Category: Science Fiction

A Free Dreamer Review: Dawn (Expedition 63 #3) by T.A. Creech

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Sequel to Expedition 63 Book 2: Dark

Yakecen Sinohui can see the end in sight for the stranded crew of the Station. Each breath is a countdown until they’re able to return to Earth, until the poison clouds have cleared enough to leave. Though it’s a bad idea, Yakecen is drawn into the orbit of their resident biologist, Eli, someone who has kept Yakecen’s head in the game with his sunny presence.

The universe, however, has one last middle finger to give the weary crew.

Eli Palamo doesn’t object to Yakecen’s covert attention. He’s pined for his friend from the first moment they met, and isolation has strengthened their bond as the hardships forced them lean on each other completely. Yakecen is all he’s ever wanted. Nothing will be enough to tear them apart, if Eli has anything to say about it, not even Yakecen’s own demons. Definitely not the end of their disastrous mission and their fight for survival.

“Dawn” is the third and most probably final part of the “Expedition 63” series. While each book features a different couple, I don’t think it will work as a stand-alone.

Just like the two previous books, I found “Dawn” too short and shallow for my likes. The setting is fascinating and has great potential but the execution just kind of fell flat for me.

This time, Eli and Yakecen are paired off, the last two singles on the station. There are some hints that Yakecen has faced abuse in the past. He’s very particular about personal space, loud noises and intimacy. He also seems to have some physical scars. We never find out what kind of abuse he faced, though. Really, we learn next to nothing about either of our MCs, only small bits and pieces but not enough to make them feel like real people with actual depth.

The relationship felt very rushed. Which is odd, because they’ve known each other for years and were stuck on the small space station for three whole years. But the book is so short, and there was need for some actual plot in the second part, I guess there just wasn’t time for any kind of build-up. We don’t learn much about these two in the previous books, so that’s no help either.

The action in the second half was actually kind of exciting. Quite dramatic, certainly. Again, I wish it had gotten more depth, though. As such, it was all a mad rush with very few details.

I’m assuming this will be the final part of the series, since there’s nobody left to pair off. As such, I found the ending kind of dissatisfactory. There were just too many unanswered questions left. I’d love a fourth book for some kind of closure, but I don’t think there will be one.

Overall, the “Expedition 63” series was an okay read for me. Great potential, but lacking in the execution. It was all too short and shallow and “Dawn” was probably my least favourite of the three.

I’m still not a fan of the cover. Once again, the space station and the planet underneath are gorgeous, but the guy just looks like an alien. At least it fits with the rest of the series.

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC  | Amazon

Book details:

Kindle Edition, 101 pages
Published July 28th 2018 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB07FSGDZJN
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesExpedition 63 #3

An Alisa Review: 2230: The Perfect Year by CM Corett

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Alex Coulson spends his days as a lowly laboratory assistant. At night, he watches movies in his lonely apartment and dreams of exciting adventures and handsome leading men.

When an electrical fire breaks out in the lab, an experimental machine malfunctions and Alex is caught in the explosion. He awakens, injured and confused, to learn he has traveled two hundred years into the future—to the year 2230. Under the care of the gorgeous Doctor Baylin Davies (a definite contender for a leading man) Alex recovers quickly, and his feelings for Baylin deepen each day. Baylin is handsome, sexy, caring, and a verified genius—everything Alex could ever dream of. Add in the whole concept of living in the future, and Alex soon decides the year 2230 is the perfect year to begin his new life.

But then there’s the major…

Whenever the intimidating military man, Major Marcais, is near, a strange power overcomes Alex’s senses, clouding his mind and weakening his desire to be with Baylin.

When the major reveals he is an alien and declares Alex to be his life mate, Alex must find the strength to resist him. And while fighting for the man he truly desires, Alex just might discover he’s the leading man in his own adventure.

Accidental time travel, not something I usually read about but this sounded interesting and I went for it because I have enjoyed the author.  I liked how this wasn’t overly sci-fi but just enough to keep it interesting.  Alex and Baylin feel an instant attraction to each other and both try to navigate how a relationship would work especially if the High Order want to send Alex back to his time.  And Major, he is basically a jerk, he comes around just enough to make Alex off balance.

