Books Every Young Writer Should Own

The thing about writing- any job, really, but we’re talking about writing- is that you never stop learning. There is always something different, something new. We start learning from the moment we hear our first story, from the moment we open our first book, even before we decide to start writing. And then it never stops from there.

There are thousands of resources out there- books, blog posts, lectures, classes. This month, I would like to share just a couple of my favorite books for writers.

So, to kick off the month, my favorite books on writing by my favorite resources for young writers.

These would make great gifts. If you know a young adult who is a writer, this would be great for a birthday or Christmas or the like. And notebooks. Best part of being a writer is getting fun notebooks you can’t justify spending your own money on as presents.

Anyway! The two books I would most recommend to beginning writers:

Spilling Ink: A Young Writers Handbook by Ellen Porter and Ann Mazer

I read this book when I myself was a young writer and I loved it. I remember the day I first discovered it on the library shelves and then going home and curling up in a chair, so excited for the wisdom I hoped to glean from it. Most of the other books on writing I had read all gave rule and taught mechanics. This book is written more as advice, while also admitting that all writers are different and it’s important to find what works best for you.

This opened up a whole new world for me. I had always thought there was something wrong with me or I wasn’t a good enough writer because some things just didn’t work. But this book taught me I could dance to the beat of my own drum and write the way I wanted to. But, at the same time, it taught me a lot about writing and offered some amazing advice.

If I could afford it, I would give a copy of this book to every young writer I know.

Go Teen Writers: How to Turn Your First Draft into a Published Novel by Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson

I was first introduced to Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson through a writing conference two years ago. They both spoke on many different subjects and I learned a lot from both of them. I bought this book last year and wasn’t surprised to find the same kind of wisdom within its pages.

Ms. Morrill and Ms. Williamson have a blog they post regularly on (goteenwriters.com) and are very much committed to encouraging young writers in their journey to becoming authors. This book includes not only chapters on everything from outlining to writing to editing to publishing, but also has a lot of great checklists and such to help with these stages of writing.

This is another book I think every writer should have on their desk or bookshelf. If you are looking for the perfect gift, this one would be perfect.

Jill Williamson also published another book geared toward fantasy writing called Storyworld First: Creating a Unique Fantasy World for Your Novel. I haven’t had the chance to read it yet, but having gotten to hear her speak two years in a row about fantasy writing, I would guess this book is as amazing as her other one, if not better. These two would make a great bundle gift, for a fantasy writer- a book on how to write in general, and a book with advice for writing their favorite genre.

And, yeah, I know I keep mentioning the whole gift thing. That’s because I not only think these books are amazing, but I also know whenever someone bought me something writing related, it meant the world to me.

It wasn’t until I was twelve or thirteen that I actually realized that hobby I had- writing, of course- was something people got paid to do. I read just about anything I could get my hands on, but for some reason, it never clicked for me until then. I guess I pictured writers are some special brand of person, as if they were chosen. I didn’t realize it was something someone- something I- could choose to do.

But, so often, when a teen tells someone they want to be a writers, people make jokes about starving artists and rejection letters. And, the negativity starts to get to you after a while. You start to question whether you’re being realistic or making the right decision. At fourteen, I was already questioning my life choices.

So, when someone would get me something writing related- a book on writing, or a notebook, or the day my parents bought me my laptop so I could write on that- it meant the world to me, because it was like they were affirming the fact that I did indeed have a choice and not only that, but I had chosen well.

When I suggest buying young writers these books, it’s because I think it’s important. The publishing world is very competitive and had to make a go in, yes. And I think it’s important that writers understand that. But, because it’s so competitive, I also think it’s all the more important for people to be building young writers up, to encourage them and assure them they can make it if they work hard enough.

So, if you know a young writer and you’re looking for a gift for them, consider one of these books. Or some notebooks. Notebooks are good. Or both, because then you can tie them together with a fancy ribbon it that’d look awesome.

As is the routine for the summer, more of my old writing on Friday- the very first western I ever wrote, actually! And then, come next Monday, more of my favorite books for writers. Hope you’ll return for that.

How about you? What book do you think every young writers should own?

Gudryn- Another Blast from the Past

This whole posting old writing thing is honestly one of the most personal things I have ever done. I know I've written some posts where I got deep and told you all what I was going through, but to put all this out there for people to read is way more personal for me.

It makes me feel vulnerable. And that pulls me so far out of my comfort zone.

Reading through these, I see into who I was when I was younger and I feel like I'm baring a piece of my soul to you.

And, that's huge for me.

See, these excerpts, to me, show my idealistic side, the dreamer in me. The girl I allowed people to convince me was bad. I kept these stories close to my heart, hidden from the world, because I was scared of what people would think of me.

In my stories, people are basically good. Everyone is capable of change. The good guy always wins. And, he always gets the girl.

In my stories, no matter how bad it is, it always ends well. With hope. Because there is always hope.

But, people have convinced me that's wrong. That the world is a dark and miserable place. That people can't change. That everyone is always playing an angle and only in it for what they can get out of you in the end. That more often than not, life doesn't end well. It can- and often will- end in tears and misery.

Inside of me, there is a war going on, between my cynical side and my idealistic side. These stories, I'm ashamed of them because they show the side of me I have been convinced is wrong. The show the side of me I have been convinced should lose the war. They show an unrealistic slant on life. They're like Disney movies. And, nobody likes how unrealistic Disney movies are.

But, as I read through all these, I'm reminded of how happy I was when I was this girl. I'm reminded of why I wanted to be her. And, I'm realizing that it doesn't matter what other people think of me.

I don't have to spend the rest of my life with these people- I have to spend the rest of my life with me.

And, I'll stop being philosophical on you now. Because this is another long post and I don't want you to be ready to be done before I even begin.

This week's excerpt is from Gudryn's story. She's someone I never really shared with anyone. But, also someone who is very dear to my heart. Her story has gone in a million different directions over the years, but at its core, it's always stayed the same. Gudryn is still the same girl I created so many years ago. The supporting cast (save Lady Penelope who I created on the spot when I wrote the scene with her) are still actively part of the story. The goal, for her, will always be the same one. And, her world, while it grows as I develop it, is always the one I created so long ago.

So, someday, when I tell you I'm working on Gudryn's story, don't say you read the beginning, because it will be completely different. But, you can say you know the characters because they're the same. Always will be.

And, again, I'm sorry it's so long, but I wanted you to meet Elias and Linus, because I love them.

So, without further ago, Gudryn's Story:

“Hush, little one,” the mother says as she tucks her daughter into bed. “Da will be home soon and all will be well.”

