Interview with Author Sonia Nova
It is a great pleasure to welcome Sonia Nova author of Kraev, which is part of the Warload Brides Universe.
Welcome Sonia to The Adventures of the Everyday Fangirl and thanks so much for taking the time out your busy schedule to help us get to know more about you and your latest story better!
What does the title of this novel, series or set of stories signify?
Kraev is the name of the alien hero of this book. The book is the first one in the Warriors of Rae series, which follows alien warriors from the planet Raewan. The series is named Warriors of Rae, because Rae is the name of the sun their planet rotates around. In their culture, they have a saying that they have been blessed by Rae. They believe that their sun, Rae, is the source of all life on the planet, and that everything – including their people – flourishes thanks to Rae. The name of their planet, Raewan, literally means the world (blessed by) Rae.
Do the names of the characters in your novel have some sort of significance or importance to you? If so, give a few examples…
Naming characters, especially alien ones, is always interesting. I honestly just go with what I think sounds good, combining letters pretty randomly. But sometimes I form systems for the names, like for the alien heroes of this series. The main character’s name in this book is Kraev ek-Tayn. Although the name seems completely meaningless, his last name actually isn’t a family name, but it reflects the place of his birth. His name literally means “Kraev from (the town of) Tayn”. His best friend in the book is Zevyk ek-Tayn, who was born in the same clan, and another character (their Warlord) is Rath ek-Tuin – Rath from Tuin.
What prompted you to write in this genre and who or what inspired you to?
I’ve always been a fan of stories with paranormal, magical, and sci-fi elements. I discovered sci-fi romance books nearly a decade ago and immediately fell in love. The genre was much smaller back then and it has been incredible to see how it has grown. A few years ago, I decided to put some of my own story ideas to paper and started writing sci-fi romance.
What kind of research did you have to do for the novel, series or set of stories that was different from others?
This series is actually a part of a shared universe (Warlord Brides) that a few other sci-fi romance writers and I came up with in 2016. In the beginning, there was a lot of brainstorming as we discussed our ideas and fleshed out the universe. Then each of us made our own spin on the world and the alien heroes we’d created. I started writing this book already back then, but I got stuck on a plot point and unfortunately never managed to finish it. Now, I’ve completely rewritten the story and I feel like the plot is a lot stronger because of it.
Is there anything else you want to add about the story, series that has not already been mentioned?
This book has been a long time coming and I’m really excited that it’s finally here! If you like to read action-packed sci-fi romance with hot alien warriors and the women they’ve been waiting their entire lives for, the Warlord Brides Universe is for you! Steamy romance, space adventure, and a happily ever after guaranteed!My series is the newest addition to the world. Other authors who have written in the universe are Nancey Cummings, Abigail Myst, Thanika Hearth, and Phoebe Fawkes.
What is the best way for readers to interact with you?
The best way to stay up to date on my writing is to join my email newsletter. I also have a Facebook Page for news and a Reader Group.
Newsletter: http://www.sonianova.com/newsletter
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/authorsonianova
Facebook Reader Group: www.facebook.com/groups/2104637259638365Here is the link to purchase Kraev: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YFHVTJ1
Guest Post: Pets in Space 4 And Hero Dogs
The Adventures of The Everyday Fangirl welcomes back author Pauline Baird Jones as a guest blogger to talk about the latest Anthology release, Pets in Space 4 and the charity that it supports, Hero Dogs!
Take it away Pauline!
The authors of Pets in Space® 4 have blogged at other places about our wonderful charity, Hero Dogs (who helps to place specially trained dogs with veterans and first responders) and we’ve all also blogged about our love of pets and how we believe it is the pets who give a special kind of heart to the stories in our limited release anthologies. So I wasn’t sure what was left to blog about unless it is science fiction romance—our genre.
Both Veronica Scott and myself love to read and write science fiction romance, but we will also agree that it is an often misunderstood genre. I think readers are sometimes afraid of the science in science fiction romance, fearing it will be technical or boring. So that is also one of the reasons we wanted to do our anthologies—to introduce new readers to the fun, adventure, accessibility, and yes, romance of science fiction romance.
Inside the pages of Pets in Space® 4 readers will journey to far off worlds with Anna Hackett’s House of Roan or board Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr for another amazing Interstellar cruise (who doesn’t want to take a cruise??). From S.E. Smith’s Lords of Kassis, Tiffany Roberts’ The Infinite City, to Pauline Baird Jones’ Project Enterprise series, you’ll find the perfect story along with a few unusual pets.
I think this year’s anthology has our most diverse selection of pets—and their owners—ever. As one of the organizers (along with Veronica Scott), I get to read the stories first and it has been both wonderful and painful waiting for readers to get a their chance to dive in and take their armchair journey to distant worlds. The heroes are fearless and so are the heroines and the pets will make you laugh, cheer and fall in love, too.
I promise that what science there is in the stories is very accessible and introduced to make the stories more exciting—things like space ships and cool weapons so they can smack down the bad aliens. LOL
If you love pets and love romance, there is a really good chance you’ll love this anthology—and who knows, you may end up becoming a fan of science fiction romance, too.
For the price of a cup of coffee, readers run the “risk” of discovering a fun new genre, and thirteen new, favorite authors. Okay, so maybe your TBR pile should be afraid. LOL
Here’s all the details you need to know:
For a limited time only! Pets in Space® 4 is proud to present 13 amazing, original new stories! Join the adventures as today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors take you on a journey to another world. Pets in Space® proudly supports Hero-Dogs.org, a non-profit charity that provides service animals to veterans and first responders in need. Join New York Times, USA TODAY and Award-winning Bestselling authors S.E. Smith, Anna Hackett, Tiffany Roberts, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Donna McDonald, Regine Abel, Alexis Glynn Latner, JC Hay, E.D. Walker, Kyndra Hatch, and Cassandra Chandler for another exciting Pets in Space® anthology. Get the stories before they are gone!
Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space® authors have donated over $7,100 in the past three years to help place specially trained dogs with veterans and first responders. 10% of all pre-orders and the first month’s royalties of Pets in Space® 4 will again go to Hero-Dogs.org. Open your hearts and grab your limited release copy of Pets in Space® 4 today so together we can continue to assist this worthy charity!
