Tall, Dark and Cliched?

Having posted here in the past about beta heroes, and more recently on my blog about balding heroes; over the next couple of days I'll be writing about a couple more hero types - the anti-hero and the short hero.

But first, I thought I'd ask the (probably rather obvious question) why is tall, dark and handsome so popular? Why do we embrace the cliche?

I think we have a checklist of things we like to see in a romantic hero.

• Tall
• Dark
• Interesting
• Kind to furry animals and small children
• Nice eyes
• Able to explain Schrodinger's equation (Is that just me? I have a thing for physicists, lol.)

However, if I'm honest, the most memorable heroes (for me) are the ones that have broken the mold - they've been flawed but have still succeeded. I think the older I get, the more I find I'm bored with tall, dark and handsome. The author that can write a quirky or unlikely hero and make me believe in and root for him is far more likely to sustain my interest as a reader.

Looking at my hero picks I think that this is clear.

John Matthew from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. When we first meet him pre-transition he is a skinny, undernourished youth. Living in a vampire world where physical perfection is prized, he is mute, which immediately marks him as an outsider. But he forges a place for himself. (I'm ignoring the fact that he turned into something of a wanker in the last book).

Curran (Ilona Andrews - Magic series) and Raphael ( D.B.Reynolds - Vampires of America) - both pretty much a more traditional hero. However, they both take the meaning of arrogance to the extreme.

Jeremy Danvers (Kelley Armstrong Otherworld series) - He's the alpha werewolf, but for me he's the epitome of a beta hero.

Richard Tremayne (Lynn Viehl's Darkyn series) - Takes the idea of arrogance to a completely new level. Pursues his own agenda ruthlessly but I'm always left wanting to know more about him.

Duncan Reever (Stardoc Series) - Telepath and when we first met him, emotionally stunted (not the word I want to use but I can't think of a more explanatory one) and unable to communicate effectively with Cherijo.

It's seeing how the heroes overcome these flaws or the fact that they don't see them as a problem that really draws me in. So do you have any quirky or unlikely heroes to recommend? Or do you prefer tall, dark/blond and handsome?

Winner of "His Darkest Hunger", Giveaway!

A big DIK thank you to everyone who came by the island while Juliana Stone visited this week! Juliana, thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit with us, and for your generosity. :-)

Okay, the winner is:

Entry #48 - Abbie!

WooHoo! Congratulations Abbie!! if you can please contact me at i_love_my_kiera@yahoo.ca with your full name and snail mail address I'll pass your information along to Juliana who will get your book out to you. If I don't hear from the winner by Wednesday April 13th a new winner will be randomly chosen.

RT and my DIK's

I'm back, and this time I need your help. I'm going to RT for the first time this month. Anyone been? Actually, this is my first writers/readers conference at all. I'm excited, but also nervous. Let's not forget that I'm a writer, and I like to go with the age-old classic of being a neurotic writer.

So, here's what I've done. I've ordered bookmarks for the first time. One book for each side. Of course, as soon as I got those mocked up, I got the cover for book three. But since it most likely won't be out until late May, I figure that's ok. But it brings to mind question number one. Are RT'ers interested in books that aren't out yet? Or are they so inundated with materials for books that are available right here! right now! that anything showing off a book that's not out yet gets lost in the shuffle? I was thinking I might do a postcard for Bound by Sunlight, put the cover on the front and either a blurb or a short excerpt on the back. What do you all think? Something you'd be interested in?

Also, I'll be signing at the ebook expo. Again, something I've never done. Have any of you been? Any interesting stories or observations (ha!) to share?

Lastly, costumes. Do you guys dress up? The Ellora's Cave party theme is Paint the Town Red. I've got a couple of options in varying degrees of dressiness, so I think I'm covered there. The big 0_0 with this one is that I'll be introduced as an author and walking across the stage with one of the cover models. Um. So, no questions, but if you're going to be there, will you come hold my hand? Thanks. Then there's the Faery ball. This one I'm actually prepared for. I have a green/brown dress and wings, to go with the earth element. And then there's a vampire ball. I have, er, a black dress. Or a black corset and...something else. I dunno.

Of course, maybe none of you are going. Maybe you're all sitting here thinking, what, and give up all that reading time?! So, okay, let's move on to my Desert Island Keepers!

