Who's your favorite fictional hero

Does he have black, blond, brunette, or auburn hair, or is his hair color unique only to him and displays who he is? (green, purple, etc.) Does he keep it short, shoulder length or does his hair swirl lusciously down his muscular back to stop above  his slim waist or firm buttocks?

What color eyes draws you into him? Green? Hazel? Blue? Brown? Or are his eyes as unique as his hair choice.

Is he physically flawless, perfect in every way? What's his greatest accomplishment? His biggest fear?

Is he a doctor, lawyer, insurance salesmen, bookstore owner? Or one of our brave police officers, firefighters, or in the military? A duke? A viscount?

Alpha? Beta? Or somewhere in between?

I tend to read what I write. In romantic suspense I love to read and write about the strong cops who keep our heroine out of harm. But as a switch up, in the book I'm currently writing, my hero is a psychic with visions that scare the daylights out of me--and him. This hero is unusual for me to write, but I'm finding myself very comfortable with him. :) I've never written a book where my hero has auburn hair and a scar on his face. To me, he's the perfect hero, definitely strong and alpha with a twist of vulernability. The scar added distinction and his story drew me in. He's a man fighting his inner demons, torn but all too ready to help the police stop a serial killer before he takes his next victim. And, of course, saving his beautiful heroine and helping her find her true self. Awww...my hero. :)

What type of hero do you like to read about or write? Is the hero who initially draws you into a story?

Happy reading and writing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

To fragment or not to fragment

I personally think fragments are necessary to achieve a certain tone, for emphasis, or to break up monotonous narration and introspection. But when I write a fragment, my old English Lit teacher from years and years ago, (did I mention years ago?) is preaching in my ear at a very high pitch. She really needs to step down from my shoulder. She's killing it. No, actually, she's trodding on my creative juices. I'm not saying I go overboard, because I don't and am aware of when I do it and why.

And one line paragraphs... I love them--when they're necessary. But that's a totally different blog post. :)

We speak in fragments, don't we? Or am I the exception rather than the rule. When you read, do fragmented sentences pull you from the story? Stop you flat? (My bad, a fragmented sentence, but I couldn't help myself. :)) Do you write with fragments? Why and when do you use fragments?

Story development and dreams

Or should I say nightmares...

A lot of people, writers, critique partners and readers alike, ask me where I come up with my story ideas. Sometimes I feel silly responding that my plot ideas come to me in my dreams. Or should I say my nightmares. I write romantic suspense and romantic thrillers, and I have to admit my villains creep me out into the earlier hours of the morning.

If I'm lucky, real lucky, my story will play completely (well, almost) out through my mind after a few nights with little or no sleep. I've tried meditating before I go to bed, but my villains are impervious to the fact that I need rest. After a short fight, they convince me, or at least they think they do, that I can survive on little sleep and that I can sleep when they do. Afterall, they have a backstory to exploit and a story to tell. :)

What type of villains do you like to write or read? Do they keep you up by demanding an audience or making you too frightened where you can't sleep at all? Leave a comment and tell us about your favorite villain, crime, and what drew you to that special villain?