Pamela Clare ~ Fan Group discussion

How important is it that the Main Characters appearance be described? Do you want the author to just give vague details and let your imagination take over or do you prefer the author to give more detailed information so you can picture what the author had in mind?

I prefer somewhat vague details...hair and eye color, height and weight, but beyond that, I like to fill in the details.

I think I prefer the vague side but not too vague. Give me color of hair and eyes and maybe how nice they fill out their jeans, tux or uniform, etc. I love it when the author gives a description of the hero from the heroine's perspective or vice versa. How they see each other is important to me.

That's a good point! The perspective of their HEA is very important!

Definitely, Pamela...I love it when the hero/heroine first lays eyes on the other one, looks them up and down, and then we "hear" what they are thinking...describing the other one in their head. I can take that and then picture my own hero!

To me the hero's physical appearance tells me about his job and influences his character. Their are three basic body shapes. The overly muscled large man, the well muscled medium man and the lean tauntly muscled man. The overly muscled man may be a warrior or SEAL or highlander or Viking where his muscles could well mean his life. The well muscled medium may be someone who works out regularly, someone like a cowboy who uses his muscles daily. The lean man could be a business man, regency rake or many others.

I like to know which he is right near the beginning of the book.

I also get a huge laugh out of how tall the heros are getting. For years the 6 foot mark was the height for tall dark and handsome. Now I am reading about 6'4 up to 6'6 . These are to tell the reader how big his penis is...Give me a break! When we hit 7' it will be a bit hard to believe and to accommodate..;)

☼sunny☼ wrote: "When we hit 7' it will be a bit hard to believe and to accommodate..;) "

LOL! I actually read a book recently where one of the heroes friends was almost 7'. He'll be getting a story eventually, too. I wish I could recall the name though!

I believe I've heard somewhere that people in general are taller now than they were 100 years ago. Being only 5'3" anything over 6' is tall and anything over 6'6" is ridiculous.

Let us know when you remember Dhes. I guess the heroine in that book will have to be over 6" herself or just grin and bare it.

I'm 5'8" and my husband is 6'2. When standing or sitting and talking with him, I don't notice the difference, but when I see a picture, I'm shocked!

In fact, I'm looking at one now and my head just comes to his shoulder. WOW! When I read that a heroine's head just comes to the hero's shoulder I think that's really odd... but now... WOW! LOL!

Dang... I look almost short compared to hubbster.

☼sunny☼ wrote: "Let us know when you remember Dhes. I guess the heroine in that book will have to be over 6" herself or just grin and bare it."

It was within the past 3 months, I'm sure. But I read sooooo many alpha books, I can't recall... wait... it might have been... in fact, I'm pretty sure it was All or Nothing: A Trust No One Novel. But maybe not. Most of what I read has alpha males, elite ops or bodyguards, so it could be anything.

For some reason, though, it stands out that it's a team of body guards, kinda a rag-tag group. I'll keep looking and see if I can find it.

Or maybe it was Tactical Strike. GAH!!

Acheron IS 7' tall.

I'm 5' zip. I can't even imagine a relationship with anyone that tall. Continual neck problems.

I actually think that reality would interfere with my enjoying the book. In my mind the heroine would always be looking at clouds.

I like to have a vague notion of what they look like-hair and eye color, length of hair, beard/scruffy/mustache or not, height, but that's about it. Then I can fill in the details with my mind's eye.

As for height of heroes, I love seeing tall heroes in books. I'm 5'10" and it's so darn hard to find a guy in RL where I live who is over 6ft tall. And if I date anyone under 6ft, I either tower over them, or can't wear heels, like ever. LOL So when I see tall guys in books I'm all "YES!". I can at least dream there are tall men out there. :D

My daughter is 5"11", so I understand completely what you are saying Kat. Does a shorter hero ruin it for you?

☼sunny☼ wrote: "My daughter is 5"11", so I understand completely what you are saying Kat. Does a shorter hero ruin it for you?"

Yes. If the book hero is my height or shorter than I am I have a hard time getting into him.

It's so funny hearing everyone's height.

I'm 5'8
Hubby 6'2
Son 6'3
Daughter #1 5'8
Daughter #2 5'11

My BFF is 4'11

"For years the 6 foot mark was the height for tall dark and handsome. Now I am reading about 6'4 up to 6'6 ..."

I confess when it comes to romance heroes I prefer them really tall (shallow, shallow me!). I understand that in the 19th c. (or before) a man standing at 6 ft. was considered tall (or very tall), but, I think, that would not be the case today, at least not in Britain (or North America). I'd say at 6 ft a man would be on the high end of average, at 6'1 he'd be tallish, and at 6'2 and over tall.
Height, like all things human, is subject to history, as well as geography (climate conditions, etc.). In some parts of the world a 6ft tall man would be considered tall, or very tall even. I'm 5'6 bare foot, that's, I think, the low end of average, yet recently I heard myself described, by a female student from S. Korea, as 'that tall English girl'. I think I'm going to emigrate.

I want the characters to be well-described. I remember a Stephanie Laurens book where she never described the hero except for him being red-headed and well-endowed and having a muscular body. He had a blob where his face was because I didn't have anything to work with.

UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish wrote: "It's so funny hearing everyone's height.

I'm 5'8
Hubby 6'2
Son 6'3
Daughter #1 5'8
Daughter #2 5'11

My BFF is 4'11"

You have a tall family!

I'm the tallest woman in my family at approx. 5'8. My dad was about 5'10.

I'm the shorty in my family. Lots of people I knew in Texas were always much taller than me. After I left Texas I noticed shorter people. Not saying Texas doesn't have short people, I just never noticed them.

I don't see that many really tall women regularly. But I guess there are a few folks around that are taller than average.

My 6'6" cousin is married to a 6' woman. In Texas.

Pamela(AllHoney) wrote: "My 6'6" cousin is married to a 6' woman. In Texas."

They grow 'em taller in Texas!

Some of em anyways!

Maybe I don't hang out in the right places. I don't see a lot of really tall people regularly.

I grew up in Dallas. My cousin lives in Mesquite. Not far from the rodeo.

I'm in the Austin area. Occasionally, I see a really tall man or woman, but most of the folks I encounter are six foot or less.