Silk & Shadows

I’m late with my post this week! I blame that on a dangerous cocktail of turkey (etc., etc.) and cold/flu medicine. Oh, and the fact that … well, I have a hard time with my heroines. They take twice as long to reveal themselves to me as my heroes, and maybe I’m a little uncomfortable at examining my process when it comes to creating them. 

Maybe it would be easier if I threw out one of my favorite historical movie heroines (since I write historical paranormals), and that’s Cora Munro from LAST OF THE MOHICANS …

When I said LAST OF THE MOHICANS the sweeping crecendo of that soundtrack started up in your mind, didn’t it? And the sound byte, “I will find you! No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you!” Remember that scene? The tension is high, and the vengeful Huron chief, Magua and his men are coming closer, and closer. Gah! So painful and beautiful and romantic, but the thing I found most romantic was that … Nathaniel was leaving her. Because — no matter how much it killed him to do so — he knew she was strong enough to survive. And she was. Cora didn’t cling to him, and beg him not to go. She realizes what’s at stake, and that their parting is the only hope for their survival.

What does she say? “If the worst happens, and only one of us survives, something of the other does, too.”

I was recently invited to talk to a paranormal romance book club, and one of the comments I received on my heroine Elena Whitney, from NIGHT FALLS DARKLY, was, “Thank you sooooo much for not making her all sweet.”

There’s nothing at all wrong with a woman being sweet or innocent. I happen to admire both of those qualities very much, but … I know what that reader meant by sweet. 

No matter how sheltered or inexperienced a historical heroine may be, she can still have her eyes wide open to the world around her. She can choose not to put her blinders on. I like my historical heroines strong, at least in character, if not physical strength. I want them to see past the dresses, and the carriages and their circle or society to the Great Beyond, even if that Beyond is ugly and dangerous, and to react realistically but bravely under whatever circumstances. (I could apply the same hopeful standards to any contemporary heroine!) So, yes, I want even my historical heroine to be “kick ass” when appropriate.

I tried to find a picture of Cora leveling that musket: BLAM!

Wishing All of Our Friends and Readers a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Allison and Kim will be back on Friday and Saturday to continue the discussion on heroines. See you then!

Heroes are consistent creatures. It’s true that Mr. Overbearing has given some ground to Mr. “I will do the dishes once in a while.” And, over the years he’s changed occupations—fireman, cop, vampire, whatever. But, he’s still basically the same guy. Big, gorgeous, troubled, demanding, and oh-so-hot to claim the girl for his own.

On the whole, we understand Mr. Will Fill Dishwasher But Still Manly without too much trouble. While there are endless variations on the theme, he’s been around in popular culture long enough that the reader easily recognizes his type. I don’t think the modern heroine is as predictable. These days the gals are as likely to be holding a machine gun as a cookie press.

This is not a bad thing.  If we’re going to have realistic action-adventure, monster-busting stories, we need protagonists who are up for the job. But, I think what hits my radar about the “kick ass heroine” phenomenon is not so much the kicking ass part but the psychology behind it. Authors can’t cut corners here. I’m not as willing to buy her as I am Mr. Manly–not without reading the label.

If the woman I’m cheering on is going to commit an extreme act of violence, the author has to lay lots of groundwork and motivation before I want to go along for the ride. Cartoons and comics are one thing, the emotional journey of an entire novel is very different.

I mean, think about it. If Jane runs around killing monsters day in and day out, what sort of a psychological toll does that take? In this day and age of humanized vamps and werewolves, what separates her from a serial killer? And where does clever, sarcastic repartee cross the line into just plain rude?

This is where the author’s job gets hard. Speaking for myself as a reader, I might conceivably be a housewife, a career woman or a secretary to a Greek millionaire tycoon with a secret baby, but I’m unlikely to be a slayer, a superhero or even a leather-clad special ops agent dangling from a rope and stealing the Thing That Saves the World. The author needs to make be believe in Jane as well as her mission.

I love these Babes of Iron when they’re well done–but tough isn’t good enough. We have to admire these gals and, for that, we have to understand them—not just as action figures, but as women.

Is this more than I would demand of a hero?  Yes and no. I want to know his emotional landscape and why he does what he does, too. Otherwise, it’s bad characterization. However, I do think I accept a man of action and all that entails with less scrutiny. He’s more familiar and so I’m more comfortable making assumptions about him.

What do you think?  Do we need more characterization to understand our heroines when they’re in these non-traditional roles? Or, has our culture seen enough Buffys and Ripleys that we accept them as easily as we do their male action-adventure counterparts?

The Heroine.

