I’ve been chugging away nicely on the first book in the 2017 Jersey Girl Bridesmaid Series, tentatively titled SINCE WE WERE 18. I don’t normally pick an actor that I think would look like the hero, although I generally have a very good sense of the physical attributes of the hero (and heroine, of course). To be honest, I like to leave a lot to your imagination!
This time, I’m going to share a photo of someone who I think fits my general concept of the hero, sexy billionaire Jackson (Jax) Pierce
Today’s Man Candy choice is handsome Dylan McDermott. I first noticed Dylan in STEEL MAGNOLIAS and later in the first American Horror Story (which I could not keep on watching ’cause it creeped me out!)
The biggest difference between Dylan and my hero is that Jax has dark grey eyes shot through with shards of silver.
A lot of writers will tell you they have a playlist of songs in their head as they are creating their story.
Not me. I’m totally into the stories and characters on their own and it isn’t until after that I can match up songs with them.
For sure that’s the story with JUST ONE NIGHT, my contribution to the ONE NIGHT ONLY #Erotic #Romance anthology.
The initial inspiration for Jase, the hero in the story, came from my days at Villanova and awareness of the ROTC program there. It was always lovely to see the men and women in dress uniforms on campus and at other events.
The Jersey Shore location is thanks to my love of that area, but also because I grew up close to the water and spent a lot of time at the beach. I remember driving to Jones Beach, listening to the Beach Boys and later as a teen, to songs like this one by Don Henley. Actually, this is probably my anthem for my days on the shore and Jase is definitely a “Boy of Summer” for the heroine, Nicole.
Thanks to all of you who have been participating in the AMAZON AWAKENING release party! Woo Hoo! It’s so nice to have you coming to visit.
It’s Guilty Pleasure Monday and I’ve got not one, but two Guilty Pleasures – Benjamin Bratt and Sofia Vergara.
Why these two you might wonder? Well, if I was going to cast Rey Peralta and Paola Lopes from AMAZON AWAKENING, these are the two actors I’d pick to play the leads.
I loved Benjamin in his role as Rey Curtis on LAW AND ORDER and as Sandra Bullock’s partner and romantic interest in MISS CONGENIALITY. He is sooo sexy! I can totally picture him as Rey, guiding Paola through the Amazon rainforest to the Sacred Space he is honor-bound to protect.
As for Sofia Vergara, so beautiful and so funny. I love her in MODERN FAMILY. She is such a hoot. It would be interesting to see if she could play the very serious and complex role of Paola, a woman who has family issues and is not sure if she should take up the mantle left empty by her father’s death and being passed to her by her grandmother’s illness.
Tomorrow I’ll have some pictures for you of what Rey’s luscious bedroom might look like in AMAZON AWAKENING. Take a moment to visit the photo album today. See if you can pick out which bedroom I would choose for Rey and Paola to share and let me know by posting your comment to earn some points.
On Wednesday I’ll be visiting the Romance Book Craze Blog where you can leave some more comments to earn points!
Finally, something very special is happening this Thursday 13. I will have my dear friend and fellow author Melinda Leigh here to talk about her debut bestselling romantic suspense novel, SHE CAN RUN. Melinda will also be offering up the chance to win a KINDLE!
Hope you all had a nice weekend.
Benjamin Bratt Photo Credit: Frank Kovalchek
Sofia Vergara Photo Credit: Keith Hinkle
Subtitle: Why it’s important to pick a gun you can handle.
I often write stories with kick-ass heroines who need to use pistols in their line of work. When deciding what kinds of pistols they are going to use, I ask myself the following:
1. Are they big women with big hands? Men can use larger weapons, but women will generally need guns that are smaller, lighter and more compact. Smaller guns will usually also have less recoil (and if you’re wondering why that’s important, take a moment to watch the video at the end of this blog!). In addition, a smaller gun will allow your trigger finger to reach the trigger which sometimes is difficult with a bigger weapon.
2. Is the woman physically strong in general? If the woman is athletic with good hand/grip strength, she might be able to handle an automatic weapon which sometimes requires you to move back a slide on the top of a weapon in order to clear a jam. The slide has a very strong spring and a weaker woman may not have have the strength to budge it. If that’s the case, consider using a revolver for your heroine. It’s easier to load and if for some reason one of the bullets does not fire, a pull on the trigger will advance the chamber to the next round.
3. Where will the weapon be kept? If it is being stored in a behind the back or shoulder holster and your gun has a hammer, that might not be such a problem. If the pistol is being kept in a purse and has a hammer, the hammer may snag on items in the purse. If the gun will be kept in an ankle holster, you will probably need smaller model, like a Glock 26, also known as a Baby Glock.
4. Also consider whether the gun is bulky or has a low profile. When undercover, you do not want a large gun that will be obvious and scream “COP!”
5. You also need to consider the situations in which the weapon will be used. The first situation is one where you will require a lot of take down/knock down power. This refers to how much damage the bullet will do – in other words how efficiently it will take down your attacker so they won’t come back at you. .45 caliber weapons are quite effective at this, but remember #1 above about the size of the gun. It might be too hard to handle.
6. In a situation where there is a risk of collateral damage, your heroine may decide to change out her normal rounds with hollow-point bullets. Such bullets do a lot of damage on a human body, but because the bullet expands upon entering a target, it does not penetrate armor or walls very well. That makes it great for avoiding collateral damage.
Hope this information on picking a hand gun for your heroine was helpful. We’ll discuss rifles and shotguns some other day as well as different kinds of guns you may wish to use in your stories. After all, the weapons your hero chooses will make an impression on your reader.
But now, back to that pesky recoil issue. Sit back and get a gander of what happens when recoil gets the best of you!
If you can’t see the videos below, click on this link or cut and paste this link into your browser:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=girl+%26+gun+%26+recoil&aq=f
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SINS OF THE FLESH
November 2009 – Grand Central Publishing
Caterina Shaw’s only chance for survival is a highly experimental gene therapy – a risk she willingly takes. Now Caterina has new, terrifying powers and she’s been accused of a savage murder, sending her on the run. Mick Carrera is a mercenary and expert at capturing elusive prey. Yet the woman he’s hunting is wounded, vulnerable, and a mystery of medical science. Caterina’s innocent sensuality tempts Mick to show her how thrilling pleasure can be. The heat that builds between them is irresistible, but surrendering to it could kill them both.
Want to find out a little more about SINS OF THE FLESH? Click on the links below to get a Behind the Scenes look at some of the locations in the novel as well as read some free excerpts!
Awakening the Beast
October 2009
Silhouette Nocturne
A collection of sexy Nocturne Bites featuring:
Honor Calls, Return of the Beast, Mortal Enemy, Immortal Lover, Claws of the Lynx and Wilderness by Caridad Pineiro, Lisa Renee Jones, Olivia Gates, Linda O. Johnston and Barbara J. Hancock