The Evolution of Space Opera I still get questions from time to time about what space opera is, and whether it involves singing*. This is my take on it, and a brief discussion of the evolution of space opera. Science fiction, romance, and mystery all are big enough genres in terms of writers and readers […]
More Pet Peeves about Romances Because I include romances in my Central Galactic Concordance space opera series, and because I’m working on three new secret projects that all involve romance, I read a lot of them to make sure I’m meeting reader expectations. I love romances in my favorite space opera, fantasy, and paranormal genres, […]
Reading Recommendations for the Holidays (2017) — Books I Love, and Hope You Will, Too I love to read. Books are my boon companions and the chance to visit worlds that aren’t my own. However, I tank at writing reviews, because I know exactly how much work goes into writing a book, so I can’t […]
Romance is the Hope of Life If you read (or write) romance, chances are, you’ve received subtle or overt negative commentary on your choice of genre. You’ve probably hidden the cover, or felt embarrassed, or made excuses, just to keep the peace. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. The reasons for discounting, sneering at, […]
This is one of an occasional series on my pet peeves about romance. If you’re not in the mood for a long rant, please go look the hilarious cat videos on YouTube. Dubious Consent in Romance Has Got to Go I love to read, and I read a lot. I almost always finish the book, […]
No respect for romances Romance authors, even really prolific, best-selling authors, don’t get noticed for major awards, or mentioned in articles about the publishing industry. I’ve seen more than one listing of “most important books” that goes out of its way to snub romance. But, while romances are being dismissed as unimportant, their readers are being […]
6 Things I Learned from Reading Romances I’ve mentioned it before, but when I set out on the Central Galactic Concordance journey, I read a lot of romances so I’d know what romance readers expect. Because my CGC universe also has mental talents (hence the title of my latest book, Minder Rising), an element that usually appears […]
Genres: Reader’s Friend, or Straightjacket? A classic Saturday Night Live fake commercial had Dan Akroyd and Gilda Radner arguing about whether a new product, Shimmer, was a floor wax or a desert topping, only to have spokesperson Chevy Chase reveal that it’s both. If you’ve never seen it, watch it here. I feel that way about […]
Now You Can Buy Ebooks AND Support Your Local Independent Bookstore Most people still read paper-based books, but the number of ebooks read is growing every year, and the number of people who say they mostly buy ebooks also growing. I heard a recent statistic that says 75% of book sales are for paper/hardbound. In […]
Three Features I’d Like to See in Future E-readers Dear E-reader Manufacturers and User Interface Designers, First, kudos for inventing e-readers, and for figuring out how to make it easy to get content for them. Independent authors like me wouldn’t have nearly as viable a career without them, and as a reader, I am thrilled […]
Thoughts about Book Content Warnings and Disclosures There’s been a controversy brewing for awhile on content disclosure and warnings. As a reader, I tend to favor disclosure, because I like good smexy scenes (if they’re plot-driven) as well as the next person, but I like advance notice. I especially want to know if the […]
I was having a conversation-by-post with another science fiction romance (SFR) author, Pauline Baird Jones, and we agreed we’re readers as well as writers, and like to recommend books to our friends. I especially like recommending SFR books to my friends because I’d like our relatively new little corner of the genre universe to take […]
The old adage, “write what you know,” is a good place to start for some writers. Unfortunately, it’s used by some critics, editors, and even writers themselves as a straight-jacket stricture to mean, “write ONLY what you know.” That is egregious nonsense. No science fiction would ever have been written, because if it hasn’t happened […]
Chapters and Breaks in Fiction… I don’t know quite how to categorize this post, because it’s partly me as a reader with opinions, and partly me as an author with opinions, too. Chapter Breaks, Time Jumps, POV Changes, and other Sticky Wickets Few things throw me out of the story faster than realizing the last […]
Why You Should Read More Science Fiction Romance in 2015 Five reasons you should read more science fiction romance (SFR) in 2015. For those new to the term, in my book (oh look, humor!), SFR balances plot threads involving futuristic technology and the growth of the emotional relationship between the main characters.* It also has to have […]