Guest blogger: Nicole Murphy

Falling in love again and again

One of the great things about being a writer of romance is that you get to create and fall in love with fantabulous men over and over again.

Men who are bold. Men who are dashing. Men who are charming. Men who are naughty. Men who are nice.

And it’s not just the main characters—secondary characters can also take your heart and maybe become the hero of your next book.

So what do I love about my men from the Dream of Asarlai trilogy?

The heroes:

Lucas—Secret Ones

Lucas is the personification of ‘my perfect man’—tall, dark, muscular, strong, determined, romantic. Lucas is a tortured soul, ready to be saved from his past by a woman who will love him just as he is. Of course, he never expected that woman to be part of a secret magical race—or that he wouldn’t be human either.

Stephen—Power Unbound

In many ways, Stephen is the antithesis of what I’d find attractive—blonde, overly muscled, extremely intense. But what saves Stephen, why I love him, is his incredible capacity for love. Stephen loves completely, absolutely. As Ione eventually finds out, a woman loved by Stephen will never want for a partner who will stand by her side through EVERYTHING.

Hampton—Rogue Gadda

Hampton burst onto the page and into my heart in Secret Ones. Other women fell for him as well—Hampton is by far the most commented on male character in the series. There was nerves writing his book—everyone talked about how charming and witty Hampton was, but I knew the doubt and insecurity that lay beneath. Thankfully, I was able to find him a partner who felt the way those readers had—he was perfect.

Secondary characters:

John O’Hara

Maggie’s grandfather is a tribute to my own wonderful grandfather. A man who loved and accepted me as I was, even if at times I disappointed him. John’s concern for others, his work ethic, his humour were very much those of my grandfather, who I still miss.

Kenyon

I was coming to quite like Kenyon as the books progressed, but the moment he appeared in chapter one of Rogue Gadda and said to Hampton, ‘What’s up, Sabha-boy?’ I was in love. Kenyon was the easy-going, humorous person that kept the guardians going when everything seemed dark. Kenyon keeps popping into my mind—one of those characters that is demanding his own story be told.

Owen

Owen’s the quiet one of the guardians but as the books have gone on, he’s starting to take hold of me. The more I think about Owen, the more I like him. He’s tenacious, he’s a lateral thinker, he gets a lot done. I’m looking forward to finally giving him his story.

Oswald Flaherty

I know—Oswald shouldn’t be on this list. He’s cranky, opinionated, full of himself and way too conservative to sit well with me. But what can I say—every time I know I can fit Oswald into a scene, I smile. He’s just so much bloody fun to write!

Jack Gorton

Yes, yes—Jack’s not a man. But I can see him as one and boy, is he something else!

Who are the men in literature that you’ve fallen in love with? Apart from Darcy of course—he goes without saying.

Nicole Murphy
http://nicolermurphy.com/