Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Space Pirates
I love space operas ala Star Wars, Firefly, and the like, so when my editor asked me for another sci-fi story after STAR CRASH, I had to do something with space pirates. Think STAR WARS meets PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN.
STAR RAIDERS
http://is.gd/starraiders
A FIERY ENCOUNTER
Like two ill-aligned stars, Shyanne Kedar and Greyson Dane were destined to collide. She was a smuggler’s daughter, and he, an interstellar lawman. Their affair was scorching, dazzling…and ended like a supernova, in a blaze of betrayal.
A LOVE REKINDLED
Ten years later, the flames haven’t cooled. Shyanne’s lush body, the twist of her lips and the fire in her eyes—all radiate the same magnetism that ensnared Greyson before, and now he’s truly her prisoner. But as much as things have changed, they remain exactly the same. Danger threatens. Humanity’s fate hangs in the balance. And though his tempting captor doesn’t know it, if Greyson’s plan succeeds, it will save mankind…and lose him the only woman he ever loved. This time, forever.
Reviews:
"FOUR STARS! This romp through space has several twists, turns, and surprises. Whenever I came to believe that I understood everything, the author either tossed a bit of debris or a huge meteor in my path, causing things to spin out of control. Shyanne's crewmates are fascinating. I especially hope to see more of Silky, a hundred pound cat. The intelligent and telepathic feline has an ever-present entourage of feline guards she seems to be leader of. Silky is much more than she seems. THAT character deserves to be in more than a single story! So do a few of the other crewmates.
Though women are the target audience, I believe many men would enjoy it too. Packed with action, suspense, and romance, this story is out of this world. (No pun intended."
Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
"STAR RAIDERS is a great romantic outer space thriller starring two former lovers still in love, but his treachery keeps them apart as she refuses to trust him with her heart or freedom. He regrets that he will use her again, but believes strongly his mission is critical because if he fails mankind could become extinct. Sub-genre readers will enjoy the Hendricks' galaxy as two people still in love conceal secrets from one another."
5-Stars -Harriet Klausner
"Fantastic?
Spacetacular! Yup, that's how much I enjoyed this book I am resorting to making my own word.
Elysa Hendricks has succeed in carving out a world for her motley crew of characters. The sizzling romance and passion is equally matched by the action, danger and adventure.. The strength woven into the characters is admirable and easy to fall into step with. Their mission became my mission and I wanted nothing more then to see them succeed. Greyson enlists the help of his once lover Shy. Shy has the means, smarts, and connections to bring down an intergalactic criminal who has been racking up quite a list of horrors and leaving Shy's calling card.
The storyline itself is riveting and face paced. Greyson and Shy share a history. They both have painful childhoods and both have enormous amounts of reserve. The secondary characters add another sweet layer to this novel. Shy's motley crew on her spaceship, Independence, all have appealing back stories. Elysa has shares just enough to help readers sympathize and comprehend actions without drowning us in their history. What the main characters don't know is that their history goes much deeper then they realize and their futures are infinitely intertwined."
5-Stars -LovLivLife Reviews
STAR RAIDERS
http://is.gd/starraiders
A FIERY ENCOUNTER
Like two ill-aligned stars, Shyanne Kedar and Greyson Dane were destined to collide. She was a smuggler’s daughter, and he, an interstellar lawman. Their affair was scorching, dazzling…and ended like a supernova, in a blaze of betrayal.
A LOVE REKINDLED
Ten years later, the flames haven’t cooled. Shyanne’s lush body, the twist of her lips and the fire in her eyes—all radiate the same magnetism that ensnared Greyson before, and now he’s truly her prisoner. But as much as things have changed, they remain exactly the same. Danger threatens. Humanity’s fate hangs in the balance. And though his tempting captor doesn’t know it, if Greyson’s plan succeeds, it will save mankind…and lose him the only woman he ever loved. This time, forever.
Reviews:
"FOUR STARS! This romp through space has several twists, turns, and surprises. Whenever I came to believe that I understood everything, the author either tossed a bit of debris or a huge meteor in my path, causing things to spin out of control. Shyanne's crewmates are fascinating. I especially hope to see more of Silky, a hundred pound cat. The intelligent and telepathic feline has an ever-present entourage of feline guards she seems to be leader of. Silky is much more than she seems. THAT character deserves to be in more than a single story! So do a few of the other crewmates.
