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.

Terms of Endearment #9

Light the lamp - (v.) To score a goal.

There's a red light that goes on when a goal is scored. Sometimes it rotates, like the light on top of an ambulance.

Photo by Burns! (cc)

FAN MOMENT

By now you know I'm a big Los Angeles Kings fan. I really don't know what inspired me to do it, but I reworked the song, "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music to fit the LA Kings. It took me hours. It was really hard to get the names of the players in there. I didn't even succeed in naming everyone. I probably could have, but the song was already way too long.

Anyway, I tweeted it today to a few Kings people, and Patrick O'Neal, Fox Sports West TV reporter, tweeted me back. OMG. I about fell over.

"wow, nice work. I sang..."

That made all the work worth it. Here's the song. Feel free to sing along yourself. :)

My Favorite Things

 (To be sung to the tune from the Sound of Music)

by @Kate_Willoughby

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 Pen's 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 home 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!

PLAYOFFS!

I am most of the way done with a second hockey story. It's about an injured player and his fight to get back into shape after nine long months of recovery. Like the last one, this has been a joy to write. I hope the trend continues. I have eleven ideas for future books.

The NHL Playoffs have begun and the Kings have a good chance of winning the Stanley Cup again. Sure, they lost their first game against he St. Louis Blues, but it's just one game. I have faith they can win four games. Their coach said that a few of the players hadn't ever played in the Playoffs before, and it's a completely different experience than playing during the regular season. The pressure, the crowds, the intensity, the physicality, the emotions--everything is magnified to insane levels. If I were a player in the Playoffs, I'd have lost all my hair by now, have a mouth full of canker sores, and serious gum disease. That's how my body deals with stress.

And get this! They were playing a commercial for some medical center and the doctor talks all about ACL injuries and how they perform a tendon graft to repair it. And that's exactly what the hero in my second book goes through! It's a sign, I tell you, a sign!

Pictured are (left to right) Mike Richards, Drew Doughty, and one of my very favorite players, Dustin Penner. This picture was taken during the parade following their win of the Stanley Cup. Good times!

Note to PrimeTicket: You guys suck. The cut to the basketball. The f-ing split screen??? Are you kidding me? Basketball: First quarter. Nothing happening. Hockey: SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME. Epic fail.

Photo by JulieandSteve (cc)

For Shame

It's been a month since I last posted? How sad. So much has happened.

I have submitted "the hockey book," now tentatively titled Hard to Resist, to Carina Press. I participated in a one day Twitter pitch session and three editors at Carina--Mallory Braus, Melissa Johnson, Angela James--asked to read the manuscript.

I am now waiting to hear if any of them would like to obtain it.

The Los Angeles Kings, the hockey boys I adore, are in fourth place in their division. I hope they stay there so they can go on to the semifinals for the Stanley Cup. That's me in my Kings cap.

I have begun work on another Barracuda hockey team book, but I'm trying to keep this one shorter. It's been going well so far. I'm really excited.

Terms of Endearment #8

Empty-netter - (n.) a goal scored when the goalie is on the bench.

You non-hockey fans out there might be thinking, what the heck? When is the goalie not there in front of the net, blocking the puck like Wonder Woman does bullets?

Sometimes when a team is losing at the end of the third period, in a last ditch effort, the coach pulls the goalie, which allows them to put one more man on the ice to score a goal for a six on five advantage. However, sometimes they lose control of the puck and the team in the lead scores.

When the Kings get an empty netter, sometimes I feel fierce, "In your face!!!" And sometimes, I feel a little bad for the losers. Most of the time, I'm just glad they won. I would love to see them win the Stanley Cup again.

Terms of Endearment #7

Deke - (v.) A fake move.

Last night's game was fantastic. I can say that, now that it's over. The first period was worrisome. The Kings seemed to be off. They kept fumbling the puck. Second period they played marginally better. The third was AWESOME. Carter, man on fire, got a goal. Then, Anze (AHN-jay) Kopitar (right)--gotta love him, too--snuck one in with a fake left and then a smooth shove in the hole left when the goalie followed the deke.

Here's a video. It's pure skill.

Terms of Endearment #6

I love the LA Kings Insider, Jon Rosen. He maintains a blog about the Kings. Here's a blurb about it.

LAKingsInsider.com provides in-depth, independent coverage of the Los Angeles Kings. Its content and reader comments are not subject to approval or review by team personnel.

I read it daily to get the latest about my team--how they did, how they're doing, how they might be doing in the near future. This morning, I learned a new term from a fan comment.

"...great block by Stoll, which lead to Lewis's shortie..."

Shortie - (n.) A goal made when your team has less men on the ice than the opposing team, due to one or more players in the penalty box.

And it truly was an exciting goal. Playing with four against five, Stoll took it upon himself to block a shot by the Avalanche with his body. He just threw himself down on the ice and bodily stopped the puck from getting past--without all that goalie protective gear! (Crazy!) Someone else, I think, picked up the puck and a couple seconds later Lewis (left) scored.

It was awesome.

Terms of Endearment #5

Drop Pass (n.) - Passing the puck to a teammate who is behind you.

I love when they do this. It's so smooth, it's almost like magic sleight of hand, except it's sleight of stick.

P.S. The Kings won last night against Edmonton, 3-1. Ha! Tonight, there's another game against Calgary. Go, Kings, go!!!!!

Photo by SomeHoosier

Terms of Endearment #4

Dustup (n.) -  a fight.

Hockey is known for fighting, but as far as I can tell the serious injuries occur during real play, usually when they're checked against the boards, not when the players are punching each other. I read in this article that this is because they can't get any real traction behind their punches because they're on ice.

Photo by ArtBrom

Brings a Tear to My Eye

In researching creative ways to propose marriage, I came upon this video. If you have a romantic bone in your body, you have to see it.

Trust me.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Terms of Endearment #3

Blueliner - a hockey defenseman. When the players line up at center ice, the defense guys are closer to the blue line.

I found this out because the Kings just acquired a blueliner, Keaton Ellerby, from the Florida Panthers. This is because Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell are still injured and it's hurting us. (Sorry about the pun.) Get better, boys, we need you desperately!

Photo by kezee

Terms of Endearment #1 and #2

As I mentioned earlier, the owner lockout finally ended. I am flush with excitement that about every other day I can watch my Kings play. While we won't be seeing quite as many games live at the Staples Center as I might have wanted, I still love watching the games on TV. I learn so much from the pre-game show, the commentary during the game, and the post game show. I admit that I am a new fan and have a lot to learn.

So I decided to start blogging about terms that I now understand.

1. Carryover - This, apparently, is hockey talk for a grudge. For instance, last season Dustin Brown had an altercation with another player, whose name escapes me now. So when they met on the ice a couple weeks ago, the commentators worried that there might be "carryover." Ends up there wasn't.

2. Light the Lamp = score a goal. A red light goes on if a goal is scored. Sometimes it's on the net itself. Sometimes it's on (behind?) the glass behind the net.

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. :D Yay!

And Lo, Kate Morphs Into a Fan Girl

Drew Doughty at the Staples Center

Success! I was able to score some great tickets to the free practice session at the Staples Center on Monday night. We were Row 8! It was so exciting to be so close to the players. There was an announcer trying to describe what they were doing, but it was difficult to understand him. It didn't seem like a real practice, and I was right. (More below.) Still, a really fun time. 

They lofted some of the pucks over the glass afterward, but we were seated behind an area where a high net was above the glass. Darn. One coach eyed the top of the net, bit his lip, and hurled a puck. It made it over, but too far for my husband to get to it in time. Double darn.

Dustin Penner at the Staples Center

 Wednesday, my eldest son--the one with the pricey camera--accompanied me to one of their regular practices at the Toyota Sports Center (TSC) in El Segundo. We just walked right in and it seemed very much like our local Ice Station Valencia in layout. We found our way in to the NHL rink where the practice was already in session. This was a real practice. They did many drills. They gathered on the sidelines to listen to the coaches. It was very exhilarating. If not for the glass, I could have reached out and tapped players on the shoulders.

Matt Greene at the TSC

I took a lot of notes on the sounds (lots of noise!!) and sights and what they did. My son took about 300 pictures. Below are some I took with my phone. My only difficulty was their jerseys didn't have their names on them, so if I didn't recognize their faces, I had to refer to the numbers on their helmets. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar enough with them to know each player by number, so I had the team roster on my phone ready to glance at.

I can't wait for the Season Opener on Saturday. Hockey at last!!

Matt Greene even closer! Nice schnoz.

HOCKEY TIME!

Mike Richards, Drew Doughty, Dustin Penner, Jeff Carter

For those of you who aren't hockey fans, the 2012/13 NHL season was postponed because of an owner lockout. After months of nail-biting exasperation on my part, I was THRILLED to find out they finally came to an agreement.

We've got a (short) season!

I am trying to go to one of their practice sessions in El Segundo, which are open to the fans. I want to see, hear and breathe hockey atmosphere. For the book. It's all for the book, of course.

There are a whole bunch of practices scheduled but I need a buddy to go with me. I'm not brave enough to do that kind of adventure alone. Wish me luck!

