I feel so lucky to know such talented ladies in the Portland, OR area. I was absolutely thrilled to have a chance to work with all of them on a recent shoot for the new Twigs & Honey lookbook (coming soon!). I hope to make this a habit! ;) Accessories: Twigs & Honey Photography: Lisa Warninger Styling & Flower garland: Chelsea Fuss Dresses: Elizabeth Dye Makeup/Hair: Madeline Roosevelt Models: Olivia Bee (top) and Kate Troedsson Thank you!! (Also, thank you to Jade for being the third lovely model: photos to come! and Amy, my big sista, for being an awesome assistant)
College football can be unpredictable. One moment a team looks like a sure thing— unbeatable, untouchable—money in the bank. However, as the saying goes, on “any given Saturday, anything is possible.” Success is not promised from season-to-season.
It doesn’t necessarily matter how many returning starters are on a roster, or, how much experience is had by the quarterback, sometimes it’s about who wants it more and how prepared they are to prove it on the field—period.
So, if the line between victory and defeat can razor thin for a team that’s loaded with talent, what happens if obstacles are introduced (i.e. new coaching, new scheme, new sanctions, or new players)? Many college football fans view the landscape through a homer-colored pair of glasses but the truth can be a bitter pill.
This article will list a few teams who may see the road to victory marred by more losses this season than the last.
Does that mean said team won’t go bowling or will fail to make an impact? No, it just means that this is a season where expectations should be lower than before because the vibe around the program doesn’t look good based on the mix.
As always, I appreciate the feedback and the intelligence of those who choose to comment and, never fail to recognize this as my opinion—by all means, feel free to express yours.
Oklahoma State—2009 Record, 9-4
Quarterback Zac Robinson is gone—as are both Perrish Cox (DB) and Russell Okung (OT). The Cowboys have little experience to offer at the quarterback spot and, even if they did, the offensive line is going to be young. (four starters are gone).
Kendall Hunter’s return is a positive but that greatly depends on his ability to stay healthy. His lackluster 2009 was forgiven thanks, in part, to the success of Keith Toston. However, with Toston gone, the Cowboys will lean on Hunter again and there is some question as to how effective he will be with the spotlight resting totally upon his 5’8” shoulders.
Also, how will the team do under new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.
Holgorsen coached the Houston Cougars’ offense in 2009—the most potent offense in the nation last season. He is a welcome addition to a Cowboy’s offense that found trouble scoring down the stretch.
That said, the Cowboys lack the signature pieces necessary to make Holgorsen’s spread system a success—a star wide receiver and a gun-slinging quarterback. 26-year old Brandon Weeden is the answer could be the answer but it definitely looks like the Cowboys will be in rebuild mode for 2010.
2010 Regular Season Prediction: 7-5
Potential Upset Alert: vs. Baylor. Robert Griffin is back for the Bears and, if he is healthy, he could be an achilles heel for a Cowboys defense that has some serious questions—both in the secondary and on the defensive line.
Cincinnati—2009 Record, 12-1
The main argument for the continued success of the Bearcats, in light of coach Brian Kelly’s departure, is the fact that Butch Jones has followed in Kelly’s footsteps before—successfully.
Well, no offense to either coach Kelly or his successor but this isn’t Central Michigan and that guy playing quarterback isn’t Tony Pike.
The Bearcats have the good fortune of two quality quarterbacks in both Zach Collaros And Chazz Anderson, but neither have had to maintain their performance-level for the duration of a season, nor will they have Mardy Gilyard soaring through the air to trap their passes.
Cincy’s new coach will have to navigate the waters of an ultra-competitive Big East that includes a determined Pitt, a legit West Virginia, and a pesky Connecticut team that suddenly has new life at the quarterback spot with Zach Frazer’s return.
Oh, and did I mention, their September schedule includes opening on the road at Fresno State and playing Oklahoma as well?
Expect to see some growing pains for the Bearcats in 2010.
2010 Regular Season Prediction: 6-6
Potential Upset Alert: at Louisville. Aside from a blowout in 2009, these two teams have played some close games over the last four-years—with Louisville taking two. By this point in the season, Charlie Strong could be looking for a signature win for his rebuilding program and this game could prove to be just that.
Tennessee—2009 Record, 7-6
The Vols have been through the fire this off-season.
First, there was the somewhat disappointing bowl loss to Virginia Tech to end their post-season, then came the tsunami that was the Lane Kiffin decision to bolt the SEC for the Pac-10—leaving the team, it’s players, and the fan base stunned and angry.
Derek Dooley has arrived on the scene with calm assurances that he won’t mirror the regime of old and he would set the program back on the winning track. He got well on his way to keeping that promise by securing the Vols 2010 recruiting class—which stopped the bleeding for the Knoxville faithful. That said, there are still questions as to how good Tennessee can be in their first season under Dooley.
Quarterback Jonathan Crompton and leading rusher Montario Hardesty are both gone—so the offense will take a hit. Add to that, defensive playmakers Eric Berry (DB) and Dan White (DT) have moved on to the pro ranks. That leaves some fairly big shoes for Montori Hughes (DT) and Janzen Jackson (DB) to fill next season.
Can they do it?
Tennessee has a very challenging schedule this season and it will take some time for Derek Dooley and his staff to get accustomed to coaching in the SEC. The foundation is being built, particularly with the great defensive talent at the end position, but it’s not quite there yet.