You can order your copy at the following vendors:
All Buy Links: https://www.petsinspaceantho.com/books/pets-in-space-4/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WCQF358/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WCQF358/
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07WCQF358/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07WCQF358/
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/pets-in-space-4
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/pets-in-space-4/id1476281234
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pets-in-space-4-s-e-smith/1132911108?ean=2940163094325
GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/S_E_Smith_Pets_in_Space_4?id=jXuoDwAAQBAJ
Open your hearts and grab your limited release copy of Pets in Space® 4 today so together we can continue to assist this worthy charity!
About Pauline Baird Jones
USA Today Bestselling author Pauline Baird Jones 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. Loves chocolate, bacon, flamingoes, and mid-century modern anything. If you would like to contact Pauline directly, she can be reached via email at pauline@paulinebjones.com or by visiting her website, her Blog or any of the following social media outlets:
Pauline Baird Jones Facebook Fan page
Twitter: @paulinebjones
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/117517921948256287348/posts
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/perilouspauline/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/247227.Pauline_Baird_Jones
Interview with Author: Carol Van Natta
It is a great pleasure to welcome Carol Van Natta author of the Central Galactic Concordance space opera series.
Welcome Carol to The Adventures of the Everyday Fangirl and thanks so much for taking the time out your busy schedule to help us get to know more about you and your series better!
What does the title of this novel, series or set of stories signify?
The title of my space opera romance series is the Central Galactic Concordance. The series is set millennia in the future, when humans have faster-than-light travel and have spread out among the stars. Future us has the galaxy to ourselves, so we mine resources at will and pick “goldilocks” planets to terraform and colonize. The series—and the box set—is named after the current government that manages 500+ planets.
The big damn story arc of the series concerns a revolution that will end 200 years of peace. Minders—people with mental talents such as telepathy and telekinesis—were once a minority, and helped save civilization during the catastrophic fall of the previous empire. Now that there are more of them, they are no longer content to be regulated and controlled. As you might imagine, this doesn’t go over well with the government agency tasked with the mission to keep the galactic peace.
I’ll be the first to admit that “Central Galactic Concordance” doesn’t roll trippingly off the tongue. However, I wanted the series name broad enough that I could tell other stories in the universe that dealt with interesting characters and smaller issues, too. I like to think I’ve made up for the series title by having more evocative story titles: Overload Flux, Minder Rising, Pico’s Crush, the three books in the box set, plus Jumper’s Hope (Book 4), and the upcoming Spark Transform.
Do the names of the characters in your novel have some sort of significance or importance to you? If so, give a few examples…
Sometimes, both story titles and character names come easily and quickly, and sometimes they change half a dozen times before I find the perfect name.
In Overload Flux (book 1 of the series), the main female character is an ex-assassin trying to learn ordinary social skills. I wanted her name to sound both old-fashioned and a bit awkward, so it took me a few tries to settle on Mairwen Morganthur. The main male character’s name, Luka Foxe, came more easily. His first name is Polish and his last name English, but his ancestry is a mix of Nordic and several others.
In Minder Rising (book 2), Lièrén Sòng is the hero, estranged from his old, rich family because of his job as a covert agent. The lingua franca of the galaxy used to be Mandarin, before the present government changed it to Standard English, so Lièrén’s name reflects that history. The title of Pico’s Crush (book 3) came before I even had the outline finished. Pico is the daughter of the main male character, and his military nickname was Crush. There are a couple of other meanings for the title, too, which readers will discover for themselves.
In the galactic civilization, people are highly multicultural and interracial, so family names don’t necessarily help in guessing the person’s actual ethnicity or what their primary language is. Furthermore, if you have the money, it’s safe and easy to get a full body makeover to change height, skin color, bone structure, and physiognomy. I usually name ALL my characters. I then have to remove the names of the bit-players during the edit process so readers don’t think they’re stuck in a Russian novel.
What prompted you to write in this genre and who or what inspired you to?
My muse’s home base is science fiction. One summer when I was young, my parents gave me science fiction books (starting with Andre Norton) to stop me from whining about having nothing to read. I burned through every SF&F paperback in the house and never looked back. Romance came a little later, when I was in high school, and writing Star Trek fan fiction with my friends.
Fast forward to a few years ago, when my muse marched in with the plot for this big, sprawling space-opera plot about evolution and revolution. I wanted the relationships to be romances, because in trying times, hope and justice are needed more than ever.
What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer and do your characters reflect some of these attributes?
Whoever told you I am sane has taken one giant step away from their good senses. 😉
Seriously, the advice I give to new writers is to first, finish the manuscript, and second, protect your muse by separating the business side from the art side.
Starting manuscripts is easy; finishing them is hard. Want proof? Ask for a show of hands on how many people have started a novel, then watch how many hands drop when you ask how many have finished it. Figuring out how to finish the first novel, then repeat that with the second, third, twelfth, and fortieth novel is the secret sauce for a successful career. By separating the business side, you can relegate the trolls, naysayers, and basic mistakes as the price of doing business, not personal attacks on the stories you love to tell.
My characters reflect attributes of me, my family, friends, the cashier with the annoying voice, the energetic plumber, the coworker who permanently smells of cigarette smoke, the parent who lets their kids decorate them like a holiday tree… I am a secret observer and a shameless thief of attitudes, mannerisms, style, nervous tics, and relationships that sooner or later end up in my books. My primary physician suspects I’m a hypochondriac because I ask him about odd diseases and conditions. My chiropractor gleefully helps me figure out what happens to people in a fight, and if they could limp away afterward.
What kind of research did you have to do for the novel, series or set of stories that was different from others?
Research, otherwise known as creative avoidance when I’m supposed to be writing, is one of the most entertaining parts of writing. For the space opera series, I’ve haunted the physics and materials science groups, pondered islands of stability, learned how long a parsec is (93 million miles/ 150 million kilometers—the Milky Way galaxy is about 30 kiloparsecs across), and watched hundreds of YouTube videos on everything from 3-D printing with molten glass to astronauts in zero gravity. I happily invent technology (such as new metal alloys for faster-than-light ships) and weapons (beamers, force blades, spider mechs) galore, but I like them to at least be plausible and consistent.
What makes you laugh?
Pretty much anything, actually, because I love to laugh. Good improv comedy. Tripping over my own feet. My silly cats.
