Predicting the Future

*Take a moment to enjoy a post from guest author, Jessica Subject.*

One of the joys of writing speculative fiction—which includes science fiction romance—is that as the author, we get to predict the future. And I’m not just talking about future technologies such as spaceflight and gadgetry that is based on science. We can also predict the future on a social level. This includes governments, religion, and even romance. Will the class structure of society become more distinct? When we do meet beings from other planets, will discrimination play a factor in our interactions?

I look at these social aspects in many of my stories, including my upcoming Elitia/1Night Stand story, Another Night, Another Planet. And, of course, I like to add in some futuristic technology, too.

Here’s an excerpt from Another Night, Another Planet:

Buzzing through the heavy traffic on her hover bike, [Ava] reached the spaceport in record time. Perfect. She found a parking locker in the cold, dank underground lot to squeeze her bike into, then dashed toward security. If she could pick up a faint signal, maybe she would have a chance to check her email one last time before take-off. Unlike the guests on board, she couldn’t afford to connect her tablet from space to the wireless system on the mother traveler, not since she’d paid for her one-night stand. Though once a week, all crew were allowed a video call back to Earth. And she called her mom and dad.

She’d been raised by middle-class parents with little chance of furthering her education past what the government paid for. When her father had received a pink slip from his employer of twenty star cycles, any hope she’d held onto of going to college flew out the window. And without that diploma, she could only find meaningless jobs that paid less than the effort she put into them.

Bags checked, Ava dashed down the plain, white corridors of the employee level, pausing for the vacuum seals to release on doors along the way, until she reached her room for the duration of her stay. After thumbing the security pad to open the door, she crashed on the bed to the left, the right one belonging to Michelle, her best friend, who had convinced her to apply to housekeeping aboard Star Spirit. They’d been interviewed together, and started space training the very next day.

Four star cycles later, she was all set to venture out on her seventh tour. Though she didn’t have much of a life traveling through space, the pay was better than she would find anywhere on Earth. Her basic needs of food and shelter were met, and when she returned home, she always split her earnings between her parents and her savings account. She couldn’t let the people who had raised her suffer because she’d found an opportunity they hadn’t.

Tell me: What societal changes would you like to see in the future?

Another Night, Another Planet Blurb:

Limited by status…

Ava is a housekeeper aboard Star Spirit, a luxury cruise ship that travels between the Milky Way and the Belvarian System. Coming from a middle-class family on Earth, she is considered by passengers as nothing more than an object to be tossed away when they’re done with her.

Shunned because of his lineage…

Being banned from several planets across the universe has made it hard for Nate to run his interstellar shipping business. But the DNA of an exterminated race runs through his blood, giving him a diluted form of their powers, and leaving him labeled as a terrorist.

Both searching for the one…

Through her 1Night Stand dating service, Madame Evangeline matches these two together for a celestial escape on the pleasure planet, Elatia.

Will Ava and Nate find what they’re looking for, or will their date go up in flames?

Coming Soon to Decadent Publishing and other eBook retailers.

Jessica E. Subject Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous. 

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

Website/Blog | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Authorgraph

What I love most about writing science fiction.

*Enjoy this cool post from Elatia author, D.L. Jackson.*

I’ve said time and time again that all science is fantasy until it’s proven fact. For instance, two hundred years ago you would have been tried as a witch for flying or communicating with someone half way around the world. Today we have cell phones, planes and computers, and even though we may not know every little detail behind the science that makes these objects work, they certainly make sense, and we’d never blame it on ye olde witchcraft. You don’t see anyone getting pressed, burned at the stake, or hung for it these days.

I love that I can take situations that might seem impossible, apply a little science and make them plausible. One of the sciences I’ve toyed with in several novels, is electromagnetic waves. EM waves make great defensive weapons  and shields. They can also be bent to make objects invisible to the naked eye. The invisible woman of our comic books is no longer fiction.

Another is bionics. I love the science of helping people to function normally, and though bionics was a fictional technology we based shows on in the 70s, today it has given back independence to  those who have lost limbs, or are blind, deaf, even paralyzed. The future is happening now, before our eyes, unfolding like a science fiction novel from our past.

One of my favorite scenes, where I take technology and give it a possible futuristic use that is plausible science fiction, is in Courtesan Boot Camp, where Dayne’s tattoo moves. And though we think science fiction applies mostly to ships and space, here’s an example of the future of cosmetic enhancements on a microscopic level.

Here’s an excerpt:

On his chest, he bore a tattoo of a Ruellan military insignia from a spec-ops unit made up of Toric soldiers—for-hire mercenaries. The tattoo, a dragon-like creature known an avenger, whipped its tail around, moving across the surface of his skin through a nanite-infusing technology. The nanites were housed in microscopic beads that made up the ink used by the artist. They were programmed to change the color inside each bead, going from clear to any hue in the spectrum within a micro-second, creating a moving picture that could travel from head to toe on its host, if the person had been tattooed in that manner. A lengthy and painful process, Shay had only ever seen pictures of it before.

