The Amazing Differences Between Men and Women

Hey all,

I hope you all had a safe and happy Halloween. Jonathon had to work, but later that night we went to a Chinese Haunted House (they call it a Horror House) We couldn't take pictures inside the house to show you, (the one to the right is similar to what we saw, but I found it online) but we were suitably impressed.

It wasn't the fancy-dancy of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights. It was more like a neighborhood haunted house, but a really well done one.  And I screamed and hollared and enjoyed myself thoroughly.

Many of the other women (girls) were doing the same. And all the men (boys) had the same look on their faces. Long-suffering. Which made me wonder why they had to act that way when they were so obviously enjoying themselves. Enjoying the scariness of the place and enjoying the fact their ladies were hanging all over them.

But they couldn't act as if they were. All had that If-I-had-a-choice-I'd-be-somewhere-else look in their eyes, yet you knew they were the ones who'd wanted to come in the first place.

Ahhh...the amazing differences between a man and a woman.

So, as it usually does, it made me start thinking and dreaming and suddenly there was this blog. Just why are men and women so different? Is it the wiring? The upbringing? Choices? Or a bit of all three?

So, over the weekend I started a list. And found myself giggling hysterically.  It wound up being a list of those differences between men and women that really don't make sense.  Ready?  Here we go...

1. Everyone knows about this one. The dreaded toilet paper roll. I mean, I know there are men out there that actually know how to put a roll on the dispenser so don't throw rocks, but seriously... It isn't rocket science, yet the average man can't or won't put it on.

I thought maybe I was wrong, and it was a mutual thing, but then we moved away from our kids in Florida. My sweet baboo and I were on our own. And the truth came out. My darling hubby wouldn't know how to put that TP roll on if it meant his life. I mean, if one was used up, he might take a new one out of the cupboard, but he'd still not put it on the dispenser, and over here all you do is slide the silly thing on. No muss, no fuss. So why the hell can't he put the thing on himself???

Ahhhh, the differences between a man and a woman.

2. Let's talk about getting groceries.  Why is it that I ask Jonathon to go to the store to pick up something and he'll come home with everything BUT the one item I requested.  I mean, how does, "Honey, can you grab a jug of milk on your way home?", translate to chips, salsa, wine and that candy bar?  And then he has the nerve to give me that grin of his, the one that always makes me melt, and say, "but Ladybug, the candy bar has milk in the chocolate."

So I force a smile and ask him to make a list next time.  Well, you'd think I stabbed him through the heart.  I guess making a list is sorta like asking for directions and we all know  men can't do that!  So, of course he doesn't...and he forgets the milk a second time.   And then wonders aloud why I didn't go get it in the first place.  That's when I reach for my gun.  No jury would convict me.  Not if they had breasts.

Ahhhh, the differences between a man and a woman.

3. Are you ready yet?  The cry heard round the world when it's time to go out for dinner.  Now, I just don't get it.  A man can live with you for 26 years and STILL not understand it takes longer for a woman to put on her underwear than it takes for him to be completely ready.  So why is it that so often he gives you less than a heartbeat to get ready?

I mean I've learned his tricks.  So I always ask.  When are we going to leave?  I know how long it will take me to get fancied up, so I plan accordingly.  Yet he will still come in, always a half an hour earlier than he'd originally told me, when I'm just finishing my hair and say in this totally serious voice.  "Aren't you ready yet?"  It's a wonder I haven't stabbed him with my mascara wand, it's so bloody irritating.

Ahhhh, the differences between a man and a woman.

4.  And finally, let's talk about laundry.  Where was it written that the only proper place for clothing is on the floor?  I mean, seriously...we have drawers.  We have a closet.  So why is it I find more clothes on the floor, bed and in the tub than I find anywhere else?

Now my sweet baboo doesn't take off clothes and trail them through the house on his way to the shower.  He's not that bad.  But I don't think he would know where his shoes are to go if I engraved it on his manly forehead.  I trip on them all over the house.  And when he takes off the boxers he wears for jammies, can he hang them on his own hook behind the door?  Nooooooooo....he's gotta hang them on the one that already has my clothes on it.  So they all fall off.

How hard is it to a) pick up your clothes and put them in the basket.  b) hang those clothes where they belong or c) make sure your shoes, briefcase or backpack isn't a road hazard?

Now of course, if you try and communicate any of this to your man, he just gives you the look.  You women all know the one I mean.  The are-you-serious-or-are-you-crazy-and-need-chocolate look.  And that takes us into yet another area of war between men and women....the C word.  Communication.

