Running With Quills: Mother Susan says: Tell all!

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Thursday, September 04, 2008

Mother Susan says: Tell all!

I've got a little survey for you. Just because...well, I R a righter U no, and that pretty much equates with being nosy.

So what do you like best?

Milk chocolate or dark? (me, I'm a milk chocolate girl)

Beer or cosmos? (I confess I don't like beer or wine, but I do enjoy an occasional cocktail--especially if it comes in a pretty glass :)

Coffee, tea or h

ot chocolate? (I'm mostly a tea drinker, with the occasional cup of cocoa or a coffee/cocoa combo)

Meat and potatoes or seafood and veggies? (I'm a foodie, so I love it all. But I tend to eat more seafood and fruit. I love fresh fruit!)

Cooking or take-out? (Our dinner hour is the soulmate's and my one sure social hour if he's not

out of town--or the country--on a job. So one of my favorite parts of the day is when he gets home from work and the two us put together our dinner in the kitchen and catch up on each others day. Which is not to say I don't love being taken out for a meal or grabbing some take-out. But we do a lot more home cooking)

Do you drink milk? (I love it, but it has to be really cold and then I pour it in beer mugs that I keep in the freezer)

And on the book front:

Do you tend to be drawn more to dark haired heroes or blonds? (I love em all if they're written well, of course--but have a sneaking fondness for dark haired guys)

Hairy chests or smooth? (Yummmm....both)

Alpha or beta? Working man or tycoon? (I like em alpha...but with a nurturing side. And am partial to working men, soldiers and cops)

How about the heroines? Pretty or plain? Outspoken or quiet?

What's your favorite love, break-up or make-up scene? Or any fave

scene that's stuck with you? (One of mine is the prologue to Loretta Chase's Lord of Scoundrels)

Do you ever cast actors in the roles of the books you read? And if so, what are some of the books and the actors you've chosen to play the leads? (This is something I don't do--I once did a satellite radio tour to promote a book and that was a question that stopped me dead the first time I was asked it. I know that lots of other people do, however, and would be interested to know who you come up with)

Well, I could go on and on, but I've probably already asked too many questions. But inquirying minds wanna know, baby!!

34 Comments:

Anonymous said...: FOOD...
Milk chocolate is best
How about a margarita or bellini?
Love hot chocolate, especially from my M-I-L recipe.
Meat and potatoes, I'm a plain jane kinda girl.
Take out, if we had anything nearby. I hate to cook.
Love a cold glass of milk!

BOOKS...
Like 'em all, but favor brunettes.
Hairy chests are great, but NOT monkey hairy!
Yeah, I like the Alpha with a soft side also.
A working man! Especially the one that work the land. (I'm married to a farmer!)
I like the heroine to be plain, 'cause it seems like she will work for stuff in her life, rather than everyone handing it to her 'cause she SOO pretty.
Fave scene-in Faking It by Jennifer Crusie-when Tilda tells all to Davy, and is FREE!!
Nope, I just kinda build them from the description.

This was fun!

Michelle M; 8:12 PM
Deoris said...: I really just wanted to answer: What's your favorite love, break-up or make-up scene? Or any fave scene that's stuck with you?

My favorite scene was actually all of the above. From "Right Chest, Wrong Name" by Coleen Collins (Harlequin "Love and Laughter" series), the funniest scene was when the hero was in the chase of his life on a motorcycle behind the heroine with his fiancee in the car beside them and her fiancee ("Raven") on the Harley behind them. It was so funny, it still makes me cry with laughter and I've read the book at least ten times. The writing was brilliant, the leading man was someone I could identify with (he led a rich inner fantasy life) and the romance was spot-on.

Thanks for letting me share that!; 10:04 PM
Ann M. said...: What a lot of questions.

Dark (although I love white chocolate, I know not really chocolate.)

Cosmos (although I'm willing to drink a good beer)

Tea (well chai with hot cocoa waiting for me after a wintry day)

Oh... I love a good salmon with rice and veggies but there are times the carnivore comes out and I want my steak

If I could I'd do good take-out. I love to cook when I have time but these days it is hard to find.

