Sunday, January 31, 2010

Sexy Toys and Sexy Lovers

Hey all,

It's promo Sunday and that means it's time to toot my own horn. Today's entry is on my bestselling book, Don't Spank the Vamp. The idea came from a discussion I had at an RT conference with Linnea Sinclair and a group of other panelists about one liners and blurbs. Linnea tossed out the name Don't Spank the Vamp and jokingly challenged us to write a book with that as an idea.

Well, I went home and took her up on it. It started out as a short story and was so well received, when I moved it to Samhain, I revamped it, making it 2/3rds longer and even hotter. It was a bestseller at two publishers and has gotten great reviews. Check these out...

Emotions pour out on every page and DON'T SPANK THE VAMP makes one believe in the supernatural power of love.~~~Ecataromance Sensual

One heck of a spicy romance. CJ England takes readers deep into the very sexy and emotional world of vampires. A Recommended Read~~~Ck2s Kwips and Kritiques

Hot, Hot, Hot! This book was steamy and sexy from the start to the finish.~~~Literary Nymphs

A hot sexy story with characters to die for. Soul stirring, yet with a fast paced storyline that will melt your heart.~~~Love Romances & More

An instantly addictive book. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher handy~~~Romance Junkies

Felt pretty good about all those. And what was supposed to have been a single book, evolved, as so many of mine seem to do, into a full fledged series. Once you meet the characters, you'll become instantly invested, just like I did. I had to write more about them because I wanted to know who they were!!!

But let's start with Don't Spank the Vamp... Here's the blurb, followed by a Hot excerpt! X rated, so shoo the kids away!!!

Dawn is so focused on making a name for herself in the art world, her personal life has fallen into a rut. She spends far more time with her hands in clay than on a man. Then her friends liven things up by taking her to a toy shop for her birthday. A very different kind of toy shop for special sexual games. And there’s more than sexy entertainment on the shelves—a fortune teller says Dawn’s destiny awaits if only she will reach out and take it.

Aidan is a vampire who has existed for over a century searching for his one true soulmate, his twin-flame. One look at Dawn takes Aidan’s breath away. One kiss later, he knows she is the one woman who will sustain him forever—if he can convince her to walk with him on the wild side.

Dawn responds to his inspiration better than he could have hoped. Then she goes one toy too far…


Excerpt



“What are those for?”

He gave her a sexy smile and climbed onto the bed. “Lesson one.” He pushed her onto her back and kissed her lightly. “Do you trust me, Dawn?”

She began to tremble. “I think so.” She searched his dark face. “I want to.”

“That is a good beginning,” he said quietly. He took one of her wrists and tied a colorful tie to it. Then, keeping his eyes on hers, he carefully attached her wrist to one of the bedposts.

Dawn’s heart pounded in a mixture of dread and excitement. She’d never done anything like this before. She wasn’t sure how to respond. But she did know her quim was throbbing, and the thought of being tied up wasn’t nearly as frightening as she thought it would be.

“Obviously, this is something new to you, so let me tell you how it works.” Aidan spoke softly as he affixed her other wrist to the post by the headboard. “After I tie you up, I am going to do things to you that will make you scream with pleasure. I will not hurt you, but some of the things will be different, and at first, some may even be frightening to you.”

He continued to watch her as he moved down the bed and gently spread her legs apart. Wrapping a tie around one ankle, he secured it to the post at the foot of the bed. “But you will always be the one in control, even tied up. I want you to choose a safe word. If you use it, I promise I will stop whatever I am doing to you.”

Dawn’s nerves were jumping, but the very care he was taking gave her the security she needed. She thought quickly. Could she do this?

Aidan fastened the last knot and then leaned back on his heels. “Give me your safe word, Dawn…if you want to continue.”

The look of desire in his eyes decided her. “Palette,” she whispered. She trembled with the enormity of her actions. “My safe word is palette.”

He smiled. “Perfect. If at any time you want to end what we are doing, just say the word. But understand, once you do, everything will stop.”

“Everything?”

Aidan chuckled. “I will release you from your bonds, and we can continue, if you wish, with a more accepted form of lovemaking.”

Dawn gave her hands an experimental tug. She couldn’t move. “I thought you said we were going to use some of your toys. I didn’t see these downstairs.”

Surprisingly, the big man’s cheeks reddened. “Ahhh…it has been a long time for me. And you are the first woman I have wanted to play with in a very long time.” He bent and dropped a kiss on her flat stomach. “I don’t usually keep handcuffs up here, so I had to improvise.”

She giggled at his embarrassment. It was endearing. “So you don’t have any toys, huh?” she teased. “All smoke and no fire?”

His eyes darkened. “I didn’t say I don’t have toys. Just not handcuffs. I always keep a selection up here to show to buyers. I won’t disappoint you. That…I can easily promise.”

She wriggled in nervous excitement. “Then get on with it.”

Aidan laughed. “So curious. All right, love. We will start with this.” Leaning over, he took the last tie and lightly placed it over her eyes.

Dawn’s mouth went dry. He was going to blindfold her too? Her heart pounded faster at the thought. She said nothing as he tied the silk securely over her eyes.

“Too tight?”

She shook her head. She didn’t know if she could speak. She felt him leave the bed, and she could hear a rustling sound. Then the bed sagged again, and she held her breath, waiting. What would he do to her?

It seemed like forever before she felt a gentle touch on her chest. It was fleeting at first, but it made her whole body tighten in reaction. Then she felt it again, a longer, more erotic touch as it circled her nipples and traced across her soft curves.

She moaned and arched her body upward. The touch was so soft, so erotically sexy, she couldn’t help herself. Over and over again, it traced around her nipples, sensitizing her breasts, before finally flicking across the tips themselves. She cried out, the feeling shooting through her like a tiny bolt of lightning.

He moved then, tickling down her stomach then up her sides, touching under her arms and then circling her neck. It fleetingly touched her lips, and when she instinctively licked at it, she realized Aidan was teasing her with a feather.

She moaned again as the feather moved back down her body. It made one more stop at her breasts before tracing down past her bellybutton, to the hair between her legs. Dawn cried out in surprise when the feather flicked gently through the curls and touched her moist lips. When it teased her clit, heat began to coil in her stomach.

“Aidan…” she moaned.

“I’m here, love.” Aidan swallowed hard as he watched her wriggle on the tangled sheets. He stared down at her spread-eagled body, and his own tightened dramatically. Her swollen nether lips were exposed to his gaze, and his mouth watered at the sight. A mixture of his seed, and her own juices dribbled down her thigh.

