Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
Looking for a Few Good Alphas
If any of you have read my books, you'll know that I don't exactly write alpha heroes. My heroes are usually called beta men. In fact, Jeannie Watt and I are doing a Q&A on eHarlequin in June about writing the non-alpha hero.
Clear definitions of alpha and beta heroes don't seem to exist. If you google the terms, you'll find a lot of discussion, most of it contradictory. I think for many readers and writers this distinction is an "I know it when I see it" situation. (I'm still working on research, though, so if you know of good definitions, please send them my way!)
When Jeannie and I were discussing what a beta hero is, I listed these qualities: a guy who listens more, has a rich emotional life, and is willing to ask more often than he orders. He's lower on the possessive scale and higher on the treasuring scale. He apologizes when he's wrong (sometimes) and is able to change course more easily than an alpha. I see betas as flexible and responsive, even if they, like many men, get tripped up by an inability to communicate or to articulate their needs and emotions.
We have a few weeks before the Q&A and I’m doing research. The first thing I thought I’d do is read a few fantastic alpha male books. If I’m going to write about the alpha and beta differences, I better have read some of the well-loved alphas. Anyone have a book they’d recommend with a fantastic alpha hero? I’m a big historical fan, not so keen on paranormals, love contemporaries. I’d take a peek at just about anything, though.
I’ll pick one lucky commenter to win a copy of The Boyfriend’s Back, featuring my most recent beta guy, JT McNulty. How's that for irony--you give me alpha, I give you beta. ;-)
P.S. Actually, I'll take recommendations for great beta heroes, too! I'll mix up my research so I can really have fun!
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Well...
Not to toot my own horn, but I think Jarod in Hard to Resist is a great alpha, but to me, he's a great alpha because he has all the alpha traits BUT he also has a rich emotional life, knows how to listen/care, and can be both possessive and treasuring. I see him as an alpha because I don't see any way he can't be -- not in his job -- a Texas Ranger would not be a beta guy, because he has to be able to take charge, make decisions and be a dominant male. As you see in the book, that causes a few issues for a woman who has a traumatic past, but Jarod has a sensitive emotional/thinking side too. Maybe this is why I have such a crush on this guy -- he's the "mature-alpha" maybe -- the one who has worked through most of his dominant issues and combined the best of both types. Is there a name for that? LOL Sorry... got off on a tangent there.
From my own books, I see Colin, my academic hero from About Last Night... (in fact, both heroes in that book were pretty solid betas, I think) or Logan, from Friction, as much more of the beta variety -- Sarah, my heroine, was actually the classic alpha in that book. Maybe more classically alpha would be Ian from Fascination. Brett from Pick Me Up I think is also what I would call a "developed" alpha. I guess I like writing that type, LOL.
This probably didn't help at all, but it was fun to think about... LOL
Sam
Post alpha
Sam, I agree that these labels are hard to get a handle on at times. I was telling Jeannie that I saw a quote where someone thought beta guys were good cooks? Hmm. Not the ones I write. I don't think it's anything outside, but an approach to certain situations that makes the difference.
Your Jarod sounds wonderful. And alpha. Very crushworthy. :-)
I think so...
I went back to edit... I called him a post-alpha (have no idea...) but I meant a mature alpha. Mature was the word I was missing before, too foggy this morning.
But when I think about it, some of the more "pure" alpha traits are very adolescent, right? Gimme. Mine. Me. (because if he always thinks its his way or the highway, that's a very selfish thing, really) etc. And how is that attractive? So I think it has to be tempered with something...
Just a thought...
Sam
Hmm...
Let's see... I think Suzanne Brockmann's got some great alphas. Lisa Marie Rice's Midnight books have some pretty alpha alphas. Monica McCarty's Highland warriors are lovely (they might take exception to be described that way, of course...). So are Michelle Willingham's Warriors. And I think Debbie Macomber's hero in Morning Comes Softly could be described as an alpha...
I'm sure there are a zillion more--can't wait to see what everyone else says!
Good recs
I have to go and see what I've read of Brockmann. I think I've dipped my toe in those waters at some time. I'm now zeroing in on Highland Warriors. Call me a sucker, but I love a highland man!
Thanks, Fedora!
ETA: OMG! Her backlist has 48 books on it. I need covers to go with the names to know if I've read any. Are we talking the Navy Seals from Ballantine or Mira for starters?
The Navy Seals books rock...
