Flashback Friday

March 2005:
The spouse had been called out of town on a road paving job and was gone for the youngling's 1st birthday.  I invited his godparents over, and baked cupcakes.

He destroyed his cupcake and laughed while we took his picture, and played with his new push toys.

Next Month:  Connor Prairie and The Difference Between Boys and Girls


***********
March Madness Update:
Thurs:Kentucky won against W. Virginia in a blowout (yay!)
Notre Dame knocked off Wichita St (whoo hoo!)
 UNC fell to Wisconsin
Xavier fought well against Arizona, but stumbled in the last 5 minutes and lost by 8.

Tonight:
Louisville won against NC State
Michigan St held off Utah in a close game to win!
Duke started off slow, not scoring until 4 minutes had passed in the game, but defeated Utah:)
Gonzaga fought well against UCLA, getting things together in the last half to come up on top:)

I'm still in Lafayette, helping out my parents and seeing friends.  Today I'm getting my hair cut and a pedicure.

Weekend Picks:

Notre Dame gave Kentucky a run for their money; with 6 seconds left, they fouled ND and made 2 free throws.  ND tried to make a last second shot, but were unsuccessful.  Kentucky wins 68-66.

Louisville

Wisconsin killed Arizona; they hit most of their 3 pointers.

Gonzaga (Duke)

Tomorrow's Karaoke Songs:
I Miss You-Klymaxx
Babe-Styx (batteries died after 1st verse last week)
I Need You-Leanne Rimes
I Need To Know-Marc Antony

Welcome V.L. Locey:)

Blurb:

The only constant in life is that things will change when you least expect it. On the day of Derrick Andersson`s retirement ceremony, a late-season tropical storm parks itself over the City of Brotherly Love. The women who love the Wildcats will not only have to deal with the deluge outside, they will have to struggle through some of the greatest personal storms they will ever weather.

Liz and Veikko receive devastating news, Maggie and Derrick face a shocking announcement, and Isabelle and Philip receive the verdict of Philip's court battle. Can Viviana and Alain work out the problems that have torn them apart? What has life dealt young lovers Petro and Margarite? The answers to those questions, as well as a surprise that will rock the Houseman, are revealed in this final book of the To Love a Wildcat series.

Buy Links:

Secret Cravings Store  

Amazon 

All Romance 

Bookstrand 

B&N

Margarite

After the team left the ice, I asked my new friends if they would like to continue up in the owner’s skybox. They were thrilled to do so. It is a darn impressive lounge that Mama owns way up in the rafters. We rode up in two elevators, passing security with a wave of my hand. Into the luxury box we all piled. Soon we had coffee, crullers, and conversation flowing. I should have brought them up here to begin with, but they had seemed so intent on watching the players. Now that the distraction of the Wildcats was no longer an issue, we started making some real progress. I called an end to the meeting after another thirty minutes. We had gotten as far as possible. I stood up, smiled and shook each hand as our community volunteers left the skybox. Security escorted them down to the players parking area.

 I returned to my seat at the head of a long, rectangular table, to gather up the four thousand or so notes I had jotted down. My head came up when someone rapped on the other end of the table. Petro smiled at me. I ran my sight over him. The suit he wore was dark grey, his shirt white, his tie black as a pirate’s pearl. He looked delicious. I dropped my notes back to the table. He arched a dark eyebrow. I nodded. The man turned, walked back to the door, and then turned the lock. My body began revving up. Petro glanced over his wide shoulder, his eyes crackling brown embers.

