Can you believe it’s been almost four years since this book was released? I certainly can’t! I’ll have more of a “retrospective” post up for the actual anniversary itself, but as a lead-in, I thought we’d do another round of “Did you know…?”, this time for my very first published book-baby: The Lady of Souls.

• Everything about this book and this series started because in Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” movie from 2009, there’s a scene where Sherlock is wearing old-timey black sunglasses as he investigates a tomb that’s been broken open. I absolutely love the visuals of that movie, and seeing that particular aesthetic, combined with the smart-but-obnoxious character stereotype, just really made me want to write THAT. So I built up someone who would wear those sunglasses, placed her in a time period where the clothes and aesthetics fit, and ran from there.
• Kaedrich developed because any sufficiently Sherlock-ish archetype needs a grounded counter-part to balance them out.
• The name “Praxis Fellows” came about because there were two names I absolutely loved that both followed a similar convention: the first name started with P, the last name started with F; the first name was slightly quirky and used a few “harsh” sounds, and the last name was more normal, rounded, and mellow. Paxton Fettel was one, from an old video game. The other was from a real person Graeme works with.
• The Lady of Souls underwent about 5 major revisions—and I mean ripping it down to the bones and completely changing the plot. Several locations and concepts from those old version ended up becoming part of later books, including the city of barges.
• Kaedrich’s gender and sexual orientation also shifted around when I was first plotting things out, though when I actually started writing, it settled pretty fast.
• The design and aesthetics for the land of the dead were inspired by an episode of “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey”, where we see halls of extinct creatures, and massive museum displays of forgone species in their natural habitat.
• Some of my earliest fans may remember, but the series was actually published under a different name at first, and changed the The Beacon Campaigns when the paperbacks came out a few weeks later.
• What I call “bone lakes” are real things, though they’re usually not white. In the real world they’re called alkali lakes, caustic lakes, or “soda lakes”, and you can read up on them here, but these three photos by Nick Brandt inspired the use of them in my book.
• The cover also went through a lot of permutations before I settled on the final version. For one of them, I actually had to get artsy and give myself a fake Praxis tattoo for a wrist photo shoot. Pro-tip: the trick is to use an eyebrow pencil.

Okay, that’s all I’ve got for you today! As you can see, this book was quite the learning experience, going through a number of huge changes before it finally became the copy you can hold in your hands now. But it was all worth it. While there’s a few things I wish I’d done differently, on the whole I wouldn’t change my experience with it for anything.

Haven’t read it yet? That’s okay! You can read the first chapter for free!

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Four years ago today, I achieved my biggest life-long dream: I became a published author.

First of all, let’s just stop and marvel at that idea for a moment. How often, really, do we manage to achieve the one thing we’ve wanted most since we were kids? And that’s a shame, really, because there is so much that we could do, if circumstances were just a little bit more in our favor, or if we had just a little more time, or if we were able to try just a little bit harder. I know how incredibly lucky I am, to be able to say that, and I couldn’t have done it alone. I had enormous support along the way. From my parents, from the very beginning, when I was a little kid and telling people I would be an author one day; and from friends and family, who cheered me along the way; and from my husband, who did so much I literally can’t list it all. I’ve had emotional support, labor support, financial support, to make this happen. Not everyone is so fortunate. Thank you. I love you all.

My first-ever paperback proof, with bonus Helpful Cat. Not pictured: my stunned, elated grin, as this whole thing becomes real.

These past four years have been a wild ride, and nothing at all like I expected it to be. It’s so much more work, and so much more joy, and so much more stress, and so much more laughs. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Every day is something new, every day is a chance to do what I love most in all the world.

Thank you to everyone who’s ever bought my book. Who’s listened as I ramble about my career. Who’s asked me what my books are about, and enthused about my answers even if it wasn’t your particular genre. Who’s cheered my on at my writer’s group. Who’s said “hi” at a signing. Who’s left me reviews, who’s told their friends about me, who’s written to me. My heart is so full, and I am so, so grateful to have you all by my side.

This is where it all started: with a head full of characters, a fat manuscript, a stack of edits, and nothing but hope that it would all come together in the end.

Happy Birthday, little book. This is just the beginning.

They exiled her from the capital & forbade her magic. But as the walls of the living and dead break down, what they don’t know… might just save them.

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Or Read the first chapter for free!

Oh my gosh, friends, the moment is FINALLY here! The cover for Who’s Afraid of Amy Sinclair? has been tweaked for the last time, and now I can finally, finally, share it with you all! So, without further ado, I present:

Ta-daaaah!

Isn’t it so pretty?? I swear, I think I love this cover even more than I love the one for The Private Life of Jane Maxwell, and I love that one to pieces. Every part of this has a very specific meaning and reason for being included, which you’ll find out when the book is released in early 2019. I hope you’re all as excited for it as I am—this book has proven to be a greater challenge than I ever anticipated, but I am finally so happy and confident with what I’ve created, and I cannot wait to share it with you!

So, what’s it about, you ask? Well, due to the nature of how the first book ended, the very premise of this book is a SPOILER for The Private Life of Jane Maxwell, so I’ve tucked the blurb for it after the jump. Read below at your own discretion.

…Okay, still with me? Here you go!

Clair Maxwell didn’t ask to be resurrected, or to inherit the mind, body, and superpowers of her parallel self, but she’s not about to question such a miraculous gift. Even if it means carrying around memories that aren’t hers, even if it means living on a world not quite what she’s used to, even if it means learning how to be a superhero. She has her childhood sweetheart-turned-wife back, and a second chance at living. She has no intention of wasting it.

But just as she’s walking down the aisle again, setting the last thing back the way it should be, her world is up-ended once more. An attack on her life throws everything into chaos. Surrounded by old foes and new secrets, suddenly everything Clair thought she knew about her past is in question. And now she’s forced to wonder just where Clair ends… and Amy begins.

What I’m Writing: Who’s Afraid of Amy Sinclair?
What I’m Reading: Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens
What I’m Loving: The music of Amy Shark, MisterWives, and MØ.

So, hi. It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these, and I thought I would stop in and give you all a brief update, mainly about Who’s Afraid of Amy Sinclair? Since that is what most of my life is right now, and that’s what you’re really interested in, let’s be honest.

Short version: I had a few setbacks in December/January, but things are back on track. It feels like the work will never end, but I know I am actually getting close. I know it’s taking me forever to get you this book, and all I can say is that this has been the hardest one I’ve ever written, full of so many false starts and wrong turns. Seriously, I don’t even know how many times this book was almost something completely different. But! It is finally the book it should be, and honestly, I am so, so proud of this story. I’m busting my ass to make sure you get it as soon as possible, and that it will be good enough to be worth the wait.

Here’s a teaser:

In other news, I recently created an Instagram account, and I’ve been spending most of my social media time over there. So if you’re in the mood for glimpses behind the scenes, random updates, and numerous cat pictures, you’re very welcome to check it out: @jenngottbooks.

Read the full review at Publishers Weekly.

For once, I have no words.

Forgoing my usual template, because I’m just going to jump straight to it: Yeah, I said that Who’s Afraid of Amy Sinclair? would be out in “early 2019” and… obviously I dropped the ball on that, hardcore. I’m sorry, and I’m really sorry that I haven’t been more present here on my blog and more open about the delay.

