Skatin' Legs

Ahh the siren's call of spring. It took its time this year, but finally, we got a nearly 70 degree day. Most people might hear chirping birds or trees swaying in the breeze. I hear a little voice saying, "Skating...go skating."

Remember the scene from On the Fly when Jacey rollerblades around her neighborhood? I've got a public park pathway just like that, and when it's warm enough, you'll find me there. I don't just talk the talk. I can skate the skate. The problem is, the need is so ingrained in me that I always go when it's still not quite warm enough. It really needs to be 72 before I can skate and not get a raw throat and a cough that lasts the rest of the day. I know this. I re-discover it every year. And yet...I'm powerless against the call. You know how some people have dancin' feet? I've got skatin' legs.

They don't give me any choice. They're addicted to the power of gracefully dodging pedestrians. It's kind of like flying without leaving the ground.

You'll notice I wear hockey skates :) This isn't just for the coolness factor. The harder boots provide more ankle support so I can skate my 9 to 12 miles at a time. Today? I was lucky to do 6. It takes some warming up. And sure enough, I got the cough. Every spring I tell myself I'll know better next time, but once I hear the little voice, I'm a lost cause. The legs want what the legs want.

Sneak Peek Sunday

Happy Easter!

It's time for Sneak Peek Sunday again thanks to: http://www.sneakpeeksunday.blogspot.com/2013/03/sneakpeeksunday-3312013.html

Here's a snippet from On the Fly, available now at any e-book retailer :) This is just after a stolen kiss.

She stepped away for good measure and looked around to make sure no one had been watching. Relief almost took out her knees when she saw the cameras were pointed at the dance floor. 

“Are you insane?” 

Carter leaned one hand on the wall, trying to catch his own breath. “Folie à deux,” he  

panted with a pointed look. 

A madness shared by two. Appropriate. 

“Don’t you quip at me in French right now.”

Glow Horns Giveaway!

In case you missed mention of the giveaway, I'm picking five lucky readers to win a pair of Sinners glow horns like those mentioned in On the Fly. To score a pair of these babies...

Drop me an email at ken9002@setonhill.edu with your favorite scene from the book by April 8th. I'll get in touch with the winners by the next day. Good luck, and thanks for reading!

Mad About Madden a.k.a. Brotherly Love

Many readers of On the Fly have told me how much they love Madden, Jacey’s brother, and that he should have his own book. Don’t worry; he will! The second novel in the Sinners series focuses on Reese, the goalie, and it looks like the third book will belong to Dylan Cole, the rookie, but Madden is in my mental pipeline. I love him too! And in case you were curious, this is how I pictured him:

I want to give credit where credit is due and explain my inspiration for him. I have two younger brothers, both in their mid 20s, whom I adore. If you read Madden and liked his loyalty, dedication, protective instincts and love for his sister, you should know those qualities came from my own brothers. They are supportive, extraordinary men, and I’m proud and lucky to be their sister.

Madden’s pitfalls are all his own, but that side of him was inspired by the character, Harry, from the TV show Tru Calling. I wanted to capture that charming but sometimes deceptive personality because I knew it could get into some major league trouble in Las Vegas. Madden was an interesting character to me because he could appear very selfish while at the same time be this vulnerable, sweet guy capable of deep love and commitment. That’s something he’ll have to work toward, but his journey will be a fulfilling one.

In the mean time, I hope you enjoy getting to know a little more of the team and the women strong enough to keep them in check!

Very Superstitious...Writing's on the Yogurt Lid

I write about hockey players. In my research, I’ve been around a few, and I know how superstitious they can be. I have some fun with that in my books. All the while, I never put much stock in it until I sat back and realized how many superstitions I have. I’m twenty-nine. How did I just come to the realization that I’m superstitious? I was reflecting on yesterday and found myself saying, “My yogurt lied to me.”