We get to see both Alex and Baylin struggle with their feelings and how they think they should approach them with each other.  I loved how adorable Alex is and is awkwardness is made to be just a cute quirk since he is so different than those around him.  Baylin still struggles with his confidence based on how some others treat him but Alex is determined to show him differently and he will need it to fight for what he wants.  I was very happy that Alex had the ability to stand up for what he wanted and didn’t have to go along with what the Major said.

Cover art by Natasha Snow is nice though doesn’t scream futuristic to me.

Sales Links: Nine Star Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 30,600 words

Published: August 6, 2018 by Nine Star Press

ISBN: 978-1-949340-37-2

Edition Language: English

Blog Tour for Euphoria by Jayne Lockwood (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

Euphoria

Euphoria by Jayne Lockwood

DSP Publications

 

Jayne Lockwood has a new queer sci fi book out:

Six random questions for Euphoria author, Jayne Lockwood

Hi everyone, and very many thanks for featuring my book, Euphoria, on your blog. What follows are six questions, chosen at random, that I was asked to answer, with subjects including leading men, scaring children and having a tail. It’s a sort of interview roulette, as it were. So here goes.

If I were a Hollywood producer about to put your book on the big screen, who would you want me to cast as the leads? Why? And can we have pictures to drool over?

A Hollywood producer would fire me on the spot if I told him who I wanted to be in the film of Euphoria.

Vardam would probably be CGI, if I’m honest. They are nearly seven foot tall and iridescent, so I can’t see how that could translate. With the current demand for superheroes, all the guys seem to be beefed up and they’re just not like that. I can’t think of anyone around at the moment who would play them, but maybe someone else can.

For Kurt Lomax, that’s a lot easier. In my world anyway. There’s only one man suitable for the job and that’s Guy Henry (yes – he’s the guy that played Grand Moff Tarkin.) I know, not everyone’s idea of a pin-up, and certainly not Hollywood A List material, but I don’t write my books for that. To be honest, I didn’t write the character with him in mind. I just happened to discover him on a long-running BBC hospital drama (Holby City) and thought, “that’s Kurt.” So yeah. The Guy stays in the picture….

For Tom Soames, it would have to be Ben Wishaw, who has the right balance of grunge and sweetness. Again, not a conventional pretty boy, but who cares? The clue is in the word “character.” I’ve tried to make these real people, not fantasy figures. Tom is cute and vulnerable and more intelligent than he or anyone else thinks he is, and I know Ben would be able to nail the sloppy Buckinghamshire accent. I’ve given him a handsome doctor to fall in love with (Rashad) and a strong sense of loyalty. He’s a good foil for Kurt, who needs someone to tell him a few home truths.

How would you describe your writing style/genre?

Diverse. Under my name and my pseudonym I have variably written M/F erotic romance, MM erotic romance, fantasy, sci-fi, noir, dart erotica, trans romance, horror…. At my heart I love a romance with a good, old-fashioned happy ending, and I believe that everyone, no matter which gender, sexuality, race or religion, deserve to have their stories told.

Were you a voracious reader as a child?

Yes, annoyingly so, probably. My father used to buy me books of poetry and anthologies, all kinds of things to feed my reading habit. I still have some of those books now as they remind me of him. One of my favourites is thick tome of four Daphne due Maurier novels. Through them I gleaned my first ideas of love, lesbianism, lust and obsession, though I’m sure that wasn’t Dad’s intention. And another favourite book of mine when I was eight was Marianne Dreams, by Catherine Storr. Basically, it’s about a sick girl who draws pictures and then dreams about them, befriending a boy she creates in her daytime doodlings. When they fall out, she draws huge stones with eyes that surround his house and gradually move closer…

That’s really creepy now I think about it. I gave the book to my daughter when she was eighteen and it frightened the shit out of her. I think I must have been a weird kid. And a bad parent.

What fantasy realm would you choose to live in and why?

Pandora from Avatar! Because the Na’vi are stunningly beautiful and at one with a gloriously lush natural world. I want to be tall, slender and have a tail. Wouldn’t you like a tail? It would be long, flexible and have a mind of its own so I could use it as a fifth limb. I’d also have a close relationship with a dragon thing that would allow me to travel on its back (not ride it – an important distinction…)

I’d also use my tail for mischief, playing tricks, helping people get top things off shelves and smacking assholes upside the head if needed. I’d be a menace with a tail. No doubt we would fall out with each other at some point. In fact, I feel a story coming on with a character whose tail goes rogue…

What do you do when you get writer’s block?

