Taking Another Step

Joanna Bourne, Historical Romance

I spent today thinking about sacrifice and resolve. These are not among my strengths, unfortunately.  

I have written characters who just bubble with these virtues. Do we always write about traits we admire rather than traits we happen to have?

Anyhow, I was mulling on things like . . . Can we write suitably upbeat stories about protagonists who are not and never will be heroic?
If we did, would those be better stories? More honest work? More perceptive creations?
Can we sorta compromise by writing strong and virtuous protagonists, but included ordinary weak, realistic, conflicted characters as well-regarded secondaries?

I thought about this while I was buying barbeque from Mel’s here in town.

When I lived on my mountain I had a first-rate BBQ place down the hill on a small obscure road

convenient to my cabin insofar as anything was convenient. Very traditional, wholly authentic and just whoop-de-doo good country BBQ.

Long and short of it was, here in town Mel’s didn’t please me. I will feed the rest of it to the dog Mandy who is less picky. But Mel’s is well regarded. Goes to show something.

I’ve decided we need all sorts of stories for all sorts of readers and there’s no harm in writing what comes naturally even if it isn’t very realistic. 

So I’ll pretty much do what I want and not worry.

RITA-winning author Joanna Bourne writes historical fiction set in Revolutionary and Napoleonic France and Regency England. It was a time of love and sacrifice, clashing ideals, and really cool clothing.