What makes you cry?
The same things that make most people cry—sad movies, brave rovers left alone on a far planet, romances with all the feels, the last of the Thin Mints Girl Scouts cookies.
What are you a fan of, and is this reflected in your writing?
I am a fan of science, humor, book series, found families, romance, fantasy, good people, magic, justice, cats and other pets, whimsy, perseverance to do what’s right, and happily ever afters. And yes, they’re all reflected in my writing, because life is too short to write about things I’m not a fan of, like entitled jerks and eggplant.
What is the best way for readers to interact with you?
I love meeting new people and finding out what they like to read. Come say hello Facebook (https://facebook.com/CarolVanNattaAuthor), or sign up for my monthly newsletter at https://bit.ly/CVN-news. My website has book news, a blog, and extras for readers: https://author.carolvannatta.com. You can also learn more about the series at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3980825.Carol_Van_Natta.
Interview with Author: EG Manetti
It is a great pleasure to welcome EG Manetti author of the Twelve Systems Chronicles series!
Welcome EG to The Adventures of the Everyday Fangirl and thanks so much for taking the time out your busy schedule to help us get to know more about you and your stories better!
What does the title of this novel, series or set of stories signify?
The Twelve Systems Chronicles was selected to convey both science fiction and the epic fantasy. As of February 19, 2019, there are seven volumes and another four or five to come. Why 12 systems, not 10 or 14? That’s my subtle homage to George Lucas and the original Star Wars movies: I have the death sentence on twelve systems.
Do the names of the characters in your novel have some sort of significance or importance to you? If so, give a few examples…
Great question and one that came up in one of my reader groups recently. Super convenient for me because I have the response all set. The character names come from many sources; family, friends, my erratic muse. Some are deliberate choices based on meaning. Others are simply names, although I try to pull from the full range of cultures. A few of the main and supporting characters:
With the heroine, Lilian; it was her name from the first. I have no idea where it came from or why it is spelled as it is. The same is true of the Five Warriors and Adelaide—they and their stories emerged from my psyche full-blown.
The alpha male main character, Lucius took some time to settle – I wanted something that evoked the ruthlessness and warrior culture of ancient Rome, but also Rome’s commitment to law and order. According to ‘Behind the Names’ –Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux “light”. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian.
Lucius’ sons; Cesare & Raphael because I wanted to keep the Latin theme. Cesare Borgia has always fascinated me. Raphael because – art.
Lilian’s mother, Helena is a version of my given name — I couldn’t resist.
What prompted you to write in this genre and who or what inspired you to?
The story started as a vivid dream that I had the morning before a five-hour car trip. By the time I reached my destination, I had the outline in my head. That I dream in science fiction romance does not surprise me.
I’ve loved science-fiction since I found Captain Kirk and Spock on cable when I was a teenager. Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, and Andre Norton were huge favorites that I interspersed with romance authors Georgette Heyer, Kathleen Woodwiss, Amanda Quick, and others. Then I discovered Anne McCaffery and science fiction romance – it has been my go-to ever since. Although I’ve also been heavily influenced by fantasy authors; J.R.R. Tolkien, Mercedes Lackey, Jacqueline Carey, and Stephen Donaldson, to name a few.
What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer and do your characters reflect some of these attributes?
Commitment, determination, endurance, tenacity, and imagination. And yes, Lilian embodies all of these and more.
What kind of research did you have to do for the novel, series or set of stories that was different from others?
This is my first set of novels. I’ve researched everything from ancient swords and daggers to crystal computing to poisons.
What are you a fan of and is this reflected in your writing?
I love good world-building, nuanced characters, and well-constructed plot with elements of action and/or suspense. Like Dune or Star Wars it takes place in a galaxy far, far away, although the characters and plot hold the moral nuances of Dune rather than that the clear-cut good versus evil of Star Wars. The society of the Twelve Systems has similarities to twenty-first western culture, but also some critical differences. It is a ruthless society, driven by power and wealth, rigid and often violent. At the same time, while the class distinctions are extreme, they are based on genealogy, not ethnic group or religion. For all its tolerance of violence, there has not been whole-sale ware in over a millennium, they take care of the environment, and is compassionate with the mentally ill. Romantic love is rare and not highly valued. Sex is considered a pleasant past-time. Honor, duty, strength are the core of the value system and most relationships.
Where duty and passion collide – The Twelve Systems Chronicles.
Is there anything else you want to add about the story, series that has not already been mentioned?
This is not a conventional series in terms of romance tropes, one review called it ‘a slow-burn with sex.’ Although the heroine triumphs in every volume, the classic HEA is not an element. Yet. The narrative line is complex, and the series should be read in order. Although sex and romance are integral to the long-term story arc, each volume contains mystery, intrigue, action, adventure and some violence. The sexy bits tend to be more graphic than the violent bits.
According to InD’Tale Magazine: Science fiction is a genre known for its technical and often intricate world building, its epic battles and futuristic technologies. Romance, however, is rarely a required aspect. . . until now. EG Manetti is the newest name and hottest rising star for the very fact that she so beautifully weaves those two elements together. With characters that jump off the page, love that is forbidden yet unstoppable mixed with top-notch worlds and technology, sci-fi has never looked so good or become so addictive!
What is the best way for readers to interact with you?
I have Goodreads and Facebook pages, a Twelve Systems Chronicles Facebook page as well as a blog. And there is my monthly newsletter, Red Gems.
Interview with Author: Cynthia Sax
It is a great pleasure to welcome Cynthia Sax author of Choosing Chuckles.
Welcome Cynthia to The Adventures of the Everyday Fangirl and thanks so much for taking the time out your busy schedule to help us get to know more about you and your stories better!
Patty: What does the title of this novel, series or set of stories signify?
Cynthia Sax: Chuckles is the name of the cyborg hero of Choosing Chuckles. Cyborgs are assigned a model number when they are manufactured. They give themselves their names. Chuckles is known for being a bit grumpy. His name pokes fun of that. The fact that he has embraced that name tells us he isn’t as bad-tempered as he makes some others believe he is.
Patty: Do the names of the characters in your novel have some sort of significance or importance to you? If so, give a few examples…
Cynthia Sax: I named the heroine of Choosing Chuckles Bettina as a nod to Simone Micheline Bodin aka Bettina. She was considered to be one of the first supermodels and was best known for her beauty, but she was much more than that. She was a designer, a poet and a composer.
