I'll Get You, My Pretty by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

The villain.

A cackle. An arrogant quip. A threatening vow of defeat.

Villains drive our stories and give our heroes and heroines the opportunity to face fear and become the best versions of themselves. But....a good villain is very hard to write. They have to be as heavily researched as your main character, and they have to have their own motivation that actually is battle-worthy.

I find that a lot of villains are written the same way. Arrogant, sarcastic, cynical and cooler than you. This type has its place, but I love it when the bad guy is unsure, or so underrated that the hero or heroine doesn't even know to fear them.

The best villains follow-through with what they're going to do. (Up until the end, of course!)

The best villains don't monologue. They don't miss their chance. They take it.

I say, let the villain go. Let him or her win a little. This makes them believable, and, the most important thing....it makes your hero or heroine have to fight. It gives them a reason to overcome. It allows them to escape, to be smarter, to be brave.

Don't be afraid to write a silent villain, one who waits, who sneaks up on the good guys. Or one who's so clumsy that he or she gets passed over because they seem disorganized. Or one that is noisy and won't quit. I promise you'll figure out how to get the good guy out of trouble, and you'll have a better story because of it.

My first book, Welcome Home, has a bad guy. Most of my stories do, though I wouldn't say I write romantic suspense. Villains are sooooo much fun, but, thankfully, my compassion doesn't extend to wanting them to win. (Whew!)

I'm not too sure if I wrote a good villain in Welcome Home, but I did fool my father. He's the king of figuring out who did it, and I managed to stump him. I call that a win!


In Welcome Home, Emma Prescott has to prove she's not the spoiled heiress Kyle remembers. Her father killed Kyle's, and this also puts a rift in Emma and Kyle's relationship, especially since she lied to the sheriff. But she battles for Kyle's forgiveness. She starts her own farm and fights a stubborn mule, the Texas heat, a devastating tornado, Kyle's pain and anger and last...her father. It's a beautiful story of forgiveness and courage. And if you read it, I hope I fool you, too!

If you comment, leave a note on who your favorite villain is. I have a few, but mine is Malificent. I know, she's definitely got the "cooler than you thing" going on, but she actually is cooler, so I'm ok with it. If you comment, I'll also enter you into a drawing for a free ebook. Just leave your email address -- spelled out, not as a hotlink -- with your comment and I'll let you choose the book if you win!

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