Handsome Heroes and Regular Joes
unwind April 2nd, 2009
I received an e-mail the other day asking this… “Why are all your heroes so handsome? Why don’t you ever write about regular-looking guys like my husband?”
My answer to this question was simply this…“But I DO!” The e-mail saddened me! Who says her husband isn’t handsome?
You see, my feeling is…that every woman blessed with a good man in her life…good husband, good boyfriend…good father, good brothers, good friends…should endeavor to see the “Handsome Hero” in him! Deep down inside, every good man wants to be a hero…and deep down inside every good man IS a hero…and should be seen as such…especially by the women surrounding him!
I won’t even attempt to address abusive, neglectful, arrogant men…I’m talking about good ol’ regular Joe who strives to be the best he can be! It’s like that song by Montgomery Gentry…”Something to Be Proud Of”…to me that song describes exactly what I’m talking about! Here’s a little lyric excerpt in case you haven’t heard it:
“O That’s something to be proud of
That’s a life you can hang your hat on
You don’t need to make a million
Just be thankful to be workin’
If you’re doing what you’re able
And putting food there on the table
And providing for the family that you love
That’s something to be proud of…”
It’s the so-called “regular-looking” guys who ARE heroes! When I see an elderly man at the Post Office wearing a “WWII Veteran” hat…I see a hero! When I see a dad playing with his kids, being patient with a fussy baby, or kissing his wife in public because he doesn’t care what other people think…now THAT’S a hero! When my husband drops a little cuss word now and then while putting up the Christmas lights…that’s heroic to me…because he’s doing it for me…for the kids! Even if it does leave staple-gun holes in the trim of the house…he still does it! Even if he has to go out in below freezing weather to put them up…climb up on the roof and maybe even endanger his well-being…he does it! That’s heroic to me!
It doesn’t matter if a woman’s good husband is “regular-looking” or not…their heroic nature makes them attractive, gorgeous, handsome! AND they should be seen for what they are…a handsome hero in a real-life romance novel! Do you know what I mean? Oh maybe there isn’t anybody trying to skin them alive (like Ryder Maddox in Dusty Britches)…but just getting through the every day stresses and remaining a good guy is heroic!
Okay…admittedly…the heroes in my books are handsome…literally handsome. BUT…isn’t it the whole package that makes a hero attractive? So…in endeavoring to cheer and support, appreciate and admire all the heroes we know…here’s that Montgomery Gentry video…I love it!
