Guest Post: Selena Blake

5 Character Traits I Love in a Romance Novel Heroine

by Selena Blake

Raise your hand if you hate "too stupid to live" heroines. *raising hand*

Do you remember in the movie scream when Sidney (Neve Cambell) says "What's the point? They're all the same. Some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can't act who is always running up the stairs when she should be running out the front door. It's insulting. "Perfect example of a too stupid to live heroine.

Note to self: don't run up the stairs when I should be running out the front door.

So what do I love in a romance heroine?

1. I like a heroine who follows her heart. Love and lust are so confusing sometimes. It takes a special woman to follow her heart...even into unfamiliar territory. People often advise against marrying too soon or making snap judgments. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn't. Declaring your love after four days is a leap of faith. And luckily for Angel in Bitten in the Bayou, that faith worked in her favor. I hear she and Jules are still in Switzerland on their honeymoon.


2. I like a girl who goes after what she wants. I'm not a big fan of heroines who are wishy-washy. I dislike when it takes them 90% of the book to figure out they might want to be in a relationship. There's enough of that in real life, therefore I admire a woman who knows what she wants and goes after it. There's plenty of uncertainty, yes. But I appreciate a take no prisoners, shoot for the stars attitude. That's one of the things I love most about Elise Savade in Just a Little Taste. She saw Braxton Hughes, wanted him, and snagged him. The gorgeous midnight blue gown didn't hurt.

Which leads me to my next point...


3. I like a heroine who's comfortable in her own skin. Who doesn't admire a confidant woman who doesn't fidget and doesn't dwell over those five or ten pounds? I certainly do. We're living in a society chock full of imagery. Perfect skin, trim waist, rock hard thighs. Oh, and photoshopped magazine covers. It takes a strong a woman to be confidant in her body and sometimes that confidence must be learned. That's one of the things I admire about Kendall in Stranded by a Cajun Werewolf. She's an outcast because in werecoyote society, she's really tall. But she doesn't hate herself for it. And when the right man comes along, he loves her for exactly who she is.

4. I like heroine's who stand up for what's right. Sometimes it's tough to do what you know is right or might be the unpopular option. Peer pressure can be hard to resist. Pressure from your boss...even harder. I like a heroine who will make those hard choices, make the unpleasant decision no matter what it costs her. Violet in Seduced By a Cajun Werewolf has to make a hard choice and ultimately stands up for what is right. Lucky for her, she finds her one true love because of her decision. While we can't all be that lucky in every decision we make, doing the right thing does feel good.


5. Lastly, I like a heroine who isn't afraid to speak her mind. Some heroines are more verbal than others. I tend to like sassy heroines who give as good as they get. Like Ava Garnier in my free read, Ready & Willing. As the Alpha's daughter, she's a shoe-in to become the next Alpha. But there's one handsome werewolf standing in her way. Beta of the pack, Kaden Black. She and Kaden spend much of the story sparring verbally and that is so much fun, if you ask me.

What character traits do you admire?

Stormy Weather
by Selena Blake

After centuries of solitude the stars are finally aligned just right. The handsome Deveraux men of Louisiana are going to meet their match this Hurricane Season.


Anthology includes: The Cajun’s Captive, Bitten In the Bayou, Seduced by a Cajun Werewolf, Mated to a Cajun Werewolf and Stranded with a Cajun Werewolf
Also, two bonus stories: More Than Attraction and A Cajun Werewolf Christmas
The Collector’s Edition includes over 15,000 words of bonus content including an interview with the author, questions for the characters, soundtrack, behind the scenes and the making of the Stormy Weather series. Inside you’ll find 450 pages of content for the die hard Stormy Weather fan.
Don’t need the bonus features? Download the Stormy Weather anthology (5 stories, no extras 5.99!)

Available at:

AllRomanceEbooks

Amazon

Nook

Smashwords

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Selena Blake writes erotic paranormal and contemporary romance. First published in 2008, her series Stormy Weather has been on the best seller lists and nominated for awards. She's a fan of action movies, Diet Coke, Milky Way bars and thunderstorms, not necessarily in that order. Learn more about her online at http://www.selena-blake.com or catch her on Facebook.