Galactic Holiday - Out of This World + Giveaway!

I'm delighted to welcome my good friend Anna Hackett today as part of her blog tour for her new sci-fi release, Winter Fusion, which is also a part of the Carina Press anthology A Galactic Holiday.  Don't forget to enter the contest at the bottom of the post to be in with the chance of winning some fab prizes!

Anna's Bio:

Mining Engineer by day and writer the rest of the time, Anna Hackett grew up an avid reader with no dreams of being a writer. Her career in mining has taken her all around the world and sparked her desire to write.

As a teenager, she raided her mother's romances and her father's action adventure books, so no surprise that her stories combine both. She especially loves reading and writing short stories—the perfect intense read to fit into a busy lifestyle—and teaches the writing workshop, Short Story, Big Impact. When she isn't wearing boots and a hard hat, she's at her computer drinking too much Diet Coke and working on her stories.

Along with her husband and son, Anna lives wherever her mining career takes her. She's always delighted to hear from readers.

Beyond Princess Leia

Princess Leia was voted 89^th greatest film character of all time by Empire Magazine. When you think “galactic heroine” a cinnamon-bun hairstyle, flowing white dress and blaster pistol usually come to mind. Leia epitomizes the tough, smart and dedicated sci-fi heroine.

Meet 3 other galactic heroines who can solve futuristic crimes, pilot space tugs and close galactic trade deals. They are all smart, tough and sexy and star in the sci-fi romance holiday anthology, A GALACTIC HOLIDAY from Carina Press.

Personal Data File

Novella: HOW THE GLITCH SAVED CHRISTMAS

Name: Reina Leonida Vedette (Meaning: Reina=queen, or queenly. Leonida=lion. Vedette=sentinel, sentry.)

Home world: Earth

Occupation: Police detective, South Chicago

Favorite color: Black

Favorite food: Pistachios, her grandmother’s Tiramisu

Favorite drink: Shirley Temple

Favorite activity: Solving impossible, brain-busting crimes

Secret wish: To be valued despite having no cyborg modifications

Likes:  Polite manners, slick bike racing, tropical drinks with umbrellas in them, smart-mouthed detectives named Edison

Dislikes: Closed-minded idiots, bad-mannered idiots, braggadocio idiots. Idiots.

Personal Data File

Novella: GALILEO’S HOLIDAY

Name:  Riley

Home world: None – born in her grandmother’s ice tugger in space

Occupation: Ice Tugger

Favorite color: Black

Favorite food: Before Galileo Station, it was all protein powder

Favorite drink: Same as above

Favorite activity: Taking something apart, figuring how it works, and putting it back together – with improvements

Secret wish: Riley’s not one for wishing – she’s a take it as you see it kind of gal.

Likes:  Being alone in the black. Her ship. Real Food. Leo

Dislikes: People. New Things. The unknown. Leo

Personal Data File

Novella: WINTER FUSION

Name: Brinn Fjord

Home world: Perma

Occupation: Galactic Trade Negotiator

Favorite color: Red (like her favorite ursus coat)

Favorite food: Yule ham

Favorite drink: Glogg (mulled wine)

Favorite activity: Sitting at the trade tables and spending time with family

Secret wish: Make her father proud

Likes: Family, ice mines, closing a trade deal, Yule

Dislikes: Ice lakes, avalanches and supercilious Rendarian trader, Savan Bardan

So none of these galactic heroines sport any crazy hairdos, but you definitely might find them wielding a blaster pistol or two. So why not celebrate the holidays sci-fi style this year and give A GALACTIC HOLIDAY and its heroines a try!

Take a moment to enter our out-of-this-world giveaway:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/070de90/" rel="nofollow">Rafflecopter giveaway

A GALACTIC HOLIDAY – Carina Press | Amazon | B&N | All Romance

Anna Hackett – Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Stacy Gail – Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Sasha Summers – Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

Midnight Confessions

Today I'm over at  fellow Aussie Anna Hackett's Midnight Confessions answering her Quick Questions (I ramble a bit but Anna was kind enough not to comment on it!!!) Anna is also celebrating a new release this week - Winter Fusion, her novella in A Galactic Holiday, a fab sci-fi anthology out with Carina Press, and she'll be visiting here next week with a super cool contest!

Anyway, back to my Archangel of Mercy Quick Questions with Anna, I'm also giving away a copy of Foretaste of Forever to one lucky commenter!

Ava helping me clean the bathroom. Not.

New Look for the New Year

I know I'm a couple of weeks early for celebrating the arrival of 2012 but I thought I'd do a bit of spring cleaning on my blog (despite it being summer here in Oz and winter in my mind!) I'd had the old template for a while and thought it was time for a change.

And I'm so happy that two of my writer friends have releases this week! First of all congrats to fellow West Australian, Rachael Johns, whose debut romance from Carina Press, One Perfect Night is out now!

 
Here's the blurb!

Peppa Grant's fellow employees may call their new CEO Mr. McSexy, but she's also heard that he's aloof and distant. Cameron McCormac certainly seems cold toward Christmas when she meets him at the company's annual party...but he's also the sexiest man Peppa has ever seen. And when he offers to forgive the damage she accidentally caused to his expensive car in exchange for accompanying him to his family's holiday get-together, she agrees.

Cameron needs a date to the family party to get his matchmaking relatives off his back. Their chemistry is instant and undeniable, leading to an incredible one-night stand. But Peppa wants love and family, while Cameron's only interested in temporary pleasure. When their relationship takes an unexpectedly serious turn, will he run the other way—or will he give love a second chance?

And also big congrats to Kaye Manro who has a Medieval Christmas story out with Red Rose Publishing!

Here's the blurb!

A fortnight ago she left him.

Marcus of Windom stood alone in an empty castle without Lady Liana by his side. The frigid winds brought forth by the Yule Season pressed upon him. He pulled the parchment from whence he carried it and read her chilling parting words once again. I can no longer live as your lady-wife… If ever she returned would her sensual warmth be enough to melt the ice she had caused to form around his broken heart?

Friday LOLKitty

How cute is this kitty! Thanks again to Eleni for the gorgeous pic!!!

I now have the date when I'll be blogging over at Historical Hearts - Tuesday 13th September. There will be a giveaway so don't forget to pop over and say hi!

I'm also doing a 30k in 30 day challenge, organized by Carina Press author, Rachael Johns  We're being held accountable over at Twitter with the hashtag #30kinSept so that should be fun. My aim is to hit at least 60k on my current book - hopefully will be nearer 70k.

I'll let you know how that goes!

Boomerang Bride

Very excited for my good friend Fiona Lowe, multi-pubbed Mills and Boon author in their Medical line, who's celebrating the release of her debut single title from Carina Press today - Boomerang Bride! Huge congrats, Fiona :-)

And here's the tantalizing blurb!

Matilda Geoffrey risked it all for love. She left Australia to be with Barry—the man who had swept her off her virtual feet. Now, wearing a wedding dress, she's alone on Main Street in small-town Wisconsin, and things aren't working out exactly as planned...

In town for his annual family visit, Marc Olsen had never seen a bride quite like Matilda—staring into a storefront window, holding a tottering wedding cake, and looking desperately in need of a groom. He may not have any warm feelings for his hometown,but meeting Matilda just as she discovers she's been scammed by her online "fiancé" stirs something in him.

Matilda is not the kind of woman Marc imagined himself with, and Marc is anything but the romantic hero that Matilda has always dreamed of. But as unlikely circumstances throw them together, can they let go of their misconceptions and risk their hearts for love?

Three Over Par

Big shout out to Cathryn Brunet, whose steamy novella, Three Over Par, hits the shelves today with Carina Press! Congratulations, Cathryn. And when I say steamy, I mean it - read the first chapter here (and according to Cathryn, she was only just warming up in Chapter One!)

Here's the blurb:

Wild, hot, addictive sex…

After seeing one too many patients die regretting the things they haven't done, nurse Lucy Seymour realizes she's been making the same mistake. So when Robbie, the sexy golf instructor, makes his move, she responds with uninhibited passion, telling him there's nothing she won't try. Long sessions of foreplay lead to thrills and fantasy fulfillment…until Lucy sees Daniel, the greenkeeper, watching them. Watching her. And then Daniel does more than just watch…he joins them.

Can it lead to love?

Lucy might be exploring all of her secret fantasies, but her reality is that she's a one-man woman…and for her, that man is Daniel. But what does Daniel really want? Lucy or the fantasy?

I have several writer friends who have been contracted by Carina Press, and another book I can't wait to get my hands on is by my friend Shelley Munro. Her historical, Gothic mystery, The Spurned Viscountess, is due for release from Carina Press on 20th September. I love Gothics!