The thing is, I get into this weird headspace when I’m behind on deadlines, where I don’t feel like I can talk about it until I have solid, concrete news to share—an updated release date, or something—and so far I just haven’t. This book has been fraught with delays and complications and self-doubt, and it’s been a real challenge to get it to the point it is today. I can say that I am really proud of it finally, and it is almost done by now, but “almost done” is nebulous by design. I really don’t want to curse myself by setting a fixed release window, because the last time I did that, hoo boy. No sooner had I made my “early 2019” declarations that everything went to shit, so… yeah, I’m hesitant to be too specific. I really need this book to be done as soon as possible, though, for my own mental health if nothing else, so I’m shooting for this summer—ideally, earlier rather than later.

The one thing I can say with absolute certainty, is that the next book in the series is not going to take anywhere near as long. Probably, no other book in the series will. These delays have all been very specific to Who’s Afraid of Amy Sinclair?, and I’m going to be busting my ass to bring you books 3 and 4 in fairly rapid succession. So thank you all for sticking by me, and I promise, it’s going to be worth the wait.

In the meantime, this summer is going to be truly epic here on the blog. I’m going to be hosting a three month celebration of superheroes, inspired by the idea of the summer blockbuster. So for June/July/August, you’re going to get a post at least once a week, including some special guest appearances. I’ve also got a few exciting announcements coming in these next few months, so you’re not going to want to miss any of that. Remember, you can subscribe to my blog by dropping your email in the sidebar, so you’ll always be the first to hear when I make an update.

Also, if you’d like to stay current on the ins-and-outs of my daily routines, I do usually post more frequent updates on both Twitter and Instagram. Feel free to say hello!

Hey, friends!

Welcome to June, and welcome to the first-ever Indie Superhero Summer! This is an event I’ll be hosting here on my blog for the duration of June, July, and August in celebration of self-published supehero books. Why? Well, as an author of a book that fits that category, I obviously have a vested interest in it—but also because there’s been such an increase of excellent superhero books in these last few years since I first published The Private Life of Jane Maxwell, and I wanted to celebrate that.

So what can you expect?

Simply put, each Monday for the duration of the summer, I’m going to be posting content that is all about superheroes and indie superhero authors. This will include book discussions, essays about what superheroes mean to me, and interviews with other authors.

There will also be a variety of fun bonuses for you, my dear and loyal fans! For starters, the event should absolutely run across the release of Who’s Afraid of Amy Sinclair? Consider this my apology for the delayed release date, and for taking so long to get you this book! But I’m also running a 99 cents sale on the ebook of The Private Life of Jane Maxwell for my new readers, now through June 8! And in July, I’ll have a very special announcement, so please stay tuned for that.

But there’s really no reason why I should have all the fun. If you’re a fellow indie author who’s published superhero fiction, please jump in! I’ll be using the hashtag #IndieSuperheroSummer across all my social media platforms, and I’d absolutely love to see what you do with it. Send me a link to your books, send me a link to your posts, and I’ll include wrap-ups of everything I’ve found down below. Or send a query to jenn@jenngott.com with the subject line Superhero Summer Guest and a pitch for a guest post, and I’ll see if there’s a spot for you!

And that’s it! Please do stick around, because this is going to be a very exciting three months. Remember, new posts go up each Monday, starting June 3, when I’ll be interviewing author Stefani Chaney.

Today it’s my genuine pleasure to welcome Stefani Chaney to the blog for the first interview of #IndieSuperheroSummer! Stefani is the author of The Opposition series, a story about a group of teenagers who sign up for a medical trial and end up with more powerful (and deadly!) consequences than they could have ever imagined. The first two books, Midnight and Liminal Boy, are available now in both ebook and paperback. My favorite part about these stories is far and away the characters. Whether it’s bossy and impulsive Jo, long-suffering Jamie, or sweet, tortured Langdon, Stefani brings everyone to life with realism and grace. You’ll fall in love a dozen times over—just in time to get your heart broken (in the best possible way).

In addition to writing her wonderfully engaging and grounded stories, Stefani is just a delightful person—always willing to cheer on my own writing process or provide cat pics as a balm after a bad day. So let’s get to know her a little better, shall we?

Tell us about your books! Where did you get the idea? How many books will be in the series?

The Opposition takes place in modern-day Montreal and follows a group of teenagers. Each teen signed up for a medical experiment that was supposed to help them overcome their various chronic illnesses. Instead, they were injected with a micro-sized implant called the REV (short for Regenerative Electromagnetic Virus) which feeds off their individual traits and gives everyone a unique ‘verve’ (aka a superpower). These verves are unstable and using them has horrible consequences. While some of the experiments are interested in using their newfound powers to help others and get revenge on the doctor who wronged them, some are more focused on finding a way to survive the implant.

The idea for The Opposition came to me when I was walking around Manhattan in the summer of ’14. It was my first time there. Being the people-watcher I am, I observed everyone I passed on the subway, the sidewalks, in the parks, wondering, ‘What would it have been like to grow up there? What kind of person does NYC produce?’ Out of nowhere, this image of two siblings popped into my head. A boy who had everything handed to him on a silver platter, and a girl who, well, a girl who got the fuzzy end of the lollypop. Two years later, those siblings became the Harding twins, who are at the heart of The Opposition.

There will be four books when it’s all done. Each book is told from a different character’s perspective and follows that character’s part in a larger story. The girl I created in Manhattan became Jolene ‘Jo’ Harding, the voice of the first book, Midnight. Langdon Moore, the first surviving member of the experiment, tells his part of the story in the second book, Liminal Boy. As for the voices of the final two novels, you’ll just have to wait and find out.

What first drew you to the idea of writing about superheroes?

I have always been a huge fan of mythology. Superheroes weren’t really my thing, not until this past decade when it occurred to me that superheroes are really just the current equivalent of those classic archetypes. In the past, everyone knew the tale of the Celtic gods. Today, everyone knows the story of the Avengers. Once I started looking at superheroes as our modern mythology, I became really invested in reading comics and watching superhero movies. As much as I loved those stories, I wanted to put my own spin on things.

The superpowers in your books have deadly consequences. What made you take something that’s often used as wish-fulfillment, and turn it into a burden?

Paranoia? A deep-seated mistrust of a good thing? Honestly, the idea that everything—even good things—can come at a cost is an important lesson. I believe there has to be a balance in all parts of life. Traditionally, superpowers are always a representation of what the hero ‘gives’ to help others and save lives. But a person can give and give until there’s nothing left of them. And then what? Superheroes are always putting others first. Realistically, that’s not always a good thing or a healthy thing. So, having a power that can kill the host when it’s when overused is my way of highlighting that need for balance and why it’s important to not become lost in your own good intentions.

Your characters span a wide range of diverse identities, from disabled to trans to gay and beyond. Tell us a little bit about how and why you chose to represent any of the diverse viewpoints you included.

Whenever I talked to friends or strangers about the latest superhero movie, there was always one common thing that stood out: about 90% of the people I spoke with weren’t straight, or cis, or abled. Before I started writing Midnight, I was feeling really down about myself. I didn’t see myself in any of the mainstream media. If I felt that alone, I realized all these people I had ever spoken to about superheroes must have felt the same way. And I wanted to do something about it. So, I wrote a world I would recognize into The Opposition. Jo has an auto-immune disorder. Jamie, her twin brother, is ace. Langdon lives with a form of agoraphobia. All three of those are things I have dealt with in my personal life. Putting this into a story for others to read has shown me that as much as we think we’re alone in our struggles, we’re really not.

What are some of your favorite superheroes (not your own), from any media or franchise?

I have so many: Poison Ivy, Deadpool, Captain Marvel, The Flash. Comic book-wise, Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye is my absolute favorite. I mean, Hawkeye, in general, is my all-time favorite character, but Fraction’s version really gave Clint a heart.

