HERO + EMOTION = TROUBLE
I had a tough time with Deputy James Harley, the hero in my new book, SOMEBODY LIKE YOU. He’d actually appeared in the first two Sugar Shack books and I always found him funny and charming. When he finally got his own story he did a one-eighty on me and I had to wonder what the heck was wrong with this guy? As he started to reveal more and more of himself I figured it all out. Kinda.
Men get angry a lot faster and harder than women. Blame it on testosterone. If a man is frightened, he acts angry. If he is frustrated, he acts angry. If he is hurt, he acts angry. Make sense? Maybe not to women, but in a man’s mental dictionary, anger is an expression of emotion, whether that emotion is fear, frustration, sadness, pain, humiliation, or defeat. Our culture has taught men that crying is unacceptable for them because it indicates weakness. Therefore, most men detest displaying any kind of weakness, especially in front of other men. Later in the relationship, a man may trust a woman enough to talk things through or even cry. But until trust is developed, an outward display of emotion will most likely be in some form of anger. I’ve come to the conclusion that this is why the alpha hero is so often written. He is far more realistic than the beta hero who listens sympathetically to the heroine as she rambles on about the rip she got in her pantyhose that morning.
Men are pretty straightforward, except when it comes to their emotions. Keeping this in mind, while writing romance, a writer must remember that romance is about intimacy, love, and trust. It’s an adventure in the emotional travels of the hero and heroine. While love may be universal, each couple experiences it differently. Creating realistic well-rounded characters bringsuniqueness to each and every romance. Do you have a favorite alpha hero?
I’m celebrating the return to the Sugar Shack with a contest and giveaway of a Sugar Shack inspired gift basket. Please check my Facebook page for details. Contest is open to U.S. and International readers.
URLs
Twitter: @CandisTerry
BIO
Candis Terry is the author of the Sugar Shack novels—a trio of small town romances rich with memorable love stories, quirky characters, and tons of fun. Born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California, Candis now makes her home on an Idaho farm. She’s experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to chasing down wayward steers to working as a graphic designer. Only one thing has remained constant: Candis’ passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily ever after.
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There is an eBook of Somebody Like You up for grabs. Just fill out the rafflecopter below to be entered.
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