Something About You

Sorry, this was supposed to go up yesterday, but life... well, it got in the way.

Oh Julie James, there is just something about you, about the way you write. Is it the witty banter? No, although it is quite wonderfully fabulous. Is it the clean story lines? I love that your focus stays true throughout your books, but it is not that either. The sexual tension that is getting steamier with each book? No, but thank you!

I know! I've got it! Characters. Girl, you know your way around a character. Your heroes and heroines are sharp, intelligent, sarcastic, funny, relateable. All around well-developed enjoyable characters. We like them. We want to find out what happens to them. We root for them. But you don't stop there. You give us more.

I recently had the pleasure of reading Something About You. (Coming soon to a store near you!) Let me tell you, Ms. James does not disappoint with her characters in this one. It all starts with Cameron. A successful assistant U.S. attorney, she is staying at the fancy pants Peninsula hotel. She is treating herself. She has been working hard and deserves some pampering. The hardwood floors in her house are being refinished so instead of crashing with a friend, there she is tucked into bed at one of the most expensive hotels in Chicago... and she can't sleep. Why? "Oh, God! Oh, yes!" ::bang bang bang:: "Oh yes, right there!!!!" And no, she was not the one on the receiving end.

The noisy neighbors continue. And continue. And continue. A living, screaming advertisement for Viagra. Just as she is about to call the front desk to complain... silence. Beautiful, blessed silence. Cameron begins to drift away, exhaustion claiming her. ::bang bang bang:: Seriously??!!?! The front desk receives her complaint. Cameron hears the door open next door. She peek through the peep hole and sees a man leaving. Damn, security won't get to (politely) rip him a new one.

Then the plot thickens. When security arrives no one answers. They enter to find a young woman. Dead. Dun, dun dun!!!!! Talking to police is nothing new for Cameron. She is an attorney, after all. But then the FBI gets involved. Not just any FBI agent. None other than Jack Pallas, the man who blames her for ruining his career!

Now these two characters could have easily been left at that. Julie could have chosen not to delve much deeper in their development. But this is Julie! Of course she gives us more. Cameron's motivations are strong and based on past experience. She isn't perfect and doesn't pretend to be. (Her culinary skills lead her to fill her freezer with Lean Cuisine entrees "neatly organized according to the four major food ethnicities: Italian, Asian, Mexican, and macaroni and cheese.") Jack is a multi-faceted man who can see when he is wrong and fights when he is right. The two are not a perfect match. They don't instantly click. They butt heads constantly, and not only as a way to build sexual chemistry (although they do have tons of that. ) You like Cameron. You may have a friend very much like her. Jack is the guy you want to be with, provided he gets his head out of his ass by the end of your story.

Here's the thing, though. It isn't just about Cameron and Jack. There is Cameron's best friend Collin, who is going through a rough patch of his own. He is hilarious and snarky. Perfect best friend material. He is very real and Julie does a great job of not turning him into a stereotype. Jack's partner Wilkins is one of those characters that makes you hope against hope that Julie will decide to turn this into a series. I would LOVE for him to get his own story. Young and new to the FBI, Wilkins is slick with just a little too much pop culture and fashion knowledge stored in that brain of his. His references to Carrie and Miranda result is some serious ribbing from those around him. He's a total professional when he needs to be, but the perfect lighthearted foil to Jack's brooding attitude.

We know who the "bad guy" is and she makes him plenty creepy in that "I've killed and I don't feel a thing" sort of way. What I did appreciate was how she wrote the character of Sen. Hodges. He could have been a slimy politician. Lord knows we have enough of those here in Chicago. Julie didn't take the easy way out. He was a flawed man. He made mistakes. He wasn't bad. I like that he was not what I expected.

There is just something about Something About You that makes it fantastic: the characters. Julie has a way with them. It keeps me coming back for more. Write faster Julie, write faster!

Overheard with Julie James

Yesterday I mentioned a recent reading experience that opened with the heroine overhearing very loud smexing in the hotel room next to hers. Sex and what she later discovers was the sounds of a murder. She gets embroiled in a murder investigation lead by none other than her greatest nemisis. Hijinx ensue. :) This book, Something About You by Julie James, was a bit of a departure from the authors previous book. It was quite fortuitous, then, that Julie contacted me and offered an ARC just before my turn in the island. How could I resist inviting my local gal to visit along with me?

