I'm back with more fun videos and video interviews with the authors of Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2.
Each weekend, I'll be bringing an assortment of videos featuring a few of the twelve authors from this science fiction romance plus pets collection.
Twelve leading Science Fiction Romance authors team up to deliver a dozen original never released stories that will take you to new worlds! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!
S.E. Smith is a New York Times, USA TODAY, International, and Award-Winning Bestselling author of science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary works for adults, young adults, and children. She enjoys writing a wide variety of genres that pull her readers into worlds that take them away.
Jessica E. Subject is the author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to super hot. Sometimes she dabbles in paranormal and contemporary as well, bringing to life a wide variety of characters. In her stories, you can not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.
When Jessica is not reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to go to fitness class and walk her Great Pyrenees/Retriever her family adopted from the local animal shelter.
Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at http://www.markofthestars.com/wp/.
Alexis Glynn Latner
Alexis Glynn Latner writes science fiction and fantasy romantic adventure. Her science fiction novel Hurricane Moon was published by Pyr in 2007 and again by Avendis Press in 2014 with the sequels Downfall Tide in 2015, Star Crossing in 2016, and Helldive coming in late 2017. Her science fiction, fantasy, horror and mystery stories have appeared in the magazines Analog and Amazing and in various online, print and e-book anthologies. She works at the Fondren Library at Rice University in Houston and teaches creative writing through Rice’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies. For real life adventure and the romance of flight, she is a sailplane pilot.
Website: http://www.alexisglynnlatner.com/
And here's...
Cara Bristol
Talking about some of the Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 perks and freebies.
USA Today bestselling author Cara Bristol writes steamy science fiction romance with an emphasis on the characters and their romance, with a little humor, heat, and danger added for fun. She is the author of three science fiction romance series: sexy cyborg Cy-Ops Scifi Romance series, the dark erotic Breeder series, and the new humorous Alien Mate series. She likes to say that she writes science fiction for readers who don’t like sci-fi. Cara lives in Missouri with her alpha hero, her husband, and Hannah, her cat and writing supervisor. Website: http://carabristol.com/
Next weekend we'll feature more fun videos from the authors!
Welcome to the first in a series of weekend videos and video interviews from the twelve authors of Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2.
Today, our first three authors weigh in with how and why they got involved with this exciting collection of science fiction romance stories...plus pets!
But first up, the author who brainstormed the idea talks about how Pets in Space came to be and why it supports Hero-Dogs.org.
Pauline Baird Jones
Home Did Pets in Space Come About?
Pauline doesn’t love reality so she writes books. She tends to wander among the genres, rampaging like Godzilla (they were born the same year) through her characters lives, mixing peril and humor into her romance, but she always delivers a happy ending. Visit her website: Pauline Baird Jones
Next, three of the authors talk about how they got involved with Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2.
Susan Grant
On Being Part of Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2
When NY Times/USA Today bestselling author and Air Force veteran Susan Grant isn’t driving an 18-wheeler (a 747 jumbo jet) she loves writing romantic, action-packed stories featuring gutsy woman and honorable men. Flying to exotic places and trying every kind of food imaginable helps Susan bring her sci-fi worlds alive for readers. She is a winner of the prestigious RITA award for her book Contact, an alien abduction sci-fi romance. Visit her website here: Susan Grant
Sabine Priestley
Why She's in the Anthology
Multi published author of Sci-Fi Rom and Urban Fantasy.
Sabine grew up consuming Science Fiction, Fantasy and Romance novels (there was a brief bodice ripper period, but we won’t go into that). She wanted to be an astronaut and travel the stars. She ended up an Electrical Engineer and Cultural Anthropologist. She’s a geek with heart.
Seriously disappointed we’ve yet to establish so much as a moon base, she’s encouraged by the recent developments by superstars such as Elon Musk, Sir Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos, among others.
She’s a travel addict, beach-loving, stargazing disruptor. Her heroines are kickass and her stories action packed. Visit her website: Sabine Priestley
Michelle Howard
What Attracted Her to the Anthology?
Michelle Howard like many authors dreamed of writing since reading her first romance novel many years ago. She loves paranormal and contemporary romances and is a fan of the classic romances by Judith McNaught and Julie Garwood. I love to hear from fans so please reach out to me. If the mood hits you, leave a review. Website: Michelle Howard
I'll be back next weekend with three new videos and/or interviews from the authors!
