THROWDOWN SHOWDOWN: Alpha vs Beta--Final Battle Part Deux

Today is beta day. Our senstive hero is going to take his shot at the same scene. For those who missed Monday's alpha scene, you can find it here.

Here is the setup again:Setup: The heroine has just learned that her old boyfriend—whom she thought was dead—is in fact, alive and well several years later. Said boyfriend has stopped by her house.  And let’s be honest, she still cares for the man. They didn’t break up, she thought he was dead! Alas, the supposed dead man is also the supposed dead best friend of the hero. That’s when the alpha/beta boyfriend shows up.

Let's go!

Mac took careful steps up the walkway to Sarah’s house, unease tightening his chest. The news he’d gotten about his old best friend had rocked him to his core. It couldn’t be true. Because if John truly was alive … he’d want Sarah back. Mac shook his head in defeat.


The shock of this news was going to hurt Sarah. She’d already been broken into pieces when she’d learned of John’s death in the first place. Mac had been the one to comfort and console her, making her see that life was still worth living. Then they had grown close. Three years was a long time to mourn a lost love and create a new life. A life with Mac. He clenched his eyes as he reached the front porch.

Would Sarah run into her dead lover’s arms? Would she question the motives behind his death? Surely she would want answers, just as Mac did. But in finding answers, Mac would be that much closer to loosing Sarah, the woman he had grown to love. He wasn’t sure he would be able to live without her laugh. Her smile. The way she made him feel so at ease. And Mac was certain he wouldn’t be able to take the pain that would engulf Sarah once she learned to truth about her old love. It would kill her. And that would kill him. He had to find some way to protect her from this. He needed to protect her heart. And his.

Mac pulled open the screen door and raised his hand to knock. His eyes slid to scene beyond the glass window and all the blood rushed from his head. John. He was already here. And Sarah was already crying. Before Mac could take that first shocked breath, John had wrapped Sarah in a hug, tugging her a little too close, whispering in her ear.

Mac stood stock still, his fear for Sarah making his breath hitch. He kept his eyes riveted on the scene unfolding before him. Sarah drew away, tears cascading down her cheeks. But she was smiling. She was actually smiling. And her tight grip around John’s arms was evident to her happiness to see him. She pulled John in for another tight hug, cradled her beautiful face into the crook of John’s neck, and breathed deeply. Even though the closed door, Mac heard her contented sigh. His heart shattered.

Stepping back, he closed the screen door as quietly as he could. With light steps, he shuffled away from the house, back to the darkness that was his life. But he wasn’t going to let this be the end of it. With his broken heart hammering in his chest, he realized he had choices. First, he had to figure out why John had come back after all this time. Why his old best friend would run from his old life—and Sarah—only to come back and haunt them. Considering John’s past, Mac figured the details would be grisly, putting even more stress on Sarah. And second, he had to make sure Sarah knew that Mac was the better man. He only needed to figure out how to do both.

* * * *
 
Wow. That's quiet a difference. Notice how the beta is not confrontational? Notice how he is thinking more about what the heroine is going through? He's not quick to judge (like our alpha), but he wants answers nonetheless. And even though it's killing him, he's letting the heroine enjoy what he sees as a happy moment. You gotta love a sensitive man. *swoon*
 
Come back on Friday were we will digest all the alpha/beta goodness and announce a winner to this here war!
 
~JD

THROWDOWN SHOWDOWN: Alpha vs Beta--Final Battle

Today is the day. FINALLY. The alpha and beta males are going to faceoff! You are going to witness their characteristics in the exact same scene to see how each of them would handle things with their woman. And forgive the extreme way in which I portray these individuals. This is my way of showing the most clichéd versions of their basic characteristics. Because of the length of this post, today the alpha hero will strut his macho stuff. And Tuesday, the beta will calmly show you his. 

Setup: The heroine has just learned that her old boyfriend—whom she thought was dead—is in fact, alive and well several years later. Said boyfriend has stopped by her house.  And let’s be honest, she still cares for the man. They didn’t break up, she thought he was dead! Alas, the supposed dead man is also the supposed dead best friend of the hero. Dun dun dun. That’s when the alpha/beta boyfriend shows up. Teeheehee.

