Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly, Issue 11

2

The rhythm of life, publishing and our champions #SFRQ There are several books on Jeff Bezos and, if you haunt LinkedIn like I do/did, you’ll see that Bezos is hailed as some kind of marketing genius and super-CEO. I remember when Amazon first started. Hubby and I were working in Silicon Valley and I thought what a strange name it was for (at that time) nothing more than an online bookstore.

Well, the Amazon empire has certainly exploded in size since then, the darling of investors, but I don’t know why. You see, amid all the gushing and adulation, a lot of people are missing one thing: Amazon has never turned a profit. Ever. How many people do you know are lauded as geniuses for running a company at a loss for fifteen years straight? Could you do it? Maybe that is the genius of Bezos.

Not that he can run a profitable company. He can’t. But, by gum, he can get people to buy into his “vision” of a company running perpetually at a loss.

Even Scott Galloway, the dynamic founder of L2, a company that he describes as “always on...trainspotters that see patterns” pondered on this at DLD15 (Digital-Life-Design 2015). Here’s the link to his talk (the Amazon bit starts at about 2:00) He cites a 2014 statistic that Amazon brought in US$3.1B in shipping costs that year...but spent US$6.6B. As he puts it, “[Even with their access to cheap capital, the explosion of shipping costs] is not sustainable, even for Amazon.” (If you’re interested in tech, sit through the entire presentation. It’s very entertaining.)

I mention all this because I’m sure what I’ve written so far has hit an emotional nerve with many readers, ready to rush to Amazon’s defence and call me a victim of ADS (Amazon Derangement Syndrome). Galloway’s prediction that Amazon would go bankrupt by the end of the year, for example, turned out not to be true. But that emotional response remains. And it’s not healthy for those of us who are writers. After all, when all’s said and done, Amazon is nothing but a retail channel, one of several.

And that’s how I look at them. There’s no emotion involved in my relationship with Amazon. As a writer and self-publisher, I saw the creation of Kindle Direct Publishing, the flirtation with Epub before they realised that that would break Amazon’s walled ecosystem (watching them backtrack on their promise was both amusing and predictable), the introduction of Kindle Unlimited, the creation of Amazon’s own imprints. Within the span of a few years, I’ve seen Amazon open its hand then, once it had a critical mass of players dancing on its palm, slowly tighten its grip: you have to be in KU to access certain promotion activities; now you have to be in KU to sponsor ads. I’ve read about authors being completely delisted because a scammer has involved them in one of their schemes. I’ve seen the blurring between what were recommendations from other customers and are now nothing more than bidding wars for the placement of targeted ads. I’ve seen the cratering of the Amazon bestseller lists, and the results of changes in the Secret Algorithms that now give precedence to Amazon imprints and KU ebooks. Every week, it seems, Amazon shifts the playing field, to the point that I now think I’m kilometres away from where I started with them.

With all this going on, it’s very easy to slip into an act-first-think-later mentality, so I’m going to say this to all those writers who find the pace too hectic for them: it’s okay to take a time-out. There are

3

other things in life more important than how much you need to spend before Amazon will place your ad in category X. The bloodletting arena will still be there for you after you’ve recharged your batteries, but mental exhaustion is no good for either your own creativity, or for the relationships that matter to you. I’ll be heeding my own advice and taking my foot off the accelerator when it comes to books for the rest of the year.

And speaking of people who matter, you don’t need to be told that SFR is a niche genre, yet it’s one with a burgeoning number of authors. From a hundred or so four years ago, SFR authors now number in the several hundreds! The problem is, as I visit different SFR social media sites, all I see are a lot of drive-by postings. I think the thing that pains me about how our genre is currently shaping up is that we seem to have lost the art of dialogue. Again, it wasn’t that long ago when I could interact with an SFR author, exchange thoughts on what we were each working on, and discuss any underlying concepts or visions to explore. I’m not seeing that anymore. Instead, I’m seeing a lot of Barnum & Bailey: a lot of noise and spectacle with the hearing deliberately switched off.

With that in mind, anyone who stands out in this cacophony, who takes the time to pull authors together, instead of building fences, needs to be lauded. With this issue of SFRQ, we’re inaugurating the “SFR Trailblazer” column and I’m happy to welcome the first inductee...Veronica Scott.

Congratulations, Veronica. You deserve all the praise we can heap on you!

We have a good issue for you this time, despite some Life interruptions. Son has completed his IGCSEs and now we wait to see if he’s done well enough to get into a pre-U programme. This is particularly nail-biting as I’ve been homeschooling the kids for the past six years. Has it been good enough? We find out at the end of August.

And so, without further ado, I leave you with Issue 11. Now go read!

Kaz Augustin

4

March We strive to include as many sci-fi romance releases as possible, but with current time constraints, we apologise in advance if your release was no included in our round-up

THE TRACKER’S DILEMMA (Ruby Lionsdrake, novel, $3.99, indie)

instead of dating. Maybe Heath's plan wasn’t as surefire as he thought.

PIRATE BOUND: A Telepathic Space Pirates Novella (Carysa Sergeant Heath “Tick” Hawthorn, the best tracker Locke, novella, $2.99, ProtoStar in Mandrake Company Publications) and the captain’s righthand man, has been admiring microbiologist Lauren Keys from afar for months. Unfortunately, she’s dedicated to her science and doesn’t seem to have any interest in relationships. He’s not even sure she knows his name.

Determined to change that, Heath develops a surefire plan: he signs up to be a specimen in her latest study. Once she gets to know him better, he’s positive she’ll find his charms appealing.

A desperate gamble…

Sanah would do anything to protect her little sister, even if it means taking refuge with ruthless pirates.

But the psychically Talented pirates terrorizing Commonwealth space are not quite the monsters she has been led to believe. When Sanah's empathic gift shows her the truth behind the stories, she is no longer certain who the villains are in her world.

A race on the verge of extinction…

Dem’s only goal is to protect his people, especially since a deadly bio-weapon decimated their population. Only a handful of women survived, and every day is a fight to rebuild. With But when he starts hearing other people's thoughts Sanah’s empathy and her and receiving eerie premonitions, he questions the sister’s rare ability to wisdom of turning himself into a lab rat. On a heal, they could be the mission planet-side with Lauren, they finally have salvation Dem and his some time alone together, but he’s too worried he’s people have been looking turning into a freak to be charming. Further, the for. outing soon turns dangerous, as predators and bounty hunters show an interest in the party. If he A dangerous secret that could destroy and Lauren aren’t careful, they’ll end up dead everything…

5

But how can Sanah trust Dem with her life?

Especially when he’d kill her if he knew the truth.

story within the series.

Pirate Bound is a short prequel novel to the Telepathic Space Pirates series. It is a standalone

Classifieds FREE SFR! The SFR Brigade is proud to announce the release of PORTALS, four volumes comprising first chapters of Science Fiction Romances from forty different writers. From space marines to cyborgs, alien planets to space stations, and beyond, you’re sure to find your next Gotta-Have-It read. The heat levels range from mild to supernova hot, and everything in between. Go to http://sfrportals.blogspot.com to get the ebook retailer link of your choice to download any or all of the volumes.

In Issue 10 of SFRQ, we featured an interview with editor Athena Andreadis who brought to life TO SHAPE THE DARK, an anthology featuring women scientists as protagonists. You can now learn more about this book at Goodreads.

I am writing a book on options for parents homeschooling outside the United States. If you know anyone who is homeschooling and willing to discuss their situation with me, please drop me a line at KS dot Augustin at Yandex dot com. Thanks!

6

April We strive to include as many sci-fi romance releases as possible, but with current time constraints, we apologise in advance if your release was no included in our round-up Neat and tidy Teah Ruida thought when the Eleoni arrived and enforced some law and order, it would be easier When the stakes are high for her to deliver her and lives are in the packages. Instead, she’s balance, it comes down to somehow become knowing when to risk it embroiled in spat after all to win the game. spat with the handsome and assertive Sheriff For our Felig-battling couple, Tina and Nate, the himself. Even though she doesn’t want to fight is far from over. think about it, she’s After they learn that the Felig invaders, now under become madly curious if the rumor about the a new more ruthless strange markings Eleoni leadership, have hide under their clothes concocted yet another, is true. harsher future for Earth, the pair and their crew Tension between Eidan and Teah ignites into jump into action. The passion that defies the barriers between their races. lovers, together with their When there’s a violent ambush initiated by the friend, the wealthy settlement’s criminal organization, the future of society rebel Wiley Devilbiss, and the disgraced, their love hangs in the balance. dethroned former Felig leader, Lord Advisor Leltin, will have to forge a peculiar alliance fueled by revenge and gamesmanship to outwit the ARTIFICIAL: The Kepler Chronicles indefatigable Felig. #1 (Jadah McCoy, novel, $5.99e,

GAMBIT: The Felig Chronicles #5 (P.J. Dean, novel, $4.99, eXtasy Press)

$16.99p, Curiosity Quills Press) BEYOND LOVE (J.J. Lore, novel, $4.49, Evernight Publishing)

She struggles to feel human.

In 2256, the only remnants of civilization on Earth’s first colonized planet, Kepler, are the Every mining outpost needs a sheriff, and Eidan plant-covered buildings and the nocturnal, Cozad is just the Eleoni for the job. Newly arrived genetically spliced bug-people nesting within on planet with his deputy sister in tow, he faces them: the Cull. During the day, Syl leaves her corruption, hostility, and nearly continuous rain. A home in the sewers beneath Elite City to scavenge chance encounter with a defiant human postal for food, but at night the Cull come looking for a worker adds yet one more complication to his meal of their own. Syl thought gene splicing died mission. with the Android War a century ago. She thought the bugs could be exterminated, Elite city rebuilt,

7

and the population replenished. She’s wrong.

Forced to be the sex slave of an alien Whoever engineered the Cull isn’t done playing warrior, perpetual badGod. Syl is abducted and tortured in horrific boy, Joel, finds himself experiments which result in her own DNA being tossed into the bed of a spliced, slowly turning her into one of the bugs. space station Now she must find a commander who tests cure and stop the even Joel’s cultivated person responsible before every remaining bravado. While he man, woman, and child learned to survive an abusive father, the on Kepler is Travian proves to be a transformed into the abomination they fear. greater challenge. Joel soon finds himself He struggles not to. caught between the desperate need to fight For Bastion, being an his captivity and the android in the sex unnerving tug of industry isn’t so bad. attraction he feels for his new master.

Clubbing beneath the streets of New Elite by Born to one of the lower castes of his people, day and seducing the Arath has worked his way up to a coveted rich by night isn’t an command. His drive for success has left him altogether undesirable isolated from his crew. He has no time or interest occupation. But every in caring for the pesky human pet thrust upon him day a new android cadaver appears in the slum by his superior. His duty allows him no other gutters, and each caved in metal skull and heap of choice, so he reluctantly takes what has been given mangled wires whittles away at him. to him. He is surprised by how easily he is seduced by his pet’s allure.

Glitches—androids with empathy—are being murdered, their models discontinued and strung up Joel and Arath dance around each other and their as a warning. Show emotion, you die. Good thing growing attraction, until politics intrudes and tests Bastion can keep a secret, or he would be the next their tentative feelings. The stakes are suddenly body lining the street. raised, and the choices they make may change the He can almost live with hiding his emotions. That course of history for both of their species. is, until a girl shows up in the slums—a human Reader Advisory: This book contains sex scenes of girl, who claims she was an experiment. And in a non-consentual [sic] nature, as well as scenes of New Elite, being a human is even worse than dubious consent, violence, abuse and torture. being a Glitch. Now Bastion must help the girl escape before he becomes victim to his too-human emotions, one way or another.

FINDING HEKATE: Cicatrix Duology

#1 (Kellie Doherty, novel, $6.50e, THE REBELLIOUS PET: Alien Slave $13.50p, Desert Palm Press) Mia Foley is running away from the attack that Masters #2 (Samantha Cayto, changed her life. She’s captain of a new spaceship novel, $5.25, Pride Publishing) Sometimes surrender turns into victory…

when the Acedians find her and try blasting her peaceful crew from the black. She must sever her

8

bonds in order to run, again. But she’s grown fond of this crew, particularly Cassidy Gates. Staying with them will jeopardize their safety, and they have much closer fears than the Acedian hunters.

Mia’s time is running out. She’s becoming one of them.

ALIEN WARRIOR’S MATE: Alpha Aliens of Fremm 3 (Nancy Cummings, novella, $.99, Menura Press) Stranded on an abandoned planet with my fated mate.

Vera can’t stand me, which is fine by me because I don’t like people much, especially humans. Especially voluptuous human women FINAL FLIGHT: A with liquid dark eyes and lips that begged to be Clockwork kissed and curves that fit Dagger Story perfectly against my (Beth Cato, short warrior’s physique.

story, $.99, Harper Voyager Impulse)

Our ship crashed and now we’re stuck for who Captain Hue hoped he was rid of his troubles once knows how long, waiting Octavia Leander and Alonzo Garrett disembarked for rescue. I’m not sure I from his airship Argus. But he was quickly proved can resist her much longer and I’m starting to think wrong when his ship was commandeered by Caskentian soldiers. He is ordered on a covert and the attraction is mutual. deadly mission by the smarmy Julius Corrado, an The problem is she’s the sister of my princess and elite Clockwork Dagger. too good for a grizzled warrior like me.

Now Captain Hue must start a mutiny to regain control of his airship, which means putting his entire crew at riskincluding his teenage son Sheridan. As the weather worsens and time runs out, it’ll take incredible bravery to bring the Argus down….perhaps for good.

Standalone Story! No Cliffhangers! No Cheating!

Lots of steam! Guaranteed happy ending!

LOST IN BARBARIAN SPACE (Anna Hackett, novella, $3.99, indie) A clash of cultures. Security agent versus barbarian warrior. On an expedition to a newly discovered barbarian world, an experienced security agent doesn't expect to be working with a big, bossy barbarian warrior.

Agent Honor Brandall enjoys her job as security agent for the Institute of Historical Preservation's expedition ships. Adventures to distant planets awesome. Archeological digs for ancient old Earth artifacts - interesting. Keeping the archeologists safe - no problem. The fact she's tall, strong and

9

good in a fight means most of the men she works with are intimidated by her, but she refuses to apologize for being good at her job. But on a mission to the barbarian world of Markaria, she finds herself paired with a brawny warrior who challenges her in every way.

OUTBREAK: Star Cruise 2.0 (Veronica Scott, novel, $3.99, indie) She saved countless soldiers in the wars … but does she have the weapons to fight an outbreak?

Dr. Emily Shane, veteran of the Sector Wars, is Markarian warrior Colm known as “The Angel of Fantalar” for her bravery under fire as a medic. However, the doctor has her Mal Kor is second-incommand to his warlord own war wounds–severe PTSD and guilt over those she failed to save. and spends his days training to hone his Persuaded to fill a seemingly frivolous berth as skills and control. He's ship’s doctor on the huge and luxurious interstellar dedicated to defending cruise liner Nebula Zephyr, she finds the job his clan...and to hiding brings unexpected perks–a luxe beach deck with the deadly secret he can water imported from Tahumaroa II, and Security never share with anyone. Officer Jake Dilon, a fellow veteran who heats her But when he's thrust into up like a tropical sun. working with a However, Emily soon learns she and Jake didn’t beautiful, challenging leave all peril behind in the war. A mysterious skyflyer, Colm finds a wild attraction he never ailment aboard the Zephyr begins to claim victim expected and the biggest after victim … and they must race against time and space to find the cause and a cure! Trapped on a risk to his hard-earned control that he's ever ship no spaceport will allow to dock, their efforts encountered. are complicated by a temperamental princess and a On an expedition to Markaria's icy moons, Honor terrorist–one who won’t hesitate to take down any and Colm work side by side, but the ice and snow being in the way of his target. If anyone’s left aren't enough to stop them from wanting each when the disease is through with them… other. As their mission takes a deadly turn, they must trust each other to survive, but it isn't just wild beasts and ferocious enemies that are a danger... Colm is harboring something inside him that is far more lethal...something that might destroy them all.

Note to readers: This sci fi romance contains a lot of action (think space pirates, dangerous beasts and ice caves), cool offsiders (sexy alien warriors and security agents) and a steamy romance (lots of sexy times between a barbarian warrior and an independent agent). This is treasure hunting sci-fi style. So if you like it fast, and fun, and sexy, this is for you!

10

STAR BABY (Juno Wells and Luna mining moon. That dream seems dead when his entire command is slaughtered while he’s away, Cassini, novel, $2.99, indie) When curvy police officer Caia Roberts loses her job and her fiancé on the same night, the Starry Eyes Agency helps her find a possible future husband: the young and drop-dead gorgeous King Cerar'ik of Apraxi. Caia is so taken with his picture, she leaves Earth on the next starship.

When she gets to Apraxi, the king's officials shower her with honors and luxury. Everyone wants her to marry the king and become their queen, ready to bear heirs to the throne and save their troubled and almost woman-less kingdom from ruin.

leaving him alone in smouldering rubble with no chance to survive, let alone strike back at the enemy.

A Pilot with a Chip on Her Shoulder Catt Sayer, a working-class fugitive from the law, earns a meagre income carrying supplies on a decrepit airship, but her hard-won life vanishes when invaders capture Banff. While searching for survivors, she rescues Hector and flies him to safety. But he doesn’t want safety. He wants her to risk her life on a hopeless journey to attack the enemy headquarters.

A Dying Moon

Catt is sure Banff will kill them long before the enemy can … yet she agree s to Hector’s scheme, But the king himself is certain he’ll quit after experiencing one of the mysteriously absent. moon’s eruptions or ferocious storms. But he And Caia met someone doesn’t quit, and slowly his noble dream—and his else on the way: Prince love—conquer her heart. She pits her life and love Axar'oq, the ridiculously against Banff’s lethal environment, even though hot black sheep of the the only reward for success will be the opportunity royal family and the to face ten thousand enemy warriors. king's own brother. Then she starts to suspect that she's pregnant by him...

Star Baby is a standalone science-fiction BBW/alien romance full-length novel with hot warriors, steamy scenes, an unusual pregnancy and a happy-ever-after ending!

ESCAPEE: REPELLING THE INVASION (Edward Hoornaert, novel, $2.99, indie) This follows book 1, Guardian Angel of Farflung Station...

A Disillusioned Soldier Hector Dukelsky, an upper-class career officer, yearns to fight a righteous war instead of defending corporate interests on Banff, an isolated

11

PEYTON’S PROMISE: The Cambria Code #2 (S.M. Schmitz, novella, $2.99, indie) After landing on Cambria, Zoe realizes she can’t spend the rest of her life as the source of a rivalry between the two men she loves, so she volunteers for Peyton’s army, which threatens her relationship with Adrian. But after five months of fighting the darkness that has repeatedly tried to drown her, she needs her own justification for escaping an invasion few humans survived.

Protecting those who are left gives Zoe a new sense of purpose, but she is quickly confronted with the realities of what took place on Cambria when this planet was invaded, and she will soon discover if she is capable of being the savior of her people she desperately wants to become.

12

May We strive to include as many sci-fi romance releases as possible, but with current time constraints, we apologise in advance if your release was no included in our round-up

DIE FOR YOU: Catastrophe Series, young woman, laughter despite the pain, m/f/m Book 1 (Michele Mills, novel, $4.24, ménage, hope, love, and more bad language and violence than are strictly necessary.

