Happy birthday to Eric Sheffer Stevens, my Current TV Crush and one of my fave actors ever. (Yes, I know I only discovered him a couple of months ago. Still. He's that good.)
To celebrate, here's a video created by the talented bunchoflemons, as part of her Dr. Reid Oliver cartoon saga. The whole series is brilliant - check them out on her YouTube channel.
This week, As The World Turns will be ceasing production. (Though the show runs through September 17th, filming ends a few months early.) I'm sure Eric will continue to find success as an actor, be it on screen or on stage. I'll definitely miss his performances as Dr. Reid Oliver once the show goes dark, though. And I'm wishing I lived closer to Vermont, so I could catch his performance as Benedick (opposite his wife Jenny as Beatrice) in the Vermont Shakespeare Company production of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, coming this August. If you happen to live close enough, you should definitely check it out!
So, question of the day: How far would you travel to see your favorite actor/performer? Or, if you've already made that trek, what's the furthest you've traveled for a favorite?
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Book BIN, er, Friday - A Two-fer!
Two of my fellow Nine Naughty Novelists have books out from Samhain this week, and even though I'm behind in posting this, I wanted to give a shout out to them for their fabulous new reads!
First up, Erin Nicholas' Just Like That:
Some rules just beg to be broken.
The Bradfords, Book 2
Danika Steffen can take care of herself. Watching her mother slowly succumb to muscular dystrophy convinced Danika that total independence is the only way to go. Anything that needs fixing, she’s got the tools. So what if she’s never had an orgasm. No one really needs one, right?
Sam Bradford is good at two things: his job as a paramedic, and seducing women. Being dependable? Not so much. Losing his father at age fifteen tore a permanent hole in his life, and now he’s determined never to let anyone need him that much. Enjoying women, though, is definitely on the menu. As long as they understand his unbreakable rule: one night only. Until a date with Danika Steffen ends not in her bed, but with a trip to the ER.
Danika may have a broken wrist, but Sam’s the one suffering…an intense case of guilt. And instead of doing things to her, he only wants to do things for her. Which would drive her crazy if not for the sneaking suspicion that Sam needs a little TLC too. And damned if she doesn’t want to be the one to give it…
Warning: Contains an I’ll-do-it-myself girl who can fix anything, a commitment-phobic guy who can’t fix anything, and a whole new way to look at butter. Yes, butter.
Next, take a peek at Dark Obsession by Sydney Somers:
Scorching desire…fatal consequences.
Shadow Destroyers, Book 4
Demon slayer Rae McAvoy refuses to let anything stand between her and getting the job done. Especially her ex. Loving Parker nearly destroyed her, and if partnering with him one last time means he’ll be reassigned and out of her life for good, bring it on.
If Parker was the only threat to her heart, tracking down one rogue scientist would be a snap. Except the scientist in question is Rae’s father, and his experiments are hitting much too close to home.
Parker Walsh hasn’t forgotten the passion that once burned between them, and he’s determined to remind Rae every chance he gets. But giving in to more than just lust could mean surrendering to the darkness inside him—the same darkness that once drove her away.
Riding the edge of their rising desire pushes them to the breaking point, until an explosion of passion raises the stakes even higher. Especially when long-buried secrets force them to break the last links to their past—or else be consumed by an obsession so dark it could tear them apart for good.
Warning: Contains a fierce battle of wills between reunited lovers, explosive sexual tension, sarcasm, gritty demon-slaying violence, scorching sex and a love worth fighting for.
So there you have it! Two great books, on sale this week at My Bookstore and More. Why not drop by this weekend and Buy Them Now?
First up, Erin Nicholas' Just Like That:
Some rules just beg to be broken.The Bradfords, Book 2
Danika Steffen can take care of herself. Watching her mother slowly succumb to muscular dystrophy convinced Danika that total independence is the only way to go. Anything that needs fixing, she’s got the tools. So what if she’s never had an orgasm. No one really needs one, right?
Sam Bradford is good at two things: his job as a paramedic, and seducing women. Being dependable? Not so much. Losing his father at age fifteen tore a permanent hole in his life, and now he’s determined never to let anyone need him that much. Enjoying women, though, is definitely on the menu. As long as they understand his unbreakable rule: one night only. Until a date with Danika Steffen ends not in her bed, but with a trip to the ER.
Danika may have a broken wrist, but Sam’s the one suffering…an intense case of guilt. And instead of doing things to her, he only wants to do things for her. Which would drive her crazy if not for the sneaking suspicion that Sam needs a little TLC too. And damned if she doesn’t want to be the one to give it…
Warning: Contains an I’ll-do-it-myself girl who can fix anything, a commitment-phobic guy who can’t fix anything, and a whole new way to look at butter. Yes, butter.
Next, take a peek at Dark Obsession by Sydney Somers:
Scorching desire…fatal consequences.