I should give you some context for this. You know how some people read tea leaves after they drink a cup? The design of leaves on the bottom makes some kind of prophetic symbol. I have yogurt every morning, and when I peel back the lid, I look for an image. This is also kind of like looking for pictures in the clouds or breakfast meets Rorschach. I realize it’s probably just a reflection of my own brain, but I still look for those tiny pictures. I usually see a heart or lobster claw, which is another symbol for heart to me and not because I like seafood. Long story. Anyway, if I see a symbol on my yogurt lid, I expect my day to reflect it. This rarely happens, but I still expect it.

So the yogurt got me thinking…what else do I do?

There are a few sets of numbers that have special meaning for me. Mostly addresses and birthdays. If I see those numbers come up on a clock, I have to watch until the minute passes. In that minute, I think a good thought regarding the person attached to the numbers.

I make wishes on stray eyelashes, dandelion fluff, pennies, birthday candles, and necklace clasps that slide down in front, and I don’t disclose those wishes because then they wouldn’t come true.

And yet, I manage to function in everyday society. Maybe on some small level, these things help me function. I’m a Type A personality all the way. I can only “go with the flow” on a lazy river ride, and even then I’m probably brainstorming book ideas. In a chaotic, unpredictable world, control can be hard to come by. If these little superstitions help me feel like I have some sway in cosmic events, that’s good, right? All of a sudden, I understand my heroes a little better J

What superstitions do you have?

Vegas Girl

Ever get a lightbulb moment at an inopportune time? Whenever the temperature is above freezing and nothing is coming down from the sky, I get my butt to the park to walk 3 miles. To make this pleasant, I listen to music. I do this for my health and because I like to bounce to pop music for an hour, but occasionally, it also helps generate ideas. That's what happened today.

I had just loaded a new song onto my iPod, so I put it on first. I've heard this song before several times. In fact, I picked it because it's called Vegas Girl, and my book series is set in Las Vegas. It's upbeat and fun. For some reason, when I heard it today, everything clicked in my brain. It's the perfect song to be playing when my fictional "dance team" puts on a show between hockey periods.

In On the Fly, the first book in the series, I had a pretty good time poking fun and rolling my eyes at the idea of cheerleaders in hockey. I made them kind of a joke. Well, listening to Vegas Girl and being able to see the routine in my head, I wanted to bust some moves right there in the park. I refrained, but the giant, Ah-ha! smile on my face probably confused some people.

Being able to see the routine fired off a what-if domino trail in my mind. How could I incorporate that into my current book, Full Strength? My heroine is the team's sports psychologist. What if a dancer stopped by her office and asked if she could have a session? What if when the dancer walked in, my heroine, Allie, happened to be dancing around her office because she wasn't expecting anyone? What if, after a helpful talk, the dancer asked Allie to join the team for practice one night? What if Allie went, had a blast, and my hero happened to see?

All this flew by in my head in less than a minute. I was so excited about it, I wrote myself a text message and saved the draft so I wouldn't forget by the end of my walk. So through my second heroine, Allie, I've decided to embrace the cheerleaders--er...dance team--my Lady Sinners. And all because of this song :)

Happy Valentines Day from Jacey and Carter!

This scene isn't in On the Fly. It's just my idea of how my hero and heroine would spend V-Day :)

            Hunched over her desk, the end of a pen between her teeth and Michael Buble crooning over her stereo, Jacey stared at long list of press requests and PR opportunities. The abbreviated season didn’t just mean a game every other day. It meant squeezing in all of the usual public team events into a tighter schedule too. Despite the soothing music, her nerves were shot, so when Madden opened the door and strode in, she nearly jumped out of her skin. The pen clattered to the floor, and she pressed a hand over her heart.

             “I knocked, but you couldn't hear me," her brother and assistant yelled over the music before turning it down. “There's something you need to see.”

             Those words were never good. Reflex fear coursed through her on the tails of the adrenaline shot from the sudden interruption. What now? “I can't; there's too much to get done before the game tomorrow.”

