awakeIn the new novel Legacy by Tom Sniegoski, a teenaged boy named Lucas finds out that his father - who has never been part of his life - is a superhero. How would you react if you discovered your parent was a superhero?
If you were a superhero, who would you be, and what superpowers would you possess? Would you like to slip into the costume of an existing superhero, like Batman, Wonder Woman, or Rogue, or would you rather be a character of your own creation? Tell us your heroic name.
Think outside the box: Instead of only picturing spandex-clad people flourishing their capes, consider everyday heroes. What can we learn from these unsung heroes?
Feel free to repost this prompt at your own blog, and leave your thoughts or the links to your own posts in the comments below!
I firmly believe that there's a hero inside each of us. As I recently posted in response to the wonderful What a Girl Wants: Holding Out for a Super Heroine post at the Chasing Ray blog: There are so many wonderful characters who save themselves rather than waiting around for someone else to rescue them. There are so many real people who do the same. The world would be a better place and populated with stronger people if we all had such personal conviction, strength, and determination, and the courage to be a hero. I challenge people every day to believe in themselves, to achieve their potential, and to strive for excellence.
That being said, I always smile when a close friend of mine calls me Supergirl. Please note that my superhero costume would be more modest than hers. It would be purple with matching fairy wings. Back in July, author and readergirlz diva Holly Cupala posted about the superhero image generator at The Hero Factory and, based on the options available, I created this.
Storywise - be the story bound in books, comics, or graphic novels, or expressed on stage or screen - I like characters who save themselves and others, rather than waiting around for someone else to save them. My favorite fictional characters tend to be are strong, bold, curious, and intelligent, such as Anne Shirley from the Anne of Green Gables books by L.M. Montgomery, Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Tinker Bell from Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, various residents of Fantastica from The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende, and Jenna Blake from the Body of Evidence books by Christopher Golden and Rick Hautala. True, they all needed help at times - think of Anne and the sinking dory - but they also were able to make their way through the world and the story due to their own resilience. They had strength (emotional strength, strength of character and conviction being more important to me than physical strength) and smarts. Some had more "traditional" heroic experiences: Anne saved lives, as did Jenna.
Back to the first question I posed in this piece: What would I do if I found out my parent was a superhero? I already know my mom is a hero - a single mother who raised two children, kept a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, food in our stomachs, love in our hearts, and smiles on our faces. She helped us and encouraged us. Even though I'm an adult, she is my most trusted confidante and biggest supporter. Simply put, she rocks.
She also appreciates Tom's sense of humor, but that's another story and will be told another time. :)
This just in: Legacy made the ALA BBYA & the ALA Quick Pick nomination lists! Woo hoo!
Read my review of Legacy by Tom Sniegoski.
Learn more about the book.
Learn more about the author at http://www.sniegoski.com/