Will and Jane Talk about Characters
Feb 22nd 2010
Sabrina JeffriesGoddess Grins & On Writing! & Sabrina Jeffries
I would have put this up the day of my book release, but someone else had it at the time, so here it is, a little late. 
As usual, Will is a little delusional, but then, so are many of our heroes. They tell themselves they don’t need love. Or they tell themselves they don’t DESERVE love. They tell themselves they’re big, bad boys and marriage is a mistake. Then they turn around by the end of the book and take it all back, once they grow up. I just finished watching part of an old favorite, High Fidelity (with John Cusack), where he spends an entire movie deluding himself. I just love self-deluded heroes.
Then there’s the ones who have insecurities–they’re not wealthy enough or aristocratic enough or macho enough for the heroine. My favorite one of those is Sebastian, Lord Dain, from Lord of Scoundrels, who simply cannot believe that the heroine finds him attractive.
Do you like self-deluded heroes or would you prefer they not be deluded? Who are your favorite self-deluded heroes? What is your favorite hero delusion?
33 Comments »
33 Responses to “Will and Jane Talk about Characters”
cail on 22 Feb 2010 at 6:41 am #
Yay! Another Will and Jane!!!
My favorite deluded heroes are the ones who come back from war or an accident wounded and feeling like they aren’t man enough, or attractive enough to deserve love. I loved Suzie’s (I think it was England’s Perfect Hero, but I could be mistaken) and I just read Julia London’s christmas story in Snowy Night with a Stranger and fell in love with Duncan. There are plenty more of those who I just can’t think of at the moment.
Of course, there are the too bad to the bone heroes who think they’re bad stuff. Sebastion from Devil in Winter is my personal favorite. I could read that book once a month if I had time.
LoriHandeland on 22 Feb 2010 at 7:06 am #
I do love self deluded heroes. My favorite it Sebastian from Lord of Scoundrels. He thinks he’s ugly and unworthy when all the time Jess is thinking how beautiful and wonderful he is. Sigh.
My favorite hero delusion is when they think they are unworthy of the heroine. All that dark angst is impossible to resist.
Claudia Dain on 22 Feb 2010 at 7:30 am #
As long as the writer sets it up well and delivers, I can do most kinds of heroes. I’m not sure I have a preference.
Sue on 22 Feb 2010 at 8:16 am #
I have to agree with Claudia. I like most heroes. The one’s I don’t like are the heroes (and heroines) who fight the attraction for the entire book then at the very end they fall into bed; have the best sex ever and then say that they knew it all along. I don’t mind the occasional fight, but when it’s the entire book, I get really bored.
BTW — I absolutely LOVE Will & Janes Excellent Adventure. I laugh out loud when I see them! When I married my DH almost 15 years ago, my younger step son titled our wedding video “Ted & Sue’s Excellent Adventure” and believe me, it has been one adventure after another! And I love it!!!
Sue on 22 Feb 2010 at 8:19 am #
I should also add that he is my hero and has been every day for the past alomost 15 years.
Pesky on 22 Feb 2010 at 8:38 am #
Other than Don Quixote, Don Juan DeMarco, Fezzik from “The Princess Bride” or Daffy Duck I’m not sure what characters I know that are delusional. I do like these three.
I’m not really sure other characters are delusional or mis-informed. ie: The hero who decides the heroine in question is a gold digging trollop until it’s revealed she’s the purest of the pure and owns a billion dollar unicorn ranch, or the hero that the heroine thinks is so close to being the devil she’s taken to calling him Lucifer as a pet name, only to find out he saves puppies and babies from candy snatching bad guys on almost a daily basis. Would they be delusional or mis-informed?
All in all, if they are well written I enjoy whatever premise and just hang on for the ride.
Loved Lord Stoneville!
Pesky on 22 Feb 2010 at 8:39 am #
sorry that should have read four.
elsiehogarth on 22 Feb 2010 at 8:49 am #
Poor Will, totally delusional. I do love a hero who feels he doesn’t deserve to be loved because once they find their true love and have a family they can really count their blessings.
My favorite all time heroes are: Beast from Beauty & the Beast, Lisa Kleypas’ Sebastian in the Devil in Winter and Sabrina’s To Pleasure a Prince, Dragon Viscount, Marcus North, Rafe Kendrick in Catherine Anderson’s Baby Love and Loretta Chase’s Sebastian in Lord of Scoundrels. Every time I reread these books I cry my eyes out.
Freshechelle on 22 Feb 2010 at 8:51 am #
I can’t think straight. Too busy enjoying Will’s saucy hat and it’s jaunty angle in his thought bubble.