Milk with cookies

Books

I've never noticed if one pulls me more than the other.
I love outspoken heroines
I love scene in Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann where we hear that Kenny loves Savannah an eleven out of ten. :)
I don't cast actors while I read. I find it distracting for me. I would rather create my image from the author's words. Now if the author mentions an actor. The problem is I don't remember actors' names so a name doesn't help me create a picture.; 3:19 AM
Anonymous said...: Susan,

Chocolate is a food group in our house...all colours/flavours are greated with open arms (or mouths!).My husband being of German origin spoils us for most chocolate but we never say no! My boys especially love marzipan.

Cointreau(liqieur)on ice.

No coffee, tea, hot chocolate or any hot drinks. Strange to some but most of my relo's are the same.

Living by the coast, definitely seafood and love salad and fresh fruit. Home cooking - so when I do eat out I relax and enjoy.

Tall, dark and handsome working man...my partner is a builder. No preference on heroines just someone i can relate to in some way.

Absolutely love Jayne's characters they always have a slight flaw. Also, have just finished 'To the Nines' Janet Evanovich and cracked up when Stephanie, Lula & Connie go to see 'Tom Jones' in Vegas. When Lula threw her thong on stage....

Thanks for the laugh!
Tina - oz; 4:08 AM
Lori Foster said...: These things are so fun!

Milk Chocolate - lots of it! Preferably with caramel or crispies included. ;-)

Don't drink alcohol of any kind.

Coffee Yup! A pot every morning (though decaf) and occasionally some hot chocolate in the evenings. I do like iced green tea when I'm lunching at Panera. LOL

Meat and potatoes!

Home cooking Especially now that Allen is retired and does most of the meals. LOL. But I enjoy dinner out when we're visiting with friends or family. Last night we went to Fridays with my dad and stepmother. It was wonderful.

Milk I LOVE it, especially when I'm eating anything sweet, but I'm lactose intolerant, so I have to drink the special kind.

Dark haired, but like you, when they're written right, I love 'em all!

HAIRY! Smooth looks like a kid to me.

Working Alphas, but yeah, with a bone-deep honor and caring for others.

Plain and nice, but beautiful and nice works too. They just have to be nice.

Love scenes... Lemme see, I'm always a sucker for that unexpected punch of love. You know, they think they dislike each other, but they don't. Fun!

Actors... Nope, I can't do that either. Some of my readers do, but I can't quite picture an actor when I've already got a different picture of the character in my head.

Happy Friday all!

Lori; 5:05 AM
DFender said...: Hiya Susan!
Great questions, girliee. *in my best Richard Dawson voice* Survey saysssss:

Dark chocolate
Amaretto sours
Coffee, hot chocolate and tea (in order, even)
Seafood and potatoes (always a rebel! lol)
HHP’s cooking or a great dinner out… hmmm… depends on the mood, I guess… LOL
Ice cold 2% milk

Dark haired heroes
Smooth chests
Alpha, working males with a heart
Attractive, brainy & outspoken heroines
Favorite love, break-up or make-up scene: Too many to name, although my favorites hafta be in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series of J.R. Ward’s.
Nope, I don’t cast actors/actresses… my imagination is so much better than reality… ha!

Happy Weekending!
Deb; 5:39 AM
DFender said...: ... by the way, that black 'n white pic you have posted there, Susan... that's hot. LOLOL.
*fans self*; 6:53 AM
Anonymous said...: Dark chocolate
Bombay Sapphire martini
Coffee AM-Tea PM
Seafood and veggies and lots of fruit
I love to cook
no milk
Dark haired heroes all kinds
Plainer heroines-outspoken
ALL SHOOK UP- the scene just after they arrest his friend
I usually don't cast actors as characters and HATE when authors refer to a character as looking just like an actor.

Thanks Susie!
Lynne Thomas; 8:14 AM
Jayne Ann Krentz said...: Forget the actor thing, go with the super dark chocolate and red wine. (It's a health food issue, you know).

By the way, susan, congratulations on the success of CUTTING LOOSE!Five weeks on the New York Times bestseller list!!! Woo haa!!!!

