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Patricia Simpson | Author

Out of This World Suspense

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What Makes a Compelling Hero in Fiction?

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A good hero in fiction can possess a variety of qualities that make them compelling and relatable to readers. Here are some common qualities of a good hero in fiction:

  • Courage
    A hero often faces challenges and obstacles, and must have the courage to overcome them.
  • Integrity
    A hero should have strong moral principles and be true to their values, even in difficult circumstances.
  • Empathy
    A hero should be able to understand and connect with others, and have compassion for those in need.
  • Determination
    A hero should have the drive and determination to see their mission through, even in the face of adversity.
  • Selflessness
    A hero should be willing to put the needs of others before their own, and be willing to make sacrifices for the greater good.
  • Vulnerability
    A hero can be more relatable if they have flaws and moments of weakness, as this makes them more human and complex.
  • Sense of humor
    A hero with a sense of humor can add levity to a story and make them more likable to readers.

These are just a few of the qualities that can make a hero in fiction compelling and memorable. Ultimately, the qualities that make a hero in fiction depend on the story and the themes the author is trying to convey.

I write paranormal romance, so my leading men share the above traits as well as being out of this world. Readers love my Scottish heroes the best—heroes like ensorcelled knight Hugh in Spellbound, released-from-a-Chinese box Connor in Jade and hologram hottie Hazard in Whisper of Midnight, my very first otherworldly hero.

AI’s Top Ten Paranormal Romance Novels

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Paranormal romance is a sub-genre of romance that involves elements of the supernatural, such as vampires, werewolves, witches, and other paranormal beings. Here are ten popular paranormal romance books/series. How many have you read?

  1. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer – A vampire romance between a human, Bella Swan, and a vampire, Edward Cullen.
  2. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness – The story follows a witch named Diana Bishop, who falls in love with a vampire named Matthew Clairmont.
  3. Dark Lover by J.R. Ward – The first book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, the story follows a vampire named Wrath and his love interest, Beth Randall.
  4. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – This book is the first in The Mortal Instruments series, which features a teenage girl named Clary Fray who discovers she is a Shadowhunter, a human-angel hybrid.
  5. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning – The book follows a woman named MacKayla Lane who discovers she has the ability to see faeries, and falls in love with a man named Jericho Barrons.
  6. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris – The first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, which follows a telepathic waitress named Sookie who falls in love with a vampire named Bill.
  7. The Fever series by Karen Marie Moning – This series follows a woman named MacKayla Lane as she becomes involved with a group of Fae and falls in love with a man named Jericho Barrons.
  8. The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward – This series follows a group of vampire warriors and their romantic relationships with various women.
  9. The Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole – This series follows various supernatural beings and their romantic relationships.
  10. The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs – The series follows a shapeshifter named Mercy Thompson and her romantic relationships with werewolves and other supernatural beings.

Maybe I’ll ask AI what the Top Ten Paranormal Novels are (not specifically romance novels), and one of my books, such as SPELLBOUND or RAVEN IN AMBER, might make the list!

Is Your Romance Novel Hitting All the Right Buttons?

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Boy meets girl stories have been a staple of literature, film, and media for generations. There is a reason why these tales of romantic encounters and eventual love continue to captivate audiences to this day: they tap into universal emotions and desires that are timeless. Here are a few reasons why readers are so obsessed with boy meets girl stories:

  1. Relatable characters
    The main characters in these stories are often ordinary people with whom readers can identify. They are looking for love, connection, and happiness, just like most of us. This makes it easy for readers to relate to their struggles and triumphs, and to root for them as they navigate the ups and downs of relationships.
  2. Suspense and drama
    Will the boy and girl end up together? How will they overcome obstacles to their love? The dramatic tension inherent in boy meets girl stories keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning the pages to find out what will happen next.
  3. Romance
    These stories often explore the ups and downs of romance in an honest, relatable way. They show the joy, excitement, and heartbreak of falling in love, and the lengths that people will go to in order to find and keep the one they love.
  4. Themes of growth and self-discovery
    Boy meets girl stories often follow the characters as they grow and change, both as individuals and as a couple. They may start out as strangers, but by the end of the story, they have learned important lessons about love, life, and themselves.
  5. Hope
    These stories offer a sense of hope, showing readers that it is possible to find love, even in the face of challenges and obstacles. They offer a glimpse into a world where anything is possible, and where true love can conquer all.

In conclusion, the best boy meets girl stories are enduring because they tap into universal emotions and desires that are timeless. They offer relatable characters, suspense, drama, romance, themes of growth and self-discovery, and hope, all of which keep readers coming back for more. Whether you are a longtime writer of these tales or a newcomer to the genre, make sure your novel includes the best themes of boy meets girl stories.

Perseverance as a Writer: Why It’s Crucial for Success

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Photo of woman writing on a typewriter with crumpled drafts scattered around her.

