Friday, April 12, 2013

~ Symposium: Girl Power! ~

Happy Friday Everyone! Since the first symposium about heroes did so well, I have decided that I will make this a monthly post! Each month I will pose a different question to a panel of authors to see what they have to say on the matter. Now...on to the fun!!!

What type of Heroine do you like to write?

This is the question I posed to some of my friends and fellow authors.  You will be thoroughly entertained by the insightful, and sometimes hilarious responses I received. So, sit back, relax and see what some of the hottest authors have to say about what it takes to create the perfect leading lady!
 
LAURIE ROMA: My heroines are dynamic, strong and very capable women who can handle most anything thrown at them. Sure, they cry and feel pain, but they kick ass and take names just as good as any man…or even better in most cases. I like to add bits of my own personality into each of my female characters, hence the kick-ass attitudes, but underneath it all they also have a vulnerable side that only comes out with the right man (or men) *cough cough*. Each of my heroines deal with real life issues, such as broken hearts, past abuse or some other issue they need to overcome. They are well rounded individuals who like to fuck, swear, have a wicked sense of humor and certainly have no problem speaking their minds. No, my characters will never been classified as shy or extremely submissive. Sure, they might not represent the average woman, but this is fantasy, right? If my heroes are to-die-for gorgeous with 10 inch cocks why can’t their counterparts be smart, beautiful and sexy as hell? My ladies don’t need someone to do for them, they just need a partner along for the ride. Fundamentally, my leading ladies epitomize what we all aspire to be; heroes of our own stories, whatever they may be.

Allison Summers is having the mother of all bad days. As a surgeon, Allie is a strong woman who has led a difficult life. She is fighting to make the best of her situation, but everything changes when she is struck by lightning and finds herself transported to another world.

Arcadian Princes Tynan, Cael and Ryder Dracor have been looking for the woman who will complete their souls. Born in a world with a shortage of females, they fear that day will never come. When a goddess suddenly appears they are shocked, but know they want her as their mate. Allie wants to go home but now that they’ve found her, they don’t want to let her go…

When wills clash and legacies are unveiled, it seems as though Allie was destined to become part of this world. But as she struggles with her new life can she find a way to truly be happy and embrace being an Arcadian?


SOPHIE OAK: I love the quirky heroine. More than likely I tend to write odd women because I am one. My heroines run the gamut. From feisty Rachel in Three to Ride who founds the I Shot a Son of A Bitch Club to pacifist protester Nell in Once Upon a Time in Bliss to my latest shoe loving fashonista Georgia in Back in Bliss.  Women come in all shapes and sizes and types. I want each of my heroines to be unique, but there is a single thread that runs through each. My heroines know what it means to love. Like real women, they are at the heart of each book. Though the men might—sometimes—save the day, it’s my heroines who keep the story grounded and prove that we all, no matter our shape or size or level of sarcasm, deserve a happily ever after.
 

Logan Green is back in Bliss, but only for a few weeks to help out at the Sheriff’s office. Everything changes when Seth Stark strolls into town with Georgia Dawson on his arm.

Seth’s arrival is anything but a happy accident. He always dreamed of a big house on the river and a wife he could share with his best friend, Logan. After building a software empire, his only goal has been to make that dream come true. He just needed the perfect woman.
 
Georgia is still haunted by the dark, troubled Dom that saved her life. Her boss brought her to Bliss to help him outfit his new summer home, but when Logan Green walks through the door she discovers Seth has something different in mind.

Seth has a plan for their mutual happily ever after, but he never dreamed that coming home would put all their lives in danger.

