Sunday, May 31, 2009

DIK's...It's the Whole Man

Born and raised in the Southeast, award-winning author Patrice Michelle gave up her financial calculator for a keyboard and never looked back. Thanks to an open-minded family who taught her that life isn't as black and white as we're conditioned to believe, she pens her novels with the belief that various shades of gray are a lot more interesting. She's a natural with a point-and-shoot camera, likes to fiddle with graphic design and, to the relief of her family, strums her guitar to an audience of one.

Please give a warm tropical island welcome to Patrice Michelle! *the crowd goes wild*

I wanted to thank Tracy for inviting me to guest on the DIK blog. As I was thinking about the blog post I wanted to write, I considered the range of subjects that have probably be discussed before on DIK…from, the men to…well, the men, and of course, we can’t ever forget about the men. ;)

Personally, I read my romances for the hero. Sure I want to like or at least be able to relate to the heroine (and I want to feel she’s a great match for the hero and visa versa), but really, I read to fall in love with that super sexy, irresistible guy, right along with the heroine!

I’ll be the first to admit that irresistibly sexy is always a plus, but when it comes down to it, what makes a book a keeper for me is the little things the hero does for the heroine that make me fall for him. Sometimes it’s a particular line of dialogue, whereas other times, it’s something much more subtle…like a gesture or a look.

My ALL TIME favorite dialogue scene is from the movie The Village by M. Night Shyamalan.

In this scene, Ivy is very forthcoming with Lucius when he comes to her rescue that night. (She's blind and is left behind in the chaos that overtakes the crowd, who run to their homes for safety when they learn that a creature has broken their town's perimeter. Ivy's frightened and is walking around calling for help, reaching out her hand...and Lucias grabs it). At this point in the story, Ivy realizes he cares about her and she's trying to get him to tell her how he feels. Marriage has never been discussed or mentioned. Lucius’ character is a very quiet, still-waters-run-deep type of man and that’s why this scene really grabs you.

Quotes below are credited to The Village by M. Night Shyamalan…

Ivy Walker: When we are married, will you dance with me? I find dancing very agreeable. Why can you not say what is in your head?

Lucius Hunt: Why can you not stop saying what is in yours? Why must you lead, when I want to lead? If I want to dance I will ask you to dance. If I want to speak I will open
my mouth and speak. Everyone is forever plaguing me to speak further. Why? What good is it to tell you you are in my every thought from the time I wake? What good can come from my saying that I sometimes cannot think clearly or do my work properly? What gain can rise of my telling you the only time I feel fear as others do is when I think of you in harm? That is why I am on this porch, Ivy Walker. I fear for your safety before all others. And yes, I will dance with you on our wedding night.

Beyond dialogue and bigger actions, I’ve tried hard to include the “little things” that will make a hero desirable in my own stories. One example is a scene in my book COLT’S CHOICE, where Colt and Elise have just have had a sexually charged battle of wills and Colt walks out. In the very next scene, Colt and Elise get in his truck without speaking. Then Colt reaches across and puts his hand on her thigh. No words are exchanged, but Elise knows by the look in his eyes that he’s apologizing.

Another scene that pops in my mind is a scene from SCIONS:RESURRECTION, where Ariel realizes that Jachin had kept an earring of hers, even when he’d been willing to give her up…by that small action (of him keeping a part of her close to him), she realized just how much she meant to him.

Now that I’ve shared a few examples, what particular scene/dialogue/look/gesture, etc has a hero done in a book that has made that particular hero/story a DIK for you? Share and tell us why, and at the end of the day tomorrow (5pm EST, June 2nd), I’ll draw a name from those who’ve commented to win a signed copy of my print book ANTICIPATION AND SEDUCTION. (must be 18 years of age or older to win this prize)

17 comments:

Bridget Locke said...

Hiya! Welcome to DIK!

I LOVE that scene in the Village. So many people diss that movie, but I love the relationship between those two. That scene was just so...powerful!

One of my all-time favorite scenes is from one of my all-time favorite romances; Years by LaVyrle Spencer. Up to this point, the hero Theodore, has been fighting his attraction to the heroine Linnea. She's leaving to go home for Christmas and Theodore and his brother John take her to the train station. He yells at her he loves her when she gets on the train. It's just so...powerful and sweet and so him! :)

I also love the scene when he asks her to marry him. I can't recommend that book enough.

My other favorite is from To Tempt a Wolf by Kate Steele. Jace (the hero) has had enough. He wants the heroine so bad he can hardly stand it and one night decides to take matters into his own hands...literally. When she happens along? Whoo-boy! :)

Marisa O'Neill said...

Hi Michelle!

Scions: Resurrection - I remember that scene well and yes, it made my heart sigh.

I think one of my favorite scenes is in a J.D.Robb In Death book - one of the earlier ones. When Roarke asks Eve to move in and she's about to walk out the door. She finally turns around to him and says she'll stay. The tension leaves his body and he begins to relax. The way that scene is written, hardly any dialogue but you know he is happy beyond measure.

Kati said...

Hi Patrice! Welcome to DIK. It's so funny that you'd talk about The Village. I literally was saying to someone last night that I owned the movie, and not because I thought of it as a "horror" movie but as a tremendous love story. The scene on the porch is one of the most romantic in recent memory. Don'tcha just love Lucius?

Maija said...

There are so many great scenes in Beguilement (The Sharing Knife vol 1) by Lois McMaster Bujold. Especially that one where Dag is talking to Fawn's family and he asks for her hand in marriage. He himself like the rest of them are all a bit surprised...

Carrie Lofty said...

I love that scene! Now I have to go find it again...

Carrie Lofty said...

Ooh! Found it :)

Tracy said...

Hi Patrice! Thank you so much for coming over to play today!

I absolutely love Lucias' and Ivy's relationship in The Village. Very quiet and understated but so powerful.

Both the scene in Colt's Choice and Scions: Resurrection are favs of mine.

I just read an ARC of Bound By Your Touch by Meredith Duran and loved it. There are a couple of scenes in there (I won't print them and ruin in for you all) that had my heart beating faster just for the words.

Patrice Michelle said...

Hi Bridget,

I actually liked the movie, but truly I liked it for the suspense and the love story, 'cuz...there was a love story. ;)

Re: Years. It's funny how certain scenes hit us and we remember them forever, eh? As for Kate's story...dont'cha love those *grooowl* moments? *g*

Hi Marisa,

Yey, I'm glad you remember the scene in Scions:Resurrection. I felt it humanized Jachin a lot since he started almost an antihero in the beginning of the story. :)

AND YES, on use of very little dialogue and mostly actions/ physical responses to show you just how much the characters care!

Patrice Michelle said...

Hi Kati,

Thanks for the welcome. I fell in LOVE with Lucias because of that scene. You could just 'feel' his angst prior to that. :)

Hi Maija,

You're the second person to give the The Sharing Knife series as a recommendation. I'll HAVE to at least get the first book and check it out.

Patrice Michelle said...

Ooh, that's it! Had to go watch the scene again. It's truly one of the most romance scenes in a movie in my mind. Thanks for the link, Carrie. :)

Tracy, Ha! My word verification was redrea. Isn't that similar to your online name? :)

Yes, the love story in The Village is very quiet and understated. So well put! And I do think that's why it's so powerful. And what a tease about the ARC! LOL! :)

Ciara said...

Welcome! One of my favorite movies (Rob Roy) has two heart-tugging scenes that are so tender and poignant I measure all other romances to them: The scene where he comes home after a long trip and wakes his wife up and she says "I dreamed I was ravished by a selkie" and the scene on top of the ridge by the standing stones where they make love again. It's just so beautiful: two people in love after many years of marriage, still madly in love. *happysigh*

You're totally right, I read books for the hero. The heroine I would prefer to identify with, but I don't care all to much about her. My favorite heroes are those that remind me of my husband--which is why all my DIK hero draft picks are the sweetheart, charming guys.

Sarah said...

That is such a gorgeous line of dialog. I am all for a still waters run deep character. :) Great post!

Carolyn Crane said...

Hi Michelle!
Welcome - what fun it is to have you here, and what a great post. I love those little moments, too. Frankly, I'm partial to when a hero washes a heroines hair as an unspoking TLC sort of thing. I'm such a sucker for that!

I love the example you give from your book. The fight-ending gesture is never an easy one for men!

Patrice Michelle said...

Ciara,

I'm trying to remember if I've seen Rob Roy. I'm not sure if I have. Might have to check it out.

Sarah, thanks!

Carolyn, ooh, I love ANY gesture with the hair when it comes to men.

Lady of the Review said...

I also love the argument that ends in a kiss...if it's done well. If it's not done well, it ruins it for me.

I love the idea of the aggression behind it turning into something sensual and sexy. *sigh*

Patrice Michelle said...

Hi Lady of the Review,

Definitely an argument that ends in a kiss has to be done right or it doesn't work!

Patrice Michelle said...

Okay, so I went to a random number generator webpage and had it pick a number and the winner is...

Carolyn Crane (aka Carolyn Jean)

Carolyn, email me at patrice AT patricemichelle . net with your snail mail address and I'll send out your signed copy of Anticipation and Seduction!

Thank you to Tracy for having me and to everyone who participated. That was fun reading your favorite scenes!

Best,

Patrice

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