Strong heroines inspire us. They spill blood, shed tears and suffer from broken hearts and betrayals. Some are heroes while others villains, or the infamous anti-heroes. From Christine Feehan’s Drake Sister’s series to the controversial Lisbeth in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Now more than ever, society is recognizing and reveling in strong women. From the time that a strong leading lady emerges on the page, the journey begins. For example, although Lisbeth’s character was written by a man, it was written to empower women after a personal event in the author’s life. Lisbeth became who she did because of what was done to her but had beautiful and complex character growth that didn’t shy away from hard to capture themes. She ended up being one of the most unique characters in the market, in a series that was truly ground breaking.
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I believe that writing a strong leading lady is not just about giving her strength, incredible intelligence, a special psychic ability, or the role she was ‘born for’. It’s about letting her strength shine through in the moments she faces, whether they are life-changing or every day events. Strong heroines show confidence, perhaps not always in the ‘right moment’, but in moments that matter to them. They impact the world of characters around them because of the choices they make. Take Bri, the heroine from my first novel, Circle of Dreams. She is a “normal” woman (spoiler – minus her heritage) who has lived a fairly “normal” life. She trips up at times, worries and suffers from many of the same things we all have on our plates to deal with. And then there is that catalytic event and the subsequent defining moments that shine a spotlight on her inner strength and integrity, and internal conflict is palpable on the page. Women are passionate lovers, courageous soldiers, and the heartbeat of romantic literature.
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Writing a strong female lead is as much a responsibility as it is a privilege. I find there can be a delicate balance in unpacking the gender dynamics of an romantic adventure. Empowerment is a word that I take for granted, until I’m faced with a situation in which I feel I’m being treated differently because of my gender. For my heroines, there are many of these instances, especially as they wrangle with supernatural men who are often more physically powerful, have lived a lot longer, in some cases, and who are drop dead gorgeous. They are thrown into situations where they are fighting for their lives, grounded in their strength of character and purpose.
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Strong leading ladies have had a hard fight throughout history. There have been many battles won and lost in that battle to be respected, honored and remembered. In literature, we can see how the landscape of this battlefield has shifted. Today, a leading lady is just as likely to save the day (and the man) as she is to be in need of rescue. Reading a story with a strong female lead and writing these roles continue to inspire me.
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