How to Build A Hero: Part 3 ~ Characteristics

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

The third and final part of my How to Build a Hero series will focus on the characteristics we want to find in our heroes.

“According to Louis P. Pojman in his Admiral James B. Stockdale Lecture in Ethics and Leadership, a hero is a person with moral integrity, a lack of fear and self-control.” And I’m sure that if we think about it, we can see these characteristics in the men in our romance novels. But, as I’ve asked in my two previous posts, do we require other characteristics as well of our romance heroes?

I think the answer is yes.

First, heroes should have good traits, obviously, but they should not be all good. A hero who is nothing but good, “too good to be true,” as it were, would be somewhat boring. Still, we need some good traits to appeal to the basic goodness we believe all heroes should have. Traits like moral integrity, fearlessness, and selflessness. Romance heroes, therefore, should possess common traits we perceive of as good, as well as one other specific characteristic.

According to Ann Marble of WritingWorld.com, “the best romance novel heroes have one thing in common: they are devoted to the heroine.” This characterization seems to be paramount. Even if the hero and heroine begin as absolute enemies, the hero must show his interest in the heroine and his devotion to her. That devotion can range from saving her life to accompanying her on a dangerous journey to unsnarling her financial accounts and keeping her out of bankruptcy or a host of other ways.

Even a bad boy hero must have good traits, although he doesn’t have to show them all that often. We must see him rescue a puppy when no one is looking, or loan a friend money, or cover for someone who’s in trouble. If the “bad boy” doesn’t exhibit these good traits, readers will wonder what the heroine sees in him. He can’t be a total jerk. He’s got to have a lovable side to him (small though it may be in the beginning) so the reader will “get” why she’s in love with the guy.

Conversely, romance heroes must also exhibit flaws. We all love to root for a man who has to overcome some characteristic or past action. Flaws can range from mild to severe, although the more severe the flaw, the harder the time the writer has of redeeming her hero. Heroes can be womanizing rakes, have an unsavory past, be unable to commit to a relationship, have uncontrollable jealousy. If possible, let the flaw fit the hero and compliment his good traits. Just be sure the flaws do not overwhelm him. If he’s too flawed, we will wonder what she saw in him!

Characteristics, just like build and features, are in many ways extremely subjective. Some readers love a “bad boy,” others need a sensitive lover for their hero, and others crave a wounded warrior. As long as your character stays true to himself, if his motivations and actions fit the character you have created, you have indeed built yourself a hero to be proud of.

Posted in On Writing, On Writing Romance | Tagged a hero's characteristics, How to Build A Hero, Jenna Jaxon, romance heroes, tortured heroes | 14 Comments

Horny Hump Day 01/015/13: Betrayal ~ Thomas Takes His Turn!

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

WARNING: MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 18!

NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

Participating authors in Horny Hump Day post three sentences from their published works or WIP, hot like a firecracker! LOL

I’m back with more of my current WIP,

soon-to-be released Book 2 of Time Enough to Love,

Betrayal

Last week Alyse got an eyeful of Thomas. Turnabout’s fair play. In this snippet, Thomas admires Alyse’s naked body as she sleeps.

His gaze traveled lower, to deliciously rounded hips flowing into the sleek thighs he had been caressing a moment ago. He swallowed hard at the sight of the tangle of dark curls where her thighs met. Almost fully erect, he clenched his fists and bent to the task of hiding all this loveliness under the shift.

Hope you enjoyed this little tease from Betrayal. 🙂 It’s set to release January 31 and I can’t wait!

Please continue to the Horny Hump Day blog site for additional sites on the hop and go check out the other hot authors.

Thanks so much for visiting the Journal once more for Horny Hump Day!

