Thursday, December 11, 2008

Thurday's Christmas Memories and Traditions

Hey everyone! 

I've got several new entries to share today.  These are some great memories and some traditions I really would love to do myself.  Enjoy!

 
From Robyn we have this fun holiday tradition...
This takes place in Spain and I find it intriquing that they swing to the music.  The weather must be nice with no snow and not cold I would suppose.  I've never heard of this tradition.
On Christmas Day, there’s the usual holiday merriment with family and friends – with one peculiar twist: swinging. Swings are erected throughout the districts, and people enjoy swinging to holiday music. The holiday dinner is never served until after the midnight hour, when families gather to enjoy the feast of turkey and truffles - immediately followed by caroling around the tree, which lasts through the night.
And this tradition from Chris...

In Nova Scotia, during the twelve days of Christmas small groups of belsnicklers, or masked mummers, appear in neighborhoods, ringing bells, making noise, seeking candy or other treats. The hosts may try to guess who the mummers are and if they guess right the mummer removes his or her disguise and stops making rude noises and actions. Children may be quizzed by the mummers on their behavior if they say they have been good they are rewarded with candy.
I think this is just fun.  I am sure that the mummers work very hard each year to come up with the perfect costume.




And now for a few memories...
 From Janet H. we have this beautiful remembrance...
My most cherished Christmas memory.  It sometimes makes me sigh.  It always makes me laugh and cry.


My grandmother always gave the same gift to my mom, my sister, and me.  There was only one difference between them.  Mom's was white, my sister's was blue, and mine was pink.  It didn't matter if it was a robe, a shirt, or slippers.  She gave each of us the same color every year.


My grandmother became ill and passed away.  She died in August that year, but had already finished her Christmas shopping.  Our gifts were all boxed and wrapped and waiting for Christmas.


On Christmas Eve, my mom passed out those gifts.  Grandma had given the three of us sweaters, but she had mixed up the boxes.  I had a white sweater, my mom had a blue one, and my sister had a pink one.  We cried and laughed and passed them around until we each had our traditional color.


And this one from my good friend, Julie...

We were stationed in Norfolk,VA at the time I think I was about 15 and my brother was 4. Dad was at sea, and was gonna be gone for Christmas. So it was just me, Joe & Mom. There really wasn't any money that year, Mom found an ad in the paper for toys. You send the money, and it wasn't much, tell them how old your kid is and they send you a box of toys for that child. Mom did that for us, but my stuff never came. Dec. 24 came and we didn't even have a tree or anything. We went for a drive to look at the pretty lights, we passed a tree lot. For some reason we stopped there but we couldn't afford any of their trees. 
Joe (chatty little devil that he was), told the man the whole big story. "My daddy is out at sea, we don't have any money for a tree or presents and Santa won't leave any if there's no tree to put them under." He really worked it, the man gave us a very nice tree for free. We took it home and set it up the next morning there were presents. Joe was so excited with all the stuff that he got, he still has some of it packed away in the basement. There wasn't much for me, but I didn't mind watching him, seeing how excited he was by everything made a wonderful day! I don't even remember what I got except there's a picture of me holding up a record. Yes, boys & girls an honest to God record album! I'm so old. LOL

I hope you enjoyed these great traditions and heartfelt memories.  I've got a bunch more, so check back with me soon to see what else people have offered!
Hugs and have a great Thursday!!!

Thurday's Christmas Memories and Traditions

Hey everyone! 

I've got several new entries to share today.  These are some great memories and some traditions I really would love to do myself.  Enjoy!

 
From Robyn we have this fun holiday tradition...
This takes place in Spain and I find it intriquing that they swing to the music.  The weather must be nice with no snow and not cold I would suppose.  I've never heard of this tradition.
On Christmas Day, there’s the usual holiday merriment with family and friends – with one peculiar twist: swinging. Swings are erected throughout the districts, and people enjoy swinging to holiday music. The holiday dinner is never served until after the midnight hour, when families gather to enjoy the feast of turkey and truffles - immediately followed by caroling around the tree, which lasts through the night.
And this tradition from Chris...

