Squawk Radio

Saturday, April 23, 2005

TSTL by Christina

I actually like heroines who are stupid at the beginning of the book. I relate to them (and to Terri) -- must reference the time we were moving and I was racing between houses and I pulled into the driveway at the new house, didn't put the car in gear, leaped out to open the garage door and heard this huge BANG! ... which was, of course, my car rolling backward into the pickup of the lady across the street who came over crying because she loved her pickup so much thus confirming my TSTL status in the new neighborhood. The point is, I learned from my mistake and check the stickshift when I park on a hill.

The heroines I consider TSTL are the ones who won't/can't learn. I read a historical and the Regency era heroine couldn't figure out why everyone got excited when she was caught alone with the hero, not once but at least three times. I didn't finish the book. I did fling it against the wall because honest to God, how dumb could she be? Why didn't she figure this out? How could she be all innocent and huffy about having to marry the hero? What a dummie! But the book sold a BUNCH and is a lot of people's favorite. So I'm going to guess that despite the negative talk on the web, TSTL heroines are actually a favorite of many readers.

Guess what I'm writing now? Okay, she does learn, but man, for the first half of the book, she's clueless -- and happy about it.
Christina Dodd, 12:27 AM