Boys to Men - Hard Bod/Dad Bod

    I've been told repeatedly by family and friends that I have a type. It's true. I do. I love to look at a muscled up, scruffy faced guy with tattoos. They get me going on so many levels. I tend to use these types of guys for inspiration when I write, and I think they serve me well. Ok, so they serve me well for more than just my writing, but I'm not going there. (At least not with this post.)

 

   But let me go on the record with this. Just because I have a type, does not mean I discriminate. I appreciate the male body in all its various shapes and forms. Tall or short, hard body or dad body, long hair, short hair, no hair? I don't care. You see, as cliche as it sounds, in the long run, looks just aren't that important to me. I appreciate (Oh, believe me, I do!) a handsome, sexy man just as much as the next person, but I need more attributes in my men than just a nice face and body. 

    Can he make me laugh? (Humor takes the top spot on my list. Sue me.) Does he make me smile? Is he honorable? Is he family-oriented? Does he care and let people see that he cares? Is he positive in the things he does and says? How does he present himself? A man who sees himself as sexy will almost always be sexy! Confidence. Confidence is very sexy! And, damn it, does he have just as dirty of a mind as I do? (Yes, that last one is very important!)

    So far in my writing, I've used your basic romance novel kind of man for my main characters. I love each and every one of these men. They hold a special place in my heart and always will because they are mine. How did I create them? How did they come into existence? I'm not certain. I honestly think with each of them I just woke up one morning and there they were. One thing I can tell you is that they didn't form from their physical appearance. No, that came after all the other stuff, the good stuff, the important stuff.

    Now, if you look at my Instagram or TikTok feeds you would probably say I'm full of shit. Yes, those feeds are full of my "type" of man. Again, I use them for inspiration. Do I go for younger men? Older men? Yes, and yes. I see value and potential in the young. I see experience and expertise in those with a little age on them. I get as turned on by a fresh face as I do a man with a little gray in his beard.

    So will I ever write an atypical main character? Oh, yes! It will happen. And when I do, I hope these characters will bring you as much pleasure and joy as they will inevitably bring to me as I create them. 

    Until then...

Much love from me to you!

Shelly (a/k/a Dawn Love)