--Jayne; 8:35 AM
PJ said...: First, I *loved* Cutting Loose and am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series! :) Ok, on to the answers.

I love milk chocolate best unless we're talking about my homemade dark chocolates with tangerine crunch. Heaven!

No beer or wine but I'll take a frozen margarita.

Hot chocolate. On cold winter evenings, hot chocolate with kahlua...and a good book. :)

Seafood and veggies!

Home cooking. I've always loved to cook.

I love milk. I buy it by the gallon even though I live alone.

It's funny. I much prefer dark haired heroes even though my first love and my wonderful husband were both blondes.

I like a little hair to run my fingers through.

I'm an Alpha girl but they have to be honorable and caring and have a sense of humor.

Plain or pretty as long as they're a good person.

I just finished Stephanie Laurens' The Edge of Desire. The love scene where Christian sets out to prove the depth of his devotion through his actions is so beautiful.

I never picture actors or other real people. I always manage to conjure up lovely images on my own.; 8:56 AM
Anonymous said...: Chocolate: yes, may I have some now?
Beer / wine / mixed: Yes, what kind of day is it? Is it hangout beer time? Wine n girltalk? I really need a rum and diet coke day? Definitely mood dependent for me.
Coffee, in the morning. Tea in the afternoon. HOT CHOC on cold blowy snowy days!
Meat/Veggies/Potatoes/Seafood: again, yes. Carnivore days vs. mmm that looks like good shrimp.
Takeout/cook: I love to eat cooked food. However, my schedule is crappy so I eat a bit too much of takeout. Or something resembling a snack.
Book hero: Oh, I love certain ones best: Suz Brockmann's Sam Starett.
Rachel Gibson's John Kowalsky and his hockey playing, Barbie doll wrassling alphaness.
Step Laurens. YES YES YES.
El. Lowell: wow, umm, Archer, Kyle, etc. are awesome molds.
Thinking gorgeous alpha yes!!
S. Andersen: PJ and Jared: hot hot hot...
So really, hair color is not where it is at for me.
SusanB; 9:57 AM
Linda said...: oooh- I love surveys. I always happily spend hours on the phone with those surveyors who call during the dinner hour. And speaking of food...

Milk chocolate- though dark is good as a shell for ice cream or frozen bananas.

Nearly a vegetarian- though I LOVE my raw fish.

I love cooking and trying new recipes, but we eat out a few nights a week. Mostly for things like Indian or Japanese, which I will never be able to make as well.

milk- only chocolate.

BOOKS:
Dark haired with a little chest hair. Smooth skin gets me suspicious- are they waxing? Unless the smooth chests is a trait of their ethnicity, then it's cool.

Heroine- I like them on the spunky side, but not so headstrong that they make foolhardy moves. Willow Moran from Elizabeth Lowell comes to mind as a perfect heroine. Sweet, but with bravery enough to take off across the country with a strange man. (OK, that sounds foolhardy, but it wasn't in the book)

I never cast actors in the books I'm reading or writing. I have a picture in my mind, and the actor usually ruins it. Also, actors are just copies of the real deal.; 10:28 AM
susan andersen said...: IN-teresting! I thought I'd be the lone ranger with the not casting actors thing, but there seems to be a general consensus going here. And my main complaint seems to that of a lot of yours as well: that no real actor ever looks like the hero/heroine I envision in my own head.

Michelle, I hear you on the no Monkey-hairy chests! Love a little fur, but not crawling all over his shoulders and back.

Ann M, I lOVED Kenny's story! (Wildcard Carmody, right?) That was one of my favorite in her Seals/Team-I-can't-remember-the-exact-#-series.

Deoris, that sounds like a hoot!; 10:37 AM
susan andersen said...: Tina, yours sounds like the house to be at when you get an attack of the I-GOTTA-HAVE-CHOCOLATE-NOWs.

Lori, yeah, I'd probably love my dinner hour a lot less if I had to do all the cooking. :) I'm more the prep chef--I love to chop things--then Steve stir-fries, sautes or bakes up the result. It's not that I mind cooking that much, since we like fresh stuff, which keeps it fairly simple. The hard part for me is coming up with what to have.

