Don't be a Delusional Female

It WILL put you in danger

Some genres exist to indulge your fantasies. Others exist to shatter them. It's no secret romance books exist to indulge female fantasies of near-perfect men who are obsessed with the entirely average woman protagonist. Part of her appeal to the reader is that she IS plain. An FMC who tells you, "I'm nothing special" is almost a requirement in these types of books. They can be fun to read and I won't criticize them. But shifting over to thrillers will often make it harder to suspend disbelief. Because thrillers shine a light on human nature and the male-female dynamic.

In 2007, Criminal Minds aired the episode "LUCKY," which I am convinced would never be permitted to air today. It smacks women in the face with the reality of sexual marketplace value and the difference between male and female emphasis on looks. It also shows the terrible danger of imagining men think like women. If you never watched the show, Garcia is the profiler team's resident hacker. She is vivacious, intelligent,…