2010 Regular Season Prediction: 6-6
Potential Upset Alert: at Vanderbilt. The Commodores won’t be better than Tennessee in 2010. There are holes in their offensive line and no guarantee that quarterbac Larry Smith will be any better. However, Vanderbilt has a good run game in Warren Norman and some fairly decent receivers for Smith, or JUCO player Jordan Rodgers, to throw it to. If the Commodores come out with purpose, they could steal a win from the Vols.
Penn State—2009 Record, 11-2
Joe Pa is like the Energizer bunny, he just keeps coaching….and coaching...and coaching. However, this could be the season that finds the legendary icon of the Big Ten taking a step back to reevaluate just how much longer he intends to patrol the sidelines in Happy Valley.
The Lions managed to skate through 2009 by steamrolling the, mostly unworthy, competition and despite hiccups against Iowa and Ohio State, Joe Pa’s program ended a good note—defeating LSU in the Capital One bowl.
However, with senior quarterback Daryll Clark out of the picture and six spots to fill on the defense—including the entire linebacking corps—Penn State may find their dominating ways a bit less evident in 2010.
2010 Regular Season Prediction: 8-4
Potential Upset Alert: vs. Michigan. Whether it’s Tate Forcier or Devin Gardner, the Wolverines may have one of the better, if not the best, offenses in the Big Ten this coming season. If Penn State can’t find some new playmakers to bolster their depleted linebacking corps, it could be a long day for the Lions.
Stanford—2009 Record, 8-5
The popular opinion seems to be that the arm of Andrew Luck can lead Stanford to a Pac-10 Championship in 2010. That seems like a good bet on the surface; especially given the probable parity in the Pac-10 this coming year.
However, in making such a bold prediction, some dismiss the major reason the Cardinals, and Luck for that matter, were so exceptional last season. I’ll give you a hint: his name was Toby Gerhart. He didn’t just run the ball—he ran over the river and through the woods with the ball.
His consistency was a huge factor for the Cardinals in time of possession. They held the ball, on average, six minutes longer than their opponent. That ability to control the clock kept games within reach and, if the Cardinals had been able to win the close ones, there is no doubt 2009 could have been a championship one.
So, riddle me this, how on earth is Stanford going to be better without Gerhart? I’m simply not buying the logic.
Luck may be outstanding but Stanford needs a little more than Luck to duplicate their 2009 success. Even more, despite the return of six players, on a defense that trended toward awful on more than one occasion, the Cardinals are making the transition to the 3-4 this fall—uh huh.
Jim Harbaugh did great things with this team last season but a step back is more likely than a step forward in 2010.
2010 Regular Season Prediction: 6-6
Potential Upset Alert: at UCLA. Despite the issues the Bruins have faced over the last two seasons under Rick Neuheisel, this is a matchup that has been close and could end up swinging towards the home-field advantage. With no Gerhart (he rushed for 134-yards and 3 TD’s in 2009) to take advantage of what may be a soft defensive front by UCLA, Stanford could lose this early Pac-10 contest.
Florida Gators—2009 Record, 13-1
The Gators have had a stranglehold on the SEC East over the last three seasons as they made fools of just about every team they played. However, with Tebow now gone, the team suddenly seems less other worldly than in years prior.
John Brantley is the new phenom at quarterback and, although talented, he has not been tested in the SEC (particularly on the road). Furthermore, he will enter 2010 minus the offensive presence of either Aaron Hernandez (TE) or Riley Cooper (WR)—the team’s two leading receivers in 2009.
Add to that, the loss of defensive coordinator Charlie Strong along with the NFL departures of Joe Haden, Carlos Dunlap, and Brandon Spikes, and you have a team that isn’t rebuilding but definitely readjusting in 2010.
If some of the hungrier teams in the East want to take advantage of a, possibly, hungover Gator program, this will be the best year for doing so because the reload beckons.
2010 Regular Season Prediction: 9-3
Potential Upset Alert: vs. South Carolina. Look for the requisite bumps along the way as a new team of Gators get acquainted with playing in the SEC without No. 15 leading the way. This could be Steve Spurrier’s last year in Columbia and nothing would please him more than to come away with a big win over the Gators in Gainesville.
California—2009 Record, 8-5
Will Kevin Riley be able to right the ship?
He wasn’t blowing the doors off anyone last season, but he was consistent and didn’t make costly turnovers. However, as the season wore on, he seemed to regress and fall into an annoying rut of inconsistency—throwing six interceptions in his final five games (he only threw 2 in his first eight). He needs to fix whatever ailed him and get his game back on track if he’s going to be of any value to his team.
The presence of an experienced offensive line will help, but the loss of Mike Tepper cannot be discounted. Also, there is some question as to the depth at running back if Shane Vereen gets injured. There is little depth at this position for 2010.
The introduction of a new defensive coordinator means a new defensive approach for the Bears and that’s a good thing. The Bears had trouble containing the pass last season (they were ranked 7th in the Pac-10) and in a conference where throwing the ball around is akin to running it in the SEC, that’s a bad deficiency to own.
