B. J. Daniels:
I think the reason
I love Regina "Reggie" Holland in my Oct 2004 Intrigue COWBOY ACCOMPLICE
is
that I've been in her shoes. When faced with a challenge I tend to leap
in and not consider the consequences either. I love heroines who go after
what they want. Of course, that often means trouble. For Reggie it begins
with her coming to Montana to find the perfect cowboy for a national jeans
commercial that will either make or break the company. How hard could it
be to find a cowboy in Montana?
The thing is, Reggie
needs the perfect cowboy posterior -- and she finds it in J.T. McCall.
Except the last thing J.T. wants is his "south end" on national TV. So
of course Reggie finagles the camp cook job on J.T.'s cattle drive determined
to change his mind. Did I mention Reggie can't cook? And there is a killer
in camp?
Delores Fossen:
Because I'm a former
military officer, I want my Intrigue heroines to be capable of protecting
themselves and others. That doesn't mean they can't rely on the hero to
save them every now and then. :) I also want the heroines to have vulnerabilities
that make them reach out to the heroes. I think one of the heroines that
personifies this is Ashley Palmer from my Nov 2004 Intrigue, SANTA ASSIGNMENT.
Ashley
is a tough criminal defense attorney with a crazed stalker after her. She
not only risks her heart but her life to help the hero and his son.
Rita Herron:
Since I tend to
write “women in jeopardy” stories, I have to really walk a fine line with
this one. I want my heroine to be tough, strong, independent, and
fight for her beliefs, her man and her life. At the same time, she
has to be vulnerable, flawed (like a real woman) who has found herself
in some bizarre situation where she is forced to accept help/protection
from the big, strong hero.
If she’s too
independent she might fall into the “stupid-heroine syndrome”, yet she
can’t let the hero run all over her. Ultimately, she is usually the insightful
one who sees that the big, dark brooding hero really has a heart, albeit
a wounded one. He might save her life, but in the end, she saves
him from a life without love.
My upcoming Nov 2004
gothic Intrigue, THE MAN FROM FALCON RIDGE, is a perfect example
of both my favorite hero and heroine!
Linda O. Johnston:
My favorite kind
of heroine is one who is independent, a bit feisty, and brave yet realistic
when facing danger. She knows she can do just fine without a man
in her life… yet is open to a relationship if the right one comes along.
I believe Cara Hamilton, the heroine of my Jul 2004 Intrigue LAWFUL
ENGAGEMENT, is a perfect example!
Mallory Kane:
My favorite heroine
is the woman who is gutsy and determined, even if she is scared to death.
She personifies courage, because she is brave in spite of her fear. Allie
Barnes, the heroine in A PROTECTED WITNESS, Nov 2004, survived the
murderous intent of her attacker months before, and now, she will not stop
until she finds him. Trouble is, she has amnesia about the specifics of
the attack. So she must rely on the hero to help her. She holds her own
though, and not only solves the mystery of the killer, but finds true love
along the way. Who could ask for more?
Sylvie Kurtz:
My favorite type
of heroine is one who, through the course of the story, discovers her personal
power. An accident has injured Olivia Falconer in HEART OF A HUNTER,
Apr 04, permanently stealing her memory. She feels she is no
one and has no use—until she discovers that she can be whoever she wants
and molds herself into an integral part of the life she wants with her
husband.
Rory Cates in MASK
OF A HUNTER, May 04, learns that trusting herself and her instincts
can open up a whole new, richer world for her. Christi Lawrence in
A
ROSE AT MIDNIGHT, Jan 05 learns that facing her fears instead of running
from them will give her the confidence to create the future she wants,
rather than be stuck with the one she inherited.
Kara Lennox:
My favorite type
of heroine is smart, tough, but still feminine. She isn't afraid
to face off with the bad guy--but she isn't foolhardy, either. She
relies on ingenuity rather than brawn to get her out of sticky situations.
Shelby Dorset from
BOUNTY
HUNTER REDEMPTION, Oct 04, is that sort of heroine. She comes
from a rich family and could have done anything, but she chose to work
as a parole officer where she could help the people who needed it most.
She meets hardened felons every day, yet she indulges in a passion for
spike-heeled shoes. And when the bad guy has her tied up, she doesn't
wait to be rescued but uses her yoga training to maneuver herself out of
her bonds.
Dana Marton:
My favorite type
of heroine is a woman who has inner strength and not someone who is just
waiting around for a man to show up in her life to 'rescue' her. Nicola
Barrington, in my Oct 04 release SHADOW SOLDIER, would be a good
example. She had to deal with the death of her mother from cancer. Her
father is a senator and she could comfortably live off daddy's influence,
but she's fiercely independent and creates a separate life for herself
that includes a successful career.
When she is
attacked by masked assassins and must trust a secret government operative
to keep her protected, she is smart enough to know she needs the help and
she accepts it. But she takes responsibility for her own safety and plays
an active role in defeating the men who are out to destroy not only her,
but countless others as well.
Julie Miller:
My favorite heroine
is a lot like myself--more sure of her work and goals and calling in life
than she is, perhaps, of her own attractiveness and relationship skills.
