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In Praise of the Un-Prefixed Hero

September 28, 2013
by Judy

I'm not big on superheroes.  I mean, Superman is handsome and muscular and he can fly.  But the thing that irks me is that he doesn't have to really be a hero to be a hero.  Know what I mean?   Let me 'splain.

Something bad happens.  Out of the sky, faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings at a single bound, comes Superman.  If something opaque needs seeing through, he's got x-ray vision.  If something needs welding, he's got heat ray vision.  If something needs chasing, he can fly faster than the aforementioned speeding bullet and catch it.   He can fly in space and through the center of the Earth.  He can stay underwater indefinitely without breathing and hot lava can't even scorch his cape.  If something needs lifting or bending or smashing or trashing, his super strength takes care of the job.  No problems.

Big deal.  Not my version of a true hero.  Sorry.

Spidey's not much better.  Personally, I've never cared for spiders and the thought of a human-sized one crawling around and hanging upside down from a thread to kiss his girlfriend frankly creeps me out.  Yet, he's very popular with superhero fans.  Equipped with "Spider Sense," sticky-barbed fingers for climbing up walls and steel-strong strands of webbing that jet from his wrists, Spidey can "sense" when danger is near, hang upside down from the ceiling, catapult with super-thread from skyscraper to skyscraper and pretty much handle any crook or villain that comes along.  Ho-hum.  Makes for some good action scenes, but, again, falls sadly short of what I envision as true heroism.

My point is, if someone has a set of built-in powers that can tackle pretty much anything, how heroic is that?  The only way angst,  courage and struggle can be brought into the story is to create a super-villian that is equal or greater in power than the protagonist super-hero.  But if you are going to do that as an author, why trouble one's self with bringing in the supers at all?  Un-super folk can provide plenty of plot and heroics without going to all the bother with supers.

Now, for a moment, let's change the prefix and consider the anti-hero.  I know there is a strong, popular notion that an anti-hero is a good thing.  Darker graphic novels capitalize on this idea with characters like Batman and Wolverine and Hollywood adds its own characters like Mad Max, the leads in a number of Clint Eastwood movies and a whole string of more recent versions.  Right now, anti-heroes are the hottest thing out there.  Why, then, would I have a problem with them?  I'll tell you.

What is an anti-hero?  Basically, anti-heroes do bad things in order to do good.  This concept doesn't fly with me.  How can you be a hero if you commit acts of violence for sheer revenge?   That's evil, not heroic.   True heroes (those without a prefix) are too good for that.  They have a conscience, a basic code of ethics.  They refrain from doing bad things, even when their antagonists don't; even when, under certain points of view, the bad thing might be justified.  True heroes stay within the bounds of decency, even if it is to their disadvantage.  They become all the more heroic for being able to defeat evil without falling to its lure.

When I use the term, "true" or "real" in reference to a hero, I'm talking about a person rising above pain, despair, defeat, and injustice.  First there is an evil or tragedy that must be overcome.  Then comes the attempt to right the wrong which is initially met with failure or, even better, repeated failures.  But finally, after a hard-fought, self-sacrificing, soul-bearing, upright struggle, triumph comes at last; well-won; rightfully won.  Those are my kind of heroics.

My kind of hero arrives on the scene with nothing more than a noble portion of basic human biology: brains, heart and guts.

My kind of hero has brains.  He is smart and uses his noggin to take on the foe.  He's thrown into a dangerous situation.  His attempts to overcome involve a steep learning curve  and lots of mistakes.  He's up against unbeatable odds.   There's no quick solution.  He has to think outside the box.  The moment I adore is when the hero finally figures it out.  After so many defeats, his idea works.  I LOVE that part!  I love seeing brains used instead of brawn.  I love seeing a battle against an enemy fought not with freezing breath or steely muscles or spider silk but with ingenuity, resourcefulness and wit.  I love it when a haughty, overconfident villain goes down in  flames, outwitted by a humble but never-say-die intellectual. 

My kind of hero has heart.  He cares deeply about things.  He will fight for an ideal that needs defending.  He cares more about others than himself.   He will sacrifice his own comfort, safety and even his life for someone else.  That kind of heart isn't the type of power that pulls down walls or melts lead, but it is a hero's driving force.  It is stronger than any spider's silk.  A hero's heart is the thing that moves him to act; the thing that makes him larger than life; his inner armor.  He will die defending what his heart tells him is right.

