Thursday, August 5, 2010

Why Are Men on Ice so Hot? by Kerri Nelson, Author of Cross Check My Heart



Today's guest blogger is already a favorite of mine because her book involves hockey. For those of you who don't know, our son played hockey for thirteen years. He has recently, as an adult, picked it up again but in a league that isn't as competitive as the good ole days.

I was a tried and true hockey mom. I rarely missed a game, screamed at the refs when they made bad calls, traveled for tournaments, and bit my fingernails down to the nub when my son was in net. Those were good times.

Author Kerri Nelson has written a romantic suspense novel titled, Cross Check My Heart. Here's more about the book:

She's on the run from something ominous in her past and escapes to a new town and a new job as the physical therapist for the U.S. Hockey Team who is preparing for the Olympics.

He’s a veteran hockey player with a secret of his own that threatens his chances at making the final cut for the team.

When she discovers his secret, will she attempt to stand in the way of his childhood dreams? Or will he unwittingly become the new target when her past ultimately catches up with her?

As their attraction for one another grows, danger looms nearby. Jana and Danny must decide what they will risk for the ultimate game of love…

Why Are Men on Ice so Hot? by Kerri Nelson

My recent romantic suspense release from Eternal Press entitled Cross Check My Heart features a professional hockey player named Danny Cipriani. While Danny is very real to me because I created him—in reality he lives only in my mind and my heart.

However, since the book’s release, I’ve received more “love letters” for Danny than you might ever have imagined. Women seem to swoon over the hot bodied ice hero with a heart of gold. So, I started wondering just what is it about men on ice that makes them so hot?

If you think of other “on ice” sports such as figure skating—men just don’t seem to have quite the same appeal to females. Maybe it is the costumes they wear or the cute dance routines that don’t quite get the same response from the fairer sex. Of course, you do have speed skating and Apolo Ohno is quite the lady magnet. Maybe in that case it is the skin tight uniform or the “need for speed”?

But when you think of hockey, most people would agree that images of violence, brute strength, and big bulky uniforms with tons of padding are what spring to mind. So, again, I ask, what is it exactly that attracts women to hockey players? I mean, aren’t we typically opposed to violence? Aren’t women more about talking than about the tossing of gloves and the spouting forth of testosterone based insults?

To answer my own question, I ran a little poll today among romance authors and readers alike. I asked them to tell me why they loved hockey players.

Blogger's note: Had I known about this poll I sure would have voted. Cam Neely of the Boston Bruins could always get my blood pumping.
Here are the TOP TWENTY reasons why women love hockey players:

• Sense of Humor
• Gentle Giants
• Hockey butt rocks!
• Smart
• Down to earth
• Hockey players are sexy!
• HUGE-- much bigger than most people think
• Take their sport seriously
• Sensitive to fans
• Active in their communities
• Perpetual 5 o’clock shadow
• They’re strong & tough
• The drive to play even when injured
• Hockey is fun to watch
• Hockey takes an unbelievable amount of strength and skill
• They’re Bad Boys!
• Big Hearts & Big Sticks!
• Hockey players have endless energy/Tireless (all those early morning practice)
• They have that "guy camaraderie/ brotherhood" thing going on.
• They are reckless; you have to be able to trust your life on a pair of skates!

So there you have it. My recommendation, if you don’t know any real life hockey players…pick up my book and meet Danny and his friends...how could you not want to meet men like these?

Blogger's note: I agree!



Kerri Nelson has always been passionate about reading books but when she wrote her first poem in the second grade, she discovered her love of writing. At the age of sixteen, she became a columnist for her local newspaper as the high school correspondent for the weekly "Panther Tales" column. She won the Outstanding Young Journalist of the Year Award for her efforts.

After an education and career in the legal field, Kerri began to pen romantic suspense novels with a legal or law enforcement theme. She is a true southern belle and comes complete with her dashing southern gentleman husband and three adorable children. When she’s not reading or writing, you’ll find her baking homemade goodies for her family, feeding her addiction to blogging online or designing custom made book trailers. Kerri is an active member of Romance Writers of America as well as numerous Chapters including Hearts through History, Futuristic Fantasy & Paranormal, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers.

