It’s that time again: One of my online author friends has released another book. This time it’s the second in a series, the first of which, Even Villains Fall in Love, I reviewed last year.
Here’s the blurb to what looks like a great follow-on tale:
When your mother is America’s Superhero Sweetheart and your daddy’s the Number One Super Villain, you grow up feeling a little conflicted.
Angela Smith has superpowers—nothing that will ever make her comic-book famous—but her ability to psychically sense and manipulate the emotions of people around her has drawn unwanted government attention. Forced to choose between her quiet life as a teacher under constant surveillance or the life of a rogue, she chooses the latter. She plans to hide out in sunny Los Angeles where being a blue-eyed blonde won’t make anyone bat a false eyelash.
Silver screen star by day, superhero by night, Arktos is a triple-threat. He can fly, freeze anything, and see glimpses of the future, all of which he needs to keep the city of Los Angeles safe, but which does nothing for his social life. When a frightening vision of an explosion leads him to rescue a damsel in distress, he finds himself trading Shakespearean insults with a rogue.
Angela knows just how dangerous well-intentioned superheroes can be: one tried to kill her family when she was young. Arktos knows he should hand the rogue over to Company justice; it’s not safe for someone like her to be in the middle of a fight.
But they can’t seem to stay apart. And together, they just might be able to melt all the obstacles standing between true love for a hero and a villain.
To celebrate her new release, Liana has been on a virtual book tour since the 11th. I get to close out her stops with an interview that lets you in on some of her quirks.
1. I just got to read chapter 1, and I know you’re obsessed with socks. What socks do you imagine Angela is wearing in the opening scenes? (Pictures are welcome, too.)
In my mind Angela is a quintessential flip-flop girl, but I suppose for school she’s be wearing something more conservative, a skirt with tights perhaps. And she’s a math teacher with some youthful quirks so I imagine she’s wearing THESE tights from ASOS.
2. Does the kind socks she’s wearing change as she makes the cross-country move? (More pics…) 😉
Angela’s keeping a low profile as she’s fleeing across the country, and she’s the type who wouldn’t worry about riding the bus. But the bus is definitely a place for closed toed shoes, so Angela’s going to have her favorite socks at the ready Apple socks, these constellation socks because she’s wishing on her lucky star, and of course her kick butt BLAMMO! Socks because she’s getting off the bus in L.A. ready to fight and rebuild her life.
3. Tour visitors are getting to see an excerpt and a blurb; I’ve gotten to see a little bit extra. What prompted your idea of a hero trying to fly under the radar in this story?
I think this is a reaction to what happened in EVEN VILLAINS FALL IN LOVE, the whole family realized how dangerous it would be if the children were exposed. Angela grew up knowing that people would want to not only use her, but kill her, and she’s also a little bit scared of her own power. Angela is terrified of what could go wrong, and so I had to put her in a situation where the right thing and the easy thing weren’t the same thing. She has to face her fears to save people she loves. Isn’t that the definition of being a hero?
4. Also, the Hollywood setting is something a little different from any other of the stories you’ve written. How much research did you have to do to get it to where you’re satisfied it represents the reality you wanted to share?
First, I need to thank the marvelous David Voderberg for answering a plethora of questions. Second, I need to apologize for twisting reality so much for the purpose of fiction. I did a great deal of research: maps, licenses, looking at how auditions worked (but not actually auditioning because there was nothing locally), looking at a lot of behind-the-scenes footage… but in the end I had to use only the highlights because the timeline of the book didn’t allow for Angela to take years to find her way onto a movie set. Her career path is not realistic, but it works for a daughter of Doctor Charm.
5. How many more books are you planning for in the Heroes and Villains universe?
I think my editor and I talked about doing seven books total, and then maybe doing the eighth book as Tabitha’s story. I actually wrote that a year ago, and people have been winning a chapter of it by changing their social media avatars to the cover of EVEN VILLAINS GO TO THE MOVIES, but it wasn’t good enough for my readers yet. Some books need a little more time to cook than others.
6. Who’s next on the roster to get a full-length book?
The next book has the working title of EVEN VILLAINS WANT THE TRUTH and it’s Delilah’s book. She appears briefly in EVEN VILLAINS GO TO THE MOVIES, you’ll see her towards the end, and she has an interesting life. You’ll like it. Promise.
7. It seems recently there is a greater appreciation for minions in fiction-land (I’m thinking of “Despicable Me” here), though for me, the first minions I’d encountered were the ones your Dr. Charm manufactured. If you were to use something like http://minionslovebananas.com/minion-maker/ what would your personal minion look like, be named, and do especially for you?
A minion named Meanwhile (Meanwhile, back at the ranch…) who could wash dishes, fold laundry, and change diapers so I had more time to write. I don’t care what it would look like, but I strongly suspect it may need eight arms to keep up with the chores.
8. This is your 6th release. Do you feel like an old pro yet?
I like the tradition where everyone goes and buys my book. Otherwise, no, I haven’t had enough serious releases to come up with a tradition. Maybe I’ll go buy myself some new socks. 🙂
10. Is there anything you hope your readers will take away from the series that might not be an obvious moral?
When you encounter a masked man, your first order of business should be to take his mask off, and always make sure your stolen motorcycle has a full tank of gas.
11. Author’s choice: What question should I have asked that I missed?
I think you hit all of the questions you needed. Great job! This was a fun interview.
Thanks for stopping by, Liana, and good luck on your latest release. For the rest of you… There’s a giveaway and I’m posting the links for you to be able to find Liana and all her books:
*Social Media*
Website – http://www.lianabrooks.com
Twitter – https://twitter.com/LianaBrooks
FaceBook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Liana-Brooks/278779308851471
Tumblr – http://lianabrooks.tumblr.com/
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18620101-even-villains-go-to-the-movies
BookLikes – http://lianabrooks.booklikes.com/
*Buy Links*
Breathless Press – http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=15&products_id=22
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Liana-Brooks/e/B007S9DB2A/
Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/liana-brooks
All Romance eBooks – http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html
Kobo – http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/Search?Query=liana+brooks
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/liana-brooks/id476454626?mt=11
Twilight