“But the wind,” the little girl cries.

“It is nothing,” the mother assures. “It will not hurt us and it will bring Da home to us sooner.”

“I miss Da,” the girl says as she snuggles deep under her covers.

The woman kisses the girl’s brow. “So do I,” she whispers. The girl closes her eyes and her breathing becomes a slow, steady In. Out. In. Out.

The little hut shakes as the wind blows harder. She had lied to the girl. Wind could be a lot of damage to the homes on their small island. All Portabians knew that and in time her daughter would learn it to.

The woman prays it isn’t tonight that she learns it.

She sits next to the fire, trying to catch a little of its warmth. She closes her eyes and imagines that her husband is sitting next to her. Imagines he’s here safe and not far away at sea. She prays he makes it home this time, just as she prays every time he goes away.

Another thing all Portabian women know is that every time their man goes to sea it could be the last time she sees him. She prays, for the sake of the little girl sleeping soundly on the other side of the room, that this time her husband comes home. Little girls need their Das.

The hut door rattles and she gets up to go make sure it’s fastened tight. As her hand touches the handle, the door flies open and an ugly, burly man stands in the doorway.

He gives her a toothy, leering grin as he steps into the hut. The woman screams as he reaches for her, though she knows no one will hear her. The wind keeps the sound from carrying and the man knows it.

He’s scraggly and dirty, with a scar running down his left cheek, and his clothes are ragged and worn. But, he has a good- though rather scuffed- pair of boots on and he’s obviously well-fed.

The woman screams again as she lunges away from him, making a dive for the knife that lies on the hut’s small table.

The man is quicker and, in an instant he is holding the knife himself. He says something to her as he waves the weapon threateningly at her, but his words are foreign and she doesn’t understand.

But, it suddenly makes sense what he is doing there. The unkempt appearance, the small signs that this man has money, the foreign tongue; they all point to one thing.

This man is a slave trader.

She wonders how many others there are. Wonders how many other homes are being invaded like this. The men must have known the women were alone. That meant they had been watching for some time. She shudders to think of it.

With no men to defend them except the older and weaker ones who stay behind, there is little use fighting. But she can’t go willingly. Her mind goes into panic and she quickly looks around the room for another weapon she can defend herself with.

The man moves towards her again. She jumps away. She picks up a chair and throws it at him. He dodges it, muttering angrily in his strange tongue. She picks up her pot and heaves that too. Then her water bucket. Next her stool. Nothing hits its mark.

She sees out of the corner of her eye that her little girl is awake now and sitting silently in the bed, watching. Her good little girl, wise enough not to make a sound.

The man is upon her then. He waves the knife at her, threatening her. Even though she cannot understand his words, she knows what he will do if she does not cooperate. And, maybe if she does as he says he will take her away and leave her girl.

She relaxes, submitting herself to his will. Everything in her screams to fight but she has to think of her little girl. He drags her to the door.

“Mama!” the little girl cries then.

The man’s eyes light up. He moves toward her, dragging the woman behind him.

“No!” she screams. “No! Leave her be!” She goes at him with her fingers- or, more specifically, her nails. He screams in pain and lets her go. She pounces on him, clawing at his face as she screams to her daughter to run.

The little girl does as she is told. She jumps from her bed, her eyes filled with fear and races to the door.

The man’s reflexes go to work and in one swift, natural move the knife he’d been holding sinks into the woman’s stomach. She screams yet again as she flies off of him. She clutches her bleeding abdomen and looks toward the door.

Another man has come and he grabs the little girl. He drags her away as she cries out for her mother to save her. The woman watches, helpless. The fiery pain in her middle is nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

As she lays there on the hut’s dirt floor, alone, clutching her middle and knowing she’s dying, one thought pounds in her head.

My little girl. They’ve got my little girl.

Chapter One

“But what do you intend to do with her?” Janice, Senator Holman’s housekeeper, demands. “She’s- well, she’s Portabian.” She shudders at the word. “Why would you even want her in the house?”

The senator sighs heavily. “Janice, she’s a child. A child who needs love. Besides, she has a brilliant mind that I very much want to put to work. I thought she might make a good secretary of sorts. Someone to help keep things in order, run errands for me. That sort of thing.”

The woman shakes her head. “You’ll regret the day you let that girl set foot in this house. You’ll see I’m right.”

“I don’t remember asking your opinion,” Senator Holman mutters.

“Besides,” the woman continues, ignoring the comment, “she’s a slave and you’re opposed to slavery. What will people say to that?”

“Well, now, that’s for them to worry about, isn’t it?” the senator say.

“And for you to deal with,” Janice replies. “Wagging tongues bring nothing but ill.”

The senator nods his agreement. “Which is all the more reason for us to keep ours still.”

The woman huffs and says, “Well, I’m just telling you what I think. She’ll bring more harm than good.”

The girl they are speaking of stands quietly behind the senator, her green eyes on the floor, her hands clasped behind her back. Her thick auburn hair is falling out of the two fat braids plaited on either side of her head. She makes nary a sound. In fact, it would be very easy for her to completely blend in with the wall if she wants to.

The man and the woman continue to argue for another fifteen minutes or so. The girl remains still and silent. She fights back a yawn and refrains from shuffling her feet. Though she is tired, hungry, and rather scared by the whole situation, she remains stoic and emotionless.

The senator turns to her after a while. “Janice, please get Gudryn some bread and cheese and then get her settled somewhere for the night.”

“Yes, sir,” the housekeeper says, bobbing a curtsy. “Come along, girl.”

Gudryn raises her head slightly and moves slowly towards the woman.

“Come along,” Janice snaps. “I haven’t got all night.”

The girl quickens her pace, keeping her eyes downcast and not saying a word.

The woman sighs. “You’ll regret this, Senator. I know you will.”

“Perhaps,” Senator Holman says. “And, if so, that’s something I’ll have to deal with.”

“Who are you?” twelve-year-old Alexander Holman demands as he passes his father’s study the next morning and finds Gudryn waiting outside the door.

The girl shrinks against the wall, her green eyes filling with fright, and doesn’t say anything.

“Don’t you talk?”

She shake her head.

“Can you talk?”

She nods.

He grins. “Well, most girls don’t stop talking so, I guess that’s okay. Where’d you come from?”

She just continues to look down at the floor, silent.

“Did Father bring you home?”

She nods.

“Last night?”

She nods again.

“Are you going to be staying here?”

She shrugs.

He sighs. “I don’t think I like this silent thing after all. Why won’t you talk to me?”