Though women are the target audience, I believe many men would enjoy it too. Packed with action, suspense, and romance, this story is out of this world. (No pun intended."
Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
"STAR RAIDERS is a great romantic outer space thriller starring two former lovers still in love, but his treachery keeps them apart as she refuses to trust him with her heart or freedom. He regrets that he will use her again, but believes strongly his mission is critical because if he fails mankind could become extinct. Sub-genre readers will enjoy the Hendricks' galaxy as two people still in love conceal secrets from one another."
5-Stars -Harriet Klausner
"Fantastic?
Spacetacular! Yup, that's how much I enjoyed this book I am resorting to making my own word.
Elysa Hendricks has succeed in carving out a world for her motley crew of characters. The sizzling romance and passion is equally matched by the action, danger and adventure.. The strength woven into the characters is admirable and easy to fall into step with. Their mission became my mission and I wanted nothing more then to see them succeed. Greyson enlists the help of his once lover Shy. Shy has the means, smarts, and connections to bring down an intergalactic criminal who has been racking up quite a list of horrors and leaving Shy's calling card.
The storyline itself is riveting and face paced. Greyson and Shy share a history. They both have painful childhoods and both have enormous amounts of reserve. The secondary characters add another sweet layer to this novel. Shy's motley crew on her spaceship, Independence, all have appealing back stories. Elysa has shares just enough to help readers sympathize and comprehend actions without drowning us in their history. What the main characters don't know is that their history goes much deeper then they realize and their futures are infinitely intertwined."
5-Stars -LovLivLife Reviews
Monday, July 6, 2015
THE NEW MAD MAX MOVIE Fury Road - by Vijaya Schartz
See the trailer HERE
It was violent, full of heart-stopping action, and I loved that part. As far as post-apocalyptic worlds go, this one was quite believable. I loved that Charlize Theron (Imperator Furiosa) had an atrophied left arm and wore prosthetics. I also liked the slant on widespread physical defects due to radiation fall out, and the great value placed on perfect women, in hopes to bear perfect children.
I loved that Tom Hardy (who plays Mad Max) broadened his acting scope and is finally an action hero, although he did have a stunt double (cannot blame him there). It bothered me that he wore a metal mask hiding most of his face for two thirds of the movie. It probably made it easier for the stunt double to take over in those horrifying scenes, but it took away from the actual acting. Strangely enough, this new Max didn't seem mad at all, compared to the old version played by Mel Gibson. He was the sanest person in the bunch. The ghosts of his past seemed added on as an afterthought. His guilt at losing his wife and child didn't seem to color his present life.
The vehicles, old cars, big rigs and motorcycles charging across the desert in a cloud of sand were awesome, very imaginative, and obviously could take a lot of punishment. I especially liked the porcupine cars. No lack of hard steel in this post-apocalyptic world. Even the toughest military tank of today wouldn't last very long on that road.
I didn't care as much for the plot. Okay, it's a race through the desert to reach the green place. Three quarters of the movie are a breathtaking escape. Then they reach the salt flats, realize the green place is no more, and while she wants to push East, he convinces her in one sentence to return to where they came from and take over the empire. Three warriors and a few pretty girls, half naked, with no skills, driving a big rig through three entire armies of raging lunatics? I didn't buy it. I didn't find their victory at the end believable. Nope. That was a let down.
At times I wished for an opportunity for the two main characters to express their affection and respect for each other. There would have been room for some caring. What I did believe though, was him walking away after the victory and leaving her in charge. Mad Max cannot be tied down. But then again, this Mad Max was way too sane and even tempered for his own world.
Still very much worth seeing.
Vijaya Schartz, author of sci-fi romance with a kick
Friday, July 3, 2015
Independence Day for America (and Browncoats)
As we pause to celebrate our independence from the British in 1776 ('MERICA!!) there's another Independence Day sci-fi romance fans know about ala the TV show Firefly.
The Browncoats (rebels) fight with the Alliance (Chinese and American behemoth) in the year 2511. As we know, the Alliance won, but the Browncoats didn't just fade away. Some went off to live on the edges of space and make their way in the frontier of space.
