Star Wars High

From the Popped Culture blogsite: What if Star Wars didn't happen a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but in the '80s, at a high school? Denis Medri's character redesigns will transport you there, where the Millenium Falcon is a classic Trans AM, Luke looks like Marty McFly's brother and Yoda is the wise coach. Awesome.

"Disaster in Little-Land"

An Amazing Feat of Engineering

When Children's Books Go Bad

A man by the name of Bob Staake took some old children's books and put a rather unique spin in re-titling them. The results are hilarious. Click here to get your day's worth of chuckles and groans.

Dew-Covered Insects - Beautiful!

Photographer David Chambon took these pictures of dew-coated insects like this dragonfly. So incredibly beautiful, they almost appear to be jewel encrusted!

For Sale: One Totally Useless Cat

S. A. Garcia is my Guest Author Tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio

S. A. Garcia is my guest author tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio. She'll be reading from her homoerotic fantasy romance, An Elf For All Centuries, from Silver Publishing.

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

Don't miss it!
* * *

Elf Prince Fabion enjoys the perfect super model lifestyle until wizard Matradorian chucks him back in time to save Henda, the sexy, powerful elf king. Since the death of his lover, Henda has lingered in a half-alive, half-dead state. Surprise, Fabion is a spiritual match for Henda's dead lover, so only he can save the dying king. 

Fabion uses his sexy bod and sweet lovin' to revive the elf king. All seems well until he realizes that by saving Henda, his own time was destroyed. Fabion must stay in this ancient land forever. Fabion pitches the biggest temper tantrum of any century until he realizes sexy Henda accepts him as his true lover. Being the virile, handsome Henda’s lover fills Fabion’s emotional gap. The former super model decides to accept life in the backwards century.

Soon Fabion learns the nineteenth century is more dangerous than his vanished thirty-ninth century. Now who wants to kill him? And why?

The Hotelicopter - a Helicopter Hotel

In truth, there is no such thing as a hotelicopter, but wouldn't it be fabulous if there were?

A Soldier and His Squirrel

Be Nice to Yourself

Ashes and Snow by Gregory Colbert

You can read about this beautiful project here.

Water Tower Home

This happened over in Belgium. According to "World of Technology", Belgian design studio Bham turned this decommissioned water tower that soars about 30 m (98 ft.) above the flat countryside near Brussels into a living house. Now the building with a total area of 400 sq. m (4300 sq. ft.) is a six-level two-bedroom private residence with modern furniture, sleek kitchen, and garage for two cars.

Go over to the site here and look at the 20 pictures of the interior. Sleek, futuristic, and unique concepts that have to be seen to be believed.

PANCAKES by Kat Leah

 

I love comics that tell the kind of stories I want to write. Stories with a surprise somewhere, stories that take you places, with people keeping a secret. From Kettles. ENJOY!

Olivia Hardin is my Guest Author Tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio

It's 2-for-1 night tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio! Olivia Hardin is my guest author, and she'll be reading excerpts from her two paranormal romances, Witch Way Bends, Book 1 of the Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy, and Bitten Shame, Book 2.

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

Don't miss it!
***
(Excerpt from Witch Way Bends)
Devan Stowe has only one thing on her mind when she teams up with Kent Crosby and his associates—putting an end to her father’s child trafficking business. Her determination takes her on a journey to discover her true strength and the… one man she was destined to love. In his arms, she’ll learn the meaning of trust, honor, and courage. Devan will unlock an amazing gift that will free her from her past and open up a future full of magic, faeries and more things than she ever imagined possible.
 

(Excerpt from Bitten Shame)
Jill Prescott returned from self-imposed seclusion to help save her best friend Devan’s life. Throwing herself into Devan’s problems and bringing an evil organization to its knees might just be the distraction she needs to keep living without the only man she’s ever loved. Her life changed forever when she was hired to spend a week with Doc Massey. On the day she became a vampire her youthful innocence ended, but Doc’s love rescued her from being consumed by the darkness. The shadow of that former life continues to loom over her, keeping her from realizing her own self-worth. Running from her past only brings her closer to a destiny that is inextricably connected to what she is trying to escape. Every gift has both a reward and a price, because All of it fits.