This is a far more challenging topic than the hero. Why? Because she comes in so many different flavors. The hero needs to be hot and dark and dreamy. The heroine, depending on the book you pick up, can be sweet and charming, funny and unpredictable, smart and capable. Or all of the above. And it’s very possible that, if it’s written well, you won’t care which of those qualities she possesses—the important part is the journey the heroine makes. She needs to earn the hero, or the book just isn’t worth reading.

Once upon a time, to qualify as a heroine the female lead had to be virginal, unfailingly kind and an excellent screamer. No, not that kind of screaming. She had to be blessed with a healthy set of lungs so she could scream for help.

Today, we readers have more demanding expectations of our heroines. Virginal is not required, but god help the heroine who is Too Stupid To Live. Kind is still a valued quality, but she no longer has to be consistently kind—in fact we prefer a little realism. So long as she’s well motivated and doesn’t get downright villainous. Today, if someone pushes her, we expect our heroine to push back. As for being rescued? Well, there’s still a fair amount of rescuing going on in romance stories—but sometimes it’s the guy getting rescued. And the heroine rarely sits around waiting to be rescued. Nor does she act in a foolhardy fashion to incite the kidnapping—see note above about TSTL heroines.

When I think back on the romance heroines I have most enjoyed reading about, I see one common thread: they’re all strong. Now, by strong, I don’t mean feisty. No feet stomping here. I mean seriously strong. In fact, some of the best characters are the quiet, almost unsung, heroines. Let’s be honest, though, to face the dark hero long enough to spot that hole in his heart, a heroine has to have some genuine inner brawn.

So, who are some of my favorites?

Mulan.

Yeah, I know. She’s not really a romance heroine. But to me she epitomizes the evolution of the heroine. Unlike Snow White or Sleeping Beauty, she doesn’t wait for her destiny, she goes out and finds it. Yes, she falls into that old trope of dressing like a man, but in the end, it’s her feminine side that wins the day.

Elizabeth Bennet.

She’s not the popular kick-ass heroine, but when she’s pushed, she definitely pushes back. She dares to challenge the social norms and demands to be respected by the hero. I think that’s why Pride and Prejudice has endured as a love story.

Mrs. Smith.

Mrs. Smith is the quintessential kick-ass heroine. There’s nothing quiet about her, unless you pair that word with deadly. She’s smart, she’s funny and she even manages to get away with trying to kill the hero several times. We let her, because it’s always clear she’s conflicted.

I bet you have a whole different set of heroines you admire. Wanna share?

Working on: Chapter 7 of FORGED OF SHADOWS
Wherein our hero & heroine find an ally… or maybe an enemy
Mood: Curious

This week’s topic is Heroines: The Good, The Kick-Ass, and The… Well, heroines are never really ugly, are they?  We’ll be looking at what is a heroine?  What makes her appealing to the hero… and to you?  How have heroines changed over time?  Who is your favorite heroine?  And, for today, how is she different from a hero?

Some say it’s semantics, that a heroine is just the feminine of hero.  But I think she’s different.  How could she not be?  Even today, when many women have access to many of the same opportunities as their male counterparts, the female experience is intrinsically different from the man’s.  From lingering stereotypes and gender expectations to unavoidable physical distinctions, the heroine faces challenges that no man considers as he goes forth to slay his dragons.  I mean, sure you gotta save the world, but who’s gonna pack the kids’ lunches?

Obviously, all stories could be changed by switching the gender of the lead character, but my favorite example of how the XY chromosomes influence the very (exploding) heart of a story is Alien.

For Alien was the first science fiction film to assault the rational humanist subject from the basis of biological sex and gender roles: when the chest of the unfortunate space explorer Kane exploded and that phallic little beastie escaped from the depth of our unconscious and onto the screen, with it went the primacy of the sexed body in science fiction film.

The original treatment for the film called for a male Ripley.  But director Ridley Scott cast Sigourney Weaver instead.  In interviews, he’s said he never saw the change as significant, although he admits he hoped handing the heroic reins to a young woman would shake the audience much as Hitchcock had after killing his Psycho star early on.

In ‘Who Are You?’: Alien/Woman as Posthuman Subject in Alien Resurrection, (quoted above) Ximena Gallardo C. gives an awesome academically weighty run-down on the mother of all monster movies – literally, as Ripley becomes, in the course of the franchise, surrogate mother to a little girl and eventually Queen Mother to a new race of alien/human hybrids.  Ain’t no hero could pull that off!  Point being, gender informed that story on every level, from the themes that played out over several movies to our experience as viewers.