Now, they might not count as real superheroes, but I have to give a shout out to the first superhero-ish media that ever got me in the feels: E4’s Misfits. I can’t say enough about that show and the acting. Rudy Wade is just the absolute best use of showing how an emotional state can control a power.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

As awful as this sounds, I would really like to have the same power as Angel (a character from The Opposition). He has the power to rewrite the world to make things the way he thinks they should be. It’s not a flashy, party-trick power and using it has big consequences, but I’d like to give it a try. However, I know my characters would travel across dimensions to stop me if I did.

What are the best and worst parts of writing about superheroes?

The best part is making up your own rules of how the powers work, and that includes discovering which power is stronger than the other, who can defeat who in combat, who’s mentality works against or for them, etc. The worst part? Easy, giving them names. It takes me forever to decide on a character’s birth name, and now you’re telling me I have to go and create a whole other identity based on their alter ego?

Do you have any advice you’d like to pass along to aspiring writers (superhero-related or otherwise)?

Don’t worry about if it’s all been done before. I was really worried about creating unique powers when I started writing The Opposition. Really, the powers are just another detail. Writing a superhero story is just like writing any other story. It’s the characters that matter. Their heart and their goals. Once you’ve got that figured out, the powers and world will grow from there.

Lastly, let’s get to know the woman behind the mask a little. Tell us one thing about yourself that you normally don’t mention on social media.

I am an avid star-gazer! Sadly, I don’t live in a part of the country where there’s plenty of starry nights. Too much light-pollution. Still, I like to go out and look for whatever constellations are visible. I really would like to travel to see the aurora borealis at some point. I got to look through a high-powered telescope and see Saturn’s rings once, and that was one of the coolest things ever.

Stefani Chaney is the author of The Opposition series and the paranormal romance, The Moonlight Herders. Stefani graduated with a degree in Creative Writing and currently lives in Arizona with a clowder of cats. She likes coffee, puns, and letting her chronic illness know who’s in charge.

stefanichaney.com | Instagram | Twitter

Midnight

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Liminal Boy

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Let’s be honest: a novel is not really the first thing that springs to mind when you say the word “superhero”—and that’s okay. These stories originated in the pages of comic books, after all, and once they fully jumped the gap to the big screen, they became one of the biggest sources of revenue in Hollywood. It’s easy to see why: the splashy, bombastic fight sequences; the glorious (or sometimes gloriously bad) costumes; the larger-than-life powers. It all translates incredibly well to visual forms of storytelling.

But the last few years have seen a surge in the publication of superhero fiction, from novelizations of big-name franchises, to authors both traditional- and indie-published alike simply making up our own heroes and abilities and bringing them to life on the page. If you’re an aspiring author seeing this, you might want to try your hand at it yourself, but because it is still such a niche genre in written fiction, it can be hard to even know where to start.

So today, I’m bringing you the top five tips that most helped me when I first sat down to write a superhero novel. Let’s get started.

via GIPHY

Tip #1: Always remember what you love about superhero stories

For me, this was the cornerstone. The whole time I was writing my book, I kept checking in with myself: does this feel like one of my favorite superhero stories? Genre is really all about creating a specific reader experience, and since there are not a lot of articles defining what superhero fiction is (compared to other genres, anyway), you’ve got to define your own. I made a list of my favorite superhero movies and TV shows, and then I went through and I listed out all the tropes I could think of, good or bad. Then it was just a matter of figuring out which ones I liked. What aspects drew me to those specific stories? Superhero fiction can feel scary and uncharted, but really, the groundwork has been there for decades. Just remember your source material, and remember why you fell in love with it in the first place.

Tip #2: Try to make your book feel as visual as you can

I admit, this one I’m a bit biased on. The Private Life of Jane Maxwell is about a comic book artist, and one of the conceits of the book is that she literally “sees” her world by breaking it down into how she’d plan out her comic book spreads. So yeah, mine is perhaps playing a little more overtly with visuals than most—but even so, I’d argue that vivid descriptions are an important part of any superhero story. This genre was born out of visuals, after all. Always try to make sure that your descriptions are alive with color and style, that you can really “see” the world that your characters inhabit. You’ll never be able to perfectly replicate the visual experience you get through comic books and movies, but the closer you can trick your readers into picturing it themselves, the more immersive and action-packed the story will feel.

Tip #3: Don’t be afraid of the cheese

There are obviously a lot of different ways to tell a superhero story, and sometimes you want to subvert the tropes. But often, a big part of the fun is simply embracing them and running with it. If you want to write superheroes because they’re capable of being splashy and silly and glorious, please don’t ever feel like you need to tone it down. Cheesiness is often part of the charm, and while there’s going to be a balance and a point where it might become too much, you really can push that line quite far before it gets unpalatable. People come to superhero fiction expecting tropes. It’s okay to give it to them.

Tip #4: Superheroes are larger than life, and your story should be, too

Similar to the last point, a superhero story is usually going to be much more intense and grand than anything grounded in realism. Of course, most SF/F stories can get away with a grand scale and end-of-the-world stakes, but they work especially well here. While there are exceptions to this rule, there’s usually a reason why we choose to tell our stories within the framework of superpowers, and that reason is often that the genre allows us to dial everything up to eleven. Use your superpowers as a lens, to take a real-life issue or situation and draw it to its most exaggerated conclusion. Especially in the written format, the large scale will help give it that superpowered “feel” that can so easily be captured by visuals.

Tip #5: But always remember to be human

At the end of the day, the best superhero stories are really about the hero, not the powers. As much as we want the spectacle, we also want to relate. Remember to give your heroes personalities, not just one-liners. Remember to give them flaws beneath their masks, and struggles anyone can understand. The best heroes are the ones that remind us that any one of us is capable of rising up and doing the right thing, should the situation present itself, and these stories can only do that if they remind us of ourselves. Show us that we all have powers, beyond just the super- kind, and you’ll resonate much longer in the minds of your readers.

Okay, so that’s all I have for you today! What about you, what elements do you think make up the best superhero stories? Are there any tropes that you particularly like, or feel would best be avoided? Even if you’re a reader, not a writer, you can still weigh in—you never know who your opinion might help. Let’s chat!

via GIPHY

This is a book that I owned for a long time before reading it, and that was a mistake. I should have read it immediately. I should have sat down and swallowed it whole the instant it was on my Kindle. To think of all the time I wasted, having this book in my library but not in my life… honestly, it’s a goddamn tragedy.

The Crashers is about five people who live in East Brighton City, the only survivors of an explosion that destroyed a commuter train. In the wake of this, as the bomber grows bolder and more aggressive, they discover they’ve developed superpowers (as one does), and eventually they decide they’re pretty much the only ones who can stop the terrorist from destroying their city. On the surface, this is a very basic superhero premise—five superpowered strangers, one madman hellbent on destruction—but in simplicity, there is elegance. Cubed doesn’t need to waste her time explaining complicated origins and dazzling us with overwrought technobabble. Instead, we can jump straight in to getting to know these characters in exquisite depth.

And oh, what characters they are. Each of them is rendered in such perfect detail. The nuance of their personalities and backstories leaps from the page, especially once we get further into the book and they start interacting with each other, their temperaments pinging against one another. Do you love nothing better than the delight of characters snarking and bantering back and forth, the whole thing underscored by a reluctant, burgeoning respect? Do you love found families who don’t seem like they should fit together, but somehow do? This book is for you. Bonus points for filling both her world and her main cast with a wide range of diverse backgrounds and personalities—off the top of my head, we get gay rep, bi rep, disability rep, as well as multiple characters of color, including some mixed-race representation. All of this just makes her world feel that much richer and more real.

