Superhero Stuff

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    Fall reads …

    Today, I thought that I would share some of the books that I’m looking forward to reading this fall. Note that the descriptions are from Goodreads.

    Sunset in Central ParkSunset in Central Park

    by Sarah Morgan — out now

    In the chaos of New York, true love can be hard to find, even when it’s been right under your nose all along…

    Love has never been a priority for garden designer Frankie Cole. After witnessing the fallout of her parents’ divorce, she’s seen the devastation an overload of emotion can cause. The only man she feels comfortable with is her friend Matt—but that’s strictly platonic. If only she found it easier to ignore the way he makes her heart race…

    Matt Walker has loved Frankie for years but, sensing how fragile she is beneath her feisty exterior, has always played it cool. But then he uncovers new depths to the girl he’s known forever and doesn’t want to wait a moment longer. He knows Frankie has secrets and has buried them deep, but can Matt persuade her to trust him with her heart and kiss him under the Manhattan sunset?

    My thoughts: I enjoy reading contemporary romance (I’m a sucker for a good rom-com movie), and this is the second book in Morgan’s new contemporary romance series, after Sleepless in Manhattan.

    Three Dark CrownsThree Dark Crowns

    by Kendare Blake — out now

    Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

    But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

    If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.

    My thoughts: I love reading epic fantasy young adult books, and this one sounds really interesting.

    Black WidowBlack Widow Vol. 1: S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Most Wanted

    by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee — out on Nov. 8

    They wowed you with Daredevil, now the Eisner Award-winning team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee take Black Widow to new heights -by forcing her to go on the lam! Natasha has a lifetime of secrets, and when some of the darkest ones are made public, nobody is safe. As S.H.I.E.L.D. turns on its once greatest asset, she seeks out her own answers in a knockdown drag-out tale of action and espionage! But will the Widow’s hunt for the Weeping Lion send her back to the one place she never wanted to go? And, when a S.H.I.E.L.D. funeral makes the assembled top brass an attractive target, it’s lucky for them that the Black Widow is still on their side, even if they aren’t on hers.

    COLLECTING: BLACK WIDOW 1-6

    My thoughts: I’m always up for a Black Widow story, and I’ve heard good things about this storyline.

    What about you guys? What’s on your TBR pile this fall?

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    Rob-Con 2016 set for July 30-31 …

    Rob-Con 2016Note: This post will also appear today at Magical Musings.

    I’m doing something fun this upcoming weekend. I’ll be one of the many writers, artists, vendors, fans, and more attending Rob-Con 2016. The event will be held on July 30-31 at Viking Hall in Bristol, Tenn. from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days. Admission is $15 for one day or $20 for both days. Kids under 5 get in for free.

    I will be signing books on Saturday only, July 30, starting at 9 a.m. and going until 1 p.m.

    Rob-Con 2016 will feature writers and artists signing and selling their books and artwork, along with vendors who will have everything from comic books to toys to games. If it’s related to comic books, comic book movies/TV shows, or fantasy movies/TV shows, you can probably find it at Rob-Con 2016. Folks are encouraged to come in costume, and one of the highlights of the weekend is the costume contest, which will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 31.

    Now, I don’t have a superhero costume, but I do have several superhero T-shirts (Captain America, Black Widow, etc.). So that’s what I’ll be wearing. I always see lots of folks wearing really cool superhero T-shirts, which usually leads to me going online and ordering more superhero T-shirts for myself. LOL.

    Whether it’s a comic book convention like Rob-Con 2016 or a romance-writing convention like the RT Booklovers Convention, cons are always a lot of fun. It’s just really great to meet and hang out with people who are passionate about comics, books, writing, or whatever the con is about.

    Comic book and fantasy conventions are held in towns all across the U.S. (and world). If you’re unsure if there’s a con in your area, ask the folks at your local comic book store if they can point you in the right direction. Here’s hoping that you can make it to a con sometime soon.

    What about you guys? Do you plan to attend any conventions or book events this summer?

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    Rob-Con set for July 30-31 …

    Rob-Con 2016I’m doing something fun in a couple of weeks. I’ll be one of the many writers, artists, vendors, fans, and more attending Rob-Con 2016. The event will be held on July 30-31 at Viking Hall in Bristol, Tenn. from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days. Admission is $15 for one day or $20 for both days. Kids under 5 get in for free.

    I will be signing books on Saturday only, July 30, starting at 9 a.m. and going until 1 p.m.

