Ever wondered how I think? Here’s a glimpse into the way my brain churns out stories.
I’ve always loved the smart hero over the alpha hero. Certainly alphas must be smart, but I’ll pick the witty scientist over that he-man Special Forces guy. If you’ve ever watched Stargate, I much preferred Daniel Jackson to Colonel Jack O’Neill. But even more than that, I love, love, love the self-aware hero. He’s the one who knows his faults and (often) hates himself for them. It’s up to the heroine to show him that his faults are part of what makes him the special man he is.
The times when we make mistakes are the times when we grow and learn. Can’t get wisdom from a vacuum, right? So the self-aware hero also has been through a lot and has learned from it. That’s a much more interesting hero to me, complete with an exciting backstory.
As far as the hero in ONE ROGUE AT A TIME is concerned, think about Justified. Have you ever watched it? I modeled my hero on Raylan Givens. On the fringe of society, angry at and disdainful of the peopIe who are in charge, and yet still trying to make a difference in a world gone crazy. Secondary characters are unique and a little bizarre. And the heroine who tames him? Well, she’s got to be as savvy as he is and yet pure enough to overcome his disillusioned soul. That’s what I was doing when I wrote ONE ROGUE AT A TIME. I was writing a heroine who can give Raylan Givens what he needs. 
Readers often ask why I write contemporary romance as Kathy Lyons. Here’s the truth: I have a not-so-secret love of paranormal romance. And there’s only so many vampire, werewolf, or witch stories to read before I absolutely needed to write something special of my own. So when Grand Central Publishing asked me to write a Grizzly Bear Shifter series, I said, YES YES YES! Look for THE BEAR WHO LOVED ME in September, 2017. Woo hoo!
