Wednesday, November 1, 2017

NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT: PARAGONS

I am proud to introduce to you the latest release from Silver Empire publishing: Paragons: An Anthology of Superheroes.

Silver Empire's mission statement is "to find and publish the best heroic, wondrous adventure fiction out there. Like you, we wanted stories that still showcased heroism. And we like fiction that dares to show us wonders we've never imagined."

To seek out new authors, creating new civilizations. To boldly go where no fiction has gone before!

... Okay, yes, I added that last part. But if you read it again in a William Shatner voice, with the original serious music in the background, wouldn't that be cool

Anyway, with a mission statement like that, an anthology about superheroes was something we all should have seen coming.

On the flap copy.

Look - up in the sky!

They awe us. They fill us with wonder. But most of all, they inspire us – to be stronger, faster, and smarter. Superheroes teach us how to aspire to the best versions of ourselves. Enjoy this master collection of collection of 13 tales of all-new, all-original superheroes from today’s up and coming science fiction and fantasy masters!

When the police fail to take down the super powered mobs a rogue vigilante steps up to the plate in Nightstick by Kai Wai Cheah. Peek in on a superhero marriage proposal via Blackout by Morgon Newquist. When a young nuclear engineer gains superpowers, the Soviet government wants to control her for the sake of the motherland in Stalina by Sam Kepfield.

Enjoy these tales and more by Alt-Hero novelist Jon Del Arroz, Dragon Award and Hugo Award nominee Kai Wai Cheah, Dragon Award nominee Declan Finn, and others!
My own particular contribution to the series is "The Weather Witch."  I originally used the story as an origin for a superheroine in a series to be developed with Robert Bertand, who I count as a friend, though we haven't talked in a while, so we may be down to acquaintances. My fault as much as anything else. We outlined this novel together, came up with some concepts.  This was one concept he decided to take a completely different route with, so the story, as written, became useless.

Then Russell at Silver Empire decided he wanted superhero short stories. Guess what I just happen to have lying around.

"The Weather Witch" about an African girl, raised in a missionary school, attacked by slavers. Only in this case, the leader of these slavers is a giant fellow, with crackling yellow electricity eyes. He jokes that "His mother was the lightning."

And since this little girl has grown up with this risk her entire life, she decided that she's not going to go down easy -- she jabs the guy in the eyes.  They both get a bit of a shock...

So what happens when a ten year old girl basically finger jabs the eyes of a monster run on elemental forces?

Fun fun fun.

Obviously, there are some really obvious parallels. African girl with weather powers ... comic fans will think "Ah. Storm. X-Men. Mutants again?" Not quite. Get the book. Find out.

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