Sabrina Jeffries on 22 Feb 2010 at 9:21 am #
Cail, I like those, too–the guys who are wounded, either inside or out, because of war, and who are convinced that love would be hard for them. I loved Lucas, from Amanda Quick’s Surrender–he was wounded but practical.
Sue, so glad you like Will & Jane! They’re great fun to write. And it sounds as if you have a wonderful DH, too!
Pesky, I wasn’t thinking so much about the characters that are misinformed about each other as the ones who believe things about themselves that they are forced, eventually, to realize aren’t true. Maybe that’s just not self-aware? I don’t know. BTW, glad you liked Stoneville’s book!
Sabrina Jeffries on 22 Feb 2010 at 9:24 am #
Aww, Elsie, I’m so glad you liked Marcus. He’s a little piece of my DH–the curmudgeon. I love it when a man is self-conscious.
Fresh, my hubby said, “How did you get a hat and cane for him?” I said, “I didn’t. It’s the hat from Charles Dickens and the cane from Oscar Wilde.” They were very annoyed that I borrowed them for Will, but Will figured it was his due.
Donna Wise on 22 Feb 2010 at 9:37 am #
I always like it when the confimed rakes who figure they will never fall in love suddenly realize that the feelings they are having are MORE than just jealousy, possiveness, protectivenes, etc and are actually love!!! I’ve been rereading Stephanie Lauren’s Cynster series and you see this a lot!!(Am I allowed to mention other authors or am supposed to only read YOU, Sabrina??lol) I do LOVE your new series, can’t wait for the next book!!
Nicole Jordan on 22 Feb 2010 at 10:03 am #
I love Will, Sabrina! He’s so hilarious! And Stoneville was wonderful! Can’t wait for the next installment of Hellions.
For me, I guess it depends on what the delusion is. A character can look like an idiot if he’s too delusional or if it’s not well motivated.
But I love the “not worthy of love” theme, and the “I’m too wounded to be worthy” theme, and the “I’m too bad for your goodness” theme and the “I’ll never fall in love” theme. That last is probably my fave.
Karen Rose on 22 Feb 2010 at 10:06 am #
Love Will and Jane!!!
I like when the hero is self-deluded when it stems from lots of angst. Must. Have. Angst.
Kat on 22 Feb 2010 at 10:16 am #
Donna — I love the Cynster series. I think it’s cute that it’s not until Michael marries that Devil says he loves Honoria. She just knows.
Sabrina — Will and Jane are so cute. I like self-delusional heroes, but not to the point it’s ridiculous or completely out of character with the macho-I have to take care of everything-persona. As with all things romance, there has to be a balance or it quickly becomes a comedy. I liked Oliver — he’s mentally unwilling to try, but finds himself emotionally and physically bending to Maria. Beautiful! I think my favorite of your heroes is Simon Tremaine though, something about the monkey I think.
K-Ro — I agree with you too — must have angst — and brooding. Handsome, rakish brooding.
Freshechelle on 22 Feb 2010 at 10:32 am #
Sabrina, how like Will to appropriate other people’s things.
Beth Caudill on 22 Feb 2010 at 10:53 am #
I have to say I love Will and Jane.
I immediately thought of Lord Randolf Malkin from Move Heaven and Earth by Christina Dodd. He had issues with an injury from the war and then family legacy issues. He did a lot of growing up in a short amount of time. Of course, a woman had to help him….
Suzanne Enoch on 22 Feb 2010 at 11:20 am #
I think all heroes are self-deluded to some degree. That’s why it’s so fun when they finally see the light.
Yay, Will and Jane! I’m not surprised that Will’s head is too big for Dickens’s hat, though. *g*
Sabrina Jeffries on 22 Feb 2010 at 11:36 am #
Donna, I love that, too! You’d think I’d get tired of it, but I never do. And of COURSE you can mention other authors. Believe me, I wouldn’t want the burden of providing ALL the books for readers. I can only write one every 6 to 7 months! *G*
Nicole, thanks, glad you liked Stoneville’s book! Yes, I love all those themes. I just love when the hero talks himself out of love until he sees the light.
Karen, I like angst, too. But it does depend on the book, and how it’s done.
Kat, you’re not the only one who loves the monkey, LOL!
Beth, I love it when the hero has war injuries. AND growing up to do, too.
Suzanne, Will really does have a big head. Literally. I had to tape the hat on him. It wouldn’t stay. Of course, it doesn’t help that he has a big head figuratively as well …. *G*
I’m so glad y’all like Will and Jane!
Archer on 22 Feb 2010 at 11:38 am #
One of my favorite self-deluded heroes is Reggie from Mary Jo Putneys The Rake and the Reformer
Sabrina Jeffries on 22 Feb 2010 at 1:58 pm #
Archer, I like Reggie, too, a lot! Did you read the original or the rewritten one? I have the rewritten one, but haven’t read it.
