Have you noticed that almost every single Urban Fantasy cover has a woman with a scowl, some kind of weapon and a leather bustier?

Don't get me wrong: I love the idea of kick-ass heroines as much as, if not possibly more than, the next gal.  I'm certainly not looking for a repeat of pretty "girl hostages" or spunky sidekicks that are there to be rescued.

But really — does it take a katana sword and size-zero bondage gear to truly create a heroine?

A celebration of the kick-ass Everywoman.

I've been working on a new series that will come out next Fall.  I'll be telling you guys about it soon, but the bottom line is: the heroine does kick ass… eventually.

She wasn't genetically altered.  She hasn't been training in martial arts since she was two.  She isn't some preordained guardian of whatever.  It isn't fate: it's dumb luck and her unfortunate ability to make some amazingly bad decisions.

On the plus: she's wickedly competent; she's got a sense of humor; and when it comes to people she cares about, she's going to do everything she has to, no matter what lines that crosses.

Seeking:  normal women stepping up to extraordinary circumstances.

So I went on a hunt to find characters like that: girl-next-door turned fierce, funky heroines. And here's who I came up with:

1.  Linda Hamilton in Terminator (the original.) 

She's a waitress, for pity's sake.  She can't balance her checkbook, and she's supposed to be mother of the guy who saves humanity?  Yet when push comes to shove, she manages to crush Arnold in a metal-press.   Check, please!

2.  Amy Adams in Enchanted.

Naive in New York, she manages to befriend rats, charm cynics, and then put the pain on a King-Kong sized dragon.  In a designer dress.  Booyah!

3.  Elizabeth Shue in Adventures in Babysitting.

When a girl gets stood up for her dream date, she decides to pick up a few bucks and watch some kids for a neighbor.  Next thing she knows, she's mistaken for a centerfold, she's running from murderous criminals, and stopping  a gang fight with a switchblade.  Best line:  "Don't…fuck… with the babysitter!!"

I'm tapped out for the evening, but I know there are more out there.  Can you help me find some?  Who are your favorite fierce Everywomen?

Photo by Cameron Photography.