Dead Ice: Richard
Here’s the second in the blog series leading up to the June 9, 2015 release of Dead Ice. Since we started with Jean-Claude, it had to be Richard next.
Richard by Brett Booth
Question: Is the character of Richard Zeeman based on your ex-husband?
Answer: No.
Secrets to Share: This was a rumor that I never saw coming, because it was just so not reality. My ex-husband’s sister thought it was the funniest thing ever that people thought her big brother was the basis for Richard. I think that Richard’s skin tone might be the same as my ex, but there the resemblance ends. Personality wise, Richard is actually closer to me when I was just out of college with my BS in Biology. But he, like all my characters that truly come to life on the page, has grown and changed in ways I never saw coming and certainly didn’t plan. He’s become his own man, for better or worse.
Question: Are Richard and Anita ever going to marry?
Answer: Highly doubtful, I’d just say no, but I’ve been wrong so much about my own character’s personal lives that I’m hedging my bet.
Secrets to Share: In fact, I think one of the reasons Anita and Richard didn’t end up together was that I created him to be the perfect husband for her, or thought I did. The more I tried to push the two of them together, the more they fought it, but my original plan was for them to marry and live happily ever after. So much for me being the omnipotent Deity of my fictional universe. When Richard was created I could never have dreamed where Anita’s life would go, or my own for that matter. Fiction doesn’t mirror fact, but we’ve both done our own version of going from the conservative “good girl” to the much happier people we are today. As for you small, but vocal minority that are still urging me to kill off Jean-Claude and Micah, so that Anita can ride off into the sunset with Richard – no. Not only no, but absolutely, positively, not happening. Move on, nothing to see here.
Question: Will Richard ever find another person to be his one and only love?
Answer: I don’t know for certain, he’s surprised me too much over the years for me to say yes, or no.
Secrets to Share: I hope he does, and I have a few potential women in mind, for him it will have to a woman if it’s a new character. I think if any man could float his boat enough to have a full-fledged relationship with them then Jean-Claude would be that man. Richard is having a bondage and submission relationship with Asher but no sex. It meets a lot of bondage needs for both of them, but I don’t think either of them would want to actually date each other. What works great in the dungeon doesn’t always work outside of it. I still have hopes that Richard, Jean-Claude, and Anita might be a fully functioning menage a trois, but I think too much has happened for it to be what it might once have been, more’s the pity. I keep hoping that special female werewolf will come along for him but he keeps wanting to date women that have no preternatural ties which doesn’t really work for the Ulfric, wolf king, of St. Louis. He also keeps dating women who like pretty standard vanilla sex and that really isn’t what Richard likes. I’ve even written a short story, “Shutdown,” where he tries to have his vanilla cake but keep his bondage cupcakes. I’ve had talks with people I was dating about polyamory and bondage, and I know people that seem to be successfully married to vanilla and, with full knowledge and permission of their spouse, they get their bondage needs met elsewhere; but it is not an easy talk to have and it takes a very special person to be okay with it. I’m not sure Richard is ever going to find someone that special, but I hope so, because I’d really like him to be happy and content with his life and himself.
Sneak Peek from Dead Ice:
Richard drew Jean-Claude in tighter against him and moved his other hand so that it was free, leaving room to wonder what he’d do if Asher tried to touch Jean-Claude. It was the kind of thing you do when someone is touching your girlfriend too much in a bar, and Richard gave him the challenging look that went with it. It was a way of saying, Mine, stop touching it, without saying anything.
48 thoughts on “Dead Ice: Richard”
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The teaser….oh yea. I have to read thst scene as I know where Asher and Richard are on their lines in the sand. Muy intriguing.
I can’t wait! These sneak peeks are amazing!!!
Why can’t it be June 9th already!!
I so cannot wait for my book to arrive so that I can read it. I will be reading all the books again coming up to the release of this new book. I love the stories and characters and how they have grown over the years.
I’m so glad to see that I’m not the only one who re-reads the previous books before the new one arrives. I try to time it so I’ve just finished the last one before Amazon drops the new one at my door. Of course that’s getting harder and harder to do as the books keep increasing every year.
You are definitely not the only one. I am so excited and I have started to re-read them as well. I would like to say that you forget how awesome the first few books were until you go back and read them again. I love the characters and the relationships and how they build. One of my favorite people is Requiem. I wish Anita had a thing for him. I dig the poetry and the sadness and the need to be loved that comes from him. I cannot wait for Dead Ice. Super excited!
Definitely not the only ones re-reading the series. Every couple of months I have to have my fix. It’s like Star Trek re-runs when I was younger. Didn’t matter how many times I’d seen an episode, I still needed to see it again. I love my addiction.
I have read the series forwards and backwards several times. I always read the preceding book right before a new one comes out and that generally means I’m going to read at least a few more if not the entire series over.
Richard being this possessive of Jean Claud? He has come a long way. When Richard started to change for the better in Bullet, I was kind of shocked. That being said, no, he and Anita should never be together as a couple again. Anita continues to grow with the loves in her lives while Richard remains in the closet about who he is.
