I personally love both. Which one I indulge in depends entirely on the time of day, my mood, what I've eaten, and the type of caffeine I need. But enough about me. I'm more interested in what the heroes and heroines in the latest books I've read drink.
Most of the time, I have no problem with their choice of coffee or tea. It seems to flow with the story. In historicals, I almost expect them to drink tea or hot chocolate. In westerns, it's coffee for the cowboys and tea for the ladies. In contemporaries, you get more variation, but there was a time where the hero in the book I was reading drank tea and it just bugged me for some reason. I felt that the big, alpha dude needed to be drinking coffee. He wasn't into health, organics, herbs or Zen. He had no cultural background that would lean him toward tea drinking.
For some reason, I think coffee fits universally with heroes and heroines, whereas tea you have to be careful with...down to the type. Tea can come off as feminine if not done right. Am I being unfair?
Coffee, tea, and the sexes. What do you think? What do you and your characters drink?
Oh that's so interesting to think about. But yeah, it doesn't quite seem right to have an alpha male drink tea--unless it's a Regency. LOL
ReplyDeleteWhew, Jennifer. Glad it's not just me :). And I'm certainly not saying heroes should never drink tea. It simply needs to make sense. The drink should fit the character and possibly the setting, you know?
ReplyDeleteOf course it could be really funny if an alpha hero is forced by...oh I don't know, a little old lady...to sit and drink tea. If his awkwardness is played up, I'd definitely get a laugh out of Mr. Macho squirming :).
I've honestly never really thought about it, but I can't imagine one of my mega alpha males sitting down to drink tea! I think it all depends on the character and those types of habits need to be consistent with the story, of course. Personally, I can drink either, hot or cold, depending on the situation and what I feel like at that particular time.
ReplyDeleteHey Kaily! I'm the same way, and I agree about consistency being key.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think your heroes were tea drinkers ;).