I write something else. A stupid poem to put on my blog, or a scene between two totally unrelated characters. Or fan fiction! I’ve written some on Wattpad just for a bit of fun (I’m Lady Jaguar) and it’s surprising what can transpire.

And exercise always helps. It’s definitely a good idea to remove yourself from the plot knot or whatever you’re struggling with and put it to one side for a while to concentrate on something else. And for a decent amount of time, whether half a day, or a week if you’re able to. Just give it time and it will sort itself out eventually.

Do you reward yourself for writing, or punish yourself for failing to do so? How?

I believe strongly that writing is a passion, and yes, you can punish yourself if that’s how you roll, but I don’t because for me passion=pleasure, not tearing my hair out and getting stressed. I don’t rely on my writing to put food on the table, so possibly it would be different if I did, but no, I don’t punish myself if I have a crap day. Rewards are chocolate though. Yeah, I deserve a lot of rewards, and they all take the form of chocolate or lattes….

Thanks for reading this far. If you have any other questions for me, the more bizarre the better, shoot them my way!

Jayne x

About Euphoria…

It might take the arrival of an alien being to remind an isolated man what it means to be human.

With a stressful job, his boss breathing down his neck for profitable results, and an estranged wife and daughter, scientist Kurt Lomax doesn’t think life can get much harder. Until a nonbinary extraterrestrial with an otherworldly beauty, captivating elegance, and a wicked sense of humor inconveniently shows up at his apartment.

Vardam watched the destruction of their own world, and they don’t want to see the same thing happen on Earth. They are lonely, and feelings soon develop between them and the supposedly straight scientist—feelings Kurt reciprocates, much to his confusion.

The arrival of cheery interpreter Tom Soames—whose Goth appearance belies a gentle heart—is like a ray of sunshine in the somber lab. He acts as matchmaker for man and tentacled extraterrestrial, unwittingly instigating a national crisis when the news breaks out.

But will a misunderstanding ruin Kurt and Vardam’s chances for happiness together—along with the hope for peace between humanity and the Var?

DSP Publications | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads

Giveaway

Jayne is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour – enter via Rafflecopter for a chance to win.

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Excerpt

Three hours later, they were still none the wiser.

“Any joy with communications?”

Nic shook her head. “None. They don’t seem to respond to any spoken language. I’ve tried binary code, sonar, whale music, radio waves. Not a flicker. I’m not sure how well they can see or hear. They won’t let me near enough to do any examinations. They just keep staring at me like I’m the one who isn’t getting it. It’s really frustrating.”

When Kurt looked again, Vardam was there. With a graceful tilt of the head, they watched him as he approached the glass.

“What about the forensics on that note?”

“Just got them,” Troy said, looking up from his computer. “The note was written with an old-style Bic ballpoint pen by a human female….”

“Human? Are you sure?”

“I can’t argue with the evidence. There was a trace of fingerprint on the paper but nothing I can analyze. The paper looks like any A4 copy from a twentiethcentury printer or photocopier. The only thing is, I think it might have been written by someone in distress. The handwriting is very jerky, like they weren’t sure what to write and then just dashed it down. But….” Troy shrugged his wide shoulders. “That last bit’s a hunch. Could be totally wrong. Still waiting on the DNA.”

“Thanks, Troy. Let me know as soon as you get it.”

He turned back to where Vardam was standing, staring at him with those unnerving gemstone eyes.

“Who are you?”

Vardam raised their hand, running the back of it down the glass close to Kurt’s face. He jerked away. It was too close for comfort, even with three inches of glass between them. Vardam backed away as well, as if alarmed by his sudden movement. For reasons he didn’t understand, he was irritated beyond measure by their wounded expression.

“Talk to me, damn it! What do you want with me?” He smacked his hand against the glass. The sharp slap shocked Vardam into stepping back. They bared gold teeth at him and made a gesture that looked almost obscene. Then they dropped into a crouch. Immediately, a smooth iridescent shell closed over their hunched body, covering it completely.

Kurt and Nic exchanged glances, then looked back at the pod. It was completely smooth, devoid of any seams or openings. Every few seconds it quivered. Kurt could almost feel the waves of disapproval emanating from the gleamingsurface.

“Well, that’s new,” Nic said. “Get some rest. I’ll babysit until ten. Troy will take the graveyard shift.”

