Saturday, January 30, 2010

Saturday's Stupid Saying

We must keep our ears to the ground if we want to keep our heads above water.
BBC farm program broadcaster

The final arrangements for my BFF's mom have been made. I'm leaving tomorrow for the viewing and the funeral is to be Monday morning. I'm staying over one more night to be with her. A mini-vacation for me, and some long-overdue quality time for us. I think the last time we had an occasion to talk for any length of time in person was in 2006! Sad it takes a funernal to bring us back together with our hectic lives, but when I told her I was staying over after the funeral, she broke down and cried. "Thank you...."


Out of the mouths of babes!!
I received this email a few days ago and decided to repost it here. Enjoy!

What Love means to a 4-8 year old . . ...
Slow down for three minutes to read this.
It is so worth it. Touching words from the mouth of babes.

A group of professional people posed this question to a
group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?'

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone
could have imagined See what you think:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend
over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even
when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'

Rebecca- age 8


________________________________




'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is
different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4


________________________________




'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on
shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'

Karl - age 5


________________________________




'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most
of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'

Chrissy - age 6


________________________________




'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4

________________________________



'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip
before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7

________________________________



'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing,
you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'

Emily - age 8

________________________________



'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening
presents and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

________________________________



'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who
you hate,'

Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

________________________________



'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it
everyday.'

Noelle - age 7

________________________________



'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still
friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6

________________________________



'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at
all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

Cindy - age 8

________________________________



'My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'

Clare - age 6

________________________________



'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'

Elaine-age 5

________________________________



'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is
handsomer than Robert Redford.'

Chris - age 7

________________________________



'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone
all day.'

Mary Ann - age 4

________________________________



'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old
clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4

________________________________



'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars
come out of you.' (what an image)

Karen - age 7

________________________________



'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's
gross.'

Mark - age 6

________________________________



'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you
mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

Jessica - age 8

________________________________



And the final one

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an
elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's
yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy
said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

Friday, January 29, 2010

Flashback Friday: Life In A Small Town

Currently Reading: Finished A Courtesan's Scandal last night. WOW! Definitely a Recommended Read! Loved the characters, the storyline, etc! Now I can hardly wait to read the rest of the Scandal series:)

Why does the final episode of Charmed always make me cry? It never fails; when Piper and Leo begin to go up the stairs, my eyes well up with tears. And I've seen the damn thing at least five times now...


2000:
Again, I have to preface this by giving a little history. My son had begun to play Pee-Wee Baseball in 1998 and the following summer, I had reluctantly agreed to be his team's Concession Representative; in other words, I would open the stand before all of our home games AND schedule workers. Not a problem.

Toward the end of the season, the concession manager informed us she was looking for a replacement. I had no interest.

And then came the awards banquet. A friend had just discovered she was pregnant with twins, and I was happily minding my own business and chatting with her quietly during the election of new officers. The League president mentioned needing a new Concession Manager. All of a sudden, one of my friends frantically waved her hand and nominated Me!

All eyes turned in my direction; I shook my head 'no' emphatically. No one else volunteered or nominated anyone else. A flurry of activity gathered around our table as women slid over to beg me to take the job. The President even brought it up again, and joked I wouldn't even look at him. The outgoing Manager even came over and finally I broke down and asked what the duties were. After the meeting had broken up, and my husband and I were helping clean up, the President approached me again. By this time, I had many women offering to help out, so I sighed and agreed to the job.

"Now you know why I hate small towns; you do a good job and suddenly everyone wants you to take over!"

Fast-forward to January 2000. I received a phone call that the monthly board meetings would begin to take place. I attended my first one, scared to death. I only really knew the Vice-President, because our sons had been on the same team. I simply kept my mouth shut until the Treasurer showed me his accounting methods and gave me a copy of the program he used. It looked pretty straightforward, so I wasn't too worried. After I returned home, my brain 'unfroze' and I began a list of questions to ask at the next meeting. I'd received praise from the moms whom I'd scheduled the previous season, and had waitress experience in both a country club and tiny bar and grille, as well as observing other concession stands, so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. But still, I had only been in the community for two years, and was concerned about stepping on toes. I wanted to make sure the transition was a smooth one.

We were also thrilled the doomsday predictions of Jan 1, 2000 didn't happen!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Authority and Respect

Amber's Winner is....Beth!

Congratulations! Email Amber at amberskyze@aol.com :)


Have I Been Watching Too Much L&O?


Maybe this is just me, but I've noticed an appalling lack of respect for authority fugures on my latest obsession.

I know most of it is probably for dramatic effect, but it is getting rather predictable to separate the guilty ones from the innocent ones because of their attitudes.

The innocent ones (again, with a few exceptions!) are cooperative, polite, and make every effort to answer the detectives' questions. Unless the investigation hits too close to home and they feel threatened....then the gloves come off.

The guilty ones run away when they spot the police; they lie; they pull out the attitude ('So why are you searching MY house?' 'I'd like you to leave now; I'm done answering your questions...' and 'I don't have to tell you nothing!') and end up in worse trouble than if they had simply cooperated in the first place!

Which led me to wonder, have we lost all respect for those in authority? The media no longer refers to 'President'; they call him 'Mr. Obama'. I see kids bossing around their parents, or parents who have lost control of their kids.

And when did this transformation take place? Has it been gradual? Or am I just slow to notice?

Mind-boggling.

FYI:
Just learned that my bff's mother passed away around 5am. I'm going to try to go up this weekend and be with her for a few days.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Terrific Tuesday with Amber Skyze!

Today my guest is one of my newest blogmates, Amber Skyze. I confess; I've only read one of Amber's books, Splashing Good Time, and loved it! The next one I'll read is her newest release, which she generously sent me the other day.




Welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest release.

First let me say Thank You for having me today! I’m Amber Skyze and I write hot erotic romances. My latest release is Ignited from Ellora’s Cave. Nikaya is turning thirty and has one wish – to be with two men! Lucky for her she has a loving husband who is willing to share.

Have you ever had an idea for a story which scared you after you began writing it?

No! I hope that never happens. LOL


Have you incorporated actual events from your own life into your books?

Some, but of course I’ve tweaked them to make it fictional. ;-)


How much research do you do? Do you research first and then write, or do you write first, then research as needed?

Research…Hmmm, well let’s see. I research as I go along or after I finish the first draft. I’m easily distracted so if I stop to research while I’m writing I’ll lose the mode.

Is there any message you want readers to take from reading your work?

Not to be afraid of their sexuality. Go after what they want and don’t be afraid of Happily Ever After.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? And have you ever had a story take on a life of its own?

I’m a pantser. Sometimes I’m envious of plotters. I’ve had a few stories take on a life of their own and that’s when I appreciate being a punster.

How long did it take for you to be published?

About nine months. I’d written for magazines, the True's and other avenues over the years, but when I set my mind to publishing it happened. March of 2008 I sent out three manuscripts. I received my first contract in December.


You mentioned in earlier blog posts that you have stories in the Chicken Soup books. How did you get started with that, and which books can we find your stories?

I started writing for chicken soup after seeing a submission request. I've been published in: All in the Family, Adopted Souls, Teens Talk High School and Brothers and Sisters.









If you could go back and tell yourself anything when you first began your writing career, what would you say?

Honestly, not much. My naivety was what landed me here today. If I knew how hard it can be at times, I might not have submitted anything.

Laptop or pen and ink? What are your ‘must-haves’ when writing?

Laptop. Just my laptop and silence when writing.


Who are your favorite authors? Who would you say influenced you the most?

I have so many favorites too many to list.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

I am painfully shy.

For Fun:

Since it is January, what are your goals for the coming year?

To get 10 contracts! I’m an overachiever. LOL

What is your favorite New Years’ Eve memory?

That’s easy. 2006 when I married my husband.

Is there something you really wanted for Christmas, but didn’t get?

Not sure…it’s not Christmas yet. (when she answered this:)

Ideal winter time: Snow or a white beach?

White beach. I don’t like cold weather, though I haven’t left the northeast yet.

Thank you for being here today! Please tell us where we can find your books.

Thanks so much for having me!!!!!

You can find my books at:
www.jasminejade.com
www.aspenmountainpress.com
www.nobleromance.com





Ignited, out TODAY!

Blurb:

Got Fantasies? Nikaya does. She longs to be loved by two men.



