Laura Navarre's Blog

Greetings Earthlings!

Oh, you beautiful, wonderful, glorious people you! Thanks to you, this month’s newsletter is ALL about gratitude. Interstellar Angel launched into orbit on Oct. 12, and all of you magnificent, generous, perceptive, supportive friends, readers and reviewers gave me the series launch day of my fevered dreams! Interstellar Angel debuted in the Amazon bestseller list for its category and, as of this writing, has continued to climb! And all your spectacular reviews are posting on Amazon, Kobo, B&N, Goodreads, BookBub, B&N, Google Play, and they are every bit as awesome and amazing as you are.

Interstellar Angel

I can’t tell you how affirming and validating it has been to see this book I wrote as a massive leap of faith—no publisher, no agent, indie debut, genre pivot, writing on my iPhone in a relentless bombardment of PhD commitments during Covid—find its wonderful audience! I love that readers are reacting to it as space opera and sci fi as well as romance. I love that queer readers are finding the book. I love that one of you described it on Amazon as Tron meets Game of Thrones (thanks, Libra Amie!) 😊 Thank you all so much for making this adventure possible for me.

And, because I love you, there’s a boatload of free reads and curated book bundles for your reading delectation below!

New Chance to Join the Astral Angels!
An extra special shout-out to the Astral Angels, my pre-release review team, whose early reviews and feedback have been absolutely central to Interstellar’s success! We’re sending out ARCs now for Renegade Angel, Book 2 in the Astral Heat Romance series, which releases Dec. 1. Wanna read and review early on Goodreads, BookBub, Amazon, your blog or favorite distributor site? Then join the Astral Angels! It’s easy-peasy. Just sign up below, download the ARC, and leave an honest review on your favorite site before the Dec. 1 release.

😍 Sign up to read the ARC here. 😍
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA...

Or, if you’re on NetGalley, request the ARC directly here:
http://netgal.ly/58rTUd

Launch Countdown for Renegade Angel
Houston, we are at T minus 46 days and counting! Pre-order now from your favorite distributor site. And find out what happens to Zorin in the fighting pit. 😍
https://books2read.com/RenegadeAngel

Renegade Angel

Recommended Read of the Month: King of the Dark by Ariana Nash
This month’s dish is the launch book for a fully completed dark M/M fantasy series called The Prince’s Assassin, and man is it good! Vasili Caville is the tortured, vicious, sadistic young prince who’s all that stands between his realm and a horde of cannibalistic elves…which may sound unlikely, but they’re savage! Niko Yazdan is the brutal ex-soldier who blames Vasili for the ignoble ceasefire that ended the war with the elven threat still looming and thousands of good men dead for nothing. When Vasili coerces a fiercely resistant Niko into his service, the sparks they do fly! This is a steamy slow…AGONIZINGLY slow…burn trilogy that pays off in SO many ways. I’m not kidding you. If you like dark fantasy and male-male encounters, this is the series for you! It’s free on Kindle Unlimited.
https://www.amazon.com/King-Dark-fant...


Now for the Free Reads! Download ‘em like the Fate of the Galaxy Depends on it!

UNEARTHLY ROMANCE
Every month is free sci fi romance month around here, people! I can’t get enough alien romance these days, and dragon shifter romance is definitely having a moment. Here’s this month’s bundle of delectables, free for a limited time!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/unearthl...

ALIENS WITH BENEFITS
Did I mention I’m gobbling up alien romance like chocolate-covered caramels these days? Oh, I did mention it? Well, here are TONS more of them—all free! The giveaway ends Oct. 31.
https://books.bookfunnel.com/alienswi...

DARK ROMANCE/PARANORMAL ROMANCE FREEBIE BOOK BONANZA
For those who love books that go bump in the night, these spooktacular free romance reads will put you in the proper Halloween spirit! Get ’em before Oct. 31 when they’re gone!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/giveaway...

CURATED BOOK BUNDLES
(typically on sale, but check before buying!)

Sizzling Outer Space Adventure
Can’t get enough outer space adventure? Neither can I! This curated book bundle for sci fi fanatics is packed with searing outer space action. Running now till Nov. 10.
https://books.bookfunnel.com/worshiph...

Brand-New Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance Reads!

Every reverse harem reader I know struggles to find new TBRs for their bookshelf, because this is a seriously underserved community. This steamy paranormal/fantasy/sci fi romance book bundle is a preview of coming attractions. All started as preorders, but they’re going live one by one! Steam included—grab ‘em before the bundle goes kablooey!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/pnr-fa-s...

Oh, you don’t want to wait? Then this is the bundle for you! All available now!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/rh000000...

Decadently Delicious Romantic Fantasy/Sci Fi/Dark Romance Book Bundle!
This curated collection of seductive shifters, erotic aliens, and vicious vampires is galactically good! Great opportunity to find a steamy new-to-you-author. Or just enjoy these gorgeous covers!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/sale_pro...

Interstellar Dispatch: Captain James T. Kirk Goes to Space—for Real!

How cool is it that William Shatner…a.k.a. Captain James T. Kirk of Star Trek fame…has just become the oldest person ever to visit space! Watching him wax rhapsodic about the experience was even more fun than watching Shatner and Anderson Cooper giggle their way through his preflight interview.

Watch the interview here! https://news.yahoo.com/william-shatne...

Hope this month’s interstellar broadcast singed your circuits. 😊 Track me on social media for more, streaking through space like a renegade comet!

Follow me on TikTok
(And check out my steamy new Interstellar Angel book trailer!) https://www.tiktok.com/@lauranavarrea...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/lauranavarre
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LauraNavarreInterste...
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/LauraNavarre

Until next time, may the Force be with you!
Laura

Don’t miss the Goodreads print book giveaway for INTERSTELLAR ANGEL!
Enter NOW to receive a signed, pre-release print copy:
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

________________________________________
Exclusive Excerpt from INTERSTELLAR ANGEL:

For some damn reason, he always brought out the devil in her. Kaia hitched her brows and held his stare. “I’m not begging yet, boy toy.”