“’Cause I might get in trouble,” she says, her voice no more than a whisper.

“Get in trouble with who?” he demands.

“With ma’am and sir,” she says.

“Well,” Alexander says slowly, “how am I to get any answers from you?”

She shrugs.

“Where’d you come from?”

She pulls in her lips and shakes her head.

Alexander sighs. His younger sister, Giselle, comes down the hall then. She stops next to her brother and stares at Gudryn. “Alex, who’s that?”

“I don’t know,” he says. “I tried asking but she’s afraid if she talked she’ll get in trouble with Father or Janice, as far as I can tell.”

“But where does she come from?” Giselle presses.

Alexander shakes his head. “She won’t talk.”

Senator Holman comes down the hall just then. “Ah, good, I see you have met Gudryn,” he says.

“Sort of,” his son replies. “Only, she won’t talk.”

The senator looks at her. “Is this true?”

She keeps her eyes down and nods her head. “Yes, sir,” she whispers.

“And why’s that?”

She swallows hard. “The sir you bought me from didn’t like me to talk. He said I wasn’t born to talk, just to work. He hit me if I talked or if I didn’t anything he didn’t say I was allowed to do.”

The senator sighs. “Well, Gudryn, in this house, no one is going to hit you. You’re to be a member of this household.”

Giselle’s face lights up. “Does that mean she can be my friend?”

“Yes, dearest, would you like that?”

She nods and catches Gudryn’s hand in hers. “Come, there’s plenty of time before we break fast. I want to show you everything.”

Gudryn remains firm in her place, eyeing the senator warily.

“Well,” he says, “go along.”

She nods and the girls start down the hall.

“Oh,” Giselle says, stopping suddenly, “are you coming, Alex?”

The boy shakes his head. As they disappear around the corner, he turns to his father. “Where did she come from?”

The man takes a deep breath. “Well, son, she was a slave I bought from Senator Jacobs.”

“But you’re always saying slavery is wrong.”

“It is,” he replies. “But I couldn’t look into those sad eyes and not do something.”

Alexander smiles. “She does have nice eyes, doesn’t she?”

Chapter Two

“Gudryn, will you take this to Senator Jacobs for me?” Senator Holman holds out a folded missive, sealed with wax, pressed in his crest.

She nods as she rises from her desk and takes the letter. “Yes, sir.”

As she goes, the man marvels at how much she has changed since coming to live with him three years before. It still takes a lot of effort to get more than a sentence out of her but she smiles much more and the fear in her eyes is now replaced with confidence.

He looks up and realizes she is standing in the doorway. He wonders how long she’s been standing there.

She smiles when he looks and he smiles back. “Did you need something?”

She nods. “Alexander?”

“He went to the market with Giselle,” he tells her. “Is there something I can do?”

She shakes her head and leaves again. He goes back to his work, wondering what she wanted with his son. He tells himself it’s probably nothing important. She and his children have become good friends in the last three years.

Janice comes into the room. “Will you be here for lunch, Senator?”

The man nods. “I have some business this evening, however, and I won’t be around for supper.”

It’s the woman’s turn to nod. “All right, I’ll serve the children alone then.” She looks around the study. “Where’s Gudryn?”

“She’s running an errand for me,” the man replies. “She should be back any minute.”

The woman hmphs. “You never know with her. Send her out for one little thing and she comes back an hour later. I don’t care what she says about the market being busy. I don’t trust her.”

The senator rolls his eyes. “She’s lived here three years and never given us reason to distrust her before.”

“There was that one time,” Janice insists.

The man sighs. “And it turned out to be completely innocent. Janice, can’t you just accept that she’s part of the household?”

“She’s a slave,” the woman states.

Senator Holman isn’t sure what that has to do with anything. “Just until she’s sixteen. And, she’s as good as free now.”

The woman hmphs again. “She’ll use her freedom ill. Mark my words.”

“Look on the bright side,” the man says. “If she does, you can say, ‘I told you so.’”

The woman rolls her eyes, hmphs a final time, and leaves. The senator watches her go with a smile. She’s been the Holman housekeeper since he was a kid and it seems her tongue grows sharper every year.

He goes back to work. He is just finishing up when a plate appears in front of him. He looks up to see Gudryn standing in front of the desk, a smile on her face. He didn’t even hear her come in.

“Did you deliver the letter?” he asks as he inspects the items on his plate. Cheese, bread, and some ham. The bread is fresh and the ham and cheese are warmed. It all smells heavenly.

She nods and takes a seat at her desk. As she sets to doing the copy work he had given her, he wonders if she is the only female slave her age who can read and write.

She certainly has come a long way in three years.

“Why, Lady Penelope, to what do we owe the honor of your visit?” Lady Giselle asks in surprise, rising from her seat on the garden bench and moving to embrace her cousin.

“I was in the neighborhood and thought I should stop in and see if you were well,” Lady Penelope Wittier says as she returns the embrace. “Are you home alone today or is your brother in?”

Giselle bites back a smile, the real reason for her cousin’s visit becoming clear. “No, Lady Penelope, my brother is not here. However, I’m hardly alone. As you can see, Gudryn is here with me.”

Lady Penelope sniffs. “I wasn’t aware that slaves were considered company.”

Gudryn rises from her seat and curtsies to the woman. “Good day, milady.”

As the woman glares at her, she slips from the room, shooting Giselle an encouraging smile. She makes her way down the hall and as she turns the corner, she almost runs into Alexander, who is coming from the kitchen.

He grins when he sees her. “Oh, Gudryn, you’ve got to see this!” There’s a sparkle in the young man’s eyes and Gudryn knows it must have something to do with one of his experiments. “Say, did I hear someone with Giselle when I came in?”

She nods. “Lady Penelope.”

He groans. “Oh, no, not her, not today. I suppose I should go in and say hello.”

She shrugs. “You were going to show me?”

His faces lights again. “Oh, yeah, you’ve got to see this.” He grabs her hand and pulls her through the kitchen- they get a very disapproving look from Janice- and into the back storeroom.

Gudryn stares at the giant box in the middle of the storeroom floor. She turns to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

He sighs. “Look inside.”

She does as he says. Peeking inside, she sees an empty box. She turns back to him, her risen eyebrow back in place.

He moves to stand beside her, peeking in the box himself. “Oh, no! It’s gone!”

Her other eyebrow rises. “What?”

“My Xenothian Nonvenea snake!”

Her eyes widen and her eyebrows raise even more- this time in surprise. “Where?”