Kurt tore his angry gaze away from the strange pod. The way it hunched reproachfully in the corner didn’t improve his mood one bit. He knew he was more than tired. He felt emotionally and physically drained and couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten a proper meal. Not that he was hungry. He just wanted sleep.

In his apartment, he lay naked in his wide bed. He was thinking about his continued feud with James Dyer. The issue dangled over his career like a sword of Damocles but all he could see was the beautiful creature. Those eyes, staring into his ragged soul. What did they want?

The telephone by his bed rang, waking him from an unnerving dream. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was 6:15. The last eight hours had passed frighteningly quickly.

“Hello?” His voice sounded faded.

“Sorry to wake you, Professor, but I’ve got the DNA results back. You need to see them.”

“I’ll be right down.”

He stumbled out of bed and into the shower. Twenty minutes later he was down in the lab, a fresh white coat over his shirt and tie.

In the isolation room, Vardam had emerged from their shell. The melon had been eaten, apart from the rinds, neatly scalloped with teeth marks.

“What’s happening?”

“It was just as I thought it would be. There’s human DNA on that note. Female. I took the liberty of cross-checking it against the National DNA Database and found a match. Whoever wrote this note is related to you. Not just distantly, but directly of your bloodline.”

Kurt looked closer at the screen. It was policy to hold the medical details of everyone at the Bunker, including himself. Even so, he wondered why he wasn’t more surprised.

It was impossible but saying so would have been redundant. The evidence was right there in front of him. He walked over to the glass and beckoned to Vardam. They gave him a withering look and turned away, presenting a bony back to the window.

“I think we’re going to have to use the softly-softly approach,” Troy said. “They’re not going to tell us anything until they’re ready. And I’ve got another hunch. I think they’re using BSL.”

“British Sign Language?” Kurt was skeptical.

“I know it sounds weird, but there’s a guy who works at Tesco in Wycombe. He uses it with some of the customers. It looks the same. It’s worth a try, isn’t it?” Troy prodded buttons on his iPad. The official website came up with a finger-spelling option. “Not all words have signs, obviously, so each letter has a sign, right?”

“I know the principles of sign language,” Kurt said irritably. The alien was an inconvenience, however beautiful they were.

“You write in your name, and the finger shapes come up.” Troy typed rapidly. Kurt’s surname appeared on the screen in sign.

Troy gently tapped on the glass. “Hello?”

Vardam turned around, saw it was Troy, and ambled over. Troy showed them the diagrams on the iPad screen. The alien nodded, repeated the signs, and pointed at Kurt. Then it signed, “I am….”

“I can’t tell what they’re saying,” Troy said. “They’re too fast. Hang on.” He typed again. “I’ve found a YouTube video for learning phrases. Ah! This one is easy.” He put the iPad down and signed, making a sad face, swirling his fist on his stomach, then raising both hands over his head, shaking it at the same time.

“What are you doing?”

“Telling him I don’t understand. It’s ‘way over my head.’ Get it?”

Vardam seemed to. They signed “okay,” then turned to Kurt and made another gesture, flattening one hand and punching up into it with the other.

“My instincts are telling me that isn’t good,” Troy said. “Looks like we need to find ourselves a sign language expert.”

“We can’t bring anyone else in at the moment. Certainly not in a professional capacity. The government will be all over us before we know it.” As Kurt said it, the seed of an idea was forming in his mind. “Where did you say that BSL user worked again?”

Author Bio

Jayne Lockwood

 

Jayne Lockwood has always wanted to learn to fly. Spending free time honing her Peter Pan skills on an aerial hoop, she also creates flights of fancy in her books, mingling sex and romance with angst and a healthy dash of dark humor.

Since she was a small child, Jayne has always sympathized with the villain. It all began with Alice Cooper, even though she was banned from listening to his music by her mother. From wanting to sail away with Captain Hook or redeeming the Child Catcher, the antihero has been an enduring fascination ever since.

After a two-year sojourn in New Jersey and two decades of child-rearing, Jayne is an outwardly respectable member of an English village community. She also is one of the founder members of WROTE podcast, which is dedicated to showcasing LGBTQA authors and their work, and now writes book reviews as well as diverse fiction.

She is also in a sub/dom relationship with a cat called Keith.