Amethyst lightning flashed in his eyes. “You will be.”

And just like that, he was on her. Unleashed from all that godlike restraint and savage with need. A predator crouching between her legs, pinning her in place, hands sliding up her thighs to trap her.

“I want you to show me,” Nero breathed. “Show me how you want me to touch you. Show me how you pleasure yourself when you fantasize about riding me in your bed.”

Angels and asteroids, that ego of his.

“Wouldn’t you rather have me show you how Dex touches me?” She just couldn’t seem to stop taunting him. “Or maybe Zorin? You haven’t been in his bed yet, have you? Want me to tell you what he’s like?”

“I’ll find out for myself soon enough.” His guttural tone scraped against her senses to make her shiver. Even as he nuzzled her inner thigh with heated lips and looked up at her with those infernal eyes. “Right now, they’re light years away. Show me you.”

Foreplay for the two of them had always been about temptation. Testing how hard they could torment each other without crossing that uncrossable line. Now they’d removed all the guardrails.

Which meant she could tease him…tease both of them…right to the edge of reason.

Pre-Order Now!
Live Oct. 12!
https://books2read.com/InterstellarAngel

Join the Astral Angels—Laura’s ARC Review Team!
https://forms.gle/yqzm23oKXyi3TYau8

Interstellar Angel

Greetings, Earthlings!

Did you miss me? I took off the whole month of July from publishing to conduct firsthand, sandals-on-the-ground research for my upcoming travel memoir, titled Caribbean Beaches I Have Known. (Just kidding!!) Although I definitely WAS vacationing in Siesta Key, FL; Seven Mile Beach, Jamaica; and wallowing hedonistically on a cruise that went to Honduras, Belize, and Cozumel!

Now that we’re back, I’m launching into hyperdrive getting ready for book launch! I’m so incredibly pumped that the ARC (that’s advanced reader copy) for INTERSTELLAR ANGEL is out on NetGalley and pretty much everywhere. AND I’m madly hunting for reviewers! If you review books on Amazon, Goodreads, a blog, NetGalley, or your favorite retailer site, that means I’m looking for YOU!

Interested? Keep reading!

🔥 ARC GIVEAWAY for INTERSTELLAR ANGEL 🔥

In a galactic mating contest where desire is deadly, the combatant who impregnates a rebel princess wins the contest and rules the galaxy. But this fiery princess is fiercely opposed to the whole concept and leads 500 aggressive, ambitious, testosterone-fueled suitors on the galactic race of their lives! STAR WARS meets HUNGER GAMES in this steamy space opera reverse harem sci fi romance with plenty of hot M/M and M/F action, light bondage, and kickass outer space adventure.

😍 Sign up to read the ARC here! 😍
https://forms.gle/yqzm23oKXyi3TYau8

Or, if you’re on NetGalley, request the ARC directly here:
http://netgal.ly/l2TZIK


Launch Countdown for INTERSTELLAR ANGEL

Houston, we are at T minus two months until release day for my first-in-series reverse harem sci fi romance debut—and vibrating with excitement! Swing by your nearest starbase and pre-order yours from your favorite distributor (hint, it’s half-off the purchase price literally everywhere!):

https://books2read.com/InterstellarAngel
Interstellar Angel

Recommended Read of the Month: Deep Space Mission Corps by Tymber Dalton

While lying on a Jamaican beach sipping Pina Coladas and working on my tan, I DEVOURED the launch book for this completed sci fi reverse harem romance series, called LOVE AT FIRST BIGHT. And I so adored it! Dr. Emilia Hypatia is a medic and empath assigned to a Deep Space Mission Corps spaceship with three galactically hot heroes who are already bonded with each other, but still totally traumatized by the long-ago loss of their female lover on a mission gone hideously awry. Em (who never planned on this whole outer space thing as a career choice) has to learn to be an astronaut, carry her weight in shipboard duties, and teach three wounded heartthrobs how to love her the way they already love each other. This lightning-fast read features exotic planets, outer space adventure, and a vulnerable but determined heroine coming into her own power as lover and teammate. I really adored this medium-burn MMMF read with a smart, appealing heroine and three wounded heroes who wrung out my heart like a dishcloth!

Here’s where you can grab yours:
https://amzn.to/3lg8VP6
Love at First Bight

Now for ALL the Free Reads You Can Handle!

Holy romance freebies, Batman! This all-genre romance giveaway has a TRUCKLOAD of free books, and they are looking MIGHTY steamy! Running for this month only, so hoover up your hotties right here:

https://books.bookfunnel.com/bookspry...

Unearthly Romance: Cosmic Outer Space Romance Adventure

Just literally one of my favorite romance genres ever! For a galaxy of free sci fi romance reads—exotic aliens, sexy space pirates, seductive shifters and more, check out this free book bonanza right here. The party ends Aug. 31, so don’t delay!

https://books.bookfunnel.com/unearthl...

Reverse Harem/Menage with Strong Female Protagonist

How about some steamy menage and (hello!) reverse harem with a badass heroine who takes absolutely zero prisoners? This giveaway starts AUGUST 10 and is packed with all the menage/reverse harem reads you could ever want, for free! Great time to try this steamy cutting-edge genre without spending a cent!

https://books.bookfunnel.com/worshiph...

How many books can you buy with a $300 Amazon gift card?

Let’s find out, shall we? Follow these sci fi and fantasy authors on BookBub and other social media for TONS of chances to win a $300 Amazon Gift Card!

https://clcannon.net/2021/07/19/c-l-c...

Interstellar Dispatch: Olympics in Space!