Today's the Last Day of the Bitten By Paranormal Romance Blog Hop

Today's the last day of the Bitten By Paranormal Romance Blog Hop. I will post my Saturday winners shortly.

Each day I'll be posting a sensuous excerpt from one of my books. All you have to do is peruse the titles and covers on the left side of my blog, and guess which book I'm quoting from in a comment. I'll make sure to give plenty of "clues" as to which book it is. ;) Don't forget to include your email addy in with your comment.

Then, on the following day, come back and see if you've won! You may enter every day, but only one vote per day, please. Even if you guess wrong, you may still be a winner!

Every day I'll be giving away an ecopy of any one of my books (winner's choice), a gift card to Amazon, and a gift card to Starbucks.

Good luck! Now, on to the first excerpt:
*****
(Warning! PG-13 Excerpt)

“No. No. I want to stay...here.” Taking the glass, and being careful not to drop it this time, she immediately grasped what he had not told her. There were limits to what he could do, boundaries that could not be crossed, even though untold barriers that had seemed impossible long ago had melted away like morning fog. Far be it for her to complain again about the suffocating corset. Not when the man who had haunted this cottage and her imagination was now a living being.

They sipped their wine in silence. The fire crackled and popped, heedless of the growing tension between them. Where is this going? What is going to happen after this? she wondered. The wine was sweet in her mouth. His nearness was just as intoxicating. He was orchestrating this meeting between them. It was impossible to believe he was expending so much energy just so they could share a glass of wine.

How much longer was this going to go on? The unknowing and the uncertainty were potent questions, and she felt her head starting to whirl from the alcohol and the situation. She started to ask him when he placed his empty glass on the table beside the sofa. He took the glass from her trembling hand and set it aside as well. Then, without comment, he laid his bandaged hand against her cheek, leaned over, and kissed her gently on the lips. Pulling back, he watched for her reaction.

 
“Did you ever...”

“Ever what?” His breath was soft. She could see how his dark hair hung in little waves over his ears and brushed the collar of his shirt.

She refused to hesitate, not when this was only a fragment of some imaginary “what if” that could evaporate at any second. She reached for him, his arms, and his lips. She was taken aback by her hunger, but the feel of his body against hers ripped away all pretense. She could sense all his gentlemanly concerns and manners were tossed away. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap.

He held her face between his hands and smothered her features with kisses. Holding onto this pretense was beginning to rip her apart inside but she couldn’t let him go. Not now. Not now.

Maybe she was his love reincarnated. But whether or not she was or wasn’t, this felt right. He felt right. Even more frightening, it all felt long overdue.

His fingers found the row of tiny buttons running along her spine, and she heard him curse himself for the accuracy of the gown he’d remembered her in.

She moaned, her lips moving against the side of his neck. Her hands had managed to pull his shirt from the waistband of his breeches. His skin felt incredibly smooth and warm against her palms. His body was muscled from a life of hard work during an unforgiving time in history.

“Damn,” he muttered against her cheek. The pearl buttons refused to obey. She could hear his frustration as his breath quickened along her shoulder.

 “Tear it,” she ordered him.

 He hesitated for a split second before grabbing two fists full and pulling the  material, ripping it apart and shredding it. Buttons popped off and skidded across the floor, sounding like small marbles bouncing on the wood.

The bodice disappeared like smoke. She threw her arms around his neck. Her breasts pressed against the rough linen shirt. Her nipples grew excited as they rubbed along the fabric.

His hands found her back, her ribs. Several short jerks brushing her skin suddenly allowed her room and the freedom to breathe. The corset had been released. She inhaled deeply as he pulled it off of her and flung it over the back of the couch. Tentative thumbs stroked the underside of her breasts before finding the tips. His touch was electric, and she gasped.

Together, she helped him shrug out of his shirt, tossing it across the room. Her mouth found the curve of his neck once more, and she tasted his scent and the moistness of his sweat. Running her tongue up to the edges of his chin, she was surprised to hear him chuckle. The sound of it vibrated along her lips.

