I once read a book which featured a blind heroine, and I recall wondering at the time, why there weren’t more books that embraced serious physical disabilities (apart from the prerequisite hero’s blown knee) such as blindness or deafness.
My one and only experience of a deaf heroine was in Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High, when Regina what’s-her-face was going out with that rabid dog, Bruce Patman. You remember Bruce don’tcha? He was the dick with the private license plates. What was it now… something like 1BRUCE1? Or something, I’m sure somebody will correct me if I’m wrong.
Anyway, to this day, I still remember how touched I was by that story line… wait, didn’t the bastards kill Regina off in the end, and didn’t Bruce revert to being a rabid dog again? Ooops… I digress.
The story with the blind heroine was a Silhouette Special Edition, and it was one that I never forgot. Thinking back, I probably appreciated the fact that at last, here was a love story that involved real issues that needed to be overcome, instead of the contrived stuff that was more often than not totally blown out of proportion.
I’m still surprised that more authors don’t write stories with this plot device. If they’re written well, I reckon they’d be hugely successful with romance readers out there.
Anybody know any good books featuring blind heroines or heroes?
Anne
November 10
10:56 pm
Catherine Anderson’s Blue Eyes features a Heroine who was blind at one time, had surgery to fix her sight, but once again goes blind. VERY good story. Catherine Anderson also has a story of a lady who is paralyzed in Phantom Waltz. Heart wrenching stories… ones I’m sure you’ll enjoy Karen.
Ann Wesley Hardin
November 10
11:01 pm
No, I don’t. It’s not often you get one.
Interesting topic, though. Cause I tend to focus on emotional cripples more than physical ones, as, I’m sure, most romance writers do. After all, we all know what it’s like to be scared, but few know what it’s like to be blind or deaf.
Which is harder to overcome? And where does the line between emotional and physical cripple get drawn? Both can be severe, and draw off each other.
I’ll look forward to reading the answers. As usual. *gg*
Kat O+
November 11
12:56 am
I’ve read a Silhouette Special Edition (I think – at any rate, it was a Harlequin line) featuring a deaf heroine who was well-portrayed and not dominated by her disability. I can’t remember the title but it was one of those novels that was part of a set of novels within a fictional community. At the end of the book, she has an operation to regain her hearing but it was pretty realistic (she only got scratchy sounds like an old vinyl record) and she was happy because it gave her more than she had before.
I’ve also read one with a formerly very athletic hero who was (newly) paralysed from the waist down. That was very interesting (not your run-of-the-mill bedroom scenes). There were some bits about the book that I found distracting but I did think the portrayal of the hero’s struggle to come to terms with never walking again was believable. At the end, he gains a bit of feeling but has to accept the fact that he may still not gain enough feeling to even walk again.
I think it’s a little more difficult to write about heroes/heroines with disabilities because there can be a tendency to magnify the disability as a device to the exclusion of other things. It can also be distracting to readers. But done well, it can also be very interesting (people are so surprised when I tell them, “Oh yeah, I read about that in a romance novel.”).
Anonymous
November 11
1:05 am
I’m working on one now about a deaf hero. 🙂
Shelby Reed
Anne
November 11
1:22 am
Oh boy! Shelby writes such beautiful books so this one is bound to be as phenomenal as the rest!!!! YAY!
Dramedy Girl
November 11
3:24 am
Like Anne said, Catherine Anderson has several books where the hero/heroine has a disability and even thought I never thought I would really enjoy that kind of story, she does a wonderful job of pulling you in. I’d check her out!
Megan Frampton
November 11
3:53 am
Mary Balogh’s Silent Melody is about a deaf girl.
CW
November 11
4:54 am
Yeah, the emotionally disabled (emo cripples?) show up a lot more than physically disabled in romance novels. McVane used to have several good posts and links to deaf/disablement in romances; if the link works, it’s to some romances with deaf characters (and reader commentary).
Deaf
Dakota Cassidy
November 11
7:15 am
Linda Howard has one about a blind woman that has visions, at least I think she does. I’m almost sure of it, in fact.
I also think you’re right 🙂
Dakota 🙂
Scott
November 11
1:02 pm
I don’t know if you could call them heroes, but I read two books where the lead character was autistic. “The Speed of Dark” by Elizabeth Moon, and “The Curious Incident About a Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon. Both won awards (though Moon’s was the Hugo, meaning that is has sci-fi themes, but it doesn’t read like sci-fi).
Tara Marie
November 11
1:55 pm
Doesn’t Christina Dodd have an old historical–Castles in the Air–with a blind heroine? The book title sticks with me because on the original cover the heroine has 3 arms.
Catherine Anderson also has a deaf heroine in Annie’s Song.
Karen Scott
November 11
2:28 pm
Hey Anne, I’ve never read Catherine Anderson, but I just may have to try her!
