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Guest Blogger Cindi Myers

I thought it would be fun to talk about the Bad Boy hero. We love ‘em, right? But how bad is too bad?

The hero of my January Superromance,The Father For Her Son, just spent seven years in prison. And yes, he was guilty. He didn’t kill anyone, but he did rob a liquor store. I hope I show that he really has learned from his mistakes, but still, writing a hero like this was a risk.

What do you, as readers, think? Is there anything in a hero’s past that would be a deal breaker for you? Does it take you longer to trust a hero with a dark past?

Do you think this kind of thing makes for a stronger conflict? After all, the heroine has to overcome her misgivings and mistrust of the hero in order for a romance to happen. Certainly our heroine, Marlee, has to struggle with this. Does she want her young son exposed to this fact about the hero, Troy,’s life?

What are some of your favorite Bad Boy heroes? And what do you think of a hero who’s served time in prison?

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THE FATHER FOR HER SON, Harlequin Superromance, January 2010
Life hasn’t been easy for single mom Marlee Britton, but she’s proud of her ability to look after herself and her son. Then old flame Troy Denton shows up after seven years, wanting to be a father to his son. and to rekindle his relationship with Marlee. While Troy struggles to prove himself trustworthy, Marlee wonders how she can ever give her heart to the man who broke it so long ago.
“MELTING POINT” in BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE, with Jennifer Greene and Merline Lovelace, Harlequin Anthology, January 2010
Kristjan Gunnarson is Iceland’s first ever Olympic medalist. Coloradoan Stacy Bristol thinks he’ll be the perfect model for her new advertising campaign, but she isn’t prepared for the impact handsome Kristjan has on her. As she supervises filming around Iceland, Stacy fights her attraction to Kristjan. Can a down-to-business American and a footloose Icelander find love in the land of ice and fire?

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Cindi Myers became one of the most popular people in eighth grade when she and her best friend wrote and illustrated their own historical romance novel. The manuscript was eventually confiscated by her English teacher, who told her she should spend her time learning to properly conjugate a sentence. Since then, Cindi has gone on to write more than three dozen novels, both historical and contemporary. She also teaches writing and is a popular speaker and workshop presenter. She produces a weekly market newsletter or you can visit her website.

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  1. eap Said:

    I guess it would okay depending on why he did the crime…

    - Reply
  2. Cindi Myers Said:

    Yep, that’s the challenge for the writer — justify the crime. I think I did a good job of that — the hero was young and stupid and got in over his head and now really regrets it.

    - Reply
  3. kristan higgins Said:

    Welcome, Cindi! Love you bio, by the way…I hope your teacher is aware of what you do for a living! Bad boys are tricky, aren’t they? I did an ex-con hero, too, but he wasn’t truly guilty, so that was a little easier. I think a crime that doesn’t really hurt anyone is okay, but I do remember a movie with Clive Owen…Greenfingers, I think?…where he was serving time for killing his brother in an alcoholic rage. The story takes place 18 years later. I liked the movie. And yes, the character definitely learned his lesson.

    - Reply
  4. Margo Maguire Said:

    I think it would be tough to write a reformed ex-con character today. With what we know about prisons, it’s tough to imagine anyone coming out of that ok. But a good writer can definitely make you suspend reality and believe…

    - Reply
  5. EmilyMcKay Said:

    Welcome, Cindi!
    Margo’s point is definitely a good one. But despite that, some of my all time favorite heros are ex-cons. No, seriously. Zack, in Judith McNaught’s Perfect. Johnny in Karen Robard’s One Summer. Tucker in Brenda Novak’s Taking the Heat. Jackson in Dinah McCall’s Jackson Rule.
    Just some of the best heros out there. I once joked that it’s a good thing I’m happily married. Otherwise, given my love of ex-con heros, I might be one of those creepy women who writes letters to men in prison that they don’t know and eventually marries one of them.
    In short, I think I’ll definitely have to read your new book, Cindi.

    Random side note: Kristan, just yesterday I added Greenfingers to my netflix queue. Weird huh?

    - Reply
  6. Cindi Myers Said:

    The Father For Her Son was inspired by a real-life guy my husband worked with. He had a mile-long record for dealing drugs, but met this woman and totally turned his life around. He’s now happily married with two adorable children and a responsible job — one of those good stories.

    - Reply
  7. Ellen Said:

    I just finished reading “The Father for Her Son” and you did an excellent job of redeeming Troy. As you mentioned he was young, a little nieve when he committed the crime he was in prison for but he certainly made up for it by the end of the book.

    - Reply
  8. EmilyMcKay Said:

    Cindi, that’s a great story! Man, that’s the way those stories are supposed to end!

    - Reply

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