That about covers it....

So, I’ve been looking around at photos for cover art as I’m about to make up a bunch of covers for Scarlet Harlot Publishing™ – it’s a project I’m working slowly on in between life happening as it does. Anyway, some of the art for covers is as boring as all get out or so contrived that it’s corny. I did find some photos that I’m contemplating using. I say ‘contemplating’ as some of them are so blatant and leave stuff all to the imagination. One in particular has a man going down on a woman and she appears to be liking it quite a bit…as you do. But how would readers feel about it? In an erotica reading culture where extreme and kink is all the rage would readers by shocked by a blatant photo that is just portraying what’s inside or do they want the homogenized cover? Hmmm…as for the picture above? It’s from an AIDS ad. I think it’s very effective.

Random thought #1297…

Why don’t we see Gumby around any more? Is it an image problem? Is he just too nice for an un-nice world? Or has he just retired gracefully? I do wonder about Gumby…

Balling...

Had an eye test today and I had photos taken of my eyeballs and I saw them on screen and I said to myself...huh, there you go...eyeballs... says it all really...life comes down to balls...

So there…

Romance - a. A love affair. b. Ardent emotional attachment or involvement between people; love:

Erotica - creative activity (writing or pictures or films etc.) of no literary or artistic value other than to stimulate sexual desire

Menage - 1. People living together as a unit; a household. 2. The management of a household.

Sex - a. The property or quality by which organisms are classified as female or male on the basis of their reproductive organs and functions.

If you’re reading an erotic ménage story right now it’s apparently all about classifying the genitals of people who live together and of no value whatsoever.

The romantic…or less than…times...

A while ago a very good friend said to me “Do you write anything else but sex?” Yes, of course…what’s your point? Are you saying romance writers are solely focused on catering to a market of sex starved women who want to believe a man can take a woman and forcibly seduce her into doing anything he wants? Is it that the market is now totally about one woman being shared by three, four, five (etc) men at once? Is it that having implements stuck up one’s bottom – a tail, a feather…and god knows what else…are more exciting than just being with someone who makes you laugh and feel good without all the heat and sweat? Is it that women have evolved to a point that sex is more important than romance? Or it is women know what the want sexually so they’re going to take it even if in book form? Is romance dead? I dunno…

Chang rang...

Who is Chang? Stuffed it I know but he rang and asked to speak to Amarinda Jones. I asked who he was. He got kind of pissed off and said "Chang from South Australia." Hmmm, I know only one person in SA and that’s Jules and I don’t think she’s changed her name or got a deeper voice. Anyway I said what’s it about? He said it was business and he could only discuss it with Amarinda. “Why not me?” I asked. The response? “Because Amarinda knows what it’s about.” I said, because I like to toy with telemarketers who have no right to ring and interrupt my life, “well, I’m not going to put her on.” There was dead silence on the other end for a moment before he replied “this is none of your business and I need to speak to her.” I said, “well you can’t so bugger off.” His response, “I’ll call her later when you’re not there.” Uh huh. “Good luck with that.” I replied.

Telemarketers. Irritating sods.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Chances are...

“I feel very adventurous. There are so many doors to be opened, and I'm not afraid to look behind them.” ~ Elizabeth Taylor

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

I don’t write BDSM sex….

I don’t even try to. I have no real understanding of it. It’s like a woman writer trying to write male-male sex how does she really know? Yes, by all means email me to dispute that if you want. Anyway, why I mention this is due to the fact I got a really good review for Cintra – click here -and the reviewer mentioned how good the BDSM scenes were etc. Thank you. I appreciate it. But – and there always is one that you have to cover or think about - while I understand people have an obsessive need to tag things with labels, why do we have to tag something as primal and raw and human as sex? It just is and it’s based on preference.

Yes, by all means warn the sex in a book is graphic and could offend but labeling a story BDSM when really it’s graphic generally gets me a bunch of emails from BDSM writers telling me things like “in true BDSM she would never have put her foot there” and “only the neo-fosby-flop-flugelheimer method of tying a woman’s hands to the bed is considered true BDSM and how dare you just tie them?”

Well, the thing is I do dare. I dare a lot. Sex is about daring. It’s about doing it because you want to how you want to with who you want to. And to label it? Well, no ones ever going to agree on labels so why bother?