Nikaya is celebrating her birthday with a new Mustang. As she’s climbing the mountain in her shiny new car, a police officer comes out of nowhere. He pulls her over and treats her to a birthday spanking. With a sore butt and a burning need to orgasm, she’s whisked away to a cabin.



Braden and his best friend Hank have a few surprises up their sleeve for the birthday girl. They include whips, floggers, chains, blindfolds and more. They hope to make all her fantasies reality.



Three hot bodies, sex toys and a spanking machine are only the beginning for Nikaya.

Excerpt:

Nikaya floored the gas pedal as she climbed the windy mountain road in her new black Mustang. The beige plush leather seats caressed her legs. The Mustang, a gift to herself for her thirtieth birthday, roared up the hill with ease. Some might look at thirty as the end of having fun, a time to grow up and figure out where they were going in life, but not her. No, she knew exactly where she was going and the car was not some midlife crisis purchase. She looked at thirty like an awakening to a new decade—one that would allow her more freedom to explore who she really was.

With the top down she felt alive. Warm air blew her long sandy blonde hair away from her face. As she drove higher and higher into the mountain, blood pumped through her veins. She was free.

The sun dipped behind the mountain caps. Nikaya didn’t worry as dusk settled upon the town of Desmond Point. She knew the lay of the land like the back of her hand. She pressed the pedal slightly harder with her high-heeled sandal, gunning the engine on the desolate road. Her fire-engine red fingertips gripped the steering wheel. One wrong move and she could find herself flying over the side of the mountain, crashing on the rocky bottom. Adrenaline soared, her heart pumped wildly. She loved living on the edge, the thrill of adventure.

A quick glance in her rearview mirror alerted her to trouble.

“Shit,” she cursed, noticing the glare of the flashing red light. “Where did he come from?” The road had been virtually empty for the last two miles.

She slowed down and found a safe spot to pull over. Was this the right thing to do? The flashing lights weren’t on top of the car, they were inside. She’d read articles about crazies who liked to pretend they were police officers. They’d pull over unsuspecting women and then rape them. Could this guy be one of them?

She tapped her fingertips on the wheel, contemplating what she should do. Should she call and verify he was for real? Her cell phone probably wouldn’t get reception this high up the mountain. She couldn’t take off and leave him standing there, just in case he was a true officer.

Another thought popped in her mind. Would he give her a speeding ticket? A ticket was not something she wanted for her birthday. Maybe he would cut her some slack.

“Evening, ma’am,” the man said, approaching the car.

“Sir.” His sun-streaked brown hair fell haphazardly around his face. He wasn’t in uniform. He was dressed in black slacks and a short-sleeved white button-down shirt. The top three buttons were undone, exposing a small patch of dark brown hair. He looked more like someone who spent most of his days on the beach, rather than driving around in a police car. Another glance in the rearview mirror warned her he wasn’t driving a police cruiser. A shiver of fear passed through her as she gazed into the most astonishing blue eyes.

“Do you realize how fast you were going?” he asked.

She shrugged, indifferently.

“I’m gonna need your license and registration.” He leaned two muscular hands on the door.

He smelled of sun and sand.

Nikaya obediently dug through her purse, looking for the documents. Once she retrieved her license she handed it to him. “Look, officer, I didn’t mean any harm. I—”

“Step out of the car, ma’am.”

“Huh?”

“I said, step out of the car.”

“What is this all about?” Surely this could be handled from the safety of her car.

“Now.”

His stern voice prompted her out of the car.

“Hands against the car. Legs spread.”

“You’re joking, right?” She looked at his face and he didn’t appear to be kidding. He looked stone-cold serious.

Shaking his head, he pointed to the hood of the car.

Nikaya did as she was instructed, cursing under her breath.

“Excuse me?” He placed a hand on the small of her back.

Heat coursed through her body from his touch.

“Nothing,” she spat. Then added, “Sir.”

He snickered behind her.

Condescending bastard.

His hand roamed south, resting on her bare leg. As he pushed his body against hers she felt his hardness rub against her. He whispered in her ear, “Spread ’em.”

This definitely was not the norm, she thought, swallowing back the urge to cry. His touch felt hot against her cool skin. Nikaya spread her legs.

“I see from your license it’s your birthday today.” His hand crawled up her leg and under her skirt. “Ummm, no panties.”

“I have no use for them. They’re cumbersome,” she admitted.

“Oh, so wet,” he whispered, grazing his finger along the folds of her pussy.

Nikaya bit her lip, she would not moan. Just because the touch of his finger along her slit set her soul on fire. She would not allow him to know how he affected her.

“Did I do something wrong, officer?”

“You were racing up the mountain at a pretty high speed. Do you know the dangers of these winding roads?” He patted her down.

“I’m not armed.”

Ignoring her, he continued his search. Both hands caressed her legs before he lifted her skirt up over her ass.

“I don’t believe this is protocol, sir.” Her legs grew wobbly under his touch.

“Are you questioning my authority?” He stood, gently guiding her body onto the hood of the car.

“No, it’s just—”

She was quieted by his hand swooping down, smacking her across her bare ass.

“Ouch! What was that for?” She attempted to cover her sore cheek.

He quickly grabbed her hand and pinned it over her head.

“For getting obstinate with a police officer.”

“I find it hard to believe you’re a police officer.”

“You don’t believe I’m an officer? I guess I’ll have to convince you.”

His hand came crashing down on her buttocks again.

And again.

“Please stop. I’m begging you.”

“Begging me, huh? It’s your birthday and you know what that means, right?”

“What?” she choked. The sting in her cheeks sent the rest of her body into a tizzy. The burn had her pussy pooling with juices.

“You need to get your birthday spankings. One for each year. I see here you’re thirty this year. I’m going to slap that sweet ass thirty times and each time my hand cracks those luscious cheeks I want you to count. Do you understand?”

She understood but she didn’t agree with him. There was no way she was going to stand there and accept his spanking.

“I’m waiting for an answer, Ms. Murphy.”

“And if I don’t?”

He chuckled.

“Let’s just say you won’t like the consequences.”

She was tempted to scream for help but knew no one would hear. Except maybe one of the owls hooting in the distance or a nocturnal animal but they wouldn’t save her. There wasn’t a house for miles and the likelihood of another car driving up the mountain at this time of the night was slim. She was at the mercy of this man. She had to do what he said or else.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good.” He smacked her ass.

Silence.

“I’m waiting.”

“One,” she cried.

He smacked her a few more times.

“Two, three, four…”

“You’ve got the hang of this.” His smugness irritated her. Her ass needed cool water to extinguish the burning radiating it.

He continued slapping her cheeks and she continued counting until they reached thirty.

“You’ve been a very obedient girl. Maybe I’ll let you go without a ticket.”

“I still don’t believe you’re a cop. Where’s your cruiser? Where’s your badge,” she challenged. He pressed her harder against the car hood and draped his body over hers.

“You want to see my badge? I’ll show you my badge.”

The sound of his belt coming undone pierced her ears. The zipper descended. He still had a strong grip on her wrists.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“Showing you my badge.”

“I believe you. Just give me a ticket and I’ll be on my way.”

“Oh honey, I’m just getting started.”

With his free hand he positioned himself behind her. His leg pushed hers farther apart. He guided his stiff cock to the edge of her cunt.

“You want this, don’t you?”

She remained silent. She wasn’t about to admit that she was turned on. The way he warmed her ass caused a stirring she hadn’t felt in a long time. Excitement. She was highly aroused and the prospect of being fucked against her new car, on the open mountain road, had her adrenaline soaring.

Click here to buy:)

Monday, January 25, 2010

Updated Reading Schedule

I had to make some adjustments again, when I looked at which books I was buying from which publisher. I had four books at Siren/BookStrand, one per week, so I simplified things and bought all four at once. Here's the lineup:

-Ringo's Ride by Regina Carlsle
-A Secret Treasure by Lindsay Townsend
-Cross Country Chaos by Lesli Richardson
-Ignited by Amber Skyze
-Love At First Sight by Tymber Dalton
-Blue Gold by Lindsay Townsend


I'm also deep into Final Justice by WEB Griffen, and am still disturbed by the jump in time.

And does anyone know how to search for a particular book if you don't know the title or author, only the characters and main plot? I swear; this is driving me insane. I can see the cover in my mind's eye; I can recall all characters. And searching through twenty to thirty boxes of books is NOT an option at the moment!

What brought this on? Last year on another blog, the question about accurate historicles arose, and this was one of the books mentioned. The commentor refused to give out the title, even though I begged her to email me privately. It's been quietly driving me crazy ever since.

