Heather Long | My Favorite Breakout Characters
October 29, 2015
One of the best parts of writing a series is when a supporting character
becomes an
outstanding lead in their own right. It’s happened several times to me over the
years, and I
think it’s my favorite part of writing a series. Supporting characters give us
a window into
our leads. They don’t have to fit the tropes or the molds, or be heroic. In
fact, they can
be just about anything, because their part isn’t to succeed or to fail, but to
merely give
us another glimpse at the strengths and flaws of hero or heroine.
Wolves
of Willow
Bend has proven to be rich, fertile storytelling ground for supporting
characters
for me. I love meeting them and getting to know them, then watching them shine
as they step
up to be heroes and heroines. When I introduced Giovanni in ROGUE
WOLF, the
Centurion added some levity and friendship for the powerful Alpha Salvatore. I
adored him,
and wanted to see more of him—hence SINGLE WICKED WOLF. In light of that love, I wanted to
share with you
some of my favorite breakout characters from other series and programs:
1. Riley (Psy-
Changeling series by Nalini Singh) – We actually met Riley in SLAVE TO
SENSATION. He
is the brother of Brenna and Drew, and second in command to his Alpha Hawke.
He’s a tough
bastard and he’s in so much pain wanting to know what happened to his sister.
He’s mentioned
a few times over later books, and he shines brilliantly when he gets to
headline his own
book BRANDED BY FIRE
to become one of my all-time favorite heroes in this series. You could make
this argument
for many of the supporting characters in this series—they rotate from
supporting, to lead to
supporting again. It’s perfect.
2. Wolverine – Would it surprise you to know that Wolverine actually got
his start as
a villain? Then later he becomes a supporting character in the X-Men?
That’s just in
the comics. Of course, in the films, he’s a pivotal member of the team and a
breakout star
who was given his own films and, while it’s also due to Hugh Jackman’s
portrayal, Wolverine
is arguably one of the most pivotal characters in the Marvel universe.
3. Phil Coulson – Speaking of the Marvel film universe, Phil Coulson
played by the
delightful Clark Gregg was the supporting character who tied the films together
leading up
to the Avengers. His death in the first Avengers film united the
fractious team to
face off against Loki and the invaders. Coulson’s personality and strengths,
however, were
too vital and his “resurrection” to lead on Agents of SHIELD is a damn
good show of
it.
4. Castiel on Supernatural – Misha Collins portrays this
fantastic character
who came in as a supporting player for a short-term ARC in the fourth season of
the long-
running monster hunting show and he returned again and again. While the
Winchesters remain
the leads, Castiel has his own fans and is a lead in his own tales, too.
5. Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Love’s original bitch
showed up as a
villain in the second season and, even then, he was supposed to be second
fiddle to Angelus.
By the series end, he was not only a leading man who’d turned a Slayer’s head
(with love
instead of a neck twist to break her neck) and a hero who helped save them all.
Giveaway
Breakout supporting characters are the best! Do you have a favorite? Leave
a comment
below for a chance for to receive your choice of an eBook from my backlist. 3 winners;
Open
internationally.
National bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park,
science
fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are
filled with
heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas summertime. From
paranormal
historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch
genres, but one
thing is true in all of her stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s
not wrangling
her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she
considers family.
She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their
chest, and
your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like
them, you’ll
enjoy her worlds as much as she does.
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He's single, wicked, and a perfect pretend boyfriend...but exactly who is
she fooling?
Murphy DeWitt enjoyed two years touring American consulates in Europe as an
assistant to a
diplomatic attaché. It was a dream come true, and a hell of a learning
experience. A master
of languages, she knows how to get her point across. Romance, however, proves
to be a tongue
twister. Now en route to Willow Bend for a friend's wedding--without the make-
believe
boyfriend she created for her family--she debates how to confess her deception.
Luckily, her
flight includes a fantastically hot wolf that leaves her breathless and
contemplating all
kinds of naughty things.
Giovanni Conti thrives on protecting others. As a Centurion for the Seven Hills
pack in
Italy, it's his pleasure to serve his Alpha wherever he is needed. Dispatched
ahead in
preparation for the Alpha pair's trip to Willow Bend, he has no problem
entertaining the
sexy wolf he encounters in the airport. The last thing the playboy wolf
expects, however, is
to find in Murphy the most captivating chase of his life...
Comments
21 comments posted.
Re: Heather Long | My Favorite Breakout Characters
I don't have a favorite. (Cynthia Cook 12:23pm October 29, 2015)
I love stories that have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what is going to happen next. I will be looking into your books to see what they are like. (Elizabeth Deyoung 3:44am October 29, 2015)
I love the idea of supporting characters becoming main characters themselves - I feel like I really know them already. I, too, love Riley from Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series! He is awesome! (Felicia Ciaudelli 11:42am October 29, 2015)
I love characters that round out a story very nicely... seeing them again in their own story even better! (Colleen Conklin 12:45pm October 29, 2015)
No I don't. (Marissa Yip-Young 5:09pm October 29, 2015)
I don't have a favorite but I love when a supporting character in one book becomes a main character in the next. I feel like I already know them and the bond is already there. (Bonnie Capuano 8:46am October 30, 2015)
Spike is definitely the best breakout character I can think of. (Pam Howell 10:06am October 30, 2015)
Wolverine is the best but I do love Castiel or my two. (Jennifer Beck 12:27pm October 30, 2015)
I don't have a favorite either. (Tracee Imai 3:26pm October 30, 2015)
I don't have a favorite, but I enjoy when a supporting character end up the main character in his own story. It is always nice to see the development of a character in his own right. (Irene Menge 8:29pm October 30, 2015)
I'd add Vasic from psy/changelings, Loki from the Avengers and Matt McCall from your Always a Marine series. I figured him to always be in the bacground but his story blew me away. (Donna Antonio 8:59am October 31, 2015)
Cat from the novel The Windflower by Laura London. It's been over 20 years But I still remember Cat. (Blanche Nixon 12:31pm October 31, 2015)
No real favs... (Nancy Ludvik 5:34pm October 31, 2015)
I can think of two that an author promised to write about but never did...Connor MacKinnon and Ian Delamere from Christina Skye's historical romances. I would dearly love for her to finish her "Delamere" trilogy and to bring Connor's story to light too! (Cynthia Powers 11:00pm October 31, 2015)
I love break out characters, they're always a surprise. But at the moment, I really do not have favorite. (Marcia Berbeza 11:38pm October 31, 2015)
I agree with you about Spike, my favorite breakout character. (Mary McCoy 11:12am November 1, 2015)
I also love Riley and other supporting characters from Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series - as well as the Guild Hunters series - SO cool! (Felicia Ciaudelli 12:23pm November 1, 2015)
Sorry, No I Don't Have A Favorite Either. (Carolyn Rhodes 4:31pm November 1, 2015)
I can't really say that I have a favorite Breakout character. (Sharon Cook 5:03pm November 1, 2015)
Robin...from Batman & Robin (Fred Holmes 9:33pm November 1, 2015)
angel (Ann Unger 11:08pm November 1, 2015)
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