Hot Heroes and David Gandy
At the upcoming Ozark Romance Authors conference, I will be speaking at one of the break-out sessions (along with one of the Queen's of UF/Paranormal, Shannon K Butcher,) on a topic near and dear to my heart: Crafting a Hot Hero.
So, picture a lean steak - raw, uncooked. A piece of meat. Or to a romance writer, a blank canvas. The best heroes aren't plain. They have layers - marbling, a little bit of fat, some aging. In the writer's kitchen, you prepare the marinade, pull out the salt, pepper and dash. Mince the sides like onions, green peppers and mushrooms. On the fire, they sizzle. As the layers cook, the aroma permeates the air. The steak is now smelling like someone you want to put your teeth into.
So it is with a romance hero. A one sided hero will lack the proper emotions and motivation. .He won't be well cooked (or well-rounded.) Some may not want well-done, they want the hero to be raw on the inside - wounded or with a weakness. That's okay. As we delve into his character, we can find out why. The spices and sides only add flavor to your piece of meat. These little extras can be as simple as having your hero love his pet, care for his aged grandmother or put his little brother through college EVEN though he is a ruthless corporate raider or a tormented undercover cop.
At the end of the novel, your piece of meat will have transformed into a culinary delight. With the right flavor, he will be a hero to remember.
And here is my blank canvas: David Gandy. Yes, I hate to admit it, but all my heroes start out looking like him.
So, picture a lean steak - raw, uncooked. A piece of meat. Or to a romance writer, a blank canvas. The best heroes aren't plain. They have layers - marbling, a little bit of fat, some aging. In the writer's kitchen, you prepare the marinade, pull out the salt, pepper and dash. Mince the sides like onions, green peppers and mushrooms. On the fire, they sizzle. As the layers cook, the aroma permeates the air. The steak is now smelling like someone you want to put your teeth into.
So it is with a romance hero. A one sided hero will lack the proper emotions and motivation. .He won't be well cooked (or well-rounded.) Some may not want well-done, they want the hero to be raw on the inside - wounded or with a weakness. That's okay. As we delve into his character, we can find out why. The spices and sides only add flavor to your piece of meat. These little extras can be as simple as having your hero love his pet, care for his aged grandmother or put his little brother through college EVEN though he is a ruthless corporate raider or a tormented undercover cop.
At the end of the novel, your piece of meat will have transformed into a culinary delight. With the right flavor, he will be a hero to remember.
And here is my blank canvas: David Gandy. Yes, I hate to admit it, but all my heroes start out looking like him.
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