Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Complicated Creatures: Alex J Cavanaugh

Yes, I'm here on a Tuesday! And all because of Alex Cavanaugh, who is continuing his blog tour for Cassafire, his new novel. Welcome, Alex!  It's early, I need more coffee, so I'll turn you over to him.


Thank you for letting me invade your spot today, Talli! I’m nowhere near as cute as you, but hopefully I can at least amuse…

Women are complicated creatures. Admit it! You’re complex, multi-faceted, and wrapped in many layers. (Like parfait, not onions - thank you, Shrek!) You’re so observant and you possess this “women’s intuition” thing. (Is it like the Sixth Sense? Do you see dead husbands all the time?) And your emotions range beyond what we can even imagine. Quite frankly, they are a little frightening.

But hey, I’m a guy! From my perspective, writing about women is a daunting challenge. One I entered with reservations. But I had no choice. Fans of CassaStar clamored for a female character.

(Insert moment of panic here.)

So, I held nothing back. Want a strong female character? Fine! I’ll write one so feisty that even Byron may have met his match…

To say Athee is strong-willed would be an understatement. She is driven, determined, and accustomed to getting what she wants. A pilot of exceptional quality, she also possesses mental abilities that rival Byron’s skills. Even worse, Athee is determined to figure out what makes the solitary and reclusive Cassan tick.

Obviously, tension ensues!

Will readers like Athee? I think they’ll admire her strengths and determination to succeed in a profession dominated by men. They’ll be moved by her motivation and efforts to keep those she loves safe. Readers will enjoy the new relationship aspect she brings to the story when her world and Byron’s collide.

Hopefully this exercise has given me some insight into the complex female mind.

Now back to football and hitting things and other manly stuff. (Does hitting one’s Xbox controller count?)

 Visit the author’s site and leave a comment during his book tour for a chance to win CassaFire, CassaStar, and a CassaFire tote bag and mug!


CassaFire
by Alex J. Cavanaugh

CassaStar was just the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan’s technology and strange mental abilities.

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves; the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

You can visit the author’s site at http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/
Book trailer available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa6VINRGtyE.

Amazon Kindle


Thank you, Alex! I'll be back on Friday. Until then, have a great week. 

84 comments:

  1. LOL, any reference to Shrek will always make me smile! :D

    I am genuinely looking forward to reading Alex's books - my reading list is out of control!

    ReplyDelete
  2. We woman are not complex creatures, if we appear to be then it's men that make us that way.

    Look ing forward to your book arriving, I see you brought the sunshine along with you today Alex.

    Yvonne.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Really looking forward to reading this! I'm currently writing from a male perspective - it's more than a little bit challenging!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The world would be a much duller place if we all understood each other :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I like the way Alex finds us complex. Yes, I like that. (Result!)

    Great post, Talli.

    CJ x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kyra, Shrek makes everybody smile!

    Thank, Yvonne.

    Christine, just think simple.

    Sarah, very true.

    Crystal, I do!

    Thank you so much, Talli!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Women ROCK! LOL! But hands off that last bit of chocolate, sister, tis mine!

    Yay for lovely Alex! And Athee! And Talli! Bring her more coffee someone, please! Take care
    x

    ReplyDelete
  8. Althee would have to have a strong will to hand out with Byron!

    ReplyDelete
  9. My guy tells me I'm intense, moody, and can never figure me out. Is this what you mean? :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yes, we're complicated and complex because we need to survive in a man's simple world (kidding) by pulling all the strings we can (that one's true).

    Love the post. Very cute:)

    ReplyDelete
  11. You crack me up Alex! LOVED THIS POST! Made me laugh and I find you adorable so that helps too!

    ReplyDelete
  12. You have the right idea, Alex. Women are spunky these days, not sitting around waiting for something bad to happen and doing nothing about it.

    Morgan Mandel
    http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. LMAO! Thanks for the laugh this morning, I needed it. :) Athee is an amazing character and I'm very happy you created her.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Athee sounds like a great character - I love reading about strong-willed, determined women!

    ReplyDelete
  15. One common mistake male writers make when creating strong female characters is making them men in skirts, ie having male characteristics. Strong women are often strong in ways other than men are. They tend to be persistent rather than aggressive. They also tend to be more cautious than men, a trait men mistake for timidity.
    As a historical fiction writer, I have to deal with another layer of problems with creating strong female characters. Women had to be even more subtle in the 19th century than the 21st.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Alex! We're not so complex. Just do as we say, and make things simple. (Chances are, however, that it won't be done to our satisfaction but we give you points for trying!)

    Hi Talli - thanks for hosting Alex and giving us a glimpse at his character Athee :-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Both of you, posting on a Tuesday? Wow.

    ReplyDelete
  18. New follower here following Alex's tour. As for women being complicated it's just all those connectors between the hemispheres of the brain so we switch back and forth more easily. Can be hard to follow.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Kitty, the chocolate is all yours.

    EM, exactly!

    Marta, I believe it!

    Thanks, Jen!

    Morgan, Athee doesn't wait - she pushes forward.

    Melissa, I am here for your amusement.

