Thankful Hearts is with my editor for 2nd/3rd round edits. It’s also with a veteran from the Iraq War to make sure Hudson is a reasonable portrayal of someone with PTSD.
I should be breathing a sigh of relief, but I’m not there yet.
So here’s my confession: I don’t love all my characters the same.
Some authors have this thing for their characters that they are their babies. I’m not that way. Maybe I’m missing some sort of maternal instinct. But I do get very fond of them as I’m writing and sometimes wish I could have a conversation with them in real life. I’m that way as a reader too.
Hudson in Thankful Hearts is my favorite male character so far.
In real life, I would prefer to be with Mark from Masked Hearts without a doubt. Mark is uncomplicated, romantic and sincere. I like my real life to be smooth.
But as a character, Hudson is far more interesting. Hudson is complex. He struggles with inner demons. He lashes out unpredictably. And melts into a passionate man who’d do anything for the woman he loves. He makes writing, and hopefully reading, interesting and thought-provoking.
Sienna is my favorite female character for a lot of the same reasons as Hudson. I think in every review that’s been written about Masked Hearts, people say they get frustrated with Sienna. I understand you. I hear you. But I also like that Sienna doesn’t have a quick turn around of acceptance to love. She was ditched at the altar less than a year from when the story starts. And as great and fabulous as Mark is, being dumped from an engagement is rough. I’m a little too familiar with that situation.
The good news is, the female lead in Thankful Hearts is steady and true. All of her struggles are external. The real character growth is in Hudson.
I have the cover for Thankful Hearts! I’ll be revealing it at All Romance this Friday!
I’m also planning to start Episode 3 of The Beautician and the Billionaire this week! More on that later…
Evelyn Aster 