Website: http://hollowhillspublishing.blogspot.co.uk

Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/jayne.lockwood.71

Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/hollowhillspublishing/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ladyjAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6893372.Jayne_Lockwood

QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/jayne-lockwood/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jayne-Lockwood/e/B00AAXXA6I/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

 

Jayne Lockwood on Writing, Characters, and the new release ‘Euphoria’ (guest interview)

Euphoria by Jayne Lockwood

DSP Publications

Cover Artist: Emmy@Studioenp.com

Sales Links:  DSP Publications  |   Amazon US  |   Amazon UK   |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Jayne Lockwood here today talking about writing, characters and the latest release from DSP Publications Euphoria.  Welcome, Jayne.

♦︎

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with author Jayne Lockwood

Very many thanks to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for hosting me on their blog. I love doing interviews because the questions can be quite challenging and sometimes I learn something about myself as a writer in the process!

How much of yourself goes into a character?

With my first books, they dealt with straight characters falling in love, and yes, there was a lot of me in the female characters of The Cloud Seeker and Closer Than Blood. I was finding my feet, writing what I knew. As I gained confidence and knowledge as a writer, I could diversify and make the characters their own people, without the safety blanket of basing them on people IKR. I have to add, none of the Savannah Smythe erotica novels are based on my life experience. It’s amazing how many times I get asked that *insert eye roll here*

Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write?  Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?

I don’t really choose a genre, TBH. I write the story, and the genre begins to reveal itself eventually. I would never have sat down to write a science fiction book, but Euphoria turned into one. I think keeping within genre lines can inhibit you as a creative. Write the story, then see where it fits. The caveat to that is making sure you don’t fall into the trap of cultural appropriation. Choosing a certain group of people to write about comes with responsibility. Research is essential so you don’t fall into possibly racist or bigoted stereotyping. And with sci-fi, there are also rules. Whatever world you dream up has to feel real, with details based on scientific fact.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

I am a big fan of the HEA but I won’t reject a book because there isn’t one. In some genres that just isn’t possible. In my books, there is always an HEA or HFN because I just don’t like writing untidy endings or cliffhangers.

If you write contemporary romance, is there such a thing as making a main character too “real”?  Do you think you can bring too many faults into a character that eventually it becomes too flawed to become a love interest?

I definitely think a character has to have some faults. If they’re perfect, they’re not relatable and could be irritating. If they are too repellent, you’ve lost the reader. If they’re a misogynistic bastard at the beginning and are still one at the end, the author has lost me as a reader. As a writer you have to make the reader fall in love. Just be aware of the genre you want your book to fall into. Romance readers won’t thank you if the hero has halitosis, hairy nostrils or a nose-picking habit. Choose your flaws wisely!

What traits do you find the most interesting in someone? Do you write them into your characters?

I find various traits interesting, but it depends on the story. A strong woman who isn’t a bitch or a ball-breaker, a philanthropist CEO. Everyone on the planet has something, one thing, that makes them unique (apart from DNA.) Hidden talents, a main character revealing their love of the cello, or a former life as a cat burglar, surprises like that are fun. Just don’t give them these things then do doing with them in the story. Have a key scene to showcase their uniqueness and beauty.

In Euphoria, I’ve given Kurt a love of watching ballet, and Tom talks tough but really he’s cotton candy inside. Even Vardam has a skill of getting what they want, using good manners and carefully chosen English.

Have you ever put a story away, thinking it just didn’t work?  Then years/months/whatever later inspiration struck and you loved it?  Is there a title we would recognize if that happened?

Closer Than Blood (M/F romantic suspense) was written between 1994 and 2015. The really observant will see the changes in the writing style between the old sections and the new, though I tried not to make it obvious. That book is a patchwork of old, new and a bit blue. Nothing borrowed though!

Ever drunk written a chapter and then read it the next day and still been happy with it?  Trust me there’s a whole world of us drunk writers dying to know.

I write sober because I rarely drink. I can imagine some interesting results though. Why wouldn’t you be happy with it if it fits the story? If not, at least it’s something to share with readers via a blog post so they can have a laugh out of it.

If you could imagine the best possible place for you to write, where would that be and why?

A mid-town Manhattan apartment with easy access to a deli would be nice. Or a beach hut by the sea, somewhere like Aldeburgh in Suffolk. But really, I have a great writing space here at home, with a window looking out onto green fields. Somewhere with quiet, a comfortable chair and electricity and I’m happy. Oh, and chocolate. And roobois (red bush) tea. Yeah, that will do!