Posted in Betrayal, Blog Hops, On Horny Hump Day, On Time Enough to Love, Promotion, WIP | Tagged Betrayal, blog hops, historical romance, Horny Hump Day, Jenna Jaxon, medieval romance, sensual sex scene, Time Enough To Love | 18 Comments

Meet Trevor Green of Guarding His Heart by Carolyn Spear

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

Hello, Trevor! So good of you to come by the Journal today to talk with me. Make yourself at home and we’ll get started.

What was your first impression of your writer? Carolyn? She’s nice enough for a human. Much more respectful than most. Doesn’t rush into anything, for damn sure. Methodical, you know, has to think everything through. Always has a plan B, you know, a fall back plan. A lot like me, so, yeah, I like her.

How did you and your heroine meet? (Shakes head) My assignment was to guard a boy the Syndicate thought was in danger, the Chairman’s son. With my natural ability to cloak, camouflage with my surroundings, I spent a lot of time in the boy’s school. Cassidy Sinclair was—still is— his teacher. Couldn’t help but watch her, too. (A sly grin spreads across his face.) She’s easy on the eyes, for sure.

What is your greatest strength? Greatest weakness? How have they shaped your life? Greatest strength? I don’t know. Using my innate Watcher abilities to shift and virtually disappear before your eyes to protect innocent people. Greatest weakness? Inability to trust humans. They hunt us, try to hurt my kind, make up humiliating stories, but we just want to live in peace. In general, outside of my job, I don’t socialize with humans because of the trust issues.

What first drew you to your heroine? She’s sexy and sweet and really bonded with my charge, Allan. She’s great with first graders; she just loves them. But she always seemed a little sad, a little alone. Like me.

If you could be in any profession, what would you do and why? Really? I do what I do because I’m good at it. If I really could do anything, I’d work with troubled Para youth to work through issues and learn to live in the world.

So, in your story, what was the most memorable moment for you? When I finally revealed to her that I was a Watcher, a “Bigfoot,” and she already knew. Damn. I mean, I’d spent all that time and energy hiding my heritage from her and she knew. I don’t remember, but she said I’d shifted when I got shot and stabbed the attacker before collapsing on the floor. She just blows me away. I mean, she knew I was this big hairy beast and she crawled to me anyway to put pressure on my wound, comfort me. Still gets me.

What do you do for fun? (Lifts eyebrow.) Hmm. Now I have a mate, I think you can guess. Other than that, what you’d expect: hiking, swimming, fishing.

Would you like for your writer to create a sequel for you? Why or why not? Hell, no, I don’t want a sequel. A sequel for me means Cassie leaves me or is kidnapped—again—and I don’t want to go through any of that. I like my happily ever after and want to keep it that way. Cassie is my life and when we have kids, they’ll be icing on the cake.

What do you do for a living? Covered that. Bodyguard.

What is your greatest fear? My kind being exposed used to be my greatest fear. Our way of life destroyed, our people exploited. Now? Something bad happening to Cassie. When she was kidnapped, it took everything in me to keep my head, get the upper hand.

What do you wear when you go to sleep? Not answering. Only Cassie knows. I may be a beast at times, but she scares me with those schoolmarm looks.

What is your most prized possession? Possession? I guess my wedding ring because it symbolizes our union. Usually it stays in her jewelry box, though, since I never know when I’ll have to shift. Losing it would mean my hide.

What do you think your greatest weakness is? Trust.

What do you think is your strongest attribute? Determination. When I set my mind to do something, it gets done. Except in Cassie’s case. She totally wore me down and I am so glad she’s as stubborn as me.

What are you proudest of? My morals. I stick to the rule “Do no harm” except when the other person or being is evil, than all bets are off.

What is most attractive to you about the opposite sex? Eyes. Eyes don’t lie. Lips can, words can, even actions can. But when you look right into someone’s eyes, you see truth. Cassie’s mesmerized me from the first day.

What trait or characteristic do you most dislike about the opposite sex? I used to be able to rattle off a long list, but she’s like the exception to the rule, you know. Hmm. They can be devious. I think it’s innate. Even Cassie can be devious, though I did deserve it. And I did enjoy it in the moment.

