Coziness for a Cold Day

My course in Contemporary Publishing has us choose a book to read and do research on for the entire course. We must choose an award winning novel, so I selected The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I spent some time this morning researching reviews on the narrative and stumbled across this picture:

Although I am not certain what he has to do with Donna Tartt's novel (the Internet works in mysterious ways), I am certain this picture of a handsome man reading in the snowy woods will warm you up on this cold February day. Bonus - he's bearded!

Hot Dudes Reading

Bookworms nationwide swoon as an Instagram account called “Hot Dudes Reading” , launched earlier this month, celebrates men reading literature, textbooks and other print media on trains that run through neighborhoods known for their literary residents, like lower Manhattan and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Each photo caption either gushes about every guy or imagines what could be going through his head.

For example:

 Dapper Dude Alert! Damn. Whatever prose he's reading cannot match the beauty of that full beard. He's like the hot English professor of my dreams, only with way better hair.  

Hump Day Hunk: The Lumbersexual

Usually at Geek Girl Fiction, the Hump Day Hunk features an individual or specific male of interest for the week. However, this week we are ogling a group of men as a whole - the lumbersexuals.

According to Cosmopolitan, lumbersexual men build their own dressers, know the secret location of wild blackberries, and have a beard that looks “long, bushy, and unkempt…”

The "lumbersexual" is pretty much the opposite of the metrosexual in terms of appearance —
GearJunkie, one of many media outlets that have recently published articles discussing the rise of this new fashion trend, describes the lumbersexual thusly:

"He is bar-hopping, but he looks like he could fell a Norway Pine. He looks like a man of the woods, but works at The Nerdery, programming for a healthy salary and benefits. His backpack carries a MacBook Air, but looks like it should carry a lumberjack’s axe.

He looks like a hardened outdoorsman but his flannel feels soft to the touch. He will open your beer with an omni-present Buck knife. He is a master of the retro Instagram filter. His flannel is coated with a waterproof DWR coating. His laid back style has been honed with more effort than he would like you to know."

How every you describe these guys, the rugged, bearded look is in fashion and I think a lumbersexual would make an excellent protagonist in a romance novel...
 What you do you think?

Hump Day Hunk: Benedict Cumberbatch Channels Mr. Darcy

Benedict Cumberbatch is making Mr. Darcy enthusiasts word-wide collectively swoon with his photo channeling Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice leading man.

The best part, aside from the fact that he is making forget that anyone else ever looked sexy as the Pride and Prejudice character, is that he posed for charity. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Give Up Clothes For Good campaign, TK Maxx and Cancer Research UK are hosting an exhibition of works by world famous photographer Jason Bell, featuring archive images of celebs including this one of Benedict.

For more information or to donate, visit www.tkmaxx.com.

Does anyone else think its time for another Pride and Prejudice film adaptation?

Photo by Jason Bell

Binging on Barbie

Last night after some plotting and editing, I decided to treat myself to a bit of Barbie overload.  I'm not talking about playing with dolls, but rather Dale "Barbie" Barbara - the handsome, mysterious hero of Chester's Mill on the NBC series, "Under the Dome." I sat down with my remote control and binge watched my favorite fictional hunk.

His rugged good looks, combined with his mysterious background, and his fierce love for Julia make him definitely swoon-worthy.  So without further adieu, today's Hump Day Hunk Homage is for Mike Vogel as Barbie.

Hump Day Hunk: Bespectacled

This has to be the best picture of Chris Pine ever. Why? The glasses.  Very studious. Smart can be so sexy don't you think?

Hump Day Hunk: Leaving Me Speechless

Iranian model Kourosh Sadeghi leaves me pretty much speechless, which is saying something because I tend to land on the wordier side of life. Those eyes, that hair, those lips... Any thoughts or has he rendered you unable to form coherent thoughts as well?

Hump Day Hunk: Caffeinated

Men are like coffee - best when they are strong, hot, and don't let you sleep at night. Coffee anyone?

Hump Day Hunk: Alright, Alright, Alright

I think after Sunday night's Oscars everyone can agree on two things. One: Matthew McConaughey is an incredibly talented actor. Two: Matthew McConaughey is incredibly attractive.

We might agree to disagree on which role he is hottest in. Some might like his Eddie from his chick flick moments with Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner. Some prefer his role as Ben in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

This is where we have to agree to disagree. I am most attracted to Matthew McConaughey when he is playing gritty or offbeat roles.  I  lust over him as Mickey Haller in The Lincoln Lawyer, but the role that really does it for me is David Wooderson in Dazed and Confused. There - I've admitted it. I "heart" Wooderson, the creepy, pink jeaned wearing, Ted Nugent shirt plastered, older guy who never gets over being in high school. Now that I've admitted my darkest secret, I can proudly say, its not because of all the creepy, but because of all of the confidence he projects. What's not to like about a confident man?

Hump Day Hunk: That Melts My Butter

Mardi Gras in the United States is fast approaching, but I say we trade the tradition of bead throwing in this year for a different type of debauchery - the kind that involves fist-fighting, pancakes, and butter - lots and lots of butter.

That's right, I said butter. For those of us who can't let the word slip past our lips without thinking of the penitential five mile run on our treadmills we will have to deal with later, butter still sounds like a divine way to sin, I mean gear up for Lent. Apparently, I'm not alone in this thought process. Some of my Slavic heritage must be surfacing because March 2, 2014 is the beginning of Maslenitsa, or butter week in Slavic countries. Russia is where it seems to be where it is most elaborate. According to an article on NPR's site the background of the festivities involve:

Maslenitsa, an Eastern Slavic folk holiday that takes place the week before the start of Russian Orthodox Lent (this year, it starts March 2). Though now tied to the Christian calendar, Maslenitsa has roots in ancient Slavic sun worshippers — it originally marked the end of winter and advent of spring. And, like Mardi Gras, it involves a whole lot of feasting before the Lenten fast — with blinis, a Russian pancake, as the food of choice.Topped with sour cream, caviar, berries or jam, blinis are everywhere, anyway you like 'em. Why blinis? Their round shape and warmth were meant to symbolize the sun. And they're usually drenched in butter (the festival, whose name derives from "maslo," the Russian word for butter, is also known as "Butter Week"). 

