Researching the Big Cats (Guest post & Giveaway by Terry Spear)

Thanks so much to Brooklyn for having me here today to talk about those big cats, which includes jaguar shifters! Yum!

When I decided to add a new series that would be compatible with my wolf (canine) series, I thought why not felines? Big cats.

Four roaring cats exist in the Panthera genus—Tiger, lion, jaguar and leopard.

They are considered big cats, not in a biological classification way, but informally.

Other big cats would include: Cougar, cheetah, snow leopard and clouded leopard.

So why jaguar and not one of the other big cats?

They have lived in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. They're exotic. And they don't normally attack people. They're reclusive and a mystery. Natives revered them for their elusiveness and hunting ability. They were considered jaguar gods. Some reference to them shifting exists.

Their roar is not the same as a lion's or tiger's. It's more of a coughing/huffing sound. And unlike some big cats, they love the water. They can be found in trees also and can carry large prey into a tree to protect it from other predators on the forest floor. They are smaller than the tiger and lion, but they have the most powerful bite that can sink through a tortoise shell. They also have a stunning or fatal blow they can deliver with one swipe of the paw. They are a stalk and ambush predator rather than chase down their meals. And they are all carnivores.

The biggest problem with jaguars is that they don't maintain a family unit like wolves do. So that means their human shifter half has to make up for it. No being a stray cat looking for all kinds of different kitty cat loving. The females also have to protect their offspring from the males, even if he could be their daddy.

But no problem for a group of jaguar shifters that are hot, hot, hot, just like the steamy jungle they love to run through while on vacation. Oh, sure, they seem to always be running into trouble down there, but wow, can the nights…and days…heat up with other wondrous delights.

So here's a scene from Jaguar Fever I wanted to share with you to give you a little taste of the jungle…and the big cats visiting there!

            In the middle of the night, Wade reached the treetop cottages where Maya was staying. He and David hadn’t needed a GPS to locate them. In their jaguar forms, they’d followed Kat and Connor’s scents to the resort. Wade had smelled another jaguar in the area—a female, which didn’t bode well if Bettinger and Lion Mane got wind of her and led the smugglers this way. He wanted to warn Maya and the others that Bettinger and Lion Mane were in on the jaguar smuggling plans. As jaguar shifters, the men could scent another jaguar and tip off the smugglers who would take the big cat into custody.

While he suspected that Bettinger and Lion Mane wouldn’t lead the smugglers to a shifter, Wade didn’t like the fact that they could make a move on Maya, if they learned she was here.

David nudged him when the treetop cottages came into sight.

They appeared to be suspended in the trees, a walkway connecting each to the next. Wade and his brother roamed through the trees below the cottages, listening for sounds of people up and about. Everyone appeared to be sleeping. No talking or laughing, just silence from the human population.

The jungle noises still cloaked Wade as he searched for the cottage that could be Maya’s. He leaped into a tree next to a deck and smiled his jaguar smile as he smelled that Maya had been sitting in one of the rocking chairs a short while ago. There was no sign of Kat or Connor’s scent on the deck, so he assumed this cottage had to be Maya’s.

He glanced down at David, who motioned with his large spotted head in the direction he planned to go while Wade checked on Maya. David would leave him alone, but he knew his brother would stay close by until Wade left Maya. After that, they’d return together to search for the smugglers and their guides.

His paws muddy, Wade shifted, then turned on the shower on the deck. If she was asleep, she wouldn’t hear him. After he cleaned up, he planned to check on her and tell her about Bettinger and the other men. A bottle of eco-friendly soap was sitting on a table nearby, so he poured some out into his hands and then started to soap himself down, the citrus scent pleasantly natural and sweet. He hoped she wasn’t running through the jungle tonight, though he hadn’t smelled her scent down below. Probably too busy dealing with her brother and explaining why she smelled of four male cats.

As soon as he had rinsed off, he saw a wide-eyed Maya staring through the glass door of her cottage, taking in every inch of him. He couldn’t help his reaction.

Then, I had to cut off his reaction—you know, for G-rated-ness.

One lucky commenter has the chance to win a copy of Savage Hunger, US or Canada address only.

If you saw Wade Patterson soaping up in your outdoor jungle shower, what would you do?