What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy afternoon? (Rubs fingers together and fidgets a bit.) Let’s just say it’s a pair activity on soft moss beneath a leafy canopy.

What’s your favorite animal? Dogs. You know, dogs love us unconditionally, no matter what. And they know our scent in both forms. They don’t care.

Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo, what would it be and where? No, I wouldn’t get a tattoo. I have plenty of scars. Although, if Cassie wanted a matching tattoo, she would look very sexy with one on her hip. A small one of a rune. Maybe water or forest. Or peace because she ultimately brings me peace.

Blurb for Guarding His Heart:

School teacher Cassidy Sinclair’s sanity is questioned after claiming to see her hero appear out of thin air. Her savior dies in her arms after intercepting a gunshot meant for her and her student, Allan Branson. The only person who believes her account is the boy’s father who arranges her one-week stay at an exclusive holistic healing spa called the Wiccan Haus off the coast of Maine.

Trevor Green, a paranormal, is recovering—again—from gunshot wounds at Wiccan Haus. His body battered and his confidence broken, he is tasked to protect the woman he almost got killed. The one he’s fantasized about for months and who thinks he’s dead.

Excerpt:

“What happened?”

What happened? He inhaled a calming breath and counted to ten, aware that Cemil and Cyrus had joined Sage and were awaiting his answer. Well, not Cemil. He was just being polite. As a telepath, he’d already read Trevor’s thoughts.

“She was determined to come back here and I had to stop her.”

Cemil grinned. “The best you could come up with was decloaking her dead savior right in front of her?”

“Yeah,” he snarled, “it was.” Cassidy stirred in his arms and he tightened his hold keeping her close. He savored the innocent intimacy and hated himself for enjoying it.

Dana stood between the two elevators. “Your room or hers?”

“Hers.”

He nodded toward Sage as he waited for the third elevator, the one reserved for the humans. Somehow, these siblings had charmed the elevators so that only humans could use the one designated to go to the third floor and only Paranormals could use the second floor elevator. The first elevator was reserved for the siblings alone. No one knew where that one went.

“I could use a key to her room.”

“How will you get there?” Sage asked, though he was sure she knew the answer. As always, he would wait patiently, cloaked, for his opportunity.

“Don’t worry about me. Just get me the key. She’s not going to be an easy one to keep an eye on.” The elevator pinged and Dana escorted him to the third floor.

In the privacy of the elevator, he pressed his lips to her hair. She wouldn’t know, but he would remember the silky strands caressing his cheek during the long lonely nights.

He needed to concoct a believable explanation for materializing out of thin air without threatening her sanity.
Or his secret.

Guarding His Heart is available at Musa Publishing and Amazon.

Posted in About Characters, Author/Character Interviews, Guest Posts, Interviews, Promotion | Tagged Carolyn Spear, erotic paranormal romance, Guarding His Heart, Musa Publishing, shifter romance, Wiccan Haus series | 18 Comments

B is for Bedding the Bride

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

Marriage customs during the Middle Ages were varied and in some cases, exceedingly strange to our modern-day sensibilities. One such custom was “bedding the bride.”

The ceremony actually should be called “bedding the couple” because both bride and groom were participants along with their family, friends, and wedding guests.

According to Alison Weir, “One feature of medieval royal weddings that seems shockingly intrusive today was the public bedding ceremony, in which the newly wedded couple were put to bed together by their attendants and toasted by their guests, as the bed was blessed by a bishop or priest. Then they were left alone to attend to their chief duty, the begetting of heirs to ensure the succession. This bawdy custom had died out by the end of the 17th century.”

The custom was not confined to royalty, however. Both nobles and commoners celebrated weddings in this manner as well.