“Lycus Jove gave it to me. I bought it off him for a danker. He was a humdinger of a snake too, what with his yellow strips and his-”

A scream interrupts them. Janice’s scream.

They run to the kitchen and find Janice up on a chair, screaming for her dear life. Giselle- with Lady Penelope following- appears in the other doorway. Senator Holman is close behind.

Alexander’s Xenothian Nonvenea is making its way across the room to the Holman housekeeper. As it slithers closer, Gudryn makes a dive for the kitchen table- or, more specifically, the knife on the table. Alexander makes a dive for her. He grabs her and pulls her away just before she can manage to do the snake any harm with her knife.

“Don’t kill him!” Alexander exclaims. “I paid a whole danker for him.”

“I don’t care,” Gudryn says, pushing him off of her and moving back towards the snake.

He pushes her aside and makes a grab for the snake. The thing slithers under the table and Alexander dives after it. Giselle screams as it approaches her.

“Don’t worry,” her brother says. “It’s not poisonous. If it bites you, it won’t do any harm.”

“I’d rather not take any chances,” Giselle says. “Shall we return to the garden, Lady Penelope?”

Lady Penelope, her face pale, turns to her cousin. “I-I’m afraid I must be going. Good day.” She kisses Giselle’s cheek and leaves.

Alexander finally manages to capture his Xenothian Nonvenea. With a grin, he holds it up. “Isn’t it a humdinger?”

Senator Holman glares at him. “Alexander, you are sixteen years old. I expect a larger display of maturity from you. Get that thing out of this house this instant.”

“But, Father-”

“I said, this instant.”

The boy lowers his eyes and moves to the back storeroom. “I wonder if Lycus will buy him back,” he mutters to himself.

Gudryn follows him. “Perhaps Dr. Melek.”

“What would he want with a snake?” Alexander scoffs.

She shrugs. “Research.”

“You think I should ask him?”

She nods.

Alexander grins. “You know, even if you did try to kill my Xenothian Nonvenea, you’re being very nice about him.”

“I thought he would kill Janice,” she says in her defense.

He nods. “I can see why. Xenothian Nonveneas look a lot like Xenothian Veneas except they don’t have red spots. They’re really easy to mistake for each other.”

“Besides,” she says, “when there’s snake it’s wise to kill first and learn the kind later.”

He rolls his eyes. “You don’t really think I’d bring a poisonous snake into the house and leave him in a box he could get out of, do you?”

She shrugs.

He sighs. “Well, maybe I did bring that spider home, but I swear I didn’t know he was poisonous, or that he could squeeze through holes that little. I’m smarter now.”

She rolls her eyes. “Yes, a whole month smarter.”

“It’s been two months,” he insists.

She raises an eyebrow.

He laughs. “All right, maybe it was a month and a half. And, no, it doesn’t really matter. I get your point. I’d better run before Dr. Melek closes his shop. See you later.”

She grins as he races out the back door, his snake’s box tucked under his arm. In many ways, Alexander Holman is still a kid at heart.

Chapter Three

Alexander’s eyes sparkle when he comes in the door.

Gudryn smiles at him. “Went well?”

“I got to set a broken leg. And, Dr. Melek said I was a natural.”

Alexander has been working with the doctor ever since the day he tried to sell him the Xenothian Nonvenea. The Melisian physician hadn’t had much interest in the scaly beast but the boy who owned it he found very promising. So, he took him on as an apprentice of sorts.

“You going to tell the senator?”

“No,” Alexander says. “He wants me to be a senator like him. He thinks this whole thing with Dr. Melek is just a phase. I’m surprised he even lets me work with him.”

Gudryn is surprised too. Most people don’t like Melisians because of their strange customs and deeply held religious beliefs. Like Portabians, Melisians are different and Serrians don’t like that.

“You should tell him,” she urges.

He shakes his head. “Father wants me to be a senator and I’ll respect that.”

“At the expense of your happiness?”

“I can be happy as a senator,” Alexander insists.

Gudryn rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “I got a letter to deliver.” She slips passed him and leaves.

Alexander goes upstairs to his father’s study. The man looks up as his son enters the room.

“Oh, Alexander, you’re back. Good,” he says. “Have you seen Gudryn?”

The boy nods. “She just left. She’s delivering the letter for you.”

The man quirks an eyebrow. “For me? What letter? I didn’t send her to deliver a letter.”

Alexander shrugs. “I must have heard her wrong.”

His father nods. “You must have. Maybe she’s running an errand for Janice.”

“Maybe.”

She slips through the crowded market square unnoticed. Her movements are natural and easy and she easily blends in with her surroundings.

She ducks smoothly into an abandoned alley behind Spiro the scribe’s office. A boy, about nine or ten, pops out of the back door and grins at her. His chocolate-brown hair is disheveled and his blue eyes sparkle with mischief.

“’Lo, Gud,” he says. “Did you bring me a biscuit?”

She shakes her head.

“Why not?”

“Couldn’t pinch one without being caught.”

He frowns. “Oh.”

“Sorry.”

“’S’okay.”

“Spiro here?”

The boy shakes his head. “No, he went down to the docks. Linus’ here, but he’s being moody.”

The young man in discussion steps out of the office into the alley. He’s seventeen, with pale blond hair, and a distinctly moody expression on his white, freckled face. His coloring darkens to a blush when he sees Gudryn.

“Oh, hello, Gudryn.”

She smiles. “Did Spiro leave a letter for me to deliver?”

Linus shakes his head.

“You in a hurry, Gud?” Elias asks.

She nods. “I have to get back.”

“When are you going to run away and come live with us?”

“When I turn sixteen. Senator Holman says I can have my freedom then.”

The boy furrows his brow. “Why then?”

“Because that’s when she becomes an adult,” Linus says. “And, so, that’s when the senator plans to give her her freedom.” He snorts. “As if freedom is something you can give away.”

“If it’s not something you can give away, then what is it?”

“It’s a right all people should be born with,” Linus says. “And anyone who says different is wrong.”

“I was born with it,” Gudryn says quietly.

“Exactly, and then someone took that right away from you and they shouldn’t have done that.”

She nods.

Elias sighs. “I still say you should run away. Then you’d be standing up for the cause.”

“Since when are you so concerned about standing up for the cause?” Linus asks.

“Since it means Gudryn can come be my sister even sooner.”

Linus rolls his eyes.

“When do you turn sixteen?”

She shrugs. “Seven weeks.”

“If it’s seven weeks why’d you shrug?”

“’Cause that’s when the senator bought her,” Linus explains. “She doesn’t know when her real birthday is.”