Did you know the American, Russian, French and Japanese astronauts at the International Space Station are not only watching the Olympics from orbit, but conducting their own games up there? Events such as synchronized floating and (very) long jumps are on the roster—with medals awarded, too!

https://www.space.com/astronauts-watc...

Here’s hoping this month’s interstellar broadcast launched you into orbit! Don’t forget to track me on social media like a rogue comet barreling straight for Earth. I’d love to connect with you.

TikTok; www.tiktok.com/@LauraNavarreAuthor
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/laura...
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LauraNavarreInterste...
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/LauraNavarre
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/lauranavarre

Until next month, may the Force be with you!

Laura

Greetings, Earthlings!

You know that feeling when you push yourself past your limits? That primal scream of triumph that rips through you when you crush it? That surge of elation that makes every synapse in your body sing?

Yeah. That feeling. Right now, I’m rocking it.

Because after nineteen months of writing a 235K word intergalactic epic on my iPhone like a crazy person…stopping in the produce section to tap out a furious sentence I didn’t want to lose…standing on the sidewalk with thumbs flying to capture some sparkling phrase that sprinkled past my eyes like falling glitter on New Year’s Eve…reading every steamy word to my marvelous, ever-patient hubby over endless glasses of wine while he cooked up an assembly line of fabulous dinners…then editing, re-editing, highlighting, polishing, critiquing the hell out of it…the first three books in the Astral Heat Romance series have gone to my copy editor!!!

And I’m simultaneously elated and terrified to be closing in on the finish line.

I’m consoling myself with a Caribbean vacation in July (imagine Steven & me lying on a beach in Jamaica and sipping Pina Coladas on a catamaran in Honduras), so you won’t hear from me again until August. However, I will be posting vacation pics of my well-tanned hubby and myself on social media! Meanwhile, I’ve got megabites of mad reading pleasure—much of it free!—curated from across the universe for your delectation below.

Scroll right on down for all the freebies, giveaways, deals, and new-to-you authors you can load onto your favorite reading device!

Launch Countdown for INTERSTELLAR ANGEL

We are at T minus four months to launch, but who’s counting? 😊

Available now for pre-order across the galaxy: https://books2read.com/InterstellarAngel

Interstellar Angel

Recommended Read of the Month: Shoot the Messenger

This month I’m dishing about SHOOT THE MESSENGER by Pippa Da Costa, Book 1 in The Messenger Chronicles. A PHENOMENAL intergalactic fantasy/sci fi/reverse harem mashup…think faeries in space, with artificial intelligence, space travel, dreamweaving, a superbly badass heroine with the galactic deck seriously stacked against her, and five hellaciously hot heroes in the harem. Why did I love this series so much that I scarfed the whole thing in a week?

Aside from its truly unique worldbuilding—the Fae are interstellar bad guys jonesing for galactic dominion, and the dark heroine deceives and lies to everyone, even herself, to survive—this series features a hot hot hot dark fae supervillain (who of course joins the harem) and a partner-in-crime wardrone (think R2D2 with a raunchy sense of humor) who steals every scene he’s in. Plus, Kesh Lasota is the kind of heroine you really don’t want to mess with…yet she’s vulnerable. I’m SERIOUSLY recommending this one.

And the really crazy part? SHOOT THE MESSENGER is free on Kindle Unlimited! Here’s your link:
https://www.amazon.com/Shoot-Messenge...

Free PNR, Fantasy and Sci-fi Romance Reads!
Ladies & gents, this bonanza bring you exotic aliens, sexy shifters, delectable dragons, decadent demons, and every other flavor of delicious in this paranormal/fantasy/sci-fi romance giveaway! Seriously, folks, this is your chance to try so many new authors in some of your favorite genres for free. The bad news? This basket of yummies is gone June 30.
https://books.bookfunnel.com/romanceg...

Dive Into a New-to-You Paranormal Romance Series!

I really love the concept behind this one. These authors teamed up to bring you a boatload of free first-in-series paranormal/urban fantasy/sci fi/fantasy romance reads. Due to the concept, I’m seeing some books here I haven’t seen in other bundles. I dig the feeling of diving into a new series and loving it!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/intro2pn...

Romantic Fantasy/Dark Romance Giveaway Ends June 30

Like a little dark & deadly with your secret book boyfriend? This book giveaway has all the dark romance you’ve been craving, and plenty of menage & reverse harem along with plenty of steamy M/F adventure. Wish I could read romance from three tablets at once!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/giveaway...

+150 Free & Discounted Dystopia, Urban & Epic Fantasy, Space Travel, Sci Fi Romance & More—Plus a Kindle Fire Giveaway!
Yep, you heard me! That’s a LOT of free, almost-free, and Kindle Unlimited out-of-this-world fantasy & sci fi amazingness. I’m salivating over this one myself. This party ends July 15, so don’t dawdle!
https://clcannon.net/bookfair

“But I only want romance,” you said…

And here’s the romance-only bookfair for you! 60+ free or deeply discounted contemporary romance, paranormal romance, sci fi & fantasy romance, LGBT+ romance…and even a few reverse harems! This one too comes complete with a Kindle Fire giveaway, an Amazon gift card, and other delectables. We are ALL going to win Kindle Fires at this point, people! This one ends in July.
https://michelle-a-bailey.com/bookfair/

Interstellar Dispatch

“The Moon Hits the Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie”—A Super Blood Moon Dazzles Earthlings
Did you guys see this on June 10? From Brazil to Alaska, California to Indonesia, people with the right view of the celestial phenomenon marveled as their moon, usually a predictable, pale, Swiss-cheese-like round in the sky, was transformed into a fierce red giant. As one Twitter user, words failing, put it: “Man I’m in love with this urghhh.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/wo...

Hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s interstellar broadcast! Don’t forget to track me on social media. I’d love to connect with you.

NEW SOCIAL MEDIA!

