Nina Croft Guest Post: The Blending of Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Today I am so happy to have Nina Croft visiting! I have loved her Dark Desires series since before it was called the Dark Desires (see my review of the first four books when they were just starting to change the name here) and devour each new story as soon as I can get my hands on it. One of the things I have always loved most about it was the perfect blend of science fiction and fantasy. There is a vampire sharing a ship with a genetically modified plant lady, time travelling dragons, cyborgs, and werewolves. It's the best of both worlds! So, today I am sharing a post from Ms. Croft about the sci-fi and fantasy worlds that inspired her.

Top 10 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Worlds

There are so many fantasy and sci-fi worlds that have inspired me over the years. Fantasy has been my favorite genre since I first read Lord of the Rings a long, long time ago. And sci-fi became a close second when I fell in love with Han Solo as a teenager.

But here are the books, films and TV shows that I return to again and again and which constantly inspire me…

1. Dr Who – I’ll start with this as it was the first science fiction or fantasy world I came across. I’ve been watching the show for as long as I’ve been watching TV, and growing up, all I ever wanted to be was the Doctor’s assistant. It’s a world built to keep going (the regeneration aspect is just brilliant.) Doctor Who recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and it gets better and better.

2. Lord of the Rings – I first read this when I was about ten years old, and I remember the wonder of being immersed in a different world. It’s still a favorite and I loved the movies (Aragorn—sigh).

3. Aliens – Best sci-fi film ever!

4. Star Wars – Han Solo! I need say no more. Except that it’s a fabulous adventure story and a wonderful world.

5. Walking Dead –I love post-apocalypse stories. The end of the world as we know it, add some hot guys, and what more could you want?

6. Anne Bishop’s Black Jewell’s Trilogy. For world building, I think this is up there with The Lord of the Rings. Rich, sensual; she brings her fantasy world to brilliant life.

7. Dune – by Frank Herbert. Science fiction at its best. One of my favorite books and one I go back and read again and again. The world is so complex but so totally believable.

8. Game of Thrones – I’m totally in love with the TV series and still have the books to look forward to. Another example of complex and believable world-building.

9. Narnia by C.S. Lewis – Another I read first as a child and still return to.

10. Firefly – And I’ll finish with the best TV show ever and the main inspiration behind my Dark Desires series! I was watching this (for about the third time) when I decided I wanted to write a space opera, complete with a crew of misfits, and the Dark Desires series came into being.

Check out the newest book in the Dark Desires series:

Flying Through Fire
by Nina Croft
Dark Desires #6

About the Book:

For ten thousand years he’s done his duty. Now he wants something for himself…

Winged monsters have been seen in the skies, and a pestilence follows in their wake, threatening the very survival of mankind. Only the crew of the Blood Hunter knows where they come from, and only one man has the power to send them back—Thorne, a human/dragon hybrid in possession of mental powers beyond comprehension.

Candace Decker doesn’t need anyone to look after her—she’s a badass werewolf more than capable of protecting herself and those she loves. All the same, she’s always been drawn to Thorne’s strength. In an uncertain world, he’s the one man who makes her feel safe. And what Candy wants, she usually gets.

But while Candy is tenacious, Thorne’s willpower has been honed over ten thousand years. He might want her, but the last thing he needs is an infatuation with a young, impetuous werewolf. Candy makes him lose control, and that could have disastrous consequences.

As the threat escalates and they become separated by time and space, Candy must find a way back to him, because while Thorne alone has the power to defeat the dragons, only together can they finally bring peace to the universe.

Links:

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About the Author:

Growing up in the cold, wet, north of England, Nina Croft spent a lot of time dreaming of faraway sunnier places and ponies. When she discovered both, along with a whole load of other things, could be found between the covers of a book, her life changed forever.

Later, she headed south, picked up the perfect husband along the way, and together they volunteered to work in Africa. There they discovered a love of exotic places and a dislike of 9-5 work. Afterward they spent a number of years travelling (whenever possible) intermingled with working (whenever necessary.) Eventually they stumbled upon a remote area in the mountains of southern Spain and the small almond farm they now call home.

Nina spends her days reading, writing and riding her mare, Gencianna, under the blue Spanish skies—sunshine and ponies. She reckons this is proof that dreams really can come true if you want them enough.

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Thank you to Entangled Publishing for putting this promo tour together.