2010 Regular Season Prediction: 6-6
Potential Upset Alert: vs. Arizona State. The Sun Devils played the Bears down to the wire last season. Kevin Riley played one of his best games of the year in leading the Bears to the victory in Tempe. The Sun Devils offense isn’t likely to make any major improvements but, if the defense can play up to expectation and the offense makes few mistakes, this game could fall the Devils way.
BYU—2009 Record, 11-2
With Max Hall gone, it will be either Riley Nelson or, incoming phenom, Jake Heaps taking over the quarterback role. The most pressing factor will be how quickly Heaps can learn the playbook.
Nelson, a junior, has the most experience with the system, but his limited snaps make him just as green as Heaps where taking the lead is concerned—either guy could assume the job come fall.
Another glaring question is who will replace Harvey Unga (RB)? He was set to be one of the signature pieces of the offense again this season, but his dismissal has left a hole at the tail spot—JJ Di Luigi and Bryan Kariya will have their hands full trying to replace his production.
The defense lost a bit of its luster with the loss of both Jan Jorgensen (DE) and Coleby Clawson (LB).
Jorgensen led the team in both tackles for loss (10.5) and sacks (6.5), while Clawson was key in a linebacking corps that produced more than 240+ tackles, 7 sacks, and 19.5 tackles for loss—leading BYU to the 2nd ranked rush defense in the conference.
Also gone is Dennis Pitta (TE); he led the team in receiving last year with 811 yards and 8 touchdowns.
BYU has work to do to find replacements for the playmakers they saw depart.
2010 Regular Season Prediction: 9-3
Potential Upset Alert: at Air Force. You have to figure Air Force is due a win, right? After all, they dismantled the Houston Cougar’s high-powered offense in the Armed Forces Bowl and Tim Jefferson will be back at quarterback. They have a lot of momentum coming into 2010 and if BYU is still sorting out personnel chemistry, particularly on defense, by the time the two meet in week two, this game could be interesting.
Houston—2009 Record, 10-4
The Cougars won five game last season by a total of 21-points—two by just one point. Their defense was something shy of horrendous and most of the components of that defense will return in 2010. Who wants to place a bet that there will be just as many last-possession games this coming season as there were in the last?
Houston has a great quarterback in Case Keenum but he cannot be expected to continue pulling out last-minute victories. The defense has got to get better and, in the future, there is hope that they will. That said, the Cougars are moving to a 3-4 this season and transitioning what was a bad defense into a new one, using a new scheme, doesn’t come without a price—in this case, more losses.
Offensive coordinator, Dana Holgersen has moved on and new coordinator, Jason Phillips (who spent last season as the receivers coach) will have to transition seamlessly into his new role. Can he do so without disrupting the high-powered scoring prowess of this team?
2010 Regular Season Prediction: 8-4
Potential Upset Alert: vs Tulsa. The Hurricanes are feeling good about 2010. G.J. Kinne makes his return (2,732 yards, 22 TD’s, 10 INT’s, and 399-yards rushing) along with Damaris Johnson (WR) and DeAundre Brown (DB). All were members of a team that nearly went bowling last season. The one-point loss to the Cougars all but sealed their fate. Don’t think they won’t remember that when they square off again, this time in Houston, this year. This game could be one of the biggest shoot-outs of the season for these two teams and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Tulsa come out on top.
USC—2009 Record, 9-4
The Trojans will win at least nine games this season. Anything less would be surprising.
Their schedule is fairly uncomplicated, their coach is endlessly determined, and there is enough talent in USC’s cupboard to handily beat the pants off almost any team the Pac-10 has to offer in 2010. That said, outside of Southern California, Lane Kiffin’s name is castor oil—the guy just leaves the worst taste in your mouth. He’s great for a sound bite and is one of the most competitive coaches west of the Mississippi.
On the other hand, he’s arrogant, pushy, and talks way too much.
Why does this matter?
For one, every team that plays the Trojans this season will do so with an eye towards making Lane Kiffin look bad—call it an added bonus of a victory. Furthermore, how well will this team of young men respond to both the scrutiny and the expectations heaped upon them following the sanctions?
USC may be primed for greatness but that in no way means they will be great. Both the team and its coaches have huge targets on their backs and the pressure of having that much expectation, in the post-Carroll era, may prove to be the hardest obstacle to overcome.
2010 Regular Season Prediction: 8-5
Potential Upset Alert: vs. Notre Dame. The Trojans have some question marks in the secondary with the loss of Taylor Mays and, one might think, that by the time these two hit the field, Brian Kelly’s crew could have a handle on the spread. The game in South Bend was decided by a score in 2009 and this game could be every bit as close. If USC gets caught sleeping, the Irish could leave with their eyes a’smiling.
Yum it's summer and that means we can ogle the yummy guys who flock to the beaches in their tight speedos and bare chests glistening in the sunlight. So in honor of summer, here is one yummy beach babe to enjoy this week.
"Why Georgia at No. 64?: It’s been a long time since Georgia has been pushed outside of the national top 60, but the Bulldogs must prove themselves on too many levels to be deemed a major factor in the preseason. Georgia must win with a new quarterback, a new defensive scheme and find a way to improve last year’s unspectacular performance on both sides of the ball." (6/28/10)
I find it comical that the Georgia Bulldogs can come off an 8-5 season and suddenly be plagued with this much doubt. Two close losses early on in the season to both Oklahoma State and LSU all but sealed the 8-5 finish, otherwise Mark Richt likely would have had another ten win season.
That being said, this is the same publication that places Iowa State above Michigan and Kentucky ahead of Tennessee—credibility is in doubt.
While I can appreciate the challenges that Georgia faces in implementing a new defense, I don't believe for one second that it will be any worse than it was in 2009.
Furthermore, despite the inexperience at the quarterback position, I don't see any reason why Georgia will have trouble moving the ball this season—particularly if the line can avoid serious injury and play up to its potential. The presence of Clint Boling and Ben Jones will be key in the development of both Aaron Murray and the running game.
The presence of A.J. Green is a definite plus but the emergence of both Orson Charles and Aron White as legitimate forces in the passing game cannot be discounted.
Georgia at 64 is insulting and, in many ways, shows a great deal of blatant idiocy on the part of the author—especially when Kentucky is No. 65.
Seriously...Georgia is only one spot better than the Wildcats?!?
Ohhh, Jeremy Fowler, how you kid. Let me know when you remove your lips from the fluffy pillows attached and protruding just beneath Urban Meyer's back—maybe then you can regain perspective.
Are you lucky enough to have a vegetable garden this year? If not, do you go to the local Farmer's Market? I have both options and tomatoes are starting to be everywhere! Gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, bright yellows, reds, multi-colors everywhere I look. A great way to show off fresh flavors and colors is with as little prep work as possible, least amount of additional ingredients; allowing the food to speak for itself.
Fresh salsa screams juicy, sweet flavors and gorgeous colors. The layered tortilla omelet is just as much fun to put together and a great base for toppling on large spoonfuls of the colorful salsa. I added the recipe for making your own red sauce. This sauce is made for adding heat in the tortilla omelet. There will be a lot left over so freeze the excess for later use . . . maybe to make this omelet again.
The tortilla omelet works great for breakfast, brunch or dinner served with a chilled, light and fruity white wine.
Layered Tortilla Omelet With Homemade Salsa
Ingredients: 9 large eggs 1 1/2 t. salt and a few turns of freshly ground pepper 1 t. thyme 1 t. oregano 1/2 t. butter 3/4 c. chopped scallions 4 eight-inch flour tortillas 2 c. red or green enchilada sauce OR Red Chile Sauce (RECIPE FOLLOWS) 1 c. cream cheese (even better, use queso fresco if you can get it) 4 ounces goat cheese 1 1/2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese ***OPTIONAL:*** RED CHILE SAUCE 2 T. olive oil 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped 1 T. Dijon mustard 3 to 4 T. chile powder (I mixed mine; 2 T. New Mexico and 2 T. California chile powders) 1 t. sugar to cut down acidity in tomatoes 3/4 c. beer (Corona or XX Mexican beer would be appropriate, or substitute sparkling wine) 1 t. soy sauce 1 t. oregano 1 t. ground cumin 10-12 ripe Roma tomatoes or 1 1/2 cans of fire-roasted tomatoes 1/4 c. red chile puree (I will post the recipe for homemade puree) OR substitute canned red chile sauce 2 t. balsamic vinegar (or to taste) Salt and Pepper to taste
TO MAKE THE OMELETS: Preheat oven to 180 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet (or use a silicon mat), spread 3 of the tortillas on the sheet and place in the oven to get warm.
Beat the eggs with the salt, pepper and herbs in a quart-sized glass measuring cup to make it easier to divide the eggs in three parts.
Mix the cream cheese and goat cheese together.
Melt 1/2 teaspoon of butter over medium heat in a skillet the same size as the tortillas. I used my 8-inch crepe pan. The perfect size! Pour in 1/3 of the egg mixture. Cook until the edges get dry, which will only take a few minutes.Then lift out the flat omelet with a large spatula and place it directly onto a flour tortilla on the warmed greased baking sheet. Repeat two more times, keeping the omelets warm in the oven until the last one is ready.
TO ASSEMBLE: On the baking sheet, ladle 1/4 of the sauce over a tortilla/omelet and crumble 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture and 1/4 of the jack cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of the scallions on top. Place the next tortilla/omelet on top and repeat. Repeat again with the third tortilla/omelet and place the remaining plain tortilla on top with the last of the sauce. Sprinkle the remaining jack cheese over the top.
Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Make a tent out of aluminum foil so that you can cover the stack without touching the top, or all of the cheese will stick and come off on the foil. I also spray the foil with PAM just to be sure. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes until the tortillas and omelets are heated through and the cheese melts. Remove from the oven and let the stack sit for a few minutes so that the layers don't slide. Cut it into wedges and serve with Fresh Salsa over the top.
OPTIONAL RED CHILE SAUCE DIRECTIONS: In a saucepan, saute onion in a little bit of olive oil until soft. Add mustard and chile powder. Cook for a few minutes to soften the rawness of the chile powder. Stir in beer, soy sauce, oregano, sugar and cumin along with the tomatoes. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Add more beer if the mixture looks dry. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture cool a few minutes and then puree using a blender or food processor.
Return to a low heat and add the chile puree or red chile sauce and balsamic vinegar. Cook a few minutes more to marry the ingredients together.
Add more of the beer if needed for a good spreading consistency. The sauce will have a strong chile taste. It is suppose too. You want to taste a little heat in the tortilla/omelet but you will not taste the sauce itself.
