Women Are So Fragile. Aren't They?

As the manuscript for A Grand Murder was making the rejection rounds, (if you're a writer you know what I'm talking about) the biggest criticism I got back was about my main character Catherine O'Brien.  While each comment varied a little the main message was, "Women won't relate to her."

Every time I saw that comment I was shocked. It's such a throwback comment.  Women can't relate to a strong, female character who is capable of doing her job? Someone who's willing to fight for what they believe in. Really?

Evidently, the women they know are A LOT different from the women I know.

One of my grandmother's, when her husband died, had the state showed up to take her three daughters from her because her own father-in-law said she couldn't raise them alone. Grandma refused to lose her daughters.  She worked two cleaning jobs to put herself through secretarial college.  She graduated and found a reliable, well paying job that allowed her to keep children.

My other grandmother was a catholic who found herself married to an abusive alcoholic.  Despite her upbringing, she took her six small children and left him.  She raised and educated her children on her own.

My Mother is also a strong woman.  She fights for what she knows to be right harder than anyone I've ever met.  The word tenacious fails to come close to describing my mother.

These are only three of the women I drew inspiration from when I created the character of Catherine O'Brien.  Every day I meet women who impress and inspire me with their strength.

I decided not to change Catherine into a bimbo with a gun.  Instead, I fought for what I know to be true.  Women can relate to a strong female character because inside our soft shells we're stronger than you can know.