Anna Alexander's Blog

Does it seem as if the pages of my website are having an identity crisis? Well, I realized it’s been a few years since I’ve taken a good look at the site and it is time to clean up.

There have been so many changes since I began writing many, many years ago. Book distributors have closed, publishers have come and gone, and iBooks is now AppleBooks.

So do not fret. I have not been hacked. I’m just fighting with WordPress and their “fabulous” updates and trying to freshen up the website. Hope you like where everything lands!

There was a dustup this week in the RWA community. During the fury of heated emails and declarations of heartfelt emotions, a friend asked me if I was still wanting to run for a position on the national board. I replied without hesitation, “Yes I do.”

I have a voice and I’m not afraid to use it. I’ve had experiences that I have learned from that I wish to share. And I have a desire to make the organization be strong and relevant, and give back to the community that has given me so much.

There are two main issues that I feel RWA needs to address, and I’ll post my ideas on them separately so this isn’t a mile long. The first point was the crux of the discussion that was brought up this weekend.

Diversity. It has been a hot topic of discussion across the country in all facets of life, business, and art for the last few years. I think the discussion in question this past weekend wasn’t so much about diversity as it was inclusion. Should RWA spend resources to reach out to marginalized authors to convey that they have a home and opportunities with the organization?

The short answer is yes. Let’s be real. For decades, the membership resembled an estrogen-laden carton of milk. Perhaps that was because in the romance world traditional publishing contracted authors who were primarily of Caucasian persuasion and it was a reflection of the times. Whatever the reason, that is no longer and should no longer be the case. We now live in a time where the collective consciousness of readers is wide open to possibility. With the accessibility of self-publishing, the reading public no longer is tied to the books New York believes they “know how to sell.” Readers have access to stories that reflects people from all walks of life. People of color, of every sexual persuasion, people who do not fit society’s standards of “normal.” We are in a cultural renaissance.

The authors of these incredible books reflect their characters. For years they have been made to feel, and told straight to their face, they do not belong in publishing. Over the last few years, RWA has taken strides to put an end to those prejudices. It is a tough and important fight that will probably take years before victory can be declared.

People of the world want to read good stories. They want stories about characters they relate to, that move them, and inspire them. It should not matter what ethnicity or sexual persuasion the authors of these works are. Unfortunately, to some in the industry it does. One of RWA’s missions is to be an advocate for authors. That means all authors. Not just the Caucasian authors. Not just the female authors. Not just the traditionally published authors. Not just the historical, or contemporary, or paranormal, or erotic or inspirational authors. ALL authors.

As a member of the board, opportunities for inclusion will be something I strive to create in all my endeavors. My job will be to serve All its members. And serve all of them I shall.

You are not mistaken. In preparation for the release of Eight Seconds to Forever, the first four books in the Sprawling A Ranch Series are for sale! So for those of you who have not been to the ranch, here’s your chance to scoop them up for a steal. 

Originally, The Cowboy Way was meant to be a stand-alone novel. Then Mark demanded his own book, and the rest of the guys were right behind him wanting one too. You know there was no way I could resist.

The Sprawling A books make me laugh. Although they live in a small town, the characters have big wants, big dreams, and big desires. They also love ferociously and consider their friends as family. Some of the more outragous events are based on real life stories, and I’ve dropped a few of my own family jokes in as well. As you may notice, these books bring me immense joy.

 

The series begins with Trey and Greta in The Cowboy Way.

FREE!

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 Then came Mark and Gabriella in The Marlboro Man.

 Free!

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Let’s not forget the scandal that erupted when Ben and Colby fell in love with Faith in the award winning To Have Faith.

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Nic won Adam’s heart by being her badass self in Sweetest Kisses. 

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*Did you notice the universal book links? One link will direct you to your choice of digital vendors. Sweet, huh?

Captain America: Civil War. No spoilers here. I promise. I would not ruin it for you. Let me just get down to it and tell you what I thought of the movie.

