Maggie wrote about the "experienced" heroine this past Thursday. And all of the Vixens like to frequent the Dark Walk, offering a token protest when dragged into a bush for... research.
After all, how can we write about scandals when we don't... partake of them? *g*
There's something to be said about doing something perceived as "bad"... the forbidden. The "something" you can't have. The Dark Delights... the Dark Walk... dark chocolate. Well, you get the idea.
Maybe since most of us tend to follow a straight and narrow path, the idea of being seduced by the bad boy (or girl, for the male readers out there) tantalizes us. We know the bad boy in "real" life will in most likelihood always be a bad boy. If Derek Craven from LK's Dreaming of You were alive -- and in today's world -- he'd just be a pimp. Would you read a contemporary romance where the hero owned a brothel?
Probably not.
But for the most part, a little bite never hurts. The temptation of being bad seduces us even as we work our 9 to 5 jobs. After all, in our books we allow our heroes to act a certain way... but in real life, we kick them to the curb!
So when we read--or write--romances that have "bad" characters or ones with a little bite, is it simply acting out our fantasies? What "bad boy" or "bad girl" character could you see in the real world?
18 comments:
Well, I am a very good girl in real life, married to a very good guy - but of course reading are writing are the ways I work out all my bad-girl/bad-boy fantasies! ;)
Erica was just blogging on Manuscript Mavens the other day about BTL characters,where BTL=Bigger Than Life, but I would say it could be Badder Than Life, too. For me, it is a lot easier to buy a Badder-than-Life character in a historical or paranormal than in a contemporary. No real-life pimps or vampires for me.
Great question... I'm not sure who I'd choose. Verra interesting. I've got no one... It's too early.
But I don't think Derrek would be a pimp... lol. He was tenderhearted.
I agree the badness or coldness is easier to forgive in a historical. I'm always amused by the high-handed man who swears he'll never love until the heroine worms her way in...and then he still spends too many pages in futile resistance. Imagining JR Ward's guys wandering around would just make me laugh---I'd think they were freaks with a lot of money for designer duds. I'd want to slap Scarlett O'Hara, too---not the movie version. The book is far more damning.
I'm not sure....
I think the Darkhunters from Kenyon's series would be AWESOME in real life. I'd prefer to meet Kyrian, Mr. Today-Is-A-Good-Day-To-Die. Snarky but upbeat.
Zarek, whom I loved most, I probably would have slapped for being a killjoy. Val would have been a snotrag and I probably wouldn't have given him the time of day either. Yeah, Kryian would have been the most approachable, I think. And he's blond. *LOL*
This is a good question. And I don't have an answer. LOL! All the characters I read seem real to me and they fit their time. Even the baddest boys (and girls) have redeeming qualities. I think to say no one around today is just like these characters is silly.
That said, I suppose Colin Ferrell is much like these bad boys we read about and drool over but I have a funny feeling I'd have to break something over that child's head if we were stuck together somewhere. I mean, I'd try him out first, I'm not totally stupid, but he'd wear out his welcome pretty quick.
We all have a little bad in us. It's just how well we hide it that makes the difference. *g*
Fran... If I recall correctly... wasn't Val the one that had the butler and nice house? I'd totally take him. He was just a bit of a snob.
And I like all of Toni Blake's Alpha Men, I'd take any one of them.
Oh and maggie (sorry totally suck at names) I'd totally take Ward's King of the brotherhood. Hot man climbing through your window getting you off... what's not to love.. okay so he'd be arrested and charged crazy in reality... but the man... sigh... I'd love to meet one of that kind, without the street lingo they use.
Ter, totally right about CF... didn't think of it from that angle. We do have those types of bad boys still. I'd get it on, then smack that bad ass *w*
Yes, Val was the one with the nice place, the altar to the girl who died, and the butler. He was QUIET and moderately snobby and married his total opposite, a slob. I'd take him too, but I'm sure before I'd caught on he was just quiet, I would have dismissed him for dismissing me...the rat.
Okay yes quiet is a better word...as long as his tongue works... I mean... lol! I liked val and he was considered a bad boy... sigh...
Tessa, I think we do make a lot more allowances for our historical heroes/heroines than our contemporary ones. And as there are Badder Than Life characters, there are also the Too Good To Be True characters. You know the ones who are soooo good that if you met them in real life, you'd be for real, are you real?
Maggie, I could not deal with the lingo, the rap, or the fact that the men in her series are on the "downlow."
Ohhh Terrio, I *love* Colin Farrell. It's the definite bad boy in him... he's not putting on airs that he's a bad boy---he is one.
MsHellion, I agree. Zarek would be a PITA in real life as would Val. But well, I'd love to "meet" them.
Don't you think Acheron would be a major ass to deal with? He'd be very demanding, I think. *g*
And Tiff, Derek wouldn't be low class pimp. He'd be high class pimp. But he'd still be a pimp... or a Hugh Hefner (but not as old). LOL.
LOL! I still don't agree... He would have a high class gambling place in LV... or something. He knew how to make money. And he loved the biggest too... sigh... I love derek no matter what time he's in. I'd take him in a heartbeat.
I love Ash forever. XXOO. He could never be a PITA. *LOL* His blue skin color might freak me out on occasion...but otherwise, I just love him too much to think he's a PITA.
Except...he has that ability to make things happen, so if we ever had an argument where he said, "I wish you were dead", I'd be toast...so that'd be a problem.
Okay, Tiff, maybe Derek would own a gambling joint. But there'd be scantily-clad women for his place, too. *g*
Hellion, I always forget Ash has blue skin. I remember his ever-changing hair ability. Cannot wait for his book to come out.
Oooh, isn't the whole world waiting for Ash's book? I'll definitely take him, blue skin, dragon child and all.
I think we've all got it wrong ladies. It isn't that we like the bad boys, we like the idea of a bad boy because we think they're going to be good deep down inside...and only for us. But the truth is in real life, bad boys are just that. They're bad. I'll take my sweet hubby any day. He cooks dinner, washes babies, he brings me coffee in the morning. There's nothing bad about him, and I like it just fine.
Does he have a single brother, J.K.? *g*
Sorry Ely, his only sibling is a sister.
I do love reading about bad boys, but I also agree that we love them because we know they are not bad through and through. We love that they have a soft spot for their heroine.
I was madly in love with Sean Connery in my teens. I couldn't get enough of him. Watched everything I could get my hands on. Then I saw an interview with him that wasn't very flattering. He sounded like a real male chauvinist pig. I still love his characters but I can do without the real Sean!
Post a Comment