Every Rebel Needs a Cause by Alison Henderson

In the movie Rebel Without a Cause, James Dean played the quintessential, disaffected, bad boy anti-hero. This worked for a lot of women, but it didn’t work for me. To me, a rebel without a cause seems small and sad. He’s angry, but without focus or a plan. Every hero needs a cause. He needs something beyond himself that he believes in strongly enough to fight for, whether it’s saving the galaxy, catching the bad guys, or protecting his family.

I understand scarred characters and heroes in need of redemption. But even though they may lick their wounds in private, they should strive to overcome them in order to carry on the fight—whatever it may be. In fiction, as in real life, I don’t have much patience with whiners. I’ve read romances with heroes so dark they bordered on psychopathic. That does not turn me on. I like heroes who are essentially positive. They may be wounded and discouraged, but they never give up. They have a cause.

The heroes in my books tend to be protectors, because that’s a trait I like in a man. Jared Tanner in Harvest of Dreams is a security agent for a stagecoach line – a classic Western lawman. Morgan Bingham in A Man Like That is just the opposite, but he’s still a protector. A former member of Quantrill’s Raiders, he’s an outlaw on the run, yet he’s still willing to sacrifice everything, including the life he wants with the heroine, to take care of his family. In Unwritten Rules, Carter Devlin is a retired CIA agent who will face any enemy when his mother and grandmother are threatened.

Protectors can be found on both sides of the law. They don’t have to follow external societal rules, but they must follow their own internal rules. Rogues and rebels make wonderful heroes, but like all heroes, they need a cause.

What’s your favorite type of hero?

Alison

www.alisonhenderson.com

http://alisonhenderson.blogspot.com

Dress Shoes Versus Work Boots – Who is Your Romance Novel Hero?

I’ve had this discussion with lots of women. When you pick up a romance novel or watch a romantic movie, what kind of a hero do you want? Are you looking for the confident billionaire in his tailored business suit and shiny dress shoes or do you crave a rugged outdoorsman in flannel, jeans, and work boots?

Who is your romance novel hero?

Below I’ve created two character sketches representing the two different heroes. Read them both and cast your vote for who you’d most like to read about. You’d be helping me with some valuable writing research and I’d be most grateful for your input. When you cast your vote, if you would leave me just a short reason as to why you picked the guy you did, that would really rock my research world.

Hero 1: Christopher Harrington, III

Occupation: President of Under the Blue Technologies – a company providing solutions for keeping the world’s oceans clean

Financial Status: Multi-billionaire

Appearance: 

• 6’1” tall
• athletic build
• blue eyes
• short, neatly styled blond hair
• clean shaven
• wears tailored suits to work with shirt and tie, dress shoes. Weekend wear includes khakis with polo and button-down shirts, boat shoes, expensive sunglasses. Clothes are well matched and fitted.

Home: Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island that he inherited from his parents, lavishly decorated with collectible art he’s picked out himself on his trips around the world

Number of Pets: 0

What He Does for Fun: Sail on his yacht, travel abroad, go to the theater, invest money, hold charity balls at his mansion

Idea of Perfect Date: Send a woman he’s interested in a fancy dress and a theater ticket with a note that reads, “Dinner and show tonight. Limo will pick you up at 7:00. Don’t be late. I hate waiting, especially for someone as exquisite as you.” The limo will arrive, pick the woman up, and drop her off at the theater. An usher – a friend of Christopher’s – will escort her to the first row. The woman will have a seat, but Christopher will not be there. No, instead he’ll be on the stage when the curtain opens, sitting behind a piano, playing and singing her a love song. Then he’ll exit the stage and join her in the first row. They’ll enjoy the real show, holding hands here and there throughout, and afterwards… well, he’ll see where the night takes them.  

Hero 2: Sam Henson

Occupation: Carpenter – builds houses, barns, furniture, pretty much anything he can build out of wood

Financial Status: Enough money to be comfortable

Appearance: 

• 6’3” tall
• rugged, broad-shouldered
• hazel eyes
• thick, black hair that’s always slightly untamed
• slight scruff of a beard and mustache
• wears T-shirts and flannel shirts, jeans that highlight his phenomenal ass though he doesn’t care about that. Work boots, year-round. Work wear and weekend wear are the same and he’s usually covered in a fine mist of sawdust.

Home: Log cabin he built himself in the woods of Danville, Vermont

Number of Pets: 4, all dogs he’s raised since they were pups

What He Does for Fun: Building stuff is fun, but he also likes to hike in the woods with his dogs, snowmobile, ATV, and ski.

Idea of Perfect Date: Take a woman on a long hike in the woods with his dogs up to the pond on his property where they’ll get into a rowboat and tour around the pond in the sunshine. They’ll see moose taking a drink at the shore then have a picnic lunch while the dogs splash around in the water. They’ll come back to his cabin and when night falls, he’ll build a fire in the outdoor fire pit and they’ll stargaze until it’s time to… do something else.

So, who would you pick and why? Do you maybe like some combination of the two? I can’t wait to read your responses!

Toodles,

Chris

www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com Adult Romance

www.christymajor.weebly.com YA Romance
www.christineteaches.weebly.com Teaching Writing