Dangerous Heroes #MustRead #AlphaHero #PNR #ScifiRomance #ContemporaryRomance #HistoricalRomance

 

Let's start the year with some hot heroes and heroines!

Dark, Dangerous and Seductive!

Oh, My!

Check them out!

HERE!

Characters Just Like Me #LongandShortReviews #BlogChallenge

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

This week's topic: Characters Who Remind Me of Myself and Why

Excluding my own books because I put a lot of myself into my characters, I've read books written by other authors that have resonated with me regarding their main characters. 

The first one that pops into my head is Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn. Oh, if Penelope Featherington isn't me, then I don't know who is! She's a shy wallflower who is considered plain, a bit overweight and has clothes that make her look...blech! She's intelligent, but quiet. No one ever really sees her. She's always in the background, never the center of attention. And trying to withhold certain spoilers, I'll just say that Penelope has a hobby of rather scandalous and witty writings that she keeps secret. I may not keep my writing as secret as Penelope, but Penelope Featherington is just like me! 

If only I found my Mr. Bridgerton like Penelope did! I love this story! It brought me to tears!

Another heroine that I fell in love with was Daphne Pembroke from Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase. She's another bookish heroine (I guess I have a type), who has a secret passion for studying languages and heiroglyphics. When her brother is kidnapped, she has to come out of seclusion to rescue him. So, she finds a man who will provide the brawn while she provides the brains. She's rather strait-laced, no-nonsense, insecure and self-conscious. But she's so much more inside, more than even she knows, and I enjoyed watching her discover this part about herself as well as the journey she makes with Rupert Carsington (who also remains one of my favorite heroes!). Since my pending divorce, I've discovered I'm more than I thought I was, too. Even if no one else can see it.

Stephanie Plum. Ha! I laugh just saying her name. From the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I don't look like her, I'm sure I'm not as brave as her, but so many parts of her life just mesh with mine that it's impossible to think of characters who remind me of myself without thinking of her. Her family is a lot like my family. Okay, neither of my Nana's were gun-toting grandmas, but if I could combine both of my grandmothers into one, I'd have Grandma Mazur for sure! And Stephanie's luck seems to be about the same as mine. Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. She sort of stumbles through life, doing the best she can and helping others along the way. She's always trying to get her bills paid with little income and no food ever seems to be in her kitchen. She's got some crazy and outlandish friends (you know who you are!) and her love life is always a mess. Yep, sounds a bit like me. Okay, so I don't have a Ranger and Joe Morelli do deal with (oh, if only!), but the rest feels spot on. I often feel if anyone did a movie of my life it would be a drama/comedy. What is that called these days? A dramedy?

Elinor Dashwood from Sense & Sensibility and Anne Elliot from Persuasion by Jane Austen. These two women pulled me into their stories like none other! They both were devoted to their families and had to be the responsible ones, taking care of everyone including their parents. They both were also taken for granted, expected to give up their dreams for the sake of caring for their families and the responsibilities forced upon them. Both had financial strains that left them destitute. 

They're both quiet, keenly intelligent, and often overlooked, being outshone by their prettier and more outgoing siblings. Both of their stories made me cry, especially when they both found their happily-ever-afters! They both deserved that incredible happiness!

When it comes to movies, the character who reminds me of myself is Evelyn Carnahan from The Mummy, starring Brenden Fraser and Rachel Weisz. She's another intelligent, bookish heroine who is quite comfortable with her life in a library studying ancient texts and languages. Being without parents, its come to her to take care of her brother, even with him old enough to take care of himself, she has a sense of honor, duty and family loyalty. She's also passionate and yearns for adventure. Although, she stumbles along and makes plenty of mistakes, often getting her into more trouble, but she has the bravery to keep going forward and at the end saves the day. I'm hoping to save the day one day, too. And find my own Rick O'Connell!

One more movie, then I'm done. Bad Moms. Oh, there's so much about this movie that resonated with me! I fall into a blend between the characters of Amy and Kiki. To the outside world, I had the illusion of a perfect life. A wonderful husband, nice house, great kids. But inside, my world was complete chaos. I was overworked, underappreciated and considered myself a married single mom since I had no support from my husband with raising our kids. With all the activities and responsibilities and being a caretaker for everyone, but having no one to take care of me, I'd often find myself sitting in my minivan after dropping my kids off at school, in my driveway where no one could see me and just sob until I had no more tears left. If you haven't watched this movie and you're a parent, I highly recommend it. It's hilarious and touching. Now, I haven't gone to the extreme as these moms have, I can't say that I haven't thought about it. But my life has gotten amazingly better since my husband left and I don't cry in the driveway anymore! I wrote a blog post that you can read here because this movie hit me so profoundly. Right in the feels! 

Phew! I know this was a lot and if you hung around to the end, you're my hero! This was fun and surprisingly therapeutic to write and gave me an insight into myself that I didn't think about before, so I want to thank Long and Short Reviews for suggesting this topic!

Be sure to check out the other blogger's suggestions at ...

I write sensual paranormal and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Sign-up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, writing tips, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!

