Playing with Fire - Gena Showalter

Early one morning, someone asked me what I’d sell my soul for.

My reply: superpowers.

I mean, really. Who wouldn’t kill for superpowers? Later
that day, I was driving home from the bookstore and started thinking…always a dangerous thing. My mind began to race with questions. I’d sell my soul for superpowers, sure, but which one? What would I do with the power? What would happen to me? I mulled over all of that.

Finally I settled on power over the 4 elements (fire, water, earth, wind), I’d try to take over the world, of course, and when the world learned of my ability, the government
would probably want to take me down or use me.

That’s when the idea for PLAYING WITH FIRE was born: an ordinary, average woman develops unexpected superpowers. Two different para-agencies find out and race to capture her. She doesn’t want to take over the world, but she does want to survive it – which means she has to learn to use her powers
(without setting the world on fire). And so, her only hope for survival becomes sexy government agent Rome Masters – a man with many secrets of his own. Is he helping her, or does he plan to double-cross her?

I had so much fun writing this book and fell in love with each and every one of the characters. Of all my books, I think I’d like to live in this alternate world most. A world where paranormal secret societies do exist. A world where the X-Men-type characters aren’t just from comic books. A world where anything can happen, and everything usually does.

I tried to ground the book in as much reality as possible. How would an average person react to developing superpowers? How would the rest of the world react? I hope you'll join me on this fiery journey and find out!

Gena