Hockey Book – Page 3

05.25.2013 Carina Press, Hockey, Hockey Book, Los Angeles Kings

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

I have loved hockey romance since reading Rachel Gibson’s See Jane Score in 2003. I have loved almost all her Chinook series books. I loved feeling like I was seeing behind-the-scenes of the sport, a sport about which at the time I knew absolutely nothing. It didn’t matter. I still loved and enjoyed those books.

And now I’m about to be on the author side of hockey romance because Carina Press wants to publish HARD TO RESIST! No. Scratch that. They want my hockey book PLUS the second hockey book I haven’t even written yet!

Fist pump.

They want to develop a marketing plan for my hockey romance series. Yeah, baby. That’s what I’m talking about. I have begun to daydream about Julia Quinn Bridgerton Series type success.

Photo by ME. This was taken when I went to a Kings practice at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. I had an absolute blast. At the time I had a hard time identifying the players because I didn’t know them by number. If I went today, it would be a completely different story. I know my boys.

And by the way, they’re still in the running for the Stanley Cup. Sunday is Game 6 against the San Jose Sharks. I can’t wait.

05.21.2013 Carina Press, Hockey Book

Living in Limbo

On April 7, I participated in #CarinaPitch. This was a one-day Twitter event that allowed authors to pitch their books to Carina Press editors using a maximum of 2 tweets. It was a blast. I pitched my hockey romance, HARD TO RESIST, the first in a series about the fictional NHL team, the San Diego Barracudas.

My 2 tweet pitch read:

#CarinaPitch NHL News: Nurse accosted by irate fan while in line for an autograph. San Diego Barracuda Tim Stockdale defends her.

Stockdale after the fight, “You don’t treat women that way. Ever.” #CarinaPitch #HockeyRomance

To my delight, three editors requested to see the manuscript, Mallory Braus, Melissa Johnson, and Angela James. After a crazy weekend spent polishing the book, I submitted it.

Now, only ten more days remain until the purported deadline to hear from Carina about my hockey book, HARD TO RESIST. I really have no idea if this is a valid deadline. It’s more like I heard a rumor about a rumor that the editors will get back to us by the end of May.

I have been hard at work on a second hockey book, tentatively titled HARD BODY. It was going to be a short novella, but now it looks as if it may actually be Book 2 in the Barracuda series. The characters had more to say than I had anticipated.

Photo by Prilfish (cc)

05.19.2013 Hockey, Hockey Book, Los Angeles Kings, Silliness, Terms of Endearment

Terms of Endearment #10

Leaner – (n.) Filling a trash can or similar container with water, leaning it up against the door of a teammate’s hotel room, knocking, and running for the hills.

Hockey players can be nothing more than little boys with facial hair. This is something I really adore, if you want to know the truth. In this hockey series I’m writing, you will see many examples of this. Some might look at this type of behavior as immature. Sure it is. No argument there. But I also think it’s funny as hell. I love practical jokes.

So do Los Angeles Kings players, Dustin Penner and Mike Richards. Dustin is a very funny man. He has no problem laughing at himself, as is evident from the following Twitter conversation he had with Richards.

Penner posted this picture and tweeted: Do not try and steam clean your dress shirt w/out making sure the shower/tub combo drain is open. #housekeeping.

Richards: @DustinPenner25 ever hear of an iron?

Penner: @MRichie_10 Stay out of this Rick! This is between me and the tub. Also don’t open your door #leaner

Richards: @DustinPenner25 I actually just walked out of my room and the water has made its way in front of my door. Leaner not needed.

I. Love. This.

I hope readers like it too because this is exactly the kind of manly stuff I’m trying to show in my books. I hope it shows the friendship and camaraderie between the teammates, their senses of humor, their humility, their sense of fun.

01.20.2013 Hockey, Hockey Book

Disappointing Start

Today was the Season Opener for hockey. The Los Angeles Kings are the reigning (ha!!!) champs. I loved watching the raising of the banner and the championship ring distribution before the game. You could tell some of the players were all like, “Let’s get this over with so we can PLAY!”

I wish they’d let someone else sing the National Anthem. It’s always the same chick, Pia Someone.

Unfortunately, the Kings lost to the Blackhawks, 5-2. Alas, Quickie (our goaltender) wasn’t quite quick enough today. I DID get the replica banner, though. My husband went to the game and gave it to me. 😀 Yay!