Yesterday was my husband, Roger's birthday. He is 64 years old and I've celebrated 47 of them with him...whoa.
Over the years as I have written about the McKennas, and, in particular the McKenna men, I must admit that I have been more than a little in love with several of them...even while I've also been totally in love with my husband.
Oh, fickle woman, you say! But, let me
explain...
The men in the McKenna books that I am in love with all have a bit of my husband in them. Some have more than just a bit of him. After all, Roger is the first and only man I ever loved; we met when I was 15 and he was 16 and I am, without a doubt, a one-man woman.
I didn't shop around much. I knew what and who I wanted.
So, little surprise that, when I wrote about the men, I drew on who I knew. And, because I don't enjoy writing my characters into bed with men I don't like, I managed to unconsciously give the guys attributes of my husband. Some, but not all. So, let's see who I mean.
Morgan: He is a lot like the man I would have been attracted to in my younger days; broody, rather detached from the family, madly in love with his wife. Roger, in his younger days, was a bit broody, is still pretty madly in love with me, but any detachment from his family would have irritated me in the extreme. The broodiness wears thin pretty quick, too. I couldn't be married to Morgan, that's for sure.
Jackson: Very secretive, adores his family, never blinks about taking in a new child or two. Roger was crazier about taking in foster kids or adopting kids, than even I was and I was pretty crazy about it. I knew I could say yes to another baby and it was okay with him. He loves his family to pieces. Secretive? Not on your life. Even if he had wanted to keep a secret from me, I wouldn't have let him. And he never could. He's pretty bad even about birthday presents.
Boone: Rebellious when younger, handsome, dedicated to his family as he grows up, willing to put himself aside for the greater good. He is a lot like Roger was when he was younger, and quite a bit like he is now. However, I think Roger would have realized that his family would rather have him live a bit longer than Boone did.
Stephen: Impulsive, falls into love and lust at the drop of a hat, carries himself like the world is his oyster, handsome and personable. Most of Stephen's attraction is on the outside. He has a good heart, but as far as a long-term relationship; he's a lot of work. Roger is like Stephen in how he carries himself...with confidence...and that I think he's a cutie pie. That's pretty much where the resemblance stops. But cute is good.
Jordan: Jordan as an adult is steady, hard working and will drop anything to help his family. That's my husband, for sure. He's the one my girls know they can call for anything from a breakdown on the road to a leaky roof. And he's there. I love that.
Max: Max is probably the most complete picture of Roger. He's a steady, dependable, ethical, loving MAN; not a boy. He handles teenagers well, especially teenage girls' tantrums and indiscretions. Roger really came into his own when our girls became teenagers. I thought I was going to have to kill them all; he told me to calm down and just set them down and talked to them. I'm so in love with Max; he is Roger.
It's interesting to me how, since I've been writing about these hunky guys for 40+ years, their attractiveness has changed as time has gone along. I guess it stands to reason. Roger is not the 16 year old, long-haired, Corvair-driving, cowboy boots wearing guy I fell for way back then in '68, but then I've changed a bit too.
The stuff that was important to us then is not as important now. Broodiness is not sexy; it's irritating. Sexy is cleaning up the mess in the kitchen without being asked. Rebellion is eating chocolate in bed together while watching the DIY Network. Seduction is sitting on the porch, holding hands in the twilight.
With someone who remembers when Kennedy was shot.
If I'm still writing about the McKenna men in another 20 years, makes me wonder what the next bunch of heroes will be like. That's creepy.