Being a writer can be a challenging and rewarding journey. As with any creative pursuit, writing requires time, effort, and a lot of dedication. The writing process can be filled with ups and downs, and it’s easy to feel discouraged when faced with rejections or a lack of recognition. But one of the most important traits that successful writers possess is perseverance.

Perseverance is the quality of continuing to work hard and remain focused on your goals, even in the face of difficulties.

Perseverance is especially important for writers, who often spend years honing their craft and facing rejections before they achieve success. It’s not uncommon for writers to face numerous rejections from publishers, agents, or literary magazines before their work is accepted for publication.

5 Ways to Cultivate Perseverance as a Writer:

  1. Set realistic goals: Before you start writing, set achievable goals for yourself. It could be to complete a certain number of pages each day, or to finish a draft of your novel within a set period of time. Having specific and measurable goals helps you stay focused and motivated.
  2. Celebrate small victories: Celebrate your progress, no matter how small. When you complete a scene or chapter, take time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished and give yourself a pat on the back. This will help you stay motivated and keep persevering through the tougher times.
  3. Surround yourself with a supportive community: Surround yourself with other writers, whether through online groups or writing workshops. Having a supportive community of fellow writers can provide encouragement, advice, and a sounding board for your work.
  4. Keep a positive attitude: A positive attitude can make all the difference when it comes to perseverance. Keep reminding yourself of why you started writing in the first place and focus on the reasons why you love it. This will help you keep going when the going gets tough.
  5. Don’t give up: One of the most important things to remember is to never give up. Keep writing, even if it means starting over from scratch. The writing process can be long and arduous, but the end result is worth it.

In conclusion, perseverance is a critical trait for any writer who wants to succeed. By setting achievable goals, celebrating small victories, surrounding yourself with a supportive community, keeping a positive attitude, and never giving up, you can cultivate this important quality and achieve your writing goals. So, keep writing, keep persevering, and keep dreaming.

The Invisibility of Sibling Grief

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Photograph of two sisters.

When your only sister dies young, there’s a not-so-special world the surviving sister plunges into: the lonely black hole of sibling grief. 

In one shattering day, you lose a confidante, a best friend and your only link to the past. No one will share family memories with you like a sister. No one will be there for you 100% when life gets tough. No one will stand beside you as you enter old age. 

You are now alone…

You pack up childhood memories no one else knows or cares about. You put them in a box. No need to review those by yourself. What’s the fun of that? You face the future on your own, a generation of one. You are stripped bare. 

Do you have a sister, people ask? No, you answer, because the tale is too difficult to tell to casual acquaintances.

Sure, a girlfriend can step in to take a sibling’s place. But a relationship with a friend will never be as deep or as comprehensive as the relationship shared with a sibling. Especially a sister.

But the worst part about sibling grief is the lack of acknowledgement of what you are going through. The people who could support you the most—your parents—are too busy grieving their own loss. And you can’t fault them for that.

So you have to be strong…

When my sister died in a foreign country, I was the first to find out. I became the messenger. I was the first to process the horrible truth and deliver it to my mother. That act placed me in the role of parent instead of child. I had to be strong for my mother. I couldn’t imagine her pain. I was sure it had to be greater than my own. 

So, to spare her, I stepped back and dealt with the loss in private. Losing a sister was one thing. But losing a child? My mother’s grief was a supernova. Mine was a tiny cold planet. Or so I thought.

I spent hours with my mother, trying to make sense of my sister’s troubling death, being there for my parent as she dealt with foreign police and the State Department and made long-distance funeral arrangements in the middle of the night in a language she didn’t speak. I was there to listen to her anguish, her self-doubts about her parenting, and all the harrowing assessments of her choices. 

I stood by, trying my best to support my mother as she was showered with sympathy. Flowers arrived. Cards. Social media posts—all sent to her and “the family.” People embraced my mother with tenderness and strength and spoke their sad words of support. I got an arm brush or quiet hug. 

I was an accessory to my mother’s grief.

Being older, my mother had support from friends who had lost a child. She could commiserate with other women who carried a similar gash in their hearts. 

But for me, such comrades were scarce. 

Of all the people I knew, only one casual friend had lost a sibling. I tried group therapy, but I didn’t care to bare my heart to strangers. I was left with no one to share my feelings with, no one who would really understand what an all-encompassing loss I had suffered. 

So that’s why I’ve written this post. To raise awareness.

Many people don’t realize how grief affects siblings. It’s deeper than anything you can imagine. 

The Secret to Managing Your Manuscript

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woman sitting in front of macbook
Photo by energepic.com on Pexels.com

When you’re writing a book, do you keep a separate calendar for it, so you know what is going on and when? When you edit your chapters, do you often struggle to locate a scene that needs to be changed? Where is that swordfight, anyway? When you want to get a birds-eye view of your story for plotting purposes, do you get lost in the weeds of your book? If so, I’ve got a secret for you! 

