Top 5 Sundays #34 - Favorite Sci-Fi (Space Opera) Books!

So, admittedly, science fiction is not my typical cup of tea. Usually, when I read sci-fi, it tends to be an accident. How do you accidentally read a sci-fi book? Well, let's see. Sometimes I'll pick it up because I've read something else by the author and want to see how her tone differs between genres. Sometimes I'll pick it up thinking it's fantasy and realize midway through that, nope, it was misshelved (...is that a word? If not, it should be.) Sometimes I have no other options readily available. Sometimes there's a movie or book tie-in motivating me. And sometimes the plot and writing are just too good to pass up on. Plus, you know, who can resist aliens from outer space?

Oh, and just to be clear, I consider Sci-Fi to refer to books where a major element of the setting - if not the plot itself - is advanced science, be it in the form of technology, interplanetary associations, or time-jumps into the far future.

So, without further ado, I give you Calliope's Domain's Top 5 Favorite Sci-Fi (Space Opera) Books!

#5 - Doubleblind (Sirantha Jax #3) by Ann Aguirre

This is a book about a girl whose genes allow her to mentally jump ships through hyperspace. She is serving as an ambassador, of sorts, on a diplomatic mission to a planet of giant bugs while dealing with the fact that her PTSD suffering, telepathic boyfriend's recent experiences have cut him off from his emotions and made him dangerous and unpredictable. But, hey, you know, no pressure or anything.

#4 -  Dragonflight (Dragonriders of Pern #1) by Anne McCaffrey

I first read this book when I was still in elementary school and the dichotemy of main character Lessa fascinated me. She was such an interesting blend of brave heroine and scared little girl. Case and point; when she and her dragon go back a couple hundred years in time, she's most concerned with the fact her mate is going to be upset and shake her something fierce when she returns. And, oh yes, did I mention she totally redefines the role of her gold dragon and saves the day in a way no one could have ever predicted? 

#3 - Touched by an Alien (Kitty Katt #1) by Gini Koch

Honestly, the whole series is awesome beyond words but the first book? That's where the love affair began. I mean, imagine you're a covert agency with aliens and humans working in tandem to rid the world of dangerous mutant-causing parasites and you've been working at it for decades. Then one day this girl walks in and a few days later has not only killed several of the parasites, something you've found all but impossible to do yourselves, but done so using hair spray, boiling water, bass pounding music, and salt water. See? Told you. Awesome.

#2 - Playing with Fire (Tales of an [Extra]ordinary Girl #1) by Gena Showalter

Superheroes work for the government to bring in villains with dangerous powers of their own. How did they get these powers? Well, while most of them volunteered for the government-funded experiments, heroine and narrator Belle Jamison received her ability to control the elements through a syrum dropped into her coffee by a fugitive mad scientist. Add in heaping dollops of humour and romance and presto! You've got perfection!

#1 - Tinker (Elfhome #1) by Wen Spencer

A satellite launched into space twenty years ago had the unforeseen consequence of sending the whole of a futuristic Pittsburgh to another dimension for all but three days of each month, another dimension populated by elves and adjacent to a third dimension filled with demonic oni. The heroine is a plucky little genius who finds herself entangled with the elves and in short order with the oni. It's the price you pay when you're the only genius around capable of building transdimensional gates. Such hardships!

Top 5 Sundays #18 - Great Books I Read Because of a Blogger's Recommendation/Review

This week's Top 5 theme is Great Books I Read Because of a Blogger's Recommendation/Review and I have a confession to make right off the bat. Truth be told, while I do know which books were recommended to me (as opposed to merely coming upon them online or in store), in most cases I have a completely wretched grasp on the memory of who it was that did the recommending. So, I'd like to say now that frequent book blogging haunts of mine include:

 Amberkatze's Book Blog was my original book blog haunt. It hosts great interviews with authors from a variety of paranormal genres and formats, has giveaways almost every week, sponsors a monthly giveaway for subscribers with the book prize voted on by said subscribers, and has comprehensive and straightforward reviews of those books and more.

