My daughter joined Girls Scouts this year and she loves it! The projects, the discussions, the games, the friends. Most of all, I think she understands this is something special. This long-standing organization focusses intently upon honoring every girl for her unique interests, capabilities and talents. Whether it is a love for animals, nature and the outdoors, music and dance, or reading, the girls are encouraged and supported in whatever direction they choose to go. Everyone is free to be exactly who she is, and is celebrated for it.

It may seem odd that I intend to compare this to romance novels…or maybe not. There appear to be some obvious parallels. Today’s romance novels all contain a similar theme—that of the heroine being honored and loved for who she is as an individual. She may be a vampire/shape-shifting demon hunter, a bookish miss of the Regency, a clumsy ingénue trying to find her place in a multi-million dollar corporation, or a seductive movie star…but whatever her passion or her chosen path, she is never afraid to be exactly who she is. The heroines of romance refuse to fit anyone’s mold. They live life on their own terms. By honoring themselves, they expect no less from those they love.

As readers, we connect with these women, who are rarely ever perfect. We root for them when they discover someone who sees them for their true selves and not some iconic depiction of what womanhood should be. This is why I love romance novels. They not only bring us into a world of passion, emotion and adventure, they also remind us how special every woman is in her own way.

This is also what made writing REBEL MARQUESS so fun and rewarding. The story’s heroine, Eliza Terribury, is determined to follow her dreams, despite the fact that they are not appropriate for a young lady of her time. She forges ahead in the face of opposition from her family, knowing she must remain true to that which makes her unique. Below is an excerpt from when Eliza reveals her intention to become a published novelist to our hero, Lord Rutherford. Though he eventually comes to adore in all that makes Eliza who she is, his initial reaction is not so enlightened.

She paused, eyeing him intently for a moment before she clarified. “I write gothic romance. Novels of high adventure and dark suspense.”

He snorted in surprise. “That drivel?” It was rare he spoke without thinking, and he saw right away he had insulted her, though it had not been his intention. Her blunt way of offering up her thoughts on a platter must be contagious.

She stiffened immediately in response to his thoughtless comment. Her squared-off shoulders and stiff spine indicated pure defiance, but she kept strict control of her features, even to the point of offering him a tight little smile. He was impressed.

“Have you ever read a gothic novel, Lord Rutherford?”

“Of course not.”

“How then did you come by your assessment of the genre?”

“Well, everyone knows—”

“Who is everyone?” she interrupted tartly. “Stodgy gentlemen who only read literature deemed to be of the highest cultural, political or moral significance? And what exactly would they know about novels filled with adventure, mystery and romance?”

He decided it best not to answer such a question.

*~*~*~*

REBEL MARQUESS is a follow up to ROGUE COUNTESS and RECKLESS VISCOUNT and is available for pre-order now!

http://store.samhainpublishing.com/rebel-marquess-p-73389.html
http://www.amazon.com/Rebel-Marquess-Amy-Sandas-ebook/dp/B00HOFEHDU
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rebel-marquess-amy-sandas/1118069784?ean=9781619218390

Author Bio – Amy Sandas

Amy’s love of romance began one summer when she was thirteen and complained of boredom.  She ended up with one of her mother’s Barbara Cartland books and an obsessive interest that expanded from there.  Her affinity for writing began with sappy pre-teen poems and led to a Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

She writes in the early mornings while her young kids are still asleep and dreams of a future when she can write all day instead of going to her “other” job.  In the evenings, Amy is a full-time wife and mother who enjoys pizza, wine and dark brooding heroes … namely, her husband.

You can find Amy on her blog at http://amysandas.wordpress.com
On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AmySandas?ref=hl
Or Tweet her at https://twitter.com/#!/AmySandas