Sylvia Dickey Smith

About writing strong women, Lauren Clark says, "I'm not drawn to books about a "perfect" heroine who's a size two (even after birthing triplets), a woman who has flawless skin, nineteen best friends, a wonderful, gorgeous husband, and lives in a mansion on the ocean.  That's just not reality!  Life is messy. Life is complicated. Life throws you curve balls.  I like the freedom of having a quirky character who's not perfect. I also believe that a good heroine should be a strong--on her own. While it's okay to have a Prince Charming waiting in the wings, she doesn't need a man to swoop in and solve all of her problems. She's smart, makes mistakes, and learns as she goes, defining her own future." The Deep South is a favorite setting for Lauren Clark's novels; contemporary fiction sprinkled with secrets, sunshine, and surprises. Her heroines are real women with real obstacles in their lives; challenges that require strength, sacrifice, and personal growth. And while it’s nice to have a prince charming on

Ellen Byerrum says: "The women I remember in my life, as well as in my favorite books, have all been strong characters. They are louder, faster funnier. They are interesting, aggravating, fascinating, infuriating. They engage you.They are bold and brave and unforgettable. They take risks, they forge ahead while others stay put in their comfort.  How could I not write about strong women?  Simply put, strong women are more interesting.  I love the saying, "Well-behaved women don't make history." Well, strong women do make history whether they are queens, ordinary women who act in extraordinary ways, or Old West madams who fight duels with other ladies of the night. When I write about Lacey Smithsonian, my reluctant fashion-reporting sleuth, I love it when she surprises me with what she sees, and does, and says. She forces me to learn about new subjects with each book. And even better, because of her, I have met some wonderful readers and writers. She has broadened my horizons.

  When I asked Helen to tell us why she chooses to write strong women, this was her reply. Powerful, in itself. "I write strong women because, after a pampered childhood, I found myself married to a controlling abusive man. Only after I found the courage to divorce him, did I become a strong, independent woman, able to raise five children, get an advanced degree in nursing, and, become an author."Website: www.helenosterman.com   Author of the Emma Winberry cozy mystery series Also, Notes in a Mirror, paranormal/historical Song of the Rails, a Love Story

Joni Cole , author of Another Bad Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love, and Neurotic Human Behavior, joins us today to talk about her book and her approach to writing strong women. She also taught writing for years, and has a book out for writers (Toxic Feedback: Helping Writers Survive and Thrive). About writing strong women, Joni says: "I write strong women because they're the most interesting! But of course even the strongest women have quirks, flaws, insecurities, and neuroses. Those are the things that often test their strength, sometimes as much as external challenges. In my book of personal essays "Another Bad Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love, and Neurotic Human Behavior" I write about times when I find myself in funny but also heartfelt situations--dealing with issues related to my aging parents, losing a best friend to suicide,  feeling insecure as a writer or parent. But in each essay, I don't just outline the struggles inherent in these difficult situations, but also the opportunities for insight and triumph

 Anita Page says this about writing strong women. "I write about strong women because their stories are interesting to me, as a reader as well as a writer. After all, there’s not much drama in writing about characters, male or female, whose passivity defines their lives. My protagonist, Hannah Fox, volunteers at a domestic abuse hotline and meets women who’ve been bullied into believing they’re weak, but discover their strength. Their stories are painful, but also inspiring."