“When I turn around, you be ready for me,” he informed me then returned his steaming gaze to the door. His command gave me pause for perhaps four seconds. With quaking fingers, I hurried to pull my blouse out of the top of my skirt. He shucked off his suit jacket. I tugged my shirt over my head, my hair getting wound in a few buttons. Hissing at the painful tugs, I fumbled to free the tight black ringlets. My blouse fluttered to a padded leather chair, one of twenty. My nipples hardened inside my lacy blue bra. They ached. I was tempted to touch them but Petro’s jacket dropping to the floor stole my attention. I reached to the side, unzipped my skirt then let it slither down my legs. I stepped out of it then looked at Petro. His tie sailed over his damp head, landing on a vase filled with fall mums resting on the center of the table. I could feel the slick dew weeping from my pussy. Tenderly, I reached between my breasts, my sight latched onto my lover as he began to unbutton his dress shirt.  I slowly undid the three small hooks. My breasts popped free.

I cradled them lovingly. His shirt slid down his back, revealing ropes of thick muscle. There he stood, as if he knew I was ogling him. He flexed. My sex tightened. I flicked my nipples with my thumbs. Petro stiffened as a low moan escaped me. His neck muscles bunched. He tugged his shirt free from his trousers. My eyes followed the pure white cotton as it flew across the skybox. Petro turned to look at me. His eyes grew wide. His nostrils flared. His jaw twitched when he saw me fondling my boobs. The peaks were hard as a diamond, elongated, begging him to take them between his teeth and tug. Speaking of hard and elongated…

Author Bio:

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, belly laughs, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted goofy domestic fowl, and three steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand. She can also be found online on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, tsú, and GoodReads.

I love to meet new friends and fans! You can find me at-

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/pages/VL-Locey/124405447678452

Twitter- https://twitter.com/vllocey

Pinterest-http://www.pinterest.com/vllocey/

Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5807700.V_L_Locey

My blog- http://thoughtsfromayodelinggoatherder.blogspot.com/

tsú - https://www.tsu.co/vllocey

Secret Cravings Backlist Books and Upcoming Releases

Pink Pucks & Power Plays (Book One of the To Love a Wildcat Series)

A Most Unlikely Countess (Book Two of the To Love a Wildcat Series)

O Captain! My Captain! (Book Three of the To Love a Wildcat Series)

Reality Check (Book Four of the To Love a Wildcat Series)

Language of Love (Book Five of the To Love a Wildcat Series)

Tumble Dry

Coming in August of 2015 only from Secret Cravings . . .  Clean Sweep (Book One of The Venom erotic hockey romance series)

Torquere Press Backlist and Upcoming Releases

Two Guys Walk Into an Apocalypse (Part of the He Loves Me For My Brainssss anthology)

Two Guys Walk Into an Apocalypse 2: It Came From Birmingham

Two Guys Walk Into an Apocalypse 3" He's a Lumberjack and He`s Undead

Love of the Hunter

Goaltender`s Penalty

All I Want for Christmas

 Every Sunday at One (Part of the 2013 Charity Sip Anthology)

 Night of the Jackal

An Erie Halloween

An Erie Operetta

Coming 4/1/15 exclusively from Torquere Press . . . Early to Rise - A Toms & Tabbies Tale.

Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe.....

Picking my favorite Contemporary romance is hard, so I'm choosing to show you three, which immediately come to mind.

Separate Beds was the 2nd Lavyrle Spencer book I ever read, and the story is so timeless!  Rich boy impregnates girl from the 'wrong side of the tracks', then through his family's encouragement, they agree to marry until the child is born.  I usually don't care for 'marriage of convenience' stories, but this one is well written, with two people learning what love means.  You will fall in love with Clay and Catherine:)

I read the first book in the Key books, on loan from a friend, and had to read the rest!  I love the friendship these three girls form, as they follow their dreams, defeat a centuries-old 'curse', and find love in the most unlikely of men.  Definitely on my 'read over' list!

I hesitated about including this book, since I don't want to play favorites among friends, so forgive me, because there are so many fellow contemporary authors whose work I admire.  I fell in love with Jean's Hollywood Hearts series, and indeed, Love's Last Chance was my absolute favorite until I finally read Gunther's story.  Who can resist seeing a bad boy get a taste of his own medicine?  He is more likable in LLC, so I was thrilled when I learned he was getting his own story.  This entire series is worth being on my 'read again' list, so I encourage you to check out all of the books in this series.