Deb, I'm so glad you like that pic! I posed for it, you know. Snarf, snort. Oh, here, excuse me a minute. I've gotta pick myself up off the floor.

Lynne, Lynne, Lynne. May I just say you have stellar taste in fave scenes? *G*

Jayne, thank you! It was a super fun run for this book!; 10:57 AM
susan andersen said...: PJ, thank you!! And your homemade dark chocolate with tangerine crunch sounds divine. I also like dark chocolate when mint creme is involved. And I'm with you on the not knowing where my jones for dark haired heroes comes from. The soulmate has gray hair now, but it was a sandy blond-brown before it turned. I also like darker skinned heroes and tend to write heroines with pale skin (likely because I have olive skin and would love that flawless lighter complexion)--so maybe it has to do w/ the contrast.

SusanB, I know exactly what you mean about your carnivore days. We eat mostly fish, seafood and chicken, but then my inner carnivore starts screaming, "Gimme a burger! I want steak!" And man, do they satisfy!

Linda, you must be a telephone surveyor's wet dream come true!! Someone who doesn't' snarl at them or hang up after thoroughly insulting their ancestors. :); 11:14 AM
Tina said...: Milk chocolate or dark?
I don't eat a lot of chocolate, in general, but I prefer milk chocolate when I do.

Beer or cosmos?
Neither. When I drank (my tempermental and endlessly annoying stomach doesn't allow it anymore), I prefered rum with orange juice or in a mixture of fruit juices or tequila in margaritas or tequila sunrises.

Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
I occasionally drink Starbucks vanilla lattes, but I don't really like a strong coffee taste. Hot chocolate is nice every now and then, especially when it's cold. Usually, I drink hot tea. I've cut most of the sugar out of my diet, so I'll usually sweeten it with some milk. I've also been drinking green tea steeped with ginger root (it helps settle my stomach).

Meat and potatoes or seafood and veggies?
All of the above, but I eat chicken and veggies of some kind more than anything else.

Cooking or take-out? I usually prefer to cook, but I do like take-out. Mostly stuff I can't cook myself, like Chinese, Indian, and Cajun food. (Well, I can probably cook it, but no where near as well.)

Do you drink milk?
I rarely drink milk alone, but I use it to make my morning oatmeal and I put it in tea.

Do you tend to be drawn more to dark haired heroes or blonds?
I prefer dark hair both in books and in real life. However, if the character is well done, I don't think about the hair color. Look at Daniel Craig as James Bond, after all. I never thought I'd like a non-brunette in that role and he (and the way he was written) won me over. It doesn't hurt that he's got one helluva body, but he reads as sexy to me in a way that I have to admit I never got from that particular character before.

Hairy chests or smooth?
Either, as long as the smooth chest is natural and the hairy chest doesn't look like a rug woven from a wooly mammoth.

Alpha or beta? Working man or tycoon?
Alpha working men--particularly cops, firemen, military men or secret agents. Not only do these professions indicate "tough" and "take-charge", but you have to be able to really commit to something to do those types of jobs and do them well. (Mind you, I've been in the military and married to it. I've dated a cop and been friends with a couple. I know for a fact that not everyone in those professions are "tough", "take-charge", or even truly committed to what they do. Even still, that's how I automatically feel about such characters in a book.)

How about the heroines? Pretty or plain? Outspoken or quiet?
It's easier to say what I don't like. I don't like it when the heroine is excrutiatingly perfect--lovely, sweet, graceful, kind, courteous, and followed by an angelic choir who all sing Hosannas whenever anyone's gaze falls upon her. You know the ones I mean. Everyone lurrrrvvves her instantly and all the men she comes across want her and the only ones who hate her are the evil bitches who want the hero for themselves and/or the evil bastards she turned down prior to the hero setting his sites on her. Oh, and even worse than being "perfect", these women are often dumb as a box of rocks. Frankly, I'd rather see an average heroine who's mostly nice and usually smart and has a fault or two. Or a beautiful heroine who's mostly nice and usually smart and has a fault or two. Little-Miss-Perfect-And-Perfectly-Stupid makes me want to reach through the pages and smack her hard.

