Tina's Thoughts

NaNo Failure

2008-11-29T13:54:00.000-08:00

Okay, didn't make it this year.
I DID get that 23K story done, but that's it. I didnt do more than a couple pages of editing/refining on the full length. ugh
I really need to get my butt in gear

NaNoWriMo 2008

2008-11-19T10:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, the object behind NaNoWriMo (NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth) is to get us to start work on that great next novel. You are supposed to write 50,000 words on a novel in the month of November. BUT, and a couple other authors and I have been known to use it as a way to force us to finish a bunch of stuff, and get those 50,000 words done, but in a variety of projects.

I had originally planned on using it to work on the next edition of my Argus series, since my contract term is up with Loose Id on it, I am looking to sub to NY. So I need to have enough done for them to say "oooh, viable series" (at least that's my assumption).

BUT, lol, I have used the time to write other stuff. I just wrote a 20K word sci fi story set in a totally different futuristic world. Finished it last night. I wonder how much of AIL I can get done in the next 11 days? Wish me luck!!!

Fellow Author Kudos - Melinda Barron

2008-11-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

Okay, I love to read. It is my favorite thing in the world to do. Well, maybe the second favorite :). As an author, I meet all kinds of other authors and read all kinds of books. I also have reviewed for a couple of the online review sites that can be found floating about. I read a lot of crap, and I read a lot of good stuff. Some stuff appeals to me, and some stuff turns me totally off. I have a habit of not reviewing any of my friends, as I feel it wouldn't be an unabiased opinion. You have seen me give kudos to a couple author friends of mine, but that is different. I really do like their stuff, and I never present it as an unbiased review.

So, today I have to tell you about another author. Melinda Barron. Mel and I have talked a bit back and forth for a while now, and I definitely consider her one of my online friends. But she is also a great author. Mel writes m/f and m/m/f. Everything from sci fi to fantasy to historical to paranormal. Basic romance to hardcore BDSM and capture fantasies.

Now some of you may know that I am not into the capture fantasies or the hardcore BDSM, it is just not my taste. But I would never tell anyone else not to read or write it, it is their preference. So, me praising Melinda might come as a shock to some of you, as half her stuff is "too much" for me. But praise her is what I am going to do.

If you haven't read any of her Desires of the Lamp Tales, then you need to read them. They are available at Resplendence Publishing, and I own every one of them. Melinda writes about women that are fat, thin, gorgeous, not so gorgeous, confident, not so confident. In short, she writes real women. She can take a "fat chick" and make her feel gorgeous and sexy and take us on the ride and see it as well. She takes a "barbie doll" the kind of heroines I never cared for, and makes her likable and makes us understand how and why she is such a bitch. A feat that I didn't think she could accomplish when she told me about it. But she did.

So, long and short, I just wanted to take some time to praise Melinda Barron and let her publicly know how much I have enjoyed her Lamp series, and am looking forward to more.

Bye Bye Halloween - Hello NaNo

2008-11-01T20:01:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween. Every year the DH and I go all out for the month of October. We decorate in and out, taking weeks to get everything all in order. And now it's all over. We seem to have created this tradition that we take down everything on November 1. At least our outside stuff. This year we also did the inside stuff though.

So now instead of a graveyard in front of our house, I have a perfectly normal but leafy yard. And my living room no longer has a creature crawling out of the wall, bats hanging about and ghost hovering about.

It is a clean, cleared out living room. Thank goodness.

Shhh, don't tell hubby, but I already miss it :)

Hubby Loves Me

2008-10-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I, like most families nowadays each own our own computer. We very rarely use the other person's unless something is wrong with ours. His is for his homework, and mine is for my writing.

He opened up MS Word on his the other day to start writing something for school, and almost had a heart attack.

In the "recently worked on" pane on the side, he saw "Tanya Cannibalized" and "Adele HOT SEX". He freaked wondering what kind of virus he had gotten and how the hell he had gotten it and what it did to his Word. And then he looked at me and laughed. He had forgotten my niece was over the day before and had used my computer for something, so I used his to work on my latest stories. (I tend to not title them til the end)

Ah, I am so glad he loves me :)

October

2008-10-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

I love October. It is my favorite month of the year. The leaves are turning, looking all pretty. The air is crisp and getting cooler. Halloween is right around the corner!!! I am a Halloween fanatic. Anyone who knows me, knows that. It is really pretty bad, but I feel no guilt. Some love Christmas, I love Halloween.

The hubby and I every year have a Halloween party. It is never a huge affair, but we have to go all out and decorate everywhere for it. The bathroom, the kitchen, the living room, and of course, our graveyard that we make outside. I swear some years we spend more money on "Fog Juice" than anything else other than food.

Last year I made a black cheese ball, thanks to Martha Stewart. She gave directions on how to actually make the cheese filling/stuff, which I know a lot of people do, but I found a more fun idea. I get the cheddar cheese spread available at the grocery store and roll it into a ball, and then roll it into Poppy Seeds. Put it on a black plate, with blackberries, black grapes, blueberries and a couple strawberries and raspberries, and it looks KEWL. Mind you, when they cut open the cheese ball, the spread I buy is a Port Wine cheese spread, so it has red running through it. Nice. Needless to say I made it this year, too.
Oooh, I also made an eyeball cake this year. I need to post pictures, I think. LOL, so much for this being about writing. BUT, I think my whole intent is to say that October tends to be a creative time for me, so I look forward to more writing and submissions in the next few weeks.

Oops - Romantic Sap

2008-09-16T15:03:00.001-07:00

Somehow I erased this post but yet saved it in drafts (I don't know :) )

I am a romantic sap. Yes, I am. Poop is hitting the fan in my real life. People dying, finances crunching, people being mean, cat getting sick. BUT when hubby hugs me and tells me everything will be alright, that we will survive. I believe him. It makes me feel better.

I guess that's one of the major reasons I write romances. I believe in love. I believe it can make things so much better, easier. I love the hubby.

And Caroline posted she would come help if I needed it. I love my friends.

Top Rated, Again

2008-07-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

Not me, but my critique partner and friend, Michelle Hasker has the TOP RATED Erotic book at Fictionwise. I am so proud of her!!!!!!

http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eroticaeBooks.htm?cache

When a spell to undo harm goes awry, six witches find themselves knocked out by a powerful spell cast by the newest member of their coven, and things start to go terribly wrong for everyone. Candace wakes on the beach staring at the man of her dreams. The problem? He hates witches and thinks that if he can convince her to give up her magic, the world would be a safer place. Too bad she's so hot for him it's hard to keep her hands to herself.

Celtic Love Knots 2 Top Rated

2008-06-08T22:28:00.000-07:00

My crit partner, Michelle Hasker pointed this out to me. Celtic Love Knots 2 is the fourth TOP RATED in Erotica at fictionwise. http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eroticaeBooks.htm?cache

Yes, you only need 5 ratings to be put on the list, but out of the five, 4 are "Great" and 1 is "Good" which by their figuring (I don't know how they do it, but I am not going to complain) works out to be the 4th top in rating of their over 5,000 erotica titles.

I am happy

Letting a Bad Scene Go

2008-05-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

I read a blog recently, or a short story, or something that was a wonderful example of needing to let a bad idea/scene/character go. As authors sometimes we get so caught up in a scene that we love, or that we spent forever on that we just can't let it go.
Sometimes we are convinced we need the word count. Sometimes we think that we need that scene to get a particular point across, sometimes we just don't want to cut.
I am at one of those points right now in one of my full lengths. I haven't worked on this one in forever, and I remember why. I got stuck here before.

I have a person who has been taken prisoner and he has gotten away. Which is great cause he provides some great information for my hero and heroine to be able to save the day. And I just rewrote another whole scene to make sure he fit.