Samhain Publishing) Love, in a hopeless place.

Two months after a virus took out civilization, Rachel Donnelly is the last living soul in California, as far as she can tell. Until she runs into a Marine sniper, battle-hardened but alive and healthy.

Adam Sanchez would love nothing more than a slamming session of Ican’t-believe-we’realive post-apocalyptic sex in the back of his Hummer. But Rachel’s fragility, inexperience— and much younger age —hold him back from exposing her to his raw, aggressive sexuality. If anything, Rachel needs protection. Especially from himself.

As they band together with other survivors to battle feral animals, violent ex-cons, and motorcycle clubs jockeying for power, Rachel grows stronger in mind, body, and spirit—strong enough to give the dangerously sexy Marine what they both crave.

The power of their passion rocks Adam’s world, bringing him to his knees—which, he discovers too late, is the worst possible place to be when danger springs from the shadows.

Warning: Contains a sexy Marine, a tattooed excon, a girl who blossoms into a sexually assured

DEFYING DEATH: Cyborg Sizzle #4 (Cynthia Sax, novella, $2.99, indie) He’ll risk it all for one moment of happiness.

Cyborgs don’t show emotion. Death learned that lesson early in his long lifespan. To survive, he hides his fierce passions behind a stoic wall. He calls no warrior friend. He never admits to caring for any being.

Even the human female he’s destined to love.

Tifara is Death’s obsession, his sole opportunity for happiness, to express the all-consuming passion burning brightly inside him. He’ll do anything to obtain the curvaceous medic: defy a direct order, abduct Tifara from her battle station, and wage war on his fellow cyborgs.

To earn her love, he’ll have to risk much, much more.

Defying Death is Book 4 in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is a STANDALONE story.

It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.

13

puts her one small step closer to her goal: saving enough to escape Barésh with her family. When a Finding a mate can be a killer nobleman from one of the Tee Bronson doesn't trust galaxy’s elite families recruits her to be a star outsiders. Never has.

Now the Scoriah are on player for his team, it’s the run from the Nex, a because he doesn’t know secretive black-ops unit, her secret. Her ruse proves and trust isn't even in his to be her most perilous game yet when it puts both vocabulary. Except he their lives—and her heart— needs help to board a at risk. military vessel to free one of his brothers. The Prince Charming he was only person in the not… universe that he's sure isn't Nex is Malweather Prince Klark is eager to Hunter, his former lover. reverse his reputation as the Problem is, last time Tee black sheep of the Vedla saw Mal, he killed him. clan, a family as famous for its wealth and power as it is for being a bastion of If there's one thing a male-dominated tradition. If his bajha team can former bounty hunting win the galactic title it would go a long way cyborg should avoid, it's the alien who turned him toward restoring the family honor that his inside out, left him for dead, and ruined his career. misdeeds tarnished. He travels to Barésh to track Even reminded that he's homeless, broke, and down an amateur who’s risen to the top of the bitter, Mal can't resist the reason for it all. Tee seedy world of street bajha, offering the commoner makes his cold body run hot. Besides, if anyone's a chance of a lifetime: a way off that reeking space going to kill Tee, it's going to be him. The Nex rock for good. But his new player comes with a will just have to wait their turn to get their hands scandalous secret that turns his plans and his on his lover's enticing neck. beliefs upside down. He sets out to win a very Warning: This novel is intended for readers 18 and different prize—his champion’s reluctant heart. older. It contains explicit scenes, language, violence.

KILLER MATE: Space Grit (Ella Drake, novel, $3.99, indie)

THE CHAMPION OF BARESH: Star World Frontier #1 (Susan Grant, novel, $3.99, indie) She was playing with fire…

IN THE PRESENT TENSE (Carrie Pack, novel, $6.99e, $17.99p, Interlude Press)

Miles Lawson goes to sleep dreaming of a future Jemm Aves battles to keep her dreams alive on a with his boyfriend Adam, dead-end world. Working for the mines by day, she’s a successful bajha player at night, disguised but wakes to find he is as a male to be allowed to compete in the colony’s married to Ana, an dangerous underworld where club owners will go acquaintance from high school. When he learns he to extremes to retain the best players. Every win

14

has been time traveling, Miles is consumed with independence. Instead, her deeply buried feelings finding a cure for his rare condition—and locating for Demir drive her to a dangerous quest and rash his first love. decisions. With grief fueling her anger, she takes on a solo mission for revenge, and when Demir’s Traveling more frequently, Miles assembles the puzzle pieces of his life, and in doing so, alienates life is on the line, she must decide—submit to him as his mate, or lose him forever. his wife. As he begins to lose control over his present circumstances, Miles must realize that sometimes fixing your past mistakes means changing your future.

LGBTQ Romance, Science Fiction, Time Travel

THE CLOCKWORK MENAGERIE (Elliot Cooper, novelette, $3.49, NineStar Press)

Autosmith Clement Dyer wants to create his lifelike, mechanical animals in peace. He’s tired of being badgered about selling his A World at War… business to his long-time Shape-shifting Lemurian warriors battle against a rival and former lover, deceptive, ruthless enemy in the dark of night. The Duke Goodwin. He also prize—Earth’s most precious resource—water, and craves appreciation for his living works of art. the fate of humankind.

UNTAMABLE LOVER: Worlds of Lemuria: Earth Colony (Rosalie Redd, novel, $3.99, indie)

Unfortunately, not all of Clement’s clients see his Panthera leader Demir is stricken by the enemy’s clockwork creations the dart and trapped in his fevered, haunted mind with way he does, and a only the memories of prominent but dissatisfied his brutal, violent past customer threatens to sink and his lost mate. his struggling business into When Aramie, his the ground. second in command, takes control of the Pride, she breaks one of LADY OF THE STAR WIND the revered laws in her (Veronica Scott, novel, $3.99, quest for the sacred indie) blue sunstone— Demir’s only chance at Are they merely luckless lovers … or a legend life. His duty and honor come back to life? force him to impose Mark Denaltieri, ex-Sector Special Forces, has punishment despite his been hired by the Outlier Empress to rescue her unbidden desire to granddaughter, Princess Alessandra, from claim her as his mate. kidnappers. Since the Empress once had him A hardened warrior… tortured and banished, she’s the last person Mark Battle hardened Aramie wants to work for. But he takes the job. He’ll save Alessandra, his first love, and discover why she is strong and determined—she will never bow to didn’t speak for him when he desperately needed the Panthera mating ritual and sacrifice her A reckless commander…

15

her. Then he’ll be on his way, finally free of his past.

Alessandra would rather her rescuer was anyone but Mark–after all, he let her believe he was dead all this time. But when the couple are forced to flee her captors by Traveling via a strange crystal globe, they find themselves in a lovely Oasis on a desert planet, the old attraction sizzling between them again.

potential bride is terrified of men thanks to years of abuse at the hands of her father and won't be easy to seduce.

Paige Grant is pretty sure she's losing her mind obsessing about a man who can't be real. Ever since the night a wormhole opened up next to Jupiter she's had these intense dreams about a terrifying, damaged man who awakens a passion inside of her she never knew existed. Despite his grim exterior, he makes her feel safe and cherished, something she desperately needs.

But Trenzent isn't the only Kadothian warrior who believes Paige is his bondmate. An old political enemy and one time lover of Tren's, Lord Rell Thantos, also believes the sweet and shy young They soon discover they Earth woman holds the missing part of his soul. are far from alone. The He will do whatever it takes to win her heart, even Oasis holds the entrance if it means being bonded to the same woman with to another world, one in a man who hates him. which the inhabitants The men will have to find a way to get past their are convinced Sandy anger and work together to protect Paige against and Mark are the Lady of the Star Wind and her an unknown enemy who is determined to keep the Warrior, come to free them from an evil Queen. women of Earth out of the Bel'Tan Galaxy forever.

Mark and Sandy must work together to unearth an ancient mirror, and crown the true king of this land. Can they fulfill the prophecy of the Lady and her Warrior … and this time, will their love survive the test?

PAIGE’S WARRIORS: Bondmates Book #3 (Ann Mayburn, novel, $4.25, Honey Mountain Publishing) **Paige's Warriors is set in the Bondmates Universe and can be read as a stand alone, though for the most enjoyment the series should be read in order** After a lifetime of war, Commander Trenzent has left behind the bloody battlefields of the Bel'Tan galaxy and traveled to Earth in the hopes of finding his bondmate. He can only pray that the one woman in the universe who can save his battered soul can look past his scarred exterior to the man within. Unfortunately for Tren, his

Warning- This story is set in the Bel'Tan galaxy where polyamorous relationships are the norm and love in all of its forms is accepted including M/M, M/M/F, M/M/M/F, M/M/F+M/M sexual situations hot enough to melt your panties.

16

KYELE’S passion: A World Beyond the Houses, and his sister's safety. Not figure out Book #4 (Michelle Howard, novella, how to balance his duties with falling in love.

When her mother dies, emotionally wounded $3.99, indie) Being a Jutak warrior is all Kyele Bastien cares about until one mission changes everything. The Earth female has carved a place in his heart without even trying and now he’ll do anything to make sure nothing ever hurts her again.

Rescued from a Marenian slave auction, Joni Miller is relieved to have her life back but there’s one man making it difficult to remember why she shouldn’t want to think about happy ever after any more.

Sagira Memeos becomes the Marcasian Empire’s newest High Lady. And reluctant owner of the most sought after daro in said empire. He’s her childhood nemesis, and way too sexy for his own good. With his kindness finding its way into her bruised soul, asking for his help to navigate her succession to ruling high lady probably isn't her brightest idea.

Lorin wants Sagira. But not if he has to pay for it with innocent lives. She’s a distraction he can't afford while the bedrock of Marcasian high society is under attack. Not to mention facing losing his sister to the man who wounded Sagira. If the daro houses fall, all hope of freedom goes with them.

PORTALS: VOLUME ONE (Lyn Brittan, Marcella Burnard, P.J. Dean, Donna S. Frelick, Laurie A. Green, Athena Grayson, SJ An enemy’s need for revenge puts Joni in the path Pajonas, Greta van der Rol, of danger and unleashes the fury of an elite soldier Veronica Scott, Sandy Williams, with dark abilities. sample chapter collection, free, HIDDEN IN ASHES: A’yen’s Legacy indie) Welcome! You have arrived at a portal to the #5 (Rachel Leigh Smith, novel, galaxy. $4.99, indie) Childhood enmity turns to Enter, and you'll be introduced by award-winning love, with one problem: his authors to worlds beyond imagining, with heroes & heart isn't his to give. heroines who dare to take it Lorin is a daro, a Lokmane to the edge and beyond. man trained to make Count on these adventurers humans feel special and to take their best shot … at valued. As Prime of Arkos their enemies and at House, no one stands romance! between him and the safety of the daros under his care Contains 10 first chapters, —except his mistress. The with links to purchase any dead one, and the new one. or all of the complete books, should you wish.

He needs to focus on the Essence crisis infiltrating

17

June We strive to include as many sci-fi romance releases as possible, but with current time constraints, we apologise in advance if your release was no included in our round-up

HEARTS ON THE LINE (T.A. Chase, novel, $5.25, Pride Publishing) Baxter and Addison are meant to die, but their love for each other won’t let them choose that future.

through the dangers they are about to face.

Publisher's Note: This book has previously been released elsewhere. It has been revised and reedited for re-release with Pride Publishing.

In 2134, the United States of America no longer exists as the super power it once was. Americans struggle to fight to keep from being completely conquered by their enemies. Scientists have begun to genetically engine soldiers to fight the war.

These men were stronger, faster, and more impervious to injuries. The soldiers are created in labs, then once they are birthed, they are shipped to compounds where they are trained from their very first breath to fight.

L’WREN, HAWK AND THE DOVES (Faberge Nostromo, short novel, $4.50, Pride Publishing)

compounds, but serve in the same unit. Baxter isn’t the most intelligent of the soldiers, and he knows it. His job is to kill the bad guys, and not to do anything else. Addison understands his place in the world, but he finds he wants more at times. He doesn’t want to just be a killer. He wants to have some other kind of life, and he’s discovered he wants his life to be with Baxter.

Where sex is power and gender decides everything, the Dove peace negotiators must interact strictly male to male and female to female with the warring factions to broker a lasting peace.

A world torn apart by gender, a dangerous peace mission, a starship in peril… Can anybody’s sexuality be certain under pressure?

If your emotions could be felt by another, if the desires you kept hidden were revealed and reflected back on you, would you—could you— deny and control those needs?

And if sexuality and gender aren’t what they seem, does it change who you are?

The mission of the starship Sulaco, its captain Saker Hawkings and first mate L’Wren James, is Baxter and Addison are to deliver the mysterious alien empaths Anchises two such soldiers. They and Cytheria to the planet Ourania, a world at war with itself. are from different

When their unit decides to make a desperate run for the border and freedom, Baxter and Addison only have the certainty of their love to get them

But can they keep hidden the secret loss that drives them and still control their own empathic responses to

18

the desires and needs of others—the desires that they themselves feed?

As their attraction grows, will the diplomat and the bodyguard reject society’s rules to give in to desire And while Hawk and L’Wren struggle to save their instead? ship and face up to the challenges of duty, passion and their own sexuality, with one Dove ROMANCING THE STARS (Melisse dangerously injured and the other missing in action, only the truth about Anchises the man and Aires, Lyn Brittan, Kyndra Hatch, Lea Kirk, Carysa Locke, Sabine Cytheria the woman can save one of them—but which is which?

Priestley, Veronica Scott, Aurora Reader Advisory: This book contains a short scene Springer, anthology, $0.99 preorder, indie) involving a young man of ambiguous age being used in sexual service.

Welcome to Romancing the Stars! With eight short stories of romance and adventure, you're sure to find a happily ever after. From space pirates to ELUSIVE RADIANCE (Aidee cyborgs, alien planets to psi sex, we've got you Ladnier, short story, $2.25, Pride covered at every heat level.

Publishing)

A young bodyguard finds her special abilities are no match for a flirtatious delegate willing to gamble everything on the galaxy trade talks.

Assigned to guard a diplomat at the galaxy trade talks, Security Officer Anais wants to shine during her first solo mission for the Chezeray Palace Conglomerate.

An Elusive with the ability to make herself invisible, Anais knows her modified genes designate her servant class, but she yearns to be more than simply a protector to the beautiful delegate.

Savea Blackmun arrives alone to the trade talks with the weight of her planet’s future resting on her slim shoulders.

Flirting with her pretty bodyguard reveals Anais’ knowledge of the colony markets and Savea realizes there’s much more to her protector than meets the eye.

New to Science Fiction Romance? This collection is the perfect introduction! Lots of romance balanced by sci-fi elements. Strap yourself in, fire the boosters, and enjoy your transport to our futuristic worlds!

Star Cruise Rescue by Veronica Scott (Heat Level: Mild): When a shore leave excursion goes terribly wrong for Mira Gage, a member of the Nebula Zephyr’s crew, Security Officer Clint Miltan races the clock to find her before the ship leaves orbit and abandons Mira to her fate. Clint’s got more than a professional interest in Mira, but will he be able to save her from the aliens holding her prisoner?

Maricar's Gamble by Lyn Brittan (Heat Level: Mild): Follow Mari Ocampo, a killer on the run willing to do anything to survive, even if it means the unthinkable: going on the fucking straight and narrow.

19

Hunter Bond by Carysa Locke (Heat Level: Mild): Sanah and Dem always knew any child they had would be special. As the offspring of an empath and a psychically gifted Hunter and Killer, three-year-old Tamari is one-of-a-kind. When a mysterious illness threatens her life, Sanah and Dem would do anything to help her. Even if it tears their marriage apart.

Gifts of Jangalore by Aurora Springer (Heat Level: Mild): Empath Rosa Spruce is the hired guard for Psi Master Varan, a powerful psychic seeking an ancient site within an alien jungle.

Their perilous venture brings unexpected rewards.

Cyborg Security by Melisse Aires (Heat Level: Medium): Widow Aerria’s genius young daughter rescues an abused little boy on a planet Aerria’s team is studying. Strict laws prevent contact between the observers on the spaceship and the inhabitants of the non-spacefaring planet. Aerria could face jail time. Not wanting to return the child to an abusive environment, she turns to an old friend, Domingo, a recovered cyborg and a security officer on the spaceship. They make a plan to obtain forged identity forms for the child, which involves a trip to the infamous planet Jiange.

Aliens in the Barn by Kyndra Hatch (Heat Level: Hot): Alex has a special job with the government involving aliens from another world.

The one living in his barn was unexpected, but is now a part of his family. Misunderstandings a daily occurrence, he is sure his resident alien will be the death of him.

Bazin and three other Beryllians crashed landed on Earth years ago. Stranded due to a rookie mistake, it is a sore issue among them. Finding solitude in a human’s abandoned construct, he hopes against hope to be reunited with his bond-mate one day.

Alien Bond by Sabine Priestley (Warning: Hot and steamy content intended for 18+): A short story sequel in the Alien Attachments Series.

After the fall of their empire, the Sandarians struggled for order and peace, hiding their existence from the people of Earth. Until now.

Under the guardianship of the Sandarians, it is a new world where fleets of ships circle the globe to protect the vulnerable human race and find a new home among them.

Kara Heroshi breaks free from a controlling adoptive mother to begin a new life in London.

She is both captivated and fearful of the alien Sandarian ship shining above the skyline of Even with all the commotion, Aerria can’t forget a London—a beacon of power and allure. kiss they shared.

Torril Anantha struggles to acclimate himself to All of Me by Lea Kirk (Heat Level: Medium): life on Earth. The frailty of humanity disturbs him.

Tough as nails, Garrison "Gunner" Reed thought But when one beauty ensnares his senses as well the Anferthian invasion of Earth was lifeas his heart, he finally faces the difficult truth—his changing, but that was nothing compared to psi-mate is human. rescuing April Buroski from the invaders' slave Can Kara overcome her fears of being controlled ship. Now, he can't get the petite, honey-blonde woman out of his mind. But, April's pregnant with and solidify the connection with Torril or will her efforts to avoid him succeed and leave them both her deceased boyfriend's child, and there doesn't with half a bond? seem to be room in her life for another man.

April will never forget the man she lost in the invasion, her first love, Dave. Yet, when the chips are down, Garrison is there for her and her baby.

The emotions stirring in her heart for the former Army colonel war with her feelings for Dave. Can she let go of the past and embrace her future before it's too late?

20

PORTALS: VOLUME TWO (Alison Aimes, Melisse Aires, Cara Bristol, Diane Burton, Cathryn Cade, Wendy Lynn Clark, Susan Grant, KC Klein, Sabine Priestley, Jody Wallace, sample chapter collection, free, indie) Welcome! You have arrived at a portal to the galaxy.

Enter, and you'll be introduced by award-winning authors to worlds beyond imagining, with heroes & heroines who dare to take it to the edge and

beyond—in every way. Count on these adventurers to take their best shot ‌ at their enemies and at hot, sexy romance!

Contains 10 first chapters, with links to purchase any or all of the complete books, should you wish.