Now on TikTok! www.tiktok.com/@LauraNavarreAuthor
FOLLOW ME ON BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/laura...

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LauraNavarreInterste...
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/LauraNavarre
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/lauranavarre

Until August, Happy Reading!
Laura

Greetings, Earthlings!

You know that feeling when you push yourself past your limits? That primal scream of triumph that rips through you when you crush it? That surge of elation that makes every synapse in your body sing?

Yeah. That feeling. Right now, I’m rocking it.

Because after nineteen months of writing a 235K word intergalactic epic on my iPhone like a crazy person…stopping in the produce section to tap out a furious sentence I didn’t want to lose…standing on the sidewalk with thumbs flying to capture some sparkling phrase that sprinkled past my eyes like falling glitter on New Year’s Eve…reading every steamy word to my marvelous, ever-patient hubby over endless glasses of wine while he cooked up an assembly line of fabulous dinners…then editing, re-editing, highlighting, polishing, critiquing the hell out of it…the first three books in the Astral Heat Romance series have gone to my copy editor!!!

And I’m simultaneously elated and terrified to be closing in on the finish line.

I’m consoling myself with a Caribbean vacation in July (imagine Steven & me lying on a beach in Jamaica and sipping Pina Coladas on a catamaran in Honduras), so you won’t hear from me again until August. However, I will be posting vacation pics of my well-tanned hubby and myself on social media! Meanwhile, I’ve got megabites of mad reading pleasure—much of it free!—curated from across the universe for your delectation below.

Scroll right on down for all the freebies, giveaways, deals, and new-to-you authors you can load onto your favorite reading device!

Launch Countdown for INTERSTELLAR ANGEL

We are at T minus four months to launch, but who’s counting? 😊

Available now for pre-order across the galaxy: https://books2read.com/InterstellarAngel

Interstellar Angel

Recommended Read of the Month: Shoot the Messenger

This month I’m dishing about SHOOT THE MESSENGER by Pippa Da Costa, Book 1 in The Messenger Chronicles. A PHENOMENAL intergalactic fantasy/sci fi/reverse harem mashup…think faeries in space, with artificial intelligence, space travel, dreamweaving, a superbly badass heroine with the galactic deck seriously stacked against her, and five hellaciously hot heroes in the harem. Why did I love this series so much that I scarfed the whole thing in a week?

Aside from its truly unique worldbuilding—the Fae are interstellar bad guys jonesing for galactic dominion, and the dark heroine deceives and lies to everyone, even herself, to survive—this series features a hot hot hot dark fae supervillain (who of course joins the harem) and a partner-in-crime wardrone (think R2D2 with a raunchy sense of humor) who steals every scene he’s in. Plus, Kesh Lasota is the kind of heroine you really don’t want to mess with…yet she’s vulnerable. I’m SERIOUSLY recommending this one.

And the really crazy part? SHOOT THE MESSENGER is free on Kindle Unlimited! Here’s your link:
https://www.amazon.com/Shoot-Messenge...

Free PNR, Fantasy and Sci-fi Romance Reads!
Ladies & gents, this bonanza bring you exotic aliens, sexy shifters, delectable dragons, decadent demons, and every other flavor of delicious in this paranormal/fantasy/sci-fi romance giveaway! Seriously, folks, this is your chance to try so many new authors in some of your favorite genres for free. The bad news? This basket of yummies is gone June 30.
https://books.bookfunnel.com/romanceg...

Dive Into a New-to-You Paranormal Romance Series!

I really love the concept behind this one. These authors teamed up to bring you a boatload of free first-in-series paranormal/urban fantasy/sci fi/fantasy romance reads. Due to the concept, I’m seeing some books here I haven’t seen in other bundles. I dig the feeling of diving into a new series and loving it!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/intro2pn...

Romantic Fantasy/Dark Romance Giveaway Ends June 30

Like a little dark & deadly with your secret book boyfriend? This book giveaway has all the dark romance you’ve been craving, and plenty of menage & reverse harem along with plenty of steamy M/F adventure. Wish I could read romance from three tablets at once!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/giveaway...

+150 Free & Discounted Dystopia, Urban & Epic Fantasy, Space Travel, Sci Fi Romance & More—Plus a Kindle Fire Giveaway!
Yep, you heard me! That’s a LOT of free, almost-free, and Kindle Unlimited out-of-this-world fantasy & sci fi amazingness. I’m salivating over this one myself. This party ends July 15, so don’t dawdle!
https://clcannon.net/bookfair

“But I only want romance,” you said…

And here’s the romance-only bookfair for you! 60+ free or deeply discounted contemporary romance, paranormal romance, sci fi & fantasy romance, LGBT+ romance…and even a few reverse harems! This one too comes complete with a Kindle Fire giveaway, an Amazon gift card, and other delectables. We are ALL going to win Kindle Fires at this point, people! This one ends in July.
https://michelle-a-bailey.com/bookfair/

Interstellar Dispatch

“The Moon Hits the Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie”—A Super Blood Moon Dazzles Earthlings
Did you guys see this on June 10? From Brazil to Alaska, California to Indonesia, people with the right view of the celestial phenomenon marveled as their moon, usually a predictable, pale, Swiss-cheese-like round in the sky, was transformed into a fierce red giant. As one Twitter user, words failing, put it: “Man I’m in love with this urghhh.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/wo...

Hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s interstellar broadcast! Don’t forget to track me on social media. I’d love to connect with you.

NEW SOCIAL MEDIA!

Now on TikTok! www.tiktok.com/@LauraNavarreAuthor
FOLLOW ME ON BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/laura...

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LauraNavarreInterste...
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/LauraNavarre
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/lauranavarre

Until August, Happy Reading!
Laura

Hi there!

