A Hero's Hop: What's the recipe for the perfect hero? #HeroHop

Hey beautiful people!

It's my second blog hop, and the first of Carrie Ann's in which I am taking part. Totally stoked and absolutely excited to be joining the 128 other authors who signed up for this hop... and also to meet all the readers and visitors who will be doing the rounds. Welcome to my place, peeps!

So, what's the hope about? Heroes. As simple as that. *are you sure?* Nope, not that simple, as you'll see when you browse all the posts that will be going up. Come read what everyone of us authors conjures up in her mind when we heard the magic word "hero".

129 authors = 129 chances to win the Grand Prizes!

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A magnificent swag pack you can check on the official hop page

AND there will be giveaways at every stop on the tour! So that means, 129 chances for you to win more goodies!

Want to enter to win in my giveaway? Then, let's get rolling with the post!

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Immediately when I think "hero", I imagine coming up with the perfect hero for each book. But is there a recipe for that?

Got me thinking – how do I go about creating the perfect hero in each of my books?

First of all – the hero 'works off' the heroine, and vice versa. I'm not a hard-core feminist; when I say "a woman doesn't need a man to be happy", I mean it. But I also say that, "a woman doesn't miss a man until he walks into her life", and that's when things change...

So based on these notions, I set out to imagine the perfect hero. And like a good dish (forgive me here – I am so not a cook and as far from domestic goddess Nigella Lawson as you can get!), you need some set ingredients:

Sugar
Spice
And all things nice!

Simple, innit? Not so much. Let's elaborate.

Sugar – we all agree; the hero is the foil of the heroine. He is her "good times", her "rock", her "anchor", the one she runs to. Faced with a box of Godiva chocolates and a plate of lime slices, which one would you choose? The Godiva, of course! And that's sugar...

But too much sugar gives you a high and then makes you crash; it's also bad for your teeth! In the same way, a hero who's too nice/good/sweet/awesome is bad for you. Yes, we women are masochists, and we love nothing more than a roller coaster ride of emotion... which you won't get with someone, well, too nice...

So what you do then, is spice things up a bit!

Anyone know what a jaffa cake is? If not, I'll wait until you Google it! A jaffa cake is a slice of heaven brought to earth for us common mortals, to allow us to know what decadence and indulgence are all about. Imagine a crackly shell of smooth, dark chocolate; slightly bitter, hard under your teeth, a hint of sugar that nevertheless gives you a total rush... Then you get to a fine layer of orange-flavoured jelly; tangy, and this jolts your taste buds, makes you sit up and notice; another little rush of sugar, a brush of coolness on your tongue... And finally, you sink your teeth into the softest, moistest, crumbliest sponge cake layer ever; feeling it melt in your mouth, that elusive hint of cake, and another layer of vanilla-like sweetness...

To think that so far you've just taken a bite! Now, go on, and actually eat the jaffa cake... An explosion of tastes, of sweetness, of tart orange tang, of rich chocolatey smoothness...

What's a jaffa cake, you may ask? It's sugar, and spice, and all things nice... exactly what your hero should be! Layers, contrasts, that merge to form a whole that is decadent and indulgent, and oh so good for you!

That's a hero, people! There's a subtle hint in this makeup, like a jaffa cake's, that stops the whole deal from giving you sugar and sweetness on all levels. There's a dose of spice, of tang, of a contrasting taste, that ramps up the sugar rush and gives you an experiment from a different dimension. Your hero is human; give him some flaws, some 'humanness", that all men have (dirty towels on the bathroom floor, anyone? *grin*)

And as for the "all things nice", what would they be?

Well, as I like to say, your hero can be anything in any time – a rogue, a cad, a doctor next door, a quiet best friend, a dangerous cop, a con man, a geek, a nerd, a secret agent, a starship captain – but one thing he always, always, is: Noble!

What's noble to you? And what's noble in your heroine's eyes?

Another thing in this "all things nice" category – good manners! Let me list a few here, grabbed from Gentleman Etiquette posts on Esquire.com, to give you an idea:

- a gentleman always stands up when a woman is coming to the table or leaving it.
- a gentleman always pays for a date.
- a gentleman sits on the men bench when he takes his lady shopping, and uses the time to reply emails on his Blackberry, but never to talk on the phone in public places.
- a gentleman takes his mother out for dinner a few times a year.

So there you have my recipe for the perfect hero! I'm curious to know what ingredients go into making yours! Why don't you leave me a comment and tell me about it?

And let me introduce you to my heroes:

Gerard Besson: Former undercover cop, recently promoted to the status of police commissaire in the French city of Marseille. Behind the appearance of the efficient cop, hides a beaten soul... because he lost the one woman who managed to worm her way into his cold heart. 7 months later, when a suspicious woman starts to trail him, Gerard is intrigued, because she reminds him of that woman who died... Who is she? And what does she want with him?
Get the book, currently FREE:  https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/304/Walking-the-Edge

Ash Gilfoy: Ministry of Defence cop turned paramedic, Ash hides a deep, dark secret - he killed a man. Investigation cleared him as he acted in self-defense, but Ash knows he's always wanted to murder the abusive man who ended up killing his wife when she tried to leave him, at Ash's behest. The prospect of hope, and a new beginning, of salvation, appears when Rayne Cheltham, his childhood best friend, walks into his life again. A humanitarian worker who's been away for 17 years, Rayne is everything good and bright in this world... Or is she? Because she seems to be hiding secrets, too, and they just might be deeper and darker than Ash could ever imagine...
Buy Link: https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/420/Before-the-Morning

Jamie Gillespie: A 29 years old trauma doctor, Jamie turns his back on the life his money-hungry father wants him to pursue when he comes to Surrey to fill in for his sick uncle. But just as he is settling, his uncle calls, to say he will not be coming back to his rural practice - it's Jamie's decision now to stay and embrace the life of a country doctor, or go a more lucrative private practice in the heart of London. But then the decision to stay becomes clear when forensic pathologist Margo Nolan and her headstrong tween daughter, Emma, settle into the other half of Jamie's house. Older than Jamie, cold and uptight, Margo is an Ice Queen. Or is she...? Jamie sees the woman in her, the struggling mother, the lonely heart. Can he convince Margo they could have a future together, and form a family?
Buy Link: https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/369/Calling-Home

Lars Rutherford: Half-British, half-Swedish expatriate living on the island of Mauritius as the regional director for his best friend's shipping company. Lars is not looking for love, and certainly not in this land that seems stuck in Austen times where marriage and trysts are concerned. His best friend, Magnus, convinces him he's in "dire need of a shag" and contacts Madame Eve's 1NightStand agency to arrange a date for Lars. Who will he find on that blind date? What woman will agree to spend that one night with him, no strings attached? Could everything be so simple? Lars does indeed find out that nothing is so simple, because Simmi, his date, awakens protective, lustful, and dare he admit it - loving! - instincts in him. Has he found his woman, here, on this island labelled as paradise on earth?
Buy Link: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=553&osCsid=joff4lkh610umgtpmk3mg4qvr4


MY GIVEAWAY: Leave me a comment, along with your email address, about what "ingredients" go into making your perfect hero, and let me know which one of my heroes wins your attention - you could win an ecopy of his book (in case I didn't spell that right *sorry, hormone-brain* I'm offering a random commentor a copy of the book of her choice from my releases, based on which hero is her favourite).

