Too sexy for his shirt ...

Today, a treat for all you hardworking girls and boys - firecrackers of the non-bonfire night kind. Here we have a gratuitous Mr Darcy and my favourite Bardot clip because I have been cranking up the heat in the novel - I have my leads at sizzling distance. Now the challenge is to keep them there. Maybe you are the same - if you are able to believe in them enough to fall a little in love with your characters, they start to come alive.

TODAY'S PROMPT: 'It' the X-factor, charisma, sex appeal - why do you think some people are almost universally adored (Bardot, Connery etc)? What do you want from your romantic heroes and heroines? Are they the same things you look for in real life? How do you think you can make a fictional character charismatic and appealing? Why not brainstorm in your journal the character traits or actions you would find attractive in a man or woman - perhaps you remember incidents from real life, the things that drew you to someone. As you construct your characters why not try and weave a few of these moments into your story - help them come alive.