21

Hostage to the Stars (Veronica Scott) Review by Marlene Harris I picked up Hostage to the Stars because I just finished book 5 in the Sectors SF series, Star Cruise: Outbreak (also reviewed in this issue of SFRQ) and I liked it so much I wanted to continue with this world. I had a bit of a book hangover and wasn’t quite ready to leave this place yet.

And since I was admittedly looking for a short book, I skipped over book 6 in the series, Lady of the Star Wind, although I’m enjoying the series enough that I’ll probably go back to it at some point. But the books in this series don’t seem to directly follow one another. It’s the same universe, but different places, different crises and different people.

Just as Star Cruise: Outbreak is closest in spirit to the first book in the series, Wreck of the Nebula Dream, Hostage to the Stars echoes back to the third book, Mission to Mahjundar, reviewed previously in SFRQ .

But I’ll confess that I haven’t read Mission to Mahjundar, and that lack did not influence my enjoyment of Hostage to the Stars. While the hero of Hostage to the Stars was a secondary character in Mission, it’s been quite a few years and it wasn’t his story. The story in Mission belongs to Johnny’s cousin Mike. And that’s where this story begins.

Special Forces needs to reactivate somebody with knowledge of the planet Farduccir, and they aren’t very picky about who, or what condition they reactivate them in. It’s been 15 years since either Mike or Johnny was on the hellhole called Farduccir, and neither of them wants to go back. More importantly, after the events in Mission, Mike is now married and is wife is pregnant. It’s his cousin Johnny’s professional assessment that Mike has lost the edge necessary to survive in Special Ops, and that while Mike has commitments keeping him home, Johnny is expendable. He volunteers to take his cousin’s place, knowing full well that the mission has more chances of going FUBAR than not.

Especially when he finds out that the whole purpose of the mission is to rescue an up and coming planetary governor’s mistress from space pirates. And no, she is not our heroine, just someone caught in a lot of messy crossfire.

That Farduccir is now infested with space pirates is bad enough. That space piracy has become such a common business model, completely with pirates accepting insurance certificates for ransom to be collected later, shows there’s something rotten somewhere. This whole situation is a clusterf**k of epic proportions.

But while the extraction team gets the mistress away with no problem, on her way out the lady reveals that she was not the only human female in the compound. The guards have been torturing the young woman who was kidnapped with her. Said young woman, Sara Bridges, did not have any K&R (Kidnap and Rescue) insurance, so the pirates decided to get their money’s worth out of her by other means.

22 The extraction team doesn’t care about Sara, but Johnny can’t stand to leave anyone behind - even someone he hasn’t met yet. Until he either rescues Sara or determines that she’s beyond reach, he’ll stay and find her.

Sara is not only still alive, but still has enough spirit to be Johnny’s partner in a race to find out what really happened on Farduccir, and what is still happening. All the while heading towards a barely possible escape.

It’s a race against time and deadly hunters, gathering vital intelligence that must be transmitted to Johnny’s old bosses at any cost. It is not the place to fall in love. But only love can save them.

Escape Rating B+: Hostage to the Stars is wonderfully improbable, and it’s a wild ride from beginning to end. Also from the first page to the last. I couldn’t put it down.

Johnny is every Sergeant in any military that has ever been. He knows the job he is supposed to do, and he goes in and does it.

In Special Forces, he’s not used to following strict orders or a chain of command. He’s there to get the job done.

Lucky for Sera.

One of the fun things in the story is the way that the Service can reactivate both Johnny and Mike pretty much on a whim.

And they do. One of the phrases that gets used in the story is the concept of “gravity” as applied to political power. The provincial governor has a lot of it, and can use it to put pressure on anyone, even Special Forces. At the same time, Special Forces is only willing to send a retired operative, not a currently serving soldier. And they do everything in a big hurry, because Mike has “gravity” on their home planet, and if he has a chance to bring it to bear he can get himself and Johnny out of this fix.

He needs it when he has to ride to Johnny’s rescue.

But before that we have Johnny and Sara, running across a desolate planet, trying to figure out what happened to all the people that were there 15 years ago, and trying to stay a half-step ahead of their pursuers.

It’s fascinating that the Special Forces have standing orders not to remain in contact with anyone they rescue.

In the highly charged scenario of a hostage rescue, it’s not surprising that the hostage would bond with her rescuer, or even vice versa.

In this case, even though things proceed at a fairly rapid pace, it feels right. And it does take them several days, as well as a brief stop in relative safety, to finally act on their feelings. These are two people who both have a bunch of scars and a whole lot of PTSD, and who discover that they make each other strong in the broken places.

23 In addition to being terrific SFR, Hostage to the Stars would be a good story to introduce military romance/romantic suspense readers to the genre. While the interplanetary war and space service do add to the story, it’s also a well-done take on the hostage-falls-for-her-rescuer brand of romantic suspense.

I’m looking forward to going back and picking up the stories I’ve missed, and exploring this universe further.

Untamable Lover & Untouchable Lover (Rosalie Redd) Review by Jo Jones Untouchable Lover and Untamable Lover read as one continuing story. As the reviews on the two would be very much the same, I decided to review them together.

Redd has created a unique world where the battle for Earth and her water are part of a year long contest by two different scouts from the planet Lemuria. The contest takes place on Earth and a year does not sound that long. However it is a Lemuria year not an Earth year and a Lemuria year is very long. It takes 20,000 Earth years to make one Lemuria year.

You see the how the contest starts. The book then skips almost 20,000 years as the contest is drawing to a close. Now Earth is populated by humans native to the planet and several Lemurian created races.

The plot is simple. The scouts have each created their own warriors. Those warriors are fighting each other. The scout with the winning warriors gets to decide what will happen on Earth.

One scout would bargain for water. The other scout would make humans slaves and take the water.

While the plot is simple the way it plays out is not. Nothing is straightforward and there are numerous twists and turns. The action is seen through the eyes of more that one character. In fact you get to know both sides as well as some of the natives of Lemuria. At time the changing point of view is a distraction but it does add depth to the story line.

24

The prolog is action filled and provides the base for the world building as well as the start of the back-story. As the action progresses the fine details of the world are filled in. Each character has a unique back-story and that comes out in flash backs and dialog.

Both books are filled with description. Like the change in point of view it was sometimes a distraction and for me it intruded on the flow of the story. There is plenty of action, danger, tension and romance in both books. While this is Earth it is an Earth unlike the one we know. The unusual characters and setting add to the fantasy like feeling of the story.

While this is Science Fiction Romance don’t look for a traditional HEA. The main characters do get together but the contest still goes on. Do look for a very exciting story filled with interesting characters. Book Three: Unimaginable Love will be out in the Fall of 2016.l

Beyond Love (JJ Lore) Review by The Book Pushers Publisher: Evernight Publishing Publish Date: 21 Apr 16 Reviewed by: E How I got this book: ARC from Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly Every mining outpost needs a sheriff, and Eidan Cozad is just the Eleoni for the job. Newly arrived on planet with his deputy sister in tow, he faces corruption, hostility, and nearly continuous rain. A chance encounter with a defiant human postal worker adds yet one more complication to his mission.

25 Neat and tidy Teah Ruida thought when the Eleoni arrived and enforced some law and order, it would be easier for her to deliver her packages. Instead, she’s somehow become embroiled in spat after spat with the handsome and assertive Sheriff himself. Even though she doesn’t want to think about it, she’s become madly curious if the rumor about the strange markings Eleoni hide under their clothes is true.

Tension between Eidan and Teah ignites into passion that defies the barriers between their races. When there’s a violent ambush initiated by the settlement’s criminal organization, the future of their love hangs in the balance.

(This blurb came from Goodreads) I have a weakness for alien/human relationships and a weakness for westerns. So when I read this blurb I thought Beyond Love had a very good chance of melding two of my favorites into a seamless whole. I am glad I requested this because Lore certainly managed to catch and hold my interest while making me hope she continues to write in this world.

Teah managed to escape earth and change her life by applying to work in the Eleoni government. She didn’t expect to find a job as a postmistress and certainly not to be working on a relatively lawless very rainy mining planet. Even with the lack of creature comforts Teah still enjoyed her job and was looking forward to meeting her first Eleoni when they arrived to police the settlement. While her first encounter didn’t go quite as smoothly as she hoped, I found it amusing.

Eidan was certainly out of his element and resented his assignment to this rainy desolate planet far away from the center of things. He was grateful for his sister deciding to accompany him even as he felt bad this meant the end of her relationship because her mate refused to join them or wait for the end of this assignment. Then he encountered Teah and found himself equal parts annoyed and intrigued. Eidan was so by the book especially when he felt uncomfortable it made several of his encounters with Teah and the other humans seem rather stilted when mentally he wanted them to be anything but that.

Lore did a good job of displaying the interspecies tension and prejudice along with the struggle of trying to start imposing some sort of order but there were times when I wanted to see more interaction between the three main species. I felt like the Kotzes were barely mentioned and wanted to see more of them in order to flesh out the world. I also wanted to learn more about the set up of the universe, the Eleoni, and why humans were a distant third when it came to power/influence. I did like learning some of the specific differences between humans and Eleoni as the relationship between Teah and Eidan grew.

Brida, Eidan’s sister, was a nice counterbalance to Eidan’s seriousness even as she dealt with the ramifications

26 of her ended relationship. She seemed interested in getting to know inhabitants of the settlement and had a gift of dealing with others in addition to her skills as a sheriff. I wanted to get to know her more and I hope Lore writes a story featuring Brida as the heroine because I think she has a bit more depth and complexity then her brother. I really really wouldn’t complain at all of she ended up with a certain nefarious character who also raised my interest and who I think would be a lot of fun.

I do have a few world-building issues as I stated above because I think the romance and sex scenes had a stronger focus but overall I enjoyed reading Beyond Love. I am going to look into Lore’s backlist and continue to check to see if she does expand this world because I think it shows a lot of potential and she has built some intriguing characters.

I give Beyond Love a B

Wars of the Heart (Inari Gray) Review by The Book Pushers Publisher: Freya’s Bower Publish Date: Out Now How I got this book: eARC from author Reviewed by: MinnChica Original Review Date: 03/23/12 Someone has been tampering with Earth's Ozone Shield, and judging from the malfunction locations, Intergalactic Diplomat Katherine Morgan is convinced it's more than a mere technical glitch. Worried for the health and safety of her people, she petitions the Peace Keeping Intergalactic Council to conduct a full investigation and offer any kind of assistance Earth might need in the event of an ambush. Unfortunately, the only assistance they can offer is in the mercy of the impetuous King of Salatiel, a man whose heart Katherine stomped on more than ten years ago.

The terms of the arrangement? Force an alliance, get Ja-el Lamar to yield at the threat of losing his kingdom. She didn't take into account how treacherous it would be, faced with everything she thought she no longer cared about, everything she left behind.

Meanwhile, Ja-el has an agenda of his own. He hates the Peace Keeping Intergalactic Council and everything it stands for. He's never trusted those in power there and he certainly won't start now. Especially not when they're sending Katherine Morgan in his direction. A woman he vowed to never see again. Whom they all know has the

27 power to destroy him. (Blurb from Goodreads) When I got the request to read this book, it sounded like the kind of sci-fi romance books that are right up my alley, and after a somewhat slow start, I found myself really enjoying this book.

Katherine has wanted to be an ambassador her entire life, she studied for it, lived for it and breathes it every day. When threats against earth become more and more dangerous, Katherine pleads for the council for assistance.

Unfortunately for her, the only person in place to help her is Jael, her one true love from her school days, and the man she left behind so many years ago.

Ja-el never got over Katherine leaving. He blames the Council for taking her away, getting his father killed and countless other crimes. The last thing he wants to do is be at their beck and call, spread his own planet's resources thin by helping earth. but when Katherine shows up on his world, begging for his help, Jael might find it difficult to say no to her, with his heart and his power.

Once this book got over the initial slow start, it really hooked me in and kept me interested. I loved all the different politics that came into play, especially within the Council and outside of the council. There always seemed to be at least one or two players looking to stab someone in the back to get to their end game.

I’ve always loved when my sci-fi romance books are filled to the brink with spies and lies and intrigue.

I was a little worried that Ja-el wouldn’t be able to come to terms with his feelings, especially since it seemed as if he was trying so hard to deny his past with Katherine. At the same time, I was glad to see that Ja-el didn’t roll over and beg Katherine to come back to him. They both danced around each other and their history, especially given how painful it was for them. I thought that the slow build up they went through to get back together was really well done. It didn’t feel rushed, and yet it didn’t feel like it was dragged out either. They both had a chance to deal with the issues of their shared history and come to a point where they chose to be together. I liked it!

I was hoping that this book would have a little more action than it did. While the end was packed with adrenaline pumping moments, the entire first half of the book is a lot of background and world-building and tension between Ja-el and Katherine. While that is all good, I was expecting to come into a story that pulled me in instantly, and instead I had to wait awhile for it.

All in all I thought that Gray had a good debut novel in this story. The world building was fun and interesting, the overall story line was wonderfully done as well - with all the twists and turns within the Council. I think a

28 little more action in the beginning would have helped moved the story along faster, but I ended up really enjoying the story overall.

I give Wars of the Heart a C+

Challenging Saber (The Alliance #4) by SE Smith Review by Normalene Zeeman Sometimes it takes losing the one thing closest to a warrior’s heart to wake the beast that lives inside him…

Saber, a wounded Trivator, believes he is no longer a fit warrior, much less strong enough to claim a mate. Scarred, he does everything in his power to push away the delicate human female he has fallen in love with. He knows that she deserves a warrior who can protect her, not one that will need her constant help.

Taylor Sampson may be human, but that doesn’t make her weak. She and her two older sisters survived living on Earth for four years after their world went crazy. She is all grown up now and has her eye on the one stubborn Trivator that captured her heart seven years before.

Taylor has one last requirement in order to complete her schooling. Once she finishes, she plans to show Saber that he is the man she wants, but when the planet she is on erupts into a civil war, she is trapped behind enemy lines. When Saber discovers that Taylor has been left behind, the warrior inside him refuses to think of her as collateral damage in a savage battle for power.

Journey to a lawless, alien world and discover what happens when the beast awakens inside a damaged Trivator warrior when the woman he loves is threatened. (Blurb from Goodreads) I don’t think I missed much by not reading the first three books, but some of the characters have a lot of intertwined history that gets recapped very quickly in perfectly placed snippets of information. This is a damsel in distress story with some twists and turns that make it a little more interesting. Our cast of main characters is not large, three Trivators: Hunter, Dagger and Saber and three human sisters: Jesse, Jordan and Taylor. This is Saber and Taylor’s story as they find they are meant to be together yet it is also a continuation of the bigger story arc that started in the first book.

What we know about the Trivators is they came to Earth from an Alliance of star systems about four years ago to accomplish a first contact, event, but human resistance was extreme and civilizations crumbled in the conflict. All the Trivators in this story have single names, Sword, Edge, Razor, Thunder and they are big,

29 humanoid, hunky – think of a whole planet of men just like Dolph Lundgren in He-Man – um yummy! And most important there is nothing more important than their honor, but closely following that is the safety and protection of their destined mates.

Taylor and Saber both have big problems to overcome, one is the age difference; Taylor is very young when they first meet and Saber is honor-bound to not take advantage of her until she is 21. The second is when Saber returns from a mission wounded in both body and spirit, he feels Taylor should find a whole warrior to be her own. But deep in his heart, he knows Taylor must be his although he fights it as hard as he can – the big lunk!

Taylor is rejected after their first night together and leaves on a mission saying she won’t be back unless Saber puts yellow ribbons around a tree in the front yard. When civil war breaks out on the planet Taylor is on, Hunter, Dagger and the still recovering Saber jet off to rescue her. What they find is seriously more complex than they had thought. There are alliances of bad guys, some guy who can see the future, hidden rebel bases and secret hi-tech gadgets – Love that part but it was way too short.

This was a very quick read. The words just flow past with no sudden stops or starts. Even the chapter changes are smooth and don’t drop you out of the story. Characterization is great with each person being unique and quirky in their own way. The family dynamics feel real between the sisters and the Trivators.

The aliens are just alien enough to be cool, but not so alien that you can’t figure out their motives. The passion between Saber and Taylor is both grounded in need and elevated in its spiritual commitment and the sex is really hot, not too much and not too little.

Smith has written over 30 stories, so I would expect this level of quality writing and plotting and I was not disappointed. On the whole, I really liked it and would read all the rest just to see more of the characters. The ending left me satisfied, but was as close to a cliff hanger ending as you can get without going overboard.

There is a lovely short blurb at the very end: To be continued: Destin’s Hold The fight to save Earth has just begun.

30

Star Cruise: Outbreak (Veronica Scott) Review by Marlene Harris Four years ago, I reviewed Wreck of the Nebula Dream over at Reading Reality. And I loved it. The story is an action-adventure/science fiction romance re-telling of the wreck of the Titanic, released for the 100th anniversary of that real-life disaster.

The disaster on the Nebula Dream was every bit as crazed as the sinking of the Titanic - but only fictional lives were lost in the making of this story.

The author Veronica Scott has continued her exploration into the universe she created for Nebula Dream in her Sectors SF series.

Book 3 in the series, Mission to Mahjundar was previously reviewed at SFRQ. I haven’t read any of the books between Nebula Dream and Star Cruise: Outbreak. I don’t think it matters. I enjoyed Star Cruise Outbreak so much that I immediately purchased the previous and the next books in the series. (My review of book 7, Hostage to the Stars, appears earlier in this issue). It did help that I had read Wreck of the Nebula Dream before Outbreak. It’s not that the characters continue, but as both Nebula Dream and Outbreak are set on cruise ships, the disaster and the resulting changes in regulations, have some effect on Outbreak. But not, I think, enough to keep people from jumping right into the series at this point.

On the other hand, Wreck of the Nebula Dream was just plain good. So if you love SFR, why wouldn’t you read it?

Back to Star Cruise: Outbreak...the title does give a bit away.

There’s obviously going to be an outbreak of something or something on this cruise. And it’s something all right.

Our heroine is Dr. Emily Shane, decorated war veteran, PTSD sufferer, and reluctant temporary Chief Medical Officer on the Nebula Zephyr. Her dad, also a doctor, pretty much diagnoses that the cure for Emily’s PTSD is to take what should be a paid vacation as ship’s doctor on a luxury starliner. And then he strategically makes sure she can’t refuse the posting.

Dad was right, even if a bit high-handed about it, but not quite in the way he planned. Serving on this cruise

31 is the best thing that the “Angel of Fantalar” can do to find a way to occupy her time and energy - and the ship desperately needs a well-trained medic who won’t fold under extreme pressure to figure out how to treat the epidemic that breaks out among the 3,000 passengers on board.

At first, she thinks it’s a norovirus - and yes, that they are still around feels right. But when the disease mutates into more and deadlier strains, it is up to Emily and her makeshift crew to figure out the problem before it is too late. If the Nebula Zephyr becomes a plague ship, the captain will have to fly it into a sun to eradicate the disease. Along with everyone on board, including Emily and the man she has come to love.

Escape Rating B+: If you’ve ever read Stardoc by S.L. Viehl, there’s a resemblance if you squint a bit.

In both cases, it’s the doctor who saves the day, not any of the more traditional warrior-type heroes (or even heroines). This is a story where smart wins out over brawn. And also over a few cases of idiocy.