“Does anyone?” the boy queries.

Linus shrugs.

“I should go.” Gudryn turns.

Elias grabs her around the middle and hugs her from behind. “Bye. Come back soon?”

Gudryn wiggles her way free, turns back, and folds him in a hug. “You know I will.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Cross your heart?”

“Cross my heart.”

“Hope to die?”

“No.”

“What?” He pulls away from the hug to look up at her.

“I don’t hope to die. I’d rather live, thank you.”

He smiles and hugs her again. “Bye.”

“Bye.” She moves down the alley. She turns back. “Bye, Linus.”

The young man blushes again. “Goodbye, Gudryn.”

“How come you turn pink whenever Gudryn talks to you?” Elias asks.

The young man doesn’t reply.

And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed it. As I said, this story- and, by story, I mean the characters- is very dear to my heart. I can say for a fact that I will be writing about Gudryn and the gang someday. So, I hope you liked it, because you'll be getting more sometime.

And, Monday will bring the start of a new series. I hope you'll stop back for that.

Until then, stay awesome, faithful readers. Don't ever let anyone kill a side of you that you hold dear.

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

~Hamlet Act 1, Scene 3

Why Anna is the Most Underrated Disney Heroine

Here’s to Heroines Special today! I didn’t have an ender for the series and I had this written and I thought it tied in nicely, since it’s about a strong heroine. So, enjoy!

She’s not like Elsa or Rapunzel or Belle. Elsa thinks she needs to be shut away for the protection of those around her. Rapunzel thinks she needs to protect herself. Belle is protecting her father.

But Anna, she doesn’t know why she’s shut up. And, it’s even worse. Because in her mind she and Elsa should be shut up together. They are both cut off from the world. Anna doesn’t know it’s because of Elsa. So she thinks that she’s not only cut off from the world, but her sister is also shutting her out.

So often you see fanart and such that reminds us how much Elsa thought she was a monster. But, I can’t help wondering if Anna felt the same way. Did she sit outside her sister’s door, wondering what on earth she had done to be cut off this way? Was she some horrible person? Had she done something? What was wrong with her?

I cry every time I hear “Do You Want to Build a Snowman.” Not because Elsa is shut in her room, but because Anna is shut out of it. She’s standing at her sister’s door, crying out to her, begging her to open it. And every time she’s rejected.

What is wrong with her? What did she do? Why would her sister shut her out this way?

And then, on Coronation Day, Elsa sees her sister for a few moments, tells her she can’t marry the guy she thinks she loves, and then storms off (literally) while freezing the kingdom.

First of all, that scene where they’re talking and Elsa says something to her and Anna’s all surprised? Breaks my heart every time. Because this is the first time her sister has spoken to her, accepted her, drawn her in. Every other time, she’s shutting her out, either with her words or her lack of them. But today, she’s engaging with her, they share an adorable sister moment. Imagine how Anna must have felt.

But then, Anna finds what she thinks is true love. You have to remember, she’s been locked away for years. Alone. And she doesn’t understand why. Everyone has shut her up, shut her out. But not Hans. Hans understands her. He accepts her. He doesn’t make her feel like a monster, like she’s not good enough, like there’s something the matter with her.

For the first time in forever her feelings are actually reciprocated. Someone loves her.

And then Elsa tells her she can’t marry him. Elsa once again shuts her out. She cuts Anna off, makes her feels like a little girl, reprimands her in a way she has no right to. Yeah, she’s her older sister, but they haven’t spoken more than a few words in years.

So yeah, Anna’s mad. She’s past thinking there’s something wrong with her. There’s something wrong with Elsa. Elsa is shutting her out. Elsa is being a jerk. Elsa has done nothing but cut her off and shut her out and ignore her and push her away and make her feel things a sister should never make her sister feel. What right does she have to tell Anna how to live her life?

And then BAM! she reveals her powers. And she kind of freezes the whole kingdom. She runs away. Once again, she shuts Anna out. Anna has to seeks her out, she’s not there. She runs from Anna. Once again, she pushes her sister away.

But this is why I love Anna. This is why she is the most wonderful heroine, in my mind.

Because she goes after her sister.

Elsa has done nothing but push her away. She’s hurt Anna, she’s shut her out, she’s denied her happiness over and over and over again. Anna could have looked for a way to stop the kingdom from freezing. She could have married Hans and become queen.

But instead she goes “Oh, that’s why she shut me out.” Instead it all clicks. Instead she takes responsibility. She made her sister upset. She hurt her. It’s her fault the kingdom is frozen.

Anna didn’t do anything wrong. All her life she’s done the right thing, reaching out to her sister, trying so hard to be her friend, to understand. And now she does. So, who cares about the past? In Anna’s mind, this is a fresh beginning. She understands now. Now that Elsa’s secret is out, there’s no reason for her to hide any longer. They can be friends again.

So she goes after Elsa. This is the girl who has been locked in a palace her whole life. Yet, nothing daunts her in her quest to finds her sister. Not terrible weather, not wolves, not a grumpy ice man, not even giant cliffs. Nothing will stop her from finding her sister.

And, when she finally does finds her, Elsa shuts her out once more. But Anna is standing in front of her sister. For the first time in forever they’re standing face to face, just the two of them. And she’s not going anywhere. She has dreamed of this moment for years. Day after day she sat outside or walked past Elsa’s door and she dreamed of the moment when Elsa’s door opened to her.

And now that it has, she’s not going anywhere. She’s not going to be shut out again.

But then Elsa does the thing she does best. She doesn’t mean to, but she’s afraid. So she hurts Anna once more. She freezes her heart and sends a giant snow monster after her.

Anna has tried and tried and tried to do the right thing. She has pushed and pushed to be in her sister’s life. For years she’s been shut out but she still keeps trying. She loves her sister. No matter how many times Elsa shuts her out Anna still keeps trying.

And Elsa hurts her every time.

I’m not trying to make Elsa out to be cruel or some horrible person. Because I know Elsa does not want to hurt her sister. She thinks everything she does is protecting her. But Anna has no idea. In her mind, Elsa is kind of the villain of this story.

But she does not give up hope for her. She doesn’t forget the days when they were friends. She pushes and pushes and pushes for those days to come back. She wants to be her sister’s best friend again. She has been nothing but hurt for years, but she never once gives up hope.

So, the last time Anna saw her sister, she was trying to kill her. At least, Anna must feel that way. But that showdown scene, Anna is standing there, it’s storming all around her, she just found out that the person she thought loved her didn’t. She’s been shut out again. Just like she has for the last so many years of her life.