Jaguar Fever(Book 2) Sourcebooks

August 7, 2013

She's being pursued by everyone, in more ways than one.
Even in an exotic world of humans, jaguars, and tantalizing creatures who shift between the two, Maya Anderson stands out from the crowd. Interest from human suitors is bad enough, but when male shifters give chase, the real trouble starts.

Who's the hunter and who's the prey?
Investigating the black marketing trade of exotic animals keeps Wade Patterson more than busy. When he and Maya both get entangled in a steamy jungle mission, it becomes impossible to tell who is being hunted or who the hunters are. Wade is desperate to survive this deadly game of cat and mouse. But it's Maya's piercing eyes that keep him awake at night.

B&N

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bestselling and award-winning author Terry Spear has written over fifty paranormal romance novels and four medieval Highland historical romances. Her first werewolf romance, Heart of the Wolf, was named a 2008 Publishers Weekly’s Best Book of the Year, and her subsequent titles have garnered high praise and hit the USA Today bestseller list. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry lives in Crawford, Texas, where she is working on her next werewolf romance and continuing her new series about shapeshifting jaguars. For more information, please visit www.terryspear.com, or follow her on Twitter, @TerrySpear. She is also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/terry.spear .

Avon Tasty Summer Reads Blog Hop

I got tagged by the lovely Ashlyn Chase in the Avon Tasty Summer Reads Blog Hop. Here's her post and how it works:

Each author invites up to five other authors to answer five questions about their
current summer release or WIP and a tasty recipe that ties into it!

Then give a short description of your WIP/Release including the date of release. Then answer these five questions:

1)When writing are you a snacker? If so, sweet or salty?
2) Are you an outliner or someone who flies by the seat of their pants? Are they real pants or jammies?
3)When cooking or baking, do you follow the recipe exactly or wing it?
4) What is next for you after this book?
5) Last Question...on a level of one being slightly naughty to ten being whoo whoo steamy, where does your book land?

And then your summer recipe!

Okay, here goes: I'll soon be doing final edits on my 2nd Regency Paranormal romance, ONE BITE PER NIGHT which releases March 4th, 2014. It's available for pre-order on Amazon. 

Here's a quick description: When Vincent Tremayne, Earl of Deveril and Lord Vampire of Cornwall, becomes guardian to Lydia Price, he vows to get her off his hands as soon as possible. But once Lydia sets eyes on the enigmatic earl, she is determined to win his heart …for eternity. 

The first book in the series, BITE ME, YOUR GRACE, is available now.

Now for these fun questions:

1) When writing are you a snacker? If so, sweet or salty?

Usually I drink Red Bull, tea, or hard cider while I write. However, if I snack, it's definitely salty. Peanuts, sunflower seeds, rice cakes, and chips are my faves.

2) Are you an outliner or someone who flies by the seat of their pants? Are they real pants or jammies?

I work from a basic outline that I steadily expand, but many scenes are written by the seat of my pants... or jammies, or fuzzy bathrobe.

3) When cooking or baking, do you follow the recipe exactly or wing it?

I cook to taste so when I read a recipe I usually know right away that it needs more garlic, butter, herbs, etc. Recipes are usually just a base I use to expand my culinary creativity.

4) What is next for you after this book?

Book 3, BITE AT FIRST SIGHT releases September 2014. For fans of my series, I am pleased to tell you that it is Rafe's story. When the scarred, surly Spanish vampire encounters a grave-robbing Countess, sparks fly. 

5) Last Question...on a level of one being slightly naughty to ten being whoo whoo steamy, where does your book land?

I hate to sound trite, but I think mine are somewhere between. It really depends on the characters. I'm pretty sure that Book 2 is steamier than my first. Even though the Lord Vampire of Cornwall is way more of a sweetie than the Lord of London (the hero of book one), he is WAAAAY naughtier when the clothes come off! I blushed so much writing those scenes! 

Now for my summer recipe!

Japanese Pickled Cucumbers: A sweet n' tart treat to cool you off in the hot weather:

Ingredients:

Cucumbers
Seasoned Rice Vinegar
Sesame Oil
Sesame Seeds
Sugar
Salt

Peel and half cucumbers.
Using a spoon, scoop out seeds then slice the cucumber halves.
Place cucumber slices in a bowl.
Pour in enough rice vinegar to reach halfway to the top of the cucumbers
Sprinkle a bit of sugar and salt
Drizzle w' sesame oil
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Adjust oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt, to taste.

Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Okay, now to tag 5 authors.

I'm tagging Shona Husk!

What Makes a Sexy Hero?

In this age, men are being sexually objectified almost as often as women. A while back I wrote a two part post on the subject and have declared this to be mostly a good thing. (See Part One and Part Two)

Anyway a few things occurring in internet-land have disturbed me enough to make me return to the subject. First was the kickstarter debacle on a manual on how to "seduce (but really sexually assault)" women. Another are the frequent articles on the downsides to being a "nice guy" which constantly reek of entitlement and complete ignorance on what women really want.

Things like this make me do a facepalm. Dudes REALLY still haven't figured out what women find sexy?

Of course, seeing stuff like this may make them feel a little insecure.

He looks yummy, but he probably spends more time at the gym than with his girlfriend.

Sure, physical attributes have their appeal, but if you crack open a romance novel, you may be surprised that more page time is spent on the man's hair, eyes, and smile than on his body. In fact, the first thing that drew me to this picture was the eyes... then the pout... then my gaze wandered down.

In real life, most women are actually turned off by too many muscles. Some like 'em tall and lean, like me. Others like a little cushion. Some like chest hair, others don't. Women's tastes in male appearances vary too much for a definition to be laid down as to what is "sexy." Pretty much, if a guy showers, shaves, and brushes his teeth, he's got a great shot at finding someone who wants to knock boots with him.

Because, aside from basic hygiene, looks are not the first priority of masculine appeal.

Here is a list of things that are.

The way they treat women.

Women are human beings just as much as men are. I have many male friends and despite looking nothing like romance novel cover models, several are totally on my "If I was single" list. Why? Because they treat me as a human being, not as a sex object or inferior creature.

In the best romance novels, and real life, the hero actually cares about what's going on between a woman's ears as much if not more than what's going on between her legs. He cares about her hopes and dreams, celebrates her triumphs and mourns her trials. He actually listens to her when she talks.

Seriously, a high five for good news and a sympathetic, "dude, that sucks" for bad news goes a long way.

I get fucking sick of guys bitching about being "friendzoned." It defies logic on so many levels. The best unilateral advice I've received from my old men friends is "You should marry your best friend." After all, sex only takes up so many minutes or, hopefully, hours of the day. If you're not friends with your partner, then those remaining hours suck... especially if he or she snores.

And if she just wants to stay friends, don't reject her and scorn the fact that she doesn't want you to stick your dick in her. I've lost some damn good drinking buddies and dart opponents because of that. Friends are valuable. Not only are they fun to spend time with, you may meet your special someone when hanging out with her.

Intelligence

Men with brains are sooooo sexy. Aside from providing intellectually stimulating conversation, an intelligent man has creativity, drive, talents and the ability to help solve problems.

And from what I've learned, contrary to popular belief, this goes both ways. Most guys do not want a bimbo. I was drinking with my friend I call "Cowboy Sheldon" and we were having the most delightful drunken conversation about the scientific possibilities of telepathy. One highlight of the chat was when he took my hand and said, "You know where the hippocampus is! That's so hot!"

Back to the sexy guys.

I know another guy who is an utter and complete genius. Dude can do just about anything with a computer, play almost any musical instrument, fix cars, and invent stuff. The things he knows and can do have me swooning like a heroine in a Gothic novel.

However, a guy doesn't have to be a genius. Just utilizing vocabulary that proves he is literate gets me all aflutter.

Dumbasses are NEVER popular romance heroes. I bet even the ones in sports romance can string sentences together.

Sense of humor

This sounds like a cliche because it's repeated in every "what women want" statement, but it's fucking TRUE!!! Of all my exes, I miss the one that made me laugh the most.

Seriously, have you ever laughed in someone's arms? It's one of the best feelings in the world. The only reason why I haven't had my characters do that in my books is because it's still so mind blowing that I don't yet have the words.

Gratitude

"Thank you" means a lot in fact as well as fiction.