Like the supermodel, Bettina, my heroine, is viewed by some beings as merely a pretty face, but she is much more than that. She designs jewelry (not clothes), has honorable, worthy, secret goals that have nothing to do with her beauty.
Patty: What prompted you to write in this genre and who or what inspired you to?
Cynthia Sax: I fell in cyborg romance after reading stories by Laurann Dohner and Eve Langlais. When they both took a break from their awesome series at the same time, I decided to write the stories I was craving to read.
I was most interested in exploring WHY cyborgs, soldiers manufactured to fight, beings programmed to be loyal, would rebel against their makers. My series, both Cyborg Sizzle and, the new one—Cyborg Space Exploration, are, as a result, a bit darker than some other Cyborg Romance series.
Patty: What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer and do your characters reflect some of these attributes?
Cynthia Sax: A sense of humor is necessary in this wonderful business. I think it is also necessary for a happy life and for relationships. Things go wrong. The unexpected happens.
My main characters, yes, even Chuckles, our grumpy cyborg, all have senses of humor. They might not crack jokes all the time but they do tend to laugh and see the irony in the universe.
Patty: What kind of research did you have to do for the novel, series or set of stories that was different from others?
Cynthia Sax: One of my favorite sciences is Evolutionary Biology and I tend to weave that into my Cyborg and SciFi Romances. In Choosing Chuckles, our hero and heroine end up stranded on a rainforest type world. It was great fun crafting new alien species based on existing Earth rainforest creatures.
This, however, requires learning quite a bit about these species. I can talk for hours about the Panamanian white-faced capuchin, for example. (laughs) Yes, I’m a fountain of useless information, as my Dear Wonderful Hubby jokes.
Patty: What makes you laugh?
Cynthia Sax: I have a weakness for VERY bad puns. I also love hearing other people laugh. That usually sets me off. My Dear Wonderful Hubby makes me laugh all the time. He is always making jokes.
Patty: What makes you cry?
Cynthia Sax: If someone else is crying, I’ll cry. I also tend to cry while writing the cry scenes in my own stories. A death of a secondary character will almost always make me cry, especially if that character sacrifices her or himself for another being.
Patty: What are you a fan of and is this reflected in your writing?
Cynthia Sax: I’m a fan of many Cyborg Romance writers (Laurann Dohner and Eve Langlais being two of my earliest favorites). That has definitely influenced my writing as I would never want to write something that didn’t grow the niche or that brought shame to it. I want to leave Cyborg Romance as great as it was when I first discovered it.
Do no harm. (grins) That sounds very Star Trek-like, doesn’t it?
Patty: Is there anything else you want to add about the story, series that has not already been mentioned?
Cynthia Sax: Choosing Chuckles is the first story in a Cyborg Sizzle spinoff series called Cyborg Space Exploration. I’ve tried to craft this new series so it could be read on its own, with readers knowing nothing about the Cyborg Sizzle world. But I’ve also tried to craft it so Cyborg Sizzle readers will be super happy. That was a challenging balancing act but, with my awesome editor’s help, I think I accomplished it.
Patty: What is the best way for readers to interact with you?
Cynthia Sax: There are many ways for readers to interact with me or find out more about Choosing Chuckles including:
Visiting my Website: http://cynthiasax.com/
Signing up for dirty-joke-filled release day newsletter, http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.sax
Twitter: @CynthiaSax
Blog: http://tasteofcyn.com/
More about Choosing Chuckles and where to Pre-Order…
A Cynical Cyborg Meets A Bad, Bad Female.
Chuckles hates all humans. In the past, humans betrayed him. That treachery caused permanent damage to his muscular form, resulting in a lifespan of pain.
When the primitive D Model cyborg answers a distress call sent by a pink-and-blue haired, sparkly human female, he knows it’s a trap. He still has to respond to her fake cry for help. She belongs to him, is the one being genetically fabricated for him. But he plans to be her captor, not her captive.
Bettina, aka Bait, works with a team of females, snaring sexual predators in space, seizing their ships and transporting them to primitive planets. As soon as she speaks with Chuckles, she knows he’s not like the others. He has honor, is a being worthy of respect, of caring.
But she can’t let him go. She has to trap him. His dominance thrills her. His deep voice evokes desires she’d never experienced in the past. She’ll risk it all, breaking every rule for one wild encounter with the male she calls Sir.
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Choosing-Chuckles-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07MXQ13WS
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Choosing-Chuckles-Cyborg-Space-Exploration-ebook/dp/B07MXQ13WS
Apple/iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/choosing-chuckles/id1450000541
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/choosing-chuckles-cynthia-sax/1130326339
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/choosing-chuckles
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/918618
Guest Post: Romance, Consent and the #metoo Movement
The Adventures of The Everyday Fangirl welcomes back author Corrina Lawson as a guest blogger to talk about her newest release, A Hanging at Lotus Hall.
Take it away Corrina!
Thanks so much Patty!
Romance, Consent and the #metoo Movement by Corrina Lawson
It’s been one of my longstanding goals as a romance writer and as a geek to breach the wall between the two. My books are in genres like my upcoming steampunk, A Hanging at Lotus Hall, or superhero-style romances, like the Galaxy-award-winning Phoenix Institute series.
But, still, bridging that gap isn’t as easy because while there are many romance-writing geeks, like the owner of this blog, there are many science fiction and fantasy-loving female geeks who have internalized much of society’s views of romance. Like “they’re formulaic,” and “the woman have to be rescued,” and “the heroes are all way too pushy.”
All of us who know the romance book genre know that these clichés are, in general, falsehoods. Indeed, much of what the general society views as romance is from entertainment created by straight white men that inevitably puts women in second-place, as a sidekick or helper. These stories almost invariably inform people’s views of romance books, which is frustrating because, for the most part, this stuff contains terrible romances, even when the love interest survives the story.
But because romance is viewed this way by those outside the genre, questions about consent and the #metoo movement have naturally gained some traction. Even many in the romance community have started to look at their books with a fresh eye about consent.
This is a good thing because it’s always good to be aware of any unconscious harmful societal assumptions that have made their way into our work.
