Alpha heroes with humour and charm...

I love your description of an alpha male with a sense of humor.  I don't like heroes who are so serious they can't see the fun side of life.  A little angst thrown in is always fun.

Cant' wait to look for your books.  

I'm reading a book by Karen Moning right now(going to get to yours right after it).  But I was just thinking this exact thing this morning.  I was reading and smiling and my hubby walked in and I was 'caught'.    Or that's how it felt anyhow.  To be sitting there smiling or even laughing all by yourself... LOL anyhow the funny moment came right in the middle of an intense arguement the couple were having.  She(karen) does this a lot.  At least to me it seems this way.  And I love it.  Combining the strong yet opposing emotions is a sure way to lure the reader in.  Great review by the way!

Cole 

I so want to add my two cents here, but … I won't because I would just be reiterating everything I've already said elsewhere. 

I will be looking in on this blog to see what you all say.

FF 

I agree with Natalie!  You can leave us hanging there! 

Cole 

I sometimes worry that people will take lessons from stories with alphas and forget that it rarely happens in real life. I fear they represent the myth that a man can/will change if the woman can just get him to admit to loving her.  I think it sends a dangerous message to the women because even those who are able to separate fiction from reality are receiving a subconscious message that a controlling domineering arrogant male can and will change into a tender loving caring partner.  Like the Cinderella Complex feminists wrote about years and years ago.

But like you said, it depends on the execution.  And it depends on what the reader likes.  And some people don't have the same definition of alpha, so when they say "alpha" they mean some one totally different than when I say alpha.  I guess it just goes to show that different strokes for different folks, right?

Fake Frenchie, thank you for clarifying! I see what you mean and I agree that maybe its the definition behind the word 'alpha' that can set us to thinking different things.  Our experiences can also so color our definition of the words.

Personally my favorite hero is the alpha (I married one)  Yep, he drives me nuts; he's independent, determined, wants his way, all the above listed items of what you generally think of when you think of someone as a leader... BUT when you think leader don't forget dedicated, loyal, willing to sacrifice his life for those he loves(and some times that can be a non dramatic example... going to a job day in and day out just to provide) and so on. 

When I hear alpha I don't hear abusive nor do I think the word 'change'.  I hear someone who is willing to stand up against the tide when they believe in something, even if they are the only one. 

I agree you can't change people. Well not normally.  And for a story to really work with the alpha male I think the writer needs to protray the guy as always having had a soft spot, a streak of that loyalty or honorability right from the beginning.   Not in, he is nice to puppies type of example but to me usually if the author did a good job I can find those traits silently interwoven in the little things right from the start.  Otherwise I end up hating the guy too.   

I got a kick in your 'I can't help myself from commenting!'  LOL  

And Natalie---I just finished my Karen's book(alpha male there Frenchie--I kept thinking about you and wondering what you'd think of Karen Moning's books--have you read any of hers?)... so anyhow, getting sidetracked, I'm starting yours now Natalie!     This is definitely one of those moments when I think this world is a cool place to be---we live on opposite ends of the world and yet are connected by a simple little thing called a book.  A story.  A bit of technology.  Not to mention a common thread of likes and dislikes.  Too cool!

Cole 

Kate Walker made much the same arguments as you do (both of you).  And she convinced me that one persons alpha is not the same as another persons.  You see, I would not call the type of hero you describe an "alpha", but rather a strong beta.  I just recently read a Desire by Robyn Grady that had an alpha hero.  She does a good job of making him likable, but he still annoyed me.

I guess I like an alpha whose book is long enough (350-400 pages)  to give me enough time to get to know him.  Then the stuff that Nicole mentions can be developed.

Sorry to go on and on.  I'l stop now.

>>I think what makes an alpha hero so attractive is that though he is often arrogant, and yes, controlling .... deep down he wants to do the right thing .... he's good at heart, not evil ..... he's not a mean person, well at least not until he's crossed, then he can be hurtful (my dh included) ..... an alpha hero to me, does see the light .... he does come to understand how his actions affect others .... does that change him, not essentially .... that does make him more aware and more "open" to loving and to being loved  but he's still very much that alpha hero

not sure if that all makes sense ....... I'm pretty much describing my own personal "alpha" 

 Katherine  - you're making total sense - perfect sense-  to me.  But that's because you're describing my sort of alpha man too!

(Hi Frenchie! You should have known that I'd find you!)

I have this personal campaign to get people to understand what the real alpha is  - and that's not the sort of bullying, domineering type that so many readers - and, I'll admit, some writers seem to think he is. Over on the I heartPresents blog, the Presents editors talked about the alpha male and reminded everyone that  this guy is the ultimate nurturer. He's the one with the great sense of responsibility - the one who feels he has to lead, to take charge, to sort things out - because nature and circumstance have put him in that position.

That's the position that the alpha wolf  is in  - one of the places that the term 'alpha'  comes from.

 But - I've said it before, and I'll say it again and again - this does not make him a bully or domineering or cruel. If a hero is portrayed as bullying, domineering and cruel - then that's because he's those things - not because he's an alpha.

Katherine said it -

though he is often arrogant, and yes, controlling .... deep down he wants to do the right thing .... he's good at heart, not evil ....

The clashes that come into the stories should be clashes between the hero and his heroine when he totally believes he's doing what's right - and she sees his actions in the exact opposite light. Not that he is in fact doing something cruel or wrong - but because circumstances have led him to believe that what he is doing is the right - the only thing.

It's that core of honour that makes a hero  and is vital to any man who's going to be written as a hero, Without it, any man who goes back on his word or uses his strength to dominate etc just because he can, is not a hero - never mind an alpha - in my book.

And in my book too any alpha should be capable of oodles of  charm and humour - it's just that in the circumstances of the story, when this guy is focused on dealing with the situation that has arisen, one that he feels he really has to put right, no matter what it takes, sometimes he puts that part of himself aside to bring forward the part he feels can cope best right now.

Like Natalie said:

But when something happens to threaten something he holds incredibly dear, then sorry honey, the party's over. He'll do whatever it takes to ensure his treasure is protected. If there's an obstacle, he'll move it, and no way will he let her obstruct him!!!

The mistake that some readers make is thinking that the alpha in fight mode who appears in the books is the one and only side to the alpha there is. And the mistake some writers can make is in making it appear that there is only this one side to him, and never ever letting the real character of the man show through. That's why so often the shorter on line reads don't work to show a real alpha - there just isn't the time to explore the depths and the different strengths - the emotional, loving, caring strengths  this man has too.

 Kate

<waving!!>   ..... it's soooo cool to have an author quote me      ....... I'm glad you understood what I was saying