The best news has been that people have loved At First Contact, our latest release. Not one, not two, but three major outlets asked new author Janice L. Newman for interviews about her sci-fi/fantasy romance trilogy of novellas.

Plus, we got a lovely review. So check out all the buzz the book’s gotten gotten in just one month:

On December 3, John Scalzi featured Janice on his The Big Idea:

Author Janice L. Newman is thinking about love, what it means, and how it manifests… and not in the ways we always expect. In the Big Idea for her collection At First Contact, Newman explains why all these various looks of love matter to her...

It’s a great piece. Check it out!

At this amazing December 14 interview, Ms. Newman not only talks about At First Contact, but she reads a thrilling excerpt from the first story, a hard science fiction tale of first contact…in more ways than one!

Don’t miss it!

What could a hard science fiction novella, a paranormal story, and a modern fantasy piece have in common? Janice talks about the elements that unite At First Contact and make it more than the sum of its parts on Mary Robinette Kowal’s December 23 blog.

Worth the read!

Last but not least, it wouldn’t be a book release without a review by our favorite critic, Rachel Anne Simson, published January 8:

Each story in this collection is so different from the next, but Janice’s masterful writing really helps to pull them all together, and you can go into each story expecting a romance that will blow all of your expectations. These stories are thrilling, exciting and beautiful, and each romance focuses on deep connections and friendship. With a little sprinkle of magic and wonder, this collection is unique, imaginative and diverse and I absolutely love the fact that it doesn’t conform to traditions...

See the rest!

(If you haven’t yet, get yourself a copy of At First Contact today! )

When The Eighth Key came out last spring, it made an impact. Not only was it a gripping fantasy yarn, but it was a steamy, slow burn male/male romance. One reviewer praised it for “making consent sexy”. Another found it refreshing that gay angst wasn’t featured, just a great gay couple. Our favorite review gushed about how it was the first time she’d read a book where sex was fundamental to the plot of a fantasy novel!

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Last week, we got the absolute cherry on top of this sundae of feedback: on December 8, The Eighth Key won The Rainbow Award for Best Gay Fantasy Romance! It was a crowded field with lots of worthy candidates, so we are beyond proud to have gotten the nod (along with Geoffrey the Very Strange by Angel Martinez).

If you want to know what convinced the Rainbow Award jury, check out Elisa’s review!

And then pick yourself up a copy…

Kitra is a story of perseverance in the face of fear and uncertainty, and that we only get through times like these by helping each other. Uplifting and positive, this novel speaks to all ages.

Gideon Marcus, Hugo Award Finalist and space historian, had the great pleasure of being invited to join the team at Nerds of a Feather for an interview!

Known for his Hugo nominated fanzine, Galactic Journey, Gideon has been a long-time member of the speculative fiction community. He’s known for actively cultivating opportunities for diverse voices to be highlighted.

I want young people, and older ones too, to read my book and see a world that looks like theirs, with all the diversity therein.

In fact, his novel, Kitra, features a young, bisexual Turkish woman who dreams of going to space. Growing up, Gideon rarely saw young women starring in the books he read – let along queer women of color. As an author, he had a chance to change that. So he did.

Read the full interview here.