And I'm not brave enough to deal with that. 

So that's it.  A few ways men and women are so different.  I know I haven't even touched the tip of the proverbial iceberg.  And I'll bet you all have other ideas.  I'd love to hear them.  Put them in the comments below.  Who knows...maybe I'll get a blog out of it sometime!  LOL

You all have a wonderful hump day and don't forget.  Come on back on Friday where my guest blogger Johnny Miles will share his look at the world.

Hugs to all,

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

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It's NaNoWriMo Time

Hey all,

Yep! It's that time of the year.  NaNoWriMo time.  For those of you who don't know what NaNoWriMo is, let me explain.  It is, and this is taken directly from their website...

~~~National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.

Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly. ~~~

And what a month it can be.  Exasperating, irritating, painful.  Amazing, triumphant and satisfying.  All of those are emotions I've felt while participating in this project.  And for those new writers who are just trying things out to see if they have what it takes, its a perfect launch point.  They can get those ideas out on paper, and the quality of the manuscript isn't what is important.  It's the discipline of getting it done within the month long time frame.  It's more of an exercise, to help all writers get the job done.

Now, in all honesty, for me, NaNoWriMo isn't as much a challenge as it is a fun time to play.  I am one of those lucky authors who can, if given time, and especially if I'm in the groove, can easily write 50,000 words in less than a week. 

But having that time frame, even for a person like me, can at times be confining. I have other commitments.  Edits, book covers, promotions.  And then there is real life.  I have a husband, who even though he supports me a hundred percent, kinda enjoys having me around to love on.  *grin*  So I have to balance writing time and quality personal time with my sweet baboo.

And then there is the other stuff that pops up.  Groceries, cooking, cleaning, building a home...all of that is just as important so, it too, has to be balanced.  On an average week, I wind up getting to write for only four days, and out of those four days, I push to write about six hours.  So if you do the math, if I keep my balance, (see me teetering already?) I have to produce 3,125 words a day or 520 words an hour to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge.

So can I do it??? 

Well, I have, for the last four years, though at times it has been tough.  Last year especially, because I was working full time, plus getting ready to move to Singapore.  But even with all of that going on, I managed to not only triumph, but the novel, was submitted, bought and will be published this coming January 2011.

For me, NaNoWriMo isn't as much a writing challenge as it may be for other authors, but a way to get myself back on track.  To re-look at my priorities and readjust my schedule to make the most of the time I have.  I don't throw myself into NaNoWriMo as I did the first year, spending twenty hours a day on it.  Instead, I use it as a tool, to polish and refine my skills.  It's your NaNoWriMo.  Use it the best way it helps you.

In my opinion, this writing challenge can be for both newbie authors who are just flexing their fingers, and for we seasoned ones who might have dozens of books under our belts.  Do you need to do this to be a "real author"?  Of course not.  But a smart person uses all the tools available to them.  And if joining in a challenge will help you discipline, streamline and improve your writing, why not give it a shot?

You writers out there, both established and just starting out, I challenge you to join up and try your hand at NaNoWriMo.  If nothing else, you'll get that novel you've been thinking about started, plus you'll meet some really great people as you buddy up with other writers and chat about how you're doing.

If you'd like to buddy up with me, I'd love to have you.  I enjoy chatting with my NaNoWriMo buddies and if I can encourage and help a new author, I'm happy to do so.  My NaNoWriMo addy is http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/145702, so you can check me out and see what I'm doing this year.

And, if you'd like to know more about NaNoWriMo, their main website is... http://www.nanowrimo.org/.  There are articles, forums, videos and pep talks, as well as banners and icons to display and dozens of other helps to get you started.  The organization raises money for young authors to help them get started, and in my opinion does a great job in encouraging all writers to be all they can be.

So, the fun starts today, and I hope you all will check me out.  Come on over and see the story I'll be working on.  Leave me a message of encouragement.  Sign up yourself.  It's a brave new world over at NaNoWriMo.

Will YOU be a part of it???

I'll be back on Wednesday with a fun post about the differences between men and women!

Hugs and Happy Writing,

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

And the Winner Is...

Hey all,

As promised, here is the winner of the September / October Contest!  I want to thank everyone who entered.  I had a tremendous turn out and I wound up giving out two prizes so more people could have a chance to win.

Please join me in my new contest for the months of November and December.  Another great gift basket is ready and waiting for a lucky winner!!!!  http://cjengland.com/contests

Now without further ado, the winners of the Halloween treat basket is...

OrcaMom@yahoo.edu (Debs)

and

PepperPatty@aol.com (Patty)

WooHoo!!!!  Please notify me at womanofthewind1@yahoo.com and collect your prizes!!!

Follow Your Dreams

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http://cjengland.com

Capturing the Dream

Hey all,

It's Friday and you know what that means. Yep! We have another fantastic guest blogger come to visit us. And this time it's a good friend and colleague, Qwilla Rain who writes with me at Loose Id.  She and I met at another publisher and we've stayed friends even after that publisher disappeared from view.

She's a great gal and a terrific writer, with quite a few stories under her belt, mostly in theBDSM genre.  So if you like to titillate your senses with those kinds of yummy stories, check her out.

But don't just listen to me.  See what she has to say about herself at her website...

Qwillia calls any place she stays...home.  She's lived in Las Vegas, Nevada; Flagstaff Arizona; Anchorage, Alaska; Billings, Montana; and currently dips her pen in Raleigh, North Carolina.  A student of human nature, Qwillia enjoys jumping over the boundaries, and exploring the darker side of man's sexuality.

Sounds great, doesn't she?  So let's get to know her a bit better.  Please help me in welcoming the awesome, Qwilla Rain.
 

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   Thank you for inviting me to join you on your blog. It’s great that I get to show up so close to the end of the month because I love Halloween -- always have, always will. I think because it feeds so well into my tendency to dream up stories while taking the opportunity to play dress up at the same time.

When I was little I loved reading, I still do. I loved the imaginary worlds the authors developed and coaxed me to play in. Perhaps that was what made me fantasize about being an author. Like all little girls, I had a trunk full of “ultimate” dream jobs: long-haul truck driver; center fielder for the Cincinnati Reds; Time Lord -- yeah, I was a Tom Baker-era Dr Who girl. LOL

Throughout all those wonderful future careers, books remained my escape mechanism for reality. Mysteries, fantasies, science fiction, horror, general fiction, classics, and yes -- my favorite -- romance!! I was in alt when sub-genres developed, I could have my cake and eat it too! Romance and all those other genres rolled into one. And I was always scribbling ideas and creating my own little worlds. Eventually logic kicked in and I contemplated being a teacher, which became my career for nearly ten years in three different states.

Eleven years after graduating high school and following a myriad of jobs (lowest being a bill collector, highest being a tie between sales associate in a video store and a bookstore -- gotta love the perks in these two) I went to university and completed both a Bachelors and Masters degree in education. I settled into teaching, first in Alaska, then Montana, and finally, North Carolina.

All through the ups and downs of schools and jobs, writing was my method of coping. I could decompress by creating the wicked stories bubbling in my mind, and they entertained my friends and family. As is probably well known, teachers don’t make the big bucks. With that in mind, I took a step to achieve my secret dream of being an author. A published author. A published author with a 5 Year Plan. (Yeah, one of those plans that maps out how to move from earning money on the side to actually living off your earnings so you can write full-time.) In September 2007, I sold my first novella, with a release date of January 1, 2008, to a new e-publisher that closed up shop in April 2008, but that didn’t deter me or alter my Plan. And I lucked out again a month later.

On Halloween -- did I mention that I LOVE Halloween? -- I opened an email at six in the morning, requesting a full. By mid-November, I had a contract and on December 18, 2007, my book went live. Santa’s Elf was my first book with Loose Id, LLC and as my third anniversary as a published author approaches, my seventh book, Diablo Blanco Club: Rite of First Claim, is tentatively scheduled for release on November 16th.

Even better, at least in my mind, I’m two years ahead in my 5 Year Plan. Much as I enjoy teaching, I quit my day job -- yup, resigned, hung up my eraser and lesson plan book -- and I’m jumping into the full-time writing gig with both feet. I guess fall and Halloween are my ideal season and holiday!

Here’s hoping you find your passion and follow your dreams!


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Pretty cool, huh?  I love her work and am pleased she has taken the time to chat with us.  Please let her know what you think in the comments below!

And check out Qwilla's books at Loose Id.  Her latest story is called Ariel's Pet and is available at http://www.loose-id.com/An-Invitation-Ariels-Pet.aspx.  Or visit her website at http://www.freewebs.com/clubdiabloblanco/ or her blog at http://diabloblancoclub.blogspot.com/.

I'll be back on Monday with another blog about my travels and life.  I hope you'll join me!  And don't forget my FREE READ.  We met Mace this last week.  You'll want to meet him too!

Hugs,

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

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So the Differences Are...

Hey all,

