Everyone shout out a HoWW welcome to USA Today bestselling author Catherine Mann as she adapts one of her most popular workshops for our How We Write edification–High Octane Heroes–and kicks off our Wednesday guest blog series.

Jenni and I will continue to alternate posts through August and September, but for the next two months we’re bringing you an exciting schedule of guest authors to keep us all focused on craft through the steamiest part of the summer! Keep an eye out for a schedule any day now ;o)
This week, Catherine’s talking about how she hones appealing facets of the military archetype to power up her heroes. And whether you write romance, other genres of novel-length fiction, or even short stories, we can always learn new and innovative ways to hook readers with our protagonists. So, sit back and enjoy as a master of the craft puts us through our paces ;o)
Catherine, take it away!
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Cops, Firefighters, Secret Agents, Spies and yes – dreamy sigh – a military man in uniform! These kinds of heroes have me on the edge of my seat. They set my heart racing.
But what about stories that feature the man next door, the lawyer, the accountant, the preacher, the businessman? Can they be edge-of-the-seat, heart pounding heroes too?
Of course they can!
I started out writing military suspense – then began writing for Harlequin Desires as well. As I branched out, I decided to watch a ka-zillion military movies and analyze what it is about the military archetype that so intrigues viewers and readers. By pinpointing those qualities, I would instill them into any hero I penned, whether he’s an Alpha, Beta, Gamma. A Swashbuckler or a Professor. A chief or the best friend.
Here are the elements I found traditionally included in the most memorable military heroes, spanning multiple genres and time periods. The more of these qualities the military protagonist possessed, the more multidimensional – and memorable – he (or she) became.

I. PROWESS: Daring, Bravery, Charisma
I watched movies like Sgt. York, To Hell and Back, Flying Tigers and the machismo can’t be missed in these classics. That warrior spirit, however, transcends time in a personal favorite movie of mine, Braveheart. William Wallace’s shout of “Freedom” still sends chills up my spine.
II. FOCUS: Determination, Drive, Pride (more…)