Some of the fiercest women in literature are the protagonists of YA novels, and Bree Sunderland --- the central character in Janice Gable Bashman's new novel PREDATOR --- is no exception. Bree travels to Ireland intending to study bog bodies with her father, but when the military wants to turn his research into a bio weapons program and dark forces threaten her family, she has to use her fierce energy and strong heart to save them all.
In this guest post, Janice writes about why strong YA heroines are so important, and she shares her thoughts on some of the kick-butt heroines that she loves most.
Kick-butt heroines. We’ve all encountered them. They’re smart, resourceful, independent women who stand up for their ideals, values and beliefs. They won’t take no for an answer and will do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals. Yet at the same time they are just like us. They have dreams and desires, their feelings get hurt and they want to have fun and be loved.
In young adult fiction, kick-butt heroines are important. They inspire readers and show them that it’s okay for women to be strong and bold and daring. In my young adult novel PREDATOR, Bree Sunderland loves science. She falls in love with a mysterious young Irishman while studying bog bodies in Ireland on summer vacation with her dad. But she’s also a kick-butt heroine. She stands up against her dad and his assistant when they question her beliefs and goes so far as injecting herself with an untested version of her dad’s gene therapy in order to become a werewolf so she can fight a team of super soldiers to protect those she loves.
There are plenty of kick-butt heroines in young adult novels: Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, Clary Fray from the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, Tris Prior from Veronica Roth’s DIVERGENT, Rose Hathaway from Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series, Annah from Carrie Ryan’s The DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES, and Hermoine Granger from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Here are some other kick-butt heroines in young adult novels:
Kennedy Waters — UNBREAKABLE by Kami Garcia: You have to be a pretty kick-butt heroine to be thrust into a bad situation and come out alive on the other side. That’s exactly what happens to Kennedy Waters. After her mom is killed, Kennedy discovers her family is part of a 200-year-old secret society tasked with saving the world from the demon intent on destroying it. What’s worse is that Kennedy must now, without any training, figure out how to conquer the demon and battle the deadly spirits it controls. She joins four highly trained teens, who have spent their lives training for their roles in the Legion. Although Kennedy has doubts about her abilities, she’s up for the battle. She must be. The fate of the world lies in her hands. And she can’t let the demon win.
Nix Riley — Rot & Ruin Series by Jonathan Maberry: In a world where zombies greatly outnumber humans and survival consists of living within walled towns or fighting zombies out in the vast Rot and Ruin, teens grow up pretty quickly. Nix is a trained warrior whose skills have never been tested in combat. She leaves home with her friends to search for a jet she spotted flying overhead, believing that it symbolizes the only chance she and the other kids in her town have for a meaningful life. But out in the Rot and Ruin, she must fight or else she will succumb. She battles zombies and other humans intent on destroying her and those she loves. But despite it all, she maintains her humanity as her hopes and dreams propel her forward.
June Iparis — Legend Series by Marie Lu: Fifteen-year-old June has been groomed from a young age to become a military leader. When her older brother is murdered, she is hired to hunt down his killer, and will go to any length to seek justice for her brother. “I will hunt you down. I will scour the streets of Los Angeles for you. Search every street in the Republic if I have to. I will trick you and deceive you, lie, cheat, and steal to find you, tempt you out of your hiding place and chase you until you have nowhere else to run. I make you this promise: your life is mine.” When June discovers her brother’s murderer, 15-year-old Day, is in fact innocent of the crime, she uses her skills to save him from execution and ultimately teams up with him to change the fate of Republic in which they live.Janice Gable Bashman is the Bram Stoker nominated author of PREDATOR and WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE (with New York Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry. She is editor of The Big Thrill (International Thriller Writers’ magazine). Her short fiction has been published in various anthologies and magazines.
Janice has written for Novel & Short Story Writer's Market, The Writer, Writer's Digest, Wild River Review and many other publications. She is a speaker and workshop leader at writers conferences, including ThrillerFest, Backspace, Pennwriters, The Write Stuff, Stoker weekend, and others. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Mystery Writers of America, Horror Writers Association, and the International Thriller Writers, where she serves on the board of directors as Vice President, Technology.