Firefly doesn't go into real depth of the actual battle--though we get a few flashbacks here and there--but there's news we might get a real 'behind-the-scenes' look at what motivates Malcolm and Zoe. A group is making a not-for profit film of the war!
Check out the website info:
Synopsis
"It is April in the year 2511. For 6 months, sixteen combat brigades of the Independence Army had held off an Alliance assault on the planet Hera.
After fighting for months, the final battle of the war begins. This film deals with several squads of the 5th Battalion of the 76th Combat Brigade. The soldiers are tasked with a dangerous mission: evacuate civilian refugees who have been caught in the Valley before they are all killed by the inevitable Alliance assault."
About the project
"Browncoats: Independence War is a not for profit fan film inspired by the universe created in the Joss Whedon show "Firefly". It is a labor of love by a group of "Browncoats" that span both northern and southern California, though the epicenter of the project is California's Silicon Valley. It is a not-for-profit production designed for contests, festivals, and fan conventions."
No Longer a short ... this is now a feature film!
"Originally it was planned to be a 25 minute short, but as the cast and crew worked hard on it for months, it expanded into a full length feature film. We are so close to the minimum running time of a full length feature that we decided to go for it and put back in the wonderful scenes that were initially cut out of the script for the sake of length. Several crowdsourcing campaigns were amazingly successful and the production is working hard to complete the project while keeping quality and standards high."
How cool is this???? Looks like the film is in post-production, so connect with the website and Facebook page to keep abreast of a release date:
http://www.browncoatsuniverse.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BrowncoatsIndependenceWar
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
What Happens When Star Trek Meets Planet of the Apes?
You get STAR CRASH my sexy, sci-fi romance. Check it out! Only 99 cents until the end of June.
Cora paced the perimeter of the room, her need for release growing with every step. Earth drug companies would pay dearly for whatever the hell aphrodisiac the Flock used on her. Only the sense that she was being watched kept her from touching herself and relieving the increasing ache.
What did it matter? At this rate, she’d ravage whatever abomination entered the room.
A subtle snick of sound and the enticing aroma of warm male flesh told her she was no longer alone. The fear that wouldn’t come to her aid before now blossomed in her. She knew that she should look up, should brace herself for an attack, but she couldn’t make herself move. When she found herself quaking like an untried virgin, anger usurped her fear. She sprang up and turned to face whatever the Flock had sent her.
Shock froze her.
“Alexander,” she whispered.
When Planet of the Apes meets Star Trek what's a girl to do?
After recon pilot Cora Daniels crash lands on an alien planet she finds herself a prisoner of the Flock: a race of birdlike humanoids. Trapped in their zoo she discovers they intend her to mate. To breed. To be part of their human herd.
She's placed in a cage with a man - a powerful, virile man, but not just any man - Alexander. Was he her lost love, who'd disappeared so long ago? Here he was: naked, glistening, a warrior trained by the Flock to fight for their amusement. How could the brilliant man, the tender lover she remember have become this animal born to dominate and destroy? Was he a pawn of the Flock or would their flight to freedom be a long-sought reunion?
Reviews:
"Obviously reminiscent of Planet of the Apes, STAR CRASH is an interesting romantic science fiction that is at its best when readers obtain insight into the aliens and how they see humans as being beneath them. Fans who appreciate outer space encounters of the first kind will enjoy Elysa Hendricks' entertaining look at comparative anthropology from ET's perspective."
Harriet Klausner
"This is an excellent science fiction tale. Yes, it is definitely a romance novel but not for the faint of heart. If the reader goes into the story with this in mind I believe that they will truly enjoy the action, suspense and the true grit of the protagonists, I know that I did. I could not put this book down and hope the author will write more stories like this."
Leslie Tromposch - reviewed for PNR Reviews
After recon pilot Cora Daniels crash lands on an alien planet she finds herself a prisoner of the Flock: a race of birdlike humanoids. Trapped in their zoo she discovers they intend her to mate. To breed. To be part of their human herd.
