NOTE: This post first appeared on the AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE blog…

Veronica Scott for AMAZING STORIES: Welcome to my periodic series of author profiles. Today I’ve chosen Kayelle Allen, a prolific author of science fiction and science fiction romance. Ms. Allen is also well known for her staunch support of other authors, from running a book blog to creating and running the Marketing For Romance Writers group, which has an emphasis on peer mentoring and outreach on many major social media platforms.

VS for ASM.: What was the first scifi romance or science fiction book you ever read and what did you like about it?

KA: I don’t remember the first one. My parents always had these books sitting around, and I was born reading, I think. I remember covers from my early childhood but have no idea what the titles were, or who the authors might have been. The first one I remember was The Languages of Pao by Jack Vance. I was eight, and that was heavy reading for a young kid. But it inspired me to write. When I grew up, I wanted to be able to tell stories that talked about people. When I was about six, I told my mother I wanted to write a story about cats. As it happened, my first published book was At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, which featured a half-human half-Kin (a feline-type race). So I did, in fact, grow up to write that book.

ASM.: I like the symmetry of that arc! What was the  2-3 sentence logline?

KA: …its simple tagline was, “She’s addictive. He can’t touch her. But what if he kissed her just once?”

ASM.: Which of your SFR books is the bestselling?

KA: A Stolen Heart. It’s book one in my Thieves’ Guild Academy. The hero is in multiple books, and if you want to find a place to start in my story universe, that book is ideal. It introduces a host of characters who appear in other books and series. I write in a single story universe, so if you like characters in one book, you’re likely to find them in another.

ASM.: None of us can ever pick a favorite book or character but if you had to go live in one of your own books, which would you choose and why?

KA: Any book set in the Tarthian Empire. There are several series set there, and twenty-two planets make it up. There would always be something to see. Subscribers to my newsletter can download various maps, including an overall look at the galaxy and its empires, Tarth City, and even the planet Sempervia, from the Bringer of Chaos series. I’m visual, so I sketch things, or hire artists to create concept drawings. When you sign up for my newsletter, you get the first story in the Chaos series, as well as an illustrated behind-the-scenes book. I have several of those. Once you’re a member, you have access to a dozen free books with all sorts of background, inside stories, and expanded epilogues. I know the Empire well, and it would be a great place to see.

ASM. Perfect lead-in to the next question which is how do you go about world building? Do you do elaborate planning, keep a big file, use post its, wing it – what method works for you?

KA: All the above. I learned early on that with a big series set on more than one world, I needed to keep good records. My readers catch details that I miss. I once wrote that 101 people followed the immortal king, Pietas, when he left Sempervia, where he’d been exiled. A few books later I mentioned there were hundreds. I had to produce a reason. I decided that once he left the planet, others who had followed him pre-exile returned to his side. The idea led to the concept of fealty—a test to prove loyalty and immortality. It’s been part of more than one book, and plays huge roles in Surrender Love, Forever Love, and Ring of the Dragon.

ASM.: Which character in your books is either most like you or who you’d like to be and why?

KA: I’d love to say I’m most like Pietas, as he’s my favorite character, but I’m probably more like his twin sister, Dessy (aka Rheyn). She’s smart, powerful, detail-oriented, and doesn’t put up with nonsense. She’s also usually on the wrong side of almost any situation and far too blunt.

ASM.: What was your most recent book and what was the story spark or inspiration for that story?

KA: The latest is A Divided Heart: Thieves’ Guild Academy. In A Stolen Heart, the character Brinn had a big part, and I always wanted to explore his story. He was instrumental in bringing about the adoption of Senth (who was in my first book), and I thought… What if he adopted a little HalfKin of his own, thinking he would get this sweet little child like his foster brother? But the little girl he fosters is four, going on forty, and has a mind like a steel trap. She’s far more advanced than others and can already read, write, and has hacking skills. Brinn has both hands full dealing with her, all while reuniting with the handsome headmaster at the Academy. Fun story to write, and I am ready to take on more in that series. It consists of A Stolen Heart, A Broken Heart, and A Divided Heart, and they are available at all retailers. A Divided Heart releases May 27, 2023.

ASM.: Which book was the most fun to write and why? The most challenging and why?

KA: Ring of the Dragon was the most fun to write. It was all from the point of view of Pietas, and I love writing about him. The cosplayer Nik Nitsvetov has portrayed him in three different cosplays, and I have thousands of pictures of him. When I need inspiration, I open one of the photo folders and look. In this book, things about Pietas that I never knew (or even thought of) came to the surface. It answered questions I’d had about his character and personality, and opened the door wide for a new series. Although Ring of the Dragon is the first book I’ve written in the Heart of the Immortal King series, it is not the first chronologically. If it goes according to plan, I’ll have half a dozen books by the time I’m through.

ASM.: I always love it when a character reveals more about themselves to the author. Also, how cool to have a cosplayer so invested in one of your key characters. Which of your characters do your readers love to hate? Why?

KA: Easily, it’s Mahikos. He’s the father of Pietas, and he’s a thoroughly disagreeable person. One reviewer referred to him as a man who “needs killing.” He’s interesting to write because he rarely lets a chance pass to needle his son. Even the rare compliment is voiced in a snide manner. But he’s immortal, and he is not going to be easy to dispatch… even though fans want to see him gone.

ASM.: Do you have a ‘writing buddy’ pet?

Author’s own photo

KA: I don’t have living pets, but I do keep two adorable baby dragons on my desktop. Their names are Stormsinger (white) and Fireshade (red). They can be found in Ring of the Dragon as well as a few other books. I had them custom made by a company I discovered on Instagram.

ASM.: Truly adorable. What’s next for you?

KA: I’m a plotter, so for me, the next book is in the details. I’m simultaneously making notes on two series and have ideas for several more. I plan to finish my science fiction series Bringer of Chaos, and add a few books to my new MM Romance series Thieves’ Guild Academy, and I’m eager to write another book in the series Heart of the Immortal King. Readers who want to know when a book is released can join my newsletter as “new releases only” and get one email when a book comes out. https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

ASM.: What’s on your To Be Read List?

KA: Multiple books in various genres. Because I have a book blog (Romance Lives Forever) I’m exposed to new books every day, and often see what’s coming before it’s released. I’m never at a disadvantage when it comes to having books to read. I love all genres of MM Romance, most Historical Romance as well as Sci-Fi Romance, but anything that holds still long enough for me to focus on it is going to be read.

ASM.: Give us your short author bio and where you can be found on social media.