    Rob-Con 2016 will feature writers and artists signing and selling their books and artwork, along with vendors who will have everything from comic books to toys to games. If it’s related to comic books, comic book movies/TV shows, or fantasy movies/TV shows, you can probably find it at Rob-Con 2016. Folks are encouraged to come in costume, and one of the highlights of the weekend is the costume contest, which will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 31.

    Now, I don’t have a superhero costume, but I do have several superhero T-shirts (Captain America, Black Widow, etc.). So that’s what I’ll be wearing. I always see lots of folks wearing really cool superhero T-shirts, which usually leads to me going online and ordering more superhero T-shirts for myself. LOL.

    Whether it’s a comic book convention like Rob-Con 2016 or a romance-writing convention like the RT Booklovers Convention, cons are always a lot of fun. It’s just really great to meet and hang out with people who are passionate about comics, books, writing, or whatever the con is about.

    Comic book and fantasy conventions are held in towns all across the U.S. (and world). If you’re unsure if there’s a con in your area, ask the folks at your local comic book store if they can point you in the right direction. Here’s hoping that you can make it to a con sometime soon.

    What about you guys? Do you plan to attend any conventions or book events this summer?

  • Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow, Saturday, May 7 …

    Mountain Empire Comics

    Just a reminder that Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow, Saturday, May 7. Comic book stores all across the country and world will be giving away free comics, hosting costume contests, and much, much more. It’s a great day to visit your local comic book store.

    As part of FCBD, I will be signing books starting at 10 a.m. and going until noon (or maybe even a little later, depending on the crowd) at Mountain Empire Comics in Bristol, Tenn. The store will be giving away free comics, and the street will be closed off for all kinds of vendors.

    Hope to see you there! 🙂

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    Free Comic Book Day — and keeping movies and books fresh …

    Mountain Empire ComicsNote: This post will also appear today on Magical Musings.

    If you follow me on social media, you know that I love, love, love superheroes. So, naturally, Free Comic Book Day is one of my favorite days of the year. 🙂

    Free Comic Book Day is always held the first Saturday in May — May 7, this year. During that day, comic book stores across the country and world give away free comics, host costume contests, and much, much more. As part of Free Comic Book Day, I will be signing books starting at 10 a.m. and going until noon (or maybe even a little later, depending on the crowd) at Mountain Empire Comics in Bristol, Tenn. The store will be giving away free comics, and the street will be closed off for all kinds of vendors.

    So why is Free Comic Book Day one of my favorite days of the year? Because not only do I get to sign books, but I also get to hang out at the comic book store and talk about all things related to superheroes, along with fantasy books, movies, TV shows, and more. This year, I expect much of the talk to be about Marvel’s newest superhero movie, Captain America: Civil War, which opens on Friday, May 6.

    As an author and a reader, I’ve seen tons of blog posts and articles about how to keep a long-running book series fresh and interesting, not only for fans of the series but for the author writing it too. I think that Marvel does an excellent job of this when it comes to their superhero movies.

    Captain AmericaI’ve seen several articles and comments from Marvel filmmakers talking about how all of their movies are superhero movies, but how they all explore different ideas and genres, which helps keep them fresh and interesting for the audience, actors, and filmmakers. For example, Captain America: The First Avenger is a World War II movie. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a political thriller. Guardians of the Galaxy is a space adventure. Ant-Man is a heist movie. And so on and so forth.

    I find myself doing the same thing when it comes to my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series. Each book is an assassin story at heart, but the books also contain elements from other genres besides urban fantasy.

    One of the reasons that I started writing about my assassin heroine, Gin Blanco, was because I thought that there were so many different stories that you could tell with an assassin character. So far, 14 books have been published in my Elemental Assassin series, along with several e-novellas and short stories.

    Book #15The more books I write in the series, the more I think about incorporating elements from other genres. For example, I’ve always wanted to write a western, and part of Unraveled, book #15, Aug. 30, takes place in an Old West theme park. So the book is my take on a western, with Gin facing down some evil cowboys, among other bad guys.

    I’ve also always wanted to write a spy thriller and a heist book, among other stories, and I think that Gin would be the perfect character to help me explore those genres. Hopefully, readers will enjoy seeing my nods to other genres in my books.

    Who knows? Maybe my Elemental Assassin series will be like the Marvel movies and just keep going and going and going … 🙂

    What about you guys? What are some of your favorite book and superhero series and movies?