ECHO 8 reboots with new cover and 99-cent deal

It's a bittersweet moment in my publishing career, for sure. ECHO 8, my third book published by Tor, is available as an indie title for the first time today. That means all of the rights for my first three sci-fi romances have now reverted back to me. Which is a great thing, because I can lower the price and experiment with promotions and Kindle-exclusive benefits. But I do miss my Tor people, and I'll always be grateful to my editor for giving me my first break.

If you haven't read the book, it's a great time to pick it up, as it's temporarily available for 99 cents—its lowest price ever—and has a beautiful new cover by Danielle Fine. RT Book Reviews has been kind to all of my SFRs, and of this one they said:

With her crisp storytelling, Fisher hooks readers from the very first page. Echo 8 boasts a well-crafted, intricate and innovative plot, and Fisher effectively immerses readers in the psi world that Tess inhabits. For her part, Tess is strong and sympathetic, and her passionate connection with Ross is appealing and romantic.

The book won 1st place in the RWA FF&P chapter's On the Far Side Contest, and 2nd place in their Prism contest. I'll include the blurb at the bottom of the post if you're interested in learning more about the story.

ECHO 8 is actually the second book I wrote, and it was the favorite of many of my beta readers. (Spacefreighters founder Laurie Green even named one of her race horse babies after it!) It got the least attention of my three books, I suspect because it launched right when the book market exploded, and I have to admit it bruised my heart a little. Of all my heroines, I think I identified with Seattle parapsychologist Tess Caufield the most. I am very pleased to be able to repackage it and make it more affordable, which will hopefully help it to reach a wider audience.

As for current authorly pursuits, I'm trying to get my head around promo, and I'm writing my fifth book. (My fourth was BEFORE SHE WAKES, an erotic fairy tale collection for Penguin Random House. It includes post-apocalyptic, steampunk, and fantasy tales.) My agency and I haven't decided yet whether to go traditional or indie with the WIP. I'm flexible about that decision, as I think it's good to keep your offerings diverse. The new book is an alternate-history fantasy romance with steampunk elements (and pirates!). It's set in Ireland.

In the world of author promo, I've found a way to actually have fun writing an author newsletter. (What?!?!?) My agency suggested I pick a theme and make it sort of like a magazine, so that's what I did. The newsletter that came out today is all about the launch, but in months I don't have big news to share, I send out The Cozy Read. It includes recommendations for reading as well as for relaxing and cozifying your space. These days I think we can all use more of that! You can see the first issue here.

Quincy knows how to chillax. 

I've also recently gotten into Instagram (@sharonlynnfisherauthor). Yeah, I need another social media distraction like I need a hole in the head. But I enjoy taking photos around our farm, and it's also supposed to be a good medium for book promo, though those posts are a bit more time consuming. Here's a post I created for the ECHO 8 reboot, using Canva design tools (free):

I think that about catches you up! I don't blog often simply because I struggle to find the time, with writing, promo, taking care of a house that's twice the size we need, scooping up chicken poop...

Does this look like a butt that poops? Trust me, it does. 

...and taking riding lessons so I know something about taking care of the horse we just bought our two girls...

Lulu Lemon. We didn't name her, but we love our Lulu.

How all of this happened to this city girl I'm not exactly sure.

I hope you will excuse the rambling post, and if you're interested in hearing more about ECHO 8, here's the blurb:

Three lives. Two worlds. One chance to save them all.

As a parapsychologist working for Seattle Psi, Tess has devoted her life to studying psychic phenomena. But when doppelgangers begin appearing from a parallel world that's been struck by an asteroid, nothing in her training will help her survive what's to come.

After dislocating to Seattle Psi from the other Earth, Jake is confined by a special task force for study. But when he drains life energy from Tess, almost killing her, it causes a ripple effect across two worlds—and creates a bond neither of them expected.

Ross is an FBI agent ordered to protect Tess while she studies Jake. His assignment is not random—he and Tess have a history, and a connection the Bureau hopes to use to its own advantage. By the time Ross realizes his mission could be compromised, it's already too late—he'll have to choose between his love for Tess and his duty to protect the people of his own Earth.

The book will be available in paper format soon. I'll gift up to three digital copies of the book to randomly selected commenters! (Fine print: Kindle only at this time)

New Blurb! New Cover! Big Sale! on Award Winning SFR

Happy Monday! Today, we have some big news to share about a major multi-author promotion for Science Fiction Romance e-books happening this week.

September 19- 23

All books are 99 cents or free!

And as part of it...

The Lowest Price EVER on Two RWA Golden Heart© Nominees

Sharon Lynn Fisher's Golden Heart© and RITA© Nominee, Ghost Planet, and
Laurie A. Green's Golden Heart© Nominee, Inherit the Stars.

Inherit the Stars

 I didn’t just love this, I simply couldn’t stop reading it.
--Reading Reality Reviews

2016 Carolyn Readers Choice Award Winner
2016 Aspen Gold Award Finalist
2011 RWA Golden Heart Finalist
2009 Heart of the West Winner
2009 Southwest Writers Winner

A+ rating on Reading Reality Review Site
Smart Girls Love SFR Site: A Favorite of 2015
Whiskey With My Book Reviews: 5 Stars
4.6 average Amazon rating

And as part of the announcement today here's a special bonus. The first look at the brand new blurb for Inherit the Stars...

SUBTERFUGE AND SACRIFICE

In all the vast galaxy, the fate of one fugitive stud-slave shouldn’t matter, even though Sair has broken free from the household of the Alliance leader himself. All he needs is transport to the netherstars and time to heal a devastated heart. But with a price on his head and a face half of civilization hates, he’d find little help even with the coin to pay.

The ship that docks in his escape route is no ordinary courier, though. The Specter is the stuff of legends, a prototype with unknown capabilities. Her captain, Drea Mennelsohn, is just as remarkable. Powerful, uninhibited, and ready to take what she wants, Drea reignites a desire Sair thought he’d never feel again. And the fare she asks is his willing body…

Days of risky travel and Alliance attacks explode into lust and connection when they’re alone. But as they race for safety, Sair begins to suspect Drea is far more than just a preternaturally talented pilot. And his own flight from bondage has upset much more than a few guards’ suppers. Together, Drea and Sair might transform the Alliance, perhaps even the fate of humanity itself. But the effort could cost them the only solace they’ve ever known…

 

* * *

Ghost Planet

An absorbing and exciting story full of science, sex, and intriguing plot twists.
—Publishers Weekly

Felicia Day's Vaginal Fantasy Book Club pick 
2013 RWA RITA Award Finalist – “Best First Book”
Two-time RWA Golden Heart Finalist 
Two-time 2013 SFR Galaxy Awards Winner

A WORLD IN PERIL. A BOND DEEPER THAN LOVE.

Psychologist Elizabeth Cole prepared for the worst when she accepted a job on a newly discovered world--a world where every colonist is tethered to an alien who manifests in the form of a dead loved one. But she never expected she'd struggle with the requirement to shun these "ghosts." She never expected to be so attracted to the charming Irishman assigned as her supervisor. And she certainly never expected to discover she died in a transport crash en route to the planet.

Reincarnated as a ghost, Elizabeth is symbiotically linked to her supervisor, Murphy--creator of the Ghost Protocol, which forbids him to acknowledge or interact with her. Confused and alone--oppressed by her ghost status and tormented by forbidden love--Elizabeth works to unlock the secrets of her own existence.

But her quest for answers lands her in a tug-of-war between powerful interests, and she soon finds herself a pawn in the struggle for control of the planet...a struggle that could separate her forever from the man that she loves.

* * *

Some of the other authors included in this special promotion are Lea Kirk, S. M. Schmitz, Jessica Subject, Sabine Priestley, Diane Burton, Veronica Scott, Aurora Springer and many, many more.

The promotion also includes the full Portals seven volume line up (SFR first chapter samplers, all free, multiple vendors) and the Romancing the Stars SFR short story anthology published by authors of the SFR Brigade.

Click the titles above to go directly to these books on Amazon, or click here to see all the current Science Fiction Romance books at 99 cents or free!

Two releases and a giveaway!

You've never read
bedtime stories like these

Today is release day for my collection of erotic bedtime stories from the Penguin Random House romance imprint, Loveswept! What's this, you say? FANTASY, on Spacefreighters Lounge? 

Yes! But don't be fooled by the cover. In BEFORE SHE WAKES, you'll also find: 

• "The Dragonfly Prince," a post-apocalyptic, recombinant-DNA story based on my sci-fi romance novel THE OPHELIA PROPHECY. 
• "Raven Takes a Pearl" and "The Kelpie's Prize," both steampunk stories. 
• "The Garden Rules,"' a contemporary story that incorporates a fun piece of nanotech. 
•  "Willa and the Wisp," a paranormal set in post-apocalyptic New Orleans. 

That leaves a single pure-fantasy story (but...DRAGON SHIFTERS!).

Big shoutout to Laurie, who served as beta reader on this one (and, well, all the other ones). I am VERY pleased with reviews so far. This from one of my favorites: 

Pure INDULGENCE!! ... Each world was so interesting that you just couldn't help but be sucked in ... Grab this now and be prepared to be whisked away to fantastical lands! I know I was captivated throughout! (The Jeep Diva book blog)

I think I had more fun with this than I ever have with a writing project. I began it as a writing experiment. And even later when my agency encouraged me to get serious about it, I never intended to seek a traditional publisher. So I tossed out all the "rules." Each time my internal critic would nag me that a particular scene or plot twist was just going too far, I very intentionally shoved her out the door and did what I wanted. And I think that's coming through in reviewer comments. Here's another example:

For those readers with a sense of adventure who are looking for a change of pace and aren’t afraid to go there, Before She Wakes is a wonderful, sexy, titillating trip to the other side of speculative fiction, that side you’ve been curious about but until now, haven’t been brave enough to try. Be bold. Take the plunge. And have some fun. (Books, Bones & Buffy book blog)

If you'd like to test-drive this one, you can read the most sci-fi story  ("The Dragonfly Prince") free. 