“What?” she whispered with a smile.

“I had hoped to seduce you. But now I wonder...who is seducing whom?”

Day 3 of the "Bitten By Paranormal Romance" Blog Hop

It's now Day 3 of the Bitten By Paranormal Romance Blog Hop. I will post my Friday winners shortly.

Each day I'll be posting a sensuous excerpt from one of my books. All you have to do is peruse the titles and covers on the left side of my blog, and guess which book I'm quoting from in a comment. I'll make sure to give plenty of "clues" as to which book it is. ;) Don't forget to include your email addy in with your comment.

Then, on the following day, come back and see if you've won! You may enter every day, but only one vote per day, please. Even if you guess wrong, you may still be a winner!

Every day I'll be giving away an ecopy of any one of my books (winner's choice), a gift card to Amazon, and a gift card to Starbucks.

Good luck! Now, on to the first excerpt:
*****
(Warning! PG-13 Excerpt)

The alarm on the cell phone chimed. He was awake almost instantly, trained to come fully alert after years of undercover work. Reaching to shut it off, his hand brushed over the vibrant body lying against him. From some unknown source, a light found the diamond solitaire in the band on his hand, and his eyes were drawn to the sparkle.

If someone had told me a month ago I’d be running off to Vegas to get married, I probably would have called the state mental hospital and had them committed, he told himself.
He’d deliberately set the alarm a little early. After all, this was their honeymoon, and wouldn’t it be nicer to face the challenge of the coming day after savoring a soft giggle, a softer kiss, and the softest pair of thighs ever created on the face of the earth?

She was rolled in the sheets like a butterfly in a warm cocoon. It was an odd little habit she had, as if she was swaddling herself into a protective sheath. Pulling up onto his elbows, he bent over and began to unwrap her. As he slowly uncovered her, he placed tender kisses on the exposed skin, until he reached the center. By the time he uncovered her dimpled bellybutton, she was stretching languidly.
 

“Good morning.” He nuzzled the bellybutton as he eyed the thatch of pale golden silk not far from his cheek. She radiated heat. Heat and her unmistakable scent.
 

“Good morning,” she rumbled breathily. “Time to get up?”
 

He grinned. “Oh, I’m already up."

Up... rock hard... and ready.

He could hear her sharp intake of breath, then a low laugh.

“You know... I’ve yet to find out if you like to take your showers in the morning or the evening,” she commented. Her hands had found his thick, loose hair, and he closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her fingers casually running through it. It was a simple gesture, her combing his hair, but it was one of those moments he enjoyed. Once she had braided it into one thick lock down his back, taking her sweet time, until she was satisfied with the way it looked before she asked him for an eagle feather to stick in it. She couldn’t figure out why he had laughed so heartily at her request.

Giving him a little push, she added, “Of course, you like to take your baths any time that’s convenient.” Her tone of voice tickled him. It had been an experiment of his last night, to see if they could make love while she lay submerged in the warm water. For some unexplainable reason, he wanted to see if her gills reacted as she climaxed when she was breathing through them.

They did.

Day 2 of the "Bitten By Paranormal Romance" Blog Hop

Today is Day 2 of the Bitten By Paranormal Romance Blog Hop. I will announce Thursday's winners later this evening.

Each day I'll be posting a sensuous excerpt from one of my books. All you have to do is peruse the titles and covers on the left side of my blog, and guess which book I'm quoting from in a comment. I'll make sure to give plenty of "clues" as to which book it is. ;) Don't forget to include your email addy in with your comment.

Then, on the following day, come back and see if you've won! You may enter every day, but only one vote per day, please. Even if you guess wrong, you may still be a winner!

Every day I'll be giving away an ecopy of any one of my books (winner's choice), a gift card to Amazon, and a gift card to Starbucks.

Good luck! Now, on to the second excerpt:
*****
(Warning: PG-13 excerpt)

The wind whistled ominously as it whipped around the break. Occasionally it would huff and puff, sending little clouds of soft, powdery snow floating down over them. The noise sounded like a hungry animal seeking a way inside where they lay.
 

