After a mostly relaxing and yet weird weekend trying to balance the writing and household details, Monday put me in the mood for an alpha female. A woman who can get things done without a lot of angst or fuss. One who can lead, and inspire others to follow.
This is great news considering the story I’m currently working on, but more about that later…
You know the type. Maybe, like me, you often long to be that alpha female type. The kick butt, take no excuses, take no prisoners sort of female, who goes about her business making no apologies for doing what needs to be done.
Hey, I got through the laundry. I ordered take out when it was time to eat. I even delegated the task of putting clean sheets on the beds. But there were so many things I’d hoped to do that didn’t get handled. Things I can manage and things I needed help managing because of this ridiculous ongoing injury.
But it’s one of my favorite things about being a paranormal romance writer – sinking into that alpha female mindset and getting it done on the page, if nowhere else.
While I consider myself the alpha female of my little slice of domesticity, life isn’t always as much fun as fiction. 😉 Which is probably why I spend so much time with alpha female characters – those I write and those written by my favorite authors.
It’s a beautiful thing (and fortunate for me) that so many readers are drawn to the alpha female characters in so many different types of stories, even beyond paranormal romance novels. And that authors are learning how to celebrate the many facets of the inherent strength of women that can define them and put them in the alpha female category.
A contemporary novel can show an alpha female character who’s dedicated to her career. Or her family. An historical can showcase brave choices in tough circumstances that set a woman apart from her peers, yet still set her on a path to personal fulfillment. The examples are endless, and the ability to build a connection that makes readers feel like they’ve made a lifelong friend is what I strive for in each of my urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels.
Because even though all of my alpha female characters (and most anybody else) could best me in a fight, the fact that they’d stand up for me as a friend matters most!
Live the adventure!
Be sure to come back on Thursday for a special guest: Beth Trissel!
Don’t we all want to be the alpha female in our lives? With a strong alpha male wandering around, who also has beta tendencies and helps with that list of 100 things you plan on doing today. You know, so you get more than 4 of them done? ;o)
Yes!!! That’s exactly it, Kimberly! And it’s obvious why we are both so dedicated to writing great heroes who fulfill that fantasy. 😉