Welcome to the Money, Honey Blog tour, in which author Susan Sey celebrates the July 6 release of her debut novel by counting down the Top Ten Most Common Reactions an ill-groomed stay at home mom receives when confessing her secret career as a romance novelist.
Hello, you Smexy beasts! (Sorry, I couldn’t help that. Been dying to say it all day.) Thanks for helping me celebrate the launch of my debut novel, Money, Honey. Here at Smexy books, we’ll be tackling Response #6: “Romance novels? Really? Your husband must LOVE that.” (If you’re interested the other nine responses, feel free to check out my website for the details.)
I saved this one especially for you Smexy fans, because husbands are involved. I figured women who are down with the idea that smart = sexy would have a field day with the implication that my husband might somehow be threatened by a romance novel. But if you’re at a party & have had a glass or two of wine, this is a tough comment to interpret properly. It’s tricky; there can be subtext. For example:
Translation A) “Holy Christmas, does your husband know you write PORN????”
Translation B) “Does your husband know you have a Fabio fetish, & if so, does he dress up in leather pants & tear bodices off you while your bosoms heave?”
Translation C) “You test run your sex scenes on him, don’t you?”
I actually like option C best because, while it’s a bit leering/lascivious, at least it’s honest. “Damn, I’ll bet you’re into some kinky stuff. Your husband’s a lucky dog.” And while our sex life is nobody’s business, when it comes down to it, my husband has two small daughters & a wife who writes romance novels. We live in a pretty girl-centric house. If total strangers (usually men) want to envy him his presumably adventurous sex life, I say let ‘em. The guy’s earned a few breaks.
No, what really offends me is the implication that I can’t tell the difference between reality and imagination. As if, because my husband’s not a pirate or a duke or a billionaire tycoon, I’m somehow disappointed in him. As if, because I write fantasies, I want to live one.
You know what, though? I don’t. I totally don’t. You know how much gym time a guy has to log to get himself a chiseled set of six-pack abs? I don’t either. You know why not? Because my husband thinks having dinner with his girls is more important than going to the gym every night. You know how many hours a guy has to work to make himself a billionaire tycoon? I don’t either. Because my husband thinks reading bedtime stories is more important than making that extra million bucks. You know how many people a guy has to kill to become a decent pirate? I don’t either, because…well, ew. Modern times being what they are, I’m pretty comfortable with the lack of buckles being swashed in our house.
Now Money, Honey features a hero—Patrick—who is swooningly good-looking, incredibly well-dressed, and sinfully charming. Oh, & he’s super rich, too. (Surprise!) He’s the ultimate romance novel hero. I’ll admit, I indulged a decades long crush on James Spader circa Pretty in Pink when I dreamed up Patrick. There’s no physical resemblance but oh, that aura of privilege & wealth & casual cruelty he wore like that Don Johnson era suit? Oh, yes, that’s Patrick up one side & down the other. Only I gave him the heart of gold James Spader’s character sort of lacked. The result? Yum.
So tell me, what makes a hero for you? In your reading? In real life? Is there any overlap, or do you like to keep things separate? Tell me something good, & you could win a copy of Money, Honey for your very own! We have FIVE copies to give away, so don’t be shy!
Thanks Susan!! To enter, answer Susan’s questions above. Contest open to US/Canada through Thursday, July 15th. Please leave your email address if it is not in your profile.
You know, I like the drop-dead hot, intense, chiseled heroes as much as anyone else, but I think the heroes I truly like best are the ones that most closely resemble my own real life hero (my husband). They're smart, maybe a little nerdy at times (but in a VERY good way), caring, dependable, and know what's what in the bedroom. :)
~Lindy
aromagik@gmail.com
I'm still single (helllooo, Mr. Right where are you???) so reality & fiction can be blurred at this point, LOL! :)
Honor & integrity in a man, fact or fiction, is what makes my heart flutter. Really. If he has a nice face & bod, even bettah!