Thank you for hopping over here today, and don't forget to check the other 128 participants! Here's the link to view the whole list http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/p/a-heros-hop.html

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday + a few lines from the WIP

Hey peeps

Not much progress to show this week, but I gotta say, at least there is some progress. I always end up forgetting how chaotic my house gets when I have the hyenas underfoot. And I think the whole madness grows more hectic at each and every holiday, the older they get. You’d think your kids growing would imply a little more peace of mind for you, but no, that’s not the case (of course, you no longer get ‘accidents’ at night, and they can bathe/feed/clothe themselves without your assistance. But otherwise, yes – your job keeps on growing.)

And what would be the progress report of this week without a mention of the absolutely nightmarish soap opera we’ve been reluctant actors in, along with (what is now) our former ISP (yes, finally!). I mentioned a few weeks ago on this same spot how awful my Internet connection has been lately. I ended up on first-name/good-friends basis with most of the helpdesk staff there, so much I was calling to log in complaint after complaint. I think the company’s technicians visited my house more than my own parents have in the past few months! Things took a turn for the worse Sunday evening, and we’ve been having a working connection for – brace yourself for this one! – 13 seconds. Yes, you heard me! We have connection for 13 seconds, then it goes AWOL, by which time it takes the modem 3-4 minutes to reset and look for a new connection... and it’s connected... for 13 seconds again, before it loses signal... Damn, that is just no way to live! And not to mention that the TV channels that come in the deal play for 13 seconds, image freezes, blank screen while the connection box resets, then you get another 13 seconds of film (after losing 4-5 minutes of the action!). How on earth can anyone not go nuts with such a service! Enough of it – push came to shove and we did shove it, all right. We cancelled the connection on Wednesday (and suddenly the company was speechless that we cancelled and weren’t even moving to a different connection package with them! Ha – take that!) and we tried another ISP, that we’d used in the past. This one too turned to be an issue, because... we couldn’t pick up enough signal off our modem where we live (which, incidentally, is smack-dab in the middle of the third biggest city on the island!). 7 minutes to get Hotmail to open, when we even managed to get a connection. Nuh-uh! No can do (can you see the stress mounting here?).
Finally, we were forced to go to another ISP – yesterday morning. This one is more expensive and is a limited connection, but at least it does provide service where we are, and the connection is reliable. About a whole day lost yesterday to that, and today I had to go out to go cancel the other connection that we tried. What a week! I don’t wish that kind of hassle on my worst enemy!

Is it a wonder then when I tell you the only day I managed to write and get some work done was Monday, before the sh*t hit the fan? Moved up some 3,500 words on Transient Hearts, which puts me just beyond half-way on this WIP.

I know I always say that I plan the week to come to be one where I’ll write, but with my new limited connection now, I won’t have any reason to be online unless I really, really, have to. Which implies time not online = time to park my arse in chair and write! Transient Hearts should see ‘The End’ written on its Word doc before May 5.

Who's gonna keep me to my deadline, and crack the wet noodle? :)

Leaving you now with a few lines that I’ve written this week. The heat is ramping up between Shania and Grayson, and in this scene here, she is ‘feeding’ him something called pani puri, which is a small, fried hollow puff of dough that you dunk in hot spicy water before eating. You can see the pic right here

'...

Before she could realize what she’d done, Shania brought the pani puri in her hand up to his mouth.

In a flash, his eyes darkened, and he wrapped a hand around her wrist. Slowly, he pulled her hand closer, and he opened his lips, took the pastry from her fingers and into his mouth. His soft lips grazed the tips of her fingers, and he didn’t let her pull back while he savored his puri, and swallowed.

“Delicious,” he said softly.

Shania sucked in a breath. His eyes were hooded, jaw tense, and that small smile hovered on his lips.

“You like?” She sounded breathless, her voice so low it could’ve been another woman who spoke.

“I like a lot,” he replied just as low.

He still held her wrist, and without releasing her, he stood.

With a single tug, he could pull her to him. Right then, there was nothing more she wanted than to be flush against him, to have his wide, warm body on hers.

Pull me to you. Dare she ask it aloud though? She could be brazen, yes, but this soon, and with a man she barely knew? She debated the question endlessly in her mind, those split-seconds looking like they lasted for an eternity, until he broke the quiet.

“Come with me.”

...'

Weekend now to be spent on edits for Before The Morning, Book 2 of the Corpus Brides series, that’s to come out with Noble Publishing on May 7. Wish me sanity!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: 1,000 Things You Don't Know About Women (Part 3)

Hey beautiful people!

Back finally to the humongous list after a week’s break, thanks to last Thursday’s guest blog spot at Lindsay Downs’ blog.

I keep going from chuckle to chuckle here, and I’m nodding at almost every other item/observation listed, because some of these are just sooo true and hit close to home with me. What about you?
Remember, we started this series a few weeks back (catch the previous instalments here), and with literally 1,000 items on this list, there’s no way I could’ve featured them all in 1 or 2 posts. So I broke it down and post about 50 every week. You can however find the original list on esquire.com
Here’s this week’s 50. Enjoy!
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1,000 Things You Don't Know About Women

We asked the women in our lives to share their secrets about sex, relationships, and what we've been doing wrong (and right) all these years. Four months after our special issue devoted to women — and with continuing help from you on Twitter — we've reached a thousand pieces of wisdom. Hope they help.

No. 743: We are all secretly in love with Jeff Goldblum. — Eve Gleichman, 21, New York

No. 756: We don't like guys who agree with us all the time. — Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 489: Ragging on our girlfriends is absolutely not allowed, regardless of whether what you're saying is true. — Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 446: We're jealous that you get to wear the same suit to every wedding and just switch up the tie. People would start to talk if we wore the same dress every time. — Amy Keller, 27, Chicago

No. 237: If we only order a salad at a four-star restaurant, chances are there's a bag of chips and some leftover Chinese waiting for us at home. If we order steak and dessert, we'll probably just have you afterward. — Beth Malonoski, 34, Norristown, Pennsylvania

No. 415: We think cigars make you smell very bad. Actually, it's not a matter of opinion. —Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 792: Calling us "girls" is okay. "Chicks," however, has very limited, case-by-case usage. —Nicole Lee, 31, San Francisco

No. 947: If we're at a sports bar during a big game, don't hit on us. We're watching the game. — Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 581: If we had to make the first move, you will be reminded of it for the rest of our relationship. —Rose Farnsworth, 19, Nashville

No. 727: We are really more forgiving after fights than we let on. — Katie Knies, 22, North Salem, New York

No. 994: Big arms are overrated. — Felicity Slater, 22, Cambridge, Massachusetts

No. 872: In regards to shirt buttons, here's our advice: one open, you're fine, two open, you're cutting it close, three or more and you look like you belong on Tool Academy. — Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 564: Puppy eyes will get you just about everything. Actual puppies will get you even more. — Carly Hansen, 22, Santa Barbara, California