About EUPHORIA …

It might take the arrival of an alien being to remind an isolated man what it means to be human.

With a stressful job, his boss breathing down his neck for profitable results, and an estranged wife and daughter, scientist Kurt Lomax doesn’t think life can get much harder. Until a nonbinary extraterrestrial with an otherworldly beauty, captivating elegance, and a wicked sense of humor inconveniently shows up at his apartment.

Vardam watched the destruction of their own world, and they don’t want to see the same thing happen on Earth. They are lonely, and feelings soon develop between them and the supposedly straight scientist—feelings Kurt reciprocates, much to his confusion.

The arrival of cheery interpreter Tom Soames—whose Goth appearance belies a gentle heart—is like a ray of sunshine in the somber lab. He acts as matchmaker for man and tentacled extraterrestrial, unwittingly instigating a national crisis when the news breaks out.

But will a misunderstanding ruin Kurt and Vardam’s chances for happiness together—along with the hope for peace between humanity and the Var?

About the Author

Jayne Lockwood has always wanted to learn to fly. Spending free time honing her Peter Pan skills on an aerial hoop, she also creates flights of fancy in her books, mingling sex and romance with angst and a healthy dash of dark humor.

Since she was a small child, Jayne has always sympathized with the villain. It all began with Alice Cooper, even though she was banned from listening to his music by her mother. From wanting to sail away with Captain Hook or redeeming the Child Catcher, the antihero has been an enduring fascination ever since.

Jayne is an outwardly respectable member of an English village community. She also is one of the founder members of WROTE podcast, which is dedicated to showcasing LGBTQA authors and their work, and now writes book reviews as well as diverse fiction.

She is also in a sub/Dom relationship with a cat called Keith.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Web page https://hollowhillspublishing.blogspot.co.uk

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hollowhillspublishing/

Twitter https://twitter.com/ladyjAuthor

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jaynelockwoodauthor/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6893372.Jayne_Lockwood

QueerRomanceInk https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/jayne-lockwood/

Kelly Jensen on Soy, Soy Recipes and her new release ‘To See The Sun by Kelly Jensen (guest post and giveaway)

To See the Sun by Kelly Jensen 

Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by Garrett Leigh

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing  | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Kelly Jensen here today talking about farming, soy, and recipes. Welcome, Kelly!

Soy, Soy, and a Little More Soy by Kelly Jensen

Did you know that soybeans are the second most planted field crop in the U.S.? You do now. The only thing we grow more of in North America is corn.

There’s not a lot that will grow in the harsh environment of Alkirak. Bram has a little patch of corn on his farm, but mostly, he grows soybeans, and my ever-practical farmer processes his soy in a number of ways: milk, tempeh, miso, tofu, soy sauce, and soy nuts. He can also simply enjoy the little green beans steamed in the pod and served with salt. In the book, I have him experimenting with soy flour. I mean, who wants to live at the end of the galaxy without pancakes? He also wonders when someone is going to invent a coffee-type drink made of soy. (Hopefully never.)

I enjoyed researching what Bram and Gael might grow and might cook on the farm, because I’m interested in food, and I like to cook. I’m also a fan of soy products. I love eating the steamed fresh beans, I’ve been drinking soy milk for twenty-five years ago, and some of my favorite dishes feature tasty cubes of tofu. So I thought I’d share a couple of favorite recipes, with notes about how Gael would have adapted them to locally available produce!

Hot and Sour Soup

This is hands down my favorite soup. I love the combination of heat and spice, and the competing textures of the mushrooms, tofu, and bean shoots. At home, I’ll have bottles of soy sauce and vinegar on hand to doctor takeout versions, but it’s really easy to make yourself!

Gael would have most of these ingredients on hand, though he’d have to rehydrate mushrooms and onions. I’m not sure about the bamboo shoots, but thinly sliced celery would be an acceptable substitute! As for the sambal, let’s just assume that’s a galaxy-wide condiment, as it should be.

What you’ll need:

8 cups of stock (chicken or vegetable)
2-3 cups of sliced mushrooms (shitake or baby bellas)
¼ cup rice vinegar (more to taste)
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sambal oelek (chili garlic sauce)
¼ cup cornstarch
2 eggs (whisked)
8 oz firm tofu (cubed)
¼ cup green onions (sliced thin)
1 tsp sesame oil
white pepper

What to do:

Reserve ¼ of the stock for later, and add the remaining stock, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and sambal oelek to a large stock pot. Heat over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally.

