Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire…
Posted by Tori Carrington in Tori Carrington, tags: Branded, Tori Carrington
Our inaugural Blaze Authors Blog post. Woohoo! First of all, we’d be remiss if we didn’t say…Tawny, girl, you rock! Thank you. You know why. And kudos to everyone who helped get this endeavor off the ground. We’re honored to stand arm-in-arm with our fellow TrailBlazers in a regular public forum. And how about these digs? Hot!
As for Editor Extraordinaire Brenda Chin…what can we say that we haven’t already? You complete us.
So being our first post, we wanted to touch on a subject that links our June Blaze BRANDED (available in book and e-book format at eHarlequin.com now!) to a general comment on writing, and, well, also offer up an apology of sorts for some of the liberties we’ve taken over the years. Liberties? All right, there are a few elements in a book or two or three that stretch reality a bit, if not fall solidly in the improbable column. In this particular case, we’re referring to the fact that in BRANDED, set in south-central Texas, when our rancher hero Trace Armstrong and wrangler heroine Jo Atchison get the proverbial itch while out riding the range at sunset, they don’t wait until they get back to the ranch. Rather things get hot and heavy right there in the big, wide open. (Native Texans are cringing right about now.)
Okay, I fully admit that when we originally plotted the scene, I paused, hundreds of imaginary imported fire ants marching around and up my internal editor’s feet. Mostly because I’d been warned, strongly, to keep my feet covered during one of our latest visits to Texas because the tiny, venom-packed insects roam freely there and preclude any barefoot strolls through the grass, much less any decadent rolling around.
But, damn it, we wanted this scene! Surely we weren’t going to allow a few pesky ants to ruin the sexy moment, no matter how destructive they can be. Besides, Blaze isn’t about real life, it’s about fantasy. And in this particular scenario, fire ants didn’t exist anywhere in the world, much less in the vicinity of our characters’ compromised behinds.
Of course, anyone who’s read us should be used to our taking these liberties by now. We’re the same writers who included a full out, blazing sex scene on the back of a moving horse (A STRANGER’S TOUCH, Blaze Midnight Fantasies, May 2002).
Hmm…funny, somehow we never get called out for these indulgences…
So you be the judge: patent violation of the writer’s code of proper conduct or a clear case of creative license? Post a comment with your answer and be automatically qualified to win the copy of A FEW GOOD MEN (Blaze Jan 2009) up for
grabs! (Oh, and in case you’re interested, we’re also offering up a great Spa Gift Basket in our monthly on-line drawing at www.toricarrington.net.)
We look forward to hearing your thoughts!
xoxo
Lori & Tony 
aka Tori Carrington
Entries (RSS)
Nice digs! definitely
I vote creative license *G* I’ve lived in TX and truth be told there is no way I’d get the itch in the wide open, those ant’s are scary (as are some of the other critters they have down there) but when I’m into a good book I don’t think of those things, I’m so into the story it doesn’t really matter. I say if it makes for a better scene go for it!
Excellent! Thanks for the thumbs up, Netti.
I think that’s a major reason why we choose to set our stories in “fictional” locales around and about “real” areas, ’cause you can always get around specifics. I mean, maybe they treated that particular hill, right? lol
Then again, I suppose we could have gone the reality route and added fire ant bites to the mix. Could have made for some interesting foreplay back at the ranch. Snickers. Then again, that would also be stretching it ’cause, well, fire ant bites are so not romantic.
xoxo
L&T
I HATE FIRE ANTS!!
I’m getting over a bite right this minute. Having said that, Blazes are fantasies and fire ants are too much reality. You get a pass on this one, but I’ll have to read BRANDED to make sure! 
LOL, Heather! How goes it, sweetcakes? To this day I can’t eat a po’ boy without thinking of you.
On fire ants, tell me about it. While I’ve never been bit in Texas, I got nailed in NC years ago. I swear, it took forever for the thing to heal. I can’t imagine dealing with the suckers (biters?) on a day-to-day basis.
Lori
Heather! How goes it, sweetcakes? To this day I can’t eat a po’ boy without thinking fondly of you.
On fire ants, I hear ya. While I’ve yet to be bit in Texas, I got nailed in NC years ago. I swear it took forever and a day for it to heal. I can’t imagine having to deal with those suckers (biters?) on a day-to-day basis.
Lori
Good morning you two!
Great to see you here.