Kayelle Allen—Writer of misbehaving robots, role-playing immortal gamers, warriors who purrrrr, and romance that lives forever. Sign up for her newsletter and get Sci-Fi stories, book recommendations, and other reader exclusives. https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kayelleallenbooks

Kayelle’s latest book (releases May 27):

In a school filled with hackers and thieves, how do you trust your heart?
The Thieves’ Guild Academy teaches three things. Honor above profit. Skill above chance. Family above all.
So when the Academy decides to turn away an alien child who’s too unruly to train, Professor Brinn Halin intercedes. Despite the warnings of his handsome ex, the Headmaster, he fosters the precocious four-year-old girl.
Academy Headmaster Kam Zavala oversees a school full of trainee thieves and hackers, and he’s used to their tricks. This latest student, a headstrong but brilliant little girl, has gone beyond a simple hack. Her work threatens to implode the ancient Academy itself. As a disaster of epic proportions unfurls, Kam must take action.
But when the child’s breach uncovers a deeper, more insidious hack, the two master thieves must work together. Is there truly honor among thieves? These two have a second chance to prove it, save the child, the Academy, and restore their newfound love.
The question is, will they trust their well-honed instincts, or follow their long-divided hearts…
◆An MM second chance sci-fi romance set in the Thieves’ Guild Academy

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

LINKS TO OTHER PROFILES IN SFR INTERVIEWS (listed alphabetically by authors’ first names):

C J Dragon

Cynthia Sax

E G Manetti

Linnea Sinclair

Michelle Diener

Pauline Baird Jones

Ruby Dixon

S E Smith

Tiffany Roberts

Note: This post first appeared on the AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE blog…

Veronica Scott for AMAZING STORIES: Welcome to my periodic series of author profiles. Today I’ve chosen C. J. Dragon, author of M/M science fiction stories. LGBTQ+ science fiction and science fiction romance are growing genres offering all the action, adventure and spice a reader might crave. I was much taken by the Daranii Justice series written by CJD and couldn’t wait to ask the author some questions!

VS for ASM.: What was the first scifi romance book you wrote?

CJD: My first scifi romance was Raphael’s Rescue. A young empath man, Raphael, is rescued/taken captive by Lord Teo of the Chi’NoSa. Teo thinks he’s in charge. He’s not. Angst ensues.

ASM.: Which of your SFR books is the bestselling?

CJD: The Price of Surrender in my Daranii Justice series. Jon Thomsin is given as a sacrifice to the Daranii for an attack by Earth that killed many of their people. Jon agrees to this to save Earth from destruction, and manages to to fall in love with his primary tormentor, Talin.

ASM.: That was a really impactful novel which made quite an impression on me. I felt so much sympathy and admiration for the hero. How do you go about world building? Do you do elaborate planning, keep a big file, use post its, wing it – what method works for you?

CJD:  A character taps me on the shoulder, gives me their name, and then I see the world they’re inhabiting. That world expands as my characters grow. I do keep a written sheet of names and terms I use that aren’t English.  Otherwise, my world building falls under ‘knowing as I go’.

ASM.: What was your most recent book and what was the story spark or inspiration for that story?

CJD: My most recent book is Vale. Vale introduced himself towards the end of my Daranii Justice trilogy. I wanted to write a character who was snarky and sarcastic, yet loveable. Vale is all that and more.

ASM.: Which book was the most fun to write and why? The most challenging and why?

CJD: My Daranii Justice series was the most fun because I really know Jon and Talin, and like them. Writing them was more like listening to them. My Raphael series was the most challenging because they were my first books, and there was a whole lot of world building, not to mention an entirely alien species to design.

ASM.: Which of your characters do your readers love to hate? Why?

CJD: I think my readers love to hate  Lord Teo in the Raphael series because he’s a’ my way or the highway’ alien. He’s pretty harsh with Raphael in the first book too.

ASM.: Your own favorite tropes? Least favorite tropes?

CJD: I like enemies to lovers, or friends to lovers. I’m an angst queen too. Can’t think of any least favorite tropes.

ASM.: I would say you really nailed the enemies to lovers trope in the Daranii Justice series, especially with the first book. I was riveted to the plot as it all unfolded. What’s next for you?

CJD:  Currently writing Tinman. The setting is the Moon with sentient computers, a crappy corporation, and love waiting for my protagonist.

ASM.: Sounds good! I can’t wait to read that one. What’s on your To Be Read List?

CJD: I have a huge TBR list on my iPad. I read everything from scifi to regency romance, magical beings and, of course, anything with dragons. Right now it’s all M/M.

ASM.: Give us your short author bio and where you can be found on social media.

C.J. has always been an avid reader of anything in print, enjoying all genres, but drawn to science fiction and romance.

Happily introduced to the wonderful world of M/M romance, and immediately loving it, C.J. began writing M/M romances, incorporating them in her science fiction stories, and has never looked back.

She lives in North Carolina and is happily married to her wife and soulmate, who is a writer as well. C.J. is co-parent to Frankie, also known as the Prince of Darkness, who keeps a benevolent paw over all that occurs in the home.

Website: www.cjdragon.com  I can be found on Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, and TikTok.

The author’s most recent release is Vale and here’s the blurb:

Vale Darrow likes routine. He likes knowing what will happen on each of his days, and isn’t fond of surprises or upheaval of any kind.

He lives alone in a house he loves. He expects to always be alone because he isn’t an easy person to know. He never expects that to change, until it does.

After serving for many years the Companion to the Oracle dies. The Oracle reaches out, in his grief, touching on an unsuspecting Vale. With that touch, everything changes.

Vale swears he will not give in to the Oracle if chosen as Companion.

Will the Oracle force him to accept a life cut off from everything and everyone he loves? Or will Vale choose death rather than submit to the Oracle’s whims?  AmazonKU

NOTE: This post first appeared on the AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE blog…

Veronica Scott for AMAZING STORIES: Welcome to my periodic series of author profiles. Today I’ve chosen S. E. (Susan) Smith, who is one of the most prolific, kindest and imaginative science fiction romance authors I know. She’s also extremely savvy about the indie publishing business and a wonderful mentor. Her readers adore her and her real life adventures as much as they enjoy her interstellar tales. I’ve enjoyed her books for years and appreciate all the hours of happy reading she’s given me and so many others. 

VS for ASM.: What was the first scifi romance book you ever read and what did you like about it?  

SES: I can’t say that The Accidental Goddess was my first Scifi Romance book I ever read, but it remains one of my favorites! I think my first scifi book that I fell in love with was Alexander Key’s The Forgotten Door, and of course, Escape to Witch Mountain. The Accidental Goddess held all the elements that I adore in a great scifi romance book: strong female lead, a compassionate hero, action, adventure, humor, fantastic characters, amazing world-building, a touch of paranormal… the list goes on and on!

ASM.: What was the first scifi romance book you wrote? 

SES: My first scifi story was Abducting Abby: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 1. I published her story on March 24, 2012. I actually published her story and three others all on the same day, but it was the date I had finished getting them ready is what I’m going by. Here are some loglines for Abby and Zoran’s story.

• When an alien crashes on her mountain, a woman opens her heart and home to him.

• A human woman’s life changes forever when an alien crashes on her mountain and saves her from certain death.

