Favorite Fictional Hero?

Oh man, asking me that is difficult.

There are just so many that I can't properly choose.

I just can't do it.

Especially when you're an author. I mean, how do you also choose from the heroes you write?

As a writer you have to love each character you write about.

In my upcoming Ellora's Cave book WILD RELEASE which is coming out January 22nd I pictured a big, brute of a guy, scarred up, shaved head and totally bad as Etienne.

For my Harlequin Medical coming out February 2014, I pictured Kevin McKidd from Grey's Anatomy to play the role of Dr. Gavin Brice. Who doesn't love a good looking Ginger man? I know Dr. Gavin Brice was very capable of Melting the Ice Queen's Heart. Dr. Virginia Potter didn't stand a chance.

I find when I'm working on a book I need visuals, so I create Pinterest boards to help me. It helps me visualize my characters more and they morph well beyond the actors I've chosen to be their own persons. Still each hero I write is different and in other books I've read, there are different reasons why I like a hero or even an anti hero.

I don't like just one flavor. ;)

I like Alpha's, Betas you name it.

I like them brooding and I like them joking.

So I can't really tell you who my favorite fictional hero is.

I like them all.

If you're interested in my Pinterest Boards you can find the board for Wild Release and Melting the Ice Queen's Heart by clicking on the titles.

When the Cover Gods get it Right

And I mean REALLY right. Especially since we're talking about casting characters, I pictured Cobie Smulders (Robin Scherbatsky from How I Met Your Mother) as my heroine in my February 2014 release from Harlequin Medicals MELTING THE ICE QUEEN'S HEART.

Dr. Virginia Potter was the beautiful brunette from HIMYM.

Except for the whole Canadian thing and the hatred of children. ;)

I was worried about the cover. It's just me.

And then I got sent this:

Perfecto.

This is Dr. Virginia Potter Chief of Surgery, the Ice Queen, as she's known by the rest of the medical professionals in her hospital.

I was swooning over this cover. I love it.

And I LOVE when the cover Gods really, really get it right. I do know my Pinterest boards do help them too! ;)

If you're interested in the rest of the cast you can see it here.

And you can find out more about the book here

It started with a kiss… 

Having left his humanitarian posting in Africa to raise his two orphaned nieces in San Francisco, Dr. Gavin Brice has enough on his plate without an inconvenient attraction to his new boss! The frosty Dr. Virginia Potter clearly disapproves of his maverick ways - but with one amazing kiss, the ice begins to thaw….

You can find out more about Amy at her website or follow her on Twitter.

ROMANTICON! WOOT!

And yes, it needed the all caps!

OMG I can't believe it's time for Romanticon. By the time this post goes live it will be two days into one of the most awesome conferences I've been too and I'll be doing the Clockbuster's workshop and then getting ready for the old Hollywood party. I'm in love with my dress for that.

Okay, so I've only been to one other one and that was RWA in 2008.

Still, Romanticon rocks. My first time there was in 2011. I was painfully shy, it was the first time away from my youngest and I was NERVOUS.

Though I got over my nerves fast. A few times when I was missing my baby Rodney made me laugh, because he found out I was just over the border from where he lived, so we shared border crossing stories, or rather he acted out a few which made me almost pee my pants and Angelo (RIP), well he caught me teary eyed on the elevator and cheered me up immensely and we talked about our children. I'm going to miss Angelo.

Besides the bit of homesickness, I met so many amazing people that I'm looking forward to seeing again.

I'm also going to meeting the Cabal of Hotness face-to-face. Yes, I haven't met any member of the Cabal except Anya Richards (Who's my neighbor and CP) and Cristal Ryder (who is my RWA Chapter mate and CP). I didn't go to Romanticon in 2012 when the Cabal was formed. Cristal Ryder invited me and it sounded crazy. So I emailed Lea Barrymire and she was like "Oh course! More the merrier."

I don't think Lea knew what she was getting in to! ;)

This year it's going to be crazier. I know it.

No hiding in a corner for me. There may be some home sickness, but not that much. I've been on deadlines all this year, fighting some illnesses I won't get into here, so I'm looking forward to letting loose and having a blast!

