We’ll have to stop meeting like this.

Welcome back to another blog hop, with #OpenBook. Here’s this week’s prompt.

Don’t forget to click the link to see what everyone else has to say on this week’s subject. It’s at the end of my post.

Which of your characters do you have the biggest crush on?

With twenty-five published novels (and a few in progress), there are a lot of characters for me to choose from. Where do I begin?

Let’s start with the ladies.

I’ve written quite a few female characters, which upsets certain people, who say that, because I’m male, I should stick to writing men.

If women appear in my head and ask me to write their story, who am I to refuse?

If they were real, AND, if I were available, I would have a crush on most of them. I mean, what’s not to like about people like Andorra Pett, the crime-fighting space pilot, or the elegant yet deadly Steampunk ladies, Grace and Jessamine? Sci-fi characters like Layla Balcom or Myra have a fascination all of their own, too. Not forgetting Kalyn Deere, Bounty Hunter.

And, as she has just whispered indignantly in my ear, what about Gina, from the secretive government agency, Delta-7? She thinks I forgot her because she’s short, as if that would be relevant, or possible.

These are all strong, independent women. Even if they’re not described in every detail (I prefer to hint and leave that to the reader’s imagination), I’ve tried to depict them as both enigmatic and desirable.

If they really existed, they would be well out of my league and therefore unobtainable.

Doesn’t that fact alone qualify them for an achingly intense but ever-to-be-unrequited love?

Even though they’re ideal crush material, there’s a problem. Since they are no more than a figment of my imagination, the idea of having an over-obsessive infatuation with them seems weird and somehow wrong.

It’s like having a crush on Wilma Flintstone, Daphne from Scooby Doo or Penelope Pitstop. After all, Wilma would never leave Fred, and you know it. I suppose there’s always hope for the other two.

Moving on to the gentlemen.

Here, it’s more of a bromance.

There’s a lot to like about the male characters I’ve created. But no crushes. My male characters do all the things that I wish I’d been able to, like travel in space, engage in thrilling adventures, discover new worlds, fight evil, etc., etc. They are larger than life, as they need to be, brimming over with self-confidence, masters of their own destiny.

They’re the sort of person you would want to associate with, maybe bask in their reflected glory and have fun in their company.

All my characters, men like Dave Travise, Horis Strongman and the rest, as well as the women and the villains, have a basis in fact. They’re an amalgamated product of people I’ve shared my life with, either as shipmates, people I’ve lived near or family members. The ones who influenced me, taught me and worked alongside me over the years.

Does that mean I have a crush on their real-life inspirations?

Not at all. Maybe I’m just jealous and awed at what their fictional alter-egos get up to?

What do you think about this week’s subject?

Let me know by leaving me a comment.

While you’re here, please click the InLinkz link to check out what my fellow writers have to say about this week’s topic.

Until next time.

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