The last time I did this topic I had a great response and many requests to do more. So over the last month I've put together some differences--both good and bad--between Macau and my old home, the US of A!!! So, in no particular order, here we go.

Difference #1-- Back home if you don't understand something someone is saying, you'll usually ask them to repeat themselves. You don't want to misunderstand. But here in Asia, it is considered impolite to do ask those type of questions. Instead a Chinese person may say okay or nod. We'll think they understand or are agreeing with us, while in reality they are just confused. So you learn to push until you both are SURE you are on the same page. Otherwise you can wind up with some really strange things! LOL

A footnote to this is because of the language difficulty, I already know that at least once a day I'm going to make a mistake in some way. So, I try to keep my patience and take a deep breath. One thing you NEVER want to do is lose face here. That is the ultimate sin in Asia.

Difference #2--  You know, I never thought I'd miss commercials. Those loud, irritating and sometimes ridiculous thirty second sales tools that we are inundated with in the States.  I mean other than the Superbowl, I either fast forward through them or turn the sound off.

But here in Macau, commercials are few and far between.  Instead they do one of two things.  One, they don't have commercials at all, which isn't bad until you need to go to the bathroom or go get a second cup of coffee.  Or two, (and this is the one that drives me nuts) they advertise other TV shows.  Ad Nauseum.  Seriously.  If a show is coming on next Wednesday I guarantee I'll have the promo crammed down my throat at least 1500 times.  And if it is a show you really aren't interested in, after the 328th time, you're ready to throw your TV off the balcony.

I mean, I loved Phil Harris on Deadliest Catch and I cried when he had a stroke and eventually passed beyond the veil.  But I do NOT want to see an promo for a show about his life 1,057 times!  I mean, let us know it's there and then maybe mention it once or twice a day.  But 10 times an hour?  AHHHHH!!!!

I'm not sure why they have so little advertising over here.  I tell you.  The market is wide open.  So any of you advertising wonders, if you are looking for a place to ply your trade, consider this area.  Anything is better than watching a baby elephant die 723 times just so Discovery Asia can make sure you know what's going to happen to him when the real program airs.

Difference #3-- You know how in the USA or many other western countries, we are VERY label conscious.  If you're watching calories, you check how many that spaghetti sauce has or if you have allergies, you're very careful to make sure it's gluten free.  But here in Asia, they aren't so worried and their laws reflect that.  In fact, if you are a distributor and you don't like what's on a package, well, no worries.  Just cross it out.

That's right.  There are quite a few grocieries on the shelves of the store that have black marks crossing off pertinent information.  As you can see in the picture here, it's not even done well.  They just used a black marker and covered something up.  You can't see what it is, which makes it even more worrisome.  Just why did they scratch it out?  Is it expired?  Toxic?  What? And apparently, this is okay to do over here. Can you see your neighborhood WalMart trying that?  LOL

Difference #4--  Let's talk about food.  I mean, when you go to another country you adapt to what they have for you.  While we still have McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken, there are hundreds of restaurants that are specifically Chinese or Macanese, which is a mix of Portugese and Chinese.  You learn to find those places where you can look at pictures and point to what you want, and eventually you can even try some of the foods you've never seen before.  Like I did in Singapore when I ate yummy fried baby squid or a whole fish (including the head--which I didn't eat).

But I have to draw the line at birds looking at me.  I just can't handle it.  We walk through the markets and they have all kinds of poultry hanging there their heads flopping in the breeze.  I've sorta, kinda gotten used to that.  But then we went to a restaurant down on the Macau's Fisherman's Warf and they rolled up this display cart to show us what was available.  And I almost lost the lunch I hadn't yet eaten.

There on a plate was a Macau delicacy.  Cooked to a beautiful crispy brown, the scent was actually quite yummy.  Until you looked at it.  Into it's beady little black eyes.  At it's slightly opened beak that looked as if it was still gasping for breath.

A baby pigeon.

OMG...a baby pigeon?  And it was all scrunched up like it was in pain.  Seriously.  I about lost it.  I felt so sorry for the little critter, I had to settle for salad    Still every time that display cart rolled by, I just knew it that baby pigeon was still looking reproachfully at me.  Talk about guilt!

So there you have it.  A few of the latest fun differences I've discovered over here.  This will be an ongoing series as I discover more and I doubt I'll ever run out of fodder.  Because isn't that what it's all about?  Discovering the differences and embracing them.

Except baby pigeons.  Sorry.  Not going to happen.  LOL

See you on Friday with a new guest Blogger.  Qwilla Rain will be here to share a little of her life with us!

Hugs and have a great week!