Oh, and a Happy Anniversary to my DH who is home alone with three kids. Yep, today is also my 11th anniversary. Almost forgot about that! ;)

Can Anybody, find me, somebody to...

Love.

If you know me really well, you know that I'm a huge fan of Queen.

Their music seems to drive the tempo of my life.

When I finish a manuscript, this is usually the song which I play at a loud decibel:


When I'm in the midst of a deadline this is the song I hear: When I'm feeling a bit sad and melancholy or writing a dark moment in my WIP this is the song I crank: Nostalgia of my Grade 8 year (not that I have many happy memories of it) is laced in this song: And when I'm feeling good, funky or just trying to have some fun these are the tunes I enjoy lip syncing too ...and I do lip sync: I love lots of music, but Queen has been in the front and centre of my theme music for a long, long time.

Dear Amy circa 1995

Dear Amy, I see you there, writing weird stories about your friends. The curse of the FTM and all that. Stories which make your high school chums laugh with glee, especially since you illustrate them with dirty stick figures.

*ahem*
















Yeah, you look so innocent, but your mind wasn't.

 But I also see you writing that Frankenstein/Phantom of the Opera weird, dark romance thing. The one where you have copious pages of front and back loose leaf pages. Where any scrap of paper you snatch to write in secret. This was before your parents invested in a good computer. The Tandy that they have is starting to bite the bullet and is only good for a fun game of Press Your Luck (Watch out for the Whammies).

 I also know about that reverse Princess Bride saga you wrote. The one that's over 400 pages hand written front and back. These two stories preoccupy your time, but you're keeping the secret of being an author to yourself. You don't think you'll get there. This is just a hobby.

 *Annoying Buzzer*

WRONG. 2006 when your second son (You have three kids btw. Don't mean to scare you, but your fear of children changes and your biological clock kicks all your fears to the side) almost dies you're going to take that little "hobby" and turn it into a dream come true.

 This will be your first book, Masque of Desire from Ellora's Cave:

I know! You're like OMG look at that semi naked man holding a pumpkin and your virginal cheeks are blushing the shade of red. How the hell do you think you got the three kids?

 My point is, your secret little dream, IS a reality.

 Fast forward to 2013 and you're published with Harlequin.

All those hours spent looking at their writing guidelines and wishing, well it's finally a reality and you have to work hard.

 So work hard now.




Sure, nothing ever comes from those stories you're scribbling at now, but don't toss them.

They were your first and they helped fill some lonely hours. It was better than drinking and doing drugs. So enjoy them and know that your dream will come true.

 No matter what anyone says!

Taking YOU on a Road Trip!

I'd go anywhere my car could take me. I love road trips. LOVE THEM. I'm like a dog that way, sticking my head out of the window, ears flapping and tongue hanging out. WOOT!

There are so many more places I want to drive to, but really I would repeat the road trip me and the family took last year. We drove through the US from SW Ontario to Alberta and Canada on the way back ...after doing a lot of traveling in Alberta.

The trip also made me fall head over heels in love with South Dakota, Wyoming & Montana.

Here are some highlights of my trip. First stop, Chicago, Illinois (I'm sorry Indiana, all the shots of you were at a rest station, but you were pretty). I always wanted to go to Chicago and DUDES how cool that your El Train runs down the middle of the highway!!! I didn't know this and we were muay excited. However, traffic sucked. Even on a Saturday before Noon.

Next up crossing the Mississippi at the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin. At first, you're tricked and you see this tiny estuary thing and then BOOM around the corner is this massive river. Okay, I'm impressed.

Ma and Pa Ingall's homestead De Smet, South Dakota. Life long dream and a very, very emotional moment. Also, fell in love with South Dakota.

South Dakota again. Rapid City & Keystone to be precise and Mount Rushmore. As a Canadian I did feel "odd" because these guys aren't my forefathers, but it was really impressive. I didn't realize what a windy hill you have to drive up to get to it. The people there are super friendly, even to foreigners like us and you pay $11.00 to get in and it's good for a year. SWEET! There is so much to do around here. Next time we go we're going to Deadwood and Custer.