Touching her this way made him want to explode, and he was very glad they’d already made love once. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to handle it. He took a deep breath, wanting her again, as much, if not more, than he had before.

Carefully, he drew the feather through her exposed lips, seeing it gather the wetness pooled there. Unable to help himself, he bent and replaced the feather with his tongue.

She cried out and lifted her hips instinctively. He groaned aloud. She tasted of woman and heat, along with his own essence. It was the most delicious thing he’d ever had in his life. He sucked and nibbled until her movements signaled her climax was close. Abruptly, he lifted his head.

“Not yet.”

Dawn groaned. “Aidan…please.”

“There is more. Much more.”

She whimpered and strained at her bonds. “But—”

“Shhh…” he whispered, dropping a kiss on her pouting lips. “Just enjoy.”

He moved again, feeling her stiffen as his hand traced down the cleft of her rear to the small wrinkled hole of her backside. Gently, he massaged it, carefully covering it with slippery oil.

“Aidan,” she said uneasily.

“Give it a chance, love,” he urged. “Everything is all right. Remember, you always have your safe word.”

She nodded and took a deep breath, knowing he’d promised he wouldn’t hurt her. Something pressed against the rim of her anus. It was cool, smooth and about the size of a man’s thumb. It went in easily at first, the lotion he’d massaged into her easing the way, but then she felt it spreading her, as whatever he’d inserted in her rectum, widened at the bottom.

“This is a butt plug, sweetheart,” he said hoarsely. “It will add to your pleasure, this I promise you.”

What he was doing was exciting to him, Dawn could tell by the sound of his voice. All at once she relaxed again. She loved knowing she could do that to him.

“What does it do?” she panted out. The fullness took a little bit to get used to, but it wasn’t unpleasant.”

“Wait.”


*end of excerpt*


I wanted my hero to be sexy, generous and totally in love with his lady. I got it. Aidan is every woman's dream. So what if he nibbles on your neck once a day!!! *smile*

Buy this hot, hot story at by going HERE. And enjoy!!!

And stay tuned tomorrow to when we have a guest blogger. Come on over and say hi to Angela Kay Austin!!!!

Hugs,

Saturday, January 30, 2010

A Fashion Rant-- and News

Hey all,

Minor Rant here.

Is it just me, or do the people (mainly the women) on the Weather Channel have the worst wardrobes on the planet?

I mean, I got the whole, I-don't-want-to-stand-out-because-the-weather-map-is-the-big-draw-here, but seriously, have you seen some of the outfits? They are hideous.

Now I'm no fashion plate, but I know enough not to put horizontal stripes across some pregnant woman's ass! Or make some poor lady wear a puke green jacket with buttons the size of saucers.

That's just not right.

The men have it easier, but they aren't that much better. It's the colors I object to most. They are just flat out boring. Who says you can't find a hot looking suit for these guys. Some of them are very attractive and they dress like my dead grandfather! Heads up, Weather Channel. Get a clue before people start switching the channel just to ease their eyes!!!!

Anyway, rant over.

But I've got news. Remember that trip to Singapore? Well, I'm leaving on Thursday! WooHoo!!!!!

That's right. Just got my itinerary from my sweet baboo. I leave Orlando on Thursday evening at 7:55 pm. I fly straight to Amsterdam, in the Netherlands where I have a 10 hour layover. But it's long enough for me to wander around and see the sights, which is cool. I jump back on the plane that evening and head for Singapore where I will fall (literally, I'll be so tired) into the arms of my darling Jonathon.

I can't wait!!!

So, I'll blog as normal through Thursday, but then it will be hit and miss for the next few days. If I have internet along the way, I'll post, but who knows if that will happen. Once I've recovered from the flight and had my way (several times if I'm awake long enough) with Jonathon, I have internet at the hotel, so I'll update you on how the flight was.

You can track me for some of the trip. Once I have flight numbers, I'll send those out, as well as the website I usually use. It's fun to watch where the plane is.

Anyway, I'm off to pack. Now that I know when I'm going I feel like I'm horribly behind! LOL But at least I don't have stripes on my ass!!!!

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I'll need 'em!

Hugs,

Friday, January 29, 2010

Super Food For the Super Bowl

Hey all,

Since I may not be here next Friday (I might be in the air on my way to Singapore), I figure I'll share some of my favorite Superbowl recipes with you all today.

The Superbowl, as you all know, is one of the biggest sports event in the United States and is pretty far up there in the world scheme of things. LOL And even those who aren't football fans often tune in for the special commercials that are made for it.

Now I love football and I will always watch the Superbowl if I am in country. I don't care who's playing, I just enjoy the game. And over the years I've put together some great recipes for the day. I'll share a couple here with you and I'd love to get some of your recipes in trade. Just put them in the comments below!

Since chips and dips are high on the yummy list for the Superbowl, below is my favorite dip recipe. It's a take off on Olive Garden's delicious dip. It goes with crackers, chips and can be spread on french bread as well. It's got a tiny bit of spice to it, but not too much that my wimpy mouth can't handle the heat.

Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip

Ingredients

* 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
* 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (you can use fresh steamed as well
* 1/3 cup heavy cream
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a blender or food processor, place artichoke hearts, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese and garlic . Pulse until chopped, but not ground. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together spinach, heavy cream, sour cream and mozzarella cheese. Stir in artichoke mixture. Spoon into prepared baking dish.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.


And what is more Superbowl oriented than hot wings? One of my favorite things on the planet. Below is a recipe very close to one served by one of the local restaurants, FROGGERS. I hope it tempts your taste buds like it does mine.

Hot Garlic Parm Chicken Wings Recipe

Ingredients

* 48 FROZEN CHICKEN WINGS
* GARLIC PEPPER
* SEASON SALT
* ACCENT SEASONING
* 2 STICKS BUTTER
* MINCED GARLIC IN OLIVE OIL
* 2 CUPS FRESH, SHREDDED PARMESAN CHEESE
* RED HOT or SOME OTHER HOT SAUCE


Directions

1. THAW CHICKEN WINGS IN REFRIGERATOR WHEN READY TO USE.
2. COVER KITCHEN COUNTER WELL WITH FOIL FOR PROTECTION.
3. SEASON WINGS WITH GARLIC PEPPER, SEASON SALT AND ACCENT. SEASON ONE SIDE VERY HEAVILY AND LEAVE THE OTHER SIDE ALONE.
4. DEEP FRY IN BATCHES UNTIL DONE, CHICKEN WILL FLOAT AND BE GOLDEN BROWN WHEN READY.
5. MEANWHILE, MELT BUTTER AND ADD GARLIC. ALLOW THE GARLIC FLAVOR TO INFUSE THE BUTTER BY COOKING SLOWLY FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
6. ADD THE PARMESAN CHEESE AND ALLOW IT TO SLOWLY COOK, ANOTHER 10 MINUTES.
7. THIS IS WHERE THE HOT COMES IN. ADD THE RED HOT ACCORDING TO YOUR TASTE....ALLOW TO HEAT THOROUGHLY UNTIL ALL THE WINGS ARE COOKED.
8. POUR ON WINGS AND TOSS OR SERVE SAUCE ON THE SIDE.