Heroes and Heartbreakers.com is an incredible site, especially if you've got a hankering for some romance. It not only does reviews and contests, it provides recaps of television shows and movies, gives opinions on various elements of romance, runs comparisons of movies and books, and a gazillion other things all meant to help you find your way to the perfect fictional romantic escape.

Literary Escapism has a whole slew of elements that make it great - interviews, contests, reviews, reading challenges - but by far the most handy feature of this site are the lists. Jackie, the brains behind LE, makes fantastic lists keeping track of all upcoming releases which is invaluable when one's planning their book budget for the month or the year. I also love her collection of newly unveiled cover art most easily seen on her Facebook page.

 

Larissa's Bookish Life - this blog offers some great features: it originated Top 5 Sundays, it hosts numerous contests and interviews and it even has personal diary posts on a wide range of topics not just books. Add in some amazing graphics and a easy to navigate site design and it's no small wonder why this site holds my interest. Not to mention that Larissa, the dame behind the name, has a great personality that infuses every aspect of her site, top to bottom! (Pimpin' my Ship #1!)

And now, without further ado, I give you my Top 5 Great Books I Read Because of a Blogger's Recommendation/Review!

#5 -  Blood Rights by Kristen Painter

Someone described this book's hero as "Geisha gone the way of Mulan" and its hero as "the Hulk gone Dark Side." It was definitely the right way of gaining my attention.

#4 - Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

Ilona Andrews was talking on her blog about having read another of Loretta Chase's books - Silk is for Seduction - and mentioned in the comments that "Lady Chase’s heroines are never helpless. In fact, in LORD OF SCOUNDRELS the heroine shoots the hero." Really, why would more incentive than that be needed?

#3 - Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

"It's Firefly with a twist," someone said so I read the first book. And the second. And so on. Turns out, it's one hell of a twist.

#2 - Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow

I bought the book because it seemed to always be about and finally I just bought it to keep from picking up every time I went to the bookstore. I read it, however, after reading a review that summarized this book in such a way that I had to see for myself if it stood up to the hype. It does.

#1 - Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

This book - and series, for that matter - got a lot of internet coverage and finally I caved to peer pressure and picked the first book up.  The internet had it right - the humour alone made these books work the read.

Ta da! My Top 5 Great Books I Read Because of a Blogger's Recommendation and/or Review! 

Until next week, my pretties! Adieu!

INTERVIEW: Ann Aguirre

Alright boys and girls, I know it's been awhile but would you believe I've gotten myself buried? Again? I've been working on my application for the teacher education program available at some Ontario universities. MAJOR headache. I've also finally finished the rough draft of the book I'm writing and have been reading three books at once, just because. But, now, at long last, I've another interview to share with everyone.

This time my guest is Ann Aguirre, author of the sci-fi series, Sirantha Jax, the UF series Corrine Solomon and, under the pseudonym "Ava Gray," she pens the paranormal romance (to put it loosely) series, Skin. PLUS, she also writes a paranormal apocalyptic action in collaboration with Carrie Lofty. And, yes, that IS a lot of series. O_O

So, now without further adieu, enjoy!

(1) So, I guess I may as well start with the basics: how exactly did Ann Aguirre break into the publishing world?

I signed with Laura Bradford in March of 2007. On April 11th, my husband's birthday, we pitched my romantic science fiction novel, Grimspace. We had an offer from Anne Sowards within a couple of weeks.

(2) Is writing a full-time job or have you got an alter-ego thing going on à la Clark Kent?
I write full time, and then some.

(3) Your first series, a sci-fi romance/adventure, deals with Sirantha Jax – a Jumper slash, um, rebel leader – as she adjusts to her new life in the aftermath of the world order’s shake-up. What inspirations led you to develop your mythology?
I love science fiction films and television, but from other women, I often heard the complaint that SF in books was too dry or technical for them to enjoy as much as movies and TV. So I set out to write a SF series for women. Now, the majority of my readers say, "I've never read SF before, but I love this." Music to my ears.