My kind of hero has guts.  He takes risks.  He goes for it.  He has COURAGE.  Even if he knows that everything could go wrong.  When it's down to the wire, he puts his toe on the line and starts out swinging.  Even when it looks hopeless, even when he gets beaten down, he rises from the blood and dust and doesn't back down until he's done what he has to do.  Some people call it grit.  Some call it perseverance.  I call it heroism.

True heroes are needed in this world to show us normal humans the possibilities of believing:  If a normal human being (not one with superpowers) can overcome the impossible, maybe, so can I! True heroes inspire us to be like them; to be more than we are.

My point is, as writers, let's create true heroes.  The more books we have with true heroes in them, the better the world will be. 

Stories of true heroes stay with us.  Long after we've forgotten the latest superhero movie, we remember the story of someone who solved an overwhelming problem by thinking of a new way to use the resources at hand to outwit the enemy.  We carry with us for a lifetime the stories of people who have helped others at their own risk; who sacrificed everything for a greater good, protecting things like home, family, freedom.  Their examples affect us; we see their courage and find our own.  We face our next trial remembering their strength.  We think of a blind, young man climbing Everest, a defeated athlete coming back from an injury and finally winning the race, a father who sacrifices his life to save his child.  We realize some of life's challenges require that we keep a cool head and not give up thinking up potential solutions until we find one that works; that real-life trials must be faced with courage and perseverance; that many evils will not be defeated without personal sacrifice and that we are the one's who must make the sacrifice.  This is why we need heroes in literature, true heroes, because they can inspire us to be like them.

I'm all about UN-prefixed heroes.  They're all around us, not just in books or on the screen.  We see them every day, walking down the street, at the store, in school, at soccer practice or a play rehearsal, in hospitals and fire stations; even pulled over writing out a traffic ticket.  Just about anywhere there are people, there are un-prefixed heroes doing super things. 

So, fellow writers. what I'm saying is, if we can bring true heroes to life on the written page, we have created something really worthwhile.  Literature calls them "protagonists."  I call them the real power in a story--not the super power, the real power of a real hero!  Therefore, let us choose to create true heroes in our stories and give the world something it sorely needs.

Long live the un-prefixed hero!         

J.

Posted by Terry B Brewer. Posted In : Heroes 

 

My Magic Recliner

September 24, 2013

by Judy

I have a recliner in my bedroom.  I sleep in it.  Just for the record, I also have a bed.  A very nice bed.  But I am at a stage in life where the bed and I don't get along as well as we used to.  In bed, I'm a side-sleeper.  If I sleep on my back, I snore.  I mean, really snore; enough to wake myself up.  If I sleep on my stomach, I have dreams I'm smothering in mud or quicksand or can't get my T-shirt off and it's wrapped around my face.  I wake up to find my face in the pillow...


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Posted by Terry B Brewer. Posted In : muses 

 

The Protector of Central Park Wins National Indie Book Award

April 10, 2013
Just received notice today that The Protector of Central Park has won the 2013 Best Indie Book Award in the Children's Book category.  We are thrilled to see that our book is getting national attention.




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Posted by Terry B Brewer.

 

Inspired by Central Park

December 22, 2012

by Judy and Terry

Have you ever been to Central Park in New York City?  We’ve been there a number of times and we love every visit.  We like it so much that the Park became the inspiration and setting for our first children's novel, The Protector of Central Park. 

The reasons why we are so attracted to the park are many.  For example, Terry thinks himself a bit of an amateur geologist and is, actually, very well self-educated on the stony roots of the Earth and how they came to be.  He...


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Posted by Terry B Brewer. Posted In : Central Park 

 

A Deeper Look at Contemporary Fantasy

April 11, 2012
by Terry

You may recall how I recently mentioned attending a writing seminar and listening to a discussion panel on Contemporary Fantasy.  The participants were identified as representative authors of this genre and, yet, had great difficulty defining what it is.  We were forced to ask ourselves, if writers in the genre cannot adequately define it, how can we expect potential readers to figure it out?  The experience led to our own quest to better characterize Contemporary Fantasy and the cre...

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Posted by Terry B Brewer. Posted In : Contemporary Fantasy 

 

The Wonder of Contemporary Fantasy

March 20, 2012
by Terry

Not long ago, we attended a Science Fiction and Fantasy writer's conference that proved to be one of the best we have attended so far.  The speaker's, presenters and panels were nearly always well prepared and highly informative.  Members of one of the panels, however, seemed to struggle a bit in their attempts to wrap their arms around the targeted subject matter, which was Contemporary and Urban Fantasy.  This was an important issue to us, since we do almost all of our writing in th...