This is without even touching on the writing itself, which is a joy all on its own. At each page, the prose was sharp and engaging, the dialog pitch-perfect. There isn’t a lot of really detailed description in this book, so I guess if that’s necessary for your enjoyment this might leave you wanting, but honestly most readers won’t even notice. What IS included is just enough to give you the picture without weighing down the narrative, which unfolds in such perfect order that it will leave you breathless. Every reveal of the plot felt both unexpected and inevitable, and I adored each deeper layer that was added to our understanding.

The only minor quibbles I have with the book center around pacing and timing, especially at the end as we reach the tensest point of the climax, and then the falling action that wraps everything up. I do wish the balance on some of that was shifted just a little, though none of the decisions were enough to ruin my enjoyment. I can already tell The Crashers is going to stick in my head for a long time. I can only hope that the sequels alluded to in the author bio actually do happen at some point, because oh my god, do I need more of these characters.

The Crashers

At 9:17 AM, a subway train crashed in East Brighton City. That was when everything changed.

Five survivors emerge from the accident: former detective Kyle Jeong; single mother Norah Aroyan; Afghanistan veteran Adam Harlow; the genius Clara Reyes; and the dying Bridger Levi. These five strangers walk away from the crash unscathed, only to realize the event has left each of them with strange new powers. As their city falls into chaos around them, they find themselves drawn into a story far more dangerous than they ever knew – and it will change their lives forever.

Death, undeath, superpowers, and apocalyptic visions. Welcome to East Brighton City – hope you survive.

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FRIENDS! The big day is finally, finally here—Who’s Afraid of Amy Sinclair? is now available for purchase!

No one ever said coming back to life would be easy.

Clair Maxwell didn’t ask to be resurrected, or to inherit the mind, body, and superpowers of her parallel self, but she’s not about to question such a miraculous gift. Even if it means carrying around memories that aren’t hers, even if it means living on a world not quite what she’s used to, even if it means learning how to be a superhero. She has her childhood sweetheart-turned-wife back, and a second chance at living. She has no intention of wasting it.

But just as she’s walking down the aisle again, setting the last thing back the way it should be, her world is up-ended once more. An attack on her life throws everything into chaos. Surrounded by old foes and new secrets, suddenly everything Clair thought she knew about her past is in question. And now she’s forced to wonder just where Clair ends… and Amy begins.

Links will become active as the book starts appearing in various stores. As usual, it’s possible the paperback may take a few more days to process before it starts showing up on Amazon.

But I am so, so excited to share this book with you! After months and months of setbacks and delays, the final few weeks were actually a breeze. This book finally matches the vision I had for it, and I dearly hope that you all love it as much as I do. Please spread the word and pick up your copy today—and don’t forget to leave a review once you’re done!

Today I am beyond excited to announce that The Private Life of Jane Maxwell has been chosen as F-BOM’s Feminist Book of the Month for July/August 2019!

F-BOM is a book subscription service founded in 2016 by Lindsay Taveren and Cecelia Isaac, with a goal of boosting the voices of self-published women writing under the science fiction/fantasy umbrella. I first discovered their company sometime last year, and immediately knew I wanted to work with them. Their values of inclusiveness, intersectionality, and raising up voices that might otherwise get overlooked speaks to me on a deeply personal level. Add to that the fact that they correctly include trans women in their definition of womanhood? There was no way I was going to pass this opportunity up.

So what does this mean for you?

Well, for starters, I’ve put together the first-ever SPECIAL EDITION of The Private Life of Jane Maxwell. This is an exclusive release that will only be available through F-BOM. In addition to the book you may already know and love, this edition will include a collectible cover, and a variety of bonus materials that you won’t find anywhere else. Each paperback also comes with a signed bookplate—the first time I have ever made bookplates available to the general public. In addition, when you sign up for their service, you gain access to their forums, where I’ll be popping in all month to answer Q & As, sit for interviews, and generally hang out. It’s basically an all-access, behind-the-scenes pass to the world of the Heroes of Hope.

F-BOM offers two subscription tiers. The first one is a paperback subscription, currently set at $8/month (billed quarterly), and the second is an ebook-only option at $5/month. Both options contain the same exclusive bonus content, and both options provide access to the forums.

Here’s a breakdown of everything you’ll be getting, if you purchase this Special Edition:

• F-BOM Exclusive Cover (seen above)
• Signed bookplate (paperback only)
• All-new author preface
• Character dossiers of each member of the Heroes of Hope
• An interview with Jane Maxwell, as it “appeared” in the Grand City Times

I had so much fun putting this special edition together, and I hope that you love this it as much as I do. Please tell your friends, and go out and buy a copy today, knowing that you’re supporting not only me, but this passionate and visionary company!

Get your copy here, or click here to read their full, spoiler-free review.

Thank you all so much for your support!

Author avatar by Ballbots

Today I’m welcoming debut author RJ Sorrento to the blog! RJ is the author of Captain Stellar, a bright, breezy series opener about everyman Cal Bolden, who has superpowers given to him against his will, when all he really wants to do is live a quiet, normal life. I appreciated Cal’s gentle nature in this book, especially when contrasted against the extraordinary strength he finds himself with, as well as the struggle Cal has with simply finding his place in life. This is truly a coming-of-age story, about navigating the often confusing, conflicting desires that we have in our early adult years.

I haven’t known RJ long, but I was immediately struck by her friendly, open personality—and, of course, by the fact that we both write about superheroes with LGBTQIA+ identities. She’s also very active in the writing community on Twitter, so if you’re looking to make friends in that circle, definitely check her out!

Tell us about your books! Where did you get the idea? How many books will be in the series?

Captain Stellar will be a trilogy. I got the idea while brainstorming for NaNoWriMo in 2018. I also wrote an unexpected romance novella for one of my side characters, which will be released as an eBook in September.

What first drew you to the idea of writing about superheroes?

I’ve loved superheroes since I was a child. I’ve always been fascinated by people with special abilities and what they choose to do with those powers. And since I see little LGBTQ+ representation of superheroes in pop culture, I decided to write a series featuring queer people with superpowers. And everything I write features queer main characters so it only made sense.

Even when bad things happen in your book, the tone never shifts into gritty or depressing—something I really appreciated, especially in a book full of so much queer rep. How important was it for you to keep things optimistic for these particular characters?

My focus for this trilogy is positive queer rep. I grew up hoping for positive outcomes for LGBTQ+ characters, but most of their stories ended in tragedy. So I wrote this book to give queer readers hope and to educate others that LGBTQ+ characters can be interesting without being tragic.

This is your debut novel. What finally made you decide to publish, and what drew you to indie publishing in particular?

I’ve wanted to write a book since I was a child. I’ve written original short stories in my 20s, but they’ve been taking up space in journals and on my hard drive. So in September I outlined the Captain Stellar trilogy and wrote the majority of the novel during NaNoWriMo.
I decided to go the indie route to have control over the book cover design and who I chose as my editor. It has been a lot of hard work and more of an investment than I expected, but self-publishing has been a rewarding experience. I loved working with an illustrator who brought my characters to life on the front cover. My editor Charlie Knight is incredible and they really believed in my story. I’d like to be a hybrid writer with a combination of self pub and small press as I gain more writing experience. I’m proud to be self-published and truly appreciate the support of the Twitter writing community and my family & friends.

What are some of your favorite superheroes (not your own), from any media or franchise?