Onward!

Mac tromped up the walkway to Sarah’s house, tension coiling in his every muscle. The news he’d gotten about his old best friend had rocked him to his core. It couldn’t be true. Because if John was truly alive … he’d want Sarah back. Mac clenched his jaw. That was not going to happen. Mac had to talk to Sarah before John got to her. She wouldn’t understand the supposed death and resurrection of a man she’d once loved. And Mac wouldn’t let John’s problems interfere with the life he had created with Sarah. She belonged to him. She loved him. And while Mac was glad his old friend was alive, John had lost his chance with Sarah the minute he’d decided to play this game. Too much time had passed. Too many things had happened. And John was treading in dangerous territory.

Mac wrenched open the screen door and raised his hand to pound on the solid wood. His eyes slid to scene beyond the glass window and his blood raged through his veins.

John. He was already here. And Sarah was already crying. Before Mac could jerk open the door, John had wrapped Sarah in a hug, tugging her a little too close, whispering in her ear.

Mac burst through the door, eyes wide, anger nearly strangling him. The door crashed against the wall, making John and Sarah snap their heads around.  Sarah pulled away from John, her beautiful blue eyes wide with shock.

John gave a cocky grin. “Long time no see.”

In five long strides, Mac had his hand around John’s neck. Mac’s words came hissed through clenched teeth. “What do you think you’re doing? This is the last place you should be.”

Mac felt Sarah’s hand on his arm but he ignored it. “Get out,” he ordered.

“No.  I came for Sarah. I owed her the truth.”

Mac’s knuckles went white as he gripped John harder. It was too easy for the undead man talk. Mac didn’t want to hear him talk. He suddenly wanted to see him suffer, and badly. “You lost your chance at the truth the moment you let her think you were dead. Get out. I won’t tell you again. You shouldn’t have come back here.”

 “Please.” Sarah’s voice broke through the fury thundering through Mac’s head. “He just wanted to talk.”

Mac swung his eyes to Sarah. “It didn’t look like talking.”

“I don’t care what it looked like. For God’s sake, Mac, put him down!”

“No.” Mac lifted John off the floor with ease. His dear old friend had lost some important muscle mass during his death vacation.

“You don’t want to do this, Mac,” John choked out.  

Mac snarled. “Yeah, I do.” Mac swung around, dragging a flailing John behind him. He ignored Sarah’s cries. She would understand later. He would make her understand. John didn’t love her. He was up to no good. No man would ever leave his love to suffer like John had. There was no reason to cause that kind of pain. John should’ve stayed dead. Mac kicked open the screen door, shoving John out. He fell face first onto the wooden porch. He scrambled to his feet.

“Don’t come back,” Mac ground out, chest heaving with anger. He slammed to door and turned back around to Sarah. Her face stretched tight with frustration, her eyes still bubbling with tears. Mac’s protectiveness of her consumed him. He went to wrap her in a hug. “I’m sorry.”

Her hands came up and shoved him away. “Get out.”

“What?”

“You didn’t have to do that. I can take care of myself.” She cradled her arms across her chest. “I don’t need you to fight my battles for me, Mac. Don’t you think I know something is wrong with this?”

Mac reached for her again. She shuffled away. A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Don’t do this. I—”

“I don’t want to hear it.” She pushed past him and thrust the door open. “I can take care of myself.”

She was kicking him out of her house? Or her life?  What the hell had just happened here? He was only doing what he thought was right. He had to protect her from the one man Mac knew would tear her heart in two—again. He wouldn’t allow it. Sarah meant too much to him. Mac regarded Sarah carefully, noticing her rigid posture, the firm set of her jaw, and the fire in her eyes. Aggravated to beat all hell, Mac went to her and touched a finger to her cheek. She kept her eyes locked on the floor.

“This is serious, Sarah. And I’m sorry you had to face that kind of shock. Yes, there's something seriously wrong with this. He doesn’t deserve you forgiveness and I will make sure he knows it.” And with that, he left her.

* * * *

Alphas, sheesh. Their emotions are sometimes hard to control. But no worries, he’ll eventually figure out what he did wrong. And then he’ll fix it. It’s what they do.

What do you think about the Alpha’s behavior? A little over the top? He doesn’t seem to think things through, does he? No doubt he’ll spend more time correcting his behavior than figuring out the right way to act in the first place.  

Come back on Tuesday to see how the beta handles this exact same situation!

~JD 

Well, this didn't go as planned ...

So today was supposed to be the EPIC battle between the alpha male and his nemesis ... the beta.

Well, *huffs* that post has been postponed until Monday for reasons beyond my control.

But that was okay because I was going to awe you with some good news.

Well, *huffs louder* that has also been postponed ...

You know, sometimes things don't always work out as planned.

SO, Monday will be the Throwdown Showdown. Sometime in the next few weeks will be the epic awesome news. And today? Well, I think it's time to just chill. Chilling is good. Gets you ready for the weekend.

Because Bruno Mars is my current favorite musical artist for a dictionary full of reasons (call me, Bruno. Seriously), here's an ode to helping us chill.


Next week, peeps! Next week will be ROCKIN'!

~JD

THROWDOWN SHOWDOWN: Round Two, The Beta Hero

Today will focus on what the beta is and what makes him yummy in all his own ways.

 Let's do this ...

* DING * DING *

Again, let's get the cliches out of the way. The beta male is:

-Shy (possibly)

-Silent (possibly)

-Sweet (most certainly)

-Easygoing, but not a pushover

-Comforting

-Doesn't like confrontation (but he doesn't really back down on an issue he wants resolved)

-Unassertive (because he doesn't want to hurt someones feelings)

-Practical

-Determined

-Is always available when needed (he's like the good best friend)

-Kind, responsible, decent

-Good sense of humor (and he uses it to deflect uncomfortable feelings sometimes)

-Assesses situations before making decisions

-Mr. Nice Guy/Everyday Joe

Hmmm ... sounds WAY different from the alpha, right?

Basically, the beta male is sensitive to what's around him. Especially the heroine. Instead of pushing her buttons, he will let her take the lead because that's what makes her happy. He will help her, not force his own ideas on her. He doesn't push, he doesn't crawl to the head of the pack because he's only thinking about himself. He's too busy worrying about everyone else to really worry about him.

Everyone together now, "aaaaawwwwwww"

Seriously, though. This man can do anything. Unlike the alpha, the beta wears his emotions inside. If he's crushed because of something his woman did/said, he won't confront it. He will brood silently (most times) in order to not hurt others. He'll hide his emotions with humor in order to makes others smile, although he might be dying on the inside.

This guy was your best friend in high school, the man in the cubicle next to you that the boss relies on, the guy you see walking his dogs and playing with kids in the park, the grocery store clerk that always makes you laugh, the silent man on the bus who always gives up his seat and glances your way without saying a word. He is the everyday guy. 

He's not a wimp. He's not a sissy. He's not afraid. He has feelings. And like women, those feelings are complex and he does his best to deal with them in the only why he knows how--quietly. 

The problem with the beta hero is since he's so nice and sweet and hides his feelings, it is hard to know when he's upset, sad, angry, frustrated, in love, etc. Because unlike the Alpha who roars his feelings 24/7, kicks, stomps, growls, and kisses like it will be the last time, the beta has a reserved sense of self. A reserved sense of confidence. A reserved ... everything. But he doesn't give up easily and he doesn't give in. He just goes after everything in his own special way (and that "way" depends on what the author has created him to do).

And he is the man that women fall in love with. 

Here are some examples of beta heroes in movies:

Orlando Bloom in "Pirates of the Caribbean"

Bill Pullman in "While You Were Sleeping"

Ryan Reynolds in "The Proposal"

Keanu Reeves in "The Replacements"

Adam Sandler in "The Wedding Singer"

Toby Maguire in "Spiderman"

Here's the perfect example of a beta male. The song (and all the things that happen during the video ... yes, that's a beta. I LOVE YOU BRUNO! Ahem, okay, here it is:

Here's the thing I love so much about the beta:

He's unpredictable. Alphas? Pretty predictable. Betas? Not so much. And it is this vulnerable unpredictability that makes women fall in love with them everyday. Beautifully strong, quietly confident, strangely addictive. I hereby swoon. ;-)

What makes you love the beta hero? Can you think of any good examples in books/movies/etc? Don't forget to come back on Friday to watch the alpha and beta go head-to-head! It's gonna be good. 

~JD

Side note: this makes me wonder why the Beta Fish is called the Beta Fish. I mean, they are aggressive to boot! Why not call them Alpha Fish? Way more fitting!

THROWDOWN SHOWDOWN: Alpha Hero VS Beta Hero

No need to wait, let's get this party started ...

* DING * DING *

Today will be all about the Alpha male. (yummy)

And let's face it ... this is a complicated match up, so today we will be only characterizing the Alpha male. On Wednesday we will do the same for the Beta. And on Friday, they will have their official show-down with each of them facing off in an identical scene to see how differently they would act. Then, my friends, we can decide who wins this war to woo women.

Let's get the cliches out of the way. The Alpha is:

-Strong

-Confident (possibly cocky)

-Leader

-Aggressive (sometimes annoyingly so)

-Comfortable with himself

-Territorial (especially with his woman)

-Persistent

-Good looking (almost making the heroine feel small in comparison)

-Controlling (come on, you know he is)

-Often possessive (again with his woman)

-He wears his emotions on his sleeve. If he's pissed, you know it. If he's happy, you know it. If he's sad ... wait, the Alpha NEVER is sad. Sadness is a weakness and the Alpha is never, ever weak.

Did I get all of them?

Now, here's the thing most people forget about Alpha men: they change depending on the type of character they are. Sure, ALL alphas have same core characteristics (cliches, above). BUT, their personalities are what set them apart from the pack. (No pun intended)

Think of the hit T.V. Vampire Diaries. Stefan and Damon are BOTH alpha males. But they are both  very different kind of alphas. And personally, Damon is much more my type of Alpha. He's the bad type. Stefan is the sensitive type (I would argue that he's borderline beta ... until this new season, that is). Anyway.

There's Eric, from True Blood, and Alcide *swoon*
Matt Dillon--The Outsiders
Vin Diesel--Fast and Furious
Val Kilmer--Tombstone (and I guess Kurt Russell, too)
Hugh Jackman--Wolverine (X-Men)
Ryan Reynolds--Van Wilder *swoon* (although he shows some beta characteristics, too)
And my personal favorites (from books, of course) Jean Claude and Richard from Anita Blake's Vampire Hunter Series (again ... two very different types of Alphas)
. 

Here are two videos that show two very different of two very different alphas.

This is just a side-note here, but I would not fully label Maverick as an Alpha. LOTS of people would (my vote goes to Iceman). Maverick has a lot of qualities that make him Alpha. He's cocky. Confident. Knows he's the best at what he does. He pulls a great stunt to get the girl. I get that. And yet ... when the woman he wants is stronger than him, higher than him, he doesn't try to outdo her. He doesn't try show he's Alpha. Sooo .... there's a difference in my opinion of a true Alpha and a man who longs to be an Alpha but hides behind his bravado. That's a topic for another day, though. At any rate, this is video is excellent example of certain types of Alpha behavior (make sure you pay close attention to Iceman, too). Oh, and pay attention to Goose (the beta!). 

AND ... THE SECOND VIDEO IS NOT WORKING! *pulls out hair*
ARGH!
*takes deep breaths*
Whose idea was it to disable embedding youtube videos? Stupid youtube.
Anyway ...
The second video was the opening scene for Roger Dodger. You need to see it. So, clicky here. 
I'll wait.
Back?
Excellent!

Do you see the difference between the two Alphas? HUGE differences, right? So, no matter the characteristics listed in the above list, the character is what the author will make them. Their personality and their own experiences will mold and shape them. Are they a likable Alpha or a total dick?

