SUPERFICIAL by Diane Billas

 

SUPERFICIAL

Diane Billas 

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GENRE:  Young Adult Superhero 

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BLURB: 

Embark on a thrilling adventure with Lea and Jake as they navigate the unexpected twists and turns at the biggest superhero fan convention of the year. When Lea finds herself trapped in an elevator during the event with superstar Jake, also known as The Amazing Boy, they realize something sinister is afoot. With everyone at the convention frozen, including Lea's friends, Lea and Jake must team up to unravel the mystery behind the villainous acts plaguing Philadelphia. As they race against time, Lea grapples with whom to trust, while Jake uncovers startling truths about his own identity. A pulse-pounding journey filled with friendship, betrayal, and the ultimate quest for justice, will Lea and Jake save the day, or will supervillains prevail? Dive into this gripping tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end. 

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EXCERPT 

LEA 

A lone figure lingers in the back corner of the elevator wearing a navy-blue Yankees baseball hat, their face cast downwards. I push for level two when there is a large bang. The lights flicker and go out. Deathly silence follows but is broken by a curse word behind me. I whip around, trying to make out the figure’s face. 

“Watch that cape, you almost gave me cape burn,” the voice grumbles. 

“Sorry. I never knew how annoying wearing a cosplay costume would be,” I reply, biting my lip. 

When the silence continues, I nervously keep up my word vomit. “This is my first time coming to one of these things. I should’ve taken a page out of your book and worn the incognito star look. I would’ve been more comfortable on the plane flight earlier this morning and gotten less strange looks.” 

Backup lights flicker on. I can barely see the figure lift his head and look at me directly in the eyes. My heart drops. 

“About the incognito star look,” he says, his dark eyes full of hesitation. 

No way. 

No freaking way. 

He isn’t playing an incognito star. 

He is the star of today’s show. The last-minute addition that made the entire WizCon event sell out as soon as his name was announced. 

A gasp escapes my mouth. I can’t physically stop it if I tried. I’m from the middle of nowhere Ohio. You don’t see a movie star on an elevator or anywhere in your vicinity. Keep calm, Lea, don’t scare him off. He’s incognito for a reason. 

“Oh.” 

That’s what I come up with to say. I mean, what else am I going to utter aloud? 

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Pros and Cons of Writing in Your Genre

By: Diane Billas

The YA superhero genre is a pretty small. When I first started writing SUPERFICIAL, I had never read any superhero book before—I had only watched superhero movies. As I started to read some YA superhero books to try and get some comps, I only then realized how small of a genre it really is. There are a few well-known ones and some indie ones, but that’s about it.

I find that this is a blessing and a curse. As I’m talking about SUPERFICIAL, I keep hearing, “I’ve never read a superhero book before.” No, you probably haven’t because there aren’t many. And they seem hesitant to try one because they don’t know what to expect, which I totally get. I hadn’t read any either until I started writing them and then realized, oh these are really cool. And honestly, SUPERFICIAL hits a variety of subgenres. It has romance, adventure, and fantasy elements, while also having lots of LGBTQ+ rep. Like most books, it doesn’t fit neatly into a box.

The one nice thing about there not being many superhero books, for those who love the superhero genre, SUPERFICIAL is filling that void. I’ve received messages from both readers and authors thanking me for taking the plunge into this genre and have heard from some readers that it’s their favorite book so far of the year. That’s more than I ever expected. I never thought a book I’d write would be someone’s favorite. I even had a reader create an elaborate reel for SUPERFICIAL’s release that I absolutely love.

I hope more readers, authors, and publishers will venture into the superhero genre. It’s super fun to write and read!

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AUTHOR Bio and Links: 

Diane Billas currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and son. When she’s not writing she can be found reading multiple books at once, performing the French horn or piano, or dreaming of the next country she’s going to visit. 

Does Love Always Win? is her debut novel, which was released in June 2023 from Creative James Media. This book was drawn from Diane’s personal experiences as a queer individual who has struggled throughout life being comfortable identifying and expressing herself. Diane wrote the book she wished was available to her when she was in high school. 

Website:  https://dianebillas.com

 Instagram: http://www.instagram.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/

TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/dianebillas. 

Photographer credit

Sam Rodriguez

S.R.WeddingStory 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE 

The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway