New Release and Giveaway Tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio

You don't want to miss tonight's episode on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio! I'm celebrating my newest release BREACHERS: HAWTHORNE AND MARYA, Book 2 of the Breachers Series, an erotic urban fantasy, paranormal romance. Not only will I be reading an excerpt from it, but one lucky listener will win an ecopy!

Show time is 11 pm et/ 10 pm ct/ 8 pm et

Many Deep-Felt Thanks!

I am surprised and deeply humbled by the number of books readers downloaded of The Battle Lord's Lady when it was offered as a free read at All Romance eBooks during their Earth Day promotion.

Even more amazing is that, as of this posting, the book has garnered ten five-star reviews, including this comment: "An exiting [sic] read about a future earth that is plunged back into the dark ages where being different is a death sentence and life is about survival in harsh circumstances. The plot was full of forbidden romance, adventure and intrigue. The main couple were wonderful and their romance passionate. Very enjoyable read that I recommend to lovers of fantasy and futuristic genres of romance."

Thank you to everyone who tried it, and special hugs to those of you who were willing to try books 2 and 3.

And for those of you who wrote to ask me when the next book will be available, One Battle Lord' Fate is slated for a late summer/early fall release.

Timelapse: EARTHEREAL

So beautiful. From the international space station, a short timelapse film of our earth.

How To Create a Free iPhone Ringtone Using iTunes

I love this! Simple instructions, easy to follow, and the result is having your favorite songs as your ringtones!

Get the How To here!

Top Ten Things I Hate About Writing/Being a Writer

Actually, this isn't my list. It's a list from the blog Chiseled in Rock, and it's absolutely hilarious AND TRUE. Go follow them if you don't already.

7 Things You Should Add to Your Stop Doing List - Right Now!

Not only does this blog list things that are very apt for writers, but for just about anyone. The solutions sound easy enough. So why are we so reluctant to try them if our lives could only improve as a result?

I Suffered and Survived BURNOUT

I have been in an emotional, physical, and professional burnout since September of 2011, and I had no idea I was in the midst of one until recently. I was always coming home after a horrendous day of teaching (due to professional paperwork, not the kids) and I was literally too mentally exhausted to write, much less get an idea I could expound upon. And it got worse. My health declined, and the back of my neck felt like a block of concrete. I stopped my daily walking excercise. I could raise my arms no higher than shoulder level, which meant washing and bathing were major tasks, and forced me to chop off my hair to a length I could handle. Using lots of IcyHot helped me get to sleep at night, but I was resorting to all sorts of over-the-counter painkillers to keep me going during the day.

Eventually I had to seek medical help, which included MRIs, a stress test, and a shot in the back of the neck. Still, writing was elusive. Worse, I didn't even feel like reading. Not even my favorite horror mags.

Professionally, I felt like my books weren't doing squat. I'd had such a bad experience with one publisher, that my writing voice had completely deserted me. What little I forced myself to write, I constantly edited and re-wrote until the story no longer mattered to me, and I abandoned it. I felt like an utter failure to my other editors, as my books didn't do well for them either.

Thank goodness my hubby was there to support me.

But then...
After much praying and trying to figure out where to go with my writing, three remarkable things happened this month that helped to re-set my mental state.

*The UFO Museum in Roswell, NM, holds a yearly festival over the July 4th weekend. I had given them four of my books (the "Runner's Moon" series), and on the strength of those books I was invited to be a featured author at this year's gathering, which brings in thousands of tourists from all over the globe.

*A reader contacted me to tell me she and her book club were going to use AEQUANA as one of their preferred reads, and would I be able to talk to them via Skype or telephone when they meet? I asked her where were they located, and it was in Houston! A two-hour drive for me! Better still, they meet on a Saturday evening. Long story short, I'm driving up there to be with them personally. I can't wait!