What are your favorites?

Flashback Friday

March 1995:
The spouse enjoyed me working, and would often bring the kids in for dinner on the weekends.  One rainy Sunday, I declared it 'No Calorie Sunday' and made more tips than anyone had ever made in the back section!

I continued to amaze Todd, by my ability to handle large parties, yet was flustered by the same amount of people sitting at different tables.  Don't ask why.

Next Month:  Tension growing and a bad choice.

********
Present Day:
March Madness is in full swing:)  I'll be traveling to Evansville tomorrow for a Writer's Meeting, then back for dinner and karaoke.

Today is the spouse's 61st birthday:)  I'll be watching basketball.

Tomorrow's Karaoke Line Up:
I Got The Boy-Jana Kramer
Babe-Styx
I Knew I Loved You-Savage Garden
I Love Rock-n-Roll-Joan Jett

March Madness:
- 50/50 in 1st round
- 12/16 Thurs
-10/16 Friday
-11/16 Sat and Sun

Wonder how well today's games will go?  Check back later as I update this....

Favorite Wild Child

As I stated yesterday, I missed posting because I was cleaning up a slight problem on my alter-ego's latest release.

Kenzie has published seven, soon-to-be-eight steamy romances, and while I love all of them, the first one is still the story near and dear to my heart.  Which one was that?

When I got the idea for this book, it was little more than a news blurb over the debate about if prisoners can be reformed enough to re-enter society.  All of a sudden, 'Steve' was in my head, prodding me, saying, "That's me!  I'm trying to prove I've changed, but my town doesn't believe me.  Write my story!"

I happened to be driving at the time, so I promised not to forget, and went on my way.  Two weeks later, while at a Boy Scout Family Camp-Out, I found myself with time on my hands, so I began writing it.  First of all, I needed some back story, so 'Angela' spoke to me, telling me about the passion party she'd just hosted, and filled in the background.  'Steve' expressed his anger over being shunned, then the story took a strange turn.  'Brad' explained why he was out of town, and then 'Emma' began telling me her woes with her brother.

Suddenly, I had not two main characters, but four.  What had I gotten myself into?

I put it away and enjoyed the weekend.  'Steve' was silenced for the moment.

After school began, I sat down to type up what I'd written.  I changed some of the initial ideas around (for instance, Emma's parents were supposedly the ones who met Brad and Gavin in the restaurant, but that wasn't going to work, since Gavin KNEW her parents!) and kept going as the story flowed.  From the time I began typing to the day I typed 'the end'?  One month to the day.  I was exhausted and exhilerated!  But now what to do with it?

Initial reaction was mixed.  Readers liked the chemistry between the characters, but disliked Brad and Emma's relationship.  They also felt Steve was too angry, and in fact, every time I tried to tone him down, he'd snarl at me, saying I captured him perfectly!  Then a friend suggested I simply have his brother tell him to 'chill out', and it worked.  One acquisitions editor loved him and the book was published, but my relationship with my editor was rocky, and I never felt she did the story justice.  As soon as I could, I got the rights back and republished it, this time with much better results.  My new editor shared my vision for the story and it's fared better.

Still, there are some readers out there who don't 'get' the concept, and that's okay.  Not everyone can follow a multi-character storyline.  So my advice to you is, should you read Wild At Heart, take the first three chapters and read all of Angie's part, then go back for Steve's, then Brad's, then Emma's.  I think by the 4th chapter, they're sufficiently intertwined.  Download the pdf from smashwords and print it out, so you can follow it better, and don't have to scroll.

At any rate, I'm currently working on a sequel, and as it stands, there will only be one H/H.

But no promises.

Wild at Heart is available at Amazon
                                         B&N
                                         ARE
                                         Smashwords

If you like it, would you please leave me a review on Goodreads or where you bought it?  Thanks!