She's gotta be smart. She's probably a little quirky, she has a sense of
humor, she cares about things deeply and can get hurt easily (though she
won't always show it). And she'll fight like crazy to protect the people
she loves.
Kelsey Ryan, the
psychic police consultant who breaks a serial murder case wide open in
my upcoming Intrigue, THE PRECINCT: PARTNER-PROTECTOR, Jan 05, is
a lot more quirky than I am, and probably takes more risks than I would--but
the motivation is the same. She believes she's doing the right thing by
getting involved in a dangerous investigation. In Kelsey's case, specifically,
she's keeping a promise to her grandmother--and to a woman she's never
even met.
Ann Voss Peterson:
I love a heroine
who is a fighter. Whether she is fighting to protect her child, establish
her career or save her man, the stakes are high and the pitfalls deep.
But she has the grit and determination she needs to hang in there and get
the job done. This description could probably apply to most heroines
I've written, but the ones that come to mind when I think about heroines
who are fighters are Jacqueline Schettler in HIS WITNESS, HER CHILD,
Jun 01, Risa Madsen in ACCESSORY TO MARRIAGE, Jan 02, and Alyson
Fitzroy in CLAIMING HIS FAMILY, Mar 03.
Also look for two
such heroines in my upcoming stories, DESERT SONS, Apr 05, and MARITAL
PRIVILEGE, also in 2005!
Kelsey Roberts:
I think a strong
hero needs a strong heroine. Having said that, there's a fine line
to straddle so that the hero and heroine work together during the course
of the book. It's always best if they have completely different approaches
to problem solving because it heightens the tension. Additionally,
I think forcing a character to act outside of their comfort zone enhances
the story.
In CHASING SECRETS,
Apr 05, Victoria DeSimone is forced to do a lot of things she wouldn't
ordinarily do in order to save herself and Clayton Landry. She does
the legally wrong thing for the right reasons and brings skills to the
situation that contrast and compliment Clayton's. As with many of
the heroines I write, Victoria is independent and focused and while those
are good qualities, they are also form the skeleton of her weaknesses.
Patricia Rosemoor:
I loved Detective
Stella (Star) Jacobek from VELVET ROPES, Jul 04. Star
is loyal to a fault -- she's determined to prove the hero (someone who
"saved" her in the past) is -not- guilty of murder. Along the way,
I get to show how tough she is. She can swallow her fear and deal
with anything. She is relentless. The great thing is that my
editor loved her so much, she wanted me to write a Bombshell with an equally
single-minded, tough heroine. Watch for Detective Shelly Caldwell
in HOT CASE, Dec 04.
Dani Sinclair:
My heroines all
tend to be strong, self-reliant women who do what has to be done despite
their fears and uncertainties. Melanie Richards is a perfect example. In
SECRET
CINDERELLA, Feb 05, there is little this determined heroine won't do
- to the hero's profound consternation. A pickpocket, a thief, and a short
order cook, Mel's a realist with a wry sense of humor and a strong sense
of family. She doesn't expect Prince Charming to ride to her rescue. Mel's
more than willing to try and get the job done herself. It takes an equally
strong, determined hero to win her trust - and her heart.
Debra Webb:
I love the strong
heroines who are equals to the heroes. My all time favorite from
my works so far is Nicole Reed, PROTECTIVE CUSTODY, Apr 2001.
Even when I'm not writing a kick-butt heroine I always strive to make the
women in my books strong in some way that contrasts the hero's strengths.
Maybe he's cynical and certain he wants nothing else to do with love and
she's ever the optimistic and convinced that love is just around the next
corner. I love women who take charge when the need arises and who,
despite whatever quirky characteristics I may have given them, can make
a weapon out of a bottle of perfume and a tube of lipstick.
Gayle Wilson:
My favorite type
of heroine typifies the Intrigue line. I love woman who takes an
active role in the situation, whether it's in mentally solving the mystery
or in physically confronting the bad guys or both. Obviously, I love
strong women characters, which is why I love writing for Intrigue.
Cara Simonson, the heroine of my Oct 04 release, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT,
discovers the key that leads to the resolution of the villain's identity.
She also is at the hero's side during the final confrontation. She
actually saves the life of this very experienced Phoenix agent--exactly
the kind of partner a formerly lone-wolf type tough guy needs! That's
absolutely typical of the women you'll find in Intrigues and why I love
to write them.
Rebecca York:
I write stories
about men and women falling in love against a backdrop of danger and tension.
And my strong heroines are never fraid to go toe to toe with the tough
but wounded heroes I love. In my books, my heroine is as likely to
rescue my hero as visa versa.
Morgan Kirkland,
in my February 05 Intrigue, SPELLBOUND, is a good example.
She and her husband were covert agents. After he was killed in the
line of duty, she stopped caring about her own safety and began taking
dangerous assignments--including moving to the Louisiana estate of Andre
Gascon in order to find out who is leaving bodies in the bayou and trying
to pin the crimes on him. Even before she reaches the estate, she's
drawn into a web of supernatural terror. But she's up to the challenge
of saving herself and saving Andre from the voodoo curse that has plagued
his family since before he was born.
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