Sworn enemies. Dark secrets.
One last hope for peace.

And in related news ...

I got the rights to THE OPHELIA PROPHECY back earlier this year, so it has been out of print for a while. This new story collection got me motivated to get it out there again. (Especially considering "The Dragonfly Prince" was my editor's favorite, and it's a favorite of Goodreads reviewers as well.) So this is a double release week! The best part is it has a lovely new cover (by the fabulous Danielle Fine) and a significantly lower e-price than the original release. For the time being it's only available for Kindle. 

In celebration of the releases, I'm giving away 3 e-books. You can choose the title that you prefer (keeping in mind OPHELIA is Kindle-only for now). In the comments, name a fairy tale you think would make a great SFR retelling, OR list what human/animal transgenic organism you think would be the coolest to see. (I'll know your choice of books based on that. Be sure to give me a way to contact you!)

Happy release day! 

ECHO 8: We have lift-off! (And a giveaway!)

Echo 8, from Tor Books. Action, suspense,
science, and romance!

In a way, it feels like any other day. Maybe it's all the buildup to Seattle's second consecutive Super Bowl, and the collective sob that went up in those closing seconds. Maybe it's all the media coverage I've been following on the demise of the Kalakala, a historic ferry boat that features prominently in ECHO 8. Maybe it's because I wrote this book like five years ago, and wasn't sure it would ever make it into print.

But it did. And I'm thrilled, because this one holds a special place in my heart, and it's the favorite of my beta readers.

If you read Laurie's post last week, you know there have been some interesting synchronicities, to say the least. The most poignant of which, perhaps, is the dismantling of the Kalakala coinciding with the release of ECHO 8. She sat for more than a decade in the Port of Tacoma, taking on water and threatening to disrupt shipping in an important waterway. Then just over a week ago she made her final voyage, and they've been taking her apart piece by piece ever since.

I was sad to see her go after spending so much time researching her for the book. She'd begun to feel like a friend, and she had some really hard luck over her lifetime. But the man who finally put her out of her misery did it with compassion, even arranging a special ceremony when the dismantling began. And the old girl put up a fight to the end! There is some great footage of cranes trying to knock her over in dry dock.

I think part of the reason I empathized with her is that sometimes being an author (especially an author in a niche genre) feels exactly like that. Sometimes it seems like there's every reason in the world we should keel over and give up. But deep down we know we're made of better stuff than that.

By R. M. Calamar (Flickr: Mural of the Kalakala in Port Angeles)
[CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)],
via Wikimedia Commons

The Kalakala did pass though, and she did it with dignity. The fellow who basically ended up with her by default (after two separate, failed attempts by other parties to raise funds to restore her) grew just as attached as I did. But he believed she was ready to go and was asking for his help, and he didn't refuse. He spent something like half a million dollars just stabilizing her for that final journey to dry dock.

And out of her ashes (pardon me while I melodramatically mix metaphors) rises ECHO 8. A story about parallel Earths, and on one of them Kalakala lives on.

(But lest things get TOO serious, check out this sci-fi interpretation of the Kalakala's last stand.)

Happy release day, ECHO 8! (And happy birthday to baby ECHO 8 - see Laurie's post yesterday to see who I mean!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

February Triple Launch and Fifteen Fun Facts!

February is going to be one busy month here on Spacefreighters Lounge as we celebrate the launch of THREE brand new Science Fiction Romance novels from three of our co-bloggers, one from Sharon Lynn Fisher, a rising star in the SFR universe, and two debut novels from Donna S. Frelick and Laurie A. Green, both of which are the lead book in an upcoming series.

As a special preview for each of these upcoming releases and an introduction to our Fabulous February Triple Launch, we put together a list of Five Fun Facts about each of these novels, and a little more about what went into them.

Ready? Here we go...

First up is Sharon Lynn Fisher's Echo 8, which will release on February 3rd. (It's almost here!)

ECHO 8 FUN FACTS

1

Part of ECHO 8 is set on the old Seattle ferry Kalakala (most recognizable symbol of Seattle until the Space Needle), which has a very colorful history. Coincidentally, after a decade sitting in the Port of Tacoma rusting while waiting for someone to decide what to do with her, she was this past week towed to dry dock for scrapping (which will take place next week, just prior to the release of ECHO 8 on Feb. 3). 

2

This book is about parallel Earths. The same year I started writing it, a Seattle musician named Serena Tideman released a recording of original cello compositions that she performed and recorded aboard the Kalakala while it was moored in Seattle. The name of the recording is "Kalakala: Songs from a Parallel Universe."

3

The hero of ECHO 8 is FBI Special Agent Ross McGinnis. Shortly after I started working on the book, I heard about a real hero, Army Specialist Ross McGinnis, who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for dying to save fellow soldiers from a grenade explosion in Iraq.

