Frances, thank you! Glad to know there are so many fans of nice guys out there. :-)
Debbie, agreed. Superman and Mary Sues are great for kids, but I tend to like my characters to be less than perfect when I read something. Actually, the more flawed, the better, so long as they rise above the flaws.
Diane, sounds like you're a fan of alpha heroes. :-)
Peggy, I love hearing readers opinions! It helps me come up with so many new ideas, and after all, my job as a writer is to give readers what they want. :-)
Sigrun, I've noticed that sometimes I have a hard time telling the difference between the hero in the villain because he's so alpha (in the bad ways). Take charge is good, but being too domineering is definitely a turn off.
Brenda, YAY! Another fan of nice guys!! :-)
Carla, I'm so jealous. I still need to make a Steampunk costume. I promise I won't overdo the brass goggles! I'm still working on fully exploring Steampunk -- the next book in the series is more urban and more "steamy". :-)
Lisa, nothing wrong with a good alpha, but yes, sometimes a nice guy is a better hero for the story.
Cynthia, good point - I have read some beta heroes where I wanted to smack them around and tell them to grow a spine. But then, I'm definitely an alpha female. :-)
Linda, good point -- the bad boy redeemed. yum!
Ginger, so true -- you need that mix to make a good hero. Too much alpha, and you have a villain. Too much beta (or omega), and you have the "Ducky" character from Pretty in Pink.
G., yay! I'm glad you love reading about nice guys getting the girl. I do, too -- there's something "fair" about it.
June Ann, yes, I love a man who knows what he wants and goes out to get it -- especially when it's the heroine. :-)
Ok, I think I responded to everyone. Did I miss you? I hope not.
Thank you all SO MUCH for commenting today! I am amazed by all the comments you've shared today. And be it alpha or beta, I wish you all Happy Reading!
Margey, I definitely like a man who's good at showing the pen is mightier than the sword. Bookish men are hawt!
Jeanette, it is fun to turn the tables, but everything comes full circle in the end.
Amanda, you're not alone with your love a bad boys - I'm working on Cager's story soon. Lot's of bad boy lovin' there. :-)
Shirley, so true. A good alpha hero is just as tricky to write as a good beta. You have to give depth or he comes off as just a caveman.
Cathy, again, so true. It does all depend on the character. :-)
GS, thanks for having me! I agree - -the character arch is sooo important to the story. If the characters don't grow or change because of the story, then why read it?
Cheryl, just as readers like to switch it up, so do writers. I'm currently working a alpha now -- secret service man. :-)
Kelli Jo, I think most of us women fall for betas in real life. While we fantasize about alphas, in reality, they just come up short.
Tracie, agreed -- men are yummy!
Cherie, yes, sometimes variety is good for the romantic soul. :-)
Christina, I think you've nailed why I'm not always a big fan of alphas -- they are too controlling. I think partners should be balanced and compliment each other.
Roseann, so true. Characters all need to their quirks to keep us reading. :-)
Deb, sounds like you're a lover of the alphas. ;-)
OK, almost done with DWTS, but I need to rewatch my favorite dancers. Thank goodness for TiVo.
Sherie, I agree that it's fun to mix alphas and betas. And if you like nerdy men, check out the free read on my website. Greg, the hero of my naughty quickie, is a nerdy type of hero.
Carol, thank you. Yes, it's good to have a break from the alphas.
Sandy, thank you. My hero, Diah, is an alchemist. He was born into a family of mages but couldn't cast a spell to save his life. I wanted to give him something special only he could do.
Kelly, I agree that nice guys should come out on top more often. Maybe there need to more of them. ;-)
Chelsea, wounded warriors are very popular for a reason. I have a soft spot for them myself. :-)
Ilona, another vote for the gentleman. I'd rather be swept off my feet in a waltz than carried back to the bedroom... although I secretly harbor that Rhett Butler fantasy. ;-)
Diane, thank you. Again, it was all about balance. I wanted to write a nice guy that would still make readers swoon. Hopefully, I found it with Diah.
