Friday, August 29, 2014

Book Fun Friday- Let's welcome Marlow Kelly_What Do You Look for in a Romantic Hero




Welcome to Book Fun Friday with this week's guest: Marlow Kelly


















Author Bio:

After being thrown out of England for refusing to drink tea, Marlow Kelly made her way to Canada where she found love, a home and a pug named Max. She writes about historical women in crisis
Special Blog Post:
What Do You Look for in a Romance heroine? 



As a writer I have to wonder what makes a good heroine for a romance novel. Does she have to be beautiful? Should she be a good person? Can a perfect female lead entertain us?

Personally, I don’t like it when the heroine is too perfect, especially physically. It’s easier, for me, to relate to a woman who’s plump, or has a big nose, or ears that stick out. She doesn’t have to be beautiful as long as the hero can see the beauty in her. I do need her to be a good person. She has to believe she’s doing the right thing. It might be wrong at the time and her reasoning can be way off base, but she has to have some sense of integrity I can relate to.

My heroine, Isabel, in A Woman of Honour is over six feet tall and extremely thin. Set in medieval Scotland at a time when the average woman was five feet, two inches and the average man was five feet, seven inches. She stands a head taller than most men. She is all too aware of her own shortcomings, and that’s one of the reasons she has such a hard time believing that my hero, Duncan, is attracted to her. But when they meet in a dungeon Duncan can’t see her. His first impression is of a woman who’s wholesome and good. He’s attracted to her decency and kindness, by the time he sets eyes on her it’s too late, he knows she’s beautiful, no matter how much she argues the fact.

But perfect is boring, let’s face it, we all love it when the hero and heroine argue. Isabel is insecure, stubborn and skeptical. It’s these traits that cause friction and friction causes conflict and conflict is entertaining, at least for me it is.

I like to read about a woman whose hair is a mess, who can’t wear lipstick without smudging it, who twists her ankle if she tries to walk in high heels, and who always sneezes at an inappropriate moment.
QUESTION FOR YOU:

 What about you? What do you look for in a heroine?

Book Title:
A Woman of Honour – Historical Romance











 Available at The Wild Rose Press

Book Blurb:

Duncan Campbell wakes to discover he is imprisoned with a woman in his enemy's dungeon in the Highlands of Scotland. The disenchanted warrior hopes his last few moments on earth will be spent in the arms of the sweet-voiced Isabel. If only she will cooperate.
Isabel Douglas has no intention of obliging the crude captive. The penniless noblewoman considers herself too tall and thin to be desirable. She intends to become a nun. But first, disguised as a boy, she must deliver an important letter to Scotland's hero in hiding, King Robert the Bruce.
Together, the pair make a daring escape that plunges them into the bleak countryside in the middle of winter. In the struggle to survive, they learn the true strength of their feelings for each other. But when Duncan's animosity towards the king becomes evident, Isabel must decide between her heart and her country.
Excerpt:

 Duncan Campbell drifted into consciousness and opened his eyes to absolute blackness. He lay perfectly still on the cold, dirt floor listening. A small rustle of fabric echoed in the darkness. He cocked his head, getting a sense of the sound’s location, then rose to his feet.
“Tell me who you are before I tear you apart,” he roared, seizing his opponent. Whoever it was didn’t answer, just silence. A fist punched him on the nose. Pain ricocheted through him, and he grabbed his face. In the dark, he lost his balance and fell in the dirt, cradling his head in his hands.
“Oh my, are you all right?” asked a small voice.
“No, I’m not.”
“You threatened me, and I wanted to give you fair warning I will fight back if you touch me.”
The lyrical voice stunned him. A woman? She spoke Gaelic with a strong, lowland accent. He shook off the pain and asked,
“Where am I?”
“Dunstaffnage Castle. Don’t you remember your capture? I’ve heard of people getting a bump on the head and not remembering their own name. Is that what happened to you? Did you bump your head?”
Lord, she was talkative.
“Is it?”
“I remember I was hit from behind scouting the bast….Are we in the dungeon?” He rose to his feet.
“Yes.”
He grunted. On the bright side he hadn’t gone blind. On the other hand they were in a dank, windowless cell with no hope of escape. There wasn’t even a sliver of light coming through the door.


How to reach Marlow and get her books: You can visit Marlow at the following hyperlinks:

Or full links as follows, hover mouse over link, left click, double click and you're there!
 
 
 
 

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9 comments:

  1. People are imperfect and I like for both my hero and heroine to be imperfect. They also have to be people I can admire and/or respect and someone I'd like in real life, despite their flaws. And I love medieval romances too so, this book is right up my ally!

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    1. I agree, Lilly. Those flaws make us able to relate to the characters.

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  2. Thanks you, Celia, for having me on your blog.

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  3. I like a heroine who has a sense of humor and who is proud to be a woman, not act like a man. I feel women have their own superior strength in areas a man can't comprehend. It's difficult to explain - but I think a woman can be stronger than a man without using physical aggression like some think it should be. I sounds like your Isabel has the traits I like Marlow. I have two books ahead of yours but I plan on reading it soon.

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  4. Thank you Mary. I agree women do have different strengths than men, but I don’t like to think of one being better than the other. I’d rather consider the possibility that when they work together they can reach their goals.

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  5. Great post, Marlow. I'm with you, I write heroines that some may perceive as not being physically perfect. They have to be good people - but they don't have to be physically perfect. Laila, the heroine in my upcoming release, Of Love and Vengeance, has a birthmark that covers one side of her face. She has to cope not only with the way people react to seeing her, but how she views herself.

    I think readers relate more to characters who are not physically 'perfect'.

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  6. Wow, a disfiguring birthmark. I guess the days are gone when the heroine has to be pretty and slim, with perfect teeth.

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  7. I enjoyed your post. I agree heroines shouldn't be perfect. I like my heroines spunky, but not so aggressive or mean that it becomes annoying. Good luck with "A Woman of Honour."

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  8. Judy Ann, thank you for sharing your thoughts. It's great to know what other people look for in a character and I've enjoyed reading everyone's comments because they give me ideas for future stories.

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