I’m super excited to send you this month’s interstellar broadcast because I’ve got TONS of free book giveaways and promos I’m supporting across the sci fi romance, fantasy romance, and erotic romance universe. Below is where I give you the goods!
While I’ve got you, I’m also loving the chance to share a few fun facts about being an indie reverse harem romance author. Just in case you’re ever wondering about trying it yourself!

Fun Fact #1: You really can write a steamy sex scene, well, anywhere.

It’s a not-so-closely-kept secret that I started writing my sexy reverse harem outer space romance adventure Interstellar Angel on my iPhone, using Google docs, while commuting to my government day job on the D.C. Metro. At first I thought it might inhibit me, writing this sexy stuff on a packed commuter train…but that turned out to be, um, not a problem. Not only was I perfectly content curled up on my banana-yellow bench typing furiously away with my thumbs while steam fogged my window. I found I was also 100% capable of getting my heroine horizontal with three super-sexy space hunks while standing in the aisle, with suit-clad commuters wedged against me, reading over my shoulder literally as the words appeared. If THAT doesn’t block me, I’m pretty sure nothing ever will!

Fun Fact #2: The most fun you’ll ever have doing research is reverse harem erotic research. 😊

Not to mention, it makes a FABULOUS conversation starter! I was in the Philippines on business and found myself sharing a breakfast table at the hotel with three male colleagues who were trainers at a workshop my organization was funding. They were great guys and I felt comfy sharing what I write. One guy asked if it’s hard doing all that sci fi research, and I said no, thanks to my background I felt pretty comfortable there, but what I really needed to research was all that polyamorous sex. They were agog! Until I explained that my “research” consisted largely of reading tons in the genre. Probably good that I cleared that up, because married. 😊

Fun Fact #3: It’s awesome running your own publishing company!

One of the biggest thrills of this entire rollicking adventure has been becoming the president of my very own indie publishing company, Ascendant Press! Last month I shared a bit about working with my outstanding writer-hubby Steven (my own real-life romance hero!) who acts as our CEO. That means the two of us get to decide what stories come to readers, and they don’t always have to be reverse harem outer space adventure! Next year—after a bunch of my Astral Heat Romance releases hit the street—we’ll be rolling out something totally different. Steven’s debut memoir about growing up Amish-Mennonite and leaving that world to study Shakespeare in London on a Rotary scholarship. How To Tie a Tie, will be the debut release from Ascendant’s creative non-fiction imprint, Soul Teachers, tentatively slated for 2022.

Launch Countdown for INTERSTELLAR ANGEL

Houston, we are at T minus five months to launch! We publish Oct. 12, 2021. And I’m so excited I’m hugging myself and giggling. 😊 Available now for pre-order across the galaxy:
https://books2read.com/InterstellarAngel

Now on to the good stuff—my recommended read of the month and all those freebies!

Recommended Read of the Month: Hot Reverse Harem Android Romance!
Good Deeds by Kathryn Moon

OMG, I read this book while lying on the beach in Key West for my uber-fun milestone birthday blowout, and it contributed SO magnificently to the frolic! For me, it was like a super-steamy reverse harem Bladerunner, very noir and gritty futuristic, with spectacular worldbuilding and android heroes. I’m still discovering all the marvelous diversity reverse harem has to offer, and I wasn’t 100% sure before I started that android RH romance was going to do it for me—but damn if it didn’t! I simply loved this scary-capable space scavenger/engineer heroine and the five androids whose sexual services she barters her engineer skills to “borrow” after her biological heat sends her into an irresistible, multi-day mating frenzy. Lots of sex, lots of action, and a standalone read with a goopy/satisfying happily-ever-after. Here’s the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Good-Deeds-Kat...

Do you happen to know of any other books like this one out there? I’m talking really well-written, futuristic reverse harem romance with distinctive android or cyborg heroes and a compelling heroine, written in a noir style and set in a well-constructed sci fi world? Shoot me an email or post on my Facebook or Twitter with your recs!

Erotic LGBTQ+ Free Book Bonanza of the Month:

Here comes the free stuff! If you’re looking for super steamy in every single flavor, including plenty of hot M/M, M/M/F, and F/F action and all of it free free free, look no further! Download these bad boys and girls PDQ, because the bonanza ends on May 31:
https://books.bookfunnel.com/eroticlg...

Free Sci-Fi Romance Bonanza of the Month:

Here’s that huge, free sci-fi romance blowout you’ve been waiting for. A galaxy of hot hunks & cosmic reads—all free for a limited time. Teleport over & grab your freebies before they’re gone! This party ends on May 31.
https://books.bookfunnel.com/scifirom...

Like a little fantasy & paranormal with your free romance? Sexy shifters, cyborgs, alphas, and vampires of all possible flavors are available for the month of May only right here:
https://books.bookfunnel.com/maymagic...

Interstellar Broadcast:

I found this month’s real-world outer space newsflash in the New York Times: “Scientists Unspool Story of Asteroid’s Journey to Botswana.”
Here’s my favorite quote: “Five feet long and weighing about the same as an adult African elephant…the meteorites looked a lot like animal poop. Bat-eared foxes and warthogs strolled past, lions stealthily stalked and slaughtered giraffes while…wardens protected the search party in case a fanged predator got too close for comfort.” Sounds like an awesome setting for a sci fi romance!
A 22-Million-Year Journey From the Asteroid Belt to Botswana - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s fly-by fix! Don’t forget to track me on social media. I’d love to connect with you.

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LauraNavarreInterste...
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/LauraNavarre
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/lauranavarre
My brand new website: www.LauraNavarreSciFi.com (You can also email me here.)

Until next time, Happy Reading!
Laura

DISPATCHES FROM SPACE:

They say writing and publishing a book takes a village. When you’re a debut reverse harem sci fi romance author with three back-to-back releases, it takes a starbase. A starbase peopled with extremely hot men.

