All About Heroes Interview with Ceri Hebert

Today I have as my guest Ceri Hebert. I met Ceri through the Still Moments Publishing writer's group. I read her wonderful story Yesterday's Tomorrow. You can find my review here.

First, tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in Minnesota but my parents in their best move ever, brought the family out to New Hampshire. Moving from a city to the country was a culture shock, but I fell in love with the state. I’ve been writing since I was about 12 years old and “strange” things were happening in my neighborhood (all of which had explanations, I’m sure, but to a 12 year old everything was a mystery.) As I grew, my interest in writing never died, even though I wanted to do other things with my life, like being an archaeologist, paleontologist, museum curator, Olympic horseback rider, and actress. I actually went to college with those things in mind. Somehow I ended up working in offices after college. It took me about 15 years to really get the writing going. I still work in an office, but when I come home to my husband, three kids, dog and two cats, I write as much as I can. I’m still in New Hampshire and, even in winter, I’m happy to stay.

As writers, we often become emotionally attached to our characters. Who is your favorite hero you’ve ever written?

That’s tough. I love Ben from Sweet Forever. He’s romantic and a regular good, hardworking guy. I have a work in progress with hero Jonas, a man struggling to keep his family hotel on the Maine coast running. He’s patient and romantic and ready to step in to be a father figure to the heroine’s newborn.

Have you ever fallen in love with or had a crush on one of your heroes? Tell us about him.

Ben and Jonas. Oh, and Craig from the sequel (not yet released) to Sweet Forever. They’re all strong men who can be tender with those they love. It helps that I base them on actors or musicians who I already have a crush on.

How do you develop your heroes? Do you imagine their personality or their physical appearance first? Do they grow as personalities as you write or do you do a character sketch before you type the first word?

Their personality and story is first to emerge but I generally have an idea of what they look like as I’m figuring them out. Actually, I rarely do character sketches. I probably should.

I like to give my heroes a personality quirk, just so they aren’t too perfect. Have you ever written a quirk for one of your heroes and what was it?

Actually, I don’t. I really should. That being said, my heroes aren’t alpha males.  I like small town guys with regular jobs. They’re ranchers, run hotels, horse rescue facilities, are cops and volunteer firemen. And they’re happy that way.

How do you name your hero?

I used to want soap opera names but now my guys have everyday names. Sam, Alex, Craig, Patrick. Ironically I’m more likely to give my heroines odd or uncommon names.

Who is your favorite hero in books, movies, or television?

Yikes, I couldn’t pick just one. I loved Jack in Men In Trees. He was outdoorsy, handsome, shy but gentle. The Phantom in the movie Phantom of the Opera. Okay, so he wasn’t the hero, but OMG he was sexy, damaged but sexy!

Who is your hero in real life?

Again I can’t pick just one person. I truly admire (as cliché this might sound) our armed forces. Those men (and women) who sacrifice everything to keep us safe. I can’t imagine a more perfect hero.

Tell us about your most recent release and where we can find it. Who is the hero and what do you like about him the most?

Yesterday’s Tomorrow isn’t my most recent release, but it’s one of my favorite stories. It’s a sweet short story about a middle aged woman who’s dissatisfied with what appears to everyone else as the perfect life. Perfect job, perfect paycheck, and a successful husband. When she wakes up one morning in her twenty-three-year-old body she has the unique, and very difficult opportunity to change everything and take a chance on a new future or make sure she does everything the same way this second time around. The story focuses on three different men, the straight-laced, nose-to-the-grindstone man who’d become her husband, the sexy, intense artist who she secretly had the hots for, and her very best friend in the world who was always there to offer a shoulder to cry on. Poor Lila has some decisions to make!

Here’s a short synopsis of Yesterday’s Tomorrow.

No one needs a mental health day more than forty-four year old Lila Weidner, but when the overworked HR director wakes up in her twenty-three year old body, she's left wondering what is going on. Where is her life as a successful business woman? Where is her equally successful husband? And how is she going to maneuver through the day in order to stay on the same path she followed over twenty years earlier? Lila soon rediscovers old dreams and old friendships that she left behind and wonders if this is her chance for another shot at a truly fulfilling life. Does she dare to step off her original path and allow yesterday to become her new tomorrow?

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ceri-Hebert/183730891671970

My Twitter: @CeriHebert

My webpage: www.cerihebert.com

My blog: http://cerihebert.wordpress.com