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More on heroes from the archives of the weeklyBehind the Scenes at Romance HQ (#litres_trial_promo)blog by editor Flo Nicoll…

Is Beta the new Alpha?Posted July 21

, 2011http://community.millsandboon.co.uk/forums/behind-scenes-romance-hq/beta-new-alpha (http://community.millsandboon.co.uk/forums/behind-scenes-romance-hq/beta-new-alpha)

Hi all!

I have a confession to make. Up until two weeks ago, my love for all things romance was of the ‘PG to rated R only’ variety. But then I went to that hotbed of iniquity (aka the RNA) and courtesy of an absorbing talk by the founder of Xcite books, graduated onto my first x-rated erotic romance. Which I promptly read on the train home – all in the name of research, obviously! – and wow, was it an eye-opener. I kept stopping to read extracts aloud to Anna, which kept both us (and the other occupants of the carriage) fascinated and giggling all the way back to London.

What’s the point of this potentially quite embarrassing anecdote? Well, from a romance-reader’s perspective, the erotica’s most fascinating aspect was that it featured a hero who managed to be both strong and sexually submissive. It’s also not just erotica that explores this fantasy successfully - if anyone’s a fan of Suzanne Brockmann’s excellent Troubleshooters series and has made it to Decker’s story…well, be still my beating heart. Here’s a hero who is SO Alpha and tortured by his experiences as a top military operative that the only way he can get outside of his own head and unleash his sex drive is by having his heroine order him to. Trust me, it’s hot.

All this has got me opening the whole what-exactly-does-‘Alpha’-mean can of worms!

It’s an often-asked question: can a hero be Alpha if he also exhibits what some might think of as ‘beta’ qualities - caring/ socially awkward/ sexually inexperienced? And, the answer is, of course he can! The precise details of a perfect Alpha male fantasy are flexible and personal to the reader’s own tastes. The universal appeal lies in establishing that the hero can sweep the heroine off her feet and can give her the life and love she deserves - be he a tycoon or teacher, stud or virgin. Personally, give me a hero who can be made to blush (especially if they’re mortified by it) and I’m half-way in love with him already.

The Alpha male fantasy is timeless – but moving with the times has broadened the definition. For example, we’re seeing more and more heroes on the horizon working in what could potentially be described as ‘geeky’ industries, particularly techno-based ones. Now, from my obsession with the CSI franchise, I am very aware that techno-geekiness can equal hotness. Clearly, competence is key – as with all heroes, it’s important they’re good at what they do. No-one wants to read about an averagely talented hacker, but a hero who uses his techie skills to save the day…well, where do I sign up?

But as ever, what I really want to know about this week is your opinion. Basically, what do you want to read about? Are you a reader who loves a geeky or awkward hero? If so, what do you find sexy and appealing about this twist on the Alpha fantasy? Alternatively, perhaps this discussion topic fills you with complete horror – do you like your heroes so Alpha there’s no room for anything remotely resembling so-called ‘beta’ qualities?!

Would love love love to know your thoughts, so get in touch!

Flo x

That’s heroes for you – but what about the real gateway to your story, the heroine? Read on for more tips on how to ensure your heroine is every bit a match for your hero…

Heroine Addiction – or when an Alpha male just isn’t enough!Posted November 19

, 2010http://community.millsandboon.co.uk/forums/behind-scenes-romance-hq/heroine-addiction-5 (http://community.millsandboon.co.uk/forums/behind-scenes-romance-hq/heroine-addiction-5)

So, now that New Voices 2010 is well and truly over (sigh), have been thinking hard about what I’ve learnt from it, and do you know what I’ve discovered? When it comes to romance, I’m a man’s girl through and through – for me, the lure of a good romance is ALWAYS a drop-dead-gorgeous hero! He is the character that draws me through the story, and he’s the character that makes or breaks it. (Come on, let’s not even try and pretend that we watch Grey’s Anatomy to enjoy the byplay between BFFs Meredith and Christina - it’s the holy trinity of McDreamy, McSteamy and – my personal fave – dysfunctional delicious Alex Karev that reels us in!) So, if you asked me my favourite hero, I’d have to give you a top 5 – narrowing them down is just too hard. But ask me my favourite heroine, and suddenly it’s a whole different ball game…!

But at Romance HQ, we pride ourselves on writing books about women, for women, generally by women. So, why is so much attention focussed on the hero? (Well, beyond the obvious…!) The heroine is the reader’s main way into the story – for the fantasy to work, we have to place ourselves in her shoes, so it’s time to devote a little more thought to the woman who brings the hero to his knees!

So, who are the Mills & Boon heroines?

All sorts spring to mind – the innocent secretary, Cinderella, the pampered princess (figuratively and literally!), the secretary, the single mum… These archetypes can produce amazing results – from heart-wrenchingly vulnerable to endearingly feisty, you name it, we’ve read it and loved it! However, in the wrong hands, these heroines become the worst kind of cliché – spineless doormats or spoilt brats, and nothing else. So let’s have a look at what characteristics all these women need to share that makes them rise above the stereotype into 3D personalities that capture our hearts and engage our attentions right from page 1.

