H is for Hero and Heroine

I'm doing a "double" today for H, as I didn't want to choose between the hero and the heroine. These two people are the best, most important way to pull your reader into the story. The reader needs to identify with the hero or heroine, living the book vicariously through him or her. So it's important the two are written believably.

You don't want your hero and heroine to be perfect...because if they are, there's no story. But you don't want to give them too many faults, and certainly not a fault that would antagonize the reader!

Perhaps now is a good time to say, the tarot deck of the day is a randomly chosen deck from my collection. I don't try to match the deck to the letter of the alphabet, just choose the next one in line.

Today's tarot deck is the Deviant Moon Tarot. Here are a couple of sample cards from the deck. Wild, eh?

 

Images courtesy of Aeclectic Tarot

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/deviant-moon/ 

The card I drew for the hero, with all his strengths and weaknesses, is The Hierophant. In general, this card indicates study and good advice, but also conformity. This tells me the hero is a good man, smart, but he is so concerned with being in control of his life that he's willing to conform to the norm, society's standard, in order to be in charge. He needs to listen to the divine, the little voice deep inside that urges him to break out of his mold and experience life with all its uncertainties.

The card I drew for the heroine is The Star. This is a lovely card, and I'm happy this one came up for her. This tells me the heroine has faith and hope...she has an optimistic nature and believes in all good things. The smallest thing can make her smile. Just as the hero must be in control to feel comfortable, the heroine is willing and able to allow things to take place at their own speed and in their own fashion.