HDH #3

I missed last week, due to cleaning up one of Kenzie's stories.  It's amazing what one comment from an outsider can do for the creativity!  NiKoh is waiting to be formatted and given a release date, though the cover is already on the April trailer:)

Here's a snippet of Book #2.  Enjoy!

"You heard from Slagal?” Todd panted, trying to catch his breath.

“I just spent a week with him at the base in July, and my mom said a letter arrived from
him yesterday that she’s sending me. Have you?”

“Yeah. I got a letter from him saying he'll be home September third. Wait a minute…you
went out there to see him?”

“Yes. And September third? That’s only two weeks away. Oh that’s wonderful.” Amy
hugged her books to her chest.

Todd shifted his stance. “So you two are still keeping in touch? Whoever thought a
blind date would turn out all right? I just wish your roommate would talk to me.”

Available at Amazon

Flashback Friday: Having 'The Talk' and Spring Break

March 1985
Spring Break occurred over a fairly decent weather week, and I spent one day at my old HS, seeing favorite teachers and even old friends who were there for the same purpose.  Nothing in particular was done, since my mom and sister were still in school, so I did a lot of reading, a lot of sleeping, and missing my freedom, since I couldn't come and go as I pleased, and didn't have a boyfriend.

When I returned to school, I looked forward to my weekend activities with TM.  But the following weekend, we watched TV in the lounge, and we had fun answering the questions about each other for the Newlywed Game.  However, he soon yawned and announced he was going to bed and he'd see me the next day.

Saturday, I waited all day for him to call me, and distracted myself by watching TV, playing Uno, and reading.  But after dinner, I was fed up and went to his dormitory.  Again, we settled down in the lounge and watched TV, then he said he was going to bed.  My hormones got the better of me and I snapped, expressing my anger.  Then, embarrassed by my outburst, I ran back to my dorm and refused to answer the phone, with the exception of one call, where we decided to end our relationship, once and for all.

My roommates were astounded by my unusual behavior, so I decided to come clean about what I'd been doing since November.  Turned out we'd all been keeping that aspect of our relationship private from each other, so I was relieved to learn I wasn't the only one!

K and I even laughed about a weekend right after Valentine's Day, when I had dropped hint after hint for her and her b/f to leave, and she'd tried to get us to leave.  TM and I had ultimately gone for a walk, but I refused to unzip my coat in the 40 degree weather.  In hindsight, if we'd simply opened EY and EC's closet doors and blocked the view from the hallway, both of us could have had a better evening.  But I wasn't comfortable with the idea of anyone else in the room at the time, and neither was she.

Next Month:  The Blind Date Which Changed My Life Forever

***********
Present Day:
I've been a bad blogger this week, but with good reason:  I've been working on the last round of edits for Kenzie's NiKoh's Chosen, and it absolutely consumed me all of Wednesday and yesterday.

Had our taxes done last night and I'm not happy.  Last year we received $1400 from Fed and owed $1100 to State.  This year, we're only getting $600 back and owe $1085, and according to the IRS, I now have a 'charming little hobby'.  Even though right now, I've made 4 times as much as I earned this time last year.  Let's hope it continues!

Karaoke Songs for Tomorrow:
I Hope You Dance
As Long As You Love Me
I Just Called To Say I Love You
I Can't Drive 55 (maybe this will be the week I finally get to do this???)

Happy Friday the 13th!

Flashback Friday: "There's Ducks in the Swimming Pool!"

March 1975:
A new 'game' was invented, Boys Chase The Girls.  The big jungle gym was 'safe', so if you didn't want to get chased, you stayed on it.  But as much as I loved going across the monkey bars or trying to chin myself, I loved the swings more.

I'd developed a bit of a crush on a kid in my class, blonde-haired, good-humored Billy Harding, but since the object of the 'game' was don't get caught, this posed a bit of a problem the day I jumped off the swings and he began to chase me.