After the marriage ceremony, the bride and groom would retire to separate rooms and their attendants (family or friends) would dress them for bed. At one time, in Scandinavia, the guests would instead strip the couple naked. Then they would be conducted to the bedroom, often followed by shouts of bawdy comments. A priest would bless the bed and the couple would be put into bed and handed a cup of “sweetened and spiced wine, again blessed by the priest, known as the ‘benediction posset,’” according to George Monger.

Afterward, the attendants participated in “the divination custom of throwing the stocking.” The attendants would have secured the stockings of the bride and groom. Two grooms’ men would sit on one side of the bed and two brides’ maids would sit on the other with their backs to the center. Each one took turns throwing the stockings over their shoulders. If a groomsman hit the bride or a bridesmaid hit the groom with one, then it indicated that person would soon marry. A forerunner of tossing the garter and the wedding bouquet.

Once the posset was drunk and the stockings tossed, the curtains would be drawn, the company would retire, and the newlyweds would be left to their own devices.

In rare cases, if the couple were royalty, or perhaps if there was a doubt about the “ability” of the groom, attendants stayed in the room while the consummation took place.

The custom of the bedding ceremony died out by the late 1600s. But until then, brides and grooms had lots of company on their wedding night. Apparently no one had heard that two’s company, twenty’s a crowd. 🙂

Sources:

http://www.alisonweir.org.uk

Marriage Customs of the World: From Henna to Honeymoons by George Monger

Sex: A User’s Guide by Stephan Arnott

Posted in Alphabet Post, On Research | Tagged Alphabet Post, bedding the bride, Jenna Jaxon, medieval wedding customs | 39 Comments

How to Build A Hero: Part 2 ~ Features

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

Courtesy 123rf

Time for part two of my series on things a writer must consider when creating a hero. Last week it was a hero’s physique. This week I want to look at his features: hair color, eye color, and unusual features (scars, tattoos, piercings, etc).

Granted, this section might seem to depend more on subjectivity than last week’s. Everyone has a preference about how they like their hero to look: blue-eyed and blond, dark hair and eyes, green eyes and auburn hair. The combinations are endless.

But what do the statistics on preferences say?

A recent study in France gives startling evidence that it’s actually more than just preference. “A massive consensus appears to exist on which hair colour is preferred, and there also appears to be such severe prejudice associated with the tint of your locks, this is possibly as harsh as racial discrimination.” The results showed that men with black hair were preferred 35% more often than blondes (27.5%), brunettes (30%), and redheads (13%). In fact, redheads of both sexes were least preferred.

Do you prefer the tall, dark and handsome hero? I’ve written about a blonde, several brunettes, but no redheads. And auburn is my personal favorite hair color on a man. I guess I’m saving my redhead for better things. 🙂 I do, however, agree that I prefer dark-haired men in my romance novels. I’ve never found blondes attractive, although I made one of my heroes blonde just to give some variety to my books.

And on the subject of hair, what about facial hair? Do beards turn readers on? Should your hero sport a goatee or a mustache?

I personally am a fan of beards. In my serial novel, Time Enough to Love, I made Thomas, my second hero, have a beard, even though men during the Medieval period were usually clean-shaven. Which brings up the consideration of period accuracy. Those writing historical romance must take fashion into consideration when deciding whether or not to beard your hero. There were periods where facial hair was de rigueur, and others where it was totally unfashionable.

So what about eye color?

Studies say that brown-eyed men are deemed more trustworthy, attractive, and dominant. Blue-eyed men were considered less trustworthy. But the most interesting finding in the study, from the Czech Republic, is that eye-color itself is not linked to trustworthiness, attractiveness, or dominance. It is the brown-eye color combined with some other facial feature that triggers the preference. “An analysis of the men’s facial configurations showed that the brown-eyed men tended to have broader, bigger chins, bigger noses, eyes closer together, and larger eye-brows than blue-eyed men, so it’s possible some or all of these facial features are responsible for the perception of dominance.” So do your heroes need those dark eyes, or a strong chin?

