Alpha Males, yum, yum...

Literature has its fair share of strong alpha males: Rochester from Bronte's Jane Eyre, Rhett Butler from Mitchell's Gone With the Wind, and  Petruchio from Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew (one of my favorites), but in literary fiction and most sub-genres this is not a qualifier.  However, in the romance genre, it is.

People read for different reasons--to acquire knowledge, to view different political rants, to decipher scientific speculation, to associate or disassociate themselves, or purely for escapism. This last reason is what triggers my love of reading. It feels good to sit down with a book in hand, and close the door on the rest of world. But, besides needing a happy-ever-after ending, I also need a strong alpha male.  Alphas are often brooding with a rough exterior, courageous, strong, honorable, and yes, over-protective.  Counter these traits with an alpha female and the blood pressure rises on the page.

Thankfully, alpha males come in all shapes and sizes: Cowboys in chaps with sweat on their brow and a six shooter on their hip; CEO's in designer suits, black with contrasting slate grey button down shirt and tie oozing wealth and sensuality, the many Men in Uniform--Soldiers coming back from war itching for another fight they most certainly will win; Policemen who ride rough shod while protecting the streets; Firemen, high on adrenaline, who enter buildings, smoked filled and flaming, to save those in danger.The list of high risk professionals goes on and on. And then, there is the Bad Boy dressed in tight jeans and a tee shirt, wearing a 24 hour shadow he just shaved off 3 hours ago, hair longer than most, a devil-be-damned attitude,a sensual nature that defies description and at some point in time rides up on a motorcycle dressed in leather. Choose any one of these alpha males and you've just doubled your fun in reading.

Heck, my advice...go find yourself your very own alpha and have the best of both worlds. I did! He's my bad boy in uniform, but that's another story.