• Abducting Abby was the best thing Zoran ever did – now he just needs to convince his mate.

• A young woman discovers an injured alien on her mountain leading to a series of events that will change her life forever.

ASM.: That was the first one of your books I ever read so I have fond memories of Abby and Zoran. Which of your SFR books is the bestselling?

SES: Oh, my. This is a hard question! I’ve made the USA TODAY Bestsellers List on books in most of my series and the New York Times three times. I would have to say my Alliance series and my Dragon Lords of Valdier are probably my best sellers. My Seven Kingdoms series is a very close third. Here are a couple of loglines for the series.

• The Valdier, an alien species who are dragon-shifters, world is about to change forever when the dragon warriors discover their true mate can be found among the humans.
• Humans have sent messages for decades asking if they are alone in the galaxy. When their call is answered, the humans aren’t as ready as they think. The Trivators are there as first contact. Their job is to welcome new worlds into the Alliance and calm fears. Join the journey of discovery as the Trivators learn that not all humans want the world to remain the same. Warriors come in all shapes and sizes.

ASM.:  I will say the Valdier are the first series which comes to my mind when I’m thinking of your books although I certainly picked up Hunter’s Claim (The Alliance Book 1) and kept reading as each new story came out. None of us can ever pick a favorite book or character but if you had to go live in one of your own books, which would you choose and why?

SES: The Seven Kingdoms… because there are seven of them and they are amazing! I could visit the Isle of the Dragons, hang out with the monsters on the Isle of the Monsters, float in the sky with the Elementals or live under the sea on the Isle of the Serpent. Then, there is the Isle of Magic and the Isle of the Giants and who could turn down a chance to visit with Ashure and those sexy pirates? There are so many wonderful things to see, do, and enjoy… especially now without the dastardly alien threatening to destroy our world and theirs!

ASM.: How do you go about world building? Do you do elaborate planning, keep a big file, use post its, wing it – what method works for you?

SES: I’m a pantser, so everything unfolds for me like a painting slowly being unveiled. I love it because it is like seeing it for the first time. It is bright, vivid, and I get lost in the creation process.

ASM.: Which character in your books is either most like you or who you’d like to be and why?

SES: I like to think I am most like Gracie Jones from Gracie’s Touch. I’m kind, caring, yet I don’t give up. When I feel overwhelmed, I may rant and whinge a little, but I always get my act together. I realized this especially after hiking over 500 miles on the Appalachian Trail this past year. You learn a lot about yourself when you do something so far out of your element/comfort zone. You also realize what you are capable of and which you may not have been aware.

ASM.: I was astonished by your entire adventure hiking that trail and glued to your updates! What was your most recent book and what was the story spark or inspiration for that story?

SES: I’ve just released Wynter and the Stone Dragon: Rings of Power Book 1. Wynter’s story was a mixture for me. The idea came from my wedding ring which I was playing with at the time. Wynter’s story is the story of family, friendship (between her and her family and her and her dragon), loss, and love. It contains both paranormal and scifi worlds and ties to several of my other series. I love hiding Easter eggs in my stories!

ASM.: Which book was the most fun to write and why? The most challenging and why? 

SES: The most fun has been a mixture of stories. There are some I have become so excited about that I had to stop and just write it. Dust, Hannah’s Warrior, Gracie’s Touch, The Seven Kingdom series, and my Girls from the Street series are just a few. Oh, and the Dragonlings! I love writing the Dragonling stories! At times, I make a deal with myself and will give myself a chapter a week in an exciting series as a reward.

The hardest stories are the more complex ones deep in a series. Jarmen’s Jane Doe has proven to be that because he is in so many other stories and series and his world/situation is very complex. I want to do his and Jane’s story justice, so it requires a lot of thought.

ASM.: Your own favorite tropes? Least favorite tropes?

SES: I don’t really go in for tropes much. I love a great story… period. I don’t like immature or shallow characters. I can’t read stories where someone is unfaithful to another or abusive. That is a big button pusher for me. I have to have my HEA or HFN stories. I love fantasy, scifi, paranormal, and a good historical, contemporary romance. I also enjoy Michael Crichton, Dean Koontz, and Clive Cussler.

ASM.: Do you also write other genres? Which ones?

SES: Because I have a wide taste in stories, I have written in a wide variety of genres. I have Contemporary Suspense Thrillers, Contemporary Fantasy, Young Adult, and Romantic Suspense. I am also working on a series that will defy a specific age group and will be for anyone who loves action, adventure, suspense, fantasy/paranormal stories.

ASM.: Do you have a ‘writing buddy’ pet? Care to share a photo?

SES: I guess Pia would have to be considered my ‘part-time’ writing buddy pet. She loves to keep me company… and let’s me know when I need to take a break.

ASM.: What’s next for you?

SES:  I’m finishing Jarmen’s Jane Doe: Lords of Kassis Book 6, then my last book in the Girls from the Street series before focusing on Waking the Golden Goddess in my Dragon Lords of Valdier series and heading off into my Alliance and Zion worlds. I have a lot of stories to finish this year and this is just the beginning!

ASM.: What’s on your To Be Read List?

SES: I’m looking forward to diving into Cassandra Chandler’s newest series.

ASM: Give us your short author bio and where you can be found on social media.

S.E. Smith is an internationally acclaimed, New York Times and USA TODAY Bestselling author of science fiction, romance, 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.

Readers can check out her website at https://sesmithfl.com and chat with her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/se.smith.5

WYNTER AND THE STONE DRAGON (WINGS OF POWER BOOK ONE) by S. E. Smith

When a doorway between worlds opens and unites two lives, anything is possible…

Since she was a child, Wynter Stormhold’s curious nature has taken her to far-off worlds. In one world, she touches the life of a human boy. In another, she finds her most trusted friend, a stone dragon she calls Pow-pow. Hiding her growing powers from her mage family started out as a childish prank, but now she uses them to go on secret adventures.

Sheikh Khalid el Amid’s life changes forever when he encounters a beautiful but alien girl. Wynter brings unexpected miracles during his darkest hour and he vows to always protect her—but then she disappears through a portal.

When grown-up Wynter suddenly reappears years later, Khalid falls in love. All too soon, however, she is ripped from him again. As Wynter and Pow-pow fight for their lives against a mage who would use Wynter and her father’s Rings of Power to control the vast worlds across space, Khalid fights for his people and his rightful place on Earth.

Can an alien princess and her dragon find her way back to her beloved sheikh or will their responsibilities keep them apart forever?

*Previously released in Pets in Space 7! Thank you to everyone who supported the Hero Dogs charity. Together, we make a difference!

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

VS NOTE: At the time this interview was done for AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE blog, JARMEN’S JANE DOE hadn’t been released, but it’s now her newest book!