In Nova Scotia, during the twelve days of Christmas small groups of belsnicklers, or masked mummers, appear in neighborhoods, ringing bells, making noise, seeking candy or other treats. The hosts may try to guess who the mummers are and if they guess right the mummer removes his or her disguise and stops making rude noises and actions. Children may be quizzed by the mummers on their behavior if they say they have been good they are rewarded with candy.
I think this is just fun.  I am sure that the mummers work very hard each year to come up with the perfect costume.




And now for a few memories...
 From Janet H. we have this beautiful remembrance...
My most cherished Christmas memory.  It sometimes makes me sigh.  It always makes me laugh and cry.


My grandmother always gave the same gift to my mom, my sister, and me.  There was only one difference between them.  Mom's was white, my sister's was blue, and mine was pink.  It didn't matter if it was a robe, a shirt, or slippers.  She gave each of us the same color every year.


My grandmother became ill and passed away.  She died in August that year, but had already finished her Christmas shopping.  Our gifts were all boxed and wrapped and waiting for Christmas.


On Christmas Eve, my mom passed out those gifts.  Grandma had given the three of us sweaters, but she had mixed up the boxes.  I had a white sweater, my mom had a blue one, and my sister had a pink one.  We cried and laughed and passed them around until we each had our traditional color.


And this one from my good friend, Julie...

We were stationed in Norfolk,VA at the time I think I was about 1 and my brother was 4. Dad was at sea, and was gonna be gone for Christmas. So it was just me, Joe & Mom. There really wasn't any money that year, Mom found an ad in the paper for toys. You send the money, and it wasn't much, tell them how old your kid is and they send you a box of toys for that child. Mom did that for us, but my stuff never came. Dec. 24 came and we didn't even have a tree or anything. We went for a drive to look at the pretty lights, we passed a tree lot. For some reason we stopped there but we couldn't afford any of their trees. 
Joe (chatty little devil that he was), told the man the whole big story. "My daddy is out at sea, we don't have any money for a tree or presents and Santa won't leave any if there's no tree to put them under." He really worked it, the man gave us a very nice tree for free. We took it home and set it up the next morning there were presents. Joe was so excited with all the stuff that he got, he still has some of it packed away in the basement. There wasn't much for me, but I didn't mind watching him, seeing how excited he was by everything made a wonderful day! I don't even remember what I got except there's a picture of me holding up a record. Yes, boys & girls an honest to God record album! I'm so old. LOL

I hope you enjoyed these great traditions and heartfelt memories.  I've got a bunch more, so check back with me soon to see what else people have offered!
Hugs and have a great Thursday!!!

Thurday's Christmas Memories and Traditions

Hey everyone! 

I've got several new entries to share today.  These are some great memories and some traditions I really would love to do myself.  Enjoy!

 
From Robyn we have this fun holiday tradition...
This takes place in Spain and I find it intriquing that they swing to the music.  The weather must be nice with no snow and not cold I would suppose.  I've never heard of this tradition.
On Christmas Day, there’s the usual holiday merriment with family and friends – with one peculiar twist: swinging. Swings are erected throughout the districts, and people enjoy swinging to holiday music. The holiday dinner is never served until after the midnight hour, when families gather to enjoy the feast of turkey and truffles - immediately followed by caroling around the tree, which lasts through the night.
 
And this tradition from Chris...
 
In Nova Scotia, during the twelve days of Christmas small groups of belsnicklers, or masked mummers, appear in neighborhoods, ringing bells, making noise, seeking candy or other treats. The hosts may try to guess who the mummers are and if they guess right the mummer removes his or her disguise and stops making rude noises and actions. Children may be quizzed by the mummers on their behavior if they say they have been good they are rewarded with candy.
 
