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Thursday, November 03, 2011

Virginia Kantra: Real Life Hero or Fictional Favorite?

The north east is slammed with snow. At some stores, Christmas decorations went up before the Halloween displays came down. It seems every year the holidays rush on us faster and faster with an endless To Do list.

Which makes it even more important that we catch our breath and count our blessings. This time of year reminds me how grateful I am for...

Guys.

Real life heroes who can check the oil in your car or figure a tip, who think it would be a great idea to grill the turkey in the back yard or drop it in a garbage can full of boiling oil on the driveway. (I mean, seriously, what woman would come up with that idea?)

I’m thankful for guys who play football in the front yard or yell at the game on TV, those wonderful men who fix the toilet when company’s coming, who put up with your relatives at one more holiday dinner and swear your pie is as good as their mom’s.  I’m thankful for guys who haul the extra chairs into the dining room and raid the refrigerator for leftovers, who rake leaves and shovel snow over the long Thanksgiving weekend.  (Yes, boys, I’m talking to you!)

I’m grateful, too, for the fantasy guys, the ones who fire our imaginations and libidos, the heroes of our books.

When the power is out or you can’t stand one more minute at the mall, nothing takes the edge off like curling up in bed with...a Christmas story. Some of the first romances I read were the Signet Regency Christmas collections. So when my editor asked if I would consider doing a Christmas story, my answer was a resounding "yes!!!". I'd planned on expanding the world of my Children of the Sea to include more about the fallen Children of Air. Christmas and angels? What could be more perfect? But my love of those Regency romances, with their house parties and kissing boughs and Christmas bells, snuck into my contemporary paranormal world. The result is "Upon a Midnight Clear" in TIED WITH A BOW, with disillusioned angel Lucien Hartfell as its hero.

So, tell me.  Who are the guys you’d most like to find under the tree this year? Real life hero or fictional favorite?  Do you go for the stand up guy, the sexy bad boy, the battered knight in rusty armor?

One commenter will receive a copy of TIED WITH A BOW.

26 comments:

Lil said...

I love fictional heroes and all of the kinds you mention have a place in my heart. In truth, it depends on my mood at the time. Admittedly, I have been leaning heavily on the bad boy hero but if I had to live with one the relationship wouldn't last. However, I would consider him quite a gift under the tree. I can dream and in those dreams I can likely make things work out just fine.

Caroline said...

Fictional = a tortured hero works for me ;o)

Real Life = My DH of course! Caroline x

Jane said...

I wouldn't mind finding a fictional hero under my tree. It's always useful to have a guy around who know how to handle any situation at any given time.

Jennifer Mathis said...

fictional- The sexy bad boy with the heart of gold
real life = The man who will get up with the kids so you can get that extra half hour of sleep

meandi09@yahoo.com

fingershankins said...

Fictional - alpha male - all hard and decisive

real life - my hubby of 37 years; always my rock, still runs a bath for me so i can soak when i get home from work!

TashNz said...

My Dad is my real life hero so I have to say... fictional favourite! Not tortured tho... just one of the strong, knows what he wants types. Modern day probably anyone from Abby Green or Annie West's books. Historical, anyone from Judith McNaught's will do :D

alainala said...

i love the hero with a past.. had something happen that made him wary... but still has a sense of humor!

Blackeros said...

I want the hero who gets mad at being interrupted watching the ball game to have him take the trash out (or someting else domestic) but makes up to you later.

Di said...

My power was out last weekend (after the freak snowstorm in the east) and I could have used one of these heroes to keep my warm, with the cleanup of all the downed tree limbs & to fix the hole one put in my roof. I'm not picky, any of your choices could work.
sallans d at yahoo dot com

Pam said...

I'll take whichever I can get. LOL Though I must say, the fictional ones are rather perfect at times. :)

Pam
vanillaorchids69(at)gmail(dot)com

Leni said...

The guy on the cover of the book would be a nice start :)
The rest of the fictional characters would be the any good looking hero, but mainly the strong, silent type.

lenikaye@yahoo.com

Cathy Ward said...

Since my ex would leave for work without cleaning the snow off my truck I have to go with fictional heroes.
I've always loved Simon Basset, the duke from Julia Quinn's The Duke and I.
He was one of those flawed heroes but triumphed in the end.

Betty Hamilton said...

I just love the tortured hero!! So my choice would definately be fictional! Of course...if Sean Connery was still in his prime and available.... LOL

bettysunflower@hotmail.com

Diane said...

I love the tortured hero who gets past it all to be the best he can an to love as much as possible.

The Brunette Librarian said...

I am a sucker for the tortured hero. The real life heroes are good...but they have dirty socks and truck problems. So a little fiction in life is really nice :)

rachie2004 AT yah00 *d8t* c0m

chey said...

I want a fictional hero! The kind of guy who shovels snow and warms up the car for me.

Na said...

I have a bunch of fictional heroes that I would around me for Christmas, some aren't even humans and many are the dark, brooding type but have hugs hearts. Barrons, Zsadist and any man who is strong, loyal and has a sense of humor sounds great!

Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

Mary Preston said...

I rather like the idea of a battered Knight in rusty armour. Brave & true & noble.

Laurie G said...

Fictional heroes work for me. I like the guy who is independent, athletic, hard working and trustworthy... but still manages to get swept off his feet by the love of a woman.

Real life- my husband of 34 years. He is always there for me. Compromise is the key to a great relationship. Trust is essential too.

Where did you live in Wisconsin?

Laurie G said...

OOPS! It was Fiona that lived in Wisconsin. Sorry!

Diane said...

Fictional character would have to be Devil Cynster from Srepahnie Laurens' "Devil's Bride".

Desere said...

A fictional character for me would be Jasper Caulfield from Melanie Milburne's book Willingly Bedded Forcibly Wedded ! The man simply oozes stunningness !

But a real life bad boy will also do ! Thanks for a great post and thanks for the chance to win !
Desere

Natasja said...

Fictional: I'm always fall of the sexy bad boys in the stories, but of course they appears to have a heart of gold when it comes to their women.

Stella said...

I'm in a verbally abusive relationship, so a man who appreciates the way I am!!

Sonali said...

i would love to have a sexy bad boy waiting under the tree for me this year. It would make my year!

Virginia Kantra said...

Loving these responses! I think it was Nora Roberts who said that to a woman with small children, a hero was a man who could fix the toilet on a Saturday night.

I'm in favor of bad boys who are really very good men.

Stella, my sweetie, maybe you need a copy of Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels. The good guys are out there!

As for our winner...(drum roll please)

Chosen by random number generator, the winner is..Leni!

Leni, I will email you directly to get your snail mail address. You can contact me through my website or Facebook page.

Thanks so much to you all for your comments!

Virginia