Welcome To COSMIC IDOL: The STAR WARS Edition

Yes, it's COSMIC IDOL! The # 1 show all across the universe and beyond...where YOU pick the winners.

We’re going to be broadcasting all week, focusing on your favorite romantic tunes. Songs that carry such sizzle they could melt the ears off a gundark.

In our first of three installments, we have a trio that’s sure to turn you to the dark side…of love!

Ladies and gentle-beings, please welcome Princess Leia as she gives us her chemically-enhanced best on Life Day! And if we’re really lucky, we may even get an appearance by the embarrassed strapping Han Solo as his wookie friend daydreams about higher-production values past exploits.

And check it out! Ms. Organa spared no expense as she even supplied dry ice. Now you know it’s spacey. Aces!

Wow! Wasn’t that amazing? Let’s all give her a big round of furry robed applause.

Up next, we have a stunning rendition of the STAR WARS theme that’s as rare as an Imperial Stormtrooper actually hitting his target! How could one possibly top the John Williams original, you ask?

Well, cast aside any thoughts of Meco, and please give a big Tatooine greeting to the romantic, disco-flavored flair that is Masato Shimon (and be sure to tell him Jet Jaguar sent ya)!



Our final contestant today also hails from the STAR WARS universe, by way of the Black Sea. Ladies and multi-tentacled sentients, please welcome all the way from DÜNYAYI KURTARAN ADAM, the Erik Estrada hair stylings of…Cüneyt Arkin!

Gasp!...as our hero takes a momentary breather from punching rocks—which explode!—to cover his hands with a red marker. Swoon!...as his platinum blonde lady friend...with some unique ideas about make-up application…looks deeply into the eyes of her love—all to the orchestral tune of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK!

Copyright infringement? Why that phrase doesn’t exist in this universe!



They're all so great! You have a difficult decision before you.

So who has that special something? Whose life will change forever? You tell me as you vote ‘em up or down in the comments section.

Join me next time as we continue another star spanning episode of...COSMIC IIIIIIDOOOOLLLLL!

Tunefully Yours,

Heather

Two Essential Science Fiction Romance Discussions

I’m doing an extra post this week because of two ongoing discussions about SFR that recently started. I know you like a challenge (!) so please check out the following sites:

Science Fiction Romance by Claire Delacroix (FALLEN) is an intriguing examination of the issues involved in publishing an SFR novel. She draws upon her own experience to give readers a behind the scenes view of her book’s evolution.

Additionally, she explores craft and marketing issues that demonstrate how challenging this genre can be to both write and market. She brings up many interesting points so pull up a chair and here’s a cup of space java to sharpen your analytical skills.

Linnea Sinclair (HOPE’S FOLLY) started a thread at Goodreads titled Should SFR be part of PNR? (free registration required). In her opening post, the author invites you to share your thoughts about whether “associating [science fiction romance] with PNR helps or hinders.”

So roll up your sleeves while Chef passes out the red eyes because it promises to be an intense exchange.

Joyfully yours,

Heather

The Fine Art of Dialogue

“All Dialogue is Conflict!”

Author Jacqueline Lichtenberg’s battle call perfectly encapsulates my feelings about dialogue.

I’d recently finished two science fiction romance books as well as one novella, and am currently in the middle of an awesome steampunk story. What they all have in common is dialogue that pops off the page. In other words, dialogue that isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty with a lot of conflict—hence this post.

Dialogue is a crucial element to many stories. It’s difficult to do well and easy to fumble. I’m generally a plot gal, but if the dialogue sparkles, I can often forgive a low key plot or even story flaws.

I’m a big fan of conflict-laden dialogue in films, too, and sometimes I wonder how much that medium has influenced how I read/evaluate dialogue in books. Probably quite a bit (“Why am I Mr. Pink?”*). If dialogue is competent, at the least it becomes an invisible part of the process. At that point, I focus more on the story. But if superior fare dances before my eyes, it just makes the experience that much more compelling.

Dialogue is conflict, and great dialogue is infinitely seductive.

Now I’d like to point you to a few intensive posts about dialogue, brought to you by a few of the authors at Alien Romances:

“You don’t understand!” She shouted angrily… (Linnea Sinclair)

Expletive-Deleted & Tender Romance (Jacqueline Lichtenberg)

Speaking and Swearing in Alien Tongues: Reprise (Linnea Sinclair)

Screams of the Vegetables (Margaret Carter)

Verisimilitude VS Reality (Jacqueline Lichtenberg)

Joyfully yours,

Heather

* Quentin Tarantino's RESERVOIR DOGS

The Secret Combination For Success

I’m the first to admit, I’m a sucker for starships and space pirates. Heh. Is that so wrong?

But science fiction romance doesn’t have to be all about starships and wormholes. Quite the opposite: more than a few stories explore other settings, couplings, times, and technologies. However, it’s often the flashy galactic adventures that garner most of the attention. Stories set in space or on alien worlds tend to define/represent science fiction romance as a whole, but that's not all there is to it.