When I dove into writing the faraway galaxy Astral Heat Romance series, I didn’t even know reverse harem was a thing. I was writing on my iPhone under quarantine purely for pleasure, and my adorable cosmic mate hubby Steven—himself a professional writer and writing mentor—was pretty much a captive audience. He gamely listened to rough-draft chapters I read him at night over a superb bottle of wine while he whipped up gourmet dinners for the two of us (yep, I’m a lucky one!) And despite being a staunchly hetero male down to the last chromosome of his DNA, he listened with interest and encouragement to my steamy male-male and male-male-male and male-male-male-female encounters and offered thoughtful critique that made the whole project so much better.

I could never have written Interstellar Angel, the launch book for the Astral Heat Romance series, without Steven’s support. Now he’s also my business partner and CEO for Ascendant Press, the independent publishing company we rolled out during Covid as I pivoted away from a decade writing traditional romance for Harlequin into this new genre and this new indie universe. We’re learning so much so fast! Steven is the visionary and long-term strategist, while I’m the tactician and president—the one responsible for getting the enterprise launched and the books to market.
And because we’re a two-person show, Steven also functions as our secretary and the-guy-who-knows-where-everything-is, while I’m also the treasurer and keep our financial boat afloat. Also aboard are our two Neva Masquerade Siberian cats, who provide emotional support, purrs and furry snuggles. I’ll be posting more about York (colloquially known as Puddin) and Lannister (colloquially known as Squeaks).

And we have so much help! I’ll be giving shout-outs to the amazing editors, formatters, cover artists, marketers, mentors, website mavens, author-advisers and crying pillows who are helping us launch this satellite into orbit.

Interstellar Angel is our collective baby, our debut release, coming to a galaxy near you October 12. Think Star Wars meets reverse harem by way of The Hunger Games. Preorder links for your favorite bookseller are here at www.books2read.com/InterstellarAngel .

What I’m Reading:

Since I plunged into my reverse harem (RH) writing career so spontaneously, I’m binge reading to learn the genre and just hoovering up everything. My current indulgence is Rise of the Iliri by Auryn Hadley. It’s consistently one of the dominant recommended reads on the RH Facebook reader pages…of which there are so many! The heroine is a savagely competent alien assassin/orphan on a world brutally conquered by Terrans, and her harem of swordmates/comrades/lovers are various exotic flavors of alien-human crossbreed. (All of them yummy!) It’s a gripping read with intricate worldbuilding, tons of sex-and-swordplay action, a journey of discovery for the heroine, an unconventional take on racial tension, and a full-spectrum emotional roller coaster ride. There’s no male-male action in this one (at least that I’ve encountered yet!), but plenty of sizzle and heat. Free on Kindle Unlimited for those who indulge!

https://www.amazon.com/RISE-ILIRI-Vol...

Free Read of the Month:

There’s nothing I love more than a sexy reverse harem sci fi free read! The one I’m loving right now is Fallen Warriors by Aurora Welkin. A steamy read starring a human female and three sexy aliens who are determined to claim their mate! This one has no male-male action, but plenty of guy-guy-guy on girl sexy times!
We are warriors. We are shifters. We are Saberians.
We are the greatest…until we fall.

When the females of Saber mysteriously die, Prince Arana, the only remaining member of the Royal family, vows to govern the living and avenge the fallen.

As if being the new king was not enough, Arana faces a grave challenge. He and Beast, his sabertooth half, need to play nice long enough to accomplish the only thing that will save them: finding compatible females for his people.

He needs to lead his warriors by example, else his failure will cost him more than just his life. Will he locate a mate whom Beast will accept in time, or will he lead those he pledged to protect to doom?

Fallen Warriors is an origin story prequel that ends in a cliffhanger. Arana’s story climaxes in book 2 of the series, Saved Warriors, a sci-fi alien warrior MFMM reverse harem romance. (No M/M). Happily ever after guaranteed!

And did I mention it’s FREE? Grab your copy with a click:
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/ub5ll61xns?...

Recommended Romance:

Maybe you’d prefer a little contemporary menage set in a glamorous international locale for your reading fix? I’m giving a major shout-out to Dana Delamar and Kristine Cayne, whose Total Indulgence series was my intro to the genre. These books are like gourmet chocolate, to be nibbled and savored over a snifter of brandy while you sink deep into your favorite armchair. My absolute favorite is Her Two Men in Tahiti: A Rock Star Romance, with—you guessed it—two super-yummy British bad boy rock star heroes who’ve been jonesing for each other for years, and the super-appealing heroine they can’t get enough of.

Here’s your link for these bad boys:
Her Two Men in Tahiti: A Rock Star Romance (Total Indulgence Book 2) - Kindle edition by Delamar, Dana, Cayne, Kristine. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
https://www.amazon.com/Her-Two-Men-Ta...

Sci Fi Book Bonanza of the Month:

Looking for some bookish deals? This Fantasy & Sci-fi book fair has over 150 free & discounted books, plus KU finds! There's also a huge giveaway at the bottom!
View the fair here: https://clcannon.net/bookfair
Did I mention there’s a chance to win a Kindle Fire, a one-month gift subscription to Owlcrate, and a $10 Starbucks gift card?

Erotic LGBTQ+ Book Bonanza of the Month:

And if you’re looking for super steamy in every single flavor, including plenty of hot M/M, M/M/F, and F/F action and all of it free free free, look no further! Here’s your fix for these bad boys and girls:
https://books.bookfunnel.com/eroticlg...

Interstellar Broadcast:

And, to wrap it up this month, here’s a New York Times headline to thrill any sci fi romance reader’s soul: “As New Yorkers Keep Heads up, UFO Reports are on the Rise.” Makes me want to read more alien romance!
U.F.O. Reports Surged During the Pandemic - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Hope you’ve enjoyed this fly-by dispatch! Don’t forget to follow me. I’d love to hear from you.

www.Facebook.com/LauraNavarreInterste...
www.Twitter.com/LauraNavarre
www.LauraNavarreSciFi.com (You can also email me through the website.)