Everyone should ride the Highway 212 from Rapid City into Montana. Gorgeous stretch of highway and hardly anyone around. This is Wyoming. I love it's vastness. How open it was. Just gorgeous.

Montana changes. This is Broadus, Montana in Powder River Country. We're still on Highway 212 and just fresh out of Wyoming, but when you head North from Billings towards Great Falls, the temp dropped and we were in a totally different world. Right around Broadus and Billings is where Custer met his last stand at Little Big Horn.

Just north of Great Falls and heading North to Alberta. See what I mean, now lush and green.

Alberta does it too. Has so many different eco systems and changes. This the badlands in Canada. Drumheller, Alberta which has an amazing Dinosaur museum. These are natural wonders known as Hoo Doos. You can hike up all in and around them. Super cool.

This is just outside of Edmonton and is far, far north of where I live in SW Ontario. So far north that this picture was taken at 10 p.m. on Canada Day (July 1). This is my BIL's farm. Very prairie around here. And those little schmucks are my kids. Their clocks were very out of whack at this point.

Drive 4 hrs west from Edmonton and you hit this. Jasper National Park and the Rockies.

After driving across the Canadian Prairies and visiting my cousin in Winnipeg we came back to Ontario. Northern Ontario and the Great Lake which feeds down into all the others. Lake Superior at Thunder Bay. That's Sleeping Giant.

I'd show you my last picture of the trip, but it was at the Science North Museum in Sudbury, Ontario and it was a picture of a fart machine. (I said Dart gun not a fart gun)

I kid you not. I ended the pictures of our trip with a fart button. *head smack*

I hope you enjoyed the road trip. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Three weeks on the road was worth it!

You can find more about Amy at her website. Or follow her on Twitter.

Her newest release PRIVATE RELEASE was set in Winnipeg, Manitoba which she got to see first hand on her epic road trip.

5 Best Kisses and One bad one that irks me ...

Okay, these awards are just based on my opinion, but since I'm in control of the awards I get to choose. Muwahahahahahaha *THE POWER! OH THE POWER*

*clears throat*

Anyways, I'm counting down some of my favorite kisses from TV and Movies. In no particular order.

Number 5: The Tenth Doctor's clone kissing Rose (Long story) kissing.






 Number 4: The Ninth Doctor kissing Rose Tyler. At :51

Number 3: Persuasion 1996 (Not that crappy updated one). The kiss is at 3:11

Number 2: Richard Armitage as Mr. Thornton in North and South. ZOMG. ZOMG. ZOMG.

 Number 1: Okay, one of the funniest scenes which led to a LONG awaited kiss in a brilliant series known as the Vicar of Dibley. Also at the end leads into one of the nastiest, but still funny.

 And now for one of the worst. I love Jane Austen's Persuasion. I've read it. I LOVE the 1996 version with Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root. I was kind of excited for the 2007 version, but it sucked. I hated what they changed. I just detested it.

 Her mouth was working like a fish and he's all like hesitating like he's trying not to laugh at her mouth opening and closing over and over again. I guess I just never connected with these two as Ann Elliot and Captain Wentworth.

 So those are some of my favorite kisses.

Yes, they're all British. Perhaps a nice British Flare awards and I'll work on a North American one next time.

Honorable Mention goes to As Time Goes By with Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer.

And now, a kissing excerpt from my upcoming release PRIVATE RELEASE coming June 7, 2013
.

 “It’s nothing… It’s just been a long time.” And no one has seen me naked since I was shot and left with a horrific scar.

 “You tell me if you want to stop. I’ll take this slow. We have all night.”

 Heat bloomed in her core. All night sounded like heaven. Adele licked her lips. “Keep going.”

 “All you have to do is tell me to stop and I will.” His voice was husky with need.

 “Don’t stop.”

 “I’m so glad you said that.” He pressed his lips against hers in a light butterfly kiss, which made her want to jump out of her skin. “Because I don’t want to stop.” He undid the buttons to her suit jacket and then slid it off her before tossing it away over his shoulder. It was her only good suit, but frankly right now she didn’t give a damn about her clothing. All she wanted to be was naked and under him.