Yeah Baby!
Saints and Colts heading to the Super Bowl! Predicted this back in week #8 when both teams were undefeated:) Drew Brees is a Purdue grad who previously played for the San Diego Chargers. New Orleans has never been to the Super Bowl, and it took a Purdue grad to get 'em there!

One of my FB friends posted 'If we'd made a drinking game of every time Favre ended up on his ass, we'd all be hammered by now'; gotta agree. And the news is already saying the Vikings were robbed. I don't care; I watched nearly every second of that game, and it was a tight nail-biter!

In two weeks, GO COLTS!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Saturday's Stupid Saying

The shark prevention net was dismantled for maintenance on 1 November 2004.

We Apologize For Any
Inconvienience Caused.

sign at Australian beach

"Where ARE You?"
Sigh...friends, gotta love 'em. I guess when your main job is to stay home and write, people expect you to pick up the phone immediately when they call.

Surprise....I'm usually running errands during certain times of the week. I have Caller ID; I also have voice mail. I do NOT have a cell phone, so if you call me and I don't answer the phone, leave a message or just hang up. If I recognize your number and have time to call you back, I will do so.

But please...remember what I said about common courtesy so many posts ago? Do NOT yell into the phone, "Where the hell are you? You'd better call me back pronto..." because this is not going to get you a favorable response.

I'm likely to take my time calling you back and when I DO call, I'll let you know I didn't appreciate your tone of voice. I do have a Life outside my home.

Today I'll be digging through old photographs, looking for copies of any BSA pics. Wish me luck!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Flashback Friday

Breaking News: Just got word from friend K:
(in case you missed it yesterday)
"Praise be to God!!! The surgeon just called to let me know that no cancer was found in my lymph nodes and that it was most likely contained in the tissue that was removed. Thank you to everyone for all of the cards, prayers, and messages of support. I am really relieved and happy about the news! I knew that God would take care of everything and am glad that His will was for me to have a good outcome."


1990
At the tender age of twenty-four, I thought I had Life in the palm of my tiny hand. I had a steady job after college, my first apartment, and was engaged to a guy I'd met at one of my friend's wedding. But I'd compromised one too many times on my personal comfort level.

"If I Could Turn Back Time..."
I'd certainly go back and slap myself upside the head during this period. I had moved thirty minutes north of my job in order to be closer to my fiance. This not only added stress to my gas allowance, but surely you know by now how much I hate to drive in snow. So this is going to come as a shock: My first job? Driving a preschool 'bus' (it was a station wagon) for developmentally challenged kids.

I was also NOT a morning person. This job meant I had to be at work no later than 7:30am, since my route was one of the longer ones. While I was living in town, I would get to work around seven, drink a cup of hot chocolate and joke around with my boss before I headed out. But once I moved, I was distressed to learn that in order to get to work on time, I had better not leave my apartment any later than 6:29am. If I left before that time, I arrived at seven. Any later and I'd be pushing to make it by seven-thirty, because of the traffic patterns. Add bad weather to this mix, and I was soon tired of the drive every morning.

My mother called me soon after the holidays to ask about attending the Bridal Expo. With the stress of having to drive two hours each day to and from work, plus being out in the elements, plus dealing with stir-crazy kids ages eighteen months to five years, I was not a pleasant person to be around. My fiance wasn't thrilled with the fact I'd rather curl up with a good book instead of watching TV with him, and soon we were arguing non-stop. So when Mom called, planning a wedding was the last thing on my mind. I told her I didn't think there was going to be a wedding in September, and we'd go to it the following year.

But On The Plus Side...
I 'kidnapped' my sister one Saturday and we spent a good day holed up in my apartment, talking, listening to music, and I think even playing a shortened game of Trivial Pursuit. She was in her junior year of college, and about to embark on a semester trip to study in London, so this was my last weekend to see her before she left.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

What's the Deal With Women's Footwear?

Congratulations Kimberlee! You're the winner of Carol's book, Love, Lies, and Deceit! Email me at storimom2@aol.com

Currently Reading: Ringo's Ride by Regina Carlysle (e-book) and Final Judgement by WEB Griffin (print).

Breaking News: Just got word from friend K:
"Praise be to God!!! The surgeon just called to let me know that no cancer was found in my lymph nodes and that it was most likely contained in the tissue that was removed. Thank you to everyone for all of the cards, prayers, and messages of support. I am really relieved and happy about the news! I knew that God would take care of everything and am glad that His will was for me to have a good outcome.
"

I guess I was born without the shoe gene.

You know, the one which dictates you must own nearly every pair of footwear on the shelves? Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City-type.

Maybe it's my chosen profession. After all, I'm a full time mom. I live in sneakers and sandals in the summertime; boots in the winter, and since the move three years ago, my dress shoes are boots in the winter and neutral-colored sandals for church in the summer.

I did break down and buy two pair of crocs; the black clog-ones for bumming around the house, or if I happen to be wearing a black tee and capris, and the red sandal-type, for wearing to the pool or if I'm (likewise) wearing a red tee and capris.

But what about those signings? As much time as I spend on my feet, I'm usually wearing sneakers at the craft fairs. And in the book stores, the above mentioned dress footwear. But I know the day is rapidly approaching where I'm going to want to wear a dress, and need the appropriate shoes.

Buried somewhere in my storage unit are my five pairs of pumps. Inch and a half black; inch and a half white; half an inch black; half an inch white; half an inch blue. I have no idea if any of these even fit me anymore, since I last wore them pre-2001.

I cracked up the SU several years ago because I had a pair of white flats I loved to wear in the summer. I'd purchased them somewhere around 1985 or 6, and when the soles came loose, Shoe Goo patched them back together. A year later, Gorilla Glue did the trick...for about three weeks. I couldn't find a replacement pair anywhere. I even considered finding a pair of heeled white pumps and removing the heel. He refused to shell out the money just so I could break off the heel. I settled for a strappy pair of low-heeled sandals which lasted me until this past summer, when the strap completely broke in two.

While Tabby was looking for boots last Saturday, I was wandering the dress shoe aisle. And for fun, tried on a pair of three-inch purple stillettos. I could only stand to walk about three steps! But the choices were either three inch heels or ballet shoes. And either my shoe size is average or the shoemakers decided to thumb their noses and only make ugly (imho!) shoes available in 9 1/2.

My lack of footwear hasn't bothered me until recently. My toddler is getting more and more independant, and I need not have to chase him as much. But with the writing job doing well, and conferences coming up, I'd like to be well-dressed. Especially for my son's Eagle Scout Ceremony and his graduation. And frankly, I'm getting tired of my black jeans.

Remember several years ago, there was a shoe company which advertized 'sneaker-like comfort in your pumps' or something like that? And the most comfortable pair of dress shoes I used to have were Cobbies. Do they still make those anymore? Guess I need to grab Tabs and go shoe-shopping.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Time Warp

One of the joys of reading a series is the continuation of the timeline/story, right? While I was in Evansville on Saturday, I was super-excited to see another book in my favorite police series, Badge of Honor by WEB Griffin.

Began reading it yesterday.

And after two pages, double-checked to see if my eyes were deceiving me.

You see, when the last book left off, it was the mid-1970's in Philedelphia; the main character was 25 or 26; and his girlfriend had just been brutally murdered.

At the begiining of the new book, the secondary characters are driving SUV's, talking about cell phones, and taking pictures with a digital camera.

Whoa....those weren't around in 1976!!

I kept reading. Maybe the author decided to modernize the series? What would Matt be doing, thirty years later?

Surprise...when Matt shows up, it is revealed to be six months after the murder of his beloved; he is still twenty-six, and about to find out if he passed the Seargent's exam!

So then I wondered if I'd missed the subtle progression of time; had some of the books taken place in the 1980's or even 90's? I decided to check out amazon.com. And found the following critique:

W.E.B. Griffin's books, while captivating reads, have frequently suffered from inconsistencies from one book to the next. This has often been a result of his detailed summaries, often including dialogue, of events from previous books. Among the Griffin fans with whom I've chatted, this is the most commonly cited complaint.

The newest entry in the Badge of Honor series is the most extreme example. As many other reviewers have pointed out, the setting is jarringly moved from the mid 1970s to the present day. Characters are missing with little explanation. However, the Badge of Honor series has been suffering through the last few entries. Significant subplots have been developed only to drop out of the series. Two previous books have had significant subplots surrounding slayings of police officers, but these have sunk without a trace. And of course, the last book developed the idea that the crack Narcotics 5 squad was crooked, giving every suggestion that book number 8 would be based on this investigation.

