All week we’ve talked about the antihero and how it relates to women and the representations of women in literature, film, television and media. We’ve teamed up with Anne Chaconas (ABC) to provide four days of back and forth blog posts on our thoughts on this. Need to catch up? Scroll to the bottom for a list of all the posts.

But today… well, today we have a BIG reveal. An exciting reveal of a co-written project ABC and I are doing together. One that features a true antihero of the female persuasion. (And one of which YOU can be a part–check out the Rafflecopter giveaway at the bottom of the post!)

Introducing Beverly Orchid

Blood Orchid Beverly Orchid Anne Chaconas Karpov Kinrade

Who is Beverly Orchid?

KK: Bev is a complicated character who is motivated to act when others might sit back and let someone else handle the dirty work. I love her for that. I think fans will love that they can relate to her. We’ve all had those moments where we WISH we could act on our most base needs of revenge and blood justice, and that is what she does. She grabs her life by the balls and squeezes. Hard. She doesn’t always make the morally right choice. But she makes the right choice for her and her family. She does what has to be done, and she’s not afraid to get blood on her hands to do what she thinks is right.

I’m incredibly excited about exploring a darker character in contemporary fiction. Of all our books published to date, my favorite characters have often been the villains who become antiheroes because of some redeeming moment or quality. (The Seeker in Forbidden Fire, Blake in Seduced by Pain and Seduced by Power) In fact, the antihero Blake, from Seduced: Rose’s Story, is getting a 7 book series because he’s so fucking badass and epic. Blood Orchid will give me a chance to not only work with one of my very best literary besties (ABC), but to tackle darker themes and characters in a contemporary setting with a female protagonist who has the kind of life from the outside that most of us can relate to.

I truly believe this series, which is 50% mystery and 50% thriller, will be 100% EPIC!

ABC: I can’t fully pinpoint why I’m so very excited to dive headfirst into the world of Beverly Orchid. I don’t know if it’s because she’s fully badass. I don’t know if it’s because she does shit that I wish I had the balls to do. I don’t know if it’s because I wish I knew her in real life, or because, on the surface, I could be her in real life. The thing about Bev is that she really could be that mom you see at the playground–no make-up, hair in a messy bun, wearing yoga pants and a baggy sweatshirt. Pushing her kid on the swing. Smiling in the sunshine.

Packing a 9mm in her purse. Getting ready to set things right.

Beverly’s tough, funny, smart as a whip. She doesn’t apologize for her choices. She is, however, sorry she’s not sorry.

She’s also vulnerable, confused, and frightened.

She’s real. Writing her will be a bitch, because she’s human. She’s got all those foibles and peccadilloes and contradictions. Her motives aren’t always good, and her actions don’t always make sense. Sometimes she does one thing and sometimes the complete opposite (and feels they are both okay). Just. Like. Us. 

Writing her will be a bitch–but I have a sneaking suspicion both KK and I are up for the kickass, groundbreaking challenge.

Coming Spring 2014: Blood Orchid

Blood Orchid Beverly Orchid Anne Chaconas Karpov KinradeBeverly Orchid is out for blood.

When her twin sister ends up beaten and in a coma after taking Bev’s place at a charity event, Beverly will stop at nothing to find her sisters’ attacker and make him pay.
But this seemingly random mugging takes a sinister twist as she’s pulled deeper into the dark world of human trafficking and discovers a shocking lead in her investigation.

The attack wasn’t random. And Beverly was the intended target.

As the trail goes cold and the police give up, Beverly is forced to make a choice between what is right–and what is just.

Darkly humorous, dangerously addictive, full of mystery and ethical conundrums, Blood Orchid will have you questioning what you would be capable of when faced with the worst kind of evil humanity offers.

Add Blood Orchid to your Goodreads to-read list!

Catch up!

Wondering exactly what kind of real life antihero hero we’re crafting? Check out this week’s back-and-forth tag-team blog posts, and we think you’ll get a pretty good idea.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Get your name in Blood Orchid!

Enter the Rafflecopter below–the grand prize is having a character named after you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway