Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Paranormal heroes...

I apologize for the late post. It's a little swamped around here amid the judging contest entries, rewrites, house remodeling, book reviews (due tommorow ugh) oh and did I mention the day job? lol. I'm afraid my kids will forget what I look like. As penance I'm giving you a sneak peek at the yummy Kail McKenna in todays post.

Okay, so let's dish about those heroes of the paranormal variety. While we are on the topic, what makes a hero heroic? Is it the super guy with the big muscles and wicked powers who falls over his feet to help the world? Or is it the average Joe who almost literally breaks his neck to save the world with only his wits and courage to aide him? Like Nichole pointed out (and this is a guess not an accurate percentage) I'd guess about seventy five percent of all paranormal stories feature a heroine with extraordinary abilty. Her hero is more likely to be average or have underused ability. Why? Does the reader prefer to see the heroine shoulder the powers and the burden along with them? Is she more real in their eyes for having triumphed because of it? Perhaps. We expect our heroes to be strong in one way or another.

I like my heroes to have something dark to overcome, either pysically or emotionally. Sometimes, I have to drag the facts out of them. Take Kail McKenna (Bite Me!) for example. He's a vampire and a cop in his present lifetime, but in 1400 a.d. he was "Keeper of Seven" which is just a glorified way of calling him a babysitter. He was chosen for the post because of his own magically ability. He could manipulate time. He was also very young, very human and hopelessly in love with one of the Seven. His distraction cost them the mission, his lover, his humanity and four of the seven's lives. In the present, he will have to overcome all that baggage if he is to help Brianna regroup the Seven.

If you'd like to read several great para-romances with heroes who are just as powerful as their mates, I recommend these. Face the Fire book 3 of Three sisters Island trilogy by Nora Roberts. Morrigan's Cross, Dance of the Gods, and Valley of Silence also by NR. Enchanted by NR. Funny, I didn't realize I had read so many of her books.

Have a blessed week, all!

Beth (Brynna)

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