But now I have a problem of his escape. There is no way I can make him have escaped realistically. If he escaped, then the bad guys would be on the look out for him. If they are on the look out for them, the H/h couldn't just walk up the way they did and recon the place as easily as they did. And if he escaped, the bad guys are the type to kill the rest and run away.

So, now, what do I do? Keep him or get rid of him? I hate this.

Off to Boston

2008-05-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I am off to Boston in the morning. Gonna go home and visit with mom and the family for a little while. Just about a week, but a week without any internet service (ugh). You know, it amazes me how used to things we get sometimes. I hope I can steal the 'net from my neighbors. (good thing home wireless doesn't charge by the use)

When I go home, the first thing I do is go out to eat. (well besides for seeing mom) I go to a Chinese restaurant and eat 'til I burst. And I go back every other day. (that is where most of our budget goes). You just can't get that good of food where I am living now. Each area of the United States has a different type of Chinese food, and the only place to get the "duck sauce" that I am used to is in Boston. (although I have heard parts of California have it, too)

If you don't live where you grew up, what do you do when you go home? Are the certain places you have to visit every time? Certain things you have to eat?

Hope to have time to do some writing while I am there. Hubby and I are gonna do the sightseeing and visiting with family and friends. Will be back in a week or so. Have fun while I am gone!!!

Another Freebie

2008-05-03T20:10:00.001-07:00

I forgot Oded Fehr
I can't believe I forgot him totally!!!!! He is definitely a freebie. I will switch Kurt for him, only cause I can't have a young Kurt :).

Sorry, Kurt, baby.

My New Love

2008-04-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

I really don't like Reality TV, but I have a not so secret addiction. Dancing With the Stars.

I have been watching this year closely, one of my favorite pairs is Marissa Jaret Winokur and Tony Dovolani. I like seeing a plus sized woman do well. Us fat chicks can dance and sing and do other things, you know. :) So I watch for her, and vote for her. It also makes me feel good when hubby sees her do something and says to me, "I know someone like that." or "She moves just like honey." (Yes, I have a keeper) But, I have now officially declared myself in love with Tony.

This week Marisa had to do the Rhumba and the Tango, and they are both pretty sensual/sexual, and she obviously isn't comfortable with that, or not used to it. Tony said something wonderful to her that made me fall in love with him.

"You can have somebody with the perfect body but they're not sensual at all because it's really about the feeling that you have in your heart."

Tony, thank you. From all the women in the world with not the "perfect bodies" I thank you.

Five Freebies

2008-04-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, Ann Lory, one of the authors at Loose Id, posted this idea and asked others to join in, so here I go.

One of the cell phone commercials talks about your fave five, five people you can call for free. She brought it quite a few steps further and wants to know who our "freebies" are. Those people that your S.O. can't divorce you for, because they are so over the top, one chance with them would be all you'd ever get, and there's is no way on this planet you could ever turn them down.

Blogger seemed to e having issues this AM and wouldnt let me download all my pics, so I will try again later.

1. Gerard Butler
Now, who wouldn't want this man? Accent, gorgeous eyes, body to die for, and by all accounts absolutely a wonderful person.

2. Adrian Paul
I have had the hots for this man ever since I saw him rip his sunglasses of at the beginning of Highlander: The Series

3. A young Kurt Russell
By all accounts this one should go below, in the "don't really exist" section since I want a young one, but I have wanted him for so long, I can't leave him out. He was my first "freebie" established with hubby.

4. Sam Elliot
Don't ask me why, there is something about this man that just makes me go Yum.

5. Hugh Jackman
Now, come on, ladies. He can act, gives good face, sing, dance, and has an accent.

Extras that are even less likely to happen since they don't really exist, they are characters not the actual actors: Aragorn (no, not Viggo, but him as Aragorn), Clive Owen as James Bond in Casino Royale.

Hubby has permission, too. It used to be Sharon Stone, but he got smarter. I think maybe his include Sandra Bullock and maybe a couple others. He says he never really thinks about it, I am enough for him. Isn't that sweet? :)

Chain Of Love

2008-04-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

Well, this has nothing at all to do with writing, but it made me feel good today, and I wanted to share it.

Hubby was having oral surgery today. Dental insurance will pay for some of it, and there is an off chance medical insurance will pay for some of it, too - due to one of the teeth that needed to be pulled, so the receptionist urged me to go get my insurance card. So I left him there, and went home.

On the way home I pass three schools. I slow down as per ordered every time, I HATE whe people speed through school zones, but for this one. It is an alternative high school, and no blinking lights, just a sign that is hid behind a tree reminding you. And of course, 90% of us forget at least 90% of the time.

I have seen a cop there for the last few weeks, I should have known, well, I forgot (the fact it was a school zone) and sped down at about 30-35 mph. He pulled out and turned his lights on. I turned the corner and stopped on a side street.

I had my license, but couldn't find recent proof of insurance. So there I am, no proof of insurance, speeding through a school zone (where fines are doubled). He asks me if I know why he stopped me, and I am like "yup. I forget that school sometimes." He says at least I didn't run - apparently the last guy ran from him. He then goes back to his car, and I mentally figure how the hell I am gonna pay for this, how it is gonna affect my insurance, etc - and, I didn't have my seat belt on either. I start getting mad at myself, knowing how freaking stupid I was, and worried, etc.

He comes back, and instead of handing me what would have boiled down to a nearly $400-500 fine, he hands me a WARNING. Oh my god, can I say relieved? So, I start the car up after saying thank you, and promising to do better, and the radio comes on, I don't realize what song it is until I turn it up, and it is "Chain of Love" by Clay Walker. It was just the tail end of the song, but I remembered it from years ago, and knew how the whole story went. Many of us got a"mass email" with the story in it years ago, I am sure.

Okay, I will admit I am kind of PMSy today, but I actually had tears come to my eyes. What that cop did was NICE. He could very easily have screwed me, even knowing I looked nervous, that I was anxious about hubby (I don't do well when he is in pain), that I was completely honest, and knew exactly what I had done. He was NICE. And for that, I am grateful. (more than my pocketbook can explain).

Yes, I know cops are nice people. I know a lot of cops, and I like many of them, too. But it wasn't something he HAD to do. He could have given me a full ticket.

So I decided I need to do something extra nice for someone today or the next few days. Not that I don't try to be nice most of the time, but I think I need to make sure I go out of my way to pass it on.

The other day I saw a woman carrying two car seats and she had a baby in a harness, so I stopped the car and backed up to ask her if she wanted a ride, she said no, she was fine, she had just gotten those from someone who was throwing them away, and she was okay. She said she was enjoying the walk. Hubby said that today was payback for that little offer. Either way, I think I need to remember to pass it on a bit more. :)

Earth Hour

2008-03-30T10:50:00.001-07:00

I am so not a promo queen. I am so bad, I’m not even gonna talk much about my writing. I’m gonna talk about last night.

Last night Earth Hour was scheduled for 8pm-9pm local time (whatever your locale). It was a time where everyone was encouraged to shut off their lights for an hour, go back to candle light power, and conserve energy. This was in an effort to show the concern people of the world have for the Global Warming Crisis.

Now, they know that one hour in one day isn’t going to make much of a difference in the long run. That was not the point. The point was for people to get together, to show what they consider important. To do something that demonstrates to the world leaders that they feel something needs to be done about the climate crisis.

One of the tips encouraged us to unplug all our appliances, etc. I did. I went downstairs and unplugged the Stereo with the blinking clock that has been blinking for 6 months, that we have used once in that six month period. I am using that electricity – why? It is easy to plug in again when we need it. I unplugged the power strips downstairs that we haven’t been using, I unplugged the electronics in the guest room that no one is going to need for the next three months. These are all little things that we don’t think about. My hubby won’t use his laptop for days on end, why leave it plugged in, sucking energy it does not need?

How many of us did it? I did. I sat here at home, alone, with all the lights out. Flickering candles glowing around me as I contemplated things. Now, I will be honest, I had my laptop on. I did NOT have it plugged in, however, it was on battery power. (I am in the middle of edits and needed to work on them). So I did do some work.

See, now we get to writing. Sitting there contemplating things, and then talking to my crit partner about it, I had an AWESOME idea. But I can’t tell anyone about it yet. It’s not fully formed. I need to flow with it some. BUT I thought that an awesome thing. When you shut off all the lights in the house, and only have a couple candles around you, flickering, no sounds, no people, nothing, it can be an incredibly recharging time. I am so excited about this idea I have been working on it all morning. (Instead of the edits I need to finish).

I think I am gonna make an effort to do that more in the future. Even if it isn’t in the middle of the night. Just sit down, with no one around, nothing to distract me, and just contemplate stuff. See where my mind wanders, and what else I can come up with.

Latin Lover

2008-03-27T18:20:00.000-07:00

Del Fantasma: Latin Lover

Author: Tina Bendoni
Artist: Nikita Gordyn
ISBN: 978-1-60168-095-2
Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance
Publisher: Aspen Mountain Press
Publication Date: 03/14/2008
Sexual Content: Erotic
Price: $2.99

Grace Ridge is a waitress at Del Fantasma, and has recently moved to the late shift. She is trying to pay off debts her ex-boyfriend left her with when he skipped town. Debts both legal and illegal. When a mysterious vampire butts into her life, she is anxious to keep him out, but circumstances beyond her control drag him further in than she wanted. Once he is there, though, does she really want him to leave?

Irish Dreams by Michelle Hasker

2008-03-11T08:43:00.001-07:00

See, now another one of my favorite authors has yet another book published. Yes, we all know she is my crit partner, but that doesn't mean she's not one of my favorite authors, too. How the heck am I supposed to keep up with all of them?

This one is a cute, fun read that really is hard to beat.

Title: Irish Dreams
ISBN: 978-1-59632-644-6
Author: Michelle Hasker
Cover Artist: April Martinez
Price: $3.99
Michelle Hasker’s Irish Dreams
Genre: Fantasy Paranormal
Length: Fling

Sex therapist by day, erotic lucid dreaming slut by night, Eryn can't understand the driving need to find her dream lover. Sure the dreams are hot, and the man is even hotter, but as a modern woman, she's not supposed to allow hormones to rule her.

When a trip to Ireland brings her face to face with the man of her dreams, though, she throws caution to the wind and submits. But what happens now that it's no longer a dream?

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable.

Spaceport: Bounty by Dawn Montgomery

2008-03-06T20:09:00.000-08:00

Yet another one of my writing friends has a new release, and this is one of those ones I just HAD to share. It is awesome!! I love this pair. Both strong, alpha, sure of themselves. Alpha women with Alpha men ROCK!!

Spaceport: Bounty by Dawn Montgomery

read an excerpt

cover art by Reneé George
ISBN (13): 978-1-59596-936-1
Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi
Theme(s): Interracial, BBW, Men and Women in Uniform, Spaceport
Series: Spaceport
Length: Novella
Buy This Book for $4.49

No one knows better than Alexis Donovan how the universe turns around IAS patrols. You play or you're spaced. When she's given an offer she can't refuse, she has no choice but to bring in the bounty, alive. A mark's a mark, right? But what's a girl to do when the man she has to bring in is the man who haunts her sleep at night?

A courier exchange gone wrong has sent Mack Hernandez into a whirlwind of chaos. Torn from the family he tried to save and thrust into Spaceport Adana, he does what he can to survive. An incredible encounter… or two… with a bounty hunter has him walking a fine line between life and death. What starts out as a struggle for freedom between the two sends them careening headfirst into a cover-up big enough to blow the Haze patrol sector apart.

When the heat turns on and the adrenaline rides high, can they keep their hearts strong and steady?

Sven Update

2008-03-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

Zilch, Zero, Nada.
I wish I could say it's because I have been cleaning the house for the party lite party I'm having Tuesday. But I haven't been. I wish I could say I completely edited my two stories that my crit partner sent back to me - but I didn't.

I did, however review two books, but that doesn't count.

I have written nothing. So today I get my butt in gear. Finish the edits and start writing.

70 Days of Sweat

2008-03-01T07:36:00.000-08:00

Okay, I participated in the first one and did pretty well. Started the second one, and got nothing done. So now trying for the third time :). I have tons of stuff I want to get finished, including another full length novel I have been working on, on and off for a while. Sooooo. Sven, MAKE ME SWEAT!!!

Saturday's Rant

2008-02-23T13:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, I am not a small woman, I never have been. Apparently growing up I was smaller than I thought, but as an adult, I have always been on at least the chubby size. I am also short. So be it. I live with it, I embrace who I am, I love who I am, even if I will never be America's Next Top Model.

I love to dress my heroines in fancy dresses that I could never afford, or would never have a place to wear, or can never find in my size and height. One of my writing partners once told me she loved the dresses I "designed" for my heroines, and that made me feel good, because I often spend a lot of time looking for ideas and then mixing and matching to be what I want.

I also love the fact that so many places have adopted the idea that plus sized women are women, too, and that they should have beautiful dresses for proms and weddings, special occasions and the like. BUT If you are going to advertise yourself as a place for Plus Sized clothing, a place that has only "Fashion for sizes 14W-34W" then your freaking ass models should be AT LEAST a size 14. Seeing a skinny ass bimbo that looks good in a freaking gunny sack wearing an outfit that will look horrendous on most plus sized women is ridiculous. How the hell can I tell how my heroine's size 20 body with DD breasts is gonna look in that low cut thing when the model doesn't even have BOOBS!!!!!!.

Lane Bryant got in trouble for doing this years ago. At least now most of their models are about a size 14. That at least is something. But dammit, can't these other sites learn from them? WTF!!! You know, even if I become rich enough to be able to buy whatever I want, there are certain places I will NEVER go to, or catalogs I would never buy from because of this very reason.

My new favorite site for clothes : IGIGI They have REAL plus sized women in their catalog. Women that have curves and bumps and everything, and still they show them sexy. I am in love. Hell, even if I am not crazy about every single outfit they have, the point is they present them REALISTICALLY. Kudos to them!!!!!! And even this site has mostly forms. You can't see how the clothes look on a plus sized woman, but at least(with a couple exceptions) you aren't forced to look at someone the size of your freaking thigh wearing the entire dress.

Anyone else know of any other sites?

2008-02-23T12:48:00.000-08:00

Since I have no new news of my own to offer, other than I have subbed a few more stories lately, I thought I would share another release from a friend. :) I hope no one minds.

The Agency: Serpent's Kiss
by Michelle Hasker
cover art by Reneé George
ISBN (13): 978-1-59596-959-0
Genre(s): Paranormal, Action/Adventure
Theme(s): Shapeshifters
Series: Agency
Length: Novella

Agent John Macallister is so deep undercover he’s not sure who he is anymore. Fortunately the Agency has sent one of their best operatives to rescue him -- from himself. Only problem? She’s a giant anaconda.

Sleeping with the man you’re guarding is a bad idea. Especially if you’re a snake shapeshifter pretending to be nothing more than a six-foot-long, yellow anaconda and you’re in love with the man you’re guarding. As if not being able to have sex with John isn’t bad enough, they’re in the middle of a drug dealer’s paradise and everyone wants him dead. Kim doesn’t know which is harder, keeping John alive or keeping her hands -- and her identity -- to herself.