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Beth-Ann Miller returns to her Tennessee mountain home to find chaos erupting between her family and their shape-shifting neighbors. Her father is convinced the were-cougar clan is responsible for the murders occurring in their area and interrogates one of the shifters, Boone Evans, her childhood sweetheart. When Boone declares several members of his shifter family have gone missing including his little brother, Beth-Ann suspects someone else is behind both the murders and abductions.

Boone never expected to see Beth-Ann again. When she frees him from her father's cabin and promises to help find his brother, Boone doesn't plan on rekindling their passionate love affair or facing the pain of past mistakes. Nor does he plan on coming face to face with the man responsible for altering his family's life forever.

With men hunting the were-cougars, can Beth-Ann and Boone risk all to have a future together? Or is loving Boone too high a price to pay? 

AMAZON

Looking for a Hero #MFRWauthor #writing #characters

 Blogging is an opportunity for authors to connect with readers. Despite being writers, blogging is an entirely different style of writing and often stumps us. To help our authors blog consistently, thoughtfully and with purpose, Marketing for Romance Writers is announcing the 2017 Blog Challenge. Each week, authors use our writing prompt to create a meaningful blog post. We'll be posting every Friday... join us as often as possible.

Week 18: "The Ideal Romance Hero"

When I think of the ideal romance hero, I imagine a man who is flawed or in need of redemption. Isn't that the perfect hero for a woman to rescue? There's more...brave, honorable, loyal, and funny. He needs to make me laugh. Very important. What else? He doesn't necessarily need to be handsome. I know, most women look for Mr. Tall, Dark and Sexy, but I look for more than a person's face to make them attractive. Intelligence is far sexier. That's not to say that I don't mind a good-looking guy. I'm just pointing out that its not necessarily a priority.

Let me give you some examples of what I think of as a romance hero. I'll use characters from movies and television as examples, since those are the ones that most people can easily relate to.

Han Solo 

Movie: Star Wars (Episodes 4, 5, 6 ,7)

Occupation: Smuggler

Portrayed by Harrison Ford

This man has been my hero since I was a child. I fell in love with this scruffy-looking Nerfherder right alongside Princess Leia. When he first met Luke Skywalker, Han was all about making a profit to save his hide from Jabba. It was a long road of redemption for this guy as with each turn, he thought about his own welfare before anyone else. But, it was difficult not to fall in love with the charming and witty rogue even when the rational side of your brain keeps telling you that he's not the type of guy for a decent girl. That doesn't stop Princess Leia from nudging Han and encouraging him (in her own sassy and sarcastic way, of course) to be a better man. By the end, this roguish hero redeems himself by returning to rescue Luke right when he needs help, thereby saving the galaxy from the evil Empire. And, that's just the first episode. In my opinion, Han has more developmental growth than any other character in these movies.

Indiana Jones

Movie: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom; 

Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark; 

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 

Occupation: Professor and Archaeologist 

Portrayed by Harrison Ford

You might think I have a thing for Harrison Ford (and, really, you're not wrong), but its just a fact that when I think of heroes, these are the first two that pop into my brain. I grew up wanting to be an archaeologist because of this guy. He's probably one of the inspirations for my love of history and learning languages. Indy is a lot of things. Brave, intelligent, resourceful, quick-witted, loyal and with a sense of humor and humility. He's a tweed-jacket wearing professor as well as a whip-cracking adventurer. But, he's also a man with faults. He doesn't always have the answers. He makes mistakes. Misjudges people and distances (as when he tries to jump across a chasm). He has a strained relationship with his father. He falls kinda easily for a pretty face, and on the same note, he's not a decent fellow at first to any of the ladies of his acquaintance. He's stubborn and materialistic (think fortune and glory). And, he hates snakes. Really, Jock. He hates 'em. Even Reggie. In each movie, the character development grows as Indy learns about his place in the world, his abilities, his strengths and weaknesses, and his relationships with those close to him, whether its Marion, Marcus or his father which makes falling in love with this guy inevitable.

The Doctor

TV series: Doctor Who

Occupation: Time Lord

Currently portrayed by Peter Capaldi 

Ah, the Doctor! I have a few memories of Tom Baker with his incredibly long, multi-colored scarf from my childhood, but I didn't become a true Whovian until the reboot starring Christopher Eccleston. Each regeneration brings different qualities to the character but in essence, The Doctor is mysterious, adventurous, brave, extremely intelligent, eccentric, and compassionate. He's also rude, arrogant, cowardly, ruthless and selfish. He is full of hope and regret. He is both fun and terrifying. Throughout it all, his companions are what help him become a better person. He needs them. He can barely survive without them. It's proven in a few episodes that when he travels alone for too long he becomes rash, judgemental, wild and reckless. He needs someone to hold him back, like when Rose stops him from killing the Dalek in the 6th episode of the reboot. And, he also needs someone to push him in the right direction as Donna did in "The Fires of Pompeii" when she asked him to save at least one family from Volcano Day. He's the kind of guy that a girl would dream of going on any adventure with, but he'll keep her on her toes! There's very little down-time with the Doctor. Instead, there's running. An outrageous amount of running involved.

