Happy New Year!!! 2022

OMG! I almost forgot to say, “Happy New Year!”

2021 went by WAY too fast. I would’ve liked to sit in 2021 for a few months longer.

But, onward we are!

So what do I have planned for 2022?

First, I want to finish Making It While Faking It. It’s taking me longer than I like to write this book. I don’t want to force the story. I had the privilege of already knowing Paisley and Hercules before writing Crossing the Line. So, I really want to get to know Treasure and Achilles. Also, I don’t want to overwrite Orion in the wrong way like I did Robin Hester in LOVE in the USA the Hesters. After I wrote her book, a lot people didn’t want to read it because they don’t like her. I like her though, but… (Shrugs). Whatevs… “I write who I write,” I say in my wiseguy voice.

OKAY SO BUCKLE UP–LONG STORY COMING IN FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO…

I just finished listening to The Hating Game in the audio format. I like the story and do highly recommend it. However, there was something about it that reminded me of Fifty Shades of Grey so I bought that book on Audible too and listened for comparisons. Okay, so, yes, I think The Hating Game was that author’s stab at the Christian/Anna dynamic. Because she keeps saying how his eyes “darkened” which is overused in Fifty Shades of Grey. And I don’t think the Hating Game author understands the criticism that’s being made when EL James refers to Christian’s eyes as darkening. The Hating Game author thinks it’s just lust. But in Fifty Shades of Grey darkening eyes is so much more than that.

I’ll admit that the one and only time I read Fifty Shades of Grey, I skipped a lot in the middle. I mean, the guy was just so creepy and nuts. And after I got enough of him, I was like, “How does it end.”

But this time around, since I’m listening to the book on my long drive to the office, I have to hear it all. OMG, I bet EL James was quite stunned the series took off the way it had. I am convinced Fifty Shades of Grey was a satire of Twilight. She was mocking Twilight!

However, I’ll admit this too. The sex scenes in FOSOG are PURE perfection. My God, the sensory actions and reactions. Christian’s skills make us forget the pathological sh** about him.

So the book had me asking myself, are relationships between men and women, and even with ourselves, really that screwed up?

This, after he spanks her and she’s crying about it. And then calls or texts her something and she doesn’t have the appropriate reaction to being hit so he drives back to her house and convinces her to get back on the Christian train:

Her: “I didn’t like it. I rather you didn’t do it again.”

Him: “You weren’t supposed to like it.”

Her: “Why do you like it?”

…MORE PATHOLOGICAL NONSENSE until…

Her: “Are you going to hit me again?

Him: “No, not tonight.”

(Me laughing after hearing that. Like, this IS supposed to be humor????)

Her: My subconscious and I both breathe a sigh of relief.

(Me laughing again, knowing this is Bella’s reaction to Edwards multiple, “I’m going to kill you. I want to kill you…” But she just keeps coming back for more because he’s so hot and controlling for her greater good.)

… MORE abusive nonsense until…

“It’s the way I’m made, Anastasia. I need to control you. I need you to behave in a certain way. And if you don’t, I love to watch your beautiful alabaster skin pink and warm up under my hands…”

AND SCENE

LOL!!! The first time I read the book, I skipped that part because I was just so over the stupid contract talk. But… OMG! LOL!

And I mean, do you hear the crazy??? And the way it’s paced, her silly and inappropriate reactions to his maniacal claims of what he’s going to do to her, and his crazy controlling behavior,  tells me that EL James was definitely writing satire. It’s paced like satire. The tone is satire. The great sex is satire too.

So… Listening to The Hating Games and Fifty Shades of Grey, as far solid ROMANCE heroes go, ones that we should fall in love with, The Hating Game wins!

But Fifty Shades of Grey is all about the power struggle between the two characters. It’s all about controlling with sex, nothing else. And if you think Grey has all the power, then you’re wrong. Her alabaster vagina has all the power. It will twist and turn him into submission. At least I did get that part the first time around. But that sh** NEVER works on men for too long. It only works in at the end of a romance novel when we can convince ourselves that these two very stupid people will live happily ever after. No… When Ana’s nearly pubescent vagina ages, a man like Christian will replace hers with another. That’s real life. That’s why he’s the guy you avoid. And most men aren’t that way at all.

So… I know that Grey has influenced the romance world for far too long, and I don’t want to write another version of that crazy **@(#)#@(&.

The Hating Games is about two people giving in to their attraction for each other despite creating a contentious relationship with each other. It’s like, see, we loved each other all along! Sally Thorne is the author.

I say all of this because I want you to read the book. And then I want to know if you L.O.V.E Joshua?

I do.

I like nice guys who understand how to live the delicate and natural balance of being a sacred masculine male. That’s Joshua.

Because nice guys say things like, “I’ve been married for thirty years!” or fifty years. They’re good to their wives, and their wives are good to them. Because they had enough sense to pass on crazy.

And a nice, good guy, has a great mother. She’s not emasculating or emotionally incestual, she’s right in the middle. Healthy.

And reading and falling for Joshua made me realize, I love writing good guys. Hercules is a good guy and it felt so GOOOD writing him.

Well… I was going to write Achilles to be more of a brokedown Christian Grey. So thank God, no, like seriously thank God, I went back and listened to the book. (I’m not finished. I’ll force myself to listen to the end, sigh…) Because I get it now. I don’t like that guy. And neither did EL James, which is why she didn’t write him a second time.

It’s taking me longer to write this book because I have to reimagine the Lords and their family in a whole new way–a healthier way.

But I also want to write the interactions between Treasure and Achilles more vividly if that makes sense. You know how you get all dressed up for a hot date and you’re taken to a five-star restaurant where the food melts in your mouth? I want you to have that kind of experience when you read my next and all the rest after it.

This is where I am right now–in the thick of it.

Before the year ends, I plan to write Max’s story before Orion’s. But again, I’m not rushing anything. I’m going to give it to you like a five-star meal, prepared by the hands of a James Beard winner, six courses on a silver platter.

Although Max is a Grove…I think I’m going to have to change the series title. Because I’ll also write Lynx’s story. He’s Treasure Grove’s brother. You’ll meet him in Making It While Faking It. He owns a sports team. Umm… Yummy!

That means in 2022, my goal will be to finish the complete series featuring the Lord and Grove families.

Let’s see… For the third time, I think, I’m not going to force it. I’m saying to the story, “come her baby, come to mama, tell me what you want me to write.”

Okay. I’ll catch up with you soon!

Once again… HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Much Love,
Z