Carbon Costume

When it comes to his looks, Xander Portmanteau embodies everything there is to love/hate about the strapping male leads of women’s fiction books. He’s the protagonist of a wish-fulfillment fantasy romance written by an awkward authoress, who fancies herself the princess lover of this roguish knight.

During the events of Cliche (written by myself and Aerin S. Grey), a pint-sized Xander emerges from the pages of his own novel to confront his author’s questionable plot choices, and prove that he has a mind of his own! In the “real” world, Xander stands barely taller than an action figure. Chased down lengthy halls by his author’s pet cat, Xander forms an unlikely alliance with a mouse in the wall named Bartholomew.

Lips slightly parted in an expression of grim determination,
revealing for a brief moment a set of perfect white teeth, Lyra Jones swung her saber at the nearest attacker. Her bare, muscular limbs barely strained from the effort. When all the Men of the Moon lay slain at her feet, the valiant Space Huntress allowed herself to rest….

Lyra Jones is one of four protagonists in my novella, Cliche. It tells the story of poorly-written fictional characters emerging from their books to confront their poorly writers — hilarity ensues. Lyra was originally written as a pulp fiction heroine, who somehow manages to win many an intergalactic swordfight in skimpy, impractical armor without losing life or limb. Lyra much prefers pairing her scant armor with a long-sleeved tunic and baggy pants, which offer both modesty and protection against harsh weather out in space.