And the last feature a writer has to take into consideration when creating a hero is body

Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

decoration (tattoos and piercings) or scars. I believe this question, regarding tattoos and piercings, may have generational overtones. Informal research finds many women of the younger generations find tattoos on men very attractive. Less women seemed enthusiastic about piercings. Modern heroes (I don’t have to deal with these issues as my heroes are historical and the craze had not set in yet) quite often have several tattoos, especially if they are military or service occupations, like police and firemen. And they seem very popular with the ladies. 🙂

The scarred hero is another consideration. Does the hero have an incident in his past that warrants a scar? Does it have bearing on the book? Is it just for “character?” I know of two historical romances by Mary Balogh that feature severely scarred heroes. In both cases, the scars were integral parts of the plots of the books. In my Only Scandal Will Do, the hero’s face is clawed by the heroine as she escapes. The claw marks leave scars on his otherwise handsome face. But the marks help delineate his character–and give him a more dangerous look to boot.

Creating a face for a memorable hero isn’t as easy, perhaps, as it may seem.

So does your favorite hero fit the research standard: Black/brunette hair, brown eyes, chiseled features with a tattoo? Does he have a sexy scar or a harsh reminder of the past? Or do you buck the system with a blue-eyed blonde with no body decoration? Or even better, do you have a gorgeous red-haired, green-eyed hero just itching to prove the research wrong?

Resources:

“Hair Color and Attraction–Is the Latest Psychological Research Bad News for Redheads?” by Dr. Raj Persaud and Adrian Furnham. HuffPost Lifestyle, Feb. 9, 2014

“Men with brown-eyes are perceived as more dominant, but it’s not because their eyes are brown.” BPS Research Digest

Posted in On Writing Romance | Tagged beards, build a hero, eye color, Facial features, hair color, Jenna Jaxon, romance heroes, scars, tattoos | 14 Comments

Horny Hump Day 01/08/13: Betrayal ~ Alyse Gets an Eyeful!

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

WARNING: MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 18!

NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

Participating authors in Horny Hump Day post three sentences from their published works or WIP, hot like a firecracker! LOL

I’m back with my current WIP, soon-to-be released Book 2 of Time Enough to Love,

Betrayal

In this snippet, Alyse get her first look at her bridegroom’s body.

Alyse’s mouth dropped open, and her gaze raced over his form as she tried to look everywhere and nowhere at once. After a struggle, her gaze slipped lower, to his chest matted thickly with pale hair over well-defined muscles. She tried to stop there, to force her eyes back to his face, but she had seen his cock, jutting boldly from a golden bush.

Hope you enjoyed this little tease from Betrayal. 🙂 It’s set to release January 31 and I can’t wait!

Please continue to the Horny Hump Day blog site for additional sites on the hop and go check out the other hot authors.

Thanks so much for visiting the Journal once more for Horny Hump Day!

“Finish the Damn Book” Contest Finalists

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

Chesapeake Romance Writers

Over Christmas break I was busy compiling the score sheets for Chesapeake Romance Writers’ “Finish the Damn Book” Contest. We had almost four times more entries this year as last, making our 2013 contest a definite success.

The finalists have been notified and the entries sent off to the category Finals Judges so I thought I’d make an announcement here to let you all know the great writers we had enter this year.

CONTEMPORARY CATEGORY: Penny Barber, Editor Kensington/Lyrical

Rules for Burning by Chloe Carson

Under Your Charms by Claire Evans

The Prisoner by Crystal Joy Schneck

MAINSTREAM W/ ROMANTIC ELEMENTS CATEGORY: Marie Lamba, Agent Jennifer di Chiara Literary Agency

Pulse by Lisa Sullivan

Unforgettable by Carrie Christie

Warrior Spirit by Carol Rubright

HISTORICAL CATEGORY: Jordy Albert, Agent Booker Albert Literary Agency

My Reckless Love by Melissa Limoges

Beauty and the Barbarian by Amy Jarecki

Destiny’s Dagger by Karen Woodward

PARANORMAL CATEGORY: Amanda Barnett, Editor The Wild Rose Press

Walking Through Fire by Carolyn Bahr

Divergent Bloodline by TJ Shaw

Stealing Time by Bill Haggart

YA/NA CATEGORY: Deb Smith, Editor Belle Books, Inc.