What is Your Nerd Type

2008-02-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

I retook this, not really sure why, but I found the old link and had to retake it :D
I really AM a nerd :D

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Literature Nerd Does sitting by a nice cozy fire, with a cup of hot tea/chocolate, and a book you can read for hours even when your eyes grow red and dry and you look sort of scary sitting there with your insomniac appearance? Then you fit this category perfectly! You love the power of the written word and it's eloquence; and you may like to read/write poetry or novels. You contribute to the smart people of today's society, however you can probably be overly-critical of works. It's okay. I understand.
Science/Math Nerd
Social Nerd
Drama Nerd
Gamer/Computer Nerd
Artistic Nerd
Anime Nerd
Musician
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace

I'm a Knowledge Slut

2008-02-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

I have come to that conclusion very recently. I am a knowledge slut. I kind of always knew it, at least in regards to things like trivia and stuff like that. Growing up (and even up til recently) I was one of those people you wanted on your Trivial Pursuit team because I knew all this useless trivia. Things there was little to no reason to know about. Of course, most of that came about as a result of my reading. I read anything and everything, even back then.

Now, get older, life gets in the way. I married another knowledge slut, books fill the house. And cable comes into the house. (we used to live somewhere it wasn’t a possibility) Now we have 150 channels to choose from, many informational for the most part like Discovery, History Channel, etc.

But, I have realized that my sluttiness doesn’t only extend to book/fact/trivia knowledge. It also includes sexual activities. (See, you knew I would bring this around to sex somehow) A friend wrote a story recently and based one of the minor characters on me. Which can be pretty normal, but something this character did made me go. “DAMN! I do do that.” She asked her friend for details on her sex life. But not just little bit, but her friend did something with multiple men, and this not me character had never done that kind of thing, so she started asking questions, details, and getting all excited to hear about it. Now that is definitely me.

But see, now I realize that it isn’t cause I am a nosy bitch that I do it. I am just an information slut. I need to know these things. How they happen, when, what it feels like, etc. Not just because of my writing (although that helps) but because I have this insatiable need to KNOW.

Evil Author Things

2008-02-13T20:52:00.000-08:00

You know, as an author I get to do an awful lot of evil things and not get in trouble for them. Now I am not talking things like mass murder – although I wouldn’t put that past me in a future book. I am talking about those little evil things we all do – or want to do – in life but just can’t.

I was talking to my critique partner the other day, and she was writing a story in first person. The heroine was purposely making the hero mad. Doing little things like burning his marshmallows (yes, I am talking about s’mores here, get your mind out of the gutter.) then smooshing them so they ooze out of the crackers. (her words). This proceeded to piss the poor man off. And still the heroine continued to annoy the hell out of him. (He’d refused her sex, can you think of a better reason to punish him?)

Well, Michelle said that she loved it. That she was having loads of fun pissing off this man. And it struck me that some authors are born kind of evil. We get way too big of a kick out of stuff like that. Take for example, I was in the middle of a sex scene at the same time, and I realized I had my hero torturing the heroine. Not letting her do things cause he was too busy pleasuring her to let her pleasure him. (Yeah, I know, such a horrible torture, isn’t it?)

And then there are the times where nothing goes right for the heroine. Where she can’t change a tire because the lug nuts are too tight, when she drops things because she is nervous cause the hero is talking to her. When her mother starts yelling at her for her horrible taste in men right after her heart gets broken by the ex-boyfriend.

You know, I, too, truly enjoy too many of these scenes. So now that I think about it, I’m worried. What does that say about me as a person? Hehehe

Michelle Hasker's The Bodyguard: Nash

2008-01-03T11:19:00.001-08:00

Title: The Bodyguard: Nash
ISBN: 978-1-59632-606-4

Author: Michelle Hasker
Cover Artist: Croco Designs
Price: $4.99

Michelle Hasker’s The Bodyguard: Nash
Series: The Bodyguard; Previous Book: The Bodyguard
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Length: Novella

Philly bartender Victoire Duramel picked the right night to lose control of her magic. The night Fae bodyguard Nash Dupree sensed his soulmate and a strong, untrained magic violently unleashed.

Struggling under the strength of her power, Victoire accepted Nash's help without question. Now he wants to train her and teach her how to control her magic. But there's a price. Her heart and soul.

When she denies him, Nash refuses to let her go. He'll do whatever he must to guard the feisty witch and have her for his own.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal sex, mild bondage, violence, voyeurism.

My Awesome Crit Partner

2007-11-06T20:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have to do some bragging on Michelle again. What? It's my blog, I can write about whatever I want.

She released a short story earlier this year with Loose Id, The Bodyguard. I love the story. It is awesome. And apparently I am not the only one. She just got this incredible review from Romance Junkies and I wanted to share it with everyone.

It got 5 out of 5 Ribbons. A PERFECT SCORE!!!!! WOOT WOOT, Way to Go, Michelle.

THE BODYGUARD is filled with fast-paced action, a wonderful cast of characters and a plot that that kept me enthralled from start to finish. I applaud Nicolas’s character and his determination in helping Elena overcome her fears, no matter what it took. I also applaud Elena’s strength and how she never gave up. THE BODYGUARD is a heartfelt story that will dwell in your memory long after you read the last word. A job well done, Ms. Hasker. I highly recommend this book.

AND she already sold the second in the series. I can't wait!!!!!!

I am so proud of my Michelle

Michelle's New Release

2007-11-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

Lookie, Michelle Hasker, my crit partner and author extraordinaire has a new release. Damn woman pops them out faster than I can think of them. I will never be able to keep up with her.

Kate's Muse

Author: Michelle Hasker
Artist: Jinger Heaston

ISBN: 978-1-60168-068-6
Genre: Contemporary erotica
Publisher: Aspen Mountain Press
Publication Date: 11/02/2007
Sexual Content: Erotic
Price: $1.99

“You’re fired, damn it!” Kate shouted at the ceiling, slamming her fists on the desk for emphasis. “You’ve done this to me for the last time. I’ll find myself a new muse and to hell with you!”

Kate Sterling tossed her pen across the room and barely restrained herself from making the laptop take the same flying arc. She wanted to make something smash into the wall, needed to break something. Like her damn muse’s neck.

Pushing away from the desk, she spun around on her chair and glared at the potted palm in the corner. Shame it wasn’t a little taller. Though, she did have nine-foot ceilings… That would be high enough to make her muse dangle from a noose with his body jerking as the rope tightened until he couldn’t breathe any more. Or maybe his neck would snap when she pushed him off the stool.

“Damn, stupid muse. I hope you burn in the deepest pits of hell, your screams echoing in your ears as you burn for eternity, never finding peace from the agony of melting flesh and popping muscles and bones.”

“That’s a mite harsh, isn’t it, Kate?”

Kate shrieked and fell off the chair as she turned to look behind her. The man leaning against the wall looked exactly like her wayward muse. The one she’d just been cursing.

“What have I ever done to you, love?”

“Jesus Christ!” Kate scrambled backward as he leaned forward, his face highlighted in the glare of the light. He was her muse in living, breathing flesh. Impossible!

“No. If I remember correctly, you condemned me to burn in hell with Satan.”

“But you…you can’t be real.”

“I’m as real as you want me to be, love.”

My Reward

2007-10-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, trying this again since it didn't work last night. I reached over 16,000 before I quit for the night. Unfortunately, I had to take 650 of that out, because I didn't like the way it went. But this morning I replaced it with about 300 new words. So we shall see how I do by the end of the night. Hope to have it done by the end. 4,000 words in one night when I still have to clean kitchen, grocery shop, put up some more Halloween, organize recycling mess. Hmmmm, maybe I will need this reward more than I thought.

