By The Bel: How Do You Like Your Heroine?

I spent most of my life growing up in a single parent home and learned that being a woman isn’t a disadvantage. If anything it was a big advantage, because you were able to be tough like a guy, and yet, do it in high heels. So when I read a book where the main female character can’t stand on her own two feet, I tune out.

An article in February’s Australian Women’s Weekly features some of the nation’s best romance writers, one of which I met for the first time at Supanova last year. Kerri Arthur is quoted as saying -in the 70’s and 80’s- “The fantasy heroines were always falling over, needing to be rescued, and it just irritated the hell out of me.” I have to say I agree, and luckily, for the most part, authors writing speculative fiction novels for both adults and young adults have realized that the era of the ‘weak’ girl is well and truly over.

It is no secret I have a habit of pre-judging books written by men with a female lead, because as the old saying goes, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus… men just don’t always get it. That being said, male authors who have women critique their manuscripts early on, write their girls just as well as a woman could.

Trent Jamieson, in his Death Works trilogy, has his leading lady saving the main man in the first scene. His character Lissa Jones is believable, credible and, best of all, enjoyable. Lissa pulls no punches. If she needs saving, it is only after she has tried every other way to get herself out of the situation. None of this woe is me crap for her.

Daniel Waters surprised the heck out of me with the first book in his Generation Dead series, and his character Phoebe Kendall. She dances to the beat of her own drum and eventually falls in love with a zombie. Her ability to be kind hearted and inclusive was what won me over here. Despite what her critics at school said, she stood by her own morals. That takes strength, guts… and Braiiiins.

Justin Somper has more than just the one kick arse chick in his Vampirates series. Cheng Li and Grace Tempest are two different sides of the same coin. They both have strong morals and Cheng Li is certainly a wily, tough trail blazer in the male dominated world of Pirating; whereas Grace is intelligent but mostly driven by emotion and instinct. Being much younger than Cheng Li, she has a lot yet to learn.

Joss Whedon is a man synonymous with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show. There is no need for any more explanation than that.

It is possible to have a man writing a convincing, and iconic female lead, and though I am not an extreme feminist, I do believe it to be unforgivable crime to make a leading lady weak and helpless when we have been singing ‘Sisters are Doin’ it for Themselves’ for close to thirty years.

I’d love to know of any other male authors you’ve read who write a good strong leading lady.