So, after some fierce Romance HQ debating, here are our top tips on what makes a great Mills & Boon heroine…

Pride comes before fall(ing) in love

These women might be victims of circumstance, but they aren’t victims in any other sense! Whatever their range of life experience, it’s this strength of character that gives them the power to tame their heroes. So, does she stick up for herself, proud of where she’s come from or what she’s made of herself? Or perhaps she’s more vulnerable and shy, and it’s up to the hero to teach her how to stand up for herself, whilst she teaches him to look below the surface? Perhaps she’s massively spoilt, and has to learn to reveal her vulnerabilities under the hero’s expert teaching! Either way, let’s see that the hero and heroine contribute equally to their relationship, challenging each other in some essential way that forces them both to undergo journeys of emotional development.

They’re human – that means flaws

Let’s be honest here – who likes a perfect woman?! Recognisably human flaws go a long way towards dissolving the sickeningly perfect stereotype, and making your heroine 100% real. So, is she spoilt/ stroppy/ too forgiving/ dangerously generous? If so, why?! Show us the true character hiding behind her external characterisation and you’ll be able to make any heroine empathetic!

Choices for 21st century girls

In the 21

century, we all know women can have it all: work, love, and a family. So, if she wants to bag a job, a child and a husband, that’s great, but if she wants to be a stay-at-home mum, that’s fab too! Your heroine can make whatever life choices she wants – after all, it’s not just what choices she makes, it’s the woman behind those choices that grabs the reader’s attention!

So, what do you think? Is it time for Romance HQ to think more carefully about our heroines? What do YOU think is the most important characteristic in a female lead? Any particular faves? Let us know!

Love Flo x

So, that’s the hero and heroine covered. Of course, they’re the most important characters in a romance, but there can also be a place for secondary characters. Use these with caution – they should only be there to help move the romance forward. Here are some tips from the editors…

The Heroine’s Best Friend – For Ever or Never?Posted 14

April 2011http://community.millsandboon.co.uk/forums/behind-scenes-romance-hq/heroines-best-friend-ever-or-never (http://community.millsandboon.co.uk/forums/behind-scenes-romance-hq/heroines-best-friend-ever-or-never)

Really interesting to read about the memorable books that got you hooked onto category romance last week! I was running an eye over my books over the weekend and there were a pleasing amount of similarities – Flambards, Shadow of the Moon, Jilly Cooper…check check check. Don’t you love the idea of a global community of romance fans all growing up and discovering the same books?!

What Romance HQ latched onto with particular interest, however, were the reasons why some of you drifted from M&B for a while - disappointment over weak heroines seemed to top the list. So, to touch on that, and because I’ve just been on my first ever hen weekend so am full of love for all things friendship-related, the topic that’s being hotly debated in the office this week is…

The heroine’s best friend – to write or not to write?

Not always, but often a romantic heroine tends to be rather isolated – emotionally, socially, professionally etc. This works because it places the heroine in a space where the hero can truly possess her, and her emotions. She has either everything, or nothing, to lose by falling for him! This isolation also enhances the sense that the characters need each other, and only each other.

But in a 21

century world, is it really believable that someone would be so alone in the world, and what does it say about them that they are? If you’re asking readers to step into the shoes of, let’s be brutally honest here, a lonely virgin, is a best friend hovering in the wings the most useful weapon in your empathy arsenal?!

First of all, what’s the function of the BFF?

Simple! On a positive note, they can offer much needed advice in times of need (I love a friend who encourages the heroine to take a risk with the hero, or better yet, the best friend who tells the hero to go get his girl – think Miranda at the end of Sex and the City!); they also provide a contrast to the heroine, showcasing why she’s like no other woman and is worth the hero’s attention. Alternatively, sometimes a BFF plays false, forcing the heroine to accept she needs to let go of her past life and throw her lot in with the hero. But regardless of their functions – as a catalyst or contrast – well-written best friends can add texture and depth as they orbit the central relationship.

So, advice time – here are Romance HQ’s top three tips of making your heroine’s best friend the best ever…

1. Make sure the support network is series-appropriate! For example, in Medicals, chances are the best friend will also be a colleague, someone who shares the same vocation as well as being compatible personality-wise. (My recent hen-do was for a work friend. You’ll be pleased to hear the not-entirely-sober M&B contingent tried to commission our jaw-droppingly built, nude waiter to write a ‘Confessions of a Naked Butler’ exposé for RIVA, but he wasn’t biting…now that’s what I call dedication to the job!) In Cherish, the heroine is often more embedded in her local community and/or family, whereas RIVA is where the more outrageous BFFs hang out – the girls who encourage the heroine to have that one-night-stand etc.

2. The reasons behind the friendship need to be believable. Friends with opposite personalities – the quiet heroine and the ballsy BFF – are great as a vehicle to encourage the heroine to leave her comfort zone, but extra thought needs to go into explaining their connection.

3. Finally, think about how the dynamic of the friendship will reflect on the heroine. For example, if you love the idea of using a heroine plus friends scene to open your book, remember that girly and giggly can be fun and believable (my friends are definitely pretty squealy when we get together) but it can also fall into the trap of cliché. A more adult friendship can work nicely too, and allow your heroine to bask in reflected emotional depth and maturity!

But if you decide a best friend isn’t for you, that’s ok too!

The challenge with writing a more isolated heroine is making that aloneness exceptionally convincing, so that the readers truly get on board with it and can still identify with her. Always ask yourself, why would this woman be like this? And think outside the box here – what other ways can your heroine be emotionally vulnerable or isolated that doesn’t preclude having no friends/ family?! Ultimately, it’s going to come down to uber-sympathetic characterisation – if she’s alone, we have to want to step into the book and befriend her ourselves, not be secretly thinking no wonder she doesn’t have any mates…