Nathan Drake

Video Game: The Uncharted Series

Occupation: Treasure Hunter

Voiced by Nolan North

I know I said I'd restrict this to movie and television shows, but I just had to include Nathan Drake in my list of heroes. I've never actually played the game (my husband did), but I watched it like it was a movie, especially all those wonderful cut scenes. Nathan Drake is another lovable adventurer (maybe I have type?) with an incredible sense of humor and sharp wit. He's fun, easy-going and charming. A bit roguish and rough around the edgings but in a boyishly adorable sort of way. As with any other well-drawn character, Nathan Drake has his flaws, too. He's had a rough childhood with only his brother to help him guide him to adulthood. He's a thief, a liar, and a miscreant. He's an extremely human character by making many mistakes in his adventures. His sarcasm is rather legendary. And he has an unhealthy obsession with treasure that leads him into unending trouble. However, he's loyal and extremely protective of those people he deems close to him such as Sully, Elena and his brother, Sam.       

Sam and Dean Winchester

TV Show: Supernatural

Occupation: Hunters

Portrayed by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles

I admit, I might be slightly obsessed with Supernatural in more ways than one and maybe I'll delve further into that obsession with a future blog post. Today, however, I'll try to limit my views on the main characters as romantic heroes. These two have been to Hell and back, literally. After their mother was murdered by a demon, their father kept them traveling throughout their childhood as he hunted the thing that killed their mother. Dean was taught to protect his brother, Sam, at all cost, a trait that continues into his adulthood. As adults, Sam and Dean continue their father's work and hunt the supernatural monsters that people don't know exist in this world thereby saving lives by sacrificing themselves. They are brave, loyal, trustworthy, resourceful, and strong. They're both gifted with a sense of humor that keeps the show light and fun-loving even during the darker moments. However, their lives are not exactly filled with black and white. They wade through several shades of gray as they determine who is good and who is evil, which isn't always easy. They make mistakes and sometimes need to make tough choices that aren't always right. They lie, steal and impersonate FBI agents to get to the monsters. They kill and torture and sometimes innocents are sacrificed or caught in the crossfire. And despite all the good they do, all the people they save, they suffer from guilt and regret for those they've lost. These are the kind of guys that you just want to hug close to your heart and keep them safe from the evil they expose themselves to.

Want some more heroes? 

Captain Malcolm Reynolds in Firefly

John Crichton in Farscape

Barnabas Collins in Dark Shadows

Tony Stark in Iron Man

Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock

Rick O'Connell in The Mummy

Captain Jack Sparrow in The Pirates of the Caribbean

What qualities do you look for in an ideal hero? Can you suggest any heroes that readers should either watch or read? I'd love to discover more heroes to add to my list!

Be sure to visit the posts for the MFRW's Blog Challenge!

I write sensual paranormal and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Sign-up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, writing tips, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!

Happy Reading!

Tricia

18 & Over Book Blogger GiveawayHop

I'm an avid reader as well as an author. In fact, I read more than I write. Tragic, I know, especially in regards to my bank account! But, I just can't help myself, ya know? I love to read! Plain and simple. And one of my favorite things about reading are the heroes! Not just any hero, mind you. The Romance Heroes. Usually, these are very drool-worthy men. Passionate. Strong. Courageous. And sensational in bed! Not to mention gorgeously handsome. I'm not sure about everyone else, but when I read a book, I have a clear picture of the hero in my head. Sometimes, he might take the form of an actor from the movies or TV. 

Here are some examples. Not all of these books are considered romance, but they do have strong romantic elements. 

For example, when I read Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, I see Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson as Ranger. I think somewhere I read that she pictured him when she wrote that character. It's been so long since I read that, so I'm not sure if its true, but it doesn't matter. The Rock will always be Ranger in my head. 

Another is the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. Many fans have posted who their choices of actors would be for the parts of their favorite characters. I've discussed this a few times with other LKH fans. Those I've talked with seem to be in agreement that Richard Zeeman (one of Anita's love interests who happens to be a werewolf) should be played by Hugh Jackman. There's a raw, masculine ruggedness that I feel he would be perfect for that role. 

And for Anita's other main love interest (there are many these days, but I've only narrowed my choices to 2), Jean-Claude the vampire, I feel Gerard Butler could fill that role nicely. (I admit, Gerry is usually the number one actor I visualize whether I'm reading or writing!) When I saw his role in Dracula 2000, the lethal sexiness, the carnal energy he expressed, I felt would be perfect for Jean-Claude. 

 For the hero, Sebastian Collins, in my novella, The Witch and the Vampire, I pictured Richard Armitage. I think I had just finished watching him in the BBC Robin Hood series and just fell in love with him. He stepped into Sebastian's boots quite easily in my mind.   

So tell me, who do you picture in your mind's eye while you're reading?  Follow my blog and leave a comment for a chance to win a free .pdf copy of my novella, The Witch and the Vampire. You can also find me on Facebook, GoodReads and Twitter.

And don't forget to check out the other great bloggers participating in the 18 & Over Book Blogger Giveaway Hop! Enjoy!