Chunky Garden Salsa
Directions: 1 heirloom tomato; preferably yellow 4 Roma tomatoes 1/2 sweet onion 1 roasted red pepper from a jar 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped fine Zest of 1 lime Juice of 1 lime 3 cloves of garlic puree using a garlic press 1 t. cumin 1/2 t. cayenne pepper salt to taste 1/3 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
I chopped all my ingredients by hand (instead of using the pulse button on a food processor) because I wanted large chunks and less juice. Stir together and allow to sit in the refrigerator overnight. Love how the flavors mingle.
The Louisville Cardinals were once a program on the rise.
Bobby Petrino took over the reigns in 2003 and led the Cardinals to four straight winning seasons—including a Big East Championship and an Orange Bowl win in 2006.
The Cardinals were ranked near the bottom of the Big East in nearly every offensive and defensive category last season and need help everywhere. As a first-time head coach, Strong doesn't seem shy about bringing in that help—no matter how character flawed—if it means his team could benefit.
His first major pick-up was Demar Dorsey.
The former four-star defensive back who signed with Michigan this past February, failed to qualify for entry into the Wolverines program and was released from his commitment. Charlie Strong, who recruited Dorsey while he was the defensive coordinator at Florida, was more than willing to swoop in and claim the cast-off.
He will be a nice addition to a Louisville secondary that was respectable in 2009 but lacked any significant playmakers. It was a big grab for Strong and his staff as Dorsey will make the secondary considerably better and is likely to start immediately.
He will be joined by Jordan Campbell, a former linebacker for the USC Trojans. He appeared in six games for the Trojans last season, netting nine tackles.
His decision to transfer to Louisville had a little to do with his familiarity with the defensive scheme. The Cards run a system similar to that of USC. Plus, he won't be required to sit out a year due to the sanctions imposed on the Trojans—he will have two years of eligibility left.
Campbell was rated a four-star linebacker out of California and will add game experience to a Louisville corps that lost both of its starters to graduation.
However, he doesn't come without baggage.
Like Dorsey, Campbell also has not been a stranger to trouble. Just this past spring, he got into hot water with new head coach, Lane Kiffin, after he missed some tutoring sessions. He was given a warning and told to get his act together—to no avail.
There comes a time when a series ends and the final book can either make or break it. In the Riley Jenson Series, we have seen Riley grow up, mature and find her place in a world where vampires, werewolves and other paranormal creatures reside. In the eight books before this one, she has wrestled with her desire for the whole white picket fence and kids dream with the fact she works for the Directorate & has to kill. With her twin by her side along with her vampire soul mate, this half vampire/werewolf is about to find her life to get a tad bit messy especially as a past foe comes back to finish what he started years before. Can Riley find the path meant for her or will she find herself dead?
I love Ms. Arthur's books and I am hoping in the future she comes back to Riley and her friends. I would love to know how her life has been and where it lead to. Ms. Arthur is a talented author who delivers a story that hits many emotions-be it laughter, sadness, joy and despair. Each time you pick up a Riley Jenson book, you are blown away by the force of it all. If you haven't picked up this wonderful series,then grab it and all the rest. I do recommend reading the books in order as each book capitalizes on the past one and alludes to past events in them.
Want to read my official review? Then click HERE and check it out at Love Romances & More
In a recent interview with the Chattanooga-Times Free Press writer, David Paschall, former Georgia Bulldogs' defensive coordinator, Willie Martinez, talks a little bit about his time at Georgia. Martinez is now the defensive backs coach at Oklahoma but still has two daughters attending the University of Georgia and plans to make trips to Athens to visit them when he can—maybe.
"I really don't want to get too much into that, but we've talked. Obviously he felt like he had to do something, but I don't really want to revisit that. We've talked. I'm at Oklahoma, and I'm excited to be here and am ready to move on from that chapter of my life."
On his feelings about Athens and UGA now:
"That was the longest place I had ever been," Martinez said last week. "My son is 14, so he's lived a majority of his life there. There are some great memories that we will have forever and some great friends that we will have forever...both of our girls are still at Georgia, so we'll obviously be visiting them and their friends quite often, I guess."
On the 45-42 loss to Georgia Tech in 2008:
"...losing to Georgia Tech was the worst," Martinez said. "The way we played in the first half, which was solid, and then to come out in the second half -- that's our No. 1 rival at Georgia, and we had won every year. We wanted to keep it going, and I'm glad we were able to get them back last year."
Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?
Not at all. Like many teenagers I dabbled with writing ‘slash’ (only it wouldn’t have been called slash then) but it was pretty awful. It was only as I hit my late forties I got into writing again (fanfic) and sort of took it from there.
Your work is very popular with readers and reviewers; how does it feel to have such positive recognition for your work?
Gobsmacking. Mind boggling. Seriously, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to getting a good review or receiving one of those lovely e-mails from a stranger saying “I really loved your story, because…” To open the inbox and find one of those waiting is the highlight of my day.
Of course I get negative reviews/comments as well, but that’s part of the game. The only proper public reply to a naff review is, “Thank you”, then you can go and swear and gnash your teeth in private. As my writing hero E M Forster said, “Some reviews give pain. This is regrettable, but no author has the right to whine. He was not obliged to be an author, He invited publicity and he must take the publicity that comes along.”
What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?
