CJ Cade, Kerry Adrienne, Tessa McFionn, Cailin Briste, Jayne Fury, Rosalie Redd, Selene Grace Silver, Athena Grayson, Kat Vancil, Dena Garson, Blaire Edens, Jenna Lincoln, and Diana Rivis. SFR is more than blue alien sex, it’s beautiful romance set in amazing galactic worlds.
    As the LS Quantum prepares to set off into the great expanse of the universe–loading cargo, checking in passengers, monitoring flight conditions—Traverse with us through our various worlds. The luxury space liner promises adventure, a little chaos, and stories of tender love.
    Website http://www.sfrshootingstars.com/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/CailinBriste
    Facebook http://www.facebook.com/SFRShootingStars