Frequent wind gusts buffeted against the fallen timbers, and he grew concerned about the stability of their shelter. More snow was already falling through the cracks in the boards, allowing thin streams of air to flow in. He didn't know whether or not he should be grateful for the fact that at least they wouldn't have to worry about suffocating during the night. But her worsening condition was beginning to terrify him.

Eskimos.

The thought flashed through his partially dazed mind. He shook his head, trying to clear the numbness brought on by the temperature.

Eskimos.

They lived in areas where this kind of weather was prevalent almost year round.

Through blizzards and storms that could rip the skin right off a man's bones. And they thrived. They conserved body heat in those dinky, ice-packed igloos.
 

They shared body heat.

Body heat.

He began to react more on instinct. He was tired and drained, unable to think clearly, and knew that if he didn't take some sort of action soon, it wouldn't matter if the sheriff's department found them the next morning. Besides, he'd be damned if he would be responsible for her death when there was a chance he could prevent it. They were partners, damn it! He was a freaking bodyguard, wasn't he? They had been paired up for a reason, and he sure as hell wasn't going to be accused of being a slacker when this was all over.

Figure out what you need to do and do it!

There was another reason why he needed to come up with a plan of action and get his butt in gear. Anything would be better than just lying here, waiting to freeze to death, or be eaten.

He had finally admitted to himself that he wanted to see if there might be a chance something could develop between him and her. He wanted that chance. And he wanted it bad enough to do whatever it would take to get it.
 

Bottom line, whether it was because of duty or hope, there was no way he would let her die.

Moving as carefully as he could so as not to disturb the shelter, he managed to get his jacket off before working on his shirt, then the thermal underwear. Once his clothing was removed, the wintry blast was like a knife slicing over his skin, whetting itself across his bare abdomen and chest. Gritting his teeth, he began removing her jacket and sweater. He paused momentarily when he reached the white lace bra underneath her own thermal layer. Her full breasts filled the cups, the upper curves like sweet, tempting hills ready to be explored, but he quickly shook off the lapse in concentration and unhooked the garment.
 

Her skin was as cold as a block of ice, and as rigid and pale. Somehow he succeeded in wrapping her tightly to his chest, burying her forehead against his neck and collarbone, with the shirt, sweater, and undershirts. The heavy jackets he laid over them, tucking in the edges. His left arm was free, but halfway supported her head. His right arm he ran through one of the jackets' sleeve. All in all, he suspended her like a papoose against his chest and belly.

When he was finished, he took a few moments to rest. In spite of their circumstances, he was acutely aware of her firm breasts along his chest, as well as the fullness of her curves. She matched him point for point—knee to knee, hip to hip, and shoulder to shoulder. A vision of her naked in bed flashed through his mind, and he imagined her being as strong and demanding during sex as he was. Her Alpha to his. He felt a stirring in his groin, but he couldn't blame the little bugger for wanting to remain safely tucked inside his body cavity. Even his balls were drawn up as far as they could go.

Pressing his cheek to her temple, he listened carefully to her breathing. Fortunately it wasn't labored. He sighed gratefully, and he caught another whiff of her perfume. As before, it was very faint and pleasantly floral, emphasizing her femininity without being overpowering.

I'm Participating in the Bitten By Paranormal Romance Blog Hop, and I'll Have 3 Winners a Day!

Starting today, and going through the 16th, I'll be a part of the Bitten By Paranormal Romance Blog Hop.

Each day I'll be posting a sensuous excerpt from one of my books. All you have to do is peruse the titles and covers on the left side of my blog, and guess which book I'm quoting from in a comment. I'll make sure to give plenty of "clues" as to which book it is. ;) Don't forget to include your email addy in with your comment.

Then, on the following day, come back and see if you've won! You may enter every day, but only one vote per day, please. Even if you guess wrong, you may still be a winner!

Every day I'll be giving away an ecopy of any one of my books (winner's choice), a gift card to Amazon, and a gift card to Starbucks.