A few of my favorites are She-Ra (back from the 1980s, although I do love the Netflix revitalization, she was a major influence when I was a child). Batman, Ms Marvel (Kamala Khan), and Professor X are my top 3 comic book superheroes. I also love a good villain. The Joker and Kingpin are my top two that never cease to surprise me.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Teleportation. I’d love to travel the world without an airplane.

What are the best and worst parts of writing about superheroes?

I love experimenting with their powers, testing their limits, and seeing what choices they make given the powers they have. The only limit is my imagination and I enjoy having fun with these superpowered characters. The hard part is making them vulnerable, especially my main character Cal Bolden a.k.a Captain Stellar, because he has multiple superpowers. So I show his vulnerability on an emotional level since physically he’s quite formidable.

Do you have any advice you’d like to pass along to aspiring writers (superhero-related or otherwise)?

Never give up. Someone is waiting to read your story.

Lastly, let’s get to know the person behind the mask a little. Tell us one thing about yourself that you normally don’t mention on social media.

I’m an open book on Twitter! Something most people on Twitter don’t know about me is my love of soccer. I’m a huge fan of MLS and Bundesliga, and I’m eagerly anticipating the 2022 World Cup. My favorite teams are Bayern Munich and Chicago Fire.

R.J. Sorrento is an indie author of the new novel Captain Stellar, the first book in a queer superhero trilogy. A writer of fiction with positive LGBTQ+ rep, she published her first novelette, Death at Sagehollow, a Regency-era murder mystery on her author website (www.rjsorrento.com). When she isn’t writing, R.J. can be found practicing speech-language pathology, wrangling toddlers, watching anime with her husband, or drinking strong coffee. She lives in the Chicago area with her family. Her second home is Twitter (@RjSorrento).

www.rjsorrento.com | Instagram | Twitter

Captain Stellar

Cal Bolden is a college dropout working a backbreaking construction job under a demanding boss. He has difficulty committing to his boyfriend, Jin, avoiding offers to move in together. On the night of a meteor shower, Cal’s life changes when a genius scientist named Dr. Almighty abducts him, giving him superpowers against his will.

Thrust into a laboratory hidden in Chicago, Cal meets Fernando and Margo, siblings with powers from Dr. Almighty. They promise to train him to reach his full potential, hoping to break free from their captor of ten years. As Cal learns to harness his powers, he becomes attracted to his handsome and mysterious mentor, Fernando.

Caught between Jin’s concerns about his disappearance and his unexpected feelings for Fernando, Cal flees the lab for a life without superpowers. When Dr. Almighty and his team of recruits threaten to attack the city, Cal must face his fears and fight as Captain Stellar before losing the people he loves most.

• Amazon

I’m a firm believer that everyone has some kind of unique and special skill, but let’s be honest: most of them are never going to do us any good. Even if we wanted to, it’s not like we could use our powers at bubble-gum art or double-jointed knuckle cracking for the greater good. Still, these facets pepper all our lives, and make us each just a little bit interesting, in one way or another. So without further ado, here are some of the absolutely useless skills I have and tricks I can perform.

1) I can sneak up on almost anyone… even when I’m trying not to.

Now, before you start telling me about all the instances where this ability might actually prove useful at times, let me make one thing absolutely clear: this is not a fun power to have. Yes, theoretically in a novel if I was cast as a spy or a criminal or a soldier, this would be absolutely fantastic! Imagine all the places I could sneak into! All the plot-important conversations I could overhear!

Fortunately or unfortunately for me, I am not the protagonist in a high-action superhero novel, so in reality all this “power” means is that I get to hear people shriek and say, “Oh my god, you scared me!” at least three times a week. Yes, even when I am trying to make noise as I approach. Yes, even if they are expecting me to walk up. No, there is nothing I can apparently do about it. I don’t know if my footsteps are soft or my manner is unassuming, but whatever it is, I think at this point the only solution is for me to wear a bell around my neck.

2) Hand me a stack of paper money (same denominations) and I can tell you how much cash I’m holding, to within 2-3 bills of accuracy.

Is this one even a power, or just practice? I don’t know, but I’ll claim some innate skill at it just because of how damn good I am at telling. It’s true that I work with cash at my day job, but there’s experience, and then there’s the almost spooky degree of accuracy I have at picking up a stack of money and going, “Yup, that’s $500,” or “We need just a few more singles to make $25.”

3) Jingles and other advertising phrases, once they’re in my head, will never, ever leave.

Never mind the ear worms that become part of the mass cultural memory. Want to know the slogan for a local bank my parents used to use when I was a kid? How about the line that ran during a deodorant commercial for a few months back in 1996? To this day, whenever I hear brand names, products, companies, their age-old advertising phrases still slide effortlessly through my brain. I am, at least, good at not saying them out loud—but I will always, always hear it.

4) People do not ever leave feedback about me, and often seem to forget my existence once I am out of sight.

Again, potentially great in a spy-thriller. And sometimes, I’ll admit, this one is even a tiny bit useful in real life, if I’ve accidentally pissed someone off or offended a customer at work. I honestly don’t think my managers have ever gotten a complaint about me—but, by the same token, it doesn’t matter how much I bend over backward to help our patrons, no one is ever going to tell my boss I did a great job. This isn’t a slight against any of them, by the way, it’s just something that’s always true. It’s a good thing that I’ve long since accepted that helping people at my job is it’s own reward.

5) I can swim forever.

Probably not technically true, but so far I have never found the upper limit of my distance-swimming abilities. Even if I am slightly tired and want a rest, I can flip onto my back and float indefinitely. As a kid on vacation, my family used to swim out to an island a mile into the lake and back again, and as an adult I swim laps for a full hour in my local pool without stopping. Honestly, the only things that get me out of the water are bodily needs (food, bathroom breaks, avoiding sunburn), but if I could find a way to handle that without leaving? Baby, I’d turn into a literal mermaid.

All right, so those are mine! What about you, do you have any weird quirks or abilities that you can’t explain how you got? Do they drive you crazy, like several of mine do, or have you found a way to harness them for your own purpose? Let me know!

This a short little book, so my recommendation of it is going to be, as well.

Listen, I don’t typically gravitate toward novellas. Nothing against the form, really, just—lack of availability at libraries, the desire to spend more time in the story, etc. typically keeps me from diving into them. Still, this one had been on my radar for a while, because well, f/f superheroes? I mean, I think I’m kind of obligated to give it a try, aren’t I?

This book really does shine as an example of the strength of the novella, though. The story is exactly as long as it needs to be, no more no less, and gives us a tidy escape into a sweet, spicy universe where women save women, and then take them out on snarky, adorable dates, and who doesn’t want some of that in their life? And sure, there are a lot of things about the book where, if it had been expanded into a novel, I would have liked to delve deeper into. Character backstories are fleshed out enough to be satisfying as a chunk, but would need to be further developed if we were committing to really spending a lot of time here. But if you’re looking for a quick escape from your humdrum day, something that will leave you satisfied without the need to emotionally invest in an epic read, this will absolutely fill that niche. And let’s be honest, there are times that you really need that. Sometimes, committing to a whole novel just feels exhausting. Honestly, if that’s the case, this is the perfect read.

One thing to be aware of going in, though, is that this is primarily a romance story with a superhero backdrop. The Amazon page does make this really obvious, so it’s not like there’s going to be a lot of confusion, but if you’re hunting for a book that is primarily a superhero adventure with romantic elements, well, this isn’t the choice for you. Sometimes, though, even for a massive fan of the genre, I do like to break it up with something where the focus isn’t on end-of-the-world stakes, and this little book served that fix perfectly. Adorable, swoony, and smart. This is the first Shira Glassman book I’ve tried, but it definitely will not be the last. Make sure you check it out.

