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Sunday, May 02, 2010

Heroes - and a book contest

I have a signed copy of Hero Type by Barry Lyga to give away. In thinking about how to do that, I got to thinking about what makes someone a hero. I remember several years ago filling out my Myspace profile page and putting that very question in the "heroes" section-what makes someone a hero?

Is a hero someone who saves a life? Someone who excels in sports? Someone who is in the military or on the fire department or a law enforcement officer? Someone who stands up for his or her beliefs?

What happens when our heroes do something to get themselves knocked off their hero pedestal? Golden boy Tiger Woods has been criticized recently for his behavior and one of the things people are saying is that as role model he should have known better. Was he a hero before this happened?

I want your thoughts. I have a signed copy of Hero Type to give away. I will randomly choose the winner using one of the randomizing websites. This contest will close on May 23 at 11:59pm central time. I also have post cards from The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl, Goth Girl Rising, & Boy Toy that I will include in this contest.


Here's how you can win and earn extra entries:

1. Comment on this blog post telling me what, in your opinion, makes someone a hero. You get one entry for your first comment only.

2. Post a link to this contest on your blog, facebook, twitter, etc. and send me the link (you can send me the link in comments, or send it to sandilu (at) hotmail (dot) com- please put "hero type contest" in the subject line.) You will get one entry for every place you post.

This is open to anyone. People outside the US are welcome to enter as well. I look forward to reading what you have to say!

COMMENTS NOW CLOSED!

5 comments:

Shooting Stars Mag said...

i would love to read this. i think a hero is someone who does things for other people, big or small. they are the ones you look up too and admire. my mom is a hero to me. but i also think other more famous people are too.

lauren
lauren51990 at aol dot com

anlhub said...

A hero to me is someone who selflessly gives of himself only because he knows it is what is right. The ultimate hero would be Jesus Christ, because although he knew he would suffer, he chose to give his life so that all of man could live. Perhaps if we truly lived our life as Christ, there would be no need to define hero, as we would all carry those atrributes within us.

Anonymous said...

A hero is someone who stays true to their virtues no matter the circumstances or trials and tribulations.

Obviously Tiger Woods hero status was built upon his athletic ability and not his character.

avis said...

I think that a hero can be anyone who has had a positive influence/impact on your life or other peoples lives. With this definition you could include anyone from your grandfather to Gandhi. I think where the definition gets dicey is when people realize that "heroes" are people to. They are only human, and as such, they make mistakes. So, I think it would be more accurate to classify certain acts as heroic rather than to classify a person as a hero.

Hunter Santiago said...

Whenever most people think of heroes, superman as well as spiderman come to mind. You know-the men with some sort of extraordinary powers that save women from burning buildings and babies from the tallest mountain to the lowest valley.
In reality, a hero isn't just the policeman next door that took a bullet to save the pregnant woman upstairs. To be a hero, you don't have to stand up to someone hijacking an airplane for the well being of the other passengers' lives as well as your own. You're not required to save a life to be designated a hero. your just required to make a difference. Any difference big or small. Any difference that changes someones life for the better. Every time you make someone smile, care for them during sickness, give them a shoulder to cry on, any deed that seems as if you're supposed to do it can actually impact someone's life.
No one's required by law to help someone in a car crash, they just do it out of the goodness of their hearts. Saving lives or protecting a countries fortune may give you the 'hero' look but the line there between fame and being a hero is super thin. So, you can be a hero to a billion people or just one. In the end, your a hero to someone. A hero inspires you. They make you smile, laugh. They give you advice. A true hero helps because they feel a need to, not to get fame.
Let's face it. Everyone wants to be called a hero,and yet they're blind to the fact that to someone out in the world, they already are.