Saturday's Stupid Saying

Pentagon Definitions:
Water intrusion: Flooding

Combat replacement evacuator: Shovel

Portable, hand-held communication inscriber: Pencil


I'll have pictures and good news on Monday. Happy Halloween everyone:)

Flashback Friday: Football Season!

Currently Reading: Finally finished The Lost Symbol:) Recommended Read! Next up: Her Kind of Man, by Ammanda McCabe. At home, I'm reading The First Wives' Club, by Olivia Goldsmith and now I want to see the movie:)

E-book: I should finish Wicked Cool tomorrow:)


2000:
By late October, K's team was undefeated. And it wasn't until his second playoff game that I realized what a valuable member he was to the team.

We had gotten a late start to the game, and it wasn't until we arrived at the field, twenty minutes from home, that K discovered his helmet was missing. I dropped him off and drove as fast as I could home and back to the field.

I arrived; K's team was on their own 20-yd line, trying to keep the other team from scoring. One of the adults was watching for me, and when I handed over the helmet, he ran around to the far side of the field while I parked the car.

I'm not kidding about what happened next. My son ran out onto the field, still fastening his chin strap. The ball was snapped; the other team's forward momentum stopped. Two plays later, our team had the ball back, after the other team lost about fifteen yards. Several plays after that, our team scored a touchdown.

At the end of the game, the coach couldn't thank me enough for being willing to retrieve K's helmet! They went on to win the playoffs and even won the 'Super Bowl', something which hadn't been done in over ten years. K was also picked for the All-Star team, and they even took the top honors:)

Today:
We are headed north with a truck and trailer. The goal is to clean out and close our northern storage unit, eliminating the $55/month expense. Hopefully, we'll also be picking up the lawn tractor and accessories, and maybe the canoe and whatever else we've left behind. It's hard to believe we moved down her four years ago today, and are still here. The original goal was a year, maybe two at the most. But now S wants to stay with her friends (or even attend the Academy); W is enjoying his school; I'm involved with the bookstore, plus Kenzie's career has taken off. The only one who isn't happy is the SU. I've pleaded for just one more year; I'd like to see the bookstore be a success. Then we can re-evaluate.

Tonight, we're having a costume party at the store. I'm going as Minnie Mouse; BC will be Lady Ga-Ga; afterward, we're going out for a drink with another friend of ours. I hope to post pictures soon:)

Introducing Becky Moore:)

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

Hi everyone! I'm Becky Moore, and I'm a contemporary romance author who's also a voracious reader. My latest release Is called "The Penalty Box." It's a sexy story about two people who are hesitant to trust their hearts ... But intrigued enough to take a leap of faith. I love strong personalities, in both men and women, along with thepresence of possibility in a good romance, so I was excited that the two main characters in The Penalty Box had both heart, and hope.

Olivia Casey's an architect, and Justin Mangum's a retired hockey player, and their story also fits another of my favorite romance scenarios: an unusual, unlikely pairing.

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

Yes, I have had a story idea turn around and scare me. When I was

younger, I loved reading Stephen King short stories. But as I got

older, and after a college fall break scary story marathon, I just

can't read them anymore. I'm working on a romantic thriller called

"Mine By Design" that includes one of my own personal nightmares: a

stranger in the house. I had to stop writing the scene a couple weeks

ago, and am stuck because I don't want to finish it. But, the story

has to have that scene. I'm bolstering my courage.

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

I'm an eternal student, really, and love to learn new things.

Professionally, I've always worked in marketing and PR, and in the

non-profit world. I find things in the world that interest me and

figure out a way to make it part of my life. For example, my husband

and I needed to find something fun to do after we got married outside

of the bedroom, so we took up gardening. I hated it when I was a kid,

but love it now. I've even worked as a gardening journalist for a

number of years in the "real world." For The Penalty Box, my husband

and son and I are big hockey fans, so I paid attention at the games. A

couple years ago, I was able to interview a hunky player for the

Carolina Hurricanes (in the locker room, believe it or not) for the

news station I worked for, which was totally interesting. Those guys

are bigger and better looking in person ... And that just sparked my

imagination. I knew I needed to write that experience into a story.

And, for Justin Mangum, I needed to have an equally interesting,

strong part net. Olivia Casey's an architect, another profession

that's always intrigued me. I love to run into female architects,

especially since it's such a traditionally male field.

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

I also try to incorporate elements of my husband and I, and our lives,

into my stories. they're all set in the south, regardless of how far

and wide my characters travel. They are pretty successful, confident

individuals who all have greatly varied interests. how boring is it

for anyone to just be one thing? And there's usually a pretty good

dose of optimism in my tales. I'm a glass half full kind of gal. And,

since I read for escapism and leisure, like for my stories to be a

great foray into a fun, hopeful world.

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

Hope. Really, the world is so full of trauma and tragedy, sad news

and sensationalistic journalism. I think people need a window into a

world of words, where anything can happen. I like to read everything,

but always have a romance novel going. No matter how dire the

situation, how deeply entrenched in the jungle at the hands of a

nuclear bomb-toting terrorist our characters are ... By the end of the

story the world is saved and the girl gets the guy. Come on ... It

just doesn't get any better than that!

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

I try to start out as a plotter ... But inevitably wind up as a

panther. I'm not ashamed. I go with the flow in life, and on the

keyboard.

How long did it take for you to be published?

In the real world, I've found great success as a freelance and

corporate writer in a handful of industries and media ... But I

started writing romance about three years ago. I never really had the

time to put into finding a publishing house or literary agent because

of full-time work, but in December I submitted my first book to a new,

small Canadian e-publisher, XOXO Publishing. They picked it up three

days later, and on May 1, 2010 The Right Words was published. It has

gone on to become an XOXO Bestseller. My second book, The Penalty Box, released on September 11, 2010, and got a 5-star review! I'd like to think this is the first of many!

