Hero is the 6th Cat Star Chronicles series. This is an erotic science fiction chuck full of romance. Trag is the last male Zetithian. He has no interest in bonding with any other female but maybe another one of his species. Plus, he’s still in love with his brother’s wife.

There’s Kyra who is clueless about her heritage. She’s also a Zetithian, the last of her kind. So it seems fated that they should meet and fall in love and live happily ever after. Except, they loath each other at first sight. But then again, isn’t that what what makes great romance work?

I like Cheryl Brooks stories and I will keep on reading them because they entertain, titillate and pass the time. However, it’s quite a challenge to get anything done when reading her book because it’s also hard to put down.

Tags: Cheryl Brooks

Shoshana
If you can have Christmas in August, whom would you like to have in your stocking, and
why? (Right now, I’ll go for David Boreanaz. He’s got such sexy grin, and his behind is not bad either!)

Cheryl:
Hmm… Christmas in August… man in my stocking… Good question, but since we’re
talking fantasy here, I think I’d take a Zetithian—but if he has to be human, there’s this guynamed Daniel that I wouldn’t mind getting as a gift!

Hint: he has long dark hair and his picture is in the sidebar on my blog.;-)

If you’re going to be stuck in an island for some time, what are the three items you must have? (This is assuming that you have food and shelter and don’t have to worry about dying.)

Cheryl:
My husband, my guitar, and some sort of creative activity. I’ve always had this need to
create, be it candles, pies, books, or sequined shirts for a country singer—and yes, I actually did that!—otherwise, I’d go nuts!

Virginia C
What’s the very first book that made a lasting impression on you from your childhood?

Cheryl:
Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart is the first novel I can remember reading
that wasn’t a children’s book. I loved her voice, the romance, and the suspense. Then I read all of her books and loved every one of them, particularly her Merlin Trilogy. Great stuff!

What’s the last book you read that made you cry?

Cheryl: It’s been out for a while now, so this isn’t a spoiler, but when Fred Weasley was killed in the last Harry Potter book, I was pretty weepy-eyed.

Estella

How do you decide on the names for your characters?

Cheryl:
The heroes mostly have feline sounding names, but since I’ve used Cat, Leo, Manx, and Lynx, there aren’t many left. The later ones are a bit more obscure. Tychar (Rogue) began with the word tiger, and I played with it a bit to come up with that spelling. Trag (Hero) is a combination of tiger and dragon. For the heroes of books 7-9, I’ve gone to some scientific names and played around with the spellings and pronunciations.

When it comes to the names of heroines or secondary characters, I just use whatever feels best. Sometimes I hit random keys and move letters around or replace vowels until I come up with something I like.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Cheryl:
I don’t have much in the way of spare time anymore, but I like to cook, garden, play guitar and sing, plus I have three horses. I don’t ride very much these days, but I do love my big pasture pets!

Chey

Do you get to choose your own titles?

Cheryl:
I come up with a working title, but the final choice is usually out of my hands. Of the books in the Cat Star Chronicles series, so far, only Fugitive and Hero were published with the titles I gave them originally, and Fugitive was almost re-titled because they didn’t think it would fit on the cover! However, one of the guys in the art department was able to make the letters narrow enough to fit, which was fortunate because there really isn’t another word that means the same thing as fugitive—at least, I can’t think of one.

How much input do you have in your covers?

Cheryl:
The folks in the art department ask for character descriptions, but since none of my covers shows a full face on any of the guys, hair color is about the only thing that matters, and sometimes you can’t even see that much. My covers are then designed by Anne Cain, who I think does a fabulous job. The initial covers are sent to me, and I comment on them. I don’t like the headless torso thing, and I’ve had to request that a few of them be changed as a result. So far, any major objections I’ve had have at least been considered, and most have been corrected. The main input I had on the cover of Hero was to tell them not to change it. I loved it just the way it was when it was first presented to me.

Caffey
If you could meet any author from the past that inspired you to become an author, who
would you like to meet and what would you like to ask them?

Cheryl:
I’d like to ask William Shakespeare if he was actually the one who wrote all of that
stuff. Of course, I probably wouldn’t be able to make heads or tails of his reply, but it would be interesting, just the same.

Pam S

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Cheryl:
Chocolate. Pure and simple. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

What is your most memorable vacation?

Cheryl:
Probably the trip I took to Las Vegas a couple of years ago—and not so much for the
casinos or anything like that, but because of the side trip we took to the Grand Canyon. Now, that was memorable.!

Meredith Miller

Have you had any “real life” adventures that have influenced your characters or plots?

Cheryl: LOL! I’ve had so few adventures, it isn’t even funny. There have been people, books, situations, random comments, and movies that have influenced me, but not too many people care to read about the things nurses do on a daily basis. It usually isn’t very pretty….

What is the strangest question someone has ever asked you in an interview?

Cheryl:
Probably the questions regarding how I came up with the idea for the Zetithians and
their, um, equipment. No, wait! Scratch that. It was my answer that was strange….

Terri C
When did you know you wanted to make a career of writing?