Noooo I do not want him to find another female. I like that Anita is the only female to please him and all the other males. She may not be able to handle it but that just makes it much more interesting to me.
I”ve always thought that Anita being the lone woman in a physical relationship with many men and the men actually going along with it was and is hard to swallow. That she would hold them to being monogamous while she gets to add others to her bed is ridiculous. This is one of the things I accept about Richard. He still sleeps with other women. Of course Anita’s sleeping with women now also. Anita’s forever changing in some way. Now, if she would choose that first animal to change into.
Hmmmmm…. “kill off Jean-Claude and Micah”…shouldn’t that be “kill of Jean-Claude, Micah AND NATHANIEL”????? What have I missed? The only book I haven’t read yet is “Jason”; does anything happen to Nathaniel?????
No nothing happens to nathaniel . But from what I can gather is nathaniel is not a alpha or a dominant male like jeanclaude and Micah so he sees no threat with nathaniel .
Which isn’t true because it’s obvious nathaniel is anita’s (and my)favorite
No he’s fine, he’s alive in Jason. I just don’t think everyone sees him as a full partner for Anita
I know how you feel but It’s just not possible. If Jean Claude died it could possibly kill Richard with him anyway. If Micah died it would kill something in Anita because they are like a “Mated pair” really. Also if Nathaniel died Damian would die too. Must not forget Damian, though Anita sometimes does. Lol.
Happiness! I look forward to seeing how Richard grows into his own in the coming stories.
Can’t wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
While I kind of like Richard as a person and think he might be a great friend to have, I don’t think there’s enough therapy in the world for him to truly accept Nathaniel’s place in Anita’s heart and life. Although I give him props for getting the therapy and making the changes that are letting him be a much better part of the triumvirate with Anita and Jean-Claude. And as stated, he may surprise us all yet again, I just can’t hate him, but he’s got some serious groveling to do for the times he wasn’t there for the group as a whole.
I’m waiting for the fourth mark to really knock everyone on their butts! Neither of the triumvirates have reached their full potential. Damien isn’t fully integrated and neither is Richard. What would happen if both these reluctant, fearful, and homophobic males decided to truly embrace their roles in the power structure? I’m not creative enough to even imagine what would happen. World domination maybe? It could happen!
SQUEE!
I think until Richard accepts who he is, Ulfric, wolf-king, werewolf, 1 part of a vampire triumpherite, he will never be able to be happy. His and Anita’s relationship was more of a co-dependant relationship it seems to me, Which Anita worked thru her issues for the most part and went on to be happy. Until Richard accepts who he is, just won’t happen, life is just that way. I truly hope he works thru his issues enough to accept himself. I think even more exiting, spectacular things would happen in the story line if he was able to. He is holding himself back, I have always wondered( since the way the tigers are able to procreate naturally , helping their mothers keep the babies until birth,) If the werewolves learned to do the same thing for their females how that would change Richard.
Not that there was ever any doubt I would get it, but I now have this book pre-ordered. I want it on my door step on release day! Guess what I will be doing on June 9. 😉
I really enjoy laurells books (both series) but the Anita Blake series has become almost nothing but sex. It’s amazing how different the first half of the series reads (much better with more substance imo) I wish we could get back to more about her job and the paranormal politics.
I AGREE WHOLE HEARTILY!
I agree. I totally miss the substance.
I have to agree that I would love more plot & less sex like the series started out.It’s nice to see Richard finally starting to grow up. Maybe someday he’ll really be a good Ulfric for his pack & an equal partner in the triumvirate. He can be a nice guy & still live up to his obligations, I hope.
Thanks so much for these teasers they are so amazing and so vague, it’s driving me crazy . I can’t wait for the book!!
I always love waiting for your new books as it feels like a bday present, each & every time (my bday is June 9
Holy crap! Now that’s a teaser!!! I know this is probably Richard doing some sort dom/sub play with Asher but daaang I’ve been wanting him and Jean Claude to come to an “understanding” for a looong time. Ah well at least now my imagination has new fodder lol. Thank you for a great sneak peek!!!
Right there with you. I’d like to see Richard really get comfortable with himself and embrace the triumvirate. He and Jean-Claude had a time there in the beginning where it was both of them working together on getting Anita to accept the marks and join with them. I had high hopes for the 3some. Maybe sometime he will get comfortable with more male interactions,
Which reminds me… whatever happened to Auggie? He’s the first one that JC had with Anita in a 3some. There was the whole thing where Auggie tried to make Anita fall in love with him only to have it backfire badly. Yeah, he sent us some lions but he hasn’t really been back in the picture at all. Which delves into the next dangling storyline of the mermen. I’m pretty sure after all these years their mom would have pitched a fit that Anita hasn’t tried to bring them into their full siren powers. – just curious.
Loved this teaser – so cannot wait 🙂
I’d be willing to bet that Richard’s preference for non-preternatural, vanilla women stems from his original wish to remain just human. He contracted lycanthropy from a bad batch of serum; an inoculation to prevent him from contracting lycanthropy. His taste in women reflects his desire to hang on to his humanity.
