Yes, this may be partly because my main characters carry weapons—in fact, every female main character I've written thus far has carried one, even if it's only a Swiss army knife. It wasn't a conscious decision on my part—it was just how the characters developed. I do have one female lead who doesn't carry weapons that I haven't written yet, but she's still a strong character, so I know that's not the only element involved.

Something else that makes these women strong is their determination to forge better lives for themselves—whether it's my amateur sleuth embracing her in-laws as the parents she never had, or my Viking women sailing to a new continent, these women are willing to take chances and step outside their comfort zones.

My female characters are also strong because they hold true to their beliefs, even though they experience conflict and doubts, just like we all do.

And finally, I think readers understand these women are strong because they're willing to dig deep into their motivations and beliefs and to adjust their approaches to life to keep moving forward—even those who have to wrestle their way out of a pit of depression. These women put their family first, and that makes them strong.

So how do you balance these strong female characters with strong male characters?

One thing I've discovered from real life is that sometimes, as my character Gudrid says in God's Daughter, "the deepest feelings are in the quietest man." Being a strong man (or woman) doesn't mean you have to be bold and bombastic all the time. There are different types of leaders, yet one thing we sense in every leader is presence. The strong leading men I write might not say much, but when they say something, it counts for a lot.

That's not to say I don't write talkative men, too. I have quite a few verbal male characters. Some of my men wield weapons and some wield their words. Some wear their hearts on their sleeve and some hide their emotions, most of all from themselves.

So how do you balance a strong leading female and strong leading male character in the same story? I think the key is understanding the psychology and individual personalities of the couple. Usually in life, we have some things in common with our spouses/significant others and we have some things that are very different. Part of the fun is learning to meld those traits into something that can reach even more people for Christ when we are married.

So I try to portray that melding process, rough edges and all. My male characters might seem weak at the start of the book/series and grow stronger. Same with my females. Sometimes my readers say they are shouting at my characters to straighten up throughout the stories! But they know I am committed to showing realistic people who have to overcome believable obstacles to grow stronger and more secure in who they are.

So how do I mesh strong male and strong female characters? I make sure I show their weaknesses as well as their strengths throughout the story. Even if the reader has a personality nothing like the main character, they can still feel invested in the character's journey because they feel they "know" them so well.