BUY LINK:

LORI KING: This question is harder for me to answer, because all of my heroines are very different from each other. I don’t think there is a specific guideline, but a few qualities seem to be repeated. First of all, she must be a good person at heart. I can’t imagine myself writing about a woman who wasn’t good at heart. Second, she needs to have a REAL story. I want her to have lived life, and have some of the aches and bruises that come along with it. I don’t like reading about perfect people, because in reality no one is perfect, and no one can escape the hurdles that life throws at us. Third, she needs to be out of her teenage “know it all” stage. My heroine’s tend to be at least 25 because I personally don’t think I grew up until around then. Last, she has to love her men with every fiber of her being. That’s right, I said men. I write ménage, and I can’t have her stirring up jealousy or being a bitchy wife. I want her to be soul deep in love with her men, so that if they weren’t there it would feel like she had lost a chunk of herself. You know, the best part about writing romance, is that I get to watch people fall in love over and over. What a great job.


Sidney Rowe has been abused in ways that most people can’t even imagine. After a horrific miscarriage, she left behind everything she had to escape her ex-boyfriend. She finds refuge in the kindness of the three Dawson brothers. They give her a job and a sense of security in the small town of Apache Crossing.

Xavier, Tyce, and Noah Dawson have built their bar, Triple Shot, into a profitable enterprise. The three former Marines have also built a reputation for integrity in the community, but their sex appeal and charm are legendary. They enjoy their playboy status…that is until a jumpy, skittish Sidney stumbles into their lives needing their help.

Sexual tension explodes when the brothers decide they want to protect and share Sidney, but to have her they have to stop her ex from haunting her. Can they keep her safe and win her damaged heart?

ZENOBIA RENQUIST: The type of heroine I like to write about is real. She has issues. She has worries. She has ups. She has downs. Her life isn't perfect (unless that's a plot point) but she isn't searching for a man to make it perfect either. My heroines can deal on their own. A man or two (or three) in her life might make things better but it's up to the hero(es) to convince her of that. On the odd occasion, I write a heroine who does need a hero to ride to her rescue because it's fun to write something different from my norm. Though I tend to write wild fantasy, I try to make the issues the heroine faces ones I can identify with, ones my readers can identify with. In that way the readers are drawn into the heroine's story even more.
 
She's entered a world where blood, sex, and cash rules everything around her.What do a four hundred-year-old vampire and a mid-level necromancer have in common? Money. Jeliyah needs it to pay off the people who trained her and Teaghan enjoys killing to get it. Together they hunt rogue vampires--assuming Teaghan can focus on something other than getting her in bed and Jeliyah doesn't put a bullet in him first.

The uneasy partnership promises to be lucrative until Teaghan and Jeliyah get on the wrong side of a feud. Jeliyah is forced to use forbidden magic and finds herself bound to a man she should hate--but whom she can't stop fantasizing about.

Every second they stay alive fuels a growing desire Jeliyah is unwilling to deny. Is it the magic? The danger? The only way to get the answers she craves is to outrun the enemy or kill them. She knows Teaghan's preference but it's Jeliyah who must put their mind-blowing sex aside and make the choice that will decide both their fates.

Inside Scoop: An interracial romance between a wannabe-gangtsa vampire and a career-focused magic user who go from being the hunters to the hunted in an exciting new urban fantasy world.



SUSAN HAYES: I had more trouble answering this question than I expected to. When I wrapped my brain around the problem I realized it was because my heroines, aren’t only my characters, they’re also the readers’ avatar. We ladies fantasize about the heroes, but we want to be standing in the heroine’s shoes, receiving every smoldering look and loving caress. If I wrote all my heroines to be “me”, they’d all be vertically and density challenged with an aversion to large crowds and a chocolate addiction. Instead, I like to write about real women from all walks of life, heroines other women can identify with. My heroines work too much and sometimes they make bad choices. They get their hearts broken, have dear friends and sometimes trust the wrong people. They do all have a few things in common though: they are stronger than they know, fierce as a lioness when cornered, and they always deserve the happiness they find. We all deserve that.
 
Rory Frazier is destined to be the next leader of Kismet Cove, a secret colony of seal shape-shifters known as selkies. The catch? Rory can only claim his birthright if he and his blood brother Evan Sinclair find a suitable mate.

