Reindeer names...

Now Wally! Now Ronald ! Now, Arthur and Leticia! On, Dulcie On, Manfred ! On, Neville and Leanne!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!

I was checking out Brynn Paulin’s Writing at the Speed of Life blog and she mentioned her ability to be able to name Santa's reindeer. I left a comment saying I could too. There names are Wally, Ronald, Arthur, Leticia, Dulcie, Manfred, Neville and Leanne. Brynn seems to think this could be incorrect. How will we ever know for sure though? Are these same reindeer still alive? Have they been pensioned off or replaced by newer models? And just what sort of conditions did these reindeer have to endure pulling a heavy sleigh all over the world? And what about all that “dash away all” stuff? That had to get them in the legs something chronic. When you think about it’s scandalous. And what happened to them for the rest for the year? How did they makes ends meet enough so they could eat whatever reindeer eat? Did they have to do tawdry reality games shows as B grade celebrities? Sure we get all excited seeing them at Christmas time but what happens to them the rest of the time, hmmm?

I received a Zen garden as a gift today. You know it’s one of those small desk type gardens that have sand and a little rake that you use to create patterns in the sand to relieve stress. It’ll be honest. I thrive on stress. I am not a person that relaxes ever. However I dutifully raked the sand around a bit then thought “that’s it huh?” But all is not lost. It is an excellent place to rest pens on to stop them rolling around. Everything has a use.

Five fast ones with author Emmie Graham

1. What star sign are you? Name one fabulous characteristic of this sign. I am a Capricorn! The absolute best thing about Capricorn women is that you will never, ever, hear us say, "I give up. I cannot do this." Whatever the task, whatever we set our mind to - we will find a way to make it happen!

2. Chocolate has been declared en illegal substance. What do you do on hearing this news? I would immediately buy up every ounce of chocolate I could find and savor it slowly, making it last, until the cocoa beans I had planted in my own garden were ripe. Then I would make my own and sell it on the black market. Let's face it - in a world where chocolate is illegal - there is going to be a black market for it. Prohibition did not work with alcohol, how would it ever work with chocolate? Perhaps, I am approaching this wrong. What I should do is make a batch of my famous cocoa fudge, offer bite size pieces to the moron politicians who passed the chocolate ban and dare them to tell me they never wanted to taste another bite!

3. Martians knock on your door and ask to borrow you car for the evening. Do you scream and shut the door? Ask if they have insurance? Ask them to wait while you get a camera or none of the above? I'd tell the Martians "I'll drive" and grab my keys. No way I am going to miss whatever trip it is they are on!

4. If I was in charge of the world I would…. I would make it mandatory for men to wear hats, again. Let's face it - there is just something outrageously sexy about a man in a hat.

5. Name your special talent. I have a special talent for truly listening to people and hearing what they are saying. I listen to a person in such a way that they know they are being heard. Because they are being heard, people will tell me anything and everything. Because of this talent, I hear amazing things from people, that others never know. Knowing they are being truly heard, somehow unlocks people's inhibitions and they spill their souls into my ear.

North Atlantic Nights – by Emmie Graham - out now through Cerridwen Press – it’s another click on the cover and buy moment.

The Blurb…
Freezing north Atlantic waters, marines sneaking through the night, smuggled weapons, drugs and kidnappings. Tammie Richards is just trying to do her job. She’s a logistics agent, minding her own business, until she is caught up in the mystery that is Frank Ballenger. Ballenger is a captain in the U.S. Marine Corp. He has been very careful all of his adult life not to let anyone interfere with that. Until he meets Tammie Richards. Can these two adults who are so different, but so much the same, stay alive long enough to fall in love? North Atlantic Nights is their story.

The Excerpt…
“They must be following a school of fish.” “Look at the gulls,” she pointed at a flock of gulls circling over a patch of water.
“Probably mullet,” Frank told her, leading the way. Once they stepped onto the broken rocks of the jetty he let go of her hand so she could balance herself better as they picked their way along. Finally they reached the end of the jetty just as a fisherman was loading up his gear.
“Don’t let us run you off,” Frank told him.
“Oh you’re not. The wife is. I told her I’d be home to do chores this afternoon. Nothin’s bitin’ anyway. Good thing or I might have trouble gettin’ home on time,” the fisherman laughed. He looked at the two of them. They reminded him of himself and his wife many years ago. The wonder on the woman’s face told him she wasn’t a native. “Ya’ll enjoy the water.”
“We will,” Tammie assured him turning around to look out across the Atlantic.
“Want to sit?” Frank asked her when they were standing on the very end of the jetty. They sat down side by side and Frank slipped his arm around her waist. Tammie settled into his embrace and turned her attention toward the water.
“I don’t know how you can stand to leave here for weeks at a time,” she told him as she watched a crew raise the sails on a boat off in the distance.
“I know what you mean. I miss it terribly when I’m gone but I always know it’s here waiting for me, when I get home. That’s something I’d like to know about you Tammie.”
“What is?” she asked, jerking around quickly to look him in the face. Had he said something that she’d missed? Had she not been paying attention? What was he talking about?
“I’d like to know that whenever I come home you’d be waiting for me.” The words flowed directly from Frank’s brain to his lips before he had time to censor them. He could tell by the look on her face he had surprised her. More than just surprised her. He had shocked her. I thought you were going to “take it slowly”, he reminded himself.
Tammie stared at him for a moment that for Frank seemed to last an eternity. “What do you mean Frank?” she asked in as steady a voice as she could muster. He sounded like he was asking her a question but she didn’t know how to answer him, because she had no idea what the actual question was. Clarification was definitely what she needed now.
Frank took a breath and began to try to explain himself. The look on his face told Tammie he was having a really tough time getting his words out. “I’m just saying it would be great to know that whenever I’m not working you’d be waiting for me,” he offered her the explanation that explained nothing.
Tammie could tell he was in trouble. “Frank. Are you asking me “to go steady”? she teased him, searching for a way to lighten the moment that had become extremely uncomfortable for both of them.
“Not exactly but close enough,” he laughed at himself and at her words. He had never connected with another woman the way he had with Tammie and he wanted her to know that but so far he was doing a really lousy job of telling her.

“Well then my answer is absolutely. I would love to go steady with you. Be your girlfriend,” she said, laughing but looking seriously into his eyes.
Instead of talking, which seemed to be getting him nowhere, he leaned in to kiss her and she met him halfway. They embraced and kissed, not caring who could see them. Tammie explored his lips with her tongue and breathed in when he sighed. She leaned back and looked into his face before she snuggled back into his arm. They sat silently watching the boats, the clouds and the water. They sat there so long they lost track of time.
“This jetty reminds me so much of Crystal Beach. When I was in high school I used to go to the jetty by myself sometimes and just sit. Sit and watch the water, the boats and the people. I’d sit for hours and wonder what my future would be like. Crystal Beach is such a small place and I knew if I was ever going to make anything of myself I would have to leave it. The thought of leaving used to make me sad even then. I think I was sitting on the jetty trying to absorb as much of the place as I could so I could take it with me. So I left for college and then I got married and moved to the Chesapeake Bay. It’s not home but it gives me that same sense of peace. Then I get a job there, divorce and meet you. And what do you do? You bring me to another small place that is even more like Crystal Beach than the Chesapeake is. You know Frank, I have a feeling that part of the reason I love you is because you’re a beach person too. You understand what draws me to the water because you live here,” Tammie knew she had been rattling on. Then she suddenly realized she had just told Frank she loved him.
“I love you too,” Frank told her turning her toward him, so he could see her face. “I think that’s what I’ve been trying to say all morning. I just couldn’t find the words. I love you Tammie and I love having you in my home. I’ll admit I got a little freaked out when I saw your stuff in my bathroom last night but I love having you in my home and I love you,” he repeated, kissing her and hugging her to him.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I left anything.”


12 Days of Romance

Do you want to win some fantastic holiday reading? If so come celebrate the Twelve days of Romance with 12 authors from Ellora's Cave, Wild Rose Press, Total-E-Bound and Cerridwen Press. Each day beginning December 8th and running through December 19th one of the twelve authors will tell what their "True love gave to them" on either their blog or website. Who has it today I wonder?Collect all twelve answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with 12 days of Romance in the subject line to win some great books.

There will be three lucky winners. The prizes –1st prize--6 books, 2nd prize--4 books, 3rd prize--2 books. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly

Anny Cook Winter Hearts
Sandra Cox Boji Stones
Bronwyn Green Ronan's Grail
Heather Hiestand Cards Never Lie
Barbara Huffert Deal of a Lifetime
Amarinda Jones Mad About Mirabelle
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Cindy Spencer Pape Cowboy's Christmas Bride
Brynn Paulin Fallen
Jacquéline Roth Access Denied
KZ Snow Mrs. Claws
Lacey Thorn Earth Moves
All answers must be received no later than the stroke of midnight 21st December (Northern hemisphere time) *******Who has the clue today, hmm???*********

Anny is recounting Christmas 1964 on www.annycook.blogspot.com. Kelly has her Sunday quote up on www.kkirch.blogspot.com. Entertainment is everywhere – seek and enjoy.

www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?