    Sean, I imagine! And persistent is exactly the word I would use to describe Athee.

    Lisa, I'll take points.

    Nancy, that's true, and something men can't do.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great post. Good to be parfait and not onion.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Alex, good for you for stepping out of your comfort zone! And I'm so glad you made your female character strong!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Tension is always great for stories!

    Nice post, Alex.

    ReplyDelete
  23. 'And your emotions range beyond what we can even imagine. Quite frankly, they are a little frightening.'

    :)

    It's 'cuz we're analog and you're digital.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Shrek reminds me a lot of myself in those movies. A lot.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I liked the Athee character--just the right mix of attitude, aptitude, and vulnerability.


    Lee
    An A to Z Co-Host
    Tossing It Out
    Twitter: @AprilA2Z
    #atozchallenge
    Blogging from A to Z

    ReplyDelete
  26. Women. Always trying to barge in and figure out our solitary and reclusiveness.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Alex, you are hilarious. You out to try writing your next female character like you would a male character, after all there is more difference between individuals than there are between genders on average.

    That's how the writers of Seinfeld wrote Elaine. And you have to admit she was an interesting character.

    Good luck with your book. I loved the trailer.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I love reading strong female characters, and writing them too.

    @Rusty: Dead man walking, mate, dead man walking.

    ReplyDelete
  29. If it wasn't for women's intuition, we wouldn't have the upper hand.

    ReplyDelete
  30. It's great to see your perspective on women. I think I have a lot more trouble with men, for obvious reasons--definitely tempting to have them talk about their FEELINGS, or some equally implausible thing... I haven't braved a male MC because I fear I would over analyse.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Liza, she kicks butt.

    Suze, is that it????

    Thanks, Lee!

    Angela, I am here for amusement.

    Hart, and we don't over-think or over-feel anything.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love strong female characters who do things I wouldn't try in a million years. I'm looking forward to meeting Athee.

    ReplyDelete
  33. WOW Alex, look at all these amazing fans :) Great post...made me laugh. You are a funny one.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Man this book is everywhere! I'll have to check it out for sure :)

    Sarah Allen
    (my creative writing blog)

    ReplyDelete
  35. I'm looking forward to reading all about Athee and Byron! This would also make a great 'C' post for A to Z! Julie

    ReplyDelete
  36. *laughs* Great post! I can't wait to read your books, Alex.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I could be Athee :O

    Great post and all best with this.

    x

    ReplyDelete
  38. Complex shmoplex... give me chocolate and coffee and I'm happy. With-hold coffee and chocolate and I'm not.
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. We pretend to be complex...it is expected, deep inside one of the simplest creatures to decipher, ask a salesgirl or better still a solitaire. :)

    Pretty embarrassing to admit, I finally ordered my copy of Cassastar...Cassafire hopefully by May when my TBR goes down.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Alex is awesome. I have a Nook and am still waiting for Barnes & Noble to get it up. Grrr.

    ReplyDelete
  41. There lies the trap! Just as soon as you think you have the female mind all figured out...they have you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  42. Jessica, thank you - I aim to amuse.

    Sarah, I would be honored.

    Julie, the hosts are all posting on the main blog during the Challenge and yes, I snagged C!!!

    Laura, I will keep that in mind!

    Rek, thank you so much!!

    Donna, sorry!

    DL, no matter what, we're screwed.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Quite frankly, Alex, our emotions scare the hell out of us (womankind) too. As I suspected, Athee sounds like a force to be reckoned with. I think I'll hire a personal trainer to start work with me right away.

    Thanks for this post, Tali and Alex. It entices me even more to read the book.

    xoRobyn

    ReplyDelete
  44. Great post! Now I want to meet Athee even more. And yes, the Xbox controller counts.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Robyn, good to know it's not just us guys.

    Christine, hitting it now!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Hah! Loved the Shrek reference. Great post! :)

    ReplyDelete
  47. Great post, Talli and Alex. All of my women characters turn out to be strong in some way. Even Glasses, from THE RIVAL, who outwardly is timid, turns out to perhaps be the strongest female of my cast of characters.

    May the sales of both your books, Talli and Alex, soar to the stars! Roland

    ReplyDelete
  48. LOL - loved this post. Athee is great in CassaFire! Good job!

    ReplyDelete
  49. I look forward to getting to know more about Athee when I read this series.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Ha! This is awesome. And yes - we women are totally complicated. *Shakes head* I don't even understand myself half the time!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Alex,
    I like Athee. And yes, woman and man ARE different. But I think every man has something female inside and vice versa.

    Anyway I like to play role-playing games and to be honest I always play female characters ...

    Thanky you Talli and Alex.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Just started CassaFire and haven't met Athee yet - but we're almost at Tgren so it should be soon! Can't wait :)

    ReplyDelete
  53. I love strong women in fiction so I'm looking forward to Athee!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Yes, much more like a parfait than an onion, though we might make you cry. And I, too, love strong women in fiction, ones who take no crap, especially from men, but who also revel in the differences between men & women, & understand that being female doesn't mean being soft.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Medeia, hope you like her!

    Leigh, I knew it!

    Jemi, that's awesome.

