Friday, September 12, 2014

Book Fun Friday, Please join me in welcoming Lynda Coker

Welcome back to Book Fun Friday!
Today's feature:



Let's give a Book Fun Friday welcome to Lynda Coker. Her special blog post this week is: How to Write an Epic Hero!



Author Bio:




Just look at that busy author with all her swag!
“Romance...the Way You Dream It”

Lynda Coker lives in the rolling hills of East Texas with her husband of 50 years. After retiring from her secular profession in photographic art, she took up writing Contemporary Romance. Lynda loves to write stories that peel away the layers that obscure the emotion we call love, exploring all its facets, especially the motivating complexities of the heart.

When I’m having trouble with one of my stubborn alpha male characters or reluctant heroines, I like to take a break from my writing and play with my fabric stash. I hate pre-plotting in writing and too much structure in sewing. I love to let the fabric’s mood, feel, color, smell, and the play of light determine what I’ll make that day.
One thing is for sure. I AM NEVER BORED.




Today's Blog Post:

How to Write an Epic Hero - LIVE WITH HIM!

How does a writer turn a leading male character into a Hero of epic proportions?

The answer: LIVE WITH HIM!


This might be a good time to remind everyone that we're talking about a fictional hero, a larger-than-life leading male character that will grab the hearts of our readers.(*Smiles - I knew what you were thinking)  But there is no 'hanky-panky' going on here, just everyday cohabitation of the mental kind.

You've heard the old saying, 'You never know someone until you've lived with them.' That is especially true when creating a hero, heroine, or villain. These characters are multidimensional, contradictory, lovable and detestable all at the same time. What makes them tick, what motivates them, what's there driving force, what or who are they willing to sacrifice to reach their goal? These are all questions you need to answer before writing your first word.

So why not invite that prime male specimen to your place for a few weeks. You know which one. He's been lurking around the corners of your mind for weeks now. Eat with him three times a day. Take him to work with you. Let him babysit. See how he handles the pushy neighbor next door, or, the the guy who won't take 'No' for an answer.

It won't take long before his core instincts begin to emerge, revealing his basic needs, desires, fears, virtues, and faults. Be sure to give him lots of one-on-one time in which he can share with you his most secret memories and dreams.

Today's Book Feature:



Payback in Wayback (Wayback, Texas Series) A Contemporary Western Romance
Tag Line:


Hardened by twelve years in prison, can Corey Donovan still find love?


Blurb:

Corey Donovan has just spent twelve years in a Texas prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Now he’s bent on getting a little payback. And who better to start with than the recently widowed , Tiffany Covington?
Tiffany is ready to repay old debts…question is…will Corey accept her currency of exchange?

Excerpt:
He pushed through the curtain leading to the rear of the plywood platform, loosely called a stage, and picked up his guitar. Telli was gave him an intro. It wasn’t much of one, just “Here’s Corey.”
 He sauntered forward with the confidence that a familiar place gave a man, rested his booted foot on a low stool, and adjusted his guitar. He always took a moment before his first set to look over the audience, see what kind of crowd he was playing for.
Adrenaline revved his heartbeat to maximum, and the tightness in his throat threatened to choke him. Tiffany Covington sat at the center table with a young boy and two other couples. By her horrified expression, he was sure she recognized him.
She had changed some. Her blonde hair was shorter and a little darker, more honey colored. He used to tease her about having hair the perfect shade of sun-glare. From what he could see, she had filled out a little in all the right places, though one thing had stayed the same. From across a room, her baby-blues could still twist a man’s gut. And as he knew all too well, at close quarters they could claim his soul.
He did the only thing he could. Standing on the stage, holding a bright red guitar, he sang straight into her eyes. His heart, the small part he still owned, ached with recognition. As he sang the lyrics of love gone bad, a truth he’d buried for over a decade rose upward like a bull rider heaved into the air. At eighteen, he’d foolishly given away his heart, and the woman at his feet still owned it.
“I’m nothing without you, come make me whole again.” The last words of the song coursed through his blood like strong whiskey. As he played the final chords, he cursed the girl, his own weakness, and Wayback, Texas—where it all began.

Author Links:

Blog: 
http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com

Buy Link (Amazon): http://www.amazon.com/Payback-Wayback-Lynda-J-Coker-ebook/dp/B0056BM9Q6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407511480&sr=1-1&keywords=payback+in+wayback
 
   

10 comments:

  1. Good Morning Celia,
    Thank you for having me as your guest on this Book Fun Friday. Since it's dark and rainy at my house, I'm happy to be spending my day with you and your readers. If anyone has any questions for me, please don't hesitate to ask.

    Payback in Wayback – Can revenge or redemption save a love gone bad

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  2. Like your idea of imagining the hero as a babysitter. Nothing brings out a fella's true instincts like a cranky toddler. Love your title, too.

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    1. Hi Linda,
      It makes me smile just thinking of some of these take-charge alpha males babysitting. But you're right, children do seem to bring out the soft and sweeter side of these heroes. Thank you so much for stopping in to say hello.

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  3. Great excerpt! Sounds as if you lived with Corey for a while - thanks for the thoughtful post.

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    1. Hi Ashantay,
      Thank you for coming by today. Isn't it funny, as writers, how many men we live with in our lifetime. The problem is that after spending so much time with these guys, you can never forget them.

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  4. Enjoyed the excerpt! And I do like the title :) Best of luck. Tweeted.

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    1. Hi Barbara,
      Nice of you to drop in. And thanks for the Tweet. I struggled over that title for quite a while, but I kept coming back to this one. It was my editor's favorite too. So I'm glad to know you like it as well.

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  5. Wonderful excerpt, Linda. And I like the title too. It tells us exactly what the story is going to be about.!

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    1. Hi Jana,
      Thank you for taking time to say hello. I'm glad you enjoyed the excerpt.

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  6. I get tripped up writing that Epic Hero you mention. I struggle with balancing reality with fantasy. I want to write heros who are grounded in reality and yet be desirable enough to have romance readers thrill with delight.

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