The avenger opened its mouth as though it were roaring and slipped down his chest, across his abs in a serpent-like, undulating motion, sliding back up onto the opposite shoulder, where it wrapped its tail around his arm before freezing in place.

Ah, moving tattoos. And Dayne’s doesn’t just move on his chest. When it disappears under his clothing, my heroine begins to wonder where it went. Who wouldn’t?

What other roles could science play in cosmetics? Could a person change their eye color? Perhaps their hair with a shake of the head? Maybe cells could be manipulated to reverse aging? The thing I love about science, knowing that it at one time was fiction, means that I can create my own science, plausible theories and perhaps in the future, it could be proven fact. We certainly use nanite technology today. What’s to stop us from using it for cosmetic purposes? There’s big money to be made in the industry.

Now, who wants to know where exactly on Dayne’s body his tattoo can move???

I’m giving away a signed tee-shirt to one commenter on this post. Tell me what science fiction elements you’ve read or watched in a movie or on television, are your favorites. Is it warp drive, or perhaps teleportation? How about enhanced eyesight, or maybe cyborg technology. What science fiction flips your switch? What made you sit up and say, I want that, or I’d love to do that?

At the end of the week, I’ll draw a winner.

*Visit the Elatia Series.*

Shout about Your Faves

Courtesy of MorgueFile.com

Usually I discuss something about science, whether past or future, or some sort of what-if topic. Today I want to shout out about all the talented sci-fi/futuristic romance authors at Decadent Publishing.

Decadent Publishing has an awesome array of science-fiction romances and futuristic romances. Investigate the two categories and discover something that will take you to another world. Tell us what you choose!

Oh, did I mention that these titles are hot! Hot! Hotter? Read with caution, but it wouldn't hurt to keep a pitch of ice water handy or even a fire extinguisher (although your significant other would be even better, mwahaha!).

Check out the Elatia Series HERE.

Investigate the futuristic category HERE.

And if you've already read several of these books, why not share with us and other readers what ones are your faves and why.

From the Elatia launch book Forever Across the Stars to the futuristic title Dreaming of a Kiss, there's an out-of-the-world book for everyone's taste! Shout about your faves!

Do you believe in Aliens?

Courtesy of MorgueFile.com

My favorite program for the past couple of years is Ancient Aliens. However, I don’t believe everything they say and lot of it is postulation, imo, but there’s still much on the program that makes me go “Hmm...” and load of  historical information that makes perfect sense if you look at it from a ancient-alien perspective.

One argument that is made among many scientists is that there is too much distance between galaxies and planets, providing the planets have life, for space ships to reach Earth.

Really?

Does none of Einstein’s theories hold water?

My husband and I were watching something on television about this very topic and I looked at him and said, “Why does it always have to be a matter of distance? Today’s scientists and physicists profess to be so smart, so why does it have to be a ship crossing a distance? Why can’t extraterrestrials know how to bend space? Who’s to say they’re not opening worm holes and/or dimensional doors to get here? You know...portals.”

Then, last weekend, I saw the Skinwalkers episode of Jesse Ventura’s Conspiracy Theory. In a nutshell, the richest man in America now owns a Utah ranch that’s the source of much UFO activity and he’s building a private space station. Witnesses insist holes appear in the sky over the ranch where ships enter our world. Hmm, what was that about portals?

I believe anything is possible. A closed mind is a starving mind.

Do you believe aliens visit our planet? If so, how do you think they get here?

Visit Decadent’s Elatia Book Series 

The Creativity in Science Fiction

Courtesy of Flicker Commons.

Science fiction is a genre that’s often popped into the speculative fiction category. I believe this is done because sci-fi incorporates so many different things from fantasy to horror. I love sci-fi horror! The movie Pandorum is a prime example of sci-fi horror. But let's not stray from the true topic....

Whether it’s in book form or the silver screen, sci-fi is packed with creativity. When other genres can be woven into sci-fi there’s no limit to what can be written or filmed. Adding romance to this genre is another bonus. What better way to unite two people than through a new world or a wild, imaginative setting?

My one beef with sci-fi movies is that the romance between two characters is often minor or even subtle. One of my favorite movies is Aliens with Sigourney Weaver. The romance between her and Corporal Hicks is so subtle that if the viewer isn’t paying close attention he might not even be aware of the budding relationship.

I guess that’s why so many readers of romance gravitate to science-fiction romance. The love is integral to the sci-fi plot. Decadent’s Elatia series has hot, riveting romances. In ForeverAcross the Stars, Feather must choose between Ymien and Irikii. Unexpected Return has Prince Aristides falling for the enemy.  Then there’s Dayne in Courtesan Boot Camp who must train a spoiled beauty. And let's not forget the sparks that fly between Sway and Dason in Lethal Beauty.

For SFR that will remain in your mind and your heart for years to come, surf over and visit our Elatia Celestial Escape line HERE.

You can also find these books at most online distributors.

Let's Take A Ride

Galaxy w/in galaxy. Courtesy of Flicker Commons.