And finally, to sweeten the day, here is my very favorite dessert for a group of people.

Cherry / Pineapple Dump Cake

Ingredients

* 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
* 1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple
* 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
* 8 ounces chopped walnuts
* 1/2 cup butter

Directions

1. In a 9x13 inch pan mix cherries and pineapple. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pineapple, and cherry mixture stir until just combined. Then sprinkle walnuts over top. Drizzle top with melted butter or margarine.
2. Bake in a 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 35 or 40 minutes or until golden brown.

All right everyone, now it's your turn. Share your favorite Superbowl recipes. And to make it more fun, everyone who contributes will have their name put in a hat and on Sunday, I'll draw a name. I'll give the winner a free download of my Valentine's story, Angel Eyes and Demon Lies!

How's that sound! WooHoo!!! Have a great Friday all!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Happiness...How Does it Happen???

Hey all,

Are you happy? Do you wake up each morning with a smile on your face as you get ready to start the day? Do you throw open the door of your house and greet everyone with a smile because you are so excited to see what is in store for you that day?

Or is it just the opposite? Do you open your eyes each morning and wish you could hide under the covers? Are you so scared of what you have to face each day, you don't open yourself up to all the possibilities around you? Would you rather hide in a book or a video game then step out and give life a try?

I think these are questions we should ask ourselves. Why? Because life is too short...too precious to waste a moment of it. Why settle for second best when we can make each second and every breath count!!!

I found several keys to happiness when I was researching one of my stories and I thought I'd jot them down. See what you think.

1. Gratitude.

If you want to be happy today, you must be grateful for what you have right now. It’s that simple. You can’t be happy if you are not satisfied. This doesn’t mean you can’t be striving for more, but you must appreciate and relish the gifts you currently have.

One way to help with that is to write out a list that details what you are grateful for. List everything, no matter how small. Keep the list handy--even pin it up where you can see it every day. Add to it as you think of more.

2. Variety

People have a great need for security, which translates into routine, predictability, safety, reliability, comfort, sameness. At the same time, we also need variety which translates into things being different, random, surprising, new, unpredictable, exciting, scary and more.

The key to variety is to know when and how to use it. Too much and you can overdo...too little and you don't see a difference. But variety can spice up your life and is a great way to add something to your days. But pick and choose when to use it. Adding something different during Grandma's traditional Christmas dinner might not be accepted so readily, but wearing cellophane when you greet your husband as he arrives home for work can be just the thing!

3. People

We all need good people in our lives. I’ve heard it said you need two out of the following three to be happy: good family, good friends, a good mate.

The key is to recognize and focus on the good people in your life. Don't let any psychic vampires suck away your energy, Hang with people who support, love and encourage you. If you don't feel as if you have that in your life, take a close look at those around you. Appreciate the people that do honestly care for you and then cultivate others if you see a hole in your life. Family and friends can be your strength--don't forget that.

4. Meaningful Work

Do you know that an average American works around 1800 hours a year? That's a lot of time to spend on one thing. So do you like your work? Do you feel like it makes a difference? Do you get excited when you tell people what you do for a living? If you don’t, you might want to consider changing what you do. Again, life is too short to be miserable.

If you like what you do, great. Find ways to keep that joy alive. Strive for excellence. Teach others. Find a niche and fill it. If you don’t like what you do, take a risk to daydream about what you really would like to do. Then, think positive and plan out how you can get there. Make a plan of attack and start today!

5. Healthy Lifestyle

Healthy diet, exercise, and play (fun, laughter, and maybe even good sex) are critical to being happy. Your body, mind and spirit all need nourishing. Find a lifestyle that promotes eating healthy, getting daily exercise and just having fun. Don't ever stop learning. It's important to feed your brain. And find something to believe in. Whether it's a religion, a person or a dream, let it fill your spirit and nourish you.

Each and every day take time for these three things. Eat well...try new recipes and keep the ones you love. Exercise...find something different. Do yoga, tai chi or learn how to line dance. And then play. Commit to doing something fun every day as well as a big fun once a week.


Now, one last thing. Something my mama taught me when I was a kid. It's something so very easy, yet something a lot of people struggle with. What is it?

Laugh.

Seriously, laughter releases endorphins with pain-relieving properties similar to morphine. These are thought to be connected to euphoric feelings, appetite modulation, and the release of sex hormones Studies have shown that laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter increases the amount of T-cells and B-cells, which attack viruses and fight disease. Stress hormones are also reduced by laughing, so when you feel better after laughing, you really are happier and healthier.

I've given you some food for thought here, but I know each of us can travel a different road to happiness. Some may enjoy a great movie with friends, while someone else gets that perfect peace by taking a solo walk in the woods. There are as many different ways to find happiness as there are people looking.

So what do you all think? Are you happy? And if so, how did you get that way. What tips for happiness can you give us? Inquiring minds want to know.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Sex in the City or Country or ???

Hey all,

I was having a conversation with some friends and we were talking about sex or (since Jonathon is out of country) my lack there of. LOL We then segued into where we often had sex and talked about the unique places we'd made love in the past.

Some of those were, in all honestly, pretty vanilla. Some were a little risky and some, were weird, to say the least.

We made a list, giggling madly as we did so and once we were done, thought, wow...this is so much fun! When I went home that night and went to bed, I started to dream and out of that dream came an idea for this blog.

How about a sharefest of some of the places we all have done the deed?

Let's start with my friend's ideas. Now, you have to understand these are regular gals, not players or party girls. Just normal women with normal backgrounds. Okay? Ready?

1. Kelly (all names have been changed to protect the naughty ) said the oddest place she'd ever had sex was in a broom closet at work. She'd been dating a co-worker for a little over a month and when he came by her desk and whispered the invitation in her ear, she said she couldn't help herself. It was too much of a turn on. So off they went and she reports it was pretty damn hot.

Not all that comfortable, she admits, but the idea of doing it underneath her co-workers noses made her juices run hot. Quickies seem to tap a part of Kelly she hadn't felt before.