JARMEN’S JANE DOE (LORDS OF KASSIS BOOK SIX) by S E Smith

He is a monster who discovers he had a heart; she is a woman who wants to remain unknown…Jarmen D’ju has no memories of his previous life. They were stolen in the lab that changed him into a monster. Though he was rescued, he knows he will never truly have the life he wants. As a being of half organic material and half cybernetic engineering, Jarmen will always need to hide. Finding a partner is not an option, for who could ever love a monster? Jane Doe awakes aboard an alien spaceship with haunting memories of her former life—a life filled with tragedy that almost killed her. Rescued and protected by her new circus family, she knows she has been given a second chance at life—but chances are fleeting and happiness is nothing more than an illusion where she came from. She thinks it will be the same here until she meets an alien who is more machine than he is man. In the most unlikely of places, Jarmen discovers he has a heart and Jane finds the only man in the galaxy who can take away her nightmares. A single moment in time changes their lives forever and forces Jarmen to make a decision that could change the history of the universe. With the help of some unusual friends, can Jarmen defy time? Or will a cheated death refuse to be denied?

Amazon     Apple Books     Kobo

LINKS TO OTHER PROFILES IN SFR INTERVIEWS (listed alphabetically by authors’ first names):

Cynthia Sax

E G Manetti

Linnea Sinclair

Michelle Diener

Pauline Baird Jones

Ruby Dixon

Tiffany Roberts

NOTE: This post first appeared on the AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE blog.

Veronica Scott for AMAZING STORIES: Welcome to my periodic series of author profiles. Today I’ve chosen the husband-and-wife writing duo who comprise Tiffany Roberts and spin tales featuring some of the most inventive world building and monster heroes I’ve ever seen. Time and again they amaze me with characters I didn’t think I’d fall for (four armed aliens? half men/half kraken? a spider warrior?!) and by the end of the book all my emotions have been stirred and I’m ready for MORE.

VS for ASM.: What was the first scifi romance book you wrote, when, give us the 2-3 sentence logline.

TR: Dustwalker was the first sci-fi romance we wrote back in 2016. We wanted to publish it after releasing Make Me Hunger, but our editor at the time advised us to finish our fantasy series first. We were bummed because we were really passionate about the book, but we were ultimately grateful for the delay because it allowed us to improve our writing skills and do the story justice. We published Dustwalker in 2017. Logline: A robot searching for a purpose. A woman who brings him to life. A sanctuary hiding dark secrets.

ASM.: I loved Dustwalker even though it made me shed a tear or two along the way. Which of your SFR books is the bestselling?

TR: Our Spider’s mate Trilogy (Ensnared, Enthralled, and Bound) are our bestselling books. We never imagined these books would take off like they did considering the hero is a spider! Wait, sorry, we mean he’s a vrix. But we are so grateful that so many people have given the trilogy a chance. Logline: Ketahn did not want a mate. But fate has a different plan for him. She’s not of his kind at all, and yet, the moment he sees her, he knows the truth in his soul—she is his heartsthread.

ASM.: I must admit that like so many readers, I balked at a spider (I mean vrix) hero but you definitely pulled it off with panache and made me care. And want to read more set in that world!  How do you go about world building? Do you do elaborate planning, keep a big file, use post its, wing it – what method works for you?

TR: We brainstorm together and create a document where we flesh out the world(s) with all the details. The environments, climates, number of moons, lengths of days/years, appearance and color of vegetation—whatever details we need for the book (and usually a little extra that doesn’t make its way into the story but helps us form a clearer image regardless). We follow a similar process to create alien species, usually beginning with their appearance, figuring out some fun evolutionary reasons for why they look the way they do, and then moving on to their homeworld, culture, religion, and mating details (because we all know that’s important!). Of everything we prepare before starting a book, the worldbuilding information is the most likely to expand as we write, gaining in breadth and depth as the story helps us realize and add new details.

ASM.: What was your most recent book and what was the story spark or inspiration for that story?

TR: Our most recent release was Vengeful Heart, an installment of our Infinite City series that continues the story of Shielded Heart and features Arcanthus as the main character. We wanted him to go back to Earth and take care of some…unfinished business regarding his human mate, Samantha. Because he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, and he’s not the type to forgive any wrongs done to his mate. Even if those wrongs happened years before he ever met her…(Editor’s Note: The author has also recently published Yearning for Her, a paranormal/fantasy romance, blurb below).

ASM.: Which book was the most fun to write and why? The most challenging and why?

TR: Three books stand out as the most fun because they were all books where the characters and situations leant themselves to humor. Whether it’s the banter between Arcanthus and his crew in Shielded Heart, Thargen’s general approach to life in Savage Desire, or all the fish-out-of-water humor from Claimed by an Alien Warrior, all three stories were a delight to work on from start to finish, and we made both ourselves and each other laugh out loud many times while writing.

The most challenging book, on the other hand, was probably Lover from the Waves, the final installment in our Kraken series. While writing that book, we would struggle for 10-12 hours a day just to hit a wordcount that normally took us an hour or two. There were several reasons for it. The characters are quite a bit older than us, so we had more trouble seeing through their eyes and understanding how their years of experience would’ve shaped them. We were hitting a period of burnout after writing and releasing books at a fairly rapid pace (for us anyway) since the start of our careers. And in many ways, we had already moved on from the world of the Kraken, so reconnecting with it proved more difficult than we’d anticipated. All in all, though, we can look back on it (and all the other books we struggled with in part or in whole) and be proud of what we accomplished in the end. Lover from the Waves turned out to be a sweet, heartfelt book that we think ties up the saga of the kraken nicely.

ASM.: Which of your characters do your readers love to hate? Why?

TR: Lara from Dustwalker. She is such a misunderstood character. We find that readers can sometimes be a little judgmental of heroines in romance books, especially if they perceive the character’s personality as too strong. Due to all that Lara has experienced in her past and how she has to fight everyday for survival, her disposition is brash, and she is hot-tempered, especially when it comes to robots. She hasn’t lived an easy life.

ASM.: Your own favorite tropes? Least favorite tropes?

TR: I (Tiffany) absolutely love monster/alien romance, fated mates, enemies-to-lovers, friends-to-lovers, touch-her-and-die, villains, and the he-falls-first tropes. I pass on love triangles.

ASM.: Can you tell our readers a little bit about the other genres you write? How does writing a book in those genres compare to writing an SFR?

TR: Sci-fi romance will always be the main genre we write in, but we sometimes write paranormal and fantasy romance as well. We love writing in all those genres, and sometimes that change gives us a much-needed palate cleanser. We’ve found over the years that a good way to combat burnout is to switch to a contemporary (usually paranormal) setting where the worldbuilding can center around whatever inhuman beings are involved instead of having to build entire planets and civilizations. It lets us focus a lot more on characters and story and just have fun. Many times, we blend our love of those genres together. For example, in our Infinite City series, we took a lot of aspects that we love from fantasy and tied them with sci-fi with a sprinkling of cyberpunk flavor.