But she sees it, across the ice. Hans, with his sword raised, about to kill Elsa. Her sister. The girl who tried to kill her. But also the sister she has so many childhood memories of. The sister she has spent years being cut off by. But the girl she has been trying to be best friends with for the same amount of years.

As far as she knows, Elsa is a monster. You have to remember that. Elsa has done nothing but hurt people. She has caused nothing but trouble. And it’s quite possible that killing her will also kill this storm that is overtaking her kingdom.

But while Anna may be a princess, she was never raised as one. She was never taught to put her kingdom first or to think of her people. She spent her entire life caring about Elsa. Her sister is the one who holds first place in her heart. No matter what she has done, no matter what else she is, Elsa is her sister.

And Anna loves her.

So often people think Anna sacrificed herself for her sister. And she did. But they ignore the fact that she also sacrificed herself for the monster. For the person who has done nothing but hurt her. Who has done nothing but hurt everyone. I would give my life for my sister in a heartbeat. But then, she’s never hurt me.

Not like that.

We’re sisters, so yeah, we’ve fought. We’ve hurt each other. But, in the end, she’ll always build a snowman with me. In the end, I’ll always open the door for her.

I honestly can’t say that I would give my life, so quickly, so easily, for someone who hurt me the way Elsa hurt Anna. I don’t think that my first thought would be to jump between her and the man trying to kill her. I would hesitate. I would have to think about it, to make a decision, and by then it would be too late.

Anna doesn’t hesitate. She doesn’t have to think or consider or argue with herself. No matter what Elsa does, she’s always her sister. Never the monster, never the girl who hurt her, but her sister.

Even Belle- the best Disney Princess ever- doesn’t go that far. She gives up her life, yes. But for her father. Who adores her. I’m not belittling her sacrifice, because it’s beautiful, and I cry every time I watch that scene. But, Anna, she goes even farther than that.

Everyone wants to praise Disney for their character development with Elsa. She’s complex, she’s strong, she doesn’t need a man.

Anna doesn’t need a man either. Anna needs someone in her life. And ultimately, she needs (and wants) Elsa. She looks to Hans because he’s giving her the attention she has craved for years and years. She’s been shut out, she’s been alone, she’s been hurt. And suddenly he comes along and offers her exactly what she wants. Can we fault her for falling for him? If it had been a girl, if another princess had come along and offered Anna friendship, we would understand.

And, is Elsa really strong and independent if she only hurts the people around her? She’s not a strong and independent female. She’s a hurt and confused young woman who learns to be a strong and independent female.

But Anna, she remains steadfast. Through all of her sister’s learning and growing, she’s there, never giving up on her. How often do we consider giving up on someone? How often do we wonder if people can really change? Are they even worth the trouble if they can? Is my heart an acceptable price? Should I let them continue to hurt me?

I’m not saying you should let people hurt you. Whether you remain faithful to someone who has hurt you or walk away is a decision only you can make, with God’s help.

But, I don’t think there are enough stories of such selflessness in the world. We’re taught that strong women walk away. You hurt me, I hurt you. Or, you hurt me, I’m gone. We don’t teach people to fight, to stand by someone who has hurt them because they were once your best friend. We teach people to let go. We’re so cynical in this world, so ingrained with the idea that people can’t change, not truly.

But people can. Only through the grace of God, but they can change. As Christians, we should be able to look at a person who has hurt us and forgive them. A person is always worthy of our hope that they can change. Never give up on someone. Even if things are so bad you have to walk away (Anna had to run away from Elsa- she sent a giant snow monster after her), even then, don’t stop hoping they can change. Don’t stop praying for them.

Anna doesn’t give up on Elsa. And, in a lot of ways, I think she’s a picture of Christ. He never gives up on his people. No matter how many times we tell him to go away, he still stands at the door to our heart and begs us to come outside with him. He remembers the days when we were truly his and never gives up. No matter how far we go, no matter how much we hurt him, he still laid down his life for us. And, you have to remember, God is outside of time. When Christ died, he knew everything you would ever do. He knew every time you would sin, every single word you would speak against him, every time you forgot to make time for him, every time you shut him out.

But he still laid down his life for you.

And, as Christians, are we not called to be like Christ? Can we say that a person is not worthy of our love, which is nothing compared to Christ’s, when he says that each and every person is worthy of his? As Casting Crowns put it “Jesus paid much too high a price for us to pick and choose who should come.”

Anna never gives up. She never hesitates to reach out to her sister, to love. As Christ never hesitates to reach out and love us. So too are we called to act toward people. Never give up on people.

When you are tempted to, just remember that Christ never gave up on you. Imagine where you would be today if he had.

How about you? Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? Who do you think is another underrated Disney heroine?

More Katie- Another Western from the Past

No, you wouldn't know who Katie is... that's simply what I have this document saved on my computer as. Because Katie is from a story that I have tried writing over and over and over again and I have a ton of documents saved for her and "More Katie" is all I could think of when it came time to name the doc.

But, as I said last week, this one is a more serious western. It's no longer connected to the story it was originally part of and I'm kind of wanting to use it independently now.

Who knows, maybe I will.

But, as always, no promises.

Anyway, here it is, the western I promised you:

I want to throw up as the trapdoor opens under Pa’s feet and the rope around his neck grows taunt. I’ve seen men dance at a necktie party before but this is the first time I’ve made someone the guest of honor.

A horrid feeling rises in me, a mixture of bile and guilt and confusion. It burns my throat before settling down again and burning deep in the pit of my stomach.I want to turn away but I can’t seem to. My eyes are glued on the sight before me. I need air but my lungs can’t seem to find any. My mouth is dry and I can’t swallow, though I certainly try hard enough.

I didn’t expect it to be this way. I thought my telling the truth would send Pa to jail, not to the gallows. I didn’t think it’d go this far.

I just didn’t want to lie.

A heavy hand lands on my shoulder and I don’t have to look to know who it belongs to.

Jake.

He’s ten years older than me- nineteen- and a good two feet taller. Pa took him in two year before and raised him like a son- the son I could never be.

“I didn’t want to lie,” I whisper, wondering what he’s going to do to me. I know he loved Pa and the two of them had been drilling the lie they wanted me to tell in court for weeks now.

I wonder if I would have chosen differently if I’d understood the outcome.

Jake doesn’t say a thing and when I glance up at him, I find he isn’t even looking at me. His eyes are fixed on Pa and the gallows before us.

“It ain’t my fault,” I say quietly.