Azura Ice here reporting from the cockpit of my ship [No, I don’t know what kind of a ship. It’s a sleek model with heated seats]. Radar, my feline companion, rides on the back of my command chair, but he’s a bit miffed at me right now. I forgot to put the shields up, so when a meteorite whizzed by, he sort of...well...got his fur singed. He looks ridiculous with a  char-coaled tail, but don’t tell him I said that. I’ll deny it.

Anyway, let's take a ride through space and chat.

[Glides in to Elatia's nearby space station and waits for D.L. Jackson and Jessica E. Subject to board.]

Once we’re on our way, I broach the subject of sci-fi.

Science-fiction is, after all, based on science. However, without imagination, there is no new science. Many tools and ideas written in sci-fi years ago have come to pass. Take Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon published in 1865. It was considered pure imagination, but 1969, a 104 years after the book was published, man actually landed on the moon. Consider today’s weaponry ranging from the splitting of the atom to sound and laser technology.

BOOM! Sizzle...poof! [Anyone know where I put the robotic broom? There’s moon dust in the cockpit and ashes in the mess hall.]

As sci-fi authors, the very hint of conspiracy opens dozens of doors we can step through with our plots. Then, if you add incredible technology, you have a recipe for new inventions, new medicine and even new weapons and doorways to alternate dimensions. What, in your opinions, is the next thing in science-fiction to burst into reality or do you believe our governments withhold new technology from us?

DL Jackson: Bionics. Actually the science has already started to emerge. What's really neat is that scientists and doctors have designed the prosthetic limbs to function based on the electrical impulses that travel down nerves. The phantom limb syndrome that you often hear amputees talk about is actually the disconnected nerves still getting signals from the brain. Scientists apply pads that sense these electrical impulses from the brain and a mini-computer inside the artificial limb takes that data and converts the signal to motion. So the wearer of the bionic limb thinks and the electrical impulse travels down the nerve all the way to where it is severed and then viola, it is carried the rest of the way by technology. What happens if they build a full body suit with built-in sensors. Would those with spinal injuries be able to walk again, using the same technology? I know the blind are able to see with it, the deaf can hear, and fingers open and close, wrists turn all by natural thought. 

Here's a fascinating article in National Geographic about this very subject.http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/01/bionics/fischman-text/2

I actually have a heroine with a spinal injury in one of my stories that uses such a suit. I think the next decade will have some amazing advances in medical science.

Wow, D.L.! Bionics certainly tantalizes the mind with possibilities, doesn’t it? I wonder if this particular science will one day lead the way to cyborgs as they’re known in science-fiction. However, placing a human mind in a synthetic body could also create chaos in religious worlds. Would it be ethical? What lengths would some people go to in order to live longer or even forever?

So, Jessica...what’s you’re viewpoint on conspiracy and sci-fi technology?

Jessica E Subject: I've believed for a long time that the government withholds information and new technologies from the people. Why? To prevent pandemonium and for our own safety. 

As for headlines in the scientific community that are of interest to me right now, well, the whole idea of dark energy and dark matter is truly fascinating. And right now, labs all over the world are trying to figure out what dark energy is and prove whether or not dark matter exists. Two years ago when visiting Science North with my family, I watched a film at the Between the Stars Object Theatre about what the universe is made of. Scientists have only been able to measure 5% of the universe, and as it continues to expand at an increasing rate, they are starting to question their theories based on the information they know, including as Einstein’s Theory of Gravity.

And the empty space in outer space is no longer considered empty, consisting of dark energy and dark matter. But what is this stuff? Scientists have many hypotheses, and I wait anxiously to find out more about all the unknowns of space.

Here is a cool link:

http://www.sciencenorth.ca/science-north/exhibits/index.aspx?coll_id=9   

Cassiopeia A courtesy of Flicker Commons

Dark matter is something that has always frightened me. I can only imagine what people are dabbling in it who should be behind bars. And even those with good intentions often go astray and use something for their own benefit. Science, even in science fiction, is a power of epic proportions. Although science opens doors in a writer’s mind, what about the cold, hard facts and know-how landing in the wrong hands? Scary stuff.

Thanks for taking a ride through the galaxy to chat with me, ladies.

Well, dear readers, weigh in with your thoughts on today’s topic!

Check out Elatia’s science-fiction romance titles. And if you'd like to write for Decadent's Elatia series, click on the world building and submissions tabs at the top of this page.

Dreaming in Science-Fiction Romance

Cosmic Metropolis - Photo courtesy of
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smithsonian/3567927408/

What propels writers to dream up sci-fi and futuristic books?

Over time, a few readers have asked me how I come up with sci-fi stories. I didn’t really understand the question—I mean, to me it was self-explanatory, right?—so during an online IM session, a reader explained that she couldn’t wrap her mind around sci-fi. She loved the genre, but it was difficult for her to imagine cool and unusual things that might happen, be created, or occur in the distant future.

“Ah,” I thought. “I get it now.” I suppose some might have a tough time imagining such things. And I guess reading sci-fi and futuristic fiction or watching those movies allows them to just kick back and let someone else take them to those worlds.