What's your favorite love, break-up, or make-up scene? Or any fave scene that's stuck with you?
The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is when Agnes throws hot raspberry sauce in the face of the guy trying to dognap her dog and then cranks him with her cast iron skillet in Crusie's Agnes and the Hitman. I loved that book and I really loved the scene. Also, the opening to Raybourn's Silent in the Grave is one of the best I've ever read.
"To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband's dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor."

Do you ever cast actors in the roles of the books you read?
No, and it can be jarring to see actors that don't seem "right" as the characters. Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse, from Harris's Southern Vampire series, is a good example of that.

Oh, and finally, I second Deb's opinion of the b/w photo. Very hot!; 11:27 AM
Brandy said...: Fun!
Chocolate? Dark or Milk, never very often and the best is SEE's. Yum!
Coffee, tea or cocoa? Tea and Cocoa, but only in the evenings.
Milk? Once in a blue moon, has to be ice cold.
Meat and Potato's/Seafood/Fresh Fruits? Meat and Potatos, Fresh fruit, veggies and salads. We eat a LOT of chicken.
Cooking or Takeout? Cooking. That way I know what it's made with and can make it healthier.
Dark Haired Heroe's or Blonde? I prefer Dark Haired, but Blondes work, too.
Hairy Chests or Smooth? Lightly hairy, not gorillas here. *g*
Alpha/Beta? Working Man/Tycoon? I like an Alpha but he must have a tender side and be smart. I prefer a working man. Cop, Firefighter, Soldier....(Maybe it's the uniform? *G*)
Heroines: Pretty, plain, quiet, strong? She has to be a good person, nice. She can be pretty or plain but I do tend to empathize more with the one who consider themselves plain. I like the unlikely heroine.
Favorite Scene? Make-up/Break-up? Any? My absolute favorite scene was in Fast Women. It's the opening scene where she accidentally destroys his office (she's there for a job interview) while he's on the phone. Only after she leaves does the reader know he knew all along. *g*
Do you cast known actors in the parts of the characters? No. Never. I prefer to form my own opinion. I won't be watching True Blood because of this.

This WAS fun. Have a great day!; 12:58 PM
AgTigress said...: Takes all sorts! :-)

I don't touch chocolate with less than about 65% cocoa solids - I actively dislike milk chocolate.
I am a wine-drinker.(What is/are cosmos?)
TEA: black or with milk, no sugar. Coffee is all right on occasion, but I couldn't live without tea.
Potatoes, veggies, some meat. Fish, but not marine creepy-crawlies (shrimp, prawn, crab etc - too much like insects.)
Home cooking, of course.
Milk: well, I like drinking it, though I don't think it's good for one. But only if it is whole milk, organic, non-homogenised, and not too cold - cool, but not icy. In other words, real, natural milk, not some bland white liquid processed beyond all reason.

The 'actor' question: no way! I have my own visual images of characters in books, and I don't want some actor getting in the way!

All the blond/dark, smooth/hairy, alpha/other questions - I think I am too old now to answer them, because only character counts in the long run. The other things are for initial attraction, and there was a time, about 45 years ago, when they may have mattered to me.
:-D; 1:16 PM
SamG said...: Milk Chocolate,
I don't drink a lot but prefer fruity drinks when I do
Hot Chocolate
Mean and potatoes
Take out when I can get it, easy at home if I have to cook
Yes to milk

Dark haired
Some hair on the chest, but none on the back
Beta guy, and he works
Outspoken ladies
The scene in Julie Garwoods Ransom where the guys have to grovel to the girls...you know the 'you broke their hearts, now fix them' one
No actors...I like to fill in my own vision