Can't wait to read Money, Honey! Patrick sounds gooood…
Smart, emotionally scarred so the heroine can heal them, and great hair.
Honesty, integrity and a sense of humor and a lot of love to give makes a hero in my eyes.
My husband is my hero!
kissinoak at verizon dot net
For me what makes a hero is someone who is kind, honest, funny and just a good person in general. This goes for both real life and readings, but I obviously know that real life people do not always turn out to be like book heroes.
lilazncutie1215 @ yahoo.com
aromagik wrote: I think the heroes I truly like best are the ones that most closely resemble my own real life hero (my husband). They're smart, maybe a little nerdy at times (but in a VERY good way), caring, dependable, and know what's what in the bedroom. :)
I'm with you! A guy who really sees you (and takes the time to figure out his way around your body) is waaaaaaay better than a gorgeous guy who's just…ornamental.
NOthing against ornamental menfolk,just saying if I had to pick? I'd go with the nerdy guy who loves me. :-) Every time.
Scorpio M wrote: Honor & integrity in a man, fact or fiction, is what makes my heart flutter. Really. If he has a nice face & bod, even bettah!
Can't wait to read Money, Honey! Patrick sounds gooood…
Honor & integrity = HOT. You're so right on this! The good looks are a nice bonus but at the heart of it, I want a guy I trust.
I think you'll like Patrick. He's one of those sleepers who seems like maybe he's a jerk but turns out to be all about honor. Let me know what you think….
Nan wrote: Smart, emotionally scarred so the heroine can heal them, and great hair.
I'm LOLing about the great hair, Nan! Because it's so true. I enjoy myself a bald (or shaved bald) hero but I do enjoy some great hair.
And broken, but not so broken the love of a good woman can't heal him right up. Aaaahhh. Recipe for a great book. :-)
Estella wrote: Honesty, integrity and a sense of humor and a lot of love to give makes a hero in my eyes.
My husband is my hero!
That's so sweet, Estella! My husband's my hero, too, in case that didn't come through in my post. He likes to tell people they cut off the heads of my cover because he wanted to preserve his anonymity. :-)
Jeannette 8042 wrote: For me what makes a hero is someone who is kind, honest, funny and just a good person in general. This goes for both real life and readings, but I obviously know that real life people do not always turn out to be like book heroes.
Isn't it sad that what works on the page doesn't always work in real life? I remember being extremely disappointed by this when I was about 16, & so steeped in Constance O'Banyon romances that I couldn't imagine actually dating any of the boys I knew.
Not that they were considering dating me, but you know what I mean.
It was going to be tough to find a Native American warrior with a secret city who wanted to make me his princess, you know? :-)
Good thing life comes with surprises. My 16 yo self would never have picked my husband but boy am I glad my 25 yo self was wiser.
Hi Susan
Good Luck with your first novel.
I love alpha heroes & love to read about navy seals, firefighters, special ops, etc. They do need to have a bit of vulnerability (mostly where the heroine is concerned). I also love humor which can be sexy in a guy like your Patrick in MH. I've read where many authors say that while we love to read about alphas, we may not prefer them in real life. I think a healthy balance is good for real life. Being a Leo, I don't want to be bossed but I don't want to be the boss either. I want a strong partner. I'm still reading MH but dessert wasn't what I thought. Damn you write good forplay LOL.
sorry "foreplay"
For me it's simple. I am single so my fantasy doens't overlap into my real life. I want a hero that is strong, sexy, can take control of the situation, but still let me be me and not try to boss me around.
craftydana 32 at yahoo dot com
Great guest post Susan. Thanks for the giveaway Mandi. Interesting question. In my books I like my heroes to be tall, imposing, brooding, alpha werewolves. In real life that kind of hero would scare the buhjeezus out of me. I prefer my real life heroes to be sweet, nerdy, funny and tall…okay so maybe they have one trait in common. ;)
iiiioneloveiiii(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Mary G wrote: I think a healthy balance is good for real life. Being a Leo, I don't want to be bossed but I don't want to be the boss either. I want a strong partner. I'm still reading MH but dessert wasn't what I thought. Damn you write good forplay LOL.