The techie stuff and world-building of these genres aside, writing this material boils down to the same thing: a solid plot and well-developed characters. Regardless of the genre, all stories require these two elements. There must be a problem to overcome, a series of events that lead the hero or heroine to solving the problem whether through h/her efforts or by the actions of others forcing the proverbial snowball to grow larger. The science fiction, however, is the candy coating—but it does need to be believable.

So what makes sci-fi/futuristic writers tick?

Well, there are many things that factor into this question, but in a nutshell I believe writers have a story to tell. Regardless of genre, we need to exorcise the people in our heads, lol. We must get those characters, the settings, conflict, romance, action, etc., out of our heads and onto paper or a computer screen. If we don’t, we self-combust.

{BOOM!}

And if you set those things aside, looking only at the science fiction aspect, I think there’s one answer to why we write it: we love to create, dream, and imagine. Putting it into manuscript form and seeing it published is an added bonus. However, the biggest benefit of all for a writer in this genre is asking, “What if?” and running with it like Satan is on our heels.

I asked a couple of Decadent’s sci-fi/futuristic authors what was important to them about writing one of their most recent titles in this genre. Author D.L. Jackson had this to say about her book, This Endris Night.

I was asked why I loved writing this story. Many who look at the cover of This Endris Night do not realize it is a science fiction romance story. The origins of this idea and the reason I enjoyed building this world, come from possible alien visitations to ancients on Earth, in this case, Alaska and the Native Yupik peoples. I love the thought of visitors from other worlds coming to Earth, living among the ancient civilizations, explaining some of the legends of the ancients.  This story is a mixture of Yupik culture and science fiction.

Ah, there it is. The what-if factor. Are there visitors from other worlds? Whether now or thousands of years ago, this is the biggest what-if question of all. To sci-fi authors this question is addictive, our so-called drug of choice.

D.L. goes on to say:

Shiya is a Yupik supermodel, running from a stalker, luring him to the land of her youth where she can face him on her own terms and put a stop to the deadly game of cat and mouse. Gunnar is from another world, a doppelganger, on Earth for one purpose, to recover the wreckage of a two hundred year old crash that has been exposed from a melting glacier. When he meets Shiya, he knows more than the crash debris will have to come home with him. Shiya is a hybrid, proof of his people’s existence and things are about to get infinitely more complicated when he learns she’s being hunted by one of his kind.

This one story opened up thousands of possibilities for future novels and novellas that will take place on almost every continent on the planet. I look forward to expanding this world, rewriting ancient legends and giving them a science fiction twist. For not all science fiction romance takes place in the stars.

Amen to that, D.L.! I couldn’t agree more!

But what about Decadent’s SFR Elatia series? It opens up a host of avenues to travel, roads or sky paths leading from one planet to another. This line of books introduces the reader to races of people one never imagined. In Elatia, a writer can dream to epic proportions and step into a new world never investigated before. One of Elatia’s authors, Jessica E. Subject, has this to say about what drove her to write An Unexpected Return.

My characters fight for what they want. They both have wonderful lives where they want for nothing, but both Aris and Xia want something different than what their parents expect of them. Aris is a prince on Tyto, but he doesn’t want to rule. He wants to explore the universe, see what else is out there. It’s something I’m sure most young adults can relate to.

I agree with Jessica. Although the desire to see what’s out there beyond our limited part of the world is stronger in our youth, I believe we all have the need to see and know what’s out there. This is a topic that leads to hundreds of ideas a writer can elaborate on.

Jessica also says:

Xia was destined to become an Adamo, following in her mother’s footsteps. But as she finishes her first level of training, she begins to doubt whether that career is truly her calling. She feels guilty for wanting something else, doesn’t want to disappoint her mother. Yet, at the same time, she doubts she’ll be happy in that profession. Add in a different career path, and I can totally relate to Xia.

Guilt. Wow, that’s something we all relate to, isn’t it? Thus another solid foundation for a plot. Regardless if it’s sci-fi, horror, or even contemporary romance, guilt is known to motivate people in very entertaining ways—in life as well as fiction, lol.

Lastly, Jessica adds:

When I introduced these two characters to each other, they both became more focused on finding happiness rather than the approval of others. So, much of An Unexpected Return relates to finding one’s own path in the world, regardless of what others want for you, about finding what makes you happy.

And for writers, spinning our tales is what makes us happy. It’s what makes us tick. The same goes for me. I have to write. To me, it’s the same as breathing.

When I was approached to write the launch book, Forever Across the Stars, for the Elatia line, I was overwhelmed with deadlines, and the impending holidays only compounded my stress level. However, I wanted so badly to take the details I was given and run with them. Not only was I driven to please Decadent’s lovely owners, I wanted to create something different. It had been quite a while since I’d written science fiction longer than 5K or 10K. I enjoyed this particular writing experience more than I have in a long, long time. 

Through a cruel custom of the planet Viktari, Feather, my heroine, discovers who she truly is and, having been denied emotion for so many years, she embarks on a personal journey complicated by two men who fall in love with her and a villain bent on taking over the planet Elatia. I think Feather is one of the most damaged characters I’ve ever written, one who transcends her plight and emerges from the fire like the Phoenix. In doing so, she’s able to accept the love of a special man and finally allow herself to give her love in return.

