UPDATE: The winner of the free download of Ravenborne is…Fedora!
Fedora, I’ll be in touch! DD
I Need A Hero
by Chandra Ryan
Really, who doesn’t? But, when I’m writing, that seems to be a major sticking point for my muse. The hero. He has to be perfect. Not for me, of course—some of the heroes I’ve written wouldn’t make it a month with me—but for my heroine. So what is it that makes a good hero?
In Ravenborne, I needed someone the heroine, Saraphina Raven, could trust. That was crucial. Sara had grown up a piece of power in a political game of chess. And potential mates had always been more interested in her family’s power and money than her. It was just a fact of life. One she didn’t fully appreciate, though, until raiders murdered her family and destroyed their keep.
Second to trust was loyalty. She needed someone who was loyal to her above anything and anyone else. In a world filled with conceded, power-hungry families, this was a definite problem.
And lastly, she really needed a champion. In the seven years that followed the raid, she’d fought all her battles alone. Sure, she’d made some friends along the way, but none that could help her with the challenges life continued to throw at her. And she really needs help, even if she believes she can do it all on her own.
So is Kavin Hunter the man for the job? Being the King’s Right, he’s already sworn his loyalty to the crown. And if that wasn’t enough, he’s the brother of the bastard she’d been betrothed to. But he does have a couple things going for him. Sara does trust him. And the pesky man insists on fighting her battles, even the ones she wishes he’d stay out of.
It’s not much but, in a game where the pieces are stacked against them, it might just be enough to give them a fighting chance.
So what about you, have you ever had to hunt for specific characteristics when looking for your hero? I’m giving away a download of Ravenborne to someone who answers. Just leave your hero requirement(s) and your e-mail address in the comments for a chance to win.
And, just in case you were curious, mine was loyalty. I needed someone who’d always be on my side. And yes, I found him. We’ll be celebrating our fourteenth anniversary this November.
Comment
Great post! I never really thought about it, but trust and loyalty would be the two characteristics that I would look for in my hero. I found both in mine and we are celebrating our fifteenth anniversary this September 14th. It’s nice to have someone there to standby you when you need them. Congrats on your fourteenth anniversary this November.
beckyqward@gmail.com
Comment
I like my heroes smart, competent, and compassionate–and of course, hunky doesn’t hurt, but the others are more important. Congrats on your very own HEA, Chandra! We’re hitting 14 years next week 🙂
Comment
Trust was and is a big issue with me and respect. I’ve been with my hubby 32 and1/2 years and never had a reason to doubt either!
Comment
i think honesty, gentelness,faithfullness,the ability to love someone more than they love themselves and for no reason than that they love them. sense of humor and strength of character as well as body.
trvlangt1t@yahoo.com 😛
Comment
I like men who are intelligent, have a sense of humor and believe that forever is forever. Thanks for the giveaway.
jepebATverizonDOTnet
Comment
Becky W.-Trust and loyalty are always cornerstones to a good relationship, at least in my opinion they are 😀 Thank you and congratulations on your upcoming anniversary. It’s true what they say, time flies… 🙂
Fedora-Those are good ones. Especially competence. I think that gets overlooked a lot these days. Hope you have a fantastic time celebrating next week 🙂
Diane Sadler- Wow! Congratulations on 32.5 years. That’s fantastic. And yes, respect is hugely important to me too.
Comment
Tammy Ramey- What a fantastic list! Those are some really good traits. I especially liked the faithfulness because how can you show respect and loyalty without it? Thank you.
Jen B- A sense of humor is a must. There’s nothing like a man who can make you laugh. Especially when things are hard.
Comment
My personal hero has to be someone who treats me like a HUMAN BEING (I had some bad experiences with men until I met my fiance 🙂 We’ve been together for 4 years on the 22nd of this month!)
My book hero? a total alpha male, who is also kind, caring and has a great sense of humor!
Ashley A
Comment
Great post! I agree with everything that everyone said!