Yes, This Will Be On the Test

Writing, Reading, Laughing

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Meet the GODS OF JUSTICE

I’m ecstatic to wave my pom poms, squeal, and do an embarrassing cheerleader leap over the release of the new superhero anthology, GODS OF JUSTICE, that includes an awesome story called IDENTITY CRISIS by my treasured and talented friend, the wonderful Lisa Gail Green.

Blurb alert from Smashwords:
Like mythical gods of the past, superheroes are a primal force of nature. This thrilling collection of ten original short stories features brand new heroes in action-packed adventures that will grip you and never let go. Each is written by some of the most talented writers today, including DC Comics writer Ricardo Sanchez and Star Trek author Dayton Ward.

AND LISA GAIL GREEN!

The thrill continues as Lisa joins us for an interview about this cool project.

How did you become a part of GODS OF JUSTICE?
I try to keep my eyes open for different submission opportunities. I’ve always loved writing short stories, especially sci-fi and fantasy, so when I saw the call for superhero stories mentioned on a blog, I had to go for it. I also loved the idea that I would have a print book that I could hold in my hands with my words in it. Maybe it’s a little silly, but most of my other publications were online or e-book format, which are great, but I wanted that tactile experience at least once!
Give us a peek into your short story, IDENTITY CRISIS.
Well here’s the official blurb from the website: After the superhero, SolarFlare, is injured, her twin sister, Leslie, takes her place. Leslie soon discovers that it will take more than just a flashy costume to save the city from a mad man.
I thought, what if I took the concept of sibling rivalry and elevated it to the extreme? I frequently start ideas with “what if” statements. Imagine a girl whose twin sister was always the perfect one. But her sister turns out to be more than perfect – she’s an actual superhero! Then suppose the other sister had to pose as said superhero…
May I say Leslie is a fabulous name for a superhero. Okay, SolarFlare is pretty rockin’ too. Do you prefer to write short stories or full-length novels?
 Ha! That’s a good question. There was a time when I never thought I could write a full-length novel, now I’ve written many. I suppose I have to admit that I prefer the novel because of the depths I can explore. I love all those complicated subplots, and the chance to develop a whole cast of characters. But short stories are fun too! And you forgot poetry – there’s something especially cathartic about the freedom involved.
 How is your approach to a short story different from a longer format?
 Well, in a short story, again, you can’t get too crazy with plot and character. You have to have a fairly straightforward arc so you can get from point A to point B. And you can’t have too many characters either. The more you have, the trickier it becomes. The problem has to be more simplistic as well. There have been several times where I’ve taken one of my short stories, however, and gotten the seed for a novel.
I know you saw a sketch of your heroine. How did the picture relate to your personal visualization of the character?
 He he he. Well, let’s just say she’s rather well endowed! And I do make a joke about that in the story, so I know the illustrator was paying attention. But wow, I’m thinking she can defy the laws of physics beyond just her SolarFlare powers… Seriously though, it was so unbelievably cool to see my character come to life in a drawing! I even got to give input on it. So yeah, I was geeking out about it.
 What was the editing process like for the anthology?
 It was possibly the most involved edit I’ve ever done. I did three rounds with the editors who didn’t pull any punches. Part of the revision was aging my protagonist by four years. But all that helps prepare me for the editorial letter I’ll hopefully someday get for a novel! And there is no doubt the story is stronger than the one I submitted. And as readers you can be sure that the book is high quality.
 Did I hear that GODS OF JUSTICE is making an appearance at Comic Con?
 Yes!! You can get the scoop on the Comic Con 2011 website, it will be in several booths including the DC booth, which again for nerds like me is sooo cool. That’s because one of the other authors is a DC comics author. I am in good company. I wish I could be at Comic Con too, but I’m thrilled that my work will be!
I promise to drop your name at Comic Con. Is there anything else you’d like to share with us about GODS OF JUSTICE?
 It’s for sale now through Smashwords at a very reasonable price, and will be offered soon as a print book. I’m really proud to be a part of it. It was fun to write the story, and I hope that the readers enjoy it.

