virgin – Susanna Carr

Readers occasionally contact me and ask, “Why can’t you write a virginal heroine?”

I’ve written a few, but a virgin doesn’t really work with the stories I tell. I have no problems reading romance stories that have a virgin as a female protagonist. One of my auto-buy authors writes virginal heroines almost exclusively and it works with her themes and core story.

Would it be difficult to change the way I tell a story so my heroine is a virgin? Yes. I guess I could take a shortcut and briefly mention her lack of sexual experience. But if it has no bearing to the story, the relationship or even the moment, why bother?

Maybe the question shouldn’t be about why I don’t write a virginal heroine. I think the real question is: why should I? Continue reading “The Sexual Double Standard for Romance Heroines” →

What does your most beloved fairy tale say about your favorite romantic reads? There might have been a Disney princess that you always pretended to be while playing dress up or whose story you wanted to hear over and over again. The fairy tale could have influenced your expectation as a reader. Do you have an emotional connection with a character type like a female warrior or the swashbuckling hero? Perhaps you’re drawn to plot devices and themes like the road romance or the rags-to-riches story.

It could be that you like the movie because of the music or the side characters, but just in case, here’s a mix of twelve official and honorary Disney princesses whose love stories were featured in cinematic films. One of the fairy tales might inspire the next book you read. Continue reading “Let Your Favorite Disney Princess Inspire Your Next Romantic Read” →