4

The heroine of ECHO 8 is Dr. Tess Caufield, a parapsychologist who studied quantum physics. As part of my research, I read a fascinating book about the intersection of psi abilities and quantum physics (ENTANGLE MINDS: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality). The author, Dr. Dean Radin (senior researcher at the Institute of Noetic sciences in California), reviewed parts of ECHO 8 to help ensure my portrayal of the heroine and her work was realistic. 

5

ECHO 8 is hands-down my beta readers' favorite of my books. 

______________________________

Next up is Donna S. Frelick's Unchained Memory which releases on February 24th. It's the first book in the Interstellar Rescue series. Here are the Fun Facts.

UNCHAINED MEMORY FUN FACTS

1

The book begins in Nashville, TN.

2
The book's climactic scene is set in Towson MD, home of Shore Leave, the nation's largest fan-run STAR TREK convention.

3
Asia Burdette, the heroine of the story, likes to run for exercise in Nashville's Centennial Park, which boasts a full-size replica of Athens' ancient Parthenon.  On one of her customary runs, she is stalked by an agent of the black ops bad guys who later try to kidnap her.

4
Ethan Roberts, the hero of the story, gets his exercise at an old-school boxing gym.  It's much safer.

5
Not all of the story takes place on Earth.  This is SFR, after all!

______________________________

The third novel in the February line-up is Laurie A. Green's Inherit the Stars, which has a tentative release date of February 22nd. It's the first book in the Inherited Stars series.

INHERIT THE STARS FUN FACTS

1
The hero, Sair, is an fugitive slave who's wanted by a galactic superpower. The story is told entirely from the hero's point of view. (There's a blog about Laurie's decision to craft the story in this way on The SFR Brigade blog.)

2
Captain Drea Mennelsohn, the heroine, is a professional P2PC--Planet-to-Planet Courier--in other words, she's a futuristic FedEx driver to the stars. (That's her story and she's sticking to it!)

3
The novel has several aliases. The manuscript had alternate titles of Once Upon a Starship and Specter (the name of Drea's ship), and it was a finalist in the 2011 RWA Golden Heart Awards under the title P2PC. The published title--Inherit the Stars--comes directly from a line of dialogue between Sair and Drea.

4
The setting is a distant corner of the Milky Way Galaxy that's rich in Goldilocks planets, and it happens in an era when Earth is just a dimly remembered legend. 

5
The story puts a whole new spin on the term "sexual freedom."


So there's our list of Fun Facts along with a little taste of each of these stories. Watch for more about our Fabulous February Triple Launch in the days and weeks ahead.

~~*~~

A HEART FOR COPPER: A "pick your path" steampunk romance

For about six months now, I've been working with an interactive fiction site called SilkWords. I met up with the site's founders at their first focus group. I thought they had a great idea, and I was looking for editing work. It turned out to be a match made in heaven.

SilkWords' founders are Keri and Boyd Multerer, a wife-and-husband team. Boyd founded Xbox Live and was the director of development for Microsoft's Xbox One. Keri (who has a background in environmental science and genetics, how geektastic is that?) is a mom of three who knows that for many women, reading for fun is a luxury not often savored. The Multerers' goal with SilkWords was to provide a fun, interactive, and emotionally satisfying entertainment option that doesn’t require a huge time commitment. 

SilkWords was born this past Valentine's Day. I've been working with the Multerers as their partner and senior editor, setting editorial direction and vetting submissions (and pretty much anything else that needs doing because this IS a startup). I've also been itching to try my hand at a "pick your path" story (many of you are probably familiar with Choose Your Own Adventure stories from childhood), and as my book tour for THE OPHELIA PROPHECY wound down, I made it a priority.

Today my first "pick your path" story goes live. It's also the first short story I've written since my contract with Tor. Here's a little bit about A HEART FOR COPPER, whose heroine is a sort of Pinocchio / Tinman mashup (though nicer to look at):

An automaton created by an inventor's son, Copper has finally been given a heart by her young master. Her choice of whether to keep the key or give it to him will decide her fate in this steampunk fairy tale. 

"A Heart for Copper" artwork by Indie Designz.
Read the story for $1.99, or by subscription to SilkWords.

One of the things I enjoy about writing and reading "pick your path" is you don't know for sure what to expect. We only require one HEA per story (though typically stories have more than one), which leaves the author free to explore multiple possibilities. Also makes it kind of fun as the reader, trying to pick the right path to the true romance ending. We are looser about erotica submissions, requiring only one positive or hopeful ending. Anything with at least one HEA is labeled romance.

In COPPER, this flexibility allowed me to fully explore consequences of the first choice point, which is a play on choosing the dark or light side of the force (the quick/easy v. the hard).

If you're interested in A HEART FOR COPPER or other SilkWords stories (including DANGEROUS RENDEZVOUS by The Galaxy Express's Heather Massey), you can read all the introductions free (up to the first choice point). To read more you either buy the story (my story and Heather's are $1.99) or sign up for a subscription. SilkWords also offers at least one free story a month for folks who create a free membership.

The Science Fiction Romance Brigade's bundle in the Brenda Novak auction includes a year-long subscription to SilkWords. And SilkWords is also offering a year-long subscription coupled with a year of Godiva chocolate in a separate listing ("A Year of Romance").

