Science Fiction online for Cyber Monday

Maybe you want to give a gift to a science fiction fan; maybe you want to entice a fellow reader to try speculative fiction, or maybe you will have a few days off and want something new for your own entertainment. Whatever the reason, there are so many wonderful stories for fans of science fiction these days. Last year, I devoted one of my blog entries to new releases in science fiction, but this year I have thrown the “new” part out and simply listed some of my favorites which happen to be available via Fictionwise. Hopefully interested readers can find most of these in print as well. The Niven story was in an anthology quite a few years ago, and Asaro’s story was first published in Analog magazine. I began reading Asaro’s novels after I read “A Roll of the Dice”— a piece which is long enough to qualify as a novella and lets the reader know just how wonderful a writer she can be.

David Weber is one of the modern masters of the space opera, but I prefer his early works, so both of those named represent that period. Lois McMaster Bujold just seems to get better and better, but her Vorkosigan saga begins with Shards of Honor, my favorite of her stories, perhaps due to the underlying theme of motherhood. Another talented writer of two space opera series, plus fantasy is Elizabeth Moon; however, I deliberately chose one of her stand alone titles. Best known for a multiple book series with dragons that are more fantasy than sci fi, Anne McCaffrey sometimes writes sci fi, and Nimesha’s Ship is such a work. My own Trinity on Tylos owes quite a lot to my love of various space opera and sci fi themes, and it does include some romantic elements which make it appeal to readers of that genre as well.

Real romance lets science and logic take a back seat, but they are still present in these tales. Angela Verdenius is always a delight, and Love’s Sweet Assassin is my favorite of her novels. Beloved Enemy, by Janet Miller, is a mostly a romance, with some military and paranormal elements, and she has other works set in this same universe. Kaitlyn O’Connor is my favorite New Concepts writer, and I have read all of her titles to date. I chose Exiled to represent her work. This title is very sensual so be forewarned (or delighted)— it’s up to you, I suppose.

Here’s my list of suggestions, so get started on that shopping!

Short fiction:
• Asaro, A Roll of the Dice
• Niven, Jigsaw Man

Space Opera:
• Weber, Apocalypse Troll
• Weber, Honor of the Queen
• Moon, Remnant Population

Space Opera with romantic elements:
• Bujold, Shards of Honor
• Bujold, Barrayar
• McCaffrey, Nimesha’s Ship
• Dodd, Trinity on Tylos

Romantic sci fi, also known known as futuristic romance:
• Verdenius, Love’s Sweet Assassin
• Miller, Beloved Enemy
• O’Connor, Exiled

Being Thankful

I have many reasons to be thankful in this season of thanksgiving, and some of them relate to publishing, so I’ll share those on Pam’s Pages.

First up would have to be my loyal readers. When Trinity on Tylos was released, a some folks drove quite a few miles to hear me make a fifteen minute talk about the new book, bought a copy, and went home to read it. Within a week, I had a couple of notes from readers in hand. One commented on the way I handled the ethical dilemmas in the book, demonstrating her perceptive reading of the novel. Another posted a brief blurb about the book and put the cover image on his own website. One of my cousins mentioned how much she enjoyed the book as we stood in line at the family reunion this fall. Another Georgia author, Terry Kay, once said in a speech that what editors and critics say isn’t so important, but that authors should, instead, listen to what readers say, and that is what writing is all about— sharing the stories with readers.

Second, although I agree with Mr. Kay, I am thankful for the reviewers who have been so positive about Trinity on Tylos. Jean, at Fallen Angels Reviews, awarded it the coveted Five Angel/Recommended Read, and that was based on an ARC that had far more errors than it should have had. Debbie at CK2sKwipsandKritiques gave it a rating of four and a half out of five, and wrote a particularly insightful review. When I speak, I usually quote from her review. Anita at the Romance Studio gave it four out of five hearts, which is quite positive from a site that primarily reviews romance. While there are some romantic elements in the book, it is basically sci fi. Without those reviews, I would find promotional matters far more difficult.

Third, I really do appreciate the local people who have shown an interest in my writing. Angela McKinney has stocked both books in her gift shop, and she hosted a booksigning when Trinity was released. Katy Hair also invited me to join in a booksigning event at her store, Tut’s Books. Amy Carlan, branch manager of my local library, has twice sponsored booksignings for me. Living Jackson publishers Roxane Rose and Priscilla Daves have given me generous coverage as a local author as well, including the wonderful “Truckload of Authors” article in their latest issue.

Finally, I am grateful to Debi Womack, publisher, and Gina Schneider, my editor at Whiskey Creek Press, because they seemed to believe in this somewhat off-beat yarn about duty, love, space ships and babies. Without their assistance, I wouldn’t be able to hold a copy of Trinity on Tylos in my hands.

While being a novelist is a challenge, I do have quite a lot for which I am thankful.

Frustration....

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll save time and post a screen shot.



Book sales tend to spike from October to the end of December, no doubt due to the combination of people giving gifts and taking time off work and wanting some entertainment. Distribution is everything in retail, so I am frustrated right now.

Pam’s Week in Publishing

The president of the Braselton Friends of the Library sent me an invitation to their dedication ceremony for the new library on Wednesday. I was a “Lunch and Learn” speaker at one of their meetings some time back, and it was really wonderful to see the new facility complete. Many of the attendees were politicians, of course, but I am sure the regular folks will soon be enjoying it. Now, those political people need to buy a few more books. I did see a well worn copy of The Gift Horse tucked away on a bottom shelf.

On Saturday, I paid a visit to Tut’s Book Emporium in Lilburn for a booksigning. Thanks to Katy, Greg, and Megan for their warm welcome. Tut is a friendly fellow as well, and he seemed to like my plastic book carrier more than anything else. I am going to post a “photo gallery” of that visit on my website soon. Katy has quite a lot of product knowledge, and we had a really nice chat about trends in current fiction.

Next on my schedule is a visit to 8th grade language arts classes here in Jefferson. I’m going to talk about my writing process, hoping to inspire some young minds to do more than the minimum necessary to pass class assignments. That will be a challenge, but I one that I welcome. Some kids think only geeks write, and while some (geeks, that is) do, I suppose, mastery of the written word can open quite a few doors. Having been a quarterback in high school will only get you so far in life, you know!

“A Fascinating Space Romance”

The Romance Studio recently reviewed Trinity on Tylos, and I’m thrilled to have another positive review from a romance site. In part, the reviewer states, “Trinity of Tylos is a fascinating space romance filled with thrilling action and adventure....The storyline is creative and filled with exciting action as one race fights another for their survival. Trinity of Tylos is a fascinating emotionally stirring space adventure that shows how far someone will go for someone they love.” Romance sites are sometimes a bit tough on this book, because it doesn’t follow the standard romance conventions.

Long time readers of this blog may remember that this science fiction action adventure was also named a “Recommended Read” by Fallen Angels Reviews and it has received favorable reviews from several other sites. For quotes from the major review sites and links to excerpts, please see www.pamelajdodd.com.

For the upcoming holidays, I’m accepting mail orders. Of course, my site lists several ways for readers to secure a copy of this science fiction pageturner, including links to the publisher, to Fictionwise, and to EBookIsle.