A Real Life Bottlegate!

Look at the bottom left of the photo

I'm taking recent events in the NHL as a sign from God that I'm on the right track. My first hockey novel, On the Surface, features a former Blackhawk who is traded to the San Diego Barracudas because of an incident with a fan involving a water bottle.

Now, keep that in mind as I tell you that this spring, the water bottle has been the weapon of choice for NHL players.

Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks sprayed water into the glove of one of "My Guys", Jeff Carter.

Shawn Thornton of the Boston Bruins sprayed the visor of Montreal Canadien PK Subban.

And finally Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers gave Pittsburgh Penguin Sidney Crosby a little mid-game shower.

It's like an epidemic. It's harmless really. It doesn't hurt anyone (except wimps, as you'll see below). It's just annoying. However, so far the hydro-taunting has been player vs. player. A few days ago, that changed.

Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks got fed up with a heckler--JUST LIKE IN MY BOOK--and sprayed water into the face of the heckler--JUST LIKE IN MY BOOK!

Well, that last part isn't quite accurate. The back cover copy, over which I had only minimal input, says Tim threw the water bottle at a fan. In reality, I never fully describe what Tim Hollander does to the fan with his water bottle.

But still!

What are the chances that real life incidents almost completely mirror what I wrote a year ago? Like I said, I take it as a sign from God that my time has come and I'm on the right track. I also bask in the knowledge that what I wrote is utterly believable and possible in the real NHL.

It feels pretty damn good.

The LA fan (yes, he was rooting for LA. ) claims his eyes were irritated by the saliva backwash--from the type of bottle that squirts from a spout. He's filed a police report. What do you think about that? Feel free to comment.

Photo credit: Paul Sakuma, AP

My Guys - Justin Williams #14

I never forget Justin William's jersey number (#14) because I associate it with Valentine's Day, and I love this guy. He's handsome. He's approachable. He's a family man. He's honest and intense. He's everything I want my fictional hockey heroes to be.

He also has a reputation now for being a clutch player, coming through when it's do or die, especially Game 7s.

For you non-sports fans, in order to win the Stanley Cup, you must win several "best of seven" series. Sometimes a series doesn't go seven games. Sometimes a team will "sweep" the other team 4 games to zero. If you end up playing a Game 7, that means both teams have won three games and it's all on the line for everyone. For some reason, Justin Williams always pulls something extra out of himself during Game 7s, so much so that the press have deemed him "Mr. Game 7."

So, check him out.

Here he is clean-shaven and super sexy. (I think it's one of Newton's Laws that the sexy factor of all men increases 200% if they're wearing a suit.)

The Kings are up against the current Stanley Cup Champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, right now. The Kings have won three games. The Hawks have won one. Heh heh.

Go Kings.

Suspension of The Other Guys Feature

It's the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Kings have made it to the Western Conference Final. This is SERIOUS. Therefore, until further notice, I am hereby discontinuing the "The Other Guys" feature, in which I highlighted sexy guys from the opposing team.

Instead, I will show all the sexy guys from the Los Angeles Kings, of which there are many. Let's call this feature, MY GUYS, shall we? Wishful thinking.

Let's start with an "A," Alec Martinez. Alec is on fire right now. He's been beast on the ice lately. He's really had to step it up because we were down a couple of defensemen (Willie Mitchell and Robyn Regehr) due to injury.

He's from Michigan. He was once a San Jose Jr. Shark. In 2010 on my birthday, he was recalled from the Monarchs to play for the Kings and on the very next day he scored his first NHL goal. He is a Stanley Cup Champion.

This isn't really eye candy, unless you're a die-hard hockey fan. Personally, I think this photo is inspiring. It's of a man, doing what he was born to do, and doing it very very well. This was taken in 2012, when the Kings won the Cup.

There is really nothing like a half-naked, wet athlete. Nothing. Look at those thighs!

Here's a provocative photo of him with the cup. Holy muscles, the man is a lean, mean hockey machine.

In Which Kate Attempts To Be Businesslike...

So, I'm minding my own business watching a Kings game on TV when Patrick O'Neal announces that the LA Kings are putting on two seminars called "The Business of Hockey." I'm like, that sounds interesting. After the game, I check out the website and it sounds really interesting. For $80, they were offering two hours with panels of experts to talk about the business of hockey, two tickets to a game in a VIP box and an LA Kings pad folio and pen. 

All that for eighty bucks? HELLO. I signed up for both days.

But I was askeered when the big day arrived. I expected the event to be populated with a bunch of fresh, young college kids, mostly guys, armed with resumes and confidence. I was certain I'd be the only attendee over 50 and probably one of very few women.

When I arrived at the Regal Cinemas at LA Live where the seminars were to take place, I saw a ton of guys and a few women in full-on business suits. I felt like a fish, not only out of water, but like ten miles from the fish bowl.

I sat in front, because I'm short and even though the theater had stadium seating, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to see. The man I sat next to was very serious. He was in law school. He was about thirty years old and very pretentious. He was proud of the fact that he was the only one in class who ever answered the professor's questions. Yeah. That guy. I bet his classmates love him. Not a big conversationalist.

Anyway, while waiting for it to start, I realized the lock screen picture on my phone was set to display the cover of On the Surface, where Spectacular Bare-Chested Six-Pac Ab Man is drinking his water with his Adam's apple prominently displayed along with his erect nipples. (See sidebar.) Surreptitiously, I changed it to a picture of my Dustin Brown jersey.

Yeah, I know. I probably should have been proud...like, "That's right, Mr. Law School. This is the cover of my contemporary hockey romance novel. Smirk all you want." But I wasn't. I just wanted to fit in and absorb.

It was a great seminar. The opening video made me want to stand up and cheer. (Of course, I didn't, posing as the staid, unflappable "business woman." I think I was the only one who walked in holding a jersey I wanted Luc Robitaille to sign.) I learned a lot and was thrilled when Alex Curry actually asked the panel a couple of the questions I had submitted via the link emailed to the attendees. (Mr. Law School seemed unimpressed when I whispered, "That was my question!" to him.)

Both seminars were great, in fact. I took 9 pages of notes. Luc signed my jersey. I saw the inside of a VIP box. (It was dingier than I expected. Staples Center needs to spruce them up a little.) I learned a bit about agents and that whole side of the business. I learned that social media are playing a huge role in professional hockey right now. I learned that connecting with the fans is almost Job One, because fans buy tickets and drive TV ratings. I found it so interesting and worth every penny, even the $20 bucks I paid for parking.

So, a week or so later, I'm again minding my own business, watching the Kings Live pre-game broadcast and see a segment on the Business of Hockey seminar that I went to! And check it out. I'm in the video! Click here, then click on FS West Feature: The Business of Hockey (Part 1)

About 20 seconds in you'll see a row of heads in the front, then no head, then a bunch of heads. The no-head chair is me! I'm short, remember?

At minute 1:58, you'll see a woman with her head down, scribbling madly. That's me again! My little straw purse is at my feet.

Yeah, that's my claim to LA Kings fame. I was about eight feet away from Luc Robitaille. We breathed the same popcorn-scented air.

What a thrill. It was all worth those few scary moments at the beginning.

When was the last time you were scared and/or intimidated? How did it work out?

Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews: It's a Winner...

Four stars from Rhayne of Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews!

"This book is filled with sweet, it’s filled with sexy, it’s filled with love and understanding, and best of all it’s filled with tons of actual hockey time from a writer that knows the game.  I can’t wait to read more about The San Diego Barracudas."