AnnWH, the romance books that we read are full of emotional cripples, and sometimes I find it hard to sympathise with the characters because sometimes I just don’t think the reasons they are emotionally crippled is good enough. Aren’t I harsh?
Kat, I’m wondering if it’s the same book that I read. I think the book was called More Than Words, or something.
Hi Shelby, I’m sure looking forward to reading that! I hope you’ve got your zest for writing back now:)
Anne, you aint wrong!
Shelly, I’ll be Amazoning it tonight me thinks!
Meeegan (grin) I’ve never read Mary Balogh, because she’s so popular, but I sure would be interested in trying this particular book!
CW, I checked out the link, and I noticed that there weren’t a lot of contemps with deaf characters, they were mostly historicals. In fact when I look at the recommendations, most of them seem to be historicals, I wonder why…?
‘Kota me loves Linda Howard, you’re gonna have to tell me what it’s called!
Scott, I read a few sci fi’s, I just don’t talk about them unless I read an extraordinary one, which hasn’t happened in a while! Moon’s book sounds good though!
Tara, 3 arms? WTF? Was that on purpose or a misprint, lol!
Rocio
November 11
2:29 pm
One of my all time favorite books is “Night Into Day” by Sandra Canfield and the heroine has arthritis. I absolutely love this book and how they cope and overcome all the issues!..This is one of those books I always keep close, in case I might need some truly romantic inspiring read! which is often!
Rocio
November 11
2:34 pm
LOL!! Emotional crippes are tough because since all the main characters has to be almost perfect, that leaves almost nothing deep to argue about, huh? so authors just blow stupid things out of proportion!
Karen Scott
November 11
2:37 pm
Hi Ro!! Where you been? I’ve never read Sandra Canfield, I’m going to add her name to my growing author list!
I can never be arsed reading about emotionally crippled characters because I totally lose patience with them!
Rocio
November 11
2:51 pm
This one is kind of autobio ..But I think it is very good! She is an out od print author but whenever a get lucky with a rich friend I’ll get to Amazon or Barnes to get a used book of her!
Milady Insanity
November 11
3:00 pm
Debra Webb’s Silent Weapon features a deaf heroine. It’s a Silhouette Bombshell, so you may find it difficult to get over in the UK–a friend who lives there has never seen it on the shelves.
But, and it’s a big but, I didn’t enjoy it. Something about the book turned me off. I suspect it’s the character’s voice, but it could just as easily be Webb’s voice I’m finding fault with.
Jordan Summers
November 11
5:22 pm
Susan Krinard has a blind hero in one of her werewolf books. The title escapes me at the moment, but it worked on multiple levels.
Eve Vaughn
November 11
6:59 pm
I’m writing a dead heroine, but that won’t be out for a while, but Catherine Anderson’s stuff is the bomb!!! She wrote a story about a deaf mute, in Annie’s song, it was about a wealthy man who marries the daughter of another wealthy family when his brother rapes her and gets her pregnant. Its so sad because Annie’s parents are ashamed of her, but the hero realizes how smart she is and falls in love with her. Its such a touching love story. It’s one of my favorites. Catherine Anderson’s stuff is awesome. I’ve read a lot of Harlequin books with blind and deaf hero’s before.
Sarah McCarty
November 11
8:20 pm
You have to try Catherine Anderson. One of my all time favorite
writers. I read and rearead her historicals constantly. Right up
there with Mackenzie’s Mountian and Son of Morning.
And excuse me Ms. Karen, but I do believe Jenna in Prom Prev is emotionally crippled. With good reasons, but crippled nonetheless.
And you were arsed to read that book. (puff, puff) (G)
Sarah, who shall not speak of her disabled heroine coming in the near future to a story near you or her not qquite sane hero
Logan
November 12
7:31 am
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Zampano from House of Leaves. To me, he is one of the most heartbreaking blind protagonists in modern literature.
Scott
November 12
2:33 pm
Aaah Logan! I totally forgot that one! Great book.
Kristie
November 12
4:16 pm
The hero in Dark Lover by JR Ward is blind
Karen Scott
November 14
1:32 am
I decided to buy Catherine Anderson’s, Annie’s Song and Phantom Waltz. There seemed to be a general consensus that her stories are excellent, so if I don’t like them, I’ll blame you guys!
Sarah McCarty
November 15
12:43 pm
You have to get COMING UP ROSES by her also. I re read that every month. Not blind or deaf but wonderful.
Sarah
LisaJ
October 3
7:34 am
where can I start? These are all fab blind heroes: THIS IS ALL I ASK by Lynn Kurland; ECHOES IN THE DARK by Gayle Wilson; LOVE’S AGONY by Violet Winspear; SUMMER LIGHT by Luanne Rice; BLIND CURVE by Annie Solomon. I’m looking for more so if anyone knows any…
Lisa