I think this is just fun.  I am sure that the mummers work very hard each year to come up with the perfect costume.
 
 
 
And now for a few memories...
 
 From Janet H. we have this beautiful remembrance...
 
My most cherished Christmas memory.  It sometimes makes me sigh.  It always makes me laugh and cry.

My grandmother always gave the same gift to my mom, my sister, and me.  There was only one difference between them.  Mom's was white, my sister's was blue, and mine was pink.  It didn't matter if it was a robe, a shirt, or slippers.  She gave each of us the same color every year.

My grandmother became ill and passed away.  She died in August that year, but had already finished her Christmas shopping.  Our gifts were all boxed and wrapped and waiting for Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, my mom passed out those gifts.  Grandma had given the three of us sweaters, but she had mixed up the boxes.  I had a white sweater, my mom had a blue one, and my sister had a pink one.  We cried and laughed and passed them around until we each had our traditional color.

And this one from my good friend, Julie...

We were stationed in Norfolk,VA at the time I think I was about 1 and my brother was 4. Dad was at sea, and was gonna be gone for Christmas. So it was just me, Joe & Mom. There really wasn't any money that year, Mom found an ad in the paper for toys. You send the money, and it wasn't much, tell them how old your kid is and they send you a box of toys for that child. Mom did that for us, but my stuff never came. Dec. 24 came and we didn't even have a tree or anything. We went for a drive to look at the pretty lights, we passed a tree lot. For some reason we stopped there but we couldn't afford any of their trees. 
 
Joe (chatty little devil that he was), told the man the whole big story. "My daddy is out at sea, we don't have any money for a tree or presents and Santa won't leave any if there's no tree to put them under." He really worked it, the man gave us a very nice tree for free. We took it home and set it up the next morning there were presents. Joe was so excited with all the stuff that he got, he still has some of it packed away in the basement. There wasn't much for me, but I didn't mind watching him, seeing how excited he was by everything made a wonderful day! I don't even remember what I got except there's a picture of me holding up a record. Yes, boys & girls an honest to God record album! I'm so old. LOL
 
I hope you enjoyed these great traditions and heartfelt memories.  I've got a bunch more, so check back with me soon to see what else people have offered!
 
Hugs and have a great Thursday!!!
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, December 8, 2008

Christmas Memories For You



Wow!  What a crazy weekend.  I have been so busy, I don't know what to do with myself.  But I've got a couple of great memories to share.  I laughed, cried and sighed with them all.  Check it out!!!


This first one is from Gayle.  It is a special memory she'll keep forever.  Enjoy!


Two years ago, my youngest had come in from school to visit for the holidays. She has asthma and allergies. She was having problems breathing from the time she got off the plane. She didn't want to ruin anyone's Christmas so she just kept taking her inhaler and saying she was fine. By Christmas morning, she finally agreed to go to the emergency room for a breathing treatment. My two other children took her as I was  cooking food for the entire family who always come over.. Unfortunately, after three treatments, they decided to admit her. On Christmas Day. The staff was very nice and our entire family was able to go in her room with all our presents and open them there. It made my daughter feel a little better as she kept saying she ruined Christmas. With the family there, it felt a little more like Christmas. She was released the following afternoon. The staff at the hospital was very nice and helped make her Christmas brighter.

 And this one is from Janet.  It's a keeper, too!

My most cherished Christmas memory.  It sometimes makes me sigh.  It always makes me laugh and cry.

My grandmother always gave the same gift to my mom, my sister, and me.  There was only one difference between them.  Mom's was white, my sister's was blue, and mine was pink.  It didn't matter if it was a robe, a shirt, or slippers.  She gave each of us the same color every year.

My grandmother became ill and passed away.  She died in August that year, but had already finished her Christmas shopping.  Our gifts were all boxed and wrapped and waiting for Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, my mom passed out those gifts.  Grandma had given the three of us sweaters, but she had mixed up the boxes.  I had a white sweater, my mom had a blue one, and my sister had a pink one.  We cried and laughed and passed them around until we each had our traditional color. 

