Friday, July 27, 2012

A Hero's Hop: What's the recipe for the perfect hero? #HeroHop

Hey beautiful people!

It's my second blog hop, and the first of Carrie Ann's in which I am taking part. Totally stoked and absolutely excited to be joining the 128 other authors who signed up for this hop... and also to meet all the readers and visitors who will be doing the rounds. Welcome to my place, peeps!

So, what's the hope about? Heroes. As simple as that. *are you sure?* Nope, not that simple, as you'll see when you browse all the posts that will be going up. Come read what everyone of us authors conjures up in her mind when we heard the magic word "hero".

129 authors = 129 chances to win the Grand Prizes!

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A magnificent swag pack you can check on the official hop page

AND there will be giveaways at every stop on the tour! So that means, 129 chances for you to win more goodies!

Want to enter to win in my giveaway? Then, let's get rolling with the post!

*****

Immediately when I think "hero", I imagine coming up with the perfect hero for each book. But is there a recipe for that?

Got me thinking – how do I go about creating the perfect hero in each of my books?

First of all – the hero 'works off' the heroine, and vice versa. I'm not a hard-core feminist; when I say "a woman doesn't need a man to be happy", I mean it. But I also say that, "a woman doesn't miss a man until he walks into her life", and that's when things change...

So based on these notions, I set out to imagine the perfect hero. And like a good dish (forgive me here – I am so not a cook and as far from domestic goddess Nigella Lawson as you can get!), you need some set ingredients:

Sugar
Spice
And all things nice!

Simple, innit? Not so much. Let's elaborate.

Sugar – we all agree; the hero is the foil of the heroine. He is her "good times", her "rock", her "anchor", the one she runs to. Faced with a box of Godiva chocolates and a plate of lime slices, which one would you choose? The Godiva, of course! And that's sugar...

But too much sugar gives you a high and then makes you crash; it's also bad for your teeth! In the same way, a hero who's too nice/good/sweet/awesome is bad for you. Yes, we women are masochists, and we love nothing more than a roller coaster ride of emotion... which you won't get with someone, well, too nice...

So what you do then, is spice things up a bit!

Anyone know what a jaffa cake is? If not, I'll wait until you Google it! A jaffa cake is a slice of heaven brought to earth for us common mortals, to allow us to know what decadence and indulgence are all about. Imagine a crackly shell of smooth, dark chocolate; slightly bitter, hard under your teeth, a hint of sugar that nevertheless gives you a total rush... Then you get to a fine layer of orange-flavoured jelly; tangy, and this jolts your taste buds, makes you sit up and notice; another little rush of sugar, a brush of coolness on your tongue... And finally, you sink your teeth into the softest, moistest, crumbliest sponge cake layer ever; feeling it melt in your mouth, that elusive hint of cake, and another layer of vanilla-like sweetness...

To think that so far you've just taken a bite! Now, go on, and actually eat the jaffa cake... An explosion of tastes, of sweetness, of tart orange tang, of rich chocolatey smoothness...

What's a jaffa cake, you may ask? It's sugar, and spice, and all things nice... exactly what your hero should be! Layers, contrasts, that merge to form a whole that is decadent and indulgent, and oh so good for you!

That's a hero, people! There's a subtle hint in this makeup, like a jaffa cake's, that stops the whole deal from giving you sugar and sweetness on all levels. There's a dose of spice, of tang, of a contrasting taste, that ramps up the sugar rush and gives you an experiment from a different dimension. Your hero is human; give him some flaws, some 'humanness", that all men have (dirty towels on the bathroom floor, anyone? *grin*)

And as for the "all things nice", what would they be?

Well, as I like to say, your hero can be anything in any time – a rogue, a cad, a doctor next door, a quiet best friend, a dangerous cop, a con man, a geek, a nerd, a secret agent, a starship captain – but one thing he always, always, is: Noble!

What's noble to you? And what's noble in your heroine's eyes?

Another thing in this "all things nice" category – good manners! Let me list a few here, grabbed from Gentleman Etiquette posts on Esquire.com, to give you an idea:

- a gentleman always stands up when a woman is coming to the table or leaving it.
- a gentleman always pays for a date.
- a gentleman sits on the men bench when he takes his lady shopping, and uses the time to reply emails on his Blackberry, but never to talk on the phone in public places.
- a gentleman takes his mother out for dinner a few times a year.

