Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Interview With COLLISION Author Berinn Rae, Plus Giveaway



Author Berinn Rae and genre fiction go way back, and she's channeled her interests into a science fiction romance saga called the Colliding Worlds Trilogy. This trilogy falls under the alien invasion category (see my post about it here). In these stories, planet Earth is in the crossfire of two galactic adversaries. Click here for descriptions and free excerpts of the first two books, COLLISION and IMPLOSION.

I invited Berinn Rae aboard so we could pick her brain about comic books, her writing style, and tattooed aliens. A giveaway follows the interview, so read on!

The Galaxy Express: Finish this sentence: My name is Berinn Rae and I like to…

Berinn Rae: Write, read, fly, and get into shenanigans (in no particular order).

TGE: Your bio states that in the past you had “…the small town’s largest (and only) comic book collection…” What are your top three favorite comic books series?

BR: Tough question! I’ve always been more of a Marvel Girl (as opposed to DC or Indie, although I love ALL comics), so my collection tilts toward the Marvel Universe (and yes, Stan Lee is my superhero). Off the top of my mind, I’d go with The Uncanny X-Men, G.I. Joe, and Conan the Barbarian. All three have plenty of action, tortured heroes, and strong storylines.

TGE: What was the inspiration for the Colliding Worlds trilogy?

BR: I’m a sucker for aliens, and wondered what if not one, but two alien races came to earth? From there, I fleshed out the story line for a trilogy where a war millions of miles away has ended (almost). The defeated winged Draeken flee to earth, but are pursued by the gold-skinned Sephians.

Since all my stories focus on strong women, it seemed natural to have each book focus on a heroine from one of the three races (human, Sephian, Draeken) and how she fits into the war. And so the Colliding Worlds trilogy was born. COLLISION came out in July 2012, IMPLOSION released March 11, and EXPLOSION comes out Summer 2013.

In COLLISION, Sienna Wolfe knows it’s going to be an interesting day when a man with golden skin and strange tattoos crashes in her backyard… and ends up tied to her bedposts. She likes her life just the way it is – simple, easy, relaxed. But when the gorgeous new alien in her life asks for her help in an inter-galactic war on a collision course with earth, she can’t say no… but she’ll soon wish she had.

TGE: Is there an overarching story arc or does each book stand alone?

BR: Both. Each story stars one extraordinary woman from a different race, but the overarching theme (earth’s survival in the face of an inter-galactic war) continues through all three stories. The overarching theme is strong enough that it would be easier to read the books in order.

TGE: Please tag COLLISION using five words.

BR: aliens, abduction, war, military, soulmates (yeah, I cheated and combined two words into one.)

TGE: You’ve written a few paranormal romances. Did anything in particular attract you to science fiction romance?

BR: Ever since I learned to read, I’ve been absolutely hooked on science fiction. That’s the genre I’ve always wanted to write, but it’s also one of the hardest genres to write because of the world building aspect. And Sci-Fi readers are a smart and tough crowd—they expect sh*t to make sense.

As for the romance part, the older I get, the more mushy I get, so I like to see stories with a HEA (Happily Ever After), or at least a HFN (Happily For Now). I find that the two genres (Sci-Fi and romance) fit together like Ender and video games.

TGE: What types of heroines can readers expect from these stories?

BR: Every heroine in my novels have one thing in common: kickassitude. Some may have special powers, others seem completely Plain Jane, but they all have that spirit and internal strength to see things through to the end. For example, COLLISION’s heroine, Sienna Wolfe, is your run-of-the-mill human who just so happens to get yanked down a rabbit hole of craziness, with only her faith and willpower to not only stay alive but to find the time to hook up with a sexy alien.

TGE: How would you describe the heat level in COLLISION?

BR: Sexy. I don’t close the spaceship door, so to speak, which means the reader gets to see everything going on. And there are a few steamy scenes to enjoy in Collision.

TGE: Where can readers find you?

BR: Stop by my website (www.BerinnRae.com) for the latest information on upcoming releases, including excerpts and freebies. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter (@BerinnRae).

TGE: Can you give us a sneak peek at the plot of the next two books?

BR: In IMPLOSION, the humans and Sephians have reached a truce and combine forces to pursue the Draeken threat. Our heroine is Nalea, a Sephian warrior who exists only to kill Draeken. During a bloody battle, she finds herself captured by Roden Zyll, a Draeken commander known for his vicious brutality and good looks. Roden ignites a forbidden passion, and she despises him for it. Though a future together is both impossible and unwanted, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

In EXPLOSION, a deadly toxin is released across earth, truces are broken, and all aliens are quickly blamed and ordered to be executed. Our heroine is Talla Kolhm, a Draeken warrior-woman who’s been beaten down but never broken. With the help of Jax Jerrick, a human soldier with his own share of scars, she escapes. While battling their simmering passion, Talla and Jax join the resistance committed to finding an antidote. Talla will do anything for her people’s survival, even sacrifice herself and her heart, which may be the only way to save us all…

Thanks for having me, Heather!

***
Mrs. Rae, thanks for your time, and for your art.
Giveaway time!

Berinn Rae has generously provided a digital copy of COLLISION. Winner’s choice PDF, ePub, or .mobi. The deadline to enter is midnight PST on Saturday, March 16, 2013.

Entering is easy: simply leave a comment. Tell us about your favorite alien invasion story!

Joyfully yours,

Heather