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.

Moonlight Mistress excerpt – Emotional Fight Scene

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Moonlight Mistress is out December 2009 from Harlequin Spice. In this scene, Pascal and Lucilla have recently been reunited. # Pascal tucked the blanket back over her shoulder, from where it had fallen. “You didn’t want me to see you … Continue reading →

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My Favorite Girls Dressed as Boys – Romance Edition

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

One of my favorite tropes in genre fiction is “girl/woman dressed as a boy.” I love it for several reasons. First, it’s just fun; there’s a long-established literary tradition of cross-dressing. Second, I love that it’s an opportunity to play … Continue reading →

Posted in genre, reading, recommendations, romance novels | 8 Comments

Choosing Short Fiction Markets

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Today’s post is a question for you who are reading this, if you submit to short story/novella markets, or plan to, or can imagine doing so. How do you choose which market will first receive your submission? Which factor or … Continue reading →

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Rituals of Writing

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Every writer has rituals about how they write. The rituals often change over time; for instance, when I was first writing, I used to write either directly into email, which went to a group of my friends, or on paper … Continue reading →

Posted in writing, writing process | 5 Comments

PCA/ACA Call for Papers

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

PCA/ACA 2010 National Conference(Popular Culture and American Culture Associations)St. Louis, Missouri, March 31 – April 3, 2010 Call For Papers: Romance Area Conference info. Deadline for submission: November 30, 2009. We are interested in any and all topics about or … Continue reading →

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Lauren Dane Guest Post – Worldbuilding and Characterization

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Please welcome my guest, Lauren Dane! # Worldbuilding and Characterization The first book I wrote was a paranormal. I loved the freedom of building worlds. They were my rules, my world, the characters did what I told them to. Of … Continue reading →

Posted in guest, sf/f, writing craft | 22 Comments

Vera Brittain, "The German Ward"

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

The German Ward When the years of strife are over and my recollection fades Of the wards wherein I worked the weeks away,I shall still see, as a visions rising ‘mid the War- time shades, The ward in France where … Continue reading →

Posted in brittain, wwi poetry | 3 Comments

Excerpt from The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom and Their Lover – Humor

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Excerpt from The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom and Their Lover– Humor # Two days later, the last of the horses was slung aboard Captain Leung’s ship. Watching from the dock, Henri bounced on his toes. He’d never been to … Continue reading →

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Kirsten Saell Guest Post – "Writing F/F(/M) for the Female Gaze"

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Please welcome my guest, Kirsten Saell. # Writing F/F(/M) for the Female Gaze I adore men. I love their hard bodies and their strong chins and the frankness of their bodies. I love the sound of a deep voice growling … Continue reading →

Posted in erotica, genre, guest | 24 Comments

Pirates and Swords

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Victoria Janssen

Sometimes, a picture says it all. Nummy, aren’t they? Photo is of Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone in Captain Blood, 1935. You can see the sword fight here. It’s visible that Basil Rathbone was a real fencer; Errol Flynn said, … Continue reading →

Posted in images, pirates, research | 2 Comments