Devika Fernando's Blog, page 11

Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "The Curse" by Randeep Wadehra

The Curseby Randeep Wadehra


Blurb
Through peace, it’s justice we seek!
The hunter will meet the fate of the hunted
And the mighty will serve the meek!
Twenty years ago, a corrupt President, a greedy industrialist, and a sycophant policeman uprooted the tribal people from their own land and burned their houses. Twenty years later, the Republic of Bodh is in danger from a similar evil troika.
The curse uttered by a frail tribal woman during the carnage twenty years ago has inspired Jwaala, the only female leader in the Senate, to reform the Republic of Bodh.
But the same curse has turned Saaya, once an innocent victim of the massacre, into a relentless killing machine with a mission to prey on the predators.
Even when the Republic spirals into a storm of scandals, the greedy and corrupt President Chaupat is torn between his lust for a dancer and his unrequited passion for his wife Kaamini.Will Saaya succeed in his mission or will Chaupat thwart his efforts?
Will Jwaala, orphaned in a violent attack, be able to turn the curse for the greedy into a blessing for the poor? Will she succeed to save the Republic from another ensuing bloodshed?
The Curse is a gritty political thriller about people who have lost much to greed but want to transform their nation.

Grab your copy @
Amazon.com |  Amazon.in
About the author


"I am an independent content editor, columnist, radio script-writer and blogger. I was a columnist for The Tribune for about fifteen years; my columns – Punjabi Antenna, Write View, Short Takes and Channel Surfer – were quite popular. My articles also appeared in the Chandigarh editions of The Times of India, The Indian Express, the Haryana Review, and the SouthAsiaPost.com. My analytical articles on current affairs as well as various important social and national issues have featured in the op-ed columns of The Financial World, the Tehelka, and The Daily Post etc.
I did freelance scriptwriting for All India Radio, Chandigarh as well as its World Service. For instance, I have done a five-part series on Chandigarh for the All India Radio, which was broadcast on primetime. Scripts on Microfinance and India’s growth prospects were broadcast by the AIR World Service.
I write both fiction and non-fiction. I am a published author. A collection of my short stories Walls & Other Stories was published in 2004, and the other Rendezvous in Cyberia in 2017. Canada’s All Hallows magazine and the USA’s Espresso.com, fictionmagazines.com and IndianReview.in etc – the literary websites that pays its contributors — have published a couple of my short stories. In addition, I am translating a Hindi classic into English. 
Some of my poems have been included in the anthology, The Silken Web, published by the Bangalore based publisher, Unisun, in 2007. The Beehive Press, London, included one of my poems in an anthology titled Earthly and Divine Love. My poems have also appeared in Femina, the Asian Age, Deccan Herald, the Chandigarh edition of The Times of India, and The Tribune. In May 2011, my poetry collection, Singing through the nightmare, was published by Ukay Publishing Co., and has been well received by critics and poetry lovers alike. My latest anthologies – My Beautiful World (Illustrated poems for children) and Rhythms of Love are available on Kindle, Amazon.Com and Pothi.Com.
One of the books edited by me, Evolution of Education in India: a historical perspective by Lacchman Dass Bhimbhat, was published in the first week of July 2011. Another book, an autobiography edited by me, Law, Lawyers & Lawmakers by Harbhagwan Singh was published in 2014. Both these books are available on Kindle and Amazon.com outlets."
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Book Club Spotlight for "Danika" by Varsha Dixit

Danika by Varsha Dixit


Format: Kindle EditionFile Size: 2256 KBPrint Length: 187 pagesLanguage: EnglishASIN: B07L331FN1
Ranking on amazon.in 
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #289 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)#4 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Plays#7 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Romance > Romantic Suspense#8 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Plays
Dear Life,
I get it. You are fond of sending shitstorms my way.I lost my parents and grew up with one relative after another.A few months into my marriage, I discovered my husband in my best friend’s bed. Well, guess what? You made me one heck of a survivor! The joke's on you.Now this ‘hot’ Doctor you sent my way-the one who moved in next door to my stepbrother--don’t think I will be fooled by his charm like everyone else who is eating out of his hand.His smart quips, teasing words and piercing gazes do not scare me. I see him for the man because of whom I experienced several ‘firsts’--my first accident, my first ride in an ambulance, and not proud to say it, but my first arrest! I may not be able to get even with you Life, but I will get even with the Doc! It should be easy for he does have a habit of popping up wherever I go.Yours insincerely,Danika
It would be great if you can add this book to your TBR