SFR has the potential to encompass a pretty broad swath of stories when one considers all the various subgenres of science fiction. Romance has also splintered into various subgenres, many of which would dovetail quite well with their SF “counterparts.” With this subgenre on the cusp of a much wider audience, there is so much unexplored territory that it boggles my mind.

Check out just a few of the numerous possibilities:

Steampunk

What it is: Steampunk “…is set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date.”

I think you all know how I feel about steampunk. Well, I’d adore a steampunk romance even better! (While we’re waiting with tapping toes for the wave to hit, CLOCKWORK HEART by Dru Pagliassotti is available from Juno Books, and Nathalie Gray has penned MECHANICAL ROSE, a steampunk erotic romance. Hello, hawt eccentric inventor!)

This category is a goggle-licious example of where authors can take science fiction romance stories. For the very ambitious, you could even explore a steampunk romance in space!

Will also appeal to: Historical romance lovers

Mundane SF

What it is: Mundane SF “…focuses on stories set on or near the Earth, with a believable use of technology and science as it exists at the time the story is written.”

With these stories, there’d be no starships, no wormholes, and no interstellar travel in sight. There’s enough existing technology and human couplings to explore without launching into space. Mundane SF also represents a potentially great opportunity to explore tales in a near future setting.

Will also appeal to: Contemporary romance lovers

Time Travel

What it is: Stories involving “…devices and technologies that take people backwards and forwards in time and space….”

Angela Knight’s JANE’S WARLORD (and the Time Hunters series that followed) and Isabo Kelly’s MARSHALL’S GUARD are wonderful starts, but let’s bring ‘em back in force. Instead of magical portals/amulets or what have you, make each catalyst for the time-tripping a scientific invention. It's sexy tech, for sure. Oooh, wouldn’t a steampunk time travel romance be absolutely fantabulous?!!

Will also appeal to: Time travel romance lovers

Military SF

What it is: “Military science fiction is set in the context of conflict between national, interplanetary, or interstellar armed forces; the primary viewpoint characters are usually soldiers. Stories include detail about military technology, procedure, ritual, and history; military stories may use parallels with historical conflicts.”

Authors Sandra McDonald (THE OUTBACK STARS) Susan Grant (LEGEND OF BANZAI MAGUIRE), and Linnea Sinclair (GAMES OF COMMAND) have aspects of military SF in a few of their books. Another resource for these types of stories is the ROMVETS, a community of authors with a military background.

But you can’t deny there’s room for so many more!

For more inspiration, please do check out Women Who Write Military Science Fiction Books by Deborah Teramis Christian (thanks to Lisa Paitz Spindler for the link).

Will also appeal to: Action adventure romance lovers (fans of Suzanne Brockmann, I’m looking at you).

Apocalyptic, Post-Apocalyptic, & Superhuman

What they are: “Apocalyptic fiction is concerned with the end of civilization through nuclear war, plague, or some other general disaster or with a world or civilization after such a disaster.... Apocalyptic fiction generally concerns the disaster itself and the direct aftermath, while post-apocalyptic can deal with anything from the near aftermath to hundreds or thousands of years in the future…”

“Superhuman stories deal with the emergence of humans who have abilities beyond the norm.... These stories usually focus on the alienation that these beings feel as well as society's reaction to them.”

Eve Kenin’s DRIVEN, Claire Delacroix’s FALLEN, and Jordan Summer’s RED all transport the reader to post-apocalyptic settings with nary a starship in sight. In these stories, gritty, dark, and intense rule the day—oh, and that’s just describing the romances!

Catherine Asaro’s SUNRISE ALLEY is an example of a suspenseful tale involving a hero with superhuman abilities (and for the guys, there’s ALPHA). Superhuman stories have so much untapped potential in science fiction romances. Why not mix and match with other subgenres? GAMES OF COMMAND features a bio cybe admiral hero.

Will also appeal to: Paranormal romance lovers

Cyberpunk

What it is: In cyberpunk stories, the “…time frame is usually near-future and the settings are often dystopian. Common themes in cyberpunk include advances in information technology and especially the Internet (visually abstracted as cyberspace), artificial intelligence and prosthetics and post-democratic societal control where corporations have more influence than governments. Nihilism, post-modernism, and film noir techniques are common elements, and the protagonists may be disaffected or reluctant anti-heroes.”

Rise of the SFR anti-heroes and anti-heroines in this category, perhaps? Yum! Seriously, though, we’re talking about some pretty deep books here. It might even call for a new subgenre of science fiction: Romancepunk!

Will also appeal to: Romantic suspense lovers

Ahh…science fiction romance—the best of both worlds! But let’s not stop here—what are some combinations you’d like to read?

Joyfully yours,

Heather