Editor, Speculative Romance Online
www.specromonline.com
| On a personal note:
Hey, my supernatural romantic suspense novel, Queen of Psycho Hearts, is a finalist in another one of those RWA chapter contests. It's the quickest way to a cheap thrill, those contests. Anyway, for me it's one more clawing step forward to uniting horror and romance. |
| Thanks. I do write dark stuff, but there is the problem of finding a publisher, which is why my darkest material stays in fanfic where I can get away with that sort of thing. All credit to my publisher, though, as they will publish some quite dark material as long as it fits within their definition of romance - which includes "happy for now" as well as the traditional Happy Ever After. They published a couple of mine which are basically your typical British dystopian political sf, only with a gay romance plot. :-)
And yes, net nanny software can give the oddest results. |
| Julia -
Thanks for the tip. I admit that at first I was resistant because, well, I am not the biggest fan of mainstream speculative erotica. (Being partial to stuff too dark to be published.) But I really enjoyed the premise and characters in the prologue. I plan to order the rest, and I included a tip off to everyone else in today's blog. (Or will, once I get home and away from this inconvenient surfblock program they've stuck us all with at work. Can you imagine -- I can access m/m science fiction, but not my own blog. The indignity.) |
| I'd email, but I can't find your address. Probably because I am having a Bad Networking Day and can't see *anything* I'm looking for on a screen. So...
If you don't mind m/m romance, two of the chapters from my specfic romance "The Syndicate" are available on my website. The book was written as a fixup, so the chapters can be read as standalone short stories. Synopis and links to sample chapters here: http://www.julesjones.com/fiction/syndicate/syndicate1.htm |
| Thanks for the link. I'm glad you like the voice. I've never attempted first person before, so it was a strange experience for me.
J. Kathleen Cheney |
| J -
I posted a link to "Stains of the Past" in SpecRom's blog, under READ THIS. Even though the theme of the story was a little on the sexually conservative side for my personal taste, I enjoyed the romance. I especially liked your narrator's voice. You can check it at www.specrom.blogspot.com. Thanks for tipping me off to a nice speculative romance story, so I could share it with our members, and anyone else who happens along. |
| It isn't shameless. I am just one person and cannot find everything myself. I need help, I asked for help, and you are obliging.
Thanks. |
| This feels like it should go on the Shameless Self-Promotion Page.
I had a story out Feb 9 on The Sword Review that might fall under that classification. http://www.theswordreview.com/item.php?sub_id=385 Anyway, I would hope it would fit into that category.... J. Cheney |
| Hello everyone!
Speculative Romance Online now has a blog, where I'm highlighting great online speculative fiction with romantic content. This week I found "Becoming" by Rae Dawn Carson at Abyss & Apex. If you have a short story out that has some romantic aspects, or deals with love as a theme, happy ending or no, please drop me a line and point me toward it. You can check the blog at www.specrom.blogspot.com. |
| Woo hoo, JE, you ar ROLLING!!! Congratulations a deux! |
| The final placements for the Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal RWA Chapter contest, On the Far Side, are in.
My novel won second place! And, most importantly, the final judge, editor of the Ellora's Cave/Cerridwen Press ebook house, asked for a full ms. Also, put "The End" on my paranormal romantic suspense. Good week! Good week! Good week! |
| Betsy -
If you are trying to market a romance, it's ever so much easier if you do it with your lady-like friends with the sweater sets and pearls at the Romance Writers of America. wwww.rwanational.org. Most RWA chapters hold contests that cost between $10-$25 to enter. Finalists are usually judged by acquiring agents and/or editors. Also, the networking web the RWA has is unbelievable. |
| No I am not an RWA member. I am not familiar with that group. Betsy |
| "Freaking out" is probably a bit of an overstatement. I haven't requested a restraining order.
Yet. |
| Betsy -
The Zircon Contest is for short stories, not novels. If you are shopping a romance manuscript and want to go the contest route, I suggest the RWA contest circuit. Are you an RWA member? |
| I am new to this site. I have a finished novel, romance. Is there a contest being discussed.? Fill me in. Betsy |
| Over at Kim's topic, I've been freaking them out with the idea to start a Secret Stalker club.
Is anyone interested in doing a holiday Secret Stalker? |
| Speculative Romance Online announces the finalists in the second annual Zircon Short Romantic Speculative Fiction contest:
AN ASSASSIN'S EDUCATION, by Denise Ann Frost THE FARMER'S BOY AND THE SOUTHERN PRINCESS, by C. Mitchell O'Neal NEWT AND DAY, by Mary Ann Chulick THE RAVEN ROSE, by Renee Yvonne Brown WAKING OPHELIA, by E. Catherine Tobler WITH HEART TO HEAR, by Frances Robertson Gross If they are here, send them a congratulations! |
| "Is there a better way to start a day than being rejected by a legend? "
Of course there is -- getting *accepted* by a legend. ;-) |
| One would think. This business, such a crapshoot.
And speaking of crap: 56 day form reject from SciFiction. Is there a better way to start a day than being rejected by a legend? Still, it sure is nice to be back in the short story game after so many years! |
| Sigh...
You'd think second would at least merit some interest. |
| Okay -- the Inner Vixen placements were announced this weekend and my novel came in second.
Second, and no request from the editor for a partial/full. A bitter victory, indeed. On to agent querying.... |
| That does sound cool! I have an "unpublished" romance, but since the contract is sitting in my inbox, I guess that doesn't count;-).
Hmmmmmm I have to think about what else I might be shopping.... |
| Jennifer -
Unpublished. The point is that, if your work is chosen for the final round, an agent or editor will see your entry. |
| Published or unpublished novels? |
| Thanks, Terry!
Everyone here should be aware that this year the On the Far Side contest, and RWA in general, recognizes novels "with strong romantic elements." So if you have a speculative novel with a strong romantic plotline (think Bujold-esque, for example), that opportunity might be something to consider. |
| Sounds like you're on a roll, JE, congratulations! |
| Bonds of Darkness, my speculative romance novel, has gone two-for-two on the RWA contest circuit. It's a finalist in the Futuristic, Fantasy & Paranormal On the Far Side Contest.
For those non-RWA people out there, the contest circuit is a nice weeding mechanism for editors and agents in the romance industry. Two finalist credits on a query make the work just a little bit more enticing to agents. |
| Sent a science fiction love story - with sex and everything - to Sci Fiction two weeks ago, and found out this weekend that my novel is a finalist in the Maryland Romance Writers Reveal Your Inner Vixen contest. That gets the dear thing in front of acquiring eyes at Dorchester. |
| Join in my crusade to find legitmacy for those of us writing on the romance side of the speculative genre! |