 


 Thanks for sharing your hearts.  They ARE special memories.  Stay tuned to this blog for more great Christmas memories and Holiday's Around the World!  WooHoo!

Have a great Monday!

CJ
 

Thursday, December 4, 2008

It's the Day before Friday...

Hey all,
It's the day before Friday and all through CJs house it's...
QUIET
LOL
  
It's so nice.  Everyone but the critters is out of here for awhile.  I'm taking a well deserved break now that I'm a little (not completely) caught up.  I'm going to do some work here, then I'm going to go sit in the sunshine--what little there is--and read for a bit.  I need to.  If I don't wire down a little I may explode.  Especially since Jessaca has decided that we are doing Christmas decorating tomorrow.  Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I wanted to share this pic I found.  It made me laugh like a loon.  Not sure why it hit me so funny, but it did. 
 
 I've got the first entries to my contest to put up today.  A memory and a tradition.  So without further ado...here we go...
From my good friend, Phylis...
First a memory... 

I have some really nice memories from past Christmases but I will do this one.  I was 10 or 12 at the time and when we woke up we weren't alowed to go past the end of the hallway until our parents woke up.  So we would try to peek and see as much as we could without putting our toes over the invisible line.  Then our parents finaly got up.  I'm sure it took forever.  LOL  We opened our presents and it was the usual mayhem.  We had one left addressed to all three of us.  We opened it and there was a note that said go the dining room.  Then there was one to the kitchen and then the last one said to go to the garage.  We opened the door to the garage and inside were three brand new bikes all ready to go!  That created a really great memory for us.   Thanks for the memory jog CJ!   Phylis

Now a fun tradition... 

GERMANY
In GERMANY, children decorate their Christmas Lists with pictures and then leave them on the windowsill overnight, weighed down with a little sugar so they won't be missed by Father Christmas.
There is a flower in Germany called the Christmas Rose which blooms even in the snow and ice.
Frohes Weihnachtsfest
I like the German because that is my heritage but I also like the Christmas Rose that blooms even in the snow and ice.  What a rememberance of spring and rebirth and what Jesus did for us.
IRELAND


In IRELAND, children often put out Christmas sacks instead of stockings.
It is tradition to leave mince pies and a bottle of Guinness out as a snack for Santa.
NOLLAIG SHONA DHUIT!
Sacks would hold more than stockings.  lol  Guinness instead of milk.  *grin*  Santa may have a tough time negotiating chimneys after he's been to a few houses.  LOL  Phylis
 Thanks Phylis for the great entries.  Good luck with the contest!  And to all my blog readers, more of the same will be coming your way tomorrow.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Christmas Fun is a Coming

Hey all,

I've got some great stuff heading this way for Christmas and the holidays.  Stay tuned for some wonderful traditions from around the world, as well as my readers and friend's favorite memories.

Keep checking back!!!
 
CJ 

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Thursday Frolics

Hey all,
 
I'm going gangbusters!  I wrote over 5,000 in just a few hours yesterday.  Will be done far ahead of schedule, which since I'm sooooo busy, is a really good thing.  LOL
 
Boy, was the weather weird here yesterday.  Warm and gloomy and then it came down buckets.  It was so hot last night we had to put the cooler on for a while before we went to bed.  A far cry from having an extra blanket on the bed the night before. 
 
No wonder everyone is getting sick.
 
It's hot and windy today.  But still supposed to be a wet one.  We'll see.  It's just weird as far as I'm concerned.
 
How are you doing out there...you who are doing NaNoWriMo?  I'm up to just under 20k, which is about on track.  Since I can only do major writing three days a week, it is a bit harder, but I'm doing it and liking the results so far.
 
I'm able to work on several projects at once, which makes it a bit harder, but add edits to that and it makes the day go by way too quickly. 
 