This movie

has everything: Action, comedy, a teeny spot of romance. And angst, oh there is a lot

of angst. But it’s all good. And I’m not just saying that because I am Team Captain. However, I’ll give you a moment to enjoy the awesomeness that is Chris Evans. He’s just so darn cute. Those eyes. That voice. Those shoulders. Those biceps! sigh….I’ll give you little longer…seriously, I think they deserve their own movie.
Anyway, where was I?  

Having read most of the Civil War cannon, I was

interested in seeing how they would weave those storylines into the current Marvel

Cinema Universe. In my opinion, I think they did an excellent job. The plot made sense,

even more so than in the comics, motivations were understandable. Gold stars! This was the Avengers movie we should have had last year.





Yeah, while we’re on that topic. Let’s be real. Is

this truly a Captain America movie? No. Not really. Is this just another

Avengers movie? Kind of. I can definitely see why people would think that.





What

this movie truly is is Civil War. Numerous story lines crossing over to

create one creative entity. That was the beauty of the graphic novels, and here those elements are delivered in spades.  When the two sides collide it is both epic and

horrifying. These are characters you love, and they’re going at each other. Drawing blood!

Going for the kill. I believe this is the darkest of the Marvel movies. Some of the subject matter is dark and gruesome, and I would not take a young child to see this movie. Some parts left me disturbed. But

those nods to the fans throughout the film were worth sitting through more of the difficult times.

Now for my only complaint. The cinematography. What the

hell? Someone with a lot of talent choreographed some brilliant fight scenes.

And some equally talented people executed them to perfection. Only I could not enjoy them

because the camera was all herky-jerky and giving me motion sickness. Why is there this disturbing trend in action movies? I don’t need shaky camera angles to make me feel as if I was there in the middle of the action. All you are doing is disrupting my enjoyment of a good

fight and making me ill. There is one scene where Captain America, Bucky, and Iron

Man are going at it the camera stays still. Watching the fluidity of their

movements was awesome, even though I wanted to shout at the screen for them stop

trying to kill each other. Stop shaking the

camera, and have a good fight scene stand on its own.





As for the newest additions to the MCU- Black Panther and Spider-Man. Both were fantastic. I took Squid with me to the movie and she loved Peter Parker. I mean lllooovvveeeed him. When I told her he was to have his own movie, she squealed. Ah…her first superhero crush. I’m so proud.

Okay, boys and girls. It’s late, so I’m going to wrap this

up, and leave you to go and enjoy this movie on your own. Perhaps you’ll see me at another showing this weekend. Hell, who am I kidding? I already have tickets for Saturday.

I know. You’ve all been waiting to hear what I thought about Batman v Superman. I’m certain you haven’t been able to think of anything else until you’ve heard my opinion. 

So what did I think of the movie? I liked it. Most of it, anyway. But like Man of Steele, the director once again veered off course too many times to make me go, “Yes! This is the best.”

BvS takes place almost two years after Man of Steele and the aborted world domination plan of General Zod. During that battle, Bruce Wayne was enroute to his company offices in Metropolis yet arrived too late to save most of his employees. Hence the seeds of his dislike of Superman are sowed.

The overall arc of the movie centers around Superman, who is struggling with maintaining his dual identity, being held unofficially on trial by the world. A man with god-like powers who answers to no one. How do you hold accountable someone with such power? A very good question in deed. So good in fact, that that is the basic premise of Marvel’s Civil War series which will soon be on the screen with Captain America- Civil War out next month. It is Bruce Wayne who believes he is the only person who can put Superman in his place.

At least I think that is his reasoning. Bruce’s motivation wasn’t made exactly clear, and that theory makes the most sense to me.

And thus, one of the many issues I had with BvS. Lack of motivation. Clark’s you understand from the get go. Bruce not so much. And Lex? Haven’t a clue.

Second issue- The filmmakers didn’t stick to one storyline. Of course not. That seems to be a trend with every DC movie. They threw in Wonder Woman. Why? Was the fight scene with her, Batman, and Superman epic? Yes. It was totally awesome!! But her presence was completely unnecessary. The Justice League could have been foreshadowed so less obtrusively. Lex Luther, again, not exactly sure what his purpose was except to be an opponent Superman and Batman could join forces to fight. Again, could have been executed much better.

