I don't know if other authors have this problem, but I have written some twenty plus stories, and I often worry that all my heroines are clones of one another, and of myself. (Well, not in the ‘fantasy-filled-Happily-Ever-After’ sense, but more in their traits, likes, and dislikes). Although I strive to make each protagonist a unique individual, I am afraid it might not always work out that way.
I have found when I am getting to know characters in a new book, I tend to give my heroine a lot of my personality and preferences. I also feel they speak and behave a great deal like I do. (Other than the heroic, self-sacrificing, brave things they do…sigh…) Not to say that all my heroines are perfect, or at least I hope not. They also have flaws…sometimes they share my flaws, other times I give them their own.
When I set out to write a Young Adult series, I made a conscious
effort to ensure my protagonist, Liberty Delacort Van Helsing, was not a ‘mini-me.’
Which wasn’t all that difficult, since she is eighteen and I’m…well…not. :)
But still, even with the age gap, I could have made her a younger, hotter,
tougher version of myself. I am sure there is a little part of me in her, but some
of the differences are…
- While we both like white wine, Liberty drinks the sweet stuff, and I can’t stand it.
- She is afraid of and sickened by the sight of blood. While it’s not something I particularly enjoy, looking at blood doesn’t scare or nauseate me.
- She loves sunshine and sympathizes with vampires who can’t enjoy it. I prefer bleak, dark, rainy, weather, and could adjust quite well to being a vampire. (Once I acquired a taste for blood)
- She is able to resist Eli (sometimes, not always), and I would not have that kind of will power.
Do you have a tendency to write heroines who are like you?
When you read a book do you see yourself in the protagonist? What protagonist
have you been most able to relate to?
(Oh yeah, another big difference. Liberty is a virgin…;))
About my latest release, Liberty Divided (Isle of Fangs Book
2) (Click here to be taken to buy page on Amazon)
One
man can fulfill her destiny…the other can fulfill her fantasy.
BOOK BLURB:
To quell the rise of evil
vampires, Liberty Van Helsing must embrace her newfound Hunter destiny. But she
has a great deal to learn, and Eli Barkley—the vampire who has been teaching
her—has already betrayed her once. Her goal is to shut Eli out of her life and
become a better hunter on her own—and to focus on her new romance with hot
Australian, Ryan Kelly, a human she can trust.
But when a rogue vampire
begins savagely killing young women, the authorities insist Liberty work with
Eli to find the murderer. Liberty must overlook Eli’s epic betrayal and find a
way to get along with him if they are to stop the unknown maniac and protect
innocent lives.
Yet, the more time Liberty
spends with Eli, the more her unwanted attraction to him grows. She starts to
question her feelings for Ryan—are they real, or could Eli be ‘the one?’ As Eli
and Liberty delve further into the murders, clues surface that point to Eli as
the culprit. Can she trust him now? Or will she have to plunge a stake into his
heart, breaking her own, just when she’s learning to believe in him again?
EXCERPT:
After the bars closed and the streets emptied of people, Liberty and Eli
walked back down the beach to the lot where their cars were parked.
She stumbled and Eli took her elbow, helping her stay upright. “Watch it
now. I think you’re toasted.”
She rubbed her cheek and shook her head. “No, just tired.”
“You’re bombed out of your mind. In our future outings, we should leave
alcohol alone. If you did run into our mystery maniac, he’d have you shredded
to ribbons in no time.”
For some reason, that struck her as hilarious. She stopped walking and
doubled over with giggles.
Eli took her shoulders and lifted her to face him. “What’s so damned
funny? I’m serious.”
That made her laugh even harder. “You—you’re the one—” She gasped between
bursts of laughter, trying to catch her breath. “You’re the one who’s—” She
laughed some more. “Trying to be serious? That’s a switch, am I right or am I
right?”
He snorted in irritation. “Wasted is what you are. For God’s sake, a
newbie drunken hunter. Exactly what we need to take down this asshole.”
“Sorry,” she slurred, trying to focus, to sober up. “You’re right. No way
would I be any goodn’ this con-con-dishen.”
He scowled. “Apology accepted. Second apology, I might add.”
She smiled. For some reason his reminder didn’t bother her. She poked a
finger against his chest. “Don’t get used to it, bucko.”
He wrapped his fingers around hers, held on for a split second, then
released her. “Come on, I’ll drive you home.”
“I took—I mean brought—my car. I can drive.”
