Comments on: That’s So Hot http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/ What's hip, what's now, what's tomorrow in the romance genre world. Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:26:04 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Heather Massey http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-28007 Heather Massey Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:45:42 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/?p=1431#comment-28007 Mfitz (and I just now realized I always forget to include the "i"!--sorry!), thanks for your thoughts. I love it when I can learn something really insightful about a hero--well, any character, really. While physical attributes can certainly make an impression, I'm reading the story for *who* the hero is and his character arc. And I don't even mind exact details as long as they're balanced with exact details about his personality! Shelley, thanks for the linkage! Terry, thanks so much for commenting. Best of luck with your projects. That is so cool about Sandra's mentoring. And I had no idea Sunday was her birthday. Happy belated! Mfitz (and I just now realized I always forget to include the “i”!–sorry!), thanks for your thoughts. I love it when I can learn something really insightful about a hero–well, any character, really. While physical attributes can certainly make an impression, I’m reading the story for *who* the hero is and his character arc.

And I don’t even mind exact details as long as they’re balanced with exact details about his personality!

Shelley, thanks for the linkage!

Terry, thanks so much for commenting. Best of luck with your projects. That is so cool about Sandra’s mentoring. And I had no idea Sunday was her birthday. Happy belated!

]]> By: Terry Odell http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-27998 Terry Odell Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:53:38 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/?p=1431#comment-27998 I've been out of town and out of Internet access, and am only sneaking into a few blogs and not even trying to catch up on the entire week I was gone, but this one caught my eye, because Sandra McDonald is the author I met on line when she introduced me to Highlander fanfiction and is my first and dearest writing mentor who insisted I turn a silly short story into something that actually contained elements of the writing craft. Without her support, I wouldn't be here. And I had the privilege of watching OUTBACK STARS take shape. I'm a big fan of general descriptions and letting the reader's own imagination fill in the details. And, for the record, this blog was posted on Sandra's birthday. Happy Birthday mentor! I’ve been out of town and out of Internet access, and am only sneaking into a few blogs and not even trying to catch up on the entire week I was gone, but this one caught my eye, because Sandra McDonald is the author I met on line when she introduced me to Highlander fanfiction and is my first and dearest writing mentor who insisted I turn a silly short story into something that actually contained elements of the writing craft. Without her support, I wouldn’t be here. And I had the privilege of watching OUTBACK STARS take shape.

I’m a big fan of general descriptions and letting the reader’s own imagination fill in the details.

And, for the record, this blog was posted on Sandra’s birthday. Happy Birthday mentor!

]]> By: Shelley Munro Blog » Blog Archive » Calling Mr. Hero http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-27962 Shelley Munro Blog » Blog Archive » Calling Mr. Hero Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:29:41 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/?p=1431#comment-27962 [...] read two great posts about characters/heroes over the last two days. At Romancing the Blog Heather Massey talks about a hero’s appearance versus his [...] [...] read two great posts about characters/heroes over the last two days. At Romancing the Blog Heather Massey talks about a hero’s appearance versus his [...]

]]> By: Mfitz http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-27945 Mfitz Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:35:12 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/?p=1431#comment-27945 I think Teresa had a good point when she said that in the Ameilia Peabody books we always see Emerson through Peabody's eyes. We think he's dashing because she does not because of any physical trait he has. It's a problem I often have with romance genre. Personal tastes differ so much yet Romance writers seem to always go into exact details about their heros. Far better to leave the details for me to fill in, I know what I think is sexy and it's not muscles. I gew up with theater people you don't get perfect bodies osix pack abs unless you are self-centered and spend your life in the gym. To look like the muscle heads on Romance covers you don't have any time or energy left to care about anything but your looks. I think Teresa had a good point when she said that in the Ameilia Peabody books we always see Emerson through Peabody’s eyes. We think he’s dashing because she does not because of any physical trait he has. It’s a problem I often have with romance genre. Personal tastes differ so much yet Romance writers seem to always go into exact details about their heros. Far better to leave the details for me to fill in, I know what I think is sexy and it’s not muscles. I gew up with theater people you don’t get perfect bodies osix pack abs unless you are self-centered and spend your life in the gym. To look like the muscle heads on Romance covers you don’t have any time or energy left to care about anything but your looks.

]]> By: Kimber An http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-27944 Kimber An Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:19:46 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/?p=1431#comment-27944 Oh, dear, I forgot to add Bujold to my Greats list to review at Enduring Romance! :shock: I'll pop over to Galaxy Express and Science Fiction Romance right now to find which of her titles is considered the best. :wink: Oh, dear, I forgot to add Bujold to my Greats list to review at Enduring Romance! :shock: I’ll pop over to Galaxy Express and Science Fiction Romance right now to find which of her titles is considered the best. :wink:

]]> By: Angie http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-27942 Angie Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:09:27 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/?p=1431#comment-27942 Kathleen -- definitely, and you're right about Dag too. :) Bujold has an awesome talent for coming up with wonderful guys, even if they don't come in the classic "Romance Hero" package. :D Angie Kathleen — definitely, and you’re right about Dag too. :) Bujold has an awesome talent for coming up with wonderful guys, even if they don’t come in the classic “Romance Hero” package. :D

Angie

]]> By: Kathleen Dante http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-27941 Kathleen Dante Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:01:45 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/?p=1431#comment-27941 <i>Have you ever experienced a romance hero whose personality was the hottest thing about him? If so, who?</i> LOL I had the same thought as Angie. Miles Vorkosigan. :grin: And the second one was another Bujold hero, Dag in The Sharing Knife books. Talk about opposites in personality. :wink: Have you ever experienced a romance hero whose personality was the hottest thing about him? If so, who?

LOL I had the same thought as Angie. Miles Vorkosigan. :grin: And the second one was another Bujold hero, Dag in The Sharing Knife books. Talk about opposites in personality. :wink:

]]> By: Heather Massey http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-27936 Heather Massey Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:00:53 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/?p=1431#comment-27936 Thanks for stopping by, Shelley! The "interchangeable" factor is another reason good character development is so important. I for one am going to remember a hero's personality far more than I will his looks. Heroes with vivid personalities are the characters I think & talk about long after I've finished a book. Thanks for stopping by, Shelley! The “interchangeable” factor is another reason good character development is so important. I for one am going to remember a hero’s personality far more than I will his looks. Heroes with vivid personalities are the characters I think & talk about long after I’ve finished a book.

]]> By: Heather Massey http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-27935 Heather Massey Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:55:27 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/?p=1431#comment-27935 Amie, thanks for commenting! You bring up a good point about show vs. tell. I think there are lots of ways to demonstrate how beautiful a man is other than just listing the attributes and I get excited when I see authors exploring different avenues. It's the interior that makes the exterior that much more alluring. RfP, glad this piece connected with you. It's very challenging to try and engage with a list of physical attributes. That's not a complete character. You make great points about personality description. It's a mystery of its own, with an author layering in details as the story progresses that build up to a whole person. Many times I've read identical descriptive passages (across various romance genres) about a hero and wondered why a few of those couldn't have been devoted to personality development. Therefore, when an author nails a well rounded hero, I'm smitten. Amie, thanks for commenting! You bring up a good point about show vs. tell. I think there are lots of ways to demonstrate how beautiful a man is other than just listing the attributes and I get excited when I see authors exploring different avenues. It’s the interior that makes the exterior that much more alluring.

RfP, glad this piece connected with you. It’s very challenging to try and engage with a list of physical attributes. That’s not a complete character. You make great points about personality description. It’s a mystery of its own, with an author layering in details as the story progresses that build up to a whole person.

Many times I’ve read identical descriptive passages (across various romance genres) about a hero and wondered why a few of those couldn’t have been devoted to personality development.

Therefore, when an author nails a well rounded hero, I’m smitten.

]]> By: Shelley Munro http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2008/10/12/thats-so-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-27934 Shelley Munro Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:42:56 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/?p=1431#comment-27934 I like the less is more approach to hero description. To me it seems that many heroes are interchangeable when it comes to appearance. If there's something about the appearance that annoys me, I substitute in my mind anyway. Give me personality every time because looks fade. I want a man I can talk to, one who is interesting and yes, someone to grow old with. I'm sure the heroine feels the same way! Great post, Heather. I like the less is more approach to hero description. To me it seems that many heroes are interchangeable when it comes to appearance. If there’s something about the appearance that annoys me, I substitute in my mind anyway.

Give me personality every time because looks fade. I want a man I can talk to, one who is interesting and yes, someone to grow old with. I’m sure the heroine feels the same way!

Great post, Heather.

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