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Earlier this week, I wrote about reading and writing, because I believe that how (and what) authors read shapes what those authors write. I also think that what an author finds appealing as a reader will shape what he or she writes.

There's an old saying that authors should write what they know - a better variant might be to write what you love to read, or to write about what fascinates you. I have always been interested in dragons, for example. I read a lot of SFF as a teenager, mostly of the elf and dragon variety, and I always loved the dragons best. They were such magnificent creatures and even when cast as the villain, their sense of justice and their loyalty was clear. A dragon never forgot a debt due or a favour done. In some stories, there was an implication that the princess or damsel in distress wasn't so anxious to leave her dragon protector/captor for a mere prince.

One of the games authors play is "what if?" What if she didn't choose the prince over th dragon? What if she chose to stay? What would she find in the dragon's favour? And what kind of woman would she need to be?

In university, while taking medieval studies, I read vernacular stories - the stories people told each other - and again, the representation of dragons. There are lots of dragons in the medieval era, many of which were vanquished by saints, although even in the descriptions of their villainy, some admiration and awe is clear. I encountered more dragons in Middle Eastern studies, but the polarization between good and evil was less clearly drawn. By the time the dragon stories are traced back to Asia, the dragons are the good guys, elemental in their power and control of the weather.

What if the dragon was the hero? What if hero and dragon were both the same individual? What kind of woman would fall in love with a dragon shape shifting hero?

There's something innately appealing about the idea of a romantic hero with a secret, and being a shape shifter is a pretty hefty secret. My dragon shape shifters -  known as the Pyr - are the custodians of the treasure that is the earth and the guardians of the four elements. Their abilities are a secret, and entrusting that secret to a human woman is a key part of winning her heart - it's also quite risky for the Pyr in question.

What kind of heroine would want a dragon shape shifter of her own? Not a timid one, that's for sure! Given my comments on Wednesday about keeping a series fresh by changing the worldbuilding and the characterization, you'll probably guess that I need to think of many different kinds of women who might love dragon shape shifters.

Sara, the heroine of Kiss of Fire, is intrepid, resourceful and practical. She's exactly what you'd expect of an accountant - and pretty skeptical of Quinn's abilities. That forced Quinn to defend himself and his kind, which was a good way for him to explore his desire to avoid the rest of the Pyr. I liked that she was a big fan of teamwork, and argued its merit with Quinn.

Alex, the heroine of Kiss of Fury, was terrified of dragons. She'd seen Slayers slow-roast her partner, so the revelation of Donovan's abilities nearly finished their romance before it started. A passionate and impetuous shape shifter, Donovan had to learn to control his abilities better to overcome Alex's fear of him and his kind. He also had to catch the Slayers who had injured her partner to prove his allegiance to her - meanwhile, she challenged him to not take the easy answer.

Eileen, the heroine of Kiss of Fate, was a comparative mythologist whose work focused on urban myths. She was the first of the Dragonfire heroines who was ready to believe in what she saw - because Eileen is convinced that myths all have their root in truth. She was not however prepared to believe what Erik told her about their shared past in her previous life - reincarnation was not plausible to Eileen. This moved their conflict from what Erik was to who Eileen had been, forcing them both to reconsider their assumptions.

Ginger, the heroine of Winter Kiss, was both pragmatic and romantic. She sensed a connection with Delaney from the outset, and she wasn't going to let him walk away. She guessed that he had a dark secret - and given the possibilities she imagined - his being a dragon shape shifter was easier to accept. What I liked about Ginger was her determination and positive attitude - I'm not sure anybody else could have helped Delaney to heal.

Next up is Rox, the heroine of Whisper Kiss (August 2010). Rox has always believed that dragons were real, and she already knows about the Pyr when she meets Niall. The conflict between them is that they are so opposite in nature - like oil and water - that it's more about making the romantic connection work than about Niall's abilities. I like that Rox is absolutely unafraid of Niall and the Pyr - she has no trouble tickling the dragon's belly and provoking Niall to do more. 

What's interesting to me about all of these heroines is that they're smart and resourceful, problem-solvers in their own right. Maybe their independence is part of why they can partner with a Pyr. They're each different from the other, some more and some less ready to believe that dragon shape shifters exist or that dragons are heroes, but they each complement their hero's strengths and weaknesses. The characterization of the heroine is yet another way to keep the books distinct from each other, and the story of the Pyr evolving as the Dragonfire series progresses.

What kind of heroines do you prefer? Princesses? Virgins? Damsels in distress? Or smart resourceful women who are unafraid of claiming what - or who - they want? You can probably tell what my vote would be!