2. Now Leeanna had a different story to tell. Her husband decided to surprise her with a special night out. Since her husband wasn't the most creative guy in the world, she expected the usual dinner and a movie.

So color her shocked when he led her out to a waiting taxi and blindfolded her. He wouldn't tell her where he was taking her and no amount of questioning would break his
reserve. After twenty minutes of driving, they would up at a club. One she said she wouldn't be taking the kids to any time soon.

It was a hot tub club. A place set up for couples to frolic in private jacuzzis.
Her hubby had provided champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and bathing suits (suits optional) and they spent the rest of the night sippin, nipping and...well...loving. She said it was the most decadant night of her life, reminiscient of what old Roman baths must have been like. The sex was fantastic due to the ambiance and mostly, the care her husband had taken in setting the scene.

3. Marie is the outdoorsy type and she loves to make love under the stars. She says in the past she's done the deed in a field, on a picnic table and in a tree. But the most farout place she'd ever done it was when she and her boyfriend made a date to go jetskiing.

They went to a private part of a well known lake in California. It was mid-week and so there weren't many people on the water. A few, but not so many that it would intrude on their privacy.

They'd had a picnic lunch on the shore, then afterwards, her boyfriend taught her how to ride the jetski. And...things happened. One kiss led to another and suddenly they were on the lake, suits floating in the water and bodies slapping together as the ski raced across the waves.

She reports it wasn't easy, but because they had decent balance, they were able to accomplish what they started out to do. It was more fun that satisfying, but a memory she'll never forget.

So, what about you all? I know I've got a few interesting places where I've done the deed, so let's share. In fact, for every five places you all share in the comments below, (you can do it anonymously if you want), I'll share one of mine. I think it will be fun, so let's go!!!

Sex in the City, Country or ?????


Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Hotties Into Heroes

Hey all,

I love men. I adore what makes them the way they are...their scent, their thought pattern and I'll admit it, what they look like. And that doesn't always mean if they are handsome, it just means there is something special, something attractive to you. Nothing is better than walking down the sidewalk and seeing one that sparks a bit of heat, that shivering tingle we all long for.

The same thing happens when I choose my heroes. I can look at a thousand pictures yet only one will sit up and scream, "I'm for you." And once I find him, he's mine forever. I'll take him into my world and together we'll decide who he is and where he belongs.

I was going to share some hotties with you anyway today, but I decided to do something a little different. Why not introduce you to some of the hotties who inspired those heroes in my books?

Let's start with the first book I ever submitted, The Mylari Chronicles: Eyes of Fire, later released by Samhain. When I was writing him, I had a specific type in mind for Calion, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see his face. So, I decided to stop looking and find what I did know about...his body.

Calion had to be built. Great abs and an ass to die for. His arms needed to be hard and muscular...his shoulders broad and strong. He had to have the type of body that a woman would fall over in a faint if she saw him striding down the beach.

Well, I found him. I was surfing on some dating sites and was bleary-eyed staring at all the less than interesting guys. Then I clicked a link and there he was. My gorgeous, hunky, Calion!!!

And what I found really interesting was that you still can't really see his face!!!! So readers who come and see what my inspirations are still can use their imagination on what Calion looks like. Find out more about Calion and his lady Talia by clicking HERE.

Another set of hotties who are reader favorites are the men of my Don't Series. Aidan, of Don't Spank the Vamp and Milcham, of Don't Tempt the Phoenix are polar opposites. Aidan the vampire, tall and handsome with the cool, dark looks of the moon at midnight. And Milcham, the legendary Phoenix, whose golden, rugged good looks shine as bright as the noonday sun.

Aidan's inspiration came to me by a reader who was sending me handsome hunks for the chat list. One look at him and I knew I'd found my vampire. One whose blood lust wouldn't even come close to the passionate love he'd have for the artistic lady who held his heart.

Milcham, the loyal, just and lonely hero of the second Don't book I found as I was surfing. I was looking for a hunk for my newsletter and the second I gazed on his brooding face, I was positive I'd found my perfect Phoenix.

Put them both together and you have two of the most gorgeous heroes ever to grace a series. But they aren't only handsome, they have the type of Alpha personalities women sigh over and most importantly, their women are the center of their world. And Dawn and Aithne know it. Learn more about Aidan and Dawn and Milcham and Aithne. Just click on their names.

And finally I have a character who has become a reader favorite, and he doesn't even have his own book yet!!! He has been an integral part of my most popular urban fantasy series, The Peacekeeper Journals and is slated to have his own book in mid to late 2011.

Meet Lucas, the roughly handsome werewolf whose loyalty and ready temper make him an important part of Kira's company. Along with his five "brothers", Gallegar, Danolas, Patrick, Benjamin and Koran, Lucas protects the Peacekeeper as they keep the world safe from demonic attack.

Readers seem to fall for Lucas because he is the most passionate and protective of heroes. His silver eyes gleam with love, and what woman wouldn't sigh over a man who'd do anything to keep her safe and happy. You can read a bit of his story, HERE.

So, as you can see I have some great heroes. Different types, different worlds and different adventures, yet all with one thing in common. They make their ladies the center of their lives and what woman doesn't want that in a hero?

And yes, they are all pretty delicious, but don't blame me...blame my dreams. I guess if I'm going to dream of a hero, I'm going to make him easy on the eyes! LOL

Hope you enjoyed meeting my hunky men. I'll be back tomorrow with a new sexy fun blog!!!

Hugs,


Monday, January 25, 2010

Griffin Hawke: A Character in Search of a Story

Hey all,

It's Monday again and you all know what that means. That's right. Time for a guest blogger. Today we have Belinda McBride, a fellow Loose Id author.

Belinda McBride lives in far Northern California with a bunch of Siberian Huskies and a Chihuahua. She also has a human family, but they aren’t as demanding as the dogs. She writes in several genres, and sees nothing odd in writing about werewolves in space.

She writes speculative fiction, with books ranging from science fiction to paranormal, and pretty much everything in between.

