Do You Like Sci-Fi?

Since my first two books, Rock Bound and Rock Crazy take place on “that God-forsaken rock, the Moon,” I find myself asking people if they like science fiction.  Their answers tell me a lot about whether or not I should give them cards with information about my books.  That question has different answers.

If you ask me whether I like sci-fi, I rattle off a list of authors starting with Robert A. Heinlein, who is considered to be one of the greatest science fiction authors of all time.  I’m a science fiction purist.  My favorite authors are people who have a background in science and can also write well.  If I ask someone whether they like sci-fi and they name those authors, I know I’ve found a kindred spirit.

The next group are people who rattle off a list of fantasy authors when I ask them if they like sci-fi.  I don’t understand why sci-fi and fantasy are lumped together.  Admittedly, Heinlein himself said that to cro-magnon man an electric light would appear to be magic, but I live in the twenty-first century and to me, medieval sword-fighting and spell-casting are not scientific.  I do enjoy some fantasy, but I don’t think it should be lumped in with science fiction and if I want to know whether a person likes fantasy, I will ask if they like fantasy.  Horror has it’s own section and it truly boggles my mind when I ask someone if they like sci-fi and they reply, “Oh sure—I love Steven King.”  Nope—they probably won’t be interested in my writing.

Finally there are the people who say, “Oh, I watch some sci-fi.”  Most likely a no.  People who read sci-fi pretty much know their authors, and If someone “watches” sci-fi or “see some of those movies,” they probably don’t read much.  I’ll ask them if they read, but it’s a good bet they don’t.

My blog tour is over and we have a winner.  Roseanne Dowell has won a signed copy of Rock Bound, Book One of my Moon Rock series.  Congratulations, Roseanne.

I’m really nervous about Roseanne reading my book.  She’s a MuseItUp Publishing, Inc. author and I’ve read and reviewed three of her books, all of which were excellent.  I hope I’ve lived up to her standards.

Six Sentences from Rock Crazy

What do you do during National Novel Writing Month when you realize you had a blog guest scheduled for Sunday but you completely forgot to remind her about it until five p.m. on Saturday?  Apologize profusely and give her the option of rescheduling.  What do you do at two a.m. on Sunday when you have to scramble for something to fill the gap?  Six Sentence Sunday!

So, here are six sentences from my current release, Rock Crazy.  Scott McGowan is at his wit’s end with his wife, Katie’s bi-polar disorder.  He’s brought her to Rockton on the Moon where he plans to divorce her in a tough-love move to convince her to have a chip implanted in her brain that will regulate the chemicals that control her moods.  He came home from work and made a snarky comment about her hairstyle meant to be a joke, but Katie has taken it wrong…

She went off on him.  She screamed, shouted, and tried to rage around the room, but she wasn’t used to the lower gravity, and she bounced off a wall and ended up on her butt.  In fact, she fell slowly, but then she bounced again when she hit the floor. She came back down still in that maddening slow-motion, spluttering and throwing her same arm out to break her fall. Fortunately, she landed softly enough to prevent any more damage to her wrist.

Falling in slo-mo tends to put a real damper on one’s temper.

Rock Crazy, available at MuseItUp Publishing.

Price:  $5.50

Buy Link:  http://tinyurl.com/museituprockcrazy

Don’t forget to check out my review of Shadows Steal the Light by Christine London next door at Rochelle’s Reviews.  Here’s the link.  http://rochellesreviews.blogspot.com/2011/11/shadows-steal-light-by-christine-london.html  My blog tour ends tomorrow on the fourteenth at Long and Short Reviews, and then I’ll be choosing a winner!  The link is in the list on the left sidebar.  One lucky person will be able to choose a signed copy of Rock Bound or a Rock Crazy mug or tee shirt.

Welcome Mallory Sage of Blonde Ambition by Chris Redding

We’re speaking today with Mallory Sage, the heroine of Blonde Demolition.  Until recently, Mallory lived in a small town where she was a member of the volunteer fire department.  But now she’s on the run and we’ve managed to catch up with her and get a brief interview.

RIW:         What's your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about YOU?

M. S.         I’m Mallory Sage and I’m not sure what people find interesting about me. Really. I’ve been described as fearless which I don’t think I am. I don’t have much of a sense of humor. I’m pretty tough and fair. I guess being a female bomb defuser is unique but to me it makes sense. Women can have more of a sense of detail than men and that is what goes into disarming a bomb. You have to see the details.

RIW:         That’s certainly true.  You have to know exactly where each wire goes in order to cut the right one.  You must be good at it or you wouldn’t be here.  Can you tell us about your hero/ine?

M. S.         Oh, Trey McCrane. Where do I start? I fell madly in love with him when I was young and new at Homeland Security. He was my mentor and my lover, but I was never really secure with him. Guess that’s why I made some of the stupid decisions I made. He’s strong and always challenges me to be better; to overcome my fears.

RIW:         I think the fact that Trey was your lover says something right there about wrong choices.  I don’t know about Homeland Security, but in the military, there are strict rules about officers dating those they outrank.  Trey, at least, should have known better.  What problems do you have to face and overcome now in your life?

M. S.         Maybe the fact that I’m stubborn. And I’ll be stubborn just to be stubborn long after it has been proved I’m wrong. And I was an orphan so I never really learned how to rely on others.

RIW:         I know a little about being stubborn and having trust issues.  Do you expect your hero/ine to help or is s/he the problem?

M. S.         I guess it would have been nice if Trey had been a little less challenging and a little more, maybe…warm and fuzzy. Maybe I would have made different choices.

RIW:         Hmm…  I’ll need to read this.  That’s all the questions we have for you. Thank you for speaking to us.

M. S.         Thanks for having me.

You just can't hide from the past...

Mallory Sage lives in a small, idyllic town where nothing ever happens. Just the kind of life she has always wanted. No one, not even her fellow volunteer firefighters, knows about her past life as an agent for Homeland Security.

Former partner and lover, Trey McCrane, comes back into Mallory's life. He believes they made a great team once, and that they can do so again. Besides, they don't have much choice. Paul Stanley, a twisted killer and their old nemesis, is back.

Framed for a bombing and drawn together by necessity, Mallory and Trey go on the run and must learn to trust each other again―if they hope to survive. But Mallory has been hiding another secret, one that could destroy their relationship. And time is running out.

Chris Redding lives in New Jersey with her husband, two sons, one dog and three rabbits. Her first book, The Drinking Game, came out in 2004. She graduated Penn State with a degree in Journalism with an English minor. She’s been writing since she was ten. When she isn’t writing she works for her local hospital.

Don’t forget that my blog tour is still going on.  Leave a comment here, and then hop on over to Rochelle’s Reviews and see what I thought of Chris’ book, A View to a Kilt.  http://rochellesreviews.blogspot.com