It’s as simple (and as hard) as making the reader want to turn the page and find out what happens next. Maybe that boils down to having characters you care about or maybe it’s just a cracking plot. Or the book’s hilariously funny, like ‘Three Men in a Boat’.
Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.
Lessons in Desire is the second of the Cambridge Fellows series of historical gay romantic mysteries and it’s in print on 6th July. I was inspired by all the wonderful holidays we’ve had on the island of Jersey. It really is a magical place, where you feel the weather’s always good, the food’s magnificent and you’ve almost stepped back in time. All those elements found their way into the book.
Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?
I love Jonty most because he’s gone through awful times and emerged whole and honourable. And he’s gorgeous. I pity one of his tormentors (his old House Master) because the man simply doesn’t understand what’s right and what’s wrong.
Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her when she refuses to inspire you?
It’s a him, my muse. He can be placated with good music, sport, jelly babies and just writing about anything. Also, if I start scribbling/typing something not necessarily related to what I should be doing then he gets jealous and makes me focus again.
Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects.
I have a Cambridge Fellows story set in 1919 that I’ve just finished and submitted. Otherwise, I have a short story coming out in an anthology and several projects I’m working on as the muse allows.
What is the most ridiculous thing that you have thought about doing to any of your characters but never did?
If I think of something ridiculous I usually do it (Jonty and Orlando rolling down a hill and thinking they’re going to die in Lessons in Desire springs to mind).
How do you keep track of your world building?
With difficulty. I do keep notes (to which I have to refer often) but my mind finds that uncomfortable. I like to keep as much as I can stored in my brain, partly because if I can’t keep tabs with who’s who and what’s where, how can the reader? (And does any of that make sense?)
Which author(s) is your favorite? And who has most influenced you work?
Patrick O’Brian probably heads the list. Talk about characterisation, world building and all the rest of it, because he had it in spades. And humour, too. I suspect consciously or subconsciously, he’s influenced my writing hugely, as have writers like Jerome K Jerome (for the right tone for my historical fiction) and Alan Bennett (for sheer invention and an appreciation of what it is to be English).
I also like ‘classic’ cosy mystery writers like Simon Brett and Ngaio Marsh – and for non-fiction, you can’t beat the thinking woman’s crumpet, Michael Wood.
Do you feel your writing is character driven or plot driven? How do you balance these two elements?
Character, always. I only work from the vaguest plot outlines—getting from A to Z with no particular details about how we get there. I like to find out where my characters want to take me and if that means having to go back and rewrite earlier bits to keep a unity within the whole, so be it.
What is your favorite movie of all time? The one where you can watch it and still get affected at the same spots each and every time?
Master and Commander. I’ve watched it a bajillion times and still get choked up when the young acting lieutenant gets killed. The best viewing has been on a big screen, under the stars in a park on the island of Jersey, with bats flitting around and shooting stars in the sky. Perfect.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 5 things would you have with you?
Can I have a laptop with internet access and unlimited power? Or a satellite TV? (I have to be able to keep in touch with sport!) otherwise I’d like: the sweatshirt Sophia Deri-Bowen gave me, the one that’s absolutely wonderful to snuggle up in; paper, pens and pencils for writing and sketching; my black haematite necklace; and a huge supply of jelly babies.
What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and writing?
Anyone who vaguely knows me could probably guess that it would be watching sport on TV. Rugby, cricket, golf, we don’t mind. And it’s great camaraderie, sitting as a family cheering on your team, especially on cold winter nights.
If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?
That’s really hard to answer. I suspect Lessons in Trust or Lessons in Power are my best books, but as they’re books 7 and 4 respectively in the Cambridge series, that might not be logical. Lessons in Love is the first in the series, so you could start there.
Where can readers find out what's new and how can they contact you?
Sneak peek into Lessons in Desire now available in print and e-book from Samhain Publishing
Jonty drew his hand down his lover’s face, across his lips. It was the first time they’d touched with any degree of intimacy since they’d left St. Bride’s. The caress made Orlando shudder afresh, as if they were touching for the first time. “We may have two bedrooms, but do we really need to use them both? It’d be easy enough to slip across before the early morning tea arrives, if we set your alarm clock.”
Orlando looked up, determined to refuse. He was still feeling skittish about staying in a suite of rooms with his lover. Sharing a bed was beyond any imagining although, ironically, the item in question was a glorious double bed such as he’d dreamed, on many an occasion, of sleeping in with Jonty. “I’m not sure I feel sufficiently recovered from the journey to want to do anything except sleep.” He studied his hands, the shirt he was trying to hang up, anything but his lover.
“That would be fine. I’m as happy to simply slumber next to you as anything else. There are plenty of other days for romance—we could just be fond friends tonight, or pretend to be that old couple we played cards with. Still very much in love yet beyond the thralls of passion.” Jonty gently touched his friend’s hand.
Orlando felt as if a spider was crawling down the back of his neck, and his discomfiture must have been plain. “What if we slept apart, just for tonight?”
They had reached the crux of why he’d been so keen not to come on holiday. He was frightened of taking their relationship outside the college walls, displaying it to the world. Within the ivy-clad, male-dominated locality of St. Bride’s, it had been easy to maintain a friendship which was more than close without raising a suspicious eyebrow. He’d spent little time with Jonty out of Cambridge, apart from a visit or two to London, where they’d stayed in the relatively safe environs of the Stewart family home. To be with the man in a strange place was to put himself at risk of making a demonstration of his affection by an unguarded look or touch.