Varsha Dixit, the best selling author of several successful contemporary romance and mystery books. Her debut book, Right Fit Wrong Shoe was a national bestseller for the year 2010. Varsha was a part of the Indian Television Industry and has worked as an assistant director and an online editor. She considers herself a dreamer who thinks deep but writes light. Even though creativity is gender-free, Varsha feels blessed and enriched to be a woman. Currently, with her family, Varsha resides in CA, USA.
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Featured - Book Spotlight for "Remember When" by Preethi Venugopala

Let's start the week with something good to read, shall we? An awesome author friend of mine has a new release waiting for you.
​
About the Book Blurb:

On the outside, Tara leads a perfect life. A home of her own, a handsome husband, a doting son and a promising career as an author.
But inside, she is a wreck. Her marriage is a sham and she hasn't succeeded in forgetting her one true love, Manu, the man she had wronged. The man she had almost married.
Manu, now the senior editor with a science portal, firmly believes that he has left Tara where she belonged: in his past. But in reality, he hasn't forgotten anything. Not the love nor the hurt.
Their past and present collide when they accidentally meet in Chennai. The city has come to a standstill after facing the worst flood in a century. While nature is unleashing its fury on humans, they must make peace with their past.
Will they have the courage to do that?
Can they fight the attraction that still burns bright?
Or will the bunch of people they are with, teach them new life lessons?
How long can Tara hide her secret from Manu when it has the potential to tear them apart?
 
Amazon Book Link: mybook.to/RememberWhenANovel
​
​
Excerpt:
 
Tara had been looking forward to the book launch since months. Yet now, when it was happening, she was in a stupor of sorts. All thanks to the man who was sitting next to her.
​
She was on autopilot and not fully aware of anything that was happening around her. She did what she was supposed to do. She answered the random questions that were thrown at her both by the audience and by the moderator. She also read out from her book and signed copies for those who had bought her book.

Manu had not changed much in appearance. But his attitude towards her had undergone a sea change. The lover who cherished her presence had transformed into a stranger who made her feel unwanted.

Manu’s questions during the launch had felt personal to her.

"Why do you write romance?"

"Do you believe in true love?"

Tara didn't remember her answers. She had faced the audience when she answered them. Whenever their eyes had met, Manu’s eyes asked her a thousand questions for which she had no answers. Together with guilt, regret held her heart in an icy grip.

All through the function, she prayed for a chance to ask him for forgiveness. When he left her on the stage to allow the readers to get the books signed, Tara watched him stealthily whenever she got the chance. If he had slipped away, she might have abandoned all pretence and ran after him.

Much to her relief, he didn't leave. Maybe he wanted to talk too. He kept standing, hands in his pocket staring around as if bored by whatever was happening. Next time when she looked up, he was gesturing to Aryan to go to him. Aryan pulled at her saree, asking for permission. When she nodded a yes, he ran toward Manu, clutching his angry bird plush toy.

When Tara glanced up next, Manu who was listening to Aryan's babble, burst out laughing. The sound sent a shudder of excitement through her. She had not forgotten his laugh. The deep, hearty sound always did strange things to her heart. It had been one of the first things that had endeared him to her.

About the Author ​Preethi Venugopala is a civil engineer during the day and a writer and blogger in all her free hours. She has many short stories traditionally published on Juggernaut books but she opted to self-publish her novels on Amazon KDP.  
Being a voracious reader, Preethi writes the kind of stories she loves to read. 

Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "Love and Curses" by Sunita Saldhana

Love & Curses 
by 
Sunita Saldhana


BLURB
When Amber meets Shardul, her heart starts doing somersaults and it seems as if her body has forgotten how to breathe. She has never been so strongly attracted to anyone before. But beneath the physical attraction, there is something else that she struggles with. Why does he seem so familiar when she is sure she has never met him before? And why has she suddenly started waking up each morning with tears running down her cheeks, haunted by the same dream every night?
Shardul has been waiting for Amber forever. But fate conspired to keep them apart. He could not forget what she could not remember. Now that he had finally found her, would she open her heart to love or would he lose her forever?
Grab your copy @
Amazon.com |  Amazon.in
About the author