For ancient stories nearly as gory as Alien still featuring strong heroines who follow and diverge from the traditional hero’s journey, read about Isis and Hi’iaka. These goddesses are fully realized and well-rounded characters who could easily stand beside Lt. Ripley or any other modern heroine with their strength, cleverness and determination.

For an interesting take on how a woman’s path can differ in real life as well as storyworld, check out Maureen Murdock’s The Heroine’s Journey: Woman’s Quest for Wholeness.  One aspect that fascinates me is the interpretation that – unlike the hero’s journey where the man seeks integration with the Mystic Feminine during his descent into the Otherworld Cave (could we BE any more gynecologically unsubtle?) and is made whole – the heroine seeks freedom and independence in the masculine realm – and discovers it is still not enough.  In a way, the heroine’s path is more complex than the hero’s.

The writers among you might be interested in this chart and graphic representation of the heroine’s story arc.  The emphasized differences between hero and heroine here culminate in the final stages where the hero traditionally becomes “the master of two worlds,” while the heroine experiences “the release of creativity” that was denied her in her old world.  As a woman writer writing primarily for other women, I’m intrigued on the personal as well as the story level.  Because while men have always been celebrated for their outward bound adventures, women have had to first meet responsibilities to their families, communities and society or face raised eyebrows at the least.  As if being the fire-tender somehow precludes carrying the fire out into the wider world.

Not that I dismiss the hero’s unique challenges.  After all, the cave IS a scary place :)  The glory of the romance novel today is that it explores the journey from both the female and male points of view, integrating two disparate paths as the heroine and her hero come together for their happily ever after.

What do you see as the key differences between the heroine’s path and the hero’s, both in the stories you love and your own life?  Will we ever come to a place where the journey is essentially the same for men and women?  Would you want it to be?

Status: Completing Copy Edits on SO STILL THE NIGHT (Book 2 of the Shadow Guard Series)

Mood: Thankful

When I go into Deadline Mode, I become a study in contradiction. I tend to stock up on lots of herbal teas, and Naked Juice (my favorite is the Green Machine), soups (love the Campbell’s soups in a box — butternut squash or tomato basil) and lots of fish and chicken, which is super easy to season and cook on the ol’ George Foreman Grill. But really, when I get stressed out, it’s just as likely I’ll inhale a bag of Doritos with my Naked Juice, instead of something healthy.

One recipe that always gets made during that final deadline week is my “easy” chili recipe, which is different than the “30 different ingredients” chili recipe. Here’s the easy version:

Saute 2-3 pounds ground beef in a big pot, and drain off the fat. Add 2-15 oz. cans of tomato sauce, and 2-15 oz. cans diced tomatoes (or crushed if you don’t like chunky tomatoes in your chili).  Add one big can of Ranch Style Beans.  How many ounces is the big can? I can’t remember. Pick the size you think you’ll like best. (Do you see how I cook?) Tear open one envelope of McCormick’s chili seasoning, and dump that in. Mix everything up, and simmer until heated through. It’s even better with about a half can of Shiner Bock beer mixed in as well (you, of course, drink the other half). Serve with grated sharp cheddar.

Tah-dah! That’s Deadline Chili, and everyone in my family loves it. I usually serve the chili with salad and homemade cornbread – but if I’m really hysterical, they just get bagged salad and presliced french bread from the store. Another of my favorites to make is a knock off of Le Madeleine’s tomato basil soup, and I’m just providing a link to that recipe. 

As for Thanksgiving, here’s a recipe that I adapted from Southern Living, of which I’ve always been a rabid fan. It’s Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie. Their version used Bourbon, but I’m from Texas, and I’ve got Kahlua from Mexico in my cabinet and thought I’d give that a try. The pie is always a success, and everyone asks for the recipe -

1/2 pkg refrigerated pie crust

1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup semisweet morsels

1 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup kahlua (or bourbon)

4 large eggs

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 tsp cornmeal

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

Heat your oven to 325 degrees. Fit your piecrust into a 9 inch deep dish pie plate. Fold the edges under and crimp. Sprinkle pecans and chocolate evenly onto the bottom of the piecrust and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the corn syrup, sugars and kahlua. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly for three minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk together the eggs and the next four ingredients. Gradually whisk the hot mixture, into the egg mixture, and pour into the prepared pie crust over the pecans and chocolate. Bake for fifty five minutes. I always cover my crust with foil so it doesn’t get too overcooked.

Enjoy!

Speaking as someone who turned out a book called RAVENOUS, it’s pretty clear I have a welcoming attitude toward food. I’m not a picky eater. I like it all.