Ha! Glad you enjoyed it. Foreplay is the best part. When it comes to writing, anyway. :-)
And I'm totally with you when it comes to wanting both the hero & the heroine to be strong personalities. I love an alpha guy so long as he's not trying to trample the heroine.
Dana wrote: I want a hero that is strong, sexy, can take control of the situation, but still let me be me and not try to boss me around.
Two words: Yum. Yum. :-)
Jenn D wrote: In my books I like my heroes to be tall, imposing, brooding, alpha werewolves. In real life that kind of hero would scare the buhjeezus out of me. I prefer my real life heroes to be sweet, nerdy, funny and tall…okay so maybe they have one trait in common. ;)
Tall is good. :-)
And yeah, I'm attracted to the alpha hero on the page, too. In real life, though? I'm all, "Oh, please. Get over yourself."
I probably wouldn't make a good romance novel heroine.
In my books I like my men to be smooth, brooding, dominant, chiseled,manly,take control,tall,clean shaven,sarcastic, willing to argue with me, and bad in a good way. ;)
I was looking at my hubs and that's pretty much what I have. LOL
But my guy also puts his family first, remembers a book I mentioned 6 months ago and buys it for me, knows I'd rather have a flash stick then a bouquet of flowers, and NEVER eats the last piece of cheesecake.
I think my hubs influences the type of hero I love to read.
Attractive is nice but more important is a sense of humor and there is nothing sexier than a man who loves his kids. Seeing a guy pushing a stroller or carrying his kid in a chest carrier is weirdly sexy (maybe it's proof of how virile his is? LOL, I don't know!).
Oh, and I wouldn't look away from a nice set of shoulders :)
Congrats on your debut release, Susan. I like reading about alpha males who take charge. I want that in real life, too, but humor, intelligence and loyalty are more important.
janie1215 AT excite DOT com
Congrats on your book release!!
Wow..what a tough question. I have honestly never thought about this. In real life heros to me are those who do for others and not even think of themselves or how it would make them to look to others.
In books a hero is the man who does something courageous for the damel in distress and sweeps her off her feet. LOL
Thanks for the chance to win!
Froggy
froggarita@gmail.com
Congrats on your new release!
Compassionate but tough, that's makes a hero for me. A perfect example is Jack from Virgin River by Robyn Carr. For me they overlap. I married my husband cuz he LOOKS like a bad boy but he's not, he's a sweetheart that looks like a bad ass!
Cindy
kevin_cindy@verizon.net
I love my book heroes to be total alpha guys! Granted, I think I might smack my hubby if he pulled that kind crap all the time. But in books… *sigh* perfect!!
Thank you Susan. Great post. Please don't include me in the contest, but I just wanted to say that I've yet to meet my RL hero. However, I'd want someone who…loved all of me. But there oh so has to be zing. Lots and lots of zing *grin*
All the best with the release!
tori aka ggs_closet writes: But my guy also puts his family first, remembers a book I mentioned 6 months ago and buys it for me, knows I'd rather have a flash stick then a bouquet of flowers, and NEVER eats the last piece of cheesecake.
Wow, he *does* sound like a romance novel hero! Lucky girl!
Patti (book addict) wrote: there is nothing sexier than a man who loves his kids.
Oh, yeah. That's so true. A guy who's secure enough in his manliness to be gentle & loving? Yum.
Jane wrote: I like reading about alpha males who take charge. I want that in real life, too, but humor, intelligence and loyalty are more important.
That's so true. An alpha plus a sense of humor? Deadly combination. :)
Froggy wrote: In real life heros to me are those who do for others and not even think of themselves or how it would make them to look to others.