So without further ado, a short chat with the lovely Julie James. ::cracks open a bottle of a full-bodied, spicy red and passes around the glasses::

SM: Hey Julie, welcome back to the island. I read Something About You and couldn't help but notice that you went a different route with this book, bringing in a suspense element. How did that change the way you approached your writing?

JJ: The suspense element came to me, as the book dedication says, in the middle of the night in a hotel room in San Francisco. The people in the room next to me were *loud*--to say the least--and I was in bed, unable to sleep, and that's when the idea hit me--a woman who overhears loud noises coming from the hotel room next to hers that turn out to be a murder. Adding in the suspense element certainly changed my approach going into the book, because it gave me two plots that I had to outline in advance: the main plot (the romance between the hero and heroine) and the suspense subplot (the murder mystery).

SM: Was it more challenging?

JJ: Um... yes. Definitely. The suspense part of the book is really just a subplot, the driving force that initially brings the heroine and hero together. The overall tone of the book is lighter and humorous (hopefully!). And balancing those two elements was a challenge at times--I had to figure out when it was okay for my characters to be sarcastic and quippy, and when they needed to take things more seriously.

SM: Did anything surprise you during the writing of Something About You?

JJ: I don't know if I was "surprised," per se, but SOMETHING ABOUT YOU is a bit steamier than my first two books. It felt like the right way to go because this book is also a little edgier than my first two--the slightly darker tone seemed to call for more intense love scenes. Plus, there's a lot of build up in the sexual tension between the heroine and hero and I thought that people might kill me if I didn't show the scenes where that tension boils over. ;-)

SM: Jack had a dark, brooding quality that was new to your hero. What made you decide to go this route?

JJ: Ah... I loved writing Jack. He was different than my prior two heroes, wasn't he? Jack is a bad-ass-- he's basically Jason Bourne, or a taller, darker Jack Bauer, dropped into a romantic comedy. So he's running around all dark and scowling and trying to save the day, while everyone else is cracking jokes. The problem is that Jason Bourne and Jack Bauer are so busy brooding and saving the day, they never get the girl. But that's not the case in my book.

SM: Oh, that sexy, sexy Triumph. What about it screamed "Jack"? Did you go take a test drive to make sure it was the right fit?

JJ: I actually spent a LOT of time researching to figure out the right motorcycle! I asked guys I know what motorcycles they liked, came up with a list of potentials, and then researched the candidates on the internet. It had to have just the right look to match Jack: a bad-boy bike, but one that's also classy and refined. So here it is:

SM: What’s the story on Wilkins and his feminine insight? Could we have more of him, please?
JJ: Most of my supporting male characters seem to have more feminine insight than my heroes do. . . I like Wilkins (Jack's partner), because like Cameron (the heroine), he doesn't let Jack get away with his brooding. And he and Jack do a great good cop/bad cop routine.

SM: As a Chicagoan it is great fun to read your books, recognizing my home town. Do you plan to continue setting your books here or is there another location that inspires you?
JJ: I love using Chicago as a setting. Such a great city. Book 4, which I'm currently writing, also takes place in Chicago. (Although there might be a scene in Napa as well...) For me, it's about whatever works for the book. And if what works happens to be the city I live in, all the better. No location research. ;-)

SM: Is there a location in Chicago that you adore, but haven't been able to work into one of your books yet? How about a place you love, but just can't figure a way to make it work?
JJ: There are a lot of locations in Chicago that would be great to use in a book, although I wouldn't say there's one particular place I'm dying to use and haven't yet. In terms of other locations. . . well, I'd love to set a book on an African safari, just because I went on safari myself and thought it was an amazing experience. And I'd also like to use Napa Valley as a location--hopefully that'll be covered with Book 4.

Book 4, eh? Now that I can't wait for! In preparation for this Napa inspired story I shall kick back and open another bottle of wine. What would you all like? Red? White? Rose? Maybe a bottle of each? Wanders over to contemplate the island wine cellar...

Things Overheard

I've been traveling quite a bit lately. Back and forth I go. The Newark Airport and I have become great friends. Their incredibly slow security lines, on the other hand... While I have always enjoyed people watching in airports, I have found that I have new favorite time killing past time. I sit while knitting or crocheting, and listen. Just that. Listen.

It is amazing what you will overhear.

It made me giggle, then, when I started reading a book during my last trip. The story opens with the heroine laying in her hotel bed at 3AM , wide awake. Why? The headboard pounding, wall shaking, deity invoke ("Oh GoD!!!!!") sex her neighbors were having. It's what she overhears after that that gets the plot going. But, more on that book and it's lovely author later.