Read more about Kerri’s books at her website: http://www.kerrinelson.com/

Come out and chat with Kerri at her blog: http://www.kerribookwriter.blogspot.com/

Want to play, learn and compete with other authors in the biz? Visit Kerri’s industry blog here: http://www.thebookboost.blogspot.com/

For the latest news and updates from Kerri, follow her on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/kerribookwriter


12 comments:

Mayra Calvani said...

Thanks for your kind words about my book on Vampire Wire yesterday, Cheryl. I'm also guilty of number 9! :-)

kerribookwriter said...

Hi Cheryl!

Thanks for hosting me today. I had fun doing this poll and sorry that you didn't get to vote. I'm impressed to hear that your son was such an active and successful hockey player. I'm sure he remembers how supportive you were.

I'm the mother of 3 but just had my first boy earlier this year. I already see him playing football or some other injury filled sport and I'm biting my nails already. LOL

Thanks much!

Gossip Cowgirl said...

Yum, hockey players.

I grew up in hockey country, so hockey players make me feel nostalgic. There's nothing hotter to me than latent violence. That sounded worse than I meant it...

Andrea I said...

As a native Southerner, I don't know much about hockey. I've seen a game or two since we have a pro team. My kid's sports were football, baseball and then softball for two of my daughters. I can identify with practices and travelling for games. I'm enjoying your tour, Kerri.

kerribookwriter said...

Rebecca!

I totally know what you mean. I become a different person when I'm at a hockey game. Let's just say if it was televised there would be a lot of of *bleep* *bleep* *bleep* going on! LOL

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs,
K.

kerribookwriter said...

Andrea,

I'm a southern gal too and really hockey is so much fun. If we hadn't had a local CHL team around here--I never would have gotten the chance to experience it either. I highly recommend it.

But...football is still my fave (you can't take that out of a southern girl)!

Glad you're enjoying the tour and thanks again for your support!

Hugs,
K.

Cheryl said...

Thanks for stopping by everyone. Rebecca, you're too funny. Andrea, you really haven't lived until you see hockey live. Back in the early days of our relationship, my husband (boyfriend at the time) took me to see the Bruins. He tells me that he knew he was in love when I said, "That's the best sound--the puck clacking against a stick."

Kerri, I could tell you some hockey mom horror stories, like the time I could have gotten tossed from the arena for screaming, "Do your F'ing job, ref." Oh my, I blush just thinking about it now. Hockey tournaments bring out the worst in me.

Judy said...

I also do not know much about Hockey, since I am from the South also. In the last few years, I have been exposed to the game more and more and have started watching the games on TV. I definitely have noticed the MEN. Your book sounds very good, I am going to check it out. I am enjoying your tour, Thanks!!

kerribookwriter said...

Cheryl~

I love it! You got thrown out of a game? You're my new hero! LOL

Judy~

I highly recommend attending a game if the opportunity presents itself. It is fast paced and exciting every minute. But live is much better than t.v.--in my opinion.

Thanks for the comments!

Cheryl said...

Here's where I start a huge debate about sports. Hockey is by far the hardest sport out there and it requires, as Kerri said, a tremendous amount of skill. You have men--most over 6 feet tall and weighing more than 200 pounds--teetering on thin knives while they attempt to avoid being pounded by men of equal size carrying sticks and trying to get a tiny piece of rubber into a net. Now granted, that's a good size net, but the goalie in his pads covers most of it, as opposed to soccer, where most of the net is exposed.

Kerri, I didn't get tossed out, but I'm thinking the ref must have been deaf as well as blind because I screamed at the top of my lungs, and my family will tell you that earplugs are required to avoid shattering eardrums when that happens. :)

Mary Corrales said...

Hockey is a fabulous sport! Just the energy in the crowd at a hockey game is something to be experienced.

The players are impressive no matter what team you root for! Whoo hoo!

kerribookwriter said...

Cheryl~~
Thanks again for hosting my tour! I had a blast at your lovely blog and I love your passion for hockey. Hope you and your readers will check out my book when you get a chance.

Mary C~~
So glad you could stop by! Always nice to find another hockey fan and your enthusiasm is contagious! Whoo hoo!

Hugs,
Kerri