Timeshare BookBoyFriends
It started as an innocent question in an author’s group:
“Can I claim Niko? Has anybody licked him yet? Lol.”
And the game was on!
It’s not unusual to get attached to fictional characters. Well, at least it isn’t if you’re a true bookwyrm. But, there’s attachment, and then there’s the territorial I-licked-it-so-it’s-mine attachment found amongst some groups of bookwyrms when a specific character seriously claims your heart. And in one group it’s become a beautiful running dialog of which characters belong to which group members.
Sometimes the attachment is based on the character’s personality. Sometimes it’s based on looks. And that can be based on the author’s written description, or just the cover model. But whatever it’s based on, those claims can get pretty enthusiastic.
I know of a few book boyfriends who were claimed before they even had their own books. And the connection was so strong, the authors even confirmed the claim in that character’s book’s dedication or acknowledgement. I mean think about how amazingly, beautifully, wonderful that is. To be so touched by a side character that the author acknowledges the impact they’ve had on you in that character’s own book! What a stunning testament to an author’s talent that they’ve created such a brilliant character.
The conversation in the group continued, and it was fantastic! People chimed in with characters from the series in question that they had already claimed. Characters from the author’s other series were brought into the mix. And yes, there was a reminder that even a character whose story has not been written yet, in a completely different series from Niko’s, was claimed. That’s actually what started the discussion to begin with. Because somebody in the group claimed a side character from another series, who will be getting his own book, based on the cover model. Somebody who has been following that cover model for quite some time and also really likes the side character. And somebody may have made mention of that fact in another post in the author’s group.
Ok, it’s me. I’m somebody.
So what’s a reader to do if someone has already claimed a book boyfriend who really resonates with you, too? What about a Book Boyfriend Timeshare? LOL! Yes, we all laughed, but seriously, is it such a horrible thing to share your BBF with someone? How wonderful to know someone else connects with you based on a mutual admiration of a fictional character. Connecting over characters is one of the best things about reading the same book or series as hundreds, thousands, even millions of people.
And hey, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with claiming a BBF someone else has already claimed. What they don’t know won’t hurt them.