Photo by JulieandSteve (cc)

Entertaining Kate #5

Jack Reacher is a movie taken from a book series written by Lee Child. I really enjoyed it, even if I saw the twist coming. Regardless of Tom Cruise's personal life or beliefs, I think he is a good actor. There was only one line that my son and I thought was stupid. Reacher has proven himself to be a lethal fighter, and a young woman, awed, attracted to and a little scared of him, says something like, "Really, mister, who are you?"

Otherwise, I liked the action, the plot, the cast. The scary dude was really scary, and I might compare it with Taken, in that it also features a man on a mission who doesn't play by all the rules, but who thankfully has a set of morals to balance his skills.

Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares

• This is a FANTASTIC recipe. It's super easy and fast, too. I make these at holiday time for the neighbors, who rave about them. The recipe is from Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine, but I  reduced the amount of nuts because these cookies are a bit pricy to make. 

Go here to see a video of them being made.

• 
  
• Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares 

INGREDIENTS

• 14 graham crackers
• 1 bag (8 ounces) toffee bits
• 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching. Sprinkle toffee bits, almonds, and chocolate chips over graham crackers.
2. In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes. Immediately pour over graham crackers. Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle salt over graham crackers. While still hot, cut into 2-inch squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack. (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.)
   
   
   (Photo from the Martha Stewart website)

Entertaining Kate #4

I like to do crafty things from time to time. I recently bought a loom kit with some birthday money. I went online and learned to knit a scarf using the rectangular loom, but it wasn't as easy as it looked because during one step--pushing down the loops--my loom had notches on each post. I believe the notches were designed to prevent the loops from coming off, but it also hindered my attempts to push the loops down. I dealt with it and I now have a pretty scarf.

However, when I attempted to learn how to make something with one of the round looms, I discovered that the loose pegs at the bottom of the box weren't extras, as I'd assumed. They were pegs that had broken off the looms! If you look closely at the photo, you can see where the pegs are missing.

I have the original packing slip, so I think I'll be fine. 

Dirty Review

I rarely get reviews on my books, so I'm always excited when someone takes the time to let the world what they thought of my story, even if they were less than thrilled. I can always take that constructive criticism and apply that to my future books.

Cecile Smutty Hussy had this to say:

If your man wants to read what you are reading, get him this book. Believe me, he will be able to relate to this book...

This is a new to me author and I was very entertained by Ms. Kate. She has a wonderful voice when writing. Her characters are real; well, as real as they can be on paper. But you will relate to them. No matter who is reading the book. The story line is something out of every man's fantasy. And it will leave him with a wet spot in his pants and a smile on his face!

This is an explosive, impulsive, high risk taking story that will...get you hot under the collar! 

Woot! She liked it. For the whole review, click here.

To buy Going Down Dirty by yours truly, click here. 

The iHatTrick

I just got the new iPhone for my birthday last night even though my birthday isn't for a couple of weeks. My son and husband couldn't wait to give it to me. I'm so excited. I now have the iMac desktop, an iPad2, and my new iPhone. They all talk to each other like a little passel of electronic employees.

I'm really excited about being able to take photos and share them super easily now. No bringing a camera with me anymore! My joy is only reduced a little because my youngest son is sad he has the crappiest phone in the family. If he didn't spend all his money on skateboard stuff, he might have the moola to subsidize a phone purchase or at least appear as if he's responsible enough with his assets to deserve a smart phone.

Destination: Art

I love the artist Dale Chihuly. If you've been to the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, you've probably seen his work on the ceiling (right.)

The photo to the left was taken at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix in 2011. It was freakin' hot, even at ten a.m. My sons and I were there to look at the plants, but were delighted to find some artwork of Chihuly's near the entrance. Those two "plants" on the right are made of glass. Even though they're this vibrating neon green, they don't seem to clash with the natural surroundings. Weird, huh!

Anyway, Chihuly is from Tacoma, Washington and in Seattle they've built the Chihuly Garden and Glass installation. I'm dying to go see it.

If I went there, I could also see the first Starbucks location, too. I've heard there are always long lines, but I wouldn't need to buy a coffee there. Come to think of it, a trip to Seattle would guarantee we'd have good coffee at least. There's nothing worse than going on vacation and having to suffer bad coffee. (Carnival Cruise Lines have horrible coffee, FYI.)

Favorite Quotes #11

Election day is not very far away. I asked for an absentee ballot and when filling it out, messed up and filled in the wrong bubble. The instructions said if one did that, to merely fill in the Official Sample Ballot and submit that instead. Unfortunately, I marked that thing up and crossed stuff out when I changed my mind a couple of times, so that solution was out. I went to the website and it seemed to me, although I'm not 100% sure, that I can just take the whole mess with me to my regular polling place and  get a new ballot. Cross your fingers for me. I really care more about this election than I ever have before.

So, here's a quote I think is appropriate this year, especially for my fellow Californians.


Our elections are free -- it's in the results where eventually we pay.