I'm getting some great recipes for my November contest.  I can't wait to put them all together into a book for all the entrants.  Remember, you have to enter to receive the free download.  I'll tell you right now, I'm going to be trying some of these recipes for my Thanksgiving.  They are that good!!!  If you haven't entered, go check out the rules on my website.  http://cjengland.com/contests
 
It'll be delicious.
 
Anyway, I'm off to do some more writing.  And then tonight I think we are going to go see Madagascar 2 and if we can get in, Quantum of Solace.  Not sure about the second one, it's a midnight showing and may be too full.  I'll let you know tomorrow how it goes.
 
You all take care and I'll see you later with the daily question.
 
Hugs, 
 

Monday, July 7, 2008

Contest Time!!!! Take a look!!!

Hey all,
This just in from Aspen Mountain.  And a special add on prize from me at the end....so read it all!!!!
July 2008 We're 2 Years Old!
To celebrate our birthday, Aspen Mountain Press is sending one lucky winner* a picnic basket lunch (retail value of $100) to create the deli sandwich of your dreams from Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Choose from Sherman's Sure Choice Reuben - Black Angus lean corned beef, rye; Binny's Brooklyn Reuben - Pastrami, pumpernickel; Georgia Reuben - Roasted turkey, rye. Also included Zingerman’s homemade redskin potato salad, cole slaw and Russian dressing. Emmentaler Swiss cheese, garlicky pickles and magic brownies.
To be included in the drawing all you have to do is purchase a book at Aspen Mountain Press. The more books you buy between July 1st and July 31st, the more times you will automatically be entered!
According to Oprah, "Zingerman's sandwiches are an '11 on a scale of 1 to 5.'"
Don't miss out on a terrific opportunity to sample some of the best deli food the mid-west has to offer along with some awesome stories of adventure, mystery, and passion. Remember, each story purchased is an automatic entry into the drawing!

*See website for additional details.
www.AspenMountainPress.com
Adventure, Mystery, Passion


So, pretty cool, huh?  And let me add to it to give it a second umph... Purchase my book An Unholy Embrace and I'll send you a thank you gift AND put you in a drawing for a beautiful summertime copper and glass sun catcher.
Just send me a copy of your receipt for the book dated between July 1 and July 31st as well as your snail mail addy.  Winner will be announced on August 1st.  If you've already purchased this book, don't despair...it's only 2.49 and a great gift for your friends.  Don't miss out on this great contest!!!!
 

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

It's Vacation Time!!!


Hey all,

Just a quick note to let you know I'm on vacation for the next few weeks. This blog will be inactive until then. My FREE READ blog will still be going on Mondays and some Fridays, so make sure you check that out! http://cj-england.livejournal.com/

See you on the flip side!

Hugs,

CJ England
Never anger an elf... we have very long memories.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

“The Most Eloquent Silence; That of Two Mouths Meeting in a Kiss”

Hey all,

It's Tuesday and have I got something tempting for you. How about kisses, comments and contests???

That's right, folks. Today I am blogging over at The Cata Network Reader's Lounge and I want you to join me. My topic is kissing...yum! It's fun, informative and you might learn something naughty about me as well!!!

So head on over to http://readerslounge.catanetwork.com/?p=400 and immerse yourself in my dreams for a bit. Leave a comment and you can be entered to win a great gift!!!

Mention you came from this blog and I'll enter you twice!!!

Hugs to all and see you in the Lounge!!!

CJ England
Never anger an elf... we have very long memories.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

It's Been One of those Days

Hey there,

Sorry this is late. I've had a car accident, a busted radiator and several freaked out family members to deal with. I had last minutes edits for a submission I had a time limit to get done, the newsletter, book covers and several other things on my plate that were overwhelming.

But I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel so I thought I'd pop in with a quick hello, and a cartoon that made me laugh like a loon.

Enjoy and I'll see you on Tuesday.

CJ

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

It's all about the Language, baby!!!!


