Special Guest Blog Post from Sarah Alderson author of The Sound

Hi everyone! Nayu here. Now, I love Sarah's books Hunting Lila (which involved a Twitter chat and follow on guest blog post), Fated, & Losing Lila. I'm currently not in the mood for her latest book, The Sound but, since I like Sarah, I did want to help promote it. So here's a special guest blog post just for you from Sarah!  Well, straight after the blurb for The Sound (from Simon & Schuster UK)

When aspiring music journalist Ren Kingston takes a job nannying for a wealthy family on the exclusive island of Nantucket, playground for Boston's elite, she's hoping for a low-key summer reading books and blogging about bands. Boys are firmly off the agenda.
 

What she doesn't count on is falling in with a bunch of party-loving private school kids who are hiding some dark secrets; falling (possibly) in love with the local bad boy; and falling out with a dangerous serial killer...

When aspiring music journalist Ren Kingston takes a job nannying for a wealthy family on the exclusive island of Nantucket, playground for Boston's elite, she's hoping for a low-key summer reading books and blogging about bands. Boys are firmly off the agenda.
What she doesn't count on is falling in with a bunch of party-loving private school kids who are hiding some dark secrets; falling (possibly) in love with the local bad boy; and falling out with a dangerous serial killer... - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.co.uk/Sound/Sarah-Alderson/9781471115738#sthash.NVXwlBvc.dpuf

When aspiring music journalist Ren Kingston takes a job nannying for a wealthy family on the exclusive island of Nantucket, playground for Boston's elite, she's hoping for a low-key summer reading books and blogging about bands. Boys are firmly off the agenda.
What she doesn't count on is falling in with a bunch of party-loving private school kids who are hiding some dark secrets; falling (possibly) in love with the local bad boy; and falling out with a dangerous serial killer... - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.co.uk/Sound/Sarah-Alderson/9781471115738#sthash.NVXwlBvc.dpuf

6 Rules for writing swoonworthy boys by Sarah Alderson 

I have built a writing career on hot boys. For some reason I just love to write action thrillers with kick ass girls and swoontastic boys at their centre. I put this down to a childhood spent watching Dynasty, Dirty Dancing, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alien, Star Wars and Last of the Mohicans.

The first fictional boy I created was Alex from Hunting Lila and he was (and is) my dream man. A trained Marine, intelligent, sensitive, inscrutable, full of integrity and honor…sigh. Then there came quiet, mysterious Lucas from Fated and finally guitar playing bad boy Jesse from The Sound. Even though all three are very different, there’s a set of rules I use when creating my fictional boys.

1. Confident NOT arrogant

Arrogance is a big no no. If a guy in real life likes to act like he’s God’s gift, then I’m outta there. A truly 

confident guy has no need to act arrogant. Confidence can be understated or it can veer towards cocky (Cyrus from Severed is my most overly confident male character but I like to think his sense of humour saves him from being arrogant. The boy can back it up!)

2. Protective NOT Stalkerish

I’ve lost count of the number of books I’ve thrown across the room / requested a Kindle refund for because I’ve been truly disturbed by the behavior of the boy who is supposedly ‘hot.’ Being a controlling stalker is not hot. Let’s have a rethink girls.

3. Smart NOT dumb

A boy with a brain is a winner. Sometimes authors think that by dressing up their stalker controlling boy character with a brain and making him speak three languages that makes him less of an ass. It does not. A boy who reads, who thinks, who can hold a conversation, who listens – now that’s sexy.

4. Experienced without being a manwhore

This is essential because your hot YA boy MUST know how to kiss. It is the fundamental rule of YA books that the moment your two protags lock lips the kiss could set the world on fire.

5. Washboard abs

Goes without saying that this is a top, top priority for any self-respecting YA male protagonist. Six pack? Make it a twelve pack.

6. A sense of humor

As in life, a sense of humor is the key, and that can take you anywhere from sarcasm to gently ironic to joke cracking wordsmith…whatever, your hot YA boy has got to make you laugh (but is not cruel with his humour). 

Thank you for your insight Sarah! Be sure to go check her books out - you won't regret it!