Good morning and welcome to Anatomy of the Male Mind. Today, Laurie Schnebly Campbell joins us to dissect Alpha Males. Sound like fun? I thought so too!

Here’s Laurie!

Alpha males sell books.

No matter what else they might be good at — and we’ve all seen them be good at LOTS of things! — they’re fabulous at selling books.

But that doesn’t mean every reader, much less every writer, adores those classic alpha males.

For one thing, we have a hard time defining exactly what an alpha male IS. I’m going to ask your opinion, down below, but first let’s look at what we love about these guys…and why we resent them.

Alpha males take command, right? Which can be wonderfully attractive — and which can also be downright annoying.

What makes the difference?

Or IS there any difference?

COOL VS NOT-SO

Picture a guy who’s standing at the scene of a disastrous five-car collision, telling everyone what to do. “You! Back up the van. You! Get that bike out of the way. You! Move your vehicle toward the curb.”

He’s a laudable hero, managing to accomplish whatever needs taking care of and getting everyone around him to do what he says.

But now picture that same guy giving those same orders in a grocery store parking lot where nobody’s hurt; there are just a lot of cars milling around. Suddenly he’s a bossy jerk.

Yet he hasn’t changed his behavior. It’s only our interpretation of his behavior that’s changed.

Which is part of why it’s so tricky to write the kind of alpha hero who’s guaranteed to delight readers.

What else makes it tricky? Well, let’s see:

* There’s a fine line between a man who’s powerful enough to stand strong against whatever the world throws at him while never breaking down, and a man who’s incapable of expressing any emotion except anger.

* There’s a fine line between a man who’s all about protecting what’s his, including the woman he loves, and a man who views that woman as his possession.

* There’s a fine line between a man who’s so incredibly sexy that every woman in the room is dazzled by his sizzling presence, and a man who’s willing to share that smoldering sexuality with every woman in the room.

How much is too much alpha?

How little is too little?

(Okay, did everyone else’s mind just go to the same place mine did? Uh, never mind.)

Back to the fine line — women who love reading about alpha males don’t usually stop to think where that line should be drawn. All they know is, they LIKE their romantic heroes strong, courageous, forceful, vigorous, confident. Suave or rugged is okay, millionaire or firefighter is okay, battered Harley or magnificent steed is okay, but aside from those little details there’s not a whole lot of room for compromise.

With alphas, there’s NEVER much room for compromise.

And that’s exactly what makes them so easy to resent.

How come they always get to call the shots?

How come they can attract any woman they want just by crooking their little finger?

How come they don’t have to deal with the things all the rest of us do?

Oh, but wait!

Once this alpha hero falls in love with the heroine, he’ll have to change his ways. Right?

ALPHAS CHANGED BY LOVE

Er.

Well…

That’s tricky, too.

Because if suddenly this rip-roaring testosterone-driven leader of the pack is murmuring, “Yes, dear, I’ll pick up the drycleaning and be home for dinner whenever you say” — drat it, he’s no longer quite such a thrilling prize.

He’s more of a regular guy…the kind most readers experience in everyday life. So where’s the romantic excitement in THAT?

You see the dilemma?

Genuine alpha males can be as tough to write as they are to live with — and yet they’re so attractive, we can’t just throw them out of our pages!

How do we get around that?

Here’s where your opinion comes in. Two questions, and I’d love to hear what other writers and readers think. (I’d also love to quote you in my “Alpha Males From Abe To Zeus” class next month, so please let me know if that’s NOT okay.)

First question: Do you know any alphas in real life — and if so, what are they like?

Second question: Have you written any alpha heroes — and if so, what was the biggest challenge you faced?

I’m eager to get your thoughts on this…and by the way, if you live with an alpha male in real life OR in fiction, you have both my admiration and my envy!

Laurie, betting everyone here would appreciate tips on How To Live With An Alpha from those who’ve figured out the techniques

* * *

Thanks, Laurie!

RU Readers, get your keyboards a cookin’! I can’t wait to see your answers to Laurie’s questions.

Don’t miss C.J.Redwine’s special installment on Friday. She’s going to give readers her fabulous tips on synopsis writing.

