Author & science fiction romance blogger Lisa Paitz Spindler (THE SPIRAL PATH) recently profiled my space pirate heroine in Danger Gal Friday: Raquel Donovan. What made me giddy with excitement was not just the honor of having Raquel featured in Lisa's long running series about notable heroines, but also her eloquent observations about science fiction romance heroines in general. Here's an appetizer:
In the past five years I’ve seen the tide turning, however, and I really hope we continue to see a wider range of heroines. I have nothing against the girl-next-door and her out-of-this-world vampire/alien boyfriend story line, but prefer this character type be part of a larger spectrum and not the only offering. After all, when the hero is the bad boy in need of redemption, it’s the heroine who carries out that redemption, so I don’t see this role as passive. To quote Teresa Medeiros “[P]robably the most subversive thing we dare to do is to make the woman the hero of her own story.”
Increasingly, science fiction romance is making a name for itself as a heroine-centric subgenre. The heroine isn't defined by the hero or by her ability to tame the hero; she's a well-developed character in her own right. She doesn't have to apologize for who she is and what she does; neither does she have to give up her job as star ship captain/mercenary/rebel, etc. in order to earn true love. This brand of heroine is also the hero's equal in terms of talent, brains, and command of technology.
With heroines who are just as fascinating and swoon-worthy as heroes in science fiction romance, authors create a dynamic that invites us to celebrate the two lovers as a whole instead of just the sum of their parts. Now that's what I call romantic!
Joyfully yours,
Heather