The Unconventional Hero

When the idea of The Feline Fugitive came to me, I knew I’d have the time of my life writing this story. I wasn’t disappointed. I loved writing Luca Doyle, in both his human and shifter form. That’s right, Luca is a shifter. What kind, you ask?

Here’s a passage from The Feline Fugitive, coming out July 6 with Lyrical Press, to help explain:

“Are you hungry, Fluffy?”

The name made Luca cringe. He was a male cat for Christ’s sakes, a shorthaired, black cat. Fluffy in no way described him.

Now before you stop reading in a huff of disgust that I had the audacity to make an uber-hot hero a kitty cat, the fun part of this entire story is the contrast between Luca, a strong, determined, and oh-so sexy alpha and his counterpart, Fluffy, a cat living in his lifemate’s home as her pet.

However, Claudette has no idea Fluffy is really a human. (Now, Luca isn’t a perv. I swear.. He’s just running from law. That didn’t sound any better, did it? LOL. He was framed, and he escaped prison to find the real killer. Claudette found him and brought him home with her.) But even she notices he’s different.
Fluffy came around the corner and watched her with his intent, unnerving stare that shone with an intelligence far surpassing an ordinary house cat. Until Fluffy, she’d never wondered what a cat thought.

Writing Luca was tricky. I mean how alpha could I make a housecat? Trust me, this stayed at the forefront of my mind the entire time I wrote this. To give Fluffy a hard edge when he was on the page, I concentrated on his internal thoughts so the reader could see Luca’s personality without him in human form. I also focused on showing his frustration at not being able to reveal himself to Claudette and her going on with her life as if he, her mate, wasn’t in the same house. What else could I do but have her go on a date with another man. What could Luca do? He’s a cat. Pretty screwed, right? Don’t underestimate a spitting furball of rage.

As she started to push Roger away, he screamed and jumped off her again.

He flailed around the room. When he turned in his mad dance, Fluffy was attached to his back. Laughing out loud, she rescued her cat before Roger hurt him. Once she had the spitting feline in her hands, she said, “Roger, I don’t think this is going to work.”

“I think you’re right. You and your rabid cat have a good night.” With that, he slammed out of the house.

In the end, Luca reveals himself to Claudette to save her life. Then Claudette is introduced to a tall, well-muscled, wash-board stomach, broad-shouldered, all-male, male. The complete opposite of her sweet kitty. Luca wastes no time in showing her whose she truly is.

“Because it doesn’t exist. It’s make-believe. Fantasy. I have to be dreaming and for some reason, my mind is refusing to wake up,” she said.

“You’re not dreaming. If you were, would you be able to feel this?”

Before she could stop him, he grasped her face between his hands, capturing her lips with his own. Electric heat slammed through him, and he groaned. The kiss was far better than his dreams...

I worked very hard to keep Luca alpha even with his shifter form being something considered cute and cuddly. So my question today is how would you make up for your unconventional heroes less than perfect alphaness?
Esme