ASM.: What’s next for you?

TR: …we’ll be diving into the spin-off of our Spider’s Mate Trilogy, The Vrix series. (Editor’s Note: The Weaver is scheduled for release in mid-June.)

ASM: What’s on your To Be Read List?

TR: I (Tiffany) am so excited for Doves & Demons by Clio Evans and From the Grave by Kresley Cole (which I have been waiting years for!). Rob has been in a reading slump lately, but might be diving into the Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski.

ASM: Give us your short author bio and where you can be found on social media.

TR: Tiffany Roberts is the pseudonym for Tiffany and Robert Freund, a husband and wife writing duo. The two have always shared a passion for reading and writing, and it was their dream to combine their mighty powers to create the sorts of books they want to read. They write character driven sci-fi and fantasy romance, creating happily-ever-afters for the alien and unknown.

Website:

https://authortiffanyroberts.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTiffanyRoberts/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tiffanyrobertsauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authortiffanyroberts/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TiffanyRobertsF 

YEARNING FOR HER

A wicked incubus. A curvy, delectable human female. One night of passion that changes everything.

Willow Crowley’s world comes crashing down when she discovers her boyfriend has been seeing another woman. The dream she’d held of a life with him is shattered in an instant, leaving her alone with nothing except heartache.

She vows to never open herself to that hurt again…

Until a seductive, otherworldly stranger with white hair, piercings, and icy blue eyes promises her a single night of pleasure. No strings attached.

But that night isn’t enough for him. He wants more, more than she’s ready to give. How can she trust him not to break her heart when he isn’t even human?

Kian has lived promiscuously for four hundred years, feeding on the desire of the humans he and the fae considered prey. But when he locks eyes with a purple-haired female, something inside him shifts irrevocably.

No one else can sate his hunger.

He wants her.

Needs her.

Yearns for her.

Yet she refuses to submit to the carnal delights he promises. She wants more. She wants…love.

Can he mend her broken heart? Can he love a mortal woman?

AmazonKU

***************************************************************

LINKS TO OTHER PROFILES IN SFR INTERVIEWS (listed alphabetically by authors’ first names):

Cynthia Sax

E G Manetti

Linnea Sinclair

Michelle Diener

Ruby Dixon

Note: This post first appeared on the AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE blog…I’ve added back a few additional Q&A which were edited for ASM due to length.

Veronica Scott for AMAZING STORIES: Welcome to my periodic series of author profiles. Today I’ve chosen one of the true pioneers and early trailblazers in the genre, Linnea Sinclair. Many people still mention her Accidental Goddess as their first SFR read and she shares a few details about the inspiration for the novel, as well as what she’s up to nowadays, teaching author craft classes. I used to enjoy time spent catching up with Ms. Sinclair at the various romance conventions of bygone days and I even had one of my short stories edited by her for an anthology she was putting together. 

VS for ASM.: What was the first science fiction (or scifi romance) book you ever read and what did you like about it? 

LS: Good question. Being that I’m approaching 70 years old, and I’ve been reading since I was four… My best guess is it was probably a fantasy/fairy tale book, not a science fiction one because back in the 1950s, there weren’t many children’s SF books around (to my knowledge).  Most of my childhood favorite books had magical-type stories. My addiction to the ‘impossible as possible’ probably started there.

But for science fiction itself, that probably started through television. I was devoted to SPACE PATROL/PLANET PATROL and the THUNDERBIRDS (kids’ SF show using marionettes), all broadcast during the late 1950s and into the 1960s. Then, of course, there was TIME TUNNEL, LOST IN SPACE and then STAR TREK.

What I liked about these stories was the strong female main characters (“strong” for that era) and, as well, the Good Conquers Evil theme. I liked the problem solving. I’d been reading Sherlock Holmes short stories since I was, oh, five or six years old. I loved problem solving stories. I still do.

ASM.: Since many people have mentioned this book as a major influence in inspiring them when it comes to reading or writing scifi romance: What was the story spark or inspiration for Accidental Goddess?

LS: The impetus for An Accidental Goddess was my sword-and-sorcery story Wintertide, one of the first books I wrote professionally (as an adult—my crayon offering at age four doesn’t count). I wrote the first drafts of Wintertide on a typewriter back in the early 1980s. Yes, a pound-on-the-keys-hit-carriage-return typewriter. Why didn’t I start out writing SF, you ask? Good question. Honestly, because I didn’t feel smart enough. Sucky reason, yes? I also hadn’t read (couldn’t find) a lot of female SF authors back then.  I felt “safe” writing fantasy.

When the Internet started to blossom (Compuserve and AOL, anyone?) I realized that, yes, there WERE SF stories crafted by women. I dove in.

Goddess, like many of my stories, deals with a main character who finds herself between a rock-and-a-hard place that she’s unprepared to deal with.  It could have been written (any of my stories could have been written) without the romance element. But, hey, why pass up a chance to REALLY torture my main character emotionally? Yunno, anyone could fight off an evil sorcerer on a space station using both magic and technology. But why miss the chance to also torture my main character emotionally by juxtaposing what she MUST do—stop the bad guy—up against the reality that by stopping the bad guy SHE ALSO RISKS losing someone she deeply loves? Woo-hoo! She’s also fully out of her element and has no one else to help her (well, except Simon… but he’s often more of a hindrance than a help). I love writing to literary agent Donald Maass’ s excellent advice: Make it worse, make it worse, make it worse. So the history of who and what my female MC, Gillaine, actually was (which is set up in the fantasy, Wintertide) also comes to play in a very uncomfortable manner. Gillie can’t change who or what she is. That really makes things worse, doesn’t it?

Note to all: I’m honestly a nice person in real life. Just don’t mess with me on the pages of a story…

ASM.: Do you have a favorite scene in the book?

LS: My favorite scenes in most of my stories are always the ones where the main character has to step from the frying pan into the fire.  Most often it’s a belly-flop more than a step. With Gillie in Goddess, it’s first where she has to reveal to Mack and his crew one of the key things she didn’t want to reveal: who she is (militarily) (Chapter 24, if you want to look it up). Again, to quote Maass: What is the one thing your MC never wants to do? Make him do it. And then, in Chapter 28, where she has to become the actual “goddess” she is: “Tal tay Raheira!”

I love any time my characters have to put it all on the line, go for broke.

It’s also why, in real life, I have a deep admiration for cops, firefighters and any first responders. (Hence the main character of Detective Theo Petrakos in my The Down Home Zombie Blues.)

ASM.:  I know you’ve been concentrating on other things for the past few years. Do you foresee yourself tackling another book at some point? In the SFR genre or another one perhaps?