Welcome, Belinda!!!!

~~~

A few years ago, I was playing with a concept called ‘Hidden Heroes.’ The idea was to take a character from an unlikely background and write him as a hero. One of the characters that ended up being published was Pierce Wilde, the porn star from Leather. I’m fairly certain that one or two others that I drafted wound up being absorbed into other characters, such as Kell from Chrysalis and Jedidiah Wormwood Worth from the upcoming release Last Call Europe: Devil’s Advocate.

At that time, a character stepped out of the shadows; he was one that I didn’t have a face or a story for, but he was incredibly charismatic. This hidden hero was a former soldier who’d fallen on hard times, and ended up working as a mercenary. Because of some shady fight in his past, he was scarred. One eye was missing, and somehow or other, he’d also lost a testicle. On the outside, he was a scruffy rapscallion, inside; however, he had a heart of gold.

This hero had a princess, a fair-haired beauty in need of rescue. At that time, I just didn’t have the time or the inspiration to follow through on developing that story, but that hero stuck in my mind.

Last summer, I was doing an exercise on writing first person. I was simply playing with the princess in peril theme; there was no story in mind. I simply wanted to practice first person writing. After several rather bad starts, I opened a new page, and this is what I wrote:

A whore is a whore is a whore…unless she’s something else completely.

Who knows where that came from…I remember sitting there thinking that I was writing about a princess, not a whore. And then a clear, insistent voice spoke up, urging me to change the last part of that line:

…unless HE’S something else completely.

And Helios stepped into the light, with his shining copper hair, and those bedroom eyes lined with kohl. With the emergence of Helios, that one-eyed rapscallion also stepped up from the shadows and told me that he hadn’t been waiting for a princess…he’d been waiting for his prince. Suddenly I had two beautifully developed characters, and with that, I didn’t really need a story, because they were the story.

Sometimes writing a book is like pulling teeth. It’s hard and painful to get through. Other times, the book just seems to write itself. An Uncommon Whore seemed to glide onto the screen under its own power, and when it ended, I was surprised. Shocked! It took a few days at the beginning, but once I changed that one word in that little phrase, the chemistry simply happened. Griffin had stayed in the shadows because the chemistry wasn’t there with any of the heroines that I drafted for him. Once Helios declared himself a man, it all fell into place.
Over the past year, I’ve made an attempt to tighten the creative process. I’ve begun outlining my stories, working on developing characters before beginning the book itself. My writing style has always been a bit loose; I just start writing and see what spills out of my imagination. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes I wonder if trying to control my creativity sometimes stifles it a bit. Sometimes it’s just best to grab the impulse and let it take you where it will.

When it works, it’s magic.

~~~~~

Thank you, Belinda for coming to blog with me!!! I wish you beautiful dreams and profitable sales!!!!

Check out Belinda's upcoming January 26th release at Loose Id...














Read an excerpt at... http://belindam.blogspot.com/2010/01/extended-excerpt-uncommon-whore.html
Buy link: http://www.loose-id.com/An-Uncommon-Whore.aspx

Be sure to visit her website: http://www.belindamcbride.com

Hugs and see you all tomorrow!!!

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Follow Your Dreams

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Sunday Promo: Do Me A Favor

Hey all,

Since I don't do anything online on Sundays, I'll use this day to share with you about some of my work. Let's start with my latest release, Do Me A Favor.

This story is the second of the Second Chances series. We met Keeton and Favor in Waiting in the Wings, and now you'll get to know them a little better. You'll see how they actually got together.

Here's a quick blurb...

When country music sensation Keeton Metro’s plane goes down in a freak mountain storm, his entire crew is killed and he is left barely alive. He is pulled from the wreckage by a mysterious mountain woman who tends to his wounds and brings him back from the brink of death.
Favor Rowan has lived on her mountain alone since her beloved mother died. When she rescues the handsome singer, healing him using a special empathic gift, she doesn’t expect to fall head-over-heels in love with him.

A shotgun wedding propels Favor into Keeton’s world, and confused, heartbroken and angry, they both have to decide if what they had on the mountain was nothing more than a false spring, or a cozy, winter promise of a forever kind of love.

**The author is donating a portion of the proceeds to NFIL. For more information please go to http://www.nifl.gov .

As mentioned in the previous sentence, a portion of my royalties--50%--will be donated to the National Institute for Literacy. Each one of the books in this series is about a serious social situation that can affect women, and I hope, in some small way, to make a difference.

Available from Aspen Mountain Press, E-book $7.00 Print Book Coming Soon from UTM

Here's a never before seen excerpt from Do Me A Favor. Enjoy and please let me know what you think!!!


It was absolutely silent. So quiet he could hear his own heart beating. The silence bothered him for some reason, but he couldn’t put his finger on why.
When he took a deep breath he could smell something other than smoke. A delicious scent, one that made his stomach growl. He shook his head in wonder, immediately regretting the move when it ached in protest. Where was he? His eyes widened as adrenaline shot through him, making the base of his skull pound even harder. More importantly...
Who was he?
He shot upright as sweat filmed his body. Panic set in. Flinging the covers off, he barely noticed the bandages on his leg and torso, or the pain shooting through him. He ignored the fact he was naked. His only thought was to escape the knowledge of knowing...nothing.
He’d barely gotten his legs off the bed when the door opened. His first impression was of a huge beast and a pile of walking clothes. He could only stare and shiver as the cold of the outside chased away the warmth inside the cabin.
The figure slammed the door shut and turned back to look at him. “What are you doing out of bed? You’ll tear your stitches.”
He knew that musical voice and unconsciously relaxed. It had been the one connection to reality all that time he’d drifted in and out of pain. Opening his mouth to answer, he was stopped when the animal—a wolf, he could see now—growled menacingly at him.
“Hush, Wahya.” The figure moved around the beast and shuffled to the bed. “He ain’t gonna hurt me. He ain’t up to doing anything but going back to sleep.”
Sleep sounded marvelous. Suddenly he realized how exhausted even that small amount of effort had made him. He didn’t argue when he was pushed gently down, and his legs lifted back onto the bed. The covers were pulled over him again, and he watched silently as the figure went to the fire and pulled out a heated stone. When the stone was wrapped in a fur and placed at his feet, his whole body sighed in relief. Warmth. Wonderful, blessed warmth.
“Who...are...you?” he managed. At least he now knew the voice belonged to a she. It was distinctly feminine. Maybe an old mountain woman who lived alone in the woods.
She gave a little chuckle as she moved away. “At least you’re talking sense now. I worried the blow to your head damaged your brain.”
Lifting a hand to his forehead he discovered the bandage. “It hurts.”
“I’m sure.”
“I don’t understand what happened to me. I don’t remember anything.”
There was no answer as she moved near the door and kicked off her shoes before removing her coat. He blinked as the first bulky covering came off. It was more of a fur cape than a coat. Under that was an oversized man’s jacket, then another coat, before a smaller and more girlish one was revealed. When that came off, followed by the big hat that protected her head, his mouth dropped open.
This was no old lady. This was a beautiful, young woman.
He could only watch in shocked silence as she walked back towards him. She was tiny, but her body was definitely put together in all the right ways. Even under the long skirt and flannel shirt she was wearing he could tell she was nicely shaped. She had long auburn hair—so long it trailed past her rear, even in the tight braid she wore. But it was her face that intrigued him most. Heart shaped and pixie-like, with fine clear skin and high cheekbones. Lips as pink as a rose smiled at him, and her small nose turned up at the end. And her eyes...tilted at the sides, they sparkled with mischief and a subtle knowing he couldn’t understand.
Faerie eyes... The thought shot through him as he looked into the golden ones gazing back curiously into his. That’s what she reminded him of. An elf maiden who’d just wandered out of a forest glade to dance in the moonlight.
He grinned at the fanciful thought, and she smiled back, revealing even white teeth. “You’re beautiful.” The words left his mouth before he thought, and he was charmed by the blush that touched her cheeks. Lifting a hand he caressed the soft line of her jaw. “Tell me your name.”
Blushing harder, she moved his hand back under the covers. “My name is Favor.”
Frowning, he watched as she went to the fire and stirred something. Memory surfaced and he knew he’d seen her do that more than once. “Favor? That’s an odd name.”
She shrugged. “My Ma gave it to me. Said God did her a favor when he sent me to her. I guess the name stuck.”
“Your last name?’
Shrugging again, she poured some of the liquid she was stirring into a cup and blew on it. “Don’t have one. Favor is the only name I got.” She walked back and sat on the bed beside him. Without speaking she helped him sip at the warm brew.
“What is this stuff?” When he wrinkled his nose at the taste, she giggled.
“Medicine,” she answered simply. “You’ve been very sick.”
All at once his lack of memory came back to him, and panic raised its ugly head. Lifting haunted eyes to hers, he grasped at her hand. “I don’t remember anything. What happened to me or why I’m here.” He swallowed hard. “I don’t...even remember my name.”
Favor’s eyes went wide and then just as quickly filled with compassion. Her hand cupped his cheek. “I’m so sorry.”
Fighting back fear and pain he held on tightly to her. “Who am I?” The memory of being embraced by a lover swirled through his mind. “Am I your husband? Boyfriend?” As soon as he said it he knew it couldn’t be true. Surely he’d remember making love to a woman like her.
She blushed again. “No. Nothin’ like that. I’m sorry, I don’t know your name. I don’t know who you are. I...I found you in the woods.”
“Found me?”
Nodding, she helped him sip a little more of the medicine. “After a snowstorm. A flying airplane went down and I—”
With an oath, he pushed the cup away. His mind reeled as memory sliced through him with the fury of a hurricane. Names, places and faces swirled frantically through his head. All he’d known and what he’d just lost filled his brain to the bursting. It was agony...misery. A pain that went on and on. He knocked the cup from her hand as he reached up and grabbed the sides of his head.
No!” he shouted. “It can’t be. No!