We overhear conversations every day. In the grocery store you hear a woman talking on the phone say "I had never seen one that color. I mean, how do you tell him it shouldn't be blue?" Perhaps you are at a meeting and hear, "I don't know how to get him interested. What would a teenage boy enjoy measuring?" (Yes, that was an actual quote from a teacher meeting. It was clear who in the room- besides your truly- had a dirty mind.)

Have you ever wondered what the story is behind the conversational snippets? What prompted the comment? What happened afterwards? So tell me, what is the story behind this snippet overheard in New York:

Oh my God! Why would you move the couch!? Why the hell did you move
it, idiot?!? When you move a couch, bad things happen! Move the
couch... You stupid... Oh my God!

We all have our go-to authors, our comfort reads, and our favorite tropes.  You know, those people and things that make you snatch a book off the shelf and fork over your hard earned money.  Maybe you are a sucker for the "friends to lovers" plot line.  Perhaps you squeal in delight on Julia Quinn's release date.  These books give us the warm fuzzies.  They help us to forget a terrible day at work.  They make a good day even better.

But what about those others?  The doozies. After reading romances for years, you learn what makes you tick, and what makes you sick.  You are walking through the book store.  A cover jumps out at you from the shelf to your left.  Mantitty, low riding pants, some mysterious landscape in the distance.  It lures you over with visual promises of smexin goodness.  Picking up the novel, you turn it over to peruse the back blurb.  What you see there send chils down your spine.  With shaking hands you replace the book on the shelf and slowly back away. It was a close call.  You avoided disaster by a hair's breath.  You almost bought a book containing an element so horrifying it would throw you off your readin game for weeks.  Oh, I don't mean a TSTL heroine or some other element that you wouldn't know about before reading.  I mean the big canon ball that will sink you pleasure cruise of reading.  It's the opposite of auto-buy material.  It is the Dealbreaker.

For me it's cheating.  A book where the heroine is engaged and meets another man who makes the earth shift beneath her (and her naughty bits quake)... Oh. Hell. No.  I know for some people this isn't a problem.  For me it is a dealbreaker. Doesn't matter who wrote it, I just can't read the book.

So what kills it for you?  What element will make you back away and run in the opposite direction?

Those Days When You're Just Not Feelin' It

As some of you know, I have been suffering from The Great Reading Slump of '09. It was BAD. Nothing could tempt my reading palette. That was back in July, August, and even September. Like a nasty flu bug, I have still not fully recovered. The books I have read are few and far between. The good news is that I have fully enjoyed them. Perhaps in this case quality is far better than quantity.

Not everyone has suffered through a full-blown slump. Sometimes you pick up a book and your mind starts to wander. The hero isn't tempting you. The witty banter isn't captivating you. Bottom line: you're just not feelin' it. It's like we tell men, at some time it happens to everybody. So what do you do when the ennui hits? Do you power through and read or do you direct your focus elsewhere?

For me, it's crafty shtuff. I pick up a skein of yarn and a crochet hook and let my mind wander. Other times it is paint and a canvas. I get my hands moving and my mind begins to clear. Often that's all it takes to bring me right back to reading.

What clears your mind or distracts you from the ennui? What is your prescription for those times when you're just not feelin' it?

Enabling. How do YOU do it?

I have been reading Romances for half of my life. For years they were my guilty pleasure, my dirty little secret. While many of my friends were voracious readers, none of them read Romance. In fact, many of my "friends" scoffed at me, poked fun at me, and even ridiculed my literary choices. (Real great friends, huh?) As I've grown older new individuals have entered my life. You know what? They read romance! Yes, it's true. Now, I know all of you read them. That is what has brought us together, this shared love of novels filled with love, passion, drama, sly humor, sexy heroes, and strong heroines. But here are these people in my day-to-day life that read Romance. It is a lovely thing.

But get this: some of those friends who ridiculed me in the past? Some of them are starting to get interested. Oh yes! There are those who throw all reservations aside and dive in head first, asking to borrow books or what you recommendations might be. Then there are those others. The ones for whom it is a new guilty pleasure. You have been there. That was me at 16. And 21. And.... They are resistant yet intrigued.

So how do we hook these friends? What has your approach been? Is it with a particular author? Do you have a sneak Romance attack move you could share? Just what is it you do to enable those around you? How do you bring your friends over to the Romance Side?