Good Tuesday all,

I've been so busy I almost forgot about today's blog. So I scrambled around and I remember
ed getting this in my email box a few days ago.

I love this. I get it every year and it always make me laugh. Check it out...


Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.

As writers we should take special note of these new uses for old words.

The winners are:

1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.

3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.

6. Negligent (adj.) describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.

7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men .

These are great. I never would have the skill to come up with any of them. Nor the time. LOLOL Want some more. Check out this site for more. I often wonder if the urban dictionary has been helped by this contest, or is it the other way around.

If you haven't checked out that site, hold on to your knickers. There are some words there that are not of the delicate. But it is amusing to go through, and for writers...it's a gold mine. Check it out HERE.


But since words are what I'm all about, I love finding places like this. Weird language sites, off the wall dictionaries, I'll look at just about anything. Did you know there is a site devoted solely to the different ways you can use the word
FUCK? Now that was an eye-opener! LOL Check out this video...




Language and it's uses are so important and it seems it changes every day. It's a smart person who knows the intricacies of the language and can use it.

So what about you? How creative are your language skills? Let's give it a shot. Let's have a revision competition here on the blog. Choose a word or words and do what they did in the Washington Post contest. Check out these great examples...

One word...

Discussion: n., a Frisbee-related head injury.

One word...

Ozone: n., area in which the G-spot is located.


Two words... Dolt / Poltergeist...put together to make...

Doltergeist
: a spirit that decides to haunt someplace stupid, such as your septic tank.

Two words... Hooter / Nanny...put together to make...


Hooternanny: The au pair you thought was especially promising, but your wife sent back to the agency.

See how it works? Now it's your turn. Amaze us with all your creative efforts!!!! Can't wait to see what you come up with!!!


Hugs,

CJ England
Never anger an elf... we have very long memories.

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Whats Up With this Dream???

Hey all,

Here it is the last day of May. I can't believe it. What is going on with the time? Is it because I'm getting older that time seems to rush by so quickly? Or is it just that times have changed and with the business of our lives make it feels like things are going by faster?

Anyway, enough griping. LOL Today's blog is about dreams...but not just any dream. I have them all the time and many of you know I lucid dream, but last night I had one that just made me mad.

Now you know I have a bit of a crush on Orlando Bloom. He was so hot as Legolas and even inspired Danolas, my High Priest Witch in The Peacekeeper Series. I loved him in Pirates (except for the ending...hated that) and I even liked him in Elizabeth Town.

And I have to admit I've had a few other dreams about this handsome hunk, but they all had to do with me and him and a bucket of dark chocolate...if you know what I mean.

So what the hell is up with having a dream about him and another girl????? And even worse, I wasn't jealous in the slightest. It was more of a little brother type dream and that disturbed me even more!!!!

What was it? Mainly a nonsense dream, with pygmies and stacks of brown cardboard stacked boxes, a runaway RV and a few crazy hitchhikers. And right in the middle of it, Orlando is sitting at the RV table and this other girl is with him.

Now in the dream I have to get something and he's in the way, so instead of feeling jealous or angry he is with this other girl, I look at him with big sister eyes and say... (get this)

"For God's sake, she can lick you later. Right now I need you to move."

So, what's up with that? A dream with Orlando Bloom that isn't even erotic? I've been robbed!!!! And even worse, that's the last of it. Just a brief appearance that didn't even make my juices heat up. *pout*

I've had other dreams like that. Ones I wake up going, WTF???? It doesn't happen very often but when it does, I always wake up wondering what I had for dinner that weirded my system out. LOL

Bad dreams, good dreams, any type of dream can make you wonder what in the world your mind is really thinking about. I've often wished I could have a straight connect to that part of my mind so I could understand better.

So, what about you all? What dreams have you had that you woke up and wondered what the hell was going on. Share them now. I want to hear if I'm the only weird one in the bunch!!!! I know I'm not, but I just need an excuse to get you all to comment. LOLOL

See ya next Saturday and don't forget to pick up your copy of Eyes of Fire, my newest BESTSELLER!!!! WooHoo!!!