Okay. Whew! It's not just me. Yes, I'll keep reading, but I am very disappointed he chose to play with time!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Terrific Tuesday with Carol Preflatish

Breaking News: Kenzie's guest blogging over at the Writer's Evo blog. Stop by and see her new cover for Teacher's Pet, plus any advice she's giving to newly published authors! Gee...you think she used any pointers I gave her? Also, drop by Kenzie's Place and see her new cover for Teacher's Pet:)


Today my guest is fellow Indiana author, Carol Preflatish. Carol and I 'met' through the first yahoo chat loop I had joined, the Indiana Writer's Connection, and during the past two years, we've encouraged each other, bounced promo ideas around, and despite only living about ninety minutes from each other, our schedules have never quite managed to 'gel', but I hope to meet her someday:)


Welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest release.

Thanks for having me here today, Molly. I'm Carol Preflatish from Indiana and my first novel was released on December 17 from Red Rose Publishing. "Love, Lies & Deceit" is a romantic suspense about rookie CIA officer, Julie McBride, who against company regulations, falls in love with her training officer, Jason Reid. But, when Jason is arrested for treason, Julie has to decide whether she believes in him enough to risk her own career and life to help him prove his innocence.



Have you ever had an idea for a story which scared you after you began writing it?

I've written two manuscripts involving espionage and did a lot of Internet research about spy stuff for those stories. I often worry if I'm on some government list somewhere because of what I researched.

Have you incorporated actual events from your own life into your books?

Not exactly about my own life, but the book I am working on now is loosely based about the unsolved disappearance of a family that happened in my local area about 50 years ago. The story has always fascinated me to the point that I have a file of old newspaper clippings about it.

How much research do you do? Do you research first and then write, or do you write first, then research as needed?

I research a lot. I like to write about difference locations and do extensive research about the geographic area where the story is located. Since4 I write about espionage and police work, I rely on my husband for technical assistance. He was with Military Intelligence in the Army and afterward, was a police officer for a while.

Is there any message you want readers to take from reading your work?

I would hope that by reading my novel, readers can take a break from their hectic lives for a little bit of romance.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? And have you ever had a story take on a life of its own?

I'm probably a little more of a plotter because I do try to outline what is going to happen in each chapter, but as I write things have a tendency to change. At that point, I become a pantser. As for the second part of your question, I think as authors, we create characters that come to life in our minds in order to make the story as real as possible. I remember when I finished my first manuscript, I felt a little sad because I knew I was done with the two main characters. It was almost like losing a good friend.

How long did it take for you to be published?

I started seriously writing in January 2000. I signed my first contract in February 2009. "Love, Lies & Deceit" was the second manuscript I wrote. Unfortunately, I write very slow because I work full time and write part time.

You self-pubbed your cookbook, Masters and Disasters of Cooking, through Lulu.com. Tell me what inspired you to put this together.

My husband always got a kick out telling the story about how he thinks I
poisoned him right after we got married with that Chicken and Rice dish. That
got me thinking and laughing at so many cooking disasters I've had since I was a
child taking my first project in 4-H. I decided to put them in a book with the
good recipes included.


Your blog, Carol's Food Bites, features some yummy recipes:) Are you planning to put another cookbook together soon? My family has certainly enjoyed some of the ones I've tried!

Thank you. I'm glad you've liked them. I would love to put together another
cookbook from the stories and recipes on my blog. Time is problem right now. I
work full time and with working on my fiction right now there just isn't enough
hours. I sure hope to be able to put those recipes and stories in a book some
day. I really enjoy writing about them. I use a lot of food in my fiction and
would love to put together a cookbook with the recipes for the dishes I have
written about
.

Are you ever going to finish the book you teased me with last year, titled (forgive me if I get this wrong!!!) Heating Up The Kitchen? I remember reading an excerpt you posted and want to read more:)

The working titles are "A Kitchen Affair" or "Kitchen Heat." It about a girl who
is going to culinary school by working part time in a bakery. The manager at the
bakery encourages her to start doing work as a Personal Chef. She balks at that
idea until the most eligible bachelor in town, a millionaire of course, comes
into the bakery one day. His cook has just quit and he is hosting a dinner party
the following weekend. The bakery manager volunteers the heroine to do the
cooking and well the rest falls right into place, with several bumps along the
way.

As soon as I finish my current book, I plan to get back to that one. Thank you
for asking.


Just out curiosity, what's the origin of your unusual last name?

Preflatish, pronounced Pre-flat-ish, is Hungarian. I married into that name and
we've never found anyone else with that last name.


If you could go back and tell yourself anything when you first began your writing career, what would you say?

I would tell myself to persevere and stick to it. There were many times where I just put all of my writing away and not write for months because I didn't think I could do. I didn't give up, but put it on the back burner for a while. There's nothing wrong with that, except I think I let too much time go by before I picked it back up again.

Laptop or pen and ink? What are your ‘must-haves’ when writing?

Actually, I am a pencil person, which is another reason I write so slowly. I feel so much more creative when I am writing in long-hand, but then I have to take more time to type it up later. When I take part in the NaNoWriMo every November, I write on my AlphaSmart word processor. That is probably my main 'must-have' for my writing. I also have a large supply of mechanical pencils and college rule notepads.

Who are your favorite authors? Who would you say influenced you the most?

My favorite author is James Patterson. I love his Women's Murder Club mystery series. I'm also a fan of Robert B. Palmer and Lisa Gardner. I don't think there's any one person who has influenced me more than another.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

I write suspense and mysteries, but I have a very comical side. I love humor and love to make people laugh.




For Fun:

Since it is January, what are your goals for the coming year?

My immediate goal is to market "Love, Lies & Deceit." My more long-term goals are to try and finish two books in 2010. I only have about three chapters left to write on my current manuscript and I've already written about four chapters on another.

What is your favorite New Years’ Eve memory?

I'm really a boring person when it comes to New Years' Eve. My husband and I always stay home on that night. I do remember last year we bought a bottle of champagne at Walmart. Obviously, it was the cheap stuff. I think it was the nastiest thing I have ever tasted.

Is there something you really wanted for Christmas, but didn’t get?

I was going to buy myself a laptop computer for Christmas, but opted instead to fly to Mississippi and spend Christmas with my daughter, which was much better than a computer.

Ideal winter time: Snow or a white beach?

I love snow. We live in a log home in the country and I love how it looks around here when it snows.

Thank you for being here today! Please tell us where we can find your books.

Thank you so much for having me here. "Love, Lies & Deceit" can be purchased from my publisher at http://www.redrosepublishing.com/. I also have a cookbook called "Masters & Disasters of Cooking" and it can be found on Amazon.com. Both books can also be found on my web site, http://carolpre.webs.com/

Carol is giving away a free copy of Love, Lies, and Deceit:) All you have to do is leave a comment with your name and email address. She'll draw a name at random tomorrow. Good luck!

Love, Lies, and Deceit
Blurb:

Against regulations, rookie CIA officer Julie McBride and her training officer, Jason Reid fell in love. But, when Jason is arrested for treason, Julie has to decide whether she believes in him enough to risk her own career and life to help him prove his innocence.


Excerpt:

Back on the highway, Julie took the George Washington Memorial Highway to Alexandria and to her apartment. When she walked in the door, a strange feeling came over her. She turned on the light and looked around the room. Everything looked in its place. She put her keys and purse on the table and walked into the kitchen. That's when she noticed the glass sitting next to the sink, used. She knew she hadn't dirtied a glass that morning. She walked into the living room and got her gun from the desk drawer. The only place someone could be hiding in her apartment was the bathroom or the bedroom.

She walked toward the bathroom. The door stood ajar. With her foot she pushed it all the way open and turned on the light. No one was inside, or hiding in the shower. Once in the hallway, she stepped toward the bedroom. This door was open, but the room inside was dark. With gun in one hand, she reached in to flick the switch with the other. But, before she could turn the light on, a hand grabbed her arm with the gun and flung her on the bed. Someone landed on top of her and pinned down her hand with the gun. Her attempt to scream was stifled because a hand clasped over her mouth. She tried to struggle, but he was too strong.

"Stop fighting me and don't scream." The man took the gun out of her hand. "I'm going to take my hand away from your mouth. You aren't going to scream, are you?"

She shook her head no. Gradually, he removed his hand from over her mouth until she was able to speak. "Get off me, you bastard!" She had recognized her assailant's voice.