Shadow Destroyers, Book 4
Demon slayer Rae McAvoy refuses to let anything stand between her and getting the job done. Especially her ex. Loving Parker nearly destroyed her, and if partnering with him one last time means he’ll be reassigned and out of her life for good, bring it on.
If Parker was the only threat to her heart, tracking down one rogue scientist would be a snap. Except the scientist in question is Rae’s father, and his experiments are hitting much too close to home.
Parker Walsh hasn’t forgotten the passion that once burned between them, and he’s determined to remind Rae every chance he gets. But giving in to more than just lust could mean surrendering to the darkness inside him—the same darkness that once drove her away.
Riding the edge of their rising desire pushes them to the breaking point, until an explosion of passion raises the stakes even higher. Especially when long-buried secrets force them to break the last links to their past—or else be consumed by an obsession so dark it could tear them apart for good.
Warning: Contains a fierce battle of wills between reunited lovers, explosive sexual tension, sarcasm, gritty demon-slaying violence, scorching sex and a love worth fighting for.
So there you have it! Two great books, on sale this week at My Bookstore and More. Why not drop by this weekend and Buy Them Now?
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Book BIN Tuesday - Lost and Found
I've been anxiously awaiting the release of this new book by Kelly Jamieson. Here's a peek!
To find happiness, first you have to find yourself.
To find happiness, first you have to find yourself.
Krissa has always been the responsible one. Driven to fulfill her mother’s abandoned dreams, to make her husband Derek happy. She’s brought that single-minded determination to the one dream she has for herself—a child. Except she and Derek can’t conceive, and Derek refuses to consider using a stranger’s sperm. The result? Guilt that her desperation is causing their marital rift.
The last thing they need is a long-term houseguest, but Derek’s best friend Nate, a nomadic photographer recovering from a career-threatening eye disorder, has nowhere else to go.
Nate thought his friends’ home would be a temporary haven from the grief that has dogged his heels since his wife died. Instead he’s in the middle of a marriage in meltdown. Soon their friendship develops an underlying hum of forbidden sexual tension. When Krissa proposes a wild idea—that Nate be their sperm donor—Derek has an even wilder proposal: bypass the fertility clinic and accept Nate’s donation straight from the source.
At first, Krissa believes she’s on the fast track to having her dream. But it quickly becomes clear that when the heart gets involved—and secrets are revealed—the simplest of arrangements can become entangled beyond belief. Or repair…
Product Warnings
The last thing they need is a long-term houseguest, but Derek’s best friend Nate, a nomadic photographer recovering from a career-threatening eye disorder, has nowhere else to go.
Nate thought his friends’ home would be a temporary haven from the grief that has dogged his heels since his wife died. Instead he’s in the middle of a marriage in meltdown. Soon their friendship develops an underlying hum of forbidden sexual tension. When Krissa proposes a wild idea—that Nate be their sperm donor—Derek has an even wilder proposal: bypass the fertility clinic and accept Nate’s donation straight from the source.
At first, Krissa believes she’s on the fast track to having her dream. But it quickly becomes clear that when the heart gets involved—and secrets are revealed—the simplest of arrangements can become entangled beyond belief. Or repair…
Product Warnings
This title contains a man who’s lost, the woman he finds, sizzling ménage sex, tender romantic sex, love lost and love found.
Sounds great, doesn't it? So why not head over to My Bookstore and More and Buy It Now?
Friday, June 04, 2010
And the Winners Are...
Hey! It's Friday, the weekend is almost here (with a fastpitch tournament to take every available moment, but hey, hopefully it won't rain, right?), and I'm ready to announce the winners of the contests from the past two weeks. So, without further ado, here they are:
Winner of the RT Tote Bag and assorted goodies:
DonnaS!
Winner of the autographed copy of Knight of Passion by Margaret Mallory:
Lexi!
Congrats! Please contact me off-blog with your address so the pressies can be shipped to you. And thanks for stopping by the blog!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Book BIN Friday - Married By Morning
So I'm rounding out Book BIN week with yet another fabulous-sounding historical, Married By Morning by Lisa Kleypas. I love Lisa's books, and am really looking forward to diving into this one. Here's the blurb:
He is everything she wants to avoid…
For two years, Catherine Marks has been a paid companion to the Hathaway sisters — a pleasant position, with one caveat. Her charges’ older brother, Leo Hathaway, is thoroughly exasperating. Cat can hardly believe that their constant arguing could mask a mutual attraction. But when one quarrel ends in a sudden kiss, Cat is shocked at her powerful response — and even more so when Leo proposes a dangerous liaison.