End of Excerpt

Remember to let me know what you think. And pick up this book by clicking HERE.

Hugs and see you on Monday!


Saturday, January 23, 2010

Is it still called surfing???

Hey all,

Every once in a while I actually have a bit of free time. (I know...it's a stretch but it's that quick bit of time between taking a shower and answering emails. LOL) I don't spend a lot of play time on the net, usually my time there is spent on research for books.

But, as I said, sometimes I do have extra minutes and my daughter introduced me to the stumble browser. And I've used it to find some really fun sites. I thought I'd share a few with you...

This first one is a great site. It is called Slightly Warped and it has all kinds of categories to see the weird and the strange. I found it when Jessaca sent me this great tat pic that glows in the dark and got sucked in. You can spend hours here, trust me, so be careful. All that time you were planning folding clothes or researching that next book, it will disappear.

Check it out at http://www.slightlywarped.com/crapfactory/. You can find the glow in the dark tattoos under the curiosity category. But there are tons of other categories and all filled with a lot of really cool stuff.

Are you a Muppets fan? I am. In fact, my favorite Christmas movie I watch even before White Christmas is, of all things, The Muppet Christmas Carol. I adored the Muppet Show and have seen every single Muppet movie numerous times. I love the fact that the actors who work with the Muppets have said they forget the puppets aren't real. That, in my opinion, is real talent!

So, for all you Muppet lovers or if you enjoy listening to Queen, check out this Youtube video. It's vintage Muppets that you'll immediately add to your favorites list. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgbNymZ7vqY

The last site is a fun one to spend some time on. If you are a Dame Christie fan or just love murder mysteries, you will enjoy it. There may be others out there, but this is simple, easy and free. Welcome to the Web's First Interactive Murder Mystery.

YOU CAN NOW EXPERIENCE AKEITH & MARGO'S MURDER MYSTERY FIRSTHAND. FIND THE VICTIM, MEANS, MOTIVE AND...MURDERER.

How To Play

You are about to enter a 3D virtual reality world, a mansion, where a murder has taken place. You will be entering it exactly 5 minutes after the crime has occurred and time has suddenly been frozen. There are 8 different rooms in the house and a number of suspects. By using the tool bar at the bottom of the page to move from room to room, your job is to investigate and find...

1. The Victim
2. The Means or Weapon
3. The Motive
4. The Murderer

There are plenty of hints and clues, but if you don't figure it out the first time, don't fret, you can try again! http://www.murdermystery.com/vrml/

Do you have a fun or exciting site you want to share? Put them in the comments below and tell us why you like it so much!

Hugs to all and I'll catch you on Monday with our guest blogger, Belinda McBrides!!!
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Follow Your Dreams

Friday, January 22, 2010

It's National Blonde Brownie Day!!!!!

Hey all,

Yesterday's blog sure stirred things up, didn't it? I loved it! And it was so nice to find out I'm not the only crayon in the pack pissed at the way things are being handled.

But to cool our melting colors, I thought I'd share something today a little more comforting. And what's more comforting than yummy brownies?

Yet, what on earth is a Blonde Brownie? Does it have hair? Is it thought to be less intelligent that a brunette one? Wait...if it has to do with chocolate, why do I care? LOL

According to my Hungry Girl Daily Email, January 22nd is National Blonde Brownie Day. It isn't a "real" national holiday, just one of those crazy odd holidays that seem to pepper our calendars.
But I'm cool with that. Why not celebrate a day where you can munch on yummy brownies and not feel guilty. After all, it's a national holiday. Doesn't that mean it's your patriotic duty to bake and eat as many as you can????

Well...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

According to my extensive research there are several ways to make a blonde brownie. The most popular way is to switch out dark brown sugar with light brown sugar. Easy peasy. Another way I found was to use a cream cheese icing to add the blondeness to your recipe. But as most everyone knows, brownies are chock full of calories, fat and sugars, so they may be delicious, but not the healthiest dessert on the planet.

The good news is, Hungry Girl has several recipes for brownies that aren't so calorie ridden. My favorite choice is this one. Swirls Gone Wild Cheesecake Brownies Delicious, low cal and if you like cheesecake brownies, this one is to die for.

For those who would like some other options, try this page. Spark People Brownies. Tons of recipes to tempt your tastebuds.

Do you have a brownie recipe, blonde or brunette that you'd like to share? Low cal or high, I collect them all. Please pop them into the comments and give us all a chance to drool in anticipation!!!

Hugs,
CJ England
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Follow Your Dreams

Thursday, January 21, 2010

We Are Such a Throw Away Society

Hey all,

I was going to write about something else today, but then I went to the store and something happened that really bugged me.

Now, I understand about supply and demand as well as cost effectiveness and all that, but to me this just doesn't make sense.

Here's the thing... I have a manuscript I've been asked to send in, so obviously I want it to look it's best. My printer ink was a little low so I decided to pick up a new one. Didn't want the bloody ink to run out half way through the three chapters.

So I toddle off to Walmart to get a print cartridge and grit my teeth as I get close to the display because I know how expensive the things are. I find what I need and want to groan. There is just something wrong about paying $43.00 for a pair of print cartridges.

Now, we usually just refill the cartridges we have, but that can be a hit and miss endeavor print quality wise. Since I wanted the pages I was doing to look really good, I didn't want to use the refills.

Then I remember what happened the last time I went in to get cartridges, and quickly turn around to look at the printers available. And sure enough, there is a brand new printer. Cost? Only $40.00. Complete WITH both print cartridges!!!

WTF???

Why on earth would a brand new printer--same manufacturer--be LESS money than the ink needed to use them? It makes no bloody sense!

Obviously the printer itself is worthless. For some reason it's the ink that chews up the chunk of change you're willing to put down. But it just seems wrong. Then I did some figuring and realized, while it may not be as convenient for me, I can go get the manuscript printed out at KINKOs or STAPLES at a tenth of the price.

But it really showed me what a disposable society we are. Things like the printer or even a DVD player, TV or other electronic equipment, they are all built NOT to last. And that drives me crazy.

So what do you think? Does it bother you to have to re-buy something every year that you used to be able to keep a good part of your lifetime? What other "goods" have you seen that are now just throw away. Toss in your opinion in the comments below.

Hugs,

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Sexy Fun For the Week

Hey all,

It's Wednesday--Hump Day--and I'll be out and about today. Errands, so please forgive me if this blog is shorter than normal. But I do have a few things for you all today.

First off, don't forget that I have a brand new FREE READ for you all at my other blog. It's only a couple of installments in so you have plenty of time to jump in and enjoy. Go to http://cj-england.livejournal.com/ and please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Two: My newsletter is ready to go with all kinds of interesting topics to peruse and another FREE READ for you all. Sign up and get all the news at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsDreamtimeNewsletter/

And finally, today is fun and sexy day. Each Hump Day I will put up an interesting and naughty sex tip or idea for you and your lover to try out. Why? Because I believe that variety is the spice of life and when you try different things with that special someone, it can add a little

Today's tip is for you lovers who enjoy playing games. As you may know there are hundreds of sex games out there. For couples and for those who enjoy more of a...group effort. But since I'm not into menage, this post will center on a couple of games you can play with your sweetheart.

One of my favorite games is something we all usually have in our cupboards. No, I'm not talking about Yatzee or Monopoly. LOL I'm talking DICE.

Now there are quite a few special dice out there for lovers, I have one set myself and we enjoy using it some nights just to shake things up. For those who don't know what they are, these dice have special words on each of their sides. I explain it very clearly in my book, Don't Spank the Vamp... pg 47

Aidan smiled as he remembered her pink face when he’d handed her a pair of Love Dice. One of the die had words like lick, kiss, fondle and tickle on it. The other had such words as, nipples, lips, cock/clit, and ass. The object of the game was to roll the dice and see what combination came up.
And then do it.

Sound like fun? I guarantee it is. Once you get through the giggles, taking up the challenge of doing what the dice say is a lot of fun. But you don't have to have a special set of dice to do it. You can play with a regular set, too. Just assign words to the numbers and go with it. For example, you roll one dice for the verb part of the fun...

1- Lick
2-Kiss
3-Fondle

And so on. Whatever words you want to use.

And for the other part, the noun part of the fun, you roll both dice and use that number. For example...

7- nipples
8- clit/cock
9- toes

And so on. Whatever words you want to use. And the nice thing about doing up your own, is you can change the words as you like, whenever you want to shake things up.

A second game is one that we often play when we are alone in the house. All it takes is a comfortable bed and a movie to watch.

Enter the kissing game. Similar to the drinking game, this one is played while watching a movie. Decide beforehand what "triggers" in the movie you will use - sayings that are repeated, actions that are repeated, etc. Everytime those things are said or done, you get to kiss your partner. Careful, though, all those little kisses may add up to something a little more steamy! Which is the fun part. LOL

I hope you enjoy these two sexy ideas to perk up your love life. Please let me know how it goes and if you have any other fun games you like to play with your lover put them in the comments below!

Have a great day!

Hugs,

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Movie Review - The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Hey all,

I love seeing movies and you'll often find me going once or twice a week. I'll see just about any genre, except the blood and gore--did that in my teenage days.

I was looking forward to seeing Imaginarium. I do like Heath Ledger and since he died while making this movie, I was very curious as to how they were going to make it work. I knew little about the plot, just it had something to do with a traveling circus and a deal with the devil.

As the movie release date approached, I was surprised that I didn't see any previews or trailers on this show. Heath Ledger's last mov
ie? Star power like Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell? Why wasn't the hype screaming?

Perhaps I just missed all the promos. Maybe I switched the channel when it came on. But if the black out on advertising was any indication, I was a little worried about what I'd be seeing when the lights went out.

