Today, I'm very lucky to have Lauren Hawkeye as a guest blogger on A Little Bit of Naughty. She is a writer, theatre enthusiast, knitting aficionado and animal lover who lives in the shadows of the great Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada.
She’s older than she looks—really—and younger than she feels—most of the time—and she loves to explore the journeys that take women through life in her stories. I'm very happy to have her here and be one the stops on her Take Me Down Tour. Today she's being nice enough to stop by and not only write a fan-tabolous article about sexy cover models but is even going to give one lucky commenter a free e-pub version of the first book in her Erotic Me Series, Take Me Down.
Take Me Down
Blurb:
Evie may feel like she doesn’t measure up to her prettier, younger sister, but she still knows what she wants—Lucas, her cousin’s sexy roommate. She’s dreamed about being with him for a long time, and on the sweltering night of her sister’s wedding, it’s clear he shares her lust. Now Evie is determined to take what she desires—even if it’s just for one night….
I don't know about you but this is definitely a book that has made my TBR list! Now on to Ms. Lauren's wonderful article and don't forget to comment to enter to win a copy of this delightfully naughty book.
Don't forget to check out the rest of her books on her site, including the upcoming books in the Erotic Me Series!
Whose Face Do You See On Your Book Hero?
by Lauren Hawkeye
The other day I overheard a conversation in a book store. Two high school aged girls were giggling over the shelf of glossy romance novels (what else, right?). One remarked to the other, while gesturing with a paperback featuring a Fabio-esque hunk, “This is dumb. Nobody actually looks like this.”
Well, I think that that fresh faced girl got one out of two. It’s true enough, not many people look like they belong on the cover of a romance novel—myself included! But dumb? There I have to disagree.
The whole point of a book, or a movie, or a television show—of a story—is to take you, the observer, out of your life and into the lives of the characters. Furthering that, the purpose of a romance adds a layer of fantasy to that. We want to read about men who look like Brad Pitt, and want to pretend that we are the heroines that are so very much wanted by these yummy men. If the only stories available were realistic, this world would be a very boring place indeed (anyone seen The Invention of Lying?)
I have some familiar faces that I call to mind when I am reading... and writing... ones that help enhance the fantasy of a romance story. Right now I loooove me some Alexander Skarsgard (Eric on True Blood). I also have the occasional fantasy about Adam Scott from Parks and Rec, and Adam Lambert.
Whose faces appear on the bodies of your book heroes?
I do get a vision of the characters when I read books and often it is not the one on the cover. Interesting post.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
i get a feel for what i think the hero looks like and it usually doesn't look much like the one on the cover either. but their voice almost always has the same velvet over whisey sounds as Sam Elliot(the actor).i have a great imagination.LOL!
ReplyDeleteHmm, good question Lauren. As an author myself, I think I use my cover as my inspiration when I write. I try to find men that fit my character. It brings it to life for me.
ReplyDelete(Doesn't hurt that Mr. Jimmy Thomas is yummy anyway)
I think Eric(true blood)is a good starting point. Alcede (True blood) is also a good stand by too. I think the list could go on, but I'm going to leave it there for now and get back to work.
When I read, I don't necessarily have one hero in mind. Sometimes the description of the character is what I see and sometimes its just a non descript hot guy!
ReplyDeletebooks4me67 at ymail.com
I usually start with a blank slate. I build the picture in my mind as the author describes the characters. Although, if the book cover has a clear picture, that is my starting point. Like Never Enough by Lauren Dane.
ReplyDeletejepebATverizonDOTnet
I always picture the same guy as the hero for all books, no matter what the description says about them. The guy is not anyone that I have ever seen in real life, just my dreams, imaginations. If I ever find the guy that matches him, I will probably attack him, lol.
ReplyDeletemanning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
I actually don't really picture one particular guy for all the heroes I read about. It's really just my imagination going with the descriptions in the book, though I gotta admit, I do tend to picture the tall, dark and handsome types ;)
ReplyDeletechibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com