Charade Blog Tour - Book Boyfriends with Cambria Hebert

Hello, everyone! Welcome to my stop on the Charade Blog Tour, running May 14-June 14. Charade is the second book in Cambria Hebert's Heven and Hell series... And this book is highly anticipated by yours truly. Let me tell you a little more about it:

Dying at the hands of a psycho was a shock. Having my life returned to me by an angel was incredible. Being named a Supernatural Treasure and being given Sam as my guard was pretty darn awesome. Acquiring a debt for it all—well, I should have seen it coming.

Now here we are, fighting demons from Hell, caring for a boy that I just don’t trust, and traveling to faraway places to return a treasure to its rightful place. Nothing is as it seems. Everyone wears a mask; everyone puts on a charade. It’s up to us to separate the truth from the lies and reality from fiction. A hard task when my new reality involves fallen angels, witches and dragons… and did I mention Hell?

Anchoring me down through it all is Sam. Sam, who must face tragedies of his own and is put to the test again and again.

If we fail in our task, life as we know it—life as you know it—will end. Forever.

Sounds exciting, doesn't it?? Today, Cambria is here to talk about HOTNESS... and by HOTNESS, she means Book Boyfriends, those male characters that make us all swoon. Take it away, Cambria!

Today I am here to talk about Hottness. That’s right, hotness. What exactly is hotness, you ask? I will tell you. Hottness is when someone has the ability to make your heart race, your palms feel sweaty and your stomach feel like it has a million butterflies fluttering inside it. It makes you sigh, smile and giggle. Sometimes when you are reading a particularly good hotness you glance around guiltily to see if anyone knows what you are doing…

I am sure we have all experienced this at one time or another.

First loves, current loves… donuts. What? Like you don’t lust after those delicately fried concoctions that are dripping with sinfully, likable icing. Yeah, you know what I mean.

I myself experience the “hotness effect” every time I watch the Vampire Diaries on Thursday nights or every time I read a book with a good male character.

So I guess by definition Hottness = Book boyfriends

It’s a hot topic – DUH – because its full of hotness. But mainly because we all have a list of book boyfriends, movie boyfriends, real life boyfriends (lol) and food boyfriends (don’t even pretend you don’t).

So what makes a character into a book boyfriend? (note: yes, there must be book girlfriends… but I am a girl who likes guys so I’m talking about boyfriends)

As the author of a completely swoon worthy male character (say it isn’t so!) I think I can answer this question. Well, you be the judge of that.

Here to help me with my Book Boyfriend must have list is Sam himself. 

Let’s ask Sam himself why he makes a good book boyfriend. Sam?

Sam: You think I make a good boyfriend? Did you read Masquerade. I do some very bad things. I don’t think that makes me a good boyfriend.

Cambria: That’s exactly why you make a good boyfriend! Look at the naughty things you do all because you were trying to help the girl you love.

Sam: Naughty? That’s one way to put it.

Cambria: Okay, then. How about the gift you give Heven in Masquerade. Don’t you think that qualifies you as a book boyfriend?

Sam: Which gift? The whistle? I gave that to her for protection.

Cambria: Because you love her. How about the keys?

Sam: Those keys turn out to be a lot more than we thought.

Cambria: You are making this interview very difficult.

Sam: *Grins* That’s why I’m a good book boyfriend. I’m not agreeable.

Cambria: Yes, well. How about that first kiss with Heven?

Sam: A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.

Cambria: Awww. So you admit to being a gentleman?

Sam: *Laughs* Sure.

Cambria: Okay, then. Tell us what makes a great Book Girlfriend.

Sam: Be Heven.

Cambria: Be Heven? That’s your answer?

Sam: It’s the truth.

Cambria: *Sighs very loudly* There’s a Bubble Tea place across the street . You can go now. Your work is done.

Sam: *Grins* Want me to get you one?

Cambria: Sure. You choose the flavor.

Sam exits.

Frankly I am relieved he is gone, as cute and charming as he is. LOL. Do you see what I had to deal with while I was writing? Sam is most certainly the most difficult character I have ever written. He is very mysterious. I will let you all in on a little secret. When I first wrote Masquerade there was no Sam POV. I know it’s awful isn’t it?! Can you imagine a book without hearing his thoughts and feelings? But here’s the thing, when I decided to add him into the draft I realized I didn’t know him at all. I wrote an entire book about him and he still managed to keep himself a secret.

So I had to get to know him. And during that process I learned some qualities that make Sam a book boyfriend. Here are top picks of what makes a male character into a book boyfriend:

1.     Inner conflict. No one likes a guy who has it all. No one. Even if it appears a guy has it all there has to be something that they are conflicted over, something they have to overcome.

2.     Protective –ness. We all sign over a guy who will stand in the way of a killer or threat to the one they love. It’s romantic. A guy who will harm themselves so his love isn’t harmed.

3.     Stubborness. A book boyfriend doesn’t give up. Even when the cards are stacked against him.

4.     An empty stomach. Come on you know it’s true. No one wants to read about a guy who eats only salad and takes danty bites. We want a guy who can shove half a sandwich in his mouth and chew like no bodies business. It’s manly.

5.     Romantic. This embodies a lot of qualities and usually the best romantic moments are when the guy isn’t trying to be romantic. They are just trying to show someone how they feel and it makes us all sigh.

6.     HOTTNESS. Yup, he has to be hot. He has to look good. Muscles help. Nice eyes are a plus. I personally like wide shoulders and messy hair. LOL.  Feel free to look up at the Sam picture to refresh your memory of HOTTNESS.

7.     Mysterious. We want a puzzle to figure out. It’s a challenge.

So those are my top characteristics that make characters need to have to embody a good Book Boyfriend. Did I forget one? What is on your list?

Besides Sam let me tell you a few of MY favorite book boyfriends:

Riley from the Intertwined Series

Nick from the Need series

Asher from A Beautiful Dark

Jacob from Twilight

Damon from Vampire Diaries (I base this off TV because I haven’t read the books but he is at the TOP of my list)

Who are yours??

A big thanks to Erin for having me here today!!! Now if you will excuse me Sam just walked in with my Bubble Tea. He got me chocolate. Any guy who brings me chocolate definitely is worthy of a book boyfriend award. J

Thank you, Cambria (and Sam) for joining me today! I hope everyone has enjoyed this stop as much as I have. I also have to say that my Book Boyfriends include Jace Wayland, Dimitri Belikov, Fang, Ren LaRoche, and Damon Salvatore (book and show). ;-) Today you can also stop by Maria at http://anightsdreamofbooks.blogspot.com/.

Happy Sunday!
EM