Jake glances down at me and the look in his dark eyes scares me. His face graces a scowl that’s cloudy and filled with dreadful promises. But he doesn’t reply to my words. Instead he says, “Let’s get on home.”

Home. The last place on earth I want to go. I don’t want to be alone with Jake, not now, not while he’s this angry. He’s never hit me much before but then, there’s always been Pa there to do it. Now, I don’t know what he’ll do to me. And, I know what he’s capable of when riled.

“Please, Jake,” I whisper, not even sure what I’m asking.

His grip on my shoulder grows harder. “We’re going home.”

He herds me toward his horse and mounts before pulling me up to ride in front of him. His arms wrap around me as he leads the horse and I try not to shiver at the touch.

We ride out of town toward the homestead Pa was never any good at tending. As we ride the air around me grows hotter and hotter. My world spins and I’m suddenly thankful that Jake’s holding me. Otherwise, I might fall off.

I wonder if I’m going to pass out. I’ve never passed out before and I know Jake won’t appreciate it if I do now. The rocking of the horse makes me feel even sicker. I need to stop, need a chance to breathe better but I’m too scared to ask Jake.

“Katie, what’s wrong?” I hear him demand irritably. His voice sounds kind of funny, far off like, even though he’s right behind me.

“I don’t feel so good,” I say but it comes out so quietly that I’m not sure if he hears me.

He gives me a little shake. “I don’t got time for this.”

I try to stop feeling the way I do. I close my eyes but when I do all I see is Pa’s form dangling in the wind. I open them again quickly and blink back the tears that well in my eyes.

“Shape up, Katie,” Jake says with a grumble, shaking me again.

The shaking doesn’t help me feel better, just makes it worse. I want to tell him that, but I’m too scared of him now. Jake’s always been sort of nice to me- in the way big brothers can be nice to their kid sisters, I suppose- but now he’s the man of the family and I’ve done something terrible.

I’m gonna be in for it.

I never really loved Pa, though I know I ought to have. After all, he was my pa and all and he took care of me. I’m just so dreadfully rotten and so Pa was forever having to punish me for doing wrong. I deserved it, I know, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t resent him for it.

And then, after all the times he took it out of my hide when I lied, he wanted me to lie for him. He’d ordered me to even though lying’s wrong.

At least, that’s what I thought when I told the jury the truth. But, now I wonder if I was right.

I’ll never know now.

Jake ignores me the rest of the way home. I try not to be too much of a nuisance and not to feel so sick. It doesn’t go away entirely, especially the churning in my stomach that says Pa’s hanging isn’t going to be the worst thing of the day.

The moment Jake gets me home, I know I’m going to be in for it.

We reach the homestead and Jake slides off the horse, pulling me down after him. He leads it to the barn without looking back at me, without saying a word, so I’m left standing outside the house wondering what I’m supposed to do.

If it were a normal day I’d have supper to make. So, I figure that’s what I ought to do, even if it isn’t a normal day.

I’m just setting the table when Jake comes inside. He shrugs out of his coat and hangs it up, his back to me, his silence saying more than his words could. I wonder when the reckoning will be.

“Are you hungry?” I ask quietly. “Supper’s just about ready.”

He whirls around to face me, his eyes cold, his scowl hateful. “Hungry?” he practically yells. “After what we just witnessed- because of you- and you want to talk about food!?”

“Jake, please…” I don’t know what I’m asking. I don’t know what I want. He’s right. How can I talk about food at a time like this?

I begin to shake and I can’t stop it. Giant sobs escape me and I cover my mouth with my hand. What was I thinking? How could I have told the truth in that court? How could I have turned on my own pa? What kind of a low-down skunk am I?

“Oh, hush up, Katie,” Jake demands.

Yeah... sorry to end it there! I don't have any more written and I've no idea what happens to the poor girl. But, I'd like to find out someday!

Let me know what you thought of it in the comments below! And, make sure to stop by next week for more of my old writing.

In the meantime, last week for the Here's to Heroines series. Hope you'll stop over for that as well!!

Is Your Heroine Ready for a Relationship?

***Warning: This post is about a matter very close to the author’s heart and she apologizes for any ranting that occurs***

I recently finished reading William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. And, while I have a list of very decided reasons why Hero should have dumped Claudio (seriously, would have made an awesome scene!) the story was definitely worth the read because of Beatrice and Benedick.

If you’re not familiar with their story, Beatrice and Benedick are rivals of wit. Every time they meet, they take it upon themselves to slam the other one with the wittiest insult. Both are sharp tongued and delight in putting the other down. And, when all else fails, they insult the other person’s insults.

But, then, part way through the story, they get set up and realize they actually love each other. And, that’s where my favorite thing about them comes in.

After the two of them realize they love the other, there is this really great scene where they attempt to speak poetic words of love to each other.

Only, they’re so used to one-uping the other with their wit, that they keep coming up with witty replies to the others romantic overtures. It’s a hilarious scene and probably my favorite.

Plus, it ties in with what I wanted to talk about today.

You might have noticed that romantic stories always end with the couple getting married. Or engaged. Or as a couple. Basically, it ends when they commit to each other.

There are very few stories with a couple who is married. Like, a younger couple. I’m not counting the main character’s parents. I mean two people who are main characters but also a couple.

It’s almost as if society is subliminally trying to tell us that all the fun stops after marriage or after you’re committed to someone. Most of the shows, movies, and books I’ve seen with married couples are disasters because it’s all drama about their relationship.

My mom is sad because I can’t watch Heartland with her anymore. Because the main character drives me so nuts it’s not even funny. She causes nothing but drama in her relationship with her boyfriend and I honestly have no idea why this guy wants to spend the rest of his life with her. She’s jealous and clingy and a complete jerk. He can’t even say hi to another girl without her blowing it out of proportion and turning it into him essentially cheating on her. I just want someone to knock some sense into this girl (not physically… I’m not promoting abuse. I mean that metaphorically).

And, it’s even worse when the story is a sequel or the character get together after a few seasons, because they tend to lose all their life and individuality when they become a part of a relationship.

As you know, Zoe Washburn is one of my favorite heroines of all time. Part of the reason being that she is a good example of a woman in her own right who is also committed to a relationship. But, I’ve talked about Zoe a lot, so I thought I would look at some of my other favorite heroines who are married.

Because, I was actually surprised to realize most of my favorite heroines are married.

Elizabeth Burke from the TV show White Collar and Nora Charles from The Thin Man mystery movie series are definitely on my top five favorite heroines list. And, most of it has to do with the fact that they are amazing characters who are also amazing wives.