She's placed in a cage with a man - a powerful, virile man, but not just any man - Alexander. Was he her lost love, who'd disappeared so long ago? Here he was: naked, glistening, a warrior trained by the Flock to fight for their amusement. How could the brilliant man, the tender lover she remember have become this animal born to dominate and destroy? Was he a pawn of the Flock or would their flight to freedom be a long-sought reunion?
Reviews:
"Obviously reminiscent of Planet of the Apes, STAR CRASH is an interesting romantic science fiction that is at its best when readers obtain insight into the aliens and how they see humans as being beneath them. Fans who appreciate outer space encounters of the first kind will enjoy Elysa Hendricks' entertaining look at comparative anthropology from ET's perspective."
Harriet Klausner
"This is an excellent science fiction tale. Yes, it is definitely a romance novel but not for the faint of heart. If the reader goes into the story with this in mind I believe that they will truly enjoy the action, suspense and the true grit of the protagonists, I know that I did. I could not put this book down and hope the author will write more stories like this."
Leslie Tromposch - reviewed for PNR Reviews
Excerpt:
Cora paced the perimeter of the room, her need for release growing with every step. Earth drug companies would pay dearly for whatever the hell aphrodisiac the Flock used on her. Only the sense that she was being watched kept her from touching herself and relieving the increasing ache.
What did it matter? At this rate, she’d ravage whatever abomination entered the room.
A subtle snick of sound and the enticing aroma of warm male flesh told her she was no longer alone. The fear that wouldn’t come to her aid before now blossomed in her. She knew that she should look up, should brace herself for an attack, but she couldn’t make herself move. When she found herself quaking like an untried virgin, anger usurped her fear. She sprang up and turned to face whatever the Flock had sent her.
Shock froze her.
“Alexander,” she whispered.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
New Release—Hadean: Threshold of Extinction
Like a little Romance in your apocalypse? My latest release is still only 99cents.
Our food isn’t killing us; it’s changing us—turning us into killers.
For decades scientists have used viruses and bacteria to insert rogue genetic code into our food. Now human DNA is mutating. Switches are being flipped. Some will commit suicide; others will become homicidal maniacs.
One family.
A mother in the custody battle of her life.
A college graduate whose experiment foreshadows a grisly future
A teen whose final exam won’t be in English but in survival
Separated by miles.
Desperate to reunite.
When all hell breaks loose, every block is a gauntlet.
Hadean: Threshold of Extinction
amazon us
amazon usMonday, June 8, 2015
ANCIENT ALIENS THEORIES... not so farfetched - by Vijaya Schartz
Have we been visited by alien species in the ancient past? Are we the product of genetic manipulation by technologically advanced ancient visitors in need of labor? Are the gods of so many different Earth cultures aliens who, in ancient times, came down from other star systems to teach, nurture, and facilitate the evolution of the human race? All these questions might seem outrageous to many people
Of course, the mainstream scientists refuse to examine the evidence, and governments are quick to dismiss any theory that doesn't fit the accepted standard. Few have enough courage to tell the world that our history books should be rewritten. But if you research and consider the evidence, it's not farfetched at all.
Ancient texts, like the Mahabarata in India, describe the gods waging war in the sky, flying Vimanas, shooting arrows of light and thunder that destroyed their flying chariots of fire. Ancient cities of India, like Mohanjo Daro, are still radioactive from their destruction by a nuclear blast thousands of years ago.
The ancient Vikings believed their gods came from another world through a rainbow bridge reminiscent of a wormhole. Could Odin, Thor, and the entire Viking mythology be relating events in the past, where powerful beings came to Earth from another planet?
Could it be that the ancient texts we consider as mythology, are actually records of historical events lost in the night of time? Even the ancient testament speaks of beings coming to Earth from the heavens. God came with legions of angels and archangels organized in a very military order... not so different from a modern space fleet.
Why is it that ruins in Puma Punku, in South America, dated 20,000 years ago, show stones cut with a precision we cannot achieve even today with the most sophisticated instruments? The traditions of the local tribes say these were built not by human hands, but by the gods.
 |
| structures on Mars |
Are the structures on Mars left over from an ancient civilization, dating from when the red planet was green with life? What caused its atmosphere to thin and its water to dry up? Is it what will happen to Earth if we are not careful?