So, if you’ve never read a SFR book, I invite you to try these titles or any of the other numerous sci-fi and futuristic books available at Decadent Publishing. Who knows, you might become a new fan of the genre. ☺

***So, now that you've come to the end of this post, how would you like the opportunity to win a cool t-shirt OR a cool tote with D.L. Jackson's book covers? If so, enter by using the Rafflecopter form below. 

Want to know more about Decadent's SFR and Futuristic Romance?

Link for the Elatia SFR Series

Links to Decadent's Science-Fiction and Futuristic Titles

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Science Fiction Romance Book Covers

Picture courtesy of Public Domain Images.

There's an old adage that says: Never judge a book by its cover.

Sadly, people are very visual creatures, so they do judge books, and anything else for that matter, by its cover. Covers are what draws a buyer in to investigate. A really poor book cover can actually kill sales.

One thing I adore about Decadent Publishing is their beautiful covers, but I have to add that their science-fiction covers kicks the competition's ass! I have several SFR covers created by Decadent's artists, and whenever I have a new one coming out, I am always on pins and needles until I open that file.

I invite you, whether you're simply a reader or an author, to check out Decadent's sci-fi covers. Peruse their pages and then post here what your top two faves are and why. Don't just say it's pretty or I love this particular cover. Instead, really share with us why you like the covers that you grab you the most.

Here are the links to the sci-fi and futuristic pages so you don't have to hunt for them:

Science Fiction Page

Futuristic Page

Elatia Series

What Do You Want?

I'm sorry I missed my last two posting days. With school starting for the aliens--er, kids--and some writing deadlines looming in my nearby future, I totally forgot. Yes, I'm a bad girl. So whip me with a lazer strap, beat me with a light saber, smack me with a....

Oh, sorry.

Anyway, I've been paying close attention to SFR titles of late. I've even been watching the new books that are hard science-fiction. There are so many sub-genres that incorporate sci-fi elements it's difficult to keep track of the markets. There's soft sci-fi, sci-fi opera, hard sci-fi that involves factual techie stuff, and there's also military science-fiction. Oh, and there's sci-fi horror, too. And let's not forget the basis of Decadent's Elatia blog, our wonderful sci-fi romance.

What do you look for in a science-fiction book? Is it the world building? The romance set in a futuristic world set far, far from here?

Well, I invite you to try one of Decadent Publishing SFR titles. You won't be sorry. Here are a few for you to investigate further:

Celestial Seduction by Jessica E. Subject

Dead or Alive by L.J. Garland

Conquering Venus by Azura Ice and Maria MoonStar

Rebel Souls (futuristic) by D.L. Jackson

And the Elatia Series HERE.

Music Traveling through Space

Image courtesy of Public-Domain-Image.com

In 1977, NASA sent a probe out into space with a golden record on it. The record contains images, sounds on Earth such as surf and a crying baby, and several different songs, each one a different genre.

It was done in the hopes that if an alien civilization found it they would learn something about us and perhaps follow the directions on the record to find Earth and visit. Here's a LINK about the record.

However, the vast majority of scientists believe it was pointless to send such an object out into the universe. They feel the chances of an alien ship finding the probe are almost nonexistent.

I think they’re wrong. My belief is that various civilizations have already visited Earth. I also feel there may be many already among us but remain invisible to us because our brains are too limited--for the time being--to enable us to see them. If not that, then perhaps humankind's mentality is too infantile for advanced races to bother revealing themselves...just yet.

But there is hope. It’s obvious others were here thousands of years ago (mainstream archeology ignores the proof) so these interstellar (or inter-dimensional) people see something in the human race. Maybe they’re just waiting for us to grow up a li’l more. And if that's the case, why did they show themselves to Man so long ago; what was different about those people compared to us now?

Music, however, seems to be a “language” that everyone understands, so I see why NASA chose to include it on the record and incorporate several different songs and song styles such as Bach. And music is also mathematical, especially Bach’s pieces. Math is the basis for so many things in science and in time travel, too.

Whether it’s historical or even science-fiction, music is an integral part of lives throughout the ages and it will be in the future. What have you read lately that used music as part of the plot or in an important scene?

Here are a couple of Decadent’s science-fiction romance titles with music in them. The author is Jessica E. Subject. And while you're at it, check out the latest Elatia release, Lethal Beauty by Sara Brookes.

Unknown Futures:

http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=435&osCsid=33fqka4a6oaov11ddp7gme94i4

Satin Sheets in Space:

http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=552&osCsid=jfhe9cotli1j2mje9qo2hhi975

Visit all the current Elatia SFR books available at Decadent Publishing HERE!

Azura Ice

http://ablueice.wordpress.com 

But They're Not Planets!

Today I have a question for any science geeks out there and readers who love learning about the universe.

First, though, let me say that if you're a writer, don't put your heroes and heroines on Jupiter or Saturn. Why? Well, the answer might surprise some of you...they're not planets.