Bid at: http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/

SilkWords is an exciting idea and has been a super fun endeavor. When I first heard about it I couldn't believe no one had done choice-based stories for romance, the most popular fiction genre. And erotica? Boy is it a natural for this format (MF? FF? MFM? Bondage? Domination?). Future phases of the site will expand the interactive reading experience to include reader and author interaction, with the goal of building a community around the concept. We're also looking at publishing connected stories, set in the same world but written by different authors. The possibilities are endless, really.

Did you read CYOA stories as a kid? (I know my books were dog-eared.) Have you written a CYOA? 

VFH Reviews Ghost Planet

Mark your calendars, sci-fi romance fans! Sharon Lynn Fisher’s GHOST PLANET (Tor) is the April 2013 selection for Felicia Day’s Vaginal Fantasy Hangout book club.

Actress-producer-writer Felicia Day is a true geek and a reader of science fiction romance. In addition to her many credits, she runs the Vaginal Fantasy Hangout, a lively, entertaining, and no-holds-barred online book club. Members include Veronica Belmont, Kiala Kazebee and Bonnie Burton. The VFH team is sassy, outspoken, and passionate about books.

The GHOST PLANET video discussion will go live on April 30 at 8 PM PST.

Watch the video and join other VFH viewers at the GHOST PLANET Goodreads discussion thread.

Want to know more? Visit the main Vaginal Fantasy Hangout Goodreads page. You can access all of the Vaginal Fantasy videoshere, including ones featuring science fiction romances by authors Linnea Sinclair, Nalini Singh, J.D. Robb, and Meljean Brook.

We hope the VFH team enjoys GHOST PLANET and would appreciate any support you can offer via tweets, posts, and any other way you like to spread SFR news!

GHOST PLANET

A world in peril. A bond deeper than love.

Psychologist Elizabeth Cole prepared for the worst when she accepted a job on a newly discovered world - a world where every colonist is tethered to an alien who manifests in the form of a dead loved one. But she never expected she'd struggle with the requirement to shun these “ghosts.” She never expected to be so attracted to the charming Irishman assigned as her supervisor. And she certainly never expected to discover she died in a transport crash en route to the planet.

Reincarnated as a ghost, Elizabeth is symbiotically linked to her supervisor, Murphy - creator of the Ghost Protocol, which forbids him to acknowledge or interact with her. Confused and alone - oppressed by her ghost status and tormented by forbidden love - Elizabeth works to unlock the secrets of her own existence.

But her quest for answers lands her in a tug-of-war between powerful interests, and she soon finds herself a pawn in the struggle for control of the planet…a struggle that could separate her forever from the man she loves.

Visit Sharon Lynn Fisher’s Web site and connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

**Permission to forward granted**

GHOST PLANET a RITA Finalist!

Spacefreighters Lounge congratulates 

author/co-blogger

Sharon Lynn Fisher

on being named a 

2013 RWA RITA AWARD FINALIST

for her Science Fiction Romance novel

GHOST PLANET

May the force be with you, Sharon!

GHOST PLANET: LIFTOFF!

Today we're celebrating the launch of GHOST PLANET, from Tor/Macmillan! (Click for buying options on Sharon's web site.) Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy, as well as a DVD of the film Solaris!* (You can read about the connections between GP and Solaris at SF Signal today.) Need a question for a prompt? I'll repurpose the one from my guest post at Book Chick City!

If you could have the ghost of anyone follow you around (or could follow someone else around AS a ghost), who would you choose?

Other giveaways are happening at the following locations:  

• Drop by the Facebook online launch party for a glass of virtual champagne. Or if you don't like the virtual kind (I sure don't), BYOB, I won't tell!
• Author interview by Heather at The Galaxy Express -- Why I mixed sci-fi and romance, getting to know my characters, and the most challenging and fun parts of writing the novel.
• Guest post at SF Signal: The GHOST PLANET / SOLARIS Connection -- In which I discuss how the sci-fi classic inspired me, and how the two stories differ.
• Author interview at Castles & Guns -- Three things everyone should know about me, advice to aspiring authors, and thoughts on worldbuilding.

{very sci-fi image of my favorite party beverage - please have a glass!}

*Fine print: DVD and signed copy US/Canada only. Otherwise, Amazon gift certificate.

Big Cover Reveal! GHOST PLANET is Unveiled on TGE!

Co-blogger Sharon Lynn Fisher has a big cover reveal exclusive for her SF/R novel GHOST PLANET today on The Galaxy Express. (We'll feature the cover here soon, too.)

I'm in absolute awe of this stunning and unique cover. Please click over to The Galaxy Express to tell us what you think. The Galaxy Express

Guys, we'd love to hear your opinions, too!

Here's the blurb:

Psychologist Elizabeth Cole prepared for the worst when she accepted a job on a newly discovered world - a world where every colonist is tethered to an alien who manifests in the form of a dead loved one. But she never expected she'd struggle with the requirement to shun these “ghosts.” She never expected to be so attracted to the charming Irishman assigned as her supervisor. And she certainly never expected to discover she died in a transport crash en route to the planet.