Sex – do it because you want to. Read it because you accept the graphic rating and just enjoy the story. Labels? Stick 'em on parcels and send them in the mail.

Email – amarinda_jones@yahoo.com.au

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Dirty, Sexy, Yours....

The older I get the more I think to hell with convention and rules and just do what you want if it makes you feel good. Yes – anarchy. Personal anarchy is good. Risk taking is fun.

Cintra is a short story based on this philosophy. It’s also based on finding the love of your life by taking a chance. The Dirty, Sexy, Yours series is all about letting go and giving in to temptation. I see no problem with that…

Cintra is out today. Click here to buy.

The blurb...

Cintra has wanted Jason for a long time but she's never been sure how to speak to him. In one mad moment she decides to throw caution to the wind and offers herself to him as a sex slave for forty-eight hours. Cintra craves the thrill of raw, dirty sex. She wants to be under Jason’s command. In doing so Cintra believes she will burn out the wild infatuation she has for him. But nothing’s ever that easy.

Jason is more than happy to grant Cintra’s sexy request. He had longed to touch and taste the curvaceous brunette. Now is the right time to make her his. Jason knows exactly what Cintra needs. And to have the chance to be the master her body? Perfect. To have a place in her heart? That may take a little longer. The lady may give her body freely but her heart is different.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

32 Chinese women arrested for writing gay erotica - PinkNews.co.uk

32 Chinese women arrested for writing gay erotica - PinkNews.co.uk

Imagine the carry on if western women who write male-male romance got arrested? Human rights are dodgy in China

Not so secret…

I was reading an excerpt from a story that was one of those arab-sheik-doctor-millionaire-playboy-shags-the poor-virgin-nurse-and gets her preggers books and I thought, huh, I could write one of these. So I started out to write one and three pages in I realized while I can write soap opera, I can’t seriously write about some dominating twit who ‘commands’ a woman to leave the life she has known to be his wife. Yes, yes, I know she really, secretly loves him, and ditto for him, and she likes to be dominated as it makes her feel like she’s needed and the sprog she’s carrying needs to know his/her father but it’s just not me. While every writer, whether they admit to it or not, will jump on the whatever-is-selling-bandwagon, it’s hard to go against what you believe and the inherent nature of who you are as a person.

Anyway, I didn’t trash the story. I changed it. I made it into my version of the whole secret baby deal and called in The Not So Secret Baby©. I believe it comes out in May…in the end ya gotta be who you are.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Well, exactly...

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

The screw-you-over form…

Yesterday arvo I sat and read this complicated form that got sent to me by my solicitor to do with the purchase of my house. I’ve seen this form before. It’s a complicated government form designed to confuse you because it all deals with extra money they try and screw you out of when you buy a home. No, it doesn’t matter that you’ve worked hard all your life, not depended on taxpayers to support you and you’ve bought the house through said hard work and sacrifice. The government wants to screw you over for their piece of it.

This is the third time I have seen this form. It’s about ‘possible’ concessions you ‘may be’ granted. I have a theory about it. The form is so freaking complication and riddled with double meanings that I believe most people give up and never bother to read it or fill it out or send it back. I believe the government writes it that way so the less people bother to spend time over it, the less concession they have to give and the more money they squeeze out of you. Not me baby. I have filled this form out now three times and each time I have been given the concession. Bugger ‘em. I can out complicate the government.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Writing and the Seen It All Before Syndrome (SABS) by Nicki J Markus....

Today I was browsing some book blogs and one book title jumped out at me, sending a cold shiver down my spine. Why? It was the same title I had used for my latest story, recently sent to the publisher for their consideration.

I quickly looked up the author and book in question, desperate to find a synopsis. Finally, I pulled the blurb up on the screen and was able to put my mind at rest - the story was nothing like mine. But it got me thinking....

Writer’s have a tough job these days. We need something original to catch the eye of a publisher (though not too original it scares them off), yet at the same time we need to watch out for copyright and plagiarism infringement. How often have I come up with an idea, mulled it over, gotten excited...and then realised it is simply a rehash of a book I read a few years ago.

Earlier this year, I read a book that was so similar to a book I’d read only a few months before that I couldn’t concentrate on the new book, my mind too full of comparisons with the previously read title.

