It’s no secret that I love sports and the heroes who thrive
in the world of sports. I’ve written race car drivers and baseball players,
coaches and managers, sports agents and now – hockey players.
My new pair of releases – this month’s ONE MAN RUSH and
May’s HER MAN ADVANTAGE – both feature hockey heroes. I had so much fun writing
these tough and driven athletes who play an incredibly physical sport.
If you’ve watched much hockey, you know the speed at which
this game moves. These guys fly on skates and they do so for an hour during
each game. And it’s not enough to shred your quads reaching top speed on ice.
Hockey players also fend off big hits and they carry sticks while they battle
it out for the puck. They take pucks to the face, sticks to the face, and
sometimes, another player’s fist to the face. It’s not a sport for the weak.
As a writer, I liked playing with the idea of someone that
mentally and physically tough being vulnerable to love. It’s the same dynamic
that makes us swoon when we see a big, burly marine cradling a child. While we
admire a man’s brute strength, we like it even better when we know he can
temper it.
So it goes for the hero of this month’s release, Kyle
Murphy. He’s a power forward and as tough as they come, but when the matchmaker
heroine walks into his life, a huge vulnerability opens up in that he-man
armor. What makes it more fun is that he doesn’t know it right away. It’s fun to see him try to fight the
inevitable.
What about you? Do
you love a jock hero? What kinds of
heroes—or hero professions—are auto-buys for you? I’ve got a signed copy of ONE
MAN RUSH for one random poster!
Joanne
http://www.joannerock.com
***Joanne's winner is LisaGKendall!! Congrats! Please email your mailing details to totebag@authorsoundrelations.com! Thanks!***
***Joanne's winner is LisaGKendall!! Congrats! Please email your mailing details to totebag@authorsoundrelations.com! Thanks!***
35 comments:
Oh definitely hockey players hands down. They ooze sex on & off the ice. A complete meltdown .
Hi Maire! For me too! I love watching hockey and writing this book was a fun way for me to get closer to the players. I could walk through their world and infiltrate their conversations after the games . Very fun!
I like watching hockey and football, coming from a family that played both sports.I've been watching hockey for the speed and the guys aren't bad looking either, then come fall football players are on the top of my list for they look so sexy in their pads and the hitting action.love your books about hockey and sports in general.your books are so enjoyable! carolefiore@yahoo.com
Hi Joanne. I love a jock hero. Hockey and baseball are my favorites. Your book sounds great. :)
Hi Carole! I really need to write a football series, too. It's a favorite of mine as well! Thanks so much for the kind words!!
Hi Crystal! Thank you! I had a lot of fun writing the hockey stories and was inspired by the Showtime series 24/7, which follows hockey players for a few weeks of the season. I loved seeing the behind the scenes moments.
Hi, Joanne!
Dare I say that sheikh stories are an auto-buy for me? Don't shoot me!!! I like the heroes to be powerful, strong (there's a difference), and sometimes a bit wild. Sheikhs are that to me (and more).
That being said, I must also admit that I read DOUBLE PLAY last year. Although I am not a huge baseball fan, your technical descriptions didn't overwhelm me nor take away from the romance in the story. I turned those pages quickly and could feel the "blazing" heat throughout, so there's no doubt in my mind that I can feel those things again with your "hockey book". At least with hockey, it is a sport I enjoy watching (and have done so all my 50+ years), so I shouldn't feel "out of the loop" at any point in the story. Besides, I'm reading it for the romance!
PS The "4" in "Laney4" is named after "4" - "Bobby Orr".
I love the jock/sports hero stories. I love the athletic men and their gorgeous bodies. I like the alpha male, the strong & sexy protector.
I love to read so I do have a few differnet auto-buys. I always get my fav authors in hardcover. I am a cover-lover, so have made a few buys based on cover alone. I follow others reviews from the blogs, facebook pages, and other reviews.
Thanks for the giveaway.
christinebails@yahoo.com
Hi Laney! Number four… how neat! I’d have to snag 71 this year since Evgeni Malkin is my hero.
Thank you for picking up DOUBLE PLAY, by the way! Once summer comes, I love sitting outside in the ballpark, people watching and waiting for the peanut vendor to come around during a game. To me, it’s a really nice way to pass a summer afternoon!
