Author Archives: Victoria Janssen

About Victoria Janssen

Victoria Janssen [she, her] currently writes cozy space opera for Kalikoi. The novella series A Place of Refuge begins with Finding Refuge: Telepathic warrior Talia Avi, genius engineer Miki Boudreaux, and augmented soldier Faigin Balfour fought the fascist Federated Colonies for ten years, following the charismatic dissenter Jon Churchill. Then Jon disappeared, Talia was thought dead, and Miki and Faigin struggled to take Jon’s place and stay alive. When the FC is unexpectedly upended, Talia is reunited with her friends and they are given sanctuary on the enigmatic planet Refuge. The trio of former guerillas strive to recover from lifetimes of trauma, build new lives on a planet with endless horizons, and forge tender new connections with each other.

Basilica of Notre Dame, Montreal – interior photos

Posted on August 4, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

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Montreal day one

Posted on August 4, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Made it to Montreal only two hours late (plane had mechanical problems at previous origin point). Our hotel has goldfish! In a giant pond with little bridges you can walk on! C. and I looked at lots of architecture then … Continue reading →

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Off to Montreal for Worldcon

Posted on August 3, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Today, my friend Charlotte and I are flying to Montreal for several days of sightseeing before we attend Worldcon. It’s a first trip to the city for both of us, and there are quite a few things we hope to … Continue reading →

Posted in conferences, travel | 3 Comments

Edmund Blunden, "Premature Rejoicing"

Posted on August 2, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Premature Rejoicing What’s that over there? Thiepval Wood. Take a steady look at it; it’ll do you good.Here, these glasses will help you. See any flowers?There sleeps Titania (correct–the Wood is ours);There sleeps Titania in a deep dugout,Waking, she wonders … Continue reading →

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Edmund Blunden, "Thiepval Wood"

Posted on August 1, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Thiepval Wood The tired air groans as the heavies swing over, the river-hollows boom;The shell-fountains leap from the swamps, and with wildfire and fumeThe shoulder of the chalkdown convulses.Then the jabbering echoes stampede in the slatting wood,Ember-black the gibbet trees … Continue reading →

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Erotic Journeys and Bodice Rippers

Posted on July 31, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

I’ve been thinking more on the reasons some books are categorized as erotica and some as romance when the number or frequency of sex scenes, and the “heat level” thereof, is very similar. I don’t believe the degree of explicit … Continue reading →

Posted in erotica, genre, romance novels | 7 Comments

The Research Book Dilemma

Posted on July 30, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

My name is Victoria, and I am a book hoarder. If I were still an impecunious graduate student, the lack of funds to buy books would be a constant pain, but as an adult with a job, my struggle is … Continue reading →

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Cecilia Tan Guest Post – "Why Writing Romance and Erotica Is Like Being Good in Bed"

Posted on July 29, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Please welcome my guest, Cecilia Tan! # Why Writing Romance and Erotica Is Like Being Good in Bedby Cecilia Tan I was debating with a friend recently on what the “real” difference is between “literary” fiction and “commercial” fiction. What’s … Continue reading →

Posted in erotica, genre, guest | 4 Comments

The Book of Awesome

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Today I bring you The Book of Awesome. The Book of Awesome is why you should have friends. A short while ago, I was bemoaning the fact that I had read the Hornblower books and the Aubrey-Maturin books, and was … Continue reading →

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It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Ultra-Brother!

Posted on July 27, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Why does the coolest brother in the romance series usually turn out to be such a dud? I began to make a list of all the series of historical novels featuring brothers as heroes, but then realized that would be … Continue reading →

Posted in genre, reading, romance novels | 2 Comments