Fatal Distraction, like the rest of my books, is about strong women who never, never, never give up until they triumph over life using their inherent gifts – and sometimes, humor and an equalizer. Jess Kimball and Helen Sullivan don’t have to bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan, but they know how to handle themselves. They don’t wait on the train tracks to be rescued. Rather, they choose what to do and how to do it, for themselves and those they love.
If they had a theme song, it would be Chumbawamba’s Tubthumping. Here’s a refresher, just in case you’ve forgotten the lyrics:
Strong women live in our real worlds, but too often they don’t realize how strong they really are. Too often, real women allow themselves to believe they are the weaker sex. Too often, real women wait for rescue instead of commanding their own fate. Sometimes, it’s because we don’t know how to take charge and succeed. But sometimes, we’re just too afraid to try. That’s when we crank up the Tubthumping!
Pound for pound, I’d rather have Willa Carson, Kim Otto, Jess Kimball, and Jenny Lane on my side than Spiderman, Batman, and the Hulk combined.
I don’t know about you, but as much as I have fun at comic book movies, if I saw any of these characters hanging around my town, I’d head in the opposite direction and hope the men in white coats were on the way. Right?
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Would you put your fate in the hands of a giant green dude who is sartorially challenged and grunts? Or a guy who hides his best toys in caves and needs help getting dressed? Or one who spins spider webs from his hands and feet? Um, no.
Because I’m never going to be that big hulking dude, and I can’t wait for him to rescue me when I get into trouble. Nor do I want to hide in a cave or flash a beacon in the sky while I wait for rescue. And the whole spider thing just creeps me out. I don’t like bugs and spiders and snakes!
Research tells us that when we’re lost in a good book, our brains react the same as if we were physically experiencing the story. What I want to experience is real women who find the strength to prevail over the inevitable setbacks in life. Because I want to do that and I want the real women in my real world to do that, too. Don’t you?
As Willa Carson says, “You never see the bullet that gets you.” In life, we get knocked down. But we get up again. They’re never gonna keep us down! (Now where did I put that Wonder Woman costume?) 
What do you think? Do you enjoy reading realistically strong women in your reads? Or do you prefer the Laura Croft type?
I like to read about both types of strong women. I think realistic strong women and the Lara Croft type can inspire women to step up and be strong in their own lives. Maybe we can’t do all the insane stunts that Lara does, but who’s to say with the right training a woman couldn’t be fairly badass to a scary degree. 😉 You know it’s true. Of course, I write fantasy and paranormal. But, stripe every little extra away and your gal has to be strong at the core of her being. That’s where it all begins. And I, too, would be concerned if I saw a big hulking green guy in my neighborhood. Or a guy running around dressed like Spiderman or Batman. Just saying.
Can you tell we just saw “The Avengers” this weekend, Debra?
🙂
Yes, I agree that for me, the best books are about women as heroes, not simply as protagonists. It’s inspiring to realize we can do it. Which is why I enjoy the Laura Crofts and Wonder Women, but as I’m not an especially “bad ass” person myself, I also like to know I can win without having athletic superpowers!
🙂
Like Debra, I like to read about both types of female leads. It’s fun to ride with the ‘over-the-top’ heroine, but I am more inspired by the ‘realistic’ heroine. I don’t compare myself to the Lara Crofts of fiction, but the realistic ones – yes, they make me think about what would I do?
Exactly, Lynnette! And not only “what would I do” but also, “I can triumph, too!” Thanks for the comment. 🙂
Diane, I know this sounds crazy, but I like reading both, though I’m not a Lara Croft kind of girl. 🙂
I wouldn’t have guessed that about you, Karen. 😉 You seem pretty amazing to me!
I couldn’t stand Lara Croft because she seemed so unrelateable, but I also prefer that all characters have a soft, vulnerable spot, whether they’re male or female. Part of the reason I prefer realistically strong female characters is also that I think (for most of us anyway) a woman who is more like us is one we feel we can emulate.