Sunita Saldhana is a blogger, a poet, an author and a life coach.
She has been writing since the age of 13. She is now a “retired mom” with both her kids having flown from the nest and is now concentrating on her writing. She is happiest when she is writing with her dog curled up at her feet.
She loves reading romance and fantasy and binge watches Crime series like Criminal Minds and Elementary.
She blogs about things she cares for and things that drive her mad. She loves to review books by other authors and share good books with the world.
She has worked as a corporate trainer. She believes that every human being has seeds of greatness within them and she loves to help people find that tipping point in their lives as they discover themselves. This is why she started The Know & Grow Learning Centre where she conducts various courses for kids and adults on communication and life skills.
 She is happiest when she is writing fiction with her dog curled up at her feet.
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Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "Daffodil" by Shree

Daffodil by Shree


Format: Kindle EditionFile Size: 534 KBPrint Length: 83 pagesSimultaneous Device Usage: UnlimitedLanguage: EnglishASIN: B07KDDS452
Ranking on amazon.in 
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars   2 customer reviewsAmazon Bestsellers Rank: #79,652 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)#15733 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction#34591 in Books > Literature & Fiction

Daffodil is a story of an ordinary girl who was compelled to lead an extraordinary life right from her childhood. Contrary to the meaning of her name, the flower which blooms in the spring, Daffodil had to brave squalls and struggle in retribution. Happiness came to her life only to obliterate it mercilessly. She witnessed darkness like nobody did but she persistently followed the light at the end of the tunnel. The tempest could not wither her roots ̶ she surfed through the ebb and flow of her life with robustness and proved her life to be worthwhile. Daffodil's story is all about how she survived beyond the season of blooming amidst deaths, crimes, corruption, prison, and vengeance.
It would be great if you can add this book to your TBR





Shree from Houston, TX, is an IT Pro turned author / poetess since 2015. Her works include short stories collection 'Secret Expressions: Two Stories', novella 'Silent Invaders', which has entered the quarter finals of Screencraft Cinematic Story (for Hollywood) Contest 2017, and Bengali poetry book 'Onuronon', released in International Kolkata Book Fair 2018. Her latest release is a novel titled 'Daffodil: Blooming Beyond the Season'. Shree is a contributing author of 'Flock-The Journey', 'Different Strokes', '50 Shades of Women' and 'Petals of Love'. Her upcoming anthology is 'Muffled Moans - Unleashed', where she has contributed two of her poems. She is a regular writer on several writing platforms, portals and magazines. She also works as a freelance writer / editor.
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Featured - Book Spotlight for "Draupadi - The Tale of an Empress" by Saiswaroopa Iyer

It's time to feature another fabulous author friend of mine with a new release. Look at this gorgeous cover!
​ About the Book Blurb

Being born a princess, and raised by a loving father and three doting brothers would make life seem like a bed of roses to any woman. Born out of the sacred fire, Draupadi is no ordinary woman, and her destiny cannot be to walk the beaten path. Witnessing estrangement and betrayal within her own family makes her perceptive and intuitive beyond her years. Complicated marital relationships, a meteoric rise and a fateful loss, humiliation unheard of and a pledge of revenge, all culminating in a bloody war—her ordeal seemed never-ending. Yet she stands up to it all—never succumbing, never breaking. One of the most unforgettable characters of the Mahabharata, Draupadi shows what a woman is capable of. Told with great sensitivity and passion, this book brings alive a character of epic proportions that resonates with every reader across space and time.
 
 
Excerpt

An awestruck silence overtook them, each drowned in their own memory. Uttara was remembering her association with her enigmatic mother-in-law, and Janamejaya was thinking about Rishi Vaishampayana’s narration of the exploits of his ancestors and their much-celebrated queen. He saw Uttara fiddle with her silvery white plait, still long and lustrous, despite her ripe age of nearly eighty springs. 

‘You lost a lot in the great war, Grandmother,’ he murmured, shuddering while he imagined the dance of destruction at Kurukshetra. ‘Was there ever an occasion when you felt your life would have been better had you not married into the Pandava household?’ 

‘Depends upon how one defines the word “better”, Janamejaya,’ Uttara replied, still staring into space, as if she was viewing the incidents of her past right there. 

