Top 5 Kick-Ass Book Princesses

Little girls have long looked up to fictional princesses, primarily of the Disney variety. However, the type of princess we see in novels has changed drastically in the last decade. No longer are they the damsel in distress. Now, princesses are the ones saving the day. Here are some of my favorite royal ladies on the bookshelf today:

 
(CAUTION: Spoilers Below!)

 
5) Daenerys Targareyen from A Song of Ice and Fire

Though technically a Khaleesi, it would be tragic to mention fictional female royalty without including dear Dany. Daenerys is a Princess who grew up outside of the castle, and is therefore not your typical pampered Princess. She raises dragons, runs with the Dothraki, and eventually frees thousands of slaves. What’s not to love about this white-haired, violet-eyed heroine? 

 
4) Lissa Dragomir from Vampire Academy 

Lissa Dragomir is not a normal Princess. For one, she is a Moroi, a sort of living, magical vampire. Despite her unusual abilities and appetite, Lissa has some of the same struggles as a typical teenager, which is what makes her so relatable. Although Lissa has many heroic moments, her most impressive battle is the one she fights with depression. Oh, and she can also bring the dead back to life, which is pretty kick-ass if you ask me.

 
3) Ella from Ella Enchanted

I can’t possible make a list of literary princesses without including my childhood hero, Ella from Ella Enchanted. I am not, of course,talking about the Anne Hathaway character, but rather the heroine from the Gail Carson Levine novel. Not only is she determined, brave, and open-minded, but her refusal to marry before she is ready is a great example for young girls who are used to the typical Disney princess who isonly looking for love (before Brave, of course).

 
2) Kestrel from the Winner’s Curse

Okay, technically, Kestrel is only engaged to a Prince, but I would hate to write this list without her one it. Though Kestrel is not a particularly skilled warrior, what she lacks in brawn she makes up for with brains. Through her cunning, Kestrel manages to outmaneuver her many enemies. Kestrel is a great reminder that you don’t have to be physically strong to be tough.

 
1) Aelin Galathynius from Throne of Glass 

Despite being an actual fairy princess, Aelin Galathynius could kick your ass. Raised as an assassin, Aelin fights tirelessly for what she truly belives in, which is what gives her the #1 spot on this list. She has lived through countless horrors, and yet she never gives up. 

Honorable Mention: I can’t write a blog post about literary princess without some shameless self-promotion. A preview of my latest novel, Red Hands, is now available on Kindle Scout. In it, there is not one but three complex, intriguing and dare I say BAMF princesses. Please check it out, and if you enjoy the first couple chapters, nominate me. 

Are there any princesses you think should be included? Leave a comment and tell me who and why. Also, stay tuned for my upcoming post about the best film princesses. 

Adults Should Read YA

Are you an adult you reads young adult novels? Fear not, you aren’t alone. Though marketed towards teens, young adult novels have a large adult readership, ranging from those in their early twenties to people in their golden years. Some older readers feel ashamed of reading books geared towards a younger crowd, mistakenly believing that the material is less substantial. It’s true that there are fewer SAT words in the YA genre, but, to paraphrase Ernest Hemingway, do you really think big emotions come from big words? Sometimes simpler language can make it easier for readers to understand the true meaning of a story. In classic novels, the “aha!” moment is often clouded in hard to read prose and overly complicated plots. 
Young Adult novels, particularly recent bestsellers, are criticized for being over emotional. Naysayers argue that the characters are too dramatic.These critics see past the point that novels are supposed to be emotional, and reading a character who is expressive and in touch with their emotions can be freeing. As adults, we are taught to keep ourselves in line and never act outside the status quo. This can leave us cold. In Young Adult novels, we are allowed to experience the extreme highs and lows of teendom again. 

A common theme in young adult novels is coming of age. Though geared towards those 13 to 17, the stories resonate with individuals of all ages.Whether you are on the cusp of adulthood or have been adulting for years, it can often feel like you are faking it, and that you are not, in fact, grown up. That’s why these stories are so special to us. With young adult novels, we are able to identify and relearn lessons in growing up. Even for those of us who feel like we are “real” adults, the YA genre is a chance to relive the precious teenage years. 

Another reason young adult books are popular is because YA authors aren’t afraid to reawaken comatose genres. Vampire and dystopian fiction have both been wildly popular for young adult novels, even though they fell out of favor for adult novels years ago. For example, vampires were popular for years after Interview with a Vampire, but no one would touch the genre after the hype exploded, that is until Twilight came on the scene. Similarly, dystopian fiction had it’s heyday during the Cold War with novels like Atlas Shrugged, but the genre was set on the shelf until young adult novels like Uglies, the Hunger Games, and Divergent became massive hits. The wonderful thing about the YA genre is that authors aren’t afraid to remake old ideas in new ways. There is no pressure to be literary or provocative. Instead, young adults writers get to concentrate solely on making their stories enjoyable, which is what all readers really want. 

My new YA dystopian novel, Windows, is now available on Kindle Scout. It’s free to read, so please go take a look and nominate me. Thanks!

Why Write?

What if…?

These two words are meek on their own, but together they create the most powerful and dangerous phrase in the English language. 

Recently, I submitted my first novel, Windows, on Kindle Scout, and during the process I was asked a very important question: Why do I write? To me, the answer came quickly. When I write, I get to answer the question what if. My new novel is speculative fiction, a popular genre for those who wonder what would result if X were to happen. However, even realistic fiction can answer the big question. For example, novels often answer what would happen if: 

1. You found true love

2. You witnessed a crime 

3. You made a major career change 

4. You divulged your dark fantasies…

These are just a few of the answers fiction can give us. Our universe is seemingly endless, meaning that there are endless possibilities. If you believe in the multiverse theory, everything has already happened someplace else. As a writer of fiction, you get to channel this distant reality and, just by thinking of the story, force it into being. 

For me, writing is about answers the question what if with the most unique answer imaginable. Anything can happen, and with fiction, anything will happen.