Trope-tastic Thursdays: Significant Green Eyed Redhead

(Don't forget to enter the Disintegration release giveaway if you haven't already!)

Trope: Significant Green Eyed Red Head

Description: What it says. ;) Okay, okay, I know this is a pretty minor trope, but it's timely, so bear with me. As red and green are opposite each other on the color wheel, combinations of them are a quick way of calling attention to an important character. There tend to be more women then men fitting this trope, and the combination of red hair and green eyes is frequently thought to be alluring.

Examples: Jessica Rabbit, Poison Ivy, Mary Jane from Spiderman

Pros: As noted above, the bright, complimentary colors are ways to draw attention to a character. Redheads themselves have a slew of associated tropes, and just the simple act of giving a character red hair can have certain connotations and give the audience an idea of what to expect.

Cons: Natural redheads with naturally green eyes don't pop up all that often in nature, despite what creators of art might have you think. Also, as stated in the "pros" list, there are a number of closely-related tropes, and some of them have been done to death. (How many "feisty" redheads are there in books/movies/TV shows/comics/etc.?)

Would/Did I Use It?: Guilty as charged, though I admit I stumbled into this one blindly. Tanith, one of the antagonists in Disintegration (and star of her own mini-prequel), has green eyes and flaming red hair. I honestly didn't know about this trope before I described her in this way; however, I will confess to loosely basing her physical appearance off of Aveline from Dragon Age 2. (Whether or not you consider Aveline significant is another story...I think there are far more significant characters in the game, but mileage varies!)

The "Disintegration" Release! (and Giveaway!)

Disintegration is out from Double Dragon Publishing today! (And is coming soon to your favorite retailer!) I'm so excited about this book, I can't even begin to describe it. This is, hands-down, my most favorite thing I've ever written to date, and I've been looking forward to sharing it. 

I have two e-copies up for grabs today. Click the widget for the instructions - I can't wait to read your answers! You have until midnight EST to answer, and I'll announce the winners and send off the books on Saturday to kick off the weekend. Good luck, and happy reading!

Synopsis: Dutiful soldier Callum Renwick wakes up in the underground laboratory of a mercenary organization. He learns he was the sole survivor of an attack that destroyed his unit, his hometown, and his family. In addition to the loss of his loved ones, he discovers that due to his injuries, half his body has been supplanted by artificial skin and cybernetic parts. Once he has recovered, he is assigned to the care of Ro Bernard, who leads the effort to turn him into a powerful assassin. She is outspoken, yet secretive, and uses unconventional means to mold him into a depraved killer. Mind games and rough sex are in her repertoire of training tactics, and Callum is both infuriated and fascinated by her. As he comes to terms with his grief and his new role, many of his biological body parts fail and must be replaced. Will he adapt to survive in Ro’s world and exact vengeance on the woman who ordered the attack that changed his life? a Rafflecopter giveaway

Six Sentence Sunday!

I usually have these posts scheduled way in advance and ready to go. However, I spent all day yesterday staring at the computer working out the little issues with self-pubbing on Smashwords and Amazon, and by the time I was done, I literally could not look at this thing for another second. So much for my superior organizational skills.

I'm still working on the StS sequel. To make up for my relative lateness this morning, I might as well hint at what one of the main plots is going to be. Enjoy!


His eyes remained shielded from view. “That look is actually part of what’s been haunting me. I’ve watched the two of you together. When you’re clinging to me as he’s moving inside you, sheer bliss illuminating every part of your body...sometimes my mind just can’t help but wonder what....”

Realization set in as he trailed off. “You’re attracted to Ash.”

Trope-tastic Thursdays: The Ingenue

Trope: The Ingenue

Description: The Ingenue is sweet, innocent, and naive to a fault. She's frequently a virgin, and any sort of sexual talk or flirting will go right over her pretty little head. Due to her traits, she's a prime target to become a Damsel in Distress. After all, the hero(es) must save her before anything can damage that delicate flower!

Examples: A fair number of the older Disney princesses, Sandy for a large portion of Grease, Rose from The Golden Girls (oldest ingenue on record?)