(Best sneak attack ever!)

Tell me how you feel

There are many reasons that we read romance novels. The sexy, strong heroes. The independent, resourceful heroines. The sexual tension. The intrigue. The romance. For me it is a combination of all these elements, with the romance taking the lead. When two people (who often start out at odds with one another) come together at a deep emotional level, my romantic heart is soothed. The first moment they meet is electrifying. The HEA is satisfying. There is one moment, though, that stands out above all others: the romantic declaration. More than any other scene in a book, this one stands out for me. The raw emotion, the heartfelt need, suddenly put into words. In this moment the hero does more than tell the heroine that he loves her, he lays himself bare. He allows himself to be vulnerable. The stronger and more stoic the hero, the more I love his romantic declaration.

This must be handled correctly. Too often the build up leaves you wanting more than the author delivers. Then there are those times when the words, emotion, and story all come together to deliver a perfectly magical moment. It is these times that I sit back and say, “This! This is why I read!”

I think the Queen of Romantic Declarations would have to be Jane Austen. The woman had a gift. How could you not melt at these words?

"You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight and a half years ago. Dare not say that a man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant."  ~ Persuasion

"In vain have I struggled, it will not do. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." ~Pride and Prejudice

Recently published authors aren’t letting us down either!

“All the fire of hell could burn for a thousand years and it wouldn’t equal what I feel for you in one minute of the day. I love you so much there is no pleasure in it. Nothing but torment. Because if I could dilute what I feel for you to the millionth part, it would still be enough to kill you. And even if it drives me mad, I would rather see you live in the arms of the cold, soulless bastard than die in mine.” ~ Merripen, Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas

Our own Katie delivered this gorgeous gem:

“You want me to spell it out for you, Jade? I want you. Plain and simple. To clarify, I want to make love to you until we can’t walk. I want to spend every second possible inside of you. I want everything. I want you to take my last name. For the rest of my life, I want to wake up every morning and see your face. I want you to have my children, and I want to grow old with you.” ~ David, City of Secrets by Katie Reus

Sometimes real life even gives us these moments.

“You are enthralling.”

“I feel like I have been waiting for you for a long time. I tend to think I’m very lucky these days.”

Even the movies can provide a perfect moment of romantic declaration.

"I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." ~When Harry Met Sally

There are so many great moments out there. Please share with me your favorite ones.  Help to keep my romantic heart beating.

Insert Word A into Slot B

The polls are closed. Further suggestions will not be take. The time has come. It is MAD LIBS TIME!!!!

I would like to quickly take a moment before the entertainment begins to send out a HUGE thank you to the fabulous Katie Reus for allowing me to chop up her writing. Without her, you all would have been forced to read an excerpt from my unedited WIP. Instead, we are lucky enough tonight to read a (drastically) altered excerpt from Katie's book City of Secrets. If you haven't read it, you need to! Unrequited Love and Friends to Lovers. ::sigh:: What more can you ask for?

So without further ado, pull up a chair, grab that glass of wine (or Goldschlagger), and enjoy!

He hovered THROUGH her, TWIDDLING both nipples until they were taut and BULBOUS underneath his BELLY BUTTON. "Tell me what you want," he said in her ARMPIT, GLIBLY tugging on the sensitive lobe as he GARGLED his length against her clit.

"I want you BEYOND me," she rasped, surprised she could even speak.

David DRIFTED the head of his penis in, SELF-RIGHTEOUSLY at first, but when she opened her ELBOWS wider and moved her hips to meet his, he thrust hard. She let out a tiny WOOF, and he momentarily stilled. She was wet and willing, but still STALWART. When she started grinding her body in tune with his, he gripped her TOES and began WILTING, barely containing the lust demanding to be unleashed. She was so incredibly tight he knew their first time would not be as long as he liked.

Her hands moved around to his WEIRD LITTLE SPOT BEHIND THE KNEES THAT HAS NO NAME , gripping and SINGING, as if she couldn’t get close enough to him. Her eyes might be closed, but the pleasure that played across her features filled him with pure, male APPREHENSION.

She DROOLED underneath him, eyes half closed as if drugged, and he drank in the sight of her movements, trying to memorize every inch of her HAIRY, ENGORGED form. AQUAMARINE hair pillowed around her face, over her small, WONKY PUCE
breasts, and onto the TANGERINE sheets. Jade arched her body to meet his, and he inhaled her scent. BLEACH and SANDLEWOOD surrounded him, pulling him deeper into the tangle that was pure Jade.

