I am an Army brat. My dad was an Army Airborne Ranger my entire life. He retired when my daughter was 2. I grew up on military bases, surrounded by mostly infantry men.
My husband is currently in the National Guard and was with the 101st Airborne in the first Gulf War, and with the 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Afghanistan. Our home is often opened up to breakfast and/or lunch for his unit during his drill weekends. I am also the Family Readiness Group (FRG) leader for his unit. I am often surrounded by Army men.
Consequently, when it comes to writing my characters, I tend to gravitate toward strong men. Not just physically strong men, but also men of strong character, strong values, strong morals. Most of the time, even if my male character doesn’t start the book as a Christian, his other values line up already.
There have been exceptions. My character Steve in A Harmony For Steve started off the book as a weak man, consumed by the demons of his past, a slave to drugs and alcohol, who had everyone running things for him – leaving him room to not have to make any decisions or accept any responsibility. It was a challenge to bring him from a weak man with a weak character and have him own his strength and his personality by the end of it.
My character Derrick DiNunzio is first introduced in the book Sapphire Ice. He’s a street hood who is taken in and mentored by my protagonist Tony Viscolli. He is young, physically strong but morally weak. By his book, Topaz Heat, he is a strong male character with a base of good values and morals.
Mostly, though, I write strong men, I love strong men, and I love women who appreciate and rely upon that strength, whatever the situation. When I am involved in a story where the man is weak or the woman is stronger than the man, I just simply don’t enjoy the story on the same level.
As I was talking about writing this post with my husband, I told him that a long time ago (like early 90’s), I read a secular romance where the male character was constantly just so weak. His POV made me cringe on his behalf. His “dark moment” in the story was when he was making his futon bed and eating a rice cake at the same time. (I’m not kidding). He was multitasking despite intentionally trying to live a simple life.
That was very much a theme in the mid-nineties. In that time period, I submitted my book An Aria For Nick (way before it was a Christian romance) to that same mass market romance publisher and the reply I got back from them was that I needed to lessen the masculinity in the character Nick and, “get him more in touch with his feminine side.” I wrote them back and politely told them, “Thank you, but no.” Nick is a spec-ops agent. The last thing he needs is less masculinity (heh).
I know that a lot my personal tastes have to do with what the “normal” is around me. I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to inspire me to write about strong men – and I pray that my fans continue to love them, too!
What about you? What kind of hero do you like?
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With over half a million sales, Hallee Bridgeman is a best-selling Christian author who writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on realistic characters who face real-world problems. Her work has been described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and edgy. Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. Subscribers to Hallee's newsletter get her bestselling contemporary romance COURTING CALLA for free! Sign up by clicking the newsletter icon below or going here: http://www.halleebridgeman.com/newsletter
Honest and trustworthy are strong guys I want to read about.
Hi Hallee! Interesting perspective – as a linguist terms like “strong” or “weak” are relative. They make me cringe like “good” and “bad.” For Christian literature I prefer the male character to be a man of integrity – the quality of being honest and having -yes strong moral principals, moral uprightness. A man who shows integrity, is honest, has direction in life; a man who also isn’t afraid to be gentle and caring for others knows how to cook, do laundry and clean. Best wishes.
Strong in Faith, honest, and faithful.
I love your strong men, Hallee…Tony and Barry are two of my favorite male characters you have written!
I enjoy reading about strong characters. I dislike when one of them is much stronger than the other. It feels of balance most of the time. But I appreciate character building (as long ad it’s not a miracle overnight… because although miracles happen, and so can a decision to change occur at a specific point, people take time to actually change behavior).
Yay for strong guys :-) Definitely a fan of men of character and integrity, and also when you get to see them grow in these areas throughout the plot.
I love a good, strong, handsome hero that sacrifices and puts himself in the line for others.
Weak men are not attractive to me at all. Feminine men are not attractive and even seem so unnatural to me that I don’t want to read about them. Just the truth for me.
Personally, I couldn’t read a book with a weak male character. I like men that have strong characters, are men of integrity, and a strong faith. They can come to that faith through the book, or grow stronger in their faith through the book. I’m reading Courting Calla now, on the last chapter, so will finish it when I’m done here. I had to check e-mails!! Lol!! I want to read about men and women who are strong enough to admit they need each other, and to admit when they make mistakes. I could not have finished a book with a character like you describe, who was making his futon eating a rice cake. No way.
Me, too!
Me, too!
It was an unrealistic setup – lol
Definitely! If a character doesn’t grow, there is almost no reason for a story.
They are some of mine, too!
Yes!
Thank younfor your insight!
I agree – change comes over time. The only exception would be a new character in Christ.
I watched a favorite author change her alpha men to more “in touch” with their feminine side and her women to more take charge and “I can do anything a man can do.” I think the goal was greater balance, but it failed for me. They no longer rang true. I removed her from my Must Read list. I’m so glad you didn’t follow the advice! Honor, respect, integrity, courage all need to be present in a hero.
That’s a perfect list!
Big thanks to your father and your husband for their service.
My dad (and stepdads) were in the army. Not perfect men, but definitely strong and proud.