Just plain news: NBC has ordered a shortened season of Community. I think we'd all agree that
less Community is better than no Community at all. So alright, NBC. I'll release one of the children, safe and sound. But only one!
Bad news: The e-book I was going to publish through Fempop has been delayed to roughly November. I've been trying to peg that down to November
2012, but it's actually been very hard to get a hold of my editor. It would honestly be simpler if I had a phone number or a mailing address. Who knew the internet would make it
harder to stalk someone? But, on the bright side...
Good news: This gives me more time to make my e-book more like Fifty Shades of Gray. Sorry haters, I gotta go where the heat is. But don't worry, I think this excerpt will prove it stays very true to the characters.
Atlin brushed a lock of hair away from Tabreth's face. "I've... I've never done this before," she said, restraining the urge to fidget in his strong arms.
He planted a chaste kiss on her lips. The first, and least, of many. "Neither have I. I guess we'll just figure it out as we go."
She nodded. "By the way, have you ever wanted to put on nipple clamps and spank someone with a rusty shovel?"
"Whoa! It's like you read my mind!"Good news: Okay, kidding. Actually, my book has always been something of a commentary on that kind of story... the gothic romance, Fifty Shades of Gray,
any book with Greek Millionaire in the title... it's always about a powerful, almost paternal Manly Man and the innocent, virginal maiden he sexes up. And these are female fantasies. In fact, how many urban fantasy series featured a powerful, domineering, even sinister male as a love interest? (Possible male counterpoint: Shota? You'd be surprised how many people apparently ship Power Girl with a twelve-year-old boy...)
So my book was something of a reaction to that. Not a satire or even an affectionate parody, since I hadn't read enough of those kind of stories to form a real opinion and it doesn't seem fair to hate-read my way through some Harlequin romances to tear them down. I mean, easy target much? But it is a subversion, recasting it so the powerful, sinister, domineering figure is a woman and the helpless, naive virgin is... yeah.
So I thought, while I wait, I'd read some Shadow Male books and get a bit more specific idea of what I'm kinda-sorta satirizing. So, folks, any good (or good-bad) "Oh Mr. Darcy!" books you'd care to recommend?
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( Don't take this the wrong way, but… could you not talk for a bit? I don't mean to be rude, but I have something to say—something that I really need to say—and it would go best if it were a speech, not a conversation. )