Colleen, good point -- I think everything I read varies with my mood. Sometimes I want sweet and sappy, and sometimes I wanted good headboard rattler. ;-)
Jody, thank you! You bring up a valid point - there's strong women, and then there are... well... can I swear here? ;-) Yes, "overbearing" would be the polite way of putting it.
Silvana, another Amen from the choir. Of course, for those who like bad boys, there's Diah's brother... ;-)
Beth, I agree -- it all depends on the story. I definitely think an alpha would overwhelm a shy, demure heroine.
Renee, thank you! My editor, Deb, worked really hard to help me keep Diah a nice guy without making him a "wimp".
Amy, betas tend to be the quiet leaders. Yes, they aren't always large and in charge, but that doesn't mean he's not there for his lady when she needs him. As you pointed out, he might there for her more than an alpha would. :-)
Trasina, ook! A three-way? Maybe I need to write one of those... ;-)
Alyson, I think all of want a bit of a bad boy with heart of gold. Yummy!
Cynthia, I'm definitely an "outside of the box" type of writer. I freely admit to writing stuff that's too weird for traditional publishers. Thank goodness Carina publishes unique stories! :-)
Tabatha, you bring up a good point -- most betas don't rise to the "alpha" until their lady is in trouble. Then, look-out!
Melisa, LOL -- you're not in the NW, are you? I live in Seattle, where it's in a constant state of drizzle from November to June. No wonder we have such readers (and writers) here.
Shelia, thank you. And yes, there have been some awesome comments so far!
OK, back from watching Mr. "Sex on a Stick" on DWTS. Yummy!
Lindsey, that's the whole idea of a beta. He's strong when he needs to be, but he's not so in your face.
Laurie, you are so right -- a hero, regardless of alpha or beta, needs to be likable. We need to fall in love with him.
Kathleen, so true -- a strong alpha needs an equally strong heroine to keep him check.
Mary Ann, good point. It's a fine line to walk, though, creating a "realistic" male. Most men are not very verbose, so I use my husband to read through my "men" to make sure they are "real". :-P
Arleen, Diah is definitely Mr. Dependable. His main dilemma it choosing between his duty to his family and his love for Oni. But he has his flaws, including being very stubborn and slightly suspicious.
Teresa, another vote for liking the character. :-)
May Pau, glad to know you like a bit of humor. I tend to have a snarky sense of humor that I try to infuse in my stories.
Kristie, so happy you like a good ol' fashioned gentleman who can teach those alphas a thing or two about manners. ;-)
OK, time for another DWTS break (I never get any good writing done on Mondays when it's on).
Wow!! There are so many great responses! I'm an humbled by such an enthusiastic crowd. I'm going to work through in batches since I've been at work all day, but first off, thank you so much for dropping by and saying hi! :-)
Robin, I think you are in the majority in that most readers prefer an alpha. There's something to be said about a take charge attitude.
Colleen, I agree that sometimes reading about a nice guy is great - why else would I write one?
Tammy, totally understand where you're coming from. I have a stable of "auto-buy" authors like Shelli Stevens, Kate Pearce, Lisa Shearin and Nalini Singh, but I rely heavily on blogs, reviews sites, and fellow readers to discover new authors.
Gladys, I agree it's nice to read about nice guys. As a woman in a traditionally male field (in the day job, anyway), I easily get "alpha-ed" out. ;-)
Kim, I'm so happy the blurb caught your attention. It was so fun to take a historical, where gender roles are usually so rigid, and find a situation where they can be reversed. ;-)
Mary Anne, it's so true that the alpha male has grown a little out of control, especially in the paranormal and erotic genres. I would love to read more about nice guys and beta heroes. Best of luck to you with your writing! :-)
Charlotte, you're preaching to choir! Amen! :-)
Ok, going to a DTWS break and be back in a few minutes to keep responding. I'm loving the responses!
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