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Thanks so much for having me on your blog today, Rachel. I thought I'd talk a little bit about how I came to read and write romance and why I love it.
I write and typically read traditional male/female romance, though I haven’t always read romance. I had been one of those believers that romance wasn’t really literature.
Funny how one’s perspective changes dramatically when she sits down to write and accidentally produces a romance novel. Hmm. How does that happen?
Well, first she reads all four Twilight books. (Yes, I know. They are romances.) Then she reads Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, followed by Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Charlaine Harris’ entire Sookie Stackhouse series. This all happens in an eight-week period. After that she thinks, “I can do this. I have a great idea for a vampire story.” And she starts writing.
It would take a year from the start of that first draft for me to realize I write romance. And more importantly, I really, really like romance.
I’ve chalked this delayed reaction up to the fact that we all learn something new everyday and some of us might be slightly denser than others! J
In any case, I’ve now read numerous romances, almost all of which are paranormals with vampire heroes.
I love the happy ending in every story. I even enjoy a happy-for-now-ending. I’m not someone who requires all the loose ends be tied up in one perfect package. I’m okay with a couple unanswered questions. It lets me continue to work the story out in my own way.
I don’t require a hard as nails heroine. That’s not to say I can tolerate one who won’t stop crying or who can’t manage to work her way out of a paper bag, but she doesn’t have to kick the shit out of everyone around her. I want the hero to save her.
I’m very traditional in my perspective on male/female roles. My husband takes care of the outside of the house. I keep the inside clean. He takes out the trash. I grocery shop. Works fine for me.
With that said, I love Super-Alpha heroes. I love Christine Feehan’s Dark Series. I haven’t read the entire series. I pull out one of the books when I’m in the mood for “Caveman Love.” Literally, those men walk up to the heroine, conk her on the head and drag her away. Then, they bend over backward for her and would willingly die to keep her safe. I just love that.
You should know that in real life, my husband doesn’t have it half as easy. There’s no conking and getting his way. In real life, my husband is a gentleman and wouldn’t try to act like a caveman. At least, he wouldn’t expect to get away with pulling Caveman on me. He’s a pretty smart guy.
But in fantasy, I love the over-the-top hero, the one who attempts to control every detail, the one who’s not only respected by other men, but even feared, the one who’s in charge of everything. That is until our heroine arrives on scene.
Powerful men are sexy. There’s no denying that. Women and men are drawn to power. You never read about the hero being some nerdy guy with greasy hair cowering under his desk.
Instead, heroes always know what’s about to happen, what might happen, what should happen, and how it will all be handled when it does happen. Until the heroine shows up. She pops into his life and upturns his world. It’s awesome.
His attempts to keep control are thwarted, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not. His suave, macho persona is reduced to chaos or confusion or just total frustration, and he’s forced to work around her until he learns to work with her.
We get to watch as his tough outer shell cracks, and she weasels her way into his heart. We get to see him become a better man by loving her. We learn about his weaknesses in a way that makes him seem stronger, and that just makes him all the sexier.
It’s the intimacy of romance that makes it so wonderful, and not just the sexual intimacy. Emotional intimacy makes reading romance fulfilling, exciting. We relate to it. We get lost in it.
Dark Prince is by far one of my favorite romances. Mikhail is very powerful, very, very alpha. Yet Raven holds her own with him, completely intrigues him. He sees how fragile she is as she struggles with her abilities, needing to be independent and accepted, and he wants to protect her, to care for her, to love her. Raven’s power over Mikhail’s heart makes him a better man and ultimately a better leader. His love makes her stronger.
For all the hokey, super-alpha, caveman love of Dark Prince at the core are a heroine and the hero, longing to be accepted and loved, each of whom makes the other better. And this is exactly why I love romance.
Tell me about your favorite heroes and heroines. What about them has won your heart?
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After trying her hand at many, many things- from crafting and art classes to cooking and sewing classes to running her own handbag business, Jordan finally figured out how to channel her creativity. With an active imagination and a little encouragement from her husband she sat down and began to write, each night clicking away at the keys with her black Labrador, Dino curled up under the desk.
A few short years later she’s entered the publishing arena with no plans to ever turn back.
Jordan’s a member of Rhode Island Romance Writers, as well as RWA National, and the New England (NEC), Connecticut, and Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal (FFnP) Chapters.
Her first book, Perpetual Light, releases in Winter of 2012 from Crescent Moon Press.
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Fate is cruel. Especially when the one you’ve sworn to love for all eternity, the very soul who changed your destiny is the last person you should trust.
After more than three hundred years of running, Lucia Dicomano must make a choice.
Forced to take her place as a Pharo of Redemption, the divine slayer needs to master her forgotten powers. Lucia turns to Vittorio, the one vampire she’s failed to deliver from eternal damnation. But overcoming smoldering remnants of love, lust and anger aren’t their only obstacles.
Samuel, who may know Lucia better than she knows herself, hunts her with a fervor stoked by a thousand years of vengeful hatred. His plan—capture and enslave the weakened Pharo then take control of her elusive power.
Can Lucia trust Vittorio long enough to reclaim her powers? Or will she have no choice but to kill him and battle Samuel alone?
Hi Jordan and Rachel. Great description of strong heroes and heroines, Jordan. Personally, I don't care for the caveman type (in real life or in stories), but I do like a hero who isn't afraid to take charge, even if he makes mistakes. In fact, I like it when the hero and heroine can get angry with one another over mess-ups and still not have it trash their relationship. Sometimes getting it all out in the open can clear the air and make the relationship better.
ReplyDeleteHey Kat. I agree. A good argument is always fun as long as the relationship stays intact. Plus, it usually leads to good makeup sex, which doesn't hurt! Thanks for stopping by. Jordan
ReplyDeleteI love alpha heroes too Jordan. When I first started reading vampire romances, I got hooked on Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series. We won't get into how far off they fell after book eight or nine, but I loved Anita's powerful and kick butt character and I really liked the triangle between Jean Claude the vampire master and Richard the Werewolf King. The sexiness was fun, but the emotional termoil of the situation was the big draw.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually one of the things I love so much about M/M romance: two alpha heroes butting heads, all traditional gender roles out the window :D
ReplyDeleteHi PJ. I picked up the Anita Blake series with book three and very quickly went back to book one to figure out how Anita got hooked up with Jean Claude and Richard. I was completely drawn to the turmoil in that love triangle, too. Not to mention the two men were very hot. However, I stopped reading at about book nine or ten (can't recall which one) because the focus changed so much.
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel. Thanks for having me. Jordan