Thursday, September 30, 2010

Paranormal Heroines vs. Paranormal Heroes

The following blog is by Sophie Jordan!!!

Hello, everyone! Glad to be here with you again! As we slip into fall and near Halloween, nothing excites me more than talking about the paranormal!

Recently on tour for my latest novel, FIRELIGHT, a reader brought to my attention the fact that my heroine in FIRELIGHT is the paranormal “figure” in my book -- not the hero as is the usual case. Yes, I know this, of course, but I hadn’t really considered it very hard. Before now (see me tilting my head thoughtfully here).

I started mentally checking off a lot of paranormal books – many favorites of mine – and realized the observation in point is rather true. I’m not saying there aren’t books with paranormal females in them, but so many books feature the male figure as the paranormal figure while the heroine is simply human. Why is that? I’m not saying one is better than the other … but I’m interested in your opinion today. Do we, as readers, simply want our male heroes more feral? More dangerous? Does making our heroes into a paranormal creature accomplish that? What does that say?

In Firelight, my heroine Jacinda is a draki, which is a species that has evolved from dragons. She’s the only one of her kind that can still breathe fire. She’s a very strong female, and being so “unique” opens up a world of conflict for her. And what would a book be without conflict? Jacinda is constantly surrounded by danger because of what she is. Since I wrote the book solely from her POV, I had fun with this. It wouldn’t have been nearly as fun to write had she been the human and Will, her love interest, the draki. But that’s just my take. What’s your take?

What do you like to read in your books? A paranormal female? A paranormal male? And of course, there’s a third alternative here: they can both be paranormal!


Happy Reading,
Sophie Jordan

12 comments:

Unknown said...

I like my paranormal books either way. I read both paranormal males and parnormal females. I also read books that have both paranormal males and females.

jennjennmom said...

I tend to be partial to the paranormal male, but I LOVE the strong willed paranormal female that backs up the attitude. SO i guess both, and either or. :) LOL
Of course, LOVE Firelight. I love WILL, and love him in the ending. (No spoilers) but that last page has be right on the cliff, hanging for book 2. :) Great job Sophie. And right now, I'm page 96 (Chap 6) of My Soul to Keep, SUCKED me in while reading at lunch today. Had to pry my fingers off. Review will be up this weekend.

CdnMrs said...

I have books with both male and female paranormals I'm not picky. However there's something satisfying in watching a mortal woman bring a paranormal man to his knees.

jennjennmom said...

oooh sara i agree, i was just thinking about how i love the human woman, even with a little gift and the paranormal male. PERFECT you are so right

Lexie said...

I like all 3 tropes! I think its pretty cool when both are paranormal, but have opposing powers. Of course sometimes this is taken entirely the wrong way (once read a novella that had a traditional vampire male seduced by a 'new breed' of vampire--one who gives life when they bite instead of taking life. It was the weirdest thing during the sex scenes...)

Claire Dawn said...

It was weird reading PARANORMALCY and FIRELIGHT back to back. Normally, in paranormal, the MC is looking for something unusual. But in both books, there was someone running from the paranormal, for whatever reason.

It was refreshing. Will was nice, but I love a dark horse. Cassian!!! :)

Sangay Glass said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sangay Glass said...

I like reading either scenario, and I use both in my books. As an adult it has no significance to me.

But in a psychological context female paranormals have a lot more at stake when it comes to the way a writer presents them.

Having an ability makes a character an outsider of some kind. Good, we can all relate, but make her so perfect in another way, we begin to hate her.

I never liked the idea of the the feisty determined girl who crawls out of the mud and kicks the bully, unless she realizes what a big mistake it was and runs away.

Invincibility is not a sign of strength, but common sense, I can relate to.

Anonymous said...

I love female leads. Strong ones and full of attitude are my favorite.

Love it.

Firelight is on my TBR list. LOVE LOVE LOVE the cover.

Sharon S. said...

I don't care which one is paranormal. But I like when the male and female leads are different either vamp/shifter or human/paranormal, because you get the two different worlds colliding and that is always fun.

Nicole Murphy said...

Like you, Secret Ones has the woman with the power and the knowledge and the man without. When that was commented on as a good thing, I was very happy. Then I realised that in the other two books, that isn't the case - back to man being powerful again. It was caused by the way the story developed - I couldn't do it any other way.

So I'm looking forward to new stories, with more chances for the girl to be the strong one. Love it!

Crystal @ RBtWBC said...

I def. love feral heroes but I love kick-ass heroines as well. But I'll read it either or, or both!
I still need to read Firelight but it is on my way too long TBR list, movin on up. LoL I just love the cover.