Cheryl: In 2004, I was watching Under the Tuscan Sun with my husband, and when I remarked that it would be pretty cool to be a writer living in Tuscany, he said “Write!” So I wrote! I haven’t made it anywhere near Italy yet, but maybe someday.

CherylS22
What is your favorite writing environment?

Cheryl:
Back here in my bedroom with the curtains closed, sitting at my messy desk right next
to my messy, unmade bed. All I need is my computer, my trusty Boy Scout cup full of tea or ice water, my computer glasses, and I’m good to go. I can write in other places, but this is where most of it happens.

KarenK

Who are your most favorite authors?

Cheryl:
I know they aren’t terribly current, but Mary Stewart, Georgette Heyer, and Daphne
DuMaurier have been favorites of mine since I was a kid. More recently, I fell in love with the Harry Potter series (along with millions of others) and I’ve read and enjoyed many of the books written by my fellow Sourcebooks Casablanca authors. Aside from that, I haven’t read very many books lately because I simply don’t have the time!

CrystalGB
Who are the biggest supporters of your writing?

Cheryl:
The core group of ladies who follow and comment on my blog are probably my most vocal supporters, however the gang I work with at the hospital aren’t far behind. Anytime we’re out together, they somehow manage to mention the fact that I’m a writer to someone. My family is supportive, but they just don’t read the sort of books I write, so they aren’t fans.

LilMissMolly

What do you enjoy reading?

Cheryl:
I read the Harry Potter series over and over again—usually as a means of winding
down before bed. It’s very difficult for me to read a romance novel without critiquing it, but JK Rowling’s writing is such that I don’t have to think about how it’s written; I can focus on the story and it diverts my mind better than anything else.

Aurora M

What book was your earliest memory?

Cheryl:
I can’t recall the author’s name, but the title of the book was A Horse of Her Own. It
was about a young girl living in England who got a pony and learned to ride. It was told in first person from her point of view, and was probably the earliest influence on me to enjoy reading (and writing) in that POV.

If you could have any other job what would it be?

Cheryl: I’d like to play lead guitar in a rock band. …hey, you asked me….

HERO BY CHERYL BROOKS – IN STORES AUGUST 2010
The Cat Star Chronicles #6
He is the sexiest, most irksome man she’s ever encountered…
Micayla is the last Zetithian female left in the universe. She doesn’t know what’s normal for her species, but she knows when she sees Trag that all she wants to do is bite him…

He has searched all over the galaxy for a woman like her…
Trag has sworn he’ll never marry unless he can find a Zetithian female. But now that he’s finally found Micayla, she may be more of a challenge than even he’s able to take on…

About the Author
Cheryl Brooks is an Intensive Care Unit nurse by night and a romance writer by day. Previous books in The Cat Star Chronicles series include Slave, Warrior, Rogue, Outcast and Fugitive.

She is a member of the RWA and lives with her husband and sons in Indiana. For more
information, please visit http://cherylbrooksonline.com/.

Giveaway:

Two winners on September 15.
US and Canada addresses only. No PO Box.
Fill in this form and leave a comment on this post. Feel free to ask more question if you have them, and Cheryl may answer if her time permits.

Tags: Cheryl Brooks, Sourcebooks

A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, there was science fiction and there was romance, but there was very little crossover. My name is Cheryl Brooks, and though I grew up reading the novels of Mary Stewart, Daphne du Maurier, and Georgette Heyer, I loved Star Trek, too. The idea of traveling through space and visiting other worlds fascinated me. I was intrigued by the idea of alien beings, but I was dissatisfied with the little snippets of romance in Star Trek and Star Wars; I wanted a sci-fi story that focused more on romance than space battles. A little action and adventure would be fine, humor was a must, steamy love scenes were a plus, but the romance needed to be the primary theme. I couldn’t find one, so I started writing.

I wasn’t sure there was a market for what I wanted to write—heroes who are less like the typical conquering alpha male and more like regular guys. I’ve always felt that male dominance was something we could do with a bit less of, and stories that glorify that sort of man leave me cold. I want a guy who is warm, sexy, funny, and well, just plain nice. I know what you’re thinking: it sounds like they’d be spineless and boring, but they are not! They are strong and resourceful, but they are not self-centered pricks. They are men you could actually live with, while many of the old-style romantic heroes were not.

Thirty years and several false starts later, along with a venture into contemporary romance, I wrote the manuscript that was to become Slave, the first book in The Cat Star Chronicles series. It was fun, it had action, it had adventure, starships and strange planets, a sizzling hot alien hero, a kick-ass heroine, but above all, it had romance.

A friend of mine got me started on this project quite by accident. She gave me an erotic romance anthology and, in it, there was a story about a woman who had to pose as a slave to a dominant male. That idea practically turned my stomach, but then I got to thinking… What if the man was the slave and the woman only purchased him to set him free? Following that, I envisioned Zetith, a world where the men are so hot that one insanely jealous man set out to destroy it and all its inhabitants. There are only a handful of them left, and since they are an alien species, that left the doors wide open for my imagination to run wild to create some of the sexiest men in the galaxy. With a touch of the feline in them, they’re such cool cats, they can even purr.

