A list of my top ten heroes. Some of them are book heroes, some of them are real live people, some from movies, but they are all swoon-worthy to me. Either because of looks, strength of character, personality, alpha-ness, and how they treat women. They are not in any particular order. 1. Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Either Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyn, or the character as you imagine him from the book. 2. Rhett Butler. Definitely as I imagined him from the book, because although most women love Clark Gable, I could never see him in that role. 3. Indiana Jones. Love how Harrison Ford played that character in all the movies. 4. The Duke of Manchester from my book, The Duke’s Quandary. You’ll have to read the ending of that book to know why I love him as a hero. 5. Will Smith. Aside from being a really nice guy—from those who know—he plays great heroes in his movies. And looks pretty good, too. 6. Shrek… I know, but it’s my list. 7. Superman. Need I say more? 8. Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird. A true hero for his time. 9. Jon Snow from Game of Thrones…

Alpha, beta, cinnamon roll; which is best? It’s a subject about which many readers have strong opinions. But in case anyone’s confused, what do these terms actually mean? Well, the alphas are the leaders, the CEOs, the warriors, the head of the shifter pack. They don’t have to be cruel or controlling, though sometimes they are. On the other hand, the betas and cinnamon rolls are perhaps best defined by their supportiveness. They don’t want to conquer the heroine but they’ll be there for her no matter what. They’re dudes and they abide. Alphas will annihilate your enemies, but betas will help you move house. Personally, I see the appeal of both. For alphas, think Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey or Sebastian from Loretta Chase’s Lord of Scoundrels. For betas, almost any Talia Hibbert hero or Winter Makepeace from Elizabeth Hoyt’s Thief of Shadows. I could do a whole post on the wonderfulness of Winter Makepeace. With The Madness of Miss Grey, I didn’t set out with a particular archetype in mind. But I knew my heroine Helen was the tortured one. As a sane woman incarcerated in a lunatic asylum, how could she not be? The hero,…