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 take that leap of faith and cut back my

full-time hours and stress ... Become an agent of change and create

the time to follow your dream!

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

Laptop. Then pencil. I like to do my first draft on the computer,

then print it off and make line and content edits on paper with

pencil. I'm one of the only people I know who religiously uses pencil.

My must-haves are music and a big glass of water.

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

My favorite authors are Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, Rachel

Gibson, Shannon McKenna, Peter Mayle, Michael Chabon, Kate DiCamillo,

Rick Riordan, Shell Silverstein, and Amy J. Fetzer. My influences are

probably Linda Howard and Rachel Gibson, Peter Mayle and Shannon

McKenna.

I love Shel Silverstein!

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

You might be surprised to know that I love to bake, and that I've

entered my Almond Brandy Pound Cake to the North Carolina State Fair

for the last two years. I haven't won YET, but I'm persistent. I'll

wear down those little old ladies who only want to pass around the

blue ribbon to each other one day.

FOR FUN

Favorite Halloween memory?

My favorite Halloween memory is 10 years ago, when my son was 2. I

like to sew costumes (spent many years working as the Marketing and

Development Director of a performing arts theatre), and had made a

terrific Charlie Brown costume for "the baby." Another friend with a

daughter the same age sent her daughter as Dorothy from the Wizard of

Oz. Our neighborhood has a big Halloween party and costume parade ...

So that year the kids rode in a red wagon and the dad's dressed in

black suits with dark glasses and wires in their ears, Nd ran

alongside the wagon like the Secret Service. The kids were so cute,

but the dad's were hysterical. They got the applause.

That is sooo cool!

Favorite Scary Movie?

Favorite scary movie is Signs ... I gave up scary movies with the

Stephen King short stories.

Frankenstein, Dracula, or Werewolf?

Dracula. Totally.

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

You can find my books for sale through the XOXO Publishing store:

- THE PENALTY BOX: www.xoxopublishing.com

- THE RIGHT WORDS: www.xoxopublishing.com

And you can read more from me at www.beckymoore.net. Thanks!

Blurb:

Justin Mangum, otherwise known as “The Monk,” has just turned the

National Hockey League on its ear with his announcement of retirement.

Just five games into the new season following a Stanley Cup win, the

sports world can’t fathom why the number one enforcer would willingly

step aside. He further throws the world into a tailspin with part of

his reasoning behind retirement: he wants to get out of the spotlight,

start a private practice as a physical therapist, find a wife, buy a

house, get a dog, and just settle down.

A year later, he runs into Olivia Casey—quite literally—and one hospital trip, a concussion and a shifting of the moon and the stars later, finally lets out the collective breath he's been holding his whole life. For Olivia, a hotshot young architect taking the world by storm with her revolutionary yet simple designs, fate could not have been more obvious. She awakens to find the goliath man who knocked her down, and out, checking her body for damage; her good friends standing close by are no soothing balm to the primitive struggle of fight or flight she's experiencing. But fate can be brutally honest, whether it's expected or not, and Justin and Olivia both wonder if they can relax their guard enough to let fate take its course and wind up lucky in love... or in the penalty box.

CHAPTER ONE
One year ago.

"Ah, come on!"‖ groaned four or five of the reporters in the crowd after the initial
shock silenced the crowd. The jackals were quick to recover however, and wildness
erupted within the buzzing arena of sports journalists scrambling to be the ace reporter
to get the first shocking statements out of The Monk.

"Justin—Mr. Mangum. Why would you retire now, when you‘re at the height of your
strength and your game? The Oak Leaves could really use you on the wing after last
year‘s championship season."‖

"Mr. Mangum, how can you walk away from a lucrative career? You‘re an athlete.
What will you do now?‖"

"You‘re the first player in the history of the NHL to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy at
the end of one season only to retire five games into the new one. Why?‖"

Why, why, WHY?

Justin Mangum waited out the staccato, rapid fire of questions aimed his way as a
result of the unexpected news. The Carolina Oak Leaves had just won their fifth game
of the new season. To the world at large, Justin‘s decision to retire seemed ludicrous.
The Oak Leaves had drawn extremely well from the draft rounds; they‘d built another
stellar team with a remarkable chance at duplicating their victory. Justin was a bit
stunned himself, but had to work hard to keep the smirk off of his face. He had just
knocked the National Hockey League on its ass. And the sooner he could finish up the
goddamned press conference, the sooner he could tell the reporters who‘d hounded
him relentlessly for years to fuck off.

Visions of the accusatory glares from his mother and sister following his father‘s
funeral last week haunted him. In Justin‘s mind, walking away from hockey was an easy
choice. But facing the malaise of a disappointed press pool was devastating. He didn‘t
owe anybody anything. He‘d played his heart out and given up nearly a decade to the
sport—missing countless holidays and family celebrations for training and games—and
for what? To be on the road when his family needed him most? To have seen his dad
midsummer before the season began because he was too busy playing in golf
tournaments and working the press angle for the team? Well, he was done with that
crap.

Coach Dan ―Rocket‖ Thornton sat to Justin‘s left. He covered the microphone in
front of him with one hand and leaned over to whisper in the sweaty ear of his star
player. "Son, you‘ve got to say something." He popped a couple of Rolaids into the
other hand and tossed them into his mouth, downing them with a big swig of water from
the glass that sat in front of him.

Justin took a deep breath and looked at his teammates—giants standing heads
and shoulders over the normal sized members of the national sports media. Like him,
they were still suited up, sweaty, stinky and waiting with bated breath to hear what their
friend had to say.

