“They Came To Talk”

I used to watch 3rd ROCK FROM THE SUN pretty regularly.

One particular episode has stayed with me since this series ran in the 1990s, specifically the one titled “Ab-Dick-ted.” The most hilarious part of the episode comes when teenage alien Tommy (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), in an attempt to impress his human girlfriend, agrees to watch a movie called THEY CAME TO TALK. (The segment is posted at Youtube if you want to relive the scene the way I did while writing this post. Fast forward to 6:49).

Anyway, Tommy just kills when he requests the tickets to this fictional film, as well as when he reassures his girlfriend by stating, “Anne Bancroft, Olympia Dukakis, and Holly Hunter…what teenage boy wouldn’t want to see this movie?”

I watched this episode with my husband—also an SF fan—and years later “They Came To Talk” is still a running joke between us. It’s not like I have anything against films involving women talking as a plot--except when they’re boring.

The reason this 3rd ROCK episode has been on my mind lately is because I’m reading three—count ‘em, three—science fiction romances in which the basic plotline so far is this: Hero meets heroine, hero and heroine travel aboard a starship, conversation and sexual tension ensues.

Now, this is hardly the first time I’ve encountered this trope. In fact, with space opera type stories, it’s difficult to avoid reading scenes where the hero and heroine spend time getting to know one another while traipsing across the galaxy from point A to point B. In a story where the plot is the relationship, this technique is an easy way to force the hero and heroine into dealing with each other. They can’t just walk out the nearest airlock. (As an aside, it also seems to be a common trope in historical romances when the h/h are aboard a sailing ship).

But is this technique too easy?

I have mixed feelings about this approach. On the one hand, whenever a hero and heroine are aboard a starship, I really can’t complain. I like reading about the shipboard details particular to that story. Frequently, either the hero or heroine is the captain, and one or both have an interesting occupation. This strategy also provides the requisite sexual tension, especially given the tight spaces one often finds aboard a standard fictional starship.

On the other hand, sometimes a story veers into “They Came To Talk” territory. As an SF fan, I couldn’t help but relate to Tommy’s misgivings about watching such a film. Except for those occasional instances when I need a change of pace, I usually gravitate towards SF/F/horror films. I want high stakes, action, and intense conflict much of the time. Plunking a hero and heroine in a space ship for endless chapters doesn’t always meet my need for the excitement of an external plot. Never mind the fact that sometimes an existing external plot is pushed aside so the heroine can obsess over the hero’s eye color.

I find that a story involving a hero and heroine confined to a ship works best when there’s lots and lots of conflict between them. Doesn’t have to be physical conflict. Any kind will do. But there are stories where the focus is relentlessly on the mental lusting or superficial concerns, which makes for a very muted type of conflict (or the conflict is too easily resolved).

If I’m reading a story involving “They Came To Talk” science fiction romance, my hope is that even as the hero and heroine lust after each other, they are still heavily at odds with one another.

Is that too much to ask?

Joyfully yours,

Heather

Donna S. Frelick Wins TARA Contest With Sci-Fi Romance UNCHAINED MEMORY

This sweet news just in, courtesy of Spacefreighters Lounge:

Donna S. Frelick has won the TARA Contest Paranormal category with her awesome Science Fiction Romance manuscript, Unchained Memory.

Congratulations, Donna! To learn more about the story, visit her site at Donna S. Frelick.com.

Joyfully yours,

Heather

Spies Like Us: An Agent Z. Rant

You know, I’m a tough kind of gal. I have to be, you see, in my line of work. Protecting the little people from big bad aliens, intergalactic conglomerates, and evil overlords is what I do. Now, I may not be a soldier or a princess or (rolls eyes at Heather) a space pirate, but us intergalactic spies do a dangerous and thankless job.

SO WHY THE HELL AREN’T I A SCIENCE FICTION ROMANCE HEROINE??? HUH??? HUH???

OK, so maybe I sleep around a bit, have a potty mouth, dress trashy and drink too much, but so what? No one’s perfect. I’ve been told I have a hard heart of gold hiding behind this steel-reinforced, but still sexy, corset. I got nice teeth. I can giggle girlishly when I need to. All it would take is the right man to kill my other suitors, make me quiver, make me laugh, and get me the hell out of this corset.

Hell, I’d settle for a romance novel about any intergalactic spy. It doesn’t have to be me (but it sure better not be that beyotch Agent DD. I hate her) It would be a heck of a novel, engorged with sex and violence and lots and lots of sneaking around doing derring-do type of things in a variety of exotic settings (just don’t make me go back to Gor.).

C’mon, science fiction romance writers. Take me on! I’m more than willing to have my rough edges filed off (as long as they’re still there when I need ‘em.) Don’t we all need a heroine we can believe in? Believe me - I’m your gal!

So what are you waiting for? Git writing! Here - I’ll even give you the opening:

Agent Z. stretched luxuriously, before kicking Han Solo out of her bed.

“You’d better get back to that bossy little wife of yours before she finds out you’re missing.”

Han fell to his knees in front of her.

“No, Z. Please! Don’t send me away!”

“Fix me a drink before you go, Solo. And don’t make me shoot you...again.”

Be seeing ya!

Agent Z.

Natalie Hatch Wins Big For BREEDER, Her YA Girl Space Pirate Story

I’d like to share some exciting news today. I recently discovered that Galaxy Express passenger Natalie Hatch won in the Young Adult category of the Children's and Young Adult authors contest with BREEDER, her girl space pirate novel. Congratulations, Natalie!

I had the honor of reading an early draft of the manuscript, and boy was it ever impressive even at that stage. I normally don’t delve into YA these days, but I couldn’t resist the chance to read a grrrl space pirate tale. The story has action, adventure, romance, and groovy space whales (you’ll just have to read it for yourself to discover why). The heroine really knows her way around tools, and the worldbuilding details regarding the repairs she did really drew me into her character. The hero was noble, and the villain truly heinous.

As if the contest win wasn’t awesome enough, the manuscript is in the hands of two major mainstream print publishers and an agent. It’ll be so cool seeing this book hit the shelves. Fingers crossed for you, Natalie!

To learn more about Natalie Hatch’s win, read her announcement post at her blog, What Time Is It Again?

Joyfully yours,

Heather

Cover Exclusive: Ella Drake’s SILVER BOUND

Ella Drake’s forthcoming science fiction romance SILVER BOUND from Carina Press will hit the virtual shelves November 22, 2010. Thanks to the author and publisher's generosity, my passengers have access to the official unveiling of the cover right now! Feast your eyes:



There’s the couple against a starry background! Good call. If we can’t have starships or other tech, at least stars and a planet help orient the potential reader to the setting. The cacti tell you it’s a space western, although I’d be surprised to discover that there are really cacti in the story. But maybe, just maybe, the cacti launch killer spores that transform into mutant space monsters. Kidding.

Back to the cover. To me, the color is warm and inviting. The stars echo the silver mentioned in the title, which is a nice touch. The couple’s pose promises a sensual love story (but I wouldn’t have complained in the least if the hero, who is a sheriff, wore a uniform. Picky, picky, I know. Although, it appears as though he might be wearing a holster.).

Overall, this is a solid step toward branding science fiction as a whole, at least as far as covers are concerned. What this cover says to me is that Carina Press embraces the hybrid story elements. Because it's an ebook, they can afford to target the niche audience. But the visuals have plenty of cross-over appeal as well.

And that’s not all, folks: Head on over to the Ella Drake’s site to read the newly revealed story blurb and excerpt!

Now that you’re back, what do you think about the latest addition to our current batch of SFR covers?

Joyfully yours,

Heather