He rolled off and she turned on the light. Jason stood on the other side of the bed from her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I needed to talk to you."

"You couldn't pick up the phone and call me? I would have come to your apartment." She rolled her neck to make sure she was okay.

"My phone is being monitored."

"What do you want?"

"I need your help, but first I need to know if I can trust you." He swallowed hard. "Did you have anything to do with the drop in Austria, resulting in my arrest?"

She looked at her gun in his hand. "You still have my gun. How I answer your question determines what you do with it."

He placed her gun on her bed. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I still had it. Julie, I have to know if you were involved in some way."

She laughed. "I must be a pretty damn good spy if you need to ask me that. No, I had nothing to do with it."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, dropping his head. "I believe you."

Monday, January 18, 2010

Wonderful Weekend!

Breaking News: Kenzie's guest blogging over at the Writer's Evo blog. Stop by and see her new cover for Teacher's Pet, plus any advice she's giving to newly published authors! Gee...you think she used any pointers I gave her?




First Stop: B&N in Evanville, IN.
Authors Robert Freeze, J Travis Grundon, and Justin Brock-Jones of the Anthology of the Living Dead, and myself:)












Friends Ben and Tabitha with the authors. I even helped sell the twelfth copy:) I think in all, fifteen were sold. Not a bad day:)













The entire gang, minus three or four, went out to dinner at Crazy Buffet. Travis snapped this from his cell phone; I'd accidentally left my camera in the car.

Left Side: Jenni, Carrie and Justin, Tabby, and Ben.

Right side, from far end: James and Stacy, Amanda, Courtney, me.

Afterwards, Ben, Tabs, and I went to Target, Burlington Coat Factory, and another shoe store (Tabs was looking for a pair of boots) before we met up with the rest of the gang at the Mall. After walking off dinner, B, T, and I decided to go to TGI Fridays and watch the rest of the Colts' game. They beat the Ravens, 20-3:) Had a wonderful day out with my friends, something I don't get to do very often.

Come back tomorrow for my interview with Carol Preflatish, author of Love, Lies, and Deceit:)

Also, K is having her surgery today, for her malignant melanoma on her back. Please keep her in your prayers?

Happy Birthday to her big brother Kevin:) And my friend Beth, who both inspired me to write Class Reunion last fall:)

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Saturday's Stupid Saying and Memory

Buy Two Dinner Entrees
& get
$500 OFF!
With Coupon Only.
Only one coupon per customer.

coupon for a restaurant

I'd like to eat there; wouldn't you? Ha ha:)

Memory:
I've heard that memories are linked to the senses, especially sound, taste, and smell. A song can transport you back to a lost love. Smell can take you back to your grandmother's lap. Last night, I was taken back to a lost tradition in my mother's living room.

My SU had discovered a do-it-yourself pizza recipe for cast iron skillets. Keep in mind; he grew up cooking with cast iron, and wanted to try it, especially since camping is one of his first loves. If he mastered the art of this dish, the boy scouts he frequently camps with would be appreciative, as he's constantly showing them how meals do not have to be limited to hot dogs, chili, or hamburgers.

In case his dough failed, we had bought a Chef Boy-Ar-Dee pizza making kit, the kind I've not had in years, because my dough making skills frankly suck. My problem is in getting the water the right temperature to activate the yeast. I learned of this problem as a teenager, and after several attempts, finallly admitted defeat. I buy frozen; order takeout; buy the Pillsbury pizza crusts; or the ready-made kind found in the deli.

We decided to make one pizza in the cast iron, and the others from the kit. The SU got the kit's dough perfect! The yeast he'd found in the cabinet for the other turned out to be too old and didn't rise. But that was okay; he made one pizza instead of two, and loaded it with his toppings: Onion, mushroom, green pepper, sausage, and pepperoni. He'd also thrown in some Italian seasonings to spice it up.

The other pizzas were cheese and sausage/pepperoni. We have some tame palates in our home. Any guesses who the cheese pizza was for? If you said me, you'd be guessing correctly! I'll eat sausage pizza, but only if there's no other option. Pepperoni only if it's the large kind I can pick off.

Anyway...one bite of that pizza and suddenly I was back in our living room, Sunday night, watching The Wonderful World of Disney. It was the only night my sister and I were allowed to eat in front of the TV, and Mom usually made pizzas. And since this was before the use of VCR's or pausing Live TV (I'm constantly telling my youngest that no, we do NOT pause Spongebob just to eat dinner!), if you missed a TV show, you had to wait for the rerun in about six months. Or wait till the network decided to show the movie again. (Anyone remember that? Imagine...three channels; if the President was on, there was nothing to watch; parents actually dared to send their kids off to bed at nine, just before 'the good stuff' happened!)

Enjoy your Saturday. In a few hours, I'm off to visit a fellow author who is signing copies of his book, Forrest J Ackerman's Anthology of the Living Dead. I believe it shot to the #1 spot on the P&E poll this past week. Shows he's got a lot of friends:) No offense, Travis. After all, I've not even read the thing yet, but I still got everyone in my house to vote for you:) Maybe one day if I'm ever lucky enough to be nominated, you'll return the favor?

Before I forget (again!), pop over to the MLMYA blog and tell Sandra Cox hello. She's been the guest this entire week, due to me passing her info along to Carrie.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Flashback Friday Pt 1

Currently Reading: Too Close To The Fire by Jayden Chealsee. I'm up to Ch 15 and am hoping the bad guys are caught at the end of this book!


1980
Let's delve into the mind of a fourteen-year-old, and to do that I need to back up a few months to October 1979.

I was feeling pretty good about myself around Halloween. I was growing confident in my ability to sass the opposite sex with good comebacks, plus was a good student. I loved both my Health and History teachers, even taking some good-natured ribbing when 'Cincinnati' was on a spelling test, and when it came time to check the answers, Mr. I told me to stand up and turn around; I'd worn my 'I love Cincinnati' t-shirt someone had given me. And then he asked me if I'd spelled it correctly without cheating:) I had, and everyone, including myself, laughed about it.

If I liked a subject, or the teacher, I did well in that class.

Boyfriend-wise, I was still 'going with' the same guy since I was twelve, and couldn't imagine life without him, with the exception of his last name. It just didn't sound right, paired with my first name, so I had decided to be radical and not change my name, when and if that day ever came.

For Halloween, my sister, friend K, and myself decided to be cheerleaders. They dressed as cheerleaders from the 50's; I decided to dress like my favorite NFL cheer team. I didn't have the exact costume, but if you used your imagination, it was 'obvious' what I was striving for. Or at least, that's what I thought!

The day after Halloween, all hell broke loose in the corridors of my school. One of the guys who I couldn't stand had been in my neighborhood and had recognized me. Not grasping my concept in the darkness, he blabbed to his buddies I had chosen to portray another profession, NOT what a good, Christian girl would ever hope to be. I was teased, and not knowing how to defend myself, began to withdraw.

I felt I couldn't talk to anyone. Had I been warned of consequences? I didn't think so. Mom had even taken pictures of us, and I don't even think it crossed her mind. I decided to simply hold my head high and hope everything blew over soon.

Didn't work.

The stress of the teasing got to me. I stopped doing my homework, and had a major blowup with my father, resulting in his decision to cut the plug from my stereo when I mouthed off. I started studying again, and on Christmas morning, received a new connector to my stereo.

But in January, I'm coming up blank. I don't remember doing what caused the major blowup in my family; all I know is I was headed down a path of self-destructiion and didn't know how to stop it.

Looking back, I think I scared myself. As I said, I was a good Christian girl, who followed the rules and tried to please others. All of a sudden, nothing I did was right anymore; my world had been turned upside down and I didn't know how to make things 'right' again.

I found this quote on Facebook the other day:
"People won't remember what you said, People won't remember what you did, People will remember how you made them feel!" It sums up quite nicely my trip to one of my reunions. Nobody mentioed any incidents; all comments to me were genuine and happy to see me. And even though I remember this painful part of my past, it seems it finally did fade from memories. And when I ran into one of my main tormentors, there was no anger on my part; time had healed the wound.

Next month: Pt 2 and being alone in a sea of people.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

I Was Recognized!!

No, I've not won any awards...settle down:) However, I did have a neat thing happen Tuesday night!

I was standing at the counter, watching the server making an espresso and waiting for my turn in the ladies' room when an older man walked up and placed his order. I commented on the soup choice, and he agreed with me. Then he looked at me again.