"Hey Monk—does this decision have anything to do with your father‘s death last
week?‖"

Shit! That was it! That was the final straw. Justin blew out an angry breath and
rolled his shoulders. He pointed at the offending reporter. "Swift, you‘re out of line with
that question. You know, for the last nine years I have answered every question you
have ever asked me. I let you shadow me during my first year in the NHL and you have
the balls to ask me that?"

A murmur went through the crowd. The sound bombarded Justin‘s ears when it
mingled with the swift intake of breath; at least the bastard had the decency to blush.
Rocket reached over and tried to put his hand on Justin‘s shoulder again, but the kid
shook it off.

"It‘s no secret that most of the guys in the league call me The Monk, is it? Well, I‘m
going to be thirty over Christmas and I have never had the good fortune of kissing my
wife or playing with my children. I‘ve never spent the summer playing at the beach or
going skiing in the winter time. Hell, I‘ve never worked with a single physical therapy
patient and my university degrees tell me I could open a practice tomorrow. And do you
know why that is?"

He reached a shaky hand out and picked up a dewy water bottle sitting in front of
him. He eyed the crowd warily over the bottle as he drank a long pull of the lukewarm
water. His stomach threatened to rebel, but he forced his way through the nervousness.
Puking in front of the whole world was not high on his list of goals for the evening.

"How can I get married and have kids when I‘m never in one city long enough to
have a ceremony or procreate? Hell, how can I get to know a woman well enough to
ask her to be my wife? I couldn‘t even take enough time off to get to my dad after he
was hit by a drunk driver two weeks ago. When he came out of his coma for a few
hours, my mom couldn‘t reach me on the ice in time for me to fly home and see him. But
don‘t worry—she was sure to tell him I loved him before his final breath. So, yeah, Ed
Swift, my father‘s death has quite a bit to do with why I‘m retiring. I‘m tired. I‘m lonely.
I‘m ready to go out to dinner and eat without you people reporting to the whole world
what I ate. I‘m ready for some new hot shot to take my spot in the limelight." He took a
deep, fortifying breath. His hands shook as they dragged tiredly through his hair. "It‘s
time."

The team, which had been watching quietly from the back of the room, started
pushing their way through the throng of reporters to make their way to Justin. Most
looked shocked, some angry, and some sad. Justin braced himself to have the living
shit beat out of him on national television.

Rocket spoke next. "Justin and the management have been in discussions for his
retirement since the season began. The news saddens us and it comes as quite a
shock, but we support his decision. He‘s given nine good years to the team, both in
Hartford and in Raleigh, and we‘re going to miss him…on the ice."

He appeared fairly calm to the reporters, but Justin could feel the hand on his
shoulder clenching and unclenching. "And though he won‘t be an official physician on
the team‘s books, we expect a number of our players will be seeing him off the ice at
the physical therapy practice he‘s planning to open here in Raleigh."

Justin smiled. "I‘ve had a great career and I love this town. But my heart is really
not in it anymore. Your Carolina Oak Leaves have a tremendous team this season, and
Erik Neilson will soar to greatness in my old position. I appreciate your interest in my
career and the coverage you have given to me and the Oak Leaves over the years.
Thank you."‖ He reached out and shut off the microphone, cutting off the possibility of
further response.

Buy link: Click here for more info.

Welcome Sandra Cox:)

I have a special treat today:) My dear friend Sandra Cox has dropped by to introduce you to her latest release and offer a contest! I'll be back on Friday. Sandra, the blog is yours today!

As Sarah Miles drives down Eighteenth Street a stranger materializes in front of her car. She throws on her brakes, braces for impact...and drives straight through him. For a moment, his voice filled with quiet despair echoes in her head. Saura. Saura. Then he is gone.

Later that day Sarah discovers the SUNDIAL and her incredible journey through time begins.

In the following excerpt: Sarah has been bitten by a snake and is delirious. Jesse is drawing out the venom.

Sarah felt the damp seep into her clothes and smelt the marshy scent of the bayou. Gentle hands hoisted her leg in the air. Her eyes fluttered open as she felt his lips, teeth and tongue above her ankle.

His coal-black hair fell over his forehead. He had high cheekbones and a hawk-like nose and, even half delirious, Sarah thought he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

“If it weren’t for the pain, this would be one of the most erotic moments of my life,” she murmured.

Jesse, who had been about to spit out the meager amount of venom he sucked from the punctures, choked and nearly swallowed it.

He turned his head and spat on the grass, then went back to working on her leg.

Her head swimming, Sarah reached for her backpack. Her vision blurred. She blinked to clear it. The backpack shrank and grew, then shrank again. This must be how Alice felt when she fell down the rabbit hole.

“What the hell are you doing?” Jesse snapped as she unconsciously jerked her leg, smashing it against his mouth.

“I’m getting my sketchbook so I can draw you. I’m an artist you know. You have the most beautiful profile I’ve ever seen.” The words slurred together.

He snorted. “You’re delirious.”

“Probably,” Sarah agreed. “But you are still beautiful.”

A wave of color washed over Jesse’s face. “I’ve never heard a woman talk so much foolishness in my life.” He pushed against the skin around the punctures.

Ouch!” Sarah fainted, but before she completely lost consciousness, she could have sworn he muttered, “Thank God.”

Contest: For a chance to win an autographed copy of SUNDIAL, a ‘seeing’ necklace and a $10 Starbucks giftcard just go to www.sandracox.blogspot.com and leave a comment mentioning SUNDIAL and Molly.

The contest runs from Oct. 15 – Nov 14 at 5:00 p.m.

Hostess’s of the SUNDIAL blog tour are invited to enter.