The truth is, as I sat in the theatre watching the movie, I felt like I was back in high school
watching Clockwork Orange. The movie is surreal, almost dream-like and for me, it was difficult to follow at first. The first time I'd watched Clockwork Orange, I was high. I wondered if it would have helped being high watching Imaginarium. But before I go any further, here's a quick blurb from the studio.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantastical morality tale, set in the present day. It tells the story of Dr Parnassus and his extraordinary 'Imaginarium', a travelling show where members of the audience get an irresistible opportunity to choose between light and joy or darkness and gloom. Blessed with the extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others, Dr Parnassus is cursed with a dark secret. Long ago he made a bet with the devil, Mr Nick, in which he won immortality. Many centuries later, on meeting his one true love, Dr Parnassus made another deal with the devil, trading his immortality for youth, on condition that when his first-born reached its 16th birthday he or she would become the property of Mr Nick. Valentina is now rapidly approaching this 'coming of age' milestone and Dr Parnassus is desperate to protect her from her impending fate. Mr Nick arrives to collect but, always keen to make a bet, renegotiates the wager. Now the winner of Valentina will be determined by whoever seduces the first five souls. Enlisting a series of wild, comical and compelling characters in his journey, Dr Parnassus promises his daughter's hand in marriage to the man that helps him win. In this captivating, explosive and wonderfully imaginative race against time, Dr Parnassus must fight to save his daughter in a never-ending landscape of surreal obstacles - and undo the mistakes of his past once and for all...

Well, it sounds good, right? But a lot of what is in the blurb must have been written before Heath died because it sure wasn't what I saw in the movie. I spent more time trying to understand what was happening than being able to enjoy the movie. In fact there was a couple of issues I had that really bothered me.

First and foremost, Valentina, the girl who is supposed to be sixteen (and looks a lot older) spends the movie flirting, chasing and final
ly having sex with a much older man. So the whole creepy pedophile thing didn't work for me. (Although seeing Colin Farrell with his shirt half off was kind of yummy.)

And, *SPOILER ALERT* another thing that bugged me was having the hero not so heroic at the end. Why have him in the movie in the first place? He was somewhat useful in helping with the carnival, but overall, he could have been removed from the movie and not been missed all that much.

But, the problem I had most with the movie was the uneven plot line. I honestly have no idea why the movie existed. While I know that some may have enjoyed the surrealness of the story
, for me it was just too disjointed. I couldn't follow what was happening in a lot of parts. I understood the deal with the devil part, and I got the fact Dr. Parnassus was trying to fix what he'd done, but I don't think they showed us clearly how he was trying to make things better and what Heath had to do with anything.

All in all, if you are a Heath Ledger fan, I think you should see this movie if for nothing else than
to say goodbye. I can't say it's a great movie, it's too strange and disjointed to be that and those issues I mentioned made me too uncomfortable with the movie overall to get excited about the story.

I will say the parts where the people go into the Imaginarium were quite well done. I may not have understood what the hell was going on, but the computer graphics, sets and the way it was presented kept the movie interesting enough that I didn't walk out.

At the end, no one clapped and most people all said the same thing. And interesting movie but weird. They had good things to say about Heath and his stand ins, but the movie overall wasn't received so well.

Could I recommend it? Yeah. It's Heath's last one. But honestly, I'd wait until it came out on video. It's worth viewing, but not spending my hard earned cash on. JMHO. My vote? 3 out of 5 dreams!!!

Hugs and see ya tomorrow,

Monday, January 18, 2010

Dreaming with Guest Blogger -- Cynthia Vespia

Hey all,

It's Monday again and you all know what that means. That's right. Time for a guest blogger. Today we have another Aspen Mountain author, Cynthia Vespia.

Cynthia was drawn to writing early on in life where she established a successful career as a freelance journalist writing everything from features and fillers, to reviews and human interest stories. Writing novels remained her first love. Cynthia writes quality, character driven novels full of suspense as well as dark fantasy. She likes to refer to her novels as "Real life situations that you could find yourself in but hope to God you never do.” In her spare time she enjoys reading, movies that involve a strong plot/characters, and keeping active through various forms of martial arts and as an active fitness competitor.

Welcome, Cynthia!!!

~~~~~~~
I've been pondering what to write about for this guest blog spot. What's universal? What does everyone want especially with the start of a new year? Dreams-to meet goals. More often than not we will allow our dreams to slip away. We get caught up with day-to-day life, grow complacent, put things off, saying to ourselves we have plenty of time. Not true. No one should wait for a crisis before they set out in search of their hearts desires.

I believe in self improvement. Over the past few years I've studied quite a few different things and come to learn a lot about myself and what's been holding me back in certain areas of life. I'm sure it's the same for a lot of you...it's fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, even fear of success. I feel its weight like an anchor tied to my ankle. It's debilitating, keeps you complacent in your cozy little shell.

But when I look back over my life I don't want to regret anything. You always regret not doing something as opposed to doing, because even if you try and it doesn't quite work out (notice I didn't say fail!) at least you learned something from the experience. The point is to not be afraid to venture out past the gates of safety and go after what you really want.

Think back to when you were a kid and the world was your playground. There were no limitations to your imagination. You were going to have, do, and be whatever you wanted and no one was going to stop you. When do we as adults lose that resolve? What gets stuck in our heads that makes us think we can't pursue our true passion? Are we not worthy enough?

In the movie Fight Club there is a scene where Brad Pitt puts a gun to a convenience store clerk's head and threatens to kill this man if he doesn't go back to school and realize his dream of becoming a veterinarian. Talk about stimulation to succeed! But do we really need a threat on our lives or a close call to kick us in the butt? Maybe not a real gun to the head but I think you do have to have some sort of drive to get you going in the right direction, back on your true path.

"It's up to us to pursue and create the moments that will lift us and not limit us."
- Tony Robbins

One of the greatest visionaries of our time is a man named Schwarzenegger. He came to this country with a gym bag and limited English and now he's the Governor of California. Why? He knew exactly wha
t he wanted, and he believed he would attain it, always fixing his path towards his goal to suit his needs. If something didn't work the first time he tweaked it until he reached his goal and then he made new goals. He knew where he would be in his life five years out! Schwarzenegger had visualization and positive thinking down before it became a bestseller.

You have to chase your dreams. It gives you a reason to get up in the morning...other than the coffee that is. I've been interested in writing ever since I was a little kid. There's something to be said for that rush of inspiration and that fire in the heart that you get when you know you're doing what you're meant to be doing.

What I'm getting at with all this is that it's never too late to appease that little boy or girl inside you and follow through on a dream or goal you once thought lost. You're still breathing aren't you? There's too much talent going to waste because of fear and an overwhelming sense of responsibility. Consider me your proverbial gun to the head! Live your dreams!!!

My latest release...

As the newest demon hunter, Costa Calabrese has a lot to contend with when the portal to hell opens up in his backyard. Aided by his constant companions, Talisa and Paralay, they must face evil in many forms. But what happens when familiar faces become your opposition? Will love be enough to conquer evil?

Read an Excerpt

Buy This Book


For more information on Cynthia and her work, please visit her WEBSITE or her BLOG.

Since you all know my tag line is Follow Your Dreams, this blog offering is right up my alley. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please let Cynthia know in the comments below!

Hugs and see you all tomorrow...