Check out the 2024 Indie Fantasy Book of the Year Finals!

---

Behind the Writing of Nobody’s Hero

Tell us about the background for the story, what inspired it or why you wanted to write this story.

Nobody’s Hero was inspired by a short story I wrote for the Hall of Heroes anthology in 2017. At the time, I was teaching an improv class, so I wrote a story about a publicist who wanted to work with superheroes, but was forced to work with villains – and then had to deal with one of the villains trying to change sides! I thought it would be a fun sketch.

Well, my readers really enjoyed the short story and periodically nudged me to turn it into a series. At a time, I was focused on other projects, but in winter of 2023 I was looking for a short serial project to distract my brain, and so I started up the book on Kindle Vella.

As a long-time superhero fan, I enjoyed the challenge of creating an entirely new world and concept for heroes with powers, and it was fun to write something that combined my enjoyment of Parks & Recreation and The Office with my superhero fandom. I soon realized I had much more than a series of little stories on my hands, and it turned into Nobody’s Hero.

Is there meaning behind the title, or series name?

The original name of the short story was “The Superhero Publicist” so that was a natural series title. And then “Nobody’s Hero” was based on the fact that Cassie, the main character, doesn’t see herself as a hero. She supports the heroes. And then the villain, Mick, of course isn’t seen as a hero by the general public!

Tell us about a theme within your work and why you wanted to highlighted in this book.

One theme is perseverance in the face of chronic pain and difficulties. I think sometimes we see superheroes as these perfect specimens, but that portrayal never interested me. I liked X-Men, Heroes, and shows that related to a superpower being one part of an overall person.

Cassie, one of the main characters, is mid-twenties, but already deals with chronic fatigue which also exacerbates pain from scoliosis surgery when she was a teenager. Later on, she gets more answers about what’s going on with her. But I didn’t want it to take over her characterization, and in fact, it doesn’t come up as a conscious issue all the time in the story because she’s just used to it.

Rather, you see her coping mechanisms (some healthy, and some involving Mountain Dew), and her determination to use what she has to help others. Mick is in a similar place with his powers and how they impact his lifespan, yet he still chooses to turn from villain to hero in his own way.

As someone who has lived with a variety of chronic conditions since I was nineteen, it can be daunting to look at the rest of your life and go “wow, this is the cards I’m dealt.” But I wanted to show that there is hope even in that difficulty. Your value doesn’t stem from your mere physical capabilities. Moreover, you can still act in heroic, sacrificial ways even with those limitations.

---

Synopsis:

She’ll change this supervillain’s image—if they can both stay alive.

Cassie Robinson, junior representative of Power-Up Publicity, is just trying to keep her head down and her career moving. Not easy when she’s required to work with supervillains for the first year of her contract…or else.

But when a new villain client, Mick, announces he’s switching sides, maybe things are looking up. Even if she has to leave her job a bit earlier than the contract and trust a thieving speedster.

Then the heroes find Mick—including the relentless Snailman. And her bosses seem absurdly focused on getting Cassie back.

Caught between the hovering heroes and her menacing company, Cassie must team up with the villain who literally swept her off her feet and whisked her away to his secret lair.

Speaking of which, that lair could use some redecorating…

A fast-paced superhero story with banter, action, a pinch of slow-burn romance, and yes, the infamous Snailman.

---