Good Dad, Bad Dad

You Know It's Too Hot When...

Candyland

From this site: "Nicole Andrijevic & Tanya Schultz is an art-duo who takes sugar, pigment, polystyrene, wax, modeling clay, paper, plastic, found objects, wire, beads, glitter, and almost whatever else they can get their hands on to create a literal Candyland in the middle of the gallery floor."

Click on the link to see more photos!

Write a Confession

 

Confessions is a public art project that invites people to anonymously share their confessions and see the confessions of the people around them in the heart of the Las Vegas strip.

 

Happy Memorial Day!

New Review of FROM OUT OF THE SHADOWS - "This novel rocks!"

FROM OUT OF THE SHADOWS
Erotic Paranormal/Fantasy Romance
Whiskey Creek Press Torrid
(ebook) ISBN# 978-1-60313-829-1
(print) ISBN# 978-1-60313-863-5
Word Count:  75.5K
Croat was a Lupan, one of the half-man, half-beast creatures long thought to be extinct or fabricated from fairy tales. Lupan were folklore, nothing more than a myth.

Tora was a Sensitive. Her kind really existed, and normal people feared Sensitives because it was common knowledge that all Sensitives were evil and practiced the dark magicks.

Captured and thrown together inside Baron Agrino’s dungeon, they discovered a connection between them that defied all reason, and a love that transcended all
boundaries.

But is their love strong enough to stop the baron from what he’ll do with every Lupan he plans to capture? Or, worse, what he’ll do with Tora once he learns what she is?

Warning!  Contains torture, imprisonment, severe beatings, nasty bad guys, public nudity, molten wax, old wives' tales, forest folk, bad horsemanship, and lots of pissed off townspeople.
* * *

The Sensitive and the Lycan

 

This novel rocks! It is far more than your usual werewolf romance. It is a dark and erotic fairytale which deals with issues surrounding discrimination and acceptance, which affect all societies. It is the first book that I have read by Linda Mooney and I will be delving into her backlist and future releases of paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romances very soon.

In From out of the Shadows, which is set in a world akin to medieval times, the heroine, Tora is captured and thrown into a dungeon by Baron Agrino’s henchmen. A group of men bring another prisoner into the cell, subjecting him to an extremely savage beating. In the darkness of the dungeon Tora, goes to his aid, using her special powers as a Sensitive (Empath) to discover the extent of his injuries. She is astounded to discover that the body she touches is not that of a man, but a Lupan, a half-man, half-wolf creature from legend. She does the best she can to help him heal and shares some of her meagre rations with him. The Lupan, Croat tells Tora to stay away from him to save herself. He warns her that the baron’s men have put him there to break him so that he will aid the baron with his evil plans. Tora is being used by the baron to torture him, for if Croat is not fed, his Lupan side will dominate and he will be compelled to kill and eat her to survive. This he is loathe to do. Morover, they have formed a special bond with each other, enabling them to sense each others’ emotions from afar.

Tora and Croat eventually escape from the dungeon and return to Croat’s Lycan village. Tora cannot hide the fact that she is a Sensitive from Croat’s brethren and some find it hard to trust her. Sensitives are believed to possess dark magicks and are reviled and persecuted by those who do not understand their gift. However, Tora is under Croat’s protection and the bond between them grows, although Croat is fearful and a little suspicious of what this means. Croat and the other Lupans must decide what to do about Baron Agrino who is a threat to the Lupans. Tora returns home to find out what has happened to her brother Basil whilst she was a prisoner. From here the tale becomes darker as Tora finds out what awaits her in the village and the evil machinations of the baron and others are revealed to the reader. Croat and the Lupans are forced to act, ‘coming out of the shadows’, to not only save Tora but also their own way of life, before Tora and Croat can fulfil their true destiny.

The tale is very romantic, both Croat and Tora have experienced discrimination throughout their lives and remain strong characters deserving of each others’ love. Their mutual attraction is strong – even when Croat is in his Lupan form there is a sexual tension between them and Croat in particular finds it hard to dampen his body’s response. Croat wants to bed her from early on in the novel, although it is quite late on the first time Croat and Tora make love, but it was worth the wait and happened at just the right point in the narrative. Their lovemaking was also very erotic, their connection making it extra special! Tora tells Croat that she is happy to accept him into her body in human or Lupan form and this pleases him greatly.

The story does contain a great deal of violence throughout. The Lupans, for example, succumb to their animal instincts when in Lupan form and battle the baron’s men. There is also one particular harrowing torture scene in the book, which I will not divulge, suffice to say it had me cringing, but on reflection it reflected behaviour that occurred within the world the author created and was also key to progressing the plot.

Other major characters in the book include Deelaht, Croat’s grandmother, who plays the part of a wise woman and seems to know a lot more than she is letting on. There is also Mengar, Croat’s friend, who initially does not trust Tora as she is a Sensitive, Basil her brother and of course the baron. The author creates a very believable world and paints vivid pictures of the people, their abodes and their customs, adding to the depth and credibility of the story.

I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy erotic romance in a fantasy or paranormal setting, especially those who enjoy reading tales with a darker side.

 

Reviewed by Tina Williams, Sizzle and Burn Book Reviews

 

The Decline of Big Cats in 50 Years

 

Tigers may be extinct within 12 years

Amur leopards - of which only about 35 are thought to exist in the wild - may be extinct within 3 or 4 years.

In the 70s and 80s, 18,000 jaguars were killed each year for their fur. The numbers are still rapidly declining.

Half of Africa’s lion populations face extinction within the next 40 years.

The Start of True Love? Or the Beginning of the End?

Not in the English Language - Koi No Yokan

Cut Food

From this site: "Food Photographer Beth Galton and Food Stylist Charlotte Omnès collaborated for the series ‘Cut Food’. We can’t decide if looking at the pictures makes us sick or hungry but it is definetely a fun idea to provide a peek at food in a way that defies gravity- slicing it right down the middle in whatever container it’s normally found in. The two got the idea for the series after a commissioned job that had them cutting a burrito in half for a photo shoot."

The Excuse Creator

Jessica Subject is my Guest Author Tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio

Jessica Subject is my guest author tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio. She'll be reading from her erotic sci-fi romance, Alien Adoration, Book 1 of her "Alien Next Door" series.

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

Erotic dreams fill her with need…

Night after night, Rachel fantasizes about her sexy, playboy neighbor. But in her small town, no one changes, least of all the bad boy next door. But when Luke rescues her not once but twice from disastrous dates, she dares to believe her knight in black leather armor may be the right man for her after all.  

Until she learns the truth...

Life on Earth has never been easy for Luke. Stranded as a little boy, he struggled to craft an existence for himself, but he never forgot the first human he met--and he never stopped wanting to see her again. Returning to Hanton, Luke longs for Rachel. Yet, nothing goes as he plans, and Rachel barely notices him. Convincing her he isn't like all the jerks she's dated means telling her the truth, but can she handle it? 

Can she overcome her fears, or will she deny her alien adoration and leave him stranded once more?

Alone in a Haunted House - a Beautiful Paranormal Love Story

I have no idea who wrote and drew this beautiful paranormal love story. If you do, please share. Thanks!

Things to Remember - Tips & Tricks

 

• Accidentally close a tab? Ctrl+Shift+T reopens it.

