Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Coming Clean

Hi, my name is Naima Simone and I am a Boy-Band-aholic.

*Hi, Naima*

My addiction started twenty-five years ago with the band, New Edition. I took one look at Ralph Tresvant in his red kango and jeans and fell in luuuv. With his high voice and slight lisp, he stole my pre-teen heart. Candy Girl, Lost in Love...*sigh* All those were meant for me. Hence, his star role as hero in my first romance novel. He serenaded me in that book, too....right after we made out at the drive-in...




Then several years later another Boston band caught my eye...and replaced Ralph in my ever fickle teenage heart. New Kids on the Block. More specifically, Donnie Wahlberg. It wasn't the cute, blue-eyed Joe McIntyre that caught my attention but the crazy bad boy who I believed could be tamed with my love. Ergo, the hero of several romance novels where the heroine--who bore an uncanny resemblance to moi--rocked his world. The pun was totally intended.



Over-exposure and several voice changes later, my adoration turned to another group. Not necessarily a boy-band but a band nonetheless. Bon Jovi. New Jersey's pride 'n joy. Jon and Richie. Big hair, leather pants and guitars. I couldn't choose between Jon's strut and sexy voice or Richie's hot guitar solos and soulful back up vocals. Boy what a pair! *sigh* Too bad Michelle Polaris won't write a story with me, Jon and Richie chained together! (hint! hint! nudge! nudge!)



Yes, so my secret is out.

Why this revelation of my soul you ask? A not so subtle lead-in to a blurb for my upcoming release with Ellora's Cave, Love and Protect. I did say it wasn't subtle...sue me...

Tormented by nightmares of her last failed assignment, ex-undercover agent, Erin Montgomery, has spent a year off grid--until a late night phone call from her ex-partner. Within a week she's returned to active duty posing as the sex-kitten lover to Sean Ledger, lead guitarist of rock band, Odyssey to track a stalker.

When an obsessed fan's behavior careens into terrifying, Sean Ledger agrees to allow Erin to join him on tour and investigate possible suspects on his crew. As a man who prizes control, having this woman of strength and restraint willingly submit her pleasure to him is a lure he cannot—will not—fight. Unaware of the history he shares with the agent, Sean is pulled to Erin, and hungers to unlock her sexual inhibitions. Yet neither can forget the insane love of Sean’s stalker who is coming to claim what's hers...



So come on and admit the crushes you had once upon a time! And if they influenced any books you've written all the better! Spill!

13 comments:

Savannah Stuart said...

Yay! I've been waiting for info on your new contract :) Sounds hawt!! I've always had a thing for Mark Wahlberg and sadly I didn't outgrow that crush, lol. He and Gerard Butler have influenced a couple of my heroes (in the looks department).

Wynter said...

Love the blurb! And congrats on the contract. Okay - this is before your time, but "Hutch" of Starsky and Hutch fame starred in my preteen fantasies. And when actor David Soul expanded his horizons to a singing career (albeit very short-lived), I was in teenybopper heaven!

Unknown said...

This is going to be an amazing book. I'm so excited for you Naima. I have yet to write the stories of my teen band fantasies. Most of them featured Duran Duran and being forced to be the soul female companionship for all of the members. Sigh. It's a rough job but someone had to do it.

Naima Simone said...

Hi, Savannah!
Those Wahlberg brothers *sigh* I had a thing for Mark too. The abs on that man! Whew! He did good things for underwear! But Donnie was the original! LOL!

You're so good for my ego, Savannah!!

Naima Simone said...

Hah! Wynter, Starsky an Hutch was so not before my time! Albeit, my mother used to make me watch it with her but I remember it! And, yes, Hutch was the cuter of the duo! Yeah...definitely...

Naima Simone said...

Michelle! Simon LeBon and Andy Taylor!! I was in luuuuvv with them!! The "Hungry Like a Wolf" video was my favorite because Simone LeBon had some Jungle Fever going on! LOL! Oooh! And "The Reflex"? I used to sit in front of MTV all day and wait for their videos to come on--that's when MTV actually showed videos!

Anonymous said...

Oh, yeah, Duran Duran and all those 80's new wave groups with boys whose hair was longer than mine and who used more makeup and hair products than I ever did...

After all that Nirvana/grunge music, I was soooo thrilled to have Hanson be popular. I felt those young boys heralded the return of the fun boy bands. No more moping, groaning, angst-ridden whiners (at least the complainers in the 60's wanted to do something to alleviate the societal problems). Fun songs again! Yippee!

Naima Simone said...

Hey, Cories!
Okay, not Hanson for me...but I did have a bit of a thing for *ahem* The Backstreet Boys...yes, I admitted it! They took me back to my NKOTB days! But on the other hand, have you seen how the Hanson guys look today? Not baaaad...

s7anna said...

Oh this is such an awesome post. I've been a boy-bandaholic for as long as I can remember...When I was little I was all about NKOTB...I had the most massive crush on Jonathan Knight *sigh* I still think he's such a hottie *grin*

Other faves...Take That, Boyzone, BSB, N'Sync, Boyz II Men, Westlife, All-4-One...they were all my guilty pleasure...heck they still are.

*hugs*
Anna

Naima Simone said...

Hi, Anna!
Yup you're in that Boy-Band-acholics Anonymous meeting with me! LOL! I forgot about All-4-One! Hee-hee! I still love Boys II Men...even though they're like manly men now! Ooh what about The Boyz and ABC!! "Aisha, you are the girl that I never had and I want to get to know you better..." Why yes, I don't have any shame! LOL!

Kaylea Cross said...

Naima, that blurb sounds amazing! What an exciting read that's going to be :)

Naima Simone said...

Hi, Kaylea!!
Thank you! I'm so excited about this book too!

Dalton Diaz said...

Back off, Jon Bon Jovi is mine! True story - I never saw Bon Jovi in concert until their Crush tour a few years ago. I, too, had that dream as a teenager where if I couldn't have JBJ, I wanted to see him in concert & have the love of my life wrap his arms around me. DH took me to the concert for my birthday & wrapped his arms around me during "Cowboy". I had never said a word to him.