Hero Worship

...or why do I like jerks?

Don't worry, this isn't a post about my dating habits. Nope, this is strictly about the stuff good romances are made of. Namely, a hot hero. We've all heard how important it is for the reader - and you, as the writer - to fall in love with the hero in a romance novel. All well and good if the kind of man you like is "traditionally" heroic. What happens when you tend to like guys rougher around the edges without that clear S on their capes? Are you doomed to continually hear that your hero is not sympathetic or likable, especially when you're dealing with books that aren't single titles?

Case in point: my favorite Nora Roberts' book, Angels Fall. Yes, I gush about this book to my friends a lot. Take a wounded heroine who's a bit odd, a lot smart and gutsy as hell and pair her with a hero that isn't one the Hallmark channel would have any clue what to do with. Sold! So sold, in fact, that I'm finishing my 4th reread of AF and own the book in both paperback and HC. Brody is my kind of hero. He isn't full of poetry and doesn't always woo. Sometimes he's downright crass. One of my favorite lines is when Reese, the heroine, waits for him to kiss her goodbye after their first kiss and he says, paraphrased, "What, are we going steady now, Slim?" That's Brody.

Brody also is a hero in ways that many men would never be, ways I won't illustrate here for fear of spoilers. He's a man of action, not words. Words are cheap and lots of people buy them on layaway.

He's also the kind of hero I write, or that I've tried to write. When aiming towards a market other than ST, you have to be mindful of reader expectations. A lot of readers expect a traditional hero, and apparently, that means one who thinks heroically at all times. To me, a true hero/heroine is one that sees a way out of doing the right thing, knows they have a choice, but still does the right thing anyway.

What do you think? What makes a hero? Are you okay with rougher edges if the person is, fundamentally, a decent human being?

And while we're on the topic of heroes...take a look at my image of Nunzio, the Italian hero of my current short, Passionate Ink. Mine works with computers and doesn't do a lot of manual labor, but otherwise, he's pretty damn close. ;)

Do you start off with a bang?

Thanks to some contests I've come across recently, I've started re-evaluating my opening scenes. Having cut my teeth on the work of Nora Roberts, an expert at the slow build, I don't necessarily need instantaneous impact in paragraph 1, Chapter 1 for me to buy a book. There doesn't have to be an explosion on the first line, actual or metaphorical, for me to want to continue reading. But we hear over and over again how critical it is to hook a reader immediately; in fact, that's probably one of the first things we're taught as writers. Start "en media res" - in the middle of things.

I frequently rely on voice as my initial "hook," because truthfully, I often like to start just a few moments before the inciting event, to allow the reader to invest in the character a bit first. Some books I start at the point of impact. But lately I see more and more how critical the beginning is - a catchy voice is great, but if there's not a hook, often in the first line, an editor or agent may just give up and move on. And that says nothing about readers.

As a writer - and reader - how long do you give a story before you take it up to the checkout counter (physical or virtual) or put it back on the shelf? And in your own stories, do you hit the ground running or acquaint the reader with the character first? Probably the sweet spot is managing to do a bit of both, but I'm curious if you have to know a little about a character before you care he's about to be eaten by a huge winged dinosaur. ;)

Since I've been a remiss blogger...

Let me tell you...where I am right now, I can't remember warm weather, so I thought this was a good day to post this picture!

I decided to post brief snippets of two reviews I've gotten from friends on Full Disclosure. Eventually the reviews will be posted in their entirety on TWRP's site, but until then, I figured snippets would be enough to whet your appetite.

From my awesome friend and fellow TWRP Scarlet Rose author, April Vine:

Full Disclosure delivers on all accounts! Super hot eroticism that made my laptop’s hardware sit up and sweat. Sexy, authentic and adventurous characters that I rooted for.

And from another awesome friend, Harlequin Blaze author Samantha Hunter:

Want to set your eyeballs on fire and warm your heart at the same time? Read Cari Quinn's Full Disclosure. Quinn writes the story of Alex and Holly, two people who work together but then meet by chance that's not really chance at all -- Alex has a secret, and he can only hope that the scorching sex he's able to share with Holly will help her forgive him when there is "full disclosure" between them.

Thanks so much, April and Sam!

One more bit of news...I'm at Night Owl Romance's blog on Tuesday 1/12, giving away another copy of Full Disclosure. My topic is one of my favorites, why do you like erotic romance? Or why don't you like it? At least I think that's my topic. With where my mind's been at lately, I can't be sure. LOL Please stop by if you get a chance!