I have written twenty-nine books and my focus when I start each and every novel, is creating a strong woman who has a strength over adversity story to tell.
My branding tagline is ‘Inspiration, empowerment & romance…one book at a time' and it’s important to me that I deliver to readers exactly what I’ve promised.
Throughout history women have strived for change and achieved incredible feats that people often deemed impossible. They’ve secured the Vote, they’ve flown aeroplanes, they’ve climbed mountains and they’ve discovered medical cures. Women are powerful, resilient, amazing...
As a novelist, it means so much to me that I reflect the inner strength and tenacity of women. I want my readers to recognise the heroine’s struggles, hopes and dreams. I want to deeply move their hearts, souls and minds as I transport them to another world.
Some people have a complete misconception about romance or women’s fiction novels and their heroines. Yes, there are books featuring swooning ladies and even rape (most written a LONG time ago!), not to mention, verbal, mental and physical abuse. Yet, there has always been strong, female leads, too.
Jane Austen’s heroines are not often seen as strong, but show me one is not often opinionated and hell-bent on getting what she wants out of life. Elizabeth Bennett is no shrinking violet, neither is Elinor or her sister, Marianne in Sense & Sensibility. Although, love and the pursuit of eternal emotional happiness and marriage are definitely present in Austen’s novels, so are the women’s determination, self-worth and personal empowerment.
My Shop Girl series is set in the early 20th century and the theme is female empowerment. I purposely set out to highlight an Edwardian women’s issue with each book and have my heroines fight to be heard, fight for change and ultimately succeed. I truly believe it’s these kinds of heroines readers want in their fiction and, maybe, they always have.
It is often portrayed in period dramas and films how women would devour romance novels, hide away and read them, secretly revelling in…what? Are we really supposed to believe the fascination and enthrallment was all about the grand hero coming along to sweep the heroine off her feet? I think not! Wasn’t it really about the reader following the heroine’s journey, relishing how she overcame societal and familial objections and obstacles? How she defiantly refused to be held back, caged and controlled? Think of Jane Eyre, Becky Sharp and Scarlet O’Hara.
Women’s fiction has had a pretty derogatory reputation in the past, but I think that has changed. I think women know they are going to get (and expect) more than a love story. Today’s woman is ambitious, empowered and strong and, yes, she might want to fall in love, marry and have a family, but that does not mean those things are ALL she wants.
And why shouldn’t she have it all?
There are inspirational women all around us, past and present. From the suffragists and suffragettes who ensured the vote, from the female doctors, surgeons and scientists who broke through male-dominated barriers, to entrepreneurial mothers raising children and running their own businesses.
I, for one, intend to keep strong female leads at the heart of my books and hope to inspire, empower and romance every single one of my readers for many years to come!
Happy reading!
Rachel
Make sure you check out my books page for my latest series and other novels!
No comments
Post a Comment