Tag Archives: Slouching Guy

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography: Part the Fifteenth (Slouching Open Black Jacket Guy, with Towel)

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Many thanks to Sydney, who helped me find the actual stock photos of our friend Slouching Open Black Jacket Guy. As you will see, the stock photos were particularly helpful this time. Shall we proceed?

Here’s the stock photo used in the next several covers. Carefully note that he is wearing jeans.

So… where did his jeans go?! And just whose lower body is that?? O_o

Maybe it’s safer to just leave those jeans alone and give him crazy blond hair instead?

Um, no. Not so much.

And is it

to be a

? SOBJG’s friend doesn’t look

on the idea, does he?

*blank stare* I got nothin’ for integrating this next cover into my little narrative. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Moving right along – let’s have another stock photo interlude, shall we? Again, carefully note that he is wearing jeans.

And despite attempts to get him to wear a

, he refused and instead slipped into something a bit more comfortable… and apparently emascualting. Because I don’t think that his lower half exactly looks male anymore in this next cover.

Thoughts? To help you in your analysis, here’s what SOBJG actually looks like in bikini bottoms…

*ahem*

“Mom, that poor boy has no fur at all! He must be so cold! I can’t bear to look at that poor cold boy anymore.” -Mayhem

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography (Part the Tenth: Oh oh)

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So I’m starting to get this sinking feeling that maybe this is actually Slouching Open Black Jacket Guy with better posture and no jacket… Thoughts?! Until I’m sure (or you’re sure and convince me), meet Looking Down Guy. His hobbies include home remodeling,

collecting rent,

horseback riding,

painting,

hanging out with the guys,

taking moonlit walks,

being snowbound in the mountains,

raising werewolves,

I really wish I knew what this cover had been… all I know was that it was eXtasy Books…

and hanging out with Candy Cane Guy, helping him move

and decorate for the holidays. (Whoops! It’s Slave Boy in this next picture)

He also seems to be a bit torn between darkness

and light.

I wonder which way he’ll go? 🙂

“…zzzzzzz… Wha…? Mom, what are you doing? You aren’t taking more pictures of me, are you?” -Chaos

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography: Burning Questions

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Several of you have wondered if Slouching Guy and Open Black Jacket Guy (OBJG) are the same person.

Hmm. Good question. I can’t quite tell.

What do you think?

I think they both have the same… belt.

And is this the same guy, or just someone else wearing that same jacket (now with bonus cop’s shield)?!

Discuss.

“These are my pink sparklies. Mine. MINE!!! You stay away, you big kitty, you.” -Mayhem

I think it’s safe to say she likes them, Nicole – thank you!

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography: Part the Seventh (OBJG)

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Happy Release Day, Mia, Bronwyn, Brynn, and Dakota! (Dakota? Don’t read the rest of this post, ‘k? Um, no reason. Really.)

In Part 4, I mentioned that we would see Open Black Jacket Guy again. That, kids, is what’s known as heavy-handed foreshadowing. Don’t try it home, ok? SoC accepts no responsibility if you do.

To refresh our memories, here’s Open Black Jacket Guy (OBJG), hanging out with his pal, Slouching Guy. Both have been growing their hair, to ill effect.

Fortunately, OBJG came to his senses, got his hair cut, and ditched Slouching Guy. However, he couldn’t give up on those long-haired boys just yet.

But the emo finally got to him, so he moved on.

Then it turned out that the brooding emo bit wasn’t tied to hair length.

Woe! Woe! Woe! Poor OBJG. He kept trying…

…and trying, but even the most promising turned out to have some fatal flaw (that demonic possession was just the worst), so he decided maybe he’d had enough of the boys.

And that he needed to spend a little time on his own, forgetting.

That was boring, so he got a cat, but there were… complications.

So he ditched the cat, but…

…the girls, they were just as much trouble as the moody boys.

And combining the girls and the moody boys?! Bad, bad idea.

Then in a freak karaoke tattooing accident, his head and body got sort of distorted and cropped; thereafter, everything was a-ok with him.

The end. Until I find a bunch more covers of him. 😉

“Still not forgiving you for letting that mysterious unmoving interloper sit on top of the bookcase.” -Chaos

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography (Part the Fourth, being an update on our friends from Parts 1-3)

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So I’ve discovered that once you start looking for overused stock photography, it’s a bit like falling down the rabbit hole… Shall we start with our old friend Slouching Guy? Here he is… with long hair, which looks so very natural, don’t you think? *snort*

We’ll be revisiting the other guy in the picture (Open Black Jacket Guy) in a future installment of this series. [Edited: They are the same person! Slouching Open Black Jacket Guy as his own twin?!]

Moving right along, let’s see what Shoulder Guy’s been doing.

I’m not even going to try to guess.

Weirdly, the next book involves a chocolate bodysuit somehow (I didn’t really want to know more on this one, either).

Hey, check out the advanced photoshopping technique below. Shoulder Guy, no longer floating alone in space and chocolate.

Finally, let’s see how Candy Cane Guy’s been keeping busy… Guess he took up vampire hunting. (Nice, um, stake.)

That must not have gone so well for him, based on the next cover. I had not idea that becoming a vampire with sloppy eating habits caused your hair to grow!

Unfortunate, that. Even the other cover model looks horrified.

Somehow he got his blood lust under control and got a haircut.

Whew!

Then, um, he took up macrame.

But was forced to flee offworld due to a crafting misunderstanding.

When he finally returned, he went on vacation and his trademark jeans were lost in a tragic fire! O noes!

He was forced to get a job at a moving company so he could afford new jeans.

The end. I hope. (Although you’ll be seeing Looking Down Guy from the cover above again, too.)

