Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Sexy Guys of Sci Fi - Joe Flanigan


Aahhhh...Wednesday. Time for another dose of hunky-sci fi goodness! I decided to stay in the world of Stargate this week, and am featuring Joe Flanigan, aka John Sheppard on Stargate Atlantis.

Born and raised in Claifornia, Flanigan later attended the University of Colorado, where he earned a history degree. He never expected to make acting a career, and studied it mainly to overcome his shyness. He pursued a writing career after graduation, and with prodding from friends, finally made the decision to go after an acting career.

All of which led joe to the character I adore him for most - Lt Colonel John Sheppard of Stargate Atlantis.



Stargate Atlantis follows the present-day adventures of John Sheppard and his military team from Earth that, along with two dozen other teams, venture to distant planets. They use an alien device known as a Stargate, which is housed in the city of Atlantis on the planet "Lantea". The city was built millions of years ago by one of the most advanced races of the Stargate universe: the Ancients. Five to ten million years ago, due to a plague in the Milky Way Galaxy, they were forced to flee to the Pegasus Galaxy, and there they seeded life on hundreds of worlds as they had done in the Milky Way. After encountering a powerful enemy known as the Wraith and going to war with them for more than one hundred years, the Ancients ultimately lost and were forced to submerge their city beneath Lantea's ocean, which, in the Stargate universe, is the source of the Greek myth of the Lost City of Atlantis.



Sheppard has an "ancient gene" in his physiology, which allows him to attempt exerting control over the various Ancient technology the team confronts while on Atlantis and other worlds. Sheppard's a no nonsense military man, with a troubled past, but deep down he has a big heart and cares about his team immensely, providing the view of the "average joe" (lol) next to the complicated science jargon of the genius members of the team, so that we may all understand and be entertained.



And the fact that he's smokin' hot doesn't hurt one bit either!

I mean, seriously, just one look from those sultry eyes and I'm a puddle at his feet.

Just one more reason why he's one Sexy Guy of Sci Fi!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Sexy Guys of Sci Fi - Michael Shanks


Time for another dose of science fiction hunkiness! This week we celebrate actor Michael Shanks, aka Dr. Daniel Jackson on the television series Stargate SG-1.

Michael Garrett Shanks was born December 15, 1970, in Vancouver, British Columbia. He attended the University of British Columbia and graduated with a B.F.A. in Theatre in 1994.

Shanks played archaeologist Dr. Daniel Jackson in Stargate SG-1. The military, having discovered the Stargate, sought out Dr. Jackson because of his theories linking the ancient Egyptians to alien technology. A scientific view that has most of Daniel's peers treating him like a hack.

But when the US military shows him the Stargate, Daniel is the one who figures out how the machine is to be used. His theories are correct! Trouble is, he can't tell anyone, becaues it is now a matter of national security.

Thus begins Daniel's journey as a member of the SG-1 team, where through the years he visits countless planets, meets all sorts of alien life, and saves the day with his vast knowledge of ancient languages and cultures, coming to serve as the moral conscience of the team as a whole.


Dr. Jackson remains part of SG-1 until he ascends to a higher plane of existence at the end of season 5. Following his forceful de-ascension at the beginning of season 7, he rejoins the team for the remainder of the series. The last three seasons show his flirty yet antagonistic relationship with Vala Mal Doran (played by Claudia Black). Daniel also appears in both direct-to-DVD films and has cameos in seasons 1 and 5 of Stargate Atlantis. He is confirmed to appear in the pilot episode of the upcoming series Stargate Universe.



Now, I've always been a fan of the nerdy guy. Brains turn me on (among other things). But how can you go wrong when such a mind belongs to a hunk like this? Watching Michael portray a character that evolves so much over the course of the show was and is a complete pleasure. Daniel struggled every moment to reconcile his science with reality, his emotions with his logic, making him a perfect fit for for my Sexy Guys of Sci Fi!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Sexy Guys of Sci Fi - Ben Browder


























I'm back, baby! And I brought a Sexy Guy of Sci Fi with me! Ben Browder gives us a double shot of hunkiness as John Crichton on Farscape and Cameron Mitchell on Stargate SG-1!

Ben Browder was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He attended Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, earned a BS in psychology at Furman University, and then went on to study drama at Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England.

I first recall seeing Ben in the Sci Fi series Farscape, and I was a complete goner!


Farscape featured a diverse and eclectic ensemble of characters who are all on the run from corrupt authorities called Peacekeepers. They live inside a giant space-dwelling creature named Moya, which served as their ship.



In the first episode, the fugitives are joined by the main character, John Crichton, a modern-day American astronaut who accidentally flew into the entrance of a wormhole near Earth. On the same day, another stranger is picked up by Moya: a stranded Peacekeeper named Aeryn Sun, who appears human.




























Despite his best intentions, John does make a few major enemies; the primary of these is known as Scorpius. There are a few stand-alone plots, but the show centered on the unfolding events surrounding John's battle against Scorpius, John's special abilities with wormholes, and on another front, with his relationship (or lack thereof) with Aeryn Sun.



