Veronica Scott for AMAZING STORIES: Welcome to my periodic series of author profiles. Today I’ve chosen Lea Kirk, USA Today Best Selling author of the terrific Silver Star series and other science fiction romance tales.
VS for ASM.: What was the first scifi romance book you wrote, when, give us the 2-3 sentence logline.
LK: Prophecy, the award-winning first book in my Prophecy series. This apocalyptic, alien invasion romance was published in 2016, and is the book of my heart.
A woman who’s lost everything, a man betrayed by his own, but together their destiny is greater than ever imagined.
ASM.: I still remember that one – it made quite an impression on me at the time. Which of your SFR books is the bestselling?
LK: Fly with Me from my Silverstar Mates series is my current best seller. It was published in 2022 as book one to the already existing, 3-book series. Originally, I’d planned on slapping #4 on it, but since the story chronologically takes place before the existing three books, some friends argued successfully it should be #1. The secret is that it doesn’t matter if it’s read before or after the other books. If read first, it’s a great prequel. If read last, it should give readers some fun “Ah-ha!” moments.
By the way, I’m super proud of this book. It’s a 2023 FF&P RWA PRISM Award winner, and a North Texas Romance Writers 2022 Carolyn Readers’ Choice Award finalist.
She’s heading to Vegas. He is on his final patrol. Hang onto your hair rollers because an alien abduction is about to crash their retirement plans!
ASM.: A groundbreaking series indeed! None of us can ever pick a favorite book or character but if you had to go live in one of your own books, which would you choose and why?
LK: This is a hard one! I think, though, that I’d choose my debut book, Prophecy, mostly because these characters have been with me since high school. It took me over thirty years to finish and publish this story, and it changed a lot during that time. For example, in the original drafts, the heroine had a younger brother and an older sister. Misplacing the original manuscript forced me to recreate the story from scratch, and guess who I completely forgot about? The older sister. The younger brother made the final cut though, and he also got his own book. I have since relocated the original, handwritten notebooks and must say the final version turned out far better!
ASM.: What was your most recent book and what was the story spark or inspiration for that story?
My most recent book is Fly with Me, but I’m going to tell you about what sparked the Silverstar Mates series instead because without this series, Fly with Me wouldn’t exist. A few years ago, the Intergalactic Dating Agency invited me to contribute three stories to their group project. At that time there were not many (any?) SFR books featuring older heroes and heroines…and I mean true “golden” heroes and heroines, not the 35+ variety. The idea to write about Earth heroines closer to my own age kinda got stuck in my head.
I also wanted to take a break from my Prophecy series and write something more light-hearted. Stories with comedic situations ranging from relatable everyday humor mixed with a little borderline, far-fetched silliness.
All of this was a step out of my comfort zone, and so worth it! Lately I’ve seen other SFR books featuring older protagonists popping up, which is exciting! I’ve received emails and reviews from other women in the 50+ age range who are thrilled to finally have stories they can relate to and enjoy. Even much younger women seem to love them, and that warms my heart. I’m so glad I wrote this series, and plan to write more!
If this series sounds intriguing, book two—Above the Storm—is free exclusively to Out of this World Romance Book Club members from October 15 through November 14, 2023. This is a good time to take it for a “test flight!”
ASM.: Which book was the most fun to write and why? The most challenging and why?
Hands down, the most fun to write was Fly with Me. It’s about a woman who is abducted on her way to celebrate her retirement in Las Vegas with her friends. Not only does her LOL experience lead her to the worth-the-wait love of her life, but it also explores the rumors about alien cow abductions. I giggle snorted so hard as I wrote this one!
In contrast, the most challenging is my current work in progress: the fourth book in my Prophecy series, Paradox. It is exceedingly tedious to write a sci-fi, time travel romance in an existing series of three novels, three novellas, and a short story! This project is equal parts frustrating and gratifying, and if I ever try something like this again, several of my besties are under orders to talk me out of it by any means necessary!
ASM.: Which of your characters do your readers love to hate? Why?
LK: So, I’m not sure if everyone loves to hate this character, but Commander Graig Roble (pronounced Robe Lay, in case anyone wondered) from the Prophecy series has received mixed reviews. Readers either love him or hate him. I’m not saying they’re wrong to hate him, especially when his motives seem suspect, but far be it from me to make up anyone’s mind for them.
ASM.: Your own favorite tropes? Least favorite tropes?
LK: I love alien invasions, first contact, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, rom com, and Earth aliens (secret & known) stories.
My least favorite tropes are non con, dub con, and bully. These types of stories are too disturbing for me to read.
ASM.: Do you also write other genres? Which ones? How does writing a book in that genre compare to writing an SFR?
LK: I do have one paranormal vampire romance, Made for Her. I wrote this in 2018 as part of S. E. Smith’s Worlds of Magic, New Mexico. Still have it in the back of my mind to write a sequel. Yet, as much as I enjoy reading paranormal, fantasy, and urban fantasy romances, my first writing love is sci-fi romance. One of my biggest concerns with writing Made for Her was being called out by readers more familiar with Arthurian legends than I. SFR allows me the freedom to be more creative with fewer restrictions. Yes, the laws of physics still apply, but I can push boundaries as far as making up new cultures, worlds, species, mythologies, etc. It’s really fun!
ASM.: Do you have a ‘writing buddy’ pet? Care to share a photo?
LK: I did, once upon a time, three dogs ago. Our current dog couldn’t care less about my writing. She’s also partial to my husband’s office over mine, probably because it’s nearer to the back door. This makes it easier for her to run outside quickly to bark and bark and bark at joggers, skateboarders, other dogs, or small children passing by the back gate. Don’t let this innocent face fool you…she’s a sassy one.
ASM.: What’s next for you?
LK: My current work in progress is Paradox, Book Four of the Prophecy Series. I hadn’t planned on a fourth book. In fact, this story was supposed to be a novella, but the hero (Juan) is the slightly younger brother of the heroine in book three (Flora.) The two characters have a highly competitive relationship. He took exception to my novella plan and told me that since Flora had a novel then he darn well wanted one too.
Kids.
ASM.: What’s on your To Be Read List?
LK: Oooh, I’m so glad you asked! Right now, I’m reading Divinity 36, the first book from Gail Carriger’s completed, 3-book Tinkered Starsong series. I am also eagerly awaiting the release of Gift of Gods by E. Menozzi (Mage Lore series, fantasy), and Every Time We Say Goodbye by Janet Raye Stevens (The Beryl Blue Time Cop series, time travel).
ASM.: Give us your short author bio and where you can be found on social media.
USA Today Bestselling Author Lea Kirk loves to transport her readers to other worlds with her science fiction romance. She’s been making first contact, two hearts at a time, since her award-winning Prophecy series released in 2016. Her adventures continue with the tongue-in-cheek humor of the Silverstar Mates, a series that proves you’re never too old for love.
NEWSLETTER: https://eepurl.com/gr8oPj
WEBSITE: https://www.leakirk.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeaKirk/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/leakirkauthor/
X: https://twitter.com/LeaKirkWrites
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lea-kirk
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://amazon.com/author/leakirk
GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14584538.Lea_Kirk