Sam; 1:36 PM
Amanda said...: 1. I love Milk chocolate, because dark choc. Is way too bitter!
2. I like cosmos/wine, can’t drink beer, after one beer I’m ill…might be allergic to hops or something.
3. Coffee drinker, can’t function without it. I’m a high end coffee drinker, which means I prefer $5 coffees from Starbucks :)
4.I like most food, not seafood. I hate seafood; something about the texture of seafood makes me gag.
5. As for cooking vs. take out, it just depends on our mood. Sometimes we love to cook and other times (after 12 hour days) we’re so exhausted the thought of having to actually cook a meal is unappetizing. At that point, we would rather starve! I’m lactose intolerant, so no milk for me!
6. Tall, dark and handsome! I never liked Ken (Barbie’s bf) as a little girl either!!
7. I just like male chests!
8. I like all variety of heroines, plain-pretty, outspoken-shy, just depends on the story.
9. I like passionate fights, followed by hot make-up sex. I like it when there are strong feelings of angst, anger, and other volatile emotions between the couple.
10. I don’t cast actors/actresses in my mind when reading. Ruins it for me, I like the power of MY imagination that is inspired by the author. No outside influences.; 2:28 PM
Anonymous said...: Any chocolate, but like milk chocolate best.
Don't drink much alcohol...there is nothing better than a cold beer after a hard afternoon in the yard. Wine with food is good.
I'm a coffee drinker...rarely have tea or hot chocolate.
Like seafood, especially Salmon.
Rarely drink milk...use it on cereal in the morning.
Heroines...blone or brunette...as long as they are outspoken and gives the Hero H***.
Don't cast actors.

Louis; 4:13 PM
Pat Cochran said...: Hello,

FOOD:

1. Milk chocolate, but I'm a diabetic & have only found sugar free in dark.
2. Mimosa, one a year @ co. party.
3. Tea, hot or iced.
4. Love all food, but have to be very careful of choices.
5. Cooking/take-out/eat out, depends!
6. Love milk, drink rarely, love the idea of the freezer mug.

BOOKS:

1. Dark hair(Honey had dark hair,
it is white now, still looks good!)
2. Lightly haired.
3. Alpha with a soft touch,working
man.
4. Can be either p/p, o/q, so long
as she speaks up for herself.
5. Am reading first Christina Skye
(Hot Pursuit)- HOT, HOT, HOT!

Pat Cochran; 4:59 PM
susan andersen said...: Tina, love the Raybourn Silent in the Grave opening line! I can't visualize Anna Pacquin as Sookie Stackhouse, either, but I'd like to see True Blood to see what kind of job they do.

Brandy, I'm a Godiva girl, myself. *g*

Antigress, I am SO not with you on the whole non-homogenized milk thing. I grew up on it during my first decade or so and hated those clumps of cream floating in my glass.I loved it when my oldest brother got to the bottle first and drank all the cream off the top. Bleck...

Sam, grovelling heroes are a Good Thing!

Amanda, I'm with you on getting take-out or going out for dinner on those long rough days when the last thing you want to do on top of everything else is cook.

Louis, my man--definitely. Heroines must give those heroes hell. Especially the ones too blind to appreciate what they've been given. :)

Pat, I love your "alpha with a soft touch." That's very evocative. And I must try Christina Skye. She's an author I've never read.; 10:46 PM
Lori of Canada said...: Great range of questions!!!

Milk chocolate or dark? Depends. For a quick fix, dark. For a big treat, milk chocolate.

Beer or cosmos? Neither. I don't drink alcohol.

Coffee, tea or hot chocolate? TEA!! With the occasional hot chocolate thrown in....

Meat and potatoes or seafood and veggies? Seafood and veggies. I love Atlantic salmon (and living in Nova Scotia offers lots of seafood options).

Cooking or take-out? Depends on my mood. Take out is a great treat but I like discovering new meals to make. ALways looking to expand my repertoire.

Do you drink milk? not nearly as much as I Should..... LOVE your idea. I like my milk cold too!

And on the book front:

Do you tend to be drawn more to dark haired heroes or blonds? dark haired but if they are well written... YUMMY

Hairy chests or smooth? how about a balance between the two?

Alpha or beta? Working man or tycoon? Alpha all the way and will take either....

How about the heroines? Pretty or plain? Outspoken or quiet? I love it when a heroine finds her voice, regardless of pretty or plain.

