Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Sexy and Mysterious? Or something else? Nikki Duncan Guest Blog

I am so thrilled to have fantastic author Nikki Duncan on my blog today!

Think of your favorite characters, whether from TV, movies or books. How often do you know everything about those characters before the show or story ends? How often are you left wondering about a little piece of them?

Personally, some of my favorite characters maintain an air of mystery, or have to continue fighting for their major goal. A few examples of late…

Reese from PERSON OF INTEREST. He has a wounded past and has done some not so nice things. Now, though, he’s been pulled from his self-imposed seclusion and has the chance to do some good. A chance to make amends for his past. It’s not necessarily a path he wanted to find himself on, but now that he’s on it, it’s one he can’t stray from.

Then there is G from NCIS: LA. We know his last name, or at least what we think is his last name, and his first initial. No matter cases he solves or how many people he helps bring to justice he is always searching for answers about his past. Who is he? What does G stand for? Does he have family? And on and on go the questions along with why it is he really doesn’t allow himself to settle into a relationship. What is he really afraid of?

The character that so far has always stood out the most to me was Jarod from THE PRETENDER. After escape, Jarod spent every moment of his time trying to help the underdog or protect someone he saw in need or right a wrong he inadvertently caused while in captivity. For Jarod, that meant travelling from place to place with his radar set to suspicious.

Do these characters, or whoever your favorite ones are, strike you as sexy and mysterious or do they come across as something entirely different?

When I decided to write an empath, I thought about these characters I enjoy so much and then I considered how I could make said empath similar. This hero makes his appearance in the third book of the Sensory Ops Series.

Dr. H is an empath who was stolen by a shady arm of the government as a child and experimented on until he was finally able to win his freedom. The peace he’s lived for the time he’s been out has been great. And free of liars and government.
Until now.

Tell me which characters are your favorites and why. Are they mysterious and wounded or more straightforward?

Commenters will be entered into a drawing for an ARC of ILLICIT INTUITIONS, set to release next Tuesday. I’ll stop by tomorrow to announce the winner.


Love could be their greatest liability.

Ava Malia knows three things. She was once a kickass covert operative. She will eventually adjust to her new team, the FBI Specialized Crimes Unit. And the only way to finally be free of her professional past is to solve her first case and get her hands on a game-changing technology. The only problem? Success rides on her ability to swallow her distaste for the persona she must adopt in order to earn the trust of a mysterious scientist.

Dr. H escaped childhood captivity with three things. His sister. Complete control of his gift. And an engulfing distrust of anyone in the government. Adjusting to a life of freedom hasn’t been easy, but he’s found peace in solitude. The sexy woman auditing his empathic studies, though, has a way of getting under his skin that’s both arousing and disturbing. Plus, his psychic ability warns him of secrets so deeply buried in her psyche, they’d be better left alone.

Yet their instant attraction strips away all their protective barriers, down to the foundation of a new, fragile trust. And a vulnerability that, when an old enemy opens fire, could blast away any chance of a future.

Read an excerpt of ILLICIT INTUITIONS now!

17 comments:

Savannah Chase said...

I loved Jarod from The Pretender..With every eppy you wanted to know more and more about him. I like when there is a little mystery and not everything is out in the open..Fantastic blog post..

Jeanne Guzman said...

I love Gibbs from NCIS. He tries to set himself appart from attachments, but there's a gentle side of him that makes me melt.

Nikki Duncan said...

Good afternoon. Sorry to be so late getting here, but I have been in an all day meeting. Now I can play.

Savannah, that is exactly how I feel about characters. And Jarod. And I loved watching his face. Even when you think you can't read him you really can. Those are the interesting characters to me.

Nikki Duncan said...

Jeanne,

Gibbs is another one I really like because no matter how much he tries to avoid those attachments you know he doesn't. Definitely melt worthy.

Nancy G said...

I love both Gibbs and Jarod, but the one I have a soft spot for is Sam from Quantum Leap. Imagine never knowing who you are going to be next, or even where or when. I loved seeing him keep his sanity and his sense of humor through it all-and Scott Bakula is kind of Geeky-hot, at least to me. And he is from around here (Missouri). Can't wait for this release, Nikki-you know I love your books

joye said...

I like the character of Gibbs also. I like my characters to be straight forward with a Hinton mystery. very mysterious and I am Leary of the person

Fedora said...

See, I'm not too much of a TV watcher, but I do like the quieter but super competent ones--Casey from Chuck or even going WAY back, Spock :) The whole still waters thing, maybe?

Yvette said...

I was a huge fan of Jarod on The Pretender. I was so sorry to see the show end and also was a little disappointed when they killed hos brother off.
Yvette

Anonymous said...

I like the mysterious, the lead in Person of Interest is so mysterious, a new one is Ashley Judd's new show Missing. You get some information, but you know there is a lot more.

Patricia
panthers.ravens@yahoo dot com

Nikki Duncan said...

Nancy, we never missed an episode of Quantum Leap in out house. It was such a cool concept.

Joye, it sounds like you would relate more to most of my heroines. They pretty much call it like they see it. It's my men who are trouble.

Nikki Duncan said...

Ah, flchen, those still waters. Watch out for them. Dr. H and Ava have quite a few. Though I think there's another on the Sensory Ops team with more. :)

Nikki Duncan said...

Patricia, I am absolutely LOVING Jim Caviezel in Person of Interest. And I may have to watch Missing, just because I love Ashley Judd. Thanks for stopping by.

Nikki Duncan said...

BTW, I will be back tomorrow to announce the winner of the ARC. :)

Ann Cory said...

Thanks so much for being a guest here Nikki! Very much looking forward to reading Illicit Intuitions!

Nikki Duncan said...

Today's winner of the Illicit Intuitions ARC is.....


Joye.

Joye, email me at nikki @ nikkiduncan.com to claim your prize. :)

Nikki Duncan said...

Thanks for having me, Ann!

Fedora said...

LOL! Thanks, Nikki! Happy reading, Joye!