She is not at all what she seems…
Leo must marry and produce an heir within a year to save his family home. Catherine’s respectable demeanor hides a secret that would utterly destroy her. But to Leo, Cat is intriguing and infernally tempting, even to a man resolved never to love again. The danger Cat tried to outrun is about to separate them forever — unless two wary lovers can find a way to banish the shadows and give in to their desires…
He is everything she wants to avoid…
For two years, Catherine Marks has been a paid companion to the Hathaway sisters — a pleasant position, with one caveat. Her charges’ older brother, Leo Hathaway, is thoroughly exasperating. Cat can hardly believe that their constant arguing could mask a mutual attraction. But when one quarrel ends in a sudden kiss, Cat is shocked at her powerful response — and even more so when Leo proposes a dangerous liaison.
She is not at all what she seems…
Leo must marry and produce an heir within a year to save his family home. Catherine’s respectable demeanor hides a secret that would utterly destroy her. But to Leo, Cat is intriguing and infernally tempting, even to a man resolved never to love again. The danger Cat tried to outrun is about to separate them forever — unless two wary lovers can find a way to banish the shadows and give in to their desires…
*****
Sounds great, doesn't it? So why not pick up some new reading material for the weekend and Buy It Now?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Book BIN Wednesday - One Dance With A Duke
Squeee! Tessa Dare has a new book out - the start of a brand new trilogy! Here are the deets:True temptation begins at midnight…
A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members — yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing “Duke of Midnight.” Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke — until Lady Amelia d’Orsay tries her luck.
In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke’s dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother’s debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club’s founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?
****
Doesn't it sound great? So why not go Buy It Now?
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Book BIN Tuesday - Knight of Passion
I'm so excited! 2010 RITA finalist Margaret Mallory has a new book out today! It's called Knight of Passion and it's the 3rd book in her All The King's Men series. Here's the scoop:
HOW CAN THIS PASSIONATE KNIGHT…
Renowned beauty Lady Linnet is torn between two desires: revenge on those who destroyed her family or marriage to her childhood sweetheart Sir James Rayburn. One fateful night, she makes a misguided choice: she sacrifices Jamie’s love for a chance at vengeance.
TRUST A BEAUTY WITH A PAST?
Jamie Rayburn returns to England in search of a virtuous wife—only to find the lovely Linnet as bewitching as ever. Their reckless affair ignites anew, even hotter than before, although Jamie vows to never again trust her with his heart. Then just as Linnet begins to make amends, she’s tempted by one last opportunity to settle old scores. But a final retribution could cost her Jamie’s love – this time forever.
HOW CAN THIS PASSIONATE KNIGHT…
Renowned beauty Lady Linnet is torn between two desires: revenge on those who destroyed her family or marriage to her childhood sweetheart Sir James Rayburn. One fateful night, she makes a misguided choice: she sacrifices Jamie’s love for a chance at vengeance.
TRUST A BEAUTY WITH A PAST?
Jamie Rayburn returns to England in search of a virtuous wife—only to find the lovely Linnet as bewitching as ever. Their reckless affair ignites anew, even hotter than before, although Jamie vows to never again trust her with his heart. Then just as Linnet begins to make amends, she’s tempted by one last opportunity to settle old scores. But a final retribution could cost her Jamie’s love – this time forever.
****
If you live in Western Washington, you can pick up a copy of the book TODAY, at the Olympia Borders near the Capitol Mall, signed by the author! 5:30-7:30 pm.
Otherwise, you can find it online and in your local bookstore! So be sure to put it on your list to head out and Buy It Now!
Monday, May 24, 2010
It's a Book BIN Week!
Just a head's up that there will be a LOT of Book BIN recommendations this week, because it's just filled with fabulous new releases and I can't choose! So keep an eye out, be sure to comment, and there may be a prize or two at the end of the week!
Also, the winner of last week's tote bag contest will be announced near the end of the week as well. So be sure to stop on by!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Kate's Current TV Crush - Eric Sheffer Stevens
Yes, it's true. I've fallen for another man.
And so has Luke Snyder. :)
Over the past few months I've gotten sucked into another fandom. This time it's As The World Turns, which kind of sucks because the show's been cancelled and will end its 54-year run in September. On the one hand, I'm clearly not an early adopter; on the other, I'm thoroughly enjoying the ride to the end of the line.
One of the biggest reasons? This fella right here.
Seriously, guys, Eric Sheffer Stevens is one of the best actors I've ever seen on US daytime television, hands down.
No, scratch that. He's one of the best actors I've ever seen, full stop.
Yes, the character is fantastic. Yes, the dialogue is crackling and hilarious. But in the hands of a lesser actor, it wouldn't have the same impact, the same quality, the same SPARK it has once ESS has gotten ahold of it.
I'm a former theater nerd. And there are moments when watching Eric on the show that I have to actually pause the DVR and marvel over his choices. The line readings! He's got the best dialogue on the show, hands down, but even simple lines are powerful in his hands. My personal favorite? It's from the episode where Luke and Reid are discussing Luke's relationship with Noah (over an unconscious Noah, in the hospital following brain surgery. Hey, it's a soap.). Luke says he never thought he'd ever be with anyone but Noah. Reid nods and says, "that explains a lot."
