by Chantelle Shaw, author of Ruthless Russian, Lost Innocence (Harlequin Presents, May 2010)
The heroes of my books have to be tall, dark haired and drop-dead sexy, with a dash of Pierce Brosnan (shaken, not stirred) into the mix! I don’t know why I never imagine my heroes to be fair haired, because – as I discovered on my trip to Australia a couple of years ago – there are loads of gorgeous tanned, sun-bleached blonde guys out there. The lifeguard on a beach at the Gold Coast wearing eye-wateringly small trunks is an unforgettably holiday memory! (I’m happily married, but there’s no harm in doing a little window shopping occasionally – in the name of research of course!)
But for me, dark good looks and a brooding, slightly mysterious air are what I require in my heroes. Russian oligarch Vadim Aleksandrov, the hero of my latest book RUTHLESS RUSSIAN, LOST INNOCENCE, ticks all the right boxes. Fabulously wealthy Vadim is used to having whichever woman he wants – and he has set his sights on English beauty Ella Stafford.
Ella is a gifted violinist, and when she plays she stirs Vadim’s soul in a way no other woman has ever done. But Ella is a virgin, who, after witnessing her father’s cruelty to her mother, is determined to focus on her music career and has no time for relationships – certainly not with a ruthless Russian playboy.
Vadim’s determination to take what he wants from life is the result of his grim, poverty stricken childhood in the old USSR. When huge political changes took place in Russia he seized the opportunity to set up his own business and fought his way to the top. But he paid a tragic price for his success and he is haunted by his past.
Ella’s music is her life. (Having attempted to learn to play the piano for five years, I am in awe of people who can play a musical instrument and I am fascinated by the degree of obsession and the hours of practice musicians devote to their art). All Ella needs or cares about is her violin – until an enigmatic Russian storms into her life and forces her to realise that she cannot channel her passionate nature through her music alone.
Vadim is adamant that he only wants an affair with Ella. But she slowly discovers that beneath his playboy façade he is a man of complex emotions; a man afraid to love again because he feels that he failed the people he once loved. Ella knows that for her and Vadim to have a future she must help him come to terms with his past – but now she is expecting his baby, and Vadim’s heart still seems to be packed in ice.
Vadim was an interesting hero to write about because, in the tradition of all Presents heroes, he is more than just a handsome playboy. He is a man of deep but well hidden emotions, and as I wrote his story I, like Ella, gradually learned more about him.
What makes your ideal hero? I wonder why some nationalities are more popular than others, and has anyone written, or is planning to write about – say — a Swedish hero? Do we subconsciously think that some nationalities are sexier than others?
I wonder why Greek and Italian heroes are so popular – I guess it’s the element of hot-bloodied Latin lover.
I feel challenged now to make my next hero a fantastic Finn, or a dashing Dane!
I’d love to know your thoughts,
Chantelle
Hi Chantelle,
I think some people do have soft spots for certain nationalities. I’ve always had a thing for Australians (it’s the accent — of course, I still ended up with a fellow Canuck). Or take Betty Neels, who always wrote Dutch doctors and was married to one. Or Lucy Gordon — I was recently looking at her backlist and noticed most of her books had Italian heroes. Turns out, her husband is Italian, too. I like to think their husbands were such wonderful men they couldn’t help but share a little bit of them with their readers
(well, that and it probably makes writing bits in a different language easier if you could ask your spouse to translate!)
Oh, but I would LOVE a Danish hero! There was a bit on 60 Minutes a while ago when Denmark was voted the happiest country, and they did an interview with some Danish guys on why they think that is. There was this one man….I can’t even tell you how gorgeous he was! If that’s what the population of Denmark looks like, no wonder the ladies would be happy!
~Amy
I think you’re right about the attraction of hot-blooded latin lovers, Chantelle. I can’t resist stories about dashing Frenchmen or passionate Italians, but when Vadim thaws I suspect he’ll give them all a run for their (vast quantities of) money!
I love tall dark and handsome, Chantelle. And I don’t know that there’s a nationality I prefer, though I have to confess, blond heroes don’t do it for me, and it isn’t like there aren’t handsome blond men out there.
I really would like to write a hero of African descent, possibly mixed heritage. Inspired by my gorgeous husband.
Oh, or Hawaiian. I saw a video on YouTube of some male hula dancers and one of them was seriously gorgeous. Masculine, muscular, and the most beautiful skin.
Okay, secret’s out…I just like men. *g*
The book sounds wonderful BTW!! *Maisey’s TBR pile grows again*
Hi Chantelle,
Interesting post. Is Vadim a musician as well?
