Novels and Dead Parents

Every day I get a link for eBooks that are super cheap. I love the service and I love getting good reads for cheap. However, as I preview my cheap options, I have noticed a trend in 21st Century literature that is really starting to bother me. Writers and their hang-ups about alive parents and happy childhoods…

I’m not just talking about filthy, guilty-pleasure historical romances, but some very well-written, lovely fiction – stuff with a good amount of history and a great story – all seem to have a common thread. Ok, back up – it’s more like the stories with a strong female character at the center…ok…moving on. For the most part, I have noticed that these poor creatures have all had to lose one or both of their parents. The tragic deaths vary – car accidents, sickness, one dies and the other leaves (or is just absent emotionally), but the poor female character has to grow up with fond memories of her mother/father (or horrific scary memories depending on the death circumstance) and those memories either make her strong and outspoken or weak and mousy who is turned into strong and outspoken because she is forced to face her horrible parent-less childhood.

Why can’t the female character ever have both parents – or at the very least one of them – who are alive and wonderful? Why can’t they be smart, strong women with a great childhood to draw their chutzpah from? No, apparently, they can’t. They have to suffer the loss, go through hell or have wonderful aunts/grandmothers who make them strong and love them, but they still ache for their parents. I guess a happy-with-parent(s) childhood doesn’t make for good reading…

So, fair warning my friends. When I finish my first novel, my strong female lead is going to come from a loving environment with supportive and loving parents (or parent). She is going to be well-rounded, smart and happy with herself. She’s going fall down, get back up and kick life in the balls – all because that’s just how she is!!! Her strength isn’t going to come from losing everyone in her life that has ever loved her or by finally finding that one person who “completes” her. No, my bitch is going to be badass, happy with herself and isn’t going to give a shit about having anyone “complete” her because she is already complete! Conflict and resolution come in many forms and I’m interested in finding them in ways that don’t involve the tragic deaths of one’s family members. You are welcome.

I like having solid goals for my novel…strong woman, no childhood tragedy, a little conflict, but coming out a winner anyway. Don’t tell me it can’t be done…I’m half way there already – both my parents are alive and well!