I am only scratching the surface here. This world is full of mysteries, and if we bother to investigate them, we might very well discover the secret of our origins, and embrace the fact that we are not alone in the universe.
As a science fiction writer, I find this inspiring, uplifting, and I sincerely hope the people of this world start looking closely at all these clues. Now that we have the technology to analyze the evidence, we should not be afraid of the results. The truth will prevail in the end, so why resist it?
In the Archangel books, bad boy Michael is in deep trouble, and being half alien doesn't help at all. Find these books and many more by Vijaya Schartz at:
AMAZON - B&N - SMASHWORDS - ARE
Friday, June 5, 2015
Some SciFi Romance Movie Favs
I like my SFR in book form, but sometimes the movies in the genre can be fun, too. A few of my favorite sci-fi movies with a little romance are:
FLASH GORDON. This movie really captured my attention back in the day when it was released. It was one of my first SFR films and the characters were so deliciously campy and fun, I found myself hooked. The villains, the costumes, the vamps. Awesome. Oh, and then there's the music by QUEEN.
While EDWARD SCISSORHANDS has a more Gothic tone, Edward was fashioned in a lab by a slightly evil scientist. Then there's the eerie cookie cutter neighborhood like something out of A Wrinkle In Time. And the romance between Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder is pure sweetness.
MARS ATTACKS is a wickedly clever and cinematically astounding movie that's just pure insanity. A poignant romance occurs between Sara-Jessica Parker and Pierce Brosnan that transcends their transformation into other Frankensteinian creatures. Natalie Portman and the donut guy (kid from Witness) will have the onerous task of repopulating the planet, so there's that budding romance. Plus, you'll never listen to Slim Whitman the same way again.
No SFR film list would be complete with a Firefly reference. Since we're talking movies, SERENITY is full of fledgling, unrequited, and conjugal romance aplenty. It's unusual to see a healthy married relationship in a movie--much less an SFR--but Wash and Zoe are two peas in a firefly-class pod. Add in the lingering looks between Mal and Inara, and Kaley and Simon, and you get lots of heart-sigh moments.
These are just a few of my go to SFR titles. What are your favorite SFR films?
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
BORING IS GOOD - EXCITEMENT IS VASTLY OVERRATED
Lately my life has been hectic and stressful, so I've decided that in "real" life boring is good. Excitement is
vastly overrated.
In "real" life excitement usually means injured or
sick children, ailing senior parents, lost jobs, broken down cars, empty bank
accounts and household repairs.
I'm not an adventurous person. I'm not a coordinated person.
I can't dance. I can't sing. I can't ride a bike, forget a motorcycle. I tried
riding a motor scooter once. Ended up in a ditch. When my friends convinced me to try again I
managed to fall off the danged thing. So I don't like taking risks. They
usually result in bruises and blood, and the sight of blood makes me queasy. I
prefer my "real" life to be a lovely shade of boring beige with just
a few sprinkles of pastel excitement - visiting with friends and family, dinner
out, a movie, a vacation at a quiet beach.
That's why I adore books, both reading and writing them. In
a book I can dance, sing, or roar down the road on big old hog. I can risk my
life skiing, surfing, treasure hunting, mountain climbing or trekking through
the Amazon jungle. I can shoot guns (without blowing off fingers or toes.) I
can fight invading alien forces here on Earth or off in space. Zombies? Vampires?
Werewolves? No problem. Sitting safe in my easy chair I can handle them. And in
between the explosions and flying body parts, I can have sex with a leather-clad
bad boy - or two. There are no STDs to worry about when your partners exist
only between the pages of a book and your imagination.
In a book I can travel the Oregon Trail or the Trail of
Tears and still be home for dinner. The only danger I face is burning said
dinner while I'm engrossed in the story, but there's even an upside to that -
ordering in pizza. Or better yet dinner out somewhere, one of those pastel
sprinkles of excitement I prefer.
That's why people who tell me they don't have time to or
like to read confuse me. Are their lives so "exciting" that they
don't need or want to escape into another existence even for a short while?
So I'm happy to live my boring "real" life and get
all my excitement between the pages of a book.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Stretching the Boundaries
I love the escapism books provide. It's one of the reasons, I don't confine my reading to one particular genre but will pretty much read anything that piques my interest. I believe this also helps me as a writer to learn new techniques that may actually improve my own writing.