After Farscape ended, I was ecstatic to find out Ben was joining the cast of another of my favorite shows, Stargate SG-1!
















Stargate SG-1 explored the missions of the Stargate teams as they traveled through wormholes created by an ancient "stargate" controlled by the military, located under the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado. In the first eight seasons, the mission of the SG teams was to explore the galaxy and search for alien technology and allies to defend Earth against the Goa'uld, a snake-like parasitic alien race that takes humans as unwilling hosts. SG-1 eventually learns that highly evolved but now impassive human-like beings, known as the Ancients, had originally built the Stargate network millions of years earlier, before they used their extraordinary powers to Ascend to a higher plane of existence. The fictional Ori, who belong to the same race as the Ancients but preach religious fundamentalism, assume the role of the main antagonists in seasons 9 and 10.



Ben joined the cast as a United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who is assigned as the new commanding officer of SG-1 at the beginning of season 9. He struggled to reunite its former members under his authority and commands SG-1 (with Lt. Col. Carter's assistance) until the end of season 10, later being promoted to Colonel.

Whether fighting aliens and his feelings for Aeryn in Farscape, or donning a military uniform and fighting the Goa'uld and Ori in Stargate SG-1, Ben's charm, bright blue eyes, and rockin' bod make him an obvious choice for my Sexy Guys of Sci Fi!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Just Chatting

I really have to get ready for work, but I felt like sharing a bit. I went to Sapphire Blue Publishing's website to check out a new erotic release, and there was Second Chances, number 4 on the bestsellers list!

I did a little happy dance in my seat!

I've really been struggling with feasibly continuing to pursue writing, since I have so much stuff going on in my life. Now, I feel a little more validated.

And so, I need to write a Halloween short story for SBP, another short for ARE's charity free reads, and finish Burn With Me.

Oh, and I'd also like to write a short story for Samhain's Angels and Demons Anthology.

Think I can pull it off?

I guess we'll find out!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Fantasy Quest by Tina Gerow

Even though I've been unfocused lately, I've managed to read some excellent books!

Fantasy Quest by Tina Gerow is one of them!


Astiria Petrey wants nothing more than to lay on a sandy beach reading a good book at the exclusive Fantasy resort. Pestered by dumb jocks in tight shorts, Astiria decides to play the hotel’s role-playing computer game - Fantasy Quest. Only the game is more than she could ever imagine!

As soon as Astiria creates her perfect man—an online Warrior named Lerik, she is sucked through a portal to the mythical Verrath to meet him. There, Astiria must do battle against a host of trials.

If she is unable to succeed, Astiria becomes property of Marsoon, the Goblin King.

Accompanied by a real live gargoyle named Max, and Lerik, the sexy warrior she created from her wildest fantasies, Astiria must discover herself in order to not only win the game, but make her way back home.

Only then can she realize that true love awaits, if only she believes…


20K Words



I LOVED this book! I know so many gamers, and have even dabbled some myself, so I could relate so well!

Astiria is strong, yet vulnerable at the same time, having a bad history with men that keeps her at arm's length, sheilding her heart. And yet, she finds the inner strength to take a chance with Lerik, even though it turns out quite unexpectedly...

The world that Tina Gerow creates is fantastic, yet believable. I was completely sucked in at the start, and I want a purple gargoyle of my very own!

When a story elicits a pure emotional response, I know it's good. I laughed out loud at the snarky exchange between Lerik and his assistant elf. I shouted at the computer screen during the fight scenes. I even shed a tear or two.

I highly reccomend this book for anyone who likes a sassy story with lots of action, humor, and emotion. There's alot packed into it, and you won't be disappointed!

Go to http://www.sapphirebluepublishing.com and pick this one up! In fact, I think I might just go and read it again...

The Best Laid Plans...

I've been having issues focusing lately.

Granted, my hubby and I have been on a roller coaster dealing with health issues he has, as well as our jobs completely pushing us closer to the edge.

But for the most part, I seem to have difficulty maintaining focus and sticking to a plan in general. I mean, I like the idea of a plan. I will even go over the details in my head - sometimes even write them out - but when it comes down to putting it into action, my resolve wavers.

I will have everything laid out in my mind, exactly how it should play out, but when faced with the application - I crumble. What's up with that? My Mom is a planner. She writes almost everything down, then follows through with her plan like a well oiled machine. I just can't seem to make that transition.

And I've always been like that. I have half-finished stories, books, and projects everywhere. I know what needs to be done. I even know how it needs to be done. I just can't always make myself do it.

I don't think it's that I'm lazy. I think alot of it is that there's so many things crammed into this head of mine, that I have trouble picking out what to focus on and complete. I'm a dreamer, unfortunately. And dreamers seem to dwell on the abstract - of what it might be like to have something, instead of what is actually needed to obtain it.

I guess I need to get my head out of the clouds.

Or something like that.