Janamejaya moved closer, taking his place by her feet. ‘After listening to the most learned rishis of Bharatavarsha for days, I have still not been able to come to terms with my father’s death, Grandmother Uttara. How can I even dare to imagine how it must be for you who lost…’ he could not complete the sentence, partly out of the numbness his empathy generated.  and partly because he did not want to refresh her moments of bereavement. Uttara had lost her father, brothers, and a very young husband with whom she had hardly spent a year of marital life, to the war at Kurukshetra. Her unborn child, Parikshit, Janamejaya’s father, had escaped from an episode of horrific midnight slaughter. 

‘Everyone lost someone dear to them in the war, Janamejaya,’ Uttara sighed. ‘My marrying into this household at least gave me the satisfaction of bearing an heir to this empire. In fact, I am proud that the thought of unborn Parikshit gave the much needed hope and strength to Uncle Yudhishtira to take up the reins of this devastated land. I had the good fortune of being a daughter to Mother Draupadi when she lost everyone born of her womb to that midnight slaughter.’ 

Janamejaya’s eyes filled with a sense of admiration. ‘Old men and women at Hastinapura still blame Empress Draupadi and her anger for their losses in the battle.’ With a pained shrug, he added, ‘The gap of understanding that exists between the wise and the mundane.’ 

‘As the emperor, it is your dharma to dispel misunderstandings surrounding the history of this land, Janamejaya,’ Uttara’s voice was stern. ‘The whole point of reciting the records of the past is to learn from the exploits of our ancestors, take pride in their valour, strength and courage, while gaining wisdom from the stories of their tribulations. If people judge their ancestors because of false notions about history, it is only a matter of time before the population is uprooted from the values their ancestors fought for, and falls apart.’ 

Janamejaya nodded. ‘That is the reason why I have impressed upon the rishis and acharyas to impart the timeless record of Bharata to students while they acquire education from their gurus. I have also appealed to the erudite disciples of Bhagavan Veda Vyasa to conduct recitation sessions in public gatherings during the festivities.’ 

Uttara smiled in satisfaction at his genuine attempts. ‘Janamejaya, lazy intellect puts the blame of the Great War on one person. Those who truly understood what led to the eighteen-day-long slaughter at Kurukshetra would reflect on the events and choices of three of the four generations that led the entire empire to war. Blaming someone like Mother Draupadi is not only foolish but also a disturbing sign of misogyny that would be frowned upon by the learned rishis who recorded history and composed the timeless story. Mother Draupadi, in fact, saved the empire from many disasters with the sheer power of her desire to protect this land.’ 

Janamejaya listened to her animated discourse and smiled. ‘Grandmother Uttara, I have never seen a woman defend her mother-in-law with the passion that you did just now. Pray, tell me the story again, this time through her eyes.’ 

Uttara rejoiced at Janamejaya’s undying enthusiasm to listen to the tale of his ancestors repeatedly. Very few were fortunate enough to carry the legacy that he did and even fewer realized and strived to live by it as he did. She was more than delighted to narrate the tale, especially from the perspective of the woman who had captured her respect, awe and love for this life and the lives to come—from the perspective of Draupadi. 
 
The book can be bought from: https://www.amazon.in/Draupadi-Saiswaroopa-Iyer/dp/9353333156/

About the Author An Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and an investment professional turned satisfied writer, Saiswaroopa is the best selling author of four novels, all based on legendary female protagonists from Ancient Hindu Literature. Her second novel Avishi, based on a Rig Vedic hymn, has been acquired for screen adaptation by a major studio. Saiswaroopa is passionate about Ancient Indian history, philosophy and literature. She holds a certificate in Puranas from Oxford School of Hindu Studies. As a trained Classical Singer, she has also been awarded a Gold medal by TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams). In her spare time, she likes to search for her next inspiration in books, pravachanas and historical temples. She lives in Bangalore with her husband and daughter. 

​

Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "Deceptive Baritone" by Reshma Ranjan

Deceptive Baritone 
by Reshma Ranjan


BLURB
Sitara Menon is eager to meet the man for whom she has been carrying the torch since her teenage years. She hopes to rekindle their love and romance.
Giriraj Parapuram, one of the lead vocalists of the Benson Town Rock Band, considered music, their band and his friends his world. The last thing he wanted was to come face to face with the woman who had made him lose his faith in women and love.
Sitara organizes the concerts in Denver for the US tour of the Benson Town Rock Band, eager to meet Giri, mesmerized by his baritone voice, sweet memories and an unforgettable passion.
Giri is shocked to find the girl of his dreams changed into a woman who challenges him, infuriates and brings out his baser instincts.
Will their past force them apart yet again or will their desires bring them together? 
Will Sitara be able to rekindle their romance?
Will Giri be able to trust and love her again?
Grab your copy @
Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.in
About the author