Let’s just say that a few of the secondary/tertiary characters are not just eligible for the Darwin Award, they actually manage to receive it!

But Star Cruise: Outbreak is Emily’s story from beginning to end. She’s a marvelous character to follow. While we don’t see the military action that resulted in her unwanted monicker, the Angel of Fantalar, we do see what she did to earn it - through the eyes of Security Chief Jake Dilon, one of the Special Forces veterans who is still alive because of her heroism on that deadly beach.

Jake has had plenty of fantasies about the woman who kept him alive, but none of them live up to the reality of meeting his “angel”. She saved his life, and now he returns the favor. Among the crew of mostly military veterans, he introduces Emily to people who understand what she went through and just how difficult the recovery is. He gives her space in which to find herself again, and to eventually, slowly, carefully, fall in love.

When the outbreak occurs, it becomes instantly clear that not only does Emily need the Nebula Zephyr but it needs her. The previous (and missing) CMO just didn’t have the skill or the discipline to handle what hits them.

One of the unanswered questions in the entire story is the fate of that missing doctor. It was necessary for the story that he BE missing, but not ever learning his fate is a gaping hole. Chekhov’s gun was on the mantlepiece, but no one picked it up and fired it. Which niggles at this reader more than a bit.

The process of dealing with the outbreak is gripping from beginning to end. Because this series uses different characters and scenarios in each book, it wasn’t necessary that everyone survive - and that wouldn’t have been realistic. So the tension is always high.

There are a lot of little stories within the big story that stand out - people who do their utmost to help solve the outbreak, people who fall victim, and people who survive. It’s their stories that make the tale so fascinating, even though the eventual solution was just a bit deus ex machina.

If you like SFR, if you loved the Stardoc series, or if the episodes of Star Trek Next Gen where Dr. Beverly Crusher saved the day are your favorites, you’ll love Star Cruise: Outbreak.

32

Electromancer (Daco) Review by Norm Zeeman When arch villain Momo threatens to destroy the world with The Big Zapper—a weapon of mass destruction the likes of which has never been seen before—it’s up to Alexa Manchester and her new electricity-harnessing superpowers to stop him.

With a little help from her sexy chauffeur, Sigfred Sawyer, and some exciting encounters with the mysterious and handsome Blue Arrow, soon Alexa’s love life is charged up, too. And to defeat the seemingly invincible Momo, it might just take the naturally super power of love to save the day.

Offering all the Kabam! Pow! Zap! of beloved comic book sagas with the beating heart of a love story, this overthe-top, genre-blending send-up is sure to delight superhero fans and romance readers alike. (Blurb from Goodreads) At 149 pages this is a very quick read, so my review will be equally short. Written in comic book style with over-the-top antics and superheroes too good to be true, I laughed through most of the book. The alliteration of almost every character’s name made me chuckle. The drop dead gorgeous heroine and hero made me relive my childhood with many hours hidden under the covers with my favorite comics of Superman and Wonder Woman.

Alexa Manchester lives in a fairy tale mansion with awesome gardens, a princess bedroom and a confidante who is part Mary Poppins and part Pepper Potts. The premise is that rich, gorgeous, Alexa is all set to provide free energy to the world when her energy source is stolen and the resulting explosion exposes her to radiation that turns her into Electromancer, who can shoot electricity from her body. She needs to find out who stole her property and get it back, hide the fact she is a superhero, fend off the advances of the mayor and not give in to her attraction to her bodyguard/chauffer Sigfried.

Although the actual “consummation of Alexa’s love” only takes a few pages with the first time being only a short, very highbrow, paragraph, the romance is front and center.

Every character has comic book qualities and the ending you can see from a mile away, but it was laugh out loud funny and zany. The antics of the mayor alone will keep you in stitches. Put your inner editor on pause and just enjoy. The ending leaves room for several sequels and I hope the fun continues.

33

Write for us

THEME FOR ISSUE 12: OPEN! Length: 2,000 to 7,500 words.

Payment: 2.5 cents/word (US) paid upon publication, promotional biography with two links, and a complimentary quarter-page advertisement.

Deadline for Issue #12: 15 August 2016.

Rights sought: Six-month exclusive world digital rights from date of publication; non-exclusive thereafter.

Other info: One short story will be published per issue. Please send only edited and polished work.

Due to time constraints, we are unable to give personalized feedback on rejected stories.

Stories that tie-in to a previously established world will be considered, but story must stand alone.

All sub-genres of science fiction will be considered.

Any heat level, from sweet to erotic, will be considered. Original, previously unpublished fiction only.

No fan fiction, please.

STORY SHOULD MELD THE SCIENCE FICTION AND ROMANCE GENRES, AND MUST HAVE AN UPBEAT (HEA/HFN) ENDING. NOT QUITE SURE WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR? READ OUR ORIGINAL FICTION IN PREVIOUS ISSUES. READ ALSO OUR FICTION EDITOR’S TAKE ON WHY YOUR STORY GOT REJECTED. No multiple submissions. No stories that have previously been rejected by us. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please inform us if the story is placed elsewhere.

Submit! Standard manuscript format, please, only at our website via the Submissions page.

35

Bibblings, Barbara Paul (1979) Review by Ian Sales After nearly five years reviewing for SF Mistressworks, not to mention some of the research I’ve done for my own writing, I had thought I was reasonably well-informed on women science fiction writers of the twentieth century, especially those who had published novels. Even so, Barbara Paul was a name that had slipped me by, even though two of her novels – including Bibblings – were published in the UK. Having said that, she managed to produce five sf novels between 1978 and 1980, and a Star Trek novelisation in 1988, before turning to writing murdermystery novels, which she continued to do until 1997.

Bibblings is Paul’s third sf novel, and it’s an entertaining mix of first contact, sf puzzle-story, and light humour, with a likeable narrator/protagonist and a central conceit that’s not at all difficult to figure out… although it doe suffer from being somewhat lightweight.

The narrator, Valerie Chester, is a member of a six-member team in the Diplomatic Corps of the Federation of United Worlds. Lodon-Kamaria is not in the Federation, but it does possess extensive deposits of alphidium, which the Federation wants. Unfortunately, the two nations of the planet, called, er, Lodon and Kamaria, have

been in a perpetual state of war for generations. And the alphidium is beneath the mountain range which forms the spine of the continent they share, and is the barrier between the two nations and the battleground on which they fight. Valerie’s team has been sent in to try and effect a peace between the two countries – or failing that,’to recommend which one the Federation should “assist” in defeating the other.

Unfortunately, a problem quickly presents itself when the team land in Lodon: the Lodonites are either insane or blind drunk, and when they’re not blind drunk they’re insane. Only the neuters, the race’s third gender, are unaffected – and they spend all their time looking after the others and keeping them topped up with the local whiskey.

Not only does this make diplmatic relations difficult, but Valerie and the rest of the team cannot even understand how the Lodonites have managed to keep the Kamarians at bay for so long.

So they visit Kamaria… and it could not be more of a contrast. The Kamarians are smart and well-organised, entirely sober and completely sane. However, they’re can’t remember what

36

triggered the war between the two nations, but they do know the Lodonites cannot be trusted and any sort of peace is out of the question…

Oh, and there are these small golden birds, the bibblings of the title, everywhere…

When the Kamarians make reference to a “time of strength” and a “time of weakness”. and the diplomats notice that all the Lodonites fighting in the mountains are neuters, whereas the Kamarian soldiers are male and female… And then the Kamarians start preparing for the impending migration across the mountains of the bibblings by laying in stores of food and jars of whiskey…

To be fair, the focus of Bibblings is never on solving the puzzle. Two of the diplomatic team are medical doctors, and they quickly discover the organism carried by the bibblings which causes the periods of madness and lucidity.

And the fact that it’s linked to fertility. While a medical solution is quickly proposed, getting the Lodonites and the Kamarians to cease hostilities once they will no longer each suffer a “time of weakness” each year proves somewhat harder to implement.

Paul’s prose is light and readable, she doesn’t make a nine-course banquet out of the relatively simple puzzle presented by LodonKamaria, and she works through the political and diplomatic consequences of the solution with internal consistency and common sense.

Perhaps the set-up is not entirely plausible – or rather, the fact the Lodonites and Kamarians have never progressed beyond a slow war of attrition in the mountains as a solution – and even the similarity of the two races to human beings is never commented upon (despite the

presence of a neuter gender). As backgrounds go, it’s sketchy at best; Paul spends much more words on detailing the characters and biographies of her six diplomats. Which gives the odd impression that Valerie telling this story to someone – but it’s never explained who. It is, to my mind, one of the chief failures of firstperson narratives – they’re cheap story-telling because they’re easy to write, when they should only exist because the viewpoint is crucial to the plot. But, as they say, Your Mileage May Vary…

Bibblings is not a book which asks to be looked into too deeply, but that’s equally true of a vast proportion of the science fiction corpus.

It’s an entertainingly light and fast read, and it has not appreciably dated. True, the neuters get short shrift, and a running joke about the diplomatic team being nicknamed the “AngloSaxon Invaders” really should have been avoided… But Paul’s prose is assured, her plotting doesn’t miss a beat, and though the novel is only 169 pages everything the plot needs is in there. Those were the days, when novels didn’t need to be the size of Zeppelin hangars in order to tell a story set in, or on, another world. Admittedly, authors often managed such short wordcounts by presenting the entire universe as little more than middle America in different coloured hats – and Paul is no less guilty here than others of her time. But size isn’t always virtue. Nor, for that matter, is brevity.Bibblings is a fun read, but it’s not a book to set the genre alight, either back in 1979 or now. And, sometimes, we have to be content with that.

37

Why Is SFR Something to Talk About?

The Cosmic Lounge with Heather Massey One day, over a typical family breakfast of cereal and coffee, I happened to mention an item related to my involvement in the Scarlet and Herb Overkill (Minions) fandom. In response, my genuinely curious husband asked, “Is there still anything to talk about?”

Cue the sound of tires screeching to a halt.

I knew where he was coming from: Minions came out in mid-2015. How could Overkill fans have anything left to discuss a year later, especially since the characters only have about twenty minutes of screen time?

I told him, why of course we still had stuff to talk about! We speculate endlessly about the Overkills’ backstories, share our headcanons, and lament the strong likelihood that Illumination Entertainment will never release any more Scarlet & Herb content. *sniff* Not every discussion involves analyses of the characters or their problematic elements. Sometimes we discuss important issues like figuring out their birthdays, the specs of their castle fortress, and the various ways the Overkills get it on in bed.

I was surprised by my husband’s question, yet quickly realized why he’d asked it. He’s a white, cishet male and doesn’t know what it’s like to not be represented in droves and on a regular basis. He doesn’t need fandom and its benefits the way I do because his needs have been met—in all entertainment media, all the time, and like others before him, for all of history.

Though we share many of the same interests, there’s a steep drop off when it comes to diverse female characters and/or stories mixing SF and romance. There are many shows and movies we can’t watch because they simply don’t exist (and therefore one reason I latch hard on to SFR-ish couples like the Overkills, Steven Universe’s Ruby and Sapphire, and Kendra and Ray from DC’s Legends of Tomorrow).

The scarcity is even more alarming in the context of major film studios like Marvel denying us female villains and toys based on such characters. We live in a time when fanboys lash out at the concept of women headlining a meager two—count ‘em two—films in the STAR WARS franchise. There’s hard data that Men Are Sabotaging The Online Reviews of TV Shows Aimed At Women. And now The Federal Government Is Investigating Sexism Against Directors In Hollywood.

38

The above examples are just the tip of the iceberg. They and others demonstrate how women’s stories are routinely suppressed and our efforts to tell them blocked on multiple fronts: "In general, men can and frequently do fail up, and women can and frequently do succeed down — and you're just aware of the fact that as a girl, you can't screw up," says [drama showrunner] Nina Jacobson.

So to answer my husband’s question more broadly, yes, I’ve definitely got lots more to discuss when it comes to SFR and especially female characters in various media—and let’s be clear that by women I mean all of them: POC, queer, transgender, etc and all of the various intersections. Since one of my biggest interests is sci-fi romance, that’s where I’ve concentrated my efforts.

Is it any wonder that SFR has roots in STAR TREK fan fiction?

Back in the 70s, female Star Trek fans spun romances about the characters at a time when the genre of sci-fi romance didn’t exist.

Essentially, they expanded the characters’ personal lives by creating romance and character-driven stories, ones denied to them by mainstream media.

Fan fiction is a tool women can use to reject stories told using the male gaze and replace them with ones that cater to our needs.

There’s no rule saying we have to accept all the male-driven canon out there, especially if canon operates on the idea of excluding anyone who isn’t a cishet white male. Fan fiction can serve as a powerful way to transform canon into more inclusive stories.

It can also serve as a jumping point for mainstream, original stories that serve a similar purpose.

Take romance, a mainstream genre wherein women have control to tell the stories that align with our interests. It also claims an impressive share of adult fiction. Literary romance doesn’t seem to inspire much fan fiction and that’s probably because it performs similar functions (a shout out to reader “B” who once shared this insight with me).

The romance genre is one example where women are course correcting the egregious lack of representation in entertainment. We recognized there was a market for romance-focused stories and seized the reins of opportunity to meet the demand ourselves. When other genres shut out romance along with women authors (looking at you, science fiction), countless numbers of women struck out on their own and made it a viable and highly profitable genre.

The lack of representation is a significant reason I’ve been blogging about SFR for eight years now.

The genre meets my needs in countless ways.

To wit: in sci-fi romance, the heroine is the hero’s equal and far more than his love interest. She doesn’t exist to simply prop up the hero and his journey. Neither are SFR heroines fridged for the hero’s narrative or emotional growth.

Sci-fi romance is where we can discover lesbian couples having outer space adventures. It’s where we can find female characters engaged in a variety of occupations: bounty hunters, scientists, superhumans, you name it. It’s where we can enjoy female-centric power fantasies, sexual fantasies, and any others we desire. Additionally, SFR embraces the concept of extraordinary heroines. I mean,

39

hey, women are extraordinary in real life, so it makes sense that they’re reflected and celebrated in fiction!

And all of that sweet content definitely gives me something to talk about.

40

SFR: Her Body, Her Self Opinion from Ella Drake Science Fiction Romance. Our genre can cover a lot of ground and yet still be a small niche of a place. There are so many subsub-genres and approaches to stories that can fit beneath that label. And even when deciding which genre umbrella SFR belongs under—Romance or Science Fiction—the many flavors and nuances of this vast but small niche can lead to any number of stories that run the gamut from a near-future romantic comedy to a space-set gritty, violent military war story.

Through it all, there are common themes. Romance, obviously. Science Fiction, of course. But as a reader first, and author second, there are common themes that keep me coming back for more.

The one that has intrigued me seems, at first glance, to be the opposite of the prevalent heroine-centric story that this genre does so well. It addresses how women have control or loss of control over their own bodies. For lack of a better way to describe it, I think of it as body-ownership conflict. This comes into play most obviously in the alien abduction trope. Not only is an alien kidnapping story an obvious representation of a woman’s loss of control over her body, but these stories frequently have a plot related to breeding—Mars Needs Women, anyone? This setup has been the main plot in a variety of recent best sellers: An alien species needs fertile Earth women.

One of my favorite alien abduction trope series was highlighted

by Charlee Allden in SFRQ Issue #7, Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarian series. As Allden noted, this series doesn’t position the heroes as the actual kidnappers but it still puts the heroines in a position to not only choose a breeding partner, but creates an obvious body-ownership conflict on top of it all. The heroines have to not only take a symbiote to survive, but their bodies change, they have to choose enhancements to communicate, and even their pregnancies are no longer something they’d previously understood.

There are as many reasons why an alien abduction/breeding trope appeals to readers as there are readers. But what interests me is thinking of that through the idea of body-ownership conflict. Losing control and decision making over the body—whether through pregnancy, aging, illness, medication, emotions, or even political oppression or domestic violence—bring forward issues that fascinate me and underlies all of my SFR. The first novel in which I took on body-ownership conflict was in Silver Bound, where the heroine, Jewel, is made into a sex slave. She has lost actual ownership of herself as well as power over her own sexual responses. In this novel, I flipped the slave trope and her hero, Guy Trident, works to free her from slavery while she fights her own battles within.

41

For lack of a better way to describe it, I think of it as bodyownership conflict Another of my novels that explores this conflict is Willing Skin. In this story, Sylla is a woman on the run and to go into hiding, she has a “skin-suit” custom built. The skin-suit changes her from a human woman into an alien man. Throughout the story, she explores what it’s like to have a different body in ways from sexual responses to even different emotions and reactions. She has lost control of what she thinks of as her body and the adjustment was intriguing to explore. What is self and how much of self is influenced by biology?

When so many women face their own crises over their own bodies, exploring this within a Romance gives a reader a safe space to let her body go and explore the results. No matter if a heroine is abducted, is altered in a medical lab, or is body-switched, the reader knows that this is an SFR. Not only will the heroine be safe, she’ll get her happy ending.

42

The See Gees and The Invention of E.J. Whitaker [Ed: Sorry if I’m showing my age here, but our interviewees are the Gibbs sisters, so of course the first thing I thought of was, The Bee Gees –Kaz. What’s that? I should go get my prescription refilled this instant? You’re probably right.]

In February 2016, Shawnee’ and Shawnelle Gibbs launched a Kickstarter campaign for a steampunk adventure comic called The Invention of E.J. Whitaker. And then the most amazing thing happened: the campaign not only reached its goal, but exceeded it! The Gibbs Sisters now have enough money to fund the first two issues. *throws confetti* Their achievement is remarkable. The success of this campaign reveals just how hungry folks are for genre stories featuring female inventor protagonists, especially ones who are women of color. Here’s the overview: Conceived by indie comic book and animation sister-team, Shawnee´and Shawnelle Gibbs, “The Invention of E.J. Whitaker” is a 24-page comic book tale mixing elements of Adventure, Romance, Historical Fiction and Steampunk to tell the story of one heroine’s epic journey through the cultural and gender land mines of the early 20th century to become a bonafide inventor.

Imagine a time in which your week might include being assaulted by patent-jackers, a surprise run-in with Nikola Tesla and catching up on “the tea” through actual tea time with Madame CJ Walker….with no Instagram to capture it all…

Welcome to the world of Ada Turner and her secret life as EJ Whitaker. *** Stories like Ada Turner’s are practically invisible in mainstream venues, so hardworking, independent artists like the Gibbs Sisters are taking up the mantle to ensure they reach the spotlight. In support of

43

their efforts, we at Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly are excited to present an interview with Shawnee’ and Shawnelle Gibbs so you can learn more about the process of bringing The Invention of E.J. Whitaker to life!

SFRQ: What are three little known facts about the Gibbs Sisters?

SHAWNEE´: Well, we’re both fans of the classic Hollywood actor, Cary Grant. I’m a whopping 4 minutes older than Shawnelle (and I like to frequently remind her that I’m her big sister, haha) and when we first moved to Los Angles over 10 years ago, we had to share the one car we drove down in: a 1996 Honda accord. It was a real challenge given how spread out the city of Los Angeles is, but somehow, we made it work.

I think sharing the ‘super Honda’ as we called it, was one of our greatest collaborations in LA. If you can share a car in this town, you can probably do anything. It was certainly a "dream mobile" that carried us thousands of miles, and helped us navigate the bumpy road towards being working creative professionals in the city.

