International Women's Day....

Its International Women’s Day – no, I’m not going to get all rad fem and burn a bra and denounce men. I like men and hydraulic support is a must. International Woman’s Day is about equality. Think back to the Suffragettes who campaigned for the right to vote. Think of all the women you know who have changed the world for the better and not just because they are famous. There are still so many things that need to be changed – the barbarity of female genital mutilation, women in some countries who are punished, not their rapists, for being attacked, women who have no rights and are but chattels to their husbands and women who have no access to education, the law or proper medicine. Want to know more? Check out http://www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp

Instead of me prattling on as usual, I asked some strong women I know to post some positive excerpts about strong women in control. Read, enjoy and click on the links to buy.

Measure of Healing – Jacqueline Roth

“What?!” Alejandro erupted. “Are you crazy, lady?” His voice roared out of him and echoed through the room, popping hard against her eardrums. The sound brought his Mama to the doorway, eyes filled with anxiety. She’d not heard Alejandro raise his voice in more years than most of the people in this house had been alive.
“Mr. Ramirez,” Brie started to explain.
“Someone he doesn’t know is going to take a traumatized child a thousand miles from home to someplace he doesn’t know?” He shook his head. “No way. Not happening. Just in case you don’t get it, lady, that kid is terrified. He’s half starved and getting weaker every hour.” Alejandro ran his hand through his hair pushing it back. “You need to leave. Just get out, I don’t know what I was thinking. A Wolf and a human. Yeah, that’s gonna be a lot of help.”
“You need to stop talking and listen,” the voice that snarled out of the young woman snapped his head back in surprise. “In case you don’t get it, that boy is getting weaker by the hour under your care. You have no idea how to handle something like this and you can’t bully your way through it.” She drew a deep breath and she stayed seated. She’d learned long ago that if you couldn’t physically intimidate, your best bet was to make the other person’s physical posturing look foolish. Brie calmed herself and continued. “I have no intention of making things worse for the child but one thing is certain, if we don’t do something we end up doing exactly that. If he doesn’t start eating regularly soon, we’ll have to sedate him and feed him intravenously or he will die.”
http://www.cerridwenpress.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419912634

Curses – Cindy Spencer Pape

“I don’t like you, Sean.” Mel kept her voice surprisingly level. She tapped the pipe wrench against the palm of her hand. “And I really don’t like threats. Now whether you like it or not, this is still my property, and it’s going to remain that way. Nobody is putting up a four-story hotel and a golf course on MacRae land.”
He’d backed her into a corner of the kitchen area, but he hesitated when she lifted the wrench.
“Now.” She poked him with the wrench, pushing him backward, toward the door. “Get your fancy butt into your fancy SUV, and get the hell off my land.” She gave him the nastiest grin she could manage. “Then go tell your daddy to back the hell off. Remind him just who he’s been threatening. You really don’t want to piss me off, do you Sean?”
Sudden comprehension dawned on his sculpted features, and he backed up all the way to the door, then took one hasty step out over the threshold, but he kept his sneer in place and managed a rude little snort. “Fairy tales, Melissa. Nobody with half a brain really believes you have any magical powers.”
“But then, nobody ever accused you of having half a brain, did they Sean? Just tell your father that if either of you ever wants to have sex again in this lifetime, you’d better leave me and my property alone.” She walked forward to stand in the doorway, then leaned against the sturdy pine trim for support. She was shaking in her boots, but she couldn’t let him see it. What was the use of being called the town witch if you couldn’t use the occasional threat to defend yourself? “Because if you keep harassing me, there won’t be enough Viagra on the planet to help either of you get it up.”
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=602&zenid=80060d1da8ddfcbbfca5f4c122de68b1