No. 609: There is something really sexy about smiling when you kiss us. — Kady Ruth Ashcraft, 19, College Park, Maryland

No. 825: We know when you don't know the answer to our question, but it's sort of endearing when you fake it. — Eve Gleichman, 21, Brooklyn

No. 159: It's always a good sign when you can laugh at yourself. It's a graceful motion of not letting pride get to your head. — Grace Smith Vidaurre, 21, Jamestown, Rhode Island

No. 797: When we agree to see Get Him to the Greek over Sex in the City 2, it's not because it looks like a cinematic masterpiece, it's because we're trying to be nice and you look cute when you're laughing. Feel free to return the favor. — Christina Alderman, 21, San Diego

No. 916: It's true: We always want to be your top priority. — Adriana Ball, 24, Miami

No. 465: Ladies is pimps too. — Christina Raine, 20, Richmond, California

No. 315: We like to talk a lot, so even if you don't really care about what we're saying, fake it. That's what we do when you talk about trading players in whatever fantasy sport you're always talking about. — Carly Hansen, 22, Santa Barbara, California

No. 527: The better you are at acknowledging personal space, the more likely we'll be to let you into ours. — Eve Gleichman, 21, Brooklyn

No. 117: We put in a relationship absolutely everything we want you to give back. — Adriana Ball, 24, Miami

No. 729: If we're brushing your leg up and down, don't sit and talk with your friends for twenty more minutes. Time's up! — Kady Ruth Ashcraft, 19, College Park, Maryland

No. 887: We like it when you wear nothing but boxers to bed. — Amanda Rawson, 22, Worcester, Massachusetts

No. 452: Snuggling can fix just about anything. — Carly Hansen, 22, Santa Barbara, California

No. 669: We have a thing for nerds. — Christina Raine, 20, Richmond, California

No. 817: When we slam the door, it means come in. — Marcella Daher, 20, Pasadena, California

No. 592: If you don't want to tell us something, you probably should. We might find out from someone else, and that won't be good. — Jenna Alice Loerop, 21, Chicago

No. 762: No, we don't always magically know where the remote is. — Christina Raine, 20, Richmond, California

No. 843: We can read you like a book, so if something is wrong or bothering you, don't be afraid to share it. It saves us the trouble of having to spend all day guessing. — Heidi Stafford, 19, Rancho Mirage, California

No. 623: When you say you know somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody, it absolutely never makes you sound cool. — Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 962: Don't pay attention to us if we reach for our bag and offer to pay on a first date. — Victoria Stoner, 24, Boston

No. 742: When we are in a large crowd, hold our hand as if you don't want to lose us. — Amanda Rawson, 22, Worcester, Massachusetts

No. 1: Your waiting in the car to make sure we got through the door okay never gets old to us. — Eve Gleichman, 21, Brooklyn

No. 271: Teasing us about how many shoes we have or how we have too many clothes is cute at first. But after a while it gets old; we know we have too much and we like it that way. — Carly Hansen, 22, Santa Barbara, California

No. 704: We do hope we are way prettier than your new girlfriend. — Amanda Rawson, 22, Worcester, Massachusetts

No. 806: If we hear a noise in the middle of the night, nothing makes us feel more protected than you going to check things out. — Amanda Rawson, 22, Worcester, Massachusetts

No. 893: To us, a successful man also finds the work he does gratifying. — Eve Gleichman, 21, Brooklyn

No. 547: The only reason we share our problems with you is to give you a chance to make us feel better. — Adriana Ball, 24, Miami

No. 571: We love the fact that you are stronger than us and that you can reach everything on the top shelf. — Amanda Rawson, 22, Worcester, Massachusetts

No. 392: We don't always want to cuddle up. It gets hot sometimes. — Christina Raine, 20, Richmond, California

No. 852: It is completely okay to talk about your ex-girlfriends or other women you've slept with abstractly, but we don't want to hear anything specifically comparative — unless you're saying that we're better at everything. — Anne Harding, 23, Wilmington, Delaware

No. 786: Don't tell us you shave your unibrow. We appreciate it, but we want to pretend it's hairless all by itself. — Juliet Garlow, 20, Silver Spring, Maryland

No. 634: We think you look sexier after you work out than when you're wearing a tux. — Aminata Dia, 22, San Jose, California

No. 401: Sometimes we like to drive. — Christina Raine, 20, Richmond, California

No. 518: Sometimes we don't need you to solve the problem, we just want you to listen. — Nicole Semonis, 22, Encinitas, California

No. 906: Just how you like your boy time, we like our girl time. — Sydney Hayes, 19, San Diego

No. 694: We love a man who knows how to tell time, because he knows that when he says he'll be there in a minute, there's a difference between a minute and two hours. — Kelsey Anderson, 22, El Dorado Hills, California

No. 775: You know that we sometimes don't say what we mean. But if you go by body language, it's easy. — Christina Alderman, 21, San Diego

No. 140: We like you when you throw on a pair of basketball shorts and call it a day, just not when you're meeting our parents. — Heidi Stafford, 19, Rancho Mirage, California

*****
From Mauritius with love,
Zee

Progress Friday + this week's excerpt from the WIP!

Hey peeps!

We've been having an absolutely awful week of rain and super-humidity - let me tell you, that kind of weather makes your muse and/or inspiration take a huge beating.

But I braved through, people! I sat down and wrote, and moved my word count by 4,908 words these past 2 days!

March went by me in a huge blur, and I have no clue what I've gotten done (except, if that makes sense, I know what I've not gotten done!). Should've been finished with the first draft of Transient Hearts this week, but I'm still way behind the half-way mark on this story. It doesn't help that I've had other stuff beating down my door (yes, freelance work. It pays some of my stuff, all right, but it's not something that easy-breezy. By the time I'm done with work, I barely have enough time or energy to dedicate to writing).

Speaking of, check out this amazing article a friend of mine sent me the other day - my life is about counting spoons too, though I do happen to have way more in my hands than someone suffering from something as restricting as Lupus. Do read this one.

So I knew it all came down to prioritizing, and as from Wednesday when I finished with the last of March's contracted work, my priorities moved to the WIP, and I've stuck to that. With 2.5 hours writing both yesterday and today, I managed to clock down nearly 5K (and I need to mention, it's 5K that actually makes sense! LOL).

Planning, hoping, that next week, I'll be able to dedicate at least 2.5 hours every day to the story, which should see me moving forward by some 12-13K, and well beyond the halfway mark.

I had a good idea it was the amount of contracted work on my shoulders that was blocking me from work - both literally and figuratively, because I no longer had any juice in the brain to come up with scenes, and so glad I'm over this at the moment.

Okay, and today I decided that, instead of rambling aaaaall the way about my writing and word count and all, I'll actually start posting a snippet of what I got written during the week.

So here's a little bit from Transient Hearts; from our hero's POV. This born-cowboy but turned-New Yorker is back home on his ranch, and has dug a hole for himself: he now has to go ride with the ranch hands, because that's the excuse he gave to escape his cousin's clutches when she wanted to rope him into another bickering argument between herself and the heroine. :)

'...