    Nancy, well put!

    ReplyDelete
  56. I always find it interesting to see a male author write a female character. Sometimes you can't tell the difference at all and sometimes it's blatantly obvious

    ReplyDelete
  57. Having a game controller in hand seems to be a manly thing. At least my grown sons think so.

    ReplyDelete
  58. YEs, we are complicated creatures. And yes, you've created a great female character in your sequel. I look forward to finishing the book soon.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Alex, I think it's fitting for you to have a female character if you're going to be talking about your book on a Talli's blog. It will help you sell more books!

    ReplyDelete
  60. We ARE complicated! It was an adjustment being married - learning how truly simple my husband's needs were compared to mine! I do love a strong female character. If you put her in a man's world, even better! I can hardly wait to read CassaFire (hurry UP already, Amazon!). I just know that I'm going to love Athee!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Hey, I know how you created Athee now. You gave her male attributes! Genius!

    Who said women are complicated?

    Denise

    ReplyDelete
  62. Jessica, hope I did it right.

    Susan, they are correct!

    Clarissa, that's good to know! Well, maybe not that you're really complicated.

    Jennie, hope it arrives soon!

    Denise, I hope I did better than that.

    ReplyDelete
  63. So far I really like Athee. I love her enthusiasm and curiosity more than anything else. I think your foray into the female mind has been successful, Alex :)

    ReplyDelete
  64. So glad you made that a parfait and not an onion! Wait, are you saying we're fat?! Haha, just kidding! Couldn't help myself.

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse, co-host of the 2012 #atozchallenge! Twitter: @AprilA2Z

    ReplyDelete
  65. Anthee sounds really interesting Alex, looking forward to getting to know her!

    ReplyDelete
  66. I think men and women are both complicated but in different ways. Where men are simple, women are complex and where women are simple, men are complex.

    I'm glad you bit the bullet and introduced that female character, Alex!

    Jai

    ReplyDelete
  67. Good, I'm glad you think we're parfait! LOL. Strong female characters are great. I think men and women believe each other to be a lot more complicated than they really are - it's all about different ways of communicating - but it's nice to explore the other gender's psyche through writing!

    ReplyDelete
  68. We're not really all that complex! Just take a little time and you'll get to know that...

    ReplyDelete
  69. Great post! Now following, Talli, and you're right, Alex, she is adorable. :))

    Now, as for the food references, I'd rather be considered a multi-layered lasagna. Spicy, tangy w/ a bit of sweetness, warm & gushy, yet strong & well-structured, cheesy (yes, I love silly jokes & I'm a total goof), thin & noodly (well, in my mind, of course) and utterly saucy. (No meat for this slice of lasagna.)

    You rock, Alex for creating Athee!

    You know what they say about what stands behind every great man...that's right, there stands a great woman. Whether it be their mother, sister, wife, aunt, grandmother, cousin, friend or foe. We keep it real.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Jamie, that's good to know!

    Candy, that is true!

    And women are parfait because they are sweet. Just want to make that clear.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Alex,

    You're always the charmer.... and using that "man" excuse...

    Females are not that difficult to write. Not really. One just has to get in touch with their sensitivity... and you, my friend, are a sensitive and caring guy. You don't need to be macho man all the time ... LOL.

    I love that you gave us a female character with passion, determination, and aggression. Hey, these are the types of girls/women I have encountered in most of my life, especially in the years I modeled. Woman ruled.

    Thanks Talli for hosting Alex... It's always fun to visit TWO of my favorite people in the blogosphere in one shot.

    ReplyDelete
  72. A fun post, thanks to both of you! I'm sooo looking forward to meeting Athee - I may even rise from my brocade chaise longue and waft my fan at you :-)

    ReplyDelete
  73. I'm looking forward to reading CassaFire to see how all this translates :)

    Hi, Talli!

    ReplyDelete
  74. I think we can all be complex creatures. I liked hearing Alex's thoughts on the matter. Wishing him well with his book!

    ReplyDelete
  75. From all I've read about her this month I'm sure I'll adore Athee.

    Thanks for the wine Talli :)

    .......dhole

    ReplyDelete
  76. I shall have to get a copy as I'm intrigued about his strong female characters.

    I've read some male authors who can't pull them off, but then I guess some female authors might not present their male characters so convincingly for men?

    ReplyDelete
  77. That's it, I've got to read this! I'm going back to click on the links now!

    ReplyDelete
  78. In response to your comment "Hopefully this exercise has given me some insight into the complex female mind." May I respond with a simple "Never!" We're far more complex than that! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  79. Michael, but I'll blow my image otherwise!

    Madeleine, sometimes women writers don't quite get it right...

    Heather, thank you!

    Rosalind, I didn't think so...

    Thanks again, Talli!

    ReplyDelete
  80. Alex is a stud.

    Talli-- tagged you for a meme if you have time. (= Check it out.

    http://jostorm.blogspot.com/2012/03/lucky-sevens.html

    ReplyDelete
  81. It's always interesting to find out how other writers handle tackling the POV of a different gender. The differences between men and women are subtle and can be hard to nail down.

    ReplyDelete

Coffee and wine for all!