Blaze (and romance books in general) are all about living vicariously through our characters. Imagine having hot sex without the dangers of pesky things like fire ants. Can’t wait to read BRANDED.
Miss you to bits!
‘Morning backattcha, Kelly! It remains to be seen if it’s good or not yet. We’re on our third cuppa and the sun is shining, but it is Monday after all, so we’ll decide on the ‘good’ part at around 11 or so. Then again, the point will be moot, won’t it? ‘Cause the morning will be almost over.
xoxo
L&T
Good morning! I haven’t read many Blaze novels yet, but this sounds cool!
I’ll add it to my wishlist 
Oh, Virginia, you don’t know what you’re missing. Every last Blaze is finger-searing-good! A word of warning, however: once you go hot, you’ll rather read that than not!
I agree, forget the ants. There are no fire ants in the imagination.
I have thought the same when I had a couple doing it on the beach (sand in cracks anyone? Sand fleas? LOL), but those don’t exist in the imagination either (though for good measure, I had them do it standing up).
I have gotten some minor finger-wagging on similar reality issues — no condoms, and an FBI agent who seduces the woman who’s in his charge.
On the first, I took that more seriously and do include condoms in scenes where they are smart or realistic, but I don’t make the love scene a PSA.
On the second, where the heck would romance be if law enforcement, etc didn’t break the rules and do everything they aren’t supposed to? I call it fictional precedent — it doesn’t have to do with reality, it has to do with fictional reality, where things work a little differently, and people break the rules all the time, because that’s part of the fantasy, right? In fictional reality, FBI agents *always* seduce the woman they are watching.
I think we all have our quirks. I would never think of fire ants, because I have never been to Texas. I would think of sand in the cracks. I would think of falling off of the horse, LOL. Ouch. But I think as long as we’re in the realm of fictional reality, what works within the worlds we build, why bring the ants into it? (Unless, of course, the ants chase them into a nearby cabin where they promptly have to remove all of their clothing and jump into the shower together… *G*)
Sam
LOL! Well said, Sam. And well done! Fwiw, you can break all the so-called rules all you want, sweetie, ’cause you do it so damn well.
You know what’s really funny? That sexy horseback scene? It was one of the few times our characters didn’t use a condom. (Who thinks to bring rubbers on a horseback ride? lol) Otherwise, we’re pretty responsible in that regard. In fact, the fire ant scene isn’t a full out penetration scene ’cause they didn’t have a condom either (same reason).
We’re so responsible in that regard (okay, our having two single adult sons is part of the reason – Trojans fill their xmas stockings) that after a long, intriguing convo with my gyno, I included female rubbers in our next oral sex scene. Brenda shot that one down so fast my ears are still ringing. So I guess there’s even room for creative license when it comes to truly safe sex.
Hmm…I wonder why Naked Gun and full body condoms just, um, sprang to mind…
L
ROFL -now I have that full body condom scene stuck in my head!!!
I’ll give you the creative license. But oh gods, those ants. *shudder* I once landed smack dab on an anthill when I was a kiddy, while wearing a bathing suit. My grandmother had me indoors, in a shower, so fast my feet didn’t touch the ground. But it worked. I didn’t get bitten.
Truthfully, I would think (with rosy lensed glasses firmly planted) that they somehow found a patch of grass/land/whatever with no ants. It’s when the authors contradict something I _know_ to be true that I get thrown out of the book (to this day, the woman tatting with bobbins makes me shudder).
Yikes, Arlene! I could see where a childhood experience like that would scar you for life. Thank god you didn’t get bitten. Some of the research I’ve done into fire ants left me slack-jawed.
xoxo
L&T
Get the itch.. well at least in Texas you can see the fire ant beds. In Mississippi you cannot go outside sometimes without being carried away by mosquitoes. That could certainly kill any mood but it is fantasy and most readers would not have even thought of them. Creative license is okay in this case cause even in areas with fire ants, mosquitoes or monsoons -when the mood strikes nothing really gets in the way.
So right, Anne! I mean when it comes to those precious moments when a special relationship is blossoming, and the hormones are ahummin’, the world at large ceases to exist. That’s what we love most about writing romance, and especially Blaze. We get to relive those memories of our relationship. Oh, while having fire ants launch an all-out attack on your delicate parts may be what you share a laugh with friends about (or not – lol), it’s not what makes or breaks the once-in-a-lifetime connection with the one person in this world meant for you.
L&T
I’m all for a step away from reality in my reading!
I’m looking forward to my getting my copy of Branded!