Cinnamon Blade: Knife in Shining Armor

Every time Cinnamon Blade, crime fighter making up for a bad past, rescues the sweet and nerdy Soledad Castillo from bad guys, the two women’s chemistry grows stronger. Now that she’s finally asked Soledad out, sparks fly — but is a normal date even possible in a city threatened by aliens and vampires on a regular basis?

Spicy f/f romance starring a bi Jewish superheroine

• Amazon

Even though superhero fiction is fairly new to the world of written novels (at least in comparison to many other genres), there’s still a whole wealth of history and established tropes from other storytelling mediums. Whether you’re a writer looking to break in, or just a curious reader, there’s bound to be resources that will prove interesting, insightful, or just plain entertaining for you. Below, I’ve listed some of the ones that I’ve found the most useful as I’ve been working with my own superhero fiction. Enjoy!

For Writers

Comic Vine and the Grand Comics Database

For me, one of the hardest challenges of superhero fiction is simply the act of naming things. Superhero personas, fancy tech, places… it all needs to have the right sound to it, it all needs to convey the right ideas, but most importantly, it all needs to have never been used before (or used so long ago/be so generic that it’s no longer really an issue). Enter Comic Vine and the Grand Comics Database. Plug in each of your superhero names into these search engines (plus good old-fashioned Google/Duck Duck Go), and then either rejoice at the lack of results, or—let’s be honest, more likely—scream in frustration as you discover that all of your ideas are already taken. It’s infuriating, but trust me, it’s worth doing.

Strip Panel Naked and PanelxPanel

Even if your superhero book doesn’t draw heavily from comics for its visual cues, it’s never a bad idea to learn about the roots of your genre. Strip Panel Naked (and the related magazine, PanelxPanel) are a fantastic, fun resource that delve deep into examining how comics use their specific visual language to convey ideas on the page. Plus, they’re just really cool, and learning the secrets of how comics work is endlessly fascinating in its own right.

Superhero Database, specifically their list of Superpowers and Abilities

For inspiration, as well as checking if something is too similar to yours or too overdone. Just be careful not to fall down the rabbit hole, because much like Wikipedia or TV Tropes, there’s a ton of information here.

For Readers

Kristen Brand

Kristen is another indie superhero author (so be sure to check out her books while you’re there!), but in addition to various superhero-and-comics-themed posts, she also periodically does good wrap-ups of recent superhero releases. Even though she hasn’t done one of those in a while, it’s still worth going through her archives if you’re ever interested in finding new books to try.

Superhero-Fiction

Another source of indie superhero books. This site is a database started a few years ago, and it’s got a wide variety of types of superheroes and genres represented. Just pick your favorite and go!

hoopla

But sometimes you’re just in the mood for some comics. In order to use hoopla, you do need your local library to be set up with them, but if you’re lucky enough to have access, oh boy is this the resource for you. Whether you’re keeping up with the latest issues, or want to try some new titles and back-catalogues, hoopla’s got you covered. I cannot even tell you how many amazing comic series and graphic novels I’ve found through here, and my TBR just keeps getting longer.

Further Reading (Books)

Still haven’t had your fill of superheroes and comics? Try any of these books. Each one explores a facet of comic/superhero history and culture from a unique and often under-represented perspective.

The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore

Marvel: The Untold Story by Sean Howe

Why Comics? by Hillary Chute

The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen by Hope Nicholson

Superwomen: Gender, Power, and Representation by Carolyn Cocca

The Ten-Cent Plague by Adilifu Nama

Super Black: American Pop Culture and Black Superheroes by Adilifu Nama

What I’m Writing: Hopefuls 3 and 4
What I’m Reading: Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi, These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling, and War of the Foxes by Richard Siken
What I’m Loving: A coworker convinced me to finally break down and watch Veronica Mars, and I am so, so grateful she did. (Thanks, Christine!) I am still on the first season, though, so no spoilers!

WIP Excerpt

The world compressed, flattening as neat as a page in the comics Jane drew. Smack dab in the middle: the open end of a gun, the barrel gaping so large that you feel you’ll tumble down into it. It’s a perfect circle, larger than life, and the rest of the scene warps inward around the image, the colors and shapes of the crowd distorting as if everything is being sucked into its orbit. Flip the page again. A narrow shaft of light cuts an otherwise solid field of black, and Jane, tiny in the middle, is caught in a free fall, as sure as Alice down the rabbit hole.

News Wrap-Up:

• Who’s Afraid of Amy Sinclair? was released on June 24th to much enthusiasm, and managed to hit number 31 in one of its categories on Amazon—the highest I’ve ever seen for one of my books. Thank you all so much! If you’ve already read it, please remember to leave a review at your favorite bookstore’s site.
• There’s now a special edition of The Private Life of Jane Maxwell, created in partnership with F-BOM (Feminist Book of the Month). There’s still time to pick up your copy today, so be sure to sign up on their site, so you can get behind-the-scenes content, including videos.
• On a personal note, a little lost kitten found himself a home with us in June, exactly one week before Who’s Afraid of Amy Sinclair? came out. So that’s been a wild ride, especially the process of introducing him to my long-time cat, and a distraction I did not anticipate for the summer. But I cannot complain because come on, just look at that face.

So like I said, the summer’s been more of a distraction than I’d planned on. I haven’t managed to do as much promotion for my new book as I’d expected to, though thankfully my fans are carrying me through on their own, for which I am eternally grateful. As per usual, I took a few weeks off from writing after a new release to refresh and assess my current goals and deadlines, but now I am back into production. Currently, I’m plotting/outlining Hopefuls 3, while I am actually writing Hopefuls 4. I know, it’s out of order, but what can I say? I’m a chaos writer, through and through.

(No, in all seriousness though, Hopefuls 3 has a much more complicated plot than Hopefuls 4, so it genuinely requires more pre-planning before I can write it. Hopefuls 4, on the other hand, I can pretty much just wing it as I go.)

Meanwhile, my stint as F-BOM’s July/August Book of the Month pick is about halfway through, and it’s been so much fun! I’ve already recorded a sneak peak introduction of my book and gotten some reader feedback/questions in their members-only portal, and soon we’ll be sitting down to my first-ever video interview series. I’m really looking forward to that one. It’s been a delight, truly. Be sure to pick up your own copy, so you can have the Special Edition for yourself, as well as access to all the members-only content.

Now my sights are turning toward the rest of the year. I’m trying to figure out what I want my focus to be during the fall and winter months. I’ve got so many fun projects planned, so many new and exciting developments that I just haven’t had time to bring to fruition yet. But now that I’m back into drafting new books, I’m finally going to be able to juggle some of those other projects, and the only question that remains is, which takes priority? That’s my assignment for the next week or so, simply to figure out what I will bring to you all first. I cannot wait to share it with you.

Hello friends, and welcome to the third and final interview of #IndieSuperheroSummer! Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Nancy O’Toole Meservier to the blog. Nancy is the author of Red and Black and it’s brand-new sequel, Black and Blue. This series is about fangirls turned superheroes, cute guys just trying to do the right-wrong thing, and an almost You’ve-Got-Mail type secret identity romance. In short, it’s simply adorable. Plus, we all know I have a soft spot for superhero stories that play into the splash of the genre, so I was really destined to like these books.