Just sayin' :)
To be honest...
I haven't read anywhere near the entirety of her backlist yet... I've read most of her Tall, Dark, & Dangerous series, which were originally Silhouette Intimate Moments and have all be reissued by Mira. I've also read a couple of her Troubleshooter series, which are the longer ones from Ballentine. Her website has the details: http://www.suzannebrockmann.com/backlist.htm
And yep, Monica's highland men are quite delish!
Mr Darcy?
What a clever research idea, Ellen. I have a question. Into which category would Mr Darcy fall and why? Anyone? Anyone?
Darcy new and old
I haven't read my Austen in a long time, Jeannie. Can't help with the old Mr. Darcy because I don't remember him well enough. I was actually wondering this morning about Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones's Diary. I think he's a wonderful hero and I'd call him beta.
Hmm. This is why I need to do research! I know what I'm talking about from the writing standpoint--how to make these guys into characters readers can love--I'm not as sure about the theory or the canon. ;-)
P.S. I'll tell you who I'm crushing on recently. The horse on the cover of Cowboy Comes Back. He's beautiful!
Good question! My heroes
Good question! My heroes tend to be more beta, too! Much like my DH!
Anna DeStefano has some good Alphas...The Runaway Daughter and The Perfect Daughter...come to mind...Fully Engaged by Abby Gaines was a delicious alpha I could crush on!
I'm so loving BOYFRIEND...Hailey strikes a chord with me...we've all done something we shouldn't...maybe not to her degree, but I can relate to let the past stay in the past!
Oh, Ellen...if you read onr
Oh, Ellen...if you read onr of those books and think...boy, Ronda doesn't know what an alpha hero is, forgive me...I'm working from memory and school's almost out, so my snapses are fried!
Plus, I can really learn from your Q&A with Jeannie!
Hugs!!
Thanks
Thanks, Ronda! I'm putting the titles on a list to see which ones I can lay my hands on before we do our Q&A. Believe me, I'm not making fun of anybody for anything. The difference between alpha and beta is often in the eye of the beholder. ;-)
Let it ride!
I'm reading Let it Ride by Jillian Burns, that i won here last week.
Injured air force pilot riding around vegas on a harley! Yowzers, tota; alpha male here!
My kinda man, he's handsome, macho, jumpe into the frey willingly and loves the rush, and is sexy on that harley!
I think im in love, and theres a particular scene involving that Harley that will make your jaw drop!!
try it
jody
Alpha's
Hi, Ellen!
I for one cannot wait for your Q & A with Jeannie. Because I too sometimes think I write between a Beta and Alpha. I love them both, mind you. I live with an alpha and some of my friends are like, "how do you do it?" I simply smile and say it's a hard job, but someone has to do it. ;)
Any of the Desires. Katherine Garbera, Maureen Child, Olivia Gates...they write some very heroic alpha's for you to research. And of course, Sam Hunter or Chris Green. Oh yeah and Ellen Hartman.
Living with an alpha
I can't even imagine!! I think it's possible I'm an alpha...but my husband is definitely not. ;-)
I've been meaning to look for an Olivia Gates book I saw reviewed on eHarlequin. I should go back and look for that title because it did sound good!
Thanks! ;-)
P.S. I can't wait to do the Q&A with Jeannie, mostly because it means I get to spend the week bantering with her. We have some fun stuff planned!
Harley
Jody--that does sound like a good one. I love a hero who gets turned on by life! Thanks for the rec.
Muddying the Waters
If I have to read an alpha I want a mature one (like Sams :D). By and far I prefer Betas and, to muddy the waters even more, Gammas LOL
I know Carrie Vaughn and Patricia Briggs do wonderful *mature* Alphas (I know they're more UF but I had to throw them in there), though Vaugh's current hero (name escapes me) might fall more into the Gamma realm.
As a writer, I lean toward beta and gamma also--and for the record, I view gammas as having the best of alpha and beta traits! And, like Sam (I think it was Sam), I like morally ambiguous characters--the good guy who has to do something bad for the greater good as well as the bad guy who has to do something good for the same reason. I think this is why, as a reader, I like UF and suspense so much :D
Muddied waters
I think mature alpha might be the way to go for me if I'm going to read them.
I've run across the term gamma several times. I better think about that a bit because it will probably come up in the Q&A.
I sometimes like urban fantasy and I've been meaning to see about a Patricia Briggs book. So many options and so little time!