SUNDIAL can be purchased at www.classactbooks.com in paper or e.

Terrific Tuesday with Keena Kincaid:)

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

Hi, everyone, I’m Keena Kincaid. I write historical romances with paranormal elements and am beginning to dabble in contemporary tales. My latest release is ENTHRALLED, which is about a knight in love with the most dangerous woman at court—the king’s would-be mistress.

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

This one, to be honest.

ENTHRALLED is the sequel to TIES THAT BIND. The books share the same characters and external plot.

Midway through writing TIES, I realized that the external conflict—Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine's attempt to murder her husband, Henry II, and rule as regent through her eldest son—was not going to be wrapped up in the book. TIES had two very strong secondary characters that could easily make the leap to star status.

However, William, the would-be hero has a very unheroic secret, two actually. I wasn’t sure I could make him appealing. But I was half in love with William already, so any excuse to write his story was good for me—and I love a challenging hero.

Also, while William and Ami continue the fight against Eleanor's treachery, readers learn what happens with Aedan and Tess as they begin their marriage.

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

It’s a little difficult to incorporate real events into my 12^th century settings, although I have used the occasional situation or overheard dialogue.

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

I’m a life-long student, studying medieval history for much of that time. I’m also a member of the Medieval Academy of America, which enables me to keep up with recent research. So I tend to write first, and then research to fill in the details as I revise the second draft.

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

First and foremost, I’d like my readers to get a great read out of my story and maybe even want to know what happens to my characters after the story is over. But if there’s a message, it’s ‘be bold.’ My stories often revolve around free will vs. fate. Does what we were determine what we will become? This plays out in choice and consequences for my characters, but eventually they step out on faith and boldly proclaim their love for another character or his/her intentions. It may not always end happily, but my characters (like me) would rather regret what they did, than what they didn’t do.

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

I try to plot. So help me, I really do, but regardless of how much advance work I do, the story always takes on a life of its own and veers wildly off my original course. I usually replot at the midway point of the first draft, and then need to do at least two more plotting sessions before the end of the first draft. I write the synopsis from there. The story often takes another turn or two as I work through the second draft, but it’s set and the third time through is generally for tweaking and making sure the scenes hit that “next level.”

How long did it take for you to be published?

I started working on my first book about 15 years ago, finished it, sent it off, got the most polite, encouraging rejection from Harlequin imaginable, and then stopped writing for about five years. I got serious about being published about 10 years ago, and my first book ANAM CARA was published in 2008.

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

Recognize a polite, encouraging rejection for what it is and keep submitting.

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

Laptop. Once in a while I use pen and ink, but not very often. My must-haves? Coffee. Music or some sort of background noise. Solitude.

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

This is always such a tough question. I’ve been a voracious reader since I was four years old, and I have no idea how many books I’ve read or the authors who have somehow influenced my writing. The first romance I think I ever read was The Witch of Blackbird Pond (I know I know, It’s not categorized as a romance) when I was in first grade. The plot and structure of that book has stayed with me and started a lifelong love of smart, brave heroines.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

I’ve been told that I write very realistic minstrels. But the truth is I can’t sing a note or play an instrument. I just write down what the voice in my head tells me.

For Fun:

Favorite Halloween memory?

Dressing as a gypsy fortune-teller and going trick-or-treating with my friends when I was in fourth grade. It was the first Halloween that I was allowed to go out with my friends instead of a parent. I felt so grown up.

Favorite Scary Movie?

I don’t like scary movies, so I really don’t have a favorite.

Frankenstein, Dracula, or Werewolf?

The Wolfman. He lives under a curse but fights to retain his humanity. Neither Dracula nor Frankenstein have that inner conflict.

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

You can find my books at The Wild Rose Press (print) The Wild Rose Press (e-book), Amazon, Barnes and Noble online as well as anywhere ebooks are sold.

Keena Kincaid, the author of three historical romance novels with The Wild Rose Press, is blogging to celebrate the release of ENTHRALLED, the third of her Druids of Duncarnoch series. You can find her at http://keenakincaid.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keena-Kincaid/ (fan) or http://www.facebook.com/keena.kincaid (friend), Twitter and her blog, http://typosandall.com

Blurb:

To claim her, he must abandon home, duty, and honor—or reveal the secret of her Sidhe heritage and risk losing her forever to dark magic…

William of Ravenglas wants only one woman—his foster sister, Ami—but she is promised to another, a fate sealed by his father’s recklessness. Resolved to her forfeiture, he forges a dangerous path to bring stability to the house of Ravenglas, balancing the secret demands of the queen against loyalty to the king.

Ami, true sister to Aedan ap Owen the minstrel, refuses her fate. She wants William. But when his kiss awakens her dormant magic, it triggers cascading events that sweep her into the queen’s fiendish web and threaten William's life.

Now Ami must learn to control her fey powers or watch William die. But with a mystery lover in his past, even if she succeeds will he truly be hers?

Enthralled: Excerpt:

She looked up. His eyes were heavy and dark and filled with a need that sent woozy warmth through her. She could see it in his expression, feel it in the way her heart pounded when he looked at her. He wanted her. Flames licked the back of her thighs, the skin behind her ears. She grazed her fingertips across his chest, trying to figure out how she could force a man almost twice her size to kiss her again.

She flattened her hand against his chest until she felt the distant, fast thud of his heart. Maybe this would be easier than it should be. In a swift move, she rose on her toes and brushed her mouth against his. He pushed her back, then grabbed her arms, as if to keep her away.

“I am at the edge, Ami.”

Something akin to pain blunted his voice, as if the words were forced to cut themselves free of his tongue. His eyes, though, were dark, the pupils so large only a pale ring of blue remained, and his breath came in short, shallow bursts. A brilliant purple rose between them, over them, filling her senses with the heady perfume of thyme blossoms.

