by Harlequin Presents author Natalie Anderson
I’m busy planning a new story which is such a fun part of the process. I love ‘designing’ the world where the story is set, what the season is, why the heroine is there… but best of all… what the hero is like!!!
Where he comes from – his family and country are really important factors to consider, and at the moment I’m focussing on the location. I have been toying with the idea of a Spanish hero. Generally I write Kiwi, Aussie or British heroes – mainly because I’m most familiar with those countries. But one of my most favourite places in the world is Barcelona and I’m itching to set a story there. Mind you, I’m also very keen on the South of France; Florence, Italy; some remote Greek isle; New York; or possibly St Petersburg…
Yes, there’s a bit of wish fulfilment going on here and you can see my problem! So many options make for a really tough decision! But I’ve figured out a solution – yes, I thought I’d ask which gorgeous foreigners do readers love the most?
Are you the kind of reader who picks up every book with ‘Greek’ or ‘sheik’ in the title? Are you intrigued by some of those unfathomable Russian types roaming round? Or is it whispers of Italian in a delicious deep bass that make you melt?
As a bit of fun I thought I’d put the question straight to you. So please vote on the poll now and let’s see how they all stack up! Do comment and let me know your reason for your vote as well if you’d like, or if there any I’ve missed that you’d like to see more of in Presents and Presents Extra stories! Thanks so much for voting!!!
Scots? Heck yeah!
I can understand the appeal of a Russian, though the Russian, Vlad, in my novel series is definitely not the hero. Personally, I like the big Eastern European dudes. Serbs and Croatians are very hot…of course, they’re southern Europeans, and so are Italians, the guys who got my vote in this poll.
What fun! I went with the Brooding Brit, as the two books I’ve written so far have featured one. There’s something about all that cool reserve shattering…
This is a great idea Natalie. I went for the Sheikh, I adore them. Only thing was, I could practically have gone for each category. I don’t know what that says about my reading preferences.
xx Karen
I voted (not saying for who, hahaha!) but I was very sad to see no Canadian lumberjacks on that list. Ok, so we’re not ALL lumberjacks. But thinking about it I’m not sure I’ve EVER seen a Canadian hero in Presents!
Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?
Maybe Canadian men just work better for other lines…they seem to perform quite admirably for me in Romance and I’ve seen a few Supers floating around too… LOL.
Speaking of…I must get back to my rancher, he seems a bit forlorn all by himself.
xx Donna
P.S. Apologies for grammatical error in the last post. And also Lucy I’m with you about the brooding Brit and that calm reserve shattering (happy sigh!).
Kelly, I’m game!
I think it’s great to see all the brainstorming going on around here… But yeah, I see what you mean re cultural differences. I might be a bit intimidated too. I’ve been really wanting to write an Indian heroine actually, and the cultural thing sort of scares me off a bit.
Mary F, I’m writing a Sheikh right now, I promise there’s no sandstorm.
(Side note, is that the sheikh version of ‘let me show you my etchings??’ ‘we have to duck into this tent to escape a sandstorm’ 
)
Donna, why hasn’t there been a Canadian hero?? What’s not sexy about that accent!? Maybe because ‘lumberjack’ and ‘curler’ doesn’t really say Presents…. *ducks and covers*Only joking. You make me want to write one.
Oh, and my captcha was ‘nation yucking’ I think that means all the men from all these nations are now laughing at us.
Natalie,
re locations,
St Petersburg is stunningly beautiful.
Monaco is a great location and even Nice, which is coming back into favour again. I’d say the Med is okay but over indulged particularly the Greek islands, while places like the Azores get sadly missed out and have a beauty all their own.
Then again, if someone really wants to push out the boat then why not Singapore and Raffles Hotel en route to Oz or NZ. I know someone is writing a novel set in Hong Kong, so how about China (?) the Great Wall etc., and, the paper lantern festival of remembering the dead (ancestors)?
Huge potential for imagination and wonderful places to be used for locations from all around the world, even the two polar regions!
best
F
I went for the Brit – biased? Who, me??
It’s like Lucy said. All that ice-cool reserve and I’m-in-control bit and then when he loses it – courtesy of the heroine
– watch out! All of that heat and blistering passion.
Not to mention that stiff upper-lip, of course ….
Jilly
Donna, after I read your comment I just HAD to go digging into the Harlequin database to dig up some Presents with Canadian characters! Catherine Spencer and Sandra Field apparently did us well… since 2000 (guess that’s how far back books were tagged by “ethnicity” or rather nationality), the two of them released 14 books with Canadian characters. The ones that say the HERO is Canadian are:
Passion’s Baby by Catherine Spencer
The Pregnant Bride by Catherine Spencer
Expecting His baby by Sandra Field
MISTRESS ON HIS TERMS by Catherine Spencer
THE MILLIONAIRE’S MARRIAGE by Catherine Spencer (apparently the heroine is the exotic one in this book – she’s Hungarian)
THE MILLIONAIRE’S MARRIAGE DEMAND by Sandra Field
Surrender to Marriage by Sandra Field
As for sexy Canadians: Ryan Reynolds. Have you SEEN his abs? I say no more
~Amy
p.s. I think we’ll need a new poll in a few weeks: Which nationalities do we need MORE of!
Francine – you need to read Kelly Hunter – she’s done some fabulous books in Asian settings – I think her next one out Untamable Rogue – is set in Singapore. And her very first – Wife for a Week – was in Hong Kong I think. Awesome, awesome stories!
oh Amy – Ryan Reynolds is so totally fine! Go Canada!
Sally and Heidi – I couldn’t put the Irishman in – the list was getting too long (and I couldn’t NOT put my kwi guy in there you know!)… but this has been such fun.
I think the Italian won it by a pinch – thanks so much for voting!!!
Interesting….Sheikhs work best for me (and I don’t care about stats – this is FANTASY!)
Spanish heroes seem to have received the thumbs down.
And Brits (currently up there with Greeks) don’t make regular appearances in Presents, do they?
Who voted most – readers or authors?
Francine, yes, Kelly Hunter wrote one that covered the paper lanterns and the festival of the dead you wrote about – so anything is possible
And if I knew the title of that book – it’s just the most fabulous story – hang on a while while I rummage… drat, can’t find it and now I won’t rest till I do. Awesome story.
Check out Kelly Hunter’s website. It’s a keeper – if only I knew where I kept it…
I agree with Sharon, Brits have definitely gone out of fashion in the Present’s line, really odd I think.
There are lost of yummy British men out there, but hey-ho, I don’t really mind where they’re from, as long as they sweep my off my imaginary feet! I’m that shallow.
I’m currently with Chantelle Shaw’s gorgeous Russian, now there’s a man, is he delicious or what?
xx Karen
This is just my guess, but are Brit heroes more in the Modern Heat books these days vs. the Modern Romances? Course they’re all published as Presents or Presents Extras over here (North America).
~Amy
I don’t see a choice for “all of the above”.
I think that all men are different in so many different ways. The ethnic variety is always the best. I thought long and hard about this and I have to admit as an American there are so many possibilities. In America our culture is that of a Melting Pot. We all consider ourselves Americans but we all have different ethnic backgrounds.
I have to admit I have a weakness for the Irish. It seals the deal when you visit Ireland.
Pingback: Cruisin’ the Blog & Member’s News « Romance Writers of Australia
Mary F- You can found rugged, castle-owning scotsman hero in Jessica Hart´s book Newlyweds of Convenience. Great book and great writer from Scotland.
Katariina
Oh no! No New Zealander would be nuclear-hot! They’ve had a nuclear free policy since 1984 — that’s WHY they’re hot.