"You look familiar; where have I seen you before?"

"I'm in here every Tuesday."

"Where do you work?"

"I'm an author; I stay home and write. Maybe you've seen me at one of the festivals around town?"

He snapped his fingers. "The art gallery. That's where I've seen you. Weren't you waiting to see if you were going to be offered a contract?"

"Yes; I received it. Now I'm waiting for the edits to arrive..." and the conversation went from there.

Which brings me to my topic: Interacting with Readers and Authors Online

Lifted this from Hitting The Hot Spot (Forgive me, Jude!)

How often has a reader told me they lurk because they don’t feel important enough to post a message or comment on something an author has shared? To read Jude's full article, go here.

I joined the online community nearly three years ago. I don't mean simply having e-mail; I'm talking about joining Yahoo groups and reading blogs. And this question resonated with me, because, quite frankly, I'm basically a shy person. (Until I feel comfortable with others...no laughing at me Reg, Anny, Brynn, Bron, or Cindy!)

I started with a local writer's group and met some wonderful people. One received an agent and release dates, and it inspired me to push for publication of my 2nd book. And when I attended a local conference later that same year, I was even more thrilled to be telling potential authors about the yahoo group and the knowledge I was being an inspiration to others. In short, my ego got a little inflated.

I started reading a few blogs, but didn't feel 'right', jumping into a conversation with obviously successful and multi-published authors. So after a few weeks, I screwed up my courage and emailed one of them. She welcomed me with open arms, and encouraged me to set up a blogger account so I could comment. Soon the other two were visiting my website and in general, being supportive. Finally, I started this blog. And joined other yahoo groups.

I'm still shy about expressing a strong or controversial opinion, and when I first joined the yahoo groups, I'd start small. A comment here, a promo post there. When my second book did arrive, I posted excerpts and received some good feedback from my new friends and even others I'd not previously chatted with. What I'm no longer shy about is commenting on new blogs I find, or get directed to by my friends.

After taking some time off from the loops while I've been editing, writing some more, and diverting my attention to promoting Kenzie's book (and believe me, yahoo chats can suck you in and distract you from any writing goals!), I found myself reluctant to jump into conversations on the loops, especially when the names of the chatters have changed. But slowly, I'm working my way back into building relationships again, with readers and other authors who have joined while I was gone. It's not so much as feeling unimportant; I think it has more to do with courtesy. Would YOU appreciate someone butting into your conversation and expressing their two cents, if in person? Or is it different online? Sometimes my comment has gone totally ignored. So now I stick to the posted questions and the convcersation flows from there.

So I guess the 'game' goes like this: Say you decide to answer an author's open question, such as 'What Are You Reading?' You find yourself trading banters with another person and soon you're trading information and visiting each other's site. Guess what? You just made a new friend/potential reader.

Other Stuff:
-We successfully brought the downstairs TV upstairs. The 5-yr old is happy again, and so is everyone else!

-Went to the doctor about my still-clogged right ear and am now doing a four-day stint on steroids. Guess what happens if this doesn't clear it up? It's back to the ENT for me, which undoubtedly means another tube in the ear. Grrrr....the bright side to this is I'll know to tell the nurse to clamp my head in place while the doc is doing his thing! It hurt like hell the last time, because I couldn't be trusted to hold my head still. The nurse took a hold of my head, the tube slid in, and...NO PAIN! I'd still like to be knocked out for the procedure...tell everyone you know to buy a copy of all my books, so I get a nice fat royalty check and can pay for the anesthesia, lol! I know...I'm a wimp....

-Discovered my additional words on the new story only brings my word count to 650. Great. Only another 300 words to add. I'll have to either add more dialogue or change my 'brilliant' one-liner ending:) Wish me luck!

What's on your agenda today? And what was your initial reaction when you started communicating with other authors?

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Recommended Read, Prayer Request, and Other Stuff

Currently Reading: Ever read a book and smack yourself for not reading it earlier? I know; I did this with Anny Cook's Flowers of Camelot and Cindy Spencer Pape's gargoyles. Well now, I'm kicking myself for not reading Regina Carlysle's Lycans sooner. I LOVED Lone Star Lycan! I especially loved a particular bath scene. Not going to spoil it for you; just click over to EC and grab your copy. This scene is priceless! I was giggling about two paragraphs into it and didn't stop until the scene was finished! Definitely a Recommended Read:) Next up is Ringo's Ride. Regina very graciously sent it to me when she discovered it was at #50 on my list:) I'll also be reading Jayden Chelsee's Too Close To The Fire.

Prayer Request
A dear friend of mine just discovered she has malignant melanoma. She saw the doctor on Monday and posted the following:


For those of you who haven't heard yet, I found out on Jan. 5th that I have malignant melanoma in the center of my back. Below is an update about what I know at this point. If you get a chance, please say a prayer for me. If you already have been praying - thank you so much!!! It is really helping and I truly appreciate your support.

I saw the plastic surgeon yesterday and his nurse set up an appointment for me with another surgeon on Thursday (Jan. 14). I am going to have the surgery on Jan. 18th, most likely. The melanoma is 2.15 mm and has grown down into the fourth layer of tissue. It isn't in the fatty layer or muscular layer yet, which is good. For the surgery, the plastic surgeon will remove the cancer and surrounding tissue and then the other surgeon will use a radioactive dye to see which lymph node(s) the cancerous area drains to. She will then remove the node(s) for biopsy. I will see the oncologist on Jan. 20th to see what other treatment I may need. My primary care doctor is still in Danville, so I am going to the doctors down there that he has recommended. The surgery will be at Hendricks Regional Health, which is where I had both kids. They also took care of Megan when she had RSV at 8 weeks of age. I am very comfortable there, so that helps.

Thanks again for the prayers!
God bless


I have known K for over thirty years. I met her when she and her brothers moved into the neighborhood, and her older brother ended up in my class. She and my sister are still to this day Best Friends Forever. She is also the mother of two children, ages 9 and 5.

So please, keep her in your prayers?

Other Stuff
-The TV in the living room went out this morning. Thankfully, we have a spare in the basement. The one upstairs is an old console-type which is probably as old as I am:) We're pretty sure its the picture tube; however, we're not sure there's anyone in town who knows or even has the parts to fix it! I hear tax money being spent next month...in addition to the couch and my conference registration...

-Thanks to everyone who dropped by yesterday:) My first attempt at a major posting of both cover art and interview gave me a few headaches, especially when I saw the end result and panicked when half the text was nothing but lines! Took me about an hour, and had to completely delete one of Lisabet's covers, but was finally able to get it posted and legible!

-The story I'm currently working on is coming together nicely:) The deadline is Jan 30th, and I'll know when I type up what I wrote last night how close I am to the word count. Still don't know what I'm going to call it; I'm hoping inspiration will strike after it's finished.

-Had a bout of mild insomnia last night, and as it turns out, it was a blessing in disguise. With the TV out, I was able to watch three L&O episodes from 2-5am on the DVR, leaving only three more before more is added at 4:00 this afternoon. So I'll be watching L&O this morning, before we bring the TV upstairs. I'm thinking semi-seriously of going to the video store and seeing if they have the complete series; if they do, I'll just start renting the series, one season at a time! Yeah, I know...I'm addicted now.

-Temps are slooooowly rising into the 30's!! The problem now is, the snow turns to slush, and promptly refreezes overnight. Thank God the SU is driving W back and forth to school!

Off to go get dressed and have my 'date' with my downstairs DVR. Have a good day!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Terrific Tuesdays with...Lisabet Sarai!

Welcome Lisabet:) Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest release.

Hello, Molly! Thanks for inviting me to appear on your blog. I'm Lisabet Sarai. I write erotica and erotic romance in a wide range of sub-genres including BDSM, paranormal, menage, M/M and historical. Currently, I have books available at Total-E-Bound, Phaze and Eternal Press, plus erotic short stories in a wide range of print anthologies. I've also edited several print erotica collections and I'm the editor for the single-author imprint of Coming Together -- erotic altruism -- the charity series founded by Alessia Brio.



My most recent release is a M/M paranormal novel called Necessary Madness, which came out just after Christmas. Unlike many so-called paranormal books, this one has no vampires or shape shifters, but instead focuses on the realities of having psychic powers. Kyle, one of the heroes, has the ability to see the future, but since he can't control this talent, it comes close to driving him insane. The villain is a telepath, and as it turns out, the other hero Rob discovers he has a special ability as well.