In books a hero is the man who does something courageous for the damel in distress and sweeps her off her feet. LOL
I think that sums it up nicely. A nice sweep of the old feet takes a guy right into hero territory for me. Especially when he's doing something selfless & for me. :)
Cindy wrote: I married my husband cuz he LOOKS like a bad boy but he's not, he's a sweetheart that looks like a bad ass!
Nice! Sounds like you've got the best of both worlds there! My sister's husband is a little like that. He looks a little scary with these super intense blue eyes & a lot of tattoos. But he's seriously the nicest guy ever. They're a perfect match.
Nicole said: Granted, I think I might smack my hubby if he pulled that kind crap all the time. But in books… *sigh* perfect!!
Ha! I know, right? On the page all the alpha stuff is so swoon-worthy but whenever my husband gets high-handed I'm like, "ExCUSE me?"
Heh. No wonder they can't figure us out. :-)
Orannia writes: I've yet to meet my RL hero. However, I'd want someone who…loved all of me. But there oh so has to be zing. Lots and lots of zing *grin*
Oh, absolutely. Don't settle for anything less than zing-o-plenty. If you're zing-meter isn't red-lining, he's not the one. Good luck! And until your RH hero comes along, at least there are wonderful heroes to visit in books.
someome kind and funny witha warm heart
congrats ont eh book
kh
Congrats on the book! It looks like a fun read!
Like most people, I think honesty and integrity are key points for a true life hero. But I have to say that I also go for the nice, nerdy type who likes pets and is kind to children and old ladies.
Let's face it, on a daily basis, not much is sexier than a man willing to be heroic and save the day by starting dinner and tidying up the house before his lady gets home from a hectic day at the office or from chauffeuring around the munchkins. Lifesaver!
That being said, who doesn't like to read about a buff, hottie, alpha-male with a big wallet and some other big attributes that he is willing to share. :) But he still needs to be a nice guy, because who wants to spend time with a jerk whether in real-life or in the world of make-believe!
cmhogan13@gmail.com
I want my heroes to be like my hubby–smart, honest and with a bit of a sense of humor. I enjoyed your column. In fact, I'm enjoying many of your columns on the book blogs I visit. Can't wait to read Money, Honey! Thanks.
Integrity, honesty, and a good ear when it's needed!
meredithfl at gmail dot com
and for the contest questions —
Hmm. I think the common ground between what I demand from a fictional hero and a real life one is respect (cue Aretha).
I can live with a hero underestimating the heroine, but I really, really have trouble with the hero treating the heroine badly. Intentionally hurting her without a redeeming motivation.
Six-pack, trust-fund, and vampire-slaying are nice but in the end, optional.
What makes a hero for me? Well, in reading he is definitely a fantasy!!! Ayn Rand's Howard Roark is my idea of a hero. Someone who stands tall for his beliefs, no matter what. Who is passionate in life and about his life.
In real life, my hero is a man who loves (and shows it daily),his children, his wife, and is compassionate towards others. He does his best, but being human fails occassionally, however, he is man enough to own up to his failures, and try to improve.
Any overlap: yes, definitely. But, there is a line where fantasy outweights fiction! (For my fantasy hero is tall, ripped, and good looking. Reality hero, is shorter than I, a little overweight, and average!)
terrymac1a at hotmail dot com
I was thinking that the heros I like to read about in books are different than real life, but then I realized there is a common thread in both. To me, both in books and in real life, it doesn't matter if he's alpha, beta, or whatever, as long as he worships the ground his heroine walks on. That's my only requirement and luckily my guy fits the bill!
Hrm… a hero… well, the classic definition of a hero is someone who takes the responsibility that no one else wants, and does the things no one else can do- all the while facing terrifying odds and insurmountable challenges.
My definition of a hero?
If my dad would do it, and anyone else would call him crazy. : P
Ellaanabeth@yahoo.com