I LIKE A STRONG HEROINE

Remember the heroines of old romances? Weepy, frightened, needy, virginal women who needed a man to complete them--you remember the type. They agonized over every decision for pages and pages until one's eyes glazed over. They allowed life to wear them down. They put up with a man's guff.

I much prefer the heroines of today--street wise, brave, intelligent, gutsy and aware of their sensuality. Take Evie my current heroine, for example. She's trapped in an oppressive situation, but not for long. She has plans; she's working hard.

Evie is a cowgirl. She keeps her ranch afloat even though her piddling one-third of ownership is overshadowed by her partying brother's two-thirds. Life hasn't been fair to my heroine, but she spits in its eye everyday and gets the job done. It's her dream that keeps her going. That and the grit she inherited from her moma.

Some nights Evie waits tables at a nearby honky tonk. She can be quite the sensation in her denim mini-skirt and her red cowgirl boots. When she takes the mic and belts out a song, well, the many cares of her life melt away. But that's not all that melts. One certain man in that honky tonk melts, too. His life will never be the same again--which is a good thing, cause every man needs a strong woman.

So, tell me, what are your dreams? Do your dreams add to your strength? Mine is to captivate readers with my stories, and I'm the stronger woman for it. How about you?