Any footman could walk through the streets of town in his bowler-hatted Sunday best, hand in hand with a parlour maid. A pair of dons could never be allowed such freedom; not in Cambridge and certainly not on Jersey. If they ever were mad enough to be tempted, all they had to do was remember the law—two years of hard labour and public disgrace would be no holiday.
Jonty slammed down the toothbrush he’d been unpacking. “Oh, go and sleep in the bath if you want to! I haven’t the heart to put up with this nonsense. I’m going to sleep in my own bed, in my own soft pyjamas, with my own book. If you change your mind and decide to join me, make sure you knock, because I might just have found other company.” He spun on his heels, entering his bedroom with a slam of the door which caused the windows to shake.
People often ask me when I knew that I was a writer. Now, I don’t mean, “When did I know that I wanted to be a writer?” which is a very different question. It’s the difference between a little kid saying he wants to grow up to be a fireman and the day the young adult dons his SCOT gear and doesn’t panic.
For me the fateful day was right after Christmas vacation my sophomore year of high school. It had been a different vacation than those I had known. That fall I had started at a boarding school, where it was hoped that I would get a better education than in our local public school system.
One of the many reasons behind this change was it allowed my father to take a sabbatical year off from his teaching job; he was on the faculty of the same public system that I was leaving. My parents were going to spend the winter in Florida. Even then it seemed like an unworthy way to spend a year that was supposed to afford either travel or education, but that was their goal.
Now, at the risk of revealing my age, which is easily in the senior category, I have to say that in those days Florida was far away and even exotic to those of us who lived in the Greater Boston area. Even though the Wright brothers had done their thing and Lindbergh, Post, and Earhart had long since left the stage, flying was still exotic, and average people didn’t go to Florida. Of course, Disney and the Orlando miracle hadn’t taken place so those who did go were mainly visiting Miami and the sun.
My brother and I took a flight out of Logan. It was our first flight. Since Eastern Airlines is long since defunct, I can mention that it was a flight out of hell. So badly was it managed that we arrived many hours late and our parents, along with other waiting greeters, were told that the airline has “lost track” of the flight. But, eventually we arrived, and I had instantly become a dedicated traveler.
There was much about that vacation that was memorable. From time to time I have drawn on it for parts of short stories and poems and even for brief bits of professional papers in my other career as a psychologist. However, I chose only one night spent walking on the beach for the inevitable “What I did on my vacation” essay that my English teacher had required us to write.
Why had I chosen that night? Because of the moon. So full, so bright, yet so eerie. It had been a moon of panic and archetypical thoughts, a moon made for histrionics and adolescence.
Mr. Williams had liked my essay. Easily I had received the highest grade in the class. However, he had criticized my use of adjectives. “Silver” he had written in the space above my words and taken off a few points. What had I written” The white gold moon …” I tried to remonstrate.
“Everybody knows that the moon is silver so that’s the word you use,” had been his explanatory response.
Now I don’t want to be overly critical. He was an admirable teacher, and I learned a great deal that year. But, he was not a writer. At that moment I knew that he was not. I also knew that I was. You see writers think about the words we use; we worry at them; we select them; we say them to ourselves and hear their sound; ultimately we cherish them. We do not use them because they are the words that are expected. At that time I could not have explained to him that alchemy was about gold and therefore that the motivational power of the gold was so much greater than the silver. I could not explain to him that the use of two words instead of a two-syllable word would give more emphasis to the sounds and thereby draw more attention to the phrase. I could not even explain that the unexpected makes the reader think. I simply walked away knowing that Mr. Williams was not and would never be a writer but that I, even at fourteen, was.
Thousands of words later - having written novels, short stories, poetry, and essays: I still celebrate the careful choice of words. I still listen for the sounds as the words leave my fingers and turn into electrons.
Here is a small excerpt from one of my short stories, End Game.
Michael stared at the popcorn ceiling and waited for it to descend – to press him into wine, the last unprotesting whine of death. It was, he iterated over and over in his head, “a consummation devoutly to be wished.” But the damn ceiling did what ceilings will do, it lay suspended above him like an astral plane to which he could aspire but which he would never reach. He lay splayed in comfortable crucifixion across their bed. Naked, semi-erect and incoherent he lay; and she, Merriam, lay next to him.
Could I have written this differently? Obviously. I have played on the homonyms wine and whine; I have deliberately referenced Shakespeare and particularly the painful indecision of Hamlet, which incidentally tell us that the character is intellectual. I coin a word, “unprotesting,” which your spell check will tell you should be “unresisting.” Unresisting does not carry forth the play on homonyms.
“Writers love language.” That is something I know at the core of being. Lots of people write things but aren’t writers. Like that English teacher of years ago, they write what is expected rather than cherishing the creativity of words. Ultimately to be a writer is to become an alchemist of words, we are trying to turn them into our white gold.
