A new road

photo: Joey Kyber

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An Irresistible Force is coming soon!

It's finally here! I've been writing away, and now I've completed not one, but two books. One is a novella that comes out in October, but the other is the second book in the Vancouver Vice series. And it launches on July 22nd.

When Amanda Richardson was a teenager, she had a huge crush on hockey superstar, Chris Luczak. Now over a decade later, she walks into a boardroom and there he is—looking as hunky and confident as ever. But working with Chris is the least of her problems, since her family’s hockey team is in crisis mode.

Chris Luczak hated retiring from his one true love: hockey. He’s been going through the motions at head office, but now he’s been offered a real challenge. All he has to do is persuade the ownership of the Vancouver Vice that—given their current problems—their best option is to sell the team.

At first, all they do is argue. Amanda has a million reasons not to trust Chris, beginning with his reputation as a womanizing playboy. But she needs all the hockey knowledge inside that sculpted muscular body—not that she’s noticed, of course. And Chris realizes that the longer he puts off this deal, the more time he’ll get to spend with this fiery woman.

Can they work together to save the Vancouver Vice?

Sunny Side

Are you on my mailing list? If you have been on it since the beginning, you've already received three short stories, three deleted scenes, and notice of hundreds of free books (not all mine, of course!)

You can still get the latest freebie. When you sign up, you get a copy of my new novella, Sunny Side. It's Vancouver Vice 1.5, and takes place after The Tao of Hockey. It's the story of an optimistic hockey fan named Rosie, a tech genius named Peter, and the dating app that brings them together. Sign up on the sidebar on the right. 

I just wanted to add that the research for this book has resulted in my receiving ads to meet nice men in my area every time I go on the internet. Oh well, better than the email offers I get to meet Russian women.

Finally, if you're not already sold—did I mention free?—here's an excerpt:

Number 12 skated behind the net to make a pass to the next player and gave Louise a full view of his face.
    “Oh. My. God.”
    I smirked. “Told you so.”
    “He’s gorgeous. Like Chris Hemsworth hot. Those eyes, those cheekbones, those lips—everything. I can only see his neck, but it looks like he’s really built too.”
    “He is. I Googled him, and there’s a photo of him in a t-shirt and shorts at training camp and everything looks… amazing. And he’s got a huge package.”
    “What?” Louise dropped the binoculars and stared at me.
    I laughed. “Just kidding. You can’t tell that from a photo.” Unless his legs were positioned in just the right way and the shorts fabric was clingy, which they hadn’t been. 

Find your Spirit Animal

One thing I’ve learned to love about writing is research. If I get an idea for a character who is out of my personal experience—like being a 23 year-old guy—I have to do research. And if this 23 year-old is a zen winger who is completely in touch with his spiritual side, then I have to do a ton of research.

In The Tao of Hockey, Eric Fairburn sorts out the important people in his life by deciding what their spirit animal would be. It’s his way of determining the essence of someone’s nature.

Here's Eric explaining spirit animals to Josie:

“Okay, let’s talk about what your spirit animal would be.”

“My what?”

“Your spirit animal. We all have animal guides who appear to help with the problems or opportunities in our lives.”

“How do we find them?” Josie leaned forward and looked interested for the first time all night.

“Well, the best way would be for you to do some kind of physical journey, like a long meditation or a vision quest. An animal might appear to you in a dream.

“But the most important thing is being conscious of what’s around you—like animals reappearing in your life. Take a lion, for example. You might see a lion photo on the side of the bus, or when you turn on the TV an African nature show might be on.”

“I don’t have a TV,” she said.

“On your laptop. Whatever. Notice what’s around you and be sensitive to the signs.”

Josie cracked a new breadstick in two. “There is one thing that keeps appearing in my life repeatedly and unexpectedly.”

“Really, what?”

She pointed the breadstick at me. I laughed, and Josie smiled.

“If I had to guess, I would say your spirit animal is an owl,” I told her.

“An owl? I think I’m more the lion type.”

“A spirit animal doesn’t mean an animal you identify with. It’s your guide animal.”

“What does an owl say about me—that I stay up all night?”

“No, it says that you’re smart and knowledgeable, but you’re watchful. You like to look around and take stock of things before you act. Maybe a little detached.”

What do you think your spirit animal would be? If you don't want to do a vision quest in the desert, there is an easier way to find out. 

Here are two quizzes to determine your spirit animal. I took them both, and I’m an owl. Just like Josie, except minus the hot 23 year-old boyfriend.

http://www.spiritanimal.info/spirit-animal-quiz/

http://www.jerismithready.com/quiz/

Do you agree with the spirit animal you got? Is that your personality type?

The Launch of Tao

The Tao of Hockey is on sale today. Cue the brass band.

Man, it’s been torture having the book done for three weeks, but not getting to hear what readers think of it. When I finish writing a book, I’m so hyped that I want to run up to people and shove the book in their face and say, “Read my new book!” Then watch them until they finish and then ask what they thought. But given that would be super creepy and weird, I’ll have to settle for hearing from my readers—via reviews, emails, and facebook. I’m pretty damn excited about this!

However, the best way for me to calm down is to keep busy. And I wanted to tell you about what I’m writing right now. I’m creating a short story about the Vancouver Vice—the team you’ll meet in The Tao of Hockey. This story involves a faithful hockey fan, a new dating app, and a geeky guy. The title is Sunny Side, and it will be free. However, the only way to get this tale is to be on my mailing list. So make sure you’re signed up, right here.

And if you read The Tao of Hockey, I’d love to hear what you think of it.