Should he be ecstatic that, at thirty-two, he could still get into the jeans he’d worn at seventeen? Years of hard partying with tequila, vodka, and beer, and he didn’t have any more of a belly than when he’d been a kid. An achievement? Probably not, given how he’d failed at everything else where his aunt and Aurelia were concerned...

Not for here and now, he told himself as he closed his eyes, and pressed his forehead to the mirror on the front panel of his closet. He’d have to take all this one moment at a time. Like getting used to those jeans again. He opened his eyes, turned around, then took a step, and another.

At first, after he’d taken a deep breath and pulled the pants on, the denim had chafed at his skin, sending an itch like the patrol of a hundred red ants down his limbs. He’d stopped counting how many times he’d had to fiddle with the back of the pants, in moves that weren’t far from Rafael Nadal’s signature shorts-in-butt-crack adjusting. But the more steps he took, the more the fabric smoothed over his skin and merged with his movements in a flow that came naturally, like instinct. He’d worn jeans in New York, but here, in cowboy country, wearing denim was a different, almost life-altering, experience.

It’s in your blood. The thought, once again, came through in his father’s voice. ...'

Hope you all have a lovely weekend, peeps!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday - & the battle of the heroes!

Hey beautiful people!

Progress Friday post, but unfortunately, I don’t have any ms/WIP progress to report this week. I have been working on other stuff, mostly work-related, preferring to give my attention to some things and get them done with, instead of multitasking and getting nothing done. But next week, I should be free of other constraints, and the focus will be on the WIP (which is on deadline, btw... I need to remind myself of that...)

Anyhow, what am I posting about today then? There’s something going over the Net these days, called the Lucky 7 Meme. I’ve been tagged by a few people - *mad wave* at Christine Warner, JM Blackman, Lorraine Paton, Siobhan Muir, SK Whiteside, Sandra Bunino for tagging me in this one.

So the point of the Lucky 7 Meme is that you have to go to your WIP, head to page 77, paragraph 7 on the page, and then you post the next 7 lines.

I’m doing mine from Against The Odds, one of my WIPs currently on the backburner. The premise is this one – the hero, Magnus Trammell, is one of the most famous playboys of Europe. Summoned by his illustrious family to get back on the straight and narrow, he reluctantly heads to work at one of the Trammel haute jewellery stores. This is where he meets shrewish, sharp-tongued, and opinionated salesgirl Megha Saran. Sparks fly, but Megha has bigger fish to fry – she’s just been diagnosed with breast cancer.

This excerpt here is taken from the scene where Magnus comes to the hospital to see Megha right after her mastectomy (surgical excision of a/both breasts).

The nurse nodded. "Some people don't deal too well with anaesthesia. It's good she has you here with her."
He didn't reply, instead looking over at Megha.
"Visiting hours will be over soon. Do you want to stay?"
He turned to the nurse. "I thought only family members could stay over."
She frowned. "Oh, you're not..."
Her boyfriend. He shook his head. "I'm just a friend."
And maybe – just maybe – he wanted to be more...
What on earth was happening to him?

Now yesterday, fellow author & good friend of mine, Rebecca Royce, tagged me in the other version of the Lucky 7 Meme that is making its rounds on Facebook.

This one is for shorter works, and can be taken from a WIP, completed work, or even a published work from this year. Same principle, except that you head to Page 7, then paragraph 7, and post the next 7 lines.

Taken this time from my current WIP, Transient Hearts, which a contemporary Western romance set in Wyoming. The heroine, Shania Morea, is an Indo-Briton chef who’s been lured to Wyoming by a good friend under erroneous pretences, and who finds herself between a rock and a hard place as she’s already committed herself to teach the locals how to cook Indian sweets. Things move from bad to dire when the owner of the ranch on which she’s staying returns. Grayson Warner, a Forex broker in New York, is the prodigal son, who wants to be anywhere but in Wyoming. But life’s left him no other choice, and to move forward, he must face his past, and his demons.

This scene is taken from Shania’s first glance at Grayson (and if we’re friends on Facebook, you would’ve seen me post this earlier today).


The back of her neck prickled again, but this time with something else – physical awareness. She squinted in his direction, careful to conceal that she was overtly assessing him.

Tailored suit that hugged a lean yet broad physique; Italian loafers on medium-sized feet; big hands with well-cared-for nails; pale gold skin peeking above the collar of his crisp light-blue shirt; a chiseled jaw; thin-lipped mouth stretched in a smile as he gazed at Aurelia; a nose that was neither too sharp nor too soft; a shock of unruly dark hair, with wavy locks that broke from the swept-back style to brush his wide forehead; and in between his nose and forehead, the most beautiful eyes Shania had ever seen on a man. They slanted upwards at the outer corners, giving him an exotic look that hinted at Asian blood, and the irises were dark – brown or black, she wondered? – framed by thick lashes and topped by heavy, dark eyebrows.

Shania gulped. Character radiated off his face, and when she thought of his soft tone, she reckoned such a man wouldn’t need to raise his voice to be heard, or to make others listen.

So, battle of the WIP heroes! Who wins your vote?


Magnus of Against The Odds? (portrayed by the devastating Judas - actor Norman Reedus)

Or, Grayson from Transient Hearts? (portrayed by the sexy Ed Westwick aka Chuck Bass of Gossip Girl)

Chime in and let me know!

From Mauritius with love,
Zee

Link Thursday: 10 Things Women Do Better Than Men

Hey peeps!


Let me say right off the bat that this is not a post bashing men! I'm all for equality and all that, but I'm not one of those feminists who say women are everywhere better than men. There's stuff women are great at and men totally suck at, and vice versa. In between the spectrum, you can find both sexes in marginal amounts.

That being said, this article was spot on with some issues. Check it out, and you'll agree with me. These are (mostly) based on fact and observation, so it's not male-bashing and women-glorifying.

The article is from Cosmopolitan, and I accessed it here on the MSN Living, Inspire section.

*****

10 Things Women Do Better Than Men

1. We evolve hotter.

A recent study revealed that women are getting better looking through evolution; meanwhile, men are staying the same. After following more than 2,000 people through four decades of life, the study showed that attractive women had 16 percent more children than average-looking chicks and that beautiful people are 36 percent more likely to have a daughter as their firstborn. All those gorgeous daughters mean more beautiful women than in past generations.

2. We survive car accidents more often.

This is sad but true: Men are 77 percent more likely to die in a car accident than women, according to a study done by Carnegie Mellon University. Our boyfriends should be thanking us when we nag them to "Wear your seatbelt!"

3. We're better at seeking comfort.

A Mind survey of 2,000 people revealed that women are far more likely than men to talk through their problems. Fifty-three percent of women talk to their friends about what's stressing them out, as opposed to 29 percent of men.

4. We're more recession-proof.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 80 percent of those who have lost their jobs since December 2007 have been men. Ouch. This could be because male-dominated fields have been hit the hardest, like manufacturing and finance. That really sucks...but hey, maybe it's time more men became nurses and educators.

5. We graduate college more often.

We already know that female enrollment is higher than male, but the Department of Education's statistics reveal that men are also less likely than women to graduate and get their bachelor's degrees. Men are also more likely to take longer than five years to complete their degree.

