More Bandit Booty!

Thanx to everyone who shared the goss on kisses with Tina Ferraro.

An autographed copy of Tina's latest YA release The ABCs of Kissing Boys goes to:

DDurance!

Congrats to our latest winner! To claim your prize, please send your snail mail info to Aunty Cindy at cindymm18 at gmail dot com.

Ordinary vs. Extraordinary Heroes

by KJ Howe

I think it's safe to bet that everyone visiting this blog is an avid reader. What I wanted to touch base on today is whether you prefer ordinary or extraordinary heroes/heroines. Is it more interesting for you to read about a single mom who is thrust into extraordinary circumstances--let's say she is falling in love with a guy who turns out to be a vampire, or do you prefer an extraordinary heroine--let's say an historical heiress with the power of time travel?

Perhaps we like ordinary heroes because we can all identify with their daily woes? Or maybe we wonder if we were thrust into extraordinary circumstances ourselves whether we would be able to rise to the challenge. The only way to test that (other than living a wild life!) is to do it vicariously through an everyday hero in a novel.

How about our fascination with extraordinary heroines? Perhaps we're all attracted to greatness, or those who have specialized skills. We seem to admire the confident and the competent. Maybe we want to understand what makes someone heroic, or even more importantly, the flaws in heroes that makes them human.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on what type of hero/heroine you prefer, or, do you think there is any difference to your enjoyment at all?

And the winner is..

Sneaking in between posts to announce the winner of my non-hero hunk post...

Leslie, who wants to have her way with Vin Diesel! Congrats, Leslie. I'll send you a signed copy of Risque Business if you'll drop me an email with your mailing info to Tawny@TawnyWeber.com.

by Donna MacMeans

IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!

And that means it's movie night!

I love going to the movies - sitting in the dark with my husband - munching on popcorn - sipping on a diet coke. It's the best. I've even been known to be influenced by the big screen in devising possible plots. I imagine we'll be choosing a movie to see tonight, but I'm not sure which one.

Of course, our dear friends in Hollywood have given us some guidance by announcing the nominees for the Best Picture of 2008. I always try to see the nominees so I can root for our favorites for the academy awards.

The nominees for Best Motion Picture of the Year are:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

Have you seen any of these? I've seen Benjamin Button - and it was good. I've seen the stage production of Frost/Nixon but not the movie. And that's it. I believe Slumdog Millionaire is basically a love story with a lot of chase scenes and action. I haven't seen it listed at the major theaters here, but now that's it's nominated, perhaps that will change.

The nominees for Performance by an actor in a leading role (can we just call them heroes?) are:

Nope, not this guy (sniff). Australia was nominated for costume design and that was it. (Of course, if the award has anything to do with the frame upon which the costume hangs....)

The real nominees are: Richard Jenkins in The Visitor

Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon

Sean Penn in Milk

Brad Pitt in ...Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler

Not the most flattering picture of Brad Pitt that I've seen.

As for the nominees for best performance in a leading role we have :

Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married

Angeline Jolie in Changeling

Melissa Leo in Frozen River

Meryl Streep in Doubt

Kate Winslet in The Reader

I'm afraid I haven't seen any of those movies, either. Not a one is a comedy, which is my favorite. So tell me - Do you have any recommendations for a movie tonight? Have you seen any of these - what did you think? Do you have a particular genre preference when it comes to movies (or are you in it for the popcorn)? Who do you think will take home the oscar at the Academy awards?

I'll pick one of the comments to receive a feather boa so they can watch the awards in style. Also I'll include a copy of THE TROUBLE WITH MOONLIGHT because the blue cover goes really well with the feather boa. Besides, you never know...perhaps one day it'll be picked up for a movie. Are you listening...

It's a Small World

by Anna Sugden

Before you all groan, no, I'm not talking about the annoying song that sticks in your mind after going on the ride of the same name at Disney World/Land!

The other morning, in my office in Great Shelford, England, I was exchanging emails with Tawny in California and FoAnna in Australia and it occurred to me how small the world has become with the internet.

Isn't that fun?! We can communicate with pals from all over without having to wait for the post office or a man on a pony.

Among the Banditas we have gals in four countries - The USA, Canada (KJ Howe), Australia (FoAnna and Christine W) and of course, me in England. Not only that, but we have 10 states represented (11, if you count NJ *g*).

Even without looking at the blog site stats we know we have regular visitors from Down Under, all over the USA and Canada and Minna and Eva in Finland. When you look at the cool stats, they tell us we've had visitors from 79 countries over the last month! (We know that Keira checked in during her visit to India).

I thought it would be fascinating to see where all our visitors today come from. Do we have representatives of all 50 US states, all the provinces and territories in Canada, all the states in Australia and both islands in New Zealand? How many different countries visited us today? Anyone from South America? South or East Asia?

Isn't it wonderful to know we can be friends with people who are physically so far apart, thanks to the click of a button and some fibre optics?!

Let us know - yes, even you lurkers *g*. Where are you joining us from, today?

Tina Ferraro on ABCs and Kissing

posted by Aunty Cindy aka Loucinda McGary

Young Adult author Tina Ferraro was one of our very first guest authors here in the Lair, and we are always happy when she can come back and pay us a visit! Aunty is tickled pink to sit down today with her buddy Tina and talk about her new release, changes in the YA market, and a cool new thing called “webisodes!”

AC: Welcome back, Tina! Please tell us a little about your new release with the fantastic cover -- The ABCs of Kissing Boys.

Tina: Sure!

Parker Stanhope has played soccer practically since she could walk. And now that she’s a high school junior, everything she’s worked for is finally coming together. She’s paid her dues on the field, and as an upperclassman, she’s a shoo-in for the varsity team. But that’s not what happens. This year, the coach moved up every JV player but two­-and one of those two was Parker. Now, she’s stuck with the freshmen, and her friends are cutting her loose. But Parker is determined to get her life back. She has to get on the varsity team, and she has the perfect plan. All she needs now is the right kind of coach.

Which comes first for you, the plot or the characters? And how did you come up with it/them for this story?

I had the idea that a girl-doesn't-get-moved-up-with-her-team floating around, as well as a Romeo-and-Juliet-esque parental feud.
(Shakespeare fan AC rubs her hands together with glee!)

But it didn't come together until I decided on my (admittedly ridiculous) title, and had to figure out how to tie those things all together with the heroine learning "everything there is to know about kissing." My critique partner, Kelly Parra, was wonderful in helping me sort out my thoughts, and before you knew it, I had a storyline, and I started writing.

So that was a really long way to say "the plot first."

AC: This is your third Young Adult release in as many years. What changes have you seen in your sub-genre since you first started writing in it?

Tina: Wow--I am no expert on Young Adult fiction, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But it does seem like the most popular books today have fantasy/paranormal themes, while when I started targeting YA, the books on people's lips were more contemporary high school stories, like Gossip Girls and (the now-defunct) Dorchester Smooch line. As for the future? Well, everything old is new again, right, so I imagine things will circle back.

AC: What new and exciting things are coming up in your future?

Tina: I have another book coming out in the summer of 2010, which I am really excited about. Here's a blurb:

When Bad Flings Happen to Good Girls

It took 17 years for Brandy to get her life the way she wanted it--and about 17 seconds for it to fall apart. Her well-intending friends tell her it's time to stop working so hard and "get a life." By this, they mean a boyfriend, and they give her the summer to find one, or they're going to go hunting the halls themselves. Not realizing that adding a boyfriend to her hectic AP and robotics team schedule, she'd have zero for them.

Away at her uncle's cabin, she sets out to find a guy who will "break her heart," so she can return from summer in need of her friend's TLC, rather than matchmaking skills, and then can resume her well-planned life. She quickly finds the perfect candidate. But hooking up with the lifeguard proves harder than she can imagine. Even with the help from his nice-guy friend who seems to have his own reasons for getting them together--and keeping them apart...

AC: Sounds like another fun read Tina! Now what other fun things have you been up to?

A "webisode" version of my second book, How to Hook a Hottie, is currently being shopped at TV studios. A "webisode" is a mini-episode, especially geared at websites. You'll find them popping up on TV channel websites in the forms of brand-new programming, and "extras" from your favorite TV shows. For instance, "The Office" just ran a three-part webisode series on the NBC website.