So there you have my recipe for the perfect hero! I'm curious to know what ingredients go into making yours! Why don't you leave me a comment and tell me about it?

And let me introduce you to my heroes:

Gerard Besson: Former undercover cop, recently promoted to the status of police commissaire in the French city of Marseille. Behind the appearance of the efficient cop, hides a beaten soul... because he lost the one woman who managed to worm her way into his cold heart. 7 months later, when a suspicious woman starts to trail him, Gerard is intrigued, because she reminds him of that woman who died... Who is she? And what does she want with him?
Get the book, currently FREE:  https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/304/Walking-the-Edge



Ash Gilfoy: Ministry of Defence cop turned paramedic, Ash hides a deep, dark secret - he killed a man. Investigation cleared him as he acted in self-defense, but Ash knows he's always wanted to murder the abusive man who ended up killing his wife when she tried to leave him, at Ash's behest. The prospect of hope, and a new beginning, of salvation, appears when Rayne Cheltham, his childhood best friend, walks into his life again. A humanitarian worker who's been away for 17 years, Rayne is everything good and bright in this world... Or is she? Because she seems to be hiding secrets, too, and they just might be deeper and darker than Ash could ever imagine...
Buy Link: https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/420/Before-the-Morning


Jamie Gillespie: A 29 years old trauma doctor, Jamie turns his back on the life his money-hungry father wants him to pursue when he comes to Surrey to fill in for his sick uncle. But just as he is settling, his uncle calls, to say he will not be coming back to his rural practice - it's Jamie's decision now to stay and embrace the life of a country doctor, or go a more lucrative private practice in the heart of London. But then the decision to stay becomes clear when forensic pathologist Margo Nolan and her headstrong tween daughter, Emma, settle into the other half of Jamie's house. Older than Jamie, cold and uptight, Margo is an Ice Queen. Or is she...? Jamie sees the woman in her, the struggling mother, the lonely heart. Can he convince Margo they could have a future together, and form a family?
Buy Link: https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/369/Calling-Home


Lars Rutherford: Half-British, half-Swedish expatriate living on the island of Mauritius as the regional director for his best friend's shipping company. Lars is not looking for love, and certainly not in this land that seems stuck in Austen times where marriage and trysts are concerned. His best friend, Magnus, convinces him he's in "dire need of a shag" and contacts Madame Eve's 1NightStand agency to arrange a date for Lars. Who will he find on that blind date? What woman will agree to spend that one night with him, no strings attached? Could everything be so simple? Lars does indeed find out that nothing is so simple, because Simmi, his date, awakens protective, lustful, and dare he admit it - loving! - instincts in him. Has he found his woman, here, on this island labelled as paradise on earth?
Buy Link: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=553&osCsid=joff4lkh610umgtpmk3mg4qvr4


MY GIVEAWAY: Leave me a comment, along with your email address, about what "ingredients" go into making your perfect hero, and let me know which one of my heroes wins your attention - you could win an ecopy of his book (in case I didn't spell that right *sorry, hormone-brain* I'm offering a random commentor a copy of the book of her choice from my releases, based on which hero is her favourite).

Thank you for hopping over here today, and don't forget to check the other 128 participants! Here's the link to view the whole list http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/p/a-heros-hop.html

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

96 comments:

Unknown said...

Zee, what an interesting post! And I could picture everything because I have all three books of yours and have always been in love with your heroes :).

As for me, my perfect hero also could have a hidden dark side. He's brooding and enigmatic. What can I say? I love angst. Lol. All the better so the heroine can save him... (grin).

Anonymous said...

Brooding, a bit mysterious, charismatic and follows his instincts.
bidelia78@yahoo.com

nina said...

great blog contest.
kintana002000@yahoo.com

Zee Monodee said...

Lol, Nat! Glad you liked it. I wanted to do those men justice. :)

Hmm, all that angst: gotta love it. Not that much in real life, though *grin* XOXO

Zee Monodee said...

kittyb,

Sounds like the making of a darkly handsome & ravishing hero. :)

Thanks for dropping by. xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Lol - thanks nina. xoxo

Unknown said...

My "recipe" for a perfect hero would be dominance, tenderness, loving, and strong.

jlhmass at yahoo dot com

laurie said...

what a wonderful post! my FAVORITE type of hero is a flawed hero who is all male

parisfan_ca@yahoo.com

Yvette said...

