Thursday, March 18, 2010

Something About my Irks and Pains

For all of you who sent me well wishes over the last week, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your thoughts meant more to me than you can imagine. I am getting better...slowly.

Now, onto the reason for my post :-)

Aside from having no plot, there are a few things that really irk me, and here is where I will tell you about them.

1) Villains who explain their plans! C'mon, this sort of stuff is for kids shows and the realm of cartoons, yet you'd be surprised (or not) how many times I come across this sort of 'bad plotting'.

2) The villain falls in love with the hero/everyone falls in love with the hero. For me this borders on a 'Mary Sue' kind of plot. A story where the author is plainly living out their fantasies through their characters. Sure, Mary Sue may be common in the realms of fan fiction, but believe it or not, this creeps into other genre's as well, more notably the 'boy who can do anything' type of teen/YA fiction rampant at the moment. *groan* and here I was thinking 'wonder boys' were gone once Wesley Crusher left the Enterprise!

3) And you're going to hate me for this one: But women who are portrayed as Xena warrior-types. Okay, nice to have a strong female protag, no problem there. But there's just something not quite right for me when an author thinks that strong=masculine=hitting everything=acting like a man. A woman is a woman, sure she can be strong willed, strong of body, and everything a man is, but that does not make her a man!

Talk to you all next week.

5 comments:

Alisha said...

I too can't stand the kick ass warrior type heroines! I don't write heroines like that and I don't like to read about them, though I know they are huge in today's market. I had one reviewer tell me that my heroine was too wimpy. I guess because she didn't karate chop the male in the first scene, she was considered weak..ha ha. I like my characters real. I guess I'm a tad bit traditional. Now I like strong heroines but when they wear knives and are Kill Bill types..uh..no thanks. But that's just me...lol.

Sending you virtual chocolate now, my friend! Fat hug!

xxoo

Tierney O'Malley said...

Tsk, tsk. I'm glad you can't really see me. I'll scare both of you. You see, I carry swords on my back, guns strap on my thighs and a wicked knife inside my boot. :D 'Kay, better start cleaning the kitchen.

Alisha said...

Little ole sweet Tierney?

Hope what I said didn't offend you, if you write those kinds of heroines. I've read many great books with a kick ass heroine and there are tons of people who want their heroine packing. I just write a different heroine...and one that makes some people hurl their breakfast. That's what's so great about all the different genres and writers out there. We all write something for a particular audience.

Did you clean your kitchen? I cleaned like a crazy woman all day long yesterday. Spring cleaning to the max. Took all my plants outside too. I'm loving our spring weather.

Hugs to you!
Alisha

Mark Alders said...

Well I knew it would get a reaction! And Tierney, I can so see you with a sword :-)

Okay, how's this? I read a book the other day where the hero was a rough and tough female. Really well done--until the author wrote: "she spat into the dirt and scratched her crotch."

Instant. Book. Put. Down.

Just my two cents again :-)

*hugs*

And thanks for the comments!

Tierney O'Malley said...

Teeheeee! Alisha, no you didn't offend me at all. If I have a sword, I'll probably hurt myself. You see, I'm practically blind. LOL

I've read books with kick-ass heroine. I don't write the genre crotch-scratching type of heroine. Hm...the heroine in my first paranormal is an expert swordswoman but she's not a Xena warrior type.
Cleaned up the kitchen a bit then went out to lunch with my husband.

Alisha, you live in a haunted house? So cool.

T

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