• Bananas release dopamine, eat them when you’re sad.
• CTRL+SHIFT+ESC is the one handed version of CTRL+ALT+DEL
• Don’t brush your teeth hard, it makes them sensitive and removes enamel.
• Don’t like spiders? Put citronella oil on your walls and they will not go there.
• Drink one glass of water for every alcoholic drink you have, you’ll get drunk without getting a hangover.
• Get clear ice cubes by boiling water before freezing it
• Heal paper cuts and immediately stop the pain with chapstick.
• If you accidentally write on your dry erase board with a permanent marker, scribble over it with a dry eraser marker to remove it.
• If your shoes smell, put them in the freezer overnight, it will kill the bacteria.
• Make bug bites stop itching with a banana peel.
• Make a paper longer with 12-point text, but 14-point periods and commas.
• Need to get around a blocked website at work? Try replacing the http:// with https://
• Never send your resume as a word file (unless asked) Instead, save it to a pdf file, it’s much cleaner and professional looking.
• Pick a flavor of gum you don’t normally chew, and chew it while studying during a test.
• Place a piece of bread in a container with your homemade cookies and cake, and they will stay soft.
• Put a dry towel into a dryer with wet clothes, they will dry faster.
• Put toothpaste on a pimple and it will dry out.
• Practice fake smiling in the mirror every day before going to work/school, you’ll genuinely start to feel happier.
• Rub canola/olive oil on knives before cutting onions, you won’t cry; alternatively chew gum and you won’t either.
• Short on time with a wrinkled dress shirt? Hang it up in the bathroom while showering to steam it flat.
• The night before, place things you don’t want to forget the next morning on top of your shoes.
• Use hydrogen peroxide to remove blood stains from clothing.
• When cleaning windows use newspapers or coffee filters instead of paper towels, they will not leave streaks.
• When microwaving bread products/pizza put a glass of water in with it, it will keep your bread from going spongy.
• When you move into a new place you’re renting, take pictures of any and all damage, then post them on facebook (privately if preferred) so you can use the reference date as proof you didn’t do it.
• When searching plane tickets online delete your cookies prior, prices go up when you visit a site multiple times.

The Stray Dogs of Moscow Russia

Still More Anthropomorphisms

 

Happy Tree

(Reminds me of Silverstein's The Giving Tree)

 

Building Arabia - The Islands of Dubai

This is absolutely incredible. This is an aerial shot over Dubai showing how they have constructed whole communities, manmade islands, resorts, and retreats in the water. You can get a much bigger and more detailed look here. (Don't forget to click your mouse if you see the + sign.)

Building a Better Mouse Trap

There's an old expression: "Build a better mouse trap, and the world will beat a path to your door."

Conversations with Renee - My Lost 2009 Podcast

It was by sheer happenstance that I came across this podcast. I was on iTunes, and I typed in my name to see if I could grab a URL for my audio book, when this one hour podcast I'd done in 2009 with Yolanda Renee on Blog Talk Radio popped up. Although her show is now on haitus, you can still listen to us discuss several of my books, including My Strength, My Power, My Love; AEquana; From Out of the Shadows; Lord of Thunder; The Battle Lord's Lady, and Cut Glass: Jewels. In addition, we discuss my writing process, among other various and funny topics.

Go check it out!

Happy Mother's Day!

Cats vs Dogs

An Interview with Guy Veryzer, Narrator of the Audio Book Version of AEQUANA

1. First off, Guy, I hand you a bouquet of flowers of your choice for doing such an excellent job of narrating my novel! Out of curiosity, what drew you to the book in the first place? What made you decide to audition?
It was very intriguing, AEquana as a title was evocative and mysterious, and the description of the story sounded subtle and scintillating! And different than books I have done so far.

 

2. You have a large repertoire of voices. My favorite, of course, is the one you gave to Buck. Are there any types of voices that are harder than others for you? Do female voices give you any trouble?

 

Buck was great, I love the character and his voice just came to me as I focused on him and your description of him, and was delighted when you said, it was just how you heard him in your head!

 

I really enjoyed Talon's deep. calm, confidant voice, and AEquana, who started out more icy, but warmed up a lot as her vulnerability was revealed, and her relationship with Talon warmed up too.

 

Finding the voices is an acting adventure, and can take a number of attempts to find the right one - And sometimes, I will start with one, and as I am reading forward, it will evolve to something different enough that I'll have to go back and redo the earlier lines.