Seduction and lovemaking

Now that the rapefests of the 70's and 80's bodice rippers are gone, romance novels today feature glorious, consensual sexytimes. A common thread you will find is that it's not all about the woman's tits and little bits. Instead the hero spends time lavishing affection on ALL of her. He kisses her hands, her legs, her belly. He runs his fingers through her hair.

And there is much FOREPLAY. Verbal and physical.

There is nothing sexier than the feeling that a man is making love to YOU and not just your orifices.


There are countless other things that make a man sexy and I know I didn't get them all, so I ask you readers:
What is something a man did that was sexy? You can either give a real life example or something in a book or a movie.

One commenter will win a BITE ME, YOUR GRACE bookmark!




    

Romance Writing Challenges: After they...you know.

Okay.....now what?

This weekend, I had the house to myself and finally finished the first love scene. Those can be difficult to write at times and I'll probably do a post on the subject later, but now I'm on to my next challenge. The afterglow and new tier of emotional conflict. As much as one would like for the hero and heroine to declare their love and get their HEA after they finally get it on, if the writer did that, there'd be no story. Also, I don't think sex has ever made an instant HEA in real life. Lust does not equal love and respect.

With that in mind, I have to work to express the new anxieties the characters face. How close are each to realizing their love for the other? What insecurities do they have about the new level of their relationship? How do they behave around the other? How is their environment and other characters affecting their actions and emotions? All this must be accomplished without too much navel-gazing and lack of action.

Often I handle this challenge by skipping ahead and writing the next BIG EVENT. This helps me analyze how far I have to go to reach it. How much needs to happen to the hero and heroine to face that event? So far it's working pretty well. I went back and wrote the first two "after math" chapters and have 1 1/2 more to go before the event occurs.

Fellow romance writers: How do you handle those chapters? Fellow romance readers: What are your favorite  ...and most loathed aspects of those scenes? 

Summer Rerun: Hot Heroes: Reader's Perspective vs. Writer's

Been busy helping out at my local bookstore as well as my other job...and my other job: Writing. So bear with this rerun post. I welcome fresh input! 

This is a subject I've been pondering and longing to discuss for awhile. What pushed me to finally do it was when an awesome crit partner, Bonnie R. Paulson, made a comment about the hero in my current project, who's a rock legend.

"I love how he's older," she said. "He makes me think of Jon Bon Jovi."
She had the hero's age about right, though I never specified besides a vague hint. And she had his musical era down pat. The musical genre? Close, but not quite. Appearance? Well, they're both hot and had long hair and gorgeous voices. Still, it wasn't close to who I pictured, and that's great!

My point? I think I have a win here. In fact, I hope another crit partner pictures Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters, though that's even farther from my vision. Why? For the most part, I want the reader to picture their ideal rock star, not mine.

While men seem to have a stereotype on the "perfect woman," i.e. medium height, blonde hair, thin, big boobs, etc., Women's tastes in men vary a lot. Some like 'em brunette, some like 'em blonde. Some like 'em pale, some like 'em dark. My best friend likes guys her age, another friend likes younger guys. I always went for older men. Some women like chest hair and I don't. I love Virginia Henley's novels, but every time I read about the heroine threading her fingers through the hero's "pelt," I cringe...and sometimes gag a little. Other than that, her books kick ass!

While writing, I often wonder: How specific should I get with my descriptions of the hero? Should I point out that in my mind, his chest is always hairless, he always has long hair, and unless specified otherwise, his face is usually devoid of scruff?

Then there's the other side of the coin. The ideal is that the hero should always be tall, muscular, and well- endowed. (Seriously, I saw that in a publisher's submission guidelines.) I'm going to let you in on a little secret: Not all of my heroes are tall and hung. It seems redundant and unrealistic to me. Many fit those qualifications, but some of my guys are average...and some may be short in stature for a romance hero...and okay, I admit, none are "below average" in the other aspect.

So far, I'm handling this by not getting too specific about those details. With some heroes, I'll point out that they're tall and have bare chests, but with others, I won't specify. I'll just mention his chest, or his presence with no reference to height or body hair at all. Same with the size of his junk. The reader can fill that in. One thing I won't bend on is that my heroes will either always have long hair, or they'll be bald. I'm an all or nothing kind of girl. :)

I remember an online discussion in which someone said, "If a man in a romance novel has long hair, I block it out."

