On writing multiple heroes...

My first menage book was really a reverse harem novel (sorta, there's usually less sex in the current fantasy romance novels that are popular reverse harems). It's called A Slave To the Servants and as of this writing, it's free on literotica...and SO VERY GOOD.




After that, I read Vanessa Vale's Bridgewater series (menage cowboys) and it was all over. Multiple heroes is my calling (WRITING THEM...not sleeping with...ya perv). I love writing sex scenes--my word count per hour goes way up--and having more than one characters meant I could fufill every fantasy. One guy is more strict, one guy is sweet, one is fun, one is serious, etc.




So I decided to write menage. But first, I wrote Pearl's Possession (get free- https://dl.bookfunnel.com/l8jycmth4s) and reached the upper limit of sex scenes one can stuff into a novel. I wrote it when I was pregnant and still have blissful memories of all the men. Fans agree, even with the endless sex, it has all the feels.


Ahem. I was going to talk about writing multiple guy characters. I follow a lot of screenwriter's advice about character arc and so think through where each character starts out, what main flaw or weakness they have that keeps them from getting what they want. By the end they have to face their deepest fear to find love.



So each guy has that going on, but the main character is always the lady so I usually focus on her journey more. So the guys...with them I can just have fun.

I'll give you an example. In my release tomorrow



I have 4 guys. FOUR GUYS. That's a lot, you might say, and you'd be right. But in my head, each guy is super distinct and has a VERY DIFFERENT personality from his warrior brother. The magic makes them stick together like glue and...cough...share the same woman. The magic and world-building is another story. Let me tell you about the guys.

Tristan

First I knew I would write Tristan. I always knew the mate for Yseult was Tristan (Yseult is a form of the name Isolde...look it up). :D
Tristan is the leader. He's very honorable, and very conflicted about his newfound loyalty to this woman who appeared out of nowhere (a spell drops her in a field outside his liege's castle). He knows his king is a BAD GUY and he's trying to be a good guy. So in every scene, he's giving orders, he's leading and the other guys fall in line. That doesn't make them any less dominant...

Magnus

Okay, I have to say. Tristan was my favorite, then this guy came along. He's the giant one of the group. If you think physical characteristics don't matter, think again. When I write it's like a move in my head. Google "Dwayne Johnson barbarian" and you've got Magnus. Except the character Magnus has a lot less going on in his head than The Rock (who I think is a pretty smart dude). If Magnus had a motto it'd be: FOOD FIGHT FUCK. Not necessarily in that order. His arc is cool because he's gone battle mad and his mind is lost until Yseult... well, I shouldn't spoil these things. But, of all the guys, he's the most basic. Big dude, big problem, swears undying fealty to Yseult after she saves him. And for this, even though he gets LESS SCREEN TIME than any other of the dudes, I bet he'll be reader's favorite. Funny how that works right?
Magnus cracks me up because in the ending scenes he's like "ME MAGNUS. ME EAT MEAT AND FUCK LADY." But his straightforwardness, his great size and brutality are what endear him to me.

Lars

Lars is the fun one. Let's be honest, the book is intense. I set myself a challenge to have all the events unfold in 24 hours. YIKES. That was dumb. (Remember, there are FOUR guys). But he came into my head, blond and laughing and how could I not fall in love? He has the most fun with Yseult. And she needs some fun in her life. He's the guy most likely to be adventurous in bed and obsessed with her boobs or butt.

Note: I didn't put any anal sex in this book because OMG IT ALL HAPPENS IN 24 HOURS AND THERE IS NO LUBE. OR TIME FOR BUTTPLUGS. That was my reasoning. Ass-play takes prep and planning.

I can't believe I'm blogging this.

Onward!!!

Ivar

Of all the guys, it took me the longest to warm up to Ivar. He's just so intense, and he hangs out with Lars all the time (they shared a wetnurse so they're literally 'bosom buddies', and yes, I loved figuring out the etymology of that term).

So how did I make him likeable? (The first step being for ME to like him, so then I could write him properly for the reader to). MAGIC. Literally. I made him a seer. He inherited the Gift from his mom, who died (which is why Lars' mom nursed him). So his backstory gets some flavor from that. It also gives him a voice among some pretty strong characters--Tristan the Leader, Lars the Fun, Magnus the Giant.

So there you have it. Four guys, four personalities. I hope this comes across in the book. I could write a million more words with them.

Perhaps I shall.

Smooches,

Lee