I’ve named this type of occurrence SABS – Seen It All Before Syndrome. As a reader it is mildly annoying, as a writer it is an issue devoutly to be feared. With so many books out there (even more than before with the rise of e-books and the smaller e-publishers), it is so hard to think up something 100% new and original; so many of the ideas seem to be already taken. And since no one could possibly read every single book in the world, it is impossible to know for sure that your marvellous idea isn’t old news.

There is no sure fire way around this. I guess the best thing a writer can do is try to read as many books as possible in their chosen genre. That way you should get a reasonable idea of what is already out there. Then pick up your pen, open your mind and hope for the best as the ink fills the page!

Nicki J Markus was born in England, but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist. She launched her writing career in 2010. She writes non-fiction articles and reviews for Suite101.com and several of her fiction pieces have recently been published by Wicked Nights Publishing. For more information on her and her writing, visit her website: http://www.nickijmarkus.org.uk/.

Anybody but a naked body…

I have this rule…well, not really a rule as I’m not big on rules...so let’s call it something I do when it comes to accepting friends on Facebook. As long as you are not naked in your profile photo or send me naked pictures of yourself – i.e. naked men who really should be wearing clothes because in their case clothes do maketh the man and there are only specific men I want to see naked - then we can be Facebook friends. I’ve met so many fascinating people on Facebook who I correspond with regularly and I like to sit in the morning and read about what everyone is doing over my coffee. It’s like a global newspaper. I mention the Amarinda-accept-no-naked-friends-clause as a person I actually am acquainted with in my life called me yesterday and said ‘I’ll send it to your Facebook email address.’ He had to point out to me that I had accepted his friendship the other day. Okay – yep – I checked. I did accept it because he wasn’t naked. See? Clothed males I accept without qualms. I just have to slow down and pay more attention.

Why the Monkees? I heard this song yesterday and I remembered how much I liked it...simple as that.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Finally a computer setting I understand....

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

The Pet Question...

Next month, if all the planets align as they should – if not I’ll be bloody kicking them into alignment - I’ll be in my new house. And, I’ve been thinking that I’m probably grown up enough now to have a pet. But what sort would have the patience to live with me? Years ago, I did have the legendary Marlene the goldfish who lived with me for 7 years. She was easy to deal with. She ignored me and I, apart from saying hello to her, ignored her. But now I’m thinking I could probably have a grown up pet but what? I did want chooks (chickens) but due to the snake threat I can’t have chickens. Bugger. I was reading about a hissing duck with attitude and that appealed to me but again - snakes. So, I’m thinking a tortoise or a weird looking reptile that just wanders aimlessly around and only expects three things from me – food, good conversation and that I won’t step on it. When you think about it that’s all anyone can ask of another isn’t it?

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

The 117 Percenters....

I have a friend who gives 117 percent in what he does. He is the motivator of others and the driving force behind each team. He pushes himself to the limit at his job and gets down on himself if he hasn’t given, in his perception, 117%. He is ‘infinity and beyond.’ I admire him. He inspires me to want to be better. I look at him and think ‘I should be more like that’. But I’m not. I’m too jaded. I’m okay being 95%...sometimes 90. I’m not programmed to save the world. I go along with what Irving Berlin said
“Life is 10 percent what you make it, and 90 percent how you take it.”

But oh hell yeah, thank the cosmos for the 117 percenters. We’d be utterly screwed without them.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Sex Odyssey ~Amarinda Jonesa & Berengaria Brown

The book trailer You Tube banned...I have no idea why but due to popular demand...here 'tis