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

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You Might Be a Sensual Romance Writer if...

Hey all,

I hope you are all taking the time to check out my FREE READ. We've had a wonderful week getting the FREE READ blog off the ground and I'm really enjoying writing this story.  Today is the regularly scheduled weekly installment and a new chapter begins in the life of Chantal, Li and our hero, Mace.  So do make sure you check it out!

Today's blog came from a random thought.  You know what I'm talking about.  You're walking down the street, see something, and bang...this random thought hits you and suddenly your brain is filled with things not so random anymore.  LOL

Or maybe that's just me and those like me.  Because that random thought had me chuckling and snickering and the people on the bus started looking at me strangely.  In fact, I had to get off, find a place to sit, and write it all down.

So, today  I will share with you what I was snickering about...

The 10 Top Things that if you do them, you just might be like me...

A Sensual Romance Writer

Ready?

#10 -- If you wander, mumbling about heroes, heroines and the "big misunderstanding", through the streets with a notepad in your hand as you pen the next world's greatest novel.  If you bounce off trees, cars and assorted people as you do so, unable and unwilling to differentiate between the two as you apologize...   

You might be a Sensual Romance Writer.

#9 -- If, when angry at or hurt by someone, instead of gossiping or keying their car, you take your revenge by putting them in your next book and making them the horrible villain ex-boyfriend, local slut or the really ugly randy boss you have to work with...   

You might be a Sensual Romance Writer.

#8 -- If you slam on your brakes, scare that little old lady in a walker, and almost cause an accident because the hottest guy just walked by and you have to get a picture because he's the PERFECT inspiration for "Brock", your latest hero...   

You might be a Sensual Romance Writer.

#7 -- If the history on your computer is filled with adult sites, lingerie stores, "toy stores", erotic stories and hot guy blogs and you have a difficult time explaining to your significant other that it is for research purposes only...really it is...

You might be a Sensual Romance Writer.

#6 -- If you attack your significant other, ripping their clothes off and dragging them to the floor as soon as they walk through the door because you just finished writing a really hot, sexy love scene...   

You might be a Sensual Romance Writer.

#5 -- If you find yourself talking to your characters as though they were real people. (and aren't they?) If you're arguing with your significant other and say something  like "Well Brock would never treat a woman that way" (not the best move)...   

You might be a Sensual Romance Writer.

#4 -- If, as you are walking through the store, you suddenly start listening in to intimate conversations of complete strangers because the sexy situation they're talking about would make a GREAT short story.  And if you are then smacked upside the head by said complete strangers for unashamedly eavesdropping...   

You might be a Sensual Romance Writer.

#3 -- If when in the throes of passion, you suddenly stop at a most inopportune moment and grab a pencil to write down the most awesome, prefect idea you just had.  Or is in the throes of that same passion, you mention to your significant other your hero "Brock" would do something a little different... 

You might be a Sensual Romance Writer.  (albeit a single one) *grin*

#2 -- If you find yourself asking your significant other to "assume the position" so you can make sure the anatomical pose you are putting your lovers in can actually be done without rupturing something...   

You might be a Sensual Romance Writer.

#1 -- If when you see people arguing, a couple kissing, a man gazing longingly after a departing woman, or a woman weeping in the park, you jot down notes.  If every situation you find yourself in both personally with your sweet baboo or out and about becomes fodder for that sexy story you're going to start tomorrow.  Or if each and every time you turn on the TV, go to a movie, read a book or listen to music, you are inundated with ideas, thoughts and story outlines... 

You might be a Sensual Romance Writer.

And if you're wondering if I've done any or all of these things, wonder no longer.  Remember I always draw from life for these blogs.  LOL

Now how about any of you?  Do you think you could be a sensual romance writer?  Do you do any of the above mentioned things?  Do you find yourself in similar situations?  Let me know in the comments below.  And you authors out there?  Does any of this sound familiar?  If so, give it up.  Tell us what you've done to make you...

A Sensual Romance Writer.

Hugs to all and I'll see you on Wednesday,

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

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Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile...

Hey all,

It's Friday and you know what that means!  Time for another guest blogger. And today's guest is fellow Aspen Mountain author, Dominique Eastwick.  And like the poet, William Cullen Bryant who gave us today's blog title, Dominique has some things to tell us about the lovely season of autumn.

But before we get to that, let's find out a little more about this new author. She says this on her website...