Readers can get a good feeling for the book by viewing the trailer at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fVZjWpvJEo

The music sends chills up my spine every time I watch!



Have you ever had an idea for a story which scared you after you began writing it?

Scared me? Not really. I've occasionally been afraid that I might scare my readers, though, with some of my more intense and transgressive scenes. Coming from the world of erotica, I've occasionally had to tone down my work for a romance audience.

Have you incorporated actual events from your own life into your books?

Of course. I think that every writer does this. However, I've always blended a good measure of pure fiction in with the autobiography. My own experiences suggest narrative elements or back story, but my plots typically come straight from my imagination.

For instance, my first novel, Raw Silk, is set in Thailand. I lived in Thailand for several years, and like Kate, the heroine, I found the experience changed my life. However, in contrast to Kate, I did not have three competing lovers – at least, not while I was in Bangkok...!



How much research do you do? Do you research first and then write, or do you write >first, then research as needed?

This depends a great deal on what I'm writing. My shape shifter novel Serpent's Kiss is based on Mayan mythology and takes place in Guatemala. I spent quite a while researching the background and the setting before I began writing. It's funny, though—the process of writing drew me deeper into the Mayan world view. It wasn't until after I had finished and published the title that I actually went out and bought a scholarly tome on the subject of the civilization and beliefs of the Maya.

Of course, I also look up details while I'm writing, particularly about the setting. And writing historical stories requires a huge amount of research – more than I usually have patience for!


The majority of my stories are contemporary and set in locations that I've actually visited or lived. So the amount of research needed is usually small.

The one type of research that is always required, of course, relates to sex scenes. Exactly how does that position work...? Obviously, I need to take a break from writing to work those things out!


Is there any message you want readers to take from reading your work?

I guess I'd like readers to see that sex is primarily an emotional and spiritual experience, not a physical one. Also, that love doesn't have to be forever in order to be real. We make our way through life, encountering other people, strangers passing in the night, but each time we reach out, we change each other.

I enjoyed that about Incognito; several of the girls in my series have different boyfriends until their personal story is told, lol!

Are you a plotter or a pantser? And have you ever had a story take on a life of its own?

I don't do a full outline, but I lean more toward the plotter side. I usually have a rough idea of my story arc before I begin. On the other hand, I've learned to let sudden inspiration have its way. I've never had a story wrest itself completely away from the path I'd set for it, but I've been dragged along some fascinating detours.

One characteristic of my writing approach is that I am very linear. I start from the beginning and write until the end, unlike some authors who write disconnected scenes or chapters and then put them together. I can't imagine how they do that!



How long did it take for you to be published?

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that my very first submission was accepted (to Black Lace, in 1999). I was rather stunned. When I see how some authors struggle, I feel a bit guilty.

If you could go back and tell yourself anything when you first began your writing >career, what would you say?

Forget about the glamor, baby! You're in for a lot of hard work.

Laptop or pen and ink? What are your ‘must-haves’ when writing?

I normally write on my laptop, though I have composed some short stories in my notebook when I didn't have my computer with me. Unlike some writers, I don't have much of a ritual. Normally I write at home, but I've also created stories when I was traveling. I don't generally listen to music or anything like that.





Who are your favorite authors? Who would you say influenced you the most?

Most of my favorite authors are outside the romance genre. Margaret Atwood, Haruki Murakami, Sarah Waters – to name just a few! In the romance/erotica world, Portia da Costa, Shanna Germain, and M. Christian immediately come to mind. I'd have to say that Portia influenced me the most since it was reading her Gemini Heat that inspired me to try my hand at publishing erotica (though I've been writing all my life). Since then we've become Internet friends. I was really honored when I ended up in an anthology with her (Bound Brits, from Total-E-Bound).



What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

Hmm. Perhaps the fact that I make my living as a software engineer. Readers might think that software design and programming and writing books are worlds apart, but in fact the two endeavors have a lot in common. Both start with an idea, something insubstantial, that is transformed into an artifact that can influence the world and other people.


For Fun:

Since it is January, what are your goals for the coming year?

To enjoy my writing more, and stress out about promotion less. Obviously I want my books to sell -- I want to share my visions and fantasies with readers -- but lately I've been obsessed with the advertising stuff, blogging, posting to lists, and so on. It has taken some of the fun away from the writing itself. I'm making a conscious decision to put the writing first in 2010.

What is your favorite New Years’ Eve memory?

New Years in the year 2000, when everyone was worried about what would happen due to the "Y2K problem", a dear friend had a New Years party in her loft condo in Cambridge, Mass. Everyone dressed up. I wore a black velvet gown scattered with rhinestones. We all drank champagne and did a lot of kissing at midnight. That was the way New Years should be!

Is there something you really wanted for Christmas, but didn’t get?

Since I'm writing this before Christmas, I can't exactly tell... but you know, I don't want a lot. I'm very fortunate to have pretty much everything that I need.

Ideal winter time: Snow or a white beach?

Since I now live in a tropical country where the weather varies from hot to infernally hot, I'd say snow. But only if I don't have to drive!





Thank you for being here today! Please tell us where we can find your books.

Thanks for having me!

I have current titles available at Total-E-Bound (http://www.total-e-bound.com/ ), Phaze (http://www.phaze.com/ ) and Eternal Press (http://www.eternalpress.ca/ ). I'm also represented in many print anthologies which you can find on Amazon, many published by Cleis Press.
The most up-to-date information on my books is available at my website, Lisabet Sarai's Fantasy Factory: http://www.lisabetsarai.com/ Readers may also want to drop by my blog, Beyond Romance: http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/




Necessary Madness by Lisabet Sarai

Nineteen year old Kyle sees visions of disasters, visions that tear his world
apart. Everyone assumes that he is schizophrenic, but Rob, the cop who
picks him up off the street, knows better. Rob's own experience has
taught him that psychic powers are real, and potentially
devastating.

Since his telepathic sister's brutal murder, Rob wants nothing
to do with "gifted" individuals like Kyle. Yet he can't deny his
attraction to the beautiful, tortured young man -- an attraction
that appears to be mutual. When a brilliant, sadistic practitioner of
the black arts lures Kyle into his clutches, Rob faces the possibility that
once again he may lose the person he loves most to the forces of darkness

Excerpt:


They'd left in a rush, barely polite. In their eagerness to get back to Rob's apartment, they'd refused offers of coffee and breakfast. The one hour trip from Petersham to Worcester seemed endless, especially since the state of the roads demanded extra caution.

Rob's erection throbbed, painful and demanding. He guessed that Kyle was hard too, though with the bulky jacket and scarf, he couldn't tell for sure. Kyle felt Rob's gaze. He raised his eyebrows in an unspoken question and his full lips curled into a smile, but he didn't speak.

Rob couldn't stand it any longer. They were coming down the hill into Gardner. There was a rest area near the city line. Rob yanked the steering wheel and the car swerved into the exit lane, cutting off a truck easing up from behind.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kyle yelled. The rest area hadn't been ploughed yet. The Saturn skidded for several yards before it came to rest in a parking spot. Rob scrambled out, then came around to open the passenger-side door. "Come on, baby. I just can't wait anymore."

The lot was deserted. Wind rustled the tall pines sheltering the building that housed the toilets, knocking clumps of snow onto the windshield. Rob grabbed Kyle's hand and practically dragged him out of the car.

"Rob—it's probably locked."

"I'll break down the door if I have to." Rob was desperate. But the men's room was open, although the electricity appeared to be off. Wan light entered via a dirty window near the ceiling. He pulled Kyle through the door and pressed him against the tiled wall, devouring the boy's mouth. Kyle responded with equal passion. Rob ripped open the snaps on Kyle's jacket and grabbed at his crotch.

"I'm sorry. I've got to have you. Now. I can't concentrate. I can't drive. All I can think about is you." He unfastened Kyle's belt and unzipped his fly, then yanked the jeans down around Kyle's knees. The young man's cock sprang out, huge and ready. Rob cradled it in his hands, then squeezed hard. Kyle groaned.

"Rob, what if somebody comes?"

Rob chuckled as he wrestled with his own cold fly. "Somebody is going to come—you and me!"

"No, really. If a state trooper came in to take a leak and found us here—you might lose your job."

"I don't care. I can't help it. Honestly, if I don't fuck you right now…" Rob didn't bother to finish the sentence. He turned Kyle to face the wall, bracing the other man's hands against the cold ceramic surface. He wrapped his arms around Kyle's chest and rubbed his cock back and forth in the boy's ass crack. Kyle whimpered and ground his butt against Rob's hardness, until Rob was sure he'd explode.

