What Makes a Hero a Hero?

I have been fortunate enough to be partnered with a new publishing company for my latest release, THE DEADLIES, and my new association with them, Sweet Cravings Publishing, AKA Secret Cravings Publishing, has brought in a world of new authors to meet, read, and enjoy.  Today on the bloggy, I am featuring one such author and new friend, Tamara Hoffa.

An editor at SCP, Tamara is a mom, wife, hairstylist and a reviewer at Sizzling Hot Book Reviews.  And now she is a new author as well.  I am happy to introduce you to Tam and her new book, ROPING LOVE, with her idea of a hero.  Thanks for being here, Tam!


What Makes a Hero a Hero?....by author Tamara Hoff

It seems that there are certain professions that dominate the romance genre as heroes: Military men, Police Officers, Firefighters, Cowboys. Does being in one of these professions make a man a hero?
To a certain extent I think it does. It’s not the profession itself that makes these men heroes. It the type of man who chooses to become one of the few and the proud that makes him a hero!
Men who put their lives on the line for the safety and freedom of others. Men of honor and pride. Men who put aside thought of their own health and safety for the good of their country or community.

I love this type of hero. And I must admit, that thus far all of MY book hero’s fall into this category. Jameson Hunter, From Heart of a Soldier is an Army CPO. Chance Ryan, from my upcoming release Roping Love is a cowboy. And the heroes of both my WIP’s A Special Kind of Love and Windy City Dragons are both firefighters.

But, to me, the most important aspects of being a hero are on the inside. I want a hero who is compassionate. Who loves his partner with everything in his heart. I want him to show me that he is willing to do anything for his heroine, even if that means giving her up.



Blurb:

Ten Years ago love slipped through Chance’s lasso. This time “He was going after her and she didn’t stand a chance, just like a calf in a chute, he was going to rope her with his love and ride back into her life.”
Carrie Stewart is a dedicated horsewoman. She runs a successful breeding and training program. She is a good friend, a good sister and a favorite aunt, but she has been burned by love. Carrie has never gotten over her first love, Chance Ryan. After ten years of absence Chance shows back up in her life. Should she risk her heart again, with the man who left it broken at her feet in the past? Chance has some serious work ahead of him to win back the one woman he could never forget.

Excerpt from Roping Love

Chance felt like he’d been thrown from a bucking bronco. Ten years. He hadn’t seen her in ten years. And it was just like before. God, she was even more beautiful than she had been at eighteen. Time had matured her body, her curves a little fuller than they had been. Her hair was short now, almost boyish in length, but curling softly around her face it looked feminine and flirty. It was a deeper shade of blonde now too, a golden honey color that looked stunning against her sun-bronzed skin. What the hell was she doing here? And who the hell was the kid with her? Chance was busy doing mental math, the kid looked nine or ten. Carrie had called him several times in the months after he left. He’d never returned her calls. Could she have been trying to tell him she was pregnant? No it couldn’t be, she would have told him. Wouldn’t she have?
“I’d say small world, but since it really is a small world and we haven’t run into each other in ten years…”
Carrie arched one eyebrow, he always loved when she did that, it looked so haughty and hot.
“What brings you here?” Chance asked
“Same as you I guess, looking for some brood mares.”
“Actually, we’re selling this mare.” Nodding at the other, nearly forgotten man in the stall. “This is my brother, Chase.”
“Nice to meet you,” Carrie said, looking down at Tyler, “Well, we need to get to the Coliseum, Tyler wants to see the cutting.” Keeping her arm around his shoulders they turned to leave.
“We should talk,” Chance said
Carrie looked over her shoulder and stared him straight in the eye. “I think the time for talking is long past.”
The phrase she was so mad she could chew nails and spit screws ran though his mind at her look. Damn. He had really fucked things up between them. Why hadn’t he taken her calls again?
Oh, yeah, to give her a chance at a good life.


Chance had a very difficult decision to make. He was only twenty years old and Carrie was only eighteen. His father had passed away and he was left to take over as head of his family, running a failing ranch and raising his two younger brothers.

Should he have given Carrie the option to join him in his struggles? Maybe. But, he chose to let he go in the hopes she would find a happier life with someone else. Even though it broke his heart.
That is true love!

A hero can have any job, from dishwasher or ditch digger, to Millionaire entrepreneur or software geek. As long as he has those intrinsic qualities that make him special. My own personal hero has held many jobs. He owned a swimming pool maintenance company (yes I got the pool man!). He installed satellite television systems and now he works at a financial lending institute. But he is a true hero. We have been married over thirty years, and he has stuck with me through thick and thin (and believe me, there’s been a lot of thin). He supported me through many difficult undertakings.

We raised three children, one of whom is a special needs child. And he has been my biggest supporter in my fledgling writing career. He is a big man, with a big heart and a great sense of humor. I think there a little piece of him in all my heroes.

So tell me, what makes a man a hero to you? Who is the hero in your life?


Thanks so much for having me here today Samantha!

Thanks for being here, Tam.  And if you enjoyed this post as much as me, let her know.  All indie authors love to hear from their readers.  Get connected!


                                                BIO:

Tamara Hoffa lives in central Tennessee, with her husband of 30 years, her three grown children, two grandchildren, 5 dogs and 1 cat. Tamara started reading when she was four years old and has rarely been seen without a book at hand since. At home you will usually find her in “nana’s chair” with her kindle, her laptop or one of her precious, precocious grandson’s in her lap. Tamara is a reviewer, a professional reader and can now add author to her repertoire. Tamara is proof positive that it’s never too late to reach for your dreams.



Contact Links:
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Tamara_Hoffa Blog: http://sslyblog.wordpress.com/