Jupiter and Saturn are nothing more than big balls of gas. Saturn's rings are made up of particles and gases. As for poor li'l Pluto out there, it was taken off the planet list a few years ago and dubbed a moon, but recently I learned that it's now on a list for small planets.

So my question is this: why are Jupiter and Saturn considered planets if they're nothing but gases? If it's due to their sizes, I think that's a lame reason. Why is Pluto on a small planet list if it's a moon? Neither one makes any sense to me.

Writers, if you plan on writing sci-fi or sci-fi romance, plan your universe and planets carefully. If your readers can't suspend their beliefs, you're book's in trouble.

Azura Ice

Visit Decadent's SFR Elatia line HERE!

The Night Sky

When you look up at the night sky, can you figure out which light is a star and which one is a planet? Here’s a hint:

Twinkle-twinkle little star…

Yup, you guessed it. A star does twinkle, so one that is a solid, unmoving light is a planet. However, planets don’t shine. Take Venus for example. It’s commonly known as the evening star, but if you really pay attention, Venus is just a brilliant pinpoint in the twilight. It glows and shines like that because the sun is shining on it.

Do you know how to tell if a star is close to Earth or if it’s going away from us?

Well, if you can’t it’s similar to the Doppler Effect (No, not Sheldon in his Halloween costume!). A star moving away from Earth will have a red glow about it, and a star moving toward us will have a blue tone.

If you’re a writer, watch the stars for inspiration. If you’re a reader, just imagine the worlds out there waiting to be discovered. 

Alien "Salesmen"

Years ago, things such as giant cell phones and big digital watches weren’t even conceivable. Now cells have gone from something one had to carry in a shoulder bag to the size you can hold hidden in the palm of the hand. Even in Jules Verne’s stories, some things he wrote out of pure imagination, such as going to the moon, were things that people laughed about. They weren’t possible and barley imaginable.

Look where we are now. Consider the digital age, the advances in medicine, the high tech weaponry science and the governments are experimenting with.

What happened? Where did the huge jump in our technology come from? When mankind goes from using horse and buggy to model Ts and not long after that more advanced transportation, the knowledge for these things just didn’t drop out of the sky on us…or did it? Science is also a hair from putting the finishing touches on an invisibility cloak (check it out here). Perhaps we have alien "salesmen" among us? J

The medical field has made disconcerting leaps and bounds, too. Some of the medical advancements I’ve seen on television and magazines really boggles the mind, and many are not invasive anymore.

I hate putting on makeup; I find the process tedious. A cool daily tool from the future that I’d love to have is some sort of mask like what Lelu uses on The Fifth Element to do my makeup. If an alien came to you and offered to give you the knowledge and the tools for one sci-fi or futuristic advancement to better our daily lives—not a time machine or anything like that—what would it be?

Visit Decadent Publishing HERE and learn about their new Elatia Series where sci-fi is richly written within romance.

Azura Ice

What’s the Deal with SFR?

I’ve been told there’s no market for SFR in traditional publishing. However, I read an article last year in RT Reviews Magazine that readers are hungering for SFR and futuristic romance so they turn to Indie publishers for this genre.

Decadent Publishing has awesome SFR/futuristic titles as well as the new Elatia line, so if you know anyone who loves these genres and can’t find much to read, send them to Decadent.

But I digress.

I wonder why traditional publishers say there is no readership or demand for these books? Sure you can find regular sci-fi titles, but where’s the sci-fi and futuristic romance in big publishing?

Consider all the sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, and horror movies coming out. Not to mention all the games based on these genres. Most often have romance in them.

So where are the books?

What do you think? Leave a comment and let us know! 

Forever Across the Stars BK 1: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=531&osCsid=42pun7g6eecml2vj4r9bsc0el3

Unexpected Return BK 2: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=554&osCsid=42pun7g6eecml2vj4r9bsc0el3

***Books available at most e-book distributors.***

Azura/Faith

I Like Blue Aliens

I admit it, I have a thing for blue aliens. When writing my alien romance stories, I could choose any other colored skin to give my extraterrestrial heroes, but I always wind up making them blue.

Blue is a relaxing color for me. It’s the color of my office, of jeans which I love to wear, of my bed sheets, and of the sky. Isn’t it relaxing to simply stare up into a clear blue sky?

But blue can also mean sadness and vulnerability. All of my blue aliens are vulnerable, afraid of not being accepted because they are so different from the women they long for. 

And maybe I find blue to be sexy as well. ;)

It’s no wonder the alien heroes in Celestial Seduction, Satin Sheets in Space, and now An Unexpected Return are blue. It’s my comfort color, and it makes them less scary for me.

Here’s an excerpt from An Unexpected Return, where the heroine, Xia, meets Aris, a blue alien from the planet Tyto:

Walking into the silky rear-end of an oroke, she came to an abrupt halt. The creature had been walking at a steady pace and then stopped. She’d failed to notice in time. Wiping fluff off her face, she turned around and walked into another hard body. “I’m so sorry.”

Hands clamped down on her arms. “Are you all right?”

She stared up into deep brown eyes. Chewing her bottom lip, she nodded. If this man hadn’t been holding on to her, she would have fallen to the ground. The word swoon held no meaning for her until now.