--Bill Stern, (1907-1971) actor and sportscaster

Entertaining Kate #3 - Movie Review

Hubs and I saw Looper. I really liked it. It was intelligent spec fiction. It didn't confuse me like Inception. If you saw In Time, that movie where time was currency and they had those countdown timers in their arms...? Looper was what that movie should have been.

SPOILER AHEAD

I really like Joseph Gordon Levitt. I liked seeing Bruce Willis in an action role, but as an antagonist. I am so used to seeing him be the good guy that I kept expecting him to change his stripes. I would see him about to do something horrible and think, "Oh, he's not really going to...Oh no! He DID!" I found it refreshing.

The only complaint I had was that Levitt looked weird. They did some weird make-up stuff to his face to make him look more like Willis and I don't think it really helped. In fact, some of the time he looked uncannily like Alec Baldwin. LOL

It's Research!

I needed to describe my hero's chest hair, so I turned to Hugh for inspiration. Can you blame me?

Entertaining Kate #2 - Movie

Hubby and I rented Albert Nobbs the other night. I loved it. First, because it was a period piece, and I love the costumes and sets that go with historicals, especially since they go to a lot of trouble these days to remain true to the time. Like remember Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra? I remember that looking so sixties!

Here's a short blurb.

Albert Nobbs struggles to survive in late 19th century Ireland, where women aren't encouraged to be independent. Posing as a man, so she can work as a butler in Dublin's most posh hotel, Albert meets a handsome painter and looks to escape the lie she has been living.

I don't usually find myself caring so much about a character, but there was something about this woman that made me want her to be happy. At first, I was just curious to find out why she was posing as a man. I also wanted to find out why she was saving all that money. (Not a spoiler, you find that out pretty quickly.) By the time the painter arrives on the scene, I'm hooked. The actor who plays that painter is AMAZING.

I also really appreciated the fact that the gay agenda wasn't being forced down my throat, as is so often the case. (And don't get me wrong. I support many of the gay issues. My oldest son is gay. But I don't agree with everything the GLBT juggernaut stands for and it annoys me when they use entertainment to try to manipulate me into believing in this or that.)

Anyway, this is a great movie. I would watch it again, and I don't say that about many movies.

Hockey Tradition

Since 1995, whenever a team wins the Stanley Cup, each player (and other members of the organization such as coaches, equipment handlers, etc.) gets one special day with the famous trophy. I think this is such a terrific tradition.

I tried to win the opportunity to take a picture with the Cup at my local rink, Ice Station Valencia. I thought it would be a fantastic way to inspire my muse as I write the first of what I hope to be many hockey themed romances. Full of hope, I bought four raffle tickets, but alas, I didn't win. :(

Still, here are some of my favorite photos taken this summer, celebrating the Los Angeles Kings' win.

Dustin Brown's kids make a chocolate milk jacuzzi out of the Cup.

Mike Richards is concerned about the Cup's ability to swim.

Captain Dustin Brown at the grocery store. I notice he's in the kitty litter aisle... Please, Dustin, not in the Cup!

The boys celebrate in Vegas. YUMMO.
(Photo by Al Powers of Powers Imagery LLC)

Last Line Last Night #1

A while ago I was posting the last line I wrote the night before. I thought that might be a fun feature to bring back. It doesn't take up a lot of your time or mine. :) This is from my work-in-progress, the hockey book, of course.

“Wild horses couldn’t drag me out of this bed.”

If Only...

...I could be a water girl in this room. It's the National Hockey League Players Association meeting.

Just look at all those yummy hockey players all gathered together. The photograph alone makes my knees weak. I can't imagine what being there in person would do to me.

I'd probably need to smoke a cigarette. And  I don't even smoke.

Going Down Dirty!!

I'm really excited to announce the release of my first EC for Men story, Going Down Dirty. Unfortunately, I'm caught with my pants down (sorry about the pun!) because I had no idea it was coming out today, so I wasn't able to prepare my usual week of new release blog posts.

It's a short story, so I suppose maybe it doesn't deserve an entire week of build-up. LOL

Anyway, Ellora's Cave, the publishers, tweeted this about it:

A tweet from a model starts one man's ultimate fantasy. NEW RELEASE. GOING DOWN DIRTY by @Kate_Willoughby

I enjoyed writing this pure male fantasy without the pressure of building a romantic relationship. I hope readers enjoy it too.

Wheelchair Update

When Once Upon a Kiss came out, I promised to put aside a portion of each sale toward a wheelchair for a needy person. (See the sidebar on the left.)

I'm pleased to announce that I'm almost to the 25% mark! It's taken a while and I still have a long way to go, but I'm determined. I want to thank every single person who has bought a copy of that book. I couldn't do it without you.