Tuesday, September 10, 2013

SFR News & Links Extra


File this under happy dance news: September is "SFR Month" at Bookpushers!

This month we will be doing a series of reviews and some posts concentrating on the genre of Sci Fi and Romance which is one of my favourite subgenres. It is also a very diverse genre that encompasses so many different elements, tones and styles which is one of the reasons why I really love the themes that Sci Fi conveys.

I especially love stories that explore the universe and what it means to be human which authors like Anne McCaffery have highlighted. But I also love the campy sexy romps such as Dara Joy’s Matrix series  or Jayne Castle’s Sci Fi paranormals which were my first introduction to the genre. This made me realise at the time that romance was a wonderful genre that could combine so many different aspects which makes things fresh and vibrant.
Yay! Here are links to some of the features that have gone live:

Review of Zoe Archer's SKIES OF GOLD (steampunk; The Ether Chronicles)
Review of Ann Aguirre's PERDITION (space opera penitentiary setting)

I learned about a few more new releases that are happening this month. Check out the covers and blurbs:

ARMANI ARMADA (vampire/time travel; Beloved Bloody Time #3)



What goes around, comes around, including love.

Justin Edward Kelly, vampire and Chronologic Touring Agency member, hates time traveling and prefers to pretend he’s human. Deonne Rinaldi is human and arm-twisted the Agency into the deal of a life-time: They make her a vampire if she pulls off the PR campaign of her career and make humans like vampires. Everyone was stunned when the mismatched pair became lovers, including Deonne and Justin and neither of them will admit even to themselves how well the relationship works.

While Deonne is tucked away in history to protect her from Gabriel’s psi-file army ravages, Justin gets a time-delayed letter from her telling him their affair is over. She is in love with Adán Xavier Santiago, a Romani vampire from ancient Spain who will turn her.

Despite the massive dangers screwing with time this way can cause, Justin travels back to China to confront Deonne, but when he arrives there is no Adán and Deonne knows nothing about the letter. Justin, not used to time traveling, figures he’s averted a personal disaster until Deonne meets a sexy Spaniard who introduces himself as Adán….


Tags:
* Erotic MMF romance, time travel, urban fantasy story line, on-going serial storylines.
* Futuristic settings: Medieval Spain; futuristic China, north America, Europe and London; historical Australia, among others.
* Vampires and other fantasy species.


HEY, SANTA (alien-on-Earth;erotic) - Jessica E. Subject



She doesn’t want a lot for Christmas…

Claire Otton dreads spending another holiday alone. When her best friend convinces her to approach the sexy mall Santa, she takes the chance and asks him out, hoping for so much more.
He’s waiting under the mistletoe…

Although Andreas Castellanos blends in on Earth, he knows he will never belong. But when the gorgeous woman he’d been staring at invites him to dinner, he has a hard time saying no.

All they’re asking for…

Can these two lonely souls find magic together or will their secrets steal their chance of a happy Christmas?

Read the excerpt.

NEVER GONNA SAY GOODBYE (SF/dystopian/gay erotic romance) - Jessica E. Subject



Rebels, former Planet Core employees, have banded together in The Underground. They fight against the policies of the corporation that owns the lease on their lives. They will have their freedom or they will die trying.

The rebellion is stirring…

Will Garrison leads the fight against the control of the corporation—he wants his people to have their rights to live and love back. Reunited with his lover, former Planet Core medic Tim Harris, the men disagree on how to take down the corporation.

And the desire for freedom…

Tim’s plan requires that he provide a distraction while Will leads The Underground’s forces in a lightning raid, but who can Will trust when he’s already been betrayed once?

May cost these men everything…

Timing is everything, because if either fails The Underground may be crushed under the weight of Planet Core once and for all.

ESCAPE FROM ZULAIRE - Veronica Scott



Andi Markriss hasn’t exactly enjoyed being the houseguest of the planetary high-lord, but her company sent her to represent them at a political wedding. When hotshot Sectors Special Forces Captain Tom Deverane barges in on the night of the biggest social event of the summer, Andi isn’t about to offend her high-ranking host on Deverane’s say-so—no matter how sexy he is, or how much he believes they need to leave now.

Deverane was thinking about how to spend his retirement bonus when HQ assigned him one last mission: rescue a civilian woman stranded on a planet on the verge of civil war. Someone has pulled some serious strings to get her plucked out of the hot zone. Deverane’s never met anyone so hard-headed—or so appealing. Suddenly his mission to protect this one woman has become more than just mere orders.

That mission proves more dangerous than he expected when rebel fighters attack the village and raze it to the ground. Deverane escapes with Andi, and on their hazardous journey through the wilderness, Andi finds herself fighting her uncomfortable attraction to the gallant and courageous captain. But Deverane’s not the type to settle down, and running for one’s life doesn’t leave much time to explore a romance.

Then Andi is captured by the rebel fighters, but Deverane has discovered that Zulaire’s so-called civil war is part of a terrifying alien race’s attempt to subjugate the entire Sector. If he pushes on to the capitol Andi will die. Deverane must decide whether to save the woman he loves, or sacrifice her to save Zulaire.


Convention action



Coyote Con is gearing up for its 2013 online gathering! If you're interested in participating on a panel, click here for more information.

Sime~Gen Role Playing Game Kickstarter campaign



A Sime~Gen RPG game may be coming! Sime~Gen is a classic SF series by author Jacqueline Lichtenberg. She was writing romantic SF/SFR long before there was even a term to describe this genre. Now there's a Kickstarter campaign for Ambrov X, an RPG based on the Sime~Gen universe. Check out a recent press release from the official site:

Bioware’s Jennifer Brandes Hepler to join Loreful in creating new Science Fiction RPG
September 3, 2013

Cincinnati, OH – Jennifer Brandes Hepler, whose departure from Bioware made news last month, has announced her intention to join fledgling Cincinnati game developer Loreful in their development of “Ambrov X: A Sime~Gen Roleplaying Game.” “Ambrov X” is a science fiction RPG focusing on a future humanity that has split into two separate and symbiotic races, forcing players’ characters to enter a tight, emotional, both predatory and romantic relationship with a single bonded companion character.

The game is being partially funded through Kickstarter; its campaign begins on September 3rd and ends on October 4th, 2013. Loreful will be seeking a minimum investment of $500,000 and will bring Jennifer Brandes Hepler onto the “Ambrov X” team when it reaches its $750,000 stretch goal. Jennifer will take on the role of Lead Writer and Narrative Designer, spearheading the effort to bring emotionally engaging dialogue and memorable characters to “Ambrov X.”

For further information on Ambrov X and to pledge your support, visit the Kickstarter page: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aharon/ambrov-x-a-sime-gen-roleplaying-game

Whee! Good luck, Ms. Lichtenberg!

Joyfully yours,

Heather