(4) Jax is puts a whole new spin on heroines – after all, she’s in outer space using her mind to navigate ships through some pretty bizarre short cuts. It’s pretty unique. How did your Jumpers come to be?
I sat down and started writing. Pretty cool, huh?

(5) Now, March. How would describe your hero?
Damaged, but determined to do the right thing. Devoted, dedicated, deliciously intense.

(6) The relationship between Jax and March has had its rocky moments but some how it all comes out seeming a lot more real because of it. Has it be hard setting the development of their relationship?
Yes.

(7) Now, you’ve also got your Corine Solomon series which as Corine, a touch sensitive, getting pulled into some pretty intense situations on account of her unique talent. It’s pretty different from your Jax series; where did the idea come from?
I keep a bunch of slips of paper in a Buddha cookie jar. Whatever idea gets drawn by the idea money, that's the one I write next. (Not really. I wanted to write UF set in Mexico. Everything came out of that desire.)

(8) How does writing Corine and Chance compare to writing Jax and March? Is it very difficult shifting gears from one to the other?
No. I don't write them at the same time.

(9) And then there’s your alter-ego, Ava Gray. First question: why the pen name for the Skin books when Corine and Jax are both written under Ann Aguirre? What’s so different about the Skin series?
Ava Gray is romance with graphic sex. It's better to brand that separately, so I can write SFF and YA under my real name.

(10) And isn’t there a YA series – Razorland – in the works for next year? What’s the scoop there?
It's dystopian, post-apocalyptic fiction. You can learn more here: http://www.annaguirre.com/books/ya-novels/razorland/

(11) Your next publication, Killbox, the fourth Jax novel, releases August 31. What can you tell us about this book?
I feel it's the best one so far. Heartbreaking, though. Learn more here: http://www.annaguirre.com/books/jax-series/Killbox/

(12) Now, in a perfect world where publishers bow to your every whim, how long do you plan on the Jax, Corine and Skin series being?
Jax wraps up in six books in 2012. Corine is open-ended, so I will write those as long as readers want them. The Skin series may well be complete now, though I don't rule out spin-offs set in the same universe, depending on how the rest of the releases do.

(13) Any other series cooking up in that apparently rather crowded imagination of yours?
Yes, always.

(14)And on that note, how do you manage all these series, pen names, and genres? How has your head not exploded?
Carefully? Plus, my head's full of hamsters who thrive on stress; they devour it like grated carrots.

(15)How exactly did you come up with your characters? Are any of them based on real people? Trade secret. If I told you, then everyone who read your blog could do it. I'm protecting my livelihood here.

No, no, they're not.

(16)What sort of research is done per book? Any particular texts you rely on? Could you break down your research process?
Depends on the subject matter and how much I already know about it. Every book is different. I use the internet a lot, but I also have friends and colleagues who know a lot about various areas. I have one friend who I ask about legal stuff, another about forensic procedures and another who specializes in computers. I'm not shy about asking questions, and I do try to get things right.

(17) Finally, some random questions about you:
a. What are your hobbies aside from writing? My release schedule doesn't leave me that much time for anything else, but books still top the list. Books, movies, music, shopping with my daughter, video games with my son, yoga. I don't know if that stuff counts as hobbies so much as my life, though.
b. Could you please describe your dream day? I get to sleep for twelve hours, and then read and watch movies for the other twelve with nobody wanting anything from me. Not even once.
c. If you found a genie, what would be your three wishes? Health for my family.
Happiness for my friends.
Plenty of work for me.
Thanks for having me.
--A

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And there you have it. Be sure to swing by Ann's website over here or over here for all the latest 411 on her past and future releases, not to mention whatever else may be going on over there. And also be sure to pick up her latest release, Killbox, no doubt available at bookseller near you. (Was that too much? I went to far into promo-land, didn't I? Oops.)