Release Day: Temptation and Tights

Today Temptation and Tights officially goes on sale. I’m serious about the sale; it’s available at a 10% discount until Sunday, August 26. If the Avengers, Spider-Man, and Batman movies have whetted your appetite for superheroes and you’re a fan of M/M romantic comedy, you won’t want to miss out on this. You can check out the excerpts at www.bookstrand.com/temptation-and-tights, or enjoy the one below.

BLURB:
A lab accident turns Dr. Burke Templeton into supervillain Malaraptor. Superhero Icarius is determined to bring him to justice. They find themselves falling for each other instead, in spite of differing ethics and the whole teeth-and-tail thing. What’s a desperate, love-struck human dinosaur and a conflicted hero to do?

EXCERPT
“So you’re a mutant? Like Yeti?”
“Yeah, I guess. I was a skinny kid, a lot lighter than I looked. The wings never got all that big, so I could never get much altitude, but I’d get a couple yards off the ground, and I could maneuver. I could fly.”

Eyes on the city, Owen nevertheless sensed Burke’s stare roving over his artificial wings. “I take it your parents were less than thrilled,” Burke commented.

“They didn’t know. I didn’t tell them.” Owen sighed into the night. “There are a lot of things I never told them, or anyone. I knew I was gay years before I grew wings. Wings and gayness aren’t things a proper young socialite discloses to his upper-crust parents.”

He pressed a finger to Burke’s lips to forestall any response. “Here’s what happened. I grew. The wings didn’t. By the time I was fifteen I’d gotten too heavy for liftoff. They just became a nuisance. When I was nineteen, I had them removed.” He lifted his finger from Burke’s mouth. “But I never forgot.”

Silken lips and a brush of hair whispered over his cheek. The arms and legs locking their bodies together squeezed a little tighter, not in fear.

“Show me,” Burke whispered.

Owen dove, rose, swept across the sky like a hunting eagle. The twinkling lights of the city beneath them blurred into gleaming streaks. More than the thrill of open flight, he relished the heat and weight of the man in his arms. Anonymous gropes and grunts in an alley didn’t hold a candle to this.

Hold onto that. Concentrate on that. Focus on the man and forget the monster caged inside him, and the fact the lover he cradled in his embrace fought for the opposite team.

“What’s that?” Burke asked.

Owen broke off and only then realized he’d been humming under his breath. “Jesus, was I doing that out loud?”

“Pretty tune. It sounds somewhat familiar.”

Owen chuckled. “It’s that song from that movie. The flying scene. I’ve got it running through my head.”

Burke angled his hips to push up against Owen’s. “I can’t read your mind,” he said, “but I’ll bet I know what you’re thinking.”

# # #

While you’re there, check out my other books. I’ve got M/F shapeshifter, M/M (one with vampires!) and the M/M/F ménage that took me by surprise. Something for almost every taste.

Genre Bending

Here it is, my new cover to my latest release, Temptation and Tights! Back in January I made a bunch of resolutions; one of them was to double my backlist and have 10 stories available by the end of the year. Most of the resolutions fizzled by the end of January, but this one’s working. This is my second release this year, plus I subbed a fantasy story to another publisher yesterday. We’ll see if anything comes of that. Meanwhile, I’ve got another M/M simmering, and I’m fiddling around with a paranormal YA, of all things. Three more acceptances to go!

Okay, back to the topic at hand. Temptation and Tights is the story of a supervillain who falls in love with the superhero pursuing him. It’s not that far-fetched a plot for the genre. Stan Lee introduced romance tropes and soap opera plots to cape-and-cowl books in the 1960s and revolutionized the industry. Rewrite the Superman saga from Lois’s perspective and bang, you’ve got a romance. Heroes and villains in love? I give you Batman and Catwoman. She tries so hard to reform, but c’mon. She is who she is and she knows who she is, and she’s not going to change, not even for him. Half the fun is getting the Bat to chase her, and she knows it. Half the fun for us is watching the pursuit.

Sitting next to me right now is a copy of Night Shadow by Nora Roberts, published in 1991. It’s the story of a man who develops superpowers in a lab accident, dresses in black and fights crime. The feisty by-the-book DA trying to bring this vigilante to justice falls in love with him instead. It’s a superhero story in prose, proof it can be done. There hasn’t exactly been a slew of these things, though, not like with vampires and shapeshifters. Yeah, well. I had fun writing it, and that’s the important thing.

