New Years Blog Thingy, with... S.E. Gilchrist

Up today is newly published Australian Romance Writer S.E. Gilchrist. Not only is she a lovely human being but she doesn’t shy away from writing the wild and wanton. Don’t you love that? S.E. tells erotic tales set in outer space, the past, the future and other realities. So now let’s hear from her...

What did you learn in 2012?

I learned that being published or contracted for publication is like entering a whole new world. Now I have to be serious and ensure my business hat is on all the time, not an easy thing for me to do as I very much have a creative / day dreamer type of brain. I found it quite agonising pouring over contracts and worrying about any possible ramifications by agreeing to this or agreeing to that. I’ve decided promotion is a lot of hard work and extremely time consuming and I’m not even sure of whether it makes a difference. However, one decision I have made in this regard is to allocate only a small portion of my ‘writing’ time to promotion and the majority to actually writing the next book.

What were some of your highlights of 2012?

Wow, the writing highlights of 2012 for me were wonderful. I attended another fabulous RWA conference in company with the majority of my f2f writing group. I felt I turned a corner in my writing journey and taken another step along the road that leads to my dreams. I received my first ever writing contract; albeit it was for a short story but it was an amazing shot in the arm of motivation and encouragement for me (Paying the Forfeit with Momentum Books). One of my novellas placed 2^nd in two USA writing competitions. Next I was awarded my debut single title writing contract for my sci-fi romance, Legend Beyond the Stars with Escape Publishing. Then I decided to round my year off by self e-publishing the erotic novella that placed 2^nd, Bound by Love.

What have you got planned for 2013, publishing or otherwise?

I’m planning and hoping for a busy year, as long as my bum remains on this chair and my fingers on the keyboard J. I will be self-e publishing my second erotic novella, Bound by Lies which is at editing stage at the moment. I intend to complete and submit two single titles. I have two short stories currently out on submission. Also on the ‘drawing board’ are my plans to write another erotic novella for self e-publishing and finish my contemporary romance which I intend to send out into the world to find its home. On the boring side, I need to pay better attention to my health and improve my fitness.

Any movies, books and suchlike being released in 2013 that you're really looking forward to?

Movies: I have The Hobbit on my must see list as well as the new Star Trek movie. Books: I’m constantly buying books but one in particular I’m looking forward to is Sandy Harris’s Alien Mine. I’m also looking forward to your sci-fi release Colonist’s Wife. I’ve also got some fabulous TV series to watch: The Walking Dead, The Mentalist, Stargate Atlantis, Murdoch’s Mysteries, Babylon 5.

Paying the Forfeit: Hot Down Under

When a newly-forged alliance sees her older sister pledged to the man Leila has fallen in love with, she flees her tribe in the wastelands and seeks anonymity inside the Fortress.

Years later, she learns her sister has refused to honour the agreement. The forfeit – another mate or a cache of the prized yellow sapphires – must be paid or her remaining family will be banished.

For Leila, the role of second choice is not an option.

With the sapphires in her possession, Leila must decide – pay up now, or keep silent and take one long, hot night with the mate of her heart.

This story is rated "Medium Hot" (3 out of 5 flames) and contains F/M pairings.

Bound by Love

Whilst searching for the mortal mother who bore than abandoned her, Teelah, a pixie princess becomes the unwitting pawn in a demon warrior’s plans for vengeance against her father. Domhnall will bind her to himself for eternity, thus dealing a bitter blow to his enemy. But Teelah’s fearless stance and light-hearted spirit spark life into the black shell of his lonely heart and he hungers now for more than her body. With war looming and surrounded by enemies, distrust and hatred may well destroy them both.

Legend Beyond the Stars

- Coming soon from Escape Publishing

Earth is struggling to cope with disastrous climate changes and an exploding population. When the United Earth Corporation is offered a proposition from alien traders to transport the first wave of colonists to a new-earth in exchange for precious metals and minerals, they accept with few questions asked. But the traders have another agenda.
Alana Knight, a captain in the United Defence Force, whose only child was still-born, has focused on her career. She volunteers for this mission, seeking redemption from a disastrous mission where soldiers died under her command. On board the space ship, she learns of a war raging for supremacy of the Seven Galaxies and possession of a renewable energy source that powers intergalactic space travel.  A power that can be transformed into a terrible weapon. The former Darkon Guardians are determined to fight to the death rather than reveal the secret of conversion.
When the colonists are betrayed and sold, her mission is re-defined. Nothing will stop her from keeping those in her care safe and from finding a passage home. But her new captor is nothing like she expects.
Embroiled in a cycles long war and the consequent unleashing of the retro virus, Commander Tarak El Rajan of the Darkon fleet, is human, male and equally determined to retain his payload. With his race on the brink of extinction he is under strict orders to transport all females to the planet Isla for research purposes. His duty is to ensure the continuation of his race and the defeat of his enemies, despite his weariness with war and death.
In a world of uncertainty, where the wrong decision could mean the death of an entire race, the last thing either of these two soldiers expects, or needs, is to fall in love.