"Do it," Kyle gasped, as Rob reached down and gripped the his cock around the base. The younger man bent forward, presenting his rump. Rob spit on his fingers, then slipped one into the crevice between those pale globes. He probed the tight knot of muscle guarding Kyle's entrance.

"I've got a rubber but no lube," he whispered, wriggling his digit into Kyle's rear hole. Kyle writhed in response. "Nothing but spit."

"I can take it." Kyle caught his breath as Rob inserted a second finger. "I can take anything you give me. Just loosen me up first." He pressed his butt back, burying Rob's fingers more deeply.

"Oh, baby. You are so fucking hot." Rob had three fingers in Kyle's anus now and he could tell his partner loved it. Kyle clenched down, then relaxed as Rob spread his fingers apart. Rob rolled on the condom one-handed. He spit on his palm and rubbed the wetness up and down his rod. It was cold—the whole place was freezing—but there was a furnace burning inside Kyle's ass.

Click here to buy:)

Shameless Self-Promotion:

Kenzie is being interviewed on the Moonlight Lace Mayhem blog today:) Stop by and see how many of my answers she stole from last week's interview!




Monday, January 11, 2010

Snow Days = Vacation???

Currently Reading: Read The Shack over the weekend, and OMG! Wonderful insights to God's mind. I'll be keeping this book by my bed for whenever I'm in a 'Doubting Thomas' mood. Just wish I could get the SU to read it...I found it mirrored my image of God's love, but his Catholic upbringing is totally different. He sees everything wrong as God's Punishment, not the devil's influence. Maybe I'll have to start reading out loud again...

Regina, now that I've sent off TP, I'll finally get back to LSL!! I promise to finish your book this week!!

Also discovered the 3rd Jayden Chelsea book,To Close To The Fire, was on sale at CTR for a dollar. So I went ahead and bought it:)


My kids had two snow days last week. Why? An inch or so of snow.

Yes, an INCH. Not a foot, and certainly not deadly ice. So why did they cancel school for the entire day, instead of simply declaring a two-hour delay?

I've heard two stories running around, and I'm not sure which camp is right. The first one says that with the bitter cold, and the fact the forcast said the snow accummulation would increase as the day went on suggested that maybe school officials opted not to put teachers, bus drivers, and kids in potential danger. That was Thursday, and I'll admit, it made sense from a former bus monitor. If I was still on the job, I'd have been breathing a sigh of relief. (But then again, you already know I hate driving in snow!) The supposed five inches due to fall by noon? Never arrived.

So what happened on Friday? Instead of a two hour delay, they cancelled school again! So the SU took the kids to Lowes and purchased our new water heater. Other kids came over and our basement was turned into a movie theater, as many movies brought from home or trips to the video store were watched. And the ones not downstairs were monopolizing the computer upstairs. The SU took me to Office Max so I could get my printouts of my manuscript, and the main roads were clear. So why were the kids home?

Some people explain the second day as the same reasons listed for Thursday, bitter cold. But others also say it has to do with our new education guidelines.

Okay; I get that our kids have to be in school for 180 days, or whatever the number is. But last year, they did away with allowing half days to 'count' (we used to get out of school on half days at 11 am; then they changed it to 1pm, saying any day which served lunch was considered a day, and called it 'early release') and saying even the two-hour delay days had to be made up. So I guess if the weather is horrible at 6:30 am, but bright and sunny by 9 am, they'll cancel school because it won't 'count'? Why send them to school for whatever lessons they might learn, tests they might take, all because the day won't be recognized in the long run? To me this makes no sense.

They already have built-in make up days: MLK Jr day; President's Day; Good Friday; etc. But what if we have a freaking blizzard, like 1978? We missed 22 days of school. Under the new guidelines, would we have even had a Spring Break? Been in school until late June? Had to go on Saturdays?

Maybe the answer lies in simply pushing back the start times for school. Instead of an 8:00 start, push it back an hour. My honorary grandkids are in school from 9-4, instead of 8-3. Cuts down on traffic jams, and the kids get to sleep a little longer, and gives them extra time for breakfast. And gives the sun and DOT more time to clear the roads. But I also acknowledge there are parents out these for whom this would not work, due to their own schedules.

And yes...if we had wireless internet and Mom had her own working laptop, I'd have gotten more work done while the kids were home:)

Reminder: This is the final day to view my interview on the MLMYA blog:) Stop by and say hi!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Saturday's Stupid Saying amd Snippet

Reason for leaving last job:

-The responsibility made me nervous
-They insisted all employees get to work by 8:45 every morning. Couldn't work under those conditions.
-Maturity leave


from actual job applications

My personal eye-roll fave is the third one, followed closely by the second. Geez...these people should try parenthood!

Snippet: Explosions

The only 'explosions' I have are of the bedroom kind, but then again, in Love Is Sober, you are treated to a rare occurrence: The space shuttle explodes twice, first at the end of chapter seven, and then again (correctly!) at the beginning of chapter thirteen!

In Ch. 7:

“I’m tired of studying, tired of trying to understand it, and I just want to unwind.” She drank some more, then cocked her head to one side. “You know, I really wish I could just take life easy for a while, instead of constantly having to hit the books. But no, I have to study hard, make good grades, and get a job downtown in a good company, so my dad can be proud of me.” She took another drink and giggled. “It’s funny; no matter how hard I try, it’s never good enough for him,” she mused. “I dated the quarterback, the fucking star of the class, but did he care? No! I made the top ten in my class, and all he said was, ‘you should have been valedictorian'. I brought my econ grade up a few points, and he’s going, ‘you should have made the Dean’s list like Diana’. Well I say fuck the Dean’s list, and fuck Diana!” She crumpled the beer can and tossed it into the wastebasket. “And you know what they’re gonna say when and if I ever show them the pin and tell them about you? Dad’s going to say, ‘he’s not good enough for you’, or else he’ll accuse you of doing only God knows what,” she finished. “That’s why Jeff is up at Notre Dame. Daddy wanted to get us as far away as possible from each other, and threatened to pull the scholarship if he even so much as contacted me again.”

Brent was shocked, and he stared at Elicia. “Why did he do that?” he wondered, trying to take it all in. “He...he actually threatened the guy? That’s insane!”

Elicia nodded, opening up another beer. “Yup. Right now your only saving factor is that number one, you’re in law school, and number two, Daddy doesn’t know you exist yet.”

Brent shook his head. “I can’t believe...What does your dad do, that he’s got that much influence?”

Elicia looked at him strangely. “He’s on the Board of Education, didn’t I tell you?”

“Whew,” Brent sighed with relief. “I thought for a moment he was a congressman or some high official!”

“I thought I told you.” Elicia drained her beer can. “All my life, Dad’s always harped on education this, education that. Grades, grades, grades. That’s all I hear. Sometimes I think I was born into the wrong family. Why can’t I have a social life as well? ‘Because it might distract you from your studies’. Humph,” she snorted. “And I thought going to college was supposed to be fun.”

“It is,” Brent smiled. “And you’re having a good time, aren’t you?”

“Yes, until report card time,” she retorted, sliding off the bed. “I’ll be able to bluff my way through about this month, because all I’ll have to say was I was upset about the space shuttle exploding, but that's all the slack he'll let me get away with.”

"I don't remember you being particularly upset," Brent frowned.

Elicia rolled her eyes. "Okay, so I was pissed the newspeople couldn't wait fifteen more minutes to break the story. They interrupted 'The Young and the Restless', dammit! You don't just cut into any scene between Victor and Nikki!"

Brent shook his head. "You're complaining about your damn soap opera, when lives were lost? Women!"

"Okay, what if it had happened during one of your ball games?" Elicia pointed out. "Say the score is tied, three seconds on the clock, your team throws the ball, and wait...the network cuts in because a moment ago, the space shuttle exploded. Don't tell me you wouldn't be pissed!"

And on page 141, the third page of Ch 13:

The space shuttle Challenger exploded, killing everyone on board, including the first teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe. Everyone in the dormitory had been glued to their television sets for days after the incident.

Yeah, not as dramatically presented as the first one, but as the story progressed, it became more of a historical fact than just another example of Elicia's self-absorbed nature. And keep in mind, this was my first book, and my self-edit skills have hopefully improved since then!

Have a good weekend; I'll probably spend most of the day downstairs, watching L&O. Having the kids home for two days due to snow really messed up my routine.