“Taking revenge can be exhausting….. zzzzzzzz….” -Chaos

Contests, Covers, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Contest links, book links, knitting links – eeeeeek!

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I’m going to break my bookity linkity into two days, because otherwise your heads will explode. There are some goodies for the knitters in here, too!

Congrats to Cathy M, Sydney, Miranda, and GSM, who all won copies of Devyn Quinn’s Soul of the Wildcat in my recent contest!

I found another cover example of our old friend Slouching Guy! Sorry the picture is blurry, but that’s what happens when you expand a teeny tiny picture to make it a bit more visible…

Mary Lou’s celebrating her blogiversary and the anniversary of her Tiger Hat knitting pattern (sales of which have raised nearly $2000 for Heifer International). Leave a comment by December 13 for your chance to win enough Malabrigo to knit your own Tiger Hat!

Head over to CJ’s to read her interview with author Penny Watson and leave a comment by 6 pm CST, December 10, for your chance to win a Santa bag of regular and chocolate Rice Krispie treats.

Author Carolyn Jewel is giving away signed copies of Elizabeth Hoyt’s Prince Trilogy. Contest is open until December 10.

For your chance to win an advance, signed manuscript of Beth Kery’s forthcoming romance, Release, leave a comment at her blog by December 11. Beth’s also going to give away a Sony Reader on New Year’s Eve to someone who purchases a copy of her books Holiday Bound, Paradise Rules, or Release during the month of December.

Answer Nalini Singh’s question over at the Book Smugglers and you could win a copy of her books Angel’s Blood and Blaze of Memory. Contest closes 11:59 pm PST, December 12.

Can you figure out what the amorphous holiday cookies at Julie James’ blog are supposed to be? Guess by 8 pm CST, December 13, for your chance to win a $25 B&N gift certificate. Speaking of Julie James, she’s over at the Book Smugglers, too – comment by 11:59 pm PST, December 12, for your chance to win signed copies of her excellent romances, Practice Makes Perfect and Just the Sexiest Man Alive.

For your chance to win your very own Demon Sheep (and books), head over to Babbling About Books and leave a 100-word demon sheep story in the comments by December 13.

Dear Author is giving away copies of the forthcoming releases from Ace and Roc. Fifteen random commentors will win books.

Danger! 40-60% off all multiformat (non-DRM) ebooks at Fictionwise through December 31! More ebook deals and freebies at Dear Author and also at Suvudu.

Knitters – don’t you think everyone you know needs a pair of elf slippers for the holidays?

Curious about B&N’s Nook? Use the locator to find out where you can try one. Gizmodo’s detailed review of the Nook might help, too.

*blink blink* Some bizarre theories from the sworn enemies of ebooks…

Iz monster! Eeek! Dark secrets of black kittehs revealed! Or maybe just dark.

Weirdly (for me), I was feeling the holiday spirit on Saturday, so I listened to gwfgwf (generic winter festive gathering with food, coined by Superguppy Kat) music on my laptop and read an assortment of ebook holiday shorts.

Holiday Reading Update
The Gift of Giving by Ann Somerville. holiday ebook short. This sweet and completely safe for work m/m romance (although the link to the pdf didn’t work last time I checked) was one of last year’s holiday freebies from Samhain.
Wand’ring Home by Maia Strong. holiday ebook short. Another of last year’s Samhain holiday freebies, but the download link works for this m/m romance!
Mistletoe on the Mountain (Fire on the Mountain, Book 3) by P.D. Singer. holiday ebook short. It’s Jake and Kurt’s first Christmas together… (Interesting that the only holiday shorts from Torquere Press that I picked up were from the “Nice” collection and not from the “Naughty” collection!)
Snowed In, Las Vegas Style by Aaron Michaels. holiday ebook short. Apparently it doesn’t take much snow to close the Las Vegas airport, so two guys decide to make the most of being stranded.
Just My Luck by Cassandra Gold. holiday ebook short. Greg’s having a string of really bad luck on Christmas Eve (car breaks down, apartment building starts on fire, the usual) – will the sexy guy who comes to his rescue turn his luck around?
Christmas Intervention, Phase 1 by Mara Ismine. holiday ebook short. When the guy who usually really loves Christmas is down on the dumps on the holiday, what’s his best friend to do but stage a Christmas intervention? (I never did figure out what Phase 2 might be.)
One Night Stand by Clare London. ebook. holiday ebook short. Whoops – Teddy has too much to drink at the office Christmas party and wakes up in bed with his boss…
Four Gold Rings by T.A. Chase. holiday ebook short. Ok (but very sweet) story about all the guys from Chase’s For the Love of Sports series.

And now back to our regularly scheduled feline programming…

“Wheeeeeeee!” -Mayhem

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography (Part the Second)

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Many thanks to Sydney, who tracked down the original stock photo of our friend Candy Cane Guy from yesterday! To sum up, the jeans did have holes and there’s no mole or tattoo being covered. 🙂

Onward. Allow me to present Slouching Guy. You might remember him from such covers as Islands by Samantha Kane…

…Reckless Passion by Amanda Young…

…Lone Wolf (Maxey Wizards, Book 2)…

…and Horsefall: Taste Test by Jade Buchanan.

Is anyone else alarmed about the lusty look in that horse’s eyes?! 😮

So, do you have additional examples of Slouching Guy out and about?

12/9/2009: I found another cover example of our old friend Slouching Guy! Sorry the picture is blurry, but that’s what happens when you expand a teeny tiny picture to make it a bit more visible…

Stop by my contest post or The Thrillionth Page by 10 am CST, December 6, to vote for the Softest Kitteh Evah on Our Street! Again, there’s been more taunting! But I thought this looked promising: