Welcome Back Linnea Sinclair!!!

Give a big "howdy" to our guest Linnea Sinclair. This is her second visit with us. Read about her first visit here.

Her latest book, Hope's Folly is out in stores now, so run and get your copy before they run out (all the stores near me have no more copies left and the shipment won't be in until next week! *pout*). Hope's Folly takes us back to the Gabriel's Ghost universe and takes place after the events in Shades of Dark.

These are the adventures of Admiral Philip Guthrie, gun-loving Rya Bennton and the newly formed Alliance.

But enough about that! Linnea has dropped by to chat with me (I mean) US:

Aymless: For a reader new to Linnea Sinclair, which would be the best as their intro?

Linnea: I think that depends on what he or she likes to read. Since for the most part I don’t write a series, my books have several unique flavors. Some are more romance-oriented. Some are more action-adventure oriented. One is even a police-procedural-science-fiction-romance set in Florida, USA. FINDERS KEEPERS, GABRIEL’S GHOST and GAMES OF COMMAND were all RITA® award finalists, with GABRIEL’S winning the 2006 RITA® for Best Paranormal Romance GAMES OF COMMAND and SHADES OF DARK are both PEARL award winners. So if readers like to follow awards and rankings, that’s a place to start. (Keeping in mind that SHADES OF DARK is book 2 in the Dock 5 Universe…)

Readers might also want to know that GABRIEL’S and SHADES are both written in first person POV. Some people love that. Others don’t.

THE DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES is my only book to date set “here” and not on another planet or in a starship in another star system. For readers who like to stay close to home, that might be the book for them.

The best thing I can suggest is for readers to go to my website and browse my books page. Keeping in mind the advice of reviewer Sue Waldeck: "...Linnea Sinclair is a guarantee of amazing characters, racing story-lines and a good time. She draws you into her stories with ease, keeps you with her with twists, turns and great secondary characters and holds you until the exciting conclusion. This is one author who definitely can't write fast enough for me!"—Sue Waldeck for The Road to Romance

Aymless: With a large market for science fiction and fantasy books do think that you reach a broader audience that just romance readers? After all I've seen you in both sections at the same bookstore!

Linnea: If you find me in both the romance and science fiction sections of the same bookstore, that’s only because one of my sharp-eyed fans has moved some of my books to get me better exposure (and I’m soooo grateful for that!). Most chain bookstores shelve my books in romance. Only one continues to shelve me in science fiction. Can an author change that? Nope. I have no say. I’m just happy to have my books out there for readers to discover.

I don’t know if I necessarily reach a broader audience. I do think my books—since they combine science fiction/fantasy and romance—attract readers with varied tastes. Most romance readers I know read outside the genre as IMHO romance readers are some of the more open-minded and adventurous of readers.

What I am surprised by is the number of fan letters I get from guys. I also have husband-wife fans who enjoy my books.

Aymless: What can an attendee of the Romantic Times Convention's Intergalactic Bar and Grille look forward to, other than that hunky bartender? Having hung out at the virtual Intergalactic Bar and Grille (your Yahoo group) I really gonna be sad to miss the real thing.

Linnea: The Integalactic Bar & Grille Reader Party at the Romantic Times conventions is always a blast. We have goody bags for each attendee (usually around 200 readers) with all sort of fun, blinking, glowing and glistening futuristic fun things inside, as well as bookcards and bookmarks and all sorts of promo items. Last year author Catherine Asaro came with several cartons of her books and gave them out. We also have a Q&A party game where each table competes with the other table in the “bar” and everyone gets a chance to win fantastic prize baskets full of books, jewelry, cosmetics, T-shirts, tote bags and more! This year I’ll also be giving away official Intergalactic Bar & Grille gear! You can see some of the items here (and even buy something for yourself if you can’t make it to the party).

Aymless: Will you be attending the RWA conference this year in DC? If so, will there be an opportunity for a casual Intergalactic Bar & Grille there as well? I know a number us gals are going to be in attendance. (hint, hint) *grin*

Linnea: If SHADES OF DARK finals, likely yes, I will go. If it doesn't, no, I won't. If I go, totally, I love to meet with readers and I'm usually in the bar... ;-) I will be at RT in Orlando, so look for me there. I'll be there the entire week as I'm also teaching at the pre-con writer workshops.

Aymless: The last time you were visiting, you had mentioned that you might branch out into the romantic suspense genre. Any character prompting for that?

Linnea: It's still in the back of my mind but since I'm deep in deadline hell on my current book--a follow on to HOPE'S FOLLY that I've not even been able to come up with a title for--nope, nothing on that horizon yet. I'm not one of those authors who can write two, three projects at the same time, sadly. I envy those who can. But I get very immersed in my worlds, my characters and my story when I write--very focused. Something for a different genre has no room to pop up.

Aymless: Any advance teasers on your next book?

Linnea: My next book—which I’m still waffling over a title for—will be Devin Guthrie’s story. Devin is Admiral Philip Guthrie’s youngest brother and, like Philip, was raised in a wealthy and powerful family at the heart of a galactic empire. Unlike Philip, Devin has always preferred to stay in the background, working his financial wizardry with numbers. He’s the quintessential reluctant hero who underestimates himself (and his damned sexy good looks!) but will find himself—and his beliefs, ethics and desires—pushed to the brink when his nephew goes inexplicably missing…and his bodyguard is murdered. But wait, you ask. Isn’t this a science fiction romance? Oh, yes. Because the one person Devin has to trust, the one person Devin has to rely on for help is the one woman he’s loved in secret for years. Here’s one of the back cover blurbs I’ve been working on:

Out of options…Devin Guthrie can’t forget Captain Makaiden “Kaidee” Griggs even though it’s been two years since she was in his family’s employ. A Guthrie does not fall in love with a mere shuttle pilot. Going against his wealthy family’s wishes isn’t an option—not with the Empire in political upheaval, much of it caused by Devin’s renegade older brother, Admiral Philip Guthrie. The Guthries must solidify their standing—financially, politically and socially—or risk losing it all. But when the Guthrie heir—Devin’s nineteen-year old nephew— goes missing, Devin’s loyalty to his family’s values is put to the test. And suddenly the unthinkable becomes the only option available: Devin must break the rules and risk allying himself with the one woman he could never forget—and was forbidden to love.

Aymless: Are there any plans for sequels to your others books? Like FINDERS KEEPERS where there are still some unanswered questions.

Linnea: At this time, no, no plans for sequels. But then again, I had no clue I was going to be telling Philip Guthrie’s story in HOPE’S FOLLY until Philip just showed up in my office one day and demanded he be given a better life… so anything’s possible.

Aymless: Are there any new authors you would like to discuss? Put a head up about? Pimp?

Linnea: Actually the entire genre of SFR needs pimping, badly. I often read postings on Shelfari, Goodreads as well as lots of blogs, and it's a tad frustrating to see how many readers have no idea SFR exists. I recently saw a posting where a group of readers did their own "monthly reading challenge by genre" and for the science fiction romance/futuristic category, almost all the readers put a ??? instead of listing a book (and that was the only category where that happened). I have an incomplete list of SFR and Futuristics authors here and The Galaxy Express has a huge chronological one on their front page. Recent PEARL award winners included myself, Robin D Owens and Colby Hodge. All fit nicely in SFR. You can get a full listing of nominees and winners (though the 2008 winners aren't up yet, last I checked) here. So which authors do I think readers need to know about? Let's start with Robin D Owens, Susan Grant, Eve Kenin, Linnea Sinclair, Jayne Ann Krentz, Carole Ann Lee, Jess Granger, Ann Aguirre, Isabo Kelly, Stacey Klemstein, Catherine Asaro, Janet Miller, and... lots.

Thank you, Linnea, for taking the time to chat with me and coming to spend some time with us here at the island.

Linnea has given us prize to give out. Just leave a comment to be entered. A winner will be picked at random.

Go get your very own copies of Linnea's books today!