I wasn't a very good runner (I think my asthma was beginning to form), so he soon caught me.  I took off my glove and pinched his wrist, then got away and ran to safety.  Apparently I didn't understand the rules of the game:  You weren't supposed to pinch if you got caught.  I didn't know this, and happily told my tale of my 'great escape', but the girls looked at me like I'd sprouted horns or something, and refused to play with me.

BFF KB consoled me, since she wasn't in on the game, preferring to skip rope at recess, so I began improving my skills with a jump rope.

Spring Break approached, and my parents took my sister and I to Cincinnati.  I'd remembered good times in the pool and at King's Island, and eagerly shared stories with my sister.  When we arrived, our room overlooked a pond, and a stone path led to the indoor pool.  I pointed in the direction of the pool and told her about the diving board.

My four-y/o sister looked out the door, saw the pond and the ducks, and shrieked, "There's ducks in the swimming pool!"

After laughing so hard tears rolled down our faces, my parents took her outside and showed her the difference between the pool and the pond!

King's Island was awesome, except for one thing:  A new ride, Mike Fink's Keelboat Canal, was open, and I HATE log flume rides.  I begged Mom to let me stay by the fence, but she refused, so I endured another scary ten-foot drop into water and screamed 'I hate you!' all the way down.  I vowed  right then and there, if I EVER had kids, I would never force them to ride anything they deemed scary.  (With the exception of taking my daughter on the Typhoon, I've held up that vow:)

Our family pet Keeshound, Wags, had disappeared, and we were soon the new owners of Sid the Basset Hound:)

**********
Present Day:
We've been hit with another snowstorm; school was cancelled yesterday, but the good news is, we'll be back in the 40s either today or tomorrow:)

I was pissed off Wednesday, when Vince, a coconut vendor with feathers in his hair, was voted off Survivor.  I'd wanted to see more of him, but he revealed a jealous, immature streak last week, and it rather came to a head this week with both he and the other guy circling each other like male lions trying to assert themselves as Alpha Male.  Unfortunately, Will flipped on him, calling him a 'loose cannon', and helped vote him out.

Karaoke Songs:
-I Honestly Love You-ONJ  Nailed it:)
-Amazed-Lonestar  So-so; will check video.
-I Hope You Dance-Leanne Womack
-Magic Power-Triumph
-I Can't Drive 55-Sammy Hagar

Favorite Child

Picking a favorite book that I've written is like asking me to pick a favorite child.  I love them all equally, but at times one is favored slightly more, due to circumstances.  For instance, Graduation.  Birthday.  Special Honor, such as K being inducted into National Honor Society, getting his Eagle Scout badge, or the day we moved him into Purdue.  S has her moments, like when I went with her class to Conner Prairie, the day she gave birth to Alex, or when she and I have a Mother/Daughter outing.  W gets special treatment when he does exceptionally well on his lessons, or had a Cub Scout outing.

When they piss me off, they go to the bottom of the Favored Child list, ha ha...if you're a mom, you'll understand what I mean.

So what is my favorite book that I've written?  The answer may surprise you.

Bet you thought I was going to pick either Amy or Gretchen, right?  I don't know what it is about Keri that holds a special place in my heart....her book is NOT one of my better sellers, and she 'argued' with me when I had to cut several chapters, since I didn't see the need for repetitious scenes in her story, Gretchen's, or even Caty's books.  I'm not happy with the way I chose to end her story, but I'll tell you this much:  Stick around for Book #14 and you'll be very happy.

Now to just get Kenzie's aliens out of my head so I can write #8-12......

Which one of Kenzie's do I like best?  Come back next week.

HDH #2

Today's Hump Day Hook is from Love on the Rocks.

Blurb:

Elicia Keller begins her first day on the Arbor University campus with the desire to fit in, meet the right people, and finally be away from her overbearing parents. She enters the world of fraternity parties, underage drinking, and learns firsthand what happens when poor choices are made.  Elicia's roommates stick by her as hard lessons are learned. Will she learn from her past mistakes, or will a stranger’s good intentions be enough to pull her from her self-destructive path?  Sometimes the ‘man of our dreams’ isn’t the one we picture.