He wasn’t going to last long the way things were going. He was inside Jade. That thought alone almost caused him to EAT on the spot. He knew it wasn’t a dream because dreams didn’t feel this good.

Give me a...

As a child, my family moved quite often. From Chicago to Arizona, then on to Oregon. A short stint in Colorado led us right back to the Chicago area. In order to visit family, we would have to travel cross country. Sometimes we would take a plane, but often that meant a road trip. Ah, the road trip. Hours and hours and hours trapped in the back seat with my brother. My little brother. My stinky, annoying, obnoxious little brother. There were only a few things that kept all out war at bay: books, travel sized board games, and Mad Libs.

Something about Mad Libs was wildly entertaining. The sillier the word combinations, the better. When a randomly chosen noun or verb fit logically into the story, you were disappointed. It just wasn’t as much fun. Apparently, part of me is still that same 9 year old girl, because the Mad Libs have not decreased in entertainment value. These days my friends and I have been known to write our own. There was the Mad Libs story of how my best friend met her soon-to-be husband for her bridal shower. There was the raunchy erotic Mad Libs we whipped out for the bachelorette party. Add a few glasses of wine (or tequila) to that scenario and you have the makings for laughter induced tears.

Don’t believe me? Well, here is your chance to experience it first hand. Today I need your help to complete my post. By 5:30 tonight I need suggestions for the following:

2 prepositions
3 verbs ending in “-ing”
5 adjectives
body parts (3 plural, 2 singular)
2 adverbs
1 verb
3 past tense verbs
1 sound
1 emotion
3 colors
2 scents

Once I have your suggestions I will plug them into my pre-selected story excerpt and share the results. Tonight you can pour that glass of wine (or Jagermeister) and chuckle along with me.

Romance Domination!

It’s my turn? I’m in charge? You all have to do what I say? Sweet! Muah hahahaha!!!!

Ehem. So sorry. I’m not quite sure where that came from. I don’t normally crave world domination. Perhaps classroom domination. My students better believe I am the queen of all within those four walls. In the rest of my life, though, I don’t hold such strong ambitions.

But what if I could take over the world? Where would I begin? OK, sure, I could be altruistic and revamp education funding. Take money from the disgustingly wealthy and give it to the poor. Feed the hungry, house the homeless. That would all be well and good, but let’s be serious here, folks. If I held that kind of power I would grow drunk with it all. My ability to make decisions would become questionable, and I would likely come to a bad end.

Before that happened, though, it is very likely I would go the route of Doctor Frankenstein. I would attempt to engineer the perfect hero, even the perfect book. I mean, how could I resist? Taking the best characteristics from my favorite brooding Alpha men, I could create the FrankenHero. Utilizing elements from my favorite books, the FrakenRomance would be born!!!

Mmmmm... FrankenHero! What would he be like? Well, let me tell you! FrankenHero would have the brooding intensity of Derek Craven. His humor would be taken straight from Sam Donovan (Mr. Perfect). He would possess the wealth and power of Roarke (In Death series). Adam Hauptman (Mercy Thompson series) would be the source of his leadership skills. My FrankenHero would share Sam Starret’s (Troubleshooters) love of chocolate syrup and Kev Merripen’s (Seduce Me at Sunrise) undying love and devotion. His stamina would be that of a member of the BDB (as would certain anatomical proportions.) My gorgeous hero would be a cross between Gerard Butler and Richard Armitage, with the eyes of Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Once I finished creating this perfect creature you would find me, like Jayne (Firefly/Serenity) “in my bunk.”

After my FrankenHero has finally reached the end of his stamina (many days later), I would sit back and begin piecing together the FrankenRomance. Since I am a Chicago gal, it would have to be set here. Sam Donovan (Mr. Perfect) would be cast to star along with Lilith (Demon Angel). Dialogue would be written by Linda Howard. Suzanne Brockmann would write the action scenes. Elizabeth Hoyt could pen any sex scenes that include a chair. I suppose we need an antagonist. I will call in Patricia Briggs for that one. Her vamps are creepy as hell and you truly feel her “bad guys” are Bad. Cameo appearances would be made by Cam Rohan, Jessica Trent, Colin Ames Beaumont, Mercy Thompson, and Jules Cassidy. There would be tension and intrigue, steamy sex and emotional depth. It would be mine!