Good luck! Now, on to the first excerpt:
*****
(Warning! PG-13 excerpt)
Once the nurses left with a departing comment that the doctor would be in to see her soon to give her her walking papers, she sat up to face him and opened her arms. Her lower lip trembled from the feel of his arms going around her, and she buried her face in the hollow of his neck as lips pressed against her forehead.

"Good morning, gorgeous." His voice echoed in his chest.

She giggled slightly. "I'm not gorgeous. My hair is a mess. I need a shower. And I bet my breath could knock an elephant to its knees."

"Mmm. Let me be the judge of that."

His mouth trapped hers, captured, and took it hostage. She surrendered, never wanting this almost perfect moment to end. Dimly she was aware of his body sitting beside hers, thigh to thigh. Slowly she could feel his hands moving up her back, parting the flimsy gown until they found her warm skin. Almost tentatively one hand began to move forward, gradually easing around her ribcage. He was going to touch her breast. There was no doubt in her mind. It was a touch she wouldn't deny him or herself as her skin tingled with anticipation.  
As the rough palm cupped her, her breath caught in her throat, and he released her lips to give her the chance to object.

"If you don't want—"

"No," she hurried to tell him. "Keep touching me. Keep…"

There was fire in his touch. Fire that was shooting sparks though every nerve and muscle in her body. When his hand gently squeezed the full globe, a moan of pure want rumbled through her, surprising her with its intensity. Sparklers sizzled between her thighs.

A thumb rubbed over the nipple, making her jerk in response. He lifted his face from where he had buried it against her neck.

"Does that hurt?" His voice was hoarse. He had moved his hand away slightly.

She managed a weak smile. What she wouldn't give to be able to see his face. Taking his hand, she deliberately placed it back on her breast, letting him know she didn't want him to stop whatever delicious torture he had in mind.

Letting out a deep sigh, he dove back into the sweetness of her skin.

His thumb continued to play with her nipple until she could feel her womb clench. A surging wetness moistened her innermost core, and she trembled beneath the power of his touch. His hand moved, and he gently pinched the hard nub between thumb and forefinger.

"Oh, God."

Before the words were out of her mouth, he was gone. No, not gone, she discovered when she opened her eyes. Moved away, back to the other side of the room where his aura shone brightly. She started to ask him what was wrong when the door to her room opened and she heard at least three people enter.

Bored of Your Plain Old Garage Door?

I Try to Keep It Pronounceable

I was perusing the blurbs of some of the new sci-fi romances over on Amazon, and I discovered one odd fact. In many cases, if the male is the one who's from another planet/galaxy, his name is unpronounceable.  More often than not, it also has apostrophes in it. Examples: K'norr,  Gra'dish en Me'vahu, Myr

Now, I will admit that I've tried to keep my characters' names from becoming too tongue-tangling. In several cases, I resolved that issue by giving them a "similar" name. In other words, I took a familiar word, then changed one or two letters. (Ex: Ryan - Rion). But in most instances, I've made the attempt to keep the monikers one syllable in length.

However, there have been a time or two when someone's asked me to help with the pronunciation of a name. The one most frequently asked? AEQUANA. The A and E are combined Greek-style, making my mermaid heroine's name either "Ee-quana" or "Eh-quana". Either way is fine. And either way, it doesn't make any difference as long as a reader wants to read one of my books.

Nicole Luiken 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 when Nicole Luiken will be reading an action-packed excerpt from her fantasy romance, Gate to Kandrith, from Carina Press.

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

Don't miss it!

***

Sarathena Remillus, daughter of the newly elected Primus of the Republic of Temboria, has been given a mission: discover the secret of slave magic.  Anxious to escape the corruption and treachery of the capital, Sara welcomes the chance to finally prove herself in far away Kandrith, the tiny nation of ex-slaves.
Accompanying her on the journey is Lance, a Kandrithan to whom Sara owes her life.  Lance despises the nobility, and is determined to resist his desire for Sara, despite her attempts to entice him into divulging the secret of his magic.
Soon their travels become fraught with peril, and Sara discovers she’s fallen victim to the ultimate betrayal.  To end a war between two nations, she will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Some Pictures Inspire Conversation

I often use a photograph, or series of pictures, like these shots, to inspire conversation between my hero and heroine.

