Tricia Skinner is back with us today as part of her blog tour for ANGEL KIN, her latest Angel Assassins novel. She's written a great guest post for us, about the character types she'd like to see retired. There's also a tour-wide giveaway at the end of the post so I hope you'll stick around.
Welcome, Tricia!
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Tricia Skinner's Four Least Favorite Character Types in Stories
I'm not sure when I became annoyed with certain character types in stories, but let me tell you, annoyed I was. You see, I can read anything as long as I dig the story and can feel something for the characters. When certain traits happen, my first reaction is to rage against the writing gods, "Why doth thou torture me?"
Melodramatic? Yep, but still annoyed. (wink) Here's what tends to set me off.
Too Stupid To Live
Usually it's the heroine who gets this trait. She's the woman who has a drug cartel on her trail, but she decides to go to her best friend's house for a pizza party. Or she sneaks away from the hero's protection because she left her favorite sweater at her house.
You want to kill her. I want to kill her. She should die for her stupidity. We suffer through her temper tantrums and pouting. She nags the hero ceaselessly, ignores every survival instinct she has, and then she gets in trouble.
Please let her die, fellow authors.
Timid Friend Who Becomes A Killing Machine
I read a book where the heroine's best pal was the kind of guy who'd get stuffed in a locker in school. Stereotypical nerd with a secret crush on the heroine. When she gets in trouble (see Too Stupid To Live), this guy turns into Rambo Nerd. He grabs a weapon and follows the hero to rescue the girl.
Did you roll your eyes? I did. Nothing is wrong with a weaker guy finding courage to help, but there's no damn way he's a weapons expert and can disable bombs with zero training. Did he Google that knowledge on his smartphone?
Crybaby Villains
Another book I read had a villain who wanted the heroine so he could take over her wealthy father's properties. She refused to marry him. What did he do? He sulked like a child. Sulked! His whole storyline was him whining about why she would refuse him and how he'd make her pay.
Come on. I need a villain who doesn't need diapers.
Stupid Alpha Heroes
In a historical I recently finished, the alpha hero fell in love with a true beauty. She had been through hell, but she gave her love to a man so scared of emotions that the whole story actually worked because it was a struggle to get them together. Imagine my dismay, after almost 600 pages, when one out of the blue rumor about the now-wife of the alpha hero sent that idiot into a jealous tirade. He left her, defenseless and out in the cold, because someone said they thought she had feelings for another guy.
Insert hair pulling now. That is not a plot device. That is a weak as hell excuse to add one more nugget of conflict. I was exhausted after reading 600 pages only to get kicked in my girly parts with the old "You betrayed me!" action of the alpha. No. Just no.
So, do you have any character types that make you claw at your eyes, screaming at the injustice?
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For more Tricia, check out the following links:
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Here's the scoop on ANGEL KIN:
Tagline: The thief will steal his heart...
While channeling Robin Hood’s “steal from the rich and give to the poor” attitude at a local politician’s house, ex-con Katie Logan witnesses a forced suicide. Dirty or not, supernatural or not, he didn’t deserve to die, especially not by his own hand. But with her record, stepping forward as a witness isn’t an option. On the run from the police and the murderer, she turns to The Bound Ones for help.
When a beautiful woman comes to The Bound Ones, half-angel assassin Cain is immediately drawn to her. But when she fingers him as the killer, he can come to only one conclusion. The twin he thought was dead is very much alive…and trying to send him a message. Unfortunately, that message is: “You’re next.”
It’s a race against time as Cain fights to save the woman he’s falling in love with before his brother Abel destroys them both.Purchase: Amazon
Tricia is giving away one (1) $25 gift card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes to a lucky US tour follower!
