Traits of a Hero

In my new manuscript, my heroine is a romance writer with a list of ten characteristics she expects her heroes to live up to.  I think she uses it a little bit for a personal measuring stick as well.  Anyway, for your reading pleasure:

Skye’s Ten Traits of a Hero

1. Always keeps his word/promises.
2. Respects the heroine as an individual with intelligence and many other ass-kicking qualities.
3. He loves her brand of crazy.
4. Once they begin their own mating dance–even if it involves slammed doors and acidic wit–he doesn’t/can’t sleep with another woman.  If he does, he finds the experience hollow and unsatisfying.
5. Even if he’s a “bad boy” he has his own brand of morals that he doesn’t violate.
6. He sees qualities in her no one else does and doesn’t get why everyone else doesn’t see her the same way.
7. He laughs with her.
8. He’s willing to make sacrifices for and compromise with her, which isn’t necessarily true of others.
9. He cares about what she cares about or, at least, cares that she cares.
10. He recognizes her either has his soul mate or that he has never and will never love anyone else in the huge, world-shattering way he loves her.

Image by Piotr Bizior @ www.bizior.com