LS: Yes, I’d love to start writing stories again. I need to get life and my increasingly arthritic fingers to cooperate. (My thumbs are now pointing in directions thumbs aren’t supposed to.) I do have a three-quarters finished SFR manuscript that I’ve been working on for over five years and a follow-on novel in my Dock Five series. Maybe if I soak my fingers in Bio-Freeze for an hour or so I could get at it. I also have to get my brain to cooperate, and moving to a new house five times in the past eight years has not helped. (I make the joke that my hubby keeps moving, but I keep finding him…)

But, yes, I’ve not completely thrown in the intergalactic towel yet. I’m still in orbit…

ASM.: Tell us a bit about your classes for authors. What led you to create the curriculum and how has it gone?

LS: I honestly love teaching the craft of writing fiction and of discovering and encouraging new talent. The bulk of my classes hit what I call The Basics: character, conflict, world-building (NOT just for SFF writers!) and key story components like crafting opening scenes and the basics of dialogue. When the Romantic Times magazine conventions were an annual occurrence (and one helluva grand time!), I taught individual workshops and, as well, organized and taught their three-day pre-convention Writers Boot Camp for over a decade (along with several other fantastic authors and literary agents).

I was amazed at the large amount of fantastic untapped talent out there at the annual writers’ boot camps. There were many attendees with more than enough talent to hit the big time but were stopped because of 1) fear/lack of faith in themselves and 2) no earthly clue on how to prepare and submit a manuscript for publication. I was also challenged by the number (not as large) of adults who had great ideas for stories but couldn’t spell or put together a coherent sentence. But all wanted to learn, and if you want to learn, I’m willing to teach.

My online classes (most are month-long) range from basic story structure (what is a plot, what is a main character) to the more complicated use of internal conflict or the pacing of high-action scenes.

ASM.: What would you say is a key fundamental craft issue for an author and how do your workshops help to tackle the challenge?

LS: Depends on the author but the most common issue I’ve seen in almost twenty years of teaching is the lack of understanding 1) conflict and 2) how to use conflict in a plot. I credit author Jacqueline Lichtenberg with teaching me the deeper key components of conflict. Succinctly: “Conflict is the essence of story.” I know that sounds simplistic but it’s not. Humans naturally shy from conflict. If you want to write great fiction, you need to slug back a few Pina Coladas, put your evil on, and steep your main character in real, gripping, what-the-hell-do-we-do-now conflict. As writing guru Dwight Swain said: It’s the author’s job to manipulate the emotions of the reader.

Conflict (in a plot) is the one sure-fire way to manipulate your reader’s emotions.

So, most classes I teach touch in some manner on the proper deployment of conflict in the story. I hand out free (cyber) Pina Coladas in all my online classes so students can get their evil on with ease.

ASM.: The classes seem to have quite an emphasis on the characters and their motivations. Can you share a bit more about ‘torturing’ the characters leads to a successful book?

LS: With motivations, you have to ask WHY. WHY does Dorothy have to escape from the land of Oz? What’s at risk, what’s at stake if she DOESN’T? WHY does Luke have to become a Jedi, why stop Darth Vader? What’s at risk is he DOESN’T?

Why does your Hero/Heroine have to _________? What’s at stake, what does s/he stand to LOSE unequivocally if s/he DOESN’T?

The stakes have to be real, tangible, serious, non-negotiable. If another solution can be substituted, your stakes are weak. And then your story is weak.

Author Holly Lisle has some wonderful how-to articles that address this issue on her site. I recommend her often to my students. https://hollylisle.com/articles/  Yes, I teach writing, but I also learn from others. Holly is one such other and she’s excellent. I also recommend the books by Lisa Cron on neuro-science and crafting fiction (yes, there’s a definite connection!). If you download Holly’s advice (I’ve never taken her classes, but I suspect they’re great) and read Cron’s books (and underline key passages in bright colors like I do), then come sign up for my classes and we’ll refine what you’ve studied as we play with it in real time. A writer learns by writing. You have to take good advice and then put fingers to keyboard and deploy that same advice.

You can always hit delete if you don’t like what you wrote. But you have to try it first.

ASM.: Any lessons learned for you as the instructor? Anything that surprises you during a workshop? 

LS: I don’t think there are any major surprises (yet) in my workshops but, yes, I learn tons from my students. I watch their struggles with crafting and in order to help them, I have to get into WHY they’re struggling. Most often, it’s fear of conflict (they don’t like experiencing the feelings of conflict) but other things like characterization or plot crop up. And I have to think of a helpful way (and example) to address that for THEIR story. Every story writes differently. Yes, craft concepts don’t change but how one deploys a concept can vary. My internal conflict class came out of that very scenario. I’d taught basic conflict—GMC, per noted author Deb Dixon—for years. Time and again, a student or three would comment on a conflict-craft issue and, time and again, it was clearly an INTERNAL conflict issue. So, I asked myself: Self, what’s the problem we need to address? And the answer was to teach a class solely on crafting internal conflict. Which I now do. It’s killer, because it needs to be. It’s all emotional-brain science-personality stuff. All stuff that, in real life, we avoid because it’s uncomfortable. In order to rip your reader’s heart out, you have to rip your main character’s heart out and, in order to do that, you have to clearly know what it feels like to have your own heart ripped out. Mercilessly. The better writer sucks it up and faces what that feels like, and then painfully plants that on the page.

ASM.: Are there any craft books you’ve found to be particularly helpful? Or are you more a seat-of-the-pants style writer?

LS: I’m a pantser, through and through. That being said, I recommend the craft books by Lisa Cron, Deb Dixon, Jack Bickham, Donald Maass, James Scott Bell and Dwight V Swain. These would be for overall crafting fiction (of any genre). As noted, I’m definitely a pantser and not a plotter, but craft books address more than just plot structure. My critique partner, S.A. Barnes (she writes SF Horror for Tor) aka Stacey Kade (she writes YA and NA for Simon & Schuster and Disney Hyperion), loves the how-to books by screenwriter Christopher Vogler, specifically The Writer’s Journey, which was inspired by Joseph Campbell’s mythic structure. I “get” Vogler but his methods don’t speak to me as deeply as Swain and Bickham.

So, point: Not all craft books work equally for all writers. Every craft how-to is worth considering or, as I state in my classes, adding to your writerly toolbox. But not every craft tip works 100% of the time for everyone.

ASM.: If you had one tip for a writer, what would it be? 

LS: Write. To quote La Nora (Nora Roberts): You can’t edit a blank page.

ASM.: Pithy and oh-so-true! What do you wish you’d known when you started your writing career? Did you have mentors or other authors who inspired you along the way? 

LS: I’ll answer in reverse. Yes, I had wonderful mentors/authors who helped me and I’m eternally grateful to Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Nancy Gramm, Dee Lloyd, Susan Grant, Pat Simmons, Robin D Owens, Catherine Asaro, Monette Michaels, Mary Jo Putney, Jo Beverley, Nalini Singh, all the crazy and beloved authors who populated my annual Intergalactic Bar and Grille parties at the Romantic Times conventions for more than a decade… and, of course, my trusty crit partner, Stacey Kade aka S.A. Barnes.

