My favorite sci fi scene is Ripley in Aliens 2, when she straps the ammo all over her body and picks up that huge-ass gun, ready to battle Mama Alien. I love her transformation from mild-mannered crew member to warrior princess. That movie is so fabulous!
Congrats on your new release! Can't wait to read it.
#8 is a good question for me, since I am writing a 5-part series about the Klaus family (yes, that Klaus family!), and thus I find myself writing about elves and the North Pole in the middle of a hot, muggy summer! Sipping a gingerbread latte from Starbuck's always gets me in a xmas-y mood (I even bought the syrup so I can make it at home when it's "off-season"! )