As a ghost, Elizabeth is symbiotically linked to her supervisor, Murphy – creator of the Ghost Protocol, which forbids him to acknowledge or interact with her. Confused and alone – oppressed by her ghost status and tormented by forbidden love - Elizabeth works to unlock the secrets of her own existence.

But her quest for answers lands her in a tug-of-war between powerful interests, and she soon finds herself a pawn in the struggle for control of the planet…a struggle that could separate her forever from the man she loves.

Sharon Lynn Fisher is an award-winning writer and three-time RWA Golden Heart finalist. GHOST PLANET is her debut novel, coming from Tor on December 1, 2012.

GHOST PLANET Gets Big Endorsement

Today I received some very exciting news from co-blogger Sharon Lynn Fisher regarding a cover blurb she just received for her upcoming Tor release, GHOST PLANET!

We'd like to reveal that right now:

"Fisher's GHOST PLANET grabs you right from the start and doesn't let go. An entrancing, addicting read, it keep you on the edge of your seat with a fresh and fascinating take on the human-alien problem, while at the same time seduces you with a poignant love story. It's a psychological thriller, a science fiction adventure, and endearing romance all rolled up in one. Highly recommended!"

- Linnea Sinclair, award-winning author of the Dock Five series

That's quite an endorsement!  Sharon, could you explain a little about what goes on behind the scenes in getting a cover blurb?

This was all a mystery to me until recently! Once revisions on the book were complete, my editor ordered advance bound manuscripts (ABMs). It's a printed and bound version of the book with no frills -- no cover art or copy, and no copyediting or proofing. These are sent out to film and foreign rights agents, and to authors we hope to interest in providing quotes for the cover.

There are no guarantees -- you ask the author if they will read it and consider providing a quote. Needless to say this incredible endorsement from an author like Linnea means the world to me!

What's next on the Ghost Planet timeline?

We have approved cover art and copy at this point. I LOVE both, and I hope to be sharing those soon. Copyedits are complete. I think we have proofing after that, and then it's all production. And promotion. And work on my second book for Tor. No biggie. (!)


Anything happen in this process that was unexpected, or you were unprepared for?

We did have some interesting deliberation about whether to position GHOST PLANET as sci-fi or romance (as there is no separate SFR category). You can find SFR in both sections, as probably most Spacefreighters readers know. Sales are typically better in romance, but it was a question of figuring out what was right for the book. In the end my agent, my editor, the Tor sales team, and myself, all agreed to go with sci-fi/fantasy. But never fear, GP has plenty of romance! (Ask Linnea! :)

Launch Date for GHOST PLANET!

It's a very big day today on Spacefreighters Lounge! 

One of our own, Sharon Lynn Fisher, announces a release date for GHOST PLANET!

Sharon's two time Golden Heart finalist
science fiction romance novel

is coming from Tor on November 1, 2012!

Congratulations, Sharon!

~ * ~

Sharon Lynn Fisher Interviewed

Co-blogger and SFRBrigader Sharon Lynn Fisher will be interviewed May 20 by Elisabeth Naughton: http://www.elisabethnaughton.com/blog/.

Elisabeth is spotlighting 20 Golden Heart finalists (two per week) leading up to RWA nationals in July. Sharon's focus is going to be about not being afraid to dream — about how Stephenie Meyer’s success story inspired her, and how, by following her advice, she found GH success and eventually signed with Meyer's agency.

The post will also include Sharon's bio, how she found an agent, her favorite authors, as well as more information about her writing history and plans.

Mark your calendar and be sure to drop by and post a comment on May 20th to support a fellow Brigader.

Lightning Strikes Twice!

Zot!

I asked Sharon Lynn Fisher if she'd do a brief interview for Spacefreighters Lounge in light of her success this past week with her second RWA Golden Heart final in the Paranormal category (which includes SFR). She graciously agreed.

Sharon, in 2009, you were a Golden Heart finalist with GHOST PLANET, and lightning struck again in 2010 with SHADOWED. I understand they are basically the same novel. Can you tell us the story on why you decided to re-title it?

Shortly after the Golden Heart final last year, I got some excellent feedback and decided to substantially rewrite the manuscript. A big rewrite is a daunting task, and I was so proud and pleased to have accomplished it, I decided to enter again.

My Golden Heart class of 2009 had been a wonderful source of support and information, so I asked the gals if others had entered a finalist manuscript a second time. A couple of them suggested that if the manuscript was substantially revised, a new title is a good way to indicate that to a judge who may have read the previous version.

So that’s what I did, but the original title is my favorite.

So, let's get to the important stuff. Details, Sharon, we want details! What were you doing when you got "the call" last Thursday? What went through your mind? What did you do next? How did you celebrate?

I had told my husband calls were going out that day, but that I’d rather try to forget about it. There are so many factors that can affect your chances of finaling in any contest, and I really thought it would take a miracle to final two years in a row. Also, I had entered the revised manuscript in a regional RWA contest a few months prior, and one of the judges did not care for my writing or my heroine - I was still smarting from that.