His eyes turned the deep hue of bruised violets. His will wavered, then shattered.

She stilled, suddenly terrified of the thrum and churn in her blood. Her body felt insubstantial yet so heavy her knees threatened to buckle. Slowly, as if giving her time to run, he stepped her backward. Her shoulders grazed the wall, then pressed against it as he pushed closer. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t slow the frantic pounding of her heart, the desperate urge to arch her spine, to press her body against his.

“Do not move.” His whisper brushed over her cheek, his breath sweetly scented by wine. Unable to ignore the command, her nerves sizzled as he closed the distance between them. His lips brushed hers, once. Twice. Then he plundered her mouth.

Manic Monday

Currently Reading: I'm 100 pages away from the end of Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol, and I've found myself conflicted. On one hand, I've enjoyed seeing the 'pieces' come together; on the other, some chapters have really irritated me. At least in this one, the characters get some 'breathing room'; they're not on the go constantly. But at the same time, the flashbacks go on for pages, and you forget they're flashbacks. And sometimes the 'background info' sounds more like a history lecture; an information dump.

I also finished Pretty Maids in a Row and found it enjoyable:) I do confess to having been impatient and peeked to see if I was right about who I suspected, and so while that part of the mystery was solved, the details and another identity were a pleasant surprise.

Next up Print-wise: The First Wives Club. And a neighbor gave me several Fern Michaels books. And yes, haven't forgotten about the rest of Wicked Cool; I should get back to reading it this week. We're planning to finally go north and get the rest of our stuff out of the storage unit.

Why Manic Monday?
Management at the bookstore has decided we really do not need to be open on Sundays or Mondays. And since the laptop I use at work has been sent to the owner's ex-wife, the inventory will have to be finished at home, which means I'll only be able to write in longhand or read during the down time. Unless someone takes pity on me and lets me use their computer....

My hours have also been scaled back, although I'm free to go in whenever I want. So for right now, Mondays may mean housework and errands. Oh, and we're also opening up at 11am instead of 10. So now I'll have more time in the mornings to actually dry my hair before I run out the door:)

This Week:
Hopefully, we'll get the rest of our stuff from the northern storage unit, and eliminate that monthly expense. I also want to finish going through the other half of our unit, and start hauling things to GoodWill. I'm also setting aside some of the MIL's 'pretties' to give away as Christmas gifts to family members and close friends.

I will also finish inventoring the store, and get it transferred to a legible document/file.

Why am I in such a hurry to get this finished? One week from today is the beginning of NaNoWriMo. And I intend to finish another book, or at least accomplish half of it by the end of November.

Come back tomorrow for my interview with Keena Kincaid. Wednesday, I'll have a sneak peek at Sandra Cox's new one, and on Thursday, Becky Moore will be here. And of course, my Friday Flashback to keep you company before the weekend.

Saturday's Stupid Saying

I stick wit a job until it gets done and done right

Desire to use all my KOWLADGE into the wark by to get the best result for the company

items appearing on actual resumes


Have a great weekend!

Want a sneak peek at the latest book arriving hopefully Nov 23rd? Click here and forgive the errors:) Still waiting for edits to arrive.

Flashback Friday

1990:
As predicted, The Idiot's plan to 'start fresh' didn't last long. I really don't remember much about the month of October, other than dressing up like a penguin in my server's outfit at the day job. This may have been about the time I began bringing my typewriter to work and having the more advanced 'kids' typing letters to people.

I'm not sure what month it actually happened, but one of my co-workers and I managed to stretch an errand which normally only took an hour into three. Why? First the van overheated halfway to the school, where we sent to pick up a sick kid. We stopped to let it cool down, and spent fifteen minutes hanging around a convenience store. The second time it overheated, we were only a few miles up the road, and J, who was driving, said he thought he smelled smoke. We stopped and opened the hood. Sure enough, the engine was on fire.

Fortunately, there was a pay phone (remember those?) nearby, so he went and called first the fire department, then the facility to let them know we needed another van. After the fire department put out the fire and the report filled out, R arrived with the other van. He got out and came over to us to assess the damage. Two seconds later, we heard a crash. R had forgotten to put the van into 'park', as he was used to driving a stick shift, and the van had rolled downhill and into an empty semi trailer. The boys sent me to make sure no one was in the trailer and that only minimal damage had occurred. We then picked up the sick child and returned to the facility. More accident forms to fill out, and since we'd missed lunch, the day was officially over for both J and myself. The next shift had already taken over for the afternoon:)

I also put in my request to be considered for the Social Worker's position; ours had been fired, and our Activities Director had been pulling double duty. And when the director found out about my ASW degree, she handed me the application.

As for the weekend job, I continued to let them think I needed Saturdays off, and worked private parties or wherever I was needed, making sure to still clock out around eleven. I was also invited to a friend's house in November, so I went ahead and requested the second weekend in November off. Little did I know another turning point was about to happen!

Happy Release Day to Linda Kage!


********************BLURB********************
It's not every day you learn you have a nine-year-old daughter.

Boston Kincaid and Ellie Trenton have a bad past. After dating for two semesters in college, they experience a rough break, and Ellie miscarries Boston’s child…or so she tells him. Ten years later, a nine-year-old girl seeks Boston, wanting to get to know her father. Though Boston returns to Ellie’s life merely for his daughter’s sake, he realizes he never quite got over that long ago romance.

Boston and Ellie’s decade apart melts away, and that magical chemistry between them flares back to life. But trust doesn’t come easily, and old wounds never healed properly.