What's your favorite love, break-up or make-up scene? Or any fave scene that's stuck with you? Hmmm... tehre is a scene in Linda Howard's After the Night that is pretty amazing.

Do you ever cast actors in the roles of the books you read? And if so, what are some of the books and the actors you've chosen to play the leads? No - only when the discussion is raised by someone else..... like discussions over In Death series (where I can see Gerard Butler as Roarke but other than that, I am stymied)

Lori M.; 6:13 AM
kris b said...: susan your funny are you off the floor yet?

love the survey takes me a while to think of things though.

yup like chocolate dont eat much though cause my hips dont and uhh sometimes I overindulge a bit and like dark, light whatever the flavor comes in.

I am an ice tea drinker without the ice LOL I dont like cold drinks which is weird I know but thats how I roll.

I eat chicken, hardly any veggies, and NO potatoes those are bad for the hips too. and I eat bacon thats it a boring diet huh?

I like margaritas but since my last overindulgance of those have not had much of anything.

I dont cook so we eat out I boycotted the cooking since I had to do all the cleaning too, it got kinda old taking care of 6 people and no help so I quit LOL I work in a restaurant to it works out ok for me! LOL

no milk just not my thing

smooth chests to look at not sure about hair my hubby has no so I a cant be sure I am sure I like to look at smooth though!

herione plain and outspoken, Lori fosters grace from too much temptation is my very very favorite.
no actors just pictures I make up myself I guess!
and I cant think of my favorite scene as I read so many books and have several favorites I like them all I rarely read a book I dont like on some level!

thankyou for the fun survey I am immensely glad I found this blog it keeps me tickled!; 6:21 AM
Elizabeth Guest said...: My motto: "Chocolate: It's not just for breakfast anymore." I prefer milk chocolate, but in the interest of good health I only eat very dark chocolate. Sigh.

NEVER imagine actors, or even real people I know, as the characters in my books.

Yes, BIG CONGRATS, Susan, on the NYT! Way to go!
~EG; 9:28 AM
Molly said...: Chocolate, any which way. I'm not picky.

No alcohol for me. I prefer hot chocolate.

Meat, potatoes, and veggies. No seafood. I live too far inland to appreciate it. (When you don't get it fresh, it's hard to cultivate a liking.)

I like the occasional take-out, but in small town USA we don't have any places that offer it. Home cooking tastes just as good (if not better).

I like milk. Skim milk. Nice and cold.

I like heroes and heroines with a sense of humor. I prefer heroes who are devastatingly handsome and heroines who resemble me. :D

I don't cast actors in the roles. And I prefer book covers that avoid showing the characters' faces. I like to imagine what the characters look like from the author's description.

I'll have to give more thought to my favorite scenes. Nothing comes to mind right now.; 9:56 AM
annie said...: Susan, thanks for this quiz...so interesting, here goes:
dark chocolate (and for Pat C: Trader Joe's has a dark choc in bars that my friend absolutely loves)
neither
yes
vegies then seafood
cooking
milk---cold cold cold (I'll have to try that iced beer mug idea)
Books:
no preference really...I just love looking at guys who are confident in their bodies (as it seems all book cover guys are; like Lori I love the black and white from your site)
Smooth or slightly hairy...unless...see there is always an exception...
Alpha & beta together (they're still out there, I'm sure)
I like my heroines to be sassy, self-assured and NOT predictable.
Any scene that engages my heart - and with the caliber of you quillers...heck, I'm engaged all the time!
No, actors can seem so superficial...the quillers here write about people I know, doing people I know, things.
The info I've learned from this quiz has helped me tremendously because just last week my friend, Diane, walked into my house and asked, "Oh, did you get a new Amanda Quick book?" and I said, "Yes, why?", and she replied, "I can smell the lemon pound cake." Ooookay, I think...So I ask her "what has that to do with Amanda Quick?" And she says, "well, you always have that lemon cream pound cake when you read Amanda Quick...oh, and a big mug of Assam." Im floored, she's exactly right...I have other favorites for other writers, I just didn't realize that I did. Kinda weird, huh?; 10:57 AM
Lisa Hendrix said...: ~Dark chocolate
~Cosmo (or better yet, a Brandy Alexander)
~Coffee mornings, tea afternoons
~Chicken and veggies
~Dinner out (not take out)
~Yes to milk
~Dark haired heores (though I'm writing all blonds right now because they're Vikings)
~Smooth chests
~Alpha, but with that tender side, and powerful, whether rich or poor.
~Pretty, outspoken redheads
~The scene in Kinsale's Flowers from the Storm where Jervaulx describes Maddy to her blind father. ::sigh::
~Pierce Brosnan in my Irish book, Rutger Hauer in IMMORTAL WARRIOR; 8:25 PM
Stella said...: Susan:

