Libations with LBea and Lanyon

Today I've asked my sometimes DIK blogging partner, Josh Lanyon (from this point in red-- smexy!) to c'mon over to the island and pull up a hammock.

My...hic...pleasure, madame!

Careful with that tray, dear! Don't spill the Lagavulin!

Whoopsie!

It's nice to be back, thanks for having us both. Stay tuned for a give away and shameless book pimpage. But first:

Josh and I talk about booze.

Hey! We're on a tropical beach! It's a given.

I'm always intrigued by what folks order at the bar, and while I'm the last girl to ever order a Mojito (There are weeds floating in that thing.) I love to have fancy knick-knacks poking out of my coconut when I'm lying in a hammock. I also enjoy trying exciting new things like Pop Rocks Martinis. Don't judge me!

Push that tray just a leeedle...right. Ta.

But...do, actually. Because what we choose to drink can often reveal a little piece about who we are. Creature of habit? Sugar fiend? Pretentious a-hole? Wall flower with a secret wild side? When I met my fair Rosie, she was knocking back a G&T at the bar in San Fran and I knew right then and there that she was a gutsy broad who knew exactly what she wanted in life. Is that a stretch? OMG, do you know her? Anyway, I was smashed on iced house Pino Grigio. Does that mean I'm a cheap date with no understanding of wine?

You totally get da whine, my Sweetbea.

Now, my pal Josh, is partial to a delicious Italian Margarita now and again. heh. I think it's fair to say that he's festive with a sultry twist...and he can hold his liquor. Or not. (CAN YOU? Let's see!)

Recipe? Did someone ask for an Italian margie recipe? I sort of do it by sight and taste but the recipe I base it on is this one:

1 oz Amaretto
2 oz Sweet and Sour mix (I use regular margarita mix)
1/2 oz Jose Cuervo Especial Gold Tequila
1/2 oz Grand Marnier (can sub Triple Sec)

That's one drink! They're quite strong, but very good. You can rim the glass in sugar or salt -- which ever you prefer, and you can either pour the mix in the blender with ice -- or you can just do it over the rocks.

What's in your glass?

Ever notice what your fav characters are drinking? If they drink at all? Authors make deliberate choices, based on what they want to reveal about good guys, and bad guys. In Death of a Pirate King, Adrien ::come back here!:: has an on going experience over a certain beverage that eventually leads him to a bigger revelation. Everything he knows about this drink churns round and round in his mind. What he drinks, if he chooses to drink, who he's drinking with, and the fact that he shouldn't be engaging at all, are intrinsic to our understanding of both his character and the story itself.

I never noticed till I started putting the quiz together how...um...much my characters drink. Actually, kidding aside, alcoholism runs like a river through my family. So it's something I'm conscious of. Frankly, I love to drink, but I sort of have an addictive personality, so I keep an eye on myself. Two eyes if I've had a lot. Juuuust kidding.

Nah. I hear you on that. Same with me...I'm far more talk than action.



I'm not that kind of girl!

Remember the familiar regency scene where a young virginal ingenue has too much champagne at her come out and winds up in the clutches of the manipulative, horny hero? She was not that type of girl, was she? But with a bit of bubbly she can both blame the alcohol and regret her actions later (usually in the form of a hangover or a pregnancy) and still we get to see the major physical break through with the love interest. And what's great is that his reaction plays a part here as well. Does he save her? Does he take advantage of her? Is he amused? Angry? Does anyone reveal true feelings? It's device employed by the best and the worst.

And yes, I resort to the alcohol induced lovin' in Gobsmacked. Because, lets face it, this stuff really does happen in RL and sometimes, its the perfect opportunity for characters to get it on.

So what do they drink? What's the beverage of choice? And do you, fair readers, pay attention? I know that Adrien English, hut mate of mine, loves his TAB. Ew. But it tells me so much about his hope to stay trim, his love of soda, and the failure of his obviously underdeveloped taste buds.

It's an acquired taste. The absinthe of soft drinks.

And now...Mixology One-oh-One.

I spy something...wet.

For a copy of both The Dark Horse and The White Knight you'll need to match the hero to his missing beverage.

Heroes:

Adrien English

Jake Riordan

Sean Fairchild

Daniel Moran

Nathan Doyle

Will Brandt

Tim Martin

Gabriel Sandalini

Perry Foster

Christopher Holmes

The Concoctions:

hot cocoa

Boilermaker

Chocolate martini

Martini
Anything alcoholic
Pulque
Henley Skullfarquar

VAT 69

Sam Houston bourbon

Gin and tonic



Good luck, and even if you don't know, take a wee guess.

and remember: Read Responsibly!