Can Boston and Ellie learn to forgive and forget so they can experience the love they never shared, or will child custody battles keep them apart forever?

Go here for an excerpt:)

Terrific Thursday with Victoria Blisse:)

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

Hi, I’m Victoria Blisse. I live near Manchester in the UK and I’ve been writing erotic romance for the last ten years. I sing in the church choir, I love to bake and am re-discovering my love of sewing by hand and by machine. I’m a twitter and a facebook addict. Please add me, I’m victoriablisse on both of them. I’m a chatter box. I need some kind of outlet for all my waffle!

My latest release is Stopping Point which is Book two in my Point Vamp Series. It can be read out of order but if you love vampires, you’ll want to read book one as well.

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

I quite often have story ideas that scare me. I think it’s what keeps you writing and also what keeps your writing fresh. When I got the idea for Moon Shy, I had no real clue how I was going to write it. I really tried to just ignore it but Lowell, my reluctant Werewolf demanded to be written.

I’m really lucky that my husband is so patient with me. He helped me walk through the story chapter by chapter until I got an idea of how it was going to go. It scared me right up until the moment I submitted it though, it was something quite different to what I usually write.

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

I do this rather often, actually. No, I’m not going to tell you which scenes have happened in real life, you’ll just have to guess.

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

I love being an Erotic Romance author as I get to count having sex as research. In which case I am an absolute slave to it. I must say I generally start writing before I think about any kind of in depth research. I very rarely plan a story before I get started on it.

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

The message I hope to give is that every single person is sexy no matter what they look like and how many flaws they think they have. Flaws in our own eyes are often the things that attract others to us.

I hope people come away from reading any of my books feeling positive about people in general but also to have a little bit of a self confidence boost themselves.

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

Oh, I’m a seat of the pants girl and virtually every story I write takes on a life of its own. Characters won’t stop bonking, others are hesitant to seal the deal and other ones just want to kiss forever. I do tend to rouse the rabble into some form of organization in the end though. Each story is an adventure though, I can tell you that.

How long did it take for you to be published?

Oh, this is actually a touch embarrassing. I always wish I could say I sent off story after story and how I’ve collected a healthy pile of rejections but the truth is the first story I submitted to a publisher was accepted. It was serendipity and from that first story, I’ve not stopped. I’ve continued to have books published over the last four years now.

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

Organize yourself and do it now. I think I could have done a whole lot more if I had actually managed to get myself settled into some kind of organized schedule from the start.

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

I’m a lap top girl and if you’ve seen my handwriting you’ll know why. I sometimes scribble down story ideas on bits of paper. Reading what I’ve written can really be a struggle, I’m much happier tap, tap, taping away at my laptop.

All I need is my Connie (I name everything, even my laptop) and a glass of water to sip on and I’m set!

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

I love Terry Pratchett, I’ve loved books since I was a child. The same goes for Roald Dahl, I really love reading books like The BFG and Matilda to my daughter at bedtimes.

David Gemmell is an author I can read over and over again. I love my fantasy authors especially but I will read anything that takes my fancy!

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

Well, I collected smarties lids for a while as a teenager. They all had letters on them and I did get the alphabet in the end! I also love Cliff Richard and have seen him in concert a couple of times.

For Fun:

Favorite Halloween memory?

Halloween isn’t a big thing over in the UK at all so I have very few memories. I do remember dressing up as Meg from the Meg and Mog books (she’s a witch for those not in the know) and I assume that was for some kind of Halloween something or other.

Favorite Scary Movie?

Oh, I don’t scare well at all, I’m a wimp. However, I did get conned into seeing Scream at the cinema and I have watched it a few times since. Generally though I’m too much of a cowardly custard to actually watch scary films!

Frankenstein, Dracula, or Werewolf?

Oh, Dracula I think. I’m rather taken with vampires as you can tell by my Point Vamp Books. You can read one for free at Total-E-Bound, it’s called To Comfort a Vampire.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=850

It will give you just a little taste of what my vampires are like!

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

Oh, I’m rather spread about. I have some books in anthologies with Phaze, some print and some ebooks with Xcite and a bulk of my work is currently with Total-E-Bound. You can also find me in a few Coming Together anthologies and I have a Christmas story coming out with Silver Publishing on the 22^nd December.

The best place to see all of them is on my website!

http://www.victoriablisse.co.uk/mybooks/

Blurb:

Josh is a vampire he just doesn't quite know it yet.

He is confused and his voluptuous sire, Cara is far too busy being mysterious to really help him unlock the secrets of his Afterlife. However, he pieces it together by himself and decides to turn his best mates into Vampires too. This doesn't quite go to plan but he does discover The Point and its unique, ten-second rule.

Cara does not approve of Josh visiting The Point but that night she turns up at his door bloodied and much more dead than usual, and accepts Josh's help to escape from her much older and much crazier Sire Leopold. How is Josh going to defeat an older, wiser and more powerful vampire? He hasn't a clue but for Cara he is willing to find out.

And an Excerpt just for you!

"Cara? Can I ask you some questions?"

"Certainly Josh, I am your sire after all."

"My sire? You’re a woman. And how do you know my name?"

"You've not read many vampire novels have you? A sire is the vampire who made you, dear and it has nothing to do with that vampire’s sex. And I know your name because I hunted you down. I've seen your employee name tag."

"Okay, that's a little freaky."

"You've just fucked a girl tied to a tree and drunk her blood and you think me looking you up in the supermarket is freaky?" She laughed, "Boy, you're such a newbie."

"Can vampires burn up in the sun?" Josh asked, determined to change the subject.

"Yes, but with high protection sun lotion, good glasses and avoiding high noon we can survive the sun's rays."

"How can vampires be killed?"