*As an indie author, I have put some of my early works up at All Romance eBooks, which meant that whenever ARe wanted to push a special sale or event, I would get notification since I had my own "publishing company". In the past, I've always submitted something to one of their promos, only to have it rejected. (I'm a firm believer of "it never hurts to try".) So when they put out the all call for Earth Day, I sent them THE BATTLE LORD'S LADY. To my utter shock, it was accepted to be part of the 21-day celebration. And when my day came on the 19th, more surprise was in store when all 3 of my Battle Lord Saga books went to the top of the Sci-Fi category!

These reaffirming moments have done a wealth of good for me. Not only am I back to doing my walking/daily exercise, I'm back to writing! I have less than 30 days left of school before I can write full time in the summer again, and I plan to do more indie publishing. And I am seeking more medical help, including a professional masseuse.

Better still, I've now incorporated the following in my routine:

*Getting up out of my seat at least once an hour for at least 10 min. No more staring at the screen for long stretches at a time. The diversion can be something as simple as putting a load in the washer, unloading the dishwasher (or loading it), folding/hanging clothes, straightening up the living room, taking out the trash, or planning what I'm going to wear the next day.

*Not stressing over what I write. I JUST DO IT. Then once I'm done, I save and I don't go back to re-edit. Not yet, anyway. Once I'm done, I let it stew for a while. Then I can go back later and re-read and edit altogether. That way I'm more likely to catch times/dates/nuances that I may have forgotten or overlooked.

*More indie publishing. I probably won't sell much, but at least I'll be writing what I want to write, not what I'm told to write (Even after a publisher accepts your book as is, why do they insist on changing so damn much of it? If it wasn't what they were originally looking for, why contract it in the first place?) Also, on the plus side of that, I'll work at my own pace and my own schedule.
As my dear hubby and best friend tells me, fix what can be fixed, and don't worry over what can't be changed. Lord love his soul.

Xavier Axelson is my Guest Author Tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio

Xavier Axelson is my guest author tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio! Come listen as he reads an excerpt from his erotic paranormal romance, Earthly Concerns, from Seventh Window Publications.

Show time is 11 pm et/10 pm ct/8 pm pt

Don't miss it!
* * *
Between love and loss, there is obligation…

It was a peaceful night when Barrett and his daughter were driving home… then something happened.  Something sinister.

Between shadow and light, there is uncertainty…

Now the only person Barrett can turn to for help is Anson, a man gifted with psychic abilities beyond reason. But Anson is also his ex-boyfriend, a man whose heart he’d already broken.

If you can see, you have to help.

As Anson delves deeper into the circumstances surrounding Barrett’s accident, he begins to realize that he’s not only in a race against time, but in a battle against his own broken heart and the terrifying understanding that whatever has taken Barrett’s child is a force of evil beyond anything either man has ever encountered.

And between decision and consequences, there are… Earthly Concerns

Happy Earth Day!

Bird and Flower Art Made From Tiny Naked People

Not only are the photos on this site pretty to look at,
but if you look closer...

Want a Daily Laugh? Check out Awkward Stock Photos

If you need a daily laugh, add this website to your reading ritual.

Some of the shots are NSFW, but every one of them will have you wondering WTF was the photographer thinking?

Today Only! The Battle Lord's Lady is FREE and Featured Over at All Romance eBooks!

Every April, All Romance eBooks highlights the first book in a series by authors you may not be familiar with. My book, The Battle Lord's Lady, has been selected to be spotlighted and offered FREE!

So go over and get your free copy now! This offer is good for Today Only.

* * *
Three hundred years in the future, mankind still is trying to survive the Great Collision that changed the earth forever. People live in pockets of civilization called compounds, battling the elements and the mutations which have developed over the centuries, trying to live and survive day by day.

Yulen D’Jacques is the Battle Lord of Alta Novis. His duty is to keep his compound and his people safe, which means yearly sweeps of the area to remove any mutated men and animals from encroaching.

Atrilan Ferran is Mutah, a mutant warrior and huntress trained to protect and defend her home from Cleaners, the “normals” who invade the forests to slaughter everything and everyone who gets in their way.

They never anticipated the day when their hearts would collide, challenging and changing everything they thought was the truth. Leading them to the day they would have to prove their love for each other to man and mutant alike.