I think the term "alpha" and their rise in popularity has A LOT to do with paranormal books/movies/etc. Vampires, Warlocks, Wolves, Bears, whatev, are alpha by nature. They are the leaders of their packs/groups/covens/what-have-you. And as the strong alpha male gripped the attention of women everywhere, it spread into the everyday romance. That's MOO (my own opinion, though). Because lets face it, before then, Alphas were not what women swooned over. They were the type women ran from. Again, MOO. ;-) And yes, I KNOW there were Alphas before wolves and vampires ... but I think the wolves and vampires made them more common (and likable).

So, you want a strong man? You want a man who is controlling? You want a man who can toss you around (in a good way *winks*)? You want a man to fight for you--literally? Then you want the Alpha.

The Alpha is strong and independent. The Alpha needs control over situations (and people, normally), but he would die for his woman. He is protective of her. Wants her to only see him. And he makes sure everyone knows it. Some people say the Alpha should never be cruel. I disagree with that. Alphas do have their own sense of cruelty (even when it comes to their lady), BUT they always make up for it by showing the heroine they do what they do out of love. They ask for forgiveness for their behavior (in their own special way). And *sigh*, we always do forgive them.

How does the alpha male make you feel? What do you think about the personality core characteristics? What are some good traits of an alpha hero in your mind? Annoying ones? Any examples from books/movies/tv shows you can think of?

Come back on Tuesday to see the Beta come running out of his corner to protect his name. And to show that he's got what it takes to make women swoon, too. And lets not forget Friday when they go head-to-head!

~JD

WHOOT! WHOOT! Friday Update!

Giving everyone some love on this WONDERFUL Friday!!

Enough mushy stuff ... on to the updates.

1. Did you notice the new look? I mean, the second new look this week? *snicker* Sorry about! I liked the first look (the pink one with the purdy flowers, but blogger wouldn't let me edit the layout! Argh!) So I changed it. And this time, I actually designed that fancy new header all by myself! Yay me! And because I've got zero brain when it comes to html, I want to say a huge thanks to Matthew MacNish for helping a lady out.

2. I've still got a secret to share. And I promise, I will. You might have already noticed a hint on my blog here. *grins*

3. I finished my NaNo book. It stands at 80K and is currently in the critters hands. It's not my normal genre, so really, I'm all done with the freak outs.

4. I've made a new goal for myself. I want to finish writing three books this year. Yes, I said three ... you aren't seeing things. I've started this year off with a bang and I'm already 12K into the new WIP. If I stay on track, I'm fairly confident I can complete this goal. The teenage offspring told me the other day I should write everyday like it was NaNo month, which SHOCKED me seeing as how she didn't eat that entire month. Kidding. Mostly. So, I'm going to do it. If I stick with it, I could actually finish like five books, but I need to leave time for brain meltdowns, editing, and sleeping. I would like to have my butt leave the chair sometime this year. ;-) So three books it is.

5. The blogfest of all blogfests.

DL Hammons , Creepy Query Girl aka Katie, and Alex Cavanaugh are the hosts of this brain child. Basically you are going to tell the whole world where your writing dreams began. Learn all about the blogfest (and sign up!) right HERE!


I think that 'bout covers if for this week. Make sure to stop by next week to watch those Mean Alpha Heroes fight it out with the Sensitive Beta heroes! It'll be EPIC!

~JD

A new blog feature: Throwdown Showdown

Next week I will be rolling out a new thing here on the blog.

I like to call it the

THROWDOWN SHOWDOWN

You see, there are lots and LOTS of things that we writers flip flop about (wait ... maybe that's just me?)There are things we question and things we are die-hard sure of and passionate about.

It is those things, dear friends, that will have a smackdown. 

Two topics, similar, but different. 

Two different opinions.

Lots of mud-throwing. 

Sounds like a fun time. 

It starts next Monday with our first topic:

Heroes: Alpha vs Beta

* ding * ding *

What kind of things would you guys like to see beat each other up about?

Ahem, I mean discuss in a polite and dignified manner. 

Yeah. Right.

Tell me. 

~JD