One of the things catching my interest right now is the slow food movement. No, this has nothing to do with lazy vampires, geriatric werewolves, or zombies in need of arch supports.

In case you haven’t heard of it, slow food is the opposite of fast food: fresh, locally grown, home cooked, and enjoyed for its quality rather than its convenience. It exists alongside ideas like the hundred mile diet, organic food philosophies, and supporting the small local producers and community markets. I’m fortunate enough to live in an area of the Pacific Northwest that’s rich in farmland and wineries and that has a selection of world-class restaurants invested in promoting agri-tourism—which could be defined as “come visit and stuff your face till you drop”.

What does this have to do with writing?  Slow food makes a better author.  While I’m right in there with the “loves chocolate” brigade, for me there’s a price attached to that sweet indulgence:  word count.

This is a sad state of affairs for someone addicted to Hawkins Cheezies and who loves her glass of chardonnay, but garbage in, garbage out. When production counts, I have to avoid the junk snack aisle because sugar, salt, and preservatives make me groggy and (even more) stupid. It’s a hard-won lesson, but if I want to indulge in a not-so-virtuous treat, I have to wait until I’ve done my work for the day.

How very boring. Of course, nothing prevents me from eating well except my own unwillingness to tear my fingers from the keyboard and rejoin planet earth. I love to cook, so I really have no excuse. Here’s a recipe I’ve had for years that I absolutely love. For “slow food” it takes hardly any time to prepare:

Bunny soup (no, we’re not cooking Bugs)

Cook until soft:

2 lbs carrots, scrubbed and chopped

1 potato

Pinch salt

4 cups of stock or water

Saute in olive oil:

1 small chopped onion

Crush garlic (about a teaspoon)

1 tsp grated ginger

Handful of chopped cashews

Add sauted mixture to carrots and put the whole thing through a blender (or use a hand blender) to make a smooth texture. Whisk in

one cup of yogurt

dash of sherry

 and heat through. Garnish with more cashews.

Enjoy!

Favorite writing foods. Hmmm.

Let’s be really clear: I don’t cook. For many years there was a running joke in my house that I could burn Jello. I’ve certainly ruined Kraft Dinner. Yeah, don’t ask. Just put it down to a mind that can bury itself so deep in a story that the real world ceases to exist for a while. Long enough, apparently, for food to burn and KD to turn into gray mush.

Right. Now that I’ve instilled you with confidence, I’m going to share my favorite recipes.

I’ll point out, for the sake of the faint-hearted, that these are my mother’s recipes, which I follow to the letter. Creativity with words? Got that. Creativity with spices? Uh, no. I learned early on not to experiment.

My all-time favorite food for Thanksgiving is pumpkin pie. Here’s how my mom makes hers:

2 nine-inch unbaked pie shells (my mom made her own pastry, but I skip that part and go right to the frozen food section of the grocery store)
1 large can of pumpkin puree
1 ¼ cups of brown sugar (packed)
2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 tsp ginger
2/3 tsp mace
2/3 tsp nutmeg
2/3 tsp salt
4 eggs (separated)

In large bowl, beat the egg yolks; blend in the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, salt, mace, ginger and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until fluffy, then fold them into the pumpkin mixture. Pour into pie shells.

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. Bake until the pastry is golden and a knife inserted into centre comes out clean. Let them cool on a rack.

Then dig in. Smother your piece of pie in whipped cream or eat it plain. Whatever works for you. The best part of this recipe is how light and fluffy the egg whites make the pie. Yum.

My other favorite recipe for cool autumn weather is rice pudding. Try this one:

½ cup of short grain rice
1 cup of boiling water
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
pinch of salt
4 cups of milk
1 cup 18% table cream (what, you thought this was low cal?)
½ tsp nutmeg
½ cup of raisins
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cinnamon

In a large saucepan, cook the rice in the boiling water until the water is absorbed. Feel free to cook yours in a steamer if you prefer, but you’ll need to transfer the rice to a saucepan to complete the recipe.

In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Then whisk in a cup of the milk and stir until smooth. Add the sugar mixture, along with the rest of the milk and the cream to the saucepan with the rice. Mix well. Add the nutmeg and the raisins.

Stirring steadily, bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to the barest simmer and stir occasionally. Cook 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until very creamy.

Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl. Remove the pudding from the heat. Whisk a little of the pudding into the egg yolks, then add the egg yolk mixture to the rest of the pudding. Put the pudding back on the stove and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and butter. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with cinnamon.

I swear, even if you don’t usually like rice pudding, you’ll love this. You can eat it hot or cold.

Enjoy!