Supervillains – Kristen Brand

5 Writing Lessons I Learned from Re-watching Batman: The Animated Series

I re-watched the first season of Batman: The Animated Series recently for the first time since I was in my tweens. (And boy, does that make me feel old.) I loved this show when I was a kid, but I don’t think I was really old enough to appreciate how brilliant it was. As an adult who’s interested in superheroes and storytelling, I got a lot more out of it. Not only did it entertain the heck out of me, but it gave me a lot to think about writing-wise.

Here are five thoughts I had after finishing the first season. Continue reading 5 Writing Lessons I Learned from Re-watching Batman: The Animated Series

New Superhero Fiction (July 2018)

The last of this summer’s superhero blockbusters may have already hit theaters, but there are plenty more superhero novels ready to hit your tablet, phone, or e-reader. Here are some of coolest titles I came across in July. As usual, I haven’t read all of these books personally, so check out the samples and reviews before downloading. And happy reading!

Sorceress Super Hero

by Darius Brasher

The mess all started when I punched a 400-year-old fairy reality TV star in the throat.

Things got really weird from there.

Before I could blink, I was fighting wererats, getting kidnapped by superheroes, stealing a cape inhabited by the ghost of a magical genius, and trying to save the world alongside a 2,000-year-old immortal who wields a piece of Noah’s Ark. All while struggling to not get evicted or fired from my job.

That was just Monday. Tuesday is shaping up to be busier. Continue reading New Superhero Fiction (July 2018)

Read the first chapter of Kill Them All

We’re less than two months away from the release date of Kill Them All! I like to call this novel a “supervillain revenge thriller,” so expect lots of superpowered action and a snarky first-person POV. I love writing Val, a glamorous, middle-aged, semi-retired supervillain who just wants to protect her family. Though loving her doesn’t stop me from putting her through hell in this book. 😉

A big thank you to everyone who’s been following The White Knight and Black Valentine Series from the beginning, and a warm welcome to new readers who just discovered the books recently! I hope this preview gets you hyped, and that you enjoy the whole book when it hits the shelves. Continue reading Read the first chapter of Kill Them All

8 Great Superhero Anthologies

I love a good anthology. Getting a dozen stories in one collection, discovering new authors, diving into new worlds—what’s not to like? Fans of superhero fiction are particularly lucky, because there are a lot of good superhero anthologies out there. In honor of the release of Heroes and Villains, the new boxed set that contains Hero Status along with nine other novels, I want to spotlight four of my favorite anthologies and four on my to-read list.

Wild Cards

Back in print after a decade, expanded with new original material, this is the first volume of George R. R. Martin’s Wild cards shared-world series. Continue reading 8 Great Superhero Anthologies

Announcing the Heroes & Villains Boxed Set

Like reading about superheroes? Well, how about ten superheroes for the price of one?

I’m excited to announce that Hero Status is part of Heroes & Villains: A Superhero Collection. This boxed set contains ten full-length superhero novels. Ten! You’ll really get to see the full spectrum of what superhero prose fiction has to offer, from teenage heroes-in-training to retired ones, retro 60s vigilantes to super-powered teams in the near future. If you’re a fan of the genre, you need to check this out!
Continue reading Announcing the Heroes & Villains Boxed Set

Cover Reveal: Kill Them All

Do you like morally gray female protagonists? Enjoy a good old-fashioned revenge story? Then get out your To-Read List and add Kill Them All to the bottom, because I’ve got the book for you.

The release date isn’t for a few more months, but I couldn’t keep the cover a secret any longer. It’s just too awesome. Look at it!

The Story

Valentina Belmonte walked away from her supervillain career years ago. Having peaked at the top of the national Most-Wanted List, she now lives a quiet life with her husband and daughter, enjoying the Florida sun. Sure, she has to curb her violent and illegal instincts to stay under the radar, but her family is worth it.

Until they’re attacked. With her husband—a retired superhero and the closest thing she has to a conscience—hospitalized and on the brink of death, she’s done playing nice. She doesn’t know who attacked them or why, but she’ll wreak bloody destruction until she finds out. Nobody does revenge like a supervillain, but as her single-minded pursuit grows more violent, it threatens the only family she has left… Continue reading Cover Reveal: Kill Them All

New Superhero Fiction Releases (May 2018)

Hi again, super readers. This post took forever to put together, because there are so many awesome-sounding superhero novels that came out this month. And we’ve got a little bit of everything, whether you’re looking for dark or comedic tones, teenage or adult protagonists, romance or pure action.

You know the drill by now: please read the samples and reviews before purchasing, because I haven’t personally read everything on this list. And if you’d like to share your own recommendations, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Happy reading!

Power: Arca Book 3

by Karen Diem

After successfully rescuing her brother from a serial killer and stopping a plot to use a magic butter knife to massacre thousands, Zita Garcia is ready for a return to her regular life: illegally climbing skyscrapers, hiding her superpowers, and grudgingly earning a paycheck to cover all those bills piling up.

Unfortunately, her least favorite supervillains are rampaging around in a bloody crime spree, outmaneuvering and outgunning the authorities. Enlisting her friends to help, even the one sulking in his dad’s basement, she’s got to stop the bad guys and their latest evil plan before anyone else dies. Even if Zita isn’t sure what they’re doing, other than it involves Brazil.

And maybe dinosaurs. Continue reading New Superhero Fiction Releases (May 2018)