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Welcome Guest Blogger Charlene Sands!
Submitted by Charlene Sands on Thu, 2007-10-25 01:06.
Real Men, Then and Now
Country music artist Tim McGraw sings a hit song called - Real Good Man. Here’s the lyrics to one of the verses:
I might have a reckless streak
At least a country-mile wide
If you’re gonna run with me
Its gonna be a wild ride
When it comes to loving you
I’ve got velvet hands
I’ll show you how a real bad boy
Can be a real good man
Now I ask you, how can a woman resist a man described this way? Isn’t it every woman’s fantasy to be with a bad boy, who’s really a real good man? It may very well be the best of both worlds.
I write hero driven stories for Silhouette Desires and westerns for the Harlequin Historical line and let me say I love writing rugged, bold, powerful men, no matter the time period. Alpha is alpha, right? I find that in my westerns a real man had no option but to be strong, decisive and physically capable in order to survive. That’s one of the reasons I treasure the American West and enjoy telling stories about men of honor, code and duty.
In my November release, Bodine’s Bounty, the bounty hunter with one name has had his fair share of adversity. He’s made his own way in life and the road he travels is filled with danger and adventure. He’s pledged to honor a vow made to his dying brother. He’s duty bound to assist an old woman he owes a favor. And he’s dedicated to avenging his brother’s death.
What fun I had throwing wrenches into his well laid out plans! His pledge to keep a young determined runaway heiress safe, unharmed and untouched, plays havoc with his dutiful code of honor. Keeping her from harm is far easier than keeping her untouched. J
When we think of real men in western times, lawman, ranchers and trail drivers come to mind. That’s not to say our heroes can’t be doctors, ministers or newspapermen as well. Western men seem to be easier to characterize, their heroic traits more distinct and defined. Perhaps they are simpler men in simpler times.
Another real hero is an outlaw-turned-good. Don’t you love a flawed or tortured hero? His redemption can take you on a wonderful journey. Whether Then or Now, I think most women enjoy reading a sexy bad boy story.
The contemporary man can be certainly more complicated in nature. In my Desires, my real heroes are powerful, wealthy, intelligent and confident men. They don’t give an inch when they think they’ve been wronged or cheated. Sometimes, they come off as arrogant, especially to the heroine. They like getting their way. They’d do just about anything to achieve their goals.
In my upcoming January Desire, The Corporate Raider’s Revenge, the title gives away my hero’s motivation. Of course, he’s getting revenge on the heroine’s father so she takes the brunt of his manipulations. Evan Tyler always has to be on top. He always has to win. He’s a hard-driving competitor in a highly competitive world.
Whether then or now, real men step up to the plate when necessary. They come through for the heroine when all is at risk. They are the take-charge kind of man who needs a strong woman by his side.
How often have we heard a woman say that she wants to meet a real man? Are you nodding your head yet?
Below I’ve listed a few of my favorite heroes from movies and television. Who would you add to this list? 
Real men in western movie or TV roles:
Gary Cooper - High Noon
Christian Bale - 3:10 to Yuma
Robert Duvall - Broken Trail
Clark Gable – Gone with the Wind
Real men in contemporary movie or TV roles:
Matthew Fox – Lost
Harrison Ford – Working Girl, Six Days-Seven Nights
Daniel Craig – Casino Royale
James Denton – Desperate Housewives
So what defines a real man for you? What traits do you love or hate to see in a hero? Do you prefer a Then or Now hero? Share your thoughts and you’ll be entered in a free giveaway for either my western "Then" story, Bodine’s Bounty or a contemporary "Now" story, a 2 in 1 Desire, Between the Ceo’s Sheets, by yours truly and Six Month Mistress by Katherine Garbera. I’ll pick two winners later today! Just be sure you’re registered with Exploding Cigars to enter.
Thanks!
Charlene
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Retro
The first one I can think of off the top of my head is a little Retro, Sonny Crockett from Miami Vice :) Another one would be Jasper Jax on General Hospital and I guess Luke from Gilmore Girls.
Real Men
Lissy,
I was a big fan of Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice! Yes- the man who lived on the boat and had an alligator or croc as a pet? I can't recall which. Loved him!