Jessica Jones has come to Tofino to reclaim her life and move on from the grief of her mother’s death. Jess just wants time alone and space to heal, but kismet has something else in store. After a rogue wave sweeps her out into the frigid Pacific Ocean, Jess is rescued by two handsome men who heat her blood and help to heal her wounded heart.

Time’s running out for Rory and Evan. They need to present the colony with their chosen mate and tell Jess the truth about who they really are. When their secrets are finally revealed, will their newfound love survive, or will the emotional riptide tear the three of them apart forever?

HEATHER RAINIER: My first goal in developing a heroine is making her relatable for readers. Personality traits like feistiness, tender-heartedness, or timidity are always secondary. Regardless of her attributes, she needs to be a woman who my readers can suspend disbelief for. They need to be able to step into her shoes. That doesn’t mean that I’m not specific about her physicality and description. The important thing for me, as a reader, is that I be able to walk in the heroine’s life for a time and experience what she experiences. That comes from excellent character development and knowing how she thinks on key issues, how she feels about herself, and the men who love her. Whether she is a damsel in distress, a gutsy little firecracker, or a nurturer is a derivative of that process. The one thing that all my heroines have in common with each other is their curviness and heroes who adore their voluptuous woman.

Robbed of her family’s legacy, Gwen Henderson blindly sets out to win it back. In Divine she finds employment until she rejoins the rodeo circuit for one more winning year. What she doesn’t foresee is getting tangled up with two cowboys who have her yearning for life in Divine when her dreams are in Colorado.

Rolling like a tumbleweed through life, Julian Alvarez takes the chance to be with Gwen, knowing she can’t stay permanently and his heart may be in ruins when she leaves.

Resigned to loneliness, Chris Potter believes his faults and lack of finesse may mean he’ll spend life looking out for others but never knowing love—until the day he sets eyes on a feisty cowgirl named Gwen.

Can she trade her dreams of life in Colorado for love in Divine, Texas—and is she even capable of leaving the two cowboys who have stolen her heart? 


KAREN MERCURY: You have to find the common thread in your characters.  There’s always some underlying theme that you don’t notice until years later.  It’s usually a reflection of who you are at the deepest level.  For me, it’s the strange dichotomy of vulnerability and toughness in all of my heroines.  They all seem damaged in some way, afraid to love, yet afraid not to love.  These two characteristics can work side by side perfectly well.  It’s the constant push-pull that goes on in all of us.  Will she, or won’t she? I think the one thing all of my heroines have in common is that they’re trying to cover up their soft sides by acting tough.  They use humor to deflect the pain.  They’re all putting on an act to some extent.  And it works better for some of them than for others.  For some heroines, it’s a total failure.  They’re all “Crap, that guy just noticed I’m faking it.  He’s going to hate me now.”  I think I love these heroines most of all.
Prim and proper doctor Sasha McQueen meets the dashing commando Rowan O’Shea at the scene of a terrorist bombing. Her best friend’s last words, “Tony Danza,” mystify them. When the bomber turns to stalking Sasha, he mingles with the fur-suited fans at the Triple Play Lodge’s Great Utah Furfest, and he could be anyone in a cartoon disguise.
Sasha’s heart is hardened as she recovers from a lousy marriage. She knows the grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence. But when she spies on Rowan getting frisky with the sweet boy-next-door game warden, Perry Donovan, her determination to avoid men goes out the window. Their bondage and forced orgasm games open up a wanton, wild side of Sasha she never knew existed.
 
Assisted by undercover Furries, the trio stalks the bomber instead of waiting to be preyed upon. Together they discover love, security, and the answer to “what does Tony Danza have to do with anything?”

BUY LINK:
FIONA ARCHER: I like heroines I can relate to. Miss Perfect need not apply. Who doesn’t have either an issue with work, self-image or maybe a family drama? How the heroine deals with that issue helps make her both believable and endearing to a reader. So I write heroines I’d respect and want to know better. You know the type; the ones you’d invite around for a coffee and then you’d glance at the clock and find you’ve been chatting for hours. A sense of humor is a must. Let’s face it; those witty rejoinders are a great way to put her alpha males in their place!