But it’s also a bad thing because it feeds on our assumption that the romance genre, overall, has a problem with writing consent properly. It doesn’t.
I’ve spent the last year reading the romance books that have won the Rita, the Romance Writers of America’s award for excellence in romance. That means I’ve read 112 books so far, starting with the winners in 1982, when the award was called the Golden Medallion.
I, too, had unconscious assumptions about what I’d find in these award winners, particularly the older ones, especially about whether there would be heroes who rape or sexually assault their heroines.
Because I’d heard “romances used to be rapey.”
The truth was not even close to that. The first winner I picked up, A Day Beyond Destiny, started with a woman trapped in a loveless marriage, with a husband who rapes her, and she finds the courage to leave him for the lover who values her. Clearly, romance-reading and romance-writing woman in 1982 already knew what was what.
Over and over again, I saw few issues with consent in the Rita-winning books that I read. There were some problems in the short contemporary romances with overly pushy heroes, heroes who thought they knew a job better than their heroines, heroes who thought nothing of grabbing purses to look in them, heroes who assumed they were superior. And, yes, most of the heroines overlooked this pushiness. But there was always a moment in these stories where the heroine stood up for herself, forced the hero to understand her point of view, and made him, well, grovel.
In short, in these older contemporaries, women were writing about women in the workforce who pushed back and stood up for themselves, in bed and out. And the sexual consent was clear in these stories.
I expected this not to hold true in the older historical romances, with the leeway given heroes with a literal medieval or Regency-mindset. Instead, I read historical romances that could stand up to the scrutiny of today, with heroines who demanded respect and the heroes who gave it to them. That held true in the bedroom, especially for those trapped in marriages of convenience. In one medieval, it was made clear that the heroine could escape, if she choose, but because of reasons related to her love for their estate, she choose to stay and deal with the hero.
It was obvious, as I read books from 1985, and 1995, and 2005, and 2015, that the romance genre as a whole understood consent.
The one book that I could not finish, Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale, did have a hero who outright raped the heroine. But this was an outlier even for Kinsale, who wrote the incredible and wonderful Prince of Midnight. I can’t say what was in Kinsale’s mind while writing this, but I suspect she was exploring how dark a romance can go and how much punishment can be doled out to a hero in order to make him grovel and consider him redeemed.
Other than Shadowheart, I can only count three Rita books with problematic consent. That’s slightly less than four percent of the overall total.
And, like with Shadowheart, the authors were deliberately exploring the boundaries of consent, and power, and the push-pull between two independent people. These romances aren’t to my taste, as a sexual assault survivor, but it’s also clear the authors of these books weren’t ignoring the idea of consent but deliberately delving into it, to see what was and what was not over the line.
All this doesn’t mean that we, as writers, need to ignore the importance of the #metoo movement. A workplace romance with a power imbalance has an inherent consent issue that needs to be addressed perhaps more head-on than in the past. Readers, even of romance, are coming into stories now with eyes that have been opened.
For instance, when I wrote my dark paranormal BDSM, Love’s Inferno, I knew I was pushing boundaries of the S/M aspect. My hero gets off on pain and he can heal his injuries, meaning to fully enjoy himself, the pain has to be at a level high enough to cripple an average person. That meant exploring knife-play and fireplay (my Google results were quite interesting for a time). But it also meant discovering how explicit the consent had to be, at each stage in the fetish scenes, as is done in the majority of non-fictional BDSM communities.
On the fictional side, what I found is that BDSM romances are more likely to have openly verbal and informed consent at every step of the way than in a regular romance, where the consent is clear but our heroes and heroines can be swept up in the moment, jointly consenting but with body language and actions, rather than explicit verbal instructions of what the other wants.
BDSM romances are inherently careful about consent for each individual sex or fetish act in a scene. That’s no a bad idea to carry over to romances in the other sub-genres, either, as verbal banter can be an excellent way to add sizzle to sex scenes. There’s nothing sexier than two people telling each other how much they enjoy what the other person is doing in bed (or elsewhere).
Overall, as writers, it’s good to ponder consent more than in the past, even if it doesn’t change your writing, because readers are coming at scenes with a different set of assumptions.
But, in reading the Rita-books, the stories given by writers to other writers, it’s clear that the romance genre already knows the pitfalls inherent in problematic consent and not only actively works to avoid that pitfalls, but it has always done so.
Corrina Lawson is a former newspaper reporter with a degree in journalism from Boston University. A mom of four, she now works from home writing romance novels with a geeky twist, as a sci-fi and fantasy blogger for Barnes & Noble, and is a founding editor of GeekMom.com.
Corrina also writes about mysteries and suspense for CriminalElement, a site that reviews any genre with a mystery edge, and writes about romance at Heroes & Heartbreakers.
Corrina has written in a variety of genres. She loves to delve into the worlds of paranormal romance, science fiction/fantasy, steampunk, urban fantasy, Vikings and alternative history, and superheroes. She loves to intertwine these worlds, such as in her Phoenix series which are romance novels with a superhero twist.
She is the author of the Amazon bestselling Victorian-steampunk, The Curse of the Brimstone Contract, the Seneca series, three stories set in an alternate world where the Romans and Vikings have colonies in North America, and the Phoenix Institute paranormal series, featuring heroes and heroines with psychic superpowers who secretly combat evil, a series that has been compared to the X-Men, and won the 2015 science fiction romance Galaxy Award for Best Superhero origin series.
Guest Post: A Peak at the next BADARI WARRIORS Novel: GABE
The Adventures of The Everyday Fangirl welcomes back author Veronica Scott as a guest blogger to talk about her newest release, GABE.
Take it away Veronica!
A Peak at the next BADARI WARRIORS Novel: GABE By Veronica Scott
Thanks for having me as a guest! Always thrilled to have a chance to talk about how things are going with the writing and the books!
I had a special thrill recently when AYDARR, book one of the series, won the I Heart Indie contest in the SF&F romance category.
GABE is the fifth book of the series, although – why did I do such a confusing thing?! – TIMTUR actually came out in mid-October under the In the Stars Romance label and is book 2.5 of the entire line of Badari adventures. His story fell between the events in MATEER and JADRIAN on the series timeline. So if you missed the story of how Timtur the healer and Lily the human teacher became mates, please do go pick that title up from your favorite ebook seller.
