What is sexy?
I've seen several discussions as of late about just what makes a hero sexy. Is it always the amazing Adonis good looks? Is it the bulging biceps and flawless hair? Is it the bigger than life hero?
For me, not so much.
I like my men to be heroes... but not always in the typical sense. Sometimes, they're unwilling heroes. They don't set out to be that way, but when faced with the choice, they choose the righteous path. They're what my dad called 'good men'. Not perfect... but good.
I try to write my heroes the same way. Sometimes, they start out as absolute jerks (aka Benjamin Roth in Precious Things), sometimes, they're wounded souls (Donovan Greer in Watch Over Me), and sometimes, they're cads (Raylor Strike in my upcoming release The Garrison: Freedom). I've had true-blue dyed in the wool heroes (Jace Quinn of The Phoenix Rebellion Book III: Gaining Ground), and men who - despite themselves - are heroes (Nick Tanner of The Phoenix Rebellion Book I: Rising Up).
So, no matter how they start out... or where their stories take them... there are a few characteristics I like my heroes to possess.
1. Intelligence - No, they don't have to be geniuses or Academics... but they can think on their feet, they don't get tricked by the obvious, and they can solve a problem with their brain as much as their brawn.
2. A sense of humor - Sometimes, they're the joker. Sometimes, they're the dry comedien that you really have to pay attention to in order to catch the joke. Sometimes, it slips right by you while the person beside you laughs their head off. They can be serious, or they can be care free, but they can laugh once in awhile.
3. Presence - They don't walk into a room unnoticed. It's not because they're so gorgeous, or they're so loud. They just fill up the space around them.
4. Loyalty - Sounds like a good quality for a dog, I know. Loyalty is the best word I could think of and yet it doesn't quite cover what I mean. When they love you, they love you with everything in them. They don't do it half way. They either do or they don't. They fight for what they believe in. Fiercely. In the 'Deadly' series by the Warped One - Jaycee Clark, all of her Kinncaid Men make a promise to the women they love "This I protect". I always loved that. Three words sums up exactly what I mean.
And what don't I like in heroes?
1. The consumate Alpha Male - They irritate me more than anything else. They usually come across and pig-headed, strong willed and deaf. Not literally deaf- okay, Benjamin was deaf - but I mean, they don't listen. They want what they want when they want it and everyone else be damned. They're never wrong, even when they're proven so. And their idea is always the ONLY way. Bleck!
2. The perfect male specimen - He's tall, built like a tank, with golden skin, a bare chest, piercing eyes and a perfectly chisled jaw.... and I'm bored already. I actually prefer a lankier hero... yeah, probably tall... I like tall... but he's not muscle bound. And he's probably not perfect. Or the 'typical' gorgeous. I find both Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant very attractive men... and there are a lot of women who wouldn't agree.
Right now, I'm working on a sci fi romance titled The Garrison: Freedom. It's the fifth in a continuity series with Triskelion Publishing. Sorry... not much more info than that right now as I haven't posted anything to my site yet. But that hero, Raylor Strike, starts out as being almost un-likeable. He's a thief, a mercenary and a liar. Not very likeable, right? But when he finds out his actions directly led to abuse on the heroine, Zarah Minoux, it tears him up. And that is when his true self is revealed... and everything I like in a hero comes forward.
Stay tuned for more information on The Garrison: Freedom and Raylor Strike.
Gail
For me, not so much.
I like my men to be heroes... but not always in the typical sense. Sometimes, they're unwilling heroes. They don't set out to be that way, but when faced with the choice, they choose the righteous path. They're what my dad called 'good men'. Not perfect... but good.
I try to write my heroes the same way. Sometimes, they start out as absolute jerks (aka Benjamin Roth in Precious Things), sometimes, they're wounded souls (Donovan Greer in Watch Over Me), and sometimes, they're cads (Raylor Strike in my upcoming release The Garrison: Freedom). I've had true-blue dyed in the wool heroes (Jace Quinn of The Phoenix Rebellion Book III: Gaining Ground), and men who - despite themselves - are heroes (Nick Tanner of The Phoenix Rebellion Book I: Rising Up).
So, no matter how they start out... or where their stories take them... there are a few characteristics I like my heroes to possess.
1. Intelligence - No, they don't have to be geniuses or Academics... but they can think on their feet, they don't get tricked by the obvious, and they can solve a problem with their brain as much as their brawn.
2. A sense of humor - Sometimes, they're the joker. Sometimes, they're the dry comedien that you really have to pay attention to in order to catch the joke. Sometimes, it slips right by you while the person beside you laughs their head off. They can be serious, or they can be care free, but they can laugh once in awhile.
3. Presence - They don't walk into a room unnoticed. It's not because they're so gorgeous, or they're so loud. They just fill up the space around them.
4. Loyalty - Sounds like a good quality for a dog, I know. Loyalty is the best word I could think of and yet it doesn't quite cover what I mean. When they love you, they love you with everything in them. They don't do it half way. They either do or they don't. They fight for what they believe in. Fiercely. In the 'Deadly' series by the Warped One - Jaycee Clark, all of her Kinncaid Men make a promise to the women they love "This I protect". I always loved that. Three words sums up exactly what I mean.
And what don't I like in heroes?
1. The consumate Alpha Male - They irritate me more than anything else. They usually come across and pig-headed, strong willed and deaf. Not literally deaf- okay, Benjamin was deaf - but I mean, they don't listen. They want what they want when they want it and everyone else be damned. They're never wrong, even when they're proven so. And their idea is always the ONLY way. Bleck!
2. The perfect male specimen - He's tall, built like a tank, with golden skin, a bare chest, piercing eyes and a perfectly chisled jaw.... and I'm bored already. I actually prefer a lankier hero... yeah, probably tall... I like tall... but he's not muscle bound. And he's probably not perfect. Or the 'typical' gorgeous. I find both Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant very attractive men... and there are a lot of women who wouldn't agree.
Right now, I'm working on a sci fi romance titled The Garrison: Freedom. It's the fifth in a continuity series with Triskelion Publishing. Sorry... not much more info than that right now as I haven't posted anything to my site yet. But that hero, Raylor Strike, starts out as being almost un-likeable. He's a thief, a mercenary and a liar. Not very likeable, right? But when he finds out his actions directly led to abuse on the heroine, Zarah Minoux, it tears him up. And that is when his true self is revealed... and everything I like in a hero comes forward.
Stay tuned for more information on The Garrison: Freedom and Raylor Strike.
Gail
posted by Gail aka Katelyn aka Who? at 5:10 PM
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