Well, I'm the same way. Unless the author constantly emphasizes the hero's short hair, I picture him with long, lustrous locks, and with no "pelt" on his chest.

My question to you is: When is it fine for the author to leave things to your imagination, and when do you want the dirty details? When does MY idea of a hot guy freeze out yours?

Analyzing 8 Common Romance Themes

As with my other analysis posts, I am not a psychologist, I just like to find the reasoning behind everything. My mom's trademark scold to me was: "Brook, stop being so f*cking analytical!" Damn, I miss her.

Anyway, one cannot help but notice many regular themes in romance novels, and many of those stand out because they are often unrealistic. I'm not writing this post to defend or attack these themes, I'm just pointing out my theories in their appeal to readers.

1.) Virgin Heroine (unless it's a historical): Many women regret their first time...especially if their first time was with a total jackass. I believe the virgin heroine fulfills the readers fantasy of having the first time be with THE ONE.

2.) Extremely Beautiful Heroine: Okay, I have a cynical theory and a optimistic one. Cynical: Society is so fixated on physical appearance that it could be hard to believe the hero would fall for an ugly heroine. Optimistic: Maybe the heroine isn't that beautiful in society's standards...but the hero sees her that way.

3.) Naive Heroine: I must stress, Naive, not TSTL (Too stupid to live). I believe the appeal of such a character is to give a breather from the jaded people we know, including ourselves. It's fun to learn new things and see the world from a fresh perspective. I also enjoy watching a character grow.

4.) Gorgeous Hero:
A.) The reader may be turned off by an ugly hero. Of course it's all in the imagination of the beholder. I thought those hairy, "porn-stached" heroes from 80's romances were repulsive.

B.) Remember back in high school when all the girls swooned over a certain guy? (In my case I never did because I'm not into the tan-blond-pretty-boy look) Anyway, I believe the "gorgeous hero" fulfills the fantasy of the reader landing such a paragon.

5.) Rich Hero: One cannot argue that one of the biggest fights in a marriage is about money. With the rich hero, this issue is nullified. Also, it's so much easier to focus on adventures and sexual chemistry if the characters aren't slogging through a 40+ hr work week and panicking about bills. The reader deals with that enough in real life.

6.) Alpha Hero: I've touched on this subject before in my post, "Alpha or A-hole?" But I didn't speculate much on the appeal of such a hero. I think a lot about my paternal grandparents' marriage. She totally wears the pants and I remember once asking her what would happen if she wasn't able to cook every meal. "Well, I think he could figure out how to make a sandwich," she replied tentatively. ::sigh:: It makes me even more appreciative that my man can cook and does it well. Still, I run the show most of the time. (Shhhh...don't tell him!) From a reader perspective, it's a nice vacation to see the man take charge and do things for a change...as long as he isn't being a bullying prick about it.

 7.) Characters with extraordinary jobs: Who wants to read about Harold the accountant, or Susan the Wal Mart greeter? Rock stars, Navy Seals, Spies, Vampire Lords, and Alpha werewolves are just so much more fun and fiction is a great place to find 'em.

8.) "Magic Hoo-hah" and "Mighty Wang": Thanks so much to the ladies at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books for educating us on those lovely terms. Okay, they called the first "Hoo-hoo" but I prefer Hoo-ha for inexplicable reasons...maybe it just sounds more cheerful. Again, I have to be cynical on the basis for their popularity. In today's jaded society, it seems rare for couples to remain faithful to each other. But with a "magic hoo-hah" or "mighty wang," your partner would never dream of straying to another after experiencing such greatness.

On Crushes.

Crushes...we all have em. Some are the funny feeling you get in your belly at the sight of someone. Some are the fascination with a character, real or fictional. Some are just drooling in lust at the sight of irresistible looks. My husband was all three...and still is.

But then there's the flip side. Crushes do not always mean you want to sleep with someone. Crushes don't mean you want a relationship with that person. But they can serve as great inspiration, especially for artists and writers.

Like many of us, I pant over Johnny Depp....but even if I was single, I'd never date a mega-star. All those cameras and people? ::Shudder:: But that doesn't stop me for using him as an imaginary cover model for my Romanian vampire twins in my BRIDES OF PROPHECY series. The same goes for my crush on Dave Mustaine from Megadeth. I'm sure one of my rock star novellas will feature a brilliant guitarist with gorgeous strawberry blond locks.

