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Do you love alpha males? Well, I'd hope so, considering 50% of this event is dedicated to those sexy men. Have you ever wondered why those very same men can be promiscuous, while their female companions are supposed to be "celibate"? DB has been kind enough to explore this question further, so I hope you enjoy the post!
"D. B. Reynolds is the author of the Vampires in America series from ImaJinn Books, the first three volumes of which are now available from Amazon and BN, as well as Fictionwise.com. She has also written a werewolf e-novella which is available from the e-publisher Siren-Bookstrand."
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Writing an alpha female can be tricky. You want her to be strong and self reliant, someone who takes charge in an emergency, someone who doesn’t sit and wait for the big man to show up and save the day. But at the same time, she can’t be a ball buster. She has to be soft and feminine, and sexually desirable.
Of course, while she’s supposed to be desirable, she’s not actually allowed to be sexual. One of the dichotomies of the alpha female is that while the alpha male is not only allowed but expected to have a history of sexual conquest, the alpha female is encouraged to be celibate while she waits for the perfect male to drop into her life. This is a pet peeve of mine. The protagonist in my first book (Raphael, Vampires in America) is Cynthia Leighton. Cyn’s as alpha a female as you’re likely to find in the genre. She’s beautiful and strong, a loner, a former cop, more comfortable with a gun in her hand than a mascara brush, smart, capable . . . all the things we look for in an alpha female. But she’s also a healthy, fit. twenty-seven year old woman living in Malibu and pursuing success in a male-dominated field. And she’s sexually active before she meets our hero, Raphael. Some readers and agents had a problem with that. But why wouldn’t she be sexually active? She’s surrounded every single day by good-looking, testosterone-laden alpha males. Why wouldn’t she grab one of them and have a good time? I’m not suggesting she change partners every week. I’m not advocating sluthood or endorsing loose (gasp) women! But why can’t she enjoy recreational sex just as much as the guys?
Romance and women’s fiction is the single largest consumer book category in terms of sales and that includes a lot of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Most of these books are purchased by women, and we all know that most of them are written by women. So why do we buy into a completely male stereotypical fantasy for our heroines? Why should Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance conform to the idea of a celibate heroine?
I admit that I tend to a more liberal view of such things. Maybe it’s all the years I’ve worked in that den of inequity known as the movie and television industry, and maybe my perspective is a bit skewed. But all of the heterosexual women I know—the healthy, adult, single hetero women—date healthy, adult men. And they have sex with those men. Not on the first date, probably not even on the second. But by the third date, they’re usually spending the night together. Two consenting adults engaging in a safe manner in a very pleasurable and healthy pastime—for BOTH of them!
I don’t have the answers, but I suspect it has something to do with stereotypes enforced on girls very early on—that the princess will be rescued by her prince and live happily ever after. And I have no problem with that, but I want my princess to have the same freedoms her prince does before they meet.
So, going back to our alpha female . . . she’s supposed to be tough and take charge. She’s supposed to take down the demons and figure out the mystery herself, not wait for the hero to do it for her. It’s nice if he chips in, but she doesn’t need him to do the job. So, dammit, let her have some sex! She gets the responsibility part of the job, let her have the perks, too!
Books by DB Reynolds:
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DB is offering one lucky winner a signed book of their choice.
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About the Author
Great post and I agree with having kick ass heroines get the perks too!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. As someone who doesn't follow the belief that virginity is necessary, I would have no problem reading about women who aren't virgins. There is a limit, true, and I don't need details of the intimate exchanges, but I won't think less of a female character who has sex.
ReplyDeleteI don't often write female main characters, so I haven't had that problem, yet. I do try to limit the sexual encounters of my male MCs because gay men are too often viewed as sexual and nothing else.
I love Cyn and had no problem that she was sexually active before Raphael. Why shouldn't a woman be allowed to have a healthy sexual life without being considered being a whore. I think there are some series and books that are too much and make me think 'Gawd, can't she stay off her back for more than 5 pages!?!' but then again there are some where I feel the same way about the male characters. I'm no prude or anything but I like a good balance between sex and actual story.
ReplyDeleteAny ways, like you said D.B. no reason why a kick ass female can't get some lovin' after a hard day of being awesome :-)
Stephanie G
Paranormal Haven
I agree that our heroines need to have their fun too! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post so much! This is something I have always wondered too---why is there a double standard? It's not fair for the girls. we're the ones reading and buying these books, we should not adhere to the world's stereotype for us!
ReplyDeleteI'm always a bit baffled by why these heroines are labeled sluts, or worse just because they might have had a relationship or two (or three) before they met the hero. I think this is one of the reasons I've gravitated toward UF as opposed to PNR. There's still too much of that virginal heroine who can only enjoy sex with the hero nonsense in PNR whereas in UF, the heroines are much more likely to own their sexuality.
ReplyDeleteCyn is the ideal heroine. The Paranormal Romance genre needs more of her ilk. There is still that faction of the reading public that won't like a sexually active heroine. That's why there are other authors who are more than willing to write those books. D.B., keep writing what you write, nobody does it better.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I love D. B. writing.
ReplyDeleteD.B is a new author for me. ty for the chances to win her books!
ReplyDeleteLMAO...I have been following this author around in hopes of winning her books. Thanks for the opportunity.
ReplyDelete