Christie Craig | Ten Things A Christie Craig Hero Would Never Say

Recently I blogged about ten things a Christie Craig heroine would never say. Well, living in an equal opportunity world, giving the male gender their equivalent time in Blog Sphere-hey, I love my heroes!-it’s only fair that I tell you the things their testosterone-laden counterparts would never say. Then for kicks, I’m gonna explain why one of my yummy guys would never let those words slip from their lips. Please note, that I didn’t say they wouldn’t think the words-my heroes are still men, they are just smart enough to never say them. Or at least smart enough to only say ‘em once.

1)"Wanna hear me make farting noises with my armpits?"

We all know men are just little boys at heart. And we love it when they are nervous and go out of their way to impress us. But a CC hero has come to understand that what impresses his homies, i.e. burping lyrics to songs, clearing out a room after ingesting a bean burrito, isn’t always appropriate behavior with his woman. At least not until after the honeymoon.

To read more of TEN THINGS A CHRISTIE CRAIG HERO WOULD NEVER SAY please click here.

Christie Craig | Questions I Generally Get Asked

Where do you get your ideas?

I sometimes tell people I go to the idea store and rummage through the clearance racks to find a jewel I can make my own. Something a little different. Maybe even a bit like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree, something no one else would think about taking home. But I just know if I add the right elements to this discarded idea, I can make it sparkle.

Another way I answer this question is to explain that the idea fairy flew by and accidentally dropped something and I found the treasure stuck to the bottom of my tennis shoe like a piece of gum. You know that ABC gum that is so hard to get off? Well, sometimes it’s as if some fallen idea gets stuck in my head, and my first reaction is, “Oh, hell, no way! Get outta here. There’s a reason the idea fairy dropped your butt. You are a complete reject!” But the idea hangs on and on, until I begin to see the value in it.

Now, neither of those answers are lies. Because heaven knows that sometimes it feels just like that. But I suppose the answer closest to the truth would be that my ideas stem from a collage of experiences, events, and moments that make up my own life. Yes, my life really is that crazy.

2) Most writers will admit that while they write fiction there are some basic truths about themselves in each book. What part of your latest release, GOTCHA! is based on truth?

Well, I really did work at a pizza place. As a matter of fact I wrote about how one very bad day at the pizza place is probably the catalyst for my writing humorous romantic suspense. Let’s just say in one shift, I was accused of robbing the store, had about six Los Angeles police officers pointing weapons at me, had a crazy man pull out a knife large enough to skin Bambi and insist I return the credit card that he stole from someone else, and then had a mean-looking dude in a trench coat pull out another big gun and tell me to get behind the counter. You can read the whole story about that bad day at Dorchester.

3) Do you ever get writer’s block or have days when your muse isn’t with you?

Click here to read the rest.

Christie Craig | I Got Lucky—Not that Kind of Lucky!

Yesterday my book, Divorced, Desperate and Delicious was released and I’m tickled pink. This isn’t my first book, but it’s my first novel in thirteen years. Why the long break? Well, I was actively pursuing my career in photojournalism. About six years ago, I decided I was tired of being a one book wonder and fell headfirst into novel writing again. I had totally forgotten how much I loved it. The ideas were pouring out of me, I couldn’t write fast enough. I got book one written, got book two, three . . . I got all the way to book eight. Ahh, but I also got some rejections.

Oh, the editors loved my voice, but my plots were always . . . crossing a line. I was too quirky, too sexy, too suspenseful, too something. Yeah, I know, I’m good at crossing the line and pushing the envelope. It’s just how I’m wired. But then I got lucky. (Not that kind of lucky!) I got the most amazing call from my agent. I hadn’t just sold one book, I’d sold four in one day. Dorchester loved my crossing-the-line, pushing-the-envelope quirky, sexy, suspenseful style. Now that was a good day.

Anyway, for this blog, in addition to telling you a bit about myself, I wanted to tell you about another crossing-the-line/good-day/got-lucky experience. Not that kind of lucky! Well, not exactly that kind of lucky. It did involve some smoldering hot men, and there were clothes being removed, but before you jump to any conclusions, let me explain.

My hubby, (see hubby was with me) and I had gone to Galveston, Texas for a seafood dinner. When we arrived at the restaurant, we noticed they were filming Good Morning Houston across the street. That was interesting, but what caught my eye, was the fire truck filled with some very hot men. (And I don’t mean there was a fire around either.) They were almost too yummy to be your average fight-a-fire-Joe. And I just so happened to have my camera with me. So, I thought…hey, I could snap a few shots.

Then I . . . well, I crossed the line. I mean both figuratively and literally. You see they had sort of taped off this section to keep the average public out. But since when did I consider myself average? So I did it. I crossed the line and put my camera up to my eye and snapped a quick shot. Oddly, the strangest thing happened. All the guys started taking their clothes off.

Hard to believe, isn’t it? I know, I couldn’t believe it either. I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed this bizarre occurrence, but no one seemed to think it was strange. So I did what most of you would have done. I put the camera back to my eye and kept shooting.

A gentleman came up and interrupted me and wanted to peek at my press pass. You see, the firemen, were part of the 2008 Galveston Firemen Calendar, and they had been expecting a photographer to come out to snap some “sexy” shots. And seeing that I looked professional, and knew my way around a camera, they thought the show was on. Let me tell you, it was a nice show. Anyway, these images are too good not to share. And considering all the proceeds of the calendar go to support a children’s fund, well, it’s all for a good cause.

For more information about the calendar you can check out: http://www.galvestonfiredept.org./

And to check out more about me, my book video and hear about my next release, pop over to my website, http://www.christie-craig.com/ and my group site where I blog with five more Dorchester Divas, http://www.killerfiction.net/.

Enter my ONE Day ONLY! Christie Craig contest.