Clock Tower Apartment

It would be a dream to live in a place like this. You can see more of the apartment here.
This amazing 7,000 square foot penthouse apartment is located in the 1914 landmark clock tower building in New York. Beautiful apartment features unique staircase, private 3-story elevator, modern kitchen, three bedrooms, and four giant clocks with glass faces that offer breathtaking panoramic views. Clock Tower apartment is currently for sale for only $23,500,000.

Alternate Opening to THE WALKING DEAD

I am a huge Walking Dead fan. And when I found this "alternate opening" for the show, I thought I'd come across a rarely seen gem. Instead, I got this hilarious 80s TV flashback.

Enjoy!

(Caution: Does contain a couple of graphic scenes.)

JL Oiler is My Guest Author Tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio

Come listen and chat with JL Oiler tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio. She'll be reading from her erotic paranormal romance, Lustful Reflections: A Witch Among Werewolves, from Rebel Ink Press.

Show time is 11 pm et/10 pm ct/ 8 pm pt
Don't miss it!
* * *

Haylie Fairbanks is the youngest child in a legendary witching family. Of course being at the top of the magic food chain doesn't come without consequences. Wizards like Adrian Caproete will always be plotting your downfall. Now Caproete has enlisted help from the plane lying on the other side of the mirror and he’ll do whatever it takes to bring down the Fairbanks, including kidnapping Haylie and ransoming her for an amulet said to be able to drain a witch’s power.

Enyalios, Gar, and Anut are werewolf warriors of Eridu, a world parallel to our own and reached by stepping through the reflective surface of an enchanted mirror. The mission that brings them to our plane seemed simple enough when the wizard proposed it, but one look at their quarry and a chase through the open air market in Morocco proves this is far from the easy snatch and grab they expected.

After realizing they can't turn the beauty over to Caproete for any fee, the men decide to instead offer the Fairbanks elder an unexpected option. They will allow Haylie to remain in their keep until the danger passes. Of course none of the three expect the girl’s father to make a counter offer, one that could certainly be a pleasure to fulfill.

Caught in a plot that could cost her family everything, Haylie must decide if she can submit to what's best for her family and give herself over to the care of the Werewolves, the very men who sought to kidnap and trade her to her enemy. Men who offer more than a home and family, but the hopes of a love unmatched by anything Haylie has ever known.

Luxury Yacht Comes With Its Own Private Island

Ever dream of living on a deserted island, but still want all the comforts of home? Here you go! A private luxury yacht that fulfills all your dreams, including your own volcano and waterfall!

Check out the link here to see more spectacular photos!

Creative Egg Art

For those of you (like me) who like your eggs at other times besides just Easter, check out these hilarious photos of some very creative egg art.

***

Series of clever photos by Sao Paulo based photographer Vanessa Dualib. “Eggventures of Eggbert” project takes us on a journey of an egg trying to survive in a world where millions of omelettes are consumed every day.

Bulgaria is the Home of the Worst Bike Lanes

These photos are absolutely hilarious! Check them out!

It's Official! I've Been Invited to be a Guest at the Roswell UFO Festival!

It's official! I've been invited by the directors of the International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell, New Mexico, to be a guest author at their Festival this summer! The festival runs from Friday, June 29th, and ends on Monday, July 2nd.

Click here to visit the museum online, and to find out more details as they are uploaded. I will be autographing copies of my books, as well as doing an hour-long book and author discussion.

20 Inspiring Quotes To Help You Finish Writing Your Book

(Originally written by Sam Horn and found here.)