6. We eat healthier.

A survey of more than 14,000 people, conducted by the University of Minnesota, showed that women choose far healthier foods than men. While men are more likely to chow down on frozen pizza and red meat, women are piling fruits and veggies onto their plates. It all sounds pretty obvious, but we get so much grief for our chocolate addictions that we just had to point this one out!

7. We have stronger immune systems.

No wonder men act like such babies when they have a sniffle -- women really do have stronger immune systems than men! If there are little battles going on in our bodies, women have a secret weapon: estrogen. A study done by McGill University indicated that estrogen gives women an edge when it comes to fighting off infections. That's because estrogen confronts a certain enzyme that often hinders the body's first line of defense against bacteria and viruses.

8. We live longer.

Among the world's population of those who are over 100 years old, 85 percent are women, according to the New England Centenarian Study. In general, women continue to live five to 10 years longer than men as well.

9. We're better managers, especially in this economy.

This one is a little controversial, but a slew of experts are confident that women make greater bosses because they are better listeners, mentors, problem solvers, and multitaskers than their male counterparts. In a recent Daily News article, management expert Jay Forte said, "It's a very service-oriented economy [right now], so you need employees to be motivated. Women are better connectors than men and more astute about knowing how to activate passion in their employees."

10. We invest better.

A study of 100,000 portfolios showed that women's investment returns outperform men's, 18 percent to 11 percent. This could be because women are typically more cautious with their investment decisions and think longer term.


*****

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: 14 So-Called Imperfections Women Obsess Over But Men Love

Hey peeps!

I'll admit I am puzzled half the time when my husband pays me a compliment. Why? Because his compliments come when I am least expecting them. For example, when I'm in sweats and the oldest T-shirt I own, without a hint of colour on my face. Or, when I'm wearing sneakers and not the peep-toe platform wedges that make me feel sexy as sin. And then I can be all dolled up to attend a wedding, and when he says I look 'nice', I can totally hear that he is saying that just to please me/he isn't any more affected than that by the look. And, he prefers me with glasses, not contacts.

So, based on that observation, it didn't come as a surprise to me when I stumbled upon this article. Yet, while we do know most men want a 'real' woman (yes, there are some out there not looking for the trophy wives, the Victoria's Secret Angels clones, the inflated airhead-y dolls), it never hurts to be reassured that what we sometimes see as down sides are actually pluses with our man.

I bet your heroine would love to know that too, and I'm sure your readers want to read about a woman 'just like them' who gets her HEA with the uber-handsome hero.

The article is taken from MSN Lifestyle, Love & Relationships section, and can be viewed in its original slideshow here. It's written by Meredith Turits.

***

14 So-Called Imperfections Women Obsess Over but Men Love

Step away from the mirror and stop agonizing over your alleged "imperfections." Why? Well, for one thing, you're gorgeous. And for another, the things you think are turn-offs are actually on guys' things-they-love-most-about-you list. Need proof? Read on!

by Meredith Turits

What Men Love: Your Lone Dimple

"My girlfriend has only one cheek dimple, which makes me love it even more."
—Philip, 24, New York City

What Men Love: Your Stretch Marks

"Stretch marks — especially on the hips … They're very personal and few men get to see them."
—Martin, 24, Boston

What Men Love: Your Gray Hair

"I find the strands of gray in my girlfriend's long, dark hair sexy. Silver and black are sexy. So is experience."
—Sean, 37, Brooklyn, N.Y.

What Men Love: Your Unique Nose

"Crooked noses, Roman noses … I like 'em. They give the face some character, and for some reason, I think they make a girl look smarter."
—Lucas, 34, Lexington, Ky.

What Men Love: Your Upper Arms

"I like girls who don't have muscular arms. I like squeezing them…it's fun to play with and makes them cuter."
—Steve, 24, New Brunswick, N.J.

What Men Love: Your Feminine Hips

"I've found that girls tend to be sensitive regarding fat on their hips even though I find it attractive and fun to feel and grab."
—Jon, 25, San Francisco

What Men Love: Your Curved Stomach

"While there's nothing wrong with a flat stomach, there's something beautifully feminine about that slight curve below the belly button."
—Ken, 33, New York City

What Men Love: Your Imperfect Eye

"When I was in college, I had a crush on a girl with an eye that had just a little bit of a drift. For some reason, it made her just that much hotter."

—Chris, 23, Baltimore

What Men Love: Your (Short) Height

"I love to spoon with short girls because they fit much better as the little spoon."
—Corbett, 27, Lawrence, Kans.

What Men Love: Your (Tall) Height

"I like tall girls. Long legs and perfect alignment!"
—Nelson, 31, New York City

What Men Love: Your Glasses

"I like it when a woman wears glasses. It tells me she's confident enough to know she's beautiful."
—Brian, 30, Sacramento, Calif.

What Men Love: Your Post-Baby Body

"The last girl I dated had a kid and disliked the fact that she had no hips, her boobs were 'ruined' from breast-feeding and that she had stretch marks. She had great hips and breasts, and the stretch marks were never an issue. A lot of women think they have 'imperfections' but I don't see them like that."
—Michael, 28, Kansas City, Mo.

What Men Love: Your Cellulite

"Cellulite. It's like rings on a tree stump or all those different hues you see when tipping a glass of really old red wine. I like it."
—Brian, 32, Brooklyn, N.Y.

What Men Love: Your Love Handles

"I'm normally not [explicitly] attracted to love handles, though the other day I saw a woman with them, and I had to leave so as not to get too lusty-eyed. If I think a woman is attractive or sexy, then she has no imperfections as far as I'm concerned."
—Zach, 27, Seattle

***

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey beautiful people!

Today's an absolutely fantastic & gorgeous day! The reason I'm in such high spirits - no, not TGIF, but here's what's happened:

A little while ago, Decadent Publishing sent out a call for submissions, urging in-house authors (and even authors not yet with them!) to consider writing some stories for some specific lines there. One of them is Western Escape - a multi-author, small-town community line of stories with a Western theme, set in fictional Freewill, Wyoming. Stories in this line can be set in contemporary Freewill, or in the historial, 1880s Freewill (and you can even time-travel between the eras! How cool is that?)

Anyhow, because this one uses a common setting and community, the editors require that any author considering writing for this line submit a proposal with blurb and detailed synopsis (GMC, plot, conflict, resolution) and if this gets approved, then the author starts writing the story, submits it, and the editors decide if they'll take it or not.

Now, ever since I saw this call for submissions go up (and, again, poked and prodded by some of the peeps over at Decadent!), I've been toying with the idea of a story set in Freewill. Indian-origin heroine who has ties to Mauritius; multicultural setup akin to my upcoming 1NS over there... On an insane impulse, I put a proposal together last weekend and sent it off...

And got the reply today - the editors want to see the finished ms. This in no way implies they'll take the story, but to me, it's one foot in the door anyhow, and I'm over the moon!

Those of you who have been following my career or who know me from my writing debut about 6 years ago know that my preferred theme/idea to write about is heroines who have the same cultural background as I do (and let's make a point here - culture and religion are not the same thing, in case anyone wants to point out and/or ask why I write about Indian culture when I'm a Muslim woman!).