"Oh, the usual. Stake, beheading, fire. Gun shots and knife wounds are painful for a while as are broken bones, but they heal. It's no big deal."

"Are there a lot of vamps in the world?"

"Oh, a fair few. It's a minority really, a small minority compared to humans but you can expect to find a hundred or so in every major city and a few in every town and the odd one in villages. Mostly we like cities though, more nameless victims to go through."

"Are there other beings, you know, fairytale beings too?"

"Well, I've not seen any but I don't rule it out. I've heard rumours though."

"Do you work?"

"No, I don't need to."

"How come?" Josh asked, sitting down on the fridge-mound beside her.

"I'm in real estate." She said, "My money makes itself."

"Oh," Josh replied trying to work out what she actually meant.

"I had to work at first, of course. We might not need to buy food but we still need clothes and a house to live in but I started saving, bought my first house and I've been making money off my portfolio ever since."

"How old are you,"

"No, no, no," she laughed and laid a finger on his cheek, "it is impolite to ask a lady her age."

"No, I don't mean that. I can see you're in your pretty young, similar age to me I think. I mean how long have you been a vampire?"

"Oh, about fifty years now."

"Is that old for a vampire?" Josh asked, trying not to think of Cara as being older than his grandma.

"No, not really, I know a few who are hundreds of years old."

"Wow," Josh exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's quite an achievement. You have to be pretty wily to last that long. The first few years are the toughest on a vamp but once you get to my age you know most of what you need to know."

"Cara?" Josh was full of questions,

"Yes, Josh," she smiled and flicked a curl of golden hair behind her ears.

"Why did you pick me? Why didn't you just drain me?"

"Oh, I had my reasons," Cara stood up in a flurry and Josh wondered why she was so obviously flustered. If she'd have been a human her cheeks would have been flushed red he could tell.

"Why do you always rush of like this?"

"I like to keep you guessing," she said and turned to blow him a kiss. "I'll see you again soon, my pet. Take care."

You can pick it up from Total-E-Bound now!

Be Back Tomorrow....

I'm off to do some more ruthless de-cluttering of my storage unit and unearth my jewelry box. I've managed to lose the Ziplock bag with my two favorite pairs of earrings, acquired in the past three years, and I've also lost several backs; mates to other earrings bought in the last two months; and with the holidays approaching, I'd like to wear my special holiday ones this year!

I also have to locate the rest of my books.

Come back tomorrow; author Victoria Blisse will be my guest!

RIP Tom Bosley aka 'Mr. C' from Happy Days. You were my 'TV Dad' for many years!

Terrific Tuesday with Nina Pierce:)

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

Hi! I’m Nina Pierce. I write erotic suspense and erotic romance for Ellora’s Cave. My latest release, “Healer’s Garden”, is a futuristic suspense novel available now in print.

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

I’m such a weenie when it comes to that stuff. I don’t like being scared … not even sort of. I don’t watch horror movies or read stories I know are going to have a horror element in them. So in answer to question. Nope. I wouldn’t even think the scary thought let alone pursue it for a story.

Now murder, some blood and a nasty villain … I’m all over that!

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

The first book I ever wrote incorporated a lot of people I know, their looks and personalities. I had to do it that way because there were too many other unknowns in writing my first novel. Of course that manuscript keeps the dust bunnies under my couch company and will NEVER see the light of day, so my family will never know.

And now that I write erotica? Well, let’s just say Mr. Nina never complains about the extensive research, but I couldn’t possibly be more specific than that. >wink<

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

Every book requires research of some kind. I haven’t written a book where I wasn’t googling this or that to make sure some nugget of information is correct. Sometimes it’s a little. Sometimes quite a bit. I rarely do it ahead of time, usually because I never know where I’m headed.

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 and Lord knows I don’t want to be. I’ve tried taking classes on plotting, working with plotters and still I fly by the seat of my pants. One suspense story took me to the end until I figured out why the killer murdered all his victims. Of course when it came out I realized my subconscious knew it all along. There were all kinds of red herrings I dropped along the way to mislead the reader.

Unfortunately, my characters have never run away with a story and taken me along for the ride. I’ve heard this happens to many writers and I’m waiting for it to happen to me. LOL! In most cases I bleed words onto the page. Writing is a slow process for me.

How long did it take for you to be published?

I sat down to write in the summer of 2005. I pounded out two manuscripts and had them rejected enough that I took some time to sit back and study the market. I realized erotic romance was exploding onto the digital market and sat down in 2007 to write “Healer’s Garden”. It was published in December of that year. (It’s been re-written in and expanded and EC picked it up this year. I like this new version better.) So in the grand scheme of things, two years.

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

Hmmm, this is a hard one. I think first I’d say … be patient. Writing/subbing/publishing is a slow process. It doesn’t happen overnight. I’d also tell myself to stop taking so many breaks and write more!

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

Neither. I write only on my desktop. I haven’t found a laptop keyboard that works for me. I can’t write fast enough by hand to keep up with my thoughts. Besides I like the moving of this sentence or that paragraph ease of writing on the computer.

Must haves? Thesaurus online, M&M’s and decaf coffee. *shrugs*

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

Gosh, I have so many! Larissa Ione and Jessica Andersen for science fiction. Susan Wiggs for historical. Sandra Brown for romantic suspense.

But Anne McCaffrey’s “Freedom” series and Jean M. Auel’s “Children of Earth” series were both amazing epics that completely rocked my world. Both ladies world building skills and characters pulled me in and truly influenced the way I’d like my books to come across to readers. I still read both series now and again and learn something new from them each time. I'm a HUGE Jean M Auel Fan! I just recently learned her next one is coming out next year (rubs hands together in glee:)

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

That I’ve been madly in love and married 26 years to my high school sweetheart and we only broke up once for a short period of time in college. *sigh* I’m such a romantic.