Pros: As stated above, they unfortunately make good victims, so there's a way to kickstart a plot. There will always be an audience for "knight in shining armor saves the lovely lass from unspeakable horrors" stories. The ingenue can offer a stark contrast to the hero and highlight his strength and cleverness. In romance, a hero with a tortured past can be "healed" by the ingenue, and who doesn't love a good redemption story?

Or, to put it simply: there are a lot of crappy things in this world. Sometimes it can be heartening to see someone retain their optimism and cheerful nature, despite whatever terrible things may be happening around her.

Cons: If the ingenue is portrayed as too naive, that can translate into stupidity. And if whatever's going around her is really crappy, she can either come across as unbelievable, or you just want to throttle her for not seeming to understand the severity of the situation.

While the ingenue is not necessarily asexual, her "purity" can be quite the hurdle in romantic plots. Some writers like working with that sort of thing. Others don't. (And then that leads to the question - is she still considered an ingenue after the hero deflowers her? Or does her newfound intimate knowledge of intimate matters immediately strip her of that title?)

Would/Did I Use It?: I could be forgetting a minor character somewhere along the way, but no, I don't think I've written any ingenues. Generally, I like my female characters to be strong, smart, successful women. That doesn't mean they're not flawed, but those flaws don't come from a lack of awareness or ignorance of darker matters. Plus, I'm not really a fan of writing sex scenes with virgins. 

Disintegration Prequel #3

Here is is, the last of the Disintegration prequels. This one focuses on Ro, who's become one of my favorite characters. This one's a bit longer than the other two, but with more plot comes more naughty activities! 

I'm going to try to have the e-book collection out by the end of this week, if PDFs aren't your thing. Until then, enjoy!

Disclaimer: This content is intended for readers over the age of 18 (21 in some areas).
III. Palavia: Ro

Six Sentence Sunday!

My original plan was to chill out with some games after finishing all the Disintegration stuff. Alas, my computer decided not to cooperate, so with little else to do, I started the (as yet untitled) Searching the Skies prequel. The nice part about a prequel, I've found, is that as the characters are already in an established relationship, I can get right down to *ahem* business. Or in other words, this book starts off with a bang! ;) 


“I really should be resting before my busy day of travel, though....”

“Then I guess you’d better work quickly and efficiently.”

Geneva raised her hand in a mock salute. “Yes, sir!” She slung one leg over him, straddling his lap. “Any other special orders, Commander Ashford?”

Trope-tastic Thursdays: (Defrosting) Ice Queen

Trope: Ice Queen (and its sub-trope, the Defrosting Ice Queen)

Description: The Ice Queen is aloof and, well, frigid. She may not want to get emotionally close to anyone, or it may just be men she disdains. There are a few different ways her icy qualities can manifest themselves, ranging from slinging nasty remarks at anyone who crosses her to simply coming across as emotionless and "cold". In romance, the hero strives to "defrost" her and win her over so they can embark on a relationship. 

(While not required, Ice Queens often have blonde hair and blue eyes.)

Examples: Katherine from The Taming of the Shrew, Hot Lips from M*A*S*H, many female characters in James Bond and Alfred Hitchcock movies

Pros: The Ice Queen is no wet blanket, and she usually just doesn't sit back and take any bullshit. She won't swoon over the hero as soon as he walks in the door - he's going to have to WORK for her affection. Comedic value is bumped up a notch if she's the type to make snappy comebacks and sends the hero away with his tail between his legs. Even if we think she's a bit snotty, we frequently can't help but root for her and want her to find true love.

Cons: If not handled with care, this trope can veer sharply into "she needed a MAN to put her in her place" territory, or imply that she was a lesser human being until that man came along to defrost her. (Or tame her, in Shakespeare's case.) Another possibility is that there's some deep, dark, secretive reason for why the Ice Queen is so icy; it can be valid, or overly melodramatic (or both, I suppose). Also, if she comes across as too cold-hearted, it can be difficult for the audience to like and relate to her.

Would/Did I Use It?: Eh. I have mixed feelings about this one, for the reasons listed in the "cons" list. For me, it's definitely one of those tropes where I can enjoy it if it's used well, but it's VERY easy to slip up and create either an unlikable character or a storyline where the more feminist-minded readers are rolling their eyes. I have written a few Ice Queens here and there, but I don't think any of them had a particularly cruel, vicious streak when it came to the feelings of the people around them.