The hardest part of writing the book? Coming up with character names that haven’t already been copyrighted. I wanted to call my bad guy “Captain Chaos” but they used that name on South Park. I changed “Icarus” to “Icarius” just to be on the safe side. There are dozens of winged heroes out there already (Hawkman and Angel come to mind right off the bat), so on the powers end I might get a pass. Like plots, there are only so many powers out there. It’s what you do with them that makes them stand out.

In spite of the financial success of The Avengers, and the expected success of The Dark Knight Rises, I don’t expect superhero romances to become the Next Big Thing. If you want to write one, M/F or M/M, go right ahead. Give at least one of your characters powers beyond those of mortal beings, then give them problems to match. Then send them out on a date with the one person in the world who leaves them tongue-tied. Or who wants them arrested. Or dead. Then sit back and watch the fun.

Okay, enough of the capes. I think I’ll go back to the story about the fashion designer. That should be fun. I have no fashion sense and don’t know how to sew. Project Runway, help me out!

Super Inspiration

Dah-dah-dah-DAHHHH! What’s that? That’s me tooting my own horn. Last week Siren accepted my seventh book, Temptation and Tights. It’s the story of a supervillain falling for the superhero who’s been trying to bring him to justice. One guy has mechanical wings. The other guy turns into a human velociraptor. Think of it as X-Men done as M/M romantic comedy. (Actually, that’s pretty accurate. Back in high school I wrote X-men fanfic; in my version Angel was gay. I always thought he and Sauron should have been together. Well, they finally made it, though I changed Sauron’s species. Pteranodon, velociraptor, what’s the difference when you’re in love?)

The timing couldn’t be better. The Avengers movie is closing out the month with a box office take of over a billion—yes, that’s billion with a B—dollars. Still to come this summer: a new version of Spider-Man and the finale of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. Over in the comic books, Marvel’s gay superhero Northstar is tying the knot with his boyfriend, and DC, which relaunched its line last year, has announced one of its iconic characters will be revealed as gay. (No, it’s not Batman. He’s dating Catwoman. A man need three Y chromosomes just to keep up with her.)

In other words, superheroes are big this summer, and gay superheroes are coming out of their four-color closet. Maybe I’ll actually be ahead of a trend for once.

The reason I preferred Marvel heroes to DC’s in the ‘60s was Marvel’s more realistic characterizations. The personalities of DC’s heroes were bland and interchangeable. Marvel’s were way more fun. They argued with each other. They talked like real people. They had problems kids could relate to. Spider-Man might save New York City on a regular basis, but Peter Parker couldn’t get a date. The Thing looked like a pile of orange rocks. Worst case of acne ever. Tony Stark needed his Iron Man armor to keep his damaged heart beating. At Marvel, great power brought with it great responsibility and a ton of personal drama.

And let’s not forget the big draw to a young and impressionable girl reading comics, the heavy soap opera elements. DC’s heroes had girlfriends (and Wonder Woman had a boyfriend), but they never did anything. Marvel’s heroes had heart-rending, passionate, angsty relationships interrupted by kidnappings, attacks by supervillains, alien invasions and threats to all humanity. The relationships as much as the stories kept me coming back month after month.

Though X-Men was my favorite, for a while The Avengers was top of my must-read list, because of the romance that developed between the Vision and the Scarlet Witch. You think gay marriage is a hot-button topic? The Vision wasn’t human. He was synthetic, an android programmed with the brain patterns of a dead man. Still, he was human enough to have manly urges for Wanda, who was a mutant. They pined for each other and bemoaned a love that could never be for over a dozen issues before a new writer took over and finally brought them together. I’m assuming Vision was anatomically correct and, as Data once put it, “fully functional.” At any rate, Wanda never complained.

With a background like this, is it any wonder that once I started reading and writing romance, I headed straight for paranormal? I’m not quite sure why I veered off into M/M. Maybe it was all those buff guys in tights. Superheroing was still primarily a boys’ club during my formative years, so you had all these guys hanging out together acting all comradely. Maybe that’s what skewed me in that direction.

Though I’ll bet if DC had given Wonder Woman a girlfriend, sales would’ve shot through the roof.

Comics have changed since those simpler days. They’re far more expensive, for one thing. Time was, a dollar would buy you half a dozen comics, a candy bar and a soda, and you’d be good for the afternoon. These days the average monthy comic runs between $2-$4 and can be read in ten minutes. They also went grim and gritty and ultra-realistic during the ‘80s and ‘90s. They lost a lot of their fun and I lost interest. If you want to look into modern comics, I recommend you stop by your local library and check out the “graphic novel” section. These paperbacks collect 4-6 issues of a monthly comic, so you get a complete story. And DC took a page from Marvel’s playbook and gave their heroes personalities, so they’re more fun to read about now. For the record, Batman’s still psychotic. It’s part of his appeal.