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

When Honesty Isn’t Always the Best Policy~Julie Lynn Hayes

Warning: Possible spoilers for second season Queer as Folk if you’re slow like me and are just now watching it.
Okay, so in today’s episode of Queer as Folk, we have people being less than honest with one another: Mike with Ben about his leaving for Tibet for six months; Ted with Emmett about his newfound feelings of love; Justin with Brian about his feelings for Ethan, the violinist. The simplest thing to do would be to be honest and admit the truth, right?
Wrong. Then you’d lose the bulk of the episode, spent in wrestling with the consequences of keeping the truth hidden, and the drama involved in wondering if it will come out or not.
Drama. It’s what our stories thrive on, what they’re built on. Drama in one form or another. If you take away the drama, you’re left with characters with happy lives, and while that may be good for them, it’s bound to turn away most, if not all, of your readers.
Why is that, you ask? Is it because our readers and/or viewers are sadistic voyeurs who like to watch the pain and misery which life inflicts on others? No, far from it. It’s because we’re all human, and when we watch the trials and tribulations of the characters in stories, we can sympathize and empathize with them, and get into the story more, because haven’t we all been there, done that? It gives us something to cling to, to identify with, and to care about.
Okay, maybe they’re your babies—of course they are—and you hate to inflict pain, but there is that saying, no pain, no gain. And it’s true, at least in terms of drama.
I used to watch As the World Turns, for over thirty years, and I came to the conclusion that the characters just needed to be honest with one another, that the truth has a way of coming out when you least expected, and that the longer you withhold it, the worse the consequences. But then again, there goes most of your stories, too. Yes, it’s sometimes annoying when you think to yourself that a simple spoken word could end so much utter misery, but that same spoken word ends that storyline too, at least as far as that issue is concern. With soap operas, that was even more of an imperative, cause they had to stretch out their stories as long as possible, and keep those viewers coming back for more.
You can do it so that your character appears noble for being dishonest: the man who doesn’t want his partner to know he’s dying; the man with the shady past who only wants to lead a good life until someone he used to know blows into town and can blow his whole cover; the character who doesn’t tell his lover that if he follows his dreams, he will be lonely and devastated because he knows it’s for his lover’s own good. Sounds good, but leads to intense gut twisting, heart stopping, edge of your seat drama, waiting for that other shoe to drop. Or even the two guys who can’t admit they love each other. Maybe one’s already taken. Married even. Or there is a huge age gap between them, and the older one thinks he’s not good for the younger.
So many reasons, so much drama, so little time. And how badly honesty would kill those moments, cut them short. Sure, you want the truth to come out. And then you can prepare for more drama for it having been delayed. Theoretically. It doesn’t always go that way, of course.
In my new release, coming out April 30th, through Silver Publishing, Leonardo di Caprio is a Vampire, Fisher Roberts is open with his roommate/best friend Hunter Long about most things—how much he hates holidays, decorating and dressing up, and parties celebrating said holidays. But there is one thing he cannot be honest with him about, and that is his feelings for Hunter—Fisher happens to be in love with him. And that is the crux of the story. Want to know how it comes out? You’ll have to wait and see.
As for the guys I mentioned earlier, if you’re wondering how that worked out: Brian found out anyway, and he told Justin that he is free to be where he wants to be, but I think Justin chose Ethan, which is heartbreaking; Mike told Ben to go to Tibet with his blessing, after he admitted he didn’t want him to go, and Ben decided to stay; Emmett told Ted he didn’t have those feelings for him, but then things went strangely in the opposite direction, and I think they’re together now.
And the beat goes on.
When you resolve one issue, another pops up, doesn’t it? Just remember, that honesty isn’t always the best policy, not when it comes to your stories.

Blurb ~ Leonardo di Caprio is a Vampire

“Tis the night before Halloween, and Fisher Roberts wishes it was over, not being a fan of this or any other holiday. But he tolerates it because his roommate/best friend Hunter Long takes a childish glee in all things Halloween. And Fisher has a vested interest in keeping Hunter happy. If only he could find the nerve to tell his childhood friend that he loves him, and has for a very long time.
Fisher thinks Hunter is carrying things a bit far this year, though. First Hunter claims to be a vampire, and he just won’t let the silly joke go. Then he forces Fisher to go to a costumed Halloween party which Fisher would rather avoid, especially when he realizes where it’s being held, and whose house it is. Things at Fisher’s job might just be going south, too, when he receives a mysterious summons to report to the editor’s office the next morning. And then Fisher goes and does something stupid—like kissing Hunter!
Bad leads to worse when Fisher ends up at the Halloween party from Hell, and he learns something that threatens to destroy his and Hunter’s relationship forever. Running from his fears, Fisher encounters a strange young man with an unusual resemblance to Leonardo di Caprio, who shows him things he never realized before, truths about his life and the people in it.
Can Fisher find his way back to Hunter, and can he find the courage to do what his heart wishes?

www.julielynnhayes.com

To me…

…it all comes down to this – we may look differently, we may speak a 'foreign' language and we may pray to strange gods but one thing remains the same – our country is our home and our people are our family. Christchurch and Japan remind me once more that despite the differences we’re not so different. So why do you reckon we fight each other so much? I don’t get it…

RIP to souls lost

Amarinda

Go Captain Australia!