Chloe Morgan fled to King’s Bluff, Wyoming, to start a new life. With a past that haunts her, the shy schoolteacher must make a choice. She can hide away and protect her secrets or embrace the acceptance of the small community.
Noah King and Flynn Taylor have traveled the world as members of Australia’s elite SAS. They’ve earned scars, both inside and out. Now powerful influencers in King’s Bluff, a town founded by Noah’s ancestors, the men have made a haven from the ranch Noah inherited.

One look at Chloe convinces Noah and Flynn she’s worth pursuing. Introducing her to BDSM and the ménage lifestyle accepted by the town will be a hard sell. She’s scared, skittish, and refusing their advances.

As the two Doms fight to gain her trust, Chloe’s past crashes in on them, threatening their futures. When a man obsessed with her tracks down his prey, nobody could have imagined how high the stakes would go.

BUY LINKS:
MELODY SNOW MONROE: I love writing about vulnerable but strong heroines who might not always have the best self image—at least until her men set her straight. Some of the women are short while others are way too tall. I’ve had them be as diverse as model thin to having more curves than the Blue Ridge Mountains. But underneath it all, my heroine loves to fuck and always has a hair trigger pussy. They also yearn to be tied up and spanked. While she will do anything for her men she will always stand up for what she believes. A few can cook, but many are hopeless in the kitchen—in that case, my heroes cook for her! One constant between all my heroines is that they all wear great underwear, and buy lots of lingerie when they get depressed (no relation to my life—uh-uh, none at all). They have flaws, but they love like there is no tomorrow. I want sympathetic and realistic women my readers can relate to. Happy reading!
Denver socialite Mandy Duncan is on the run from her ex-husband. She knows about his Ponzi scheme, and only she stands between him and jail. He’s determined to stop her from ever talking.
Mandy escapes to Samantha Callen’s ranch in Intrigue, Wyoming, and hires on as a wilderness guide. Distrustful of men, Mandy doesn’t want to be attracted to Samantha’s cousin, financial guru Vince Callen, or to his sophisticated lawyer roommate, Cameron Longworth, but she is. 
Then Cameron and Vince’s ex-fiancée decides she wants them back. When Cameron tells her he’s found someone new, she decides Mandy needs to go.
 
When Mandy is shot, Cameron and Vince won’t let her out of their sight, and their passion explodes. Then she’s kidnapped. Frantic, Cameron and Vince risk it all to save her. How can they convince her to trust her heart again and want a loving ménage relationship?
BUY LINK:
 SIOBHAN MUIR: My favorite kinds of heroines are those who are both feminine and tough. I don't do damsels. These women don't need the men who love them, but they want them in their lives, and once they've made that decision, they'll fight tooth and nail for them. I love a heroine who can save the hero and still manage to be a little bit girly. My heroines will wear heels and use them to stab a bad guy if necessary when the hero is in trouble. I love kick-ass women. For example, in my latest release, A Hell Hound's fire, Sarah Flanagan has been on the run from demons since her son was born. When she sees one trying to lure the man she loves away, she picks up a shovel and uses it both as a club and a stake to save him. That's my girl. :)  
 
Love can be found in the most unlikely places, even the heart of a Hell Hound.

Alex MacLaren figures he'll never find love again after his mate dies. As one of the rare Hell Hound werewolves, his chances are slim to none. And slim went home. When the local Morukai shaman calls on him to protect a lovely Irish werewolf and her young son from demons, he can't help but take the job.

Sarah Flanagan is desperate to save her son Liam from the deadly monster trailing them, but she's out of options and places to hide. She lost her mate the last time she encountered a demon, and with Liam depending on her, the stakes are far higher this time. After meeting Alex, she's not sure about the Hell Hound, but she’s no fool. He’s their best hope for survival... and hers for another chance at love.
                