My dream since I was 14 was to become a published author, now my dream is continue writing and bring the crazy worlds in my head to paper.

As well as writing I love art, historical costumes design, and I consider myself an amateur photographer. All my passions feed a drive in me to create.

And the quick glance I took around her website shows me she has all kinds of dreams ready to be written, so make sure you keep and eye on this author.  She's one to watch.

So, without further ado, please join me in welcoming Dominique Eastwick...

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Ah Fall again… Finally

Thank you CJ for allowing me the time to come and Chat on your Blog. Its an honor as being so new to this business I look up to you as one of those that are living the dream.

Now a little about me…

I am one of those fall gals.  Nothing makes me happier they the crisp cooler air or the vivid colors on the leaves. This time of year always makes me feel alive and refreshed. I know that spring is the time for rebirth but for me it’s the opposite. Maybe its my love of pumpkins, and when I say I love pumpkins I LOVE them. I eat them in soup, bread, pie, waffles.  Love the seeds and love the smell. When my boys were little and we made homemade play-doh, we would add pumpkin spice to the recipe so the kitchen would smell wonderful.

So here is my super easy recipe for Pumpkin Butter wonderful on bagels or crackers.

Ingredients

1 lrg (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree or you can use the fresh flesh from the pumpkin by baking it for 30 to soften the flesh before cutting it from the skin and pureeing it.

3/4 cup apple juice

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently.

Transfer to sterile containers and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Enjoy and if you have any pumpkin recipes please share them, my family may not thank you but I sure will.

~A SPECIAL NOTE~

As its Breast Cancer awareness month I am donating 50% of all proceeds from Hunting JC to Susan B Komen for the Cure.

Hunting JC--Now out with Aspen Mountain Press
http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/contemporary/erotica/hunting-jc/prod_288.html

Or you can reach me at www.DominiqueEastwick.com

 

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Thank you, Dominique, and I can't wait to try that recipe.  When we lived in Australia I was first introduced to pumpkin soup, and ever since then I've loved to try different pumpkin concoctions!  And I adore pumpkin butter.

Don't forget to check out my FREE READ over at my FREE READ BLOG.  It's heating up over there so you don't want to miss a minute!  Plus this weekend we'll be having a party, so mark your calendar and be sure to visit.

I'll see you on Monday with a bit of a rant about security.  The lack thereof and the overkill.

 

Hugs to all,
CJ England

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Follow Your Dreams

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Ghosts-- Are They Real?

Hey all,

As you know, my latest book, Luck Be A Lady, has a hunky ghost--ooops, excuse me, Justin--an Ethereal as it's hero.  And even though he is a spirit, he has all the characteristics of a mortal man, complete with temper, desire and of course, the ability to fall in love.

In fiction an author can make those ghosts/Ethereals act in any way they choose.  That's the fun of being a writer.  We build our own world.

But we also pull from this one.  Any author worth her salt will research and see just what makes a ghost a ghost.  We'll check out sightings and history and even interview people who've had a ghostly experience.  Then we put all that information together and come up with whatever story is percolating in our brain.

Yet, as you're doing that research, you find literally thousands of sites about ghosts, hauntings and spirits.  And each one has their own take on this subject.  Ghosts are disembodied spirits with unfinished business here on earth.  Spirits are evil demonic entities come from Hell to do damage to mankind.  Ghosts?  Please...there are no such thing as ghosts.

As you can imagine, such a disparity of opinions makes rich fodder for we authors.  So many beliefs and ideas to draw from.  And you can see it in all the different books that are out there.  You have books like The Shining, by Stephen King, where the ghosts are obviously malevolent, spirits who are trying to get wrongs righted as the ones did in the psychological thriller The Sixth Sense by M. Knight Shyamalan, (a great movie too) or those most famous ghosts who were trying to teach a miserly old man a lesson in Charles Dicken's,  A Christmas Carol.

But which belief is correct?  Do ghosts truly exist?  Are there disembodied souls drifting around the planet with work to do before they can go on to their final rewards?  Or are all the ghost sightings and hauntings nothing more than hoaxes, mistaken identities or, as our friend Dicken's put it,

"...You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!"

And my personal opinion?  I believe.  IMHO, there is just too much compelling evidence to ignore the existence of ghost, spirits, poltergeists and a world between this one and the next.  An hour spent on line, a conversation with a friend you trust or one of the many documentaries you can see on TV.  Can so many people be crazy, mistaken or out to scam us?