Here is a passionate romantic who loves literature and has created many happy ending in her imagination, for every movie or book with a sad conclusion.
She soon began to create her own characters and situations, creating plenty of romances and happy endings to satisfy her imagination. "But for my laziness and diffidence," says Reshma "I would have penned umpteen stories of unexpected pairs meeting and falling in love, overcoming troubles and hurdles to unite for a lifetime."
A voracious reader, Reader, Reshma is a poet as well and feels that she would be blessed as a writer if she could bring a happy content sigh on the reader's lips.
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Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "Shweta Ka Svayamvar" by Sundari Venkatraman

Print Length: 55 pagesPublisher: Flaming Sun (Indie published) Publication Date: October 26, 2018Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLCLanguage: EnglishAvailable on Kindle Unlimited Genre: Romance, Short Story
When Shweta receives an irrefutable offer from a TV production house to participate in the reality show Shweta ka Swayamvar, she’s not as excited as she should be. And there’s a reason for it.
Adi is attracted to Shweta the moment he sets eyes on the fashion model cum TV actress. But he just doesn’t get an opportunity to woo her as he rushes off to the US for his father’s heart surgery. 
Disappointed at not meeting Adi or knowing of a way to contact him, Shweta signs up for the show, unaware of the surprise that awaits her when the shooting begins…
Are the two of them—Adi and Shweta—meant for each other or will fate keep throwing hurdles in their path? Read the full story to know more.
*A shorter version of this story was published before in the anthology Matches Made in Heaven  
It would be great if you can add this book to your TBR





Sundari Venkatraman is an indie author who has 40 titles (36 books & 4 collections) to her name, all Top 100 Bestsellers on Amazon India, Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada and Amazon Australia in both romance as well as Asian Drama categories. Her latest hot romances have all been on #1 Bestseller slot in Amazon India for over a month.
Even as a kid, Sundari absolutely loved the ‘lived happily ever after’ syndrome as she grew up reading all the fairy tales she could lay her hands on, Phantom comics, Mandrake comics and the like. It was always about good triumphing over evil and a happy end. 
Soon, into her teens, Sundari switched her attention from fairy tales to Mills & Boon. While she loved reading both of these, she kept visualising what would have happened if there were similar situations happening in India; to a local hero and heroine. Her imagination took flight and she always lived in a rosy cocoon of romance over the years. 
Then came the writing – a true bolt out of the blue! And Sundari Venkatraman has never looked back.
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Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "Publishing Your Book on Amazon KDP" by Sundari Venkatraman

Publishing Your Book on Amazon KDP (The Writer's Toolkit Series 4)
by Sundari Venkatraman


BLURB
So, you have your manuscript all written, edited, proofed and saved on your PC. The next logical step would be to publish your story.
Read this tool kit to find out the different methods of publishing, the advantages and the pitfalls. 
And IF, after all that, you find that you still have your book unpublished, there’s a surefire way to get your book published. And that’s Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
Want to know how to go about it? Read this booklet to find out all that you need to know.
Grab your copy @
Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.in
About the author

Sundari Venkatraman is an indie author who has 31 titles (27 books & 4 collections) to her name, all Top 100 Bestsellers on Amazon India, Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada and Amazon Australia in both romance as well as Asian Drama categories. Her latest hot romances have all been on #1 Bestseller slot in Amazon India for over a month.
Even as a kid, Sundari absolutely loved the ‘lived happily ever after’ syndrome as she grew up reading all the fairy tales she could lay her hands on, Phantom comics, Mandrake comics and the like. It was always about good triumphing over evil and a happy end. 
Soon, into her teens, Sundari switched her attention from fairy tales to Mills & Boon. While she loved reading both of these, she kept visualising what would have happened if there were similar situations happening in India; to a local hero and heroine. Her imagination took flight and she always lived in a rosy cocoon of romance over the years. 
Then came the writing – a true bolt out of the blue! And Sundari Venkatraman has never looked back.
Click here to check out all the titles by the author...