 

ERIKA REED: Heroines come in all shapes and sizes. Most of the females in my books start out as spineless, mousy individuals that have mentally been beaten down and taken advantage of in the past by someone that believes her to have been weak in some way or another. In return, my heroines turn the negativity of their pasts and eventually prevail in their quests to find the love they've always craved. They prove that they will not be beat down into submission and, with the help of loving men, discover their own worth. My heroines eventually bloom into courageous, self-assured women that in the end, only want to find true love and a happy ending with the men that have captured their hearts.
Kasey Mcintyre, her cousin, and her best friend are visiting the town of Inferno, California. They’re just there to watch Kasey’s dad’s recognition ceremony at the local firehall, but there’s trouble kindling for the three of them and it’s going to stop them from enjoying their visit.

Brothers Zach, Jake, and Cody Kelly feel their libidos ignite when Kasey’s car almost collides with their fire engine. The three brothers always knew they’d find the right woman to share, just as they always knew that they’d be raising their future family here in Inferno, where their chosen lifestyle would be accepted and respected. The Kelly boys believe that Kasey is the woman for them, so when the situation heats up and burns out of control, they’ll stop at nothing to protect the woman they have all come to love.

It’s going to take love, trust, and courage for the four new lovers to discover the truth and find out who is after Kasey…and why. 

BUY LINK:
REBECCA JOYCE: Heroines are strong-willed, determined women with one part sass and one part Hooker! Yes, you read that right...Hooker! For me, a heroine isn't just all love and frailty, she is a woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. Yes, on occasion she needs the muscle of her Hero, but damn-it, she is an independent woman with a mind of her own. Don't go and tell any of my Heroines they can't do anything, they might just up and kick you ass! Adventurous and funny, I try to mix whit and sarcasm with sensuality and a bit of Hookerism into my Heroines. Let's face it, who wants a woman who's shy and innocent, who conflicts with her Hero's dominant nature when you can have a strong, sarcastic heroine who likes a little slap & tickle while her Hero is fucking her brains out... THIS WRITER DOES!!!


Orin, Davis, and Jacks McDaniel are the party boys of Treasure Cove. All are single, good looking, and refuse to marry, opening their house for fun, folly, and lots of kinky sex. So when they wake the next morning with wedding rings on their fingers, they are stunned.

Lillian Campbell is just trying to live her life as quietly as possible. Hidden away in Celestial, not more than four hours away from her hometown of Silver Springs, she has managed to stay under the radar. That is until she wakes up to find herself married to three hot-looking cowboys.

As the mystery of the night before begins to unfold, the brothers find themselves between a rock and a hard place. To keep everything they hold dear, they must formulate a plan to hide their wife, keep their marriage a secret, and not lose their hearts in the process. Because even the best-laid plans have a degree of difficulty.

 

BUY LINK:




TYMBER DALTON: As with heroes, I prefer writing (and reading) about “real” women. They don’t have a model’s body, they do have a working brain, and they have their own quirks, failings, strengths, and weaknesses. They aren’t perfect. They aren’t too stupid to live, but sometimes they might make an imperfect decision based on following their heart instead of their brain. And it’s not uncommon for them to have some sort of a wall the hero(es) has to break through to reach her heart. Maybe she’s been hurt before, maybe she’s aware she’s made one too many bad decisions in the past and doesn’t want to repeat that, or maybe she’s afraid of appearing like she’s not a strong woman. Whatever it is, it’s a journey she has to go through to find happiness, as well as making the hero work for it.
 
 
Mandaline Royce swore off love. She’s happy working for her best friend, Julie, at her New Age shop, Many Blessings. Then her life’s turned upside down by Julie’s tragic death. Julie leaves her everything, including the shop and her dog, but the gaping hole in Mandaline’s heart isn’t one she’s sure will ever heal.
 
Ellis Fargo and Bradley Sawyer are as close as brothers. Ellis feels his life’s mission is caring for Brad, a former veteran who suffered debilitating injuries. Brad insists their house is haunted. Ellis doesn’t believe in ghosts and thinks the trouble is Brad’s injured brain. He humors Brad by having Mandaline check the house for supernatural issues.
 
