The    at  

    Heroes 

wish you a very

Happy Hanukkah , 

Happy Kwanza, 

and a Merry Christmas! 

It may not be politically correct, but sometimes don’t you wish you could release the burden of whatever ails you and let someone else take care of it for you?  Hate your job? Poof–you’ve got a new and fabulous one.  Wish you could lose that extra 10 pounds?  Heck, you’ve got it, without surgery or dieting.  Wish your readership looked like one of those cingular wireless commercials, where crowds of people congregate in one network?  It’s yours.   As a young girl, I totally bought into the whole romanticized notion of there being a fabulous hero out there who could sweep me up and “take me away.”  I got the next best thing– My husband is a great protector and a loving partner, but sometimes there are issues that even he can’t conquer. Sometimes the only substitute for that white knight fantasy is a day home in bed with a fun movie and a gallon of ice cream.  Or, in my case, I’m heading to Disney World with my kids.  Normally, I’d be apprehensive about a long flight, crowds, etc, but the way I’m feeling now–bring it on.  Disney World is my Sir Gallahad for now!QUESTION OF THE DAY: What do you do when your tank is low?     

 Just a quick post today to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.   Did you know that one of the first Thanksgiving meals occurred in 1621, when Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians  sat down together to celebrate a harvest meal?  More importantly, it is believed this meal symbolized a pact of cooperation between English colonists and Native Americans, who had celebrated the harvest with festivals and dances long before the colonists arrived.  As such, our Thanksgiving celebrations come from a merging of cultures and a desire for peace.  That’s something that we are still fighting for today. I confess, I’ve been pretty focused on reading romantic suspense, so I haven’t had a whole lot of exposure to multi-cultural heroes in novels of late.  One exception is Jordan Dane’s hero in No One Heard Her Scream, who is Hispanic.  And of course we know that Misa Ramirez’s debut novel, Living the Vida Lola has a Latina heroine, Lola Cruz.  For both these characters, their culture contributes to who they are but does not necessarily define them.  We are all individuals, shaped by our history, yet not limited by it.  Or at least we shouldn’t be.  QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:  No matter what his/her culture is, who are you going to be giving thanks for tomorrow?  

Er, height, that is….  I’ve read A LOT of romance novels, and I don’t think I’ve ever read one where the hero was shorter than the heroine.  Or even where the heroine edges a few inches taller with heels, ala Katie Holmes over Tom Cruise.   Romance novels have progressed by portraying realistic heroines–heroines who are overweight, plain, etc.  But heroes haven’t gotten the same treatment.  In fact, their virtues are often portrayed in the extreme.  Big.  Thick.  Long.  You get the picture.  Not that I’m necessarily advocating for change.  I’m just saying….  QUESTION OF THE DAY: Really, this was just about the cover art!  There are plenty of bad covers out there without someone having to alter them.  Got a favorite?  Please share the link!  I found this one at: World of Longmire