But forget about it? Yeah, right. I was sitting at the kitchen table working furiously to keep up with posting announcements and congrats for the Paranormalists blog. My husband was making pancakes, and our daughter was sitting next to me waiting impatiently for her breakfast. Suddenly, over the sizzling of bacon, I heard our home phone ringing in the bedroom. I always give my cell phone number on contest entry forms. But last year, RWA called the home phone instead, and my husband brought the phone into my office with a stunned look on his face. When I heard the home phone ringing this time, I jumped up and ran into the bedroom, thinking, “Could it be happening again?” Glancing down at the phone, I saw “Sharon Sala,” in the little window, and I knew. I whooped in the poor woman’s ear.

I had already scheduled dinner that night with a friend and critique partner, thinking she would help take my mind off not making the list this year. We upgraded to a nicer restaurant (one with champagne), and had a lovely evening. The next day was my birthday, and that of course involved more champagne.

Last year the Golden Heart finalists banded together to found a web site called The Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood. Has anything similar been initiated for 2010 finalists, yet?

We do already have a yahoo group formed, but I’m not sure if there are plans for a web site. The ruby sisters blog has been an incredible success, with 30,000 site visits in less than a year (the page views were nearly 100,000). It’s a fabulous resource for anyone thinking of entering the Golden Heart.

Do you plan to attend RWA this year? What sort of events and activities are held for Golden Heart finalists?

I think attending nationals is inevitable. I was on the fence about it because of the expense (travel+conference fees+hotel). But nationals really are an incredible experience, and if you’re a finalist, it’s a shame to miss it. There’s nothing quite like seeing your picture on a gigantic screen in front of a thousand or so people.

As for events, last year there were two awards ceremonies – one small one with just the finalists and board members, and then the big presentation on the final night, where they announce the winners. The Golden Network holds a reception – I was bummed to miss this last year, but I had to choose between that and the Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal chapter’s party.

My favorite part was the little ribbon you get for your conference badge. :-)

Thanks, Sharon, and we'll keep our fingers crossed for you for the Golden Heart Awards in July. Of course, we'll most likely be right there with our cameras and party horns (well, maybe not the party horns), so this article might be...

To Be Continued in July!

Congratulations Sharon!

Co-Blogger Sharon Lynn Fisher was just named a finalist in the 2010 RWA Golden Heart Awards for the second year in a row. Sharon's novel SHADOWED, is the sparkly new revision of GHOST PLANET. And yes, it's science fiction romance!

Congratulations, Sharon! What an achievement.

And all our best wishes for a win in July!

Sharon Lynn Fisher, Golden Heart Finalist

Today I’m interviewing Sharon Lynn Fisher, one of eight finalists in the Paranormal division of the prestigious Romance Writers of America (RWA) Golden Heart Award for unpublished manuscripts. The title of Sharon’s novel is GHOST PLANET.

Q: Hi, Sharon, thanks for offering to share your experiences with other SFR writers and fans. Being a finalist for the RWA Golden Heart Award for Paranormal Romance must be very exciting.

A: Thanks very much for having me, Laurie! This was my first time to enter the GH, and I really had no idea what to expect. I knew competition was stiff, so I tried to put it out of my mind. Yes, getting the call that morning was quite a thrill!

Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your writing?

A: Well, let’s see. I live in Seattle with my husband and young daughter. My “day job” is freelance copywriting, though I’ve been on hiatus from that for about a year now. I lost a dear colleague last summer, and that started me thinking about how easy it is to put off your dreams until it’s too late.

I’ve been writing fiction off and on since I was 6. I read nonstop as a child, and I won an Honorable Mention in a Cricket Magazine contest when I was about 10. That’s really where it all started! GHOST PLANET is the first manuscript I’ve finalized and polished with the intent to seek publication.

Q: What sparked your interest in writing SFR? Are there any particular books or authors that inspired you?

A: The book that probably planted the seed was A Wrinkle in Time, though the “romance” between Meg and Calvin is pretty subtle. I loved the adventure and mystery, and the strong family bonds that hold the tale together.

Also I came of age over the course of the Star Wars saga, so that was a huge influence. I was probably the only gal who preferred moody, intense Luke to Han. (I never forgave Lucas for Luke being Leia’s brother.)

Q: Where did you get the idea or inspiration for GHOST PLANET, how long did it take you to write it and what’s the approximate length of the novel?

A: I had been writing fantasy shorts, sort of experimenting with what kind of speculative fiction I wanted to write, and had received a few Honorable Mentions from the Writers of the Future Contest. I decided I wanted to try something more in the sci-fi vein, and noodling around one day, the title GHOST PLANET popped into my head.

That got the creative juices flowing. I knew I wanted it to be a story of love and longing in impossible circumstances. I wrote the first 25 pages as a short story in a single day (it was more like the story wrote ME - my muse is a sumo wrestler). But the story was clearly too big for those britches, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened next. I had a first draft of 90,000 words in about six weeks.

Q: Do you have other writers or authors you work with for critiquing or beta-reading your work?

