A big thank you to Smart Girls Love SciFi for hosting me! Hopefully I’ll fit in — I think I’m smart, I’m a bona-fide girl (except when it comes to my hatred of jeggings), and I positively adore SciFi.
Today I’m going to tell you a tail about an alien.
The hero of my new romantic comedy space opera RAGNAR AND JULIET is that alien. As in, a dude from outer space who is not human. Ragnar has lots of great stuff going for him — he’s easygoing, has a smile to knock your panties off at twenty paces, and he sports a tail.
Not a fluffy tail, nor a were-tail, not even an angsty tale of sorrowful angst. But a long, arrow-tipped tail that protrudes from his shapely gluteus maximus. He’s mostly human-like in other ways, including one rather important body part that the heroine, Juliet, enjoys. Ahem. (What? It’s a romance!)
You may think a tail very weird, but it’s de rigeur where he comes from. He thinks it’s weird that you don’t have one. And it’s so talented! It’s good at slipping up my heroine’s skirt at inopportune moments. It belongs to a man, after all — what else is he supposed to do with it?
There have been many popular characters throughout time who possessed a tail.
The Devil
He may be bad, but he’s hot, and not just from the fires of hell, wink wink. I think all interesting heroes have a bit of devil in them. Who wants Luke when they can have Han? Scoundrels get the best lines, and come with surprisingly large… health care benefits packages. You’ll never die at the paws of ROUS (rodents of unusual size) with a scoundrel nearby.
Eeyore
Everyone’s favorite depressed donkey has a tail nailed to his stuffed booty, which is not ideal, really. Ragnar’s is attached. And he’s not a donkey, which is good for the book since human-donkey romances don’t sell very well. Nor should they.
Nightcrawler from the X-Men
Nightcrawler is an example of a fine, athletic man who has a marvelous tail. He was partly the inspiration for Ragnar, as I’ve always loved the idea of a naughty fifth limb on a man. Maybe I read too many comic books growing up, but if fantasizing about fictitious blue mutants is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
If you could have any sci-fi body part, appendage, or ability, what would it be? I think my ability would be teleportation. It would sure cut down on airline fees, and how awesome would it be to end a conversation by disappearing with dramatic flourish? If I could choose an appendage, it would be Wolverine. Rawr.
Tell me your dream magical-type ability in the comments and I’ll choose one at random to win a copy of RAGNAR AND JULIET. If you’d like to buy the book (and I encourage that), you can go to http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/ragnarandjuliet.htm and/or read a sample here. Below is a blurb:
RAGNAR AND JULIET
Bounty hunting is usually so easy. Flash a little cleavage, mix a roofie cocktail, and Juliet has her man right where she wants him: out cold, ready to be swapped for cash. Her passions are freedom, trashy clothes, and pie — not necessarily in that order.
Hunky alien ship captain Ragnar doesn’t deserve torture at the hands of the psychotic king who hired Juliet; he liberated one of William the Nefarious’ illegal concubines. Juliet can’t ignore such a noble act. She doesn’t trust men, but this one, with the kindest smile she’s ever seen, picks away at her resolve to stay aloof and clothed. He’s just so…nice! Crazy she can deal with; sincerity is terrifying.
Before she gives in to her irrational urge to get a timeshare with him (and his cute tail), they’re caught by the bad guys. Ragnar disappears and abandons her to her disgusting captors — so much for togetherness. Perhaps he’s not such a saint. Even worse, Nefarious William (who prefers “Bob”) has nominated her for Concubine of the Evening. This dubious honor does not thrill her, and only a few hours remain before the king’s mind-altering drugs obliterate her free will.
Sexual slavery might not be fatal, but Juliet would rather die. Of course, the third option (run away to a beach and hump Ragnar silly) is the best, if they can live that long.
Thanks for reading!
Lucy Woodhull
www.lucywoodhull.com
www.liquidsilverbooks.com
Welcome, Lucy! Fun post. I never considered giving any of my characters a tail, but now I’m tempted! Teleportation would definetly be on my wish list. I’d love to be able to pop in on my out of town family without the eight hours of air travel. When I was a kid I wanted to be able to fly, but back then I wasn’t thinking about the bugs I’d get in my face. eek!