But getting back to Gabe, he’s a human, kind of devil-may-care ex-military guy and a supporting character since book one of the series. I have a special fondness for him and I always knew I’d give him his own book. There’s a special twist to the story, relating to who his mate turns out to be. The reveal comes pretty early in the book but SPOILER alert:
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER: Keshara, the heroine, isn’t human. She’s a Badari woman!
The very fact that everyone has been so adamant all along in the series that there are no Badari females, that the evil alien scientists never created any, has been tantalizing to me as the author. I had to ensure there ARE Badari women just to confound everyone on the planet. But they needed a good solid backstory of how they came to be and how Gabe of all people meets them. I had great fun writing this book and I hope the readers will enjoy seeing the events unfold.
Now enjoy this excerpt of GABE!
Setting: Keshara is on the run, escaping from her home, and sees Gabe’s flyer crash. She debates whether to go investigate…
Deciding not to risk herself in the storm for mere curiosity’s sake, she prepared to return to the cozy den when a flash of lightning illuminated the sky and she caught sight of a new problem. A man was falling, clinging to a strange harness. He seemed to be fighting whatever was slowing his fall, and it was clear to Keshara he was descending much too fast.
Heart pounding, hand on the hilt of her knife, she watched him attempt to blunt the shock of hitting the ground by allowing his body to go limp. As he collided hard with the muddy, rock strewn ground near her den, she winced in unwilling sympathy. Through the driving rain she watched him, but he made no attempt to rise. After a minute, she heard an exclamation of pain and a few words with the force of a curse.
Enemy or not, Keshara didn’t have the heart to leave the poor man to die in the cold rain. She could at least go check out the situation, see if he had any chance to survive his amazing fall.
Adjusting her rain cape, knife at the ready, she crawled from the tunnel, rose to her feet and ran to where the man lay. Cringing as thunder boomed overhead, she prayed the lightning would hold off. The man lay on his back, one arm flung over his eyes and, as she drew close, she froze in astonishment.
He had no large crest of red and yellow hair and his skin tones were pale. He wasn’t Khagrish.
He was of some species unknown to her, similar to her own perhaps.
Groaning, he attempted to sit up but cut the move short with a jerk as he realized she was nearby. He fumbled at his hip as if searching for a weapon that was no longer there, lost in the turbulent fall perhaps. Then he spoke in a variation on her own language, the secret tongue the Director was unaware the sisters all knew. His accent was odd, some of the words made no sense, but the general meaning was clear.
“Well, you’re the last thing I was expecting.” He managed a lopsided grin despite obvious injuries, blood welling from a bad cut on one thigh and another on his head. He swiped moisture from his face. “Can we get out of the rain before we do introductions?”
Tongue tied, she stared at him. His face was undeniably handsome, although set right now in lines of pain, radiating from his eyes and lips. He was probably the same height as she was, well over six feet, and since his odd uniform was plastered to his body by the rain, Keshara could tell he was solidly built, with the muscles and sinews of one who was a deadly fighter. And what the wet fabric outlined between his legs was impressive as well. Her primary knowledge of males was gleaned from study modules, and observing the few Khagrish men left at the Retreat. This man put them to shame with his physique.
Thunder crashed again and lightning stabbed a tree at the far end of the meadow, throwing massive sparks high into the air and breaking her concentration. “We’d better get inside,” she said in her own tongue since he obviously understood the language. Reflecting on his aborted search for a weapon, she showed him the knife. “I’ll help you, but don’t think me easy meat for your taking.”
“Aww, seven hells, lady, if you’re what I think you are, you have better weapons than that.” His smile, although strained, was warming. “Do you have a shelter?”
###
GABE (A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL): SECTORS NEW ALLIES SERIES BOOK 4 is available through the following outlet: Amazon, Apple Books, Nook, Kobo and Google Play
Gabe Carter, hotshot pilot and ex-Special Forces soldier, is far from his home in the human Sectors, kidnapped by alien scientists to be the subject of horrifying experiments. Shot down by the enemy over desolate territory far from his Badari allies and gravely injured, Gabe’s only hope is a mysterious woman on the run herself.
Keshara has to decide whether to abandon the human to die of his injuries on a windswept mountain top or give up her own quest for freedom and take him to a place he can be helped. The undeniable spark between them complicates matters.
His attraction to her is off the charts but when she betrays him to the Khagrish enemy, Gabe doesn’t know what to believe. Trapped inside an alien lab bursting with mysteries and lies, his only hope may be to trust her…again.
Because the renegade alien scientist running her own private experiments wants to use him to accomplish her goals and perpetuate the evil, no matter what she has to do to ensure his compliance. Keshara’s life hangs in the balance and Gabe has to make a choice.
About Veronica Scott
USA Today Best Selling Author, as well as the “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happy 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. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.
Seven time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances! She recently was honored to read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “The City On the Edge of Forever.”
You can learn more about Veronica Scott by checking out her Blog, her Amazon Author Page, and by following her on Twitter or Facebook.
Interview With Author Donna Kauffman
It is a great pleasure to welcome Donna Kauffman author of the Blue Hollow Falls Series. I knew Donna from the Prodigy Romance Readers Club back when I was in college and before she was a famous writer of romantic fiction. I am extremely excited that we reconnected and she agreed to this interview.
Welcome Donna to The Adventures of the Everyday Fangirl and thanks so much for taking the time out your busy schedule to help us get to know more about you and your stories better!
What does the title of this novel, series or set of stories signify?
My current series, Blue Hollow Falls, is set in my home area of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I love my mountain home and have long wanted to set a series here. I had been waiting for the right story inspiration and am thrilled to finally be sharing it with readers.
The current story is this season’s holiday novella, Christmas in Blue Hollow Falls, which is part of the A SEASON TO CELEBRATE anthology. Each story in the series stands alone, but the stories do give readers of the series a chance to check back in with family and friends they’ve met along the way.
Do the names of the characters in your novel have some sort of significance or importance to you? If so, give a few examples...
Blue Hollow Falls is a fictional town, is absolutely a composite of all the things I love about my home. While the place names and character names are all fictional, I have used many of the names of places and people in the story, just in different ways.