Hunky, honorable, heart of gold...
Fedora took words out of my mouth there!
Miami Vice... I haven't been able to watch it or any other police series the same way after this man who used to write stuff about TV-programs for one of the Finnish newspapers visited the high school I used to go years ago and told some stuff about how they make those series.
Real Men
Minna - I'm so curious. What did you learn about police shows that made you look at them differently?
Miami Vice
Well, our visitor said plenty, but there was this one thing that stuck to my mind. He had met some of the people who had been making Miami Vice and they had told him this stuff. First of all, they needed a good looking hero, Sonny Crocket, and since no one wants to admit that he's a racist, they got Sonny a friend, Ricardo Tubbs. And here's where things get interesting. Ricardo catches his share of bad guys, but Sonny always gets the biggest and the baddest crooks and when they are in a bookstore in some scene Sonny reads a book with a lots of text and Ricardo reads a comic book with not too much text. See where I'm getting at? Now I've been watching another old police series, Dempsey and Makepeace and same sort of thing seems to be going on in this series too. Only in this case both characters are white and Makepeace might not read a comic book, but she is a woman and Dempsey seems to have to save her skin quite often.
Gotcha. Those were different
Gotcha. Those were different times and we've evolved some since then, hopefully.
Hmmmm...
When was it again that they made that terrible Walker, the Texas Ranger series? Not too many changes there...
But yeah, in that sense most series have evolved.
Hunky, honorable, heart of gold...
Those are some things I love to see in a hero--historical or contemporary. I'm currently enjoying the Steele brothers in Caroline Cross's Men of Steele trilogy--all ex-Special Ops and though not chatty, do whatever it takes to do the right thing and get the job done.
Real Men
Fedora,
I like your description - hunky, honorable, heart of gold. And Caroline Cross writes great heroes, though I haven't read her trilogy yet!!
Real Men
King Henry VIII in the current Tudor series! (It is being shown in the UK, and I think it is on in the US too.) Henry is a bad boy alright - the only snag is that he is probably beyond redemption. Perhaps Henry is just TOO alpha, and he is the King, and no-one dare cross him. But there is always the hope that he might be redeemable...with the right person.
Best wishes
Carol
Real Men
Hi Carol -- It's good to see you here. King Henry VIII? They don't come any more Alpha, but I think you're right. He's beyond redeemable.
Definitely worth reading :)
I just finished her second one, and realized that there are actually nine brothers, so here's hoping that each one will eventually get his own story ;)
Fun Topic
Hi Charlene! It's so great to see you here! BTW, I love the cover of Bodine's Bounty. It sounds like my kind of story! Can't wait to read it!
As for bad-boy heroes, I think I'd add Jack Bauer (played by Kiefer Sutherland on 24) to the list. To me, he epitomizes the bad-boy, good man hero. He's tough and completely uncompromising when he wants something, and he "usually" tries to do the right thing, even if his methods are unorthodox, but he'd lay his life down to protect those he loves.
Real Men
Hi Karen!
Yes, I think I could easily add Jack Bauer to the list of Alpha men. He's a man who gets things done. Thanks for the lovely comments about Bodine's Bounty. It was a fun one to write, but I do wish the cover model looked a "tad" older. He's supposed to be a hard man who's led a hard life. Someone commented on another site that he looked like Joey Lawrence. (remember him from Dancing With Stars? ) I think he's adorable, but not the "look" I was going for exactly. But I'm happy with the cover overall and I've always wanted a horse on my cover! Thanks for your post!
And a little biting humor doesn't hurt
Gregory House from House. David Addison from Moonlighting (for some more retro), then again Mick St. John from Moonlight isn't too shabby either...the guys from SG-1 - Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c. Just about any character Will Smith plays. And for "then" Maximus from Gladiator. Michael Praed's Robin of Sherwood Forest.
DeniseL
Real Men
Hi Denise!
Yes, I remember David Addison. I had the biggest crush on him. I've always thought that Bruce Willis' greatest appeal was his attitude. The way he moves, talks, his humor, etc. Doesn't hurt that my husband has been compared to him many times.(since they both shaved their heads) :)
Hi Charlene!
What a great blog! And the books and the covers are amazing.
I like your take on heroes -- yes, real men. I think most real men have shadows of some sort in their pasts, and they learned to deal with them, and it made them better people. They were "bad boys" during one phase of their life, and then changed and became "good men" which is the best possible combination. I think the key quality of a real man is the ability to grow and learn and change, and to care about things outside of himself (not an overgrown child). Real men don't have anything to prove, and they don't act like they do.
As far as TV good men (character wise, anyway), I'd have to say all of the Buffy heroes, Spike, Angel, and Giles -- they are my favorites, of course. Then, Clint Eastwood, though I like him best as Dirty Harry. Currently, Don Epps on Numb3rs, and Dan on Journeyman.
I love redemption stories, they are probably my favorites -- I even love stories where the hero is not as heroic, and then learns to be. Give me a big growth curve! Rachel Gibson is another writer who does a great job with this -- she always takes these guys, you know, the armpit-sniffing, really rude guys, and makes them into heroes. I love it.
Sam
Real Men
Hi Sam!
Thanks for having me here today. I agree with you. I watch Numbers and Journeyman too. Both those men are REAL heroes. They do what they have to do to get the job done. It's amazing how many other characters all of you are coming up. Rachel Gibson is an auto-buy with me, so of course, I agree about her heroes. :)
Hockey players!
I grew up with hockey in my blood, so I have really enjoyed Rachel Gibson's hockey books. She does do a good job of making real, normal men into heroes. (Thank goodness for modern dentistry, LOL!)
Real Men
Cahty W,
I know that Rachel Gibson book. I think it's the first one I read of hers, then I went on to read all the rest! It's See Jane Score -- I believe. I have it somewhere on my Keeper Shelf.
Real Men
Wow - I only recognize a couple of the names on that list!! We don't watch much TV or even movies anymore. LOL - yes, I'm sheltered! But you did mention Tim McGraw...who happens to be playing on Sirius radio as I'm typing this. Now, he's not half bad and he has a voice that just caresses. Mmm...
I think I may have to look up some of the guys y'all are listing. All in the name of research, of course. ;-)
Favorite Heroes
My favorite would have to be Robert Duvall in Lonesome Dove for his respect of women and for his protection. Also John Travolta in Face Off for avenging the death of his son at any cost.
Real Men
Hi Cheryl!! Waving from CA.
I like John Travolta's movies when he's the hero, but I must say that FACE-OFF was gruesome to watch at times. Wasn't Nicholas Cage the bad guy in that? Two of my favorite actors. Robert Duvall as a cowboy in anything has my vote. :)
That Song!!
A friend was trying to introduce me to country music and I kept turning up my nose until she played that song and Hot Mama by Trace Adkins! LOL I was converted after that.
I don't watch much TV or films even but Alpha heroes that come to mind are:
Fox Mulder from X Files. He was Alpha in the sense that he wouldn't back down on his convictions and he fought to be heard.
I don't remember his character's name but Gary Cole from American Gothic. He was the crooked sheriff that you couldn't help but be attracted to.
James Denton on Desperate Housewives. I'm not sure how Alpha he is but he looks good so give me a break!
Richard Crenna (yeah, this is an old one) in Wait Until Dark (with Audrey Hepburn). He was so charismatic that even when you knew he was the bad guy you hoped he'd pull the old switcheroo and come through at the end.
I like the cover of Bodine's Bounty, too!
ani
Real Men
Hi Goddessani -- love your screen name by the way! I didn't like country music either until I heard a duet with Faith Hill and some guy she married. Then I heard Tim McGraw's songs and was blown away. I'm a huge fan, attend all their concerts and love the stories that country songs tell.
Really, not James Denton on Housewives? I thought of him for sure ... especially the first season when we weren't sure if he was a bad guy or not. Took Susan's love to make him into a "good" guy.
Thanks for your comments on the cover of Bodine's Bounty. :)
Mike Delphino
He was definitely more Alpha in Season One!
OT...
but yes, I agree. I almost like him less now that he's with Susan, who is sort of the lovable ditzy type, but that type doesn't really appeal to me, so it lowers him in my estimation that she does appeal to him. I know, I'm completely bonkers!