But what really got me thinking about these non-lustful, non-romantic crushes are two guys: Actor Danny Trejo and and acquaintance of mine.

He's usually scowling in all of his movies, but the guy actually has a very nice smile

I don't have a picture of the acquaintance...and even if I did, I'd be nice and not post it. I will say that his hair is the most interesting of silver-ish blond (but he's not old) and his eyes are a really sparkly sky blue.
Neither can be considered "stud-muffins" in any form. (Sorry, I wanted an excuse to say "stud-muffin) But both are very striking in appearance and have fascinating personalities.

Heroines with unconventional looks have become welcome in the romance genre for awhile, and I'm glad to see that the same is beginning to apply to heroes as well.

For my next two regency paranormal novels, I aim to keep with that theme. The first one featured an impossibly hot hero (imaginary cover model is the guy on my main blog banner) but the following will showcase damaged heroes whose looks fall more into "striking" than handsome.

How 'bout you guys? What sorts of crushes have you had?

Sexual Objectification of Men in Romanceland: Part 2

Sorry for the delay, all. I've been busy working on another project (non-writing) that will be unveiled on Wednesday.

Okay, so in the last post we covered: YES, we romance readers definitely objectify men sexually...but that it isn't really a bad thing as I believe it supports gender equality....oh, and I threw in some hot eye candy as well. How did I forget that?

Now where was I... I need caffeine.

Oh yeah, today's post is how we do it better.

Point One: We lust after men with a variety of  appearances whereas the media seems to objectify on one type of woman.

I think they have serial numbers instead of souls.

Here's a pic of some lucky lady with a group of cover models.

Something for everyone here. I call dibs on the one with the long hair.

Point Two: We also care about the guy's personality and accomplishments. When all the guys are lusting after  (insert starlet name here), do they really care about what she does or how she feels about, well, anything? Now when romance fans are discussing books, you'll here things like: "Oooh that cover's yummy. Is it any good?" "Not really, the hero was an asshole/ moron. Try (insert title). The hero was hot...and sweet/ brave/smart/funny."

Point Three:  We welcome baggage. The media always bitches about women having "too much baggage." I dislike a drama queen as much as the next person, but it seems "baggage" has become a blanket term covering everything from life experience, to emotion, to even the slightest hint of a personality. It's like they want women to be cyborgs. 

Resistance is futile.

In romanceland we embrace heroes who'd been abused as children, heroes who've been emotionally traumatized by some other bitch (who hopefully gets what she deserves later in the story), heroes who've been physically tortured, etc.

Final point and summary: Although we lust after a hot romance hero, we also see him as a human being, with unique virtues and flaws. Romance heroes, as well as men in general, are all individual human beings. It makes the concept of falling in love (and lust) always fresh and exciting, no matter how many books we read.

 

Sexual Objectification of Men in Romanceland: Part 1

Face it, we totally do it.

A few prime examples:

Mmmm....

Rawr!

Oh my!

And it's not just the covers. Hop on twitter and follow a few romance readers and/ or writers and you'll hear all sorts of talk that probably trumps what one would hear in a men's locker room... I think. Really, I have no clue, but trust me, we get all kinds of dirty. :)

As for categories of preferred novels, we in romance-land totally navigate by the type of guy. Cowboys, Navy Seals, Vampires, Dukes, even firemen. There's categories of um...certain videos for men that are organized in a similar manner.

See, sexual objectification all the way.

And I don't think it's a necessarily a bad thing. First off, I think it speaks highly for gender equality. For years, many women have protested against the rampant sexual objectification of women in the media. The feminists point the blame at our patriarchal society. I think that's not completely accurate. I think much of sexual objectification comes from the fact that humans are sexual beings. Now...with the majority of the objectification being of women by men...yeah, there's a point there.

But....I believe that many in society have been doing their part to level the playing field, with the romance genre leading the fray...and scoring points. I have a theory that the infamous volleyball scene in Top Gun was truly intended to be targeted for women, despite the homo-erotic accusations it receives. I think someone in the film crew walked by a display of NYT bestselling romance novels adorned with topless Fabio and thought, "Hey, the ladies like their eye candy, too! Let's throw em a bone and maybe we'll do better in the box office?"