Kate Willoughby

USA Today Bestselling Author

Eye Candy, Hockey, Los Angeles Kings

I Love Hockey! (Not a Surprise)

I am an avid hockey fan. (Sometimes it’s interesting to remember that “fan” is short for “fanatic.”) I may not understand all the ins and outs of the game orwhat all the stats mean, but I love watching the game. I love reading about players. Most of all, I love following “my” team, the two time Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings.

I thought I would share my “Because…Hockey!” Pinterest board because there’s a lot of great stuff there. If you’re not a hockey fan, you could probably stand to skip it.

On the other hand, there are more studly men there.

With puppies.

Hockey, LA Kings, Los Angeles Kings

Prediction


I just wanted to go on record with my prediction that the Los Angeles Kings will earn their third Stanley Cup this season. They’re not doing so well at the moment, but we’ve seen that before. The LA Kings have slumped in December before, only to come back swinging, focused and unrelenting. This is their MO. You don’t see them play their best hockey until their backs are to the wall.

I BELIEVE.

All The Kings Men, Hockey, Jeff Carter, Los Angeles Kings, Podcasts, Promotions, Tanner Pearson, The Royal Half, Tyler Toffoli

I Lost My Podcast Virginity

The Royal Half and All the Kings Men are two powerhouses in the Los Angeles Kings community and I have long been a fan of their work. They are masters of GIFs and graphics and their wit is well-known to LA Kings fans like me.

In fact, if you heard the TV announcers talk about “That 70s Line”–Jeff Carter (#77), Tyler Toffoli (#73), and Tanner Pearson (#70)–that nickname was coined by The Royal Half on their blog.

See what I mean about their graphics? Hilarious.

Anyway, recently they asked if I would agree to an interview on their podcast. I was terrified to do it. What if they made fun of me, my books and/or the romance genre? Hockey fans are hardcore. I envisioned myself being a babbling, incoherent mess and condemned to knowing that anyone could download my meltdown from iTunes and have themselves a laugh riot.

However, I knew that this was a fantastic opportunity for promotion. I hoped that any embarrassment I felt would be offset by a few sales. Surely there were some readers amongst those combined 17,000 Twitter followers who might enjoy reading an escapist hockey romance.

It turned out to be totally fun. I did stumble some and ramble a lot. At one point I forgot my point and had to admit I had no idea where I was going, but while I didn’t ace it by any long shot of the imagination, I didn’t crash and burn. The guys–there were three of them, so my first foursome!–were gentlemen and very respectful. I actually adored their nervous laughter when we started talking about the sex scenes. And my sales got a very respectable bump that week.

Thank you, The Royal Half and All the Kings Men. You guys rock.

Without further ado, here is Episode 381, Kate Willoughby.

Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Hockey, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Stanley Cup

Three Musical Tributes to the Kings

Last spring, I rewrote the lyrics to “My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music, adapting it to the Kings’ situation in the Playoffs. I had a lot of fun writing it. When I tweeted “My Favorite Kings,” Patrick O’Neal, color man for Kings Live for Fox Sports West, liked it and told me he sang it. I was thrilled!

My Favorite Kings
 (To be sung to the tune from the Sound of Music)
Shots stopped and gloves dropped and sweet empty netters
Stanley Cup patches on LA Kings’ sweaters
Brownie our Captain, a cunning Right Wing
These are a few of my favorite things.
Both Jons in goal on the road to the Playoffs
Richards and Stolly both winning the face-offs
Jake in the box for a hit with some sting
These are a few of my favorite things.
When the Shark bites
When the Hawk strikes
When it’s looks like war
I simply remember my favorite Kings
Will capture the Cup once more!
Foxy and Evans, O’Neal and Miller
Shorthanded goals made by penalty killers
Number eleven, that nimble Slovene
These are a few of my favorite things.
Pucks cleared and Pens’ beard and multiple hat tricks
Power plays gained off of somebody’s high stick
Nolan and Clifford both taking a swing
These are a few of my favorite things
When you lose teeth
When your team’s beat
When it’s looks like war
I simply remember my favorite Kings
Will capture the Cup once more!
Men in black jerseys who kick ass and take names
Road trips that finish a series in four games
Carts on a break’way: my heart starts to sing
These are a few of my favorite things
Lewy and Dewy, a match made in heaven
Clogging the lanes we see “old” number seven
Days with Lord Stanley and Tiffany rings
These are a few of my favorite things
When your skull cracks
When your knee’s whacked
When it’s looks like war
I simply remember my favorite Kings

Will capture the Cup once more!

I wrote a second song this spring about the San Jose Sharks, to the tune of “When You’re a Jet” from Westside Story. I liked the upbeat tempo, compared to the sort of melancholy tone of the first tune. This song was strong and masculine with an in your face attitude.

A Sharky version of “When You’re a Jet” Westside Story
When you’re a Shark
And the Kings come to town
Gonna choke, gonna fall,
Goin’ all the way down.
When you’re a Shark
You are destined to lose
It’s no walk in the park
You’ll be payin’ your dues.
You’re hardly a threat,
Your shots will be deflected.
You’re weak in the net:
When the Cup’s given out,
You’ll be neglected!
Then you’ll be done
With a capital D,
Say hello to the greens.
Put your ball on the tee.
When you’re a Shark,

You stay a Shark!

I didn’t get much of a response to that. I’m thinking, as a woman in her fifties, my taste in musicals is too old and few of my followers had even heard of that song/movie/play.

This time, I decided to choose a song from Grease, which is somewhat newer. Anyway, here’s what’s going on in the Stanley Cup Final right this moment, in song. If you know the tune “Summer Nights,” I hope you’ll enjoy it. If you don’t know the song, you should probably just skip this. LOL


The Run for the Cup
(sing to the tune of “Summer Nights” from Grease)
It’s the Playoffs, had us a blast.
Yeah, the Playoffs, happened so fast.
First to beat…San Jose Sharks
But they’re tough. No walk in the park.
San Jose, determined to win,
Saying we should all “fear the fin.”
Well-a, well-a well-a, huh.
Did they choke? Did they choke? Did they lose to the Kings?
Did they choke? Did they choke? Lose their chance for a ring?
Sharks played hard, they took the lead.
Won three games, were poised to succeed.
Then the Kings turned on the jets
Crushed ‘em hard. Put the pucks in the net.
Shamed them all so they’ll never stand tall,
But uh-oh, next up is the Ducks.
Wella, wella wella, huh.
Tell me more, tell me more, did the Ducks show their “might?”
Tell me more, tell me more, did they put up a fight?
Teemu tried, tried real hard
To beat Quickie, get past his guard.
Getzy, Perry, Koivu did too,
But they failed and couldn’t break through.
Playoff drive kept us alive
But uh-oh, the Blackhawks are next.
Wella, wella wella, huh.
‘Hawks are rough, ‘Hawks are tough. Can the Kings beat that team?
Is the Cup in ’14 nothing but a pipe dream?
Saad and Shaw, Toewsy and Kane
Brought Kings players nothing but pain
Tied with three games, only one more…
Kings prevail! Martinez scores!
Four more games, the Cup to reclaim
But the Rangers are ready to fight.
Wella, wella wella, huh.
“They’re so great! They’re so quick! They’re Original Six.”
We don’t care. We’re LA! Really don’t give a shit.
(slower)

Here we are, three games to none.
We’re determined to finish the run.
Thinking back, it’s hard to conceive
We could win, if we all just BELIEVE!
With the Cup,
once just isn’t enough.
This is it, Stanley needs to come

(deep breath for the big finish)

Hooooommmmeee!

Time to score, time to score, time to scooooooore!!!

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