Power drunk and satiated, I would lay back and see what I had created, and it would be good. I would be able to do no more. My work would be done, and so I pass the baton to you. It is your turn. Tell me about your FrankenRomance. Share with me your FrankenHero, but guard him well, else he may suddenly disappear. If you need me, I’ll be in my bunk.

My devious plan for domination... sort of

As my werewolf lover, Adam, and I top the raise of the highest hill on the DIK island we spy in the distance a small land formation. Not quite large enough to be considered an island and far from paradise upon which we all live. Rough rocks are battered with waves as the wind beats at it’s shores. Our protected cove seems worlds away from this barren landscape. As my eyes linger on the desolate vista a kernel of an idea is planted in my brain. During the walk back to our cabana (Adam lovingly carries me over the more challenging terrain) the idea begins to grow. Our island is populated with the best of the best: books, heroes, and friends. But what of those things we wish never to see again? Those things that want to pull out your hair as you bang your head against the wall? For those items I present to you Exile Island.
Upon Exile Island you may cast the hero or heroine you wish had never been. You can exile a book, movie, song, musician, pal who covets your hero and plots evilly against you.... ehem. The exile need not be permanent, but it can be if the item/character/person offends your sensibilities that much.



So let me start this out. I have cast upon Exile Island the following:

- Kenny G ::shudder::
- the novella in On The Prowl written by Sunny
- canned peas
- excessive use of the Big Mis
- and if certain DIK residents don’t stop plotting against me and Adam I may consider sending you there, as well!!!

So what else should we send off to Exile Island? You can determine if it deserves a permanent stay or a temporary one. Go ahead, you know you want to. :)

The menz

Heroes. They are the element of a book (particularly romance) that makes it worth reading. As I mentioned in my previous post, I love the actiony bits, but without a hero that I can root for and fall for, I wouldn't care who comes out the winner in the over the top battle royale. A romance novel with a bad heroine is annoying. A romance novel with a bad hero is not worth finishing. We love the men, their struggles, their emotions and reactions. Whether you are an Alpha lovin' girl or are diggin' on the Beta man, you know the hero is the backbone of a book.

So what makes a good hero? I'm sure each one of us could answer that question and come up with a slightly different answer. Our real life heroes may differ widely from the heroes we desire between the pages of a book. For me, a hero needs to be strong. Not just physically (although, that is very nice), but he must possess a strength of character. He should be attractive, or at least attractive to the heroine (hey, read for escapism, the menz should be hot!) Funny earns him bonus points. Passionate, intelligent, sexy, confident... you know the list. Actually, listing it all off makes me think of the personal ads you see on Craig's List. SWM iso... Hmmmm.... what if my heroes had personal ads. Of course none of them would write one for themselves. They are far too manly/busy/sophisticated/etc. to ever do something like that. But what if one of their friends were to write one for them? Well, some of them might look something like this:



Sam Starrett (Troubleshooter series/Suzanne Brockmann)

SWCowboy type, sexy, passionate, rough around the edges, take charge, inventive, gorgeous. ISO SF who is strong, sexy, an amazing shot, willing to put up with bone head behavior until I realize how damn much I love you. Well traveled to dangerous locales. My buddies will love you, but not nearly as much as I will.




Adam Hauptman (Moon Called/Patricia Briggs)

SWMW(erewolf) tall, brn/brn, attractive, strong leader, protective, father of teen, financially secure, mature. ISO SW(pain in the ass)F (preferably a skin walker), who is independent, able to work with her hands, enjoys a large family community, not easily scared, takes initiative. May need to withstand informal testing before members of "family" accept her.










Capt. Malcom Reynolds (Firefly & Serenity)

Space Cowboy looking for his lifetime Companion. Reluctant Big Damn Hero who is rough around the edges, skirts the law, and is loyally devoted to his crew wants an elegant, sophisticated, woman to be his Ambassador through space. Should know how to serve tea and shoot a cross bow. Ties to the Alliance are a deal breaker. Please be patient as I will deny out attraction to all and sundry, but know that you spin me about.







Sam Donovan (Mr. Perfect/Linda Howard)

Mr. Perfect iso his Mrs. Perfect. She must be feisty, a little bit crazy, a lot sarcastic, a risk taker, lose her head over cars, and realize I am a cop, not a druggie. I am hot, sexy, passionate, attractive, comfortable with my body (tend to walk around my house naked), dedicated, will bow at your feet if you have a vintage Shelbey, and will wash you car (and you) thoroughly.



