Unconventional Heroes, by Jade Buchanan
The other day I was out with some friends when I was cornered and asked about heroes. They wanted to know what my ideal hero was, since I’ve now written quite a few sexy men. Should have been easy to answer, right?Wrong.
I kept trying to put them off by saying it depended on what my character wanted, needed, wished for, etc., but they wouldn’t accept that. They wanted to know what I wanted in a hero. To be honest, I just couldn’t answer it.
I know a lot of authors write sexy romances and imagine themselves in the heroine’s shoes. We all know what kind of man we want to be with, even if it’s just in fantasy, right?
I love a good man. Regardless of what type of hero he is, what type of man he is. Men in real life are complex, despite all the “simple-minded male” jokes that are out there. They can be infuriating, sexy, brooding, funny, intelligent, despicable, rude, loving, caring. I could go on for hours about what makes up different men. There are so many different facets that you can add to your characters that no two men in your books should ever be the same. They have different interests, they have favorite sayings, favorite curses, favorite “positions”. Even twin brothers can be vastly different from each other, even with all their similarities.
I think there’s something so innately great about a guy who doesn’t fit a stereotype. I’ve written about Alpha males, dominant vampires, infuriatingly close-mouthed werewolves. I’ve also written submissive males, cute, bouncy catmen, unsure virgins, shy and needy cat shifters. I’ve even combined traits and written men that almost defy description. I’ve been told I have quite the imagination and I think that’s the highest compliment a writer can receive.
When most people think of heroes in Romance books, they think about what makes a man attractive to the heroine. But, what if you don’t follow the conventional boy-meets-girl romance? In the majority of my stories I often write about two or more men. It’s the benefit of writing solid ménage and gay fantasies. A lot of my books don’t even have a heroine. Some people may wonder why I focus so much on men. My question is “why not?”
When I write a story, I don’t imagine myself in the hot-seat, so to speak. I’m the observer who gets to nudge two people into a situation and sit back and watch what happens. Taking two men and finding out how they fit together romantically can be great fun. It can be sexy and enlightening. It can be uncomfortable, and that’s okay too.
We all write for different reasons. I write because I want to entertain, but I also want to explore. Getting to explore different heroes, finding out how they react to different circumstances, can be very satisfying. My men may be unconventional, and they may not fit the typical mold of the Romance Genre Hero, but I’m fine with that. I like the idea that I can be different, explore new ideas without having to fit in a particular box.
I’m able to push the envelope and create worlds that aren’t typical because I have the freedom of being electronically published. It may be a niche market, but it’s one that fits me well at the moment. Epublishers don’t have the same restrictions that are present in the New York markets. They are able to try new themes and see if they work almost immediately.
That freedom lets me experiment with my heroes. They may be men that I would never in a million years want to be with. I may give them quirks that bother me, just to see what that will do to their love interest. In the end, it isn’t about me. It doesn’t matter if I fall head over heels in love with them by the end of the book. Of course, I always end up falling in love with them anyway, which can be very revealing for myself as an author.
People are multifaceted, and writing characters that are intricate and involved makes for a more interesting book. As long as people keep reading my novella’s, and continue to love my men, I’ll keep on writing about my unconventional heroes.
Question of the Day:
What is the most appealing “unconventional hero” you’ve encountered in a romance?
Jade Buchanan’s first book, The Felidae 1: Laithe’s Pride, was released in January of 2007 at Changeling Press. Signed by four separate epublishers, Jade’s 15th novella will release in April. For more information, visit her at http://www.jadebuchananbooks.com/
Everyone loves a good hero, but what do readers, agents, editors, and writers love most about them? Join us as we delve under the covers to find out everything we can about heroes!
March 25th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Jade, I’ll be the first to say I NEVER thought reading a romance about a male on male (or multiple males) sexual relationship would ever appeal to me. But you have such a way with focusing on emotion and passion that it transcends gender boundaries. You really push the envelope and opened my eyes to why the romance industry is able to cater to so many preferences. Congratulations on the great success you’ve been having! As to most unconventional hero, I’d say Viscious in JR Ward’s latest Black Dagger Book. Not only a vampire, but a dominatrix who is attracted to another man and has his own person dungeon complete with masks, whips, and other assorted sex toys? Talk about pushing the envelope in a book that was obviously going to be read by a huge audience.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:48 am
I’m very ‘conventional’ in my romance reading so far. I’ve read a few eroticas, but haven’t tried anything that ventures outside the norm. I suppose the most unconventional hero I’ve read and cared about is Ennis from Annie Proulx’s Brokeback Mountain. Ennis is such a Lost Soul that you can’t help but feel for his him and the anguish he lives. It doesn’t hurt that he was portrayed in the screen version by Heath Ledger (so sad about his death). He brought the character to life on screen.
The short story itself is a great one–forbidden love, hidden love, the sacrifices people make to fit in. You could replace the characters with a hetero couple and the story would still stand up (although would lack a great deal of the tortured soul elements). It’s a tried and true formula. But the unconventional love Ennis and Jack experience gives it deeper meaning in our society and the times we live in. It helps us understand that love comes in different forms and can be lived out in different ways, something that helps us see things outside of our isolated worlds.
Ennis is an unconventional hero that stands out to me (in my limited experience!). Really interesting column, Jade. Thanks for contributing to Chasing Heroes. =)
March 26th, 2008 at 12:37 am
Thanks so much, Virna! That’s such a sweet thing to say! You know, I’m a firm believer that whenever you write with emotion and passion, you can just get sucked into the story and hopefully your readers will too. And that’s definitely one thing I love about the romance genre! There’s so much out there that we can write about, so many different experiences, that it’ll never get old! Oooh, love Viscious
Thanks, Misa! I just loved your comments! Yes, it’s always great when we get introduced to something that’s outside our realm of experience. I must admit, though, that I bawled like a baby when I watched Brokeback Mountain! I’ve never been good with reading about forbidden love and heartbreak (I like my romances with a definite HEA), but those two just brought the characters to life until you couldn’t stop thinking about them. A great story can do that
Thanks so much for letting me contribute!
March 26th, 2008 at 12:51 am
I loved Brokeback Mountain, and have to agree, they are two unconventional heroes. I can’t think of any others right off that would be male on male. My reading is pretty conservative. I rarely read romance or erotica. I have the greatest respect for those authors who have the guts to push the envelope. And it is guttsy, because often the industry sets the guidelines. Those who break out, I think find a greater fan base. Because then, you touch everyone. So keep on writing, and breaking the rules.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Thanks Lee! That’s so nice
I wouldn’t have even had the guts to do it if I hadn’t read so many great books by some fabulous authors, though.
I never thought I’d be a rule breaker, but I must say it’s been fun!
May 23rd, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Is Twitter or Facebook better? I say both are great together. I have my blog, and my twitter account, and my facebook account all intergrated. Then I use tweetdeck. Its great.