There's a New Captain Aboard! Carol Van Natta Takes Charge of the Pets in Space® Dynasty

If you've been keeping up with Science Fiction Romance news, you're probably aware that author Carol Van Natta will be taking the helm of the wonderfully successful Pets in Space® SFR franchise for 2021 and into the future. Carol is well known in the community and among readers as an established and popular author with several wonderful sci-fi romance series.

I wanted to ask Carol a few questions about this big transition and she graciously agreed to do an interview. Read on to hear what the new PISA Captain has to say and if you have anything special you'd like to ask her regarding Pets in Space®, be sure to post them in comments. 

Carol, first of all, many congratulations and kudos on assuming the reins of the Pets in Space® dynasty. Can you talk a little more about how this all came about?

Thanks for your kind words. I'm excited and a bit intimidated at the same time. I have some very stylish shoes to fill.

The transition owes largely to serendipity and friendships. Pauline Baird Jones and Jean Walker (who writes as Veronica Scott) came up with a fabulous concept for Pets in Space®—even the name makes people smile. Add science fiction romance goodness and the excellent charity component, and it's a winner.

In the past (crazy) year, Pauline and Jean began looking for someone to take the helm, as it were, and my name came up via a mutual friend. I love the anthology, the charity, and the possibilities. It was too good an opportunity to pass up. Besides, my cats insisted the world desperately needs more stories with felines. Please don't tell them about the stories with non-cat heroes.

As a writer for three of the past five volumes of Pets in Space®, what's your vision for the franchise going forward? Any surprises in store?

Pauline and Jean built a strong foundation and a devoted fan base. I've managed plenty of projects in my career, but never an anthology, so I know I have a learning curve. My plan for Pets in Space® 6 is to keep all the things readers love—favorite and new authors, brand new stories, pets, adventure, and science fiction romance.

I do have a few ideas for the future, but if I told you now, they wouldn't be surprises. 😸

Do you plan to continue with the usual involvement of 9-12 authors and the regular schedule of October releases for future Pets in Space® volumes, or will there be some "changing up" in the usual process? Do you also plan to continue to support the Hero Dogs charity with future releases?

Yes, I will be inviting 9 to 12 authors to participate in each anthology. As with the previous anthologies, some authors will be returning favorites, and some will be new. That number gives readers a nice buffet of stories to choose from without being overwhelming.

Unless the 2020 Calamity Fairy hangs around like a grumpy guest overstaying their visit, Pets in Space® 6 will release in October 2021. The October time frame has been good for the anthology. It will still be a limited edition, too, meaning it will leave the galaxy forever after a few months. It helps us maximize the donation amount for the charity, and quickly returns rights to the authors so they can do whatever they like with their stories.

And we will most definitely keep our relationship with the Hero Dogs charity for as long as they'll have us. Its mission to provide trained service dogs to disabled veterans and first-responders is a perfect match made in the stars for Pets in Space®. As a side note, I understand that you, Laurie, recommend the Hero Dogs charity and support them yourself, so kudos to you, too.

Pets in Space® 2: Embrace the Romance was the only volume ever released in a print version. Do you think any of the future collections might also be produced in a print version?

I am sentimentally fond of my only paperback copy of Pets in Space® 2, but it's a monster. Print books have a page limit, and every subsequent Pets in Space® volume has exceeded it by a goodly amount. I suppose we could print in tiny type and hand out magnifying glasses with each one, but I'm not sure how we'd package that. And the purchase price might be prohibitive, too.

All in all, I won't say "never," but I will say a future print version is unlikely. 

Is there anything else you'd like to say about your new role or the future of Pets in Space?

Please send black tea for me and cat toys to distract my felines. I have a feeling I'm going to need them.

Carol, I have a feeling you and Pets in Space® will have a long and happy voyage ahead. Many congratulations on taking the helm of this dynamic Science Fiction Romance anthology series, and thanks for chatting with us about its no-doubt bright future. 

Thanks for stopping by the Lounge today. 

______________

If you'd like to learn more about Carol Van Natta, visit her website here: Carol Van Natta

You can also follow Carol at these book-centered sites:  

Goodreads         Bookbub

If you have any thoughts or questions for Carol, 

please post them in comments below.