Don't I Know You From Somewhere?

This week on Word Wranglers, Liz Flaherty asked us to share a little about where we get our inspiration for our characters. I wanted to say I get mine from my dreams, but that's where I get my stories.

My characters, the male ones, have very familiar traits. They are always alpha males, but near the end of the story, they start sounding very familiar. Oh my God! They sound like my husband. Hot-tempered (but a pussy cat when he's dealing with the heroine) fiercely protective of the ones he loves, great sense of humor, and..well the rest is for me to know. I don't plan it, but that's how they turn out.

My females are totally made up. They take on a life of their own. They're the type of woman I would want to know. Confident, but vulnerable, sexy, kick-ass, sassy, sarcastic. Okay, the sarcastic thing is me all the way. Sometimes, they make complete fools of themselves. Okay, that's me too, and can hold their own. When they walk into a room, they own it, but they're not conceited or cocky. Sometimes they can be timid, but not nauseatingly so. And they have a great sense of humor. They can laugh at themselves, and with others, not at others.

These are the characters I love to write. What about you.

By the way, the picture is hubby and I at a party last year.