Sheryl Nantus | Veronica Scott

Having been tagged earlier this week by the wonderful Pauline Baird Jones, who also writes science fiction romance, I thought I’d continue the SFR theme and tag three more authors, whose books I’ve enjoyed.

First would have to be Rachel Bach – I totally love Devi Morris, the heroine in the PARADOX Series and regularly tell people this kickass mercenary is the toughest science fiction heroine I’ve seen since Ripley. (Or maybe Aeryn Sun in Farscape.) Here’s her webpage: http://www.rachelaaron.net/ . She also writes as Rachel Aaron. Here’s what Rachel said in a recent USA Today/HEA column I wrote, regarding the appeal that science fiction has for her:

I love science-fiction because of its humanity. No matter how farfetched, every SF story is ultimately a tale of our shared future. SF authors get to explore the farthest edge of what humans are capable of, both good and bad, on a universe-sized stage. That’s always a good show, and it’s why SF and romance work so well together. They’re both genres about people exploring new ground, and I think that’s beautiful.

Next let’s tag Sheryl Nantus, whose TALES FROM THE EDGE series combines the feel of Firefly with some great mystery. I want her to write a lot more volumes in the series! Here’s her website: https://sherylnantus.wordpress.com/ Her quote about science fiction romance from the same column goes as follows:

I believe that humanity will go exploring out far into space and no matter how far we go from our native planet our emotional needs are going to follow — we all want to find that one person who hopefully we’ll end up living happily ever after with. Writing science-fiction romance lets me show that humanity will survive because of, and in spite of, our overwhelming need to want and be wanted, the need to love and be loved. No matter how far we roam from Earth we’ll need those emotions to survive.

And third, for today I’ll tag PJ Dean, whose FELIG CHRONICLES are fun and feisty and I’m so enamored of one character that I got myself unofficially adopted by the lady (Mattie, the heroine’s mother) LOL. Here’s her website: http://www.pjdeanwriter.weebly.com PJ is taking time out from SFR to write historical romance at the moment but hopefully there’ll be more FELIG goodness to come! Whaat she had to say in the USAT article:

The thing I find most appealing about writing science-fiction romance is that it is limitless. A writer is only limited by his or her imagination. Unlike other romance genres, that follow a set of established, stale rules, this one is free from those stuffy conventions that could stifle innovation.

Of course there are many other wonderful authors of science fiction romance – thank goodness! – and you can find 18 more of them interviewed in the USAT column, which was written upon the occasion of the SFR Galaxy Awards.

Ok, ladies, TAG, you’re it!

For my column on the USA Today/Happily Ever After blog this week, I’ve done interviews with three different authors about three very different novels.

First was Sheryl Nantus with “In the Black (Tales From the Edge)”, which has a wonderful “Firefly” vibe but is its own story, with murder and science fiction and romance all blended to keep you turning the pages. It’s the beginning of a series, Sheryl says, which makes me very happy.

Second was Laura Kaye with the final book in her “Anemoi Series”, wrapping up the stories of the Four Winds in “East of Ecstasy.” I LOVED this series, really enjoyed how she took minor members of the Greek pantheon and built a very modern and enthralling series around them and the women they love. Fortunately Laura writes many good books and has other series happening…

Third was Mur Lafferty and “Ghost Train to New Orleans (The Shambling Guides)”. I’m going to New Orleans next week for the RT Booklovers Conference (if you’ll be there too, look me up at the Giant Indie Book Signing, ok?) and I have to say, I halfway wish I was going to the NOLA that Mur’s created. Either that or I’m going to be looking over my shoulder the whole time, wondering if I saw a glimpse of her ghosts, vampires, zombies and Others out of the corner of my eye. Not as much romance in that one but the story kept me so engrossed. I was happy. I’ve been a BIG fan of New Orleans ever since I saw the movie “The Big Easy”, with a very sexy Dennis Quaid and his Cajun accent (which I’ve been informed since might not have been all that accurate but wow, it sounded good to ME).