Both women are married to men connected with crime. Elizabeth’s husband is an FBI agent and Nora’s husband is a private detective. Both support their husbands in their works and understand that what they do is dangerous. They worry about them, but also don’t nag them about getting into dangerous situations.

I cannot tell you how much that annoys me, when a character nags their significant other for doing the thing they knew that person did when they began a relationship with them. Like, don’t marry an FBI agent and then tell him not to do dangerous stuff. That’s like telling an accountant not to do math. HE’S GOING TO GET INTO TROUBLE. IT’S HIS JOB FOR PETE’S SAKE!

GAH!

Another thing about Elizabeth and Nora is that neither of them get jealous when their husband talks to another woman, no matter how the woman acts. I love that because to me, it says that they not only trust their husband, that he will be faithful to them, but it also says something about their respect for themselves. They are so secure in who they are, they aren’t worried about another woman coming along and stealing their man from them. They know they’re the best thing that ever happened to him and him embracing another woman isn’t enough to make them jealous.

Nora especially is wonderful about this. She and her husband are hilarious because they are always telling the other that they’re cheating on each other, he’s always telling her that he married her for her money, but in the end, they are incredibly in love and would never dream of being unfaithful to the other. They’re surrounded by scandal and messed up relationships and all sorts of crazy situations, but they remain unwavering in their devotion to each other. Nothing can change what they have. And, they aren’t going to let anything threaten them.

And, in one of my favorite scenes with Elizabeth and her husband, Peter, is where she finds out he’s been flirting a little bit with this woman because they need her to let them into this building and she has no idea that they’re with the FBI. Instead of getting mad, Elizabeth takes the opportunity to tease Peter mercilessly because he’s so horrible at flirting. And then she coaches him while he calls the woman, giving him tips on what to say and how to flirt.

Because she knows he’s only doing it for the investigation. She knows her husband would never go too far. And, he would never do anything that would be unfaithful to her. So, she has fun instead of freaking out or yelling at him, she teases him. Because she loves him. And she is certain of his love for her.

Elizabeth is also the best because she runs her own business. She has things that she likes, she has her own activities that she does, she has her friends and her opinions, and she never once feels like the main character’s love interest. She’s a strong, independent woman who is also married to the main character. She’s her own person, fully and completely. She’s an individual. But, that doesn’t stop her from being someone’s partner, a half of something. She can be both wholly herself and half of her marriage.

We need more characters like this. They don’t have to be married, but why don’t we have more love interests who are together through the whole story? Why does the guy only get the girl at the end of the book? Why can’t he get her at the beginning and they spend the book working side by side?

Your story doesn’t have to be weighed down with romantic drama for this to work. In fact, people hate romantic drama, so please don’t add it. But, we are also giving the impression to everyone that relationships are nothing but romantic drama after they start and that needs to stop.

A great way to look at it is instead of thinking of them as love interests, think of them as partners. They are two heroes fighting side by side who happen to also be in love with each other.

We need to show people that there is hope. That relationships have problems, yes, but that’s not the sum of them. We need to show people that characters shouldn’t lose their personalities just because they’re a part of something bigger then themselves.

We need more relationships in our stories. More characters that show that they’re about more than kissing and fighting. That finding a significant other isn’t the end. Sometimes it’s the beginning.

Or, maybe these characters have been in a relationship for a long time. Zoe and Wash are married long before Firefly starts. And they have problems and they fight and they kiss and say lovey things to each other.

But, they’re also two people. The sum of their relationship isn’t them having problems and making out.

And, as a side note, while most romantic relationships are all drama, you have to remember that all relationships have their share of problems. It’s how you write them that count.

Part of the reason I love Sherlock so much is because of John and Sherlock’s relationship. The writers do such a great job of making it realistic, having them fight and disagree and even get really, really angry with each other. But, it never crosses to the point where it’s just stupid, pointless drama.

You know why? Because unlike the romantic couples, John and Sherlock aren’t fighting about stuff that doesn’t matter. They aren’t arguing because Sherlock worked with another partner and John feels jealous because maybe Sherlock doesn’t want him for a partner anymore.

Boo hoo. Who cares, pathetic female who has no personality? If you’re that insecure about how he feels about you, why are you even in a relationship with him?

But, relationships aren’t for everyone. And, before you decide if your heroine is ready for one, let me reiterate just what is required (and, side note- this basically applies to guys too, but this is a post about heroines, not heroes):

She needs to be her own character. Both sides of the relationship need to be developed on their own, excluding the other person. She needs to be herself, have her own personality, her own interests, her own jokes, her own things that she hates and loves and dreams about. She cannot be the female version of her boyfriend or husband. She needs to be the female version of herself.

She needs to be independent in her own right. She needs to feel like a person on her own. If she can’t carry a scene without him there or without talking about him the whole time, she’s worthless. She needs to be her own person, an individual.

But, she also needs to be able to be part of something bigger than herself. She needs to understand that compromise is key in every relationship and picking your battles is important. It’s better to let the little things go and fight back when there’s something big going down. Because if she complains about the little stuff, no matter how huge the matter is, she’s still come across as the nagging girlfriend/wife. And, nobody likes a nagger.

She can’t get jealous at every turn. He’s going to have to talk to other girls. That’s life. You can’t go anywhere without talking to someone of the opposite gender. Sure, get mad if he’s flirting or acting inappropriately. But, if he’s just being nice? If he’s being polite because he’s trying to get the girl to tell him whether the villain stop off here in this town or not? Yeah, she can’t freak out on him for that. Girls, stop freaking out on guys for that.

And, she needs to support him. I love BBC’s Robin Hood but Marian drove me nuts. She told Robin she loved him over and over again but also constantly told him how wrong he was. No matter what he did, it was never right. She wouldn’t have done that or she would have done it differently or he shouldn’t have said that thing that he said or he should have said that thing he didn’t say. I honestly didn’t see love between them. I saw lust. The only love I saw was then they were kissing each other.

But he could never do anything right.

So she has to support him. She can tell him if he’s wrong, of course. She should tell him is he’s wrong. But, she can- again- nag him. Just because he doesn’t do it the way she would doesn’t mean he’s doing it wrong. Seriously, heroines, get with the picture. Stop being stupid about stuff!

Basically, if you’d be annoyed at your friend for doing it, don’t make your heroine do it.

How about you? Do you have any heroines in a relationship? Who is your favorite heroine who is in a relationship? What is your biggest pet peeve about heroines in relationships?