Give it up for the Redheads!

Patty Smith Hall here, and I was tickled to get a sneak peek at the cover of my July 2012 release, Hearts in Hiding, last week. It’s always a thrill to get a look at the art department’s conception of your book and trust me when I say, the artists at Love Inspired Historical out did themselves!

I’m particularly thrilled with my hero, Beau Daniels and his mane of dark auburn hair. A lot of folks asked me after my last book, Hearts in Flight, why I chose to feature a family made of predominately redheads in my story. I guess the answer would be I love uniqueness, and titan hair is as unique as they come, making up on 1-2% of the population. People with red hair usually have fair skin, light colored eyes and a smattering of freckles--the perfect start for any hero or heroine!

The sad part is that there are a great many misconceptions about redheads or ‘gingers,‘ and different cultures look at them with anything from admiration to scorn. Their hair often coupled

with a fiery temper and a sharp tongue as noted in Anne of Green Gables when Anne was said to have a ‘temper to match her (red) hair.' In the Medieval Age, people thought red hair was a sign of moral degeneration and went so far as to kill them for being witches, werewolves or vampires. In the modern age, gingers have been targeted by cartoons and comedians alike, and in Great Britain, ‘Gingerism‘ is compared in the same vein as racism.

All this fuss over of two recessive genes!

An yet, history provides us with a number of redheads who have and continue to influence art, literature, history and science even hundreds of years after their deaths:

Thomas Jefferson--one of our founding fathers and third president of the United States.

Ron Howard--I mean, come on! Who in their right mind would have a problem with little Opie, not to mention good guy Richie Cuninngham from ‘Happy Days!’

Prince Harry--one of the world’s most eligible men and a cutie pie to boot!

Galileo--one of the fathers of the Scientific Revolution, he introduced the idea of earth revolving around the sun.

Emma Stone--I first noticed how beautiful this talent actress was in Zombieland but she blew me away with her turn as a writer opening the door to Civil Rights in 1950's Mississippi in The Help.

Emily Dickerson--American poet who’s works, not released until after her death, are considered some of the most significant poetry in American Literature.

Queen Elizabeth the First--after surviving four stepmothers, she fought off death at the hands of a couple of Marys(one queen of England, the other, queen of the Scots) to rule over forty years during one of the most prolific times in English history.

Carol Burnett--A master comedian. I still think her take on Gone with the Wind is one of the funniest skits I’ve ever seen.

Vincent Van Gogh--Dutch post-impressionist painter who’s work influenced the world of art throughout the Twentieth century.

King David--Writer, Warrior, King of Israel and one of God’s most beloved.

And the list goes on.

Of course, I’ve always known how adventurous and fun gingers are because God blessed me with a family full of redheads, including my husband of 28 years and my youngest daughter! So now it's your turn--tell me about any of the wonderful redheads in your life!