For Fun:

Favorite Halloween memory?

The year my dad rigged a tube and sheet of plastic so when kids were coming up our drive he moaned and lifted the plastic to look like a ghost. Yeeeeeah, we didn’t give away too much candy that year. But boy, it was funny!

Favorite Scary Movie?

The original Halloween

Frankenstein, Dracula, or Werewolf?

Dracula

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

My website: http://www.NinaPierce.com is the best place to find the latest news. But also at my publisher, Ellora’s Cave http://www.jasminejade.com/m-535-nina-pierce.aspx

You can also find me online at …

blog: http://www.NinaPierce.com/blog

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Nina.Pierce

twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NinaPierce

BLURB:

In the female dominated society of the 23^rd century, mating with a male, even if it is to save the human race, is a distasteful task and one Healer Jahara Hriznek has successfully avoided—until now.

Brenimyn is a gifted breeding instructor at the Garden of Serenity. Forced to copulate with all females requesting his services, he yearns to find the one woman who responds to his touch. When Jahara arrives with the new class of breeders, Brenimyn’s body immediately aches for her, but convincing the stubborn healer that sex between a man and a woman is more than just an act for procreation proves to be a challenge he refuses to fail.

Jahara doesn’t want to enjoy the sinful rapture only Brenimyn brings to her body. Brenimyn has no intention of dousing the flames of desire licking at them until Jahara is completely his—body, mind, and heart. But when the government finds their loving relationship a threat to the natural order, there may be more than their stubborn wills at stake.

Excerpt:

Patience. That’s what was required of him. But damn, he’d been treading water a hell of a long time while he waited for destiny to change the course of his life.

Brenimyn didn’t enjoy these monthly exhibitions any more than he liked copulating with Kylie. Though she’d never admit it, she detested his touch. He didn’t mind. It was less confusing without emotions getting all tangled in their peculiar relationship.

Since arriving at the Garden three years ago, Brenimyn had become accustomed to arrogant women who thought they were the only intelligent creatures walking this earth. Kylie was a prime example of that conceited attitude personified.

To the women before him, he was nothing more than a stud. Stupid, beastly and—inhuman. Oh, if only they knew what he could do, they wouldn’t think themselves so superior, now would they? But the time had not come to travel that particular road. Preparations still needed to be made. In the meantime, he would swallow his pride and let the mauling begin.

“Their physiques are quite different from ours, not all cushy and round. Rather ugly if you ask me.” Kylie pulled off Brenimyn’s tunic and smiled up at him. “Sorry, Brenimyn. I know the truth stings.”

Forcing his lips to lift, he bent and kissed her cheek. “Nothing is as beautiful and sweet as a woman, Kylie. Not even the flowers in the gardens.”

“Thank you.” She callously patted his stomach with a cold hand.

“Now, Brenimyn is going to take off his breeches. Though you all studied anatomy in school, the first look at a man’s genitals can be shocking.”

Brenimyn untied the cords at his belly slowly, seductively. This was the only time he had control and he stretched the moments out until the females before him leaned forward in breathless anticipation. His eyes locked on the only woman in the room who seemed less interested in this whole charade than him. The raven-haired beauty actually looked lost despite the maturity lining her face. Her hand caressed her cheek even as he thought of her. Her eyes shifted uncomfortably around the room, not watching as the fabric pooled at his bare feet and the inevitable gasp of awe echoed off the walls.

“Please come up and have a closer look,” Kylie said. Her hand fondled his buttocks. Touch but don’t desire, this one is mine, her caress communicated to the breeders even as her lips curved into that plastic smile he’d come to despise. “My mate is a wondrous specimen.”

Brenimyn resented Kylie. He belonged to no one. Least of all her.

On shaky legs, the dark-haired woman approached with all the others. Her gaze searched everywhere but the one place he willed her to look—his face. For some reason, he wanted her to see him, not as a supplier of sperm, but as a man.

Like all the others, her eyes focused only on his physique. Her gaze slid over his well-defined chest he worked hard to maintain. She followed the small line of blond curls around his navel then lower. From her frank appraisal, he wondered if she had ever seen a human male as natural as the day he was birthed. This woman was no different from all the others. Disappointment slumped his shoulders.

Winding her fingers into the yellow mass of curls, Kylie’s fingers cradled Brenimyn’s testicles. “Touch everything, it’s all right.”

At Kylie’s tone, Brenimyn dropped his gaze to the floor. He worked to block out the uncomfortable flurry of fingers petting his skin. He thought again of the Governmental Body of the Garden and wondered how much longer they would keep him as head of the male breeding population if Kylie didn’t conceive soon. As much as he abhorred this display, he needed to be here. He was desperate to meet all the new women entering the Garden. After the mating ritual with Kylie, he’d circulate through the other instructing rooms under the pretense of checking his breeders. Surely the woman he sought would be among this breeding class. Although the girls currently giggling and fondling his body couldn’t really be classified as women, now could they?

Lost in his own thoughts, Brenimyn wasn’t prepared for the shock wave tearing through him like a jolt of electricity. He stared at the fingers trembling along his forearm then into the amber pools that had held his gaze since he entered the room. He wasn’t supposed to meet the women’s eyes when they were this close, but the unexpected tingle of awareness had broken his usually stoic concentration. The beautiful brunette looked at him through thick lashes as if she recognized him. Her mouth trembled with a smile. Did she feel it too? He studied her, trying to discern if she sensed the flow of knowledge rushing between them.

BUY LINK: http://www.jasminejade.com/pm-8729-535-healers-garden.aspx