Astrid Maxxim

Over the past few weeks, I’ve taken a look at the characters in Blood Trade and Women of Power.  Next up, we’ll look at the characters in my latest book– Astrid Maxxim and her Amazing Hoverbike.  This is the first of a series of books aimed at young readers, though I hope readers of all ages will enjoy them.

Astrid Maxxim is a 14 year old girl inventor.  She is super smart and has been inventing since before she was 6.  She lives with her father Dr. Roger Maxxim and her mother Kate Maxxim, the former a scientist and inventor and the latter the President and CEO of Maxxim Industries.  They live in Maxxim City just outside the bounderies of the Maxxim Industries Campus.

The Other Superheroes

In a world of superheroes, you might expect to run into a few here and there and that’s just what happens in Women of Power.

Captain Hero: Earth’s most popular hero.
Dark Defender: Mysterious protector of the night.
Strongarm: Super strong hero.
Windstorm: Master of wind and storm.
Vanguard: Leader of the Justice Brigade.
Ultrawoman: The most powerful woman on earth.
RSG: Really stretchy guy, who mostly uses his power to surreptitiously grope women.

The Other Bad Guys

There are several supervillains that face off against All American Girl and Skygirl, with more or less success.

Plague Drone: A slimy character with the ability to infect a variety of nasty diseases.

Magmaman: Can turn into a man-shaped blob of molten fire.

Tigershark: An Australian supervillain with super strength.

Dark Energy

 Dark Energy is one of Professor Destructions most capable superpowered cronies.  He can fly and shoot energy bolts from his fists.  All American Girl finds Dark Energy handsome, though she would never tell him so, but his fondness is for underage prostitutes.

Behemoth

 Behemoth is a supervillain in Women of Power.  He is about six feet tall and six feet wide and is made of pure muscle.  He has super strength, the result of toxic radioactive waste.  Unfortunately Behemoth is not the smartest knife in the kitchen drawer.    He has repeatedly failed to notice that his one weakness seems to be supernaturally stong women.  Behemoths great power is that once he gets going, he can’t be stopped.

Irving

Irving is All American Girl’s agent.  Here’s a little bit of Irving and AG.

“Oh baby,” said the man on the other end of the line.  “That hurts.  That really hurts.  You know Irving is your number one fan.”

“Really?  I thought you were supposed to be my agent.”

“Come on baby.  Give Irving some love.”

“How about I fly over there and twist your head off like a bottle cap?  You haven’t answered my calls in weeks, and then here you are, all ‘baby, baby’…”

“Baby.  Irving has been busy.”

“I’ve been busy too.”

“I know you have, my sweetness, but Irving has been really busy.  He’s been busy working for you, my sassy spangled mega-babe.”

“That’s it,” Stella sat the soda down and stood up.  “I’m flying over there right now.”

“Before you do, listen to these four words: All American Girl Magazine.”

“A magazine deal?  Where and who?”

“National baby!  Hatchet Media International!”

“Hatchet?” Stella ran her fingers through her close-cropped blond hair.  “They’re big right?”

“The biggest magazine distributor in the world—forty eight hero magazines and all of those supers are in the top one hundred of the New York Times list!  Captain Hero!  Ultrawoman!”

“Vanguard?”

“Vanguard!”

“Dark Defender?”

“Um, no… He’s published by somebody else.”

“But Ultrawoman…”

“Ultra-woman, baby!”

“So what?  They’re ready for magazine number forty nine?”

“Well, no.  They had an opening.  Cosmic Man, well you know…”

“Yeah, that was too bad.  But you try to stop an asteroid; you’ve got to expect that kind of thing.  This is big, Irving.  This is big.”

“Big baby.”

“You did good Irving.”

“Oh baby, you know Irving is always working for you.  But this was all you, super friend.  Kicking ass on terrorists.  Terrorists with rockets.  And doing it right while the traffic copter was there to film the whole thing.  That was brilliant baby!  You’re all over the news.”

“Am I?”

“You know it.”

“That was a lucky break,” said Stella, more to herself than to Irving.

“Luck is for suckers, baby.  You got mad skills.  And you know what a magazine deal means?  Money.  Advertising revenue, sponsors, money, collateral damage insurance, money.  Did I mention money?”

“That’s awesome Irving.”

“There’s just one thing, baby.”

“What’s that?”

“They haven’t exactly made the final decision yet?”

“What do you mean?  Do I have a magazine or not?”

“It’s down to either you or one other super.”

“Who?”

“Skygirl.”

“Skygirl?  That slut!  Who’d want to read about her?  She’s a total airhead!  And have you seen her thighs?  They’re like tree-trunks! And what’s the deal with her costume?  Were they out of ass spandex that day?”

I originally wrote Irving intending that he appear as nothing more than a voice on the phone, but I liked him so much, he just had to make an appearance in the flesh.

Less Time to Write

One thing is for sure this year.  I have far less time to write.  This is because my day job (teacher) takes up so much more time than it ever has before.  There is far more paperwork involved than any of my previous 17 years.  I have been working through my lunch each day, but I still need to spend time at home planning, grading, writing Student Intervention Plans, and calling parents.  It’s enough to make me glad that retirement is only a few years away.

Astrid Maxxim and her Amazing Hoverbike

Astrid Maxxim and her Amazing Hoverbike is now available as a multi-format ebook.  Follow the link below and get your free copy until the end of November.  Use coupon code XU42U at checkout.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/102618

The Atomic Jack-O-Lantern

The Atomic Jack-O-Lantern is a radiation based supervillain.  Since he never speaks, nobody really knows where he came from or who he is, but his radiation is one of the few things that can weaken All American Girl.

Artwork by Action RPG Counters.

Professor Destruction

Professor Destruction is your typical power-suit afficianado.  He likes to think he’s a mastermind and makes up for his lack of super-powers with a relatively vast intellect.  He is in charge of a group of super-baddies who make life difficult for All American Girl.

Artwork by Action RPG Counters.