SFRQ: You both have impressive backgrounds in writing, comics, animation, and television.

Please share some of the challenges and high points of your career so far.

SHAWNELLE: While we were students studying cinema at San Francisco State University, we started creating short animations using software like Flash and After Effects. Before then, we knew we’d loved writing, drawing, and telling stories but we were two kids from Oakland who didn’t know much about animation or the industry. The revolutionizing of software made it possible for us to tell animated stories and share them with audiences. A few of our films got us attention on the indie film festival circuit and brought us to Los Angeles to pursue careers in storytelling for film and television.

We’ve been fortunate to work steadily in television for the last few years as Story Producers for nonfiction programming / reality tv. For our day jobs, we shape the stories of hours and hours of television footage for networks including Food Network, Discovery, National Geographic and ABC. Working in television has helped us hone our abilities to tell compelling stories that challenge us to hook a viewer before and after a commercial break, it’s also afforded us an opportunity to help fund some of our independent animation and comic book projects over the years. We’re really proud to have been able to direct and produce the short animation Sule and the Case of the Tiny Sparks, write the scifi time travel series, Fashion Forward, which has been well-received in the comics community, as well as develop concept art to share our creative vision for The Invention of E.J. Whitaker. Our day jobs in television have really helped in us being able to help make our personal projects a reality.

44

Creative gigs in L.A. are freelance most of the time, so being prepared for the ebb and flow of work is always a delicate dance and one of the most challenging aspects of the industry, but we’ve been very fortunate in our careers to stay afloat, which is something we were super concerned about being able to do when we were just starting out. There's a mixture of faith, hard work, and connections through friends that continue to get us through.

SFRQ: How did The Invention of E.J. Whitaker evolve?

SHAWNEE´: We’d been working on our time travel comic book series, Fashion Forward, and simultaneously researching an African American circus performer of the early 20th century named Princess Wee Wee for a script we were working on.

So we were going back and forth between telling a contemporary sci-fi story about a young woman in modern-day New York who helped to create a time travel device, and researching the life of an African American Ringling Bros circus star who was at the height of her popularity in the 1920s. So some part of our days were spent looking at images of circus people and vaudeville acts traveling by railroads, and other parts were digging up Google Image references and imagining the New York subway system twenty-five years from now for our comic book artist. Definitely a fun time creatively.

We wrote a script about Princess Wee Wee’s life and through researching her story we discovered other amazing men and women of the early 20th Century who really stuck with us. I actually became pretty obsessed with the subject matter and have a growing collection of photos, cabinet cards and collectibles particularly of black entertainers and life during the era.

It was like a whole new world had opened up to us. The early 1900s is a time period that we don’t hear much about particularly from an African American perspective and we thought, man there were so many fascinating people with pretty progressive ideologies who lived during this time. We were like, 'We’ve got to tell a story set during the dawn of the 20th Century.'

Discovering what we’d had, it felt like a real shame not to.

SFRQ: Why does steampunk appeal to you as a setting for this story?

SHAWNELLE: Somehow we always manage to tell stories that have a little magic and adventure in them. We’ve told stories of a young girl being taken in by a family of extraterrestrials in our early web cartoon series, Adopted By Aliens. We bridged China’s Qin and the Sudan’s Kush empires together in an illustrated short story Tati, so exploring different time periods and even universes are really fun challenges for us. Ever since reading Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I think we both had a desire to tell a Steampunk story, but the pieces really started to slowly fall into place with ‘E.J.’

45

The Invention of E.J. Whitaker is the story of a young, female inventor who faces extreme obstacles in 1901 America as a woman, and as a black person trying to pursue her dreams of becoming a respected innovator. But she perseveres and doesn’t let race, sex, financial limitations, swindlers—or anything really—get in the way of her dreams.

We thought steampunk was the perfect genre to tell the story. The steam-powered aesthetic appealed to us—the tools to fabricate things are your basic wood, brass, iron and leather, all of which our heroine Ada uses for her inventions. Aside from being a visually dynamic genre, with amazing gadgetry and cool aesthetic elements, steampunk is a genre that provides a great opportunity to tell alternate histories during the Victorian Age and that really excited us.

SFRQ: What general themes do you plan to tackle in The Invention of E.J. Whitaker?

SHAWNEE´: We definitely want to explore what it means to be a woman and outsider taking on the world of innovation, which is often perceived to be a very white and very male career path—even today. When you think “inventor” I don’t think anyone ever thinks of a black woman, so we hope ‘E.J.’ can help change the perception of who and what an inventor can be.

We also want to tackle romance. In our travels, we’ve found that sci-fi romance stories that involve African American leads are few and far between. Characters of color are often sidekicks and buddies but rarely take center stage in stories that have romantic themes. I’m not sure why that is, but it’s deeply engrained in not just literature but film and television as well. We’d love to show audiences that seeing two people of color love each other is nothing to be intimidated by or afraid of. It’s a beautiful and natural expression that shouldn’t be shunned because of cultural taboos. One of our biggest Sci-Fi influences, Octavia Butler, taught us that early on, when we became huge fans of hers in high school.

SFRQ: What’s your collaborative process like?

SHAWNELLE: As independent creators, we usually outline our comic book issues together, planning out the story from beginning to end, then we’ll break up the scenes we’ve outlined and write them individually.

After we’ve written our scenes, we’ll review each others’ work, giving input and making changes, and that becomes the basis of our comic book scripts.

Then we hand over those scripts to our artists to begin work on the page art. As we see the pages come to life through the artists' renderings, we’ll often make changes to dialogue or captions may change to make something stronger, more dramatic or funnier. It’s a very collaborative process.

Seeing the scripts come to life when we're in production is my absolute favorite part of the process.

When the artist sends the art pages over, it’s a lot like being a kid on Christmas day morning...a real rush.

46

SFRQ: When you’re not creating, which books/films/tv shows are you reading/watching?

SHAWNEE´: As of late, I’ve been trying to immerse myself in the early part of the 20th Century, so I’ve been reading stories from Edith Wharton, W.E.B Dubois’ The Souls of Black Folk and watching the History Channel’s series The Men Who Built America.

SHAWNELLE: Work has been taking up a lot of time as of late, but I've finally gotten around to reading Brian Vaughan's Runaways series, which is a wonderful little distraction to life. I've also developed a growing obsession with FX's whimsical comedy Man Seeking Woman (currently tracking down season 2 access) and the work of the Duplass Brothers. I am also very encouraged by the first offering of the reboot of Alex Haley's Roots series, and excited to see where it takes us. This week I just added Getting the Love You Want by Harville Hendrix to the reading list—big on the self help genre and hooray for the art of sweet, sweet love. The world needs more of it.

SFRQ: What’s next for the Gibbs Sisters?

SHAWNEE´: We hope to develop the first few issues of The Invention of E.J. Whitaker for release next year and continue developing lots more projects for comics, animation and television. I think we’ll tackle another animated project very soon. Even though they’re super-challenging and involved, I’m really itching to do another animated project.

SFRQ: Where can fans find you?

SHAWNELLE: You can find out more about the E.J. Whitaker project at: www.ejwhitaker.com or visit our website: www.gibbsisters.com to contact us.

SFRQ: Fantastic! Thanks so much for your art, and we wish you the best in all of your endeavors!

47

Veronica Scott The new Trailblazer column may be short, but it’s heartfelt.

The Editorial Team have been discussing this for a while and decided that we would be spotlight those people (writers, readers, and anyone in between) who go above and beyond in their support of Science Fiction Romance.

We are proud to kick off this inaugural column with Veronica Scott.

Who is Veronica Scott?

Best Selling Science Fiction & Paranormal Romance author and “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happily Ever After blog, Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.

Married young to her high school sweetheart then widowed, Veronica has two grown daughters, one grandson and cats Keanu and Jake.

Veronica’s life has taken many twists and turns, but she always makes time to keep reading and writing.

Everything is good source material for the next novel or the one after that, right? She’s been through earthquakes, tornadoes and near death experiences…Always more stories to tell, new adventures to experience—Veronica’s personal motto is, “Never boring.”

What has she done for SFR? 

  

Veronica continues to provide a mainstream voice for SFR through her “SciFi Encounters” column, a monthly column at the USA Today Happily Ever After blog. She frequently features SFR topics and authors She is an SFR contributor for Amazing Stories She is an active member of the SFR community who frequently signal boosts for other authors, an invaluable service for a niche genre She is a profilic SFR author, with releases that include WRECK OF THE NEBULA DREAM, STAR CRUISE: MAROONED and STAR CRUISE: OUTBREAK

What do we think of Veronica Scott?

Veronica was a supporter of the magazine from Day One. Tolerant of our goof-ups, forever inclusive, we consider Veronica to be the epitome of An SFR Author: upbeat, generous and always full of good plot ideas!

48

Where can I find out more about her?

You can connect with Veronica in a variety of ways: •

Via her website

•

On Twitter

•

On Facebook

•

At her SciFi Encounters Archive

•

and, let’s not forget, Amazing Stories

49

A Light in the Dark

by Xoe Juliani

The translators are offline again.

There's something almost funny about watching a room full of various alien species all suddenly become incapable of communicating with each other, but Mirja Katan isn't laughing. Her bar is known for its translators. That's what makes it such a popular spot. If they don't work, there goes her bar's popularity. And the translators haven't been working very well recently.

Poking at the translators does nothing. Pressing buttons on the translators does nothing. Kicking the translators does, unsurprisingly, nothing. Mirja spits on them, which also has no effect except making her feel a bit better. Then she goes into the bar and offers everyone a free drink to make up for the malfunctioning translators. Of course, it takes a while for the message to spread through all the clientele, but soon enough it does. The bar closes early, at which point Mirja tries poking, pressing, and kicking the translators again. When they still persist in not working, Mirja calls her mechanic.

"Translator issues again?" Ashoro asks as she picks up.

Mirja sighs. "In the middle of opening hours," she says. "When can you be here?"

"Give me five minutes," Ashoro replies.

Mirja ends the call and waits. She cleans up the bar a bit, and then, five minutes later, Ashoro knocks at the door.

Mirja appears mostly humanoid, except for her slitted pupils and retractable claws. Her physiology is different from a human's, but she can pass fairly well. Ashoro can't. She has four arms, two on each side, and instead of legs she has tentacles from the waist down. She doesn't have a navel, but Mirja's never asked if that means she hatched from an egg. She's good with technology, though, and that's what matters.

"Okay," Ashoro says, rubbing two of her hands together while holding a toolbox in the other and drumming her last set of fingertips on the bar. "Do you have any idea what the issue was this time?"

"Nope."

Ashoro shakes her head, going over to the translator. "You should just get a new one. Yours doesn't seem likely to stop breaking any time soon. That's what happens when they get old."

50

"New ones are expensive," Mirja replies. She's got some money stashed away for a new translator, but not enough to afford one yet. "Can't you fix this one up again?"

"I'll do my best." Ashoro sighs. "Will you make me a drink?"

"Your usual?" Mirja asks, crossing to the bar.

"Yeah, thanks." Ashoro opens up the translator and peers at the inner workings. Mirja goes to the bar and mixes Ashoro's favorite drink, bringing it back when it's ready.

Ashoro grabs it with one of her hands while the other three poke at the translator. "I might be able to jury-rig something here, but I can't guarantee you that it'll work very well."

"Anything you can do," Mirja replies. Ashoro sighs deeply, then grabs a few tools and begins working with the insides of the translators. A few of her tentacles writhe, twisting around each other. Mirja knows by now that means Ashoro is concentrating hard. She waits patiently. If her translator is going to be fixed, Ashoro is going to be the one who does it. If she can't fix it, Mirja doubts she'll find anyone who can.

"Alright," Ashoro finally says, stepping back from the translator. "Say something in a language I don't speak."

Mirja speaks a few different languages, and other similar tests have taught her which ones Ashoro does and doesn't know. She says something in the home tongue of her planet.

Ashoro nods. "Got it. I can't promise it'll work perfectly or for very long, but it's working for now."

"Thank you," Mirja tells Ashoro gratefully. She goes to her cashbox and pulls out a few chips. "Is this right?"

"That's fine," Ashoro replies, even though Mirja thinks she paid her more the last time. "Anything else you need fixed up?"

"I don't think so."

Ashoro nods. "Call me if you do. See you next time, Mirja."

"See you then, Ash." Ashoro grins at the nickname as she leaves, her tentacles brushing things off the floor as she goes.

Mirja follows her with a broom and pan, brushing up the little piles Ashoro leaves behind her. She's never asked if it's an automatic response or something Ashoro consciously does when she visits the bar. If it's the former, it's an interesting quirk. If it's the latter, Mirja doesn't know what that means.

Mirja considers reopening the bar for the late night crowd, but decides against it; it's too much effort for too little gain, and she doesn't feel like it. Instead, she closes up and goes upstairs. She lives above the bar in a small apartment. It's not the best place, but it comes with the bar, so Mirja lives there to keep from having to rent both the bar and an apartment. There's a shower and a kitchen and everything else Mirja would need, if in very close proximity to each other. She makes do.

51

Mirja takes a quick shower, then gets into her bed. She lies on the mattress for a few moments, staring up at the ceiling. Then she groans and rolls back onto her stomach, burying her face into the pillow.

She's supposed to be nocturnal. Her species naturally is. But she's forced herself to sleep during the night instead, to be on a better schedule for her work. The bar stays open late some nights, but it's also a café during the day. Mirja has considered closing it as a café and having the bar stay open later, so she can sleep during the day, but she earns too much from the café for it to make financial sense. Instead, she just forces herself to stay up during the day and sleep at night.

But there are some nights where her instincts are too loud and won't let her sleep. Mirja knows she'll regret it in the morning if she doesn't get some rest, but she's too keyed up. Instead, she gets up and gets a drink of water, leaning against her counter. She has some sleeping pills stashed away in her bathroom, but she doesn't like them very much. She'll try some more natural remedies first.

***

Two hours and half a dozen failed attempts at sleeping later, Mirja admits defeat and takes two sleeping pills. She's out in ten minutes. When she wakes the next morning, she feels woozy and still half-asleep, as she always does when she takes sleeping pills. It's part of the reason she dislikes them so much. Three cups of coffee later and she feels better, more able to go downstairs and open up the café.

Except, just as Mirja gets downstairs, the power blinks out.

Mirja looks around and sighs. Her translators are old. They go out all the time. But the electricity in general shouldn't. A quick look out the window makes Mirja groan loudly. The electricity seems to be out all through the block, which means it'll be even longer until it's back on.

There's a knock on the door, which Mirja would normally ignore while she's closed. She checks quickly and goes to open the door, seeing that it's Ashoro outside the door.

"I'm glad not to be on duty right now," Ashoro declares as she enters the café. "I was on my way here when the power went out. It's out for half the grid right now, and the other half looks about ready to go out any second."

"Any idea what the issue is?" Mirja asks.

Ashoro shrugs. "Nope. I'm off duty. I was actually on my way over here to see if your translators were still working, but all things considered, I guess we can't figure that out right now."

"I guess not," Mirja replies, a tinge of bitterness in her voice.

Ashoro leans forward. "Anything you need help with? I can give you a hand. Or four."

"There's not too much I can do without power," Mirja admits. "I was going to put the pastries in the oven to bake, but as long as the power's out…"

52

"Do you want me to see if I can get your old generator working?" Ashoro offers. "I can try and figure something out, then you can open while everyone else is closed."

"Could you really?"

Ashoro grins. "Let me see what I can do," she replies, cracking her knuckles and getting to work.

Mirja goes over to a seat and sits down, a piece of paper in front of her. Her plan is to come up with a few new dishes for the menu at the café.

Then Ashoro shakes her awake a few hours later and she accidentally knocks the empty paper to the floor.

"I almost had it figured out when the power came back on," Ashoro tells Mirja, sounding put-out.

"The translator is working properly."

"How do you know?" Mirja rubs at her eyes.

Ashoro grins. "Because I'm speaking Bullic." Mirja blinks and looks at Ashoro's lips. "If you understand me, it must be thanks to the translator." Mirja can see that the sounds she hears don't match up with the moving of Ashoro's lips. She's normally good at noticing that, but she must be more tired than she realized.

"Did you not sleep well last night?" Ashoro asks. Her lips line up with her words now, so she must have switched back to their common language.

"Not particularly," Mirja replies, rubbing a hand over her face. "Nocturnal issues."

"Ugh, don't I know it."

Mirja had almost forgotten that Ashoro's nocturnal as well. "Have you slept yet?" She may very well have worked the whole overnight shift and not slept before coming to the café.

"Nah, but I snuck a cup of coffee," Ashoro replies, holding up the mug with one of her tentacles.

"I'll be good for another few hours."

"Do you want to crash upstairs?"

Ashoro blinks. "Huh?" "You're tired. Why don't you just sleep in my bed? I'm not using it at the moment."

"Really?" Ashoro asks.

Mirja nods.

"Okay. Thanks." Ashoro goes over to the stairs, regards them for a moment, then begins going up. It takes a while for her to get up the entire flight of stairs. Mirja realizes she's never seen Ashoro on stairs before; she has no idea if she always has this much difficulty or if it's because she's half asleep.

The café is strangely silent. Mirja begins getting things ready for customers, but she's not sure if many will show up. Her rush is normally in the early morning, and the power outage meant that she

53

missed most of it. Today looks like it's going to be a bad profit day. Hopefully, last night's issues with the translator won't affect tonight's customers at the bar.

Four customers come in between the time Mirja opens up and Ashoro comes back downstairs, looking much better rested. "You didn't sleep long," Mirja remarks. It's only been three hours.

"I normally don't," Ashoro takes a seat in one of the booths. She likes booths more than chairs, Mirja has noticed; they must be more comfortable for her tentacles. "I don't need that much sleep."

"Lucky," Mirja mutters. She's still feeling the affects of her own limited sleep.

"Do you want me to watch the café for a while so you can sleep?" Ashoro asks. Mirja considers the offer for a moment, then shakes her head.

"The more I give in to being tired, the more tired I'll be," she replies. "Do you know what I mean?"

"I get it," Ashoro says, nodding. "I can help you anyway, if you want."

"You're not usually this eager to help." Mirja softens the comment with a smile.

Ashoro shrugs. "You let me sleep in your bed. I figure that means I owe you a favor."

This makes more sense. Ashoro has always been very specific when it comes to favors. Apparently, it's a thing for her species. Mirja hasn't met enough of them to know whether that's true or not, but she knows it's the case for Ashoro. Favors are important, and if someone does someone else a favor, it needs to be repaid.

"It wasn't that much of a favor," Mirja remarks.

Ashoro shrugs again. "One good turn deserves another. Is there anything I can do?"

There isn't much to be done, considering how few people are coming in. But both the café area and the kitchen could use a cleaning, and Ashoro always seems to sweep just by walking around.

Ashoro's happy to clean, taking the broom, mop, and bucket that Mirja gives her. With her four arms and tentacles, she manages to use a small dustpan to sweep shelves while also sweeping the floor with the broom. Mirja mans the counter, getting a head start on readying the café for its transformation into a bar.

Ashoro sweeps the entire café and kitchen, then mops it all as well. "Do you accept this in repayment?" she asks.

Mirja wonders for a moment what Ashoro would do if she said 'no.' Would she keep helping out until Mirja was satisfied? Would she argue? Would she try to bargain? Mirja doesn't try it out.

Ashoro has more than repaid the favor that Mirja barely saw as a favor anyway. "I accept the repayment," she says. She's learned the language of favors from a few other similar instances with Ashoro. The specific question must be asked and the specific answer must be given. Otherwise, Mirja's pretty sure, the repayment isn't considered valid. This is one of Ashoro's traditions; Mirja will respect it.

Ashoro checks the time. "I should get home. If you have more issues with the translator, call me."

54

"I will," Mirja promises.

Ashoro salutes lazily as she leaves the café.

Mirja drums her fingers along the counter. No one's coming into the café, not that Mirja really expects anyone to. Customers normally die down around this time. She might even close the café and start focusing on getting ready for that night at the bar. Perhaps she'll open early, to maximize profit.

Perhaps, Mirja thinks as she gently thunks her head down on the counter with a groan, she'll stop thinking about Ashoro for five seconds and actually get some work done.

Mirja's crush on Ashoro isn't anything new. She's been attracted to her since they first met. But it's never been this bad. Mirja blames the damn translator. Since it's started breaking down, she's had to see Ashoro more often. With each time, her crush deepens. So long as the translator keeps malfunctioning, Ashoro will keep coming regularly and Mirja will continue to drown in her crush.

She could tell her. Mirja is very aware of that possibility, especially when she sees Ashoro do something particularly crush-worthy. But she also knows that Ashoro's species can be weird about dating. Ashoro has told her a few things and Mirja has looked up a few others. For example, dating outside the species is frowned upon. Most of Ashoro's kind enter relationships for the sake of procreation. Mirja is a woman and a different species; that's two marks against her in that regard.

Ashoro has never mentioned wanting children, but as far as Mirja knows, that's how her species typically works.

Then again, Ashoro is different from her species in many ways. It's a side effect of being raised on a core planet. Mirja is the same way. Her people have many traditions she doesn't follow, since she wasn't raised among them. As far as Mirja knows, Ashoro has visited the planet of her species twice. Perhaps she feels differently about relationships than they do.

Mirja could risk it. It could work out perfectly. Or Ashoro might also be horribly offended at the mere idea and swear never to see Mirja again. There's really no way to tell. Mirja would rather not take the risk.

A customer walks into the café, forcing Mirja to think about something other than Ashoro. She uses the distraction as an opportunity. She's obsessing over Ashoro when there are things that need to be done. Sitting around dwelling on a crush won't help with any of them.

Mirja throws herself into whatever work she can find. She gets all of the bottles of various alcohols lined up on the counter, preparing for when she opens the bar. She cleans up everything she's had out for the café that she won't need for the bar.

Then the goddamn power goes out again.

Mirja fumbles for her flashlight, flicking it on. It's battery powered, so the power outage doesn't affect it. It illuminates the room as Mirja looks for her phone. Hopefully, it'll work.

It doesn't, of course. Mirja should have known better. The communication towers are connected to the electricity; without power, the phones don't work either. She crosses her arms. She wishes

55

Ashoro could be here, like she was earlier, but she's probably already home. Mirja's going to have to wait alone in the dark for a while.

Power outages like this aren't common. To have two in one day is strange. Mirja frowns. She doesn't know what the problem is, but she doesn't like it. She can only hope that things get sorted out.

There's a tap at Mirja's door. She swings the flashlight over and sees Ashoro standing outside, waving.

"I thought you'd be home by now!" Mirja says as she opens the door to let Ashoro in.

"Didn't get far before the power went out," Ashoro replies, closing the door behind her. "I figured I'd turn around and keep you company. This is weird."

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that. We haven't had a blackout in years, and now two in one day?"

"It is weird," Ashoro agrees. "Do you want me to see if I can fix that generator I was working on earlier? I think I might almost have it."

"Aren't you going to the power station?" Mirja asks. "They could probably use your help."

Ashoro shrugs. "It's not my shift. I'd rather stay here with you anyway."

"Oh." Mirja can't deny that she's pleased. "Do you want a cookie while you work? I've got a bunch that didn't sell earlier."

"Don't mind if I do," Ashoro replies with a grin.

Mirja puts a plate of cookies within Ashoro's reach and settles down to watch her work. "That generator's even older than my translator," she remarks.

Ashoro grins. "I can tell." The generator makes an angry fizzling noise as Ashoro pulls on a wire.

Mirja jumps. "It's okay," Ashoro says quickly. "Nothing's wrong. It's supposed to do that. Maybe."

"I'm not feeling particularly convinced," Mirja replies, amusement in her voice. "Are you sure this isn't a problem?"

"I'm not sure the generator can be fixed," Ashoro admits. "It's in pretty bad shape. Some bits are completely rusted."

"I haven't used it in almost six years. Just come over and sit with me. The generator is probably beyond help."

"Are you going to get a new one?" Ashoro asks as she settles into the booth, grabbing a cookie and taking a bite.

"I can't afford a translator," Mirja replies with a snort. "How am I supposed to afford a generator?

Anyway, I barely use it."

"How close are you being able to afford a new translator?"

"A month or so out. Maybe less. Maybe more, if we keep having power outages." Mirja takes a

56

cookie of her own. "I bet you'll be glad when I finally get a new translator."

"Why?" Ashoro asks.

Mirja frowns. "So you don't have to come back and fix the old one all the time. It's got to be a pain."

"I don't really mind," Ashoro admits. "I like coming to visit you."

"You can still come visit." Ashoro smiles and Mirja feels her heart twist strangely in her chest. "Do you want a drink?" she blurts out.

"Oh." Ashoro looks surprised at the sudden change in subject. "Sure." Mirja busies herself at the counter, getting out a nice bottle of pomegranate wine. "Ooh, we get a fancy drink?" Ashoro asks eagerly when Mirja returns with the bottle and two glasses.

"It's just been collecting dust behind my counter," Mirja replies, popping off the cork and pouring some wine into each of the two wine glasses. "Enjoy."

Ashoro picks up her glass and takes a long sip of the wine. "I meant what I said, you know. About liking visiting you."

"I like visiting you too," Mirja replies, swirling her wine in her glass. "I meant what I said as well.

Come by any time."

"Really?" Ashoro asks, looking dubious.

"I'm always open for friends," Mirja replies nonchalantly, taking a sip from her glass.

Ashoro grins into her own glass. "I'm glad to hear it."

The camaraderie between the two is palpable, sitting there in the dark cafĂŠ. The only light they have is from the flashlight, but both Mirja and Ashoro are nocturnal, so darkness isn't exactly a problem for either of them.

"This is nice," Ashoro says quietly. "We should do this more often."

"We should," Mirja agrees. She dares to slide her hand over to Ashoro's‌ and Ashoro takes it.

Mirja takes a sip of her wine, smiling. Ashoro leans her head on Mirja's shoulder. Mirja barely dares to breathe. This is the perfect moment. She could sit here with Ashoro in the dimly-lit booth forever and not want to change a thing.

Then, with a flicker, the power comes back on.

Ashoro sits upright, looking around, while Mirja mourns the loss of her warmth. "Seems like they've got the power fixed up," she remarks.

"Seems like they have," Mirja replies, running her finger along the top of her glass. Ashoro's going to leave now, of course; she probably wants to get back home. Mirja picks up the glass, downing the wine that's left.

Ashoro gives Mirja a tentative smile. "Should we have a celebratory kiss?"

Mirja almost drops her glass. "What?"

57

"Just an idea." Ashoro quickly looks away. "If you want to."

"Do you want to?" Mirja asks.

Ashoro grins. "I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise," she replies, leaning forward. Mirja lunges forward to meet her. Their teeth click together as they kiss, inelegantly and messily. Ashoro twists one of her hands in Mirja's hair and angles her head properly to make the kiss work a bit better.

When Mirja finally pulls away, she looks at Ashoro with wide eyes.

"I thought... With the traditions of your species..."

"You know I'm not traditional," Ashoro replies with a grin, and she leans in for another kiss.

***

The translators are offline again.

This time, Mirja doesn't need to call Ashoro. All she has to do is make eye contact with her across the room and jerk her head subtly at the back room. Ashoro's already on her way over. Mirja turns to the next customer, answering them in the scraps of their language she speaks, and waits for Ashoro to return.

A moment later, she does, going up behind Mirja and nestling her head on Mirja's shoulder. "I got it working again, but we really need a new translator."

"We can almost afford it." Mirja kisses the side of Ashoro's head. "If you want to be able to get one sooner, make yourself useful."

"Yes, ma'am," Ashoro replies, saluting playfully as she goes to the other end of the bar to mix drinks.

When the bar finally closes for the night, Mirja's exhausted. Ashoro ducked out early, as she worked a long shift before coming to help out at the bar. Mirja locks up and goes upstairs. Ashoro's lying in their bed, still awake.

"I've been waiting for you," she tells Mirja drowsily.

"I had to finish up downstairs." Mirja gets changed and crawls into bed next to Ashoro. "It was a long day."

"Tell me about it," Ashoro groans. She lies her head down on Mirja's chest. "We should take a few days off."

"Then how are we going to be able to afford that new translator?" Mirja counters.

Ashoro sighs. "Fine. Once we have enough, we should take a few days off. What do you think?"

Mirja grins. "I think a vacation would be lovely," she replies. "What were you thinking we do? We could visit somewhere."

58

"Or we could stay right here in your bed," Ashoro counters, kissing Mirja lazily. Mirja moans softly against her lips.

"That works too," she agrees breathlessly when Ashoro pulls back. "I think that's a better idea."

"How long until we have enough saved?"

Mirja shrugs. "A week, perhaps?"

"So in a week, we'll be on vacation," Ashoro says with satisfaction. "Probably."

"I love you," Mirja murmurs. She has an arm around Ashoro and can feel her heartbeat in her lower back. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." Ashoro nestles closer to Mirja. Her tentacles curl around Mirja's legs, and all four of her arms wrap around Mirja's torso.

"Goodnight," Mirja says to Ashoro quietly. Ashoro grins, burying her face in Mirja's chest.

"Goodnight," she replies.

The stars twinkle as they fall asleep.

59

Pico’s Crush (Carol Van Natta) Release date: January 1, 2016 Publisher: Chavanch Press Formats: Ebook (Amazon, Kobo, Nook, iTunes, Google Play) Price: $3.99 Links: Author’s website – Amazon – Kobo

Chapter 1 * Planet: Nila Marbela * GDAT 3241.142 * For paradise, it sure as hell rained a lot.

Jerzi hunched his shoulders forward and tried to keep the warm, torrential rain from drenching every square centimeter of his new corporate suit as he half ran toward the huge, rounded entrance to the lecture space in the Optimal Polytechnic Chemistry building. It was supposedly the tallest building of the four clustered on the anchored ovoid disc that made up this part of the famous floating campus, but he couldn’t see anything but gray shapes. The only available parking for his flitter had been on the east end of the floater, on top of the Materials Science building.

The wind drove the drumbeat of rain in waves of white noise. The remnants of the late-season typhoon hadn’t been expected to extend so far west, and he hadn’t brought rain gear. The permaturf walkway was so waterlogged, it felt like slogging through a shallow swamp. He was glad he’d fished his all-terrain boots out of his luggage, even if they didn’t go with the corporate look.

A quick glance at the building name above the oversized, half-round doorway confirmed he was finally in the right place. The doors irised open on his approach, and he hurried through them. He was immediately assaulted by a wave of sound even louder than the rain.

The student event was supposed to have been held outside in the central commons area, where everyone could enjoy the famous tropical ambiance that drew students like a magnet to the city of Tremplin and the O-Poly University. The unexpected rain had forced the school to move the exhibits and scientific demonstrations for visiting parents and sponsors into the lecture hall. It was a frenetic bazaar of human voices and whirling technology, of chaotic motion, and bright kaleidoscopes of clashing colors demanding attention. Display tables were jammed into haphazard clusters with no obvious order. Despite the heat and humidity, or because of it, he detected whiffs of smoke and chemicals, from sulfur to cloying citrus and everything in between. Easily several hundred people were squeezed into a space intended to hold maybe half that.

Somehow, despite the oppressive din, he heard his daughter Pico’s voice.

60

“Dad! Dad!” From the swell of humanity, a petite figure emerged and ran up the wide ramp toward him, waving. She was wearing a sleeveless, fitted white-and-red jumpsuit and matching boots, reminiscent of a combat mech-suit liner, and her midnight-blue hair with silver tips was in pigtails, but he’d know her energetic grace and wide smile anywhere. “You found us!”

He grinned and started to open his arms, then changed his mind and stepped back. “You’ll get wet.

I’m soaked.”

She laughed and threw herself heedlessly into his embrace, squeezing tightly. “We’re all wet. The rain surprised everyone. That’s why they made us move everything in here.” She pulled away and grabbed his hand. “Come on, the solars are over here. Nice suit, by the way. Earrings, too.” Turning back to the pandemonium, she shouted, “Valenia! He’s here!” Several people turned to look. Her voice was surprisingly loud for someone who looked so dainty.

Pico led him into an alcove that had a bank of a dozen solardry units. He tapped the control panel, and the unit began evaporating away the moisture at an alarming rate. It was airfoil-loud and too warm, but it was efficient. He smoothed his hair so it would dry flat. Pico crowded close, using the edge of the field to dry the front of her. The industrial-strength solardries made sense, considering Nila Marbela was a watery planet and the sprawling O-Poly campuses were on natural islands and man-made floaters in the equatorial zone.

The dry cycle finished just as Pico’s roommate and best friend, Valenia Tamheurre, joined them.

She was a head taller than Pico, and dressed like a fashion designer’s prototype tester, all rippling pastel pink ruffles and winking fairy lights, but Jerzi knew she had a good brain hiding under her poof of pomegranate red, waved hair. She was carrying a cheap, nova-bright orange umbrella, the kind tourists bought as souvenirs.

He greeted Valenia, then put his arm around Pico’s slender shoulders. “Did I miss your team’s presentation?” He knew she’d collaborated with several other students for their exhibit, but she’d been secretive about the details. He’d missed too many of the milestones in her life.

“Yeah,” Pico said, “but so did everyone else.” She sighed disgustedly. “Apparently, there’s a rule against launching rockets in the lecture hall.”

Jerzi tried to keep a straight face. “How shortsighted of them not to have designed the space for such harmless activities.”

Valenia laughed. “That’s what Professor De Luna said, except I think she used the words ‘crazy stunts.’” She glanced at the huge, ornate clock on the wall. “I’ll be late if I don’t leave now, and the kid pawners will complain. It was nice to see you again, Mr. Adams.” Her precise diction and accent-free Standard English were a credit to her private education, because he knew her wealthy family’s primary language was Afro-French.

“I’ll be there at six,” said Pico. “I’ll bring your long coat if it’s still raining.”

“You’re the best friend ever,” said Valenia with a smile. She took a deep breath, powered the umbrella to full, then headed out through the door and into the rain. He hoped her umbrella lasted longer than his had.

He frowned as the doors irised closed. “Maybe I should go with her.”

Pico shook her head. “It’s daylight, and she’s just going to the other end of the floater. She’d have asked if she wanted company.”

She grabbed his hand again and started leading him down the ramp into the crowded hall. He was comforted by her easy affection. It had been a lonely nine months only seeing her on delayed holo.

“Kid pawners?” he asked, raising his voice to be heard over the sudden rising whine of a miniature toroidal engine, fortunately tethered.

61

She veered closer so he could hear her. “At the childcare where Valenia volunteers, some parents drop their kids off like they’re boats to be docked. She calls them ‘kid pawners’ because they’re always pawning their kids off on someone else.”

Jerzi hid a wince. Dhorya, Pico’s mother, had accused him of that more than once. His military service as a ground-pounder gunnin and civilian private security career had kept him away, leaving Pico and Dhorya alone to deal with her nasty Sankirna family for long periods. He and Dhorya had both been too young and so very naïve about what it would take to raise a child, even one as remarkable as Pico.

“Hey, P.A.!” A slender young man whose hair and skin were so pale, he was nearly albino waved his arms frantically. “We got the Decas-Yee reaction to work above three hundred K and in full G!” He pointed to a floating holo display. “We already won a POGS prize. Do come see!” His accent said he’d been raised on Albion Prime, or close to it. Few could outdo the exclusive planet for overthe-top pretentiousness.

Pico smiled but didn’t stop plowing forward through the crowds. “Can’t, Sully. Places to be, rockets to launch. I’ll see it later.”

“We could stop…” began Jerzi.

Pico shook her head and increased her pace. “No, or we’d be there the rest of the afternoon. Let’s find Professor De Luna, then see if she’ll let us escape this madhouse.”

Jerzi couldn’t agree more. Even though he had plenty of experience with crowds, he didn’t care for them. Give him a nice, high vantage point above the fray any day, like the almost invisible ledge high on the north wall. Probably a support for the room’s audiovisual functions, though he couldn’t see where to access it.

He had no idea how Pico, who took after her short, slender mother of Asian descent, could see where she was going, but she’d always had a superb sense of space. She’d never gotten lost, even when she was a child, barely able to walk. He was content to follow, using his larger physique to help part the crowds for her. He saw almost nothing of himself in his daughter’s appearance, but they thought very much alike. She was a lot smarter than he was, though, enough to get into a prestigious school on a scholarship. If it hadn’t been for the military, he’d have no advanced education at all.

As they rounded a table with a clump of chattering students gathered around it, he saw a flutter of a holo displaying a green and gold prize seal, like the one Sully had been bragging about. “What’s a POGS prize?”

The crowd thinned for a bit, and Jerzi consciously relaxed his shoulders. It was hard to remember he wasn’t there to provide personal security for a public figure. He was just on vacation, visiting his kid. Adult kid, he reminded himself.

“POGS stands for Parents, Obligates, Guardians, and Sponsors.” She gave him a cheeky grin and squeezed his hand. “Since you’re a ‘P,’ I’ll send you the ping ref so you can vote for my team’s excellent project.”

He started to tell her to send the code to her mother, too, but thought better of it. Pico didn’t like the reminder that Sankirna money was the only reason she could afford to share an apartment near campus and eat without needing a food service job. It didn’t thrill him, either.

“The POGS prize is mostly a popularity contest, and faculty votes get extra weight.” She pointed a thumb back over her shoulder. “Sully sounds rich, but he isn’t, he’s just brainy. His experiment partner’s family is name-on-a-building rich, and she’s brainy enough to let Sully do the work.

Funnily enough, they win something every time her family makes an appearance.”

62

Jerzi detected a bit of defensiveness in her tone. “Scholarship students don’t win very often, I take it.” She shrugged a shoulder as if she didn’t care.

He assumed a mock enforcer look as he leaned in and whispered, in his best heavily menacing Slavic accent, “Tell me who is in your way. Zajmę się tym.” He flexed his arm and shoulder muscles, as if he was the evil crew enforcer in a thriller.

Pico snorted with amusement. “I’m pretty sure the school has a rule against ‘taking care of it.’”

Jerzi crossed his arms, pushing out his triceps with his fists, then shrugged with elaborate carelessness. “Accidents happen.”

Pico put her small hands around his left biceps and kneaded, a throwback to when she was a child and fascinated by his well-developed upper arm muscles. “I miss you. I’m glad you could come.”