Izzy Teague (Code Name series/Christina Skye)

SBM, Denzel Washington look-a-like, mysterious, intelligent, a whiz with all thing technology, mysterious, confident, strong, did I mention mysterious? ISO... not sure yet. Will know her when I see her.










I also have Max Bahgat and Stan Wolchonok in my cabana. What do you think should go in their personals ad?

The DIK is MINE!!!

Shannon here. Sorry it has taken so long for me to post. The Internet is not my friend. I have been leery about heading out to Starbucks to use their connect, but was worried about being banned for looking at porn. Not that that has happened to anyone we know ;) So here I am at my artsy fartsy tea house using their free wi-fi and sharing the pictures of half naked menz with the gal working the counter. Man, I love this place! You all, on the other hand, will have to wait another day for the hot menz.

Since today is my first day in control of the DIK blog I will share with you all my reasons for choosing my six books. Terribly unique, I know, but there ya go. I jumped on the DIK ship after the first gals started it up. I was a castaway. This actually worked in my favor. You ladies who had chosen before me had made some damn fine choices. This meant that those books were already on the island and since we were sharing I would get to read them. I was able to fill in the blanks, so to speak. I tried to pick a variety of books from different genre. I do notice now looking at the list that most have action or suspense of some sort. I don't like to be scared, but give an edge of your seat actiony plot line and I am hooked.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Moon Called is the first book in a series centered around Mercy Thompson, a skin walker VW mechanic. She is smart, funny, tough, and a bit of a loner. She can kick butt if she has to, but would really rather be left alone. She does not have to be the hero or the center of attention. She would prefer if all the politics of the supernatural world would just leave her the heck alone!Briggs has created in Mercy the holy grail, a character that readers connect to, who they feel they could know in real life, who they would love to be friends with. She is a normal person who just happens to be able to turn into a coyote at will. The world that Briggs has created is believable: current day in Washington state where werewolves, vampires, and fae live secretly along side humans. The characters and their relationships make this book fantastic. Mercy and Adam. Mercy and Samuel. Mercy and Zee. Adam and his daughter. Bran and everyone. The interactions between Adam and Mercy (the teasing, the banter, the taunting) reveals a fabulous dynamic with loads of potential. Their relationship is not the center of the book, but an underlying thread woven throughout not just Moon Called, but future books, as well. This book and the ones that follow give you huge helpings of character development, action, tension, world building, a great voice, supernatural fun and just damn good reading. This is a great book (and series) to bring a romance reader into the Urban Fantasy world.

Over the Edge by Suzanne Brockmann

I am a Brockmann fangirl. I heart the Troubleshooter. Seriously! I can't talk about her or the books without squeeing at least a little bit. I knew when I hopped on the DIK train that I would have to include on of her books. All of the books (of which there are many) feature Alpha heroes of the first order. It was a difficult choice, but Over the Edge made the final cut. Why? Well, let me tell you. Brockmann has a knack for building characters and even relationship over the course of a number of books. Without reading those previous books, you miss out a bit on what makes the hero or couple so special. Readers have already committed to him/them. OtE is almost self-contained in that there is little to no "pre-building" to Stan and Terri's relationship. It all happens between the covers of the book. Secondly, there is Stan. Oh, Stan. He is Alpha, yet not. He is the best sort of Alpha: a hero who would lay down his life for the woman he loves, yet is strong enough to step back and let her be her own person. Stan is strong, a little quiet, sensitive, completely and utterly devoted, sexy, compelling, and yet totally unaware of how amazing he is. I love a good Alpha hero, but will admit that if I met most of them in real life I would not want them. They are great fantasies. Stan is the kind of Alpha man you would want in real life. Then we have Terri who is the perfect partner for Stan. She is strong, courageous, head over heals for Stan. She can't understand why he is unable to see how wonderful he is. As if that all weren't enough, this book gives you the best installment of the Sam/Alyssa story arch (not counting their own book.) We get to see just how much Sam loves her. We get to see just how torn Alyssa is about her attraction to him. We get the chocolate syrup scene. Oh, and how could I forget that this book introduces us to the Max/Gina story arch. ::sigh:: God, I love this book!

Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard

As I said, I am a sucker for the Alpha hero and Linda Howard sure gives us a good one. If Sam were a real man I would make sure to buy the house next door to him. I think he may be my Mr. Perfect. I just can't say enough about this hero. You all must read the book. If I start squeeing here I may not stop. He hits all the right buttons: Alpha, smart ass sense of humor, cop, does his own home improvements, sexy, gorgeous, protective, proud of his woman when she sticks up for herself, willing to commit. Jaine is the one heroine that I read and often think "That's me!" Her smart ass responses and her friends just seem to hit the bulls eye with me. I didn't think of it when we answered our questions in the beginning of this blog, but Jaine is definitely the heroine I am most like. (Which makes me think that the real life Sam needs to find me RIGHT NOW.) This book is classic early LH. Is ranks up there with After the Night. You get action and romance along side each other. Suspense, humor, romance, smexin, and friendship all balance each other for a very satisfying read.

The Bride and the Beast by Teresa Medeiors

One thing I am a sucker for is the Beauty and the Beast plot line. The tortured soul of the beast (he can be unattractive or handsome if the author is good.) The inner beauty of the heroine who can see beyond the surface. This book combines this tried and true plot device with the Ugly Duckling scenario. I am not a huge fan of historicals, but this is one I turn to again and again. Bernard is draw to Gwendolyn even though he knows he should leave her alone. Despite the vicious facade, she want to reach out to this hurting, shadowy figure. Her goodness soothes him. He nurtures in her an inner strength and confidence she had previously lacked. There is intrigue and secrets, including his true identity. I know there are better written books with more original plots, but there is just something that draws me back to this book repeatedly. So sweet.

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Australian author Garth Nix did not write this book with the young adult audience in mind, but the age of the protagonist (late teens) has landed it in the YA section of book stores in America. Nix has the most amazing capacity for world building. Dark, dangerous, lush, barren, full of magic and monsters. He develops the world with language that is neither too sparse nor overly flowery. Sabriel, the main character, is a necromancer. She is able to cross over into the land of the dead and call people up to question them. She works mainly to return the dead to where they belong. This is classic fantasy. She is a hero(ine) on an epic journey and mission. It has been a number of years since I have read the book, but I can still bring to my mind images and places described in the book. The writing is among the best I have read in YA fiction. I wish I could tell all of my students to read this book and the other two in the trilogy, but the material could be considered objectionable to some of their parents (raising the dead is not something some parents want their children reading.) So instead I tell all of my adult friends to read these books. So consider yourself told!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

OK, I figured we needed at least one HP book on the island. Of all the books PoA is still one of my favorites. It brings us my favorite secondary characters: Lupin and Sirius. The relationship between Harry and Lupin, and what Lupin teaches him, sets Harry on the path towards his destiny. This was a strong installment in the series with fun twists and turns.

Man, I wrote way more than I though I would. Such a blabber mouth. I will stop... for now. I should probably start working on tomorrow's post. If so, it might actually get up on the blog before dinner time.

About Me featuring Shannon M.

Our next wonderful DIK lady is Shannon!

Shannon lives in Chicago where, when she's not busy with teacher stuff (haha), she spends way too much time reading and thinking about cooking. She says she doesn't actually do much real cooking these days, but boy does she think about it! Now that summer vacation has begun she'll start doing more cooking, and TONS more reading. Shannon also believes that should Dwayne Johnson even meet her he would agree that she is perfect and swoop her up in those amazing arms of his. (of course he would...just look at them!)

Favorite Reading Position
snuggled up criss-cross legs on my big purple arm chair with the pup on one side and the cat on my legs

Best love song
I Want to Grow Old With You by Adam Sandler (The Wedding Singer)

If you could be in one book/series/world which would you pick
For the utter manliness, the BDB world. For the cool things I could do, the Harry Potter world.

Author everyone loves but you don't
Laurell K. Hamilton

How old is your inside voice
13 years old, and I swear it is male. I still laugh at dumb jokes.

Favorite sex song
Closer by NIN

What heroine would you like to be
Mercedes Thompson

Boxers, Briefs, boxer briefs, kilt (I say we add commando)
boxers. It's a classic look.

What heroine is most like you
Jane Gregg from "See Jane Date" (While more of a "Chick Lit" novel than romance, I could completely identify with Jane when I read it: late 20's, single, great supportive friends, living in a big city, going on a string of bad dates, determinedly optimistic. Now I feel as though I am Jane a few years older.)

What hero would you like to be your significant other
Make him straight, and I want Jules Cassidy.

If you were stuck on a desert island what 3 things would you bring
books, sunscreen, and chocolate

Favorite drink to bring to the DIK party
Hazelnut Kahlua and cream

You can visit Shannon here or at her blog What Women Read.