CJ England
Never anger an elf... we have very long memories.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

How About A Laugh???

It's Saturday and I've had a long week. Busy, busy, busy and I sometimes feel like I'm running in circles. So I decided to take a minute and smell the cheezeburgers!!! LOL

To make myself feel better, I had my chat list members go to the LOLcats Site and they chose their favorites. Each day more are added, so if you need a laugh, go check it out.

The one directly above is my favorite. As a romance author, I can just see this look on one of my naughty female character's face. LOL Can't you???

There are some up there now that had me rolling. I can't post them all, but let's just say you'll find one you love. You won't be able to help it!!!

But these are the ones my chat list chose as their latest favorites!!! Enjoy!

One I found. I couldn't resist posting it! He's so cute!!!


This one made me laugh. We have a cat just like this. When it sleeps...it SLEEPS!!!! Thanks Des!!!!


Pat sent me a bunch, but these two are my favorites. Thanks Pat!


I want to use this one in a book, it's so cute! Thanks to Jambrea. I love it!!!


Too funny! LOL I want this one over my desk! Thanks Jambrea!!!!



Poor Chuck...he even gets dissed by LOLcats! Thanks Jambrea for this funny!!!


Thanks to Phylis who is lucky enough to have a kitty just like this one!!!


Those evil eyes had me rolling! Thanks to Phylis for this awesome LOLcat!

This is hilarious! Thanks for finding it Julie!!!


A special one for my techie husband from Connie! Thanks!


This one is was suggested by Kim and made me bust up! Thanks!


This next one is one of my faves. So true...


And to end our little picture show, here is a great one just for all of you. We know we are "special". You wouldn't be reading my blog if you weren't! LOL


Have a great Memorial Day Weekend. I'll be back on Tuesday with more Tempting Tidbits for you!!!

CJ England
Never anger an elf... we have very long memories.


Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Tempting Tuesday - Feeling Better Through Sex

Hey all,

Since I'm still feeling rocky, I thought I'd talk about something a little odd.

Can you feel better through sex? Can playing doctor make the illness go away?

Could the saying "Feed a cold, starve a fever mean something sexy and erotic if you moved a few words around and added a toy or two?

I did some googling and this is what I found. Check out these sites to answer the about questions!

http://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/relationships/couples/SexBeautyAndWellbeing.asp


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article591266.ece

I was told by a friend that when she is sick, she loves it when her partner gives her oral sex. She said she doesn't want to do anything too physical, but just relaxing while her lover takes care of her makes her feel 100% better fast.

Same goes with toys. I know for myself that I don't want to do a lot of moving when I'm sick, but I won't say no to a treat with a vibrator and some cuddling afterwards.

Now, those are some of the fun ways to deal with being sick, but here are some of the more romantic normal ways...

I know for myself that when I'm sick all I want to do is rest, but Jonathon is very good at making me feel better. Here are some of the things he will do for me.

1) Feeds me. Even if I don't feel like eating, he makes sure I don't go hungry.

2) Gives me a foot massage. I know some say massages aren't good when you're sick, but I love it. When I'm feeling really bad, he will rub my head and feet until I fall asleep.

3) Takes care of business. He tries to make sure everything I usually do is done. That way I'm not worrying about things when I should be worrying about my health.

Anyway, I'm off to take another nap. I'm already tired and I just got up. LOL

Hugs, and see you on Saturday for a fun post!


CJ England
Never anger an elf... we have very long memories.





Saturday, May 17, 2008

WooHoo!!!! I'm in the Top Ten!!!

Hey all,

I'm still feeling a little rocky, so this blog will be short and sweet. LOL It was going to be about something else, but when I got up this afternoon I had several emails from readers and my editor about The Mylari Chronicles: Eyes of Fire.



It's cracked the TOP TEN BESTSELLER LIST!!!