19 Things We Should Say To Our Children

This is from The Maternal Lens. Go now and read, whether you have children or no.

Go.

This Made Me Cry - The Love of a Best Friend

John Unger and his 19-year-old dog Schoep from Bayfield, Wisconsin have stolen many hearts with one photograph taken by Hannah Hudson. John rescued Schoep when he was just 8 weeks old and the two have been best friends since. Schoep now suffers from severe arthritis in his legs and it hurts so bad that Schoep cannot sleep, but John has figured out a way to ease his best friend’s pain. John takes Schoep to the waters of Lake Superior and holds him until he falls asleep, sometimes the two stay in the water for hours. Hannah Hudson snapped a picture of the two and after sharing the picture on Facebook it has been liked over 300,000 times and shared more than 200,000 times. Since the image went viral John has received enough donations to treat Schoeps arthritis.

Found here.

When Taxidermy Goes Bad

Some Cookies Are Just Too Beautiful To Eat

And Finally, My Monday Winners Are...

Many huge thanks to all who came and read my blog, especially to those who posted a comment! My Monday, and final, winners are:

Ebook: Lindsay Avalon

Amazon gift card: Nay Nay

Starbuck's gift card: Yazmin

Blessings to all!

Plastic vs The Real Thing

Making Love - From Whose Point of View?

(Note: This post will be displayed at the top of this blog during the Romancing the Hop blog hop. Just scroll down for the newer posts.)

*
This has always intrigued me. When I reach a love scene, I always note whose point of view is telling me about it. If the story is in first person, then the viewpoint is from the woman (unless I'm reading a homo-erotic story, which doesn't give me a choice.)

Otherwise, in most cases, I get to vicariously live every lick and tickle from the woman's POV.

So I went back and checked to see how I wrote these scenes, and discovered that I'm about half and half - sometimes in the same book!

For instance, in HEARTFAST, depending on the scene, sometimes you get the hero's version, and at other times, the heroine's description. The same goes for X-TROLLER.

 

But I do have some books where the POV of lovemaking is strictly one-sided throughout. HEALER OF THE HEART, HIS LAST REQUEST, THE GIFTED, and  SANDEFLAY are told strictly from the man's viewpoint. While the LORD OF THUNDER series, FIRELIGHT, DEEP, and CAPTIVE SURRENDER are revealed from the heroine's POV. In fact, when I did a little calculating, I realized I've written about half and half.

 

Which makes me wonder - do you prefer to read a great sex scene as the man, or the woman? Comment below, and you could WIN!

 

Every day of the blog hop, I will be giving away 3 prizes: a free ebook, an Amazon gift card, and a Starbuck's gift card. Be sure to include your email address in your post. Come back the next day to see if you've won. You may enter every day, but only one entry per day will be permitted.

At the same time you comment, your name will be entered in the blog hop's Grand Prize Contest, of which there will be three winners! Grand Prizes include a Kindle, a gift card, and the entire swag shown below.

 

So comment now, and Good Luck! (Then skip below and choose your next destination!)

And My Sunday Winners Are...

Congratulations to my Sunday winners!

They are:

Ebook: kittyb78
Amazon gift card: Veronika
Starbuck's gift card: Kaylyn D

Remember, you can comment as often as you like. I will post 3 more winners tomorrow.

Thank you again to all who posted!

Happy Labor Day!

And My Saturday Winners Are...

Thanks to everyone who posted on Saturday. Remember, you can comment as often as you like.

My Saturday winners are:


Ebook: Jesse Kimmel-Freeman

Amazon gift card: Dovile

Starbuck's gift card: Celeste Jones

Congratulations!

Stray Books

Thank you to all who commented on Friday, August 31st! Remember, you can enter as often as you like. I will pick 3 names every day of the blog hop.

Congratulations to the winners from Friday:

Ebook -
Sharon Clare

Amazon gift card -
miki

Starbuck's gift card -
Shannon Ro

9 Things NASA Has Helped Bring Us