I for one am sleeping more soundly these days knowing Captain Australia is looking after us. Who is Captain Australia? Click here - http://www.captainaustralia.net/ - or watch the video, citizen.



I am seriously contemplating putting myself forward as his sidekick but I’m not sure the ability to do the splits, thirty sit ups in a row or the talent to be exceptionally irritating to people who piss me off can compete with the other contenders – Goanna Girl, Down Under Boy Wonder or Vegemite. I also need to think up a spiffy, crime fighting name. Amarinda Avenger? Angsty Amarinda or Pretty damn scary Amarinda…I’ll work on it. Anyway, I like Captain Australia and his groovy threads.

I salute you Captain Australia.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Excessica : Mad About Mirabelle by Amarinda Jones [9781609824624] - $5.99

Out now...

Excessica : Mad About Mirabelle by Amarinda Jones [9781609824624] - $5.99

Lying scumbags…

…or publishers who couldn’t organize a root in brothel – a root, in Aussie slang, equates to getting laid and a brothel – well, that obvious. I’m a tad pissed at the moment. I’m tired of dealing with suspect publishers with dodgy sales reports. Skimming money? Not acceptable. Withholding author money to tide yourself over until next month? That would be oh hell fucking no.

Now, I should point out there are some exceptionally good publishers out there who do the right thing and it’s only the inept, cheating ones – two in fact - that piss me off.

So, in light of dealing with these swindling nongheads, I’m in the process of opening my own publishing company. It’s called Scarlet Harlot Publishing™ and I do have a website for it but if you go to http://scarletharlotpublishing.com/ you’ll see stuff all as this is a work in process. I’m doing it between work, moving and other boring life events. I’m going to start out with my own books. The theory behind this is if I balls it up then I only piss myself off. Later, I will be calling for submissions.

Yes, yes, every author seems to be starting a publishing company. Many have told me they’re sick to death or dealing with dodgy publishers and that they have had enough bad experiences that they reckon they can do better. Can the market sustain so many publishers? Of course it can. We’ve already seen readers desert the original publishers in droves as the newer publishers can cater to more diverse taste. And let’s face it, most authors have the experience of what to do and what not to do under their belts.

Will Scarlet Harlot succeed? Dunno. It’s a put it out into the universe kind of thing and wait for a response. I do know, that unlike other publishers, I know what authors want. It’s actually pretty simple. It’s what workers all over the world deserve – an honest wage for a job well done. It ain’t rocket science baby.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Strip For Me....

Strip For me is out today at Evernight Publishing…

Rett Cameron is stranded in Resort City without a cent to her name. She wants to go home to Australia but how does she do that without money? When one of the locals offers to pay her for sexual services she’s stunned. Sex with strangers? For money? Or is there more involved?

Hamish Clark the local strip club owner has a suggestion for Rett. Strip for me and I’ll pay you. The minute he saw Rett he wanted her. He soon discovers she has other needs than just money. But Hamish has a problem. Not all women like him. One wants him dead.

Okay, so this is the story that has the cover that made You Tube give me a cyber wrist slap due to the controversial nature of it. Strip for Me does have sex in it. It also has nudity. The two tend to go together. I gotta’ tell you - erotic romance does have these two elements otherwise the ‘erotic’ tag would be incorrect. Is the woman naked on the cover? No. Is she in the act of getting naked? That’s for the reader to judge.

Judge a book by its cover? Of course we do. You can make that judgment on Strip for Me by clicking here - http://www.evernightpublishing.com/products/Strip-For-Me-by-Amarinda-Jones.html

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Refuse to be labelled...

A survey commissioned by Triumph found women were not fond of having their curves likened to apples, pears or inanimate shapes.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/forget-fruit-when-it-comes-to-women/story-fn6bfm6w-1226016756295

Well no. I’ve never seen the point of labelling any woman with a fruit label. And labelling them after the styles of great painters? Why is that any better? Do we label a man’s body? His penis as a particular type? Does it make it any better? Less? More? If a man is overweight are we going to call him Rubenesque or a big, strapping man? I’m tired of all this body bullshit. You are what you are and to my mind how healthy your body and mind are is more important than what labels are applied to it. When we stop labelling people and just be defined by our personality and the good things we do then I believe we’ll actually be a better society for it. And no, I don’t see that happening for a while. Why? Because while everyone uses the phrase ‘nobody’s perfect’ they in fact actually want a perfect person for them. Yeah, sure, it’s good to be ambitious in what you desire but the most loyal and noble of hearts often are found in those less then model like bodies.