Women's voices, are a shift of the machine, breath control and vocal placement all get shifted to a different gear, that's the best analogy I can use, but once in that gear, it's fine, the real challenger is sudden shifts back and forth from female dialogue to a male narrator and back again...Yikes, it's like driving an obstacle course!

 

3. Okay, I have to mention the lovemaking scenes. You got a kick out of me being embarrassed after hearing you narrate those pages. Do those scenes ever give you pause?

I really enjoyed your embarrassment, as an acknowledgment of my doing a good job. Because you seemed a bit worried about me doing it.

 

Reading love scenes, I am imagining both sides of the intimacy, it is like a rhythmic dance, that's a poetic way of describing it.
 

4. You told me during production that you prefer to read the material cold turkey, rather than ahead of time. Why?

I like the process of discovery, because it's how I read when reading something, hearing the voices in my head as I read a book, and I am translating it to audio, it's like the way simultaneous translators work at the UN. And when I work on films a lot of the stars don't want to know their lines or rehearse much in advance, they want to react fresh.

Not that I don't ever read ahead, and note the characters etc.

5. Out of curiosity, was there any part of AEQUANA that you liked the most? Was there a scene that forced you to stop to collect yourself before going on?

Hummm, don't want to be a spoiler here....Let's say, I love the sharpness of their first meeting, and Aequana's adventurous dash for freedom (is that spoiling?)

6. Do you keep notes as you read aloud? Like descriptive reminders as to which voice was for whom, etc.?

I do make notes, more and more, to keep track, but sometimes I still have to go back and listen to a character's voice, if they appear early on and then only come back much later...it can be hard to describe exactly the voice you gave them in words; grumpy older Pentagon General, southern...hummm? What part of the South, is he smart, nice, clipped and curt?

7. Now that I look back on it, because AEQUANA is generally told from the hero's point of view, I can see how having a male narrator enhanced the story. Do you have any difficulty when it's a woman's POV?

No problem from a woman's point of view, I just pop on a wig, heels and dress to get in the mood....just kidding. (Though it is a fun idea!) Really, I have so many close women friends, and have spent so much time talking and listening...Also I have written a lot, and writing from a woman's point of view is much harder than reading from a woman's point of view.

8. Finally, I have to ask, but what started you on the path of narrating books for ACX?

I have avidly listened to audiobooks for many years, and am very picky about narrators voices and styles, and I have always loved to read aloud, and am an actor, and had been working on submitting Narration samples to various audiobook publishers, including Audible, so I when was emailed about the creation of ACX, and watched a seminar about it on the SAG/AFTRA website, and I thought, WOW, this makes it easy for me to make it happen.(Not that there isn't a big learning curve, especially since you are recording the book as well as narrating.)

And I have been learning more and more all the time, and getting more wonderful projects from wonderful (and really lovely) authors, and my latest, booking is an author who heard me on an ACX book and contacted me for her bestselling Scottish romance series, and she got onto ACX so we could work together on their platform.

 

The process of collaborating with an author on taking these book to a new medium has been great, as with working with you on AEquana. Uploading chapters, and getting your responses was so delightful! I didn't want it to end! (And yousaid you didn't either!)

* * *
AEquana is Now Available unabridged from Amazon, iTunes, and Audible .com

AEquana is Now Available as an AUDIO BOOK!

AEquana, my sensuous erotic fantasy romance novel, is Now Available as an AUDIO BOOK! You can get it at Amazon, iTunes, and Audible .com!

(Check out the audio excerpt to hear narrator Guy Veryzer's wonderful voice!)
***
John Eagletalon had no idea what the government intended when it assigned him to its latest secret project - an icy blonde beauty with a miraculous ability. All he knew was that he owed Uncle Sam fourteen more months of his life, and if it meant being this woman's partner and bodyguard until he'd paid his dues, he'd find a way to endure the ordeal. Until he discovered what the government had been doing to her. And at the same time, discovered he was falling hopelessly in love with her. Now it's no longer a matter of protecting her. It's a matter of keeping her out of their clutches. And making her his.

You Are an Important Person

Car Keys

Several days ago as I left a meeting at a hotel; I desperately gave myself a personal TSA pat down. I was looking for my keys. They were not in my pockets. A quick search in the meeting room revealed nothing. Suddenly I realized I must have left them in the car. Frantically, I headed for the parking lot.

My wife has scolded me many times for leaving the keys in the ignition. My theory is the ignition is the best place not to lose them. Her theory is that the car will be stolen. As I burst through the door, I came to a terrifying conclusion. Her theory was right. The parking lot was empty.

I immediately called the police. I gave them my location, confessed that I had left my keys in the car, and that it had been stolen.
Then I made the most difficult call of all, "Hi, honey," I stammered, ( I always call her "honey" in times like these) "I love you. I left my keys in the car and it's been stolen."

There was a period of silence. I thought the call had been dropped, but then I heard her voice."Are you kidding' me", she barked, "I dropped you off"!

Now it was my time to be silent. Embarrassed, I said, "Well, come and get me."

She responded, "I will, as soon as I convince this cop that I didn't steal your car."

Yep, it's the golden years..........WELCOME!

(Thanks, Therese!)

Tonight, on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio, Marsha Moore Will Be My Guest Author

Tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio, Marsha Moore returns as my guest author to read an excerpt from her latest release, Staurolite, Book 4 of the Enchanted Bookstore Legend.

Show Time is 11 pm et/ 10 pm ct
Don't miss it!
* * *

Lyra McCauley, current Scribe of the Alliance, is the only one who can decode magic hidden in the recently retrieved ancient texts written by her ancestors, the first four Scribes. Information in those writings can help Lyra locate the four missing keystones, which will restore power to the Alliance and allow overthrow of the Dark Realm. With peace restored, she and her beloved, Cullen, could finally marry.

Time is short with the Black Dragon’s Dark Realm increasing attacks to avenge the death of his heir. Many innocent lives are lost. Alliance residents are forced into hiding. Magicals and blue dragons follow leadership of the Imperial Dragon and the other three Guardians into battle to defend the Alliance.

While Lyra unlocks the ancient magic, she opens herself up to scribal powers from her ancestors. She alone can fight the deadliest of the Dark Realm’s forces—the cimafa stealth dragons—but at a cost. The energy flux threatens her health and ability to learn where to find the missing keystones. Can Lyra overcome this shrewd tactic of the Black Dragon to decimate the Alliance?

Mina Khan is my Guest Author Tonight, LIVE from the 2013 Romantic Times Convention

LIVE from the 2013 Romantic Times Convention, Mina Khan is my Guest Author Tonight on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio. She'll be reading an excerpt from her erotic paranormal romance, A Tale of Two Djinns.Show time is 11 pm et/ 10 pm ct

Don't miss it!
* * *

A Tale of Two Djinns is a sexy paranormal Romeo & Juliet story with genies, feminists, kickass action & adult fun.
Akshay (Shay for short), warrior prince of the earth djinns, earns the title of Crown Prince at a high cost when he loses his best friend in a battle against ancient enemies, the water djinns. Heartsick, he escapes to Earth to mourn.
Nothing gets the biological clock ticking (and elders lecturing) like almost dying in battle, so Maya, princess of the water djinns, travels to Earth for some no-strings-attached sex to fulfill her duty and produce an heir. But the beautiful and tough warrior gets more than she bargained for when she meets Shay.
Their not-so-simple one-night stand is interrupted by assassins and the world, as they know it, is changed forever. As Maya and Shay pull together to survive, both are determined to have their happily-ever-after and bring peace to their worlds — warring families, shadow assassins, and nosy busybodies be damned.
Fifty percent of the proceeds from the sales of A Tale of Two Djinns is donated to UNICEF. 