Whisk the other ¼ cup of stock and cornstarch together in a small bowl until completely smooth.  Once the soup has reached a simmer, stir in the cornstarch mixture and stir for 1 minute or so until the soup has thickened.

Then keep stirring the soup in a circular motion as you drizzle in the eggs. The eggs should create slim streamers as you stir. Add the tofu, about half of the green onions, and sesame oil.  Then season the soup white pepper to taste.  This is when I might add more vinegar. If you like it hot, add more sambal! 

Garnish with extra onions. Makes about 6 servings.

Soy Peanut Noodles

This is another textural favorite—the crunch of the peanuts next to the soft noodles and small cubes of tofu. Combined with the sauce, nuts, and noodles, you can include any vegetables you want, experimenting with flavors and textures.

Gael would have most of these ingredients on hand, but could substitute soy nuts for the peanuts. I don’t think you can make a good peanut butter out of soy nuts, though, so I’m going to propose peanut butter as a galactic condiment along with the sambal.

What you’ll need:

Sauce
1 inch piece of ginger (peeled)
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky, your choice)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp light brown sugar (packed)
½ tsp sambal oelek

Noodles
1 package of noodles
1 package of firm tofu
½ cup peanuts
bean sprouts, match stick carrots, finely sliced celery, green onions.

What to do:

Sauce
In a food processor, pulse the ginger until it’s mashed, then add everything else plus 1/3 cup of water and blend until smooth. If you want the sauce thinner, add more water. Sauce be kept in the fridge for a few days.

Noodles
Whatever is your favorite. You can use udon, rice stick, ramen, or even spaghetti. Just get something noodle-y. Cook according to package directions, making sure to leave them just a bit underdone. They’ll soften in the next step.

Tofu
Dry it (let it sit out on some paper towel and pat it down), dredge in flour, a little salt and pepper, and shallow fry in hot oil until very lightly golden. Set aside to drain.

Vegetables
Except for the beansprouts (if using), steam until tender crisp.

Set a large pan (or wok) over medium heat, spoon in your sauce and top with noodles and vegetables. Reduce the heat and stir until warmed through and combined. A minute or two. Serve topped with peanuts and fried tofu cubes.

I hope I’ve inspired you to try cooking with soy, tofu in particular. Both of these recipes might be a little on the spicy side, but if you are interested in cooking with tofu, the second one can definitely be made without adding the chili (sambal). Also, the above method for preparing tofu can be used for a ton of dishes. The fried cubes are even tasty on their own.

 

 

About To See the Sun

Survival is hard enough in the outer colonies—what chance does love have?

Life can be harsh and lonely in the outer colonies, but miner-turned-farmer Abraham Bauer is living his dream, cultivating crops that will one day turn the unforgiving world of Alkirak into paradise. He wants more, though. A companion—someone quiet like him. Someone to share his days, his bed, and his heart.

Gael Sonnen has never seen the sky, let alone the sun. He’s spent his whole life locked in the undercity beneath Zhemosen, running from one desperate situation to another. For a chance to get out, he’ll do just about anything—even travel to the far end of the galaxy as a mail-order husband. But no plan of Gael’s has ever gone smoothly, and his new start on Alkirak is no exception. Things go wrong from the moment he steps off the shuttle.

Although Gael arrives with unexpected complications, Abraham is prepared to make their relationship work—until Gael’s past catches up with them, threatening Abraham’s livelihood, the freedom Gael gave everything for, and the love neither man ever hoped to find.

 

About Kelly Jensen

If aliens ever do land on Earth, Kelly will not be prepared, despite having read over a hundred stories about the apocalypse. Still, she will pack her precious books into a box and carry them with her as she strives to survive. It’s what bibliophiles do.

Kelly is the author of a number of novels, novellas, and short stories, including the Chaos Station series, cowritten with Jenn Burke. Some of what she writes is speculative in nature, but mostly it’s just about a guy losing his socks and/or burning dinner. Because life isn’t all conquering aliens and mountain peaks. Sometimes finding a happy ever after is all the adventure we need.

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of To See the Sun, Kelly is giving away a $25 Riptide credit and some swag stickers and a bracelet! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on August 18, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following along, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!