Janae on 22 Feb 2010 at 2:13 pm #
I agree with Suzanne. Most heros have some self-delusion, which is why it’s so exciting when they see the light. I, also, agree with Claudia that it doesn’t matter if the hero is suffering from self-delusion as long as he’s written well.
Favorites, hmm, that’s hard to choose. I do love when they are some war injuries – whether it’s physical or psychological. The Napoleonic Wars provide a significant amount of material for regency authors.
Lisa H on 22 Feb 2010 at 2:13 pm #
I agree with Karen R…must have angst. I’m a sucker for a tortured hero. He has some flaw that is so monstrous, he cannot imagine the heroine ever loving him. I’m thinking Edward from Twilight.
Sabrina, I loved Stoneville’s book. The poor man, I just wanted to comfort him, again and again, in many different positions, I mean ways.
Archer on 22 Feb 2010 at 2:48 pm #
I read the rewritten one. Its pretty hard finding old versions of books, especially in Turkey.
Melanie on 22 Feb 2010 at 2:56 pm #
Self delusion is so sweet and sexy. My favorite self deluded hero? Mr. Darcy. The poor man didn’t know what hit him.
TrishD on 22 Feb 2010 at 3:17 pm #
I like my heroes to be a bit delusional, where is the challenge if the hero thinks he’s perfect and deserving of love. Then again, maybe that type of hero is delusional too. My favorite type of hero would be the ones who have been wounded in the past and are afraid to open their hearts again. I just melt when the right heroine comes along and breaks down all their walls. There’s nothing better than seeing a strong, stubborn man lose his heart, especially when he thought he never had a heart in the first place.
The best is when the heroine is a bit delusional too for her own reasons. I love the sparks when both of them are feeling “it” but each are fighting the feelings due to their own issues.
Jikie on 22 Feb 2010 at 3:55 pm #
Stoneville’s story was great. I kept grinning throughout the book.
I like self-deluded heroes. The two that pop into my mind are Gen in Megan Whalen Turner’s ‘The Queen of Attolia’ and S.T. Maitland in Laura Kinsale’s ‘Prince of Midnight’.
Sabrina Jeffries on 22 Feb 2010 at 4:50 pm #
Janae, I do agree with you and Claudia, the quality of the writing and storytelling does make a big difference.
LisaH, I’m sure Stoneville would ENJOY being comforted in … er … many positions. But you’d have to fight Maria for him. *G*
Archer, I imagine that’s so.
Melanie, yes, Darcy is a great one. Poor man. Convinced that Lizzie isn’t right for him when she’d clearly the love of his life. *G*
TrishD, I do like delusional heroines, too. Especially when they’re hurting for some reason.
Jikie, so glad that Stoneville’s book made you grin!
Madeline Hunter on 22 Feb 2010 at 5:48 pm #
Well, I like the self-deluded hero who thinks he is hot stuff and god’s gift to women, and the heroine kind of puts him in his place a bit. That is a kind of self-delusion too, isn’t it? I don’t think I’ve ever written that story, but I do like to read it.
Glad to see Will and Jane back, Sabrina
Sabrina Jeffries on 22 Feb 2010 at 5:57 pm #
I like that, too, Madeline. I just wrote a scene like that in the book I’m working on now, where the hero’s gearing up to tell the woman why he can’t marry her, and she informs him why SHE can’t marry HIM. He gets very miffed. *G*
E.R. on 22 Feb 2010 at 7:22 pm #
I like both the self-deluded and un-deluded heroes. Both provide their own fascinating and entertaining qualities in the stories. I think that in both categories, there are some parts of each within each other (i.e. some un-deluded in the self-deluded heroes). And if the heroes realize it, the better it is.
Example of a un-deluded hero would be Mack from CF’s STREET GAME. He knows Jaimie is HIS love, but his flaws (ego/pride) had made his relationship with her strained; therefore a part of the self-delusion.
Example of a self-deluded hero would be Sebastian from LK’s DEVIL IN WINTER. He didn’t think that he would fall for Evie because she wasn’t his “type” but he did. An un-deluded quality would be his admittance of his flaws, among other things.
(I’m relying on memory, but I do hope that I got the gist of it correctly.)
Faves? Hmmm, that’s tough. I can’t think of any right now, but I do have faves.
E.R. on 22 Feb 2010 at 7:24 pm #
As for Will and Jane….LOVE THEM!
Please bring out more of them, Sabrina! Pretty PLEASE!!!!
jana on 23 Feb 2010 at 7:08 pm #
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