Nancy herself is also friendly and deeply enthusiastic about books (and comics!)–but then, what more would you expect from a librarian? You all should absolutely check out both her and her work. Come to her social media for the book talk, stay for the cat pictures. And on that note, let’s see what she has to say!

Tell us about your books! Where did you get the idea? How many books will be in the series?

Hello! I write the Red and Black series, which is all about Dawn Takahashi, a super powered fangirl with dreams of becoming Bailey City’s first superhero, and Alex Gage, a working-class guy who moonlights as Faultline, a henchman for Bailey City’s first supervillain. While the two clash at night, during the day, they can’t help but be drawn to each other in all together different ways. This leads to the question, what happens when you unknowingly fall for your nemesis?

I originally got the idea for the Red and Black series over a decade ago. I was obsessed with this super fun MMORPG called City of Heroes, which allowed you to create your own superhero and run wild in a sprawling metropolis. Once I created the character of Dawn, I found myself quickly filling in her backstory, which I hoped one day to turn into a web comic.

And well, it’s a good thing I can’t draw because the story was terrible. Dawn was a lifelong sufferer of an ill-defined soap opera illness. Alex was an atrocious, two-timing love interest. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking. The story was (thankfully) shelved for many years until National Novel Writing Month back in 2014. A fantasy novel I was working on completely fell apart around the midmonth mark. I didn’t want to “lose” NaNoWriMo so I started a new novel that would eventually become Red and Black.

So far, the series has two books, Red and Black and the recently released Black and Blue. As for the future of the series, I’ve already put a lot of work into the next two volumes, so there will at least be at least four books. I’d like to release even more.

What first drew you to the idea of writing about superheroes?

City of Heroes was what first sparked the inspiration of Red and Black, but I don’t know if the series would have existed if it wasn’t for this explosion of superhero media we’re existing in right now. Around the time I wrote the first draft of Red and Black, I was obsessed with the television show Arrow, and movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Having those types of stories in the forefront of my mind was probably a big part of what draw me back to these characters.

Your book is told in a dual POV between a hero and a villain. What drew you to showing both sides of this situation? And do you have any advice on crafting characters who do bad things for arguably good reasons?

When I originally started the draft for Red and Black, there was no dual perspective. It was only from Dawn’s POV. After a few chapters, I realized that this wasn’t working. Alex was underdeveloped as a character, and since Calypso was the type of villain that stuck to the shadows, Dawn would have no interaction with her until the end of the book, which left her severely underdeveloped as well. Adding in chapters from Alex’s perspective really helped to solve these problems.

As far as crafting characters who do bad thing for arguably good reasons, I think it’s important that you show the reader why they do the things they do. If the reader can connect to this “why” in some way, it will result in an emotional attachment which will make the characters far more sympathetic. Another way you can amplify this is by having villains that have suffered from genuine disadvantages, such as Alex’s financial struggles. Readers don’t like it when life is blatantly unfair to a character, and will end up feeling for them, even if they don’t necessarily agree with all of their methods.

I really liked the abilities that you gave to your superheroes and villains, especially Faultline. How did you come up with them, and was it hard trying to find fresh new abilities, or did the idea for them just come naturally?

When it comes to creating abilities, mine tend to fall into two categories. With some powersets, I just think they’re cool and want to play around them. But I think can be really impactful if their abilities are tied to their personalities/journeys in some way, which I did with both Faultline and Dawn. Faultline/Alex grew economically disadvantaged, which has left him with a slightly pessimistic perspective, especially with it comes to the damaging inequalities in society. Giving him an ability that literally shoved the physical faults of the world in his face seemed appropriate. That, and the fact that his abilities are fueled by his temper, something he can struggle with, also ties back to his character.

Dawn’s abilities, on the other hand, are rooted in his own insecurities. She sees herself as scrawny, weak, and shy. While in costume, she is brave, bold, and physically imposing.

As for how I came up with them, Dawn’s abilities were inspired by the character I created back while playing City of Heroes. I’m not going to lie, Alex’s originally emerged because I wanted a character who could smash things in a impressive way, but the more I thought about who he was, the more personalized his abilities became.

So far, I haven’t had any problems creating new powers, but I might feel differently once I’ve crafted a few more. So maybe ask me this question again once I’ve finished the series?

What are some of your favorite superheroes (not your own), from any media or franchise?

People always look at me strangely when I say this, but I love Squirrel Girl, and not just because she is arguably one of the most powerful superhero in Marvel Comics. Her strengths go far beyond her impressive fighting abilities. Sometimes she can outsmart her enemies. Other times (like with Kraven the Hunter), she can use empathy to see things from their perspective and urge them towards a better path. Squirrel Girl’s stories transcend typical hero versus villain storylines, and the comic (written by Ryan North) manages to do so in a way that is funny, smart and approachable. I’m going to be so sad when his run finishes up later this year.

Moving beyond comics, there are so many heroes to love in the MCU right now, but like pretty much everyone else on this earth, I see Tom Holland as the perfect Peter Parker. I could watch movies about him for years, I swear. And in the world of anime, I am a huge fan of All Might from My Hero Academia, who manages to be both completely ridiculous, and the embodiment of all that is pure and good about superheroes.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

While I love to write about brave superheroes running in and saving the day, that is so not me. I’m much more suited for support roles. That’s why I’d love to be able to heal. I know plenty of people whose lives are impacted by illnesses or pain, and I would love to be able to alleviate or outright cure them.

What are the best and worst parts of writing about superheroes?

The best part about writing superheroes is they punch things and get to have elaborate fight scenes on top of speeding trains where anything can happen!
I’m only slightly kidding there.

But seriously, one of the best things about writing about superheroes is they are perfect conduit for studying duality. There’s good versus evil and everything in between. The relationship between the strong and the weak. Our inner selves versus our public selves. Secret identities and masks provide so many opportunities to look at these really crunchy topics.

The worst part of writing about superheroes is remembering who knows what. Who knows character X’s secret identity, but not characters Y’s. Or who knows character Z’s backstory but isn’t saying anything about it. It’s a lot to keep track of.

Do you have any advice you’d like to pass along to aspiring writers (superhero-related or otherwise)?

Write the story you want to read. Your enthusiasm for the topic will clearly shine through and be felt by readers. Also, you’re far more likely to finish a book if it’s something that excites you.

Lastly, let’s get to know the woman behind the mask a little. Tell us one thing about yourself that you normally don’t mention on social media.

When I was a kid, music was such an important part of my life. I sang in chorus for years, played piano in elementary school, handbells through middle and high school, and even tried my hand at guitar and violin for a little while. As an adult, these skills are mostly gone, but not the desire to keep music a part of my life. Unfortunately, writing has taken up most of my free time, so this will have to remain a bucket list item. Ironically, I’ve found that musicians have been infiltrating my fiction lately. I’m working on a novelette for my newsletter where an important character is a talented flute player. And in book three, Dawn encounters a violinist. I guess I’ll just have to live vicariously through my characters for now.

Nancy O’Toole Meservier is a vertically challenged librarian who spends her off hours writing fiction, reading, and thinking way too much about superheroes. She lives in Central Maine with two wonderful cats and one equally wonderful spouse. She is currently writing The Red and Black Series, which includes both Red and Black and Black and Blue.

Instagram | Twitter

Red and Black

Dawn Takahashai knows all about superheroes.

She’s been a fan of them for years. So when she’s granted an impressive powerset of her own, she dives right in, eager to prove herself as Bailey City’s first superhero: Miss Red and Black.