But for me, the most persuasive reason for my believing in ghosts is personal experience.  I believe in spirits because I've seen them.  Several times in fact, and I know I wasn't mistaken, I have no reason to scam anyone and recieved no renumeration for my stories and most importantly,  I'm not crazy (well...maybe a little)  *grin*

The first time I saw a ghost I was a teenager.  About seventeen.  And I can remember it as well today as the day it happened.  I was on my way home from a late night 4-H meeting at a place we called the Old Town Hall.  There were lots of people in the hall, but I left early for some reason and was walking to my car.  I was lost in thought, and had just pulled my keys out of my purse to unlock the car door when I heard a sound.

A deep growling noise I will never, ever forget.  It came from right behind me and made every hair on the back of my neck stand straight up.  Even writing out the experience right now, I'm shivering from the memory.  I whirled around, thinking there must be a rabid dog in the parking lot, the snarl was so heart-stopping, but there was no one behind me.  No animal, no person...nothing.  I looked around for several seconds, my heart beating so hard it hurt, then I turned back around to jump in my car.  And that's when I saw it.

Two red glowing eyes floating less than two feet in front of me.

You know how you read in books about a character's mouth going dry?  Well, it does happen.  I couldn't have said a word for the life of me.  I was absolutely frozen in fear.  I knew instinctively, those eyes meant me harm.  I can't explain the hate and fury I saw in them.  And I've never forgotten them.

The flight or fight response kicked in, and since there was nothing to fight...I ran.  Right back into the Town Hall where I cowered in the foyer until a large group of people left the building.  I joined them, made it to my car and headed straight home.

I never saw the eyes again. 

Even today, the memory of those eyes scare the life out of me.  I knew then, just as I believe now, I was in the presence of not just some spirit, but of a ghost or demonic entity that was as predatory as any ravaging wolf.

So, like the Cowardly Lion, I do believe in spooks.  And since that terrifying day, I've read about , researched and experienced many different ghostly sightings.  I've done ghost tours and seen and felt things I can't explain. I've explored graveyards and tombs all over the word and sensed there was more to them than marble and dirt.   My apartment in Macau even overlooks a beautiful Chinese cemetery . I find myself drawn to the idea there is more to our world than just what we can touch.

Now...how about you?  I know there are those out there who have decided opinions on this subject.  Do you believe in ghosts?  Had an experience that made you a supporter of the idea of a world we might not be able to see or touch?  Are you a skeptic, maybe willing to be convinced, but you haven't seen anything to do so as of yet.  Or, are you an unbeliever?  Someone who has debunked spirit sightings and you don't believe a word of personal experiences?

Tell me in the comments below.  I want to hear your stories and ideas.  Seen a ghost?  Relate what happened.  Felt something freaky?  Tell us all.  Think I'm crazy? (I did say it was a possibility) Vent about it here.  All I ask is that all comments be polite and using language your kids could read.  *grin*

I look forward to hearing from you all and don't forget to pick up your copy of Luck Be A Lady and see how ghosts act in CJ England's fantasy world!

We'll be back on Friday with Guest Blogger, Dominique Eastwick who I'm sure will enthrall us with what's going on in her life!

Hugs to all,

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

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Getting Lucky on a Gambling Cruise

Hey all,

Well, I've gotten a lot of mail about Luck Be a Lady and I'm so pleased it's been well received.  It is one of my favorite books (I know I always say that) not just because of the unusual premise and fun loving secondary characters, but because it was the first book I ever really did on-the-site research for.

Now I know I only write books that take place in an area I've traveled to. (Even my Sci Fi and Fantasy books have a specific place that was used as a base.)  But Luck Be a Lady's destination was the first book I traveled to JUST because I wanted to write a story.

I've had a few readers ask me this week where the research actually took place.  Vegas?  Reno?  Atlantic City?  Maybe New Orleans?

That gave me an idea for this blog.  Maybe more of you would like to know how I got my story for Luck Be a Lady.  Where I did the research.  Luckily--forgive the pun--we didn't have to travel far.

The idea for the story came from a commercial.  It was one of those romantic, airy types where a gorgeous man in a tux is kissing a beautiful woman as the sun sets over the deck of a  ship. *sigh*  As they murmur their love to each other, the camera pans out and you see it's not a cruise boat but one of the special nightly casino cruises.  Excitement fills the air as dealers spread out winning cards and slot machines sing out the glad tidings someone just won a huge pot.  The lovers kiss one last time before disappearing into the casino to see if their luck with the tables can match their luck with each other.

Well, that's all it took.  I dreamed about that commercial and out of the dream emerged Lara, Justin and all the wonderful characters from Luck Be a Lady.

