Kristine Cayne's Author Spotlight: Strong Female Lead Characters--Why We Need Them! by Samantha Adams #giveaway

Please help me in welcoming Samantha Adams, the co-author of Immortal Prophecy. Today, she's talking about one of my favorite topics--strong female characters. Writing a strong and relatable heroine is not as easy as it sounds. But Samantha is right: we absolutely need them. We have a giveaway too! Two ecopies of Immortal Prophecy are up for grabs. See details are at the end of the post. Take it away, Sam.

Strong Female Lead Characters – Why we need them!

As little girls more often than not, we want to be a Princess when we grow up.  And why not? It could be a lot worse right?  Kate Middleton and Princess Mary are wonderful role models for young women around the globe and there should be more like them.  But they are not your average princess and certainly not what the sentence, ‘I want to be a Princess’ implies.

When a little girl says this, she means she wants to grow up, marry a prince who will rescue her on his white horse and take her to his castle where she can live in luxury and never have to think or take care of herself again.  Her biggest problem in life will be what to wear to the next royal function and even then, she will have an assistant to do that for her.  The fairy tale is complete.

As we get older and reach our teenage years, we start reading young adult novels, watching TV and move on to the next un-empowering role model, which heaven forbid is someone like Paris Hilton.

Our personas and ideals are based on what we read, watch, hear, see and most of this is done unconsciously.  This is the reason we need the market for young adults, who are learning their way and in the crucial age of trying to discover who they are and what they want to be, to be flooded with strong female protagonists.

Young girls need positive role models who empower women!  Encourage them to think for themselves, make healthy choices in relationships, challenge them to better themselves, have a strong sense of self-worth and take control of their lives in a very positive way.

JK Rowling hit the spot with Hermione Granger.  She is the perfect example of a strong female lead character. Sadly, these types of characters are rare as hen’s teeth.

The female lead can’t just be a one dimensional character either, all kicking butt and physical strength.  She has to be real.  She needs a feminine side and vulnerability and she even needs to be unsure of herself at times, because even the strongest women are.  But it’s what she does when she is in a situation where she is unsure and vulnerable that really shows us what she is made of.

As authors, we wanted to make sure our lead female protagonist, Alessandra, was all these things. It was something which was very important to us.  We have received a lot of feedback saying how refreshing it was to read about a character like that and that says we need more of them!

Her destiny has been preordained and she has a soulmate named James, but even though she appears to have no choice in her life or relationship, she still questions everything around her and makes the decision on what she wants and what is going to be right for her.

Alessandra is downright difficult at times, unsure of herself and what to do, but she finds the strength and courage to carry on despite all this. She is a woman of substance, intelligence and courage.

If you are a reader and enjoy this type of strong character, then check out our debut novel, Immortal Prophecy.  If you are a writer then consider doing something different and write about a strong young woman.  You might just change a young girl’s future and inspire her to be something special and different from the usual suspects.

Thanks for having us on your blog Kristine :)

Title: Immortal Prophecy (Saga Book One)
Authors: Samantha Adams and Kay Fry

Genre: Fantasy, YA

Available from: Amazon | B&N 

Price: Only 99 cents!









Book Description

The prophecy has been foretold...
Her destiny has been written...
Her fate has been sealed...

Alessandra Decosta was just your average sixteen year old girl,
until she took a fateful visit to a fortune teller. What happened that night
would alter the course of her life forever...

Five years later, Alessandra, now a private investigator,
was doing what she thought was a routine stake out...It was to become anything
but.

Without any real warning, she found herself in the clutches
of the evil vampire, Vincent.

Just as she expected to die, James Carlisle, the smouldering
immortal that had haunted her dreams and thoughts for the last five years saved
her from certain death with only a moment to spare.

Her memories of the horrifying encounter are removed and its
only when she meets James again at a masquerade ball, does she begin to have
flashbacks of her brush with Vincent and the intoxicating Immortal that saved
her life.

Alessandra is the only thing that stands between the immortals, the
guardians of the human race and the vampires, the destruction of all mankind.

Excerpt from Immortal Prophecy

Ally couldn't breathe, couldn't move. The same feeling she had five years ago, consumed her again. She watched James, unable to take her eyes of him. He was the most captivating man she had ever laid eyes on. As James leaned on the balcony railing looking out over the garden paradise, Ally admired his chiseled profile. He stiffened, sensing her presence, and slowly turned around to look straight at her. His eyes flared, and he seemed lost in the same vortex that she was.

The room had grown unnaturally quiet, as if eagerly watching the two of them, wanting to be the first to see what would happen between Alessandra and James. Ally was sure her mind was playing tricks, and if she’d been able to look around, she would've seen no-one was watching what was going on.
James pushed off the rail with an ease and elegance that didn't seem human. He walked toward Ally, never taking his eyes off her once. He reminded her of a lion, stalking its prey with a hypnotic, unbreakable determination.

Everything changed into a slow motion scene. She felt her body gravitating towards him and without conscious thought, she had taken a step. He seemed to be calling to her. She trembled from the anticipation running through her veins. Ally couldn't form a single coherent thought.

He drew closer.

It was pure magnetism between them, pulling them together by the forces of nature.

He looked at her like a man starving.

She looked at him like a woman drowning.


About the Authors

Samantha Adams and Kay Fry are the mother daughter team behind Immortal Prophecy. They share a love of good books, swoon-worthy hero’s and sipping lattes at their local café.

Samantha is a young stay at home mum to her son, Joshua and is lucky enough to be married to her very own soulmate, Scott.

She lives in a leafy suburb of Melbourne with her family and two dogs, Coco and Ellie.
She loves dogs, adores horse riding, is absolutely addicted to reading young adult paranormal and historical romances and would love to live in England one day.

Kay never thought she would find herself writing a novel. It was a secret dream she thought wouldn't come to fruition.

As for life outside of writing, Kay lives in a leafy Melbourne suburb, loves walking around the local lake and has a desire to travel the world. Her favourite authors are Dean Koontz and Victoria Holt. She loves dancing, getting creative and of course, shoe shopping!

Author Contact Information

Samantha's website - http://www.samanthajadams.com/

Samantha's blog - http://www.samanthajadams.blogspot.com.au/

Giveaway!

Great news, everyone! Samantha is giving away an ecopy of Immortal Prophecy to two (2) lucky commenters!  Please leave your email address in the comments so we can contact you.

Thank you, Samantha, for the fabulous post on strong female lead characters and for telling us about your wonderful book, Immortal Prophecy.

Readers - if you have any questions for Samantha or comments about this blog, please leave a comment. Samantha and I will be sure to respond. Thank you!

Happy Reading!

~Kristine