And what the hell was Lois doing at the dock during the epic battle? She had absolutely no reason to be there. None. At all. And I’m not just saying that because I’m not a Lois fan. She truly had no purpose.

My companion for the evening was the Romi to my Michelle, Danielle Monsch. At one point she commented, “Why is it so dreary? Isn’t there any happiness?” The funny thing that struck me about that statement was as a Gotham fan, BvS is a bright sunny day in comparison. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but it is sad that bleak is the best anyone in the DC world can hope for.

So what did I like about the movie? Henry was dreamy. In my opinion, a fantastic representative of the ‘S.’ Love him. Love him! Ben was a decent Batman. Bitter, slightly jaded, a little self-righteous. A middle aged Bruce Wayne. Spot on. Didn’t understand how at his age, the exploits of Batman are still a mystery, and how people didn’t recognize Bruce Wayne while on the street. Seriously, if I’m a reporter at a party and Paul Allen or Bills Gates walked into a room. I’d recognize them.

I also liked how the massive destruction was scaled back from Man of Steel. It was still excessive, but the number of causalities was considerably less. When the fists started to finally fly, Danielle was concerned when I started giggling and clapping with excitement. I’d give the fighting an overall grade of B+.

When the story stayed in its lane, BvS was great. Unfortunately, the director swerved into oncoming traffic too many times to bring this movie victoriously over the finish line. And don’t get me started on the ending. Seriously?

Final thought- Go see it and form your own opinion. Definitely worth a matinee showing.

 

This week Agent Carter ended its second season. I know, I’m

sad, too.  And now there’s talk that it

might not return for a season three.
Wha?!?!
Agent Carter brings something to the television audience

that is lacking across the T.V. landscape, and that is strong female characters in lead roles.
As the main character, you’d expect Peggy Carter to be a

world class badass, and Hayley Atwell delivers in spades. The Steve Rogers vibe is strong in her as she endeavors to solve the case with integrity and fairness. Everywhere she goes, there is usually a man telling her no, but she keeps moving forward with grace and unapologetic intelligence. And the hat. Let’s not forget that red hat.
When Peggy needed back up after her pigheaded male superiors kicked her off the case, it was Rose, the secretary who came to her aid. And did a damn fine job of it, too. Girl power!
But what I find most intriguing about the show is that it’s

also the woman who are the supreme villains. From Dottie Underwood to Whitney Frost, these women drive the action. They are stronger and more ruthless than their male counterparts, and it’s glorious.
I’ve always been intrigued by the female villain. What

motivates them is at times so much more complex than with males. And it’s that difference that makes for an interesting story. Now, I’m not saying I wish for the women of the world to be inspired for evilness, but I do like how it shows how a woman can be more than the moll. You want to take over the world, girl? Have at it!
And that is why we need Agent Carter. We need a showcase of strong, competent, intelligent women who are the driving force of the story. Supergirl is making an honest go of it with Kara, her sister Alex, and Cat Grant. And although Agents of SHEILD focuses on Coulson and Ward, it’s May, Skye/Daisy, and Bobbi who come in to save the day. Also notice that in both of these series, more often than not, it is a woman leading the charge to world domination that they are fighting.
So I say to the powers that be at ABC, bring back Agent Carter! The world needs her!

 

Better question- Are you still watching?

Personally, I’m on the fence. As with anything having to do with the DC world, I always watch with eyes squinted with trepidation because more often than not, the execution falls short. Really short. Sometimes off the planet short. (Wonder Woman anyone?)And Super girl is too important of a series to jack up. We, as in the world, need a good superhero series with a female protagonist. Hell, we just need a good series with a female protagonist- period.

I have so many thoughts about Super girl, I could go on forever, so I’ll try to condense them into a few bullet point sections, and of course, everything I’m about to say is my opinion. J But first, a few quick details. Super girl airs Monday nights at 8pm E/P on CBS, and is brought to you by the people who have worked on Arrow, The Flash, The Tomorrow People, and Chuck, to name a few. So a good start, right? Awesome, then let’s get to it.

