Today’s guest blogger is Lauren Dane. Lauren has the distinction of being one of my favorite authors and has recently signed a two-book contract with Berkley Heat. She writes both paranormal and contemporary stories and her upcoming book with Berkley is a futuristic.
Her next release is To Do List (coming from Samhain on 11 December 2007) and today she’s giving away a download of this book. All you need to do to go into the draw to win To Do List is post a comment. (Check the comments section tomorrow to see if you’ve won).
Earlier this year I read Linda Winstead Jones’ Raintree: Haunted. I loved the book but it was one of those books where I find myself totally identifying with the hero instead of the heroine. It doesn’t always happen that way for me, usually only about 20% of the time.
And it’s not that the heroine is dislikeable or stupid, if that were the case, I’d stop reading. But in some books, I identify strongly with one character or the other, usually the heroine in a romance written after 1995 or so. In Welcome to Temptation, I fell in love with Sophie! I loved Phin but Sophie was the character I identified with and rooted for. In Inferno, the first Raintree book, it was definitely Lorna.
I’m not sure why it happens or what it is because it’s not always uniform for me. Sometimes it might be because one of them is more likeable, other times because one of them is more like me or I can connect with something about them, a quirk or a wound in their past or what have you. I think for me when I read, if I can end up really falling in love with one of the main characters, it’s like I’ve made a friend and it’s a mark of a great author to render their readers able to feel like that with a character.
Do other folks do this? Fall in love with one character and if so, what do you think makes it happen for you?
To Do List, I don’t even want to think about mine. I’d love to read someone else’s.
Please enter me.
by Tammy G. December 8th, 2007 at 5:00 amI don’t have a clue what makes me like one character over another. It just happens.
by Estella December 8th, 2007 at 5:54 amSome of the characters I like are secondary to the hero and heroine.
I fall in love with characters all the time. I love Anne Shirley of the Anne of Green Gables series, she’s the most memorable one I can think of.
Excellent post Lauren :)
by Amy Ruttan December 8th, 2007 at 6:03 amLauren, I’m the same way as Estella. There have been a couple of books recently where I liked the secondary characters more than the main characters.
I also loved Sophie from Welcome to Temptation. I think because she was the “fish out of water” so to speak, but she was still strong and she didn’t change who she was just to fit in.
by Laura J December 8th, 2007 at 7:23 amI grow emotionally attached to characters all the time, but not sure why… it depends on the character I guess.
by Rhonda aka SandDanz December 8th, 2007 at 7:59 amI fall in love with strong heroes that show their vulnerabilities at the same time. I don’t like weak women at all- I love when she overcomes a challenge or becomes more proficient in the skill. I also like it when a heroine is a little ditzy, just makes me love her all the more. A heroine that comes to mind is Lula from “Finding Cupid” by Daisy Dexter Dobbs. I haven’t laughed so hard and enjoyed something so well written in a long time. I rooted for both of them in that book! Good post, Lauren.
by Laura K December 8th, 2007 at 9:10 amI fall in love with characters, but I think it depends if they are a strong character or main hero/heroine.
by Amelia December 8th, 2007 at 11:22 amSo… as a writer, I tend to fall in love with all of my characters. I have my hands and head so deep into all the characters in our (me and my co-writer) stories that I can’t help but be completely besotted with the lot of them.
As a reader, the characters I tend to care the most about are the broken heroes. The ones who aren’t quite perfect, just shy of beautiful. Who have faults and weaknesses that are exploited, yet seem to make them better people in the long run. Laura Kinsale, Carol Berg, Anne Bishop and Sarah Monette have an excellent line of characters I love and feel closest to.
And I’m laughing at myself because I rarely identify with the heroines. I tend to always feel closer to the hero’s. Maybe that’s why I write gay romance over het.
by RD Solange December 8th, 2007 at 12:07 pmI do fall in love with characters. For a woman, it tends to be their strengths, both physical and mental, and that are totally opposite from mine. A hero, their strength and humor usually wins me over.
by Cathy M December 8th, 2007 at 12:16 pmI generally want to fall in love with the hero. When I read I like to imagine I’m the heroine. I open the first page of a book, shove the heroine aside with my pointy elbows and…
That’s probably enough from me.
by Shelley Munro December 8th, 2007 at 2:48 pmIt’s true though. I might admire a heroine but I identify more closely with the hero.
What makes me fall in love with a hero is if he is a tortured soul or if he goes he extra mile to win the woman he loves.
by Crystal B. December 8th, 2007 at 4:01 pmA heroine who I like is one who is strong, independent and goes after what she wants.
For me to identify with a character, I have to be able to slip into their skin completely and lose my sense of self so that I react as they react to events and stimulii.
by Amy Gallow December 8th, 2007 at 4:04 pmIt happens rarely.
I can thoroughly enjoy a book, both as a writer and as a reader, from my position as secret observer (people watching is my favorite pasttime, particularly in an unfamiliar environment)
It probably comes from years of professional travelling as seafarer and engineer. (It may also be proof that I am totally self centered?}
Amy
I can be drawn to different types of heroes, the tortured soul or flawed one, the witty and intelligent, or a fun-loving charmer. In reality, I probably want a mix of all, lol. I think it’s mainly the writing and dialog, how well the author can engage you and portray the chemistry and traits of her characters. Just because you love a certain type, doesn’t mean you will like every one you read about.
by Pam P December 8th, 2007 at 4:13 pmVery seldom do i fall in love with usually I just fall in lust with the hero lol But sometimes i just really want to be the heroine lol.
by Pamk December 8th, 2007 at 6:51 pmI do seem to identify more with certain characters in a story. Maybe it’s because I relate to events in their lives that we have in common, or maybe it’s because I can relate strongly to how they’re feeling.
Rhonda
by Rhonda Barnes December 8th, 2007 at 8:08 pmLOL Shelley! Maybe I should start doing that! I would probably have better luck with the guys in the books compared to the guys in real life.
by Rhonda aka SandDanz December 9th, 2007 at 5:53 amAs a reader, I have to like the main characters pretty much equally or I just can’t really lose myself in the book as I want to.
As a writer, I try not to play favorites but sometimes it happens anyway!
by Jenyfer Matthews December 9th, 2007 at 10:30 amToday’s winner is RD Solange. Congratulations RD! Just email me at shelley munro @ gmail.com (no spaces) to let me know where to send it and the format you’d prefer.
Congratulations!
by Shelley Munro December 9th, 2007 at 11:16 amSorry I missed this! Lauren you know I loves ya!
by Red December 10th, 2007 at 10:30 am