Last month, I was invited to participate in a book release party on Facebook for a new erotic SciFi romance series by Lexi Post. While there, I picked up a few books by some of the other authors. A friend of mine was a bit shocked. Since I don't write erotica, why would I pick it up?
True, I don't usually write many love scenes in my books and tend to use more romantic language than the raw kind used in erotica, but there's much to learn from any book that touches you and causes a reaction. Like:
What was done right?
How did the author touch you?
How did the author get you to fall in love with the characters?
How did they motivate the sex on page 3 or five of the book?
All of these things contribute to the fantasy of the book. All of these things indicate the skill of the writer. And while I don't think of these questions as I read, I do replay those memorable moments once I reach the end of the book.
So, I encourage all of you to stretch your reading muscles a bit. After all, SciFi erotica is a sister of SciFi Romance and who knows what's there waiting for you to discover?
Until next time.
Last month, I was invited to participate in a book release party on Facebook for a new erotic SciFi romance series by Lexi Post. While there, I picked up a few books by some of the other authors. A friend of mine was a bit shocked. Since I don't write erotica, why would I pick it up?
True, I don't usually write many love scenes in my books and tend to use more romantic language than the raw kind used in erotica, but there's much to learn from any book that touches you and causes a reaction. Like:
What was done right?
How did the author touch you?
How did the author get you to fall in love with the characters?
How did they motivate the sex on page 3 or five of the book?
All of these things contribute to the fantasy of the book. All of these things indicate the skill of the writer. And while I don't think of these questions as I read, I do replay those memorable moments once I reach the end of the book.
So, I encourage all of you to stretch your reading muscles a bit. After all, SciFi erotica is a sister of SciFi Romance and who knows what's there waiting for you to discover?
Until next time.
Monday, May 11, 2015
HAVE WE ALREADY CONQUERED SPACE? by Vijaya Schartz
 |
| Alien base on the moon. NASA image Google |
If you believe the conspiracy theorists, since our first steps in space, we have discovered alien bases on the moon and later on Mars. Using reverse-engineered spacecrafts, we are making contact with other species, collaborating with aliens on top secret projects in secret US bases, in the name of science... even experimenting on fellow humans.
This would explain a lot of UFO sightings, abductions, animal mutilations, the men in black, our giant steps in new technology, and the $12,000 hammers and ridiculously expensive supplies purchased by the government over the past decades, as they served as a cover for the enormous amount of government funds diverted toward this top secret research.
According to same conspiracy theorists, we may have already mastered antigravity, cloaking technology, warp drive... wouldn't that be great? Of course, the governments of Earth aware of this collaboration remain silent on the topic, denying and debunking every witness reports, and rejecting questions with benign answers.
A sci-fi writer can only dream and speculate. For me, I like to think we are already in space. After all, in Stargate, the entire project was top secret and unknown to the public. It makes sense that if such a project existed, the governments would deny its existence.
Can you imagine
the world becoming what all these science fiction authors are predicting? While some authors paint a dark picture of our fictitious
future, I choose to present humanity with challenges they can ultimately handle and overcome... that's because I want a happy outcome. After all, my heroes and heroines do deserve to be happy in the end.
So, I choose to believe, and maybe, who knows, this will be the brainstorm starting point of my future sci-fi romance series. A writer's mind never stops speculating. My Ancient Enemy series is not so farfetched after all. Find all my books at: AMAZON - B&N - ARe - SMASHWORDS etc.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY BOOKS AT HTTP://WWW.VIJAYASCHARTZ.COM
Friday, May 8, 2015
Where To Find Even More Science Fiction Romance
It used to be that sci-fi romance--if you could find it at all--was tucked onto some lower shelf toward the back of the bookstore. Now with the explosion of ebooks and social media, finding your favorite niche is a breeze.
Some ab-fab SFR sites to check out are:
In addition to great sites, there are some fun Facebook pages as well:
To get science fiction ebook deals delivered right to your inbox, sign up for these sites:
And of course, keep stopping by Starbound Lovers for the latest sci-fi romance from some of your favorite authors!
Happy exploring!
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