This is Ink & Intrigue—the blog where romance ignites, secrets simmer, and every love story hides a twist. I’m your blog host, Sheila Kell, romance author and lover of plot twists, slow burns, and morally questionable book boyfriends.
Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to an author whose book will encourage you to move beyond the restrictions that often hold women back from achieving their potential—Susan Harris Howell! If you love non-fiction that helps you learn more about yourself on every page, you’re in for a treat.
Susan is known for combining readability with information that inspires growth. Buried Talents will enlighten, entertain, and encourage you.
Susan’s blog today is based on an actual classroom interaction in her college gender studies course and is one of the many inspirations for Buried Talents.
Whether you write fiction or non-fiction or dream of doing both, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it and give a warm welcome to Susan Harris Howell! 💖
WATCH OUT! (Susan Harris Howell)
“If you were crossing the street and I noticed a semi-truck was about to hit you, would you be okay with my yelling, ‘Watch out!’ or pulling you back onto the curb?”
This was the question I asked male students in a discussion about their comfort level when receiving help. More specifically – their comfort level when receiving help from a woman.
The question gave them pause. They squinted. They stared off into space. They pondered.
The female students and I waited in silence. Seconds passed. Crickets chirped.
Then one of these young men sat up straight and smiled. “Yes, Dr. Howell, I would be okay with that. You could save my life.”
A collective sigh came from his classmates.
“What about it?” I asked another young man. “Would you let me save your life?”
After what appeared to be an inner struggle, he consented – with one stipulation: “You could save my life, but then we could never talk about it.”
The class exploded in laughter. Really? We could never talk about it? I would think he’d at least offer a heartfelt thank you, spring for a cup of coffee, or put me on his Christmas card mailing list.
I then asked the third man in the class. “Would you let a woman save you?” He leaned back and stroked his chin. “Well, yes,” he agreed. “But only if I then married her.”
More laughter from his now intrigued peers. “Why would that matter?” a classmate asked.
“Because then it would be like her saving me was destiny or fate bringing us together. So it would be okay. If a woman just saved me without a deeper meaning, it wouldn’t be okay.”
Now I know we can’t make too much out of three guys answering one question. And I admit that their comedic timing livened up more than one of my classes over the years. Were their answers to the semi-truck question more of the same? Yeah, probably. I do believe they’d prefer being yanked to safety rather than flattened on the road.
Still – I do wonder if an inkling of truth was reflected in their delayed responses. Was the thought of being in such a vulnerable position to begin with, where someone needed to intervene, causing them discomfort?
If so, I get it. It isn’t easy for a lot of us – male or female – to accept help when needed. But I suspect it’s more difficult for men who are held to higher societal standards when it comes to self-sufficiency in dangerous situations.
I hope I communicated to my male and female students that day the importance of both self-sufficiency and the graceful acceptance of help when needed. Oh, and the importance of looking both ways before crossing the street.
So tell me: if I ever see a semi-truck heading your way, would you want me to yell, “Watch out!” as I pull you back to the curb?
And if I do, would you at least spring for a cup of coffee?
Susan Harris Howell’s Bio:
Dr. Susan Harris Howell is a psychologist, author, speaker and retired university professor. Her book, Buried Talents, focuses on the subtle ways women are discouraged from entering male-dominated occupations. Buried Talents was named a winner in InterVarsity Press’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards. Through her writing and speaking, her passion is to free others from unnecessary restrictions so they can step into their best life. She is also the author of The Spirit of Vanderlaan, a cozy mystery, and is currently working on its sequel, The Hayes Spirit. Susan and her husband have two grown children, a daughter-in-law, one adorable grandson, and an incorrigible beagle named Doc.
I hope you loved getting to know Susan Harris Howell. If you haven’t added her books to your TBR yet, now’s the time—trust me, you won’t want to miss them. 💖
You can connect with Susan Harris Howell here:
🌐 Website: https://susanharrishowell.com
📩 Email List and Monthly Blog: https://susanharrishowell.substack.com
📱 Socials: Instragram | Facebook | Goodreads | BookBub
🛒 Grab her books: Amazon | B&N
Thank you for joining me in spotlighting a fellow author. Stay tuned for more author features, book talks, and behind-the-scenes romance goodness.
Until next time—keep reading, keep swooning! 💖