My work is helping people get their ideas out of their head and into the world so those ideas can make a positive difference for others and a prosperous living for you. Ideas in your head help no one.
In the 20 years I’ve had the pleasure of helping people become published authors; I have never met any who were sorry they wrote their book; they were only sorry they didn’t write it sooner.
I’ve collected 20 inspiring quotes to help you finish that book you’ve been talking about. Post these where you see them throughout the day. Keeping your intentions in sight, in mind can hold you accountable for writing every day . . . even if it’s a single page.
I promise you, when you hold your completed book in your hands and hear from people how it influenced them; it will be one of the most tangibly satisfying achievements of your life. It will be a legacy that outlives you – a contribution no one can take away.
1. “If you wait for inspiration to write; you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.” – Dan Poynter
2. When asked the secret to finishing his 500 page masterpiece The Power of One, author Bryce Courtenay growled, “Bum glue!”
3. “If my doctor told me I had only 6 months to live, I’d type a little faster.” – Isaac Asimov
4. “Inspiration usually comes during work, not before it.” – Madeleine L’Engle
5. “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at 9 am every morning.” – Peter DeVries
6. “I think I did pretty well, considering I started out with nothing but a bunch of blank paper.” – Steve Martin
7. “I made a startling discovery. Time spent writing = output of work. Amazing.” – Ann Pachett
8. “Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see to the end of your headlights; but you can make the whole trip that way.” – E. L. Doctorow
9. “Ever tried and failed? No matter. Try again and fail better.” – Samuel Beckett
10. “It’s never too late – in fiction or in life – to revise.” – Nancy Thayer
11. “The way to resume is to resume. It is the only way. To resume.” – Gertrude Stein
12. “Best advice on writing I’ve ever received. Finish.” – Peter Mayle
13. “When I am writing, I am doing the thing I was meant to do.” – Anne Sexton
14. “You can sit there, tense and worried, freezing the creative energies, or you can start writing something. It doesnt matter what. In five or ten minutes, the imagination will heat, the tightness will fade, and a certain spirit and rhythm will take over.” – Leonard Bernstein
15. “I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged. I had pieces that were re-written so many times I suspect it was just a way of avioding sending them out.” – Erica Jong
16. “Once you’ve done the mental work, there comes a point you have to throw yourself into action and put your heart on the line.” – Lakers basketball coach Phil Jackson
17. “The faster I write, the better my output. If I’m going slow, I’m in trouble. It means I’m pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.” – Raymond Chandler
18. “When you speak, your words echo across the room. When you write, your words echo across the ages.” – Chicken Soup for the Writers Soul author Bud Gardner
19. “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” – Carl Sandburg
20. “I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.” – Pearl S. Buck
Bonus Quotes
21. “If you want to write, you can. Fear stops most people from writing, not lack of talent. Who am I? What right have I to speak? Who will listen to me? You are a human being with a unique story to tell. You have every right.” – Richard Rhodes
22. “A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage.” – Sydney Smith
Make this the year you have the courage of your convictions that you have an intriguing story to tell, a worthwhile message to share.
Take responsibility for getting your ideas out of your head and into the world. I guarantee, you’ll never regret writing your book; you’ll only regret not writing it. . . sooner.
Best wishes and . . . write on.

Rose Anderson is my Guest Author Tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio

Rose Anderson is my guest author tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio. She'll be reading from her erotic paranormal romance, Dreamscape, from Siren Publishing.

Show time is 11 pm et/ 10 pm ct/ 8 pm pt

Don't miss it!
*****

Unable to deny his own translucence, Dr. Jason Bowen determines his lack of physical substance could only mean one thing—he’s a ghost. Murdered more than a century before, Jason haunts his house and ponders the treachery that took his life.

When Lanie O’Keefe arrives with plans to renovate her newly purchased Victorian mansion, Jason discovers, ghost or not, he’s still very much a man.

Despite its derelict condition and haunted reputation, Lanie couldn’t be happier with her new home, but then she has no idea a spirit follows her every move throughout the day and shares her captivating warmth at night. Jason soon discovers he can travel through Lanie’s dreams and finds himself reliving the days before his murder with Lanie by his side.
It took one hundred and twenty years for love to find them, but there’s that insurmountable little matter of Jason being dead.

Happy Easter!

Here's wishing the Easter Pug leaves you lots of eggs and chocolate!

For Pug Lovers, the Pug Alphabet!

For all you fellow pug lovers, here is the definitive Pug Alphabet.