Ha! Charlie, yes – I wonder if Superman has a secret bug grill for his teeth?
FYI the book is now available at AllRomance (http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ragnarandjuliet-600317-143.html) – the link to Liquid Silver is not yet running as of 8:30am Pacific.
Ooh, I’m a big Nightcrawler fan! A tail can definitely be interesting.
I like to hope that I put his tail to dirty use. My momma raised me right.
Awesome post.
And the book looks totally awesome as well.
Appendages, Appendages… I was always partial to the retractable claws myself, probably Wolverine style. But now I’m tempted by the whole tail thing. I could swing on trees!
As far as superpowers go, teleportation would be fun indeed, but it’s a bit too… practical I think. I’m more for the subtle powers. Like Gambit’s subtle (hinted at) womanizing power. It works through the fourth wall! I totally had the hots for him *swoons*. Those black/red eyes….
ANYWAY.
Womanizing wouldn’t work for me of course, since that’s not my target group, so if I have to pick something else, I’ll go for… controlling electricity. It’s great on the offense and defense, and you never have to worry about broken lightbulbs or stuck elevators again!
Forgot to check the follow comments checkbox
Gambit is way hot. In fact, I’d hit all the X-Men.
I would love to have an extra arm. I’ve got kids and I’m always in need of an extra hand. For my special power, as I already have the ability to find anything, I would choose teleportation. That way I’d be able to go for quick jaunts to tropical islands, to visit friends and family and still be back in time for the school bus.
Extra hand and teleportation. *sighs* It’s not much to ask for. Is it?
Think of the break dancing you could do with an extra arm! Nice one!
Your interview is so funny that I can’t wait to read your book. 🙂 My first thought for special power would be healing others, but then I think I’d have way too much guilt with that one. I mean you can’t heal *everyone* or we’d have Miracle Day, right? So, how about the ability to talk to animals. That one sounds fun. Bet they think like aliens. LOL.
AnnaM.
I’m not sure I want to know what my cat thinks of me. Especially since I made her a guest star in the book trailer. She was… shall we say… what’s a nice word for “murderous”?
That trailer is glorious!
@Jan: Thanks! We worked hard/ hardly worked/ worked hard on it.
ROFLMO! Love it!
Love the trailer! Hilarious!
@Everyone: thanks for all the nice trailer comments! My husband worked his tail (ahem) off shooting and editing it, so I’m passing all this along. 🙂
Speaking as someone who likes unique appendages…ahem…a tail would be way cool.
Since hubby and I still live 300 miles apart, I’d say teleportation would be at the top of my list. This way we could live together and work anywhere we want.
Invisibility would be nice too. Choices. Choices.
Great post, Lucy. It’s nice to meet you.
Thanks, Maria! Mister and I did long distance for a long while – I feel you on that.
I would looooove to read this! Sounds fantastic. 🙂
Thanks, Maddy!
And the winner is…..
AnnaM.! (Chosen at random by my husband, so feel free to blame him.)
Anna, email me at lucywoodhull // [at] // gmail // [.com] (without all the // business and such) and I’ll send you the free copy of RAGNAR AND JULIET!
Thanks so much to everyone who played along with me today!
I love the premise and can’t wait to me Ragnar. And his tail 😉
Hee! Thanks, Jenna! I have to admit, now I wish my husband had one.
Hey, everyone. I’m running other giveaways on my blog tour. You can go to my corner of the interwebs (http://misswordedthewriter.blogspot.com/) and look at the right side panel to see my other places and dates. Thanks for reading!
LOL! Great post 🙂 Definitely have to check out this book for the prehensile possibilities 😉 I’m too greedy to pick just one superpower – would love to be able to teleport so I don’t have to stand in line/get stuck in traffic but also think flying would be awesome and moving things with my mind would be fun as well!
smaccall AT comcast.net
Lucy, I’ve been feeling crappy all day (gotta love it when the Hubs literally takes to heart the “in sickness and in health” vows) and YOU CRACKED ME UP with that book trailer!! I guess laughter is the best medicine?
I’m so glad I could make you feel better!