When I created Luke Lockett’s character, much like many of the MMCs and FMCs before him, he was just energy without a name. And even from that energy alone, I knew he would either be a hit or a miss with readers. The one thing that has remained consistent about Luke is that you either like him or you hate him.

He’s blunt. Brutally honest. And he knows nothing about sugarcoating. Growing up in a house full of girls who outnumbered both him and his father made him slick-mouthed and quick on his feet. He can go toe-to-toe with the opposite sex without feeling the need to concede, regardless of how beautiful he finds her. Luke is not susceptible to feminine charm at all.

His no-nonsense attitude shows up in his interpersonal relationships, in his days as a college hoop star, and now as the coach of Langston University. In short, Luke doesn’t play that with anyone. But when he loves you, he really loves you. The armor comes off, only to be rebuilt around protecting that love.

All in all, Luke is against anything that feels like the status quo. If the group is moving one way, he’s going the other. Because to him, there are no leaders in herds.

What is his archetype?

The Rebel.