Find out more on Kenneth check out his website and video trailers:
Publisher-All Things That Matter Press-Click HERE to view
Memoirs from the Asylum blurb:
What is it like to work inside a state hospital or to be a patient in such a hospital? What is it like to live inside the mind of such a patient? This tragi-comedic novel takes the reader inside the asylum, inside the worlds of three central characters: a narrator who has taken refuge from his fears of the world, a psychiatrist whose own life has been damaged by his father's depression, and a catatonic schizophrenic whose world is trapped inside a crack in the wall opposite her bed. This is the interwoven story of their lives, a story that includes love, sexuality, violence, deaths, celebrations, circuses, and surprising twists. As the plot unwinds, the reader learns a great deal about the nature of futility, frustration, and freedom.
Buy at Amazon HERE or HERE at All Things That Matter Press
Sara is inexperienced with men, but finds her untapped sexuality is bursting beneath the pressure of lustful desires. Mitch works with Sara and knows office romances can go horribly wrong, but that doesn’t stop him from going ahead with his plan to seduce her. Soon, the two find themselves in an erotic game of pleasure. Their affair proves to be more than either of them anticipated. After only a couple of days their relationship intensifies into a firestorm of passion and they begin to fall in love.
Claudia works with them both and isn’t happy when Mitch rejects her advances. Not willing to take no for an answer she uses every form of manipulation to drive the couple apart. Is their relationship strong enough to handle the betrayal that they believe to be true? Or will the thought of losing each other be the catalyst to keep them together?
Note: This book contains anal sex and menage elements involving only secondary characters.
Click HERE to buy from Siren-Bookstrand Click HERE to go to Nicole's Blog
Adult Excerpt:
“Hard and fast! I want it hard and fast.” Her hips were rocking against his hand.
“Okay, I can do that, baby.” His voice still soothed her into submission. “What about number three?” He swiped his tongue down her slick entrance, moaning when he tasted her. “What should I do after I come in your sweet pussy?”
“No…I don’t…I mean, I want you to fuck me, but don’t come. I want…oh please, Mitch, I can’t concentrate.”
He chuckled. “Is my tongue distracting you, honey? I’ll stop then.”
“No! No, don’t stop.” She whimpered and bit on her bottom lip.
“Then you better tell me why. Why can’t I come in your sweet little pussy?”
“Because, damn it! I want to taste you after you’ve been inside me.”
Sara shouted at him, her frustration bringing out the animal in her.
He watched her as she bit out the words and continued to writhe against his tongue. She was completely lost in her arousal. Could he tell that she was no longer in charge of her body? Her desire had taken over. “Oh, baby. Do you want to taste yourself on me?”
“Yes, all right. Yes.” Sara was beyond any sense of reason or self-control. She only knew that she had fantasized about what it would be like. And now that he was here, she wasn’t about to lose her chance to get what she wanted.
Coaxing her along he asked her to finish, “Tell me, what would you do after you sucked all that sweet pussy juice off of my cock?”
Her whole body was on fire. She was going to come, and he’d barely even touched her, just occasional licks and kisses. No real friction or pressure. His touches were more teases than strokes. “Mitch, I want you to come in my mouth again.”
Mitch closed his eyes for a moment. Trying to hang on to the control that she had almost just broken. “Oh yeah? You’re such a sweet girl, honey. You liked that earlier today, didn’t you?” He looked up at her and watched her face as she fought against the orgasm that was building. “Then I’ll give you exactly that, Sara. But only if you do the same for me. You tasted me, now I want to taste you. I want to taste your sweet climax when my face is buried in between your thighs. Come on, baby. I want you to come for me.” Mitch dove in as he attacked her with his mouth and his tongue, devouring ever succulent nibble of her.
Darting his tongue inside her entrance, he moaned in delight at the sweet taste of her. The meal he had planned to make of her had barely begun, and he was about ready to lose himself in the ecstasy of it when she came. He hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. She screamed out his name and wrapped her legs around his head, bringing him closer to her.
Mitch had to laugh. She was just a flowing fountain of untapped desire. Even though she was shy, she changed who she was when she got truly hot and bothered. Then she completely let go. She had so many naughty sides to her, but she didn’t know what to do with any of them. He was thinking this as he drank up the last of her and knew that he was going to have quite a lot of fun with her.
Mitch looked up and watched her. His good girl hadn’t moved from the position he had put her in, no matter how much she squirmed her body. That was very good. She was going to be a very good student, indeed. He stood up while her eyes were still closed and stripped down.
“Stand up, Sara.” He waited until she opened her eyes. Then he held out his hand and helped her up before swinging her around. He placed her hands on the back of the chair and whispered in her ear, “Hold on, honey.”
He heard her moan at his half threat, half promise. The flush glow on her face told him that she was feeling every wave and jolt shoot through her body as he slammed into her. Sara was much different than any other woman he’d been with before.
He slammed his cock deep inside her and hit places he was sure she never knew existed, not even with her trusty vibrator.
Sara rocked into him and met him thrust for thrust when he felt her third orgasm of the day approaching. He saw she was struggling to fight it.
“No baby, don’t you dare stop yourself. Come for me.”
He watched her in awe as she threw her head back and screamed his name once again, all while her body convulsed in pleasure.
Mitch didn’t move. He stayed buried inside her as he waited for her body to come down. He watched her ass wiggle as she trembled. And wondered just how long he would have to wait until he could take her in that tight, little hole.
“Feel good, honey?” He waited, and she moaned her reply. “Good.” He fisted her hair in his hands and yanked her head back. “Now sit on the chair like a good little girl, and suck all of your hot juice off of my cock.”