First thing that came to mind when you mentioned the violin was Paganini’s 24 Caprices. Paganini himself was Hungarian, tall, with long dark almost black hair. Being born on 27th Oct makes him a Scorpio, and there is a popular myth that he sold his soul to the devil for his astonishing technique and compositional skills. It was as a performer, however, that he captivated audiences with his charisma. Even though he published the Caprices when he was twenty one, these are only mere transcriptions of his improvisations. But if you listen to Caprices no.3 and no.4, you get the sense of what he was about. He would begin with some long dramatic phrases, which moved audiences to tears. Then he would suddenly go into a staggering virtuoso section including double and tripple stopping (that is, playing two or three strings simultaneously).
So I suppose, for me, it would be a combination of things that make Paganini a good prototype. Being Hungarian, dark haired, Scorpio, alongside being a tremendous performer, virtuoso, and not afraid of expressing/sharing his passions with the public.
Amy, I’m definately interested in writing about a Danish hero – I’m thinking cool, enigmatic, with that slight air of mystery that is so intriguing, and of course utterly gorgeous looks!
I know what you mean about passionate Italian’s, Christina, I love them too. But I’m drawn to the idea of a hero who’s emotions are restrained – until the right woman comes along and unlocks his passionate nature hidden beneath his cool exterior.
Maisey, I think a mixed heritage hero would be great. If I was many many years younger I would be totally in love with the F1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton!
Lauren, Vadim isn’t a musician, but I think music can be very powerful in the way it touches are deepest emotions – and Vadim’s emotions are buried very deep.
I guess it doesn’t really matter what nationality our heroes are, it’s their emotional depth that is important. But that first spark of sexual attraction is vital, and so interesting. I wonder why we are drawn to certain people? A friend of mine is married to a man who has an identical twin. The two men are the image of each other, but she was instantly attracted to the twin she later married and not attracted in any way to his brother. Also, she has never had a problem telling them apart. Perhaps sexual attraction is a kind of chemistry – something so powerful that it draws two people together even though they might initially dislike each other.
Chantelle
I had to google Lewis, Chantelle. He’s gorgeous! Same coloring as my husband. Though the hubby has green eyes. But I’ll say he’s definitely hero material!
“Lauren, Vadim isn’t a musician, but I think music can be very powerful in the way it touches are deepest emotions – and Vadim’s emotions are buried very deep.”
I think that’s very true. The reason I asked was because, well – has anyone seen the film The Red Violin? It’s one of my favourite. Basically the film tells the story of everyone who has owned the Red Violin from when it was first made, right across the ages until it ends up in an auction house. Samuel L Jackson plays an antiques expert who is trying to retrace the story of everyone who has owned it.
My favourite part is where the violin ends up in the hands of Lord Frederick Pope, a 19th Century English aristocrat, playboy and virtuoso in the Paganini tradition. (There’s a good clip of Pope’s concert on Youtube). Lord Pope is having an affair with Victoria, and each liaison inspires him to play ever more virtuosic, sexually charged music.
I was sketching out a submission for Presents around someone like Lord Pope, because I thought a lot more could be done with the character. Although such a man would be very emotionally intense to write for, and I don’t know if readers would want a more Gothic hero, compared to the typical Greek/Italian billionaires. But it is an idea I’ve been working on.
Incedentally, one of the people bidding on the Red Violin is a Russian billionaire. I won’t spoil the plot for anyone who hasn’t seen it.
Chantelle, I loved this book – you got Vadim and that Russian darkness and depth and passion so beautifully! I have to say I’m loving the new Russian heroes, they’re very compelling. I’m a hot blooded Latin lover girl as well, but I too grew up on a diet of the classic Penny Jordan English hero, or Emma Darcy’s Aussie hero and read a few of Betty Neels too. They all serve as inspiration don’t they? But for me, inspiration for the modern hero has definitely been helped along by the likes of Daniel Day Lewis in Last of the Mohicans, or Goran Visjnic in ER. Yum! I love Daniel’s brooding possessive intensity and Goran’s Croation passion…reminds me of a Slovakian guy I had a crush on. Sigh.
x Abby
Chantelle, I adore tall dark and handsome heroes. I just don’t think I could do a blonde one even though I know some gorgeous ones in real life. There was some research conducted some time ago that stated that blonde men are reputedly to be less faithful. Isn’t that interesting?
I have gone as light as mid-brown hair in a couple of my Medical heroes but my Presents are always dark and lately mostly Italian, although my next US release is Spanish. Yum!
Vadim sounds delicious. I love a brooding ice-heart man who is in for a major melt! Can’t wait to read how Ella pulls it off!