And yes, I'm really excited. It was a bestseller before when it came out in it's original version and I was VERY pleased to see that it's new and better version (IMHO)has also garnered it's own fans.

The characters are near and dear to my heart because the book is semi-autobiographical. Well...as much as it can be when it's set in another world with elves, ogres and magick! LOL

But since I've been sick and in a blue funk for the last week or so, this was welcome news indeed. I've been struggling to concentrate on writing and I know that a great deal of it was tied up in my emotions. A big nudge like this, even if the book is only there for an hour, really makes all the difference.

So, let me take this time to say thanks to all of you who've bought the book and for those who haven't yet...what are you waiting for? If you've missed the info on this now BESTSELLING Book... (god, I love saying that! LOL) check it out at...

http://cjengland.com/mylari/eyesoffire.htm

And purchase this book at...

http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/product_info.php?products_id=961

And again, thanks to all of those who made it possible. Remember to send me your receipt for a free collectible gift!!!

Hugs,

CJ England
Never anger an elf... we have very long memories.


Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Tuesday's Fun Videos

Hey all,

I wasn't feeling well, but I didn't want to miss my Tuesday Tempting, so I thought I'd come up with a couple of fun sexy things that might make you laugh.

Enjoy!!!







And this one is one of the best condom commercials I've ever seen.




See you on Saturday everyone!!! Enjoy the rest of your week!!!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

What is True Romance?

Happy Saturday all,

I'm so excited about Eyes of Fire and how well it's doing. It was the very first book I ever submitted and as I've said, the reviews are great so far. I hope that everyone is enjoying it because I think it's one of the most romantic books I've eve
r written.

Which leads me to our discussion for the day. What is romance and how has it changed over the years?

Now this can be a hot topic for some people, and those who read romance have strong opinions on the subject. At the risk of alienating some people, I too have a strong opinion, but I'm pretty
sure if you've read one of my books, you'll already know the answer.

For me, Romance is a story between two committed people and will always , always, always end with a Happily Ever After, or at the very least, a Happily Ever Now.

Now I know that others feel differently, but for me, I feel cheated if a book that is touted as a romance, doesn't have these elements. I remember Nora Roberts said during an interview that no
matter how the genre may change, an HEA will always be a must. And I have to agree with her.

I will fight to the death the right for authors to write any type of book they want, but for me as a reader, I want a happy ending and I always
write what I would want to read.

So that being out of the way, what is it exactly that makes a book romantic? Sex? Em
otion? Committment? Love? Or is it all of the above.

In my humble opinion, a true romance book needs to have a couple who fall or are deeply in love with each other. While sex can be a wonderful addition to the story, I've read some truly wonderful books that weren't erotic in the slightest.

It's the emotion that drives a true romance book. Love, pain, angst, however you want to say it, we read these types of books to feel along with the characters. When the heroine weeps, we want to weep with her, and when the hero takes out the bad guy, we want to feel his passion and his anger. And when they finally celebrate their love, whether it's with a kiss or hot sex, we want to feel that triumph and satisfaction.

Has romance changed over the years? I don't think so. No
t really. The stories are still about couples finding each other and falling in love. There are still problems and angst with them being together, and there will always be some type of resolution, that Happy Ever After I mentioned earlier.

The only difference I see is the way it's being told. Books are more explicit and sex is a big part of the equation. The types of couples have changed. True love can be found with those who are of the same
sex. And now you can find true love with a vampire, a witch or a shapeshifter just as easily as you may find it with the boy next door.


Romance is the one genre that accepts everything and ignores nothing. Look around at the books available and you'll see a crossing of genre lines in our stories that is rarely seen in any other. I love being a romance writer because I can explore parts of myself and my imagination I might not be able to anywhere else.


So what do you think? What does romance mean to you? Has it changed in your opinion? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Hugs and have a wonderful weekend!


CJ England
Never anger an elf... we have very long memories.