But I'm not a gambler.  My Nana (maternal grandmother) was, and she dragged me along to the casinos when I was old enough, but I hate playing the tables.  I don't like waste and losing money is just too bloody wasteful for me.  LOL  Plus I've got that whole electricity thing going (remember I stop watches and cash registers and turn off lights), so I'm pretty sure the PTBs would frown on me spending much time near their machines.

Even with all that, Nana's love for the game was one of the reasons I wrote this story, and the book is dedicated in part to her.  Yet, the memories of Nana stuffing coins in a slot machine didn't help me when it came to making sure I described the rich ambiance and exuberance of a gambling cruise.  So I decided to go to the source.

Since we were living in Florida at the time, it was easy to sweet-talk Jonathon into a beautiful summer night cruise on a casino boat.  Especially since the one we chose was free.  Sterling Cruise lines did cruises most evenings.  The trips were four to five hours long and started and ended in Port Canaveral, Florida.  The cruise route took you out to international waters since that is where actual gambling can legally occur.

So we bought tickets, (Yeah, they were free, but you had to have them.) put on our best duds and headed out for a fun-filled cruise.  I was really excited, looking forward to learning all the nuances for my story.  My sweet baboo was excited, because there was free food.

Did I mention neither of us gamble?

Anyway, once on board we explored the ship, had some drinks, and munched out on the buffet.  Not the best spread we'd ever seen, but it was filling.  (Made sure I changed that part in Luck Be a Lady.  Lara's guests will be impressed with their buffet choices.)  Then we listened to the band play and spent a little time out on deck recreating the commercial.  *wink wink*

Then it was time to go to work.  Jonathon went back to listen to more music, and notebook in hand, I went to the casino to do my research.

Did I mention that casinos frown on people taking notes?

Yep.  I wasn't there for more than ten minutes before I was surrounded by big strong security men.  Not the worst position I'd ever been in, but with my luck the smelly one named Bubba would be the one to strip search me and demand the truth.

Luckily, in stepped in my hero.  Yes.  That's right.  There actually is a Justin Savage, and he turned out to be every bit the wonderful man I portrayed him to be.

His real name was Warren and he was one of the floor bosses.  (He looked a little like Robert DeNero)  A foreign national who had worked on this type of vessel his whole adult life.  Once he heard my stammering story and peeked at my notes, he shooed security away.  He let me keep my notebook and escorted me back behind the VELVET ROPES (the inner sanctuary) and became my mentor.  If I had a question, he answered it.  If I didn't understand something, he explained.  And he did all this while keeping an eagle eye on all the tables under his purview.

I had a wonderful time, gained a great deal of knowledge and a lot of respect for the position of floor boss.  Those men and women have to be constantly on guard, making sure pit bosses, dealers and customers alike are acting fairly.  They are the ones who alert security when a problem develops and they get to be the ones to hand out the big winnings if a guest hits the jackpot.

Warren was a great guy.  When his break came, he toured me around the rest of the ship answering questions and telling me about his life on the high seas.  He explained all about the legalities of cruise gambling and shared story after story about his time on board ship.When Jonathon came to find me at cruises' end, my sides ached from laughing so much at the different people Warren had met.  You'll see some of them in Luck Be A Lady.  They are some of the secondary characters.  I dedicated the book to Warren and even sent him a copy  when it was published.  Sexy romance or not, he deserved to know he was my hero, if only for that one moment in time.

Sterling Cruises may not have cruises out of Port Canaveral any longer, but the night I spent researching on one of their ships is truly a highlight of my career.  I met the perfect hero for my book, enjoyed learning how  the ship was run, plus I was able to spend a romantic evening with my husband. 

Not too shabby for a trip that was a tax write-off.   *VBG*  

Now, until Wednesday, I'll leave you with a couple of reminders.

~~~Today marks the beginning of my newest FREE READ over on my FREE READ BLOG.  We'll be having a party this week, so make sure you check out the story.  It's actually another one that takes place in a casino.  But this one is on dry land.

HUSTLE INTO LOVE.

The romantic and sexy story of a woman who turns the casino entertainment division upside down, and the boss man who desperately works to make sure she doesn't do the same to him.

~~~Remember to enter my Halloween contest celebrating Luck Be A Lady.  Go to http://cjengland.com and click on Fun Stuff then Contests to learn all the details.

~~~Don't forget to pick up your copy of Luck Be a Lady HERE.  And when you do, remember to send me a copy of the receipt.  You'll be entered in the above contest, twice!!!

~~~And finally, if you want to know a little more about the characters in Luck Be a Lady, read last Wednesday's Blog.  You'll meet Justin and Lara and you'll see why I think Warren is such a special guy!

Hugs to all and have a great week!

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/