Shania, the heroine in this story, is British with parents who hail from Mauritius. Grayson, the hero, is from Freewill, though he moved to Boston and then New York.
When the story starts, both find themselves in Freewill, and... *wicked grin* I'll make you wait a little before I unveil what happens then (though of course we all know these two will fall in love - it is a romance, after all!)

The title for this one is Transient Hearts. Look to the meter on the right to catch my progress on the WIP every week during March now.

Other good note of the week - I've been poked and prodded (yes, here too!) to showcase the cover art work I've been doing so far. So check the aka Cover Designer page on the blog - it features a slideshow of the covers I've done. I'll be adding to it as I go along.

So that's how I go into the weekend - on a high, and on the need to work out the story's plot in minute detail so I can outline the story to give me a working flow draft.

What have you got planned for the weekend? Good things, I hope :)

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: What Makes Men Irresistible?

Hey peeps!

I'll try to keep this one short & to the point (ha! *ironic snort*) because we've had massive thunderstorms here earlier, and as I've learned now, that (and everything else, it seems!) plays havoc with my Internet connection. So let's hope this one will last long enough for me to post this.

So, was browsing through the available links to post, when I stumbled upon this one. Recently, a good friend and I were discussing what it takes to make you swoon over a hero, that perfect, special little something...

The article echoes this question. Read on for 10 things that make a man irresistible...

I got this one from Cosmopolitan Australia, and you can find it online in the original slideshow here. The article says 10 things, but No. 4 is mysteriously absent from the slideshow...

****

What makes men irresistible

Okay, so obviously a man with a body like Daniel Craig (hello, chiselled abs and perfect biceps) is going to catch a woman’s attention – we’re only human! But it’s not just all about looks. We’re paying homage to the ten traits that are guaranteed to make a man irresistible to women.

1. Sexy body language. All men have something physical that they do – without realising – that turns women on. For some it’s a wink, for others it’s a hand through the hair, and for Chuck Bass it’s simply stating “I’m Chuck Bass”. Whatever it is, it’s suave, cheeky, and smoking hot.

2. He’s chilled. We women tend to get a bit over-excited about certain things, and while we can be a tad neurotic and frenzied, irresistible men seem to simply radiate calm and a can-do attitude. A steady gaze and cool written all over his face makes his sex appeal shoot through the roof.

3. He looks after himself. Sexiness doesn’t come down to a certain height, build, or dress code (although board shorts with skate shoes should never be worn over the age of 13). But the bottom line is if he keeps his body in okay shape, he obviously knows how to take care of himself and sets health as a priority. This indicates he’s more likely to take care of you, too. That’s a turn-on.

5. He has a manly scent. Research has shown that our DNA compatibility dictates who smells good to us – and with good cologne that can be anyone! It sounds animalistic and primal, but a guy with a hot, strong scent has the potential to drive a woman wild.

6. He shows affection. An arm around our shoulders, a hand on the leg, a kiss on the back of the neck…not only does this double as affectionate, but little signals like this can also turn us women on in a big way.

7. He laughs. A lot. No news flash here. Look in any dating column or website and you’ll notice the number one trait people are looking for is a sense of humour. Comedy is highly enticing. It's worth noting though that there are different types of humour. The insecure comedy that's based on putting others down or calling them names doesn't impress us. But give us fun-loving jokes and laughter and that man will head straight to the top of the sexiness charts.

8. He does things you can’t. Now, we’re all for equality, don’t get us wrong. But a dead cockroach in the bathroom? Hell no, sister. While we tend to hate having to rely on anyone but ourselves, sometimes it's just easier to ask him to take care of it. Carrying heavy objects up the stairs, hanging pictures, and killing large creepy crawlies are all part of his irresistible appeal.

9. Protectiveness. Nothing is more attractive than when a man walks on the outside nearest to the traffic, extends a hand to help us up a steep incline, or worry that the guy at the checkout was quite literally, checking you out. Even if us women can protect ourselves, it’s nice to be taken care of – and a protective man is most definitely irresistible. Why do you think James Bond has nabbed so many women over his time?

10. He’s passionate. About you, about global issues, about puppies and kittens, or all of those things combined. Whatever it may be, a man who is passionate is completely desirable.

***

I'm curious to know - what do you think makes a man irresistible?

Personally, a man who respects women and treats them right, with consideration and care, wins big into my good books.

What about you? Drop me a comment and let us know.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey beautiful people

Okay - get your wet noodles ready; I deserve the thrashing I'm about to get... for, you see, I don't have much progress to show on the WIP.

Worse - I switched WIPs...

I did get some brush-off-the-dust moments on Against The Odds, my romantic comedy that revolves around the heroine's breast cancer diagnosis; however, no new words added to it.

That being said, I do have my priorities sorted - my focus isn't more on producing completed works now, but ensuring that the world out there knows I have books out & coming out this year (aka Marketing & Promotion!). And like I always maintain - no one wants to be nice to a cow... so the first rule of marketing & promo? Don't behave like a cow!

Which implies slowly but surely building relationships & friendships with people, esp readers (as fellow Noble Romance author, the best-selling Margie Church, has told me). So I've been a little bit more involved on Goodreads this week. Dunno the results of this effort, or if it's even borne fruit... but I can tell you I am enjoying meeting readers from all walks of life and discovering new people and their likes & dislikes.

In another way, I am once again learning how to juggle and adjust my routine - next week, I should have it smoothed out, whereby I can get some 'real' writing done too. Got a few freelance projects to settle this weekend, but next week, I hope to get back on the ball.

What are ye all up to this weekend?

Hope you have a nice Friday/Saturday/Sunday!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: 44 Best Places To Meet Eligible Men...or Where To Find Your Next Hero

Hey peeps

How many of you know of couple/s who have met when one rear-ended the other's car, or they were were both involved in a car accident?

Not many, right?

But make your Hero/heroine meet this way in a romance, and you're writing up a cliche!

As romance authors, we are constantly prompted and prodded to make our main protagonists meet in unusual/original ways.

So where on earth do you find eligible men???

My single friends ask the same thing, and though us-married-for-ages-half-of-a-couple tell them "it'll happen when you least expect it," that's not exactly what those girls want to hear.

With both these issues in mind - for the romance writer and for the single gal - here's a link to an article that highlights 44 places you can meet eligible men today.

The article is from All Women Stalk and is written by Mercy.

Enjoy!

*****

44 Best Places To Meet Eligible Men

Places to Meet Eligible Men become more and more scarce these days. Heck, even eligible men as they are have become a rare species. And what do we single ladies do about this? Well, my guess is it can go 2 ways – either we sit and wait for the good men to sweep us off our feet or we simply take the first step toward our destiny and check out the best places to meet eligible men to see if our future boyfriends or husbands might be there? Well, if you are like me and you are choosing the second option, let’s get ready for some action and take a quick look at this fabulous list of 44 Best Places to Meet Eligible Men!



1. The bar

This may be one of the oldest ways to meet a man, but it still works. Free flowing beer makes it easier to approach your target! However, if ‘commitment’ is on your mind, then look elsewhere!