I’m not sure there was anything I wish I’d known (in the sense of a warning). I can tell you I was surprised, having formerly been a reporter in the competitive hard-news arena, at the unequivocal support and advice so willingly and kindly offered to me early in my career by really big-name authors. I mean, when literary stars like Mary Jo Putney or Barbara Hambly ask a newbie author (like I was back then) to lunch, just out of the blue… it makes one gob-smacked. (Ah! Reminds me to add Lynne Connolly to the list above—if nothing else, she taught me to say “gob-smacked.”)

ASM.: As a reader, what makes a “good book experience” for you? 

LS: Characters with depth and quirks. A “prize” (story goal) worth fighting for. I’m a sucker for well-crafted, pithy dialogue. And I do love me some snark.

ASM.: Fun Question: If you were invited to be a guest star on a major scifi franchise (movie or TV), which one would you pick and what character would you design for yourself to play? 

LS: I’d like to be Han Solo’s co-pilot on the Millennium Falcon. And I think I’d have been a much better captain of the Enterprise than Janeway. Or maybe Security Chief on a starship (because I do have the appropriate background for that, being a former private detective). But be that as it may, I’ve pretty much gotten to do those kinds of things through writing my stories. And I did all of those kinds of things while still in my pajamas and Hello Kitty slippers.

ASM.: What’s next for you? 

LS: Well, it’s Thursday (as I type this) so that means my hubby and I are going out to dinner at The Oar House as usual… oh, that’s not what you’re asking?

I’m teaching a class in April on Internal Conflict in fiction, then classes on Word Choice and Pitches & Blurbs in August and September.

Have you binge watched any series (of any type) lately?  

Nope. The closest I come to binge-watching is a weekly episode of HOME TOWN (LOVE Ben and Erin!), which my hubby and I watch during dinner most Monday nights. (We’ve renovated several old homes ourselves since we got married… back in 1980. Yeah, that long ago.) I honestly don’t watch a lot of television, except during hurricane season (I live in Florida). Jim Cantore is my main man, then.

What’s on your To Be Read List?  

I’m a few chapters from finishing up GATE OF TRUST, which was written in the eleventh century by Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Pekuda. (Probably not what you expected to see as an answer, hey?) I discovered, a few years ago, that family on my mother’s side had Jewish roots, and that a great-aunt of mine was possibly kidnapped in the 1920s by the Zwi-Migdal in Poland and taken to South America to work as a prostitute in their brothels. I’ve been exploring the Jewish faith and, as well, information on the many kidnappings orchestrated by the Zwi-Migdal. There’s not a lot of information on them. Author Talia Carner is one of the few who has addressed their existence: https://www.taliacarner.com/the-third-daughter/ .  From an author’s perspective, the organization’s machinations may well feed into a plot and characters for a story of mine. But from a personal standpoint, my heart grieves such a thing happened, and I learned to recite the El Malei Rachamim for my great-aunt Sophie.

ASM.: Where you can be found on social media. 

LS: I’m not a fan of social media anymore. Sorry. Facebook is the only place I have an ‘author’ presence, and that’s only because I’ve been on FB a long time and also because I know I have to have something somewhere. https://www.facebook.com/people/Linnea-Sinclair/100063591436317/

But I don’t hang out on FB. If a reader wants to ask me something, good heavens, drop me an email (and give me a few days to answer, because we just moved north to Pensacola FL late December and we’re still organizing, reorganizing and waiting on home repair people, etc..).

AN ACCIDENTAL GODDESS: A NOVEL

Raheiran Special Forces captain Gillaine Davré has just woken up in some unknown space way station, wondering where the last three hundred years have gone. The last thing she remembers is her ship being attacked. Now it seems that while she was time-traveling, she was ordained a goddess. . . . Gillaine’s only hope of survival rests with dangerously seductive Admiral Mack Makarian, who suspects her of being a smuggler—or worse. But he can’t begin to imagine the full extent of it. For Gillaine is now Lady Kiasidira, holy icon to countless believers, including Mack—a man who inspires feelings in her that are far from saintly…feelings she knows are mutual. But when their flirtation is interrupted by a treacherous enemy from the past, Gillaine’s secret—and secret desires—could destroy them both….

 

 

Note: This post first appeared on the AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE blog…

Veronica Scott for AMAZING STORIES: Welcome to my periodic series of author profiles. Today I’ve chosen Michelle Diener, who has written some amazing science fiction romance series, as well as fantasy. Her book Dark Horse (Class Five Book 1) is one of my all time favorite SFR novels and I reread it often and recommend it highly to readers looking for classic SFR. When I create Artificial Intelligences for any of my books, I always think back to Sazo, the AI in this book, who is such a distinct character. I was happy to have a chance to interview her and catch up on current events.

VS for ASM.: What was the first scifi romance book you ever read and what did you like about it? 

MD: My first science fiction romance was An Accidental Goddess by Linnea Sinclair. I had read many non-romance science fiction books up until then, with books by Iain M. Banks being a particular favorite, but I so enjoyed An Accidental Goddess for the humor, and the fun of the plot. Some science fiction can tend to be a bit dark and gloomy, but this was anything but that, and I loved it.

ASM.: So many people came to SFR from reading Ms. Sinclair! What was the first scifi romance book you wrote? 

MD: My first sci-fi romance book was Dark Horse in 2015, and the log line is: Secrets are all she has left . . . Rose may have been forced to leave her old life behind, but with the help of an extremely powerful ally she’s escaped her abductors. Now she’ll have to try to rein him in, or risk destroying her new future.

I took so long to write Dark Horse because it was my first in the sci-fi romance genre and I second-guessed myself over and over again. I was very happy when it was so well received and I still get emails from readers who tell me it is their favorite book.

ASM.: It’s definitely a story that stands the test of time and one of my go-to rereads. How do you go about world building? Do you do elaborate planning, keep a big file, use post its, wing it – what method works for you?

MD: I wing it. And by wing it, I mean I live in the world in my head sometimes for years before I write it, and then if I need to check something from a previous book while I’m writing a new book in the series, I just do a word search to find what I’m looking for. I do have an excellent memory, so that helps.

ASM.: I could definitely tell on the Verdant Strings series for example that you’d certainly immersed yourself in that world. It felt as if I’d stepped into an ongoing series instead of ‘just’ the first book, which was amazing. Do you also write other genres?

MD: I write fantasy and historical romance as well as SFR, and those two genres fit very well with sci-fi as they require similar world-building skills. As soon as you go back in time and place, or invent a new place, you need to orient your reader and immerse them in that world, so the historical and fantasy genres are just like sci-fi in that respect.

ASM.: What’s next for you?

MD: I am about to publish book 3 in my fantasy romance Rising Wave series. Fate’s Arrow is due out at the end of February. (Editor’s Note: The book has now been released.) I am planning another book in my Verdant String series this year, as well as a 1960s London-set mystery (with romance in it, of course), which I’ve been planning for more than six years, so I’m very excited about that.

ASM.: I for one will be happy to see a new story in the Verdant String world! What’s on your To Be Read List? 

MD: I am looking forward to reading the new Kate Daniels book that Ilona Andrews has said is coming out later this year. Can’t wait for that!

ASM.: Give us your short author bio and where you can be found on social media.

Michelle Diener is the award-winning author of historical, science fiction and fantasy romance. She lives in Australia with her husband and children.

Website: michellediener.com

Instagram: michelle_diener_author

Facebook: facebook.com/michelle.diener.author

Spoutible: @michellediener

Bookbub: bookbub.com/authors/michelle-diener

Amazon: amazon.com/author/michellediener

Goodreads: goodreads.com/michellediener

ASM.: Here’s the latest book from this author, which continues a series I’ve really been enjoying. (Note: I was given an advance review copy.)

FATE’S ARROW (THE RISING WAVE BOOK THREE)

A dark force at work – Ava and Luc are asked to head north to Skäddar, a move necessary to save the alliance they have created with the mountainous country. Something terrible is killing Skäddar villagers and leaving messages behind with their bodies that the deaths will continue as long as the Skäddar are in alliance with the Rising Wave. If Ava and Luc can’t convince the Skäddar Collective to stand up for their new friendship in the face of the tragedy, they will lose a vital ally in the region.

A dark room to cage a prisoner – Massi is deep inside Grimwalt, successful in her mission to find Ava’s incarcerated friends, Tomas and Velda. But the two are not being held alone. Massi finds many others being kept with them, as well as a prisoner kept in darkness whose power shines so bright, Massi can’t imagine how the Speaker imprisoned him to begin with.

A dark cloud that needs to be dispelled – Duncan has been held far from his home on the Skäddar border, and he takes the chance of escape that Massi gives him with both hands. When he and Massi have to part ways, though—Massi to get Ava’s friends to safety, him to return to the forest he was ripped away from—he can’t deny his attraction to the fierce archer, or his reluctance to let her go.

But when he gets home, and finds the power of his domain is being used to commit terrible atrocities, he’ll need Massi’s help, and those of her friends, to rid Grimwalt of the blight that is trying to take hold.

*******************************************************************

LINKS TO OTHER PROFILES IN SFR INTERVIEWS (alphabetical by author first name):

Cynthia Sax

E G Manetti

Ruby Dixon

NOTE: This post first appeared on the AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE blog…

Veronica Scott for AMAZING STORIES: Welcome to my periodic series of author profiles. Today I’ve chosen Ruby Dixon to highlight, for her contributions to science fiction romance and her Ice Planet Barbarians (and other stories too). I’ve been a huge Ruby Dixon fan since the first IPB book came out so it was a thrill for me to be able to ask her some questions.

VS for ASM.: What was the first science fiction romance book you ever read and what did you like about it?

RD: I believe it was Anne McCaffrey’s The Littlest Dragonboy and it was in a textbook in my English class. I was fascinated that someone had wrote about dragons and from there I gobbled up CS Lewis, Piers Anthony, and the rest of McCaffrey’s backlist.

ASM.: That’s my all time favorite piece of Anne McCaffrey’s Pern Dragonriders series! I had to go reread it after seeing your answer. Such a good little gem of a story. Which of your SFR books is the bestselling?

RD: Ice Planet Barbarians, though I feel this is an easy answer. J

ASM.: Well true, I probably could have skipped that question. None of us can ever pick a favorite book or character but if you had to go live in one of your own books, which would you choose and why?

RD: NOT ICE PLANET BARBARIANS. Lol. I love the characters but the constant ice would be awful to me. I would probably go live on Risda III and make a farm and kiss all the cows on their cute little cow noses (I like animals).

ASM.: How do you go about world building? Do you do elaborate planning, keep a big file, use post its, wing it – what method works for you?

RD: I’m a gosh-darn mess and my method is not recommended. I basically world-build in pieces and build on it as I go. I try to think of things that the characters would notice and focus on. For IPB I wanted the world to be absolutely inhospitable and really suck, so I made it frozen. But the heroine needed running water, so I went back to my worldbuilding and made the planet have a lot of volcanic activity to allow for the hot springs, but adding one thing (volcanoes) inspired others (earthquakes, the island, the elaborate cave systems, etc). Basically when I world build, I plow ahead in my first draft and go back and ‘correct’ as I go, so I’m constantly tweaking earlier things in the book.

ASM.:Which of your characters do your readers love to hate?

RD: This answer keeps changing. Right now it’s Rhonda from Corsairs: Bethiah. Prior to this it was Bek until he got a redemption book. (ASM Note: Corsairs: Bethiah was a serial running on the author’s website which is tentatively scheduled to be issued in book form in the March time frame.)

ASM.: Your own favorite tropes? Least favorite tropes?

RD: I don’t like marriage in peril (even though I’ve written one!) because I like for things to be happy after the couple gets together. I don’t like cheating, either. My favorite tropes are probably fish out of water and a feral hero/beauty and the beast. I know, everyone is totally shocked.

ASM.: Do you have a ‘writing buddy’ pet? Care to share a photo?

RD:  Zoey is my 10 month old kitten who loves to bite everything and has never met a cord she does not wish to destroy.  She’s also really cute and funny, loves the sink, and has the most pathetic sounding chirps instead of meows.

Here she is laying on my deadlines sweatshirt.

ASM.: What’s next for you? 

RD: I want to work on Worst Guy (book 3 in the Bad Guy series)  and Servant to the Spidae which I started about this time last year and had to put aside due to deadlines.

ASM.: What’s on your To Be Read List?

RD: The new Lydia Hope and pretty much all of RK Munin’s backlist.

Give us your short author bio and where you can be found on social media.

Ruby Dixon is an author of all things science fiction romance. She is a Sagittarius and a Reylo shipper, and loves farming sims (but not actual housework). She lives in the South with her husband and a couple of cats, and can’t think of anything else to put in her biography. Truly, she is boring.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/RubyDixonBooks

Instagram: @author.ruby.dixon

TikTok: @rubydixonbooks

Ruby Dixon Blog: https://rubydixon.com/wordpress/

ASM.: Ruby’s most recent book in the Ice Planet world is:

R’JAAL’S RESONANCE (ICE PLANET CLONES BOOK ONE) by Ruby Dixon

R’jaal has waited many turns of the seasons for his khui to resonate, only to be disappointed time and time again. But when he is taken captive by strange beings hiding in the very tunnels of the fruit caves, he wakes up to find himself in a strange underground cage. Also in the cage? A very pretty unfamiliar human female. She says her name is Rosalind. She makes his khui sing. It’s finally his time. There’s a big problem, though — Rosalind has no khui of her own. And if she doesn’t get one soon, she could die.

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