Laurie’s Bio:

Laurie Schnebly Campbell has been intrigued with alpha males ever since she heard that they’re the ones who are always breaking dishes. (Suddenly her husband looked less clumsy and more sexy!) She’s teaching a brand new class on writing irresistible alpha-male heroes, from June 7-25 at http://www.cameoromancewriters.com/online_class.htm

Hello, everyone!

Romance University lines up another great week with Laurie Schnebly Campbell talking about Alpha Males. See what else is happening this week at RU!

Mon, 5/24 – Crafting Your Career: Agent Scott Eagan discusses the benefits of category romance authors having agent representation.

Wed, 5/26 – Anatomy of the Male Mind: Laurie Schnebly Campbell joins us to talk about why we love (and resent) Alpha Males.

Fri, 5/28 – Chaos Theory of Writing: Urban fantasy writer C.J. Redwine shares her tips on synopsis writing.

All Romance University lectures are generously provided by our Visiting Professors. RU is a tuition-free zone!

Best regards,

Adrienne Giordano, Tracey Devlyn, Carrie Spencer & Kelsey Browning

PS  - Want RU’s weekly lecture schedule in a cool new email format straight to your in-box? Sign up on RU’s homepage or any of the lecture posts!

As romance writers, we hear a great deal about the Alpha male. They’re larger than life, intelligent, intense, and sexually stimulating. They make us purr, they make us yearn. They make us want to reform them.

For different reasons, women and men love Alphas. Although now that I think about it, we might love them for some of the same reasons. But that’s a different post.

Today, I thought it would be fun to explore the poor, often overlooked, Beta male. You’ll notice in this article that I have more questions than answers. I’d love for our readers to chime in and give their opinions on the Beta male’s role in today’s romance novel.

To start us off, I ran into a Beta Sunday afternoon. He shared many of the same characteristics as other Beta males — good-looking, charming, a peacemaker, and always there to backup the Alpha male in a pinch.

His name was Dr. John H. Watson, friend and right-hand to Detective Sherlock Holmes of 221B Baker Street, London.

I wouldn’t label Dr. Watson as purely Beta, though. The things he did with that walking stick was all Alpha. This realization got me to thinking about many of the series books I’ve read. From what I’ve observed, there’s generally only one Alpha in a romance book. Sure, you’ll find strong, equally sexy brothers, friends, etc. who will have their Alpha moment in a book or two down the road, but in this book they defer to the hero. And that, my friends, is a Beta quality.

But what about male characters who won’t have their 15 minutes of Alpha fame? What place do they have in today’s romance novel? Are they secondary characters who simply help the hero solve a problem, achieve character growth, win the girl, or are they on the page to provide comedic relief?

I wonder about villains. They’re highly intelligent, often handsome, and always ruthless. Are villains Alpha wannabes? Are they ticked off because they didn’t get the girl or the money or the recognition they surely deserved, and now they’re going to kill someone or blow something up to make it “right”?

Am I oversimplifying our villains? Probably. But I hope my questions made you think about Beta males in a new way. I know this exercise has given me much food for thought.

* * *

RU Readers, how many of you have seen the new Sherlock Holmes movie? Did you like it? Do you agree with my assessment of Dr. Watson? What about my thoughts on villains? Do you think they’re Alpha wannabes?

Be sure to join Kelsey on Friday, New Year’s Day, to learn how you can plan your writing and personal life.

Tracey’s bio:

Tracey Devlyn writes historical romance with suspense elements. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and Windy City, Hearts Through History, The Beau Monde and Kiss of Death RWA chapters.

Her first manuscript, A Lady’s Revenge, won first place in the Put Your Heart in a Book contest (New Jersey RWA) and finaled in the Ignite the Flame contest (Central Ohio Fiction Writers).

Tracey lives in the Chicago suburbs with her once-in-a-lifetime husband and their Alpha puppy. For more information, please visit www.TraceyDevlyn.com.

Today, I’m dancing a jig at the thought of discussing the kind of men (at least fictional men) many of us like most. That’s right, today’s interview with author Jami Alden is all about the A-Man, the alpha male. What’s essential in this type of character and how should writers construct him? Jami will answer those questions and more.

Thanks for being with us today, Jami!

Kelsey: Could you define the alpha male/hero for our readers?