The cast is fabulous. Melissa Benoist is totally likeable as Kara Danvers/Super girl. She’s wholesome, quirky enough not to be annoying (yet) and reminds me of every average, young, twenties-something woman I’ve meet. She’s surrounded by a great supporting cast with Jeremy Jordan, and Chyler Leigh, and I’m digging Mehcad Brooks as a more relaxed and groovy, mature version of James Olson. That’s right, James, not Jimmie. I even like Calista Flockhart as Cat Grant, but more on that later. And I can’t even describe how hard I fell over with delighted laughter when I saw Helen Slater and Dean Cain as Kara’s adoptive parents. So epically awesome.
Villains. So far all of the villains have been pretty two-dimensional and easily forgettable with their only function being to test Supergirl’s powers. Where is the villain that is going to test her mental fortitude? Where is the villain that will challenge her not only physically but make her question her morals as well? There was a great dynamic with Kara’s aunt Astra percolating in episode two that went nowhere. Seriously. Nowhere. Why did it go nowhere!?! It also appears as if Maxwell Lord (Peter Facinelli) is being groomed as the Lex Luther of National City. The writers have a long way to go if that is so. Right now I find the character creepy and petulant. I want a villain like Klaus Michaelson on The Originals. Holy crap is that man amazing. You hate him but feel for him all at the same time. But maybe Kara isn’t ready for that level of evilness. Once she is, this show will launch into the stratosphere.
Cat Grant. Oh… Cat Grant. I didn’t want to like her. Personally, I feel a woman can be in a position of power without being bitchy. I still feel that way. But with each episode, I understand where Cat is coming from. Cat is the voice of profession women of my generation. Each week she highlights the double standards women experience and the obstacles we still face in this “modern world.” Now, we may differ on our approaches in how we handle those issues, but I understand how she was shaped into the person she is today. Oh my gosh, I related all too well to the scene with Cat and her mother, and it reminded me of how I feel as a commercial fiction writer conversing with literary writers. Do I want Cat to change? Maybe. A little. She doesn’t need to get soft, but a little more squishy would be a nice character development.

Now to the crux of my hesitancy to be completely on team Super girl.

As a twenty-something young lady, Kara is very much indicative of a new adult heroine. Angsty, unsure of herself, trying to establish her place in the world and in her own skin. Great! Way to nail the genre. However, there is only so much of the should I-shouldn’t I-hand wringing I can watch without yelling at the screen for her to grow up already and take action. The way I think and feel now is the way I thought and felt at age ten. I was never a new adult and therefore I cannot relate to someone who hems and haws in every episode. At some point in time Kara is going to have to make a decision and stand by it. The incessant worry about whether or not she is good enough and the constant apologies she makes for being who she is, is getting old. I want my superheroes confident. Not cocky- confident. I hope with what happened in this last episode, Red Faced, that corner is being turned and we’re going to see some real character growth.

In my opinion, hero-centric stories tend to concentrate on the hero avenging or defending (insert here). A loved one, an idea, a way of life, etc. Any relationship they develop is secondary or tertiary to the central storyline. With heroine-centric stories, the relationships the heroine has is integral to the storyline, and more often than not overshadow the story arc. The heroine must also address issues the hero doesn’t even think about. Can she have a career and a satisfying home life? Can she be both strong and feminine? Does she save the world or save her marriage? Can she wear a nice dress and not have to worry about her reputation or fear about being taken seriously? Unfortunately, those are the things women have to contemplate. Is it fair? Hell no. But to not address them is the equivalent to writing a story about a woman where the heroine is nothing more than a man in a skirt, so to speak. Those issues must be mentioned at some point in time, but what I don’t want to see is that being the entirety of the series. Give Kara something more to focus on than James and Lucy. Please, lord, not Lucy.

