The Geek meets the Ninja and welcome to Susan Gourley

Get your geek on!

I'm over at the Ninja Captain's blog talking about nerdy TV shows today.

While I'm away, I have some good company for you.

I'm so pleased to welcome on my blog today the very talented Susan Gourley.

Walking the Line

Thanks, Christine, for having me on your blog. Like you, I write speculative fiction, a very broad genre category. My romances are categorized as science fiction romance, and according to the reviews on Amazon, attract fans of science fiction and romance. I’m sure many of my readers are fans of both genres, but some are one or the other. The challenge is how to satisfy those readers and give them what they want when they read my books.

So how do I walk that line? Where is the line between too much real science, or fake science, and too much romance?

Romance readers don’t want a long explanation of the physics needed for my hero and heroine to travel between solar systems and galaxies at warp speed. And it is fiction, so the ability to travel beyond light speed is perfectly acceptable without a technical explanation. For one of my novel series, The Recon Marines, I invented a fuel source that explained how ships could stay in space indefinitely. But since all the characters in the novel already understood how the fuel and space travel worked, there was no reason to explain it to readers. It was accepted as part of that world.

Science fiction readers don’t mind a love story intertwined in a futuristic adventure as long as the romance isn’t too ‘hot and steamy’ and doesn’t overwhelm the external conflict of the novel. The best relationships in science fiction novels are forged in whatever battles the protagonists are fighting.

The science fiction parts of the story lend themselves to situations where an intense relationship can develop. Other worlds are likely to have severe climates, varying lengths of days and nights, as well as medical advances, and alien enemies that can make for great plot devices. I’ve used all four of those devices to put my characters into trouble or get them out of trouble.

Mixing the protagonists reactions to the plots devices with some actual and invented science will hopefully satisfy both genre lovers. Though in this business you can’t please everybody, the right balance of romance and science will make a lot of diverse readers happy.

How much science do you like in your romances? Do you know an author who balances romance with another genre perfectly for your tastes? Do you have a favorite science fiction plot device?

The Warrior and the Governor by Susan Kelley (Book #2 in Bestselling Warrior Series)

Gaviron warrior Liam has lost everything and lives only to take revenge on the monstrous raynid creatures and will risk his life without caution. Governor Siva will take any help she can get to save her desperate colony from the merciless invading species, even a suicidal fighter like Liam. As her understanding of the grim alien warrior grows, Siva tries to give Liam a reason to live. As Liam broken heart lets in Siva and her daughter, he finds he once again has someone worth dying for. Defeating their common enemy may cost them everything.

Susan Kelley is multi-published in science fiction romance and writes high fantasy as Susan Gourley. You can find her at Susan Says or on Twitter and Facebook.

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Friday Five for January 2, 2015

1. Happy new year! I'm excited for 2015. I have a lot going on this year. I started off the year with a quiet new year with my husband and son. It's cold out there, but we bundled up and took a walk in the woods.

2. One week until the release of Loose Corset! You can pre-order it on Amazon and add it to your wish list at Ellora's Cave. You can also add it to read on Goodreads. I'm eager to hear what readers think of this hilarious and geeky novella. If you'd like to review the book, please email Service@ellorascave.com and request a copy.

3. I'll be running two blog tours with the release of Loose Corset. The first will start on Friday, and I'll be giving away dice, dice, and more dice. You can win your own set of gaming dice! I'm giving away personalized dice with my name on it too. My second tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions will start on the 12th. There I'm giving away a gift card and more dice! You'll have two chances to win.

4. Since I'll be touring for the next several weeks, I would love to have you as a guest on my blog. Theme: anything geeky. Short posts of between 200 and 350 words. Please email me if you'd like to write a guest post and join in on the nerdy fun.

5. I'll be posting my 2015 writing goals on Monday. Wednesday is the first IWSG of the year. And Friday is my big release day! Have a terrific weekend.

Happy Canada Day, Brilliant Flash Fiction, and Nerdiness on Untethered Realms

Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends and family!

The very first edition of Brilliant Flash Fiction is now up on their site. My sci-fi piece, "Soulless" is one of their stories this quarter. Let me know what you think.

Click on over to Untethered Realms today where we're celebrating our nerdiness. Find out what nerdy things the UR authors have in their homes. Plus check out our new awesome banner!

How To Date a Nerd Blog Hop

How could I resist this blog hop?
I think the bigger question would be how can I pick only one thing when everything about me is nerdy?!

The amazing Cassie Mae is hosting this blog hop celebrating the release of her newest contemporary romance, HOW TO DATE A NERD. Click HERE to add the book to Goodreads.

The rules are simple.
You must answer the question: what is the nerdiest thing about you?

Some lucky nerd will win a prize too!
Cassie is giving away a nerd swag bag!
SQUEEEEE!

Okay, okay, Hmmmm.... the nerdiest thing about me.
My closet full of geeky t-shirts? Nah, that's cool.
The comic books under my bed, in my dresser, and in several of my closets? Nope, it's quality reading material.
My love of cheesy Syfy Channel movies? That's just goofy.

Ah ha! Here we go.
My closet full of boardgames is organized by size and genre, and they are the items I dust most often in the house even though they are stored in a closet.

Please visit the other participants in this nerdtastic blog hop and find out their nerdy secrets!