Becoming by Karen Y. Bynum

Broken by Kary Rader

The Fairy Godmother Rule Book by Sarah Vance-Tompkins

Congratulations to all our finalists and a great big THANK YOU to all those who entered. We will announce the winners of the 2013 “Finish the Damn Book” Contest at the February 9th meeting of Chesapeake Romance Writers.

Posted in "Finish the Damn Book" Contest, Chesapeake Romance Writers, Contests, Finalists | Tagged "Finish the Damn Book" Contest Finalists, Chesapeake Romance Writers, Finish The Damn Book Contest | 8 Comments

The Alphabet Posts Return!

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Jenna Jaxon

For the New Year I’m re-instating my Alphabet Post feature and I decided to go back and start with the letter “A.” That way I get two complete cycles per year. J

A is for Almack’s Assembly Rooms

If you read Regency romance novels, you most likely know about Almack’s Assembly Rooms, one of the most elite social clubs of the Regency period. It was the place to see and be seen, to bring your daughter in order to find a wealthy and socially correct husband for her, and possibly harder to gain entry to than Buckingham Palace.

Almack’s Assembly Rooms in King St., St. James

Almack’s opened its doors in February 1765 as a ladies social club devoted to gambling. By the 1790s it had evolved into a mixed-sex social club where the elite of London society sought husbands for their daughters. Thus it became known as “the marriage mart.”

Gaining entry to this mecca of the fashionable set, however, could prove daunting. Almack’s was run by a group of titled ladies, “The Patronesses,” who had exacting standards when it came to who was allowed entry and who was not. Each season prospective attendees had to apply for a voucher that allowed entry to the Assembly rooms. The Patronesses sat in judgement on each applicant, weighing their social position, address, and behavior more heavily than their wealth. The cost of a voucher for the season was ten guineas, approximately £350 or $574.00 in today’s currency. Then, of course, you also had to buy tickets to enter at 10 shillings (£17 or $27.88) each.

The voucher, if obtained, entitled the bearer to “a ball and supper once a week for twelve

Actual Almack’s Voucher for 1817

weeks.” If, that is, one did not lose favor with the Patronesses. They could revoke your voucher at the hint of scandal or misconduct, or just because you were not fashionable at the moment.

Dances were held on Wednesday evenings and comprised English and Scottish country dances only until 1815, when the quadrille and the scandalous waltz were introduced, the latter by Russian Countess Lieven. Young girls had to apply to the Patronesses to be given permission to dance a waltz.

Supper was served at 11:00 pm, at which time the doors were closed and no further entry allowed, although the dance often carried on until the wee hours of Thursday morning. The refreshments, about which there was much grumbling, consisted of “weak lemonade or orgeat or ratafia, dry biscuits and day-old brown bread and butter,” according to M.M. Bennett’s article “Almack’s—it’s not quite what you think.” No alcohol was served, although one could certainly imbibe before arriving.

Dancing at Almack’s

Although it may not sound as exciting as our current night life, Almack’s was one of the most prestigious and exclusive clubs in Regency London. The Beau Monde flocked there each year, for the most part to have a safe place to show off their daughters and arrange advantageous marriages for them based on wealth and position. And perhaps even love. As Captain Gronow, a figure of the period, wrote afterwards, “at present time one can hardly conceive the importance which was attached to getting admission to Almack’s, the seventh heaven of the fashionable world.”

Sources:

“Almack’s Assembly Rooms,” by Rachel Knowles

“Almack’s—it’s not quite what you think,” by M.M. Bennett

Images from Wikimedia Commons