On the film front, I recommend Superman: The Movie. It’s a classic combo of action, humor, romance and superheroics, starring the most recognizable hero on the planet. Spider-Man 2 has all the Marvel hallmarks: a problem-laden hero, a tragic villain, one-liners tossed around during fight scenes and a romance with a happy ending. If you want to write a superhero ménage, you can use X-Men 2 as a springboard. Heroine Jean Grey finds herself torn between tragic hero Cyclops and lethal but fascinating bad boy Wolverine. Why not go for both? Because Cyclops shoots force beams out of his eyes, Wolverine shoots claws out of his hands, and they can’t stand each other. Conflict you want, conflict you got.

For examples of superhero movies done right, try Iron Man, The Avengers and The Dark Knight. No romance, but plenty of humor (in the first two) and character development and examples of how to handle characters with paranormal abilities. When it comes to presenting their characters, for some reason DC is better in animation, while Marvel rules live action. No idea why that is.

And, in my opinion, the only actor ever to look totally realistic in a colorful skintight costume was Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman. DC needs to put out a Wonder Woman movie. Give Princess Diana a girlfriend and watch the box office soar …

X-rated blog ~ CHRONTROPOLIS, The Magic of Creation

Hi, Title Magicians, the bay city of Chrontropolis is the created home of my Superheroine, SlashFlame Kitten, and her Superheroes, The Dark Brothers in my latest release from Siren-BookStrand.
Hey, if they can do it in the comic books, think Metropolis, I’ll follow their writerly wisdom. I have to say, it was a challenge and a whole lotta fun to make-up Chrontropolis, to visualize this once proud and thriving city torn apart by weather wars and at the same time, reviving itself, due in large part to the constant efforts of the emerging superheroes and superheroines in saving the citizens and the city.
~~~

THE DARK VALOROUS BROTHERS - Supermen of Steel

I don’t know about you, but me and my girlfriends would occasionally remark and tittering-speculate on certain attributes a man of steel might possess in the bedroom. Actually, we were darn tame compared to this day and sexual age.
However, I won’t go into the lusty lascivious details of our libation-encouraged fantasies, since this definitely gets into the realm of the personal. Suffice it to say, I’ve had my share of superhero fantasies. Now, I get the extreme pleasure of exploring the rod of steel.

My heroes in HER INSATIABLE DARK HEROES, have survived the catastrophic weather wars on their world. About ten percent of the remaining population begin to have superpowers in conjunction with the arrival of the Harbinger, a blue star seen through the ash and haze of their devastated planet-world. This particular story was much darker to write than my previous books because in this world, the characters are struggling to survive and to continue the slow recovery of their bay city, Chrontropolis.
~~~

HER INSATIABLE DARK HEROES - Siren Menage Amour

Chrontropolis lives... yes, I am dancing-giddy-excited about the release of HER INSATIABLE DARK HEROES May 1 ~ from Siren’s Menage Amour line.

