Happy Mothers' Day, Mum!

To all the mum's out there - have a wonderful day!

A special hug and kiss to my mum.

Thank you for giving me the world and loving me.

I love you!

Which heroine turns the pages for you?

Last time I looked at the types of heroes available in romance books. Today I thought it'd only be fair to check out the different types of heroines* within those same pages.

A crusader with attitude

So, who belongs to the sisterhood?

Let's begin with the kick-ass heroine. She's the modern day super-hero, independent, tenacious and head strong. If there's trouble she's the one in the thick of it all, sorting it out, taking on the world (or enemies) with a never-say-die attitude. Don't get in her way.

A compassionate nurturer

The sister who compliments her is the optimist. Someone who listens, a compassionate, empathetic woman who takes care of others in a highly capable fashion. She takes her duties seriously.

A damsel in distress

The typical damsel in distress tends to endure any situation she finds herself in, hoping someone else will solve the problem or rescue her from trouble. She can be a little insecure and might even be a little child-like, definitely the girly-girl of the sisterhood.

A spunky spitfire

Opposite her is the gutsy, just-one-of-the-guys, don't-make-me-wear-a-frilly-dress heroine. She has lots of friends and tends to be supportive as well as the reliable one of the family.

I'm the boss

The heroine who likes to call the shots tends to take life a little too seriously. She's the work-aholic, competitive one with a boatload of confidence that can sometime come across as arrogance. Failure is not a word in her vocabulary and taking charge is an integral part of her nature.

A survivor to the core

Let's not forget the cynic of the sisterhood. She's the one who'll size up everyone in the room at a glance, has an in-built sense of distrust for everyone and everything. She can be a little mysterious or hides her softer side behind a tough exterior.

The understated siren

The prim and proper miss is our self sufficient heroine. She prefers to use her brains instead of her body to her advantage but underneath what can be a rather sensible or even mousy exterior beats the heart of a passionate woman just looking for the right man to bring it out in her.

A lovable spirit

The last heroine thinks with her heart instead of her head. She's the free spirited, playful, fun loving sister. Well intentioned, whimsical but may be seen as a bit of a ditz.







 
Long gone are the days when every heroine sits back and let's the hero rescue her or sweep her off her feet (she's still around, but now she's joined by a bevy of sisters with different qualities). Readers demand a heroine with flaws and strengths they can identify with.

Which sister do you like to see in the stories you read?


* Some "titles" for the heroines in this post taken from All About Romance website.

Who has your heart? Valentine winners!

There was certainly some heart throbs mentioned in this post over the weekend.

Thanks to everyone who dropped by to drool...umm, I mean share your fantasy dates for Valentine's day.

I popped all your names into my dragon coffee cup (dry & clean, of course), and the winners of the Valentine's Day special give-away books are:

1. Alison
2. Julieann Thomas
   
3. Cate Harris
4. Bec Skrabl

If you could send me an email with your address to - kyliegriffin (at) clearmail (dot) com (dot) au - I'll post your prize to you!

Who has your heart?

February 14th - Valentine's Day - an auspicious day in any romance writer's calendar.

A day to celebrate the enduring love between partners, lovers, wedded couples, boyfriend & girlfriend and possibly to renew a commitment to a relationship in some special way.

I thought I'd take a different slant to Valentine's Day. One a little more...scintillating...and it involves you getting tenderly romantic, waxing a little poetic, maybe even hot & heavy. Interested?

Who is the hero (or heroine, depending on your preferences) from any book/movie/TV series that you'd love to have a Valentine's date with?

I'll start the ball rolling with a book character from one of my "keepers". I'd go on a date with Julian, Sherrilyn Kenyon's love-slave from FANTASY LOVER. I mean what more could a girl ask for - he's considerate, gentle, compassionate (look how he treats Grace in the book - sigh), a Spartan warrior, skilled in the art of romance and loving (having spent over two thousand years as a love-slave), and he's seriously ripped (because he's a warrior, but I already mentioned that, didn't I?).

Sam Worthington as a warrior makes your heart beat, doesn't he?

So, tell me, which special hero/heroine who sets your heart a-flutter, makes your pulse race, your mouth salivate, your skin tingle with excitement? - and yes, you can use your imagination here and have as an adventurous a date as you like!

I've four special book prizes to give away to keep in the theme of Valentine's Day. Leave a comment by midnight (Aussie DST) February 14th and you'll go into the draw. (open to local & overseas entrants)

Which hero turns the pages for you?

Heroes have come a long way from the dashing, tall, dark and handsome characters of yesterday's romance novels. We have alpha heroes, beta heroes, and everything in between and examples of them can be found in most books, movies and TV shows of today.