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A to Z of Writing: Hero Types

A few of my author friends and I have decided to join forces in a blogging challenge. Our A to Z of Writing posts will shine a light on various aspects of being an author. This week, we're focusing on the letter H. Please make sure to check out the other blogs. Click here for a list of all blog posts per letter.
Adite Banerjie | Paromita Goswami | Preethi Venugopala | Reet Singh | Ruchi Singh | Saiswaroopa Iyer | Sudesna Ghosh
​ H for Heroes This post will mainly focus on heroes in romance novels but some of the information can be applied to other genres as well. The ‘hero’ isn’t always a hero in the literal sense, but he’s the main male protagonist (as opposed to the ‘heroine’, who is the main female protagonist and often his love interest). As such, he’s a central character and an author should take great care how to write him. A common aim in romance novels is to make him interesting enough to make readers fall in love with him alongside the heroine. But what kinds of archetypal heroes are there, and how does one write them well?
 
The alpha hero
 
This is the most common type of heroes in romance novels. He’s especially popular in the steamier stories such as erotic romance, as well as in paranormal romance. A classic alpha hero is confident (sometimes cocky), strong and determined. He knows what he wants and how to get it. That reflects in his physical traits: he’s tall and often muscled, he looks sexy, he wears stylish clothes, drives fast cars, exudes power. He’ll be possessive or at least protective. Sometimes he has a rakish edge. Sometimes he is the leader of a gang or group, clique or pack. Some alpha heroes have matching jobs, such as CEO or SEAL, or are in positions of power and used to being in charge (billionaires with their wealth are an example). Vampires, werewolves and other shifters are usually alpha males.
Precisely because alpha heroes are so common and popular with romance readers, it helps to distinguish one’s protagonist from the rest. Give him an unusual job that also mirrors his take-charge attitude. Or give him a weakness or memorable character trait to contrast all that bravado and macho demeanour. Otherwise he’s so stereotypical that he won’t be remembered for long.
 
The beta hero
 
Yes, beta comes after alpha (B after A), and that basically sums up this type of protagonist. The beta hero is a softie but not an omega (last one down in the hierarchy/weakling). He’s caring, often sensitive, honest and loyal, sometimes a bit too nice or confused. His sweetness makes him attractive and relationship material whereas alpha heroes often seem to inspire ‘attraction at first sight’ rather than ‘love at first sight’. Some beta heroes are best friends, (single) fathers or somewhat elder men but that isn’t a hard rule. YA romance might lean towards the ‘softer’ heroes who in the end prove themselves to be special.
* * *
Careful when you write a gentleman as the ‘leading man’. He should not come across as a wimp or someone who has no idea what he wants. Sure, he can be quiet, maybe a nerd or geek, an introvert or someone whose past has made him vulnerable. But he should also be ‘strong’ enough to drive the plot forward and to warrant attention. In a sweet/clean romance, beta heroes are quite common. They can use qualities like a sense of humour, intelligence or kindness as their biggest strength. But don’t make the mistake of turning them into goody-two-shoes. Charming heroes need a fault too, or there won’t be true conflict.
 
The anti-hero
 
Yup, in romance novels, even the bad boys can be the heroes. Whether it’s a sub-genre like dark romance, paranormal romance or erotica, the main protagonists tend to be rough around the edges. They’re dominant, have a volatile temperament, tend to not show their emotions or motivations or even are real bad guys by behaving rather atrociously. Sometimes, they’re written as notorious womanizers, as BDSM fans or as scarred former heroes who’ve turned anti-hero due to something that happened to them. Some seek revenge, others seek adventures, yet others seek the thrill of risky behaviour or illegal scheming. Some are written as Mafiosi, gangsters, ex-military or shifters. Not all bad boys in the romance genre are necessary tragic heroes, and they should not be confused with villains either.
* * *
If one wants to write an anti-hero as the main male character and ‘love interest’, he needs at least some redeeming feature. It’s not enough to make him sexy as sin because ultimately physical attraction doesn’t lead to a believable ‘happily ever after’. Give him a family member he cares for, a tame hobby, a good deed. Perhaps he first imprisons the heroine, then ends up helping her escape? Or he grew hard and unfeeling due to the circumstances but his heart thaws and he learns from past mistakes?
 
There are other types of heroes, such as the brooding hero, the tragic hero or the warrior hero, but ultimately they fit into one of the three bigger categories – or they’re a mix of some characteristics of each category. Which romance hero type is your favourite? Tell me in the comments.