Happy Friday!

Today I’m thrilled to welcome Ylva author Catherine Lane.

CATHERINE LANE DISCUSSES WHY EVERYONE SHOULD SEE THE CAPTAIN MARVEL MOVIE

I just came home from seeing Captain Marvel. My family likes a nearby theater where the seats recline, and Tuesday is $5 movie night.  No brainer, right? The problem is I normally don’t like superhero movies. Both my son and my wife look at me with complete disbelief whenever I say this, but superhero characters are just too perfect. I like films where the protagonists have complex inner journeys and real human flaws. I mean, I wish my greatest weakness was that I was allergic to kryptonite.

But, I felt I had to see Captain Marvel in the theaters. Mostly because of the whole Rotten Tomatoes controversy where trolls, months before it even came out, were trying to kill the film. Reviewers torpedoed it from every angle—”a complete disaster”, “feminist propaganda,” “Brie Larson should smile more.” And it worked. The day of its opening, Captain Marvel’s score on Rotten Tomatoes was a dismal 33%. The NY Times newspaper believes that “a bigger trigger factor for the film’s haters appeared to be Ms. Larson’s outspokenness about the lack of diversity in movies and news media coverage of films.” UGH!

VOTING WITH OUR WALLETS 

My wife and I couldn’t let that thinking win, so there we were with our son, late, on a school night. Happily, we weren’t the only ones; the theater was packed. The film had the biggest opening weekend box office EVER for a female-led film and took in a record breaking 455 million dollars worldwide. So, I settled into a movie, that I was sure I wasn’t going to like, with a smile. Things were changing. Rotten Tomatoes had altered their rules so the site had a better chance to reflect the thoughts of real fans. And people world-wide clearly had embraced woman’s power.

Somewhere around the end of the first act, however, the unbelievable happened. I fell in love with a superhero film.  First, I’ve always adored origin stories. This one is especially well done since at the beginning of the film, Carol Danvers has amnesia, and we get to figure out her past as she does. Talk about connecting with your main character! Second, there is no easy romance in the plot. That may seem an odd sentiment for a romance writer, but the movie is about Carol Danvers’ journey and not how she relates to her man. Nearly every scene passes the Bechdel test.

A GREAT MESSAGE

And, finally, the third act transforms a superhero movie into a feminist fable so good and strong that all young people should see it. The ultimate lesson is that no one, but mostly women, should believe the rhetoric that we are too weak and emotional to accomplish our goals. We can’t wait until someone tells us we are good enough. We already are; and when we embrace it, we are, quite literally, filled with power. The message isn’t subtle, but it’s so beautifully incorporated that by the end, Carol Danvers is speaking to each person in the audience. And when (spoiler alert) she flies into the stratosphere, she took me right along with her. That’s a damn good movie.

A LESFIC MANTRA

You may be asking yourself about now (or maybe earlier), how does a review of Captain Marvel connect with lesfic? I’m not sure that it does, but I do think stories are a wonderful way to create empathy and open the world up for people who may be underrepresented. In my latest lesfic romance, Romancing the Kicker, there’s a similar message about how only you can write your own story. Parker and Carly are, of course, no Captain Marvel, but they are, I hope, heroes in their own lives. Even if energy doesn’t shoot out of their fists, they brim with power. And part of their strength is to recognize that spirit in each other and find their happy ever after.

It’s a good message and I’m proud of it, although now I realize my big mistake. I should have added a flerkin (the cool alien cat from Captain Marvel). I will to my next book, and then I’ll have an international best seller!

ROMANCING THE KICKER

by Catherine Lane

Parker Sherbourne has a talent for sports and seduction—and the body to prove it. When the High Rollers, the professional football team from Las Vegas, chase after her to be their point-after specialist, she jumps at the chance. Sure, the position is only a publicity stunt, but she has always been able to turn any situation to her advantage. Carly Bartlett joins the Rollers as the newest athletic trainer and the only other female on the payroll. This dream job could bring the financial security her family desperately needs. The head trainer has only one warning: don’t get involved with a player. Not a problem. She doesn’t go for guys. When Parker reaches out to Carly for treatment, sparks fly. Will Carly fall for Parker’s charms and put her own desires ahead of her family’s? Has Parker finally found the woman who’ll make her slow down and stop playing the angles?With the macho world of football against them, can they beat the odds in this lesbian sports romance?

MEET THE AUTHOR

Catherine Lane started to write fiction on a dare from her wife. Now, with several novels and short stories to her name, she finally admits her wife was right. They live happily in Southern California with their teenage son and a mischievous dog they rescued from the pound.  

Catherine spends most of her time writing, working and hanging out with her family.  But when she finds herself at loose ends, she enjoys experimenting with recipes in the kitchen, paddling on long stretches of flat water in her kayak, and oh, trying unsuccessfully to outwit her pooch. 

CONNECT WITH CATHERINE LANE

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Ylva Author Page / YouTube / Amazon Author Page

Thanks so much for stopping by today.