It is his last vestige of self-denial. Just my opinion, and, since I am not you, I am aware I could be totally wrong about this.
Looking forward to Dead Ice. 🙂
The friend who introduced me to Anita and I have had many discussions about Richard. As much as I love him as a character, it saddens me that he still has such a hard time loving and accepting himself, all of himself. Until he can fully do that, I don’t think he will be able to really love another person or persons. that said, can’t wait for the new book.
Thank you!
Great teaser! Can’t wait for the new book which I just preordered yesterday. I really hope this means Richard is getting closer to accepting who he is. I would love for him to fully integrate himself into Anita’s relationships as the rest of her men have. I get that he wants to have a monogamous relationship but it’s just not possible and he needs to accept that. No matter what, he must always be tied sexually to Anita and Jean Claude because of the triumvirate and the pack (which Anita is still Lupa of). It would take a special woman to be OK with all that and Envy has proven she is not that woman.
I’m really excited to see what’s in store for this one. I love the Merry books and wait patiently for them, but the Anita books are what I started with and I remain loyal, even though they have changed. I actually don’t mind the sex. Others seem to say that the substance has been lost (her doing police work and animating) but I always feel that that was a job and not who she is. She is much more than a marshal or an animator and the police work always felt like filler which held the character development in place. I have actually seen more character development in Anita in the sex-filled books than in the early ones. Anita just didn’t really change when her job was her focus in life. When she started accepting who she actually is and what she can do, and dealing with Jean-Claude and the Ardeur instead of fighting it all, that is when I feel she started to show up as a full character with a lot of personality development. So, to all those who say there is no substance now, what kind of substance are you searching for? Character development and growth don’t seem to be included in that, from what I can tell. I love your books, Laurell. Keep on writing. It brings many people joy in June. 🙂
It amazes me to hear that anyone would want to kill off Jean Claude and Micah. In my opinion, all of Anita’s progress would be destroyed. Of course she would survive, but at what cost? As for Richard… I can see him accidentally killing one of his non preter, vanilla sex partners. I love this series and can’t wait till June 🙂
Agree. You’d think someone who was a reader of the series would know this.
How can I get a copy of shutdown
I love Jean-Claude and Asher. No way should they get “killed off”. The thought is horrifying
Since traumatic experiences, and her ability to adjust to them, have been Anita’s method of personal growth, why not force Richard into line using the same method? Put him in a situation where the way that his values conflict with reality force him to grow into the man that can be Anita’s equal. Richard has always been the republican who dreams of family ideals while white-washing reality. Walk him through a series of events and decisions that lead to a Richard version of Anita’s very pragmatic, but deeply caring, view on life. That book would be so amazing!
Scarlett S-you nailed it-the sex is just a result of the intense interactions-OK maybe some Ardeuer thrown in. The sex brings it to the next level of intimacy. And it is a power that used to be controlling Anita and JC and now they use as a weapon. A Motivational Speaker would call it Personal Growth! Relax!!! and Enjoy!!! Best descriptions I have EVER read! Some people like me-that is ALL they have!!!Bless you LKH!
I have really been missing the wolves in the last few books. I know Jason has been around more. But I miss The Pack. Jamal, Shang Da, even Sylvie and Grahm and Definitely Richard. Blue Moon is my favorite in the series. I always like to read about others animal groups but wolves will always be my favorite. In my opinion laurell is the only one who writes weres correctly. I know that statement is funny considering they are fictional creatures. But if they were real i believe Laurell has writen what they would be like.
Thank you for so many beautiful and amazing stories in the last over 20 years.
Since Anita can break vampire bonds with animals to call I really wish she would just break the tie between Jean Claude and Richard.
I have gone back and forth between cheering for Richard to get his head out of his ass, and just wishing he would go away. I don’t hate him, but I don’t see a way for him to change enough to make everything work, and find his own happiness with how things stand now and I am tired “of shoveling his emotional shit” as Anita would say 😉
My mother actually introduced me to the books years ago. (A shared book addiction and enjoyment of similar types of books made me demand her books in her will.) Although we shared and exchanged books all the time, we rarely ever discussed them. Weird right? She did discuss Richard. She considered him an abusive manipulator.
Asher and Richard are just so damaged they keep trying to make it all about them when it takes all of them to make it work and to screw it up. I love that Anita and Jean-Claud are finally putting the brakes on the abusive behaviors, but they still keep the door open for them too.
“Stop treating us like crap. Get over yourselves. If you can’t, the door is right over there. We’ll be here enjoying ourselves when you grow up.”
I think it would be great if Richard could embrace fully who he is, and what he is. It has been stated that he feel certain atraction for Jean-Claude, but he is afraid of acepting or acting on it. I think that it is because is another point that he is not human, after all natural wolves have male on male relationships when the she-wolf of the pack is on heat (in natural packs there is only one or two females, depending on size of the pack).