Anyway, yeah, so wish me luck on that.

AC: How exciting, and GOOD GOOD LUCK!

Tina will give away a copy of her newest release The ABCs of Kissing Boys to one lucky commenter today.

AC: Since Tina’s book is all about kissing, why not share one of your favorite kisses (first or otherwise) in a book you’ve recently read. Hey, Tina! You can go first!

Tina: I liked the first time Ranger kissed Stephanie in Janet Evanovich’s series. WOO HOO! Hot stuff!

AC: NO arguments here! Okay Banditas and Buddies, lay the kisses on us!

The Winner Is . . . drum roll, please!

posted by Jo Robertson

The winner of Misa Ramirez' delightful debut novel, Living the Vida Lola, is

Danie88

Congratulations, Danie! I'm so jealous of your win! Please contact Misa at

misa@misaramirez.com and provide her with your snail mail address. That's misa (at) misaramirez (dot) com.

Happy reading!

They're back...

by Beth

Some of my very favorite actors and actresses are returning to the small screen. I don't get much time to watch TV but for these new shows starring old faves, I'll have to make an exception. Or at least, tape them and watch them while I'm on the treadmill *g*

Tom Cavanagh. Yes! I love Tom Cavanagh! He was my #3 pick of favorite funny men awhile back. You may remember him as the lead character on Ed - one of my all time favorite shows. He's starring in Trust Me, a new series on TNT (starts Jan 26). And starring along side Tom is...

Eric McCormack. Or as he's otherwise known, Will of Will and Grace *g* I admit, I've only watched a few episodes of Will and Grace but the ones I did see were hilarious! So glad these two great funny men are back on TV.

Nathan Filion. Nathan played Capt Mal Reynolds on the TV series Firefly and its big screen adaption, Serenity. He was also the doctor in Waitress with Kerri Russell but I remember him from his days as a soap opera hottie *g* His new show, Castle (March 9 on ABC) is about a mystery novelist who starts to solve real life murder cases along side a NYPD detective.

Eliza Dushku. I adore Eliza! She was Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, starred in her own show, Tru Calling and was sassy, tomboy cheerleader Peyton in the movie, Bring It On. She's back on TV in Joss Whedon's latest show, Dollhouse. I can't wait for this show! It's about operatives who have their personalities wiped clean so they can be imprinted with any number of new personas in order to do their jobs. After the job is complete, their memories are wiped clean. Did I mention I can't wait for this show! No one does twists, turns and dialogue better than Whedon! Plus, he makes you think and scares the crud out of you at the same time *g* Dollhouse is on Fox starting Feb 13.

Amber Tamblyn. Amber starred in Joan of Arcadia which was a really cool, albeit short-lived show. She was also in both Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movies. Her new show, The Unusuals, is a quirky cop drama on ABC starting April 8.

Here's a list of shows set to premiere this winter: http://www.tvguide.com/special/winter-preview/newshows.aspx

Are you looking forward to any new shows? How about returning shows? Are there any actors or actresses you'd like to see return to TV?

The Writer's Journey with Misa Ramirez

by Jo Robertson

Please give a hearty welcome (and maybe a cabana boy or two) to debut writer Misa Ramirez. Mother of five, English teacher, wife, and now published author. Misa has had a long and rewarding journey to publication which she’s sharing with us today.

Jo: Misa, tell us a little about your debut book.

Misa: Living the Vida Lola is the first in a mystery series. The heroine is Dolores “Lola” Cruz and she’s a private investigator. She’s smart, sassy, and determined, has a black belt in kung fu, and only her family and their crazy antics give her a run for her money.

Jo: Lola Cruz sounds like our kinda gal. How did you come to choose a Latina as your heroine?

Misa: My husband is Mexican-American, my kids are half Mexican, and so when I started thinking of a heroine, I was drawn to creating someone like I imagine my daughter will be. Also my alter-ego if I were Latina!

Jo: LOL, your blonde hair tells us you're not, but I love the idea of your modeling the character after your daughter. Can you tell us something about your hero Jack Callaghan.