It also involves, organized fist fighting.  Devouring decadent thin pancakes slathered in butter while grown men fight each other? Count me in! So ladies, rather freeze your ta-ta's off for some plastic beads or have a man whip up some pancakes and rub them in butter? I know my choice...

Hump Day Hunk: The Dark Knight Rises My Dough

No one can resist someone tall, dark, and mysterious. And for the geek girl inside of us, if he's a certain winged super hero so much the better. While I am still reconciling Christian Bale messing with a comb over in American Hustle to his hot, sexy Batman, this version of the caped crusader doesn't disappoint. Batman to the rescue as I battle that tough pastry dough recipe...

Also, you don't need to send up the Bat signal to get this Dark Knight's attention, just simply do it yourself with great mixer decals from Etsy. With this Dark Knight version your dough will rise. Happy Hunk Day!

Hump Day Hunk: The Green Monster

No, its not a sexy zombie that turns me on; no offense to fellow Walking Dead fans. What really melts my butter is this sexy, tricked out Kitchen-Aid Mixer. Yes, I said mixer, not man. Who wouldn't want this sexy beast in their kitchen... whipping dessert ingredients into submission?

This one was originally designed by Melissa at Bling Diva Designs for DC Cupcakes. What's not to drool over?

Hump Day Hunk: Who Knew Bird Tattoos Could Be So Hot?

I've been pinning different tattoo designs for a swallow bird on Pinterest lately. I think the swallow or some incarnation of one will be my next tattoo. I thought they were always quite feminine in design, until I stumbled across this one:

 

 

So what are your thoughts? Think a swallow tattoo on a man is for the birds or swoon-worthy?

Hump Day Hunk: A Hunk of Burnin' Love

I couldn't resist the title and also going a bit retro for my usual Hump Day Hunk posting. Today is the King of Rock n Roll's birthday, so to honor that I thought Elvis was the perfect choice. What's not to love? His sultry voice, his amazing hair, his eyes, and that brooding, pouty, pensive look like in the picture below:

 

 

Elvis was way before my time, but my Mom is a huge fan. I can recall going through her record collection and playing all of his music. I became enchanted with him and my parents took us on a family vacation to Memphis so we could tour Graceland.

 

 

And although he was known for his films and his fun music, his tender side gets me every time. Below is one of my favorites, Always on My Mind.

 

 



Hump Day Hunk - Blue Collar Heroes

Wow. Its been a long time since I've posted. I want to first thank everyone for continuing to make Heartbreak Ranch a success. I am so glad you have fallen head over heels for Colt McCord :) and although I've featured him in my Hump Day Hunk posts from time to time, today I would like to focus on a different kind of romance novel hero.

While the world is abuzz with the scenes being filmed for Fifty Shades of Grey's big screen adaptation and women everywhere are fantasizing about self-made billionaire Christian Grey, some of us are looking for a man more grounded in reality. While I love stories where a rich man whisks away some beautiful diamond in the rough girl, I also like a story that has a bit more realism. It pushes me as the writer to be more creative. The grand gestures of love don't fall into the same category. Its easy to write a story where the hero gifts his love interest with a whirlwind trip to Paris or expensive jewelry or a new luxury car. But, I think there is a lot of wonderful emotional moments that get missed in all the extravagance.

For one of my next manuscripts I plan on making the male hero someone more down to earth. A man who is strong and works with his hands and knows the value of a promise. He lives to make his love happy and knows that she prefers something he's fashioned for her out of steel instead of store bought because it holds special meaning. My next male hero will be a welder who has an artistic bent and creates beautiful pieces of art from metal. Have you seen the things a welder can do when he unleashes his creative side? Take a look at some of the work on Etsy by artisan welders, like this amazing North Star. Could you imagine falling for a man who could craft something so amazing?

What do you think about creating a male character who is more grounded in reality? Could you fall for a fisherman, or a construction worker, or a welder?

Hump Day Hunk: The Reviews are in - Colt McCord is One Hot Stallion

Its been a week since my debut novel, HEARTBREAK RANCH from Swoon Romance released worldwide. Its been receiving great reviews and most reviewers are gushing over sexy rancher Colt McCord.

Here's what they are saying:

From Goodreads:

Tee Loves Kyle Jacobson writes:

"Colt McCord and boy oh boy does he summer two week out look change with one look at the crazy sexy horse trainer. I mean he is a gentlemen in every way but with his southern charm and southern hospitality he is the complete package."

From Amazon:

 andrewsheath writes:

 "Colt I loved him, "don't drop the reins next time, Iowa," he said as he handed Grayson her hat, the corner of his mouth edging upward into a wry smile." I just loved how he talked, "twenty? Lordy, why, you're just a baby." He has a possessiveness about him, "I am going to make you mine before you leave. I am going to make love to you. Not just because I want you, but because if I don't both of us will regret it for the rest of our lives." When I picture a cowboy or rancher I picture Colt, "darlin', I know," he said softly. "I've been sitting in the next stall over; I heard every word you said." "

Susan Arden - Sweet & Spicy Tales  writes:

 "Repeat after me: COWBOY FLIRT ALERT!
Colt isn't just any cowboy, he's educated from Texas A &M and he doesn't just act the ranch hand even though he does backbreaking work. He's the adopted son of the ranch owners with a painful past."