Use the Navigation Pane in Microsoft Word

If you use a different application, you might want to move on to another Fabulous Writing Tip. But for those of you who do use Word, let’s look at how the Navigation Pane can be your new secret weapon. 

To see the navigation pane in action, open up Microsoft Word and go to: View/Sidebar/Navigation. 

The sidebar will open on the left, with four tabs: thumbnail, navigation, revisions and search. You want to be sure to click on the navigation tab, which is the icon that looks like a little outline, with three bullets and three lines. If nothing shows up, that means you haven’t used the Styles pane to apply the Heading 1 style to your chapter titles. To format your titles, go to Format/Style or use the Styles Pane. And chose Heading 1 as the style.

The Navigation Pane can help you do three things: 

  1. Plot your story
  2. Keep track of the timeline in your book
  3. Make editing easier

Plot Your Story

When I first discovered this feature of Word, I titled my chapters “Chapter 1” and “Chapter 2” and “Chapter 3” and so on. So that’s what I would see listed down the lefthand side: Chapter 1, 2 and 3. Cool. It was easy to bop around from chapter to chapter that way. But ho hum.

Then one day, I had an epiphany. 

Why not add a hint in the title, so I knew what major scenes take place in each chapter? I started adding a couple words to my chapter titles, such as “Chapter 1 | Meets Hero | Rents Apartment.” Those were the two major scenes that occurred in my Chapter 1.  And presto chango, I discovered a great way to use Word as a plotting paradigm. 

I usually write a thirty-chapter book. So, I know that at chapter fifteen, I should be writing the huge turning point scene. If I use the navigation pane, I can look to the left, see my scenes and see if I’m on track or not. And when I’m planning my book, I can add all the major scenes to the chapter titles without writing a single word of prose and see if my book is paced the way I want it to be.

All writers know the most important plot point has to occur near the middle of their book. So, if you look at the navigation pane and see your most important scene in the wrong spot—too near the top of the list or too near the bottom—you know you have to work on your pacing. Same thing goes for the lesser plot points in your story. 

Since I’m a slow learner, I slogged through a couple of books using the navigation pane and title descriptions and thought I was a genius.

But then I had a second epiphany.

Keep Track of the Timeline in Your Book

This epiphany hit me when I was writing my book, The Prodigy, which had a really tight timeline and dead parents in the backstory. The trouble was, I fell in love with the world I created in that book and wrote two other novels afterward, which became The Londo Chronicles series. But the two new books were prequels that made it mandatory to go back to the first book, The Prodigy, and fix some things. Like the dead parents in the backstory. 

Let me tell you, it was a nightmare.

Sure, I had the major scenes showing in the navigation pane. I knew when the thugs attacked. I knew when Veronique’s audition occurred. But did I know what day it was? What year? No. And I had to know. So, I printed out The Prodigy, read the entire thing cover to cover and made notes about what date it was on the page. 

Then began the task of adding scenes, because I had to resurrect parents that I had killed off in the first version of The Prodigy. They were only placeholders then. Part of Veronique’s backstory to explain her reason for being an orphan. But now, after two prequels, Veronique’s mother and father were the stars of the show. I couldn’t kill them off! The horror. But deciding where to insert the new parent scenes made me almost lose my mind.

Until an idea struck me. 

Why not add the day of the week to the chapter title as well? That way, I could see at a glance what happens on say “Monday.” Wow. Such a simple solution.

Like I said. Slow learner…

So now my titles look like this: Chapter 1 | Meets Hero | Rents Apartment | Monday. If the book spans a great length of time, I might put in the actual date instead of the word “Monday.” That way I know what year the scene involves. It depends on the story.

Make Editing a LOT Easier

So, as I’m writing, I can now look to the left of my document and see the navigation pane and all the major scenes and when they occur. It is so, so helpful! 

You wouldn’t believe how many times one of my characters will mention what they’re going to do on what day. And how soon I forget what day it is as I’m writing the book.

Of course, after the book is finished, I make a copy of my manuscript for publishing or for a querying, and I strip off the descriptive words in the chapter titles. I retain the copy with the long titles for future use—because, trust me, you will need to go back to your novel at some point in the future. And you’ll want that birds-eye view.

Sometimes, if I have clever chapter titles and I’m publishing the book as an indie title, I might retain the longer chapter titles. Longer titles can be provocative to a reader and induce them to read on because of an upcoming chapter title. So bland Chapter 13 might be much more exciting as Chapter 13 | The Haunted Castle or Chapter 13 | Meg’s First Kiss. But whether or not you can retain those longer titles during traditional publishing is up to your editor.

I hope you’ll check out the Navigation Pane. It has made a huge difference in my writing world. I’m sure it will change yours, too.

And you know what I always say: Life is short. Write smart!