Misa: Lola’s known Jack since they were kids; he’s her brother’s best friend. He went away for college, stayed away, and now he’s back and part of Lola’s investigation. He’s smart and definitely a match for Lola, but he has a few secrets that Lola has to uncover.

Jo: Would you share your publishing journey with us?

Misa:

Living the Vida Lola, the first book in the Lola Cruz Mystery Series, comes out tomorrow! I can hardly believe how long it has taken from the moment I wrote the first word to now.

Six years.

That’s right, six years. I’ve written four more books in the meantime, but this is the first to be released [the second, DEAD GIRL WALKING, will be released a year from now].

Six writing years flew by. Here’s the way it played out, in a nutshell:

• Husband and I moved to the Sacramento area with our four children and I was pregnant with # 5.

• Baby 5 was born and I was going stir crazy in the house.

• Started meeting at Starbucks with a friend to write a children’s book to follow up on FLIGHT OF THE SUNFLOWER, a picture book of mine that was published a few years prior. Really, I had to get out of the house and do something just for me!

• Being surrounded by kids all day, every day, drained my creative juices; I decided to write something for adults with, gasp, swearing and, double gasp, sex [or at least the promise of sex...this is book one in the series!].

• Lola Cruz came to me in a moment of inspiration. I began writing.

• I wrote for almost two years [in between diaper changes, kindergarten, carpooling, etc].

• I revised. And revised. And revised. By now three years had passed.

• A friend of a friend’s sister’s mother-in-law [a literary agent] read the book, liked it, and offered to represent it. I revised again.

• A year + later, multiple rejections flew in. My agent retired.

• I queried and queried, was offered representation by three different agents, went with one, and found myself revising. AGAIN!

• I was a tiny, itty-bitty fish in my agent’s giant ocean, but she submitted for a year, and again. It was being sent to chick lit editors. The book is really a mystery romance. Slight problem.

• Another year passed. Agent and I agreed to part and I found the perfect agent in Holly Root. She submitted my book to mystery editors. It sold within a month!

• That was a year and a half ago. I went through more revisions, cover art, edits and copy edits, marketing, promotion, etc.

• And now, blink, the book comes out tomorrow!!!!

When I started writing, I had no idea what a journey it would take me on. Looking back, I don’t regret a single moment or a single rejection. Or a single year. I wouldn’t change a thing because I really do feel that the journey is the most important part of the process. I’ve learned so much, grown as a writer and as a person, and am happy. A person can’t ask for more than that [book sales aside!].

Jo: Thanks for joining us in the Lair, Misa. One lucky commenter chosen at random will be the winner of Misa's debut book Living the Vida Lola!

And now for our readers, if you’re a writer, do you enjoy the entire process, from the creation, to the revisions, to the learning that comes with rejections, etc? Or is there one thing that you love about the process and you simply tolerate the rest?

And if you’re not a writer, what one thing do you absolutely LOVE about your job (and, yes, that includes parenting, the hardest job ever!). What is the thing you hate the most?

Or ask Misa anything you want; she's a font of information!

Library Tales Ancient and Modern

posted by Aunty Cindy aka Loucinda McGary

My maternal grandmother taught me to read when I was five years old, and ever since then, one of my favorite places in the world is the library.

We didn't have much money to buy books when I was growing up. But every other week in the summer or during other school holidays, my mother would take me, my sister and my brother to the local branch of the public library. My sister and brother liked to slide down the smooth concrete banister out front, but not me! I loved to roam among those shelves and shelves of books, looking for treasures.

The library was heaven on earth for me, and I'm definitely not the only one. Even in ancient times, libraries were special places. That was never more apparent to me than on my recent trip to Turkey when I got to visit the ruins of the Library of Celsius (or Celsus) which was in the Roman city of Ephesus. In its heyday, over 12,000 scrolls were stored in it.

For the history buffs (like ME) in the Lair, here's a bit of information from the Turkish Tourism site...

"According to inscriptions in Latin and Greek on the wings of the front steps, the Library was erected in ad 110 by the Consul Gaius Julius Aquila for his father, Julius Celsius Polemaeanus, formerly Roman Consul and governor of the Asian province. The library was completed in ad 135 by his heirs. Its façade was two-tiered; the interior consisted of a single large hall, measuring 10 × 16 m, comprising the Celsius library itself. The burial chamber under the floor contains the marble sarcophagus of Celsius in an excellent state of preservation.