(Right now you're thinking, this poor writer has gone around the bend, because how in the hell is that an interesting line? Believe me when I tell you, thanks to his interpretation of it, that line MAKES THE ENTIRE SCENE. I've been flailing over it for weeks. Don't believe me? Take a peek at the episode.)
(You may also note the kissing at the beginning of the episode. Um, rowr. This is US daytime television? Not German? Amazing. Also, Chemistry 101, in action.)
In the few short months Eric Sheffer Stevens has been on As The World Turns, I've become an unabashed Reid fangirl. The character is nuanced, interesting, challenging, and fun to watch. He's cranky and arrogant on the outside, but with enough hints of vulnerability and gentleness to balance out the character (and make the audience understand how Luke could fall for him).
So the character is fantastic, the actor is amazing, and the storyline is outstanding. Why is As The World Turns being cancelled, again? Oh, right. Because they didn't hire Eric Sheffer Stevens early enough.
No matter. As long as ESS is on screen, I'm along for the ride. Here's hoping he stays through to the very end - and goes on to a wonderful, long-lasting career once it's done.
(And I'm not crushed that I wasn't able to get a "Hi Kate" picture of him from Soapfest to add to my photos of soap actors holding a "Hi Kate" sign. Well, maybe a little. Fingers crossed that he makes it to at least one more fan event so I can find someone to take one for me--or go myself!)
And so has Luke Snyder. :)
Over the past few months I've gotten sucked into another fandom. This time it's As The World Turns, which kind of sucks because the show's been cancelled and will end its 54-year run in September. On the one hand, I'm clearly not an early adopter; on the other, I'm thoroughly enjoying the ride to the end of the line.
One of the biggest reasons? This fella right here.
Seriously, guys, Eric Sheffer Stevens is one of the best actors I've ever seen on US daytime television, hands down.
No, scratch that. He's one of the best actors I've ever seen, full stop.
Yes, the character is fantastic. Yes, the dialogue is crackling and hilarious. But in the hands of a lesser actor, it wouldn't have the same impact, the same quality, the same SPARK it has once ESS has gotten ahold of it.
I'm a former theater nerd. And there are moments when watching Eric on the show that I have to actually pause the DVR and marvel over his choices. The line readings! He's got the best dialogue on the show, hands down, but even simple lines are powerful in his hands. My personal favorite? It's from the episode where Luke and Reid are discussing Luke's relationship with Noah (over an unconscious Noah, in the hospital following brain surgery. Hey, it's a soap.). Luke says he never thought he'd ever be with anyone but Noah. Reid nods and says, "that explains a lot."
(Right now you're thinking, this poor writer has gone around the bend, because how in the hell is that an interesting line? Believe me when I tell you, thanks to his interpretation of it, that line MAKES THE ENTIRE SCENE. I've been flailing over it for weeks. Don't believe me? Take a peek at the episode.)
(You may also note the kissing at the beginning of the episode. Um, rowr. This is US daytime television? Not German? Amazing. Also, Chemistry 101, in action.)
In the few short months Eric Sheffer Stevens has been on As The World Turns, I've become an unabashed Reid fangirl. The character is nuanced, interesting, challenging, and fun to watch. He's cranky and arrogant on the outside, but with enough hints of vulnerability and gentleness to balance out the character (and make the audience understand how Luke could fall for him).
So the character is fantastic, the actor is amazing, and the storyline is outstanding. Why is As The World Turns being cancelled, again? Oh, right. Because they didn't hire Eric Sheffer Stevens early enough.
No matter. As long as ESS is on screen, I'm along for the ride. Here's hoping he stays through to the very end - and goes on to a wonderful, long-lasting career once it's done.
(And I'm not crushed that I wasn't able to get a "Hi Kate" picture of him from Soapfest to add to my photos of soap actors holding a "Hi Kate" sign. Well, maybe a little. Fingers crossed that he makes it to at least one more fan event so I can find someone to take one for me--or go myself!)
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Book BIN Tuesday - In and Out
Fabulous m/m author LB Gregg has a new book out, and it sounds fantastic!
Former television sensation and renowned world explorer, Holden Worthington, is held prisoner by crippling agoraphobia. When a sexy young laborer arrives to set his property to rights, a ray of light glimmers in Holden's dark and narrow world.
A grisly discovery throws the two men together, and Holden finds his world turned inside out by his inappropriate longing for his awkward, young employee, Adam Morgan, and by a threat growing around them both. All of Smithfield believes Holden has something to hide, and Adam is determined to bring everything--including Holden Worthington--into the open.
Doesn't it sound great? So why not head on over to Aspen Mountain Press and Buy It Now?
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