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Posted by Terry B Brewer. Posted In : genres 

 

Hello World!

February 16, 2012
One of Terry's jobs in a previous dimension was to teach computer programming.  The first thing nearly every programming student is expected to learn is an exercise called 'Hello world!'; the requirement being that students use their computer skills to publish the salutation, 'Hello World.'  The reason for its universality is that this is the most basic task that can be accomplished in programming and provides a gateway to the new learning experience.

This first blog is JT Brewer's 'Hello Worl...

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Posted by Terry B Brewer. Posted In : blogging 

 
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Welcome to the World  of J.T. Brewer

J.T. Brewer is a composite of our names, Judeen and Terry Brewer. Our writing began as a joint venture at a point when we thought we were living separate lives and wanted a project that would require us to reconnect and spend time together. Over the years, writing has allowed us not only to become closer as a couple, but to explore new ideas, whet our creative juices and produce some very interesting works.  Our preference is to write stories related to fantasy/science fiction for both children and adults, and we make it a point to include a masculine and a feminine perspective in everything.

Our site serves two purposes.  First to introduce you to our books and short stories and, second, to present our blog and invite your responses to it. The world of writing and publishing is rapidly changing and we have found it takes a whole- hearted effort to keep up with it. This is at times a daunting task, but also a thrilling journey. 

Nowadays, readers want a more personal connection to their favorite authors.  In turn, the authors should be more connected with their readership and more forthright about who they are as people.  Therefore, we intend to use this site not only to explore the writing craft but also to let you get know us better personally. We are anxious to hear what you might have to say in response.  Hopefully, you will consider the time you spend with us well worth your while.   

The Protector of Central Park


This our first children's fiction book.  As a retired elementary school teacher, Judeen has much experience with children's literature and has  written many stories within this genre, but this is the first to be published.   If you like this, be assured, others will follow.

       "One morning I woke up at 4 a.m. with a complete story about a squirrel in my head," Judeen explains.
"The squirrel lives on the west side of upper Central Park in New York City.  His name is HJ, or Hoppin' Jack and his best friend is a chipmunk named Chipper.  These two are a couple of rascals and often get in trouble for it.

         " They attend animal school with the other Upper Park youngsters, taught by a flock of well- educated pigeons under the direction of Head- mistress Dame Featherdusters.   On one occasion, the teacher tells the class that a series of murders have taken place and a  gang of feral cats, lead by a particularly vicious, power-hungry tom named Snake, is to blame for it.  HJ pays little heed to the story.  After all, his father and uncle are both crackerjack 'Park Protectors'--the police squad of Upper Park.  They always take care of stuff like this.   Any way, HJ has other things to think about, such as the lovely girl squirrel from the east side of the park he has just met.

      "When HJ barely survives an attack by a huge alley cat while returning home from a date he realizes it is time to wake up and face facts.  Like it or not, a battle has begun.  He and every animal of Upper Park is now on the front line."

        The book is intended primarily for 8 - 12 year old readers, but many others would also enjoy it.  It has humor, adventure, excitement, and just a little touch of romance.  It's a great read for kids and for anyone who likes to get lost in a fantasy!  The book is now available in softcover and ebook formats on Amazon and through this site.

Stewards of the White Circle Series

Stewards of the White Circle is a fictional  series that offers an exciting peek into the world of a race of immortal beings who share this planet called Earth.  The series starts with Calm Before the Storm, which is now available in paperback and ebook form.  The second book in the series, Ancient Enemies, has been delayed by our efforts to get out The Protector of Central Park, but will be coming soon.

Who are the Stewards and why they are here, living among us?  This secret is revealed through the exploits of James Omega, who is known to the world as a professor and a brilliant biologist.  He is also a Steward who will take you into a realm of mysterious powers, fascinating characters and evil adversaries. With him, you will travel on a desperate search to find the two mortal accomplices he needs to save Earth's wildlife and more before a global disaster strikes, all the while battling a demonic enemy from his past.

Calm Before the Storm invites you to step into Omega's shoes and join him on his quest.

Learn More About the Stewards of the White Circle  

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Recent Posts

  • In Praise of the Un-Prefixed Hero
  • My Magic Recliner
  • The Protector of Central Park Wins National...
  • Inspired by Central Park
  • A Deeper Look at Contemporary Fantasy

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