Ellis doesn’t understand the sudden, scorching attraction he has for Mandaline, but he can’t settle for anyone who won’t also put Brad first. Brad thinks Mandaline would be the perfect woman…for them both. Can they help each other heal and turn their various emotional wounds into Many Blessings?

BUY LINKS:
Many Blessings - Available May 3rd
Coffeeshop Coven Prequel - http://www.bookstrand.com/its-a-sweet-life
 
SAM CRESCENT: My heroine is a little harder to place in one exact box. I love creating a multitude of women that myself and readers can relate to. The leading lady is where, I think, you can be most diverse with. I've had strong, weak, and stubborn leading women and it depends on the story as to which heroine would work the best in that book. Most of the time I have a full-figured woman. I love the allure of the fuller woman. Also, my woman can be strong and stubborn but never mean. I don't like me leading women to be mean but that is my opinion. Is this post confusing LOL. In my latest release, Jennifer Dixon is a full-figured woman who has ended up pregnant after one night with a playboy. She's not overly confident but she's not a doormat either. 

Jennifer Dixon never expected to meet Patrick Thompson let alone get pregnant with his baby. One night of passion together should never have had consequences, but it did.
 
Patrick never forgot the woman who saw beneath the playboy exterior. When he discovers his mystery woman is pregnant with his child, he sets out to woo her. He wanted her then and he intends to keep her now. 
However, outsiders are determined to break them apart. One night, Patrick storms out leaving Jennifer broken-hearted. In that one moment their lives are changed forever.
Only when it's too late does Patrick realize what really matters to him. Can he win back Jennifer’s love when everything is set against it.
BUY LINK:
http://www.amazon.com/Expecting-the-Playboys-Baby-ebook/dp/B00C30RR7Y


CLAIR DE LUNE: My heroines are often older than you'd expect. My first and favourite one, who appears briefly in almost every Prometheus in Chains novel, and now has three novels based around her and Master Angus, is Jane. She's in her sixties. As an older reader I wanted heroines who reflected my concerns and problems but hardly ever found them. Jane has health problems which she struggles to overcome and she has trouble with her body image too, as do most of us do. All of my heroines are fighters and have problems of one sort or another to overcome. That makes them stronger and more able to know their own mind and recognise their hero when they see him. They inspire devotion and love in a series of gorgeous males who, once having met their counterpart have eyes for no-one else. Ah if only real life were like that.


Prometheus loves Jenny Oliver, and she him, but the course of true love doesn’t run smoothly. She has a dark secret, which she believes will split them up, and she won’t be alone with him. Fate takes a hand in the shape of Alfred, a man from Jenny’s past who follows her to the club and confronts her, forcing her to reveal the truth. Will Prometheus want her now?

Jenny must confront her abusers in court if she is to have a future with Prometheus, but then she is kidnapped before she even has the chance. Can Prometheus and the police manage to get to her before her kidnapper does her any harm? Will the jury believe her story? Will Jenny and Prometheus get their happily ever after? 



BUY LINK:



TARA ROSE: I like writing heroines who are independent, but who aren't afraid to be vulnerable and show their men who much they love them. Strong and sassy doesn't have to mean bitchy and cold. Guarding her emotions can still be mixed with growing passion and dropping the walls long enough to let the hero in, one piece at a time. Just like in real life, we choose who to let inside, how far, and when. I like writing heroines the same way.


Psychologist Julie Carruthers has had secret fantasies of being spanked for most of her adult life, and they’ve starred Dom Maddox McCree and Detective Sean Brennan. When she becomes involved with both of them, they help her explore her fantasies, and unleash the passionate woman hiding behind her straitlaced image.

Maddox McCree has spent years building up a reputation in Racy, but it’s all a sham. He’s lonely, and he uses his private dungeon as an excuse to hide from his past. Can Julie help him overcome the hurt and betrayal he can’t let go of?

Detective Sean Brennan gave his heart away once and it almost cost him his life. But he can’t resist Julie for long, and willingly shares her with Maddox rather than lose her. When his past catches up with him, he might lose Julie forever to a dangerous enemy out for revenge.
 
BUY LINK:
HENNESSEE ANDREWS: Where would we be without our lovely heroines? Some like damsels in distress, while others like strong women who can take care of themselves. For me, I like to write a little of both. My damsels can’t be totally in distress. Come on, weakness isn’t a trait to admire. They can be down on their luck, maybe a little messed up or confused, but completely helpless? Hell no! I for one am not helpless, but I can play my part when I want to J  I’d rather have intelligent women that border on the sarcastic side, because hey, that’s me. I like ballsy women and outspoken women. I do find that I envision my characters a certain way and they always seem to act totally different when I write them. Damn women, can’t trust em’. You can’t. When I wrote Eight Seconds, my heroine was supposed to be independent and strong. She is to a point, but her weakness is JC Evans and always has been. She does a lot of stupid shit and makes terrible decisions when she allows her emotions to run. Lucky for her, it all worked out in the end.


Danielle Mallory hates rodeos, especially bull riders. Funny how life has ways of making people eat their words. She learns that lesson well when she comes face-to-face with the bull rider J.C. Evans that her heart still beats for.

J.C. Evans, a nationally ranked bull rider, has a hell of a reputation with women. His only regret: breaking Danielle's heart. Now he's determined to win her heart again, but it proves to be no easy task.

Danielle is quick-witted and sassy. Their sexual banter and teasing is fun but only fans the flames they have even more.

Realizing that life may never be the same, Danielle opens her heart and more to experience passion, sensually erotic sex, and most importantly the love she always wanted.

BUY LINKS:

TAYLOR BERKE: Every time I sit in front of one of my notebooks brainstorming for a new book I try to envision what my female ‘lead’ is going to look like, what sort of sensual image is her personality going to conjure up.  What are her eyes going to say about her and how will she look at a man that her body softens for and makes her feel like kneeling at his feet?  What energy is she going to give off when she aroused simply by his command?  Is she afraid, saucy or sweet?  Long rich hair texture or short and sassy so it can held tightly by her master?  Much of how I envision her gives me ideas as to whether that particular story is going to be a sweet romance or one filled with hungry yearning and rough sexual expression for our female.  Every heroine that I write has to be able to save herself from the evils that befall her; doesn’t always have to do it but needs to have some serious brains to go with her body.  As always, a healthy appetite for all things must round this woman out.  My heroines require a palette that includes fine wine, food and being discriminate with the men that she takes on.  With the man that owns her heart, she knows no boundaries in the bedroom, little is off limits as far as her body and beliefs go.  No sluts for or from me.  I love a good read about true happily ever afters, which are possible in real life, but like everything take an open mind to find and a healthy amount of patience.  These are the heroines that I write because it is who I need to be too.

Dr. Billie Rothman, a beautiful, widowed MD, leaves all that she knows behind, attempting to follow her dreams to Stony Creek, Wyoming. She is yearning for the passionate life she wanted to live after a safe marriage to her best friend.

Jackson Powell, a huge, handsome cowboy, literally saves her life soon after she arrives in town. After being married to a selfish and superficial woman, he decides that women are simply for his pleasure and to ranch alongside him and his family, never expecting the bundle of sensual energy that punches him in the gut after meeting his new neighbor.

While getting to know each other, both these wounded souls cannot ignore the instant attraction or the pulling of their hearts, but in the background lurk several individuals who yearn to teach them both lessons in pain and revenge. Unfortunately Jackson’s ex-wife and a jealous acquaintance from his past try to hurt both of them physically and psychologically.

