Susan, in too many romances I find the men to be complete fantasy projections of what the author wants (or maybe assumes her readership wants). But then the women are sometimes too romanticized for me, too.

In terms of male authors, I'm like you -- I don't read many. I always found Stephen King, strangely, to write women pretty well.

You know, you're right about King. And I get the same vibe off his nonfiction--that he likes and understands women.

You're also right that romance men can be fantasy projections. I try really hard to make my men real, but I'm probably guilty, too. I mean, what woman wouldn't want a Jack of her very own? The man's smart, thoughtful, good sense of humor, a generous lover, can kick serious ass when an action hero is called for, etc. But I try really hard to make him (and my other heroes) a guy too.

What gets me most are the sex scenes, where the guys are never rushed or, well, swept up. It's all, "Are you all right, my precious? Have I hurt you?" Ugh.

And the guys who are happy to talk, whenever and wherever, about their feelings. At length.

Romance guys *should* be heroes, and part of being heroes is being a little more sensitive and generally wonderful, but I want the guy to at least seem like I could meet him on the street.

What gets me most are the sex scenes, where the guys are never rushed or, well, swept up. It's all, "Are you all right, my precious? Have I hurt you?" Ugh.

Hee. I had a list of words you'll never see in a romance novel sex scene. (Current favourite: Grunties.) I think 'premature ejaculation' can be added to the list.

I think I'm fine by those criteria. My guys get good and swept up in the moment on a regular basis, and even when they're self-aware about their feelings, don't spend a lot of time talking about them.

Sean Stewart also writes good women, as does Greg Rucka. Earl Emerson, however, does not. Oy.

I don't recognize any of those names. What do they write?

Sean Stewart writes science fiction novels, and he was also head writer for the completely and totally awesome A.I. web game (and incidentally, one of the main characters, and the one who was kind of the players' surrogate, communicating with us through her journal and various e-mails, was female). Greg Rucka writes crime fiction but is probably better known as a comic book writer. Lots of great Batverse stuff.

Sean Stewart wrote Mockingbird, about a pregnant woman (and from her POV), and it was quite good. (Though, since I've never been pregnant, I can't say whether it's accurate.) His most recent is Perfect Circle, with a male protagonist.

Stewart's shtick is interesting/odd characters, and the use of magic/unreality/fantasy to explore the protagonist's emotional problems.

Sean Stewart writes mainly sci-fi/fantasy (his debut novel was pretty much cyberpunk, but he's more on the fantasy side of things these days, but the sort generally set in our reality, just with magic), Greg Rucka writes mainly thrillers (and comic books, and he went to college with JZ), and Earl Emerson writes mysteries.

If you ever need to get a feel for what Seattle was like two decades ago, pick up some classic Emerson. He does local description and action much better than female characterization.