As an example, I live along the Rockfish River. In the book, the county name is Rockfish. I hike along Goodwin Creek. The heroine in my first book, her last name is Goodwin. And so on… Not all, but many of the place names and some of the character names are drawn from my area and used in some way in the book, to give it an authentic feel.
What prompted you to write in this genre and who or what inspired you to?
I enjoy contemporary romance as a reader, and wanted to write the kind of stories that I love to read. In particular, I live in a small, rural town, as does my extended family, so small towns are a big draw to me personally, and as a reader. It’s great fun to get to build my own small towns and create stories about the people there. Blue Hollow Falls is my third small town series. Each one has been set in an entirely different locale, from an island off the coast of Georgia in my Cupcake Club series, to coastal Maine in my Blueberry Cove books. The places are always special to me personally and such a joy to be able to “visit” any time I want.
What kind of research did you have to do for the novel, series or set of stories that was different from others?
I always travel to the areas where my books are set. Most often, I choose those areas because I have already spent a significant amount of time there. I go back when writing as various story elements require a bit more exploration. In the case of the current series, I didn’t have to travel anywhere given I live in the area I’m writing about, but other elements of the stories have required some wonderful field trips. Wineries, lavender farms, orchid growing, fiddle making and playing, raising goats and sheep, and even rehabilitating abused llamas have all played roles in the various stories in this series. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the research.
What makes you laugh?
Most often, watching the antics of the wildlife out here. They have so graciously allowed me to plant myself right in their midst, and I never get tired of their company. From the fawns bedded down in the back, waiting for mama to come back, to the baby bears getting stuck up high up the pine trees every dang spring, to the birds who frequent my many feeders and water fountain, it’s never a dull moment.
Is there anything else you want to add about the story, series that has not already been mentioned?
The next full length book in the Blue Hollow Falls series comes out this January. LAVENDER BLUE is set, as the title might suggest, on a lavender farm and the four women who own and run the farm have become close friends. I look forward to telling more of their stories in upcoming books. I hope they become good friends of yours as well!
What is the best way for readers to interact with you?
Readers can follow my blog at www.donnakauffman.com/blog or find me on social media at the following places:
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/donna.kauffman1/
Twitter: @DonnaKauffman
Instagram: @donnakauffman
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/donnakauffman
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/donnakauffman
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donna-kauffman
Donna Kauffman is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over 70 novels, translated and sold in more than 26 countries around the world. The recipient of multiple RT Book Awards, she is also a National Readers Choice Award and PRISM Award winner and a RITA finalist. Born into the maelstrom of Washington, D.C., politics, she now lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where she is surrounded by a completely different kind of wildlife. A contributing blogger for USAToday.com, she is also a DIYer, a baker, a gardener and a volunteer transporter for the Wildlife Center of Virginia and Rockfish Sanctuary. Please visit her online at www.DonnaKauffman.com.
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Guest Post: Veronica Scott Talks About Darik
The Adventures of The Everyday Fangirl welcomes back author Veronica Scott as a guest blogger to talk about her newest release, DARIK.
Take it away Veronica!
DARIK (A BADARI WARRIORS SCIFI ROMANCE NOVEL): SECTORS NEW ALLIES SERIES BOOK 4 By Veronica Scott
Thanks for having me as a guest one more time so I could once again update how things are going with the series! I’m happy to say that book three, JADRIAN, and now book four, DARIK, have been among the bestselling titles of my entire author career and I’m so very grateful to the readers for taking the time to find my series and enjoy the adventures and romance.
I had a special thrill recently when author Laurann Dohner, whose New Species series is a huge favorite of mine, said on my author page about DARIK: “It’s an awesome book and series. I’m hooked!” I was floating on air, let me tell you!
Darik is the fourth book of the series and focuses on a soldier in the pack which was created with canine DNA influences. I wanted to tell a story about a ‘lone wolf’ Badari warrior, sent off on a solo mission and enjoying time away from the pack. He thinks he’d be happy to have a mate someday maybe, but he’s not in any rush. So of course he promptly meets the human woman he suspects is his mate, but she’s a prisoner of the evil Khagrish scientists, held for much of the book in a basically impenetrable underground lab.
I had a lot of fun with this one and threw in some nods to a few of my favorite scifi movies, like “Aliens”, “Puppet Masters” and “Outbreak” but remember, I’m writing romance so the on the page gore level was kept low and of course there’s a Happy For Now ending. (It’s HEA for Darik and Nicolle but as far as the arc for the entire series, things are only HFN because the bigger challenges of defeating the enemy still exist.)
I’m working on book five, Gabe, now and this one will spring a huge surprise on the Badari and the humans. But no spoilers!
I released Jadrian, book three, in May. The books can be read in any order but the series does build upon itself with each successive book.
For now, enjoy this excert of Darik…
Setting: Nicolle is trapped inside a zoolike, outdoors portion of the alien lab complex. Darik and his metallic Artificial Intelligence companion are outside the force field barrier. This is their first meeting:
The pretty stream flowed through a meadow. The berries had lured Nicolle here as the Khagrish rations upset her stomach but, apparently, the wild animal had been breakfasting on the berries as well.
And now it wants me for a meal too.
Raising its outsized head, the predator sniffed the air and took a step in her direction. Rising to its hind legs and towering over her, the animal roared a challenge before dropping to all fours again and coming toward her, moving faster as it approached.
Frozen, hand clenched on the nearly useless forked stick, Nicolle had a vague idea of throwing herself into the creek or falling to the ground and playing dead.
A roar sounded from behind her, across the water, maybe even from outside the force barrier. Startled, she screamed and slipped on the mossy rocks, barely keeping her footing. The animal in front of her rose to its full height again, bellowing and displaying an impressive array of sharp teeth, as well as yellowed claws on its massive front paws. Nicolle cowered, but the beast wasn’t paying any attention to her now. All its attention was on whatever was beyond the stream.
The next roar from behind her was even more impressive. It sounded almost…human?
Ears flattened, the beast pivoted, dropped to all fours, and scrambled away from Nicolle as fast as it could go, bushy tail tucked away between its legs.
Breathing shakily, she steeled herself to turn, hoping this new threat was outside the force barrier and couldn’t get in.