Until next month,
Laura

Why do I love fallen angels? At first blush, my fascination with these unconventional heroes seems unlikely. These once-divine beings, their bright beauty forever marred by their plummet from grace into darkness, seem better suited to villainy than romance. That’s why I think I love them—because they’re the ultimate bad boys. Their choice to fall, to reign in Hell rather than serve in Heaven, suggests a profound and bitter disillusionment with their former Paradise that makes me burn to discover what has happened to these tarnished angels to transform the infinite love in their hearts to inconsolable rage.

Fallen angels arrive on the scene with a backstory few mortal heroes can rival. A fallen angel’s very essence is a fatal flaw, a fissure of the soul so profound that this weakness has destroyed him. To me, his dark and tragic history betrays a unique and powerful need for salvation that only the heroine’s love can supply.

My fascination with this midnight of the soul and the themes of salvation, damnation, forgiveness and the redemptive power of love led to The Magick Trilogy, my maiden voyage into the world of Tudor paranormal romance. In my series debut Magick by Moonrise, Lord Beltran Nemesto is a Blade of God, a Church Inquisitor with a ruthless reputation for hunting down suspect witches and heretics. Unknown to Beltran, he’s a fallen angel, sentenced by God to a mortal life, where he must learn the hard lessons of mercy and compassion or lose his divinity forever. Yet he appears doomed to repeat the same mistakes that jeopardize his immortality—until he meets gentle healer Rhiannon le Fay, the Faerie ambassador to the Tudor court—the very woman he’s been ordered by the Church to interrogate and condemn.

Beltran begins his journey to redemption with his forbidden passion for this ethereal, unconventional, utterly unsuitable beauty—a heroine who fits my brooding, damaged hero to perfection. When Tudor England and the Faerie kingdom collide, only love can save them.

Beltran and Rhiannon’s story holds a special place in my heart. I hope you enjoy their journey as much as I have.

What do you think about the emerging trend of angels and demons in romance? Do you find these paranormal creatures sexy, intriguing or unnerving? I’d love to hear your views and any recommendations you might share on books, movies, and TV shows that explore this fascinating trend.

I’ve been tagged to participate in The Next Big Thing, a round of “musical chairs” for authors excited to share new releases with our readers. My Next Big Thing is my March 2013 release for Harlequin’s Carina line—the launch book for The Magick Trilogy.

Without further ado, here’s my Next Big Thing!

1: What is the working title of your book?

Magick by Moonrise

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

I’ve always been a huge fan of fantasy author Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon, which tells the story of King Arthur from the perspective of the women in his life. As in Bradley’s series, I started to wonder what would happen if a “shadow kingdom” existed alongside Tudor England, a Faerie kingdom that drifts beside the mortal world, separated only by a fragile Veil or curtain of fog—and then the Veil started to thin. If Tudor England and the Faerie kingdom collided, what would happen?

To make matters worse, what if this mortal turmoil mirrored a growing discontent among the ranks of angels in Heaven? And the punishment for these fallen angels was to be condemned to a mortal life?

These ideas gave me the inspiration for The Magick Trilogy, which features Faeries, celestial beings, legendary figures from King Arthur’s Camelot and real historical figures from Tudor England.

3: What genre does your book come under?
Historical paranormal romance. Great for fans of Tudor fiction and sexy historical romance, lovers of fallen angel heroes and King Arthur’s Camelot.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

My hero, ruthless Church Inquisitor Lord Beltran Nemesto, would be perfectly played by Daniel Craig.

For my heroine, ethereal half-Fae princess and healer Rhiannon le Fay, I’d choose Emilia Clarke, who plays the dragon princess Dani in Game of Thrones.

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

When Tudor England and the Faerie kingdom collide, the players risk all for power. But only love can save them.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?

I write for Harlequin/Carina and love it! My agent is the amazing JD DeWitt at The View Literary Agency.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It used to take me a year to write a book, but I’ve been picking up the pace! Magick by Moonrise took me six months.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

For fantasy fans, I think my work has similarities to Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel books and Bradley’s Mists of Avalon. For historical fans, my Tudor fiction has flatteringly been compared to the work of Philippa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl). For romance fans, Magick by Moonrise is a cross between Laura Kinsale’s For My Lady’s Heart and Bertrice Small’s Skye O’Malley.

9: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

If you like the idea of fallen angel heroes, royal heroines who descend from King Arthur of Camelot, and Tudor queens with Faerie blood, this series is for you!

10: How can readers get their hands on Magick by Moonrise?

Right here!
http://www.amazon.com/Magick-Moonrise...

I’d like to thank bestselling author Leigh Michaels for tagging me to participate in The Next Big Thing. Click the links below to find out more about Leigh’s latest sexy Regency-period historical, The Birthday Scandal.

Website: www.leighmichaels.com

Facebook: Leigh Michaels

Twitter: @leighmichaels

Blog: http://leighmichaels.blogspot.com

Hello all you wonderful readers at Cocktails and Books! Given my penchant for curling up with a dirty martini and a fat historical novel…or a spicy contemporary romance…or some mind-bending science fiction, I feel as though I fit right in here.

Given the obscenely early hour as I write this blog, let’s make my cocktail of choice a Mimosa. Champagne seems appropriate, because I’m celebrating the July 2 release of my epic medieval romance, By Royal Command (Harlequin/Carina). Set in Anglo-Saxon England before the Norman Conquest, it’s the story of a daughter of royalty who must choose between the Devil’s minion and a would-be bishop to save the English throne. Two brothers, one woman, three hearts at war—a medieval love triangle.