Fruit? Works of art? We’re women – hard working, strong and smart. Take us for what we are or bugger off.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Ashlynn Monroe...

Thanks for having me over for a visit on your blog. I love your work Amarinda, so this is a treat. I thought about what I’d like to blog about and it made me chuckle. My topic…laundry, yes that’s right, no typo here, and laundry is the sexy topic I’ve chosen.

My hubby and I married at twenty and we had our eldest when we were twenty-two. When child number two came along things got hectic, stressful. We loved each other but like so many young couples we ran into bumps had to make a choice, seek professional help or get a divorce. We chose counseling. One issue in those days was sex; we had a good sex life, when we actually found the time to partake. Our councilor suggested a code word, something we could say and no one would know what we meant. This word came to us without even a discussion we looked at each other and spoke in unison, “laundry.” It’s the chore we fought about most, a never-ending unwinnable battle.

I laugh when I see facebook statuses about laundry, even if I know most people’s minds won’t go to the same place as mine when it comes to the word. Laundry is now one of the sexiest words in my vocabulary. Since I became a published romance author (mostly erotica), my hubby says the laundry has never been better. I think this has more to do with the added joy in my life and not any new and exciting information I’ve gleamed from my new roll.

We women wear many hats wife, mother, employee, daughter, cook, accountant, you name it we do it with flair. No matter what you do don’t forget to show love to those who matter to you. It was a lesson that made me a better wife, and over the years, I’ve gotten better at balancing the many tasks begging for my time. Now that the kids are all in elementary school that’s helped me find the time to pursue my own dreams. I’ve been happier, more positive, and more excited to get out of bed every morning since my first book hit the cyber-shelves last June. When your heart is light, you share that brightness with those around you.

It doesn’t take a much to get off track in marriage or in life, but in the end, it was my husband and I making the choice to make changes that saved our marriage. I’m so thankful that we made it through that tough time. I’ve been with him since high school and I can’t imagine doing laundry with anyone else.

I hope you’ll take the time to check out my work. You can find me at http://ashlynnmonroe.com/. I’d love to hear from you if you read me at authorashlynnmonroe@gmail.com. I’m also on Goodreads so feel free to friend me there or facebook too. The best gift I get is when new readers take a chance on me and reads my work. I have a new series out with Wicked Ink Press; Pray for Me is the first book in my Templar Vampire series. You can find it with this link. http://www.wickedinkpress.com/product_info.php?products_id=38&osCsid=eecc93e0cfcd7f816d89b6899e0dc682

Here’s a blurb:

Gabriel put his faith in his God and his king…That was centuries ago. Harley is proud of her heritage and when she has the chance to give her hometown historical society a boost by booking an eccentric Swiss expert, she has no idea she booked someone who actually lived the history. Immortality is a long time to have a broken heart. Unable to stop himself, Gabriel draws the brilliant historian into his life. Harley discovers far more than Gabriel ever expected about history, his history! A quest to give Gabriel an answer to an old question will introduce them to the danger of a new enemy. Is love enough when your love wants you body, soul and blood?

Book two will be out soon. It’s Michael’s story. I love my damaged Templar Knights, and I hope you will too.

Ashlynn Monroe
Crafting Romance, one word
at a time…
http://ashlynnmonroe.com

Sometimes it all comes down to boobs…

I was at the gym lifting weights – I do that after cardio – why? I don’t know…something to do with not being a weak arsed old lady years from now. Anyway, I was taught the correct way to lift weights. It’s all about pushing your breasts forward. As I was lifting this morning I thought about that and really, for a woman, it’s always comes down to boobs.

How so you ask? Well, if we’re not thrusting them forward to lift weights, we’re putting them out their to entice, confuse and mesmerize. They give comfort, they excite and while they’re a pain in the arse nuisance at times, they give us a power over men that is priceless. How so? When a man is staring at your breasts he can’t see what plans and schemes for world domination are formulating in your eyes. I like that…

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Sarong...Saright...