And in case you missed it, check out this very popular blog about music that inspires nine of the authors from the Pets in Space collection, including videos of their selected songs.
While you're all waiting for the huge total eclipse event today, I've got something fun to share.
For many writers, music is a huge influencer. Some can't write a word without audio accompaniment and their writing space has to incorporate a sound system as an essential part of their creative environment. Others can't write to music, but often plot or brainstorm to it, the songs helping define the emotions, mood and theme of a particular story or passage.
Curious what music inspires some of my fellow Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 authors, and why? I asked my peers to send me a few brief notes about a favorite piece of music that helps them connect to the story or their writing.
What a fun, thoughtful and diverse round of responses I received!
Susan Grant
Music that inspires: Highway to the Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins
I chose the epic classic “Highway to the Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins from the Top Gun movie, because the characters are fighter pilots, and the hero likes to push things to the limit, often to the dismay of the heroine. And the guys and gal(s) of the movie reminded me of the crew of Bezos Station where The Prince, The Pilot, and The Puppy (Star Puppy) takes place.
Here’s a quote from the song that’s perfect, and is a glimpse into the hero’s mind:
“Out along the edges
Always where I burn to be
The further on the edge
The hotter the intensity”
The Prince, The Pilot and the Puppy (Star Puppy)
A handsome prince gets a little help from a rescued puppy when he tries to convince a talented starfighter pilot that she is the one for him.
About the Author
NY Times/USA Today bestselling author, RITA® award winner, and USAF vet Susan Grant loves writing action-packed romances featuring gutsy woman and honorable men.
Music that inspires: Doesn’t Really
Matter by Janet Jackson
This song reminds
me of the heroine, Vilarra, from Gib and the Tibbar. At first, she doesn’t like
the hero at all. But, despite what her friends tell her, and what his friends
are saying, they fall in love. What matters is that he treats her well, and
nothing else.
Gib and the Tibbar
A fierce alien warrior receives help from a furry friend to convince the
woman he loves that she is the one for him.
About the Author
Jessica E. Subject is the
author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to
super hot where you can not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and
androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting
to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.
Paul Winter Consort, 2008 Winter Solstice Concert, Live at the Cathedral of St. John The Divine in New York City.
My story in Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 is Pet Trade: A cargo of designer pets forces a damaged veterinarian and a fugitive elite forces veteran to work together to protect the animals from greedy mercenaries.
About the Author
Carol Van Natta writes science fiction and fantasy with advice and support from a resident mad scientist and various cats. Her story includes a genetically engineered dire wolf, so this song seems appropriate.
http://author.carolvannatta.com/PetTrade
Pauline Baird Jones
Music that inspires: Roar by Katy Perry
I did not pick a song that inspired the story, so much as a song that inspired me to dive back into writing.
Last year, in late August, my parents were in a car accident which resulted in both of them passing away. I vaguely knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to get the words flowing again, but I had no idea how challenging that would be. So I would pull this song up on YouTube and try to “ROAR.”
The lovely thing about this song, it helped me find my voice and my sense of humor again. And it opened me up to Sir Rupert, a most unusual parrot and a fun romance between two people who needed each other.
Time Trap
An unusual birthday gift creates more trouble than a USAF Engineer expects when he finds a time traveling rebel and her parrot partner in his arms.
About the Author
Pauline never liked reality, so she writes books. She likes to wander among the genres, rampaging like Godzilla, because she does love peril mixed in her romance. You can always find her at www.paulinebjones.com. Veronica Scott
Music that inspires: Larger Than Life by The Backstreet Boys
Since my story is an actual rock star romance, science fiction style, I prefer not to cite a video from any one singer, rather than lead readers to believe or assume my entirely fictional singer Karissa is based on a living person. (She’s not!). I do, however, happen to love The Backstreet Boys so I hereby submit their “Larger Than Life” video, which has a nice driving beat and a scifi theme. I like to think about plots while listening to such music turned up LOUD and cruising the SoCal freeways.
My story in the anthology is STAR CRUISE: SONGBIRD, set on my Nebula Zephyr interstellar luxury cruise liner, and here’s the logline:
A security officer aboard a spaceship finds his job complicated by his attraction to the interstellar singer he is assigned to protect and the bird he has inherited.
About the Author
Best Selling Science Fiction and Paranormal Romance author and “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happily Ever After blog, Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything.