The first publisher I sent it to bought it, and I was asked to write a series, but though they are designated as romance novels, they are often lumped into the paranormal or fantasy categories where they do not belong. Calling them futuristic romance comes closer, but it’s still not entirely accurate. They are erotic, but not erotica, romantic, but not sappy. What they are is erotic science fiction romance, or, to put it more succinctly, the kind of books I want to read.

The latest installment, Fugitive, features Manx, a Zetithian captive who escaped from the auction block and has been on the run from the Nedwut bounty hunters ever since. His current hideout, Barada Seven, is a jungle planet with strange, toad-like natives who are intelligent, but not quite what they seem. Enter Drusilla, a wildlife painter who has come to the lake house on Barada seeking to capture the images of the fabulous waterfowl on canvas. There, she meets Zef, an amphibious eltran who thinks that Drusilla and Manx are made for one another, but getting Manx to come out of hiding and Drusilla to acknowledge the fact that her life would be greatly improved by the addition of a little romance is quite a challenge for the garrulous Zef. The two eventually meet and fall in love, but the Nedwuts are still on the hunt, and they are not the only ones searching for the last Zetithian. Will Drusilla get to keep her new found love, or will he be snatched from her just when she realizes that she can’t live without him?

I invite you to join me on another exciting, fun-filled adventure in outer space, fraught with danger, laced with humor, and loaded with sizzling hot romance.

Come on, you know you want to go there.

After all, it is the final frontier….

FUGITIVE BY CHERYL BROOKS—IN STORES JANUARY 2010

When a Zetithian fugitive meets a beautiful Earth woman, their passion may cost them both their lives…

Manx is a Zetithian fugitive with a feline gene that gives him remarkable sexual powers. He has been in hiding in the remote jungles of Barada Seven ever since being marked for extermination by the violent Nedwuts.

Artist Drusilla arrives on Barada Seven, enticed only by the promise of finding a nature paradise there. But she discovers a wildlife she wasn’t expecting when she encounters Manx. Reckless with desire for the beautiful Earth woman, Manx risks his life to win her as his mate.

It’s only a matter of time until the Nedwuts find them, but it will take all of Manx and Drusilla’s passion, skill, and ingenuity to survive.

About the Author

Cheryl Brooks is an Intensive Care Unit nurse by night and a romance writer by dayt. Previous books in The Cat Star Chronicles series include Slave, Warrior, Rogue and Outcast. Hero, book six, will be in stores August 2010. She is a member of the RWA and lives with her husband and sons in Bloomfield, Indiana. For more information, please visit http://cherylbrooksonline.com/

How to Win:

+1: be a subscriber to this blog.
+1: leave a comment for Cheryl Brooks.
+1: What is your favorite sci-fi erotic romance book?
+1: Check out my review here.
—-
2 winners of Fugitive will be posted after February 12.
US and Canada address only, no PO box, please.

The books in the series:

Tags: Cheryl Brooks, Danielle Jackson, Sourcebooks

Cheryl Brooks did a wonderful job taking me on a tour to a different world. Her erotic, sci-fi romantic series is just the right blend of science fiction, romance, and erotica. Manx is one of the few Zetithian warrior left after their home planet was destroyed. He’s on the run since he escaped from being sold into slavery. Because of the unique sexual quality of his race, they’re usually sold into sex slavery. He’s one of the lucky few to avoid that horrible destiny.

Drusilla is an artist from earth on vacation to this wonderful planet without biting bugs. I want to visit this planet, also. I cannot abide bugs. The way they buzz in your ears, it’s about the most annoying thing of summer. I’m not even talking about the extremely itchy mosquito bite. The lakeside house she ends up with have everything she needs. There’s this adorable robot who cooks intuitively. I’d like someone to read my mind and come up with the perfect food for the moment.

This book is just so much fun to read. I never thought I’d be a sci-fi fun (beyond Ender’s Game, that is). But Cheryl Brooks made a convert out of me. I like Zef, the very ugly, wrinkly, snake-like creature who’s got a potty mouth. Somehow, he is adorable. There’s many things to look forward to in this series, and I hope it won’t end anytime soon.

Watch out for Cheryl Brook’s guest post on January 27. I will be giving away 2 copies of this book then, courtesy of Danielle from Sourcebooks.

Tags: Cheryl Brooks, Danielle Jackson, Sourcebooks

Outcast (The Cat Star Chronicles, Book 4)
by Cheryl Brooks
Paperback
List Price: $6.99
Published in 2009
ISBN-10: 1-4022-1896-6
384 Pages
Published 2009 by Casablanca Press

Read Cheryl Brooks Q&A here. Contest Post here.

There are two winners because my sister bought a copy, and she said I could give hers away too. So here we are, two copies. Send me your addresses so I can forward your books to you. One will be mailed from me, and the other one from a different location. Enjoy!

Tags: Cheryl Brooks, Danielle Jackson, The Cat Star Chronicles