What archetype* attracts you? What sort of hero do you like to read about? Who makes the story intriguing, exciting, page turning, sex-alicious for you?

Best in the fleet

Is it the tough, goal-orientated, decisive alpha who excels in everything he does? A prince, a leader, a feared gun-fighter, the multi-millionaire or CEO businessman? A man who knows what he wants, how he wants it, and just what to do to get it?

The bad boy

Could it be the street smart, charismatic rebel who flaunts authority? The outlaw? The boy from the wrong side of the tracks? Do you like to live on the wild side?

Or maybe it's the intently logical, honest, unassuming, but faithful introvert? The guy who'll save the world one formula at a time?


None of these?

The quiet friend

Well, what about the helpful yet caring Mr Nice Guy? The good guy? The hunky neighbor next door-type? Does a beta male who listens and supports the heroine do it for you?

A gambler & charmer

Or do you fall for the charming, sometimes scandalous rogue or playboy? (couldn't resist showcasing Johnny twice - he's just so yumm-alicious and a darn versatile actor to boot!)

The secretive lost soul

Does the vulnerable, secretive type float your boat? The tortured outcast with the brooding gaze? Is he the one you like to see find that happily ever after ending?

The reluctant warrior

Could you fall for the noble, reluctant hero? The man who defends the weak, the protector of society's underdogs? The one destiny has chosen to succeed whether he wants it or not?

The swashbuckling adventurer

Wait, what about the fearless, cheeky daredevil? The man who loves adventure and action? Can you see yourself beside him, traipsing all over the world in search of secrets and fortune?

 
So many types of heroes, so little time, eh? Good thing they all exist between the pages of a good romance. It means we can pick and choose whatever type we fancy, whenever we like.

So, who is it that does it for you? The warrior, unassuming geek, best friend, military or emergency serviceman, rancher or cowboy, playboy millionaire, undercover cop, rogue or someone else who makes your pulse pound?

Who has your heart?


* Some "titles" for the heroes for this post taken from the All About Romance blog.

Hellen Keller Quote

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched.

They must be felt with the heart."

(Helen Keller)

Love Quote 2

"Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering.

The love of the older and disciplined heart is as coals, deep-burning, unquenchable."

(H.Ward Beecher)

Love Quote

"I love you not only for who you are, but for what you are when I am with you.

I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but what you are making of me."

(R.Croft)

Valentine's Day

Have you ever wondered how this special day came about? To me it means sending a special something to someone to tell them you care or love them - a flower, a small gift, a card, a message or love letter with the accompanying sentiment coming from deep in your heart. But was it always like this?

No. The most popular version of the origins of Valentine’s Day comes from ancient Roman times. The church wanted their people to convert from paganism to Christianity. They needed a suitable patron to replace the pagan god and his love festival, and they discovered the story of Valentine.

Around 270 BC, Emperor Claudius needed soldiers for his army but discovered men in love and married men weren’t keen to join up and fight so he cancelled all marriages and engagements. As you would expect, this didn’t go down well with his soldiers.

Valentine, a Roman soldier and priest, disagreed with the decree and married couples in secret. When Claudius found out he threw Valentine in prison. The prison guard’s blind daughter used to keep him company as he awaited his death sentence. Of course, they fell in love (his love eventually cured her blindness) and on the day of Valentine’s death – February 14th – he left her a message and signed it, “From Your Valentine”.

The church decided to use this as a commemorative holiday to replace the pagan love festival and now people all over the world use it as a day to show affection to the one they love.

Traditions abound on Valentine’s Day. Have a look at some of the things people did or believed about this day in the past.

• In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.
• In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!"
• Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.
• Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry. As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off.
• Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind. Count the seeds that remain on the stem. That is the number of children you will have.

If you’re looking for a special way to celebrate Valentine’s Day why not watch a classic movie like Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Roman Holiday, From Here to Eternity, An Affair to Remember or Romeo and Juliette.

Or how about something with a little history, adventure and romance – Doctor Zhivargo, Out of Africa, The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Australia.

Maybe, if you’re like me, you’re into the quirky, offbeat romances like The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Casanova, Kate & Leopold or Paperback Hero (coincidently, both these movies star Hugh Jackman!!!).

To finish I’d like to share a beautiful quote from Helen Keller - The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.

However you celebrate it, may your Valentine’s Day be a good one!

A Christmas Message to one and all

Remember it's not about rushing around finding the perfect gift or the number of Christmas presents you buy someone, or even the amount of food you set on the table.
Christmas is about the greatest gift given to humankind - the love of God.

I bring to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you."
(Luke 2:10-11)

It's also about spending time with those you enjoy being with and telling them you love them. I hope Christmas brings you laughter, relaxation and many memories with your family & friends as you enjoy this holiday.

Merry Christmas & God Bless!