Music that inspires: Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Somewhere over the Rainbow sung by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole was the perfect match for Pearl and Asim. The story is about finding love later in life. In many ways, Pearl traveled over the rainbow to another world to discover that you are never too old for love. This song is about hope, believing, and finding out that there is so much more to life than we know - if we are willing to open our eyes and our hearts.
Pearl's Dragon
When sixty-something year old Pearl St. Claire traveled to a far off alien world with her granddaughters, she never expected to be caught up in the adventure – or in the grasp of a dragon warrior who insists she is his true mate!
About the Author
S.E. Smith is a New York Times, USA TODAY, International, and Award-Winning Bestselling author of science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary works for adults, young adults, and children. She enjoys writing a wide variety of genres that pull her readers into worlds that take them away.
Music that inspires: I Need a Hero by Bonnie Tyler
My song is "I Need a Hero," sung by Bonnie Tyler. Rescued by the Cyborg is part of the Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance series about a secret organization of cyborgs who fight terrorism in the galaxy. They aren't just romance novel main characters, they are heroes in the true sense of the word, men who risk their lives to save others. The series theme is "Saving the girl and the galaxy one mission at a time."
Rescued by the Cyborg
A cyborg agent, haunted by his past, risks everything for an injured alien woman.
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Cara Bristol writes steamy science fiction romance with an emphasis on the characters and their romance, with a little humor, heat, and danger added for fun. She is the author of three science fiction romance series: sexy cyborg Cy-Ops Scifi Romance series, the dark erotic Breeder series, and the new humorous Alien Mate series. She likes to say that she writes science fiction for readers who don’t like sci-fi. Cara lives in Missouri with her alpha hero, her husband, and Hannah, her cat and writing supervisor.
Link: http://carabristol.com/
Sabine Priestley
Music that inspires: Fly ft. Rihanna by Nicki Minaj
I love this song because it's so uplifting. My PISA pet is an owl. An owl that didn't start out that way. If you could choose an alternate body what would it be? Me? I'd fly!
Sensate
A scientist must decide if she can trust the man who once betrayed her if she is to help his sentient com unit gain a physical form.
For those of you who've read Inherit the Stars, Captain Navene Jagger returns in Courting Disaster, still living with past regrets and surviving lost love by transforming into a military space monk.
Another character from the novel, the ever-charming Ketsia Tayah, is now older, wiser and determined to overcome her own heart-breaking history. A history that has some painful ties to Jagger’s own tribulations.
When their paths collide on a what looks like a suicide mission in a very dangerous sector of space, it seems like a match made in purgatory, until they are forced to pose as mates and rely on each other for survival.
And the feisty little StarDog who's along for the ride? She might just be the catalyst for a whole lot more than just a ship-load of trouble.
The soulful lyrics of Collide seemed a perfect accompaniment for this story of two lost souls finding redemption and a possible future together...if they can just survive the present.
Courting Disaster: StarDog2
A commander of a spaceship faces the toughest decision of his life when he vows to protect the woman and her StarDog that he is escorting through a dangerous section of space.
More About Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2
All the authors are gearing up for the big release of Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 on October 10th, but you can preorder the book now at multiple vendors: Preorder Page--All Vendors
10% of all preorder and the first month's profits go to support Hero-Dogs.org!
Is music important in your life, too? Any of your favorite songs in this eclectic mix? Find any new-to-you songs that you love? Tell us what songs are your favorites or that carry special meaning for you.
Have a great week and enjoy your Total Eclipse Day!
I'll have a very short blog today, because a monster storm on Friday swept through our area and a suspected tornado or microburst took out sixteen power poles to the east of us--leaving us without power for most of the weekend.
Fortunately, we have a small generator that we were able to hook up to run our refrigerators and freezers so we didn't end up having to throw away a lot of perishable food, but it was a little sobering spending a couple of days and nights in the heat of summer with no air conditioning, water, lights, electric garage doors, electric gate...and having to leave the doors open all night to run the generator lines. (That got unnerving when our across-the-road neighbor's intruder alarms went off!)
Aw well, as the old saying goes, "All's well that ends well."
The storm did make for some pretty dramatic photography, so I'll share a few shots.
These first three were taken just after we lost power.
That *might* be a funnel cloud in the distance.
Cloud effects show a possible windshear event.