Blurb ~

How many Superheroes does it take to satisfy the one woman who dances like a fire goddess? Answer: the four Dark Valorous Brothers of Chrontropolis.
Before the weather wars destroyed her world, Wendra was the girl next door, except for her dancing talent and her desire to become a top performer. When she is rescued from her own desperate attempt to fly inside her flame by Dark Zavier, then Claimed by the four Dark Valorous brothers, she has no idea how to cope with their primitive insatiable sexual needs, or their passionate longing to bond with her.
On top of that, her own super power, the ability to use flame as a weapon, is becoming stronger by the day, even if it remains useless against the Dark Brothers’ determination to master her. Still, how does she make her own blazing mark, in the new world of Superheroes and Super Villains?
~~~

PG Story Excerpt ~

Zion fastened his gaze on the tornado’s advance, straight for the center of Chrontropolis. Already chunks of debris whirled in the funnel, with the larger pieces being hurled in every direction.
“What are they doing ” Wendy abruptly straightened. Her muscles tensed anxiously as he lowered them onto the chair. Riveted, she watched his brothers’ streaking flight toward the behemoth tornado snaking angrily over the ground.
Zion coded in the emergency, sending it to all of the Super Brethren. It could be too late. Whoever had created the weather monstrosity had known where to conjure it up and how to time its attack on Chrontropolis. He hoped like wild hell some of the Super Brethren followed behind his brothers, though he knew if they’d been anywhere close, the screen’s visual technology would have already shown them.
“Can they really stop that horrible thing?” Wendy’s breaths quickened in fear. “By themselves?”
Zion didn’t know which way to jump. Should he reassure her or tell her the truth? The force and size of the tornado as shown by the screen’s readouts required six supermen with the power level of the Dark Brothers to alter its course and lessen the destruction. Instead of answering her, he shut his eyes in concentration, communicating telepathically the current status to his brothers.
“My Great Aunt Minnie,” she swore. “Since you’re not answering, it must be bad.”
“Wendy,” he began. Yet what did he tell her?
“Why do you have to stay here?” she impatiently challenged. “Go help them.”
She moved restlessly while he refined the screen’s imaging capability and searched a wider perimeter for other Superheroes. Quietly he heaved in a relieved breath. The three Gallant Brothers flight-charged toward the tornado from another angle. Although their arrival would not be timely, the odds had just improved. Once again, Zion used telepathy to send the info. Next, he switched on the city’s alarm system. It was not fully effective in covering the entire metro, but still, lives would be saved if the worst occurred.
“The Gallant Brothers?” She leaned toward the screen.
“Yes,” he confirmed, desperately wanting solutions he didn’t have. Yet.
Zion studied the rough distortion at the top of the funnel. The precision of the matrix frequencies told him it was being manipulated by master scientists.
“Omygawd It’s growing.” She strained farther forward, her gaze locked on the boiling black twister.
“It’s doubling in strength.” Regretting his rash words, Zion connected mentally with his brothers, informing them.
“It’s too large. No ”
“Wendy...”
“Don’t bother with a lie.”
When he cupped her shoulder with his palm, she shrugged out of his hold. “You should have gone with them.”
His own anger surfacing, Zion seized her upper arms. “Don’t be a fool. Who would protect you if—”
“If they die,” she struck back.
He hesitated, but only for an instant. “Yes, Wendy, if they die.”
She froze, her spine stiff with dread. “It’s headed for the center of Chrontropolis, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Zion hauled in a large breath. “I’ve sounded the city alarms.”
“You can do that from here?”
“We have control over all the city systems from here.”
She slumped back a bit, and he knew she couldn’t take her gaze away from the screen. Neither could he. His brothers flew abreast at rocket speed, their outlines blurred on the screen. The tornado had developed into a distorted serpent, furious as it spun over the ground. Uprooted trees, enormous rocks and pieces from old structures orbited the eye in a bizarre chaotic frenzy.
“Good resolution.” She trembled. “I can see everything so clearly. Too clearly.”
He stroked her arms and shoulders, trying to comfort her. “Night vision advancements. Necessary for night patrol.”
“What are they going to do, really?” Her voice cracked and she shrank into the bend of his body.
“Use their flying speed to unwind the tornado’s spin.”
She shuddered, then flung her arm up to point at two more of the Super Brethren. “Who are they?”
“The Tiger Twins.” Zion’s heart jumped into his throat, not with fear, but with hope. The twins possessed a ridiculously high level of super strength, especially when combined. Yet, would they arrive in time? Their flight was slow compared to his brothers’ speed. He mind-sent the message of their immanent arrival.
“They’re getting close.” Wendy stilled, her body rigid, hands knotted together. “Please, oh, please,” she prayed.
Zion silently joined in with his own prayer. His brothers linked arms, soaring into the whirling force of the tornado. Their flight slowed, reduced by the horrific winds they battled. Forming a wedge, they neared the top third of the tornado. Like the tip of an arrow they shot forward with their combined strength, opposite the giant’s spin.
“They look like tiny birds. I can barely see them. On no ” she moaned. “They’re not moving.”
~~~~~~

HAVE A MERRY MONTH OF MAY!

~ DANCE AROUND THE POLES OF THE DARK BROTHERS ~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~~~~

Siren Menage Amour - Quatre ~ released MAY 1, 2009

Wendy & the Dark Brothers ~ Zavier, Zent, Zion and Zotorro ~ invite you to read their love story ~
HER INSATIABLE DARK HEROES ~ what does it mean when The Harbinger arrives on a world devastated by weather wars...where super powers are given to a few... released from Siren-BookStrand ~ http://bookstrand.com/authors/savannakougar ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-herinsatiabledarkheroes-13865-200.html ~