“No way in hell am I letting you get behind the wheel. Lover boy can
bring you to get your car tomorrow.”
She scowled, but Eli was right. She didn’t want to kill someone—or
herself.
Just before they reached the parking lot, they passed a tiare shrub
blooming with white flowers. “These are gorgeous.” She inhaled the fragrant
scent. “And they smell amazing.” She turned a delighted smile on him. “Can I
pick one?”
“Of course. The natives of Sang Croc want people to enjoy the beauty of
their flora. The motto is, there are always more to grow.” He stopped and
gripped a flower by its stem, pulling it from the bush. “Here you go.”
She hadn’t realized he’d moved, but suddenly he was close. Their bodies
almost brushed. She didn’t remind him of the rules about no flirting. If she
did, she was afraid he’d step away. He locked his eyes on hers and lifted the
flower, gently tucking it behind her ear.
She swallowed hard and took a shallow breath. His eyes dropped to her
mouth. Involuntarily, her lips parted.
He was going to kiss her…and she was pretty certain she going to let him.
Even in her drunken state, she vowed she wouldn’t go as far as she’d wanted to
go with Ryan. But she wanted to kiss Eli—had wanted to since she’d first seen
him.
They’d come close a few times, but something had always interrupted them.
Tonight, there were no distractions. She’d had enough to drink that she didn’t
feel her normal inhibitions. But she couldn’t use the booze as an excuse. Her
adrenaline was pumping, and she’d sobered considerably. Would she or wouldn’t
she? Would it be disloyal to Ryan? They hadn’t exactly made a commitment, she
hadn’t told him she—
“Are you and Ryan a couple?” Eli asked.
She blinked, not sure she’d heard correctly. “Do what?”
“Are you and Ryan a couple?”
“That’s
not—not really your business.”
“I need you to tell me that you are.”
She frowned
and put a hand to her forehead. “What?” He wasn’t making any sense, and her
head was fuzzy.
He stared down
intently at her, his gaze roaming over her features. His voice was low in the
hushed night. “If you say you’re not, I’ll do something stupid. If you belong
to Ryan, tell me you do, and hands off.”
She didn’t
answer. For several seconds.
His lips
tightened. The two of them remained sheltered in silence in the darkness. It
was so quiet, she could hear the ocean waves lapping the sand.
He took the
flower from her right ear and moved it to her left. He trailed his fingers
along her cheek, making goose bumps break out over her flesh. “There you are.
Left side.”
“Left side?”
Her throat was so dry, she could barely speak.
He nodded. “It
means you’re taken. Now all the guys will know you belong to Ryan, and they’ll
stay away.”
She clenched
her teeth, angry at herself for feeling disappointed, angry at him for not
giving her what she wanted. Rejected by two guys in two nights.
Screw this romance crap.
(Liberty Awakened, Isle of Fangs Book 1 is only 99¢ on the Kindle. Click here to purchase)
Great post, Alicia. You're right about heroines. I start out with heroines like me--maybe more what I'd like to be. I love this new book in your Isle of Fangs series.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane. Yes, there is a lot of 'what I would like to be' in my heroines. I'm so glad you enjoyed the book!
DeleteOh, fabulous post, Alicia, and even more fabulous excerpt. Most of my gutsier heroines (or even heroes) have to squelch the natural inclination to cuss like Marines, and that, unfortunately, comes from me. I'm able to curb myself around my grandchildren, but when I'm alone or with my husband and say, watching football, I have a tendency to let it fly. If I don't, I fear I shall explode. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI'm off to promote this on Facebook and my blogsite!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the post and the excerpt. :) Yeah, I've had critique partners tell me to tone down my heroines' cursing more than once. But, geez, these women are often pissed off! LOL. Thanks for the support and helping promo!
DeleteSo true!!! Loved the excerpt, Alicia Now that i'm writing my tenth heroine, I'm paying very close attention to not making them all similar, physically and emotionally. I start with what they drink, strangely enough, then fan out from there. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kim. Glad you liked it. Hmmm...starting off with what they drink. I'm sure there's some meaning behind that :-) Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteSo true that we write what we know. There is a piece of me in every character, male or female, but I try to make them people I'm NOT as well. Very hard, but important to differentiate them from ourselves. Great post, Alicia!!! And good luck with your book sales! Your character sounds intriguing :)
ReplyDeleteSo true, Christine. It is difficult, but it's something we need to do. Glad you enjoyed the post...thanks for stopping by!
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