Need plot help

Brindle Chase · May 14, 2009

Okay, so I've read on many publishers sites that in romance, even erotic romances, the protagonist should never be umm... mean to the hero.

So whats happening in my WIP is that he is a vampire, and when he meets the heroine, he wants her... badly, but he is afraid to be "with" her, because he's afraid he'll snap and drain her dry (god, it sounds like Twilight... but its soooooooo not! I swear he doesnt sparkle either)... *lol* anywho...

So in my plot, he meets her several times, gets her all hot and bothered, but before the "deed" can be done, he runs away, because he loses a grip on his control...

After the second time he does this, she's had it. So when he comes to visit her a third time, she turns the tables... Gets him all hot and bothered, then kicks his ass out (I should mention she does this at gun point, the kicking out part)

So my question is... based on that very hasty and sloppy synopsis I've given you... does it sound like that violates the average romance rule of ddont be cruel to the hero?

mlhernandez · May 14, 2009

Sounds fine to me. Try not to get hung up on the "rules." My bestselling erotic romance novella so far has a heroine who regularly kicks ass and takes names--including the hero's. Heck, at one point, she holds a dagger to his neck while, um, taking a ride. I've received so many emails from readers who loved that scene because she's finally turned the tables on him.

So yeah. Take a chance. Break the molds.

san_remo_ave · May 14, 2009

I have never heard that rule, I suppose. And, I think, with anything it's all in how you handle it.

Makes me think of a very, very popular novel where the heroine deliberately SHOOTS the hero, she's so po'd at him, then she stomps off cursing him. Most excellent scene and, given the success of the book, not a problem. I'd say that's pretty mean!

Brindle Chase · May 14, 2009

Cool.. thank you. In mine, she doesnt shoot him, just kicks him out of her apartment without his clothes after getting him all ready to go.... *lol*... they both redeem themselves in the end of course (also mandatory for romances?)...and they have their HEA... but getting to that point, they mess with each other quite a bit.

Lainey Bancroft · May 14, 2009

Brindle Chase said:
Cool.. thank you. In mine, she doesnt shoot him, just kicks him out of her apartment without his clothes after getting him all ready to go.... *lol*...

I like this chick!

Seriously, I enjoy this kind of 'play' between characters and often write things similar. Like mlhernandez said, don't let the rules hang you up. Often they're meant to be broken. And as san_remo_ave mentioned, it's all in the execution. You don't want to have a hero backhand a heroine, nor should a heroine do something BIG or permanent to a hero--house wreck, business reputation etc.--but the little 'string you up' episodes are just plain fun IMHO.

Brindle Chase · May 15, 2009

Thank you. I feel alot better now. I was reading around and some of the suggestions on how to write romance indicated the heroine shouldnt be mean to the hero and I was a little worried the "play" and tension I was building there was going to disqualify it.

Need plot help

Brindle Chase

Dancing on the edge

mlhernandez

san_remo_ave

Back at it

Brindle Chase

Dancing on the edge

Lainey Bancroft

Cover Me!

Brindle Chase

Dancing on the edge