Ah, motherhood! It’s an unparalleled experience of cuddling with rosy-cheeked babies, holding the wee little hands of children during their wide-eyed discovery of the world’s myriad experiences, and defending humanity against a horde of alien invaders—
What what what?!
If you thought changing diapers or frantically driving kids from one after-school activity to another made for a hectic schedule, just think about the challenge of being a mother during a time of intergalactic upheaval!
Heroines in science fiction romance books who are also mothers are rare, but they do exist. And they kick alien butt. And wipe the seemingly endless snot from their children’s noses. On top of that, they fall in love. All of which points to the challenges of writing about such characters.
One of the biggest challenges that authors face in this subgenre is how to reconcile a dangerous, threat-filled setting with children in the mix. For some readers, children-in-jeopardy or potential jeopardy is a trigger. How can a reader be sure a child will be kept out of harm’s way? Or if they do fall into the path of harm, how will the story handle their fate?
Steampunk and paranormal romance would both seem to be ripe for reader success: Both incorporate larger-than-life scenarios, smart, sexy heroes, and take us to a different, exotic world.
Outer space goes with just about anything. As a science fiction fan, one thing that’s guaranteed to make me sit up and take notice is when authors or filmmakers reinvent an idea or story by setting it in space. So when I learned about 
E-books have really changed the game as far as discovering new authors and new types of stories. Publishers are experimenting with a variety of ways to deliver stories to readers. Decadent Publishing’s 
One thing I love about being a science fiction romance fan is that there are times when it seems as though I have certain books all to myself. This is because the majority of readers have likely never heard of them. There’s a special feeling—a niche badge of honor, if you will—that comes with being among the few who know about little-known authors or types of stories. Call it the “I knew them when” or the “I found a secret treasure” mentality.
Before the advent of 
The quintessential bounty hunter in space is, of course, 
Futuristic or alternate tech-based settings offer a fertile environment for reinvented fairy tales. That’s because many of the themes explored in fairy tales are timeless. Even in the future, people (or aliens, as the case may be) will continue to grapple with issues such as trust, danger, betrayal, poverty, and, of course, love.
In paranormal romance, the vampires are most often embodied by the heroes. Heroes-as-vampires offers a specific fantasy, namely that of the dark and dangerous, yet ultimately safe lover. That subgenre’s explosion is testament to the power of the fantasy lover offered by the stories.
Meaningful looks, witty banter, a moonlit walk, and a sumptuous meal at a ritzy restaurant are just a few examples of the courtship dances we encounter in romance stories (oh, yeah, and there’s lots of dancing, too). But what’s a couple to do if they’re in situations where a traditional courtship isn’t even possible? You know, like when they’re on a starship racing through a wormhole to escape alien attackers. Yeah, that kind!