Although love triangles appear in many of the classic historical romances I read growing up, I haven’t seen as many in recent years on the page, although they remain very popular both in cinema and television. In fact, I learned a lot about writing love triangles from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind and Charlaine Harris’s True Blood series.

Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind

In this Civil War-set classic, Southern belle-turned-businesswoman Scarlett O’Hara stands up against invading Yankees, rapacious Carpetbaggers, crushing poverty and the ostracism of her conservative Confederate neighbors. Yet this strong, dynamic heroine can’t stop pining for scholarly gentleman Ashley Wilkes, who is virtuously married to bluestocking Melanie. But he’s not above a few searing kisses for Scarlett that keep her dreaming of him for eleven years. Ashley is so obviously not the right hero for this fiery heroine. This reserved, suffers-in-silence gentleman-scholar lacks the backbone, determination to survive, and passion for living that animate Scarlett. For her part, she hasn’t an intellectual bone in her body, and Ashley’s constant prosing on about Gotterdammerung and the end of civilization bores her silly.

I would argue that Scarlett’s childish obsession with Ashley is linked to her immaturity as a woman. As she progresses through her character arc from spoiled child to powerful defender of her home and family, the elegant Mr. Wilkes very gradually begins to lose his fascination for her.

Meanwhile, Scarlett’s willful blindness to the roguish charm and sexual allure of blockade runner Rhett Butler, so obviously her perfect match, is guaranteed to frustrate any reader. Rhett is clever, canny, sexual, sophisticated, wealthy and amoral, though he is capable of being moved by suffering and sacrifice—as when he turns his back on his lucrative smuggling career to enlist in the faltering Confederate Army for honor’s sake. Stunningly portrayed by Clark Gable, he’s every woman’s dream…yet the immature Scarlett is indifferent to his charms. It’s only when Melanie’s death forces character growth in Scarlett that her eyes are opened to her love for Rhett—just in time to see him abandon her and vanish into the fog. She’s taken too long to see the light, and he’s finally given up on her. Frankly, my dear, he no longer gives a damn.

Reading and watching Gone with the Wind a ridiculous number of times helped me understand the critical connection between the heroine’s character arc and her hero choice. As the heroine grows, her feelings for both heroes evolve. Indeed, the heroine’s choice (for Scarlett, the discovery of her love for Rhett and her decision to win him back) illustrates and externalizes her growth.

Sookie Stackhouse in True Blood

From the classic to the contemporary, from the silver screen to the TV screen, let’s take a look at Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse stories. First, a disclaimer: I love this stuff! But as a writer on constant deadline, I’ve only read the first three so far, and I’m in the middle of watching Season 3 on Netflix. So I’m working from a partial storyline, with the strong inkling that vampires Bill and Eric are about to be replaced by werewolf Alcide in Sookie’s affection, making True Blood a love quadrangle.

Nonetheless, the connection between character arc and hero choice holds true. When we meet Sookie, she’s a naïve, virginal cocktail waitress in rural Louisiana—a bit of a local misfit because her telepathic abilities make people think she’s nuts. She’s ripe to be swept off her feet by gentlemanly Civil War-era vampire Bill Compton, the knight in shining armor who saves her from a brutal attack. Romance blossoms between them, and the two fall in love. But it’s Sookie’s eventual disillusionment with Bill, in light of his questionable motives and some negative developments in his own character, that spurs her growth. The gradual discovery of her Faerie origins and the flowering of her psychic abilities both contribute to her character arc, serving as external manifestations of these inner changes.

A bit warier and worldlier, Sookie draws back from Bill and grows increasingly intrigued with Viking-era vampire Eric, a darker and less courtly hero. Interestingly, Eric is also less human. His brief human lifetime occurred a millennium ago. Eric is older and physically stronger than Bill; he manifests inhuman, almost godlike qualities like the ability to fly. And he is largely devoid of human conscience or morality, though he too is capable of strong attachment and deep loyalty. Sookie wouldn’t have been ready for this hero when the series opened, but by Season Three, the couple works.
In addition, Eric’s amnesia in Season Three, his childlike naivete and relative helplessness permit a “softening” of his character. Sookie becomes his protector during this vulnerable period—in essence, the two exchange roles. When she gives herself sexually to Eric, Sookie’s choice is a milestone in her own growth.

Lady Katrin of Courtenay in By Royal Command

This connection between character growth and hero choice was an insight I wanted to explore in my own medieval romance. My courageous heroine, Lady Katrin of Courtenay, is an exiled royal struggling alone to hold her northern lands against the invading Danes. The willful widow believes that she must be subtle to survive, and that manipulation and deceit are a woman’s only weapons.
When her ruthless uncle the King of England sends a Viking warrior of rough edges but unbending integrity to escort Katrin to a marriage she’ll do anything to prevent, she seeks to manipulate and seduce him from his duty—but falls in love with him instead. For Eomond, the world is black-and-white, and he’ll always choose the honorable course. For the youthful Katrin, Eomond’s directness and lack of complexity are appealing. So is his strong sword arm.

Then Katrin encounters her reluctant bridegroom, Rafael le Senay: a brilliant and enigmatic would-be bishop with a tortured past who harbors ambitions for the papal throne. Rafael is subtle, secretive, powerfully ambitious and morally complex, a perfect match for Katrin—although she erroneously believes this foreign-reared scholar will have little appetite for her bed. In order to discern her heart’s desire and make her own hero choice, Katrin must learn her own hard lessons about desire and loyalty, love and honor, damnation and redemption.

Free Excerpt of By Royal Command

Interested in reading more about the Katrin-Eomond-Rafael love triangle? If you’re on Facebook, you can read an excerpt here: http://www.lauranavarre.com/books

I love to hear from readers, so please friend me at www.Facebook.com/LauraNavarreAuthor and follow me at www.twitter.com/LauraNavarre

Happy reading!


First published on Cocktails and Books website