 His hands slid down to her waist and he quickly undid the button her pants. Adele’s breath hitched in her throat as his fingers slid under his silk camisole, untucking it from her pants, coming so close to the puckered scar from the shooting. When Elias saw the wound, he’d been disgusted by the prospect of the damage it would leave on her body.

 “What’s wrong?” Jared asked. “You’re incredibly tense.”

 “Nothing. Don’t stop.” Don’t stop. Wash it all away, erase my nightmares.

 He tilted her chin, his gaze full of concern. “Adele?” She responded by running her hands up under his shirt and nibbling his jaw.

“I’m okay. Don’t stop.” Jared let out a feral growl, which caused her body to hum in excitement. He pushed her back against the mattress and pulled her pants down over her hips and off, tossing them in a different direction from her jacket.

If I wasn't a writer...

Then my little old brains would be exploding everywhere.

When I was a chillin' I played with Barbies and an assortment, of what I called, Little People. Which was a mish-mash of Fisher Price characters, Calico Critters, Charmkins, She-Ra ...whatever wasn't Barbie sized.

This is a picture of me and my cousin. I'm the one in the orange plaid dress. Aren't I cute? I was just happy to play Barbies and Little People by myself. Screw playing outside with friends.

Weekends, when we weren't in Toronto visiting my grandparents, was heaven to me. AND I loved rainy days. Rainy days I could be in my own little world all day long.

I had a Ken doll from the 1970's that wasn't a Barbie brand. He had a huge plastic head with hair molded into his skull and fingers that were separate and long.

He was a hand me down from my older cousin. He was creepy and ALWAYS the villain who was trying to "smooch" and kidnap the heroine.

Anyways, when my mother deemed I was too old to play with Barbies (though honestly sometimes I would sit in my big closet with a flash light and play with them) I had to have an outlet for the voices.

Writing was what came naturally.

Just ask any of my high school friends. I wrote stories on my spares, at lunch, whenever I was bored.

I'd have my big spanning books (which were kept private and are under my bed never to see the light of day. Talk about melodramatic), but other times I would write stories about friends. Goofy stories and parodies, that I would illustrate. There was a long running digest of my friends. We were superheroes and we were fight "Frigging Tall Man" or FTM as we called him. He was a boy at school, who we were friends with.

I'd also include latest crushes of Hollywood in there. Like Keanu, David Duchovny, Pete Sampras, Richard Ian Cox aka RIC (who was my one friend's crush because she was a horse fiend and watched the Black Stallion relentlessly) and Jacques Villenuve. What can I say, it was was the 90s.

It was weird, but everyone enjoyed getting the latest edition of FTM's latest antics. I also incorporated people who'd bully me and make them absolutely ridiculous. It was a way to deal with that.

Yeah, we writers will kill off dinks. You are warned.

So, what would I be doing if I wasn't writing? Most likely going bonkers.

I can't picture a day-to-day without the mini movies in my head. My imagination has always been there.

My mind is constantly going. CONSTANTLY. It's not quiet in there at all.

It's full of lots of things.

Lots and lots.

It's a wonderful, but SCARY place sometimes. :)

You can find out more about me, my latest news and my antics:

Website: http://www.amyruttan.com
Twitter: @ruttanamy

Desert Island or Dessert Island

I guess a dessert island would be fattening. One can dream though. I guess if I was stranded on a deserted island I would want to have a survival kit stocked to the gills with everything I need to survive.

 No, I don't need a volleyball as my companion because I'd have my DH with me. I was a Girl Guide and he was a Boy Scout. We'd make that deserted island our BITCH.

 Moving on.

 So presuming the survival kit has everything including canned food I would want solar powered TV with my extensive DVD collection. Hey, which reminds me The Hobbit came out today, must buy.

 Writing implements, like paper and pens.

 Board games would be sweet.

Solar powered radio and generator would be KICK ASS too. And a bed. A nice comfortable bed.

