Can Real Heroes Play the Accordion/Do the Polka? by Marianne Stephens

Can your hero play chess? Knit? Do the polka?

While all are worthwhile things to do...and I don't want to slight any man who does them!...I think these hobbies can add to a hero's macho facade and alpha male persona in romance books to gain a reader's attention. Real men can do anything, not just something that highlights a strong, physical physique.

In a story I've written, Operation Man Hunt, the hero finds out the heroine has asked a mutual friend about him in an effort to "catch" him by showing interest in his hobbies. Deciding to "turn the table" on her, he has the friend feed her misinformation. Two of his favorite things? Playing the accordion and dancing the polka.

In my book, "Strip Poker for Two" (by April Ash), hero Jason actually has played the tuba while in the angst years of teen crushes. He tried serenading the girl of his dreams, heroine Allison. His tuba playing expertise and stories are inserted in their story, and he gets one last embarrassing chance to play for a room full of guests...including the heroine.

 Allison realizes she'd been embarrassed by Jason's school-years attention, and the tuba serenades just made him more undesirable at the time. Memories of Jason's playing music just for her make him more endearing as their relationship heats up and the tuba songs don't seem quite so embarrassing.

 Do these hobbies make the heroes any less desirable? Can your heroes have these hobbies and still have you craving their passionate embraces?

Marianne Stephens

http://www.mariannestephens.net

http://www.romancebooks4us.com

Photos: Flickr: Sandy Kemsley and Carsten Knoch photostreams.