What Makes Us Love Bookish Characters? (by Tina Radcliffe) + Giveaway!

Welcome back, TINA! As many of you know, I'm a big fan of Tina Radcliffe and she loves stopping by and chatting with y'all. Today is a special day. Of course it's Valentine's Day, but it's also a joint-force adventure in hosting Tina between Carrie of Reading is My SuperPower and myself, here at Just Commonly blog! 

Now, for my new readers and in case you're not familiar with Tina Radcliffe, here's a bit about her:

A freelance writer for over twenty years, Tina Radcliffe is an RWA Honor Roll member, a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist, and three-time ACFW Carol Award nominee.  She is a 2018 ACFW Mentor of the Year recipient and a 2018 Carol Award finalist. Her 11th book for Harlequin Love Inspired, Her Last Chance Cowboy, releases in print on February 19th.  In addition to novel-length fiction, Tina has sold over two dozen short stories to Woman’s World Magazine. A former library cataloger, Tina is a frequent presenter on writing topics and an online instructor. She currently resides in Arizona, where she writes fun, heartwarming romance.

TO CONNECT WITH TINA:  
website,  facebook,  twitter,  pinterest,  instagram, Book Bub

Stay up to date on all her releases by signing up for her newsletter HERE. (http://bit.ly/2angfWP)

Happy Valentine’s Day and thank you to Annie, for hosting me today.

Like any creative art, writers choose to learn and grow their skills by sitting at the feet of the experts in their field. I am a strong proponent of Michael Hauge, and his Hero’s Two Journeys and the Six Stage Story Structure method.

Hauge is a former Hollywood screenwriter. His methodology speaks to me and apparently to others, as many other instructors utilize his body of work to create their own plotting method.

Why should this interest you, the reader? Because I’d like a bit of feedback from you on this methodology.

Hauge says that in order to create reader empathy or identification (in order to make the reader CARE about your characters) you must make a character sympathetic to the reader.

To do that apply two or more of the following:

1. Make the character the victim of some undeserved misfortune.

2. Put the character in jeopardy (in danger of loss).   

3. Make the character likeable-liked by others in the book.

4. Make your character funny.

5. Make your character powerful.

Let’s break that down a bit. When we are reading, we actually become the characters and experience emotions through the characters. It’s been said of romance novels, that we become the heroine and fall in love with the hero.

The same is true in movies, so I’ll use classic books and/or movie examples that you may relate to because not all of us have read the same current novels.

Examples:

1. Make the character the victim of some undeserved misfortune.

Kathleen in You’ve Got Mail. Her family bookstore is about to go under because of the big bad box store. We definitely sympathize with her as the bookstore is her heritage.

2.  Put the character in jeopardy (in danger of loss).  

Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. We connect to characters when we worry about them and we are definitely worried about Dorothy and Toto with a tornado coming!

3. Make the character likeable-liked by others in the book.

I am reminded of Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables. Nearly everyone likes Anne and if they don’t, then we don’t like them either. She’s self-deprecating and grandiose at times, but everyone loves Anne.

4. Make your character funny.

 One word. Shrek.

Although some of the best lines in the Shrek movies come from Donkey. We like funny characters.

5. Make your character powerful.

The movie/book I am reminded of here is Pride & Prejudice. There is something about Darcy’s power that keeps our interest and respect, despite his initial arrogance.

You’ll notice that many of these main characters utilize several of these categories. Overlapping is definitely a plus. The more of these qualities a character possesses, the more we are endeared to them. When we are endeared to a character, we keep reading and that’s a plus for authors.

Look at William Goldman’s classic, The Princess Bride. Wesley is the victim of undeserved misfortune, in jeopardy, liked by others, funny and in his mask and black costume..he’s powerful-ish!  This is why this novel has been read and loved by readers since it was first released in 1973.

From the author: "I've gotten more responses on The Princess Bride than on everything else I've done put together—all kinds of strange outpouring letters. Something in The Princess Bride affects people."

And that is exactly what writers want. To affect people!

Tripp Walker, the horse whisperer in Her Last Chance Cowboy has been one of my favorite characters to write because he too fits the bill for satisfying all five character traits listed above. Waiting until book four to write his story was actually difficult, but it took three books for him to open up and tell me about his past. I hope you’ll enjoy his story!

Now it’s your turn. What are your favorite/s of the above attributes for characters?

Can you provide examples? One easy way to find examples is to think about your favorite Disney animated films. They’re classics because they strongly follow this technique.

ABOUT HER LAST CHANCE COWBOY

Title: Her Last Chance Cowboy
Series: Big Heart Ranch, Book 4
Author: Tina Radcliffe
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired
Release Date: Feb. 19, 2019 (Print) / Mar 1, 2019 (Ebook)
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Western
Link: Goodreads l Book Bub 

She came seeking family…
Will she find love at Big Heart Ranch?

When pregnant single mother Hannah Vincent shows up professing to be the half sister of the Maxwells of Big Heart Ranch, horse trainer Tripp Walker is wary. Wounded before, he doesn’t trust easily. If only Hannah and her feisty five-year-old daughter weren’t so impossible to resist. Now, despite his doubts, joining this little family is quickly becoming the cautious cowboy’s greatest wish.

Preview Christmas with the Cowboy HERE.

TO PURCHASE A COPY*

Amazon | Book Depository | Christian Book | iTunes

OTHER BOOKS IN THE Big Heart Ranch Series*

   

GIVEAWAY

You can win and autographed print copy of Her Last Chance Cowboy, 3 Frostbeard Studios Book Lovers Soy Candles (Bookstore-Study Break Chai Latte-Reading at the Café) and a $25 Amazon Gift Card. All courtesy of Tina! (Reading at the Cafe is my personal favorite!)

Giveaway will begin at midnight February 14, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on February 21, 2019. Winner will be notified within 1 week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping cost, only US/Canada mailing addresses valid for entry. For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to stop by Reading is My SuperPower for extra entries!!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.