Hope you like Trace and Jo’s story, Liza! If you enjoy it a fraction as much as we enjoyed writing it, well, you’re in a for a good time.
xoxo
L&T
There should be a semblance of reality – but then where’s the fun in being totally honest? So – creative license!! I bet those who read it won’t think of the ants – they’d be so caught up in what happens!
I hear ya, Marcie! lol
I’m a native Texan too. And we say that’s why God created trucks because of that nice long bed in the back.
No matter where you are on the ranch, that bed can come in handy. And I’m with the creative license about the fire ants. It does really depend on the time of year too. I was bit by one yesterday and those suckers are a menace. Cannot wait to read your story!!!
Candy Havens
LOL, Candy! Love, love, love the way you think. I think we used the truck bed angle in our Texas Trueblood title a few years back.
Hugs on the bite! Hope it doesn’t intrude on your enjoyment of the book.
L&T :> ;>
First of all I just want to say that is one sexy cover
!!
!! (I’m off to read Branded ! 
)
I am just about to sit down with Branded(e-book) so can’t wait to get started. I am soooooo happy u take liberties (u 2 Samantha !) Those scenes are what makes your books so awesome and very hot
Love your books
Petro
Big, wet cyber smooches, Petro! How do you read the e-book? With a Sony reader? I’ve yet to make the e-book leap personally but I’m fascinated. I think part of my fear is that the easier it is for me to get my hands on a book, the less I’ll actually work on our own. But I’m itching to get one!
L
Reading on my laptop L, unfortunately we don’t have many e readers available here in sunny South Africa
but I’m always checking, and hopefully there will be more available soon 
I love paperbacks, but because I struggled to get hold of books I started searching for e books. Books that are released now, will only be available here in a years time through our Mills & Boon agents, sooo you must know ,I was ECSTATIC 
when I discovered e Harlequin ! e Books are absolutely the best, and one’s you get use to it, you don’t want to read any other way !
Many thanks
for writing all those gr8 books, and keep taking those liberties ! 
Petro
I’ve been reading your books for several years and you just go right ahead and take all the liberties you want. When a book is that good, who in the world would stop long enough to think about fire ants!
And besides, your sex scenes are usually hot enough to catch something on fire and I’m sure those fire ants took off in the opposite directon to escape getting toasted from the heat!
Looking forward to getting ‘Branded’!
Sherry! Mind if we look you up when we’re in desperate need of a bit of a boost? We’re grinning ear to ear right now. We love, love, love our lives, and delightful words like yours are like frosting on the cake. Rich, chocolate-y, scrumptious frosting on an eight-layer cake.
Thank you!
xoxo
L&T
Hi, Lori & Tony: While the photo of those ants makes me shudder, when reading about love scenes, those things never occur to me, so, you have a pass from me. BTW, the mentioning of your sex scene on a moving horse, reminds me of one you wrote about the h/h doing it on a architectural or designer’s desk, which, when I imagined it (with a down slope), sounded almost impossible, but, then again, maybe not….
In a book, my all-time most interesting sex scene occurred with the h/h on the back of a camel in Cherry Adair’s, OUT OF SIGHT. I must admit I spent quite a few minutes trying to imagine the RL “intricacies” of this scene, but, I enjoyed it nevertheless.
I’ve already purchased A FEW GOOD MEN (BTW, one of my all-time faves of yours), so, you can eliminate me from the contest.
Patricia
Welcoming hugs, Patricia! I thought about mentioning more of the liberties we’ve taken over the years, but I figured we wouldn’t have room to list ‘em all. Thanks for making me remember SKIN DEEP. That scene was definitely another one that inspired a bit of an internal editor pause before writing it.
A camel, huh? Wow! Wish we’d have thought of that. Hmm…but there’s no reason we can’t borrow it somewhere down the line, is there? Of course, we’ll have to actually set a book in a place where camels roam. Llamas! We have llama farms here in Ohio.
Then again, no. LOL. (Can you even ride a llama?)
xoxo
L&T
I like the compromising positions part. Sounds naughty.
To say the least, Amanda. LOL. Would you expect less from a Blaze?
Creative License–definitely!! I love the creative places you listed to make love. Keep the sexy…hold the fire ants!
Jill! Great to see you here. LOL on keep the sexy, hold the fire ants. Can you imagine? Although I am currently thinking that perhaps we should have worked them in somehow in an amusing way. But isn’t that always the case? I swear, the desire to ‘change just one more thing’ in any of our books never quite passes.