Great blog!

Dark chocolate here--a little ginger or orange in the mix is nice. Don't drink milk. Tea, tea, tea!

I see characters as they come to me. No influence from photos or actors.

No satiny male chests for me.

Interesting faces take the prize. How often do we really see someone who doesn't have a remarkable feature?

Stella; 4:15 PM
Anonymous said...: dark chocolate, milk if no dark
beer
coffee, all day, every day
NEVER milk (except when I nursed my babies and then it was chocolate of course!)
Meat & potatoes
while I prefer home cooked, we have lots of 'prepared' meals from Safeway.
Dark haired - Alpha Males - with chest hair (hmmm sounds like my husband). Although Daniel Craig as Bond is amazing.
Sassy, funny, quirky heroines (ala JAK)
I can never 'cast' a book.
Can't pinpoint a favorite scene. Although any Eve/Rourke interlude is good.; 12:59 PM
Diane said...: I love any kind of chocolate except that mixed with coffee!

No alcohol, but love Starbucks chai tea lattes and hot chocolate.

Love meat and potatoes but won't turn down crab legs. :)

I much prefer takeout but will cook if needed.

I like milk with chocolate cake and poptarts (a hold out from my childhood days)

I love alpha, dark haired, and nicely furred heroes. They need to be protective and caring--love the working man, but can do corporate without any trouble.

My heroines can't be perfect and I like smart, sassy ones.

I love the scene in Susan Donovan's Public Displays of Affection where DEA agent Joe Bellacera has just rescued Charlotte's kids from hit men and he stands there crying knowing that he must leave before he puts them at risk again. An alpha male who isn't afraid to show his emotions!

I love the Christina Skye Navy Seals books. My favorites are Going Overboard and Code Name: Bikini.; 10:00 AM
Anonymous said...: can you only get Midnight on Ruby Bayou on cd? Are the others going to be re-released and in that format?; 12:18 PM
Miss Nikki said...: As for me…
FOOD
Chocolate – I myself prefer dark (and rich) chocolate... which unfortunately is the polar opposite of the quality of men I’ve attracted the last decade or two.
Adult Beverage – I’m partial to girlie drinks with rum... the fruitier the better. Beer just makes me shudder in that ‘not so yummy’ way.
Seafood and veggies…because I’ve had a lifelong battle with my waistline.
Take out...pretending I cooked it. He thinks he has a domestic goddess.
Milk...love it…along with ice cream, cheese, yoghurt... and of course I’ve developed a slight digestional issue with dairy with age. There is NO justice.
BOOKS
Hair - I’ve been drawn more to dark haired heroes
Hairy Chests - a nice compromise between the two...masculine with out being either competitive Swimmer-ish or Sasquatch-ish. Def a man who is hairier than me. Um….TMI?
Occupation – a tycoon who knows from personal experience what it is like to BE a working man...self made men are sexy!.
Heroines – everyday women I know…full of life and personality...maybe some extra junk in the trunk but sexy and smart(ass)
Fav makeup/breakup scene…hmm..hard to pick. I love stories where they have to work for their happy ending. As far as sex scenes go… I’ll be fine never reading about another simpering virgin again. I like heroines who take charge of their sexuality. The double standard of female sexuality in womens fiction is thankfully diminishing.
Actors ‘cast’ in role in books? Never! I love strong descriptions that bring a character to life as an individual.; 2:05 PM

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Thursday, September 04, 2008

Mother Susan says: Tell all!

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