Cathie Linz | The Appeal of the wild bad boy hero

What is it about wild bad boys that is so appealing? One multi-published author
friend of mine told me early on in my career that if a hero is perfect then the
heroine is pretty dense not to fall for him right away. But bad boys are always
tempting good girl heroines to cross over to their wicked side of the street.
They create the conflict and sparks of opposites attracting.

I wrote my new book SMART GIRLS THINK TWICE because I love stories with Plain-Jane heroines and wild bad boy heroes. Talk about opposites attracting! Emma Riley is an academic content to study life from the sidelines. Jake Slayter is a total risk-taker, always on the move. Both have come to Rock Creek with questions. The answers they find there will change their lives forever. Because when it comes to dangerously sexy men, smart girls think twice. The bigger and badder they are, the harder they fall when love finally does grab those bad boys by the heart they thought they didn’t have. As a writer, it’s fun and creatively challenging to find new ways to have bad boys misbehave. I write a fast-paced character-driven book. I’ve often said if I could only teach my characters how to type, I’d be in great shape. They, especially bad boy heroes like Jake, do and say things that I as the author don’t expect or anticipate. And that’s what keeps writing exciting for me, even after over fifty published romances. For more information I’d suggest checking out the non-fiction book DANGEROUS MEN AND ADVENTUROUS WOMEN. And please visit my website at cathielinz.com to enter my contest to win a free book of mine or to sign up for my Facebook page.

How about you, who are some of your favorite bad boy heroes in books, movies or
on TV? What do you like about them?

Cathie

Comments

5 comments posted.

Re: Cathie Linz | The Appeal of the wild bad boy hero

Cathie,

How do you keep your "bad boys" from becoming cliche characters?
Elyce
(Elyce Rembos 5:48pm January 27, 2009)

I love Ryan Boldari, Nora Roberts' hero in Homeport...he's a good guy, but a bad boy! I think that the key to them is a cynical shell hiding a soft, vulnerable (may have been hurt before) heart....Chris
(Chris Foutris 8:26pm January 27, 2009)

I love the bad boy heroes, too, if they aren't toooo bad! Sometimes I read a book where the guy I figured should be the hero is completely unredeemable, then the author twists things around until he shows a good side. Doesn't always work for me.
Your heroes' flaws compliment the heroines' strong suits in each story, and bring her around to reaching out to him, whether she thinks she wants to, or not!
Smart Girls has such strong attraction between them that it sizzled off the page!
I won't say more, in case of spoiling it for others. It really works for me :-)
(Sherry Weddle 3:40pm January 28, 2009)

I love bad boy heroes!
(Brenda Rupp 9:24pm October 23, 2009)

He has to be a good guy, but a oh so bad boy to keep my attention. Sometimes a bad boy is just really a bad guy all the wat around and Lord knows, we don't need any more of them!
(Patti DelValle 1:46am April 4, 2011)

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