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Guest Post – Walk a Mile In Heels: Male Writers, Female Characters + Giveaway
Walk a Mile In Heels: Male Writers, Female Characters
By Stacey Agdern
When a male author tries to write a series where female characters play a central or important role, the result tends to be a crap shoot. Sometimes it ends up a good idea, sometimes it ends up a sappy mess and sometimes it ends up an unmitigated disaster where the female characters lack depth and serve as a stand in for the male characters the author would otherwise have written.
I started thinking about this idea when I read David Baldacci’s ‘One Summer.’ It was a complete departure from his high-impact thrillers, a purely romantic story of relationships and new beginnings. His male characters could have easily fallen into one of his thrillers, given a little time. But his female characters?
The answer to that question lies in Baldacci’s book ‘True Blue.’ It’s a high impact story that also chronicles the ever changing relationship between the two sisters that serve as two of the novel’s three central characters. They are strong and pull some rather awesome punches. But Baldacci also allows them to feel on the page, in a way that gives them great depth.
In contrast, there is David Liss. A man famous for his historical mysteries, Liss’s most recent book, ‘The Twelfth Enchantment,’ can be considered a historical paranormal romance. Accordingly, the book lives or dies on Liss’s ability to draw a strong female character. Especially the sort that can stand up to his already proven ability to bring a historical era to life. Does he succeed? Absolutely. Our heroine has fabulous depth, wonderful inner conflict, and possesses the ability to hold herself together in the trickiest of situations. She reminds me of a heroine from an Ann Radcliffe novel given the wit and the sense of one of the strongest Austen heroines.
World-building? Strength and emotion? Those words lead us to Nico Rosso and his book ‘To the Limit.’ Rosso writes romance and does a fabulous job of it. The passion, the depth, the tension and the action are all on display in a story that introduced a strong, always-prepared heroine to an interstellar war she was never supposed to know about. One of the best parts of this book was how the characters-both the hero and the heroine, were able to bring out the best in each other. That these equally strong characters didn’t find difficulty in immediately stepping up if the other one needed it.
All of this brings us to Myke Cole’s debut book, ‘Control Point.’ Cole hasn’t written a romance, nor has he written a book where the central character is female. But what he has done is written a book with a strong female character who plays an important role. In the course of ‘Control Point,’ central character Oscar Britton must make some difficult decisions. But yet after he has met Therese, it is of her he thinks when he needs to decide, to her he goes for help when she needs it. And she is a soldier, ready to magically kick butt if necessary.
Inner conflict. Depth. Heart and soul. Strength under pressure. Male authors who consider those aspects of character, will be able to write female characters who can walk off the page. Myke Cole, David Baldacci, David Liss and Nico Rosso sure have.
Who are your favorite male authors? What would you like to see a male author write?
Let me know and come back next month where the shoe will be on the other foot…
Happy reading.
Stacey
Remember, 5 commenters are chosen weekly to win random books – winners announced on Sunday – good luck!
I love Sidney Sheldon and his romances. I’m also a fan of Clive Barker.
I love Nicholas Sparks.
Nicholas Sparks and James Patterson. Would like to see Patterson write more of his romance and Nicholas a hea book.
I’ve read some of Patterson’s thrillers. How are his romsnces?
I’m a fan of Stephen King and Neil Gaiman. When it comes to an ability to write memorable female characters, I like Alexander McCall Smith and Precious from the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.
Gaiman is awesome. Have loved his books since I read stardust ages ago
Thanks for a wonderful and thoughtful post! I tend to avoid cross gender author/main character for the exact reasons you stated. However, I’ve stumbled upon a few authors that have blown it out of the water. Female main character, male writers that I love: DD Barant’s Bloodhounds series (didn’t know it was a man until I went on the website); MLN Hanover Black Sun’s Daughter series (again didn’t know was male); and any Dean Koontz (he writes a lot of female main characters and his female supporting characters never need saving
)
I’m about to try E.S. Moore’s To Walk the Night and I’m very hopeful this will prove to be the same as the other male writers I enjoy.
Loved the first two in the barrant series
I’m such a sucker for golems 
have been meaning to read kointz for a while, even more so since I heard him speak last year…
Hello, as Stephen King is a great writer, but I think it would take second place on my list. And the first would be to Nicholas Sparks.
I love Nicholas Sparks,James Patterson and George R.R.Martin
Right now, James Rollins, George RR Martin, and of course Tolkien.
James Rollins is amazing. Love his ensemble casts and how much research he puts into his books
For male authors of female characters I’d have to pick Nicholas Sparks. Time and time again he gets it right.
My favorite male author? I just realize that most of my favorite authors are female… I love Terry Pratchett but he’s not that great in terms of female characterization… He’s not horrible but he’s not the type to write romances either….
Dan Brown, Jeffrey Archer
Loove archer. Except for ‘false impression’ his books are all about back room political maneuvering.
I can’t even remember one male author I may have tried; I have watched movies based on books written by male authors: Stephen King, James Patterson and Jim Butcher (TV show).
I have been acquiring more male author’s work lately, which I think is good. My favorite male authors right now are Jim Butcher and Kevin Hearne.
Love both of those authors.they have a very similar style but they take things in such wildly different f
Directions. Atticus and Harry are fabulous!
I purposely avoid reading books written by men, because they just don’t write females or male characters the way most women would. But that being said some of my favorite books were written by men but they tend to be more of the classics. I don’t know why I give Jack London and F Scott Fitzjerald a chance but not James Patterson.