Alpha Heroes, Omega Heroines.
Wow! A Romancing the Blog article I totally agree with (surprise, surprise). Actually, Sandy Oakes does an excellent job of pinpointing one of the greatest turn-offs in romances–when the hero and the heroine don’t match up. She says:
To me, the heroine must have her own strength. She must be a woman who does not need a man to complete her, but wants a man to be her compliment. Her strength should be his weakness; his strength should be her weakness. It is the yin and yang that should be the force that pushes forth the relationship.
That is a quote that all writers, especially romance writers, should post right next to their computers and ponder it while creating their heroes and heroines.
The one thing I would add is that the sweet young innocent of historical novels should still bring her own strengths to the relationship. Perhaps she teaches the cynical hero that the world is not all evil, that there is life and light and joy to be found. Or maybe her trusting nature helps him overcome a past failure. And so on. But she can by no means be a limp, lifeless, unchanging limpet of a human. (Okay, the one way that I’ll allow that in a heroine is if by the end of the novel she has changed, strengthened, become her own person and a worthy partner , not prize, for the hero.)
February 1st, 2006 at 8:48 pm
Good for you! My protag is anything but limp and lifeless. She’s a kick-butt sorta’ girl…literally! LOL
February 2nd, 2006 at 10:01 am
innocent doesn’t mean idiot.
That’s the mistake some writers make.