Damn Fairy (A Joke)

A married couple in their early 60s was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in a quiet, romantic little restaurant. Suddenly, a tiny yet beautiful fairy appeared on their table. She said, 'For being such an exemplary married couple and for being loving to each other for all this time, I will grant you each a wish.'

The wife answered, 'Oh, I want to travel around the world with my darling husband. The fairy waved her magic wand and - poof! - two tickets for the Queen Mary II appeared in her hands.

The husband thought for a moment: 'Well, this is all very romantic, but an opportunity like this will never come again. I'm sorry my love, but my wish is to have a wife 30 years younger than me.'

The wife, and the fairy, were deeply disappointed, but a wish is a wish. So the fairy waved her magic wand and - poof! - the husband became 92 years old.

The moral of this story: Men who are ungrateful bastards should remember fairies are female.

(Thanks, Therese!) 

Retro Future Cars and Transportation

I remember seeing advertisements and artwork like this when I was growing up. Cars and cities of the future were always prevalent in magazines, especially comic books. Now you can go to this link and see some of the best "futuristic" versions from the past.

HIS LAST REQUEST is now an ARe Best Seller!

I'm stunned! HIS LAST REQUEST now has the All Romance eBooks Best Seller star!

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hislastrequest-750167-143.html

* * *
If you had only one more day to live, what would you do?

Corwin knows. And no one and nothing is going to stop him from the telling the woman he has loved silently and from afar how much he cares for her.

And My Winners Are...

Congratulations and THANK YOU to everyone who posted on my blog!  And to show you my appreciation, ALL OF YOU will be getting a present from me! (Can I get a heartfelt "Hell, yeah!"?)

Here's what I need you to do. Email me and let me know which gift you'd like - sorry, one per person, but YOU GET TO CHOOSE! (Can I get a second "Hell, yeah!"?)

You can choose from the following:

*a PDF of any one of my books

* a gift certificate from Amazon

* a gift certificate from All Romance eBooks
(You must have an account with them in order to receive it.)

* a gift certificate from Barnes and Noble

* a gift card from Starbucks

Many thanks again to all who responded. You guys made my day!  

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY, AND YOU CAN WIN PRESENTS!

Up for grabs includes the following:

* a PDF of any one of my books

* a gift certificate to Starbucks

* a gift certificate to All Romance eBooks

* a gift certificate to Amazon

* a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble

AND MORE!

Sheri Wohl is my Guest Author Tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio!

Join us tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio! Sheri Wohl will be my guest author, and she'll be reading from her paranormal vampire romance, Burgundy Betrayal, Book 2 of the Spiritus Chronicles, from Bold Strokes Books.

Show time is 11 pm et/10 pm ct/ 8 pm pt

Don't miss it!
* * *

When truth is buried so deep it can kill, will the love of one woman be enough to save the life of another?
Kara Lynch lives a simple life as a ranger in Washington’s Riverside State Park. When dead bodies begin to turn up, her simple life vanishes. Adopted at birth, Kara has no idea her birthright is at the center of the murders and is the sole reason her life hangs in the balance. Help comes in the form of wolf expert, Camille “Cam” Black Wolf. Tall and mysterious, Cam is both a blessing and a curse—it’s hard to concentrate on saving hikers when Kara’s fighting the urge to run her hands all over Cam’s body. With assistance from vampire Riah Preston and her partner Adriana James of the Spiritus Group, they race to stop a preternatural killer. But will the secret they uncover give Kara wings or send her to the grave?

The PC Habi Case

From ThinkGeek, this is a PC case that is also a home for your pet gerbil. The heat from your CPU ensures that your rodent stays snug and warm, and the case features a 120 mm low-noise fan to avoid hearing damage to your beloved rodent. Of course the case is fully functional with an ATX per supply and 6 drive bays etc.

HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY!
The above gadget is a total scam (although it might be a great way to reuse old, outdated towers). Check out this link for more of the best April Fool's Gadgets, stories, hoaxes, and ideas!