Am I only like this because of the eletin I inhaled back home? Or was there something more she found heart-racing about the blue-skinned, well-muscled hunk of an Otarian who held her up?

No, she couldn’t feel anything for him. Their races had been sworn enemies for years. Everyone across the galaxy knew that. Yet here she was, standing face to face, gazing intently at him, with no will to move.

He smiled at her, drawing her attention from his eyes to his lips. How would they taste? She’d never kissed anyone intimately before.

“What’s your name?”

Name? Gods, what was her name? “Zee…Xia.” Had she told him, or only thought the word?

He released her arms to brush his fingers along her jaw line. How she remained standing, she had no idea.

“Xia. A beautiful name belonging to a beautiful woman.”

Giveaway!

For your chance to WIN an ebook copy of Celestial Seduction, my first blue alien story, let me know what color you find sexy, alien or not.

An Unexpected Return Blurb

Looking to experience all the universe has to offer, Prince Aristides escapes from the kingdom of Tyto and travels through space to the Emerald Planet, Elatia. He yearns to partake in the activities the planet is famous for, and fulfill all his sexual desires, but loses his heart and soul to an Adamos apprentice. Unfortunately, she is Terran, and her people are sworn enemies of those from Tyto. If he can convince Xia to give up her dreams of becoming an Adamos, and travel back to Tyto with him, will his parents accept her, or condemn them both?

Abandoned as a toddler on Elatia, and raised by Kalara, an Adamos specializing in erotic massage, Xia decides to follow in her footsteps. But she remains conflicted as to whether she wants to service clients for the rest of her life, or settle down and raise a family. When she meets Aris, he turns the tables on her, and brings her as much pleasure as she gives him. 

Will they have their chance to be together, or will their families tear them away from any chance of young love?

Now available from Decadent Publishing and other ebook retailers.

Bio:

Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories.

Website/Blog: http://jessicasubject.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jsubject

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-E-Subject-author/205759796126370

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4959083.Jessica_E_Subject

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/jessicasubject

Sci-Fi Pick-Up Lines

Happy star-struck Monday to all lovers of sci-fi and SFR!

Azura Ice at your service, and today we're all about great verbal weapons to defeat those unwanted advances in a bar or nightclub. It’s bad when a gal has to endure those pointless passes made by barflies and club hoppers on Earth. There are many overused lines. As I did a little research for this post, it amazed me how many really bad pickup lines there are out there. Here are a few I found on the net.

“I must have died because you look like a slice of Heaven.”

“Just call me Milk. I’ll do your body good.”

“Wanna play house. You be the screen door and I’ll slam you all night long.”

“If you’ve lost your virginity, can I have the box it came in?”

“That dress would look great - on my bedroom floor.”

Now, let’s take a quick trip around the galaxy’s bars and nightclubs. Before we leave, though, I want you to meet one of my sci-fi gal pals, Jessica E. Subject. She confided in me that she needs a li’l help in snappy comebacks, so she’s my special guest tonight.

So, without further ado, put on your blinky platforms and glow-in-the-dark micro minis. Slip into your synthetic wings, spray on your second-skin dresses, and push the button at the base of your skulls for the horn implants or antennae—and let’s cruise the star field for potential hunks.

[Staggers off ship]

No, I’m not hammered. Light speed always messes with my equilibrium! [Smoothes a wrinkle in my spray-on micro-mini dress and applies a bit of star dust over my cleavage] Anyone want any stardust to accent their cleavage? [Blinks, gapes, and then shakes head] Uhm, I was talking about BOOB cleavage! Sheesh, what is wrong with the women in this group?

[Everyone blushes and mutters soft apologies]

Don’t you dare make me regret taking you all on an adult field trip, do you understand?

[Many murmur more apologies and a few “Yes, Azura!” ring out in the group]

Good. [Links arms with Jessica] Let’s go inside Saturn’s Rings Bar and Grill—and behave yourselves!

A tall, lanky male humanoid walks up to me. “Hey moon baby, what do you say you let me mine your rocks?”

Really? That’s the best he can do?

“Sorry, buddy. Maybe after you actually grow a pair.”

My groupies titter and giggle behind me.

We all sidle up to the bar and order drinks. It’s not long before a Viktarian warrior pushes up to the bar, too.

He looks at me and smiles. “Are you single?”

I nod.

“Want to play with my sword?”

“I guess so because I’m sure as hell not going to sharpen the one in your pants.”

He tosses me a vehement look and stalks away.

Jessica pokes me in the ribs. “Look, coming this way!”

I turn and spot two Otarians with lovely blue skin. The first one with midnight eyes says, “Hello, I’m blue.”

“So am I,” says the other.

“We need a little comfort to chase the blues away.”

Jessica laughs, and so do the rest of us. Cute. Those two are winners tonight—and so is Jessica as she saunters off to a quiet booth with a hunk on either side of her.

We move over to a vacant table and seat ourselves. Some of the girls go out on the dance floor shake their boobies—er, booties. A dark-haired seductress approaches me.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

“What for?” I ask.

She smirks. “I think you know the answer to that.”