 Sun all the time, cause I hate snow y'all. I know, I know I'm Canadian ...but I frakking hate SNOW. I'm not made for snow. Now, I'm rambling. I hope I don't get stuck on a deserted island any time soon. I'd sooner settle for a ranch house in the west and it would be summer all year long.

Aaaah. Montana, now if you only didn't get snow you'd be my paradise. This is a pic on the way to Great Falls Montana in June 2012. From my epic road trip this summer. :)



 

Bow-Chicka-Wow-Wow

Before I get to the good stuff, Random.org picked Wendy P as the winner of the Cabal goodness. But don't despair, folks! The Cabal is holding a mega awesome blog hop for St. Patrick's Day. Be sure to check back for updates!


I'm totally blogging twice this week. That's twice the Cajun spice. Does your ass hurt yet? Hm, that didn't come out quite the way I wanted it to.

Ah well, by now y'all should be used to my goofiness.

What's so special about this week? The second volume of awesomeness otherwise known as the Fondled and Gobbled anthology. Oh yes, you didn't think we were finished with it, did you? Bwahaha! Of course we're not. As we've stated repeatedly, when questioned by people who lay claim to sanity, there's far too much ridiculousness in the world to stop now.

And today marks the day we're unleashing the Kracken. A second time. Yes, I totally said that in the French knight's accent from The Holy Grail (that's a Monty Python movie y'all). So what can you expect in this volume?

Something....like zis?

Well, maybe not exactly like that, but the idea is there.

This volume takes us on a journey with uh, *looks at her notes* badaliensexlosingyourvirginityinabadyetgoodwayScoobyDoosoundingheroesandpenisphobiasandstrippersand...
Okay, let me try this again.

The virgin whose carefully planned hymen removal doesn’t work out the way all the romance novels told her it would. A busty broad doing what she can to get over her penis anxiety—assisted by a cadre of male strippers. A not-so-bright (and not so “big”) alien who comes to claim his life mate, and the Earth girl who wants to be claimed at all costs. A cursed, mute shapeshifter who needs to pop his cherry with his unsuspecting fated mate.


If you’re looking for the perfect romance with the perfect hero and heroine, this isn’t it! This is a series of spoofs, parodies, just-for-fun lighthearted take-offs. It’s for all us longtime, hard-core romance readers who can laugh at the clichés, purple prose and “suspend your disbelief” plot devices that haunt our beloved favorite genre.

And trust me, this book is funny. OMG. I think I had tears in my eyes when I read these stories the first time around. I can only imagine how crazy it is now!

So how can you get your copy of Fondle and Gobbled: Going Back For Seconds?
Try these fine retailers of naughty smut:
Ellora's Cave
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

And be sure to share it with the world. I'm still holding out that the Wayans brothers will want to make a movie out of the spoofs. What do y'all think? If you've read volume one, who do you think should play the heroes and heroines? (All of them.) Personally, I think Armie Hammer could play Cade Kincaid, except he'd have to pretend he's not hung. Not that I know if he's well-endowed or not *hides the naked pictures* Hm, CGI should be able to handle that, right?

This year

What am I looking forward to in 2013? Well, I'm looking forward to Fondled & Gobbled: Going Back for Seconds coming out. I was looking forward to the first volume releasing and it has!

 I'm REALLY looking forward to Romanticon in October! I missed out last year because of the epic road trip, but this year, I'm so there. I had a BLAST the first year I went and met some amazing people and of course the best part is going to be hanging with the Cabal and Hotties. WOOT! Epic fun times to be had! This is a picture of me with the cavemen.

 I'm looking forward to my first release with Harlequin Medicals, but I don't really technically know if that's this year or not, but since I've worked my little brains out over that first book and I'm currently working on the second, I'm REALLY looking forward to the release of Safe in His Hands.

 Since this winter has been sucky with colds etc., I'm looking forward to the summer. I love summer.

 I'm also looking forward to the Fall because my youngest, who I love dearly, will be going to school and I'll get some writing time in the day instead of having to stay up late and spending my nights hunched over the computer. I just feel really bad for his teacher. ;-)

 And that's what I'm looking forward to this year. How about you?