The reading room destroyed in a fire in the second half of the 3rd century, but the façade did not suffer damage. For a time, the library was left filled with the resulting debris. About ad 400, the area in front of the building was converted into a pool. The façade served a decorative purpose, with its beautiful silhouette mirrored in the water." (Guess my siblings weren't the only ones who liked to play in front of the library!)

An article in Wikipedia states that Julius Celsus was a wealthy and popular citizen of Ephesus. It was unusual to be buried within a library or even within city limits, so this was a special honor.

Quite an honor from the looks of this place! I would have loved to be there in 135 AD...

What about you? Are you more a borrower or a buyer? Or maybe a bit of both? Do you have a favorite library story you can share?

It's Finished!!

by Christie Kelley

Oh, how I wish I could say I was talking about my deadline book. But I’m not. I’m referring to the endless remodel. After a year of dust, cold, noise and people everywhere, we are done!

Now that doesn’t mean there aren’t still things to do. My office needs more decorating but right now with a deadline looming, I don’t care if my pictures aren’t hung. That will happen. After the book is finished.

Since I promised you all pictures when I was done, here they are. I thought I’d start with a “before” picture of the outside of the house. This is what it looked like when we bought the place four years ago. We actually bought the house not liking it, but we loved the community. That’s when the remodel idea started.

And here is the new exterior of the house...Yes, it is the same house!

I can say after 4.5 months of living in a 12x14 room with 1 king size bed, 1 queen size bed, 1 twin bed, a table and an entertainment console, it was worth it.

I LOVE my kitchen with two ovens, a big island and gas cooktop. I love the fact that the kids can be in the family room while I'm in the kitchen and I don’t miss a thing.

I love my office with a door!!! I’m sitting in it right now typing this up with a glass of wine on the desk (it’s 7pm on a Friday, I’m entitled).

So we made it. My husband and I are still married to each other. The kids don’t hate us or each other, so I think we survived. Not that is was rosy all the time. Don’t ask me about the week my husband went to St. Lucia with a friend and I was cooking in kitchen with my winter gloves on (true story).

And the biggest compliment of all was from my 16-year-old son, who today was sitting on the couch with the laptop, he turned to me and said, “I really like this room. It’s comfortable.”

If I have to have a point to this blog, I guess it’s that I'm happy to be able to overcome an obstacle. I think we all grew individually and as a family and for that, it was worth the hassles. Watch out, the wine is kicking in. All typos and missing words are definitely the fault of the wine.

My question to you all is, have you ever gone through something you thought was driving you crazy only to find it made you stronger? Any other home remodelers out there?

The Lucky Winner Is

by Jo Robertson

Karen H in NC.

Congratulations, Karen!


Send your email addy to jo.lewisrobertson@yahoo.com

and I'll send the $10 Amazon gift certificate to you electronically.

Thanks to everyone for playing and contributing, and to those who guessed the correct answers!

Famous Quotes, Famous Movies

by Jo Robertson


It’s nearly that time of the year – People’s Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and finally the Academy Awards – the time when various organizations vote for their favorite movies, television shows, actors, and directors, among others.

I thought it’d be fun to see how many of us can match the following famous lines to the movies they came from. I’ve listed ten quotes and a picture from the film. See how many you know. I’ll post the answers at the end of the day and one random, lucky commenter will receive a $10 Amazon gift certificate, just for giving it a try.

1. "I know what you're thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?"

2. "Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!"

3. "You should be kissed -- and often, and by someone who knows how."

4. "A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."

5. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

6. "What we've got here is failure to communicate."

7. "Get your stinkin' paws off me, you damn dirty ape!"

8. "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!"

9. "I'm your number one fan."

10. -- "I feel the need..."

-- "...the need for speed!"

Finally, for those who don't want to play that game, what's your favorite movie based on a book? Gone with the Wind? Silence of the Lambs? Which do you think was better, the movie or the book?