I love sarongs. I wear ‘em a lot. They’re simple and cool and they suit every body type and that’s a hard thing to do. They’re an enigma. They conceal all yet show off quite a bit. So I propose the following – I’m calling it the Amarinda Peace Initiative.

1. If we all wear sarongs we all look good and there is no reason for people to worry about their weight.
2. If everyone wore sarongs – male and female – there would be no place to hide weapons and we could all live in peace...is that a gun in your sarong or are you just pleased to see me?
3. They’re easy to wash and fold so no stressful laundry days – see Anny Cook’s blog here - http://annycook.blogspot.com/2011/03/laundry-math.html
4. They’re a great leveler in the fact that if we all look the same then how can we envy another and want to steal from them?
5. Easy removal for sex…sex makes you feel good so ipso facto it brings peace.

I’m sending this initiative off to the United Nations. It can’t be any worse than any other half arsed initiative they’re working on and mine costs less and makes amazing amounts of sense. Sarongs? Saright.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Things I know…

…if we all walked around naked we wouldn’t have to do so much laundry on a Saturday
…it is classless and tacky to join someone, without their consent, to a facebook page.
…the ‘leave this group’ button is on the right hand side of the page
…need is bad. It should be de-programmed in our minds.
…the anally retentive are always among us
…mate, in Far North Queensland mate you can use mate in a sentence twelve times mate and it’s acceptable mate. Okay mate?
…and it’s ok if you can’t do the Vulcan hand salute – I can – come stand beside me and we’ll avoid an international crisis if we meet a Vulcan.

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

The blow-in…

Well, I sold my house in Brisbane and bought a house in Cairns. Yay me. I’ve worked hard to get where I am and I deserve a reward for effort. Interestingly enough the minute I had a house secured I got offered a really good job. Do you know why? Because I have bought a house I’m now not viewed solely as the city slicker blow-in who’s not going to stick around – but - I’m also not a local. I think that takes 10 years and the ability to drive over cane toads without blinking.

Ah the future looks bright…

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Knickerless...

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"”

“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” ~ Winnie the Pooh

Good mate and excellent author Sandra Cox has been featuring some Winnie the Pooh quotes on her blog - http://sandracox.blogspot.com.
I mentioned in her comments section something along the lines of that I believe enlightenment comes when you don’t wear pants - you know like Winnie. Some of the more meaningful, enlightening and as Oprah would say ‘light bulb’ moments have come to me when I’ve been knickerless… naked. Think about it…you’re at your most vulnerable, open and at a ‘real’ moment in your life when you act purely on what you know, believe and want. Yep, that’s why Winnie’s so smart. He’s not wearing undies.

“If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together.. there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I’ll always be with you.” ~ Winnie the Pooh

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

Blue arsed fly…

Lordy, when the universe decides to act it does it all at once don’t it? Busy, frigging busy. I’m running around like a blue arsed fly at the moment playing catch up with life.

*like a blue-arsed fly - in a frenzied manner; erratically.

Or any of these…

*like a cut snake - in an extremely active, busy manner.

*like a one-armed taxi-driver with crabs - a very busy person

http://www.thesharkdoctor.com/aussielingolessons.html

Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book

The mighty Snowflakes...

A thousand years ago when I around 8 years old I played netball. I was part of the mighty all losing team called the Snowflakes. We were, in essence, pathetic bordering on hopelessly unco yet we turned up to every game. Looking back now I think it was because we got fed orange quarters at half time. Anyway, after the Snowflakes were confirmed bottom of the ladder, we didn’t despair. We came back the next year as the Defenders – crap name but one of the parents I believe thought it would inspire us to actually do stuff like defend, not run into each other or duck when the ball was thrown at us. Ah, those were the heady days. That year we actually came second last due to the fact one team had to pull out after only two games so they went to the bottom. You can imagine our euphoria at not being last. That spurred us on to become – the Hot Shots…oh yeah, a winning name for any other team but ours. But we soldiered on back down to the bottom of the league once more. And it was then that an epiphany came upon us – let’s go play hockey. The ex-Snowflakes players came second that year in hockey. Moral of the story? Hockey - so much potential for revenge.

Why I ramble on about this now is I have decided to make a netball comeback in Cairns – after all I feel it’s my obligation as I was actually vice-captain of the mighty Snowflakes and it's probably, possibly my professional due to take the court once more. Yep, you can't keep a snowflake down.





Amarinda Jones
Penn Halligan
www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book