Glacial Hotness, but please don't call me frigid

Because I'm not frigid, not in the least. ;-)

I just like oxymorons.

I earned the name Glacial because, I'm always cold. At least in the winter. Although my DH complains I sleep with a comforter in the summer, but then again he'd prefer that I sleep nude 24-7.

Also, I earned the name because I'm one of the three Hotties from Canada.

My name is Amy Ruttan and I've been with Ellora's Cave since 2007. I've also written for Eternal Press and under a different name I've written an Urban Fantasy for Samhain.

I grew up on the outskirts of Toronto, Ontario. So born and raised Torontonian and couldn't be prouder. Big  supporter of the Maple Leafs even if they haven't won a cup in my LIFE TIME. I also have a feeling I may be the baby of the bunch, but don't quote me on that.

I also happen to live down the street from Bootay Hotness. So I see her, regularly and during the winter months listen to her bitterly complain and whine about the ice and snow.

I'm a mother to three rug rats. A girl and two boys, who are the bane of her existence apparently. She's hitting the preteen years. God help me.

When I'm not writing you can find me playing computer games. I'm addicted to Time Management games and subscribed to Big Fish Games that I earned the coveted FISH trophy. I have an eclectic taste in books, movies and TV shows. I'm addicted to Grey's Anatomy (*sob* Mark & Lexie aka Slexie forever), as well as anything British, in particular Mr. Darcy and British Comedy. ;-) I'm crafty and I love driving ...err scratch that I love going for drives.

I also have an unholy love affair with Diet Coke, but that's neither here nor there.


This summer we drove across country for my SIL's wedding. Almost 10,000 kms in total, so one way was the same distance a monarch butterfly traveled. Anyways because of this epic trip I have fallen completely and hopelessly in love with the west. If given the chance I'd move to South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba in a heartbeat. I never thought I'd love the prairies and the badlands, but I do. I SO do.

This is a picture from the Hoo Doos in Drumheller Alberta. One that I took. Not bad, eh.

Yes, I am quiescently Canadian and will often say "eh". Listen for it at Romanticon. Hehehe.

My story in Fondled and Gobbled: Going Back for Seconds happens to feature a mute werewolf who has to claim his unsuspecting life mate. Yes, I'm employed the device of Scooby Doo talk. "Ruh-Roh."

I may also, if the rumors are true, written another F&G spoof for another volume that involves a pregnant man, but that's all I'm going to say on the matter.

I do write about shifters who do speak though, like in Mounted Release

Gordon Thomas isn’t just an ordinary constable of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, he’s also a bit of a bear—literally. He’s been on his own for so long he’s shocked when he discovers another Mukswa in his territory, and a female at that. The woman brings out the true beast in him, one which he’s been controlling for far too long.

Sheridan Stevens is on the run. When she crashes on an isolated road, her savior is the only male of her kind within one hundred kilometres. He’s kind, gorgeous and stirs her desire to a burning crescendo.

A snowstorm causes them to seek shelter. As the mercury drops outside, the temperature inside is rising. Neither Gordon nor Sheridan can contain the primal lust singing in their blood. But even as their passion burns brighter than the northern lights, Sheridan’s predator stalks them…ready to make his kill.


I've also written amnesiatic heroes too, like in Warrior Unbound

Hattie isn’t the best medicine woman in her order, but when an ancient evil threatens to escape, she’s the only one available to perform the spell to wake the great stone warrior from his slumber. Problem is, she’s not sure if she really believes in it, especially since the key component of the spell is her soul-shattering orgasm.

When the Warrior is summoned once again he is pleasantly surprised by the medicine woman who has called him, and has no problem giving her the pleasure she needs to complete the banishment spell, but something goes wrong. He still remains in the mortal realm instead of returning to stone. To make matters worse, he remembers nothing except the taste of the medicine woman on his lips.

They have two weeks before the new moon to fulfill the prophecy and they spend every moment wrapped up in each other, lost in passion. But time is ticking and there’s a price to pay for saving the world—one that may turn her stone Warrior to dust.

I love to hear from readers and you can find me at my website www.amyruttan.com

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