Announcement Alert: Nancy's bringing us another guest on January 26! Jessica Andersen, who started writing fiction after earning a Ph.D. in genetics, broke into fiction with a Harlequin Intrigue, DR. BODYGUARD, which was a Romantic Times Top Pick. Later, research on pre-Colombian serpent worship led her to the Mayan End Time countdown and inspired the Nightkeepers and the Novels of the Final Prophecy. Join us in welcoming Jessica on January 26!

And the Winner Is....

Thanks to everyone who stopped by this past Tuesday to chat with RITA nominated author Pamela Clare! I hope everyone will rush out to buy her Ranger titles.

One BB, however, will not have to buy all of them. Pamela has chosen HELEN as the winner of a copy of UNTAMED!

Congrats! Helen send your mailing address to JoanieT13 AT gmail DOT com

Girls who kick ass

Yes, I used the word "ass" in the title. I figure if Cassondra can do an entire post on truck nuts, I might just get away with it. :)

So, Tawny's blog yesterday about heroes and hot guys got me to thinking what I like in heroines. And it's not the helpless damsels in distress that were once in vogue. In recent years, heroines who kick ass and take names have become very popular, and I'm one of the fans who loves this trend. But while they can definitely take care of themselves, and a lot of other people while they're at it, this doesn't mean that they can't be feminine too, beautiful and desirable to the men they encounter. It also doesn't mean they are without feelings or vulnerabilities. Far from it. Let's examine a few of my favorites.

Buffy Sommers (aka Buffy the Vampire Slayer) -- She's the cute blond girl who wants to date, shop for great clothes, and hang with her friends. Not so different from other teenage girls, right? Wrong. She's the one and only Slayer (at least for the first few seasons anyway), which means that not only does she have to navigate high school cliques, do her homework and deal with parental issues, she has to sneak out every night to slay vampires and other ugly beasties. What could make her life even more complicated? You guessed it. She falls in love with one of the things she's supposed to slay. But who could blame her? Seriously, could you stake David Boreanaz (aka Angel)?

Joanne Baldwin -- The heroine of Rachel Caine's Weather Warden urban fantasy series can control the weather. What's cooler than that?

Ashley Magnus -- In SciFi's new series Sanctuary, Ashley is the daughter of Sanctuary founder Dr. Helen Magnus. She's a skilled fighter, which comes in handy since it's her job to hunt "abnormals", what others would consider monsters.

Selene from Underworld -- She's a vampire, a Death Dealer (a soldier in the war on Lycans/werewolves). And she kicks major tookus. I really want to dress up as Selene at Dragon*Con this year, but trust me -- no one wants to see me in a leather catsuit. Kate Beckinsale, yes. Moi, no. My friend Tanya Michaels, with whom I attend Dragon*Con, said I should get a shirt that says that: "I'm Selene from Underworld, but you don't want to see me in a leather catsuit." LOL!

Starbuck on the new version of Battlestar Galactica. Sure, she's got some haters. Some are appalled that Starbuck is now a girl. Others think she's become a headcase. Still, you can't deny she's the best pilot in the colonial fleet and holds her own with the guys. And yet, we see vulnerability peek out from underneath her tough exterior. We see her love with Apollo, and we see her frustration when no one believes her after her unexpected return, when everyone thought she was dead.

Victoria Gardella from Colleen Gleason's Gardella Vampire Chronicles. She's a Buffy-type vampire slayer, only in Regency England. Yes, she's tough, stronger than every man she encounters, but she's also a product of her time, a lady who goes to balls and wears pretty dresses.

Angelina Jolie in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Wanted and Tomb Raider. Actually, I think Angelina might be able to kick anybody's butt in real life. :)

Ruby from Supernatural, when she was played Katy Cassidy last season. Loved her snarky attitude! Fangirls, remember when she called Dean "shortbus"? LOL!

Sarah Conner and the terminator Cameron in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. As the mom of future hero John Connor, Lena Heady plays perhaps the best kick-butt mom ever! (BTW, she was both strong and beautiful as Queen Gorgo in 300 as well.) And Summer Glau has the emotionless killing machine down to an art. Of course, she had a bit of practice with the butt kickage when she played River Tam in Firefly.

So, now it's your turn. Do you like kick-butt heroines or another type altogether? If you do like those of the kicking variety, who are your favorites and why?