Thank you, Lisa, for hanging out with us. I've had the honor of reading IDENTITY CRISIS. It is clever and exciting - a must read. Now everyone pop over to Lisa’s blog, Paranormal Point of View, and enter her contest to win your very own copy of GODS OF JUSTICE.

25 comments:

  1. Awesome interview.

    I love short stories. And I agree with Lisa that a short story arc can only be so complicated. Space is limited.

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  2. Hooray for Lisa! Thanks for posting about this super cool (pun intended) anthology!

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  3. Here's a big "woot" for Lisa Gail and, of course, the others in the anthology. Good luck with this. I think your cover is smashing.

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  4. Lee R. - My hats off to the writer's who can contain themselves so eloquently in a short story.

    Jess - Nice pun.

    C. Lee - I expected your comment to be in Dutch.

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  5. Congrats to Lisa! And a great interview, too. The story sounds great. I love that her name is Leslie. It really works!

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  6. Thank you, Leslie for the awesome interview! It was fun being on the interviewee side. :D Thank you to everyone who has stopped to comment as well! Your support means the world to me. And NO, the name Leslie was not a coincidence...

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  7. I'm definitely picking this up!!! Can't wait to read it.

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  8. I've read Lisa's story and it is, should I say...super! :-)

    She does a great twist taking the sibling rivalry to the extreme and the characters are richly and warmly developed.

    Now, I need to read the rest of the stories!

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  9. Wow, your work will be at Comic Con! That's amazing! Congrats!

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  10. Jennifer - It's so cool Lisa's name will be floating around "The Con."

    Lisa - You are a sweetheart for letting me interview you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. (And thanks for putting my name in your work, I'm honored.)

    Susan - Lisa's story made me wish I had a sister to rival with. Brothers don't play fair.

    Heather - I'm going to grab an autographed copy at Comic Con if I can wait that long. I'll probably waffle and get the Kindle version before.

    Lydia - I agree with you on the name. Lisa should use Leslie for all her MC's from now on.

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  11. LOVE Lisa -- this is soooooo exciting!! So very cool to be 'at' Comic Con! :)

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  12. Lisa's super awesome story is a thrill ride for sure! And I'm holding out for the print copy. I want it to sit on my shelf :D

    Great interview, besties!

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  13. How cool is this Lisa! Congrats and Comic Con!?! I'm a super geek too so this is HUGE!

    Leslie, thanks for sharing this with us, this short story sounds great!

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  14. Jessica, Jemi, Julie, and Deana (You guys sound like a girl band) - Let's all geek out together for Lisa. Yay!

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  15. Yay!!! You guys are all awesome! :D <-- the biggest smile my keyboard will let me type...

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  16. Nice interview, Leslie. I've passed it on.

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  17. Funny how our names sometimes crop up in stories! Thanks for sharing Lisa - the book is on my list!

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  18. Thanks Laurie:)

    You're welcome, Margo. Hmmm, Margo. Sounds like a great name for a MC.

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  19. Great interview, and I'm so happy for Lisa. She's right that superheroes are modern gods. Funny how humans have a primal need to picture beings that are like us only stronger. Love the idea of a twin who's a superhero. I've known twin pairs like that. One an outgoing and popular superstar, one mousy. Brilliant concept.

    Leslie--you just left two nice comments on my blog and one of them got deleted by gremlins. I moderate comments on posts more than a week old, and as I clicked "Publish" for your comment, the page refreshed and the click went on delete instead. Creepy and a little scary. But I copied the comment and posted it anyway.

    Thanks a bunch to you and Lisa for being friends of my blog.

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  20. Thank you, Anne. When I teach about Greek and Roman gods and goddesses in my class the kids seem to naturally associate them with superheroes. Of course it's the beasts with multiple heads they like best - forget the gods when you have a juicy Hydra.

    I was worried about computer viruses, now I have to watch out for Gremlins! I'll be up all night.

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  21. I definitely agree that a hard copy print book in hand is definitely the coolest!


    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  22. Laura, Thanks for stopping by.

    I agree with you Lee.

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  23. Yay for Lisa. It sounds like an awesome anthology.

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