CONTEST: One RCC wins an ARC of Lori Foster's newest, "My Man Michael!" Rules here.

From Michelle:Please welcome back Bella fave, Lori Foster!  She's one of the kindest, classiest dames in the biz -- adored by fans and industry folks alike -- and known for her NY Times bestselling, down-to-earth erotic love stories, her mentoring of young authors, and her support of orgs that help kids and vets and animals.  Please hie thee to her Annual Reader/Author Get-Together in June in OH, and give Lori your warmest, "So you're sayin' it's OK to like virgin heroines?" Bella buongiorno...

From Lori:  Buongiorno, Bellas!  So, I've been thinking about...Alpha Virgins. 

What a great concept, right? I don't know about you, but I can get into a kick-ass, take charge virgin. Especially when she has to go toe-toe with a testosterone overdosed macho guy with a protective streak five miles wide.

In case you can't tell, I have so much fun when I write! My muse does all the hard work for me, coming up with stories that often take me by surprise. And for me, it's all about the characters.

Traits my characters - heroes and heroines alike - HAVE to have:

Integrity and honesty.
Sense of responsibility.
Protectiveness toward children, pets, and those in special need, like folks with handicaps or the elderly.

Other than that, it's all free game to me.

I've written prostitutes, transients, doctors, handymen, bounty hunters, beauticians...

But in "My Man Michael," I took a highly trained, very capable Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter and dropped him (with good reason, I promise) into 2220 where women protect men, and where he's needed to train the women to better defend their colonies.

It's also a new age of modesty, and sex with anyone other than your lifemate is really taboo.

Poor Michael. That's soooo not what he's used to. I mean, to have to go against his nature and let women take physical risks, while also being celibate?

Well, you just KNOW he's not going to give in easily, right?

Traits my characters CAN'T have:

Stupidity.
Inability to adjust.
Bullying tendencies.
Lack of leadership.
Indifference to right and wrong.

So yeah, while Michael wants to wrap Kayli in cotton and show her how sweet it'd be for him to "take care of her," he knows her duty is important to her. In many ways it defines her. Michael is very human, and prone to error, but I gotta give the big guy points for trying! It made for some hilarious moments.

And Kayli... let me tell you, she has some real internal conflicts. She WANTS to give in to Michael in a very big way. (What woman wouldn't!?) But she's hindered by that responsibility issue - responsibility to her siblings, her mother who rules the colony, and to all those who rely on her for protection.

And yeah, she's a born and bred Alpha. Duck and run!

As always, it takes two people in love working together to smooth out the kinks in any relationship.

So... do you like virgins heroines? What about kick-ass Alpha virgins?
What "type" of heroes do you like best? Alpha, Beta, humorous, brooding?

Dish! Maybe you'll inspire my muse! -- Lori

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Ain't It (A) Grand! -- There's more romance fun to be had when you sign up for Michelle's NEW RBTB Newsletter list here (not in the myLifetime sidebar, please).  That way you'll be able to keep u.t.d. on the RBTB d.l. when Michelle and RBTB move from myLifetime Jan. 31.

Set your RBTB bookmark to www.RomanceBuyTheBook.com -- or -- www.RBtheBook.com to find RBTB beginning Feb 1.  As Bella dd03 put it: "eeeeee!  I'm so glad you have a blog again. I mean, one that's easier to follow..." :) 

Indeed, dd03.  Indeed.