Her first challenge is Faultline. He’s powerful, smart and, as a henchman for Bailey City’s first supervillain, standing right in her way. But that’s not the real problem. The real problem is that under the mask, Faultline is Alex Gage, a working-class guy trying to scrounge together enough money to help support his younger sisters.

Dawn has no idea that the charming and seemingly straightforward Alex is Faultline. Alex has no idea that the adorably awkward Dawn is the superhero he clashes with at night.

And Dawn and Alex have a date next week.

• Amazon

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of both the tropes and the cheese often associated with superheroes. While I appreciate stories that flip things on their head, subvert expectation, and critically examine what we’ve come to expect from the genre, I also just love it purely for the spectacle, and the familiar beats that so many of our favorite superhero stories manage to hit again and again. So today, I’m bringing you five of my favorite superhero “moments”—pieces of a story that we’ll all recognize, but that I will never get tired of watching play out.

5) Learning to Fly

…or run, or morph, or punch, or whatever skills the hero has suddenly found themselves saddled with. I admit it, I love a good training montage—but what I love even more, is when the hero is running around with new powers they don’t quite understand, possibly screwing things up even more in the meantime. Let me see them fail a little, before they really learn to soar.

4) The Double-Identity Dance

While not strictly limited to superhero media, this is the genre I prefer it in. You all know the kind of scene: some elaborate setup has been established, which will require both the superhero persona and their mild-mannered alter ego to be in the same place at the same time. Quite possibly even interacting with the same people. The result is an increasingly awkward song and dance where the hero needs to keep finding excuses to run off, always “just missing” the other version of themselves, while every step has the potential for the whole thing to come crashing down around them. Sometimes, these scenes fall flat, a mess of embarrassing near-misses and a staggering lack of notice from their companions. But when it’s done well? Almost nothing else will make me laugh as hard as this.

3) Did You Hear?

This one could play into the kind of scene I just discussed above, or it can be placed in any context. A character who doesn’t know the superhero’s identity is talking to their mild-mannered alter ego, and discusses the actions of the superhero to their face. Sometimes it’s to praise, sometimes it’s to criticize, but it always ends up with the hero needing to skate across painfully thin ice in order to avoid revealing their secret. Bonus points if the hero learns information that is crucial to the plot they’re investigating as a superhero.

2) Save the Train!

Come on, who doesn’t love a good train rescue? It’s got even more speed than a car chase, plus the lives of innocent civilians hanging in the balance, plus this sense of unstoppable, almost inevitably failure looming over the hero. Physics alone make this a nearly impossible feat, and yet we manage to see our favorites do it over and over again. And while the iconic train rescue in Spider-man 2 will always hold a top spot in my heart, I will never tire of other stories jumping onboard (har har) and giving it their own go. In fact, I may have even attempted this trope myself.

1) The Dramatic Reveal

If I’m being honest, nothing in superhero fiction beats out on this moment for me. Yes, finally defeating the Big Bad is satisfying. Yes, watching the hero gain their powers is a wild ride. Yes, there’s all kind of joy to be had from superfights, and mistaken identities, and investigating evildoing. But this moment, right here, when the hero has been keeping their secret identity secret for a long time, and someone close to them finally learns the truth? Oh my god. This is the trope that made me truly fall head-over-heels in love with superheroes. To see all the infinite ways this moment can play out, to wonder when it’s going to happen, to see it coming, to not see it coming, to watch the reactions of their loved ones… This slays me every time, in all the best ways. This is one moment where even when it’s done badly, I will still whoop at the page/screen whenever it happens. Because after all, what’s the point of a secret identity if not to reveal that identity to the reader at the exact right time, in the exact right way?

Okay, so those are mine! What about you, what are your favorite superhero moments and tropes? Do they need to be done well, or are you a sucker for them no matter the context? Let me know!

Not gonna lie, I loved this book.

I knew I would. Secondhand Origin Stories is the story of four teenagers—three, the children of an elite superhero team called the Sentinels, and the fourth as an aspiring would-be member. Now, I’m a sucker for stories that deal with the long-term effects of a world where superheroes are real, so, right out of the gate it’s got that going for it. But really, I bought this book for the incredible diversity represented within the characters, and oh man, it did not disappoint on that front. This book has most of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum represented, plus some good body-diversity going on, plus a number of disabilities, plus a wide range of racial and cultural backgrounds. Several of the identities are also intersectional, and all of these aspects were handled with what looks from the outside like effortless grace.

Which makes sense, because the characters are by far the biggest focus and the biggest strength of the book. I enjoyed spending time with all of them, but if I have to play favorites Opal and Martin are going to win, hands-down. I mean, come on. Someone unapologetically pure and good and noble, plus an artificial (“synthetic”) intelligence? If I have weaknesses in fiction, these have got to be among the top spots.

I also loved the relationships. Stories about superhero teams live and die on group dynamics, and these are great. Both the younger generation and the older one are rich and interesting, and it was so much fun to uncover more and more about the history of the Sentinels as the book went along. This is one of those stories where the past has a distinct impact on how the future is going to unfold, and about the next generation rising up and trying never to repeat the mistakes of those who came before them. It was lovely and inspiring and timely. And it was such a breath of fresh air to read a book where people’s identities were just accepted by most of the people surrounding them, without fanfare or drama. Even when the characters themselves were struggling with a new perception of themselves, that conflict was rarely an external conflict, and I loved that so much. (And when it did cause friction, it never felt over-dramatic or weighed down.)

The structure did surprise me at times, but I wouldn’t call that a flaw. This book broke a lot of normal superhero genre conventions, and it made sense that I wouldn’t be able to predict the plot. It was soft and always character-centric, even when there were occasional explosions or fights. The central plot line was subtle, but always engaging. I appreciated the characters various reactions to violence, as well—it’s so easy in splashy genres like this to get caught up in the special effects and “coolness” of a good fight scene, but this book never takes the easy way out. It always remembers to stay grounded, stay human, and to remember the cost of violence. It wasn’t afraid to toe into what kind if impact that would have on the people committing it, even if their reasons were good.

If I had any complaint about the book, I would have wished for a bit more description at times. It’s possible that I was just reading it too quickly (I did mainline it in about two days), but there were definitely times where it was hard for me to maintain a clear image of the setting and character movements. But honestly, it wasn’t enough to break the enjoyment.

Overall, the book did what all good superhero fiction is supposed to: it took the kind of traumas and injustices that real people are facing today, and set it in an environment that was boisterous and fun and larger-than-life, a safe space to explore the damage that these very real-world issues can cause. It showed people reacting to those situations as shining examples of what people should do when faced with inhumanity. It showed that sometimes doing the right thing is hard and scary, but the effort is worth it. This is the kind of book that inspires. To be better, to do better. To try.

I can’t wait for the sequel.

Secondhand Origin Stories

Opal has been planning to go to Chicago and join the Midwest’s superhero team, the Sentinels, since she was a little kid. That dream took on a more urgent tone when her superpowered dad was unjustly arrested. Now, she wants to be a superhero not only to protect people, but to get a platform to tell the world about the injustices of the Altered Persons Bureau, the government agency for everything relating to superpowers.

But just after Opal’s high school graduation, a supervillain with a jet and unclear motives attacked the downtown home of the Sentinels’. When Opal arrives, she finds a family on the brink of breaking apart. She meets a boy who’s been developing secret (and illegal) brain-altering nanites right under the Sentinel’s noses, another teenage superhero-hopeful who looks suspiciously like a long-dead supervillain, and the completely un-superpowered daughter of the Sentinels’ leader. Can four teens on the fringes of the superhero world handle the corruption, danger, and family secrets they’ve unearthed?

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