There are probably all kinds of fasinating posts that can be written on this subject. I’d love to indulge all your fantasies but what I really had in mind to talk about was those pesky Alpha, Beta, Delta and Gamma males. ‘Course anyone wants to introduce me to a well-off, hunky Greek Adonis, feel free to hijack the discussion. 
Some of you may know what I’m talking about, others not. Let me start off with some simple definitions as I understand them. Your alpha male is like your alpha wolf. Leader of the pack, maybe a loner. This is a take charge guy. He protects what’s his and fights to his last breath. And he’d rather wrestle a 7-ft poisonous snake then get in touch with his feelings and talk emotions.
I always think of the Beta guy as your best guy friend. You turn to him when you need a shoulder to cry on. He puts his foot down when he has to, but he’s willing to let the female lead at times. He enters into a woman’s feelings. If this definition sounds like it needs help that’s probably because I’m bad at Betas.
The Gamma is your alpha with charm. Think Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop. One minute he’s bs-ing a supervisor or conning other con men, the next he’s putting a bullet through a criminal’s heart. I like to think the hero of my upcoming book Dark Waters has a bit of gamma in him.
Delta is a new one for me as a label. It seems to be the tortured soul, who’s haunted by the past, but forced to face the present. The outsider. There’s probably a good movie or book character that fits but I’m drawing a blank. Help me out here. I have to say I do have a thing for a tortured hero if the story is told well. You just can’t help falling in love with the guy and wanting him to succeed because life has sucked so badly for him up till now.
I think because I write romantic suspense and read it, along with paranormal suspense, above all else, I’m biased towards the alpha, gamma, delta. I just have a hard time with a Beta in a romantic suspense. And frankly, I don’t see that many of them either. I remember one book I absolutely hated. The Beta hero spent too much time worrying about the heroine’s feelings instead of who might be trying to kill them. It drove me nuts (but I slogged through and read all the way to the end.)
So what kinds of heroes do you like to read or write about? Which turn you on and turn you off? Any characters from books or films that typify the kind of hero you like? Do share…
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My number one hero for all time is Jamie from the Outlander series.
And, my dh is alpha all the way. He did not even want me to see him cry when his Dad crossed over.