Buy link 

Janna leaned closer to her. "Well, you know, Jay sometimes buys for people,"

"He does?" Elicia's eyes popped. "How does that work?"

"You call him, tell him what you want and before he goes to the liquor store, you
meet him, give him the money and when he gets back, he gives you change and your
stuff."

"No shit? Why didn't you tell me this before?" Elicia leaned back in her chair. "But
what about the no booze rule in the dorms?"

"As long as you don't get caught, nobody knows you've even got it in your room. If
your roommates are cool with it, well then, you've got it made." Janna shrugged. "All you
have to do is ask him."

Catch Up and March Reading Schedule

It's been hectic around here.  Saturday night's launch party of Hotel Stories went well, and my Cher tribute was spot on:)  Sunday went well, other than a snow storm which cancelled Religious Ed for the kids, so got to have breakfast after the 8am service.  At Requiem practice, I ended up sitting in the 2nd row, Stage Right, and during the hour break, went to the piano and worked for a half an hour on my main trouble spot until I got it.  Then went through the Red Skelton museum until dress rehearsal.  Afterward, grabbed my camera and shot some pics of everyone while we waited to line up.

Concert went well!  My dad didn't make it, since Lafayette received a foot of snow; we only had half of that.  I've been told a recording was made, so I'll post the link on my FB page when I get it.  I also hope to have a copy to show my parents, since they can't post the whole thing online.

Took my Youngling to dinner at the Montana Mike's steakhouse, then went home for ice cream and cake.  I was so tired I went to bed early.

Yesterday, we had to drive to Princeton for ISTEP testing.  The spouse and I took Miss A to breakfast at Denny's, then drove to Evansville, where we spent forty-five minutes in Barnes and Noble, until the Mall opened.  She then spent an hour running around the Craftsman/Lawn and Garden area, and fell asleep on the way back.

Today's test was shorter, so we ate breakfast at Burger King and let A run around the play area.

Feb Recap:
Books Read:  9
            Print:  1
            E-book:  8
            DNF:  3

Songs Added To Karaoke Good List:  4

Goals Met?
-NiKoh edited and off to proofreader
-1st installment sent for CTAHS
-Hotel Stories launched
-Mastered most of Mozart's Requiem, even trying to convert a church choir hymn to Latin!
-Salie's Story is now 12K, but not sure where I started.
-Did not work on Hearts of Braden

March Goals:
-Add 20K to SaLie's story
-Approve NiKoh's cover art  Check:)
-Promo NiKoh  Check:)
-Send 2nd installment for CTAHS
-Pay for MW Writer's Conference
-Pay for Day with Authors Won Reader Ticket!  Whoot!
-Get promo together for Madison signing (NiKoh and Hotel Stories)  Check:)
-Order more Hotel Stories copies  Check:)

Reading Schedule:
Diplomat's Daughter-Carolyn Wren  RR  Very good story!  Looking forward to more:)
Kentucky Woman-Jan Scarbough  DRR!  Loved this!!!
Hard Drive-Tricia Anderson  Very good!  Now I need the 1st book in this series:)

Karaoke Songs:
Breathe-Breaking Benjamin
Broken-Lifehouse
According To You-Orianthe
Don't You Wanna Stay-Kelly Clarkson/Jason Aldean
The Climb-Miley Cyrus
Consider Me Gone-Reba
I Can't Drive 55-Sammy Hagar 'E' for effort, but bleh!
I Honestly  Love You-Olivia Newton-John  Nailed it:)
I Hope You Dance-Lee Ann Womack  Nailed it:)
I Just Called To Say I Love You-Stevie Wonder Bleh....too low
I Just Can't Stop Loving You-Michael Jackson  So-so
I Got The Boy-Jana Kramer  DNH
I Knew I Loved You-Savage Garden  Ugh...a bit low...
I Love Rock-n-Roll-Joan Jett  Not bad....but great either.