Having wheeled to face the other direction, at first she couldn’t believe her eyes. Nothing but one man stood across the force barrier from her. Granted, he was incredibly tall and well built under his camouflage uniform, but there was nothing about him to suggest the ability to utterly terrify a creature like the one recently slavering to eat her. Had the beast been frightened off by the sight of his lethal pulse rifle? But then who or what had been roaring? “Thank you,” she said, her vocal cords barely working. “Who are you?”
“A friend.”
Thank the Lords of Space—he speaks Basic.
He looked her up and down critically. “Are you ok? No wounds?”
She dropped the stick into the water, wrapping her arms around herself in an effort not to shake so hard. “Just scared. Can you—can you get us out of here?” Nicolle sank onto the nearest boulder as her legs gave way from reaction to the danger so recently averted.
Brow furrowed, he glanced at the oddly colorful small orb floating in the air beside him and shook his head. “Not today. How many of you are there?”
“Twenty, including me. We arrived late yesterday, shipped from the lab in the flatlands.”
“Originally from the Amarcae colony in the Sectors?”
She blinked in surprise at how well informed he was and nodded. “Most of us. How did you know?”
“We must retreat,” said his metallic companion in a warbling birdlike voice, moving side to side as if nervous. “The other humans approach. We must not be detected.”
“I have to go,” the man said, slinging the pulse rifle over his shoulder. “Promise not to mention me to anyone. I’ll see what I can do about calling in a rescue, but it’s complicated. The Khagrish can’t know I’m here, so you can’t even tell the other prisoners. Not all humans can be trusted.”
She ignored his slur on humans’ integrity. “I swear not to talk about you, but please, please help us. These aliens conduct experiments—”
“I know all about what the Khagrish do.” He seemed reluctant to abandon her, taking two steps in the direction his metal companion had gone but then turning to face her.
Hoping knowing her name might make her plight more difficult for him to ignore, she said, “I’m Nicolle, by the way.”
Darik is available via Amazon, iBooks, Nook, Google, Kobo
Nicolle James is far from her home in the human Sectors, kidnapped by alien scientists to be the subject of horrifying experiments. Her only hope might be a mysterious soldier she’d glimpsed outside the laboratory fence. She’d managed to sneak a few words of conversation with him when her captors weren’t watching but now the aliens were taking her inside the lab to begin the experiments.
Darik, a warrior of the genetically engineered Badari pack, is on a solo recon mission to check out a mysterious new lab high in the mountains. His orders are strict – do not engage. But when he has a chance meeting with the woman who might be his mate, he vows not to abandon her, orders or no orders.
Can he get inside an underground lab, find Nicolle and rescue her without getting captured himself? And when he learns the lab’s deadly secrets, can he get word to his pack about the new dangers?
Because the ruthless alien scientist running the experiments wants to get her hands on him too and will stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
About Veronica Scott
USA Today Best Selling Author, as well as the “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happy 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. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.
Seven time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances! She recently was honored to read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “The City On the Edge of Forever.”
You can learn more about Veronica Scott by checking out her Blog, her Amazon Author Page, and by following her on Twitter or Facebook.
Guest Post: Fun with Tropes
The Adventures of The Everyday Fangirl welcomes author Cynthia Sax as a guest blogger today to discuss the fun she has with tropes.
Take it away Cynthia!
Fun With Tropes by Cynthia Sax
A trope is a common plot device. Popular romance tropes include enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, Beauty and the Beast, duck out of water, billionaire hero and fated mate/love at first sight.
Tropes often get a bad name and, sure, when written poorly, stories using tropes can be cliché, boring or predictable. However, that can be true of any plot devices, original or not.
When written well, stories using tropes are magical. Tropes can be found in some of the best written, most loved stories in Romanceland.
I LOVE tropes. I love reading them and I love writing them. I could read a different Beauty and the Beast story (my favorite trope) every day for the rest of my life.
My most recent release, The Cyborg’s Secret Baby, plays with a few tropes. Of course, it is a secret baby story (the hero doesn’t know he has become a father). That trope is in the title.
It is also a second chance romance (the hero and heroine have another opportunity to make their relationship work). They are fated to mate (cyborgs are genetically compatible with only one being). There’s a bit of a love triangle (an alternate possible love interest). Their love is forbidden at the beginning of the story. I’m certain there are other tropes I’m forgetting.
(grins) Clearly, I enjoy tropes. The challenge of bringing a different angle to a heavily used plot device thrills me. It is fun to surprise a reader while still adhering to the expectations of the trope.
The Cyborg’s Secret Baby is a secret baby romance unlike anything I’ve ever read. It is a more powerful story because I used this plot device. I can’t imagine telling it any other way.
What are your favorite tropes?
The Cyborg’s Secret Baby
A fierce cyborg warrior and his curvy human female share a no-longer-so-little secret.
Stealth, a K Model cyborg, knows his passion for Zebrina, the commander’s human daughter, is forbidden, yet he can’t resist the curvy female. He craves her touch, cherishes her sounds of pleasure, would do anything to keep her safe.
When he’s faced with the choice of protecting his fragile human or living to see the next sunrise, he chooses her, always her, sending Zebrina halfway across the universe to safety. He doesn’t realize their stolen moments had consequences neither of them believed possible.
After hearing her warrior died in battle, Zebrina focuses on the last gift he gave her. Doing what is right for their child is her sole priority. She will put their son’s happiness first, even if that means choosing another male over the love of her life.
The Cyborg’s Secret Baby is a STAND-ALONE story loosely connected to the Cyborg Sizzle series. It is also a Second Chance Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, often-violent universe. This is available now via:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Cyborgs-Secret-Baby-Stars-ebook/dp/B07F2NK6D4
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyborgs-Secret-Baby-Stars-ebook/dp/B07F2NK6D4
Apple/iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-cyborgs-secret-baby/id1404800721
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cyborgs-secret-baby-cynthia-sax/1128976169
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-cyborg-s-secret-baby
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/870968
About Cynthia Sax
USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Sax writes SciFi, contemporary and paranormal erotic romances. Her stories have been featured in Star Magazine, Real Time With Bill Maher, and numerous best of erotic romance top ten lists.
Sign up for her dirty-joke-filled release day newsletter and visit her on the web at www.CynthiaSax.com
Website: http://cynthiasax.com/
Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Facebook: facebook.com/cynthia.sax
Twitter: @CynthiaSax
Blog: http://tasteofcyn.com/
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