Glad to have you here, and congratulations on your Rita final! :)

Love your post, and I'm thinking it might give Karen Foley her little boost for the day as she's out traveling on business. :)

Of the selection you provide, I prefer the average guy, the guy who doesn't necessarily look like he's super strong, but you often find looks can be deceiving. I love it that you can have a normal looking guy, who due to his work, or just healthy living, can be amazingly strong under his unassuming clothing. :)

Conversely, the big, built up guys often look strong, but if you watch the reality shows, those guys never seem to be able to get the job done -- they always poop out. Do you ever watch Ninja Warrior? LOL Seriously, the guys on there are amazing, but the strongest ones really aren't overbuilt. They got strong on their jobs a lot of the time (the fisherman could be a cover model) and working on training for the obstacle courses). Very fun to watch. :)

And they are...lithe. (That's a word I use a lot in my writing, LOL -- I like lithe...I wish I were lithe...)

But the other thing I don't like about the body builder type is that they shave their body hair off - I just think that's completely unnatural for a guy. I like guys with body hair.

That said, there are a few larger guys who have caught my eye, and make me wonder...The Rock is a guilty pleasure, as is Colby on Numb3rs (though Don is really The Man on that show...I loved him when he was little Joel Fleishman on Northern Exposure...now, not to get ethnic, but there's something about Jewish guys, too, that's alway flipped my lid... LOL).

Anyway...thanks for the fun post.

Sam

Hi Helen!

I love the guy on your Peak Performance cover! He's a hottie...size notwithstanding!! And I AM a NASCAR fan...

Does size matter...hummm...yes and no. I'm a 5'8" Rubenesque kind of gal...so little guys always made me feel like a Mack truck...I loved hurly burly fellas for the same reason...proportionally speaking, it was a better "look". A hot man is a hot man whether he's 5"9" or 6'9"

As for your hero...I'd go for it! It sounds like you've got an idea that plays into the big guy's size...not just big for the sake of being big...give it a shot! And, if in the name of research, you need to study these big guys in their element...the more...the better! ;-)

Besides, there's more to life than the missionary position!!
Thanks for the eye candy!

Congratulations to you, too, Sam on your RITA final. I'll be cheering for you!

Since I am fairly small (5'2') I prefer the small size guy or maybe an average one would be nice but definately not the large size one. In fact some of the large size guys are gross as far as I am concerned. But I'm probably the only one who thinks that.

Helen, when you put it that way, wouldn't we all want a *large* man? ;-)

But seriously, I like them tall and lean, the longer the legs the better. And a few muscles. But that Christian pic is one of my favorites. Nom, nom!

I don't know if I've ever actually seen a really big-muscled man (in the wild) that wasn't like a body builder. And then they all seem to shave the hair off their bodies. Everywhere. Even their arms. It's kinda creepy to me.

Michele

First, congratulations on the Rita finals! I'm excited to have so many Super sisters in the finals!

Personally, I like Jimmy Stewart-type guys. Long and lean. I have no idea why--perhaps something in my genetic make-up. I've read some excellent stories with big heroes, though, and have loved them, but dating-wise, I've never felt comfortable with a guy that was a lot bigger than me.

I've read several of the NASCAR books and have an idea or two for MSs of my own someday...but as far as suggestions go, I think they are obviously well written and well researched! I wouldn't change a thing...except maybe convince my local Wal Mart to carry them...

I'm not a fan of BODY BUILDERS...but big guys, football players and such, are good;-) Some are very good

I have to say I don't notice many small men in romance novels. I like the average to big guy in a romance novel. I am tall and so are most people in my family so that is what I am used to.

I was temporarily distracted by all that gym-inspired eye candy...

Anyway, average is OK by me, but I do also love reading about tall, built guys :) Maybe because I'm not so tall myself, the contrast seems potentially exciting.

Anyway, love that cover! Congrats on your NASCAR release--what a terrific series!

You know who I find really sexy for his height? David Gregory -- the Today Show host and White House correspondent? He's one tall drink of water. Yum. And funny, and cute...

Sam

Hi Helen,
I guess I like the standard tall and buff type. They don't have to have arms like The Rock. I can't think of anymore to say because I'm still drooling at the pics of Christian and Eric.

Okay, well, there's what I like in my real life and what I like in my head. And in my head, I will say Mr. Diesel has played a part in some prettttty nice little fantasies. :)

I like lean men, usually, though. Lean, tall...guh...I have a serious thing for tall, strong men who look like you could just climb them like a tree...broad shoulders...big hands...long, long legs that go on forever...erm...did I mention the long legs and broad shoulders and just...tall...*sigh*

And then I have a soft spot for the Emoboy with flatironed, dyed black hair and black fingernail polish with guyliner and skinny jeans. Yes, I know I could break him with one hand but something about them...mmmm.

Okay, so I've outed myself as a woman who likes all kinds.

:)

M

Enjoyed your post. I like the average sized guy best.

OMG, thank you, Helen!!! I just got back to the hotel after a (kid you not!) fifteen hour day! Nothing but crunching numbers, creating charts, briefing management, etc. etc. So it's 10 pm by the time I get back to my room (we finally had to leave the defense contractor's facility because they turn the power off in the admn buildings at 11), and find this very inspiring post! It's a true spirit-lifter.

I've always found myself most comfortable with average-sized men, somewhere around 6', give or take an inch, and pretty leanly built. That describes my husband, and I have to say it's a size I'm really comfortable with. But man-oh-man, when I see a larger-than-life guy, one who stands above the crowd, with shoulders out to here...well, I feel my pulse race just a tiny bit. The story I'm writing now features a very big guy, not unlike The Rock or Vin Diesel, who falls for a really petite woman (think Heather Locklear or Eva Longoria). Fun topic, and great pictures!!!

I guess I would say I go for smaller men. I am kind of on the short side, so I don't like a real tall guy.

Now that I think of it, Suzanne Brockmann wrote one of her Troubleshooter books about a hero who was small. I think in the book, she sort of compared him to Ryan Seacrest (in looks and in build). The other guys in his SEAL unit teased him about it all the time, but it never bothered him because he could pretty much kick a** on anyone, regardless of size. In the book, he fell in love with a really petite Asian-American woman who made him feel big, because she was so tiny. No idea how big Ryan Seacrest is, but there are some women who make him look small by comparison!

Hey, thanks guys for having me! It's been fun!

Someday, I'll be writing that big guy book all for ME!

I always want fries with my beefcake, lol.
I never can get too much of a good thing.
I like the tall larger man. One with muscles and a good strong solid build. Oh yes!!!

Me! No, just kidding... I can't win... *sniff*

The real winner of Helen's book is RONDA!

Congrats Ronda!

Sam