Natural Law

Joey W. Hill
I love this book. Love, love, love. Love.

Natural Born Charmer

Susan Elizabeth Phillips
I love this whole series, but the humor in this one especially just cracks me up.

Amber Beach

Elizabeth Lowell
Her later books are probably better, and I do love them, but this is the one I always think of, and the one I love to re-read.

Patriot Games

Tom Clancy
The first book I remember staying up all night to read, then telling my mom I was sick so I could stay home from school and finish it.

The Bourne Identity

Robert Ludlum
I love this book. Usually I'm able to enjoy movies made from books as completely separate entities. But, even though I like Matt Damon, I can't bring myself to watch this movie. There's just no way they got everything I love about the book into it. Best not to torture myself.

The Boondock Saints

I know, this is totally cheating. But if I were stuck on a desert island, I'd need to put my books down every so often so I could stare at Sean Patrick Flanery. It would be necessary, I promise you.

Last day to win one of my ebooks! Just leave a comment with your choice of one of my releases, and I'll do a drawing at 10pm (PST).

It's been fantastic hanging out with all of you on the island. Thanks so much for having me!




KB Alan

http://www.kbalan.com/
Twitter
Facebook

Are you an observer?

You would think, that as a writer, I’d almost have to answer this question with a yes, right? Seems obvious. But I realized recently that I’m really not much of an observer. I was talking to a friend who said something about people watching on the boardwalk at the beach. And I started to agree about what a great activity that was, but then I realized I don’t really do that. I’m sure I’ve said that I do, and probably meant it, but the reality is that when I walk down the boardwalk, I’m mostly trying to keep from getting run over by the crowd while window shopping.

Same thing with airports. Classic people watching place, right? Yeah, my nose is stuck in a book. Well, glued to my iphone, to be perfectly accurate. Sure, if someone has an interesting conversation going on next to me, I might tune in. Or if a group of soldiers walk by, yep, that will grab my attention because I’m a total sucker for a man in uniform. But for the most part, I’m not paying a whole lot of attention. I drive past a movie studio on my way to work, and have done so nearly every day for seven years and not once have I noticed anyone famous coming or going from the lot. It seems statistically impossible that nobody I’d recognized has ever been driving in as I’m driving past—the fact is, it just never occurs to me to look at who’s in the car next to me. I’ve always figured if I were a jogger, I’d be the idiot who runs right through a police situation without ever realizing there are guns drawn. Which is why it’s safer for everyone if I just stay home and keep my couch company. See, I’m much better at rationalizing than I am at observing.

This doesn’t really have anything to do with anything, it’s just something that occurred to me recently, and surprised me. Although, it does have something to do with my being single, according to my mother. She theorizes that since I’m so oblivious (my word, not hers), I don’t notice if a guy is trying to make eye contact with me. I tried arguing about the statistical probabilities of that being the case very often, but she wasn’t interested in my self-doubt. And she’s probably not wrong, to some extent. If you’re not focusing outward, then you’re almost by definition being closed off. So. Huh. I should probably work on that. But, enough about my love life, back to me as a writer. :P I think I’m a pretty empathic person, so while I’m not observant in the people-watching sense, I am very aware of the people that are actually part of my life. And there are plenty of crazy interesting people that are part of my life, so I do soak in a lot of good stuff, which I can then use on my poor, unsuspecting characters. Hmm, maybe being empathic (in a non-psychic sort of way) is actually part of the problem. You know, closing off from the randomness, so you don’t feel too much? Well, I could probably keep digging and find some deep, dark truth about myself, but this has gotten me thinking about one of my characters and I’d rather go screw up her life a bit. Much more entertaining for all of us, I’m sure!

So, how about you? Observer? Or oblivious? Don't forget, I'm giving away another ebook tonight. Just leave a comment with which of my books you'd like to win (see yesterday's post). I'll draw a winner at 10pm (PST).

I hope I haven't bored you with my rambling because tomorrow I need your help!

KB Alan
www.kbalan.com
Twitter
Facebook

Guest Author KB Alan is on the Island!

Hello!