“Me, too.” They edged around a group of people standing in front of another student table. It felt like they were going in circles. “Are we there yet?”

She rolled her eyes. “Creaky, Dad.” “Wait until you have children,” he said archly.

Pico grabbed his wrist and pulled him around more tables. He found himself cataloging the distance and paths to the nearest exits out of habit, and sternly told himself to stand down. He really needed to get a life outside of security work and time at the gym.

Finally, Pico stepped up to a table pushed up against a two-meter wide, square pillar.

“Voilà!” She opened her arms at a wide diagonal, presenting the display, entitled “Domestic Launch.” The carefully arranged items looked like they’d been salvaged from the recycle bin, but he realized after a moment that was the whole point. Everything on the table was commonly found around the house, but combined correctly, made an effective propellant for the rocket, which was a simple sink hose caged with rigid screen mesh, with a flat-bottomed cone for a fuel chamber and a standard wirekey for ignition energy. The direction was controlled by adapter wings from a child’s rocket ship toy, and didn’t rely on anything with motors or anti-grav tech.

“It’s really clever. How did you come up with it?”

“The projects on the ‘recommended’ list were boring, but none of us could afford to buy the materials for something more fun. We kind of made this up as we went along.”

A pretty, dark-skinned woman approached Pico from the other side. “Ms. Adams, have you seen… oh, pardon the interruption.” She smiled at Jerzi. “I’m Professor Chandravarthi, in the Chemistry Department.” She pointed to the temporary nameplate pinned to the shoulder of her sleeveless, multicolored top that stopped at her flat midriff and gave a slight bow, then turned to Pico. “Do you know where Ravlenko’s and Bando’s teams ended up?”

Pico started to point, but was interrupted by what sounded like an overstressed teakettle and a flurry of conflicting orders. It sounded close.

“Kill the power!”

“Flood the chamber!”

“Duck!”

Jerzi stepped closer to Pico and put himself between her and the noise. The earsplitting, rising pitch whistle abruptly cut off. He waited for an explosion, but none came. A cloud of bluish smoke billowed out and dissipated. After a tense moment, everyone nearby seemed to relax.

Chandravarthi heaved a melodramatic sigh. “Mr. Ravlenko’s team, I presume.” She set off toward where the noise had come from, muttering darkly as she left. “Everything will be fine inside, they

63

said. Mustn’t disappoint the POGS, they said.”

Pico poked his chest twice. “Hovering.”

“Sorry,” he said, backing up, but he wasn’t, really. Protecting her was in his DNA. A frown crossed her face as she ducked away, but it quickly transformed into a smile. “Professor De Luna! Come meet my dad.”

Jerzi turned to see the famous professor of materials science who had inspired Pico to declare a study focus for her certificate. The woman was a little taller than mid-height, conservatively dressed in a long-sleeved, high-necked, dark jacket with half-tails, and her dark hair was scraped back away from her striking face. If she wore makeup on her light brown skin, it was subtle. She seemed familiar, somehow.

“Professor Andreina De Luna, this is my dad…”

“Commander Crush,” she said with a lopsided smile. “It’s a small galaxy.”

It was the use of his old unit nickname and her soft Spanish accent that finally sparked his memory.

“Subcaptain Lightning. It certainly is.” Delight bloomed in him, and he grinned and held out a fist to her, thumb up. She bumped his knuckles twice with a fist of her own, once straight up and once turned sideways.

Pico looked back and forth at them, owl-eyed. “You know each other?”

Andra nodded. “Five years together as gunnin in the CGC Ground Division, Command’s Forward Intelligence Unit Zulu Six Echo.” She winked at him. “Your father was the best sniper we ever had.”

Jerzi felt himself redden, as if he was suddenly twelve years old. He ducked his head to hide it.

“Thanks.”

He looked at her more closely, trying to reconcile the brash, volatile, very unconventional officer he’d known in the military with the sedate, contained woman in front of him. She was the picture of a dedicated academic, though her straight pants didn’t quite hide her muscular legs, and he suspected her shoes were more practical than they looked.

She’d apparently been thinking along the same lines. “You sure clean up good, Adams. Nice suit.

Must have given the designer fits with all those extra muscles.” She winked at Pico, who smirked back.

He had no idea why women were interested in what he wore, but no way in hell was he getting into a discussion about clothes. “Materials science, huh? That’s what they’re calling boom-down these days?”

Andra’s eyebrow twitched. “Claro que sí. Of course. Sounds more dignified in the college brochure.”

“What’s boom-down?” asked Pico.

“Munitions. Explosions,” said Jerzi.

“Just a flyby to see your daughter, Commander?”

“Visit and a short vacation. It’d be longer if it wasn’t seven transit days from–” “And who do we have here?” The resonant voice came from behind him. He turned to see a tall, very sharply dressed man with a wide, professional smile that almost reached his brilliant green eyes. He looked to be in his late fifties, though if he followed regular health maintenance protocols and good body-shop work, he could be twice that age. His face was too thin to be called handsome, but his tanned skin was as perfect as his full head of wavy blond hair, tasteful ear jewelry, and skin

64

art in geometric ovals.

The man caressed the gold, glowing nametag on his chest pocket. “Master Benedar Vestering, Department Leader for Materials Science.” His naturally rich voice rang with pride bordering on condescension.

“Adams.” He tilted his head toward Pico and gave her a quick smile. “Peregrine Adams is my daughter.”

Vestering’s smile faltered as he stared at Jerzi. “You’re not, eh, that is, you don’t look like a Sankirna.” There was a hint of accusation in the tone.

Jerzi felt his face freeze. “No. Were you expecting one?” Surely Pico would have told him, but maybe she didn’t know about it.

“Oh, no,” said Vestering, brushing invisible lint off his tunic hem. “I just happened to see a tuition transfer this morning for a Peregrine Adams from a Sankirna account. It’s an unusual name.” He looked down at Pico as if seeing her for the first time.

Jerzi felt Pico’s hand slip into the crook of his elbow, causing him to automatically fold his arm to support her. “Chodźmy, tato. Coś jest śmierdzący tutaj.”

She was rarely that overtly insulting, so she apparently knew Vestering didn’t understand Polish.

While it was true that something was stinking, Jerzi didn’t want to encourage her rudeness.

Vestering’s professional smile returned. “Such an expressive language, Russian.”

Jerzi patted Pico’s hand and smiled indulgently. “Yes,” he said, “it certainly is.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Andra cover her mouth and turn her head away to cough. He remembered she’d always been good with languages.

Vestering might not speak Polish or Russian, but he appeared to suspect they weren’t being respectful, even if he couldn’t pinpoint the specific offense. His disgruntled gaze landed on Andra.

“I don’t care how popular your Practical Applications class is, it’s not rigorous educational practice.” He waved an arm toward the improvised rocket display. “Encouraging this kind of childish nonsense isn’t preparing your students for anything but a career in a shady jack crew.”

Jerzi wondered if Vestering thought there were aboveboard jack crews that engaged in punching and hauling cargo from space stations and interstellar freighters.

Pico let go of Jerzi’s arm to step closer to Andra, then gave Vestering her best wide-eyed, innocent look. “Really? Will they have a booth on recruiting day? I’m told they pay very well.”

A couple of nearby students tittered. They looked away fast when Vestering shot them a glare.

He frowned at Pico, clearly not sure if she was needling him or if she was really that naïve. Her petite frame and doll-like features often caused people to underestimate her. He opened his mouth, then closed it as he glanced at Jerzi, finally recognizing he’d either look like an idiot or a bully if he engaged. He turned to Andra. “I’ll be at the presenters’ station, if anyone important is looking for me.”

He straightened his nameplate and brushed his tunic flat, then smiled and waded into the crowd.

Andra sighed and put her hand on Pico’s shoulder. “You shouldn’t have baited him. Now that he knows who you are, he could make your life difficult in a hundred little ways.”

Jerzi wanted to chime in and agree with Andra, but held his tongue. Pico was adult enough to make her own decisions, and only experience would teach her how to pick her battles. A lecture from him wouldn’t change anything. Besides, he wasn’t exactly innocent.

Pico looked briefly mutinous, then sighed loudly. “Point taken.”

65

Jerzi wished he could take credit for her mature behavior, but she’d always been a good kid, even at her most rebellious. He was grateful she respected Andra enough to learn from her.

“I was hoping to find the rest of your team,” said Andra. “I’d like to reschedule the launch next week.”

Pico looked around and shrugged.

A young woman with shaded, sea-green hair and pearlescent blue skin appeared from around the pillar. “Hey, Pico, did you hear when Ravlenko’s phase gate failed?” She slowed to a more sedate pace when she saw Andra. “Heyo, Professor D.” Her tight sarong dress and elevated sandals were glowing. She looked like she was in costume as an alien sea creature, complete with what may have been gill slits on her neck and upper chest and actual webbing between her fingers. He’d heard about the “native” body mods that were all the rage on Nila Marbela, designed to make people look as if they’d evolved locally, instead of settling on it like every other terraformed planet in the Concordance. She was the first he’d seen up close.

Andra nodded. “Ms. Grien.”

Grien leaned in toward Pico, as if speaking confidentially, but didn’t lower her voice. “Their mix chamber nearly launched itself through the east wall. Bet he’s sorry he didn’t get you to check his calcs this morning. Now that whole area stinks, like they all ate at the Death Court.”

Pico shook her head. “Anyone could have checked his calcs.”

Grien snorted. “Yeah, but it would have taken them two days with a math AI to do it.”

Pico frowned and dropped her gaze. “‘Death Court’?” asked Jerzi, nudging Pico’s shoulder with his arm.

“Food court.” She pointed vaguely toward the west. “Replicators, pouches, junk food, failed experiments from the Chem lab.”

Andra smiled. “So, Jerzi, what are you doing with yourself these days?”

Jerzi smiled back. “I’m in the Personal Security Division of La Plata Security and Investigations, in Etonver on Rekoria.”

He didn’t expect her to recognize the company. A lot of larger security firms had their headquarters in Etonver because of its anything-goes policies for buying and carrying weapons, and its hundreds of martial arts studios that made it an attractive home base for mercenary companies.

“He’s the assistant director,” said Pico. He was warmed by her pride, but he wished she hadn’t mentioned it. Providing bodyguards and security drivers for celebrities and visiting dignitaries wasn’t nearly as impressive as the title implied.

Recognition dawned on Andra’s face. “La Plata. Isn’t that where Dom DeBayaud went after he got out? Is he still there, too? And is he still cohabbed with that crazy woman?”

Jerzi shook his head. “No, he died in an accident about four years ago.” It had been much more complicated than that, and had nearly cost Jerzi and his friends Luka Foxe and Mairwen Morganthur their lives, but “accident” was the official public version the lawyers agreed to.

“Dad just got promoted,” added Pico.

Jerzi tilted his head toward her and smiled. “My publicist.”

Grien, who had been fussing with something under the table, stood and put her arm around Pico’s shoulders. She turned wheedling eyes on Andra. “Can we start packing up? Since we can’t launch or anything?” Pico followed Grien’s lead and did her best to look pitiful, but her mouth quavered as she fought off a smile.

66

Andra shook her head regretfully. “That will be up to Department Leader Vestering.”

Jerzi gave Andra a questioning look, but she shook her head minutely, meaning she didn’t want to discuss it then. Funny how with some people, unspoken connections were never lost, just paused.

He’d missed that.

Grien made a disappointed whimper and sat on the edge of the table. She took off one of her sandals and stretched her blue toes, which were webbed like her fingers.

A sudden, sharp percussion of an explosion echoed in the lecture hall, accompanied by a vibration through the springy silcrete floor. A second, deeper explosion followed, shaking the floor and walls, accompanied by the sounds of things falling off tables.

Grien scrambled up from the skittering table, bouncing one-legged as she tried to put on her sandal.

“What the hell?”

Jerzi got a whiff of acrid smoke and looked around, then up. Smoke was pouring from the high ceiling vents on the western wall.

Fire-suppression spray triggered, covering everything in a fine, powdery mist, but the smoke kept coming. A distant stuttering alarm began to sound.

“Fire!” someone yelled. Panic spread, and the crowd started to move. It was going to get ugly, fast.

-- -- --

67

Rege’s Rescue (Dena Garson) Release Date: June 3, 2016 Publisher: Dena Garson Format: Mobi, Epub, Pdf, print coming soon Links: Amazon – iBooks – Author's website

Chapter One Rege Rovnitov’s instincts went on high alert as soon as his boot crossed the shop’s threshold.

Even over the heavy scent of leather, he detected burned ozone. A weapon had been fired. Debris scattered on the floor and countertop said there had been a struggle.

He pulled his own weapon from its holster at his back and edged farther into Tauxir’s store. There were no patrons inside and he hadn’t seen anyone leaving. This part of the city drew rough clientele, but Tauxir had a solid reputation for being an honest businessman as well as being a man you didn’t want to fuck with.

Whoever decided to take something of Tauxir’s must have a death wish.

Rege grinned. Maybe this day wouldn’t be a waste after all.

Using all of his senses to piece together what had happened he moved deeper into the store.

A roar followed by a crash came from the backroom. He leapt over an overturned stool and cleared the last steps to the doorway in one bound.

Yanking the curtain aside, he leveled his gun’s laser sight on the first thing that moved.

His entrance was met by one pissed off and bloodied leatherworker. Tauxir held a similar gun and Rege suspected Tauxir’s laser was aimed right at his heart.

“You okay?” Rege asked without relaxing his stance.

68

Tauxir’s jaw flexed as if still debating whether or not to fire. “No,” he finally ground out between clenched teeth.

Rege glanced around the room to make sure there were no threats. “What happened?”

Tauxir lowered his gun and spit. “Slavers.”

Rege also lowered his weapon but didn’t holster it. “What did they want with you?”

Pain flashed in Tauxir’s eyes. “Amethe.”

Son of a bitch. Tauxir’s daughter. “They took her?”

He nodded once then pulled a wicked knife from underneath his worktable and pushed it into a sheath.

“How long has she been back?”

“Two nights.” Tauxir strapped the knife to his thigh then grabbed two more and slipped those in their respective places.

Rege pushed the button on the communicator wrapped around his ear.

“Call Bolan.”

Tauxir half limped, half dragged himself toward the stairs. Thinking he might need help getting upstairs, Rege closed in.

Tauxir leaned against the wall and slid a concealed panel aside. He entered a code which activated a small door at their feet below the stairs. Even from where he stood, Rege could see the impressive collection of weapons.

“Yeah,” Bolan’s terse answer finally came through Rege’s earpiece.

“Grab Vordol and Malir and get to Tauxir’s. We’ve got a situation.”

“Be there in ten.” No complaints, no unnecessary questions. That was the beauty of the brotherhood. Always there for each other no matter what.

“Not your problem,” Tauxir said gruffly without looking up from his stash of weapons.

“You’re a brother. If you’ve got a problem, we all have a problem. You know that.”

He finally looked up. “I retired from the Brotherhood more than a decade ago. I’m not about to bring my problems to any of your doors. The Brotherhood has enough to deal with.”

Rege crossed the room and put one hand on Tauxir’s shoulder. “You may not run missions any more but you contribute to the cause as much as any of us.”

Tauxir snorted. “What? By passing info?” He pulled a high powered gun from the stash that Rege would have given his right nut to possess.

“Your intel has saved hundreds of lives. And more than one Brother owes you his life or limb because of your armor.”

“Doesn’t make this your problem.” He pulled several clips from a drawer inside the secret space then stood. “I’ll bring my daughter home.” Even as he

69

said it, he swayed and crumpled to one knee.

Rege reached to help him but Tauxir brushed him off. Knowing how obstinate Tauxir could be he grabbed a handful of Tauxir’s shirt and dragged him to a nearby chair.

“We don’t have time for stubbornness. Tell me what you know and I’ll track them.”

Tauxir shook off his grip and tried to stand. “I’m going.”

Rege pushed him back into the chair. “I’m the best tracker around and you’re in no shape to chase after anyone. Based on the angle of your leg, I’m betting it’s broke. Now tell me what you know.”

“She’s my daughter.” Tauxir tried to shove him away and stand but he only succeeded in proving Rege’s point.

“Enough! You’re being hard headed and wasting precious time. Tell me what you saw.”

Tauxir hung his head. “There were three. They took what coins I had in the lockbox and a few pieces of merchandise. They tried to make it look random, but they were looking for her.” Anger and frustration burned in his eyes.

“They knew Amethe was here.” He shook his head. “She fought them. So did I but as soon as they put a laser blade against her throat I was done.”

“You did what you had to do.” Rege tried to reassure him but knew his words would mean little. “What did they look like?”

“All three of them were big. One thinner than the other two but still packed a solid punch.” Tauxir absently rubbed a place on his chin. “One had the mark of the slavers on his neck. The other had one on the top of his hand. Based on the leader’s accent I’d say he came from the Omega Tori system.” He tried to get up again but Rege pushed him down again.

“Vordol and Malir will be here soon. They’ll make sure you’re patched up.”

He gripped Tauxir’s shoulder until Tauxir looked him in the eye. “I will find her.”

Tauxir nodded once. He didn’t say a word but his eyes spoke volumes about the fear and gratitude he must have felt. “Here. Take this.” He pushed the weapon he’d pulled from the vault into Rege’s hand. “Your new jacket is ready.” He pointed to the corner where several garments hung from a peg that jutted out from the wall. “Take it and anything else you need. On the house.

Just bring her home to me.”

“You have my word.”

Rege gathered the few things he needed and made his way out into the nearly deserted street. Word of the slavers being in the area didn’t take long to get around. Odds were even if anyone saw Amethe being dragged out of the shop they wouldn’t report it. No one wanted to attract the slavers’ attention.

First order of business was to find tracks. If he got really lucky he might find them before they skipped off the planet.

He found several sets of heavier boot prints that led in and out of the shop.

Unfortunately, they became jumbled in the street and quickly ran out. At the

70

corner the prints disappeared altogether. Odds were good they had gotten into some kind of transport unit there.

Using his communicator, he buzzed Solir. “You guys stop for lunch or what?”

“We’re coming in from the rear. What’s going down?” Solir asked.

“Tauxir was attacked. His daughter was taken. He thinks Slavers were behind the attack.”

Solir gave a low whistle. “Damn. I’m not sure who to feel sorry for, his daughter or the Slavers after Tauxir gets his hands on them.”

“He’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Looked like they broke his leg and knocked him for a loop. He’s going to need medic.”

Solir relayed the message to Bolan and the others with him. “I assume the shop is clear?”

“It was when I left. You might want to announce yourself when you go in.

Tauxir is pissed enough that he’s likely to shoot first and ask questions later.”

“Got it. You tracking them?”

“Yes, but not having much luck yet. See if you can pull any footage from the corner outside of Tauxir’s shop as well as the one farther east. I think they had a transport there.”

“I’ll pull it as soon as I link in at Tauxir’s place.”

“Find out if he has a recent picture or vid of Amethe. Meanwhile I’m going to look for Queeler.”

Solir snorted. “Good luck with that one. He’s hard to understand on a good day.”

“No shit but no one knows more about what goes on in this town than him.”

“Like I said, good luck. We’re going in to get Tauxir. Buzz if you find anything.”

“Will do.”