“No thanks. I don’t fly that way.”

“Try it,” she replies, “and you might like it.”

She grabs my arm, and I stare up at her. Oh, she’s a beauty all right. As a matter of fact she’s a Galactic Vamp.

“I’m strictly a het girl, so blast off.”

She tugs on my arm. “I want you.”

I stare at her long, talon-like black nails biting into my forearm. “Let go of my arm or I’ll stuff your fangs up your a**.”

She pales even more—if that’s possible—and sashays away.

The ladies return to the table just in time to hear most of the exchange. I look at them and grin.

“That, ladies, is how you handle unwanted advances. Remember we’re not on Earth, so keep your snappy retorts up with the times and the planet. Never use Earth expressions. You’ll get a blank stare from the jerk or huntress hitting on you.”

We all laugh and order another round.

However, since Jessica is occupied, lol, I’ll mention that she’s written a book for the Elatia Series called An Unexpected Return, release date May 30, 2012. So be sure to keep an eye out for it.

With that said, let’s play a game. The reader who leaves the snappiest/funniest comeback line for an unwanted or annoying guy/gal who hits on them in a sci-fi bar will win autographed postcards of Forever Across the Stars and An Unexpected Return and maybe a coupla other li’l goodies too. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment!

Good luck!

Consider this…

I believe anything is possible.

I also believe that there is life out there beyond the little marble we’re living on.

Some people believe nothing divine created our universe and that it was caused by a huge explosion of epic proportions. Fine, it’s a theory. However, permit me to voice my opinion. How does the Big Bang create love? Oh, did I make you snort in derision? [Dude, sit down. Don’t make me come over there and zap you with my plasma jolter.] Instead maybe you paused, blinked at the screen, and pondered that statement as you sipped your coffee.

Yeah, I know. My thoughts as well as some of the goofy to wild things that pop out of my mouth often earn me some strange looks. But seriously, how can there not be something awe-inspiring out there with an intelligence that makes humankind look like fleas? A big bang didn’t create love. It didn’t form loyalty in us or inspire creativity. The so-called Big Bang didn’t put special talents in each human body so that some sing beautifully while others can sculpt life-like statues.

Emotions are not a part of the Big Bang. Period. What, I ask, instilled these things in us? It had to come from somewhere. Are we descendants of an older civilization out cruising the galaxy and they ran out of gas, landing on Earth? That’ll teach ‘em to leave town without their Galactic Triple A card.

So many are freaking out about the end of the Mayan calendar. I’ve studied some about it and it certainly makes me pause. For the first time in twenty-six-thousand years, every heavenly body in our solar system will line up perfectly with each other. What if that line-up opens a portal? If so, perhaps someone is going to pay Earth a visit. Now there’s a thought.

[Glances over at the chick screaming “The sky is falling!” in the corner of the room] Damn, lady! Chill! Just listen to me for a moment. For crying out loud, someone give that woman a sedative, sheesh.

Anyway, are we afraid of intelligent extraterrestrial life, or are we really frightened of change?

It’s something to think about.

That’s why I adore science-fiction and SFR. The possibilities of what IS out there are endless. Scientists and realists say that it’s impossible for there to be UFOs and that the distance between our planets and stars makes it inconceivable to travel through space and time.

Oh, dry up! It never ceases to amaze me how such people are the top choices for narrow-mindedness. Maybe our way of thinking limits us. Ever consider that? If we open our minds, perhaps we’ll be able to see things we never thought possible.

Who is out there? Throughout the ages, the answers we seek about our planet and who we are have been lost or deliberately destroyed so people could be manipulated and ruled. Now answers are being found again, but it rocks the foundation of mainstream archeology. Consider this…what have monarchs, monks, bishops, popes, presidents, and wars done to keep us in the dark?

What has been deliberately hidden from us? Maybe we’ll find out this December.

Now on to a little information about our new Elatia series. This blog is beautiful, isn't it? I'm very please to be a regular here on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month. My book, Forever Across the Stars, is the launch book of this wonderful SFR series. Check out what's coming up next! But make sure you read everything so you know how to enter the contest running this week.

Unexpected Return comes out May 30th.
Courtesan Bootcamp June 27th.

Azura Ice--http://ablueice.wordpress.com 

Jessica's site-- http://www.markofthestars.com/wp/ 

DL Jackson website-  http://www.authordljackson.com/ 

Sara Brookes-- http://www.sarabrookes.net/ 

Now, what about an easy contest? I have a lovely bracelet with glass beads that look like sparkly blue planets. This bracelet came from a cute little boutique in my hometown (the bracelets retail for around $20 to $30). All you have to do is comment on this post. The one comment that is the most interesting or thought-provoking (let's get some discussion going!) will win the bracelet. Pass the blog post link along, too. Let's talk about this post and all the elements that are in it!

Contest runs until Friday May 11th, so keep checking back and chat here with me and our Elatia blog readers!

Contest is closed.

Prizes must be claimed within 10 days from May 11, 2012 or prize is forfeited. Winners must contact me at bicknellbrown @sbcglobal .net to claim prize.