A: This was really my first time through this process and I was making it up as I went along. My husband turned out to be an excellent first reader and editor, and he helped me tremendously. Several friends offered to read it and provide feedback, including a couple other writers. Their support kept me sane (and still does). I may try working with a critique partner next time around.

Q: I understand GHOST PLANET has already won other awards or contests. Can you tell us about those?

A: Sure...

Great Expectations (RWA chapter contest) – 1st place, specialized category

The Emily (RWA chapter contest) – 2nd place, paranormal category

The Sandy (general fiction contest) – Finalist, sci-fi/fantasy category (winners TBA)

Q: What steps or events led to GHOST PLANET becoming a Golden Heart nominee?

A: I looked into contests as a way to get feedback, and also as a way to get my work in front of agents and editors. I thought of GP as sci-fi, but the romance is central to the plot, so I started looking at RWA contests. I found they almost all included a category for speculative fiction, and that was pretty exciting. So I entered a handful, including the Golden Heart, and waited to see what would happen!

Q: Can you share your pitch or log line for GHOST PLANET?

A: For my agent queries I used a general statement about larger themes, followed by a hook, followed by a short synopsis. Here are the general statement and hook ...

GHOST PLANET explores the question of what makes us human, while probing the boundaries between love, dependence, and obsession.

Within 24 hours of arriving on Ghost Planet, Elizabeth Cole has discovered she's not the person - or even the species - she thinks she is.

Q: Can you tell us a little about the main characters and the setting?

A: Ardagh 1 (Ghost Planet) - Mysterious, Earth-like planet that hosts scientific colonies from Earth. In response to the colonists’ arrival, the planet has produced a race of symbiotic beings the colonists call “ghosts.”

Elizabeth Cole – Post-grad psychology intern who has just arrived on Ghost Planet to work at the New Seattle Counseling Center, which helps colonists adjust to the presence of ghosts.

Grayson Murphy – Lead psychologist at the Counseling Center, and co-creator of a “ghost protocol” that forbids interaction between colonists and ghosts.

(Shameless plug: There are a few excerpts, some back story teasers, and an iMix on my web site.)

Q: Any other projects in the works?

A: I do have a number of other ideas in various stages of development (all SFR with paranormal elements). But at the moment I’m focused on finalizing revisions to GP (intending to have the manuscript ready for my agent to pitch by the time RWA rolls around).

I’m working on a short story for Writers of the Future, as signing a book contract will make me forevermore ineligible. (A tradeoff I think I’m willing to accept!)

Q: Do you have any advice you’d like to offer other writers?

A: I think the best piece of advice I read, just before starting GP, was to write a story you feel passionate about. Hook yourself so you can hook other people.

Keep at it, no matter what. Joseph Campbell, one of my heroes, once said something like: “If you’re doing the thing you’re meant to do, the universe will help you. Doors will open for you that might not open for other people.” So how do you know if you’re doing the thing you’re meant to do? Writers KNOW. (Am I right?)

Also, if you’re writing in a genre that offers contests, enter them. The quarterly Writers of the Future Contests gave me a goal to keep me writing, and the RWA contests provide objective feedback and real opportunities for recognition (an agent requested my manuscript as a result of The Emily).

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A: I’d just like to say thanks, again, for having me, Laurie. I really enjoy keeping up with your blog, and I wish you and your readers all the best in their writing endeavors!

Thanks for your thoughts and insights, Sharon. We’d like to extend our best wishes to you and GHOST PLANET for the upcoming Golden Heart Awards Ceremony, which will be held in conjunction with the RITA Awards on Saturday, July 18, 2009 at the National RWA Conference in Washington, DC. We’ll be rooting for you!

Be sure to check out Sharon Lynn Fisher’s website to read excerpts and story-related posts about GHOST PLANET.

Coming Friday

On Friday, I'll have an interview with RWA Golden Heart Paranormal Romance finalist, Sharon Lynn Fisher.

What's the Golden Heart Award?

According to the Romance Writers of America website, "the purpose of the Golden Heart® contest is to promote excellence in the romance genre by recognizing outstanding romance manuscripts. "

Each year about twelve hundred romance manuscripts are entered in the Golden Heart by writers who have not, by the contest deadline, received an offer to publish a work of original fictional of 20,000 words or more.

A writer may enter a romance manuscript in one of ten contest categories:
Contemporary Series Romance
Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure
Contemporary Single Title
Historical Romance
Inspirational Romance
Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
Paranormal Romance
Regency Historical Romance
Romantic Suspense
Young Adult Romance

First, the manuscripts are read and judged by general RWA members who select approximately 100 finalists. The final round is judged by editors from romance publishing houses. Many Golden Heart finalists sell their manuscripts to publishers as a result of the exposure from the contest.

The Golden Heart winners in each category are announced at the Awards Ceremony at the RWA Annual Conference. The 2009 Golden Heart winners will be announced at RWA's 29th Annual Conference on July 18th.

In her interview, Sharon will talk about her experience with the RWA Golden Heart contest, her manuscript GHOST PLANET, and writing in general. Be sure to tune in.