To Love a Hero - Mona Risk

It's all settled, General." She placed her hand on his arm in a soothing gesture. "I know it's difficult for the Major General of Belarus to ask for help from a woman." With male chauvinism ingrained in his culture, Sergei had probably never worked with a woman as an equal. Cecile hitched her chin to hide her disappointment.
"Oh Cecile, you are not any woman. You are the Program Manager who brought hope back to two million Belarussians." A devastating smile replaced his bitter expression and banished the business conversation. He stepped closer and added, "A generous and beautiful woman."
His deep blue eyes glittered with unbearable intensity. She breathed in the scent of his aftershave and felt almost dizzy with need. A deep quiver slithered to her stomach. Her skin heated. His voice, his touch, his smell created a sensual ambiance that sent her world into a tailspin.Outside the window, snowflakes twirled in a happy dance. Cecile wished she could walk out and cool off in the snow before she totally combusted. For the life of her, she couldn't move away.
"Once the project starts, it will last for a few months," Sergei reminded her.
She nodded blankly. "Yes, I know."
"Will anyone miss you there, in Boston?" He stilled, fixing her with a strange look.
"Maybe the chemists, if they have problems."
"No, I mean…" He rubbed a finger over her hand. "You are not wearing a ring. You are not married?"
"I broke my engagement three months ago."
"You gave him back his ring?"She glanced at her bare hand and tried not to think of the horrible day Rob had stolen her promotion."Not exactly. I dropped it in the flask of nitric acid sitting on the laboratory bench."
Sergei burst out laughing. "In the acid? Hmm…excuse me. It is inappropriate on my part." He cleared his throat and stared at her with obvious interest.
http://www.cerridwenpress.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419913686

Traveller's Refuge – Anny Cook

Llyon sent Hawke to find Wrenna. She came running, clay splattered all over the smock covering her meerlim. Llyon peeled her out of the smock and hoisted her onto the swinging bed with Trav and Dance. As soon as she was close enough, she wrapped her arms around Trav and Dance let go and slid off the bed.
She rocked with him while she shifted around until she was in his lap. Then wrapping her legs around him, she held him and kissed him until he quit shaking. "Shh. Its okay, Trav." While they sat rocking on the bed, Dance directed the sorting of the stuff.
"I'm crazy!" Traveller declared angrily. "I can't bond with you, Wrenna! Who knows what crazy thing I might do to you or our children?"
She hugged him harder and shook her head. "You're not getting away from me that easily, Trav. You're my man. The father of my children. My mate. I won't let you go."
"Don't you understand? I don't even remember packing this stuff!" He shook her gently. "What else have I done?"
"Whatever else you've done doesn't matter, Trav. It's finished. Our lives start from now on."
http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419910593


Thief of Mine - by the Jones girl

“Why am I sick?” Stella answered back into the phone. Honest to God her manager was anal. It was seven twenty in the morning. The fact that she was doing the right thing calling in, allowing plenty of time for her manager to run around like a wet hen looking for a replacement for her, should be enough. Why did he have to demand an explanation? Sick was sick, it needed no further discussion. How hard could it be for someone else to do her job? It was not like you had to be a genius to file, photocopy and maintain spreadsheets all day. “I prefer not to discuss it over the phone.” Wanker. As he continued dribbling on with the whiny questions, Stella decided she had listened to him long enough. “Fine. I had wild passionate sex with a thief and it was so damn good that I can barely walk. Is that a good enough reason? If I’m not having earth shattering sex with the thief again tomorrow then I’ll be in.” She hung the phone up. Stella looked up to see Kit’s amused gaze her. “I hate that frigging job and now I have a reason to leave.”
“Before you get fired.” Kit had never heard any one use sex as an excuse. It was certainly different. But then, so was Stella Rowallan.
“Something like that.” Stella knew there was every likelihood that she was going get the sack but she would cross that bridge and blow it up behind her if and when that happened.
http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419911064

See? There are plenty of good books out there to buy.

Remember to take a squiz at www.annycook.blogspot.com and www.kkirch.blogspot.com to see what mischief Anny and Kelly are up to. I'll be back tomorrow with the usual amazingness of nothing to share with you

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