Guest post with Author Raine Delight

The love of a good alpha hero

I love strong alpha male heroes. There is something about them that makes my heart race and sigh with delight.What makes a really good alpha hero? One that in my opinion is also with flaws. You know the strong hero with a heart of gold he keeps hidden. I don’t mean one that is so vile and mean that you want to toss him out the window. I mean those heroes who come off strong, tough but with the right person, melt into a puddle of goo. Who doesn’t love an alpha male hero who is redeemed by the love of their soul mate?

In my book, Haunting Magic, I have a wolf shifter who has to find his mate before Halloween or risk being a lone wolf for the rest of his life. Rodrick Dracon was a fun character to write. He had a different woman (or women for that matter) every night with a charm that could have been slimy but came off as adorable….well except for Jax, his nemesis and the one woman his wolf wanted for a mate. I never imagined these two hooking up per say. The sparks flew whenever they were together but my muse was determined to show these two stubborn people they were perfect for each other. I let the muse flow and voila! A story that has gotten good reviews plus it became my best selling book ever at Aspen Mountain Press and a cover that everyone drools over. Writing Rod as a strong alpha male had me swooning because he didn’t steamroll over Jax, she went toe to toe with him and in the process both found a love that was meant to be.

An alpha male character, in my honest opinion, is only as good as the mate he is destined for (be it female or male). They have to be just as strong and able to not let their soul mate(s) run right over t hem. For that I love strong main characters, ones that fairly simmer with life and practically step off the pages-into your room and heart. I just finished another Devon Falls book called Moonlight & Magic, a tale of a lone were-tiger looking for his mate and a place to call home. Michael Barnes was at first a shy quiet man until he informed me quite loudly I should say that he was a tiger, not a house cat and made me scrap the first draft and rewrite it all over again. After reading what I wrote the second time, I totally agreed with the character and my muse. He was a stronger character the second time around who, with his sight set on Dixie, made sure that she knew how much he wanted her. He wasn’t without issues either. Michael had to show Dixie the love he was feeling for her would last longer than one night plus he had to trust her with the one thing he had of value-his heart. Both characters are strong in their own way and perfect for each other.

I draw upon my favorite books that had some memorable characters as inspiration for my characters. You know those authors like Sherrilyn Kenyon, Keri Arthur, Lena Austin, Sierra Dafoe, Claire Thompson, Josh Lanyon and more who create many wonderful characters for readers to fall in love with. With each book I write, I try to draw on my inspiration and give the characters that spark that makes them lovable as well as believable. So tell me, What makes a good alpha male hero in your mind? Have any favorites that make you swoon?

Raine Delight is a multi-published author who enjoys writing about alpha heroes who need the love of a good mate to settle their heart. You can find her on the web at http://authorrainedelight.com (website), http://rainedelightbooknook.blogspot.com (blog), http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Author_Raine_Delight (Yahoo loop) or on Twitter at Raine_Delight. She is published at Aspen Mountain Press (www.aspenmountainpress.com) and upcoming at The Wild Horse Press (www.the-wild-horse-press.com)