Reading Between the Wines Book Club: Tour: Suzan Butler's OFF HER GAME (Guest Post/Giveaway)

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Tour: Suzan Butler's OFF HER GAME (Guest Post/Giveaway)

Please give a warm welcome to romance author, Suzan Butler!

The really great thing about my job is the research I get to do. So I thought I’d put a list here of five things I’ve done in the name of research for a book.

1) Learn how to ice skate

Of course, this was something I wanted to do anyway. It was part of my fascination with hockey, because I’ve always wanted to play. So, I took ice skating lessons, discovered I’m the Most Graceful Person in the world (not really) and then sprained my ankle in a really bad spill.

2) Visited a dungeon

I have several light kink books planned for the near future. I really wanted to learn the art of shibari, since my hero in one book was a rope expert. So, I got in contact with my local kink community (and I didn’t realize that there was a fairly active one in my area!) and introduced myself and went from there. Of course, the trouble with doing this is that then you’re constantly bombarded with more ideas to write…

3) Hockey games

Yeah, this one isn’t a hardship at all. In fact, I’d do these anyway, but now they’re tax deductible.

4) Watch The Ultimate Fighter

I brainstormed an MMA series (that some day I will actually have time to write…) and I wanted to get more of a feel for how the bouts went. So, I started watching TUF. I frequently live tweet these things when I have time too. I usually call it violent mancuddling, but it’s an affectionate term. I’ve found I really enjoy MMA. I actually bought kickboxing classes, so that’s next on my research list.

5) Go to the movies

When I was learning story structure, it was recommended to me that I watch movies and analyze. Now, I’m not too good at analyzing things. I don’t have the patience for it. I’d rather just dive into it. But, binging on new release movies had an additional benefit. I got to claim “family time” as well. ;)

Those are just a few of the things I’ve done for book research. I also started online dating as book research at one point, but that’s the gift that keeps on giving. The stories that come out of online dating… well, that’s a post for another day.

Thanks for having me here, y’all!

OFF HER GAME

by Suzan Butler

Penalty Number One: MenMaking time for men and relationships doesn’t fit into Valerie Chase’s game plan. This crisis-counselor-turned-cocktail-waitress knows the score—Men are a distraction. But when a certain hockey player tempts her wild side, part of her wants to indulge in a little harmless fun.Penalty Number Two: DesireAs the star center for the Texas Highlanders, Darren Moran's good looks and deadly determination make him a fan favorite. But after the previous season’s disaster, the last thing he needs is to let some woman crawl under his skin. But… Valerie is different. She brings out the best in him—both on and off the ice—and he’s not about to lose her. Penalty Number Three: PassionWhen the game moves to the next level, Darren and Val have got to call timeout. An unplanned romance is a game-thrower, a sinful temptation that neither of them can afford. After all, there’s no way to have order in matters of the heart when the penalties tally up to an ejection from the game.

Available at: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | iTunes

Suzan Butler is a romance author, both contemporary and fantasy with a penchant for Dr. Pepper, ice hockey, and world domination.You can also find her on Twitter (often tweeting inappropriately!) and Facebook or watch her ramble incessantly on her blog about various things like hockey, shoes, online dating, and even her mad picture-taking skills from time to time. Sometimes, she talks about writing and social media.