2. The market

Whether it’s the shopping mall or the supermarket these places are loaded up with good looking folks. Chances are you’ll find someone who lives in your neighbor and likes coffee the way you do. A bookstore is another place to meet someone with similar tastes – at least in literature!

3. Online

This is the latest method of meeting single men. There are several online dating sites where you can check out profiles and photographs. The best one I’ve heard of is PlentyofFish.com, because all the services there are free. But there are others like Match.com, Chemistry.com (Limited time offer – 7 Day Free Trial) or Perfectmatch.com that too seem to be pretty good, although you’ll have to spend some money on membership. Online dating became a relatively safe method as you can get to know your date before you go out with him.

4. Church

Church is a good place to meet men who share the same faith and moral grounding. If you’re a single mom, this may be a good place to find serious men who are looking for a life partner rather than a night out on the town.

5. The water cooler

If you can get past the gossip, the office is a place where romance can be sparked. Being in such close proximity with colleagues can lead to an office romance. Finding someone of the same intellectual level may be easier at the workplace than at the bar!

6. Newspapers

Check out the newspapers for announcements regarding neighborhood picnics, square dances, tours and special events. These are great places to meet new people, especially single men! Go ahead strike up a conversation. You might end up meeting your spouse.

7. College …

If you’re taking some classes at the local college this could be an opportunity to meet eligible men. There are seminars and short courses that you can participate in. Not only can you get an education but you can find that perfect someone perhaps sitting right next to you.


8. Friends

Get your friends to help if you’re serious about finding a man. Attend parties where there is a good mix of singles. Be friendly, outgoing and be seen! You can even throw a party yourself and tell friends to bring their friends along.

9. Gym

While you exercise your muscles you can exercise your heart as well. The gym is a great place to meet single men, specially the hot men! You’ll know in advance that they value their health and you know what to expect when thir expensive suit comes off, so that’s a good starting point!

10. Favorite diner or restaurant

Notice the guy who’s having dinner by himself at the far corner table? Well, what you waiting for? Get a waiter to introduce you or do it yourself. Either way, make a move.

11. Work

Either in your office or in the accounting on the 19th floor there must be that cute, nice, good-looking guy who makes your heart tick. Figure out where exactly he works, what’s his name, if he’s available, and let the flirting beging! Who knows, maybe the guy in the next cubicle is the one you were looking for all this time!

12. Vacation

I know they say that relationships that started on vacation never last, but that was way back in the 20th century! Now that air fares are getting lower and lower and Internet live video chats is the most common thing out there – why not to give a great man you met on a vacation a chance? Who knows, maybe in a couple of months you’ll decide you want to live together?

13. Parks

When I say parks I mean day time, safe places downtown, where people go to get some fresh air during lunch break, after work or on weekends. For your own safety, please don’t stay there after dark. But during the day, you’ll be surprised at how many young good looking men spend an hour or so sitting on a bench reading, working on their laptops or just watching other people. Just sit next to the one you like the most and if he is in the mood for conversation, you’ll know it!

14. Airplane

These days we spend a good couple of hours every month flying here and there. Next time you have a flight, look out for cute guys who might too be flying the same plane. And who knows, maybe your seat will be next to his!

15. House Party

Any party is always a fun way to meet people but with a house party, everything is so much more in your control and it’s comforting to know that common friends are involved. So throw a fun little party, invite all your friends and tell them to invite their friends (preferably single). You never know who you may end up meeting and if nothing, at least they’ll be grateful for the awesome party!

16. Acting workshop

If you’re not shy and love an audience, why not join an acting class. You will meet tons of taleneted, fun, outgoing men and you’ll have a ready excuse to flirt with them. What? You’re only playing your part! Besides, you’ll figure out quite early on who you do and do not share chemistry with and the rest will be history.

17. Art exhibits

They say that without art, the earth is just “eh”. Sorry I read that somewhere today and had to share. Back to the point, art exhibits are one of the best places to meet eligible men. Whether you are an art lover or not, an exhibit will give you an opportunity and an excuse to chat with different men, get to know them, perhaps flirt a little and if the chemistry is just right, maybe you could take the party elsewhere.

18. Book Club

If you love reading, one of the best ways to meet like-minded men is through a book club. Think about it. You read, you share opinions, you find similarities, you hit it off, you fall in love…Okay, I’ll stop.

19. Blood drive

This one is definitely not for the squeamish! If you watch The Office, you’ve probably seen the episode where Michael runs into this pretty woman while donating blood and hits it off instantly. That could be you. Strike up a conversation with someone who’s next to you or if you see a cutie by the snack table, ask him what he recommends for strength building.Who knows, you may end up deciding that dinner is the best option. And even if you don’t end up meeting someone, you’ve at least helped save a life.

20. Rock Climbing Center

If you’re adventurous, a rock climbing center is one of the best places to meet eligible men. According to a study, nearly two-thirds of wall climbers are male so imagine your chances of meeting someone wonderful and exciting. Plus rock climbing is fun with lots of scope for “accidental” touching and flirting and such. Ah I’m just a pervert sometimes.

21. Wine/Scotch Tasting

If a bar is much too loud and chaotic for your liking, how about going to a wine/scotch tasting event? It’s a lot calmer, quieter and not to mention, sober. Whether you actually know your wines or feign innocence, you are bound to meet an eligible bachelor or two. Besides, it gives you plenty of time to “work the room” and figure out your options.

22. Running Club

A friend actually met his current girlfriend through a running club so if you’re into outdoor sports, find a local running club, put on your shoes and get out there! Men in running shorts are so cute and if nothing else, at least you’ll get back in shape.

23. Community Service

Giving back to the community is always a great thing and who knows, your karma might actually earn you an eligible man. There are plenty of places where you can volunteer so take your pick and give away. At the end of the day, you know you’re going to meet someone who cares…

24. Weddings

I know that the common belief is that all single men at weddings just want to get laid but I beg to differ. Some of them are perfectly charming, pre-bride approved gentlemen that are out there looking for eligible women. You just need to give them a chance. Just don’t get too drunk and you’ll see what I mean.

25. Dance class

I know you’re probably wondering why dance classes are on the list of best places to meet eligible men since they usually have more women than men but it’s definitely worth a shot considering you will be forced to physically interact with potential hotties. If you feel the chemistry and if the small talk is intriguing enough, hang back, get to know him better and see where it goes…

26. Laundromats

The only thing that makes the idea of laundry bearable is the possibility of meeting a cute guy and if you run into someone who fits that description, do not hesitate tochat him up. What could it hurt right?

27. Jury Duty

It may sound boring but think about this. Other bored, possibly wonderful eligible men could be out there and they have nothing to do but chat you up. Sound good? So yep, don’t ignore your civic duty the next time you receive a summons in the mail.

28. Ski Resorts

You might probably need to wait till winter for this one, but hey, it’s great to have a B plan if you will be looking for a hot date to take to all the Holiday parties. Knowing how to ski is not necessary, you can try and learn, but if you just go to the resort to relax or have fun with your friends, you’ll be surprised at the dozens of sporty good looking eligible men having a hot drink in the bar after an exhausting day of skiing. And is there a more romantic place to find the man of your dreams than under the stars in the middle of snow covered mountains?