My first reward

2007-10-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am subbing a story this weekend, but it is too short. I needed to make it novella length, and it has been at about 11,000 for the last few months. I put it away cause I just couldn't think of how to make it longer. Well, today I have written over 4,000 words on it. So to celebrate the fact I am now at 15,000 and only need 5,000 more, I am posting my reward for the day.

noooooo, photo uploading is down for the moment. phooey. okay, will download it later.

My Rewards

2007-10-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, I really have been remiss lately in posting in here. I have been busy at the SDJ (silly day job) and life in general, and the blog got pushed to the side. Soooo, real quick.

Sven is sweating again. Getting us ready for NaNo. Michelle Hasker has devised a way to keep herself motivated, so stealing it from her. She gives herself a reward when she does well. I am almost at my reward for the day, so had to post that I was gonna post :D I can't wait.

Talk Like a Pirate Day

2007-09-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, I find this funny. One of my favorite phrases when I am annoyed is "aaarrrgghhh" it is on my yahoo IM status all the time. So, in honor of that, I found these female pirate pick up lines from the guys that originally came up with the idea. I think number 1 is my favorite.

Top Ten Pickup Lines for the Lady Pirates

By popular demand ...

10. What are YOU doing here?

9. Is that a belayin' pin in yer britches, or are ye ... (this one is never completed)

8. Come show me how ye bury yer treasure, lad!

7. So, tell me, why do they call ye, "Cap'n Feathersword?"

6. That's quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard!

5. Aye, I guarantee ye, I've had a twenty percent decrease in me "lice ratio!"

4. I've crushed seventeen men's skulls between me thighs!

3. C'mon, lad, shiver me timbers!

2. RAMMING SPEED!

...and the number one Female Pirate Pick-up Line:

1. You. Pants Off. Now!

This site has all kinds of fun stuff and is the original creators of Talk Like A Pirate Day.

and another site with a translator

Destination Ecstasy

2007-09-08T12:56:00.001-07:00

My newest release from Loose -Id is out. Destination Ecstasy is my first foray into the world of the Menage, and I have to say I had way too much fun writing this.

Title: Destination Ecstasy
Author: Tina Bendoni
ISBN: 978-1-59632-541-8
Cover Artist: April Martinez
Price: $3.99
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Paranormal Nontraditional Sexualities
Length: Short Story

Maia is a young woman with some personal issues she needs to work out, so when her friend gives her a two week paid vacation to a private resort in the Caribbean, she takes it eagerly. It's a great chance to do something different and have some fun. But she doesn't expect that fun to come in the shape of Dante and Kale, two of the hottest men on and off this planet.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Ménage (m/m/f).

Tarot Card Anthology: Synchronicity Vol 1 by Tina Bendoni and Michelle Hasker

2007-09-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

Tarot Card Anthology: Synchronicity Vol 1
Michelle Hasker and Tina Bendoni
ISBN: ISBN: 978-1-60313-036-3
Cover Artist: Jinger Heaston
Price: $5.99
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Length: 8 short stories

One woman. 22 cards of the Major Arcana. Join Abigail Montgomery as she does 22 special one card readings in Philadelphia. Things are not always as they seem. Neither is Abigail, or her readings.
From a woman who needs to learn the magic of love, to another who has to accept her inner beauty. A man who learns to look within himself, and a woman who has to face Death to move beyond. Will these people make the right choices for happiness? Or will they be forever lost to love?

Awesome Book Out

2007-08-28T14:34:00.001-07:00

Mountain Rendezvous
Michelle Hasker
Loose-Id
My crit partner, Michelle Hasker FINALLY has the second book in her Rendezvous series out. I have waited over a year for this, and last week it came out. I loved Aidan and Caitlyn in Midnight Rendezvous. Their relationship was HOT.
Now we finally get to see what happens to Caitlyn's sister, Meredith. She deserves a story of her own like no one else does.

Meredith's ex-husband was a serial killer. Was, because she killed him. Or, at least, she thought she did. But now hunky Federal Agent Slade Jackson tells her he's back and killing women who look just like her.

What's a vampire to do?

Probably banging the human agent on the case isn't the best plan. But he's smoking hot, he wants her, she wants him and she just can't seem to stop. They both better hope it doesn't interfere with the case, or she'll be screwed.

And not in the good way.

The Beautiful Red Moon

2007-08-28T13:41:00.001-07:00

Well, thanks to one of my fellow authors over at AOER, I learned about the Red Moon last night/early this morning. And of course, me being me I had to go take pics at 5 in the morning.

Sven Says Sweat

2007-08-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

And I haven't been doing much of it lately. The last couple weeks I have gotten 25,000 words in, though, and now that my niece is gone, I should get more. But school is also starting up, so that will cut into my writing time. If not the actual days, it will still prevent me from staying up super late (which is when I do my best work) to write. Never fear, I will get it done. Yes, I will. I will I will.

I've Been Tagged

2007-08-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, apparently I have been tagged twice, so I guess I had better do this thing, there's no one left to tag :D

Four jobs I've had or currently have in my life:
1. Author
2. Teacher
3. Community Support Worker
4. McDonalds

Four Countries I've been to:
1. USA
2. Mexico
3. United Kingdom (England and Scotland)
4. Chile

Four Places I'd rather be right now:
1. At Tahiti restaurant
2. Lottery headquarters picking up my 300 million
3. In Bed with hubby
4. Playing with my niece

Four foods I like to eat:
1. Chocolate
2. Chicken
3. Candy
4. GOOD Chinese Food

Four personal heroes, past, present, or future
1. My mom
2. Marion Zimmer Bradley
3. George Clooney (impressive man that lives what he believes)
4. Wonder Woman

Four Books you've read or are currently reading:
1. Mountain Rendezvous by Michelle Hasker
2. Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
3. Sherrilyn Kenyon's latest
4. Angela Knight's latest

Four words or phrases you would like to see used more often:
1. Please
2. Thank you (my niece told me that I use please and thank you too much when I ask her to do things around the house while she is here, I said there is never too much)
3. Live and Let Live
4. I love you

Four reasons for ending a friendship:
1. Betrayal
2.
3.
4.

Four smells that make you feel good about the world:
1. Roses
2. Jasmine
3. Warm Dryer Sheets
4. Lavender

Four Things You'd like to do before you die but never have
1. See the pyramids
2. Visit Greece and Italy
3. Make a positive difference in someone's life
4. Be a NY Times best seller

My Question: Name Four Things You Can't Live Without
1. Chocolate
2. Caffeine
3. Books
4. My computer

I don't have a my question yet, will think about it :D

My Crit Partner ROCKS!!!!

2007-08-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

I have to take time today to give kudos to my crit partner and great friend, Michelle Hasker. We have been writing together/critting each other for a little over two years. In that time we have both been published by multiple publishers, improved our writing, pushed our boundaries, and had loads of fun.

She has four kids and how she gets all her writing done with all her family stuff always amazes me. She also sends out more for subs than I do, and it shows. She has just been offered another three contracts for another three stories with multiple publishers.

I can't say how proud I am of this woman. How proud I am to have her as a crit partner, how much my writing has grown because of her, and how much I value our friendship. I, as a person, have grown because our friendship, too. I love that woman. And she is an awesome author. Please, if you have the chance, go check out her stuff at www.MichelleHasker.com., you won't regret it.