I'm excited to be here on the island, the scenery is just gorgeous. I may have to take a break now and then to go stare at the Hawtness of the Moment, but you'll forgive me for that, won't you? Thanks to Tracy for inviting me to come down and join you all :D

I figured I'd start with a little intro, since some (*cough*most*cough*) of you don't know me. I write erotic romance. I have a contemporary menage and a paranormal out with Ellora's Cave, and a BDSM paranormal that will be out with them in a couple of months. My first release was last March, so it's been an incredible year for me - totally life changing. In a wonderful way, I should add. There's nothing more amazing then doing something because you love it, and finding out that other people like it too. And hey, you can earn some money while you're at it! Sure, I won't be retiring from the day job any time soon, but wow, what an amazing thing every time I get an email from a reader or see my book recommended to other readers.

I'd tell you more about myself, but really the only interesting thing is my books, so let me tell you about those, instead. Not just because I like to talk about them, but because I'm going to give away one ebook each day I'm here visiting, and if you don't know anything about them, how are you going to decide which book you'd like?

My first release, Perfect Formation, is a contemporary menage, m/m/f. Richard and Taryn have been best friends for a long time, and when neither of them is in a relationship, they're also sex-buddies. They love each other, but they aren't "in love". Then they meet Caleb. The Alpha male with a delicious tendency to tie his partners up brings to Richard and Taryn the realization that what they could never have made work as a couple, comes together perfectly as a trio - as long Caleb's the one rounding things out. For his part, Caleb discovers that with the Richard and Taryn he's found everything he's ever imagined in a partner, and he has no intentions of letting the less certain couple get away.

Here's the official blurb and excerpt.

This book was nominated for the 2009 CAPA awards, and is up for the 2009 Australian Romance Readers Award.

My second book, Alpha Turned, is a werewolf story. Hillary (Larry) is turned into a werewolf in a horrible attack while she's in college. She escapes and runs away, choosing to live in a small town where nobody knows what kind of monster she is. After four years, she has a chance encounter with another of her kind, and finally has to deal with what it is that she's become. No more hiding, especially from herself. When she meets the nearby pack Alpha, Zach, she soon realizes that he's her mate. Zach is elated to finally find his mate, and horrified about what she's gone through. He's ready, willing and able to show Hillary that being a werewolf isn't a bad thing, and being a werewolf in love is a very, very good thing.

I get a lot of emails about this book, asking for more set in this world. I definitely intend to bow to reader demand on that one, lol.

Here's the official blurb and excerpt.

So leave a comment and let me know which book you'd like to try, and I'll pick a random winner each day I'm here.

I'd also like to give a sneak peek at my next book, Bound by Sunlight, a BDSM paranormal, which should be coming out in a couple of months. No official release date, or blurb yet, but here's the cover and a quick description.

Kyriana has had the bad luck to fall in with an evil mage she has no clue how to get free from. Desperation fuels her courage to approach Connul. She’s hoping the combination of his magic and his gift of wringing pleasure from pain will be enough to free her from the spells her boss has trapped her with.

Connul isn’t sure what to think when he finds a young woman wearing pajamas sitting in his private study. He’s ready to defend his home but she makes no move to attack. With a bit of magic and some artful questioning, he comes to realize that Kyr has invaded his privacy in a bid for his help. And that the evil mage who’s controlling her has his sights set on Connul. Using his skills as a Dom to free her won’t be much of a hardship. Learning to trust her with his heart, however, is a completely different matter. And giving her the freedom to choose to be with him or walk away, may be more than he’s capable of.

For more information and additional excerpts on all three of these books, please visit my website and blog!

So, remember, if you'd like to win one of the released ebooks, just mention which one interests you in the comments. Also, I'm curious to know if you're a contemporary lover, paranormal (and if you like any paranormal, or prefer one type), historicals, etc. I tend to read contemporaries, any kind of paranormal, romantic suspense, some sci-fi, and the occasional historical. Yeah, I'm sort of diversified, which is turning out to be true for my writing as well as my reading! My very first reader email told me how much she loved Perfect Formation and that she only read contemporaries, so I should keep it up. I still think about her every time I finish a paranormal manuscript and feel a little bit bad, lol. But there will be more contemporaries, I swear it!

I'll see you back here tomorrow!

KB Alan
www.kbalan.com
Twitter
Facebook