Tony’s just shaking his head. I think it’s a man thing. The instant a book is in the can, he’s already well into the next one. Which is a good thing or else we’d still be on book one…
xoxo
L&T
Creative license, of course! After all – it is fiction!!
Hear, hear, Karen!
Now, I know ya’ll so I say a bit of both. We met in NY and Daytona. I’m the woman with all the piercings. Let me tell you a bit about fire ants. They jump on you and curve their tiny bodies so that they can hold on better to bite. The best way to treat a bite is to pop the white top and rub hard with alcohol. Otherwise you’ll itch for days. Please let me know where to send the bill. lol!
Correction: you’re the woman with all the majorly kewl piercings, Mel! I swear, if I had just a tad more courage, I’d have bleached blond short hair, sleeve tats and multiple piercings. (I think I just put Tony into cardiac arrest, bless his traditional little soul. lol)
Oh, check’s in the mail.
What a sweet thing to say, Lori! Thank you. I have bleached blond hair but I want sleeves too! I have 16 tattoos (I think). Hee.
LOL! You know what they say about the saying ‘the check’s in the mail’.
I hate the red ants if I get bite I’ll be at the hospital I am allgeric to them. Creative license
Penney
Yikes! Then you’re a very generous woman, Penney. Careful navigating around those ant hills. Although from what I understand, when it’s really hot the little buggers make a bee-line for houses. And come out at night.
Hmm…vampire fire ants?
xoxo
L&T
Creative license, for certain! After all . . . isn’t that what sexual fantasy is all about? I wouldn’t want a single insect interfering with MY fantasies, I can tell you that!
The photos I could have done without . . . now I’m itchy.
LOL! Those pics were nothing compared to what we came across on the net, Amy. Panagia mou! Thankfully we don’t have to worry about fire ants in Greece. But you do have to watch out for scorpions hiding out in dark places. You know, like your shoes? Shudders. Don’t think we’ll be including that little detail in a book anytime soon, either.
Filia!
Creative license, for certain! After all . . . isn’t that what sexual fantasy is all about? I wouldn’t want a single insect interfering with MY fantasies, I can tell you that!
The photos I could have done without . . . now I’m itchy.
Lori and Tony, since I’ve already received my wonderfully signed copy of A Few Good Men, please feel free to leave me out of the drawing. I just wanted to come out and support the Blog!
Me agapi,
Amy, aka Amygdalia
Well, we’ll just have to add you and Patricia to the “any book you want” cat then, won’t we? Everybody gets a shot at a free book.
D’oh! Not sure how I managed to post twice . . .
Oh man . . . scorpions in shoes? I’m eternally grateful that I managed to avoid THAT special treat during my visits to Greece.
Glad to hop in the “any book you want” drawing. I want one that’s set in Greece.
Without scorpions.
Creative License… how could you go wrong!
Smooches, Colleen!
I say creative license…that’s what I read books for – to take a step back from reality and indulge myself a little bit. I mean, who would like about fire ants when you’ve got a sexy cowboy in your arms – ready, willing, and definitely able!!
Mmm…you are so right, Kara.
I’m perfectly happy not having fire ants mentioned anywhere in the book! Nasty critters.
LOL! Critters, indeed. Thx, Tori! (Btw, we’ve told you we love your name, haven’t we?
)
When I want reality, I can always read a newspaper.
Fire ants… Ick! I’m glad we don’t have those in Finland -not yet, anyway.
The way these puppies are moving, that might not always be the case, Minna.
LOL on reality and newspapers. Where we gloss over it in romance novels (well, we pick the goods parts, anyway, which is just as real and just as important), they tend to hype the bad. We like balancing that out.
Whohoooooooooooo!!! Lori and Tony are in the house. And thank you both right back
As for me? I’m all about the creative license!!! I want to read a story that takes me away, makes me sigh and smile. Fire ants? Oh no, nothing smiley there!!! But a hot, sexy scene on horseback? Or in the big wide open? LOVE IT!!
I was interviewing a surfer recently and she informed me that NO, you can’t do it on a surfboard. Something about the waves and motion and… well- doesn’t that just ADD to the scene? I’m doing it anyway (writing the scene, that is
)
You go girl! Sex on a surfboard sounds marvelously erotic. Who needs reality, anyway?
Then again, where there is a will (or two willing characters) there’s a way.
I say creative license, I like books that pretty much stay with what’s true, but there are just times like the ants that a little twisting needs to be done.
Thx, Nicole!
Oooooh, I’m liking this! Not a single hand-thwapper yet.
Of course, now that I’ve written that…
Creative license gets my vote! Love all your books and I’m sure glad there aren’t any ants in this one.
Big, tight hugs, Donna!
I’m all for creative license. Like you said, the books are about fantasy. If I want reality I can listen to the news!
Especially nowadays, Chey! I swear, I can only take about five minutes of the news before I have to tune out. All this doom and gloom and swine fever. The weather. Just give me the weather forecast and I’m good.
Tony, on the other hand, mainlines the news. Name the channel and he’s tuned in. Drives me nuts!
It’s fiction so in a story everything does not have to 100% true or it would be non-fiction.
Good point, Maureen. Then again, even a lot of nonfiction is really fiction, isn’t it? One writer’s take on events or ideas?
Still, we’ll take romance fiction – BLAZE! – over that any day.
One of the things I (we) love about your books is the imaginative and crazy places your couples heat up the pages. Your are definitely on track when you say we want a fantasy… not reality.
Okay, you’ve got a huge hug comin’ your way when next our paths cross, Connie. Thanks for the vote of confidence and fantastic words!
xoxo
L&T
I think it really depends on just how far fetched the author is taking it. I don’t mind a few small liberties now and then (and I’m sure there’s got to be some SMALL patch that’s fireant free in TX!). Just make it believable. There’s nothing worse then reading a novel that is so far out there.
Couldn’t agree more, Julz. There’s nothing like being jarred out of a good book because of an overlooked detail or an improbable situation. But I’m glad that it appears by the unanimous posts here that fire ants don’t qualify as either. Thx!
I’m one of the last people in America not to have read your books, Lori and Tony, but oooh oui, I definitely need to pick up Branded! HOT cover! As a writer myself (of Blazes, I hope, one day soon
) I tend to try to write as realistic as possible, but as a reader, I’m alllll about the fantasy. I so don’t care about fire ants! And if my readers are wondering where the bugs are in the middle of a smokin’ hot scene, I’m thinking I’ve done something wrong. LOL
Love your name, Cari! It’ll be right at home on the covers of your own Blaze novels. Let us know when we can welcome you to the fam officially!
On fantasy v. reality, that’s the thing, the wanting to be point on accurate with everything. The whole fire ant angle caused concern and still does. It’s nice to have so much support but I don’t think that niggling little voice will ever go away when it comes to matters of this nature. At least not in my case. Tony doesn’t have prob one with it and sleeps very well at night. lol
Thx for posting! Here’s wishing you luck with your writing your career…and in every other aspect of your life.
xoxo
L&T
what that sounds very hot
got few good men love the cover congrats ont he book
Thx, kh!
Okay, now for the drawing…swirl, swirl…swish, swish…and the winner is…
Sherry Werth!
Woohoo! Congrats, Sherry. Send your snail mail addy to toricarrington@aol.com. If you already have A FEW GOOD MEN, feel free to go to http://www.toricarrington.net and pick out another title.
Thanks so much for coming out, everyone, and sharing your thoughts! We had a blast. Will see you around the blog, and then again next month on the 4th.
Till then, we remain,
Truly yours,
Lori & Tony
aka Tori Carrington
Hi, Lori and Tony! In general, creative license rules! As so many others have said, it’s fiction! That said, I like the stories to be at least a little grounded in reality–I get that locations, quantity, etc., can all be exaggerated, but I like the emotions to feel real and for me to believe that the motivations feel real.
Congrats Sherry!
Congrats Sherry!
As long as it’s hot, I don’t care if there are some unrealistic bits of fiction – eradicate those fire ants!
LOL! I’m from Texas (Houston), and yes, I did cringe when you mentioned two people having wild sex out in the open pasture somewhere in southern Texas.
All I could think was, ‘Fire ants, cow patties, chinch bugs, crab grass…Yuck!’
Please at least tell me they lay on a blanket. *whimpers*
I’m a big fan of Temperance Brennan, so yeah…I prefer going more toward realism.
The sex on horseback does make me giggle, though, imagining what must have been going through the horse’s mind:
‘What are they DOING?! I’ve never heard the humans make noises like that, before! And they keep moving! Ahem! Can we go back to the stable now, please? It’s time to take me back to the stable. Nice humans…Come on…’
Chantal