Jami: I follow a pretty standard definition:  a hero who is a natural leader, one who doesn’t necessarily know all of the answers, but is wicked smart and confident in his abilities as a problem solver to figure his way out of a tough spot.  He tends not to be superficially emotional.  That doesn’t mean he doesn’t care deeply, it just means he doesn’t spend a lot of time sitting around, talking about his feelings.  He’s single-minded and goal oriented, which can sometimes cause him to come off as brusque and insensitive.  Physically, he’s imposing, tall, strong, athletically fit, and generally hotter and sexier than the average guy

Kelsey: What is the most common trait among alpha males?

Jami: I would have to say confidence.  A true alpha is a man who is confident in his ability to overcome challenges and face down the odds. That doesn’t mean he automatically knows the answer or thinks he’s always right, it means that he knows his own abilities, is smart enough to know his limitations and capabilities, and brave enough to take extreme risks when necessary.  He’s the guy who can overcome almost any obstacle no matter what form the obstacle takes. 

Kelsey: Are all your heroes alphas?

Jami: Yes.  I love reading Alphas, and for me, there’s something really sexy about a man who can take charge of a situation.  I’m going to sound so anti-feminist here, but there’s something so appealing about offloading everything onto a pair of big broad shoulders and saying, “Why don’t you just handle it?” and having absolute confidence that it will indeed be handled!

Kelsey: What’s your process for constructing an alpha character?

Jami: Wow, I have no idea!  I guess I have a construct based on the characteristics I mentioned, and then I add the finish work to round out his personality.  Is he a strong, silent type, or quick witted and ready with a snappy comeback?  Does he linger in the shadows observing the crowd, or does he swagger into a room and take it over?  It’s all that finish work that’s the fun, but also challenging part. 

Kelsey: Any trait that’s a “must have?”

Jami: I’m so cliché, but for me, aside from the confidence and intelligence that I mentioned, my heroes have to be physically imposing and attractive, even if it’s not in a conventional way.  I like my heroes big, muscular, with chiseled features, big appetites, -  testosterone overload all the way! My favorite heroes are those whose outside strength matches their inner strength. 

Kelsey: What type of heroine do you typically pair with an alpha hero?

Jami: Well, every alpha, no matter how perfect, has a flaw, so I try to choose a heroine who’s going to hit him right in that weak spot!  For example, in my latest book, Unleashed, I have a hero, Danny, who’s very smart, very strong, very no nonsense.  At the same time, he’s totally emotionally closed off.  He thinks love is nothing but an excuse people use for their dumb decisions.  So I paired him with Caroline, his ex girlfriend, the only woman he ever loved, the woman who broke his heart, the only woman who knows just how vulnerable to love Danny can be. 

Kelsey: Do you have any tips for writing the alpha hero?

Jami: First and foremost, don’t force it. If you don’t love reading alpha heroes, and you don’t love the idea of an alpha hero, you won’t be able to write one with conviction.  You have to fall in love with your hero before anyone else can.  Other than that, my biggest tip is watch your language and be careful about your word choice. When you’re in the hero’s POV, ask yourself, “would any straight man actually use this word or phrase to describe what he’s thinking or feeling?” 

Kelsey: Could you suggest resources or authors that our readers might use to learn to write the alpha hero?

Jami: I personally think Linda Howard writes fantastic alpha heroes, as does Shannon McKenna.  I also love Julie Garwood’s older historicals – she was so great at writing Alpha heroes who weren’t at all cruel, just products of their time and cluelessness!  I also think it’s a great idea, no matter what subgenre you write in, to watch male oriented movies and TV programs.  A few I can think of off the top of my head are Black Hawk Down, Rescue Me

RU readers, do you have questions about how to write a believable alpha male your readers can fall in love with? Also – who are your favorite A-Men?

Please stop back by on Friday when author Therese Walsh is here to chat about the differences between romance and women’s fiction.

Jami Alden is the Holt Medallion nominated author sexy romantic suspense.  Her latest novel, Unleashed, is the third installment in the successful Gemini Men trilogy published by Kensington Brava. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her socially well adjusted alpha male husband, her sons, and a german shepherd who patiently listens to dialog and help her work out plot points. You can find out more about Jami and her books at www.JamiAlden.com