             “Trust me...you're gonna wanna see this.”

             Jacey frowned at the cryptic tone, but curiosity got the best of her. With a sigh, she pushed back out of her seat and followed Madden out of the office and down the hall. They took the stairs down a floor and stopped at the door to the press box. “What's going on?”

             Madden flashed that irritating, I-know-something-you-don’t-know smile. “Take a deep breath.”

             “Mad…”

             “Just do it.”

             Warily, she inhaled, and before she could exhale, her brother swung the door open. Jacey's breath rushed out with the impact of what she saw. Numb with awe, she shuffled up to the glass overlooking the ice. Down below, hockey pucks were arranged into the shape of a giant heart. Carter Phlynn stood in the middle, hands in his jean pockets and a pleased smile on his face.

“Oh my God.”

            “Yeah.”

            “What's he thinking?”

            “That you're sappy enough to fall for this.”

            Jacey turned on her heel and strode out of the room to the elevator. On her way down to the concourse level, all she could do was shake her head. She was still shaking her head as she descended the arena steps and stepped inside the players' box.

            Carter's proud grin widened and he spread his arms, presenting his gift. “What do you think?”

            “I think that check you took last night rattled something loose.”

            “Then why are you smiling?”

            Jacey opened her mouth, but her reply stuck in her throat. Was she smiling? Yep. Damn.

            Carter's expression turned satisfied. “Come here.”

            “What?”

            “Come. Here.” His tone was playful, teasing. His hazel eyes danced with mischief. “This was only the first half of your present.”

            Jacey narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “What's the second half?”

            “I show you how to sink a slap shot.”

            “I...I'm wearing heels.”

            “I'll help.” He jogged over, picked up a stick that'd been leaning against the glass and held his hand out to her. She blinked, trying to think of a reason why not, but came up empty. Even as his calloused fingers curled into her palm, an excuse was bubbling in her throat, but just wouldn't come out. She stepped out onto the ice, gripping Carter's hand tight enough to break bones. On skates she could maneuver the rink just fine, but in four-inch pumps, not so much.

Baby steps. Baby steps. Baby—Whoa!

She flailed as her tractionless shoes slipped, and she was on her way down when a strong arm snaked around her waist and tugged her upright.

            “Careful, I got ya.”

            Jacey was torn between anger for him dragging her out there and the supremely divine sensation of the hard, warm muscle under his thermal shirt. His arm stayed around her as they stepped inside the heart and up to the blue line. He snagged one of the pucks with the blade of the stick and pulled her around in front of him, her back pressed to his solid chest. She closed her eyes and released a slow breath. The arm around her waist tugged her to fit closer against him, and a hot flash shot through her like a firecracker. Her eyes darted up to the press box, which was—thankfully—empty.

            “I don't think—”

            “No thinking required, Boss. That's the beauty of the slap shot.” He positioned her hands on the stick and covered them with his own. “Okay, we're going to draw it back...” His hips cocked to the right and took hers along with them as he lifted their arms out to the side. “Then focus all of your aggression, all of your energy on hitting the puck, and swing through.” Quick enough to pull a muscle, he brought their arms down in a sweeping arc, and fired the puck into the net. It was so fast that she didn't even see it happen, only heard the thwack! of contact.

            His rough cheek lightly scraped against hers, and she felt him smile, his lips nearly brushing her jaw as he spoke in a low, soft voice. “See? You're hooked.”

            Oh, yes she was.

            Carter got another puck and repeated the process. Jacey was out of breath by the time that they'd shot half of the heart into the net. Smiling, she said, “Why do I think this present was more for you than for me?”

            “I'd say it's a win-win situation. You get a little more appreciation for the game, and I get an excuse to haul you up against me like this.”

            He didn’t need an excuse. He also didn’t need to know that. She turned her head sharply and found that playful smile centimeters from her own. They were nose to nose, and her heart knocked against her ribs.

            “Happy Valentines Day, Jace.”

            Definitely.