Love the post...my ingredients...strength, character, tenderness and humor...I like Jaime!
Yvette
yratpatrol@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I like a quietly intelligent, honorable hero who isn't afraid to be vulnerable (and has a sense of humor). Lars sounds like he'd be intriguing to read about.

vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

Kaylyn D said...

My recipe: Humor, dominance, brave, and noble. I like Lars. Thank you for the giveaway.
kaylyndavis1986@yahoo.com

Carin said...

my recipe mmmmmm
1 part reformed bad boy
1 part comedian
1 part amazing lover
dash of kink
season with love and devotion

I think Ash looks like my favorite of your heroes. Thanks Carin
mawmom(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

he arrives with cadbury drinking chocolate and jaffa cakes, with a curly wurly to be left when he goes .. just someone who is thoughtful and caring - and makes me laugh

glhince@gmail.com

molly.frenzel said...

Awesome post! Some ingredients for my perfect hero are danger, dominance, intelligence, beauty, and a tad bit of humor.
molly(dot)frenzel(at)gmail(dot)com

Emily said...

I love a strong, confident man with a soft side. Thanks for participating in the hop! emily joy drake at gmail dot com

Natasha said...

I like ones that are strong, protective and are a bit dangerous. Thanks for the chance to win!
natasha_donoho_8 at hotmail dot com

Mary Preston said...

My hero has to be intelligent & quick witted. Throw in a little spice as well.

I wish I knew your heroes better to choose. I must remedy.

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Zee Monodee said...

Jlhmass - lovely to see you here again, lady! And that recipe would make a good hero indeed :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Laurie, I love such a hero too (actually married one, in fact... *grin*) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Yvette, I think you just came up with Jamie in your recipe :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Vitajex, sounds like the perfect man. And yup, Lars is quite intriguing (I know, I'm biased, but... *grin*) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Kaylyn, Lars seems to be the hit for the moment. :) But yup, gotta have humor, too. xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Wonderful recipe, Carin! I gotta try that (with your permission) in my next book. :) Now, Ash... *swoon* xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

iamindeed, I wouldn't say no to jaffa cakes, ever, so if he brings them, he'd score a winner :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Molly, seems like everyone loves a dangerous hero... Hmm, food for thought... :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Emily, that soft side would totally win us over, innit? :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Natasha, gotta love a dangerous hero, indeed! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Lol, Marybelle - please remedy soon, I'd love to know which one wins your favour! Quick-witted + spice? Deadly combination... :) xoxo

Lisa said...

My hero needs to have a strength of character & sense of honor. He should also be smart & have a sense of humor.

Wolphcall(at)bellsouth(dot)net

Zee Monodee said...

Lisa, I figure we all could fall for such a man :) xoxo

Lona said...

I think I love Lars. My ingredients would be humor, power, sexy, possessive (Not stockerish though). Thx for giveaway.

Nay Nay said...

Woohoo! I love blog hopping!

My perfect hero has to be tall, dark, and handsome, have a six or eight pack, be faithful, loyal, and love his woman/family beyond reason.

<^_^>
Thanks for being part of the hop and for the chance to win.
reneebennett35(at)yahoo(dot)com

JanD said...

My recipe: intelligent, has a bit of a naughty side, & protective.
Ash got my attention. And thank you for introducing me to jaffa cake.

bituin76 AT hotmail DOT com

Debra A. Soles said...

Ash in Before the Morning sounds intriguing.
My one main ingredient would have to be honesty. No hero can be a back stabbing liar.
Debdebss@yahoo.com

Mineliz Medina said...

For me it has to be 99.9% bad boy and .1% gentlemanly!

minnie2297@yahoo.com

Christine said...

Hmmm my perfect hero would have to be an alpha, with the aura of a perfect gentleman with a mysterious and naughty side. Mix in some possessiveness, honor, faithfulness, a dash of gentleness and top with a man that knows what he wants and isn't afraid to go after it.

June M. said...

My perfect hero would be an alpha, caring, protective, respectful, intelligent, kinky ;) but not perfect. Perfection would be boring and hard to live with, it would make me insecure.
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com

Zee Monodee said...

Lona,

Another hit for Lars - hmm, that man seems popular! :)
Possessive but not stockerish... yup, that would work. xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Renee/Nay Nay, what a delectable man you paint here (six or eight pack... yummy!). And yes, love his woman & family beyond reason; what could be sweeter than that? :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

JanD, you didn't know about the jaffa cake? Oh my gosh! I have the recipe up somewhere on the blog, let me look for the link...

http://zeemonodee.blogspot.com/2011/01/tidbit-tuesday-jaffa-cake-recipe.html

Hope you can enjoy some! And yay, another hit for Ash! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Debra,

I think you hit the nail on the head - nothing is possible without honesty.

And another win for Ash - woot! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Minnie,

Aaah, that would be a man after my own heart! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Christine,

That sounds like a historical hero... Hmmm :) XOXO

Zee Monodee said...

June,

Perfection is indeed boring, and bland. :) xoxo

jessiel said...

Enjoyed reading your post. Thank you for participating in this blog hop. The key ingredient for my hero would be caring. Caring about his woman, his family & the people around him. Also he's very nice on the eyes & has a sense of humor.

JessieL62@comcast.net

Kimber Shook said...

Thanks for the free ebook. Great giveaway. I love all heros, especially bad boys with a heart who know how to love you back.
Any of your heroes sound great!
kimberly.a.shook(at)gmail(dot)com

Zee Monodee said...

JessieL - agreed; caring is a determinant feature in a hero! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Kimber, a bad boy with a great heart would totally win me over too! :) xoxo

CeNedria235 said...

I gotta go with loyal, brave and snarky also good with guns, swords and/or bows a plus! I think I wanna know more about Lars
Thanks for being part of this awesome blog
achbarrow(at)gmail(dot)com

Jennifer Wilck said...

Oh, I like Gerard, although they all sound wonderful. My heroes are strong, smart, funny and a bit vulnerable. Thanks for participating. wilckjz(at)optonline(dot)net

Kelly said...

I would say, Strong, Sexy, Loyal, tender, caring..

Thank you for the giveaway..

ronnkelly3@aol.com

Angels Cove said...

Your hero lars caught my attention angelwolfmystic@yahoo.com

Liese2 said...

I like Ash and my hero would need to be strong, sensitive and have a great sense of humor.
sqwalker2@hotmail.com

Susan W. said...

I love your Nigella Lawson reference! I'm kind of partial to the tortured hero type. I just love when he finally figures out that he's worth the love of a good woman.

Ash has grabbed my attention! I would love to read more about him.

suz2(at)cox(dot)net

The Brunette Librarian said...

Confidence and intelligence are absolutely necessary ingredients :)

Thank you for the opportunity :) Loving all the stories about Heroes!!!

brunettelibrarian AT gmAil . c0m
The Brunette Librarian Blog

latishajean said...

I really love the bad boys but who can have a heart and a sweet side too!
Thank you for the great giveaway!
Latisha D
tishajean@ charter.net

Zee Monodee said...

CeNedria,

Guns, swords, and bows... Dangerous hero alert! :)

Another vote for Lars. That Swede is popular. *grin* xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Jennifer,

Gerard is my fave, too. :)

oh, a bit vulnerable... Don't we all love that! xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

ronnkelly,

That would be an awesome hero, indeed. :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Angels Cove,

You add another vote to the tally for Lars! Never thought he'd be this popular! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Liese2,

Agreed - a sense of humour is a definite requisite.

Yay, another vote for Ash! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Susan,

The moment the tortured hero realises he's worthy of love too is one of my favourite moments in romance! I could live and breathe for that revelation when reading a book!

Ash fits that bill, btw *wink* :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Brunette Librarian,

Intelligence is a definite necessity! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Latishajean,

That would be the ultimate hero - the bad boy with a heart and a sweet side. :) xoxo

Unknown said...

patient and funny most def
marybkabui@gmail.com

Unknown said...

patient and intelligent
marybkabui@gmail.com

Paula Martin said...

Love your comparison with jaffa cakes, Zee!
My heroes are strong, successful and charismatic, but with a sensitive and caring side, and some hidden vulnerability.
paulamartinromances(at) gmail.com

Paula Martin said...

Seems like my previous comment disappeared!
My heroes are strong, successful and charismatic, but also senitive and caring, and with some hidden vulnerability.
paulamartinromances(at) gmail.com

Rissa said...

My favorite hero is all ALPHA...large and in charge!! thanks for the chance to win :) raynman1979 at yahoo dot com

Jessica said...

I like a hero that is Strong, compassionate, and witty . I am interested in reading about Lars Rutherford! Thanks for the chance to win!
Jesscaashley(at)yahoo(dot)com

Pat Cochran said...

My hero is compassionate, protective,
honorable, loyal, patient, loving,
and has a great sense of humor!

Pat C.
p-cochran@juno.com

JoAnna said...

Hi Zee! I like my hero tortured and flawed. Your heart just breaks for that kind of hero. I think my favorite here you mentioned is Jamie Gillespie. I like that he falls for a woman with a child.

beckerjo at verizon dot net

Unknown said...

My recipe for a hero would be a good sense of humor, loyalty, some snark is always good, and a heaping dose of alpha. MMM MMM! Sounds Yummy!

I love the sound of Lars!
Mel
bournmelissa at hotmail dot com

Emily said...

Well, my heroes have a bunch of ingredients. But the most important part is the quality inspection, aka, meet my parents. Especially my mother. If you don't win her over, you're out of luck. The parent test is extremely important.

tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com

Emily said...

Oh, and I would definitely pick Ash or Lars. I'm gonna go with Lars right now.

Zee Monodee said...

mary,

Patience would be a necessary virtue. :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Paula,

Lol - I couldn't help but liken a hero to a delectable treat like a jaffa cake. :) Hidden vulnerability - I like that. xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Lol Rissa! Don't we all love a larger than life Alpha! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Jessica, sounds like a winning combination. Another vote for Lars :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Pat,

I see many of you mention a sense of humour. How could I have forgotten that in my 'recipe'? :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

JoAnna, I would totally fall for the tortured and flawed hero (fell for one, actually, LOL).
And yes, Jamie wants Margo but he also wants Emma as his daughter as well. :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Mel,

Your hero sounds indeed absolutely yummy! And another vote for Lars... Dang, that man is a hit with the ladies! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Emily,

Funny you should mention the parent meeting. That would be a really determinant factor in the whole deal, indeed...
And yet another vote for Lars! Never thought he'd be so popular :) xoxo

j.lennidorner@facebook.com said...

Ingredients... LOL
Well, in my Existence series, I'd have to say that a hero is made mostly of water, and another is just full of hot air. Then there's one who's made of sticks and stones and calcium just like your bones. When you've got all that in the pot, I have another hero who can heat the mix up to boiling!

LOL! This has been a fun comment. Thanks!

Ash Gilfoy caught my eye the most.

Anna (herding cats-burning soup) said...

I love my heroes a little rough around the edges. Dedicated, honorable, just a little naughty ;)

All of them sound great but Lars caught my eye.

Thanks!
acade29@gmail.com

desitheblonde said...

our hero here in mo are the fire dept what make them hero are they are called out in 110 degree heat and then they are fighting fire every day up to 3 at a time right now we have 1200 acre it been burning since yesterday and then been on duty the whole time

desi the blonde at msn dot com

feathermaye said...

Lars sounds just dreamy!!

feathermaye at gmail dot com

Shadow said...

Ingredients? Tall, dark, alpha, kind, compassionate, a bit of bad boy, humor (must have!!), etc. Thanks for the fun hop and the awesome giveaway! Ya all rock!! :)
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

bn100 said...

funny, handsome, caring

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

Zee Monodee said...

j.lennidorner,

Yours has been a funa nd intriguing comment, indeed. These heroes of yours sound fascinating (esp the one who can heat the mix up!).

And yay - another vote for Ash! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Herding Cats,

Rough around the edges is a requisite, I agree!

Another vote for Lars... Damn, that man is a hit!!!

:) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

desi the blonde,

Totally agree with you - these firemen are real life heroes. Too often we get lost into the fictional world and forget those real men (and women!) who are doing such amazing things for us. xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

feathermaye,

You bring another notch on the tally of Lars' popularity. :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

Shadow,

I'm totally swooning over your 'confection' :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

bn100,

Sounds like a winner, this guy! :) xoxo

Zee Monodee said...

And the winner of my giveaway is...

Susan W!

Congratulations, Susan! You've won a download copy of Before The Morning (Corpus Brides: Book Two), since you mentioned Ash was your favourite hero in my lineup. :) I'll be in touch in a few.

Thanks to everyone for visiting, commenting, and enlightening me on all those wonderful combinations for creating fab heroes. Ye all totally rock!

XOXO