29. Reality Shows

If all else fails and I mean ALL else, reality shows like the Bachelorette seem like a fun way to meet a lot of men who want to make you the center of their attention. I mean, who wouldn’t want that! Oh wait, this is about eligible men… I need to cut down on T.V.

30. In the Navy

One of the best places to meet eligible men is, unquestionably, the Navy. Even if you don’t want to make the commitment of joining the Navy, you can make yourself available during shore leaves and Fleet Weeks. These men are brave, handsome, and generally dying to get away from all those boys!

31. Walking the dog

Most guys love dogs, so when you’re walking your pooch, you’ve got a great opportunity to meet one. Big dogs like Labradors and Retrievers are always a great draw, but if you have a little dog, don’t worry. Many men have a secret love for the little dogs as well. If you’re friendly and make eye contact (and if your dog doesn’t try to mark his territory in an awkward spot), you should be golden!

32. The hardware store

You’ll be surprised at what a great place it is to meet men. First of all, almost all the clients are men and so are the sales assistants. And being a woman, you’ll find it natural to ask for help that cute stranger who will gladly explain you the difference between this and that tool. Who knows, he might ask you out for coffee to continue the conversation…

33. The tech store

Tech stores are men magnets. I do not know a single guy who would pass on the opportunity to come and take a look at some new weird plasma TV or sound system or whatever it is he’s read about on his favorite tech blog. So take it from me, most customers in tech stores are also men, and many of them are very good looking. Now, you’ll surely see a couple of married guys (of course), but you’ll be surprised at the number of single guys browsing these stores. Give this one of the best places to meet eligible men a try and you won’t regret it.

34. Museums

Now, I know this might sound a little cliche, but what’s the best way to meet someone, when you are visiting a new city than going to a local museum. There are hundreds of single men who, just like you, want to check the museums off their lists when they travel to a new city and believe me, they’ll be happy to have a conversation with a cute girl, especially when there are so many conversational pieces around. Museums are also fantastic for meeting artsy guys and foreigners, so if you are feeling adventures, this is the place to meet eligible men.

35. The bowling alley

I know you probably think, how old the guys in the bowling alley would be? 60? 70? But don’t be so quick, I have personally seen a couple of times guys coming in in groups for a little game. And may I say, some of them were very cute.

36. The golf course

Ditto on this one, although golfing can be quite a bit more boring than bowling. The difference is, the course isn’t so loud and crowded either, and you can really get a chance to talk to a guy. If he looks really into the game, let it pass, but if he’s with some friends and they’re chatting together as much as golfing, go for it!

37. Casinos

Although loud, casinos can also be great places to meet eligible men. You don’t want to talk to a guy when he’s right in the middle of a heavy game or anything, but if you’re both playing Blackjack, if you’re sitting at the slots, or one of you is throwing dice, then you can start a conversation. It’ll be casual, but that can lead to other things.

38. Concerts

Concerts are a fantastic place to meet eligible men, especially if it’s your favorite performer. You will instantly have an interest in common and when you are a fan of something it’s so easy to bond with the other person. The connection sparks instantly, so try this place to meet eligible men and see who you meet!

39. At a club

Now, many guys just go to clubs to hook up. A lot of them aren’t necessarily looking for someone to date. However, there are exceptions to every rule, and that is the only reason nightclubs made it onto the list. You have to have an eagle eye, but if you spot this guy, you’ll be glad. He likes to dance and hang out and have a good time, but he isn’t the boy who’s only into ranking up as many one night stands as possible.

40. The beach

The beach is not just a great place to meet eligible men, it’s a fantastic place! See, guys who go to the beach generally fall into three different categories. They go alone, and depending on what you see them doing, that probably means they’re single (so if you can think up an approach, do it!). They go with a group of guy friends, and again, you can typically tell by their behavior if they’re single. Or, they go with their wives or girlfriends. If you see a guy spreading lotion on someone else, just play it safe and scratch him off your list!

41. At a cigar bar

I don’t know many girls who like cigar bars, but I know plenty of guys who do! Sure, you’re going to be entering forbidden territory, but it might well be worth it. These places have tons of eligible guys, and the kicker is, most of them think any girl in a cigar bar is automatically cool!

42. A sushi bar

Surprisingly, more and more men start loving sushi. And nowadays, when you pop into a nice such restaurant you see more men and women. Some of them are having business dinner, others are meeting with a friend, but there are those, sitting at the bar, having dinner after work on their own – and those are you could easily sit next to and perhaps strike a conversation if you feel like it. Or he’ll be the first to talk, guys are usually like that – they catch your eye and they just start talking to you.

43. The bookstore

Meeting men at a bookstore is just tops, especially if you’re a big reader. You know he shares your interests, you automatically have plenty to talk about, and since most bookstores provide little chairs and comfy couches, you already have a cozy spot to get to know one another. What could be better?

44. A networking event

A networking event can be dull as hell or it can be fun and interesting. To make sure it’s the latter, take a friend of yours from work with you, make sure your hair’s done and you are dressed nicely and you’ll definitely turn a few heads. A lovely place to meet eligible men, if you ask me!

*****

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Random Thoughts' Monday: Getting there... & some news...!

Hey beautiful people!

It's Monday, and the start of a new week. In my ideal game plan, I should've been on top of the game right now - all caught up with email, breezing through FB & Twitter and talking lots more with my friends there, I should've been writing a storm and totally immersed in my characters. In short, working at full throttle on being an author.

Instead, my second work week of January looks like a train wreck that's just happened, and now I'm left to pick up the pieces from this wreck and try to steer the train back onto the rails...

Remember last week I asked to please not be a robot? I'm working on that, trying to be more present for my family. And, uhm, turns out my son wants cake, and I'm on a total out and out war against processed food (more about that next Monday - I got into a new book called Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food, and this has me totally revamping our food habits here. Will chronicle this surefire debacle next week, when I get my head fixed on straight on my shoulders).
So, yes, Hyena #2 wants cake, and how can I say No to his big Puss-in-Boots eyes (that doesn't work all the time though, esp not when we're out shopping). Now 'cake' is really innocuous thing the big scheme of things, and I found myself... baking! Cake's done, I didn't burn down the house (and sadly didn't get to call any hunky fireman over, not that we have hunky firemen in Mauritius - most of them have a potbelly!) - actually, cake 'looks' done. Haven't tasted it yet. Waiting for hubby to get home and act as the self-sacrificing guinea pig here *grin*

Okay, that's it for Zee The Mum & Family Gal. Now on to Zee The Author... Have I got news for you *BIG grin*

I am totally, totally pleased & stoked to announce that as from today, I am joining the Decadent Publishing authors, through their 1NS line!

Over the second half of December, my brain scrambled for purchase and begged to write something. Egged on by some wonderful Decadent authors whom I call super-friends, the idea to write a 1NS short story set on my beautiful island, Mauritius, germinated and took root. I took the plunge, and had an unlikely couple meet through Madame Evangeline's 1NightStand service. :)
Stay tuned for more details about Lars Rutherford & Simmi Moyer's story, tentatively titled Once Upon A Stormy Night.

My week's started awesomely well - I hope it has for you too!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee