Developing Unique Characters

Welcome to the fourth and final week of The Wilder Roses' Valentine's Month Blog Tour!
Rules and blogs to visit for your chance to win either the $40 weekly prize or the $50 grand prize are
listed at the end of the blog. So, read on and comment on as many blogs along the tour as possible!

Today, my blog tour guest is TWRP author Jennifer Jakes.

After trying several careers—everything from a beautician to a dump truck driver—Jennifer finally returned to her first love, writing. Maybe it was all those Clint Eastwood movies she watched growing up, but in her opinion, there is no better read than a steamy western historical.

Married to her very own hero, she lives on fifteen acres along with two beautiful daughters, two elderly horses, two spoiled cats and two hyper dogs.

During the summer she does Civil War re-enacting and has found it a great research tool, not to mention she has continued appreciation for her microwave and hot water heater.

And what's Jennifer's take on developing unique characters? I'll let her tell you.

Jennifer- Things I Don’t Believe In:
Leprechauns. Nope.

Easter Bunny. Sorry.
Tooth Fairy. Uh-uh.

Unique Characters. Not gonna happen.

What?! You’re thinking I’ve been in the liquor cabinet again, huh? You’re headed into town to buy tar and feathers? LOL

Wait. Wait. Hear me out. While I don’t believe there are any unique characters left to create, I do believe as authors, we can pick from the 8 main archetypes and create unique situations. There are several books written that break down common archetypes, but my favorite--and the one I’ve found most helpful--is THE COMPLETE WRITER’S GUIDE TO HEROES AND HEROINES by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever and Sue Viders. This book not only breaks down each archetype but gives examples of what would happen if Hero type A meets Heroine type B – but it does this with each of the 8 Hero and 8 Heroine types. It also gives examples using movies and TV, then lists occupations certain archetypes might hold. ( I highly recommend this book as a research tool. Plus it’s just really interesting!)

So have I piqued your interest in exploring archetypes?

Jennifer Jakes' latest release, Rafe's Redemption recently got a 5 heart review from Sizzling Hot  Reviews http://www.sizzlinghotbooks.net/

Blrub:

He rode into town to buy supplies, not a woman.

For hunted recluse Rafe McBride, the raven-haired beauty on the auction block is exactly what he doesn't need. A dependent woman will be another clue his vengeful stepbrother can use to find and kill him. But Rafe's conscience won't let him leave another innocent's virginity to the riff-raff bidding. He buys her, promising to return her to St. Louis untouched. He only prays the impending blizzard holds off before her sultry beauty breaks his willpower.

She wanted freedom, not a lover.

Whisked to the auction block by her devious, gambling cousin, and then sold into the arms of a gorgeous stranger, outspoken artist Maggie Monroe isn't about to go meekly. Especially when the rugged mountain man looks like sin and danger rolled into one. But a blizzard and temptation thrust them together, and Maggie yearns to explore her smoldering passion for Rafe.

But when the snow clears, will the danger and secrets that surround Rafe and Maggie tear them apart?

Excerpt:
****
Maggie wanted freedom, not a lover…
 
Oh, Lord. He was going to kiss her. She shouldn’t want this. She was confused enough.
Respectable women didn’t kiss men they barely knew, certainly not men who made them have wild,exotic dreams.

It was crazy. He was making her want crazy things. Making her not give a damn about her reputation
or her virginity. Or her long-awaited freedom. All she could think about was that dream, and the way
his sinful mouth had felt. The table was only a step away, and honey was just as sweet as peach juice…

She swallowed hard and looked up into his hooded eyes.

“Maggie,” he groaned. “Don’t be scared. I’d never hurt you.”

Her mouth parted to object, but firm lips covered hers, hungry, demanding. She gasped, shocked at his hunger, but even more at the illicit response coursing through her. An aching heat unfurled low in her stomach, pulsed between her legs. Oh, yes. It started just like in the dream.

He deepened the kiss, coaxed her lips with his warm tongue. Long, languid strokes teased the inside of her mouth, encouraging, tempting before he pulled back to nibble the corners of her lips.

Oh, God. Is this what all kisses felt like? Hot, lethargic? Melting her like molasses over warm bread?
“Kiss me, Maggie,” he breathed.

You can find Jennifer at: http://www.jenniferjakes.com/
http://www.authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @erotichistory
and Facebook: Jennifer Jakes

Rafe's Redemption can be pre-ordered at http://thewildrosepress.com/wilderroses/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=180&products_id=810

Blog Tour participants and blog links-
The final week of the month-long blog tour. Commenters this week are up for a weekly prize worth $40 and/or a Grand Prize worth over $50! Topic this week - Developing Unique Characters.
Meet author AJ Nuest at http://amielouellen.wordpress.com/
Meet author Lynne Roberts at http://authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/
Meet paranormal romance author Maeve Greyson at http://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/
Meet author Amy Corwin at http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/
Meet contemporary and paranormal romance author Jill James at http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/
Meet romantic suspense author Kat Duncan at http://amycorwin.blogspot.com/
Meet contemporary YA an adult romance author Linda Kage at http://www.jilljameswrites.com/
Meet paranormal, and historical romance author Caroline Clemmons at http://www.blogger.com/goog_675512504
Meet historical and paranormal romance writer Lilly Gayle at http://lindakage.blogspot.com/
Meet Amie Louellen, author of fun and whimsical contemporary romance at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/