The Sandra Troux Mystery series features a trio of silver sheroic sleuths: three women in their 60s who solve international crimes. The series encompasses the genres of murder mystery as well as action thriller: SHEROES NEEDED. In action thrillers, the main character or characters confront villains or criminals. They are strong and overcome momentary setbacks. Ultimately, they defeat the criminals. And the main characters do that by outwitting as well as physically besting the villains. These characters are sheroes, as are STM main characters. It is hard to see a traditional or classic heroine behaving in a physically brave manner. The new sheroes in pop culture and YA lit, such as The Hunger Games and Wonder Woman, use both brains and brawn, intelligence and physical adroitness to win the day and save those in peril. These sheroes are portrayed as teens or young women. But, what about us older women? While the Sandra Troux Mysteries initiates its Boomer sheroes (the series’ main characters), the term shero is not a new one. It was coined by Wilma Scott Heide (Registered Nurse) and first president of National NOW back in the late 60s in order to enable feminists to fight for women’s rights. Heide was “one of those ‘sheroes.’ She was brave, but soft-spoken, assertive, but persuasive. Her words and ideas had power, and she made it seem sheroic to be a feminist.” (https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/thedigs/2013/07/17/wilma-scott-heide/).
So we are reviving an older term with the aim of popularizing it and with a grander aim as well -- to provide inspirational models for older women and younger readers as well. And, given the anti-woman propaganda that is out there (especially anti-older woman) in pop culture, publishing as well as the terrible anti-woman/anti-girl politics of today from the White House to the court house, WE DEFINITELY NEED SHEROES NOW!
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