The worst of the storm missed us by a few miles, but we did
get about an inch and a half of rain during the afternoon.
That evening, thunderheads building up over the valley.
Another shot of the thunderheads catching the light of the setting sun.
We dodged a bullet in terms of suffering any major damage--just had some downed tree limbs and water-logged property--but it could have been much worse. We're very relieved and grateful we were spared being directly in the storm's path.
It did take a toll on my writing time and a very long and winding list of "Gotta Do's," but hopefully I can catch up this week.
Pets in Space 2 Update
Courting Disaster: StarDog2 has been completed, submitted and accepted for the Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 collection...AND here's a bonus.
There's a free sampler of the first chapters of all the stories now available for #FREE via Instafreebie in .mobi, .epub or PDF formats.
Introductions are on the agenda today. I'd like you to meet Luna, the new pet-heroine from my upcoming release. This wonderful sketch was created by artist Nyssa Juneau and it beautifully captures the essence of this little, four-legged dynamo.
For those who've read StarDog, a story in the first Pets in Space collection and part of my Inherited Stars series, I have a surprise for you.
You've already met Luna!
In the original story--StarDog--where Katrina was the starring pet, this girl was known as StarPup. In fact, Luna is a genetic copy of Katrina. She'll soon have her own adventure that will be every bit as exciting and high stakes as the first.
So...is Luna a clone of Katrina? Not exactly. A genetic copy is different from a clone in that both animals were bio-engineered using the same genetic blueprint, rather than one animal being a genetic copy of the original "natural" animal. StarDogs don't exist in nature. To paraphrase one of the scientists from Jurassic World: StarDogs are designed, not bred.
Luna's owner, Ketsia, explains the purpose of StarDogs to her curious escort, Captain Jagger, in this way:
__________________________________________
From Courting Disaster: StarDog 2
“Where do StarDogs hail from?” he asked. “Never encountered one before.”
Despite his face being half-hidden by the visor, he seemed genuinely interested. “They hail from a talented bio-engineer.” Ketsia pressed her knuckles to the base of her helmet and eased it back to a more comfortable position. “They’re recombinant canine, weasel, mongoose, and feline DNA, created to serve as starship mascots and vermin exterminators.” Giving him a sly smile, the one expression visible to him below her faceshield, she added, “And as Network spies on Alliance ships, if the rumors are true.”
“Huh.” He shifted in his seat. “And how does an ambassador’s daughter come by such an animal?”
She affectionately stroked Luna’s soft fur. “She was a gift.”
“From a man friend?”
Ketsia sniffed. What, did he think men regularly showered her with exotic gifts?
__________________________________________
Like clones, even when genetically identical, StarDogs can have different markings because of environmental factors during incubation and development, so Luna doesn't look exactly like Katrina, who was mainly black and tan. She has loud splashes of white in her coat.
Katrina from StarDog
Like Katrina, this little girl is also highly intelligent and has a few special skills she'll demonstrate in my upcoming release Courting Disaster: StarDog 2 which will be part of the exciting new Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 collection to be released October 10, 2017.
What happened after Operation Reset and the fall of the Ithian Alliance? Two of the characters from Inherit the Stars are about to find out when they set a collision course with disaster.
Captain Navene Jagger, commander of a mysterious, derelict starship, must pretend to be married to Ketsia Tayah, the woman he is escorting through a dangerous sector of space. As he deals with threats that might get them both killed, he's unaware of the talents of the StarDog at her side.
More about Embracing the Romance: Pets in Space 2
The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading SFR authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard Award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King for stories that will take you out of this world!
Featuring novellas by New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glenn Latner.
Can't wait? Not to worry. You can pre-order now at any of these booksellers:
The authors of the collection are also very proud to announce that 10% of the first month's profits will go to Hero Dogs. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence. You can meet the Hero Dogs in training and read more about this wonderful program on the Hero Dogs site.
Join us on Social Media!
Can't wait for October? You're invited to join the authors for chat and news here:
We have some fun upcoming activities, events and giveaways you won't want to miss!
Like this one...
WIN an Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 Coloring Book featuring the pets from the stories. We are running a ‘contest’ from July 15th - August 22nd where everyone is a winner of our Embrace the Romance Coloring Book! Just click the link to enter.
Here's a special preorder preview of all the Pets in Space stars!
Want to say "hello" to Luna? Have a special pet of your own you want to tell us about? Please comment below.
