A Thought, Here and There: Do You Know Mary Manners? (contest)

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Do You Know Mary Manners? (contest)

Today's guest post is something very different from the norm. I've never posted Inspirational Romance here before, though I have read a few books in that genre. I've found them to be wonderful stories full of love and usually amazing characters. I hope you'll agree with me and welcome today's guest, Inspirational Romance author Mary Manners.

What Makes a ‘Good’ Bad Boy?

I’ve often wondered why women are so drawn to Bad Boys. I have a few of my own lurking in my past. My husband often jokes that he’s a Bad Boy, and I recently bought him a motorcycle just to keep the image intact.

When the idea for my debut contemporary inspirational romance, Mended Heart came to me, I knew I wanted to take a bad boy and turn him good (within the confines of 200 or so pages). What a daunting task! So, how does one ‘change’ a bad boy to good? First, one must understand the recipe for a bad boy:

Bad Boy Stew:

1 Overflowing Cup of Hidden Secrets

2 Heaping Tablespoons of Recklessness

1 Swollen Ego Mixed with a Rounded Teaspoon of Pride

A Dash of Insecurity

A sprinkle of Humor

Just a Pinch of Conscience

Garnish with Good Looks

Take the above ingredients and stir them well. Then add the girl he spurned in high school, who’s back in town with a vengeance. Blend them together and bake at high temperatures until he realizes she’s developed a backbone—and a sharp tongue. Throw their hidden secrets into the mix and let them churn for a while, then peek and see what’s cooking. Continue to let the contents mingle, watching for new developments. When the ingredients appear to be fully meshed and tender, remove from the heat and enjoy!

Now, it’s my firm opinion that every woman is drawn by a bad boy, but we also entertain the idea that deep down, somewhere in the depths of his reclusive heart, there’s a good boy just dying to get out. That’s what happened with Mended Heart. When the story opens, Shane Calkin is the proverbial rich kid in town. He runs with a wild, reckless crowd that shuns Jade McAllister…the poor girl from the trailer park whose father took off when she was a child.

But the passage of time—and a host of life-altering circumstances—set into motion subtle changes in both Shane and Jade. When they meet again, ten years later, on the steps of Pineyville Church, the ingredients they both bring to the recipe make them ripe for travel down a new path…into a fresh and exciting direction.

The most important ingredients in the Bad Boy recipe are the Hidden Secrets (what woman doesn’t like a few juicy secrets?) and the Pinch of Conscience…for this is what sets the desired change into motion. The sharing of secrets creates a strong bond between a man and a woman. And without at least the slightest Pinch of Conscience—which leads to a sense of loyalty when blended well with the other ingredients—there can be no real development or change.

Of course, it’s important to remember that a true Bad Boy always harbors just a hint of his wild nature along with the deep tenderness and loyalty that develops along the way. He’s willing—and ready—to fight to the death for the woman he’s grown to love. And, after all, a hint of Bad Boy, even when he’s good, is what keeps the excitement flowing!

-Mary Manners

http://www.marymannersromance.com/

Mary Manners is an award-winning author of inspirational romance who lives in the beautiful foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband and daughter. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and Smoky Mountain Romance Writers.

In her free time, she likes to garden, take long walks with her husband, and read romance novels in a hammock beneath century-old shade trees.

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Tree-Mary-Manners/dp/1611161665/ref=la_B004AL16YY_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342045954&sr=1-1

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