Thursday, August 2, 2007

Tempted by Rita Thedford


Okay -- its time to tell us about that hunky hero in your book.


What's his name? Christian Delaford, the eight Duke of Haverton

Why did you pick that name?
Hm. Not really sure about that one. Guess I just liked the sound of it. He is a Duke so had to be the Duke of something. Give us a brief description of how he looks.

The heroine, Elizabeth, calls him “a beautiful but savage beast” and I suppose he is. Christian is a big man and very dark, perhaps from his travels in the Orient. He wears his hair longer than is fashionable in Regency England (ties it back at the nape of his neck) and isn’t the sort to wear evening gloves. He’d probably laugh in the face of anyone who dared suggest it! Oh, and that long hair? Black as sin. His eyelashes are perhaps the only pretty thing about the man. They are black, thick, and frame eyes the exact color of a rainy day. Yummy. Is there anything unusual about his appearance? Well, yes, his hair. He wears it longer than what was fashionable during that time period and tends to club it back.

Who does he love? Why? He loves several people, actually, besides Elizabeth, the heroine. His first love was his mother, who is deceased, but her memory is alive in his heart. He also loves, in a pure sense, An Li. Christian first saw her as a slave girl when he was on business in China. She is a tortured soul whom Christian rescues. He buys her freedom and brings her to England with him. It is Elizabeth whom he most loves. Yes, she is beautiful but there are plenty of beautiful women in England. No, he loves her fiery spirit and the loyalty she feels for those she loves.

Does this person love him?
Every woman in Christian’s life loves him. He is immensely loveable once you get past the powerful, masculine good looks. Elizabeth fears the things he makes her feel but she soon learns that beneath the surface of that very broad chest beats a chivalrous heart. She is mad for him! Tell us about his family. Are they important to him? His mother was vastly important to Christian and helped shape his views about women and his relationships to them. His father was a despicable adulterer who broke his mother’s heart. Every protective instinct he now possesses is due to the ill treatment of his beloved mother.

Where is he from? He is an Englishman and a member of the aristocracy. Though he is well-traveled, he has residences in London and several large estates scattered throughout England.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?
Absolutely not! Christian is a man of the world and not one who would give a fig what anyone thought about him. His travels have perhaps influenced his more liberal attitudes. What does he want out of life? I believe that more than anything, Christian wants to live in peace with the woman he loves. He wants her intelligence and wit challenging him daily. He wants to be free of intrigue and the manipulative ways of others. Christian is a man who would be perfectly content to grow old with his love by his side. If he did, on occasion, go adventuring, Elizabeth would be with him.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Perhaps Christian’s biggest secret is that deep inside, he is a compassionate man. He is so big, tough, rich, and powerful that people view him with awe. Inside, he is a pussycat.

Did you write more than one story about him? No.

How would he describe you?

Christian finds me funny. Let me rephrase that…humorous. He finds me an amusing companion with whom he could share a joke or two and perhaps a glass of brandy by a crackling fire.

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us.


By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share?

No. No pictures unfortunately but if I could describe him, he would look a bit like Clive Owen with a bit of Daniel Day Lewis’ intense eyes tossed in. Mmm. I love an intense hero with a heart of gold.

Tempted- by Rita Thedford
published by Wings ePress
Available now at http://www.wingsepress.com/
Paperback ISBN 978-1-59705-911-0
Ebook- ISBN 978-1-59705-098-9

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