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BELLA JUAREZ: In romantic fiction a heroine often conjures images of a damsel in distress.  A woman who needs a hero riding to her rescue whether it’s a knight in shining armor, a shape shifter in soft fur, or a street wise hunk who’s in it to win it.  But what if… the heroine came to the rescue of her hero?  What a switch!  What about the heroine who rescues her hero from emotional isolation and loneliness? I love a story where ordinary women become extraordinary.  It’s in each and every one of us and we do it every day.  Picture the last time you were sick and the man and/or children in your life had to fend for themselves.  What about the last crisis in your house?  The truth is, ordinary women of the BlackOps Brotherhood were extraordinary before they met their hero in camo.  In a military family, the spouse (often a woman) is the glue to keeping the family together and a house running soothingly. Often when a service member is away in combat, the only thing keeping them sane is knowing that they have a home, not a house, to return to.  The routine of everyday life is crucial in returning to normal when service member comes home from a combat zone or a remote tour.   Each and every one of these BlackOps women in essence, is you. They’re lead busy full lives of career women, wives, and mothers.  The circumstances they’re thrown into with their hero just reinforces they’re strength and good character.  They don’t let the little details in life slip.   They do the mundane everyday tasks that give their men and families security and stability.  By giving their men healthy acceptance and constancy, it frees the BlackOps Brothers to go out and save the world.   In the end, they make their hero complete just like each and every one of you make your family and friends complete.   So be proud of the strong woman you are and know my ideal heroine is YOU!   

Dr. Isabel Vasquez joins Doctors Without Borders, insisting on serving in post-Taliban Afghanistan. She hates the pain and devastation caused by her country’s actions in that war-stricken land and openly protests US global militarism.

While treating injured and sick Afghanis, she is captured and held prisoner by terrorists. Navy SEAL Senior Chief Alex “Doc” Richards must find the war-protesting doctor who witnessed the effects of a deadly pathogen known to be in the hands of the same terrorists. He doesn’t count on finding a tempting dusky beauty.  

As a powerful attraction grows, Izzy and Alex find themselves working to stop terrorists from turning Afghanistan into a lifeless wasteland.  A mysterious Turkish wanderer reveals a secret to Izzy that Alex has hidden since joining the SEALs. Can Izzy submit to Alex’s dark desires? When Alex is faced with an impossible choice, can he save the woman he adores from terrorists who have her in their crosshairs?

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Minefield: Coming Soon!
Check out Tactical Error (Black Ops Brotherhood 4):
http://www.bookstrand.com/tactical-error
 

CHASITY BREEZE: What kind of heroine do I like to write about?  Someone who is admired for her strong will, brave deeds and noble qualities, even if she didn’t start out that way.  I believe a woman should know what she wants and have the brains and the courage to take the necessary steps to achieve it. I like to read and write about women who have seen hard times and prevailed beautifully, although some of my characters have had a rather happy life and are more the girl next door type.  In that case, bringing out their dark, uninhibited personalities is a favorite route for me to take with each of them.  There’s nothing like seeing the metamorphosis of a good little daddy’s girl to an animalistic tigress in the bedroom. I’ve often been asked where I come up with the ideas for my books.  Of course, the Swingers series is actual memoirs of mine and my husband, Brock’s encounters in the swinging lifestyle.  I’d like to think that my own character portrays what I have found to be my true self, a sex craved maniac, transitioning into the woman that I am meant to be.  As for my other heroines, I have a taste for a woman who doesn’t seem the heroine type, but finds strength and courage on whatever journey she may be on in life.  A strong defensive woman, protecting herself from the clutches of evil is another favorite of mine.  Upon meeting her soul mate, or mates in some cases, a slight fragility in her armor is found and her need for him to take what he wants, what he needs from her becomes a burning desire allowing her to submit to him in every way. In summation, a heroine doesn’t have to have all the qualities of a strong woman in the beginning, but as she grows, she finds her strength, courage and a kind of nobility that all who know her show her the best form of admiration.



Sloan Dasani was a witness to a brutal murder by two very large animals that resembled some sort of enormous cats. After sensing her presence, the beasts go after her. She's rescued just in time and taken to a safe place where she is guarded by two of the hottest guys she'd ever seen. She's drawn to both of them and soon finds herself thrown in the middle of a very hot and steamy menage a trois.

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