Super girl has the ability to be for this generation what Buffy was for mine. All the writers have to do is give the girl some conviction and watch her really fly.

I can hear you asking, “Anna, where are the Heroes of Saturn books? I can’t find them anywhere.”

The answer to that question is rather fantastic. I now own the rights to the four Heroes of Saturn books and A Night at The Cavern. Yay!

As I type, new covers are being made, and as soon as they are ready, I will be re-releasing the HofS back into the world to be loved and kissed on as they should. Target release date is somewhere near the end of this year.

Click here to sign-up for my newsletter to get first in the know information, and special subscriber only opportunities.

 

I am running for a Director at Large position for the Romance Writers of America. Yay! *confetti cannon*

Recently some of my fellow chapter members asked me about my platform, so I thought I would share what I shared with them.

As chapter president of GSRWA, my mission has been to provide value to all our members, and it’s a mission I intend to continue at the national level. We ask a lot from our members; their time, money, talent. What does the chapter give in return? It’s a question I’ve heard often. What DOES the organization do for its members?

A lot, actually. Through education and inclusion, RWA has helped its members obtain careers in writing romantic fiction, a genre that has kept the publishing industry a float for decades and is so successful, our writers and readers can make companies change their business model in order to keep us from earning more of the humongous publishing pie. There are few writing organizations that will welcome an unpublished author and give them the tools to become successful, and in that, RWA is second to none.

But I think we can do more. My local chapter has 180 members. That is 180 different journeys and levels of experience. The best thing I can do for my members is to provide opportunities to get them what they need. Whether it’s education, outreach, or a place to connect with other authors who have been where they have been or want to be where they are now, my job as a leader is to provide those opportunities.

It is also my job to not dictate who has access to those opportunities.

There has been a growing divide not only between published and unpublished, but among those who have taken different paths to become published. To that I have to shake my head. Why is there such an emphasis placed on that divide? We are all authors. We are all small business owners. Who am I to determine who can have access to what information, or tell another author what areas of their career they need to focus on? While I am not an author’s business partner, I can certainly be a mentor. Romance authors are successful because we work together rather than against one another. We need to utilize the strength of our solidarity and kick more ass. That is my goal by serving at the national level. To make sure RWA is providing our members those opportunities and giving value to their membership. Just like the heroes and heroines in our stories, we are strongest when we work together

Send me a line at Anna@AnnaAlexander.net if you have comments, questions, concerns about the election. If you are an RWA member, you can check out the slate of candidates on the RWA website at https://www.rwa.org/page/candidates?s....

Voting starts September 1st and I appreciate all of your support!

 

Seriously? What are you waiting for?


The big question that had been asked prior to the release of Ant-Man was how was it going to fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since the-powers-that-be at MCU failed (in my opinion) to make the connection between worlds with every movie after the first Avengers, I wondered about that too.

My fears of disappointment were settled from the very first line of dialogue.

“Stark!”

Turns out Michael Douglas’s character, Dr. Hank Pym, worked for shield. Bam! Just like that, we are in the MCU. But the connections didn’t stop there. With Ant-Man, the creators took those few seconds to show where the movie fits into the universe. And they did it simply and beautifully. I won’t give away any spoilers. It’s more fun if you discover those gems on your own.


What I also loved about Ant-Man, besides the adorable Paul

Rudd and his hysterical Guardians of the Galaxy-like crew members, were the fight scenes. I swear, it seems as if every superhero movie must destroy at least a good percentage of the planet. There are only so many scenes of mass destruction I can take. I don’t know if the possibilities presented with having characters that are smaller to scale than the average human inspired the filmmakers, or if they just put forth that little bit of energy into providing something new, but we had awesome fight scenes that went beyond  the spectacle of exploding buildings. From a battle on a toy train to the inside of the briefcase (Yes, the inside of a briefcase!) it was fantastic. And my eyes didn’t grow tired by trying to separate shrapnel from story telling. J

But don’t take my word about the greatness of this move. Go see Ant-Man. And stay until after the credits roll. Yes, I screamed and my fists shot into the air victoriously.