Nicole Zoltack is my Guest Author Tonight, LIVE from the 2013 Romantic Times Convention

Tonight, LIVE from the 2013 Romantic Times Convention, Nicole Zoltack is my Guest Author on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio. She'll be reading from her fantasy romance, Woman of Honor, Book 1 of the Kingdom of Arnhem series, from Desert Breeze Publishing.

Show time is 11 pm et/ 10 pm ct
Don't miss it!
***
 Aislinn of Bairbhe dreams of becoming a lady knight to honor the death of her fallen brother. To her mother's horror, King Patrick grants Aislinn's wish and she begins her long years of training.

Despite the mockery of the other pages, and the disdain of Prince Caelan who also trains to be a knight, Aislinn commits herself to her dreams and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and bravery. Through the years, Aislinn and Caelan grow from sparring classmates to good friends. They both know that someday Caelan will marry for the sake of the kingdom, but even that cannot keep them from falling in love.

 

Gordon and Illona Andrews are my Guest Authors Tonight, LIVE from the 2013 Romantic Times Convention

Tonight, live from the 2013 Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Kansas City, husband and wife team, and New York Times Bestselling Authors Gordon and Illona Andrews will be my guest authors on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio. They will be reading from their paranormal romance, Magic Rises, Book 6 in the Magic Series from Ace Publishing.

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

***

Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.


Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

Jacinta Maree is my Guest Author Tonight, Live from the 2013 RT Convention!

Tonight, live from the 2013 Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Kansas City, Jacinta Maree will be my guest author on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio. She'll be reading from her paranormal romance, My Demonic Ghost - Banished Spirits, from Darkest Night Publishing.

Show time is 11 pm et/ 10 pm ct

Don't miss it!
***
Rachael has traveled to Whitehaven to visit her father, a trek she can not help but dread given his recent descent into madness. Upon her arrival she realizes his deterioration has not only been mental, it’s been physical as well. His death comes as no surprise, but what she discovers soon after, is shocking when his burden becomes hers. Lock is a banished spirit who must attach himself to a human host in order to hide from those who would drag him back to hell to be destroyed. When he meets Rachael he finds more than a host, he finds an ally.

Together they must defeat each of the seven sins in order to guarantee Lock's safe passage into the Third Realm, a loophole in creation that would allow him to escape hell and have peace at long last. Through their unlikely friendship, other banished spirits flock to them in hopes of a peace they hadn't dreamt possible.

Vivi Dumas Will Be My Guest Author Tonight, Live From the 2013 Romantic Times Convention

Tonight, on "Other Worlds of Romance" on Blog Talk Radio, and live from the 2013 Romantic Times Convention, Vivi Dumas will be reading an excerpt from her erotic paranormal romance, Sweet Revenge, Book 2 of her "Dueling with the Devil" series, from VPG Publishing and Promotions.

Show time is 11 pm et/ 10 pm ct

Don't miss it!
***

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. What if that woman is a demon, in fact Lilith's very own daughter? Isabella LaCoste vowed to get her revenge on her ex and his new human fiance. She didn't commit fifty years of her life to be thrown out like last season's runway fad. But taking vengeance on an upper level Shifter Demon and the newly crowned Voodoo Princess might not be a one demon job. She volunteers her services to Lucifer to deliver Angel and Jacque in exchange for his help. She never expected her new partner in crime would fill the void in her broken heart.

Not even death brought him peace. Xavier Toussant wanted out of his contract and the killing business. His last assignment was his own brother and he failed to deliver. Lucifer didn't appreciate his valor in dealing with his brother, Jacque. In fact, it only created more problems. Xavier's back on assignment to capture his brother and the Voodoo chick. Only this time, he's shackled to the craziest female in the Underworld. Xavier finds Isabella LaCoste might be the one thing to put his soul at ease.