“Watch your back, man.”

“Always.”

Chapter 2 Amethe waited until the door clicked shut before she got up from where she had been huddled in the corner.

She’d put on quite the show. Apparently living and working with stage actors and actresses had been worthwhile after all. Seemed to have fooled her captors into thinking she was just a weepy, fragile ball of fluff. Of course, that had been easy to pull off after waking up in a box the size of a coffin.

Being in such a confined space had sent her into a very real panic. At least she’d managed to get it under control before they’d drugged her again. Since

71

then she turned on the waterworks anytime they came near her. Apparently it was universal that most grown men don’t know what to do when a woman cries.

She tiptoed to the door and checked the lock. Unfortunately, they had remembered to engage it.

No matter. She could pick any lock, manual or electronic. She just needed a hair pin and a little time.

Time was the issue. She pulled a pin from her hair, ignored the wayward tendrils that fell onto her neck, and went to work on the door. In less than a minute she heard the satisfying click as the lock mechanism turned over.

She replaced the pin in her hair, dusted off her pants from where she’d been kneeling on the grimy floor and pressed her ear to the cool metal surface. When she didn’t hear anything, she slowly turned the handle and pulled the door open enough to peer out.

She couldn’t estimate the age of the building since she wasn’t certain which space port they’d stopped at. Everything smelled stale but she wasn’t sure if it were due to age or the warm, humid air that clung to her skin. Then again, it could be due to the questionable film that coated everything.

Oddly, she found no guards outside her door. She pulled the door open further and poked her head out. All she could see in both directions was a carpeted hallway and a few flickering lights. Unwilling to chance anyone coming back, she slipped through the doorway and quietly pulled the door closed behind her. Since they had come in from the right, she opted to see where the left might take her.

Moving as silent as possible, she listened at a couple of doors but heard nothing but snores and the occasional sound of squeaking bedsprings. At the end of the passage she found a staircase. The door to it had been secured by an electronic lock making it more difficult to access without the proper tools.

As she debated whether or not she had time to hack the lock, she heard an unusual swish of air behind her and the clang of metal.

She turned and found a pull down door built into the wall. Curious what it could be, yet seeing no locks, she tugged on the handle and peeked inside. A small bundle of linens went rushing past the opening, startling her. Closer inspection revealed the opening to be part of a metal tube running from one of the floors above to some place below. Must be one of those chutes used to send laundry or trash to the lowest floor.

That meant there was likely a basement or underground floor. Good to know.

Voices from the other end of the hallway interrupted her thoughts. She pressed herself against the wall and listened.

“I thought you said the girl was off limits. Why are you taking her those clothes?” one of the men asked.

“Herizan wants her in tonight’s lineup. Some moneybag is supposed to be there and he thinks he might be able to get more for her than what we were getting paid.”

72

“Won’t His Majesty be mad if we don’t deliver her?” The man sneered the words.

“That’s Herizan’s problem.”

One of them rapped on a door. “Hey. Are you awake in there?” He paused.

“You hear me? We’re coming in.”

Amethe waited until the door knob rattled and she felt certain the men were inside the room then pulled the chute door open and dove inside. As she slid downward she prayed fervently she wouldn’t land in a pile of rubbish at the bottom.

When she plowed into a mountain of dirty linens her breath left in a rush.

Instinctively she rolled to one side and checked her surroundings. It was a large room with a row of windows along the top. There were six large machines against one wall, three of which were running. Based on the amount of steam that rose from two of them, she guessed they processed the dirty laundry.

Despite the noise, heat and smell she was relieved to be away from her captors. Now she just needed to find a way out of the building. She peeked around the pile and found a startlingly beautiful girl with blue skin and large grey eyes staring at her.

Amethe froze, unsure what to do.

The sound of heavy footsteps running down the stairs at the far end of the room drew both of their attention.

Blood drained from her face. If they found her, they’d drug her for sure. If they did, she’d be at their mercy. She needed to get out of there. Now. The blue skinned girl motioned for her to get between two piles of fabrics.

With no other viable options at the moment, she complied. When the girl tossed a blanket over her then a basket of warm things, she knew she’d made the right choice to trust her.

A man with a deep voice asked, “Has anyone been down here that you don’t know?”

There was no reply, but the same man asked, “Are you sure? A Novo female with light colored hair?”

Still no reply.

“Dammit,” the man grumbled. “She had to be somewhere around here. You two look down here then meet me in the front parlor.”

Amethe felt someone come and stand next to her. She held her breath, unsure of who it might be. The remaining men shouted to each other from varying places around the room, reporting they found nothing until finally they gave in and stomped up the stairs.

Whoever stood next to her put their hand on her head but otherwise didn’t move. After a couple minutes of listening for any sounds other than the machines, the hand tapped her twice then pulled the blanket back.

The blast of cooler air on Amethe’s face was a relief. She looked up at her

73

savior. “Thank you,” she whispered.

The blue girl tipped her head in acknowledgement and reached down to help her up. She pulled her over to the wall and pointed at the dirt coated window above them. With a glance in the direction of the stairs, the girl made shooing motions and pointed again at the window.

“That’s a way out?”

The girl nodded vigorously and repeated the shooing motion.

“Can you come with me?” Amethe asked.

The girl shook her head and pointed to the collar around her neck. A yellow light blinked steadily in the center of the collar indicating her savior was bound to a certain location would not be able to go outside of a certain range.

Amethe scowled at the collar. She’d heard of them being used to control animals and minor criminals but never a free citizen. And she strongly suspected this girl was not being kept here because of a petty crime. “That’s not right,” she murmured.

If possible, the girl’s eyes got bigger. Her shooing motions became more insistent, but still she didn’t say anything.

“You understand me but you cannot speak?”

The girl shook her head and she pushed her toward the window.

“I can’t leave you here like this,” Amethe whispered.

The girl glanced toward the stairs then back at her. Her expression even more panicked. She pointed at the window.

Amethe’s gut screamed for her to go, but her conscious hated to leave the girl behind. “I won’t forget you and your help.” She squeezed the girl’s hand.

“I’ll send someone for you. I promise.”

The girl nodded, but her sad eyes said she had no hope of that promise coming true.

Amethe climbed onto the table below the window, released the latch to open the window then pulled herself up and through the opening. Her escape hatch led to an alleyway. On either side of her were large metal canisters.

From the smell, she guessed they were for garbage. She looked down at the girl, gave her a thumbs-up signal then pulled the window closed.

She swallowed her guilt over leaving the girl then peeked around the canisters. At each end of the alley a stream of citizens flowed past. By the amount of light she guessed it was midday. With that many citizens out and about it was very likely a market nearby. If she could make it to the market she stood a chance of blending in with the crowd until she could find a place where she could send a message home.

Being without a communicator as well as any coin or credits put her at a severe disadvantage but it didn’t mean she had no options. Once more she debated which way to go then opted for the end that looked the busiest.

Before she even made it halfway, a door opened ahead of her and three men stepped out. She immediately recognized one of them, so she turned and

74

started to run in the opposite direction.

“There she is,” one of them yelled.

The other end of the alley became blocked by two more beefy looking men.

As she backed away she realized she had nowhere to go. Back into the basement was no option. They’d find her before she could get up the stairs and she wasn’t about to endanger the blue girl who’d helped her. There were no ladders leading up the side of either building. Not that the roof would provide much help in her escape. And the odds of her being able to run past either group of captors was small.

Time to go down swinging, as her dad would say.

As they closed in on her, she assessed each group looking for some kind of weakness. But each one was armed or larger than most bodyguards or both.

“You didn’t really think you’d get away, now did you, angel?” one of the men sneered. “I’m afraid we have plans for you.”

Her heart hammered in her chest as she looked from one group to the other. “I have plans too but none of them involve you or your friends so why don’t you guys just pretend you didn’t see me and no one has to get hurt.”

The men chuckled.

“And I suppose you’re going to be the one handing out the ouchies?” the same man asked as he drew closer.

A deep gravelly voice from the end of the alley drew all everyone’s attention. “That would be my job.”

75

76

Meet the Editorial Team Editor: Kaz Augustin is an ex-Brisbanite (Australia) who loves space opera, SFR and all things geeky. She lives in Malaysia, where she loves the shopping for tech gadgets, but hates the heat! Her website is at www.KSAugustin.com and she and her husband also runSandal Press and Challis Tower (Books). If you’re a Twitter fan, you can find her at @SandalPress . Send all feedback about this magazine to editor {@} scifiromancequarterly {.} org Fiction Editor: Diane Dooley is the Fiction Editor for Science-Fiction Romance Quarterly. Born in the Channel Islands, raised in Scotland and now resident in the USA, she is an author, an editor, a voracious reader, an unrepentant troublemaker, and a geek of intergalactic proportions. You can follow her on her blog or on Twitter . Live long and prosper!

Releases Editor: Heather Massey is a lifelong fan of science fiction romance. She searches for scifi romance adventures aboard her classic blog, The Galaxy Express as well as the new Galaxy Express 2.0. She’s also an author. Her stories will entertain you with fantastical settings, larger-than-life characters, timeless romance, and rollicking action. When Heather’s not reading or writing, she’s watching cult films and enjoying the company of her husband and daughter. To learn more about her work, visit HeatherMassey.com.

Our reviewers Toni Adams is here to voice her opinions. Toni Adams resides in Los Angeles. Among the normal plane of reality, she has B.S. in Molecular, Cellular Developmental Biology and works as a veterinary technician. She has dealt with Felis catus, canus lupis familiaris, reptilian creatures, various avians, lagamorphs, rodentians, chelonians, and testudines. In her loving care are four felis catus, one canus lupis familiaris, and one pogona vitticeps. In summary, she really loves animals.

When she is able to shed off the shroud of a Responsible Adult, she partakes in so many guilty pleasures that the guilt has long worn off. To name them all would make your brain explode from the sheer power. Just know, that it involves a blue police box, ponies with absurd markings on their rumps, a norse alien god, a rock band from the nineties, gaming (trading cards, board games, consoles), random international romantic dramas, and lots of crafting. The guiltiest pleasure of all has been decades of reading romance novels. From corset ripping heroines to gun toting she-devils, she continues to devour story after story.

Romance and science fiction is a blend that can either intoxicate her to dangerous levels of excitement or entice boiling frustration. Bring on the excessive transfer of heat and get some hydrogen elements shakin'!

The Book Pushers are six book-loving girls from around the world who share a love of all things romance. From small town contemporaries, to sweeping historicals, to gritty paranormal, to the futuristic science fi, they read it all. They are known for their fun, conversational style joint reviews, and can be found lurking on their website, on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Booklikes.

77

Marlene Harris is currently the Technical Services Manager at The Seattle Public Library. She's also one of the co-editors of SPL's Romantic Wednesdays feature on Shelf Talk, which gives her a chance to expose her love of romance novels. In addition, she's also a reviewer for Library Journal's Xpress Reviews, and the author of their annual Librarian's Best Ebook Romance feature.

Because she can't resist talking about the books she loves, and occasionally the ones she hates, she has her own book blog at Reading Reality . In her professional persona, before coming to Seattle she previously managed Technical and Collection Services Departments at libraries in locations from Gainesville Florida to Anchorage Alaska to the Chicago Public Library.

Jo Jones is a retired pilot who, after retiring, had an RV and traveled 6 months out of the year. After traveling seven years she left on a trip and realized that she was ready to spend more time at home so she sold the RV. She isn't giving up travel; she just takes the trips that did not fit with RVing.

When at home, she gardens, reads, plays bridge, hikes, visits with friends, and volunteers. Jo is an unabashed big cat lover and shares her home with TC, her shelter cat. Both of them live in the Ozarks in Northwest Arkansas which, they unanimously agree, is one of the best places in the country to live.

RK Shiraishi R.K. is a long time science fiction fan, as well as a fan of all things fantasy and paranormal. She spends her spare time deep in the world of classic SF television, movies, and even radio plays. Her alter ego is as fantasy writer Echo Ishii. Her first novella, MR RUMPEL AND MR GRIMM is available from Less Than Three Press. You can follow her on Facebook (RK Shiraishi), Twitter and Pinterest (mrsbookmark).

Psyche Skinner is a working scientist with a taste for imaginative fiction. She is constantly seeking novels that combine hard speculative science with well-rounded characters--although she also appreciates a good space opera.

Rachel Cotterill grew up hiding from the real world in a succession of imaginary lands, and has no particular wish to return to Earth. She likes fast-paced plots, greyscale morality, and characters who remain believable when they find themselves in situations that are anything but. She’s always searching for her next favourite author, and is half of the feminist SF book blog Strange Charm, which exists to showcase the best in speculative fiction by female authors.

When she isn't reading, Rachel is professionally and perpetually indecisive, splitting her time somewhat haphazardly between writing, computer science, linguistics, recipe development, and travel. Rachel's third novel, Watersmeet, is a romantic and optimistic fantasy published earlier this year. You can find her on Twitter at @rachelcotterill.

SFF Dragon is an avid reader, some might say bookworm, who lives in England and grew up on a steady diet of home cooking and proverbs. When her head wasn't stuck in a book, she was out being active or volunteering to do charity work. As an adult, animals, any type of sport involving cars, swimming and lots of reading are her main past-times. She also likes watching war, western, spy, sci-fi/fantasy, Christmas stories of any kind and romance films and series, and thinks the best ones include all of these categories.

She loves science fiction, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and any feel-good Christmas story

78

which she reads all year round to maintain her perspective on what's important in life and loves nothing more than a happy ending. She has individual Degrees in Computer Programming and Business Studies, a Masters in HR Management and shares her home with her partner, loads of gadgets, and thousands of books and DVDs. When not reading, which isn't often, she can be found doing anything from learning a new language to designing and making her own clothes and jewellery, as well as gardening for a little light relief. You can find her on Goodreads and Facebook.

Cyd Athens, a pronoun-fluid, over-fifty, alternate-lifestyle living, SFWA member, associate editor of the Unidentified Funny Objects (UFO) anthologies, aspiring professional author, and speculative fiction aficionado from 45° 29 30.65N, 122° 35 30.91W The public library was Cyd's gateway drug.

Find Cyd online at www.CydAthens.net Ian Sales has recently been working on a quartet of novellas, the Apollo Quartet. The first, Adrift on the Sea of Rains, was published in 2012. It won the BSFA Award for that year and was shortlisted for the Sidewise Award for Alternate History. The second book, The Eye With Which The Universe Beholds Itself, was published in early 2013, and the third book, Then Will The Great Ocean Wash Deep Above, in late 2013. The final novella, All That Outer Space Allows, will appear in 2014. He is represented by the John Jarrold Literary Agency, can be found online at www.IanSales.com and he also tweets.

This issue's contributors As a child, our Opinion contributor, Ella Drake, read books under the covers with a flashlight.

There she found a special love of elves, dragons, and knights. But when she looked for those dragons in Pride and Prejudice, and didn't find them, she decided to write them. She enjoys creating worlds full of wolf-shifters, dragon-shifters, raven shifters (in a gothic romance, of course), space cowboys, elementally enhanced humans, space pirates, sexy demons, and anything else her geeky heart can imagine.

Author of Science Fiction Romance and Paranormal Romance, Ella can be found at http://www.elladrake.com or on twitter @Lori_Ella Our Interview was with Shawnee' and Shawnelle Gibbs. You can find out more about the E.J. Whitaker project at: www.ejwhitaker.com or visit our website: www.gibbsisters.com to contact us.

Our Fiction writer for this issue is Xoe Juliani. Xoe is an American writer living in the Netherlands.

She has been writing since she was in the seventh grade. She is currently working towards a degree in Literature and Creative Writing from Antioch University. You can find more of her writing and information on her publications at her blog: xoewrites.tumblr.com Cover artwork by KS Augustin.

79

Advertise with us!

Here at Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly, our mission is to empower and entertain with sci-fi romance stories and original artwork. To accomplish this goal, we rely on the sustenance of your advertising contributions.

Advertising with Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly is a smart way to grow your readership because our readers are passionate about SFR. If you’d like to support this magazine and also reach a highly motivated audience of power readers, then please consider advertising with us.

Deadlines for Issue 11: • Quarter- and Thirds-page ads – 15-June 2016

•

Two-chapter excerpts – 01-June 2016

Quarter-page ads For a quarter-page ad in SFRQ, we require an image that is:

•

300px by 375px (please note larger dimensions, at no extra cost!)

•

Full colour

•

Minimum 140dpi

•

One URL (for click-through)

The ad will appear on the website and in the EPUB, Mobi, PDF and Flipbook formats of the magazine.

•

Price: $16 if you supply the magazine-ready ad / $26 if we create the ad for you.

Thirds-page ads (NEW!) For a one-third page ad in SFRQ, we require an image that is:

•

600px wide by 375px high

•

Full colour

•

Minimum 140dpi

•

One URL (for click-through)

The ad will appear on the front page of the website and in the EPUB, Mobi, PDF and Flipbook formats of the magazine.

•

Price: $29 if you supply the magazine-ready ad / $39 if we create the ad for you.

Questions? Email Promotions ~at~ SciFiRomanceQuarterly ~dot~ org Two-chapter excerpts * Please read this section carefully and do NOT send any funds unless specifically requested by us.

Any funds prematurely sent to us will NOT be refunded (they will be regarded as donations!), so make sure you understand what’s in this section first. *

In order to satisfy readers’ curiosity about SFR releases, Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly is currently

80

soliciting excerpts for a new section we call “Sneak Peeks”. Excerpts will appear on the website and in the EPUB, Mobi, PDF and Flipbook formats of the magazine.

“SFR Excerpts” submission guidelines • Only excerpts from current releases will be considered (i.e., last quarter, this quarter, and the following quarter)

•

The excerpt must be suitable for readers ages 13 and up. Excerpts with sex scenes will be automatically rejected.

•

Having stated the above, we regret that we will not be accepting any Young Adult work.

Excerpts must be from a book that is categorised for Adults.

•

Create a new document. On the first page, include the book’s title, your name, release date, publisher, available formats, price, click-through URL and your contact email address

•

Place the first two chapters of your book after the title page

•

Save your document in DOC/DOCX/ODT format (we heart LibreOffice!)

•

Send the document to Promotions ~at~ SciFiRomanceQuarterly dot org, with “EXCERPT – [book title] – [author name]” in the Subject line

•

The Editorial Team will evaluate your submission. Any excerpt with sub-par cover art, formatting errors, copious typos and/or grammar mistakes will be declined.

•

All rejections are final. Rejected excerpts are ineligible for future consideration.

•

Authors will be notified if their excerpt has been rejected/approved.

If your excerpt is chosen and you wish to have it included in the magazine: • Cost is $30 per excerpt. An author may advertise up to two (2) approved excerpts in a given calendar year.

•

Bonus discount: If you purchase a quarter-page ad for the same issue where the excerpt is running, the price will be $41 for excerpt plus a DIY ad, or $51 if we create the ad for you.

(Regular price $46 / $56)

Questions? Email Promotions ~at~ SciFiRomanceQuarterly ~dot~ org.

We are constantly thinking of opportunities we can offer to help promote SFR, so watch this space!

And thank you for your support!

For short story and artwork submissions, please refer to our website at www.SciFiRomanceQuarterly.org

A jam-packed Issue 12 will be hitting the stands on 30 September 2016!