Back to your regularly scheduled programming!
Fedora - Too funny about
Fedora - Too funny about Mike and Susan!
She's definitely the comic element most of the time.
Real Men
I think no one has mentioned agent Booth (David Boreanaz) from Bones yet. Definitely my favorite.
Would you believe I've never
Would you believe I've never seen Bones, but I always hear great things about it and the main character is a hunk, right?
He's a hunk, all right
And I wish they would stop playing around and show finally that series again on tv around here. Or maybe I'll just get that on DVD one of these days along with Numb3rs.
Heroes
I don't think I could enjoy a romance with a hero who doesn't step up when the heroine needs him. Contemporary heroes have it tough since they have to be dependable, step up when they are needed, protect their family and be sensitive. The historical hero has it a little easier since he is forgiven for doing and saying slightly insensitive thing.
Yeah, I love writing in both
Yeah, I love writing in both worlds, but it's hard to make a really sympathetic alpha hero out of a contemporary man. The historical man definitely gets away with more :)
Real Men
I can think of a few on tv. Jethro Gibbs and Tony Dinozzo on NCIS, Horatio Cane, Mac Taylor, Gil Grissom on the three CSI series.
Hi Crystal- Is Mark Harmon
Hi Crystal-
Is Mark Harmon on NCIS? I don't watch the show but he's been a fav of mine since the early days of his career. Thanks for sharing the other names. I don't watch any forensic shows I'm sorry to say - I've tried because everyone says how good they are, but honestly, I have a weak stomach and I was always turning my head away.
Yes.
Yes, he plays Jethro Gibbs.
Crystal - I would never have
Crystal - I would never have taken Mark Harmon as a Jethro! Every time I hear that name I think of the Beverly Hillbillies. :)
Oh geez, well, Fox Mulder
Oh geez, well, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) from the X-Files. . . hmm, all the others that are popping in my head are scifi related, so I guess that's all I have at present! LOL
Lois
Hi Lois, I like David
Hi Lois,
I like David Duchovny. Never watched the X-files though.
Heroes
Hi Charlene!
Such a fun topic. One of my favorite modern characters is the Bruce Willis character from the Die Hard movies. A bascially good guy, loves his family, but tough enough to give and take a hard hit.
Looking forward to your new releases!
Hi Deb, Yes, we spoke about
Hi Deb,
Yes, we spoke about Bruce Willis in Moonlighting, but he's also very alpha in
Die Hard, a little older, but just as appealing.
I pick Leonardo DiCaprio
I pick Leonardo DiCaprio (Titantic or any of his other films really). I want honesty above all else and humor comes in second lol.
Hi Catslady! It's good to
Hi Catslady! It's good to see you here. Leo was the best in Titanic!
Love the cover of Bodines
Love the cover of Bodines Bounty.
I don't watch very much tv,or very many movies, so don't know who these guys are.
Hi Estella, You probably
Hi Estella,
You probably read a lot. Something I wish I had more time to do. But I do spend "quality" time away from the computer to be with my hubby in front of the tube. It's his best form of relaxation for him and I get enticed by some of the shows on TV.
MAN
A real man has principles and values which he stands by. He is loyal and a devoted family man whose courage and confidence is unshakeable.
REAL MEN
When I think of a hero I can think only of a hero from then, not now. I am enthralled with the heroes of then for their wonderful qualities and dependability. Men who were strong and had what it took to be able to shoulder the responsibilities necessary at that time.
OLD FASHIONED VALUES
When I watch the old movies, it brings back the times that I miss now. Humphrey Bogart to me was a man to be reckoned with and he was outstanding in all of his movies. I cannot compare him to any contemporary hero since none measure up.
GREAT TOPIC
I love your list Charlene. It is super.
For a contemporary hero I would have to nominate Jack Bauer. He has it all. When I look ahim he represents what is missing in today's men. Maybe he isn't perfect but he sure can depict that role wonderfully. For me he fits the bill. A real man with character, and all the qualities necessary to live a worthwhile life.
Good question
I prefer these heroes... from the historicals books... handsome, dark, mysterious with a great sense of honour and would do annithing to protect his lady-love!