Hi Chris! You had me at protector :-). And I'll bet we've all been swayed by a cover a time or two!!!
I love to read about Sports Hereos, especially the "flawed" ones. I think sometimes we forget they are just mortal people.. I read mostly Football and Baseball sprots heroes. But I have read several series about Hockey Players, because after all, it is Canada's National sport and I am Canadaian.. LOL
I really like jock heroes and I don't if it's because I've been lucky enough to read some amazing books featuring them or if it's because I never thought I would actually like a jock hero. Either way they almost always earn an auto-buy from me:) I think I have a new appreciation for men who play sports;)
yadkny@hotmail.com
Congrats on the new and upcoming releases, Joanne. I'm a sports fan so I do enjoy reading about a jock hero. I would mind seeing a hero modeled after Derek Jeter and Henrik Lundqvist(goalie for the NY Rangers.)
As long as a hero is well written, I love them all! Jocks, professionals, rich, poor.. It doesn't matter to me. If i lock into a story, character development is what's important.
Hi Kathleen! We head over the border into Montreal sometimes to see hockey games at the Bell Center and I'm very reminded how much Canadians love their hockey! It feels like the whole city converges downtown to take in the game.
Hi Kathleen! We head over the border into Montreal sometimes to see hockey games at the Bell Center and I'm very reminded how much Canadians love their hockey! It feels like the whole city converges downtown to take in the game.
I agree there are some good ones out there! Jill Shalvis writes a wonderful sports hero, I think. Very true to my understanding of athletes.
Hi Jane! I modelled a novella hero after Jeter in Sliding into Home (Blaze Encounters). Lance Montero, the hero of "Squeeze Play" is Mr. New York... the king of the hill in his ball club. I had very definite ideas for each of the baseball heroes.
And oh boy, am I all too familiar with Lundqvist!! He's sure a tough goalie to get past.
Hi Shelley! An excellent point about character development. We love it when a hero is true to character and grows along the way. Thanks so much for stopping by the blog! I've been having fun today.
hockey is my fav sport and love when their jerseys come off, lol
Jocks are a lot of fun - I don't think I've read a bout a hockey player before - they seem pretty rough & tumble.
Yeah! I'm glad you are pushing the limits and giving us some sports heroes in our romances. I think there have been too few of them in the past. After all athletes are usually strong vital people and they make enough money to support themselves and maybe a few charities as well. There are a few over the top ones in real life but for every one of those there are lots of guys just having a good time doing a job they love.
I don't like to watch sports, but love athletes as characters in books. But it's not really the profession that draws me to the story. It has to be the story and the traits of the characters.
If the characters are interesting and keep me turning the pages I'm all for them.
Regency Rake is hardly a profession, because they are invariably Gentlemen. Gentlemen who live off the hard labour of others. Got to love a Rake.
Sports stars yes great hero material. Focused, athletic, confident, ladies man... It takes a strong, determined woman to put up with their schedule, fame and women.
I like strong, compassionate men who work hard for a living but are able to open their hearts for the love of their life!
i like the hero that is military or was military. also tough undercover cops/fbi etc.
i grew up in a family that was military and so i guess that i just gravitate towards the hero lik that.
tammy ramey
trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com
Despite only watching football (and only when the Packers are playing), I love reading about jocks...hockey and football are my favorites. The men can be so "mean" and "aggressive" on the field/ice but are usually so sweet and nice towards a woman. HOT! Same with reading military men stories....and special ops, etc.
books4me67 at ymail dot com
hen I''m not reading about Highlanders and Rakes and Dukes I've enjoyed many Football and Hockey stories. I love Special Ops, Navy Seals, Cowboys,Fireman and gorgeous Construction men. :)
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
Oh yay! I'm so not a sports person but I love hockey books. Don't know why. I've never even been to see hockey live. One day maybe :) I'm reading a car racing series now and loving those too!
acade29@gmail.com
I love a man in uniform, military, baseball etc.
xzjh04(at)gmail(dot)com
I like a man in uniform. Something about a man uniform just turns me on especially if they are military.
kmccandle(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love a hot fireman. lisagk(at)yahoo(dot)com
i love cowboy :)
Post a Comment