Sven Update

2007-07-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

I forgot to update my Sven count yesterday, Paula Dean sidetracked me. I have been very productive this week, but not on anything that is sellable or even readable. A few weeks ago, I started a "story" because I was away, and didn't have much internet contact with Michelle, my crit partner, and managed about a page, and then I sent it to her and told her to add to it, just for some fun. Well as of late last night, we now have over 20,000 words on it, and lol, it is soooo not sellable. At least not as a romance. But we are having fun with it. It has gotten both us our creative juices flowing, and we are both working on other stuff while we wait for the other to send what they have written on our "Break Time" story.

It's a very free flow kind of exercise/story, and it definitely helps. Now we just gotta keep the time sucking it can do down to a minimum :D

Paula Dean is a Pervert

2007-07-29T10:17:00.001-07:00

LOL, I have decided I love this woman. I very rarely watch TV anymore. I would much rather sit at my computer, being mindless while I pretend to write than watch something even more mindless on TV. Two of the channels hubby and I do watch are HGTV and Food Network. I am always looking for something good to cook, or a way to be organized or less cluttered.

I have seen Paula Dean's old show, and though I liked her, she was a bit too formal for me, a bit too southern lady for me. But, good lord!!! This woman really shines with her new show. I have seen it twice, and she is naughtier than I am. Last time they were making candy or something, and she was making innuendoes that had the candy guy blushing. (if you weren't of that set of mind, though they would have been just cute - being an erotic writer, my mind went straight to the gutter, as did the all female audience of 100) And today she is doing a special on butter.
I wasn't watching it, hubby had turned it on and left the room (don't get me started on wasting electricity) and I was in the other room on the laptop. I heard women screaming, go and look, and she has 4 hunky men that could have been on any good erotic novel cover carrying in pounds of butter, muscles straining in tight black Tshirts with the words "Butter Wrangler" on them. Okay, to hell with the butter, I started drooling.
Now she is trying different kinds of butter in a "blind" taste test, and one of the wranglers is buttering her muffins for her. Not only is she making innuendo galore, but when he hands her the small muffin with butter on it, she wraps her hands around his hand, and pulls it to her, and THEN the woman just kissed/nipped/licked her way up the man's forearm.
I love this woman. I wanna be her when I grow up.

Awesome Story

2007-07-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, I will preface this with stating that I know I am biased, but I can't help it.

My crit partner recently had a story released with Loose-Id, The Bodyguard. It is an incredible story, hot and fast paced. My favorite part about it is Nicolas' driving need to help Elena heal from an incredible ordeal, and what he will do for her. I am not a huge fan of uber alphas, but I love Nic. I do.

Of course, his brother Nash is pretty damn hot, too. He gets his own story soon. Just not soon enough for me.

Nothing Done

2007-07-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

Well, Sunday is weekly check in for SWEAT. This week was not a good week for me in writing. I ended up going home last Sunday to visit my mom for a few days, didn't get back home til Thursday evening. I took my laptop, as I knew my mom was working, and figured I would get tons done while I was there. Boy was I wrong. I think I wrote maybe 250 words.
My niece's paternal grandmother died, and she spent a lot of time with me and her other grandmother (my mom). But that was only partly it. I also got little to nothing done on the airplane either way. I ended up sleeping, which I almost never do.
I did edit two of three short stories that my editor wants, and one more that I am subbing to someone else by the end of this week, although most of that has been done since I got home. But at least I am moving forward. THAT is the important part. Right? And now back to work.

Total Count for Sweat: 13,117

Another Day of Sweat

2007-07-16T14:07:00.001-07:00

Well, not sure how well I will get anything done this week. Came home to visit mom in Boston for a few days, and she doesn't do the internet thing. Hoping I can get some work done, though. It would be nice. Count is same as it was Friday. 12444. (or close to it)

What Kind of Nerd Are You?

2007-07-14T18:35:00.001-07:00

This took a heck of a lot longer than I expected, but I had to post it once I was done.
Got nothing done on my sweat today. Was packing, as I have to leave early tomorrow morning for a surprise trip home to see my mom. Surprise to me, it just came about yesterday. Sooo, since she doesn't have internet, I won't be online, but maybe I will get some writing done. So, see you next week!!!!!

The first time I posted it, it didn't keep the ratings/bar graph in it, lets see if it does this time.

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Literature Nerd Does sitting by a nice cozy fire, with a cup of hot tea/chocolate, and a book you can read for hours even when your eyes grow red and dry and you look sort of scary sitting there with your insomniac appearance? Then you fit this category perfectly! You love the power of the written word and it's eloquence; and you may like to read/write poetry or novels. You contribute to the smart people of today's society, however you can probably be overly-critical of works. It's okay. I understand.
Drama Nerd
Science/Math Nerd
Gamer/Computer Nerd
Social Nerd
Artistic Nerd
Anime Nerd
Musician
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace

Today's Sweat

2007-07-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

It started out really well, and then I lost it somewhere in the middle. Clipping along fairly well now, though, but not impressed with my total count. I have just learned that I am going to be going to Boston for a few days, and I will not have internet access that entire time, unless I can find a free hotspot. Soo, hopefully that means I wll at least get some writing done and not so much messing around done :)
Total for sweat 12, 244

Sweating to the Words

2007-07-11T15:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, I joined the 70 days of writing, and Sunday I did really well, Did almost 7,000 words in one day. Monday not so hot. Tuesday, nope, not then either :D.
Today working hard on it. So far, though, I have about 9,000 words for three days. That is good. very good. None of it on what I was supposed to be working on though. I got sidetracked with a menage. (okay that didn't sound quite right, did it?) hehehe

I HAVE been working, though. So, gonna keep working today. By the end of the night/early tomorrow, I will post my new word count.

Romances are the Bane of Our Existence

2007-07-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

I had an interesting blog conversation with someone today. He was saying he thinks that Romances are the bane of human existence. He blames them for unrealistic expectations that women have in regards to relationships and love.

And I agree with that TO A POINT

He said that romance fans were unable to distinguish reality versus fiction.

Now I take affront at that. He seems to think that romance readers are the only ones that are like that, and ALL romance readers are like this.

Even when I pointed out that other genres also create people unable to separate reality from fiction, he continued to point out "there is a princess deep down in every woman waiting to be rescued."

You know, I got pissed. Really really pissed. I am not waiting to be rescued, and I haven't wanted to be rescued since I was 17. I learned that the only one that can rescue you is you. That the only one that can save you, make you who you want to be, make you happy is YOU. With or without a man.

And I try to write my heroines like that, too. A friend assured me when I asked that no, none of my heroines needed to be rescued. They are all successful, self-confident women. Even those that want a man, don't want them to rescue them, they want someone to hold and that will hold them. They want a partnership, not someone that will make them more or better just because they have a man.

I use the term completion sometimes when I explain the connection between a hero and a heroine, and perhaps that isn't the best term to be used, but I feel complete with my husband. I feel that he helps me, rounds out the parts of me that need it. but I do that same for him. There was no rescuing, unless we did it for each other. Okay, yeah, I just said he rounds me out, I guess you can say makes me more. But the thing is, I am still a wonderful, powerful, dynamic woman on my own. I don't NEED him to make things better. Yes, he CAN make things better, but if he weren't there, I would still survive. And I would still be a complete person.

The love or attention of a man will not make you more who you are, you need to establish that by yourself first.
The love a a partner (man or woman) will make you more, yes. In the sense that the two of you together will make something else, but you are still individuals on your own.

Seventy Days of Sweat

2007-07-08T10:04:00.000-07:00

Well, one of the members of Authors of Erotic Romance sent us the link and information for Seventy Days of Sweat, and being the procrastinator I am, I had to sign up.

The idea behind it is that for the next 70 days I have to write. A lot. We are supposed to write 60-100,000 words in the next 70 days. I am planning get my second novel in the Argus series done. The novel I expected to have done 6 months ago. If I don't write on that novel, I need to at least write on something every day. Summer is supposed to be my time to write, and I haven't made use of it very well except in the last week. Thanks to Alison Kent and the rest of the ladies involved with 70 days, I now have no excuse.

Check back to see my progress. :)

2007-07-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

Hello All!

Welcome to my newly active blog. (I hope). I figured I have the blog, I might as well use it for what it is intended for, right?

I am done with all but final edits for Destination Ecstasy, and completely done with edits for Synchronicity, Volume 1. No release date for Ecstasy yet, but Synchronicity is still due out in September of this year at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.

I got an awesome review for Argus: In Dreams from Niniri at Joyfully Reviewed.
Argus: In Dreams is an action packed thriller that I couldn't put down. The story flows smoothly and had my attention from the first page. Diana and Gabe are a great pair with the right mojo for love at first sight.

I have to say those three lines made my day, if not my entire month :)
.

2007-03-22T17:25:00.000-07:00

 
Thirteen Things about Our Bathroom Remodel 
  
   
  1.  The previous owners of the house HID the leak instead of fixing it. 
  2.  The previous owners of the house are idiots
  3.  The damage to the floor was worse than we hoped
  4.  The damage to the floor was better than we feared. 
  5.  Backerboard is a tad bit thinner than sheetrock, and the bump WILL show through the tub enclosure
  6.  If you take a tub out of the tub enclosure there is no guarantee that it will fit back.  Trust me on this one.  
  7.  When cutting support boards, you need someway to hold them to the back of the backerboard.
  8.  There is a reason that the shower assembly instructions say that the holes need to be at least 6 inches apart. 
  9.  Always budget 2x more money than you think you will need. 
  10.  Count on at least one of your tools breaking, and another one not doing what it is supposed to do. 
  11. Measure 3 times, not just twice. 
  12. However long you think something will take, double it. 
  13. That shower is going to feel wonderful after all this work.
 
 
 1.   (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday.  Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged!  If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments.  It’s easy, and fun!  Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well!  I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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My First

2007-03-15T07:58:00.000-07:00

Since I have been putting off joining T13 for months,
for my first Thursday 13 I thought I
would list all the things I was supposed to do
yesterday(or the day before) and put off, so now
have to do today (and hopefully not tomorrow).

1. Join Thursday Thirteen
2. Sign up to blog one day for LRM
3. Empty Dishwasher
4. Clean Bathroom
5. Start Edits on Rapture Resort
6. Change Sheets
7. Price Bathroom Fixtures
8. Pick Clothes for Interview for today
9. Exercise
10. Add Weather Bug to hubby's puter
11. Add links to my webpage
12. Update Blogger Template
13. Give Cat a bath and haircut ;)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

2007-02-14T15:46:00.000-08:00

I had to write my monthly blog for Torrid Temptations yesterday, and I liked it so much, I thought I would share it here, too.

Crumbs in Bed
I was reading a book a while ago that talked about what these women would and would not throw a man out of bed for eating. Actually, I have seen a couple books like that in the last couple years. And it got me thinking. How hot does my hottie have to be to be forgiven cookie or cracker crumbs in bed? And still be allowed back?

Case in point: Have you ever had that moment when you are trying to go to sleep, and realize that your significant other ate cookies or crackers in bed (and perhaps you did, too), but that there are now crumbs in bed?

Can you sleep on crumbs? I can’t. My husband thinks I am psychotic. My sheets have to be precisely neat, and I can’t have any crumbs in my bed. (we wont mention the condition of the rest of the bedroom) Last night after eating crackers and provolone cheese (really one of the best cheeses in the world) I tried to go to sleep. Nope, wasn’t gonna happen. Why? Cause there were crumbs in bed. And I had to sweep them off.

Not just once or twice. But three times. The last time stripping the bed almost completely to get the crumbs out.

Meanwhile my husband is laughing his ass off on his side of the bed. And we aren’t talking big crumbs, we are talking crumbs so small that when I grabbed a couple, I couldn’t see them, I could only feel them on my fingertips.

So, how hot does my hottie have to be to be forgiven cracker crumbs? Well, my husband is a given. BUT I have to say that I wouldn’t throw Braden (from Christmas Candy) out. And probably not Lucas from Through the Veil. And probably not even Michelle Hasker’s Jack, from Morgan’s Magick. And DEFINTELY not Kade from Dark God of Beltane, which doesn't even come out for three more months.

So while I was contemplating this, I came up with another question. Are my hotties all hot enough to NOT be thrown out of bed for crumbs? I decided yes. If ever I have a hottie that is not good enough to be forgiven crumbs in bed, then he isn’t a hottie I want to write about. So, all my hotties will be hot enough to be forgiven.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t have to help me sweep out the crumbs before we go to bed.

Awesome Review for Celtic Love Knots

2007-01-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

Michelle Hasker and I got an awesome review today for Celtic Love Knots Volume 1 from Fallen Angels Reviews. Michelle and I each have a short story in this volume, and in volume 2. We were so excited to see this today. It will be available at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid starting February 1.

Not only did we get 5 Angels, which is their highest rating, but it was a RECOMMENDED READ. I can't even begin to explain how this makes me feel. It is incredible. Thank you, again, Tammy. So glad you enjoyed it!!

Celtic Love Knots Volume 1: Morgan’s Magick & Through The Veil

Celtic Love Knots Volume 1 is a delicious treat containing two erotic stories that complement each other perfectly. I have to say that this book is a marvelous beginning to what I hope is a very long series and one I don’t want to miss.

Morgan’s Magick by Michelle Hasker

Morgan Engles owns her own store named Morgan’s Magickal Shoppe where she caters to her Wiccian heritage and sells specialty items such as potions and wands. When Jack Quinn comes into her shop to show her the new batch of wands he’s made for her to sell, Morgan can’t help but feel the sexual pull between them and knows she won’t be able to fight off her attraction to him much longer. When Jack starts flirting with her, she decides to give in to the temptation he so boldly offers.

Morgan’s Magick by Michelle Hasker is a tantalizing story that will have you begging for more. The characters are well detailed and enjoyable; the plot is appealing and extremely sensual. I loved the passion and electricity that flowed between Morgan and Jack and thought the author did a fantastic job of grabbing the reader’s attention from the first page and holding it until the last.

Through The Veil by Tina Bendoni

Alyson has the perfect man; the one she has always dreamed of, the only problem is that he is only in her dreams. Alyson had come to love Lucas and their nights together and knew she would never want anyone but him. She just needed a way to convince her friend Bree that her dream man was enough, but Bree has other ideas. She decides to use a spell to bring Alyson the perfect man, a real man, for one night only while the veil between worlds is thin. If the spell works, how will Alyson feel about her dream man after being with a flesh and blood man?

Through The Veil by Tina Bendoni is a tempting tale that will leave you wishing for a dream man of your own. I thought the premise of this plot was very exciting and the characters well developed for such a short story. The sex in this story was hot enough to burn and left me eager to read the second volume of the Celtic Love Knots series!

Reviewed by: Tammy
See entire review HERE

Argus: In Dreams Now Available

2006-12-27T16:50:00.000-08:00

This is such an exciting day for me. Argus: In Dreams is finally out. It is my first published full length novel. This was really a labor of love for me. I woke up one morning with this thought in my head, and it wouldn't go away until I started to write it. Even with some difficult parts, the majority of this book just flowed for me, and I love it.

Argus: In Dreams

Diana has been dreaming about Gabe’s military unit for the last 8 years. She never expected the unit to be real, or to fall in love with the man that led it.

She also never expected to be told it was her destiny to save the world. Or that an independent woman like her would need a man to do the job.

It's a lot for a girl to accept.

But once she does accept it all – demon-fighting commandos, evil sorcerers, magical female lineage, and damned fine man in her bed – will the price for the safety of the world be too high to pay?

Trouble Us Authors Get Into

2006-12-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

Well, a friend of mine made a phone call today. You can see it here. It reminded me of a conversation I had with Sherry, the secretary, and basically woman who knows it all at my insurance agent's office a couple years ago, before I was really serious about writing, but still playing around with the idea. I had a murder mystery in mind, with all kinds of subplots.

Me: Sherry, I have a silly question, that is gonna sound awfully suspicious.
Sherry: Okay. What is it?
Me: What happens if your house burns down, and it is proven to be arson, but they can't prove YOU were the one that did it? Do you still get the insurance money?

Now, not only is this insurance agent my car insurer, they also had just started insuring my new (to us) house less than 6 months previous to this conversation. The look Sherry gave me was, needless to say, um, worried.

Me (quickly): It's for a book I'm writing. Or thinking of writing. Really.
Sherry: (feigining [?] interest): Really?
So I babble on, and tell her a little, but not much, cause even then I wasn't huge on the plotting thing, and then tell her she doesn't need to make it official, don't want her to check on it, just thought she might know. (You know, because now that I asked this question, I just KNEW my house would burn down in the next 6 months or so)
So she says she doesn't know, but will look into it. And I get the impression that she believes me, etc. After all, she has known me for 10 years, and the fact I can be a dingbat at times.
Less than a week later, I get a formal letter. On OFFICIAL LETTERHEAD of the company telling me what they do.
oops
hope my house doesn't ever catch fire.
oh, yeah, the answer to the question?
I forget.

Tina

IT'S OUT!!!!

2006-12-05T21:35:00.000-08:00

Finally!! The Christmas Candy Anthology is out!!! My story, Peppermint Surprise is the second story, following an awesome take on the poem The Night Before Christmas, and a great story about second chances. I have to say I am pleased to no end to have my name in print. I feel like I have accomplished something.

My full length novel, Argus: In Dreams is still scheduled for release in Ebook format late December, and so far I haven't heard any different on that. The cover is awesome, check it out here. I was ecstatic when I saw it, to say the least!

New Cover

2006-10-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hey All, We finally got the cover for the Christmas Candy Anthology that Whiskey Creek Press Torrid is pubbing on December 1st. It is gorgeous. Since I am not sure how to inserti pictures here, or even if we can, here is a link to my webpage with it: http://www.tinabendoni.com/excps.html
I also have a yahoo group for anyone that would like to join: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tinasthoughts/?yguid=271948769
It will mostly be newsletter and one or two announcements. Not a chatting group, sorry :)

I vs. ME

2006-08-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

Okay.

I will be honest, I tend to be snobby about my tendency to use proper grammar. I am not perfect, by any means, but I tend to try to be careful what I say or do. That doesn't mean all the time, and it doesn't mean when I think I am right, that I really am. But there are some things that bother me intensely. Today I am going to discuss the difference between ME and I.

I am a substitute teacher, and tend to work in mostly LD classes, so I have a tendency to avoid using “indirect, direct, reflexive” terminology. If you are an English teacher, feel free to correct me on any of this, but my goal is just to get people to realize when to use which word.

Both are pronouns, and they both mean the same thing, but that does not mean that they can be used interchangeably. The problems arise when people are using the "____and I" versus "_____and me" phrase.

I is what I will choose to call an Active pronoun. You use it when “I” (the subject) is doing something.
ME is more passive, when something is done to ME, with ME. (versus when I am doing something with someone else)

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER
If you do not know when to use it, take out the "_____ and" part. You would never say "ME am going to the store" so why would you say "John and me are going to the store"? You would never say, "Give it to I" so why would you say "Give it to John and I"?

Which sounds better?
A.
John and me went to the store with Sarah.
John and I went to the store with Sarah.

Hopefully you would never say, “Me went to the store with Sarah.” So the answer is the second one, John and I went to the store with Sarah.

B.
She came with John and me.
She came with John and I.

If it were just you alone, without John, would you say “She came with me” or “She came with I”?
So again, the answer is the one that sounds better without the other person. She came with John and me.
(okay, I prefer “me and john” but I am not gonna get into that today)

So, do not assume, please, please, please, that “John and I” is appropriate in all situations. THINK before you speak or write.

According to www.M-W.com
ME: Function: pronoun, objective case

Me is used in many constructions where strict grammarians prescribe I. This usage is not so much ungrammatical as indicative of the shrinking range of the nominative form: me began to replace I sometime around the 16th century largely because of the pressure of word order. I is now chiefly used as the subject of an immediately following verb. Me occurs in every other position: absolutely (who, me?), emphatically (me too), and after prepositions, conjunctions, and verbs, including be (come with me) (you're as big as me) (it's me). Almost all usage books recognize the legitimacy of me in these positions, especially in speech; some recommend I in formal and especially written contexts after be and after as and than when the first term of the comparison is the subject of a verb.

News About Celtic Love Knot Story

2006-07-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

I just got an email today that confirms that Michelle Hasker will definitely be the second author in our Torrid Teaser from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. It is to be released in February, 2007. It really is the DEBUT VOLUME for the Celtic Love Knot series, which excites me to no end. Michelle is such an awesome author, too, that I couldn't hope to be with someone better. Got my editor assigned, now just have to wait for the edits. :)

Busy Month

2006-07-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

My 13 year old niece got here Thursday to stay with us for the next three weeks. We do this every year, have for the last 4 years. I have to admit there are times when I wonder how full time parents do it :). This year's is a short visit for us, usually it is much longer. We have all kinds of things planned, and I am looking forward to it. I haven't been horseback riding since I was her age, that is first on the list, along with camping, swimming, water parks, and all kinds of things. Weeeeee. Wonder when I will find the time to write.....

Debut Volume

2006-06-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

I got an email the other day from the Executive Editor at Whisky Creek Press. The story they had decided to accept for either a Torrid Teaser or their new line? Well, they decided they wanted it definitely for the new line, the "Celtic Love Knot" series. Not only are they going to use it, but it is going to be in their Debut Volume!!! And to top it all off, the other story in the volume just happens to belong to my writing/critique partner, Michelle Hasker. We are sooo excited!!! How often does an author get to debut a new line? Now I can't wait. :)

First Blog

2006-06-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I was told that I really should have a real blog instead of my faked one at my site. So, this is going to be my first entry. I am cheating and going to paste what I had at my old one :)

June 8, 2006
I got an email last night offering me a contract for a short story I submitted to Whiskey Creek Press. They want it for either a Torrid Teaser or for their new 2007 line, Celtic Love Knot. I'm so excited!!!!!

June 1, 2006I submitted another story to Whiskey Creek Press Torrid for their Christmas Anthology this time, Christmas Candy. It is about a woman that gets more than she bargained for on her blind date. I am sure I won't hear back from them until August or September as the deadline isn't until the end of the month.

May 17, 2006
Only about two more weeks of school, so not very busy in my day time job. Having a hard time getting moving on the second book I have scheduled after Dream Warrior. They will both be part of a series, hopefully, about the warriors of the Foundation for Paranormal Research. This second book is about another member of Gabe's team and the woman he meets when he is in deadly peril.. I have submitted a short story to Whiskey Creek Press Torrid for their Fall Festival anthology. They weren't even supposed to start looking at submissions until this month, so I guess it will be a while before I hear anything.Ellora's Cave was also accepting submissions for their Ellora's Cavemen anthologies for 2007. Submitted one for them, but I don't have high hopes for it. Hoping to submit another one in the next few months